the first place had an excellent gift and singular grace to interprete the scripture 1. Cor. 11.4 also they were such as were indued 1. Cor. 14.1 c. with great wisdome and readinesse well to prouide for the necessitie of the Church and to speake properly they were as interpreters of the will of God In this ranke or order were comprehended the Prophetes that had the gift to vnderstand foresee reueale things to come Act. 11.28 such a one was Agabus who by the holie Ghost foretolde that a great famine should fall throughout all the world which also came to passe in the Emperour Claudius Caesars dayes also that Saint Paul should be bound at Ierusalem Act. 21.10 c. Act. 13.1 There is mention made also in the thirteenth of the Actes of certaine Prophetes of the Church of Antioch to wit Barnabas and Simion who was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manahen which had bene brought vp with Herode the Tetrarch and Saul And in the one and twentie Act. 21.9 mention is made of Phillips foure daughters which did prophecie These degrees or this office of Prophetes was ordained by GOD to indure but for a time onely as the Apostles Euangelists Euangelistes generally are those which performe the office of an Euangelist that is to say which preach the Gospell Sometimes also this name Euangelist is referred to those foure who haue written the storie of the Gospell that is to say S. Matthewe S. Marke S. Luke and S. Iohn But in this order of the Church the question is of an other charge or office These men of whome we speake were as it were fellowe helpers to the Apostles whome they did followe and were almost continually in cōpanie with And their office came somewhat nigh to the office of an Apostle the difference was onely in the degree of dignitie Of this sort were Silas Timothie and such like In the one and twentie of the Actes Philip is called an Euangelist Act. 21.8 And Saint Paule admonisheth Timothie in one of the Epistles which he wrote vnto him 2. Tim. 4.5 to continue to doe the worke of an Euangelist These likewise had their time and are no more in vse at this present Pastors are they Pastors that haue the charge of some certaine flockes and of some certaine Churches to rule and gouerne the same preaching the Gospell administring the sacramentes and exercising discipline in those Churches This degree and office must haue his course and continue in the Church euen vntill the end of the world Doctors Doctors are they which the Church in olde time called Catechisers that is to say instructors or teachers whose charge and office was plainely and simplie to expound the scriptures that men might haue the right sense and vnderstanding thereof and namely to teach the Catechumini that is to say those that were yet to be instructed in the pointes and principles of Christian religion Of this sort are the Doctors and teachers of our age which teach youth in schooles expounding vnto them the scripture And their office consisteth herein carefully to prouide that sound doctrine may be kept published to the end that pure religion may continue and remaine in the Church Some suppose that the office of Pastor Doctor is all one as Chrysostome and S. Augustine yet there is no dout but that they are two distinct offices which men may not confound and mingle together For albeit that this be the charge and office of al Pastors to teach yet they go somewhat further than the Doctors do For first and formost they preach and exhort applying the doctrine to the necessities of the Church next they administer the sacraments and in the third place they haue the charge gouernement and execution of the discipline to which matters the Doctors charge reacheth not they being only ordained to expound the scriptures to the end that pure and sound doctrine may alwaies be preserued maintained in the Church And indeed such a one may be verie apt to execute the office of the Doctor as hath not the gift to preach such a one on the other side may very well haue the gift to preach as shall not at any hand be meete or fit to exercise the charge and office of the Doctor although that sometimes he that shall be the Pastor may also well be the Doctor but yet this is to be marked that they are diuers and seuerall charges or offices And these be the fiue degrees or orders of ministers to whome the Lord hath cōmitted the gouernement of his Church to feede the same of which fiue the last two onely remaine to be alwayes vsed in his Church Saint Paule indeede maketh mention in other places of some other names Bishops and Elders or Auncients as of Bishops that is to say watchmen or ouerwatchers and of Elders that is to say Senators or Ancients but these two names signifie one and the selfe same thing as the Apostle him selfe declareth Titus 1.5 writing to Titus For marke what he saith For this cause left I thee in Creete that thou shouldest continue to redresse the things that remaine that thou shouldest ordaine Elders that is to say Auncients in euerie citie as I appointed thee And afterwardes he addeth an excellent description of true Elders and Auncients For a Bishop saith he must be vnblameable as the guider or steward of Gods owne house and so foorth We see that those whome he named Elders or Auncients in one verse he nameth the same Bishops in an other verse Nowe these two names of Bishop and Elder and the name also of Pastor are taken in the scripture to signifie one and the selfe same estate For the charge and office of the Pastor is to feede the sheepe as appeareth by that which the Lorde saith in the foure and thirtie chapter of Ezechiel Ezech. 34.2 Woe be to the sheepheards of Israel which feed themselues Should not the sheepheards feede the flockes But the Bishops and Elders are called to the same thing Act. 20.28 as both Saint Paule and Saint Peter doe declare Saint Paule speaking thus Take heede to your selues and to the whole flocke ouer which the holie Ghost hath made you Bishoppes or ouerseers to feede the Churche of GOD which he hath redeemed with his owne bloud And Saint Peter thus 1. Pet. 5.1.2 The Elders which are amongest you I beseech which am also an Elder with you Feede the flocke of Christ which is committed vnto you caring for it not by constraint c. If one would knowe the reason why the Pastours are called Elders or Auncients it is for honours sake not as though when in olde time they chose Pastours they were all auncient in age and yeares but bicause that they specially chose them from amongest the Auncients and also bicause they ought to be men both ripe wise and also verie well experienced Olde age
commonly hath more wisedome more experience and grauitie But yet it doth not alwayes fall out that white or grey haire maketh men wise yea sometimes we shall finde yong men which are farre more fit to exercise and execute the charge and office of a Pastour such a one was Timothie than those that be of greater yeares It is true that there are two sorts of Elders that is to say Ancients One sort haue charge and office to minister the worde of GOD and sacraments and to watch ouer the discipline and ouer the whole Church The other are ioyned vnto these to ayde them in the exercising and execution of discipline without medling any whit at all in the preaching c. Saint Paule setteth out this order when he saith to Timothie 1. Tim. 5.17 The Elders that rule well are worthie of double honour specially they which labour in the word and doctrine For in that he maketh mention of bearing rule he giueth vs well to vnderstand that those whome he nameth Elders or Auncients that is to say the Pastours and such as are ioyned vnto them are chosen to haue charge and office in the Church ouer the people And in that he more commendeth those which minister the word and doctrine than the other he euidently declareth that al haue not one and the selfe same charge We may behold this order euen at this day obserued in the reformed Churches Deacons The Apostle maketh mention likewise of Deacons which word is taken in holie scripture in two senses or sortes Somtimes generally for euerie minister or seruitour In which sense S. Paule calleth the Magistrate the Deacon of God that is to say Rom. 13.4 Ephe. 3.7 Rom. 15.8 the seruaunt or minister of GOD and hee nameth himselfe the Deacon that is to say the minister of the Gospell as also he calleth Iesus Christ the deacon of Circumcision that is to say the minister thereof Wherefore being so taken and referred to the estate calling of the pastor it is commonly translated and turned by this worde minister or seruaunt Coloss 1.7 1. Cor. 3.5 as in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians and the third Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians But sometimes it is taken more straitely for thē which haue a charge and office to gather the almes to dispense or bestow thē among the poore The first occasion that was giuē to chose these deacons in the Church was this because the Apostles could not verie wel prouide for our furnishe both the charge of preaching the worde and of distributing the goods of the poore And for this cause were the seuen Deacons chosen Actes 6.2 of whom is spoken Actes 6. And the conditions and qualities which ought to bee in the Deacons that men will chose are there described and set out and also in the third chapter of the first Epistle to Timothie 1. Tim. 3.8 c. These are the degrees of the Church or ecclesiastical orders which Iesus Christ him selfe sette vp and his Apostles after him established for the regiment and gouernment of the Church which order was afterwardes in the Popedome by litle and litle not onely corrupted but vtterly ouerthrown For in that tyrannous king dome after that corruption had once craftilie ouertaken or stolne vppon the doctrine of the Church they diuised and forged a stewardshippe dispensation and bestowing of ecclesiasticall offices and charges which was altogether farre of and estraunged from the former simplicitie plainenes whereof we haue spokē Wherin first they made a sacrament without the warrant of Gods worde of the orders and degrees of ministers Afterwards they diuised a certaine kinde of creame or oyle to anoint thē as they say but indeed it is to grease or smeare them fetching that though a false zeale from Aaron and that which was done in olde time vnder the lawe Also shauing or sheering specially of the crowne of the heade against the custome both of the Apostles and of the primitiue Church Actes 18.18 It is true indeed that S. Paul did once cause his heade to be shorne in Cenchrea after the manner of the Iewes but it was by reason of a vow which he had made and not that he was then ordeined into some ministery but a great while after his calling And in that hee caused himselfe to be shorne he did it not for any other purpose but to applie himselfe thereby to the Iewes who were as yet verie rude and not well instructed 1. Cor. 9.20 as hee himselfe protesteth in the Epistle to the Corinthians That of his owne accorde and willingly hee became vnder the Lawe although hee were deliuered therefrom to the end he might winne the Iewes Orders of the Romish Church Next they established or made seuen orders of the Church the first Porters or doore keepers the second Readers the thirde Exorcistes or in playne english Coniurers who as they faine had power giuen them to lay their handes vpon mad men and men possessed with diuels and to heale them the fourth Acoluthes that is to say followers who waited vpon the Bishop in his houshold seruices and did continually accompany him first for honours sake and then that no suspicion should arise of them the fifth Subdeacons or vnderdeacons the sixt Deacons and the seuenth Priestes of which last sort they haue made many degrees whereof they call some simple or single Chaplaines Others Curates and Vicars others Bishops others Archbishops or Metropolitanes other some Cardinalls And afterward they came to the foure Patriarches and lastly to the Pope himselfe But from whence commeth this goodly hierarchie or order of Priests who hath established it set it in nature or being Did Iesus Christ or his Apostles the scripture maketh no mentiō therof But let vs discourse a little vpon the fountaine and beginning of these goodly degres I say and meane onely of those which they conteine vnder the name Priest For the others keepe not the place of true Bishops and pastors of the Church as these would seeme to doe And yet notwithstanding hee that will heare speach thereof Theod. Beza lib. Confe Punct 7. cap 11. let him reade the confession of Theodorus Beza As concerning Chaplaines Durandus in his booke called Rationale diuinorum offic alleageth two reasons to shew why priests were so called The one is because the kings of France in time heretofore when they went to warre were wont to carrie with them Saint Martins capp or hoode which they kepte vnder a tent which of the cap kept in it was named Capella that is Chappel and the Clerkes or Priestes that had the keeping of this Chappel were called Chaplaines and afterwardes in continuance of time this name was in some countries giuen generally to all Priestes And these litle Cabbines or corners or rather high places which were in the Popishe Temples wherein the Chaplaines saide their masses were called Chappels The other reason
Caesars Wherefore seeing that Iesus Christ hath distinguished the offices of the Magistrates and the charges of the pastors of the Church Siluester did verie ill to confounde and iumble them together in his owne person Yea also there is a certaine Canon to this purpose Distinct 96. Can. QuuÌ„ ad Nico. c. auouched and alledged vnder the name of a Pope and that these offices are distinguished by Iesus Christ If so be that Constantine gaue the empire of the west partes to Siluester they must say that Siluester possessed the same and left it to his successors and that if his successors doe not any longer hold it they must say that they haue beene thrust and driuen out of the possession thereof But let them shew if they can any matter touching this point in the histories Verilie so farre is it that Siluester those which succeeded him euen vnto Hildebrand who was named Gregorie the seuenth was created Pope about the yeare of Christ one thousande seuentie foure did holde the Empire of the West that indeed they had not rule or authoritie ouer the Citie of Rome but did peaceably and quietly acknowledge the Emperors for their Lords and were subiect to their lawes neither was there at any time a Pope choseÌ„ or created without the authoritie of the Emperor The charge came in in the time of the foresaide Gregorie It is about fiue hundred yeres agoe since the Pope haue by litle litle incroched vpon the Empire haue at the last brought into their subiection the Citie of Rome and since they did accomplish that there is not passed about a hundred threescore and nine yeares or there about I holde my selfe contented to haue set downe and declared this as it were by the way He that woulde more fullie see the falshod subtiltie which is in the deuice of this donatioÌ„ or gift may read theÌ„ which haue coÌ„futed the same Marsili c. as Marsilius of Padua in his booke which hee intituled the defender of peace who liued about the yeare of Christ 1324. Moreouer Laurentius Valla Laur. Valla. who liued about the yere 1440. Antonius Archiep. Also Antonius Archbishop of FloreÌ„ce in his historie Cardinal Cusanus Cusanê° Cardinal in his third booke second chapter who sent his opinioÌ„ to the Councel of Basill about the yeare 1460. Raphael volater Raphael Volateran who liued about the yeare 1500. Moreouer it is written in the ecclesiasticall historie that Liberius and Felix Niceph. lib. 9. cap. 37. both two together at one and the same time gouerned the seate apostolicall and did in common the duetie of a Bishop at Rome Sozo lib. 4. cap. 15. and that by the consent of the Church yea by the ordinance and decree of the Councel of Syrmia which of these two then was at that time the onely and vniuersall head of all the Churches But let vs see whether the bishop of Rome were by the auncient fathers aduouched or acknowledged for the high or chiefe bishop S. Cyprian writing to the Bishoppes of Rome as Cornelius Stephanus Cypria lib. 1 epi. 1. 2. Cypria lib. 2. epi. 1. c. some others doeth not in any sorte call them either Popes or vniuersall Bishoppes but brethren and fellowes Cipria tract 3. de Simpli praelat Hee himselfe saith in an other place that there is no more but one Bishoprike wherof euery bishoppe in his owne charge holdeth a whole and sounde portion Cypria in Synod Carthu August recitat haec verba lib. 3. de Baptism contra Donatist cap. 3. And againe none of vs sayth hee is appointed bishop of bishops to inforce his fellowes by tyrannous terror vppon necessitie to obey him Polycarpus Bishoppe of Smyrna came to Rome in the time of Anicetus Bishop of Rome not to frame some appellation before him neither yet to kisse his feete or to receiue his decrees but to conferre with him touching the feaste of Easter and hee alledged for him selfe the authoritie and custome of S. Iohn and of other Apostles of Christ But Anicetus did not alledge either S. Peters authoritie or his owne but onely saide that it stoode him in hande to obserue the custome of the Elders which were his predecessors neither did he constraine Polycarpus to doe the like or excommunicate him therefore and Polycarpus on his side did not thinke he had coÌ„mitted any offence in not consenting with the bishop of Rome in this matter touching the feast of Easter which hee woulde of a suretie haue done if he had acknowledged him for the heade or for the vicar of Iesus Christ constituted and placed in that office by the authoritie of God Irenaeus Euseb lib. 5 cap. 26. of whome wee haue spoken a litle before calleth Soter Anicetus Higinus Pius Telesphorus Xistus Elders as Eusebius in his fifth book and sixe and twenty chapter Dionysius the Bishoppe of the Corinthians writing to the Romaines calleth Soter not Pope of Rome or high prelate but Bishoppe Marke what he saith Soter your good Bishoppe hath not onely obserued this custome but also hath augmented it Euseb lib. 4. cap. 23. Eusebius hath extracted or taken this out of the Epistle of the saide Dionysius Lib. 4. cap. 3. Hierom. ad Euagr. Saint Ierome in an Epistle to Euagrius saith thus If a man dispute or reason of authoritie the worlde is greater then a citie In what place soeuer the Bishops be whether at Rome or at EugubiuÌ„ or at Constantinople or at Alexandria or else where they are all of equall ministerie and degree Chrysostome Chrys hom 43. in Saint Matt. ca. 23. whosoeuer saith hee shal amonge the Bishops desire primacie on earth shall finde confusion in heauen and he that shal affect or seek to be the first shal not be counted amongest the seruantes of Christ. Gregor lib. 4. epist 16.32.34.36.38.39 Gregor lib. 6. epist 24.28.29.30 S. Gregorie in diuers of his Epistles saith That he is an Antichrist that will attribute or giue vnto him the title of vniuersall Bishop But aboue al he putteth down a notable sentence in the two hundred and seuen and thirtie epistle to Eugenius the Bishop of Rome Gregor ad Eugeni epist 237. saying If Christ haue sent thee thou shouldest iudge that thou arte come not to be serued but to serue The true successor of Saint Paul will say with S. Paul Not that we haue Lordship ouer your faith but that we are aided and comforted with your ioy Saint Peters heire â— Peter 5.3 wil heare S. Peter saying Not as though yee were Lords ouer the Lordes heritage but being made ensamples to the flocke In the third Councel of Carthage whiche was helde about the time of Pope Syricius in the 26. Conci Cart. tertium Can 26. habet Distinct 99. Ca. prima sedis c. Canon which is also alledged distinct 99. The fathers ordeined that the Bishop of Rome should
taken for Cardinals that is to say for principall and chiefe among other Priestes and Deacons Wherevpon he addeth some examples There is a certaine epistle saith he of Gregorie the first to them of Peloponezus who demaunded a Priest to minister the sacraments vnto them wherein he saith we send vnto you our beloued sonne A priest Cardinal Also there is amongst the auncient Charters in the Church of Aretinum a donation or gift of a certaine Romane Senator named Zenobius which was made vnto the saide Church in the time of Damasus the high Bishop wherein there is contained this subscription And I Io. S. R. E. Deacon Cardinall doe on the behalfe of the high Bishoppe Damasus approue and confirme c. And of these Priestes or Deacōs Cardinals Marcellus Bishop of Rome ordained fifteene to baptise children Petr. de Nat. lib. 2. cap. 83 Polydor. lib. 4. cap. 9. and to burie the dead about the yere of Christ 301. If the Cardinals of these dayes would take their beginning from these let them marke then what is their charge and calling without taking that vpon thē which belongeth not vnto them But we knowe what great differēce there is betwene their estate these bicause at this day we may in euerie place behold it to be an estate or calling of honor not of office charge as it was then Beside when was it that they were so lifted vp and by whom A thousand yeares and more were spent before that the Church was burdened with such Cardinals as we haue at this day hauing benefices without exercising or executing offices It is affirmed that Pope Innocentius the fourth of that name about the yeare of Christ 1244. did so exalt their estate and calling that he commaunded by Edict that from that time foreward they should goe on horsebacke and should weare a red cap or hat a scarlet robe for a signe and witnesse that they ought to be always readie and prepared to suffer and shead their bloud for the defence of Christian religion And Paule the second about the yeare 1470. hath ratified the same Edict and in some point augmented and inlarged it But some will set vp him selfe and say that these Priestes and Deacons of Rome which were called Cardinals obtained that name bicause at that time they were such as the Cardinals at this present are that is to say hauing authoritie and iurisdiction ouer all other Bishops and Priestes I aunswere that the case goeth not so For we find this that the Priests and Deacons of Rome were in times past much lesse and inferior to the Bishops in steede whereof at this day they goe before them in honour and dignitie And that so it is we read that whē the Bishop of Rome sent two Embassadors or Legates to the Councel of Carthage whereof one was a Priest of the Church of Rome he was set the last of all Also that in the Councel which S. Gregorie held the Priestes of the Church of Rome were set last and made their subscription apart by them selues and the Deacons had not so much credite as to subscribe Touching the foure Patriarches Patriarches we haue spoken thereof in the beginning of the 7. Chapter Nowe we must vnderstand that the names of Patriarch and Metropolitane wer in time heretofore takē for one charge or office as appeareth by this Socrates lib. 5. cap. 8. that Socrates the historiographer speaketh of the Coūcel of Constantinople wherein mention is made of Metropolitanes These Patriarches then or Metropolitanes being lifted vp in degree of honour aboue all the rest of the Bishops in processe of time thrust on foreward with ambition haue so incroched one of them vpon an other that at the last they haue brought all the Patriarches euen to the number of foure as we haue named and described them in the aforesaid seuenth Chapter And this hath principally come to passe bicause that either for the antiquitie of the Churches or for the renoune of the cities and excellencie also of the Bishops men haue reuerenced and honoured Rome Constantinople Alexandria and Antioch aboue all other cities and by consequent the Bishops of those places as those that were the principall or chiefe The Pope Nowe these foure Patriarches haue yet in such sort so robbed one an other that the Patriarch of Rome and he of Constantinople haue quite and cleane taken away the roome and place of the other two And as touching the two of Rome and Constantinople we knowe what iarre and contention there hath bene betwixt them which is not as yet well compounded or ended In the time of Gregorie the firste of that name about the yeare sixe hundred and two there was great controuersie and stirre for the primacie of the Church For Iohn Bishoppe of Constantinople was declared and published in a ful and solemne Synode of the Grecians vniuersall Patriarch and the Emperour Mauritius commaunded Gregorie to obey the said Patriarch of Constantinople But Gregorie would not indure or suffer this presumption that any Bishop should be an vniuersall Bishop ouer all the rest and in his Epistles he yealdeth reasons thereof First he saith Greg. lib. 6. epist 76. If he fall that is called the vniuersall Bishoppe the whole Church falleth from her estate Secondly None of my predecessors hath euer desired to haue or vse this prophane worde For if there be one Patriarch that is called vniuersall the name of Patriarch shall be taken from all the rest To consent to this execrable and accursed name is no other thing but to betraye the faith and to destroy Christianitie Thirdly Greg. lib. 7. epist 196. I speake freely and boldly that who so euer calleth him selfe vniuersall Bishoppe or desireth to be called by that name the same is in his pride the forerunner of Antichrist bicause that by his pride he preferreth him selfe before all This controuersie being betweene these two Patriarches of Rome and of Constantinople it fell out and was agreed that the Patriarch of Constantinople was appointed head of the Churches of the East and the Patriarch of Rome head of the Churches of the West and this latter was afterward so established and lifted vp by Phocas about the yeare 604. as we haue declared in the seuenth Chapter that he was created Pope and vniuersall Bishoppe of all Churches And as touching the name Pope it hath bene heretofore generally attributed and giuen to all Bishops as may be proued by these testimonies Aurelius Bishop of Carthage is called by this name Pope in the beginning of the Councel holden at the saide Carthage of which Councel he was President In the hundreth fiftie and one Chapter of the same Councel Innocentius Bishop of Alexandria is called Pope Saint Cyprian in certaine Epistles which he writ to the same Bishop calleth him Pope The Elders and Deacons of Rome Cyprian li. 2 Epist 7. called Cyprian Pope in their Epistles Saint Ierome oftentimes calleth Augustine Pope in
me thereto Wherefore it is certaine that the Gospel taketh his authoritie from the Church I answere that the consequence is starke naught for that which S. Augustine speaketh to one purpose or in one respect is applied to another end This holie Doctor speaketh so as hauing regard to that he was then when he tooke the part of the Manichees as it were disputing against them Now the Manichees would that the Epistles of Manicheus their author which they called Fundamentall containing in it all their false opinions should be of like equall authoritie which the Apostles Epistles Beside they allowed one part of the Gospell and disallowed an other and that not by the aduise and iudgement of the Church but of their own proper and particular authoritie Saint Augustine hauing taken in hand to confute the saide Epistle in the beginning speaketh thus The Epistle beginneth after this manner Manicheus the Apostle of Iesus Christ by the prouidence and appointment of God the Father I aske who is this Manicheus you will aunswere the Apostle of Iesus Christe I beleeue it not What wilt thou say thereto Perhappes thou wilt bring foorth the Gospell and thereby thou wilt lift vppe and establish the person of Manicheus But what if thou haddest to doe and deale with a man who doth not yet beleeue the Gospell what wouldest thou doe when he should say vnto thee I beleeue not the Gospell For as touching my selfe I would not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of Catholike Churche did not moue me thereto Beholde Saint Augustines wordes by which it is altogether manifest that he mindeth not to infer that the Gospell hangeth vpon the allowance and authoritie of the Church but only that the Church hath great weight to induce and moue the miscreants and vnbeleeuers to beleeue the Gospell This holie Doctor then speaketh not of the foundatiō of his faith but of the beginning thereof that is to say of the occasion and outward means by which he was prouoked stirred vppe to beleeue the Gospell when he was a Manichean heretike and not as yet a Christian to wit bicause he sawe the good accord consent and agreement of the Church in receiuing the Gospell In the fourth Chapter he confessed that in former time he maintained the Manichees part that he was verie eger and sharpe therein and blinded in the doctrine of their sect Nowe he speaketh thus Howe wilt thou proue that Manicheus is an Apostle of Christ shall this be by the Gospell But if some one that beleeueth not the Gospell would say vnto thee I beleeue not the Gospell what hast thou to replie As if he should say wouldest thou not purpose put downe and shewe vnto him the authoritie and testimonie of the Church For as touching my selfe in the time that I was a Manichean I had not beleeued the Gospel if the authoritie and testimonie of the Catholike church had not driuen me thereto As if againe he should say For as concerning my self when I was of your faction and sect I was so settled and staied in your opinions and had heard them so attentiuely and diligently yea I beleeued them so stedfastly and did maintaine them with such courage stomake this is that which he speaketh in the fourth Chapter that verie hardly I had euer forsaken and renounced them to beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie and testimonie of the Church had not induced moued and prouoked me thereto The fourth reason He that hath authoritie and power to take away or to change some thing in the word of God hath also authoritie ouer it But so it is that the church hath authoritie and power to take away or to change something in the word of God It followeth therefore that the Churche hath authoritie ouer and aboue it They thus proue the assumption which is the second proposition or sentence of of the reason Saint Peter had authoritie and power to take away and to chaunge some thing in the word of GOD for he changed the forme of baptisme prescribed by Iesus Christ as it appeareth by this that Iesus Christ hauing commaunded to baptise in the name of the Father of the Sonne Matt. 28.19 and of the holie Ghost Act. 2.38 Saint Peter changing this forme hath enioyned and commaunded men to be baptised in the name of Iesus Christ onely As it is written in the second of the Actes verse 38. Nowe if Saint Peter haue had this authoritie and this power why also should not the whole Churche haue it as wel as he I answere first for the consequence that it is not necessarie and good For who is he that will yelde to this that all that which was in former time permitted to the Apostles should nowe be permitted to the Pastors and ministers of the Church who are their successors Secondly I say that that which is taken from Saint Peter as true and right is false For Saint Peter did in no case chaunge the forme of baptisme and in the place of the Actes before alledged it is not saide that they must be baptised in the name of Iesus Christ onely Act. 2.38 but simplie saide thus and be baptised euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ. Petrus Lombard lib. 4. dist 3. sect B. hab de Consecrat dist 4. cap. in Synod c. But let vs see how Peter Lombard the master of the sentences expoundeth this place If any saith he be baptised without inuocatiō of the Trinitie he is not a perfect Christian vnlesse he be baptised in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost yet we reade in the Actes of the Apostles Act. 8.12 that the Apostles baptised in the name of Christe Act. 10.48 but vnder this name Ambr. lib. 1. de spi sanct cap. 3. as S. Ambrose expoundeth it is vnderstood the whole Trinitie for when a man nameth Christ these are vnderstood to wit the father of whom the sonne was annoynted and the sonne which was annoynted the holie Ghost by whom or with whom he was annoynted Beholde the aduise and iudgement of the master of the sentences who doth not altogether satisfie vs though he speak much for vs. For whether we regard the substance of the sacraments or else the forme thereof we holde that the Lords ordinance ought to be retained and folowed in the whole and through the whole and that it doth not belong to any particular person no not to the Church it selfe to alter or chaunge any thing therein And indeede as I haue alreadie saide Saint Peter did not chaunge the forme of baptisme But marke this His intent purpose was to teach that the foundation accomplishment and fulfilling of baptisme is in Iesus Christe alone For to be baptised in the name of Christ is taken and vsed by S. Peter for to be receiued to grace and fauour in baptisme by the name of Iesus Christe So that
also it hath not bin begun in our time Euseb lib. 3. cap. 33. Tertull. Apolo Cap. 2. Behold the two letters whereof Eusebius maketh mention in his Ecclesiasticall Historie alleadging Tertullian in his Apologetico which Tertulliā censuring the Emperors answere speaketh after this maner O sentence confused and darkened by necessitie which decreeth that inquirie shall not be made of them because they seeme innocent people yet in the mean while commaundeth that they should bee punished as culpable and giltie It vseth pardon crueltie it dissēbleth punisheth Wherfore O Emperour doest thou abuse thy self in thy charge and Censure If thou condemne Christians why doest thou not make and put in also informations against them Or if thou make and put in no informations Wherefore doest thou condemne them The fourth persecution was vnder Marcus Antonius verus the xvi Emperor who was created in the yeere of Christ 162. He is otherwise called of the Historiographers Marcus Aurelius Verus and surnamed the Philosopher He gouerned the Empire the space of xviii or xix yeeres His vertues were great and wonderfull yet the true vertue was wāting in him to wit the feare of God For looke by how much more he was gentle towards his owne by so much he was the more rude and seuere againste the Christians as a Stoicall man nourished and brought vp from his infancie with the Priests of Satia his lawes edicts declare howe cruell hee was towardes the Christiās For in the booke of digestes we finde such a writing or law that hee made that those which woulde doe any thing against the religion of their Auncestours shoulde bee banished and sent into the Isles Euseb lib. 4. cap. 62. Eusebius reciteth certain things takē out of the Apologie of Melitus the bishop of Sardis amōgst which is this also to be shewed that the faithfull people suffered persecution by reason of some newe Edictes which were published in Asia wherewith the slaunderers making themselues strōg were prouoked and stirred vp to pill and robbe the faithful in euery place wheresoeuer they found them and to steale away the goods of the poore innocents Euseb lib. 5. cap. 1 The Epistle of the Martyres of Vienna and of Lions Cities of Fraunce sent to the faithful people of Asia Phrigia of which Eusebius maketh mention speaketh of a writing or law of the Emperour sent too the gouernour of Fraunce by which hee ordeined that they shoulde put to death the christians perseuering and continuing in their confession and that they shoulde let the other goe which woulde abiure forswere and forsake the same As touching the crimes and faultes whereof the Christians were accused the foresaide Epistle reciteth that the Pagans prouoked yea constrained them to confesse straunge matters and behold what it saith Some were founde amongest vs which were weake who beeing vanquished by Satan and very muche fearing tormentes which they sawe the Saintes suffer and abide being also pushed on by the souldiers haue alleadged against vs that in our bankettes wee should eate the flesh of litle children as was vsed in Thiests his banket and that we commit whoredomes and hortible incests like Oedipus and other thinges which are not lawefull for vs to name yea that so execrable abhominable that it is not possible to thinke that men shoulde euer haue committed such actes And as concerning the tormentes the selfe same Epistle rehearseth them That the Christians were spied and watched both within their houses and without that men cried out againste them in all publike and open places that they dyd beat and whip them drawe them vp and downe stoned them pilled and tooke away their goods and imprisoned them that they applied and layde vnto them burning blades of yron that they shut them together in an instrument of torture and torment euen vnto the fifth hole that they put them into obscure and darke dungeons that they strangled them within the prison that they cast them to beasts that they put thē with in cauldrōs of yron to burne them that they hanged them on Gibbets that they caste them to bulles which might pearse and gore them with their hornes and such other like things The 5. persecutiō was vnder Seuerus xxi Emperor who was established in the Empire in the yere of Christ 196. He raigned 18. yeres The state of the church was som what peaceable from the time of the Emperour Commodus who was the xviii Emperor created about the yeere of Christ 182. vntill Seuerus came who in the ix yeere of his raigne which was after Eusebius account in the yeere of Christe 205. moued stirred vp a terrible persecution against the christians by the gouerners of the Prouinces and countries And some thinke that hee was moued therto rather by the vices faultes which the furious common people did very fasly and wrongfully lay to the Christians charge then to say that of himselfe hee had his hearte inflamed against them Tertullian who was in his time saith Tertullian ad scapul that hee shewed him selfe for a certaine time not onely curteous gentle and full of beneficence liberalitie and good will but also did openly resist the rage of the people yet Eusebius proueth by diuers examples of the Martyrs that this Emperout was a terrible persecutor of the Church Touching the crimes falsly obiected alledged against the Christians Tertul. ad Scapu in Apologes Tertullian reciteth diuers of them saying That they were accused of sedition and treason that they had blamed and spoken euill of the Emperour his honor that they were murtherers Church robbers incestuous persons killers of infantes which they did eate the flesh being rawe that they committed whordome without hauing respect with whom after that they had put out the candles with which filthinesse the Gnostici were in deed spotted Also that they worshipped the head of an Asse in the steede of God that they worshipped the Sunne that they were in nothing profitable for others that they were enemies of mankinde and the greatest and chiefest crime that they laid against them or vpon them was this that they despised the gods which other men worshipped And touching the sortes and maners of torments we may gather it out of that which Eusebius hath written of it Eusebius that some were buffetted and beaten other some beheaded others burned others had boyling pitch powred ouer all the members of their bodies and so they were by litle and litle burned and put to death and besides all this that all their goods were pilled away robbed and confiscate The sixt persecution was vnder Iulius Maximianus the xxvi Emperour who succeeded Alexāder in the yeare of Christ 237. reigned onely about three yeares Hee was a sheepeheard in his young age but because hee was a great and mightie man beeing a Souldier hee was created Emperour without any authoritie of the Senate but by the onely good will and pleasure of the
in a Citie and the Lord hath not doone it And Dauid I shoulde haue beene dumbe Psal 39.9 and not haue opened my mouth because thou diddest it So doeth S. Peter conclude 1. Pet. 4.19 Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their soules vnto him in well doing as vnto a faithfull creator Iob. 1. 21. Heereunto Iob had regard also when he said The Lorde hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord. And Dauid saying as I haue ere while alleadged I shoulde haue been dumbe Psal 39.9 and not haue opened my mouth because thou didst it Also when he was reuiled railed vpon and as it were cursed by Shimei Suffer him saith he to curse Dauid 2 Sam. i6 10 for he curseth euē bicause the Lord hath bidden him cursse Dauid who dare thē say wherfore hast thou done so Here vnto likewise Iesus Christ had regard whē he said to Pilate Iohn 9.12 Thou couldest haue no power at al against me except it were giuen thee from aboue Now this point or matter conteineth three arguments and reasons to comfort vs in the middest of our crosses and troubles The first is that we are not in or vnder the power of fortune or of men but of God The second that God doth iustly and for good causes afflict vs for as he is faithfull and righteous in all his workes so he doeth not send or lay vpon vs any affliction Mat. 10.19.26.28 c. Psal 33.4 1. Cor. 10.13 Rom. 8.28 Heb. 12.11 Psalm 126. throughout pecially vers 5.6 Iohn 16.20 Luk. 16.25 but that which we haue indeed deserued The 3. that seeing the affliction we suffer commeth frō god our father it shall not ouerwhelme or ouerthrow vs but shal turne to our great good ioy saluation Now if the crosse fall not frō our shoulders so long as this life lasteth god himself minding willing to haue it so let vs remēber that which is said of Lazarus the wicked rich mā in S. Luke Thou wicked mā remēber that thou in thy life time receiuest thy plesure likewise Lazarus paines Now therfore he is cōforted thou art tormented The second point is wherefore god doth rather aflict his church thē other people as S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 4.17 The time is come that iugdement must begin at the house of god And ther are 5. principall reasons or causes heereof The first because that by affliction God declareth vnto vs that hee loueth vs as he speaketh thereof in the Prouerbes Pro. 3.11.12 Heb. 12.5.6 and in the Epistle to the Hebrews Secōdarily because it pleaseth God by this meanes too discerne vs that are his children from infidels and hypocrites as the authour of the Epistle to the Hebrwes declareth the same in the xii Heb. 12.8 1. Cor. 11.19 Chapter and for this cause also Saint Paul saide vnto the Corinthians There must be heresies euen among you that they which are approued among you might he knowne Iam. 1.2 3. 1. Pet. 1.7 And Saint Iames and Saint Peter do for this very cause call the afflictions of the faithful tryals of their faith Thirdly because they which know the wil of their maister and doe it not Luke 12.47 are lesse excuseable yea shall be beaten with many stripes Fourthly because it serueth too set out the iustice of God to the end we should not thinke that God winketh at the sinnes of his people Fiftly because it serueth also to giue example of instruction to the wicked for as Iesus Christe saith Luke 23.31 If they doe these thinges to a greene tree what shal be done to the drie And Saint Peter 1. Pet. 4. 17. c. If iudgement saith hee first beginne at vs what shall bee the ende of them which obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely bee saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare The thirde point that the afflictions of the Churche and faithfull people are alwaies moderated kept in good measure by the hand of God himself For hee hath promised that although he chastē his people yet he wil not destroy them for al that Hitherto must bee referred these places When thou art in tribulation Deut. 430.31 and all these things are come vpon thee at the last if thou returne to the Lorde thy God and be obedient vnto his voice for the Lord thy God is a mercifull God hee will not forsake thee neither destroy thee nor forget the couenant of thy fathers which he sware vnto them 2. Sam. 7.14 15. I wil be his father and he shal be my sonne and if he sinne I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the Plagues of the children of men But my mercy shall not depart away from him as I tooke it from Saule whom I haue put away before thee Isaiah 48.9.10 For my names sake wil I defferre my wrath and for my promise will I refraine it from thee that I cut thee not of Beholde I haue fined thee but not as siluer I haue chosen thee in the furnace of affliction Ieremiah 30 11.12.13.17 I am with thee saith the Lorde to Iacob to saue thee though I vtterly destroied al the nations wher I haue scattered thee yet will I not vtterly destroy thee but I wil correct thee by iudgemēt and not vtterly cut thee of Ezechil 14.21.22 For thus saith the Lorde Thy bruising is incurable and thy wound is dolorous There is none to iudge thy cause or to lay a plaister there are no medicines nor helpe for thee but I will restore health vnto thee and I will heale thee of thy woundes saith the Lorde c. When I send vpon Ierusalem my foure sore iudgemēts saith the Lorde that is to say Hosea 5.15 Hosea 6.1.2 the sworde and famine and the noysome beast and pestilence to destroy man and beast out of it Yet beholde therein shall bee left a remnant of them that shall bee carried away both sonnes and daughters and yee shal be comforted In their afflictions they will seeke me diligently saying Come let vs return to the Lord for he hath spoyled and hee will heale vs hee hath wounded vs and hee will binde vs vp After two dayes will hee reuiue vs 1. Corin. 10.13 and in the third day hee will raise vs vp and wee shall liue in his sight There hath no temptation taken you but such as apperteineth to man and God is faithful which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but wil euen giue the issue with the temptation that yee may bee able to beare it The fourth point wherefore God doth not send succour aide to his Church so soone as it is afflicted Certainly the crosse is sometimes so weightie and heauie vpon our shoulders that it seemeth to vs that God sleepeth or els that he hath