will improoue the vse of it where it is He also goeth further and protesteth that whilest he sustaineth the person that then he did meaning belike whilest he should be the chiefe pastor at Geneua hee would striue to the death for that forme of Discipline But yet toward the end he tempereth all againe in some sorte For else it had been a ridiculous matter to haue referred their doubtes to those Cities and withall to haue signified vnto them that thus and thus we are resolued and if you shall iudge otherwise we care not for your iudgements for we will surely sticke to our owne He therefore thus qualifieth this point saying nec morositate nostra fiet vt loco potius cedamus quam sententia we will not bee so wilfull as that wee minde rather to leaue our places then our opinions Meaning as I take it that seeing they had put their cause into their hands they would be content to stand to their directions You do looke I am sure to know to what purpose maister Caluin vsed all this Rhetoricke and what the matter was which hee desired at their handes He himselfe shall tell you as he told maister Bullinger Breuis summa est c. The summe thereof briefly is this that your honourable Senate may giue this aunswere vz that the forme of our Discipline which heretofore we haue followed is consentanea verbo dei agreeable to the word of God deinde nouitatem improbet and then let them reproue the newsanglenesse of our Citizens Indeed if he can get that aunswere it is to the matter and of likelyhood will serue his turne But what do the magistrates of Geneua all this while you will say Surely I tolde you before As soone as they could they writ and sent their letters to the said foure Cities Of those that came to Zuricke maister Bullinger writeth that they were but short and so I thinke we may iudge of the rest The effect of which letters was vz that they of those Cities would resolue them 1. How excommunication was to be vsed by the worde of God 2. Whether it might not be vsed by some other meanes then by a consistorie 3. What the practise of their Churches was in that point Vppon the receite of these letters euen as maister Caluin foresaw it would come to passe there were appointed in Zuricke foure the Consull and three Senators to consult with three of their learned Ministers what aunswere was meet to be giuen to the said three questions If the magistrates of Geneua had met with as good an orator as M. Caluin was that would haue layd open the qualities and proceedings of the Consistorian faction how they intermedled in all the common affayres of the citty how they vsed to keepe men from the Communion without yeelding any other reason why they do so but because soome of the godly bretheren forsooth were offended with them how if a man haue committed any offence for the which hee is punished and professeth his harty repentance for the same yet they will keepe him from the Communion vntill it please them to say that he is penitent inough which they doe as they affect the party If in their letters they had infourmed how vpon any light displeasure or rash information their wiues their children and seruauntes were called into the Disciplinarian Consistory a place for criminall persons so as thereby they were infamed how they affected popularity wholy which might endaunger the Magistrates of the Citty vppon any displeasure conceiued against them how they of the citty had beene compassed in the framinge of the platforme of the Consistory how although there was a pretence of a Senate yet one man did all and the rest were but attendants of his pleasure how by experience they found that theyr Bishop did neuer tyrannise more ouer them by his spiritual iurisdiction then now some one man did how the autority which had bene taught to belonge vnto them beeing ciuile Magistrates was wholy taken from them againe nothinge lefte vnto them but to bee the executioners of their Consistoriall mens pleasures If they had foresene how likely it was that M. Caluin would seeke to discredite them all to his vttermost had therfore signifyed vnto the Magistrates of these foure citties that there were as honest religious men in the Cittie of Geneua that misliked that forme of Church-gouernment as there were that spake for it that if in their letters they depraued any their euill wordes ought not to preiudice the cause committed vnto them for that it is their custome to slaunder all those that do impugne them that they for their partes the magistrates of that Cittie rested all of them as fully resolued to continue the preaching of the Gospel amongst thē as euer they were glad at the first to procure admit it If they had giuen some round intimation that they the cittizens were resolued to haue their Church reformed according to some of the platformes of the Heluetian Churches and that they would no longer endure to be so ouer-looked and hampered in their owne free Cittie by such a pragmaticall and intermedlinge Discipline If I say their letters had beene penned after this or some such like sort as I suppose there was good cause the proceedings of that Consistory being such at that time as since they haue beene in other places I doubt not but that the ministers of those citties would haue aduised their magistrates to haue giuen an other kinde of aunswere then they did For they the saide ministers belieuing Maister Caluins information that all was true which he had reported vnto them and considering what a small matter it was which hee and the rest of his associates required at their handes that the satisfying of them therein might breake the backs of such a wicked conspiracy as was pretended to haue beene made euen against Christ himselfe and his Church and not onely preuente that mischiefe for that time but procure the establishinge of the Gospell there for time to come hereafter they dealt no otherwise for the sayde aunswere then I am perswaded all the Bishops that now are in England if then they had liued woulde haue done in the like case And that was in effect as Maister Caluin wished sauing that whereas he woulde haue had them to haue sayde that the forme of the Geneua discipline was consentanea verbo dei agreable to the worde of God they refused to write in that sorte but were content to say that it did accedere ad verbi dei praescriptum that is that it drewe towardes the prescript of gods worde or looked that way But you shall heare Maister Bullinger himselfe report the aunswere of their Senate which was that they were grieued theyr Church was so troubled as that one quarrell and contention did begette another that they had lately heard of the consistoriall lawes of that Church for Caluin had sent such of them as he thought good
Zanchius reporteth of Archbishops and Bishops into new and worse Latine names of superintendentes and generall superintendentes Erneste the Duke of Brunswick presently after the assembly of Augusta procured Vrbanus Regius to go home with him ecclesiarum in toto Ducatu Episcoparum ipsius gubernationi permisit and coÌ„mitted vnto his gouernment the Bishopricke or superintendencie of all the Churches within his Dukedome One Sydonius being thrust as it seemeth from the Bishopricke of Mersenburge as cleauing wholly to Popery was afterwardes vppon his leauing of the Pope and vpon promise made to maintaine the reformation of religion made in his absence restored to his bishopricke And after him succeeded as I take it in that bishopricke George the Prince Anhalt before mentioned being chosen thereunto as hee saith himselfe vniuerso capitali consensu by the consent of the whole chapter He had been brought vp in learning and was at the time of the saide election a Priest or Cannon in the Cathedrall Church of Mersenburge Of whom being bishop Henricus Stenius saith règebat ecclesias in Mersenburgensi diocaesi hee ruled the Churches in the dioces of Mersenburge And againe praesuit ecclesijs vniuersae ditionis Mysorum he gouerned the Churches of all the dominion of Mysya Agreeable aswell to these examples as to the saying of Zanchius before specified is that which Ia Haerbrandus a verie learned man and in his time Diuinitie reader of Tubinge writeth in his common places Debent gradus esse c. There ought to be degrees amongest Ministers c. as with vs in the Duchy of Wirtenberge there are subdeacons Deacons Pastors special superintendentes and ouer them generall superintendentes And in another place the same Haerbrand shewing his iudgement generally Saluberrimum esset c. It were a most profitable order for the welfare of the Church if euery particular prouince had her Bishoppes and the Bishops their Archbishop And Iacobus Andreas hee is muche of the same opinion as certaine Ministers of Heidelberge doe reporte vz where hee saith that it is a difficult matter to defend the peaceable estate of Churches except there be some chiefe ruler and Byshop amongest them to whome rerum summa deferatur the full ordering of matters may be referred To this purpose in like sorte Osiander writeth euen as though he had spoken of the Church of England Although in the Primitiue church when she flourished with myracles there were diuers degrees and orders of Ministers some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelistes and some Pastors and Doctors yet as now the state of the Church is the Ministers may be deuided into three orders or degrees vz Deacons Pastors and Superintendentes c. To the Pastors particular Churches are committed Nec dubitatur c. and it is not doubted but that euery one of them may rule the Church committed vnto him sine collegae concilio without the Councell of any fellow Those pastors we call superintendents who are so set ouer other pastors that they may visite the state of their Churches and punish both the Pastors and the people if any thing be done amisse or if any thing fall out that they cannot correct then they referre it vnto a higher court consisting of deuines and politick men who by the ciuile Magistrates authoritie or approbation doe amend such defects c. Hemingius also affirmeth that there are dispares dignitatis gradus in the ministery that partly by the law of Cod partly by the approbation of the Church that as Christ ascending into heauen gaue gifts vnto men Apostles Prophets Euangelists doctors and pastors so he gaue to the Church authoritie for edification that the Church by vertue of that power ordained ministers for her profite that the purer churches following the Apostles times ordained some Patriarchs some Bishops c. some Pastors and some Catechists c. That the reformed Churches haue their Bishops doctors Pastors and vnder them chaplains we call them curâ—tes as I thinke That the Churches in Denmarke doe acknowledge degrees of dignitie amongst Ministers that they iudge it meet that other Ministers should obey their Bishops in althings which tend to the edification of the church according to the word of God the profitable gouernment of the Church and that they iudge Bb s. to haue authoritie ouer other Ministers of the church ius non despoticum sed patrium Ieremia Hombergus a worthy man in the Churches of God about Styria Carinthia and Carniola but now remoued thence through the persecution which the Iesuits haue kindled in those parts affirmeth in his commoÌ„ places of diuinitie reuiewed allowed at Ratisbone with very direct termes that God himselfe hath appointed degrees of ministers in the church euen amongest those which haue a mediate calling vt concordia inter ministros coÌ„seruetur c. that concord amongst ministers might be preserued the workes of their ministery performed more easily and more decently And after he hath specified the common duties both of Bishops and ministers he setteth down those which he thinketh are peculiar to Bishops and to bee executed by them vz excommunication ordination and confirmation And with him agreeth the Diuinitie reader at Lauinge Phill. Haylbronner writing vpon the first Epistle of S. Paul to Timothy Where he sheweth that the Apostle appointed Timothy to be Bishop of Ephesus that accordingly there are and ought to be degrees and orders of ministers of the Church hauing described the common duties likewise of all ministers generally he saith thus Episcopus c. Besides the said common offices to Bishops was commended the publicke ouersight and gouernment so as it belonged to them to appoint fit ministers for the churches neere them also to heare the accusations and complaints which are made against the Pastors of theyr churches and to decide them c. Sic enim Paulus scribit Timotheo Ephesorum Episcopo for so Paul writeth to the Bishop of Ephesus lay thy hands rashly vppon no man and against a Priest admit not an accusation c. Of the same iudgement in like sort is Egidius Hunius the diuinitie professor at Marpurge in his commentarie vpon S. Pauls Epistle to Titus He affirmeth that the Apostle appointed Titus the generall superintendent for the gouernement ouer the Churches of that large and noble Iland of Crete that his dutie was to ordaine Pastors in euery parish and likewise to make Bishops that the Bishop or superintendent hath his dioces the Pastor his parishe or church as Paule commaunded Titus to place priestes in euery parish That thereby it appeareth God doth require that there should bee orders and degrees amongest Ministers vt alij praesint alij subsint that some may rule and some obey that this order is not newly deuised but receaued in the church from the Apostles times and that God himselfe made a distinction betweene Ministers and appointed degrees according to that hee gaue some Apostles
you of vs or least those things which we haue written of Ecclesiasticall policie properly against that Antichristian tyrannie as necessitie required are taken by some in that sense as if euer we had meant to compel to our order those churches that thinke otherwise then we doo of it and the gouernors of them agreeing els with vs in the truth of doctrine agreeable to the word of God and that except they followed our order we accounted otherwise of them then their godlines and dignitie and mutuall brotherhood doth require c. Farre be this arrogancie from vs. Quis vllum nobis in vllam Ecclesiam imperium tribuit Who doth giue vs authority ouer anie church Far be it from vs that we should thinke so the substantiall matters be kept there ought nothing to be graunted to antiquitie nothing to custome nothing to the circumstances of places times and persons c. Againe in his booke against D. Sarauia hauing spoken of the tyrannie of Popish Bishops hee maketh this exception Neque tamen But wee doo not therefore accuse all Archbishops and Bishops now so called of tyranie For what arrogancie were that Nay so as they doo imitate the examples of the olde holy Bishops and indeuor as much as they can to reforme the house of God so miserably deformed according to the rule of Gods word why may we not acknowledge al of them now so called Archbishops and Bishops obey them and honor them with all reuerence So far we are from that which some obiect vnto vs most falsly and most impudently as though we tooke vppon vs to prescribe to anie Church in anie place our examples to be followed like vnto those vnwise men who account wel of nothing but of that which they doo themselues And to the same effect a little before If now the reformed Churches of England being vnderpropped with the authoritie of Bishoppes and Archbishops do continue as this hath happened to that Church in our memorie that she hath had men of that calling not onely most notable martyrs of God but also excellent pastors and doctors Fruatur sane ista singulari dei benificentia quae vtinam illi sit perpetua Let her truly inioy this singular blessing of God which I wish may be perpetuall vnto her Furthermore it should seeme that Zanchius as moderate and learned a man as euer fauoured the pretended Elderships was appointed some 12 or 16. yeres since to draw a confâ—ssion of religion for the Churches of France others as Melanchthon had done the Augustan confession for Germanie Accordingly hee drew it and in the same speaking of Bishops he vseth these wordes Non improbamius patres c. Wee doo not disalow the fathers in that after a diuers waie of dispensing the word and gouerning the Church they multiplied diuerse orders of Ministers seeing it was lawfull for them so to do as it is vnto vs and seeing it appeareth that they did it for honest causes appertaining at that time to the order decencie and edification of the Church And in the next article Hac ratione c. By this reason vz. that the nurseries of dissentions and of schismes may be taken away wee thinke that these thinges which were ordained before the Councell of Nice concerning Archbishops nay as touching the foure Patriarches may be excused and defended When this booke was perused and this clause found in it then forsoth a deuise was had for the staying of it vnder pretence that now it was thought more meete that there should be a harmonie made of all the confessions of diuers churches But Zanchius himselfe maketh this the chiefe cause if I vnderstand him why his booke dyd mislike some of them for that hee had written as before is mentioned of Bishops For so hee sayth Magnus quidam vir c. A certaine great man meaning Beza as it is supposed did write vnto mee of this matter as followeth Your confession was read by mee and N. others with great delight It is written most learnedly and in a most exquisite methode and if you except that which you adde towards the end touching Archbishops and the Hierarchie mihi summopere placuit it pleased mee exceedingly Vpon this occasion as it seemeth Zanchius printed his said confession with certaine annotations In the which annotations he sheweth three reasons for his allowance of Archbishops Bishops The first is grounded vpon the practise of the primitiue church presently after the Apostles times the second is for that hee thought it his dutie in the draught of his said booke to haue regard to those reformed churches which retaine both Bishops Archbishops and the third because all the reformed Churches generally although they haue chaunged the names yet in effect they doe keepe the authoritie as where they haue superintendents and generall superintendents Nay saith he where these new base Latine names are not admitted Ibi tamen solent esse aliquot primarij penes quos fere tota est authoritas yet there are in those places vsually certaine chiefemen that doe in a manner beare all the sway But I pray you be pleased that I may deliuer vnto you the maner of his setting down of his first reason and that in his owne words for they carry with them a notable condemnation of other mens great pride rashnes Cum haenc conscriberem fidei confessionem c. When I writ this confession of faith I writ all the thinges in it of a good conscience and as I beleeued so I freely spake the scriptures teaching men so to doe And my faith first of all and simply doth rely vpon the word of God then somewhat also vpon the common consent of the whole ancient Catholicke Church if the same bee not repugnant to the scriptures For I beleeue that what thinges were defined and receiued by the auncient Fathers assembled in the name of the Lord with a generall consent of them all and without any contradiction of the holy Scriptures the same surely although they be not of the same authoritie with holy Scriptures yet did they proceed from the holy Ghost Heereof it commeth to passe that those things which are of this nature neither would I neither dare I with a good conscience disallow them And what can be shewed more certainly out of histories out of the councels out of the writings of all the ancient fathers then that those orders of Ministers of the which we haue spoken haue bene ordained and receiued in the Church by the generall consent of all christian common-wealths And who then am I that should presume to reproue that which the whole Church hath approued This is true and religious humilitie Thus all graue and discreet godly men haue euerwritten Those that contemne all the learned Fathers that went before them doe open a windowe to their owne discredite by those that shall come after them That which this godly and great learned man ascribeth to the
were giuen Omnibus veris presbyteris to all true Priests or Elders including in that number his vnpriestlie Eldermen Againe vpon these words of christ the keyes c. Hac metaphorica loquutione significatur oeconomi potestas Esa 22 22. qua funguntur omnes ministri in ecclesia dei vt apparet infra 18 18. By this metaphoricall speech is signified that power of Christ mentioned in Esay the key of the house of Dauid I will lay vppon his shoulders loe hee shall open and no man shall shut and hee shall shut and no man shall open which power all the Ministers in the Church of God doe enioye as it appeareth in Mathew Whatsoeuer ye binde in earth shall bee bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall bee loosed in heauen And vppon that place of Mathew the 18 Chapter and in manie other places by the Church and those binders and loosers there spoken of hee vnderstandeth his Eldership so consequently aswell his Aldermen as the Ministers of the worde Hee that with an open face to vse Cartwrightes terme doth affirme that either in Mathew the 16. 15. or in the place of Esay mentioned these vnpreaching Elders were ment or prefigured needeth not I warrant him at any time a vizard Indeed maister Cartwright is not of Bezaes mind herein For saith he in Math. 16. and in Ioh. 20. Christ vnder standeth that euery one of the ministers bindeth looseth by preaching but the wordes Math. 18.18 cannot bee drawen to the particular person of the minister Surelye you haue sponne a faire thredde For if your Aldermen be not aswell vnderstoode in the wordes of Christ Vnto thee I will giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen as in these Whatsoeuer yee binde on earth shall bee bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen It will fall out that they will haue no keies either to open or shut withall except peraduenture you will make your lockes with a springe and so indeed they maie shutte the dore but for openinge of it they maie blowe their nailes Heere you see Beza and Cartwright opposite and now you shall haue a fellow to impugne them both in a Theologicall position printed at Geneua sette out by Ant. Fayus and maintained there by one Danyell Niellius out of Math. 16.19 thus saith hee wee may reason To them onely the power of binding and loosing is giuen vnto whom the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are giuen for to haue binding and loosing is that same that it is to haue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen but vnto Peter the keyes were giuen and vnto them in whose name Peter aunswereth Christ demaunding whom the Iewes sayd hee was And because they were giuen ratione officij in regarde of his office it followeth that they were giuen to al qui in veritatis doctrina predicanda sunt ipsis successuri Who in preaching the doctrine of truth shall succeed them By these wordes then their disguised Aldermen must either haue assigned vnto them the same office that the Apostles had be made preachers or else they may put vp their pipes and goe shake their eares But yet more plainly we are aduertised in the same place from Geneua out of Iohn 20.23 We may also inferre after this sorte Christ after hee sent his Apostles as he was sent of the father he breathed on them the holy Ghost saying whose sinnes ye remit they shal be remitted whose sinnes ye retaine they shall be retayned To all them therefore and onely to them who are sent that authoritie is giuen But the Apostles onely are not sent For it is Christ who ascending into heauen gaue to his Church Pastors and Doctors and altogether to that end and for handling that worke Ephes. 4.11.13 Now ioyne both these inferences with that which Beza Cartwright haue before set downe and let him for mee beare the bell for a reconciler of contrarieties that is able in anie probable sorte to make anie one of them friendes with another or for euer hereafter to agree together And yet I know that they of Geneua can do much You must bring them very strange discords but they will make some harmonie of them Whereas the confessions of Bohemia of Augusta and the Apologie of the Church of England doe a cribe these censures wee speake of to the Priestes or Ministers of the word onely the Geneuians to make the world beleeue that in effect all the reformed Churches doe agree with that of theirs and with those other that weare her cullors will needes take vpon them in their annotations ioyned to the ende of their harmony to expouÌ„d the meaning of the said confessions how they must be rightly vnderstoode As for example it is committed to the ministers of the wordâ— saith the confession of Augusta excludere impios c. aâ—communione ecclesiae to exclude the wicked c. from the communioÌ„ of the church Nimirum that is to say affirme the Geneuians ex presbiterij legitimè congregati fententia c. according to the sentence of the Eldership lawfully assembled whereas it neuer as yet set vp any such Eldership Againe the said confession Hic necessario c. heere the Church must yeeld them due obedience meaning to the sayde ministers so excluding the wicked Nempe come in the Geneuians verbi ministris senioribus that is to say to the Ministers of the worde and to the Elders who were neuer allowed of by that confession to this purpose pretended The Apologie of the Church of England hauing shewed that the administration of the keyes doth onely belong to ministers of the worde and that Sacerdos that is the Bishop as I thinke hee meaneth for the execution of these censures is the iudge Sacerdos that is say the Geneuians vnus designatus ex pastorum collegio one chosen out of the Colledge of Pastors Deinde etiam intelligiturpraeire quum de censuris ecclesiasticis agitur legâ—tinam presbyterij cognitionem And furthermore also let it be vnderstoode when speache is of the ecclesiasticall censure that there goeth before a lawfull determination of the Eldership Whether the Apologie haue that meaning the meanest of any sense at all may iudge And thus they deale also with the Bohemian confession So that as I sayd to serue their purposes they can make ex quo libet quid libet of any thing what they list And by these examples ye may also safely learne what credite is to be giuen in this cause both to them and all the rest of that humour when they would seeme to alledge eyther scriptures Councels or Fathers for their most vnwarrantable and counterfeit Aldermen But if it were graunted vnto them for a moneth or two that their Eldermen should be ioyned with the ministers of the worde and haue an equall authoritie with them of binding and loosing would they content themselues therewithall It is
Princes and other of the Nobilitie that follow the court to haue particular Consistories in their priuate houses consisting euerie one of a minister and some of the honestest of their Families Here are then Consistories to be erected in the church according to Cartwrightes thirde acceptation of the word church that is in priuat houses and likewise a Parish not of many but of one familie And peraduenture in time it may so come about as that this will bee currant doctrine in Englande not onely for Noblemen to haue Elderships in their priuate houses but for Gentlemen likewise For now it is already groen thus farre that many of both sortes yea some but meane gentlemē will haue their seueral ministers for comming to their parish churches though they be hard by their dores they account it a dishonorable matter their parlor-seruice and priuate speaking as they terme it pleaseth them best I might here adde howe D. Sohnius is bolde to dissent from Cartwright where speakinge of the diuerse significations of the worde church hee sayth Particularis c. The particuler church is deuided and hath her name agreeable to the diuersitye of places that is Nations Prouinces Townes Parishes Houses or Families For so there is a church of one Prouince of one Citie of one towne of one house And so he quoteth many places of scripture for this his assertion But to proceede Danaeus a man as well learned for ought is yet seene as Cartwright is doth not thinke that by the institution of Christ there must needes bee an Eldership not onely in euery Citie but in euery vplandish and countrie towne also For he sayth if I vnderstand him that in the Apostles times the ruling Elders of whom the Eldership is chiefely named was vsed to be established in vnaquaque tantū ciuitate in qua erat ampla et populosa ecclesia et magnus fideliū numerus In euery city onely where the church was populous In which citye hee further addeth quaeque ciuitatis et ecclesiae pars seu paroecia suū habebat presbyterum Euery parish had a priest or minister as the parishes in the countrie had also oppidatim that is towne by towne a priest much like to those whom we call in our times Curatores Curates Furthermore also the reforming ministers of Scotlande do account their platforme now in practice there to be as agreeable to the worde of God as M. Cartwrightes and yet as the Chronicles do report they haue but 52. Elderships in Scotland those placed in their chiefest cities and great townes Vnto euerie of which Elderships as I am informed 24. particular churches or parishes for the most part do appertaine none of them hauing any such particular Eldership of their owne but are ruled controled and censured by those in the sayde cities or townes whereunto they are adioyned and subiect In the Low countries it is true that euerie parish hath her Eldership But what a kinde of Eldership Heare a verie learned and a graue man of that countrie Ruri in pagis c. In the countrie villages in some places they haue but a Pastor one Elder and a Deacon In Gaunt euerye parish likewise had theyr Eldership consisting of moe or fewer as the quantitie of them were besides those there was a consistorye for the whole citie All which particular Elderships in the countrye cities when any matters of greater momēt fell out especially for excōmunicatiō Ea potestas nulli particulari ecclesiae concessa est that power or authoritie is graunted to no particular church sine concilio et assensu generalis consistorij in magna vrbe et in pagis et oppidulis colloquij siue classis without the councel and consent of the generall consistorye in cities great townes of the conference or classis in the country townes villages So as here we find a number of Christs kingdoms set vp but they want their scepter power without the which our men would not giue a pinne for all the rest For so they are vnperfect maymed bodies of Christ. But to come to that which is the patterne of all right church regiment euen to the Eldership of Geneua There are in that citie as I haue heard foure or fiue great parishes and in the territorie belonging vnto it almost 20. and yet for the censuring and guiding of them all they haue but one Eldership according as it seemeth to the Iewish order there being in Ierusalem but one Sanedrim yet many Synagogues Of the which Geneuian reformation it may iustly be affirmed if Cartwright his fellowes with vs say truly first that the church of Geneua hath neglected the commandement of God the institution of Christ the commaundement and practise of the Apostles in that there is not placed an Eldershippe there in euery parish secondly that the sayd church being neither the catholicke church nor one particular parish nor the faithfull company of one familie cannot rightly haue so much as the name of the church nor be truely termed the well squared bodye of Christ with all the true dimensions and limites of it And certaynely there is here no starting hole as farre as I can discerne for the excuse of that Reformation and platforme except it maye bee iustified that all these foure or fiue and twentie parishes or there aboutes are so trussed together that they doe and maie all at once meet in one Congregation are taught with one mouth which to affirme besides that their practise is otherwise will bee thought I trust great boldnes vnlesse they can find a pastor with Stentors voyce who by report could make as great a noise as fifty men I cannot chuse but put you heere in minde of a poynte in Maister Cartwright that seemeth verie strange vnto mee Hee sayth that there were moe that did externally professe Christ in the Apostles times then there are nowe insomuch as wee are not nowe the tithe of them that is the tenth parte Nowe set these thinges together The Church in the Scriptures where it signifieth not the Catholique Church nor one priuate familye doth signifye one particular congregation and no moe are rightlye to bee of one congregation then maye at once bee taught by one mouth And thereuppon will it not followe that if the Apostles were as wise as Mayster Cartwright to bounde their Congregations whereas there is mention in the Scriptures of the Church of Rome of the Church of Corinth of the Church of Antioche of the Church of Ephesus of the Church of Ierusalem we must thinke there were no moe christians there in any one of those Cities then might at one time heare one preacher And by that account there are moe christians within the citie of London the suburbs thé were in al those cities twise as many more Which if M. Cartwright will deny to be true he must needs cōses for the credit of Scotland or of
appeare what minde and iudgement Caluin still carried concerning Bishops so as they would admit the reformation of Religion contrary to Cartwrights shameles assertion that Caluin would haue shakē at the name of an Archbishop and haue trembled at the office of a Bishop For in the articles agreede vppon at that time by the saide learned men Caluin being amongest them for a reconciliation in the behalfe of the Protestants thus they declared theyr iudgements of this matter Vt omnia ordine fierent in Ecclesia c. That all things might be done orderly in the Church according to S. Pauls rule c. For the auiding of Schismes there was a profitable ordination that a Bishop should be chosen out of many Priests who should rule the Church by teaching the Gospel and by retaining the Discipline qui praeesset ipsis Presbyteris and who should gouerne the Priestes themselues Afterward also there were degrees made of Archbishops aboue them of Patriarches c. These ordinations if those that gouerne do theyr duty as preach ouersee the doctrine and manners of their Churches correct errors and vice practise Ecclesiasticall censures c. are profitable to preserue the vnity of the Church And againe in their additions to the sayde Articles As concerning ordination we especially approoue the auncient custome of the Church that those that are to be ordained should first bee tried instructed and vppon the publicke testimony of some godly and learned men c. admitted into the Ministery This difficult and necessary charge for the Church it is to bee wished reformatiō being made that the Bishops would take vpon them And we heare that our learned men haue expressely so yeelded ordination vnto those Bishops si praecedat reformatio if first there may be a reformation Likewise also in another treatise that was then made by Maister Bucer with the aduise of the said learned men and offered to the Emperour it is thus written Annitendum est c. We must indeuour that that forme and distribution of Ecclesiasticall gouernement which the Cannons doe prescribe to Bishops and Metropolitanes be restored and kept And after in the same Treatise Concerning names and titles and all those things wherewithall that externall power and dignity ought to be adorned and established and the lawfull obedience of such as be vnder them confirmed it will easily be agreed vpon Much more passed in those Colloquies and treatises to this purpose Caluin himselfe as it hath beene sayd being then present and in company whith those learned men And the reasons that moued them so to offer agree and protest at that time in this behalfe I thinke besides the former reasons mentioned were these and such like which Bucer a principall man then amongest them hath else-where sette down When speaking of Bishops and Metropolitanes and of their authoritye ouer the Churches and ministers within their Dioces and Prouinces hee saith thus Hoc consentiebat legi Christs fiebatque ex iure corporis Christi This was agreeable to the law of Christ and was done by the authority of the body of Christ. And in another place I am ex perpetua c. Now by the perpetuall obsexuation of all Churches euen from the Apostles times we doe see that it seemed good to the holy Ghost that amongest Priests to whom the procuration of Churches was chiefly cōmitted there should be one that should haue the care or charge of diuerse Churches and the whole Ministery committed vnto him and by reason of that charge he was aboue the rest and therfore the name of Bishop was attributed peculiarly vnto these chief rulers of Churches Nay he goeth further and sayth that in the Apostles times one of the Priests or Pastors was chosen and ordained to be the Captaine and Prelate ouer the rest who went before the rest and had the cure of Soules and the administration of the Episcopall office especially in the highest degree And this he proueth by the example of S. Iames Act 15. after concludeth in this sort The like ordination hath beene perpetually obserued in other Churches likewise as farre as we may learne out of all the Ecclesiasticall histories and the most auncient Fathers as Tertullian Cyprian Irenaeus Eusebius and others Hereby then it may appear vnto you what was thought of Bishops of their authority by the learned men of those times who sought as narrowly into that calling what was lawfull and what was vnlawfull and were aswell able to iudge thereof I may speake it I trust without offence as either Carwright or all his complices There were some busie bodies indeede a little before or about the time of the Colloquies mētioned who were very angry with the sayd learned men especially with Melanchthon for yeelding so much concerning Bishops Of whom he himselfe writeth in this sort Hoc malè habet scilicet quosdam immoderatiores c. This forsooth doth anger some immoder at men that the iurisdiction and pollicy Ecclesiastical is restored interpreting the same to be the restitution of the Romish souerainty And thus also to Luther you do not belieue into what hatred I am growen with them of Noricum and with certain others for the restitution of iurisdiction vnto Bishops Ita de regno suo non de Euangelio dimicant socij nostri Our fellowes doe so fight for their own kingdome and not for the Gospell Camerarius to the same purpose in like maner maketh this report Audiui quosdā c. I haue heard some accuse Phillip in that respect inhumanissimè most barbarously when one of them said that if he had beene hired with a great summe of money by the Romane faction to haue defended their state he could not in his opinion haue dealt more effectually for them then he did in maintaining of Bishops and that Phillip was not to be accounted a Patrone of his owne part but of his aduersaries and that a chiefe and a singular Patrone c. These things diuers other more slanderous they vttered without shame quorum magnopere postea paenituit puduit plaerosque Whereof many afterwards repented and were ashamed of them But notwithstanding all these and such like slaunderous hare-braines the grauer sort the best learned the godliest and the wisest men amongest the Protestants that then liued did follow and proceede as Phillip had begun euen accordingly as before I haue mentioned And since that time for any thing I can find to the contrary although the bishops still cleauing to the Pope and opposing themselues against all kinde of reformation further then it pleased them were thereupon euen of necessitie reiected as before I haue signified yet as soone as the saide learned men grewe to be able to establish their churches in any reasonable maner they ordained amongest themselues the very same offices in effect throughout the most of the reformed Churches in Germanie chaunging onely the old Greeke names as
some Prophets some Euangelistes some Pastors and Doctors for the repayring of the Saintes for the worke and the Ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christ. And againe vppon these wordes A Bishop must be vnreproueable c. hee meeteth with the common obiection for the equalitie of Ministers because euery Minister is called a Bishope sometimes in the Scriptures and sayth that the word Bishoppe notwithstanding it be oftentimes vsed by S. Paule for euery pastor of the church of God who haue a kinde of ouersight ouer theyr seuerall charges and so may suo modo after a sort bee called Superintendents and Bishops c. yet heere it signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primarios illos ecclesiarum pastores c. Those chiefe pastors to whom the ouersight of the liues and manners of the other ministers is committed whom according to the force of the Greeke appellation we in these dayes do call Superintendents Hitherto then it appeareth as I take it what is both the practise of the reformed Churches in Germany and the iudgemēt also of the chiefe learned men there since Melanchthon Bucers times concerning Bishops or Superintendents with their preheminence charge and authoritie Some there are indeed beyond the seas who followinge the immoderate proude and slaunderous humor that Melanchthon Camerarius spake of before haue vttered their great mislike of the Germaine Superintendents and that with lesse modestie a great deale then doth well become them In reproofe of one of them Gerlachius a learned man of Tubing writeth in this sort Licet titulos ordinum c. Although thou beholdest with disdaine as it were from aboue the titles of orders after the fashion of hypocrites and of the Anabaptistes yet with a vaine perswasion of knowledge foolish arrogancye whereby thou contemnest our countrymen in respect of thy selfe and dost chalenge especiall knowledge to thee and thy fellowes onely Plus turges quà m omnes Doctores et Superintendentes nostri Thou swellest more with pride then all our Doctors and Superintendents And what commeth into thy minde that thou shouldest cauill at the degrees of ministers as though it were not lawfull to ordayne such degrees for the building and gouernment of the Church Did not God himselfe in the old Testament appoint a chiefe Bishop Priests and Leuits And in the new Testament gaue hee not some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists and some Pastors and Doctors Had not the primatiue church accordingly Bishops Priestes and Deacons And againe a little after in the same booke whilest thou a proude man girdest so often at the title of Superintendent I affirme that thou reprehendest the Apostle Paule himselfe who hath giuen this name to a distinct order of ministers of the church And our Auncestors following this Apostle haue thought it meete that for the edifying of the church and for orders sake there should be certaine Superintendentes that is ouerseers not onely of the flocke but of the nisters in like manner Thus farre Gerlachius who if hee were in England knewe into what an extremitie the like persons are growen vnto in the same case amongst vs It would peraduenture moue him For nowe there is no remedye with our ministers of that consorte but they must all bee equall They cannot endure it no the meanest of them to haue anye of their owne coate their Superior They are fallen into the contradiction of Chors and doe tell both Moyses and Aaron that they take to much vpon them All Pastores saye they are and ought to be of equall authoritie in their seuerall Parishes and no one to haue power ouer another Euery parish Priest with them must bee a Bishop and haue as full iurisdiction in his Parochiall dioces as it is lawful for any Bishop in the world either to haue or to execute For orders sake they are content that in their Classicall prouinciall or Nationall assemblies some one minister bee chosen from amongst thēselues to be the moderator for the propounding of matters gathering of voices c. But his office preheminence is to continew no longer then whilest those assemblies last Otherwise or for any further authoritie either of Bishops or Archbishops whether they haue abolished popery reformed religiō maintained the gospell abandoned superstitiō or whatsoeuer they haue done or yealded vnto they holde it altogether vnlawfull do raile against them all against their callings and against all that defend them and that with more then heathenish scurrilitie Cartwright is the chiefe man that began this course in Englande and you shall see howe pretily his schollers follow him Archbishops Bishops sayth he are new ministeries neuer ordayned by God The first step to this kind of Bishopricke beganne at Alexandria and not at Syon The name and office of an Archbishop is vnlawfull his function is of the earth and so can do no good but much harme in the church he is a knobbe or some lumpe of flesh which being no member of the body doth burthen it and disgrace it Whereupon foorth come his schollers crying out amaine that Archbishops Bishops are superfluous members of the body of Christ and that they mayme and deforme his body making it by that meanes a monster That they are vnlawfull false bastardly gouernors of the church That they are the ordinances of the Diuell That they are in respect of theyr places enemies of God that they are petye Popes pety Antichristes Bishops of the Diuell and incarnate Diuels that none euer defended this gouernmēt of our Bishops but Papists and such as were infected with Popish errours That the Lawes that mayntaine the Archbishops and Bishops are no more to bee accounted of then the Lawes that mayntaine Steves and that the true church of God ought to haue no more to do with them and their Synagogues then with the Synagogue of Sathan All which Consistorian and modest assertions aswell for the equalitie of Ministers as against the calling of Bishops being ioyned together are wholy opposite to all that which hitherto I haue writt̄e touching this matter Euen as though they should haue cast downe their gauntlets proclaymed an vtter defiance to all the Churches that euer were established in the world for much aboue three thousande yeares the Churches whilest the law continued the churches in Christs time the Churches in his Apostles times the Churches throughout all christendome for a thousand fiue hundred yeares against all the generall Councels all the auncient fathers all ecclesiasticall histories against al the chiefe reformers of religon in this latter age against all the learned mens iudgements before mentioned and against all the reformed churches whersoeuer in christ̄edome that eyther haue BB. or Superint̄edents God forgiue th̄e this great sin of pride presumption deliuer th̄e out of the number of those of wh̄o it is said that their mouthes speake proud things that they dispise gouernment that they
afterwardes to confer of the faultes or defects which are found in the young preacher and to tell him of them that he may amend them Certainely if these men had beene suffered to haue runne on foreward I feare they would haue runne madde What speculations be these All their Elders must be such men as Sainct Paul requireth a Bishop to be they must be able to preach in their Consistories and priuately And now you must haue in euery parish diuerse young men such as are meet for the exercises of Diuinity before they be admitted And where will they haue all these It was precisely saide of Maister Cartwright vz. thus in effect Neuer let that trouble you set vp the Eldership choose your Elders c. God wil make them fit for their charges vpon a soddain It had been verie prouidentlie handled of him if he had likewise taught the people that they should neuer haue sticked for anie cost which they were to bestow for the maintenance of the said Church-officers though they should bee twise as many because in bestowing their goods after that sorte God will make them rich and fill their tubbes their oile bottles their barns and their purses vpon the soddaine It was but a simple suite made by the author of the complaint of the comminalty that as the Papistes builte Seminaries to aduaunce the kingdome of the Diuell so there might be more Colledges and Seminaries of true Religion erected For now you see it is appointed that there shalbe such a Seminarie in euery parish And how the coiners of this deuise did euer grow into anie such conceite I cannot certainelie gesse except it bee because there is such a kinde of Schoole or Seminarie in Geneua Indeed when the State there had seazed vppon the Church-liuinges they erected a Schoole with some small allowance according as our English prouerbe runneth of taking away a goose and sticking down a feather The profit which they haue by the one exceedeth far the charge of the other If now our men could inuent such a way for euery parish peraduenture they might bee heard They talke indeede of a matter how to haue their Elderships with all the appertenannces thereunto belonging and yet not greatly to ouercharge any parishes But it is not after the fashion of Geneua There the Magistrates fleeced the church but they would haue all themselues the Bishops liuinges Cathedrall Churches Impropriations and rather then faile all the Abbaie landes and such thinges as did belong to all the rest of the houses of Religion If any parish in England should aske my counsell whether I thought they might safely enter into such a present charge for the maintenance of so many Pastor Doctor Elders Deacons Widdowes Ministers wiues their children and poor Students of Diuinities in hope that all the saide Church-liuings should be bestowed for their ease vpon such their Church officers I should say vnto them if I spake my conscience that I my selfe am far from anie such cogitation No no for al the outcries that the Disciplinarians make as in the next chapter you shall perceiue that all the Church-liuings might bee emploide to the maintenaunce of them and their Elderships well they may procure in some other age the further impouerishing of the Church but they shall be sure to be little the better for it CHAP. XXI Of their desire that those thinges which haue beene taken by Sacriledge from the Church might be restored againe to the maintenance of their Elderships EXperience they say is not a foolishe mistres but a mistres of fooles In the beginning of the late reformation of Religion in most places of Europe diuers notable mē did gretly ouershoote themselues It is Aristotles rule that one waie to come to the meane is to proceed ab extremo in extremum from one extremity to another And it may holde in the example by him alledged of making a crooked sticke to be straight but it is not to be allowed of in anie sort in the course of Diuinitie There it is reckned a point of great weaknes and so it is also with the prophane writers to run from one extremitie to another Manie examples I could bring of this weakenes as how in manie places men haue leapt from auricular confession to the contempt of all priuate conference with their Pastor from pharifaicall long praiers vppon a paire of beades three or foure times said ouer by tale at one time to little praier at all two or three words if so manie and farewel agreable to mens consciences euen as the Prouerb faith A short horse is soone curried from most gros and palpable Idolatrie and superstition vnto verie great securitie and prophanation Manie other such examples I might alledge of running from one mischiefe to another but there is none fitter then of the course which hath beene held in this verie matter whereof I intreate In times past men thought they could not giue too much to the church but now many suppose they cānot take too much frō the Church In times past there was so much giuen to the church that the k. of England was fain to make a lawe for the staie of so great liberality as Moses did when there was sufficient prouision made for the building of the temple but now mens harts are grown to such a contrary extremitie and are so far from incurring any danger in breaking that law for restraining thē as notwithstanding her most excellent M. hath cōtinued made her self very many notable laws that the church might keepe that which other men hath giuen her and for the binding of mē to pay their duties to the Church yet euerie man seeth how vnder pretence of concealements and by many other meanes the Church-goods are thirsted after and how the poore ministers are most pittifully defrauded in the paiment of such duties as do belong vnto them Insomuch by report as now in sondrie places if they shal but seek or sue to haue their own either they are greatlie misliked or presentlie are indited for common Barators or if they escape that out flieth a prohibition from one place a sequestration frō another and I know not what else nor from whence And the cause of these many other such extremities I doe not impute so much vnto the laitie as to sundrie men of the Clergie whose proceedings haue ben greatly by extremities It was an extremitie when Wickliffe affirmed that tithes appointed by God himselfe were merae eleemosynae meere almes But of all extremities that passeth where some now a daies would haue all taken from the Church that so Ministers might liue as they did in the Apostles times that is onelie vppon voluntarie contributions And this they thinke to be a part of the Apostolicall reformatiō which they seek for Wherunto I for my part might peraduenture yeelde if the laitie would be sworne before they tooke that from vs which we haue alreadie to deale with vs indeed for
Bishoppes grounding themselues vppon one of Cartwrightes principles That any increase of authoritie being added to a Church-Minister dooth cleane chaunge his Ministerie and maketh it a new Ministerie Whervpon they conclude that Archbishoppes and Bishoppes hauing receyued an increase of theyr authorities by diuerse Councelles c. are become to bee of a newe Ministerie neuer ordayned by Christ nor his Apostles and so consequently vnlawfull and to bee abolished The follie of this collection hath beene shewed manie wayes both by reasons and by examples but yet they haue not beene satisfied But nowe you shall see they are put to silence for euer For Beza is peremptorie to the contrarie of that which they haue so inforced In his booke agaynst Doctor Sarauia speaking of a place of Ieromes how Bishoppes were ordayned for orders sake c. hee sayth in effecte That when they had such authoritie giuen then for orders sake Mutatio non suit in re ipsa id'est in ipso ordine sed tantùm in ordinis modo There was no chaunge made in the thinge it selfe that is in the order but in the manner or measure of the order And afterwards more plainely where hee setteth downe another manner of principle than Cartwrightes vz. That wee must distinguish betweene the nature of a thing and that which adhereth vnto it accidentally because Eo in aliud cōmutato vel sublato res ipsa permanet The accident beeing chaunged or taken away the thing it selfe remaineth Whereupon if I vnderstande him he groweth to this issue That the increase of any such authority as is before mentioned or the alteration of the manner or order is not of the essence of the Ministery but a thing that is accidentall and may be chaunged according to the circumstaunces of times and places And hee bringeth this example Accidentale fuit c. It was accidentall c. Vt vnusquispiam iudicio caeierorum compresbyterorum delectus presbyterio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esset permaneret That one beeing chosen by the iudgement of the rest of his fellow-priests or Elders should be the President or the Prelate ouer the presbytery and so continue You will aske mee perhaps how this geare comes about that Beza is so opposite to Cartwright I will tell you my conceit I suppose that matters of their pretended Discipline are growen to greater ripenes in Geneua then they are thankes be to God in England and that therfore Beza is more franke to let vs see what they generallie shoote at then Cartwright dare bee as yet For howsoeuer Cartwright presumed to tell vs as it seemeth vntrulie that their moderator forsooth should be chosen but for one action only and that Caluin being chosen to that office for two yeares so as I take it from two yeares to two yeares misliked that small preheminence should so long remayne with one which in time might breede inconuenience and that Beza also misliked it for that cause Yet now you see that Beza is far from that base conceit thinketh that that office maie bee permanent and further saith that to ordaine it so now certè reprehendi nec potest nec debet it neyther can nor ought surely to bee reprehended And his reason is this for that it hath beene an order that one should bee so chosen to haue such a permanent preheminece in the Church euer since Saint Markes time Nay he is come to this that he is content to yeald in effect that the institution of an Archbishop is agreable to the word of God vz. ex illa generali et verissima Apostolica regula c. according to that generall true Apostolicall rule which appoynteth that all thinges should bee done orderly in the house of God Est igitur or do c. There is therefore saith hee an order in it selfe and by it selfe prescribed by God but the reason or vse of that order and the manner of it dependeth vppon the circumstances of times places and persons and is as men speake according to Lawes positiue Nowe if these thinges that Beza writteth bee true and that he himselfe peraduenture could bee well inough pleased to enioye such an office if the sayde circumstances of time and place might serue his turne to obtaine it then we perceaue that such additions of titles and preheminence so he and his fellowes may haue them do make no such alteration of the essence of the ministerie as with vs is pretended There is great barking against the church of England for that by Act of parliament some partes of the Canon Law are retained and to bee vsed by our Bishops for the better gouernment of the Church insomuch as the very name of the Canon law is become odious the commō sort of simple men of the factious crue verily supposing that the name of such a law rule or institution is popish vnlawfull and diuelish and therfore they crie out crucifie it crucifie it awaie with it wee will not be ruled by it we will none of it As though they shoúld saye we are lawlesse men for rules and orders we detest them whatsoeuer seemeth good in our own eyes that we will doe at the least if we euer yeald our obediēce to any churchlaw it shall bee surelie of our own making sie vppon all former Councels sie vppon all those decisions which the auncient fathers made sie vpon all old and auncient constitutions And thus in effect they write speake in their libels and ordinarie table-talke whereas notwithstanding if there be anie thing in the Canon-law that will serue their purposes they can be contēt to steale it thence to take to themselues thereby the commendation which is due to the true authors fathers of it Cartwright his fraternitie in their essentiall draught of discipline haue drawen more then seuen partes of eight of it out of the Canon-lawe and auncient constitutions Viretus perceiuing but too late what hindrance grew to the platforme of their new discipline by the vtter abolishing of the Canon-law at once and as it were in a furie which he supposed did wold still haue bridled princes if it had been retained and still in force sheweth his dislike of such rashnes in these wordes They thought it a goodly reformation in the Church to abolish all the Canons decrees with the good statutes which the auncient fathers and Doctors hadde ordayned to mayntaine the good discipline in the church The chiefe point indeed that grieued Viretus as there it appeareth at large was this because Princes by that meanes had drawen their necks frō vnder the yoke of discipline A matter so much misliked by them as that he is flatte of opinion that it had beene better for the Church to haue kept the old Pope still then by abrogating of the Canon law and in giuing to Princes so great authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall so to haue subiected her selfe to a new kind of papacie
mentem vobis veniebat amplissimus ille Nicenae c. Did you not remember the moste worthy assemblye of Nice of Ephesus of Calcedon quo nihil vn quā sanctius nihil augustius ab Apostolorum excessu sol vnquam aspexit The Sonne it selfe hath neuer beheld since the Apostles departure out of this world any thing that was more holy or more excellent then those assemblies were Thus I say both Beza Cartwright and the rest of the Disciplinarie humor doe write both of the auncient Fathers and of the olde Councels when they please them in any matter But otherwise let anie of them all naie iointlie al of them together impugne anie part of the new pretended Discipline or crosse them there Oh they touch the apple of euerie one of their eies they care not for their authorities they despise their decrees they cannot endure them as now it shall be shewed in the next Chapter following CHAP. XXVII How they deale with the auncient Fathers Ecclesiasticall Histories and generall councels when they are alledged against them WHen for the proofe of sundrie matters impugned by them they are vrged with the testimonies of the auncient Fathers and of the Ecclesiasticall Histories they either shift them off with their owne false gloses or if that serue not their turne they disgrace them as much as they can and so reiect them Where Ignatius ascribeth verie much to a Bishop as that nothinge should bee done in the Church without his consent and saith that hee hath a principality and power ouer all ascribing vnto him in that respect the title of Prince of Priestes they expound the word Priestes to signifie both Ministers of the word and ruling Elders the saide power ouer all to extend but onelie to the saide kindes of Priests in one parish and the name Prince to meane no more but as it were a moderator chosen out of those Ministers for one meeting onlie to propound such matters as were then to be handled to collect the voices and to moderat that action Which interpretation is onely framed according to the practise of Geneua and such great Churches as Cartwright tearmeth them which haue saith he diuerse Ministers and ruling Elders in them and is God knoweth as far from Ignatius meaning and words as falshoode is from the trueth And yet either thus he must speake or els if you presse them further then they shall well like of the poore old Father is straight way reiected as a counterfaite and a vaine man It being shewed according to Ireneus wordes vz. that the Apostles committed the Churches in euery place to the Bishops and that euerie one of the Apostles seuerally did appoint Bishops in those Churches which they had planted as S. Paul did at Ephesus and Creta Cartwright answereth thus For the explositiō of Ireneus which interpreteth They euery one seuerally if they seuerally ordained Bishops euery one in his circuit so it be vnderstood with the Churches consent as is before declared I am well content Are yee so Surely it is great ioy of you And what is before declared Forsooth Maister Beza in effect saith that the Apostles did not appoint any Bishops that is any Pastor Doctor or ruling Elder by their owne authority but the choise of euery Church-officer being first made by consent of the whole parishe Then any Apostle that was present did consecrat the saide partie so chosen vnto the Lorde by laying his handes vppon him nomine Presbyterij in the name of the Presbyterie This is then the issue that Ireneus must stande to Except hee will frame his speach after the newe cutte euen according to Bezaes pleasure Cartwright you see will not allowe him If he were now aliue hee might well thinke scorne to be thus vsed by either of them both contrarie to his owne meaning Iustinus Martyr being brought to witnes for Bishops and their authoritie in his time about the yeare 130. which was some nine yeares after Sainct Iohns death where he calleth euerie such B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is prelate because the ruling of the Ministerie people within his circuit appertained chiefly to his charge Cartwright termeth this seeking into the fathers writings to find out the historical truth of this cause so much by him impugned a raking in Ditches and laboureth in this sort to rid his handes of him saying First this Prelate was but as a moderator to propound matters c. Secondly that he was Prelate of the people not of the Ministers which is contrarie to his first exception except he will say the people had then the gouernment of the Churche amongest whom he should be moderator Which being obserued as I thinke by Beza he alledgeth this place of Iustinus to prooue Timothy in Ephesino Presbyterio fuisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Antistes vt vocat Iustinus to haue been Prelate in his pretended Eldershippe at Ephesus Cartwright hath also a thirde aunswere in his second Booke bee it graunted that Iustinus president had superioritye ouer the Ministers yet how fondlye is it concluded that it is lawfull because it was But his maine Barricado for defence is this in the daies that Iustine liued there began to peepe out in the Ministerye some thinges which went from the simplicitye of the Gospell as that the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was common to the Elders with the Ministers of the word was as it seemeth appropriated vnto one For the proofe of the antiquitie of Bishops Ieromes testimonie is brought that at Alexandria from Saincte Marke the Euangelist there was a Bishop placed in a higher degree aboue Priestes as it were a Captaine ouer an Army About which wordes they busie themselues wonderfully First saie they thinges being ordered then by the suffrages of the Ministers and Elders it might as it falleth out oftentimes bee done without the approbation of Sainct Marke How it falleth out amongest them it is no great matter That they should euer agree were more to bee maruailed But to laie such an imputation vppon that church Sainct Marke himselfe being present I thinke it a lewd part and too full of presumption Besides Saincte Marke might haue appealed by their conceites vnto some Classis if hee had disliked that ordinaunce But if this shifte will not serue then they haue another that the wordes from Sainct Marke may be rather taken exclusiuely to shutte out Sainct Marke and the time wherein he liued then inclusiuely to shut him in the time wherein this distinctiō rose Wherein he sheweth his ignorance for Ierome calleth Saint Marke the Bishop of Alexandria In the ende he vseth this fond quirke It is to bee obserued that Sain ct Ierome saith it was so in Alexandria signifying thereby that in other Churches it was not so and we are rather to follow Ierusalem that kept Christes institution then Alexandria that departed from it
a sinne as no mā knoweth off but onlie he him selfe against whom it was committed Whereuppon it followeth of necessitie that when Christ sayth take with thee one or two c. for witnesses we must by those witnesses vnderstand witnesses of the admonition which he who taketh them with him must giue in theyr presence to the partie that had offended For witnesses of the fact they could not bee in that they saw it not So as both maister Caluin and Gallasius doe thinke that here Christ speaketh de testibus admonitionis of the witnesses of admonition And Gallasius amongst other reasons for him selfe alledgeth this Non dicit Christus voca testes qui rem viderint c. Christ sayth not call such witnesses as sawe the trespasse when it was committed but take one or two Vnus certe testis ad rem probandam non sufficeret but one witnes who may serue as after hee saith to prooue a mans contumacie or repentance is not sufficient to conuince a man of a fact if he deny that euer hee committed any such fact Maister Caluin being asked his iudgement hereof by the ministers of Neocomum as it seemeth writ vnto them after this sort Quod postea c. That which followeth vz. if hee heare thee not hoc nostro iudicio intelligendum est non de testibus delicti sed admonitionis This in our iudgement must bee vnderstoode not of the witnesses of the fact but of the admonition Against this interpretation heare now what Beza Alexander haue to saie If this interpretation saye they should bee good consider then what inconueniences would followe of it I will set downe two and so referre you to Beza for the rest It maye fall out oftentimes saie they in effect that the partie delinquēt confessing his fact to him that came first vnto him to admonish him of it wil afterwards when he shal bring one or two witnesses with him denie that euer hee eyther did or confessed anye such deed And what then Besides it maie well inough come to passe that hee vnto whom a man shall come in such a charitable sorte to admonish him maie burst foorth into a choller and saie that hee is slaundered and so calling the said man for his godly minde into the law as a slaunderer make them witnesses of his pretended slaunder that came to be witnesses of his admonition For these reasons therefore and for some other Beza and Alexander will not admit that Christ should speake heere of such priuate offences as none knew but one but of such us that there might bee some witnesses of them if the offenders should denie them So as now in both their iudgements Christ doth speake in this place de testibus facti of the witnesses of the fact Peraduenture you can bee heere content to heare some aunswere to these obiections They seeme to bee of great difficultie and to carrie some matter with them which may preiudice mayster Caluin and Gallasius But what should men talke of difficulties when the trueth appeareth Incommoda et inconuenientia non soluunt regulam Incommodities and inconueniences doe not sayth Gallasius dissolue a generall rule It maye bee that the partye maie denie his facte as it hath beene sayde If hee doe hee is to bee lefte to the great Iudge Yea but hee will take the Lawe against the Admonitioner as a slaunderer of him Hee maie doe so indeede sayth Gallasius againe and I haue seene experience of it And there is no other remedie but this the graue men that were brought to bee witnesses of the admonition must tell the Iudge the whole matter and for what purpose they were brought to the plaintiffe Whereby the Iudge maye easilye vnderstande the iniurie offered and then if he fauour the Church hee will send the partye to the Eldershippe or Ecclesiasticall Senate or else vz. in effect that the defendaunt in that action must beare it off with his heade and shoulders It is no meruayle then you see that our reforminge Generation should crie out so mightelie for the newe forme of discipline it is so substantially compact together and at such great vnitie in it selfe Vnto these caterbraules and pittifull distractions I might adde a great heape of other confusions all of them proceedinge from such intollerable presumption as is vsed in the behalfe of that Minion by the peruertinge and false interpretation of the sacred Scriptures But I haue been too tedious alreadie in this matter and therefore to grow towardes an ende of it Of all the places of Scripture which they pretende to make for such partes of their discipline as is disliked by the Church of Englande as either for their Iewish Sanedrim their parish Bishops their vnpriestlie Aldermen with their priestlye functions their Geneuian presbyteries or Elderships of all the places of scripture I saie which they bring for that purpose I professe vnto you as in the presence of God that I cannot find anie one but by one meanes or other they haue cast such a colour vpon it as was neuer knowen in the Church of Christ amongst all the auncient godly Fathers from the Apostles times till these our troublesome and presumptuous daies Well It is not inough for men to alledge scriptures except they bring the true meaning of the Scriptures For as Saint Augustine saith Heresies and erroneous opinions doe not otherwise spring and grow vp nisi dum Scripturae bonae intelliguntur non bene quod in eis non bene intelligitur etiam temerè audaciter asseritur but when the good Scriptures are not well vnderstood and because that which is not well vnderstoode in them is notwithstanding rashlye and boldly affirmed to be the meaning of them There was neuer anie thing hitherto so fondly deuised but the authors of it did euer pretend they had Scripture for it For else saith Sainct Ierome the garrulity of such persons non haberet fidem would neuer haue wonne any credite All sectes and Schismes haue risen for the most part vppon discontentment And this a man may obserue in the writinges of the auncient Fathers that as many men doe marrie and so beget children before they know how to keepe them so commonly it hath fallen out in new strange opinions Through pride and vanitie they haue beene rashlie begotten before the authors of them did know how to maintaine them Marrie when once they had engaged their credits by broching of this and that then they euer laboured not to submitt them-selues and their opinions vnto the trueth Sed vt sibi scriptur as ipsi subijcerent but as Augustine saith that they might bringe the scriptures to bee in subiection to them Of the which kinde of men Saint Hilary also speakinge sayth that they interpret the Scriptures pro voluntatis suae sensu according to such a sense as may serue their turnes c. Which is as the same Hilary sheweth in another place non expectare
Christiā whosoeuer to separat himselfe either from their assemblies or from the receiuing of the Lords supper with them But if any so did he assigneth him his place amongst certain old hereticks Olim duae fuerunt haereticorum sectae c. In times past there vvere sayth he tvvo sorts of hereticks vvhich troubled the Church greatly The one sort of them vvere called Puritans the other Donatists And both of them vvere in the same error that these dreamers are in seeking for a Church vvherein there should vvant nothing that might be desired Therefore they diuided themselues from the vniuersall society of Christians least they should be defiled vvith other mens impurities But vvhat came of it Dominus eos cum tam arroganticoepto dissipauit The Lord himselfe scattered them vvith that their proud attempt Where by the way it is meet to be obserued that a man may sticke so fast to the Geneua discipline as he may prooue himselfe to bee either a puritane or a Donatist or both Maister Beza in like maner by reason of some opposition which hath bene made against the Sauoyan platforme is growne as it seemeth to some kind of moderation For speaking of the pretended necessitie of it hee sayth that the doctrine onely vz. vvhat vve are to beleeue is absolutely necessarie and also further addeth that seeing a man sometimes may be saued vvithout the participation of the sacraments the same may bee sayd much more of the vvant of ecclesiasticall discipline Now verely we are to thanke him he hath done much for vs. We may be saued though the memorie of this discipline were vtterly buried But the point which I chiefely note is this that there is great difference in maister Bezaes iudgement betwixt the necessitie of the first two notes of the church and this third of his own deuise And therein he giueth in effect the flat lye to maister Cartvvright for charging him to hold that all the said 3 notes as they are notes were equally necessarie And Trauers also is checked by his good maister in that he wil needs make as it hath bene said the censures of his cōsistories to be in the same absolute degree of necessity both with the word and sacraments But I wil follow M. Beza whilest I haue him in his good mood The vvhole church vvanted circūcision in the vvildernes saith he vvhilest they vvere in Babylon they neither had temple nor sacrifices and yet neuerthelesse they ceassed not to be the people of God And the same may then be said much more of the ecclesiastical discipline vz. Ecclesias vt illa careant tamen ecclesias verè pias Christianas esse posse si doctrinam praecipuorū dogmatum purā ac sincerā habuerint That the churches that vvant that discipline may notvvithstanding bee indeed godly and Christian churches if they retaine the doctrine of the cheefest grounds pure and sincere Now if Beza will giue this testimonie of a church that wanteth both his discipline and the sacraments hauing but only the principall grounds of religiō what should he say of those churches which haue not onely a better discipline then that which hee vrgeth but also the said sincere grounds with the doctrine true vse of both the holy sacramēts in as great reuerence at the least as they haue them at Geneua You shall heare him what he is driuen to say of the present estate of the church of England The places haue bene cited in the eight chapter to another purpose He must be pardoned to come in with his If because any thing from him that soundeth not after the Geneua tune is very much But if the churches of England sayth he being vnderpropped vvith the authoritie of Bishops and Archbishops do firmely abide as this hath happened in our memorie to that church that shee hath had men of that order not onely vvorthie Martyrs of God but most singular pastors and doctors fruatur sane ista singulari Dei beneficentia quae vtinam illi sit perpetua Let her enioy this singular goodnesse of God vvhich I pray shee may so do for euer And in another place speaking likewise vvith some good tearmes of the Church of England and of our Archbishops and Bishops he turneth himselfe cleane about and sayth that they of Geneua do not prescribe to any church to follovv their peculiar example like vnto ignorant men vvho thinke nothing vvell but that they do themselues Againe also the same maister Beza in his booke which Erastus confuted not in that which Beza hath since published but in the written and true copie of it he speaketh in this sort Nomine ecclesia Geneuensis in the name of the church of Geneua to those that account the Geneuian Eldership to be but humanum commentum a humane deuise Petimus vt quemadmodum patienter ferimus ipsos a nobis c. dissentire VVe desire of them that as vve suffer them patiently to dissent from vs c. so they vvould heare vs modestly refelling their arguments nullo cum ecclesiarum preiudicio quas sibi credit as administrant VVithout any preiudice to those churches that they haue taken the charge of For vvhere some do obiect that vve account those churches that vvant either excommunication or such an eldership to be no churches it is obiected immerito Deus testis est vndeseruedly on our parts God is our vvitnesse and it is much more a slander vvhere it is giuen out that vve do bring a nevv tyrannie into the church nostra velle reliquis obtrudere and endeuor to obtrude our forme of discipline vnto the rest of the reformed churches Non est ita fratres It is not so brethren Furthermore in like manner in the same place afterward Quicunque vero hanc disciplinam in suis ecclesiis non modo inutilem verumetiam noxiam fore iudicant fruantur sane suo sensu c. VVhosoeuer do iudge this discipline not only vnprofitable but hurtfull to their churches let them enioy their ovvn sense They vndoubtedly do see vvhat their flocks will indure neither doubt vve but that men of so great learning and of so great antiquitie our reuerend bretheren in the Lord haue their reasons Et quis nos constituit alieni gregis iudices And vvho hath made vs iudges of other mens flocks He seldome hath vttered a truer speech But how these sayings do agree with that which he hath sayd before in the third chapter you may not curiously scanne it Indeed he should seeme to be farre now from his former opinion when he sayd in effect That it vvas to little purpose for any church to admit of the gospell and to reiect his discipline But he writeth in mine opinion as it hath bene sayd of old time some courtiers in the world do vse to speake that is for the most part as the present occasion serueth their turnes Such companie they may fal into as they wil commend him to the skies whom
her particular officers both men and women after her owne humor to doe nothing else but carrie her purse and wash her feete A Discipline that by reason of her traine would be very chargeable A Discipline that hopeth to turne all the Church liuinges which either are or haue beene belike into Nunries and so to become herselfe the Prioresse of them all A Discipline that will needes be a new Pope Ioane and haue to deale in all ecclesiasticall causes either by hooke or crooke nay almost in all sortes of matters whatsoeuer A Discipline of such partiality as what she condemneth in others she approueth in herselfe A Discipline that disdaineth the auncient fathers and generall councells A Discipline that dareth to disgrace any of the new writers if they take not her part A Discipline that seemeth to allowe of nothinge but scriptures yet dependeth alltogether vpon her owne friends and Synods A Discipline that sometime to dazle mens eies withall can be content to pretend that the auncient fathers and councells doe plead for her estate but shee doth peruerte them A Discipline that to serue her turne doth wringe and wrest the scriptures this way and that way as she is disposed A Discipline that possesseth men with so greate selfe-loue and pride as for wante of good neighbours they are faine to take paines to commende themselues A Discipline that is contented to bee magnified and exalted against all that is called god vpon earth A Discipline that is vtterly forsaken by many that haue beene her friendes A Discipline accounted by those that do stil remaine her best friends not to be so necessarie as heretofore she hath beene reputed A Discipline that promiseth mountaines and bringes forth Myce. A Discipline that is greatly disliked for her pride her making of debate where she comes her taking vpon her like an Empresse to commaund and rule at her pleasure In these respects and many other which I could alleadge she is I say a discipline that is greatly disliked of sundry of her neighbours and euen of them who when she was at the last gaspe did reuiue her little suspectinge that euer shee would haue proued so ambitious a creature as since by experience they haue found her to be And therefore for mine owne part seeing I finde no country as yet that is so greatly to be enuied for any especiall happines that this pretended Cherubin hath brought forth or procured where shee is receiued I will continue my former praier that the Church of England be neuer troubled with such a discipline but that our olde and present Apostolicall forme of Church-gouernment vnder her excellent Maiestie by Arch-bishops or Arch-builders and Bishops practised in the Apostles times approued by all the auncient fathers and generall councells and continued in this land since the time that it first professed christianitie may together with her Highnesse our most Soueraigne Lady be long many happy yeares mainetayned blessed and preserued amongst vs. The which allmightie God graunt for his Sonne Iesus Christs sake our Lord. Amen Errata Pag. 17. lin 15. for Elders read orders Pag. 21. lin 31. for he told him read he told them Pag. 43. lin 22. for her full read theyr full Pag. 58. lin 8. for comming read conning Pag. 71. lin 6. 7. for out Bathes read out of the Bathes Pag. 73. lin 25. for scroules read scrappes Pag. 75. lin 14. for reparation read reputation Pag. 75. lin 29. for carries read carrieers Pag. 92. lin 11. for nominaum read nominauit Pag. ead lin 20. for protrahere read pertrahere Pag. 96. lin 11. for reasonable read vsuall Pag. 117. lin 24. for capitali read capituli Pag. 122. lin 18. for nisters read ministers Pag. 141. lin for or read eyther Pag. 143. lin 3. for not read most Pag. 145. lin 7. for all read almost all Pag. 146. lin 13. for then read they pag. 148. lin 5. for Vezelius read Pezelius pag. 149. lin 6. for his read these pag. 155. lin 29. there wants to pag. 171. lin 3. for laicis read laicos pag. 195. lin 2. for cares read eares pag. 216. lin 28. for adherent read adherents pag. 221. lin 8. for doth read doteth pag. 225. lin 22. for tendeth read tend pag. 228. lin 14. accommotated read accommodated pag. 231. lin 9. for to read of Ibi. lin 22. for preacher preachers pag. 231. lin 31. for precisely read pretily pag. 234. lin 30. for hath read haue pag. 238. lin 1. the which course read the course which pag. 291. lin 28. for more read meere Pag. 340. lin 26. for all proude read all that proude pag. 342. lin 27. auncienty for antiquitie pag. 346. lin 24. amst for amongst pag. 350. lin 9. for to Aerius read of Aerius pag. 353. lin 28. for as you are read as they are pag. 355. lin 10. not auncient for not the auncient pag. 374. lin 21. the word can is omitted pag. 375. lin 24. for know read knew pag. 377. lin 23. simple read simple men pag. 392. lin 16. read former chapter pag. 393. lin 3. for Adrius read Aerius pag. 397. lin 3. for Bishop read Bishops pag. 399. lin 19. read thus aswell with very manie of their maisters as with their schollers pag. 405. lin 28. for he should read he should not pag. 486. lin 21. for this read his FINIS Psal. 58. Esay 62 1. Caluin vpon Esay Euang Regni H.N. 1 Exhortation pag. 33 43. Euang Regni The Barroâ—â—ists Petition directed to her Maiestie Esra 4. Psal. 12. Psal. 138. Numb 16. Treatise of obedience Ibid. pa. 114. Ibid. Iohn Wall oâ— Ball in the time of Iacke Cades rebellion in Rich. 2. daies Chroni par vlt. Munster Simlerus de repub Helu Munster Bodinus de repub pa. 353 Caluin to Sadolet pag. 172 Ibid. Bodinus de repub pa. 353 Bodi meth pag. 243. De. repubHelu Munster Cos. Sleidan lib. 10 Simlerus de rep Heluit D. L. Cap. 25. Aphoris 21. De auth mag in subd c. vindic cont Tirannos Hottom Francog c. Beza in vita Calu. Calu. de neces ref eccl pa. 64. Calu to Sad Beza in vit Calu Ibid. Beza in vit Calu. Capit. to Farell epl Cal. 6 Beza invit Cal. Capit to Farell epl Cal. 6. Beza in vit Cal Capit. to Farell epl Cal. 6. Cal. epI. 40 Beza in vit Cal. Cal. epl 10. Calu. epist. 17 Beza in Vit. Calu. Calu. to Viret Epist. 25. Calu. to Farel Epist. 50. Calu. epist. 54. Beza in Vit. Calu. Cal. to Viret Epist. 76. Calu. Epist. 71 Ibidem Cal to Viret cp 77. Cal to Farell ep 23. Cal. to Viret ep 25. Cal. ep 79. Cal. to Viret ep 73. Cal. to Viret ep 3. Cal. to Viret ep 73. Cal. to Viret ep 82. Cal. ep 165. Beza de vit Caluin Calu. to the minist of Tig. ep 165. Calu. to Bul. epist. 164. Calu. to the minist of Zurick epist. 165 Ibid. Ibidem Bullinger to Cal. epist. 166 Bul. to Calu. epist. 166. Bul.
A SVRVAY OF THE PRETENDED Holy Discipline Contayning the beginninges successe parts proceedings authority and doctrine of it with some of the manifold and materiall repugnances varieties and vncertaineties in that behalfe Faithfully gathered by way of historicall narration out of the bookes and writinges of principall fauourers of that platforme Anno 1593. They would be Doctors of the Law and yet vnderstand not what they speake neither whereof they affirme 1. Tim. 1.7 Sententias vestras prodidisse superasse est Hier. ad Ctesiph adu Pelag c. 4. To acquaint you with their discipline is to ouerthrow it Imprinted at London by Iohn Wolfe 1593. TO THE READER THere are many in England I perceiue that are so addicted vnto their own opinions as concerning the pretended holy Discipline and such a reformation as they themselues haue deuised that they cannot with anie patience endure to heare either contradiction or argument to the contrarie I knowe some of them saith a certaine aduertiser touching the controuersies of the Church of England that would thinke it a tempting of God to heare or read what might bee saide against them as if they could be at quod bonum est tenete without an omnia probate going before Which maner of persons the Prophet Dauid resembleth vnto the deafe Adder that stoppeth his eare and will not heare the voyce of the inchaunter though he be expert in charming S. Augustine writing vpon these wordes saith that the serpent delighting in the darknesse wherewithall hee hath inclosed himselfe clappeth one of his eares very hard to the ground and with his taile stoppeth the other least hearing the Marso he should be brought forth to the light And so do a great number of these Serpentine persons whereof the aduertiser made mention they stop one of their eares so hard with earth that is with a most insatiable and greedy desire of riches and the other with their tayles whereby saith Aug posterior a intelliguntur that is with a sacrilegious hope that hereafter vnder pretence of setting vppe theyr discipline they may come to the massacre and spoyle of the Church and will fleere and Ieere much against theyr own consciences god knoweth when any inchaunter or Marso assayleth either by wordes or writinge to charme them With these men or any else whose hartes are thus possessed eyther with this earth and hope or with any other such like poison for what respects soeuer I haue nothing here to doe but onely to pray for them that god mollifying their preiudiciall and obstinate mindes they may be content first to beholde and then with humility to acknowledge the truth There is an other sorte both of the Clergy and laitye who notwithstanding they fauour the pretended discipline euen with singlenesse of hart and in good earnest I am perswaded as supposing it to be the Lordes owne workemanship holy institution yet forasmuch as they do very well know that many dishes are washed cleane on the outside and yet are foule within that many sepulchers are gorgious to the eies and yet inwardly haue nothing in them but bones and corruption that men may be often times deceiued with shewes and probabilities as allwayes heretofore many haue beene and that there are no spirits of any prophets in our dayes which ought not to be subiect to the spirites of other prophets they will be pleased I trust to yeald themselues vnto the Apostolicall rules of trying of all thinges and not bee caried away either with rashnesse or preiudice to belieue any spirit vntil they haue tried it throughly whether it be of god In the behalfe of these men and for their sakes especially I haue presumed to offer vnto their wise and indifferent consideration such simple notes and obseruations as I had formerly gathered when according to the said rules of the Apostles by occasion of the great opinion which beganne to growe of the Geneua-forme of ecclesiasticall discipline I was bold to try and examine it according to the measure of such small ability and iudgement as god hath indued me withall Whereby if either they or any other shall reape anye profit to the establishing of their mindes in this giddy age from running vppe and downe after euery young start-vp hether and thether to secke new platformes of Church-gouernment in this place or that place when as we haue one of our owne which is in my conscience truely Apostolicall and farre to be preferred before any other that is receiued this day by any reformed Church in Christendome I shall thinke my paynes well bestowed nay I shall bee right glade in my hart and allwayes most thankefull vnto allmightie god for it Otherwise if by reason of such weakenes and infirmities as I do acknowledge to bee in my selfe to haue shewed themselues in euery parte of this Treatise there shall any offence bee taken that may blast or hinder the sayde fruite which I doe indeede most earnestly desire I cannot choose but bee very sory for it satisfyinge my selfe in the meane time notwithstanding that in the whole processe following the contents whereof you may see in the next pages I haue set downe nothing which I doe not thinke I haue set down truly Liberaui animam meam I haue therein discharged my conscience and so I committe you to God The Contents of this Booke How vnder pretence of the Prophets loue to Syon some men would gladly set vp their owne fancies Cap. 1. fol. 1. How by whom where the platforme of Presbytery discipline was first deuised and established Cap. 2. fol. 7. By whose instigation and how the pretended Discipline of Geneua hath enlarged her iurisdiction Cap. 3. fol. 41. Our English Geneuaters vpon a better inquirie made are growne to a great vncertaintie touching sondry poyntes of the Geneuian platforme Cap. 4. fol. 60. With what distraction vncertaintie diuersitie of iudgements pretence is made that the Geneua Discipline is of verye great antiquitie Cap. 5. fol. 70. The seekers of the pretended Discipline are not yet agreede what name they should giue vnto theyr Hierarchicall parish-meetings Cap. 6. fol. 88. Of theyr vncertaynty concerning the places where this pretended regiment should be erected Cap. 7. fol. 96. Of Bishops generally of the pretended equalitie of Pastors or new parish-bishops and how the chief impugners of Bishops beginne to relent Cap. 8. fol. 104. They disagree very greatly concerning Doctors Cap. 9. fol. 144. Their Aldermen must be men of good calling Cap. 10. fol. 154 Theyr disagreement about the name of their ruling Associates Cap. 11. fol. 156. They cannot agree where to finde theyr Elders qualities described Cap. 12. fol. 162. Of theyr vncertainty whether their Elders be ecclesiasticall men or lay-men Cap. 13. fol. 170. Theyr disagreement concerning the continuance of their Elders in theyr office Cap. 14. fol. 174 Their vncertainty where to finde the particular offices of theyr Aldermen Cap. 15. fol. 177. Of their Aldermens ioynt-office with the Ministers in the election abdication
and ordination of Ministers and of theyr disagreement about the same Cap. 16. fol. 183. Of theyr Aldermens ioynt-office with the ministers in binding loosing of sins of their disagreemēt therin C. 17. f. 190 Of the first institution of the old Deacons and of the disagreemēt about the new disciplinary Deacons Cap. 18. fol. 198 Of certayne Widdows which are made Church-officers of the disagreement which is about them Cap. 19. fol. 215. Of the charge to bee imposed vppon euery parish by meanes of the pretended Eldership Cap. 20. fol. 227. Of theyr desire that those thinges which haue beene taken by Sacriledge from the Church might bee restored againe to the mayntenance of theyr Elderships Cap. 21. fol. 233 They take from Christian Princes and ascribe to theyr pretended regiment the supreme and immediate authority vnder Christ in causes Ecclesiasticall Cap. 22. fol. 250. In the oppugning of Princes authoritye in causes Ecclesiasticall they ioyne with the Papists Cap. 23. fol. 258. Their disagreement in suppressing the authoritie of princes in church-causes in the aduancing of their own C. 24. f. 268 In what causes more particularly theyr Elderships are to deale as they pretend Cap. 25. fol. 281. Those things they reprooue as vnlawfull in others they allow in themselues Cap. 26. fol. 298 How they deale with the auncient Fathers Ecclesiasticall Histories and generall Councels when they are alledged against them Cap. 27. fol. 329. Theyr dealing with all the new writers and manye reformed churches when they make against them Cap. 28. fol. 354. Howe they depend vppon theyr owne Synodes and fauourers Cap. 29. fol. 364. How falsely they alledge the auncient fathers for their pretended parish-Bishops and Elders Cap. 30. fol. 381. How and with what disagreement they wrest and misconstrue the Scriptures in the behalfe of theyr discipline C. 31. f. 396. What account the solliciters for this pretended gouernement doe make each of other Cap. 32. fol. 416. Of the prayse disprayse of this pretended regiment C. 33. f. 421 Of theyr disagreement concerning the necessitie of the Consistoriall gouernement Cap. 34. fol. 436. Of the pretended commoditie that the Elderships would bringe with them and of the small fruites that they bringe foorth where they are Cap. 35. fol. 450. FINIS CHAP. I. Howe vnder pretence of the Prophetes loue to Syon some men would gladly set vp their owne fancies THe holy Prophet Esay foreseeing the miserable captiuitie which the Iews for their transgressions were to sustaine vnder the kinges of Babell did thinke it necessary to prepare their heartes to patience by assuring them that the Lord in his due time would worke their ioyfull and happy deliuerance To the which purpose amongst many other most notable perswasions prophecies he vseth these wordes for Syons sake I will not hold my peace and for Ierusalems sake I will not rest vntill the righteousnes therof breake forth as the light and saluation therof as a burning lampe that is donec erigam piorum animos spe futurae salutis c vntill I may confirme the minds of the godly saith Caluin with the hope of their restitution againe so as they may vnderstand and be fully perswaded that God will be the deliuerer of his Church The false Prophet H.N. the moste illuminated father of the family of loue counterfaiting the imitation of the Prophet of God in this place doth take vppon him to tell the world of a farre greater captiuitie not of 70. yeares but of more then a thousand and fiue hundred yeares that is euer since the Apostles times Wherein saith he darkenes of error hath ouershadowed the earth lumen vitae incognitum factum est the light of life hath been made vnknowen and the trueth hath been hid as vnder the maske of Popery vntill this day of loue He turneth the whole doctrine of our saluation into a vaine mysterie an allegoricall conceit of his own leauing the Church no mediator at all besides himselfe He hath framed a platforme or new kingdome and gospell of his owne inuention bearing this title Euangelium regni dei the gospell of the kingdome of God Into this kingdome as Vicegerentes he hath brought for our ministers his seniores sanctae intelligentiae Elders of the holy vnderstanding patres familiae Christi fathers of the family of Christ and for our Archbishops and Bishops his Primates or principall Elders his seniores parentes Elder fathers and I know not how many illuminated and deified gouernours And perseuering in these and in many other such like very grosse fond imaginations he lewdly presumeth to apply the said place of the Prophet to himselfe and his owne conceites for the better animating of his followers to sticke fast vnto him saying O Syon tua causa non silebo c O Syon for thy sake I will not hold my peace and for Ierusalems sake I will not rest vntill the righteousnes thereof breake forth as the light saluation thereof as a burning lampe that is in effect vntill the holy gouernment of the family of loue bee established vppon the earth T.C. a man I confesse not to be sorted with H.N. were it not vpon this occasion wil needs take vpō him likewise the person of the Prophet and to aduertise vs of a wonderfull seruitude that hath continued in the Church of God in effect with H.N. from the apostles times also which yet remaineth as he saith in the church of England From the which seruitude he reckoneth that it shall neuer be deliuered vntill it submit it selfe to be newly reformed again by the aduise of his deepe vnderstanding assisted with those that diligently wait vpon his illuminated deuises after the maner of Geneua To winne himselfe therefore the better credite for bringing this to passe hee laieth about him and would haue al things turned topsie turuie as they say euen the vpside downe Our ministery their callings our seruice our sacraments and all we haue is out of ioint Councels fathers histories they are but dishcloutes with him he shaketh them off as it were with a shrugge they are indeed as after it shal appeare no body in his handes but he flingeth them here and there at his pleasure He in like sorte with the assistance of his partakers hath framed after the fashion of Geneua a platforme and newe kingdome or rather an infinite number of litle petite kingdomes but yet euery one of them of an absolute power aswell ouer Lordes Earles Dukes Princes Kinges and Kingdomes as ouer the meanest whosoeuer vnder them This kingdome he would impose vpon this land Wherein for our Archbishops Bishops ministers c hee placeth his graund Elders whome he tearmeth pastors his second sort of Elders whome he tearmeth Doctors his third sorte of Elders whome he tearmeth Gouernors ioyning vnto them Deacons to carry their purses and widdows to wash their feete where neede shall require And with this deuise he is so possessed that hee
thinketh all them bewitched and aduersaries to the trueth that do impugne it He supposeth the present estate of the Church of England wanting that Allobrogicall deuise though reformed as it is to be as yet vnder the yoake of a wicked and vnlawfull gouernment as it were vnder that Iewish captiuitie of the Church vnder the Babilonians And therefore the better to incourage such factious persons as do gape for a change out of Gods blessing into the warme sunne hee taketh vpon him to be their Prophet and as it were another Esay sayth For Syons sake I will not hold my peace and for Hierusalems sake I will not rest vntill the righteousnesse thereof breake forth as the light and saluation thereof as a burning lampe that is in effect vntill the said glorious kingdome of this Geneuian Eldership be enthronized in this land and do carrie the scepter ouer euery parish in England There is also another sorte of Schismatickes amongest vs who although they condemne T.C. for a false Prophet and all his platforme as a meere forgerie yet doe they ioyne with him in slaundering not onely of our church most hainously but furthermore also of all the rest of the Churches in Christendome as hauing conspired together euer since the Apostles times to shut Christ out of his owne kingdome and to runne headlong into a voluntary bondage of greater blindnesse then was euer in Egipt In respect of the which our miserable estate forsooth in England grounding themselues vpon Cartwrightes propositions as they professe vz that seeing our Church our gouernement our ministerie our seruice our Sacramentes are thus and thus as he writeth of them therefore they will not pray with vs they will not communicate with vs they will not submit themselues to our Church or to the gouernment of it they will not baptise their children with vs they will haue nothing to doe with vs but in effect as though we were prophane persons Ethnickes or publicanes do abandon our societies And these men come in with another a far more royall kingdome then Cartwrig hts But it consisteth partly of his sayde officers and partly of some other of their owne that is of all the people whome they greatly magnifie not seeing their owne confusion Which forme or deuise they haue in suche admiration for their conceaued purity of it as that all the parishes in England they say must be first disparished and all the people of the land first sanctified and made a chosen people vnto the Lord before the same may be planted amongst vs. And therefore one of them whether Barrow Greenwood Harrison Glouer or which of their schollers I doe not nowe remember but one of them I am assured doth so greatly dislike the thraldome in his conceit of the Church of England at this day and so thirsteth to drinke the waters which they haue drawn out of their own cisternes that as rauished in spirit and for the comfort of his companions he protesteth that for Syons sake hee will not hold his peace nor for Ierusalems sake take any rest vntill the righteousnesse therof breake forth as the light and saluatiō therof as a burning lampe that is in effect vntill all the parishes in England bee purified after their fashion then an Eldership abridged by a popular authoritie bee placed in them But of all the cryers that I haue read of hee shall weare the garland for crying that presumed of late to printe a petition directed to her Maiestie but published and spread abroad amongst her subiectes for what other purpose I know not then to withdrawe them from their duetiful allegiaunce liking of her gouernment when thereby they should be informed sufficiently as he deemed of such notorious abuses as he falsly pretendeth and that notwithstanding her highnesse being acquainted with them yet she cared not for the reformation of them They say the man hath beene of a crased iudgement and I easiely belieue it partly for that he hath so giddily and so vntruely sought to disgrace asmuch as in him lieth the present gouernement of the Church and partly in respect of his desperate boldnesse that after so many rebukes giuen to such franticke fellowes in the like cases he durst presume againe to offer to the worlde such a fardell of malitious collections and vntruthes and yet thinke them fitte matters to be dedicated to her Maiestie But the thinge that most astonisheth me is this in that he saith thus I do not now write eyther to pull downe Bishoprickes or erect presbyteries With whome the truth is I will not determine For I knowe not c. And yet he taketh the said sentence out of Esay somewhat turkised for his poesie aswell as the rest And to the condemnation of the present gouernment and iustificatiō of the disturbers of it if he vnderstand himselfe he plainly professeth that although he knoweth not which part hath the truth yet for Syons sake he will not cease nor for Ierusalems sake hold his tounge till he hath aduanced his owne conceite and depraued that which hee knoweth not asmuch as possibly he is able And thus you see what loue on all sides is pretended to Syon and how the prophets wordes are wrested by euery one of them to serue their owne turnes But they who haue iudgement will not be much moued with such pretences It hath beene an ancient practise of the aduersaries of the Church of God then especially to be complotting of some mischiefe both against Syon and Ierusalem when in outward shew they haue pretended most of all to bee desirous to repayre them and to seeke their glory There are some men spoken of in the scriptures who vaunt that because their tongues are their owne they will speake what they list To whom also these men that professe they will not holde their peace may be more fitly compared then with the holy prophet Esay Or I doubt it that if a man shoulde iudge of many of them by the course which they haue taken or if they of themselues would resorte indeede to their owne coulours they might soone appeare to be so far from bearing any true affection to Syon as that we should rather finde them in the tentes of the Edomites cryinge in their heartes against the good estate of the Church of Christ now in England as the Edomites did in the day of Ierusalem Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground But because T.C. and his followers for with the rest I will not further meddle haue such a conceite as that the light and saluation of Ierusalem cannot well breake foorth vntill his pretended Eldership may bee generally admitted of in England I will leaue their harts to God and deliuer vnto you historically how this platforme was deuised and grew to bee so much in request which will be the contentes of the two next chapters following CHAP. II. How by whome and where the platforme of Presbytery Discipline was first
this side of the seas amongst vs. If Maister Caluin but especially maister Beza could haue been content to haue contained themselues within the limites either of Geneua or Fraunce to haue intermedled raigned there only and to haue vrged their platforme and deuise no further they might the better for vs in England haue been borne withall But nowe seeing they haue not so done who can be offended that I should make mention of it to the end that if they dealt amisse therein theyr examples and proceedinges might haue the estimation which indeed they deserue I omit how in K. Edwards time certaine malecontents grew vp in the Church of England because sundry matters might not bee ordered as they were at Geneua maister Caluin hauing written sundry letters into England to some suche like effect In Queene Maries time assoone as certaine of our Countreymen were come to Franckforde they were assaulted with the orders of Geneua Quarrels arising about the communion booke and forme of the seruice of England in Kinge Edwardes time there were particulars collected out of it by Knox Whittingham and such as had already tasted of that intoxication and sent to Geneua to bee censured by M. Caluin Who vpon the receit of them returned his answere concerning the sayde Booke compiled confirmed before by such men and such an authorititie as he ought to haue reuerenced In Anglicana Liturgia qualem describitis multas video fuisse tolerabiles ineptias I see that in the English forme of seruice as you describe it there were many tollerable foolleries When Knox and Whittingham had gotten this letter they published it to the Congregation Which being read it so wrought in the heartes of many sayth the discourser of the troubles at Franckford that they were not before so stoute to maintaine all the partes of the Booke of England as afterwardes they were bent against it If you haue Caluins Booke of Epistles I pray you reade it Although Beza thought it meete to be published in print yet shall you finde it to containe no one point of substance in it able to perswade a childe So as thereby you may iudge of their giddinesse who were moued so greatly with it When some of the sayd parties Whittingham diuerse others of a more violent humor came first to Franckford they fel also presently into a very especiall liking of the Geneua discipline as finding it to containe such rules and practices as did greatly concurre with their owne disposions In England poperie was restored and much crueltie vsed whereby they were constrained for the sauing of their liues to leaue their Countrye their liuings and theyr friendes In which case a man may easily gesse how acceptable these pointes were vnto some kinde of humors vz. that if Bishops and Princes refused to admit of the Gospell they might be vsed by their subiects as the Bishop of Geneua was vsed that is deposed and that euerie particular minister with his assistants according to the platforme of that discipline was himselfe a Bishop and had as great authoritie within his owne parish as any Bishop in the world might lawfully challenge euen to the excommunicating of the best aswell the Prince as the Pesaunt And indeede accordingly these positions as afterward it will appere were so pleasing to Whittingham and his consortes as it had beene a very meane forme of discipline I suppose that hauing such principles annexed vnto it wold at that time haue beene refused by them Howbeit many there were and that of the learnedest of those that then departed the Realme as Doct. Cox Doct. Horne M. Iewell with sundrie others who perceauing the trickes of that discipline did vtterly dislike it So as when they came afterwardes to Franckford they wholy insisted vppon the platforme of England and in short time obtayning of the Magistrates the vse thereof they did chose either D. Cox or D. Horne as I gesse or some such other as had beene of especiall account in K. Edwards time to be as it were their Superintendent For the bringing of which matter to passe one maister Clanbourge a chiefe magistrate in that Citie hauing shewed them some especiall fauour complaint was made thereof as it seemeth to M. Caluin Whereupon the sayde M. Clanbourg did write to him as it should appeare that he was induced to yeald to such a choyse the rather because the sayd Superintendent had some such like superior place in England before he came thither Vnto the which point maister Caluin that he might thrust his oare into euerye mans boat to disgrace the sayd platforme of England as much as lay in him and to incourage the factious company at Franckforde that were besotted with his pretended discipline did returne this answere If Beza hath set out his letter truely I would one point had beene omitted which was suggested vnto you I doubt not by that one partie I thinke he meaneth the sayd superintendent For otherwise it would neuer haue come into your cogitation as though he had still kept his whole estate in England to haue established his former ministerie there with you in a perpetuall possession of the authoritie therof Peraduenture there is nothinge that from the beginninge his meaninge is since the Englishemen came thither hath stired vp more contention or at the leaste displeasure so hath kindled strife then this emulation in that the greater part did thinke themselues to be thrust from their equall degree and to bee contumeliously excluded from the common societie if the Church which had receaued intertainment with you meaning the companie that had receiued his forme of discipline before the saide learned men came to Franckford should receaue their lawes from the other parte or side Within some short time after this that the sayd order of the English Church was established as you haue hard at Franckford diuerse of those men who had beene earnest for the Geneuian discipline deuided themselues from that Church as Whittingham Gilby Goodman and others and went to Geneua Where to the great discredit of the estate of the Church of England in Kinge Edwardes time to the greate griefe of such godly men and afterwardes worthy Martirs as remayned here in Queene Maries time in England and to the greate discouragement of sundry weake professors then also in England they reiected the whole forme of our English reformation the booke of common praier our seruice the order of our sacramentes and of all thinges els in effect there prescribed and conformed themselues altogether to the fashions of the Church at Geneua Where they had not beene longe when they had sucked and disgested the whole doctrine before mentioned to be as the appendants necessarily annexed to that forme of newe discipline and which was afterwardes enlarged by Beza as I take it Hotoman others of the disciplinarian humor in their bookes intituled De iure magistratuum c. Vindicia contra tirannos Franco-gallia c. The generall summe
raigne aboue his people About the same time Goodman Whittingham Gilby and some others returned from Geneua into England What violēt and seditious doctrine they brought home with them at the least they three that are mentioned I leaue to some other oportunity But for the Geneuian discipline all their desires were in that point insatiable They had seene how Caluin and Beza did raign at Geneua and thought scorne thereuppon to be subiect vnto any It seemed vnto them a notable matter If euery one of them might by and by haue obtained an absolute autority where they should haue beene placed Comming from Geneua they thought they should haue beene admired But finding themselues therein deceaued and that their Geneuian motions were little regarded it wrought in them a very great discontentment and made them so wilfull that nothing would please them which was not practised in Geneua So as thereby great contentions were presently stirred vp by thē Their first assault was made against the Communion Book with the orders ceremonies that are therein prescribed In the which quarrels perceiuing themselues in many respectes as I take it to be ouermatched what was their refuge but forsooth they must complaine to maister Beza Which complaint receaued he writte his Letter in their behalfe vnto Doctor Grindall 1566. then Bishop of London I wish a man would read the Epistles of Leo sometimes Bishop of Rome and conferre them with this of Bezaes to consider whether tooke more vppon him Leo where he might commaund or Beza where there was no reason he should at all haue intermedled But let him goe on He findeth faults with the manner of apparell appointed for our Ministers with the Crosse in Baptisme with kneeling at the holy Communion with all ceremonies that carrie with them any signification and withall the ancient Fathers applying himselfe altogether to strengthen and incourage his factious old acquaintance in their froward and peruerse obstinacie And because his course taken therein should not bee vnknowen with the same minde that he writte this letter now you see hee hath printed it The yeare after 1567. when the sayd malecontents perceiued that notwithstanding Bezaes letter there was no place giuen vnto their giddie fancies but that euery daye they were withstood more and more and that with such sufficient reasons as for mine owne part I thinke that all the Bezaes in Christendome will neuer be able sufficiently to confute they beganne to stagger and knew not what they should do They could finde no directions in the scriptures how they might behaue themselues and therfore they were constrayned to fly againe to Beza Obserue well I pray you what he himselfe writeth hereof Saepe multumque c. Being oft and greatly desired of my deerest beloued Brethren of the Churches of England that in their miserable state Consilium illis aliquod suggereremus in quo acquiescere ipsorum conscientiae possent I would giue them some councell whereupon their consciences might rest diuerse men houlding diuers opinions c. A long time I differred for diuers waighty reasons so to do and I professe that most willingly I would yet haue beene silent but that I thinke I should greatlye offende if I should still reiect their so many petitions and most pitifull mournings Wee in England may thinke wee haue had great iewels of these disturbers and that for all their pretences of great learning and grauitie they were indeed of a very shallow iudgement that could finde nothing to stay their consciences vppon but what should bee sent to them from M. Beza It was a fond part for them to write so vnto him and a very insolent parte for him to take so much vpon him but in that hee hath published so much to the world in print their childishnes his owne pride I may terme it but I want a word to expresse my conceit Hereby it should seeme that if Beza had taken such a course as might well haue beseemed him it lay greatly in his power to haue very much quieted all those present troubles But that minde was farre from him and yet it would haue tended a great deale more to his owne credit For he giueth his sayd deerest beloued Brethren very vnwise vnlearned and vngodly councell although euer since that time according to their promise they haue very grauely builded their consciences vpon it And it was this in effect that if they could not enioy their ministerie without giuing their consents to the manner of making of our Ministers by the Bishops without the voyces of such a Presbiterie as he and his Schollers do dreame of without giuing their consents to the vse of the Cap and Surplise and to the manner of excommunication in the Church of England c. They should then giue place manifestae violentiae to manifest violence and liue as priuate men Let any man that list read ouer that Epistle also and then iudge indifferently by what light aduise this peeuish opposition hath beene continued amongst vs. After some time spent in these brables then they bethought them to fall more directly in hand with the Geneuian Discipline To this purpose certaine persons assembled themselues priuately together in London as I haue beene enformed namely Gilbye Sampson Leuer Field Wilcox and I wot not who besides And then it was agreed-vpon as it seemeth that an admonition which the now L. Archbishop of Canterburie did afterwards confute should be compiled and offred vnto the Parliament approching Anno. 1572. Against which time it was also prouided that Beza should write his letterr to a great man in this Land for and in the behalfe of the chiefe contents therof vz. for the admitting in England of the sayd Allobrogicall Discipline Which office you may be sure he performed very willingly Vnderstanding sayth he of an assembly of the Estate of England wherein there would bee dealing with matters of Religion I could not chose but write vnto you of that matter And so he proceedeth shewing that all men doe allow of our doctrine but not of our Discipline That except where there is pure doctrine there be also pure discipline meaning his own Geneuian Darling the Churches are litle the better and that therefore her Maiestie and her faythfull Councellors should procure the setting vp of this pure Discipline notwithstanding any difficulties whatsoeuer that might hinder it The same yeare also 1572. hee writ to the Queenes Maiestie an Epistle dedicatory before his annotations vpon the new Testament In the which although he doth confesse that her Highnes hath restored to this Lande the true worship of God yet he insinuateth that wee want a full instauration of Ecclesiasticall Discipline that our Temples are not fully repurged that some high places remayne as yet not abolished and wisheth that those wantes and blemishes might be supplyed and reformed meaning as I thinke hee would confesse if he were deposed that her Maiestie should conforme the present Apostolicall and most
auncient estate of the Church of England vnto that newly deuised vnbrideled new-platforme of that demy-Parish of Geneua as I may well call it by way of comparison Now you must vnderstand that as our old English Geneuians did weare out or grew out of date So there did start vp a new broode in their places Cartwright and Trauers finding as it seemeth that itching and stirring humor in themselues which delighteth altogether in nouelties they would needes to Geneua Where in short time they were notably confirmed in that doctrine of contradiction returned home like the rest of our Geneuian Proselites ten times more wayward then they were before Which disposition of theirs being knowen to the Crue who then but these two after their seuerall returnes thence to bee the Champions successiuely for the Allobrogicall Discipline Since which times you shall finde little omitted of those Disciplinarian practises whereby this Lady their Mistris most indirectly and by all vnlawfull meanes hath beene elsewhere aduanced Their writings I speake nowe generally of all our English Factioners that haue written for this forgerie are full of bouldnes of Sophistications of falsifications of peruerse wrestings of seditious assertions and of manye such corruptions They haue sought by all indirect and vnlawfull meanes to allure the people vnto them and haue entred into a kind of an associatiō amongst thēselues Neither the Bishop of Geneua nor the Bishops in Scotland for ought I finde were euer more Turkifhly handled by Heathenish Libels and most vnchristian calumniations then our Bishops haue bene by diuers of these our Geneuating Passauantians By the like course also and in the same manner haue they dealt as far as possibly they durst with her most excellent Maiestie with the high Court of Parliament with the Lordes of her Highnes most honorable Priuy Councell and with the Iudges Lawes of the land The reformation of religion which almighty God hath wrought amongst vs by her Maiesties meanes some of them haue tearmed a deformation and all of them do disgrace and depraue it to their vttermost abilitie most lewdly and falsly Since the time they haue seen litle hope that her Maiestie the other states of this land would euer giue place to their vnstaied vanities and Phaetonicall presumptions they haue applied themselues to the practise of the inseparable Disciplinarian adiunct mentioned vz that when such states do refuse and will in no wise be perswaded to embrace and establish within theyr dominions the pretended Church-Discipline so liked of at Geneua the Ministers may draw the people vnto them by all maner of allurementes and so betwixt them set it vp themselues And in this course they haue already farre proceeded altogether as you may perceiue by the saide act of Parliament in Scotland Anno. 1584. after the same maner that the Ministers of Scotland did proceede They haue had theyr subscriptions their Synodes of diuerse sortes Classicall Prouinciall and Generall In those Synodes they haue practised Censures made lawes of their owne and disallowed some of those which the state of this realme hath made Vnto these and such like their priuate Conuenticles they haue appropriated the name of the Church and hauing separated themselues in a sorte from all those Christians that fauour not their mistresse they are become ioined into a new brotherhood of the Allobrogicall Discipline As there grew some occasion of feare amongst thē that these their Consistorial proceedings were likely to breake forth before they were ready and able by the strength of their assistance to stand to their tackling consultation was had and the matter ouerruled that none of that brotherhood if hee were apprehended should in any wise appeach another but vtterly refuse to detect such dealinges of the godly brethren as they themselues so greatly liked and were of opinion to be most honest and iust He that woulde take the paines to peruse the examinations of Cartwright and of some others in the Starre-chamber as any may easily do now that they are published should finde all these particulars and many more then heere I wil speake of to be most true And thus you see the Geneuian Discipline deuised by one man procured at the first by his comming great intreaty and friendship being then a simple and a poore Gentlewoman God knoweth fit peraduenture in the alteration of a Monarchy into a popular state to receaue some intertainment but as I say now you may plainly see what a Ladie she is growen to be through the instigations and practises of maister Caluin and Beza and howe and by what meanes she hath enlarged her Dominions and set her foot into this Iland of Britaine I could further adde hereunto how they haue not bin content to keepe themselues within the limites of Geneua Fraunce England and Scotland dealing as you haue heard but haue sought to take the verie same course in some other Countries likewise Maister Beza doubted not as hee saith omnes principes hortari to exhort all Princes to admit of the Sauoyan platforme And this you shall finde a thing ordinarie both in maister Caluins and maister Bezaes writings that as soone as they haue heard from time to time of any countrey that hath begunne to abolish Popery by and by they haue come vpon them with most earnest solicitations and gloses for the contracting of this their gallant Consistorian minion with them What letters haue been written into Germany Transiluania and Polonia wherein that point alwaies playeth a chiefe part One letter written by Beza into Polonia I cannot chuse but make mention of After diuerse attempts and sutes made in the behalfe of their Discipline to haue had her placed in Polonia one Sarnicius writ to Beza as it seemeth in this sorte timetur altera tyrannis now the Pope is bannished it is feared heere that this your platforme of Discipline woulde proue to be as tirannous a kinde of gouernement as euer the Popes was Whereunto he aunswereth Recte quidem It is well said sit ergo disciplinae regula verbum Dei Let the word of God be the rule of Discipline In effect as though he should haue said Let our platforme at Geneua be admitted of amongst you and then your Elders they will easily see what they may do and how farre they may proceed in causes by the word of God Or if they cannot send to Geneua as other Churches haue done and whilest I liue you shal haue such authenticall resolutions as you may be sure shall preuent all that danger And a litle before in the said letter Scis c. you know there is one and the selfe same authour of doctrine and Discipline meaning that of Geneua Quorsum igitur vnam verbi partem alter a repudiata reciperemus to what purpose therfore should we receaue one part of the word without the other To what purpose shall wee receiue the doctrine of our saluation by Iesus Christ except we receaue also the maner of the Discipline
haue not wanted the common affections of men Much trouble there was before their saide deuise was receaued which made them afterwardes the fonder of it We haue a saying that the Crow thinketh her owne birde the fairest and so doe men and women for the most part their owne children Nature doth therein beare sway with the best But especially she sheweth her force most in the fruicts of a mans mind For as our mindes ought to be more deare vnto vs then our bodies so are the fruites of our minds of greater account with vs then the fruites of our bodies Few men that we heare of will giue their liues for their children but many wee see will do it most readily in the maintenance of their opinions Which thinges considered I cannot but in some sorte excuse maister Caluin and maister Beza in seeking all manner of waies all shewes all shiftes all aduauntages that possibly they could either finde or deuise whereby they might iustifie in some sorte the birth and bringing vp of their misconceaued offpring The chiefest ouersight was in my opinion that other learned and wise men doe not well obserue these manner of naturall and common affections in them but were carried after them as it were with a whirlewind to like as they liked to say as they said and to doe as they did If maister Caluin and maister Beza affirmed it why it was inough I haue heard it credibly reported that in a certaine Colledge in Cambridge when it happeneth that in there disputations the authority either of Saint Augustine or of Saint Ambrose or of Saint Ierome or of any other of the ancient Fathers nay the whole consent of them all alltogether is alledged it is reiected with very great disdaâ—ne as what tell you me of Saint Augustine Saint Ambrose or of the rest I regard them not a rush were they not men Whereas at other time when it happeneth that a man of an other humor doth aunswere if it fall out that he beinge pressed with the authority either of Caluin or Beza shall chance to deny it you shall see some beginne to smile in commiseration of such the poore mans simplicity some grow to be angry in regard of such presumption and some will depart away accounting such a kinde of fellowe not worthy the hearing Were not this a pretty and pleasaunt Interlude or Comedy to behold such Parasites playing their partes so Disciplinarian-like And all these follies and dependances that the people haue doted so much after some kinde of Ministers that the inferior sort of those ministers haue taken all for currant coine that hath beene paide them by their superiors and that they the superiors haue beene also so farre ouercaried with the credite of the saide two persons all these follies I say did proceed from this fountaine that neither the people nor their rash seducers did in time put the holy Apostles rule in practise vz. try all thinges and keepe that which is good But it is better late then neuer Since men of all sorts haue entered more carefully into the triall of all the saide pretences together with the very substaunce of that their pretended holy platforme the furious rage of that floud hath beene pretily well diuerted And the very chiefe Captains themselues being vrged of necessity a litle to fall on searching haue found that which I feare they are sorry for and are become as it seemeth like men greatly amased to be at their wits end And now to this purpose I will tell you a wonder If Cartwright and his adherents were to beginne the course againe that they haue runne I am perswaded they would neuer tread so much as one steppe in it But nowe they haue engaged their credits they must shift thinges of aswell as they can and where their wards serue them not beare-of the blowes that shall fall vppon them with their heads and shoulders In the yeare 1572. as you haue heard in the former Chapter the first admonition was offered to the Parliament as containing a perfect platforme of the worthy pretended Discipline to haue beene established within this Realme Within a yeare or two after Cartwright taking in haÌ„d the defence of that platform did alter it in some points especially where it seemed to ascribe too much vnto the people And then if it bee true which is reported that one desiring vppon a time conference with him about these manner of causes he answered what neede you to talke with me you may haue my Bookes they are Est and Amen I doubt not but he would haue sworne vppon conuenient occasion that the admonitioners platforme so qualified by him was a most perfect patterne for all Churches Howbeit within a while after it proued not so For about the yeare 1583. where before the platfourme of Geneua as it was lefte at large in Cartwrigts Bookes had beene followed now there was a particular draught made for England with a newe forme of common Praier therein prescribed The yeare ensuing 1584. the seuen and twentith of her Maiesty out starteth this Booke with great glory at the Parliament time and forthwith the present gouernment of the Church with all the orders lawes and ceremonies thereof was to be cut-off at one blow and this new booke or platforme must needes be established But it preuailed not Shortly after that Parliament the saide booke and platforme was found amongest themselues to haue some thing amisse in it And the correcting of it was referred to Trauerse Which worke by him performed came out againe about the yeare 1586. when there was an other Parliament in the nine and twentieth of her maiesties raigne But it was then as I suppose seuered from the saide book of Common praier and become an entire worke of it selfe And then also at the saide Parliament there wanted not diuerse solicitors for the admittance of it Afterwardes a new conference was had againe about this seconde corrected booke For still there were some things out of square in it In the yeare 1588. at an assembly in Couentry these doubts which were growen were as it seemeth debated and so were many other Cartwright himselfe being present But which of the saide doubts in their platfourme were then resolued I find it not This appeared that some of them remained which they were not able to resolue vpon For although they then concluded that the platforme it selfe was an essentiall forme of Discipline necessary for all times subscribed vnto the practise of the greatest part of it without any further expecting the magistrats pleasure yet in theyr subscriptions they excepted some fewe points which were reserued to be discussed by certaine brethren in an other assembly Where this assembly was kept I canuot certainely affirme But it appeareth vppon deposition that the next yeare after there was one held in Sainct Iohns Colledge in Cambridge Where Cartwright being againe present and many moe besides diuerse imperfections in the saide
Booke of Discipline were corrected altered and amended and there they did not onely perfect the said Booke but also did then and there as the examinate remembred voluntarily agree amongest thēselues that so many as would should subscribe to the saide Booke of Discipline after that time Well then at the last I trust we haue found out what they are agreede vppon and what they will stand vnto You see there hath beene much plotting amongest them and it is time a man would thinke that after such stirres meetinges conferences and Synods made in that behalfe they should be resolued at the last of the things they desire But now I come to my wonder before mentioned for so I esteeme of it Cartwright and the chiefest of those that haue beene lately in prison in one of their foresaide examinations in the Starre-chamber doe plainely auouch it vppon their oathes and so I belieue them that there are some thinges in theyr saide draught of Discipline wherein as yet they were neuer resolued What Is neither Geneua Fraunce nor Scotland able to satisfie them Haue they sought vnto them for theyr opinions and doe they disdaine to make them any aunswere Or else thinke they scorne to aske councell of any men but had rather then they woulde so much discredite themselues dwell still in their doubts Surely I would be very glad to know what doubts these were wherein as yet they were neuer resolued I haue desired diuerse to haue told me of them but they would not Notwithstanding I will tell you what I gesse they were not at randon as they say but vppon some good probability I met by chaunce with a paper of no mean mans among them wherein as I take it some of them at the least are expressed and they are these following Whether there ought to be Doctors in euery Church Whether the Doctors may administer the sacraments Whether there ought to be women Deacons in euery reformed Church Whether the Presbitery be not described too generally obscurely and very imperfectly Whether suspension may be proued by the worde of God Whether suspension can be proued to be a censure of the Church Whether the Elders ought not to be perpetuall as the Pastors are Whether men must stand to the sentence of the greater part of the Consistorie Whether mariages and spousals and things concerning them doe belong to the ministers Whether there should be sureties in Baptisme Whether there ought to be no abstaining from or noting of such a one as for disobedience to the Consistories admonition is in the way of excommunication Vnto these quaerees I could adde some other if I list What if Beza himselfe beginne to doubt as concerning his Discipline or at the least beginne to finde some defectes in it What if he desire to be caput Episcoporum the head of all Bishops within his prouince what if hee would haue the presidentship of euery Synode to be a continuall office But hereof afterwardes in the chapter In the meane while I could wishe with all my heart that those who are wise would throughly consider howe this Church of England and the state of the whole Realme her Maiestie the high Court of Parliament the present forme of our Ecclesiasticall gouernement with the lawes and orders thereunto appertaining and generally all her highnesse dutifull and louing subiects haue been vsed by these so distracted so presumptuous and so notorious rash-pates in that after so many admonitions supplications petitions deprauations inuections humble motions draughts platformes demonstrations and what not which haue bred alreadie a million of great inconueniences and mischiefes Now being pressed vpon their othes they are constrained to acknowledge that as yet they are not resolued in all pointes what they woulde haue If the state had been as rashe in their grauntes as they haue been shamelesse in their demaunds peraduenture the Realme and Church of England by this time might haue been in some such like case as if sondry reportes be true there be some in the world It may be heere obiected peraduenture that supposing the testimony alleadged for the doubtes mentioned were sufficient yet they are but about matters of small importance whereas in points of substance they doe all concurre and are agreed together Whether the doubts which I shewed vnto you be of any importance or not I leaue it to your consideration Indeede if a man may say the truth without their offence there is nothing which they holde concerning this Allobrogicall deuise wherein we do withstand them that is of any good importance of substance But for any agreement or resolution in any of the partes of their platforme whether of substance almost or not of substance you shall not finde it I assure you amongst them as in the processe following it wil appeare And I am of opinion that they will disagree euery day more and more vntil by triall of their former rashnesse they shalbe contented to embrace the present forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernement in England and from the bottome of their heartes thanke almightie God for it CHAP. V. With what distraction vncertaintie diuersitie of iudgementes pretence is made that the Geneua Discipline is of very great antiquitie AS I haue said in the second chapter if my life lay vppon it I could not finde that there was euer in the world anie such platforme of Discipline as is now vrged by the patrones and defenders of it before maister Caluin deuised it and with much trouble set it vp at the last in Geneua I know it is said nowe a dayes that it is of a farre greater antiquitie And if I were not otherwise by reading setled I might peraduenture be ouercarried that way with their pretences The Herroldes at armes they say can do verie much in a mans pedigree Though peraduenture his Gentilitie be not of fiftie yeares standing yet if neede require William Conquerours time is nothing they will fetch it from Adam You shall haue the first finder out Bathes in England so gentilized And euen suche a like course is taken for the Geneua Discipline She must needes be a Lady of an auncient stocke And therefore her feed Herroldes do take great paines in her behalfe Such chopping and changing such clayming and disclaiming of kinreds such coating intercoating quartering of her armes with this great personage in that countrey and with another as great in this countrey you shall rarely finde I am verely perswaded in all the auncient recordes and rules of Herrauldry To leape ouer a thousand and fiue hundred yeares at the first skippe ouer almost two thousand yeares at the next and in a manner to Noahs Arke at the third is but a small matter with them There was neuer poore gentlewomans credite more sought to be set foorth with the smoakie images of her worm-aten auncestors then hers is The Geneua platforme to be reckoned so late a deuise as that maister Caluin should be the first author of it they cannot abide it
shall we thinke that they heard of it and conspired together to ouerthrow Christes institution It may be said that peraduenture they heard of it and reproued it but could not reforme it Very well But where be then their admonitions petitions supplications and libels against it Where be their suspensions excommunications and giuings ouer to Sathan Not a word of that abuse in Saint Iohns Gospell written after the supposed defection but especially could he haue pretermitted such a high point in the booke of his Reuelations Or had he so many Reuelations of other matters of lesse importance forsooth and was such an ouerthrowe of Christes kingdome kept from him The Disciplinarian shiftes in this case to make the best of them can be but slaunderous and desperate But to graunt to all of them the acceptation of the Apostles times after the largest accompt there is surely nothing lesse to be found in those times then the Geneua platforme For then as particular congregations professed the Gospell you should haue found a Priest or minister of the worde and Sacramentes placed in them In Citties where there were diuerse such congregations or wherevnto sondry congregations of the country did appertaine then you shoulde haue found some Timothy a Bishop to gouerne them After that diuerse Citties had receaued the Gospell or some whole Countrey it was not long but some Titus was placed as Archbishop ouer them The twelue Apostles were in those times as twelue Patriarchs for all the world who planted directed visited commaunded and appointed the foresaid Church gouernours and what else they thought meet for the benefit of the church If I were presently to leaue this life and should speak what I thought of the present forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernement at this time in the Church of England I would take it vppon my soule so farre as my iudgement serueth me that it is much more Apostolicall then any other forme of gouernment that I know in any other reformed Churche in the world As for these men that talke so much of the Apostles times they are indeede but brablers Their deuised regiment hath not any resemblaunce at all of that which was in the Apostles times They haue peruerted in deede the true meaning of certaine places both in the scriptures and in the auncient fathers for a shew to serue their turnes as after it shall appeare and other proofes from those times they haue not any But you will say this is denied It is so and of that else-where Howbeit in the meane while that cannot hinder my purpose to search out the pretended antiquity of it For it is confessed by them that the Apostles practised no other form of Ecclesiasticall gouernment in their times then Christ himselfe in his time did ordaine and assigne vnto them to be practised afterwards And what forme was that Forsooth they say it was the very same forme of Church regiment that was amongest the Iewes and that Christ when he said Dic Ecclesiae tell the Church did translate the same being called Sanedrim Councell or Senate into the Church to be the onely lawfull gouernment thereof vnto the end of the world So as here then we must fetch another friske about to search for the antiquity of the Iewish Senate Maister Caluin after hee had deuised the Geneua platforme and leapt ouer more then a thousand and fiue hundred yeares for the strengthning of it by those wordes of Christ tell the Church vppon occasion he further saith that as farre as his auncient records will serue him the foresaide Iewish Sanedrim was deuised by the Iewes after theyr returne out of captiuity which was vppon the pointe of fiue hundred yeares before Christ Scimus c. wee knowe that from the time that the Iewes returned out of the captiuitye of Babilon the censure of manners and of doctrine was committed to a chosen Counsell which they called Sanedrim in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoc legitimum fuit Deoque probatum regimen c. This was a lawfull regiment and allowed of God And againe to cutte of all childishe cauilles how to shift this place as that Caluin saith not that it was then first instituted the sam e Caluin speaketh hereof more plainely where intreating of the seuenty Elders Numbers 2. that were chosen to assist Moyses he hath these wordes Certum quidem est c. it is very certaine that when the Iewes were returned from the captiuity of Babylon because it was not lawfull for them to create a king they did imitate this example in erecting of their Sanedrim Here is then the time as plainely set down again as needeth vz. after the Captiuity the cause why they ordained it vz. because they might haue no King and the patterne they did imitate vz. Moyses choosing of seuenty Elders to assist him in his gouernment But all this will not yet serue the turne For besides many other exceptions which are taken to Maister Caluins extraction of the Iewes Sanedrim out of Christs wordes tell the Church this is one that if they will needes inforce such a gouernment vppon the Church as was amongst the Iewes then they meane belike to wrest from the Prince the ciuile sword and to deale themselues in ciuile causes by their owne authority which they haue so much condemned in others though they meddle not otherwise with them then by the Princes appointment for that the Iewes-sayd gouernment or Sanedrim had to doe as well in ciuile causes as in any other that were Ecclesiastical Their aunswere to this exception is that in deede the gouernement they speake-of had to deale in Christs time with ciuile causes de facto but not de iure and that the Priests Iudaicis rebus confusis through their pride and ambition had crastily and corruptly procured such vnlawfull authority vnto themselues to the defacing and hinderaunce of the Lordes institution by Moyses at the first See how they carry vs from post to piller Maister Caluin is no body with Beza Now we must yet further backeward vz. from the restitution of the Iewes out of Babilon to Moyses his time almost a thousand and fiue hundred yeares Surely maister Caluin should haue been as well acquainted with Moyses doings as Beza is for that he hath written Commentaries vppon all his fiue Bookes which Beza hath not If Caluin in sifting the Text so painefully as he hath done cold finde no such matter in Moyses as Beza pretendeth it doth greatly preiudice in my opinion his lighter conceite But heare his wordes We must omnia reuocare ad institutionem Domini per Mosem loquentis vt quid iure factum sit intelligamus Call euery thing to the institution of the Lorde speaking by Moyses if we will haue a true vnderstanding of this gouernement and of the right authority thereof Very well Here then wee must haue a newe issue We must set vp as I said the Church-gouernement which the Apostles practised the Apostles practised
Geneua at the least that of all likelyhood as diuers housholdes by his owne rule do concurre together to make one conuenient parish So diuerse parishes in one citie suburbes and territorie thereof may be vnited and rightlye beare the name of the church Except wee shall thinke that Christ referring as they suppose his Apostles to the imitation of the Iewes church gouernment they were so negligent workemen as there being at that time 400. Synagogues in that one citie they had erected in all their times but one congregation christian church or parish answerable to one Synagoge it being lawfull for them by the square of that platforme to haue erected if they had could 400. But let this passe as a thing impertinent and to returne to the maimed pining Parishes at Geneua You will say did not Cartwright know the ecclesiasticall gouernment of that citie when he writ his bookes or shall we once conceaue that he thought to condemne that regiment which in other places hee doth so greatly extoll certainly for mine owne part although I do not greatly respect what he will saie that hee either knoweth or thinketh yet I suppose he will neuer for shame denie it but that he misliketh that forme of church regiment For first besides the premises being vrged with Caluins authoritie who thought the church of Geneua with all her sayde Parishes to make but one body of a church his answere to that point in effect is this Admit Caluin so thought I am of opinion that if Caluin had not soe thought hee would neuer haue erected vp such an Eldership And if Beza did not thinke so still I iudge hee would alter it Secondly also vppon another occasion he resembleth the order of certaine reformed churches which in this sence must be necessarily either of Scotland Flaunders or Geneua vnto the custome in S. Ieromes time when Bishops besides their one onely church had certaine other congregations belonging to their ouersight c. and in mislike thereof sayth for parte of his answere to this pointe being pressed by his aduersary against him I appeale to the institution of God and vse of the purer times after the Apostles But amongst other qualifications which he maketh least we should thinke that where such reformations are made as haue diuers parishes belonging to one Eldership there the old Diocesse and Bishops are in effect not abrogated but a little altered he sayth that one in such Eldership is aboue the rest but for a time as Caluin was chosen thereunto euery two yeares and not during his ministerie Which authority ouer many parishes but for a time although he will not plainly condemne it in the reformed churches which hee fauoreth yet speaking against the order of the church of England both he his companions doe make it a steppe whereby Sathan did aduaunce the kingdome of Antichrist Lastly as hitherto you haue found M. Cartwright with his friendes opposite in this matter vnto Geneua and Scotland differing also much from the churches in the Low countries so he seemeth to mee to crosse himselfe For in his second booke hee sayth that particular churches are nowe in steed of Synagogues and that their Synagogues were the same that our particular churches are And in his third booke he writeth thus For my part I confesse that there commeth not to my minde whereby I could precislie conclude out of the olde testament that there was an eldershippe amongst the Iewes in euery of their Synagogues If that can not then be shewed out of Moses who was so faythfull in setting downe all that was committed to his charge and that Christ commaunded no new thing but such as Moses instituted how hath hee vrged so mightely that we must haue his Elderships in euery Parish We shall see peraduenture that in shorte time M. Cartwright will giue ouer this holde and betake himselfe to the citie consistories framing new Diocesses to bee subiect vnto them as in other countries you haue heard they are Well I would wishe that before their Elderships were graunted vnto them they should agree together where they ought to place them But nowe to the seuerall partes of euery Eldership CHAP. 8. Of Bishops generally of the pretended equalitie of Pastors or new parish Bishops and how the chiefe impugners of Bishops beginne to relent IN the olde testament the high Priest besides that he was a figure of Christ had also vnder Moses Iosua the Iudges and Kinges for the better ordering and gouernment of the church authoritie and iurisdiction ecclesiasticall within that countrie of Canaan vnder whom for the same purpose were other Priests at least 24. that were called Principes Sacerdotum Princes of the Priestes all of them inferior to the high Priest but superior to the rest In the new testament our Sauiour Christ whilst hee liued on the earth had his Apostles and in degree vnder them his 70. Disciples After his ascentiō the same inequality of the ministery of the word continued in the Church by all mens confession as long at the least as the Apostles liued In the Apostles times Saint Marke was Bishop of Alexandria Saint Iames was Bishop of Ierusalem Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus and Titus was Bishop of Crete if the ancient fathers and Ecclesiastical histories be of any credite The Apostles hauing receaued the promise of the holy Ghost after a short time dispersed themselues by aduise into diuerse regions And there by painefull preaching and labouring in the Lords haruest they planted no doubt very many Churches As the number of Christians grew and had their particular assemblies and meetings in many Cities and countries within euery one of their circuites they placed pastors in euery congregation they ordained certaine Apostolicall men to bee chiefe assisters vnto them whom they placed some one in this particular countrey another in that and some others in sondry Cities to haue the rule and ouersight vnder them of the Churches there and to redresse and supply such wantes as were needefull And they themselues after a while and as they grewe in age and escaped the crueltie of tyrantes remained for the most part in some head Citty within their compasse to ouersee them all both Churches Pastors and Bishops or Superintendents and to giue their directions as occasions required and as they thought it conuenient When any either of these Apostolicall assistantes or of the Apostles themselues dyed there were euer some worthy men chosen and appointed to succeede them in those Cities and Countries where they had remained For wee may not idlely dreame that when they dyed the authoritie which was giuen vnto them ceased no more then we may that the authoritie of Aaron of his naturall sons expired and ended with them Besides it is manifest by all Ecclesiasticall hystories that many Churches were planted after theyr deathes And furthermore it coulde not be but that some Churches especially vnder those Apostles that were soonest put to
the brethren must content themselues with very meane fellowes Husbandmen Taylors Butchers Carpenters Shomakers Thatchers Dawbers and such like Indeed at Geneua they flaunt it out For there hauing twelue in number they must all be men of state vz. Two of the Lordes of the little Councell foure of the Councell of three score and six of the Councell of two hundred Which policie pleaseth the Ministers there so greatly that to their commendation be it spoken they wish the like order to bee obserued in all places as neerely as may bee M. Beza speaking hereof saith That there must bee consideration had that Princes and Noblemen and such as haue authoritie be chosen to be of the Segniorie Who being so chosen saith Cartwright and his demonstrator if they should disdaine to ioyne in consultation with poore men they should disdaine not men but Christ himselfe According to some proportion of which precept as Iiudge the saide Cartwright in another place affirmeth that is the practise of the Churches reformed after his fashion to choose such Elders as are able to liue without charging the Church any whit So that as neere as they can they will haue the chiefest and the richest to be their Elders that so the honourable estate of the Ministers might shewe it selfe with greater glory For as it is set downe in the seuenth Geneuian article In case one of the two Lordes of the Councell chosen should then also bee a Syndicke yet he must not bee in the consistorie but as a common Elder to gouerne the Church with the rest of the companie Yea and which is more Euerie such officer is to be continually resident vpon his charge and that in his owne person What not a substitute to bee admitted for a Nobleman It is well Then Kings Princes Magistrates Lords Gentlemen looke well to your charges Marke if it please you how you are raunged and giue place to your betters For saith Danaeus Your degree or kind Longè est dissimile ac inferius ordine pastorum Is farre vnlike and inferiour to the order of pastors You are but made their assistants as the 70. were to Moses Ergo quae inter eiusdem Collegij Curiae assessores siue consiliarios ipsum praesidem differentia est eadem est inter presbyteros pastores eiusdem And therefore knowe this that there is as much difference betwixt you the pastors of your consistories wherin you serue as is betwixt a king and his councellors Fie vppon superioritie may these Ministers say fie vpon it Indeede we saith one of them in effect do rest not in names carrying shew of worldly rule and lordly commaundement c. but of seruice guiding leading ouerseeing directing such like Which maketh me to remember the Frier in Chaucer that desired of the Capon but the liuer of a white loafe but a shiuer and after that a rosted pigs head but for him he would not any beast were dead They wil seeke to be no higher than be aboue princes They wil take nothing vpon them men of great humilitie but euen to be guiders leaders ouerseers and directers And as for names of any great shew or honor they care not for them so they may haue but onely the estimation which is due to men that haue such vaine titles Euen Chaucers Frier vp and downe But what names will please them you shall finde that after a sort in the next chapter CHAP. XI Their disagreement about the name of their ruling associates YOu must not thinke but that in agreeing by what name their pretended gouernors must properly bee called they will be very curious For in christening but of priuate persons their new discipline prouideth that no names be giuen Quae paganismum vel papatum resipiunt which smell either of paganisme or popery but such especially as are in the scriptures And therefore for Robert Alice and such like c. some of them as one noteth haue deuised these names for their children The Lord is neere More triall Reformation Discipline Ioy againe Sufficient From aboue Free gift More fruit Dust names in our English phrases not very vsual or oft found in the scriptures As if for example where we read Adam knew Eue or Kain killed Abell we should say after their fashion Red knew liuing and Possession slew vanitie If they should translate the scriptures they would doe it as it seemeth very properly But now if in a matter of so little weight in respect of that I haue in hande they haue thus bestirred themselues and that with so great discretion you must thinke that for their Aldermen the sinewes of their owne strength they haue left no one corner in their heads vnsearched to set them out to the world in their best colours indeed euery man almost as his fancie hath lead him By that which hath bin said alredy in the sixt chapter it followeth consequently that if vppon their agreement together which I neuer looke for it happen that their pretēded regiment shalbe called Synedriū then their new Aldermen whether they be Princes Magistrates Lords Gentlemen or where they want Coblers Tinkers Brokers or Tapsters they must bee called as I suppose Synedrians if Councell then Councellors if Consistorie then Consistorians if Eldership then Elders if Assembly then Assemblistes if Deaconship then Deacons if Church then Churchians if Senate then Senators and if Synagogue then Archisynagogians To these also may be added some other so as you wil content your selues to see some little more crossing Presbyterorum proprio Christianis vocabulo comprehendi pastores doctores nemo nescit No man is ignoraunt saith Serranus that amongst Christians this word Priest doth properly signifie a pastor and doctor that is Ministers of the worde Nay sayth Cartwright in effect that is a lie by your leaue The name of Elder most properly agreeth to those which haue the gouernmēt only And Trauerse his scholler wil not shrinke frō him an inche Those Elders saith he which onely rule proprio nomine presbyteri appellantur if you will speake properly are to bee called Priests or Elders I thinke he meaneth amongst Christians It seemeth also that they bee called not simply Elders but Elders of the people For Beza is resolute that adiecto epitheto the rulers in the Synedrion or Consistorie had this addition to their names to be tearmed seniores populi Elders of the people with whom notwithstanding his credit an other incountreth a Bussard in respect but yet a fellow as confident as Beza saying Seniores populi non erant ex eclesiastico Synedrio sed ex ciuili The Elders of the people were not of the ecclesiasticall Senate but of the ciuill By whose iudgement then our Elders may not haue that epithete which Beza affirmeth was due vnto them Besides if we shall beleeue Beza Cartwright c. these Elders are cōmended vnto vs in the scriptures vnder the name
profitable duetiés doe appertaine but these our Elders therefore I thinke they are to bee referred to them I thinke Beholde hee is not certaine There are no other When shall that be proued by the coldnes of his conclusion considering the mans warm disposition it seemeth to me that if the same things might bee brought to passe without these Elders that they ascribe to their offices they would not much insist to vrge them any longer Which maketh mee to remember the notable Counsaile which Gualter gaue to the Bishops of England in a Letter of his to the Bishop of Ely Where prosecuting certaine points of more then popish tyranny practised by some of his neighbour Consistorians and commending those in Englande that did oppose themselues to the innouators here hee giueth this adui se. Ne tamen hi habeant plausibilem calumniandi occasionem c. But leaste your disturbers and vnquiete personnes may haue a plausible occasion of slaundering it is necessary to ordayne by the Magistrates authority a Christian meanes or Discipline for reformation of manners whereby the Ministers if theyr liues bee dissolute the too much libertye of great men and the corrupt behauiour of the common people may bee restrained Nam si id fiat non habebunt illi quod quiritentur nisi apertam Imperij affectationem profiteri velint For if that be done those persons shall haue no cause to complaine except they will publikely professe the affectation of the Empire It appeareth by diuers letters of Gualters that the present state of the Church of England is so depraued beyond the seas by these companions amongst vs as that it hath beene conceiued by godly men that wee had no lawes no good orders no discipline but that euery man might doe what he list which caused him to giue this aduise Whereas if he had knowne the trueth hee would rather haue vrged the Bishops to a more carefull regard then hetherto they haue had for the executinge of such lawes as wee haue made to our hands already then for the making any new For the best reformed churches in Europe may cast their caps as the saying is in this respect at England Which heapeth a greater iudgement vpon them that can not bee content to liue quietly vnder the present gouernement but do so frowardly so seditiously so fondly seek to disturbe the same and to bringe vnto vs they know not what a counterfeite Chimera without either top or toe proportionable to that which is pretended But this is by the way My purpose was to informe you that for the duties or offices before so largely ascribed vnto their Elders to bee seuerally by them executed in their particular tribes they haue no warrant in the woord of God but are driuen to silly shiftes their proculdubio their thinkinges and as you haue seene in effect to confesse as much So that by their owne diuinity those men that dare take vpon them such offices are in daunger to perish Now I will come to those offices which they affirme they are to execute with the Pastor and Doctor CHAP. XVI Of their Aldermens ioynt-office with the Ministers in the election abdication and ordination of Ministers and of their disagreement about the same THe Elders saith maister Cartwright are ioyntly to execute with the Ministers election or choyse and the abdication or putting out of Ecclesiasticall officers Tush why omitteth he ordinatioÌ„ Let it be added out of his demonstrator and others to go with the other for company Euery officer of the church saith the Demonst. he must be ordained by the laying on of the handes of the Eldership Indeed heere is now good fellowship The second is in excommunication of the stubborne or absolution of the repentant The third is the decision of all such matters as do rise in the church eyther touching corrupt manners or peruerse doctrine A man would haue thought these Elders had been sufficiently loaden before but here is a surcharge with a witnesse I trust their proofes for these thinges are very pregnant or else their presumption will be more then palpable You must not forget that whether these Rulers in Moses time did ioyne with the Priestes in the execution of any of their offices at all or not Beza though hee labour to seeke out their first institution and so to finde them when they were at the best yet he is driuen to his probabile est for that point and can go no further that way Besides will they say that in the old testament these their Elders had to doe in the electing or chosing of Priests so consequently in their deposition Lay it in them or in their voices to make new Leuites It is a mockery Besides what if their Elderships themselues haue no such authoritie shall it not in some sorte impaire the credite of their Aldermen Or if the Ministers the maisters of the game be cut short may not their attendantes be contented though they be somewhat abridged At Geneua in the election of their Ministers the councell of state hath in effect a negatiue voyce For after their Ministers vpon examination of the partie and hearing of him preach haue thought him a meete man for the ministery he must againe preach before some of the Councell and if the Councel like him not he cannot be chosen but is repelled And as the ciuile magistrate hath there his ordinary authoritie in the electing of ministers so hath he when any of them doe incurre the daunger of law the like authoritie to depose them againe from the Ministery This were a disgrace indeed if our graue Eldership should be thus ouerruled But for their Aldermen in all that action of both sortes vz election and abdication I doe not find them so much as once mentioned by those lawes except they be included in the name of ministers And then some of their ministers are dumbe dogges By the decrees of the nationall Synode at the Hage the election of ministers may not be by the Consistorie alone but the Deacons are also ioyned in commission with them and likewise the Classis or if there be none then two or three neighbour-ministers And for deposition of any from the ministerie that is Penes caetum Classicum belonging to the Classicall assembly It seemeth that the Elders being more in number in euerie Eldership then the ministers beganne to play false play and shewed some wilfulnesse so as nowe they must in this sorte be bridled with a pluralitie of more Priestly voyces By which meanes though they seeme to haue some interest in these affaires yet in effect it is none at all Furthermore it is ordered by the great Synode in Fraunce that a minister may not be chosen by one onely minister with his consistorie but by two or three ministers or if there be a colloquy by the collâ—quy with the consistorie or els by the prouinciall Synode if it may be But touching
certaine that the Barrowists woulde not and not they onely but euen some others of a little better credite then any of our English botchers who will needs haue the people to haue in effect as great an interest in the execution of the Church censures as all the rest both ministers and Eldermen Thus Vrsinus writeth hereof Fiat excommunicatio c Let excommunication be done by the consent and authoritie of the whole Eldership ecclesiae and of the Church not of the Church alone nor of the Ministers or presbytery alone For this power is not giuen by Christ to a few or to Ministers onely although the administration and execution of it is committed oftentimes to fewe or to one Minister sed toti ecclesiae but to the whole Church If he will not heare them and others tell the Church Potentes dominantur vos autem non sic Princes beare rule like Lordes but you may not do so The consent therfore of the Church is to be required 1. Because it is Christes commaundement 2. For the authoritie of the action 3. That no man bee iniuried 4. Least the Ministery should be changed into an Oligarchy or Popish tyranny Thus farre Vrsinus In whose iudgment you see the Eldership is to be charged alreadie though it be but newly set vp with the same faults that are imputed to our church-gouernment by the brotherhoode amongest vs that is with the alteration of Christes institution with Lordlinesse and with a Popishe tyranny c. So as by this deuise the people are to bee vnderstoode in the person of the Apostles as well as their Elders and the one hath no more authoritie to binde and loose then the other But nothing will content them long Giue them the head euery yeare will bring forth a new platforme It will not be inough for maister Beza to say Neque enim eis assentior qui non nisi totius ecclesiae c. I doe not agree with them who will not haue any man excommunicated but by the consent of the whole Church and of euery man particularly For Christ hath giuen this authoritie sani iudicij hominibus to men of sound iudgement that is to the colledge of Elders according to the manner of the Iewes Vrsinus and those that are of his opinion will aunswere that the rest of the Church are not of their wits that it is but his pride and his Elders presumption to take so much vppon them that they would be Lords ouer their brethren and for the place of Mathew that they know Christes meaning aswell as he and all that take his part Of the third ioynt office that Cartwright saith dothâ—belong vnto his pretended Elders to bee executed ioyntly with the ministers as it was touched in the beginning of the 16. chapter I shall haue a more fit place to speake in the 22.23.24 and 25. chapters following CHAP. XVIII Of the first institution of the old Deacons and of the disagreement about the new disciplinarie Deacons IN the apostles times when after Christes ascention they began to preach in Ierusalem such was the charitie of those that professed the Gospell that many of them solde all or the most part of that which they had and brought the price of it to the Apostles feete The especiall reason that moued them as I take it so to do was this The greatest part that at the first did followe the Apostles were of the poorer sorte Who vppon theyr newe embracing of that so comfortable a doctrine did giue ouer themselues to the carefull meditation and throughly learning of it leauing their trades though not altogether yet surely as I suppose for the most part vntill at the least that they grew to bee more fully instructed therein To the which purpose they kept asmuch together with the Apostles as possibly they could and had their holy assemblies their exhortations praiers and the administratioÌ„ of Baptisme secretly in priuat houses for fear of the Magistrats Now as I said the most of these being poore men and the Apostles themselues hauing nothing to liue vpon When any of the richer sorte did ioyne themselues to that meeting or congregation they sold such thinges as they had or thought meete and brought the price of it vnto the Apostles not onely for theyr owne maintenaunce but committed the distribution of it vnto them for the reliefe also of the rest that wanted and were not able to prouide for themselues those thinges that were necessary This charge as well for the saide religious exercises in their priuate assembly as for this distribution equally to be made as the occasions required the Apostles took vppon them more particularly for a short time then they did afterward vz. vntill the number of Christians in Ierusalem increased from 120. vnto fiue thousand at the least and did grow daily more and more so as they were as I thinke constrained to haue diuerse Congregations And then because they found it to be some hinderaunce vnto the execution of their generall Commission for the further dispersing of the Gospell they caused seuen men to be chosen such as were knowen to be of honest report and full of the holy Ghost and wisedome Vnto whom that businesse was more specially committed Who thenceforth might not onely according to their honesty and discretion take into their hands such money as shoulde be brought from time to time to the godly disposed for the purpose mentioned but also in the Apostles absence agreeably with the fulnes of the holy Ghost whereby they held the mysterye of faith in a pure conscience were to teach to comforte to moue to confirme in the faith the brethren in theyr particular congregations or meetings and likewise to offer their common praiers in al their names vnto the Lord and to baptise the children of the faithfull For the Apostles in appointing of these newe officers had as well regard to the Soules of the people as to their bodies And because at that time which was the infancy and first spring of the Church there were not such meete men as might be made Priests or as they tearme them now a daies preaching Elders it pleased the Apostles to haue them trained vp in that exercise and to make the office of Deacons a degree and a step to the fulnes of Priesthood Which is expressed by Saint Paul when he saith of Deacons qui bene ministrant gradum bonum sibi acquirent they that minister well shal purchase to themselues a good degree And this order or office of Deacons being thus as you haue heard first instituted at Hierusalent was afterward vppon the same occasions and for the same ends ordained in other Churches where alwaies they executed all the parts mentioned of their offices so long as the Churchâ—s continued wherein they were placed Or if it happened as it did after in IerusaleÌ„ that their Churches were dispersed so as contributions collections ceased yet they continued their
preaching their exhorting and confirming of the weâ—ke brethren their baptising of children the rest of the duties mentioned as they might be suffered and accepted of wheresoeuer they came Examples of such Deacons and offices as here I haue spoken of we haue in the scriptures deliuered to vs by S. Luke wher he setteth down the actions of Steuen and Phillip both of theÌ„ Deacons how they preached how Phillip baptized and what is sayd of any one of them must be vnderstood of the rest Vnto these examples and for the further proofe of these premises I might adde the generall consent of all the ancient Fathers and the ordinary practise of all Churches either in theyr times or since especially for the continuall practise of the Priestly part of the Deacons office But as in times of dispersion they could not execute the other part consisting in collections distributions so afterwards God blessed his Church in such sort that indeed it needed not For when great men Lords Princes Kings and Emperours had embraced the doctrine of Christ so as men had the Gospell brought as it were home to their doores and might frequent with commendation the publicke assemblies and practise of religion and withall follow their owne trades and particular callings more diligently when also the saide great men Lordes Princes and Emperours besides many other well disposed Christians had prouided for the ministers and for the poor sufficient maintenaÌ„ce for the one partly by the tithes which are due vnto them and partly by other gifts according to their places and for the other that is the poor by setting them on worke such as were able by prouiding of hospitals and such like meanes for those that were impotent that part of the Deacons office became to be in time superfluous And since they haue applied themselues to the more materiall part of their office whereby they might obtaine the other good degree of Priesthood With these points I thought good to acquaint you before I came to the Disciplinary conceits about Deacons For euen now as though there were no prouision made either for the ministery or for the poore they are most instant for I know not what kind of Deacons But as therin they haue cut off themselues from the truth so are they at great disagreement one with another Our Englishe reformers are all of them peremptory that we must haue suche Deacons as they imagin were in the Apostles times But the GeneuiaÌ„ ministers do think their platform of discipline to be the paragoÌ„ of the world although they haue no such Deacons in it There is in Geneua an Hospitall whereof there are foure Proctors and ouerseers and these foure are with them in steed of Deacons For otherwise they haue not so much as the name of Deacons there By which rule if we shall square the pretended discipline we haue such officers already as may serue our turnes for Deacons vz. Proctors of Spitle-houses maisters and ouerseers of hospitals as sufficient honest and fit meÌ„ to execute their places as ther is any I assure my self in Geneua But peraduenture the matter which they shoot at is this They would haue an Hospitall in euery parish And yet there is no such thing at Geneua In al their whole Territory they haue but one hospitall Wel let Geneua therin do what it list our men will needs haue another kind of Deacons what kind is that Surely no such kind as was in the Apostles times But they know not indeed what they woulde haue The Deacons which our men doe require must not inter-meddle for a 1000. li. with any part of the office that belongeth to a minister Their deaconship in no case may be reckned to be a step to the ministery How beit som other meÌ„ as wise as learned as they are do hold a contrary opinioÌ„ First all the ancient fathers are generally against them in both the points mentioned so is the practise of the church of God euer since the Apostles times All the learned meÌ„ in Germanie for ought I find that maintaine the Augustane confessioÌ„ are against theÌ„ Yea what if some of their chiefe Captaines be against them The Deacons in Fraunce were once within these fewe yeares allowed to catechise publickly in theyr reformed Congregations And as yet one parte of their office is to go through families and to catechise them at home priuately To bee a Catechist with our men is the especiall dutie of their Doctor whom they make a Minister of the worde So as then there is no more difference in that respect betwixt their Doctorall minister and the French Deacons sauing that the one doth catechise publicklie and the other priuatelie If all this bee nothing then let vs heare Beza the Consistoriall oracle who turneth himselfe into euerie mans colours Truth is mightie and driueth men to their shiftes when hauing rashly ouershot themselues they will still to maintaine their credits impugne it Heare him I praie you how hee plaieth his prize It is saith hee absurde to thinke that Deacons had the office of preaching committed vnto them But in his confessions thus The office of pastors and Doctors is to preach and saye prayers vnder which duties I doe comprehend the administration of the sacraments and the blessing of mariages according to the perpetuall vse of the Church although oftentimes Deacons did supplye these thinges insteed of the Pastors Againe The fathers and late writers who supposed that the office of preaching did belong to Deacons decepti sunt were deceiued But in his annotations vppon the 1. of Tim. 3.9 That the Deacons must holde the misterie of faith thus DiaconoruÌ„ enim erant nonnullae etiaÌ„ in docendo partes quoties necesse fuisset vt ex Stephano et Philippo apparet the Deacons had also some thing to do in teaching when it was needfull as by the example of Steuen and Philip it is manifest Againe in his booke against D. Sarauia finding himselfe as I suppose to be preiudiced by his said annotation or hauing beene reproued for it by Cartwright c. or fearing some inconuenience that might ensue thereof hee would gladlye get him some startinge hole Cartwright to auiode the example of Steuen the Deacon saith in effect that he was no preacher but an Apologizer But Beza hath not learned that euasion as yet He hath another which is indeed as good as none at all Stephen the Deacon saith hee although hee was most worthy to be apreacher yet in that he was only a Deacon in the Church of Ierusalem he is not sayde to haue taught in the Church but in the Synagogues of the Iewes As it is nowe constantly helde our Church assemblies are the same in effect that the Iewes Synagogues were So as then bee-like Deacons may not preach in Cathedrall churches which I resemble to the temple of Hierusalem but they maie preach in Countrie parishes One of the places which Beza
exhorting ruling prouision for the poore and attendance vnto them all which no man in his wits wil deny to be perpetuall and in these expressely they which haue the giftes are commaunded to abide and to content themselues with them Wherefore c. These men you see must either haue their Widdowes or else all is marred And haue them they will if distinguishing similitudes diuiding sillogismes and logicke will get them And besides you may perceiue what most vehement patheticall and peremptory men they are in this behalfe Howbeit you shall finde that other men nay whole Churches for all this heat are of another opinion and withall such men and Churches as neither the defender discourser nor sermoner nor all the priuate disciplinarye conuenticles in England will presume in any sort to compare themselues vnto them Maister Beza doth not thinke the hauing of Widdowes to be such an ordinary and perpetuall institution as it hath beene pretended For at Geneua not such a Widdow if you would giue a pounde for her And yet that platforme is either perfect by this time or else there hanges some curse ouer it But this I am sure of that he who durst take vppon him to tell them in Geneua that by their omission of these Widdowes they haue cruelly wounded the body of Christ they had like desperate ruffians cut of one of his members and that in these respectes the forme of their Disciplinary regiment is maimed and deformed might peraduenture repente him of it Indeede either I am very much deceiued or els this dreame of widdowes beginneth to vanish The very principall nay the onely place vz. Hee that sheweth mercy with cheerefullnesse wherevpon they haue hitherto builte to proue them to be such Church-officers as they haue imagined them to be is boldly and with mayne strength wrested out of their handes notwithstandinge that Maister Caluin M. Beza and M. Cartwright had layde as fast hold vpon it as they could Or peraduenture I might rather say that the two which bee aliue seeing their tenure was nought haue willingly giuen it ouer The Champion I meane that hath done this great deede is Maister Trauers Who writeth of this pointe after this sorte That which followeth of him that sheweth mercy nullum certe munus ecclesiae indicare puto c. I thinke it meaneth not any certaine office but what duety the whole Church ought to shew in relieuing the poore Thus farre and further Maister Trauers in his Latine booke as if you will peruse the place you shall perceiue But you must remember that I doe referre you to his Latine booke and not to the Englishe translation of it Why some may say is it not faithfully translated Shall we thinke that such zealous men as had to deale therein would serue vs as the Iesuites doe It is wee know a practise with that false hypocriticall broode to leaue out and thrust in what they list into the writinges of the ancient Fathers that thereby in time nothing might appeare which shoulde any way make against them But wee will neuer suspect nor belieue that any man who feareth God and least of all that any of that sorte which are so earnest against all abuses and corruptions shoulde play vs such a prancke Surely yee doe well to iudge the best and I my selfe was of your opinion But nowe I am cleane altered How were some of Vrsinus workes vsed at Cambridge And it is true that some other Bookes haue beene handled very strangely else-where But concerning the present point this is the trueth The translator of Trauerses Booke hath quite omitted the wordes which I haue alleadged and all the rest that tendeth to that purpose euen seuenteene lines together So as if you see but the Englishe Booke you shall not finde so much as one steppe whereby you might suspect that euer Maister Trauerse hadde carried so harde a hande ouer the pretended Widdowes If the translator had receaued any Commission from the author to haue dealt in that sorte with his Booke yet it shoulde haue beene signified eyther in some Preface or in some note or by some means or other but to leaue such a matter out and to giue no generall warning of it I tell you plainely it was greate dishonesty and lewdenesse It were better for them to giue ouer their platformes in the plaine field then to seeke to maintaine them with such apparaunt falshoods Well let them take their course and yet all theyr sleightes will not preuaile But the Translator or Councellor or peruser one or moe or how many soeuer they were but all of them sottes if they thought by such their corruption to bolster vp the credite of theyr Widdowe Church-gouernours For it is euident in my iudgement that eyther most of their owne men doe beginne to come to Maister Trauerses opinion before mentioned or else that generally it is helde by them that the first ordaining of Widdowes was but for a time neuer meant to be an ordinary and perpetuall institution to continue for euer In Geneua as I saide there are no such Widdowes Scotlande in their approued Booke after the Geneua fashion doth not once thinke of them The Synodicall constitutions for the Presbyteriall platforme of all the French Churches doe make no mention of them The generall Councell of Hage and so all the Low Countries haue wholly forgotten them in their decrees and Canons In the platforme and newe Communion Booke which was offered once or twise to the high Courte of Parliament in Englande concerning these Widdowes there is nothing but silence Whereas also there hath beene great paines taken of later yeares amongest the Disciplinary brotherhoode and many meetinges and Synodes helde about another more particular draught of Discipline for this Realme till at the last they haue subscribed vnto it to bee a necessary platforme for all places and times yet you shall not finde that they haue spoken so much as one word of those Widdowes Whereuppon I conclude that their cause is desperate and so I leaue both them and their patrons with all their contrarieties vncertainties and wranglings about them and will come to the consideration of another materiall point vz. what charge this Consistoriall deuise doth bring with it to euerie parish CHAP. 20. Of the charge to bee imposed vpon euery parish by meanes of the pretended Eldership BY the common account of our disciplinarie deuises there are diuers ecclesiasticall persons to be maintained in euerie Parish Nowe there is but one in most places the Parson or the Vicar and God knoweth in manie parishes their intertainment is full bare But admit of the Consistoriall Senate in euery parish and then consider howe they shall bee charged First the current assertion is That in euerye Congregation there must bee a Pastor but the learned Discourser sayth there should bee two at the least Then they must haue a Doctor And for Elders they maie bee moe or fewer as the circuite of the Parish is
now that they perceaue the verie great falsehood which they find in their owne fellowship Certaine hypocriticall Bretheren of the Laytie haue clapped them as it seemeth vppon the shoulders followed their sermons set theÌ„ at the vpper ende of their tables and sought by all their strength to procure them credit fauour with the people not that they cared either for them or for ReligioÌ„ or for Christ himselfe but hopinge that by the violent course which they saw these men run into the Bishops the rest of the Cleargie would be groweÌ„ in short time to be so odious as it would be a very small matter to disposses theÌ„ of all their liuings wherof some portioÌ„ might come to their shares Which maÌ„ner of pollicy now you may perceiue these brethreÌ„ haue espied therfore they spare not as you haue hard to set forth such hipocrits in their plainest colors very liuelie in their opinioÌ„ truly God of his infinit mercie multiplie her M. daies that she maie raigne many and manie yeares still ouer vs. If it had not beene for her most princelie and most religious care of the Church the children of Edom had long before this time greatlie indaungered it But this I will say vnto theÌ„ that if euer they obtain their desires which I know they shal neuer do in her highnes time they shal not possesse a pennie worth of the church-goods which I am perswaded will not prooue vnto them to be like the gold of Tholossa wherof none had part that euer prospered afterward I could shew some reasons of this my perswasion but I am a man not verie grateful to that sort of reformers I will therefore spare that paines and the rather because their own maisters hauâ— dealt plainlie inough with them alreadie This onelie I will adde committing it to their discretions to be considered off at their leasures There was neuer anie nation so barbarous but it thought there was a God Againe there was neuer any nation that thought there was a God but it likewise acknoledged that the same God had his priests to teach the people his will Againe there were neuer as yet to my knowledge anie men in the world but belieuing there was a God and acknowledging his Priestes they haue alwaies either in truth or at the least in shew depeÌ„ded vpon their priests instructions as touching the wil seruice of God Which points being true I would gladlie know of anie Sacrilegious Disciplinarian what sort of Priests they are whose aduise he followeth Some he must needs follow except he will professe himselfe to be in the number of those that say in their harts there is no God Doth he follow the Priests of the heatheÌ„ why they euer thought that it was vnlawfull for anie man to spoil his God Doth he follow the Popish Priests There are no men surelie that crie out more earnestly against Sacriledge Doth he follow the councell of any Priestes which haue embraced the Gospell No Priest that feareth God will teach him so Some Priests in this latter age haue beene mistaken But if anie did euer teach so he may perceaue by that which I haue said that they haue repented them of it For nowe they tell all who will be their schollers that they may not indeuour to alienate the church-liuinges from the ministerie Or if they will needes vnder pretence of zeale and shewe of religion seeke to deuoure Christes patrimony then they doe vtterfly disclaime renounce them from being of their Disciples any loÌ„ger Then Zuickius assureth them that they are but hypocriticall christians Caluin compareth them be they the Magistrates of Geneua or of anie other countrie to cruel tyraunts and saith they are the Popes successors in theft and robberie Beza is resolute that God will be reuenged of such persons telleth theÌ„ they are new theeues that haue entred in place of the old theeues Viretus maketh them wors then friers monks resembleth them to white diuels Trauers saith in effect that they are christs mortall enemies and would crucifie him againe for his coate if they might laie their hands on him Cartwright calleth them cormorants and likeneth them to Iudas the Traitor certifying them that in spoiling of the Church they purchase to themselues a field of blood The whole comminaltie of England complaineth and crieth against theÌ„ that they hate Christ that they defraud God of his glorie that they are all the sort of them no better then Achan Nabuchadnezar Baltasar Ananias or Saphira that the punishment which did light vpon these church robbers shall light vppon them either in this life or in the world to come and that they are to be reckoned amongst those vniust persons that shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen So as this is the point which as I said I doe commit vnto the inward cogitations of all prophane Church-robbers vz. to thinke with themselues what God they serue and what Priests they are that teach them suche lewd doctrine or if none teach them so whether in taking so execrable a course of their own heads they condemne not themselues in their own consciences There is here no refuge for anie such persons that I knowe of or anie replie to be made against the premises Except they will saie that Barrowes God is their God that Greenwood is their Priest and that they are all of them deuoted to Greenwood and Barrow Greenwood is but a simple fellow Barrow is the man And will sacrilegious persons become Barrowists I easilie belieue it Like will to like When Barrow by roisting and gaming had wasted himselfe and was â—unne so far into manie a mans debt that he durst not shew his head abroad he bent his wits another waie to mischiefe and is now become a Iulianist deuising by all the meanes he can possiblie imagine his hypocrisie railing lying and all manner of falshood euen as Iulian the Apostata did how all the preferments which yet remaine for learning Benefices Tithes GlebelaÌ„d Cathedrall Churches Bishops liuings Colledges Vniuersities and all might be vtterlie spoiled and made a pray for Bancrouts Cormorants such like Atheists Well to conclude come the spoile of the church hereafter when for our sinnes it shall manie mischiefes and great confusion will follow it The Church-liuings will serue but a few mens turnes The particular parishes in England may whistle after their parts of that praie and so may our new maisterships Eldership There are examples in the world where al the Church-liuings are consumed by a few and the parishes stand burdened as they were before Mary if they should be then so ouerburdened with so manie new paimeÌ„ts as I spake of in the last chapter they would neuer be able to endure it And therfore it is verie high time that our zealous Disciplinarians should inueigh against Church-robbers and that the coÌ„mon people should likewise remember the points of Sacriledge and sacrilegious persons which they haue published to the world
execute vvhatsoeuer they conclude be it good or bad vve say that if there be no lavvfull ministerie as in time of necessitie Dauid did eat the shevv bread vvhich vvas othervvise lavvfull for the priests only to eat of that then the Prince ought to set order and that vvhen there is a lavvfull ministerie if it shall agree of any vnlavvfull thing the Prince ought to stay it Surely you are very proper and right liberall sayers Doth not your admonisher affirme that if your platforme were once on foot all men must stand vnto the determinations of your maiesticall church officers that I may vse maister VVakes tearme except it should happen in some matter of faith they should make decrees against the vvord of God And I pray you if any such thing should happen how could the king reforme it or as you say stay it He iudgeth their sayd orders to be erronious and perceaueth the mischiefes that do depend vpon them but how shall he redresse and preuent them Shall he compell the authors of them to assemble themselues together againe and to retract and condemne all such their decrees They are of that humor as experience hath told vs that it is vnlikely they will be compelled to any thing No it were too great a disgrace for them to yeeld in any thing that once they haue broached were it good or bad but especially when it is decreed in any of their worshipfull meetings And besides if the king should presse them too far in such a matter he might find them peraduenture but very ticklish subiects Cartvvright to shuffle vp some blundering answer to these points sayth That if in such a case the church ministers should shevv themselues obstinate and vvould not be aduised by the Prince they should thereby prooue themselues to be an vnlavvfull ministerie that vpon such an occasion the Prince might remooue thē Remouethē How By any ordinarie authoritie which you do allow to the christian magistrats in causes ecclesiasticall But you haue told vs before your mind herein In effect that it must be done by an extraordinarie authoritie euen by the same right that Dauid did eat of the shew-bread which were it not in such a case of necessitie none but the Priests might in any wise eat of For otherwise as it is before mentioned where such a platforme is in execution as they seeke for the Prince hath not any thing to doe by their doctrine God knoweth either with placing or displacing of church ministers Or if Cartvvright will say that I wrest his words to the worst construction and that he meaneth plainely as purposing thereby to confirme for his part her maiesties ordinarie supreme authoritie in those maner of causes I am content he make the best of his owne words that he can whether he meant ordinarie or extraordinarie authoritie so that when he hath done he will stand vnto it But let him say what he is able yet he hath a woolfe by the eares and shall neuer be able so to shift his hands but that it will follow that both he and all the pastors doctors and elders that are combined with him are by his words both obstinate and vnlawfull ministers except he shall withdraw this part of his wall as being to weake to make such a separation from the papists as he pretendeth For notwithstanding that the present gouernment of the church of England is established and confirmed by a nationall synod with the generall cōsent of the whole land to be a most lawful godly forme of gouernment notwithstanding that her Maiestie doth so thinke of it and hath shewed herselfe many waies as by her acts of parlemēt her proclamatiōs her sundry speeches yea by the punishing imprisoning of some certaine persons vtterly to dislike of their pretended discipline as being in her princely iudgement a meere forgerie vaine conceit of busie restlesse heads cōtrary to the word of God and ancient practise of all the godly churches in the world for 1500 yeares all these things I say notwithstanding yet they haue rayled libelled raged against the said present gouernmēt They haue and do still neglect as well her maiesties setled iudgment of the vnlawfulnesse of their decreed platforme as also her lawes her pleasure and many commandements that they should desist hereafter from that their erronious deuise and submit themselues quietly to the forme established Nay they are so far from yeelding in this point to any authoritie of her maiestie whether ordinarie or extraordinarie as that they haue attempted by very vnlawfull and seditious means to aduance their purposes against her highnesse will and do plainly giue it out that they wil not desist they will not hold their peace they will haue their desires though they be driuen to vndertake such means for that end as will make their hearts to ake who are their cheese impugners Stand now to your words maister Cartvvright if you meant plainly vz. If the ministerie shall agree of any vnlavvfull thing the prince ought to stay it and then are not all the packe of you concluded by your said answer to be obstinat persons and a false ministerie If you haue any refuge in the world it is this that whatsoeuer the said nationall councell the learned mens opinions that do impugne you the lawes of this realme all the ancient churches and her maiestie relying vpon them whatsoeuer they altogether do thinke iudge to be lawfull you care not or you are sory for it but all that notwithstanding you are sure for that you haue decreed amōgst your selues vz. that you haue not therein erred and therefore they must all beare with you though you rest your selues vpon the truth of your own decrees giue no place either to councel law prince fathers learned men or any other authoritie whatsoeuer that maketh against you And will not H.N. and Barovv will not al hereticks schismaticks say as much where is then the princes authoritie you spake of For staying such kind of proceeding what course shall he take These ministers as I sayd conclude vpon their owne deuises The king considereth of them and findeth them vnlawfull but they denie it what shall hee do Your refuge Cartvvright is euerie Heretickes refuge If her Maiestie with all the reasons mentioned cannot stay you and your sect let neuer any king or ciuile magistrat looke by any authoritie which you do giue vnto them in causes ecclesiasticall to stay the fancies of any such fellowes But the substance of all their deuises is nothing but pretences of things that are not And agreeable therevnto is this second part of Cartvvrights wall of the difference betweene him and the Papists who in effect for ought I see are as franke to Christian Princes euen in this point as either he or his fellowes Princes extraordinarily sayth Harding haue laudably intermedled vvith Religion as iudges and rulers of spirituall causes Good Christian Princes euer tooke into their
themselues are excepted Whereof it commeth that the very same proiect is made to the Lordes of her Maiesties most honourable Councell which was deuised by Beza for Scotland vz. that in place of the Bishops there might be present in the parliament house some wise and graue Ministers of especiall gifts learning sorted out of all the land to yeld their Councell according to Gods heauenly lawe euen as the ciuill Iudges are readie to giue their aduise according to the temporall law and for matters of greater difficultie But would they sitte there as the Iudges doe and haue no voices I take it they would scorne that greatly For I nothing doubt but if they were there they would account themselues the wisest in the companie And therefore it was more substantially considered of by him who penned a Supplication to her Maiestie and wished That foure and twentie Doctors of Diuinitie to be called by such names as it should please hir highnes might be admitted into the Parliament house and haue their voyces there in steade of the Bishops And would they bee called Lords if it pleased her Maiestie for the honour of that house to appoynt it so Their wordes doe import so much and I make no doubt of it but that to gratifie her highnesse they would bee content to humble themselues so farre In the hope which they haue conceiued to ouerthrow the state of Bishoppes and to haue their deuise allowed of and established in the lande they inueigh most bitterly against the Bishoppes and the Conuocation house misliking that the dealing in ecclesiasticall causes should bee committed vnto them in sorte as now it is affirming that the liberties of the Parliament are thâ—reby betrayed and that it appertaineth to that Court to order matters of religion But what if the Bishops were excluded and none admitted into the Conuocation house but such as they woulde chuse from amongst themselues how then Indeed saith the Supplicator If the Conuocation house were such as it ought to bee c. then were it not lawfull for the Parliament to establish any thing in the matters appertaining to the pure worship of God but by theyr direction Which is this in effect if I vnderstand them that the Parliament should prouyde theyr new pretended gouernours of sufficient maintenance and set vp theyr Eldershippes and then enact it likewise that whatsoeuer they should ordaine in their assemblies and meetings for the time to come concerning Church causes should be in full strength and for euer obeyed vntill it might please them to make some alteration Which is the point that Knox aymed at in his Exhortation to England wherein for the good instruction of her Maiesties subiectes he sendeth them from Geneua these Allobrogicall rules That the pretended discipline ought to bee set vp that all Princes ought to submit themselues vnder the yoke of it that what Prince King or Emperour shall disanull the same he is to be reputed Gods enemie and to be helde vnworthie to raigne aboue his people and then sayth if such order were once established as there he prosecuteth and the discipline well executed accordingly theyr yearely comming to the Parliament for matters of religion shall bee superfluous and vayne And this also is playne by Cartwrights newe forme of discipline subscribed vnto by himselfe and his fellowes Which forme they haue auowed vppon theyr oathes to bee such as that they purposed to haue beene suitors to her Maiestie for the generall establishing of it In which their purpose if once they may preuayle there shall neuer Parliament bee troubled againe in matters of religion otherwise then as I sayde for making of lawes that the people may obey their orders For the whole gouernement is there ascribed vnto their Elderships other assemblies insomuch as the ciuill Magistrate is not once mentioned in it It is well knowne how vehement they haue been and still continue against the now Lord Archbishop of Canterbury in that he is one of her Maiesties most honourable priuie Councell accounting it vnlawful for a Bishop or Minister of the worde to holde anie such roome and authoritie And yet notwithstanding it is greatly allowed of liked that Beza in Geneua should be one of the Councel of that state there one of the threescore and they admit not anie into theyr Consistory so much as the meanest of their Aldermen but hee must bee eyther a Syndicke or one of the Councell of threescore or one of the Councell of two hundreth Now I cannot possibly be brought to thinke that the worde of God should deale so partially but that it may bee as lawfull heere as there if it please her Maiestie to haue a Bishop to bee one of her most honourable Councell It is apparant in the former Chapiter what little account they make of generall Councels The best are censured by them and reprooued It is not well borne by Cartwright that the Councell of Nice should be tearmed a famous Councell And for other Councels or Synodes they are scarcely reckoned to bee worthie the mentioning If you presse one of that forte with the authoritie of them all though hee be not thirty yeares of age hee will not sticke to make a tush at them and tell you that himselfe is of another opinion No decrees made by them will bind these fellowes And as touching our owne nationall Synodes and Parliaments they are prosecuted with the greatest contempt The reformation of religion made by that authoritie is tearmed a deformation The articles of religion are misliked in diuers points The Iniunctions Aduertisements Canons Orders Ceremonies and all thinges in a manner are despised by them For they are but mens preceptes forsooth euery man must trie them and keepe or allowe what he list at the least if hee will but pretend that hee dooth it of conscience Howbeit if they may haue once authoritie to establish their Elderships and to meete together in theyr classicall prouinciall or nationall assemblies there to make such lawes and orders as they shall thinke good then see I praye you how they chaunge theyr song Touching my departure from that holy assembly without leaue c. Icraue pardon Holy assembly It was a Conuenticle in London about the yeare 1584. I am ready to runne if the Church commaund according to the holy decrees and orders of discipline Holy decrees and orders The matter was for his going into the Lowe Countries with the Earle of Leicester and for his absence from his benefice To the determination of a nationall Synode men shall stande as it was at Ierusalem except it bee in a great matter of fayth or a great matter expressely against the Scriptures It was agreede vppon in the Northampton classis that concerning any matters of doctrine or about the sense of any place of Scriptures the brethren within that compasse must stande to the determination of that clâ—ssis And these are the
all these thinges are ascribed I say by him vnto the exacting of the sayde subscription Howbeit yet Cartwright and his confederates could take vppon them in a seditious sort to require a secrete subscription amongst theyr fauourers vnto such a forme of newe Church gouernement as hee with the rest of that crue after many meetinges and alterations had deuised Wherein if theyr fancies might once take place subscriptions would not seeme so daintie as now they doe For there is subscription required vpon subscription No man is to bee chosen vnto anie ecclesiasticall office with them Nisi qui disciplinae subscripserit except he haue subscribed to theyr discipline Whosoeuer is to bee of any of their assemblyes eyther classicall prouinciall or nationall hee must first haue subscribed to their discipline And not thus content it is there also further ordred that none shalbe admitted to the holy Communion except they submit themselues vnto theyr discipline So as heereby euery temporall man of what calling soeuer is brought vnder theyr subiection Of likelyhood they thinke that no man can be a worthy receiuer of that holy Sacrament that is not well perswaded of their counterfait platform At Geneua whosoeuer is to be admitted into their schoole he must first subscribe to theyr discipline And not that onely but he is tyed to make a publike confession of that fayth wherein theyr forme of discipline is comprised for an Articlē And the like confession is also requyred of all them that will receyue the Communion there But what talke I of subscriptions or professions Maister Caluin when that discipline was first set vp procured a generall oath to bee taken throughout the Cittie for the approbation of it Whosoeuer also is made Minister there he sweareth to keepe theyr ecclesiasticall ordinances and consequently the discipline there practised All theyr Elders in like maner thogh one of them be one of the Syndicks doe take an oath to the same effect when they sweare to perfourme theyr office faythfully and to bring all thinges to the Consistorie which are worthie to bee brought before it As if the soueraigne heere should take an oath to bee a promoter But that which is moste of all they haue preuayled so much with the Magistrates and there is good cause why that it is made death for any man to lette or stoppe or cause to hinder the worde and seruice of God and his holy Gospell Within which compasse you maye bee sure theyr discipline is comprehended Our men as yet talke in their platforme but of subscriptions but if once they had gotten so much then forward must the rest or els they would bee angry How carelesly subscription is exacted in England I am ashamed to report Such is the retchlesnes of many of our Bishoppes on the one side and theyr desire to bee at ease and quietnes to thinke vppon their owne affayres and on the otherside such is the obstinacie and intollerable pride of that factious sorte as that betwixt both sides eyther subscription is not at all required or if it be the Bishops admit them so to quallifie it that it were better to bee omitted altogether If the best and the learnedst man in Christendome were in Geneua and shoulde oppose himselfe to any thing that the Church there holdeth if hee escaped with his life he might thanke God but hee shoulde bee sure not to continue as a Minister there There is no Church established in Christendome so remisse in this point as the Church of England For in effecte euery man vseth and refuseth what hee lifteth Some few of late haue beene restrained who had almost raysed the lande into an open sedition But else they followe theyr owne fancies and may not bee dealt withall forsooth for feare of disquietnes No man shall euer perswade mee but that the worde of God dooth giue as free libertie to the Church of England for the repressing of such scismaticks as eyther to Geneua or to any other Church whatsoeuer There is a kind of oath tearmed an oath ministred Ex officio which is and alwayes hath beene ministred in certayne causes in euery Court almost within the Realme but especially in the chiefest This kinde of oath beeing ministred also by her Maiesties Commissioners in causes ecclesiastical for these foar and thyrtie yeares is now especially greatly impugned and many exceptions are taken agaynst it As a man maye not bee driuen to confesse any thing against himselfe nor his godly brethren what you will charge vs with proue it You may not admit an accusation against an Elder vnder two or three witnesses If you haue witnesses why aske you vs And many such like obiections are made maintained Howbeit this opposition is altogether without consideration and by them that knowe not what they do For at Geneua this manner of oath is currant And I am sure the brotherhood heere would bee verie loth to oppose themselues against any point of doctrine that is allowed of there It fortuned vppon a time that certayne persons meeting together at one widdow Balthasars house in Geneua to be merrie did there daunce Maister Caluin hearing of this horrible sinne forsooth procured them all both dauncers and beholders to bee called before him and his Elders in the Consistorie When they appeared Caluin tooke vppon him to examine them and vsed as hee tearmeth them certaine holy obtestations that they should tell him truely whether there were any such dauncing or no where it was and who daunced c. They denied the matter wholy which he expresseth Apostlelike in these words Impudenter nobis Deo mentiti sunt They lyed impudently to God and vs Excandui I grewe pale with anger saith hee and inueighed eagerly against such theyr contempt of God But they continued in theyr contumacie Whereupon Caluin the matter as hee sayth being certainely knowne vnto him protested before God Poenas tantae perfidiae daturos That they should bee punished for such theyr falshood And because hee could not otherwise get the truth from them Censui vt iureiurando ad veri confessionem adigerentur I iudged it meete sayth hee that by oath they should bee compelled to confesse the truth It should seeme they made the like exceptions that our contumacious fellows do make And one Henriche a Minister as it seemeth who as I take it daunced not but did in some sorte by waye of supposition if any such dauncing had been take vppon him to defende it as not beeing a matter to keepe such a stirre about alleadged the verie same place that Cartwright did in the Consistorie at Paules and the which all the rest of that brotherhood doe commonly alleadge vz. Against an Elder receiue no accusation but vnder two or three witnesses But how was this allegation liked of Surely it was laughed at tearmed by Caluin Altercatio non illepida a pleasant ieast It seemeth also that besides the threatning speeches mentioned there
euerie king prince being as he saith a new Pope by that meanes much worse then the olde So that hereby you see what is the drift of our factious cōsistorians in laboring to make the name of the Canō law odious You may not think that they differ in substance frō their M. Viretus but they are growē more crafty The matter that pincheth thē is this that in the acts of Parliament which are in force there is euer a Prouiso that nothing therof shal be in force which is contrary to the laws of this Realme or to the prerogatiue roiall of the prince If euer anie K. in England should be so far seduced as that he would yeald to establish their counterfeit elderships in this Realme with all the royall authoritie which they challenge of right to belong vnto thē changing the two former prouisoes should enact it that all the canō-law shold be in force sauing so much as should bee contrary to the orders prerogatiue of their elderships If I shold then be aliue as I trust I shall not I durst before hand hazard a great wager vpon it that they would most readily with a great applause receiue it almost worship it For as I said you may not imagine but that Viretus hath disclosed their verie hartes You know there is in euery church for the most part a distinctiō of places betwixt the cleargie the laity We terme one place the chauncell the other the bodie of the church which manner of distinctiō doth greatly offend the tender consciences forsooth of the purer sorte of our reformers Insomuch as M. Gilby a chiefe mā in his time amongst thē doth tearme the Quire a cage reckoneth that separatiō of the ministers from the congregation one of the hundred points of popery which hee affirmeth do yet remaine in the church of England Howbeit admit but of their elderships into euery parish thē you haue thē who will proue it out of the word of God that there ought to be such a separation of their Aldermen euery one of thē though he be but a Cobler from the rest of the Idiots that is all the other parishioners of what state soeuer Hic or do in ecclesia seruetur c. Let this order be obserued in the church saith Danaeus he sendeth vs the rule frō Geneua that these who do beare any office in the church distinguātur et separentur a reliquo populo may be distinguished separated frō the rest of the people c. It a fieri decorū est et vtile For it is decēt profitable that it should be so The Bishop he meaneth euery minister must stand or sit eminente loco alofte c. and let the elders sit by him tum vt populo appareant that the people may beholde them tum vt ministri concionantis doctrinam facilius intelligant et obseruent and that they maye the more easily heare the doctrine of the Minister preaching and the better marke it For of likelihood they are to be the preachers Censors You wil saie peraduenture wher there is some L. Maior some Councellor of state or some other great Magistrate Nay the King himselfe for he must bee of some parish where shall he or anie of them sit That is wiselie prouided for I warrant you For how should it otherwise be seeing the Prouiso commeth from Geneua Magistratus pius c. Let the godly Magistrate who is an honorable member of the Church sit in an honourable and perspicuous place where the Church may neither seeme to fauoure the arrogancy and pride of men nor the contempte of Magistrates And great discretion therein surely If the Magistrate should sit too high it would make him proude if too low it would bring him into contempt Ergo modus in loco illi concedendo seruetur c therefore let a mean be kept in appointing of a place vnto him Knight Lorde Earle Duke King or Emperour the holie Discipline respecteth no mens persons that he may both vnderstand he is preferred before the rest and yet withall that he hath no dominion ouer the word of God In deede excesse in anie thing is nought Sedeat itaque inferiori subsellio let him therfore sit in a lower seat then the preacher of the word of God and the Prophet that he may both see and acknowledge himselfe to be subiect to the threats of the word The parson or Bishop of euerie parish with his Artizan Elders must sitte in the highest place that the people may feede themselues with the sight of them the ciuile Magistrates of what degree soeuer must content themselues with inferior roomes and the rest of the people are to sit super mattas sedilia inferiora vppon pesses and little lowe formes I am perswaded it would greatlie trouble the subiects of England to see such a Metamorphosis in her Maiesties Chappell But see what a notable thing Discipline is and how the Ministers of Geneua can plaie the Herralds in marshalling of euerie state into their due places according to their callings If these men were then in England and should suruey our Quiers I suppose nothing would offend them but that that they are too low The place where the Roode-loft was would bee thought peraduenture more sutable for their Elders Indeed there the people might best behold them Lastlie because I will end this Chapter if Cartwright can get but one Scholiaste that doth in shew make for anie thing he liketh it is notable to see what reuill hee maketh with it And in like sort Maister Beza when the Fathers do fit him as in some points they doe against Erastus then these manner of phrases are common Rectè obseruauit Augustinus Augustine wel obserued it c. Againe an vero Chrys. c. what doe you thinke that Chrysostome and all the old Churches not one excepted saw not this Againe Hic te obtestamur frater c. we do here besech you brother that you would wel consider in whose behalfe and against whom you dispute cum rem ipsam ab vsu non distinguas when you distinguish not the thing it selfe from the abuse of it Againe Haec Chrysostomus quae tibi satisfacere rectè debent These thinges Chrysostome affirmeth which ought to satisfie you fully Again Nunquam aliter fuit hic locus in Ecclesia explicatus This place was neuer otherwise expounded in the Church And againe A temporibus Apostolorum ad haec vsque secula nunquam illa caruerunt Ecclesiae From the Apostles times euen vnto the age wherein we liue the Church did neuer want autoritie of Excommunication And as at times they are content to accept of the Fathers so will they also vpon the like occasion allow of generall Councells Whereas certaine persons in Transiluania beganne to reuiue diuerse old Heresies about the person of Christ Maister Beza writeth in this sorte An non in
it cannot touch them Wee vppon earth are to honor theyr memories and for all proude and wicked censure are to learne from them that such names not being giuen to anie minister in respect of anye office peculiarlie belonging to Christ may lawfullie bee retayned in the Church of God Whereas to approoue the lawfull vse of some holydaies allowed and appointed to bee kept in the Church of Englande amongst diuerse reasons this is one the continuance of them in the times of Ignatius Tertullian Ciprian Ierome Augustine and sondrie others together with theyr good lyking and approbation of them They complaine that trueth is measured by the crooked yarde of time and therefore doe appeale from these Examples vnto the Scriptures and to the Apostles times As though the saide auncient Fathers the churches in their times had not knowen the scriptures aswell as he or his Sectaries and that notwithstanding the fourth commaundement it was lawfull for the church to appoint obserue such daies which vpon that only ground contrarie to the practise of the whole church since the Apostles times he vtterly denieth to be lawful induced therunto no doubt because Geneua hath abolished theÌ„ vz. Christmas-day Easter-day Ascention-day Whitsontide with all the rest A fact that in the time of the ancient fathers would surely haue beene accounted a tricke of Paganisme Iustinus Irenaeus Tertullian Ciprian Ambrose Ierome Basile Augustine Socrates Sozimene the Counsell of Auricanum of Neocaesaria of Nice of Gangrene of Orleaunce being cited to prooue the churches authoritie in things of indifferencie and for the obseruation of many thinges accordingly not mentioned in the scriptures Cartwright first complaineth that he is so pestred with such kinde of authorities in steed of Esay Ieremy S. Paule S. Peter and then he shaketh theÌ„ off altogether because the things which they affirm are now called into questioÌ„ vz. by him his fellows So as wheÌ„ it pleaseth theÌ„ to call any thing into questioÌ„ that all the fathers held away they must there is no remedie Cirill affirming that the lawe of Moses for punishing adulterie by death is not now in force Cartwright answereth as for Cirill I can at no hande allow his opinion his sentence is corrupt Chrisostome Oecumenius doe vnderstand the place of Timothy for the imposition of handes there mentioned of Bishops not of Priests Cartwright therunto saith I aunswere at once that it seemeth violent Eusebiâ—s giuing Iosephus this great commendation that hee was Historicorum qui sunt apud Iudeos facilè Princeps the principall man amongst the Iewes for a writer of histories Maister Beza disgraceth him in this sort in his oration when he was first chosen to be Rector of the Schoole at Geneua Iosephum c. I doe reckon Iosephus not onelye amongst the prophane but also in the number of ridiculous and foolish writters And whereas Origene Chrisostome the Creeke scholiast Theodoret Theophilact Ambrose and Ierome doe expounde Rom. 12.8 He that distributeth let him doe it with simplicitie not of Deacons that giue other mens almes but of all christians generally such as do giue almes théselues Cartwright disliking this exposition determineth of them after this sort They often strayne the text to drawe them to the present vse of theyr churches by reason whereof in steed of milke they somtimes draw blood He measureth the Fathers by his own falsehood When they are told that the auncient histories are against theÌ„ concerning a point by them denied about the chosing of BB. in Ciprians time they confesse it that they are so indeed and thus they auoyd them that except it can be shewed out of some ecclesiasticall history of like auncientie with Ciprian it is nothing By which one blowe all the ecclesiasticall histories that are now extant of name since Christs time so far as I do presentlie remember except it be Philo Iudeus are quight cut off as insufficient witnesses of any thing before their own times that is of any thing for the space of 300 yeares at the least after Christ. There were Ecclesiasticall writers before as it may appeare in diuerse places of Eusebius out of whom both he and others after him borrowed much but now they are lost and we haue them not Where it was saide in the behalfe of the auncient Fathers and generall Councelles for the first 500. yeares being charged with corruption and I wotte not with what building working to make a way for Antichrist c that they laboured to keepe out Antichrist c they aunswere the Fathers imagined fondly of Antichrist they dealt like ignoraunt men they were ouer-mastered of their affections they had many errors c. And all this is spoken by a man much more fond ignoraunt affectionate and erroneous as I am perswaded then they were But yet heare the man and his maister a little further It is a daungerous thing to ground our order or pollicy of the Church vppon men Again Although the louuer of this Antichristian building was not then sette vp yet the foundation thereof being secretely laide in the Apostles times you might easily know that in those times the building was wonderfully aduaunced and growen verie high And Beza also The Fathers in the Councell of Nice vnderlaide the seate of the Harlot that sitteth vppon seauen mountaines Againe Maister Cartwright Those times were not pure nor virgin-like the Churches were then much departed from the singlenes wherein the Apostles had left them Lastlie Examples cannot be without great daunger set from those times And thus all but Caluin Beza and himselfe are men there is no good building but their owne nor anie purity to be found but in them their fauourers their deuises and platformes It is alleadged out of Theodoret that Sainct Chrisostom being Bishop of Constantinople had the care not onely of that Church but of the Churches also in Thracia in Asia and in Pontus and out of Sozemenus that he deposed thirteen Bishops for Simonie in selling of benefices Vnto which testimonies they aunswere First that this care was no other then such as euery godly Minister ought to haue ouer all the Churches in Christendome For example as Beza hath of the Churches in Fraunce and so Chrisostom was Bishop onely in the Church of Constantinople and hadde an eie and care to those other Churches Which aunswere proceedeth from grosse ignorance or malice Secondlye that if Chrisostome had charge ouer all those Churches he had as large a dominion as euer the Pope had Wherein also he sheweth his grosse ignorance in taking Asia there for the third part of the world Thirdly that if he hadde any such authority he was guilty of the breach of many Canons and Councels Fourthly that he could saie he was a prowde man Fifthlie that it might be aunswered that Chrisostom deposed the said Bishops not by his authority but by his
scriptures So Cyprian so Gregory c. did carry some weight in S. Augustines opinion Those things which diuerse notable men haue alledged out of the auncient Fathers for the iustification of the present ecclesiasticall gouernment in the church of England ought not so lightly to bee regarded with euery princox What the Fathers haue written that agreeth not with our Phantasticall giddye headed fellowes pleasures they write it not of parciality either to grieue them or to gratifie vs but as trueth led theÌ„ Quod inuenerunt in ecclesia teneruÌ„t quod didiceruÌ„t docueruÌ„t quod a patribus acceperunt hoc filiis tradideruÌ„t that which they found in the church saith Augustine they held that which they had learned they taught that which they had receaued of theyr fathers they deliuered to theyr children Though Cartwright his companie do carrie so base a conceit of those times wherein the auncient fathers liued yet the Fathers themselues did not so thinke of theÌ„ Iulianus the heriticke did speake as it seemeth insuch a scornfull sorte of theÌ„ as our Sectaries do But S. Augustine laieth it to his reproch as an apparant argument of his great folly presumptioÌ„ thinking it a most absurd point for him so to vse them Vsque adeò permiscuit imis summa longus dies c. hath time so confounded all things saith Augustine is darknes growen to bee such light and is light it selfe turned into such darknes vt videant Pelagius Celestinus Iulianus et caeci sunt Hilarius Cpyrianus Ambrosius that Pelagius Celestinâ—s and Iulianus can see and Hilary Cyprian and Ambrose are become blind And surely I do not perceaue why I may not without offence applie the same wordes to those men in these daies which treade in the saide fellowes steppes concerning this their contempt pride Were there neuer learned men before you were taught the principles of the Geneua discipline was wisdom dead till you were borne Doe you know what was in the Apostles times better then they did who succeeded the Apostles were the auncient Fathers able to defende the greatest misteries of our saluation against so many pestilent heretiques and were they ignorant in the matters of the externall gouernment of the church Knew they the distinction of the three persons in the blessed Trinitie could they not find what difference Christ allowed off to be continued in his Church betwixt a Bishop and a priest Is the darknes which pride carieth with it groweÌ„ to be so light and is the light that shewed it selfe so many waies in the ancient fathers as in their singular learning great humilitie become such darknes that Cartwright Trauerse Fenner and such like but the shadows of learned men in respect should be thought so clearly sighted shall Ireneus Tertullian Cyprian Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Augustine Gregory Hilarye and all the rest of those worthie men be reckoned blind Surely he is a bussard that thinketh so And therefore I will coÌ„clude this chapter with another saying of S. Augustines against such busie innouators as you are oportet vt populi christiani vestris prophanis nouitatibus anteponant c. It is meet that all christian people should preferre the auncient fathers before your nouelties eisque potius adherere quà m vobis rather sticke fast to their iudgements then to runne after your phansies CHAP. XXVIII Theyr dealing with all the new writers and many reformed churches when they make against them THis is a grounde layde downe by Cartwright that few men that are of any stayde or sounder iudgement in the scriptures and haue seene or read of the gouernment and order of other churches are against them in such matters as they haue broched vnto vs. And agreablie to this ground his answeres are framed when any thing is vrged against him out of anie of the new writers except Caluin and BeZa If either of them do happen to crosse him it is strange to see how he doubleth shifteth As for any other they are but a puffe with him hee careth not greatly howe hee handleth them Pellicane Bucer Bullinger Illyricus and Musculus affirming with all the auncient Fathers that Timothye was Bishop of Ephesus what then sayth Cartwright If they were for one a hundred they could not beare downe the Apostle As though they hadde euer ment it Luther expoundinge a place of Zacharie contrarie to his liking his exposition sayth Cartwright is out of season Musculus affirmeth that the places 20. of Sainct Mathew 10. of sainct Marke and 22. of sainct Luke vos autem non sic doe not condemne Superioritie but an ambitious desire and tyrannicall vsage of it but Caluin as learned as hee sayth Cartwright is of my iudgement Bucer holdeth that the sayde 20. of Mathew doth propound a generall rule to all magistrats and christians Where Cartwrights extenuating the authoritie of man braueth out Bucer with this that his iudgment hath counterpoise of other as learned Whereas Peter Martyr Bullinger and Gualter do bring diuerse reasons for the lawfull vse of the surplise and such other apparrell as is appointed with vs for Ministers Cartwright is so farre from being moued with their authoritie as that he aduentureth to confute their said reasons after his manner very sophistically affirming in effect but falsely that either they vnderstoode not auncient fathers alleadged by them for that purpose or that they peruerted their meaning Bishop Ridly and Maister Bucer approouing that where there are no preachers there should bee godly learned homilies read in those Churches Cartwright thus dismisseth Bishop Ridley being a partie in this cause hee ought to be no witnesse And for Maister Bucers wordes he saith they are not to be weighed insinuating that his booke concerning his iudgement in king Edwardes daies vppon the communion booke is counterfeited Againe of maister Bucer for his allowing of priuate baptisme and of the signe of the Crosse likewise of the ring in marriage and that the parties married should receiue the communion he saith Bucer hath other grosse absurdities to this authoritie I could oppose other men of as great authoritie sometimes Homer sleepeth his reasons are verie ridiculous verie slender and colde and sauour not of the learning and sharpnesse of the iudgement of maister Bucer Maister Fox in like sorte setting downe his full approbation of the present state ecclesiasticall that Archbishops should be in degree aboue Bishops and Bishops in degree aboue other Ministers and relying for this his iudgement partly vpon the scriptures and partly vppon the primatiue Church and concluding that this is to keepe an order duely and truely in the Church according to the true nature and definition of order by the authoritie of Augustine he is I say thus censured Maister Fox writing a storie doth take greater paine and looketh more diligently to declare what is done and in what time and by whome then howe iustly or vniustly how
conueniently or inconueniently it is done c. Bishop Iewell a man to bee accompted of as his name doth importe and so esteemed not onely heere in England but with all the learned men beyond the seas that euer knewe him or sawe his writinges vppon occasion offered to shewe his opinion concerning one of Cartwrightes propositions vz that both the names and the offices of Archbishops and Archdeacons are to be abolished he presumed forsooth vpon the base authoritie of all antiquitie the auncient fathers the generall Councels and ecclesiasticall histories to call it in the margent of his aunswere nouitiorum assertio a newe assertion or an assertion of yonglinges and in the end after hee hath briefly surueied the strength of Cartwrightes great bulwarke hee concludeth in this sort As for these reasons in my iudgement they are not made to builde vp and they are too weake to pull downe c. stultitia nata est in corde pueri virga disciplinae fugabit eam It is but wantonnesse correction will helpe it Whereupon incommeth Cartwright as hote as a toste and skorning ye may be sure to haue such a mayne Article of the new beliefe to be tearmed nouitiorum assertio hee calleth these wordes biting and sharpe and for his further entrance to confute the Bishops reasons why hee misliked the sayd proposition he nayleth as it were vpon his toombe this shamefull and moste slaunderous inscription Bishop Iewell calleth the doctrine of the Gospell wantonnesse Marke the mans forehead howe it is hardened The Papist that saide hee recanted all his writinges against the Pope was not more impudent Hee calleth their riotous opening of their mouthes against those thinges they either knowe not or which otherwise they depraue moste maliciously agaynst their own consciences as it is to be feared hee calleth I say these and suche like dealinges wantonnesse and not the doctrine of the Gospell Generally thus he writeth of those most learned men and manie of them godly Martirs who were the chiefe penners and approouers of the communion booke in king Edwardes time and offered to defend euerie point of it in Queene Maryes dayes against all the Papistes liuing their knowledge saith Cartwright was in part and although they brought manie thinges to our light yet they being sent out in the morning or euer the sonne of the Gospell was risen so high might ouersee manie thinges which those that are not so sharpe of sight as they were may see for because that which they want in the sharpenesse of sight they haue by the benefite and clearenesse of the sunne and the light Excellent childe of light whose knowledge is not in part And oh worthie Discipline of the Consistorian Synagogues howe clearely shee carrieth all her implementes with her Let a man cast downe his head but for a day like a bulrush and giue a grone or two in the behalfe of that kingdome and by and by he is snatched vp aboue the man in the moone and may passe amongest them for an illuminated Elder But it would bee knowen what mysteries haue beene reuealed eyther by him or anie of his that were vnknowen to those blessed men Surely I know of none except it bee that their Elderships are newly thrust into their Consistoriall beliefe A point I confesse whereof those godly men were ignoraunt Otherwise they were well inough acquainted with these quarrels They had weighed them and finding them too light reiected them They had skill to discerne of such vnbrideled spirites and in their dayes greatly pittied them In a worde to speake my opinion they were in deede golde if they be compared to Cartwright and suche lyke drosse who haue little in them more then ordinarie men but onely paynted colours and Sophisticall shewes Many other particulars of such their dealinges with the newe writers might bee layd downe before you But these to my purpose are I knowe sufficient and therefore I will come to their boldnesse and presumption against not this man or that man but euen whole reformed Churches And although I finde some more temperate and modest heerein then others yet when the freeholde of their Elderships is touched they are all like to themselues The Geneuians in their Annotations vppon their harmony of confessions are well content that euery Church shall vse their libertie as they shall thinke it most expedient in these pointes following vz the reading of the Epistles and Gospels vppon sondayes and holy dayes so as other partes of the Scriptures doe not thereby growe into contempt Kneeling at the communion the vse of all such ordinarie ceremonies at the celebration of the Communion as nowe are vsed among the Lutherans Copes singing Organs c. and were vsed before by the papistes at their masses the dispensation of the communion to those that be sicke at home in their houses Ember dayes and holy dayes consecrated to the godly memorye of the saintes The singinge of Christian hymnes and songes vppon the saide holy dayes made to set out the glory of god in respecte of the great good workes it pleased him to worke by them The vse of funerall sermons and the imposition of handes vppon children that canne say their Catechisme which wee call Confirmation In all these things I say they leaue euery Church to their liberty so as other churches that vse them not bee not thereby praeiudiced But when any confession doth approoue the calling of Bishops yealding vnto them all lawfull obedience if they will not force vppon men their vngodly traditions as of chastitie c. or when their Aldermen or Consistories are impeached then they looke about them it is a nayle in a wound they censure they reiecte they wrest and peruert euery thinge at their pleasure as partly I haue shewed in the ende of the Chapter and as any man may further see that will take the paines to viewe those obseruations Which manner and cariage of themselues I perswade my selfe no wise man will like of For besides their corrupt dealinge it is too Pope-like to take so much vppon them as there they doe What a vanity is this to say of other Churches wee allowe this and that if it bee thus and thus vnderstoode otherwise wee cannot like of it wee thinke it vnlawfull wee cannot disgest it And yet I cannot blame them so much as I doe our owne domesticall counterfeites They are in possession of a gouernement and woulde bee therefore loth to loose it They got it hardly and doe feare euery thinge that maketh against it I am perswaded if they might bee sure to keepe it still they would be content to graunt of their owne goodnesse great liberty to all Churches in their owne matters Whereas our make-bates what furious and outragious courses haue they taken against the Church of England for the vse of those thinges which nowe the Geneuians allowe of And besides concerning their pretended discipline they will needes hold it
betwixt God and the Diuell A dunghill of such like sayings might be heaped together which they haue cast vp out of the froth of their zeale Where-vpon nowe Barrowe takinge his aduantage doth frame his argumente in this sorte It is not lawfull for the children of God to submit themselues to the gouernement of Antichrist nor to ioyne themselues to those congregations which haue in their seruice nothing but confusion and in the Lordes Supper put no difference betweene God and the Diuell But such is the gouernement of the Church of England and such are their congregations And therefore wee may not submitt our selues vnto that gouernement nor ioyne our selues to their congregations If now the minor were true which he assumeth from the Consistorians you see how the argument would follow So that as Penry some others haue done allready let all the sort of the other crue adde but Barrowes maiors vnto their owne minors and foorthwith in this first pointe they are become meere Barrowistes And as concerning the second point wherein as I sayd we disalow them it is their framing to themselues a new Church platforme Which doth thus farre agree with Cartwrightes that they must haue forsoothe in euerie assembly their Pastors Doctors Elders and Deacons and that the Church new framed after their fashion must haue all the authority that Cartwright doth challenge to his Elderships of dealing in all matters of maners and doctrine and in executing their censures against any person without exception whosoeuer The chiefe differences that are betwixt them are generally two The first is vz that whereas Cartwright could haue been contented to haue erected his Elderships in euery parishe taking them as nowe they are they say the parish assemblies are popish and vnlawfull they would haue them dissolued and they will haue their Elderships set vp amongest no people but first they must enter into a new couenant The other chiefe difference in like sorte I take to bee this that Barrow in all his platforme will haue the people to ioyne with their Elderships further then Cartwright doth allow of And for his opinion heerein hee relyeth altogether in effect vpon Cartwrightes grounds It is not vnknowen what a plausible course our English Disciplinarians haue taken that thereby they might the more easily drawe the people vnto them Hee that will peruse the first admonition which Cartwright maintained and consider withall the places of his bookes that are noted in the margent shall well perceiue howe earnestly they intitle the people to a wonderfull interest in Church matters They tell the people that they are greatly iniuried in this and that that they ought to choose their Ministers that imposition of handes should bee in their names that the censures of the Churche were to bee executed with the peoples consent and what must bee done almost but the people must haue an oare in it Howbeit all this great shewe of gratifying the people notwithstanding Cartwright by snatches heere and there doth so powder his matters that in effect hee giueth them onely an emptie bottell to play withall For his Eldership forsooth must go before the people in all their actions that is as though hee should haue said what the Elderships thinke meete those Angels those interpreters of God those tribunall seates of Christ the people in all reason ought to content themselues with it and to giue their consentes vnto it Now heereupon Barrow proceedeth Hee taketh Cartwrightes reasons in the behalfe of the people but denieth his shiftes to be currant whereby he would take that from them againe which hee had before giuen vnto him And thereupon doth raile vpon him and all the rest of that association for such their dealing and abusing of the people These reformistes saith Barrow for fashion sake giue the people a little libertie to sweeten their mouthes and make them beleeue they should choose their owne Ministers yet euen in this pretended choyce do they coozen and beguile them leauing them nothing but the smoakie winde of election onely Againe The counterfait reformistes they woulde exclude the Church from the censures assuming them onely into their owne handes either into the Priestes handes with his silly presbytery or Eldership which hee ouerruleth at his pleasure in euery particular congregation or else into their Synodes and Councelles which haue power ouer all Churches and euerie member and action thereof to excommunicate and absolue to make depose to ordaine and abrogate without the priuitie or consent of the Churches c. And thus they subuert the libertie of the Church and peruert the ordinance of Christ. And againe Howe vnnaturall are those members which thus separate and seclude themselues yea rather sequester and seclude the whole from them and arrogate and assume the publicke dueties and power of the whole into their owne handes as though God had giuen all giftes vnto them and they had no neede of others And thus puffed vp with preheminence of theyr owne place and excellencie of their owne giftes they despise all the rest as base ignoraunt vnworthye to bee in their consistorie to haue any voyces of consent or dissent there alledging them to bee tumultuous contentious factious vngouerned ignoraunt inclined to the worst c. And this is as I said the second especiall difference as far as I can see betwixt the Elder Consistorians and these new Schismaticks Wherinto how easily a man may fall that hath digested the Geneuian and Cartwrightian pretences made against our Bishops for the peoples interest I commit the consideration of it to your owne discretions So that as I saide I say againe and againe that if good order be not taken this schisme will daily increase and growe to be daungerous But doe I call it a schisme The worde is too milde They are indeed all the sorte of that infection a compounded masse of I knowe not how manie heresies but principally they are Donatistes in some respect and meere Anabaptistes in some other I haue thought vpon it a hundreth times and haue meruailed at it that the now L. Archbishop of Canterbury could foresee so directly what would be the issue of the first admonition If you would bee pleased to read his exhortation before his confutation of that admonition You shall find that what he hath there written long before this monster was hatched in England he could not if he were to write againe wel write otherwise then there he hath done sauing hee might say that the mischiefe which then he foresaw would come to passe by reason of the boulstring of it by those that should haue had more wit and iudgement is now apparantly beginning to shew it selfe to as many as haue eyes and wisdome to see Surely those men that haue bene made instruments heretofore to commend vnto the whole realme I know not what bookes and platforms tending directly to the vtter ouerthrow of the present gouernment of the church of England with the whole forme
of our seruice of God and all our lawes orders ceremonies and priuileges thervnto appertaining to haue had the Geneua discipline established in place thereof may greatly reioice at their good discretion considering that if then they had preuailed we had admitted of that forme of church-gouernment which the very cheefe supplicators instigators of them at that time do now themselues condemne as you haue heard into the pit of hell and so they might haue bene as readie to haue set forward this second deuise as they were for the former But men I hope will be more carefull hereafter then to be carried away with euery noueltie if it haue but any shew of reasonable probabilitie And maister Cartwright with the rest of his chiefe adherents might certainly do God and the church great seruice if without any longer standing vpon the maintainance of their own credits they would be content to confesse their former ouersights in laying downe those false principles wherevpon the new hereticks do build and acknowledge the truth vz. that the present gouernment of the church of England as both holy and Apostolicall and that the reformation of religion already made by her maiesties most princely care and heauenly direction is such a reformation abuses there may be and it were heresie to dreame of any puritie as euery good Christian ought to praise God for it from the bottome of his heart and not onely to allow of it but to maintayne and defend it both with his goods and life Maister Cartvvright began well in his epistle against Harrison but he should do better if hee would so continue and proceede forward One extremitie is best discerned by the other Barrovves folly may teach him wisedome The consequence doth often shew the grossenesse of the Antecedent And many learned men haue bene brought by the importunitie of such kind of aduersaries to see their own mistakings and so to grow vnto a farre better moderation As euen in the chapter following and in this very cause of discipline it will appeare I trust vnto you CAP. XXXIIII Of their disagreement concerning the necessitie of the Consistoriall gouernment IT were very hard if the fauourers of the Geneua platforme should vrge the same vvith any pretence of necessitie They talke of pastors doctors elders deacons widdowes and of many things els but as yet besides their obstinacie to continue in the course which they haue begun for the maintenance of their credits they are not throughly agreed almost in any thing To tell vs therfore of a matter that should be necessarie and withall to confesse in effect that they know not what it is should argue in my opinion some very great rashnesse and follie When maister Caluin dealt with maister Bullinger and others for their good fauour and friendship towards the continuance of his new deuised platforme in Geneua as you haue heard at large in the second chapter there was not a word you may sweare it of any necessitie that all oother churches should be enforced to submit thēselues to that deuise M. Caluin himselfe at that time as I am persuaded did not so much as dreame of any such matter A very graue and learned man of the French nation hath faythfully reported that when the forme of the Geneua discipline was first admitted of by the ministers of France in one of their cheefest synods which hath bene kept there of late yeares about the Church affaires it was not then receaued by them in that assemblie as a necessary order prescribed by Christ that ought alwaies to be continued but as a forme of discipline conuenient and fit for the afflicted estate of their churches in those times which might afterwards bee altered and changed as occasions should require And because you might not doubt of the certayntie of this report You shall vnderstand that the author of it was himselfe present in the sayd assemblie and not a man of the meanest account amongst them With whom also another great person of that countrie a man of state and great learning agreed when hee affirmed to one of very good place in England as the same partie hath told me that the forme of discipline which is now receaued by the French ministers was neuer meant by them to be otherwise admitted of then for an interim till things might be better considered of and ordered These testimonies I vrge no further then as reports neyther would I haue you to giue any further credit vnto them then as you shall thinke meet vpon this my bare relation Howbeit whether the persons specified did make any such report or not it seemeth to mee that the thing it selfe is true which they are sayd to haue reported For thus I find it set downe in the end of the forme of Ecclesiasticall discipline agreed vpon by the resolution not of one but of fiue generall Synods of the reformed Churches of the realme of Fraunce These articles say they vvhich are here contayned touching discipline are not so decreed vpon amongst vs but if the profite of the church shall require they may bee chaunged But it shall not bee in the povver of one priuate man to do it vvithout the aduise and consent of a generall councell In all maister Caluins time for ought I find the necessitie which now is pretended for the consistoriall discipline was no where insisted vpon A church in those daies might haue had all the true notes of the church of Christ although it had wanted that platforme of Geneua Maister Caluin in his Institutions could find but tvvo necessary Simbola ecclesiae dignoscendae verbi predicationem sacramentorum obseruationem signes of discerning the church the preaching of the vvord and the obseruation of the sacraments Bertrand de Loque in like sort he was able to bring forth no other substantiall notes of the Church but those tvvo No more was Philip of Mornay the lord of Plessis He maketh mention indeed of a third marke vz. the lawfull vocation of pastors but hee sayth that it is not a marke of substance In the great assemblie at Poictiers in France 1561 vvhere Peter Martir A Marlorat N. Galatius and diuers other ministers of the reformed churches were present maister Beza being there also and hauing his turne to speake before the king of Fraunce the queene of Nauarre the cardinall of Lorraine and sundrie other bishops hee durst not insist vpon any other firme and certaine notes of the visible Church of Christ but the two notes mentioned purum dei verbum sincera sacramentorum administratio the pure vvord of God and the sincere administration of the sacraments There are sayth hee some that do adde ecclesiasticall discipline and the fruits of preaching sed c. duabus illis erimus contenti but c. vve vvill bee content vvith these tvvo first Agreeably to this doctrine that there are but two necessarie and substantiall marks of the church the cheefest learned men in Christendome both
not past an hower before they had in an other company depraued peraduēture most egregiously And maister Beza you must imagine hath bene an old courtier and knoweth wel what policie meaneth Plaine dealing certainly is best but often-times it falleth out that it is not the readiest way for hammering and busie farre reaching heads to compasse their purposes If this excuse do seeme too simple let any that list make a better No man doth wish it more heartily as I thinke then my selfe that maister Beza should thinke well of the present church-gouernment established in England so he do it plainly faithfully and directly which will not happen I feare it in hast Neither haue I alleaged his former words to that purpose as though I tooke all that for gold which he can make to glister The point I prosecute is this that you might perceaue how they begin to leaue off from vrging the Geneuian platforme with such important necessitie as formerly they haue done But most of all it pleaseth me to see how maister Cartvvright draweth homeward For as the Anabaptists by their madnesse kept maister Caluin within some good compas and as maister Beza hath bene compelled in some sort to retire himselfe from his former eagernesse so assuredly the phrenetical giddinesse of these our new vnbrideled schismatickes who for pretended puritie are many degrees beyond al the Sauoyan disciplinariās hath wrought a miracle to my vnderstanding vpon M. Cartvvright For heare him how for feare of falling into flat Donatisme he was fain to plead against one that had bene his scholer in the behalfe of the church of England so bitterly before by himselfe impugned The ordinarie assemblies sayth he of those vvhich professe the gospell in England are the churches of Christ which he proueth in this sort Those assemblies vvhich haue Christ for their head and the same also for their foundatiō are Gods churches Such are the assemblies of England therefore c. Againe they that haue performed vnto them the speciall couenant vvhich the Lord hath made with his churches of pouring his spirit vpon them and putting his vvord into their mouthes are the churches of God but such are the assemblies in England therefore c. Hereunto may be added sayth he further the iudgement of all the churches of Christ in Europe all vvhich giue the right hand of societie in the house of God vnto the assemblies vvhich are in England Againe to prooue that the church of England is the church of God notwithstanding it want the pretended discipline he vseth this distinction that as it is in mans body so is it in this matter there are certaine parts essentiall and such as vvithout the vvhich a man cannot stand and some seruing either to his comlinesse or to his continuance And of this latter sort he maketh the discipline and lastly he writeth thus To say that the church of England is not the church of God because it hath not receaued this discipline me thinks is all one vvith this as if a man vvould say It is no citie because it hath no vvall or that it is no vineyard because it hath neither hedge nor ditch Thus farre maister Cartvvright In which his manner of speech you find a very great alteration from his ancient stile And as concerning the necessitie whereof I intreat the wind you see is turned There is no more necessity in England of the Geneua platforme then that euery citie in this realme should be walled about And besides the pretended discipline is become not to be any longer of the essence of the church but as appertaining to the comlinesse of it But how these things will accord with the premises namely his subscriptiō before mentioned to the new booke of discipline where the same discipline is made to be essentiall or whether maister Cartvvright hath changed his iudgement againe since he writ that answer to Harrison I will leaue it to be discussed by them that know his vnreuealed mind better then I do In the meane time that which he hath graunted I thinke it meet to take hold of And this I will adde vnto it that if maister Cartvvright would but conferre with some that haue skill in fortification to know of him whether an old thicke wall of lime and stone made many hundred yeares since or a new sleight wall slubbered ouer and wrought with vntēpered morter some few yeres ago whether I say of these 2 walles are of better defence for any citie I should be in good hope that he would in short time leaue the disciplinarie walles of Geneua and content himselfe with the ancient fortifications of the church of England and the rather because he seeth as I sayd in the former chapter what a giddie and itching humor his nouelties haue bred in the vnstayed sort of many fantasticall people CAP. XXXV Of the pretended commoditie that the elderships vvould bring vvith them and of the small fruits that they bring sorth vvhere they are THat which hath bene sayd of the commendation of this pretended regiment may fitly be applied to this place But now further of the commodities which they say it would bring with it inseparable consequents belike thereof I will trouble you only with three mens testimonies who it seemeth haue collected together that which is thought fit to be published to this purpose If vve had this gouernment God vvould blesse our victuals and satisfie our poore vvith bread hee vvould cloath our priests vvith saluation and his saints should shout for ioy It is best and surest for our state and there is nothing comparable to the establishing of it for her maiesties safetie It vvould make men to increase in vvealth and that they vvould not easily be dravvne after any great man to sedition and rebellion That her Maiesties person hath bene so oft in danger that we haue had some dearth of late yeares and that the Spaniards attempted to inuade this land they ascribe it to the want of this their gouernment It vvould cut off contentions and sutes of lavv c. by censuring the partie that is troublesome and contentious and vvithout reasonable cause vpon euill vvill and stomacke should vex and molest his brother and trouble the countrie If this gouernment vvere restored then you should see learning nourished young and olde called from blindnes to light from wickednes to vertue and pietie Then many woulde change their studies from Law Phisicke Musicke scholing c. and manye would leaue their trades and parentes would thinke theyr cost well bestowed and diuerse waies comforted to preferre their children to the studie of Diuinity Then there woulde be an vnity of the Church Then should the Papist quaile the Anabaptist waile and the Atheistes be amazed There could not bee so many seduced hanged aud quartered as there are Then no licences could steale away mens daughters the people should finde out the trueth and perfection of
Letters And surely I am greatlie confirmed in my former opinion by the examples which such like innouators in Germany doe bring forth Video enim illis hominibus nihil ambitiosius nihil insolentius nihil ineptius fingi posse For whereas there are many thinges most wickedly done by them daily yet they are not ashamed to pretende the zeale of God in excuse of those thinges which contrarie to the worde of God they deuise both wickedly and maliciouslie against the seruauntes of Christ. But as farre as I canne coniecture many by whose counsaile and assistaunce the frame of this Discipline was chiefely erected are nowe ashamed of them But that which Maister Gualter writte the same yeare to Bishop Sands is most pertinent I vnderstand that the strife amongest you procured by certain turbulent innouators doth wax hotte and that they are gone so farre that vnder the plausible title of good order and Discipline they desire the whole gouernement and pollicy of the Church of England to be vtterly ouerthrowen Surely I should meruaile at the immodesty and wilfull desire of contention in these men but that I see the same in practise else-where especiallie in all those places where the authority of the bretheren of Geneua is so greatly esteemed that Geneua is accounted the Oracle of all Christendome God hath indeed adorned that Church with diuerse excellent gifts and the Ministers thereof amongest whom Maister Beza I haue alwaies reuerenced and loued and doe so still But yet I would wish them modestiùs humiliùs sapere and not seeke to draw their shooe vppon euery mans foote c. What hath beene done in the Palsegraues Countrey I writte vnto you before Surely the state there as touching Discipline and the gouernement of the Church all men that come thence doe say it is worse then it was before and it is sure that many doe repent that they euer admitted these mens counsaile But yet the Geneuians doc still endeuour to thrust that their Discipline vppon all Churches And if they shall deny this they may bee sufficiently conuinced by the Booke of Theologicall examples that Beza published this other yeare that they suggest their arguments and councels not onelye to you Englishmen but in like sorte to the Germans Phrisians Polonians and Hungarians whereby amongest those that agreede well together before rixae turbae enascuntur brawlings and quarrels doe arise c. And so hauing signified what troubles the innouators beyond the seas as well as in England doe procure to the Church he moueth the Bishop to doe as he and Maister Bullinger did that is to moderat such busie wittes as they might for a time For saith he spero aedificium hoc nouae Disciplinae breui propria mole ruiturum quando satis constat iam eius pertaesos esse qui priús illud admirabantur I hope the frame of this new Discipline will in short time fall of it selfe considering that many are nowe become wearie of it that had it before in admiration An other likewise a Gantois a very graue and learned man as well acquainted with this Discipline as Maister Cartwright is being desired to write his opinion whether it had brought forth such effectes in Holland as is before pretended it would doe in England for aunswere saieth Is any man able to repeate the monstrous Heresies and errors that Holland doth nourishe c. vnder the shadowe of reformed religion this is aimed at vz. that the turpitude of all blasphemies being couered with this cloake may lie hid and that it may be lawfull without controlement if anie list to recall the old Paganisme or to professe Mahomets Religion or what worse is if there be anie thing worse Againe the Magistrates haue inuaded the Church-goods The Ministers haue little allowaunce There is no respect of the study of Diuinitie The Magistrates doe suspect the forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernement first becāuse they feare least it will degenerate into a worse tyrannie then the Spanishe Inquisition Secondly for that they see a new Senat of Elders in their Townes to exercise with the Ministers a censure of manners without lawes but such as they make themselues and without anie lawfull forme of Iustice. The olde Canon law is abrogated and the Magistrates will allow no new For they feare that the new would prooue worse then the olde Besides they will not committe the fame of themselues and theirs to the arbitrement of ignoraunt men such as for the most parte their Elders are who may abuse their authority rashly and laie such an infamy of adulterie or other grieuous offence vpon a mans backe as hee shall not afterwards easily cast from him The Ministers desire that the Magistrates would punish those that disobey their commaundements which they will neuer doe except they may first by due course of law heare the cause they of that Consistory being either actors or accusers and that the Ministers and Elders refuse to doe c. Besides some of the Ministers themselues that professe the Gospell are not free from those swarmes of Heresie which doe make their hiues there c. And in an other letter speakinge of the generall euent of that kinde of discipline Vereor ne exemplum Geneuensis ecclesiae et quarundam aliarum ecclesiarū quae eam secutae sunt maiorem quà m vulgo creditur perniciem ecclesiae adferat I feare least the example of the church of Geneua and some other Churches that followe her may bring greater mischiefe to the Church then is commonly beleeued One William Hart a minister the preacher not long since at Emden notwithstandinge all their goodly reformation in those partes yet writ in this sort therof vnto his secret friend M. Field Corruption by custome is so strong that none can abide the yoake and wonder you would if you sawe what grosse thinges the best ministers doe cleane deuoure and those of the middle sort doe earnestly stande and pleade for If you did see the confused state of the Churches of these countries you would say that England howe badde soeuer were a paradise in comparison and yet I haue not forgotten the blots and wantes thereof The trueth which he speaketh of the Church of England is to bee imbraced for the rest you may ascribe it vnto his factious humors Furthermore also there are some other countries not yet mentioned where the pretended discipline is in practise and yet there are noe such fruites founde thereof as are ascribed vnto the intertainement of it Be pleased to heare what an espetiall man of some one countrie a minister a gentleman greatly descended a person of chiefe aestimation hath published to the worlde in print Cum priuilegio Regali and procured to be sent abroade into other countries in certaine of his seruauntes names The prophane multitude of this kingdom they disdain the word spitefully There are two sins ioyned in the prophane multitude glottony and bloud They go forward in all course of sin the
more they are forbidden They make no account of the death of Christ. They are altogether godlesse The Church is made a pray to all men there is such disdain and contempt of the worde in the whole estate Confusion of Church and pollicie doth grow from day to day and threatneth vtter extermination It is the Lord that woonderfully continueth the light amongest vs and that keepeth the face of a ministerie in Scotland There is no good entertainment but a very great pouertie in the most part of all the ministerie The greatest part of our Priestes our Ministers their mouthes haue lost the trueth and their persons haue lost their reuerence the Lord hath made them contemptible in the eyes of men Floudes of iniquitie doe flow ouer great men There is no great man but whatsoeuer liketh him hee thinketh it lawfull The Gentlemen Earles Lordes and Barons they are so dronke with sacrilege that before they part with that geare they had rather part with the life of their soules they had rather loose their soules a hundreth times then bestowe a halfepeny vppon the Church Our owne meane Lordes doe fall into such proud contempt that they are readie to take vp open warres agaynst God so as that Iulian was no greater professed ennemy then they are like to be if they continue The great men in this country are become companions to Theeues and pirates oppressors and manifest blasphemours of God and man ye see murther oppression and bloud is the onely thing that they shoote and marke at The Lord hath no greater enemies then the great men in this country c. They are burning and scalding slaying and murdering vsing all kinde of oppression and raging so as if there were no king in Israel And generally thus This countrey is heauily diseased The sinnes of the land craueth that all pulpits sound iudgement If you looke to the growth of sinne more vgly sinnes were neuer committed The land is ouerburdened with the birth of iniquitie The best haue taken a lothing of the word of God The waight of Gods wrath that hangeth ouer this land is insupportable O vnhappy and wrathfull countrey c the more that knowledge groweth conscience decayeth See ye not slaughter in great measure oppression murther without mercy see ye not all law and equitie trampled vnder foote Is there any cleane place in the countrey c without the cries and lamentable voices of terrible murther oppression and bloud The most part of this countrey is giuen ouer to a straunge delusion to preferre the leauen of the Pharises and dregges of papistry before the word of God There is none that seeth the confusion of this countrey to grow so fast that can looke for anie redresse in his owne time all runneth on to a desolation and miserable confusion Faith is scarsly to bee found yea not faith in promises let be faith in Christ Iesus God hath giuen vs ouer to be deceaued by the mightie power and working of the diuell Hitherto this learned preacher Whereby a man may see that some countries may be in as euill a case that haue the Geneuian platforme set vp amongest them as some other that care not a figge for it But oh say the authours of the first admonition is reformation good for Fraunce and can it be euill for England Is Discipline meete for Scotland and is it vnprofitable for England Againe Surely God hath set these examples before your eyes to encourage you to go forward to a through and speedy reformation And likewise maister Cartwright Whereas maister Doctor would bring vs into a foolish paradise of our owne selues as though we need not to learne any thing of the Churches of Fraunce and Scotland he should haue vnderstanded that as wee haue been vnto them an example and haue prouoked them to follow vs so the Lord would haue vs also profite and be prouoked by their example Whereunto I make no other aunswere but this that I pray vnto almightie God withall my very soule for the long and happy continuance of the blessed example which this Church and realme of England hath shewed in this last age of the worlde vnto all the kingdomes and countries in the earth that professe the Gospell with anie sinceritie and that also of his infinite mercie not onely the kingdomes of Fraunce and Scotland but all other Christian kingdomes and countries may taste so plentifully of his heauenly graces as that they may become dayly better and better examples to stirre vp another to the right and true pathes of all godly vnitie and obedience of heartie and sincere profession of religion and of such righteousnesse and holinesse of life as may be worthy the professors of the same This onely I trust I may say without any offence that as I thinke we haue better causes of incouragement at home to pray for the present forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernment and Discipline that we may haue it still then we can finde abroad the premises of this chapter being true why wee shoulde eyther wish or desire to haue any forraine platformes or practises of I knowe not what kinde of pragmaticall discipline brought in amongst vs. A Discipline deuised at Geneua established there by cunning and obtruded by practises vppon other Churches A Discipline the more it is looked into by the fauourers of it the moe doubtes and imperfections they daily finde in it A Discipline the originall whereof is vnknowne and therefore hath no warraunt in the worde of God A Discipline so lately hatched that as yet it hath no certaine name agreed vpon A Discipline of that nature as they know not well how to bestowe her A Discipline that banisheth such Apostolicall Bishops as Christ appointed admitteth like an adulteresse of those who indeede shoulde serue her to haue an equall commaundement ouer her A Discipline that will haue Doctors of her owne and when she hath them she knoweth not howe to bestowe them A Discipline of such humilitie as forsooth Princes and Noblemen must bee but her inferior officers A Discipline so disdainefull as she forgetteh the very names of her sayde officers or at the least knoweth them not though they be Noblemen or Princes A Discipline that wil needs seeke in the scriptures for those new kind of rulers but she is ignorant where to finde their qualities Whether she would haue them to be Lay-men or Ecclesiasticall shee is not yet resolued A Discipline that when she entertaines her seruants casteth them of againe at her pleasure without anye offence committed by them A Discipline that hauing seruants doth want a warrant for their imployment either in their particular or in their generall offices which she woulde faine assigne vnto them She would haue Lay-menne to make her ministers to be her confessors and to bind and loose her sinnes A Discipline that will needs haue