known by voyce learning and doctrine the seconde place in that chapter alleâ—ged verse .73 is this They that stode by sayde vnto Peter surely thou arte also one of them For euen thy speeche bevvrayeth thee Peter was suspected by his spéeche to be a Galilean and therefore one of Christes apostles Ergo a mynister was then knowne by voyce learning and doctrine You may as well of that place gather thus Peter preached not Chryste then but denyed hym Ergo a mynister must be knowne by denying of Chryst. Lorde God what dare not these men alledge for theyr purpose I knowe that the chiefe tokens whereby a mynister oughte to be knowne is doctryne and learnyng But you childyshly abuse the Scripture and playe wyth the same Nowe you say ministers must be discerned from other by Popishe and Antichrystian apparell as cappe gowne tippet c. doe you thinke that bycause a minister ought to be knowne by his voyce learning and doctrine therefore he maye not be also knowne by his apparell Iohn the Baptist had peculiar apparel and was knowne by it Christe had distinct apparell from other for hys coate had neuer a seame Eusebius sayth that Sainct Iohn the Apostle ware on his head a leafe or thinne plate lyke vnto a Bishops miter But what if none of the Prophetes what if none of the Apostles whiche you are not able to proue eyther of the prophets or apostles were knowne by their apparel May not therefore Christian magistrates in Christian common weales for order and decencie appoynt a seuerall kinde of apparell as well to mynisters as to other states of men â—udges Sergeantes Aldermen and Citizens are knowne by their apparell and why may not ministers be so lykewise are they not vnder subiection be they not subiect to ciuile lawes and ordinances ought they not to obey their gouernors in all things not against the worde of God If you doubte whether a particuler kynde of apparell differing from the laye men were euer appoynted for ministers in the Churche before the Popes tyrannye and whether in these dayes it maye bee appoynted in refourmed Churches or no heare the iudgement of mayster Bulliâ—ger and mayster Gualter in an Epistle written by them to mayster N. and mayster M. Theyr woordes be these That in the auncient Churche there vvas a particuler fashion of apparell for Priestes it appereth in the Ecclesiasticall historie of Theodoret. libr. 2. cap. 27. and of Socrat. libr. 6. cap. 22 No man is ignorant vvhich hathe but lightly read ouer the monumentes of the auncient fathers but that the ministers vsed a cloake in their seruice And therefore I sayde before that the diuersitie of garmentes had not his originall of the Pope Eusebius citeth out of the auncient vvriters that saincte Iohn the Apostle vvare on his head a leafe or thin plate like vnto a Bishops miter Pontius Diaconus vvitnesseth of saint Cyprian the martyr that vvhen he offered his necke to the executioner he first gaue him his cap and the Deacon his vpper garment and so stoode apparelled in vvhite linnen Moreouer Chrysostome maketh mention of vvhite apparell of ministers Hitherto Bullinger and Gualter Peter Martyr likewise in an Epistle written to maister Hoper sayth on this sorte I vvill not graunte that these diuersities of vestures haue their beginnings of the Pope for so muche as I reade in the Ecclesiasticall historie hovve that Iohn the Apostle vvore at Ephesus vvhere he dvvelled a Bishops apparell terming it Petalum seu lamina Pontificalis As touching saincte Cyprian the holie martyr Pontius the deacn vvriteth that a little before he should be beheaded he gaue vnto him that vvas appoynted to behead him his vesture called Birrus after hee had put it of and to the deacons he gaue his other vesture called Dalmatica and so stoode in linnen Chrysostome maketh mention of the vvhite vesture of the ministers of the Churche Haec ille Socrates also in the seconde booke of his Ecclesiasticall historie saith that the father of Eustathius being bishop of Cesarea did depriue the sayd Eustathius his son beyng a préest of his place and dignitie bicause he wore apparell not comly for a préest to wear nor agréeable to his order Therefore it is certaine that ministers euen from the Apostles tyme haue had a distinct and seuerall kynde of apparell from other men But cappe gowne tippet c. You saye is Popishe and Antichristian This is only sayd and not proued If you call it Popishe and Antichristian bicause it was first inuented by an Antichristian Pope It is first to be considered whether that be true or no. Then if it be true whether euery thing so inuented is of necessitie to be abolished It is certain that this apparel of ministers which you fynde your selues so muche gréeued with was appoynted long before the Churche of Rome declined from the puritie of Chrystes religion for Stephanus bishoppe of Rome who liued the yeare of our Lorde .256 is sayde to be the first which did appoynt this kinde of apparell for ministers neither are you able to shew that any antichristian Pope inuented the same But admit it were so that this apparell was eyther borowed of the Iewes or taken from the Gentiles or inuented vsed by some Antichristian Pope yet it followeth not but that the same may be wel vsed of Christians in the Churche of Christ. Augustine in his epistle ad Publicolam hath this notable saying Et cum templa idola luci si quid huiusmodi data potestate euertuntur quamuis manifestum est cum id agimus non ea nos honorare sed potius detestari ideo tamen in vsus nostros priuatos duntaxat proprios non debemus inde aliquid vsurpare vt appareat nos pietate ista destruere non auaritia Cum vero in vsus communes non proprios ac priuatos vel in honorem dei veri conuertuntur hoc de illis fit quod de ipsis hominibus cum ex sacrilegis impijs in veram religionem mutaÌ„tur c. VVhen temples idols groues and such like things by authoritie be ouerthrovvne although it is manifest when we do that vve honor them not but detest them yet for al that vve may not therefore conuerte them or vse them to our ovvne priuate vses only and commoditie that it may appeare that we destroy them for religion sake and not for couetousnesse but when they are conuerted not into priuate and our owne vse but into common vses or to the honor of the true God that is done and broughte to passe in them which is done and broughte to passe in men themselues when of Idolaters and wicked persons they are chaunged into true religion This hath God him selfe taughte in those testimonies which thou thy selfe hast vsed vvhen as god him selfe commaunded that of that same groue vvhich vvas dedicated to straunge Gods there should be wood taken for his sacrifices and of Hierico that all the golde and siluer and brasse
Uniuersities and of all good learning In the margent for the .15 of Mathewe vse 23. they haue quoted the .15 of Mathew vse 13. to proue that tyrannous Lordship can not stande with Chrystes kingdome the words be these But he answered and sayd euery plant which my father hath not plaÌ„ted shall be rooted vp meaning that suche as be not by frée adoption and grace grafted in Iesus Chryst shal be rooted vp But this proueth not their proposition I do not allowe tyrannous Lordship but I disallow such vnapt reasons In the same preface speaking of byshops c. they haue added these words they were once of our minde but since their consecration they be so transubstaÌ„tiated that they are become such as you see It may be that coÌ„sideration of the time place state condition other circumstances hath altered some of them in some points as wise not wilful men in such matters by such circumstances be ofteÌ„times altered but that any one of them were euer of your minde in moste things vttered in those two treatises I can not be persuaded In the Admonition the .1 leaâ—â— For the .1 Acts. vse 12. is noted Acts. 2. vse 21. to proue that in the olde Church there was a tryall had bothe of the ministers abilitie to instruct of their godly conuersatioÌ„ also The text is this And it shal be that whosoeuer shal call on the name of the Lord shal be saued Which is farther froÌ„ the purpose a gret deale than the other place is There is also in the same leafe lefte out king Edwards priests which argueth with how little discretion and lesse aduise the first admonition was penned Speaking of learning master Nowels Cathechisme these words be added and so first they consecrate them and make them ministers theÌ„ they set theÌ„ to schole This scoffe is answered before might very wel haue bene left out And a little after where it was before then election was made by the common consent of the whole church now it is thus corrected then election was made by the elders with the common consent of the whole church which altereth the matter something but yet is not proued by the texte alledged out of the .1 of the Actes and by me answered before For Act. 14. vse 13. is quoted Act. 14. vse 23. which ouer-fight I my selfe haue corrected in my answer to the place There is also left out an albe which before was sayd to be required by the pontifical in the ordring of ministers As I said before so I say agayn that in the booke of ordring mnisters now vsed printed since An. do 1559. there is nether required albe surples vestimeÌ„t nor pastoral staff This line is also added these are required by their pontificall meaning surplesse vestiment c. which is vntrue as I haue sayd before For the .1 Ti. 1. vse 14. now it is .1 Ti. 1. vse 19. but it is not to proue any matter in controuersie onely it is vncharitably and vniustly applied For .1 Sam. 9. vse 28. is placed .1 Sam. 9. vse 18. the self same place that I haue answered before Where before it was thus written then ministers were not so tied to any forme of prayers inuented by man now these words inuented by man be left out there is added as necessitie of time required so they might poure c. I know not their meaning except they wold neither haue vs bouÌ„d to the lords prayer nor any other It was before remoue Homilies articles iniunctions a prescript order now it is that prescript order Wherby it should séeme that they haue learned to allow of a prescript order of praiers but not of that prescript order which is in the booke of publike prayers This is no dallying neither yet inconstancie For the .3 of Mat. vse 12. is placed .3 of Mat. vse 1. to proue that in the old time the worde was preached before the sacraments were ministred The place now alledged is this In those dayes Iohn the Baptist came preached in the wildernesse of Iudea This proueth that Iohn preached but it proueth not that wheÌ„soeuer Iohn did baptise thaÌ„ he did preach Oueragainst these words the Nicene crede was not read in their coÌ„munion is written in the margent note that we condeÌ„ne not the doctrine coÌ„teined therin If you condeÌ„ne not the doctrine therin what do you theÌ„ coÌ„demne or why mislike you the coÌ„munioÌ„ bicause that créede conteining true doctrine is read at the celebratioÌ„ therof It is wel that you make this protestatioÌ„ if you meane good faith Here is also added the .42 vse Act. 2. to proue that theÌ„ the sacrament was ministred with coÌ„mon vsual bread which place I haue answered before in answering to the .46 vse of that cha Wheras before it was thus interrogatories ministred to the infant godfathers and godmothers brought in by Higinus now godfathers and godmothers brought in by Higinus is left out It is happie that you are so sone persuaded to allow of godfathers godmothers I perceiue you tooke vpon you to set downe a platforme of a Church before you had well considered of it Fol. 4. For some one of the congregation is now some of the congregation wherby they séeme to allow mo godfathers than one which they did not before For the .14 of the Acts. vse 4. is noted the .15 of the Acts vse 4. to proue that the office of Seniors was to gouerne the Churche with the rest of the ministers but without reason For it is onely there written that at Ierusalem there was Apostles and Elders and that Paule and Barnabas declared vnto them what things God had done by them I denie not the thing it selfe wherof I haue sufficiently spoken before but the argument These seniors then bicause their charge was not ouermuche did execute their office in their own persoÌ„s Now these words bicause their charge was not ouermuche be left out Wherfore they haue left them out I knowe not Fol. 5. They haue left out doctors thrée times in this leafe which before they recited with Chauncelors Archedeacons officials commissaries proctors Be like they haue remembred that this word Doctor is founde in the newe Testament and especially Doctor of lawe To proue equalitie of ministers they haue added Phil. 1. vse 1. 1. Thes. 1.1 The first place is this Paule and Timotheus the seruaunts of Iesus Chryst to all Saincts in christes Iesus that are at Philippi with the Byshops and Deacons The second is this Paule and Syluanus and Timotheus vnto the church of the Thessalonians c. Truly I know not how to conclude of those places an equalitie of all ministers I would to God you would set downe your places and frame your arguments your selues Fol. 6. They haue forgotten to quote Heb. 6.1 haue lefte out the body braunch of Antichrist and for the same haue put in the tayle But these are but trifles and very slender corrections ¶
knowen preaching of the word purely ministring of the sacrameÌ„ts sincerely Ecclesiastical discipline which consisteth in admonition and correction of faults seuerely But this Church of England for so in effect they say is voyde of all these Ergo it hath not so muche as the external face of a Church To proue that the word of God is not preached truely they reason on this sorte The ministers of the worde are not according to Gods word proued elected called or ordeyned nor the function in such sort so narrowly looked vnto as of right it ought is of necessitie required And therfore the word of God not truly preached Here thanks be to God they alleage not one article of faith or poynt of doctrine nor one péece of any substaunce to be otherwise taught and allowed of in this church for not euery mans â—olly is to be ascribed to the whole church than by the prescript worde of God may be iustified neither can they Now how this conclusion followeth though the antecedent were true lef those iudge that be learned The ministers are not rightely proued and elected c. Ergo the worde of God is not truly preached howe wicked soeuer the man is howsoeuer he intrude himself into the ministerie yet may he preach the true worde of God for the truth of the doctrine doth not in any respecte depende vpon the goodnesse or euilnesse of the man I pray you howe were you and some other of your adherents called elected c. But to come to the purpose They would proue that the ministers of the worde in this Churche of Englande are not according to Gods worde proued elected called or ordeyned What force and pithe is in their arguments shall appeare in the seuerall answeres to euery one of theÌ„ This one thing I muste let you vnderstande that these men séeke to defaco this Churche of Englande by the selfe same grounds that the Papists do although by another kinde of proofe For what haue the Papists else to say but that we haue no Ministers bicause they â—e 〈◊〉 rightly called and so consequently no worde no sacraments no discipline no Churche And certainly if it were well examined I beléeue it woulde fall out that the authors of this booke haue conspired with the Papistes to ouerthrowe if they could the state bothe of this Church and Realme howsoeuer subtilly they séeme to detest Papistrie But now to their reasons The first is this For wheras in the old church a triall was had bothe of their abilitie to enstructe and of their godly conuersation also nowe by the letters commendatorie of some one man noble or other tag and rag learned and vnlearned of the basest sort of the people to the slaunder of the gospel in the mouthes of the aduersaries are freely receyued It is true that in the olde Churche tryall was had of their abilitie to instruct and of their godly conuersation But the place in the margent alleaged oute of the fyrst Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles maketh nothing for that purpose béeing therein no mention at all of any triall made either of learning or maners but onely of presenting two and of praying and casting of lottes And master Caluine in his Institutions sayth playnely that out of this place of the Actes and example there can be no certayne rule gathered of electing and choosing Ministers for as that ministerie was extraordinarie so was the calling also Reade master Caluine and you shall soone see howe little this place so ofte in this margent coted maketh for that purpose for the which it is coted In the sixt of the Acts mention is made of Deacons onely whome you will not allowe to be ministers of the worde and therefore this place serueth not your turne neither is there any thing spoken of any tryall but only they are willed to looke out among them seauen men of honest reporte and full of the holy Ghost and wisedome to be appoynted Deacons The rule of sainct Paule in the .1 Timo. 3. and Tit. 1. is to be followed And the Booke of ordering Ministers and Deacons sette foorth and allowed by this Churche of Englande requireth that who soeuer is to be admitted into any order of the ministerie shoulde so be tryed examined and proued bothe for learning and life as sainct Paule there requireth Reade the Booke with indifferencie and iudgement and thou canst not but greatly commende it If any man neglect his duetie in that poynt his faulte muste not bée ascribed to the rule appoynted neyther yet to the whole Churche Is the lawe euill bicause some Lawyers in their office swarue from it This is a fallation a non causa ad causam Agayne if some bée admitted into the ministerie eyther voyde of learning or lewde in lyfe are all the rest for their sake to be condemned Or is this a good argument some bee admitted into the ministerie without trial therfore none is lawfully admitted into the ministerie or some ministers be vnlearned and euill Ergo there is none good I thinke you wil not denie but that there is now within this Church of Englande as many learned godlie graue wise and woorthy ministers of the word as there is in any one realme or particular Church in all Christendome or euer hath bene heretofore Touching letters commendatorie of some one man noble or other it may bée that the parties whiche gyue these letters be of that zeale learning and godlynesse that their particular testimonie ought to be better credited than some other subscribed with an hundred hands And I thinke there is bothe noble men and other who may better be trusted in that poynt than a great number of parishes in Englande whiche consist of rude and ignorant men easily moued to testifie any thing And in many places for the most parte or altogether drowned in Papistrie I knowe no reason to the contrarie and I sée no scripture alledged why one learned godly and wise mans testimonie may not be receyued in such a case and yet the booke expresseth no such thing but requireth due examination of learning and sufficient testimonial of conuersation and giueth libertie to any one particular man to obiect any crime against any such as are to be ordered and willeth that the partie accused be kept from the ministerie vntill he haue cléered himself of the crimes obiected If tag and rag be admitted learned and vnlearned it is the fault of some not of all nor of the lawe And if they were called and elected according to your fantasie there would some créepe in as euil as any be nowe and woorse too You say that there be admitted into the ministerie of the basest sorte of the people I knowe not what you meane by the basest sorte This I am sure of that the ministerie is not now bound to any one tribe as it was to the tribe of Leui in Ieroboams tyme Now none is secluded from that function of any degrée state
not wasted vpon loyterers and idle vagabounds Nowe it is the first steppe to the ministerie nay rather a mere order of priesthoode Answere In the whole .xij. chapiter of the Epistle to the Romanes there is not one worde to proue the office of a Deacon to consist in gathering almes and distributing the same neither yet dothe he speake there of the office of a Deacon no more dothe he in the thirde Chapiter of the seconde Epistle to the Thessalo Lorde God what meane you thus to play with the scriptures It is true that in the primatiue Churche the office of a Deacon was to collecte and prouide for the poore but not onely for it was also their office to preache and to baptise for Stephen and Philippe béeing Deacons dyd preache the Gospell Act. 6.7.8 And Philip dyd baptyse the Eunuche Act. 8. Iustinus Martyr one of the moste auncient writers in his seconde Apologie sayth that in the administration of the Supper deacons did distribute the bread and the wine to the people The same doth master Caluine affirme of deacons in his Instit. ca. 19. It may well be compted the first steppe to the ministerie as it hath bene from the Apostles time and S. Paule ioyneth them togither 1. Tim. 3. Admonition For they may baptise in the presence of a Bishop or priest or in their absence if necessitie so require minister the other sacrament likewise reade the holy scriptures and homilies in the congregation instruct the youth in the Cathechisme and also preache if he be commaunded by the Byshop Answere I know not what you meane by your Ponti tit in the margent of your booke but if you meane the booke entituled the forme and maner of making and consecrating Byshops c. now allowed in this Church of Englande then do you vntruely reporte it for there is no mention of baptising in the presence of a Byshop or Priest neither yet of ministring the other sacrament in their absence if necessitie require onely the booke sayth that a deacon may baptise or preach if he be thervnto admitted by the Byshop and that he may so do by the worde of God I haue proued before As for reading the holy scriptures and Homilies in the congregation also for instructing the youth in the Cathechisme who doubteth but that a deacon may do them Admonition Agayne in the olde Churche euery congregation had their Deacons Answere O how aptely you haue alledged the Scriptures to proue that euery congregation had their deacons In the first to the Philip. these be the words Paule and Timotheus c. to all the Saincts which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons Paule and Timotheus salute the Byshops Deacons which were at Philippi Therfore in those dayes euery congregation had their Deacons a straunge kind of reasoning you might well haue thus concluded Ergo at Philippi there was Deacons But surely this argument is too muche out of square there was Deacons at Philippi therfore euery congregation had their Deacons In the .13 of S. Iohn verse .27 these be the wordes And after the soppe Sathan entred into him then sayde Iesus vnto him that thou doste do quickly After supper Sathan entred into Iudas and Iesus sayde vnto him that thou doste do quickly Therefore euery congregation had their Deacons No maruell though your margent be pestred with Scriptures when you take libertie to make ex quolibet quidlibet Peraduēture you meane that Iudas was a Deacon as he was not but an Apostle bicause he carried the bagge and that some of the Apostles thought that Christ had bid him giue somwhat to the poore belike whosoeuer giueth a peny to the poore at his masters commaundement is with you a Deacon In the sixt of the Acts we learne that there were chosen seauen Deacons but there is not one worde to proue that euery congregation had their Deacons In the third of the first to Timothie S. Paule sheweth what qualities and conditions a Deacon ought to haue but not one worde of deacons béeing in euery congregation This is great audacitie thus manifestly to wring the scriptures without all colour or shew of reason Admonition Now they are tyed to Cathedrall Churches only what do they there gather the almes and distribute it to the poore nay that is the least peece or rather no parte of their function What then to sing a Gospell when the Bishop ministreth the Communion If this be not a peruerting of this office and charge let euery one iudge Answere I am sure you are not offended that there be Deacons in Cathedrall Churches For if they ought to be in euery congregatiō they ought to be there also and yet I know no such order now in Cathedrall Churches that they be more bounde to Deacons in the respecte of reading the Gospell thā other Churches be But admitte they were it is no peruerting of the office of a Deacon being incident to his office aswell to reade the Scriptures in the congregation and to exhorte as to giue almes and distribute to the poore For the state of the Churche is not nowe as it was in the Apostles tyme neyther is that parte of the office of a Deacon so necessary nowe as it was then being lawes and orders otherwise to prouide for the poore than there either was then or coulde haue bene Admonition And yet least the reformers of our time shold seeme vtterly to take out of gods Church thys necessarie function they appointe something to it concerning the pore and that is to search for the sicke needy and impotent people of the parrish and to intimate their estates names and places where they dwell to the Curate that by his exhortation they may be releeued by the parrish or other conuenient almes And thys you see is the nighest parte of his office and yet you must vnderstande it to be in suche places where there is a Curate and Deacō euery parrishe cannot be at that cost to haue both nay no parrish so farre as can be gathered at thys present hath Answere And what faulte can you finde herewith is not thys greatly to be commended If euery parrishs cannot be at the cost to haue both Curate and Deacon why do you require them both in euery parrish Why do you not thinke well of suche lawes as appoint collectours for the poore which may aswell prouide for them and better too than could the Deacon who must be susteyned himselfe with that which the poore should haue Admonition Now then ▪ if you will restore the Churche to his ancient officers this you must do In stead of an Archbyshop or Lorde Byshop you must make equalitie of ministers Answere I haue proued before that aswell the name as office of an Archbishop is both most auncient and also most necessarie in the Church of Christ and that this equalitie of ministers which you require is both flatly against the scriptures and all aunciente authoritie of councells and learned
vse 5. 1. Corin. 3. vse 9. The one to proue that by the booke bare reading is good tilling the other that by the same booke single seruice saying is excellent building c. they shew your intollerable audacitie I will terme it no worse in abusing the Scriptures In that place to the Corinth the Apostle sayth thus VVho is Paule then who is Apollos But the ministers by whom ye beleeued and as the Lorde gaue to euery man. Howe can you gather hereof that by the Cōmunion booke bare reading is good tylling or how can you hereof conclude that which I thinke you meane that the sole and onely reading of the Scriptures is not tylling or that the Scriptures may not be read in the open congregation by the minister What sequele call you this Paule and Apollos be the ministers by whom you beléeued as the Lord gaue to euery man Therefore the reading of the scriptures edifie not or it is not lawful for them to be red in the church by the minister You come too soone from the vniuersitie to haue any great skill in logike but belyke bicause there is mention made of tilling in the next verse of that chapter therfore you quote it in the margent missing onely the line for this is your vsuall maner if you haue but one worde in a text which you vse in your booke you quote the place as though it made for your purpose This is neither playne nor wise dealing In the ninth verse of that chapiter these be the words For we togither are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandrie and Gods buylding Howe do you apply these wordes or howe do they proue that by the booke of common prayers single seruice saying is excellente buylding that he is a shepheard good inough that can as a Popish Priest could out of their portuis say fayrely their diuine seruice nay how can you possibly collecte any thing out of this texte agaynst a prescripte order and forme of prayers If you be past shame before man yet remember that God will call you to a reckning for thus shamefully abusing his holy scriptures But now I remember this worde building is in this text and that is inough for you If any haue misliked often preaching or haue sayde that much preaching bringeth the word of God into contempte or that foure preachers were inough for all London they are to be blamed and that iustly and not the booke for it willeth no man to say so But if any hathe sayde that some of those which vse to preache often by their loose negligent verball and vnlearned sermons haue brought the worde of God into contempt or that foure godly learned pithie diligent and discrete preachers mighte doe more good in London than fortie contentious vnlearned verball and rashe preachers they haue sayde truely and their saying might wel be iustified Howbeit take héede that you slaunder no man or vniustly séeke the discredite of any whilst you séeke to vtter your malice agaynst that godly booke None that fauoureth Gods word as I thinke denieth that hearing the word of God is the vsuall and ordinary meanes wherby God vseth to work fayth in vs And that therfore preachers be necessarie But the place of Sainct Paule Rom. 10. by you alledged derogateth nothing from the reading of the Scriptures And I thinke no learned man will denie but that fayth commeth also by hearing the scriptures read The examples of suche as haue bene conuerted by reading of the scriptures and hearing of them read be infinite I knowe not whervnto this your bitternesse against reading of the scripture tendeth except it be to confirme another opinion of the Papists touching the obscuritie and darknesse of the Scripture or diuers senses and vnderstanding of the same If you ioyne with them in that also then I haue to say vnto you with S. Augustine In hijs quae aperte in scripturis posim sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi In those things that be playne and manifest in the scriptures are al such things conteyned which pertayne to fayth and good manners And with Hierome in Psalme 86. Sicut scripserunt Apostoli sic ipse dominus hoc est per Euangelia sua locutus est vt non pauci intelligerent sed vt omnes Plato scripsit in scriptura sed non scripsit populo sed paucis vix enim intelligunt tres homines Isti vero hoc est principes ecclesiae principes Christinō scripserunt paucis sed vniuerso populo As the Apostles writ so did the Lorde that is he spake by his Gospels not that a few but that all might vnderstande Plato writ but he writ to few not to the people for scarse three do vnderstande him these that is the Apostles writ not to few but to the whole people But I thinke you doubte not of this matter If the reading of Scriptures edifie not what néeded Chrysostome writing vpon the .3 to the Col. so earnestly exhorte the people to get them Bybles or at the least the newe Testament to be as it were a continuall master vnto them to instruct them ▪ What néeded the same Chrysostome Hom. 3. de Lazaro with suche vehement words haue moued the people to reade the scriptures declaring not only the cōmoditie of them but the easinesse also to be vnderstood Is not thys saying bothe auncient and true That when we reade the Scriptures God talketh with vs VVhen wee praye then we talke with God In the one and thirtie Chapter of Deuteronomie it is thus written Thou shalte reade this lawe before all Israell that they maye heare it that they maye heare and that they maye learne and feare the Lorde your GOD. But touching this matter I referre you to that whiche I haue spoken before in the former parte of youre admonition And also I beséeche you take paines to peruse the .15 article of that notable Iewel worthy Byshop late of Salisburye wherein he of purpose entreateth of this matter against Master Harding Foolishly he spake you say when he said c. No surely but you do folishly gather the reding is vnprofitable bycause Sainte Paule saide that a Byshop must be apte to teache for your argument is this in effecte a Byshop must be apte to teache therefore the scriptures néede not to be redde to the people which is a non sequitur Your place of the 2. Chronicles 13. I haue touched before where it was alledged to the same purpose I haue shewed how vnaptly you vse it For Ieroboam was reproued for making suche préests as were not of the tribe of Leui to the whiche tribe only the préesthood was then tyed now it forceth not of what stocke or tribe he is that is admitted to the ministerie so that other qualities required of a minister be in him You will say no more in this matter but desire vs to consider with you what small profite and edification this silly reading
like manner well gouerne twentie parishes Surely an Archbishop may well gouerne one prouince but the Pope can neuer well gouerne the whole church And yet an Archbishop hath not the the charge of gouernement ouer the whole prouince generally but onely in certain cases exempted therfore may do it more easily You borowed these arguments from the very Papists who by the selfe same reasons go about to proue the Popes supremacie for thus they argue Among the Israelites ther was one high Priest whiche had authoritie ouer the rest therfore ther must be one high Priest which is the Pope ouer the whole Churche of christ Master Caluin in his Institutions chap. 8. doth answere this reason on this sort Quod in vna natione fuit vtile id in vniuersum orbem extendere nulla ratio cogit imo gentis vnius totius orbis longe diuersa erit ratio That whiche is profitable in one nation can not by any reason bee extended to the whole worlde for there is great difference betwixt the whole worlde and one nation And a little after Perinde enim est ac si quis contendat totum mundum à praefecto vno debere regi quia ager vnus non plur◠praefectos habeat It is euen as though a man should affirme that the whole worlde may be gouerned of one kyng bicause one fielde or towne hath but one ruler or maister An other of their reasons is this Peter was the chiefe among the Apostles therfore there ought to be one chief ouer the whole Churche The same maister Caluine in the book and chapter before rehersed maketh this one answere to that Argumente Vnus inter Apostolos summus fuit nempe quia pauci erant numero Si vnus duodecim hominibus praefuit an propterea sequetur vnum debere centum milibus hominum praefici There was one chief among the Apostles bicause they were but few in number but if one man rule ouer twelue shall it therefore followe that one maye rule ouer a hundred thousande And a little after Quod inter paucos valet non protinus traehendum est ad vniuersum orbem terrarum ad quem regendum nemo vnus sufficit That which is of force among few maye not by and by bee drawen to the whole worlde the whiche no one man can gouerne ▪ Euery hyue of Bées hath one chéefe master Bée euery companie of Cranes hath one principall guyde must there be therfore but one Bée one Crane to direct al the Bées and the cranes that be in the whole worlde you see therfore how weake this reason is The rest of this reason I haue answered before Admonition The fiftéenth Agayne in that they are honoured with the titles of kings and great rulers as Lorde Lordes grace Metropolitane primate of all England Honor. c. it is agaynste the worde of god Moreouer in that they haue ciuile offices ioyned to the Ecclesiasticall it is agaynst the worde of god As for an Archbishop to be a Lorde president a Lord Bishop to be a Countie Palatine a prelate of the Garter who hath much to doe at Saint Georges feast when the Bible is caried before the Procession in the Crosses place a Iustice of peace or Iustice of Quorum an high Cōmissioner c. And therfore they haue their prisones as Clinkes Gatehouses Colehouses towres and Castles which is also against the Scriptures This is not to haue keyes but swordes and playn tokens they ar that they exercise that which they would so fayne seeme to want I meane dominion ouer their brethren Answere All this is without the booke and therfore I néede not to answere it no more than you néede to absteyn frō subscribing to the booke for things not cōteyned in the booke But I meane a little to examine your places of scripture to sée if you haue any better lucke in applying of them than hitherto you haue had in others To proue that it is agaynst the worde of God to honor Byshops with titles of great rulers as Lorde Lords grace Metropolitane primate of all Englande honor c. for I doe not remember that we call them kings you first quote Math. 23. which place is very ofte by you iterated and sufficiently by me answered before In the .13 of Iohn which you vse also for the same purpose Chryst after he had washed his disciples feete tooke an occasion thervpon to exhorte them to humilitie which vertue is very necessarie in all degrées of men aswell in rulers and Magistrates as in inferiours And therefore that place requireth humilitie in all especially in the ministers of the worde but it disaloweth superioritie in none When Chryst addeth and sayth the seruaunt is not greater than his master c. he armeth them agaynst persecutions and willeth them to looke for afflictions for in the .15 chapter he addeth to the same words If they haue persecuted me they vvill persecute you also And to this are Archbyshops and Lordbyshops aswell subiect as other men examples whereof we haue of our owne as Cranmer Ridley Hooper c. That in the .5 chapter of S. Iohn is not spoken to the Apostles but to the whole company of Iewes in reproofe of their vayne glory for so is that place to be vnderstoode else it were altogither vnlawfull for any man to receyue honor yea euen for Princes them selues To the like purpose tende the words of the Apostle 2. Cor. 10. vse 16.17.18 Surely bothe the names of Archbyshops Lordebyshops c. and their offices may aswell stande with these places of the scripture as the names offices of kings nobles and any other persons in estimation or dignitie In déede the mother of all heresies and sectes that is vayne glory and arrogancie in all these places is vtterly condemned But I pray you dothe Christ condemne superioritie in all those whom he exhorteth to humilitie is not humilitie aswell required in Princes and great rulers as it is in meaner persons yes surely and a great deale more Wherfore Christ in suppressing ambition pride arrogancie and exhorting to humilitie doth not condemne superioritie neither yet titles of reuerence but requireth humblenesse of spirite lowlinesse of mynd in al degrées of persons especially in superiors whō this vertue dothe moste adorne the mightiest and noblest Prince in the worlde may come nearer this admonition of Christ than the poorest slaue It is therfore the affection of the minde that Christ here condemneth not superioritie not titles of honor and dignitie yea he reproueth in this place such hautie proude stomakes as yours be which contemne and disdayne those whom they ought both in words and déedes both in titles and subiections to reuerence To proue that ciuill offices ioyned to the ecclesiasticall is agaynst the worde of God first you note Luke 9. v. 60.61 where it is thus written And Iesus sayde vnto him let the dead bury their dead but goe thou and preache the kingdome of
and prouoke the Queenes maiestie and bring many faithfull ministers in such daunger as they cānot ridde themselues out of againe Hitherto Bullinger I haue the rather set downe these mens sayings at large bycause they be both pithie learned and wholy to the cōfutatiō of your assertion Wherefore I cōclude that a Christian magistrate may retayne any ciuill politique or Ecclesiasticall orders and rites of whomesoeuer they were inuēted or howsoeuer they haue bin abused so that First they be not against the word of god Secondly that iustification and remission of sinnes be not attributed vnto them Thirdly that the Churche be not troubled wyth the multitude of them Fourthly that they be not decréede as necessarie and not to be chaunged And last of all that men be not so tyed vnto them but that by occasion they maye bée omitted so that it be withoute offence and contempte Yet one thing I must admonish you of that there is a difference to be made betwixte those things which were wholy dedicated to false gods and to be vsed in the worshipping of them and those things which were vsed in the false worshipping of the true God for the Papists herein differ from the Gentiles that they acknowledge and confesse the true God and beleue the same articles of faith that we do but yet worship him not arighte nor beleue on him in all points as the word of God prescribeth And therefore if things abused of the Gentiles and inuented by them may be vsed of Christians much more may things inuēted and abused by Papists But of thys matter I minde also to speake something in the seconde parte of this Admonition The tenth Then as God gaue vtterance they preached the word only Nowe they reade homylyes articles Iniunctions c. Here you quote in the margent the sixte of Iohn vers 38. where Christ saith That he came dovvne from heauen not to do his ovvne vvill but the vvill of his father that sent him Likewise the 12. of Iohn vers 49. where also he saith that he hath not spoken so himselfe but the father that sent him gaue him commaundement vvhat he should say and vvhat he should speake And the first to the Corinthians 11. Chapter vers 23. where Saincte Paule sayeth that he receiued of the Lorde that vvhich he deliuered vnto them No man denieth but that the worde of God only ought to be preached and that as god giueth vtterāce but do you meane that we may not studie for our sermons or that we may speake nothing but the verie texte of Scripture without amplifying or expoundidg the same When I knowe your meaning herein you shall vnderstande more of my mynde In the meane time this I am sure of that the Homilies appointed to be reade in the Churche are learned godly agreable to Gods word and more effectuall to edification than a number of your sermons which consiste in wordes only and entreate of little else but of cap surplesse c. Archbishop Lorde Byshop c. the ende whereof is not edification but contention Homilies readde in the Churche haue alwayes bin commendable and vsuall euen from the beginning looke Augustine Chrysostome and others and why may not articles and Iniunctions béeing collected to the setting foorth of true religion and good orders in the Churche be read there also as in a most méete place but I perceyue you are enimies to reading bycause you loue so well to heare your selues talking I will say no worse The thirtenth and fourtenth Then it was painfull nowe gainfull Then poore and ignominious nowe rich and glorious And therefore titles liuings and offices by Antichrist deuised are giuen to them as Metropolitane Archbyshop Lords grace Lord Bishop Suffragane Deane Archedeacon Prelate of the garter Earle Coūtie Palatine honor high Commissioners Iustices of peace and quorum c. All which togither with their offices as they are strāge vnherd of in Christs church nay plainly in Christs word forbidden So are they vtterly with speed out of the same to be remoued It was then as it vseth to be vnder the crosse And ii is nowe as it vseth to be when God doth blesse it with peace quietnesse and godlie magistrates And yet surely euen nowe it is more painefull than gaynefull more ignominious than ryche and glorious and that doe those knowe that beare the heate of the daye But it is the more paynefull and ignominious for you who ceasse not with rayling and spitefull wordes in pulpits and at tables to depraue and backbite your brethrē and to trouble the whole state with your factiōs and daylie inuented newe opinions the persecution of the sword ceaseth but the persecution of the tung is extreame hot and we who gaine so muche and be so glorious are molested aswell by you as by the Papist and Atheist And therefore not verie glorious You ad and say That therefore titles liuinges and offices by Antichriste deuised are giuen to them as Metropolitane Archbishop lordes grace lorde bishop suffragane Deane Archdeacon prelate of the garter Earle Countie Palatine Iustice of peace and quorum c. All which togither with their offices as they are straunge and vnhearde of in Christes churche nay plainly in Gods worde forbidden So are they vtterlie with speede out of the same to be remoued Here you are in youre ruffe but you shewe your ignoraunce and contemptuous stomacke you haue giuen sentence that the names of Metropolitane Archbishop c. and their offices were deuised by Antichrist Likewise that they are strange and vnheard of in Christes church Also that they be plainelie in gods worde forbidden and last that they are vtterlie with spéede to be remoued If you can proue all these points it is time the churche were transformed and the whole kinde of gouernement of this Realme altered But if you cannot proue them then is it high time that such insolencie should be repressed and perturbers of Churches and common weales reformed Well I must do the best I can to improue all these poyntes whiche I might do sufficiently if I should as barely denie them as you haue affirmed them But I will not deale so nakedly in so great a matter First therfore I proue that the names of Metropolitan Archbishop c. be not Antichristian names that is names inuented by Antichrist but most auncient yea that they were in the Churche long before the Gospell was publiquely embraced by any Prince or in any kingdom Polydore Vergile lib. 4. de inuento rerum cap. 12. sayth that Clement in his booke entituled Compendiarium christiana religionis testifieth that the Apostle Peter did in euery Prouince appointe one Archbishoppe whome all other bishoppes of the same prouince shoulde obey he sayeth also that the same Archebishop was called Primas Patriarcha and Metropolitanus Peter was not Antichryst Ergo the name of an Archebyshop is no Antichrystian name Volusianus Bishop of Carthage who liued Anno domini 865. In one of his
Epistles whiche he writ to Nicholas the first in the defence of the mariage of Priests sayth that Dionysius Areopagita Saint Paules scholer was by S. Paule made Archbishop of Athens Erasmus in his argument of the epistle to Titus sayth that Paule made Titus Archebishop of Creta but Antichryste was not in Paules tyme Ergo the name of an Archbishop was not inuented by Antichrist I omit Anacletus a godlie bishop Martir who liued Anno domini 85. which in his Epistle â—om 1. conci diuers times maketh meÌ„tion of Archbishops Patriarks Primates Metropolitans and sayth that S. Iames which was called Iustus was the first Archbishop of Ierusalem I omitte also Anicetus who liued An. domini 155 which like wyse in his epistle maketh mention of Archbishops bicause these epistles ar not without iust cause suspected eyther to be none of theirs or else in diuerse poyntes corrupted But that notable and famous Councell of Nice must be and is of all wise and learned men nexte vnto the Scriptures them selues reuerenced estéemed and embraced that Councell celebrated Anno Domini 330. when as the Bishoppes of Rome were as yet learned and godlye men dothe not onely allowe of the name but also of the office of Metropolitane Archebishoppe Archdeacon c. In the sixth Canon of that Councell it is thus written This Councell doth determine him to be no Bishop vvhiche is made vvithout the consent Metropolitant Episcopi of the Metropolitane In the .13 Can. mention is made of a Patriarke and of an Archdeacon diuers tymes and his office there in diuers poyntes declared as it is also in the seuenth Canon of the same Councell In the .25 Canon is named bothe Patriarke and Archbishop and declared what authoritie they had in their prouinces and in admitting of Bishops So is it likewyse in the .26 and .27 Cannons of the same Councell Ambrose also that olde and learned father both alloweth the name and office of an Archbishop Lib. De dig Sacerde cap. 5. Sozomenus likewise Lib. 2. of his Ecclesiasticall historie Cap. 8. calleth Symeon Archbishoppe of Seleucia and Basile the greate Metropolitane of Cappadocia Lib. 3. Cap. 16. Damasus calleth Stephen an Archedeacon Hierome in his Epistle Ad Euagrium hath this name Archdeacon Sextus in his decrées sayth that Laurence the martyr was an Archedeacon Sozomenus lib. 7. cap. 19. maketh mention of an Archdeacon reading the Scriptures Socrates in the seuenth booke of his Ecclesiasticall historie speaketh of one Timothie an Archdeacon Augustine in his first booke De moribus Ecclesiae Catholica maketh mention of Deanes and their offices Hythertoo Antichriste had not inuaded the Churche of Rome But what shoulde I trouble you with anye mo authorities Those that bée learned maye easyly vnderstande that these names Metropolitane Archbishop Archdeacon Primate Patriarke and suche like be most auncient and approued of the Eldest best and worthiest councels fathers and writers And forasmuch as the originall and beginning of these names suche is their antiquitie can not be found so farre as I haue read it is to be supposed that they haue their originall from the Apostles them selues For as I remember Saincte Augustine hathe this rule in his 118. Epistle Ad Ianua Those things that be not expressed in the scripture and yet by tradition obserued of the vvhole Churche come either from the Apostles or from generall Councels as the obseruing of Easter the celebrating of the day of the Ascention and of the coÌ„ming of the holie Ghost and such like very vnlearned therfore and ignorant be those whiche so boldly affirme that these names vsed in the purest tyme of the Churche be Antichristian Whether that the name of Prelate of the garter Erle Countie Palatine Honour high Commissioner Iustice of peace and Quorum béeing necessarie offices in this Common weale partely for the honour of the Prince and Realme but especially for the good gouernement of all states and degrées of persones bée Antichrystian lette those consyder to whome GOD hathe commytted the sworde of gouernemente Suche insolent audacitie against states and lawfull regiment is rather to be corrected with due punishment than confuted by argument Lordes grace lorde Bishop honour c. be names of reuerence teaching vs to acknowledge our dutie towardes oure superiours and their authoritie ouer vs and it is muche more to bée reprehended not to gyue honour to whome honour is due than to receyue honoure when it is due You may and you please in verie auncient histories and in greate learned fathers see as honourable and reuerente titles giuen vnto Bishoppes as these bée And surely it is not Antichristian to be called by names and titles not ambitiously soughte for but orderly and lawfully giuen according to the condition and state of the place wherein a man is But it is Antichristian that is proude presumptuous disdaynful arrogant and contemptuous to refuse to giue to euerye one that name and title that by lawe ciuilitie and duetie of vs is requyred and expresseth oure reuerence duetie and obedience You woulde speake as muche of names of honoure and reuerence in other persons if you durste bée so bolde with them as you thinke you may bée with some Nowe it followeth to proue that the offices signified by these names are not strange and vnheard of in Christes churche neyther yet plainely in Gods word forbidden that they are not to be remoued but as most necessarie to be reteyned It is without all doubte that bothe these names and offices haue bene in Chrystes Churche long before Nicene Councell and that they haue hadde in the same continuaunce euen to thys daye as partely it maye bée gathered by that whyche I haue spoken before and moste manyfestlye by all Hystories and learned wryters from béefore that Councell of Nice to this instant houre and therefore they little considered what they writte when they set it downe that these names and offices were straunge and vnheard of in the Churche of Chryste These men contemning auncient writers neuer read them and that is the cause of such vnlearned assertions Cyprianus Li. 1. Epis. 3. ad CorneliuÌ„ speaking of the office of an Archbishop saith on this fort Neque enim aliunde haereses abortae sunt aut nata sohismata quam inde quod Sacerdoti dei non obtemperatur nec onus in Ecclesia ad tempus Sacerdos ad tempus index vice Christi cogitatur cui si secundum magisteria diuina obtemporaret fraternitas vniuersa nemo aduersus Sacerdotum Collegium quicquam moueret Neither haue heresies or schismes risen of any other occasion thaÌ„ of that that the priest of God is not obeyed neither one priest for the time in the Churche and one iudge for the time in steade of Chryst thought vpon to vvhom if the vvhole brotherhoode vvoulde be obedient according to Gods teaching no man vvoulde moue any thing agaynst the Colledge of Priests Cornelius béeing Byshop of Rome and hauing excommunicated certayne notorious wicked men and afterwarde béeyng