Thou beginnest to account thy brother as a Publicane thou doest binde him on earth When thou doest correct and make agreement with thy brother thou hast loosed him on earth and when thou loosest him on earth hee shall be loosed in heauen Which of these twaine be preferred I force not so the first be not impugned as disagreeing from the Text. Some thinke our Sauior would not prescribe how the Iewes should proceede in their priuat suits and quarels that care belonging rather to Counsellers at the law then to Preachers of y â— word I conclude then there can be no proportion nor imitation neither of the higher nor of the meaner Synedrion amongst the Iewes expected or admitted in the Church of Christ and as for the words of Christ in the 18. of Mathew whereon some new writers build the foundation of their laie-Presbyterie they be free farre from any such construction or conclusion and the Catholike fathers expounding that place be further from the mention or motion of any such regiment CHAP. V. The Apostolicall preheminence and authoritie before and after Christes ascention ALbeit the sonne of God assembled no Churches whiles he liued on earth nor setled the Iewes Synedrion to remaine amongst the faithfull for ought that we find by the sacred Scriptures yet least the house of God should be vnfinished and his haruest vngathered in his own person whiles he walked here he called and authorized from and aboue the rest certaine workemen and stewards to take the chiefe charge care and ouersight after his departure of Gods building husbandrie for which cause he made when as yet hee was conuerfant with men a plaine distinction betwixt his disciples choosing Twelue of them to be his Apostles and appointing other 70. to goe before him into euery Citie and place whither he should come and to preach the kingdom of God giuing those Twelue larger Commission perfecter instruction higher authoritie and greater gifts of his holy spirite then the rest of his disciples which hee made labourers also in his haruest and messengers of his kingdome The Twelue not the 70. were the continuall and domesticall hearers of all his sermons and beholders of all his wonders as chosen to witnesse his doctrine doings and suffrings to the world the Twelue and no more were present when he did institute his last supper and they alone heard and had those heauenly praiers and promises which then he made To the Eleuen apart from the rest was giuen in mount Oliuet the Commission to teach all Nations and looke how God sent his sonne so sent he them as Apostles that is Ambassadours from his side not onely to preach the trueth and plant the Church throughout the world but in his name to commaund those that beleeued in all cases of faith good maners to set an order amongst them in all things needfull for the gouernement continuance peace and vnitie of the Church sharply to rebuke and reiect from the societie of the faithfull such as resisted or disobeied to commit the Churches to sound and sincere Teachers and ouerseers to stop the mouthes of those that taught things they should not for filthie lucres sake and to deliuer them to Satan that persisted in their impieties or blasphemies As for the gifts of Gods spirite they were so great in his Apostles that they both preaching and writing deliuered infallible trueth to the Churches of God and that in all languages of the world and euen the shadowes and the napkins that had touched their bodies did heale the sicke and cast out deuils these miraculous workings of the holy Ghost not onely themselues had in greater measure then any others but they gaue them vnto others by laying their hands on them When Philip had conuerted and baptised the people of Samaria in the name of the Lord Iesus yet none of them receiued the gifts of the holy Ghost vntill two of the Apostles came downe to them praied for them and laid hands on them and then was the holy Ghost giuen them through laying on of the Apostles hands Philip though he preached and baptized the beleeuers as well as the Apostles did yet could he not bestow on them the gifts of the holy Ghost that was reserued to the Apostles as to persons of an higher calling in the Church of Christ then Philip was and yet was he one of the seuen deacons also an Euangelist as S. Luke witnesseth and wel appeareth by his dispensing the word Sacraments WheÌ„ Paul laid his hands on the 12. disciples at Ephesus they straight way spake with diuers tongues and prophesied So that our Sauiour as well liuing on earth as ascending on high kept a differeÌ„ce betwixt his Apostles the rest of his disciples that were preachers both in hauing them alwayes with him the better to acquaint them with the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen and in leauing vnto them at his departure the conuerting and instructing of all nations and in powring on them after his ascension a greater aboundance of his holy spirite then on the rest for the better execution of the charge committed vnto them For the plainer proofe whereof we may remember that when our Lord and Master elected 12. Apostles to be with him other 70. disciples to goe before him at the first gathering of his Church hee did imitate the choice which God made in the wildernesse of twelue chiefe Princes and seuentie Elders to guide and gouerne the people of Israel by their two seuerall numbers distinguishing their two seuerall degrees and when Iudas by transgression fell from his Apostleship an other was taken out of the 70. to supplie his roome which needed not if the 70. had had before equall place and calling with the Apostles Ierome saieth Qui prouehitur de minore ad maiâ—s prouehitur hee that is promoted is promoted from the lesse to the greater Now that Iudas successor was taken out of the 70. and not out of the Laitie appeareth by this that euery Apostle was to haue his calling from Christ as the 70. had and not from men and on Matthias the Apostles imposed no hands which argued that hee was called before by Christ himselfe amongst the 70. And so saieth Ierome Matthias being one of the 70. was chosen into the order of the eleuen in the place of Iudas the traitour And Epiphanius Christ sent 72. to preach of whose number was Matthias which in Iudas place was numbred amongst the Apostles Eusebius also confirmeth the same report that Matthias which was chosen to be an Apostle in the place of Iudas the traitor had before that the calling of one of the 70. Paul numbring the diuersities of gifts and administrations in the Church saieth God hath ordained in the Church first Apostles next Prophets thirdly Teachers then those that do miracles after that the gifts of healing helping gouerning c. reckoning
the bishops office since which time euery Citie diocesse adioyning had but one Bishop The Council of Sardica for y â— West disliked prohibited the making of Bishops in villages small Cities Licentia danda non est ordinandi Episcopum aut in vico aliquo aut in modica Ciuitate cui sufficit vnus Presbyter None must be permitted to ordaine a Bishop either in a village or smal Citie where one Presbyter wil suffice The Councill of Laodicea did the like for the East 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None must place Bishops in townes villages those that are alreadie placed must do nothing without the consent of the Bishop of the Citie As then there were no Bishops but in Cities so was there no Presbyterie to attend and assist the Bishop but in the same place where the Bishop had his chiefe charge and Church And therefore your vrging of Presbyteries in euery parish and village is a thing vtterly dissonant from the regiment of the Primitiue Church In each populous Citie there was a Bishop to gouerne the people committed to his charge and a Presbyterie that is a number of Priests to helpe the Bishop in all sacred actions and aduise him in all Iudiciall and ecclesiasticall proceedings and these are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Priests of the Citie by the ancient Councils of Ancyra and Neocesaria The villages and countrey Townes as they were conuerted to the faith and by reason of the number that beleeued needed a minister of the word and Sacraments to bee a resident amongst them and were able and willing to maintaine one so repaired they to the Bishop of the Citie next to them and desired of him a fit man to serue their necessities and became subiect both the people and Priest to that Bishop who first gained them to Christ or who first erected and ordered their Churches By which meanes each Bishop had not onely his principall Church and chaire in that Citie where hee was Pastour which the ancient Councils and Stories call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but had the care and ouersight of the Townes and villages round about that Citie which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doeth not import a countrey parish as our age abuseth the word and whereon some vnwiselie haue collected that euery such parish had and should haue a Bishop but the greatest Cities with their suburbes and the chiefest Churches in the world were so termed as appeareth by Eusebius calling Alexandria Corinth Ierusalem Ephesus Lions Carthage Antioch and such other famous Cities and Churches by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the like is extant in the same writer li. 4. ca. 1. 4. 5. 15. 19. 23. li. 5. ca. 22. 23. 27. li. 6. ca. 1. 8. li. 7. ca. 28. and in many other places And so much the very composition of the wordes importeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 containing not only the citizens but all such borderers strangers as dwelt neere and repaired to any chiefe Church or Citie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprising all the villages and Churches that were dispersed in diuers places but vnder the regiment of one Bishop Ierome sheweth that in his time and long before not onely a citie but also a Prouince or Region belonged to eche Bishop in which though Presbyters and Deacons baptized with his leaue yet he alwayes imposed hands and examined and confirmed their baptisme Tuin eo quod recipis Laicum vnam animam recipiendo saluas ego in recipiendo Episcopum non diâ—am vnius ciuitatis populos sed vniuersam cui praeest Prouinciam ecclesiae socio You in admitting a Lay man to repentance saue one soule by receiuing him I in receiuing a Bishop ioyne to the Church I say not the people of one Citie but the whole Prouince or Dioecese which is vnder him Then Bishops had not onely the people of one Citie but of one Prouince or Countrie committed to their charge and subiect vnto them and their diâ—ceses did reach euen to farre townes and villages where Presbyters and Deacons had cure of soules vnder them as Ierom else-where remembreth Non abnuo hanc esse ecclesiarum consuetudinem vt ad eos qui longè in minoribus vrbibus per Presbyteros Diaconos baptizati sunt episcopus ad inuocationem Spiritus sancti manum impositurus excurrat I deny not saieth Ierome but this is the custome of the Churches that the Bishop shall go euen to those that a farre off in lesser Townes were baptized by Priestes and Deacons and impose handes to inuocate the holie Ghost on them But this imposition of hands on parties baptized Ierome saith was reserued to the Bishop rather for the honor of his priesthoode then for necessitie of their saluation Otherwise if the holie ghost come only at the Bishops prayers lugendi sunt qui in vinculis aut in castellis aut in remotioribus locis per Presbyteros Diaconos baptizati ante dormierunt quà m ab Episcopis inuiserentur Their case saith he were lamentable that being baptized by Priestes and Deacons in villages castels and places farre distant die before the Bishop can visite them No Bishop might order or confirme but in his owne diocese to do any such thing in an other mans diocese was no custome of the Church but repugnant to all the Canons of the Church There belonged therefore to the Bishops not onely the Cities where their chiefe Churches were but also Uillages Townes Castles and remote places in which Priests and Deacons discharged diuine seruice and Sacraments and those places the Bishop vnder whome they were did at certaine times visite to examine the faith of the baptized and the manner of their baptisme lest to Churches and Chappelles farre distant heresie might haue the easier accesse by the bishops absence Cleargie men then there were in euery diocese that ministred the word and sacraments in villages and smaller Townes but none were of the Presbytery that assisted and aduised the Bishop in Ecclesiasticall causes saue onely the Clergie and Priests of that Citie where the Bishop had his Church and Seate The rurall Bishops for such you confesse there were had they no Presbyteries to assist them in ecclesiasticallactions and censures They needed none for they were Bishops in word but not in deede they enioyed the name not the power and preeminence of Bishops but were in all things restrained as other Priests were and subiected to the Bishop of the Citie in whose circuite they were The Councell of Antioch saieth of them Those that are in Townes and Villages called rurall Bishoppes though they haue receiued imposition of handes as Bishops yet it seemeth good to this sacred Synode they shoulde acknowledge their degree or measure content themselues with the care of their own churches not to presume to impose hands on a Priest or Deacon without the Bishop of the Citie
it could not then be newe Besides Nazianzene reputeth it a wonderfull inconuenience to loose that great and newe name and to bee all one as if they should bee taken not to bee of God Now if the name were new and lately inuented by men the losse thereof were not great yea retaining the name they must be knowen to be of men and not of God which is contrary to Nazianzenes words Wherefore by the great and new name he meaneth the name of Christians grounding his speach on the words of Esay that saith the Church shalbe called by a new name or if he referre it to bishops he speaketh rather in praise of the greatnes theÌ„ in dispraise of the newnes of the name accounteth it to be great new because it was first vsed by y e holy Ghost in y e new Testament He wisheth there were no preheminence nor prioritie amongst Bishops and calleth their superioritie tyrannical Hee wisheth if it were possible that preheminence and prioritie amongst Bishops went not by the mightinesse of their Cities but by the desertes of their vertues not that the first is vulawfull but that the second is farre more commendable O that there were saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. neither prioritie of See nor priuiledge of place tyrannical preheminence that we might be distinguished onely by vertue If this last were possible the former might well be wished out of the Church for then should none but fit and worthie men haue the places of gouernment where otherwise the worst are often highest and rule as impotently as they aspire vnshamefastly This is the summe of Nazianzens speach and what fault to finde with it trulie I know not Happy were the Church of God not if all were equall as you would haue them but if each man had superioritie according to his integritie So should the Church of Christ neuer be beâ—ieged with ambition nor surprised with corruption nor wasted with dissention but the chiefe would circumspectly and wisely leade and the rest would gladly and quietly follow where nowe aspiring and striuing for places of dignitie hath subuerted many not of the meanest but of the highest degree So saieth Nazianzene But now when men are superiour by their Cities and not by their vertues the right hand the left and the midst the higher and the lower seate the precedencie or going cheeke by cheeke hath made many breathes amongst vs to no purpose and cast many into the ditch and made them goates not onely of the inferiour sort but euen of the shepeheards who being masters in Israel knew not this He misliketh not generally the calling of Bishops nor their diuersities of degrees but the falling of some of them into the ditch and becomming goates whiles they pressed ouer eagerly to the higher places otherwise he must first haue condemned himselfe who accepted and retained one of the chiefest seates of honour though after to conserue the peace of the Church he resigned it Lastlie the wishing of a better way if it were possible is no defacing of that which was alreadie setled by reason it cannot be expected that Nazianzenes wish should take place for that all men should be sincerelie regarded and honoured according to their vertues is rather an heauenly then an earthlie condition and sooner to bee wished for then to bee looked for at mens handes yea that course which he wisheth vnlesse the execution might be answerable to his wish would doe more harme then good For it would not quench ambition and contention as some men dreame which are the vices that he complaineth of but rather inflame them whiles euerie man conceiuing well of his owne vertues would make small account of other mens gifts and deserts If to decide the strife you reserue the iudgement thereof to other mens voyces you amend the matter nothing at all for if all men setting aside corrupt and partiall respects would chuse the best to euery place the Church of Christ would soone flourish without any wishing and wish what you will except that be first brought to passe all the rest will doe you no good An equalitie amongst the Pastours must needes slake ambition If you could reduce the Cities Churches and parishes of each common wealth to aiust proportion that one should not exceed another in any thing you might chance with a generall equalitie of the places somewhat to temper ambition but if you leaue any difference in the things you shall soone finde a difference in mens affections Nowe when or how that may bee compassed I leaue you to consider that are so good at deuising I thinke you may sooner vndertake to new build all Cities and Townes to make them equal then suffering them as they are to bring them to a iust and euen proportion If leauing an inequalitie of the places which you must needs you settle a generall equalitie amongst the Pastors and ministers of Christes Church what fresh experience the later ende of the world may teach vs I will not foretell I am sure the meane to preuent schismes and dissentions in the primitiue Church when the graces of Gods spirite were farre more eminent and aboundant then nowe was not to make all equall but to appoint some chiefe to ouersee and moderate the rest That course the Apostolike times imbraced and the Church of Christ euer since preferred as the safest and readiest way to resist confusion and stay contention in the Church of God Ierome saieth Propterea inter duodecim vnus eligitur vt capite constituto schismatis tollatur occasio Amongst the twelue Apostles one was therefore chosen that a chiefe being appointed occasion of dissention might be preuented If the twelue were not likely to agree except there had bene one chiefe amongst them I marueile how you imagine that equalitie woulde keepe all the Pastours of the worlde in peace and vnitie If euerie Presbyterie by Gods ordinaunce must haue a Ruler as your selues auouch least they growe to dissention and confusion howe shall the Bishops of a whole Prouince or kingdome meete conferre and couclude as often as neede requireth without one to call and moderate their assemblies We mislike not that so much as that you giue the Metropolitane dominion and imperie ouer the rest Your Presbyteries haue an other maner of dominion then we giue either to the Diocesans or to Metropolitanes for they determine all matters by discretion which is euen as much or more then Princes haue with vs. As for Bishops and Archbishops I see no such dominion in this Realme allowed them We haue Lawes consisting partly of Synodal constitutions partly of the royall edicts of Princes and by the tenour of them it is prescribed what the Bishop or Metropolitane shall require at eche mans hands not what they list but what the Canons of former Councils and lawes of Christian Princes haue thought meete to be performed by euerie one to the glorie of God and good of his
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which both himselfe and his charge are subiect The Councell of Laodicea commanded the rurall Bishops to doe nothing without the liking of the Bishop of the Citie So that they were in all things ruled and gouerned by the Bishops of their Cities vnder whom they were and not directed by any Presbyters of their owne If it seeme strange to any that the ancient Councels shoulde endure the name title of a Bishop to be giuen to whome the power and office of a bishop was not giuen he must consider for what causes they first permitted rurall Bishops to be made The one was to supplie the wants that often happen in the absence or sickenesse of the Bishop In which cases being but vicegerents in some things there was no reason they should haue the same power and prerogatiue the right Bishops had without their leaue or liking For that had beene to erect another Bishop in the same Diocese besides and against the true Bishop and not to place a substitute vnder him The next cause was to content such as were Bishops amongest Schismatikes who woulde rather persist in their factions then returne to the catholike church with the losse of that honour and calling they had before And therefore to such the Bishop of the citie might either allowe the name and title of Bishops if it so pleased him or else appoint them the places and charges of rurall Bishops And so the councell of Nice decreed If any of the Nouatians will returne to the Catholike Church either in Village or Citie where there is already a Bishop or Priest of the Catholike Church it is cleere that the Bishop of the Church shall haue the authoritie and dignitie of the Episcopall function and hee that was reputed a Bishop amongst the Nouatians shall retaine the honor of a Priest vnlesse it please the Bishop of the Church to imparte with him the honour of that title If hee like not so to doe let some place of a rurall Bishop or Priest be prouided for him that hee may seeme to continue in the Clergie and yet not be two Bishops in one Citie Touching Presbyteries then though they were needefull for greater cities where they might well be maintained yet in villages and smaller Townes there was neither vse of them nor prouision for them by reason the countrie churches were smal and could not finde many and the parties that liued in such places were subiected to the bishop of the diocese and in all things directed by him The citie of Rome at the first had vnder one Bishop 46. Priests 7. Deacons 7. Subdeacons 42. Acoluthes Exorcists Readers and Sextens 52. in the whole 155. all founde through the goodnesse and grace of God at the charges of the church there besides 1500. widowes and afflicted persons in like sort sustained by the oblations of the people The number of Priests so encreased afterward that Ierome saith of them Diaconospaucitas honorabiles Presbyteros turba contemptibiles facit The scarcitie of Deacons maketh them to bee more esteemed the multitude of Priests causeth them to be lesse regarded In Constantinople the number of the Clergie was growen so great y â— the church was not able to maintaine theÌ„ therefore the Emperor by his laws was forced to limite how many there should be of euery degree and so he appointed 60. priests 100 deacons 90. subdeacons 110. readers 25. singers 100. sextens in summe 485. Clergie men to attend the seruice of the Church vnder the bishop The number of Clergie men that were in other Cities is not so precisely described but the proofe of their Presbyteries is euerie where occurrent The Presbyteries of Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist to the killing of Proterius after the great Councell of Chalcedon and of Antioch from the preaching of Paul to the burning of the saide citie by the Persians are often remembred in the Ecclesiasticall histories and diuerse Presbyters of either Church that were famous men and writers in the Church of God named by Eusebius Ierome and Gennadius as in the Church of Alexandria amongst others Clemens Origen Heraclas Pierius in the Church of Antioch Geminus Malchion Lucianus Chrysostome and diuerse uch The Church of Carthage had Tertullian and Cyprian who being after made Bishop of the same Citie and forced to bee absent wrate many Letters to the Presbyters and Deacons of Carthage In the Church of Lions in France was Irenaeus a Presbyter vnder Pothynus whome he succeeded in the Bishopricke At Hippo Saint Austen was first a Presbyter vnder Talerius and being Bishop himselfe had vnder him a number of Presbyters that were Colleagues and Clearkes Ignatius remembreth the Presbyteries of Smyrna Philodelphia Philippi Magnesia Trallis and Ephesus in his Epistles to the same Churches Of other Cities and ages the like might be shewed but because it is a thing rather vrged then doubted by you I will spare that paines as superfluous He that readeth either the Councels or the Stories of the Church shall soone perceiue euery Bishop had Presbyters and Deacons in the same Citie with him and vnder him We be far from denying there were Presbyteries in euery Church but that they consisted onely of Cleargie men neither do we beleeue it nor can you prooue it Wee neuer learned to prooue the negatiue we affirme they were Clergie men and that we proue you thinke there were also Lay men amongst them which wee denie that must you prooue Your want of proofe in that point maketh our assertion good You haue all this while scanned the Fathers and ouer-looked the Councels bring now but one for lay Elders we giue you the rest Their generall silence is a full inference against you which aâ—ouch they had such and can not shewe where they mention any such Yet this will I doe name me but one father or Councell that speaketh of the office and duetie of Presbyters and you shall presently see he meaneth Clergie men Or if that please you not looke to the maner of ADMITTING Presbyters into the Church their SITTING SERVING and CONVERSING in the Church their MAINTAINING by the Church and their REMOVING from the Church and you shall cleerely finde there were no Presbyters ioyued with the Bishop in any Ecclesiasticall affaires but Clergie men They were ordained by imposition of hands and so were not Lay Elders they sate with the Bishop in the chancels apart from all Lay men they baptized and consecrated the Lords Supper and so might not Lay men they liued vnder stricter rules then Lay men did as not to haue strange women about them not to change Cities not to resort to spectacles or vittailing houses not to trauell without letters of licence and such like which al lay men were free from they were maintained at the charges of the Church and so were not Lay men and when they
were depriued of their honor and office they were suffered to communicate amongst Lay men These were the Presbyters of the Primitiue Church other then these no Councell no Father doeth any where mention that were vnited or associated vnto the Bishop and these in sight coulde bee no Lay men Proofes if you require I protest without vaunting a whole volume might soone be made of them Some you had more you shall haue if they seeme tedious I must be pardoned your importunitie hath thereto forced me Of Origen Eusebius saieth the Bishops of Ierusalem and Cesaria manus illi ad Presbyterium imposuerunt had layed handes on him to make him one of the Presbyterie Cornelius saith Nouatus was aduanced to the Presbyterie by the fauour of the Bishop qui manus ipsi ad sortem Presbyterij imposuit that laied hands on him to giue him the lot of the Presbyterie The fourth Councell of Carthage sheweth the manner how a Presbyter shall be ordained with imposition of handes Presbyter quum ordinatur Episcopo benedicente manum super caput eius teneâ—te etiam omnes Presbyteri ast antes manus suas tuxta manum Episcopâ— super caput illius teneant When a Presbyter is ordained the Bishop blessing the partie and holding his hand on the parties head let al the Presbyters that are present hold their hands on his head neere the Bishops hand Of Sabatius when hee was aduanced to the dignitie of a Presbyter Marcian said Satius fuisseâ— sispinis manum imposuissem quam quòd Sabbatium ad Presbyterium euexi I had beene better haue layed my hands on thornes then on Sabbatius when I made him Presbyter Ordination theÌ„ with the Latin Fathers importeth as much as laying on of handes doth with the Greeke and was an essentiall ceremonie taken from the Apostles words and vsed from the Apostles times in making of Presbyters and calling any to be of the Presbyterie which if your Elders must receiue they be no Lay men if they must not they be no Presbyters More authorities that Presbyters were made with imposition of hands if any desire let him reade the 13. Canon of the Councill of Ancyra the 9. Canon of the Councill of Neocefaria and likewise of the Councill of Antioch the 6. of the Council of Chalcedon the 10. of the Council of Sardica the 27. and 56. of the Affricane Councill In sitting in the Church the Presbyters were like wise seuered from the people For they had a place enclosed from all the Laitie where the Lords table standing in the middest the Bishops chaire and the Presbyters seates were round about This place Sozomene calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrarie which diuided the Bishop and Presbyters from the people and of this Cyprian saieth Let Numidicus be ascribed to the number of the Presbyters of Carthage and sit with vs amongst the Cleargie The councill of Laodicea calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason it was somewhat higher then the rest of the church that all the people might beholde it and saith The Presbyters must not go and sit in their stalles before the Bishop come but enter in with the Bishop vnlesse the Bishop be sicke or from home The Canon Law calleth it Presbyterium the place for Presbyters Into this place when Theodosius the Emperour would haue entred to receiue the communion S. Ambrose then busie in diuine seruice sent him this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These inclosures O King onely Priests may enter they are shut vp and exempted from all others The Deacons might not sit amongest the Presbyters but stand as the generall councill of Nice telleth vs much lesse was there any place there for Laie Elders The seruice of the Presbyters in the Church declareth also there were no Laie men amongest them For they blessed baptized and ministred the Lordes Supper in the absence of the Bishop and assisted him being present in those actions It is come to the hearing of this sacred and great Synode saith the council of Nice that in some places and cities the Deacons deliuer the sacraments to the Presbyters This neither the Canon nor custome alloweth that they which haue no power to offer the sacrifice should giue the bodie of Christ to theÌ„ that offer I heare saith Ierom that some are growen so senslesse that they preferre Deacons before Presbyters What meaneth the seruant of tables and widowes to extoll himselfe aboue them at whose prayers the bodie and blood of Christ are consecrated To all Lay men the Deacons might deliuer the Sacraments to Presbyters they might not the Presbyters therefore were no Lay men And if Presbyters were therefore better then the Deacons because they did offer the sacrifice at the Lords table which the Deacons might not it is euident the Presbyters were no lay men Besides this the Presbyters were tied to many rules to which no Lay man was tied For example no Presbyter might go from his owne Church and Citie to any other place by the great council of Nice ca. 15. and the council of Antioch ca. 3. but Lay men I trust might change their dwellings Againe no Presbyter by any means might haue any strange woman in his house that was not his mother sister aunt or such like but Lay men in that case were left to their libertie There are a number of such rules to which all Presbyters were bound and from which all Lay men were free The councils therefore neuer comprised any Lay mâ—n vnder the name of Presbyters For their maintenance the case was first ruleâ— by Saint Paul as I haue touched before and after duly obserued in the primitiue Church as we may perceiue by the allowance yeelded to Presbyters in Cyprians time by Cornelius letters reporting the number of Presbyters that were maintained in the Church of Rome likewise by y â— Emperors Laws limiting what number should be maintained in the Churchs of Constantinople This mainâ—enance since all the Elders of 〈◊〉 â—ie Church had 〈◊〉 Lay men neither by the Canons of the Church had nor by Gods law could haue it is certaine the ancient Councels and Fathers did not attribute the honor and place of Presbyters to lay Elders And wheÌ„ Presbyters were depriued of their office and function for any fault committed they might vpon their submission be receiued amongest Lay men to the communion as Cyprian and Athanasius testifie but in no wise be restored to the degree and calling of Presbyters and consequently they might bee Laie men when they coulde not be Presbyters by the Canons But why labour I so much to exclude Lay Elders from the Presbyters of the Primitiue Church when as you haue neither reason nor authoritie to include them It may suffice any sober minde that where Presbyters are so many thousand times named in Councels Fathers and Stories and so sundrie Rules and Canons extant describing and limiting euerie part of
that was you shal heare his owne confession in the same place and thereby perceiue that many of the points which I haue before prooued are so sound and sure that no man learned can with any trueth resist them Habebant ergo singulae Ciuitates Presbyterorum Collegium qui Pastores erant ac Doctores Nam apud populum munus docendi exhortandi corrigendi quod Paulus episcopis iniungit omnes obibant Quibus docendi munus iniunctum erat eos omnes nominabant Presbyteros Illi ex suo numero in singulis ciuitatibus vnum eligebant cui specialiter dabant titulum Episcopi ne ex aequalitate vt fieri solet dissidia nascerentur vnicuique ciuitati attributa erat regio quae Presbyteros inde sumeret velu◠corpori ecclesiae illius accenseretur Euerie Citie had a College of Presbyters which were Pastours and Teachers for they all had the function of teaching exhorting and reproouing in the Congregation which Paul enioyneth vnto Bishops To whome the office of teaching was allotted they were all called Presbyters These in euerie Citie chose one of their owne number to whome they gaue the speciall title of a Bishop lest by an equalitie as is vsually found diuisions shoulde arise To euerie Citie was appointed a certaine region which tooke their Presbyters from the Citie and was counted part of the bodie of that Church First then Presbyteries consisted of Pastours and Teachers and were not had but in Cities Next lest equalitie shoulde breede confusion ouer these Presbyters in eche Citie as well as ouer the flocke was a bishop who in Dignitie and Authoritie was aboue them Thirdly euery Bishop had his region or Dioecese besides his Citie and the Presbyters that were designed for such Countrey Parishes as were within his Circuite were fette from the Citie and reputed to bee of the bodie of the Episcopall Church And all these thinges not onely were in the Primitiue Church as I haue alreadie prooued but they were also agreeable to the word of God as Caluin himselfe confesseth You should take all He telleth you that a Bishop should haue no dominion ouer his brethren but as a Consul in the Senate shoulde propose matters aske voyces goe before others in aduising warning exhorting and moderate the whole action with his authoritie and execute that which is decreed by common consent And this kinde of regiment hee saieth the Fathers acknowledge first entred humano consensu by the consent of men according to the necessitie of the times though it were verie ancient as at Alexandria euer since Marke the Euangelist I honour Caluin for his wonderfull giftes and paines in the Church of God and could easily be enduced to embrace his iudgement were it not that in this case a manifest trueth confirmed by the Scriptures Fathers and by himselfe enforceth me to the contrarie Ieromes wordes I haue examined before they do not import that bishops first beganne by humane deuise and policy Ignatius Irenaeus Egesippus Clemens Alexandrinus Dionysius of Corinth Origen Tertullian Eusebius Methodius and Ierom himself affirme the first bishops were made in the Apostles times and by the Apostles handes Saint Iohn in his Reuelation writeth to the seuen Pastours or chiefe moderatours of the seuen Churches in Asia Whiles Saint Iohn liued as Eusebius recordeth there succeeded at Antioch Ignatius after Euodius at Alexandria Abilius after Amianus at Rome Clemens after Anacletus and Linus at Ierusalem Simeon after Iames. Yea Saint Iohn with his owne handes made Polycarpe bishop of Smyrna as Irenaeus Tertullian Eusebius and Ierome affirme and that next after Eucharius as Socrates noteth he did the like in many other places as Clemens Alexandrinus writeth I can by no meanes forsake so many ancient and assured witnesses whereof some liued with Polycarpe and were his Schollers to followe the mistaking of a few wordes in Ierome by whomsoeuer Yea Caluin himselfe saith Nec humanum est inuentum sed Dei ipsius institutum quod singulis suas assignamus ecclesias Paulus ipse Archippum Colossensium episcopum commemorat It is not mans deuise but the very ordinance of God that we assigne to euery man his Church Paul himselfe mentioneth Archippus Bishop of Colossus That is Pastour of Colossus and so we grant eche Church ought by Gods law to haue a Pastour We must aske further whether by Gods lawe eche Church must haue one or many If one wee haue our desire if many there must yet be one chiefe to auoyde confusion Equalitie as Caluin noteth breedeth factions Ierome saith To suppresse the seedes of dissention one was set aboue the rest otherwise there would be as many schismes as there be Priests Beza maketh it an essential and perpetual part of Gods ordinance to haue one chiefe in eche Presbyterie His wordes are Essentiale fuit in eo de quo hic agimus quod ex Dei ordinatione perpetua necesse fuit est erit vt in Presbyterio quispiam loco dignitate primus actioni gubernandae praesit cum eo quod ipsidiuinitus attributū est Iure This was essential in the matter we haue in hand that by Gods ordināce which must alwais indure it hath bin is and shal be needeful that in the Presbyterie one chiefe in place and dignitie should moderate and rule euery action with that right which is allowed him by Gods lawe And in this he saieth right for a multitude vngouerned must needs be confused which should be farre from the Church of God and gouernement there can be none where all are equall When the shepeheardes leade into diuers pastures whom shall the sheepe follow when sundrie lords make sundrie lawes which shall the subiect obey Sure if no man can serue two masters no Church can endure two Pastours Whiles they consent they haue but one minde though many men when they dissent which in all persons is casuall and in all places vsuall then will there be as many sides as there be leaders You were as good set two heads on one bodie as two chiefe rulers ouer one companie If you confesse there must by Gods law be one chiefe Pastour in one church then the chiefe Pastour of eche Citie is the bishop which we seeke for and he by your owne positions is authorized as Pastour of the place by Gods ordinance This you shall neuer auoyde doe what you can Eche Church in the Apostles times had many Presbyters that laboured in the word The Scriptures do plainely witnes it In the Church of Ierusalem Act. 15. v. 6. and 23 of Antioch Act. 13. v. 1 of Ephesus Act. 20. v. 17. and 28 of Rome Rom. 16 of Corinth 1. Corinth 14. v. 29 of Philippi Philip. 1. v. 1 of Thessalonica 1. Thess. 5. v. 12 of other Churches the like is affirmed Hebr. 13. v. 17 Iames 5. v. 14 1. Pet. 5. v. 1. Now by Gods essentiall and
man the execution whereof is chieflie committed to his charge that is the Leader and ouerseeâ— of all the rest whom wee call a Bishop His power I call a moderation and not a domination because the wisedom of God hath likewise allowed and prouided Christian meanes as well to bridle him from wrongs as to direct him in doubts That is right the power which we giue to our Presbyteries Did you not put laie men instead of Pastours to bee Presbyters and make them controllers where they should bee but aduisers your Presbyteries might haue some vse in the Church of God though farre lesse now then when they first began but your disdaining Bishops and taking from them that which the Apostle giueth them and your exâ—olling Presbyteries the most part whereof if not all be laie Elders to determine all cases and censure all persons in the Church which the Scriptures neuer speake of are the spottes and staines of your discipline which you will neuer wash away Presbyteries wee acknowledge were in the Apostles times and in the Primitiue Church seruing to religious and needfull vses but no such Presbyteries as you pretend neither erected to any such end as you conceiue nor endued with any such soueraigne power as you imagine I finde many vses of Presbyteries ordained in Cities by the Apostles and after by them conioined in one Church with the Bishop whereof some are extinguished by the alteration of times others remaine in force to this day The first was the conuersion of the world vnto Christ. In great Cities where none yet beleeued how long would it be before one man should gain any great number vnto the faith persecutions especiallie growing so hote that none might publikely shew himselfe to bee a Christian without danger of life Wherefore the holie Ghost disposed and appointed many labourers in euerie Citie to carie the knowledge of the trueth from house to house As at Ephesus Paul at one tinie furnished twelue with the gifts of Gods spirite for the spreading of the Gospell in that place at Rome hee saluted twentie that were of his acquaintance besides those he knew not who planted themselues and their households in that Citie to winne the multitude to the obedience of the faith And so wheresoeuer the Apostle erected any Church they did store it with as many meete men to teach the worde as they could finde that the trueth of Christ might disperse it selfe not onely throughout their Cities but into the Townes and countries that bordered neere them The next vse of Presbyteries was to continue such as they had conuerted by instructing exhorting and encouraging the beleeuers from house to house and from man to man to stand fast in the doctrine receiued and neither to shrinke at the bloudie stormes of tyrants nor to giue eare to the wilâ—e charmes of Satan nor folow the deceitfull baites of this world but constantly with trueth and holinesse to serue God in spite of all aduersaries that exalted themselues against the knowledge of Christ. And as the people did encrease so did the paines in each place and consequently the number of Presbyters one man being no more able to serue the necessities of a great Citie then to beare the burden of the earth on his backe Wherefore the spirite of wisedome so guided the Church that to procure the conuersion and attend the saluation of men there was euery where as occasion required store of Pastours and Teachers and yet to mainetaine vnitie and keepe both Preachers and people in peace there was in each Church and Citie one chiefe amongst them that as principall Pastour of the place looked into all their doings staied them from dissentions rebuked the vnrulie and with the helpe of the rest reiected the vntollerable least many Teachers by chalenging vnto themselues such as they had conuertes should rent the faithfull into as many Churches as there were Presbyters in euerie Citie for which cause each place were it neuer so great had but one Church and one chiefe Pastour or Bishop elected to succeed in the Pastorall charge and chaire aboue the rest that were his brethren in office children in honour helpers in labour and assessours in counsell and iudgement The third vse was the trapning vp and trying of men that were meete to haue the care of soules committed vnto them and the regiment of the Church reposed on them At first the wonderfull power of the holy Ghost supplied all wantes and defectes of learning and knowledge so that by the laying on of the Apostles handes men afore vnfit were made meete ministers of the newe Testament but because these giftes were not alwayes to continue or not in so plentifull maner as at the Prime tide of the Gospell the Apostles setled in euery Church and Citie needing their seruice and able to giue them maintenance by reason of the populousnesse of the place a Presbyterie that is a conuenient number of Deacons to serue about diuine matters and mysteries and of Pastours to intend for the word and Sacraments from whence as from a fountaine both the Cities themselues might at all times after haue sufficient men to furnish their owne turnes and to helpe the smaller Townes and Uillages within their circuite which for the slendernesse of their state could neither maintaine Presbyteries nor nourish vp meete men to supplie their neede vpon the death of the former Incumbents This to vs that haue Uniuersities for that purpose founded by the bounteousnes of Christian Princes and other benefactours may seeme superfluous but the Church of Christ after her first supplie made by the Apostles handes had no meanes to continue the succession of fitte and able Pastours in each place but onely her Presbyteries in greater Churches and Cities that were her nurceries of learning and Seminaries of sound religion and holy conuersation which stored both the Cities where they were supported and the countrey round about that was vnder the charge and ouersight of the Bishop of each Citie The fourth vse of Presbyteries which you much grate on but neuer rightlie hit was the aduising and assisting the Bishop or Pastour of each Church and Citie in all doubts and dangers At first there were no Councils to make Canons nor Christian Princes to establish lawes for the good guiding and ordering of the Church but each place was left to direct it selfe Least therefore the Bishops onely will should bee the rule of all things in the Church the gouernement of the Church was at first so proportioned that neither the Presbyters should doe any thing without their Bishop nor the Bishop dispose matters of importaunce without his Presbyterie The Presbyters sate not with the Bishop as equall in power with him much lesse as superiour aboue him when the more part consented agaynst him you would faine haue it so but the Church of Christ from the Apostles to this present neuer vsed or endured any such presumption As Christ saith Ignatius doeth nothing without his
suffered to haue the chiefe place amongest them Did euer Gods or mans Lawe preferre the feete before the head the rowt before the ruler or the people before the Prince The seruant is not aboue his Master no not in elections of bishops for if the rule be generall it includeth euen that particular Wherefore though there were no Princes christned in the Apostles times nor in 300. yeeres after to claime or vse their right yet against the head that it shall not bee head to rule and guide the feeâ—e can be no prescription by reason Gods ordinance for the head to gouerne the bodie is a perpetuall eternall law and the vsurpation of the members against it is no prescription but a confusion and the subuersion of that order which the God of heauen hath immutably decreed and settled And euen in the Primitiue Church when leisure from greater affaires and occasion of popular vproares put Christian Emperors in mind to vse their right they were by Councils acknowledged to haue good interest in the elections of bishops and by the whole Church suffered not onelie to haue a seuerall and soueraigne consent but by their Lawes to moderate restraine and punish the attempts and abuses as wel of bishops and clarks that were electors ordainers as of the people that were the likers and supporters of the parties so corruptly or disorderly chosen When Valentinian the Emperor vpon the death of Auxentius willed the bishops assembled to elect for the city of Millane such a one as should be fit for the place the Synode praied him being wise religious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to appoint a Bishop To whom he answered the matter is too great for me to vndertake you that are vouchsafed of the diuine grace shall better determine who is meete When Chrysost. was chosen to be bishop of Constantinople Sozomene saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The people Clergie determining on him the king approued it sent to fet him from Antioch After Sisimius was dead though many labored to haue Philip others to haue Proclus ordained yet it seemed good to the powers or princes to haue none of that church aduanced to the Bishoprike by reason of some vaine men but it pleased theÌ„ rather to call a stranger froÌ„ Antioch Upon the death of Maximian successor to Nestorius left againe in the election of a bishop variance should arise and the Church be troubled the Emperor Theodosius strait waies the body of Maximianus not yet being buried coÌ„manded the Bishops that were present to set Proclus in the episcopal seat Pelagius being chosen bishop of Rome without the princes coÌ„mandement for that the city was then besieged and no man could passe through y e enemies camp Gregory was afterward sent to excuse the matter appease the Emperor Nilenim tuÌ„ à Clero in eligendo Pontifice actuÌ„ erat nisieius electioneÌ„ Imperator approbasset for then the act of the Clergy in chusing their bishop was void vnles the Emperor approued the election Greg. that excused Pelagius witnesseth the like of his own choice of sundry others Of himself he saith Lo my most gratious Lord the Emperor hath coÌ„manded an Ape to be made a Lion Wherefore he must impute al my faults negligeÌ„ces not to me who was vnwilling but to his owne deuotion which hath coÌ„mitted the mysterie of strength to so weak an one as I am To al the bishops of Illyâ—iest he writeth Because I vnderstand by your letters that the consent of you al THE PLEASVRE OF THE MOST GRATIOVS PRINCE CONCVRRED in the person of Iohn our brother and fellow-Bishop I greatly reioyce To the Emperor Mauritius he saieth It can bee no small thankes with God that Iohn of happy memory being taken out of this life your godlines about the appointing a Bishop stayed a great while deferred the time and sought aduise in the feare of God Wherefore I thinke my brother and fellow-Bishop Cyriacus to be very fit for the Pastorall regiment whom your holinesse preferred to that order after so long consultation Neither had the Roman Emperors this authoritie to dash elections appoint bishops onely at Rome and Constantinople other places were in like subiectioÌ„ to them though their care were not so great for the smaller cities which were innumerable as for the principal Sees where themselues liued whither they often resorted yet their right was alone in greater lesser Churches If the chiefest bishops might not be chosen without the Emperours consent the meaner places had neither by the Canons nor by the Scriptures any more freedome from the Princes power then the greater So that what superioritie was then acknowledged and yeelded by the greatest and chiefest Churches as due to Christian Emperors in the elections of bishops the same could by no means be denyed them ouer other Churches though the Princes themselues sometimes neglected and sometimes refused to be troubled with the choice of so many thousand Bishops as were vnder their territories And therefore Adrian Bishop of Rome was not the first that did grant and giue this right to the Empire as some Romish stories would faine enforce it was receiued in the Church of Christ many hundred yeeres before Adrian was borne and vsed as well by other Christian kings in their realmes as by the Emperour in his dominions The Pontificall it selfe 580. yeeres after Christ noteth it as a new and strange accident that Pelagius the second was chosen Bishop of Rome without the Emperours commaundement and giueth this reason for that the Longobardes then besieged the Citie and Gregorie the first of that name that next succeeded after Pelagius two hundreth yeres before Adrian confirmeth it to be true by report of his owne election and Gregorie of Turon liuing at the same time and whose Oeacon was present at Rome when Gregorie the first was elected witnesseth as much in the tenth booke of his historie and first Chapter Wherefore Adrian did but either continue or renue this right when the Empire was translated vnto Charles the great and â—atified it with a curse on the transgressoins hee did not then first grant it the Romane Emperours long before enioyed it Adrian and a Synode of one hundred fiftie three Bishops and Abbatâ— defined that the Archbishops and Bishops of euerie Prouince should take their inuestiture from Charles so as vnlesse hee were commended or allowed inuested by the king he should be consecrated Bishop by no man and whosoeuer did against this decree they did wrap him in the band of excommunication Leo the eight in an other Synode more then 130 yeeres after Adrian with the Cleargie and people of Rome did reknowledge and confirme vnto Otho the first of that name king of the Germans and to his successors in the kingdome of Italy for euer power to choose and appoint the Bishop of the Apostolike See of Rome and consequently Archbishops
places forced the Bishops to assemble but once in the yeere so the Councill of Toledo determined for Spaine This holy generall Council decreeth that the authoritie of the former Canons standing good which command Synodes to be kept twise in the yere in respect of y e length of the way and pouertie of the Churches of Spaine the Bishops shal assemble once in the yere at the place which the Metropolitane shal appoint The 2. Council of Turon tooke the same order for France in cases of necessity It hath pleased this holy council that the Metropolitane the bishops of his Prouince shal meet twise euery yere in Synode at the place which the Metropolitan by his discretiō shal chuse or if there be an ineuitable necessitie then without all excuse of persons and occasion of pretences once in the yeere shall euery man make his repaire And if any Bishop faile so to come to the Synode let him stand excommunicate by his brethren of the same Prouince vntill a greater Synode and in the meane time let no Bishop of an other Prouince presume to communicate with him There is no Christian Realme nor Age wherein the vse of Synodes hath not bene thought needfull as well vnder beleeuing magistrates for consultation and direction as vnder Infidels for the stopping of irreligious opinions withstanding wicked enterprises and procuring the peace and holynesse of the Church as appeareth by the Councils that haue bene kept in all kingdoms and countries since the Apostles times when any matter of moment came in question which are extant to this day and likewise by the Synodes that euery Nation and Prouince did yeerely celebrate according to the rules of the great Nicene and Chalcedon Councils which can not be numbred and were not recorded Neither is the continuance of Prouinciall Synodes prescribed onely by Councils the Imperiall lawes commaund the like That all the ecclesiasticall State and sacred rules may with more diligence be obserued we require saith the Emperor euery Archbishop Patriarch Metropolitane to call vnto him once or twise euery yeere the Bishops that are vnder him in the same Prouince and throughly to examine all the causes which Bishops Clerkes or Monkes haue amongst themselues and to determine them so as what so euer is trespassed by any person against the Canons may bee reformed The lawes of Charles alleaging the Councils of Antioch and Chalcedon that the Bishops of euery Prouince with their Metropolitane should assemble in Councill twise in the yeere for the causes of the Church commaund that course to be continued and twise euery yeere Synodes to be assembled And vnlesse you giue the Pastor and Presbyters of euery parish full and free power to professe what religiō they best like to offer what wrongs they will to vse what impietie and tyrannie they themselues list without any restraint or redresse which were an heathenish if not an hellish confusiō you must where there is no christian magistrate as oftentimes in the Church of Christ there hath bene and may be none yeeld that libertie to the Church of Christ which euerie humane societie hath by the principles of nature to wit that the whole may guide each part and the greater number ouer-rule the lesser which without assembling in Synode can not be done We neuer meant to denie the authoritie or vse of lawfull Synodes we confesse they are a sure remedy against all confusion but this we dislike that you giue the power to cal Synodes from the Magistrate to the Metropolitane thereby maintaining a needelesse difference amongst Bishops and suffer none but such as you terme Bishops to haue voyces in Councils whereas euerie Pastour and Preacher hath as good right to sit there and by consent and subscription to determine as they haue What right wee yeelde to Christian Magistrates to call Synodes within their Territories shall soone appeare in the meane time you must tell vs who called Synodes in the Primitiue Church before Princes fauoured Christian Religion was it done by Magistrates who then were Infidels or by Metropolitanes And when Princes protected the truth did they moderate prouinciall Councils by their substitutes or was that charge committed to the Bishop of the chiefe and mother Church and Citie in euerie prouince you challenge to bee men of learning and reading speake of your credites who called in ancient times prouinciall Synodes or at any time who moderated them besides Metropolitanes If your Presbyteries by Gods essential and perpetual ordinance must haue a President to rule their actions for auoyding of confusion howe can Synodes be called gouerned without one to prescribe the time and place when and where the Pastours shall meete and when they are met to guide and moderate their assemblies perceiue you not that men liuing in diuers cities and countries and assembling but seldome haue more neede of some chiefe to call them together then those that liue in one place and euery day meete And if confusion and disorder in Presbyteries be pernicious to the Church is it not far more dangerous in Synodes Wherefore you must either cleane reiect Synodes and so make the Presbyters of eache parish supreme and soueraigne Iudges of all Ecclesiasticall matters or if you receiue Synodes you must withall admit some both to conuocate and moderate their meetings The Magistrate may callthem together and themselues when they are assembled may choose a director guider of their actions But when the Magistrate doeth not regard but rather afflict the Church as in times of infidelitie and heresie who shall then assemble the Pastours of any prouince to deliverate and determine matters of doubt or danger Shall error and iniurie ouerwhelme the church of God without any publike remonstrance or refusance In questions of faith cases of doubt matters of faction offers of wrong breach of all order and equitie shall eche place and Presbyterie be free to teach and doe what they please without depending on or so much as cōferring with the rest of their brethren Cal you that the discipline of Christes Church and not rather the dissolution of all peace and subuersion of all trueth in the house of God I thinke you be not so farre besides your selues that you striue for this pestilent kinde of anarchie to be brought into the worlde our age is giddie enough without this frensie to put them forward Howbeit we seeke not what newe course you can deuise after fifteene hundred yeeres to gouerne the Church but what meanes the ancient and Primitiue Church of Christ had before Princes embraced the trueth to assemble Synodes and pacifie controuersies as well touching religion as Ecclesiasticall regiment and if in the Church stories you finde any other besides Metropolicanes that called and gouerned Prouinciall Councils name the men and note the places and we yeeld you the prize Metropolitanes were first established if not deuised by the Council of Nice before that we reade nothing of any Metropolitane
this cause all the scruple is what kinde of Presbyters they were Lay Presbyters I reade of none therfore I can admit none to be of that Council Besides such of the seuēty and such other Prophets as assisted Iames in the regiment of the church of Ierusalem are in all reason expressed by that name for since the whole church there is diuided into Apostles Presbyters and Brethren the helpers coadiutors of the Apostles were they Prophets or Euangelists that either came with Paul Barnabas from Antioch or were commorant with Iames the rest at Ierusalem must rather be contained in the name of Presbyters thē sorted with the general multitude for if they were of the many what men of more worthines were there to be honored with the title of Presbyters I hope the next degree to Apostles are not your Lay Elders S. Paul was then fowly ouershot to set first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers and to reiect Gouernours which you take for your Lay Presbyters into the 7. place Howbeit vnles you make some fresher and better proofe for them then yet I see your Lay Elders are no where numbred by S. Paul for church gouernors As for Presbyters y ◠were beneath Apostles vnderstand by that name prophets euangelists pastors teachers or whom you will so no lay Elders we deny thē neither places nor voices in Synods so long as they haue right to teach or speake in the church for we esteeme Synodes to be but the assemblies conferences of those to whom the Churches of any prouince or nation for the word doctrine are committed And therefore to our Synodes are called as your selues know not only bishops but deanes archdeacons other clerks aswel of the principall cathedrall Presbytery where the episcopall seate church is as of the Diocese at large And though some Romish writers do stifly maintaine that none but bishops haue voices in Councils yet you see the ancient institution of our synodall assembly in this realme ouerthroweth their late new assertion Neither lacke we examples of the course which we keepe euen from the beginning The Synode of Rome called by Cornelius against Nouatus about the yeere of Christ 255 consisted of 60. Bishops and many Presbyters and Deacons as Euseb. noteth From the Synode of Antioch that deposed Paulus Samosatenus about the yere of our Lord 270. wrate not only Bishops but Presbyters Deacons as appeareth by their epistle In the Council of Eliberis about the time of the first Nicene Council sate besides the Bishops 36. Presbyters In the second Councill of Arle about the same time subscribed 12. Presbyters besides Deacons other Clergy mē The like may be seene in the Councils of Rome vnder Hilarius vnder Gregory where 34. Presbyters subscribed after 22. Bishops in y ◠first vnder Symmachus where after 72. bishops subscribed 67. Presbyters so in the third fift sixt vnder the same Symmachus Felix also bishop of Rome kept a Councill of 43. bishops 74. Presbyters after the same maner haue diuers other Metropolitanes assembled in their prouincial synods aswel Presbyters is bishops The council of Antisiodorum saith Let al the Presbyters being called come to the Synode in the city The 4. council of Toledo describeth y ◠celebrating of aprouinciall council in this wise Let the bishops assembled go to the church togither sit according to the time of their ordination After all the bishops are entred and set let the Presbyters be called and the Bishops sitting in a compas let the Presbyters sit behind them and the Deacons stand before them The Councill of Tarracon 1100. yeeres agoe prescribed almost the verie same order that we obserue at this day Let letters be sent by the Metropolitane vnto his brethren that they bring with them vnto the Synode not only some of the Presbyters of the Cathedral church but also of eche Dioecese And why should this seeme strange euen to the Romish crew when as in the great Council of Lateran as they call it vnder Innocentius the third there were but 482. Bishops and of Abbats and Priors conuentuall almost double the number euen eight hundred If Presbyters haue right to sit in Prouincial Synodes why are they excluded from generall Councils Many things are lawful which are not expedient I make no doubt but all pastours and teachers may sit and deliberate in Councill yet would it breede a sea of absurdities to call all the pastors and preachers of the world into one place as often as neede should require to haue any matter determined or ordered in the Church As therefore in ciuill policie when a whole realme assembleth not al y e persons there liuing are called together but certaine chiefe ouer the rest or chosen by y e rest to represent the state and to consult for the good of the whole common wealth so in the gouernement of the Church it were not only superfluous and tedious but monstrous to send for all the Pastors and Presbyters of the whole worlde into one Citie and there to stay them from their cures and Churches till all things needeful could be agreed and concluded It is more agreeable to reason and as sufficient in right that some of euerie place excelling others in dignitie or elected by generall consent shoulde be sent to supplie the roumes of the rest that are absent and to conferre in common for the directing and ordering of the whole Church And therefore Christian Princes in wisedome and discretion neuer sent for all the Presbyters of the world to anie generall Council but onely for the chiefest of euery principall church and citie or for some to be sent from euery realme far distant as legates in the names of the rest and by that meanes they had the consent of the whole world to the decrees of their Councils though not the personall appearance of all the Pastours and Presbyters that were in the world So to the Council of Nice the first christian Emperor sent for by his letters not all the Preachers Presbyters of the world but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishops of euery place and there came from all the Churches through Europe Asia and Africa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the best or chiefest of the Ministers of God each countrey sending not all their Bishops for then would they farrc haue exceded the number of 318. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most speciall and selected men they had and though there were present an infinite number of Presbyters and Deacons that came with the Bishops yet the Council consisted of 318. Bishops and no more by reason the Emperour sent not for the Presbyters of each place but for the Bishops The like examples are to be seene in the three generall Councils that folowed where onely Bishops determined matters in question and the Presbyters that subscribed in the Councils
the Presbyters succeeded in order when the place was voyde but that they chaunged by course hee saieth no such thing It was a plaine ouersight I will say no worse in him that first wrested Ambroses wordes to that conceite In the meane time we haue master Bezaes full confession that the going round by course to gouerne the Church doeth maintaine disorder and faction and no whit decrease ambition and the choosing of one to continue chiefe for his life began at Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist sixe yeeres before Peter and Paul were martyred and sixe and thirtie before the death of Saint Iohn in which there is NOTHING THAT can or ought to be misliked Howe truely hee speaketh if he should recall or you refuse his wordes reason and experience wil easily teach vs. for first in this circular change it is not casuall but essentiall that all in their course be they fit or vnfit must haue the ruling of the rest Now if to choose one good amongst many be a matter of difficultie howe impossible then is it that all should be good And yet by your rolling regiment all be they neuer so wicked or vnwoorthie must haue as much time and power to neglect and hurt the Church of God as the well minding and godly Pastours shall haue to assist and helpe the same Againe what good can be done by any when in euerie action one must beginne and another proceede and a third conclude If an euill man light on the beginning middle or ending he may soone marre all And be the men not euill except they be like affected and like instructed when will they agree in iudgement or tread one in anothers steppes If any faction arise I neede not put you in minde what contradicting and reuersing will be offered by your weekely or monethly Gouernours Who shall dare doe anie thing to a Presbyter or Bishop but he must looke for the like measure when their course commeth What can be one weeke made so sure but it may be the next weeke vndone by him that presently followeth This is the right way to make a mockerie of the Church of Christ and to permit it to euerie mans humour and pleasure whiles his time lasteth If you trust not me distrust not your selues It breedeth contempt and openeth the high way to factions As for Ambition which is an other of the mischiefes that you would amend by your changeable gouernement you cure that as he doeth which to coole the heate of one part of the bodie setteth all the rest in a burning feuer To quench the desire of dignitie in one man you inflame all the Pastours of euerie prouince with the same disease for you propose the like honor and power for the time vnto all which we do to one And so you heale ambition by making it common as if patients were the lesse sicke because others are touched with y ◠same infection for if one man cannot haue this Metropoliticall preeminence without some note of pride the rest cā neither expect it nor enioy it in their courses but with some taint of the same corruption fruition and expectation of one the same thing are so neere neighbors that if one be vicious the other cannot be vertuous Wherefore either grant the superioritie and dignitie of Bishops and Metropolitanes may be christianly supported by one in euerie Presbytery and prouince as we affirme or else we conclude it can not be expected and enioyed of all euerie where by course as you would haue it but very vnchristianly You giue more to your Bishops and Metropolitanes then we do and that increaseth their pride We giue them no power nor honor by Gods Law but what you must yeeld to your Pastors presidents if you wil haue any And as for Magistrates we may not limite thē on whom they shal lay the execution of their Lawes nor what honor they shal allow to such as they put in trust so no part thereof be contrarie to the doctrine of the Scriptures Agnise first their callings then measure their offices by the ancient canons of Christs Church and if they haue any other or further authoritie then standeth with good reason and the manifest examples of the Primitiue Church we striue not for it reseruing alwaies to christian princes their libertie to vse whose aduise and help they thinke good and to bestow their fauours where they see cause without crossing the voice of the holie Ghost or the wisdome of the Apostolike and Primitiue Church of Christ. for the gouernement of the Church is committed to them not that they should alter and ouerthrow the maine foundations of Ecclesiasticall Discipline at their pleasures but that they should carefully and wisely vse it to the benefite of Gods Church and good of their people for which they must giue account to the dreadfull Iudge It was long after the Apostles times before Prouinces were diuided and Mother Cities appointed and therefore Metropolitanes are not so ancient as you make them as may appeare by the 33. canon called Apostolike where the chiefe dignitie ouer eche Prouince is not attributed to any certaine place or Citie I stand not precisely for the time when Mother Cities were first appointed in euerie Prouince howbeit the general Council of Ephesus saith Euerie Prouince shal keep his rights vntouched and vnuiolated which it hath had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the beginning vpward according to the custome that hath anciently preuailed euery Metropolitan hauing libertie to take a copie of our acts for his owne securitie for so the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may well be interpreted though some embrace another sense Yet if in this point you presse those Canons called Apostolike I will not reiect them not that I take to haue bin written by the Apostles for then they must be part of the Canonicall Scriptures but that some of them expresse the ancient discipline of the Church which obtained euen from the Apostles times by whomsoeuer they were collected though many things since be inserted and corrupted in them and therfore are iustlie refused further then they agree with the stories of the first times and the decrees of the eldest Councils The Canon which you quote is this The Bishops of euerie Nation must know or acknowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that is first or chiefe amongst them and esteeme him as their head and attempt no matter of waight without his opinion and iudgement neither let him doe any thing without al their aduises and consents Hereby you would prooue there was a time after the Apostles deaths when as yet the first place amongst the Bishops of the same Prouince was not affixed to anie certaine Church or Citie Grant it were so though this Canon doe not exactlie prooue so much then yet in euerie nation there was a Primate before there was a Metropolitane and consequently the authoritie of one to be chiefe in a prouince is elder the◠the priuiledge
of the Metropolis or mother Citie which by the witnesse of the Nicene and Ephesine Councils was in their times a verie ancient custome Nowe what gaine you by this if there were a chief bishop in euery prouince to assemble moderate Synodes before that prerogatiue was fastned to anie place It is the office not the place that wee seeke for for so you confesse there were Primates amongst the Apostles Scholers whether they were chosen for the worthines of their gifts or for the greatnesse of their Cities we care not such there were and by such were the Synodes of euerie Prouince assembled and guided When the wonderfull giftes of the holie Ghost failed for which the first age haply made choice of her Primates it is not vnlike but as the next ages following chose the most sufficient men for the most populous Cities so they were content the Bishops of the most famous Churches in euerie prouince should haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preeminence amongst their brethren to call them together and consult them for the common affaires of the whole Church which the foure first generall Councils with one consent confirmed to euery Church and commanded to be kept without alteration or diminution as the ancient rights and customes of the Church euen from the beginning The Council of Nice willeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prerogatiues to remaine to euerie Church and againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reseruing alwayes to the Mother Citie her proper dignitie The Councill of Constantinople as Socrates saith ratified the Nicene faith and appointed Patriarkes or Metropolitanes distinguishing their Prouinces As namely Nectarius the Bishop of Constantinople had allowed him Thracia Helladius bishop of Cesarea in Cappadocia Gregorie of Nissa and Otreius of Militene had the regiment of Pontus Aphilochius of Iconium and Optimus of Antioch in Pisidia tooke the charge of Asia the like did Timotheus Bishop of Alexandria for Egypt and Pelagius of Laodicea and Diodorus of Tarsus for the East Churches reseruing the prerogatiue of the Church of Antioch which they deliuered vnto Miletius there present The Canon that before limited these gouernments being alwayes obserued Of the Councill of Ephesus I spake euen now wherein when the Bishops of Cyprus complained that the Church of Antioch began to encroch vpon them contra Apostolicos Canones definitiones Nicenae Synodi contrary to the Apostles Canons and the Decrees of the sacred Councill of Nice and desired that the Synode of Cyprus might enioy their right as they had done euen from the beginning euer since the Apostles times the Fathers reiected and condemned that attempt of the Bishop of Antioch as a thing repugnant to the Lawes of the Church and Canons of the Apostles The great Council of Chalcedon finding fault that some Bishops to encrease their power obtained the Princes Charter to cut one Prouince into twaine of purpose to make two Metropolitanes where before was but one decreed that no Bishop should enterprice the like without the losse of his office and notwithstanding the Imperiall letters already purchased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true or ancient Mother City should certainely kepe her proper right and the other newly erected content themselues with the honour of the name The preeminence then of Mother Cities and Metropolitanes is verie ancient in the Church of God and if we admit euen your owne construction of that Canon called Apostolike there were Primates elected in euerie Prouince before there were Metropolitanes and so the office was found to be needefull in the Church of Christ when as yet the places and Cities that shoulde haue that priuiledge were not appointed nor agreed on Some thinke the Metropolitanes function may be deriued from Timothie and Tite by reason that Tite had in charge the whole Ile of Creete and Timothie the ouersight not of Ephesus only but of Asia also Of Tite Chrysostome saith This was one of Paules companions that was approoued Otherwise Paul would not haue committed vnto him an whole Iland and the triallor iudgement of so many Bishops Of Timothie Theodoret saith To him diuine Paul committed the charge of Asia And of them both he saith It a Cretensium Titus Asianorum Timotheus so was Tite the Apostle or Bishop of Creete and Timothie of Asia In deede Ephesus was a Mother Citie as appeareth by the first Ephesine Council but whether it had that prerogatiue by the noblenesse of the place or by succession from Timothie I dare not define Timothie as it shoulde seeme by Theodoret was chiefe ouer all Asia and yet were there sundrie other Cities in Asia besides Ephesus that had Metropolitanes as Iconium Antioch of Pisidia Cyzicum Sardis Rhodos If any thinke it vnlawfull for one man to haue the care and ouersight of other Bishops he may be satisfied or refuted by the example of Tite to whom the whole Iland of Creete was committed as Chrysostome saith and the Ilands adioyning as Ierome writeth and by Paules owne testimonie the making of Bishops in many Cities If therefore any man like these places I am not against them but the ancient euident and constant course of the Primitiue Church to haue Primates or Metropolitanes for the calling and guiding of Synodes in euerie prouince is to me a pregnant and perfect proofe that this order was either deliuered or allowed by the Apostles and their Schollers or found so needefull in the first gouernement of the Church that the whole christian world euer since receiued and continued the same Though the office were tolerable yet the name of Archbishop is expresly prohibited by the third Council of Carthage by the great Council of Africa and was neuer heard of in the Church till the Council of Chalcedon which was kept 455. yeeres after Christ. The wordes of both the Councils interdicting all such proude titles are these The Bishop of the first seate must not be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of Priestes or high Priest or by any such stile but only the bishop of the first seate If the office be needeful and lawfull the strife for names shall not long trouble vs. Were I perswaded that Archbishop had no signification but king and prince of Bishops the simplicitie and integritie of Christes Church should soone induce me to giue ouer the name but if it import no more then the wordes which these Councils like and vse I see no cause for others to stumble at it The verie Canon lately cited by you which you grant is ancient though not Apostolike calleth the Metropolitane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first or chiefest and willeth him to be esteemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as head amongst the Bishops of the same prouince The Councils of Carthage the second ca. 12 the third ca. 7. 28 the fift ca. 7. 10 the Mileuitane Council ca. 21. 22. 24 the Affricane ca. 40
consult the priests and take direction from them The priests the sonnes of Leui saieth God shall come foorth out of the Cities where they were placed in euery Tribe and by their word shall all strife and plague be tried Remembring alwayes that doubtfull and weightie matters were referred to the counsaile of priests and Iudges that sate in the place which the Lord did choose for the Arke to rest in If there come a matter too hard for thee either by reason of the waight or doubt thereof in iudgement betweene blood blood cause and cause plague and plague of matters in question within thy gates thou shalt arise and goe vp to the place which the Lord thy God shal choose and shalt repaire to the Priests of the Leuites and vnto the Iudge that shall be in those dayes and aske and they shall shew thee the sentence of iudgement And thou shalt doe according to that which they of the place which the Lord hath chosen shew thee and shalt obserue to do according to all they informe thee Thou shalt not decline from the thing which they shall shew thee neither to the right hand nor to the left And the man that will doe presumptuously in not hearkening vnto the Priest that standeth before the Lord thy God to minister there or vnto the Iudge that man shall die This Councillor Senate of Elders residing at Jerusalem in Iehosaphats time who no doubt did not infringe but rather obserue the tenor of the lawe consisted of Leuites and of Priests and of the heads of the families of Israel had Amariah the high priest chiefe ouer them in all matters of the Lord and Zebediah a ruler of the house of Iudah chiefe for all the kings affaires and was a continuance of the 70. Elders which God adioyned vnto Moses to beare the burden of the people with him From these superiour inferiour degrees amongst the priests and Leuites vnder Moses happily may no necessarie consequent be drawen to force the same to bee obserued in the Church of Christ. First for that the tribe of Leui might not be vnguided without manifest confusion and was not subiected to the regiment of any other Tribe but had the same maner of gouernment by her Prince Elders Iudges and Officers ouer 1000. 100. 50. and 10. which other Tribes had in that common wealth Next the ciuill policie of the Iewes being contained and expressed in the bookes of Moses the Iudges and rulers of other Tribes were to be directed and assisted by thâ—se that were most expert and skilfull in the writings of Moses such as the priests and Leuites by their profession and function were which in Christian kingdoms is not so requisite For the Gospell doeth not expresse the maner and fourine of ciuill regiment and positiue lawes as the bookes of Moses doe but leaueth such things to the care and conscience of the Magistrate so long as their policie doeth not crosse the rules of pietie and charitie prescribed in the Gospell and therefore the Pastours and preachers of the new Testament must not chalenge to sit Iudges in those cases which the Priests and Leuites vnder Moses did and might heare and determine Thirdly this preheminence grewe vnto them according to their families by inheritance and birthright The father was chiefe of his ofspring whiles he liued and after him his eldest sonne which is no way imitable in the Church of Christ. And though sometimes the father for good respect made the yonger the chiefer as it is written of Shuri one of the line of Merari that though hee were not the eldest yet his father made him the chiefe yet the contrary was vsually obserued and the priuiledge of the first-borne might not be changed for affection without iust cause Lastly the seruices about the Sanctuarie and Sacrifices which none might doe but Leuites were of diuers sortes and therefore not without great regard were there diuers degrees established amongst them though to serue God euen in the least of them was honourable Now in the Church of Christ the word and Sacraments committed to the Pastours and Ministers haue no different seruices and so require for the discharge thereof no discrepant offices Notwithstanding for the better ordering ouerseeing and containing such in their dueties as be called to be the guiders and leaders of Gods people that they may walke worthie their vocation without reproch of life and be sound in faith without all leauen of false doctrine the wisedome of God in appointing some amongst the priests and Leuites to guide and gouerne the rest of their Tribe as well in the ceremoniall as iudiciall part of Moses lawe is not hastilie to be refused nor lightly to bee neglected For if gouernement be needfull amongst them that will liue in any societie and auoyd disorder whereof God is no way author we cannot get nor need not seeke a fitter or better paterne to follow as farre as the difference of states and persons will permit then that which God himselfe allowed and confirmed in the Church and common welth of Israel And though the certaine forme of their ecclesiasticall gouernment be neither exactly knowen in euery point nor preciselie to be vrged in the Church of Christ by reason of many dissimilitudes betwixt vs and them yet this is euident that God appointed the Church of Israel to be guided not by a generall equalitie of the priests and Leuites but by certaine superiorities among them in euery calling and that as wel in their conuersation as administration and their 70. Elders supreme Council called their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consisted not of all that were and would be present but of certaine of the chiefest who for their nobilitie and authoritie were preferred aboue the rest and admitted to be of that number So that the Leuiticall discipline vnder Moses doeth cleerely confirme a diuersitie of degrees amongst Pastours and ministers in the Church to be more agreeable to the wisedome of God reuealed in his lawe then a generall equalitie or paritie CHAP. III. The personall and perpetuall kingdom of Christ after he tooke flesh THe externall regiment of the Church the Lord declined whiles he liued here and relinquished to others as a thing meeter for the sonnes of men then for the sonne of God No doubt he was euen then the chiefe corner stone elect and precious laied in Sion by God himselfe the Archpastour ouer the whole flocke and high Priest ouer the house of God the Prophets foretold the gouernment should be on his shoulders and he should order the throne of Dauid with iustice and iudgement the Apostle saieth he is and then was the head of his Church yea the head of all power and principalitie he said of himselfe to his disciples ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am the Angels of God were to worship him wheÌ„ he was brought into
of the people with him assist him in hearing ordering all matters of weight and difficultie Besides these God named twelue princes of euery Tribe one for oftener meeting quicker dispatch to be alwayes present with Aaron and Moses that is with the high Priest and the Magistrate Thus had euery Tribe their Iudges and officers Elders and Princes to direct and rule the rest of the multitude The same order was by Moses prescribed against they should recouer and enter the land of promise and was likewise there obserued Iudges officers shalt thou make thee in all thy cities throughout thy Tribes they shal iudge the people with righteous iudgement And if there arise a matter too hard for thee in iudgement within thy gates thou shalt arise goe vp to the place which the Lord thy God shall choose where the seuentie Elders were to abide and attend such matters as were of greatest moment both ciuill sacred and their sentence by Gods law no man might refuse without punishment of death This maner of gouernement Iehosaphat restored together with religion when hee set Iudges in the land throughout all the strong cities of Iudah citie by citie Moreouer in Ierusalem he placed of the Leuites and of the Priests and of the chiefe of the families of Israel for the iudgement and cause of the Lord and sayd Behold Amariah the priest is chiefe ouer you in all matter of the Lord and Zebediah the sonne of Ishmael a ruler of the house of Iudah for all the kings affaires and the Leuites are officers in your presence Iosephus repeateth the summe of these lawes of Moses in this sort In euery Citie let there be seuen rulers men chiefly regarding vertue the loue of iustice To euery Magistâ—acie let there bee allotted two of the Tribe of Leui for assistance If these Iudges cannot pronounce of any matter brought before them let the whole cause be sent to the holy Citie the high Priest the Prophet and the Senate or councill of Elders assembling determine what they thinke right The Iewish Thalmud varieth from Iosephus in the number of their Iudges and saieth that on small and pecuniarie matters in euery citie sate three Iudges on criminall and capitall three and twentie on the highest affaires of the common wealth and causes sent from other Cities sate at Ierusalem the lxxi Elders and rulers of the people The booke of Ruth witnesseth that ten of the Elders of the citie sate with Boaz in the gate when the matter was ended betwixt him and his kinsman for the inheritance of Elimelech and marrage of Ruth The Princes and Elders of Succoth euen of one Citie were 77. whose flesh Gede on did teare with thornes for refusing to relieue his wearied souldiers The iarre in the number of the Iudges I labour not to reconcile they may speake of diuers times and places without repugnance of each to other this I obserue that Moses appointed neither Iudges nor Elders in Citie or Synedrion but they were magistrates to execute the iudgements of the lawe and had the sword to chastice the body and punish with death The supreme Synedrion of Ierusalem heard and decided matters pertaining to God and the king and the man that presumptuouslie disobeied them was by Gods lawe to die Under Esdras the punishment of him that neglected their commandement was the forfeiture of all his goods and separation from the people of God The Elders of their Cities were to inquire and sweare for vnknowen murder to deliuer the wilfull murderer vnto the hand of the auenger of blood to adiudge to death disobedient children to a merce and chastise the slanderer of his wiues virginitie and to stone the adulteresse to death and in like maner to performe all the punishments and penalties of Moses lawe By which it is euident that their Elders in euery Citie were the Magistrates and rulers of the people and might inflict both losse of limme and life and determine all causes saue such as for distinction of holy and vnholy were peculiar to the Priest or for weight and difficultie were reserued to the councill of Ierusalem In the dayes of our Sauiour though many things were corrupted and altered from Moses lawe and the power of their Elders and Sanhedrin much decreased first by the kingdome of Herode then by the Romane Presidents who not regarding Moses lawes could not endure the soueraigne authoritie of the high Priest and Elders so neere their noses yet for the better containing the people in obedience to their countrey rites and lawes without which they would in no wise be gouerned or quieted the Elders of each place were suffered to retaine some shew of their former power as to heare and redresse the priuate wrongs and iniuries of their brethren and the Councill of Ierusalem had authoritie left them to imprison and chastice with rods the contemners and disturbers of their religion as appeareth by their binding and buffeâ—ing of Christ and beating his Apostles as also by Pauls letters from the high Priests and Elders to prison and beate in euery Synagogue such as beleeued I send you saieth Christ to his disciples as sheepe among wolues they will deliuer you vp to Councils and scourge you in their Synagogues Yea by shewing themselues zealous for Caesar and by false suggesting that the Apostles vnder colour of religion laboured to stirre sedition among the Iewes as Theudas and Iudas not long before had done the Elders so preuayled with the Romanâ—s that not onelie the Presidents themselues persecuted the faythfull to content and gratifie the people but suffered the Synedrion at Ierusalem to haue power of life and death when they same cause and to exercise the same in cases of defection from their lawe or rebellion against their lawe Our Sauiour saieth of the Scribes and Pharises sitting in Moses chaire Fulfill ye the measure of your fathers Behold I send vnto you Prophetes and wise men and some of them shall you kill and crucifie and some shall you scourge in your Synagogues and pursue from Citie to Citie Paul confessing how hote hee was against the Christians in the time of his ignorance saieth I persecuted this way vnto the death binding and imprisoning both men and women And when the blood of Steuen the Martyr was shed hee stoode by and consented vnto his death and kept the clothes of the witnesses that slew him At that time also when Steuen was stoned there was a great persecution agaynst the Church which was at Ierusalem and Saul entered into euerie house and drewe out both men and women and put them in prison breathing out threates and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord and making hauocke of his Church The stoning of Steuen some men suppose was done in a tumult without all lawfull authoritie because the chiefe Priests not long before sayd to
of the Romane Soueraigntie If thy brother trespasse thee tell him priuately of the wrong offered thee If hee regarde not thy voyce take one or two with thee that may bee men indifferent betwixt you This the rule of charitie requireth in secret and friendly manner yea by the mediation of wel-willers and neighbours to compose all priuate quarrels as much as in vs lieth If this take not place tel it vnto the Church that is vnto the assemblie and gouernours that are in thy Citie For euery Citie by Gods Lawe was to haue her Iudges and Magistrates there to iudge the people with righteous iudgement And their manner was to sit in the gates of their cities whither the whole multitude did assemble vnto thē not onely to heare and see what they did but in weightie matters to ioyne with them and giue their consents Our Sauiour then meaneth that if charitable and brotherly admonitions be neglected they should seeke their remedie from the Iudges and Elders of their Cities as by Gods law the Iewes were directed and permitted to do Tell it vnto the Church then is as much as tel it not vnto the Church of Christ which as yet was not seuered from the Iewes nor assembled together and therefore had then neither places nor persons specified or authorized for that purpose but vnto that Councel of Magistrates which God by Moses commanded to haue the hearing and ending of those causes For Christ by this precept doth not establish new Iudges nor erect new Consistories but referreth the people to Gods ordināce expressed in the law of Moses and already receiued and vsed in that common wealth thereby meaning that if the doers of wrong to their brethren would not be reformed by priuat and friendly admonition intercession the parties grieued might with good conscience aske the aid and assistance of those Magistrates whom God had appointed ouer them to compell and force the trespassers to surcease their iniurious dealings If it seeme strange to any man that the word Ecclesia should be taken heere not for the Church of Christ as we commonly vse it but for the assemblie of any place or citie where the Rulers and Commons be they Christiās or Infidels are gathered together to consult or determine as well of ciuil causes as of religion besides that the Septuagint do often vse the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for any kind of meeting as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue hated the assemblie of the wicked and againe I was almost ouerwhelmed with al euil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middes of the Church Synagogue S. Luke in the 19. of the Acts vseth the word in that sort thrise in one chapter Beza a man of great learning and one whome none can mistrust as not addicted enough vnto discipline writing on this place saith Wee must note they are fouly deceiued which would conclude out of this place that the hearing of al matters must be referred to the assembly of the whole multitude The name of the Church say they is neuer otherwise vsed which euen out of this place is proued to be false For surely it appeareth that this is spoken as it were of the Iewes by that which is added Let him be to thee as an Ethnicke and Publicane Now that iudgements amongst the Iewes were exercised by the Elders and that their manner was not euer to assemble the whole multitude all the writers of those matters do witnes And truely vnlesse Christ had fitted all this speach vnto the vse that was in his time who coulde haue vnderstoode him what hee saide It is lastly to bee obserued that in this one place of all the new Testament the name of the Church is spoken of the Iewes The words which followe if he heare not the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane must import either the punishing his obstinacie which obeyed not the Iudgement of the Rulers and Magistrates that were of the Iewes or a further pursuing him before others y ◠had more power to represse such insolencie If they expresse any punishment for his wilfulnes that must proceed either publikely frō the Iudges or priuately frō the plaintife The punishment of him y ◠disobeied the Magistrate by Gods Law was death that Christ would not alter For he came not to change the ciuil gouernement or qualifie the iudicall punishments of Moses Law but to leade them the way to the celestiall and eternall kingdome of God The chiefe Rulers and Gouernours of the Iewes being his capitall aduersaries and not acknowledging his authoritie would neuer respect his counsell nor commandement The wordes themselues haue reference to a particular person Let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane Christ therefore in these words decreed no publike punishment As for priuate reuenge he was farre from liking it and further from teaching it False Prophets we must beware and with notorious wicked persons we must not keepe companie but priuate iniuries we must rather suffer with patience then resist with violence or requite with disdaine Resist not euill saieth Christ to all his disciples but whosoeeer shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also and if any will sue thee at the law to take away thy coate let him haue thy cloake also Then may wee not reiect detest our brother that doth vs wrong as the Iewes did an Ethnike and Publicane The mind that must quietly beare wrong once twise and oftner if neede be must not abhorre and shunne the person of his brother that wrongeth him as prophane It resteth then that our Sauior in these words did permit the partie oppressed to seeke further remedie when neither charitie nor equitie could preuaile with the oppressour And that was to doe as they did to strangers and Publicanes which was to conuent him before y ◠Roman Magistrate who had power to force him that did wrong to abide the iudgement that shoulde be giuen And so I suppose y e words may be taken Let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane that is pursue him in those Courts where thou wouldest a Pagan and Publicane that should do thee wrong If any man like not to vnderstand those words of a further pursute before the Magistrate he may referre them to a priuate forsaking of all companie with the wrong-doer vntill he reforme himselfe Let him be to thee as an Ethnicke and Publicane that is shunne such wilfull oppressours as much as thou doest Pagans and Publicanes but without bitternes of minde or breach of patience And so S. Augustine sometimes expoundeth them If hee heare not the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnike Publicane that is account him no longer in the number of thy brethren yet neglect not his saluation So the Lord warneth when he by and by addeth Verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer you binde on earth shall be bound in heauen
he had required them to remooue that euill one from themselues in not allowing consenting or fauouring so wicked a fact in their hearts Take which you will I stand indifferent howbeit by the wordes of his second Epistle it should seeme he spake not to the whole Church of Corinth but to the leaders and teachers there when he willed them to remooue that wicked one from amongst themselues For this he writeth of the very same person Sufficient for this offendor is the punishment or reproofe that proceeded from many not from all Wherfore I pray you confirme your loue towards him For this cause also did I write that I might see the proofe of you whether you would be obedient in all things So that in excommunicating the incestuous sinner Paul asked not their consents but tryed their obedience and they with all care and zeale shewed themselues ready to execute his precept At least yet the Presbyterie ioyned with the Apostle in excommunicating that malefactour and of this Presbyterie the Lay Elders were no small part so that by this precedent of the Apostolike discipline the Pastours cannot exclude any men from the Sacraments without the liking of the Lay Elders and Presbyters What the Presbyterie might doe cannot well be resolued vntill it be first agreed of what persons this Presbyterie consisted Some thinke certaine skilfull and discreete men as well of the Laitie as of the Cleargie were appointed by the common choice of the people to deliberate and determine of manners and all other matters pertaining to the regiment of the Church and that by their aduise and consent as it were by the decree of an Ecclesiasticall Senate the power of the keyes was directed and handes imposed For this assertion they shewe the witnesse both of Scriptures and Fathers so cleare as they suppose that they cannot be auoyded Some others confesse there was a kinde of Presbyterie in the Apostles times and long after in many Churches but thence they exclude all Lay persons as no partes thereof and account in that number none but such as had charge of the worde and Sacraments and ioyntly labored the conuerting of vnbeleeuers to the faith and preseruing of the Church in trueth and godlines Which of these two positions is the sounder in processe will appeare CHAP. X. What the Presbyterie was which the Apostles mention in their writings and whether any Lay Elders were of that number or no. IT is not to be doubted that in the Apostles time euery citie where the Gospell was receiued had many Prophets Pastours and Teachers not only traueling to and fro to exhort and confirme the brethren but abiding and persisting in the same place all labouring to encrease the number of the Church and continue the faithful in their profession At Ierusalem fifteene yeeres after Christes ascention were Apostles and Elders At Antioch in the Church were Prophets Teachers Barnabas Simeon Lucius Manehen and Saul besides Marke and others In Rome when Paul wrate thither were many approued Labourers and helpers in Christ whom he knew before besides such as the citie it selfe yeelded of whome hee had then no such experience and therefore passeth them ouer vnsaluted by name as men vnknowen After when hee came thither he sheweth who were his worke fellowes vnto the king dome of God to the Church of Corinth he saith Let the Prophets speake two or three and the restiudge Being â—t Miletum he sent for the Elders of Ephesus whome the holie Ghost had set to watch and feede the Church of God He writeth to the Saints at Philippi together with the Bishops and Deacons S. Iames saieth to the Iewes dispersed If any be sicke let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him nothing there were in euery Church not one but many Elders whose office it was to pray ouer the sicke relcase their sinnes and ease their infirmities This number of Teachers and Helpers in the Gospel was not superfluous but very requisite in those daies by reason they were forced to exhort and admonish as well priuatly throughout euery house as openly when the Church was assembled for feare of seducers that secretly crept into houses leading away women loden with sinnes and subuerted whole houses teaching things they ought not for filthy lucres sake and also for that they were daily to win those to Christ that yet beleeued not In which case they were to refrain no place nor slack no time to make Christ knowen to euery particular person and house that was ignorant of him And to this end they needed more aide then otherwise to guide and direct the Church at such times as the Saints mette together Neither ceased this necessitie with the Apostles it dured manie hundred yeers after them which was the cause that in euery great citie the Pastors and Bishops had many Ministers helpers ioyned with them to labour the conuersion of miscreants to strengthen and encourage the Martyrs and Confessours that suffered by thousands for the name of Christ to visite the sicke and comfort them in their extremities to cate chise the Nouices to attend the seruice and Sacraments of the Church to examine the faith and suruey the behauiour of all that repaired to the Lordes Table and to performe a number of such sacred duties which for one Pastor or Bishop alone to do in so populous cities and assemblies as they had was vtterly impossible A Presbyterie then of Prophets Pastors and Teachers the Apostles in their times had and vsed in euery Citie where they planted the Faith and setled the Church but that lay Gouernours or Elders were part of that Presbyterie concurred ioyntly with the Pastors Prophets in imposing hands exercising the power of y t keys censuring both doctrine maners I find no such thing commaÌ„ded or warranted by the Scriptures the patrons of y t Lay Presbyterie must vndertake the burden to proue their assertion The very foundation of the Lay Presbytery so strongly conceiued eagerly pursued by men in our dayes is the place of S. Paul 1. Tim. 5. The Elders that rule well are worthie of double honor chiefly they that labor in the word doctrine Hence it is resolutely inferred ergo there were some Elders that labored not in the word and docrine and those by comparison of other places are supposed to be Gouernours which office Paul nameth amongest the spirituall functions of the Church when he saieth Hee that ruleth let him do it with diligence It is a matter of nosmal weight to giue Lay men power in euery parish to impose handes and vse the keyes yea to haue the full and whole gouernement of the Church aboue and against the Pastours by number of voyces if they differ in iudgement and therefore the ground that shall beare the frame of the Lay Presbyterie had neede be sure especially when it is vrged as a
Prince as his delegates or from the Princes superiour Must not Pastours doe the like Princes cannot authorize Pastours to preach the worde administer the Sacraments remitte sinnes and impose handes these things are exempted from the Princes power and charge the King of heauen hath appointed for that purpose Messengers of his will and Stewardes of his mysteries without taking their authoritie from earthlie Princes but to redresse the disorders and abuses of these things in others and to displace the doers that neither Pastoures nor laie Presbyters may chalenge to doe without the Magistrates consent and helpe where the State is Christian And where the State is not Christian from whom shall the Pastours deriue their power to represse disordered actions in others When the Church is not protected and assisted by the sword but oppressed and pursued as where the Magistrate is an heretike or an Infidell the whole may detect and disclaime any part as vnsound and vnsufferable Idcirco copiosum est corpus Sacerdotum c. Therefore saieth Cyprian is the number of Priestes many that if one of our societie should attempt to vphold an heresie and to spoyle and waste the flocke of Christ the rest might helpe represse him yea the people haue by Gods lawe where there wanteth a Christian Magistrate the desertion but not coertion of wicked and corrupt Pastours They may decline them and forsake them they may not compell them or punish them Uiolence and vengeance belong onely to the Princes sworde not to any priuate persons or assemblies Marke them saieth Paul that cause diuisions and offences contrarie to the doctrine which you haue learned and decline them My sheepe saith Christ heare my voyce and folow me A stranger they will not follow but flie from him And so Cyprian and the rest of the Bishops with him being consulted answere Separate your selues saieth God from the tabernacles of these wicked men and touch nothing of all that is theirs least you perish together with them in their sinnes Wherefore the people obeying the Lordes precept ought to separate themselues from a sinnefull Pastour or ouerseer and not to participate with the sacrifice of a sacrilegious Priest since they chiefly where the publike state embraceth not the faith haue power to admit or choose worthie Pastours and to refuse vn worthie The best writers of our age and those no small number interprete the words of S. Paul as we doe and affirme that laie Elders were gouernours of the Church in the Apostles time and part of the Presbyterie Some learned and late writers liuing vnder persecution or in free Cities where the people and Senate beare the greatest sway haue liked and commended this fourme of gouerning the Church by laie Elders ioyned in one Presbyterie with the Teachers and Pastours but I see not how it may bee defended by the word of God as tolerable except they deriue the power of that Presbyterie from the whole Church in time of persecution and in time of peace from the Magistrate in which case they be no Elders authorized by Christ or his Apostles to gouerne the Church but Commissioners deputed by the State to moderate disorders in Pastours and Teachers and so though they may haue the ouer sight of ecclesiasticall causes pertaining properly to the magistrate yet may they not chalenge any interest or right if they be laie men to impose hands or exclude frō the Sacraments which is the Pastours power and charge Otherwise if any late writers be otherwise minded I say of them as Austen sayde of Cyprian Their writings I hold not as Canonical but examine thē by the Canonical writings and in them what agreeth with the authoritie of the diuine Scriptures I accept with their praise what agreeth not I refuse with their leaues To whose praise I cannot attaine with whose labors I compare not mine whose wits I embrace with whose wordes I am delighted whose charities I admire whose deaths I honour their iudgements in that they were otherwise minded I receiue not God suffereth the best mē to haue some blemishes lest their writings shold be receiued as authentike The Text should not differ frō the gloze if both were of like trueth and certaintie In much writing many things scape the best learned euen as with long watching men oftentimes winke It is no wrong to their labours nor touch to their credites to say their writings and resolutions be not alwayes Canonicall The disputations of Catholike praise-worthie men saith Austen we ought not to esteeme as wee doe the Canonicall Scriptures that we may not without blemishing the honor due vnto those men mislike or refuse some what in their writings if happely wee finde that they otherwise thought then the trueth warranteth vnderstoode by Gods helpe either of others or of our selues Such am I in other mens writings such woulde I haue the readers of mine to be Their learning would preuaile much with me as it doth with others men I suppose of no euill mind but zealous for that which they take to be the trueth were it not that the very places which they draw to this intent in the iudgement of as learned and more ancient writers and fathers import no such thing and other places of the Scriptures where Elders are named doe rather contradict then authorize Lay Elders Paul sent for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to Miletum and gaue them this charge Take heede to your selues and to the whole flocke ouer which the holie Ghost hath made you Bishops to feede the Church of God If all the Elders came to Miletum they were all Pastours and Bishops if your Lay Elders came not why stayed they at home Paul sending for y e Elders They must loose that name or take this charge choose which you will If they for sooke the name of Elders I haue my desire if they vndertooke this charge they were not Lay they were Pastours and Bishops I shall not neede to prooue the confinitie betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they could feede the flocke and not be Pastours The charge that Christ gaue to Peter as an Apostle was this feede my sheepe If they did that they were Sheepeheards if they did not they were no Elders And so saith Peter The Elders that are among you I exhort being my selfe an Elder feede the flocke of God left to your care and when the chiefe Sheepeheard shall appeare you shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glorie They must ioyne with him in Pastorall paines before they shall receiue a Pastorall reward If it be not their function to feede it must not be their lot to be called Elders The communion of the name and charge must goe together The Apostles wordes to Titus will soone declare what Elders were in his dayes For this cause I left thee in Creete that thou should est appoint Elders in euery Citie if any be vnreprooueable for a
Bishop must bee vnreprooueable as Gods Steward holding fast the faithfull worde of doctrine that hee may be able to exhorte with founde doctrine and conuince the goinesayers No Teachers no Elders by this rule For they were Gods Stewards to exhort and conuince with found doctrine before they tooke that name Elders might not be appointed in any Citie but so qualified as is heere prescribed there was no place then in Creete for your newe founde Elders And as for Lay Gouernours of the Apostolike Church to bee mentioned by Saint Paul in the 1. to the Corinthians and twelfth Chapter the ancient and learned Fathers are further from admitting any such then I am howsoeuer our late writers bee lighted on them Nazianzene expounding the wordes of Saint Paul which our men imagine concerne Lay Gouernours sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gouernements that is ouer-ruling the flesh Chrysostome maketh Helpes and Gouernements all one and saith It is a great blessing of God in matters of the Spirite to haue an helper and exhorter Ambrose saieth In the fift place is giuen the gift of vnderstanding For they bee Gouernours that with spirituall raines doe guide men Theophilact referreth it to the Deacons Helpes gouernements that is to receiue the sicke and guide and dispence the goodes of our brethren Then neither doe the Scriptures any where mention Lay Presbyters nor the Fathers expounding the places that are brought for them did euer giue so much as an inkeling of any such persons The words of Paul to Timothie be not only cleared from them by diuers sound interpretations but produced against them For they admit no Elders but such as were for their worke sake maintained at the costes of the Church and so were neuer anie Lay Presbyters The two other places name Rulers and Gouernours but expresse neyther what persons or thinges they gouerned neyther who they were that did gouerne whether Lay men or Pastours Lay men had Christian gouernements but ouer their families ouer the Church and house of God none had in the Apostles daies that wee reade saue Pastors and Teachers I meane such as did feede and watch the flocke committed to their charge And yet if wee shoulde graunt that in the Apostles time for want of a Magistrate to vpholde the discipline of the Church and punish the disorders and offences of loose brethren there were certaine graue and wise Elders ioyned with the Prophets and Pastours to admonish the vnrulie examine the guiltie and exclude infamous and scandalous persons from the common societie of Christians Is it anie consequent the like must bee vsed with vs in a Christian kingdome vnder a beleeuing Prince The Apostolike Churches were planted in populous Cities where they coulde not lacke meete men to sustaine that charge ours are dispersed in rurall Hamlets where there can bee no hope to finde so many fitte Gouernours as shall bee requisite To the first Churches came none but such as were willing and zealous without all compulsion to ours come all forces Atheistes Hypocrites and howe manie rather forced by Lawe then ledde with deuotion yea woulde God it did not often so fall out that in manie places the richer and wealthier men eyther regarde no Religion or secretely leane to the woorst Euerie Church with them had manie Prophetes Pastours and Teachers the number and neede of the people and tyme so requiring so that their Presbyteries might bee indifferently weighed without ouerbearing either side Wee haue but one in eche Parish and to exact maintenaunce for moe at the peoples handes in euerie Uillage woulde breede that sore which no playster would heale To giue that one a negatiue voyce in all thinges against the Laie Elders were to fill the whole Realme with infinite contentions and questions To giue him no voyce but as one amongest the rest is to shake the Church in sunder with euerie faction and fansie of the multitude Lastly those Churches vnder persecution had none that coulde iustly chalenge to rule the rest ours hath a lawfull Monarch professing the faith to whome by Gods Lawe the gouernement of all crimes and causes Ecclesiasticall doeth rightly belong and therefore the priuate and popular regiment of the afflicted Churches must cease since God hath blessed this realme with a publike peaceable and princely gouernement The greater and stronger power doeth alwayes determine and frustrate the lesser and weaker in the same kinde What neede we priuate men to punish vices when we haue princes to doe it What neede wee Suffrages of Lay Elders to reforme disorders and abuses in Pastors when wee haue open and knowen lawes to worke the same effect with more force and better speede In popular states and persecuted Churches some pretence may be made for that kinde of discipline In christian kingdomes I see neither neede nor vse of Lay Elders Howbeit for my part I doe not beleeue that Lay Elders were vsed in the Apostls times to gouerne the Church With imposition of hands remission of sinnes distribution of Sacraments I am right assured no iust proofe can be made they did or should intermeddle yea the ouersight of those things could not belong whiles the Apostles liued to Lay men and after their deaths the Churches planted by them and ages succeeding them neuer vsed nor acknowledged any Lay Elders Which is to me an inuincible demonstration that the Apostles left them none For would all the Churches in the worlde with one consent immediatly vpon the Apostles deaths reiect that fourme of gouerning the Church by Lay Elders which was setled and approoued by the Apostles and embrace a new and strange kinde of gouernement without precept or precedent for their so doing Howe others can perswade themselues that the whole Church of Christ felt so generally and presently to a wilfull Apostacie I knowe not for myselfe I confesse I had rather forsake the deuise and conceit of some late Writers were they in number moe then they are before I will proclaime so many Apostolike men and ancient and learned fathers to be manifest despisers of the Apostolike discipline and voluntarie supporters if not inuentors of Antichrists pride and tyrannie Wherefore if they shew me Lay Elders vniuersally receiued for gouernours in the Churches and ages next folowing the Apostles I wil agnise they came from the Apostles if there were no such after the Apostles I cannot beleeue they were in the Apostles times CHAP. XI What Presbyterie the primitiue Churches and Catholike fathers did acknowledge and whether Lay Elders were any part thereof or no. MAny men thinke and write that the first Churches and fathers after the Apostles retained and vsed Lay Elders for Gouernors and so witnes as they say obscurely Ignatius Tertullian Cyprian Augustine more cleerely Ambrose Hierome Possidonius and the Canon law and therefore I doe not well in their opinions to pretend the authoritie of Christes Church against them If all these Fathers or any of them did clearely mention or witnesse Lay Elders
vpon vrgent necessitie I haue finished In the like case writing to the Presbyters Deacons and whole people of Carthage he saieth of Caelerinus that openlie professed Christ and valiantlie endured the rage and furie of the heathen persecuters Exult and reioyce with vs at the reading of our letters by which I and my Colleagues which were present signifie vnto you that Caelerinus our brother is receiued into our Clergie not by the voyces of men but by Gods acceptance because it was neither lawful nor seemely that he should be without ecclesiastical honor whom the Lord so honoured with the excellencie of his heauenly glory He and Aurelius were appointed for a time to be Readers but now know you that we haue assigned vnto them the honour of the Presbyterie to haue the same allowance with the Presbyters to sit with vs wheÌ„ they come to ripe perfect yeeres Of Numidicus we spake before why he was taken by Cyprian into the number of the Presbyters of Carthage and that without the consent or knowledge of the people or Clergie I suppose it to be cleare by these examples which are your owne that as Cyprian for his discharge did take the liking and aduise of the Clergie and people for the better examining of their liues and behauiours that were to serue in the Church of Christ so when he found such as in his conscience he knew to bee fit and woorthie hee and other Bishops his Colleagues imposed hands on them without expecting the assent or agreement of the people or Presbyters of Carthage where he was bishop These be the Fathers which your selues picked out to muster before her Maiesties presence as pregnant witnesses for the Laie Presbyterie and these if you suffer them to tell on their tales most clearelie refute your Laie Elders Other places I know are alleaged or rather abused to the same purpose but the mistaking of them is so palpable that children will not be deceiued with them for what if the word Presbyter in Greeke signifie an aged man as well as a Priest hath it any sound or shew of reason where the Councils and Fathers vse the word Presbyteri you should straight enforce they were laie Elders To innouate the discipline receiued and established euer since the Apostles times you should haue better grounds then these you will otherwise hardly discharge your credites before men howsoeuer you will your consciences before God For my part though I compare not with their giftes which first began and now maintaine this deuise yet by perusing their proofes I finde that the preiudice of their owne opinion rather enclineth them to this conceite then the weight either of Scriptures or Fathers For were they not ouer willing to embrace this fansie where there is one place for them to stumble at the ambiguitie of the worde there are an hundred faire and plaine testimonies to recall them and direct them to the ancient and true discipline of Christes Church So that in this question whether there were any Laie Elders to gouerne the Primitiue Church no diligent or indifferent examiner of the Fathers can long erre the case is so cleare that vnlesse we affect rather our wils then the trueth we cannot be led away The summe of all that is sayd touching Laie Elders resteth in three pointes which I wish the learned aduisedlie to consisider and the rest carefully to remember First it cannot bee prooued either by Scriptures or Fathers that in the Apostles times or after any laie Elders were part of the Presbyterie or that any such were authorized or acknowledged to bee Gouernours in the Church of Christ. Secondlie if there were such Censors of maners appointed by the whole Church to remooue the vnrulie and banish them from the fellowship and companie of the faythfull least their offensiue behauiour should be a shame and slaunder to the Gospell yet no Text nor title can be shewed in Scripture Councill or Father that they gouerned the power of the keyes imposition of handes or any other ecclesiasticall duetie which concerned the dispensation of the worde and Sacramentes In those things they were to obey and not to rule their Pastours Thirdlie though the ouersight and restraint of euill disposed and disordered Pastours were then committed to such Elders for want of beleeuing Magistrates to take care thereof yet since by the lawe of God the gouernement of such causes as well as of ciuill affaires belongeth to Christian Princes and they haue straighter charge higher power and better meanes to represse such disorders and refourme such abuses in Pastours and others whatsoeuer pretence may bee made for Laie Elders and Gouernours in time of persecution they must vtterlie cease and giue place where the Magistrate receiueth the fayth and vpholdeth the Church His power not onely includeth but excludeth theirs since they bee Gouernours by consent of priuate men and the Magistrate hath his power and sword deliuered him immediatelie from God to which all men Pastours Laie Elders and whosoeuer must be subiect not onely for feare of vengeance but for regard of Gods ordinance As for the Iewish Synedrion to which some men flie for helpe it cannot bee as I haue touched before eyther Rule or Refuge for the Laie Presbyterie God erected that as the plot-forme of the Iewes common wealth and made their Elders ciuill Magistrates to execute the Iudiciall part of Moses lawe as well without as vnder the king And therefore as they might not alter it so wee must not vrge it in Christian kingdomes it contradicteth the trueth and freedome of the Gospell to tye all Christian common wealthes to the paterne of Moses pollicie yea that position if it bee stiffelie stood too maymeth all Monarchies and reduceth them to popular or at least to Synedricall Regimentes the consequents whereof are so desperate and dangerous to all Christendome that I trust of your selues you will forbeare and if need bee disclayme that assertion It is agreed on both sides there was a Presbyterie in euery Church but those you say were Clergie men Not in euery Church but in euery Citie there were Presbyters assisting and aiding the Bishop and those were Clergie men The Churches in villages and countrey townes had neither Bishop nor Presbyterie but were subiect to the Bishop of that Citie within whose precincts the villages were and had a Presbyter or Priest ordained by the Bishop or sent from the Bishop to teach them and yeeld them diuine Seruice and Sacraments And where the Bishops of the Cities were content to ease their owne trauell and supplie their absence or sickenesse that in certaine countrey Townes bishops should bee appointed whom they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these countrey Bishops were so restrained by the Canons that without speciall leaue of the Bishop of the Citie to which they were subiect they might execute no part of Episcopal power and prehemâ—nence and in short space after were abolished for presumption and intrusion vpon
matters to whom the Apostolike power and charge which must alwayes remaine in the Church may be communicated and imparted and those are Presbyters and Bishops By Presbyters I meane those whom all the Catholike Fathers and Councils with one consent call Presbyteros placing them in the middle betweene Bishops and Deacons when they deuide the Clergie into Episcopos Presbyterosâ— Diaconos Bishops Presbyters and Deacons Laiâ— Elders I ouerskip as meere strangers to all antiquitie So that when I speake of Presbyteries I vnderstand thereby the assemblies of such Presbyters as were Clergie men and in euery Citie assisted the Bishop in the seruice of God and aduised the Bishop in all other affaires of the Church Thus much I premonish least the often vse of the word Presbyter in this chapter should either perplexe or vnsettle the Reader The times must like wise be remembred The Apostles both in teaching and gouerning the Churches when they were present had helpers when they were absent had substitutes after their finall departures or deathes left successours So that the things originally descending from the Apostles and continuallie remayning in the Church are the charge of the worde and Sacraments and the power of keyes and handes the persons to whom they were committed either Presbyters or Bishops the times when the presence absence departure or death of the Apostles If wee neglect or confound these partes wee shall but roaue in the aire at the right gouernement of the Church if wee obserue them wee shall force the Question to an Issue that will not deceiue vs. And first for the worde and Sacraments It may not bee deuied but as the worde and Sacraments are the most essentiall seedes of the Church so the handling and sowing thereof in the Lordes ground must bee the generall and principall charge of all Pastours and Presbyters that eyther feede or rule the flocke of Christ. for whether they be Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastours or Teachers I meane such as Paul reckoneth to the Ephesians for the worke of the Ministerie or as the holy Ghost in other places calleth them Bishops and Presbyters this power is common to them all Without the worde and Sacraments the Saintes are not gathered the Church is not edified faith is not perfited heauen is not opened wherefore in preaching the worde and administring the Sacramentes the Scriptures know no difference betwixt Pastours and Teachers Bishops and Presbyters Had not our Sauiour deliuered both in one ioynt Commission to his Apostles when he willed them to goe and teach all Nation baptizing them Paul sheweth that preaching the worde was of the twaine the greater and woorthier part of his Apostolike function Christ sent mee not to baptize but to preach the Gospell not that hee might not or did not vse both but the latter was the chiefer So Iohn preached the baptisme of repentance not deuiding the offer of the worde from the confirmation of the Sacrament but ioyning them both together as coherent and consequent the one to the other for God doeth not send his messengers to make emptie promises but ratifieth the trueth of his speach with the seales of his word which are the Sacraments And therfore hee that hath charge from God to preach the one hath also leaue to performe the other Whom God hath placed in his church that by his mouth we should beleeue by his hands also we may bee baptized as appeareth by Philip conuerting and baptizing not onely the Eunuche but the whole Citie of Samaria and for that cause S. Austen iustly calleth as well Presbyters as Bishops Ministers of the word and Sacraments A newe distinction is lately deuised that Pastours in Saint Paul were such as had not onely the word and Sacraments but also the Church and charge of soules committed vnto them and Teachers those that laboured in doctrine but receiued no charge neither of Sacramentes nor soules In deede Ambrose taketh them for Catechizers of Infants and at Alexandria there were moderators of Schooles resembling our Uniuersities for the training and instructing of such as in time were likely to profit the Church of God but these were not ecclesiasticall functions in the Church they were profitable members of a common wealth that so did but no necessarie workemen in the ministerie And though there were such for a season at Alexandria yet all other Cities and Churches had not the like and they that gouerned those Schooles and taught the Catechumes there as Pantenus Clemens and Origen were Laie men and neuer vsed at Alexandria to teach the people in the Church as appeareth by Demetrius wordes then Bishop of Alexandria finding great fault with the Bishops of Ierusal in and Cesaria for suffering Origen after hee had bene Catechist at Alexandria to expound the Scriptures before the people in the Church His wordes are these It was neuer heard nor euer suffered that Laie men should teach in the Church in the presence of Bishops With no face could the Bishop of Alerandria haue disliked Origens fact if it had bene vsuall in his owne Church and the Bishops that wrate in defence of the matter doe not auouch it was a generall or perpetuall rule in the Church of Christ for a Catechizer to teach in the Church but alleage three instances where they sawe the like vsed and confesse they knew no more Wherefore vnlesse their examples and reasons were stronger and surer I preferre the iudgement of Ierome Augustine Chrysostome Theodorete and others before this late conceite who thinke the Apostle expressed one office by two names to shew what things belonged to the Pastorall charge Austen Pastours and Doctours whom you greatly desired I should distinguish I thinke to bee all one as you doe not that wee should conceiue some to be Pastours others to bee Doctours but therefore he subioyned Doctours to Pastours that Pastours might vnderstand doctrine pertained to their office Euery Pastour is a Doctour saieth Ierome Pastours and Doctours saieth Chrysostome were they to whom the whole people were committed and they were inferiour to those that went about preaching the Gospell because dwelling in more quietnesse they were employed onely in one place Paul calleth them Pastours and Doctours saieth Theodorete which were deputed and fastened to a Citie or village Oecumenius by Pastours and Teachers Paul meaneth Bishops to whome the Churches were committed But grant Pastours and Doctours were distinct offices in the Church as you imagine what gaine you by it You may thereby prooue an inequalitie of ecclesiasticall functions you prooue nothing els Obey your Ouerseers saieth Paul and bee subiect to them they watch ouer your soules to giue account for them Obedience and subiection to the Pastour is due from the whole flocke and all degrees thereof which are no Pastours but Teachers as you say were no Pastors they were therfore inferiour to Pastors and subiect to their ouersight Now take your choice if Pastors
standeth good that they retained it to themselues For of their hauing it there is no doubt of their committing it to the Presbyters of euery Church there is no proofe And therefore the Fathers doe vtterlie denie that the Apostles deliuered that power to any but to Bishops Their proofes be stronger then you take them for howsoeuer you will shift them There were Presbyters at Ephesus besides Timothie and in Creete besides Tite and yet Paul left the one at Ephesus to impose handes and the other in Creete to ordaine Presbyters in euerie Citie If without them the Presbyters of either place might haue doone it superfluous was both Paules charge they should do it and direction how they should do it But his committing that power and care to them prooueth in the iudgement of the ancient Fathers that the Presbyters without them coulde not doe it Euangelists you say they were and not Bishops Admit they were Then as yet neither Ephesus nor Creete had anie that might impose hands and yet had they Presbyters And consequently this power to impose handes was at that time reserued from the Presbyters to the Apostles and their deputies Saint Paul saieth most apparantly the Presbyterie might impose hands for Timothie receiued from them imposition of handes I haue tolde you alreadie that take the worde how you will you can prooue no such thing thence If it signifie there the degree of a Presbyter which Timothie then receiued as Ierome expoundeth the place it commeth nothing neere your purpose If you take it for the assemblie then gathered when Timothie was ordained Chrysostome telleth you they were more then Presbyters for otherwise they could not lay hands on Timothie to make him a Bishop Chrysostome you thinke erred in not expounding the place as you doe Then giue Saint Paul leaue to tell you that hee was present in the Presbyterie when Timothie was ordained and that he imposed hands on Timothie But this I haue handled before to which I referre you I onely nowe put you in minde that place will be are no such conclusion And as the Apostles reserued imposition of handes from the Presbyters to themselues so did they keepe the deliuering of offendours vnto Satan in their owne power If any obey not our sayings note him by a letter saith Paul and keepe no company with him To what ende should they note him by a letter vnto Paul vnlesse Paul had reserued the punishing of such offendours vnto himselfe Shall I come vnto you with a rodde or in the spirite of meekenesse If I come againe I will not spare such as haue heeretofore sinned and not repented I trust this be plaine enough to prooue that the Apostles kept the punishing of sinnes to themselues and referred them not ouer to the Presbyters The Apostles hauing of this power doth not exclude the Presbyters from hauing the same for at Corinth Paul not onely willeth the Church to excommunicate that incestuous sinner but rebuketh them for not doing it before he wrate Paul doth not reprooue them for not deliuering that sinner vnto Satan but for not sorrowing that he might haue beene put from among them Had they written of this notorious offence when they wrate of other things to the Apostle that he might haue considered of the offendours punishement they had doone their dueties they could maintaine factions and swell one against another through pride of their gifts but they did not sorrow to see so grieuous a crime committed and continued in the eyes both of beleeuers and Infidels nor so much as signifie the same by their letters as desiring to haue such a one excluded from their Christian fellowship This the Apostle chargeth them with hee goeth no further They shoulde haue noted him by a letter vnto Paul and kept no companie with him til the Apostle had decreed what to do with him All this doeth you no good for the Apostles neither were nor could be Bishops I am sure all the Fathers with one mouth affirme the Apostles both might be and were Bishops Cyprian Apostolos idest Episcopos Dominus elegit The Lord himselfe chose the Apostles that is the Bishops Apostoli Episcopi sunt The Apostles are Bishops saieth Ambrose Romae fuerunt primi Petrus Paulus Apostoli ijdem ac Episcopi At Rome the first were Peter and Paul both Apostles and Bishops saieth Epiphanius Iames saieth Chrysostome had the office of a Bishop at Ierusalem And so Eusebius Iames was the first that after the ascention of our Sauiour had the Episcopall seate at Ierusalem Ierome himselfe that is thought to speake much against the state of Bishops saith Peter after the Bishopâ—ike of Antioch helde the Sacerdotall chayre at Rome And againe Iames called the Lordes brother after the Lordes passion was straight ordained Bishop of Ierusalem by the Apostles Theodoret. Paul sheweth plainely that Epaphroditus had the Episcopall function committed to him by calling him an Apostle What neede wee more I remembred you before Peter himselfe calleth the Apostleship a Bishopship And why not if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be to ouersee the Lords flocke who better deserued that name then the Apostles They were more then Bishops So were they more then Presbyters and yet Saint Peter coulde tell howe to speake when hee called himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Presbyter as well as others Bishops are ouerseers but of one place Apostles of many Bishops were fastened to one place not by the force of their name but by the order of the holie Ghost who sent Apostles to ouersee manie places and settled Pastours to ouersee one but hee that is ouerseer of twentie Cities is ouerseer of euerie one And therefore the Apostles were Bishops and more then Bishops euen as Iohn was more then a Prophet and yet a Prophet Confound you their offices I keepe them distinct in that I say euerie Apostle was a Prophet a Bishop and a Presbyter but not euerie Presbyter Bishop or Prophet was an Apostle They were all the Ministers of Christ feeders of his flocke and stewardes of his mysteries but the Apostles in a greater measure of grace higher manner of calling and mightier force of Gods Spirite then the rest And whatsoeuer becommeth of the names it can not be denyed but the Apostles had that power of imposing handes and deliuering vnto Sathan which they after imparted vnto Bishops And therefore whiles they remayned in or neere the places where they planted Churches there was no such need of Bishops the Apostles alwayes supplying the wantes of those Churches with their presence Letters or Messengers as the cause required But when they were finally to forgoe those parts then began they to prouide for the necessitie and securitie of the Churches and left such fitte men as they had with Episcopall power as their substitutes to guide the Churches which they had founded The second cause why Bishops were not euery where trusted
disallowed If Presbyters might impose handes Maximus was lawfully called to that degree by Gregorie Nazianzen and then had the Councill no cause to mislike such as were ordained by him but they lay this for their ground that he was neuer a lawfull bishop and therefore all that he did in imposing handes was vtterlie voide By this I trust you see it pertained onely to Bishops to ordaine by imposition of hands and not to Presbyters you haue the cleere decision of the Primitiue Church that Presbyters might not ordain Presbyters much lesse might they lay hands on bishops Their meaning is that Presbyters without a Bishop coulde not impose hands but with the Bishop they might and did as the Councill of Carthage which wee brought you confirmeth And as they might not do it without a Bishop so the Bishop might not doe it without them It is wel yet we haue obtained thus much that without a bishop there can be no imposition of hands to make Presbyters how thinke you then must there be bishops in the church of Christ or no and are they all one with Presbyters or a seuerall degree from them They both concurre in ordaining and neither may impose hands without the other You must for sake this fort as well as you did the former for in that Coūcil of Carthage which you cite neither is there any nūber of Presbyters prefired nor their presence required only this is prescribed if any be present they shall approue the bishops doings with laying their hands next his The bishop imposeth not hands either in their names or at their perils if any thing be done against y e Canons but as he alone blesseth consecrateth y ◠person that is ordered to the seruice of God so if ought be otherwise then well he alone is in danger for it The Councill of Hispalis saith Episcopus Sacerdotibus ac Ministris solus dare honorem potest solus auferre non potest The Bishop alone may giue Priests and Deacons their honor but he can not alone take it frō them Neither had Bishops alwaies such store of Presbyters eyther present or pertaining to thē as you imagine In greater churches they had greater numbers in smaller they had oftē two somwhere one somtimes none yet for all this defect of Presbyters the Bishops there did not refraine to impose hands without them The number of Presbyters in many places were two in a Church as Ambrose writeth sometimes but one In the third Council of Carthage when it was agreed that the Primate of that Citie might take the Presbyters of euerie Diocese and ordaine them Bishops for such places as desired them though the Bishop vnder whom the Presbyter before liued were vnwilling to spare him Posthumianus a Bishop demaunded What if a Bishop haue but one only Presbyter must that one be taken from him Aurelius the Bishop of Carthage answered One Bishop may ordaine many Presbyters but a Presbyter fit for a Bishopricke is hardly found Wherefore if a man haue but one onely Presbyter and fit for the roume of a Bishop he ought to yeelde that one to be ordained Posthumianus replied Then if an other Bishop haue a number of Clearks anothers store should relieue me Aurelius concluded Surely as you helped an other church so he that hath many Clearks shal be driuen to spare you one of them to be ordained by you Three things are euidēt by the purport of this speech first that some bishops had oftentimes but one Presbyter and he might be taken from them Next that a Bishop hauing no Presbyter left might make many when he would if he had fit men of his owne for the place Thirdly that if hee wanted meet men another Church should allow him according to his losse some to be ordained by him A Bishop then hauing no Presbyter left to ioyne with him might alone ordaine both such of his owne church as were meet and such as were sent him from other places Againe when any thing was done in ordering of Ministers against the Lawes or Canons not the Presbyters but onely the bishop was punished for imposing his hands and transgressing the discipline of the Church Nowe had the Presbyters bene Agents in ordaining as well as the bishop no reason to let them goe free that were parties to the contempt as well as the bishop but for that his handes did ordaine and authorize theirs did nothing but allow his fact which by dissenting they could not hinder therefore the Lawes and Canons as they did charge the Bishop and not the Presbyters to see those rules obserued that were required for the making of Ministers so they did chalenge the Bishop and no man else for violating the same with imposition of his handes if ought were otherwise then well And for that cause both Laws and Canons speake singularly to one not plurally to many when they represse disorders in creating Presbyters Deacons to shew there was one chiefe and principall Actor amongst them in those cases whose fact it was the rest only following witnessing his doings For the Clergie of the Paulianists when they returned to the Church if they were without fault and blamelesse the Councill of Nice thus decreed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them receiue imposition of hands from the Bishop of the Catholike Church The Councill of Antioch Euerie Bishop shall haue power in his Dioecese 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ordaine Presbyters and Deacons If any Bishop saieth the Councill of Chalcedon shall for money ordaine either Bishop Presbyter or Deacon or any other reckoned amongst the Clergie he shall being conuicted thereof endanger his owne degree And againe None neither Presbyter nor Deacon nor generally any within the Ecclesiasticall order must be ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is affixed to no certaine place If any be so made the sacred Councill hath decreed their ordination shall be voide but it shall not returne to the reproch or detriment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him that imposed handes If thou speake of Paulinianus saieth Ierome against the errors of Iohn of Ierusalem thou seest him subiect to his owne Bishop liuing in Cyprus and comming nowe and then to visite vs not as any of your but of another Bishops Clergie eius videlicet à quo ordinatus est euen his of whome hee was ordained Wee permit not any Clergie man of what degree soeuer saieth the Emperour dare aliquid ei à quo ordinatur to giue any reward to him of whome hee is ordained And so generally for the breach and neglect of any of the Emperiall Lawes prescribed for the ordering of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons the Presbyters were not punished which ioyned with the Bishop but qui ordinat or qui ordinationem imponit the bishop that ordained them was punished because it lay in him alone by with-holding or unposing his handes to frustrate or finish the whole action Wherefore I see
as the people that were under them Our answere is easie and readie to all that you haue brought first the Bishops of the Primitiue Church which succeeded one another in euery place were all one with Presbyters as Ierome telleth you and then we graunt without exception all that you haue alleaged out of these ancient Fathers and Writers Next â—hen they make any difference betwixt Bishops and Presbyters as sometimes they doe by Bishops they vnderstand all Pastours and Ministers of the worde and Sacraments and by Presbyters they meane the laie Elders which wee seeke to restore Thirdly if you could prooue that Bishops were aboue other Ministers of the worde and Sacraments yet that superioritie was nothing els but a power to call the rest together to propose matters in doubt vnto them and to aske their voyces and consents by which the Bishops of those times were directed and from which they might by no meanes diuert to their owne wils and pleasures I know how easie readie a thing it is with you to say what you list if you may be trusted without any further triall but if it please you substantiallie to prooue these things which you afffirme or but any one of them you shal find it is a matter of greater difficultie and longer studie then you take it for Did you pleade before the poorest Iurie that is for earthly trifles they would not credite your worde without some witnesse and in matters of religion that touch the peace safetie of the whole Church of Christ do you looke your voluntarie should bee receiued without all authoritie or testimonie to warrant it if your follie be such as to expect so much at other mens hands their simplicitie is not such as to yeeld it In deed to my conceiuing the summe of your answer is very like the form of your discipline for neither of theÌ„ hath any proofe possibilitie nor cohereÌ„cie Toprooue the Bishops calling to be different from the Presbyters that yet helped in the word and Sacraments I shew that Bishops ordained ministers which Presbyters by the iudgement and assertion of the Primitiue Church might not doe and that in euery Church there were or might be many Presbyters according to the necessitie of the place but no more then one Bishop in euerie Church did or might succeed the Apostles in their chaires Hence I conclude that Bishops euer since the Apostles times were distinguished from those Presbyters that assisted the Pastour of each place in the word and Sacraments You answere that either Bishops were all one with Presbyters or if there were any difference betwixt them Presbyters then were laie Elders In which words you close not onely a monstrous falsitie but a manifest contrarietie For in effect you say Presbyters were Bishops and no Bishops Presbyters were no Laie men and yet Laie men If Presbyters were Bishops they were no Laie Elders if they were Laie Elders they were no Bishops You must therefore choose the one and refuse the other as false and repugnant to the former Take which you will the choise must be yours what you will answere The Bishops which succeeded the Apostles were the Pastors and ministers of euery parish the Presbyters were the Laie Elders that together with the Bishop gouerned the Church in common Could you make any proofe for laie Elders either in Scriptures or Fathers you had some shew to mistake Presbyters for laie Elders but I haue alreadie perused the weakenesse of your ghesses and withall made iust and fullproofe for the contrarie that the Primitiue Church of Christ had no Presbyters but ministers of the worde and Sacramentes If you bee loth to turne backe to the place heare what the great Affrican Councill saieth wherein sate besides S. Augustine 216. Bishops In the former Councill saieth Aurelius We thought meete that these three degrees tied to a kind of continencie by reason of their consecration I meane Bishops Presbyters and Deacons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as becommeth Bishops Priests of God Leuites seruiters about the diuine SacrameÌ„ts shold be continent in all things All the Bishops answered we like wel that all which stand or serue at the aultar should bee continent Then Presbyters were consecrated and Priests to God and approched to the aultar and ministred the diuine Sacraments The Imperiall lawes say as much Touching the most reuerend Presbyters and Deacons if they be found to giue false euidence in a pecuniarie cause Sufficiat pro verberibus tribus annis separari à sacro ministeria it shall suffice for them in stead of whipping to be three yeeres separated from the sacred ministerie but if in criminall causes they beare false witnesse clero nudatoâ— legitimis poenis sub di praecipimus wee commaund them to bee degraded of their Clergie and subiected to the penalties of the lawe Then Presbyters in the Primitiue Church were both of the Clergie and sacred ministerie as the very lawes of the Romane Empire doe testifie Ierome on whose words you so much depend saieth Hac vt ostenderemus apud veteres eosdem fuisse Presbyteros quos Episcopos All these places prooue that in ancient times Presbyters and Bishops were all one And againe Episcopi Presbyteri Diaconi debent magnoperè prouidere vt cunctum populum cui praesident conuersatione sermone praecedant Quia vehementer ecclesiam Christi destruit meliores esse Laicos quà m Clericos The Bishops Presbyters and Deacons ought greatly to prouide that they excell all the people which are vnder them in conuersation and doctrine because it vehemently destroyeth the Church of Christ to haue the Laie men better then the Clergie men And Augustine Quicunque aut Episcopus aut Presbyter aut Laicus c. Whosoeuer either Bishop Presbyter or Laie man doth declare how eternall life may be gotten hee is worthily called the messenger of God Then if Bishops were no Laie men no more were Presbyters You must therefore send your laie Elders to the New-found land the Christian world neuer heard of any such ecclesiasticall Gouernours before some men in our age began to set that fansie on foote As for Presbyters that were Clergie men and ministers of the word we shew you both by the Scriptures and stories they were many in one Church and yet was there in euery Church and Citie but one of them that succeeded the Apostles as Pastour of y â— place with power to impose handes for the ordaining of Presbyters and Deacons Those successours to the Apostles the Church of Christ euen from the Apostles age hath distinguished from other Presbyters by the two proper markes of episcopall power and function I meane Succession Ordination and called them bishops Thus much is mainlie prooued vnto you by all those Apostolike Churches that had many Presbyters as helpers in the word and neuer but one Bishop that succeeded in the Apostolike chaire At Alexandria this succession began from Marke the Euangelist and
course if it be diuine how is it accidental if it be accidentall howe is it diuine And the electing of a President or Bishop if it be humane howe is it commanded if it be commanded how is it humane This is the way to call sweete sower and sower sweete to make light darknesse and darkenesse to be light I must see better coherence then I do before I call this a diuine Discipline You mistake vs. we say it is Gods ordinance for a Pastour to gouerne the Colledge of Lay Elders but for one chiefe to gouerne the Colledge of Pastours we holde is mans inuention Would God you did not mistake your selues Your Presbyteries must consist either of lay men aloue or of clergy men only or of both indifferently If of Lay Elders only who shall succeede the Pastour in the ruling thereof when his course is ended for example as you say when his weeke is out His Presidentship must be perpetual which by your rules is against Gods ordinaÌ„ce vnles you will haue the lay Elders in course to do pastoral duties rule pastor al which is more absurde and more against Gods Law then the former Wil you mixe your Presbyteries of both then yet by Gods law as your selues inforce it one Pastor must be chiefe of the rest of the Pastors and if by the Scriptures his superioritie must be perpetuall as after his election it must be what differeth this chiefe Pastour for his life from a bishop you would limit his gouernement to a weeke or a moneth but where doth Paul so shew vs that rule in Scripture or Father and set vp your Lay Presbyteries If not you walke in the wildernesses of your own fansies you would prescribe vs rules of your owne making in place of Gods ordinance which is dangerous to your selues and iniurious to others if it be not presumptuous against God Will you haue none chiefe Then breede you confusion and lay the Church open to be torne in peeces with euery dissention besides your selues auouch it is an essentiall and perpetuall point of Gods ordinance to haue one chiefe ouer the Presbyterie These be the brambles and briars of your discipline which force you to say and vnsay with a breath but we take your assertion as good against your selues and thence we frame you this argument It is an essential and perpetual part of Gods ordinance that one should be chiefe ouer the Presbyterie But the Presbyteries of eche Church and City where the Apostles preached consisted of Clergie men and Preachers I hope then it is Gods ordinance to haue one chiefe ouer the Preachers and Labourers in ech Church And if election be Gods commandement as you also confesse and consequently the Electee once lawfully placed must not be remoued without iust and apparant defects I trust the chiefe Gouernour of the Preachers and Presbyters of eche Church must continue whiles he liueth and ruleth well for as hee was chosen for his worthinesse so may he not be depriued till he proue vnworthy Now a chiefe Ruler or Pastour ouer the people and Presbyters of eche Citie elected by Gods commaundement to continue that charge so long as hee doeth his duetie commeth as neere to the bishops calling which we maintaine as your head to that which is aboue your shoulders If youthwart vs with Lay Elders we haue this faire Supersedeas for them First prooue them then place them where you will If you talke of going round by course it is the order of good fellowes at a feast it was neuer the order of gouerning in the Church of Christ. The Priestes of the olde Lawe were after a time eased of their paines but neuer changed their prerogatiues If you say they differ not in degree but in honour and dignitie from the rest I haue alreadie prooued that singularity in succeeding the Apostles and necessitie in ordaining distinguith them from Presbyters If you quarrell with their iurisdiction and dioceses the place now serueth to discusse those things forsomuch as wee finde their function was deliuered them by the Apostles and is restified in the Scriptures The shute Anker is if all this were so that the power of Bishops by Gods law should be nothing else but a right to call the Presbyters of eche place together and to aske their voices and performe what the most part decreâ—â— and this to extend no further then their owne Churches and Cities This I thinke be your meaning if you cannot tie them to your fansies to binde them fast to their chaires that they shall not wagge and if they must needes be highest in the Session yet to make them lowest in the action and to doe one lie what shall please others to determine But your pleasures vnlesse you were more indifferent are little regarded the Church of Christ more then foureteene hundred yeeres before you were borne hath considered of their power and charge the Councils both prouinciall and generall are extant to decide the doubt But if you will trie their right by the Scriptures I am wel content so you take to your Presbyteries no more then you can iustifie to be theirs and leaue vnto Bishops that interest which wee prooue by the word to belong to their calling CHAP. XIIII The fatherly power and Pastor all care of Bishops ouer Presbyters and others in their Churches and Dioeceses I Take it to be a matter out of question confirmed by the Scriptures and confessed by the olde and newe Writers that the Sonne of God willed S. Iohn the Apostle in his Reuelation to write to the seuen chiefe Pastours of the seuen Churches of Asia calling them by the name of Angels By the diuine voyce saith Austen the Ruler of the Church of Ephesus is praised vnder the name of an Angel Angels he calleth Bishops saith Ambrose as wee learne in the Reuelation of Iohn Angels hee calleth those that be Rulers of the Churches saith Ierom euen as Malachie the Prophet doth witnesse the Priest to be an Angell And Gregorie The Preachers in the Scriptures are sometimes called Angels as the Prophet saith the lippes of the Priest should keepe knowledge and they should aske the Law at his mouth for he is the Angel or Messenger of the Lord of hostes The new Writers with one consent acknowledge the same The Angels saieth Bullinger are the Embassadours of God euen the Pastours of the Churches The heauenly letter is directed to the Angel of the church of Smyrna that is to the Pastor Now the stories witnes that Angel Pastor of the church of Smyrna to haue bin Polycarp ordained Bishop there by the Apostles themselues I mean by S. Iohn He was made bishop of Smyrna 13. yeres before the Reuelation of Iohn was written Marlorat Iohn beginneth with the Church of Ephesus for the celebritie of the place and speaketh not to the people but to the Prince or chiefe of the Clergy euen the bishop Seb. Meyer To the Angell
hearing of such griefes then â—ate the Presbyters with the Bishop onely as beholders and aduisers of his iudgement that the matter being publike might be handled with the more grauitie and sinceritie not withstanding to examine it or reuerse it pertained only to the assemblie of the bishops of the same prouince If none but Bishops may ex communicate how do your Iudges of the ciuill Law which are no Ministers take vpon them to do it They take not vpon them the power of the keies committed to the Apostles and their successours but inâ—â—icâ—â— punishment for disobedience containing all those penalties that by lawe were ordained for such as contemned the keies of the Church by what name soeuer they call it be it a suspension condemnation or excommunication it greatlie skilleth not so long as they claime it not by Gods Law but by mans and yet if the sentence of the Canon wrappe all contempt within the band of excommunication I see no cause but lay Iudges may denounce the offendour to be within the compasse of the Canon for that is more then if they pronounced him wilfully obstinate and consequently to haue incurred the sentence of excommunication which the Canon decreeth And of all men you should not be so curious which giue your laie Presbyters power to consure their Pastour by number of voices and make excommunication to be the iudgement of the whole Church comprising as well the people as the Presbyters for our parts though we take the power of the keies to be common to al that haue Pastorall charge of soules in their degree yet to auoide the infinite showers of excommunication which would ouerslow all Churches and parishes and the intollerable quarrels and brabbles that would ensue if euerie Presbyter might excommunicate at his pleasure we praise the wisedome of Gods Church in suffering no inferiour to excommunicate without the Bishops consent and licence and for ought that I knowe we followe the same rule Surely had we two or three hundred excommunicatours where we haue one lightnings â—â—ie not so fast about in a tempest as excommunications would in euerie diocese To increase the power of Bishops you make them Pastours ouer Churches but when it commeth to the discharging of Pastorall care they be furthest off but grant them to be Pastours they can be but ouer those Churches that are in Cities ouer whole shires they cannot be since they can not be present in so many places to do any Pastoral dueties Had we first deuised or else diuided dioceses for bishops you might well haue chalenged vs for making them larger then Pastorall care might extend vnto but your quarel in deede is not to the length or breadth of their dioceses which must wholy bee referred to the wisedome and consideration of the State you dislike that a Bishop should haue any Diocese at all or gouerne any Church besides that one wherein he teacheth and administreth the Sacraments which nice conceit of yours not onely condemneth the whole primitiue Church of Christ that assigned Dioceses vnto bishops but contradicteth the verie grounds and examples of that gouernement which the Apostles left behind them Did the Apostles appoint Dioeceses for Bishops that were newes indeede No such newes but that your owne Principles wil confirme the same for what order say you did the Apostles leaue behind them to gouerne the Church Did they trust one Pastour or Presbyter alone in eche place to doe as hee thought good Or else did they prouide direction and assistance in dangerous and doubtful cases to guide him and helpe him in the gouernement of the church The power of one man in ech church to doe what he will be he Pastour or Presbyter your selues affirme is Antichristian and diuelish And I thinke you say trueth if he will haue neither associats to restraine him nor superiours to ouerlooke him That were to plant a Pope in euerie parish with plenitude of power to do what pleaseth himselfe What you detest in Bishops I hope you will not endure in the Presbyter or Pastour of euery parish church in the Countrey that hee shall take vpon him alone to guide his flocke as hee seeth cause without consent or ouersight of anie man You may be sure we abhorre it as the poyson of all pietie and the very roote of Antichristes pride Meanes to auoyde it I see none but that euery rurall Pastour must haue either a Presbytery in the place with him or the Bishop of an other church appointed ouer him that may both direct him and rule him as he doth the Presbyters of his owne citie If he haue no helpe at home he must needes seeke it abroad one of the twaine is ineuitable Nowe for Presbyteries there is no possibilitie to haue either so many meete Clergie men or so much maintenance as will serue them in euery country parish fit Pastours for so many places putting one to a Parish coulde neuer yet be founde Whence then shall wee get so many thousand able Presbyters as to furnish â—ch parish with three or foureâ— which are few enough and too few respecting the burden that they must be are in the sight of God and man Againe had we store of men which wee haue not nor no age before vs had from whome shall we haue maintenance for them and theirs From the people Halfe the realme of England employed to that vse will etten but serue The people nowe yeelde a tenth part vnto God and their Minister which proportion is so moderate that where the parishes are small the Pastour hath worke enough to liue thereon then must they consequently giue fiue parts of ten which is iust the halfe of allthey haue before there can be any shew of a Presbyterie in euerie parish I doe not aske you how wel the people that are God knoweth poore enough in many places with these nine parts which they haue will like to spare so much to the furthering of your fansies or howe a Christian Prince can bigest to haue all her subiects so disabled and halfe the realme allotted to support your conceits these blockes and a hundred such you neuer stumble at whiles you runne your selues out of breath to pursue the perfection and profit of your discipline but this I would know did the Apostles besides the reliefe of the poore which indeede is a diuine precept impose this charge on euerie parish by Gods commandement or did euer any Christian kingdome or common wealth since Christes ascension abide this yoke If they did shew the instance and claime your maintenance if you can shewe no such thing doe you not perceiue that your little fingers are heauier to Gods people then the Apostles loynes were and that your discipline is farre greeuouser to the faithfull then their doctrine The best is you may talke long enough before either Prince or people rich or poore will admit or endure this chargeable frame of your needlesse and proofelesse gouernement To amend these flawes which rend the
very body of your discipline in sunder for hardly can so many Pastours in euery parish be gotten as you must haue and more hardly maintained you are driuen to change the very substance of the Presbyteries that were in the Apostles times and insteede of Ministers of the word and sacraments who preaching the Gospell must liue of the Gospell to returne vs a quest of Lay Elders which you thought might be found in euerie place and woulde not be so costly as the former and to giue them power to impose handes to bind and loose sinnes in heauen and earth to censure doctrine and manners in all men euen in Pastours by depriuation excommunication or howsoeuer and rather then they should miscarry to make them Teachers and Watchmen Pastours and Bishops in the church of God contrarie to the whole church of Christ to all the ancient and learned Fathers and Councils and contrary no lesse to the Scriptures then to your owne positions But Masters you must either confound all and make no difference betwixt Pastour and people which nowe you are faire for or will you nill you you must exclude Lay Elders from these actions which bee proper to Pastours and so haue no Presbyteries but where meete men may be had and in Christian manner honoured and succoured for their paines And consequently countrie parishes which by no meanes can be prouided either of men or maintenance sufficient for such Presbyteries as the worde of God alloweth must haue their Pastours restrained by none and subiected to none but Pope-like if not Lucifer-like to be more then Princes or if that be not tolerable then must they be vnited and annexed to some citie that lieth neere them and be gouerned by the bishop and Presbyterie of that place euen as the churches in the citie are and so be part of his charge and diocefe How ancient Dioceses were in the church of God and howe generally receiued and approoued will soone appeare by the full consent of all antiquitie The Council of Antioch renued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Canon of their fathers anciently established that no Bishop shoulde vndertake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but those thinges onelie which pertained to his owne Church and the country towns belonging to the same Euery bishop hath full power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own Church and in al the Countrie round about which is vnder the iurisdiction of his citie to make Priests and Deacons and dispose euerie thing discreetely The generall Councill of Constantinople saieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops must not inuade the Churches that are without the bounds of their Dioecese vnlessethey be called they may not passe the limittes of their own Dioecese eyther for ordering of Ministers or for any other Ecclesiasticalbusines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obseruing the Canon that is alreadie established of euerie mans Dioecese The generall Councill of Ephesus hauing reporte made vnto them that the bishop of Antioch presumed to order in Cyprus without the compasse of his Diocese and Prouince repressed that his enterprise being as they terme it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An innouation against the Ecclesiastical lawes against the Canons of the holy Apostles and decreed the Bishops of Cyprus should hold their right vntouched vnuiolated according to the Canons of the holie Fathers and their ancient custome adding there withall that the selfe same rule should be obserued in other Dioeceses and Prouinces whatsoeuer that no Bishop shoulde inuade an others limites which were not anciently and from the beginning subiect to him or his predecessours The great Councill of Chalcedon determineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all rurall Churches and Countrie parishes shall remaine vnmooueable or without alteration to the Bishops that haue had them specially if they haue quietly possessed and gouerned them aboue thirtie yeeres for the enlarging of Dioceses vpon the returne of schismatikes and heretikes to the Church and parting them with the consent of the former Bishop where the circuite was too wide and troublesome or ioyning them where the people so desired he that will may reade the 57. 102. 103. 119. 120. 121. 122 Canons of the great Affricane Councill By which it is euident that the Bishop of euerie Citie besides his principall and Cathedrall Church had the villages and parishes of the Countrie round about that Citie belonging to his Diocese and iurisdiction and these partitions and distributions beganne euen from the Apostles and from the beginning as the Councill of Ephesus auoucheth and were confirmed and ratified by the foure great and Oecumenicall Councils and receiued and continued by all the godly Bishops and Fathers of the Primitiue Church Wherefore they be mightily deceiued that thinke cathedral churches and Episcopall Dioceses to be a part of Antichrists pompe and pride and his first inuention the wisedome of Gods spirit deuised setled that course even from the first enlarging of the church all the general and prouincial Councils liked allowed the same There is almost no Council that doth not mention confirme to euerie bishop his Diocese and inhibite all others to enter or intermeddle with any cause or person in an other mans circuite The Councill of Ancypra suffereth not the rurall Bishops to ordaine without the licence of the bishop of the Citie The Councill of Neocesaria prouideth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Presbyters of the same region shall not minister the Lords Supper when the Bishop of the Citie is present The Councill of Gangris accurseth all that assemble anie Congregation for Diuine seruice vnlesse a Presbyter licenced by the Bishop bee present with them The Councill of Laodicea forbiddeth anie Bishop to be made in Countrey townes and villages The Councill of Antioch callethit a Canon of their fathers that antientlie stoode in force euen as the Councill of Nice before them saide it was an ancient vse The Councill of Ephesus maketh it an Apostolike rule The Councill of Carthage kept by Constantines procurement inhibited Ne quis alienos fines vsurpet aut alterius plebes sine eius petitu quia inde caetera mala omnia generantur that no Bishop shouldvsurpe vpon an others borders or cures without his request because thence came all other mischiefe The Councill of Sardica like wise Illud prohibeat sanctitas vestra vt nulli Episcopo liceat alterius Episcopi Ciuitatis Ministrum ecclesiasticum solicitare in sua Dioecesi vel suis parochijs ordinare Let your Holinesse prohibite that no Bishop procure away any ecclesiasticall Minister of the Bishop of another Citie order him in his own Dioecese or parishes The third Councill of Carthage woulde haue no Bishop vsurpe ouer an othersflocks nor encroch on his Colleague within his Dioecese The fourth Councill of Carthage commaunded the Presbyters that guided Churches through the Dioeceses to fet Chrisme not from any Bishop but from their
own Bishop The Councill of Aurelia All the Churches that haue beene or are daily builded in sundrie places wee decree according to the rule of the former Canons that they shall be in the power of that Bishop in whose territorie they stand As the vse of Dioceses was antient so the reason that first occasioned them was ineuitable euen by the paterne of the Apostolike Discipline For when country townes and villages first beganne to receiue the faith howe were they furnished with fit Pastours and how were their Churches gouerned but by the Bishop and Presbyterie of some citie adioyning Lay Presbyteries the church of Christ neuer had any yea the Scriptures permit none to rule Pastourall actions other Presbyteries those places were neither able to haue nor to maintaine What nowe was left but onelie to submit and incorporate themselues to the Bishop of some Citie neere them by whome their Churches might be both guided and supplied when any neede required euen as the churches in cities were If to auoyde schisines rising euery where by the multitude of Teachers and Pastours Bishops were in the Apostles times placed throughout the worlde in all the cities that accepted the Gospell to guide and moderate the Presbyters that were many shall wee thinke this order was needefull onelie for cities and needelesse for Townes and Uillages Were not the Presbyters of so many parishes as one shire doeth yeelde as like to trouble the Region with Schismes and heresies as the Presbyters of the citie You lacke sense if you thinke that dissention and errour could not creepe as well into Uillages as into Cities or that the Apostles prouided one kinde of regiment for cities another for country parishes If all the churches in one citie which at Rome were aboue fourtie in Optatus time were gouerned by one bishop why might not the Uillages and Parishes conftning round about the Citie be gouerned after the same maner So that for Dioceses as well the necessitie as the antiquitie of them is euident It was not possible in the Primitiue church to haue Presbyters to succeede in the rounâ—es of such as died in countrie parishes but from the bishop in whose Diocese the churches were He supplied their wants out of his owne church and Presbyterie which serued to store the whole Diocese Otherwise within his circuite none other bishop coulde ordaine a Presbyter nor without his leaue might any Clergie man depart his church The Councill of Antioch A Bishop may not inuade an others Citie that is not subiect to him nor Countrie not pertaining to him to ordaine anie neither hee appoint Presbyters or Deacons in places that are vnder an other Bishop vnlesse it bee with the liking or consent of the Bishop of that Region or Countrie The Councill of Nice If any Presbyters or Deacons or other Clergie men not hauing the feare of God before their eyes nor knowing the Ecclesiastical Canon leaue their owne Church they must not by any meanes bee receiued in another Church And if any shall with-holde a Clergie man belonging to another and ordaine him in his owne Church the Bishop from whome hee departed not agreeing his ordering shall be vtterly voyde This was the generall and perpetuall discipline of Christs church in al the coasts and quarters of the worlde as may appeare to him that will take paines to view these places The Councill of Constantinople 1. ca. 2. and 3. of Chalcedon ca. 8. of Carthage the first ca. 5. the second ca. 11. the third ca. 20. and 21. the fourth ca. 27. of Orleance ca. 22. of Sardica ca. 18. 19. of Taurine ca. 6. of Aurenge ca. 8. of Venice ca. 10. of Tours ca. 9. 11. And so the Mileuitane Council ca. 15. Affricane ca. 21. Aurelian the third ca. 15. the Epaunine ca. 5. the Valentine ca. 6. and Aruernine ca. 9. and 10. If these rules were vniuersally and anciently obserued that no Presbyter might remoue from one church to another nor departe from the church where he was first called without the consent of his bishop neither might any other man impose hands on him or admit him and inuest him into any church without the liking and goodwil of the bishop in whose diocese the church stoode and of whose Clergie the partie was by no means could any country parishes in the primitiue church haue any Presbyters but from some city that not without the liking and assent of the Bishop which forced all country townes and villages to matriculate and incorporate themselues into the church of some city by whose bishop their Presbyters liuing were gouerned and dying were supplied euen as the churches in cities were The reason of their doings is as euident as their fact for if Bishops were placed by the Apostles handes to ordaine Presbyters and containe them in their dueties lest in so great a number emulation might breede confusion which all the Fathers were fully resolued was the Apostles deede they must needes bee of opinion the Apostles meant to haue Countrey Townes and Uillages guided and assisted the very same way that they left for Cities and the same men that gouerned the one all things considered were the fittest to be trusted with the other If you obiect that the bishops of the Cities could imploy no pastorall care but where they were present I answere that all the Councils and Fathers of the Primitiue Church were not so ignorant as not to vnderstand what Pastorall ouersight a bishop might yeelde to townes and Churches farre distant from him though hee were not present to dispence the word and Sacraments amongest them To see them alwayes stored with a sound and able Pastor that should watch ouer their soules to take care that they were rightly taught and soberly guided to keepe both Presbyters and people from schismes heresies and open impieties to direct in dangers and determine doubts without troubling the whole prouince to meete vpon euerie particular occasion and contention these be good parts of pastorall vigilancie and very needefull effects of episcopall regiment which may be performed as well in a Diocese as in a Citie In any mans haruest he that laboureth himselfe and ouerseeth the rest doth more good then any other In eche mans house the steward that well ordereth and guideth the familie is more profitable then any of his fellowes In Gods house and haruest shall the ouerlooking of others be counted either needelesse or fruitlesse Saint Paul himselfe knewe not these curious positions when hee appointed Tite to take the charge and ouersight of the whole Iland of Creete and saw no cause why one man might not performe many Pastorall and Episcopall dueties to all that were in the same Countrie with him But what seeke I more examples when we haue the paterne from the Primitiue Church that first allotted Dioceses to bishops and the liking and approbation of all prouinciall and generall Councils that ratified and confirmed as wel the partition as distinction of territories and
punishments of his sinnes who art the occasion of them for remitting the former offences out of time thou shalt answere for those that are after committed as being the cause of them and likewise for those that are past as not letting him alone to lament and repent them And Ambrose Paul chargeth Timothie before God the father and Christ his sonne and the elect Angels Vnder this charge he commandeth those things to be kept which pertaine to ordination in the Church least easilie any man should get an ecclesiasticall dignitie but in quisition be first had of his life and maners that a meete and approoued Minister or Priest may be appointed neither any to be ordained whose faults deserue suspicion least the ordainer be defiled with his sinnes and offences for hee sinneth which ordaineth and trieth not Occumenius Where Paul saieth to Timothie I prayed thee to staie at Ephesus addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there had Paul ordained him a Bishop Let no man despise thy youth for a Bishop must speake with authoritie Hee giueth precepts not to Timothie alone but to euery Bishop And vpon these words Lay hands bastilie on no man Paul treateth of ordinations for he wrate to a Bishop And so writing on the epistle to Tite he saieth Paul left Tite to make Bishops in euery Citie hauing first made him a Bishop Primasius likewise Timothie was a Bishop and Pauls disciple to him by writing hee giueth authoritie to correct all ecclesiasticall discipline and to ordaine Bishops and Deacons And againe Be not partaker of an other mans sinnes Paul saieth It is a communion with another mans sinnes when one is ordained and not examined As therefore in ordaining euill men he is partaker of their sinnes which ordaineth such so in the ordaining of the holy he is partaker of their righteousnes which did make choise of so good men The perill of ordaining Bishops and Presbyters by Pauls owne confession lieth ineuitablie on such as impose hands and therefore by Gods lawe they must haue power to examine who bee fit and libertie to refuse those that be vnfit For as without them there can bee none ordained so if rashly or corruptly they lay hands on any they be partakers of their sinnes Further with elections of the Scriptures doe not meddle saue that Timothie as the Fathers affirme by occasion of Pauls words was chosen Bishop by prophesie that is by the direction and appointment of the holy Ghost and not by voyces Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the commaundement or appointment of the spirite were Bishops at first made and not at randon So Theodorete Thou vndertookest this order by diuine reuelation Chrysostome Paul to stirre vp Timothie putteth him in minde who choose him and who ordained him as if he had sayd Thou wast chosen of God hee himselfe put thee in trust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou wast not made by mens voices And Theophilact Anciently by the oracles appointment of the Prophets that is by the holy Ghost Priests were straight way ordained So was Timothie chosen to be a Priest Ambrose saieth Timothie was predestinated when he was taken by the Apostle to this end that he should bee ordained as iudged woorthie to be a Bishop This kinde of election I take was vsuall in the Apostles times the spirite of God directing them on whom they should lay their hands other election of Pastours and Teachers I read none specified in the sacred writings Popular election of Bishops I find afterward practised in the Primitiue Church but not mentioned in the Scriptures and therefore well may the peoples interest stand vpon the grounds of reason and nature and bee deriued from the rules of Christian equitie and societie but Gods lawe doeth not meddle with anie such matter nor determine more then I haue tolde you which is that such Bishops as ordaine them shall answere for them with the perill of their owne soules if they doe not carefullie looke into the abilitie and integritie of all that they authorize with imposition of handes to guide or teach the flocke of Christ. When I say the people can not chalenge by Gods lawe the right to choose their Bishop I meane no such thing is expressed and commaunded in the Scriptures excluding thereby the false conceites of some fanaticall spirites in our dayes which affirme our Bishops and Teachers to bee no true Pastours because they are not chosen by the particular voyces and personall Suffrages of the people and by consequent our Sacraments to bee no Sacramentes and Church no Church and so this whole Realme to bee drowned in confusion without assurance of saluation whose madnesse is rather to bee chastised by the Magistrate then to be refused by doctrine the authors being voyde not onely of learning which they despise but of reason to weigh what is sayde against them Otherwise I acknowledge each Church and people that haue not by lawe custome or consent restrained themselues stand free by Gods lawe to admit maintaine and obey no man as their Pastour without their liking and so the peoples election by themselues or their rulers dependeth on the very first principles of humane fellowships assemblees for which cause though bishops by Gods law haue power to examine ordaine before any may be placed to take charge of soules yet haue they no power to impose a Pastour on any Church against their wils nor to force them to yeelde him obedience or maintenaunce without their liking How farre authoritie custome and consent may preiudice and ouer-rule this libertie which Gods lawe leaueth vndiminished shall anone be handed when once we see what order the Primitiue Church obserued in her elections of Bishops and Presbyters The Churches of Christ had aunciently two wayes to bee prouided of Bishops and Presbyters the one Election the other Postulation When the Bishop of any Citie died whose Church had store of Clergie men to succeede the Bishops of the same Prouince that were neerest to the place by conference amongst themselues appointed a day to resort thither and aduertised both people and Presbyters thereof At which time the Clergie and Laitie assembling in the Church so many Bishops as conuenientlie might but vnder three they could doe nothing came thither and there heard both whom the Clergie named and whom the Citie liked If all or the most of euery sort agreed the partie was pronounced chosen another day prefixed to ordaine him the Bishops proposing his name and the time on the Church doores and requiring euerie man that could or would obiect any thing against him to bee then and there readie with his proofes and witnesses At their next repaire the Bishops that came to giue imposition of handes heard aduisedly what each man could charge him with and if in their consciences the elect prooued to bee such as the Apostle prescribed they ordained him in the eies of all men Pastour of that
Saint Paul are cleare to that purpose Laie handes hastilie on no man neither communicate with another mans sinnes Next the whole church was to ioyne in the naming and liking of their Pastour before hee was accounted to be chosen The nomination as some say belonged to the Clergie the rest had the approbation so that neither could the Clergie preuaile without the peoples nor the peoples desires take place without the consent of the Clergie Leo distinguisheth the Clergie from the people in that the Clergie did elect and subscribe that is deliuer their election in writing the people he deuideth into three degrees and euery one of theÌ„ had an interest in the liking and accepting of their Bishop Expectarentur vota Ciuium testimonia populorum quaereretur honoratorum arbitrium electio Clericorum quae in sacerdotuÌ„ solent ordinationibus ab ijs qui norunt patrum regulas custodiri The desires of the Citizens should be expected the testimonie of the people the iudgement of the honorable should be had the election of the Clergie which things vse to be kept in ordering of Priests or Bishops of all that know the rules of our fathers and againe Teneatur subscriptio Clericorum honoratorum testimonium ordints confensus plebis qui praefuturâ—â— est omnibus ab omnibus eligatur Let the subscriptiâ— of the Clergie be continued the testimome of the honourable the consent of the order and people He that shall ouersee all let him be chosen of all The wisedome of Gods Church in taking the consent of the people in the election of their Bishops I cannot but commend I finde to great and good effects of it in the Church stories For thence it came copasse that the people when their desires were accomplished did QVIETLIE RECEIVE WILLINGLTE MAINTAINâ— DILIGENTLIE HEARE and HARTILIE LOVE their Pastours yea venter their whole estates and hazard their liues rather then their Pastours should miscarie as may bee seene by the zeale of the people of Alexandria for Athanasius and Peter of Cesarea for Basile of Constantinople for Paul arm Chrysostome and of sundrie other places for their Bishops And could the people as well haue tempered their griefe when their affections were ouer-ruled as they shewed their loue when their expectation was satisfied their interest in electing their Bishop had vene better regarded and longer continued but expetienee of their factions schismes tumults vprores murders and what not if they might not haue their wils caused both ancient Fathers and Councils to mislike that the people bare so great a swaie in these elections and forced Christian Princes if not wholie to exclude them yet greatly to abridge them Nazianzene reporting the choise of Eusebius to the Bishoprike of Cesarea saieth The Citie of Caesarea was in a tumult about the choise of their Bishop and the sedition was sharpe and hardly to be appeased And as the people distracted in manie mindes proposed some one some another as is often seene in such cases at length the whole people agreeing on one of good calling amongst them commended for his life but not yet baptized they tooke him against his will and with the helpe of a band of souldiours that was then come to the Citie they placed him in y â— Bishops chaire offered him to the rest of the Bishops present mixing threats with persuasioÌ„s they required to haue him ordered pronounced for their bishop Thus was Euseb. chosen or rather forced intruded against al the canons yea against his own liking by the heat intemperaÌ„ce of the people In electing Basil the next that succeeded Eusebius they againe fell to another vproare stood as stiffe against Basil being a most worthy man as they were heady for Eusebius til they were calmed by the wisdom and trauel of Nazianzens fathers Againe saith Nazianz. after the death of Euseb. the same City grew tumultuous for the same cause the sedition the feruenter it waxed the absurder it proued The like we reade and worse of other cities There kindled a grienous seditio at Antioch saith Eusebius about the deposing of Eusta thus after wheÌ„ an other was to be chosen the flame therofso increased that it was like to subuert the whole city the people being diuided into two parts The Magistrates of the city supported the sides bands of souldiers were mustered as against an enemy and the matter had bin tried by the sworde if God and the feare of the Emperour writing vnto them had not somewhat assuaged the rage of the multitude eight whole yeeres the place was without a Bishop When Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria was deposed by the great Councill of Chaltedon and Proterius set in his place by the common decree of the Synode a mighty intolerable seditioÌ„ grew amoÌ„gst the people for it some affecting Dioscorus some cleauing to Proterius the people opposed theÌ„selues against the Magistrats when with a strong hand they thoght to represse the vproare the multitude with stones beat the souldiers into a Church and besieged them and destroyed a number of them aliue with fire And taking their aduauntage vpon the death of Martian the Emperour they erected an other Bishop and brought him to the Church on Easter day and slue Prorerius and sixe others with him in the Temple without anie regarde of the place or the day and drewe his bodie wounded and mangled along all the quarters of the Citie beating and hewing his dead carkasse in most miserable wise and burning as much as was lefte they scattered his ashes into the wynde exceeding the fiercenesse of anie wilde beastes The people of Rome played their partes in the election of the in Bishops no lesse then others did as their owne stories witnesse for example at the choice of Damasus the sedition was so great yea the warre so fierce the people maintaining on either side their Bishop elect that the places of prayer were fiâ—led with mans blood Ammianus saith the conflict was so sharpe that the regent of the citie not able to redresse it nor appease it was faine to forsake the place and in the church where the Christians assembled in one day there were slaine an hundred thirty seuen and the rage of the people scant ceased a long time after Euerie where sedicions increased so fast that hardlie coulde a bishop be quietly chosen which made Austen in his life time contrarie to the Canons to elect his successor I know saith he vpon the deaths of Bishops the Churches are vsually turmoiled by ambitious contentious persons which I haue often seene sorrowed Nazianzen seeing their disorder in the choice of Basil censured popular elections in these words It was not obscure who did excell the rest no more then the Sunne compared with the Starres but very euident to all others and specially to the most selected and purest part of the people I meane the
as if the whole Church ought not to be acquainted with sacred elections and to allowe them but for that a meane therein is to be obserued the prerogatiue being yeelded to assembly of Pastours and the second place to the liking of the godly magistrate and lastly the people to be certified openly of the whole matter and leane giuen theÌ„ if they haue any reason of dissenting to propose their causes orderly Which course being hitherto religiously and wisely obserued in this City when one Morellius a fanaticall spirite in fauor of the people presumed to reprehend his writing was worthily condemned both in this church and in many Synodes of France The choise of the seuen in the Acts maketh no perpetual nor essential rule for elections in the Church of God The Council of Laodicea did wel and wisely prohibite the people to haue the choise of such as should be called to the sacred ministery The Pastors elect the magistrates consent open report there of is made to the people and if they haue any iust cause to alleage against the parties chosen they must propose and prooue their exceptions and when Morellius woulde haue challenged more interest then this for the people in the election of their Pastours his opinion was condemned both by the censure of Geneua and by the Synodes of France All this is confessed by Master Bezaes owne testimonie Wee differ you thinke in some pointes from the manner of Geneua wee haue great reason so to doe They liue in a popular state we in a kingdome The people there heare the chiefest rule here the Prince and yet there the people are excluded from electing their Pastors If the multitude haue any cause to dislike their allegation is heard and examined by the Pastours and Magistrates but they haue no free power to frustrate the whole by dissenting much lesse to elect whome they like Nowe that our state hath farre better cause to exclude the multitude from electing their Bishops then theirs hath is soone perceiued The people there maintaine their Pastours our Bishops are not chargeable to the Commons but endowed by the liberalitie of Princes without any cost to the multitude Their Pastours are chosen out of the same Citie and their behauiour knowen to al the Inhabitants our Bishops are taken from other places of gouernement and not so much as by name knowen to the people which they shall guide With vs therefore there is no cause why the people should be parties or priuie to the choosing of their Bishops since they be neither troubled with the maintaining of them nor haue any triall or can giue anie testimonic of their liues and conuersations which were the greatest reasons that inclined the Fathers of the Primitiue Church to yeelde so much vnto the people in the choyce of their Bishops And lastly if Princes were not heades of their people and by Gods and mans law trusted with the direction and moderation of all externall and publike gouernement as well in Religion as in policie afore and aboue al others which are two most sufficient reasons to enforce that they ought to be trusted with elections if they please to vndertake that charge whereof they must yeelde an account to God yet the people of this realine at the making of the Law most apparantly submitted and transferred al their right and interest to the Princes Iudgement and wisedome which lawefully they might and wisely they did rather then to endanger the whole common wealth with such tumulets and vproates as the Primitiue Church tasted of and lay the gappe open againe to the factions and corruptions of the vnsettled and vnbrideled multitude Thinke you all corruptions are cut off by reseruing elections of Bishops to Princes Faceions tumultes I hope you will grant are by that means abolished and vtterly extinguished As for briâ—erie howsoeuer ambitious heads and couetous hands may lincke together vnder colour of commendation to deceiue and abuse Princes â—ares yet reason and duetie bindeth mee and all others to thinke and say that Princes persons are of all others farthest from taking money for any such respects The words of Guntchrannus Chlotharius sonne king of France more then a thousand yeeres agoe make me so to suppose of all Christian and godlie Princes who wheÌ„ Remigius bishop of Bourges was dead and many gifts were offred him by some that sought the place gaue them this answere It is not our princely maner to sel Bishopriks for mony neither is it your part to get them with rewardes lest wee bee infamed for filthie gaine and you compared to Simon Magus In meaner persons more iustly may corruption be feared then in Princes who of all others haue least neede and so least cause to set Churches to sale Their abundance their magnificence their conscience are sureties for the freedome of their choice And therfore I see no reason to distrust their elections as likelier to be more corrupt then the peoples It is farre easier for ambition to preuaile with the people then with the Prince And as for the meetnesse of men in learning and life to supplie such places Princes haue both larger scope to choose and better meanes to knowe who are fit then their people for since Bishops are not and for the most part cannot be chosen out of the fame Church or Citie what course can the people take to be assured of their abilitie or integritie whom they neither liue with nor whose doctrine or maners they are any whit acquainted with This difference betwixt our times and the former ages of the Primitiue Church whiles some marke not they crie importunely for the peoples presence and testimonie in the choice of Pastors neuer remembring the people before there were any Christian Magistrates must needes haue greater interest in the election of their Pastours then afterward they could haue and when godlie Princes beganne to intermeddle with Ecclesiasticall matters the peoples testimonie was still required because the parties chosen conuersed alwaies with them euen in their eies and eares whereby they coulde witnesse the behauiour of the electees to be sincere and blamelesse which in our dayes is cleane otherwise by reason the Uniuersities and other places of the Realme traine vp men meete for Episeopall charge and calling and not the same Churches and Cities where they shall gouerue Requiritur in ordinando Sacerdote etiam popâ—li praeseâ—tia vâ—sciant omnes certisint quod qui praestantior est â—â— omni populo qui doctior qui sanctior qui omni virtute emâ—entioâ— ille eligitur ad sacerdotium hoc attestante populo The peoples presence saith Ierome is required in ordaining a Priest or Bishop that all may knowe and bee sure that out of the whole people the better the holier the learneder the higher in al vertue euen he is chosen to the Priesthoode the people witnessing as much for that is it which the Apostle commandeth in the ordaining of a Priest saying hee must
43 44 65 73 87 88 92 vse the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the primate of euery Prouince Now if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in composition note the first and chiefe as well in order and dignitie as in time and Imperie I see no reason to refuse the name of Archbishop more then of Primate which worde the Africane Councill so often vseth If you denie that the compounds of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie an order amongst fellowes as well as a power ouer subiects to omit prophane Writers by which wee might prooue it Cicero saying Qui Archipirata dicitur nisi aequabiliter praedam dispertiat aut occidetur à socijs aut relinquetur he that is called Archpirate except he diuide the prize equally he shall be slaine or forsaken not of his men but of his fellowes What thinke you of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Archangel doth it import order and dignitie amongst the Angels or power and imperie ouer them if matters in heauen be too high for vs what say you to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarch were Abraham Isaac and Iacob in that they were Patriarchs Rulers and Lords ouer the Churchor chiefe fathers in the Church The twelue Patriarchs that were begotten of Iacob wil you call them the rulers of their Fathers or chiefe fathers of the twelue tribes Dauid shall he be a Patriarch in respect of his kingdome and imperie or of his Propheticall graces and dignitie This signification no doubt the learned Fathers did follow when they suffered and vsed in the Church of God the names of Archbishop Archimandrite Archdeacon not that they made them Lords Princes ouer Bishops Monks and Deacons but rather chiefe amongst thē But did the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwaies import power and authoritie which you shall neuer prooue must that power be straitwaies so princely and peremptorie that it may not stand with a bishops calling Is there no power nor gouernement annexed to a Bishops office Christ saith they be set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ouer his familie Saint Paul calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gouernours in the Lord. That is you will say in respect of their flocke not of their fellow Pastours The Councill of Nice alloweth the Metropolitane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power and authoritie ouer his Prouince The Councill of Sardica where were 300. bishops assembled long before the Africane Councill giueth him the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ruler of the Prouince and addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we meane thereby the Bishop of the Mother Citie or Metropolitane Socrates saith the first council of Constantinople 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appointed Patriarkes and calleth the charge which they receiued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Patriarkdom Ignatius Nazianzen and Chrysost. who I think knew the force of their own tongue better then anie māliuing in our age be their skil neuer so great spare not to giue y ◠name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe Priest vnto bishops Nazianz. speaking to the foresaid Council of Constātinople about the choice of another in his place as Theodor. reporteth his words said seeking out a mā prais-worthy wise that is able to vndertake wel guide the number of cares heere occurrent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make him Archbish. of this place And touching Maximus Theodoret saith the same Council depriued him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Archiepiscopall dignitie Where you say that before the Councill of Chalcedon which was about the yeere of Christ 455. you neuer found any subscription in Synode of any man named Archbishop eyther mine cies be not matches or you are greatly deceiued for I find not onely that subscription in the generall Council of Ephesus before the Council of Chalcedon but the maine Council in their letters giue that title to the bishops of Rome Alexandria and Ephesus In the first session of the Councill it is saide The Synode assembling in the mother Citie of Ephesus by the decree of the most religious and Christian kings the Bishops sitting in the most sacred Church called by the name of Marie first Cyril of Alexandria supplying the place of Celestinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mostsacred and most holie Archbishop of the Church of Rome If you take this to be the Notaries fault reade the Mandate which the whole Councill gaue their Legates when they sent them to Constantinople to the Emperours Theodosius and Valentinian for the enlarging of Cyrill and Memnon and likewise their petition to the two princes for the same matter We pern it you say they to their Legates to promise our communion to the Bishops of the East if they will labour with you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that our most sacred Archbishop Cyril and Memnon may be restored vnto vs. In their relation to the Emperours they giue the like title to Celestinus This holie and oecumenicall Councill say they with which sitteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most sacred Archbishop of your great Citie of Rome Celestinus And though the Prouinciall Councill of Affrica willed the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be refrained in their meetings yet this generall Councill of Ephesus vsually calleth Cyrill and Memnon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe Leaders and Rulers of the holie Councill Of the Chalcedon Councill you did well to make no doubt the name of Archbishop is so often vsed in the first second third fourth fift eight tenth foureteenth and sixteenth actions not only in the subscriptiōs but euen in the deliberations decrees of that Council that with good consciēce it might not be dissembled Now if you suppose these three generall Councils of Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon and all the Greeke Diuines and Fathers there assembled were so voyde first of learning that they knew not the force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in composition then of religion that they would robbe Christ of his proper titles to increase the pride of men against the trueth of the Scriptures I must confesse I vtterly dissent from you the speach is so hard that I cannot digest it if you yeeld them but reasonable skill in their owne tongue and moderate vnderstanding in the principles of faith I haue my desire for then not onely the function and office of Metropolitanes and Primates is as ancient and necessarie in the Church of God as the hauing and guiding of prouincial Synodes and confirmed vnto them as lawfull by the foure first generall Councils but their very names places were allowed and allotted vnto them by the full consent of the Christian world euen from the beginning and neuer since denied or doubted till this present age wherein wee liue Contention and ambition of Bishops Primates did much afflict the Primitiue Church and hinder and disturbe the best Councils the very Nicene
of his labour they that beget vs nourish vs and continue vs in Christ deserue farre greater honour then they that bring vs into this worlde and prouide onelie for the things of this life Agayne the Church is the bodie of Christ and in that respect as in our bodies so in his not onelie the members haue a common care for the whole but the principall partes must direct and guide the rest namelie the eyes to see the eares to heare and the mouth to speake for the whole body Such therefore as Christ hath placed to be the watchmen leaders the light and salt of his Church must not onely warne and guide but also lighten and season in their measure the whole body for what commission they haue from Christ seuered single in their proper charges the same they must needs retaine assembled and ioined throughout their circuites Yea the Lord so much tendereth the fatherly care and brotherlie concord of the Pastors of his Church that he hath promised to be present in the midst of their assemblies and with his spirite to direct them so they come together not to accomplish their owne lusts and desires but to sanctifie his name by detecting errour resisting wolues maintaining trueth curing the sores and maladies that pester and poison the members of his body Celestinus writing to the generall Council of Ephesus saieth The assemblie of Priestes testifieth the presence of the holie Ghost It is true that is written since the trueth cannot lie and in the Gospel are these wordes Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them This being so if so small a number be not destitute of the holie spirite shall wee not much more beleeue that he is nowe in the midst of you where so great a multitude of holy men are assembled The Councill of Chalcedon applieth the same wordes to the same purpose We sawe say they as we thought the heauenly spouse conuersant amongst vs. For if where two or three are assembled in his name he hath promised hee will bee in the midst of them what peculiar regard thinke we hath he shewed toward those Priestes which haue preferred the knowledge of his confession before Countrey and children So Reccaredus king of Spaine that first abiured the Arrian heresio 589. yeeres after Christ wrate to the Councill of Toledo I perceiued it to be very necessarie that your blessednesse should assemble together in one place giuing trust to the Lordes words when he saieth where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of thē for I beleeue the Godhead of the holy and blessed Trinitie to be present in the sacred Synode and therefore I haue presented my faith in the midst of you as in the presence of God This course the Apostles taught the Church of Christ to follow by their example when about the question that troubled the Church of Antioch the Apostles and Elders came together to examine the matter and to verifie their masters words to be true not onely the Apostles but the whole assemblie wrate thus in their letters It seemed good to the holy Ghost to vs. for if it be sure which the Apostle said the holy Ghost made you ouerseers to feede the Church And if our Sauiour could not be deceiued when hee said he that heareth you heareth me c. this must be verified as well of Pastors assembled as singled yea Pastors gathered together in Christes name are rather assured of his direction and assistance then when they bee seuered vnlesse there bee any that thinketh God inspireth one particular person with righteousnesse and forsaketh a number of Priests assembled in Synode which the Council of Africa reputeth to be very absurd and repugnant to Christes promise so long as they meete together in his name and not to deface his trueth nor oppresse their brethren This hath in all Ages as well before as since the great Councill of Nice bene approoued and practised as the lawfullest and surest meanes to discerne trueth from falshoode to decide doubtes end strifes and redresse wrongs in causes ecclesiastical yea when there were no beleeuing magistrates to assist the Church this was the onely way to cleanse the house of God as much as might be from the lothsome vessels of dishonour and after Christian Princes began to professe and protect the trueth they neuer had nor can haue any better or safer direction amongst men then by the Synodes of wise and godly Pastours A Synode at Antioch about three score yeeres before the Councill of Nice condemned and deposed Paulus Samosatonus for heresie and when he would not yeeld the Church but kept it by violence vpon complaint made to Aurelianus the Emperour though he were an Ethnike Samosatenus was with extreme shame driuen from the church by the worldlie Prince Three score and ten yeeres before that many Synodes were assembled in diuers places for the keeping of Easter as in Palestine vnder Theophilus and Narcissus in Rome vnder Victor in Pontus vnder Palinas in Fraunce vnder Irenaeus in Asia vnder Polycrates The like wee finde in the dayes of Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria of Cornelius Bishop of Rome of Cyprian Bishop of Carthage and the like no doubt was obserued in all Ages of the Church euen from the beginning as necessitie forced and the safetie of the time permitted The great Nicene Councill perceiued and by their decree witnessed how needfull the vse of Synodes was and would bee in the Church of Christ. It seemeth vnto vs very requisite say they that in euerie Prouince twice euery yeere there should be a Synode that all the Bishops of the Prouince meeting together may in common examine such questions as are occurrent in euerie place The Councill of Antioche continued the same course for ecclesiasticall businesses and the determining of matters in controuersie we thinke it very fit that in euery Prouince Synodes of Bishops should bee assembled twise euerie yeere So did the generall Councill of Constantinople It is euident that the Synode in euerie Prouince must gouerne the causes of euery Prouince according as it was decreed in the Councill of Nice The great Councill of Chalcedon reprooued the slacknesse of Bishops in omitting the prescribed number of Synodes It is come to our eares that in some Prouinces the Synodes of Bishops are not kept which are appointed by the Canons and thereby many ecclesiasticall matters which need reformation are neglected This sacred Councill therefore determineth according to the Canons of our godly Fathers that the Bishops of euery Prouince shall twise euery yeere assemble together at the place where the Bishop of the Mother Citie that is the Metropolitane shall appoint to amend all matters emergent within their Prouince The tedious length of the iourney and pouertie of the Churches in some