may be perswaded and that they may know the Scriptures to be Canonicall neither should we haue beleeued the Scriptures except the Church had proposed them and recommended them vnto vs but that in priuate and internally men may be perswaded in their heartes of their veritie none can effect that but the spirit of God For neither faith is the gift of the Church neither is our faith resolued into the voyce and iudgment of the Church but in the word of God comprised in the canonicall Scriptures Whether hath the Church authoritie and full power to interprete the scriptures No but it hath his power from the holy Ghost speaking publikely and manifestly in the scriptures and also secretly testifying the same in our heartes also in the authoritie of the Scripture so that the sense of the scripture is to be takeÌ„ onely out of the scripture and the holy Ghost and the scripture is to be interpreted by scripture because faith alone doth proceede from the scripture 2 Because they are to be expounded and vnderstood by the same spirit wherewith they are written according to that of Ioh. 2 10. The annointing teacheth you of all things a Isa 50 16. 3 Because the Church hath not equall authoritie with the scripture b Gal. 1.18 4 Because those of Berea are commended for that they did examine Paules doctrine by the scriptures a Act. 17.11 5 Because the Church may erre 6 Because he alone hath the greatest authoritie in expounding the law which made the law so we read Nehem. 8 8. he read plainly the law vnto the people and expounding the meaning he made it plaine by the scripture it selfe yet notwithstanding we denie not but that the Church hath power to interpret the scripture and that onely in the Church this gift of interpretation doth remaine but we denie that the interpretation of the scripture is tyed to any certaine seat and succession of men and that the Pope ought to chalenge to himselfe such power ouer the scripture For Moses verily did sit as chiefe Iudge in matters controuersall b Ep. 18.13 26 but he was a Prophet indued with singular wisedome adorned with extraordinarie gifts of God commended by diuine testimonies from God and sent immediatly from God himselfe but the Pope hath no such power And Deut. 17.8 and in the verses following all are commaunded to obey the decree of the chiefe Iudge but with this condition If that be iudge according to the law of God and Mal. 1.7 It is commaunded that the priests lips shall keepe knowledge and that they shall require the law out of his mouth but they haue no promise that they shall alâ—aies doe so for it followeth but you haue declined out of the way haue caused many so to do Neyther doe the keyes of the kingdome of heauen committed to Peter c Mat. 16.19 signify authority of interpreting the scriptures but of preaching the Gospell which was not soly giuen to Peter but also to the rest of the Apostles d Mat. 20.18 Ioh. 20.21 and Mat. 18.17 Christ commandeth the Chuch to be heard but that is the true Church and then onely when she doth commaund those things which Christ doth approoue and commaund so the Scribes and Pharises were to bee heard e Mat. 23 2 so long as sitting in Moses chayre they did follow Moses in his teaching otherwise Christ gaue his disciples a caueat to take heed of the leauen of the Pharises f Mat. 16.6 7 In councils many great things haue beene defined yet notwithstanding wee see it hath beene determined not according to the councill but by the authority of the scriptures Act. 15.6.15 VVhat power hath the Church in traditions or making lawes It is Constitutiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for that it hath any power to impose lawes vpon the conscience or that they should prescribe what is iust or what is vniust which is not lawful for the Angels to doe a for our onely Master and Lawgiuer is the sonne of God b our spouse c Eph. 5.30 Lord d 1. Cor. 8.6 the interpreter of his fathers will e Ioh 1.18 the head of the Church f Eph. 5.15 and alone Doctor of whom alone absolutely was spoken Gal. 1.8 Iam. 4.11 heare him g Mat. 17.7 who alone hath power and authoritie ouer our consciences who also most fully in his word hath comprised and plainly declared all the counsell of our saluation and the whole summe of true righteousnes and all the parts of the worship of his name vnto which eyther to add or detract were abhominable but because it is lawfull for the Pastors gouernous of the Church in externall and indifferent things to establish or abrogate certaine rules Canons or lawes for the gouernment order decency as also certaine rites for the maintenance of honesty for the better maintaining of a consent in all the members of the Church in this outward worship so farre forth as eyther the necessitie or profit of the Church shall thinke requisite neither are such Canons for the most part vniuersall or perpetuall Col. 2.5 For all things in the Church ought to be done decently and orderly which is the house of God h 1 Cor. 14.40 1 Tim. 3.15 by the example of the Apostles in the first Synode holden at Ierusalem and of Paule k 1 Cor. 11.4.7.34 of these rules the Apostle 2. Thess 2.15 saith Hold the traditions which you haue learned eyther by word or by our Epistle Except we will vnderstand by doctrine deliuered not an other which partly by word and partlie by Epistle was deliuered but the same which both by word as also by Pauls Epistle they were taught l 2 Thess 3.6 But the spirit the teacher of all truth i Act. 15.24 being especially promised to the Apostles m Ioh. 14. 16. taught them no new thing but declared and brought to their memories that which before they had heard and although all the words are not written word for word but onely in substance yet notwithstanding all things necessarie are written Iohn 20.31 Shew some examples of those lawes which were appointed or those traditions which were to be made by the Church or these Ecclesiasticall constitutions deliuered by word of mouth Such as these that the Supper of the Lord must be receiued of those which are fasting that we must pray kneeling and bare-headed that the Sacraments must be administred not basely but with some reuerence and dignitie that in burying the dead and in matrimonie some decorum shall be obserued to appoint daies houres certaine places concent of songs solemne order in praiers and sermons in Prouiding Catechismes and destine them all to misticall actions and other such like which according to their genus or kind that is such a decencie commaunded to vs all are diuine but according to their speciall forme chey are humane and changeable What Cautions
himselfe that is without mannes ministerie but by the Apostles delected as associates to performe their office in watering their plantings building vpon their foundations perfecting their worke and were in preaching the gospell sometimes in one sometimes in another place as it were subsidiarie and certaine secundarie apostles not in one onely but in many churches and who should haue power and authority to set pastors and orders in particular churches to which they were sent and that till such time as they were recalled by the Apostles a Tit. 1.4 such were Timothy b Act. 16.3 Luke Mark Tichicus c 2. Tim. 4.11 12 Titus d 2. Cor. 8 23. Philip e Act. 21.8 and others whether they were called out of those 70 disciples whome Christ apointed besides the 12. f Luk. 20 12 or from among others 2 In a more strict signification those foure penmen of the holy Ghost whose labour the Lord vsed to publish the Euangelicall historie of Christ and to describe the beginnings of the christian church are called Euangelists of these two Marke Luke were companions of the apostles and Euangelists The other two Mathew and Iohn were Apostles and Euangelists May not other pastors and doctors of the church be called Apostles Prophets and Euangelists No but abusiuely for concerning the appellation of an Apostle Andronicus and Innias are said to be famous among the Apostles that is of note with those ancient Apostles but yet they are not called Apostles g Rō 16 17 besides the name of an Apostle is giuen to Titus his two companions h 2 Cor. 8.23 yet not simply but with addition as they were sent by certaine Churches to collect almes And Epaphroditus is not simplie called an Apostle of Christ but of the Philippians sent by them to relieue Paule i Phil. ◠25 thus that great name was so peculiar simply to those chosen Apostles that Paule saith not without aduise All are not Apostles 2. Cor. 12.29 As for Euangelists to preach is proper indeed to all k 1 Cor. 12. but the appellation of the Euangelists belongeth to none but them whom the Apostles ioyned vnto them as occasion serued in watering those Churches which they had planted and whom they appointed not ouer one Church but ouer Prouinces and that onely for a time But the name of a Prophet is sometime generally giuen to all the interpreters of Gods word as Rom. 12.6 1. Corinth 14.29 sometime it doth distinguish them peculiarly from Doctors as when difference is made betwixt doctrine and Reuelation 1. Corinth 14.16 and also when Doctors are distinguished from Pastors by Doctrine and Exhortation as Rom. 12.7.8 Who are are called Pastors Surely they who may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. Rom. 12.8 exhorters that is who being lawfully called doe preach Gods word and in preaching doe not simplie explaine it but by teaching admonishing reproouing correcting informing exhorting and comforting doe publikely o 1. Pet 5 2 and priuately apply it to the vse of the Church m Act. 14 13 1. Cor 11 18 1. Tim. 3.16 Tit 1 5.9 and besides doe labour in the administration of the Sacraments conceiuing publicke prayers and are watchfull to take away offences and to gouerne the Church n Rom. 12.7 These by a generall name are called Elders and Deacons p 1 Cor 13 5 Col 1 7 such as are ouer vs. q 1 Thes 5 And Hebr. 13. Guides to conclude the chiefest of them were called Episcopi Bishoppes of a Greeke word which signifies to looke into that nothing be wanting to the people of their Diocesse because it is the dutie of Pastors as it were spies to looke narrowly into the doctrine and manners of the flocke committed vnto them What were Doctors Who onely applied themselues to the faithfull and plaine interpretation of the scriptures and to rule ecclesiasticall scooles to the ende that sincere doctrine might be keept in the Church or they who onely explained the word of God to deliuer true doctrine and confute false Such were Catechizers as Origen in the Church of Alexandria and Clemens and the like Are not Doctors and pastors all one as Augustine thought No because Paule giues them diuers names Ephes 4.11 And Rom. 12.7 he distinguisheth teachers from Exhorters and speech from knowledge it selfe of holy things or he thus distinguisheth Pastors from doctors What degres were substituted vnto these Rather for exercise then for office sake 1. Porters who kept the gates of the Church that they might let in penitentiaries and keepe out wicked men from the Church and such as were excommunicated from the Sacraments 2 Acoluthoi followers attendants and as it were pages of Bishops being witnesses and imitators of all their speaches and withall most readie seruants vnto them 3 Lectores or Readers Ministers of Pastors and Doctors reading so the Scriptures out of some high place that within one yeare all the books of the Bible for the more familier knowledge of the Scripture might be read ouer 4 We read also in very ancient writers of Exorcists who vsing the name of God and hauing the gift of miracles by calling vpon Christ and imposition of hands cast out diuels Act. 19.23 But this office is ceased with the gift of miracles In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 In the Scriptures they are called the Cleargie who are the congregation of the faithfull and flockes of sheepe or the members of the Church a 1 Cor 14.39 because they are the portion and inheritance of the Lord 1. Pet. 5.3 but afterward the antient fathers did translate the name of Cleargie to the Colledge of Ecclesiasticall ministers so as all students were called Cleargie men who are maintained of their parents or the Churches cost to become ministers How do Pastors and doctors differ from Apostles Prophets and Euangelists Nothing at all in respect of the Essentiall parts of the Ministerie which are the sincere preaching of the word the administration of the Sacraments and correction of manners but in respect of thinges peculier to the calling of Apostles they differ much for 1. Cor. 12. the Apostle Paule hauing deuided the ministerie of the word into the word of wisdome and the word of knowledge to Apostles Prophets and Euangelists he doth attribute wisedom to wit that more excellent and without al controuersie greater knowledge of the mysteries of God Act. 11.27.6 21.10 that hath with it the greatest authority and is giuen by the peculier inspiration of the holy Ghost namely by Reuelation and as a for knowledge which is the vnderstanding of the Gospell that is gotten by hearing and reading of the holy Scriptures that is to say by studying and learning that he referres to ordinarie Pastors and Doctors But the personall gifts of the Apostles that is c 1. Cor. 12.9 10. Act 5.5.10 8.20 13.10.11 2. Cor. 10.6 such as were giuen properly to the Apostles alone as 1
it vseth these meanes helps and instruments to worke our saluation In which sense the Church is said to be sanctified and washed in the lauer of water thorough the word Ephe. 5.16 Tit. 3.5 Baptisme is called the Lauer of Regeneration Renonation And Act. 22.16 Be baptized washed from thy sins in calling vpon his name Hereupon Augustine hath this saying whence commeth this vertue to the water that it should touch the bodie in Ioh. Trac 80 and wash the heart but that the word causeth it not because it is spoken but because it is beleeued And that the grace of God ought not to bee tyed to the outward signes Peter teacheth speaking thus of Baptisme 1 Pet. 3.21 It saueth vs not that Baptisme whereby the filthinesse of the flesh is cast away but whereby it comes to passe that a good conscience maketh request to God by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ Cornelius receiued grace before Baptisme a Act. 10.5 For God vseth meanes and instruments to worke our saluation but yet so as hee worketh by his owne proper and inward vertue most freely when how and in whome hee will and doth not yeelde vp his power and vertue to the outward signes As also in that seuen times washing of Naaman the Syrian in Iordan was not placed the purging of him from his Leprosie which then the power of GOD alone wrought in him b 2. King 9 â—4 Hence it comes to passe that some receiue grace without the Sacrament as Abraham was iustified before Circumcision and the Theefe on the Crosse without Baptisme and the Lords Supper Some receiue the Sacraments and not grace because they want faith as Iudas of whom Augustine saith Hee receiued the bread of the Lord but not that bread which was the Lord. Others receiue both together as it were by a certaine coniunction of the thing with the signes as the faithfull who take the Supper worthily Whether doe the Sacraments imprint any stampe or anie spirituall worke in soule and that such as cannot be blotted out Not of themselues or their owne power nor yet by anie supernaturall verture inherent in them not by a reall and essentiall imprinting of some signe as the printing of a picture or signe is made in wax or money For the Scripture alloweth none such But yet God doth as it were marke out and seale vp his Sacramentally spiritually by them as instruments giuing the pledge of his spirit and the light of faith whereby they are made conformable to Christ and discerned from infidels and are marked out vnto the profession of Christ And this note in the purpose of God is such as cannot bee blotted out 2. Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God is sure hauing this seale The Lord knoweth who are his And 2. Cor. 1.21 He which hath annointed vs is God and who hath sealed vs and giuen vs the pledge of his spirit And Ephe 1.13 In whom also yee beleeuing yee were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of the Inheritance And Chap. 4.30 Doe not yee greeue the holie spirit of God by whom yee are sealed And Ezech. 9.4 The markes of the letter Tau is saide to be made in the forehead of those men which sigh and mourne And Reuel 7.3 The seruants of God are marked in their foreheads as on the contrarie the children of perdition are saide to bee marked with the marke of the beast Reuel 13.16.17 To whome doth it belong to administer the Sacraments To them only to whom it is permitted to exercise the office of Preaching the Gospell According to that saying Goe yee forth teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father son and Holy Ghost Math. 28.28 and 1. Cor. 4.1 For the Sacraments bee the appurtenances of the Ministerie of the word of God and the seales of Gods promises which cannot lawfully be set too without the vnfolding of this word of God For neiher can their be an accessorie vnlesse their be a principall And it belongeth to the same man as the Chancelor vsing the Kings authoritie to write the tables of the Testament faithfully and to seale them with his seale Whence doe the Sacraments receiue their power and excellency From the institution of God so that that forme be obserued which he hath prescribed that by a publick person either rightly called or at the least by a common error vsing the publicke function and not of the manners merit and excellencie of the person working administring Phil. 1. But whether doe the Ministers to whom is committed the lawfull administration of the Sacraments and are called Gods fellow-morkers deliuer also with their hands the matter of the Sacrament No but they do outwardly giue the earthly signes and doe onely performe the outward dueties and God doth inwardly conferre the heauenly gifts represented by them giues increase because God alone doth Circumcise the heart a Deut. 30 And therefore this Circumcision is said to be made without hands b Col 2 11 And Iohn the Baptist confessed that hee indeede baptised them with water but the Lord Iesus did baptise them with the Holy Ghost and with fire Math. 3.11 And onely the heauenly father giueth that bread which is indeede heauenly Iohn 6.32 Otherwise sometimes that is ascribed to the Ministers of the word which belongeth to God alone For that is the nature of words which belong to one thing that that is attributed to the instrument which belongeth to the principall efficient cause Where and when ought the Sacraments to be admininistred In the assembly of the Church and vsually no where else to wit when the whole Church is gathered together or a great part thereof not out of the assembly of the Church Which ought to be the forme and manner of administration That those signes should bee vsed without change which Christ himselfe hath prescribed And that the words of the institution then also of the Lords promise be recited and explaned not in a strange but in a knowne speach before the Sacrament bee administred and deluered a Act 19.3 4.5 1 Cor. 11 23 For the Apostle doth expresly forbid 1. Cor. 14.19 to vse a strange language in the Church And such ceremonies ought to bee vsed which are not humane and receiued but appointed and commaunded by the authority of the son of God as also praiers and thanksgiuings After the example of Christ who commaunded the Church to doe this Doe ye this And Act. 22.16 Be thou baptised and be thou washed from thy sinnes in calling vpon the name of Iesus Now the comelines and dignitie of the Sacrament is to bee esteemed by the word of God Also the multitude and pompe of humane rites doth occupie the senses and the mindes and doth ouerturne the Ceremonies appointed by God To whom are the Sacraments to bee administred The Sacraments indeed are common to the godly and vngodly and also other outward things in the Church
repentance c Marc. 1.4 whilest he taught these whom hee was about to baptise out of which places the Anabaptists impugne childrens baptisme it is not precisely to be tyed to the order of words but to be distinctly applied to those which may be taught or their children which are strangers from the couenant who must be first instructed before they be baptised but it is to be applied otherwise to children that are within the couenant who though they cannot heare the Gospell yet can and ought to be baptised for that they are both borne in and belong vnto the Church before they can be taught and then it is time enough to teach them when they are capable of learning howbeit in the Church of God the word is not there separated from childrens baptisme Likewise also this He that beleeueth is baptised shall be saued but he that beleeueth not although hee be baptised shall be condemned belongeth not to the children of the faithfull but to those whiche may heare the Gospell As likewise that of the Apostle 2. Thess 3 10. He that laboureth not let him not eate which being spoken vnto men of yeares ought not to bee inferred vpon all indifferently Nor followeth it simply that because all beleeuers are to be baptised therfore all that are baptised ought to beleeue or because a vniuersall affimatiue is not simply conuerted neyther are these termes conuertible to be baptised and beleeuing but to bee baptised and to be acknowledged for the members of the Church 8 For that Paule 1. Cor. 10.2 witnesseth that all the Israelites which passed through the red sea were baptised among whom seeing no doubt there were many children among so many thousands no doubt they likewise receiued the type and figure of our baptisme It is therefore false which our aduersaries obiect that no place of Scripture testifieth the baptism of Infants Likewise though we read not that the Apostles baptised any Infants by name yet they baptised whole families whereof children are not the smallest portion a Act. 16.15 18 8. 1 Cor. 1.6 neither need we to vse figures when the words are plaine Neyther can there from these speeches be collected any reason of such a Synecdoche by which wee must vnderstand portions of yeares onely and exclude children 9 Because ancient writers testifie that the custome of baptising children hath continued from the verie Apostles times till now Origen faith In 6. ad ad Rom. de Peccatorum meritis et remis l. 3 c. 6. et Contra Donat l. 4. c. 13 The Church receiued a tradition from the Apostles to giue baptisme euen to Infantes And Augustine saith of the baptisme of children That which the Vniuersall Church holdeth and vvas neuer decreed by Councils but alwaies hath beene helde it may be verse vvell beleeued that it was deliuered no otherwise but by Apostolicke authoritie Therefore it is false which the Papistes saie That Baptisme of children proceeded not so much from any apparant commaundement of the scripture or from example as from the decree of the Church Then because to whomsoeuer the promise appertaineth to them also belongeth the signe as therefore Baptisme is bestowed vpon Infants is likewise the Supper of the Lord to be administred vnto them Certaine of the fathers haue thought so as Cyprian serm 5. de lapsis and Augustin lib. de Eccle. dogmat c. 52. being mooued by these words Iohn 6.53 Except ye shall eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall haue no life in you But we denie the consequent For this place speaketh not of a sacramentall eating but of a spiritual eating or of faith by which the faithfull are quickened which are annexed vnto Christ who offered his bodie and shed his bloud for vs. And by this meanes the flesh of Christ is made vnto vs meat indeed and his bloud drink indeed Secondly that To whomsoeuer the promise appertaineth to them also belongeth the signe is true but according to the diuine determination appropriated to euerie sacrament to wit so that the Sacrament of Ingrafting be bestowed aswell vpon Infants as those of yeares but vpon male children onely that not before the eight day in the old Testament but in the new both to the male and female without any prefixed time But the Sacrament of nourishment to them of yeares onely and that for a certaine peculiar end and the diuersitie of the circumstance of the action So the Eucharist hath his proper end that the death of the Lord should bee declared in the publicke congregation in the vsing thereof It is also commaunded that euery one which commeth to the Lords Supper should examine himselfe yea and peculiar actions belong to the externall rite to wit to eate and to drinke which are not fit for little children So vnder the old Testament circumcision was appointed for infants but the Passouer to them onely which by reason of their age were able to aske of the signification thereof a Exod. 12 62 Heereupon came those vulgar verses Ebrius infamis erroneus atque furentes Cum pueris Domini non debent sumere corpus To drunkards and thinfamous sort to men misled and mad To children Christs body to giue it were an action bad Why would Christ be baptised at the age of thirtie yeares Luke 3.23 seeing he needed neither remission of sinnes nor regeneration Christ himselfe answereth it at what time Iohn refused to baptise him Mat. 3.15 Let it be so now for so it behooueth vs to fulfill all righteousnesse Which is to be vnderstood distributiuely to wit thou in thy office and I in mine But whereas he would at that time be subiect to that Ministerie he did it for diuers causes First to shew that he did approoue of the doctrine baptisme and ministerie of Iohn and commend vnto vs the vse of the Sacraments by his owne example Secondly that he might sanctifie in his owne bodie our baptisme hauing the same common with vs as a most firme bond of vnion and fellowship which he vouchsafed to enter with vs at a time most fit namely whē he would giue a beginning to his own preaching to the new Testament And also to testifie that the same things are inuisibly in our baptisme which were visibly in his whē the heauens were opened the spirit of God came downe Thirdly to signifye that he was therfore sent to be baptised namely to be drenched in death and to wash away our sinnes with his bloud Luke 12.50 I must be baptised with another baptisme and how am I grieued till it be perfected Fourthly that the truth might answere the type or figure for as when the high Priest was consecrated first his whole bodie was washed with water then he was set before the people clothed with the priestly garments and then the trumpets sounded whilest oyle was powred vpon his head b Exod. 29 4.5.6 Num. 10.3 which was also done at the kings Installing
and examined so as all men may vnderstand that it is the doctrine of God and true according to the Apostles precept to walke by the same rule or canon Phil. 3.16 that we should walke after the same rule How many bookes are there of the old Testament The auncient Hebrewes to whom as the Apostle plainely writeth were committed Rom. 3.2 the oracles of God and also the Iewes do receiue at this day 24. bookes of the old Testament as canonicall and of vndoubted authoritie which they cal Esrim veorba of the number of 24. bookes How do they deuide those 24. bookes 1. Into foure classes or rankes the first they call Thorah the law or doctrine and to this ranke they assigne the fiue bookes of Moses Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers and Deuteronomie which the Greekes call the Pentateuch Which is the second ranke It is called Nebijm Reschonim that is of the former Prophets and is contained in foure bookes Iosuah Iudges Samuel and the Kings Which is the third It is called Nebijm Acharonim that is of the latter Prophets and containeth foure bookes Esaias Ieremie Ezechiel and the booke of the twelue small Prophets Which is the fourth It is called Sepher Ketubim that is the booke of holy writers and containeth eleuen bookes Chronicles Psalmes Prouerbs of Salomon Iob Ruth Ecclesiastes of Salomon Lamentations of Ieremie Song of songs Ester Daniel Esdras and Nehemias which two last are reckoned for one All these bookes if they be reckoned together make foure and twentie Now that some men reckon only two and twentie that comes to passe thus because they reckon the booke of Ruth with the booke of Iob and the Lamentations of Ieremie with his Prophecie as one booke Are there added to these canonicall bookes any other bookes There are added certaine writings called Apocrypha as if you would say couered secret or hidden because in old time they were not produced publikely in the Church to proue any articles of faith but onely to reforme manners Haue the bookes called Apocrypha equall authoritie with those called Canonicall In no case because they were neither written by Prophets nor Apostles neither are we to beleeue them for themselues neither doth the efficacie force and maiestie of Gods spirit shine in them as it doth in the Canonicall and in them there be some things which are cleane contrary vnto the Canonicall Scriptures Neither were they euer giuen to the Iewes to whom notwithstanding were committed the oracles of God because they are not extant written in the Hebrew tongue And their authorititie was euer doubtful in the Church and it is doubted of the authors of them Into how many parts is the new Testament deuided Into foure parts The first containeth the foure Gospels namely of Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn The second the Actes of the Apostles written by Luke The third the Epistles of the Apostles foureteene of Paul three of Iohn two of Peter of Iames one and one of Iude Iames his brother The fourth the Reuelation of Iohn How do the writings of the Prophets differ from the Apostles Nothing in regard of the doctrine for the same faith and doctrine of manners is taught in them a Iohn 5.46 but in regard of the time For the writings of the Prophets containe prophesies of Christ to come but the Apostles writings containe the history of Christ now exhibited and shew the accomplishment of those prophesies in narrations and applications Whereupon the old Testament may be called the foundation of the new as the new the accomplishment of the old and as the old Testament giues credit to the new euen so the new Testament giues credit to the old And Christ compares the Prophets doctrine to seed time the Apostles to haruest and those things which are obscurely shadowed out in the books of the Prophets are more clearely and abundantly vnfolded in the bookes of the Apostles b Mat. 13.16 1. Cor. 10.11 2. Cor. 3.13.18 Heb. 10.1 After that the new Testament was added to the old was the word of God made more perfect No for when there were no mo but onely the fiue bookes of Moses they were sufficient To these the Prophets were added as interpreters Therefore the old Testament was perfect and sufficient in regard of the sense although not in regard of the wordes And by the adding of the new it was not made more perfect but more plaine c Gen. 3.15 Esa 53. Luk 16 29. Iohn 5.39 1. Cor. 15.3.4 How may it appeare that the writings of the Prophets and the Apostles were indited of God Partly by testimonies partly by reasons And by testimonies partly inward partly outward The internall witnesse is one alone namely of the holy Ghost inwardly speaking to our heart and perswading vs that those writings are inspired of God and sealing them vp in our hearts Eph. 1.13 and 1. Ioh. 2.20.27 Ye haue an oyntment of the Lord and this oyntment teacheth you of all things for whosoeuer are led by the spirit of God can easily discerne his power speaking in the Scriptures as it is said 1. Cor. 2.15 The spirituall man discerneth all things and Esa 53.1 The arme of the Lord is not reuealed to all men So Luk. 8.10 and Mat. 13.11 The mysteries of the kingdome of heauen are not reuealed to all men but to those to whom it is giuen of God And this testimonie properly maketh for our confirmation and this alone doth satisfie vs being knowne of them alone that are conuerted vnto Christ a Ioh. 14.17 which doth euermore agree with the Scripture without which the testimonie of the Church can be of no waight with vs. For as none but God alone is a fit witnesse to testifie of himselfe in his word euen so the word neuer findeth credite in our hearts till such time as it be sealed vp vnto vs by the inward testimonie of the spirit The externall testimonie of the Scriptures that they proceed from God is to be taken from the Iewes themselues who with one consent testifie that those books of the old Testament were inspired by God and therefore do most carefully reade and preserue the same wherupon not without cause Augustine calleth them the Libraries and Stationers of the Christians who haue affoorded vnto vs the reading of the holy bookes the vse whereof they themselues despise Besides those Iewes do testifie that Iesus Christ was famous for his wisedome and vnspeakable miracles and that he was put to death of the people and rose againe the third day Iosephus lib. 18. 4. of the Iewes Antiqu. What reasons haue you to proue that the Scripture came from God 1. The Antiquitie of them For that which is most auncient is most true that is counterfeit which is later 2. The euent and accomplishment of the Prophecies as of the Messias and Sauiour of mankind b Gen 3.15 the foretelling vnto Abraham that his seed should go into Egypt their slauerie in Egypt and their deliuerance which
if they are such as be learned godly meet new Pastors may be lawfully ordained prouided alwaies that that commaudement of the Apostle concerning young plants be obserued which is in 1. Tim. 3.6.7 Are there any certaine testimonies in the Scriptures that after the comming of Christ there should be extraordinary callings for the restoring of the Church There are For first Iohn Reuel 11.3 and 14.16 entreating of the generall corruption of the Church which should come after doth foretell that God will stâ—rre vp witnesses which may prophecie against the corruptions of the Church and the Beast ascending out of the deepe and Angels that is some holy men which shall preach the Gospell to the inhabitants of the earth that they may giue glorie to God alone vtterly reiecting all Babilonish errours And Paul 2. Thess 2.2.8 after he had foretold that there should come a generall Apostasie or falling away he addes that it shall come to passe that the Lord shall consume that Sonne of perdition with the breath of his mouth that is with the pure preaching of the word of God which seeing it is not with him which hath corrupted the Church it followes that the Pastors and Preachers thereof shall bee raised vp of the Lord extraordinarily For the verie word of God or the very preaching of the gospell doe inferre an Ecclesiasticall Ministery Therefore there are expresse places for extraordinary vocations to ground vpon Why doth not the Lord rather teach by himselfe or by Angels then by men 1 He prouides for our infirmity while hee chooses to speake vnto vs by interpreters after the manner of men and so allure vs vnto himselfe rather than to driue vs away by putting on his Maiestie or thundering from the heauens 2 That hee may make tryall of our obedience when wee doe heare his ministers who are like vnto our selues and sometimes inferiour no otherwise then if he himselfe did speake vnto vs. 3 That he may declare his fauour towards vs when hee consecrates the mouthes and tongues of men to himselfe that in them his very voice may found out vnto vs. 4 Least without the outward word we should expect the hidden reuelations of the spirit or the preaching of Angels from the heauens but that wee may bee content with the Gospell which is preached by men which is so certaine that wee ought not to beleeue an Angell preaching any other Doctrine a Gal. 1 4. â— Lastly we haue this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power thereof may be of God and not from our selues b 2. Cor. 4.7 Are there or ought there to be degrees among ministers Yeâ— doubtlesse for the Apostle maketh a Byshop a degree aboue Presbiters or other ordinarie Elders And for order and policie among vs vnto whome the office of teaching is ioined teacheth that one may goe before others who ought to be the chiefest among his fellowes And so the Elders who were both pastors and doctors did in euerie City choose one president to whom they gaue the speciall title of a bishop and the honour of the first place in their holie assemblies that he should haue the right of gouerning the common action or be as it were moderator or president of the Eldership conueÌ„t of the Pastors who also himselfe should be directed by the assembly of his brethren and fellowes according to that generall and most true Apostolicall rule which appointes that all things should be done in order in the house of the Lord. 1. Cor. 14.40 Vnto whome afterward the councill of Nice gaue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Pâ—utarch witneseth properly primacie by reason of his time or age which is that honor of prioritie which vseth to be giuen to old men in honour of their age because counsel belongs to old meÌ„ which afterwards grew to be taken more largely for that honour which is giuen to any one for some dignity and which he is honoured with that he may haue precedencie and worship And which the generall councell of Ephesus in the yeare 435. calls that due which euery one ought to haue And so we hould that Peter went before his fellowes in order c act 15.5 12.4 8.14 Gal. 2.21.24 But we do deny aâ—y tiranizing degree of dignity power or GeÌ„ il like eminencie to be among ministers as they are ministers 1. because christ doth purposely fight against such primacie Luk. 22.25 Iohn 13.3 And he that wil be great let him be your seruant saith he Math. 20.26.2 because the same right power is granted by Christ vnto all a Mat. 28.18 Ioh 10.21 â—2 23. And Paul attributes equally vnto Ministers the Ministery of reconciling men vnto God b 2. Cor 5.18 19.20 and when he reckoÌ„s vp the ministers c Ep 4 11 he setts down no monarchy among ministers 3. because by the bringing in of superiority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first the gouernmeÌ„t of few and straight waies tyranny by false bishops and false Patriarches ouerthrew all Ecclesiasticall good order and lastly the Church it selfe We doe verely confesse that there is and hath beene among the holy orders imparity and not onely a simple order or ranke but degrees For it is certaine that Pastors haue their charges ouer peculiar Churches are eminent both aboue Deacons also aboue their flock also teachers aboue their Schollers But we deny that there hath been or is any superiour degree between Colleagues of the same function as of an Apostle ouer his fellow Apostles of an Euangelist aboue his fellow-Euangelists of a Doctor aboue other Doctors of an Elder ouer his fellow Elders of a Bishop ouer his fellow-Bishoppes and of a Pastor ouer his fellow Pastors whether they bee of the same towne or Prouince For the Apostles are called the master builders of the city of God as Preachers and Embassadors of that onely Emperour not ouer their Colleagues but ouer the flockes committed vnto them Did our Sauiour Christ when hee added 70. other Disciples to the twelue Apostles Luk. 10 1. ordaine two orders of the Ministers of the Gospell and diuide them into two Classes or formes differing in dignity and authority No verily For euen that first emission of the twelue Apostoles mentioned Mark 10.1.5 and Luk. 9.1 was not properly and peculiarly called Apostolicall For those twelue were as yet vnapt for it but it was after instituted both before the ascention of Christ d Ioh. 20 21 and especially on the day of Pentecost As for the seauentie Disciples that they were immediatly sent by Christ after his ascention to preach the Gospell with the twelue Apostles it cannot bee proued by any testimony of Scripture notwithstandid that the Apostles by the eminencie of their owne function were preferred before the rest we do not deny Wherefore that Peter is termed by the Fathers Prince of the Apostles Bishop and prince of priests it is spoken by a daungerous Catachresis yet
and giue not that honour vnto the holy and sacred ministerie that is meete 7 The Symony of the Papists and their buying and selling of holy orders all neglect of law Diuine and Ecclesiasticall in the popish elections as namely that they haue no regard of learning or life but promote rude asses and those of most filthy wicked life They vse vaine ceremonies of annointing shauing wax candles and such toyes they attribute that to the ministerie of men which is only the worke of God alone they transforme the ordination of ministers into a sacrament They doe no more thinke of feeding the flock then a cobler doth of ploughing 8 In conclusion all the popish hierarchie and the primacie of the Pope of Rome contrary to the word of God First that from the authority of saint Paul they make Peter the Bishop of Rome Secōdly the Romane Bishops which would be thought to be the successors of Peter call thēselues indeede the seruants of seruants yet are not saluted by any other name then our most holy Lords they translate Empyres and Kingdomes and finally they vsurpe vnto themselues all gouernment pure and mixt they domineere in manner of Kings they boast of the patrimony of Peter vsurpe a double sword spirituall and temporall and yet haue neyther of both and chalenge vnto themselues power to draw all men to hell without cause and cause euen Kings to kisse their feete 3 They alleadge that the Priests of Moses law were a figure of the Pastors of the Church of Christ and their Masse-priests they tearme by a false name of Presbyters or Priests 9 All those proud and arrogant titles of the Antichristian counterfeit Cleargie of Patriarches Princes and such like 10 The errour of them which make an equalitie betweene the Ministers of the Gospell In holy functions they make no difference betweene those that are temporarie and those that are perpetuall they that acknowledge no Priestes but those that haue charge to teach publikely 11 Those that vsurpe that authoritie in the Church which was peculiar to the Apostles for this is that which the Apostle a complaineth to be then done by some who boasted themselues as if they were Apostles 12 The conceipt of Morellius concerning the bringing againe into the Church of the Democraticke policie 13 The subuersion of the christian ministerie the confusion of Ecclesiasticall offices the robbing of the Ecclesiasticall possessions the end whereof what it is like to be the historie of b Achan teacheth vs. 14 The sinne of those who make no difference betweene the distribution of the Churches stocke and the disposing of our publike goods which is a thing meerely ciuill but confound these two treasuries the naming of all which things is the confuting of them The three and fortieth common place Of the power and authoritie of the Church as also of Synods Is there any power of the Church YES there is 1. Because no family no honest societie no common-wealth and therefore not the Church which is the most excellent society of all can long stand or cōtinue without policy and gouernment 2 Because God hath prescribed lawes to his Church therefore he hath giuen power also to iudge according to those lawes 3 Because in ancient time the Priests and Leuites bare rule ouer Ecclesiasticall matters a Leuit. 14.3 Deut. 24.8 and the Synedry or Counsell for the administring of Gods behests was compacted of the Priests Leuites Lawyers or Scribes and the heads of families or the elders of the people b 2. Cro. 19.8 9.10.11 Mat. 5 22. Mat. 18.19 4 Because in the place of that Synedry or Counsell of the Synagogue Christ did ordaine c in the Christian Church an Ecclesiasticall Senate and the Apostles haue diligently retained the same d 1 Tim. 4.14 so as the Church hath alwaies had the like 5 Because the power of the keyes is committed vnto the Church 6 Because the preaching of the word would bee altogether vnprofitable vnlesse the Church had power to bridle the contemners of the same 7 Because as we must giue to Caesar that that is Caesars so to the Church that which is the Churches must be yeelded Mat. 22.21 By what name is it called Power authority Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Mat. 16.19 I will giue thee the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen So called by a Metaphore whereby is signified the power of a Steward in admitting in and keeping from comming into the house whom his master pleaseth a Esa 20.22 because the kingdome of heauen which is the Church is administred that is to say is opened to the beleeuer and shut to the vnbeleuer by the preaching of the Gospell yea euen heauen it selfe is propounded vnto vs as a mansion house vnto the which there is onely one entrance by Christ Iesus And to Christ faith only leadeth vs which the holy ghost doth create in vs by the ministery of the word and Sacraments which ministerie because it is committed vnto the Pastors therefore they are said to beare the keyes of the kingdome of heauen VVhat is the Ecclesiasticall power It is that power that is giuen to the Church to be exercised by those that are set ouer the Church to establish and preserue the puritie of the doctrine and of the worship of God decencie order holinesse of manners honestie aswel publicke as priuate in the Church and the members therof and that not of any liberty to commaund euery thing or at pleasure but by the prescript rule and according to the meaning of the written word of God for the saluation and edification of the Church VVhence or from whom is this power From God by Iesus Christ for if you looke vnto men by whom this power is administred it is onely a meere ministery But if ye looke vnto Christ it is a most high authority then which there is vpon earth none greater more profitable or more excellent But the efficacy of it is from the holy Ghost which worketh in the ministerie of the word Iohn 20.22 Receiue the holy Ghost c. Doth this Ecclesiasticall authority differ from the ciuil authority Yes indeed witnes Christ himselfe Luke 12.14 a 22.15 26. 2 Co. 10.4 They do agree indeed in the cause efficient for the author of both is God But they differ first in the matter For the matter of ciuil authority is a society of men and the preseruation therof for the leading of this corporal life vnder one the same magistrat But the matter of Ecclesiastical authority is a company of Christian men so farre forth as they are called of God and consecrated to lead a spirituall life in the true obedience of God Moreouer ciuill authority hath reference vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say things earthly and transitory which belong to the vse of this life b 1. Cor. 6.3 Ecclesiastical authority is referred vnto things spirituall and those which appertaine to the
worship of God c 2. Cor. 10.1 6 2 They differ in the proper end For the ende of the magistrate is that he may keepe the societie of men in peace and quietnesse instruct them by good lawes preserue and keepe safe the bodies and goods of his Citizens and maintaine and defend their liues namely so farre forth as they are inhabitants of this world doe liue vpon this earth a Rom. 13.2.5 1 Tim 2 2 albeit euen by him God will haue that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Religion to be preserued as 2. Chron. 15.13 King Asa made a law on this manner If any man seeke not the Lord God of Israell let him die But the direct end of the Pastors is that they may build vp gouerne instruct and teach the consciences of the Citizens of the Church by the word of God so farre forth as they are freemen of the kingdome of heauen and are in time to be gathered together in heauen b Eph. 1◠8 Phil. 3.20 Coloss 3.2.3 whence it is that the Ecclesiasticall authoritie is called Ius poli or the law of heauen and the ciuill authoritie is called Ius Soli or the lawe of the land or soyle 3 They differ in forme for ciuill authoritie for the most part is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Arbitrarie and therefore Praetory or Dictatory consting in the pleasure of those vpon whom it is bestowed for they haue power of life and death and authoritie to make lawes But the gouernment Ecclesiasticall is onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministratorie bounded within certaine limits and lawes by God himselfe the onele lawgiuer For the Church hath receiued lawes of beleeuing but she makes no lawes neyther can she alter those lawes she hath but must preserue and keepe them and hath no power but as a Deputie or Vicegerent and that at the wil of the Lord and doth onely as an Eccho resound and deliuer that vnto others which it hath heard God speaking in the scriptures a Malach. 2 6.7 Ezech. 3.17 Ier. 23.28 Mat. 28.20 4 They differ in the manner both of their iudgement and execution For the Magistrate iudgeth according to the lawes of man made by himselfe he himselfe weaueth the iudgement webb he condemneth the offender against his will yea though he denie that fact yet by the mouth of witnesses he condemneth him as truly guiltie b Deut 19 15. Mat. 18.16 But the Ecclesiasticall authoritie iudgeth onely according to the written word of God it weaueth not the webb of iudgement but summarily knoweth the whole matter through Charitie and by the mouth of the sinner himselfe and then when he hath confessed the matter then doth he know him as guiltie and exhorteth him to repentance c Mat. 15.25 16 1 Cor 5.4.5 2 Cor. 2.7 7.11 Moreouer the ciuill authoritie executeth iudgement with the carnall sword with fine with imprisonment marshall force with death it selfe the Ecclesiasticall gouernment executeth her decrees with the sword of the spirit that is the word of God namely with censures reproofe suspension and lastly excommunication a 2 Thes 3 14 1 Tim. 1.20 For that the Apostles did sometimes vse corporall punishment b Act. 5.5 13.11 it was a matter extraordinarie when the Magistrate was a wicked man So that the one doth not take away the other but establisheth it Of how many sorts is the Ecclesiasticall authoritie or gouernment Of three sorts the authoritie of Ministerie of Order and of Reproofe or Ecclesiasticall gouernment whereof hereafter in his proper place What is the power of Ministerie It is the authoritie or power of teaching in the Church not euerie thing but that alone which the Lord hath prescribed by his Prophets and Apostles and of administring those Sacraments which he hath instituted according to his ordinance and of blessing of mariages according to the perpetuall vse of the Church which power doth belong onely to the Pastors though oftentimes Deacons in these things haue supplied the Pastors roomes And this is that that is specially meant by the termes of the keyes and of opening and shutting c Mat. 16.19 And it is the former part of the keys for the later part belongeth vnto the discipline of excommunication What is the first part of these keyes Nothing else but the preaching of the Gospell committed vnto the ministers wherby is pronounced vnto the beleeuers free remission of sinnes through Christ and to the vnbeleeuers is denounced the reteining of their sinnes For that which Christ said vnto Peter Math. 16.19 I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen whatsoeuer thou shalt binde or loose vpon earth shall bee ratified in heauen Saint Iohn thus properly expoundeth it Iohn 20.23 Receiue the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye remit they shall be remitted and whose sinnes yee retayne they shall be retayned in heauen How many Keyes are there Although there be but one ministerie of the word wherby sins are loosed and bound and therefore there is but one key to open and shut the kingdome of heauen yet notwithstanding in regard of the diuers obiects and effects the Key is accompted to be two fold one loosing or opening the other binding or shutting inasmuch as the same Gospell is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth Ro. 1.16 the sauour of death vnto death to euery one that doth not beleeue 2. Cor. 2.16 The loosing key is that part of the ministerie whereby remission of sinnes or absolution from sinnes in the name of Christ is pronounced vnto the beleeuers according to the word of God sometime publikely and sometime priuatly And so heauen is opened and the beleeuer is loosed and set at liberty by the preaching of the gospell from the bonds of sinne which hold vs in captiuity yea from death and euerlasting damnation and is declared to be an heire of life eternall a Luk. 1.77 Act. 2.38 Ioh. 20.23 The binding key is the other part of the Ministerie whereby the retention of their sinnes is denounced vnto the vnbeleeuers and disobedient and so heauen is shut vnto them they are bound that is they remaine captiued in the chaines of sinne and are adiudged vnto death and damnation vnlesse Repentance follow And those keyes are of such weight and efficacy that whatsoeuer is opened or remitted and likewse whatsoeuer is shut or retained in earth by the preaching of the Gospell is said also to be opened loosed and remitted and contrarily to be shut bound and reteyned in heauen according to that Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me And Ioh. 7.18.36 Hee that beleeueth shall be saued he that beleeueth not is alreadie condemned So that indeed the key of the ministerie is but one but in vse double But he that beleeueth the gospell by the power of the holy ghost bringeth also faith which is as it were another key of the kingdome of heauen Whereon
dependeth this power Not vpon the person or worthines of the ministers for indeed they cannot properly eyther bind or loose any man or open or shut the kingdome of heauen vnto any man at their pleasure but it dependeth vpon their lawfull ministerie or rather vpon God himselfe who by the holy ghost is powerfull in the ministerie of the word as often as the minister doth duely execute his office a heb 4.12 In which sense those sayings Marke 2.7 Who can forgiue sinnes but God alone namely in his owne right and by his owne authoritie and that Iohn 20 23. Whose sinnes ye remit namely instrumētally or by preaching in the name of Christ they are remitted must be reconciled To whom are these keyes giuen Not to Peter alone but equally to all the Apostles and to the faithfull Pastors of all ages to whom Christ saith Receiue the holy Ghost if you remit the sinnes of anie they are remitted vnto them if you retaine the sinnes of any they are retayned Iohn 20.23 Which is the other part of Ecclesiasticall power It is called the power of Order because it hath a certaine and set rule namely the word of God which it must alwaies follow And it is rhar power of the Church whereby it is occupied both about doctrine and the principles of faith and is callled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrinall and also about the making of lawes in the Church for the outward gouernment thereof and is specially called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is ordained or appointed VVhat is the power of the Church concerning Doctrine It is of two sorts Common and Speciall Common is the common right belonging to the whole Church not to the Pastors onely but to euerie member thereof 1 To keepe and preserue the scriptures with verie great faithfulnesse like a Notarie or Register diligently to read them and not by way of authority to iudge of the scriptures for the Church it selfe is subiect to the scriptures but to iudge according to the scriptures and to distinguish and discerne like a Moderator the true naturall and right scriptures from the false imaginarie and counterfeit the spirit of God being their guide for the sheepe know the voyce of the shepheard Iohn 10.4 2. To know admit and approoue true Doctrine out of the scriptures Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures And to reproue false doctrine Mat 7.15 Beware of false Prophets And Luke 12.1 Take heede of the leauen of the Pharises And Galat. 1.8 If any man teach another doctrine let him be accursed Whereupon Augustine lib. 11. Contra Faustum cap. 5. The scripture is set in a seat on high whereunto euerie faithfull and godly vnderstanding must stoope And in another place lib. de Religione cap. 31. It is lawfull with pure hearts to know the eternall Law but to iudge it is altogether vnlawfull and wicked Speciall power the Church hath none to frame new Articles of faith or to teach any thing beside the word of God written but like a Cryer to publish and preach the scriptures to propound onely the word of the Prophets and Apostles to omit nothing 〈◊〉 alter nothing to adde or inuent nothing of their owne a Deut. 4.2 12 32 Reue. 22.18 19 and to referre all things according to the word to Gods glorie and the edification of the Church Furthermore so to expound and prooue the Principles out of the Canonicall scriptures and to interptete the same Scriptures not out of any preiudicate opinion or the priuate sense of any one man but out of the fountaines and originals by examination of euerie seuerall word by obseruation of the style and phrase of the scripture by consideration of the state of the question and matter in hand and of the things going before and comming after and by conference of one scripture with another that they may agree with the Analogie rule and square of faith briefly comprehended in the Apostles Creed a Mat. 23.8 28.20 Rom. 12.6 1 Pet. 4.11 Lastly to take away all ordinances or rather phantasies of all men of what degree soeuer they bee that the decrees of God alone may remaine firme and established 2. Cor. 4.7 These are those spirituall weapons mightie b 2 Cor. 10 4.5 through God to cast downe strong holds whereby the faithfull souldiers of God may cast downe the imaginations and euerie high thing which is exalted against the knowledge of God wherby they may build the house of Christ ouerthrow Sathan feed the sheep driue away the Wolues instruct them that are apt to learne to proue them that are stubborne and froward lastly whereby they may lighten and if neede be thunder and resting themselues vpon the power of Christ may rule and gouerne all from the highest to the lowest but all things according to the word of God and so as no man must take vnto himselfe any authoritie to teach in the Church eyther by writing or word without a lawfull calling where indeede Order preuaileth which no man with a good conscience can despise for this were to open a window to the Anabaptistical furie and that The Spirits of the Prophets may be subiect to the Prophets 1. Cor. 14.30.31 Albeit that all Christians ought mutually to teach exhort reprehend and comfort one another in the Lord and that all housholds should so be gouerned of the maisters and mistresses of the family that they should beare a representation of so many priuate Churches no man will denie Are we simply to heare the voyce of the Church to receiue whatsoeuer it teacheth No but whatsoeuer it is taught of God and commaunded to teach and is able to approoue by the authoritie of the word of God Is it in the Churches power to consigne the Canon of Scripture The Church cannot make Bookes not Canonicall to be Canonicall but onely is a meanes that such Bookes be receiued as Canonicall which in truth and of themselues are such The Church I say doth not make Scripture to be Authenticall but declareth it to be so For that onely is called Authenticall which is of it selfe sufficient which commendeth supporteth and prooueth it selfe and from it selfe hath credit and authoritie May not yet the Church be a meanes to beleeue that there is a word written and other thinges which pertaine to saluation It is indeede a meanes not a principall meanes but onely an externall and ministeriall meanes but the principall cause of beleeuing is the spirit of God and the Church is a lesse principall instrument that is by which not for which we beleeue Paule doth plant and Apollo doth water but God giueth the increase 1 Cor. 3.6 The church hath no efficacie to reueale without the spirit neither can the Church make that true thinges in themselues be beleeued of vs for true but by the testimonie of the holy Ghost shee doth commend the Scripture which is her chiefe office Truely the Church sometimes may compell men by her authoritie and perpetuall testimonie that they
by faith and ouerthrew their enemies But wee must remember this withall that a wise man must first trie all meanes before he goe to warre And the magistrate must beware that he be not therein led by his owne lusts or by any wicked or corrupt affection but as Augustine saith Let him euen pitie the common nature in that man in whom he punisheth his proper and particular offence And lastly the warre must be iust As for that speach Math. 26.52 He that smiteth with the sword shall perish by the sword It is to be vnderstood of him to whom the sword is not deliuered by the Lord that is to say hee that without any superiour authoritie commanding or granting the same vnto him doth vsurpe the sword to smite another man And to Peter being a shepheard of soules and a preacher of the Gospell it was said Put vp thy sword into his sheath as in like manner that 2. Tim. 2.4 is spoken to ministers No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life Onely they may with their exhortations and prayers be helpefull vnto them that fight iust battels as Iosh 6.8 commaundement is giuen that the Priests should blowe the Trumpets in the time of warre Lastly that speach of the Prophet Micah prophecying of the kingdome of Christ Micah 4.4 They shall breake their swords into mattockes and their speares into sithes nation shall not lift vp a sword against natiō nor learne to fight is meant of the Christiās and thereby is shewed what their behauiour and endeuour shall be and ought to be among the Gentiles namely that they shall seeke loue and peace and concord which all they doe that embrace Chrst Iesus the Prince of peace with a true faith but outwardly to defend themselues against wicked men is not forbidden How many sorts of warre be there Two Spirituall and Carnall Spirituall is that kinde of warre or combat which the spirit hath against the flesh the diuell and the world a Gal. 5.17 In which warre faith in Christ Iesus the word of God a care zeal of iustice such like vertues are weapōs necessary for vs but they are spirituall weapons b Eph. 6.13 2 Cor. 10 4 1 Thess 5.8 The carnall warre is that which is fought with carnal weapons And the battell is the verie fight conflict of disagreeing persons among themselues this later the Graecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fight the former is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 warre What is politicall or carnall warre It is a lawfull defence or a lawfull recouery of those things which are wrongfully taken away or a iust and due punishment which is inflicted by a mans owne magistrate by force and by corporall weapons Which are iust warres 1 Those which without the manifest danger of the whole common wealth and of the common safetie cannot bee pretermitted 2 Those which are commaunded by the chiefe magistrate to whom the care of the commonwealth is committed or else by him that hath the gouernment thereof vnder him and in this case the priuate person must follow that commission that he hath receiued of his superiour magistrate for this action of warre is the principall part of the higher power 3 The warre must be vndertaken vpon a cause iust and necessarie and agreeable to the word of God 4 The warre must first be denounced to the enemie and the matters for which they warre must first be rehearsed that is to say there must be no warlike action vsed nor hostilitie performed vntill first the Heralds that is the publike messengers of armes and of warre haue denounced the same vnto the enemie and offered conditions of peace a Deut. 20 10 Gen. 11.12 5 They must be made with a right intention not in desire to hurt or in crueltie but labouring for peace and to bridle the wicked and relieue the good For as Augustine saith Men doe not seeke peace to the intent to make warre Libro 5. de verbis dōini but they make warre to the intent to seeke peace Which are iust and necessarie causes of warre The remote causes are peace in time to come and the amendement of our enemies against whom wee fight and by whom wee haue beene vniustly iniured and prouoked a Math. 5 9 23 The propinque or immediate causes are the requiring againe of the thing that is vniustly taken from vs and not restored or of the iniurie or contumely but chiefely the repulse punishment and reuenge of the offence that is committed against vs b Gen. 19.15 20.1 2 Sam. 10.6 7 And lastly the necessarie defence of those that are in league with vs or beeing in our armie are in some extreame daunger Is it lawfull to defend true Religion with weapons It is lawfull so to doe against those that are of other countries that haue no authoritie ouer vs yea and against any part of the Commonwealth which goeth about to ouerthrow the true Religion being once receiued by the publike consent of all estates of the land c Ios 22.10 11.12 2 K. 23.15 In this regard it was lawfull for Constantine to defend the Christians against Licinius his fellow in office For so God commaundeth in the law Deut. 13.14 to slay the inhabitants of that Citie within our dominions with the edge of the sword which shall worship other Gods and continue obstinately in their wickednesse and much more iust then and more necessarie is it to resist them that would force vpon vs strange Gods and wicked superstitions and take away the wholesome doctrine of the word of God or infect it with the brainsicke conceits of mens traditions And this the law of nature approueth which teacheth vs that wee owe all we haue to God and by which the Athenians in times past being enlightened did publikly bind their Citizens by an oth that they should fight for their Gods and for their Temples and holy rites both with themselues and with others But the Lord hath not commaunded his seruants to inuade other countries or to make warre for idolatrie but commaundeth his people to ouerthrow the Altars within their owne lands and territories a Deut 7.1 5 Neyther hath Christ commaunded vs for the propagation of religion to make warre vpon forraine countries which are not subiect vnto vs but to teach them and to preach the gospell vnto them and where the gospell is not receiued to flie and giue place Math. 10.23 Are those iust actions that doe accompanie and are incident to warre namely spoyles ambushes besiegings slaughter taking away their furniture and such other Calamities which are vsually done to the enemie in time of warre They are iust actions if the cause of the warre at first were iust Epist 105 ad Bonif. if that were vniust they are also vniust But yet Saint Augustine telleth vs that It is not sufficient that the warre be iust vnlesse it be also iustly performed Which that it may be
subiect to the higher powers be he an Apostle bee hee an Euangelist bee hee a prophet bee he who hee may bee for this subiection doth not ouerturne pietie and. 2. Peter 2.10 Peter condemnes them who despise gouernement and feare not to raile on them who are in authoritie The which it is plain against whom it is spoken Neither was it lawfull for princes and gouernours so to depart from their right as to exempt the Clergie from the authoritie of the magistrate neither must we looke what they did in this matter but what they ought to haue done because they cannot neither euer could annihilate the commandements of God What is the office of a good subiect and citizen towards his commonwealth 1. In generall to profit it in the Lord according to his calling both in peace and warre a 2 Sam. 2◠16 22 Heb. 11 22 2 2. To pray for it and the safety of it b Ps 122 7 Ier. 29 3. To helpe it but in a iust cause by the precept of Christ Mat. 20.27 in a word amongst Christians a good man a good citizen hath in euery thing the like office What is the office of subiects to the Magistrate 1. Obedience that all men if hee bee lawfull obey him bee he faithfull or an Infidell whither hee commaunde iustly or couetously or cruelly c 1 Sā 8 11 Ier 27 8 29 7 Ac 24 16. Tit. 3 1 1 Pet. 2.13 Rom 13.1 because not without the singular prouidence of God euen they who iniustly and cruelly rule are stirred vp to punish the sinnes of the people d EZe 29 19 Dan. 2.21 37. 5.18 Rom. 13.1 There is no power but of God Nay it is necessarie most equall to be subiect neither is it a thing indifferent or arbitrarie but such as binds the verie conscience Rom. 13.5 Because no man with a good conscience can resist him to whose power God hath made him subiect And surely subiects are bound to obey in all things but vsque ad aras not violating religion and so farre forth as Magistrates commaund not things impossible and aboue our abilitie and contrarie to the lawe of Nature or of God or forbid those things which God commandeth according to that rule of Christ Math. 22.21 Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars and vnto God the things that are Gods and Acts. 5.29 It is better to obey God then men according to which rule Sidrach Misach Abednego and Daniell did well not to obey but without deliberation constantly and sincerely withstoode the vngodly edicts of the Kings both of worshipping the grauen Image and not calling vpon God a Da. 3 18 6 11 on the contrarie the Israelites are condemned who obeyed the vngodly Edict of King Ieroboam to worship the golden calfe b 1 kings 12 30 What if some Magistrates commaund things iust or vniust are the godly citizens to esteeme them as such Lawes as they are bound to keepe No surely not simply to both the termes of the Lawe because euery Lawe bindeth either to obedience which is one terme or to punishment which is another terme but they are so farre forth to esteeme them as lawes and are bound vnto them as they themselues or their country or that common wealth in which they liue can yeeld or else can willingly vndergoe the punishments appointed if they liue in that common-wealth and cannot obey these lawes for priuate men cannot violate publick and ancient Lawes though they be euill but they must either obey them or if with a good conscience they cannot they must either submit themselues to punishment or else depart out of such gouernments but the states of a Christian common wealth must either abrogate such Lawes or prouide that they be abrogated Doth Paule exempt the faithfull from obedience to these Lawes in saying 1. Tim. 1.9 The Lawe is not giuen to the righteous No but hee sheweth that the Law was not made against him who ordereth his life according to the rule thereof such a one is onely hee whom the Lord indueth with true Doctrine and the holy Ghost against such a man also the Law cannot pronounce the sentence of condemnation because he is iustified neither doth it handle him as an enemie but ruleth teacheth and delighteth him as one assenting vnto it but this Lawe is against him who hath not these fruites of the spirit which are repeated Gal. 5.13 and it confirmeth that which is Rom. 13. The Magistrate is not to be feared of them that doe well but that doe euill and thou shalt not feare the King What is the second office of subiects towards the Magistrate Honour or feare or reuerence 1. That they admire and reuerence gouernours ex animo in heart in word in gesture and feare them as Gods vicegerents such was the reuerence which Quintus Fabius Maximus yeelded to his sonne beeing Consull but Christians must goe farre higher Further that they thinke charitably and iudge honorably of the whole state a 1 king 1 23.31 that they construe euen faults in the best part and either couer them with a godly equitie or passe ouer them by a prudent dissimulation or correct them by moderate counsels and admonitions that they submit themselues willingly to his sentence b 2. Sam. 19 19 that they pardon all wrongs forbeare the least violence and in a word that they speake not euill of him c Exod 22 2.8 Act. 23 5 1 Pet 2.17 But that they Giue feare to whome feare belongeth and Honour to whom Honour belongeth Rom. 13.7 VVhat is the Third Fidelitie or that naturall requiting affection which the grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that subiects doe as much as they can by an honest and godly meanes preserue keepe and defend the safetie life right dignitie cause person and familie of their Soueraine Magistrate against all such as shall conspire against him d 2 Sam. 16 9.20.2.11 2 K. 12.2 c For if wee must giue our liues for the brethren much more for our Gouernors who are fathers 1. Iohn 3 16. What is the forth Piety to pray for the Magistrate for his safety and gouernment 1. Tim. 2. 1. Ier. 29.7 Dan. 6.21 So the Christians of the Church Primitiue prayed for their heathen Emperours wishing vnto them long life secure gouernment a safe house Tract in Apol. Cap. 30 valiant soldiers faithfull Senators good people and quiet Kingdomes Onely Iulian the Apostata was that Emperour for whom they durst not pray e 1 Ioh 5.16 Gal. 5 12 VVhat is the fift Not as Polypragmous to make an inroarde vpon the dutie of the Magistrate but rather if wee knowe any thing which may be for the good of the common weale to acquaint him with it and to craue both aduise and assistance from him a 2 Sam. 4.4 2 K 6 26.8 3. Those two verses are therefore worthy to bee remembred of all busie bodies which Iohn Functius as hee went
esteeme it as a doctrine of men not of God as a priuate conceipt not a publike assertion We haue no such doctrine neither haue the Churches of God As for the truth of this in practise looke we but to the daies of Queene Mary when more suffered for religion in 5. years then haue done for treason in 45. since did any theÌ„ rebel against the life of that Queen did they not suffer the losse of goods liberty country lands and life praied rather that their soueraigns eies might be opened theÌ„ her years diminished And though diuers amongst vs who cannot conforme theÌ„selues are by the sentence of our consistories depriued of their liuings do any of them lay hands vpon the Lords annointed do not the Protestants in France the like at this time And surely if we well consider amongst many arguments to perswade the truth of our religion the falsity of popery this is not the least that our religion without equiuocation is an obedient merciful coÌ„passionate religion though our aduersaries preferre Turks before vs theirs is a cruel merciles bloudy religion burning al such as denie their breaden God murdering such gouernors as do but fauour of our true Catholicke Christian faith As for this auctor because the auctor of the protestaÌ„ts Apology for Catholicks may bring him in an enemy to magistracy I wish in some points he had written more sparingly He saith if a gouernour come vpon a subiect to spoyle him and kill him by the law of nature he may defend himselfe We say with Tertullian it is better to be killed then to kill and to answer them defence and offence are not a like He saith Dauid might haue killed Saule we lay with Dauid God forbid I should lay hands vpon the Lords annointed and Dauid being annointed king had another gates warrant than they can shew He saith in publike and notorious tyrannie subiects may craue aide from forrain Princes we say Blessed are they that suffer And blessed be God our gouernors are such as we need not to seeke aid against them He saith the Heluetians did wel in shaking of the yoake of Austria we say a particular is no generall rule He saith that the Iewes did well to rise against Antiochus we say the fact was extraordinary In a word there is nothing in him nor I hope in any Protestant writer which will warrant conspiracies against Princes which doctrine was deuised by the diuell nourced by the Pope learned in Seminaries practised more of late by Iesuites then euer it was before written as Dracoes lawes by the fauor of God in their own bloud And if we read diligeÌ„tly this coÌ„mon place of magistracie we shall see that the author was no enemy to gouernment who doubtles thinketh that the king is to be honored as a second from God only inferiour to God alone as Tertullian saith You haue added to your author 8. questions answers returne againe vnto him what is the generall end of politicke admistration and magistracie or magistrates Publike peace the preseruation of pietie and Religion or that right lawfull worship of God Vnto which two heads we may referre all lawes ciuill For hence commeth vengeance to the bad defence of the good safegard of goods rewards of vertues discipline of maners execution of malefactors and robbers and in a word the safetie of mans life To conclude by this means the Eutaxie good order of all things yea of religion it selfe is preserued or as Agapetus writeth to Iustinian by this all men being assembled together instructed in Gods word may vnfainedly adore safely keepe without feare practise his vpright righteousnes To which purpose Stigelius hath these two golden verses Vtque alios alij de relligione docerent Contiguas pietas iussit habere Domos That one might teach an other pietie God houses ioyn'd with contiguitie To this end Paule saith pray ye for kings and for all set in authority I say set in authority that vnder them we may liue a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honesty What vse make you of this doctrine of mgistracy Surely in regard of the magistrates 1. that they labour to recognize their dignity vse it with good conscience that they maintaine adorne it with the greatest piety to God integrity of life equity towards men care of their charge diligeÌ„ce in their calling that possibly they can Deut. 1.16 2 Cron. 19 6 7. c. 2. That they may comfort theÌ„selues and hope of Gods aide being indeed in a most troublesome but yet a most holy calling in that they are Gods Ambassadors or viceroys vpon earth yea that they may know that God cares for them according to that of the Psalmist I wil sing vnto thee O lord a new song who giueth saluatioÌ„ to kings But in regard of subiects that they with thanks to god acknowledge so great a benefit with good coÌ„science submit theÌ„selues to Gods ordinance giuing Caesars to Caesar tribute to whoÌ„ tribute praying for the life of their gouernors maintaine it by the hazard of their own both life liuelyhood if need require What now is coÌ„trary to this doctrine of magistracie 1 The heresy of the Donatists who tooke away the authority of magistrates in hatred to this order doe reckon vp many persecutions which some magistrates haue made against the Church of God 2. The error of the Anabaptists Libertines who were so called because they seek liberty in outward things for which in the memory of our forfathers they moued the common people to take arms against their gouernors these deny i. that magistracy is to be exercised amongst â—hose christiaÌ„ spirituall people whom the truth to wit Christ hath made free b Ioh 8.32 2. They admit of no suits in law seats or sentences of Iustice or any defence of a mans selfe wheras the internal liberty of coÌ„science which God by his spirit worketh in the harts of his elect takes not away the subiection of the outward man due to gouernors c Gal 5 1 2 Cor 7 21 3. They are of opinion that God would not haue Christians at all to become soldiers in warr because Paule saith speaking of spirituall not corporall warfare 2. Cor. 10.7 The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall But Paule speakes not heere of politicke magistrates but of the Pastors of the Church armed on all sides with the word of truth the weapons of righteousnesse 2. Cor. 6.7.4 They speake euill of such as are in authoritie d Iude 8. 3 The seditious rebellions of the Pope all his papall Cleargy who vpon certaine forged immuâ—â—ties presume to take the sword of authority out of the magistrates hand and to make all Princes vassals to them yet Peter himselfe whose successors they would be commaunds Bishops in plaine termes that they should not be Lords ouer Gods inheritance e 1. Pet. 5 3 yea bids all men to honour the King f 1. Pet. 2.17 But saith a papist Persona praecipientis non continetur in persona loquentis Peter commaunds this in his owne person therfore is not bounden to it in his owne person Well then Peter saith before Feare God is he by this commâ—undement excluded from Gods feare It seemeth surely his successors are who because they will not honor gouernors shew to the world that they feare not God for he that feareth the king of kings will honor and obey his vicegerents and Ambassadors 3 The flatteries of such as so either extol the power of princes that they derogate from Gods power or denie that princes in causes both Ecclesiasticall ciuill haue supreme authority headship ouer subiects wher as the princes of Israel are ofteÌ„ in the scripturs called heads of the people not as the Pope wold be to giue life to the church for so only is Christ the head but to coÌ„mand direct that people ouer whoÌ„ it pleaseth god to place kings in suprem authority 4 All such maners rites edicts consultations which are not agreeable to that eternall rule of honouring God and louing our neighbour permitting thefts robberies vnbridled and promiscuous lusts or any other monsters of the like nature 5 Seditious coÌ„motions of turbuleÌ„t rebels against their magistrats 6 Anarchy or want of gouernors which is worse then either the excesse or defect of any magistrate a Iudg 17 6 〈◊〉 21.25 〈◊〉 made Chrysostome in his sermon to the people of Antioch to say It were better to haue a Tyrant king then no king and Cornelius Tacitus to say in the first booke of his history It is better to liue vnder a bad prince than vnder none Laus Christo nescia finis 1. Pet. 2.17 Feare God honour the King To feare God is the beginning of this Booke To honour the King is the end of it FINIS
erre as Aaron did but true prophets to witt inspired by god as they were prophets did not erre How many kinds or sortes of ministery are there of the new Testament Paule Rom. 12.6 7 maketh two to wit Prophecy and ministery vnder the name of prophesie comprehending their office who labour in teaching and exhorting whether it be in speech as pastors or instruction as Doctors b 1 Timo. 5 17 But vnder the name of ministerie he vnderstandeth their office who had another seruice as distribution of almes censure of manners prouision for the poore or other ecclesiasticall offices from which the Apostles exempted them selues c Act. 6.2.3 4. The like distribution he hath Philip. 1.1 Tim. 3.2.8 calling them Bishops whome Rom. 12 6.7 He calleth prophets namely to whome is committed the ministerie of teaching vnderstanding the rest by the name of deacons So Peter 1 pet 4.11 saith if any man speake let him speake as the words of God if any man minister c. So then of them that beare Ecclesiasticall office some are teachers others are ministers How many orders of teachers are there The same Paul Ephes 4.11 Numbreth fiue Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and Doctors Of whome Apostles Prophets and Euangelists had a temporarie and extraordinary calling and therefore are now ceassed but pastors and doctors which are ordinary callings are to continue for euer to the comming of Christ for prophecie and knowledge that is the giftes of teaching prophecying being instituted of God for the collecting of a church and nourishing it in this life are therefore said to be abolished and of no vse 1. Cor. 13.8 because god by himselfe thorough an inward power shall effect that in the life to come which he hath begunne in vs in some sorte by his ministers in this life What were Apostles Peculiarly and by way of excellencie those that were called the first Apostles as also those eleuen elected called out of the world not by men or from men but immediately by Christ liuing yet vpon earth before his manyfestation that as hearalds they might stir vp onely their owne nation and being sent prepare them to harken to Christ a Math. 10.6.7 And in the end after his resurrection being confirmed by him to the same apostleship they might publish the doctrine committed to them through the whole world b Mat 28 19.20 Mark 16.15 Iohn 20.21 But because he commaunded them to stay at Ierusalem till they were indued with vertue from aboue c Act. 1.24 after his ascention in the same place and at the same time to wit on the day of Pentecost they were by the visible gift of the holy Ghost as it were by a solemne inauguration Mathias being ioyned with theÌ„ before the whole people of Israell confirmed in their appostleship and declared to be the apostles of Christ in which respect they are said then to be giuen of Christ from heauen d Act. 2.1 c. Ephes 4.11 By this it appeareth that this solemne sending of the holy Ghost did appertaine to none other but to those twelue destined by so peculiar aboundance of Gods spirit to plant churches through the whole world euen as to them properly and peculiarly the promise was made e Luk. 24.49 Mat. 28 19 20. and as the Apostleship was proper to them f Act. 2.22 To these adde we those two called by Christ after his ascention Matthias by lot g Act. 1.16 and Paul from heauen h Act. 9.3 Gal. 2 1. Al which as builders and founders of the future edifices of the church as it were patriarkes were sent not to teach onely in certaine places but to plant churches through the whole world when also they were called apostles as it were the lords legates who also being inspired by God did deliuer the doctrine of the gospell both by word and in writing so as their doctrine is the canon and rule of all christian religion which must be shewed to the end of the worlde and being indued by Christ with vertue of doeing miracles they confirmed their doctrine by miracles and sealed it by the administration of the sacraments i Math. 28.19 which was principall in them they alone in the infancie of the church by a visible signe of Imposition of hands gaue the holy Ghost and who all and ech of them were all of equall power and dignity ecclesiasticall amongst them selues in a primary principall but yet a spirituall power but not in regarde of the giftes of the spirit for although the same talent was giuen to all yet it was doubled vpon some and tripled vpon others so as one excelled an other in labour and eminencie of grace a 1 Cor. 15 20 This office after they had well discharged together with theÌ„ that apostolicall function ceased not in regard of their doctrine to which the church is perpetually obliged nor in regard of their ministery to preach the gospell and administer the sacraments But in regarde of apostolicall excellency plenary authority for it selfe to be belieued so as he that should resist their doctrine did not resist man but God and that it was not circumscribed within any confines of the world but to be diuulged through the whole earth as also to found and plant churches to conferre the giftes of the holy ghost by Imposition of hands to constitute perpetual functions in the church and in a word to prescribe rules for church gouernment for thus their office was temporarie for that of Christ at this departure Iohn 20.21 as my father sent me so I send you is to be restrained to their apostleship onely they were as we may say successers of the prophets but the prophets were Sovvers the Apostles reapers b Iohn 4.35 c â—ct 11.28 2â— 10 they preached Christ to come these Christ already come Who were called prophets Specially they who about the beginning of the gospel preached and excelled in a singuler gift of reuelation and wisedome by the instinct of Gods spirit and were sometimes able to foretell matters of great moment concerning the Church or such as should be tide some of the faith full whome GOD adioyned to the Apostles though they also were indued with the spirit of prophecie c that by this supernaturall grace of the spirit he might also confirme the Apostles preaching by which grace it pleased him to adorne confirme that then breeding church such a prophet was Agabus and the foure daughters of Philip theuangelist d 1. Cor. 14 29.31 hence to prophecie is to interpret prophecies 1. Cor. 11.4.5 And the spirit of prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 Is for the doctrine which prophets indued with gods spirit do bring notwithstanding in general they were called prophets who had a singuler gift in interpreting scriptures such are now adaies the learned interpreters of scriptures Who are Euangelists 1 Companions fellowe laborers and fellow ministers of the Apostles not chosen by Christ