shall shew thee the sentence of judgement Upon which ground David setting the Kingdome in better order then in processe of time it was growne into 1 Chro. 23.4 appointed sixe thousand Levites to bee Indges and Magistrates over the people and beyond Iordan towards the West 1 Chron. 26.30 a thousand and seven hundred both to serve God in the place of Levites and also to serve the King in offices of State ibid. verse 32. Hee also set two thousand and seven hundred to bee over the Tribes of Ruben Gad and Manasseth to heare and determine in causes both Ecclesiasticall and Civill The like also did Iehosophat in his reformation of the Church and Common-weale 2 Chron. 19.5.8.11 Ezra was a Priest Ezr. c. 7. 8. yet who but he that first of all after the Captivitie ordered all matters both for the Church Nehe. c. 1. and State Nehemiah came not up untill 13. yeares after for Nehemiah was in the twentieth and Ezra in the 7. yeare of Artaxerxes Zorobabel I grant was long before but he did little or nothing for the reducing of things into a forme of government or suppose he did Ezra we are sure did a great deale more Neither was it 1 Sam. c. 2.18 c. 7.15.16 but that even before all these Samuel as a Priest ministered before the Lord in a linnen Ephod and as a Iudge did ride his circuit every yeare over all the land yea and in the daies of Saul although he was the annointed King yet Samuel ruled joyntly with him so long as they lived each with other or at the least was such a Counseller to him as that after hee was dead and buried he seeks to heare what he would advise or answer standing then destitute of such direction as he had usually received from him Nay sooner yet for Phineas was sent Ambassadour to proclaim war against the Rubenites the Gadites the half tribe of Manasses Iosh 22.12.3 The Priests overthrew the Citie Iericho Iosh 6. Nor did they afterwards but sound their Trumpets and bid the battell in the warre of Ahiiah against Ieroboam 2 Chron. 13.12.14 The land also is divided among the Tribes by Eleazar and Ioshua Numb 34.17 A thousand likewise of every Tribe is sent out to war against the Midianites under the conduct of Phineas Numb 31.6 And in the same warre the spoyles were divided among the Souldiers by Moses and Eleazar the Priest and the cheife Fathers of the Congregation verse 26. The people also were numbred by Moses and Eleazar in the plaine of Moab as they had been numbred formerly by Moses and Aaron in the wildernesse of Sinai Numb 26.63.64 From which testimonies it is plaine and manifest that some such Priests as the King thinks fit may when he pleaseth be lawfully employed in civill affaires or offices and may even thus be honoured as were those Priests of old And whereas some object that arguments drawne from the old Testament An objection answered prove nothing now under the New it is answered First that they may as well deny the arguments taken from thence against the Popes authority and domineering power over Christian Kings and Princes as denie these arguments for proofe of that civill honour which is thus given to the Ministers of the Gospell And therefore it is not love but envie which would seeme to bolster out things with such new Divinitie Secondly the Ministers of the Gospell as one hath well observed may with more convenience be employed in civill offices then those Priests under the Law whose time is not now taken up as then it was with attendance on the daily sacrifices great number of feasts solemnities and such like occasions by which their leisure was lesse to heare civill matters then now to the Minister under the Gospell Thirdly the Ministers of the Gospell have succeeded in a place of the Levites and looke what in that kinde was lawfull for them to doe is not unlawfull now especially seeing these employments pertained not to things typicall figurative or ceremoniall And fourthly although Christ and his Apostles were never thus employed yet is that nothing against our tenet For who made me a judge over you sayth Christ Intimating Luke 12.14 that unlesse the supreame Magistrate shall assigne Clergie-men to such offices they may not meddle with them But had the Church and Common-wealth been both one then it had beene as lawfull as in the daies of old which appointment or assignation was never like to bee so long as the Church was in the Kingdome of heathen tyrants Certain it is that when the Emperours became Christians some men of the Church were thus employed And although the condition of the Ministers of Christ differed not in this from that of the Levites yet it could not shew it selfe till then Examples are not wanting Theod. lib. 2. c. 30. Theodorit makes mention of one Iames Bishop of * Called also Nysibit Antioch in Mygdonia who shined with Apostolicall grace and yet was both Bishop and governour of the aforesaid Citie Or if this testimonie be obscure see another Saint Ambrose was twice employed in the office of an Ambassadour by the Emperour Valentinian and not without good successe Socrates also makes mention of one Marutha Socrat. lib. 7. c. â— Bishop of Mesopotamia whom the Emperour of Rome sent in an Ambassage to the King of Persia which employment likewise proved good both to the Church and Common-weale Neither can this bee called an inuasion of the offices of the civill Magistrate or be contrary to the rule of any auncient Canon when it is done by the consent and appointment of the chiefe Magistrate as in the lawes of Iustinian alledged by Saravia is apparent Lib. de honore Prasulibus et Presbyt debito cap. 20. And although the the Popes lawes have decreed the contrary yet it is not fit sayth one that we which are a reformed Church and have long since abandoned the Popes authority Dr Dove of Church govern pag. 40. should now forsake God and the examples of the holy Bible to follow the Pope and his Canons Fiftly and lastly Saint Paul thought it lawfull to spend his spare time in the worke of his hands But if the necessitie of Domesticke affaires may excuse a Pastour of the Church for so doing then much more may they be excused for doing such offices when the King thinkes it fit that they bee called thereunto as shall benefit the common wealth wherein they live Neither doth this appertaine to the entangling of our selves with the things of this World For that text where this is mentioned striketh at those whose covetous hands and greedie hearts are so glewed to the earth for the gathering to themselves a private estate that they forget every such thing as may tend to the good either of the Church or State wherein they live which every good Christian and therefore every upright man of God
covetousnes be not a meanes as the Prophet speaketh to remove these good things from us Ier. 5.25 For wee are yet happie if wee could but see it whereas our neighbour countries have beene yea and still are the onely cock-pits for all Christendome to fight their battels in wee have beene raised to our labours by the noise of the cocke who in his cheerefull crowing can merrily greete the morning and bid good day unto the rising Sunne whereas others have beene roused up with the sound of Drumme and Trumpet And for what Not to plow but to fight their fields Not to banquets but to battels Not to the mery pastimes of hawks and hounds or some other harmelesse sports but to the noise of gunnes Not to the sound of axes and hammers but rather to the clashing of Armes We have not seldome had the light of bone fires in token of triumph They the light of Beacons in token of trouble Wee have had peace the child of heaven and plentie the child of peace whilst they have beene measured with the * See the 2 Kin. 21 1◠line of Samaria and felt the force not onely of him who rides upon the Red or bloodie horse but sometimes also even of him who rides upon the blacke in whose hands are ballances to weigh and thereby to stint the people in their needfull viands For if the Blacke horse shall once appeare and with his rider shew himselfe to any people then presently as saith Saint Iohn may a voice bee heard from among the foure living creatures Revel 6.5.6 crying out and saying A measure of wheate for a peny and three measures of Barlie for as much upon which place no few expositours obserue that the Bushell of wheate was sold for five accustomed prizes and the Bushell of Barlie for three Or put the case that our Harvests have beene sometimes lesse plentifull then other yet what is that to the penurie and want of sundry other nations where warre makes a spoile of what they have O fortunatos nimium bona si sua norint Agricolas is true of our husbandmen but seldom or never can it be fitly applyed to theirs And therefore let it bee our care that by no kind of meanes wee goe about to darken that Sunne which next under the God of heaven gives us all this light all this comfort tranquilitie peace and safety which we have least otherwise we be of that generation here mentioned Who curse their father and doe not blesse their mother Nor is it thirdly as the Pope and Puritan-papists would have it for Deus transfert regna God and not the Pope disposeth of Kingdomes Dan. 2.21 and Dan. 4.32 For as by him Kings reign even so it is that by him kingdoms are disposed and therefore to intrench upon anothers right is bold presumption nay rather in such a case as this 't is divelish desperate dealing But I partly know what they have to object and therefore I answer First that it was not Samuel that set up Saul no otherwise then by the immediate direction of the holy Spirit Neither was it Samuel that deposed Saul Samuel deposed him not by any authoritie in himselfe existing What was done was by the speciall direction of God Almightie as cannot but appeare to him who reades the Scripture in the 1 Sam. 15.16 Suffer mee said Samuel to the King and I will declare unto thee what the Lord hath spoken to mee in the night And then forthwith hee delivered his message which God had revealed to him namely that although he were in his own person to enioy the Kingdome as long as hee lived as by the event of things appeared yet the Lord had so rejected him and his progenie from being King that none of his race should have any right of claime or place of succession ever after to or in the Crowne And secondly 2. Kin. 11. as for the fact of the high-Priest Ioiada it proveth indeed that it is and ever was lawfull for a state or common-weale to depose an Usurper and restore the true heire to his right but to depose any lawfull Prince be he otherwise never so exorbitant in life manners and beleife or cruell in his governement cannot from thence be proved For if the Synagogue or chiefe Priests had ever such ordinary power granted to them why did they not practise it on the persons of sundry wicked Kings which sometimes reigned both in Iudah and Israel it seemes they might not and therefore we find they did not Samuels example then proves nothing for it was by immediate direction And Ioiada's proves as little unlest it be in the like case For Athalia was no lawfull Queen but an usurping Tyrant from whose bloodie hands Ioash the right heire was strangely preserved by the meanes of his aunt Iosaba the wife of Ioiada the Priest who tooke him privily from among the number of the Kings children appointed to be slaine and hid him in the Lords house sixe yeares Then Ioiada brings him forth not as he was Priest but rather as a Guardian and Protectour having married the sister of the former King and presents him to the people like a good and loyall subject that thereby the crowne might bee set upon the right head and the Scepter taken from an usurping Tyrant If therefore the Pope can shew more for himselfe then in plaine truth can be shewed against him let him take all that he claimeth and we on our side will freely acknowledge that we have done him wrong But till the scriptures of God deny themselves which I am sure is never his tyrannie and pride herein too well must needs appeare Let him therefore forbeare to send out his thunders against Christian Princes and let not the simple bee deceived with his dispensations for hee neither can nor may authorise Subjects to curse these their Parents nor to to take up Armes against their lawfull Soveraigne Nay more it is also certaine that even the very Priests although Rome denie it doe owe a subjection and obedience to the civill powers for that they be not exempted by any divine right Act. 25.10 appeares even in this one instance I stand at Cesars judgement seate where I ought to be judged Not where I will suffer mp selfe to be judged or where I may be judged if I will but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth that blessed Apostle that is where I ought to bee judged Is it to bee thought that he would have said he ought there to be judged if de jure he had not beene subject to that tribunall Or that he did it for feare of death who was readie before not onely to be bound and imprisoned but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of Iesus It cannot be that these by-respects tooke place in him for even his Master Christ whose steps hee followed would have Peter carefull to avoid offence in not refusing to pay the tribute money Goepay saith he formee and
thee Mat. 17.27 Where though Christ might have pleaded a freedome which was more then they knew who gathered the tribute yet Peter could not because it crosseth that of Saint Paul whose doctrine is as well as his practise Let every soule bee subject to the higher powers tribute to whom tribute custome to whom custome is due And if every soule then Peter and Paul and Iames and Iohn and Thomas and Mathew with all the rest Nor againe can it be shewed that any of the ancient fathers understood these things otherwise For first I shall make mention of Saint Cyprian who saith that in his time the number of Christians was growne to be very great Cypr. in Demetrianum Tertul. in Apotogetico cap. 37 Tertullian also writeth thus Were we disposed to practise not secret revenge but even to professe open hostilitie should we want number of men or or force of armes Are the Moores or the Parthians or any one nation whatsoever more in number then wee who are spread over all the world Wee are not of you saith he speaking to the heathens and yet we have filled all the places and roomes which yee have your Cities Ilands Castles Towns Assemblies your Tents Tribes and Wards How then is it true which Bellarmine alledgeth that the Church in her nonage wanted sufficient forces to rebell against the Emperours T is sure shee might not and therefore we find shee did not And againe secondly Tertullian elsewhere speaking both in respect of himselfe and of other Christians also Terrul ad Scapulam Colimus ergo et Imperatorem sie quomodo et nobis licet et ipsi expedit ut hominem a Deo seâ—undum et quicquid est a Deo consecutum et solo deo minerens affirmed plainely that they honoured the Emperour in such sort as was lawfull for them and expedient for him a man next unto God and obtaining from God whatsoever he hath Solo Deo minorem being only inferiour unto God Pelagius also the first Roman bishop of that name writeth to Childebert King of France that the scripture commandeth even Bishops to performe obedience unto Kings And Gregorie the great in an Epistle to Mauritius and Augusta calleth himselfe their unworthy servant Indignus pietatis vestrae Famulus saith also without complement that he is subject to their command and have paied saith he what I ought because I have yeelded obedience to the Emperour and not holden my peace in what I thought for God And againe to speake more neerely of that text of Saint Paul formerly mentioned even Pererius the Iesuite witnesseth that Augustine Chrysostome atque omnes fere * Chrysost in 13. Rom. hom 23. Aug. in lib. exposit quorundam propos ex epist ad Rom. cui Theod Tbeophyl Oecum assentiuntur veteres and almost all the Ancients Perer disput 10 in 1â— cap. ad Rom. by those higher powers understand the secular powers and by every soule they understand likewise all sorts of people as well Priests as Laickes Etiamsi Apostolus sis si Evang lista si Propheta sive quiisquis tandem fueris Neque enim pietatem subvertit ista subjectio That is whether thou be an Apostle an Evangelist a Prophet or whosoever else for this subjection subverteth no piety or religion saith Chrysostome No nor yet doth piety or religion subvert this civill subjection For Christus leges suas non ad hoc induxit Christ hath not made lawes to overthrow policies and states but for the better ordering and establishing them as Saint Chrysostome among the rest againe observeth Till therefore ambition secretly got the start of piety the Great commanders of the world had their every soule to be subject unto them For it is easie to finde not onely that it is a new claime or challengofor men of the Church to resist the civill Magistrates and not to be obedient to them but also the times of stirring up Subjects to rebell against their Soveraignes are well enough knowne to all such as have an eye to historie truths herald Anno 726. and times register And thus we find that it first was about the yeare 726 when Gregory the second caused all Itaby to withdraw their obedience from the Emperour Leo and to denie their tributes because he had commanded Images to be broken and burned And for the same cause also the said Pope excommunicated him and tooke from him the Cottian Alpes under a colour of a gift by which they were granted to him from the Lumbards Then also about the yeare 752. Anno 752. Pope Zacharie encourageth and assisteth Pipin to depose his Master Childericke King of France and to take upon him the governement of the said Kingdome which caused Pipin to give to the Popes the exarchy of Ravenna which of right belonged to the Grecian Emperour Anno 772. In the yeare 772. Adrian the first began in his time there was held a Counsell at Rome wherein the Pope with consent of the Counsell clearely to casheire the the Greeke Emperours and to thrust them out of all made Charlemaine Prince of the Senate giving vnto him the power of investing the Pope and as Du Plessie collecteth out of Sigonius and others the Pope acknowledged to hold of him Ravenna and other pieces by fealty and allegiance adoring him after the manner that was used to the ancient princes yet no sooner was Charlemaine dead but Rome wrought upon the good nature of his sonne Lewis And so againe about the yeare 817. Anno 817. Pope Paschall the first procured himselfe to bee chosen and consecrated without the consent of the Emperour but pleads an excuse for it afterwards In the yeare 868. was Adrian the second Anno 868. He also was chosen without the Emperour and excusing the matter the Emperour was appeased Anno 884. But Adrian the third who was in the yeare 884 decreeed that the election should be free to the Clergy only and that no Prince or Potentate should meddle with chusing any men of the Church Then in the yeare 964 Anno 964. was Leo the eight in whose time he with all the Clergy and people of Rome to avoid the French as they had before avoided the Grecians granted and confirmed to Otho the first and his successours after him authority to elect and ordaine the Bishop of Rome pronouncing Anathema and banishment or death to them that should doe the contrary and confirmed by oath to him and his successours all that which they held by Donatian or otherwise from lustinian Pipin Charlemaine or Arithpertus declaring moreover that whosoever should hinder the effect there of should incurre the punishment of high treason Yet neverthelesse no sooner was Otho dead but in the yeare 974 Boniface the seventh was made Pope by sedition and murder Anno 974. having strangled his predecessour Benet the eight and put out the eyes of Iohn that was chosen against him Some say that Damasus the second was set
up by the Emperour Anno 1048. in the yeare 1048. but Pantaleon out of Platina affirmeth that he entred by force After all which to adde life to the foresaid practises came Hildebrand otherwise called Gregory the VII in the yeere of our Lord 1073. Anno 1073. and he most of all exalted himselfe above the Emperours arrogating as a thing proper to the Popes the power of constituting Kings and Emperours causing the Emperour Henery the IV. to attend three daies barefoot at his palace gate Anno 1095. Anno 1102. Vrban the second and Paschall the second gave nourishment to Gregories proceedings Adrian the IV. chides with the Emperour for holding his wrong stirrop Alexander the third treads vpon the Emperours necke Celestine the third crownes him with his foote then kickes the crowne off againe to shew his power And to make it appeare that all was now in these Prelates hands Boniface the eight proclaimed it in an open Iubilee Anno 1300. in the yeere of our Lord 1300 cloathing himselfe the one day in the pontificials of a Bishop and the other day in the robe royall of an Emperonr causing two swords to be carried before him and these words to be uttered Ecce duo gladij Behold the two swords meaning that both the spirituall and temporall power were now in the hands of the Church and that therefore none of the Clergie ought to be obedient to the civill Magistrate In which tenets and practises both he and his fellowes did not onely transgresse the truth purely taught maintained and practised in the first times of the Gospell but also went contrary to the ancient times of those many godly Prophets and Priests under the Law witnesse in the Court of the Iewes one for all even Nathan who when he came before the King made his obeysance called him his Lord and acknowledged himselfe a subject or servant to him 1 Kin. 1.24 as it is in the 1 Kin. 1.24 And in a strange common weale Daniel in the court of Darius shal suffice Dan. 6.21 who prayed for the life and prosperity of the King Dan. 6.21 The reason of which obedience and subjection is not as they are Prophets Prelates or other Priests but as they are Citizens and members of a body politicke Igitur ut tales subjecti esse debent eivili potestati Therfore as such they ought out of duty to be subject to the civil power But otherwise in causes meerly Ecclesiastical they are exempted by a divine right from secular judgements For in all such causes as pertaine to men bearing office in the Church whether it have respect to the function of their ministery or to the key of their governement in foro exteriori Priests also must be honoured reverenced and obeyed than whose office I know as Saint Ambrose witnesseth none more excellent Aâ—…br de dig â—it sacerdot cap. 3. Iosepb antiq lib. 11. cap. 8. none more honourable which was also declared by Alexander the Great when he met with Iaduah the high Priest of the Iewes as Iosephus tels the story Or to come more neerely to our selves which was also declared by Theodsius the first who was willingly content to submit and yeeld himselfe to the reproofe and admonition of the aforesaid Ambrose by whom hee was though not excommunicated yet prohibited to come as at other times into the holy Temple by reason of that great and rash Massacre of the Thessalonians untill upon his heartie sorrow he obtained at length the assent of that holy Father For thus he though an Emperour was subject Domino spirituali as wee Domino temporali propter dominum aeternum Of which act even as it was done on either side Theodoret speakes after this manner Theod. lib. 5. cap. 17. saying that when all was done both by the Bishop and Emperour Tali tantaque virtute et Pontifex et Imperator erant illustres as it is in the latine version Meaning that what they both did the Bishop in using his power and the Emperour in submitting unto it made them both famous Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 24. And in Sozomen the same story is againe recorded To which is added that by the appointment of this holy Father the Emperour was placed or seated in the Church so as was thought to be most covenient And yet this man was no papall but a painefull Bishop one that feared not to speake or rebuke the greatest if need or occasion required him so to do For Neque imperiale est libertatem dicendi negare Neque sacerdotale Ambr. Epist 29. quod sentit non dicere It is saith he neither Prince-like to denie libertie of speech nor Priest like not to speake what he thinketh The one argues an affront offered to God whose messenger he is that speaketh The other is a signe of cowardise in Gods Minister who may not hold his peace if there be iust cause to reprehend And of him Saint Hierome witnesseth that his writings and books are incorrupt and that his sentences are most firme pillars of the faith and of all vertues beside The like to which doth Saint Austin also testifie Yea and the very Emperour himselfe confesseth freely that the sentence of the said Ambrose was just and right Nota enim est mihi saith he justiciae sententia Ambrosij Theod lib. 5. cap. 17. neque ille reverentia Imperatoriae poâ—estatis divinam transgressurus est lâ—gem Long before the which times was one Fabianus about the yeare of our Lord 239. Euseb lib. 6. cap. 33. who would not suffer the Emperour Philip to joyne tanquam consors in precationibus multitudini ecclesiasticae would not suffer him I say to joyne with the faithfull in their prayers when they were met in the Church untill hee had first stood in loco poenitentium because although he wished well to Christianitie yet in multis culpabilis effet that is because in many things he was still faultie And therefore to spurne against the power and authoritie of Gods Ministers and to draw backe from a mutuall or reciprocall subordination betweene the officers of the Church and common weale is but to kicke against the pricks and to joyne with Corah and his company who cry against the Priests Downe with them downe with them even to the ground for ye take to much upon ye oh ye sons of Levi cry such as these And so doing they be also in the number of those who curse their Father and do not blesse their mother And thus I am come to the next sort of Parents the Fathers of the Church Now though in this discourse I come not to these untill the last yet are they not therfore to be disrespected For prejudicate opinions may not rob another of what is right Nor is it any breach of piety to see the Church in dignity I shall shew it that there bee Lords spirituall as well as Lords temporall and that the best times and ages of the world
Magistrate Kings and Princes therefore are not sent to abolish this power and order but where they find the same to nourish it yea and to see that it goe on and doe that which shall be for the glory of God and the good of the Church For wherreas Church officers might be resisted and disabled without the assistance of such a chiefe governour and whereas they might bee either negligent or otherwise in their office then beseemes them it is the goodnesse of God to send Christian Kings as chiefe fathers both for and over them that thereby all may goe well among such as professe the name of Christ in a Christian Church To which purpose the words of Saint Austin are not impertinent In hoc Reges Deo serviunt sicut eis divinitus praecipitur Aug. contra Câ—esconium lib. 3. c. 15. in quantum sunt Reges si in suo Regno bena jubeant mala prohibeant non solum quae pertinent ad humanam societatem verum etiam quae ad divinam religionem Meaning that Kings herein serve God as it is commanded them from above in that they be Kings if within their Kingdome they command good things and forbid evill not onely in things pertaining to humane fellowship or civill order but also in things pertaining to Gods Religion Now hee that does this must needs bee supreame Governour over all persons in all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as civill within his owne dominions or else he cannot doe it But seeing God hath given him this power doth he not therefore call Councels to have Lawes and orders made and matters where need is to be setled for the good of his Church Yea and because this power of supremacie comes to him from aboue it cannot be in Man to take it from him Factibi et erunt tibi saith * Bâ—â—… Andr in his Sermon upon Numb 〈◊〉 1.2 one of whom we may learne to speake was that which God said to Moses and to him onely There was no Fac tibi said to Aaron And therefore the propriety or right of both Trumpets commanded to be made for the calling of Assemblies both in the Church and State must rest in Moses From whence it came to passe that ever after whosoever was in Moses his place must have the same right and power that Moses had Sometimes I confesse there was no such magistrate but no sooner did God send one againe then that this power was put in practise witnesse Nehemias after the captivity Neh. 7.64 1 Mac. 14 4â— Simon after the fury of Antiochus yea and witnesse also that famous Constantine whom God raysed up to overthrow the power of the persecuting Dragons and to reduce things to their former order Yet neverthelesse this power of correcting ordering calling and disposing of men in matters of the Church gives no authoritie to Kings or cheife Magistrates to make new Articles of faith to preach the Gospell administer the Sacraments denounce excommuication or exercise the function of the Priests in their Church-service For in these things Princes must forbeare to meddle and acknowledge Priests to bee their pastours submitting their greatnesse to be obedient to them in their directions yea even to the meanest of Gods Ministers sincerely declaring the will of God For though they may force the Priests where they find them negligent to doe their duties yet the duties themselves they cannot doe Defence of the Apolog part 6. cap. 9 Diviâ— 1. â— pa. 558. Whereto agreeth that of Bishop Iewell Christ saith he is evermore mindfull of his promise for when hee seeth his Church defaced and laid waste hee raiseth up faithfull Magistrates and godly Princes not to doe the Priests or Bishops duties but to force the priests and Bishops to doe their duties The duties themselves then must not be done but by the Priests and doing of them Princes must bee obedient to them not despising as hath beene said the meanest of Gods Ministers sincerely declaring the will of God For as Gods Ambassadours they beseech exhort admonish and reprove even them if need be as well as any other of Gods heritage Num c. 16 c. 17. Who can be ignorant that it was a Corah and his company which would have all the Congreation alike holy whereas it was Aarons rod among all the rods of the Tribes that flourished 1 Sam. 13. 2 Chron 26. Soâ—om lib. 7. cap. 4. Also who hath not heard that it was a Saul who dared to offer sacrifice in the stead of Samuel and Vzziah that invades the Priests office But it was the part of a good Theodosius to * So also did K. David to the â—â—ssage of the Prophet Nathan 2 Sam 1â— 13 〈◊〉 in â—â—ronol submit to the censure of an upright and holy Ambrose And yet neverthelesse the said Father granted that it was the right and power of Princes to summon Councels For about the yeare of our Lord 381. there was a Synod at Aquileia in which Saint Ambrose was president Who with the rest there assembled did fully testifie that by the appointment of the Emperour and power of his authoritie they held their Synod And hereupon it was that they gave notice to him of all their proceedings therein These are the first SECTION II. THE second follow and they are those whom the * So King Iames cals the Puritans in his Basilicon Doron lib. 1. pag. 41. Pests of the Church but not the scriptures or primitive times account abhominable I meane the reverend Hierarchie of renowned Bishops so much condemned by the fiery Zelots of our peevish Puritans whom nothing can please but their owne fancies They contend for parity and would have all be intitle as high as Aaron They would that all should be Governours rather then private Ministers whereupon they urge that of right there are no Diocesan but onely parochiall Bishops That the authoritie and jurisdiction and rights of a Bishop are no other then what belongeth to all Parsons and Vicars of parish Churches and consequently that every such Parson and Vicar is as good a Bishop as the best Neither doe some but thinke that the Church cannot or ought not to bee governed without a wise worshipfull company of Lay Elders which may annually be removed and returne at the years end to their trades and occupations againe But that these and the like are but idle fancies appeareth both in regard of Christs owne order or institution when he laid the foundation of his Church in regard of the Apostles owne times and also in regard of the Primitive times after them As for the first thus it was The Apostles did not ordaine the difference They onely proceeded as Christ had ordained For as there were chiefe and inferiour Priests in the times before Christ in like manner at the first preaching of the Gospell the foundation of the Church was so laid that all Priests were not in all things equall for the twelue Apostles were first called and sent
See Mat. 10. and Luk. ch 2.8 10. ver 3. Then after them the seventie Disciples Christ likened the first to sheepe the second to lambes thereby declaring that there was a greater dignity in the one then in the other and that the first-sent had not onely the priority of time but of place and authoritie It was Christs owne act and therefore let no man presume not so much as to thinke of joyning together those whom Christ hath put asunder And so saith the ordinary glosse Sicut in Apostolis forma est Episcoporum sic in septuaginta Discipulis forma est Presbyterorum secundi ordinis as it is alledged by Stella and Aquinas It is also so understood by Theophilact and sundry others upon the tenth of Luke viz. that the seventy were inferiour to the twelve Some expresse it thus that the seventy in stead of Aarons sonnes should be amongst us as inferiour Priests others thus that the twelve were as the chiefe Captaines and Commanders in the Church And although in these ordinances it is as if Christ tooke patterne from the Law wherein all Priests were not equall yet is it nothing against the abrogation of the Law For the Ceremonies both might be and were abolished although the forme of the old governement bee still retained seeing that was a thing which pertained not so much to types and figures as to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rule of doing things decently and in order for paritie is the next way to bring all things to an Anarchy and so no order unlesse there bee an order in confusion And without doubt when our Saviour said Dic Ecclesiae Tell it to the Church he had an eye to those whom hee had made cheife in authority above the rest And all this whilst Christ lived Next if we have respect to the times of the Apostles we shall find that Saint Paul though last called 2 Cor. 11.5 yet not a whit inferiour to the â—hiâ—fest Aposles by warrant from the holy Ghost appointed Timothie to bee a Bishop over all the Churches of Ephesus saying I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedâ—nia 1 Tim. 1 3. to charge some that they teach no other doctrine At the end therefore of the second Epistle to Timothy it is said that it was written from Rome to Timotheus the first elected Bishop of Ephesus Tit. 1.5 And to Titus he also writeth thus For this cause I left thee still in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Elders in every City The end likewise of that Epistle witnesseth that it was directed to Titus the first elected Bishop of the Cretians And in the stories of the Church declaring the Acts and Monuments of ancient times thus we read Eusebius reporteth in his third book and fourth Chapter of Ecclesiasticall historie that Timothy was the first Bishop of the whole precinct of Ephesus in as ample manner as Titus was cheife Bishop of all the Churches of Crete 〈◊〉 2. c. 16. Hee also writeth that Saint Marke did institute the Churches of Alexandria lib. 2. c. 24. And in another place that Anianus did immediately succeed Marke the Apostle in the said Churches of Alexandria And againe Iulian the tenth had the Bishopricke of the same Churches 〈◊〉 5. c 9. and in his third booke and 20. chapter speaking of Saint Iohn When he returned saith he out of Pathmos to Ephesus at the request of others he visited the places bordering thereupon that he might ordaine Bishops constitute Churches and elect Clergie men by lots whom the Holy Ghost had assigned and comming to a City not farre of he cast his eyes upon that Bishop which was set over all the rest and unto him hee committed the tuition of a young Gentleman saying I doe earnestly commend this young man unto thee witnesse Christ and his Church Nay before this alledged of these Apostles we read in scripture of Philip one of the seven Deacons who being sent forth an Evangelist preached and baptized but neither might nor did ordaine others to doe the like For when the Apostles heard that Samaria had received the word of God they send thither Peter and Iohn because they had power of imposition of hands which Philip had not as is recorded in the eight chapter of the Acts of the Apostles Act. 8.14.17 Nor did Saint Paul but set downe rules how Bishops should behave themselves which were in vaine if the Church ought of right to bee without them But among all passages this may not slip namely that the seven Churches of Asiae had their Bishops even at the very time when the Spirit of God endeavoured to lay open the particulars of their faults And yet amongst all the things worthy of blame wherewith they were charged there is not a word against them for being governed by Bishops and surely that order had not escaped reprehension if it had not beene knowne to have beene of divine Institution And next the testimonies being thus cleare can any but a mad-man thinke that they are meant only of ordinary Parish Priests such as are now as if every such Priest should bee a Bishop Or if of other Bishops is there any colour for it that they should be Bishops onely in title without jurisdiction when one as we see is plainly said to have the governement of many Churches which by the Apostles were founded planted constituted or appointed Certainly the word Churches in the plurall number doth not import more Catholike Churches then one for there is but one and therfore by Churches is meant the severall plantation of Churches to be setled and governed by their Bishops some one having the cheife oversight of as many as were within the bounds of one precinct and some other of as many as were within the bounds and limits of another precinct For that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by Eusebius is thus to be taken both the word Churches formerly mentioned as also the grammaticall signification thereof doe fully witnesse Of which Scapula in his Lexicon writeth after this manner namely that it signifieth Accolarum conventus et Accolatus sacraque vicinia And therefore may bee taken for many Churches within any limited Precinct or jurisdiction namely for a Diocesse either large or small which is but as a great and generall Parish Mr. Seld. hist of Tithes c. 6 page 80. the lesser being since called by the same name because they limit the people unto which particular Church they are to go and unto which to pay their tythes Thus were the first beginnings The imitations continuations and inlargements were afterwards and built upon the same grounds when as the number of beleevers increased there was a more generall division of Congregations into a greater number of particular parishes Yet so as they were to have their dependance on the mother Churches first erected and to be governed by every such Bishop
will be carefull to avoid Nor againe doth that of our Saviour in Luke 22.25 denie the titles of civill honours to men of the Church Titles of civill honour are not their denied for it doth not as shall appeare forbid honour and authority or the titles thereunto belonging but ambitious seeking of it or them together with that tyrannicall using of it which the wicked kings of the Nations through the conceit of their owne greatnesse and soothings of their flatterers proudly take upon them And that this is the meaning of that Text appeareth by these reasons First because Christ acknowledged that the title Rabbi which signifieth a Master an honourable person or a man that is eminent by reason of his many dignities and places of honour that he holdeth was a title of right belonging to him Hee disclaimed it not but embraced it Ye call mee Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am Iohn 13.13 Secondly Iohn Baptist was called Master and not refused it Luke 3.12 Thirdly although Saint Paul and Barnabas (*) Act. 14.15 denied to be worshipped with Divine honour yet when Paul and Silas were reverenced with civill honour and called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lords by the Master of the Prison they made no scruple of it but onely sayd Beleeve in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saved Acts 16.30 Fourthly the change of Abram to Abraham and of Sarai to Sarah witnesse no lesse for their names being thus changed were not onely a token of confirming the promise but also an honourable favour which God himselfe vouchsafed to them Dr. Willet ex Mercer in Gen. for their greater grace and respect among those with whom they lived as was seene when Abraham communed with the Children of Heth who answering sayd unto him Heare us my Lord thou art a mighty Prince among us Gen. 23.6 And God also told Abimilech that he was a Prophet Gen. 20.7 Fiftly because when Obadiah met Elias he fell on his face and sayd Art thou my Lord Elias He answered yea Goe and tell thy Lord behold Elias is here 1 Kings 18.7.8 Sixtly because Elisha accepted of the like title as it is in the 2 Kings 4.16 In which regard Beza noted not amisse upon these words in Mat. 23.8 Bee not yee called Rabbi c. Ne vocemini id est Ne ambiatis Bee not ye called that is doe not ambitiously seeke after that title or pride your selves in it for otherwise our Sauiour doth not accept against any either for not denying the titles of their office or for not refusing the honour due unto them And here an end of this Section SECT II. THE next thing that followeth is That the people give eare and come where they may heare the Doctrines rebukes and exhortations of their ghostly Fathers For though they be men whom the Lord hath assigned to this holy office yet men to whom hee hath conveighed a peculiar grace 2 Tim. 1.6 ibid. which the Orthodox and right do so stirre up that when they preach they preach not themselves but Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.5 Heb. 5.4 They have power to officiate but they take it not it is given them before they have it It came to those of Christs schoole from Christ himselfe but was not to end with them for there is a * building which cannot be perfected without it And being therefore appointed for it Ephes 4.12 Mat. 28. ult it hath beene conveighed ever since by the imposition of hands to such as are not otherwise any lawfull Priests of God And finally that care may be had in the conveighance hereof It is the counsell of Saint Paul to Timothie 1 Tim. 5.22 That he lay hands upon no man suddenly Thus then we have it and are by this meanes become persons sacred and have authoritie to deale in holy things We blesse in the name of him that blesseth The dispensation of the Word and Sacraments is committed to us We have power to binde Mat. 18.18 2 Cor. 5.20 wee have power to loose wee are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us The message is from Heaven as delivering to you God's blessed will out of his holy Word And therefore to be received 1 Thess 2.13 not as the word of men but as the Word of God So that as we if we love the Lord Ioh. 21.15.16 will feede his Lambes and Sheepe In like manner ye if ye despise not Christ Luke 21.16 Acts 7.51 nor resist the holy Ghost will be content to hearken to the words of those by whom he speaketh For this he doth hee speaketh by us though not by immediate inspiration as some phantastickes fondly dreame yet by our rightly dividing that Word of truth which is properly and indeed the Word of God Aug. cont Epist Parmenioni l. 2. c. 11. In cujus praedicatione spiritus Sanctus operatur as Saint Austine speaketh So that though our Sermons ought to have no greater credit then they can gaine unto themselves by their agreement with the Scriptures yet not dissenting from them they are truely and indeed the Truth and Doctrine of God and though not his Word by immediate inspiration yet the Word of God in a secundarie sence as being the sober explication and application of some such part or portion of the Word as we then pitch upon In which regard the Preachers of it are Co-workers or jont-labourers with God as even the Apostles were For though we cannot bee compared with them in worthinesse of grace and vertue yet in likenesse of office and Ministerie we may and must And indeed t is a perpetuall Sanction Mal. 2.7 that the Priests lippes are to preserve knowledge and that the people seeke the Law at their mouthes for even in this they are the messengers of the Lord of Hosts So that in what way so ever they convey or give notification of the object of faith which is the Word unto the people whether it be by reading or otherwise it is to be of more esteem then when t is done by any other Which I doe not note to deterre Lay-people from reading of the Scripture but to shew the difference that is betweene their reading and ours as also to signifie that no Scripture is of private interpretation 1 Pet. 1.20 as Saint Peter hath declared And now to the amplifying of all this thus I proceed The Lord's Day or Sunday is God's chiefe Schoole-day wherein God's people must come to the Church for that 's his Schoole-house wherein among other duties to bee done they must heare his Word for that 's their lesson Some be Truants and care not for comming Others be Recusants and may not come to joyn themselves with us A third sort be Schismaticks and will not come except where they affect and when they please And last of all others be indifferent and will sometimes come but in respect of the end their comming and hearing is
me close up this point and say Auris bona est quae libentèr audit utilia prudentèr discernit audita obedientèr operatur inteliecta Meaning that That is a good eare which willingly heareth things profitable wisely discerneth things heard and obediently performeth hirgs discerned For as Hierom speaketh Ille plus didicit qui plus facit He hath learned most who practiseth or doth most 2. And now from Obedience unto Doctrine I passe to that of Government This hath relation to those Fathers in especiall who as the Apostle saith are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.17 Praelati that is such as are set to have the oversight and government of the Church watching labouring for the good of mens soules not only like unto other ordinary Priests where when occasion shal require who are indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est intendere but much more in caring for the Church as men peculiarly set over it and are therefore said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est superintendere supervigilare For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one thing and belongs to every Priest but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is another and pertaines solely to such of the Clergy as have a Key of Jurisdiction as well as a Key of Order These then are they who as I said doe watch and labour for the good of mens soules not only like unto other ordinary Ministers where and when occasion shall require but much more in caring for the Church as men peculiarly set over it to see to the preserving of peace and truth order and decency in Gods publike worship without which neither could the Church consist nor Gods worship be maintained but soules sinke for want of helpe Such watchmen then are not set up in vaine but are without doubt as needfull as was pitch was for the Ark of Noah to keep it from drowning under the waters Obey them therefore and submit your selves unto them 't is the voice of God and not of man which calls you to it Heb. 13.17 Nor is there cause why ye should refuse it For if the politicall lawes of even Heathen Princes Rom. 13.1.5 Dan 3. Acts 4.15 are to be obeyed for conscience sake except where they enjoine disobedience unto God then much more these that are for the maintenance of truth concord order and decency in his publike worship Or if you will take up the reason thus Civill powers appertaine to the defence of corporall life and civill society and cannot therefore be disobeyed without detriment to the Common weale But powers Ecclesiasticall have to doe with Religion and the worship of God They meddle with men not as men but as men called to lead a spirituall life and therefore cannot be disobeyed without harme or detriment to that end for which they were first ordained Or thus there is but one God who is the authour of both powers so that if we must obey on the one hand we may not disobey on the other except we make it a thing of nothing to fight against the ordinances of our heavenly Father Tit. 3.2 Put them in remembrance saith the Apostle that they be subject to Principalities and Powers and that they be obedient This for the one So also Obey them that have the over sight of you Heb. 13.17 and submit your selves for they watch for your soules That for the other Herein agreeing to the doctrine of our Saviour delivered by himselfe Goe and tell the Church Math. 18.17 and if he refuse to heare the Church let him be unto thee as an Ethnicke and a Publican Christian Princes have indeed to doe in these things as in the rankes of Church Governours I have already shewed but not to the disanulling of the power For they be sent of God as Nursing Fathers to his Church and are therefore to defend and maintaine the power thereof against all sorts of opposites that oppose themselves against it And verily a law and custome of the Church was heretofore of greater weight than to be of light esteeme The ancients thought it to be a good argument of it selfe alone to convince others in their strugglings Hereupon that holy Father Saint Austin could urge This is the authority of our Mother the Church Hoc habet authoritas Matris Ecclesiae Hoc Ecclesia commendat saluberrima authoritas Premitur mole Matris Ecclesiae c. In which testimonies we see that this blessed pillar of Gods House accounted the Laws and Ordinances of the Church to be a strong and conquering weapon against the adversaries of the Church But such are the humours of these times and so thwart to all lawfull authority that one and the same act which would be willingly performed if it were left to every ones free choice may not be done when it comes backt with authority For though it were accounted lawfull or indifferent before is now as if the nature of it were altered or not so warrantable as before it was commanded Why else doe they question what the Church enjoyneth and like quarrelsome high-minded people love to dwell in the fiery flames of contention It is a signe of some distemper a distemper that commeth of an heat or humour of pride for as Solomon speaketh Only by pride commeth contention Prov. 13.10 but with the well advised is wisedome But what care they for that for let it but be that they may cry loudest and have the last word they are still bigger in conceit and falsely take it as a truth that they have answered all sufficiently whereas on the other side a modest disputer knoweth it is to little purpose to contend with a man full of words or reason with a resolved and selfe willed opposite Quid prodest Simiae si videatur esse Leo But be not you who are such See the 2d Epish to Tim. chap. 3. 2 Pet. 2.10 be not I beseech you so heady high-minded fierce despisers of government presumptuous selfe-willed c. as to disobey or speake evill of dignities for these are humours best befitting the lewdnesse of lawlesse persons and loosenesse of licentious livers who have indeed an outward forme of godlinesse but have denyed the power thereof witnesse their creeping into houses to lead captive simple women who as the Apostle speaketh are laden with sinnes ◠Tim. 3.6 and led with divers lusts These are like Iannes and Iambres which resisted Moses as if God had not given him that power and authority which he had After whom was Corah and his company a seditious sect but smarted for it by a suddaine judgement Or to speake with Saint Peter 2 Pet. 2.10 They are bold and stand in their owne conceit not fearing to speake evill of them that be in place of dignity or authority especially against men of the Church But as Saint Iohn saith of Love so may I say of Obedience namely How can they obey God whom they have not seene if they will not
obey the officers of his Church whom they have seene For as judicious Hooker truly speaketh It doth not stand with the duty which we owe to our heavenly Father who is the universall Father of us all that to the ordinances of our mother the Church we should shew our selves disobedient Let us not say wee keepe the Commandements of the one when we breake the Lawes of the other for unlesse wee observe both we obey neither And againe seeing Christ saith he hath promised to be with his Church untill the end of the world her Laws and Ordinances cannot be contemned or broken without wrong and despight to Christ himselfe Neither doe the words of Solomon but tend to the same purpose For he doth not only say Prov. 1.8 Heare thy fathers instruction but addeth also and forsake not thy mothers teaching By Father meaning either God who is the universall Father of all creatures or the Pastours of the Church who are sent of God as Ghostly Fathers to teach and instruct the people And by Mother meaning the Governours of the Church as even the Genevae note declareth Or more plainly thus They who teach and instruct thee in the Word must be heard and not only so but even the laws and directions of the Guides and Rulers who sit to governe may not be neglected And what our Saviours doctrine likewise is concerning this you have heard already and may heare more afterwards when you have read a little further In the mean time if I be desired to speak more plainely concerning the word Church What is meant by the word Church and of changing the phrase from Father to Mother whose lawes must be obeyed My answer is that here is not meant the whole popular or collective company of beleevers but the Church in her Officers which is differing from the popular and promiscuous bodie thereof For the Church is either representative or collective By the first is meant onely the spiritualitie and chiefely the governing Fathers or highest Priests By the second all others as well as the former them and all who live within the compasse or pale of one the same Church And because the whole Church together is oftentimes resembled to a woman bringing forth and nourishing up of Children unto Christ we sometimes alter the phrase from Father to Mother although we speake but of the Church in a representative bodie where by a Synecdoche one part is put for the whole But I proceed A twofold objection And here some object that the Church officers either bring in rites and orders at which their conscience stumbleth Or secondly that Bishops ought not to have any Courts Ecclesiastical for the correction of those who break such lawes as are sayd to be the lawes of the Church Answer â— Answ to the first objection Who can speake more like loose Libertines then these But I answere more distinctly First See the Conference at Hampton Court pag. 66. that it is an ordinarie thing for those who affect singularitie to turne all into a subtill inquirie rather then into an harmelesse desire of being satisfied and under an outward cloake of religion and conscience hypocritically to cover the grossenesse of their disobeience which is as Christ sayd of the Pharisees They doe things under pretence For it is to be feared that some of them which pretend weaknesse and doubting are as King Iames observeth strong enough and such as think themselves able to teach the King and all the Bishops of the Land In which case there is I thinke no better way to cure them then that Aarons rod should devoure their Serpents otherwise they will not only hisse against but also sting where they can the bosome of the Church Now in this perhaps as their custome is they will be ready to complaine of cruelty and persecution But doe they not know Non est crudelit as pro Deo pietas as saith Saint Hierom Zeale for God and the Churches peace is no cruelty neither are they persecuted whom the hand of Justice punisheth for breaking the Law They may beare the world in hand that they suffer for their conscience and abuse the credulity of the simple herein but wise and moderate men know the contrary For as Seminary Priests and Jesuites give it out that they are martyred for their Religion when the very truth is they are justly executed for ther prodigious treasons and felonious or treacherous practices against lawfull Princes and Estates So the disturbers of the Churches peace pretend they are persecuted for their consciences when they are indeed but justly censured for their obstinate and pertinacious contempt of lawfull authority Could they well remember it 't is they who be the true Ismaels not ceasing to infest their better brethren making head against their Heads and crying out like unto Libertines that all their Christian liberty is destroyed And why but because in these matters of order the private fancies of every idle head or addle braine may not countermand the warrantable authority of a publike Law nor set downe such Rites as shall better please them or in their judgements be thought more fitting then such as the Church ordaineth This were indeed to invade anothers right to give Lawes to our Law-givers an Husteron Proteron and therefore may not be Nay were it so that every man should be left to his owne liberty then look how many Congregations so many varieties There would be I dare say little or no concord but in diversities and disagreements and so the Church of God in one and the same Kingdome should be rent and torne most miserably The fourth Councell of Toledo had an eye hereunto Symson hist of the Church lib. 4. pag. 527 and did therefore in the second Canon thereof enjoyne one uniforme order in their Church service And surely seeing Christ's coat was without seame there is no reason why in one and the same Kingdome the orders should be different It were rather to be wished that the whole Catholicke Church throughout the Christian world under her several governours in every Kingdome or Church Nationall were ordered after one and the same manner but because this cannot be in every respect either in regard of the places times or conditions of the people it is left to the discretion of every Church to appoint such as shall best serve them for decency order and edification For if they be destitute of these properties they are but brutish and insignificant altogether unfit to stirre up the dull minde of man to the remembrance or expression of his duty to God For as it is with Tongues so with Ceremonies if they be darke and obscure or not understood they cannot edifie Many such are at this day in the Church of Rome and I thanke God that we of this Church are free enough from them It were well therefore that what appertaines unto us were better observed for in the generall their institution is divine