the conscience is not afraide off any winde or weather off any storme or tempest when as it staieth yt selfe vpon the lorde and followeth him in that waie wheren he goeth before Furthermore they that are gouerned can by no meanes better be browght to doe there dewtie ād persuaded to doe that which they owght then when they vnderstād that it is the lordes will and cōmandemēt whose embassador the mynister is For they reuerēce only that authoritie which they knowe to be off god hereoff we haue a manifest example in Dauid whome it staied oftētime being readie to fall and oftentimes also raised vp againe being beaten downe to the grounde that he came not to the kingdome by his owne ambicion as his enemies falselie blamed him but by the authoritie off god who called him and off Samuell the Prophete who by the Lordes cōmandemēt had anoynted him The maiestie and authoritie off which creacion at the last so moued all Israell that is to saie the ten tribes which for the space off seuē yeres were not obedient vnto him that they receiued him willinglie for there king whome before they had disdained For this cause also S. Paule so diligentlie almost in the beginning off euerie Epistle calleth him selfe an Apostle and seruante off God. For this cause also he taketh so greate paynes in his Epistles to the the Corinthes to proue his Apostleshippe which some false brethren sowght to take from him that by that meanes they might dyminishe his credite and authoritie with the churche Neyther in deede was he more confirmed by any thing in his infinite perilles trobles and labors which he bare for the Gospells cause then that he assured him selfe off the aide and assistaunce off God in the discharge off that dewtie vnto which he was appointed by him Which great fruyte and commoditie iff it maie moue vs let vs tarie ād waite for the Voice of God to call vs to beare office in his churche and let vs first be assured most plainlie and manifestlie that we are called thereunto by his gouernment and authoritie Lest that hauing entred in by the backe dore we finde the lorde to be punisher and Auenger off this ambycion the people disobedient and vntowarde and our owne consciences shaking and trembling not only at greate and vndowbted daungers but at euerie bugge and at the shaking off euerie leafe Therfore the authoritie off God is to be wayted for to the taking in hand or bearing off any ecclesiasticall office and so to be waited for that we ambiciouslie seke yt not by any disceitfull or vnhonest meanes And let no man boast here off his giftes and worthynes and in confidence thereof as a suter seke and laboure for honor For How fytte soeuer he semeth to be for any charge and office yet no thing is here to be taken rashelie in hand without the authoritie off God who will vse in his affaires whome it pleaseth him It is rehearsed in the holie historie off the iudges off what a meruoulons strengthe and mete for a Prince Sampson was yet notwithstanding iff he had not bene borne the Nazarite off the Lorde and chosen and apointed from his Mothers wombe to deliuer the people he owght not to haue sowght vengeaunce off the Philistines or to haue deliuered his owne countrey from there power and gouernment but rather to haue excercised that greate strengthe and might as Arrius writeth that Philoctetes bestowed his dartes vpon birdes and not vpon his armed enemies Neither had it bene lawfull for Salomon to haue taken in hand the gouernment off the kingdome off Israell to put in practise that excellent and worthie gifte off wisdome and gouernment in yt except the Lorde had first chosen him to succede in the princelie throne off his father Dauid and the administracion his his kingdome And worthelie were Absalon and Adoniah reiected who thinking them selues worthie toke that honor vnto them that he who was chosen by the Lorde and thought worthie by him might rule and gouerne As also was Core in the like case and the rest off his faction And after also king Vzziah desyring honors and places besides the good will and pleasure off god For the Lorde knoweth how to rule his familie and whateuerie man is to be put in trust withall according to that honestie and credite that he knoweth euerie one to be off So that he that resteth not in his iudgement but wolde haue and seketh by all meanes to procure vnto him selfe more then the Lorde hath geuen him must nedes accuse him off folishenes or off malice and therfore be giltie off most grieuous and haynons sinne And let them not obiecte against vs that sayinge off the Apostell that He that desireth the office off a Bishoppe desireth a good thing to proue and cōfirme this ambicious sewing and laboring for the ministerie whereas yt is so farr off that these wordes should kindle and enflame vs hereunto that contrariwise the Apostle semeth by these wordes to haue sowght to bridle our hastie desyre For whereas the Apostle saith that the office off a Bishoppe is a worthie worke to what ende thincke we doth he call yt so but therewithall to admonishe vs how hard yt is and that it requireth a man both off singuler learning and godlines For so yt followeth that Bishoppe owght to be off an honest and blameles life sober temperate liberall meke apte to teache and so forth And this is the worthines off the off ce off a Bishoppe which the Apostle sheweth in this place and which he so meruaileth at in other places that he thincketh no man mete to take so greate a charge vpon him By which dignitie and worthines off the office the Ambicion off men is rather quenched then kindled For vnderstanding thereby how greate and waightie a calcalling it is we are warned to take hede that we run̄e not rashelie to it but rather that we prepare our selues long before with all studye care and diligence for the bearing off so greate a burthen As for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to couette or desire yt is ill alledged for the profe off any ambicious seking off the mynisterie Whereas the Apostle vnderstandeth a godlie zeale to set furthe the glorie off god and to edifie his churche which wisheth and desireth indeede to be made able once by the grace off God to serve him and his churche in that calling which meditateth and thinketh dailie hereupō and exerciseth and prepareth him selfe thereunto bestowyng wholie all studie and laboure to that ende yet notwithstāding waiteth for the voice off God and authoritie off the churche to call him and by an vnripe and headie desire or ambicious kinde off hastines preuenteth not the tyme off his calling We reade that Christe our Sauior him selfe althoughe he were endewed with all heauenlie wisdome yet laie he hidde as yt were without exercising any publique office to the thyrtie yere off his age and taried for that
he hath testified yt with a most certeine and vndoubted testemony that is to saie by the sendyng off his onlie begotten sonne to take awaie our sinnes and as the Prophete off God to declare all the Lordes will and couÌ„sell towardes vs and to rule the churche by his owne authoritie For this is that Prophet like vnto Moses who shold plainelie and perfectlie declare vnto vs of God all thinges which doe belonge vnto our dewtie whome we ought to heare and to obeye as the holie ghoste by the mowthe off Peter hath expounded that promise and by that heauenlie voice which testefied off him from heauen that he was the deare and onlie begotten sonne off god in whome the father was well pleased and commanded vs to heare him But how shoulde we thincke him to be like vnto Moses yff he either hath wholy omitted or not so clearlie and perfectelie as farr as was needfull for vs shewed and declared this doctrine off the manner off gouerning the churche being so necessarie and which Moses hath so diligentlie and faithfullie declared Thefore we must conclude iff we acknowledge Christe to be that Prophette that he hath fullie and perfectlie declared vnto vs whatsoeuer was nedefull for the gouernmeÌ„t off the churche excepte we will robbe hiÌ„ of some parte off his Propheticall office or preferre a seruate be he neuer so faithfull before the only begotten sonne and as yt were Eliezer before Isaac in his fathers howse which surelie they doe who thincke the seruante to haur omitted nothing in this behalffe that the heire hath omitted all and that Moses lefte all thinges perfecte but Christe eyther beganne them not or did not fynishe that which he beganne Now whereas I affirme that Christ hath lefte vs so parfecte a rule and Discipline I vnderstand yt off that discipline which is common and generall to all the churche and perpetuall for all tymes and so necessarie that without yt this whole societie and company and Christiane common wealthe cannot well be kepte vnder there Prince and king Iesus Christe And surelie we must nedes either confesse that Christe hath lefte vs suche an order to liue by or ells spoile him off his kinglie office For what doth more belong vnto the name office and dewtie off a king then to geue lawes vnto his cytezens and subiectes â–ª and to make such decrees and ordinauÌ„ces wherby all the partes off his kingdome maie be mainteined The Papistes indeede denie it and dispute against vs and coÌ„tend that it is lawfull for there highe prieste to rule and order the churche off God as he listeth but we who doe detest and abhorre this blasphemous voice and according to goddes worde aknowledge and confesse Christe to be the only king off the churche how can we saie either that he neglected so greate and so necessarie a point off his Kinglie office or that he hath left yt vs to order as we please But yff there be any whose speache is so contrarie to it selfe that they graunte Christe to be the King and lawe geuer off the churche and yet will saye that either he made no lawes touching tht gouernment off his people or fewer then were needfull Let them consider how litle they differ from the Papistes in this poincte and how vnhonorably and vnreuerently they speake off Christe our Lorde For yff he hath not set in order the whole state off his kingdome iff he hath not apointed officers and declared the dewtie and authoritie off euerie one yff he hath not apointed what shoulde be the order off courtes and off Iustice iff he hath taken no order how the controuersies off his subiectes maie be ended he hath lesse prouided for his churche then not only Moses did for the Iewes but then Lycurgus Solon Numa and other lawegeuers off the gentiles prouided for there cities and common weales Which yff we confesse what shall become off that famous kingdome which the Prophetes sette out with such pompe and glorie what shall become off that septer off Iustice and that Chariotte wherein Dauid describeth him sitting in the middest off the church Which althoughe we graunte properlie to belong to the kingdome off Christe in heauen affter thâ—s life yet are those Prophecies not so wholy to be referred therunto but that they haue also some relacion to the begynning off his kingdome in this life For seing his kingdome in this life differeth from the other by reason and certeine respecte only and is not altogether off an other kinde so that the thinges which are here begonne shall then be fully accomplished There is a certeyne proporcion to be considered here and all those prophecies are after a sorte also to be expopounded off this kingdome As where yt is prophesied that in the kingdome off Christe all thinges shal be ordred by perfecte Iustice and equitie that all his subiectes shal be obedient and full off heaueÌ„ly knowledge that there shall be no Cananyte in all the lande that the gentiles shal be shutte out off the citie off god and suche other thinges which the prophetes most worthelie and notablie haue sett out we must vnderstand that all these thinges after a certeyne manner are to be referred also to his Kingdome in this life and declareth that the gouernment of this Kingdome of his churche here owght also to be iust and equall that the faithfull who are his subiectes owght not to be brutishe and ignoraunte but as conning in heauenly matters and as full off that knowledge as maie be That men off vicious lyfe and geuen to all sinne and wickednes are to be cast out and banyshed from the churche and the temple off god to be kepte as nere as is possible free and cleane from all pollutions and prophanacions Furder also they are conuicted by the whole historye off the Gospell and by the writinges off the Apostles by which it appeareth that he hath lefte vnto vs fully all thinges which were nedefull for the administracion off gouernment off his kingdome For howe ofteÌ„ talked he with his disciples touching this kingdome How often did he declare what maner off kingdome yt was namelie that yt was no kingdome off this werlde that it handled not the busynes and affaires off this life but suche only as parteine to the mynde and conscience How often did he declare what his officers should be naÌ„ely no gracious nor honorable Lordes but ministers off the churche How exactelie did he apointe the order off his courtes and iustice that no thing more could be required to a right gouernmeÌ„t and lawfull pollicye yea eueÌ„ a litle before that he went from his disciples how earnestlye and how carefully coÌ„meÌ„ded he the charge off his kingdome vnto them how greate authoritie gaue he them to shutte or open heauen and so greate was his care for the dewe administring off his kingdome euen then when he toke his triumphant chariotte wherewith he was after caried into heauen that sitting there he
commendeth also vnto the Elders the flocks which ar amonges them that is to say to euery one off them ther owne flockes wherby yt may appeere that they were set ouer certen flockes And these be not only the examples off the Apostles but the lawes which they geue vs and the commandementes which they left vs to ordeyne Elders and Deacous in the churche as the necessitie and state theroff shall require And sure I cannot tell how he can thinck him sellfe to haue receyned any office who with out doinge any man wronge may sitt idle iff he list Offten tymes the auncient Sinodes made decrees against thes idle orders that leaue a man so free bindinge him to no certen charge That no man should be ordeyned an elder as they vse to speake yt without a title that is to say without a churche And suerly iff all wer not confused and trobled in the Discipline off our churche we could neuer beare so notable disorder that suche kind off allowinges should be esteemed lawfull ministeries which ar then only Mynisteries off the churche when they that ar thus commended and allowed off haue gotten a churche that will vse ther labor and who in the meane tyme eyther do nothinge or ells goe about as they lift in all the realme as roges and masterles seruantes seekinge some mayster that will hyre them and vse ther Labor Suche tymes in deed ar spoken off in the stories off the Iudges wher Ionathan the Leuite wantinge a highe place and an aulter went rouinge to let out his seruice to any that would hyre hym but it is added in the same place that ther was then no kinge in Israell But this great confusion was taken away afterward by Dauid and Salomon and euery one accordinge to the ancient prescripcion off Moses and Iosus wer appointed ther proper seates townes and cynes â—o occupy them in Therfore whie do we that lyue vnder the kingdome off CHRIST our true Salomon who hath sett all this in very Good order whie do we I say suffer the churche to be stayned with so notable a spott and ordeyne not accordinge to the word off God that no no man be appoynted to any Ecclesiasticall office But he that is called to a certen churche wher to to exercise it And why do we not accordinge to this example call home the Priestes to the Arcke off the Lord and the leuites to the appointed cities Ther remaineth somewhat that lickwise perteineth to all that beare office in the churche That is that they so execute them that they may not be accused for neglectinge or pretermitinge ther duties For in the church what so small a charge is there which we ought not to studie with all faithfulnes laboure and diligence to make florishe to beautifie and adorne seinge we haue the Angelles for lookers on to see how we vse and behaue our selues in the execucion theroff and the Lord him selfe a most liberall rewarder off the one parte yff we do it well and contrariwise a most seuere Iudge and Auenger iff we do it not accordinge to our dutie For that which the Apostle coÌ„mandethe to geue Archippus warrninge off That he should diligently see to his office which he had receyued off the Lord is to be extended also to all thos that beare any charge or office in the church off God and euery one ought to thincke it to perteine to them selues which the same Apostle admonisheth Tymothie off that is That they discharge ther dutie and make knowne ther ministerie by all meanes yea further all that are called to any office or gouernment in the churche must vnderstand that the same hange he ouer ther headdes which the Apostle declareth that he was afraide off iff being called therunto he should not preache the Gospell For ther is none so litle a charge in the howse off god wheroff one day most streight Accompt shall not be asked In vayn then shall men dreame off pardons dispensacions and priuiledges All shal be called to Accompt to declare with what faithfulnes and diligence they haue done ther dewties They shal be â—e compelled to aunswer ther most deadly enemyes that off them selues shal be readie to accuse them for not hauing discharged ther dutie And the accompte shal be made in the greatest and most solemne assemble that euer was for seing that it appeare the by the parable off the taleÌ„tes comÌ„itted to the seruantes that a most streight accompt shal be asked off the lest gift off god that we receyne in this world how muche streighter do we thinck it wil be for theÌ„ that haue receeyued gouerment in the churche and iff he shal be so hardly delt with that neglecteth one taleÌ„t that he hath receiued They that beare greatest offices in the churche and vpon whos faithe and credit in discharging off them the saluacion theroff dothe in a maner depend how carefully ought they bothe day and nyght to thinck off dischardging this dewty hauinge so great a reckoninge to make not off one Talent but off the churche which our Lord Iesus so deerely loued that for loue theroff he vouchsafed to come froÌ„ the highest heauens into thes lower partes off the earthe to redeeme it and purchase it not with gold or siluer as saithe Sainct Peter but with his precious bludd But I do otherwise then I was purposed that am fallen to threatninges and exhortacions wheras in the beginninge I only purposed to declare what ought to be doone and what we do not And yet ther be so great faultes committed in this behalff that it seemuch nothinge can be greuously and vehemently enoughe spoken against them For the chiefe charges off the churche ar not only left vndischarged for negligence but dispensacions and priuiledges are granted that exempt ministers from the necessary doinge off ther dewty and geue Pastors leaue off this condicion to leaue ther flocke and ther churches yff they leaue an other in ther place to read seruice vnto them And for them that will goe to the vniuersitie by an ordinary lawe it is lawfull to be absent three yeeres and the realt with a litle mony may purchase the like dispensacions in the Archbishops court and market Off the saÌ„e sort also be thos bulls that are bought in the same market that geue ycence off heaping so many churches or as they call them Beneficies to gether which Faculties as they call them besides the intollerable couetousnes wher with also for some mennes diligence in this behalffe is ioyned extreeme need and pouertie off a great nomber off other as commonly it commeth to passe wher a fewe men rake all vnto them selues bringe in aâ—so into the churche a necessitie off neglectinge off dewty seinge yt is impossible that one should be able to serue more churches and thos often tymes the lenght off the whole land a sonder In which horrible destroyinge off the churche and neglectinge and for sakinge the Lordes flock streyinge in the
succeded by inheritance vnto the Apostles and therfore haue receyued yt off them allthoghe I should graunt them the first the second yet is disprouued by most manyfest testimonies and examples of the appostles them selues For let vs see iff euer the Apostles in any election did challendge this power and authoritie vnto them Sainct Luke writeth off thre elections holden by the appostles the fyrst in the fyrst off the Actes wher a new Apostle is chosen The second in the sixth wher the Seacons the third in the fourtenthe wher the Elders ar appointed in euery church For althoughe the Apostles did not choose Matthias But left it to the Lott which should declare the Lordes will and counsell therin because this was proper and peculier for that office off Apostles that they should not be chosen off men nor by men But immediatly from the Lord him selfe yet in settinge forth two ther is a certene kind off choise and election But what is ther in all this actioÌ„ that either Iames whome some say to haue bene Bishopp at Ierusalem or Pâ—â—er or any off the other Apostles doth take vnto him selfe For althoughe that Sainct Luke declareth that Iames was present heere yet we reade not that he was cheefe ther or tooke vpon him as he was Bishoppe authority to appointe an Apostle Or ells thos two off whom one should be chosen by the Lott But contrawise we see that he challenged no more to him selfe then either Andrew or Philipp or any other off the rest off the Apostles In deed Peter as Proloquutor propoundethe all the matter and purteth vp as yt wer this grace vnto the churche off chosinge an Apostle And he him self declareth what one they ought to choose and what especially in ther election they ought to respect and regard But vsed no particuler or special autoritie in choosinge the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They sett forthe Which is off the plurall nomber vsed by Sainct Luke in that place dothe manyfestly declare and proue Therfore in this first and solemne election off the Apostles ther was nothinge done or said from whence this infynite power and authoritie may be deriued vnto the Bishoppes But contrariwise seinge Iames taketh nothinge to him selffe nor Peter nor any other off the rest nay seinge all the Apostles togeether doe nothinge heere off ther owne authoritie nor choose whom yt pleasethe them It is sure and manifest that That Bishopp that will not take him selfe greater then an Apostle or then all the Apostles can by no right challendge to hym selffe any suche power or priuiledge in gyuinge and apointinge the offices off the churche But Let yt be that this election for the choice off Mathias and the great office and callinge wherevnto he was chosen had somewhat singuler and extraordinary and let vs see the next that is the election off the Seacons written by Saincte Luke in the sixthe chapter off the Actes wherin ik is so farr off that Peter or Iames or any other off the Apostles challenged any thinge aboue the rest vnto them selues in choosinge off them that contrariwise ther was nothinge done but by the common consent and agreement off them all For Sainct Luke dothe expressly declare that the multitude off the disciples we called togeether by the twelue that the choosinge off SeacoÌ„s was propouÌ„ded by the twelue and that the election beinge ended the praiers were made and handes laid on by the twelue For allthoughe they did not all call them to geether nor propounde the election nor make the praiers yet so expresse a speakinge as Sainct Luke vseth heere That the tvvelue called the disciples together and the words off the plurall nombre which he vsethe in euery place off this history do manyfestly proue that nothing was done heere by the priuate commandement or counsell off any but that coÌ„trariwise all thinges passed by the comÌ„on consent and authoritie off all the Apostles Therfore in this second and most solemne election bothe for the presence off all the Apostles and multitude off the disciples They take the repulse againe and can not obteyne this immesurable and princely authoritie in the churche which they seeke to haue The last is the election off Elders written in the fourtenth off the Actes which was heeld not by all the Apostles but only by Paule and Burnabas wherin althoughe they two ruled all the actioÌ„ and did moderate and gouerne the Iudgment off those that gaue the voices yet that they vsed no power and authoritie off ther owne in electinge the Elders off the churche euen that one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chosinge by liftinge vp off the handes off the people doth manyfestly declare Therfore the Bishopps receyued not this authoritie by inheritance from the Apostles whose elections I haue declared to haue beene furthest off from this lordly authoritie For so they had bene taught off Christ that his kingdome was notlike the kingdomes off this world wherin some one hathe the chiefe authoritie to whome the rest ought to obey and whom they call ther Lord an master But he had appointed â—oir greatest or greater then his fellowes they had lerned that he was only king to whom all ought to be obedient and that they ought to lyue togeether like fellows in equall place and degree one with an other But they flee from the Apostles to the EuaÌ„gelistes And that fauour they could not get off the Apostles they hope to atteyne by them therfore they fetche the begynninge off this power and authoritie from Tymothie and Titus loff whom they say the one was bishop at Ephesus and the other in Candy And Timothie say they was commanded that he should not lay on his handes to rashly vpon any which commandement had bin in vayne iff the election off ministers had not beene in the Bishopps handes But I aske them how they proue that Tymothe was bishoppe at Ephesus For I thinck they will not bringe me that subscriptioÌ„ To Tymothe first chosen bishoppe off Ephesus much lesse Eusebius authorite the Author wheroff is vnknowne and off no great credit which also is not sett at the end off the first epistle against the most manifest testimoni off the Scripture which callethe Tymothie not a Bishoppe but an Euangelist for so Sainct Paule expresly calleth hym in the ende off his secoÌ„d epistle vnto him And the whole history prouethe that it cannot be that he could haue taried long at Ephesus who followed Paule trauelinge throughe so many churches and serued him in his iourny whom Paule himselfe doth witnes in mani places to haue beene an eye witnes off his afflictions whome he sent some tymes to Ephesus namely when he went into Macedonia sometymes to Corinth witnessinge that he did the lordes worck euen as he him selfe As also to the Rom. he calleth him his follow laborer as one that labored to geeâ—her her with him in plantynge and orderinge off churches and last â—ff all that ther may be no way
yet when Iames was slaine they did choose nome into his Roume or the Roume oft any other off the Apostles when they died So that yt is plaine that this office is abolished Which beinge playne off the Apostles must be likewise vnderstood off the Euangelistes who serued and mynistred vnto them and were after a sort ther vicairs and deputies For as it doth appere in the Actes This was the office of the Euangelistes to accōpany the Apostles whom they when they had gathered any company off a churche together and must needes depart left behind them beinge instructed by them in what sort ād order to stablishe the churche who hauinge set the churche in order and prouided pastors and Elders to gouerne yt left it ād followed the Apostles againe So they as Emperors and Generalles when they had ouercome any citie left as it were some chiefe captaines behinde them vntill thinges could be brought to a better stay and that ancientes and elders as certen perpetuall garrisons were set ouer them for the Apostles were appointed to cōquere and to ouercome The Euangelistes to establishe and set in order The elders to mainteine and preserue the churche of god Therfore this office off the Euangelist must needes cease seinge the Apostleshippe is ceased allreadie As for the Prophetes office althoughe it consisted in expoundinge the scriptures yet seinge it was ioyned with extraordinary gyft off foretellinge thinges to come necessary for the primitiue churche but now no more in vse yt can not be doubted but that the office ys ceased as well as the gyft wherupon we may conclude That seinge as Saint Paule witnessethe onely Apostles Euangelistes Prophetes Pastors and Doctors were geuen by Christ to the edifyinge off the churche and the work off the ministery That the three first ceasinge there remaine only Pastors and Doctors perpetuall and ordinary ministers off the word In deede sometymes the lord extraordinarily in a confused state where is no place off ordynary callinge stirreth vp as be did in our tyme as yt were certen newe Apostles to lighten the world agayne with the light off the gospell And Eusebius maketh mencion off some who saith he with a heauenly zeale off followinge the Apostles went preachinge the gospell to the Indians But I speake off the Ordinary state off the churche suche as oures ought to be after so many yeeres Therfore Sainct Paule in the xij to the Romans speakinge off this state makethe no mencion off Apostles Euangelistes or Prophetes but only off Teachers and exhorters callinge Pastors Exhorters as it shall appeere hereafter Neither was i◠needfull that they should continewe any longer in the churche no more then it is needfull after the platforme be drawen that the master builder tarie any longer but that there be carpenters and workmen to builde and raise the worck as he hathe appointed And it seemethe that our Sauior Christ in the stablishinge off his kingdome followed a kind off order not diuers from that which is vsed by earthly kinges and princes Who at the daie off ther coronacion and for a certen time after make many officers for diuers and sondry vses who serue not only for a solemnitie pompe and shewe but also to great vse and seruice for that time but when thinges are set in order and the kingdome stablished are vsed no longer So Christ our lord and king when as beinge ascended into heauen he was as it were inuested into his kingdome created Apostles and suche other officers which should set his kingdome in order and appoint and ordeine a certen ordinary state for the gouernment and administracion off it which being so established and set in order Those offices should cease and the kingdome should be gouerned as they had appointed Therfore theris no cause why we should think the loue ād care off our Sauior towardes his churche to be diminished for this cause or that he dealethe not bountifully and liberallie with vs no more then subiectes for the like cause haue occasiō to suspect ther kinges good will and fauor to be chaunged towardes them For these thinges are but for a certeyne time and perteine to the beginninge off the kingdome which time seemethe necessarilie to require some other kinde of order then all the rest that followeth Therfore to cōtinewe the same similiritude after he was crowned-kinge he scattered in great aboundāce spirituall giftes off knowledge prophesyinge healinge and other graces as gold and siluer amonges his people All the conduites ranne with sweet and most pleasant wyne All the pipes and cockes ranne with rose water and other sweet and plesant waters But allthoughe he geueth vs dailie all thinges liberally and plentifully yet he geueth vs not dailie a Largesse as at the tyme off his coronacion Therfore we ought to be content with that liberalitie which the lord shewethe vnto vs and not to looke to haue allwais alike The same reason is off the perpetuall mynisters off the word with whom he would haue vs to be contented and not to wishe for the first and those which were extraordinary and apointed to serue but for a tyme For as some thinge was geuen more liberally and extraordinarilie to the extraordinary tymes off the churche So we are sufficiently prouided for off all thinges which belonge to the continuall and necessarie vse off the churche Therfore beinge content with this meane estate and condicion Let vs vse that which is giuen vnto vs and seeke not for offices which serued but for a tyme in the perpetuall gouernment off the churche nor wil he extraordinary functions in an ordinary state Wherfore we ought to haue Pastors and Doctors appointed in our churche and not to reteine still the extraordinary office off preachers which yet I reproue more sparingly for the respect I haue to many worthie men who haue labored with some fruite after this sort for I see that some by the negligence off those who ought to haue prouided meete Pastors for the churches for the loue they had vnto the gospell thought it lawfull for them in these tymes to take vpon them this Apostolicall or Euangelicall kind off office and embassage wheras rather they owght to haue vrged the full and perfit reformacion off our churche and to haue striuen by the word off god that euery church might haue bene prouided off a fit Pastor And that the Lordes heritage might be no more left barren and vntilled left that at the last the Lord be angry with vs and take it from vs and let out his farme to other that will dresse it better But iff there be any which please them selues to muche in this gadding abroade thorough out the churches and will contend they may do so by the example off the Apostles and Euangelistes let them shew vs the signes off ther Apostleship as Saint Paule did to the Corinthians Let them proue that they are indewed with those Apostolicall gyftes off knowledge and vnderstanding tonges healinges doinge off
ther dewties off the helpe off Deacons as the Apostles had Let them remember that the bodye would bee destroyed yff there were no member in yt but the eye And that churche in like manner wherin no man beareth any office but the Bishopp Let them remember that god hathe so made the bodye that there is a merueilous necessary vse off the diuers membres theroff which variety off partes and members must needes be preserued yff we would haue the bodie whole healthfull and stronge Let this infinite Ambition and desyre off rule and off medlinge with euery thinge that is in the Lord Bishoppes be corrected Let the Consistorie and Assembly off the Elders being so necessarie and so profitable for all the affaires off the churche be established wherin they may haue indeede the fyrst place in respect off the worthines off ther office S that they leaue the second to the Doctors and the third to the Elders For the churche perceiue the howe hurt full a thinge yt is that they should take all vnto them selues and can beare yt no longer perceiuinge well that the shamfull prophanacion off the Sacramentes the manifold and intollerable abuses off excommunication which is the highest Iustice off the churche and other innumerable euilles flow and springe from no other fountaine then from this pride off theâ—â—â— and busy medling very hurtfull and daungerous for the state off the churche And thus muche off Ecclesiasticall officers off whom because I haue spoken more at large how they ought to be appointed for that in the appoyntinge off them Ecclesiasticall discipline dothe in a manner wholie consist I will recompense yt with the shortenes off that part which followeth which is touchinge the dewtie off all the Saintes and faithfull Vnder the name off the Sainctes are conteined all the rest off the churche which doe not exercise any publique office or function therin whose dewtie as in all other societies ys only this to suffer them selues willingly to be ruled and gouerned by those whom god hathe set ouer them whervnto there is a short but a notable and pithy exhortacion off the apostle to the Hebrevvs wherin he exhorteth them aÌ„d by them all other churches to obedience vnto them who haue the ouersight off theÌ„ that they may geue vp their accoÌ„pte of the charge off sowles which they haue taken in hand with ioye and comforte and that they maye readilie aÌ„d with good courage beare for the churches sake all suche labor grees cares and sorwes as are ioined vnto ther offices Neither let Magestrates think allthough in respect off ther ciuill authoritie the churche be subiect to them that in this behalffe they are to be exempted from this precept and commanndement off the Appostle who chargeth euery one to be subiect to those who in Lord are set ouer them for seing they ought to be carefull as well off the saluacion off the Magystrate as off others and that the sowle off the magystrate as well as of the rest is committed to theyr charge They must also as well as the rest submit them selues and be obedient to the iust and lawfull authoritie off the Officers off the churche For seinge they not onlie rule by the authoritie off Iesus Christ but in a maÌ„ner do represent his person seing they rule not as they them selues list accordinge to ther owne will but only accordinge to this word and commandement Is it not meete that euen kinges and the highest magystrates should be obedient vnto them For yt is meet that all the princes and Monarches off the world shold geue vpp their sceptres and crownes vnto him whome god had made and appointed the Heyre off his kingdome and Lord off heauen and earthe I might alledge heare oute off the histories off all times diuers examples off godlie princes who submitted them selues to the order and gouernment off the churche apointed by god Who allthoughe as touching this life they did rule and gouerne yet they despised not the discipline aÌ„d correction off the Lord I might name out off the most auncient historye and holie Chronicles off the Hebrevvs kinge Azarias who allthoughe he proudely and boldly vsurped the priesthood yet when he was stryken by the Lord with a Leprosy and was therfore cast out of the temple and seperated from the coÌ„mon society off men by the highe priest accordinge to the lawe which God had made therin He obeied the priest coÌ„mandinge according to God his word and letting his sonne rule is his steade passed the rest of his life in solitarines alone by himselfe Amonges the Christian Emperors allthoughe ther be many worthy examples which now a dayes Princes may set before them to follow yet those two which the ecclesiasticall story reherseth off Philipp the first Christian Emperor and off Theodosius conteine a singuler example aboue the rest off godlie subiection wheroff the one beinge commaunded to absteine from the Sacramentes vntill he had first professed him selffe to be a penitent for that he had committed certen faultes and had made open protestacion off his Religion for that he was suspected He willinglie obeied the Bishopp or rather the word off god And both protested openly his grefe and srowe for the synnes he had committed and professed before all the churche his faithe and Religion The other that is Theodosius being not admitted by Ambrose into the churche into the which he would haue come did likewise so willinglie obeie that prostratinge hym selffe vppon the grownd and pauement off the temple in the sight off god and his Angells and all the churche followinge the meeknes off Dauid reprehended off Nathan declared the wuÌ„derfull sorowe which he had for his wiked fact and the slaughter committed at Thessalonica by his commaundement rehersing these wordes out off the Psalme My soule did cleane vnto the pauement Therfore all the faithfull and euen the princes and magistrates them selues ought to be subiect to the word off god and to Ecclesiasticall Discipline and then is the churche in florishing estate when bothe they who beare rule do commannd according to gods word and theâ— who be subiectes do willingly obeye But the Magistrates haue this proper and peculier to them selues aboue the rest off the faithfull To set in order and establishe the state off the churche by ther authoritie and to preserue and mainteine it according to godds will being once established Not that they should rule the Ecclesiasticall matters by their authoritie for this belongeth vnto Christ alone and to hym he hath committed this charge but for asmuche as the Apostle teachethe that they are apointed off God to th end that we may lyue a godlie aÌ„d a peceable life aÌ„d that the kinges off Israell by the apointement off god had charge to see the execution off all the lawe they ought to prouide and see that the seruice off god be established as he hathe appointed and administred by suche as ought to administre the same and afterwardes preserued