more particularly and effectually then Pastours doe or may by their doctrine Such labyrinths they leape into when they seeke for those things in y e sacred Scriptures which were neuer intended But were the word of God in this point indifferent which for ought I yet see is very resolute against them the generall consent of alantiquitie that neuer so expounded S. Pauls words nor euer mentioned any laie Presbyters to gouern the Church is to me a strong rampire against all these new deuises I like not to raise vp that discipline from the dead which hath lien so long buried in silence which no father euer witnessed no councill euer fauoured no Church euer followed since the Apostles times till this our age I can be forward in things that be good but not so foolish as to thinke the church of Christ neuer knew what belonged to the gouernment of her selfe till now of late that the sonne of God hath bin spoiled of halfe his kingdome by his owne seruants and Citizens for these 1500. yeeres without remorse or remembrance of any man that so great wrong was offered him I can yeelde to much for quietnes sake to this I can not yeelde They must shewe mee their Lay Presbyteries in some ancient Writer or else I must plainly auouch their Consistories as they presse them to be a notorious if not a pernicious nouelty Ierome Ambrose and others are brought to depose that the first Church had her Senate and Elders without whose aduise nothing was done but how wrongfully the deuise of Lay Elders is fathered on them I haue declared in a special discourse I wil not heere repeate it onely this I say if any of them affirme that in the Primitiue or Apostolike Church Lay Presbyters did gouerne Ecclesiasticall affaires I am content to recall all that I haue written of this present matter if not it is no great praise nor good policie for them to abuse the names and wordes of so many learned Fathers to the vtter discredite of themselues and their cause in the end Since then the Church of Christ in and after the Apostles times was not gouerned by Lay Presbyters as this newe discipline pretendeth it resteth that we declare by whom both the Apostolike church and the Primitiue after that were directed ruled which I haue not failed to performe in many chapters as farre foorth as the Scriptures doe warrant and the vndoubted Stories of Christs Church do leade In the Apostles I obserue foure things needefull for the first founding and erecting of the Church though not so for the preseruing and maintening thereof and foure other points that must be perpetuall in the Church of Christ. The foure extraordinary priuiledges of the Apostolike function were Their vocation immediate from Christ not from men nor by men Their commission extending ouer all the earth not limited to anie place Their direction infallible the holie Ghost guiding them whether they wrate or spake and Their operation wonderful as wel to conuert and confirme beleeuers as to chastice and reuenge disobeyers Without these things the Church could not beginne as is easily perceiued but it may well continue without them for now God calleth labourers into his haruest by others not by himselfe Pastors take charge of those Churches that are already planted they seeke not places where to plant new Churches The Scriptures once written serue all ages for instruction of faith and the myracles then wrought witnesse the power and trueth of the Gospell vnto the worldes ende Wherefore those thinges had their necessary force and vse to lay the first foundations of the gospel before Christ was knowen but the wisedome of God will not haue his Church still depend on those miraculous meanes which serue rather to conquere incredulitie then to edifie the faithfull signes being as the Apostle saith not for such as beleeue but for such as doe not beleeue The other foure points of the Apostolike delegation which must haue their permanence and perpetuitie in the Church of Christ are the Dispencing the word Administring the sacraments Imposing of hands and Guiding the keys to shut or open the kingdome of heauen The first two by reason they be the ordinary meanes and instruments by which the spirite of God worketh ech mans saluation must be general to al Pastors and Presbyters of Christs Church the other two by which meete men are called to the ministerie of the word and obstinate persons not only repelled from the societie of the saints but also from the promise and hope of eternall life respect rather the cleansing and gouerning of Christes Church and therefore no cause they should be committed to the power of euery Presbyter as the word and sacraments are for as there can be no order but confusion in a common wealth where euery man ruleth so woulde there be no peace but a pestilent perturbation of all thinges in the Church of Christ if euery Preshyter might impose handes and vse the keyes at his pleasure How the Apostles imposed hands and deliuered vnto Satan and who ioyned with them in those actions I haue handled in places appointed for that purpose whereby we shal perceiue that though the Presbyters of eache Church had charge of the worde and Sacraments euen in the Apostles times yet might they not impose handes nor vse the keys without the Apostles or such as the Apostles departing or dying left to be their substitutes and successors in the Churches which they had planted At Samaria Philip preached and baptized and albeit he dispenced the word and sacraments yet could hee not impose handes on them but Peter and Iohn came from Ierusalem and laide their hands on them and so they receiued the holie Ghost The Churches of Lystra Iconium and Antioch were planted before yet were Paul and Barnabas at their returne forced to increase the number of Presbyters in each of those places by imposition of their handes for so the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth with al Greeke Diuines and Stories as I haue sufficiently proued and not to ordaine by election of the people as some men of late had new framed the Text. The churches of Ephesus and Creete were erected by Paul had their Presbyteries yet could they not create others but Timothie and Tite were left there to impose handes and ordaine Elders in euerie Citie as occasion required Herein who succeeded the Apostles whether all Presbyters equally or certaine chiefe and chosen men one in euerie Church and City trusted with the gouernment both of people and Presbyters I haue largely debated and made it plaine as well by the Scriptures as by other ancient Writers past all exception that from the Apostles to the first Nicene Councill and so along to this our age there haue alwayes bene selected some of greater gifts then the residue to succeede in the Apostles places to whom it belonged both to moderate the Presbyters of ech Church and to take the
seuenth yeere of their Empire and Irenaeus testifieth that he came to Rome vnder Anicetus the tenth Bishop there declared the trueth which he had receiued from the Apostles Did he through ambition retaine the place to which the Apostles called him longer then he shoulde and so altered the Apostolicall kinde of gouernement I had rather chalenge the Consistorians for mistaking Ambrose then Polycarpe for inuerting the Apostolike Discipline The Church of Smyrna called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostolicall and Propheticall Teacher of their times Irenaeus saith of him Hic docuit semper quae ab Apostolis didicerat quae ecclesiae tradidit sola sunt vera hee alwayes taught those things which he learned of the Apostles which he deliuered vnto the Church and they onely are true And if he were not a man of farre more authoritie and certainer fidelitie then any that contradict him yet haue we al the Churches of Christendome their successions of Bishops from the Apostles and all histories and monuments of antiquitie to concurre with him that Bishops liuing in the Apostles daies made by the Apostles hands continued their places til they died neither is there any man liuing that is able to shewe one example to the contrary Let the Christian Reader then say whether it be not a vaine and false surmise which some in our age so mightily maintaine that the Bishops which the Apostles ordained to rule the Presbyteries dured for some short space changed by course that superioritie going round in order to euerie Presbyter the election of Bishops to gouerne the Churches and Presbyters committed to their charge so long as they did it carefully was mans inuention and no Apostolike institution The domination of bishops wil be their last refuge otherwise in elections of Bishops to continue whiles they do their duties the best learned of them confesse there is nothing that can or should be reprehended onely they repine that a Bishop shoulde haue iurisdiction ouer his Copresbyters And heere they are plentiful with places of Scripture as if we went about to make Bishops Lords and Masters ouer the Church and all the rest to be their seruants They alleage the words of Christ Great men exercise authoritie you shall not doe so and of Peter Feede the flocke not as Lords or commanders ouer Gods inheritance but to what purpose I see not Meane they by these places to prooue that the Apostles had no superioritie nor authoritie in the Church of God or that Pastours haue no power ouer their flockes It were more then childish to impugne one trueth by another They themselues do agnise that the Apostles had superioritie and authoritie by Christs owne commission aboue and ouer all other degrees to erect and order the Churches where they preached and they yeelde Pastours authoritie ouer their flockes to commaund in the name of the Lord. Then neither these places nor any other in the Scriptures doe barre Pastoral power ouer the flocke nor distinction of degrees betwixt the Teachers Superior and inferior degrees if Christs wordes did exclude no man might admit them or defend them as lawfull If the Apostles to whom and of whom Christ there spake did not withstanding his speech retaine diuersities of degrees in the Church it is euident our Sauiour did not forbid Superiority but Imperie not Pastorall but Regall authoritie not Fatherly but Masterly preeminence and that in respect aswell of the people as of the Presbyters Peter calling the people Gods heritage and before and after naming them the Lords flocke And how should it possibly be otherwise for since the holy Ghost requireth the faithfull to obey their Leaders and to bee subiect to them no Scriptures do crosse the authoritie and inspection which the guiders of Christes Church shoulde haue ouer their flockes and God by his eternall Lawe comprising Pastours vnder the name of Fathers and assigning them the honour due vnto Parents we may not by colour of any wordes bereaue them of obedience and reuerence no more then of maintenance which are the parts and effects of Fatherly power and honour So long then as wee giue Bishops no charge but Pastorall no power but paternall wee are not in danger of violating either our Sauiours or his Apostles precept and consequently this kinde of superioritie may not bee called or supposed to be Dominion nor Imperie without wrong to the spirite of trueth that hath confirmed it as needefull and healthfull for the house of God euen from the first foundation of the worlde They will easily grant fatherly moderation and Pastorall power vnto Bishops ouer the people but not ouer the Presbyters on this they set vp their rest that no Pastour shoulde haue power ouer others of the same calling and hope assuredly to haue the victorie But they must first reconcile their owne contrarieties they will triumph else before the conquest for ech Presbyterie as themselues confesse must haue a President by Gods essentiall and perpetuall ordinance I aske now whether God giue any man a bare title without any trueth and a Regiment without all authoritie or whether in Gods Lawe deedes and wordes concurre and he be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a President that is appointed and authorized by God to execute that office The mouth of God intendeth not for mockeries as mans doth and therefore the name neuer goeth without the thing he is iust in his speach and wil not vtter the worde that shall delude the hearer If then by Gods Law there must be Presidents ouer Presbyteries ineuitably there must be Gouernours and Superiours ouer them If some must moderate the meetings of Presbyters and execute their decrees of force they must haue power and authoritie ouer Presbyters and so it is mainly consequent out of their owne positions which they most refuse Againe when Paul left Timothie at Ephesus to impose hands to receiue accusations against Presbyters and openly to rebuke such as sinned did hee not giue him power ouer Presbyters and euen the selfe same that is challenged at this day to belong to Bishops if it were lawful and needful at Ephesus for Timothy to haue that right and authority ouer the Presbyters that were ioynt-Pastors with him how commeth it now to be a tyrannical and Antichristian power in his successours Timothie they will say was an Euangelist and coulde haue no successours If none could succeede him in that power how come their Presbyteries to haue it will they be Euangelists what Lay Elders and all and shall the Presbyteries of the whole world succeede Timothie in his charge at Ephesus That were newes in deede if this authority to impose hands to receiue accusations and rebuke sinnes must remaine in the Church for euer as it is euident it must then was it no Euangelisticall authoritie but a generall and perpetuall function in the Church of Christ that might and did admit others to succeede
Christes resurrection without either Presbyterie or people to concurre with them O you blessed and holie men saith Hilarie speaking of the Apostles that for the desert of your faith gate the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and obtained right to binde and loose in heauen and earth I suppose then it is not much to be contradicted that the Apostles had from their master a larger commission fuller instruction higher power and greater gifts then the rest of the Doctours Pastours Prophets and Euangelist in the Church of Christ and that the Churches in their time were not gouerned by the voyces and consents of the greater part concurring with them before any thing could be done but by their precepts and rules deliuered by speach or expressed by writing which the faithfull in euery place as well Pastors as people with all readinesse obeyed And that in appointing and ordeyning Pastors and Elders as likewise in reteyning sinnes and binding offenders by deliuering them vnto Satan or reiecting them from the felowship of Saints they needed not the helpe or agreement of the people or Presbyterie but had power sufficient with imposing their handes as the Spirite directed to make Prophets and Pastors by giuing them the gifts of the holy Ghost needefull for their seuerall callings and by the same power coulde yeeld the bodies of such as sinned and repented not to be punished and afflicted by Satan or remooue them from the Communion of Christes Church and exclude them from the kingdome of heauen as their wickednes or wilfulnes deserued This superioritie they reteined whiles they liued so moderating their power that they sought rather to winne the euill disposed with lenitie then represse them with authoritie saue when the wicked might no longer be endured lest others should be iufected and vsing such meekenes and mildnes towards al that no schisme disordered the Church by their rigour nor soule perished by their default labouring more to profit many with their paines then to preferre themselues before any by their priuiledge and vtterly forgetting their owne dignitie whiles they serued and aduanced Christes glory I obserue as well their patience as their preeminence lest any man should thinke I goe about to make them Princes in the Church of Christ to commaund and punish at their pleasures and not rather faithfull Stewards and careful Shepheards to feede and guide the Church committed to their charges CHAP. IX What parts of the Apostles power and charge were to remaine in the Church after their decease and to whom they were committed IT will happely be graunted the Apostles had their prerogatiue and preeminence aboue others in the Church of Christ but that limitted to their persons and during for their liues and therfore no reason can be made from their superioritie to force the like to be receiued and established in the Church of Christ for all ages and places since their office and function are long since ceased and no like power reserued to their successours after them I doe not denie but many things in the Apostles were personall giuen them by Gods wisedome for the first spreading of the fayth and planting of the Churches amongst Jewes and Gentiles that all nations might be conuerted vnto Christ by the sight of their miracles and directed by the trueth of their doctrine yet that all their gifts ended with their liues and no part of their charge and power remained to their after-commers may neither be confessed by vs nor affirnted by any vnlesse we meane wholy to subuert the church of Christ. To be called by Christes owne mouth and sent into all nations to be furnished with the infallible assurance of his trueth and visible assistance of his spirit not onely to speake with tongues cure diseases worke miracles know secretes and vnderstand all wisedom but to giue the holy Ghost to others that they might doe the like these things I say were needfull at the first preaching of the Gospell to conuert infidels that neuer heard of Christ before to confirme the beleeuers compassed with diuers temptations and to store the whole world then presently with meete Pastours and Teachers but to maintaine the Church once setled and faith once preached there is no cause why either the immediate vocation or generall commission or mightie operation and sudden inspirations of the Apostles should alwayes endure The Scriptures once written suffice all ages for instruction the miracles then done are for euer a most euident confirmation of their doctrine the authoritie of their first calling liueth yet in their succession and time and trauell ioyned with Gods graces bring Pastours at this present to perfection yet the Apostles charge to teach baptize and administer the Lordes Supper to bind and loose sinnes in heauen and in earth to impose hands for the ordaining of Pastours and Elders these partes of the Apostolike function and charge are not decaied and cannot bee wanted in the Church of God There must either be no church or els these must remaine for without these no church can continue The Gospell must be preached the Sacraments must be frequented for which purposes some must bee taken to the publike seruice and ministerie of the Church for how shall they inuocate in whom they haue not beleeued or how shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard or how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they bee sent without sending there can bee no preaching without preaching the word there is no ordinarie meanes for faith and without faith there is no Church Neither onely the lacke of the word and Sacraments but the prophanation and abuse of either how greatly doethit endanger the state and welfare of the whole Church of Christ yea the casting of holy things vnto dogges and of pearles before swine how dreadfull a iudgement doeth it procure as well to the consenters as presumers A little leauen so wreth the whole masse So that power to send labourers into Gods haruest and to separate prophane persons for deâ—iling the mysteries and assemblies of the faythfull must be retained and vsed in the Church of Christ vnlesse we will turne the house of God into a denne of theeues and make the Temple a cage for vncleane and hatefull birdes As the things be needfull in the Church of Christ so the persons to whom they were first committed cannot bee doubted Goe teach all Nations baptizing them sayd our Sauiour to the eleuen in mount Oliuet whenhe ascended Doe this in remembrance of mee sayd hee to the twelue that sate at supper with him After his resurrection when hee appeared to the eleuen sitting together hee sayd As my father sent me so send I you Receiue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted whose sinnes yee retaine they are retained for though the Lord before his death promised the keyes of the kingdome of heauen vnto Peter and as then sayde nothing vnto the
Prince as his delegates or from the Princes superiour Must not Pastours doe the like Princes cannot authorize Pastours to preach the worde administer the Sacraments remitte sinnes and impose handes these things are exempted from the Princes power and charge the King of heauen hath appointed for that purpose Messengers of his will and Stewardes of his mysteries without taking their authoritie from earthlie Princes but to redresse the disorders and abuses of these things in others and to displace the doers that neither Pastoures nor laie Presbyters may chalenge to doe without the Magistrates consent and helpe where the State is Christian And where the State is not Christian from whom shall the Pastours deriue their power to represse disordered actions in others When the Church is not protected and assisted by the sword but oppressed and pursued as where the Magistrate is an heretike or an Infidell the whole may detect and disclaime any part as vnsound and vnsufferable Idcirco copiosum est corpus Sacerdotum c. Therefore saieth Cyprian is the number of Priestes many that if one of our societie should attempt to vphold an heresie and to spoyle and waste the flocke of Christ the rest might helpe represse him yea the people haue by Gods lawe where there wanteth a Christian Magistrate the desertion but not coertion of wicked and corrupt Pastours They may decline them and forsake them they may not compell them or punish them Uiolence and vengeance belong onely to the Princes sworde not to any priuate persons or assemblies Marke them saieth Paul that cause diuisions and offences contrarie to the doctrine which you haue learned and decline them My sheepe saith Christ heare my voyce and folow me A stranger they will not follow but flie from him And so Cyprian and the rest of the Bishops with him being consulted answere Separate your selues saieth God from the tabernacles of these wicked men and touch nothing of all that is theirs least you perish together with them in their sinnes Wherefore the people obeying the Lordes precept ought to separate themselues from a sinnefull Pastour or ouerseer and not to participate with the sacrifice of a sacrilegious Priest since they chiefly where the publike state embraceth not the faith haue power to admit or choose worthie Pastours and to refuse vn worthie The best writers of our age and those no small number interprete the words of S. Paul as we doe and affirme that laie Elders were gouernours of the Church in the Apostles time and part of the Presbyterie Some learned and late writers liuing vnder persecution or in free Cities where the people and Senate beare the greatest sway haue liked and commended this fourme of gouerning the Church by laie Elders ioyned in one Presbyterie with the Teachers and Pastours but I see not how it may bee defended by the word of God as tolerable except they deriue the power of that Presbyterie from the whole Church in time of persecution and in time of peace from the Magistrate in which case they be no Elders authorized by Christ or his Apostles to gouerne the Church but Commissioners deputed by the State to moderate disorders in Pastours and Teachers and so though they may haue the ouer sight of ecclesiasticall causes pertaining properly to the magistrate yet may they not chalenge any interest or right if they be laie men to impose hands or exclude frō the Sacraments which is the Pastours power and charge Otherwise if any late writers be otherwise minded I say of them as Austen sayde of Cyprian Their writings I hold not as Canonical but examine thē by the Canonical writings and in them what agreeth with the authoritie of the diuine Scriptures I accept with their praise what agreeth not I refuse with their leaues To whose praise I cannot attaine with whose labors I compare not mine whose wits I embrace with whose wordes I am delighted whose charities I admire whose deaths I honour their iudgements in that they were otherwise minded I receiue not God suffereth the best mē to haue some blemishes lest their writings shold be receiued as authentike The Text should not differ frō the gloze if both were of like trueth and certaintie In much writing many things scape the best learned euen as with long watching men oftentimes winke It is no wrong to their labours nor touch to their credites to say their writings and resolutions be not alwayes Canonicall The disputations of Catholike praise-worthie men saith Austen we ought not to esteeme as wee doe the Canonicall Scriptures that we may not without blemishing the honor due vnto those men mislike or refuse some what in their writings if happely wee finde that they otherwise thought then the trueth warranteth vnderstoode by Gods helpe either of others or of our selues Such am I in other mens writings such woulde I haue the readers of mine to be Their learning would preuaile much with me as it doth with others men I suppose of no euill mind but zealous for that which they take to be the trueth were it not that the very places which they draw to this intent in the iudgement of as learned and more ancient writers and fathers import no such thing and other places of the Scriptures where Elders are named doe rather contradict then authorize Lay Elders Paul sent for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to Miletum and gaue them this charge Take heede to your selues and to the whole flocke ouer which the holie Ghost hath made you Bishops to feede the Church of God If all the Elders came to Miletum they were all Pastours and Bishops if your Lay Elders came not why stayed they at home Paul sending for y e Elders They must loose that name or take this charge choose which you will If they for sooke the name of Elders I haue my desire if they vndertooke this charge they were not Lay they were Pastours and Bishops I shall not neede to prooue the confinitie betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they could feede the flocke and not be Pastours The charge that Christ gaue to Peter as an Apostle was this feede my sheepe If they did that they were Sheepeheards if they did not they were no Elders And so saith Peter The Elders that are among you I exhort being my selfe an Elder feede the flocke of God left to your care and when the chiefe Sheepeheard shall appeare you shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glorie They must ioyne with him in Pastorall paines before they shall receiue a Pastorall reward If it be not their function to feede it must not be their lot to be called Elders The communion of the name and charge must goe together The Apostles wordes to Titus will soone declare what Elders were in his dayes For this cause I left thee in Creete that thou should est appoint Elders in euery Citie if any be vnreprooueable for a
were all one with Doctors you haue lost one of those offices which you affirme to bee perpetuall in the Church if they were distinct from them they were superiours vnto them and so betwixt ministers of the word for such were Teachers by Saint Pauls rule you establish a difference of degrees Thus much for the worde and Sacraments the dispensing whereof no doubt was common to all Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastours and Teachers and so to Presbyters and Bishops not withstanding the moderatioÌ„ and ouersight of those things were still reserued to the Apostles as well absent as present euen when the power and charge thereof was imparted to others The discipline and gouernement of the Church I meane the power of the keies and imposing hands are two other partes of Apostolike authoritie which must remaine in the Church for euer These keyes are double the keie of knowledge annexed to the word the keie of power referred to the Sacraments Some late writers by vrging the one abolish the other howbeit I see no sufficient reason to counteruaile the Scriptures and Fathers that defend and retaine both The keie of knowledge must not bee doubted of our Sauiour in expresse wordes nameth it Woe be to you interpreters of the lawe for yee haue taken away the keie of knowledge yee entered not in your selues and those that were comming in you forbade The keie of power standeth on these words of Christ to Peter I will giue thee the keies of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen And likewise to all his Apostles Whatsoeuer ye binde in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen And after his resurrection in like maner to them all Receiue ye the holie Ghost whose sinnes soeuer yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whose sinnes yee retaine they are retained And least we should vnderstand these places of the preaching of the Gospell as some new writers doe Saint Paul hath plaine wordes that cannot be wrested to that sense Speaking of the incestuous Corinthian that was excommunicated and deliuered vnto Satan he saieth Sufficient for that man is this rebuking of many so that now contrary wise yee ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him least hee bee swallowed vp with too much sorowe To whom you forgiue any thing I also forgiue for if I forgaue ought to any I forgaue it for your sakes in the sight of Christ. As Paul deliuered this offender to Satan and shut both the Church and heauen against him so now vpon the detesting and forsaking of his sinne hee restored him to the peace of the Church communion of the Lordes table and hope of Gods kingdome from which before hee was excluded And this Paul did not by preaching the word vnto the penitent for as then hee was absent from Corinth but by forgiuing him in the sight of Christ and his Church as by his Apostolike power hee might Both these keyes the one of knowledge the other of power Ambrose mentioneth in his 66. Sermon and likewise Origen in his 25. tractate vpon Matthew adding a third keie where hee saieth Blessed are they that open the kingdome of heauen either by their word or by their good worke for liuing well and teaching rightly the word of trueth they open the kingdom of heauen before men whiles they enter themselues and prouoke others to follow The meaning of these late writers it may bee is not wholie to cast away the keie of power but onely to drawe the wordes of Christ spoken to Peter and the rest of his Apostles rather to the preaching of the Gospell then to excluding from the Sacraments and yet to the Church or Presbyterie they reserue the power of the keies that is ful authoritie to excommunicate notorious and rebellious sinners These men foresee that if the power of the keies bee giuen to the Apostles and their successours then haue laie Elders who doe not succeed in the Apostles roumes and functions nothing to doe with the Apostles keies Because this was enough to marre the Laie Preâ—â—â—terie therefore the Patrones thereof conueie the wordes of Christ to another sense and builde the ground-worke of excommunication vpon the 18. chapter of Saint Matthewes Gospell where the Church is named and not the Apostles But this deuise is both a preiudice to the Apostles and a Preamble to the laie Presbyterie which all the Catholike Fathers with one voyce contradict as I haue before at large declared Omitting the Laie Burgesses of the Church as hauing no interest in the Apostles keies it resteth in this place to bee considered to whom those keies were committed whether equallie to all Presbyters or chieflie to Pastours and Bishops The like must bee done for imposition of handes whether that also pertained indifferently to all or speciallie to Bishops Before wee make a full resolution to these questions we must search the time when Bishops first began and by whom they were first ordained and authorized In which inquisition wee will begin with the report and opinion of the auncient Fathers and so descend to the positions and assertions of such as in our age impugne and gainesay the vocation and function of Bishops Epiphanius report is this The Apostles could not suddenlie settle all things There was present need of Presbyters and Deacons for by those two the necessities of the Church might bee supplied Where there was none found woorthie of the Bishoprike the place remayned without a Bishop But where there was neede and fitte men found for the Episcopall function Bishops were ordained Euerie thing was not perfect from the beginning but in processe of time things were fitted for the furnishing of all occasions the Church in this wise receiuing the perfection of her gouernment Ambrose somewhat differing from Epiphanius saieth Apostolus Timotheum Presbyterum a se creatum Episcopum vocat quia primi Presbyteri Episcopi appellabantur vt recedente eo sequens ei succederet Sed quia coeperunt sequentes Presbyteri indigni inueniri ad primatus tenendos immutata est ratio prospiciente concilio vt non ordo sed meritum crearet Episcopum c. Paul calleth Timothie created a Presbyter by himselfe or with his owne handes a Bishop because the first Presbyters were called Bishops so as the first departing the next succeeded him But for that the Presbyters which followed beganne to bee found vnwoorthie to beare the chiefe regiment the maner was chaunged a Councill prouiding that not order but desert should make a Bishop appoynted by the iudgement of many Priestes least an vnfitte person should rashlie vsurpe the place and bee an offence to many Ieromes opinion is euident by his words which I repeated before in effect hee affirmeth thus much Before there were factions in religioÌ„ a Presbyter a
questions which before were examined in Presbyteries caused them to bee lesse needed and lesse regarded then before and charged the Bishop with the executiō of all lawes and Canons without assembling or consulting his Presbyters superiour Courts not submitting their acts to the iudgement of inferiour officers Wherefore when you raile at Bishops as vsurpers and tyrants ouer their brethren you forget that after so many hundred yeres all things being setled and guided by lawes which your Presbyteries neither may reuerse nor can correct your Elders were as good spare their paines as loose their labours More lawes we need not better you cannot make no man that hath his right wits will choose to liue vnder the discretion of the Presbyters rather then vnder the prescript of written lawes Frustrate them when you will to make worke for your Consistories and you shall find greater difference betwixt the equitie and certaintie of the Canons and the affectionate and inconstant headinesse of your Presbyters We would change no lawes but such as are Popish and where now the Bishop alone doeth all we would ioyne the Presbyterie with him The lawes that vpheld the Popes superstition or vsurpation are alreadie abrogated thanks be to God the rest that agree with the Canons of the Primitiue Church if you seeke to dissolue I would wish you did publish the new that men might see them before you did exauthorate the olde least you make the people as lawlesse as your Presbyters It is easier to euert or disturbe then to plant or establish a Church or common wealth If you take not the same lawes againe I dare warrant your childrens children to the fourth generation shall see neither order nor peace in your Churches And as for ioyning Presbyters with the Bishop to execute lawes that is the way to multiplie Bishops and where we haue one to make vs twentie but that is not the way to haue lawes more speedilie or sincerely executed In a multitude diuersitie of opinions breedeth delaies hindereth execution in one it cannot and if each man be subiect to affections I hope the more the worse But what reason we whether one or many shall execute the lawes when it is not in our hands to limite the law-makers to our choice They that haue power from God to make lawes haue like wise authoritie libertie to choose whō they wil charge w t the executiō of their lawes and therefore in Gods name let both Councils and Princes choose what persons they thinke meetest to see their Canons and Lawes obserued so long as they transgresse not the rules of pietie and equitie Our chiefest care is for the right execution of Gods law which we would not haue committed to the Bishop without his Presbyters Giue the Bishop that right and authoritie which Gods law alloweth him and the ioine with him whom you can What right is that You heard before he must haue Pastorall and Paternall power either wholie if by Gods lawe there may be but one Pastor in one Church or chieflie if there may bee more in the same place to aduise and assist hun in gouerning the flock More authoritie by Gods law we claime not for Bishops then to be Pastours of the places which they gouerne And Pastorall authoritie since you giue to euerie Rector in his Church what reason haue you to denie it to euery Bishop in his Diocesse We giue no man Pastorall power ouer the Presbyteries and as for Diocesses wee say they are intrusions on other mens cures If by Gods lawe you assigne one Church to one man as Pastour of the same then all the members of that Church be they Presbyters or people must be subiect to him as to their Pastour and he must haue Pastorall authoritie ouer them whatsoeuer they be And therefore this shift of yours that the Presbyters shall haue a President ouer them by Gods ordinance but no Pastour is a meere collusion repugnant as well to the worde as Church of God for what doe the Scriptures call your President in respect of the Presbyters if not a Pastour Shew vs either his name or his power in the new Testament and if it be not equiualent with Pastorall wee will exempt your Presbyters from all subiection The power that Timothie receiued to restraine them from preaching false doctrine and to conuent and rebuke such Presbyters as sinned was it not Pastorall And that charge was to remaine by the Apostles words to him and his successors till the comming of Christ. Your Pastours that you would erect in countrey parishes shall they not haue Pastorall power ouer your laie Presbyters shall your laie Elders be sheepe without ashepeheard shal no man watch ouer their soules If your laie Presbyteries must haue a Pastour ouer them in each countrey parish how commeth it to passe that your Presbyteries in Cities may endure no Pastours aboue them Are they not all of one and the same institution by your owne rules Is there one order in the Scriptures for rusticall Presbyteries and an other for ciuill I thinke your selues ran hardly shewe any such distinction Wherefore when we giue bishops Pastorall authoritie as well ouer their Presbyters as ouer their people wee doe it by the warrant of Gods word that maketh them chiefe Pastours ouer their Churches which includeth both Presbyters and people and wee therein giue them no more then by your wils you would giue to the meanest Rectors of countrie parishes Pastours we are content they shalbe ouer their flockes but not ouer their coequals and copartners Then no man may take or leade their flockes from them so long as they teach and guide them right and consequently your Presbyters may vse no Pastorall power in any bishops charge without his liking For he is Pastour of the flocke and by Gods law they must heare and obey the voice of their shepeheard And as for the rest of the Presbyters if you make thē copartners with him that is not helpers but equals you distract the flocke and rent the Church into as many peeces as there be pastors One flocke cannot haue many pastors except they be subordinate one vnder another but many pastors of equal power must needs haue many flocks Wherfore one Church must haue but one pastor to whom therest be they Presbyters or others must by Gods Law be subiect and obedient whiles he rightly directeth them and woorthely rebuketh them otherwise against God and his trueth we must obey neither man nor Angell Yet to temper the Pastourall power of bishops that it might be fatherly as it hath beene alwaies in the house of God euen from the beginning and not Princely for feare of raigning ouer the Lords inheritance the Church of Christ did in certaine cases of importance not suffer the bishop to attempt any thing without the consent of his Presbyters or a Synode The fourth Councill of Carthage prohibiteth the bishop to heare and sententiate any mans cause without the presence of his Clergie as also
the Presbyters succeeded in order when the place was voyde but that they chaunged by course hee saieth no such thing It was a plaine ouersight I will say no worse in him that first wrested Ambroses wordes to that conceite In the meane time we haue master Bezaes full confession that the going round by course to gouerne the Church doeth maintaine disorder and faction and no whit decrease ambition and the choosing of one to continue chiefe for his life began at Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist sixe yeeres before Peter and Paul were martyred and sixe and thirtie before the death of Saint Iohn in which there is NOTHING THAT can or ought to be misliked Howe truely hee speaketh if he should recall or you refuse his wordes reason and experience wil easily teach vs. for first in this circular change it is not casuall but essentiall that all in their course be they fit or vnfit must haue the ruling of the rest Now if to choose one good amongst many be a matter of difficultie howe impossible then is it that all should be good And yet by your rolling regiment all be they neuer so wicked or vnwoorthie must haue as much time and power to neglect and hurt the Church of God as the well minding and godly Pastours shall haue to assist and helpe the same Againe what good can be done by any when in euerie action one must beginne and another proceede and a third conclude If an euill man light on the beginning middle or ending he may soone marre all And be the men not euill except they be like affected and like instructed when will they agree in iudgement or tread one in anothers steppes If any faction arise I neede not put you in minde what contradicting and reuersing will be offered by your weekely or monethly Gouernours Who shall dare doe anie thing to a Presbyter or Bishop but he must looke for the like measure when their course commeth What can be one weeke made so sure but it may be the next weeke vndone by him that presently followeth This is the right way to make a mockerie of the Church of Christ and to permit it to euerie mans humour and pleasure whiles his time lasteth If you trust not me distrust not your selues It breedeth contempt and openeth the high way to factions As for Ambition which is an other of the mischiefes that you would amend by your changeable gouernement you cure that as he doeth which to coole the heate of one part of the bodie setteth all the rest in a burning feuer To quench the desire of dignitie in one man you inflame all the Pastours of euerie prouince with the same disease for you propose the like honor and power for the time vnto all which we do to one And so you heale ambition by making it common as if patients were the lesse sicke because others are touched with y ◠same infection for if one man cannot haue this Metropoliticall preeminence without some note of pride the rest cā neither expect it nor enioy it in their courses but with some taint of the same corruption fruition and expectation of one the same thing are so neere neighbors that if one be vicious the other cannot be vertuous Wherefore either grant the superioritie and dignitie of Bishops and Metropolitanes may be christianly supported by one in euerie Presbytery and prouince as we affirme or else we conclude it can not be expected and enioyed of all euerie where by course as you would haue it but very vnchristianly You giue more to your Bishops and Metropolitanes then we do and that increaseth their pride We giue them no power nor honor by Gods Law but what you must yeeld to your Pastors presidents if you wil haue any And as for Magistrates we may not limite thē on whom they shal lay the execution of their Lawes nor what honor they shal allow to such as they put in trust so no part thereof be contrarie to the doctrine of the Scriptures Agnise first their callings then measure their offices by the ancient canons of Christs Church and if they haue any other or further authoritie then standeth with good reason and the manifest examples of the Primitiue Church we striue not for it reseruing alwaies to christian princes their libertie to vse whose aduise and help they thinke good and to bestow their fauours where they see cause without crossing the voice of the holie Ghost or the wisdome of the Apostolike and Primitiue Church of Christ. for the gouernement of the Church is committed to them not that they should alter and ouerthrow the maine foundations of Ecclesiasticall Discipline at their pleasures but that they should carefully and wisely vse it to the benefite of Gods Church and good of their people for which they must giue account to the dreadfull Iudge It was long after the Apostles times before Prouinces were diuided and Mother Cities appointed and therefore Metropolitanes are not so ancient as you make them as may appeare by the 33. canon called Apostolike where the chiefe dignitie ouer eche Prouince is not attributed to any certaine place or Citie I stand not precisely for the time when Mother Cities were first appointed in euerie Prouince howbeit the general Council of Ephesus saith Euerie Prouince shal keep his rights vntouched and vnuiolated which it hath had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the beginning vpward according to the custome that hath anciently preuailed euery Metropolitan hauing libertie to take a copie of our acts for his owne securitie for so the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may well be interpreted though some embrace another sense Yet if in this point you presse those Canons called Apostolike I will not reiect them not that I take to haue bin written by the Apostles for then they must be part of the Canonicall Scriptures but that some of them expresse the ancient discipline of the Church which obtained euen from the Apostles times by whomsoeuer they were collected though many things since be inserted and corrupted in them and therfore are iustlie refused further then they agree with the stories of the first times and the decrees of the eldest Councils The Canon which you quote is this The Bishops of euerie Nation must know or acknowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that is first or chiefe amongst them and esteeme him as their head and attempt no matter of waight without his opinion and iudgement neither let him doe any thing without al their aduises and consents Hereby you would prooue there was a time after the Apostles deaths when as yet the first place amongst the Bishops of the same Prouince was not affixed to anie certaine Church or Citie Grant it were so though this Canon doe not exactlie prooue so much then yet in euerie nation there was a Primate before there was a Metropolitane and consequently the authoritie of one to be chiefe in a prouince is elder the◠the priuiledge
THE PERPETVAL GOVERNEMENT OF CHRISTES CHVRCH Wherein are handled The fatherly superioritie which God first established in the Patriarkes for the guiding of his Church and after continued in the Tribe of Leui and the Prophetes and lastlie confirmed in the New Testament to the Apostles and their successours As also the points in question at this day Touching the Iewish Synedrion the true kingdome of Christ the Apostles commission the Laie Presbyterie the Distinction of Bishops from Presbyters and their succession from the Apostles times and hands the calling and moderating of Prouinciall Synodes by Primates and Metropolitanes the allotting of Dioeceses and the Popular electing of such as must feed and watch the flocke And diuers other points concerning the Pastorall regiment of the house of God By THO. BILSON Warden of Winchester Colledge Perused and allowed by publike authoritie 1. Cor. 14. Came the word of God first from you or did it spread to you alone Iren lib. 3. ca. 3. We can reckon those that were ordained Bishops by the Apostles in the Churches and their successours to this present which neuer taught nor knew any such thing as these dreame Imprinted at London by the Deputies of CHRISTOPHER BARKER Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie An. Dom. 1593. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER IHaue bene very vnwilling good Christian Reader to enter into these controuersies of Discipline that haue now some space troubled the Church of England I remembred the wordes of Abraham to Lot Let there I pray thee be no strife betwixt thee and me nor betwixt my men and thine for we be brethren and did thereby learne that all strife betwixt brethren was vnnaturall I could not forget the saying of our Sauiour Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue you and so collected how carefull we should be to keepe the vnitie of the spirite in the band of peace Prophane writers could tell me by concord the weakest things growe strong by discord the mightiest states are ouerthrowen and that made me loath to increase or nourish the dislikes and quarels that haue lately fallen out in this Realme betwixt the Professours and Teachers of one and the same Religion yet when I sawe the peace of Gods Church violated by the sharpnesse of some mens humours and their tongues so intemperate that they could not bee discerned from open enemies I thought as in a common danger not to sit looking till all were on fire but rather by all meanes to trie what kind of liquor would restinguish this flame Another reason leading mee to this enterprise was the discharge of my duetie to God and her Maiestie for finding that some men broched their disciplinarie deuises vnder the title of Gods eternall trueth and professed they could no more forsake the defence thereofthen of the Christian faith and others defaced and reproched the gouernement of the Church heere receiued and established as vnlawfull irreligious and Antichristian for what lees are so sower that some hedge wines wil not yeelde I was mooued in conscience not to suffer the sacred Scriptures to be so violently arrested and ouer-ruled by the summons and censures of their newe Consistories as also to cleere this state of that iniurious slander as if not knowing or neglecting the manifest voyce of Christes spirite we had entertained and preferred the dregges of Antichrists pride and tyrannie These causes of great and good regard led mee to examine the chiefe groundes of both Disciplines theirs and ours and to peruse the proofes and authorities of either parte that by comparing it might appeare which side came neerest to the synceâ—itie of the Scriptures and societie of the auncient and vncorrupte Church of Christ. The which wholie to propose by way of Preface woulde bee exceeding tedious shortely to capitulate that the Reader may knowe what to looke for will not altogether bee superfluous The maine supportes of their newe deuised Discipline are the generall equalitie of all Pastours and Teachers and the ioyning of Lay Elders with them to make vp the Presbyterie that shall gouerne the Church On this foundation they build the power of their Consistorie that must admonish and punish all offences heare and determine all doubts appease and ende all strifes that anie waie touch the state and welfare of the Church Against these false groundes I shewe the Church of God from Adam to Moses from Moses to Christ and so downeward vnder Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles hath beene alwayes gouerned by an inequalitie and superioritie of Pastours and Teachers amongst themselues and somuch the very name and nature of gouernement do inforce for if amongst equals none may chalenge to rule the rest there must of necessitie be superiours before there can bee Gouernours It was therefore a ridiculous ouersight in our new platfourmers to settle an ecclesiasticall gouernment amongst the Pastours and Teachers of the Church and yet to banish all superioritie from them Some finding that absurditie and perceiuing confusion of force must follow where all are equall and no Gouernour endured confesse it to bee an essentiall and perpetuall part of Gods ordinance for each Presbyterie to haue a chiefe amongst them and yet least they should seeme to agnise or admit the auncient and approued maner of the Primitiue Church retained amongst vs which is to appoint a fitte man to gouerne each Dioecese they haue framed a Running regencie that shall goe round to all the Presbyters of each place by course and dure for a weeke or fome such space for the deuise is so newe that they are not yet resolued what time this changeable superioritie shall continue With this conceite they maruelouslie please themselues in so much that they pronounce this onely to be Gods institution and this ouerseer or Bishop to be Apostolike all others they reiect as humane that is as inuented and established by man against the first and authentike order of the holie Ghost Thus farre wee ioyne that to preuent dissention and auoid confusion there must needes euen by Gods ordinaunce bee a President or Ruler of euerie Presbyterie which conclusion because it is warranted by the groundes of nature reason and trueth and hath the example of the Church of God before vnder and after the Lawe to confirme it wee accept as irrefutable and laie it as the ground-worke of all that ensueth But whether this Presidentship did in the Apostles times and by their appointment goe round by course to all the Pastours and Teachers of euerie Presbyterie or were by election committed to one chosen as the fittest to supplie that place so long as hee discharged his duetie without blame that is a maine point in question betwixt vs. Into which I may not enter vntill we haue seene what the Apostolike Presbyteries were and of what persons they did consist at the first erecting of the Church Certaine late writers men otherwise learned and wise greatlie misliking in the gouernement of the Church the Romish kind of Monarchie and on the
of the Romane Soueraigntie If thy brother trespasse thee tell him priuately of the wrong offered thee If hee regarde not thy voyce take one or two with thee that may bee men indifferent betwixt you This the rule of charitie requireth in secret and friendly manner yea by the mediation of wel-willers and neighbours to compose all priuate quarrels as much as in vs lieth If this take not place tel it vnto the Church that is vnto the assemblie and gouernours that are in thy Citie For euery Citie by Gods Lawe was to haue her Iudges and Magistrates there to iudge the people with righteous iudgement And their manner was to sit in the gates of their cities whither the whole multitude did assemble vnto thē not onely to heare and see what they did but in weightie matters to ioyne with them and giue their consents Our Sauiour then meaneth that if charitable and brotherly admonitions be neglected they should seeke their remedie from the Iudges and Elders of their Cities as by Gods law the Iewes were directed and permitted to do Tell it vnto the Church then is as much as tel it not vnto the Church of Christ which as yet was not seuered from the Iewes nor assembled together and therefore had then neither places nor persons specified or authorized for that purpose but vnto that Councel of Magistrates which God by Moses commanded to haue the hearing and ending of those causes For Christ by this precept doth not establish new Iudges nor erect new Consistories but referreth the people to Gods ordināce expressed in the law of Moses and already receiued and vsed in that common wealth thereby meaning that if the doers of wrong to their brethren would not be reformed by priuat and friendly admonition intercession the parties grieued might with good conscience aske the aid and assistance of those Magistrates whom God had appointed ouer them to compell and force the trespassers to surcease their iniurious dealings If it seeme strange to any man that the word Ecclesia should be taken heere not for the Church of Christ as we commonly vse it but for the assemblie of any place or citie where the Rulers and Commons be they Christiās or Infidels are gathered together to consult or determine as well of ciuil causes as of religion besides that the Septuagint do often vse the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for any kind of meeting as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue hated the assemblie of the wicked and againe I was almost ouerwhelmed with al euil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middes of the Church Synagogue S. Luke in the 19. of the Acts vseth the word in that sort thrise in one chapter Beza a man of great learning and one whome none can mistrust as not addicted enough vnto discipline writing on this place saith Wee must note they are fouly deceiued which would conclude out of this place that the hearing of al matters must be referred to the assembly of the whole multitude The name of the Church say they is neuer otherwise vsed which euen out of this place is proued to be false For surely it appeareth that this is spoken as it were of the Iewes by that which is added Let him be to thee as an Ethnicke and Publicane Now that iudgements amongst the Iewes were exercised by the Elders and that their manner was not euer to assemble the whole multitude all the writers of those matters do witnes And truely vnlesse Christ had fitted all this speach vnto the vse that was in his time who coulde haue vnderstoode him what hee saide It is lastly to bee obserued that in this one place of all the new Testament the name of the Church is spoken of the Iewes The words which followe if he heare not the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane must import either the punishing his obstinacie which obeyed not the Iudgement of the Rulers and Magistrates that were of the Iewes or a further pursuing him before others y ◠had more power to represse such insolencie If they expresse any punishment for his wilfulnes that must proceed either publikely frō the Iudges or priuately frō the plaintife The punishment of him y ◠disobeied the Magistrate by Gods Law was death that Christ would not alter For he came not to change the ciuil gouernement or qualifie the iudicall punishments of Moses Law but to leade them the way to the celestiall and eternall kingdome of God The chiefe Rulers and Gouernours of the Iewes being his capitall aduersaries and not acknowledging his authoritie would neuer respect his counsell nor commandement The wordes themselues haue reference to a particular person Let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane Christ therefore in these words decreed no publike punishment As for priuate reuenge he was farre from liking it and further from teaching it False Prophets we must beware and with notorious wicked persons we must not keepe companie but priuate iniuries we must rather suffer with patience then resist with violence or requite with disdaine Resist not euill saieth Christ to all his disciples but whosoeeer shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also and if any will sue thee at the law to take away thy coate let him haue thy cloake also Then may wee not reiect detest our brother that doth vs wrong as the Iewes did an Ethnike and Publicane The mind that must quietly beare wrong once twise and oftner if neede be must not abhorre and shunne the person of his brother that wrongeth him as prophane It resteth then that our Sauior in these words did permit the partie oppressed to seeke further remedie when neither charitie nor equitie could preuaile with the oppressour And that was to doe as they did to strangers and Publicanes which was to conuent him before y ◠Roman Magistrate who had power to force him that did wrong to abide the iudgement that shoulde be giuen And so I suppose y e words may be taken Let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane that is pursue him in those Courts where thou wouldest a Pagan and Publicane that should do thee wrong If any man like not to vnderstand those words of a further pursute before the Magistrate he may referre them to a priuate forsaking of all companie with the wrong-doer vntill he reforme himselfe Let him be to thee as an Ethnicke and Publicane that is shunne such wilfull oppressours as much as thou doest Pagans and Publicanes but without bitternes of minde or breach of patience And so S. Augustine sometimes expoundeth them If hee heare not the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnike Publicane that is account him no longer in the number of thy brethren yet neglect not his saluation So the Lord warneth when he by and by addeth Verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer you binde on earth shall be bound in heauen
elect Angels that thou obserue these things without preiudice or parcialitie And in the very close of his epistle I charge thee before God and Iesus Christ that thou keepe these precepts without spot or reproofe In like maner to Titus an other of his helpers and coadiutors in the Gospell For this cause I left thee in Crete to supplie those things y t want orrectifie those things which remaine to ordain Elders in euery city as I appointed thee There are many vaine talkers deceiuers of minds whose mouthes must be stopped that subuert whole houses for filthy lucres sake Rebuke y â— Cretians sharply that they may be sound in faith not take heed to Iewish fables coÌ„mandements of meÌ„ These things speake exhort reprooue with all authoritie Let no man despise thee Reiect him that is an hereâ—ike after the first second admonition By these the like precepts she wing himselfe euery where to speake as Christes embassadour and in matters of faith good behauiour and needfuâ—l discipline to be the Apostle and Teacher of the Gentiles for in all these things not onely the people that were beleeuers but euen the godly Pastours Prophets and Euangelists perceiuing his sinceritie and reuerencing his authoritie obeied the Apostles voyce as hauing the spirite of Christ giuen him for the perfect directing and guiding of the Church amongst the Gentiles Much more might be sayd to this effect but by this it is euident that the Apostles function and calling was superiour to all other degrees and offices of the Church of Christ were they Deacons Doctors and Pastours Prophets or Euangelists or of the 70. Disciples and this their superioritie was giuen them by Christ himselfe whiles he liued on earth and confirmed vnto them by the mightie gifts and power of his holy spirite after his ascending into the heauens and acknowledâ—ed and honoured by all the faithfull so long as the Apostles liued none spurning at it or contradicting it but such as drew disciples after them to raigne ouer their brethren or seduced the simple to serue their owne bellies S. Iohn noteth Diotrephes for not acknowledging his Apostleship in this wise I wrote to the Church but Diotrephes that loueth to be chiefest among them receiueth vs not wherefore when I come I will declare his workes which hee doeth prating against vs with lewd wordes Farre otherwise were the godly Pastours and Teachers minded in the Church of Christ yeelding with all submission vnto the Apostles as vnto the expresse messengers of Gods will and disposers of his mysteries and putting a great difference betwixt the Apostolike function and theirs as Ignatius confesseth in his epistle to the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I prescribe or enioyne nothing vnto you as Peter and Paul did they were the Apostles of Iesus Christ but I the least And agayne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I commaund not as an Apostle but keepe my selfe within my measure Whereof we neede no further nor surer proofe then this that the whole Church then and euer since did and doeth hold all the precepts rules orders and admonitions of the Apostles contained in their epistles for authenticall oracles of the holy Ghost and partes of the Canonicall Scripture and they no doubt had the same authoritie speaking which they had writing and consequently no Pastour or Teacher might then more resist or refuse the Apostles doctrine decrees or doings then we may now their letters sermons or epistles This Prerogatiue to be best acquainted with the will and meaning of our Sauiour and to haue their mouthes and pennes directed and guided by the holy Ghost into all trueth as well of doctrine as discipline was so proper to the Apostles that no Euangelist nor Prophet in the new Testament came neere it and therefore the stories written by Marke and Luke were not admitted to be Canonical in respect of the writers but for that they were taken from the Apostles mouthes and by the Apostles perused and confirmed as true and sincere So saieth Luke of his owne Gospell As they deliuered vnto vs which from the beginning were eie witnesses and ministers of the word as soone as I searched out perfectly from the first all things it seemed good to me in order to write them And those his writings S. Paul saieth were ratified and receiued in all Churches I haue sent the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the Churches which could not haue so generally bene accepted with good liking but that the Apostles who then gouerned and directed the Churches had first viewed approued the same els neither would the faithfull haue so esteemed it nor S. Paul so commended it The Gospel of Marke had the like approbation froÌ„ Peter as Ierome others doe testifie Marke the disciple interpreter of Peter according as he had heard Peter make relatioÌ„ wrote a short gospel being therto desired by the brethren at Rome The which Gospell when Peter heard he allowed it by his authoritie published it to be read of y e church as Clemens in his first booke Hypotypωseωγ writeth Can any man doubt reading the words of S. Paul which I haue cited but the Apostles had in the Church of Christ right to require and command power to rebuke and reuenge authoritie to dispose and ordaine in all such cases as touched the soundnesse of faith syncerenesse of life or seemlinesse of order amongst the faithfull and that in so doing they did not vsurpe vpoÌ„ their brethren nor tyrannize ouer them but were guided by Gods spirit and obeied as Christes messengers and Legates in euery place where the trueth was admitted Neither did Paul resolue conclude in such cases by number of voyces or assent of the Presbyterie but as himselfe speaketh so I teach in all Churches if an Angel from heauen teach otherwise hold him accursed some are puffed vp as if I would not come to you but I will come to you shortly by Gods leaue and know not the wordes but the power of those that swell thus if any man obey not our sayings note him by a letter and keepe no companie with him Under the Apostles were a number of their disciples whom the Apostles caried with them as companions of their iourneis and helpers of their labours and whom when they had perfectly trained and throughly tried they left any where behind them at their departure or sent any whither in their absence to finish things imperfect to redresse things amisse to withstand or preuent false prophets and seducers to suruey the state of the Churches and to keep theÌ„ in that course which was first desiuered by the Apostles These men for their better instruction serued with the Apostles as children with their fathers So Paul saieth of Timothie Yee know the proofe of him that as a sonne with his father he hath serued with me in the Gospel Touching
him he did not first conferre with flesh and blood neither went hee to Ierusalem vnto those that were Apostles before him least hee shoulde seeme to derogate from the voyce and trueth of Christ but straightwaie preached the Gospell which he learned by reuelation and stoode alwayes resolued that what the sonne of God had taught him the sonnes of men ought not to reuoke and could not amend Why then repaired he at length to Ierusalem to the Apostles and Elders to haue his doctrine examined confirmed vnto the Churches by their letters Many false brethren came from Ierusalem and pretending the Apostles names impugned both the credite and doctrine of Paul and taught that except the Gentiles were circumcised they could not be saued and by enforming the brethren that this course was obserued at Ierusalem for they counted Paul fa◠inferiour to the chiefe Apostles they hindred the weake from beleeuing and caused the strong to stagger at the truth of Paules doctrine To stop the mouthes of these seducers and to retaine the Churches in their stedfastnes and remooue this stumbling blocke from before the simple that Paul taught contrarie to the rest of the Apostles the holie Ghost willed him by reuelation to goe vp to Ierusalem and declare to the rest the Gospell which hee preached that by their generall confession and letters the doctrine which he preached might be acknowledged vnto the Gentiles to be sound and sincere This was the intent of Paules iourney thither Not to haue his doctrine reuised and approoued by their authorities but to haue it heard and acknowledged by their confessions that the false report of their discording euery where spread by those deceiuers might no longer trouble the mindes of the Gentiles I ascended saith Paul of that his iourney to Ierusalem by reuelation when he came thither what did he I declared saith he the Gospell which I preach among the Gentiles and particularly to the chiefest for the false brethrens sake which crept in to spie out our libertie which we haue in Christ Iesus to whō wee gaue no place by yeelding no not an houre that the trueth of the Gospel might remaine amongst you that are Gentiles And they that were chiefest added nothing vnto mee but contrariwise when they saw that the Gospel ouer the Gentiles was committed vnto me as the Gospel ouer the Iewes was vnto Peter when Iames Cephas and Iohn which are counted to be Pillars knewe the grace which was giuen mee they gaue to mee and Barnabas their right hands in token of fellowship What needed the presence of the Elders at this meeting Some of them had come from Iewrie to Antioch as sent from the church at Ierusalem and troubled the minds of the Gentiles with vrging circumcision Wherefore to knowe the reason of their so doing and to preuent the like in time to come the Apostles woulde not haue the matter priuatly handled but in the audience and presence of the whole Church and with a generall consent letters were written in all their names as well to disclaime the sending of any such as also to confirme the Gentiles in the course which they had begunne For these two points their letters importe The Apostles Elders and brethren which in the verse before are called the whole Church to the Brethren of the Gentiles at Antioch c. Because we haue heard that certaine comming from vs haue troubled you with words entāgled your minds saying you must be circumcised to whom we gaue no such cōmandement it seemed therfore good vnto vs when we were together with one accord to send chosen men vnto you with our beloued Paul and Barnabas which shall tell the same by word of mouth The Apostles wanted neither authoritie nor sufficiencie to determine the matter How many doubts doth Paul himselfe resolue to the Romans to the Corinthians to others without a Councell This very question when after this meeting it troubled the church of Galatia did Paul alleage the Apostles letters vnto them or the decision made at Ierusalem No he resteth on his owne Apostleship and saith Beholde I Paul say vnto you that if you be circumcised Christ shal profit you nothing For I testifie vnto euery man which is circūcised that he is bound to keep the whole Lawe ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the Law ye are fallen from grace The Councell at Ierusalem decreed it was not needefull for the Gentiles to be circumcised before they could be saued It seemed good to the holie Ghost and to them not to lay that burden on their neckes But Paul goeth a degree furder and telleth them they are cut off from Christ and fallen from grace if they seeke or admit circumcision Hee is so farre from standing on the credite of that assemblie that hee vtterly denieth they added any thing to him and auoucheth hee withstoode and reprooued Peter to his face for the same cause at Antioch Yea in that Councell who decided the controuersie but Peter Iames yet because it touched the whole Church of Iurie and for that many of the Elders then present were after to preach vnto the Gentiles and to liue amongst them with them the Apostles no doubt directed by Gods spirit brought y ◠matter to be fully discussed in the open hearing of the whole Church thereby to satisfie quiet the consciences of those Iews that were zealous of the Lawe though they beleeued and wholy to quench if it were possible the heart-burning and detestation the beleeuing Iewes had of the Gentiles which well appeared by their striuing with Peter for entring into the Gentiles and eating with them and by their owne report made to Paul long after this Councell was ended The last thing wherein the people or Presbyterie seeme to ioyne with the Apostles authoritie is the putting the wicked from among the faithfull and deliuering them ouer to Satan of purpose to reduce them to repentance or by their example to feare others from the like offences Of the incestuous Corinthian Saint Paul writeth thus I verely as absent in bodie but present in Spirite haue already decreed as if I were present that he which hath doone this when you are gathered together and my Spirite in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ by the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ to deliuer such a one vnto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirite may bee saued in the day of the Lorde Iesus Put away therefore from among your selues that wicked man By this it is collected that the Apostle alone could not excommunicate nor deliuer vnto Satan but the Church must ioyne with him and then for not hearing the Church the offendor might be taken for an Ethnike and a Publicane This place breedeth two great doubts first what it is to deliuer vnto Satan next by whome this incestuous person was deliuered vnto Satan whether by Saint Paul or
by the Corinthians And because the latter point is of more importance to the matter we haue in hand let that first be examined then after what is meant by deliuering vnto Satan The least we can imagine of these words is that Paul being absent requireth them to put the malefactor out of their societie and to keepe no company with him For that rule he giueth touching all notorious offendours in the same Chapter If any man that is called a brother be a fornicatour or couetous person or an Idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one eate not As else-where he charged the faithfull to withdrawe themselues from euery brother that walked disorderly and not after the instruction which he gaue them And if any man saith he obey not our wordes keepe no company with him that he may be ashamed If the Apostle did but this that is require them because he was not present to remooue that incestuous person from their fellowship this sheweth he had authoritie ouer them after that sort in Christes name to command them but the wordes which he vseth are farre more forcible Reproouing their negligence for not doing what in them lay to put that offendour from among them he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue already decreed or determined as if I were present by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliuer this wicked one to Satan He asketh not their consents he prayeth not their ayde he referreth not the matter to their liking he sayeth I haue already decreed afore he wrote and afore they read that part of his Epistle What to doe To ioyne with them in deliuering the Trespassour to Satan No I haue already decreed to deliuer this sinner vnto Satan By what meanes By the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Then for ought that wee yet finde in this place the Apostle though absent decreed as present to do the deed himselfe and that by the power might of our Lord Iesus Christ not by the consent or helpe of the Corinthians But their assembling thēselues was required withall For he saith When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Iesus and my spirit with you The Apostle would then doe it when the whole Church might beholde it and be afraide of the like And though hee were absent in bodie yet shoulde they finde the force of his Spirite present euen the might and power of the Lorde Iesus to deliuer that hainous sinner vnto Satan Nowe howe should the power might of Christ be shewed in excluding a man from the word and sacraments Pronouncing a few words is sufficient for that matter Which maketh me to be of Chrysostomes minde that he was deliuered vnto Satan vt eum percelleret vulnere malo aut morbo aliquo to strike him with some greeuous plague or disease This power in the Apostles was neither strange nor rare Whē Ananias and his wife lied vnto Peter and thereby would try whether the holie Ghost in Peter knew the secrets of their doings Peter strake them both dead with the very breath of his mouth I meane with the sound of his words When Elymas the sorcerer resisted the preaching of the trueth and sought to turne away Sergius Paulus from beleeuing the same immediatly the hand of the Lord was vpon him at Paules worde and tooke his eie sight from him That which the Apostle saide of himselfe wee haue vengeance in readinesse against all disobedience and euen his wordes next before the rebuking and punishing of this incestuous person shal I come vnto you with a rodde or in the spirite of mildnes and If I come againe I will not spare This rodde This vengeance This not sparing importe they no more then a plaine remoouing them that sinned from the fellowship of others or as the words lie had Saint Paul the mightie power of Gods Spirite to reuenge the disobedient and to chastice the disordered The tokens saith he of an Apostle were wrought among you with signes and wonders and great workes or mightie powers And when some of them abused the Lordes supper for this cause saith he many are weake and sicke among you and many be dead or sleepe Whereby it is euident that in the Apostles times when as yet there were no Christian Magistrates to correct and punish the disorders of such as professed the Gospell the hand of God sometimes by himselfe sometimes by the Apostles did afflict and scourge the wicked and irrepentant sinners that thereby they might learne not to detaine the trueth of God in vnrighteousnes and the rest feare to prouoke his wrath with the like vncleannes And this is no such new found or vaine exposition that it should be scorned Not only Chrysostome but Ierome Ambrose Theodoret Oecumenius Theophilact diuers others embrace it as most coherent with the Text. Ierome saith To deliuer him vnto Satan for the destruction of the flesh vt arripiendi illum corporaliter habeat potestatem That the diuel may haue power corporally to possesse him or afflict him Ambrose saith This is the deliuering vnto Satan when the Apostle pronounceth the sentence the diuell which is readie to take into his power those that are forsaken of God hearing the sentence seazeth on them forthwith to let them vnderstand they are therefore tormented because they haue blasphemed Theodoret. Paul sheweth that the Lord pronounceth sentence and deliuereth him to the tormenter and appointeth how farre he shall proceede to chastise the body onely By this place we are taught that the diuell inuadeth them that are seuered from the body of the Church as finding them destitute of grace The Commentaries collected by Oecumenius For the destruction of the flesh Hee appointeth limits vnto Satan that he should touch the body only and not the soule And he wel saieth for the destruction of the flesh that is to waste him or pine him with some sickenesse Theophilact For the destruction of the flesh He doeth restraine the diuel to certaine bounds euen as he was restrained in holie Iob to touch the body onely and not the soule If we scanne the circumstances I see no cause why this exposition should be reiected That he was excommunicated I make no doubt these words of Saint Paul lead me so to thinke You haue not rather sorrowed that he which hath doone this lewd fact might bee put from among you Purge out therefore the olde leauen Put away from among you that wicked man For his excommunication these words had beene sufficient there needed no further nor other circumstances but because the fact was heinous and horrible and such as the very heathen abhorred and therefore tended to the great slander and reproch of Christs name the Apostle not content as I take it to haue him onely remooued from the company of the godly addeth that hee had already decreed to make him
Bishops as Antistites Praesules Praesidentes Praepositi Rectores Sacerdotes and such like but of all these Praepositus with Cyprian and Austen is the most vsuall word for a Bishop and hath best warrant from the Scriptures Ob hoc ecclesiae Praepositumpersequitur vt gubernatore sublato atrociui atque violentius circa ecclesiae naufragia grassetur For this cause sayeth Cyprian doeth Christes enemie pursue him that is set ouer the Church that the Gouernour being made away hee may with more violence and furie make hauocke in the shipwrackes of the Church And againe in the same place We may not bee so vnmindefull of the diuine doctrine vt maiora esse furentium scelera quà m Sacerdotum iudicia censeamus as to thinke the wicked enterprises of the desperate to bee of more force then the iudgements of Priestes Shall wee lay aside the power and authoritie of Priestes vt iudicare vâ—lle se dicant de ecclesiae Praeposito extra ecclesiam constituti de indice rei de Sacerdote sacrilegi To let them that are ought of the Church say they will iudge of the Ruler of the Church the guiltie of him that is their Iudge sacrilegious persons of their Priest And else-where what daunger is not to bee feared by offending the Lorde when some of the Priestes not remembring their place neither thinking they haue a Bishop set ouer them chalenge the whole vnto themselues cum contumelia contemptu Praepositi euen with the reproch and contempt of him that is set ouer them And so almost euery where Apostolos id est Episcopos Praepositos Dominus elegit The Lorde himselfe chose the Apostles that is the Bishoppes and ouerseers And againe Episcopo praeposito suo plena humilitate satisfaciat with al humilitie let him satisfie the Bishop being set ouer him Saint Augustine vseth the word in the same manner Their case is farre woorse saith he to whom it is said by the Prophet He shal die in his sins but his blood wil I require at the watchmanâ—hands Ad hoc enim speculatores hoc est populorum Praepositi constituti sunt in ecclesiis vt non parcant obiurgando peccaâ—a For to this ende are watchmen I meane the Pastours of the people placed in the Churches that they should not spare to rebuke sinne Our heauenly master saith he in another place gaue vs warning before hand vt de Praepositis malis plebeÌ„securaÌ„ redderet ne propter illos doctrinae salutaris Cathedra desereretur to make the people secure touching euil ouerseers lest for their sakes the chaire of wholsom doctrine should be forsaken And again Habet ouile Domini Praepositos filios mercenarios Praepositi auteÌ„ qut fily sunt Pastores sunt The Lords folde hath some ouerseers that be children some that be hirelings The ouerseers that be children are Pastors Diuina voce laudatur sub Angeli nomine Praepositus ecclesiae By Christes owne mouth the ouerseer of the Church is praised vnder the name of an Angel Attendit ouis etiam fortis plerumque Praepositum suum The sheep that is strong for the most part marketh his Leader saith in his heart si Praepositus mens sic vâ—uit If my leader so liue why should not I doe that which he doth The old translation of the new Testament hath y e very same vse of the same word Praeposits Mementote PraepositeruÌ„ vestroruÌ„ qui locuti sunt vobis verbum Dom. RemeÌ„ber your Leaders or ouerseers which spake vnto you the word of God And agame Obedite Praepositis vestris ipsi enim peruigilant quasi ratione pro animabus vestris reddituri Obey your ouerseers for they watch ouer your souls as those that shal giue accouÌ„t for them And as the vse of the word is cleere in S. Austen so is this assertion as cleere that excommunication is a Pastorall and Episcopall iudgement and no Laicall or popular action or censure Ipsa quae damnatio nominatur quam facit Episcopale iudicium qua poena in ecclesia nulla maior est potest si Deus voluerit in correptionem saluberrimam cedere Pastoralis tamen necessitas habet ne per plures serpant dira contagia separare ab outbus sanis morbidam That which is called condemnation an effect of the Episcopall iudgement then the which there can be no greater punishment in the Church may if it so please God turne to a most wholsom correction Yet the Pastour must needes separate the diseased sheepe from the sound lest the deadly infection creepe further But what neede wee moe priuate testimonies when the publike Lawes of the Romaine Empire will witnesse as much We charge all Bishops and Priests saieth the Emperour by his authentike constitution that they separate no man from the sacred Communion before they shewe the cause for which the holie Canons will it to be doone If any doe otherwise in remoouing any from the holie Communion hee that is vniustly kept from the Communion let him bee absolued from his excommunication by a superiour Bishop or Priest and restored to the Communion and he that presumed to excommunicate without iust cause let him be put from the Communion by the Bishop vnder whose iurisdiction he is as long as the Superior shall thinke good that he may iustly abide that which hee vniustly offered No man ought remooue an other from the Communion but a Bishop or a Priest and he that vniustly did it was by a superiour and higher Bishop to be put from the Communion for such time as he thought meete Euery priuate man by Saint Austens confession might admonish and reproue yea bind and loose his brother and Theophilact saith Not onely those things which the Priests do loose are loosed but whatsoeuer we being oppressed with iniurie do binde or loose those things are bound loosed also Echman by word of mouth and with griefe of heart might and shoulde detest sinne and reprooue sinners and hee that is afflicted with any wrong hath best right to release the same But this doeth not touch the publike vse of the keyes in Christes Church whereby wicked and impenitent persons are excluded or remooued from the Sacraments vntill they shew themselues sorrowfull for their sinnes and willing to amend their lewd course of life With preaching the word and deliuering the Sacraments neither people nor lay Elders might intermeddle but onely Pastours which had the charge and care of soules committed vnto them To whome then did Paul speake when he said to the Corinthians Remooue that wicked one from among you If he spake to the people he meant they should refraine all societie with that incestuous person and not so much as eate with him if he entended to haue the malefactor remooued from the Lordes Table hee spake to the Prophets and Pastours that had power and charge so to do S. Austen doth often expound it as if
part of Christs spiritual kingdom without the which no Church can be Christes no more then it may without the trueth of his doctrine But whether the wordes of Saint Paul 1. Timoth. 5. inferre any such thing or no this is the matter wee haue now in hand Some learned and late writers do so conceiue of that place for my parte I see so many iust and good reasons against their supposall that I can not yeelde to their iudgement The first reason I haue of the weakenes of this place to vpholde the Lay Presbyterie is that many learned and ancient Fathers haue debated and sifted the force of these wordes and not one of them euer so much as surmised any such thing to be contained in this Text. Chrysostome Ierome Ambrose Theodoret Primasius Oecumenius Theophilact and diuers others haue considered and expounded these wordes and neuer dreamed of anie Lay Presbyterie to be mentioned in them If then the wordes of Saint Paul stand faire and cleere without this late deuise as in the iudgement of these learned and ancient Writers they doe What reason after fifteene hundred yeeres to entertaine a newe platforme of gouerning the Church by Lay men vpon a bare conceit that the words of Saint Paul may sound to that effect as some imagine The second reason of my dissenting is for that Saint Paul naming the Presbyterie but once in al his Epistles excludeth al Lay Elders from that Presbyterie Neglect not the grace which is in thee which was giuen thee by Prophesie with the imposition of hands of the Presbyterie This is the onely place in all the Scriptures where the Presbyterie is namely mentioned and Lay Elders are most plainely remooued hence as no parte of this Presbyterie For this Christian Presbyterie gaue imposition of haÌ„ds to ordaine Ministers but Lay-Elders had no right to impose hands to that purpose Ergo. Lay men were no part of this Presbyterie That imposition of hands to make Ministers is a kinde of Sacrament and reserued solely to Pastours if Saint Austens authoritie were not sufficient Caluins confession is very euidâ—nt which I noted before They must be Ministers of the worde and Sacraments and succeede the Apostles in their Pastorall charge and function that must ordaine others by imposing handes and giue them power and grace to dispence both the word and Sacraments This Lay Elders in the Apostles times neither did nor might do they were therefore no part of that Presbyterie which Saint Paul speaketh of in his writings Must we take the worde not for the Colledge of Elders but for the degree and office which Timothie receiued Neither so is the force of my reason auoided For choose which you wil to be the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either collectiue for the whole coÌ„panie of Elders or distributiue for the degree office of euery Elder if collectiue none could be of that Colledge that might not giue imposition of hands if distributiue none might take that function and calling on him but must receiue imposition of handes as Timothie did Then Lay men which neither did giue nor receiue impositioÌ„ of hands are barred both from the degree and from the societie of Presbyterie which was in Saint Pauls time Beza thinketh best to take it for a nowne collectiue and addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est ordinis Presbyterorum quo nomine coetus ille omnis significatur qui in verbo laborabant in ea ecclesia vbi hoc factum est The Presbyterie that is the order or company of Elders by which name the whole company is signified that laboured in the word in that Church where this was done Then the whole Eldership or company of Elders in S. Pauls time labored in the word Where now were the Lay Elders that laboured not in the worde What Presbyterie were they of Had euerie Church two Presbyteries I trust not This whole Presbyterie consisted of Pastours and Teachers An other Colledge of Lay Elders and no Pastours will neuer be found My third reason is for that the Text it selfe doth clearely refuse the sense which they inforce For as they conclude there were ergo some Elders that did not labour in the word and doctrine and yet gouerned well so the wordes are more euident that they all were worthie of double honour whether they laboured or gouerned Which by Saint Paules proofes presently following and by the consent of all old and new Writers is meant of their maintenance at the charges of the Church Honour in this place saith Chry sostome Paul calleth reuerence and allowance of thinges needefull Paul will haue the rest yeelde carnall thinges to them of whome they receiue spirituall because being occupied in teaching they can not prouide thinges needefull for themselues Good faithfull Stewards saith Ambrose ought to be thought worthie not onely of high but of earthly honour that they bee not grieued for lacke of maintenance Paul willeth maintenance to be chiefly yeelded to the Pastours that are occupied in teaching For such is the ingratitude of the world that take small care for nourishing the Ministers of the worde As the poore so the Elders seruing the whole Church are to be mainteined by the goods of the Church Paul mentioning the Church treasure presently exhorteth the Ministers of the Church to be thence maintained By the name of honour is signified al godly duty and reliefe after the vse of the Hebrewe speach Now that Lay Iudges and Censors of maners were in the Apostles time found at the expenses of the Church or by Gods Law ought to haue their maintenance at the peoples hands is a thing to me so strange and vnheard of that vntil I see it iustly proued I can not possibly beleeue it S. Paul hath laied downe this rule They that serue at the Altar should be partakers of the Altar and by Gods ordinance they that preach the Gospell must liue of the Gospell Where shall we finde the like for the Lay Iudges that laboured not in the worde They were if any such were as the sagest so euery way the sufficientest men that were amongest the people for feare of faction contempt and corruption which easily grow when the weaker and baser rule ouer the richer and better sort If the Apostle will not haue the poore widowes so long as they might otherwise be succoured or employed grieue the Church would he then put the burden of the Lay Iudges and Elders in number many in state able to relieue others on the necks of the meaner and poorer brethren there is neither cause nor commandement in the word so to charge the Churches of Christ with maintaining the Lay Senate which yet must be done before this construction can be admitted The fourth reason that holdeth me from receiuing this construction is that I find diuers and sundrie interpretations more agreeable to the Text and more answerable to S. Pauls meaning then this which is
people from Priests is neither prophane nor strange in the Scriptures There shall be saieth Esay like people like Priest And so saieth Osee as also Ieremie diuideth the Church into the Prophet Priest and People As for the name of Clergie men Ierome saieth Proptereà vocantur Clerici vel quia de sorte sunt Domint vel quia ipse Dominus sors idest pars Clericorum est Therfore are they called Clergie men or Clerkes either because they are the Lordes portion to serue the Church of Christ or for that the Lord is their portion part to liue on such things as are dedicated to the Lord. The Laie hee calleth Seculares Secular men which word is not so good as Laici the Laitie or people The name of Presbyter I vse not thereby meaning aged and ancient men of what calling soeuer they be as the word sometimes signifieth and wherewith I see many that fauour the Presbyterie deceiued and deceiuing others but I vse it for those whom the Apostles call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters whence our tongue following the French long since deriued Priests who for their age should be Elders and by their office are ministers of the word and Sacraments and ouerseers of the flocke of Christ. And though there can be no doubt but very often in the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Seniores in English Elders are taken for Pastours Teachers and such as laboured in the word and dispensed the Sacraments yet some more zealous then discreet no sooner he are of the word Presbyter or Senior an Elder in Scriptures or Fathers but they straightway dreame of their laie Presbyterie which is the greatest ground of all their errour and lightest proofe that may possiblie be brought For which cause I am forced often to distinguish the ministers of the word from such as some men would haue to bee Gouernours of the Church by the name of Presbyter and not of Elder which in our tongue is more common to aged men then to Clergie men But howsoeuer they may play with wordes to make some the we that Elders were Gouernours of Christes Church in the Apostles times assuredly no man is able to 〈◊〉 that laie men were publike Gouernours to ordaine ministers or remooue sinners from the Lordes table while the Apostles liued and after their deaths the longer we search the further we are from finding any such Elders The whole Church by the very wordes of our Sauiour might exclude disobedient and froward persons from their felowship as Etâ—nikes and Publicanes and bind them both in heauen and earth I haue answered alreadie that those wordes of Christ by the verâ—â— confession of such as are the greatest defenders of this newe discipline were spoken of the Iudges and Magistrates of the Iewes And if by the credite and authoritie of the fathers wee will needes haue them spoken of Christes Church wee must then take the Church for the Pastours and leaders of the Church that haue receiued power from Christ to binde and loose in heauen and earth Lastly if we intend nothing els by those wordes Let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane but refraine all company with him and eate no more with him then thou wouldest with an Ethnike and Publicane this charge pertaineth rather to the whole Church then to any laie Elders or Gouernours in the Church The Apostles wordes When you are gathered together put away from among you that wicked man are rather directed to the whole Congregation then to any laie Elders in the Church of Corinch as are also these that folow I wrate vnto you that you should not company together with fornicatours but nowe I haue written vnto you if any man that is called a brother bee a fornicator or couetous an Idoâ—ater railer drunkard or extortioner with such an one eate not Must onely the laie Elders or all the multitude auoyd the companie of such enormous persons I beseech you brethren saieth Paul obserue those which cause diuisions and offences against the doctrine which you haue learned and decline them Should none but Elders and Teachers shunne Schismatikes and hainous malefactours or must the people and hearers doe the like If any man obey not our sayings keepe no companie with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not an enemie but admonish him as a brother Shall wee thinke the Apostle thought it sufficient for soâ—â— fewe laie Elders to forbeare the company of such disordered persons or doeth hee will the whole Church with one consent to shunne all societie with such vnrulie ones that they may bee ashamed Then yet the whole Church might excommunicate and not Pastours onely With open reproouing by the word and excluding from the Sacraments such as notoriouslie sinned Pastours and Prophets might intermeddle the people and laie Elders might not it was no part of their charge but in banishing malefactours from all fellowship and companie both ciuill and sacred with the faithfull the Pastours were to direct the people to assist and execute that iudgement The Apostle doeth not leaue it to peoples liking as a matter indifferent till they haue consented but enioineth it as a necessarie duetie and commandeth them in the name of Christ Iesus to withdraw themselues from euery brother that walked inordinately For as S. Iohn warneth vs He that receiueth to his house the bringer of another doctrine or biddeth him good speede is partaker of his euill deedes And so is euery one that with countenance fauour or familiaritie doeth embolden the wicked to goe on in any other lewdnesse when by Christian dutie he should reproue such offenders if they persist renounce al societie with them yea where there wanteth a beleeuing magistrate the Pastours shall not doe wisely to proceed to any such rigour against wilfull and obstinate sinners without the knowledge and consent of the people for feare of contempt if the most part mislike or factions if the multitude be deuided If Pastours in such cases were to staie for the liking of the whole Church is it not more likely that the people did referre the hearing and censuring of all such matters to certaine chosen Elders of themselues rather then in a tumult confusedly without any Iudiciall forme determine such causes That if wee euict wee make no doubt that laie Elders were Gouernours in the Church of Christ as well as Pastours Indeed likelihoods and surmises were the best demonstrations that euer were made for your supposed discipline but if this hee all you will neuer euict any thing The people might well relie themselues on the credite and conscience of their Pastours and beleeue them in other mens cases whom they trusted with their owne soules Againe they might approoue and confirme their Pastours iudgement in an open assemblie without an vprore things were at that time handled in the Church religiously not tumultuously Lastly if the people did appoint certaine wise and sufficient
come Of Lay men the Councell of Hispalis sayeth Indecorum est Laicum vicarium esse Episcopi Seculares in ecclesia iudicare Vndâ— oportet nos diuinis libris sanctorum Patrâ—m obedire praecepâ—is constituentes vt hij qui in administrationibus ecclesiae Pontificibus sociantur discrepare non debe ant nec professione nec habitu It is an vnseemely thing for a laie man to be vice gerent to a Bishop and for Secular men to iudge in the Church Wherefore we must obey the bookes of God and the precepts of our fathers being holy men decreeing that they which are ioyned with the Bishops in the administrations of the Church should not differ from them neither in profession nor habite Iflaie Elders had bene currant in Gregories time and assisted the Bishop in Clergie mens causes as his Coassessors the Councill of Hispalis not long after him did open wrong to the trueth in saying it was against the booke of God and rules of their forefathers that laie men should bee ioyned with Bishops in any causes or matters of the Church but for any thing we yet see they spake the trueth and no more then was long before confirmed as well by the decrees of Councils as publike lawes of the Romane empire Si ecclesiastica causa est nullam communionem habeant Iudices â—iuâ—les circa talem examinationem sed sanctissimus Episcopus secundum sacr as regulas causae finem imponat If it be an ecclesiasticall cause saieth Iustinian the Emperour let not the ciuill or temporall Iudges any way intermeddle with the examination thereof but according to the sacred rules let the most holy Bishop determine the matter Nowe who were to be present with the Bishop when he sate in iudgement and assist him the fourth Councill of Carthage declareth in these wordes Episcopus nullius causam audiat absque praesentia Clericorum suorum alioquin irrita erit sententia Episcopâ— nisi Clericorum praesentia confirmetur Let the Bishop determine no mans cause without the presence of his Clergie otherwise the sentence of the Bishop shall bee voyde that is not confirmed with the presence of the Clergie With the Bishop sate no laie Elders in iudgement but his owne Clergie and those not all but the grauer and elder sort of them The Deacons and the rest of the Clergie beneath their degree might not sit with the Priests much lesse with the Bishop The Council of Nice saieth Sed nec sedere Diaconis licet in medio Presbyterorum The Deacons may not sit in the company or assemblie of Priests So that onely Clergie men and Priests sate with the Bishop in Church and Consistorie and their presence and aduise was required as we see by the Council of Carthage before the Bishop might giue iudgement against any man This course Gregorie willeth the Bishop of Panormus in Sicelie to obserue as neerest to the Canons and freest from all chalenge wheÌ„ he conuented any Clergie man not rashly to pronounce but aduisedly to deliberate with the wisest and eldest of his Clergie and then to proceed accordingly for Priests and Deacons the case is cleare the Bishop alone might not depriue them The Councill of Hispalis saieth Episcopus Sacerdotibus ac Ministriâ— solus honorem dare potest solus auferre non potest The Bishop alone may giue Priests and Deacons their honour but hee can not take it from them alone They may not be condemned by one neither may they loose the priuiledge of their honour by the iudgement of one but being presented to the iudgement of a Synode let them bee ruled and ordered as the Canon prescribeth Ouer the rest the Bishop alone might sit Iudge without the assistance of other Bishops but not without the Elders of his owne Church and Clergie for so the Councill of Carthage decreeth and Gregorie aduiseth If any Priestes or Deacons bee accused let the Bishop of the parties accused discusse their causes taking to him a lawfull number sixe in a Priests three in a Deacons of the Bishops adioyning such as the defendants shall require The causes of the rest of the Clergie the Bishop of the place alone shall heare and determine Laie Elders I trust are excluded by this Canon from deciding or debating the causes of any Priestes Deacons or other Clergie men and so are they by all the Canons that were euer made in any Councill Prouinciall or Generall since the Apostles times Lastlie the Canon lawe itselfe is produced for the name of laie Elders I might take iust exception against the Compiler of those decrees his corruptions and ouersights doe passe the number of his leaues Hieromes name is twise abused by him and twise alleaged by you without any regard whether those authorities bee found in his workes or make to your purpose The first is 16. quaest 1. § ecclesia which place is no where found in Hierome though his booke ad Rusticum bee extant prescribing the maner how a Monke should order his life Some of the wordes were patched out of his Commentaries vpon Esaie and the rest touching Monkes added which are not at all in Hierome The second place distinct 95. ecce ego is a lustie tale not of Hieroms but of some others in his name beginning with a forged inscription and ending with a presumptuous vntrueth and fraighted in the middle with vnsauourie rayling Hierome wrate in deede to Rusticus a French man but as yet no Clergie man that euer he wrate vnto him after he was Bishop of Narbon neither doe we reade it in any of his workes neither is it likely for so much as Leo Bishop of Rome more then thirtie yeeres after Hieromes death wrate Ad Rusticum Narbonensem Episcopum to Rusticus Bishop of Narbon And touching the matter of which this counterfeit Hierome talketh Leo writing vnto the Bishops of France and Germanie conuicteth this prater of manifest falsehood for where this forged Hierome saieth it was vsed in Rome in Africa in the East in Spaine France and Britaine and calleth them proud enuious and most iniurious Prelates that otherwise doe Leo with a Council of Bishops affirmeth it was not vsed but where men were altogether ignorant of the ecclesiastical rules and expresselie forbiddeth it by a Synodall consent as contrarie to the Canons Whosoeuer were the author of that sturdie epistle he turneth your laie Elders cleane out of doores for as hee affirmeth that Presbyters or Elders were at first Iudges of the Churches affaires and present at the Bishops Councils so hee saieth the same Elders must preache in the Church blesse and exhort the people consecrate Christ at the Altar restore the Communion visite the sicke At que omnia Dei Sacramenta complere and finishe all the Sacramentes of God I shall not neede to put you in minde that heere is no roume for Laie Elders the woordes bee so playne that if you but reade them I thinke you will quickely resigne all
places and offices distinguished or digested they tooke an other order then at beginning And why The first regarde the Apostles had was to gaine vnbeleeuers to Christ the second to gouerne such as were gained And these two respects might best be perfourmed by two contrarie courses To encrease the Church the more workemen the better For when the Haruest is great if the Labourers bee fewe the roumes can not be filled To guide the Church the fewer the better except it bee with counsell to aduise For diuerse men haue diuers minds and diuers meanings and in a multitude of Gouernours emulation and dissention are no rare springs Wherefore no maruell though the Apostles tooke besides themselues as many helpers as they coulde to conuert the worlde vnto Christ and yet tooke not vnto themselues as many Rulers as they coulde in euerie place to gouerne the beleeuers By order of nature men must bee gotten together afore they neede bee gouerned and so in the building of the Church the number of Preachers at the first was more requisite then the choice of Gouernours And for that cause Epiphanius second position is verie true That Presbyters and Deacons the one to labour in the worde and dispence the Sacraments the other to releeue the poore and attend to diuine Seruice were euerie where appointed by the Apostles These were sufficient to beginne the Churches and these were fittest to increase the Church And therefore in many places the Apostles left none other but these If you aske who then gouerned the Churches in those beginnings I answere the flocke was both augmented and directed by the Presbyters that laboured in the worde The chiefe gouernement to impose handes and deliuer vnto Satan rested yet in the Apostles who often visited the Churches which they planted and ordained Presbyters as they passed to supplie the wantes of euerie Church The third point in Epiphanius reporte is this that although it be not extant in the Apostles writings that in euerie place where they came at first they left Bishops yet the Scriptures do witnesse that Paul furnished some places with Bishops as Ephesus and Creete with Timothie and Tite Thus farre I see not what you can refell in Epiphanius Perchance you will deride Epiphanius simplicitie that coulde not discerne betwixt an Euangelist and a Bishop for as you maintaine Timothie and Tite were Euangelists and not Bishops and had an extraordinarie and no ordinarie calling You can not charge Epiphanius with ignoraunce in this behalfe but you must doe the like to the eldest and best learned Fathers of the Primitiue Church namely Eusebius Ambrose Chrysostome Ierome Oecumenius Primasius and others which affirme as Epiphanius doth that Timothie was a Bishop ordeined by S. Paul but thereof anon as also whether an Euangelist might bee a Bishop or no which conclusions of yours though they be most feeble and vnsure yet they be lately taken up for Oracles That which may be doubted in Epiphanius is this The cause why Bishops wanted in some places was saith he the lacke of fit men to beare the office It may be some will thinke it strange that amongest so many Prophets Pastours and Teachers as were in most of those Churches which Paul planted not a fit man could be found for the Episcopal function and yet afterward meete men were found for all the Churches in the worlde but as that which Epiphanius saith might be some cause of wanting Bishops at the first so if I be not deceiued there were other causes that mooued the Apostles not straight wayes to place Bishops in euerie Church where they preached which I will specifie when the testimonies of Ambrose and Ierome be throughly perused Ambrose at first sight seemeth somewhat to dissent from Epiphanius in that he thinketh the Churches had both Presbyters and Bishops left them by the Apostles and the Presbyters were placed in an order according to the deserts and worthines of eche man by the Apostles and others that founded the Churches and this rule deliuered that as the first and chiefest Presbyter who was Bishop in name and superiour in calling to the rest failed so the next should succeede in his roume and enioy the Episcopall chaire and power after his departure And when some Presbyters did not answere the expectation which was had of them but scandalized the Church that course of standing in order to succeede was changed and Bishops were chosen by the iudgement and liking of many Priests to cut off vnworthie and offensiue men from the place I could admit this report of Ambrose but that he expresseth not when and by whome this change beganne he saieth Prospiciente Concilio A Council fore seeing or prouiding that not order but merite should create a Bishop but what Council If he meant a Councill of the Apostles which is not expressed but may well bee intended for the wordes stand indifferent to any Councill no testimonie can be weightier for Bishops then this of Ambrose which is brought against them If he meant others after the Apostles deaths what authoritie had they to change the Apostolike gouernment or by their decree to bind the whole world But this I reserue till Ieromes witnesse bee repeated and examined Ierom in his words before cited auoucheth three special things first that til dissentions sprang in the Church Bishops and Presbyters were all one and the Churches were gouerned by the common aduise of Presbyters amongst whom the care of the Church was equally diuided Next that to roote out schismes rising verie fast through the Preachers and Presbyters factions by a decree throughout the whole worlde one of the Presbyters was chosen in euery Church and set ouer the rest and to him the whole care of the Church did euer after appertaine Thirdly that this subiection of the Presbyters vnder the Bishop and maioritie of Bishops aboue Presbyters grewe rather by the custome of the Church then by the trueth of the Lords disposition for they should rule the Church in common These wordes of Ierome may be either verie true according to the time that they be referred vnto or verie false If you so conster Ierome that all the while the Apostles liued Bishops were al one with Presbyters and had no more charge nor power in the Church then Presbyters you make Ierome contradict the Scriptures himselfe the whole aray of all the ancient Fathers and Apostolike Churches that euerwere since Christs time for all these affirme and proue the contrarie But if you so expound Ierom that the Apostles for a time suffred the Presbyters to haue equall power and care in guiding the Church themselues alwayes sitting at the sterne and holding the helue whiles they were present in those parts of the worlde till by the factions and diuisions of so manie gouernors the Churches were almost rent in peeces and thereupon the Apostles forced did set an other order in the Church then was at first and with the good liking of all the
in the Apostles time did not impose handes on a Bishop Yea saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters then coulde not impose handes on a Bishop Chrysostome doeth not reason from his owne age vnto the Apostles and conclude because they might not doe it in that world wherein he liued by a custome of the Church ergo they coulde not doe it in Paules time that were a verie senselesse and vnsauerie collection but he vrgeth that in Paules time Presbyters might not ordaine a Bishop and therefore those words must be vnderstoode of Bishops which by the Apostolike rules might impose handes whereas Presbyters might not The verie same point he repeateth and presseth when he giueth a reason why Paul in his Epistle to Timothie went from describing Bishops straight to Deacons omitting cleane the order of Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The difference betwixt Bishops and Presbyters is not great for they also were admitted to teach and rule the Church and what Paul saide of Bishops that agreeth vnto Presbyters Onely in laying on of hands Bishops go beyond them and haue that Onely thing more then Presbyters Theodoret. The Presbyterie Paul calleth heere such as had receiued Apostolicall or Episcopall grace for by Theodorets opinion Bishops were then called Apostles and Presbyters called by the name of Bishops Oecumenius Lay handes hastily on no man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul treateth of imposing hands for he wrate to a Bishop Ambrose rendreth the same reason why Paul mentioning Bishops and Deacons did cleane ouerskip Presbyters and noteth the same difference betwixt Presbyters and Bishops that Chrysostome doth Timothie because hee had none other before him was a Bishop Wherefore Paul sheweth him how he shal ordaine a Bishop Neque enim fas erat aut licebat vt inferior ordinaret maiorem Nemo enim tribuit quod non accepit For it was neither lawfull nor permitted that the inferiour should ordaine the greater No man giueth that which he hath not receiued That Timothie was a bishop is confessed by the rest of the Fathers I alleaged them before Paul calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Copartner in the Gospell and ioyneth Timothie with himselfe in writing to the Corinthians Philippians Colossians and Thessalonians thereby to shew that he had receiued Timothie not only into the fellowship of his Ministerie but giuen him part of his authoritie and made choice of him to abide at Ephesus to establish and confirme the Church when hee thus wrate vnto him Wherefore Timothie had not this prerogatiue by order or senioritie hee was no Presbyter of Ephesus but there left with Episcopall authoritie which hee had by the laying on of Paules handes before he stayed at Ephesus But howsoeuer hee came by it by Paules choice or otherwise Ambrose acknowledgeth hee was a bishop and therefore superiour to Presbyters because hee was inuested with power to ordaine bishops which Presbyters had not His wordes be full Neque fas erat neque licebat vt inferior ordinaret maiorem It was neither lawfull nor agreeable to religion for fas is that which is consonant to the seruice of God as ius expresseth that which is right amongst men for the inferiour to ordaine the superior to wit that a Presbyter should ordaine a bishop We greatly care not who should ordaine Bishops for as we thinke there neede none in the Church of Christ but touching Presbyters that is Ministers of the worde and Sacraments the fourth Councill of Carthage is verie cleere they may be ordained by Presbyters Their wordes are these Presbyter quum ordinatur Episcopo eum benedicente manum super caput eius tenente etiam omnes Presbyteri qui presentes sunt manus suas iuxtamanum Episcopi super caput illius teneant When a Presbyter is ordained the Bishop blessing him and holding his hand on the parties head let all the Presbyters that are present hold their hands neere the Bishops hand on his head that is ordered Presbyters are sufficient to create Presbyters and they may discharge all Ecclesiasticall dueties in the Church for Bishops let them care that like them The Councill of Carthage doeth not tell you that Presbyters might ordaine Presbyters without a bishop looke better to the wordes such Presbyters as were present must holde their handes on the parties head neere the bishops hand but without the bishop they had no power of themselues to impose handes Nowe to what ende they imposed handes whether to ordaine and consecrate as well as the bishop or because the Action was sacred and publike to consent and blesse together with the bishop this is all the doubt If they had power to ordaine as well as the bishop and without the bishop all the Fathers which I before cited were vtterly deceiued For they say no. Yea Ierome that neither coulde forget nor woulde suppresse being one himselfe anie part of their power knewe not so much For hee confesseth that bishops might ordaine by imposing handes Presbyters might not And therefore though they held their handes neere the bishops hand yet did they not ordaine as the bishop did Howe knowe you to what ende they ioyned with the Bishop in imposing handes The action was common to both and no difference is expressed in that Councill betweene their intentes Unlesse you bee disposed to set Councills and Fathers together by the eares you must make their imposition of handes to bee a consent rather then a consecration and so may the authorities of all sides stand vpright otherwise by an action that admittteth diuers endes and purposes you ouerthrowe the maine resolution not onelie of other Councils and Fathers but of the same Synode which you alleadge for that giueth Presbyters no power to ordaine without the bishop but to conioyne their handes with his Many things were interdicted Presbyters by the Canons which were not by the Scriptures but you must shew vs that Presbyters and Bishops differ by the word of God afore we can yeeld them to be diuers degrees If Presbyters by the worde of God may ordaine with imposing handes as well as Bishops howsoeuer by the custome of the Church they bee restrained or subiected vnder Bishops they bee all one in degree with Bishops though not in dignitie for all other things as Ierome auoucheth are common vnto them but if that power be graunted by Gods Lawe to Bishops and denied to Presbyters then struggle whiles you will you shall finde them in the ende to be distinct and diuers degrees That Bishops may ordaine the Apostles words to Timothie and Tite exactly prooue Lay hands hastely on no man for this cause I left thee in Creete that thou shouldest ordaine Presbyters in euery Citie You must now prooue by the sacred Scriptures that Presbyters may ordaine as well as Bishops if not they bee distinct degrees that haue by Gods Lawe distinct powers and actions Our proofes are cleere Neglect not the gift which
power which you giue to your Presbyters but because you turne them all ouer the barre as tainted with humane pollitie and neglecters of Gods ordinance let vs see whether wee can say more for the power of Bishops ouer Presbyters by the Scriptures then you haue done for your Presbyteriall censures which in my iudgement are very flenderlie and weaklie prooued All that wee can say for the power of Bishops aboue Presbyters out of the Scriptures is this That the holie Ghost by the mouth of S. Paul hath giuen the Bishop of each place authoritie to ordaine such as be woorthie to examine such as be faultie and reproue and discharge such as be guiltie either of vnsound teaching or offensiue liuing Thus much he saieth to Timothie and Tite and in them to their successours and to all other Bishops of Christes Church for euer The places bee plaine and neede no long discoursing till we heare your answere Of admitting Presbyters Paul saieth to Timothie Lay hands hastily on no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes And to Tite For this cause I left thee in Creete that thou shouldest ordaine Elders in euerie Citie such as I appointed thee Of conuenting them hee saieth Receiue no accusation agaynst a Presbyter but vnder two or three witnesses those that sinne rebuke openlie that the rest may feare Of dismissing them hee saieth I prayed thee to abide at Ephesus to commaund certaine that they teach no strange doctrine Their mouthes must bee stopped that teach things they ought not for filthie lucre The Presbyters that doe their dueties let them bee counted woorthie of double honour Staie foolish questions and contentions An heretike after one or two warnings reiect These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authoritie See no man despise thee I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou obserue these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without carying any preiudice or inclining to either part The wordes bee singular the charge is vehement the parties were Bishops to whome the Apostle wrate the case therefore is cleare that the Bishops power ouer Presbyters in these pointeâ— is ratified by the expresse commandement of the holy Ghost You be mightily deceiued This power belonged to Euangelists not to Bishops and therefore it dured but for their time and exceeded not their persons to whom the Apostles â—rate See you how easilie the very foundations of your Prelacie are shaken and ouer throwen If your replie be sound you say somewhat to the purpose but if it be false absurd repugnant to the very Text and refuted by your own positions then take you heed what answere you will make to God for disturbing his Church despising his ordinance and deriding his messengers that himselfe hath placed and authorized with his own mouth And here I must pray the Christian Reader aduisedlie to marke what is said and answered on either side This in deed is the maine erection of the Episcopal power and function if our proofes stand or subuersion if your answere be good For if this faile wel may Bishops claime their authoritie by the custome of the Church by any diuine precept expressed in the scriptures they cannot But if these rules be deltuered by the Apostle to Bishops as we say they are and not to Timothie and Tite in respect of their Euangelship as the Presbyterists affirme then can there be no question but this new discipline is a very dreame and the auncient and Primitiue Church of Christ held the right and Apostolicall fourme of gouerning the house of God according to the prescript of his word Out reioinder therefore is as foloweth No power proper to Euangelists is or ought to be perpetual in the Church of Christ their calling was both extraordinarie and temporarie but power to ordaine fit ministers to conuent and discharge vnfit is and ought to be perpetuall in the Church of Christ. This therefore was no power proper to Euangelists which S. Paul in these places prescribed vnto Tite and Timothie Againe your Presbyters may not claime Euangelisticall power since your Presbyters are no Euangelists but your Presbyteries claime this power which Paul here committeth to Timothie and Tite euen to ordaine examine censure and depriue Pastours and Teachers ergo this power was not proper to Euangelists Let all this bee nothing if Saint Paul in expresse wordes say not as much I charge thee saith he to Timothie in the sight of God and before Iesus Christ that thou keepe this commaundement without spot and vnrebukeable VNTIL THE APPEARING of our Lord Iesus Christ. For Timothie to obserue these things vntill the comming of Christ in glory was vtterly vnpossible hee was to die long before these preceptes therefore are deliuered to him and those that should succeed in his place vnto the ende of the world Ergo Timothies power and function in this behalfe must be perpetuall in the Church of God and not faile before the day of iudgement With great vigilancie and prouidence saieth Ambrose vpon this place doeth the Apostle giue percepts to the Ruler of the Church for in his person doeth the safetie of the people consist He is not so circumspect as fearing Timothies care but for his successours that after Timothies example they should obserue the ordering of the Church Now let the Christian Reader iudge whether this were a temporarâ—e function in Timothie that died with his person or a perpetuall charge to him and his successors for euer Surely Timothie was an Euangelist Timothie was no Bishop You say he was no Bishop Eusebius Ierome Ambrose Chrysostome Theodoretus Epiphanius Oecumenius Primasius affirme he was a Bishop and in that respect S. Paul by this epistle directed him and all other Bishops in him how to impose handes on Presbyters and receiue accusations against them yea the whole Church of Christ since the Apostles times without exception hath so constred and obserued the Apostles words in suffering none but Bishops either to ordaine or degrade Presbyters yet all this with you is nothing your bare fansie must ouer beare both fathers were they neuer so learned and Churches were they neuer so auncient And though you auouch this power must not exceed their two persons to whom S. Paul wrate yet you are so liberall and beneficiall to your Presbyteries that against all trueth and authoritie you make them succeede Timothie and Tite in their Euangelisticall power And so according to your maner you will haue this power to be proper and yet common to be extraordinarie and yet vsuall to cease with their persons and yet to dure for euer with your Presbyteries Fire will better agree with water then you with your selues except you leaue this rolling too and fro at your pleasures We say the Euangelists had this power for a time the Presbyteries for eâ—er What you say no wise man will regard vnlesse you make better proofes then I yet
punishments of his sinnes who art the occasion of them for remitting the former offences out of time thou shalt answere for those that are after committed as being the cause of them and likewise for those that are past as not letting him alone to lament and repent them And Ambrose Paul chargeth Timothie before God the father and Christ his sonne and the elect Angels Vnder this charge he commandeth those things to be kept which pertaine to ordination in the Church least easilie any man should get an ecclesiasticall dignitie but in quisition be first had of his life and maners that a meete and approoued Minister or Priest may be appointed neither any to be ordained whose faults deserue suspicion least the ordainer be defiled with his sinnes and offences for hee sinneth which ordaineth and trieth not Occumenius Where Paul saieth to Timothie I prayed thee to staie at Ephesus addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there had Paul ordained him a Bishop Let no man despise thy youth for a Bishop must speake with authoritie Hee giueth precepts not to Timothie alone but to euery Bishop And vpon these words Lay hands bastilie on no man Paul treateth of ordinations for he wrate to a Bishop And so writing on the epistle to Tite he saieth Paul left Tite to make Bishops in euery Citie hauing first made him a Bishop Primasius likewise Timothie was a Bishop and Pauls disciple to him by writing hee giueth authoritie to correct all ecclesiasticall discipline and to ordaine Bishops and Deacons And againe Be not partaker of an other mans sinnes Paul saieth It is a communion with another mans sinnes when one is ordained and not examined As therefore in ordaining euill men he is partaker of their sinnes which ordaineth such so in the ordaining of the holy he is partaker of their righteousnes which did make choise of so good men The perill of ordaining Bishops and Presbyters by Pauls owne confession lieth ineuitablie on such as impose hands and therefore by Gods lawe they must haue power to examine who bee fit and libertie to refuse those that be vnfit For as without them there can bee none ordained so if rashly or corruptly they lay hands on any they be partakers of their sinnes Further with elections of the Scriptures doe not meddle saue that Timothie as the Fathers affirme by occasion of Pauls words was chosen Bishop by prophesie that is by the direction and appointment of the holy Ghost and not by voyces Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the commaundement or appointment of the spirite were Bishops at first made and not at randon So Theodorete Thou vndertookest this order by diuine reuelation Chrysostome Paul to stirre vp Timothie putteth him in minde who choose him and who ordained him as if he had sayd Thou wast chosen of God hee himselfe put thee in trust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou wast not made by mens voices And Theophilact Anciently by the oracles appointment of the Prophets that is by the holy Ghost Priests were straight way ordained So was Timothie chosen to be a Priest Ambrose saieth Timothie was predestinated when he was taken by the Apostle to this end that he should bee ordained as iudged woorthie to be a Bishop This kinde of election I take was vsuall in the Apostles times the spirite of God directing them on whom they should lay their hands other election of Pastours and Teachers I read none specified in the sacred writings Popular election of Bishops I find afterward practised in the Primitiue Church but not mentioned in the Scriptures and therefore well may the peoples interest stand vpon the grounds of reason and nature and bee deriued from the rules of Christian equitie and societie but Gods lawe doeth not meddle with anie such matter nor determine more then I haue tolde you which is that such Bishops as ordaine them shall answere for them with the perill of their owne soules if they doe not carefullie looke into the abilitie and integritie of all that they authorize with imposition of handes to guide or teach the flocke of Christ. When I say the people can not chalenge by Gods lawe the right to choose their Bishop I meane no such thing is expressed and commaunded in the Scriptures excluding thereby the false conceites of some fanaticall spirites in our dayes which affirme our Bishops and Teachers to bee no true Pastours because they are not chosen by the particular voyces and personall Suffrages of the people and by consequent our Sacraments to bee no Sacramentes and Church no Church and so this whole Realme to bee drowned in confusion without assurance of saluation whose madnesse is rather to bee chastised by the Magistrate then to be refused by doctrine the authors being voyde not onely of learning which they despise but of reason to weigh what is sayde against them Otherwise I acknowledge each Church and people that haue not by lawe custome or consent restrained themselues stand free by Gods lawe to admit maintaine and obey no man as their Pastour without their liking and so the peoples election by themselues or their rulers dependeth on the very first principles of humane fellowships assemblees for which cause though bishops by Gods law haue power to examine ordaine before any may be placed to take charge of soules yet haue they no power to impose a Pastour on any Church against their wils nor to force them to yeelde him obedience or maintenaunce without their liking How farre authoritie custome and consent may preiudice and ouer-rule this libertie which Gods lawe leaueth vndiminished shall anone be handed when once we see what order the Primitiue Church obserued in her elections of Bishops and Presbyters The Churches of Christ had aunciently two wayes to bee prouided of Bishops and Presbyters the one Election the other Postulation When the Bishop of any Citie died whose Church had store of Clergie men to succeede the Bishops of the same Prouince that were neerest to the place by conference amongst themselues appointed a day to resort thither and aduertised both people and Presbyters thereof At which time the Clergie and Laitie assembling in the Church so many Bishops as conuenientlie might but vnder three they could doe nothing came thither and there heard both whom the Clergie named and whom the Citie liked If all or the most of euery sort agreed the partie was pronounced chosen another day prefixed to ordaine him the Bishops proposing his name and the time on the Church doores and requiring euerie man that could or would obiect any thing against him to bee then and there readie with his proofes and witnesses At their next repaire the Bishops that came to giue imposition of handes heard aduisedly what each man could charge him with and if in their consciences the elect prooued to bee such as the Apostle prescribed they ordained him in the eies of all men Pastour of that
If that were their first originall they neede not be ashamed of it all Christendome these twelue hundred yeeres hath reuerenced and followed the decrees and iudgement of the Nicene Fathers the founders of your newe discipline compared with them in antiquitie and authoritie come a great way behinde them but if you looke better about you you shall finde that Metropolitanes are farre elder then the Nicene Council They are not deuised but acknowledged in the Councill of Nice by these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the ancient vsage continue still in Egypt Libia Pentapolis that the bishop of Alexādria haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power and authoritie ouer all these places Likewise at Antioch and in other prouinces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the churches keepe their prerogatiues What those prerogatiues were which anciently belonged to the Metropolitane Churches and their Bishops though the Councill doeth not expresse them all yet these two are there mentioned In the 4. Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chiefe authoritie or ratification of things done must belōg in euery prouince to the Metropolitane and in this very Canon the next words are In al places or prouinces this is euident that if any man be made a bishop without the knowledge or consent of the Metropolitane this great Council determineth he must be no Bishop So that neither could Synodes be called nor Bishops ordained without y ◠Metropolitan by the Canons of the Nicene Council their power prerogatiue within their own prouince began not first in that Council but is there witnessed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ancient vse as they speake in the 7. Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ancient tradition The Councill of Antioch that assembled fifteene yeeres after the Council of Nice concluded as much as I do out of the Nicene Canons A Bishop must not be ordained without a Synode and the presence of the Metropolitane the Bishops of eache Prouince to make a Synode the Metropolitane by his letters must call together It is very requisite that in euery Prouince Councils be kept twise in the yeere to the which Presbyters Deacons and all others that thinke they haue wrong may repaire to receiue iustice from the Synode It is not lawfull for any to assemble Synodes of themselues without those to whom the in other Cities are committed For that is a perfect Council where the Metropolitane is present What power the Metropolitane had aboue the rest they likewise expresse The Bishops of euery prouince must agnise the Metropolitane to haue the ouerfight and care of the whole Prouince Wherefore wee thinke it meet that in honor he be afore them the rest of the bishops do nothing without him according to the canon of our fathers that hath anciently preuailed but onely such thinges as pertaine to their owne charge and Dioecese Further they shall enterprise nothing without the Metropolitane nor the Metropolitane without the consent of the rest The generall Councill of Ephesus affirmeth that Metropolitanes had their preeminence from the beginning of the Church It seemeth good to this sacred Occumenicall Council to reserue vnto euery prouince vntouched and vndiminished the rights which they haue had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frō the first beginning euery Metropolitan hauing libertie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take the copie of our Acts for his owne security according to the vse anciently confirmed These 3. Councils confesse that Metropolitanes were no late nor newe deuise first authorized by the Council of Nice but their right and preeminence was an ancient vsage and Canon of the Church euen from the beginning Nowe that all Christendome euer after the Nicene Councill embraced this kinde of gouernement by Metropolitanes is a case so cleare that no shift can refuse it The second Councill of Arle in France that immediately followed the Councill of Nice saith Nullus episcopus sine Metropolitani per missa nec Episcopus Metropolitanus sine tribus Episcopis comprouincialibus praesumat Episcopum ordinare Let no Bishop presume to ordaine a Bishop without the permission of the Metropolitane nor the Metropolitane himselfe without three Bishops of the same Prouince For this is first euident that hee which is made a Bishop sine conscientia Metropolitani without the consent of his Metropolitane he ought to be no Bishop according to the great Councill of Nice And so for Synodes The Synode shall be assembled at the discretion of the Bishop of Arle and if any being summoned cannot come by reason of sickenes hee shall send another to supplie his place But if any shall neglect to be present or depart before the Councill be dissolued let him know he is excluded from the communion of his brethren and may not be receiued vnles he be absolued in the next Synode The Council of Laodieea in Phrygia Let Bishops be appointed to the regiment of the church by the iudgement of the Metropolitane and the Bishops adioyning being called to the Synode they must not neglect it but go thither and teach or learne what is requisite for the direction of the Church and the rest of their brethren The second Councill of Carthage in Affrica We all thinke good that the Primate of euery Prouince being not first consulted no man presume though with many Bishops in what place soeuer without his precept to ordaine a Bishop but if necessitie force three Bishops wheresoeuer with the Primates precept may ordaine a Bishop The fift Council of Carthage Wee thinke good that the Primates of euerie Prouince be written vnto that when they assemble Councils in their owne Prouinces they hinder not the day limited for the generall meeting The Mileuitane Councill Aurelius Bishop of Carthage saide This is a common cause that euery one of vs should acknowledge his order allowed him by God and the lower Bishops yeeld to those that are aboue them and not presume to doe anything without them Wherefore they which attempt to do ought without regard of their superiors must be accordingly repressed by the whole Synode Al the Bishops answered This order hath bin kept by our fathers and forefathers and by Gods grace shall be kept of vs. The Councill of Rhegium in Italie The ordination which the Canons define to be voyde we also determine to bee frustrate wherein since there were neither three present nor the Letters of the Comprouinciall Bishops nor the Metropolitanes good will obtained there was vtterly nothing that shoulde make a Bishop And againe Let no Bishop repaire to the Church which hath not her chiefe priest except he be inuited by the letters of the Metropolitane lest he be circumuented by the people The Council of Tarracon in Spaine If any Bishop warned by the Metropolitane neglect to come to the Synode except he be hindered by some corporal necessitie let him be depriued of the cōmunion of all the Bishops
maintenance from the Church of Christ. Wherefore they must either giue all Lay Elders double maintenance as Saint Paul willeth which they doe not or shut them cleane from these wordes which yeelde double maintenance by Gods law to Presbyters that rule well What the meaning of Saint Paul is in this place though much might bee saide and is saide of others which I haue omitted yet to satisfie the Reader I haue laide downe foure seuerall expositions too long to bee heere inserted which I willingly permit to the censure of the wise whether euerie one of them be not more consonant to the true intent of Saint Paul then theirs is and as answerable to his wordes If Paul in plaine words did not disclaime Lay Elders as hauing no right to chalenge double maintenāce from the church nor other places contradict them yet were there no reason vpon the needlesse and iointlesse construction of this one sentence to receiue them for by what logicke prooue they out of this place there were some Presbyters that gouerned well and laboured not at all in the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as specially or chiefly doth distinguish as they thinke the one sort from the other by a superior degree doth it not distinguish as wel things as persons and note so well diuers respects as diuers subiects for example if we should say Magistrates that gouerne well are worthy of double honor specially they that heare the complaints of the poore Were he not very fansiful that would hence cōclude there are ergo two sorts of magistrats one that gouerneth wel another that heareth the complaints of the poore Againe out of these speches Counsellors that be wise are acceptable to their Princes specially such as are faithfull workemen are rewarded for their skill but specially for their paines Pastors that be vertuous are to be wished for but specially if they be learned wil any sober man inferre that fidelitie and wisedome skil and industrie learning and vertue do not meet in one subiect because specially goeth betwene them Nothing is more common then by this kind of speach to note as well two diuers qualities in one man as two sundrie sortes of men yea thereby to preferre a part before the general comprising that part As Teachers are to be liked for their learning specially for their knowledge in the Scriptures good men are to bee loued for their vertues specially if they be liberall In these speeches they will say the persons be diuers as well as the things for some Counsellors be wise that be not faithfull some workemen expert that be not painefull some Pastours learned that be not vertuous That prooueth true not by any force of these speeches but by the defect of the persons that want fidelitie industrie and integritie for the words rather imploy that both parts should be and therefore may be found in one man before he deserueth this adiection of specially As a Counseller must be wise and specially faithfull before he can be acceptable to his Prince A workeman must be painefull as well as skilfull before he deserue his wages A Pastour must not only be honest but also able to discharge his duetie before he should be greatly esteemed And so by Saint Pauls words they may conclude a Presbyter must not only gouerne well but also labour in the word before he may be counted to be specially or most woorthie of double honour other collection out of the Apostles wordes they can make none And that shall wee soone finde if wee resolue the Apostles wordes in such sort as the nature of the Greeke tongue permitteth vs. The words stand precisely thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters GOVERNING WEL let them be counted worthie of double honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SPECIALLY LABOVRING in the word and doctrine The participles as euerie meane scholer knoweth may be resolued not onely by the Relatiue and his verb but by many other parts of speech and their verbs which oftentimes expresse the sense better then the Relatiue As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not musle thine oxe treading out thy corne that is whiles he treadeth out thy corne for after thou art not prohibited to musle him So in the sentence which we speake of Presbyters gouerning well are woorthy of double honor well gouerning is the cause of double honour neither is double honor due to Presbyters but with this condition if they gouerne well Then resolue the Apostles wordes either with a causall or conditionall adiunction which is plainly the speakers intent and we shall see howe little they make for two sortes of Presbyters Presbyters if they rule well are worthie of double honour specially if they labour in the word or Presbyters for ruling well are worthie of double honour specially for labouring in the word Here are not two sortes of Elders as they conceiue the one to gouerne the other to teach but two duties of eche Presbyter namely to teach and gouerne before hee can be most worthie of double honour Their owne rules confirme the same Those whome they cal Teachers or Doctours must they not labor in the word There can be no doubt they must Are they then most woorthie or so worthie as Pastors be of double honour who not onely labour in the word but also watch and attend the flocke to rule it well I trust not Then Pastors are most worthie and consequentlie more worthie then Doctors of double honor because they not only watch to gouerne wel but also labour in the word If any man striue for two sorts of persons to be contained in these wordes though there be vtterly no reason to force that collection we can admit that also without any mention of Lay Elders I haue shewed two interpretations how diuers sorts of Presbyters may be noted by these wordes and neither of them Lay to which I refer y e Reader that is willing to see more I may not here offer a fresh discourse of things else-where handled The briefe is Presbyters we reade and Presbyteries in the Apostolike writings but none Lay that were admitted to gouerne the Church Presbyters did attend and feede the flocke as Gods Stewards and were to exhort with wholsome doctrine and conuince the gainesayers and Presbyteries as themselues vrge did impose hands These be the dueties which the holy Ghost else-where appointeth for the president and the rest of the Presbyterie other then these except this place of which wee reason the Scriptures name none and these be no dueties for Laie Elders vnlesse they make all partes of Pastourall chage common to Lay Presbyters and distinguish them only by the place as if Pastors were to ouersee and feede the flocke in the pulpite and Laie Presbyt ers in the Consistorie Which if they doe they allow onely wordes to Pastours and yeeld to laie Presbyrers both Pastorall words and deedes giuing them authoritie to feede watch the flocke of Christ
these the Churches had commandement if they came to receiue theÌ„ that is to beleeue them trust them as men sincerely minded sent from the Apostles yea to admit them with all gladnesse and highly to esteeme of them From their mouthes as perfectly vnderstanding the Apostles doctrine doings and meaning by reason of their continuall societie with them were other Pastours of the Church to be directed and instructed Persist thou saieth Paul to Timothie in those things which thou hast learned and are committed to thee knowing of whom thou hast learned them And what things thou hast heard of me in the presence of many witnesses the same deliuer to faithfull men that they may be able to teach others And againe I haue sent vnto you Timotheus which is my beloued sonne and faithfull in the Lord who shall put you in remembrance of my wayes as I teach euery where in euery Church These were charged by Paul to require and command the Pastours and Preachers to refraine from false doctrine and to stop their mouthes or reiect them that did otherwise to ordaine Elders according to the necessitie of the places and receiue accusations against them and sharplie openly to rebuke them if they sinned and that with all authoritie These things the Apostle earnestly requireth and before Christ and his elect Angels chargeth Timothie and Tite to doe It is then euident they might so doe for how vaine and friuolous were all those protestations made by S. Paul if Timothie and Tite had onely voyces amongst the rest and nothing to doe but as the rest How farre was the Apostle ouerseene to adiure them and not the whole Presbyterie to keepe his prescriptions inuiolable if the Elders might euery houre countermaund them and ouer-rule them by number of voyces Since then they were willed and consequently warranted by the Apostles to ordaine examine rebuke and reiect Pastors Elders as iust occasion serued equal ouer equal hath no power nor preheminence It is certaine that as wel the Apostles authorizing as their disciples authorized so to do were superiors in the Church of Christ to Pastours and Elders and likewise that they might and did perfourme and execute the Apostles rules and prescriptions without expecting the consent of Pastours or Presbyteries and the Churches of Christ knew they were bound to obey and bee subiect to them in those cases guided by the Apostles mouthes or letters as well as if the Apostles had bene present and that to resist them was to resist the order which the holy Ghost had approoued in gouerning the Church CHAP. VI. What dominion and titles Christ interdicted his Apostles THe power and prerogatiue of the Apostles aboue Euangelists Prophets Pastours Doctors and all others in the Church would the sooner bee granted were it not that certaine places in holie Scripture seeme repugnant to it as where Christ forbade his Apostles all dominion ouer their brethren and the Apostles in electing to offices assembling in councell to determine of faith imposing of handes and putting the wicked out of the Church seemed not to chalenge all to themselues but to associate others with them as if the right thereof appertained so well to the Church Presbyterie as to the Apostles which particular actions cause many men to thinke that alone the Apostles could not execute these things but iointly with others It shall therefore not be amisse to consider the places In the contention amongst the disciples for superioritie wee must obserue the occasion of their strife and the affection of the striuers The occasioÌ„ was ministred by Iames and Iohn the sonnes of Zebedee who by their mother importuned Christ that in his kingdome her sonnes might be the chiefest men about him and sit the one at his right hand the other at his left These two dreamed as the rest of the Jewes and also the other Apostles did whiles they were weake vntill they were endued with the power of the holy Ghost from heauen that the Messias should restore the temporall kingdom to Israel and sit as an earthly prince in great glorie on the throne of Dauid his father and rule all nations with a rod of iron receiuing of them subtection seruice and tribute as other Princes vsed and whatsoeuer the Prophets foretold of the wonderful plentie tranquilitie excellencie of the kingdome of Christ these two not sauouring as yet the things that were Gods nor vnderstanding any thing of the spiritual kingdom of Christ applied to fit their earthly desires hoped for great promotions by seruing their master and looked to beare rule to be chiefe men about him when he came to his glory The other ten being deceiued with the same error caried with the like hope though not expressed in so ambitious maner disdained the two brethren the neerer their master drew towards his death y â— sharper grew the strife amongst them who should be greatest chiefest about him when he came to his kingdom which they supposed should be earthly This vaine expectation and contention of his disciples the Lord vtterly suppresseth at his last supper for there the strife reuiued by assuring them that his kingdom was no worldly kingdom and therefore they might not looke to be great Commanders and Rulers ouer others for so his words import Princes of the Gentils beare rule ouer them and great States exercise authoritie on them with you it shall not be so that is you shall not haue any such rule or dominion as they haue He doeth not say you shall haue no prerogatiue nor preheminence aboue others but you shall haue no such or it shall not be so with you as it is with them By this all ciuill iurisdiction power of the sword to command compell punish by losse of life liâ—â—â—e or libertie is secluded from the ministers function and reserued to the Magistrates but Christ neuer meant by those words to barre all degrees and diuersities of gifts and administrations in his Church he rather expresseth the coutrarie euen in the same place Ye are they saieth he to his Apostles which haue continued with me in my tentations and I for recompense appoint you a kingdom as my father hath appointed to me that you may eate drinke at my table in my kingdom and sit vpon thrones iudging the twelue tribes of Israel And not depriuing them of that honour which he had or would bestow on them to be chiefe in his kingdome but instructing them how to vse it without offending God or grieuing their brethren he addeth He that is greatest amongst you let him be as the least and he that is chiefest as he that serueth In which wordes the Lord noteth amanifest distinction amongst his of some greater some lesse some chiefer some lower and chargeth his Apostles to vse that greatnesse and authoritie which they had in
such sort that thereby they should serue euen the meanest of their brethren to doe them good and become all things to all men that they might winne some This he caught them that very time not in wordes onely but by deeds also for hauing washed their feete and wiped them drte he saieth vnto them Vnderstand you what I haue done to you you call me Master and Lord and you say well for I am so Then if I your Lord and Master haue washed your feete you ought to wash one an others feete I haue giuen you an example that as I haue done to you you should also doe the liked They should be so farre from striuing who should be greatest that euen the greatest and chiefest should striue to preuent the lowest and meanest with honour and seruice after the example of their Master These texts then conâ—â—â—â—e two speciall doctrines vnto vs. The 〈◊〉 that Apostles and Preachers may not chalenge by vertue of their office any compulsiue dominion or violent iurisdiction ouer their brethren but leaue that to Princes The next the greater our calling is in Christes Church the readier we should te to make our selues euen with those of the lowest degree to gaine them thereby but that Christ intended in those places to giue all sortes of Minister and helpers in his Church equall power and authoritie with his Apostles I am not perswaded and that for these causes What Christ had alreadie giuen or after meant to giue to his Apostles he would neuer crosse with any speach of his The sonne of God cannot repent his fact or alter his mind but the same kingdome that was appointed to him he appointed to them and as his father sent him so sent he them into all the world with a larger warrant from his mouth and greater power and wisedome of his holy spirit to teach all nations what he commanded them and to open all the counsell of God vnto them then was giuen to other teachers and helpers in the Church He therefore neuer recalled nor rebated any part of their Apostolike prehâ—â—nnence aboue others but onely taught them to vse it to Gods glory and the edifying of his Church Againe what Christ had prohibited no Apostle guided by his spirite would euer haue vsed or chalenged but Paul in his writings hath chalengeth and vseth an Apostolicall power and preheminence aboue other Pastours and Teachers in the Church as is alreadie declared It was therefore neuer intended by our Sauiour to make all others equall with his Apostles in the direction and regiment of his Church Lastly if those places did conclude any thing for an equalitie that must bee referred to the Apostles amongst themselues to whom Christ gaue equall power and honour as Cyprian noteth of them The Apostles were endued with like fellowship of honour and power And Ierome All the Apostles receiued the keies of the kingdome of heauen and the strength of the Church is equally grounded on them But Paul speaking of himselfe saieth not that wee haue dominion ouer your fayth but are helpers of your ioy and Peter admonisheth all Pastours to feede the flocke of God not as if they were lordes ouer Christes inheritance but as examples to the flocke Qui vocatur ad Episcopatum faieth Origene non ad Principatum vocatur sedad seruitutem totius Ecclesiae Hee that is called to bee a Bishop is called not to the soueraigntie but to the seruice of the whole Church Episcopi sacerdotes se esse nouerinst non Dominos saieth Ierome Let the Bishops vnderstand they are Priestes not Lordes or Masters And Bernard Forma Apostolica haec est Dominatio interdioitur indicitur ministratio The paterne for the Apostles themselues is this dominion is interdicted a ministration is enitâ—ned These and such like speaches in the Scriptures and fathers doe neither prooue all ministers to haue equall power and honour with the Apostles nor impugne the regiment which the Pastours haue ouer their flocks but as wee 〈◊〉 before by the wordes of our Sauiour they distinguish betweene pastorall and princely regiment and direct both Apostles and Pastours how they shall gouerne The thing so much prohibited by Christ and his Apostles whose wordes the auncient fathers doe follow is that Preachers and Pastours should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behaue or thinke themselues to be lords and masters ouer their brethren What word is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scriptures and wherein consisteth the relation betwixt them if we call to mind we shall not be deceiued in the right sense of these wordes Christ saieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The seruant is not aboue his lord or Master and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no seruant can serue two masters The power of lordes masters ouer their seruants is likewise expressed by our Sauiour The seruant that knoweth his masters will and doeth not according to his will shall bee beaten with many stripes And againe I say to my seruant doe this and he doeth it Yee seruants faieth Paul obey the masters of your flesh in all things for know yee not that his seruaunts you are whom you obey whereby as by infinite other places it is euident that opposite to lord and master are neither children nor brethren but seruants and he is a seruant that is vnder the yoke and bound to obey his masters will euen as he is a lord or master that may commaund his seruant to execute his will or thereto compell him with stripes for that is the right of a lord and master to commaund and punish his seruant that disobeieth What maruell then if Christ forbade his Apostles to bee lordes and masters ouer their brethren that is to commaund them and compell them aâ— their vassals since the beleeuers are no servaunts but brethren and the Pastours no lordes ouer Gods inheritance but fathers vnto the faithfull Whereby the honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Christes flocke is not diminished but augmented and the people not licenced the sooner to 〈◊〉 theâ— but thereby required the rather to regard them for 〈…〉 honour due to master or father and who loueth most a seruant or a sonne Amare filiorum timere seruorum est A sonne doeth loue a seruant doeth feare which God expresseth by his Prophet when he â—aith If I be a father where is mine honour If I be a Master where is my feare Wherefore to increase the loue of his sheepe towards their shepeheards Christ would not haue his Apostles to be feared as masters but to be honoured as fathers and consequently Pastours not to force but to feede not to chase but to lead the flocke committed to their charge neither toughly to intreat them as seruants but gently to perswade them as coheires of the same kingdome If at any time they require and commaund they doe it in Gods name as messengers sent to declare his will who