Romulus their King they did secretly murther him making the people to beleeue that he was rauished to the Heauens and relatus inter Diuâ—…s and the Iesuites this day who be the first Senators and Counsellors of the Court of Rome fearing the superintendencie of Christian Princes ouer her pride who are deputed by God to be Fathers of his Church they haue vented a pernitious Doctrine through out the World authorising the slaughter of Kings making people belieue that it is a Doctrine from Heauen and an act meritorious before God In Ethnick Rome Numa by his pretended secresie with the goddesse Aegoria procured the popular acceptation of his fond and foolish superstitions and the Iesuites this day by their pretended priuity with the blessed Virgine they haue bewitched multitudes of people with false beliefe in points of Doctrine neuer heard of before Ethnicke Rome in her beginning being resolued for her grandure and encrease to transplant the Town of Alba to be incorporated with her selfe because the fortune had fallen so in the combat betwixt the brethren Horatij and Curiatij The Albans did withstand it from a religious reuerence vnto their Gods vntill a craftie Romane demanding their chiefe Idoll vis venire Romam ' did answere quod annuit Dea that she did becken with her head in token of her consent And the honest Albans did beleeue it holding it for a Diuine oracle for their coniunction with Rome And I did see at nostra Donna de Regge in Lumbardie where there is a portract of our Lady lately found olde and defaced but esteemed myraculous a gentleman who in my presence did affirme that in time of the Masse the image did moue her countenance albeit I who also looked on could perceiue no such thing and many Images in Italie are said to haue spoken at diuers times Ethnicke Rome in their conquests they did still obserue this trick to transport to their Pantheon the Gods of euery conquered Countrey what else doth Rome now neither altering the forme of that Temple Pantheon nor in effect the name calling it Omnium Sanctorum of all Saints of olde the receptacle of all Gentile Gods and now the station of all forged Gods in Christianitie Briefely it semes to me the Gentiles did no other then they doe to take Idols in Gods place wil we say the Gentiles embraced many Gods for the true God all is one if it were so but contrarily there was neuer Philosopher nor wise man among the Gentiles who did not acknowledge that one only great God and the immortallity of Soules suppose he knew not how were for opinions of state the arch-pillers of good pollicie and good manners That pluralitie of Gods was but craftily obtruded vpon the popular to illude them for misteries of gouernment Let any man reade Cicero in that which he writes de natura Deorum Let vs consider how Socrates gaue his life for that opinion that there was but one God How Plato doth establish the vnity of one God with admirable conceptions of the blessed Trinity how the Poet Iunenal doth mock that base and senselesse ignorance of the pluralitie of Gods among the Egyptians and how the yong Lucan speaketh Diuinely of the â—…mortalitie of the soule in the death of Pompâ—…y In all which things one shall see preferment of happinesse after this life granted to good and virtuous soules by those Poets and Philosophers So that in the point of Images we are as guiltie at the Gentiles and equally idolatrous they did acknowledge as we doe one omnipotent God And for the like good endes as be propounded in the Popish Church for Images had they the pluralitie of Gods that is to say to be the Bookes of the people to be the instruments of deuotion order and obedience if we will say the common people among the Gentiles esteemed a Deitie in the Idoll I replie that Christians now a daies do it much more because I haue proued it to be so a hundred times first how can we say it is abuse or ignorance popular that causeth Idolatrie for it is not only the multitude that holdeth the reall presence in the Sacrament of the Alter and whether it be idolatrous to doe so and to affirme that a peece of bread is that blessed body of whom the holy Scripture saith in quo habit at corporaliter omnis plenitudo Dictatis Secondly we cannot say that by vulgar abuse but by expresse authoritie the Virgine is in all their prayers encalled in the proper termes of God Sauiouresso Goddesse fons misericordiae sons salutis gratia salus omnium in Te sperantium which no doubt is to wrong that holy virgine to vsurpe her name to derogate from the worship of God thirdly touching Images I know your Lo will say howsoeuer there be abuses in them yet the Popish Church doth not approue it and if it were so the strong abuses which be are reason enough why to condemne them but it is other waies the Doctrine of Rome doth authorise in matter of Images both falsehood and abuse I shew it thus Our prayers are heard and regarded of God not for the qualitie of our words which are but a sounding and as imbassadors to carry our suplications but they are heard for the disposition of our heart as God himselfe hath said this people is full of babling but their heart is farre from me therefore I will not heare them Now God himselfe hath said of himselfe that he is only Cardiognostes only searcher of the raines and vnderstander of the heart whereupon I ground my argument That which may lawfully be prayed vnto doth know the secrets of the heart But the Church of Rome teacheth I may pray to the Image of our Lady in Loretto Ergo The Church of Rome teacheth that an Image knoweth the secrets of the heart And that againe is meere falsehood because it is only propper to God to know the heart heere againe I know it will be answered that it is not the image sed quod numen ibi est praesentius and I reply if it were so is not that truely to put a Deitie into the person of our Lady to make her know the secret hearts of milions of people who at one time be prostrate before her in diuers clymats of the world and for diuers causes which in like manner is both false and impossible But I say that the people holdeth that the image it selfe in Loret doth heare more grant more worke more then any other whatsoeuer and than the operatiue vertue is in the image because the person of our Lady is but one thing like to it selfe at all times and not diuers I tell this to your Lo out of experience which is most sure of any thing and I appeale to the Diuine light of your Lo conscience whether you do not thinke that Plato Socrates Cicero Iunenal Lucan would not haue esteemed this to be idolatry which is ordinarily practised there with such strange
Bishops prouiding they doe not force vs to anything contrary to Gods word which protestation shall excuse vs to all posterity that the ouerthrow of the ancient policie be not imputed to vs say they which confession Caluine among others did soone thereafter subscribe Melancthon to Martin Luther Non credis quanto sum in odio Noricis alijs You will not beleeue saith he how I am hated of the Norricians and others Alwayes it is not well that men should so abhorre the restauration of Bishops for I know not with what a face wee can refuse them If they will permit vs to haue purity of doctrine And I doe feare that Episcopall authority being dissolued wee shall haue more intollerable Tyranny in the place thereof saith he And in another place which was not written to Luther Et mecum semper sensit Lutherus And Luther did euer iudge with me who saith he knew himselfe to bee the more loued of mer because by his meanes Bishops had beene cast out and themselues set at liberty which shall be dangerous for the posterity for what state of Church shall we haue when the ancient policie shaken off there shall bee no certaine Rulers saith Melancthon which solid iudgement Camerarius doth praise in these words Quod reclamantibus multis ille hoc suadebat non modo ad stipulatore sed auctore Luthero vt restituerentur Episcopi si vsum purae doctrina permitterent that against many he did not onely by Luthers consent but by his direction perswade the Restitution of Bishops if they will grant the purity of doctrine In another little treatise of these times entituled Articuls Protestantium de vnitate Ecclesiae Gradus illos plures Episcoporum Archiepiscoporum Patriarcharum vtiles esse existimamus ad Ecclesiae salutem si ij qui presunt faciunt officium all these degrees of Ecclesiasticall policie are profitable for the Church prouiding Prelates discharge their dutie Bucer de vi vsâ—… ministerij saith thus Therefore these orders of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons established in the beginning by the holy spirit when Churches begun to be multiplyed they did ordaine to euery Prouince their owne Metropolitan And againe thereafter to shew how he thought it a diuine ordinance he saith as the people were more and more frequent in Metropolitan Citties It a dabat Dominus vt haberent ampliores Episcopos illae Ecclesiae so did God ordaine greater Bishops to those Churches Hemingiâ—…s is of that same opinion and both of them doe blame that wrested sense of Ierom aforesaid saying that howsoeuer it might bee so while Churches were not perfectly constituted yet all the other Fathers were against him froÌ„ thence forth he contented to acknowledge his error as you haue heard Philip Hebrâ—…nerus a great Protestant Theologue hauing mooued the question touching these degrees Ecclesiasticall hee answereth in fauour of them because the Apostles doe mention them in the first place the Presbyter in the next and the Deacon in the last saith he who is more famous among vs as I haue said then the venerable and learned Zanchius who hath left vs a long discourse of Episcopall gouernment in the Church which were too long to relate heere and is to be found in his obseruations 25. in titulo 38. de Disciplina clericali beginning thus Tertia pars disciplina clericalis est ea quae gradus infimi subijciuntur superioribus and it is most plaine of any for Bishops as may bee perceiued also by those his following speeches in the historie of the Augustine confession My faith saith he doth absolutely rest vpon the simple word of God next vpon the common consent of the ancient Catholike Church if it is not repugnant to the holy Scripture for whatsoeuer hath been decreed by those holy Fathers assembled in generall Couâ—…cells in the name of God if it doe not contradict his word that I take to flow from the holy Ghost albeit I doe not account it in the same degree with the written word and seeing it is most euident by all the writts of the ancient Fathers that Bishops and these other orders haue been allowed in the Church Quis ego sum who am I saith he who should take vpon me to impugne that which the holy Catholike Church hath approued Neither durst the most learned of our time disprooue them because they were instituted for good ends and for edification of Gods people Besides I haue respect to these reformed Churches who hauing embraced the Euangell doe yet retaine the order of Bishops in name authoritie meaning the Lutherians And looking to the Protestant Churches I finde they haue their Bishops and Archbishops vnder changed names of Superintendants and generall Superintendants and where neither the old good Greeke names of Episcopus and Archiepiscopus nor these new ill Latine names of Superintendant and generall Superintendent be acknowledged Notwithstanding I see their meaning of Presbyterians chiefe men who take vpon them all the authoritie where therefore these be maintayned and Bishops refused it is but a controuersie for names so when wee agree as wee doe vpon the thing it selfe why should we striue about the name Thus farre Zanchius Wherein wee see that he doth acknowledge that distinction mentioned by me in the beginning of this Article of that which is directly diuine as the word and that which is diuini Iuris as the Policie both being of like veritie but not of like authoritie necessitie and perpetuitie This sound iudgement of Zanchius is so truly naturally and holily conceiued that euen the latest and most peremptorie Reformators since be forced to haue the same opinion and to follow the same practise Caluin speaking of the primitiue church before the intrusion of Poperie during all which time saith he the Church gouernment hath nothing almost dissonant from Gods worde For the Presbyters who had the charge of doctrine did chuse one among them selues vnder the stile of a Bishop ne vâ—… fieri solet dissidia nascerentur ex equalitate that dissension should not arise of aequalitie as commonly it doth saith he And in his Epistle to Cardinall Sadolett he is contented to obey a Bishop prouiding he be reformed in doctrine Talem nobis Hierarchiam si dederint quae à Christo tanquam vnico capite pendeat The opinion of Beza concerning the Church of England I haue told already then for their practise it is manifest that all the Gouernours of the Church of Geneua since the Bishop was eiected haue wished by all meanes to replant that authoritie but could not for the State being altogether changed in a popular gouernment by repining from the Bishop who was also their ciuill head it was so farre from receiuing any image of Soueraigntie either spirituall or temporall that Caluin being altogether out of hope to get a Presbyterie established of Ministers alone was contented to comport a mixed Presbyterie of six Ministerie and twelue Citizens alwayes while he liued he was perpetuall
not close and inseparable among our selues we shal be found the vncleane vessels of dishonour Vnity is the beauty of the Church now and it shall bee her triunphant song in the end to cry as the Prophet had foretold of lattet times Venite ascendamus in montem Domini Come brethren let vs goe vp together to the mount of God Therefore these exhortations are to pray the Lord God who hath formed vs to make vs vnited vessels of honour and to that effect to rectifie our iudgements that wee may esteeme no names so sacred vnder heauen as the holy names of harmony peace and vnanimity within the Church in one thing and in all things that we may thinke no opinion more Christian in this age wherein wee liue then that of the venerable Zanchius one of the brightest stars of our owne Hemispheare in his treatise De verareformandarum Ecclesiarum ratione written for that part as followeth Whatsoeuer is in the Church of Rome or in any other Church it is either agreeable to the written word or contrary or adiaphoron indifferent Whatsoeuer is besides the written word either in the Fathers in the Councels or in the Papall decrees they are in like sort vnder the same distinction Pro contra or indifferent For the first that which is agreeable with the word is to be retained or if it be reiected it is againe to be receiued for the second that which is contrary is to be refused or if it hath been followed is againe to be forsaken for the third that which is indifferent we must not thinke that it doth of it selfe belong vnto saluation but in such a case we must follow the rule of the Apostle That nothing bee brought into the Church but that which doth tend to edification order or vnity All indifferent ceremonies therefore may bee securely followed for any of those respects but so to be followed as that we stil preferre things which bee more ancient vnto those which be more late aswell for the honour of antiquity as because that which is most ancient in the Church is most true for albeit nothing can binde the conscience but canonicall Scripture yet to introduce nouelties or to banish out of the Church any of those things which from the primitiue time hath beene allowed by common and Catholike consent and confirmed by the writtes of the ancient Fathers To reiect such things with out authoritie of generall Councell it is not lawful for any Christian man who feareth God saith he Can we maintaine more sound opinions either as good Christians or as good subiects then those of Zanchius for vnity tending to the strengthening both of Church State we especially of this Isle the condition wherof if we consider truely when it lay thousands of yeres of our ancestours diuided in weake and dismembred Kingdomes and as our owne eies haue seen it subiect to the ambition of so many forrain Pharaohs as haue pressed to bring it vnder their seruitude by practises now from France now from Spaine now from Rome we shall thinke this age wherein we are to be like to that fourth generation wherein God did predestinate as he foretold Abraham to bring his posterity out of Egypt for that same God called Mirabilis Deus in sanctis suis miraculous in his Saints who raised that excellent Moses to lead his people through the troublesome deserts to a glorious state in the Land of Canaan hee hath also sent to vs a mighty and extraordinary instrument to lead vs through those perilous perplexities now past vnto the ioyfull Iubile of these conioyned Kingdomes making this Isle great and fortunate in his royall person as hee made his people of Israel most blessed for the time by the like coniunction of the tree of Ioseph with the tree of Iuda saying by the Prophet Ezechiel That they should bee all vnder one King and no more a diuided people So that they who delight in disiunction be they Aaron be they Miriam be they Core Daâ—…han or Abiraâ—… who rebels against Moses especially bee they Iesuited Papists or heteroclite Puritans I speak not of any good men who obey God and the Prince but of those who carry armed hartâ—… factious and vehement spirits against the State spirits contrary to God because as the Scripture saith Non in commotions Domâ—…us The Lord is not in commotion spirits not of peace nor edification but of destruction In spiritu vehâ—…ti câ—…nteres naâ—…es Tharsis saith Dauid Be who they will who grudge against Moses euery wel disposed member of the common-wealth hath great cause to grudge against them least they cut the thred of our felicity and bring vpon vs which God of his infinite mercy forbid by our constant murmurings that euill which befell the obstinate Israelites at the waters of contradiction whose wicked rebellions made Moses to offend the Lord grieuously euen that good Moses of whom it is said Delectus Deo hominibus Moses cuius memoria in benedictione est Though hee was dearely beloued of God and men and though hee was the most meeke of all liuing flesh yet they brought the Lords indignation vpon themselues and vpon him who both were preuented by death and were not suffered to enter into the Land nor to taste the fruits of their long and painefull voyage in the Wildernesse God of his goodnes grant you to loath these waters of strife and chiefly these waters which bee poysoned with Iesuiticall wormewood and gaul wherof so many millions of people haue died within these threescore yeres that you may cry in time with that Prophet Saluum me fac Domine quoniam intrauerunt aquae vsque ad animam meam Deliuer me O Lord because those waters haue gone vnto my Soule God grant that like vnto the holy Doue you finde no resting place among them vntill you enter into the Arke and vnitie of the Church that we may liue together in one hope to see the further mysteries of this happy time the seale whereof is already opened to the great admiration of all the world It was forbidden anciently to sacrifice a Swan because her plumes are white and her heart black so would I wish that from this peace offering might be debarred all such whose hearts are incurably blacked with pride of stricktnesse and singularity and that it should bee onely handled of those meeke and ingenuous spirits who will bee contented to found their iudgement thereof vpon those three grounds without the which our knowledge cannot be sure as S. Augustine faith Contrarationem nemo sobrius contra scripturâ—…s nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pascificus That no sober man should make opposition to reason nor no Christian man to the Scriptures nor no peaceable man to the Church And so hoping that the modest Reader will obserue these grounds I doe submit my selfe to his discretion beseeching him that he would not looke vpmy paines with his sinistrous eye nor receiue with the wrong hand that which
hoode to couer their hypocrisie or what Saint Dominicke against the beastlie pride of his successors and what holie Saint Augustine against idle pretenders of his profession which was to be Flagellum hareticorum infidelitatis to plague heresie and infidelitie Now to finde among them one of the true succession of those noble Macharij Hillarij Antonij Pauli Ignatij Tertulliani Hieronimij Cyprianij Augustini or such like of that trewe christian race it is a dreame for nothing is to be seene there but those sometime sacred mountaynes and those holie solitudes of retyred sanctitie become the desertes of Iericho the darknes of Egypt the tower of Gyantes the Furnace of Babilon the shippe of Tarsus that beleeue me it did almost moue me to teares and make me to say with the Prophet Super montes assumpsi fletum lamentum super speciosa deserti Planctum Aime Domine clamabo speciosa deserti consunipsit ignis The fire alas hath consumed the beautie of the deserts those prophane fiers of Nadab and Abihu which burne at the daylie Sacrifice that destroying fire of ambition auarice and Lecherie which is neuer furnished with fuell sufficient that fire of the loue of the flesh whereat while S. Peter stood to warme him he denyed his master It doth still burne in the hal of Calphas O oursed fire which is not on ly cōtent to burne in the coūtrey in the citie in the court in the Palaces of Prelats and rulers of the Church but it hath also spoyled the holie deserts and destroyed the beauty of the Cloyster speciosa deserti consumpsit ignis making our christian religion the opprobrie and scandall of Turkish impietie as if there were no veritie in Gods word Corruit in plat◅is veritas saith the prophet Equitas non potuit ingredi facta est vdritas in obliuionem O poore and neglected veritie now are come to passe thought I the visions of leremie Quid vides Ieremia ficus bonas bonas valde quid vides Ieremia ficus malas malas valde quae comedi non possunt So to close also this point of fleshlie concupiscence or kingdome of the world I doe appeale to the diuine light of your Lordships conscience whether you doe not thinke things being as I haue related That the Pope hath holden the bargaine which our Sauiour did refuse in accepting from Satan this worldlie kingdome whether your Lo doe not thinke that the Rulers of Rome be of such as the Lord God spake of to his people Israel by his prophet Esai My people the Rulers haue corrupted the way of thy footesteps It is they who haue burnt vp my vineyard saying againe thereafter I shall enter in iudgement with you Rulers whether your Lord doe not thinke that God is entered in iudgment alreadie with them and as it was pronounced against the Scribes and Pharises auferetur a vobis Regnum Dei dabitur Genti facienti fructum Hath he not taken from them his kingdome by remoouing the candlestick which keeps the true light the Lamp which keeps the liuelie oyle the libertie of the Gospell and hath giuen them ouer to induration which of all chastisments is the most fearefull vt credant mendacio qui non crediderunt veritati as he also no question some day shall dissipat destroy their worldly kingdome according as he hath done to the Iewes if they doe not repent Now for the last of abuses whereof I will speake I go to treate of the papall Soueraignitie as it is wickedlie and iniustlie vsurped ouer temporall kingdomes CHAP. V. The Orthodoxall authority of Christian Princes in the Primatiue Church The Papall Soueraignetie The Iesuiticall trade The opinion of the French Church concerning Princely authoritie Detection of the Iesuiticall ambition THe pernitious Doctrine of this Tyrannicall Supremacie vnknowen to antiquitie lately conceiued in the bosome of the treacherous Iesuite tending to a monstrous ambition as we shal see to the ouerthrow of good Princes and people and dissolution of all Christian discipline and obedience it doth enuenome the mindes of men with diuelish errours and armeth their hearts with odious and treasonable attempts It is that wormewood whereof the Prophet of the Gospel Saint Iohn maketh mention in his visions of the Apocalips Cecidit de coelo stella magna ardens tanquam fauilla nomen stellae dicitur absinthium facta est tertia pars aquarum in absinthium plarimi mortui sunt de acquis quia amarae factae sunt saith he there fell from the heauen a great starre burning like a flame and the name of the starre was Wormewood and multitudes died by the waters because they were become bitter It was no true starre which the Prophet did see because the true starres bee fixed and doe not fall Stell◅ manentes in ordine suo cursu aduersus Siseram pugnauerunt saith the Scripture the holy Spirit in the word of God doth compare Prelates Pastors and Rulers of Gods people to starres Qui ad iustitiam erudiunt multos quasi stellae ad perpetuas aternitates saith Daniel They who instruct and teach many righteousnesse and godlinesse be like vnto starres fixed to perpetuity As for those which appeare to be falling starres as this vision of Saint Iohn they are but grosse vapours lightned by agitation of the ayre which do quickly vanish and keepe no true light So the Iesuites lately bred in the distemperate and tempestuous ayre of the Papall tyranny they appeare to be but are not true starres in Gods Church they bee but filthie vapours which shall disappeare within short time as the whole Clergie almost of the Romane Church it selfe doth hold after the example and fortune of the famous order of the Knights Templarij whose insolencie and pride was abhorred of Christian Princes and Prelates But in the meane time they haue poysoned by the wormwood of this diabolicall doctrine the puritie of our waters euen the waters of life the word of the Gospel the Lord Iesus Christ who calleth himselfe so of which poyson who would know how many millions haue died let him read the Histories of the holy League and the Histories of France and the Netherlands for these yeeres passed and because it is so pregnant and perilous an error I will insist in it at greater length to deduce it from the fountaines of sacred and primitiue veritie For your Lordships information and many others of your profession who if you will not quit this ground to beleeue as the Church of Rome doth command you cannot want a scruple in your conscience for hauing so absolutely taken the oath of obedience seeing the contrarie is strongly maintained in Rome in meeretermes of a point Doctrinall which albeit your Lo would not credit vpon my reletion after my comming from thence where I was both care eye witnes and brought with me a true transcript of the ordinance it selfe yet now all the world doth know it since the
before for after his person had beene inuaded and he stricken in the mouth with a knife wherevpon the high parliament of Paris did pronounce the edict of their banishment and erected a pyramide to remaine the perpetuall testimonie of their villanous perfidie he did pardon them restore them and trust them and partlie I say these attempts haue ben in the great mercie of God preuented when they haue beene plotted against the life of our most gratious Soueraign as the whole world doth know namely by that diabolioal machination of thundering massacre bred in the tempestuous ayer of these infernall spirits the Lord God by a miraculous inspiration made his maiestie to foresee that hellish cloude of powder before the fire was yet broken out The memorie whereof should make this whole kingdome to shake for feare and to cry to God that it would please him to preserue his sacred person from these cruell Hunters because he is now the principall obiect of their malignitie and that prince of all the earth whom they doe most feare hate Seeing how God who hath raysed his horne hath also iustâ—…fied his exaltation by markes more like to Moses and Solomon then vnto Cyrus he hath not onelie holden his right hand and possessed it with monarchiall state strong feareful to his enemies as he hath done to Cyrus made numbers of strange nations who did before striue to depresse him come to honour and admire his regall throne come to aske of him the peace of their people which he hath done also vnto Cyrus saying The labour of Egypt the merchandice of Ethiopia and of the Sabines shal come to thee men of stature shal come to thee and fall downe before thy face saying God is surelie in thee which we haue seene come to passe by ouerflowing of his maiesties court with forraine people with forraigne riches and forraigne presents and by the glorious Spainyard his solicitation of his maiesties wisedome to further his peace with the Netherlands But the lord also hath granted vnto his maiestie the vnderstanding of Moses to build his tabernacle to restore vnto his people the primitiue Gouernment of the Church approoued by catholike antiquytie for a prognosticat that he intendeth to make him the instrument of farther reformation in Christendome And he hath granted vnto him Solomon like knowledge and learning to mayntayne by publicke wryts the riches of his royall Soueraignitie against all those insidious grounds of the craftie Iesuite which is the reason why I must boldly affirme it that there is none of that societie in the world who doth loue his person in other tearmes then Cicero loued Octanius when he called him bonum puerum colendum To proceede there is neither Prince prelate nor priest within the Church of Rome who hath not his displeasure against this doctrine derogatiue to kings except Italians Spainiards and Iesuites be cause that Papall supremacie doth challenge to be aboue the generall counsels taking from Catholike princes that libertie to conuocate them which was due to their predecessors in the primitiue church because it doeth debarre all Cardinalles except Italians from the papall dignitie because it is onely granted to the Iesuites to go through and plant religion hauing infinite priuiledges graunted vnto them for that cause which be hurtfull to all other order of secular and cloysterall priests This is the reason why of these three Italians Spaniards Iesuites there is not on who doth not eschew as a pest the meeting of generall counsels for howsoeuer they doe pretend this quod nunquam acquiescunt heritici they must be vnnecessarie say they because heretickes will neuer rest to the voice of counsels yet this is the misterie and trueth no cardinall must presume to sit in Saint Peters chayre but an Italian no king must ouerrule the consistorie in his election but the Spanyard whom also they thinke to deuoure in the end albeit now he thinketh himselfe their Dictatour in perpetuum and no prince but he may aspire to brooke an heriticall kingdome confiscat by the fulmination of Rome by which kinde of tittles he doeth enioy the Indies and Nauar as the like hath bene graunted to his father Phillip the second by Pope Pius Quintus who did excommunicate the late Queene of England nor no orders of Religion other then the Iesuites may be negotiatours in them or knowe the secretes of this gouernment whereof this is a mayne pointe to decline generall Counsels least these abuses should bee vrged to bee reformed least the King of Great Brittaine should vrge the restitution of Patriarchall libertie for the weale of the Catholike Church least a French King vrge the residence againe of a Pope in Auignion least both should concurre to controle this vsurped fiske of Rome so leasl the fruits of this forbidden Tree of their domination should be made common to all Princes alike and to all Cardinals alike the which mysterie most clearely did appeare in the Sessions and circumstances of the Counsell of Trent for the Emperour Charles the fift being a wise and religious Prince and most studious by all meanes to pacifie the broyles of his Countreyes of Germanie mooued by the Lutheran reformation hee did by obstinate instance hardly obtaine from the Pope the Conuocation of that Counsell which as the Historie saith so soone as it was graunted him Tam citâ—… compedes Pontifici iniectos existimaâ—… he thought that hee had put the Pope into chaines hauing his whole designe to reforme the Church of Rome in matters of gouernement of manners and of grosser points of worship by aduise and concurrence of the whole Christian Embassadours and Commissioners there without respect to the Cardinals of Rome who for all that did so Italiniâ—…e and circumuent the Embassadours Tramontani as they call them making the French Embassadours to beleeue that the Emperour did vrge some secret course for himselfe with the Pope enforming as much againe to the Embassadour of the Emperour against the French they procured in priuate both their warrants in writ without knowledge the one of the other that nothing should be mooued in that Counsell but from the mouth of the Nuncio of Rome whereupon did follow that nothing was disputed there but points of meere doctrine and these most rigorously concluded while as that good Emperour had resolued to heale the Scandalized world as is well vnderstood by that conference in Germanie which is called the Emperours Interim where hee himselfe did condescend to the Matrimonie of Churchmen to the administration of the Sacrament both in bread and wine and other points which be holden hereticall in Rome and during all his life time he did mightily lament the deceit of that Counsell which is to bee verified by diuers Autographicall letters that is to say written with his owne hand and yet extant in the custodie of a Nephew of him who was French Embassadour at Trent in the foresaid Counsel called Pibracke dwelling at Paris as I take it But
ninth Chapter practise that hard iudgement where God did command the destroying Angell saying Incipite à sanctuario meo Goe through destroy both young and old and all sexe but begin at my sanctuary and in that same place commandement was giuen to him who was clad in linnen to marke them with the letter Tau whom hee should finde mourning for the abomination of Ierusalem Most blessed are these Pastours whose delight is with the renowmed Iunius Spirare vnitatem Ecclesiae to sing as hee hath done the sweete harmony O quam bonum quam incundum est habit are fratres vna Oh how good a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnity and blessed are those Preachers who mourne for Ierusalem with those who were saued in Ezechiel for if they mourne many shall mourne with them if they shall carry that happy letter in their front multitudes shall carry it with them Secundum iudicem populi sic populus saith Salomon as the Rulers be in heart affected to peace or distracted euen so are the people God of his mercy so grant it that they may still heare in their eares that sound of the great S. Paul Si distribuero omnes meas facultates pauperibus si corpus meum ita vt ardeam charitatem auteÌ„ non habuero nihil mihi prodest If I should saith he spend all my riches on the poore if I should burne my body for zeale and haue no charitie it doth auaile me nothing But now to follow our purpose speaking of Christian reformation a more sure president and exemplar then Luther and Bucer haue wee for the peace of the Church to follow all that which hath beene obserued by antiquitie not contrary to Gods word Let vs consider the graueiudgement of the worthy learned Zanchius chiefe planet of our own spheare as you shall read it here sincerely translated from his owne Text De vera reformandaruÌ„ Ecclesiarum ratione of the true way of the reformation of Christian Churches Whatsoeuer saith hee is in the Church of Rome it is either agreeable to the written word contrary to it or indifferent For the first that which is agreeable is to be retained or if it was reiected it s againe to be receiued For the second that which is contrary is to be refused or if it hath bin followed it is again to be forsaken For the third that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or indifferent First we must not account of it as if it did belong vnto saluation next wee must follow the rule of the Apostle that nothing be brought into the Church but that which doth tend to edification order or vnitie all indifferent ceremonies and rites therefore may be followed saith hee for one of these respects but so followed as that wee doe still preferre things more ancient to those which are more late aswell for the honour of antiquitie as because of the true saying of Tertullian Quo quid in Ecclesia antiquius eo etiam verius That which is the more ancient in the Church is the more true Whatsoeuer saith Zanchius is besides the written word either in the generall Councells in the Fathers or in the papall Decrees they bee vnder the aforesaid distinction so that albeit nothing can binde the conscience but canonicall Scripture yet to introduce nouelties in the Church or to banish any thing which from primitiue times haue beene allowed by Catholike consent to doe such things without the authoritie of generall Councells it is not lawfull for any man who feareth God saith Zanchius Seeing this profound and truly reformed Diuine who was in his time Lucidum sidus a bright starre in the Church doth so reuerence antiquity is it not wonderfull that wee I know not who wee who haue scarcely beene twise or thrise in a pulpit wee who ought to say much more then Iob did hesterni sumâ—… igâ—… that we should contemne antiquitie and mock the primitiue policy ceremonies of the Church seeing the Prophet Ieremy hath so recoÌ„mended the credit of antiquity in his time as to say State super vias antiquas videte qua sit via antiqua bona ambulate in ea inuenietis refrigerinuÌ„ animabus vestris Stand vpon the way saith he and behold and aske which is the ancient good way and walke in it and ye shall finde refreshment to your soules seeing the Prophet Esay foretelling the reformation of the Church doth altogether ground it vpon antiquity saying I will restore vnto you your Iudges as they were before and your Elders as they were anciently that then you may be called a Citie of righteousnes and a faithfull Citie And Iob a man of God full of wisdome aske saith hee the former ages and enquire diligently of their Fathers and Christ himselfe did so honour antiquity for reformation that hee did reduce them thereunto saying in the case of matrimony Non sic fuit ab initio It was not so from the beginning In that speech of Zanchius we do marke this that the reiecting of any ancient Tradition which is not contrary to Gods word it is not onely to depart from the Church of Rome which also is a fault to breake any bond of vnity where it may be kept with a good conscience but it is also a departing from the primitiue Church from the which these were deriued in the Church of Rome and I doe appeale vnto the diuine light of your conscience whither you be Papist or Puritan if you doe not thinke this ground of Zanchius to bee a most sure and Christian meanes to reforme the Church of God for certainely it is not onely at Rome nor onely at Geneua where good Christians are made nor they onely who haue had the right gouernment of Christs Church Ambition and Tyranny hath spoyled the Ecclesiasticall policy there and nakednesse and pretended puritie hath made it contemptible heere and both haue the like ends to make the world to cry Great it Diana among the Ephesians and there is none but she Alwayes this opinion of Zanchius iumpe with that of S. Augustine which I haue rehearsed and with all antiquitie for acceptation in the Church of the ancient gouernment and indifferent ceremonies tending to edification or vnitie because it doth concerne vs who be subiects of Noth-britanne not onely for the hope of Catholike or vniuersall reformation which was the thing meant by those Diuines but it concernes vs more neerly for intestine vnity and coniunction with our half-arch the Church of England whose reformation because it hath beene blessed of God and most perfect of all those of later times wee are the more specially bound to embrace it seeing our opposition thereto is not onely to bee against Gods glory by maintaining distraction within the Church but it is apparantly aschismatike alienation from the state for Religion is the soule of the ciuill state And consequently dissention in religion dissention in the state therefore out of
that spirit of Christian loue which God willeth to rule vs I wish all men to dispose themselues to this happie Vnion and to reuerence this time wherein we are and whereof the chiefest mystery is not yet seene albeit the seale thereof be alreadie opened and we haue alreadie seene miraculous things If we doe Christianly simpathize with the time to honour these glorious preambles of a generall reformation which God doth set a worke by the erection of the Monarchie of great Britaine in the Royall Person of our most gracious Soueraigne and if we can turne the ambitious craft of the Iesuite into a Christian wisdom against himself that as he striueth to reduce the whole world vnder the Tyrannie of his High Priest So we may with the force of vnited mindes assist the rising and encrease of this great Kingdome in the hope of a generall restauration of Christs Church what know we what God intendeth yet to bring about by this mighty Prince whose exaltation in the prouidence of the Almightie hath already brought the whole world in admiration what know we what he who did so long Prophesie by the mouth of Ieremy the comming of Cyrus to restore Ierusalem he who made Cyrus at his comming to cry the Lord God of heauen hath giuen me the kingdomes of the earth that I should build a house to him in Ierusalem what know we what he hath propounded to doe by this vertuous Monarch whom he hath so extraordinarily raised and made him Master of puissant Kingdomes what can we iudge of those currant prophesies of our fore fathers for his being Emperour and for his ransacking of the wals of Rome doe not we see how he hath already begunne to shake those wals and to breake the hornes of that Beast Let no man be so simple as to doubt but one day God hath predestinate by some Christian Cyrus to reforme that city and to restore his people from that spirituall captiuity Yea let no man doubt but that the time of that great Iubile doth approach as I will shew heereafter If wee by our obstinate distractions and diuision doe not preuent it and therefore thou who abhorrest any law or ordinance which may tend to a firme coniunction of this Isle or who doest repine in any sort against that great instrument whom God hath sent to reforme his Church thou shalt be infinitely blessed of God if by thy conformity thou can once take away that greeuous imputation of the Papist who to the reproach of the Gospell doth affirme thus That after Luther who was that Nimrod as he saith that enterprized the tower of heresie against the Apostolicall seate of Rome all those who did concurre to that building were like vnto those sons of Adam who builded Babylon punished of God with confusion of tongues that one did not vnderstand another All the followers of Luther Lutherians Semi Luth. Contrr Luth. Hussists Zwinglians Semizwing Melancthonists Brownists Anabaptists Caluinists Bezaists many moe whom he doth numerate to all which saith he Dominus confudit labium the Lord hath confounded their language that of all the reformed Churches of Germany France Holland Geneua Britaine not one doth altogether agree with another and diuers of them disagreeing within themselues either in doctrine in ceremonies in gouernment or somewhat else of which fearefull and scandalous oblatration seeing you who are the Puritan cannot denie for your part to be Authour I thinke it should make the most impudent and affronted face among you to blush in case their rest in it any drops of good and ingenuous bloud Being in this contemplation of the meanes of Christian concord before I speake of the reformation of the Church of Rome I will discourse some what of the meanes of our domesticke coniunction with the Church of England because it is more neere vnto vs and bringeth vs also mor neere to the possibilities of vniuersall Reformation CHAP. IX A Triall of the best and surest Policies which bee in Nature in Ciuility in Oëconomy in Morality IN matter of Doctrine we make one ptofession with the Church of England founded vpon the purity of Gods word The oddes be either in the Church policie or in some indifferent ceremonies I speake of oddes in polilicie by reason of you who be opponents in your hearts to the State of Bishops So before I will touch the Ceremonies I will deale with you vpon that head As for the Theologicall and more subtile disputarion of the Theme of Episcopall Regiment it is so exactly done by diuers reuerend and learned Diuines that it hath not much neede of my contribution only I will select some cleere sincere and most disiestable arguments for your information and because many of you who bee thus distracted haue neuer tasted the pure fountaines of true and naturall knowledge which is not the least cause of your Errour therefore I will shew you into this chapter what is the gouernment which God did plant in the creation of nature and what affinity it hath with such policies as haue since followed and fallen out through the world in Church or in state whereinto if I doe a little insist to expresse the lawfulnes and vertue of the Monarchall Rule it is not to induce a Monarchall gouernement in the Church which is a Popish inuention and heere also sufficiently answered But first it is to poynt foorth the power of God in annointed Kings against the pernicious doctrine of those who teach the contempt and violation of Kingly authority And secondly it is to shew that as God did frame the gouernment of his first Church of the Iewes not much vnlike to that of nature euen so if we seeke the originall Idaea of true ecclesiasticall policy in the right Horoschope and if we pronounce it with a right aire we shall find and we may say it without offence that the first image of whatsoeuer gouernment agreeable to Gods will hath beene conceiued into nature in the order whereof God hath auoyded two things and hath reserued one peculiar to himselfe absolute soueraigntie or a power meerely vnicall and an Anarchie or popular confusion neither of these two hath he willed that as on the one part no creature should haue a Monarchall Supremacie exempted from necessarie correspondence and simpathie with dependent members so on the other side no indiuiduall parts of one kinde might subsist without a head through whom they must receiue the order and direction of their motions The vnity againe of absolute Supremacie in heauen and earth God hath concluded within the Center of his diuine throne proper to himselfe that no particular Creature in nature can be capable thereof so that it is equally ridiculous to say the Lyon cannot be cheife of beasts vnlesse the Indian Libian and Barbarian Lyons bee all subiect to one Monarchall Lyon The Kings of the earth cannot be lawfull Kings vnlesse there be one supreme Monarch ouer them all which cannot bee in any but in God the Primates
and his tyranny againe intercepted by Henry the seuenth These were the infinite effusions of natiue bloud during that tempest of Naufrage wherein their Writers doe collect haue beene sixteene or 17 seuerall pitched battells the slaughter of nine Kings or Kings sonnes forty Dukes Marquesses and Earles 200000. of the popular And what extraordinary punishment haue wee in our time seene inflicted vpon the persons houses and states of diuerse disloyall subiects who haue attempted to abuse the sacred authority of our most gracious Soueraigne certaine it is a ground in reason a tryall in experience a conclusion of all politickes and warranted by Gods word in holy Scripture strengthened with the opinion of graue Doctors of the Church That Rebellon doeth euer moue greater mischiefe then Tyranny CHAP. X. A defence of Episcopall gouernment by diuerse most cleere and ingenuous reasons NOw wee come to conside◅ what affinitie the Church gouernment hath with those others whereof we haue spoken before the written Law of Moses God did elect so many Patriarckes to rule his first Church Enoc Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob and others And our Sauiour before the written Law of the Euangel or of grace hee did elect so many Apostles to rule the second whereof the former was the type when the numbers of the beleeuers did increase euen vnto Moses were adioyned seuenty to assist him in his charge so did Christ next his twelue Apostles elect seuenty Disciples In Israel there were many particular Princes and Elders of the people who did rule euery man his own Centuries and Chiliads but these seuenty were created to beare vniuersal rule as we collect frō the words of Moses Ego solus ferre omnem populum istum non possum I only cannot beare the charge of this people answere Congregatibi gather vnto you which is to be his Collegues and yet they were subordinate for while Moses went to the mountaine he left a deputation ouer the people Ecce Aaron Hur. If any man haue controuersie let him come to Aaron and Hur euen so these seuenty Disciples howsoeuer they were adioyned to the Apostles yet they were subordinate and inferiour the Apostles being still chosen to be conuersant with Christ constant witnesses of all his actions and onely intire with him like vnto Moses who onely went vp to talke with God We read in the twelfth of the Acts how the Apostles found Iustus and Matthias onely sufficient of all the rest to succeed in the place of Iudas argument enough of the Apostolicall superiority ouer them Luke againe and Marke were of good authorities among the Apostles because they were the Euangelical Historians yet were they not of the seuenty Euangelists being elected by men and not our Sauiour as Tertullian writeth of Luke Non Apostolus sed Apostolicus non Magister sed Discipulus vtique Magistro minor Not an Apostle but Apostolicall no Master but Disciple and alwaies inferiour to the Master That diuerse had the holy spirit as the Apostles who were not yet their equals it is euident after their dispersion Philip did Euangelize at Samaria but Peter Iohn were sent to constitute the churches The holy spirit without the ministery of S. Paul did come vpon Cornelius and his company for besides these two orders of Apostles and Disciples there was a third among the number of an hundred who were present at the choosing of Matthias besides the twelue Apostles and seuenty Disciples there were thirty eight who beene in neither ordination were Prophets as all the learned do affirme who treat of this point of which number was Annamas and Agabus endued with propheticall spirits to impart to the Church diuers reuelations which they had Touching these againe who were thereafter called Episcopi Presbiteri we see that in the Apostles daies the Church was a while without them the first mention of of that order we finde it in the Church of Ierusalem in the twelfth of the Acts for so long as the Apostles and Euangelists did remaine there was neither Episcopus nor Presbyter but after they were disseuered Iames being beheaded and Peter fled then did they enter from that forth Luke doth coniunctly report of them with the Apostles Saint Paul so like vnto himselfe in all his Epistles we cannot thinke that without a reason in his Epistle to the Philipians hee hath giuen salutation to the Episcopi and Diaconi and hath not done so in the rest of his Epistles In that Epistle to the Romanes hee salutes diuers whom he calles his co-operarij or fellow labourers as Andronicus and Vrbanus famous among the Apostles And of the Domestick Church which was some while at Ephesus and somewhile at Corinth to these hee giues them their owne praises yet doth he not call them Episcopi nor Presbyteri as hee doth Epaphroditus in that to the Philipians And Archippus in that to the Colossians when hee came to Rome we read how hee was receiued but by no Presbiteri which had not beene omitted if that ordination had beene then among them more then it is omitted in the 15. and 21. of the Acts where he is said to be receiued of Presbyters all this time there was no Presbiteri yet planted other then Timothy Titus Apollo Luke Stephen Fortun. Achai and a few others whom the Apostles did send vpon occasions nor these Churches had then no other Bishop but S. Paul In the meane time the Apostles and the Euangelists did at their commodities visit them as Epiphan and Ambrosiu◅ beare witnesse Epiphanius thus while the preaching of the Gospell was but resent the holy Apostle write according to the time and to things that were where there were Episcopi hee write to them and vnto Diaconi where they were for the Apostles did not ordinate saith hee al things vpon the sudden there was great neede of Presbiteri and Diaconi vnder the Apostles because by these Ecclesiasticall function is perfect Where none was found worthy of Episcopall charge that place did remaine without a Bishop for they being no great multitude of beleeuers saith he they were no great numbers found capable of the Presbyterat therefore the Church at that time did rest vnder the Apostolike Bishopricke till with time things grew to greater perfection in which words we doe obserue this that in the beginning while the Apostolicall mission was limited to Iudea Christ did onely chuse 12. Apostles and 70. Disciples but after the Legation was generall both to Iew and Gentile they tooke vnto them co-operarij Euangelists Prophets and others and when the Gospell beganne to spred they did institute Episcopi and Presbyteri So that Christs Church was planted by the like beginnings and had the like growth of policie as that of Ierusalem both hauing their originall in the persons of Moses the figure and Christ the man figured and both with time diuoluing by little and little into a diuersity of subordinate rulers of whom the Apostle setteth downe the cleere distinction and imparity giuing
the first place to Apostles the second to Euangelists the third to Prophets the fourth to Pastours and the last to Doctours Whereof the first of the number Apostolus doth comprehend in it as in genere these whole species ennumerated of spirituall functions so that euery Apostle was also a Doctour but notreciprocally By these we doe manifestly see that Christ in the foundation of his Church did follow for gouernment the same Architype which was giuen vnto Moses and that one God hath but one meaning of one order in matter of Policie as I haue sayd for if ye will hold this comparison betwixt the Iewish and Christian Church to be remote and fantasticke because the first was Typicall and is expired I answer There was in the Mosaicall Law three parts the typicall the morall and the politicall the daily sacrifice and these ceremoniall things which were figuratiue of Christs passion they are finished and haue no imitation in Christs Church but for the morall it doth remaine the same Law lieth ouer vs which did astrict them albeit we haue easier meanes to performe it by faith in Iesus Christ. And for the politicall it doth also remaine as S. Paul saith Know you not that those who minister at the altar doe liue by the Altar c But for the concordance of these two Churches in matter of Policie I bring first the testimony of S. Ambrose who expounding these words of S. Paul to Timothy Seniorem ne increpaueris doe not reproach an Elder among other things he saith also thus Vnde Synagogaprius postea Ecclesia Seniores habuit sine quorum consilio nihil agebatur first the Iewish Synagogue then the Church of Christ had their Elders without whose Councell nothing was done Next I bring the testimony of Iohn Caluine who vpon the harmony of the Euangelists hath written thus Quant au nombre de 70. il me semble auoir c. Touching the number of the 70. Disciples it appeares to me saith he that our Sauiour hath followed the same order whereunto the Iewes of old were subiect and accustomed So many Apostles were chosen who should be as Patriarkes to assemble the members of the reall body of the Church for the like respect of imitation the 70. Disciples were elected for we know saith he that Moses being vnable to beare the charge tooke vnto him seuentie to gouerne the people For of him who would obiect against the similitude of these Churches for policie that the 70. of Israel were no spirituall Rulers and therefore could not be resembled by the 70. Disciples I would aske you how then did the holy spirit come vpon them that they prophesied in the presence of the people and how was the spirit of Moses parted among them Thirdly I giue the Testimony of Doctour Beza who hath deriued his reformed discipline whereby the Elders be adioyned to the Pastours from the Iewish example But that which makes this poynt of the similitude in policie of these two Churches to be most cleere and out of doubt is the opinion of S. Ierom the pretended Patron of the Presbyterians who in the conclusion to the Epistle to Euagrius writeth thus Quod Aaron filij eius atque Leuitâ—… in templo gesserunt hoc sibi Prâ—…sbyteri Episcopi Diaconi vindicent in Ecclesia vt sciamus traditiones apostolicas de veteri Testamento sumptas esse saith hee Whatsoeuer Aaron his sonnes and the Leuites did exercise in their persons in the Iewish Church let Bishops Presbyters and Deacons take on them to doe the same that we may vnderstand saith he the Apostolicall Traditions are exemplary drawen out of the old Testament Alwaies heere it is where the Puritan and the Papist meet to vrge one thing vpon the Leuiticall imitation in policie the Puritan to inferre an inconuenient the Papist to induce his aduantage first say they if you appeale to this exemplar how can you auoid Priestly Soueraignty and a supreme Bishop next they turne it ouer thus If your bishops be in the Church for vnities sake as they are ad â—…ollenda Schismata then this argument following must be good Either there is as great vnity in a parish vnder a Minister as in a Diocesse vnder a Bishop or else the more Churches make the greater vnity If the second be true then must we allow the Hierarchall Supremacy because thereby all Churches are reduced vnder one so that vpon this the Papist will build his Popery and the Puritan will haue our Bishops to bee Antichristian Which obiection is so friuolous that Caluine himselfe alleaged by them to bee a fautor of their Presbyterian rule doth answer vnto it saying there is not the like reason betwixt a peculiar people as the Iewish Synagogue and the whole world vnder the Gospell Neither was it the meaning of our Sauiour that as euery particular Church should be vnder one Pastor so all the world vnder one head otherwise why did he choose his twelue together and in parity For howsoeuer we doe marke in the particular members of nature manifest argument of Monarchiall policie yet find we no generall vnity noâ—… absolute Soueraignty but in God As for example although the Lyon be king of beasts who did euer heare that all Lyons were subiect to one Lyon or that all Kings be ordinarily subiect to one Supreme Monarche The Lord God is onely the Center from whence the diuersitie of nature hath proceeded whereupon the Cabbalists did found that word In Centro veritas in circumferentia nihil The verity is in the Center and in the circumference nothing but shadowes which is confirmed by the holy Scripture Solus Deus verus sermo eius veritas Onely God is true and his word is only verity the 〈◊〉 of nature haue no other fountaine to returne vnto but God nor no capitall vnion to repose into but him If the Angels haue their owne Hierarchies we doe not read that they bee all vnder one head vnlesse it bee the Lord Iesus Christ called by the Prophet the Angel of the Testament and the Angel of the great Counsell as is said before As God hath reserued the Supremacie of generall nature to rest in his owne person so hath Christ in his Church reserued it to himselfe to be onely head thereof in such sort that no Bishop can be called Antichristian but in so farre as he doth depend from the Papall Soueraignty and as the setting vp of a second Bishop in one Diocesse were to be Schismaticke from the first Bishop so to introduce an vniuersall Bishop in Christes place is to make defection from him For euen aâ—… Christ did send his Twelue with equall Commission and equall graces that the establishing of our faith should be more miraculous by the vnanimity of twelue then could haue beene by the consent of one euen so hath it beene the meaning of the Apostles and their successors to mainetaine Catholike vnitie not by Hierarchall Supremacie in
hereses aborta sunt nisi dum Episcopus contemnitur homo dignatione Dei honoratus ab indignis hominibus iudicatur from whence are heresies saith he but because vnworthy men doe censure and despise him whom God hath honoured with preferment Basilius saith that the vnitie of the Church doth depend from the vnitie of the Bishop and that the erection of a second Bishop within one Diocesse vnlesse it be to help and assist him by his own consent hath euer been esteemed the breeding of schisme but of all the Auncients Saint Ierom doth best cleare the truth of this point euen hee who is pretended to be flagellum Episcopâ—… the scourge of Bishops as you shall see It is true indeed that Ierom writing vpon the first of the Epistle to Titus hath once called the Episcopall authoritie rather a custome then an Apostolicall Tradition saying thus Before that by instinct of the Deuill there were factions in the Church and that it was said among the people I am of Paul I am of Apollo and I of Cephas the Church was gouerned by the common consent of the Presbyters but after through all the world it was decreed that one of the Presbyters should be placed aboue the rest to whom should apperteine the whole Ecclesiasticall care and extirpation of schisme Thus far Iâ—…m Out of which words the Presbyterians doe extort this consequence that the primitiue Church was gouerned by presbyteriall policie without Bishops to this the answer is first if it were granted to come in by a consueted and not by a primitiue tradition Yet the consequence is voyde against Bishops vnlesse we will say that Presbyters and Deacons were not neither an Apostolicall ordination because in the beginning the Apostles did gouerne the Church without both these by consent of the people as it is manifest by the Epistle to Titus as Creta Corynth Ephesus and Philippi before they had Episcopus or Presbyter whom when they did receiue the Church did yet remaine vnder the rule of the Apostles Secondly it is answered where hee speakes of the choosing of one Presbyter aboue the rest for taking order with schismes that schismes were begun in the Apostles ownetime so that this same election hath been also then begun or otherwise that the Apostles haue not been so wise as their Successors which were absurd to hold Thirdly it is answered that reason of Ierom taketh away Deacons as well as Bishops because the murmurations of the Greekes against the Hebrewes moued that institution as wee know which was not in the beginning Fourthly it is answered this opinion of Ierom is singular and perhaps of temerarious and discontented humour hee being but a Presbyter For while he speaketh of a noueltie in the Church accepted through all the world he should haue put downe the time by particular circumstances otherwise hee leaueth his opinion weake and obnoxious Lastly the answer is The best Doctors of the Church haue erred in their writts and haue set downe their Retractions as Augustâ—… so is it of veritie that Ierom hath mended himselfe 〈◊〉 this particular 〈◊〉 hath made an ample palinode and Recantation 〈◊〉 in this argument it is ouer past and suppressed by the presbyterian Cleargie as if none but they could finde it out In his epistle to Euagrius Alexandria inquit 〈◊〉 Marco Euangelista â—…sque ad Heracliâ—… 〈◊〉 Episcopos Presbyteri vnum ex sese electum in excelsiori gradâ—… collocatuâ—… ad tollenda schismata Episcopum 〈◊〉 quomodo si exercituâ—… Imperatorem faciat At Alexandriâ—… from Saint Marke the Euangelist vntill Heracliâ—… and Dionisius Bishops The Presbyters did â—…ill choose one of themselues to bee aboue them for auoyding of schismes whom they called Bishop euen aâ—…if an armie should create an Emperour Againe in the preamble of his Commentaries vpon Mattheâ—… he saith that Markâ—… was the first Bishop of Alexandria that 〈◊〉 dyâ—… 〈◊〉 thâ—… times of the Apostles the seuenth yeare of Nero he doth testifie in his Catalogue Script ecclesinst that which is true thaâ—… Ananiâ—… suereeded him therefore it must follow of his owne words that he was 〈◊〉 by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exeroituâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aâ—… an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ate an Emperour Thirdly in an otherplace most plainâ—… Totius Ecclesiâ—… salutâ—…m à Summâ—… 〈◊〉 dignâ—…ate 〈◊〉 câ—… si non exors abâ—…mnibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potestâ—… tâ—… in Ecelesia efficereÌ„â—…r schisâ—…ta quot Sacerdâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he The Churches prosperitio doth relieâ—…n the 〈◊〉 of the chiefe Priest or Bishop of the Church 〈◊〉 if hee haue not granted vnto him a free power aboue the rest there would be as many schismes as Priests withâ—… the Church so that Ierom must confesse that â—…rke and Anianâ—… at Alexâ—… and 〈◊〉 and Ignaâ—… 〈◊〉 Antioch were constitute by the ordiâ—…ce of ouâ—… Sâ—…our or then that the Apostles did institute 〈◊〉 to the minde of Christ which is absâ—…d to holâ—… 〈◊〉 lastlâ—… the conclusion of thaâ—… Epistle as I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…lated doth referre the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Iewish Church in which speeches first and last of Ierom we doe not onely obserue the great benefit redounding to the Church by Bishops and the end why they were created for vnitie and auoyding of schismes but we doe in like manner marke the antiquitie of that policie from S. Marke and the authoritie and power thereof as if an Armie should choose an Emperour saith hee and the succession thereof to Dionisius and lastly the vniuersalitie thereof Decretum erat in toto orbe terrarum saith hee It was decreed throughout the whole world wherevpon hee hath concluded that the weale of the Church doth depend à Summi Sacerdotis dignitate from the worth of the Bishop After that some of the inferiour Clerkes who did assist the informall election of Nouatian in the place of Cornelius were againe reduced vnto the Catholike Church their penitence was declared in these words We are not ignorant that there is one God one Christ one holy Ghost one Bishop into one Church whereby wee see that vnitie was the end of Episcopall institution When Constantine at the instance of the deuout Matrons of Rome licenced Liberius to returne but withall appointed that Church gouernment to bee common betwixt him and Felix The faithfull people deriding that ordinance of the Arrian Emperour cryed aloud as Theodore writeth one God one Church one Bishop So that antiquitie doth euer ascribe the benefit of vnitie in the Church vnto that apostolicall and ancient policie Thirdly for testimonies for the succession of the Bishops in the Church from the Apostles hitherto there be so many that for a short rehearsall one knoweth not what to choose Against the Bishopricks of Titus and Timothie many things bee idly pretended which are plainly discussed by those Theologues who haue expresly handled this question but against those who doe alledge that they remained not at Ephesus and Creta numbers of Authors beare witnesse Dorothaus in Synopsi Soph in Catal in tot Ifidorus de vita morte