downe in these wordes By which it is manifest that the regiment and gouernement thereof dependeth not vppon the authoritie of Princes but vpon the ordinaunce of God who hath most mercifullie and wisely so established the same that as with the comfortable ayde of Christian Magistrates it may singularlie flourish and prosper so without it it may continue and against the aduersaries thereof preuayle For the Church craueth helpe and defence of Christian Princes to continue and goe forwarde more peaceably and profitably to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christ but all hir authoritie she receyueth immediatly frō God The Replyer can not or will not see that which is manifest but denieth this consequence to seeme so to him and here his seas ryse so hye that he sayth it is manifest violent conclusion yea a manifest iniurie both to God and his Church and to all the authoritie of all Christian Princes and most manifest wrong vnto her Maiestie If the lawe of God had not forbidden it that anie matter should be helde certayne in iudgement vnder two or three witnesses and if the testimonie of one man were inough to condemne another it would haue gone hard I see with the authour of the declaratiō but seeing his worde is to carrie no more credit with it then he can bring sufficient reason for it to make it good let his reason be considered His reason is that it is insinuated that hir Maiestie for clayming supreme authoritie in ecclesiasticall causes claymeth withall that the regiment of the Church dependeth vppon hir authoritie Which if any reasonable man liuing that is not a parciall fauourer or fauourite of the Hierarchie can gather out of these wordes of the Declaration I pleade for it no longer But this he sayeth is aggreeued in the opposition of Gods ordinance to the authoritie of Princes as if Magistracie were not the ordinance of God addinge that neyther Papistes nor Anabaptistes could haue set downe a sharper cōclusion against th' authoritie of Princes then this is Whiche are false alarums and exclamations or accusations as vayne as the curse that is causeles Prou. 26.2 and therefore as Salomon sayth vanishe away in the ayre Which although it haue no proofe nor sense it it yet passing on to the next wordes of the Declaratiō Which he sayeth are added to smooth the former hee maketh another loude outcrie This is another great iniurie offered to Christian Princes who by these wordes are thrust not onely out of all authoritie in the Church but eyther out of the Church altogither as no part of it at all or at least a contentions part striuing in the Church for authoritie His proofe is this For what els meane they by these words The Church craueth helpe and defence of Christian Princes but that they separate the Christian Prince and the Church If the honourable sworde of iustice committed to soueraigne Princes for protecting the good subiect and punishinge the euill were at the commaundement of such Chapleynes as this Replyer is I see by his often accusations of slaundering and iniuring the Prince without all cause or colour it would leese the honour it ought to haue being made a weapon of iniustice In the lawe of Moses if a man had charged another with any crime Deut. 19.19 if he made not good proofe of his accusation as he would haue done to another by his false witnesse so was it to be done to him whether it were a matter of member or of lyfe If the Replyer feared to bee dealte with according to this rule he would not bee so readie to laye so great crymes to any mans charge vppon no reason But because informers may bee hearde they saye for the Prince and neuer come to question although the accusation be neuer so vniust it seemeth hee emboldeneth him selfe vppon some such like assurance By this occasion hee inquireth who should bee meant by the Church whether the people whiche hee thinketh can not or the foure Tetrarkes as hee calleth them in his scorners speache and this hee taketh and compareth them with popishe priestes who hee sayeth gaue the same power and authoritie vnto Christian Princes that is giuen heere and with better tearmes Wherein if hee looke backe to former tymes or consider well what the papistes esteeme of the othe of the Supremacie and what is done in kingdomes subiect to the Bishop of Roome and compare it with that which the Declaration and all they in whose behalfe it was published doe most willinglie acknowledge by protestation and also by othe to bee the moste due honour of the Soueraigne Magistrate hee shall easelie see howe vniust this charge is as well as are his other There was a purpose I thinke hee will saye when the statute for recognition of hir Maiesties Souueraingtie was made to agnise to the vttermost by that othe all the Regalities rightes and honours due to that high and soueraigne estate Whiche if it were attayned vnto howe can hee charge anie with derogation from the Princes right and iust authoritie that taketh willinglie that othe and acknowledgeth the authoritie there agnized euen as it is expounded by hir Maiesties owne iniunctions by the Articles of the conuocation house and sundrie bookes published with great allowance of the state But to this poynt there is sufficientlie sayde before both in this treatise and in the answere to the preface of his replie He cauilleth here about that the Declaration sayeth All the authoritie which the Church hath is immediatlie of God and mooueth manie friuoulous questions about it But if hee had disallowed it he should haue entred into the handling of it and shewed by sufficient proofe of holy Scripture that the Church holdeth not all hir authoritie immediatly of God but holdeth some part of it mediatlie of Princes as meane Lordes vnder the highest Some offer hee maketh of it alleadginge the authoritie of the godlie and vertuous Kings and Rulers of Jsraell and Iuda which if it be all that he can say in that cause let him vnderstande that as it hath bin in this cause professed on our behalfe by some other so nowe agayne we truely and vnfaynedly professe to acknowledge in Christian Princes all that power and authoritie that the Prophetes doe any where iustifie to haue bin in the Rulers of Gods people at any time I adde yet further that whereas he pretendinge to speake most largelie of this authoritie sayeth Princes haue not the ecclesiasticall Ministers peculiar offices and ecclesiasticall authoritie to execute the actes proper to their ecclesiasticall functions but haue authoritie to ouersee gouerne and direct all ecclesiasticall persons to doe their dueties in all ecclesiasticall causes and haue the highest authoritie that is ciuill in the Church for the orderinge disposinge and authorizinge anie order or constitution ecclesiasticall in indifferent matters Wee acknowledge and professe the same Where if we be nothing short of the largest measure that hee can laye before vs I trust he will hereafter teache his tongue to speake and his penne to write of vs more agreeably to Christian charitie wisedome and modestie then hee hath done in this first booke of his Reply Whiche ending heere with a contrarie conclusion to the Declaration for the order of the treatise a matter little worthie the striuing about I leaue the consideration of it to the Christian Reader vppon such reasons as haue bene debated betweene vs and ende also here the firste part of this my labour FINIS
Ministerie of the worde and Sacramentes to be necessarie for them Mat. 7.6 Mat. 16. Actes 1.8 and that therefore it was needefull the Lorde should leaue a certaine order for the directing of his Church in that administration and ministerie Which also because it was so needefull the holy Scriptures declare him to haue done Mat. 28.19 For touching the worde what should bee preached and by whom and vnto whom with all other necessarie circumstances euen in outwarde things he gaue certaine order vnto his Disciples Likewise for Baptisme both before his death Matt. 18 2◠and at his ascension into heauen he instructed them in what outwarde maner they were to administer it and vnto what persons Of the Lords supper the Apostle sayeth That whiche I receyued of the Lorde I haue deliuered vnto you plainly declaring that the Lorde had deliuered vnto him a certayne order for the outwarde administration of his Supper These things and the like which might be saide of the other pointes of the outwarde Discipline of the Church the Replyer against it did not well consider in making no externall forme of gouernement necessarie but perseuerance in fayth and hope Nay it may seeme hee did not well remember that in other places the necessitie of continuing the present gouernement of BB. and Archbishops Priestes and Deacons such as wee haue amongst vs is affirmed to haue ground and cōtinuance from the very Apostles who also are sayde to haue made Timothy and Titus such For which cause also at the ordination of euerie of them certayne places of the Scripture are appointed to be read as cōteyning their Institution and ordinance in the Church But howe truelie and faithfullie such places are alleadged for that purpose there are but fewe but vpon the reading of those textes of Scripture may discerne Yet howsoeuer they fayle in their proofe that seeke the confirmation of the Hierarchie so commonly called this appeareth by their owne allegations that sometimes and in parte they would perswade men that there is an externall forme of administratiō of the Church appointed by our Sauior Christ Which would to God they did not onely sometimes and in parte but alwayes and altogither perswade them selues and others as the trueth is in deede that God hath set downe in his holy worde a certayne forme of gouerning the Church of Christ necessarie and perpetuall by particular directions in all the chiefe and principall pointes and by generall rules for time place and such like circumstances and that they would rather labour with vs to shewe what the same is by the worde of God then to striue for the contrarie that there is no certaine forme at all The proofe of this point that there is a certayne and perpetuall order set downe in the word of God for the guyding of the Church in ecclesiasticall matters hath bin often made by diuers who haue trauayled in this cause as appeareth in their bookes But because the Replyer denieth it to haue bene proued yet it shall not bee amisse to laye downe brieflie such reasons in this place as may serue for that purpose From the beginning of the world there hath bin ordayned of God a certayne externall forme for directing the Church such as seemed good to his heauenlie wisedome and agreed best with that time for which it serued both before and vnder the Lawe euen from Adam to Christ Whiche for suche time was not to be altered by anie liuing creature Therefore there is also some certayne forme of administring the church of God from the time of our Sauiour Christe to the ende of the worlde which is not alterable nor to be chaunged by anie power of man For God being as able and as willing to doe this good vnto his Church in these last dayes as in anie time before and there being no sufficient reason to be rendred of such difference why those times should be so regarded and this not it must needes be that there is a certayne forme sett downe in the worde of God for the outwarde administration of the Church Againe the externall administration of the church vnder the Law was such as had proceeded from God and was not altered nor to be altered by any King or Priest whatsoeuer For the first plat was giuen in the mount what alteration after was made by Dauid or others was not of them selues 2. Chro. 8. and 25.26 2. Chr. 29.25 but by speciall and particular direction of God by the Prophetes Therefore if no iust reason of difference be to bee shewed to the contrarie as there is not it must be confessed that God hath ordayned a certayne externall forme of gouuernement for the Church in this time and not left it to the arbitrarie direction and lawes of any men whatsoeuer Further where there is a Ministerie and dispensation of holy things ordayned there must needes bee an order sett downe for the deliuering and disposinge of them Otherwise they must of necessitie be exposed to certayne prophanation therfore such ordinances accompanie such administrations and haue both their beginning and ending with them So in the Lawe the Priesthoode being appointed for the ministerie of things that were holy there was withall a lawe of ordinances giuen for certayne direction of their office whiche lawe also ceased and was abolished when the Priesthoode was translated and taken away from the house of Leui as wee are taught in the example of the Hebrewes In like maner Hebr. 7.12 seeing that in the Church of Christ since the abrogatinge of the Priesthoode of the Lawe there is instituted a ministerie of holy things and officers for the purpose it must needes bee that there is also a certaine order set down for the guiding of them in the execution of their Ministerie Which is the whole Discipline consisting onely in the execution of such dueties as they are to performe which are called to beare any charge in the Church of God as the regiment of euery cōmon wealth standeth in the offices and dueties of the Magistrates those that haue authoritie in it Moreouer the Names of Christ and his Church the peace order edification and perpetuitie of the church doe proue that there is a certain externall forme of administring it For if Christ be a King a High Priest an Housholder and the Church his Kingdome his Temple and his House then must it needes be that he hath giuen though spirituall in regarde of the ende they haue as his kingdome is spirituall yet some certayne externall meanes constitutions and orders for the good gouerning and guyding of the same For this is incident to euery wyse man of authoritie especiallie when he him selfe shall not personallie remayne amongst those that belong vnto him And so our Sauiour noteth his purpose to doe Mat. 25. Luke 19.12 Lu. 12.42.43 in the parable of the Talentes deliuered to diuers seruantes and of the Steward left with charge of the house till his comming The same is to
per aduenture of the gift of prophecie he may shewe some extraordinarie example or two which toucheth not the poynt handled in the Declaratiō which is that these giftes were neither ordinarie nor perpetuall His seconde obiection to this parte is that there were more giftes in the primitiue Church then are named in the Declaration a matter which he hath bin about to proue before and nowe returneth vnto agayne whiche yet if he could proue might peraduenture shewe that there are more giftes ceased then are mentioned in the Declaration but that there are anie more perpetuall then are mentioned by it or that anie of those are ceased whiche are there sayde to remayne for euer it proueth not But let vs see howe he proueth this In the 12. to the Romanes sayeth he there are two more named that is office and shewing of mercie this hath bin aunswered alreadie before Further in the 1. Corin. the 12. Chap. he mooueth many questions to little purpose For aunswere to all which he is to vnderstande that th'Apostle mentioneth not anie giftes here that are peculiar giftes whereof the question is but such as eyther are named agayne in the 28. verse or are conteyned vnder some of them or of the same sorte and kinde that they are of So the gift of knowledge and wisedome though nowe giuen by ordinarie meanes of studie is that whiche belongeth to the Pastours and Teachers whose office being perpetuall the gifte also continueth Faith is not anie peculiar gifte but common to all the Church and therefore not to this question The gift of miracles is named in the other place so is prophecie tongues which here as a general contayneth also vnder it the interpretation of them here mentioned as the power of miracles doth the gift of discerning spirites which may satisfie him for this matter of the offices which haue ceassed and haue no further vse in the Church Whereof hee confessing some reason to haue bin rendred by the Declaration demaundeth what is alleadged for the perpetuitie of those that are sayd to continue none sayeth he but this that eyther they are temporarie or perpetuall but not temporarie therefore perpetuall Whiche reason hee graunteth to be good if the partes were good meaning as it seemeth that that sentence wherein it is sayde they are not temporarie wanteth proofe Whereof he might easilie discerne the proofe seeing it was sayde that the temporarie ceassed because the giftes necessarie for the execution of them is ceassed and for that the vse of them is gone If then there bee perpetuall and necessarie vse of these offices in the Church and that the giftes whereby men may bee inabled for the due performance of such charges doe yet and shall still continue then it is playne that these and theis onely of all the offices giuen at anie time to the Churche are perpetuall and to remayne for euer But it is true that the vse of all and euerie one of these foure offices is necessarie for the Church and the giftes are yet giuen by ordinarie meanes whereby men may be inabled for them which is not so any other Therefore these and these onely are perpetuall The necessarie vse of the most of these offices I thinke I shall not neede to labour much to prooue For it is manifest and as I take it without question betweene vs that the callinge of Pastoures is necessarie as without whiche the Church is as a flocke of sheepe without a shephearde Whiche if it were denied might bee proued by the dueties of his callinge and the indisposition of men to godlines through the corruption of nature For men beinge stubburne and disobedient by nature are to bee feared with the terrour of Gods heauie iudgement threatned to sinners that they may yeelde obedience vnto his holy commaundements We are slowe to euery thing that is good euen after we haue receyued some measure of grace and therefore need exhortation to stirre vs vp to a cherefulnes and readines to doe the will of God In afflictions we are often cast downe aboue measure and therefore neede the comfort and consolation of the Scriptures to giue vs hope The same may be saide of an infinite number of other our infirmities according to the condition and qualitie whereof we neede to haue the word of GOD applyed vnto vs. Which application belonging to the Pastours duetie it is playne there is most necessarie vse of his office and seruice in all ages and therefore perpetuall and to continue for euer The administration of the Sacramentes being the ordinance of God and a duetie which the Pastour is charged with doeth in like maner declare that office to bee most necessarie But this I thinke will not be denied Of the Teachers office there is more question made yet the Replyer howsoeuer at some other times he affirme the contrarie in the 62. page of his replie sayeth expreslie Teachers are alwayes necessarie for the instruction of doctrine and documentes of life And agayne in the page 67. graunteth perpetuitie of teaching But if he will construe his meaning to bee in these wordes not of that particular office that we affirme which standeth in doctrine but generallie of the Ministerie and of the Pastours office yet is it to be noted that he graunteth enforced by the cleare trueth thereof that the teaching of doctrine and documents of life is necessarie But this is the speciall office that the Apostle declareth to belong to the Teacher Moreouer the necessitie of teaching is to be argued by the ignorance which is naturall in vs. For the remedie and helpe whereof there is neede of a Teacher who may especiallie regarde the bringing of the people to the true knowledge of God and the vnderstanding of his will Which ignorance wherein all men are borne being in daunger to be increased by sundrie meanes which may drawe men from heauenly wisedome yea though hir messengers cease not to call in the highest stretes places of the Citie as by the cares and pleasures of this life likewise also by the deceytes of erroures through the manifolde practises of Sathan and his instrumentes and by many other occasions the necessitie hereof is the more playne and euident For so long as men are subiect to these things it must be cōfessed that they can not be without fit meanes for the remedie hereof or that the Churche is miserablie destituted if it want helpes which are needfull Nowe the giftes needfull for eyther of these callinges are the worde or speache of wisedome and knowledge as th'Apostle nameth them which experience teacheth to be giuen by ordinarie meanes Therefore the necessitie and perpetuitie of these two ministeries besides the authorities of the scriptures whereon they are grounded is to bee acknowledged for the reasons mentioned The necessitie of the Deacons likewise appeareth in that it is sayd You shall haue alwayes the poore with you For the institution of Deacons being for the comfort and succour of the poore and such
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
the sound and holy doctrine of the worde of God Their vttering and deliuering of it is sincere without ostentation and boast of learning or mustring of forreine writers as being richly satisfied with his doctrine in whom wee are complete in whom the godhead dwelleth bodily Colos 1.19 Cap. 2.3.9 Ephe. 2.20 and all the treasures of wisedome are layde vp in store buylding the Church vpon the Prophets and Apostles Christ Iesus being the corner and foundation stone There is no ministring of Sacramentes priuately vpon any occasion neyther by women nor priuate men nor the Ministers them selues The Sacramentes are administred onlie publickely and by the preaching Minister after the preaching of the worde and according to the firste ordinance of our Sauiour Christ without any humane inuentions added to them Their Deacons are not halfe ministers to minister Baptisme and to reade publique prayers Act. 6. but agreeably to the originall institution onely for seruice of the poore The Discipline is not administred by men not lawfully called but only by such as according to the order appointed in the worde of God are charged with it There is no commutation of penaunce no respecte of persons but the notorious offender whatsoeuer is rebuked with authoritie and euery soule yeeldeth to it not disdayning nor repyning at it as base and misborne children doe the correction of their Father but as naturall and noble sonnes and daughters of God accordinge to the exhortation that Salomon giueth by his wisedome they humble them selues vnder the hande of their heauenly Father Pro. 3.13 knowing that he correcteth euery childe that hee receyueth Heb. 12.6 Memorable is that rare but right christian example of Theodosius the Emperour publikelie humbling him selfe vnder the hande of God professing his repentance for his bloudie commaundement and the cruell execution done according to it A president well worthie so Christian a Prince the honour of the Discipline yea and of the whole church of that age Such Theodosians haue the reformed Churches of this age to speake of to the high honor of Almightie God his onely begotten sonne Christ Iesus King of Kings Wherein a Prince of bloud Royall and by birth within a steppe or two to one of the greatest Kingdomes of these partes of the world and for Princely giftes worthy to haue borne a Scepter in his hande and a Dyademe vpon his heade when as another Dauid he had bin ouerthrowen by Sathan and cōmitted things for which the Name of God was euill spoken of endured to heare the seruant of God as Dauid did Nathan to rebuke him and lamenting his offence openly before the publike assemblie of the Church desired pardon of God and reioyced heauen and earth men and Angels with his conuersion from sinne to the obedience of the liuing God blessed for euer Amen Whose christian president both a crowned King and also a worthie sonne of that noble Father haue followed after that by terrour of as barbarous crueltie as hath bin committed in any age they had done otherwyse then Daniell and the young Princes brought vp with him did in a case not vnlike to theirs what should I rehearse other examples of that pietie and honour of those Churches which might make an infidell and vnbeleeuer fall down on his face and confesse 1. Cor. 14.24.25 that vndoubtedlie God is amongest them and in the middest of those Churches And this is the glorie of the kingdome of Christ which the Declaration meaneth may be seene to shine amongest them His meaning was not that in them Christ sitteth glorious is Salomon in his regall Throne with John and James like great Princes sitting the one at his right hande 1. King 10.18.21 Mat. 20.21 and the other at his left Because our Sauiour answered them when they requested such a matter of him that these are things agreeing to earthlie Princes it shall not be so with you but hee shal be of greatest honours with you that is greatest in labours and seruice of others for whiche cause they doe not affect nor desire these things Therfore I conclude that the prayse giuen to the reformed Churches by the Declaration namely to those which are persecuted with cruell and bloudy warres for the Gospells sake notwithstandinge all their troubles is most trewe and due vnto them and that all this their blessed fruite and honor is of their entier and whole obedience which they yeelde to God in receyuing all the holy doctrine of our Sauiour Christ both concerning things to be beleeued and also concerning the spirituall pollicie Discipline order for guyding of his Church But yet all the Churches thus reformed are not in like sort as these are trauelled and pursued but through the goodnes of God some of them haue enioyed peace and quietnes for some tyme and in it yeelde the like obedience and honour to God So as the Replyer can not obiect continuall warres and troubles vnto them all But of the state of the reformed churches this may suffice The wante of like happie fruite in our Church for wante of like obedience in all partes of the Gospell the Declaration noteth after this saying that the former might be a sufficient persuasion to vs to leaue this disordered state of ours wherein we haue laboured so long with so little profite and to imbrace that most beautifull order of ecclesiasticall regiment whiche God so manifestlie doeth blesse prosper in our neighbours handes At these wordes the Replyer is so mooued and disquieted as he wanted but Saules speare to haue nayled Dauid to the wall But I will proue if Dauids harpe may quiet and pacifie him agayne Our ecclesiasticall state and policie of which onely it is as cleare as the light that the Declaration speaketh and of no other howsoeuer he would wrest it is blamed in deede as disordered But there are rebukes that are profitable and of necessarie and excellent vse to those who are so rebuked The Prophete Dauid hauing prayed to God that he would not suffer his minde to be enclined to any euill thing to practise matters by wickednes with the workemen of iniquitie yea that he might not be taken as with a bayte with their pleasant things addeth further thus Psal 141. Let the righteous strike mee it shal be a kindnes and reprooue me it shal be a most excellent oyntement let him not keepe it from mine head the more he shall doe it the more shall my prayer be for them in their eu lls By that he haue well hearkened to this and considered of it I hope he will not be so highly offended for one worde that soundeth not to his liking Likewise Salomon sayeth The woundes of a friende are better then the kisses of an enimie It is alwayes lawfull to blame that which is blame worthie so the reproofe proceede from the zeale of God and loue of those who are reproued The Prophetes who most sharpely reproued all estates of the people and
bee indifferent Judges For whatsoeuer shall please the ciuill Magistrate or them selues to call or count indifferent it muste bee so holden of all men without any further inquirie But of the supreme authoritie of Christian Princes in ecclesiasticall causes howe farre it extendeth by the worde of God we shall haue better occasion to intreate hereafter when we haue described the ecclesiasticall state Here he first standeth vppon the worde others with much tryfling and toying seeking who these others may be which in generall hee may playnely perceyue by the declaration of their opinion that is that those others are such as holde the opinion there declared Next he examineth these wordes with more colour of reason then these wordes of indifferent matters Whereof he would enforce the Declaration to affirme such others to leaue all indifferent matters to the onely disposition of Princes at their pleasure Wherevnto hee replyeth that no good Prince doeth without aduyse of their coūsell determine of matters notwithstanding he affirmeth the authoritie and lyfe of such decrees to lye onely in the Princes disposition For Salomon him selfe had his counsell yet sheweth he not by anie sufficient authoritie or reason that Salomon or anie of the godly and vertuous Kings of Iuda determined by aduyse of their counsell and commaunded anie such matters of the Ministers apparell or any order gouernement ryte or ceremonie in the Church or what the Replyer may thinke to bee most indifferent in that kinde Whiche had bin very fitte for him to haue done the matter being of no small importance which he also setteth out to the vttermost saying That it is this day a great question and toucheth the matter to the quicke what the authoritie of Christian Princes is in the disposition of indifferent matters Why then did not he if hee would gage thus deepe into this vessell as to affirme all indifferent things to be as touching power and authoritie meerlie at the disposition of the Prince alleadge vs some authoritie of the Prophetes or Apostles or some auncient President and example of Dauid or Salomon or some other of the godly zealous Princes and Kings of Iuda But it was not because he would like a graue and sounde Diuine resolue his Reader of this poynt but for that as he sayeth it toucheth the quicke and might serue him to bring some man to question of his life as denying the Supremacie that he vrgeth so much this matter Which yet as hir Maiestie hath not at any time so pursued so is it to be hoped hir gracious disposition to religion and iustice will not suffer hir hereafter to pursue how clamorouslie soeuer such aduocates of iniustice shall crye out that it toucheth the supremacie For so long as it is acknowledged with all duetifull and godlie reuerence of her Maiesties Soueraigne authoritie that the same power belongeth to hir highnes Royall state Crowne and dignitie that at this time any soueraigne Prince vpon the earth doeth lawfullie exercise ouer his people or any of the Kings of Iuda euer enioyed in their time by the word of God although it bee denied that that fulnes of power which the Pope most vnlawfully vsurped in things eyther contrarie to the cōmaundements of Amightie God or peculiar to our Sauiour Christ can bee lawfullie chalenged by any Christian Prince Religion and Iustice will aunswere in such case that this is no more Luke 20.25 then as wee are taught in the Gospell Giue to God that which is Gods and to Caesar that which is due to Caesar The Replyer here rayseth great expectation in his reader to looke for some resolution by the Declaration concerning this question what the power of the soueraigne Magistrate is in matters indifferent affirming this case to be moued by the Declaration and therefore to haue bin thorowlie aunswered being so important which is nothing so For the Declaration nameth no such case nor question as to enter into the debating of that matter whiche would bee heere wholy out of place but by the way and vpon such occasion as hath bene declared maketh mention of some vn-indifferent mens opinions concerning the power of Princes in indifferent matters A vsuall thing in all good writers and allowed by all men of sounde reason and iudgement by occasion to touche a matter without being bounde thereby to enter into the discourse of it But if he were so desirous to haue this matter treated of why did not he take this occasion to shewe vs by the word of god what the power of christian Princes is in such cases and to prooue by sufficient and strong authorities and other reasons that the ordinarie guyding of the Churche in matters indifferent as well as in all other is not lefte of our Sauiour Christe to ecclesiasticall officers that is neyther to the particular assemblie of Elders for a particular Church nor for more to a more generall nor for the Church of a nation to a lawfull Nationall Synode He should haue shewed vs by like proofe that the Christian soueraigne Magistrate receyueth increase of ciuill power ouer the Church by reason of his Christian profession and fayth Then should hee haue prooued that if anie of the Princes whiche are Heathen were by the mightie worke of GOD conuerted to the obedience of the faith of Christ hee should not onely thereby stande charged to honour God with the lawfull and holy vse of that ciuill power whiche hee had before his conuersion applying it nowe to the maintenance of Gods true seruice and seruauntes protecting and comforting them in well doing as farre as his ciuill power and authoritie may doe it and enforcinge by the same power all men to that which by the same holy religion is duetifull for them to doe as all other men are in like case to vse their giftes of vnderstandinge knowledge counsell wisedome power and authoritie or what soeuer when they haue found fauour of GOD to bee conuerted to the precious faith of our Sauiour Christ but that togither with the fayth hee receyueth besides the charge of the holy vse of the power whiche hee had whyle hee was yet in his paganisme a further increase of power whereby hee may in matters appertayninge to Religion appoynte and ordayne of all thinges indifferent so as the assemblies of Elders and Synodes Prouinciall and Nationall are to leese that authoritie in such cases before exercised by them and to render it vppe to that power as of right and duetie belonging to it But leauing the proofe of all or any of these poyntes hee complayneth that by any occasion this matter was once mentioned by the Declaration except it had bin thoroughlie debated yet least he should leese all his labour in sifting and winnowing like wheate these wordes of the Declaration hee laboureth to gayne some allowance from it of this poynt Which is that indifferent matters are to bee reserued onely to the disposition of Princes which he would enforce in this maner The Declaration as hath
bin sayde setting out the obiection of treating in the firste place of the soueraigne power of Christian Princes with two sortes of men and opinions that may seeme to require the same the firste whiche referre all Religion to that power and the other more reasonable which referre onely indifferent matters to their disposition addeth that these men haue more colour of reason then the other but yet are not indifferent Iudges in determining what is indifferent Here vppon would hee gather that the Declaration acknowledgeth this latter poynte for trewe if they whiche mainteyne it iudged rightlie of indifferencie Wherein he is to consider that the worde but whiche hee would ground vppon is not to bee referred to the allowance of their opinion but to the qualifying of their former commendation as if it had bene sayde in referring onely indifferent matters to Princes they are more reasonable but in determining what is indifferent they are also to bee blamed vpon that the declaratiō sayth they are not indifferent Iudges in determining what is indifferent the Replyer asketh howe they can bee anie Iudges at all if the dispositiō of such things bee referred onely to the disposition of the Prince Wherein he taketh that graunted by the Declaration whiche is not graūted and discerneth not the word iudges to be taken here not in his proper significatiō but to be spokē as by similitude cōparison in which sense many a weake chaplaine may be said to take vpō him to iudge of indifferent not indifferent and of other waightier matters of Religion whereof hee vnderstand th no more then to reade within a booke of them that which is layde before him In which place the Declaration is charged also as going about to take awaye from the Prince some right that iustlie appertayneth to the Crowne wholy without anie other reason but this that the cause debated by it might partake with our Sauiour Christ in that respect as in other whereof it is saide I payd or was charged with that which I neuer tooke For sauing of the Prince from whiche wrong the Replyer verie soberlie sayeth hee dare hazarde thus farre of all good Christian Princes and will presume by hir Maiesties leaue to giue warrant for our most gracious Soueraigne that she will not abuse hir authoritie nor hath done nor would mainteyne or allowe them that so doe if any doe so What a needles palpable flatterie is this Doeth the Declaration call any Princes vsing their authoritie into question If it doe shewe in what wordes if not why doeth he take vpon him to mainteyne that which the Declaration no where depraueth but as is meete in all Christian duetie speaketh reuerentlie and duetifully of it where any occasiō serueth for that purpose yet against all good reason and modestie the Replyer concludeth this section noting it also in the margent least any man should not attentiuely take heede to it that hir Maiesties right and doings are vnworthilie defaced Neith r contented with this he followeth this matter still in his replie to the next sentence wherein he noteth a want of reuerence and duetie that the Declaration vseth this terme of ciuill Magistrate which is a worde both in Scripture and all good writers and dailie speache commonly vsed and he him selfe vseth in this his replie oftentimes more homely more vnsitting then this is a great deale yet is this being spoken generallie as in a generall treatise and doctrine increased aggreeued by circumstances from the person of hir Maiestie and also of those whom he supposeth to haue bin authours of that treatise or for whose sakes it was published whom he exhorteth to humble confession of their fault and crauing pardon for so great offence committed against hir Maiesties Royall state and dignitie as in the generalitie of the ciuile Magistrate he supposeth the Declaration here to haue fallen into For euicting whereof he taketh vppon him to pleade for the Declaration and to speake what might be saide in the iust defence thereof and after counterpleadeth him selfe agayne enforcing such poyntes as he thinketh to bee somewhat worth to charge the Declaration in some degree with offence of highest nature as if the tyrannous vsurpation of the Pope were noted in that sacred soueraigne power by the declaration and as if such excuse in that behalfe as hee can affourde it were but like the pretence of rebels who notwithstanding they seeke the subuersion of the highest estates yet pretende but to blame some neare vnto them Loe the discreete wordes and charitable spirit of the Replyer In deede I perceyue if he might appoynt the writer of the Declaration his atturney his learned counsel and his Iudges or might be all this him selfe to him he were like to receyue such sentence as a whole court of iniustice might afforde For by the title set vpon the toppe of sundrie pages togither which is The Prince slaundred and sundrie other like speaches in his margent and in his text to like purpose it appeareth what sentence he were like to giue in this matter Of which crime if there hath neuer bin founde any guylt nay anie colour or shadowe of a colour in any of those in whose names the Declaration is published no more then was in Naboth who was most innocent although he were charged with like offence then what may the Replyer differ from one of Nabothes witnesses who deposed against him that hee had spoken euill of the king Many such also were there that misinformed of Dauid of whom he often complayneth in the Psalmes But Ionathan his brother 1. Sam. 19.4 Cap. 21.14 and Achimelech the priest answered for him and sayde Dauid hath not offended against the King nay rather his doinges are exceeding good and seruiceable vnto them For he hath put his lyfe in hazarde for them against the enimies and hath procured a great safetie to all Israell thou hast seene it and reioyced in it And agayne who is amongst the Kings seruauntes faythfull and louing in allegeaunce and duetie as Dauid is In like manner doe wee hope notwithstanding the Replyers misinformation that all that feare the Lorde aright as did Ionathn and Achimelech may answere for vs that wee haue committed no offence against hir Maiesties Royall person state or dignitie but are of the most faithfull louing and duetifull of all hir subiectes or seruauntes not holding our goods or our liues or any thing we enioye deare or precious vnto vs in comparison of the duetie we owe in that respect euen of conscience of the ordinance of God and of most loyal hartes to the maintenance of hir Maiesties right excellent estate and royall person Whereof hauing testimonie in our owne consciences and in the sight of all iust and indifferent men and which is principall of Almightie God who seeth the secrete of our hartes beareth witnes to our sinceritie in this behalfe I rest well satisfied herewith against all the false and slaunderous accusations of all our aduersaries