Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	apostle_n	church_n	holy_a	6,886	5	5.0568	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06347	An excellent and plaine discourse of the church, whereby the godlie may knowe and discerne the true Church, from the Romish Church, and all other false and counterfet churches, as well for matters of doctrine, as discipline, &c. Written in Frenche by M. Bartrand de Loque, a godlie minister of Dolphenine. And faithfully translated into English, by M.T.W. Seene and allowed; Traité de l'eglise. English	Loque, Bertrand de.; T. W. (Thomas Wilcox), 1549?-1608.	1582 (1582)	STC 16813; ESTC S103377	172,896	422

be written to Iulius Bishoppe of Rome by which there shoulde be declared vnto him that he did attribute and take vnto himselfe an authoritie whiche did not at anye hande belong vnto him and that in so doing hee offered greate wronge to other Churches and other Bishoppes And there was added to the letters that he should no more meddle with them whome they had deposed then they medled with those whiche were deposed by the bishop of Rome and others whiche were ioyned with him therein To whiche purpose they alledged the example of Nouatus whiche was as yet verye freshe and newe For when this Nouatus was reiected by the bishoppe of Rome none of the rest of the Metropolitanes and Bishops of other prouinces did gainsay the same neither any manner of way intermedled therein Furthermore if that whiche is maintained and practised at this day amongest the Romishe Catholikes touching the large iurisdiction and soueraigntie of their Pope were in force by Gods lawe as they woulde perswade the simple people thereof shoulde not then al the foresaid Bishops al others together with their Councelles and Churches whiche haue not at any time confessed the Bishoppe of Rome for their head be verie greeuously censured or punished and woorthie of a verie seuere and sharpe reprehension It is true that men may finde that some amongst the anciēt fathers haue somtimes called the Bishoppes of Rome high Priest and Pope but they did heretofore call after the same sorte all Bishops For as touching the name high Priest Theodo lib. 2. cap. 7 Theodoretus in his second booke chap. 7. speaketh on this maner that two hundreth and fiftie high priests were assembled together in Sardis And Athanasius in his first Oration against the Arrians Athanasius oratio 1. contra Arriano● doth not onely call Iulius and Liberius the bishops of Rome high Priestes but also hee calleth by the very same name the Bishops of Grecia Dacia Cappadotia Affrica Ruffin lib. 2. cap. 26. Italie Sicilia and Armenia Ruffinus also in the second booke and 26. chapter called Athanasius the great high Priest As concerning the name Pope we will speake therof by gods grace and aide hereafter in the ninth chapter Moreouer let vs consider by what tokēs and markes the Pope of Rome saith that he is Saint Peters successour It is say the Romish Catholikes because that Saint Peter had his seate and chaire in the churche of Rome being there the Pastor and hauing borne rule there a long time and that after him there came in order his successors the Bishops of Rome hauing the same authoritie which he had before But touching the first it is vncertaine whether S. Peter was Bishop of Rome or no at the least whether he bate rule there and helde the seat They are not able plainely to proue the same neither to approoue it as truth at what time it was neither vnder what Emperour neither how long because that out of the holy scriptures they are not able to bring Cal. lib. 4. Instit cap. 6. sect 14. so muche as one onely probable coniecture but rather the contrarie as Caluin hath well and sufficiently declared in his Institutions Secōdly if S. Peters abode at Rome hath giuen this autoritie to the Romish bishops to bee the heads of the Church and vniuersall Bishops from whence commeth it that the Councels haue limited to all the Patriarkes who were many and diuers yea euen after that they were brought to foure Concil Nic. Can. 6. Concil Antioch Can. 13. their seuerall charges making them Metropolitanes euery one in his owne prouince the Bishop of Rome hauing no more authoritie ouer others than others ouer him For at that time the Bishop of Rome might very well haue alleadged Saint Peters seate and the other Bishops and Councels woulde very well haue confessed and allowed the same if it had beene true and if the same could rightly haue giuen the title of primacie to the Bishop of Rome On the other side what an argument is this Saint Peter was Bishop of Rome and there suffered martyrdome therefore it followeth that this Churche is the mother and mistresse of all the rest and that the Bishop thereof is the vniuersall and generall head of all Christendome Verily if in this respect the question bee to establishe and set vp a primacie it ought rather to bee placed at Ierusalem than at Rome For Saint Peter preached there Act. 2.14 Act. 2.12 Act. 4.3 yea the firste after Christes ascention where hee together with his fellowes and brethren builded vp the Churche did great miracles was imprisoned Act. 5. 18 and sundrie times persecuted The Prophetes likewise preached there and all the Apostles yea whiche is more Iesus Christ him selfe Ioh. 2.13 7.14 8.2 c. 18.20 died there and rose againe and from thence ascended vp into heauen There also was the first Synode that euer was helde in the Christian Churche assembled of all the Apostles There also Iesus Christ sent downe his holy spirite vpon his Apostles and disciples Act. 15. 6 c. Act. 2.1 c And to bee shorte from thence it was that the doctrine of saluation shoulde come forth to bee spread abroad throughout all the world euen as the Prophets had before tolde Isai 2.3 Michah 4.2 which things we cānot after any sort say or affirme of Rome Moreouer if we must respect and regarde the Apostles there is as muche or rather more reason to make Saint Paul the first Bishop or Pope of Rome as Saint Peter For in the first place besides that hee was not in any thing lesse or inferior to the most excellent or chiefe Apostles 2. Cor. 11.5 wee fynde not that S. Peter did at any time reprooue him in his ministerie Gal. 2. 11 as he reproued or blamed S. Peter And besides wee haue a certaine and an assured testimonie in the holy scripture touching Saint Paule Act 23.11 Act. 28.30 31 that he was sent by God to Rome there to beare witnesse of him that hee there preached the kingdome of God two whole yeeres together that from thence he writ diuers Epistles to the Churches that hee was there prisoner and at the last beheaded by Nero. And as touching Peter wee haue no assured testimonie that hee went to Rome or that he tarryed there exercising there the ministerie If they will replie that Iesus Christ gaue him the keies of the kingdom of heauen and that by that meanes he was preferred before Saint Paul and made head of the Church we haue answered that heretofore which we mind not heere to repeate Besides though it were so that S. Peter was ordained to beare rule ouer all Churches as an Apostle yet it can not thereupon followe that his successours ought to haue any such right or authoritie as he because they which succeeded the Apostles haue not the same charge and the same office that the Apostles had For

GOD. It followeth then that Saint Peter was not an vniuersall Apostle nor a soueraigne and high bishoppe ouer all the Churche Otherwise Saint Paul shoulde haue done yll in so limiting and hedging in as it were the charge and office of his Apostleshippe yea that eighteene yeares after the death of Iesus Christ But I woulde wishe the Romish Catholikes to take some better viewe of and heede to this reason For if their Pope snatche and take vnto himselfe the primacie for this reason because hee is Saint Peters successour he must then exercise his primacie or popedome ouer the Iewes and preach vnto them the Gospell that he may gaine them and drawe them to Iesus Christ leauing vnto him whosoeuer he be that will take vppon him to be called the successour of S. Paul primacie ouer the Gentiles The fourth reason One wife hath but onely one husband which is her head But the Church is the spouse of Christ 2. Cor. 11.2 Ephe. 5.22 Reue. 21.9 2. Cor. 11.2 Ephesians 5.22 Reuelat 21.9 The Church then hath none other but Christe alone for her husband and head The fifth reason It is certaine that Saint Peter vsed the power and authoritie which Iesus Christe gaue him for otherwise hee shoulde haue neglected his charge and hidden his talent in the ground and so by consequent haue disobeyed his Maister not seruing him purely and faithfully But so it is hee neuer vsurped any primacie ouer the other Apostles or ouer the Churche for hee maketh him selfe equal to the other pastors naming himselfe a Pastor and an Elder with them 1. Pet. 5.1.21 c. and hee hath saide also that it is not lawfull at any hand for any man to haue Lordshippe ouer the Lordes inheritaunces Then it followeth that he receiued not any primacie or Lordshippe from Iesus Christ ouer the church of God The sixth reason Act. 8.14 Saint Peter was sent together with Iohn into Samaria by the other Apostles Nowe if hee had beene the head of the churche and had had rule and authoritie ouer the Apostles it had apperteined vnto him to sende others and not others to sende him The seuenth reason If Saint Peter had had the right of primacie to what ende woulde he haue suffered himselfe to haue beene reproued by S Paule and that before the people In sext decr de con cap. Licet distinct 19. ca. si Roman in Glossa de conces prae tit 8. ca. pro. posuit alibi for this was done euen then when hee both might and ought to haue shewed his authoritie and rule As at this day the Pope who saith that hee is aboue right neither is helde or bound by lawes that he may preferre through his interpretation equitie vnwritten before lawe written that wee ought to allowe or disallowe all that he alloweth or disalloweth that he is not subiect to any censure hauing all lawe and right in the coffer of his breste and stomacke Nowe Saint Peter did not alledge any whit or parte of all these blasphemies but tooke in good woorth Saint Paules censure and reproofe acknowledging himselfe his companion and fellowe and one that was ioyned with him and the other Apostles in felloweshippe of office yea inferiour to the whole bodye and subiect to the admonitions and censures of his brethren Luk. 22.24 c. The eight reason So it was that among the Apostles in the time that our Sauiour Christ was bodily conuersant with them there was a controuersie whiche of them shoulde bee esteemed or iudged the greatest but Christ laboureth to bring them to humilitie and to take from amongest them all ambition saying thus The kinges of the nations beare rule and they which exercise authoritie ouer thē are called Gratious lords but ye shall not bee so But let the greatest among you be as the least and the chiefest as hee that serueth And afterwardes hee setteth himselfe foorth for an example For who is greater he that sitteth at Table or he that serueth is not be that sitteth at the table And I am among you as he that serueth and yee are they which haue continued with mee in my temptations Lastly he concludeth Therefore I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed to me These are our principall reasons to declare that Saint Peter was not appointed Lorde ouer the Church and that hee had no more authoritie or preheminence in it than the other Apostles his companions and fellowes had Nowe let vs heare the contrarie reasons which the Romishe Catholikes make The first is this Iesus Christe hath saide to Saint Peter Thou art Peter Mat. 16 18. and vpon this rocke I will builde my Church It followeth then that Saint Peter is the foundation of the Churche and by consequent the heade thereof I aunswere that the holy spirite is not contrarie to it selfe but hee hath spoken plainely to the Corinthians That Iesus Christe alone is the onely foundation of the Church 1. Cor. 3 11. and that none can lay any other then that which is laide alreadie Therefore hee affirmeth not in that place of S. Matthewe the contrarie to this And mark this indeed Iesus Christ hath not said and vppon thee O Peter I will builde my Church but and vppon this rocke I will builde And what meaneth this vpon this rocke Let vs heare S. Augustine August in Iohan. tract 124 cap. 21. The Church sayth he is founded vpon the rocke of which rocke Peter hath taken his name for the rocke is not so called of Peter but Peter is so named of the rocke as Christ hath not taken his name of Christiās but Chhristians of Christ Therefore the Lord saith vpō this rocke I will build my Church because that Peter had confessed thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God He saith therfore vpon this rocke which thou hast confessed I will build my Church For the rocke was Christ vpō which foundatiō Peter also himselfe was builded Marke what S. Augustine saith S. Ambrose and S. Chrysostome vnderstande this to be spoken of the faith which is in Christe not as the Pope doth of the person of Peter Amb. in epl ad Ephe. cap. 2.20 S. Ambrose saith thus Iesus Christ saide to Peter vpō this rock I wil build my church that is to say vpon this confession of catholike faith I will establisshe the faithfull vnto eternall life Chrysostome sayth also Chryso Ser. 21. de Pentecost Iesus Christ saith Thou art Peter and vppon this rocke I will builde my Church Hee saith vppon this rocke and not vpon Peter For he hath founded or set his Church not vppon man but vpon the faith and confession of Peter And what was this fayth and confession Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God The seconde reason is Mat. 16.19 Iesus Christe hath giuen the keyes vnto Peter he hath therfore appointed him head of the Church I denie the consequent For by

9.10 Isaiah 8. ver 10.11.13.16 Isaiah 26. ver 10.11 Isaiah 28. ver 9.12.13 Isaiah 30. ver 9.15 Isaiah 42. ver 19.20 Isaiah 48. ver 4. Isaiah 65. ver 11. Ieremiah 2. Ieremi ver 24.29 vnto the 33. ver Ieremiah 5. ver 3. vnto the 8. ver and ver 20. of the same chap. vnto ver 25. Ieremiah 6. ver 10. in euerie verse almost vnto the ende of the Chapter Ieremiah 7. ver 24. vnto the 28. ver Ieremiah 8. ver 4. vnto ver 8. Ieremiah 17. ver 1.23 Ieremiah 10. ver 11.15 Ieremiah 25. ver 4.8 Ieremiah 29. ver 17.20 Ieremiah 35. ver 13.16 Ieremiah 43. ver 2. Ieremiah 44. ver 7.10.11.16.20 Ezechiel 2. Ezechi ver 3. vnto the end of the chapter Ezechiel 3. ver 5.10.26.27 Ezechiel 4. ver 3. Hosea Ezechiel 12. ver 2. Hosea 4. througout the whole Chapter Hosea 5. ver 4. Amos 4. Amos. Zephaniah Zachariah Prouerbs Matthew ver 6. vnto the end of the Chapter Zephaniah 3. ver 5. Zechariah 7. ver 11. vnto the end Prouerbs 1. ve 24. vnto the end Matth 11. ver 16.17.21 and so vnto the 25. ver Matth. 12. ver 41.42 Mat. 23. ver 37. Touching the Pastors specially and particularly see Isaiah 56. ver 10.11 Ieremiah 6. ver 13. Ieremiah 14. ver 14. Ieremiah 23. ver 1.2 c. Ezechiel 22. ver 25.26.28 Ezechiel 34. ver 23.4 c. Hosea 9. ver 8. 1. Kings 22. ver 6. Iohn 7. ver 47. CHAP. XIII Whether the Church bee aboue the holy scripture that is to say whether the holy scripture depend of the iudgement and authority of the Church THE Church indeede hath a very great authoritie among men in so much as it behoueth vs to heare the same if we will not be accounted rebels against God Yet notwithstanding seeing she is the wife and scholler of Iesus Christe she ought alwaies to be subiect vnto him as vnto her husbād head and teacher And therefore this is an article which wee must hold inuiolable and without breach to wit that the church ought to depend and hang on Christe and his worde and to haue her authoritie from the same worde and not on the other side that the worde of Christe shoulde depende and haue the credite and authoritie thereof from the Church Notwithstanding many are founde whiche holde altogether the contrarie setting as we say the cart before the horses and plowe or waine before the oxen and vtterly ouerthrowing all order For they suppose that the holy scripture hath no more certaintie authoritie than it pleaseth the Church that by her allowāce and consent it shall haue And these bee the Romishe Catholikes who speake of the Church after this manner giuing it authoritie ouer and aboue the worde of God to make men to beleeue that whatsoeur it decreeth determineth and concludeth wee must hold her iudgement sentence and resolution as a certaine oracle comming frō heauen and to be short as an article of our beliefe And behold their reasons for this The first reason The Churche by her iudgement hath brought to passe that the holy Scripture hath beene acknowledged for the true worde of God and hath distinguished separated and sundered it from all other writinges what so euer whiche men haue published brought into the world For who is it that in the beginning hath assured vs that the holy scripture is the word of God but the Church alone And who is it that euen to this day can certifie and assure vs that the same word of God is come safe sound and whole euen vnto our age but onely the same Church Wherefore it followeth that the authoritie and certaintie of the holie scripture dependeth vpon the authoritie and iudgemente of the Church I aunswere two things or two manner of wayes First that this is a most wicked opinion to say that without the Churche the worde of God could not haue a sufficient witnesse to commend and set forth the authoritie and credite thereof vnto vs. Let vs heare what Saint Augustine saith hereof The authoritie of the truth saith hee is fruitefull and plentifull Augu. de assumpt Virg. Mart. cap. 1. and if she be diligently examined men shall finde that of her selfe shee maketh her selfe to bee sufficiently knowne Wherefore Alfonsus de Castro hath sometimes saide Alfonsus de Cast li. 1. ca. 8. cont haereses seeing that the holie scripture is come foorth from GOD it hath of it selfe alreadie deserued that wee shoulde giue trust vnto it and beleeue it And when the Church publisheth this that it is giuen by God shee doth wholie euen as a witnesse which beareth witnesse to some thing So that the truth of the scriptures is certaine not because of the witnes but by reason of it selfe and the credite it hath and not because the Church receiueth it and publisheth it but because that God hath giuen it and made the same manifest vnto vs. Besides is this a small matter that wee haue the testimonie of the holye spirite dwelling in our heartes It is said that it is his peculiar office to guide and lead vs into all truth Iohn 16.13 1. Ioh. 2.27 and to teach vs all things Wherevpon it followeth that he teacheth vs this truth that the holy scripture is of God and from him It is saide moreouer that we haue receiued the spirite of God 1. Cor. 2.12 that we might knowe the thinges that are giuen to vs of God Also 1. Cor. 2.14 that the thinges of the spirite of God are spirituallie discerned that is to say by the efficacie mouing and woorking of the holy spirite Wherefore it followeth that the holy spirite teacheth vs and maketh vs to discerne betweene these bookes which wee ought to receiue without gainesaying and the other which we ought to reiect and refuse Some perhaps will say that this article or point is daungerous because that heretikes oftentimes bragge that they haue the spirit of God which they haue not indeed and wee knowe howe they haue alwayes indeuoured to make their doctrines of authoritie and credite through their inwarde reuelations whiche they haue imagined to proceede from the holy Ghost But we can easily aunswere this to wit that in this matter wee can easily auoide all danger if wee vse and followe the remedies whiche S. Iohn doth furnish vs withall when he saith that we ought not to beleeue euery spirite 1 Ioh. 4. 1. but to trie and proue the spirites whether they are of God or no. And what shall be the meane and way of this triall and examination euen the worde of God as wee see that therby the men of Berea Act. 17.11 did proue S. Paule his spirit and doctrine And to this meane doth Chrysostome send vs when hee saith thus Many boast of the spirite Chrysost de sanct adorand spirit but they which bring any thing of their owne doe falsly pretende the same As Christ witnessed that he spake not of him selfe because that his doctrine

was taken out of the lawe and prophetes in like manner if any vnder the title and name of the spirite shall bring vnto vs any thing which is not contained in the Gospell let vs not beleue it For as Christ is the accomplishmente and fulfilling of the lawe and Prophetes so is the holie Ghost of the gospell But how can wee by this way or meane discerne and know the spirites that is to say whether the doctrine which they shall propound and set foorth vnto vs bee from the holy Ghoste or no After two sortes or by two meanes you shall knowe this First if it tend to this end to exalt establish and set vp the glorie of God For as Iesus Christe saith Ioh. 7.18 Hee that seeketh the glorie of God is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him Secondly if it bee conformable and agreeable Rom. 12.6 to the proportion of faith that is to say if it agree and accorde well with the heads foundations of Christian religion wherof we haue spokē more largely heretofore in the fourth Chapter The second thing that I aunswere touching the foresaide reason of the Romishe Catholikes is that the consequence thereof is not necessarie neither well grounded when they saye that the Churche yeeldeth testimonie to the worde of God and doth commend the same vnto vs that therefore the certaintie and authoritie of the worde of God dependeth vpon the authority and iudgement of the Church For as wee haue but a little while agoe alleadged out of Alfonsus de Castro The word of God is certaine not by reason of the Church whiche beareth witnesse thereof but because of it selfe and his owne credite The Apostles yelded testimonie and bare witnesse of Iesus Christe Iohn 15.17 Acts. 1.8 And who is hee that will therefore say that Iesus Christe his authoritie doth depende of the authoritie and iudgement of the Apostles The Goldsmith trieth the golde and putteth a difference betweene that which is good and pure and that which is naughtie mettall But doth hee therefore by his tryall and proofe make that the golde is either good or euill A Parliament receiueth some edict or lawe which commeth from the King that it may bee published and proclaimed Inquirie is diligently made whether it come from the King or no Afterwardes all knowe that it commeth from the King what doth the Parliament then It is true that it alloweth the edict that it acknowledgeth the same that it beareth witnesse to it and commendeth and setteth out the same yea and if neede bee interpreteth it according to the Kings intent and meaning But doth the parliament for all this cause it or make it to bee the kings lawe Doth it giue authoritie to it Hath it any authoritie to chaunge any thing in it or to adde any thing to it or to clippe or take any thing what so euer away from it It is certaine no. Euen so standeth the case with the Church For although it be an excellent testimonie to the worde of God yet it cannot at any hande giue it authoritie as to say that the certaintie of the worde of God hangeth vpon the authoritie and iudgement of the Churche For when the Church acknowledgeth and alloweth the worde of God and doth put a difference betweene it the doctrines and inuētions of men she doth no other thing but heare the voyce of her pastor discerneth knoweth it frō the voice of a strāger Ioh. 10.5 Now there is great difference betwene discerning the Pastors voice from a strangers and adding authoritie and credite thereto bringing to passe and that according to truth that it should be such or such that is either true or false The second reason is The Church is more auncient than the Scriptures For in the time of Adam Abell Seth Noah Abraham Isaac Iaacob there was no scripture For Moses was the first penman or writer of matters concerning religion and yet notwithstāding there was a church Wherfore it followeth that the authoritie of the Church is aboue the authoritie of the holy scripture First and formost I aunswere that the consequence of this argument is none at al. For graunt it that one thing be more ancient and old than another yet it followeth not for all that that it should be of greater authoritie and credite otherwise we must inferre that Moses hath more authoritie than Iesus Christe and the lawe more than the Gospel Secondly as touching the antecedent or former proposition I say that it is sophisticall captious and full of deceit For albeit that in these first times of the worlde there was no scripture which the father 's vsed yet for all that the worde of God ceased not to bee because it was written and ingrauen in the fathers heartes and moreouer founded verie cleerly in the Churche whiche worde was in good time brought and committed to writing first by Moses and afterwards by others and thereupon called the holie scripture wherefore seeing that the holy scripture and Gods worde is nothing but one and the selfe same thing it followeth very well that if our first fathers haue had the word of God they haue had also in substance the holy scriptures Aug. cont epist fundamen cap. 5. The third reason S. Augustine hath said I woulde not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Catholike Church did not mooue mee thereto Wherefore it is certaine that the Gospell taketh his authoritie from the Church I answere that the consequence is starke naught for that which S. Augustin speaketh to one purpose or in one respect is applied to another end This holy doctor speaketh so as hauing regarde to that hee was then when he tooke the part of the Manichees and as it were disputing against them Now the Manichees would that the Epistles of Manicheus their authour which they called Fundamental containing in it all their false opinions should be of like and equall authoritie with the Apostles epistles Beside they allowed one part of the Gospel disallowed an other that not by the aduise and iudgement of the Church but of their owne proper and particular authoritie S. 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 Christe by the prouidence and appointment of God the Father I aske who is this Manicheus you wil answere the Apostle of Iesus christs I beleeue it not What wilt thou say thereto Perhaps thou wilt bring foorth the Gospel and thereby thou wilt lift vp and establish the person of Manicheus But what if thou haddest to doe and deale with a man who doth not yet beleeue the Gospel what wouldest thou do whē hee should say vnto thee I beleeue not the Gospell For as touching my selfe I would not beleeue the Gospel if the authoritie of the Catholike Church did not moue me thereto Beholde Saint Augustines wordes by which it is altogether

saying note him by a letter and haue no companie with him that hee may bee ashamed Also speaking of the incestuous person 1. Cor. 5. 5. I haue determined saith he that hee shoulde bee deliuered to Satan for the destruction of the fleshe that the spirite may bee saued in the day of the Lord Iesus These three ends are very largely laid out and at length discoursed vpon in the fourth booke of M. Caluines Institution cap. 12. Sect. 5. Calu. lib. 4. Inst cap. 12. sect 5. Wherof the summe is that in corrections and censures men must regarde and looke to three ends that is to say the glorie of God the edification of the Churche and the repentance and conuersion of sinners The fift consideration is that men in the reprehensions and censures of the Church looke well to this that they haue not such cōsideration regard or respect to the outward appearance and shewe of mens persons that they tread the little ones or poore people vnder their feete and support ayde and hearten the great and rich Deut. 10. 17. Gala. 3.28 For as God accepteth no mans person and in the Church there is neither Iewe nor grecian bonde nor free male nor female but all are one in Iesus Christe so the gouernours of the Church ought alwayes to walke with an vpright and equall foote without turning aside any maner of way in receiuing and allowing some and in refusing and disallowing others It is very true that corrections ought alwayes to bee tempered measured and accompanied with gentlenesse softnes and courtesie to the ende as Saint Paule saith that hee that is reproued or blamed 2 Cor. 2. ● may not be swallowed vp with ouer much heauinesse For otherwise wee shall turne the remedie into poyson and hurte And therefore the same Apostle doth exhorte vs Gal. 6.1 That wee should restore with the spirite of meekenesse such as be fallen into or ouertaken with some fault 1. Tim. 5.12 And againe Rebuke not saith hee an Elder vnreuerently but admonishe or exhort him as a father the young men as brethren the elder women as mothers the younger as sisters with all purenesse and chastitie Wee must therefore moderate with gentlenesse and meekenesse the rigour or hardnesse of the discipline least we hurt rather then profite But so farre off is it that they ought to spare any man that the corrections must be equally and indifferently applied and administred to all them which shall haue neede thereof whether they be men or women whether they bee great or small whether they be masters or seruants whether they bee Gentlemen or of the common sort Wee knowe with what earnestnesse and heate Chrysostome was angrie against the Pastours in his time who for feare of great and rich men durst not reiect or put from the supper any of them when they offred them selues thereto not before they were admitted thereto Chryso hom 3. in Mat. The blood saith hee of these men shall bee required at your handes If you feare mortall men for their greatnesse and riches verily men shall mocke you but if so be that you feare the liuing God he will bring to passe that euen men themselues shall haue you in honour and estimation And those which are lifted vp to dignitie An admonition to great men not to reiect or despise the discipline ought not to refuse to submit themselues and to make them selues as it were subiect to the discipline and they ought not to refuse the corrections of their Pastours and Elders seeing that by this meanes the Lorde will set them againe vpon their feete after they are fallen There is I knowe not what manner of pride in manie whiche hindereth them from submitting them selues vnto the discipline There is besides I know not what manner of foolish and filthie shame whiche when it hath once seised or taken holde of them they loue rather to continue in their vices than to bee aduertised or admonished thereof to the end that they may keepe themselues there from But the Emperor Theodosius was better aduised and of a more godly minde For we reade that when Saint Ambrose had excommunicated him Ambr. lib. 1. epist 8. in oratio Theodosu by reason of much innocent blood which was spilt and shead at his commandement he tooke suche a censure in good part and so far off was it that hee was stubborne and selfe willed againste his Pastor and his Elders to recoyle backe againe or to with drawe himselfe from the Churche that on the other side approuing the same correction and censure hee vnclothed himselfe of his kingly ornaments and openly bewailing his sinne in the Churche hee did with teares gronings and sighes demaund and aske forgiuenesse thereof Certainly this is not in vaine that Iesus christ hath said to the pastors of his church Whatsoeuer yee shall bind or loose in earth shal be bound or loosed in heauen Mat. 18. 18. For thereby hee hath authorised his church in the vse of the keyes by the worde of God to condemne the peruerse stubborne and vngodly and by the same word to reconcile and receiue to mercie all true penitent sinners Which authoritie of the Churche is not restrained or hedged in to bee exercised and executed among the common people only but also vpon Lordes and Magistrates Whereupon it followeth that none can distract or withdrawe himselfe therefrom but hee renounceth and forsaketh the meane of his saluation The conclusion is this that seeing God hath ordeined correction and discipline to the end that wee should profite grow vp in his doctrine that we shoulde not be hardned in our sins but rather that they might be reproued to the end they might not ingender and worke in vs an vncurable rottennesse or infection It followeth that they which flie and refuse the admonitions and censures of the Church which are made and giuen them in the name of God refuse God himselfe despise their owne saluation Beholde this is that which wee haue heere to note and marke as touching the discipline of the Churche For concerning the lawes which shee may establishe and set vp according to the authoritie giuen her of GOD wee will speake thereof in the Chapter following The fifteene Chapter Whether it belong to the Church to make lawes and if she make some how farre the faithfull ought to obey her WHen the question is of the lawes of the Church wee knowe that som concerne the doctrine vnder which wee comprehende the Sacramentes also and other the discipline or pollicie and order that is to say the fashion and maner of doing The lawes which concerne doctrine touch the conscience and in the knowledge and practise of them standeth the seruice worship of God our own saluation Of this sort are al the points articles of doctrine conteined in the Scripture which we must beleeue and obserue without adding any thing thereto or diminishing therfrom in changing it