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
assisted his father 500. yeeres taught his children which were then the Church to call on the name of the Lord and continued that charge 112. yeeres after his fathers death Enosh did the like to Seth and all the heires of the promise before the flood to their fathers God alwayes stirring vp the spirits of some excellent men to preach in his Church whiles their fathers yet liued and guided the number of the faithfull So Enoch pleased God and prophecied in his Church 300. yeeres first vnder Adam and after vnder Seth in whose time he was translated So Noah preached righteousnesse and repentance to the olde world beginning vnder Enoch the sonne of Seth and holding on six descents vntil the flood came the very same yeere that his grandfather Methusalem died After whose death and the drowning of the world Noah gouerned the Church 350. yeeres and left the regiment thereof as also the inheritance of the blessing and promise to Sem his eldest sonne that was saued with him in the Arke from the waters and blessed by him Sem succeeding his father in the couenant of peace confirmation of the promise and dignitie of the first borne gouerned the Church 350. yeeres vnder his father and 152. yeeres after him cuen till Abraham was dead Isaac dinune and Iacob 50. yeeres olde and might well for his age birthright and blessing be that Melchizedec king of Salem in Canaan that met Abraham returning from the slaughter of his enemies and blessed him that had the promises for he must be greater then Abraham that blessed Abraham as the Apostle inferreth and greater then Abraham could none be but one that had the same promises which Abraham had and that before him Nowe Noah was dead 13. yeeres before Abraham entred Canaan and Sem ten ascents before Abraham inherited the same blessing and promise that Abraham did During whose life and he ouer liued Abraham none of his of spring could haue the honour of the kingdome and priesthood from him much lesse could any stranger excell him or come neere him in the dignitie of his priesthood For first in his house was the Church God vouchsafing to bee called the God of Sem as he was after the God of Abraham and so blessing his Tents with righteousnesse of faith and heauenlie peace that Noah foreseeing it in spirite besought God to perswade and incline Iapheth his yonger sonne to dwell in the Tents of Sem. Next in his seed was the promised blessing the true cause of Abrahams greatnesse and that 360. yeeres before it was in Abraham and from him God lineally deriued it vnto Abraham by that blessing as from the father both of Christ and of Abraham Thirdly in his person was the prerogatiue of the first borne to bee chiefe ouer his brethren as well in religion as in ciuill regiment and consequently to be king and priest in the house of God Fourthlie by the length of his life he wel resembled the true Melchizedec who by his birthright is king and priest for euer ouer the sonnes of God for he came out of the Arke as from an other world no man liuing that knew his beginning he dured more then 500. yeeres euen twelue descents after the flood and so neither the beginning nor end of his dayes were knowen to the heires of promise Lastly successour on earth he left none by reason Abraham whom God called from his countrie kinred and fathers house to inherite the promise and blessing next after Sem and likewise Isaac and Iacob heires of the same promise with him soiourned as strangers and peregrines first in the land of Canaan where Sem yet liued and by force of his birthright and blessing continued a king and priest in his fathers house and citie which was then the Church of God and after in the land of Egypt vntill the departure of Iacobs posteritie thence amongst whose sonnes God diuided the honours and dignities of Sem appointing the scepter and seed to Iudah the priesthood to Leui the birthright to Ioseph and neuer conioyned them after in any but in Christ Iesus the onely priest that euer succeeded according to the order of Melchizedec which farre excelled the order of Aaron that had the kingdome and birthright seuered from it Whosoeuer Melchizedec was this was the gouernement of the Church so long as Sem liued which appeared in the person of Melchizedec to wit the father was ruler ouer his children and the first borne ouer his brethren as well in pietie as in policie and this priuiledge of the eldest brethren to be kings and Priests in their fathers house represented the choice that God made of his Saints in Christ his sonne to be a royall Priesthood to offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable vnto himselfe by Iesus Christ. From Iacob to Moses as the number of Gods children increased so the roiall priesthood vtterly ceased and the gouernement of the Church was much obscured by the perpetuall pilgrimage of Iacob and bondage of his ofspring till God by Moses wrought their deliuerance the Church in the meane time being guided first by Iacob then by Ioseph after by the heads and fathers of the twelue Tribes Iudah being alwayes the chiefest both in Egypt and Canaan and his fathers sonnes bowing vnto him according to the tenor of Iacobs blessing And so from Adam to Moses we finde a continuall superioritie of the father ouer his children and the first borne aboue his brethren approoued and established by God himselfe in the regiment of his Church and not any precept or precedent for equalitie CHAP. II. The Leuiticall and Nationall regiment of the Church vnder the Lawe WHen it pleased the goodnesse of God to extend the true knowledge of himselfe to the whole seed of Iacob to bring a people out of Egypt to be his peculiar he seuered from the rest the Tribe of Leui to attend the Arke and offerings which he commanded to teach their brethren the iudgements and statutes of their God For the Church being enlarged and spred ouer the whole nation the domesticall discipline that was before the lawe could not so well fit the gouernment of a people as of an household and therefore out of twelue Tribes God chose one to retaine the priesthood and haue the ouersight of all holy things and execution of all sacred seruice In which Tribe according to the number and order of the first fathers and families descended from Leui the sonne of Iacob God did proportion and establish diuers superiorities and dignities as well in answering the sentence of the lawe to the people as in seruing him at his altar and those not onely of Priests aboue Leuites but of priests aboue priests and of Leuites among themselues The first distinction was of Priests aboue Leuites that is of Aaron his sonnes aboue the rest of y ◠same Tribe who were restrained frō touching or seeing the holy things cōmitted to the
Presbyteries Let them reade if they bring better I am willing to learne but I like no selfe-set assertions as if all the worlde were bound to the very breath of our mouthes or dash of our pennes without any other Text or interpreter If I haue saide ought that is not allowed by the word or not witnessed by the continuall and vniuersall practise of Christes Church I desire not to be beleeued I looke for the like measure if any man replie not to heare the coniecturall and opinatiue ghesses of some that liued in our age but such effectuall reasons and substantiall authorities as may presse the gaine-sayer and settle the consenter God make vs zealous for his not for our wils and so guide our labours that we may lessen the troubles and not ripen the dangers of Sion seeking rather how to amend then how to multiplie the rendes and breaches of Ierusalem Amen CHAP. I. The originall and domesticall Discipline of the Church before the Lawâ— CHAP. II. The Leuiticall and Nationall regiment of the Church vnder the Law CHAP. III. The personall and perpetuall kingdome of Christ after he tâ—â—â—e flâ—sh CHAP. IIII. The Synedricall Iurisdiction which some men thâ—nkâ— ouâ— Sauiour in the Gospel restored and recommended to his Church CHAP. V. The Apostolical preeminence and authoritie before and after Christes scension CHAP. VI. What Dominion and titles Christ interdicted his Apostles CHAP. VII Who ioyned with the Apostles in election of Elders and imposition of hands CHAP. VIII The Apostolike power in determining doubts of faith and deliuering vnto Satan CHAP. IX What parts of the Apostolike power and charge were to remaine in the Church after their decease and to whom they were committed CHAP. X. VVhat the Presbyterie was which the Apostles mention in their writings and whether Lay Elders were of that number or no. CHAP. XI VVhat Presbyterie the Primitiue Churches and Catholike Fathers did acknowledge and whether Lay Elders were any part thereof or no. CHAP. XII To whom the Apostles departing or dying lest the gouernement of the Church whether equally to al Presbyters or chiefly to some and how farre the conceits of late VVriters herein varie from the ancient Fathers whose wordes they pretend to followe CHAP. XIII That some chiefe euer since the Apostles times haue beene seuered from the rest of the Presbyters in euery Citie by power of ordination and right of succession whom the Fathers before vâ— did and we after their example doe call Bishops CHAP. XIIII The fatherly power and Pastourall care of Bishops ouer Presbyters and others in their Churches and Dioeceses CHAP. XV. To whom the elections of Bishops and Presbyters doth rightly belong and whether by Gods Lawe the people must elect their Pastours or no. CHAP. XVI The meetings of Bishops in Synodes and who did call and moderate those assemblies in the Primitiue Church THE PERPETVAL GOVERNEMENT OF CHRISTES CHVRCH Chap. I. The originall and domesticall Discipline of the Church before the Lawe WHat need there is of order and gouernement as in all assemblies of men that will liue together so namely and chieflie in the Church of Christ the wisedome of God hath many wayes witnessed vnto vs both by the proportion of those naturall and ciuill societies to which the Church is compared and by the perfection of that felowship which the Saints haue had amongst themselues in all ages and places euen from the foundation of the world where the true worship of God hath preuailed The first roote of all humane consort and communion I meane priuate howses hath not the Lord distinguished by diuers degrees and prerogatiues of husband parents and master aboue wife children and seruants and yet linked them all together in mutuall correspondence with dueties according The branches that thence rise as Cities Countries and kingdomes haue they not their Lawes to prescribe and Magistrates to execute things needfull for their common estate God ordaining powers and deliuering the sword for the defence of the simple and innocent and repressall of the wicked and iniurious Were wee willing or constant in that which is good Discipline were not so requisite but because the corruption of our nature is such that we are soone deceiued of our selues sooner seduced by others and soonest of all auerted and peruerted with feare and desire to settle the vnsted fastnesse of our hearts and bridle the vnrulinesse of our affections the Lord hath prouided for all societies the line of direction and rod of correction as well to guide the tractable as to represse the obstinate least disorder endured should breed confusion the forerunner of all ruine Since then the Church of Christ is the house of God the Citie of the liuing God and the kingdom of his beloued sonne shall we thinke that God is carefull for other s and carelesse for his owne or that confusion ought to be lesse doubted and feared in heauenly then in earthly thingâ— God is no where author of confusion but of peace especially in his Church in which hee commandeth all things to be decently orderly done Where no man doeth gouerne what order can bee kept where no man doeth moderate what peace can be had yea what greater dissipation can befall the Church of God then for euery man to intrude where he list and obtrude what hee will without restraint or reproofe Wherefore God hath appointed Stewards ouer his houshold watchmen and leaderâ— ouer his flocke Labourers in his haruest husbandmen in his tillage diuers administrations as well for the preseruation as edification of the Church which is the body of Christ and so farre foorth answereth the frame of mans body that as there so in the Church God hath set some to be in stead of eyes eares tongue and handes that is to be principall members for the guiding and directing of the whole which without them is maimed and vnable to prouide for the safetie and securitie of it selfe Neither may we thinke that order and discipline is needfull for the people in Gods Church and needelesse for the Pastours that were to gard the feete and leaue the head open to a more deadlie wound but rather as the more principall the part the more perilous the disease so the more disordered the Pastours the likelier the people to perish by their dissentions The house cannot stand which the builders subuert The haruest is lost where the labourers doe rather skatter then gather If the eie lacke light how darke is the body If the salt be vnsauourie where withall shall the rest he seasoned The folowers cannot goe right where the guides go astray and forces distracted bee they neuer so great are soone defeated Discord and disorder in the Pastours rent the Church in pieces where as peace and agreement in the Teachers confirme and establish the mindes of the hearers If they striue that sit at sterne the ship of Christ cannot hold a straight and safe course in the
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
night he saide See my Lordes I pray you turne into your seruants house Rebecca when Abrahams seruant not knowen to her prayed he might drinke a little water of her pitcher answered Drinke my Lorde The places of Iohn as also that of Peter you suppose may be better translated Sir which is more familiar with vs then Lorde The word in Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the selfe same that the Scriptures euery where giue to God himselfe when they call him Lorde and Sarahs wordes alleaged by Peter cannot be translated Sir For thus they stand in Moses After I am olde and my Lorde also shal I lust where to say and my Sir also were some what strange to Englisheares Besides the Hebrew word is Adoni the verie same that seruants and subiects in the Scriptures alwayes giue to their Lords and Princes Lastly the selfe same Translatours retaine the name of Lord in Moses howsoeuer afterward they changed it in Peter And touching the signification of Sir by which they interprete the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though the honor thereof be some what decayed by reason it is now growen common yet anciently it was and originally it is as much as Lorde Sir is the onely stile wee haue at this present to distinguish a knight from lower degrees yea the French to this day call their king Sir and in former ages it was no disgrace with vs to say Sir King and no maruell For if it come from the French Syre which is all one in sound with Cyre C. being changed into S then it is a contractioÌ„ of the Greeke word for Lord as Cyre for Cyrie If we fetch it froÌ„ Seigneur by shortning it into Sieur as in Monsieur for Monseigneur My Lord yet so is it equiualent with the French word for Lord. If with the Germans and Italians we deriue it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as first Her then Sere Heros is he that for his valour and vertue commeth neerest to diuine perfection and honour But with titles and termes the Church of Christ should not be troubled onely this I say that if Syr be not as much as Lorde in all tongues saue ours the name of Lord is as common as Sin with vs and giuen to farre meaner men then Bishops both of the Cleargie and Laiâ—e and for the Hebrew tongue the Scriptures themselues do witnes no lesse The Prophets of God did both giue and receiue this title of honour without blemish to their calling Are not thou my Lorde Elias saide Obediah the Gouernour of Achabs house when hee fell on his face before the Prophet and said further I thy seruant feare the Lord from my youth hath not my Lord heard how I hid an hundred prophets in a caue when Iesabel woulde haue staine them and fedde them with bread and water The children of the Prophets both at Bethel and Iericho saide to Eliseus when Elias shoulde be taken from him Knowest thou not that God wil take thy Lord from thine head this day And wheÌ„ Elias was taken vp by a whirle winde the children of the prophets met him and fell to the ground before him and said Behold there are with thy seruants fiftie strong men Let them we pray thee goe and seeke thy Lord. The inhabitants of Iericho misliking the barennes of the soile saide likewise to Eliseus The situation of the Citie is good as thou my Lord feest but the water is naught and the ground barren O my Lorde delude not thine handmaid saide the godly Shunnamite when Eliseus first told her she should haue a sonne And when the child was dead she fell at his feete and saide Did I desire a sonne of my Lord The children of the Prophets intending to make them a larger place to dwell in saide to Eliseus Vouchsafe to goe with thy seruants And as one of them was felling a tree by the riuers side the head of his are fell into Iorden and he cryed to Eliseus Alas my Lord it was borrowed Hazael the great Commander of Syria vnder Benhadad when Eliseus wept foreseeing the euill that he should do to the children of Israel said Why weepeth my Lord And when Elizeus lay sicke on his death bed Ioash the king of Israel saide vnto him O my father my father the chariot of Israel and horsemen or safegard of the same Why then doth our Sauiour debarre his Apostles from all such titles by saying You shal not be so He doth not forbid his Apostles to admit that honour which God hath commanded and allowed to their calling the Scriptures should so be contrarie to themselues Feare God saith the Wiseman and honor his Priests They that gouerne well are worthy of double honour sayth Paul and againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue such in great estimation or honor Yea the Lord himselfe sayeth A Prophet is not without honour but in his owne Countrie If honour by Gods law must be yeelded vnto Prophets and Pastours honor by Gods law may be receiued by them but to admit titles of honour about and against their calling or to expect and affect that honour which is due vnto them this is it that Christ forbiddeth How can you beleeue saith he to the Pharisees when ye receiue honour one of another he meaneth greedely or gladly and seeke not the honour which is of God alone Beware of the Scribes saieth he to his disciples which desire to goe in long robes and loue salutations in the markets and the chiefest seates in the Synagogues and the highest roomes at feastes The desire and loue of these things is ambition and vanitie as Christ noteth in the Pharisees the accepting them when they are by others forced on vs or in respect of our place appertaine vnto vs so as wee neither seeke after them long for them or swell with them is not against the rule of christian modestie and humilitie Though Pastours by Gods Law must be honoured with reuerence and maintenance yet titles and appellations of honour you thinke are not incident to their calling Whom we must honour in heart and deede why not in wordes Can the lippes neglect whom the heart regardeth Is not the mouth made to expresse as well the reuerence as abundance of the heart Would God the contempt of the trueth did not so fast followe the contempt of the persons as we find by too much experience of our times The Clergie should you say be honored for their vertues and what for their profession and function Is learning wisedome and religion become so seruile in a Christian common-wealth that they deserue not the name of honour Paul commended the Galathians for receiuing him with such submission and reuerence as if he had beene an Angel of God The Lord himselfe in the Reuelation speaking of the Bishops of the seuen Churches in Asia calleth them the Starres and Angels of the seuen
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
that they wrate and testified thus much Neither speake they of these things by hearesay they liued with the Apostles Scholers receiued from their mouthes the things which they witnesse to posteritie and their successors in most churches they same with their eies conferred with them Irenaeus that in his youth was Polycarpus Scholer saieth Habemus annumerare eos qui ab Apostolis instituti sunt Episcopi in Ecclesijs successores eorum vsque ad nos St recondita mysteria scissent Apostoli quae seorsim latenter ab reliquis perfectos docebant hijs vel maxime traderent ea quibus etiam ipsas ecclesias committebant Valde enim perfectos irrâ—prehensibiles in omnibus eos esse volebant quos successores relinquebant suum ipsorum locum magisterij tradentes We can reck on those which were ordained bishops in the churches by the Apostles and their successors euen to our age If the Apostles had knowen any hid mysteries which they taught to the perfect secretly and apart from the rest they would most of all haue deliuered those things to such as they coÌ„mitted the Churches vnto For they greatly desired to haue them perfect and vnreprooueable in all things whom they left to bee their successours deliuering vnto them their owne place of teaching Egesippus liued at the same tyme somewhat elder then Irenaeus and trauelling to Rome vnder Anicetus he conferred with Primus Bishop of Corinth and diuers other Bishops as he went and found them all agreeing in one and the same doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In euery succession and in euery Citie saieth he as I trauelled they kept that trueth which the Lawe and the Prophets and the Lord himselfe preached And the Church of Corinth persisted in the right way vnto the time of Primus Bishop of Corinth And shewing how the Church of Ierusalem came first to be troubled with heresies he saieth After that Iames the Iust who was both an Apostle and the first Bishop of Ierusalem was martyred by the same kind of death that the Lord was Simeon the sonne of Cleophas vncle to Iames was made Bishop whom all preferred for this respect because he was an other of Christes cosins as the former was That Church men called a Virgin for as yet she was not infected with false doctrine but Thebulis because he was not made Bishop was the first that corrupted her Dionysius equal in age with Egesippus and Bishop of Corinth straight after Primus in his epistle written to the Athenians putteth them in minde that Dionysius the Areopagite conuerted to the faith by S. Paul was their first Bishop and Publius another of their Bishops martyred by the persecuters of those times their Church restored by Quadratus an other of the Apostles disciples that next succeeded Publius in the Bishoprike Clemens Alexandrinus who liued in the next age to Saint Iohn the Apostle reporteth out of former stories that S. Iohn returning from his banishment to Ephesus went to the Churches round about being thereto requested and in some places made Bishops in other places chose such into the Clergie as the holy Ghost signified vnto him and that euen then the Bishop was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set ouer and aboue all both Clergie and people Methodius saieth that the Apostle Peter directed Eucharius one of the 70. disciples with Valerius and Maternus to preach the Gospell in Germanie and France and Eucharius planting a Church at Treuers held the Bishoprike of that Citie 23. yeeres and then dying Treuericae ecclesiae culmen Valerio derelinquit relinquished the chiefe dignitie of the Church of Treuers to Valerius who after fifteene yeeres left the Pastorall charge to Maternus After Maternus had held the regiment of preaching the word 40. yeeres one Auspicius sate in his place And so along by lawfull successions many singular and excellent men for holinesse and grace namelie Serenus Felix Manscetus Clemens Moses Martinus Anastasius Andreas Rusticus Fabricius Fortunatus Cassianus Marcus and many others About Irenaeus time who succeeded Pothynus Bishop of Lions in France that was martyred when he was 90. yeeres of age we finde Thraseas Bishop of Smyrna after Polycarpe Apollinarius Bishop of Hierapolis after Papias another of Saint Iohns Scholers Banchillus Bishop of Corinth after Primus and Dionysius Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus succeeding some of his kinsmen in the same seate Theophilus Bishop of Cesaria to haue bene renowmed the most of them writers in the Church of Christ. Of his time Tertullian saieth Percurre ecclesias Apostolicas apud quas ipsae adhuc cathedrae Apostolorum suis locis praesidentur c. Surueie the Apostolike Churches where the very chaires of the Apostles are to this day succeeded or continued Is Achaia neere to thee There thou hast Corinth If thou be not farre from Macedonia thou hast Philippos and Thessalonica If thou trauell into Asia thou hast Ephesus If thou lie neere to Italie thou hast Rome In Cyprians time who was Bishop of Carthage the Bishop of Cesarea was Theoctistus and after him Domnus then Theotecnus and Agapius the Bishop of Laodicea was Heliodorus that succeeded Thelimydres and after Heliodorus followed Socrates Eusebius Anatolius Stephanus and Theodotus The Bishop of Tyrus was Marinus before whom were Alexander and Cassius and after whome came Tirammion and Paulinus yea the successions of Bishops in these and other Churches dured from the Apostles not only to the Councill of Nice but a thousand yeeres after Christ and in many places to this present day For where S. Iohn the Euangelist wrate to the Pastours of the seuen Churches in Asia to wit of Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicea their successours sate in the Councill of Nice retaining the same place and office of Bishops which their predecessours had in the Apostles time and there subscribed with the rest Menophantes Bishop of Ephesus Eutychius Bishop of Smyrna Serras Bishop of Thyatira Artemidorus Bishop of Sardis Cyrion Bishop of Philadelphia and Theodotus Bishop of Laodicea together with the Bishops of Athens Thessalonica Hierapolis and many other places that had their first Bishops from the Apostles hands In the 4. 5. and 6. generall Councill which was kept 676. yeeres after Christ the Bishops that succeeded in the same seates did like wise subscribe and so hath the succession of Bishops in many places of Christendome continued from the Apostles times to this present age In some countreys where Christianitie is decaied their succession of Bishops is interrupted otherwise throughout the Christian world no example before our age can be shewed that euer the Church of Christ in any place or time since the Apostles died had any other form of gouernment then by Bishops succeeding and ruling as well the Presbyters
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
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
forme of electiōs it is most cleare by the lawes of this realme that princes being y ◠first founders of Churches and endowers of bishoprikes haue had and ought to haue the custodie of the same in the vacancie and the presentments and collations of those Prelacies as Lordes and Aduowees of all the landes and possessions that belong either to Cathedrall Churches or Bishops If you speake of former ages when as yet Bishops liued on the oblations of the faithfull I haue then likewise shewed by the example of Theodosius and others twelue hundred yeeres agoe that Princes though not as Patrones yet as higher powers made elections of Bishops as they sawe cause and though they did not reserue all elections to their personall and roiall assent yet in their steads the Magistrates and chiefe men of each Citie were to consent before the election could bee good yea they were to make the election iointlie with the Clergie as we find confirmed by the Romane lawes Not onely Princesbut Patrones are suffered in euery Church to present whom they thinke meete to take cure of soules and so the people are euery way defeated of their choise Call not that the defeating the people of their right which was begun with so great reason for the good of the people and hath now continued more then a thousand yeeres warranted by the lawes and practised with the liking of all Nations The law of this land knoweth not the beginning of Patronages Aduocations Presentations are remembred in Magna Charta as things long before currant by the lawes of the Realme The plea of Quare impedit when the Bishop refuseth the Patrones Clearke as well for the summonitions as for the returne is mentioned in the Statute of Marlebridge anno 52. Henrici 3. the lawes of forren countries are farre elder then ours that are extant Amongst the lawes of Charles the great made for France and Germanie and collected by Ansegisus in the yecre 827. this is one Statutum est vt sine authoritate consensu Episcoporum Presbyteriin quibuslibet ecclesijs nec constituantur nec expellantur Et si Laici Clericos probabilis vitae doctrinae Episcopis consecrandos suisque in ecolesijs constituendos obtulerint nulla qualibet occasione eosreijciant It is decreed that Presbyters shall not be appointed in any Churches nor remooued from thence without the authoritie and consent of the Bishops And if laie men offer Clerkes of tolerable life and learning vnto Bishops to be placed in their owne Churches that is where laie men are Patrones the Bishops vpon no maner of occasion shall reiect them Neither might the Patrone place a Clarke without the Bishop neither could the Bishop refuse the Patrones Clarke if he were such as the Canons did tolerate In Spaine about the 7. yeere of king Reccesiunthus and the 654. yeere of Christ the Councill of Coledo made this Canon We decree that as long as the founders of Churches remaine in this life they shall be suffered to haue the chiefe and continuall care of the sayd places atque Rectores idoneos in eisdem basilicis ijdem ipsi offerant Episcopo ordinandos and themselues shal offer meete Rectors vnto the Bishop to be ordained in those verie Churches Quod si spretis eisdem fundatoribus rectores ibidem praesumpserit Episcopus ordinare ordinationem suam irritam esse nouerit ad verecundiam suam alios in eorum loco quos ijsdem ipsi fundatores condignos elegerint ordinari And if the Bishop neglecting the founders shall presume to place any others let him know that his admission shall be voyd and to his shame others shall bee placed in their steads euen such as the founders shall choose being not vnwoorthie Long before this the Romane lawes determined the like throughout the Romane Empire If any man build a Church or house of prayer and would haue Clarkes to be placed there he or his heires if he allow maintenance for those Clarkes and name such as are woorthie let them bee ordained vpon his nomination But if such as they choose be prohibited by the Canons as vnwoorthie then let the Bishop take care to promote some whome hee thinketh more woorthie This lawe giueth two reasons for Patronages which I take indeede were the very groundes of that interest they haue at this day to wit building the Church maintaining the Ministers Before the lawe for Tithes was made in Cities the Clergie lined of the voluntarie Oblations and Donations of the faithfull in countrey villages the lord of the Soile was left to his discretion to yeeld what allowance he thought good out of his land for the maintenance of the Minister the rest of the inhabitants being but his husbandmen and seruants had neither wealth to build Churches nor right to giue any part of the fruites and profites of their lordes land So that either Churches must not at all haue bene built in countrie townes or the lordes of each place were to be prouoked to the founding of Churches and allowing conuenient proportions with the honour and preheminence to dispose their owne to their liking Neither doe I see any thing in Gods lawe against it for when you affirme the people should elect their Pastor I trust you doe not include in that word children seruants beggers or bondmen but such as are of discretion to choose abilitie to maintaine their Pastor Put then the case which was in the Primitiue Church when the villagers husbandmen of each place had no state nor interest in the lands which they tilled but serued the lord of the Soile had allowance for their paines out of the fruits of the earth at his pleasure what assurance or maintenance could those men yeeld vnto their Pastors Call to mind but y t conquest of this land when there was neither free-holder nor copie-holder but all bond besides the lord who could then elect a Clerke but onely the lord of the place since no man was free but he alone Wherfore Patronages Presentations are farre ancienter in this all other Christian realmes then either the libertie or habilitie of husbandmen copie-holders and when the lordes of villages hauing erected churches allotted out portions for diuine seruice made afterward some free some bond tenants did either Gods or mans lawe commaund or intend that their latter grants shuld ouerthrow their former rights That which hath so many hundreth yeres bene setled and receiued by the lawes of all nations as the remembrance inheritance of the first Founders or Donours of euery Church shall a few curious heads make the world now beleeue it is repugnant to the lawe of God By your eager impugning of Patronages without vnderstanding either the intent or effect of them wise men may soone see what soundnesse of iudgement the rest of your discipline is likelie to carrie To close vp this question if the allowance giuen