their owne titles In the which notwithstanding we find their posteritie very sparing and that for iust cause namely for that obsequious reuerence and religious regard they had of the Apostles lately deceased the chiefe instruments and ornaments of Gods Church That the doctrine of the Apostles acknowledgeth no annuarie Elders to Rule onely in the Church and not to Teach Chap. XI OVt of that place of S. Paul not well vnderstood it is in the fift chap. of the first to the Corinthians there are many now adayes which haue deuised a fond and new-found distinction clean contrary to the Apostles meaning Alâs for them hee thought nothing lesse then of anie temporall Elders to play the bugs in the Church like speciall bailyes for a spurt and be gone whereas in the whole schoole of the Apostles you shall not finde the worst Elder that is not placed in one of the two foresaid formes Generally in all Elders the Apostle requireth thus much That they be apt to teach And 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.9 that they may be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine and improue them which say against it If in this nouell kind we looke for parts agreable to these sure I am we shall neuer finde that dumbe Elders of a yeeres grouth mute to instruct made to commaund in the Church are any where comprised in this forme As for that gouernment the Apostle numbreth among the giftes of Gods spirit it is to bee vnderstood indeed of a singular and supereminent gift For no doubt the right art of gouernment is a rare and a religious thing the which albeit there are scarse anie that will not boldly arrogate vnto himselfe yet is it truly to be found but in a few Wherefore as I rather iudge this so exquisite a gift of gouernement is to be reserued vnto the more excellent order of Elders as namely the Apostles and Euangelists and others the principall Ministers of that time as were Titus and Timothie and such other which gouerned many Churches with power Apostolike And therefore me thinkes that they of all other are farre wide who thinke so rare and singular a gift of Gods spirite ought to be impropriate to so base an order of Elders mute and momentarie which gouerne not long and teach not at all Sure I am that the Apostolike Churches and the sequel of many yeares after neuer interteined anie such kinde of aldermen for Church officers And had not the Apostles and Euangelistes and their associates sole preheminence ouer the Elders of particular Churches in the absolute authority of Church gouernment True it is I find certaine Sages and Seniours who did vsually sit in counsell with the Priests of the olde synagogue who were not Priestes but I reade not of anie in the Church of counsell with the Pastors but the Pastors And in verie deed in the Apostles daies and many ages after there were not in Esse any Christian Magistrats which could consult with the Elders of the Church in matters concerning the Church As for those Elders and Seniors whom we read to haue beene ioyned with the Priests in councell and commission they were the ordinary Magistrates of Israel which lawfully could not be sequestred or secluded from the coūsels and constitutions of the Priestes no more then at this day the Christian Magistrate is to bee restrained from the Sinods and assemblies of the Church For albeit there bee two kindes of gouernement one of the Cittie an other of the Church yet are they both deriued from one and the same author The which also although they bee executed after a diuers manner and that the one proceed of God as he is the creator and moderator of all things and the other of one and the same GOD as hee is the restorer and redeemer of mankind and each of them haue their seuerall ende also yet notwithstanding seeing the same societie is both Church Cittie and the authority of them both is drawen from the same head so likewise are they driuen to one end and come all to the same passe And of this it commeth to passe that they both haue many thinges in common which cannot easily be propounded without a common assembly nor concluded without a generall assent The Minister hath authoritie from the Lord our Sauiour to gouerne the Church the Magistrate from the same Lord our creator hath the like soueraigntie to rule the Cittie The which two diuers and distinct estates so often as they doe friendly consort together in one vnisone direct all their counsels to the same end I say so long the Cittie must needs thriue and the Church cannot doe amisse As for anie other Elders in the Church besides these of the which I haue now spoken and you heard I would to God some man would shew me which be they if there be any such Doubtlesse it passeth my cunning to finde any such Church-bugs or Burgesses in the word of God Doe you not knowe that the offices of the Church are gifts of the spirit and as it were talents of the Lord laid out to loane among men of the which there must one day an account be rendred to the Lorde I tell you it is not at the pleasure of anie seruant in the house of Christ rashly to exonerate himselfe of anie office he hath vnder-taken He that once putteth his hand to the plough and afterwards looketh backe is not fitte for the kingdome of God For my part I could neuer yet read that there was at anie time in the Church anie office temporarie if it were ordinarie I admit that Deacons may afterwards be made Ministers but that cannot be accounted a defection from the office which is the perfection of the same neither is that offfice forsaken when in the same order a higher is vnder-taken they fall not from that they were but rise to that they were not This custome Tertullian sometimes reprehended in his booke De praescriptionibus contra haereticos in these wordes Their giuing of orders is rash light and inconstant sometimes they praefer yonglinges sometimes wordlinges and sometimes recreant reuolters that they may bind them with their titles whom they cannot hold with the truth A man can neuer gaine more or with more ease then in the raunges of recreantes where the onely beeing there is to deserue pay Therefore one is to day a Bishop to morrow another to day a Deacon to morrow a Parson to day a Priest to morrowe a lay man for they giue to lay men also Church offices The place of Ambrose expounded Chap. XII THat which is alleadged out of Ambrose to confirme that kinde of Elder-shippe which some reformed Churches in this our age haue receiued is nothing at all to this question For Ambrose there speaketh of Elders in age not in office Such indeed the Bishops and Elders in times past tooke in counsel with them as did also of old the auncient Synagogue And yet Ambrose bringeth them not into any equipage
with those which were Elders in calling whom he had about him and who gouerned the Churches vnder him but he greeueth that such graue and auncient men in yeres whome the Apostle would not haue reprooued any thing roughly should not remaine in the like esteeme with the Pastors and Elders of the Church as they were of olde For expounding those wordes of Paule to Timothie 1. Tim. 5.1 Rebuke not an auncient or an Elder but exhort him as a father hee writeth thus That in reuerence of his yeares an ancient man is to be prouoked with mildnes to goodnes that hee may the rather take warning for beeing gentlie admonished hee will be afraide least afterwards hee should bee more roughly dealt withall which were a shame for an Elder For among all nations age is honoured for which cause both the Synagogues of olde and afterwards also the Church had alwayes certaine auncient men without whose aduise nothing was done in the Church The which by what negligence it was lefte off I cannot tell except haplie it were through the sloth or rather the pride of some Pastors because they alone would seeme to bee some thing Thus much sayth Ambrose who I dare bee bound for him thought nothing lesse then that anie order of the Ministery set downe by the Apostles was nowe worne out For himselfe had Elders which did also rule the Church with him or vnder him besides that the words doe shew as cleare as noone-day that hee spake heere of Elders not in office but in age If any vouchsafe certaine auncients experienced in many thinges the senate of the Church I say not against it but this I auouch that such were they all more auncient then Iaphet are not to bee accounted among the Church officers and Elders which the Apostles ordained And I dare be bolde further to affirme that they are in no small errour who thinke that the Elders and auncients in certaine reformed Churches in this our age are of the same sute with those whome the Apostles ordained in the fourteenth of the Actes and Paule sent for from Ephesus in the twentie chapter Whose order and office is described at large in the Epistles to Timothie and Titus I perceiue here the reformation of the English Church appointeth in euery place certaine Church officers which represent in some sort those auncients and Elders and they are commonly called Church-wardens Notwithstanding these come short of that authority in Ecclesiasticall censure To excommunicate but if any excommunicate person shall disorderly presse into the holy assembly they are to endeuour by the aduise of the Minister to remoue him Their ordinary office according to law is this To gather collect to lay vp and lay out the rents and reuenews of the church to keepe the bodie of the Church and the rest in repayre to keepe the Church booke together with the Minister to admonish offendors and vnruly fellowes and as for the stubborne infamous and offensiue to present them to the Bishop or his deputie that vpon their othes furthermore also to note who they are that absent themselues from diuine seruice vpon the Saboth or holy-daies and to set a fine on their heads according to the law prouided in that case and also to looke that due silence and all other kind of honest seemlines bee obserued in the time of diuine seruice If the ancient Primatiue Church had any such kind of Elders they were not I am sure at any time accounted of our elders among the Elders Bishops of our Church for they alwaies made a difference in the Church betwene the laike officers and the Church Ministers In Tertullian his Apologie the Elders which wee reade were present president in christian assemblies were Bishops and Elders no temporall men vnles wee would make him contrary to himselfe who iustly vpbraided the Heretikes of that time with that fault That they prophaned Church functions with lay persons Neither are these things so spoken of me neither wold I be so taken as if I chalenged those reformed Churches that vse some such like Seniors for so they suppose as Ambrose seemed to wish for I my selfe did vse them when I supplied the place of a Minister in some reformed Churches For the tyrannie of Popish Bishops beeing ouerthrowne when as they which are indeed the true Elders doe themselues in like manner sustaine the office of a Bishop they could not well take vnto themselues the intire gouernment of the Church without some suspicion of the like if no lesse tyrannie And therfore it was necessarie for them to ioyne with themselues certaine godly men out of the whole corps of the Church for that without the assistance of their associates it was not possible for them alone to counter-checke the immodestie of bad men and to bring them into some Coram That place of Paule expounded in his first to Timothie the fift chapter What it is to labour in the worde and doctrine Chap. XIII IT neede not greatly trouble any man when Paule saith That those Elders especially are worthie double honour which labour in the word and doctrine as if it followed therupon that there were other Elders also in the church which taught not For these two do not signifie one the same thing to Labour in the worde and to Teach seeing there was no Elder ordeined of the Apostles that was not apt to teach But for as much as the measure of the gifts of Gods spirit are not alike in all for there be which haue receiued fiue talents who must also pay vse for fiue vnto the Lord there be againe which haue receyued but two To whom much is giuen of him manie things are required If the dolours Paule suffered for preaching the Gospell were compared with other mens labors we might wel conceiue how well worthy he was of greater honour then they whose labors were farre vnlike in the like labour Some enioy their office haue ioy therof in rest peace teach their people at home and indure no hardship abroad whose doctrine is determined within the precincts of theyr own precession But others there be which teach not one onely Church but the whole Church with theyr learned laboures and that not once for all while they liue onely but also a great deale more after many generations The which that they may the better performe they let for no labour they spare nor oyle nor toile nor health nor wealth nor life it selfe in that regard Besides there be that for the Gospels sake set light by the losse of friends and fauors and riches and reuenewes they ouercome daungers not to be numbred and vndergoe slaunders not to be suffered onely that they may inforce and set forewards the Gospell of Christ And such doth the Apostle seem to vnderstand in this place not euery ordinary and perfunctory Teacher that gouernes in the Church and instructeth with wholesom doctrine the people of God committed to his charge The
citties But when as many Churches were infinitely distant from others is it not straunge that not any one Church retayned that diuine kinde of gouernement as it is thought which is adored at this day in some reformed Churches Doubtles Churches so diuerse and distant could not but greatly differ in things indifferent where there was no certaynty sette downe by the Apostles And therefore this could not bee without a miracle of eyther part Namely that eyther they should so vniuersally consort in this one gouernement if it were not receiued by tradition frō the Apostles or that with so generall a consent they should alter the same if it were For all the world knoweth that in all the world the gouernment was one and the same for all the world This is without question and beyond all exception that all the auncient autentike fathers so many as held the right faith were of this beliefe that in this onely plot they did follow the Apostolique tradition and diuine institution Ireneus in his thirde booke the third Chapter against Heresies writeth thus It is easie for all men to see that will see the truth the auncient tradition of the Apostles in the Church through the whole worlde and we can recken vp those which were ordayned Bishops of the Apostles themselues and theyr successors also euen vnto our selues which neyther taught nor knew any such thing as these men doate of Out of the which it appeareth That what thing was receyued in al Churches which were founded of the Apostles was an Apostolique tradition and diuine institution but the order of Bishops was receyued euery where in all Churches and therefore an Apostolique tradition and a diuine institution Ciprian in his fourth booke the ninth Epistle From whence sayth he are scismes bred and yet do breed but where the Bishop which is one and ouer the Church is condemned by the proud presumption of some and the man which is honored by the acceptance of God is dishonored by dishonest men c. The same Ciprian in his seuen and twenty Epistle according to the order of his Epistle citing that of Mathews Thou art Peter vpon this work c. he inferreth That euē frō thence according to the course of time and succession of ages the ordination of Bishops the computation of the Church doth run So that the Church may seeme to be grounded vppon Bishops and euery action of the Church to be gouerned by the same Presidents Wherefore seeing this is thus founded vpon the diuine ordinance of God I cā but wonder at som That it was the opinion of Aerius That there is no difference betweene a Bishop and a Priest which was condemned for an Heresie by the Fathers Chap. XII THus haue we heard of the acceptance of God the diuine ordinance vpon which the authority of Bishops relied as our Fathers beleeued To the which I now adde that had not the orthodoctike fathers belieued that the order of Bishops was grounded vpon the word of God they would neuer haue recounted the opinion of Aerius among other Heresies Who three hundred yeares long after the Apostles times was the first that durst affirm That there was no difference between the holy Bishop and an ordinary Priest Of whom Epiphanius recordeth that hee spake more like a fury then a man who as hee also reporteth was wont to say VVhat is a Bishop to a Priest there is no difference betweene them for there is but one order and one honor and one dignity The Bishop layeth on his hands the Bishop sitteth on his throne so likewise doth the Priest Thus sayth Aerius But of the other side Epiphanius first sheweth That a Bishop may create Priestes and that he cannot be created of Priests The order of Bishops sayth he is the begetter of Fathers for be begetteth Fathers vnto the Church but the order of Priests cannot beget Fathers by the regeneration of Baptisme it begetteth children to the Church but not Fathers or Teachers For how shoulde he create a Priest who hath not the power of laying on of hands in the election And he aunswereth Aerius for his cauels That his trifling emulation deceiued him and that he was ignoraunt of the nature of antique histories For that when the preaching of the word was but a new thing the holy Apostle writ according to the state of the thing as it then stoode And therefore where there were Bishops appoynted he wrote to Bishops and Deacons neyther could the Apostles doe all at once But they had present vse of Priests Deacons For by those two all Ecclesiasticall functions are to be performed But where there were not any found worthy a Bishopricke there the place was voyd of a Bishop but where neede was and there were that were worthy there they placed Bishops But where as ther were not many there were not many to be found among them to be made Priests and therfore they contented themselues with a Bishop onely in that place But it is not possible that a Bishop shoulde bee without a Deacon and the Apostle had an especiall care of that that he should not be without his Deacons And thus the Church receyued the fulnes of his functions according as the conditiō of time and place did require For euery thing was not furnished with all things at the first but in processe of time such things were prouided as were requisite to the performance of things necessary c. These things he confirmeth by the example of Moyses who finished hys common wealth not all at once but after a time But as of old he should haue taken a wrong course who to reform the Churche of Israell would haue taken his patterne from the imperfect and not composed state thereof So likewise at this day they maintayn but too foul an error that would bring the state of a Church well growen in yeares backe againe to the swathling clouts And therefore Epiphanius very well inferreth thus So likewise sayth he are those things which are written in the Apostle vntill the Church be enlarged vntill it come to her ripe years vntil it be most perfectly preyzed with the or-nature of wisedome by the Father Son and holy Ghost Epiphanius perceyued that there were many things wanting and that al things were not in theyr perfect temper that after a time one and the same man was not both Priest and Bishop as it well appeared by that which Saint Paul writ to Timothy who was a Bishop Against a Priest or Elder receiue no accusation without two or three witnesses He sayd not to any Elder receyue no accusation against a Bishop c. Augustine in like manner mightily confirmeth this the censure and sentence of Epiphanius who also mustereth this error of Aerius among the mid-ranke of olde confused Heresies Hierom his opinion confuted Chap. XXII THat which is obiected out of Hierome vppon the first Chapter of the Epistle to Titus namely that Bishops are greater then
are so far from turning stones vnto bread that they will make stones of bread and that which I haue done to relieue their weakenes they will account as deuised to vndermine their estate and so take that with the left hand which I proffer with the right And in deede what other thing shoulde I looke for at their hands who in lieu of my well deseruing towards them haue sought heretofore rather to cast me off with disgrace then to giue me vp with reward How desirous I haue alwaies beene of publique peace and howe zealous ouer them that layd snares for my life I dare appeale vnto God and men and yet for my good will what great reward haue I receiued at their handes but sharp reuenge or what better meede for my paines then bitter malice But no reason I should take this kinde of cruelty vnkindly seeing it is so common a case and commonly incident to me with many my betters And therefore far be it from me that the iniuries of a few though no fewe iniuries should so far preuaile with me that I should therefore lesse regard the better health of the whole Church Should I be for priuate wronges so far inraged beyond all sence and besides my selfe as to study to bee reuenged vppon many good men being offended but of a few bad fellowes After I was last called frō hence by the Belgike Churches I conuersed among them in diuers places ten whole yeares together in what time I found by aduised experience that there were two thinges of great moment greatly missed in those Churches the which I could not then without grief and cannot now without sin conceale namely That the ministery of the Gospell receiued of them by publike authority is not adorned by them with due honor And againe That wealth and worshippe in the order of the ministery is thought a needlesse thing to aduaunce the estimation thereof in a ciuill society Men that we are misconceauing is the cause of all this For now a daies for sooth no Church is thought reformed vnlesse First all Church dignities be either thrust out at the Church porch or thrust downe to the belfry and then all the Church goods be either put in the great bagge or giuen to the greedy baggage The which errour if it doe proceed as it will if it be not nipt in the head it will one day reuele not only vpon the church but also vppon the whole state a greater misery then can easely be driuen into euery common mans head To the which this also may be added that there are many of opinion and they are of many opinions That the abolishing of Bishops is not the least part of reformation and That their authority in the Church is crept in not of any diuine institution of Gods word but that which not any Church before this time did euer auouch of the onely errour and ambition of mans wit Our elders all auncient diuines for the preuenting of Scisme and conuenting the head-strong and giddy headed rashnes of many helde the prudent moderation of one in one Citty or prouince to be ordained from aboue And they knew very well that albeit the quirke of speaking for so they speak be found in many yet the art of gouerning and the rule of well ruling is knowen but of a few How great a stay a godly and prudent Bishop may bee to any troubled or distressed State auncient histories doe plainly teach present experience might make vs learne Doe you not knowe I know you are not ignorant howe that many times many things betide in a christian common wealth which require the aduise of Ecclesiastical Prelates As also where the Gospell is publiquely authorised that there are many thinges requisite for the Church which cannot be effected with out the ciuill Magistrate And how then are not they in a peeuish and a peruerse errour which either exclude the Magistrate from causes Ecclesiasticke or sequester the Minister from affaires politike silly men that they are as if either the Christian Magistrate were no part of the Church or the sacred Minister not Cittizen of the same common wealth And yet neither the Magistrate if he be Christian is to neglect the safety of the Church nor the Minister if he be godly not to regard the safegard of the state But these two the Magistrate and the Minister so long as they shal be distracted into partes and as it were diuorsed in state the one from the other and shall not take sweete counsell together like friends or not communicate in consent for their common benefite they cannot but conceiue diuers and doubtfull surmises fonde yea and some times false opinions of each others gouernement The Magistrate that keepeth fresh in memory the new broken yoke of the Popes tiranny feareth least by any meanes he should fall againe into the like though vnlike And therfore is iealous ouer the counsels and conuenticles of the Cleargy suspecteth alwaies some snare to be laid in them to entangle his liberty Of the other side the Pastors so many as are or will bee accoumpted faithfull in their Ministery cānot but be careful for the welfare of their flocke and therefore seeke by all meanes to benefite the Church and to shun those things which may preiudice the same who when they see diuers kindes of people to preuaile in the Common-wealth and they some of them open professed enemies to the Church some but suspicious and suspected fauorites few faithfull and vnfeined friendes no woonder though they dare hardly commit their cause and their credites them selues and their safeties to such Gouernours Besides they being ignorant of the common counsels how should they bee good interpreters of such thinges as are done in the Common-wealth neither can such counsels be well communicated to the common people and yet reason would they should seeing they are common If the States in the Low-countries brought to lowe estate had their learned and reuerend Bishoppes in that estimation they ought to be in euerie well ordered state no doubt with their vigilancye and moderation they might more easily haue remedied their present miseries I did complaine not without cause to see the Church goods pilde and pilferd and learned Pastors set to their stipēds Of the which some in deed do liue releeue their families though porely God knowes and some againe for the moity of their stipēds the multitude of their familiars are by no means able to keepe open shop windowes I speake not or neede not of them which are denied their wages or serue like our soldiers for cheese flemish if that they can get it But by this meanes when as to the griefe of al good men I did see the most sacred studie of Diuinity to languishe that young wits were affraid of it and old heads a weary of it Churches without Pastors Schooles wanting professors I lamented with my selfe and sorrowed for these mischiefes and those wee might easily coniect would
those which had an extrordinary vocation from God immediat and not from men so by these two last names of Doctors and Pastors whether wee take them as both one or otherwise hee seemeth to vnderstand those which by men were preferred to the Church And that Bishops and Elders are those whome Paul calleth Pastors it sufficiently appeareth by that in the twentith Chapter of the Actes where Paul intertaining the Elders hee had sent for from Ephesus telleth them that they were appointed of god Bishops to feede the Church And thereuppon wee also acknowledge no Elder or Bishop in the Church of Christ that is not a Pastor or feeder For it is in the essence of an Elder his office with wholesome doctrine to feed the flocke of Christ Presbyter is a Greeke word and aunswereth to that which the Hebrewes call Zachen which signifyeth not onely an Elder in yeares who for his age is to be reuerenced but also an auncient in the common wealth who for his place and authority is to be honored yea it is a title of honour with the which the Nobles and Magistrates of the old Testament are graced from whence also it is deriued to the Rectors of the Church in the new Testament who are called Bishops by reason of their ouersight and watchfull care which is a title of work labor but the name of Pastor is a title declaring a speciall charge office so called of feeding the Lords flock with the Angel-like food of his heauenly word Albeit ther are many other titles also common to the said Pastors in the Scriptures as that they are called Stewards Presidents Prelats Guids Gouernors Ministers and such like The vertue property of which titles I will not here stand to explaine it is that you may haue else where Only I will enforce from thence such arguments as the occasion shall serue and the matter which I handle shall require In the meane time you shall vnderstande that the office of these Pastors and doctors albeit ordained of men doth not differ in kinde from that of the Apostles For the chiefe part of them both is to instruct exhort reprehend and refell the aduersaryes of the truth Besides the administration of the Sacraments a thing no lesse pertaining to Pastors then Apostles Neyther is a Pastorall ouersight disiusticed of that Apostolick authority of Ecclesiastical censure which remayneth and is requisite for the edifying of the Church For why they succeede that I may vse Hierome hys owne wordes the Apostolique order and in another place It is no easy matter to stand in Paul his place or to mayntaine the dignity of Peter now raigning with Christ Of two diueas degrees of Pastors Chap. X. BVt now for as much as there is not the same or the like proportion of charge committed to all Elders there is also no smal difference among those whom the Scripture calleth by the same name of Bishops and Elders The which seeing it must be discerned rather by themselues as they are in deede then by their names as they are called let vs alwayes chiefely regard what they are then what they are called that we may truely distinguish betweene thinges that differ not so much in name as in nature The first Elders therefore whome the Apostles ordayned were theyr fellow-laborers in the Lord his vineyard as Iohn Marke Titus Luke Timo hy Demas Siluanns and many others of whō we read in the Scriptures Al the which by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery were created Ministers no otherwise then the rest who afterwards were placed ouer their seuerall Churches Notwithstanding that which wee read of Timothy wee conceyue of the rest and therefore that charge which was giuen vnto these was rather prouinciall then particular seeing they were the associats and assistants of the Apostles themselues But when as daily the number of the faithfull increased and the increase of Churches was thereby more and more aduaunced together as supply could be made of able men for the Ministerie the Apostles and Euangelistes or their associates installed into particular Churches particular Pastors who beeing placed in their wardes as it were should not range at large from thence but vnder the Apostles as faithfull Pastors should keep watch and ward ouer the vineyard of the Lorde And yet they were not so inuested into those their seuerall charges that the sole and whole authoritie being demised to them they should rule the Church alone and the charge thereof should thence-forth concerne the Apostles no more but to this ende were they so disposed that seeing the Apostles themselues could not bee alwaies resident in euery place there might notwithstanding by their good meanes be nothing wanting in anie place If twelue men could haue beene suffising for all Churches there should neuer haue beene leuied any newe increase of other seuentie But when they altogether could not serue to serue the turne both these and they both had need of more abettors to helpe them out withall And albeit the Ministerie of the Gospell vnder Christ be onely one as the priest-hood of the law vnder Moses was one yet notwithstanding as in one priest-hood there were diuers degrees of gouernement so likewise in one Ministerie of the Gospell there are as you haue heard diuers degrees of Pastors For haue you not seene how of the Lorde himselfe there were two degrees of Ministers ordeined of them the one was superior to the other How afterwards of the Apostles there were in like manner ordeyned two orders for to some they gaue in commission the Churches of one whole prouince and to some againe the single rectorie of one onely Church That Titus and Timothie had a superior intendencie ouer many Churches as also ouer them which were alreadie or were to be preferred thereunto it is sufficiently manifest vnto euery indifferent sense For otherwise why was hee so diligently admonished to beware that he lay not his hands vpon any man extemporie And againe to what purpose is hee so cautionately forbidden to admit any accusation against an Elder without the testimonie of two or three witnesses This therefore leadeth vs thus farre as it were by the hand that of force wee must confesse how that vnder the Apostles of the Apostles there were ordeined two degrees of Ministers they of diuers authority though not of diuers titles vnto whom albeit the Scripture for the present gaue no proper or distinct denomination yet in good time Posteritie did it wel aduised For although the names of Pastor and Bishop were commonly giuen to all Ministers of old yet presently vpon the Apostles time the name and title of Bishop was imparted as a proper addition to the first chiefe order of Elders And yet they were not destitute of their distinction by their more sacred titles euen in the Apostles time For did not the Apostles themselues grace the chiefe Elders with the title of their fellow-laborers their fellow-labourers with
into bad Latine they call Superintendentes and generall Superintendentes But where also nor those good old Greeke nor these bad Latin names are in vse there notwithstanding are commonly certaine priuate especial men in whose hands in a maner is all the authoritie Wherfore now the controuersie is concerning names but seeing we doe agree in deed what doe we contend about names In the mean while as I haue not disalowed the Fathers in this matter which is nowe in question so also I cannot but loue the zeale of our brethren who therefore were out of loue with those names because they feared least with the olde names the olde ambition also and tyrannie should bee called in againe to the ruine of Churches Thus grauely diuineth that reuerend olde Zanchius with whom I could ioyne manie more testimonies if it were needfull of the best writers of our time to confirme this matter who are either wholie of our opinion or very sparingly of the contrary But for this time lonely Zanchius shal stand for the rest least I should ouercharge this smal volume with a multitude of witnesses Of one Bishop in one Diocesse Chap. XXIIII NOw that we haue proued that gouernement of the Church to be of God in the which Pastors are subiect to Pastors and Elders suppliant to their Bishops we are in the sequele of this our discourse to see and examine Whether one Church or diocesse is not capiable of two or more Bishops at the same time of the same tipe and authoritie True it is that the Church of Hierusalem had the twelue Apostles the seuentie two Disciples with the Prophets their Bishops neither are examples wanting of diuers churches which haue had ioyntly together diuers Bishops Epiphanius writing against the Arrian heresie falling into some mention of the Church of Alexandria seemeth to intimate thus much That in that age there was this custome in diuers Churches that they might haue two Bishops at once when as notwithstanding in the church of Alexandria he affirmeth there was no such custome To the which I thus answer First that the twelue Apostles the rest remained at Hierusalem for a certaine time but they were appointed Bishops Teachers not for that one Cittie onely but for the whole world Now for the custome of certaine Citties which at one time had their two bishops what manner custome that was how rare extraordinarie it was we may sufficiently learne by that one election of Augustine who was made Bishop while Valerius Bishop of Hippon yet liued The which thing was done as extraordinarie so contrary to the decree of the Nicene councel But what rule so general that suffereth no exception It is no sin I confesse for one Church to haue many Pastors of equall power but whether it be conuenient it should bee so experience will teach Indeed of old the Bishops being of great yeares sometimes would name their successor and assume a fellow-laborer in office with them and that partly to preuent the tumults which commonly infested their elections and partly also because sometimes the Bishops being disabled by age sicknes were not sufficing to discharge their duties in their owne persons for which cause it was lawfull for the new Elect to supply the aged his place sit together in the same chaire As for Valerius the Bishop of Hippon hee beeing moued thereunto by the example of foreine Churches got Augustine with much adoe to be ioyned with him but how vnwillingly hee vndertooke that place albeit hee were importuned therunto as well by the praiers as by the presidents of others he expressely testifieth in his 110. Epistle Wherein are reported what things were done at the assignement of Eradius Priest to succeede Augustine in his Bishoprike as they were taken by the notarie the people consenting and confirming the same to whom hee thus speaketh I know that you know saith he Eradius to be a fit man and worthy of a bishoprike but I would not there should bee that done by him that was done to me but what was done your selues can many of you witnes they onely cannot tel which either were not as then born or as yet had not the capacitie to know While as yet my Father and bishop Valerius of famous memory liued in the flesh I was ordeined then bishop and I sate together with him the which thing I then knew not that it was inhibited by the Councel of Nice neither did he know Wherefore that which was reprehended in me I would not should be reprehended in my sonne And thus saith Augustine Gregorie Nazianzen in an epistle to Gregorie Nyssen writeth of this custome in these wordes But if anie man contend that whilest one Bishop is liuing an other ought to bee elected let him knowe that these thinges are of no force against vs. For it is manifest and apparant vnto all the worlde that wee are president not onelie at Naziantz but also at Sosrie and that setting apart the reuerence of our auncient Fathers and graue Doctors and those that laboured the same of vs with their vrgent prayers we tooke vpon vs that presidencie as straungers Thus saith Nazianzene By the which we may vnderstand how insolent and extraordinarie a thing it was that one Church should haue two Bishops Epiphanius also made some small mention of this custome that he might shew the cause why Athanasius did not immediately succeed Alexander seeing hee was deputed thereunto by Alexander namely for that the custome of the Church of Alexandria did not permit that hee should be chosen Bishop while their Bishop yet liued Most true it is indeed that both the Bishops and the people were perswaded of this That one Church did admit but one Bishop when it was otherwise Necessitie which hath no lawe did excuse it When Constantius at the request of certaine noble Matrons had called Bishop Liberius from exile and would haue had him to gouerne the Church of Rome together with Foelix who was then surrogate and substitute in his place the people hearing the Emperours letters and scorning the contents thundred together with one voice One God one Christ and one Bishop Cyprian also writing of the lawfull election of Cornelius Seeing that after the first saith he there cannot bee a second whosoeuer is made after one who ought to be one and alone he is now no more second but none at all like manner Ignatius who was in the age before Cyprian and is accounted the second or third Bishop of Antioch after the Apostles reducing the gifts of the onely one God to an vnitie in the Church writeth thus There is one flesh of the Lord Iesus one bloud that was shed for vs also one bread which is broken to vs all and one cuppe which is giuen to vs all there is one Altar for the whole Church and there is one bishop with the companie of Elders The Fathers reason was this because God would whose will is a law to vs that there should bee
left in our power to vse them as time occasion shal require An indifferent thing is commonly that whatsoeuer is nor cōdemned nor commended in the word of God is left free to euery mans choise either to vse or not vse vnles some other thing interchaunce which altereth the vse of that which otherwise was free by reasō of the time or place or the person wher the same is in vse For my part I think things mediat indifferent might better be defined thus if we shall say those thinges are indifferent which by no law either Gods law or mās law are bidden or forbidden For by the command of him which hath the authority ouer our persons the vse of a thing which otherwise is free may many waies vppon many occasions be restrained or ouerruled But of these things in this place we are not now to discourse at large Onely thus much I chiefly note would haue iust notice taken of it that indifferent thinges may bee vsed of vs although the same things haue ben abused by the bishop of Rome or any other Antichrist Is our liberty to be preiudiced by an other mans religion specially where publique authority hath any thing to do in the matter suppose it either giueth vs in charge or putteth vs in choise to vse those things which the superstitious haue abused Wherfore whensoeuer anything shal come in question among vs that hath bene vsed among the Romanists or other enemies of the truth it is our part to examine and consider the matter as it is in selfe not as it was with them There are some in England at this day who take vpon thē more sowrely then seuerely against outward vestementes cap surples musicke and organs and such like rites of the Church the which because they were of some vse in the Romane Church now out vppon them they are sacriligious prophane In like maner and with no lesse modesty do they proceede against Bishops Archbishops their honors and reuenews Al the which vnles they could be proued contrary to the word of God what reason is this they bring and it is al they bring for the abolishing thereof when they say the author or inuentor therof was Antichrist No doubt indifferent things which he abused for his tyranny may be returned to a better vse for the good of the Church Now as for contētious natures such in whose brests this error hath taken fast footing namely That the authority of Bishops is a thing pernitious in itself and preiudicial to the church I know this my aunswere as it fitteh not their humors so it serueth not their turns Neither yet will they vouchsafe of that which I haue said of the natural signification of words compound with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherfore albeit the plainest interpretation of the names of Patriarchs and Archbishops like me best yet notwithstanding I dare say thus much further if we should grāt that which they shal neuer euince that by force of composition a kind of principallity were to be inferred yet doth it not theruppon follow that it is therefore a title abhorring from the state of our BB. For let it be lawfull for men to vrge the signification of euery sillable in this sort it shal forthwith be vnlawful for any to be called a monarch or to be inuested with the title of an Emperour for why forsooth these names in theyr proper sense are common to none but to God onely These and such like titles of lawful and necessary vse among vs must vppon this quirk be vtterly abolished neyther may it be lawfull for vs from henceforth to call our Ministers as the Scripture doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rectors or Rulers Prelates or Presidentes nay we shall not be able to auouch the name of Elders because this and these all in sacred Scripture are proper to Magistrates and Princes and the Nobles of sundry prouinces and and yet for all this we see that Ministers of the Church are called by these names Last of all if the authority of the Fathers may be of any preuail let vs hear what great dainty they make of the name of Prince in the titles of the cleargy Origen reprehending the clownishe sourenes of some Bishops writeth thus A man may see in some Churches especially in the greatest Citties how the Princes of the christian people shew no manner affability to any esteeming thereof as a thing nothing at all pertaining vnto them c. And aftewards againe We speake not these thinges as if we meant to discharge the Ecclesiasticall Principality In like manner vppon the Epistle to the Romanes the thirteenth Chapter By the which it appeareth saith he that the Iudges of the world do performe the greatest part of Gods law For all the defaults that God would haue punished he punisheth not by the Prelates and Princes of the Church but by the Iudges of the worlde And vpon the twenty seuen Chapter of Numbers the two and twenty Homily Let the Princes saith hee of Churches learne not to appoynt their successors after them such as are allied vnto them eyther in affinity of kindred or consanguinity of bloud neyther that they ought to make the Principality of Churches hereditary c. Ignatius no lesse godly then grauely My Son saith hee honour God and the King and I say further honor God as the author of al things and the owner and honor the Bishop as Prince of the Priests bearing the image of God by reasō of his principality the image of Christ by means of his Priesthood He that honoreth the Bishop shall be honored of God as also he that dishonoreth him shall be punished of God c. Besides many other things in the same place to the same sence The same man in an other place Therefore saith he let all things be performed among you according to a direct order in Christ Let Lay men be subiect to Deacons Deacons to Priests Priests to Bishops the Bishop to Christ as he is also to the Father Againe to the Church of Antioch You Elders feede the flocke which is committed vnto you vntill God manifest him which shal reign ouer you For I am now sacrificed that I may gaine Christ c. By which words the holy Martyr hath sufficiently testified the authority of a Bishop ouer the rest of the Elders Doubtlesse in auncient time the authority of Bishops was great in the Church theyr reuerence great and theyr fauour great among the people the which of al other things made most for the benefit and increase of the Church Euen as in the common wealth the fauour of the Magistrats and authority is beneficiall to the people so likewise of Bishops in the Church And therefore for good cause thought Hierome that the welfare of the Church did depend of the honour of the chiefe Priest c. Neyther in deed is this the least slight of Satan when he
Temple and Altar for diuine seruice might receaue no portion of that deuotion but while the rest did husband the earth they should honor the Lord onely and therfore for their liuing and allowance they were to receaue tenthes of the eleuen Tribes of those fruites which did increase The which reason and order is now obserued amongst the Cleargie at this day that they which in the Church of the Lord are promoted vnto anie Ecclesiasticall dignitie should by no meanes bee called away from their deuine function neither shuld be intangled with troubles and worldlie affaires but according vnto the honour of the maintained brethren as they which receiue tenthes of fruits should not depart from the Altar and the sacrifices but daye and night should attend vpon heauenly and spirituall busines c. About the same time there were maintained at Rome vnder Cornelius the Bishop sixe and fortie Priests seauen Deacons Eusebius lib 6.25 so manie Subdeacons as also two and fortie Seruaunts Exorcists Readers and Doore-keepers all togeather two and fiftie The number of the whole Cleargie was an hundred fiftie and fiue men all the which no doubt for the most part had their proper families and yet besides al these the widowes and other which were afflicted either with pouertie or infirmitie were a thousand and fiue hundred all the which as Cornelius himselfe doth witnes in an Epistle to Fabian Bishop of Antioch the grace and bountie of the Lorde did aboundantlie releeue and least any man should thinke that this was done penuriously or sparingly hee addeth that so great a number of Ministers so great a multitude of poore by the prouidence of God were made rich and abounding in all plenteousnes The historie of Laurence deacon of Rome is sufficiently knowen whome the tyrants of that time held in suspicion that he had the custodie of the church treasure And their suspicion was true in part for the church had treasure and in part it was false for that it was not the maner of the church to lay vp but to lay out the treasure they had By the which meanes Phillips oblations also and donations to the church were repealed all to late for the ministerie of the Deacons by the handes of the poore had there laid them vp where neither rust nor moath nor any caterpiller of the Church could breake through and steale Neither was this the least praise of the churches of that age that as they were priuatelie poore so were they commonly rich after the example of the church at Hierusalem CHAP. XII That the church had no small reuenues and certaine places in the which they did celebrate their assemblies before the time of Constantine THat professed Christians had farms possessions the increase whereof they distributed to the cleargy pouerty of the Church the edicts of Constantine the great doe sufficiently testifie True it is that vnder Dioclesian the christians were spoyled of al they possessed either priuatly or in cōmon but the godly cristiā Emperor giueth in charge to the presidentes of the prouince that those places in the which Christians did celebrate their assemblies and all other things whatsoeuer they possessed or any waies pertained to the right of their societie should againe be restored vnto them Enead 7. 8. Sabellicus maketh mention of one Lucina a noble and rich matrone that was exiled by Maxentius for that she had named the Church of Rome to be her heire Indeed it is to be acknowledged that from the time of Constantine the state of the Church was no wayes impaired neither doe I speake of the false and fained donations of Constantine but this is a thing most certaine that he was a bountifull Prince towardes the Church and worthily renowned for his bountie Sozomenus reporteth of Constantine his honorable liberalitie towards the Church of Christ Lib. 1.8 that of those grounds which in euerie Cittie were tributarie hee reserued a certaine pension which accustomably was wont to bee paide into the Exchequer and distributed the same vnto the Churches and the Cleargie the which his great gratious larges he afterwards ratified by law to stand good for euer De vita Cōstant li. 4. 28 Eusebius in the life of Costantine witnesseth the same That therefore all men may vnderstand what the welth of the Church was in those times I will produce a few presidentes of that age and begin with that which Augustine hath left in recorde concerning his owne Church at Hippon For he was himselfe also of an honourable house of great wealth I saith hee according to the common conceit of manie Epist 225. which compare themselues with themselues seeme not to haue come from wealth but to haue come to wealth for my fathers inheritance can hardly be reckoned the twentith part in comparison of the churches reuenewes the which nowe I am accounted to possesse as chiefe Lord. Whence that Church had that great wealth it is to bee seene in the same Epistle Prosper in his booke De vitae contemplatiua reporteth of Hilarie Bishop of Arelat to his euerlasting praise that hee had did not only retain those things which the church then but that he did also inlarge the same by the manifold heritages of the faithful which he receiued Among Basil his epistles there is one whole one which testifieth that there were manie at that time which vsed to leaue by testament a great part of their inheritance vnto the Church and some sometimes which did make free gift of all But what neede I to stande vppon the manifolde reports of such thinges The lawes of the Emperours concerning this whole matter are sufficiently knowne Nay this one thing I would admonish the Reader least at any time hee bee deceiued when as manie times hee may reade in the Fathers that the goods of the Church are not onely the goodes of the Bishops and the goodes of the Priestes but the goodes of the poore also I say there hee shall but note howe the auncient custome of the Church hath beene disordered through auarice and hypocrisie When all the Church goodes of euerie Diocesse were in common vnto all the Church-men of the same territorie to bee diuided to euerie Church-man according to the discretion of the Bishop then was that saying in force The goodes of the Church are the goodes of the poore Not that the whole substance of the Church was to be consumed vppon the poore but because the fourth part therof was their due by right For the first part was for the Bishop himselfe the second for the other Church-men the third for the Church workes the fourth for releeuing the poore and redeeming the captiue But when as by reason of the manifolde inconueniences which did dayly arise by meanes of this communitie and the great multitude of Churches which now began to bee euerie where erected and set vp throughout the countrie and indowed with peculiar commodities they began to depart from this communitie by
power or hath he by any counsell aduised them to withdraw their bountie from his seruantes or that they should haue no regard of those duties they haue performed or not to grace with titles of honour their honest demerits of whose truth wisdom they haue made great vse had great experience Nabuchadnezer preferred Daniel amongst the Babilonians Darius aduanced Mardocheus among the Persians and shall it not be lawfull for a Christian King to honor the seruants of Christ for their religion that vpon a certain religion forsooth That the meane may be exceeded no man doubteth namely when as diuine honors are giuen to mortal men or where immoderate dignities are ambitiously affected of them who ought to be the patterns of modestie the Doctors of humilitie but yet that ciuil honour cannot bee thought immoderate but of immoderate men which according to the custome of the Cuntry is giuen for iust causes by the aduised Prince to his approued Subiects How many most holy men whose liues were only priuat yet publikly renowned which haue suffered themselues to be called Lords witnesse the two Testaments 3. Reg. 18. Did not Abdias the seruant of K. Achab meeting with Elias salute him by the name of Lord 4. Reg. 4. Was not Elizeus honored of the Sunamite by the name of Lord Did not the keeper of the prison call Paul and Barnabas by the name of Lordes Acts. 16. And yet the modestie of their mindes notwithstanding was no lesse then that of Peter who would not suffer himselfe to bee honored of Cornelius aboue measure We read of Paul Barnabas how they rent their clothes and ran into the throng repealed the diuine honors which Iupiters Priest with the peple would haue done vnto them and verely if so bee in the name of Lord ther had bene any such eminent honor or imminent danger as som think they would haue refused that I conclude therefore that in a Christian common-wealth which is the Church of Christ all externe things as wealth riches preferment and ciuill honours may bee referred of all and euerie the faythfull of any calling or condition whatsoeuer to the glorie of GOD and the good of the Church and the benefite of the common-wealth For so indeede they ought to bee referred With the which I include this also that the seruantes of Christ ought so to prepare themselues both for honour and ignominie both for wealth and want as that they may vse all thinges aright to the honour of God and edifiyng of his Church Chap. XXIX Of the Bishop familie and retinue BEsides all this the Bishops retinue ordinarie attendants are no small motes in the eies of some that cannot without enuie behold the same For doe they not therein imitate the peeres and potentates of the lande Not Christ I warrant you not Peter not Paule were euer thus garded But alâs poore popular and child-pleasing speech simple are the men whom these faire wordes make faine for I dare be bold to say that the retinue of Christ his Apostles was as honorable as it might be in respect of the time the thing for the which he came into the world much more honorable should haue beene if God had meant to restore mankind after an other sort then he did And yet as it was our Lord and Sauiour was not without aboue fourescore men in his family which waited vpon him whither he went or went before him whither he was to come I but there were no gallant Gentlemen to braue it in their chains of gold there were no barbed steeds to praunce it in their siluer studded raynes In that solemne pompe when Christ would shewe his glorie vnto the Cittie hee was well mounted vppon a sorie Asse attended with the simple companie of his weake Disciples I but this againe is but a popular perswasion in the which ther is nor pith nor rind against the thing in question Will they neuer learne that our Sauiour after that manner prouided for that season least eyther hee should incurre the suspicion of affecting an earthly kingdome or other-wise might haue hindered the worke of our redemption Doubtles had he bene knowen in his kind to Herod to Pilate and to the chiefe Priests that which the people did of a good zeale they would haue done for their own aduancement but then would they neuer haue crucified the Lord of glorie Neither would he which tooke in good worth the honor of that oyntment which was powred vpon him and receiued royall presents of the wise men golde myrhe and frankincense haue euer refused that honour which was due vnto him from all earthly Princes might it haue stoode with the saluation of mankind But is not this a worthy kind of arguing which is vsed aswel against the Papists as against vs to reason from the times actions of a faithles people to the times and duties of a christian nation neither doe I commend in our Bishops either pride or ryot or any superfluous excesse but this I say that that retinue is not to be disalowed which the receaued and continued custome of the countrey requireth It was an auncient custome in the Church that a Bishop should neuer walke forth alone or be alone hee had records and eie-witnesses of al his actions Now they which are more indifferent to Bishops had rather they should bee attended with gown-mē the which I also had rather But let vs weigh the matter in an euen ballaunce for they which would haue the Bishops retinue to be men of his owne quality seeme to say some-what and to stand to the examples of the ancient Fathers But it is wel knowen that our BB. are neuer without such also Wherefore the question is now of the number which cannot bee prescribed to all alike for that their reuenues are not all alike But go too let vs once againe alow Bishops their ancient attendants The more there is of them the greater is his family so a greater number of seruants and so a greater retenue by ods then is as this day and shall not their enuy also increase with the company for company But the seruing mens swords and the Gentlemens chains do gall them at the heart and paine them in their eies as if good men it were a thing misbeseming the calling of christians that a Bishop shuld be attended by Gentlemen whether old or young That yong Gentlemen and wel nurtered should be preferred to some godly BB. that they may attend his person and marke his maners therby become the better and better learned there no is no man without an enuious eye that can mislike the same Bishops houses haue bene alwaies Colliges of learned men and schooles of al virtue and what hindreth that they may not now be But least I should seme to haue taken vpon me the patrociny rather of BB. then of their calling I may not seeme to set forth the virtues of any which at this
issue out of these as out of Pandoraes box Neither did I sorrowe for these thinges to my selfe alone I acquainted my griefs where I was acquainted But because in those intempestuous times I could not safelie either speake or write my minde without suspect of contention couetousnes or ambition I conteined my selfe discontēt expecting a fitter opportunity In the mean while I could haue wished that this argument might haue bin vndertaken of some other and of some other profession And that doubtlesse might haue bene performed of such an one with so much the more ease and lesse enuie by howe muche the matter did lesse concerne himselfe But seeing no man offered himselfe to this seruice and the seruice honorable after manye delaies I ouercame my selfe at last and in the zeale of my dutie haue vndergon that burthen which Atlas himselfe can not sustaine alone and therefore in the conscience of mine owne weaknes I come loaden to your Honors with mine ouer-burden and laye downe the same in three little bookes vnder your names thrise reuerend and renowned And this also haue I done with the greater confidence and the lesse conflict for that both the trueth of the cause it selfe wil bear me vp that I slip not and also your honorable fauours as I hope wil beare me out if I slip not And now if it shall please God to put them in some better mind whome these things do chiefly concerne so that these may be commended of them and they amended by these I verely shall reioyce in them but they shall be beholding vnto you But if these thinges displease them and they finde themselues offended with my liberty I shal find others I doubt not as amorous of the present truth as they are of their priuate humor and as far in loue with reuerend antiquitie as they are in liking with insolent noueltie vnto whom I perswade my selfe though they should fore-speake the contrarie this my labour shall not bee altogeather vnwelcome Wherefore for your Honors I will pray and importune the most great and Almighty that he would vouchsafe to giue you life euen a long life for the benefite of the Church and the aduancement of the kingdome of Christ London 4. Kal. Aprill Anno Dom. 1590. Your Honors most bounden Hadrian Sarauia TO THE GODLIE AND Faithfull Ministers of the Church of Christ throughout the Low-countries my brethren beloued in the Lord. AT what time I liued at Leiden worshipfull and beloued I many times with many of you bewailed the state of the Church there In the which the deuill the deuill it is spreadeth his net as many other waies so especiallie nowe with a certaine newe slight after another fashion In the which he hath his gins and engins nothing like vnto those of olde when hee went a hirding with gainefull hipocrisie and entangled the soules of Christian people with a kind of costlie superstition then did the Cleargie and the Layitie ambitiouslie contend as yet they continue vnder the Papacie whether should exceed the other they in their pompous sanctimonie or these in their superstitious munificencie So they sold and sell at a deare reckoning these bought and buy at the hucsters handes The one deceiuing the other deceiued both in an error neuer a better And is it not strange to see a thing that is not strange how superstition and hypocrisie is of more force and preuaileth more to conquere and lead captiue the minds of men then true and sincere religion which is pure and plaine without wealt or gard But such is either the negligence of men or the nature of man it will be deceiued and will deceiue Who is able to recompt and keepe reckoning the quircks and the tricks the gybing and the iugling of the Romaine Alcaron by the whiche they hold play with the simple and play noddie with the peoples simplicitie The paines of Purgatorie the Popes pardons Images false miracles pilgrimage to statues shrines and crosses reliques of saints bones teeth and ashes vestments belts and sandals and a thousand such like trumperies These are the martes and the marchandise which they make ouer to the peple for hid treasure while they sel the people for olde shooes What should I more say They say themselues and the more shame they are not ashamed to say That these and such like are the Religious illusions of the Religious VVhat a commodious craft auricular confession is the Iesuits besides other the Romish Prelates minions doe feele and find But now adaies because the true Ministers of Christ and the faithfull stewards of his house are not trained vppe in these trades nor guiltie of these traines they are set at naught of naughtie men And yet of olde when the people doted ouer their false Gods and spared for no cost so they might satisfie their soules with neuer-satisfied superstition they were notwithstanding nothing so ranke in seking to satisfie the rauine of that vnkind lust towards their false God and his worship as they were slowe and slacke to inquire after the true God his seruice and his true seruants and why then should it seeme a thing rare or insolent among vs if the like kinde of vnkindnes be reuolued vpon vs in this age For man to man and age to age is as like as is the water to the water day to day to day and heareafter In what honour and estimation the Ministers of the Church are among the Romanists is well knowen to such as either now liue or at anie time haue liued amongst them But now amongst vs the professors of the Gospell they which sincerely teach the true religion and truly teach what way leadeth to heauen and by what means we are reconciled to God ar ether nothing at al acounted or as nothing Is any thing for honour sake for pittie sake yeelded vnto them it is by and by thought much of and thought too much bee it neuer so little For which sinne not onely the vnkindnes of the people is to bee condemned as principallie guiltie but our owne foolishnes also may be conuicted as accessorie faultie And howe Forsooth a toy hath taken vs in the head and we haue taken a toy in hand by surprising the Popes tyrannie to suppresse our owne liberty As if indeede the excessiue riot and not expleable auarice of the Popish Cleargie could by no possible meanes be rebated vnlesse wee thrust downe the reformed Ministerie beneath the Bell-ferie and hand ouer head lay wast all the possessions of the Cleargie A passing deuice indeede to bring this to passe as it hath alreadie brought it within come to passe that the Church wanteth wherewith to nourish the sacred Muses and is faine to honour the painefull Minister with monethly menstruous fees From hence is foisted into the Church a kinde of temporall biter after a new fashion an euil example who chiefly attending vpon their own drudgerie by the way ioyne hand with the Pastor in his prouince and that for a yeare or two
which no man can iustly accuse me as if I sought any especiall commoditie for my selfe or desired any other thing then that which is commodious and necessary for the Church I thought it my duty to speake plainely what I thinke of the goods and possessions of the Church Neither is it enough for mee that I am heere well prouided for my selfe I wish the like vnto my brethren And although I may iustlie complain my self to be iniuriouslie forsaken of you whom I ought to haue found the chief Patrons of mine innocency yet notwithstāding my loue and my Zeale both towards the Church and also vnto you-wards is not therefore either altered or alienated And how then shuld I be lesse carefull for yours your Churches good then when my selfe was in the same ship with you VVherefore seeing we haue now sufficientlie wincked at this errour as well of the people as the Magistrate which if it be suffered will bring to the Church either a deadly ruine or a desperate mischiefe we may no longer dissemble the matter the Church it selfe must be taught hir duetie towards hir Ministerie It is a perilous pernitious thing to bequeath an euill president vnto our posteritie who shall take all for reformation whatsoeuer they receaued in the name of Reformation for what cause so euer it was done Men as you know for the most part vse rather to regard the deed then to respect the cause what is doone euerie man can tell but for what cause it was doone there are few which can conceiue or well consider I must needes confesse I haue proceeded some-what farther into this matter then my purpose was when I came first hither For that I see heere in England by the euill presidents of other Countries most men are carried away with the same errors Some streine their consciences so farre and open their mouthes so wide that like dronken men they stretch and yawne after the Church-liuings and doe euen gourmandize them already in their hopes mercilesse and bottomeles conceits And some againe while they grutch the Pastors their fields and enuie the Euangelique Bishops the riches of Romish Prelates as if it were not lawefull for vs to succeed them and not exceed them would seme to eat their hearts in garlike as they say while they eat and spit their owne gall in malice A strange opinion they hold that the place power and authoritie it hath pleased her Maiestie and the rest of the states the Bishops should reteine in this kingdome is a grant vtterly auerse vnto the reformation of religion VVherefore now what honour is due in a Christian Common-wealth to the Ministers of the Church and how forforth the same may extend is to be examined more at large But it is to be feared least some will be scarcely well pleased especially such as be ignorant of the auncient Church gouernment with this my treatise of the diuers degrees of the Ministers of the Gospell and the rather for that I haue noted in their newe-come reformation two things not to be liked of namely that the autentique order of Bishops is abrogated and a nouell kinde of Presbyters intruded The which I haue the rather noted for that the common sort of people are of opinion that not the least part of reformation consisteth in the dilapidation of Church-goods in the extirpation of Prouinciall Bishops and in the creation of Demi-laicall and mongrell Presbyters The which opinion of the people I doe therefore reprehend not that I dissallow that certaine graue seniours and godlie men should consort with the Pastors that is the true Presbyters of the Church but that they may know as they shall be taught not to mistake them for those Elders of the which in the Actes of the Apostles and in Paules Epistles there is often mention and is it not needful also to point at an error betimes least it beeing by time confirmed should not afterwardes be easilie corrected If any man shall thinke my selfe in the error or that I haue gone further then he liketh well of let him teach me that which is better I will presently alter my iudgement and giue ouer the bucklers vnto him that can do best The which I speake not as if I doubted or were not thorowlie resolued that those things of the which I affirme in this book were not assumed out of gods book For I do verely beleeue that I haue not swarued frō that rule which God hath giuen me to follow But yet if any man presume he can teach the contrary out of the word and make not the word contrarie I am more ready to attend and be taught then to teach and had rather bee ouercome then ouercome condition that that onely truth may preuaile which in truth ought to preuaile In the meane while as I haue alwaies borne and beare with such as dissent in opinion from me so long as they holde intire the Lorde Iesus so likewise in the same charity may they beare with me if I dissent from them I hartelie wish and intreat earnestly If it shall please God by the counsel of christian Princes that there may be a generall and a free councell celebrated that as it becommeth me I refuse not to bee iudge of my iudgement but if otherwise neither I can bee perswaded by others nor perswade others let vs expect with one accord the iudgement of Almightie God when euery one shal render according to the moitie of his talent a reason of his Ministerie For me to contend with my brethren after a bitter manner it is no part of my meaning If in any place my stile shall seeme more sharpe beleeue me I will not fable with you the greatnes of the mischiefe not any priuat griefe hath set an edge on it And to speake reason what reason haue I to be violent or virulent in this question Seeing whatsoeuer is helde amisse I impute it to the error and ignorance of art not to the malice or euill meaning of men The horrible sacrilege of men is not so manifest to the world as the execrable authors thereof are vnknown vnto me and it greueth me not that they are vnknowen Of whome then should I exclaime Against whome should I declaime But whereas certaine vngodly men are craftely crept in amongst vs who make a shewe of religion and would seem to fauor the Gospell and that not so much of any deuotion towards God as in detestation of all godlines I am constrained many times more earnestly to inueigh against the subtiltie and impietie of such let them be of what estate they may be if they be of that condition For neither are our owne colours cleare of such staines against whome can there bee anie worme-wood too bitter This I note that if at any time I name the Hollonders I note not the whole nation God forbid but onely those that degenerate from the naturall integrity of their owne nation But are not they so much the more worthy
greater ignominy by how much the more fondly they abuse their owne authority and the peoples simplicitie such therefore I must necessarilie and may worthelie accuse of Atheisme and irreligion the rest I cannot excuse of errour and ignorance onely Indeed error and ignorance doe sometime mitigate the guilt of the offender but neuer can it obliterate the staine of the offence It will seeme a hard matter I know vnto some that sacrilege should be openly reprehended and vnto some an absurd thing that in the policy of the Church Bishoppes should be required For there are here in England a certaine number of wicked men and I am very sorie for them who are so farre out of order with that order as if no Ecclesiasticall Discipline were to be had vnder them Amongst whome the quarrell is growen so farre that nowe they deuorce themselues from the communion of the English church as Papisticall and Antichristian and so betake themselues to their priuate and not permitted conuenticles VVhome I could doe no lesse then lightly note in this place because they seem to patronage their odious scisme and mutinous huggor-muggar by the precedent presidents of our foraine Churches O God thou knowest and themselues cannot bee ignoraunt that the first peregrine churches which were heere in England had their Lord Bishop Alasco and these which at this day are vnder the protection of the most gracious Elizabeth doe acknowledge the Bishops of those Diocesses in the which they are and to them they supply But thankes be vnto God there are others who being somewhat more milde and moderate in their proceedings doe not altogeather estraunge themselues from the assemblies of their churches but yet they haue the Bishops in emulation also and promise vnto themselues a golden worlde could they but once bring to passe that by a preposterous Alchymy of earthly pollicy they could turne gold into drosse that is Bishops into Presbiters their reuenues into annuities But to them I dare say and can foreshew that they shal bring themselues The whole state Ecclesiastik into deepe disdaine disdaine worse then themselues deserue And whereas the Lord be praised for it we haue now some good Discipline it will come to passe that then they shall haue none at all but voluntary which as soone as it is begone will be gone I omit the tumults and contentions with the which they shall first trouble and turmoyle both heauen and earth But this is plaine and I dare promise them that they which were the first authors thereof will proue their first enemies so sone as vnder these colours they shal haue obtained their desires The calamities of your present churches your selues see and suffer but from whence they arise or what is the true remedy pardon me I beseech you if I speake as I thinke you seeme not to see or conceiue at all Doe you not heare of the turbulent state of other Churches and you know what they were from the beginning Where if they had intertained for a popish Prelat a true BB. for Romish masmongers Euangelique Ministers contented and contenting themselues with the rites and reuenues of their owne Churches no doubt all thinges amongst them had continued more peaceable and prosperous aswell in Church as Common-wealth The like I affirme of other prouinces from whence is exiled the tyrant of Churches But what can be done where the mindes of men are foreseasoned with preiudice and alreadie resolued That to bee ruled by bishops and to be releeued by Tythes and other oblations of the people is a point of Poperie But may I not be so bolde to tell them and I will tell them but the truth that these and such like medicines as they go about to administer vnto the Church maladies are like to prooue but prouocations vnto further mischiefes Admit the drugs they concoct be not simplie offensiue yet is it to be considered and wise men wil consider whether the faintnes and infirmitie of the whole body of the common-wealth may abide the same Here there is need of great wisedome no lesse moderation the which as it may be in many so must it be in one which may execute the same and this is he which is not to looke ouer one part but to watch ouer all not of the whole worlde which neuer any mortall thing or could or can but of one Cittie or prouince so farre forth as the power of man may extend it self And may wee not also more saflie walke in the steppes of the auncient fathers then rashlie to step aside into tracts of our owne treading Now how you will accept of this my libertie I cannot well tell but I hope well of you and commit the whole cause vnto God himselfe This I am perswaded and this haue I learned that in an vnstayed estate it is not the part of a good Cittizen to suspend his censure of the Common-wealth nor of a faithfull Christian to suppresse his opinion of the Church of Christ For mine owne part if in this daungerous enterprise I shall obtaine that onelie which I haue propounded vnto my selfe I shall haue iust occasion to giue thankes vnto my GOD but if it fall out otherwise yet shall I haue discharged my duetie vnto my Brethren and performed my vowe to the Church of GOD. Vnto the whiche I haue hitherto thought my selfe indebted as muche as this comes vnto That a knowen errour ought not to bee ouer-slipped in the silence of mee But put case I doe smale good vpon those for whose sakes especially I haue traueiled in this duetie yet shall their remaine a perpetuall note of that notorious errour vnto all posteritie that they yet at the length may amend that in the which they haue found their Fathers to haue bene faultie London the fourth of the Kal. of Aprill Desirous of your welfare Hadrian Sarauia To the curteous Reader WHosoeuer thou bee gentle Reader into whose hands this booke shall come in any case I would not haue thy minde troubled with this discourse as if we did reuerse som graund Article of thy faith when wee doe but restore for so we holde it behofefull the graue Senat of Bishops into the reformed Churches so called Doe we crosse herein the iudgement of some late writers of great name Why then iudge you and iudge me worthie of double blame if I should be either so frontlesse or so forgetfull at least as to aduenture vpon this contradiction of mine own head suppose ye me at the least backt with the piller of truth the sacred scripture and borne out with the consent of the auncient Fathers and countenaunced with the continued custome of the whole Church What then Will you saye did they whome you cal men of name see nothing I answere they did see indeede that which I see But as they which take vppon them to repaire an old house albeit within dores there bee many pretie romes and necessarye corners which they would willinglie and might well bee
nestled with this as if with that one word he had vtterly ouerthowen that equality which they expected in the French churches and which they thought requisite in all Ministers O griefe to me they made knowen their griefe and pittifull complaining they complained to me thereof But what should I heere do defend him I dared not and yet I liked well the cause of his opinion least I should incur the like suspicion of aspiring thoughts But from that time forwarde that conference gaue mee occasion to search and sift out more narrowlye those matters by my selfe And that which then happened to me I doubt not but is incident to many others with me who in wisedome see also and consider that the authority of Bishops is greatly wanting in ours and al Churches There are some which can indure nor equall nor superiour I giue God thanks I can see my superiour without enuy and sustaine my inferior without contempt But now seeing I am heere in England no man can chalenge my affection as guiltie of a Bishoppricke or as if I seeke dominion ouer my brethren the calling I affect but not to be called And therefore now I dare more boldly and will more freely speake what I thinke then before I thought it requisite neither was it conuenient when I conuersed among brethren neuer-a better Yea but I may seeme in this action to sooth vp the Byshops and seeke their countenance countenance nay then must I seeke further and neuer look the Bishops in the face whose condition in this thankles age is more subiect to the enuie and obliquie of men then my selfe am And indeed if that were all and all but so little it were the part of a warie child and him that would husband his credite to make the most of it rather with safetie and silence to say nothing and with patience and pollicy to expect the issue of these things The which I dare saye I also could haue doone as well as others without displeasure to my selfe or disfauour to anie But what moued me God knoweth men may construe my fact as themselues affect but it is the Lord that iudgeth my soule Notwithstanding let the curteous Reader conceiue my meaning in few words I desire to benefite the churches alreadie and to be reformed to extirpate Scisme where it is rooted and to preuent it where it is rising He that thinketh this cannot be done by these meanes shall haue his own saying for me but yet the euent of things mother of fooles will one day make it plaine howe good and profitable my meaning was and in the meane while the Church if it beware not maye receiue that detriment which it cannot repaire The ground of our saluation is to know God whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour the Bishop of of our soules But as in euerie thing which men goe about whether weauing caruing or any other craft of the which either the Citie or the ciuill Magistrate hath any care that it should bee well done there must bee a decent order kept and a diligent ouer-sight had of the works the which by how much the more curious it is by so much the things themselues doe flowrish the better and continue the longer So likewise in Religion the same order and ouer-sight ought to be had if we wil haue the same to flowrish amongst vs or to continue pure and intemerate for euer But that al men doe not agree about the maner of ordering and gouerning the Church why should that trouble the quiet of anie peace-able man Doe yee not know that the more profitable and necessarie a thing is to bee vsed the more lets and delaies are made by the enemy either to infect or els to interrupt the vse thereof Was there euer at any time anie thing so cleare and manifest among men that was out of all controuersie How then knowest thou this that thou knowest nothing Or how commeth it in question among men whether a man seeth or doth that which in very deede hee both seeth and doth Without controuersie there is no part of Philosphie or precept of Diuinitie no point of Religion which hath not bene called into controuersie This sore traueile hath God giuen to the sonnes of men that they might be exercised therein But the vanitie of mans will detracteth nothing from the veritie of anie thing And therefore goe to gentle Reader be doing with the sequell and doe well by it THE PRAEAMBLE THe surprising of the Bishop of Rome his tyrannie to whose scepter a croisier all churches and kingdomes and empires were enthralled is now of late growen so hotte that now a daies all Primacie and the name of Primacie is found guiltie not guiltie and thought worthie to bee exiled the Church of Christ wisely For by that meanes all the tyrranie of Prelates may be subdued But they are farre wide in my iudgement The Tarquines once exiled Rome the very name of King becam odious amōg them as if for-sooth with the name of those tyrants tyrannie had ceased But were they not afterwardes and then iustlie thralled and threshed as men thresh corne with more more kinds of tyranny then if they had retained still the soueraine name of Kings and their princely authoritie Neither indeed is there any tyrāny at all in the name of a King but in the nature of a Tarquine And the like wee may iustlie say in this action that the pride and tyranny with the which the Church of Christ was wearied and wasted was not in the Primacie of Bishops and Archbishoppes but in the persons which did abuse their authoritie and going beyond their commission extended the bounds of their Prouince further then might lawfully stand with the modestie and moderation of christian Religion by which meanes indeede the power of Rome is become excessiue and insupportable But shall I now vppon this bare presumption indite of tyranny the more auncient forme of Church pollicie and so many godly men or rather Gods amongst men of rare learning sincere liues and sound Religion Or shall I condemne of error those sacred and religious Synodes in the which holy men of God did ratifie that auncient pollicie of the Church which with reuerence as they ought they receiued of their godlie predecessors Farre bee that sinne from my thoughts as far as is this impure age from their perfections For albeit I am not ignorant that both Fathers and Councels may erre if they enact against the will and word of God notwithstanding it followeth not that therefore they erred in this But if so be we were thus equally affected towards others and our selues that as we know a natural infirmitie to be vniuersallie infused in the natures of all men so with all we wold acknowledge the same to be particularlie imprised in our selues also we would then more diligently search and prie into the reprehension of our selues rather then of others But now it is far otherwise with vs. Is
there anye thing in the Fathers for some especiall cause moouing vs misliked of vs By and by we haue this theoreme at our fingers end We must remember they were but men and because men may easilie erre we muster whatsoeuer we mis-conceiue of them among the errors of that age In the meane while wee neuer remember our selues that we also are but men and therfore may erre with them yea we are such men neither are we exempt from the common infirmitie of men who may then er when we thinke amisse of them and in that verie thing may wee erre for the which we condemne them This is once that against the constant and consonant conclusions of the ancient church we ought not to attempt or admit anie innouation without a plaine commission from Gods holie writ and this also I dare boldly say that whosoeuer taketh away al authoritie from the Fathers he leaueth none for himselfe Indeed it must bee confessed that the Fathers were men and that they had their wrinckles yet can it not be denied that to haue our Fathers to bee our Patrons in the principal points of faith and externe pollicy of our church things controuerted betweene the Popelings and vs is a matter of no small moment and of especiall account And albeit the vniforme consent of Gods children from the Apostles times vnto this day may not be compared with the eternall word of God Notwithstanding of right it may come in and stand for the second place The custome of gods people receiued of all Churches thorow out the whole world is in maner of a lawe sacred and inuiolable Neither is there any likelihood that there could euer haue beene an vniuersall consort of all Churches and ages without either the authoritie of gods word or the tradition of the Apostles Notwithstanding for as much as no consent no custome no auncient prescription can or ought to preuaile in the Church of Christ against the word of God Therefore those reasons are to be weighed and those Scriptures to bee examined which mooued the Fathers to intertaine and continue that Church gouernment which our newe reformers will in no case agree vpon that we may certainelie know whose is the error theirs or ours The time hath bene when no good men disallowed of Bishops and Archbishops but now in despite of the Popes tyranny his complices it is come to this passe that their very names are called into question and that of diuerse men for diuerse causes Some because they are as they suppose the deuises of Antichrist or his fore-runners thinke them vnworthie thee Church and worthie to be cast ouer-boorde Others yet more modest in some reuerence of antiquitie thinke they may be borne with all for a time although in the mean time they allow not of them vntill such time as commodiouslie the names may bee antiquate with the thinges themselues In the meane while for that they know neither can they be ignorant to what singular effect the Church of God hath bin gouerned by graue and godlye Bishops they haue not the face to condemne them openly yet because they see certaine reformed Churches of this age to be gouerned without Bishops It is enugh they haue not the power any longer to tollerat the more auncient gouernment O the regiment of Pastors and Elders passing all antiquitie our soules haue longed for thee and we haue a desire vnto thee for that thou alone art grounded vppon the Lord Iesus his institution and thou if any art wholy purified of all tyranny and ambition O but by your leaue good brethren the shadowe you imbrace is no substance neither is the plot you conceaue a priueledged place Are you so far in loue with your liuelesse Pigmalion the worke of your owne hands I know who is not hee hath reason for his why not For neither is your newe draught of straunge gouernement sufficientlye prooued by the word of God neither is it yet or can at any time bee confirmed by the example of our Elders And how should it if we should iudge aright of it seeing it was partly vnknowen vnto them as a thing insolent and not heard of and partlie condemned of them as a thing Heriticall and not approoued of Wherefore to speake the plaine truth without flatterie or partialitie I thinke of this new forme of Church gouernment as some thinke of our Bishops regiment Namely that it is but a deuise of mans conceit and there to be tollerated where a better cannot bee obtained And contrariwise that which is disallowed of some as deuised by man seemeth vnto me to bee the verie ordinance of God and the onely true gouernment of the Church as that which hath his institution from God not only in the old but in the new Testament But because it is defiled with the manifolde abuses of men that which were to be layd vppon the person is imputed to the function as if forsooth no such miscariage might befall this their nouell kinde of gouernement The Romish Antichrist with his Bishops Archbishops Patriarches and Metropolitanes hath so troubled and intangled the Church of Christ that tyranny it selfe is thought to bee masked vnder those honest and honorable titles It is most true He that is once stong of a Serpent suspecteth euery stone and once bitten of a dog is affraid of euery cur Some therefore that they might apply some remedy to this maladie haue reuersed those names and yet retained the same things and for Bishops haue anoynted Superintendents and for Archbishops generall or prouinciall Superintendents as if the controuersie were not for the thing it selfe but for names sake But wise as we are seeing the signification of wordes is variable and voluntarie when we agree in truth what neede these garboyles about termes If the formes of gouernment which are signified by those termes are contained in gods worde Is there anie reason or sense that in disgrace of those names these formes should not be retained of vs If any man obiect that in the gouernment of Bishops there are many corruptions I make no question of that So wee might cauill with the gouernment of the ciuill Magistrate hath it not his corruptions Haue they not their infirmities Yet was there neuer anye that had his fiue wits who thought that a sufficient reason to remooue those from their place that are president in the state Wherefore our question is not how the Bishops haue abused their authoritye but whether the Lorde hath so forbidden this their Primacy that there may bee nor Pastor ouer Pastor nor Bishop ouer Bishop in the outward pollicie of the Church As for the rest if any will accuse the Bishops or their Consistories either of neglect dutie or corrupt dealing no man will be their hinderance why they may not prosecute that and persecute them before the chiefe Magistrate I take not vppon mee the apologie of anie Bishop I am not so worthie they are not so weake as that they need my Patrocinie
that must be left between God and their conscience Forbid any man the Communion God forbid Is it not to be wondered that they which confesse that the Minister hath power of binding should not consider that the same Minister hath the like power of loosing also Doe they not know that there is the like reason of them both or can they not conceyue that the effects being contrary they are performed of the Pastor with contrary actions It is without all controuersie that sinners are loosed by the Ministers when remission of sinnes in the name of Christ is pronounced to the faithfull But when as by the same power the wrath of God and vengeance eternall is denounced against the vnfaithful and that they are denied the sweete comfort of the holy Sacraments who doubteth but that they are bound in like sort Is it not abhorring from the duety of a faithfull Pastor to let in Wolues into his masters sheep-fold so is it also if he thrust not out those which are closely crept in If so be it so fall out that any man fall from the faith after baptisme or when he confesseth Christ with his lips that he deny him in his life and within himself crucify agayn the God of life What is there here no part of the Pastors office to be perfourmed He shall restrayn they will say the disobedient release the penitent Very good But seeing these things cannot be done but with contrarie facultyes as to the penitent he shall pronounce the sweete promises of Gods mercy and receiue him into the Church So to the disobedient hee shall denounce all the dires and execrations of Gods wrath that he is a recreant from the kingdome of God that he is exiled the Citty and forbidden the house of God and he shall deny the dogge returned to his vomit the bread of the children of God Wherfore as a faithfull dispenser of the mysteries of God baptiseth none that was once an infidel without some publique confession of his faith so neyther doth he receiue to the Communion a notorious sinner without apparant conuersion of life This is olde Diuinity But to spend many words in the confutation of this conceit is no part of my meaning neither would it quite for cost this only cause would require a whole quire of conclusiōs that too painful a course for so needles a discourse This onely seemeth to me a sufficient confutation thereof that it is a new and an vnexpert error crossing the aduised iudgement of all auncient Diuines that I vrge them not with the Heathen more holy then themselues with whom there was alwayes great difference betweene things sacred and prophane But if Popish Prelates haue heretofore abused and abuse at this day the lawful power of the church by their lawlesse tiranny shall their vnlawfulnesse make a lawfull thing of none effect Together with religion a lawe was made which excluded the irreligious from religion since the worlde began And is not then the condition of the Church present to be pittied being now come to this stay that when as it ought to be the schoole of vertue it wil not endure the censure of conformity And that which to the Heathen men rude and vntaught in the true worship of God seemed most beautifull in it selfe and no lesse beneficiall to the common wealth should altogether of vs Christians be neglected as needelesse or contemned as erronious But to returne to the principall issue in this controuersie albeit the ministery of the Gospell committed to the pastors of the Church be one and the same in them all yet in this third part concerning the diuerse degrees of authority which first the Lord himselfe constituted and afterwardes the Apostles continued there is great ods betweene them and no small inequality to be found among them Amongst the which there is no controuersie but that the Apostles haue the first degree of dignity Euangelists the second Prophets the third Pastors and Elders the fourth Doctors the last For as the authority of an Apostle was greater then of an Euangelist or a Prophet of a Prophet greater then of a Bishop or an Elder so was the authority of Titus and Timothie who were both Elders and Bishops greater then was the authority of those Elders whom by theyr Apostolique commission themselues had created in euery Towne And albeit the Baptisme of Christ be one and the same by whome so euer it be administred whether of an Apostle of the highest or of an Elder of the lowest order and the doctrine of the Gospell is neither better nor worse which is deliuered of these or of those Notwithstanding good order of gouernement doth not permitte that the authority of al should be all alike or that the like cōmission should be granted to these and them the constant and continued custome of the Church ministery deriued from the Apostles time and vnrepealed vnto this day doth euince the same The first creation of the twelue Apostles and the seuenty Disciples doth containe a manifest demonstration of this whole matter For that the beginnings of the old and new Church might accord First the twelue Apostles were elected to be the first Patriarches and progenitors of a newe people but afterwards when the haruest was greater then the labourers and the kingdome of Heauen already began to suffer violence as the Lord ioyned with Moyses in the old Testament seuenty Elders to assist him in the gouernance of his people so in like manner vppon the like occasion our Sauiour added vnto the twelue Apostles seuenty other Disciples And so in the first infancy of the Church we may see how the Lord ordained two diuerse degrees of Ministers whom when he distinguished in number and disseuered into distinct companies did he not declare that in honour and authority they were not equall not all of a company The which thing verily he would neuer haue done had hee once knowen and he should know that it had beene a sin for Ministers to be diuerse in degree and not equal in dignity And these were the first preachers of the Gospell vnder the Lords direction whiles himselfe was yet resident among them But after hee ascended into Heauen he raysed vp Prophets also in the Church when as at Whitsontide hee poured forth of his spirite whereby he might make his Disciples as miracles not onely for theyr manifold languages but also for theyr diuine wisedom and fore-knowledge But in processe of time when the number of Churches increased and multiplyed exceedingly so that themselues were now no more able to ground and gouerne them they took vnto them of theyr followers and made them theyr fellow labourers Who although they were of rare faith and rype giftes yet were they the schollers and followers of the Apostles and Euangelists much inferiour to theyr maisters But when as not onely the number of the Churches but the multitude of beleeuers increased still aboue number then were there ordayned for seuerall Churches
verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour vsed by him not in this place onely signifieth properly great and grieuous labour And therefore they are far wide that thinke Paul meant in thys place the bare preaching of Gods word and take this to be the ods betweene theyr Elders that some teach the people others gouern only and that for a while onely and therein supplying also and applying themselues to the Ministers of the word More proportionable to those times and proper to this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such Elders are to be vnderstood as were at that present among them as Titus and Timothy and Tithitus Marke Luke and such like Paul his legates and ioynte labourers which in deede feared no daunger refused no labour wherby they might aduance and diuulge the blessed doctrine of the sacred trueth Of Timothy Paul testifyeth in the last Chapter of the first to the Corinth when as he thus writeth If Timothy come vnto you see that hee be without fear among you for he worketh the worke of the Lord euen as I doe By which we may perceiue that Timothy was not without feare nor yet without daunger neyther that without cause A while after speaking of Stephanus and Aechaicus and Fortunatus who had giuen themselues to minister vnto the Saints he sayth And bee yee subiect vnto such and to all that helpe with vs and labour After which sort I also expound that place in the first to the Thessalonians the first chapter the twelfth verse VVe beseech you brethren that ye know them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonishe you In all which places the Apostle vseth the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour by the which he vnderstandeth no ordinary vulgar or trifling exercise but an extraordinary vehement difficult and troblesome labour And therefore Paul his meaning is that how much greater trouble and more troblesome turmoyle the Elders vndertake in their office they are so much the more worthy to be graced with the greater Honors So that Paul in these wordes respecteth the singular care of some not the single preaching of all Writing to Timothy he defineth a Bishopricke to bee a worke of the which it followeth that the greater the Bishoprick is the greater is the labour the greater is the work If he which is ouer one onely Church shall finde himselfe somewhat to doe what shall we say of them vnto whome the care of many Churches is committed So was it with Titus and Timothy and diuerse other Bishops and Elders of that order The whole sum therefore of our assertion resolueth into thus much that among the Bishops or Elders in the Scripture which gouerned Churches vnder the Apostles there were diuerse degrees in deed by what names soeuer ye please to call them of the which some were ouer one Church only and that vnder the direction of an other and some againe ouer many Churches suppliant to none of the same order as it is wel knowen of Titus and Timothy and the rest I know there are many who in the secret preiudice of their foreseasoned opinions wil not sticke to say that Titus and Timothy and the rest of that forme were Euangelistes and inuested with an extraordinary kinde of a not immitable authority To whom I aunswere that I haue heard so in deede and read it to but without reason or proofe at al of any credit For where as Paul writeth to Timothy and chargeth him that he doe the worke of an Euangelist 2. Tim 4.5 1. Cor. 16.10 it doth no more conclude that Timothy was an Euangelist so properly called then that other place of Paul to the Corinthians He doth the work of God euen as I doth proue that he was an Apostle That that order is of God which appoynteth superior Elders Bishops And that but of man where all Pastors and Elders are alike Chap. XIIII WEe haue shewed before what was the extraordinary calling and the efficacy thereof which was to bee found in Titus and Timothy To the which I adde that all auncient and autentike writings held Titus and Timothy for Bishops vnto whome the Elders of inferiour orders were suppliant and subiect In whose footings our fathers insisting which next succeeded the Apostles reteyned in vse that forme of gouernement which they receyued of the Apostles Now a dayes there bee some of this beliefe that there were onely these two degrees of Ministers left vs by the Apostles namely Pastors and Doctors who cutting short that difference of Pastors which I haue noted and casting of that auncient decency of Church gouernement which I haue proued doe christen a new a forrayne and a forged kind of Presbitery and with much boldnes stand forth to auouch that this theyr newe deuise is diuine that other continuing a lawful discent frō the Apostles time is but humaine Wherefore here beloued it is time to looke about vs. For they easely auoyd all that wee haue already auowed of the Apostles Euangelists and Pastors when they aunswere that the gouernement Apostolique was but temporanie and momentary and determined with the Apostles and Euangelists themselues long since deceased so that now there is no more any one Apostle before another But that the trueth of this question may the better appeare we must now haue an especiall eye to all those giftes which were especially pregnant in the Apostles and Euangelists that thereby we may know what was proper to the Apostles and theyr times and what common to all Pastors vnto the worlds end To which end the first thing we are to reuise in the Apostles is that theyr extraordinary calling for they had it immediatly from God then also theyr generall Embassee and commission without restraint or limitation Thirdly that in all things which concerned theyr function they had a neuer-errant director the spirite of trueth who suggested vnto them whatsoeuer they before had heard of the Lord or should otherwise be requisite for them to know And the last thing is theyr power Apostolique Of these the first three were necessary for laying the ground-worke of Churches vppon the which others should build the which vnlesse they had been semented as it were with the more sure ioynts and strongest sinewes of Gods spirite what soeuer should haue ben raysed reared thereuppon by others must needs haue reeled and ruined together with the same As for the gift of miracles I stand not vpon that seeing that was bestowed vpon many other of the faithfull also as it pleased God Of all these gifts they could communicate nothing vnto theyr successors besides the Ministery of the Gospell The which seeing it was inherent in the power Apostolique they surrendered that also to theyr subsecutors and that because it is a thing necessary not only for the increase but also for the continuance of Churches For without the word preached the Sacraments administred and the Church gouerned there can no Church well continue Wherefore as
were the churches of olde planted watered and increased It is a thing better knowen and commended then that I need to repeat it or themselues to repent it Notwithstanding there be some in these daies which take vp but to shrewdly this sentence of ours as if it were some Anabaptisticall fancie when it is said that the Church hath at this day if not Apostles yet Apostolique Ministers but as for the fancie if Anabaptisticall let themselues looke to that least they take themselues by the nose For my part I would but know whether the gospel yet at this day now after a 1500. yeares be come to the eares of all Nations In the meane time let them consider howe many nations whom the Apostles neuer saw by the paines and preaching of godlie Pastors who in this labour succeeded the Apostles haue receiued the Lord Christ I will not nowe stand to tell them onely this I conclude that the commaund and commission of preaching the Gospell standeth yet in his ful strength and force in the church of God and shuld so long as there is any nation that knoweth not the Lord. That at this day there is none sent by the churches of Christ to the nations which haue not knowen Christ it is not long of the lacke of sufficient power to send but of sufficient persons to be sent or at least wise of a better zeal to aduāce the kingdom of Christ Indeed no man ought to tempt the Lord Did not himselfe forbid his Apostles to stir one foot out of Ierusalem to discharge their duty before they had receiued the holy Ghost So requisite is it that a man bee throughly furnished for so great an enterprise before he vndertake it And therefore because the iudgement of one man may be ouer-weening and deceiued especially if he may be his owne iudge it is requisite that the authoritie of the church in that case be expected But here is required an Authority Apostolique the which if the Church haue not although it haue fit men neither hath it the power to send For who can giue that to another which hee hath not himselfe Whosoeuer therefore is sent whether you please to call him an Apostle or an Euangelist or a Bishop hee hath need of the like and no lesse power then Timothy and Titus had in the like and no lesse charge This therefore is the authoritie which is assigned to the church by the Keies the which the Lord our Sauiour gaue not so much to Peter and his collegiats as to the Church it selfe so that of right it maye doe that at this daye which it could of old namely wher occasion serueth to giue in commission vnto sufficient men the publishing of the Gospell with Authoritie Apostolique That the Apostolike authoritie is as necessarie for the conseruing and confirming as for the founding and first planting of Churches Chap. XVIII BVt for as much as the power Apostolike is no lesse needfull and necessarie for the conseruing and confirming as for the planting and first placing of churches we must also haue a special regard to that For by reason as it is thought of Bishops and Arch-bishops Primats and Metropolitanes which haue succeeded the Apostles and the Euangelists there is now some controuersie moued for that And verely I haue oftentimes wondered with my selfe what it is that should make anie learned or religious man thinke that the office of Apostles and Euangelistes is ceased in the Church and that at this day there are none possessed of any authoritie Apostolike to whom the other Elders ought to supply in the gouernance of the Church and I wonder the more that there bee any that should thinke the power Apostolike a thing so extraordinarie as if it were not possible that it should be deuolued to their posteritie Indeed the Church hath not continued those names amongst vs but is that sufficient to prooue that with those titles the authority also is surceased First if a man would but well marke the latter daies of the Apostles of Paule especially he should find that the Apostolike gouernment could not possibly end with the Apostles For by those things the sacred Scripture doth testifie of Paule wee may iudge of the rest who no doubt were no lesse carefull for the good of the Church euen to their last gaspe wheresoeuer it pleased God to translate them out of this life But the second Epistle of S. Paul to Timothie indited about the last of his daies doth witnesse abundantly what an vniuersall care hee had euen then of the Churches There hee maketh mention of his fellow-labourers whereof some he had sent to goe vnto diuers Churches and some hee sent for to come vnto himselfe that beeing now readie to flit out of this life he might giue them his last charge of all things concerning the welfare of the Church and the furnishing of that building himselfe had left vnfinished This his last will and Testament hee left with them The which had beene to no purpose had the power Apostolike died with him or had the authoritie of that their legacie beene compelled within the circuit of euery particular parish For they all whom Paul there remembreth as Titus Marke Luke Crescens Tithicus and Timothie himselfe were associate with Paule in his Apostolike sea as vnto whose seuerall charge hee had demised many and sundry Churches The which if it were not free for them with that recreant Demas to cast vp and giue ouer while Paul yet liued how much lesse after he was dead Wherefore now they were made and remaine his heires as before they were his peeres of his Apostolike paines and praeheminence That the other Apostles had also their consorts and collegiats in their Apostolike charge vnto whom themselues discontinuing this life they demeaned the no lesse care of the Churches with the like authoritie there was neuer wise man that doubted of it And furthermore that their lawfull authoritie with the which they prosecuted and perseuered in the Lord his affaires could no more be extinguished with them then it was abolished with the Apostles so long as there was any church remaining But as they succeeded the Apostles so had they their successors vpon whom if themselues did not bestow the power they had receiued the Church did which is heire generall of the power Apostolike But goe to nowe let vs imagine if there can bee such a conceit that it is not so as I haue saide let vs suppose also for a while that the Apostles left all vnto Pastors and Elders of equall authoritie who had onely the charge of their seuerall Churches and their prouinces limited within the precincts of their owne onely parishes What then shall we say became of those Churches in the which the Apostles intercepted by death or they which with the Apostles did gouerne the Churches could not ordeine anie Pastors Did their death fal out so pat that euerie Church had their Pastors and Doctors and that none of them was left
out of fashion I meane without their Deacons and Doctors and Pastors and Presbyters as were somtime the Churches of Creet vnder the Apostle Paule Who then followed the work that was vnfinished Was there no need then of some Timothie or Titus to make perfect that which was yet not performed The Apostles yet liuing it was needfull that Titus and Timothie and diuers such others should haue a larger commission how much rather after their death Wherefore to conclude either the worke of God begun of the Apostles was altogether to bee left off or else to bee followed a fresh by those whom for that purpose they left behind them By the testimonie of Eusebius his Ecclesiasticall historie the former chapiter is confirmed Chap. XIX EVsebius in the third booke and fourth chapter of his Ecclesiasticall historie writeth thus But that Paule preaehed the worde of God vnto the Gentiles and that hee laide the foundation of Churches from Hierusalem and the confines thereof euen vnto Illyricum it sufficiently appeareth not onely by his owne wordes but also out of the booke of Luke intituled The Actes of the Apostles Furthermore in what Prouinces or dominions the Apostle Peter preached the Gospell vnto them which were of the Circumcision and deliuered the worde of the newe Testament it is plaine and euident enough out of his owne wordes taken out of that Epistle we haue truly proued to be his by the consent of all men and which he wrote to the Iewes dispersed throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Bithinia c. And againe in the same place But how many and who were the true natural followers of the Apostles which were accounted able and fit men to gouerne the Churches which they had founded it is not easie to say they only excepted whō some perhaps may gather by the way out of Paul his writings For the which purpose Luke also maketh not a little who reckoneth by name the Disciples of Paule whilest he laboureth to record them in the Acts. Among whom was Timothie who is said to be the first that obtained the Bishopricke of the Church which is at Ephesus Titus also was ouer the churches which are in Creet And in the same place he saith That among the rest of Paule his companions and Disciples Crescens was one whom Paule himselfe witnesseth was gone into Galatia Linus was another whō in his second to Timothy he witnesseth to haue been with him at Rome whom also we haue declared before to haue been the first Bishop of the Church of Rome after Peter And another was Clement who was the third Bishop of Rome whom Paule affirmeth to haue beene his copartner and fellow-labourer in the Lord. Vnto which we may adde that Areopagite Dionisius by name of whom Luke in the Actes reporteth that he was conuerted to the faith after that sermon of Paule which he made in Mars street at Athens and of whom an other Dionisius pastor of the Church at Corinth a verie auncient writer doth record that he was the first Bishop of the Church at Athens The same Eusebius in the same booke the one thirtie chapter hath these wordes And besides these there were manie other of that age very famous who both immediately succeeded the Apostles and also as the Disciples of so great and excellent Maisters being adorned with many singular and diuine vertues raised a most comely edifice vpon the the foundations of the Apostles which they had well laid in all places who both amplified more fully and plentifully the preaching of the Gospell and sowed the seedes of the kingdome of heauen far and neare throughout the vniuersall world For all the Disciples for the most part which liued in that age being inflamed with a more ardent Zeale and earnest loue of the heauenlie wisedome and beeing rauished in minde with a rare kinde of desire after Gods worde executed verie exquisitely the commaundement of our Sauiour which before was giuen and to them which wanted their helpe they willingly vnfoulded all their treasures Afterwards straying farre from their owne home they performed the pensions of Euangelists and to those which had not as yet so much as heard of the word of faith they laboured with all care and constancie to preach Christ and to deliuer the Scripture of the holy Gospell Who when as in diuers farre and foreine countries they had laide the foundations onely of the faith and had ordained other Pastors and committed the care to them of those which were newly brought to the faith that they might be diligently trayned vp in the doctrine of Christ themselues departed into other regions and countries with the grace and power of God For many wonderfull powers and miracles by the helpe of the holy spirite were done by them euen vnto that day so that throngs of people beeing perswaded euen at the first hearing of the Gospell preached with readie wils enterteined and imbraced that religion and worshippe which is onelie due vnto God the author of all things Thus farre Eusebius I could alledge other particulars out of the same author and others of diuers Bishops sent by diuers Churches at diuers times to conuert the Gentiles In whome it was necessarie that they should haue the like authority with that which Titus Timothie receiued of the Apostles That some heere flie vnto their old starting hole of extraordinarie calling when they are called vppon with these reasons they haue small reason For an ordinarie Ministerie beeing established in the Church it is as badly as boldly done of them and it will proue but an euill example to others to alleadge an extraordinary calling vnlesse they could make some certaine profe thereof Wherefore if we would but a litle more attentiuely conceiue and consider what the state of the Churches was thorow out the world when the Apostles departed from hence wee should soone find that in many places they left well ordered Churches in the which there was nothing a wanting that is which had there one Bishop ouer them as were the seuen Churches of Asia vnto whome the spirit of the Lorde speaketh in the Reuelation and again we should find some other Churches as yet not finished and throughly fashioned which wanted many thinges to their perfection some more some lesse according to the time the place the plentie scarcitie of the people which had giuen their names to Christ And besides all this wee shall finde innumerable places whether the Apostles could not come where were no Churches at all But whatsoeuer or of what manner soeuer they were they were all dependant vppon the Apostles gouernment whome if no man did succeede with like authoritie it must needes bee that they were all left as widdowe Churches and Orphans which is an absurd thing to say But if wee shall say that they chaunged that manner of gouernment with the which they were acquainted vnder the Apostles how could that possiblie bee permitted without the great mischiefe and miserie of all those
there euer Nation so barbarous nor was there euer people so sauage which could liue without Religion take away Religion and take away all ciuilitie from men all seueritie from lawes There are many partes in a common-wealth vnto the which for great cause there are great honours giuen especially to prowesse Martiall of the which albeit the vse bee great yet is it for no great time But the vse of Religion is eternall There may bee a state without a Soldiour not without a Minister The vse of a Soldiour is farre from perpetuall the lesse the better the more seldome the more welcome but Religion is euerlasting and can neuer bee casseered But what should I compare the Ministerie of Religion with other mysteries in the common-wealth which all haue their deserued honours They all must vnuaile to Religion whether you respect the excellencie or the necessitie or the commoditie of that mysterie Wherefore that so notable and necessarie a function to the state should want honour in the common-wealth it wanteth common reason All Nations were euer of this minde and opinion that they thought the Presidents of Religion were alwayes to bee chosen from among the chiefe Nobilitie or if haplie they were not by byrth Noble then they were to bee innobled by the common-wealth But that the consent of all Nations in anie one thing is the verie lawe of Nature it was verie well defined by that excellent learned Orator Tullie who could very well define against the which now at the last to striue and storme vnder the colour of reformation is rather an outrage then an errour to be conuicted of frenzie rather then to be suspected of follie Did euer precept of our Sauiour crosse and incounter either the law which himself gaue vnto the Fathers or the Edict which nature God I meane hath giuen and ingrafted in the secret penitralles of al their successors Chap. II. How great the reuerence of Priests hath beene among all Nations I Will therefore remember vnto you in how great honour the worshippers of false Religions haue alwaies had their Priests in all places that their follie may the rather appeare who I know not with what religion would detract due honour from true religion For albeit the Caldees Persians Aegyptians Greekes Latines French Britons and all other Nations haue by diuerse errors and most detestable superstitions declined from that first and sincere religion which our first parentes left to their posteritie yet notwithstanding there alwayes remained many impressions as yet vncancelled and they not concealed as are these That the world is gouerned by the diuine prouidence of the eternall Godhead and that the same ruleth ouer all earthly thinges that whatsoeuer is good proceedeth from him and whatsoeuer is euill is declined by him and therefore that he is to be religiously worshipped and therefore the sacred symysts of his religion are especially to bee honoured And thus it came to passe that among the Assyrians and Babilonians their Caldies among the Medes and Persians their diuines were alwaies of singular account and supereminent authority for why They were the gouernors of religion and the expositors of the law both sacred prophane To which ende they were exercised from their youth in all learned and liberall sciences they did comprehend the motions of the heauens and deuined by the errours of the stars they read and learned and taught Religion rites and lawes they were compeers with kings in their gouernment so that nothing was done without their councel and consent Finally of so great esteeme was the discipline of the Wise-men among the Medes and Persians as that hee was not thought worthy the Empire that was not found skilfull in theyr Artes and Emblemes Theseus was the first that put a difference betweene Nobles whom he called Patritians and husband men and Artificers to the Nobles hee gaue power and preheminence to professe religion to chuse Magistrates of their own companie and also to moderate and interprete in matters sacred and diuine This law their posteritie as they receiued it of their ancestors so they obserued it very religiously By which meanes it came to passe that great reuerence was alwaies giuen both to the sacrifices and to all other their religious actions Neither could their Priests want their due parts of that diuine reuerence whom they alwayes selected out of the noblest families and who were euer one in their publique Councels For as if God himselfe was present vnto whom we ought not to thinke that there is any thing vnknowne euen so in the presence of the sacred Priestes did they propound all their more serious actions namely the diuines among the Athenians and the south-sayers sitting in counsell with the King among the Lacedemonians Strabo in his twelfth booke writeth of two Temples sacred to Bellona which were called Comana of whom the one was in Capadocia the other in Pontus both alike in all partes for that indeede they were one made by the other and had altogether the same rites and ceremonies common to them both In those places either of the Priestes were in greatest regard of honour next vnto the King himselfe and albeit they were subiect to the prince yet where the people suppliant them They had either of them six thousand seruants which were called Hierodulists or Church seruants besides no small quantitie of land ouer the which they were free Lords Twise euery yeare did the Prelate were a diademe the Prince and Priests for the most part being of the same family Plato in his booke deregno confirmeth these thinges and sayth that it becommeth all men to conceiue honourably of the Priests and Prophets and that they ought of right to be had in great estimation as wel for the greatnes of their actions as the honour of their office Wherefore saith he in Aegypt it is not lawfull for that King to sway the scepter that holds not of the Crosyer Insomuch that if any either by prowesse or by policie haue inuaded the kingdom who is not of that holy kind notwithstanding afterwards there is no remedie he must be initiated into that mystery And not there only but in many places amongst the Graecians also a man may find where the chiefe sacrifices are committed to the chiefe Magistrates Neither is this which I maintaine lesse manifest among your selues for you also aduance the most magnificent rites especially the auncient sacrifices to him that by lotte is chosen your King The same Philosopher in his twelfth Dialogue de legibus speaketh much of that honour which then and of old was giuen vnto Priestes both deade and liuing as well in their publike assemblies as at their solemne funerals The Romans and Latins were no whit inferiour eyther to the Greeks or to the Aegyptians in this behalfe for they also ioyned the sacred Priesthood with the royall Maiestie All the first Kings of the Latins Romans were Priests The Emperors also which afterwards succeeded them would themselues be the
a secrete consent as it were of the whole world and so that certain portions were designed for the Bishops allowance others also for the other Priests and Ecclesiasticall persons which were in ordinarie residence in euery Cathedrall Church and last of all other Priestes also were ordained by the Bishops euerie where through the cuntrie ouer parish Churches with standing titles who were by that meanes called to a perticular part of the coÌ„mon charge with the Bishop least that which was to bee cared for by all should bee neglected of euerie one as it commonly commeth to passe there is no doubt had none of the Church goodes beene taken from the Cleargie but by this meanes the poore and needie should haue beene much better prouided for by the seueral Cleargie-men of euery particular territorie then when the fourth part of the remaines of the Church goodes were imployed to their vse in common and that also with more ease and much lesse murmure But the trumperie not the pouertie of the Church Munkes and Nunnes and such others which were called religious persons purloyning that fourth part vnder the title of Euangelike pouertie which they professed haue vtterly robbed both the Cleargie and the pouertie and haue brought in a straunge and wonderfull disorder into the auncient ordering of Church goodes so that that part which of olde was due vnto the poore is now in the winding vp deuolued to the rich that I may omit the manifold abuses of Impropriations and Commendams such other shifting sacrilegious titles Ambrose in his thirtie and one Epistle the fift booke The possessions saith he of the Cleargie are the prouisions of the needie and therefore let the Churches keepe reckoning of this how many captiues they haue redeemed how many poore they haue refreshed how many exiles they haue harbored For the Church hath golde not to purse but to disburse and to releeue the necessities of the needie What profite is it to keepe that which profiteth not Augustine also in his treatise vppon Iohn the one and twentith chapter disputeth of that right which the Apostles and Ministers haue by the worde of GOD to receyue carnall things of them vnto whom they minister spirituall things They giue gold saith he and they receyue grasse And in his tenth Tome there is extant no lesse then a whole Homilie concerning the paying of tythes as of dutie Hierome also in his third chapter vpon Malachie amongst other thinges which concerne this opinion hath these wordes That which we say of tythes and first fruits which of olde were giuen of the people to the Priestes and Leuites vnderstand yee also to concerne the people of the Church who are commaunded not onely to pay tythes and first fruites but also to sell all that they haue and giue to the poore and to follow the Lord. The which so great a matter if we will not performe yet at the least lets vs imitate the beginnings of the Iewes that wee may giue part of all vnto the poore and affoord the Priests and Leuites their due honour For which cause the Apostle sayth Honour the widdowes which are true widowes And That the Elder is to bee honored with double honour especially he which laboureth in worde and doctrine the which dutie who so now will not performe hee is proued thereby to defraude and supplant God himselfe and hee is cursed therefore of God in the penurie of all things so that he which soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and hee which soweth liberally shall reape liberally c. Many other thinges of like sort may wee read in that place to this sense But if I should repute vnto you whatsoeuer the Fathers haue written of this argument I should but repeate the same things and be tedious to the Reader in a matter of no controuersie Chap. XIII A distinction of Church goods THe goods of the Church are not all of one fort for there are some which coÌ„sist in the oblations of the people some in proper possessions some in rents and reuenewes some in lawfull fees and ancient roialties Al the which are commonly distinguished into two seuerall kinds whereof some are called Spirituall and some accounted Temporall But seeing these tearmes do neyther so fitly nor yet so fully expresse the nature of these things more proper words were to be deuised by more perfect Ciuilians For vnto that which is Temporall there is nothing in nature opposite but that which is Eternall and to that which is Spiritual nothing is contrary but that which is Carnal or corporal They therefore speak more aptly of these thinges who for the worde Temporall vse the words Ciuil and humane and for Spiritual the words Sacred holy and diuine Now albeit that ought generally to be accounted holy sacred whatsoeuer is consecrated to God and his Ministerie yet notwithstanding they cal oblations because they more nearely concerne God and his seruice more properly sacred and diuine thinges not so much for distinction sake as for that the condition and proprietie therof is such But humane and ciuil goods they account the fields and possessions of the Church for that in nature and condition they are not vnlike vnto those which other Citizens possesse and are therefore giuen vnto the Cleargie that not onely in the Church but also in the common-wealth they may be of good estate and wel able to maintaine the credit of the place and person they sustaine the which by no good meanes they can be able to vphold if in worldly welth they be so curtold and kept so thread-bare as that they cannot be in case to be as bountifull as other men Great matters are looked for at the hands of the Cleargie as hospitalitie releeuing the poore and such other thinges which Christ himselfe not onely taught but in person performed in some good sort And is it not a shame for a Bishop to exhort others vnto charitie towards the poore and needie and himselfe neither to put the same in practise nor yet to be able But least any man should thinke that this distinction came out of the Popes Mint and therefore to bee reiected he shal vnderstand by those things we haue now cited that it is the Fathers the autentike Fathers Ambrose in his Epistle de tradendis basilicis maketh mention of the collations of the people and the fields which the Church possessed Wherefore the gifts and oblations of the faithfull which they offer of their owne accord are to be accounted holy goods goâ—â—s sacred and diuine because in that case the chiefe respect is not of man but of God Vnder this kinde we comprise the paiment of tenthes and tythes also albeit there bee great difference betwene those tythes which eyther now the people pay of their owne voluntarie not constrained or haue of olde religiously vndertaken by a lawe imposed vpon themselues and their posteritie to pay vnto the Ministers those tythes which Princes gaue vnto them and laid out for them by their
their towns and teritories Or had they any lesse authority ouer these their townes and Citties then had the other Tribes ouer their Citties and fields which fel vnto them by lot The Gospell beeing receaued by publique authority the Lord hath no where forbidden the Ministers of the Gospell to possesse fields and farmes after the same manner neither hath hee inhibited that anie such realties should bee giuen them to possesse But is it possible there should bee any so base and bad minded towards religion that he could once wish the Ministers thereof to be of worse estate in a christian society then were of olde the Priestes and Leuites in the Common-wealth of Israell It is well knowen that Ministers hauing to conuerse in a ciuill societie had neede also of those helpes which are requisite in a ciuill society may reconcile them into fauor and maintaine them in authority with the common people as wisedome and wealth especiallie Seeing that whosoeuer hee bee that neglecteth either of these can by no meanes liue and liue well in a ciuill societie The wise man in his Ecclesiastes the seuenth chapter hath verie well noted the practise of this For wisedome is good saith he with an inheritaunce and the excellencie of them which see the Sunne because that man shall rest in the shadowe of wisedome and the shadow of siluer And indeed vppon these two pillers doth rest the chiefe strength and stay of a ciuill life There is one kind of life which is publique and in the common prospect of men and hath necessarilie to doe with men of all sortes and there is an other kinde of priuate and priuie life vnder an heathen Magistrate full of danger so that there hee is to deale as wel with Magistrates as with priuate men heere he may well deale with none at all I say in this case there is no comparison to be made of these two kinds betweene themselues that without distinction wee should make the like condition of the Ministers life in all places and subiect vnto the like conditions Chap. XV. Of those Lands which are held in fee and haue annexed with them anie ciuill authoritie and iurisdiction AND that which maketh all the doubt for those Landes which are helde in fee by the Church is this that manie times they haue annexed with them some Ciuill iurisdiction and Knights seruice The which thing is forbidden the Pastors of the Church by the lawes of the Church vnto whome also the power of the sword seemeth to bee forbidden by the Lord himselfe The ancient Canons which are accounted the Apostles allow not a Bishoppe to be busied in the seruice of warre or anie ciuill function The sixt Canon standeth thus A Bishop Priest or Deacon shall not take vppon him anie worldlie cares neither shall hee defile himselfe with such Cyprian also in an Epistle vnto the Priestes of Furnam writeth against one Victor for that he made one Geminus Faustinus ouer-seer of his last wil and forbiddeth them that there should bee anye oblation made amongst them for his death His wordes are these The Bishoppes our predecessours religiouslie considering and prouidentlie fore-casting of thinges enacted that no brother departing this life should appoint anie Clearke to be his guardian or supra-visor and if anie so did there should bee no offering for him neither should anie Sacrifice be celebrated for his departure Neither indeed doth he deserue to bee once named in the praier of the Priestes at the Altar of God who sought by all meanes possible to with-draw the Priests Ministers from the Altar of God These decrees of the reuerend Fathers are confirmed by that example of the Apostles who sequestred themselues from the ouer-sight of the poore which notwithstanding is a godlie and a religious action and resigned that charge vnto other godlie men least themselues should bee with-drawen from the ministerie of the woorde which thing chiefly was imposed vpon them by the Lord. Moreouer for so much as pertaineth vnto Knights seruice or anie other ciuill function the foure-score and second of the Canons which are called the Apostles decreeth thus The Byshoppe Priest or Deacon that giueth himselfe vnto war-fare and will occupie himselfe both in the Romaine regiment and also in the Ecclesiasticall gouernement let him be diuested Giue vnto Caesar those thinges which are Caesars and vnto God those thinges which are Gods The councell of Chalcidon in the seuenth Canon the fifteenth action hath laid a cursse also vppon those that dare presume to doe these things The wordes of the Canon are these VVee doe decree that those which are once ordained in the Cleargie as also all Monks shall neither come vnto anie militarie seruice or to anie secular promotion But they which dare do these things and do not with repentance returne to that of the which they made their first choyce for Gods cause they are accursed To these Canons wee maye adde the conditions of the fees themselues the which are such as by them all manner free-tenure is taken away from the Cleargie and companie of Moonks For a fee is defined by the Lawyers to bee a Militarie seruice but seeing the lawes of the Church doe forbid Church-men and Moonkes to exercise anie Militarie seruice they cannot by any right either receiue or retaine the benefite of the seruice Chap. XVI That Bishops and other Pastors of the Church are not forbidden to be Lords of fees sometimes to vndertake secular and ciuill charges TO the former obiections I first aunswere according to that I haue already proued as well by the lawes of the first christians as by the testimony of the ancient fathers that the Church long before Constantine his time had both fields and farmes the commons and commodities pertaining to the same But is there now any other reason why Ecclesiasticall persons may not also hold the same in fee if they be giuen in fee as well as did of old these Priests and Leuits those Townes and Cittyes which they receiued of theyr brethren As for those Canons before cited I aunswere and affirme that we allow nor Elder nor Bishop to be detained or withdrawen with secular cares from theyr spiritual function any further then may be beneficial to the Church and common wealth or may satisfie the necessity of our christian neighbour That the charge of domestique secular affaires is here forbidden by any Canō that a man should neglect his own family vnto whom he is bound by the right of alyaunce or affinity nor godly charity nor christian faith will suffer vs so to thinke But that the charge of a Lordship or Mayrolty or such like that a Bishop should be Consul in the field Maior of a Towne Clarke of the market Chamberlaine to the King or Factor for the state and such like we hold them to bee forbidden by that sixt Canon and we vtterly renounce the same To the fourescore and second Canon I aunswer and affirme that seruice of war is forbidden by
subiect to Lawes and Magistrates as well as other men Or may they not bee commaunded if they cannot be entreated by them vnto whome they are subiect to doe good to the Church or Common-wealth Neither is that of Paule to Timothie any thing at all against this assertion No man that warreth intangleth himselfe in the affaires of this life For the affaires of this life are those with the which we get thinges needfull for this present life not those things which appertaine to the publique estate of the Prince or Common-wealth War-fare it selfe is one of the publike affaires of the Common-wealth vnto the which whosoeuer is leuied must leaue his domesticall affaires so that if a man would vrge the similitude thorowly Hee which warreth vnto God must leaue all his domestical affairs against that example of Paule of whom no man wil doubt but that he discharged his Pastorall duty faithfully yet notwithstanding intangled himselfe in the affaires of this life when necessity constrained him to get his liuing with his handie labor and to spend that time in the affaires of this life which other-wise he might better haue imployed either in praier or in Preaching Beeing ready no doubt to haue done the like in publique affairs which he did in priuate had the Magistrates commanded and the good of the people required the same Wherefore the sense of the similitude is this that we must abstaine from those things which do so hinder the VVarre to the which wee are called as that they force vs to for-sake the same That the vse of certaine things which doe perteine vnto the Common-wealth as to haue a Ciuill iurisdiction in certaine Citties or townes which a man may discharge by another to be of the Kings councel in certain causes to be present at the publik assemblies of the kingdome to deliuer his iudgement in thinges concerning the state to vndertake and discharge a royall Embassee at certaine times of the yeare to be present at sessions and assises and to vndertake all these by the Kings especiall commaundement or generall commission that these things I say and such like are of that wicked nature that whosoeuer vseth them cannot be a Bishop or a Minister this I say should haue bene prooued and this also that the Minister which intermedleth in any of these things for a publique commoditie beeing there-vnto called and commanded by the Magistrate dooth commit a wicked thing and vnworthy his calling CHAP. XXIII That diuerse functions are not confounded albeit vndertaken of one man THAT which is commonly said of the state Ecclesiastique that it is distinct from the Ciuil estate is altogeather impertinent to this question seing both callings become not one though one man be called to them both Are not the parts of of a Lawyer diuerse and the partes of a Physicion diuerse yet the same party may play both partes and prooue as good a Lawyer as a Physicion In like manner the same man may be both Physicion and Diuine and cure the body as a leach and comfort the soule as a spirituall Father Spiridion was a husband man and got his liuing by graizing yet was hee a Bishop of the Church and a Pastor of soules shall we thinke that he confounded both these functions I but a Bishop requireth the whole man neither yet is one man sufficing for more charges I but this indefinite censure is vncertainelie true and certainely false and there are manye presidentes to the contrary both in the old Testament and in other antique histories First I would know whether Spiridion both Pastor of sheepe and of souls were not a man able for both these charges No man as yet so far as I can learne hath enuied him his ferme with his Bishoprick No man hath dared to condemne that holy men but all men haue worthely admired both his simplicity and his sanctimony and yet might hee haue beene more greedy of graizing then of gaining soules had his mynde ben set vppon coueteousnes But why then might not the same man haue beene both Bishop and the kings Counseller as well No doubt the greatnes of euerye charge is chiefely to be considered and then also the supply of necessary ayde which a man may haue in either charge whereby he may well discharge the same There are some Churches more great then other som som haue more busines some lesse in so much that the Pastor may haue much time sometime to spare from his ordinary charge And in a great Church where the Bishop hath many and great affayres it may be he hath many and great helps Had these two functions beene so aduerse and contrary the one to the other that they could neuer be exercised together by the same man Moyses would neuer haue beene both Prince and Priest ouer the people of God But I feare me some silly shrewd fellow wil haue his action against me for that I haue called Moyses a Priest And yet I would haue him first to vnderstand that after he had created Aaron himselfe stil continued both Prophet and Pastor as he was before But that Ely Samuel were both Iudges and Priests together it cannot be denied You will say that was a thing extraordinary and I say that I do not speak of any ordinary thing neyther of all the Pastors of the Church onely I vrge what may lawfully be done where the welfare of the Church or common wealth requireth the same and in the meane while these examples shal proue that the same thing hath beene done But if so be you would haue a view of a ciuill authority which was also ordinary may it please you consider those forty eight Citties of the Leuites and the gouernement thereof For they could not be gouerned without a Magistrate and ordinary Iudges shall we say that they chose them Magistrats out of other Tribes to determine theyr controuersies when as themselues were ordinary Lawyers and not onely present but president at ordinary Iudgements Deutronomy the one and twenty Chapter and first verse euery question and controuersie is determined according to theyr censure And is there not the like reason of those royalties which are giuen to clergy men in a christian common wealth with those Citties and suburbs the old Israelites gaue the Priests and Leuites by the commandement of God Chap. XXIIII That Dauid and Solomon vsed the aide of Priestes and Leuits in ciuill affaires ANd as the most renowmed and religious Princes Dauid Salomon others vsed the Priests and Leuites at their command as other subiects in ciuill gouernement so likewise may christian kings vse the ayde of Bishops other Pastors of the church if there be any among them which may stand either them or the common wealth in any stead In the first of the Cronicles the three and twenty Chapter at the commaundement of Dauid there is a suruey made of al the Leuites from thirty yeares of age and vpwards and ther were found eight and thirty
thousand Of the which foure and twenty were appointed to bee ouerseers of the workes for the house of the Lord and sixe thousand were ordayned Rulers and Iudges in all Israell And least any man shoulde thinke that they were Iudges onely in Ecclesiasticall causes as some now a dayes would hold men in hād forcing the Scriptures to that forme of gouernement they see in some Churches let the six and twenty Chapter of the same Booke be wel read and aduisedly perused and he shal find that the Isharites Chenanas and his brethren men of might were deputed officers and Iudges for the businesse without ouer Israell Of the Hebronits Hesabias and his brethren men of might a thousand and seuen hundred were appointed Officers for Israell beyond Iordan westward in all the businesse of the Lord and for the seruice of the King And in the same Chapter it is sayd that Dauid appoynted the kinse-men of Iedijas men of might two thousand seuen hundred Princes of families ouer the Rubenites and the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manasses for euery matter pertaining to God and the King To these I may adde that which I read in the nineteenth of the 2. of the Chronicles of king Iehosophat who intending the restauration of Gods worship and the reformation of the common wealth appointed Iudges Leuits and Priests and Princes of the families of Israell for the iudgement and cause of the Lord. And where as some thinke by that in the last verse of this Chapter That the Priests and Leuites were onely deputed ouer Ecclesiasticall causes because it is there written Behold Amarias the Priest shall be the chiefe ouer you in all matters of the Lord and Zebadias the sonne of Ismaell a ruler of the house of Iuda shall be for all the Kings affaires c. As if he had there put some difference betweene matters ciuill and Ecclesiastitall It is an errour growen as I haue sayde of a certaine fore-seasoned opinion of that gouernment which we see now in the Church or Rome and some other reformed churches For who seeth not that in this place the kings affaires and in the sixe and twenty of the former booke the seruice of the King doth not signify al one with ciuil matters and politique affaires but what so euer pertayned to the Kings right Such as were first described by Samuel and afterwards eyther imitated or augmented by the consent of the people as it often commeth to passe of the which ther was nothing prescribed by Moyses But what the businesse of the Lord was the tenth verse going before declareth by particulars For the Priests were interpreters of the law as well ciuill as ceremoniall and the King so appointing they were also the ordinary Iudges thereof These things I doe therfore remember that all men may know what is lawfull for the Ministers of the Gospell who succeede the Leuiticall Ministery in ciuill causes vnder a christian Magistrate not that I would wishe them intangled therewith any otherwise then the necessity of time and causes may require and that we may also know that those precepts of our Sauiour were giuen to no other end then that as I haue sayd that misconceite of his kingdom should not be strengthned in the mindes of his Disciples Least they should thinke the power which was giuen them were annexed with such autority as that they might alter at their pleasure and innouate publique estates by theyr peculiar power Chap. XXV Theyr error confuted that thinke no ciuill affaires of the common wealth ought to be committed to the Bishops and Pastors of the Church NOw a dayes this common error hath inuaded the mindes not onely of the common sort but of some part of the learned also so that there are manye of that side very strongly opinionate that the ciuill affaires of the common wealth doe nothing at all appertaine to Bishops and Ministers no more then if they were neyther cittizens nor any suppliment of the common wealth Curriers Diers Weauers Beere-brewers Smithes Fullers Marchauntes and Pedlers furnish the common house and giue their voyce in things concerning the common wealth neyther can I dissalow the same in a common wealth but that the Pastors of Churches shoulde stande excommunicate out of their generall assemblies it is a thing vtterly against the equal right of al Cittizens Seeing they liue vnder the same lawes obey the same Magistrate beare the same burdens of the common wealth Seeing in such publique assemblies they doe consult as wel of theyr liues and goods and what so euer else vpon the which not onely theyr owne estate but the publique good of theyr Churches also doth depend seeing I say they doe consult of these no lesse then of cloth and wooll and fish and felles importing and transporting any other commodities is ther any light of reason or light reason why godly Ministers ought to haue lesse care of the common wealth then common Burgomaisters If they can alledge no reason what colour can they set vppon theyr mishapen ground Why they aboue all others should be excluded the ciuill assemblies or Parliaments prouincial whom it chiefely concerneth to see least the flocke committed to theyr charge be layd open to Wolues In those things which concerne the safety of theyr soules nay but in those things also which touch the security of theyr bodies Are they not appointed of God watchmen and ouerseers as it were in a hie tower or heedeful centrenel as they which are to see from far what mischiefes are like to insue that they may admonish as well the people as the Magistrats themselues of such things as are to be auoided The which in deed they cannot doe so long as they are kept fasting from the conscience and conference of such thinges as are done in the common wealth If the Church could stand safe though the cōmon wealth fell to decay or if the one might rise by the ruines of the other I had the lesse to say but when as Church and common wealth are imbarked in the same vessell saile together in the same danger how should the deuout minister be lesse solicited for the safety of the common state then are the common Burgesses who for the most part iudge one thing cōmodious for the Church an other for the common wealth another for themselues and their own estate These are in office but for a year they neuer forsake theyr charges These may prouide many waies for themselues theyr own estate with the detriment of the Church danger of the commō wealth they can by no means preserue themselues or theirs vnlesse both Church common wealth together be preserued These consult that the common wealth sustaine no domage in corne and cattell in wares and marchaundise least themselues at any time should want their sweet return They doe not a little regard these things but besides these theyr especial care is that iustice faith godlines and true religion decay not in the
neede knowen to euery man and with what face can they of the familye goe doore by doore to gather things necessary verily their credite is indangered and theyr modesty But did you euer heare that the Ministers of the Church were brought to such an exigent as that of force they must gather their relief from dore to dore among their own people In deed there was such a custome in the time of Popery for mendicant Friers brought vp among them of a certayne superstition without any precedent president of the auncient Fathers But is there no other way to gather christian oblations but so and are they not eyther brought by the faithfull of theyr own voluntary or collected by some of the honest neighbours appointed for that purpose But of the other side by the certaine stipends which depend vppon the vncertaine pleasures of the Magistrates it is very badly prouided both for the necessity of the family and the modesty of the Ministers where either so small wages are allowed or their allowance so slenderly paied that the poor Pastors pittifull complayning for meere pouerty are constrained to giue ouer theyr trade and to forsake theyr Ministery Where the people are perswaded that they owe nothing to theyr Pastors and that it pertaineth to the Magistrate onely to prouide for the Ministers alâcke poore Pastors I am ashamed to report how both people and Magistrate beare themselues towards them But furthermore they dispute that in these stipends the Ministers can vse no deceite when it shal be sufficiently knowen how much they receiue when as otherwise a couetous Minister may pretend that eyther he receiueth lesse then he receiueth or not so much as sufficeth To this I aunswere that the oblations of the which we argue the case are not so secretly giuen or so closely kept but that it is commonly knowen how much they are and what the Minister receiueth But to what purpose is al this or to what end should al know how much the minister either receyueth or hath or who can prescribe a meane for that matter The Pastor layeth out as well as he taketh in must that also needs be knowen That which they adde of the coueteous Minister who may pretend that he receyueth lesse then either he receiueth or may well suffice it proceedeth of the same errour I haue knowen many Ministers in my time among whome there is not one whose wealth is not commonly knowen and what he ordinarily receyueth euery year so that there is no other means for them to lie here then there vnlesse you would lie for them But to what end are these reasons or how thinke they did the ancient Bishops of the Church liue Ignatius Ireneus Cornelius Cyprian and such like whose memorial wil continue with their glory to the worlds end A man shall neuer preuent the cauels of malitious men whether the Ministers liue of tithes and oblations or whether they stick to theyr certain allowance both here and there whatsoeuer is receiued wil be thought too much of some A Flemishe florence or gilderne is 2. shillings sterling I haue often times heard the Boores groyn and grunt to this effect that a stipend of two three or foure hundred Flemish Florences was great wages I sayd they can keepe my family for lesse Neyther do I receyue so much of all the gayne that I can make thus vnequally comparing not them selues with them selues but theyr styes with the state of they Ministers As if ther were no difference betweene a priuate man of the basest rout a publique Minister at the hie Altar And yet two or three years wages wil scarce serue to buy him books bsides of duty he ought to be boūtifull intertainable to the needy But now they say that by this means it is well prouided for the subiects who for the most part are but poore liue hardly in theyr Villages For how should they maintain the Minister who are themselues to be maintained Here in deed is the error of our age to be noted which in some places giue to the ciuill Magistrate the goods of the Church and permitteth them to gather vp tithes which are due to the Minister But to the purpose In villages the poor which haue nothing giue nothing if it be litle which a man hath he giueth litle euery man payeth his tith according to his wealth and according to the greatnes of his increase whether the commodity lie in tillage or in herbage And in deed the poore could no waies better be prouided for that they should not relieue theyr Pastors themselues being to be relieued then thus for by this means the Pastors are mainetayned by them which haue much they maintaine them which haue nothing The increase of theyr fields for the most part keepe a certain scantline euermore the number of them is greater which receiue then of the poore which want the same But these their reasons are too blame that both poore Pastors are so badly prouided for as they are for by thē the goods which are consecrate to holy vses are betraied to prophane wretches of whom themselues must now goe beg their allowance and be glad to serue and flatter in most slauish sort for their iust reward But yet again they argue that men will seek occasion to discharge their Minister when they shal see that they must giue often shal hear their vices inueighed against so wil fain causes with greater autority contentiō to thrust him out But who seeth not here how weakely this argument is grounded euen vppon an euil grounded gouernment of the Church who leaue in the peoples hands to place displace their Pastors at their pleasure yet if it so falleth out at any time as it falleth out so often as they fall out the christian Magistrat must be but an idle auditor in this iniury haue no autority at all to compell the wicked in this case to theyr duty But let Cornelius Bishop of Rome an holy Martyr aunswere this who being destitute of the ayde of the christian Magistrate and being infested by Nouatus his faction so far forth as that he was not far from giuing vp his hold and yeelding to the wicked yet did he euer want of those his ordinary oblations euen in the midst of so much euil will and so many dissentions so that he could not maintain therewith his 500. and 50. clerkes and a 1000. 500. poore people Neither were any of the Fathers which liued of oblations euer fearefull of the wicked but were euer fearfull to the wicked and were feared Of no greater force is that which they say that euil men being reprehended wil giue nothing but will rather suffer their Minister to famish for hunger As if that were not rather to be feared least it should be done as we haue experience of the doing by the Magistrat which payeth them wages when so euer a good Minister shal displease a bad
ought to be reuersed vnto their lawful vse for the which they first serued The Arke of the Lord was taken of the Philistines and prophaned but it did not therefore cease to be sacred to God being receiued againe from the Philistines it was no lesse to be esteemed then it was before The vessels and ornaments of Solomons temple were translated by Nabucadnezar to Babylon the which things beeing laid vp in the Temple of his Gods after his manner he vsed them religiously But Babylon beeing conquered Cyrus in the right of a conquerour might haue praied vpon them yet when he once knew that they afore-times pertained to the holy worship of the most holy in the temple of Solomon he abstained from them and cōmanded that they shuld bee restored to their former vse againe More wisely or more religiously done least hapiy hee might haue incurred the same crime of cursed sacrilege for the which the Lord had iustly punished prophane Balthasar his predecessour By the which it may appeare that what things are once destined to the vse of the Church are sacred vnto God for euer not is it lawful at any time to distract them to foraine vses CHAP. V. A distinction of those Church-goods which the Church of Rome possesseth at this day BVt when as all the goods which we see in the Church of Rome are not of the same kind we cannot giue the same iudgement of them al. There is therfore a threfold difference of them alwaies to be remembred In the first order I place those which our godly Fathers gaue to the Church for the maintenance of the Pastors and the relief of the poore In the second order I place those which were granted to the church for superstitious vses as for Masses Dirges Monks and Nuns morow Masse-priests And in the last order I place those infinite donations pernitious to the Common-welth which were either rashly made by Kings and Emperors or wrongfully extorted from them by force or fraud of which kinde are the inuestiture of those Ecclesiasticall fees which were giuen by godly Princes to the churches the which when as by that title they do pertaine to them of right yet the BB. of Rome doth chalenge the whole right therof to himselfe But these things seeing that by the lawes both of God man they pertain to Kings alone that which is Caesars is to be giuen to Caesar The Lord hath forbidden ministers to be Kings ouer their churches therefore in the 22. of Luke he purgeth that humor in the heads of his Apostles with this Aloes The Kings of nations rule ouer them and they which haue power ouer them are called bountifull but it shall not be so with you that is you shall not be Kings with which magnificent titles of bountifull and gratious they flatter them which haue smal cause bearing the heauy yoke of their cruell dominion Wherefore in this case christian Kings may lawefully reuerse what-soeuer the Bishop of Rome hath vnlawfully raked to himselfe by fraud or by force But heere I require discretion and moderation to bee vsed that Caesar do not so reuerse those things which are Caesars that together he fal to rifle those things which are Gods Indeed the cleargy of Rome hath rauisht them both but they are not worthy whom the christian Magistrat shuld imitate neither is he a mā of worth that wil punish theft with sacrilege What things the error of our fathers gaue to superstitious vses they ar void I confesse supestition and idolatry being taken away the godly Magistrat may dispose of such goods as hee shall thinke good neither hath the church any right to chalenge in these And yet if the authority of the former law aleadged and the counsel of the learned father Augustine be of any worth those legacies which were giuen for the celebrating of masses the nourishing of Monks may be conuerted to some better vse by the which the memory of the testator may be solemnized in another a more lawful kind In the 16. of Numb the censors with the which the 250. rebels offered vp incense as Priests in sin vngodlines were notwithstanding hallowed before God and therfore that in no wise they might afterwards be imploied in any common vses he commanded them to be drawn into brode plates for a couering to the altar So were the instruments which the irreligious abused conuerted to a sacred and a religious vse The which commandement indeed althogh it be not general yet it conteineth therein an especiall instruction by the which we are taught what ought to be done in such a case Augustine in his 154. Epistle to Publicola is of opinion that the Idols Idol-temples groues which were put down were not to be diuerted to any priuate vse but to bee conuerted into publike seruices and the honor of the true God that the like thing may be done by them which is done in the men themselues who are conuerted from a sacrilegious impious people to the true religion of the liuing God Least otherwise it might seem to be done not of conscience but for couetousnes But seing the law of God prescribeth nothing in this matter and whatsoeuer Moses hath written therof concerneth the people of Israell in perticular I make it no matter of religion why the Magistrate may not determine herein as it shal seeme best to his godly wisedome Nor doe I disauow the decree of the Emperours Honorius and Theodosius but I aduise al Princes and other chiefe Magistrates who haue earst reformed Churches or shall here-after that this one thing be alwais wel considered of them namely that Churches were but robbed of their rights by Monestaries when they gleaned to themselues the duty of tythes and oblations which things christian Princes and people haue consecrated of old to the honor of their Pastors the comfort of the poore For they preposterouslie take vpon them the gouernement of Churches contrary vnto the order of the ancient Church and vnder the title of voluntary pouerty these gathered that to themselues which was giuen to the poore for necessity CHAP. VI That the goods of Monks are not all of one kind AS in those goods which the Pastors and rectors of the Church possesse I haue shewed that ther is great difference so neither are we to think that the goods of Monks are all of one sort It were to long to repeat how they came to so great wealth neither is it needfull onely this I wuld haue wel noted that whatsoeuer the Monks possessed which of right was due to the Pastors of the church that al that did pertaine to the first order of church-goods which I before noted the which indeed after the subuersion of Monasteries are not to be taken for wast so long as there is anie Church remaining Wherevpon I infer that all popish idolatrie being put down onely those things which maintained either tyranny or idolatry do deuolue by right to the Chequer the