first sought how by his pioners ordināce to cast down some of the principall strengthes one after another before he could enter it seate him self in the middst of the temple of God And as where a citie is well policied gouerned hauing good and wholsome lawes statutes for the ruling of it and worthy Magistrates that gouerne wisely and iustly according to the same If any man would oppresse such a state and make him selfe maister of it in vaine should he attempt to doe it whyle those lawes and Magistrates doe continue And therefore would corrupte firste some of the Magistrates by degrees and then afterwarde worke such alteratiō in the lawes as might be lest sensible that by such meanes he might in the ende by his subtle and cunninge practises attayne to that tyrannous rule which if he should make shew of in the beginning he could not doe by any force euen so hath Sathan by his secrete and sutle meanes and practises seeking to tyrannise the citie of God first corrupted such as were of speciall trust in it and had greatest charges committed to them and after by their meanes altered by litle and litle the orders and lawes of the Citie in such sorte as at the last he set vp the kingdome of Antichrist and brought in all kinde of false doctrine and confusion When Iulius Caesar purposed to oppresse the state of Rome he vsed many preparations and meanes vnto it whiche were not easie to be discerned yea such as might seeme to be great stayes to the preseruation of it His greatnes rising by alliances and employmentes abroade the encreasing of his forces the dispensing with home lawes in his respect the continuance of his Dictatorship and such like were in apparance the meanes to vpholde and mainteyne the state of Rome and some of them might haue bin so in deede if they had bin bestowed vpon a subiect faithfull and loyall But in an ambitious mind they so increased his greatnes and his strength as the state it selfe became to weake for him Such a tree as Daniel had shewed vnto him in a visiō to represent the kingdome of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.8.9 Eze. 31.6 and as Ezekiell mentioneth to like purpose in his prophecie whose bowes and braūches are like great trees and the armes of it as the Cedars of Libanus so as all the foules of the heauens make their nestes in them all the beastes of the fielde lye in the shadowe of the same such a tree I say groweth not vp in a night like the gourde of Ionas but in many yeeres Iona. 4.10 receiuing frō day to day some increases though not sensible to the eye in any one instant or in a day or in a weeke yet in time it appeareth that it did encrease and at last groweth to huge bignes Nowe to demaunde what daye or what yeare it grewe in were a question that should haue small reason in it such a tree being many yeares a growing so as it can not be saide that it grewe in such a yeare but onely that it was growing so many yeares till at the last it came to excessiue greatnes Euen thus hath it come to passe in the kingdome of Antichrist the Nebuchadnezzar that hath burnt the Citie of God and the king of Babilon the citie of all confusion in the West To demande therefore as the Replyer doeth as Papists do some certaintie of the time when this kingdome grewe and of euery thing it consumed as he saith here of th' office of Elders whereby it grewe and increased is an impertinent question and can not proue that therefore Sathan did not by chaunge of Gods ordinance in this behalfe increase and strengthen him selfe It suffiseth vs to shewe that in so many yeares this tree was a growing in whose bowes at the last euery foule and hatefull birde nowe doeth nestle and that a meanes of the immeasurable greatnes of it hath bin the chaunging of th'ordinances of God Whiche appeareth manifestlie in this that these offices for the Declaration speaketh of the ordinance of God chaūged in them all are clearlie declared to haue bin vsed in the Churches in the time of the Apostles as ordinarie offices and that the same being now of manie yeares not in vse eyther in part or altogither afore this last restoring of the Gospell agayne in this age they are all founde to be transferred to others who by them selues or their officers disposed of all that the other were wont to doe Which chaunge for the name of Bishop was common to all the Ministers of the worde as it is euident in the 20. of the Actes and other places Phil. 1.1 1. Tim. 3.1 The arrogating of this name by any one of that calling as a peculiar title to him selfe was some chaūg of gods ordināce preparatiō to that which folowed The same name in the Scriptures is neuer giuen vnto any in respect of the Ministers of the worde as to note one set ouer them to see them doe their dueties as the high Priest sometime in the lawe of Moses but alwayes in regarde of the people and the flocke the charge ouerfight and guydance of whom onely was committed to them When this ordinance of God was so farre chaunged that by this worde was noted one set ouer both the flockes and the shepheardes endewed with a power and authoritie to direct correct both as might seeme good vnto him so much more as was diminished of the ordināce of god was added to the aduancement of the misterie which Sathan cunningly by such degrees sought to aduance But when these Bishops contented not them selues to take the name to them as peculiar and an authoritie not onelie of the Church they stoode charged with and the Ministers of the worde with them in the same but taking all occasions which might further their ambition as of hauing moderated the Synodes of certaine circuites of the fewnes of sufficient Preachers of the voluntarie respect whiche was borne them for their pietie and giftes of resort from sundrie partes neare vnto them for their counsell of the preheminence wealth and state of the Cities wherein they were seated and such like challenged to them selues the like authoritie ouer the churches and Ministers of a large circuite this steppe was not farre from the seate whereon the man of sinne was to sitte him downe Another degree aboue this was it when as Bishoppes had dealt with their fellowes the Pastours of the Churches so likewise other dealt with them and became Archbishops chalenging and exercising authoritie ouer all the Churches Pastours and Bishops of a whole Prouince But when as Archbishops of Prouinces were in like sort subiected to other as they had made the Bishops subiect to them and that foure Patriarkes diuided all Christian churches in the worlde amongest them selues ranging Archbishops vnder them doing vnto them as they had done to the Bishops and the Bishopps to the Pastours it remained only
order which they shall thinke better may put downe the Archbishop and set vp an officer of another kinde for that purpose If they may then is the wisedome of God subiect to the will of man and they made wiser then hee who is onely wise who taketh wise men in their wyles confoundeth them by those whom they esteeme as simple 1. Tim. 1.17 when they would bee wisest doeth make them starke fooles If it may not 1. Cor. 1.19.20.27 Rom. 1.22 as I suppose the Replier will do god that honor not to make his ordinances subiect to the will of man nor to adore fleshe and bloude aboue God blessed for euer Amen then doeth he playnely confesse whiche in all his treatise he impugneth that there is an externall order and forme of gouernement ordayned of God for the guydance of the church If hee be perswaded of in conscience as hee would seeme to bee by going about to prooue their authoritie as by the scripture let him as francklie confesse it as they doe that mainteyne the supremacie of the Pope to be due to him iure diuino and which necessarilie followeth hereof lette him denie that Princes or any creature may lawfullie cause this office to cease to be exercised in the Church And then our question being ended of the generall whether there bee any certayne externall order for all ecclesiasticall matters established of God as confessed and agreed on both partes let vs then debate whiche onely remayneth Whether that whiche hee affirmeth to bee the order of GOD consistinge in Bishops and Archebishops bee that in deede whiche God hath appointed or the order sett downe in the Declaration of Ministers of the worde Elders and Deacons There are Bishoppes who notwithstanding peraduenture they can bee as well content to suffer him to perswade that their authoritie is from GOD as the Bishop of Rome is that some doe the like for him yet in them selues will scorne this simplicitie as knowing vndoubtedly whiche they haue also confessed that they holde onely of the donation of Princes and by ciuill statutes that power and authoritie whiche they exercise But to returne to his reproofe Howe maye it appeare that Paule whose acte no doubt as he sayeth was approoued by GOD him selfe did create Titus an Archebishop It is a maruell that hee beginneth with an Archbi hop whereas good order would haue required hee should first haue prooued the instituting of a Bishop ouer other Pastours ere hee had come to shewe an Archebishop ouer Bishoppes But to take it as it hath pleased him to deliuer it whereby maye it appeare that Titus was made an Archebishop and exercised as hee sayeth Arch-episcopall iurisdiction For proofe hee referreth him selfe to another place sayinge wee haue seene this partlie alreadie We are therefore to returne to the place where hee spake of this before and to looke what is to be seene there In that place which is as I take it in the pages 64. and 65. hee sayeth what ecclesiasticall office Titus had the verie subscription of Saint Paules epistle vnto him doeth declare being this to Titus the firste elected Bishop of the Church of the Cretenses This is the Recorde he bringeth out to prooue the office of an Archbishop Wherein yet it is apparant that here is no mention at all neyther of the office nor of the name of an Archbishop It is sayde in deede that Titus was first elected Bishop of the Church of Candie but of his Archiepiscopall iurisdictiō or name here is no worde If our profes for the offices we affirme to be necessarie and perpetuall in the Church were not more pregnaunt then this and if when we vndertake to prooue a Pastour we should bring out euidences for a Teacher the nexte officer in the Churche vnto him or if when we would prooue a Teacher we should shewe proofe for an Elder who is next him or pretendinge to prooue the function of Elders should alleadge testimonies that doe concerne Deacons as the Replyer heere goinge aboute to shewe and prooue an Archebishoppe bringeth a place that speaketh onely of a Bishop who in his Hierarchie is next in place and dignitie to the Archbishop such proofes were worthie all the scornes wherewith he hath vnworthily and without cause scorned the sounde and sufficient testimonies produced for euery publique charge and office in the Church But yet if he come so neare it as the office of a Bishop such as he pretendeth to mainteyne though hee finde not th'Archbishoprike he seeketh yet if he get a Bishoprike at Paules handes his labour in seeking is largely recompenced What force therefore this euidence may be of for a Bishop let vs examine In the ende of the Epistle vnto Titus where copies of greatest credite haue onely this clause the Epistle to Titus is finished some other haue this additiō whiche he produceth which yet neyther the Syrian nor the olde Latine interpreter doe reade Wherevppon Master Beza the best interpretour of the newe Testament sayeth That this is a playne forgerie For further proofe he addeth three reasons one from the mention of a Bishop in this subscription wheras sayeth he that tyrannie of the Episcopall degree had not yet forceably entred into the Church So as the difference of the time sheweth this could not bee Paules writing nor bee truely sayde of Titus in whose life time and longe after no such office was knowen in the Church Another is from the diuers office of Titus which was of an Euangelist the nature whereof is wholy repugnant to a Bishop that being not to staye in any place but to followe the Apostles and by their direction to order the Churches and the Bishops beinge to sitte still and to ouersee onely his owne circuit The thirde is a playne contradiction to the vndoubted writing of the Apostle subscribed in deede with his owne hande for so he signed all his letters to preuent all fraudulent and deceytfull practises of attributing to him that which was not his whiche contradiction appeareth thus Towarde the ende of this Epistle to Titus the Apostle sayeth Endeuour to come to me to Nicopolis for there I haue determined to winter In whice verse it is to be noted that the Apostle sayeth not for here I haue purposed to winter which he should haue done if hee had bin at Nicopolis when he wrote this But I haue purposed to winter there as being in another place at the writing of his letter and declaring his purpose to goe from the same vnto Nicopolis where he meant to tarie the winter 1. Cor. 16.21 Colos 4.18 2. Thes 3.17 This being playne to be thus vnderstoode in the wordes of th'Apostle this fayned subscription sayth Tit. 3.12 Written from Nicopolis of Macedonia as if the Apostle at the writing of this letter had bene at Nichopolis directlie contrarie to the wordes and sense of the Apostle Whereby it is playne that this subscriptiō was none of Paules but added to his letter by some
holy ministeries which our Sauiour ordayned but other humane deuyses and creatures of Popes Archbishops and Bishops Which yet if it doe not content him I may saye further that this office of Elder continued in suche sorte as he affirmeth the other to haue done For what were the Ciuilians Doctours and Proctours Chauncelors Commissaries Officialls and the rest of that traffique Officers and Retaylers to the great Marchaunts of soules Archbishopps and Bishods who notwithstanding they were lay men did administer the censures of the Church without any due and ordinarie ecclesiasticall calling in deede at the appointment onely of their Lordes and Maisters the Bishops to a foule profanation of the holy censure of the Church whether it bee done in Babylon or in Syon For this iniquitie also is to be founde euen in the Church of God Yet in their administration the office of the Elder is as much and a great deale more to bee seene then true and lawfull Pastours Teachers and Deacons appeare to haue continued in such tagge and ragge as were in the popishe church But the trueth is that all Euangelicall charges and the Gospell it selfe was deteyned in vnrighteousnes and the free right and originall nature vse and benefite of these offices ceased and was interrupted for a time as the like hath come to passe in other such wastes and desolations of the Church as in the time of some of the Iudges in the raigne of Manasses and in the captiuitie the ordinarie offices and dueties were interrupted and God extraordinarily preserued his people All these things were for a time Luke 20.9 as the inheritance in the parable of the Gospell in the handes and possession of vniust and rebellious seruauntes But nowe the Lorde sendeth out his seruauntes and demaundeth of his seruauntes that fruite seruice and honour whiche is due vnto him with a part whereof he will not be satisfied but will haue all his rightes and regalities prerogatiues and offices restored vnto him or els will punishe them as rebells and vniust with-holders This is the answere I make to this poynt whiche the Replyer bolteth out in ceasing by de facto not de iure and when he hath done replyeth to it with an idle questiō if they were once where they haue bin hidden or banished all this whyle or if they were dead and buried c. not worth anie answere Another reason why the order vsed in the primitiue Church should not be restored nowe in the reformed Churches is because they haue no Bishops nor Archbishops whom he affirmeth to haue bin in that time yea and ordayned by the Apostles to haue authoritie ouer them in the Regions and Cities limited to them Whiche superiour and olde standardes to displace sayeth hee to bring in yonge and inferiour Seignours as they who hauing seene the olde temple did also see the laying of the foundation of the newe So would it make a mans harte throbbe and bleede to see howe the beautie of the Church is vaded hir ornamentes spoyled her body haled vnder pretence of reforming This argument needeth no long aunswere to it hauing bin sufficientlie shewed before that it is a vanitie to thinke that such offices as Archbishops and Bishops nowe beare ouer the Churches and the Ministers of the same to haue bin in that time Here it may suffice as it is but affirmed with a word of his without any maner of profe so to denie it with another vpon the reasons before alledged As for his weeping to see the old standards pulled downe and the Church spoyled of her ornamentes if hee meane hereby the manours and royalties that are in other mens handes whō can he blame for it more then such as care not howe the successours doe so they may aspire to the dignitie they couetouslie and ambitiouslie seeke and labour for If hee meane not those braunches but the trees them selues from whence they growe let him consider the bitter fruite they haue borne and the vnwholesome shadowe they haue cast from the first roote they tooke and especiallie of late he shall haue no cause to weepe to see the axe making readie to be layde to their rootes His harte should rather bleede to see in the garden of God anie trees wherein vncleane birdes make their nestes and vncleane beastes take their reast and from whence the cleane are driuen for feare of annoyance and which suffer no fruite or heauenly plante to growe vnder them or neare vnto them Then would he praye with the watchmen of whome Daniell writeth Dan. 4.11 Cut downe ô Lorde these great and noysome trees whiche are strong to euill and not to good Many a fayre tree hath the Lorde plucked vp and in time it is to bee hoped that he will doe the like to these For our Sauiour hath saide Euerie plante that my heauenly Father hath not planted shal be rooted vp Mat. 15.13 His harte bleedeth to see the goodly leases that are drawen from Church-liuings the great Lordshippes that are gone from the Cleargie and Cathedrall Churches and peraduenture some other giftes to see the dispensations whiche seeme to threaten the carying away of an I le and an Earldome from some who would fayne enioye them still But whose harte is mooued with compassion of the people of God whiche is in deede his trewe church to see the worde of God daily taken from them and they left as a flocke of sheepe vpon the moūtaynes without their shephearde to see the Preachers forbidden to preach the Gospell to see the church kept as in captiuitie vnder a reading and lordlie ministerie that neyther teache the people them selues nor suffer other that would to teache them to see goodlie assemblies which haue made heauen and earth to ringe and resounde agayne with the prayses of God scattred and distolued to see the places like Eden the garden of God before the storme layde wast and desolate as the desert places to see the zealous people of God running as in a drought to finde a spring of sweete waters where they may quenche their thirste and faynting in their soules for want of it so many fountaynes being stopped and sealed vppe they that haue the bowells of Christ in them are to be moued with these things As for matters of griefe here mentioned the matter is not so great so that things be done by due order and with consideration of sufficient maintenance of those which God hath appoynted for the worke of the ministerie of all the ordinances of God and the edification and comfort of his people Hitherto in this section the Replyer hath discoursed of the former sorte of reasons of this section which is of the causes confirming the order set downe in the Declaration Nowe he proceedeth to the other argument remayning which is of the great fruite and benefite of this order in the Churches which haue receyued it and the want of the same in suche as haue not yet restored it agayne Wherein first scanning
that one of those foure should toppe the rest to make him selfe lorde of all and vniuersall Bishop ouer the Church Which disorder increased after this Hierarchie for multitude of causes brought to them out of so large circuites began first to slacke their preachinge and to growe negligent and in the ende to giue it ouer and preache seldome as vpon hye and solemne dayes or not at all After also that Emperours Kings began to be Christians and they to growe in fauor with them and to receyue so great giftes and honours of them as to beare the port and state of worldlie Princes and to meddle with ciuill causes and mannage the state growing thereby not only to neglect but euen to despise the hye and most holy seruice of God the preaching of the Gospell after all this I say what remayned but that the most ambitious of the foure Patriarkes should by practise with some mightie Potentate set his foote vpon the heads of th' other Patriarkes and rayse him selfe into the seate chaire of Antichrist Which notwithstanding two of them who were seated in the two chiefe Cities of the East and West Empire Constantinople and Rome did striue togither for a whyle yet in the ende the Bishop of Rome preuayled being Bishoppe of that citie which had bin Lady of all the Earth for a lōger time and hauing fitter occasions seruing to it as first of th' absence the Emperours after by meanes of the decay of the Empire in the East and of his more ambitious diligence who had diuers ways attempted it before especially because it was prepared for him that was placed in the Citie that standeth vpon seauen hilles Which was brought to passe by practise with Zimri the murtherer of his Lorde and Maister that is with Phocas the murderer of Mauritius the Emperour by whose fauour the name and title of vniuersall Bishop was obteyned After whiche time the Bishops of that seate by wicked practises and cunning meanes setting th' Imperiall Crowne vppon whose head it seemed good to them increased them selues exceedinglie by the donation of Pepin and others in ritches lands temporalties and in worldlie Dominions and state Whereby enlarging their power in church matters and nourishing parasites for the purpose at the last not onely by temporal power but by yoke of conscience vnder pretence of Peeters primacie giuen to him by our Sauiour and of succession to Peeter this man of sinne seated him selfe in the middest of the temple of God that is of that people whiche sometimes had bin the temple of God and exalted him selfe aboue all that is worshipped or called God Loe the seate of all abhominations 2. Tes 2.4 and the stayres degrees and steppes from the lowest to the highest whereby Sathan made way in chaūging Gods ordinance as it is saide in the Declaration to Antichrists pride and after he had so done brought in all manner of false doctrine and confusion This way to Antichristes pride in chaunging the ordinances of GOD the Replier is careful shoulde not bee vnderstood in anie sorte of Bishops and Archbishops as if any ordinance of God had bin chaunged in creating such offices as are exercised by them or that Antichrist could haue any thing the readier way to his seate by them and would cast this vpon the publike charges instituted of God to bee in his Church His firste reason to proue this is that Bishops and Archbishops were in the primitiue Church Whereof notwithstanding this be not the fitte place to speake and that I haue alreadie refused for this cause to make him any answere till he come orderly where it is to bee debated yet because I see he dreameth still of Bishops and Archbishops and that both vnseasonablie and importunatlie he calleth vppon it it shall not peraduenture be amisse to giue some answere in the meane time till he bring forth the rest that he hath to speake in their behalfe It is to be remembred here first howe litle reckoninge hee hath made of the proofes alleadged for th' office of Elders the which yet are such as that the holy Scriptures make mention of such an office to haue bin in the Church in those times declare to what vse it serued and that there were such appointed in all the churches of the Apostles who to them and to the Ministers of the worde committed the standing and ordinarie care ouer the churches Which proofes being so smallie accounted of by the Replier as they are we are vndoubtedlie to haue from him sufficient and strong argumentes authenticall recordes and authorities playne and cleare euidences for anie matter he will vndertake to prooue But especiallie as his issue is greater so his euidences are to be clearer the higher th' offices are in dignitie and power aboue the office of Elders of so much more certaine and chiefe authoritie are his rolles to be and his pleas mightie and forcible seeinge there are great royalties and regalites belonging to those offices whose patentes he would iustifie The first entrance into his proofe is such in deede For he pleadeth the donation of god the writing and instrument of our Sauiour Christe signed with the great seale of Heauen and Earth the power whereof the Lorde declareth to be giuen vnto him Which if it be so surely then could these offices neither receyue any chaūg nor consequentlie the chaunge of them bee any way to Antichristes pride But let vs heare what his reasons are A man would thinke breaking so often and so violentlie into this cause that from Moses throughout all the Prophetes he would shew vs this matter and after by the whole colledge of th'Apostles as by a cloudde of witnesses without all exception he woulde haue oppressed for euer all that dare say as he speaketh that these offices of Bishops and Archbishops Pag. 78. wrought any waye to Antichristes pride But for all witnesses he bringeth in the Apostle Paule A witnesse in deed without all exceptiō though he be alone notwithstanding euery matter was wont to bee confirmed by two or three witnesses for the highest authoritie of God whose secretarie he was in that he wrote Deut. 19.5 Mat. 18.16 so as all creatures both men and Angells are to rest in that which hee by the will of God hath deliuered let vs heare therefore what the Apostle speaketh in this cause In the primitiue Churche sayeth the Replier Titus was made an Archbishoppe and had many other Bishops vnder his gouernement If it be demaunded by whom hee was created this was sayeth hee Saint Paules acte whose acte no doubt was approued of God him selfe No doubt in deede but what that Apostle and the rest did concerninge a setled order to gouerne the Church by in all time to come but it was the acte of God him selfe But if Archbishops bee instituted of God in the Church I demaunde whether this institution be alterable or no and whether Princes or the Church aduising of some other
of later yeares and of meane vnderstanding that could not discerne so palpable a repugnancie betwene the epistle it selfe and such a subscriptiō This then being all the profe that the replyer for this present notwithstanding his importunate and vnseasonable beating vpon this cause is able to make to prooue the office of an Archbishop the Reader may perceyue what authoritie it ought to haue in the conscience of any Christian man the best euidence witnes that can be produced for the maintenance of it being a razed rolle and a suborned witnes and as they speake in Westminster hall A knight of the Post euen suche another as the Bishop of Roomes proctours would haue proued his vsurpation and vniust authoritie by if the Fathers of that time in Africke had not discouered his fraude and follie Thus we see what cause he hath to breake so often into this matter for any thing he can prooue by this euidence But if this fayle him to proue Bishops and Archbishops to haue bin in the primitiue Church he hath another sure argument that can not disappoint him There were Pastours and Teachers in the primitiue church the Declaration sayeth Elders also and Deacons but sayeth the Replier the office of a Bishop or Archbishop is in substance the office of a Pastour or Teacher so as Bishoppes or Archbishops in the substance of their office are Pastours or Teachers in the Church and as hee addeth in the next page before such as haue bin Deacons too For answere herevnto I denie that they are either Pastors or Teachers for the reasons folowing Such offices as may not be executed by vertue of the forme of ordination of Pastors and Teachers but require another forme of ordination diuerse from it doe themselues differ in substance from the offices of Pastours and Teachers For thus the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 7.16.17.21 proueth the priesthoode of our Sauiour Christ to be diuers frō the Leuiticall priesthood because the forme of ordination differed the one being without an othe and for a time the other with an othe and for euer But the offices of Bishops and Archbishops are such as by vertue of that calling of Pastours and Teachers can not be exercised but require a further particular forme of ordination diuers from the other as appeareth by the booke of their consecration Therefore the offices of Bishops and Archbishops are in substance diuerse from the offices of Pastours and Teachers Agayne All Pastours and Teachers are by bonde of their office and calling to preache the worde with all faithfull diligence Luke 12. 2. Tim 2.3 Act. 6. But Bishops and Archbishops stande not bounde by bond of their calling to preache it for which cause either they leaue it altogither or preache seldome and vpon high and solemne dayes and then onely at their pleasure when they preach and not by any bond of their calling Therefore Bishops and Archbishops are not in their offices Pastours and Teachers Further all offices that are the same in substance are of like and equall power Therefore if the offices of Bishops Archbishops be the same in substance with Pastours and Teachers then is their power one and equall with theirs at the least in Ministerie of spirituall grace as also in worde they pretende them to be That they are not equall appeareth in that no Pastour nor Teacher may doe sundrie thinges which are esteemed by them selues to be and some of them in deede are in their due administratiō ministeries of spirituall grace For Cōfirmation is saide to be a meanes of increase of spirituall grace and strength Absolution is a ministerie of spirituall grace as testifying and assuring the absolued in the worde of the great King of Kings that his sinnes are forgiuen him Ordination to the Ministerie is also a ministerie of spirituall grace not onely in regarde of the office but also of the encrease of grace bestowed vpon such as are duelie ordayned to it the Lorde him selfe authour of the calling giuing according to his promise to such as in faith thereof and in obedience to his good pleasure yeelde vnto it such increase of grace as the newe charge by the will of God layde vpon him and vndertaken in hope of Gods assistance doeth require In all which ministeries Pastours and Teachers whom yet GOD putteth in trust with the worde and message of reconciliation and life and with his holy Sacramentes the seales of God to giue further assurance of the same may not deale by vertue of such their calling but onely Bishops and Archbishops Therefore their power and ministerie being so diuers th' offices them selues must needes also differ Moreouer all Pastours and Teachers are to be ordained to the attendance vpon a certen particular Church and congregation or Parishe as we vse most to call it For so the Apostles Paule and Barnabas did and the rest T it 1. So Paule gaue charge to Titus to ordeine them and so were all they ordained of whom we reade in the holy Scriptures Which also the verie ende vse nature and relation they haue to the Church where they are to serue doeth declare Therefore it is saide to all the Elders of Ephesus Actes 20.28 that they should looke to that Churche whereof the holy Ghost had made them Bishops or Ouerseeers so to all the Elders of the Churches of the Iewes dispersed 1. Pet. 5.2 that they should feede the flocke of God whiche depended vpon them Which point also some of the auncient Coūcels esteemed so materiall as they decreed the ordination which was not to the certaine charge of some particular congregation should be voyde and of none effect But this being so necessarie in all Pastours and Teachers is cleane contrarie in Bishops and Archbishops For their ordination is not to anie particular Church but to a whole Dioces or Prouince And if before such ordination they had charge of any particular Church or were beneficed as the most common speach is such benefices are then voyde and they discharged by law so as they are to be giuen to another So incompatible the true duetie and office of a faithfull Minister of the worde is in lawe esteemed to bee with the office of a Bishop or Archbishop I might adde also that Pastours and Teachers as all other functions Ecclesiasticall deale onely with ecclesiasticall matters such as agree to their seuerall kindes and places For our Sauiour testifieth his kingdome not to be of this worlde Iohn 18.36 And from the beginning to the time of our Sauiour since the Priesthoode bestowed vpon Aaron the two powers haue bin in the ordinarie gouernement of Gods people by the Lords owne ordinance sundred not onely in persons houses and kinreds but in their tribes so as none of the tribe of Juda might exercise the Priesthoode but onely they that were of the tribe of Leui and the tribe of Leui was to cōtent themselues with the seruice of the Tabernacle and were neyther to
tackling The first whereof is not true for neither was there at that time he noteth any such Archbishop as since haue bin nowe are in the church neyther was that he meaneth detected by any one but by the Fathers of the Councell As for Rauenna not he onely but many other Archbishops and Bishops the Abbots Priours Colledges namely the Colledge of Sorbone haue had contention with the Bishop of Rome some before he was growen to the Popedome and some in the middest of his pride So as if Contention with that sea be a iustification of their callings that haue contended with him schooles of errour and sinkes of impietie and most vnlawfull places and functions may bee iustified This is yet enforced further by comparison with the order set downe for the guyding of the Church in the Declaration as lesse able to holde out that pride then these his offices are In deede if a man should esteeme these thinges by fleshe and bloud the enuie and ielousie that Bishops Archbishops may haue of the rysing and greatnes one of another and their worldly meanes by fauour wealth authoritie and such like to impeach and hinder their growing might in that respect be a greater impediment But the continuance in the ordinance of God had bin without all comparison the stronger meane if we measure these thinges as they ought to bee measured The Lorde by the weake things whiche hee hath chosen 1. Cor. 1.27 28. 2. Cor. 10.4 5.6 confoundeth the great things of this worlde hath giuen his seruauntes furniture for spirituall warfare which is mightie from God to the subduing of euery imagination that exalteth vp it selfe against God And therefore to make way to this presumption it was needfull this ordinance of GOD should first be chaunged Yet is the Replyer bolde to say that the order set downe in the Declaration might sooner sett vp a thousande petite Antichristes then pull downe one For their pulling downe of one by it I haue spoken for the setting vp of any it is not possible this being as it is the institution of our Sauiour Christ And the institution being such as that no one caryeth any cause but all thinges are guyded by the consent of a number most fearing GOD and of best abilitie for that purpose which is most directlie contrarie to tyrannie this vsurpation could not reasonably bee feared If there be manie Antichristes as in some sence the Euangelist Iohn fayeth there are and if all they who directlie oppose to the doctrine and ordinaunces of Christ be Antichristes some great Antichristes and some petyte Antichristes as hee termeth them from the Pope the toppe of all that Romish Hierarchie to the reading priest the tayle thereof a man should cleare but a feawe I doubt from that foule name and crime Here is added an impertinent matter that Archbishops nor Bishops haue not brought in all kinde of false doctrine although some Archeheretikes haue bin Archbishops as Nestorius was For so sayeth he also were sundrie that were Presbiters Priestes or Elders and Doctors A needles point to touche as the rest which hee hath debated in this cause the Declaration not charging any at all by name in this place eyther Bishops or Archbishops nor by any iust collection but in as much as in their offices the ordinance of God was changed whereby way was made for Antichrist who brought in all kinde of false doctrine and confusion Not content thus to answere for them whō no man impleaded he entreth againe into comparison betweene the offices of Bishop and Archebishop and the order set downe in the Declaration for the direction of the Church affirming this to be more meete as being of more learned men Wherein to graunt where more are learned there would be harder passage for false doctrine he vtterly mistaketh the matter to thinke that where that order he disliketh should or doeth take place that there the directours of Church matters are or would be vnlearned The nature of the order it selfe which admitteth no Minister but learned nor any decision of waight but by aduyse of many with appointed conferences and Synodes of learned men for such purposes besides the assurance of Gods fauourable blessing of his owne ordinance the experience of the Synodes of the reformed Churches the comparison of their iudgementes Cannons and other constitutions with the like of the other in any part beareth witnesse whether the wante of learning and pietie both must needes be greater in it then in the other Hitherto of the primitiue Churches preseruing and maintayning the order set downe in the Declaration Nowe followeth the like of the best reformed Churches of this age In the Replye wherevnto here is an occasion taken to enter into the whole cause a-newe by making question whether the order nowe restored in the Churches rightly reformed bee the same that was exercised in the primitiue Churche Against which poynt he bringeth litle other reason then he alleadged before But ere he come to the repetition of those arguments he findeth great faulte that the Declaration vseth this speach that this order is restored in al rightly reformed churches This title and name he chargeth with open slaunder of many true Christian godly reformed churches besides ours for these are his words Wherevpon after his maner he reasoneth thus sporting him self if not rightly reformed saith he then wrōg fully so not reformed but deformed as hauing driuen out one Deuill by another and remooued one deformitie to establishe another Would a man haue looked for such a replye to this worde but to pacifie his offence taken against right he is to vnderstande that such Churches are here sayde to bee rightlie reformed which are so both in doctrine and in the order of the Church In which respect would to God all the Churches professing the Gospell were reformed But it is playne that notwithstanding they be all in most and the principallest poyntes of doctrine yet some there are not reformed in some poyntes of doctrine and more not in the Euangelicall pollicie and Discipline of the Church Because hee onely toucheth this poynt I am not willing neyther to stande longer vppon it But if hee consider well with him selfe the state of all the Churches of the Gospell I thinke as bolde as hee is to bolster vppe thinges that neede further reformation yet he will not take vpon him to mainteyne that in all thinges all such Churches are rightly reformed Before he cometh to his reasons to prooue the order of the primitiue Church not restored hee forestalleth the argument of the Declaration before he come at it taken from the benefite growing to the reformed Churches by this order and the contrarie losse to others without it But there is no cause to staye vpon his replie to it this matter being after fullie and at large debated by him where shall be aunswered what soeuer he hath materiall to this poynt and because there is little or