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
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
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
which no man can iustly accuse me as if I sought any especiall commoditie for my selfe or desired any other thing then that which is commodious and necessary for the Church I thought it my duty to speake plainely what I thinke of the goods and possessions of the Church Neither is it enough for mee that I am heere well prouided for my selfe I wish the like vnto my brethren And although I may iustlie complain my self to be iniuriouslie forsaken of you whom I ought to haue found the chief Patrons of mine innocency yet notwithstāding my loue and my Zeale both towards the Church and also vnto you-wards is not therefore either altered or alienated And how then shuld I be lesse carefull for yours your Churches good then when my selfe was in the same ship with you VVherefore seeing we haue now sufficientlie wincked at this errour as well of the people as the Magistrate which if it be suffered will bring to the Church either a deadly ruine or a desperate mischiefe we may no longer dissemble the matter the Church it selfe must be taught hir duetie towards hir Ministerie It is a perilous pernitious thing to bequeath an euill president vnto our posteritie who shall take all for reformation whatsoeuer they receaued in the name of Reformation for what cause so euer it was done Men as you know for the most part vse rather to regard the deed then to respect the cause what is doone euerie man can tell but for what cause it was doone there are few which can conceiue or well consider I must needes confesse I haue proceeded some-what farther into this matter then my purpose was when I came first hither For that I see heere in England by the euill presidents of other Countries most men are carried away with the same errors Some streine their consciences so farre and open their mouthes so wide that like dronken men they stretch and yawne after the Church-liuings and doe euen gourmandize them already in their hopes mercilesse and bottomeles conceits And some againe while they grutch the Pastors their fields and enuie the Euangelique Bishops the riches of Romish Prelates as if it were not lawefull for vs to succeed them and not exceed them would seme to eat their hearts in garlike as they say while they eat and spit their owne gall in malice A strange opinion they hold that the place power and authoritie it hath pleased her Maiestie and the rest of the states the Bishops should reteine in this kingdome is a grant vtterly auerse vnto the reformation of religion VVherefore now what honour is due in a Christian Common-wealth to the Ministers of the Church and how forforth the same may extend is to be examined more at large But it is to be feared least some will be scarcely well pleased especially such as be ignorant of the auncient Church gouernment with this my treatise of the diuers degrees of the Ministers of the Gospell and the rather for that I haue noted in their newe-come reformation two things not to be liked of namely that the autentique order of Bishops is abrogated and a nouell kinde of Presbyters intruded The which I haue the rather noted for that the common sort of people are of opinion that not the least part of reformation consisteth in the dilapidation of Church-goods in the extirpation of Prouinciall Bishops and in the creation of Demi-laicall and mongrell Presbyters The which opinion of the people I doe therefore reprehend not that I dissallow that certaine graue seniours and godlie men should consort with the Pastors that is the true Presbyters of the Church but that they may know as they shall be taught not to mistake them for those Elders of the which in the Actes of the Apostles and in Paules Epistles there is often mention and is it not needful also to point at an error betimes least it beeing by time confirmed should not afterwardes be easilie corrected If any man shall thinke my selfe in the error or that I haue gone further then he liketh well of let him teach me that which is better I will presently alter my iudgement and giue ouer the bucklers vnto him that can do best The which I speake not as if I doubted or were not thorowlie resolued that those things of the which I affirme in this book were not assumed out of gods book For I do verely beleeue that I haue not swarued frō that rule which God hath giuen me to follow But yet if any man presume he can teach the contrary out of the word and make not the word contrarie I am more ready to attend and be taught then to teach and had rather bee ouercome then ouercome condition that that onely truth may preuaile which in truth ought to preuaile In the meane while as I haue alwaies borne and beare with such as dissent in opinion from me so long as they holde intire the Lorde Iesus so likewise in the same charity may they beare with me if I dissent from them I hartelie wish and intreat earnestly If it shall please God by the counsel of christian Princes that there may be a generall and a free councell celebrated that as it becommeth me I refuse not to bee iudge of my iudgement but if otherwise neither I can bee perswaded by others nor perswade others let vs expect with one accord the iudgement of Almightie God when euery one shal render according to the moitie of his talent a reason of his Ministerie For me to contend with my brethren after a bitter manner it is no part of my meaning If in any place my stile shall seeme more sharpe beleeue me I will not fable with you the greatnes of the mischiefe not any priuat griefe hath set an edge on it And to speake reason what reason haue I to be violent or virulent in this question Seeing whatsoeuer is helde amisse I impute it to the error and ignorance of art not to the malice or euill meaning of men The horrible sacrilege of men is not so manifest to the world as the execrable authors thereof are vnknown vnto me and it greueth me not that they are vnknowen Of whome then should I exclaime Against whome should I declaime But whereas certaine vngodly men are craftely crept in amongst vs who make a shewe of religion and would seem to fauor the Gospell and that not so much of any deuotion towards God as in detestation of all godlines I am constrained many times more earnestly to inueigh against the subtiltie and impietie of such let them be of what estate they may be if they be of that condition For neither are our owne colours cleare of such staines against whome can there bee anie worme-wood too bitter This I note that if at any time I name the Hollonders I note not the whole nation God forbid but onely those that degenerate from the naturall integrity of their owne nation But are not they so much the more worthy
there euer Nation so barbarous nor was there euer people so sauage which could liue without Religion take away Religion and take away all ciuilitie from men all seueritie from lawes There are many partes in a common-wealth vnto the which for great cause there are great honours giuen especially to prowesse Martiall of the which albeit the vse bee great yet is it for no great time But the vse of Religion is eternall There may bee a state without a Soldiour not without a Minister The vse of a Soldiour is farre from perpetuall the lesse the better the more seldome the more welcome but Religion is euerlasting and can neuer bee casseered But what should I compare the Ministerie of Religion with other mysteries in the common-wealth which all haue their deserued honours They all must vnuaile to Religion whether you respect the excellencie or the necessitie or the commoditie of that mysterie Wherefore that so notable and necessarie a function to the state should want honour in the common-wealth it wanteth common reason All Nations were euer of this minde and opinion that they thought the Presidents of Religion were alwayes to bee chosen from among the chiefe Nobilitie or if haplie they were not by byrth Noble then they were to bee innobled by the common-wealth But that the consent of all Nations in anie one thing is the verie lawe of Nature it was verie well defined by that excellent learned Orator Tullie who could very well define against the which now at the last to striue and storme vnder the colour of reformation is rather an outrage then an errour to be conuicted of frenzie rather then to be suspected of follie Did euer precept of our Sauiour crosse and incounter either the law which himself gaue vnto the Fathers or the Edict which nature God I meane hath giuen and ingrafted in the secret penitralles of al their successors Chap. II. How great the reuerence of Priests hath beene among all Nations I Will therefore remember vnto you in how great honour the worshippers of false Religions haue alwaies had their Priests in all places that their follie may the rather appeare who I know not with what religion would detract due honour from true religion For albeit the Caldees Persians Aegyptians Greekes Latines French Britons and all other Nations haue by diuerse errors and most detestable superstitions declined from that first and sincere religion which our first parentes left to their posteritie yet notwithstanding there alwayes remained many impressions as yet vncancelled and they not concealed as are these That the world is gouerned by the diuine prouidence of the eternall Godhead and that the same ruleth ouer all earthly thinges that whatsoeuer is good proceedeth from him and whatsoeuer is euill is declined by him and therefore that he is to be religiously worshipped and therefore the sacred symysts of his religion are especially to bee honoured And thus it came to passe that among the Assyrians and Babilonians their Caldies among the Medes and Persians their diuines were alwaies of singular account and supereminent authority for why They were the gouernors of religion and the expositors of the law both sacred prophane To which ende they were exercised from their youth in all learned and liberall sciences they did comprehend the motions of the heauens and deuined by the errours of the stars they read and learned and taught Religion rites and lawes they were compeers with kings in their gouernment so that nothing was done without their councel and consent Finally of so great esteeme was the discipline of the Wise-men among the Medes and Persians as that hee was not thought worthy the Empire that was not found skilfull in theyr Artes and Emblemes Theseus was the first that put a difference betweene Nobles whom he called Patritians and husband men and Artificers to the Nobles hee gaue power and preheminence to professe religion to chuse Magistrates of their own companie and also to moderate and interprete in matters sacred and diuine This law their posteritie as they receiued it of their ancestors so they obserued it very religiously By which meanes it came to passe that great reuerence was alwaies giuen both to the sacrifices and to all other their religious actions Neither could their Priests want their due parts of that diuine reuerence whom they alwayes selected out of the noblest families and who were euer one in their publique Councels For as if God himselfe was present vnto whom we ought not to thinke that there is any thing vnknowne euen so in the presence of the sacred Priestes did they propound all their more serious actions namely the diuines among the Athenians and the south-sayers sitting in counsell with the King among the Lacedemonians Strabo in his twelfth booke writeth of two Temples sacred to Bellona which were called Comana of whom the one was in Capadocia the other in Pontus both alike in all partes for that indeede they were one made by the other and had altogether the same rites and ceremonies common to them both In those places either of the Priestes were in greatest regard of honour next vnto the King himselfe and albeit they were subiect to the prince yet where the people suppliant them They had either of them six thousand seruants which were called Hierodulists or Church seruants besides no small quantitie of land ouer the which they were free Lords Twise euery yeare did the Prelate were a diademe the Prince and Priests for the most part being of the same family Plato in his booke deregno confirmeth these thinges and sayth that it becommeth all men to conceiue honourably of the Priests and Prophets and that they ought of right to be had in great estimation as wel for the greatnes of their actions as the honour of their office Wherefore saith he in Aegypt it is not lawfull for that King to sway the scepter that holds not of the Crosyer Insomuch that if any either by prowesse or by policie haue inuaded the kingdom who is not of that holy kind notwithstanding afterwards there is no remedie he must be initiated into that mystery And not there only but in many places amongst the Graecians also a man may find where the chiefe sacrifices are committed to the chiefe Magistrates Neither is this which I maintaine lesse manifest among your selues for you also aduance the most magnificent rites especially the auncient sacrifices to him that by lotte is chosen your King The same Philosopher in his twelfth Dialogue de legibus speaketh much of that honour which then and of old was giuen vnto Priestes both deade and liuing as well in their publike assemblies as at their solemne funerals The Romans and Latins were no whit inferiour eyther to the Greeks or to the Aegyptians in this behalfe for they also ioyned the sacred Priesthood with the royall Maiestie All the first Kings of the Latins Romans were Priests The Emperors also which afterwards succeeded them would themselues be the
their towns and teritories Or had they any lesse authority ouer these their townes and Citties then had the other Tribes ouer their Citties and fields which fel vnto them by lot The Gospell beeing receaued by publique authority the Lord hath no where forbidden the Ministers of the Gospell to possesse fields and farmes after the same manner neither hath hee inhibited that anie such realties should bee giuen them to possesse But is it possible there should bee any so base and bad minded towards religion that he could once wish the Ministers thereof to be of worse estate in a christian society then were of olde the Priestes and Leuites in the Common-wealth of Israell It is well knowen that Ministers hauing to conuerse in a ciuill societie had neede also of those helpes which are requisite in a ciuill society may reconcile them into fauor and maintaine them in authority with the common people as wisedome and wealth especiallie Seeing that whosoeuer hee bee that neglecteth either of these can by no meanes liue and liue well in a ciuill societie The wise man in his Ecclesiastes the seuenth chapter hath verie well noted the practise of this For wisedome is good saith he with an inheritaunce and the excellencie of them which see the Sunne because that man shall rest in the shadowe of wisedome and the shadow of siluer And indeed vppon these two pillers doth rest the chiefe strength and stay of a ciuill life There is one kind of life which is publique and in the common prospect of men and hath necessarilie to doe with men of all sortes and there is an other kinde of priuate and priuie life vnder an heathen Magistrate full of danger so that there hee is to deale as wel with Magistrates as with priuate men heere he may well deale with none at all I say in this case there is no comparison to be made of these two kinds betweene themselues that without distinction wee should make the like condition of the Ministers life in all places and subiect vnto the like conditions Chap. XV. Of those Lands which are held in fee and haue annexed with them anie ciuill authoritie and iurisdiction AND that which maketh all the doubt for those Landes which are helde in fee by the Church is this that manie times they haue annexed with them some Ciuill iurisdiction and Knights seruice The which thing is forbidden the Pastors of the Church by the lawes of the Church vnto whome also the power of the sword seemeth to bee forbidden by the Lord himselfe The ancient Canons which are accounted the Apostles allow not a Bishoppe to be busied in the seruice of warre or anie ciuill function The sixt Canon standeth thus A Bishop Priest or Deacon shall not take vppon him anie worldlie cares neither shall hee defile himselfe with such Cyprian also in an Epistle vnto the Priestes of Furnam writeth against one Victor for that he made one Geminus Faustinus ouer-seer of his last wil and forbiddeth them that there should bee anye oblation made amongst them for his death His wordes are these The Bishoppes our predecessours religiouslie considering and prouidentlie fore-casting of thinges enacted that no brother departing this life should appoint anie Clearke to be his guardian or supra-visor and if anie so did there should bee no offering for him neither should anie Sacrifice be celebrated for his departure Neither indeed doth he deserue to bee once named in the praier of the Priestes at the Altar of God who sought by all meanes possible to with-draw the Priests Ministers from the Altar of God These decrees of the reuerend Fathers are confirmed by that example of the Apostles who sequestred themselues from the ouer-sight of the poore which notwithstanding is a godlie and a religious action and resigned that charge vnto other godlie men least themselues should bee with-drawen from the ministerie of the woorde which thing chiefly was imposed vpon them by the Lord. Moreouer for so much as pertaineth vnto Knights seruice or anie other ciuill function the foure-score and second of the Canons which are called the Apostles decreeth thus The Byshoppe Priest or Deacon that giueth himselfe vnto war-fare and will occupie himselfe both in the Romaine regiment and also in the Ecclesiasticall gouernement let him be diuested Giue vnto Caesar those thinges which are Caesars and vnto God those thinges which are Gods The councell of Chalcidon in the seuenth Canon the fifteenth action hath laid a cursse also vppon those that dare presume to doe these things The wordes of the Canon are these VVee doe decree that those which are once ordained in the Cleargie as also all Monks shall neither come vnto anie militarie seruice or to anie secular promotion But they which dare do these things and do not with repentance returne to that of the which they made their first choyce for Gods cause they are accursed To these Canons wee maye adde the conditions of the fees themselues the which are such as by them all manner free-tenure is taken away from the Cleargie and companie of Moonks For a fee is defined by the Lawyers to bee a Militarie seruice but seeing the lawes of the Church doe forbid Church-men and Moonkes to exercise anie Militarie seruice they cannot by any right either receiue or retaine the benefite of the seruice Chap. XVI That Bishops and other Pastors of the Church are not forbidden to be Lords of fees sometimes to vndertake secular and ciuill charges TO the former obiections I first aunswere according to that I haue already proued as well by the lawes of the first christians as by the testimony of the ancient fathers that the Church long before Constantine his time had both fields and farmes the commons and commodities pertaining to the same But is there now any other reason why Ecclesiasticall persons may not also hold the same in fee if they be giuen in fee as well as did of old these Priests and Leuits those Townes and Cittyes which they receiued of theyr brethren As for those Canons before cited I aunswere and affirme that we allow nor Elder nor Bishop to be detained or withdrawen with secular cares from theyr spiritual function any further then may be beneficial to the Church and common wealth or may satisfie the necessity of our christian neighbour That the charge of domestique secular affaires is here forbidden by any Canō that a man should neglect his own family vnto whom he is bound by the right of alyaunce or affinity nor godly charity nor christian faith will suffer vs so to thinke But that the charge of a Lordship or Mayrolty or such like that a Bishop should be Consul in the field Maior of a Towne Clarke of the market Chamberlaine to the King or Factor for the state and such like we hold them to bee forbidden by that sixt Canon and we vtterly renounce the same To the fourescore and second Canon I aunswer and affirme that seruice of war is forbidden by
day do gouern the Church of England And yet neither the zeale of my duty nor the conscience of their demerits will suffer me to passe ouer in thankles silence the sacred memory of that most reuerend Father Iohn L. Archbishop of Canterbury with that godly Diocessan VVilliam L. Bishop of Couentry mine own Ordinary As for the rest they are all known to me alike I knew some-times neither shall they euer bee vnknowen that most reuerend L. and Father Edward Grindall the memorye of which man is renowned in all the Churches of Christ and two other BB. no lesse famous for their learning and religion Iewell L. Bishop of Salisburie and Horne L. Bishop of VVinchester whose religious godlines rare knowledg I could wish that al the BB. euil-pleased emulists had among them euery man his part What other Bishoppes and Archbishops happy England hath bred within our memory their lerned works declame in our studies and their inflamed bloud doth yet speake in the booke of Martyrs That they were men both of sincere life and singular learning what man if a man that will deny it I testifie therefore that I do not defend Bishops if there be any euill but the calling of Bishops which in my conscience I iudge before God who shall iudge my conscience to bee godly christian ancient Apostolike profitable and necessary As for the crimes and abuses with the which the euil spirits charge our Bishoppes they touch their person not their function The tyranny of Rome being surprised the authority of Princes restored to their right places wherin so-euer any Bishop offendeth if indeed hee offendeth it may easily be corrected and it chiefly concerneth the chiefe Magistrate to see that godly men well noted for their virtues such as the word of God doth commend be set ouer the churches If the Princes neglect this let the peple know that scisme is a remedy worse then the malady for what sedicion is in the Common-welth the same is scisme in the Church of Christ And albeit these things doe litle concerne those churches which are committed to your charge reuerend Brethren where there are no Bishops or rather where they are all Bishops notwithstanding I haue more largely dilated of these things that the whole matter may be made manifest vnto al you and that you all may vnderstand that the honor which is giuen vnto Bishops is both an aid and an aduauncement to the Church or christian Common-wealth and that you may take aime by this how farre wide they are which inuey them this honor desire to make them or to make no more of them then of ordinary men That which I am perswaded Satan with a certain wile hath procured that so he may bring downe all the Pastors into contempt togeather that so the whole authority of religion being little or naught woorth himselfe might freely cast forth al manner contumelies and blasphemies against Christ For who are they which durst oppose or could preuaile against the enterprises of his more mightie complices I know what I speake neither can you beloued bee ignorant thereof But I haue said enough of this matter for this time and wil one day if God wil speak more plainely of that which remaineth CHAP. XXX Whether it be better for Ministers to liue of the stipends of the Magistrate or of the oblations of the faithfull AL they which thinke that the Ministers of the Gospell may liue of the Gospell are not of one iudgement For there bee some which hold that Ministers ought to liue of the tythes and oblations onely of Christians renouncing all temporall goods and surrendering them to the Prince and people Other are of opinion that they ought so to liue for so long onely as the Magistrate is an enemy to christianitie who so soone as he hath receaued the Gospel ought to prouide that Ministers may be allotted their sufficient stipends the which thing when hee hath once performed from thence foorth there ought to be no more oblations For my part I am of a contrary opinion for that I am taught by the word of God that oblations ought to continue in the Church and that because they are the exercises and testimonies of our religion towards God and his seruantes by the which wee not onely pay our vowes to the Almighty but therewith also the Pastors to the people and the people to the Pastors are mutually deuoted the one to the other For I know not how a man doth not onely binde with his bounty but is bound himselfe also after a secret manner And as the benefactor maketh him his owne of whome hee doth deserue so likewise himselfe becommeth his and they both if so be there be a free and an ingenious disposition in both reioyce in the same benefit as wel he which giueth as he which receiueth Now therefore me thinks theyr reasons are too too politicke and prophane by the which oblations are abrogat in som Churches For albeit religion ought not to be measured by allowance yet is it not to be without a reward As for that they so hotly alledge of the many and manifold abuses thereof it is to no purpose vnles we should say that the ceremonies also which were commaunded were to be abrogated euen then while they were commanded and all other sacred rites which God hath ordained were together to be abolished because Hypocrites haue and doe wickedly abuse the same For what is there so sacred which the impiety of men will not prophane Wherefore we are rather to inquire what God hath commaunded not what this or that man thinketh most commodious If any man obiect that oblations are antiquated as are also tithes and all other sacrifices and ceremonies of the old lawe I would haue him to know if he be yet to learne that they are not exacted at this day in that manner neyther were so exacted of our Fathers as it may appeare by those theyr testimonies which I haue before noted but that they are onely required as testimonies of a thankfull mind towards God and a propensiue deuotion towards his Church But this kinde of duety hath no temporall prescription it is perpetual and bindeth the faithfull to the worlds end It is also obiected that where the Pastors are abundantly prouided for by the ample reuenews of the Church or other set certaine stipends there oblations ought to cease I aunswere that the oblations may be the lesse or not so often as otherwise they ought to be where the Church hath no fermes or receyueth no annuall increase of theyr fieldes but not that there ought to be none The end of oblations is not only the necessary reliefe of the Ministers but our dutifull deuotion towards God And hence is it that the wise man sayth in the third of his Prouerbes Honor the Lord with thy riches and with the first fruits of thine increase c. He doth not say Honor the Priest who notwithstanding was to bee honored and