affirme with the Papistes that Sacraments confer grace of the work wrought and that the sacrament of baptisme is a sacrament of such necessity that whosoeuer is not dipped in water must be eternally condemned Which hereticall opinion as we haue hissed out in our profession and preaching so is it a great shame for vs to maintain by such corrupt vsage of Christes holy sacramentes Let vs therefore reteine this principle that the administration of the sacraments is a part of the pastors duety for although the office of preaching bee more excellent then of ministration of the sacraments as S. Paul speaketh comparatiuely Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach 1. Cor. 1. 17. Yet they are of such affinitie that the accessory cannot be seperated from the principall thereof For where is no preacher of the worde ther ought to be no minister of the Sacramentes Furthermore it pertaineth to the dutie of the pastor to make prayers as Act. 16. 16. not onely priuate as all men are bound to doe but also publike prayers in the name of the whol Church Act. 6. 4. 1. Timot. 2. 1. being the mouth thereof For whereas the spirit of God commandeth al things to be done in decent and comely order and forbiddeth all confusion and disorder As it were great confusiō vncomelines for euery man to make his seuerall praiers in the publike assemblies so is it orderly for one to pronounce the praier in the name of the rest and the rest to pray with him in silence to answer Amē It is also decēt that he which is the shepherd should go before the sheep in praier the sheepe to follow him in lifting vp of their harts in mutuall consent Moreouer for asmuch as preaching and administration of the sacramēts ought not to bee vsed without publique prayers as it is the Pastors office to preache and minister the Sacraments so is it his duety also to go before his flocke in publique prayers But heere we haue to obserue two things the first that as it perteineth to the Pastor to conceiue publique praiers so it is the duty of the whole Church in the name of the whole Church to ioyne in hart with the pastor in the same praiers that they knowing and vnderstanding what he hath praied may at the end giue ther consent by answering Amen Wherin their is great abuse in our Churches For as though it weare notinough to keepe out preaching by longe prescribed formes of praier these praiers are so pronounced by the minister that a great number some not of the worst disposed people thinck it perteineth not to them to giue eare or consent of mind vnto them We speake not here of such insensible Readers whose voyce eyther cannot be heard or else cannot be vnderstood wherof there be great numbers nor of the vnfit place prescribed for the ministers standing at prayer in the east ende of the house whē the simple people shal stand oftētimes 40. or 50. yards of in the west ende or of the confusion of voyces whilest all speake at once besides scrines of roode-lofts Organe lofts Idoll cages otherwise called Chauntrie Chappelles and high pewes betweene them which although they do manifestly hinder edifycation yet may they not be remooued in many places for defacing the beauty of the materiall houses whereas S. Paule so much estemeth the building of gods spirituall house that he commaundeth the glorious giftes of the holye Ghost to cease in the congregation when they do not helpe to edification But we speake of this that a great multitude thinke they haue wel serued God if they haue been present at common prayers or anye part of them as they were wont to thinke in popery although they bee neuer so vainly occupyed in the Church some in walking some in talking in gathering of money not onely for the poore but for other contributions c. And they that thinke they doe best are occupyed in their priuate praiers or in reading of books while their minister pronounceth publique praiers Thus as preaching is neglected vppon colour of publique prayers So publique prayers by priuate exercises are made altogether vnprofitable to a great number For who knoweth the right vse of publique prayer but they that are taught by the word of God Let vs therfore establish publique preaching and publique prayers will follow of necessitie But if we continue to vpholde formal praiers that preaching bee neglected it will come to passe that neither shall be regarded For what did thrust out preaching from the Romishe Church but long prescript formes of reading of singing of praying so that their ordinarye was ynough and to much to occupye the whole daye though there were no sermon wheras contrariwise there woulde be no ordinarie publique prayer without preaching Which terrible example of the practize of Sathan in the man of sinne shoulde make vs afrayde to giue any like occasion of such inconuenience hereafter to come For is not this opinion already growen into a great manye mens heades that the seruice maye not giue place to a sermon no though the time be not sufficient for both And are ther not many that had much rather heare a chaunted Mattens and Euensong then a godly learned sermon Yea they frequent the one and refuse the other Let Cathedral Churches c. be an example where you shall see a great number that tarrye while the seruice is songe but depart so soone as the Sermon beginneth While the Organes pipe some are drawen with the sweetnes of musike to come vp but while the preacher cryeth out continue beneath and in laughter or brawling be lowder then he oftentimes So that which was wont to be sayd of the Masse Missa non mordet the masse was a gentle beast and did bite no man and therfore was so well beloued of manye may rightly be verified of our ordinary seruice For therefore a great number can so well away with it because it doth not sharpely reprooue them of theire sinnes nor disclose the secreates of their heartes but that they maye continue still in all kinde of voluptuousnes and al other kind of wickednes Wheras by preaching their conscience is gauled ther wickednes and hipocrisy discouered their damnation threatned they are called to repentaunce and forsaking of their pleasant sinnes and to holynesse and innocencie of life So that if there be any sparke of the feare of God in them hearing preaching so often as they vse to heare seruice they will fall downe on their faces worship God acknowledging the great power of God in his ministers 1. Cor. 14. 15. But that they cannot away with all beeing like vnto Felix the liefetenaunt of the Romanes in Iewrie Who when he heard Paule a poore prysoner that stoode before him bound in chaines preaching of righteousnes of temperaunce and of the iudgement to come he was wearie of him because he was a great oppressour and an
Gentiles And least ye should vnderstand the multitude in that place for the multitude of the Apostles It followeth in the 22. verse Then it pleased the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to chuse certaine men c. By which scripture we learn that the Synode consisteth principally of Pastours Elders Teachers and men of wisdome iudgement and grauitie as it were of necessary regents For although the whole multitude came togeather yet the Apostles and Elders came togeather to enquire and consider of the matter in controuersie the multitude heard and for their better instruction and modestye submitted their consent vnto the determination of the Apostles and Elders All mens reasons were hearde For there was great disputation but the authoritie of Gods worde preuailed good order was obserued So after the matter was throughly discussed by the godly arguments alledged by Peter and Barnabas Paul the controuersie was concluded by the sentence of Iames to whom that prerogatiue was graunted not of singular authoritie but for orders sake And this place doth admonishe vs to intreate some what of the preeminence of one Elder or pastor aboue the rest We confesse that in euery assemblye or company some one of necessitie must haue this prerogatiue to order and dispose the same with reason or els great confusion is like to follow But this preeminence is onely of order and not of authoritie as to propound matters to be decided to gather the reasons and consent of the rest and so to conclude c. As we see in this place Iames did of whom also we reade that he had this preeminence Act. 21. 18 c. And we maye gather the same Gal. 2. 9. 12. Not that Iames had greater authority in his Apostleship then Peter or Paule or Iohn or anye other of the Apostles But because he was chosen of the rest to haue prerogatiue of order which some one must haue in euerye assembly and such was the prerogatiue at the first which was graunted sometime to the bishop of Rome sometime to some other bishops to be president or prolocutor in the generall counsels being chosen therto for the time by consent of the rest as the prolocutor is chosen in our conuocatioÌ„s that are called with parliaments Therfore as it were an absurd thing for our prolocutor in our conuocation to take vppon him to be a controller of the whole synode to challenge that office to him and to his heires for euer so vnreasonable is the authority that the Pope claimeth ouer generall counsels One therfore is to be chosen by consent to be as it were the prolocutor or moderator of order but not of authoritie in euery assembly whose prerogatiue must so be tempered that in al thinges tirannie be auoyded Which we see by experience easely crepeth in vpoÌ„ proud natures to whome if you graunt an inch they wil be ready to take an ell according to the Prouerbe But let vs return to the authority of the sinode which coÌ„sisteth in deciding determining such maters as caÌ„not otherwise in perticular churches be coÌ„cluded either because they coÌ„cerne the coÌ„moÌ„ state of al churches or because they lacke sufficient authoritie in some one church First therefore the lawfull Synode hath to consider if anie controuersie of doctrine do arise that it be determined by the word of God for in the controuersie of binding the Gentiles to the obseruations of the ceremoniall lawe was a matter of faith and doctrine Secondly it hath to determine of the vse of the ceremonies not of will without reason or grounde of scripture but vpon necessary causes of auoiding offence and similitude of superstition of bearing with the weak of order and comelinesse and edification So did the Synode of the Apostles and Elders command for a time abstinencie from meate offered to Idols otherwise lawfull in it selfe for offences sake and for auoyding of all pollution of Idolatrie Act. 6. 20. 29. and forbearing the weaknesse of the Iewes in abstinencie from eating of bloud of strangled which was forbidden by God before Moses time to teach that Childishe age of Gods people to abstaine from cruelty as in Gen. 9. 4. Such ceremoniall constitutions are but temporall and so long are to be reteined as the cause continueth for which they were made So that if weaknes cease or be turned to obstinacie they are no longer to be reteined Also for order and comelinesse and best edification the Synode hath to determine what shall be obserued in particular charges as of the time place and forme of preaching and praying and administring of the sacraments For who shoulde be able to know what order comelines and edification requireth according to Gods worde but they that be Teachers and preachers of the same vnto al others For it is absurde that they shoulde bee taught by such in these small thinges as ought to learne the truth of them in all matters This authoritie therefore cannot be graunted vnto any Ciuill Christian Magistrate that without consent of the learned Pastours and Elders yea against their consent of whom as in some respect hee is a feeling member he maye lawfully make ceremoniall Constitutions whereby the Church muste be gouerned in meere Ecclesiasticall matters It is ouâ—e of all controuersye that before there vvere anye Christian Magistrates for wee will not speake of SERGIVS PAVLVS proconsull of Cyprus because hee was but a Lieuetenaunt of the Romane Emperour this authoritie was proper vnto the Synode Which authoritye vvee knovve to bee graunted to the Church by oure Sauioure CHRISTE practized by his Apostles continued by their successours three hundred yeares before there was anye Christian Emperours for wee receiue not Phillip for a Christian Emperour and long time after there were Christian Emperours euen as long as anye puritie continued in religion vntill both Emperours and Synodes were thrust out of all lawfull authoritie which they ought to haue in the Church by the tyrannie of Antichrist But wee finde not in the Scripture this authoritye graunted by Christe to Ciuill Magistrates which in his and his Apostles tyme were not nor anye promise that when they were the Synode shoulde resigne it vnto them Therefore it remayneth that it bee shewed by them that defende that this absolute authoritie is in the Ciuill Magistrate by what spirite or reuelation or Scripture if there be anye that wee know not For we woulde bee gladde to learne howe this authoritie was translated from the Church in which it was once lawfullye vested vnto the Ciuill Christian Magistrate Therefore vntill this maye bee shewed by sufficient warraunt of GODS holye worde vve holde that the Synode of euerye Prouince hath authority to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church Whereof some may be generall to al congregations some particular to certaine Churches For as it were to be wished that all places might bee brought to one perfection So it is not alwayes necessarye that they be like in all thinges The
them by prayer and imposition of hands the visible Graces of the holye Ghoste which Philip did not The same Philip in Act. 21. verse 8. is called an Euangelist So is Timothy 2. Timoth. 4. 5. Such was Titus Silus and many other This office also with the order of the Apostles is expired and hath no place Likewise as wee doe plainly see that the gifts of healing of povvers or myracles and of diuerse tonges haue long since ceassed to be in the Church So the offices of them which were groūded vpon these gifts must also cease and bee determined Therfore the Papists do vainly retain the name office of Exorcists when they cānot cast out diuels extream vnction when they cannot cure disseases and to speak with straunge tonges which they haue not by inspiration that without any interpretation which Saint Paule expresly forbiddeth There remayneth therefore of these before rehearsed onely in the Church these Ecclesiasticall offices instituted of God namely Pastors Doctors Gouernours and Deacons By which the church of God may according to his worde be directed in all matters which are commonly called Ecclesiasticall And therefore as it is vnlawful so it is vnneedeful for men following the deuises of their owne brayne without the warrant of Gods worde to institute and ordayne anye other offices or kindes of ministerye beside these appointed approued by God himself exercised in the Primitiue pure church vntil the mistery of iniquity working a way for Antichristes pride presumption changed Gods ordinance and brought in al kind of false doctrine confusion and now againe restored in al rightly reformed Churches with such daylie increase and glory of the kingdom of Christ and suppression of the tyrannie of Sathan that the onelye experience hereof might bee a sufficient perswasion to vs to leaue this disordered state of ours wherein we haue so long laboured with so little profit and to imbrace that most beautifull order of Ecclesiastical regimēt which God so manifestlye doth blesse and prosper in our neighboures handes But while we speake of Ecclesiasticall gouernment it maye bee thought of some that we shoulde intreat first of the supreame authority of Christian Princes Whereuppon it seemeth that al the regiment of the church dependeth which is such a myst to dazle the eyes of ignoraunt persons that they thinke all thinges in the Ecclesiastical state ought to be disposed by that onelye high authoritye and absolute power of the Ciuil magistrate Others there be with more colour of reason that referre onely indifferent matters to the disposition of Princes but in determining indifferēt matters they shewe themselues not to bee indifferent Iudges For whatsoeuer it shall please the Ciuill Magistrate or themselues to call or count indifferent it must be so holden of all men without anye further enquiry But of the supreame authority of christian princes in Ecclesiasticall causes howe farre it extēdeth by the word of God we shal haue better occasiō to intreat hereafter when we haue described the Ecclesiastical state And that it is neither needefull nor agreeable to good order of teaching to begin first therewith it may be plaine to euerye man by this reason The Church of God was perfect in all her regiment before there was any Christian Prince yea the Churche of God may stande and doth stande at this day in moste blessed estate where the Ciuill Magistrates are not the greatest fauorers By which it is manifest that the regiment and gouernement thereof dependeth not vppon the authority of Princes but vpon the ordinaunce of God who hath most mercifully and wisely so established the same that as with the comfortable ayde of Christian Magistrates it may singulerlie flourish prosper so without it it may continue and against the aduersaries therof preuail For the church craueth help defence of christian Princes to continue go forward more peaceably profitably to the setting vp of the kingdō of Christ but al hir authority she receiueth immediatly of God Let vs therfore return to those offices of Ecclesiasticall regiment which now remain to be exercised in the Church of God being instituted ordained by Christe himselfe which before we haue proued out of the scriptures to be only these Doctors Pastors Gouernors Deacons wherof some appertain to doctrin some to gouernment and discipline The duty of doctors Pastors is chiefly to teach and instruct the people of god in al things that God hath appointed thē to learne The office of Elders Deacons is to prouide that good order and discipline bee obserued in the church These offices being rightly established exercised in the Church are able to make vs meet together in the vnity of faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man acording to doctrine And both for doctrine and order of gouernement to make vs one body of Christe and members one of another Nowe what shoulde be desired more then this in the church of God or what wisdom of man can espy better then the spirite of God by what means this shold be brought to effect which we do desire what mans wit cā deuise better then the wisdom of god hath expressed Or whē God hath established an order for the administratiō of his own house what presūptiō of man dare change it But what dare not dust ashes presūe to do against his maker that with greatest incōuenience when with best pretences of correcting and reforming that which they do thinke to be vnperfect in his doings Exāple thereof we haue most euident That which is alleaged as the chief defence of this disordered state which now remaineth in our church namely that our fathers of old time were not content with the simple order instituted by Christe and established by his Apostles but for better gouerning of the Church thought good some offices to ad therto some to take away some to alter change and in effect to peruerte and ouerthrow all Christian and Ecclesiastical pollicie which was builded vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles Iesus Christ being the cheeft corner stone But how vnhappy a successe this good intent as they call it of theirs deserued to haue of God who alwayes abhorreth all good intentes of men that are contrarye to the good pleasure of his will expressed in his holy worde the age before vs alasse hath felt the present time doth plainly see and wee praye God the posterity warned by examples of their auncesters maye take heede of it For where there are specially two thinges propounded in the Churche of God Doctrine and Discipline as if a man woulde say knowledge and practise by which the glory of God is sought and shineth therin In steed of true Doctrine followed all manner of corruptions of the same both in the whole and in euery part thereof as ignorance heresies idolatry superstition c. The Discipline degenerated vnto intollerable tyrannye
intemperate person and therfore feared the iudgment of God for his sinne which he purposed not to forsake Such is the maiestie of Gods word when it is preached that either it boweth or breaketh the wicked in pieces God grant therefore that in steede of ordinarie formes of praiers we may haue preaching in all places The seconde thing that we haue to obserue is this that although we make it the dutie of the Pastour to pray in the name of the whole congregation yet we doe not so meane but that the whole congregatioÌ„ with one heart and with one voyce maye praise God with singing of Psalmes all at once For this custome hath continued in the church from the beginning that the congregation haue praised God with Psalmes singing altogeather And these three partes of a pastors dutie to preach to minister the sacramentes and to praye are so necessarilye requyred of him in the word of God as no man may rightly execute the office of a Pastor but he that performeth al these each one in their due time And to this part of prayer maye be referred the blessing of marriages not of necessitie but of an auncient vse of the Church Furthermore in those thinges that are necessarie partes of the Pastours office the Church hath authoritie to dispose them as touching the circumstaunces for order and comelynesse sake but cheefely for edification As the dayes and times of preaching and administring the Sacramentes the places meet for the same for publique praiers also the form and maner of vsing those thinges so that all things be don comely and agreeably to order but especially that in all things principall regarde be had to edification which S. Paule so often and so precisely vrgeth in the 14. chapiter of the 1. Cor. For therfore ought our assemblies and comminges together to serue that therefore we maye be better that we may be taught that we may be edified 1. Cor. 11. 17. 1. Cor. 14. 23. 24. 25. 26. 31. And therefore we haue great maruell that some are so precise in vrging ceremonies as many thinke much hindering edification but as moste men confesse nothing profiting to edifycation hauing alwayes in their mouth that sentence of Saint Paule 1. Corinth 14. 40. Let all thinges bee done decently and according to an order And doe so little remember that the Apostle in that long Chapiter laboureth altogether to driue al things to edificatioÌ„ or els to driue theÌ„ out of the church As he saith of him that hath the gift of tongues being of it selfe an excellente and comely gifte of the holye ghost and being vsed orderly of one or two by course with an interpreter mighte doe muche good in the Church But if there be none interpreter saith he Let him holde his peace in the congregation 1. Cor. 14. 28. The vncomlinesse that Saint Paule reproueth was that women shold preach in the Church as ver 30. 35. The disorder that those giftes which serued leaste for edifying were preferred before them that serued moste for edifying as tongs before prophecie By which it is euident that S. Paules words are wrested of some clean contrary to his meaning to make him a Patron of idle if not hurtful ceremonies maintained more vpon wil then reason or graunted of Gods worde vnder the colour of order and decency not onely with neglect but also with great hinderance of Gods building by spoyling the Churche of so many learned pastoures There are besides these thinges certaine other matters as confirmation Churching of women buriall of the deade thoughte to belonge to the office of a Byshoppe or Pastour Whereof the firste two are meere deuises of men and ought to haue no place in the Churche of Christe The other albeit it bee to bee retayned with a certayne honestye yet it is not to bee tied to the proper office of a Pastour And as for Confirmation it oughte therefore to be shut oute and haue no place in the church of God as wel because it displaced Catechising and broughte in steede thereof vayne toyes and Childishe ceremonies to the greate hurte of the Churche as for that also it derogateth muche from the dignitye of Baptisme the sacrament of the Lorde and is extolled aboue it being a deuise of man and is pretended to bee a signe to certify the Children of the fauoure and gratious goodnesse of GOD towardes them falsely grounded vpon the example of the Apostles Whereas the ministration of baptisme is permitted to euery hedge-priest minister and Deacon And as for Churching of Women because it sauoureth of the Iewish purification and of Popish institution it ought altogether to bee omitted for it breedeth and nourisheth many superstitious opinions in the simple peoples hearts as that the woman which hath born a child is vncleane or vnholy whereas the Apostle pronounceth that Godlye women are sanctified and saued by bearing of Children 1. Timoth. 2. 15. that it is vnlawfull for her for any necessity to go out of her doores before she bee Churched that this churching is a necessarye part of the Pastors office that shee must weare a white raile ouer her head when she goeth to Churche by the Midwife waighted Home with the Parishe Clearke with diuers suche like Bables vvhiche in a vvell refourmed Churche are not to bee suffered As for the buriall of the deade because Sathan tooke occasion vppon Ceremonies appointed therunto to sowe the seede of manye Herisies in the Church as prayers for the dead oblations for the deade Purgatory c. Also many superstitions as hallowing of Churcbyardes distinction of Burialls as some in the Chauncel some in the Churche and some in the Church-yardes some with more pompe as singing ringing c. some with lesse burying towards the East lightes and holy water bestowed vpon the dead c. It is thought good to the best and right reformed churches to burye their deade reuerently without any ceremonies of praying or preaching at them because experience hath taught them what inconuenience may grow therof by exaÌ„ple of that which hath bin before And as they are not to be excused if any for small triâ—â—es only raise vp hâ—t contentions so they haue much to aunswere before God that suffer the people of God to lacke the onelye foode of their souls for such humain constitutions But to conclude it is the duty of euery true Pastor to obserue those thinges that are concluded by the lawfull authoritye of the church concerning ceremonial matters for order and comlinesse sake and for edification and not to controll publique order by his priuate iudgement but vpon great waighty causes Wee haue hitherto intreated of the proper dutye of a Pastour himselfe nowe it followeth that we likewise set foorth his authoritye in common gouernment with the Elders But least any man shoulde mistake that which wee purpose to say of his authority wee haue neede to expresse what wee meane by this worde authoritye For euen those thinges
and 2. Cor. 2. where he purposely intreateth of ecclesiasticall Discipline be weighed A little leauen sowreth a whole lumpe of dowe For infection yee are puffed vp where yee should be sad and ashamed For ignominie We deliuer him to Sathan to the destruction of his fleshe that his spirite may be saued in the day of the Lorde For repentance publique reprehension of manye which beeing Godly refuse to eat with such one is profitable both to driue him selfe to repentaunce and to keepe other in order for feare of like punishment Where this Discipline is not no maruell if all wickednesse ouerflowe to the dishonour of God and of his Gospel to the destruction of many corrupting of more to the griefe of the Godly offence of the weake incouragement of the wicked and reioycing of the aduersary Let vs therefore proceede in setting foorth the authoritie of the Pastour with the Elders which is first to punishe offendours and bring them to repentance or else to cut them cleane frō the church as rotten and infected members But heere we haue to enquire for what offences the Church may proceede to so sharpe a punishment For God forbidde that the swoorde of excommunication shold be drawne out to cut off the members of our bodie for euery small disease that is in them but onely when the disease is deadlye and the member rotted thereby For we ought as hardly to be brought to excommunicate anye of our brethren as we woulde haue a legge or an arme cut off from our body Therfore the popish tyrannie is detestable which thundereth out their pretended excommunication for euery trifle yea suche as are no sinnes as non payment of a little mony where it is not deteyned of fraude non apparance where men otherwyse haue necessary impediments as though it were but a smal matter to put men out of the protection of Christ and to deliuer them vnto the tyrannie of Sathan to depriue them of eternall saluation and to cast them into euerlasting damnation Least therefore we should vse such vnreasonable rigour the spirite of God teacheth vs what maner of sinnes deserue excommunication 1. Cor. 5. 11. If any that is called a brother be an whooremonger or a couetous person or an idolater or a slaunderer or a drunckard or an extorcioner with such a one see that yee eat not These offences therefore and such like are to be punnished by excommunication Also an obstinate Heretique that wil not repent by admonition is worthy of this punishment Tit. 3. 10. 2. Tim. 2. 16. 1. Tim. 1. 20. 2. Ioh. 10. 11. And not onely these great and notorious sinnes deserue this correction but also lesser crimes increased with contumacie and contempt of the Churches admonition become worthie of the same castigation Therefore sayth our sauiour Christ of priuate offences Math. 18. 15. 16. c. If thy brother sinne against thee goe and reprooue him betweene him and thee alone if he heare thee thou hast won thy brother but if he heare thee not take with thee one or two that in the mouth of two or three witnesses euerye worde may stande if he disobey them then tell the Church if he disobey the Church then let him be to thee as an heathen or Publicane The Apostle Saint Paule likewise 2. Thes. 3. 6. c. concerning those that were idle and walked disorderlye will haue all-gentle meanes vsed to bring them to labour and good order but if they woulde not be refourmed for anye admonition he commaundeth them to be seperated by excommunication But it may be obiected that hitherto appeareth not so great vse of this Consistorye why it shoulde bee thought necessarye for excommunication Neyther doth Saint Paule make mention of it in all places where he speaketh of excommunication We aunswere that although the simple institution of Christ and approbation of the holy Ghost shoulde suffice vs to thinke it necessarye yet there are many necessary vses thereof to be alleadged For wheras our Sauiour Christ commandeth in priuate offences the matter to be brought before the congregation except you vnderstande thereby the congregation or assemblye of Elders there shall follow horrible confusion and disorder thereby For admit a man might accuse his brother vnto the whole multitude yet how should the whole multitude admonish him and exhort him to repentance Againe of these notorious offences that are worthye of excommunication some are openly knowen so that they neede no tryall as the adultery of that Corinthian 1. Cor. 5. some are in controuersie and are to be examined concerning which Saint Paule warneth Timothie that he admit not any accusation against an Elder but vnder two or three witnesses and chargeth him before GOD and before the Lorde Iesus Christe and his elect Aungelles that he doe nothing thorow rashe or ouer hastie iudgement and that hee doe all thinges without partialitie or affection vnto parties 1. Timothie 5. cap. 19. and twentie one verse We see heere manyfestly a necessarye vse of the Eldership For howe is it possible for the whole Churche to examine and discusse such difficult controuersies Therefore it behooueth the Church to haue such ordinary Delegates as may and ought to applye their diligence vuto such matters Moreouer to ouersee the Church for matters pertaining to order and Discipline How can the multitude ouersee thēselues or the Pastours onelye which haue a principall care of Doctrine to attēd vpon And to the secōd part of the obiection that S. Paul doth make mention of the Eldership or Consistory of Elders in all places where he speaketh of Excommunication wee aunswere that it is not necessary hee should so do For wheras our sauiour Christ hath prescribed a form thereof that hee which obeyeth not the Congregation should be excommunicated and that in other places hee maketh sufficient mention both of the Elders and of the assemblie wee oughte to vnderstande that his purpose is to obserue that forme to the vttermost And although he doe not always make expresse mētion therof yet must we not imagine that he mēt to alter or chaunge the same In the first to the Corinthians the fift verse It is manifest that albeit he◠desired nothing more then that the incestuous Adulterer should bee excommunicated and therefore determined of him for his owne part as absent in body but present in spirite yet hee acknowledgeth that hee could not be excommunicated without the consent of the Congregation being gathered together in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe 1. Cor. 5. 4. Likewise when he shoulde be receiued againe he was to be pardoned not onelie by him but by them also 2. Cor. 1. 10. And therefore if so high an Apostle could not by his priuate authority excommunicate that Corinthian we must not thinke that by his priuate authority but by consent of the Churche of Ephesus he excommunicated Himmineus Alexander although he do not make expresse mentiō of
finde in euery place So that Ieroboam neuer made worse Priestes of the refuse of the people to serue his Golden Calues then they haue ordayned Ministers to feede the Flocke of Christe which hee hathe purchased with his owne bloude This complaint we confesse is greeuous but the indignity of the matter inforceth it We know that vaine excuses shall not be wanting of necessity c. But if necessity compelled thē to take such at the first what necessity compelleth them to suffer them to bee such still For if they woulde needes admit ignoraunt persons to that charge yet should they haue enforced them to study as wel as to other thinges they haue inforced them vnto that in time they might haue growne to be meete for their calling Which if they had done in 10. 12. or 13. yeeres space a great many might haue proued excellētly well learned and able to serue in the Church with great fruit and profit and the rest according to proportion of their time might haue come to some mediocrity in knowledg wheras nowe as ignoraunt and as vnfit as they were the first day so are they still for the moste parte and will so continue to theire liues ende if they may be suffered in idlenesse as they haue beene hitherto Then it is a torment to thinke what ambitious suing what enuious labouring what vnseemelie flattering what prodigall bribing is vsed to attayne to greate dignities in the Church to farre vnmeete for the modesty and grauitye that shoulde be in Christian preachers And as for the inferior benefices from the fattest Parsonadge to the poorest Vicaradge almoste if it bee worth 40. pounds by the year what Symonicall bargains of leases Annuities Reseruations exhibitions yea notwithstanding the Act of Parliament Anno. 13. by Antedates and other subtil conueyances what christian heart can think of them without detestation of such horrible abuses Shall we speak here any thing of the popish priesthood the greatest blasphemy that euer was how long was it allowed for a lawfull ministery vntill by the Godlye meaning of the sayde Parliament some brandmarke of shame was set vppon it But howe pitifullye that authority was abused which was by the same statute committed to the bishops in allowing of priests that came to doe their penance by negligence of the bishops bribery of their Officers the country crieth out of it and the state of the church is little amended by it Old Sir Iohn Lacklatin that had not seen some of his benefices a dosē yeare before was carried aboute on his Mare and sometimes on a Cart First to the bishop whom he chose if he might for his purpose such one as had bene a priest of his owne order and cared leaste what ministers serue in his Diocesse and then from Shire to Shire one distant an hundred mile from another mumbling vp his Articles in his morowmasse voice in euery Church where hee had liuing and returned as very a beaste as hee came But this and all other inconueniences before rehearsed shoulde vtterlye bee auoyded if wee mighte once establish the lawfull election of Pastours according to the word of God It were also greatly to bee wished that it might bee broughte to passe that in euery Congregation there shoulde be two pastors at the least both because the charge is great and also for supplying the lack of the one if the other were sicke or absent vppon necessity or any such like case Which thing were both agreeable to the example of the Apostolike Churche and also verye profitable for the Congregation Wee doe not meane this in euerye Parish as they bee nowe distinguished but in euery Congregation as they may be disposed both for best edifying and also for sufficient liuing for the Pastors It will bee obiected when we haue all thinges at our pleasure concerning the Election of Pastors yet will there creepe in many abuses Wee answere they shall not so soone nor so easily nor so many abuses creepe in as nowe at wide Windowes yea great port-gates doe throng in But if as many or more abuses if more coulde bee were crept in yet were the case better then it is now for we shoulde be sure that God approoueth our order though he condemn the abuses because it is grounded vpon Gods worde whereas now he abhorreth both But of the authority that Pastors haue as members of the Synode we haue spoken hitherto sufficiently By which it is euidēt how all things haue beene corrupted in Poperye which had at the first any good institution which corruptions we also retaine at this day without desiring of any refourmation For to begin first with our particuler Synodes good lord what a mockery they are of law ful synodes beeing holden for no other ende almoste but to gather vp fees both ordinary extraordinary with dayly newe deuises to poll the poore Priestes of their mony which they extort for seeing the Letters of orders for Dynners and suche like matters And yet a newe inuented pyllage vvhereby they compell men to buy Bookes of them for 4. pence or 6. pence which are to deare of a peny or two pence and not onelye suche small Ware but also greate bookes beeing such as euerie parish is appointed to buy must be bought of them for two or three Shyllinges in a Booke dearer then it may bee bought in Paules Church-yarde yea otherwhiles though the Parish bee furnished of them alreadye they are not authenticall except they be boughte at Master Chauncellers and Officiall at Master Regesters hands As for refourmation of any thing in the Churche there are indeede many presentments and men sworn to presente matters but little or none amendmente at all doth followe So that it is a common saying in the Countrie when the presentment is once receyued they shal neuer heare more of it Soone after the Visitation or Synode the petitbribing Sumner rideth foorth laden with Excommunications which hee scattereth abroad in the Country as thicke as Haileshot against this parson and that Vicar this Church warden and that Side-man whome hee himselfe when he came to summon him to the Synode for a Cheeze or a Gammon of Bacon had vndertaken to excuse for none apparaunce But when he is once Excommunicated there is no remedy but hee must trudge to the Chauncelour or Officiall for absolution who after hee hath once absolued his Purse of a fewe Groates giueth him his blessing and sendeth him away And this is the image of our litle or particuler Synode Our generall Conuocations haue a more shevve of good order but in effect little better For firste they are stuffed full of Popish and prophane Chauncelloures and other Lawyers which beeing meere laye men and vnlearned in Diuinitie by their owne Lawe ought to be no members of the Synode And yet these will beare the greatest sway in all thinges The Byshops as though they were greater then the Apostles must haue their seuerall couuenticle wheras the Apostles and elders came
together with the whole multitude Actes 15. And as they are seuered in place so will they bee higher in authoritie So that whatsoeuer is decreed amongest them that must bee called the determynation of the whole Synode So that no manne muste bee suffered to speake anye thinge agaynste it bee it neuer so reasonable or agreeable to the vvorde of GOD yea vvhosoeuer vvill not subscribe to all suche thinges as they decree muste bee excluded out of the Conuocation as vvas practized and threatened in the Conuocation at the foresayde Parliamente vnto diuerse Godlye and learned Preachers that offered to speake agaynste dyuerse grosse and palpable erroures that had escaped the Byshoppes decrees As for the distinction of Canonicall and Apocriphall bookes for explication of the clause in the article of Predestination where it is sayde that the elect may fall from Grace and such like matters If this bee not to practise Lordshippe ouer our faith to set downe decrees of Religion which must bee accepted of all men without eyther reason or testimony of the Scripture to prooue them and no man permitted to shew anye reason or Scripture that inforceth his Conscience to the contrarye but onely to hang vppon the authority of bishops Let some other declare what Paul meaneth 2. Cor. 1. 4. where he denieth that he woulde excercise any Lordship ouer the faith of the Corinthians For although their decrees were neuer so perfect yet it were an example of tyrannicall Dominion neither to giue reasons to satisfie the ignoraunt them selues nor to hear or cōfute that which might be alleaged against them by others but for a few lordbishops in comparison of all the conuocation to sit by them selues order all thinges at their pleasures as though the Gospell sprang firste from them or had come vnto them only it sauoreth of nothing so much as of popish tyranny Whereas otherwise it is well knowne they are not al of the best learned nor all of longest study nor all of soundest iudgement nor all of greatest zeale nor all of best example and therfore not meetest to be the onely determiners in Ecclesiasticall matters to the preiudice of the whole synode Wherefore it is greatly to be desired that our synodes also which are so farre out of order maye be refourmed according to the scripture and the example of the primitiue Church that all thinges may be done with such modesty grauitie iudgement as they were by the Apostles and Elders Act. 15. And now that we haue set forth the whole Ecclesiasticall ministerye according to the word of God with all the duties authoritie that pertayneth vnto it the place requyreth that we should also intreat of the authority of the ciuil Magistrate in matters ecclesiastical Of the title of the princes supremacie if it be truly vnderstood we moue no contronersie but that it doth properly apperteine to the ciuil magistrat to be the highest gouernor of al persons within his dominion so that the soueraign Empyre of God be kept whol But herein resteth all the doubt howe this is truely to be vnderstoode that shal we best vnderstand by the contrarie namely by the vsurped tiranny of antichrist For antichrist did challenge vnto himselfe al authority both that which is proper to god that which is cōmon to men Therefore that the pope claimed to be that only head of the church frō which the whol body receiued direction was kept in vnity of faith This was blasphemous against Christ therfore may not be vsurped by any Ciuill magistrate no more thē by the pope Likewise wher hee challengeth authoritye to alter change dispence with the cōmandement of god to make new articles of faith to ordain new sacramēts c. this is also blasphemous and ought not to be vsurped of any ciuil prince On the other side where he challengeth authority ouer all princes so ouer al the clergy that he did exempt them from the ciuil iurisdiction this is contumelious iniurious against al christian kings And therfore euery prince in his own dominiō ought to cast off the yoke of his subiection and to bring al ecclesiastical persons vnto his obedience and iurisdiction Here haue we the first part of the title of supreame gouernment ouer al persons In matter or causes ecclesiastical likewise the pope doth not only presume against god as we said before but also against the lawfull authority giuen by God vnto men For he forbiddeth princes to medle with reformation of Ecclesiasticall matters or to make anye lawes pertayning to causes of religion answering them that those things do appertain onlye to him the general counsel But when he cōmeth to debate anye thing with his clergy then al laws knowledge are enclosed in the closet of his brest When any generall counsel must be holden all that they doe receiueth authoritie from him For except he doe allowe it is nothing And he is so wyse that neyther with the councell nor without the counsell he can erre or thinke amisse in matters Ecclesiasticall wheras it is not onely lawful but also necessary for Princesse if they will doe their dutie to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall but so that we confounde not the offices of the Prince and the Pastour Eor as it is not lawfull for the Prince to preach nor administer the Sacramentes no more is it lawfull for him to make lawes in Ecclesiastical causes contrarie to the knowledge of his learned Pastors For as these three partes of a pastors dutie are graunted to him by God preaching ministring of sacraments and Ecclesiasticall gouernment he maye no more take from a Pastor the third then he may the two first By this it appeareth how farre it is lawful for Princes to intermedle with causes Ecclesiasticall namelye that it is the chiefest poynt of their dutie to haue especiall regarde that God may be glorified in their dominion and therefore they ought to make ciuill lawes to binde the people vnto the confession of true faith and the right administring and receiuing of the sacramentes and to all ecclesiastical orders that they beeing instructed by the worde of God thorow the ministerie of the preaching of the same shall vnderstande to bee profitable for edifying of the church of Christe and the aduauncement of the glory of God If any shall offende against the laws whether he be preacher or hearer beside the ecclesiasticall censure which he shoulde not escape he is also to be punished in bodye by the ciuill magistrate This we see that all christian Emperours obserued that when anye controuersie arose either of doctrine or of order and ceremonies they commaunded the Cleargie to consult determine thereof according to the scripture who assembling togeather incounsel obeyed their commandement Their conclusion then by authoritie of the Emperour was commaunded euerye where to be obserued and those that impugned it to be punished the same order we