in the other with aduauntage Chap. XXI An exposition of that place of Luke in the two and twentith chapter NOw I come to that place of Luke the two and twentith chapter where it is recorded that there was some question made amongst the Apostles which of them should seeme the greater the which for that it arose of a certaine perswasion of honor and rule our Lord Sauiour the great Maister of humility repressed the same and confuted their misconceite when as hee forbad them to imitate the proceedings of heathen Princes and made himselfe an example of his manner of gouernment For albeit he had called them indeed to a singular kind of dignitie notwithstanding he would haue them vnderstand that the same differed heauen and earth from that which is vsuall in imperiall kingdomes For as the kingdome of God is diuers from the kingdomes of the earth euen so it becommeth the Ministers of that his kingdome to be of diuers conditions also Indeed it is the fashion of the Court to sewe pillowes vnder the elbowes euen of most vile men and commonly they which grind the faces of the people with bloud-thirstie tyrannie and practise vpon them all kind of crueltie are notwithstanding called most mercifull and most gratious Lords Wherefore our Sauiour especially here taxed the manifest misdemeanors of them which then did domineer ouer the people of God noting withall the manifold abuses of other vngratious Tyrants which by force and armes had inthralled mightie kingdomes vnder their dominion vnto whome the grace of Gratiousnes was giuen euen by them whom they oppressed most vngratiously Moreouer there was setled in the mindes of the Apostles a certain conceit that the kingdom of the Lord should be earthly as they did see that of the Romanes to bee and as they had heard that of Dauid and Salomon to haue beene Higher then this could not they aduance their conceits for alâs they were as yet but meere infants in Christ and did but learne as then to goe by ground Whereuppon it came to passe that they imagined very strongly that they could be made no other by the Lord then Lords Lieutenantes at the least from the which their childish ouer-weening our Sauiour doth in this place take them downe a little But that it may be made yet more apparant vnto all what might bee the Lord his very meaning in that his saying I wil yet sound into the cause a little deeper The Apostles seeme to make a verie plaine question demaunding no more but this Who should be the greatest among them but in what things he should be the greatest that is not there expressed No doubt a man may be accounted greatest for sundry causes as greatest in age in experience greatest greatest in learning in eloquence greatest greatest in wisedome in wealth in nobilitie of birth in authoritie and power and such like But now the Apostles were priuate men in nothing singular which commonly maketh mens minds ambitious and causeth mens thoughtes to ouer-reach As for age experience wealth wisedome nobility such like they openly bewray themselues in whom soeuer they are the greatest so that there is seldom any question about those things It remaineth therefore that the question betwene them was for honour and authoritie the which also may seeme a ridiculous thing among the poore fraternitie of the twelue Apostles vnlesse haplie a man would iudge them ambitious rather for their desire then for their honour But farre be it from mee that I should rashly condemne those good men of any sacrilegious ambition seeing the Lord himselfe did not so much correct them as direct them in their demaund It appeareth rather by that the Lord answered thē by any thing the Apostles propounded that they did not regard the present state of thinges as they were then but that they had an eye to that rather which they hoped to see shortly vnder Christ They knewe that the kingdome of GOD was now at hande about the proclaiming whereof they chiefly were sent neyther were they ignorant how honorably the Prophets had written thereof namely that it should be as a most mightie so a most ample kingdome not to bee bordered but with the compasse of the whole earth that all nations should come and acknowledge their fealtie and doe due homage thereunto and that albeit they expected many enemies and aduersaries both tyrants and traytors yet notwithstanding the rebellious of the people should be appeased at the last Wherefore when as they were of beleefe that this kingdome should be restored vnto Israell out of hand their question is who should be next vnto Christ in that kingdome For as the Israelites had borne a long time the heauie yoke of some tyrannous Empires so they were perswaded that all Nations should nowe yeelde to the iust consequence of their renued title And they did see indeed that their present number did well agree with the twelue Princes of the twelue Tribes of Israel and that the seuentie two Disciples did as well resemble the graund Senate of Gods people Whereby as they knewe that amongst them of olde there were diuerse degrees of dignitie vnder King Dauid and other Princes so they perswaded themselues that the like distinction of orders and honours ought to bee continued amongst them Neither could they so soone forget that honorable speach of their Lord when he promised them that one day they should sit vpon twelue thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israell These conceites I should conceiue the Apostles had then in their heades being made as yet and not throughly exercised in the censure of heauenly things these I think rather to haue proceeded in them of a certaine weake ignorance and erroneous misconceiuing then of any sacrilegious pride or ambitious ouer-weening But the Lord perceiuing their thoughts correcteth their misconceite teacheth them That he had not called them to sway an earthly scepter but to seeke a spirituall Empire in the which notwithstanding the power they should receiue of him they should still continue and content themselues not Princes but priuate men Wherfore albeit they should be the chiefe and principall of the new people of God yet their principalitie should not bee any thing more magnificent then the estate of other priuate men and therefore in the forme of that gouernment he had appointed for his Church the first and principall ought to imitate his example who liued among them as a seruant and a Minister when as yet they called him as indeede hee was both Lord and Maister And this is the plainest exposition of Christ his words Where we see that our Sauiour because hee would not stirre vp any headstrong innouation in the common welths and kingdomes vnto whom he sent his Apostles of especial purpose he sent them priuate and impotent without either warlike complement or ciuil regiment namely to conuert soules not to inuert states least if hee should haue erected heere any earthlie kingdome they might haue supposed
Prince partly of the Common-wealth it is not repugnant to the state of the Church or stay of religion And indeed why should not the same thing betide their fields which befall the persons thēselues who albeit they are dedicate to God mancipate to his seruice yet they commit nothing vnworthy their function or not beseeming their calling when as according vnto the dignity of their place they performe due seruice to their Prince and other duties to the common-wealth That which is added of the pension or stipend of Ministers is easily answered by the same reason for it differeth not from the other Wherfore as a man may consecrate him selfe and his labours to God and the Church yet reserue his due obsequie to his Prince and the common-wealth so likewise may the Church inioy both fields and fearms and fees in the common-wealth and yet make no claime to any extraordinary immunity from seruice nor euer think much of any ordinary fealtie due to the patrōs therof The Bishop and euery other Minister of the Church is subiect to the lawes and Magistrate of the common-wealth and seeing he oweth homage to the Prince as to the cōmon parent of the people there is no absurditie committed if by the accesse of some especial benefit he become more nearly bound vnto him then the common sort How many and how bloudie wars the Bishops of Rome haue made vpon the Emperours and other Christian Princes euen for the onely inuestiture of those fees which they chalenge vnto themselues as consecrate to God therefore as they perswaded themselues free from all ciuill seruice all histories can well witnesse Wherefore those Magistrates at this day doe shew themselues very ingrate I may say vngodly to the present Ministerie who when as by defending the authoritie of the ciuill Magistrate which the Bishop of Rome had impayred they haue now at the length brought to passe that they haue recouered the same by their means doe now notwithstanding enuie them their poore estate in the Church and their small authoritie in the common-wealth May not that of the Apostle 2. Cor. 11.19 be truly said of this people They suffered those gladly which brought them into bondage which tooke of their goodes which exalted themselues which smote them on the face I more which afflicted them with fire and sworde and made them runne through Purgatorie glad that they might get to Hell But the faithfull seruantes of Christ which set them free frō the captiuitie of the Pope and gaue them that libertie which they nowe abuse against the Church those they doe not onely not reward with that honour they well deserued but they depriue them of those dignities they once possessed They lay baites for the bane for some set snares for the liues of others contriue plots for the deposing and disparaging of all Is this the thankes they giue to their Pastors And is this the reward for so many benefits receiued by their preaching O God forgiue them this sin if it be possible But thou wilt one day iudge betweene them and vs and reuenge this infamie done vnto thy selfe Chap. XXVIII Of the honorable titles which are giuen vnto Bishops NOw we haue spoken of fees and of that ciuill iurisdiction which is annexed vnto them it remaineth that wee speake somewhat also of their titles of honour Neither will I seeke into all but will shew you vnto a few of them and comprise in one or two all the rest which either the custome of the time place or the curtesie of Kings and Princes doe giue vnto the chiefe states of the kingdome With the which here are some in England which find themselues not a little offended would hold others in hand thogh they dare not hold their hand that such titles are not to bee giuen to the greatest Bishops The first that displeaseth them is the title of Lord which yet at this day is vsed to be giuen rather for honor sake then for homage The proper signification thereof is sufficiently known to haue relation to the possession proprietie of a thing In which sense euery man is Lord of that hee hath It hath a secondary relatiō also to a Seruant in which sense the Romane Emperours would not be called Lords or Maisters Suetonius reporteth of Octauius that he abhorred the name of Lord Maister as curse and a slaunder Indeed the Barbarians acknowledge no other distinction of persons but of Maisters Seruants therfore their Kings also do domineer ouer their subiects as maisters ouer their seruants the fathers of families haue the same authoritie ouer their wiues children as ouer their seruāts This would seem might well a very vnreasonable thing to vs being not as they are a people base seruile And yet the Moschouites rule at this day after this manner neither is the Empire of the Turkes much vnlike the same And generally all the Easterne kingdoms were once of this gouernment kept this foule rule ouer the nations wher they conquered Whether the Kings kindred had any priuilege besides the rest it is to be doubted so I leaue it But these a man might truly cal Dominos Lords or Maisters in which sense our Kings themselues wil not be so called nor will they take it in good part to be so slandered for their subiects are not their slaues or seruants neither do they so vse them They hold it their chiefest glory to haue a free people subiect vnto them and thinke it more honorable to command ouer a free then a seruile nation And albeit the King may truly be called Lord and indeed the only chiefe Lord in his own kingdom referring the signification of that title either to the subiection of the whole people or the propriety of his own kingdome yet contenting himself with the royal title of King which glory he wil cōmunicate with no subiect he enuieth not his subiects the name of Lords but whō he thinketh worthy hee honoureth with that title Neither do inferior persons only cal superior personages Lords but they also which are Nobles of equall authoritie do so salute their peeres And doth not the King himselfe vouchsafe to greet the Honors of his lande by the names of Lords The name of Lord is of many significations and is as I haue said a title rather of honour and of fauor then of rule and of Empire the which argueth the no smal malice or otherwise the great ignorance of them which hold the title of Lord to bee of so great authoritie as that it is not conuenable to the calling of Bishops And yet at this day among the best Latinistes the same name ordinarily is giuen to any man of any ordinary esteeme So doth the signification of this title varie according to the diuersitie of regions and persons and proprieties They which in England do make the same a signification of greater honor then that it may any waies agree with
their Bishops doe ground that their errour vpon an other by the which they are perswaded that it is a thing insolent and absurd for Bishops to bee taken for peeres of the lande But herein they seeme to bewray themselues in like passion with the sons of Iacob when they enuyed their owne brother for that he was made more honourable then themselues who ought rather to haue thought themselues honored in their brother It is vtterly against the nature of a well ordered common-wealth that the order of religion should not bee accounted among the chiefe states of the lande the which honour seeing it cannot bee giuen to all that are in the same order it is wisely and worthily prouided by the chiefe Magistrate that the whole order should be honored in a few of them The which thing seeing it is agreeable to the lawe of God and the custome of the auncient people of God the practise of al Nations vnder the Sun may it not seem a woÌ„der greater then their errour that any learned men should be found in any wildernes of the world so ouergrown with mosse the melancholie of their distempered brains as once to oppose themselues in any ciuill societie against the same But let vs heare yet with what reasons they are moued so farre beyond all reason Those proud titles say they of dominion are the inuentions of Antichrist and our Sauiour answered his Apostles contending about the primacie That the kings of nations rule ouer them and they which exercise authoritie vpon them are called gratious Lords but it shall not bee so with you And in the 23. of Mathew You shall call no man your father vpon earth for there is one your father which is in heauen bee not called Doctors for one is your Doctor euen Christ Whatsoeuer els is alleadged is of smal worth these words of our Sauiour beeing honestly interteined the rest will willingly yeelde themselues First therfore I affirme that the titles of dominion were inuented before Antichrist himselfe was hatched hee beeing the author thereof who is the author of dominion Neyther is there any thing arrogant in the titles but in the impotent and vsurped aspirement of such which oft times reiecting their commendable titles affect the contrary and cal themselues seruants of seruants which thinke themselues Lordes of Lords name themselues with the lesse and the least which will bee accounted the greater the greatest that if for nothing els yet for that they are so named But the Lorde his meaning was not to abolish the vse of these titles Lord Doctor and Father but to teach vs onely by these his precepts to beware of two dangerous perrils The first is the vaine swelling or swelling veine with the which Hypocrites are commoÌ„ly puft vp by reaso of these titles the other is the preposterous confidence which the simple people coÌ„monly haue in their elected Doctors or Fathers vppon which aduauntage the popular professors distract the name of Christ so that some hold of Paul some of Apâ—llo and some of Cephas and euery man best fancieth the Doctor himself hath chosen when as no man ought to build vpon any Doctors wordes but on his alone which cannot erre the Lord Christ Neyther was it the Lord his intent to inhibit vs that we should not call those by their names vnto whom the Lord hath giuen the names of Doctors Fathers in the Church or that children should not cal them Fathers vpon earth that begot them into the world or that Disciples should not cal them Doctors in the Cittie that instructed them in the Vniuersity or that Christian seruants should not cal them Lords Maisters which haue intertained them into their families No doubt Onesimus both might ought to call and recognise Philemon for his Maister And did not Paul also a most perfect imitater of Christ cal himself the Doctor of the Gentiles And why may not we also cal him as well a Doctor as an Apostle In the first to the Corinthians chap. 4. he calleth himselfe theyr Father Although saith hee you haue ten thousand instructers in Christ yet haue you not many Fathers for I haue begotten you through the Gospell The like we reade in many other places by the which we are giuen to vnderstand that not the condition but the ambition onely of those names was forbidden with the singling out of some especiall Doctor or Teacher by the which wee will shew our selues to be singular For that indeed that knowledge of the truth which we would seem to experience in some especiall men is onely to be expected in that Doctor alone who with the Spirit is able to lead vs into all truth But now what shall we say of the name title of Lordes First I say it is no where written Be ye not called Lordes And againe I say that although it were written it could beare no other sence or haue any other interpretation then those other titles which before are noted That dominion ouer the Lordes heritage is forbidden by the Lord there is no man that doubteth and did the word Lord alwaies implie a Dominion it were some thing they saide But we haue heard of the diuers significations of these words As for that the Lord said vnto his Apostles It shal not be so with you what sober maÌ„ wil interprete him as if he had said Ye shall not be called Lords If the Kinges and Princes of the common-wealth will haue you to sit in the assemblies of great men and wil heare your iudgement concerning the state of the Church and will consult together with you concerning the affaires of the common-wealth and in regarde of my name and in reuerence of your calling wil haue you reputed among the peers of the land take heede beware of that and suffer not your selues to bee called Lordes this is a proud title and that is a foule matter From hence no doubt did arise that odious hypocrisie in the Church of Rome which vnder the basenes of mean titles exerciseth the sharpnes of no meane tyrannie and vnder the name of Seruant of seruantes vsurpeth dominion ouer Maisters and Seruants And hence it is also that his champions do glory in this to be called Friers Minorites the lesse or the least as if forsooth there were nor pride nor tyranny lurking vnder these their lubarly names or as if the name of Lord onely were to bee attended with pride and tyrannie Wherefore the meaning of our Sauiour in those words was not to forbid his disciples those ordinary tearms of honour which are giuen them by the fauor of the Prince and consent of the people only his intent was to teach theÌ„ that the Gospel was no prince-like Ministery or royal seigniory By the which it neither is nor can be concluded that Princes may by no means vse the assistaÌ„ce of Ministers nor grace the learned Pastors with certaine principall degrees of honor Hath Christ by any law diminished the Princes
all betweene these thinges we giue you much greater things then we receiue of you The sixt argument is drawne from the diuine institution of God vnder the old Testament because it was then of the Lord ordained that the Priestes and Leuites so many as minister at the Altar should liue of the Altar Doe you not knowe sayth hee that they which minister about holie thinges eate of the thinges of the Temple and that they which waite at the Altar are partakers with the Altar And last of all hee sheweth that the like institution was ordeyned of the Lord vnder the new Testament That they which preach the Gospell shall also liue of the Gospell By which reasons it is made as cleare as noone-day that all Christians are bound in dutie to honour their Pastors And how then should they be excused of ingratitude vngodlines which defraud them of their due honour That the contempt of the Minister redoundeth to God their Maister and that no man so much as God himselfe is thereby held in scorne that one place in the sixt to the Galathians the sixt verse doth abundantly declare which is after this sort Let him that is taught in the worde communicate with him that taught him all his goodes Bee not deceiued God is not mocked For whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall hee also reape for he that soweth to the flesh shall reape corruption but hee that soweth to the spirite shall of the spirite reape life euerlasting Let him which is instructed sayth hee communicate all his goodes Good Lord will some say what meaneth he by this What he meaneth may easily be vnderstood by a Synecdoche by the which he sayth All his goods for part of all his goods How great a part it is not prescribed vnto the old people the tenth part was layd forth vnto the new people no part seeing they owe of dutie vnto Christ their Lord and Sauiour not the tenth onely but the ninth eight seuenth sixt fift and euen the whole and all if the necessitie of the Church requireth so much To this he addeth God is not mocked as if hee should haue saide It is but in vaine that you make so many vaine excuses for here the question is not of mans mainteinance but of God and the Gospels countenance not what honour you shew to man but what due regard ye yeelde vnto God thinke not you pintch on the Parsons side when God himselfe is the partie you may haplie delude them but God will not be dallyed withall Here therefore if wee could but once conceiue the least part of that which all rich men and Nobles Barons Earles Dukes and Kinges themselues doe owe vnto the Ministers of Gods Church and that the same might once bee freely giuen according as Gods lawes doe commaund and the godly dutie of a gratefull minde doth require how great might we think would the treasure of the Church be in a good Christian common-wealth Chap. VIII That the good examples of our fore-fathers prescribe a lawe to their successors WHen our Fore-fathers had well considered that there was no certaine prescription set downe as a lawe vnto them for this matter vnder the Gospel which precisely limited what and howe much euery man was to giue they wisely willingly set downe a law vnto themselues and their successors and they gaue vnto the church tithes oblations glebes and yearly reuenues from out their possessions that thereby the Pastor might bee maintained the poore releeued and the youth instructed The which voluntarie donations are now ratefied vnto the Church by the same lawes which make good to euerie man the propriety of his own possessions Who doubteth of the liberality of the Primitiue Christians which brought the price of their lands to the Apostles but that they might as well haue giuen them the land it selfe if the state of the time and place had bene such But they which did then expect the subuersion of that place and people and looked for no better world vnder those vngodlie Priestes then their Lorde and Sauiour had found before them they thought good to sell all and onely of their meer bountie no man compelling them thereunto they committed al the mony to be at the Apostles curtesie This their example hath beene well followed by our godly forefathers who willingly out of their own wealth haue liberally prouided for the church not for once but for all ages the which thing they thought to be neerly appertaing to their duetie I am not ignorant that this religious action hath degenerated into a preposterous zeale for which cause curteous reader I giue thee to vnderstand that I do not here defend any godles or superstitious donations but onely note vnto thee the great vntowardnes of mans nature which is alwais more prone to ruine into contrary enormities then to run on in the way of harmelesse mediocrity Wee easily stumble from one extreame to another but yet their fall is more tolerable which transgresse in excesse then they which offend in defect as it is alwaies more easie to deduct from aboundance that which is needlesse then to supply in an exigent that which is needful Happely some cur-modgen or cursed Church-robber will scorn at this who haue alredy set down this for their rest ether with a gredy mind to rifle the church or with a galled conscience to reteine that they haue rifled from the church rather then of any godly deuotion to passe any thing of their owne vnto the welfare thereof But let him scorne at me and scorne for me yet let him beware he laugh not God to scorne it sufficeth me if he can so satisfie God CHAP. IX That the oblations of Christians are part of Gods worship ALbeit God be not to be wone by gifts for what needeth he seeing hee needeth not anie yet notwithstanding he requireth som fruit of our religious thoughts and some testimonie of our loyall mind and he will be honored of our earthly substance for this is part of that worship which is due vnto God and in the which wee prooue and professe our selues thankefull for those benefits we haue receiued Do you not know that God will bee so worshipped in spirite and truth that is in mind and faith that in the mean while there be no want of extearne worship in the honour and homage of our bodies For he is the maker and maintainer both of body and soule and therefore of right hee is to be worshipped in them both And are not our bodies the temples of the holy Ghost which dwelleth in vs In like manner seeing hee is also the onely doner of all our wealth and worldly goods of like right he requireth our duty and his honor in this behalfe Whereupon our Lord and Sauiour being mooued in a case of paying tribute to Caesar made this answere That wee must giue vnto God that which is Gods and vnto Caesar that which is due vnto Caesar shewing thereby that there is a tribute due
conception Their first argument is forced from the composition of the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as they take it signifieth that principalitie and power which is proper to the ciuill Magistrate only impertinent to that modestie and simplicitie which the doctrine of the Gospel requireth of a Pastor To the which they also adde the sentence of the Councell of Carthage which forbad anie Bishoppe to bee called Prince of the Priests The wordes of the Canon are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The which Gratian in his ninetie nine distinction translateth thus The Bishop of the chiefe place shall not be called prince of the Priestes or high Priest or any other such thing but onely Bishop of the chiefe place Besides all this say they the word Archbishop differeth nothing from the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince of Pastors the which name or title seeing it is only proper to Christ alone we cannot see how he should bee excused of heinous sacrilege that doth any way vsurpe the same And therefore all such names are to be cast ouer bord and vtterly to be exiled the Church of Christ Neither is the arguing of these names to be taken for trifling when as they seem so greatly to derogate from the name of Christ And last of all those names which Antichrist himselfe or the spirit of Antichrist hath either inuented or inuested into the Church are to bee auoyded but that Antichrist was the forger of these titles it is a plaine case and therefore to be auoided To that I answer That the sence true meaning of these names titles by way of composition with the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteineth nothing in it eyther arrogant for ambition or for custome insolent For I will teach them if they bee to learne that the greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not onely signifie Principality and Magistracie but also the first the beginning and original cause of any thing and besides this that in composition it foloweth the nature of that word with the which it is compounded and so seeing the name of a Bishop doth signifie of it selfe and in his owne nature nothing that is insolent or ambitious take the name Archbishoppe which way you wil it cannot any waies sound of any vaine or vain-glorious sense as it plainely appeareth in other wordes of like composition as Architectos Archiatros Architriclinus Archibubulcus which signifie a Maister-worke-man a Arch-phisition a Gentleman-vsher a chiefe Herds-man and such like By all which we may manifestly see that the name of Bishop being in nature good the name of Archbishop cannot be in composition euill seeing that thereby it signifieth rather the first and chiefe Bishop then the Lord and Prince of Bishops Albeit I would not nor need I greatly sticke with him for the name of Prince neither were it in vse with vs as in sense it is with the Latines onely for a chiefe and principall man But now seeing that name is aduanced to a more roiall and imperiall sense from hence-forth I will either not vse it or vse it verie thriftely The like may wee say of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that among good Grecians it doth not alwaies signifie a Magistrate or a man in authority but many times also it standeth for the first author or originall cause of any thing So that Patriarche doth no more signifie him which gouerneth in the Magistracy or exerciseth authoritie ouer others then doth Heresiarch who is so called for that hee is the first brother and brocher of that heresie not that hee exerciseth anye dominion ouer the rank kamiel of that poysonous rable In very deed a Patriark signifieth the first parent of any people or ofspring in which sence also the same word is deriued to our vse to signifie an Archbishop because that he among the other Bishops which are counted Fathers is as it were the Graundfather and that thereby also wee might further conceiue that the gouernement he hath ouer others is meere father-like not tyrannik So that for modesty sake wer they called rather Archbishops and Patriarkes then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princes of the Priests that all the world might know that their power ouer their brethren and fellow-bishoppes was no other then that which Paule had ouer Titus and Timothy and they ouer others And thus at the last it may appear at the ful that here is no name giuen to the Bishop of the chief place which was forbidden by the Carthaginian Canon seeing that a Patriarke Archbishop in their proper sense doe signifie no other then the chief Bishop who if he be called Prince of the Bishops among them which write more pure Latine no man ought to bee agreeued therfore for that as I haue alredy noted the word Prince among them is no more but as principall and chiefe among vs. And this is that which Ambrose hath written vpon the fourth of the Ephesians In a Bishop saith hee are all the orders contained because hee is the chiefe Priest that is the Prince of Priests and a Prophet and an Euangelist But now againe that they say the word Archbishop doth signifie the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Peter which signifieth the Arch-pastor I can but greatly wonder and yet not sufficiently that any such thing should proceed from men that would bee accounted learned and linguists too I shewed but euen now what this worde Archbishoppe signified and what might be made of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in composition Wherefore seeing that in the construction of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also in other wordes it may bee taken as well for the first and chiefe Pastor of any people as for the chiefe Lord and Prince of all Pastours I see no reason why that also may not bee giuen to that man which obtaineth the chiefe place among the Pastors of any place But when as it signifieth Christ and that for his supreame gouernement which he alone hath ouer all Pastors as the Lord of all both people and Pastors the sense is altered and the case so that in that sense there are none of our Archbishops which in any case will suffer himselfe to bee called Archbishop Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Archpastor absolutely aboue al comparison beyond all exception without any limitation when as our Archbishoppes are not so called simply and absolutelie but such and such Archbishops Archbishoppes of this or that sea whose Suffraganes and Sub-bishops of such or such a Prouince are sufficientlie known Among whome onely they are accounted the Primates or principall moderators and ouer whom onely and not ouer all absolutely they are called Archbishops Wherefore seeing that by this name is onely signified the chiefe and principall Pastour of some one Prouince it doth no more derogat from the glory of Christ then when wee call other Elders and
Bishops by the name of Pastors and Doctors seeing that properly Christ alone is our Maister and Teacher and indeede that onelye good Shepheard which gaue his life for vs. In like manner albeit God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ be also our Father which is in heauen yet notwithstanding wee may call men also our Fathers and in so doing offer God no wrong at all And therefore whosoeuer hee be that knoweth as well as I can tell him that these names and titles are in sense manifolde and ambiguous in signification so that they may be giuen to diuerse things in diuerse respectes and yet holdeth plea in this sort hee doth but seeme to holde himselfe play in a serious matter to make an idle shewe of his vaine wit and a sinfull spoyle of the simple reader For my part hauing resolued vppon that which before wee haue taught namely That in the regiment of the Church Bishoppes were placed ouer Bishoppes according vnto God his diuine ordinance and institution I cannot see howe that methode of Gods distinct order coulde haue beene expressed in more apt and fit termes after the Apostles decease then by these reuerend titles of Patriarks and Archbishops In the which also setting aside the arrogancy and tyrannie of those which haue abused their authority and doe abuse there is not so much state or pride as some presume I but will some say our Bishops and Archbishops doe entertaine secular charges and inuade ciuill honours and are imbost with temporall titles all the which how crosly they confront the doctrine of the Apostles and the good meaning of their titles who so blinde as may not see it To this I would answere before I proceed any further but it is not for this place neither dooth this question fall into this treatise Wherefore hereafter I will set down what I thinke of this matter when I come to his proper place In the meane while gentle Reader suppose I here defend not those which now liue who whiles they ar in view are enuied but those faithfull seruants of Christ Iesus who heereto-fore haue ruled the church with great fruit before the tyranny of Rome abused the Church of God namely Gregory Nazianzen Gregorie Nysen Basil the great Athanasius Chrisostome Cyprian Ignatius Polycarpus Ambrose Augustine and such like whose liues as they are further from our eies so from our enuye These cannot I with any good conscience doe not you of any conceit condemne of pride ambition tyranny or Anticristianisme for whome all the world will stand vp witnes that they were Bishops Archbishops and Patriarches and gouerned the churches after a singuler maner and with an especiall power ouer the rest If any man thinke hee haue a single gift in these thinges and suppose he haue the spirit of discretion as his familiar to discerne spirits good leaue hath hee let him vse it but let him take heed his spirit of discretion proue not the spirit of presumtion I verely can finde no such spirite of Antichrist in those most christian fathers I find they were men and had their errors and yet in this argument their writings are of greater authority with me then are they which haue written of the same matter in this age and within our memorie But nowe concerning the last exception against their names I meane of Arch bishops I answere and deny that they were the inuētions of Antichrist this first then also that whatsoeuer was inuented or is vsurped either of Antichrist is hand ouer head to be reiected of vs for of necessity a necessary pollicy he deuised rather then inuēted some good things that with them he might ouercast many bad So doth Satan many times transforme himselfe into an Angell of light that he may deceyue without suspect hee fayneth holines that he may draw into wickednes hee defendeth the truth that he may driue into error For he should bewray himself too grossely if he should teach nothing but leasings But yet can there bee a more witlesse conclusion then this Antichrist taught this ergo it is false Antichrist deuised this ergo it is naught vnlesse it should be interserted or at least vnderstood that the same is contrary also to the worde of God As for example that which Peter was taught of the holy Ghost hee confessed with a liuely faith namely That Iesus was the very Christ and the onely sonne of the liuing God But now doth not Antichrist also confesse the same with his mouth yea whosoeuer dare deny the same he condemneth to the fagot Doth he not also imbrace the sacred volumes of Gods holy word yes and more then that forasmuch as the Lord hath taught vs in his word that we should pray continually he hath of himselfe deuised to deuide the whole day in matinges and euen song But now to come to the poynt because hee abuseth vnto superstition both fasting and prayer and the holy Bible and the blessed confession of the sonne of God shall we therfore all in a fling renounce these thinges Admit it be his desire that the ministery should be of som reckoning in the world and that it should be aduanced to no meane degree of honour in the common wealth And what then that we may not be like vnto him shal we requite the Ministers of Christ with shame for fame and with slaunders for honours And because he seeketh to magnify them without meane shall we suffer them to lie subiect and abiect among the basest routs of the common meany If braine-sicke men vppon a quarelous minde may presently gainesay whatsoeuer the Bishop of Rome hath sayd or don I fear me in the end they wil in their great hast ouerrun all christian religion leaue it far behinde them Wherfore whosoeuer shall think euery thing forthwith to be reiected for that eyther the author thereof abused the same to tyranny or the Bishop of Rome inuerted the same to superstition he is easely to be carried with euery shallow streame into any deepe error What things soeuer are in the Church of Rome that now is may iustly be distinguished into three parts Wherof ther are some things that wel consort with the word of God and some that do flatly contradict the same but the most things are such as there vse is eyther good or bad which thinges are called things indifferent Now albeit bad men may make a bad vse of good thinges yet can they not inuert the nature therof Baptisme the word of God or whatsoeuer else of that kinde the Romanists haue in vse no wise man will therefore reiect as if they were euil because they haue not vsed thē wel As for things vtterly euil because no man at any time vseth them well they are vtterly to be reiected of vs as is all kind of Idolatry whatsoeuer doth either vndermine or ouerthrow the sound substātiall doctrine of truth But as for things indifferent seeing they are such as is he that vseth them they are