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judgement_n	best_a	establish_v	great_a	29	3	2.0896	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68024	A parte of a register contayninge sundrie memorable matters, written by diuers godly and learned in our time, which stande for, and desire the reformation of our Church, in discipline and ceremonies, accordinge to the pure worde of God, and the lawe of our lande.	Udall, John, 1560?-1592. Demonstration of the trueth of that discipline which Christe hath prescribed in his worde for the government of his Church, in all times and places, untill the ende of the worlde.	1593 (1593)	STC 10400; ESTC S101665	62,546	88

to that place whereto he is to be called T. C. 1. book page 38. Disci Ecclesiast fol. 46. They thinke one may doe it as appeareth by the booke of ordering c. Whitgift page 134. and 135. and their slight passing it ouer thorowe the Archdeacons handes The former is prooued and the latter disprooued thus 1 Those that are to ordayne must haue particular knowledge of the parties to bee ordayned or els they breake the rule prescribed them 1. Tim. 5. 22. whiche cannot be without examination But the Eldershippe is to ordayne euerie Church-officer as shall appeare in the Chap. of Ordination Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership to examine c. 2 The matter of greatest importance in the gouernment of the Church must be done by the most able gouuernours of the same The approuing or disprouing of Church-officers is the matter of greatest importance because the consequence of ruling well is the best or ill the worst and the Eldership is the Senate of most able gouernours in the church as shall appeare in the chap. of Eldership Therefore the Eldership is to examine c. 3 The way whereby a mans insufficiencie is best espied and his abilitie discerned is the fittest to examine them that are to be admitted But by the Eldership consisting of diuers his insufficiencie is best espied and his abilitie best discerned for the common prouerbe telleth vs That many eyes doe see more then one Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership c. 4 They are to examine Church-officers that are least subiect to be blinded with partialitie But the Eldershipp is least subiect to partialitie both for that they be many who are not so easilie ouer-ruled by affection or fauour as one as also and that especially for that it being the Lordes owne ordinance as shall appeare wee are to perswade our selues that his spirit shall guyde them Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership c. 5 The way that was vsed in the Apostles time in examining is of vs to bee followed vnles some reason out of the worde to perswade the conscience can be alleadged to the contrarie which none haue euer yet done But many vsed in the Apostles time to examine as appeareth in choosinge out one to be in the place of Iudas Act. 1. 22. 23. and fit men for Deacons Actes 6. 5. whereof the gouuernours especially were some for that they were to ordayne vpon knowledge as is saide in the first reason Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership c. 6 They whose testimonie the people may best credit are to examine them that are to be admitted but the people may best credite the iudgement of a companie of able and sufficient men which the Eldershippe rightlie established must needes be Therefore it belongeth to the Eldership c. 7 Examination belongeth vnto them which may moste perswade the people of his sufficiencie and so procure greatest reuerence vnto him in his place But the examination by the Eldership is such Therefore it belongeth to the Eldershippe c. Therefore if they that are to ordayne must examine if it be a matter of greatest waight in the gouuernement of the Church and they the most able to dispatch it if by them his sufficiencie or insufficiencie be best founde out if they bee hardliest carried away with affection or partialitie if the examination was such in the Apostles time if the people may in reason giue most credite to the examination that is by such if that kinde of examination perswade the people best of his sufficiencie and procure him greatest reuerence in his place then must it needes followe that it partayneth to the Eldership to examine those that are to be admitted to anie office in the Church There is nothing obiected against this that hath anie shewe of reason in it and therefore it were needles to set anie thing downe CHAP. 6 BEfore consent be giuen to any man vnto any calling in the Church it must appeare by sufficient triall due examination that he is qualified with those giftes that the worde of God requireth in one of that place Discip. Ecclesiast fol. 44. T. C. 2. booke 1. part page 368. and in manie other places They gainsay this in two points first in maintayning their reading ministerie secondlie in gouerninge the Church by their commissaries and officialls whiche both shalbe ouerthrowen if we prooue these two propositions followinge to be true by the worde of God No man ought to bee receyued vnto the ministerie but such as be able to teache the trueth and conuince the gainesayers The Church ought not to be gouerned by commissaries officialls and chauncellors 1 He that may be receyued into the ministerie must bee able to teache the people whatsoeuer Christ hath commaunded Matth. 28. 20. Onely he that is able to teache the trueth and conuince the gainsayers can teache the people whatsoeuer Christ hath commaunded Therefore none must bee receiued into the the ministerie but such as be able to teache c. 2 That which is to be done conditionally may not bee done if that condition be not kept Men are to bee receyued into the ministerie conditionally that is if they be vnreproueable Tit. 1. 5. 6. Therefore if they be not such as bee there described they may not bee receyued and consequentlie none may be receyued but such as be able to teach c. 3 That which cannot be done without the manifest breach of Gods commaundement may not bee done at all To receyue any that be not able to teache is a manifest breache of Gods commaundement 1. Tim. 3. 1. Tit. 1. 9. Therefore no man ought to be receiued into the ministerie that is not able to teache c. 4 They whom the Lord refuseth to be his ministers may not be receyued into the ministerie for the ministerie beeing the Lordes haruest wee may admit none to labour therein but onely such as he hath giuen liking of by the rules of his worde The Lorde refuseth to be his ministers all those that can not teache Hosea 4. 6. Therefore such as are not able to teache may not bee receyued and consequentlie none may be receyued but those that be able to teache c. 5 He that may be admitted into the ministerie must bee able to diuide the worde of God aright 2. Tim. 2. 15. Onelie he that is able to teache and conuince the gainsayers can diuide the worde of God aright Therefore none may bee admitted into the ministerie but he that is able to teache c. 6 He that may be admitted into the ministerie must haue a treasurie furnished with olde thinges and newe and must be able to bring it foorth as occasion shall serue Mat. 13. 25. Onely he that is able to teache c. is such a one Therefore onely he may be admitted c. 7 He that can espie the enimie and giue warning aforehande howe to resist him may bee receyued into the ministerie Ezek. 33. 7. None

haue onlie executed iustice vpon vs as malefactors and they perswade men that we desire a thing not warranted by the worde not heard of in the Church of God vntill within this fewyeares nor tollerable in any Christian Common-weal whatsoeuer The which monstrous slaunders albeit they haue been many wayes and by many men of moste worthie giftes detected and made knowne in those seuerall bookes that haue beene published concerning the same yet haue I thought it necessarie in an other course to write also of it The course of my enterprise is first in respect of the fauorers of the desired reformation secondlie of the aduersaries of the saeme the fauorers of it are also of two sorts Ministers of the word priuate persons both I hope may haue profit by it Concerning the former when these woefull troublees that were renued vppon vs by that wretched subscription that was euery where vrged did begin to increase I thought it meete to betake my selfe vnto that which I had read or might any way by studie finde out concerning the cause and collected all into a briefe summe referred euery thing vnto some head which beeing euer present with mee might furnishe mee to aunswere in the defence of the trueth though it were of a sodaine by which thorow the blessing of God I found such profit in my seuerall troubles that I thought it a course not altogether vnprofitable for others also and vpon that occasion betooke my selfe vnto a more serious meditation about the matter and communicating the thing with diuers verie worthie men I founde encouragement and heartening on generallie by all whom I made acquainted therewith so that I trust the iudgements yea and wishes also of others so iumping with mine manie Ministers that loue the cause and haue not so throughlie studied as were meet they should may reape some profite therby Now concerning priuate men that loue the cause some haue great affaires in hande and haue no leasure to reade the seuerall bookes of this argument some when they reade are not of sufficient capacitie to conceiue the force of a reason or to make vse of it to informe themselues in the grounded knowledge of the cause thereby some which is the generall fault of our religious Gentlemen will take no paines to reade some are poore and not able to buye the bookes which might let them see the cause all these I hoope may finde helpe in some measure heereby Nowe concerning the aduersaries vnto the cause they are of two sortes also they that know it and they that are ignorant of it the former if they write any thing against it are contented to deale in so rouing a course as may rather arise vnto great volumes then soundlie to say any thing against the cause Wherein D. Whitgift but especially D. Bridges haue giuen vs an euident example and these with others of their iudgement though none in these latter dayes haue written more vnlearnedly then they of any argument of diuinitie what soeuer are contented to make the world beleeue if men will be so wilfully seduced that our argumentes bee no arguments that they be grounded vpon false foundations and that we are not able to conclude our cause in any forme of reasoning The course that is heere taken I trust shall shewe that they are lyers the other sort of aduersaries be they that be meerly ignorant of anie thing either for it or against it and perswading themselues that the sway and shew of the worlde must needes carry the truth with it doe like blinde bayardes boldly venture to say any thing against it and thinke they doe well Now of all these sorts of people I haue to request some thing I hope I shall obtaine my request at the least at the handes of some of them The first sort of fauorers which be the Ministers I intreate that as they tender the glory of God and honour of the cause which they stand in so they would diligently employ themselues in this that they may be found able to defend the same by sounde and euident groundes out of the worde and so much the rather for that the aduersaries doe greatly triumph when they meete with one that professeth the cause and is not able to defend it and confute the gaine sayers of it The second sort of fauourers be the priuate persons that loue the cause whom I beseech to be carefull as of all other pointes of religion of this that they grow in the knowledge of the worde of God whereby they may be able vpon their owne knowledge to defende the trueth and not giue the enemie any occasion to thinke or say that they be of that minde because such and such Ministers whom they doe affect doe thinke so Now concerning the former sort of aduersaries to wit they that know it I pray them to looke into their own hearts they shall finde they mislike it either because it correcteth their excessiue pompe and maintenance or requireth more trauaile in their Ministerie then they are willing to vndergoe or at the least controlleth that dissolutenesse of behauiour wherein they willingly wallow and if it would please God to bring them to a serious meditation of this that it is the will of the mightie God before whom they must be called to giue an account which they doe resist they would I doubt not more carefully looke about them And lastly for them that be ignorant of the cause speake euill of that they knowe not let them if they will be admonished vouchsafe to reade this little booke and wey the reasons with an vpright iudgement which shall cause them at the least to suspend their sharpe censures which so vsuallie appeare in their ordinarie communication and concerning vs all let vs know for one day we shall be sure to feele it that the controuersie is not about goates wooll as the Prouerbe faith neither light trifling matters which may safely be followed or reiected as in deed the enemies of this cause do confidentlie affirm but about no lesse matter then this whether Iesus Christ shall be King or no For if none is said to be a King but he that ruleth by the scepter of his lawes thē the turning out of these orders which Christ hath prescribed in his word for the ruling of the church is to giue him the title and denie him the authoritie belonging to the same and so in trueth to make him an Idoll making him to carrie a shew of that which hee is not and with the crucifiers of him to put a reede in his hand in steed of his yron rod and crowning him with thornes in steede of the crowne of greatest glorie which is the cause that so many Atheistes spit in his face and so many godlesse persons doe make but a iest of him but when hee commeth to shewe him self in his glorious maiestie it shalbe said vnto all these sortes of aduersaries Those mine enimies which would not that I should raigne

may giue them selues to lust the sooner 18 It was ordayned that none eyther B or Elder shoulde goe from citie to citie Therefore if a Minister haue the charge of a flocke committed vnto him to the ende to feede it if God place men to the ende to haue them there imployed if flockes in daunger haue neede of continuall watche if the Ministers duetie to his flocke requireth all that trauayle that he can performe if he can not be fruitfullie profitable vnto them without continuall residence if his residence be as strictlie required as theirs vnder the lawe if he cannot be a paterne vnto them without he be resident if they can not follow him nor know him if he be absent if he cannot bee alwayes readie to feede his flocke vnles he be there if he cannot take heede to them feede them and watche ouer them without his presence if Satan be the authour of nonresidencie if his absence abridge Gods loue to them and comfort from him selfe if absence be an hinderance to the louing familiaritie that shoulde bee betwixt him and them if they haue interest in him continuall neede of him if he may no more be absent then the priestes dwell from the Temple if the Councell of Nice did vpon good grounds forbid it if absence bee like to the practise of an harlot if it be not lawfull to goe frō place to place then is nonresidence vnlawful and the practize thereof contrarie to the worde of God The bellie for which nonresidencie is defended and practized hath no eares therefore it is that they heare not these euident soundes yet haue they verie little to say for it so grosse is the error thereof so much as hath any shew of reason is here set downe and answered 1 Obiection Two parishes may bee vnited why then may not one haue charge of them both before when they be two Answere Because one shephearde may keepe one flocke though it be great but he can not keepe two being very little and going in diuers pastures agayne one man may haue so many flockes as he can lead in and out euery Sabboth to the exercises of religion which is very playne that he cannot doe to more then one Congregation 2 Obiection Parishes were deuided by men as especially by Denis the Monke Pope of Rome Aunswere That is vntrue for the Apostles deuided the Church into Congregations and placed Elders ouer euerie one of them as the whole course of the Actes and Epistles of the Apostles prooueth and Whitgift confesseth page 250. Therefore these mistes notwithstanding nonresidencie must needes be vnlawfull and certainly those that haue any sparkle of conscience feare of God or loue to their flockes will neuer defende it much lesse enter into the practize of it CHAP. 4. IT belongeth to the Church to make choise of those officers which Christ would haue placed in the same T. C. 2. booke 1. part pag. 193. Ecclesiast Discip. fo 40. Whitgift confesseth it pag. 164. They denie this as their denying of all the arguments that be brought for it doeth prooue Whitgift pag. 154. 166. c. and their practize of allowinge patrons and also being such them selues doeth euidentlie declare If the former be proued true then the latter must returne to Antichrist which is thus declared 1 That which was the continuall and constant practise of the Church in the time of the Apostles that same is to be followed for euer which appeareth by this that the ordinances giuen from God by Paule 1. Tim. 6. 14. are enioyned to bee kept vntill Christ come to iudgement But it was the cōstant and the continuall practize of the Churches them to haue a stroke in the choyse of their owne ecclesiasticall officers Act. 1. and 26. where the Apostles presented two to the peoples liking whereof God was to be prayed vnto to make one an Apostle Act. 6. 3. where the Church is willed to choose their Deacons and Act. 14. 25. where they gaue their consent in the choosing of their Elders by the stretching foorth of their handes Therefore it belongeth to the church to thoose their owne Church-officers 2 If the people had an interest in their liking of their teaching Leuites which were of the tribe of Aaron then much more must the people now for there was greater likelihood that they were sent of God then any of the common sorte of men But the former is true as appereth by the maner of the setting of them aside vnto that office in the lawe Therefore must the latter needes be true also 3 That which partayneth vnto all ought to be approued of all the Congregation But euery Ministerie in the Church pertayneth to all the congregation Therefore authoritie to approoue of them pertayneth to all the congregation 4 That election which is most effectuall to bring the people to obedience is of all other the best and to abridge it is vnlawfull But election by common consent is most effectuall to bring the people to obedience when they shall see him teache or rule whome they them selues haue chosen Therefore election by the Church is the best and all other kindes of elections vnlawfull 5 That election whiche procureth greatest reuerence of the people to their Teachers and Rulers is meetest and all others vnlawfull But for the people to consent in the election of their Gouuernours procureth greatest reuerence in their heartes towardes them Therefore election by the people is the best and all others be vnlawfull Testimonies of the ancient writers 6 The Minister should be chosen the people beeing present in the eyes of all and should be by the common iudgement and testimonie approoued worthie and fitte c. Therfore this is the lawfull vocation by the word of God where those which are chosen bee appointed by the consent and approbation of the people For which also hee bringeth diuers authorities out of the Scriptures 7 That is truely and certainlie a diuine election of a Bishop which is made by the whole Church 8 Let the people haue authoritie to choose their Clarkes and Ministers 9 They runne speaking of the life of the Clarkes to Bishops suffragans certaine times of the yeare and bringinge some summe of money they are anoynted and ordayned being chosen of none and afterwarde the Bishop without anie lawfull election is chosen in huggermuger of the Canons or Prebendaries onely without the knowledge of the people 10 In the Oration of the death of his Father approueth the election by the people at large and confuteth them that would hinder it 11 When he appointed Eradius to succeede him sayeth it was the approued right custome that the whole church should eyther choose or consent vnto their Bishop 12 Antimius choosing a Bishop without the peoples cōsent filled all Armenia with sedition 13 Why did Peter cōmunicate the election with the Disciples least the matter should haue turned to a

bee poore reprocheth God that made them Prou. 17. 5. 3 Obiection It ouerburdeneth the parrishe to prouide for the nourishment of so many church-officers Answere It is not necessarie that they should prouide for any moe of them sauinge those that are exercised in the ministerie of the worde vnlesse any of the rest may neede the liberalitie of the Church 4 Obiection It bringeth in a newe popedome and tyrannie into the Church Answere It is blasphemie to tearme the gouernement of Christ so because we refuse the tyranny of the pope shall we therefore doe what we list and not yeelde obedience to the scepter of Christ. 5 Obiection It is a kinde of Donatisme to chalenge such authoritie ouer Princes Answere And it is flatterie to suffer princes to doe what they liste this is the obiection of Gualter who is a professed enemie to discipline 6 Obiection It taketh away princes authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall Answere No more then it did from Dauid in his time not so much as the Bb. doe nowe for the prince requireth but this to see the Church well ordered which the Eldership alloweth and craueth 7 Obiection It transformeth the state of the common wealth into a meere popularitie and will alter the gouernement thereof Answere It neyther transformeth nor altereth any thing in it for let it be shewed what damage would come by this discipline to any Magistracie from the Princes throne to the office of the headborow 8 Obiection It will breede contention and partialitie in iudgement Answere Where can be greater contention then the Bb. maintaine for their kingdome or greater partialitie then in them to their kins folkes seruauntes Sycophants c. 9 Obiection It will bee contemned and so good order neglected Answere None euer deserued more contempt then the Bb. and their officers doe for all their pompe but God whose ordinance it is will procure sufficient awe vnto it marke howe these obiections stande togither in the 4. it was tyrannie and here it is too contemptible these be contrary 10 Obiection All alterations be daungerous Answere Neuer where we change from the obedience of Antichrist to the seruice 〈◊〉 the liuinge God was it euer daungerous to amende thi●●amis●e by that course whiche is described of God if it were let the particular of it appeare this might well haue bin Steuen Gardiners reason for poperie in the time of King Henrie the eight The Church must be gouerned onely by the rules of gods worde this is in effect the proposition of the first chap. whervnto all those reasons there alleadged may be referred there is aduouched generally the certayne groundes of the whole Discipline against the imagined libertie left to the Church here is affirmed the particular direction of the Church gouuernement by the authoritie of the Eldershipp to proceede according to the rules of Gods reuealed will and not by that cursed and monstrous cannon lawe which is made manifest vnto vs by these reasons 1 All gouernours are to execute their authoritie by the same warrant from which they haue it But the gouernours of the Church of God haue their warrant to bee gouernours onelie from the worde 1. Cor. 12. 28. Therefore they must gouerne the church onely by the worde 2 The Church is to be gouerned by that which the Ministers may teache vnto the same for they are taught to the ende that they may obey and so be gouerned by the same But the Ministers may teache nothing but the worde of God 1. Cor. 11. 23. Therefore the church is to be gouerned onely by the worde of God 3 That which maketh the Church obedient vnto Christ must be the direction whereby it is to be gouerned Only the worde of God maketh the church obedient vnto Christe Therefore it is to be gouerned by the rules of Gods word 4 Euery kingdome or housholde must be gouerned onlie by the lawes of the King or orders of the housholder The Church is the kingdome and house of God and his worde is the onely lawe that he hath giuen for the same Therefore it must be gouerned onely by the worde of God 5 That which was ordayned to destroy the church of god can not be a good rule to gouerne the same by But such is the canon lawe for it was ordayned to strengthen the kingdome of Antichrist Abstract Therefore it can not bee a good rule to direct the church by and consequentlie it must be gouerned by the worde for no other rule is offered vnto vs but the one of these twaine 6 That whiche was inuented by the Dragon that persecuteth the woman and her childe that same cannot be good for the Church which is that woman But such is the cannon lawe for it was inuented by Antichrist whiche is that Dragon Therefore it can not be good for the rulinge of the church and consequentlie c. 7 That which strengtheneth the power of darkenes and ignorance can not be good to guide them that must walke in light and knowledge But the cannon lawe strengtheneth the power of darknes and ignorance for it increaseth poperie as appeareth by this that there is scarce an officer towards it in these dayes of knowledge but he is a papist Therefore it cannot be good to guide the church of God 8 That which destroyeth the church of God can not bee good to rule the same But the cannon lawe destroyeth it for it crosseth euery faithfull Minister in the discharge of his duetie and euery good christian walking in the wayes of godlines and nippeth in the head euery good action as experience teacheth vs Therefore it cannot be a good rule to gouuerne the church by 9 That which hath bredd moe trayterous papistes in England then the Seminaries at Rome and Rhemes that same can not be good to gouerne the church of God But such is the cannon lawe for it hath kept out Discipline nourished ignorance and fostered superstition and poperie in all estates of people that neuer came at those Seminaries Therefore it can not bee a good rule to gouuerne the Church of God by 10 That which nourished the hope of Antichrist to return hither againe can not bee good to direct in the gouernment of the church But such is the cannon lawe for it keepeth the cages for those vncleane birdes as Archb. and L. Bb. seas Arches Cathedrall churches c. Therefore it can not bee a good rule for the direction of the church 11 That which all the Churches haue cast off as vnfit for the gouernement of the Church can not bee good for the same But all the churches that haue forsaken the pope yea they that haue not receyued the discipline of Christ wholie haue cast off the cannon lawe Therefore it can not bee good for the same 12 Yea we our selues mislike it as appeareth by a statute made vnder Ed. 6. Therefore if gouernours are to rule by the same authoritie whereby they are gouernours if the Church must be gouerned by