elect Angels that thou obserue these things without preiudice or parcialitie And in the very close of his epistle I charge thee before God and Iesus Christ that thou keepe these precepts without spot or reproofe In like maner to Titus an other of his helpers and coadiutors in the Gospell For this cause I left thee in Crete to supplie those things y t want orrectifie those things which remaine to ordain Elders in euery city as I appointed thee There are many vaine talkers deceiuers of minds whose mouthes must be stopped that subuert whole houses for filthy lucres sake Rebuke y â— Cretians sharply that they may be sound in faith not take heed to Iewish fables coÌ„mandements of meÌ„ These things speake exhort reprooue with all authoritie Let no man despise thee Reiect him that is an hereâ—ike after the first second admonition By these the like precepts she wing himselfe euery where to speake as Christes embassadour and in matters of faith good behauiour and needfuâ—l discipline to be the Apostle and Teacher of the Gentiles for in all these things not onely the people that were beleeuers but euen the godly Pastours Prophets and Euangelists perceiuing his sinceritie and reuerencing his authoritie obeied the Apostles voyce as hauing the spirite of Christ giuen him for the perfect directing and guiding of the Church amongst the Gentiles Much more might be sayd to this effect but by this it is euident that the Apostles function and calling was superiour to all other degrees and offices of the Church of Christ were they Deacons Doctors and Pastours Prophets or Euangelists or of the 70. Disciples and this their superioritie was giuen them by Christ himselfe whiles he liued on earth and confirmed vnto them by the mightie gifts and power of his holy spirite after his ascending into the heauens and acknowledâ—ed and honoured by all the faithfull so long as the Apostles liued none spurning at it or contradicting it but such as drew disciples after them to raigne ouer their brethren or seduced the simple to serue their owne bellies S. Iohn noteth Diotrephes for not acknowledging his Apostleship in this wise I wrote to the Church but Diotrephes that loueth to be chiefest among them receiueth vs not wherefore when I come I will declare his workes which hee doeth prating against vs with lewd wordes Farre otherwise were the godly Pastours and Teachers minded in the Church of Christ yeelding with all submission vnto the Apostles as vnto the expresse messengers of Gods will and disposers of his mysteries and putting a great difference betwixt the Apostolike function and theirs as Ignatius confesseth in his epistle to the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I prescribe or enioyne nothing vnto you as Peter and Paul did they were the Apostles of Iesus Christ but I the least And agayne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I commaund not as an Apostle but keepe my selfe within my measure Whereof we neede no further nor surer proofe then this that the whole Church then and euer since did and doeth hold all the precepts rules orders and admonitions of the Apostles contained in their epistles for authenticall oracles of the holy Ghost and partes of the Canonicall Scripture and they no doubt had the same authoritie speaking which they had writing and consequently no Pastour or Teacher might then more resist or refuse the Apostles doctrine decrees or doings then we may now their letters sermons or epistles This Prerogatiue to be best acquainted with the will and meaning of our Sauiour and to haue their mouthes and pennes directed and guided by the holy Ghost into all trueth as well of doctrine as discipline was so proper to the Apostles that no Euangelist nor Prophet in the new Testament came neere it and therefore the stories written by Marke and Luke were not admitted to be Canonical in respect of the writers but for that they were taken from the Apostles mouthes and by the Apostles perused and confirmed as true and sincere So saieth Luke of his owne Gospell As they deliuered vnto vs which from the beginning were eie witnesses and ministers of the word as soone as I searched out perfectly from the first all things it seemed good to me in order to write them And those his writings S. Paul saieth were ratified and receiued in all Churches I haue sent the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the Churches which could not haue so generally bene accepted with good liking but that the Apostles who then gouerned and directed the Churches had first viewed approued the same els neither would the faithfull haue so esteemed it nor S. Paul so commended it The Gospel of Marke had the like approbation froÌ„ Peter as Ierome others doe testifie Marke the disciple interpreter of Peter according as he had heard Peter make relatioÌ„ wrote a short gospel being therto desired by the brethren at Rome The which Gospell when Peter heard he allowed it by his authoritie published it to be read of y e church as Clemens in his first booke Hypotypωseωγ writeth Can any man doubt reading the words of S. Paul which I haue cited but the Apostles had in the Church of Christ right to require and command power to rebuke and reuenge authoritie to dispose and ordaine in all such cases as touched the soundnesse of faith syncerenesse of life or seemlinesse of order amongst the faithfull and that in so doing they did not vsurpe vpoÌ„ their brethren nor tyrannize ouer them but were guided by Gods spirit and obeied as Christes messengers and Legates in euery place where the trueth was admitted Neither did Paul resolue conclude in such cases by number of voyces or assent of the Presbyterie but as himselfe speaketh so I teach in all Churches if an Angel from heauen teach otherwise hold him accursed some are puffed vp as if I would not come to you but I will come to you shortly by Gods leaue and know not the wordes but the power of those that swell thus if any man obey not our sayings note him by a letter and keepe no companie with him Under the Apostles were a number of their disciples whom the Apostles caried with them as companions of their iourneis and helpers of their labours and whom when they had perfectly trained and throughly tried they left any where behind them at their departure or sent any whither in their absence to finish things imperfect to redresse things amisse to withstand or preuent false prophets and seducers to suruey the state of the Churches and to keep theÌ„ in that course which was first desiuered by the Apostles These men for their better instruction serued with the Apostles as children with their fathers So Paul saieth of Timothie Yee know the proofe of him that as a sonne with his father he hath serued with me in the Gospel Touching
these the Churches had commandement if they came to receiue theÌ„ that is to beleeue them trust them as men sincerely minded sent from the Apostles yea to admit them with all gladnesse and highly to esteeme of them From their mouthes as perfectly vnderstanding the Apostles doctrine doings and meaning by reason of their continuall societie with them were other Pastours of the Church to be directed and instructed Persist thou saieth Paul to Timothie in those things which thou hast learned and are committed to thee knowing of whom thou hast learned them And what things thou hast heard of me in the presence of many witnesses the same deliuer to faithfull men that they may be able to teach others And againe I haue sent vnto you Timotheus which is my beloued sonne and faithfull in the Lord who shall put you in remembrance of my wayes as I teach euery where in euery Church These were charged by Paul to require and command the Pastours and Preachers to refraine from false doctrine and to stop their mouthes or reiect them that did otherwise to ordaine Elders according to the necessitie of the places and receiue accusations against them and sharplie openly to rebuke them if they sinned and that with all authoritie These things the Apostle earnestly requireth and before Christ and his elect Angels chargeth Timothie and Tite to doe It is then euident they might so doe for how vaine and friuolous were all those protestations made by S. Paul if Timothie and Tite had onely voyces amongst the rest and nothing to doe but as the rest How farre was the Apostle ouerseene to adiure them and not the whole Presbyterie to keepe his prescriptions inuiolable if the Elders might euery houre countermaund them and ouer-rule them by number of voyces Since then they were willed and consequently warranted by the Apostles to ordaine examine rebuke and reiect Pastors Elders as iust occasion serued equal ouer equal hath no power nor preheminence It is certaine that as wel the Apostles authorizing as their disciples authorized so to do were superiors in the Church of Christ to Pastours and Elders and likewise that they might and did perfourme and execute the Apostles rules and prescriptions without expecting the consent of Pastours or Presbyteries and the Churches of Christ knew they were bound to obey and bee subiect to them in those cases guided by the Apostles mouthes or letters as well as if the Apostles had bene present and that to resist them was to resist the order which the holy Ghost had approoued in gouerning the Church CHAP. VI. What dominion and titles Christ interdicted his Apostles THe power and prerogatiue of the Apostles aboue Euangelists Prophets Pastours Doctors and all others in the Church would the sooner bee granted were it not that certaine places in holie Scripture seeme repugnant to it as where Christ forbade his Apostles all dominion ouer their brethren and the Apostles in electing to offices assembling in councell to determine of faith imposing of handes and putting the wicked out of the Church seemed not to chalenge all to themselues but to associate others with them as if the right thereof appertained so well to the Church Presbyterie as to the Apostles which particular actions cause many men to thinke that alone the Apostles could not execute these things but iointly with others It shall therefore not be amisse to consider the places In the contention amongst the disciples for superioritie wee must obserue the occasion of their strife and the affection of the striuers The occasioÌ„ was ministred by Iames and Iohn the sonnes of Zebedee who by their mother importuned Christ that in his kingdome her sonnes might be the chiefest men about him and sit the one at his right hand the other at his left These two dreamed as the rest of the Jewes and also the other Apostles did whiles they were weake vntill they were endued with the power of the holy Ghost from heauen that the Messias should restore the temporall kingdom to Israel and sit as an earthly prince in great glorie on the throne of Dauid his father and rule all nations with a rod of iron receiuing of them subtection seruice and tribute as other Princes vsed and whatsoeuer the Prophets foretold of the wonderful plentie tranquilitie excellencie of the kingdome of Christ these two not sauouring as yet the things that were Gods nor vnderstanding any thing of the spiritual kingdom of Christ applied to fit their earthly desires hoped for great promotions by seruing their master and looked to beare rule to be chiefe men about him when he came to his glory The other ten being deceiued with the same error caried with the like hope though not expressed in so ambitious maner disdained the two brethren the neerer their master drew towards his death y â— sharper grew the strife amongst them who should be greatest chiefest about him when he came to his kingdom which they supposed should be earthly This vaine expectation and contention of his disciples the Lord vtterly suppresseth at his last supper for there the strife reuiued by assuring them that his kingdom was no worldly kingdom and therefore they might not looke to be great Commanders and Rulers ouer others for so his words import Princes of the Gentils beare rule ouer them and great States exercise authoritie on them with you it shall not be so that is you shall not haue any such rule or dominion as they haue He doeth not say you shall haue no prerogatiue nor preheminence aboue others but you shall haue no such or it shall not be so with you as it is with them By this all ciuill iurisdiction power of the sword to command compell punish by losse of life liâ—â—â—e or libertie is secluded from the ministers function and reserued to the Magistrates but Christ neuer meant by those words to barre all degrees and diuersities of gifts and administrations in his Church he rather expresseth the coutrarie euen in the same place Ye are they saieth he to his Apostles which haue continued with me in my tentations and I for recompense appoint you a kingdom as my father hath appointed to me that you may eate drinke at my table in my kingdom and sit vpon thrones iudging the twelue tribes of Israel And not depriuing them of that honour which he had or would bestow on them to be chiefe in his kingdome but instructing them how to vse it without offending God or grieuing their brethren he addeth He that is greatest amongst you let him be as the least and he that is chiefest as he that serueth In which wordes the Lord noteth amanifest distinction amongst his of some greater some lesse some chiefer some lower and chargeth his Apostles to vse that greatnesse and authoritie which they had in
night he saide See my Lordes I pray you turne into your seruants house Rebecca when Abrahams seruant not knowen to her prayed he might drinke a little water of her pitcher answered Drinke my Lorde The places of Iohn as also that of Peter you suppose may be better translated Sir which is more familiar with vs then Lorde The word in Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the selfe same that the Scriptures euery where giue to God himselfe when they call him Lorde and Sarahs wordes alleaged by Peter cannot be translated Sir For thus they stand in Moses After I am olde and my Lorde also shal I lust where to say and my Sir also were some what strange to Englisheares Besides the Hebrew word is Adoni the verie same that seruants and subiects in the Scriptures alwayes giue to their Lords and Princes Lastly the selfe same Translatours retaine the name of Lord in Moses howsoeuer afterward they changed it in Peter And touching the signification of Sir by which they interprete the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though the honor thereof be some what decayed by reason it is now growen common yet anciently it was and originally it is as much as Lorde Sir is the onely stile wee haue at this present to distinguish a knight from lower degrees yea the French to this day call their king Sir and in former ages it was no disgrace with vs to say Sir King and no maruell For if it come from the French Syre which is all one in sound with Cyre C. being changed into S then it is a contractioÌ„ of the Greeke word for Lord as Cyre for Cyrie If we fetch it froÌ„ Seigneur by shortning it into Sieur as in Monsieur for Monseigneur My Lord yet so is it equiualent with the French word for Lord. If with the Germans and Italians we deriue it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as first Her then Sere Heros is he that for his valour and vertue commeth neerest to diuine perfection and honour But with titles and termes the Church of Christ should not be troubled onely this I say that if Syr be not as much as Lorde in all tongues saue ours the name of Lord is as common as Sin with vs and giuen to farre meaner men then Bishops both of the Cleargie and Laiâ—e and for the Hebrew tongue the Scriptures themselues do witnes no lesse The Prophets of God did both giue and receiue this title of honour without blemish to their calling Are not thou my Lorde Elias saide Obediah the Gouernour of Achabs house when hee fell on his face before the Prophet and said further I thy seruant feare the Lord from my youth hath not my Lord heard how I hid an hundred prophets in a caue when Iesabel woulde haue staine them and fedde them with bread and water The children of the Prophets both at Bethel and Iericho saide to Eliseus when Elias shoulde be taken from him Knowest thou not that God wil take thy Lord from thine head this day And wheÌ„ Elias was taken vp by a whirle winde the children of the prophets met him and fell to the ground before him and said Behold there are with thy seruants fiftie strong men Let them we pray thee goe and seeke thy Lord. The inhabitants of Iericho misliking the barennes of the soile saide likewise to Eliseus The situation of the Citie is good as thou my Lord feest but the water is naught and the ground barren O my Lorde delude not thine handmaid saide the godly Shunnamite when Eliseus first told her she should haue a sonne And when the child was dead she fell at his feete and saide Did I desire a sonne of my Lord The children of the Prophets intending to make them a larger place to dwell in saide to Eliseus Vouchsafe to goe with thy seruants And as one of them was felling a tree by the riuers side the head of his are fell into Iorden and he cryed to Eliseus Alas my Lord it was borrowed Hazael the great Commander of Syria vnder Benhadad when Eliseus wept foreseeing the euill that he should do to the children of Israel said Why weepeth my Lord And when Elizeus lay sicke on his death bed Ioash the king of Israel saide vnto him O my father my father the chariot of Israel and horsemen or safegard of the same Why then doth our Sauiour debarre his Apostles from all such titles by saying You shal not be so He doth not forbid his Apostles to admit that honour which God hath commanded and allowed to their calling the Scriptures should so be contrarie to themselues Feare God saith the Wiseman and honor his Priests They that gouerne well are worthy of double honour sayth Paul and againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue such in great estimation or honor Yea the Lord himselfe sayeth A Prophet is not without honour but in his owne Countrie If honour by Gods law must be yeelded vnto Prophets and Pastours honor by Gods law may be receiued by them but to admit titles of honour about and against their calling or to expect and affect that honour which is due vnto them this is it that Christ forbiddeth How can you beleeue saith he to the Pharisees when ye receiue honour one of another he meaneth greedely or gladly and seeke not the honour which is of God alone Beware of the Scribes saieth he to his disciples which desire to goe in long robes and loue salutations in the markets and the chiefest seates in the Synagogues and the highest roomes at feastes The desire and loue of these things is ambition and vanitie as Christ noteth in the Pharisees the accepting them when they are by others forced on vs or in respect of our place appertaine vnto vs so as wee neither seeke after them long for them or swell with them is not against the rule of christian modestie and humilitie Though Pastours by Gods Law must be honoured with reuerence and maintenance yet titles and appellations of honour you thinke are not incident to their calling Whom we must honour in heart and deede why not in wordes Can the lippes neglect whom the heart regardeth Is not the mouth made to expresse as well the reuerence as abundance of the heart Would God the contempt of the trueth did not so fast followe the contempt of the persons as we find by too much experience of our times The Clergie should you say be honored for their vertues and what for their profession and function Is learning wisedome and religion become so seruile in a Christian common-wealth that they deserue not the name of honour Paul commended the Galathians for receiuing him with such submission and reuerence as if he had beene an Angel of God The Lord himselfe in the Reuelation speaking of the Bishops of the seuen Churches in Asia calleth them the Starres and Angels of the seuen
were troubled Men saith he desiring to finish their secular causes by our iudgement call vs holy and the seruants of God about golde and siluer landes and chattels quotidie submisso capite salutamur wee are euery day saluted with lowe bowing the head to determine the strifes of men I alleage not these things to haue them reuiued too much honor inflameth ambition as too little engendreth contempt I onely obserue in the best ages how careful good Princes were in their owne persons to honour the Bishops of Christes Church and by their Lawes to make them acceptable to the people where as in our dayes some wayward spirites thinke it a great point of pietie by despising and reproching their state and calling as vnchristian and vngodly to make them contemptible odious to the meanest of the multitude A better way to reforme the faults of Bishops is that admonition which Ambrose gaue them when he said Ne sit honor sublimis vita deformis Ne sit Deifica professio illicita actio Ne sit gradus excelsus deformis excessus Nam quanto prae caeteris gradus Episcopalis altior est tanto si per negligentiam dilabatur ruina grauior est Magna sublimitas magnam debet habere cautelam honor grandis grandiori debet solicitudine circumuallari Let not the honour of Bishops be loftie and their life loathsome their profession diuine and their action vnlawfull their state high and their excesse shamefull For the higher a Bishoppes degree is aboue the rest the greeuouser is his fall if hee slide by negligence Great dignitie ought to haue great warinesse Much honor should be kept with much carefulnesse To whome more is committed of him more shal be required Hee impeacheth not the honour of their calling but assureth them their iudgement shall be encreased and punishment aggrauated if their care and diligence doe not answere that honor and reuerence which they haue in the Church of God aboue their brethren Then as they that affect this dignitie because they woulde be honoured before men are condemned before God so this is the cause of all euill saieth Chrysostome that the authoritie of ecclesiasticall Rulers is decayed and no reuerence no honour no feare is yeelded to them Hee that is religiously affected to the Priest will with greater pietie reuerence God and hee that despiseth the Priest commeth by degrees to this at last that hee waxeth contumelious against God him selfe The summe of all is first that our Sauiour interdicted his Apostles and consequently the Pastours of his Church by vertue of their Ministerie to claime any ciuill dominion to commaund and compell which is the power that Princes and Lordes vse ouer their subiects and seruants Next they must neither desire nor delight any titles of honor and praise from men but expect the comming of the Arch-pastour when euery one shall haue praise from God Thirdly howe great soeuer they be they must serue the lowest of their brethren to doe them good and watch ouer them for the sauing of their soules yet this nothing hindereth the rule and gouernement that pastours haue ouer their flocks by the word of God neither doth it barre them or depriue them of that honour and obedience which in heart word and deed is due to the Fathers of our faith the Embassadours of Christ and Stewards of Gods houshold CHAP. VII Who ioyned with the Apostles in election of Presbyters and imposition of hands IN choosing of Elders and Deacons and laying hands on them many thinke the whole Church or at least the Presbyterie ioyned with the Apostles and to that ende sundrie Precedents are alleadged as namely the choice of Matthias of the seauen Deacons of the Elders of Lystra Iconium and other Churches in the 14. of the Actes and of Timothie all which seeme to prooue the Apostles did nothing of theÌ„selues but with the consent concurrence of others To come by thetrueth what the Scriptures resolue in these two points the best way will be to examine the places in order as they lie In the choice of Matthias it is not expressed that the Church intermedled Peter acquainted all the Disciples that one must supplie y â— roume of Iudas but who named those two that were appointed whether the Apostles or all the Disciples it is not decided in the Text the force and coherence of the words conuince neither For thus they stand And they appointed two and they prayed saying and they cast lottes If prayers and lottes were perfourmed by the Apostles as by the principall directors of that action and thereto ledde by the instinct of Gods spirite consequently it was their deede to present them both to God that hee might them which of theÌ„ he had chosen Besides an Apostle might not be chosen by men much lesse by the people and therefore no question the spirit of God made this election and the Disciples afterward acknowledged it for Gods doing and accounted Matthias with the eleuen But Chrysostome saith Non ipse â—os statuit sed omnes Pèter himselfe did not appoint those two but all did it Yea hee saith further Considera quà m Petrus agit omnia ex communi Discipulorum sententia nihil authoritate sua nihil cum imperio Marke how Peter doth al things by the common consent of the Disciples nothing by his owne authoritie nothing by commandement He saith so in deed but the Text saith not so only the verbe is the plural number which may be referred to the Apostles aswel as to the rest of the Disciples yet the reason why Peter did it not was not for that it was not lawfull for him without the multitude to doe it but as Chrysostome noteth lest he should seeme to gratifie the one and not the other as also that as yet he had not receiued the holie Ghost An non licebat ipsi eligere Licebat quidem maximè verum id non facit ne cui videretur gratificari Quanquam alioqui nondum erat particeps spiritus Might not Peter haue chosen him He might most lawfully but he did it not lest he should seeme to gratifie either part Aibeit as yet hee was not partaker of the holie Ghost And for that cause as Chrysostome thinketh they cast lottes Quontam non-erat spiritus sortibus rem peragunt Because the holy ghost was not yet powred on them therefore they determine the matter by lottes The choice of the seauen Deacons was referred to the multitude the approbation of them reserued to the twelue and that not without cause For by this choice the Deacons as they say receiued not charge of the word and sacraments but a care to see the Saints prouided for and the collections and contributions of the faithfull sincerely and vprightly employed according to the necessities of the persons Now that the people shoulde very well like and fully trust such as shoulde bee Stewards of their goodes and dispensers of their
to doe must needes bee theirs you must free them from both or leaue both vnto them If it shall be required at their hands they may not be forced by others if none can excuse them none may compell them We may plainely perceiue as well by their calling which they haue from God as by the account they shall yeeld vnto God that the deliuering or with-holding the Sacraments is in the Pastours power and charge and not in theirs which haue neither vocation nor commission to meddle with the word or Sacraments No small punishment saieth Chrysostome to those that ministred the Communion hangeth ouer you if knowing any man to be wicked you suffer him to be partaker of this Table His blood shall be required at your hands If he be a Captaine a Consul or a crowned king that commeth vnworthily forbid him and keepe him off thy power is greater then his If any such get to the Table reiect him without feare If thou darest not remooue him tell it me I will not suffer it I wil yeeld my life rather then the Lords body to any vnwoorthy person and suffer my bloud to be shed before I will graunt that sacred blood to any but to him that is woorthie Againe it cannot be doubted but the moderation of the keies and imposition of hands were at first setled in the Apostles and exercised by them as I haue already made proofe by the Scriptures and neither the people nor laie-Elders succeed the Apostles but onely the Pastours and ministers of the worde and Sacraments They can haue no part of the Apostolike commission that haue no shew of Apostolike succession They must looke not onely what they chalenge but also from whom they deriue it if from the Apostles then are they their successours if from Christ as Colleagues ioyned with the Apostles wee must finde that consociation in the Gospell before wee cleare them from intrusion No man should take this honour vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as the Apostles were If they be called by Christ read their assignation from Christ if they bee not surcease that presumption But in deede how should they bee called to denie the Sacramentes that are not licenced to deuide the Sacramentes or what right haue they to staie the seale that haue no power to affixe the seale The worde of God is sealed by his Sacramentes and whom he hath sent to denounce the one those hath hee chosen to annexe the other If in preaching the word laie-men were no publique parteners with the Apostles in directing the Sacraments which are the seales of the Gospell they could not bee linked with the Apostles They must be trusted with both or with neither And so are Pastours receiuing by succession the power and charge both of the word and Sacramentes from and in the first Apostles and messengers of Christ. The Elders that are among you I exhort saieth Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Co-elder with you feede yee the flocke of God committed to you Pastours then which feede the flocke haue coparcinerie with the Apostles Laie-men haue not and consequently the power and right granted by Christ to his Apostles and their successours may not be chalenged or communicated to them that haue no fellowship with the Apostolike function God forbidde saieth Ierome that I should speake any euill of those who succeeding the Apostolike degree make the body of Christ with their sacred mouth by whome we become Christians who hauing the keies of the kingdome of heauen in sort iudge before the day of iudgement A monke hath one calling a Clergie man another Clergie men feede the flocke I am fed It is not lawfull for me to sit before a Priest he may if I sinne deliuer mee to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirite may be saued With imposing of hands it may be the people had nothing to doe but the electing of Pastours when they came once to bee chosen pertained chieflie wholie to them as the storie of the primitiue Church declareth and so the retaining and remitting of sinnes the multitude might not chalenge but with casting notorious and scandalous offenders out of their company the whole Church did intermeddle as appeareth by Pauls wordes written to the Church and not to the Pastours or Elders of Corinth I come not yet to the maner of electing Pastours vsed in the primitiue Church when prophesie failed and the miraculous gifts of the spirite ceased I reserue it as time and order lead me to the next age after the Apostles but with the Apostles as there was no cause the people should so is there no proofe they did concurre in choosing their Pastours for the people might not appoint on whom the holy Ghost should bestow his gifts that were to tie Gods graces to their pleasures but if they were to choose they must elect such as were meete and able which then were none vntill by the Apostles handes they had receiued the wonderfull and extraordinarie giftes of the spirite to prepare and fit them for the care and charge of the Churches where the holie Ghost would make them ouerseers Against this if any thing can be obiected out of the Scriptures I would gladly heare it as yet I finde there neither example of it nor reason for it The election of the seuen Deacons is the onely precedent that can bee found in the word and that conuinceth vtterly nothing for the choice of Pastours With money matters not onely at Ierusalem but in all places the Apostles refused to meddle auoiding thereby all occasion of sinister reports and suspicion that they did any way increase or regard their priuate gaine and for that cause Paul would not so much as carrie the beneuolence of the Gentiles to the poore saints at Ierusalem without some specially trusted and chosen by the Churches to see it faithfully done All seeke their owne and not that which is Christes had poisoned so many thinking gaine to be godlinesse that Paul to cleare himselfe of that suspicion and to shew that he sought them and not theirs did not vse the power he might in liuing on the Gospell where he preached the Gospell but his owne hands ministred to his necessities And for the same reason the Apostles at Ierusalem would not haue the goods and lands of the disciples passe through their hands but to be dispensed by some such as the people liked and named to that purpose Now for choosing of Pastours or rather making them fit to be Pastours which before were not fitte the people had litle to say and lesse to doe but the holy Ghost directed the Apostles by prophesie or otherwise on whom hee would bestow his giftes and they should lay their handes in which case I cannot so much as imagine how or why the people should ioyne with the spirite of God to powre his heauenly giftes on such as hee furnished for the
Churches either troubled with contentions or iustly fearing the like euents in time to come did commit eche place to one Pastour leauing the rest to consult and aduise with him for the health and peace of the people and by this example taught the whole Church what perpetuall rule to obserue after their deaths Ierome saieth as much as I can or doe desire I come nowe to the quicke let the Christian Reader marke this issue well in Gods name and what side bringeth soundest and surest proofes there let the verdict go Ierome prooueth by many Scriptures that a Presbyter and Bishop were names indifferent and often vsed to the same persons Paul calling for the Presbyters of Ephesus saide vnto them Take heede to your selues and to all the flocke in which the holie Ghost hath set you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ouerseers or Bishops to feede the Church of God Inscribing his Epistle to the Philippians he saieth To all the Saintes which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons And so to Tite I left thee in Creete to ordaine Presbyters in euery Citie if any be vnreprooueable for a Bishop must be vnreprooueable Peter like wise writing to the Iewes dispersed saieth The Presbyters which are amongst you I beseech which am also a Presbyter feede the flocke of God committed to you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ouerseeing it not constrainedly but willingly All the Presbyters that fed the flocke are in these places called Bishops I grant it fully the words are cleere What hence conclude you ergo the offices were then all one Nay ergo the names then were common Otherwise how thinke you by this argument Peter calleth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fellow Presbyter with the rest are therefore the Apostleship and the Presbytership both one office Of Iudas Peter saieth in the Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Bishoprike let an other take Will you grant that an Apostle doth not differ from a Bishop Admit you the one and I will receiue the other Names may be common though offices be distinct There were then at Ephesus and amongst the dispersed Iewes no Bishops but such as were Presbyters and they many not one Distinguish the times and the Scriptures will agree There was a time as Ierome telleth you when the Churches were gouerned by the common aduise of the Presbyters In this time spake Paul to the Presbyters of Ephesus in this time wrate Peter to the Presbyters amongst the Iewes After this the factions of the Teachers caused the Apostles to establish an other kinde of gouernement and to commit the chiefe care of eche Church which they had planted to some chosen person that should ouersee the flocke as Pastour of the place the rest being his helpers to disperse the word and aduisers to gouerne the Church If you prooue that you say somewhat to the matter If I prooue it not better then you doe your Laie Elders I am content to renounce the one as I doe the other Will you prooue it by the Scripture I will so prooue it as you shall not refuse it vnlesse you reiect both the Booke and Church of God What will you prooue That the Apostles in their life time did institute one Pastour to take the chiefe care of one Church and consequentlie the change which Ierome speaketh of from the common and equall regiment of Presbyters to the particular and preeminent moderation of the Churches in eche place by Bishoppes was not made after the Apostles were dead but whiles they liued and then of force by their decree for during their times none might interpose themselues to change and alter the fourme of the Church Discipline setled by them without their leaue and allowance If it were euer decreed by them it would bee founde in their writings and that it can not Besides had it beene their doing it might iustly be called Gods disposition and ordinance which Ierome saieth it may not Their doctrine in deede doeth plainelie appeare by their writings their successours doe not For howe should the Apostles declare by their pennes who succeeded them after their deaths Is not the whole Church of Christ a lawful and sufficient witnesse in that case If wee beleeue not the Churches that were directed and ordered by the Apostles preaching and presence nor their Schollers that liued with them and next succeeded in their rouines who that wise is wil beleeue our bare surmises seelie coniectures of things done 1500. yeeres before we were borne Yet if the Scriptures do not signifie so much we wil loose it But before I enter to proue it I wil search out the right cause why the Apostles did not not in euery place where they came presently erect Bishops to gouerne the Churches which they planted The reasons why the Apostles did not at the first preaching of the Gospell commit the Churches to the regiment of Bishops I finde were these three First they reserued the chiefe power of imposing hands and punishing notorious offendors to themselues whom Christ made bishops ouerseers of his Church For though to feede leade and attend the flocke they tooke the Presbyters to be their helpers yet the weightiest matters of the church as giuing the graces of Gods spirite and deliuering vnto Satan they retained in their owne handes so long as they were in those places or parts of the worlde The second is that which Epiphanius noted that although there were many endued with excellent gifts to preach the word yet the Apostles would trust none with the chiefe charge of the Churches till they had fully seene and perfectly tried as wel the soundnes of their mindes as greatnes of their gifts Thirdly lest they should seeme to seeke the aduancing of their followers more then the conuerting of vnbeleeuers they suffered the Churches to take a triall what equalitie of many Gouernours would doe and when the fruites thereof prooued to be dissention and confusion the Apostles were forced to commit the Churches at their departures to certaine tried approoued men to be chiefe Pastours of the seuerall places and the Churches were all as willing to receiue them finding by experience what continuall schismes and heresies grew by the peruersnesse of Teachers and could not be repressed by the confused gouernment of the Presbyters which were many in number and equall in power None of these things are expressed in the Scriptures If the fathers alone did witnesse them say we not much more for Bishops then you do for Lay Elders but you shall see the grounds of their reports testified euen in the Scriptures That the Apostles at the first planting of the Churches kept to themselues the power of imposing hands and deliuering vnto Satan which the Fathers call Episcopall power is no newes in the Scriptures they could not loose that vnlesse they lost their Apostleship withall you must shew by the Scriptures where they committed this power to the Presbyters of euery place or else our assertion
function of Bishops as a thing superfluous or dangerous to the Church of God but she weth how farre the thirst of honour and flame of discord had caried many euen to the disturbance of the whole world and shaking of the Christian profession in sunder His words are Will they depriue me of the chiefe seate which heretofore some wise men haue admired but nowe as I thinke it is the first point of wisedome to decline it Then folow those words which you alleage for which our whole estate is troubled and shaken for which the vttermost parts of the world are in an hart-burning dissentiō that cannot be appeased nor expressed for which we are in danger to be thought to be of men when we are of God and to loose that great and new name The occasions of this speach as may be seene in his life were the horrible tumult that Maximus raised in aspiring to the Bishoprike of Constantinople the inconstancie of Peter bishop of Alerandria who first by letters confirmed him in the place and yet after sent some to ordaine Maximus against him and the generall dislike the Bishops of Egypt and of the West partes had of him though they could not but commend the man because he was placed without their consent Seeing himselfe therefore vndermined and betraied by his familiar friends deserted and forsaken by the Bishop of Alerandria after the death of Miletius Bishop of Antioch murmured and repined against by so many for not expecting their presence and the Bishops readie to warre one with another about his election and ordination he wiselie and stoutlie came into the Councill and said Ye men that are my fellow Pastours of the sacred flocke of Christ it will be a shame and very vnseemlie for you teaching others to be at peace if you be at warre amongst your selues for how shall you perswade them to agree if you varie in your owne opinions I beseech you rather by the blessed Trinitie that you dispose of your matters wiselie and peaceably And if I bee a cause of strife vnto you I am not better then Ionas the Prophet cast me into the Sea and let this troublesome tempest cease from among you I am content to endure any thing for your concord though I be guiltles thrust me out of my throne driue me from the Citie onely embrace you trueth and peace Thus christianlie preferred hee the vnitie of Gods Church before his owne safetie and made more account of quietnes and secrecie then of honour and dignitie At the first rising of this tumult Nazianzene was absent from the Citie and vpon his returne when Maximus and the rest of that faction threatned him with many things he presently and pithilie made that oration to the people whence your wordes are taken Hence you may prooue there were many contentious and ambitious heads in Nazianzens time which in no time before or after did or will want but you can inferre nothing out of these words against the lawfull vse of Episcopall or Metropoliticall moderation and superuision prescribed and limited by the Canons of graue and godly Councils which Nazianzene neither did nor could mislike If you thinke I restraine his meaning examine his words The time was saieth he when a wise man might admire this presidencie but now it is the first point of wisedom in my iudgement to shunne it not because it was then more vnlawfull then before but by reason of the manifold troubles dislikes and dissentions that then oppressed the Church The endes of the earth saieth he are for this in suspicion and warre which hath no eares nor name that is whose cause and remedie are both vnknowen for this we which are of God are in danger saith he to be thought to bee of men and to loose that great and newe name Hee cleerelie confesseth they were of God that is their calling and function was ordained and approoued by God wherefore he willeth them to beware least by their quarelling and contending they occasioned others to suppose they were not of God but of men Doth this place thinke you confute or confirme the vocation of Bishops What more could be sayd for them then that they are of God and not men After this whatsoeuer he saith it toucheth not the vnlawfulnesse of the office but the vnrulinesse of the persons and the vices of men he might traduce without any preiudice to their calling He saieth the name of Bishops was new and wisheth there were no superioritie nor preheminence amongst them but that euery man might be knowen by his vertues The newnesse of the name doeth not so much disgrace the office as the greatnesse of the name doeth commend it Let it bee new so it be great and both of God In what sense Nazianzene calleth the name of Bishop new if he meane the name of Bishop as one of the greatest Patrones of your discipline precisely noteth is not so soone agreed on If he meane a new name as the prophet Esay doeth whē he saith thou shalt bee called by a newe name which the mouth of the Lord shal name or as S. Iohn doeth when he reporteth the wordes of Christ to the Angel of the Church of Pergamus I will giue him a white stone and in the stone a new name written if hee allude I say to either of these places as he may welldoe he could not giue the name of Bishop an higher praise then to call it great and new and that from God If by new you would haue him vnderstand a name lately deuised by men not authorized by God as it seemeth you would you make Nazianzene very forgetful and your selues were scant waking when you made that obseruation in his words nempe Episcopi as though the name of Bishop had bene new in Nazianzenes time for could that name bee new to Nazianzene which the holy Ghost hath so aunciently so often so honourablie mentioned in the Scriptures Read you not this alleaged by Peter out of Dauid Let another take his Bishoprike And againe the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops As also a Bishop must be blamelesse And likewise you are returned to the Shepeherd and Bishop of your soules How could that name be new which is so authentically recorded in the Apostolike writings Haply you will shrinke from that and say the name was newlie theirs because in the Scriptures it is generall to all Presbyters and here it is speciall to Bishops but that is neither true nor any part of Nazianzenes meaning for euen the seuering of chiefe Pastours from Presbyters by the name of bishops was no late nor new deuise in Nazianzenes time That very distinction of names had continued at Alexandria from the death of Marke the Euangelist as Ierome affirmeth In all histories and writers before Nazianzene liued there is no word so common and vsuall to signifie the President and Ruler of the Presbyterie as the name of Bishop and therefore
more particularly and effectually then Pastours doe or may by their doctrine Such labyrinths they leape into when they seeke for those things in y e sacred Scriptures which were neuer intended But were the word of God in this point indifferent which for ought I yet see is very resolute against them the generall consent of alantiquitie that neuer so expounded S. Pauls words nor euer mentioned any laie Presbyters to gouern the Church is to me a strong rampire against all these new deuises I like not to raise vp that discipline from the dead which hath lien so long buried in silence which no father euer witnessed no councill euer fauoured no Church euer followed since the Apostles times till this our age I can be forward in things that be good but not so foolish as to thinke the church of Christ neuer knew what belonged to the gouernment of her selfe till now of late that the sonne of God hath bin spoiled of halfe his kingdome by his owne seruants and Citizens for these 1500. yeeres without remorse or remembrance of any man that so great wrong was offered him I can yeelde to much for quietnes sake to this I can not yeelde They must shewe mee their Lay Presbyteries in some ancient Writer or else I must plainly auouch their Consistories as they presse them to be a notorious if not a pernicious nouelty Ierome Ambrose and others are brought to depose that the first Church had her Senate and Elders without whose aduise nothing was done but how wrongfully the deuise of Lay Elders is fathered on them I haue declared in a special discourse I wil not heere repeate it onely this I say if any of them affirme that in the Primitiue or Apostolike Church Lay Presbyters did gouerne Ecclesiasticall affaires I am content to recall all that I haue written of this present matter if not it is no great praise nor good policie for them to abuse the names and wordes of so many learned Fathers to the vtter discredite of themselues and their cause in the end Since then the Church of Christ in and after the Apostles times was not gouerned by Lay Presbyters as this newe discipline pretendeth it resteth that we declare by whom both the Apostolike church and the Primitiue after that were directed ruled which I haue not failed to performe in many chapters as farre foorth as the Scriptures doe warrant and the vndoubted Stories of Christs Church do leade In the Apostles I obserue foure things needefull for the first founding and erecting of the Church though not so for the preseruing and maintening thereof and foure other points that must be perpetuall in the Church of Christ. The foure extraordinary priuiledges of the Apostolike function were Their vocation immediate from Christ not from men nor by men Their commission extending ouer all the earth not limited to anie place Their direction infallible the holie Ghost guiding them whether they wrate or spake and Their operation wonderful as wel to conuert and confirme beleeuers as to chastice and reuenge disobeyers Without these things the Church could not beginne as is easily perceiued but it may well continue without them for now God calleth labourers into his haruest by others not by himselfe Pastors take charge of those Churches that are already planted they seeke not places where to plant new Churches The Scriptures once written serue all ages for instruction of faith and the myracles then wrought witnesse the power and trueth of the Gospell vnto the worldes ende Wherefore those thinges had their necessary force and vse to lay the first foundations of the gospel before Christ was knowen but the wisedome of God will not haue his Church still depend on those miraculous meanes which serue rather to conquere incredulitie then to edifie the faithfull signes being as the Apostle saith not for such as beleeue but for such as doe not beleeue The other foure points of the Apostolike delegation which must haue their permanence and perpetuitie in the Church of Christ are the Dispencing the word Administring the sacraments Imposing of hands and Guiding the keys to shut or open the kingdome of heauen The first two by reason they be the ordinary meanes and instruments by which the spirite of God worketh ech mans saluation must be general to al Pastors and Presbyters of Christs Church the other two by which meete men are called to the ministerie of the word and obstinate persons not only repelled from the societie of the saints but also from the promise and hope of eternall life respect rather the cleansing and gouerning of Christes Church and therefore no cause they should be committed to the power of euery Presbyter as the word and sacraments are for as there can be no order but confusion in a common wealth where euery man ruleth so woulde there be no peace but a pestilent perturbation of all thinges in the Church of Christ if euery Preshyter might impose handes and vse the keyes at his pleasure How the Apostles imposed hands and deliuered vnto Satan and who ioyned with them in those actions I haue handled in places appointed for that purpose whereby we shal perceiue that though the Presbyters of eache Church had charge of the worde and Sacraments euen in the Apostles times yet might they not impose handes nor vse the keys without the Apostles or such as the Apostles departing or dying left to be their substitutes and successors in the Churches which they had planted At Samaria Philip preached and baptized and albeit he dispenced the word and sacraments yet could hee not impose handes on them but Peter and Iohn came from Ierusalem and laide their hands on them and so they receiued the holie Ghost The Churches of Lystra Iconium and Antioch were planted before yet were Paul and Barnabas at their returne forced to increase the number of Presbyters in each of those places by imposition of their handes for so the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth with al Greeke Diuines and Stories as I haue sufficiently proued and not to ordaine by election of the people as some men of late had new framed the Text. The churches of Ephesus and Creete were erected by Paul had their Presbyteries yet could they not create others but Timothie and Tite were left there to impose handes and ordaine Elders in euerie Citie as occasion required Herein who succeeded the Apostles whether all Presbyters equally or certaine chiefe and chosen men one in euerie Church and City trusted with the gouernment both of people and Presbyters I haue largely debated and made it plaine as well by the Scriptures as by other ancient Writers past all exception that from the Apostles to the first Nicene Councill and so along to this our age there haue alwayes bene selected some of greater gifts then the residue to succeede in the Apostles places to whom it belonged both to moderate the Presbyters of ech Church and to take the
seuenth yeere of their Empire and Irenaeus testifieth that he came to Rome vnder Anicetus the tenth Bishop there declared the trueth which he had receiued from the Apostles Did he through ambition retaine the place to which the Apostles called him longer then he shoulde and so altered the Apostolicall kinde of gouernement I had rather chalenge the Consistorians for mistaking Ambrose then Polycarpe for inuerting the Apostolike Discipline The Church of Smyrna called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostolicall and Propheticall Teacher of their times Irenaeus saith of him Hic docuit semper quae ab Apostolis didicerat quae ecclesiae tradidit sola sunt vera hee alwayes taught those things which he learned of the Apostles which he deliuered vnto the Church and they onely are true And if he were not a man of farre more authoritie and certainer fidelitie then any that contradict him yet haue we al the Churches of Christendome their successions of Bishops from the Apostles and all histories and monuments of antiquitie to concurre with him that Bishops liuing in the Apostles daies made by the Apostles hands continued their places til they died neither is there any man liuing that is able to shewe one example to the contrary Let the Christian Reader then say whether it be not a vaine and false surmise which some in our age so mightily maintaine that the Bishops which the Apostles ordained to rule the Presbyteries dured for some short space changed by course that superioritie going round in order to euerie Presbyter the election of Bishops to gouerne the Churches and Presbyters committed to their charge so long as they did it carefully was mans inuention and no Apostolike institution The domination of bishops wil be their last refuge otherwise in elections of Bishops to continue whiles they do their duties the best learned of them confesse there is nothing that can or should be reprehended onely they repine that a Bishop shoulde haue iurisdiction ouer his Copresbyters And heere they are plentiful with places of Scripture as if we went about to make Bishops Lords and Masters ouer the Church and all the rest to be their seruants They alleage the words of Christ Great men exercise authoritie you shall not doe so and of Peter Feede the flocke not as Lords or commanders ouer Gods inheritance but to what purpose I see not Meane they by these places to prooue that the Apostles had no superioritie nor authoritie in the Church of God or that Pastours haue no power ouer their flockes It were more then childish to impugne one trueth by another They themselues do agnise that the Apostles had superioritie and authoritie by Christs owne commission aboue and ouer all other degrees to erect and order the Churches where they preached and they yeelde Pastours authoritie ouer their flockes to commaund in the name of the Lord. Then neither these places nor any other in the Scriptures doe barre Pastoral power ouer the flocke nor distinction of degrees betwixt the Teachers Superior and inferior degrees if Christs wordes did exclude no man might admit them or defend them as lawfull If the Apostles to whom and of whom Christ there spake did not withstanding his speech retaine diuersities of degrees in the Church it is euident our Sauiour did not forbid Superiority but Imperie not Pastorall but Regall authoritie not Fatherly but Masterly preeminence and that in respect aswell of the people as of the Presbyters Peter calling the people Gods heritage and before and after naming them the Lords flocke And how should it possibly be otherwise for since the holy Ghost requireth the faithfull to obey their Leaders and to bee subiect to them no Scriptures do crosse the authoritie and inspection which the guiders of Christes Church shoulde haue ouer their flockes and God by his eternall Lawe comprising Pastours vnder the name of Fathers and assigning them the honour due vnto Parents we may not by colour of any wordes bereaue them of obedience and reuerence no more then of maintenance which are the parts and effects of Fatherly power and honour So long then as wee giue Bishops no charge but Pastorall no power but paternall wee are not in danger of violating either our Sauiours or his Apostles precept and consequently this kinde of superioritie may not bee called or supposed to be Dominion nor Imperie without wrong to the spirite of trueth that hath confirmed it as needefull and healthfull for the house of God euen from the first foundation of the worlde They will easily grant fatherly moderation and Pastorall power vnto Bishops ouer the people but not ouer the Presbyters on this they set vp their rest that no Pastour shoulde haue power ouer others of the same calling and hope assuredly to haue the victorie But they must first reconcile their owne contrarieties they will triumph else before the conquest for ech Presbyterie as themselues confesse must haue a President by Gods essentiall and perpetuall ordinance I aske now whether God giue any man a bare title without any trueth and a Regiment without all authoritie or whether in Gods Lawe deedes and wordes concurre and he be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a President that is appointed and authorized by God to execute that office The mouth of God intendeth not for mockeries as mans doth and therefore the name neuer goeth without the thing he is iust in his speach and wil not vtter the worde that shall delude the hearer If then by Gods Law there must be Presidents ouer Presbyteries ineuitably there must be Gouernours and Superiours ouer them If some must moderate the meetings of Presbyters and execute their decrees of force they must haue power and authoritie ouer Presbyters and so it is mainly consequent out of their owne positions which they most refuse Againe when Paul left Timothie at Ephesus to impose hands to receiue accusations against Presbyters and openly to rebuke such as sinned did hee not giue him power ouer Presbyters and euen the selfe same that is challenged at this day to belong to Bishops if it were lawful and needful at Ephesus for Timothy to haue that right and authority ouer the Presbyters that were ioynt-Pastors with him how commeth it now to be a tyrannical and Antichristian power in his successours Timothie they will say was an Euangelist and coulde haue no successours If none could succeede him in that power how come their Presbyteries to haue it will they be Euangelists what Lay Elders and all and shall the Presbyteries of the whole world succeede Timothie in his charge at Ephesus That were newes in deede if this authority to impose hands to receiue accusations and rebuke sinnes must remaine in the Church for euer as it is euident it must then was it no Euangelisticall authoritie but a generall and perpetuall function in the Church of Christ that might and did admit others to succeede
Timothie in the same place and power and the rest of the Apostolike Churches had the like order as appeareth by their successions of Bishops fet euen from the Apostles and their followers Of Timothies successours if any man doubt the Councill of Chalcedon will tell him the number of them A sancto Timotheo vsque nunc 27. Episcopi facti omnes in Epheso sunt ordinati from blessed Timothie vnto this present the 27. Bishops that haue bin made haue bin al ordained at Ephesus Other Apostolike Churches as Tertullian saith had the like order of Bishops so deriued by succession from the beginning that the first Bishop had for his Author and Antecessor one of the Apostles or some Apostolike man which had continued with the Apostles So the Bishops of Cyprus in the third generall Councill of Ephesus did witnesse for their Iland Troylus say they Sabinus Epiphanius and the most holie Bishops that were before them and all that haue beene euen from the Apostles were ordained by such as were of Cyprus If Timothies commissioÌ„ dip too deep for the Presbyters store howbeital the ancient fathers with one consent make that Epistle a very paterne for the Episcopall power and calling yet the authoritie which so many thousand learned and godly Bishops haue had and vsed with the liking and allowance of all Churches Councils and Fathers euen from the Apostles times should to no reasonable man seeme intollerable or vnlawfull except we thinke that the whole church of Christ from her first planting til this our age lacked not onely religion but also vnderstanding to distinguish betwixt Pastorall moderation tyrannical domination to which humor if any man encline I must rather detest his arrogancie then stand to refute so grosse an absurditie I wil therefore set downe in a word or two the summe of that power which Bishops haue had aboue Presbyters euer since the Apostles times if the Disciplinarians thinke it repugnant to the worde of God I woulde gladly heare not their opinions and assertions which I haue often read and neuer beleeued but some quicke and sure probations out of the sacred Scriptures and those shall quiet the strife betwixt vs. The Canons called Apostolike alleaged by themselues as ancient say thus The Presbyters and Deacons let them doe nothing without the knowledge or consent of the Bishop He is the man that is trusted with the Lords people and that shall render account for their soules Ignatius Bishop of Antioch almost thirtie yeres in the Apostles times agreeth fully with that Canon and saith Do you nothing neither Presbyter Deacon nor Lay man without the Bishop neither let any thing seeme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orderly or reasonable without his liking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is vnlawfull and displeasant to God Ang againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without the Bishop let no man do anything that pertaineth to the Church The ancient councils of Ancyra Laodicea Arle Toledo and others acknowledge the same rule to be Christian and lawfull yea no Councill or father did euer attribute any such power to the Presbyters as by number of voyces to ouer-rule the Bishops in euery thing as our late reformers haue deuised rather to retriue the world to their pleasures then to imitate any former example of Christes Church or to reuerence the rules that are deliuered in holy Writ If then wee seeke for right Apostolike Bishops they were such as were left or sent by the Apostles to bee Pastours of the Churches and Gouernours of the Presbyteries in euerie Citie that beleeued so long as they ruled well and in their steade as their successours to receiue charge of ordaining others for the worke of the Ministerie and guiding the keies with the aduise and consent of such as laboured with them in the worde and doctrine These partes if I be not deceiued are fully proued in their conuenient places thither I remit the Reader that is desirous to see more It sufficeth mee for this present that no parte of this power can bee iustly challenged as tyrannicall or intollerable by the groundes of Diuine or humane Lawes and therefore the obiecting of domination is a superfluous if not an enuious quarrel of theirs declaring they either do not or will not vnderstand the matter for which we chieflie contend Touching Synodall decrees and Princes Lawes for Ecclesiasticall causes since they must of force be committed to the care and conscience of some that shall execute them I haue examined who are the meetest men to be put in trust with those matters in whom there can be iustly no suspition nor occasion of tyrannicall dealing so long as Dioecesanes and Metropolitanes are limited by written Lawes in eche case what they shall do and euery man that findeth himselfe grieued permitted to appeale from them to Synodes or Princes one of the which must needes take place howsoeuer the Church be either in persecution or peace I haue like wise shewed the necessitie and antiquitie of Dioeceses of Synodes of Primates or Metropolitans as also whether the people by Gods Lawe must elect their Pastors afore they can be rightly and duly called Of these things and many such questions pertaining to the gouernement of Christes Church I haue made speciall and full discourses not omitting any point that was worth the searching In all which as throughout the whole booke when I obiect anything that is or may bee saide on their behalfe that maintaine these newe found Consistories I haue caused it to bee printed in another letter and distinguished from the rest of the Texâ— with this maâ—ke as it were to enclose it What I haue performed the Christian Reader shall best perceiue if he take the paines to peruse it All mens humors I do not hope I do not seeke to satisfie Such as are deceiued with ignorance of the truth may haply by this be some what occasioned if not directed to a further search singular conceits that are in loue with their owne deuises swelling spirites that endure no superiors couetous hearts that hunt after spoiles when all is saide will haue their dreames if they can not haue their wils these diseases are so desperate they passe my skil if it were a great deale more then it is My purpose was and is the peace of Gods Church so farre as it may stand with the trueth of his worde and fellowship of his Saints that haue gone before vs with wonderfull graces of his spirite as well for the greatnes of their learning as holinesse of their liues and to that ende haue I so tempered and delayed my stile that I might not iustly offend such as are otherwise minded vnlesse the refusing of their priuate fansies will prouoke the heate of their displeasures I haue alwayes had before mine eies the most of them are brethren for the trueths sake howsoeuer some of them fall to open enmitie for this humour of Iewish Synedrions and Lay
such sort that thereby they should serue euen the meanest of their brethren to doe them good and become all things to all men that they might winne some This he caught them that very time not in wordes onely but by deeds also for hauing washed their feete and wiped them drte he saieth vnto them Vnderstand you what I haue done to you you call me Master and Lord and you say well for I am so Then if I your Lord and Master haue washed your feete you ought to wash one an others feete I haue giuen you an example that as I haue done to you you should also doe the liked They should be so farre from striuing who should be greatest that euen the greatest and chiefest should striue to preuent the lowest and meanest with honour and seruice after the example of their Master These texts then conâ—â—â—â—e two speciall doctrines vnto vs. The 〈◊〉 that Apostles and Preachers may not chalenge by vertue of their office any compulsiue dominion or violent iurisdiction ouer their brethren but leaue that to Princes The next the greater our calling is in Christes Church the readier we should te to make our selues euen with those of the lowest degree to gaine them thereby but that Christ intended in those places to giue all sortes of Minister and helpers in his Church equall power and authoritie with his Apostles I am not perswaded and that for these causes What Christ had alreadie giuen or after meant to giue to his Apostles he would neuer crosse with any speach of his The sonne of God cannot repent his fact or alter his mind but the same kingdome that was appointed to him he appointed to them and as his father sent him so sent he them into all the world with a larger warrant from his mouth and greater power and wisedome of his holy spirit to teach all nations what he commanded them and to open all the counsell of God vnto them then was giuen to other teachers and helpers in the Church He therefore neuer recalled nor rebated any part of their Apostolike prehâ—â—nnence aboue others but onely taught them to vse it to Gods glory and the edifying of his Church Againe what Christ had prohibited no Apostle guided by his spirite would euer haue vsed or chalenged but Paul in his writings hath chalengeth and vseth an Apostolicall power and preheminence aboue other Pastours and Teachers in the Church as is alreadie declared It was therefore neuer intended by our Sauiour to make all others equall with his Apostles in the direction and regiment of his Church Lastly if those places did conclude any thing for an equalitie that must bee referred to the Apostles amongst themselues to whom Christ gaue equall power and honour as Cyprian noteth of them The Apostles were endued with like fellowship of honour and power And Ierome All the Apostles receiued the keies of the kingdome of heauen and the strength of the Church is equally grounded on them But Paul speaking of himselfe saieth not that wee haue dominion ouer your fayth but are helpers of your ioy and Peter admonisheth all Pastours to feede the flocke of God not as if they were lordes ouer Christes inheritance but as examples to the flocke Qui vocatur ad Episcopatum faieth Origene non ad Principatum vocatur sedad seruitutem totius Ecclesiae Hee that is called to bee a Bishop is called not to the soueraigntie but to the seruice of the whole Church Episcopi sacerdotes se esse nouerinst non Dominos saieth Ierome Let the Bishops vnderstand they are Priestes not Lordes or Masters And Bernard Forma Apostolica haec est Dominatio interdioitur indicitur ministratio The paterne for the Apostles themselues is this dominion is interdicted a ministration is enitâ—ned These and such like speaches in the Scriptures and fathers doe neither prooue all ministers to haue equall power and honour with the Apostles nor impugne the regiment which the Pastours haue ouer their flocks but as wee 〈◊〉 before by the wordes of our Sauiour they distinguish betweene pastorall and princely regiment and direct both Apostles and Pastours how they shall gouerne The thing so much prohibited by Christ and his Apostles whose wordes the auncient fathers doe follow is that Preachers and Pastours should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behaue or thinke themselues to be lords and masters ouer their brethren What word is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scriptures and wherein consisteth the relation betwixt them if we call to mind we shall not be deceiued in the right sense of these wordes Christ saieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The seruant is not aboue his lord or Master and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no seruant can serue two masters The power of lordes masters ouer their seruants is likewise expressed by our Sauiour The seruant that knoweth his masters will and doeth not according to his will shall bee beaten with many stripes And againe I say to my seruant doe this and he doeth it Yee seruants faieth Paul obey the masters of your flesh in all things for know yee not that his seruaunts you are whom you obey whereby as by infinite other places it is euident that opposite to lord and master are neither children nor brethren but seruants and he is a seruant that is vnder the yoke and bound to obey his masters will euen as he is a lord or master that may commaund his seruant to execute his will or thereto compell him with stripes for that is the right of a lord and master to commaund and punish his seruant that disobeieth What maruell then if Christ forbade his Apostles to bee lordes and masters ouer their brethren that is to commaund them and compell them aâ— their vassals since the beleeuers are no servaunts but brethren and the Pastours no lordes ouer Gods inheritance but fathers vnto the faithfull Whereby the honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Christes flocke is not diminished but augmented and the people not licenced the sooner to 〈◊〉 theâ— but thereby required the rather to regard them for 〈…〉 honour due to master or father and who loueth most a seruant or a sonne Amare filiorum timere seruorum est A sonne doeth loue a seruant doeth feare which God expresseth by his Prophet when he â—aith If I be a father where is mine honour If I be a Master where is my feare Wherefore to increase the loue of his sheepe towards their shepeheards Christ would not haue his Apostles to be feared as masters but to be honoured as fathers and consequently Pastours not to force but to feede not to chase but to lead the flocke committed to their charge neither toughly to intreat them as seruants but gently to perswade them as coheires of the same kingdome If at any time they require and commaund they doe it in Gods name as messengers sent to declare his will who
Churches In the Gospell he nameth his Apostles The Salt of the earth and Light of the worlde The Scripture which cannot be broken calleth them Gods to whome the word of God came How beautifull are the feete of them saith Paul which bring glad tidings of peace Our eies if it were possible are not too deare for them We owe them not onely honour but euen our selues And to speake vprightly if euery man on earth be measured by the degree of his master and dignitie of his seruice I see no cause why Christs Embassadours and the Stewards and Rulers of Gods houshold should be contemptible in the eyes of their fellow seruants that should obey them and be subiect to them as vnto their spiritual Leaders Teachers and Fathers Is this assertion strange or new in the Church of Christ Esto subiectus Pontifici tuo quasi Parentem animae suspice Be subiect saith Ierome to thy Bishop and reuerence him as the father of thy soule For good cause ought we saith Chrysostome not only to stand in more awe of Priests then of Kings and Princes but also to giue them more honour then our naturall Parents The king saith Austen beareth the Image of God euen as the Bishop doth of Christ. As long then as he holdeth that office he is to be honoured if not for himselfe yet for his order And Ambrose Honor sublimitas Episcopalis nullis poterit comparationibus adaequari The honour and height of a Bishops function can be matched by no comparison the sheep that are committed to Priests or Pastours are truely said to be vnder their Leaders the Gospel determining that the Scholler is not aboue his Master And againe Haec cuncta c. vt ostenderemus nihil esse in hoc seculo excellentius Sacerdotibus nihil sublimius Episcopis reperiri All this to shew that no condition in this world can be found more excellent then a Priests no calling higher then a Bishop If you compare it to the brightnes of Kings or diadems of Princes that is more inferiour to it saieth Ambrose then lead vnto gold yea they haue that power giuen them saith Chrysostom which God would not giue to Angels nor Archangels Iesus Christ saith Cyprian our King Iudge and God euen vnto the day of his death yeelded honor vnto the Priests and Bishops of the Iewes though they retained neither the feare of God nor knowledge of Christ teaching vs lawfully and fully to honour true Priestes by his behauiour vnto false Priests These Fathers in your iudgement doe not meane that externall and ciuil honour should be yeelded to the persons of Teachers and Bishops but spirituall and inward reuerence to bee due to their calling Much lesse doe they meane that contempt and reproch should be requited them for their paynes If wee sticke at titles Christ himselfe calleth them Starres Angels and Gods if wee doubt of their power or honour they haue more power then the Angelles as Chrysostome sayeth and must haue more honour then the Fathers of our flesh If anie like not the conclusion let him reade Chrysostomes probation more at large in the place afore cited As for the distinction of outward or inward honour due to their persons or professions if the men bee good it is superfluous wee must honour both if the men bee badde their vocation must bee honoured though their vices bee condenmed and that honour as I saide before must appeare in heart worde and deede For if one of these faile it is not honour but neglect and contempt which God will reuenge Non te reiecerunt sed me They haue not reiected thee but mee is an ancient verdict of Gods owne giuing Hee that despiseth you in heart worde or deede despiseth mee Honourthy father bindeth the whole man not this or that parte of man and duetie to Parentes and superiours is violated euen with wordes and lookes But godlie Teachers must looke for reward and honour at Gods handes and not from men I knowe it well the worlde shall vse them as it vsed their Master yet doeth not that excuse the neglecters and contemners of them yea rather it is an euident signe hee loueth not God that despiseth his Prophets and reprocheth Christ that dishonoureth his Ministers God is my witnesse I smoothe no mans pride I seeke no mans fauour I wade as sincerely as my simple learning will suffer mee and by that as I finde Christ for biddeth his Disciples all affectation of honour and desire of superioritie and requireth the greatest after his example to serue the lowest so I see no reason why it shoulde grieue any godlie minde to heare a Bishoppe called by that name with which Saint Peter willeth euerie woman to houour her husband For to mee it is strange it shoulde bee a prowde and Antichristian Title in a Pastour which may be giuen to euerie Artisant with duetie and humilitie Howbeit what externall appellation or honour is meete or vnmeete for the Pastours and Fathers of Christes Church I leaue it wholie to the wisedome and consideration of the State who are fit Iudges therefore and not euerie curious head or couetous heart to order the Cleargie at their pleasures With trueth and sobrietie I may affirme this that the first Christian Princes and Emperours to cause religion the more to flourish did what they coulde to make the people honour and reuerence their Bishops permitting them to heare and determine all quarrels and strifes betweene man and man for debts goodes or lands and confirming the iudgements of the Bishops euen in such cases by publike Lawes and by their owne example teaching all men to submit their heads vnder the Bishops hands Place you such a one in the Episcopall seate saith Valentinian to the Synode assembled for the choise of a Bishop of millan to whom we our selues the Rulers of the Empire may sincerely or willingly submit our heads and whose reproofes we may receiue as an wholesome medicine Thou mayest see saith Ambrose the necks of Kings and Princes bowed downe to the Priests knees and kissing the right hands of Priests thinke themselues garded with their prayers To a King saith Chrysostome are bodies committed to a Priest Soules the one hath sensible armor the other spiritual he fighteth against the Barbarians I against Diuels This is the greater soueraigntie therefore the King submitteth his head to the Priests hands Constantine the great by his Lawes gaue leaue that those which would decline the ciuil Magistrates might appeale to the iudgement of their Bishops and commaunded the sentence of the Bishoppes to take place before the sentence of other Iudges as if it had bene pronounced by the Emperour himselfe and to be put in execution by the Presidents and their officers And lest wee shoulde thinke this Lawe reached onely to spirituall things Saint Augustine sheweth in his time with what matters they
substance had euident reason and the Apostles in so doing staied the murmuring of the Disciples and freed themselues from al suspition of neglecting their widowes which was the cause of their dislike by praying them to choose out of themselues such as they best trusted to care for their tables distribute their store By the circumstance of the Text it seemeth that where the beleeuers liued in one place and had al things in common selling their lands possessioÌ„s goods they brought the price thereof and layed it downe at the Apostles feete to be distributed to euery man according as hee had neede the Apostles had put some in trust to bestowe the Churches treasure I meane the Disciples goodes who of like being Iewes regarded the widowes that were Iewes more then the Grecians widowes And hence arose the grudging of the Grecians that their widows were neglected The Apostles then excused themselues for that they might not leaue the preaching of the word and attend for tables to see their widowes indifferently vsed and willed the whole multitude to look out from amongst theÌ„selues such as were replenished with the holy ghost with wisdom best reported of for fidelitie and industrie to take the ouersight of that businesse This is all that can bee pressed out of this storie For answere hereof first by your owne doctrine the parties there chosen receiued not power to preach and baptise but to dispence the goods of the Church for the dayly prouision of the Saints who then liued together and yeelded all their abilitie to be vsed in common at the discretion of these parties appointed by themselues And though Philip did preach and baptise at Samaria and did the like to the Eunuch of Ethiopia yet you auouch he did that not as a Deacon but as an Euangelist both which titles indeede Saint Luke giueth him in the one and twentieth Chapter of the Actes Next if it be true that Epiphanius writeth of them these seauen were all of the number of those seuentie Disciples which Christ himselfe called while she liued on earth and sent to preach aswel as Matthias and Barnabas that were named to succeede in the roome of Iudas the traitor and then by this election they had no ordinarie function in the Church but an extraordinarie charge to prouide for the widowes since none of the 70. Disciples could beginne againe at the lowest degree and become Deacons Chrysostome reasoning what office they had by this imposition of handes saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What dignitie these seauen had and what maner of imposition of hands they receiued it shal not be amisse to learn Was it the office of Deacons This now is not the Churches but this charge to looke to widows beloÌ„geth to Presbyters and as yet there was no bishop but the Apostles onely Wherefore I thinke it was neither the name of Deacons nor Presbyters expressely and plainely which these seuen receiued If these seuen were expresly neither Deacons nor Presbyters as Chrysostome thinketh they were not and the Councel in Trullo ioyneth with him in the same opinion then can their election be no proofe that others ioyned with the Apostles in the choice of Presbyters or Bishops If with Ignatius Cyprian Ierome and others we take these seuen for Deacons such as serued in the Church and attended on the Lords table when the mysteries of Christ were dispenced yet the Apostles made this no perpetuall rule for all elections otherwise neither Paul nor any other Apostle could haue imposed hands but on such as the people named and elected which is euidently repugnant to the Scriptures as in place conuenient shall appeare Againe this singular example concludeth no more for electing by voyces then the choice of Matthias doth for retaining of lots For since two sortes of elections were vsed by the Apostles presently the one vpon the other who can determine which of those twaine was prescribed to the Church as of necessity to be continued Lastly examples are noprecepts and the reasons that mooued the Apostles to referre the choice of those seven to the liking of the multitude admit infinite varieties circumstances which being altered the effect must needes alter according to the cause And therfore no general rule can be drawen from a particular fact without a strong reason to maintaine the coherence much lesse may you leape from the choice of Deacons in the Apostles time to conclude the like of the election of Presbyters and Bishops which then did and now do greatly differ both in giftes and calling from the Deacons That the Ministers and Elders of Lystra and Iconium and of the Churches confining were ordained by Paul and Barnabas can be no question the Text doth cleerely aâ—ouehit onely the signification of the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there vsed is forced by some to prooue that those Elders were chosen by the consent of others besides Paul and Barnabas because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they is to choose by lifting vp of handes which was the vse amongst the Grecians for the people to doe in their elections The aduantage taken vpon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not so sound as they suppose For first if that were the right Etymologie of the word yet as most words in Greeke Hebrew besides the externall action and circumstance which they first importe do signifie the effects and consequents depending on that action and circumstance and are by translation generally and vsually applied to other things so this worde doeth signifie to elect and appoint though no handes bee helde vp because electing and appointing was the effect and consequent of lifting vp the handes To prooue this wee neede go no further then the tenth chapter of this verie Booke where Saint Luke without all contradiction vseth the word in such sorte and sense as I mention This Iesus of Nazareth God raised vp the third day and shewed him openly not to all the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to vs witnesses chosen or appointed before-hand of God It were more then absurde to imagine that God did choose the Apostles to bee witnesses of his sonnes resurrection by lifting vp of handes God hath not hands to lift vp the Apostles neither were nor could be chosen by the peoples hands wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie simply to choose and appoint though it â—e not doone with holding vp of hands nor by the people Againe were the word in the 14. of the Acts vsed in that signification which they vrge as namely to consent or elect with holding vp the hands yet the Text doth manifestly restraine it to Paul and Barnabas that they did elect and appoint by stretching out their hands such Elders as the Churches then needed For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is for a man to holde vp or stretch out his owne hand and not other mens hands and no example will euer be brought
Christes resurrection without either Presbyterie or people to concurre with them O you blessed and holie men saith Hilarie speaking of the Apostles that for the desert of your faith gate the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and obtained right to binde and loose in heauen and earth I suppose then it is not much to be contradicted that the Apostles had from their master a larger commission fuller instruction higher power and greater gifts then the rest of the Doctours Pastours Prophets and Euangelist in the Church of Christ and that the Churches in their time were not gouerned by the voyces and consents of the greater part concurring with them before any thing could be done but by their precepts and rules deliuered by speach or expressed by writing which the faithfull in euery place as well Pastors as people with all readinesse obeyed And that in appointing and ordeyning Pastors and Elders as likewise in reteyning sinnes and binding offenders by deliuering them vnto Satan or reiecting them from the felowship of Saints they needed not the helpe or agreement of the people or Presbyterie but had power sufficient with imposing their handes as the Spirite directed to make Prophets and Pastors by giuing them the gifts of the holy Ghost needefull for their seuerall callings and by the same power coulde yeeld the bodies of such as sinned and repented not to be punished and afflicted by Satan or remooue them from the Communion of Christes Church and exclude them from the kingdome of heauen as their wickednes or wilfulnes deserued This superioritie they reteined whiles they liued so moderating their power that they sought rather to winne the euill disposed with lenitie then represse them with authoritie saue when the wicked might no longer be endured lest others should be iufected and vsing such meekenes and mildnes towards al that no schisme disordered the Church by their rigour nor soule perished by their default labouring more to profit many with their paines then to preferre themselues before any by their priuiledge and vtterly forgetting their owne dignitie whiles they serued and aduanced Christes glory I obserue as well their patience as their preeminence lest any man should thinke I goe about to make them Princes in the Church of Christ to commaund and punish at their pleasures and not rather faithfull Stewards and careful Shepheards to feede and guide the Church committed to their charges CHAP. IX What parts of the Apostles power and charge were to remaine in the Church after their decease and to whom they were committed IT will happely be graunted the Apostles had their prerogatiue and preeminence aboue others in the Church of Christ but that limitted to their persons and during for their liues and therfore no reason can be made from their superioritie to force the like to be receiued and established in the Church of Christ for all ages and places since their office and function are long since ceased and no like power reserued to their successours after them I doe not denie but many things in the Apostles were personall giuen them by Gods wisedome for the first spreading of the fayth and planting of the Churches amongst Jewes and Gentiles that all nations might be conuerted vnto Christ by the sight of their miracles and directed by the trueth of their doctrine yet that all their gifts ended with their liues and no part of their charge and power remained to their after-commers may neither be confessed by vs nor affirnted by any vnlesse we meane wholy to subuert the church of Christ. To be called by Christes owne mouth and sent into all nations to be furnished with the infallible assurance of his trueth and visible assistance of his spirit not onely to speake with tongues cure diseases worke miracles know secretes and vnderstand all wisedom but to giue the holy Ghost to others that they might doe the like these things I say were needfull at the first preaching of the Gospell to conuert infidels that neuer heard of Christ before to confirme the beleeuers compassed with diuers temptations and to store the whole world then presently with meete Pastours and Teachers but to maintaine the Church once setled and faith once preached there is no cause why either the immediate vocation or generall commission or mightie operation and sudden inspirations of the Apostles should alwayes endure The Scriptures once written suffice all ages for instruction the miracles then done are for euer a most euident confirmation of their doctrine the authoritie of their first calling liueth yet in their succession and time and trauell ioyned with Gods graces bring Pastours at this present to perfection yet the Apostles charge to teach baptize and administer the Lordes Supper to bind and loose sinnes in heauen and in earth to impose hands for the ordaining of Pastours and Elders these partes of the Apostolike function and charge are not decaied and cannot bee wanted in the Church of God There must either be no church or els these must remaine for without these no church can continue The Gospell must be preached the Sacraments must be frequented for which purposes some must bee taken to the publike seruice and ministerie of the Church for how shall they inuocate in whom they haue not beleeued or how shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard or how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they bee sent without sending there can bee no preaching without preaching the word there is no ordinarie meanes for faith and without faith there is no Church Neither onely the lacke of the word and Sacraments but the prophanation and abuse of either how greatly doethit endanger the state and welfare of the whole Church of Christ yea the casting of holy things vnto dogges and of pearles before swine how dreadfull a iudgement doeth it procure as well to the consenters as presumers A little leauen so wreth the whole masse So that power to send labourers into Gods haruest and to separate prophane persons for deâ—iling the mysteries and assemblies of the faythfull must be retained and vsed in the Church of Christ vnlesse we will turne the house of God into a denne of theeues and make the Temple a cage for vncleane and hatefull birdes As the things be needfull in the Church of Christ so the persons to whom they were first committed cannot bee doubted Goe teach all Nations baptizing them sayd our Sauiour to the eleuen in mount Oliuet whenhe ascended Doe this in remembrance of mee sayd hee to the twelue that sate at supper with him After his resurrection when hee appeared to the eleuen sitting together hee sayd As my father sent me so send I you Receiue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted whose sinnes yee retaine they are retained for though the Lord before his death promised the keyes of the kingdome of heauen vnto Peter and as then sayde nothing vnto the
these words may be shortly drawen from the force of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which importeth paineful and earnest labour and then the sense is The Elders that rule well are woorthie of double honour chiefely they which be laborious and painefull in the word This to be the proper and vsuall force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it doeth not signifie bodily labour but is transferred to the mind I thinke no man learned doth doubt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is simply to labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to weary our selues with labour Certè plus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quà m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—propriam vtriusque significationem spectemus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Beza if we respect the proper signification of either as wearines is more then labour He then which laboureth is worthie of his wages but hee that euen wearieth himselfe with hard labour is more woorthie So saieth Saint Paul The Pastours or Elders that discharge their places are worthie of double honor chiefly they which refuse no paines wearie themselues with labour and care to teach and admonish Speake we absurdly obscurely or not answerably to the force of the Apostles words when we thus expound him A fourth construction may be had of this Text that consonant to the words intent of S. Paul yet â—o Lay Elders empanelled in the Jurie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be referred to such Pastours and teachers as were abiding in euery Church and therefore are properly said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to haue the charge and ouer sight of the faithful as being affixed to the place for that purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to those that trauelled from place to place to visite and confirme the Churches The wordes serue well for this difference and both forts were to haue maintenance from the Churches as well they that trauelled as they that persisted Touching the vse of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides that in the 6. of Matthew the 5. and 12. of Luke the 4. of Iohn 20 of the Actes the 1. Corinth 14 the 4. Ephes. the 2. Tim. 2 it doth without all contradiction signifie bodily labour and wearinesse Saint Paul in the 1. Corinth 15. thus writeth Christ rising from death the third day was seene of Iames then of al the Apostles last of all hee was seene of mee as one borne not in due time for I am the least of the Apostles and not fitte to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet haue I laboured more then all they He meaneth then the rest of the Apostles to whom Christ appeared I demaund whether Paul charged the other Apostles with negligence or whether he durst affirme that he had preached Christ more diligently then all they It were an arrogant presumption so to say and a lewd imagination so to thinke What then is the meaning of his words Though he were an Abortiue and the least of them all yet had he trauelled further in spreading the Gospel then all they And why They were sent to the Iewes dispersed in some fewe Countries and none of them passed the limits of Asia for ought that we teade saue Peter who was brought prisoner to Rome towardes the ende of his life but Paul had the Gentiles allotted to him and so trauelled not only Arabia and Iurie but filled Asia Greece Italie and Spaine many other countries and nations with the Gospel of Christ and in that signification of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to trauell for the spreading of the Gospel hee sayth very soberly aduisedly and truely that though he were last called he had trauelled to preach Christ further then they all This word is often so vsed in the 16. to the Romans Greece Marie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath trauelled much for vs. And againe Greete Triphaena and Triphosa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 women that labour and trauaile in the Lord. Greete Perâ—â—â— the beloued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a woman that hath much trauelled in the Lorde The women neither did nor might preaâ—h in the Church but many of them trauelled farre and neere dealt by priuate perswasions which was more seemly for them to do then for men with women to embrace the knowledge of the trueth and repaire to the houses where the Apostles and others did instruct the beleeuers And as there were of women that trauelled for Christ so were there of men no final number both Prophets Euangelists Teachers imploying their paines hazarding their liues to conuert the faithles to confirme the faithful And though some of them happely liued of their owne and others wrought with their hands to furnish theÌ„selues with things wanting yet because their worke was more painefull and perilfull then the Pastors that kept their fixed places and as needfull to encrease Christs kingdome the Apostle willeth the Churches to haue special regard to such that they were not left destitute after they had dedicated not only their labor but also their liues to the seruice of Christ. Saint Paâ—â—es comparisons include both when hee â—ayeth Who goeth on warrefare at his owne charges who planteth a Vine and eateth not of the fruit Who tendeth a flocke and â—asteth not of the milke So that hee which trauelleth abroade for Christ in danger is more woorthie of recompence then hee that fee deth the flocke at home ingrenter ease and better safetie Tauching such hee saith If Timothie come see he be without feare amongst you for he worketh the worke of the Lorde euen as I doe and send him away in peace And againe Bring Zenas the Lawier and Apollo on their â—ay with diligence that they lacke nothing And noting whence they should haue it Let ours learne to bee forward in good works to necessarie vses And Saint Iohn Thou doest faithfully whatsoeuer thou doest to the brethren and vnto strangers Whome if thou bringest on their iourney as it beseemeth in God thou shalt doe well because for his names sake they went foorth and tooke nothing of the Gentiles We therefore ought to receiue such that we might be helpers vnto the trueth The summe then of Saint Paules wordes after this fourth exposition is this The Pastours or Elders that guide wel and doe their dueties in the places where they remaine are woorthy of double honour but chiefely they that trauell from place to place for the wordes sake are to be supported their paines and neede are greatest Thus haue we foure expositions of the place 1. Timoth. 5. consonant to the signification of the wordes and intent of the speaker and all excluding the Lay Elders which wee cannot deduce out of this Text without manifest wrong to the Apostles purpose and â—â—neth of the Scriptures For then must all Lay Elders by the word of God haue double maintenance
All lay persons vpon repentance might be reconciled with imposition of hands No Presbyters depriued for anie grieuous sin might be reconciled with imposition of hands therfore no Presbyter was a Lay person The fift general Council kept at Constantinople He that taketh a second wife after baptisme or marrieth a widowe or a woman diuorced or a bond woman cannot be either Bishop Presbyter or Deacon or in any other sacred order No lay Elders were tied to these rules all Presbyters were there was great oddes then betwene lay Elders and Presbyters If you trust not these Councils for y â— vse of the word Presbyter the lawes imperiall will direct you The Christian Emperors giuing many priuiledges to Clergie men doe likewise expresse who shall enioy them Presbyteros Diaconos Subdiaconos Cantores Lectores quos omnes Clericos appellamus Presbyters Deacons SubdeacoÌ„s Singers Readers al these we cal Clergy meÌ„ all these accordingly had the prerogatiues immunities of Clergie men by the Romane lawes Now if no laie Elder could claime anie Clericall priuiledge in the Romane commonwealth vnder the name of Presbyter as vndoubtedly he could not I much maruell how by force of y â— very same word in y â— Fathers who vse it as strictly as the Emperours do Lay men should claime to haue y â— gouernment of y â— church But indeed it is a meere conceit of our age transforming Clergy men into lay men contrary to y â— words meaning aswel of Fathers as of laws and canons rather then they will loose their holde of the Laie Presbyterie which they haue framed after their owne fansie and not by the direction or deposition of any Council or Father For they all with one consent vse the worde Presbyter as the ciuill Lawes and sacred Canons do In what sort Ignatius Tertullian Cyprian and Athanasius vse the word Presbyter we haue seene before the rest doe fully concord with them Irenaeus We must obey those Presbyters in the Church which haue their succession from the Apostles and with the order of their Presbyterie yeelde wholsome doctrine to the information and correction of others Such Presbyters the Church doth nourish Origen There are in the Church of Christ that loue the chiefe places and labour much first to be Deacons not such as the Scripture describeth but such as deuoure widowes houses vnder pretence of long prayer And such Deacons couet to attaine the chiefe chaires of those that are called Presbyters And some not there with content practise many ways to be called bishops by men which is as much as Rabbi Howbeit he that exalteth himselfe shal be humbled Which I wish al would marke but specially the Deacons Presbyters and Bishops which thinke these things are not written to them A Deacon being already in sacred orders coulde by no meanes become alay Elder the roumes therefore which they aspired vnto were the chaires of Clergie men these were called the Presbyters of the Church Of these he saith else-where Though I bee taken for a right hand and bee called a Presbyter and seeme to preach the true word of God yet if I do anything against the Discipline of the Church or rule of the Gospell the whole Church with one consent must cut mee off being their right hand and cast me from them Then were Presbyters not only right hands in the Church but also preachers of the word and that not some but all All Bishops and all Presbyters or Deacons do teach vs and in teaching do reproue sharply rebuke Quatuor genera capitum sunt in ecclesia Episcoporum Presbyterorum Diaconorum fidelium There be foure sorts of men in the Church saieth Optatus Bishops Presbyters Deacons and the beleeuers Out of which of these foure will you fetch your laie Elders From the beleeuers Then were they no Presbyters will you comprise them in Presbyters Then were they no Late men For Optatus in the same place chargeth the Donatists with subuerting of soules for making Presbyters to be Lay men Inâ—enistis Diaconos Presbyteros Episcopos fecistis Laicos Agnoscite vos animas ouertisse you founde Deacons Presbyters and Bishops you made them Lay men Acknowledge then you subuerted soules If you doubt I force his wordes against his meaning heare what himselfe saith touching those foure parts of the Church Quid commemorem Laicos quitunc in Ecclesia nulla fuerant dignitate suffulti Quid Ministros plurimos Quid Diaconos in tertio quid Presbyteros in secundo sacerdotio constitutos Ipsi apices principes omnium aliqui Episcopi instrumenta deâ—inae legis impiè tradiderunt What shall I reckon Lay men which were then aduanced with no dignitie in the Church What neede I repeate the Seruitours of the Church The Deacons in the third the Presbyters in the second degree of Priesthoode The chiefe and toppe of all euen many Bishops wickedly deliuered the instruments of Gods Lawe to the fire Lay men had no degree nor dignitie in the Church much lesse the honour or office of Presbyters For they were plainely Priests Had you but one such place for Lay Elders as heere is against them we would neuer striue with you about them Nazianzene telling howe the goodnes and prouidence of God brought that learned and famous man Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the sacred seates of the Presbyterie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the order and course that should be obserued in spirituall climing saieth Hee first read the sacred bookes to the people and expounded them not disdaining this place of the Chancel and so came to the chaire of the Presbyters and after of the Bishops The Seates then of the Presbyterie in Nazianzens time were not onely sacred and seuered from the people but the right orderly way to ascend vnto them was first to passe through other Ecclesiasticall Degrees and Offices as Cyprian calleth them and so to rise to the highest and noâ— for Laie men to sit in them as fellowe Presbyters with the Bishops No Presbyteris quidem adesse permittitur in mysterijs quum tamen ipsi quoque sacrorum administri sunt The Presbyters themselues are not permitted to be present in the mysteries and yet they doe administer the Sacraments saith Iulius to the Bishops at Antioch I am a Bishop saieth Hilarie to Constantius continuing in the Communion of all the Churches and bishops of France though I be in banishment ecclesiae adhuc per Presbyteros meos communionem distribuens and still distributing by my Presbyters the communion of the Church or to the Church Presbyteri Episcopi vna est or dinatio vterque enim sacerdos est The ordering of a Presbyter is the same that a Bishops is saith Ambrose for both are Priests Aut igitur ex Presbytero ordinetur Diaconus vt Presbyter minor Diacono comprobetur in quem crescit ex paruo
to rule the Church in common I am so farre from reiecting or declining Ieromes authoritie in this point though he seeme very fauourable to you that if you will stand to his censure I will doe the like but before wee wade deeper let vs laie foorth the state of the question that we may thereby perceiue what the sacred Scriptures and auncient Fathers doe confesse or confute CHAP. XII To whom the Apostles departing or dying left the gouernement of the Church whether equally to all Presbyters or chieflie to some and how farre the conceites of late writers herein varie from the auncient Fathers whose wordes they pretend to follow THat order and discipline are not onely profitefull but also needfull in the Church of God and as well amongst Pastours and Teachers as learners and hearers might many wayes be confirmed if it were not on all sides concorded They that most dissent in the kind of gouernement doe first agree on the vse of gouernment they would els not striue for that which might still be wanted and neuer missed in the Church of Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Order saieth Nazianzene is the mother and preseruer of all things The vtilitie and necessitie whereof as in all states and creatures so specially in the Church of God and in the Pastours and Gouernors thereof hee that liketh at large to examine let him read Nazianzens oration plentifully and purposely written of that Argument Onely I aduise with him that vnder a shew of religion and zeale No man bee wiser then hee should no man vprighter then the lawe clearer then the light straighter then the rule nor forwarder then the commandement If order and discipline be necessarie for all persons and ages in the Church of Christ the gouermnent of the Church must not cease with the Apostles but dure as long as the Church continueth that is to the worlds ende and consequently so much of the Apostolike power as is requisite for the perpetuall regiment of the Church must remaine to those that from time to time supplie the Apostles charge and succeed in the Apostles roomes Afore we enter to intreat of the first institution of Bishops we must carefully distinguish these there points The things which must be deriued from the Apostles to their helpers and successours in all Ages and Churches the persons to whom they were committed and the times when If we wander in these wee shall neuer get any certaine resolution of the matter in question What the things are which must abide for euer in the Church I shewed before it shall suffise now to rehearse them namelie power to preach the word and administer the Sacraments the right vse of the keies and imposition of hands for the placing of fit men to vndertake the cure of soules and remoouing of vnfaithfull and vnfit men from infecting and offending the Church These must not faile in the Church so long as there is a Church for the want of any one of them is the confusion if not subuersion of the Church These foure partes in this chapter for breuities sake I often reduce to two branches which are Doctrine and Discipline Comprising in doctrine the deuiding of the word and dispensing of the Sacraments and referring the rest I meane the publike vse of the keies and imposition of hands to the discipline or regiment of the Church The parties to whom these ecclesiasticall duties might possiblie be committed wee then also numbred and found foure sortes of them the people the laie Elders the Presbyters the Bishops The people must needs be excluded from intermedling with Pastorall duties for if all should be Teachers who should be hearers if there were none but shepeheards what should become of the flocke Hee that hath put a difference betwixt the Stewards and the household the labourers and the haruest the watchmen and the Citizens the builders and the stones the Sower and the ground the husbandmen and the tillage the leaders and the folowers euen the same Lord hath prohibited these degrees to bee confounded which he hath distinguished Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all teachers I thinke not If the whole bodie were the eie where were the hearing if the whole were hearing where were the smelling Intrusâ—â—n vpon men is iniurious vpon God is sacrilegious The examples of Korah whome the earth swalowed of Vzzah â—â—riâ—en to death and Vzziah plagued with the leprosie for affecting and inuading the Priests office are well knowen Chrysostome saieth of the last Hee entered the Temple to vsurpe the Priesthood and hee lost his kingdome He entred to become more â—ener able and hee became more execrable So euill a thing it is not to abide within the boundes that God hath appointed vs either of honour or knowledge What I say of the people I say likewise of laie Elders for so much as they are but a part of the people and looke what the whole is prohibited euery part is interdicted If Laie men may intermeddle with ecclesiasticall functions why not the people If the people may not why should the Elders since both are Laie If they renounce the execution and chalenge the superuision of ecclesiasticall dueties they flie from one Rocke and fall on another they cleare themselues from the worde and entangle themselues with the sword Gouernours of the Church that bee neither ministers nor Magistrates I yet conceiue none if any mans skill bee so good that hee can describe vs a gouernement betwixt both that shall wrong neither I would gladly giue him audience Howbeit wee need not trouble our heads with the maner of gouernement that laie Elders must haue distinct from the Priestes and Princes calling before we haue better proofe for the persons that shall enioy this priuiledge When you make it appeare there were such officers in the Church of Christ wee will then intreat you to bound out their office by the word of God or writings of the auncient fathers till then wee stand resolued there were neuer such Gouernours nor gouernement established by the Apostles nor acknowledged by their after-commers in Christes Church The places pretended both in Scriptures and Fathers for such Elders wee haue leasurablie perused and examined and wee finde not so much as the footesteps of any Laie Elders Presbyters we find and Rulers but no reason to leade they were laie Presbyters or Rulers Against theÌ„ we find all the Christian ancient Councils lawes and fathers y t euer mentioned any Presbyters If I shuffle any writers wordes or dazel the Readers eies shew me the place I will yeeld to mine errour In the meane time I take him to witnesse that is Iudge of all secrets I endeuoured to walke soundly and simplie without swaying or leaning to either side more then the euidence of the trueth enforced me Two sortes are left for I still professe that laie Elders were neuer admitted to meddle with any such
places and offices distinguished or digested they tooke an other order then at beginning And why The first regarde the Apostles had was to gaine vnbeleeuers to Christ the second to gouerne such as were gained And these two respects might best be perfourmed by two contrarie courses To encrease the Church the more workemen the better For when the Haruest is great if the Labourers bee fewe the roumes can not be filled To guide the Church the fewer the better except it bee with counsell to aduise For diuerse men haue diuers minds and diuers meanings and in a multitude of Gouernours emulation and dissention are no rare springs Wherefore no maruell though the Apostles tooke besides themselues as many helpers as they coulde to conuert the worlde vnto Christ and yet tooke not vnto themselues as many Rulers as they coulde in euerie place to gouerne the beleeuers By order of nature men must bee gotten together afore they neede bee gouerned and so in the building of the Church the number of Preachers at the first was more requisite then the choice of Gouernours And for that cause Epiphanius second position is verie true That Presbyters and Deacons the one to labour in the worde and dispence the Sacraments the other to releeue the poore and attend to diuine Seruice were euerie where appointed by the Apostles These were sufficient to beginne the Churches and these were fittest to increase the Church And therefore in many places the Apostles left none other but these If you aske who then gouerned the Churches in those beginnings I answere the flocke was both augmented and directed by the Presbyters that laboured in the worde The chiefe gouernement to impose handes and deliuer vnto Satan rested yet in the Apostles who often visited the Churches which they planted and ordained Presbyters as they passed to supplie the wantes of euerie Church The third point in Epiphanius reporte is this that although it be not extant in the Apostles writings that in euerie place where they came at first they left Bishops yet the Scriptures do witnesse that Paul furnished some places with Bishops as Ephesus and Creete with Timothie and Tite Thus farre I see not what you can refell in Epiphanius Perchance you will deride Epiphanius simplicitie that coulde not discerne betwixt an Euangelist and a Bishop for as you maintaine Timothie and Tite were Euangelists and not Bishops and had an extraordinarie and no ordinarie calling You can not charge Epiphanius with ignoraunce in this behalfe but you must doe the like to the eldest and best learned Fathers of the Primitiue Church namely Eusebius Ambrose Chrysostome Ierome Oecumenius Primasius and others which affirme as Epiphanius doth that Timothie was a Bishop ordeined by S. Paul but thereof anon as also whether an Euangelist might bee a Bishop or no which conclusions of yours though they be most feeble and vnsure yet they be lately taken up for Oracles That which may be doubted in Epiphanius is this The cause why Bishops wanted in some places was saith he the lacke of fit men to beare the office It may be some will thinke it strange that amongest so many Prophets Pastours and Teachers as were in most of those Churches which Paul planted not a fit man could be found for the Episcopal function and yet afterward meete men were found for all the Churches in the worlde but as that which Epiphanius saith might be some cause of wanting Bishops at the first so if I be not deceiued there were other causes that mooued the Apostles not straight wayes to place Bishops in euerie Church where they preached which I will specifie when the testimonies of Ambrose and Ierome be throughly perused Ambrose at first sight seemeth somewhat to dissent from Epiphanius in that he thinketh the Churches had both Presbyters and Bishops left them by the Apostles and the Presbyters were placed in an order according to the deserts and worthines of eche man by the Apostles and others that founded the Churches and this rule deliuered that as the first and chiefest Presbyter who was Bishop in name and superiour in calling to the rest failed so the next should succeede in his roume and enioy the Episcopall chaire and power after his departure And when some Presbyters did not answere the expectation which was had of them but scandalized the Church that course of standing in order to succeede was changed and Bishops were chosen by the iudgement and liking of many Priests to cut off vnworthie and offensiue men from the place I could admit this report of Ambrose but that he expresseth not when and by whome this change beganne he saieth Prospiciente Concilio A Council fore seeing or prouiding that not order but merite should create a Bishop but what Council If he meant a Councill of the Apostles which is not expressed but may well bee intended for the wordes stand indifferent to any Councill no testimonie can be weightier for Bishops then this of Ambrose which is brought against them If he meant others after the Apostles deaths what authoritie had they to change the Apostolike gouernment or by their decree to bind the whole world But this I reserue till Ieromes witnesse bee repeated and examined Ierom in his words before cited auoucheth three special things first that til dissentions sprang in the Church Bishops and Presbyters were all one and the Churches were gouerned by the common aduise of Presbyters amongst whom the care of the Church was equally diuided Next that to roote out schismes rising verie fast through the Preachers and Presbyters factions by a decree throughout the whole worlde one of the Presbyters was chosen in euery Church and set ouer the rest and to him the whole care of the Church did euer after appertaine Thirdly that this subiection of the Presbyters vnder the Bishop and maioritie of Bishops aboue Presbyters grewe rather by the custome of the Church then by the trueth of the Lords disposition for they should rule the Church in common These wordes of Ierome may be either verie true according to the time that they be referred vnto or verie false If you so conster Ierome that all the while the Apostles liued Bishops were al one with Presbyters and had no more charge nor power in the Church then Presbyters you make Ierome contradict the Scriptures himselfe the whole aray of all the ancient Fathers and Apostolike Churches that euerwere since Christs time for all these affirme and proue the contrarie But if you so expound Ierom that the Apostles for a time suffred the Presbyters to haue equall power and care in guiding the Church themselues alwayes sitting at the sterne and holding the helue whiles they were present in those parts of the worlde till by the factions and diuisions of so manie gouernors the Churches were almost rent in peeces and thereupon the Apostles forced did set an other order in the Church then was at first and with the good liking of all the
yet he did carrie about with him Epiphanius the diuine speach of the Apostle teacheth who is a Bishop and who a Presbyter in saying to Timothie a Bishop Rebuke not a Presbyter but exhort him as a father How could a Bishop rebuke a Presbyter if he had no power ouer a Presbyter as also Receiue not an accusation against a Presbyter but vnder two or three witnesses Theodoret. Titus was a notable Disciple of Paul ordained by Paul Bishop of Creete and authorized to make the Bishops that were vnder him Vincentius Lirinensis writing vpon some words of Paul to Timothie saith O Timothie that is O Priest O Teacher if the diuine grace hath made thee meete for witte exercise and learning be thou Beseleel that is a most skilfull workeman of the spiritual Temple Augustine instructing all Pastours by Paules words to Tite addeth Was it saide in vaine to the seruant of God now eminent amongst the members of the chiefe Pastour Shewe thy selfe an example of good workes to all Gregorie Paul admonisheth his scholler Timothie now Prelate of a flocke saying Attend to reading til I come Primasius Timothie had the grace of prophecie cum ordinatione Episcopatus together with the order of a Bishop And that grace was the blessing which Timothie at the time of his making Bishop receiued by the imposition of Paules hands Oecumenius interlacing the words of Paul to Timothie saieth Neglect not the gift which is in thee That is either Doctrine or the office of a Bishop for it was the grace of God that being yoong hee deserued to be made a Pastour Which was giuen thee by prophecie for by the commaundement of the holie Ghost Bishops were made and not at all aduenture With imposition of hands of the Presbyterie By Presbyters hee meaneth Bishops for Presbyters did not ordaine him being a Bishop Yea which of all the auncient Fathers doeth not with Tertullian confesse that the Epistles of Paul to Timothie and Tite were made concerning the ecclesiastical state or doth not with Chrysostome Ambrose and Oecumenius apply the words precepts of the Apostle written to them as spoken to all Bishops You say Euangelists could be no Bishops y e whole Church of Christ with one resolution said they were bishops whatsoeuer Paul speaketh to them pertaineth to all Bishops and Pastors and of al others Ieromes confession is most cleere in that behalfe Howe then coulde Ierom doubt but the vocation and function of Bishops was an Apostolike ordinance and consequently confirmed and allowed by the wisedome of Gods spirit in his Apostles Saint Iohn in his Reuelation will assure you that the Sonne of god willed him to write to the seuen starres and Angels of the seuen Churches of Asia that is to the seuen Pastours and Bishops of those seuen places Whereby it is euident that not onely the Apostles were liuing when one superiour gouerned the Churches but the Lord himselfe with his owne voice confirmed that kinde of regiment I do not feare lest with Origen you will wrest the place to the Angels in heauen say that in euery Church there were two Bishops one visible another inuisible S. Augustine hath learnedly quenched that error If the Lord woulde haue had those words vnderstood of the Angels of the higher heauens and not of the Rulers of the Church hee woulde not haue afterward added But I haue some what against thee because thou hast left thy first loue remember therefore whence thou art fallen and repent This can not be spoken of the heauenly Angels who always retaine their loue whence they that fell are the Diuell and his Angels Therefore by the diuine voice vnder the name of an Angell the Ruler or ouerseer of the Church is praised And againe The Angels of the Churches in the Apocalypse ought not to be vnderstoode to be any but the Bishops or Rulers of the Churches If Iohn in his time sawe those seuen Churches gouerned by seuen Pastours or Bishops then was the common and equal gouernement of Presbyters before that time changed If Christ called them Starres and Angels of the Churches they were no humane inuention after the Apostles were dead and buried You see Ierome saieth the regiment of Bishops came not into the Church by the truth of the Lords disposition You doe not alleadge Ierom because you admit or regard what he saith you onely snatch at some words in him which seeme to serue your humours otherwise you receiue no part of his report In the place which you bring against Bishops Ierome saieth that at the first when Presbyters gouerned Ecclesiae cura aequaliter inter plures diuidebatur the charge or care of the Church was equally diuided amongst many You say no there was neuer any such time it were lacke of wisedome so to thinke Your wordes be Neque enim ille quum diceret Ecclesias initio fuisse communi Presbyterorum consilio gubernatas ita desipuisse existimandus est vt somniaret neminem ex Presbyteris illi coetui praefuisse Ierome when hee said the Churches were at the first gouerned by the common aduise of the Presbyters may not be thought to haue bene So FOOLISH as to dreame that none of the Presbyters was chiefe of that assemblie Ierome saieth the care of the Church was equally deuided amongst them you say it were a dreame and a follie so to suppose And thus is Ierome rewarded for bearing witnesse to your Presbyterall regiment Againe Ierome saieth that vpon the primarie dissentious of Presbyters it was decreed in the whole world Vt omnis Ecclesiae cura ad vnum pertineret that the whole care or charge of the Church should pertaine to one This you cannot digest for if this bee true your laie Elders had nothing to doe with Church matters since Bishops began Ieromes whole tale therefore your selues reiect as vntrue onely you hold fast the latter ende which you vnderstand not and thence you would prooue that the gouerning of the Church by Bishops was mans inuention contrarie to Gods institution In all reason when you impugne the two partes of your owne witnesses deposition wee might refuse the third but wee will not presuming that Ierome would not so grossely contradict himselfe as to say the superioritie of Bishops aboue Presbyters was and was not an Apostolike ordinance Ieromes wordes then that the Bishops maioritie aboue Presbyters came rather by the custome of the Church then by the trueth of the Lordes disposition may bee two wayes construed First that by the trueth of the Lordes disposition hee meaneth a precept from Christes mouth and by the custome of the Church hee vnderstandeth a continuation of that regiment euen from the Apostles For Veritas is often taken with the auncient Fathers for a trueth written in the Scriptures consuetudo for a thing deliuered by hand from the Apostles which otherwise thep call a tradition And
that dreame so well of themselues but since it is printed I would gladly see how it can be prooued Ambrose you say leadeth you so to thinke for he affirmeth that euery Presbyter was a Bishop when it came to his course and their courses went round by order Ambrose contradicteth it as plainely as hee can speake and saieth that not euery Presbyter was a Bishop but he onely was a Bishop which was primus inter Presbyteros the first or chiefest amongst the Presbyters Nay first in order in whose place when he departed the next succeeded They were capable of the Bishoprike as they stood in order Now that order must goe either as they were eldest in standing or worthiest in gifts Which of these two orders did the Presbyters keepe can you tell Not I. Nor Ambrose neither He supposest that to sit in the Church and in other their assemblies they had an order and so no doubt they had but whether they were placed by the Apostles according to their merites or kept their places by senioritie as they were ordained or cast lots amongst themselues for auoiding of ambition and contention neither Ambrose neither any man liuing could or can tell But the first alwayes was the Bishop and consequently they differed not in degree but in order How now masters will you crosse S. Pauls words so flatlie who saieth that God hath ordained first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers Are these diuers degrees or no What els And were not all these when they taught in any place of the Presbyterie They were Then did the Presbyters differ not in order onely but in degree also We speake not of Apostles Euangelists and Prophets when wee say the Presbyters differed one from an other onely in order and not in degree but of Pastours that had their charge in that place where they liued The question is not of whom you speake but of whom Ambrose spake we examine his words not yours and he cleerly accounteth them all to be Presbyters For example Timothie that you say was an Euangelist Ambrose reckoneth him for a Presbyter and saieth he was a Bishop though hee were a Presbyter because there was none other before him And had not Ambrose specially named him I hope you will exclude neither Apostles nor Prophets nor Euangelists from the number of Presbyters wheresoeuer they were present Nowe choose you whether you will say all these were no Presbyters Saint Peter expresselie saying the contrarie or els admit that in the order of Presbyters there were diuers degrees of ecclesiasticall functions and so your distinction of ordo and gradus to be nothing neere Saint Ambroses meaning for hee by ordo vnderstandeth the ORDER OF their DESERT or SENIORITIE and either of those orders doeth euidently admit many diuers degrees of ecclesiasticall callings If Ambrose doe not affirme it we doe I can soone admit you to affirme what you list for when you haue done except you prooue it I will not beleeue it but I see no cause why you should ground that distinction on Ambroses wordes In place conuenient you shall haue leaue to say what you can to maintaine your distinction in the meane time I would haue you marke that you take Ambroses meere ghesses which can not bee iustified for your greatest grounds For tell me when euer or where euer were Bishops chosen by order as they were eldest Againe was Timothie chosen Bishop by his standing at Ephesus or did Paul leaue him there for the great affiance hee had in his sincere and vpright dealing When the Apostle first wrate to Timothie how to behaue himselfe in the house of God and on whom to impose handes did Paul will him to take them as they stoode in order or to choose men answerable to those conditions which hee prescribed The first rules that were giuen in the Scriptures for the creation of Bishops and Presbyters were by choice not by order before those how can Ambrose or any man els prooue that Bishops were ordained in order as they stood without choice Now if you could shew any such thing which I am assured you cannot yet this change from order to choice is the manifest commaundement of Gods spirite witnessed by Paul both to Tite and Timothie and therefore your kinde of going in order to make Bishops was and is repugnant to the Apostles generall and Canonicall rule of choosing the fittest men to be Bishops which euer since hath dured in the Church of Christ as a special and expresse part of Gods ordinance confirmed by the Scriptures But doe you your selues admit this imagination of Ambrose which you fortifie against Bishops are not you the first men that checke your owne witnesse and thereby shewe that though you alleage Ambrose you doe not beleeue Ambrose in this verie point which you bring him for A great learned man of your side saieth and in my iudgement saieth truely Aliud est electionis mandatum quod immatum non tantùm in Diaconis sed etiam in sacris functionibus omnibus seruaâ—um oportet aliud electionis modus The commaundement of election which must bee kept vnchanged not onely in Deacons but in all sacred functions is one thing the maner of electing is another thing Then is there a commaundement no doubt of Christ by his Apostle it could not otherwise bee inuiolable that to all sacred functions men should bee taken by election and not by order of standing If Ambrose spake of the time before this commaundement when that was no man knoweth And therefore I haue reason to say it was neuer prescribed in the Scriptures nor vsed in any Church or age that we read but onely surmised by Ambrose because he did not finde who were Bishops in euery Church before Paul wrate to Timothie and Tite to make choice of meete men to be Bishops and Presbyters Least you mislike that I say Ambrose roaueth at some things which can not be prooued and need not be credited tell mee your selues what you say to these reportes of Ambrose in the same place Primùm omnes docebant omnes baptizabant Inter initia omnibus concessum est euangelizare baptizare Scriptur as in ecclesia explanare Nunc neque Diaconi praedicant in populo neque Clerici vel Laici baptizant At the first all men did teache and all men did baptize At the beginning euery man was suffered to preach baptize and expound the Scriptures in the Church Nowe neither Deacons preach to the people neither doe inferiour Clerkes or Laie men baptize Beleeue you that all men or Laie men did preach and baptize at the first spreading of the Gospell I know you doe not your positions are most direct against it Yet Ambrose auoucheth it and the proofe he bringeth for it is as slender as the report Because Peter commaunded Cornelius and those that were with him to bee baptized and there came with Peter none from Ioppe but certaine brethren hee
in the Apostles time did not impose handes on a Bishop Yea saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters then coulde not impose handes on a Bishop Chrysostome doeth not reason from his owne age vnto the Apostles and conclude because they might not doe it in that world wherein he liued by a custome of the Church ergo they coulde not doe it in Paules time that were a verie senselesse and vnsauerie collection but he vrgeth that in Paules time Presbyters might not ordaine a Bishop and therefore those words must be vnderstoode of Bishops which by the Apostolike rules might impose handes whereas Presbyters might not The verie same point he repeateth and presseth when he giueth a reason why Paul in his Epistle to Timothie went from describing Bishops straight to Deacons omitting cleane the order of Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The difference betwixt Bishops and Presbyters is not great for they also were admitted to teach and rule the Church and what Paul saide of Bishops that agreeth vnto Presbyters Onely in laying on of hands Bishops go beyond them and haue that Onely thing more then Presbyters Theodoret. The Presbyterie Paul calleth heere such as had receiued Apostolicall or Episcopall grace for by Theodorets opinion Bishops were then called Apostles and Presbyters called by the name of Bishops Oecumenius Lay handes hastily on no man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul treateth of imposing hands for he wrate to a Bishop Ambrose rendreth the same reason why Paul mentioning Bishops and Deacons did cleane ouerskip Presbyters and noteth the same difference betwixt Presbyters and Bishops that Chrysostome doth Timothie because hee had none other before him was a Bishop Wherefore Paul sheweth him how he shal ordaine a Bishop Neque enim fas erat aut licebat vt inferior ordinaret maiorem Nemo enim tribuit quod non accepit For it was neither lawfull nor permitted that the inferiour should ordaine the greater No man giueth that which he hath not receiued That Timothie was a bishop is confessed by the rest of the Fathers I alleaged them before Paul calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Copartner in the Gospell and ioyneth Timothie with himselfe in writing to the Corinthians Philippians Colossians and Thessalonians thereby to shew that he had receiued Timothie not only into the fellowship of his Ministerie but giuen him part of his authoritie and made choice of him to abide at Ephesus to establish and confirme the Church when hee thus wrate vnto him Wherefore Timothie had not this prerogatiue by order or senioritie hee was no Presbyter of Ephesus but there left with Episcopall authoritie which hee had by the laying on of Paules handes before he stayed at Ephesus But howsoeuer hee came by it by Paules choice or otherwise Ambrose acknowledgeth hee was a bishop and therefore superiour to Presbyters because hee was inuested with power to ordaine bishops which Presbyters had not His wordes be full Neque fas erat neque licebat vt inferior ordinaret maiorem It was neither lawfull nor agreeable to religion for fas is that which is consonant to the seruice of God as ius expresseth that which is right amongst men for the inferiour to ordaine the superior to wit that a Presbyter should ordaine a bishop We greatly care not who should ordaine Bishops for as we thinke there neede none in the Church of Christ but touching Presbyters that is Ministers of the worde and Sacraments the fourth Councill of Carthage is verie cleere they may be ordained by Presbyters Their wordes are these Presbyter quum ordinatur Episcopo eum benedicente manum super caput eius tenente etiam omnes Presbyteri qui presentes sunt manus suas iuxtamanum Episcopi super caput illius teneant When a Presbyter is ordained the Bishop blessing him and holding his hand on the parties head let all the Presbyters that are present hold their hands neere the Bishops hand on his head that is ordered Presbyters are sufficient to create Presbyters and they may discharge all Ecclesiasticall dueties in the Church for Bishops let them care that like them The Councill of Carthage doeth not tell you that Presbyters might ordaine Presbyters without a bishop looke better to the wordes such Presbyters as were present must holde their handes on the parties head neere the bishops hand but without the bishop they had no power of themselues to impose handes Nowe to what ende they imposed handes whether to ordaine and consecrate as well as the bishop or because the Action was sacred and publike to consent and blesse together with the bishop this is all the doubt If they had power to ordaine as well as the bishop and without the bishop all the Fathers which I before cited were vtterly deceiued For they say no. Yea Ierome that neither coulde forget nor woulde suppresse being one himselfe anie part of their power knewe not so much For hee confesseth that bishops might ordaine by imposing handes Presbyters might not And therefore though they held their handes neere the bishops hand yet did they not ordaine as the bishop did Howe knowe you to what ende they ioyned with the Bishop in imposing handes The action was common to both and no difference is expressed in that Councill betweene their intentes Unlesse you bee disposed to set Councills and Fathers together by the eares you must make their imposition of handes to bee a consent rather then a consecration and so may the authorities of all sides stand vpright otherwise by an action that admittteth diuers endes and purposes you ouerthrowe the maine resolution not onelie of other Councils and Fathers but of the same Synode which you alleadge for that giueth Presbyters no power to ordaine without the bishop but to conioyne their handes with his Many things were interdicted Presbyters by the Canons which were not by the Scriptures but you must shew vs that Presbyters and Bishops differ by the word of God afore we can yeeld them to be diuers degrees If Presbyters by the worde of God may ordaine with imposing handes as well as Bishops howsoeuer by the custome of the Church they bee restrained or subiected vnder Bishops they bee all one in degree with Bishops though not in dignitie for all other things as Ierome auoucheth are common vnto them but if that power be graunted by Gods Lawe to Bishops and denied to Presbyters then struggle whiles you will you shall finde them in the ende to be distinct and diuers degrees That Bishops may ordaine the Apostles words to Timothie and Tite exactly prooue Lay hands hastely on no man for this cause I left thee in Creete that thou shouldest ordaine Presbyters in euery Citie You must now prooue by the sacred Scriptures that Presbyters may ordaine as well as Bishops if not they bee distinct degrees that haue by Gods Lawe distinct powers and actions Our proofes are cleere Neglect not the gift which
no cause why some Writers in our dayes should discredite the report and reason which Epiphanius maketh against Aerius that a Presbyter could not be equal with a Bishop for so much as the order of Bishops engendreth Fathers vnto the Church and the order of Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not able to beget Fathers by the regeneration of baptisme begetteth children vnto the church but not fathers or teachers and so no possibilitie to make a Presbyter that hath not receiued power to impose handes equall with a Bishop For what doth Epiphanius auouch in these words which Athanasius Ierom Chrysostome and Ambrose do not like wise auouch or what saieth he more then the Primitiue Church in her generall and Prouinciall Councils decreed against Colluthus Maximus and others and obserued without alteration euer since the Apostles died If wee reiect this assertion of Epiphanius that onely Bishops should impose handes to ordaine and not Presbyters wee reiect the whole church of Christ which interpreted the Scriptures in this behalfe as Epiphanius did and confirmed the verie same resolution with the continual practise of all ages and countries where the Gospell hath bene preached and beleeued for by power to ordaine the christian world hath alwayes distinguished bishops from Presbyters as it is easie to be seene by all the monuments of antiquitie that are extant to this day either of Councils Stories or Fathers And as by imposing oâ— haÌ„ds so by succeeding in the chaire haue Bishops euer since the Apostles times beene seuered from Presbyters in the Church of Christ which to all that doe not eagerlie seeke to captiuate the trueth to their owne desires is an argument vnrefellable that the first placing of Bishops aboue Presbyters was Apostolike Tertullian saith Constabit id esse ab Apostolis traditum quod apud ecclesias Apostolorum fuerit sacrosanctum It is certaine that came from the Apostles which is sacredly obserued in the Churches of the Apostles And Austen Quod vniuersa tenet ecclesia nec concilijs institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate Apostolica tradituÌ„ rectissime creditur That which the whole Church keepeth and was not appointed by Councils but always retained that is most rightly beleeued to haue descended from the Apostles Now that in the Churches planted by the Apostles their coadiutors one hath bene seuered from the rest of the Presbyters and placed aboue the rest in the honour of y t Episcopal chaire before there were any general Councils to decree that maner of gouernment so continued euen from the Apostles persons hands to this present age the perpetuall succession of bishops in those principall Churches where the Apostles their helpers preached and gouerned like wise in all other churches of the world following their steps will strongly and fully confirme If the Apostles placed bishops with their own hands if departing ordying they left bishops to succeede them if their Disciples and Schollers embraced vsed that course to set bishops aboue Presbyters for sauing the church from schismes left it to their after-commers I trust there are few men so deepely drowned in their owne conceits or wholy addicted to their fansies but they will acknowledge the first distinction institution of bishops from and aboue Presbyters was if not commanded imposed by the Apostles precepts on the Church yet at least ordained deliuered vnto the faithfull by their example as the best way to maintaine the peace and vnitie of the Church and consequently the custome of y â— church which Austen speaketh of that the bishops office should be greater theÌ„ the Presbyters the the decree of the whole world which Ierome mentioneth were deriued from the Apostles and confirmed by them and may not be reuersed and reâ—ealed after 150. yeers vnlesse we chalenge to be wiser and better able to order and gouerne the Church of Christ then the Apostles were Eusebius the first and best collector of auncient and Ecclesiasticall momunents Egesippus and Clemens being lost deriueth the successions of bishops in the foure principal churches of the world Ierusalem Antioch Rome and Alexandria from the Apostles age vnto his owne time by which as by a line we may be directed to see what maner of Episcopall successions the rest of the Churches had from whom the first originall of bishops descended I wil set them downe as it were in a Table euen from the Apostles their followers vnto the time they met in the great Councill of Nice about 320. yeeres after Christ and then examine more exactly whence they tooke their first beginning In the Church of Ierusalem Iames the Apostle Simeon Iustus Zacheus Tobias Beniamin Iohannes Mathias Philippus Sâ—nnecas Iustus Leui Ephrem Ioseph Iudas Marcus Cassianus Publius Maximus Iulianus Caius Symmachus Caius Iulianus Capito Maximus Antoninus Valens Dolichianus Narcissus Dius Germanion Gordius Narcissus iterum Alexander Mazabanes Hymeneus Zambdas Hermon Macarius Maximus Cyrillâ—s Iohannes Iuuenalis In the Church of Antioch Peter the Apostle Euodius Ignatius Heros Cornelius Eros Theophilus Maximinus Serapion Asclepiades Philetos Zebinus Babilas Fabius Demetrius Paulus Samosatenus Domnus Timeus Cyrillus Tyrannus Vitalius Philagonius Eâ—stathius Paulinus Miletius Flauianus Porphyrius Alexander Iohannes In the Church of Rome Peter and Paul Linus Anacletus Clemens Euaristus Alexander Sixtus Thelesphorus Higinus Pius Anâ—cetus Soter Eleutherius Victor Zepherinus Calixtus Vrbanus Pontianus Antâ—rus Fabianus Cornelius Lucius Stephanus Xistus Dionysius Felix Eutichianus Caius Marcellinus Marcellus Eusebius Meltiades Syluester Marcus Iulius Liberius Damasus Siricius Anastasius In the Church of Alexandria Mark the Euangelist Anianus Abilius Cerdo Primus Iustus Eumenes Marcus Celadion Agrippas Iulianus Demetrius Heraclas Dionysius Maximus Theonas Petrus Achilles Alexander Athanasius Petrus Timothius Theophilus Cyrillus These Catalogues of the Bishops of Ierusalem Antioch Rome and Alexandria Eusebius pursueth vnto the beginning of his owne time leauing off at Hermon Bishop of Ierusalem Tyranous bishop of Antioch Marcellinus bishop of Rome and Peter Bishop of Alexandria the rest are supplied out of others as in the See of Alexandria Achilles Alexander Athanasius and Peter out of Socrates Vitalius Philagonius and Eustathius out of Theodoret as also Macarius for Ierusalem In the See of Rome Marcellus and those that follow out of Optatus and Augustine The foure bishops of these Churches that met and sate in the Councill of Nice were Syluester for Rome by Vitus and Vincentius his Presbyters Sozomene faieth it was Iulius Alexander for Alexandria Macarius for Ierusalem and Eustathius for Antioch as appeareth by their subscriptions vnto the saide Council Now when these successions beganne and who were the first Authors and ordainers of them let vs see what proofe can be brought That Iames the Apostle was the first bishop of Ierusalem Clemens Egefippus Eusebius Ierome Chrysostome Epiphanius Ambrose and Augustine confirme Clemens in his sirt Booke
Hypotyposeon writeth thus Peter Iames and Iohn after the Assumption of our Sauiour though they were preferred by the Lord before the rest yet did they not chalenge that glorie to themselues but made Iames the Iust Bishop of Ierusalem Eusebius The feate of Iames the Apostle which was the first that receiued the Bishopricke of the Church of Ierusalem from our Sauiour himselfe and the Apostles whome also the diuine Scriptures call the Lordes brother is kept to this day and euidently shewed to all men by the brethren which haue followed him in ordinarie succession Ierome Iames the Lordes brother surnamed Iust straight after the Lordes passion ordained Bishop of Ierusalem by the Apostles wrate one onely Epistle which is one of the seuen Catholike Epistles Egesippus that liued neere to the Apostles times in the fift Booke of his Commentaries speaking of Iames saieth James the Lords brother surnamed Iust receiued the Church of Ierusalem in charge after the Apostles Chrysostome writing vpon these wordes of the fifteenth Chapter of the Actes After they held their peace Iames answered saieth Hic erat Episcopus ecclesiae Hierosolymitanae This Iames was Bishop of the Church of Ierusalem Epiphanius Iames called the Lordes brother was the first Bishop in Ierusalem Ambrose Paul sawe Iames the Lordes brother at Ierusalem because he was made Bishop of that place by the Apostles Augustine The Church of Ierusalem Iames the Apostle was the first that gouerned by his episcopal office From Iames to Macarius that sate in the Councill of Nice were forty bishops of Ierusalem succeeding eche other in a perpetuall discent and sitting eche for his time in that chaire in which Iames the Apostle sate wheÌ„ he taught gouerned the Church of Ierusalem Their order and succession froÌ„ Iames is collected by Eusebius Epiphanius out of elder former Writers which now are perished by the iniurie of time The succession of Bishops at Antioch and Alexandria began in the Apostles time as we find testified by ancient incorrupt witnesses Euodius was the first that succeeded at Antioch after Peters departure of whom Ignatius that was next to him writeth in this wise to the Church there Remember Euodius your blessed Pastor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which first receiued from the Apostles the chiefe ouersight or regimeÌ„t of vs. So saith Euseb. Of those that were bishops at Antioch Euodius was the first that was appointed Ignatius the next who not only conuersed with the Apostles but also saw Christ in the flesh after his resurrection when he appeared to Peter the rest of the disciples His own words as Ierom alleageth them are Ego verò post resurrectionem in carne â—um vidi quando venit ad Petrum ad eos qui cum Petro erant I sawe Christ in the flesh after his resurrection when he came to Peter those that were with Peter said to them handle me see A spirit hath not flesh bones as you see me haue Of him Origen saith Ignatium dico episcopum Antiochie post Petrum secunduÌ„ I meane Ignatius the 2. bishop of Antioch after Peter Ierom maketh Ignatius to be the third bishop of the church of Antioch froÌ„ Peter the Apostle reckoning Peter for the first after whom succeeded Ignatius in the second place as Eusebius writeth Ignatius so much spoken by most men to this present day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the second that enioyed the Bishopricke in the succession of Peter at Antioch Touching the Sees of Antioch Alexandria and Rome Gregorie saith Petrus sublimauit sedem in qua etiam quiescere praesâ—ntem vitam finire dignatus est ipse decorauit sedem in qua Euangelistam discipulum misit ipse firmauit sedem in qua septem annis quamuis discessurus sedit Vnius atque vna est sedes cui ex authoritate diuina tres nunc Episcopi praesident Peter aduanced the â—eate of Rome where he thought good to rest and end this present life he also adorned the seate of Alexandria to which he sent his disciple Marke the Euangelist he fastned the seate of Antioch in which he rested seuen yeares though with purpose to depart It is one seate and of one Apostle in which three Bishops now sit by diuine authority For the first bishop of Alexandria Ierom Eusebius concurre with Gregory Marcus interpreâ— Petri Apostoli Alexandrinae ecclesiae primus episcopus Marke the Interpreter of Peter the Apostle the first bishop of the church of Alexandria who dying 6 yeeres before Peter left his church place vnto Anianus as Euseb writeth Nerone 8. regni annum agente 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nero being in the 8 yeere of his raigne Anianus a very godly man euery way admirable first vndertooke the publike administration of the Church of Alexandria after Marke the Apostle Euangelist And as the succession at Antioch began in Euodius that was ordained by the Apostles so at Alexandria they continued the same course from Marke downeward by Ieroms owne confession Alexandriae à Marco Euangelista vsque ad Heraclam Dionysium Episcopos Presbyteri semper vnum ex se electum in excelsiori gradu colloâ—atum episcopum nominabant At Alexandria froÌ„ Mark the euangelist vnto Heraclas Dionysius the Presbyters did alwayes choose one of theÌ„selues whoÌ„ being placed in an higher degree they called their bishop Of the succession at Rome Irenoeus saith Fundantes igitur instruâ—ntes beati Apostoli ecclesiam Lino episcopatum administrandâ— ecclesiae tradiderunt Succedit ei Anacletus post cum tertio loco ab Apostolis Episcopatum sortitur Clemens qui vidit ipsos Apostolos contulit cum eis The blessed Apostles Peter and Paul founding and ordering the Church of Rome deliuered the ouersight or charge of gouerning the Church to Linus Anacletus succeeded him and in the third place after the Apostles Clemens which sawe the Apostles themselues and conferred with them vndertooke the Bishops office Next to this Clement succeeded Euaristus after Euaristus Alexander and then in the sixt place from the Apostles was appointed Sixtus then Telesphorus then Higinus then Pius after whoÌ„ was Anicetus Next to Anicetus succeeded Soter now wheÌ„ Irenaeus wrote in the 12. place from the Apostles Eleutherius hath the Bishoprike And likewise Optatus Negare non poteâ— scire te in vrbe Roma Petro primo Cathedram episcopaleÌ„ esse collocatam c ergo Cathedra vnica sedit prior Petrus cui successit Linus Lino successit Clemens Clementi Anacletus c. Thou canst not deny saith he to Parmenian but thou knowest that in the city of Rome the episcopall chaire was conferred first to Peter c. In that chaire which was but one sate first Peter whom Linus succeeded and after Linus Clemens after Clemens Anacletus after Anacletus Euaristus then Sixtus Thelesphorus Iginus
Anicetus Pius Soter Eleutherius so naming 20. more in order vnto Syluester in whose time the great Councill of Nice was kept after him fiue others vnto Silicius qui bodie noster est socius which at this day is our fellow Bishop And so S. Austen If the rowe of Bishops succeeding one an other be to be considered how much more certainely and indeed soundly doe we reckon from Peter himselfe For next to Peter succeeded Linus after Linus Clemens after Clemens Anacletus then Euaristus Alexander Sixtus Thelesphorus Iginus Anicetus Pius Soter Eleutherius Victor and so 25. more vnto Anastasius next after Siricius Neither had these 4. Sees only their successions from the Apostles the rest of the Churches dispersed throughout the world had the like deriuation continuation of bishops from the Apostles or Apostolike men that these had Irenaeus taketh the example of the Church of Rome quoniam valdè longum est in hoc tali volumine omnium ecclesiarum successiones enumerare because it woulde bee ouerlong in such a Volume to repeate the successions of all Churches Otherwise he plainely saieth Agnitio vera est Apostolorum doctrina antiquus ecclesiae status in vniuersomundo secundùm successiones Episcoporum quibus illi cam quae in vnoquoque loco est ecclesiam tradidâ—runt The true knowledge is the doctrine of the Apostles and the auncient state of the Church in the whole world by the successions of Bishops to whom the Apostles deliuered the Church which is in euerie place Tertullian saieth as much and choketh all the heretikes of his time with that chalenge Edant origines ecclesiarum suarum euoluant ordinem Episcoporum suorum ita per successiones ab initio decurrentem vt primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis aut Apostolicis viris habuerit authorem antecessorem Hoc modo ecclesiae Apostolicae census suos deferunt Sicut Smyrneorum ecclesia habens Polycarpum ab Iohanne conlocatum refert sicut Romanorum Clementem à Petro ordinatum edit proinde vtique ceterae exhibent quos ab Apostolis in Episcopatum constitutos Apostolici seminis traduces habeant Let them shewe the originals of their Churches let them number the order of their Bishops so deriued by succession from the beginning that their first Bishop had one of the Apostles or Apostolike men for his authour and antecessor After this maner by succession of Bishops running vp to the Apostles or their Scholers doe the Apostolike Churches bring in their accounts as the Churches of Smyrna hauing Polycarpe placed there by S. Iohn as the Church of Rome sheweth Clement ordained by Peter as the rest of the Churches exhibite what branches they haue of the Apostolike seede euen those that were first placed in the Bishops office by the Apostles Austen likewise Radix Christianae societatis per sedes Apostolorum successiones Episcoporum certa per orbem propagatione diffunditur The roote of Christian societie is increased and extended throughout the world by the seates of the Apostles and successions of Bishops The particulars are infinite if we should recken all the Churches that receiued Bishops from the Apostles and their folowers and the names of the men after so many hundred yeeres are somewhat buried in obliuion and razed with the generall rage of ignorance and barbarisme that hath seized on the best places and perished the best writers before our times It is not possible saieth Eusebius in his tune by name to reherse them all that were Pastours and Euangelists at the first succeeding after the Apostles in the Churches dispersed throughout the world yet those which are extant maâ—e proofe sufficient for the matter in question to wit that Bishops were placed by the Apostles to gouerne as well the Presbyters as the people of each place and succeeded the Apostles in imposing hands which Presbyters did not Of Timothie Tite Linus Clemens and Dionysius named in the Scriptures Eusebius writeth thus Timotheus is recorded in the stories to bee the first that had the Bishoprike of Ephesus as also Titus of the Churches in Creete Linus whom Paul in his second epistle to Timothie mentioneth as present with him at Rome was the first that had the Bishoprike of the Church of Rome after Peter And Clemens that was appointed the third Bishop of the Church of Rome is witnessed by Paul himselfe to haue bene his fellow labourer and helper Dionysius also the Areopagite who as S. Luke in the Acts noteth was first conuerted by Pauls sermon at Athens was likewise the first Bishop of the Church of Athens as another Dionysius a very ancient Pastour of the Church of Corinth writeth Of Caius Archippus Onesimus Polycarpus and others the like testimonies are extant in ancient writers Origen saieth Fertâ—r traditione Maiorum quod hic Caius Episcopus fuerit Thessalonicensis ecclesiae Our Elders haue deliuered vs by tradition that this Caius of whom Paul speaketh in the 16. chapter of his epiâ—â—â—e to the Romanes was Bishop of the Church of Thessalonica Upon Pauls wordes to the Colossians Say to Archippus take heed to the ministerie which thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfil it Ambrose writeth Hee warneth their ouerseer by themselues to be carefull of their saluation And because the epistle is written only for the peoples sake therefore he directeth it to the Church and not to their ruler For after Epaphras had instructed theÌ„ Archippus vndertooke the gouernment of their Church Ignatius saieth Eusebius being at Smyrna where Polycarpe was wrate an epistle to the Church of Ephesus mentioning Onesimus their Pastor And of Polycarpe he saieth There remained yet in Asia Polycarpus that liued with the Apostles and receiued the Bishoprike of the Church of Smyrna froÌ„ those that themselues sawe the Lord and ministred vnto him Irenaeus affirmeth as much Et Polycarpus non solùm ab Apostolis edoctus conuersatus cum multis ex cis qui Dominum nostrum viderunt sed etiam ab Apostolis in Asia in ea quae est Smyrnis ecclesia constitutus Episcopus quem nos vidimus in prima nostra atatâ— hic docuit semper quae ab Apostolis didicerat quae ecclesiae tradidit Polycarpus not only instructed by the Apostles coÌ„uersant with many of them which saw the Lord but also by y c Apostles made Bishop of the Church of Smyrna WHOM WE SAW WHEN WE WERE YONG he alwayes taught that which he learned of the Apostles and deliuered it vnto the Church If Christian Churches writers may deserue credite with vs we haue the sincerest and eldest cleerely witnessing and confirming vnto vs that the Apostles when they saw their time placed of their Scholers folowers one in euery Church which they planted to be Bishop and Pastor of the place and that the successions of Bishops so placed by the Apostles dured in all the Apostolike Churches euen to the times
as the people that were under them Our answere is easie and readie to all that you haue brought first the Bishops of the Primitiue Church which succeeded one another in euery place were all one with Presbyters as Ierome telleth you and then we graunt without exception all that you haue alleaged out of these ancient Fathers and Writers Next â—hen they make any difference betwixt Bishops and Presbyters as sometimes they doe by Bishops they vnderstand all Pastours and Ministers of the worde and Sacraments and by Presbyters they meane the laie Elders which wee seeke to restore Thirdly if you could prooue that Bishops were aboue other Ministers of the worde and Sacraments yet that superioritie was nothing els but a power to call the rest together to propose matters in doubt vnto them and to aske their voyces and consents by which the Bishops of those times were directed and from which they might by no meanes diuert to their owne wils and pleasures I know how easie readie a thing it is with you to say what you list if you may be trusted without any further triall but if it please you substantiallie to prooue these things which you afffirme or but any one of them you shal find it is a matter of greater difficultie and longer studie then you take it for Did you pleade before the poorest Iurie that is for earthly trifles they would not credite your worde without some witnesse and in matters of religion that touch the peace safetie of the whole Church of Christ do you looke your voluntarie should bee receiued without all authoritie or testimonie to warrant it if your follie be such as to expect so much at other mens hands their simplicitie is not such as to yeeld it In deed to my conceiuing the summe of your answer is very like the form of your discipline for neither of theÌ„ hath any proofe possibilitie nor cohereÌ„cie Toprooue the Bishops calling to be different from the Presbyters that yet helped in the word and Sacraments I shew that Bishops ordained ministers which Presbyters by the iudgement and assertion of the Primitiue Church might not doe and that in euery Church there were or might be many Presbyters according to the necessitie of the place but no more then one Bishop in euerie Church did or might succeed the Apostles in their chaires Hence I conclude that Bishops euer since the Apostles times were distinguished from those Presbyters that assisted the Pastour of each place in the word and Sacraments You answere that either Bishops were all one with Presbyters or if there were any difference betwixt them Presbyters then were laie Elders In which words you close not onely a monstrous falsitie but a manifest contrarietie For in effect you say Presbyters were Bishops and no Bishops Presbyters were no Laie men and yet Laie men If Presbyters were Bishops they were no Laie Elders if they were Laie Elders they were no Bishops You must therefore choose the one and refuse the other as false and repugnant to the former Take which you will the choise must be yours what you will answere The Bishops which succeeded the Apostles were the Pastors and ministers of euery parish the Presbyters were the Laie Elders that together with the Bishop gouerned the Church in common Could you make any proofe for laie Elders either in Scriptures or Fathers you had some shew to mistake Presbyters for laie Elders but I haue alreadie perused the weakenesse of your ghesses and withall made iust and fullproofe for the contrarie that the Primitiue Church of Christ had no Presbyters but ministers of the worde and Sacramentes If you bee loth to turne backe to the place heare what the great Affrican Councill saieth wherein sate besides S. Augustine 216. Bishops In the former Councill saieth Aurelius We thought meete that these three degrees tied to a kind of continencie by reason of their consecration I meane Bishops Presbyters and Deacons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as becommeth Bishops Priests of God Leuites seruiters about the diuine SacrameÌ„ts shold be continent in all things All the Bishops answered we like wel that all which stand or serue at the aultar should bee continent Then Presbyters were consecrated and Priests to God and approched to the aultar and ministred the diuine Sacraments The Imperiall lawes say as much Touching the most reuerend Presbyters and Deacons if they be found to giue false euidence in a pecuniarie cause Sufficiat pro verberibus tribus annis separari à sacro ministeria it shall suffice for them in stead of whipping to be three yeeres separated from the sacred ministerie but if in criminall causes they beare false witnesse clero nudatoâ— legitimis poenis sub di praecipimus wee commaund them to bee degraded of their Clergie and subiected to the penalties of the lawe Then Presbyters in the Primitiue Church were both of the Clergie and sacred ministerie as the very lawes of the Romane Empire doe testifie Ierome on whose words you so much depend saieth Hac vt ostenderemus apud veteres eosdem fuisse Presbyteros quos Episcopos All these places prooue that in ancient times Presbyters and Bishops were all one And againe Episcopi Presbyteri Diaconi debent magnoperè prouidere vt cunctum populum cui praesident conuersatione sermone praecedant Quia vehementer ecclesiam Christi destruit meliores esse Laicos quà m Clericos The Bishops Presbyters and Deacons ought greatly to prouide that they excell all the people which are vnder them in conuersation and doctrine because it vehemently destroyeth the Church of Christ to haue the Laie men better then the Clergie men And Augustine Quicunque aut Episcopus aut Presbyter aut Laicus c. Whosoeuer either Bishop Presbyter or Laie man doth declare how eternall life may be gotten hee is worthily called the messenger of God Then if Bishops were no Laie men no more were Presbyters You must therefore send your laie Elders to the New-found land the Christian world neuer heard of any such ecclesiasticall Gouernours before some men in our age began to set that fansie on foote As for Presbyters that were Clergie men and ministers of the word we shew you both by the Scriptures and stories they were many in one Church and yet was there in euery Church and Citie but one of them that succeeded the Apostles as Pastour of y â— place with power to impose handes for the ordaining of Presbyters and Deacons Those successours to the Apostles the Church of Christ euen from the Apostles age hath distinguished from other Presbyters by the two proper markes of episcopall power and function I meane Succession Ordination and called them bishops Thus much is mainlie prooued vnto you by all those Apostolike Churches that had many Presbyters as helpers in the word and neuer but one Bishop that succeeded in the Apostolike chaire At Alexandria this succession began from Marke the Euangelist and
coÌ„fortably in it she like wise put a differeÌ„ce betwixt her Bishops and Presbyters Which of these things can you chalenge as vnchristian and vnlawfull or what warrant had Aerius to reproue the whole church of God for so doing Iust as much as you haue now to defend him which is none at all He reprooued praying and not thanks giuing for the dead He reprooued the naming of the dead and would needes know to what end they rehearsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the names of the dead To whome Epiphanius answereth As for the repeating of the names of the dead what can be better or more opportune then that they which are yet behind in this world beleeue the deceased liue and are not extinguished but are and liue with God and as the diuine doctrine hath taught that they which pray haue hope of their brethren absent as in a long voiage from them We also make mentioÌ„ of the iust as of the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Euangelists Martyrs Confessors Bishops and of all sortes to separate the Lord Iesus from the order of men and to giue him his due honour and worship Thus farre Epiphanius speaketh soundly and giueth good reasons why the Church named her dead euen her hope of their welfare and faith of their life with God and separation of al men from the Lord Iesus the Redeemer and Sauiour of the world Chrysostoms liturgie sheweth what commemoration of the dead was vsed in the Greeke Church We offer this reasonable seruice that is the Eucharist of praise and thankesgiuing vnto thee O Lord for all that are at rest in the faith of Christ euen for the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Euangelists Bishops Martyrs Confessours and euery soule initiated in the faith But chiefly for the most holy vndefiled and most blessed virgin Marie He that thinketh all the Patriarkes Prophets Martyrs Apostles and the virgin Marie were in Purgatorie had neede of purgation himselfe to be eased of his melancholy yet for these and specially for the blessed virgin the Church offered hir praiers and sacrifice to God It is therfore most euident y â— church meant the sacrifice of thanksgiuing howsoeuer Epiphan Austen and some others to extend the prayers of the Church to all Christians departed doubtfully suppose their damnation might be mitigated though their state could not be altered But these priuat speculations were neither comprised in y â— praiers of the church nor confirmed by them and for that cause Aerius is iustly traduced as frantikely impugning the religions and whole some customes of the primitiue catholike Church of which Saint Austen saith Siquid tota hodie per orbem frequent aâ— Ecclesia hoc quin ita faciendum sit disputare insolentissimae insanâ—ae est If the whole Church throughout the world at this day obserue any thing to reason for the reuersing of it is most insolent madnes If you thinke S. Austens censure too sharpe for the matter in question betwixt vs heare the iudgement of the general Councill of Chalcedon where were assembled 630. Bishops and marke what they determine of your assertion Photius Bishop of Tyrus had ordained certaine Bishops within his Prouince whom Eustathius his successour for some secret displeasure remoued from that degree and willed them to remaine Presbyters This case comming before the Councill of Chalcedon the resolution of Paschasinus and Lucentius was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To bring backe a Bishop to the degree of a Presbyter is sacrilege Whereto the whole Councill answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We all say the same the iudgement of the fathers is vpright You may do wel to make more account of the Martyrs and Fathers that were in the Primitiue Church least if you condemne all men besides your selues posteritie condemne you as void of all sinceritie sobrietie for my part what I finde generally receiued in the first Church of Christ I wil see it strongly refuted before I wil forsake it God forbid I should thinke there was neuer Church nor faith on the face of the earth since the Apostles times before this miserable age wherein though I acknowledge the great blessing of God restoring vs to the trueth of his Gospell farre aboue our deserts yet I cannot but lament the dangerous factions eager dissentions and headie contempts whereby the Church of God is almost rent in sunder whiles euery man will haue his deuise take place and when they want proofes they fall to reproches We make that account of the primitiue Church that Caluin and other learned men before vs haue done You do not No learned meÌ„ of any age haue shewed themselues like to the spiteful disdainful humors of our times And of all others you do Caluin wrong who though in some things he dissented from the Fathers of the Primitiue Church in expounding some places that are alleaged for this new discipline yet grauely wisely he giueth them that honor and witnes which is due vnto theÌ„ His words treating of this very point are these It shall be profitable for vs in these matters of discipline to reuiew the forme of the ancient or primitiue Church the which will set before our eies the image of the diuine ordinance for though the Bishops of those times made many Canons in which they seeme to decree more then is expressed in the sacred Scriptures yet with such warinesse did they proportion their whole regiment to that only rule of Gods word that you may easily see they had almost nothing in their discipline different from the word of God I could wish that such as seeme to reuerence so much his name would in this behalfe followe his steps He declared himselfe to beare a right Christian regarde to the Church of Christ before him and therefore is woorthie with all posteritie to be had in like reuerend account though hee were deceiued in some things euen as Augustine and other Fathers before him were The wisedome of God will haue no man come neere the perfection of the Apostles and therefore no blemish to him that wrate so much as he did to bee somewhat ouerseene in Lay Elders and other points of discipline being so busied as he was with weightie matters of doctrine and interpreting the whole Scriptures But such as haue had better leisure to examine this matter since his death persist still in the same opinion that he did But not in the same moderation they would else not charge the primitiue church of Christ with inuenting and vpbolding an humane bishop this is deuised by man and not allowed by God whereas Caluin granteth the ancient regiment of bishops was agreeable to the worde of God and rule of the sacred Scriptures If wee looke into the thing it selfe he meaneth the gouernment of the Primitiue Church we shal finde the ancient Bishops neuer intended to frame anie other forme of gouerning the Church then that which God in his word prescribed Now what kind of gouernment
that was you shal heare his owne confession in the same place and thereby perceiue that many of the points which I haue before prooued are so sound and sure that no man learned can with any trueth resist them Habebant ergo singulae Ciuitates Presbyterorum Collegium qui Pastores erant ac Doctores Nam apud populum munus docendi exhortandi corrigendi quod Paulus episcopis iniungit omnes obibant Quibus docendi munus iniunctum erat eos omnes nominabant Presbyteros Illi ex suo numero in singulis ciuitatibus vnum eligebant cui specialiter dabant titulum Episcopi ne ex aequalitate vt fieri solet dissidia nascerentur vnicuique ciuitati attributa erat regio quae Presbyteros inde sumeret velu◠corpori ecclesiae illius accenseretur Euerie Citie had a College of Presbyters which were Pastours and Teachers for they all had the function of teaching exhorting and reproouing in the Congregation which Paul enioyneth vnto Bishops To whome the office of teaching was allotted they were all called Presbyters These in euerie Citie chose one of their owne number to whome they gaue the speciall title of a Bishop lest by an equalitie as is vsually found diuisions shoulde arise To euerie Citie was appointed a certaine region which tooke their Presbyters from the Citie and was counted part of the bodie of that Church First then Presbyteries consisted of Pastours and Teachers and were not had but in Cities Next lest equalitie shoulde breede confusion ouer these Presbyters in eche Citie as well as ouer the flocke was a bishop who in Dignitie and Authoritie was aboue them Thirdly euery Bishop had his region or Dioecese besides his Citie and the Presbyters that were designed for such Countrey Parishes as were within his Circuite were fette from the Citie and reputed to bee of the bodie of the Episcopall Church And all these thinges not onely were in the Primitiue Church as I haue alreadie prooued but they were also agreeable to the word of God as Caluin himselfe confesseth You should take all He telleth you that a Bishop should haue no dominion ouer his brethren but as a Consul in the Senate shoulde propose matters aske voyces goe before others in aduising warning exhorting and moderate the whole action with his authoritie and execute that which is decreed by common consent And this kinde of regiment hee saieth the Fathers acknowledge first entred humano consensu by the consent of men according to the necessitie of the times though it were verie ancient as at Alexandria euer since Marke the Euangelist I honour Caluin for his wonderfull giftes and paines in the Church of God and could easily be enduced to embrace his iudgement were it not that in this case a manifest trueth confirmed by the Scriptures Fathers and by himselfe enforceth me to the contrarie Ieromes wordes I haue examined before they do not import that bishops first beganne by humane deuise and policy Ignatius Irenaeus Egesippus Clemens Alexandrinus Dionysius of Corinth Origen Tertullian Eusebius Methodius and Ierom himself affirme the first bishops were made in the Apostles times and by the Apostles handes Saint Iohn in his Reuelation writeth to the seuen Pastours or chiefe moderatours of the seuen Churches in Asia Whiles Saint Iohn liued as Eusebius recordeth there succeeded at Antioch Ignatius after Euodius at Alexandria Abilius after Amianus at Rome Clemens after Anacletus and Linus at Ierusalem Simeon after Iames. Yea Saint Iohn with his owne handes made Polycarpe bishop of Smyrna as Irenaeus Tertullian Eusebius and Ierome affirme and that next after Eucharius as Socrates noteth he did the like in many other places as Clemens Alexandrinus writeth I can by no meanes forsake so many ancient and assured witnesses whereof some liued with Polycarpe and were his Schollers to followe the mistaking of a few wordes in Ierome by whomsoeuer Yea Caluin himselfe saith Nec humanum est inuentum sed Dei ipsius institutum quod singulis suas assignamus ecclesias Paulus ipse Archippum Colossensium episcopum commemorat It is not mans deuise but the very ordinance of God that we assigne to euery man his Church Paul himselfe mentioneth Archippus Bishop of Colossus That is Pastour of Colossus and so we grant eche Church ought by Gods law to haue a Pastour We must aske further whether by Gods lawe eche Church must haue one or many If one wee haue our desire if many there must yet be one chiefe to auoyde confusion Equalitie as Caluin noteth breedeth factions Ierome saith To suppresse the seedes of dissention one was set aboue the rest otherwise there would be as many schismes as there be Priests Beza maketh it an essential and perpetual part of Gods ordinance to haue one chiefe in eche Presbyterie His wordes are Essentiale fuit in eo de quo hic agimus quod ex Dei ordinatione perpetua necesse fuit est erit vt in Presbyterio quispiam loco dignitate primus actioni gubernandae praesit cum eo quod ipsidiuinitus attributū est Iure This was essential in the matter we haue in hand that by Gods ordināce which must alwais indure it hath bin is and shal be needeful that in the Presbyterie one chiefe in place and dignitie should moderate and rule euery action with that right which is allowed him by Gods lawe And in this he saieth right for a multitude vngouerned must needs be confused which should be farre from the Church of God and gouernement there can be none where all are equall When the shepeheardes leade into diuers pastures whom shall the sheepe follow when sundrie lords make sundrie lawes which shall the subiect obey Sure if no man can serue two masters no Church can endure two Pastours Whiles they consent they haue but one minde though many men when they dissent which in all persons is casuall and in all places vsuall then will there be as many sides as there be leaders You were as good set two heads on one bodie as two chiefe rulers ouer one companie If you confesse there must by Gods law be one chiefe Pastour in one church then the chiefe Pastour of eche Citie is the bishop which we seeke for and he by your owne positions is authorized as Pastour of the place by Gods ordinance This you shall neuer auoyde doe what you can Eche Church in the Apostles times had many Presbyters that laboured in the word The Scriptures do plainely witnes it In the Church of Ierusalem Act. 15. v. 6. and 23 of Antioch Act. 13. v. 1 of Ephesus Act. 20. v. 17. and 28 of Rome Rom. 16 of Corinth 1. Corinth 14. v. 29 of Philippi Philip. 1. v. 1 of Thessalonica 1. Thess. 5. v. 12 of other Churches the like is affirmed Hebr. 13. v. 17 Iames 5. v. 14 1. Pet. 5. v. 1. Now by Gods essentiall and
perpetuall ordinance as your selues confesse there must be one chiefe and Pastour of ech Church and Presbyterie to guide aswel the Presbyters that are Teachers as the flocke that are hearers with that power which Gods Law alloweth vnto Pastours Tell me now I pray you what difference betwixt chiefe Pastors established in euery City by Gods law as you are forced to grant and Bishops succeeding the Apostles in their Churches chaires as the Fathers affirme If you mislike the worde Bishop it is Catholike and Apostolike if you mislike the office it is Gods ordinance by your owne assertion We grant the name of a Bishop and regiment of a Pastor are confirmed by the holie Ghost but you yeeld more to your chiefe Pastours and Bishops then the word of God alloweth them as namely you suffer them to continue for life where they should gouerne but for a moneth or a weeke you alotte them Dioeceses which should be but parishes you giue them not onely a distinction from Presbyters but a iâ—risdiction ouer Presbyters who shoulde bee all one with Presbyters and subiect to the most voyces of the Presbyters all which things wee say are against the Scriptures You frame Churches to your fansies and then you straight way thinke the Scriptures doe answere your deuises If we giue Bishops any thing which the ancient and Catholike Church of Christ did not first giue them in Gods name spare vs not let the world knowe it but if we preferre the vniuersall iudgement of the Primitiue Church in expounding the Scriptures touching the power and function of bishops before your particular and late dreames you must not blame vs. They were neerer the Apostles times and likelier to vnderstand the Apostles meanings then you that come after fifteene hundred yeres with a new plot of Church gouernment neuer heard of before All the churches of Christ throughout the world could not at one time ioyne in one and the selfe same kind of gouernment had it not bene deliuered and setled by the Apostles and their Schollers that conuerted the world So many thousand Martyrs and Saints that liued with the Apostles would neuer consent to alter the Apostles discipline which was once receiued in the Church without the Apostles warrant Wherefore we conster the Apostles writings by their doings you measure the Scriptures after your owne humours Whether of vs twayne is most likelie to hitte the trueth As for your repining at the things which we giue to bishops we greatly regard it not so long as the Scriptures doe not contradict them wee smile rather at your deuises which say that a bishop should gouerne for a weeke and then change and giue place to the next Presbyter for an other weeke and so round by course to all the Presbyters What Scripture confirmeth that circular and weekely regiment of yours By what authoritie do you giue it the name of a diuine institution when it is a meere imagination of yours without proofe or trueth She we one example or authoritie for it in the newe Testament and take the cause Succession by course was ordained by God after the example of the Priests of Aaron Did the sonnes of Aaron loose their Priesthoode when their courses were ended No but they serued in the Temple by course and so were Bishops appointed by Gods ordinance to guide the Presbyterie Is this all the ground you haue vpon this slender and single similitude to make Gods ordinance what please you If such reasons may serue we can sooner conclude the perpetual function of bishops then you can the weekly for not onely the high Priest kept his honour during his life but likewise euery Priest that was chiefe of his order Indeede their courses being ended they departed home but they lost not their dignitie But what rouing is this in matters of weight Will anie wise men be mooued with such ghesses Make vs good proofe out of the Scriptures or leaue tying Gods ordinance to your appetites Ambrose is the man that affirmeth it If you come once to Fathers I hope we haue tenne to one that affirme otherwise If Ambrose did say so wee coulde not beleeue him against all the rest of the Fathers yea and against the Scriptures themselues election of Bishops being prescribed by Paul to Timothie and Tite and not succession in order but I denie that Ambrose saith anie such thing He saieth the next in order succeeded He nameth neither change nor course It is your owne deuise it is no part of Ambroses meaning Anianus the next after Marke that was Bishop of Alexandria sixe yeeres before Peter and Paul were put to death was hee made by order or by election Ierome saith expresly A Marco Euangelista Presbyteri semper vnum ex se electum c. they of Alexandria euer since Marke the Euangelist did alwayes choose their Bishop hee neuer succeeded in order Neither did Anianus gouerne for a weeke or a yeere hee sate Bishop there two and twentie yeeres as Eusebius writeth and Abilius the next that was chosen after his death sate thirtene yeeres more before hee died and then succeeded Cerdo and the rest in their times all chosen and all sitting in the Pastorall chaire so long as they liued The like you may see in the first Bishops of Rome who kept the Episcopall chaire during life and not by course Linus sate twelue yeres Anacletus twelue Clemens nine Saint Iohn the Apostle liuing and ordering the whole Church whiles the three first Bishops of Rome and of Alexandria succeeded by election and gouerned without chaunging for the terme of their liues Wherefore it is euident this vp-start fansie is far from Gods ordinance If you trust not me marke how your owne friends I wil not say your selues do crosse and confute your owne inuentions You say It is Gods disposition that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or chiefe of your Presbyterie should go by course and that order you call Diuine they say it is accidentall and no part of Gods ordinance Accidentale fuit quod Presbyteri in hac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alij alijs per vices initio succedebant It was accidentall that the Presbyters did in this chiefdome at the first beginning succeede one an other by course You tell vs the electing one to continue chiefe of the Presbyterie was an humane order but they assure vs that election in all sacred functions is the commaundement of God and may not be altered Aliud est electionis mandatvm quam immotaÌ„ non tantùm in Diaconis sed etiam in sacris functionibus omnibus seruatam oportuiâ— aliud electionis modus The commandement of election is one thing which must be obserued not onely in Deacons but in all sacred functions the maner of election is an other thing The precept cannot be immutable vnlesse it be diuine and Apostolike others haue no such power to command Now for my learning I would faine know this ruling by
course if it be diuine how is it accidental if it be accidentall howe is it diuine And the electing of a President or Bishop if it be humane howe is it commanded if it be commanded how is it humane This is the way to call sweete sower and sower sweete to make light darknesse and darkenesse to be light I must see better coherence then I do before I call this a diuine Discipline You mistake vs. we say it is Gods ordinance for a Pastour to gouerne the Colledge of Lay Elders but for one chiefe to gouerne the Colledge of Pastours we holde is mans inuention Would God you did not mistake your selues Your Presbyteries must consist either of lay men aloue or of clergy men only or of both indifferently If of Lay Elders only who shall succeede the Pastour in the ruling thereof when his course is ended for example as you say when his weeke is out His Presidentship must be perpetual which by your rules is against Gods ordinaÌ„ce vnles you will haue the lay Elders in course to do pastoral duties rule pastor al which is more absurde and more against Gods Law then the former Wil you mixe your Presbyteries of both then yet by Gods law as your selues inforce it one Pastor must be chiefe of the rest of the Pastors and if by the Scriptures his superioritie must be perpetuall as after his election it must be what differeth this chiefe Pastour for his life from a bishop you would limit his gouernement to a weeke or a moneth but where doth Paul so shew vs that rule in Scripture or Father and set vp your Lay Presbyteries If not you walke in the wildernesses of your own fansies you would prescribe vs rules of your owne making in place of Gods ordinance which is dangerous to your selues and iniurious to others if it be not presumptuous against God Will you haue none chiefe Then breede you confusion and lay the Church open to be torne in peeces with euery dissention besides your selues auouch it is an essentiall and perpetuall point of Gods ordinance to haue one chiefe ouer the Presbyterie These be the brambles and briars of your discipline which force you to say and vnsay with a breath but we take your assertion as good against your selues and thence we frame you this argument It is an essential and perpetual part of Gods ordinance that one should be chiefe ouer the Presbyterie But the Presbyteries of eche Church and City where the Apostles preached consisted of Clergie men and Preachers I hope then it is Gods ordinance to haue one chiefe ouer the Preachers and Labourers in ech Church And if election be Gods commandement as you also confesse and consequently the Electee once lawfully placed must not be remoued without iust and apparant defects I trust the chiefe Gouernour of the Preachers and Presbyters of eche Church must continue whiles he liueth and ruleth well for as hee was chosen for his worthinesse so may he not be depriued till he proue vnworthy Now a chiefe Ruler or Pastour ouer the people and Presbyters of eche Citie elected by Gods commaundement to continue that charge so long as hee doeth his duetie commeth as neere to the bishops calling which we maintaine as your head to that which is aboue your shoulders If youthwart vs with Lay Elders we haue this faire Supersedeas for them First prooue them then place them where you will If you talke of going round by course it is the order of good fellowes at a feast it was neuer the order of gouerning in the Church of Christ. The Priestes of the olde Lawe were after a time eased of their paines but neuer changed their prerogatiues If you say they differ not in degree but in honour and dignitie from the rest I haue alreadie prooued that singularity in succeeding the Apostles and necessitie in ordaining distinguith them from Presbyters If you quarrell with their iurisdiction and dioceses the place now serueth to discusse those things forsomuch as wee finde their function was deliuered them by the Apostles and is restified in the Scriptures The shute Anker is if all this were so that the power of Bishops by Gods law should be nothing else but a right to call the Presbyters of eche place together and to aske their voices and performe what the most part decreâ—â— and this to extend no further then their owne Churches and Cities This I thinke be your meaning if you cannot tie them to your fansies to binde them fast to their chaires that they shall not wagge and if they must needes be highest in the Session yet to make them lowest in the action and to doe one lie what shall please others to determine But your pleasures vnlesse you were more indifferent are little regarded the Church of Christ more then foureteene hundred yeeres before you were borne hath considered of their power and charge the Councils both prouinciall and generall are extant to decide the doubt But if you will trie their right by the Scriptures I am wel content so you take to your Presbyteries no more then you can iustifie to be theirs and leaue vnto Bishops that interest which wee prooue by the word to belong to their calling CHAP. XIIII The fatherly power and Pastor all care of Bishops ouer Presbyters and others in their Churches and Dioeceses I Take it to be a matter out of question confirmed by the Scriptures and confessed by the olde and newe Writers that the Sonne of God willed S. Iohn the Apostle in his Reuelation to write to the seuen chiefe Pastours of the seuen Churches of Asia calling them by the name of Angels By the diuine voyce saith Austen the Ruler of the Church of Ephesus is praised vnder the name of an Angel Angels he calleth Bishops saith Ambrose as wee learne in the Reuelation of Iohn Angels hee calleth those that be Rulers of the Churches saith Ierom euen as Malachie the Prophet doth witnesse the Priest to be an Angell And Gregorie The Preachers in the Scriptures are sometimes called Angels as the Prophet saith the lippes of the Priest should keepe knowledge and they should aske the Law at his mouth for he is the Angel or Messenger of the Lord of hostes The new Writers with one consent acknowledge the same The Angels saieth Bullinger are the Embassadours of God euen the Pastours of the Churches The heauenly letter is directed to the Angel of the church of Smyrna that is to the Pastor Now the stories witnes that Angel Pastor of the church of Smyrna to haue bin Polycarp ordained Bishop there by the Apostles themselues I mean by S. Iohn He was made bishop of Smyrna 13. yeres before the Reuelation of Iohn was written Marlorat Iohn beginneth with the Church of Ephesus for the celebritie of the place and speaketh not to the people but to the Prince or chiefe of the Clergy euen the bishop Seb. Meyer To the Angell
touching Church causes from the Aposiles age to ours haue bene committed to Episcopall audience and execution the question is for Gods Law who shoulde be trusted with the execution thereof And who rather say we then hee that is authorized by God to be the Angel of his Church and steward of his house at whose mouth the rest should aske the Law and be rather subiect vnto him then perch ouer him The execution of Gods Lawe by no meanes wee grant to the Bishop for then wee yeelde him all but in that case though ech Presbyter be inferiour to him yet the whole Presbyterie is aboue him and may both ouer-rule him and censure him That is as much as if you had said when the sheepe list to agree I will not say conspire they must leade their sheepeheard and when the children are wilfull they must rule their father Otherwise if the bishop be Pastor and father to eche Presbyter hee is the like to the whole Presbyterie consequently they must heare obey him as Gods Angel so long as he keepeth within the bounds of his message Nay euery Presbyter is a Pastour and Father as well as the Bishop and equall with him neither hath hee by Gods Lawe any right ouer them but onely by mans deuise Fie on this wauering Sometimes the Bishop shall bee chiefe ouer the Presbyterie by Gods essentiall and perpetuall ordinance Sometimes againe euerie Presbyter shall bee equall and euen with him and hee not chiefe ouer them and when you are a little angrie hee shall bee subiect vnto them and bee censured by them This tapesing to and fro I impute rather to the rawnesse of your discipline not yet digested then to the giddinesse of your heades This it is to wander in the desert of your owne deuises without the line of Gods worde or leuell of his Church to direct you But can you shewe vs by what authoritie you claime this power of your Presbyteries aboue and against their Bishops if by Scriptures produce them if by Fathers then shrinke not from them when they tell you on the other side what power the Bishop had should haue ouer his Presbyters Wee haue both Scriptures and Fathers but specially Scriptures First the Apostles Peter and Paul acknowledge the Presbyters to be Pastours and giue them the feeding ouerseeing and ruling the flock Next the Presbyterie did excommunicate the incestuous Corinthian and imposed hands on Timothie Thirdlie they are the Church which if a man heare not he must bee taken for a Publicane and an Ethnike by Christes commandement Fourthly the common wealth of Israel had apparantly that kind of gouernment which Christ and his Apostles did not alter Lastly the fathers confesse the Churches at first were gouerned with the common counsell of the Presbyters and without their aduise nothing was done in the Church These be the fortes of your late erected Consistorie if these be taken from you you haue no place left whither your maimed discipline may retreat and these are most easilie razed to the ground in order as they stand For FIRST the same power which you claime by Peters and Pauls words vnto Presbyters as Pastours in respect of the flocke committed to their trust you must yeeld vnto Bishops as chiefe Pastors in comparison both of Presbyters and people and so you prooue against your selues for the Bishop is as well chiefe in the Church where he is Gods Angel as in the Consistorie where hee gouerneth the Presbyterie NEXT you cannot conuince that the Presbyterie did either excommunicate the malefactor of Corinth or lay hands on Timothie I haue cleared the inferments of both places before And if you could conclude any such thing which you cannot yet most apparantly the Apostle Paul with his owne mouth adiudged the one and with his owne hands ordained the other THIRDLIE what is meant by the Church in those wordes of Christ if he heare not the Church let him bee as an Ethnike vnto thee I haue alreadie discussed I need not reiterate If you will with the Fathers apply that censure to excommunication you must with the Fathers vnderstand by the Church the Bishops chiefe Rulers of the Church FOVRTHLIE neither had the Iewes that kind of gouernment which you would establish in the Church neâ—did our Lord and Master or his disciples euer prescribe to the Gentiles the iudiciass part or fourme of Moses Iawe more then they did the ceremoniall if Moses policie be abrogated Moses Consistor is may not be continued The Judges cease where the lawe faileth the change of the lawe ceremoniall worketh as the Apostle reasoneth a chaunge of the Priesthoode and euen so the disanulling of their penall iudgements dischargeth all their Iudges and Consistories And were it otherwise what winne you by that against Bishops If your Presbyters must be the Iewes Elders your Presidents must answere to their chiefe Priestes and then haue you spunne afair threed for where you thought to diminish the power of Bishops ouer Presbyters you triple it by this Argument It must be death to disobey the chiefe Priest in all points and parts of Gods Iawe Would you stand to your tackling I would neuer wish a better reason against you for the power of bishops then your owne comparison but you vse to giue backe so fast when you bee pressed that my labour would be but lost to follow you In deede Cyprian doeth vehemently vrge that precept of Deuteronomie and many others of the olde Testament for obedience to be yeelded to himselfe and other Bishops as well by Presbyters as people he that will may see the places LASTLIE for Fathers as your fashion is you take a paring of one or two of theÌ„ where they speake to your liking but reiect both the same and all other ancient writers whenthey mainlie depose against your new discipline That the aduise of Presbyters was at first vsed in the regiment of the Church Ierome and Ambrose seeme towitnesse but that they might ouer-rule or censure the Bishop they neuer said nor meant The safetie of the Church as Ierome thinketh standeth on the dignitie of the chiefe Priest or Bishop to whom except there be giuen a power without any equal and eminent aboue all there will bee as many schismes in the Churches as there be Priests And so Cyprian Thou makest thy selfe Iudge of God and of Christ which sayd to his Apostles and thereby to all Rulers that succeed the Apostles in being ordained their substitutes he that heareth you heareth me and hee that reiecteth you reiecteth me For whence haue heresies and schismes heretofore risen and dailyrise but whiles the Bishop which is but one ruleth the Church is despised by the proud presumption of some and that one Bishop he calleth the Leader of the people the Pastour of the flocke the gouernour of the Church the Bishop of Christ and Priest of God Infinite are the testimonies of the Catholike Fathers against the
see you doe You haue not a word nor a tittle in the Scriptures for the power of your Presbytefies and yet you pronounce so peremptorilie and resolutelie of theÌ„ as if there were nothing els written in the newe Testament but the power of your Presbyters Did not the Presbyterie impose hands on Timothie to make him an Euangelist did not they watch and feede the flocke in the Apostles times did not the holy Ghost make them ouer seers of the Church what would you haue more Of laie men your Presbyteries either wholie or chieflie consist then they also be Pastours and Bishops and watch feed the flocke the holy Ghost hath set them ouer the Church they also impose hands as wel as the best And to say the trueth what thing is there so peculiar to Pastors which you do not communicate to your Presbyters for wheÌ„ you be vrged y â— Presbyters in the Apostles times were by dutie to doe those things which belonged properly to Pastorall care and ouersight and therefore laie men were no part of thâ—se Presbyteries you answere roundlie that laie Elders in the Consistorie do watch and feed and ouerlooke the flocke as well as Pastours and so not onely their power but also their charge is the very same as you say that the holy Ghost gaue vnto Pastors and yet they no Pastours And touching hands laied on Timothie by the Presbyterie you answere your selves for when you alleage that the Presbyterie did impose handes on Timothie wee aske you whether all the Presbyterie had right and power to impose handes or onely some of them If all then Laie Elders must either impose handes which Caluine conclusiuely denieth hoc postremo habendum est solos Pastores manus imposuisse Ministris this wee must vnderstand that onely Pastours imposed handes on Ministers or be no part of the Presbyterie If some onely imposed handes and yet the Presbyterie is said to doe that which not all but some fewe or one of them did In like maner Paul saieth the Presbyterie laied handes on Timothie when himselfe did the deede who was one of the Presbyterie And thus much Caluine likewise auoucheth Paâ—lus ipse se non alios complures Timotheo manus imposuisse commâ—morat Paul witnesseth that himselfe and none others laied handes on Timothie And strange it is to see you build the maine foundation of your Presbytericall power on a place that hath so many sound and sufficient answeres as this hath First Ierome Ambrose Primasius and Caluine tell you the worde Presbyterie signifieth in that place the degree and function which Timothie receiued not the Colledge and number of Presbyters Next Chrysostome Theodorete Oecumenius and Theophilact tell you that Paul by the Presbyterie meant the Bishops their names at first being common for that Presbyters might not laie handes on a Bishop such as Timothie was Thirdlie the Scriptures tell you that the Apostles Euangelists Prophetes and the seuentie disciples were of the Presbyteries in the first Church and they might well impose hands on Timothie without any Presbyters Fourthlie Saint Paul telleth you as Caluine well obserueth and vrgeth that himselfe and none others laied handes on Timothie Lastlie your selues say Timothie was an Euangelist which function and vocation the Presbyterie of no particular Church could giue him but onely the Apostles What power had the Church of Iconium or Ephesus to make Euangelists I meane such as should accompanie the Apostles and assist them in their trauailes If you trust neither Scriptures nor Fathers for shame trust your selues and your owne positions Howe shall other men beleeue your assertions when your selues doe not beleeue them If Timothie were an Euangelist they must be Apostles and no Presbyters that imposed handes on him If the Presbyterie of any particular Church imposed hands on him Timothie must be a Bishop and haue a locall charge in some Church which you impugne vnder pretence of his Euangelship Choose which yyu will so you choose some what and stand to it whrn you haue chosen it Were they Presbyters or no that imposed hands on Timothie If they were yet they did it iointlie with Paul and so without the Apostle or his successor Presbyters may not impose hands and then must Timothie be a Bishop when Paul wrate vnto him for Presbyters could not make him an Euangelist Were they no Presbyters but Apostles or others of higher calling Then maketh this place nothing for the power of Presbyters either to ordaine or depriue ministers of the word and Sacramentes and setting this aside what one iote finde you in the Scriptures concerning your Presbyteries The conclusion is We shew you substantiall and full proofe that TIMOTHIE AND HIS SVCCESSOVRS are charged by Paul to obserue these precepts of the holy Ghost in the Church of Christ for euer touching the admitting of fit ministers and remouing of vnfit Thence we inferre this power must be perpetuall in Bishops for they succeed Timothie in the Church the Presbyteries doe not On the other side you claime this authoritie from Bishops to your Presbyteries but you cannot prooue either their succession from Timothie or ioint commission with Timothie by any sentence or syllable in the Scriptures That they should feede and watch the flocke you vrge and we graunt in teaching and exhorting they were ioyned with Timothie by reason the labourers must of force be many where the haruest was so great as in the Apostles times but in ordaining and gouerning the Teachers as there was no need of many so is there no precept for many least by the multitude of Rulers order should be rather confused then preserued Wherefore as Timothie was placed at Ephesus and Tite in Creete to ordaine moderate and rebuke as well Presbyters as people so was Archippus at Colossus so were the seuen Pastours in the seuen Churches of Asia to whom the sonne of God wrate by S. Iohns penne so in all the Apostolike Churches were Apostolike men throughout the Christian world left to guide and gouerne the Churches of Christ with like power and to leaue the same to their successours for euer And this our construction and exposition of of S. Pauls words to Timothie the learned and ancient fathers confirme with one consent and the Catholike Church of Christ hath continued and performed in all ages and places since the Apostles deaths Meane you that Bishops alone might doe what they would without the knowledge or consent of their Presbyters My meaning is soone understood You establish one chiefe in your Presbyteries by Gods essentiall and perpetuall ordinaunce to execute that which you decree whom you call your President How farre I ioyne with you you shall quickly perceiue To auoyd tumults and dissentions God hath authorized one in each place and Church able to haue maintaine a Presbyterie who with Pastorall and fatherly moderation should guide as well the Presbyters that assist him as the people that are subiect to him according to the lawes of God and
man the execution whereof is chieflie committed to his charge that is the Leader and ouerseeâ— of all the rest whom wee call a Bishop His power I call a moderation and not a domination because the wisedom of God hath likewise allowed and prouided Christian meanes as well to bridle him from wrongs as to direct him in doubts That is right the power which we giue to our Presbyteries Did you not put laie men instead of Pastours to bee Presbyters and make them controllers where they should bee but aduisers your Presbyteries might haue some vse in the Church of God though farre lesse now then when they first began but your disdaining Bishops and taking from them that which the Apostle giueth them and your exâ—olling Presbyteries the most part whereof if not all be laie Elders to determine all cases and censure all persons in the Church which the Scriptures neuer speake of are the spottes and staines of your discipline which you will neuer wash away Presbyteries wee acknowledge were in the Apostles times and in the Primitiue Church seruing to religious and needfull vses but no such Presbyteries as you pretend neither erected to any such end as you conceiue nor endued with any such soueraigne power as you imagine I finde many vses of Presbyteries ordained in Cities by the Apostles and after by them conioined in one Church with the Bishop whereof some are extinguished by the alteration of times others remaine in force to this day The first was the conuersion of the world vnto Christ. In great Cities where none yet beleeued how long would it be before one man should gain any great number vnto the faith persecutions especiallie growing so hote that none might publikely shew himselfe to bee a Christian without danger of life Wherefore the holie Ghost disposed and appointed many labourers in euerie Citie to carie the knowledge of the trueth from house to house As at Ephesus Paul at one tinie furnished twelue with the gifts of Gods spirite for the spreading of the Gospell in that place at Rome hee saluted twentie that were of his acquaintance besides those he knew not who planted themselues and their households in that Citie to winne the multitude to the obedience of the faith And so wheresoeuer the Apostle erected any Church they did store it with as many meete men to teach the worde as they could finde that the trueth of Christ might disperse it selfe not onely throughout their Cities but into the Townes and countries that bordered neere them The next vse of Presbyteries was to continue such as they had conuerted by instructing exhorting and encouraging the beleeuers from house to house and from man to man to stand fast in the doctrine receiued and neither to shrinke at the bloudie stormes of tyrants nor to giue eare to the wilâ—e charmes of Satan nor folow the deceitfull baites of this world but constantly with trueth and holinesse to serue God in spite of all aduersaries that exalted themselues against the knowledge of Christ. And as the people did encrease so did the paines in each place and consequently the number of Presbyters one man being no more able to serue the necessities of a great Citie then to beare the burden of the earth on his backe Wherefore the spirite of wisedome so guided the Church that to procure the conuersion and attend the saluation of men there was euery where as occasion required store of Pastours and Teachers and yet to mainetaine vnitie and keepe both Preachers and people in peace there was in each Church and Citie one chiefe amongst them that as principall Pastour of the place looked into all their doings staied them from dissentions rebuked the vnrulie and with the helpe of the rest reiected the vntollerable least many Teachers by chalenging vnto themselues such as they had conuertes should rent the faithfull into as many Churches as there were Presbyters in euerie Citie for which cause each place were it neuer so great had but one Church and one chiefe Pastour or Bishop elected to succeed in the Pastorall charge and chaire aboue the rest that were his brethren in office children in honour helpers in labour and assessours in counsell and iudgement The third vse was the trapning vp and trying of men that were meete to haue the care of soules committed vnto them and the regiment of the Church reposed on them At first the wonderfull power of the holy Ghost supplied all wantes and defectes of learning and knowledge so that by the laying on of the Apostles handes men afore vnfit were made meete ministers of the newe Testament but because these giftes were not alwayes to continue or not in so plentifull maner as at the Prime tide of the Gospell the Apostles setled in euery Church and Citie needing their seruice and able to giue them maintenance by reason of the populousnesse of the place a Presbyterie that is a conuenient number of Deacons to serue about diuine matters and mysteries and of Pastours to intend for the word and Sacraments from whence as from a fountaine both the Cities themselues might at all times after haue sufficient men to furnish their owne turnes and to helpe the smaller Townes and Uillages within their circuite which for the slendernesse of their state could neither maintaine Presbyteries nor nourish vp meete men to supplie their neede vpon the death of the former Incumbents This to vs that haue Uniuersities for that purpose founded by the bounteousnes of Christian Princes and other benefactours may seeme superfluous but the Church of Christ after her first supplie made by the Apostles handes had no meanes to continue the succession of fitte and able Pastours in each place but onely her Presbyteries in greater Churches and Cities that were her nurceries of learning and Seminaries of sound religion and holy conuersation which stored both the Cities where they were supported and the countrey round about that was vnder the charge and ouersight of the Bishop of each Citie The fourth vse of Presbyteries which you much grate on but neuer rightlie hit was the aduising and assisting the Bishop or Pastour of each Church and Citie in all doubts and dangers At first there were no Councils to make Canons nor Christian Princes to establish lawes for the good guiding and ordering of the Church but each place was left to direct it selfe Least therefore the Bishops onely will should bee the rule of all things in the Church the gouernement of the Church was at first so proportioned that neither the Presbyters should doe any thing without their Bishop nor the Bishop dispose matters of importaunce without his Presbyterie The Presbyters sate not with the Bishop as equall in power with him much lesse as superiour aboue him when the more part consented agaynst him you would faine haue it so but the Church of Christ from the Apostles to this present neuer vsed or endured any such presumption As Christ saith Ignatius doeth nothing without his
are manifest Thou Lord shew whether of these twaine thou hast chosen to take the roume of this Apostleship To the choise of the Seuen I haue oftentimes spoken I shall not need to distrust your memorie You haue not forgotten the Apostles words to the people It is not meete that we should leaue the worde of God to serue the tables They meant not the Lordes table the care thereof the Apostles did not transferre from themselues to any others but because the Grecians murmured that their widowes were neglected in the dailie ministring that care the Twelue committed to such as the people would like and elect What can be vrged out of these Scriptures let those that be wise iudge my capacitie is so slender that I see vtterly nothing euinceable by these examples Neither doeth Cyprian stretch the places to giue the people by Gods lawe the election of their Bishops hee sawe the precedents would enable no such consequent hee vrgeth by Scripture the peoples presence to this ende that their testimonie should bee had touching the life and behauiour of the partie that shall bee chosen least an vnworthie and wicked person should secretlie steale to the office and function of a Bishop Hee saieth it contineth from diuine authoritie vt Sacerdos plebe praesente deligatur that a Priest should bee chosen in the presence of the people and that ordinations ought not to bee made nisi sub populi assistentis conscientia but with the knowledge of the people standing by Nowe why the people should bee present hee noteth in these wordes vt vel bonorum merita praedicentur vel malorum crimina detegantur that as well the merites of the good might bee acknowledged as the faults of the lewd discouered by the presence of the people quae singulorum vitam plenissimè nouit vniuscuiusque actum de eius conuersatione perspexit which knoweth each mans life most exactly and hath tried his behauiour by his conuersation Though Cyprianâ— proofes doe not conclude the peoples presence by Gods lawe to â—ee required in the choise of Bishops yet Cyprians meaning is verie good and agreeth both with the order of the Primitiue Church and with Saint Pauls prouiso that a Bishop must bee well reported of euen of them that are without as also that hee must bee no follower of wine no fighter no brawler no filthie gayner no desirer of money but ruling his house honestlie and hauing his children in obedience in effect one whose lyfe and conuerâ—ation the whole Church commended and the aduersarie coulde not chalenge Notwithstanding you may not hence collect that the principall and essentiall right of electing by Gods lawe consisteth in the peoples voyces you nor no man liuing can deduce any such thing out of the Scriptures The Apostle that we read vsed no such fourme of elections as in the chapter before I was occasioned more at large to shew And since wee haue neither precept nor example of the Apostles for the people to choose their bishops I thinke you will hardly make any demonstration for your popular elections by the Scriptures Wee haue places ynow in the newe Testament but that you eleuate and elude them and besides wee haue the general and ful consent and vse of the Primitiue Church to iustifie our interpretation of those places to be agreeable to the trueth of the word but sometimes you do alleadge and esteeme the vniuersall custome of the Church and exposition of the Fathers when they make for you and sometimes when they please you not you reiect them as fast Do vs no wrong we refuse nothing that the ancient and Primitiue church of Christ vniuersally obserued and practised as expressed or intended in the Scriptures It is your maner it is not ours to thinke no churches councils nor Fathers euer vnderstoode the necessary points of doctrine and discipline mentioned in the word before your selues If the whole church of Christ made any such conclusion out of the Scriptures for the popular election of bishops as you doe we will presently receiue it if not stay your vaunts till you bring their warrants and by that time your heate will be well delayed you shew one that after his maner is eloquent and vehement for that he taketh in hand but his proofes are weake if not mistaken his purpose is to haue the peoples presence and testimonie to witnesse their liues that shall be chosen his confession is that this was not generall though in fauour of his cause he saith Apud nos ferâ— per Prouincias vniuersas tenetur It is so obserued with vs and almost in al Prouinces The whole Church afterward kept that order in electing their Bishops What course they kept wee shall quickely finde all the question will be whether they required the peoples voyces as necessarie by Gods commaundement which may not be broken neither for Prelates nor Princes or whether they vsed that kinde of election as an order in Christian assemblies fittest to preserue the peace of the Church and to maintaine the good liking of the people towards their Pastors It shall therefore be best first to consider where the holie Ghost layeth the burden and charge of these elections then what freedome the wisedome of God leaueth to the multitude or Magistrates of each Citie and Countrey These things well marked will deliuer vs from wandering and erring as touching Gods ordinance The Apostle writing to Timothie and Tite first describeth what maner of men must bee admitted to the office of a Bishop and then assureth the Ordainers that if they laie handes on any other then on such they communicate with the sinnes of as many as they aduaunce vnfit for that place Laie handes hastilie on no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes keepe thy selfe pure Let the Bishops heare saieth Ierome that haue power to appoint Presbyters in euery Citie with what condition the order of ecclesiasticall constitution is tied neither let them thinke they are the Apostles wordes but Christes Whereby it is euident that they which contemning the Apostles precept giue any man an ecclesiasticall degree for fauour not for desert do against Christ. Chrysostome Paul meaning to intreat of a Bishops office sheweth what maner of man in all things a Bishop must be not giuing it as a warning to Timothie but speaking vnto all and by him directing all And againe vpon those wordes I charge thee before God and Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou keepe these precepts Laie hands hastilie on no man hee saieth Paul terrifieth Timothie and hauing so done hee mentioneth that which is most needfull and chieflie holdeth the Church together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen ordination Lay hands hastilie on no man neither communicate with other mens sinnes What is hastilie not vpon the first triall not vpon the second not vpon the third but oftentimes examining and exactlie sifting the partie The case is dangerous thou shalt beare the
punishments of his sinnes who art the occasion of them for remitting the former offences out of time thou shalt answere for those that are after committed as being the cause of them and likewise for those that are past as not letting him alone to lament and repent them And Ambrose Paul chargeth Timothie before God the father and Christ his sonne and the elect Angels Vnder this charge he commandeth those things to be kept which pertaine to ordination in the Church least easilie any man should get an ecclesiasticall dignitie but in quisition be first had of his life and maners that a meete and approoued Minister or Priest may be appointed neither any to be ordained whose faults deserue suspicion least the ordainer be defiled with his sinnes and offences for hee sinneth which ordaineth and trieth not Occumenius Where Paul saieth to Timothie I prayed thee to staie at Ephesus addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there had Paul ordained him a Bishop Let no man despise thy youth for a Bishop must speake with authoritie Hee giueth precepts not to Timothie alone but to euery Bishop And vpon these words Lay hands bastilie on no man Paul treateth of ordinations for he wrate to a Bishop And so writing on the epistle to Tite he saieth Paul left Tite to make Bishops in euery Citie hauing first made him a Bishop Primasius likewise Timothie was a Bishop and Pauls disciple to him by writing hee giueth authoritie to correct all ecclesiasticall discipline and to ordaine Bishops and Deacons And againe Be not partaker of an other mans sinnes Paul saieth It is a communion with another mans sinnes when one is ordained and not examined As therefore in ordaining euill men he is partaker of their sinnes which ordaineth such so in the ordaining of the holy he is partaker of their righteousnes which did make choise of so good men The perill of ordaining Bishops and Presbyters by Pauls owne confession lieth ineuitablie on such as impose hands and therefore by Gods lawe they must haue power to examine who bee fit and libertie to refuse those that be vnfit For as without them there can bee none ordained so if rashly or corruptly they lay hands on any they be partakers of their sinnes Further with elections of the Scriptures doe not meddle saue that Timothie as the Fathers affirme by occasion of Pauls words was chosen Bishop by prophesie that is by the direction and appointment of the holy Ghost and not by voyces Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the commaundement or appointment of the spirite were Bishops at first made and not at randon So Theodorete Thou vndertookest this order by diuine reuelation Chrysostome Paul to stirre vp Timothie putteth him in minde who choose him and who ordained him as if he had sayd Thou wast chosen of God hee himselfe put thee in trust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou wast not made by mens voices And Theophilact Anciently by the oracles appointment of the Prophets that is by the holy Ghost Priests were straight way ordained So was Timothie chosen to be a Priest Ambrose saieth Timothie was predestinated when he was taken by the Apostle to this end that he should bee ordained as iudged woorthie to be a Bishop This kinde of election I take was vsuall in the Apostles times the spirite of God directing them on whom they should lay their hands other election of Pastours and Teachers I read none specified in the sacred writings Popular election of Bishops I find afterward practised in the Primitiue Church but not mentioned in the Scriptures and therefore well may the peoples interest stand vpon the grounds of reason and nature and bee deriued from the rules of Christian equitie and societie but Gods lawe doeth not meddle with anie such matter nor determine more then I haue tolde you which is that such Bishops as ordaine them shall answere for them with the perill of their owne soules if they doe not carefullie looke into the abilitie and integritie of all that they authorize with imposition of handes to guide or teach the flocke of Christ. When I say the people can not chalenge by Gods lawe the right to choose their Bishop I meane no such thing is expressed and commaunded in the Scriptures excluding thereby the false conceites of some fanaticall spirites in our dayes which affirme our Bishops and Teachers to bee no true Pastours because they are not chosen by the particular voyces and personall Suffrages of the people and by consequent our Sacraments to bee no Sacramentes and Church no Church and so this whole Realme to bee drowned in confusion without assurance of saluation whose madnesse is rather to bee chastised by the Magistrate then to be refused by doctrine the authors being voyde not onely of learning which they despise but of reason to weigh what is sayde against them Otherwise I acknowledge each Church and people that haue not by lawe custome or consent restrained themselues stand free by Gods lawe to admit maintaine and obey no man as their Pastour without their liking and so the peoples election by themselues or their rulers dependeth on the very first principles of humane fellowships assemblees for which cause though bishops by Gods law haue power to examine ordaine before any may be placed to take charge of soules yet haue they no power to impose a Pastour on any Church against their wils nor to force them to yeelde him obedience or maintenaunce without their liking How farre authoritie custome and consent may preiudice and ouer-rule this libertie which Gods lawe leaueth vndiminished shall anone be handed when once we see what order the Primitiue Church obserued in her elections of Bishops and Presbyters The Churches of Christ had aunciently two wayes to bee prouided of Bishops and Presbyters the one Election the other Postulation When the Bishop of any Citie died whose Church had store of Clergie men to succeede the Bishops of the same Prouince that were neerest to the place by conference amongst themselues appointed a day to resort thither and aduertised both people and Presbyters thereof At which time the Clergie and Laitie assembling in the Church so many Bishops as conuenientlie might but vnder three they could doe nothing came thither and there heard both whom the Clergie named and whom the Citie liked If all or the most of euery sort agreed the partie was pronounced chosen another day prefixed to ordaine him the Bishops proposing his name and the time on the Church doores and requiring euerie man that could or would obiect any thing against him to bee then and there readie with his proofes and witnesses At their next repaire the Bishops that came to giue imposition of handes heard aduisedly what each man could charge him with and if in their consciences the elect prooued to bee such as the Apostle prescribed they ordained him in the eies of all men Pastour of that
the Presbyters succeeded in order when the place was voyde but that they chaunged by course hee saieth no such thing It was a plaine ouersight I will say no worse in him that first wrested Ambroses wordes to that conceite In the meane time we haue master Bezaes full confession that the going round by course to gouerne the Church doeth maintaine disorder and faction and no whit decrease ambition and the choosing of one to continue chiefe for his life began at Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist sixe yeeres before Peter and Paul were martyred and sixe and thirtie before the death of Saint Iohn in which there is NOTHING THAT can or ought to be misliked Howe truely hee speaketh if he should recall or you refuse his wordes reason and experience wil easily teach vs. for first in this circular change it is not casuall but essentiall that all in their course be they fit or vnfit must haue the ruling of the rest Now if to choose one good amongst many be a matter of difficultie howe impossible then is it that all should be good And yet by your rolling regiment all be they neuer so wicked or vnwoorthie must haue as much time and power to neglect and hurt the Church of God as the well minding and godly Pastours shall haue to assist and helpe the same Againe what good can be done by any when in euerie action one must beginne and another proceede and a third conclude If an euill man light on the beginning middle or ending he may soone marre all And be the men not euill except they be like affected and like instructed when will they agree in iudgement or tread one in anothers steppes If any faction arise I neede not put you in minde what contradicting and reuersing will be offered by your weekely or monethly Gouernours Who shall dare doe anie thing to a Presbyter or Bishop but he must looke for the like measure when their course commeth What can be one weeke made so sure but it may be the next weeke vndone by him that presently followeth This is the right way to make a mockerie of the Church of Christ and to permit it to euerie mans humour and pleasure whiles his time lasteth If you trust not me distrust not your selues It breedeth contempt and openeth the high way to factions As for Ambition which is an other of the mischiefes that you would amend by your changeable gouernement you cure that as he doeth which to coole the heate of one part of the bodie setteth all the rest in a burning feuer To quench the desire of dignitie in one man you inflame all the Pastours of euerie prouince with the same disease for you propose the like honor and power for the time vnto all which we do to one And so you heale ambition by making it common as if patients were the lesse sicke because others are touched with y ◠same infection for if one man cannot haue this Metropoliticall preeminence without some note of pride the rest cā neither expect it nor enioy it in their courses but with some taint of the same corruption fruition and expectation of one the same thing are so neere neighbors that if one be vicious the other cannot be vertuous Wherefore either grant the superioritie and dignitie of Bishops and Metropolitanes may be christianly supported by one in euerie Presbytery and prouince as we affirme or else we conclude it can not be expected and enioyed of all euerie where by course as you would haue it but very vnchristianly You giue more to your Bishops and Metropolitanes then we do and that increaseth their pride We giue them no power nor honor by Gods Law but what you must yeeld to your Pastors presidents if you wil haue any And as for Magistrates we may not limite thē on whom they shal lay the execution of their Lawes nor what honor they shal allow to such as they put in trust so no part thereof be contrarie to the doctrine of the Scriptures Agnise first their callings then measure their offices by the ancient canons of Christs Church and if they haue any other or further authoritie then standeth with good reason and the manifest examples of the Primitiue Church we striue not for it reseruing alwaies to christian princes their libertie to vse whose aduise and help they thinke good and to bestow their fauours where they see cause without crossing the voice of the holie Ghost or the wisdome of the Apostolike and Primitiue Church of Christ. for the gouernement of the Church is committed to them not that they should alter and ouerthrow the maine foundations of Ecclesiasticall Discipline at their pleasures but that they should carefully and wisely vse it to the benefite of Gods Church and good of their people for which they must giue account to the dreadfull Iudge It was long after the Apostles times before Prouinces were diuided and Mother Cities appointed and therefore Metropolitanes are not so ancient as you make them as may appeare by the 33. canon called Apostolike where the chiefe dignitie ouer eche Prouince is not attributed to any certaine place or Citie I stand not precisely for the time when Mother Cities were first appointed in euerie Prouince howbeit the general Council of Ephesus saith Euerie Prouince shal keep his rights vntouched and vnuiolated which it hath had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the beginning vpward according to the custome that hath anciently preuailed euery Metropolitan hauing libertie to take a copie of our acts for his owne securitie for so the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may well be interpreted though some embrace another sense Yet if in this point you presse those Canons called Apostolike I will not reiect them not that I take to haue bin written by the Apostles for then they must be part of the Canonicall Scriptures but that some of them expresse the ancient discipline of the Church which obtained euen from the Apostles times by whomsoeuer they were collected though many things since be inserted and corrupted in them and therfore are iustlie refused further then they agree with the stories of the first times and the decrees of the eldest Councils The Canon which you quote is this The Bishops of euerie Nation must know or acknowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that is first or chiefe amongst them and esteeme him as their head and attempt no matter of waight without his opinion and iudgement neither let him doe any thing without al their aduises and consents Hereby you would prooue there was a time after the Apostles deaths when as yet the first place amongst the Bishops of the same Prouince was not affixed to anie certaine Church or Citie Grant it were so though this Canon doe not exactlie prooue so much then yet in euerie nation there was a Primate before there was a Metropolitane and consequently the authoritie of one to be chiefe in a prouince is elder the◠the priuiledge