D. SARAVIA 1. Of the diuerse degrees of the Ministers of the Gospell 2. Of the honor vvhich is due vnto the Priestes and Prelates of the Church 3. Of Sacrilege and the punishment thereof The particular Contents of the aforesaide Treatises to be seene in the next Pages Iob. 8. 8. Inquire I pray thee of the former age and prepare thy selfe to learne of the Fathers 9. For we are but of yesterday and are ignorant 10. Shall not they teach thee LONDON Printed by Iohn VVolfe and are to be sold by Iohn Perin at the signe of the Angell in Paules Church-yard 1591. The Contents The first Booke 1 WHat the Ministery of the Gospell is and what be the parts thereof 2 Of ordinary and extraordinary calling to the Ministery 3 Of the twelue Apostles 4 Of the seuenty Disciples 5 Of Prophetes 6 That the names and titles of Apostles Euangelists Prophets were giuen also vnto other Pastors and Doctors of the Church 7 Of Deacons 8 That the Churches in their beginnings had no other Bishops and Elders besides the Apostles them selues their fellow-laborers 9 Of Priests or Pastors and Bishops 10 Of two degrees of Pastors 11 That the doctrine of the Apostles acknowledgeth no annuary Elders to rule onely and not to teach in the Church 12 The place of Ambrose expounded 13 The place of Paul expounded in his first to Timothy the fift Chapter what it is to labour in the word and doctrine 14 That that order is of God which appointeth superior Elders Bishops and that but of man where all Pastors Elders are alike 15 That our Sauiour by no statute repealed the supereminent authority of Pastors among them selues 16 That the forme of the Apostles gouernement did not end with the death of the Apostles 17 That the commaundement To preach the Gospell to all nations the Apostles being now receyued vp into Heauen doth in like manner bind the Church to the which the authority Apostolique is also requisite 18 That the Apostolique authority is as necessary for the conseruing and confirming as for the founding first planting of Churches 19 By testimony of Eusebius his Ecclesiasticall history the former Chapter is confirmed 20 That the authority of Bishops ouer Priestes or Elders is approued by the consort of all Churches throughout the whole world 21 That Bishops are ordained by a diuine institution and Apostolique tradition 22 That it was the opinion of Aerius That there is no difference betweene a Bishop and a Priest which opinion was condemned for an Heresie by the Fathers 23 Hierome his opinion confuted 24 Of one Bishop in one Diocesse 25 Of the names of Patriarches Archbishops and Metropolitanes 26 Of Doctors The second Booke 1 THat by a certaine Law of nature among all nations the Presidentes of Religion were esteemed worthy great honor 2 How great the reuerence of Priestes hath beene in all nations 3 What the honour of the Priesthood was among the people of God 4 Of that double honor which is due vnto those Elders which rule well and the argumentes of those which thinke the contrary 5 An answere to the arguments of the former Chapter 6 That the honour which is giuen to the Pastors of the Church is ioyned with a certaine Religion towardes God 7 Certayne other reasons confuted and the truth confirmed by many testimonies of Scripture 8 That the good examples of our fore-Fathers prescribe a Law to theyr successors 9 That the oblations of Christians are part of Gods worship 10 An aunswere to certaine obiections with the which it is confirmed that the Ministers of the Gospel are worthy no lesse honor then were the Priests of old among the people of God 11 The iudgement of the Fathers concerning the oblations of the faithfull 12 That the Church had no small reuenewes and certayn places in the which they did celebrate theyr assemblies before the time of Constantine 13 A distinction of Church goods 14 That the Prelates of Churches are not maintayned of almes but of the due reward of theyr labours 15 Of those landes which are held in fee and haue annexed with them any ciuill authority or iurisdiction 16 That Bishops and other Pastors are not forbidden to be Lordes of Fees and sometimes to vndertake secular and ciuill charges 17 What a Fee is and what are the lawes and conditions thereof 18 A distinction of Fees 19 An aunswere to the obiection that ciuill iurisdiction outward pompe and honors which are annexed with these Fees doe not agree with the simplicity of the Euangelique Ministery 20 That it is lawfull for Bishops to heare ciuill causes and to determine vppon them 21 An exposition of that place of Luke the two and twenty Chapter 22 That the Pastors of the Church for the necessity of the common wealth may attend some times vppon worldly affaires 23 That diuerse functions are not confounded albeit vndertaken of one man 24 That Dauid and Solomon vsed the aide of Priests and Leuites in ciuill affaires 25 Theyr error confuted that think no ciuill affaires of the common wealth ought to be committed to the Bishops and Pastors of the Church 26 That wher the Church is the common wealth the same man as Bishop may take charge of the Church for the Lord Iesus and render fealty and obeisance to the king as one that holdeth by faith and homage 27 An other argument against the endowment of Fees confuted 28 Of the honorable titles which are giuen vnto Bishops 29 Of the Bishops family and retinue 30 Whether it be better for Ministers to liue of the stipends of the Magistrate or rather of the oblations of the faithfull 31 The Stipendaries cald to account and confuted 32 Certain reasons why Stipendaries are disproued The third Booke 1 OF Sacrilege the punishment therof 2 What Sacrilege is 3 The reasons with the which they commonly excuse theyr Sacrilege 4 An aunswere to the reasons of the former Chapter 5 A distinction of those Church goods which the Church of Rome possesseth at this day 6 That the goods of Monasteries are not al of one kind 7 That it is another thing to come from Paganisme to Christianity then to come from Popery or some other Heresie 8 How greeuous and incurable the sin of Sacrilege is 9 Certaine examples of Gods vengeance against Sacrilegious persons FINIS To the Reader YOu will say what neede all this wast this labour might haue beene well spared For seing the same argument hath ben handled long since and of late learnedly and at large by men of our ownes what neede this foraine ayde In such aboundance of wits and writings to transport Sarauia out of Latine into English is to bring owles to Athens and to carry stickes to the wood as it is in the Prouerbe True it is the cause hath ben vndertaken long since but it was late first and of late but it was long first And the same hath ben maintayned learnedly enough if not with learning too much
reserued yet notwithstanding when they beholde on euery side the most partes rotted and ruinated and those good partes to hang togeather by putrified and imperfect ioyntes they are in dispaire that the house can not bee well turguised except the whole frame should be ouerturned Euen so the reformers of gods house albeit they did see to their greife manye excellent things which might well and well worthie bee reserued yet perceiuing them to be either vtterly disteined with superstition or doubtfullie entangled therewith and consequentlie dispairing that they could not roote out the grounded superstition and tyrrany of the pope vnlesse they plucked vp by the roots many singular ornaments of the church in the anguishe of their zeale they cried at once downe with it downe with it euen to the ground And so is it come to pas that togeather with impietie and Idolatrie if not before them both such and so many instruments are taken away as might haue beene verie great helpes to the Church both for the preseruing of Discipline and also for the retaining of that dignitie to the Ministerie which is decent and requisite in a ciuill societie But to the purpose although in materiall thinges that which we haue exemplified before many times must be so of necessitie yet in morall causes there is no such necessity The state therefore of this question friend reader is not of thy faith in Christ or of thy souls health but by what guides especiallye and gouernours thou maist bee best lead in the way of truth and kept in the path of eternall life And vpon this point is all this variaunce For there are some of opinion that all discipline of maners is to be referred to the Magistrate and that the Minister is to be restrained to the bare Preaching of the worde and ministring of the Sacraments The which fancie of men seeing it hath neither the word of God to confirme it nor any president of our Elders to giue countenance to it I can but wonder howe so friuelous an opinion could once either creepe in or peepe out of the heads of Diuines But there are other which yeild as they ought to doe the power of Ecclesiasticall censures to those Bishoppes and Elders which are such both in name and indeede vnto whome they deny not that authoritie which God gaue vnto his Apostles and their successours the Bishops And last of all there is a third kinde of them which reiecting the order of Bishops ioyne with the Pastor certain annuall Elders vnto whome they commit the regiment or the Church and the ordering of Ecclesiasticall Discipline Thus did the Philosophers of old when it came in question what kinde of Gouernment was best Of whome some preferred the Monarchie of one and that as it is indeed they iudged the best yet others maintained that an Oligarchy or ioynt gouernment of a few was as good as the best again there were others who for a Democratie or state popular would yeeld to none of the rest And last of all there were some who to the former three added a fourth which they indifferently not equally mixed of all three and that they would make good to be as good as they al and better then any of the rest But in the meane while they considered not this that any kind of gouernment as it is in it selfe is not so much to bee considered in gouernance as is the nature and condition of them who are to be gouerned and for whose good that kind of gouernment is ordained So that nowe that forme of pollicie is to bee accounted best not which is such in his owne nature but that which is most necessary for the people the time and the place For which cause as I conceaue GOD himselfe in the secrecie of his wisedome hath not set downe vnto any nation any perpetual forme of gouernment the which it was not lawful to alter according to the incidencie of time place and persons But in the gouernment of the which we dispute the case is far otherwise for in that it proceedeth immediatly from God men maye not alter the same according to their fancies neither is it necessary For the wisedome of God hath so tempered the same that it repugneth no form of ciuil gouernment In deede where any one whole state is become Christian the gouernment happelie may receiue some kind of alteration but not such as shal alter the nature of it Were they before in gouernment diuerse and in no one thing alike nowe they consort in one and lend each other their mutuall aide Wherefore whatsoeuer other men thinke in this matter doubtlesse the Christian Magistrate in a well ordered state ought not to bee held as a priuate person either in Church or common-wealth The which distinction beeing not sufficientlie looked into hath distracted vs into diuerse errors in Church Discipline For my part and the best wil take my part I hold that the state of Bishops is necessary in the Church that Discipline is best and from aboue in the which godly Bishoppes with the not nick-named Elders do sit at the helme And yet when I consider with my selfe the badnes of these times and the badde condition of some places in the which it hath pleased God by the hands of learned and religious men to gather togeather his dispersed flocke out of the captiuity of Babilon I doe not see indeed how the true Bishops could haue bene restored In the Churches of Flanders and Holland my selfe haue susteined the office of a Pastor but shall I tell you I cannot easily tell how many impediments I there found in this busines But shal that which was done extraordinarily and partly of necessity and that but in a certaine fewe places and that but in our age onely prescribe a law to the world besides This diuorce of minds and opinions had neuer bene were it not for the tyrrany of some misrulie Bishops a nouell opinion is crept vp opposing it selfe against all antiquitie which holdeth all Bishops generally in iealousie and yet the like and no lesse suspicion is raised of our newe consistories also wheather rightlye or wrongfully I will not say Wherefore he that will vndoubtedly attaine to the certaine knowledge of these thinges indeed must bee sure that he examine and try the cause him selfe deuoyd of all passion or preoccupation of affection Many times within these sixe and twentie yeares haue I deliuered my minde vnto my friends in familiar conference though not at all times nor to all concerning the gouernment of Bishops What they would conceiue of mee for so doing I might easily coniect by others who had in like maner reueiled themselues vnto their brethren For as it happened a certaine disputation fel out between certaine Ministers concerning the same position in the which M. Doctor Villerius whose name I cannot remember without due reuerence assumed that the authority of Bishops was not so rashly to haue bin reiected But Lord how they were netled and
they are able to say for themselues and to gaine-say their accusers onely I lament that the antique order of church gouernement of great and long esteeme with our fore-fathers should be negligentlie lost or violently taken from vs and I feare me greatly least in the infelicitie of this age it be vtterly taken from vs. For who seeeth not and greeueth not to see how men are set together vpon mischiefe euen to reduce the whole Ministerie of the church to the bare Ministerie of the word But this our present controuersie can by no meanes better bee decided then by conferring the orders of the Ministery in that order as they were ordained of God and deliuered of the Apostles according to their singular degrees and seuerall seasons as they were then in vse So shall we easily learne what order is consonant to the word of God and what dissonant the which that I may the better performe there are two thinges which affoord me fit ingresse thereunto The first is the first institution of those seuerall orders The second is that one place of S. Paule to the Ephesians the fourth chapter where he setteth downe the diuerse Ministeries of the church distributed into their seuerall degrees Wherein the first place are inuested as the chiefe Patrons and first Patriarches of the gospel Apostles in the second Prophets in the third Euangelistes in the fourth Pastors and Doctors Of all the which we are now to discourse in their due order And albeit Paul seeme to write of the functions giuen to the church after the Assention of Christ Notwithstanding wee will looke backe a little further for this matter neither will we cease our diligent persute vntil wee come to that time and place in the which Christ selected his twelue Apostles and so returne by the seuentie and two Disciples whom hee ordained also and added to the Apostles for the preaching of the gospell throughout Iewrie And albeit this discourse doe chieflie intend the distinction of Ministers yet by the way we haue somewhat to say of Deacons also For whereas the doctrine of life doth not nusle vs vppe in anie idle contemplation of good things but rather traineth vs vp in the practise of all goodnes especially of christian charitie Therefore of the Ministerie of the gospel there ariseth an other Ministery which exerciseth it selfe about bodely necessaries of this life and consequently hath imposed vppon it the dispensation of the church stocke whereby it commeth to passe that there is a twofold Ministery of the church One which only respecteth the glory of God ou souls helth An other which regardeth the procuration of earthly thinges and the preseruation of this present life After these thinges handled and set out of hand as I may in the sequel of this my trauell I wil intreat of that honor and reuerence which by the lawe of God instinct of nature and right of nations is proper and peculier to the sacred Minister And last of all against the gourmandiers of church goods I will set downe and lay before their eies the odious sin of Sacrilege with the dires and punishments accompaning the same And these three things according to the variety of their natures I haue distinguished into three bookes but because they are of some affinitie and rise togeather insequence I haue also laied them togeather in this one volume Doctor Sarauia of the diuers degrees of Ministers What the Ministery of the Gospell is and what bee the partes thereof Chap. I. ALthough this present Treatise doth chiefly aime at the inequality of Ministers yet notwithstanding I take it a good way or not much out of the way if we set on first with the definition of the Ministery that thereby it may the better appear what is common to the Ministers among them all and what is proper to euery one in his particular order Vppon diuerse groundes of the Scripture diuerse definitions may be diuersely framed but I comprise them all in one word or two of the Apostle Paul and vppon his bare word I affirme 1. Cor. 4.1 1. Tim. 3.16 That the Ministery of the Gospell is a certaine dispensation of the mysteries of God which were reuealed vnto the world by the comming of Christ Where I cal a mystery not only that doctrine of the wonderful coūsaile of God in the redemption of mankinde but also all other things which God hath annexed vnto that doctrine And those I resolue into three sortes Whereof the first is The preaching and publication of the Gospell the second is The vse and administration of the Sacraments the third is The exercise and execution of Ecclesiastical gouernment The preaching of the Gospell is a sacred Embassee in the name of Christ in the which sinners are intreated to reconcile themselues to God or thus It is the publishing of that doctrine of free pardon of sinnes which Christ himselfe sued forth from his Father and purchased with his precious death or otherwise also thus It is the doctrine of the free iustification sanctification of the holy Ghost which is obtained by faith in Christ Iesus Many other definitiōs might be added were it not that I delight to be briefe Of these if you couceiue what the Gospel is and the preaching therof it sufficeth I am satisfied To the second part of this ministery do appertaine the commands of the Lord to baptise the faithfull and to administer the Lords Supper Mat. 16.19 and 18.18 But to the third part which is of gouernmēt is reserued the power of the keies of heauē the preheminence of binding losing vpon earth And this authority hath two branches whereof the one cōpriseth the Ordaining of Ministers the other cōprehendeth the Censure of maners Act. 14.13 By this power the Apostles ordained Bishops and Elders in the church vnto whom they demised their authority that all things might be done duely and decently and that good order might be mantayned in the Church of Christ In the assurance of this power the Apostle deliuereth vnto Sathan the stiffe necked and selfe willed enemies of the truth of this power in his Epistles he many times inter serteth imperious menaces with gentle admonitions But of this matter there is some controuersie in these daies haue you not heard of it neither did our fathers For there be some of strange opinion but strongly opinionat that the whole Cēsure of maners is to be set ouer to the Magistrate and how so because it appertayneth to his duty to take care for good order and publicke honesty and to take punishment of disordered persons pernicious offēces But to the Pastor vnder a christian Magistrat no such matter Let him only teach vertue and taxe vice and administer the Sacraments hand ouer head In deed he may admonish al men to proue thēselues before they eat of that bread and drinke of that cup to the which if they do obay it is so much the better but if not yet
names and titles of Apostles Euangelists and Prophets were giuen also vnto other Pastors and Doctors of the Church CHAP. VI. ALbeit by that which I haue already written it maye sufficiently bee vnderstoode whome I call by the name of Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes yet notwithstanding because those names are for good causes giuen vnto others also some what must be said of them in like maner In the Epistle to the Romains the sixteenth Chapter Andronicus and Iunius are called notable among the Apostles and out of the eight Chapter of the last to the Corinthians Titus and the brethren which were with him are called Apostles and in the Epistle to the Philippians Epaphroditus is called their Apostle The deriuation of the greeke word is well knowen that Apostles are called of sending for that they are Postes or speedie messengers sent of especiall purpose as Legates or Embassadours into diuers parts of the worlde according to this signification whosoeuer is sent as a messenger in anie busines may be called an Apostle In this sense our Sauiour himselfe who is Prince and Lord ouer the Apostles in the epistle to the Hebrues is called an Apostle But to be short this name is no where giuen in the newe Testament to any so far as euer I could learne but to the ministers of the gospell onely Amongst whome because there was great inequalitie Paule calleth those first twelue Apostles the chiefe Apostles as it is in the eleuenth chapter of the last to the Corinthians where he saith I suppose that I was not inferiour to the chiefe Apostles as it is also in the 11. verse of the 12. chapter By the which it appeareth most plainely that besides those chiefe Apostles who helde the commission of their ambassage immediatly from God ther were many other also which were in like manner called Apostles either for that they were accounted of the Apostles as fellow-labourers in their sea-apostolique or els for that they were sent as Legates in the same busines by the church of Ierusalem which was the mother Metropolitane church Among whom somtime there foisted in of their own heads certaine other iolly fellowes false Apostles whom Paul calleth false brethren and deceiptfull labourers who vnder a coppie of faire semblance could transforme themselues into the colours and companies of Christ his Apostles And these were they which sought by all possible meanes to impaire the authority of Paule as of one forsooth that sawe not the Lord in the flesh and therefore not worthy to mate and match with the other Apostles in like equipage of authoritie But doe you see their purpose Or doe you conceiue their policy By this meanes they ment to thrust Paul into the last and lowest forme of Apostles that themselues being mate with Paule might more easily giue the trueth a checke Against the malapertnes of these men the Apostle maintaineth the authoritie of his power Apostolique affirming that he was chosen apostle not by men but of God To how great or rather to how smal purpose should the Apostle haue vrged this had not the name of Apostle bene common vnto others also which were not of that company and conuent of the twelue Apostles but were sent from men and by men were not immediatly from God among whome are to bee accounted Titus Andronicus Timothie Marke and many other whom al posterity hath reuerenced and accounted for Bishops and Archbishops of the church May not the like be sayd of the name of Euangelists For who knoweth not that the same name was giuen vnto manie other besides those seuentie two because indeede they were called to the same function both vnder the seuenty vnder the Apostles True it is they had not the like measure of Gods spirite and yet according to the moytie of their seuerall talent they did much edifie the church and magnifie the foundation which the Apostles had laid And therefore are they called Apostles and Euangelists not only in respect of the sense and signification of the wordes but also in regard of the Apostolique Euangelike function into the which they were associate and assumed by the Apostles as helpers and fellow-labourers But as for the name of Prophets not only they are so called in the scriptures vnto whome God hath reuealed the secrets of things to come but they also which doe faithfullie reueile the secrets of Gods eternal truth to others and know howe to apply auncient prophesies to present circumstances In which sense all Euangelique teachers and interpreters of sacred scripture may be sayd to be Prophets Of Deacons Chap. VII IF my purpose had beene in recounting the degrees of Ministers to haue followed the course of honour I would haue set next vnder Prophets Pastors and Doctors But for as much as I haue tied my selfe vnto the order of time in the which they were first ordained of force I must first speake of Deacons before I come to Bishops and Elders for we read that they were first created when as yet besides the Apostles and those Euangelists and Prophets of the which wee haue lately spoken the Church had no Elders and reason to For when as the Ministery of the gospell according to Gods holy institution hath annexed vnto it a religious care and consideration of the poore the Apostles tooke that vnto themselues as a thing pertayning to their charge vntill the murmure and mutinie of the Greekes against the Hebrewes gaue occasion of the Deacons Election But were there not at the beginning dispensers and disposers of the common treasure When Christ himselfe kept residence here vpon earth who but Iudas discharged that pension and doubtlesse if the Apostles coulde haue performed both they woulde neuer haue giuen charge that others should haue beene chosen for that charge And yet that charge was not so wholie giuen ouer of the Apostles to the Deacons as that afterwardes they thought the same nothing at all appertaining vnto themselues Haue wee not read what Paule and Barnabas did beeing requested to bee mindfull of the poore how vigilantly they vndertooke that care themselues And therefore they thought it requisite that the men to be chosen into that charge should be men ful of the holy Ghost But doe you not wonder now that these new elects did not imploye themselues in gathering and giuing of almes onely Why men forgetfull of themselues they take vpon them the office of teaching also See how Phillip preacheth the gospell to the Samaritanes also and baptiseth them that beleeue how while Stephen preached Christ more feruentlie he is become the first martyr of Christ May we not conceiue by these presidents what the rest of them did or shall we be so foolish as to think because there is nothing writtē of the rest that therefore they did nothing or not this Of the greatest part euen of Christ his Apostles is there not deepe silence or little sayd of whom notwithstanding there is nothing more cleare then that they performed their imposed
pensions with impeachable diligence The like president therefore hath bene well followed of our godlie predecessours who did also imploy their Deacons in the ministerie of the word and holy mysteries For why they doubted and that not without cause least that profitable function should become contemptible be had in esteeme as stewardish and too homely and not at all belonging or not beseeming the sacred ministerie Wherfore that they might be of greter reuerence regard in the clergy they were permitted to read the gospel to the people to minister the cup in the Sacramental symposy And at the length their autority incresed so far that no BB. wold want his Deacon yea sooner would a Bishop want his Priest then be without this Deacon But now how this kind of Deaconie deceased it is nothing to our purpose It sufficeth mee that I haue shewed what was of olde the office of Deacons I need not adde that what thinges the Apostle requireth in Deacons are in a manner equall with those he desireth in a Priest But this I maye say that by that onely one thing it may full well appeare that the office was then esteemed as a charge of no small import And therefore it neede not seeme so strange a matter to any man if some greater thing then a Church-warden-ship was committed to the order of Deacons by our honorable predecessors The which I note to this end that al men may know how the churches of old committed no absurd thing in this nor we if there be any which at this day doe immitate them when they make the Deacony a degree to a further ministerie This therefore is the fourth order of the ministery acording to the order of time and the first that was deuised of man when as yet there were no other Priestes created then those whome the Lord himselfe had inuested with his own hands Now whether this order be obserued euery where that they should bee created Deacons before they be ordained Priests I cannot tel In the epistle to Titus in the which Paul commandeth that hee should retaine Pastors in euerie citie there is no mention made of Deacons And in the 19. chapter of the Acts where it is said of Paule and Barnabas that they ordained Pastors in the churches there is nothing said of Deacons And indeed for asmuch as there are greater parts required in a Priest then in a Deacon a competent Deacon might sooner be had where need was then a sufficient Priest whose present want the Apostles and Euangelistes themselues for a time could better supply then of Deacons because the function Apostolique is further from procuring the Church treasuries then from Preaching the meere sacred mysteries With the which this also is to be considered that the necessities of the poore are not patient of any long delaies That Paule in his fourth chapter to the Ephesians maketh no mention of this order it need not greatly to trouble any seeing his purpose was not to specifie al the degrees of the ministery but only to note the especial Our Sauior himselfe taught that care compassion shewed to the poore was a most blessed worke when hee said That was giuen or not giuen to himselfe that was graunted or grudged the poore But in the reformatiō of some churches in these dais it is now no more a church office but a ciuil duty The care of the poore ouer-sight of the hospitals and widowes and orphans which was wont to be the Bishops charge the Magistrate hath taken to himselfe But vpon what occasion it first grew to this vnder the Bishop of Rome I will declare els where No doubt the Magistrate that desireth to restore the church to her first beauty will refer that function to Ecclesiasticall persons For if they shall find any corruption in them it shall be alwaies in their power to punishe the offenders and to amend the fault but it is not in the Bishops or Pastors power to doe the like if it shall fal out that the Magistrates themselues or they which are deputed by them in these affaires shall in like manner offend Ought they not to consider that the same thing may befall themselues which they feare in the ministerie No question the ministerie of the poore is a religious thing part of gods seruice Wher I find two thinges greatly to be complained of First that in some reformed churches the whole office of a Deacon is made oeconomicke rusticall and not vnlike vnto an annuall baliwick then That the order of Deaconisses atending vpon the poore impotent sick of the which there is yet some shadow remaining in the Papacie is among vs altogeather relinquished It is much to the purpose in my iudgement how and of whom the necessities of the pore be relieued in the house of God I am not ignorant indeed that the old custom of the church is growen to some smacke of superstition but this of ours which we now haue whether a Gods name wil that grow Wee are apt to fall from superstition to prophanation but to keepe the golden meane we haue no meanes It hath bene of olde the greatest beauty of the Church the greatest praise of the Pastors bountie towards the needy and mercy towards the distressed And what should I say of noble women and no lesse renowmed maids and widows Queenes and Empresses who of their earnest deuotion towards God their inward compassion towards the poore haue wholy consecrated themselues vnder their superuigill Bishops vnto this holy ministery When I looke into our churches I cannot but prefer the commendable care of them who continue in the church the true Deaconie before those who as if it were some vile and ciuill charge trauerse it ouer to men of life and profession vnhallowed and prophane For so they range the collectors for the pore among the basest drudges of the cittie But in this I pittie them that satisfiyng if not rather deceiuing themselues with the bare name they seeme not sufficientlie to conceiue the true and full nature of a Deacon Of the which there are yet many thinges to be spoken but my discourse plies it and applies it selfe to the order of Elders and Bishops That the churches in their beginnings had no Bishops Elders besides the Apostles themselues and their fellow-labourers CHAP. VIII IN the eleuenth chapter of the Acts is the first mention made of Elders in the church of Ierusalem In the which so long as the Apostles and Euangelists did thēselues cōtinue they had no need of any other elders But after they once began to be dispersed Iames their head being cut of and Peter slipt aside then they began to haue their Elders whome from that time forwards Luke alwaies ioyneth with the Apostles which were at Ierusalem but when and how and of whome they were ordained it is not read Notwithstanding this order although it was ordained in the church after Deacons in time yet is it before thē in regard
But that churches were for a time without Priests or Elders it is more manifest out of the epistle to Titus the fourteenth of the Acts then that it can be denied But how long they were so I wil not define In this matter I suppose the Apostle had not at anye time so great a regarde of the time as of the persons and their perfections For it was not for the wisedome of the Apostles rashly to lay their hands of any or to appoint them ouer the church whom God had not anointed with those graces which are required in a Pastor of the church Wherefore when as the churches which were newly conuerted to the faith did consist but of nouices there was no remedy but they must stay a time vntill they had made triall of their dispositions and taken notice of their abilities vnto whom the church-gouernment was to be committed In the meane while all things were moderated by the vigilant ouer-sight of the Apostles and Euangelists and such as they intertained to their succours as helpers and fellow-labourers No doubt the Apostle Paul is like vnto himselfe in all his Epistles therefore it was not hap-hazard that in the Epistle to the Philippians only he saluteth Bishops Deacons in none of the rest By the which as we are put out of all doubt that the church of the Philippians had their Elders and Deacons so are wee left in suspence for any of the rest If so be as els where we are to gather of his stile the state of the church Here therefore it behoueth the reader to be very attent that wil learn to know what churches had their Priests and what not Is it likely that hee which ordinarilie accustometh to greet so louinglie in all Epistles all that hee knew to be indued with any vertue so willingly to commēd al that he knew to be of any desert in the church and also so freely to note all that he knew to be in any defect I say is it likely that of all other he would haue left the Bishops and elders vnsaluted in the epistle to the Rom. he saluteth many whom albeit he cal his fellow-laborers yet ar they no wher said to haue borne any sway in the church of Rome He remembreth Aquila the church which was in his house who was now at Corinth then at Ephesus sometimes again at Philippos neither forgetteth he Andronicus Vrbanus wherof the one he commendeth as notable among the Apostles and the other he confesseth as his fellow laborer These and all other whom hee knew resiant at Rome hee deygneth with titles of condign prayses because they labobored together with the Apostles And therefore no doubt if so be any of them had beene the proper Pastor of that Church he would surely haue taken some knowledge or made some remembraunce of it As we reade that he did in his Epistle to the Philippians of Epaphroditus and to the Colossians of Epaphras and Archippus Moreouer when Paul came to Rome we read how he was receiued of the brethren and of the Elders the which thing might euen as well haue beene there if there had beene any such Elders there as in the fifteenth of the Actes and the one and twenty also it is well noted how he was intertayned of the Elders But by these it may appeare what the state of the Church was at Rome when the Apostle did write vnto them The like may bee declared out of either Epistle to the Corinthians that I name not any other namely That they had not theyr proper Pastors or peculiar incumbents when those Epistles were written For who knoweth not that Paul did write vnto new born Churches which eyther were then but in the mould or as yet in theyr nonage Who besides Timothy and Titus Apollo Lucas Stephanus and Fortunatus Achaicus and such like whom the Apostle did send to them in common had no other Elders nor yet any other Bishop but the Apostle himselfe And although the Churches were not without order yet ther was not that order as afterwards they had when they were not set in order vnder Elders that had taken orders In meane season the Apostles Euangelists and other religious teachers did visit them by turns as theyr opportunity serued And hence is it that Paul and Apollo doe excuse themselues vnto the Corinthians that they did not visite them so often as they could haue wished The which was also very well noted of Ambrose and Epiphanius Epiphanius aduersus hereses in the 75. heresie hath these wordes When the Gospell was young the holy Apostle wrote according as the matter then stood For where there were Bishops appointed he wrote to Bishops and Deacons Neyther could the Apostles appoynt all thinges at the first In deed the greatest neede was of Priests and Deacons for by these two all Ecclesiasticall functions may be discharged But where there was not any man found worthy a Bishopricke there they remayned without a Bishop But where neede was and there were that were worthy of it there were appointed Bishops But where there was no great multitudes ther were not found among them that might be made priests so they contented themselues with one Bishop in that place c. And he addeth So the Church receiued the fulnes of hir functions for euery thing had not all things at the first but in processe of time those things were prouided which were requisite to the perfection of things necessary Ambrose vpon the 4. of the Epistle to the Ephesians writeth thus In al things the writings of the Apostle doth agree with the order which is now in the Church because these things were written about the beginnings of the Church For he calleth Timothy also a Bishop whom he had ordayned a Priest because the first Priestes were called Bishops that one going away the next might succede him Thus sayth Ambrose And therefore the writings of the Apostles are to be vnderstood according to the seasons in the which they were written In deede the Apostles layd the foundations but others raised the worke Paule planted Apollo watered And therefore so soone as with the time the Church increased and the number of beleeuers multiplyed they were not sufficing for the multitude whome the Lorde himselfe had sent for which cause the Apostles took vnto themselues fellow-laborers in the Ministery first Deacons then Priests or Elders Of whō we are now to speake Of Priests or Pastors and Bishops Chap. IX THe Apostle Saint Paul next after Euangelistes placeth Pastors and Doctors but whether he ment by them two distinct orders or but one only there is the question and that because whosoeuer is a Pastor ought also to be a Doctor but it is not so conuersiuely on the other part For it may be that he is a Doctor which not any where is a Pastor This is once that as by the three former names of Apostles Prophets and Euangelists the Apostle seemeth to note
verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour vsed by him not in this place onely signifieth properly great and grieuous labour And therefore they are far wide that thinke Paul meant in thys place the bare preaching of Gods word and take this to be the ods betweene theyr Elders that some teach the people others gouern only and that for a while onely and therein supplying also and applying themselues to the Ministers of the word More proportionable to those times and proper to this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such Elders are to be vnderstood as were at that present among them as Titus and Timothy and Tithitus Marke Luke and such like Paul his legates and ioynte labourers which in deede feared no daunger refused no labour wherby they might aduance and diuulge the blessed doctrine of the sacred trueth Of Timothy Paul testifyeth in the last Chapter of the first to the Corinth when as he thus writeth If Timothy come vnto you see that hee be without fear among you for he worketh the worke of the Lord euen as I doe By which we may perceiue that Timothy was not without feare nor yet without daunger neyther that without cause A while after speaking of Stephanus and Aechaicus and Fortunatus who had giuen themselues to minister vnto the Saints he sayth And bee yee subiect vnto such and to all that helpe with vs and labour After which sort I also expound that place in the first to the Thessalonians the first chapter the twelfth verse VVe beseech you brethren that ye know them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonishe you In all which places the Apostle vseth the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour by the which he vnderstandeth no ordinary vulgar or trifling exercise but an extraordinary vehement difficult and troblesome labour And therefore Paul his meaning is that how much greater trouble and more troblesome turmoyle the Elders vndertake in their office they are so much the more worthy to be graced with the greater Honors So that Paul in these wordes respecteth the singular care of some not the single preaching of all Writing to Timothy he defineth a Bishopricke to bee a worke of the which it followeth that the greater the Bishoprick is the greater is the labour the greater is the work If he which is ouer one onely Church shall finde himselfe somewhat to doe what shall we say of them vnto whome the care of many Churches is committed So was it with Titus and Timothy and diuerse other Bishops and Elders of that order The whole sum therefore of our assertion resolueth into thus much that among the Bishops or Elders in the Scripture which gouerned Churches vnder the Apostles there were diuerse degrees in deed by what names soeuer ye please to call them of the which some were ouer one Church only and that vnder the direction of an other and some againe ouer many Churches suppliant to none of the same order as it is wel knowen of Titus and Timothy and the rest I know there are many who in the secret preiudice of their foreseasoned opinions wil not sticke to say that Titus and Timothy and the rest of that forme were Euangelistes and inuested with an extraordinary kinde of a not immitable authority To whom I aunswere that I haue heard so in deede and read it to but without reason or proofe at al of any credit For where as Paul writeth to Timothy and chargeth him that he doe the worke of an Euangelist 2. Tim 4.5 1. Cor. 16.10 it doth no more conclude that Timothy was an Euangelist so properly called then that other place of Paul to the Corinthians He doth the work of God euen as I doth proue that he was an Apostle That that order is of God which appoynteth superior Elders Bishops And that but of man where all Pastors and Elders are alike Chap. XIIII WEe haue shewed before what was the extraordinary calling and the efficacy thereof which was to bee found in Titus and Timothy To the which I adde that all auncient and autentike writings held Titus and Timothy for Bishops vnto whome the Elders of inferiour orders were suppliant and subiect In whose footings our fathers insisting which next succeeded the Apostles reteyned in vse that forme of gouernement which they receyued of the Apostles Now a dayes there bee some of this beliefe that there were onely these two degrees of Ministers left vs by the Apostles namely Pastors and Doctors who cutting short that difference of Pastors which I haue noted and casting of that auncient decency of Church gouernement which I haue proued doe christen a new a forrayne and a forged kind of Presbitery and with much boldnes stand forth to auouch that this theyr newe deuise is diuine that other continuing a lawful discent frō the Apostles time is but humaine Wherefore here beloued it is time to looke about vs. For they easely auoyd all that wee haue already auowed of the Apostles Euangelists and Pastors when they aunswere that the gouernement Apostolique was but temporanie and momentary and determined with the Apostles and Euangelists themselues long since deceased so that now there is no more any one Apostle before another But that the trueth of this question may the better appeare we must now haue an especiall eye to all those giftes which were especially pregnant in the Apostles and Euangelists that thereby we may know what was proper to the Apostles and theyr times and what common to all Pastors vnto the worlds end To which end the first thing we are to reuise in the Apostles is that theyr extraordinary calling for they had it immediatly from God then also theyr generall Embassee and commission without restraint or limitation Thirdly that in all things which concerned theyr function they had a neuer-errant director the spirite of trueth who suggested vnto them whatsoeuer they before had heard of the Lord or should otherwise be requisite for them to know And the last thing is theyr power Apostolique Of these the first three were necessary for laying the ground-worke of Churches vppon the which others should build the which vnlesse they had been semented as it were with the more sure ioynts and strongest sinewes of Gods spirite what soeuer should haue ben raysed reared thereuppon by others must needs haue reeled and ruined together with the same As for the gift of miracles I stand not vpon that seeing that was bestowed vpon many other of the faithfull also as it pleased God Of all these gifts they could communicate nothing vnto theyr successors besides the Ministery of the Gospell The which seeing it was inherent in the power Apostolique they surrendered that also to theyr subsecutors and that because it is a thing necessary not only for the increase but also for the continuance of Churches For without the word preached the Sacraments administred and the Church gouerned there can no Church well continue Wherefore as
left in our power to vse them as time occasion shal require An indifferent thing is commonly that whatsoeuer is nor cōdemned nor commended in the word of God is left free to euery mans choise either to vse or not vse vnles some other thing interchaunce which altereth the vse of that which otherwise was free by reasō of the time or place or the person wher the same is in vse For my part I think things mediat indifferent might better be defined thus if we shall say those thinges are indifferent which by no law either Gods law or mās law are bidden or forbidden For by the command of him which hath the authority ouer our persons the vse of a thing which otherwise is free may many waies vppon many occasions be restrained or ouerruled But of these things in this place we are not now to discourse at large Onely thus much I chiefly note would haue iust notice taken of it that indifferent thinges may bee vsed of vs although the same things haue ben abused by the bishop of Rome or any other Antichrist Is our liberty to be preiudiced by an other mans religion specially where publique authority hath any thing to do in the matter suppose it either giueth vs in charge or putteth vs in choise to vse those things which the superstitious haue abused Wherfore whensoeuer anything shal come in question among vs that hath bene vsed among the Romanists or other enemies of the truth it is our part to examine and consider the matter as it is in selfe not as it was with them There are some in England at this day who take vpon thē more sowrely then seuerely against outward vestementes cap surples musicke and organs and such like rites of the Church the which because they were of some vse in the Romane Church now out vppon them they are sacriligious prophane In like maner and with no lesse modesty do they proceede against Bishops Archbishops their honors and reuenews Al the which vnles they could be proued contrary to the word of God what reason is this they bring and it is al they bring for the abolishing thereof when they say the author or inuentor therof was Antichrist No doubt indifferent things which he abused for his tyranny may be returned to a better vse for the good of the Church Now as for contētious natures such in whose brests this error hath taken fast footing namely That the authority of Bishops is a thing pernitious in itself and preiudicial to the church I know this my aunswere as it fitteh not their humors so it serueth not their turns Neither yet will they vouchsafe of that which I haue said of the natural signification of words compound with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherfore albeit the plainest interpretation of the names of Patriarchs and Archbishops like me best yet notwithstanding I dare say thus much further if we should grāt that which they shal neuer euince that by force of composition a kind of principallity were to be inferred yet doth it not theruppon follow that it is therefore a title abhorring from the state of our BB. For let it be lawfull for men to vrge the signification of euery sillable in this sort it shal forthwith be vnlawful for any to be called a monarch or to be inuested with the title of an Emperour for why forsooth these names in theyr proper sense are common to none but to God onely These and such like titles of lawful and necessary vse among vs must vppon this quirk be vtterly abolished neyther may it be lawfull for vs from henceforth to call our Ministers as the Scripture doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rectors or Rulers Prelates or Presidentes nay we shall not be able to auouch the name of Elders because this and these all in sacred Scripture are proper to Magistrates and Princes and the Nobles of sundry prouinces and and yet for all this we see that Ministers of the Church are called by these names Last of all if the authority of the Fathers may be of any preuail let vs hear what great dainty they make of the name of Prince in the titles of the cleargy Origen reprehending the clownishe sourenes of some Bishops writeth thus A man may see in some Churches especially in the greatest Citties how the Princes of the christian people shew no manner affability to any esteeming thereof as a thing nothing at all pertaining vnto them c. And aftewards againe We speake not these thinges as if we meant to discharge the Ecclesiasticall Principality In like manner vppon the Epistle to the Romanes the thirteenth Chapter By the which it appeareth saith he that the Iudges of the world do performe the greatest part of Gods law For all the defaults that God would haue punished he punisheth not by the Prelates and Princes of the Church but by the Iudges of the worlde And vpon the twenty seuen Chapter of Numbers the two and twenty Homily Let the Princes saith hee of Churches learne not to appoynt their successors after them such as are allied vnto them eyther in affinity of kindred or consanguinity of bloud neyther that they ought to make the Principality of Churches hereditary c. Ignatius no lesse godly then grauely My Son saith hee honour God and the King and I say further honor God as the author of al things and the owner and honor the Bishop as Prince of the Priests bearing the image of God by reasō of his principality the image of Christ by means of his Priesthood He that honoreth the Bishop shall be honored of God as also he that dishonoreth him shall be punished of God c. Besides many other things in the same place to the same sence The same man in an other place Therefore saith he let all things be performed among you according to a direct order in Christ Let Lay men be subiect to Deacons Deacons to Priests Priests to Bishops the Bishop to Christ as he is also to the Father Againe to the Church of Antioch You Elders feede the flocke which is committed vnto you vntill God manifest him which shal reign ouer you For I am now sacrificed that I may gaine Christ c. By which words the holy Martyr hath sufficiently testified the authority of a Bishop ouer the rest of the Elders Doubtlesse in auncient time the authority of Bishops was great in the Church theyr reuerence great and theyr fauour great among the people the which of al other things made most for the benefit and increase of the Church Euen as in the common wealth the fauour of the Magistrats and authority is beneficiall to the people so likewise of Bishops in the Church And therefore for good cause thought Hierome that the welfare of the Church did depend of the honour of the chiefe Priest c. Neyther in deed is this the least slight of Satan when he
laboreth to bring the prelats of the Church into contempt for by that meanes he thinketh to imbecil the doctrine of fayth and to bring that into suspect that so at the last he might if possible he could bring an vtter ruine and a ruined ouerture to the whole state of the Church To which purpose whosoeuer they be that make themselues the Diuell his stipendaries vnder what colour so euer they doe it they discerue but badly not onely of the whole Church but also of the common wealth That which a rebell is in the state the same is a scismaticke in the Church How iust cause the aduerse part here in England hath to bring theyr Bishops into the obloquy and enuy of the people it smally cōcerneth me I set not as arbiter between both parts But this I say that the same things which betideth the Bishops here in England doth vsually befall all the best of the Ministery in Holland also who are in no lesse enuy with the people there then our Bishops are here How malapartly and the sacrifice had men do rail and raue in their publicke writing 〈◊〉 the deare seruants of Christ and that by name their shameful and shameles libels doe testifie at large Of which wrongs seeing I my selfe whiles I conuersed with them bate not the least share yet bear no wonder to any if for my part I like the better of Bishops For I am not ignorant of this that this is but the ordinary condition of al Gods seruantes and that Satan of old and long since hath by all possible and pestilent meanes endeuored to make the presidents of Christ his Church odious and infamous among men that so their credit especially being either altogether crackt or very sore crased himselfe might with more facility and lesse iealosie set abroach and cast abroad all manner hideous and hellish Heresies In so much that I am perswaded if Moyses himselfe if Peter if Paul were resident among vs and were in that honour and esteeme which were fit and well-beseeming their so honorable a calling they could not possible escape the cankred chaps of these foule-mouthed Hell houndes But so long as the seruantes of Christ are in authority in the Church it is not much that the instruments of Satan can atchieue but are they once brought vnder the hatch alas what is it that the seditious dare not attēpt This matter need no great proof it hath too much Wherefore of that degree of Honor which the Prelats of Religion ought to inioy in an established christian common wealth the very vilenes of this age doth inforce me to speak more at large For if base men cannot abide that Religion should be in any Honor and villanous minds endeuor their worst that the credit thereof may be none at all or worse then it is I thinke it no great wonder but that religious men as they would seeme should attempt the same euen they which ought to be patrones and preseruers of the Church dignities it is a thing odious preposterous and too bad absurd Doe they not yell in vaine and cry out against abuses to no purpose whose end is not so much to mittigate the abuse of thinges as to abolishe the whole vse If the gouernours of the Church haue not so beautified theyr Ministery with that integrity of manners and innocency of life which reason the reuerence of Religion doth require I defend them not but that according to the lawes they may be seuerely punished and theyr betters surrogat into theyr places Neyther are they exempt from the iurisdiction of the chiefe Magistrates whereby they may not censure vppon them theyr liues and theyr goods as vppon other cittizens No question it greatly concerneth both Prince and people that good men be placed ouer the Church and euil men remoued theyr places So that whatsoeuer crimes are here or else where obiected and proued against the Prelates of Religion they are staynes to the chiefe Magistrate which tollerateth such Ministers in the Church or aduanceth such like to be Church officers There is not the like reason of the Romish cleargy For they haue theyr peculiar Magistrates nor liue they vnder the common law of other Cittizens neyther yet are they accounted any part of them any longer then may stand with their owne commodity There the ciuill Magistrate chalengeth no right to conuert nor any power to amend what so euer they committe But notwithstanding if the Magistrate thinke best to winke at these publique slaunders I wil complain my selfe no further onely if the slanderers wil so moderate themselues as that they onely finde fault with the fault not with the state and whiles they rate abuses the honor of the calling may be left intemerat Let it be no mans slaunder that he is a Bishop or a Minister But of the two-folde order of Elders according to the Lorde his institution and the Apostolique tradition and the perpetuall vse of the Church so much as the state of the argument doth require these thinges I haue sayd may suffice Now it remayneth that wee say some thing also concerning Doctors Of Doctors Chap. XXVI WHen the Apostle in the fourth to the Ephesians nameth Pastors and Doctors a man cannot certainely gather from the manner of his speech whether hee would haue thē diuerse in office or but one and the same and that because a Pastor is necessarily a Doctor or teacher but not so conuersiuely Wherefore the thing it selfe must help vs out For not euery one whome the Lord hath endewed with learning and with a sound gift of teaching hath presently withal receiued the authority of a Pastor The knowledge and science of sacred Scripture may be giuen to any man Kings Nobles Knights may be learned who notwithstanding are not fitte to be ouer any Churches And albeit the administration of the Sacraments and gouernance of the Church are so combined with the office of teaching that he cannot be a Pastor which is not a teacher notwithstanding that followeth not in good conuersion that euery one who hath receyued the power to teach should forthwith be an Elder or Bishop of the Church these thinges are distinct each from other From among those which are apt to teach Elders and Bishops are chosen and of old the Priesthood was neuer without power to interpret but yet the gift of prophecie and the ability to interpret did not make a Priest The Priest was of duety an interpreter of the law and a Doctor a Prophet but yet euery doctor of the law or prophet was not a priest An Apostle in deed was both Prophet and Doctor and Pastor but euery Prophet or Doctor was not an Apostle or Pastor Seeing therefore that Doctors are distinguished from Pastors the knowledge of the mysteries of God with the faculty to expound them is the gift of the holy spirit whosoeuer excell in that gift and can as wel by writing as word of mouth edify the Church they are
commanded by them as of old so nowe they may professe alwaies remembred that they doe it for the good of the church A degree of the vniuersity or any other testimony of learning ought not to impair the authority of the Pastors or to disturbe the good order of the Church That at this day they which are created Doctors are for the most part Elders I doe not mislike it for of olde also it was but a very rare and extraordinary thing for lay-men to professe the woorde publiquelie But time place and necessitye may limite this matter and prescribe an order therevnto not to bee ordered by head-strong and desperate temeritie Yong mē must here take heed least they presuming for their learning vpon the Vniuersities testimony they should therefore thinke that they are already adopted into the orders of the holy ministery vnlesse they be otherwise ordained then so the which I would haue thought scarse worthy the noting were it not that I haue found some to farre ouershot in this error There are also some others at this day who disclaiming the office of Pastors and that ordination which is solemnised by the Bishops will notwithstanding be accounted Doctors in the church but to baptise to minister the sacraments to visite the sicke to bury the dead to read publique prayer in the Church they think it stands not with their credit And why For sooth because they see these parts of the ministery performed sometimes by some not deeply learned Againe there are other which thinke it no smal part of reformation that euery church should haue with their Pastor a Doctor as if good men one Pastor who of duetye is also a Doctor could not discharge both parts Many such fancies I wittingly omit and recount them amongst the wel-pleasing dreams of such as learne to feed themselues whome verely I cannot so well like of For albeit I confesse that certaine Doctours publiquely professed in the Church which were not Pastors yet I find how that was vsed in the Apostles times of necessity and afterwards very extraordinarily onely then when either the vrgent necessity or the present commodity of the Church did so require For the ordinarye Doctours of the church are the Bishops themselues who if they could suffise to perform al duties alone they needed nor Elders nor Deacons to ioyne with them We know how in a small Church one Elder is enough And that the greatnes and great increase of Churches made this diuersity of ministers both for order and number But if anye man desire to see more of this argument he may read the writers of this age These thinges as I thinke may serue for this turne who purpose not to treat of euery thing exactly but onely to shew what I find wanting in some Churches which would seeme the best reformed To the which end I haue recounted vnto you the diuers degrees of the ministers of the church euen as they were ordained of the Lord and deliuered of the Apostles and receiued of our first fathers and Apostolik predecessors In whose foot-steps we may more safely continue then by not containing our selues therin to intangle our proceedings in some other new and strange extrauagants The second Booke Of the honour which is due vnto Prelats and Elders in the Church Chap. I. That by a certaine law of Nature among all nations the Presidents of Religion were esteemed worthie great honour HOw great the dignitie and excellencie of the Gospell is aboue all the vnhalowed mysteries of prophane nations and how farre it excelleth the Leuiticall Priest-hoode of Moses also and consequently in how great regarde of honour the same ought to be amongst all that professe Christianity the time hath bene when it was needlesse to tell but now more then necessary to proue For the lewdnes I might say the irreligion of some men in this our age doth of force compell me somewhat more earnestly to lay to their charge the neglect dutie of ingrate mindes towardes Gods Ministers whome while they depriue of their due honour they bring Religion it selfe into deepe disdaine and withall they bewray that they make no great account of God himself whose Legats they depraue For there be which think it were not a poinct matter if they were not left woorth a poinct and thinke it neuer the worse for the common-welth if they had no place at all in the common-wealth Because forsooth it is said of our Sauiour his Apostles that they renounced all worldly honours therefore are they thought worthy no honour in the world any vile or vulgar esteeme if so bee they may haue that is enough for them least haplie they should bee exalted in their owne sence and become proud of nothing Thus they thinke none worthie of honour that either doe not affect it or are not infected with it This errour is to bee confuted in this discourse in the which it shall bee shewed that by all rights both of God and man the sacred ministerie in a well ordered common-wealth hath alwaies beene had in greatest honour and estimation amongst all nations and that Christians aboue all others doe owe no lesse to their Pastors then did of olde the people of God to their Priests Albeit the life of man bee inuolued and ouer-cast with darke and thicke mistes of errour and ignoriunce insomuch that manie times it is dazeled at the view and sight of such thinges which of themselues are cleare enough notwithstanding there are yet some thinges so cleare and so manifest as in the which no man beeing not sencelesse or besotted can pleade or pretend any ignorance Such are those generall notions of sinne which GOD the author of nature hath imprinted and imprized in our heartes and mindes as thinges which are ingendred and congenerate with vs such is Religion towardes GOD loue towardes our parentes and reuerence towardes our progenitors And albeit the relique of God his Image is many waies disteyned in vs since the attaindour of our first parentes yet is it not altogether destroyed there alwayes remayned such a resplendent light of that diuine nature as by the which men might naturally and clearely see both what was good and what was not good and conceaue in some sort also what was godly and what was godlesse Indeede the Gentiles aberred from the true knowledge of the Godhead and the true worship thereof yet notwithstanding in this one thing they were well resolued that there was a GOD and that hee was to bee honoured Their Religion was depraued by them yet were not they depriued of Religion but now where it is come to that passe that men thinke eyther that there is no God or no worshippe of God there the minde may bee sayde not to erre but to raue for they alone offend against that notion of God which is ingrauen in the mindes of all men and which ingrafteth a voluntarie Religion and a religious inclination will they nill they in the heart of euerie man Nor was
greater ignominy by how much the more fondly they abuse their owne authority and the peoples simplicitie such therefore I must necessarilie and may worthelie accuse of Atheisme and irreligion the rest I cannot excuse of errour and ignorance onely Indeed error and ignorance doe sometime mitigate the guilt of the offender but neuer can it obliterate the staine of the offence It will seeme a hard matter I know vnto some that sacrilege should be openly reprehended and vnto some an absurd thing that in the policy of the Church Bishoppes should be required For there are here in England a certaine number of wicked men and I am very sorie for them who are so farre out of order with that order as if no Ecclesiasticall Discipline were to be had vnder them Amongst whome the quarrell is growen so farre that nowe they deuorce themselues from the communion of the English church as Papisticall and Antichristian and so betake themselues to their priuate and not permitted conuenticles VVhome I could doe no lesse then lightly note in this place because they seem to patronage their odious scisme and mutinous huggor-muggar by the precedent presidents of our foraine Churches O God thou knowest and themselues cannot bee ignoraunt that the first peregrine churches which were heere in England had their Lord Bishop Alasco and these which at this day are vnder the protection of the most gracious Elizabeth doe acknowledge the Bishops of those Diocesses in the which they are and to them they supply But thankes be vnto God there are others who being somewhat more milde and moderate in their proceedings doe not altogeather estraunge themselues from the assemblies of their churches but yet they haue the Bishops in emulation also and promise vnto themselues a golden worlde could they but once bring to passe that by a preposterous Alchymy of earthly pollicy they could turne gold into drosse that is Bishops into Presbiters their reuenues into annuities But to them I dare say and can foreshew that they shal bring themselues The whole state Ecclesiastik into deepe disdaine disdaine worse then themselues deserue And whereas the Lord be praised for it we haue now some good Discipline it will come to passe that then they shall haue none at all but voluntary which as soone as it is begone will be gone I omit the tumults and contentions with the which they shall first trouble and turmoyle both heauen and earth But this is plaine and I dare promise them that they which were the first authors thereof will proue their first enemies so sone as vnder these colours they shal haue obtained their desires The calamities of your present churches your selues see and suffer but from whence they arise or what is the true remedy pardon me I beseech you if I speake as I thinke you seeme not to see or conceiue at all Doe you not heare of the turbulent state of other Churches and you know what they were from the beginning Where if they had intertained for a popish Prelat a true BB. for Romish masmongers Euangelique Ministers contented and contenting themselues with the rites and reuenues of their owne Churches no doubt all thinges amongst them had continued more peaceable and prosperous aswell in Church as Common-wealth The like I affirme of other prouinces from whence is exiled the tyrant of Churches But what can be done where the mindes of men are foreseasoned with preiudice and alreadie resolued That to bee ruled by bishops and to be releeued by Tythes and other oblations of the people is a point of Poperie But may I not be so bolde to tell them and I will tell them but the truth that these and such like medicines as they go about to administer vnto the Church maladies are like to prooue but prouocations vnto further mischiefes Admit the drugs they concoct be not simplie offensiue yet is it to be considered and wise men wil consider whether the faintnes and infirmitie of the whole body of the common-wealth may abide the same Here there is need of great wisedome no lesse moderation the which as it may be in many so must it be in one which may execute the same and this is he which is not to looke ouer one part but to watch ouer all not of the whole worlde which neuer any mortall thing or could or can but of one Cittie or prouince so farre forth as the power of man may extend it self And may wee not also more saflie walke in the steppes of the auncient fathers then rashlie to step aside into tracts of our owne treading Now how you will accept of this my libertie I cannot well tell but I hope well of you and commit the whole cause vnto God himselfe This I am perswaded and this haue I learned that in an vnstayed estate it is not the part of a good Cittizen to suspend his censure of the Common-wealth nor of a faithfull Christian to suppresse his opinion of the Church of Christ For mine owne part if in this daungerous enterprise I shall obtaine that onelie which I haue propounded vnto my selfe I shall haue iust occasion to giue thankes vnto my GOD but if it fall out otherwise yet shall I haue discharged my duetie vnto my Brethren and performed my vowe to the Church of GOD. Vnto the whiche I haue hitherto thought my selfe indebted as muche as this comes vnto That a knowen errour ought not to bee ouer-slipped in the silence of mee But put case I doe smale good vpon those for whose sakes especially I haue traueiled in this duetie yet shall their remaine a perpetuall note of that notorious errour vnto all posteritie that they yet at the length may amend that in the which they haue found their Fathers to haue bene faultie London the fourth of the Kal. of Aprill Desirous of your welfare Hadrian Sarauia To the curteous Reader WHosoeuer thou bee gentle Reader into whose hands this booke shall come in any case I would not haue thy minde troubled with this discourse as if we did reuerse som graund Article of thy faith when wee doe but restore for so we holde it behofefull the graue Senat of Bishops into the reformed Churches so called Doe we crosse herein the iudgement of some late writers of great name Why then iudge you and iudge me worthie of double blame if I should be either so frontlesse or so forgetfull at least as to aduenture vpon this contradiction of mine own head suppose ye me at the least backt with the piller of truth the sacred scripture and borne out with the consent of the auncient Fathers and countenaunced with the continued custome of the whole Church What then Will you saye did they whome you cal men of name see nothing I answere they did see indeede that which I see But as they which take vppon them to repaire an old house albeit within dores there bee many pretie romes and necessarye corners which they would willinglie and might well bee
those which had an extrordinary vocation from God immediat and not from men so by these two last names of Doctors and Pastors whether wee take them as both one or otherwise hee seemeth to vnderstand those which by men were preferred to the Church And that Bishops and Elders are those whome Paul calleth Pastors it sufficiently appeareth by that in the twentith Chapter of the Actes where Paul intertaining the Elders hee had sent for from Ephesus telleth them that they were appointed of god Bishops to feede the Church And thereuppon wee also acknowledge no Elder or Bishop in the Church of Christ that is not a Pastor or feeder For it is in the essence of an Elder his office with wholesome doctrine to feed the flocke of Christ Presbyter is a Greeke word and aunswereth to that which the Hebrewes call Zachen which signifyeth not onely an Elder in yeares who for his age is to be reuerenced but also an auncient in the common wealth who for his place and authority is to be honored yea it is a title of honour with the which the Nobles and Magistrates of the old Testament are graced from whence also it is deriued to the Rectors of the Church in the new Testament who are called Bishops by reason of their ouersight and watchfull care which is a title of work labor but the name of Pastor is a title declaring a speciall charge office so called of feeding the Lords flock with the Angel-like food of his heauenly word Albeit ther are many other titles also common to the said Pastors in the Scriptures as that they are called Stewards Presidents Prelats Guids Gouernors Ministers and such like The vertue property of which titles I will not here stand to explaine it is that you may haue else where Only I will enforce from thence such arguments as the occasion shall serue and the matter which I handle shall require In the meane time you shall vnderstande that the office of these Pastors and doctors albeit ordained of men doth not differ in kinde from that of the Apostles For the chiefe part of them both is to instruct exhort reprehend and refell the aduersaryes of the truth Besides the administration of the Sacraments a thing no lesse pertaining to Pastors then Apostles Neyther is a Pastorall ouersight disiusticed of that Apostolick authority of Ecclesiastical censure which remayneth and is requisite for the edifying of the Church For why they succeede that I may vse Hierome hys owne wordes the Apostolique order and in another place It is no easy matter to stand in Paul his place or to mayntaine the dignity of Peter now raigning with Christ Of two diueas degrees of Pastors Chap. X. BVt now for as much as there is not the same or the like proportion of charge committed to all Elders there is also no smal difference among those whom the Scripture calleth by the same name of Bishops and Elders The which seeing it must be discerned rather by themselues as they are in deede then by their names as they are called let vs alwayes chiefely regard what they are then what they are called that we may truely distinguish betweene thinges that differ not so much in name as in nature The first Elders therefore whome the Apostles ordayned were theyr fellow-laborers in the Lord his vineyard as Iohn Marke Titus Luke Timo hy Demas Siluanns and many others of whō we read in the Scriptures Al the which by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery were created Ministers no otherwise then the rest who afterwards were placed ouer their seuerall Churches Notwithstanding that which wee read of Timothy wee conceyue of the rest and therefore that charge which was giuen vnto these was rather prouinciall then particular seeing they were the associats and assistants of the Apostles themselues But when as daily the number of the faithfull increased and the increase of Churches was thereby more and more aduaunced together as supply could be made of able men for the Ministerie the Apostles and Euangelistes or their associates installed into particular Churches particular Pastors who beeing placed in their wardes as it were should not range at large from thence but vnder the Apostles as faithfull Pastors should keep watch and ward ouer the vineyard of the Lorde And yet they were not so inuested into those their seuerall charges that the sole and whole authoritie being demised to them they should rule the Church alone and the charge thereof should thence-forth concerne the Apostles no more but to this ende were they so disposed that seeing the Apostles themselues could not bee alwaies resident in euery place there might notwithstanding by their good meanes be nothing wanting in anie place If twelue men could haue beene suffising for all Churches there should neuer haue beene leuied any newe increase of other seuentie But when they altogether could not serue to serue the turne both these and they both had need of more abettors to helpe them out withall And albeit the Ministerie of the Gospell vnder Christ be onely one as the priest-hood of the law vnder Moses was one yet notwithstanding as in one priest-hood there were diuers degrees of gouernement so likewise in one Ministerie of the Gospell there are as you haue heard diuers degrees of Pastors For haue you not seene how of the Lorde himselfe there were two degrees of Ministers ordeined of them the one was superior to the other How afterwards of the Apostles there were in like manner ordeyned two orders for to some they gaue in commission the Churches of one whole prouince and to some againe the single rectorie of one onely Church That Titus and Timothie had a superior intendencie ouer many Churches as also ouer them which were alreadie or were to be preferred thereunto it is sufficiently manifest vnto euery indifferent sense For otherwise why was hee so diligently admonished to beware that he lay not his hands vpon any man extemporie And againe to what purpose is hee so cautionately forbidden to admit any accusation against an Elder without the testimonie of two or three witnesses This therefore leadeth vs thus farre as it were by the hand that of force wee must confesse how that vnder the Apostles of the Apostles there were ordeined two degrees of Ministers they of diuers authority though not of diuers titles vnto whom albeit the Scripture for the present gaue no proper or distinct denomination yet in good time Posteritie did it wel aduised For although the names of Pastor and Bishop were commonly giuen to all Ministers of old yet presently vpon the Apostles time the name and title of Bishop was imparted as a proper addition to the first chiefe order of Elders And yet they were not destitute of their distinction by their more sacred titles euen in the Apostles time For did not the Apostles themselues grace the chiefe Elders with the title of their fellow-laborers their fellow-labourers with
their owne titles In the which notwithstanding we find their posteritie very sparing and that for iust cause namely for that obsequious reuerence and religious regard they had of the Apostles lately deceased the chiefe instruments and ornaments of Gods Church That the doctrine of the Apostles acknowledgeth no annuarie Elders to Rule onely in the Church and not to Teach Chap. XI OVt of that place of S. Paul not well vnderstood it is in the fift chap. of the first to the Corinthians there are many now adayes which haue deuised a fond and new-found distinction clean contrary to the Apostles meaning Alâs for them hee thought nothing lesse then of anie temporall Elders to play the bugs in the Church like speciall bailyes for a spurt and be gone whereas in the whole schoole of the Apostles you shall not finde the worst Elder that is not placed in one of the two foresaid formes Generally in all Elders the Apostle requireth thus much That they be apt to teach And 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.9 that they may be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine and improue them which say against it If in this nouell kind we looke for parts agreable to these sure I am we shall neuer finde that dumbe Elders of a yeeres grouth mute to instruct made to commaund in the Church are any where comprised in this forme As for that gouernment the Apostle numbreth among the giftes of Gods spirit it is to bee vnderstood indeed of a singular and supereminent gift For no doubt the right art of gouernment is a rare and a religious thing the which albeit there are scarse anie that will not boldly arrogate vnto himselfe yet is it truly to be found but in a few Wherefore as I rather iudge this so exquisite a gift of gouernement is to be reserued vnto the more excellent order of Elders as namely the Apostles and Euangelists and others the principall Ministers of that time as were Titus and Timothie and such other which gouerned many Churches with power Apostolike And therefore me thinkes that they of all other are farre wide who thinke so rare and singular a gift of Gods spirite ought to be impropriate to so base an order of Elders mute and momentarie which gouerne not long and teach not at all Sure I am that the Apostolike Churches and the sequel of many yeares after neuer interteined anie such kinde of aldermen for Church officers And had not the Apostles and Euangelistes and their associates sole preheminence ouer the Elders of particular Churches in the absolute authority of Church gouernment True it is I find certaine Sages and Seniours who did vsually sit in counsell with the Priests of the olde synagogue who were not Priestes but I reade not of anie in the Church of counsell with the Pastors but the Pastors And in verie deed in the Apostles daies and many ages after there were not in Esse any Christian Magistrats which could consult with the Elders of the Church in matters concerning the Church As for those Elders and Seniors whom we read to haue beene ioyned with the Priests in councell and commission they were the ordinary Magistrates of Israel which lawfully could not be sequestred or secluded from the coūsels and constitutions of the Priestes no more then at this day the Christian Magistrate is to bee restrained from the Sinods and assemblies of the Church For albeit there bee two kindes of gouernement one of the Cittie an other of the Church yet are they both deriued from one and the same author The which also although they bee executed after a diuers manner and that the one proceed of God as he is the creator and moderator of all things and the other of one and the same GOD as hee is the restorer and redeemer of mankind and each of them haue their seuerall ende also yet notwithstanding seeing the same societie is both Church Cittie and the authority of them both is drawen from the same head so likewise are they driuen to one end and come all to the same passe And of this it commeth to passe that they both haue many thinges in common which cannot easily be propounded without a common assembly nor concluded without a generall assent The Minister hath authoritie from the Lord our Sauiour to gouerne the Church the Magistrate from the same Lord our creator hath the like soueraigntie to rule the Cittie The which two diuers and distinct estates so often as they doe friendly consort together in one vnisone direct all their counsels to the same end I say so long the Cittie must needs thriue and the Church cannot doe amisse As for anie other Elders in the Church besides these of the which I haue now spoken and you heard I would to God some man would shew me which be they if there be any such Doubtlesse it passeth my cunning to finde any such Church-bugs or Burgesses in the word of God Doe you not knowe that the offices of the Church are gifts of the spirit and as it were talents of the Lord laid out to loane among men of the which there must one day an account be rendred to the Lorde I tell you it is not at the pleasure of anie seruant in the house of Christ rashly to exonerate himselfe of anie office he hath vnder-taken He that once putteth his hand to the plough and afterwards looketh backe is not fitte for the kingdome of God For my part I could neuer yet read that there was at anie time in the Church anie office temporarie if it were ordinarie I admit that Deacons may afterwards be made Ministers but that cannot be accounted a defection from the office which is the perfection of the same neither is that offfice forsaken when in the same order a higher is vnder-taken they fall not from that they were but rise to that they were not This custome Tertullian sometimes reprehended in his booke De praescriptionibus contra haereticos in these wordes Their giuing of orders is rash light and inconstant sometimes they praefer yonglinges sometimes wordlinges and sometimes recreant reuolters that they may bind them with their titles whom they cannot hold with the truth A man can neuer gaine more or with more ease then in the raunges of recreantes where the onely beeing there is to deserue pay Therefore one is to day a Bishop to morrow another to day a Deacon to morrow a Parson to day a Priest to morrowe a lay man for they giue to lay men also Church offices The place of Ambrose expounded Chap. XII THat which is alleadged out of Ambrose to confirme that kinde of Elder-shippe which some reformed Churches in this our age haue receiued is nothing at all to this question For Ambrose there speaketh of Elders in age not in office Such indeed the Bishops and Elders in times past tooke in counsel with them as did also of old the auncient Synagogue And yet Ambrose bringeth them not into any equipage
with those which were Elders in calling whom he had about him and who gouerned the Churches vnder him but he greeueth that such graue and auncient men in yeres whome the Apostle would not haue reprooued any thing roughly should not remaine in the like esteeme with the Pastors and Elders of the Church as they were of olde For expounding those wordes of Paule to Timothie 1. Tim. 5.1 Rebuke not an auncient or an Elder but exhort him as a father hee writeth thus That in reuerence of his yeares an ancient man is to be prouoked with mildnes to goodnes that hee may the rather take warning for beeing gentlie admonished hee will be afraide least afterwards hee should bee more roughly dealt withall which were a shame for an Elder For among all nations age is honoured for which cause both the Synagogues of olde and afterwards also the Church had alwayes certaine auncient men without whose aduise nothing was done in the Church The which by what negligence it was lefte off I cannot tell except haplie it were through the sloth or rather the pride of some Pastors because they alone would seeme to bee some thing Thus much sayth Ambrose who I dare bee bound for him thought nothing lesse then that anie order of the Ministery set downe by the Apostles was nowe worne out For himselfe had Elders which did also rule the Church with him or vnder him besides that the words doe shew as cleare as noone-day that hee spake heere of Elders not in office but in age If any vouchsafe certaine auncients experienced in many thinges the senate of the Church I say not against it but this I auouch that such were they all more auncient then Iaphet are not to bee accounted among the Church officers and Elders which the Apostles ordained And I dare be bolde further to affirme that they are in no small errour who thinke that the Elders and auncients in certaine reformed Churches in this our age are of the same sute with those whome the Apostles ordained in the fourteenth of the Actes and Paule sent for from Ephesus in the twentie chapter Whose order and office is described at large in the Epistles to Timothie and Titus I perceiue here the reformation of the English Church appointeth in euery place certaine Church officers which represent in some sort those auncients and Elders and they are commonly called Church-wardens Notwithstanding these come short of that authority in Ecclesiasticall censure To excommunicate but if any excommunicate person shall disorderly presse into the holy assembly they are to endeuour by the aduise of the Minister to remoue him Their ordinary office according to law is this To gather collect to lay vp and lay out the rents and reuenews of the church to keepe the bodie of the Church and the rest in repayre to keepe the Church booke together with the Minister to admonish offendors and vnruly fellowes and as for the stubborne infamous and offensiue to present them to the Bishop or his deputie that vpon their othes furthermore also to note who they are that absent themselues from diuine seruice vpon the Saboth or holy-daies and to set a fine on their heads according to the law prouided in that case and also to looke that due silence and all other kind of honest seemlines bee obserued in the time of diuine seruice If the ancient Primatiue Church had any such kind of Elders they were not I am sure at any time accounted of our elders among the Elders Bishops of our Church for they alwaies made a difference in the Church betwene the laike officers and the Church Ministers In Tertullian his Apologie the Elders which wee reade were present president in christian assemblies were Bishops and Elders no temporall men vnles wee would make him contrary to himselfe who iustly vpbraided the Heretikes of that time with that fault That they prophaned Church functions with lay persons Neither are these things so spoken of me neither wold I be so taken as if I chalenged those reformed Churches that vse some such like Seniors for so they suppose as Ambrose seemed to wish for I my selfe did vse them when I supplied the place of a Minister in some reformed Churches For the tyrannie of Popish Bishops beeing ouerthrowne when as they which are indeed the true Elders doe themselues in like manner sustaine the office of a Bishop they could not well take vnto themselues the intire gouernment of the Church without some suspicion of the like if no lesse tyrannie And therfore it was necessarie for them to ioyne with themselues certaine godly men out of the whole corps of the Church for that without the assistance of their associates it was not possible for them alone to counter-checke the immodestie of bad men and to bring them into some Coram That place of Paule expounded in his first to Timothie the fift chapter What it is to labour in the worde and doctrine Chap. XIII IT neede not greatly trouble any man when Paule saith That those Elders especially are worthie double honour which labour in the word and doctrine as if it followed therupon that there were other Elders also in the church which taught not For these two do not signifie one the same thing to Labour in the worde and to Teach seeing there was no Elder ordeined of the Apostles that was not apt to teach But for as much as the measure of the gifts of Gods spirit are not alike in all for there be which haue receiued fiue talents who must also pay vse for fiue vnto the Lord there be againe which haue receyued but two To whom much is giuen of him manie things are required If the dolours Paule suffered for preaching the Gospell were compared with other mens labors we might wel conceiue how well worthy he was of greater honour then they whose labors were farre vnlike in the like labour Some enioy their office haue ioy therof in rest peace teach their people at home and indure no hardship abroad whose doctrine is determined within the precincts of theyr own precession But others there be which teach not one onely Church but the whole Church with theyr learned laboures and that not once for all while they liue onely but also a great deale more after many generations The which that they may the better performe they let for no labour they spare nor oyle nor toile nor health nor wealth nor life it selfe in that regard Besides there be that for the Gospels sake set light by the losse of friends and fauors and riches and reuenewes they ouercome daungers not to be numbred and vndergoe slaunders not to be suffered onely that they may inforce and set forewards the Gospell of Christ And such doth the Apostle seem to vnderstand in this place not euery ordinary and perfunctory Teacher that gouernes in the Church and instructeth with wholesom doctrine the people of God committed to his charge The
daies did euer either so think or write The Fathers haue testified in their writinges what they receiued of their fore-fathers that Iames an Apostle was ordained of the rest Bishoppe of Ierusalem The which thing also seemeth to haue bene done vpon iust and necessarie occasion namely for the necessary good of the Church For when as that was the mother of all other churches that the Iews resorted thither out of al the parts of the world it ought not but to haue an Apostle resiant among thē so long as might be who might resolue the brethren in such doubtes as were likely to arise among them Although indeede to pilgrime through diuers regions to preach the gospel is most properly appertaining to the office of an Apostle so that they may not abide in one place but where necessitie requireth As therefore the Apostles discharged the duty of a Bishop when as they took vpon them the particuler charge of some on special church namely when the necessity of the church vniuersall did so require neither did thinke they did anye thing therin contrarie to their Apostolik calling so likewse if that which wholy pertaineth to the Apostles be cōmitted to the Bishops it need not seme a thing either vnreasonable or not profitable when the good order of church gouernement doth require the same But whereas the Canon sayth that we should keepe the old custome not the Lords institution it may seme that the power of Patriarks crept into the church of a contrarie custome rather then of any diuine institution I answere that the canon doth not gaine-say that the power Apostolique in church-gouernment was not left vnto the church of the Apostles but that besides or aboue the rest these or they shuld inioy it as namely he of Antioch Alexandria Ierusalem Rome that indeed was of the mere custome and at the sole disposition of the church For those particular Bishops did not receiue their Apostolique power immediatly from GOD as did the Apostles but from the church and by the church the which as it is not restrained to any certaine situate places or persons citties or Bishops so neither is the autority Apostolik Who doubteth but that the Nicen coūcell or any other like to that might haue translated the Patriarkie of the Romain BB. to some other place haue giuen it to the BB. of Rauenna or of Aquiline for good cause if their had bene any The like I say of the Patriarks of Antioch and Alexandria But that the councels of Bishops had this authority they declared then sufficiently when as they made him of Constantinople com-peer in all things with him of Rome By the which also it may euidently apeare that the prerogatiue of the power Apostolique was not giuen by succession but as it was best befitting the commodity of the church by those especial cities And therfore in that the Canon giueth that to custome it doth not therby take from it the diuine institution But that I may return to the next successors of the Apostles and Euangelists Titus and Timothy and the rest whom sacred writ recordeth were ioyned with the Apostles as assistants that they were Bishops had charge of many churches the most ancient and authentike tradition approoueth the same neither are those thinges so far at variance betweene themselues as some would haue them to be a Bishop to do the worke of an Apostle or an Euangelist For this is the common consent of all the fathers that the office of a Bishop and an Apostle or Euangelist are all one onely that the office of the one is more ample and augustious Cyprian in his 10. epistle writeth thus The Deacons ought to remember the Lord himself did chuse Apostles that is Bishops Prelats but the Apostles themselues ordeined them Deacons after hee was receiued vp into heauen Thus saith Cyprian out of whose words we may learne that a Bishoprick is an Apostleship as also an Apostleship is a kind of bishopricke Herevpon the Apostle Peter in the Acts calleth the Apostleship of Iudas a bishopricke And in like maner speaketh Augustine For no man is ignorant saith he that our Sauior ordeined bishops in the church For before he ascended into heuen he layd his hands vpon his Apostles made them bisheps And Ambrose vpon that in the 4. to the Ephesians some were giuen to the church Apostles writeth thus The Apostles are BB. but the Prophets are expounders of the scriptures which may now be called Priests For in a BB all the orders are contained becaus he is first a priest who is chiefe of ths priests and a Prophet an Euangelist to the furnishing of the rest of the offices of the church Theodoret also vpō the 1. to Tim. cap. 3. saith thus Of old they called the same men Priests and BB. but those that are now called BB. they then called Apostles but long since they left the name of Apostles to thē which were indeed apostles but the additiō of BB. they imposed vpon such as of old were called Apostles so was Epaphroditus the Apostle of the Philip so Titus of the Cretensians Timothy of Asia All the fathers which succeeded the Apostles were not of opinion that the forme of gouernement they had receiued of the Apostles should euer haue bene altered or exauterate the which verelye they could neuer haue perswaded themselues had they knowen that the gouernement of Titus and Timothie had bene but Temporarie and Extraordinarie But is it credible nay is it possible that Timothie Titus and others vnto whome the like prouince was demised should be ignoraunt of this themselues Augustine expounding that in the 44. Psalme Instead of thy Fathers thou shalt haue children sheweth that our Bishoppes inherited the Apostles as children their fathers And were it not a point of frontles and vngracious in solencie to deny that our fathers had their Bishops and Prelats euen from the Apostles times and a part of needles and superfluous diligence to proue a thing so manifest I might easilie and would willingly staie vpon the citing summoning of many more fathers vntil we were fully compassed with a cloud of witnesses But this is not the question but rather it is nowe doubted whether the ordinance of Bishops bee of God or of men as an order that slipt into the church rather of humaine custome then diuine cōstitution Wherfore of things confessed granted let vs decide and determin things doubted and in question That Bishops are ordained by a diuine institution and Apolique tradition Chap. XXI THere is nothing more certaine then this That the Apostles ordained nothing in the Church which they receiued not of the Lord. But they created Bishops as Titus and Timothie wheresoeuer need was in the Church And indeed had not the Apostles created Bishops as they dispersed themselues thorough out the whole worlde how could euer the calling of Bishoppes haue bene so vniuersallie approoued by so general an assent of all
citties But when as many Churches were infinitely distant from others is it not straunge that not any one Church retayned that diuine kinde of gouernement as it is thought which is adored at this day in some reformed Churches Doubtles Churches so diuerse and distant could not but greatly differ in things indifferent where there was no certaynty sette downe by the Apostles And therefore this could not bee without a miracle of eyther part Namely that eyther they should so vniuersally consort in this one gouernement if it were not receiued by tradition frō the Apostles or that with so generall a consent they should alter the same if it were For all the world knoweth that in all the world the gouernment was one and the same for all the world This is without question and beyond all exception that all the auncient autentike fathers so many as held the right faith were of this beliefe that in this onely plot they did follow the Apostolique tradition and diuine institution Ireneus in his thirde booke the third Chapter against Heresies writeth thus It is easie for all men to see that will see the truth the auncient tradition of the Apostles in the Church through the whole worlde and we can recken vp those which were ordayned Bishops of the Apostles themselues and theyr successors also euen vnto our selues which neyther taught nor knew any such thing as these men doate of Out of the which it appeareth That what thing was receyued in al Churches which were founded of the Apostles was an Apostolique tradition and diuine institution but the order of Bishops was receyued euery where in all Churches and therefore an Apostolique tradition and a diuine institution Ciprian in his fourth booke the ninth Epistle From whence sayth he are scismes bred and yet do breed but where the Bishop which is one and ouer the Church is condemned by the proud presumption of some and the man which is honored by the acceptance of God is dishonored by dishonest men c. The same Ciprian in his seuen and twenty Epistle according to the order of his Epistle citing that of Mathews Thou art Peter vpon this work c. he inferreth That euē frō thence according to the course of time and succession of ages the ordination of Bishops the computation of the Church doth run So that the Church may seeme to be grounded vppon Bishops and euery action of the Church to be gouerned by the same Presidents Wherefore seeing this is thus founded vpon the diuine ordinance of God I cā but wonder at som That it was the opinion of Aerius That there is no difference betweene a Bishop and a Priest which was condemned for an Heresie by the Fathers Chap. XII THus haue we heard of the acceptance of God the diuine ordinance vpon which the authority of Bishops relied as our Fathers beleeued To the which I now adde that had not the orthodoctike fathers belieued that the order of Bishops was grounded vpon the word of God they would neuer haue recounted the opinion of Aerius among other Heresies Who three hundred yeares long after the Apostles times was the first that durst affirm That there was no difference between the holy Bishop and an ordinary Priest Of whom Epiphanius recordeth that hee spake more like a fury then a man who as hee also reporteth was wont to say VVhat is a Bishop to a Priest there is no difference betweene them for there is but one order and one honor and one dignity The Bishop layeth on his hands the Bishop sitteth on his throne so likewise doth the Priest Thus sayth Aerius But of the other side Epiphanius first sheweth That a Bishop may create Priestes and that he cannot be created of Priests The order of Bishops sayth he is the begetter of Fathers for be begetteth Fathers vnto the Church but the order of Priests cannot beget Fathers by the regeneration of Baptisme it begetteth children to the Church but not Fathers or Teachers For how shoulde he create a Priest who hath not the power of laying on of hands in the election And he aunswereth Aerius for his cauels That his trifling emulation deceiued him and that he was ignoraunt of the nature of antique histories For that when the preaching of the word was but a new thing the holy Apostle writ according to the state of the thing as it then stoode And therefore where there were Bishops appoynted he wrote to Bishops and Deacons neyther could the Apostles doe all at once But they had present vse of Priests Deacons For by those two all Ecclesiasticall functions are to be performed But where there were not any found worthy a Bishopricke there the place was voyd of a Bishop but where neede was and there were that were worthy there they placed Bishops But where as ther were not many there were not many to be found among them to be made Priests and therfore they contented themselues with a Bishop onely in that place But it is not possible that a Bishop shoulde bee without a Deacon and the Apostle had an especiall care of that that he should not be without his Deacons And thus the Church receyued the fulnes of his functions according as the conditiō of time and place did require For euery thing was not furnished with all things at the first but in processe of time such things were prouided as were requisite to the performance of things necessary c. These things he confirmeth by the example of Moyses who finished hys common wealth not all at once but after a time But as of old he should haue taken a wrong course who to reform the Churche of Israell would haue taken his patterne from the imperfect and not composed state thereof So likewise at this day they maintayn but too foul an error that would bring the state of a Church well growen in yeares backe againe to the swathling clouts And therefore Epiphanius very well inferreth thus So likewise sayth he are those things which are written in the Apostle vntill the Church be enlarged vntill it come to her ripe years vntil it be most perfectly preyzed with the or-nature of wisedome by the Father Son and holy Ghost Epiphanius perceyued that there were many things wanting and that al things were not in theyr perfect temper that after a time one and the same man was not both Priest and Bishop as it well appeared by that which Saint Paul writ to Timothy who was a Bishop Against a Priest or Elder receiue no accusation without two or three witnesses He sayd not to any Elder receyue no accusation against a Bishop c. Augustine in like manner mightily confirmeth this the censure and sentence of Epiphanius who also mustereth this error of Aerius among the mid-ranke of olde confused Heresies Hierom his opinion confuted Chap. XXII THat which is obiected out of Hierome vppon the first Chapter of the Epistle to Titus namely that Bishops are greater then
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
the same not that which is necessary but that which is voluntary Vppon which ground I hold this for a sure principle that that Priesthood or Bishop doth both against the honor and the honesty of the sacred ministery whosoeuer without commaund of supreme autority or constraint of extreme necessity shal take vppon him any seruice of war eyther as leader or as souldier But when such time and places betide as shall exact this at our handes we are vnwillingly to yeeld to vnwelcome necessity Theodoret in his second Booke the third chapter writeth of one Iames Bishop of the Citty of Nisib which of som is called Antioche Migdon that he was vppon occasion both Bishop and Captaine of the same his Citty the which by the helpe of God he manfully defended against Sapor King of Persia and deliuered the same as well with his prowes as his prayers The same Theodoret in his fourth booke the twelfth Chapter recordeth as much and much more of the warlike power and prowes of Eusebius Bishop of Samosis who mannaging himselfe with all manner warlike abilements ranged along throughout Syria Phenicia and Palestine wher he erected Priests and Deacons and performed such other Eccesiasticall pensions Neyther did I euer read of any that found himselfe offended with this action or thought his action offended against that Canon I doe not so thinke nor will I say so much of Theophilus and Cyrillus Bishops of Alexandria who tooke vppon them a secular principality ouer that Citty the Emperour not noting it but not commaunding it As for the Canon which Cyprian citeth I must needs confesse that I cannot attayne vnto the reason thereof onely this I am assured of that it was but a particular and a prouinciall decree seruing onely for that time and that place For no doubt to take charge of Widowes and Orphanes is an especiall worke of piety and commaunded of God in euery place of his Lawe and so that they incurre no small blame that deferre to take vppon them not the patrimony but the patrociny of such For good cause therefore was the old custome continued in the Chuch that Bishops should be the patrons of Widowes and the Fathers of Orphanes and that they especially before all others were to take charge of them without any shame to theyr calling without any breach of the Canons You shall heare how the Councell of Sardis doth allowe and recommend the same in plaine wordes For this is the speeche which Osiris then Bishop there made Much importunity and too much confluence with vnlawful sutes hath brought the matter to this passe that we haue not so much either fauor or credit committed vnto vs whiles there are some which cease not to repayr to the Court of the Bishop and especially they of Africa who as we know reiect and contemn the wholesome directions of our most holy brother and fellow Bishop Gratus Who do not only present diuers and sundry matters not materiall to the Church as many times it commeth to passe that widows orphans and the poore might be succoured but they doe further craue for certaine secular dignities and ciuill offices This bad order therefore stirreth vp not onely much muttering but many offences also Notwithstanding this is a commendable thing that Bishops should be a meanes for those which are oppressed with wrongfull violence as if so bee a widow be molested or an orphan defrauded and yet so that these parties haue some iust cause of complaint and some honest petition to praesent Wherefore if it so please you my beloued brethren let this be a decree that Bishops come not to the Court except happely they whom the Religious Emperour shall by his letters inuite But because oft times it commeth to passe that they which suffer wrong flye to the Church for succour and they also which doe wrong and are adiudged therefore to some I le or exile or in deede what sentence of iudgement soeuer they receiue they ought here to be relieued and without al doubt their pardon to be craued Therefore if it so please you as I haue sayd so let it bee decreed They all gaue a placet and let it be enacted This Canon containeth a certaine exposition of the sixt Canon of the Apostles and it teacheth vs what secular cares a Bishop or a Priest may vndertake and what not The Bishops in this point were imitators of their Fathers the Prophets which alwayes gaue their helping hand to widdowes orphanes and other afflicted people Doe we not read how fatherly and friendly the Prophet Elizeus greeteth the Sunamite after his entertainment 2. Reg. 4. VVhat wouldest thou that I should doe for thee is there any thing to he spoken for you to the King or to the Captaine of the host Nor neede this seem to any man any such a strange duety of religion that Bishops or other Ministers should repaire to Princes to intreate for the distressed Ambrose vndertaking an honorable Embassee for Valentinian the Emperour being yet a child to Maximus the tyrant spake thus in his case as himselfe reporteth to Valentinian in an Epistle VVhom sayth he ought Bishops rather to defend then orphanes For it is written Iudge the cause of the fatherlesse and defend the widow and deliuer him that suffereth wrong and in an other place Ye Iudges of widowes and fathers of fatherlesse As for that which is vrged from the example of the Apostles ther is no childe so simple so to conceiue therof as if when the Apostles had once chosen Deacons the care of the poore and the widow did no more pertayne to them I noted before how the necessity of the poore was commended to Paul and Barnabas after that and we reade how Paul also caried the beneuolence of the Corinthians and other Churches to Hierusalem Wherefore to conclude if it be lawfull as it is for bishops and Pastors and that according to the rules of charitye to imploye their labour in outward affaires and to detract some what from that time which otherwise were to be spent in reading of holy writ and other sacred trauels and that onely for our priuate necessities or our neyghbours what labour shall we thinke too much or what paines not to be performed in the commendable affaires of the King or common wealth for a publique necessity and a greater commodity Chap. XVII What a fee is and what are the conditions thereof NOw it remaineth that I make answere for those Church goods which are held in Fee of which terme before the irruption of the more barbarous nations into into the Romain Empire there was no wher any mention that phrase taking his original frō the Goths Vandals and Longobards What may be the etimology thereof and what is signified thereby the learned at large discourse discusse whose iudgements and opinions it were now too long to repeate But for our purpose this is enough and this is a cleare case that a Fee with the Lombards doth signify a priuiledge
rest which had nor cause nor end erronious was to be testored the Church againe If so be in any place all is come to the common treasury whatsoeuer the Monkish professors had in possession and that not so much with the consent as by the counsel of those whoÌ„ the matter it selfe did concerne and ought rather to haue intercessed and taught the Magistrate the contrary let them beare the blame for that part themselues worthy also to bear the burthen We know that the prophanation and abuse of Church goods could not be such as that they could inuert the nature of things giuen or infring the vertue of the donation it selfe That which the Arke of God was was it not still euen among the Philistines Neyther were the vessels of the Lorde his Temple vnhallowed though they were in the midst of Babylon That the Pope of Rome with his clergy haue abused and doe abuse the true and lawfull goods of the Church it ought not to be any preiudice to the godly Ministers of the Church Seeing the possessors thereof are not Lords but stewards onely who haue the vse benefite and bestowing of the Church goods not the propriety As for that they say that the Bishops of old thought that the Church had no right to those things which were dedicated to the seruice of the Heathen gods it maketh nothing at all against the truth of our position For neyther do we hold that the Church hath any right to those things which are immediatly destinate to vngodly vses I haue already confessed that those things are in the second order of Church goods therfore in the power and at the pleasure of the christian Magistrat I remember that I sayd that I did not dislike the decree of Honorius and Theodosius and other godly Emperours whose better examples if they had imitated whose error hath vrged me to write thus much there had beene no neede of this discourse Chap. VII That it is an other thing to come from Paganisme to Christianity then to come from Popery or some other heresie MOreouer this also is not to bee omitted that it is one thing for a people to be conuerted from Paganisme to Christianity and an other thing to come froÌ„ Popery that is froÌ„ Heresie to true Christianity The difference which is between Paganisme and Christianity is much greater then that which is betweene Christianity Popery Paganisme hath nothing in common with Christianity Popery is Christianity Christianity alayed alaied or rather rackt with foule Idolatry and that I may so speake it is a certayne medley or a kinde of mongrel and motley Christianity For the sacred Scripture both of the old and new Testament the couenant of God the Baptisme of Christ the remission of sins and the name of a christian with many other things of the same profession are there peculiar to the Church which are notes of christianity are no wher to be found out of the Church Not in Paganisme not in Iudaisme not in Nahumetisme So that the Heresies Superstition which being substracted are added to the Romish Church the remainder is meere Christianity Very Popery is but a botch of the Church not the very Church but that which the foule Leprosy is or any other deadly contagion in the body of man the same is Popery in the body of the Church So that to forsake Popery is not to forsake the Church but to fly froÌ„ the infection of the church Now then when an Ethnicke becommeth a Christian an Alyen and a straunger is receyued and inserted into the newe people then beginneth he to be a member of the Church But in the reformatioÌ„ of any erronious or stragling Church an adulterous Church becommeth a chast spouse and base christians are made lawfull the wife being reconciled to her husband and therefore what things so euer the adulterous Church vsurped of the goods of her husband the lawfull Church as true spouse doth challenge the same to her selfe by his right In Theodosius Records the sixteenth Book and the foure and forty title against the Donatistes thus it goeth But those places in the which cursed superstition as yet remayneth let them be ioyned to the holy Catholique Church so that theyr Flamines and Priests theyr Prelates and all theyr Ministers be spoyled of all theyr goods and exiled into diuerse Iles and sundry prouinces There also in the fourth Booke we reade of a decree from the same Emperours Honorius and Theodosius against the Montanists in these wordes If there now remayneth any proper edifices which ought to bee called rather dens then Churches let them bee awarded to the holy Churches of the Orthodoctike sect with all theyr indowmentes Before our times there haue beene not a fewe alterations in the Church In the which when godly Emperours put downe the Heretikes they robbed not the Churches of theyr possessions but restored them to the true professors Of the which thing Sainct Austine in his fifty Epistle to Boneface a certayne Capitayne writeth thus VVhat so euer was possessed of the Donatistes parte in the name of theyr Churches christian Emperours by their religious lawes haue commuanded that they come with the Churches them selues to the catholicke Church Thus sayth Austine And were it not as he sayth I would confirme the same with many witnesses Wherefore that I may now comprise those thinges I haue sayd Those Church goods which were gotten eyther by fraude or by force and vsurped without right or else if they were freely giuen but to a superstitious end are in the power of the chiefe Magistrate But those thinges which are lawfully graunted and receyued of the Church to no such end by no such meanes are consecrate to GOD neyther can they bee any wayes transuersed without sinfull Sacrilege Sainct Austine in his Treatise vppon Sainct Iohn the twelfth Chapter Behold Iudas sayth hee is among the holy men and that you shall not need to contemne him a Sacrilegious Church-robber not a petty Lassoner hee was a thiefe of the Tresure but the Lordes Treasure of the Treasure but the sacred Treasure And if crimes are distinguished in the Court whether it be theft or publique robbery for publique robbery is sayd to be a theft from the common Treasury howe much more sharpely is a Sacriligious thiefe to bee iudged which presumeth to steale not from euery place but from the holy Church Doubtlesse he that taketh from the Church may bee compared to Iudas the wretch So sayth good Father Austine Chap. VIII How gracious and inâ—â—â—â—ble the sin of sacrilege is PLato being to set downe a law against Church-robbers beginneth the matter with a large preface and first concludeth that the sin of Sacrilege is vncureable and that he which is infected with any such wretched couetise is not moued thereunto eyther for Gods euill or for mans so much as for his owne and that by reason of some other old and odious sinne not yet punished nor euer to be expiat
nestled with this as if with that one word he had vtterly ouerthowen that equality which they expected in the French churches and which they thought requisite in all Ministers O griefe to me they made knowen their griefe and pittifull complaining they complained to me thereof But what should I heere do defend him I dared not and yet I liked well the cause of his opinion least I should incur the like suspicion of aspiring thoughts But from that time forwarde that conference gaue mee occasion to search and sift out more narrowlye those matters by my selfe And that which then happened to me I doubt not but is incident to many others with me who in wisedome see also and consider that the authority of Bishops is greatly wanting in ours and al Churches There are some which can indure nor equall nor superiour I giue God thanks I can see my superiour without enuy and sustaine my inferior without contempt But now seeing I am heere in England no man can chalenge my affection as guiltie of a Bishoppricke or as if I seeke dominion ouer my brethren the calling I affect but not to be called And therefore now I dare more boldly and will more freely speake what I thinke then before I thought it requisite neither was it conuenient when I conuersed among brethren neuer-a better Yea but I may seeme in this action to sooth vp the Byshops and seeke their countenance countenance nay then must I seeke further and neuer look the Bishops in the face whose condition in this thankles age is more subiect to the enuie and obliquie of men then my selfe am And indeed if that were all and all but so little it were the part of a warie child and him that would husband his credite to make the most of it rather with safetie and silence to say nothing and with patience and pollicy to expect the issue of these things The which I dare saye I also could haue doone as well as others without displeasure to my selfe or disfauour to anie But what moued me God knoweth men may construe my fact as themselues affect but it is the Lord that iudgeth my soule Notwithstanding let the curteous Reader conceiue my meaning in few words I desire to benefite the churches alreadie and to be reformed to extirpate Scisme where it is rooted and to preuent it where it is rising He that thinketh this cannot be done by these meanes shall haue his own saying for me but yet the euent of things mother of fooles will one day make it plaine howe good and profitable my meaning was and in the meane while the Church if it beware not maye receiue that detriment which it cannot repaire The ground of our saluation is to know God whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour the Bishop of of our soules But as in euerie thing which men goe about whether weauing caruing or any other craft of the which either the Citie or the ciuill Magistrate hath any care that it should bee well done there must bee a decent order kept and a diligent ouer-sight had of the works the which by how much the more curious it is by so much the things themselues doe flowrish the better and continue the longer So likewise in Religion the same order and ouer-sight ought to be had if we wil haue the same to flowrish amongst vs or to continue pure and intemerate for euer But that al men doe not agree about the maner of ordering and gouerning the Church why should that trouble the quiet of anie peace-able man Doe yee not know that the more profitable and necessarie a thing is to bee vsed the more lets and delaies are made by the enemy either to infect or els to interrupt the vse thereof Was there euer at any time anie thing so cleare and manifest among men that was out of all controuersie How then knowest thou this that thou knowest nothing Or how commeth it in question among men whether a man seeth or doth that which in very deede hee both seeth and doth Without controuersie there is no part of Philosphie or precept of Diuinitie no point of Religion which hath not bene called into controuersie This sore traueile hath God giuen to the sonnes of men that they might be exercised therein But the vanitie of mans will detracteth nothing from the veritie of anie thing And therefore goe to gentle Reader be doing with the sequell and doe well by it THE PRAEAMBLE THe surprising of the Bishop of Rome his tyrannie to whose scepter a croisier all churches and kingdomes and empires were enthralled is now of late growen so hotte that now a daies all Primacie and the name of Primacie is found guiltie not guiltie and thought worthie to bee exiled the Church of Christ wisely For by that meanes all the tyrranie of Prelates may be subdued But they are farre wide in my iudgement The Tarquines once exiled Rome the very name of King becam odious amōg them as if for-sooth with the name of those tyrants tyrannie had ceased But were they not afterwardes and then iustlie thralled and threshed as men thresh corne with more more kinds of tyranny then if they had retained still the soueraine name of Kings and their princely authoritie Neither indeed is there any tyrāny at all in the name of a King but in the nature of a Tarquine And the like wee may iustlie say in this action that the pride and tyranny with the which the Church of Christ was wearied and wasted was not in the Primacie of Bishops and Archbishoppes but in the persons which did abuse their authoritie and going beyond their commission extended the bounds of their Prouince further then might lawfully stand with the modestie and moderation of christian Religion by which meanes indeede the power of Rome is become excessiue and insupportable But shall I now vppon this bare presumption indite of tyranny the more auncient forme of Church pollicie and so many godly men or rather Gods amongst men of rare learning sincere liues and sound Religion Or shall I condemne of error those sacred and religious Synodes in the which holy men of God did ratifie that auncient pollicie of the Church which with reuerence as they ought they receiued of their godlie predecessors Farre bee that sinne from my thoughts as far as is this impure age from their perfections For albeit I am not ignorant that both Fathers and Councels may erre if they enact against the will and word of God notwithstanding it followeth not that therefore they erred in this But if so be we were thus equally affected towards others and our selues that as we know a natural infirmitie to be vniuersallie infused in the natures of all men so with all we wold acknowledge the same to be particularlie imprised in our selues also we would then more diligently search and prie into the reprehension of our selues rather then of others But now it is far otherwise with vs. Is
there anye thing in the Fathers for some especiall cause moouing vs misliked of vs By and by we haue this theoreme at our fingers end We must remember they were but men and because men may easilie erre we muster whatsoeuer we mis-conceiue of them among the errors of that age In the meane while wee neuer remember our selues that we also are but men and therfore may erre with them yea we are such men neither are we exempt from the common infirmitie of men who may then er when we thinke amisse of them and in that verie thing may wee erre for the which we condemne them This is once that against the constant and consonant conclusions of the ancient church we ought not to attempt or admit anie innouation without a plaine commission from Gods holie writ and this also I dare boldly say that whosoeuer taketh away al authoritie from the Fathers he leaueth none for himselfe Indeed it must bee confessed that the Fathers were men and that they had their wrinckles yet can it not be denied that to haue our Fathers to bee our Patrons in the principal points of faith and externe pollicy of our church things controuerted betweene the Popelings and vs is a matter of no small moment and of especiall account And albeit the vniforme consent of Gods children from the Apostles times vnto this day may not be compared with the eternall word of God Notwithstanding of right it may come in and stand for the second place The custome of gods people receiued of all Churches thorow out the whole world is in maner of a lawe sacred and inuiolable Neither is there any likelihood that there could euer haue beene an vniuersall consort of all Churches and ages without either the authoritie of gods word or the tradition of the Apostles Notwithstanding for as much as no consent no custome no auncient prescription can or ought to preuaile in the Church of Christ against the word of God Therefore those reasons are to be weighed and those Scriptures to bee examined which mooued the Fathers to intertaine and continue that Church gouernment which our newe reformers will in no case agree vpon that we may certainelie know whose is the error theirs or ours The time hath bene when no good men disallowed of Bishops and Archbishops but now in despite of the Popes tyranny his complices it is come to this passe that their very names are called into question and that of diuerse men for diuerse causes Some because they are as they suppose the deuises of Antichrist or his fore-runners thinke them vnworthie thee Church and worthie to be cast ouer-boorde Others yet more modest in some reuerence of antiquitie thinke they may be borne with all for a time although in the mean time they allow not of them vntill such time as commodiouslie the names may bee antiquate with the thinges themselues In the meane while for that they know neither can they be ignorant to what singular effect the Church of God hath bin gouerned by graue and godlye Bishops they haue not the face to condemne them openly yet because they see certaine reformed Churches of this age to be gouerned without Bishops It is enugh they haue not the power any longer to tollerat the more auncient gouernment O the regiment of Pastors and Elders passing all antiquitie our soules haue longed for thee and we haue a desire vnto thee for that thou alone art grounded vppon the Lord Iesus his institution and thou if any art wholy purified of all tyranny and ambition O but by your leaue good brethren the shadowe you imbrace is no substance neither is the plot you conceaue a priueledged place Are you so far in loue with your liuelesse Pigmalion the worke of your owne hands I know who is not hee hath reason for his why not For neither is your newe draught of straunge gouernement sufficientlye prooued by the word of God neither is it yet or can at any time bee confirmed by the example of our Elders And how should it if we should iudge aright of it seeing it was partly vnknowen vnto them as a thing insolent and not heard of and partlie condemned of them as a thing Heriticall and not approoued of Wherefore to speake the plaine truth without flatterie or partialitie I thinke of this new forme of Church gouernment as some thinke of our Bishops regiment Namely that it is but a deuise of mans conceit and there to be tollerated where a better cannot bee obtained And contrariwise that which is disallowed of some as deuised by man seemeth vnto me to bee the verie ordinance of God and the onely true gouernment of the Church as that which hath his institution from God not only in the old but in the new Testament But because it is defiled with the manifolde abuses of men that which were to be layd vppon the person is imputed to the function as if forsooth no such miscariage might befall this their nouell kinde of gouernement The Romish Antichrist with his Bishops Archbishops Patriarches and Metropolitanes hath so troubled and intangled the Church of Christ that tyranny it selfe is thought to bee masked vnder those honest and honorable titles It is most true He that is once stong of a Serpent suspecteth euery stone and once bitten of a dog is affraid of euery cur Some therefore that they might apply some remedy to this maladie haue reuersed those names and yet retained the same things and for Bishops haue anoynted Superintendents and for Archbishops generall or prouinciall Superintendents as if the controuersie were not for the thing it selfe but for names sake But wise as we are seeing the signification of wordes is variable and voluntarie when we agree in truth what neede these garboyles about termes If the formes of gouernment which are signified by those termes are contained in gods worde Is there anie reason or sense that in disgrace of those names these formes should not be retained of vs If any man obiect that in the gouernment of Bishops there are many corruptions I make no question of that So wee might cauill with the gouernment of the ciuill Magistrate hath it not his corruptions Haue they not their infirmities Yet was there neuer anye that had his fiue wits who thought that a sufficient reason to remooue those from their place that are president in the state Wherefore our question is not how the Bishops haue abused their authoritye but whether the Lorde hath so forbidden this their Primacy that there may bee nor Pastor ouer Pastor nor Bishop ouer Bishop in the outward pollicie of the Church As for the rest if any will accuse the Bishops or their Consistories either of neglect dutie or corrupt dealing no man will be their hinderance why they may not prosecute that and persecute them before the chiefe Magistrate I take not vppon mee the apologie of anie Bishop I am not so worthie they are not so weake as that they need my Patrocinie
that must be left between God and their conscience Forbid any man the Communion God forbid Is it not to be wondered that they which confesse that the Minister hath power of binding should not consider that the same Minister hath the like power of loosing also Doe they not know that there is the like reason of them both or can they not conceyue that the effects being contrary they are performed of the Pastor with contrary actions It is without all controuersie that sinners are loosed by the Ministers when remission of sinnes in the name of Christ is pronounced to the faithfull But when as by the same power the wrath of God and vengeance eternall is denounced against the vnfaithful and that they are denied the sweete comfort of the holy Sacraments who doubteth but that they are bound in like sort Is it not abhorring from the duety of a faithfull Pastor to let in Wolues into his masters sheep-fold so is it also if he thrust not out those which are closely crept in If so be it so fall out that any man fall from the faith after baptisme or when he confesseth Christ with his lips that he deny him in his life and within himself crucify agayn the God of life What is there here no part of the Pastors office to be perfourmed He shall restrayn they will say the disobedient release the penitent Very good But seeing these things cannot be done but with contrarie facultyes as to the penitent he shall pronounce the sweete promises of Gods mercy and receiue him into the Church So to the disobedient hee shall denounce all the dires and execrations of Gods wrath that he is a recreant from the kingdome of God that he is exiled the Citty and forbidden the house of God and he shall deny the dogge returned to his vomit the bread of the children of God Wherfore as a faithfull dispenser of the mysteries of God baptiseth none that was once an infidel without some publique confession of his faith so neyther doth he receiue to the Communion a notorious sinner without apparant conuersion of life This is olde Diuinity But to spend many words in the confutation of this conceit is no part of my meaning neither would it quite for cost this only cause would require a whole quire of conclusiōs that too painful a course for so needles a discourse This onely seemeth to me a sufficient confutation thereof that it is a new and an vnexpert error crossing the aduised iudgement of all auncient Diuines that I vrge them not with the Heathen more holy then themselues with whom there was alwayes great difference betweene things sacred and prophane But if Popish Prelates haue heretofore abused and abuse at this day the lawful power of the church by their lawlesse tiranny shall their vnlawfulnesse make a lawfull thing of none effect Together with religion a lawe was made which excluded the irreligious from religion since the worlde began And is not then the condition of the Church present to be pittied being now come to this stay that when as it ought to be the schoole of vertue it wil not endure the censure of conformity And that which to the Heathen men rude and vntaught in the true worship of God seemed most beautifull in it selfe and no lesse beneficiall to the common wealth should altogether of vs Christians be neglected as needelesse or contemned as erronious But to returne to the principall issue in this controuersie albeit the ministery of the Gospell committed to the pastors of the Church be one and the same in them all yet in this third part concerning the diuerse degrees of authority which first the Lord himselfe constituted and afterwardes the Apostles continued there is great ods betweene them and no small inequality to be found among them Amongst the which there is no controuersie but that the Apostles haue the first degree of dignity Euangelists the second Prophets the third Pastors and Elders the fourth Doctors the last For as the authority of an Apostle was greater then of an Euangelist or a Prophet of a Prophet greater then of a Bishop or an Elder so was the authority of Titus and Timothie who were both Elders and Bishops greater then was the authority of those Elders whom by theyr Apostolique commission themselues had created in euery Towne And albeit the Baptisme of Christ be one and the same by whome so euer it be administred whether of an Apostle of the highest or of an Elder of the lowest order and the doctrine of the Gospell is neither better nor worse which is deliuered of these or of those Notwithstanding good order of gouernement doth not permitte that the authority of al should be all alike or that the like cōmission should be granted to these and them the constant and continued custome of the Church ministery deriued from the Apostles time and vnrepealed vnto this day doth euince the same The first creation of the twelue Apostles and the seuenty Disciples doth containe a manifest demonstration of this whole matter For that the beginnings of the old and new Church might accord First the twelue Apostles were elected to be the first Patriarches and progenitors of a newe people but afterwards when the haruest was greater then the labourers and the kingdome of Heauen already began to suffer violence as the Lord ioyned with Moyses in the old Testament seuenty Elders to assist him in the gouernance of his people so in like manner vppon the like occasion our Sauiour added vnto the twelue Apostles seuenty other Disciples And so in the first infancy of the Church we may see how the Lord ordained two diuerse degrees of Ministers whom when he distinguished in number and disseuered into distinct companies did he not declare that in honour and authority they were not equall not all of a company The which thing verily he would neuer haue done had hee once knowen and he should know that it had beene a sin for Ministers to be diuerse in degree and not equal in dignity And these were the first preachers of the Gospell vnder the Lords direction whiles himselfe was yet resident among them But after hee ascended into Heauen he raysed vp Prophets also in the Church when as at Whitsontide hee poured forth of his spirite whereby he might make his Disciples as miracles not onely for theyr manifold languages but also for theyr diuine wisedom and fore-knowledge But in processe of time when the number of Churches increased and multiplyed exceedingly so that themselues were now no more able to ground and gouerne them they took vnto them of theyr followers and made them theyr fellow labourers Who although they were of rare faith and rype giftes yet were they the schollers and followers of the Apostles and Euangelists much inferiour to theyr maisters But when as not onely the number of the Churches but the multitude of beleeuers increased still aboue number then were there ordayned for seuerall Churches
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
that there had beene no other kingdome to bee expected No doubt the calling and state of the Apostolike function was for iust cause great and honourable and their authoritie in the spirituall kingdome autentike and inpregnable and yet all that did not aduaunce them aboue the state of priuate men in the common-wealth and being priuate hee would not haue them president therein And verely these thinges were thus ordained of GOD in a verie prudent manner and vppon a verie especiall purpose For why should anie occasion bee giuen for the heathen to cauill at the doctrine of the Gospell as a thing seditious to the gouernement and pernitious to the common-wealth The Lord without doubt did in great wisedome foresee that the wicked would bee ready to picke many quarrels at the doctrine of the Gospell when as notwithstanding all this there is no politike Philosophie no imperiall constitution that doth more strictly binde the consciences of men vnto subiection and obedience then the doctrine of the Gospell doth The principles of Philosophie and the lawes of Nations doe permit many thinges against Tyrants which the Religion of Christ doth flatly inhibite But the prudent aduise of this precept of Christ wil more manifestly appeare if wee shall for a time but imagine the contrarie namely that the Apostles had followed that errour in the which they were found and then let vs admit that the whole worlde had beene wonne and wasted by them with warre and robberie for they must of force haue followed that forcible course which that renowmed theefe Mahomet kept a course farre differing from the means and manners of our Sauiour Christ But should not thus the Iewes haue bene confirmed in their errour And should not by these meanes iust cause haue beene giuen to the Kings of the earth to haue armed themselues against Christ and his Gospel After the subuersion of Hierusalem there was a diligent inquisition made by the especiall commandement of Vespasian if anie could bee found that were of the stocke of Dauid For the Iewes notwithstanding their ouerthrowe gaue not ouer their hope still expecting their Messias They did see that the times which Dauid had foretold were then fulfilled and thereupon they did argue that the Messias was borne and that the time was now at hande in the which the Romane Empire should impaire and themselues preuaile The which thing gaue the occasion that so great and cruell a persecution was afterwardes raysed against the same Nation The like we reade of Domitian who had the posteritie of Dauid in no small iealousie For casting the worst and fearing least some new Messias should arise and break the scepter of their Romane Empire he caused inquirie to be made after all that were of that kindred Wherupon one Iocatus by name brought before him the nephews of Iudas who was the Lord his brother according to the flesh who did not only draw their pedegree from Dauid but were thought to be very nearely allyed to the Lord himself But when they were examined what possessions they had and of what wealth they were were found to be of very mean estate the hardnes of their skinnes warranting the labour of their hands and when they further vnderstood howe they beleeued that the kingdome of Christ should not bee an earthly Monarchie but an heauenly Hierarchie neither yet that he should come before the consummation of the worlde to iudge the quicke and the dead They were foorth-with reiected base and simple men and were without suspicion set at libertie In like maner no question the priuate estate of the first Apostles was both a testimonie vnto them of their innocency and a safe conduct among the nations for their security But what would not the Romaine Caesars and other like Magistrates haue doone if the Ministers of the Gospell had bene sent and set forth with power of warre and other abiliments of like power These the precepts of our Sauiour may therefore worthely be alledged against the tyrannique Bishoppe of Rome who chalengeth the right of all Empires and holdeth the Romaine Empire as his proper fee but they cannot be alledged against those Bishops which liue subiect vnto lawes and Magistrates and keepe themselues in a proportionable order with other Cittizens Wherefore where the Gospell of Iesus Christ is honorablie receaued by publique authority how should this abatement of our Sauiour be wrested against all Bishops that they should not be in that reuerend account vnder a Christian Magistrate which the lawes of all nations and euen the very lawe of nature it selfe and the written lawe of God also doth expresly award them As for those places of scripture about the which we now contend this only may be gathered That the Pastors of churches in respect of their ministerie haue no power ouer the bodies or goods of Christians Neither that they can chalenge vnto themselues those rights which God hath placed in the power of the Magistrate onely But that the same Magistrate in no place at no time for no cause may commit no portion of the Common-wealth vnto the Bishoppes of the Church it is not as yet prooued neither can be if I bee not deceiued Chap. XXII That the Pastors of the Church for the necessitie of the Common-wealth may attend some times vpon worldlie affairs IF it bee allowable to detract some part of that time which otherwise were to be imployed in the studie of the Scriptures that the Minister of the Church may the better prouide for the priuate good of his owne familie much more may the same bee conuerted to the good of the Common-wealth the man beeing able to assist the same either by his aid or his aduice Where either the want or the vnwillingnesse of anye Church is such that either it cannot or wil not afforde the Minister his due honour it is lawfull for him to haue recourse vnto the labour of his hands Where-vpon the Elibertine councell often-times pretermitted Bishops Priestes and Deacons to trafficke for their better maintenance The which thing is also allowed by diuerse other Canons which I suppose superfluous to rehearse seeing that one instaunce of Paule may suffice for all But nowe if so bee that priuate necessitie may priuelege the detenee of the Ministerie what may publique necessitie doe And yet if at any time the Minister bee exercised for his priuate commodity in base and wretched busines thereis no man greatly offended with it But if hee bee imployed in any honest and honourable affairs of the Common-wealth now a daies there is no man that dooth not inuie it and inuey against it And whence for Gods-sake is this of deuotion from loue or from enuie I say not these things as if I thought that Bishops or other Pastors were rashly to bee incombred in their holie course But where the necessitie or greater commoditie of the Church or Common-wealth dooth require the same there is nor reason nor religion against it Are not Bishops Cittizens also and