church these other pointes like vnto them being declared in the worde of God to be the ordinances of the almightie for the guydance of his Church and this being the vse of the reformed Churches no doubt but they were mainteyned by a booke agreeing with them both Which being so what should I say of them that would endeuor to the vttermost of their power by all good and duetifull meanes the receyuing of a booke so fitt for the aduancement of the honour of God and promising so great good vnto his people but as it is in the Psalme Peace and prosperitie be in thee ô Ierusalem thou citie of God and the Lord prosper those that loue thee Psal 122.6 The Almightie suffer them not to feare the feare of the wicked but shield them from all euil as the naturall and noble sonnes of Abraham Gene 15.3 and whosoeuer they be dealt with here the Lord recompence them with an exceeding great rewarde Hee remember them for good according to the prayer of that worthie restorer of the Citie seruice of God Nehemia Nem. 5.19.13.12.29 and what soeuer they haue done for this people their endeuour to take away the pollutions of the ministerie to set the Lords watch at his gates again euerie Leuite to his worke according to his place the Lorde spare them according to the greatnes of his mercie and remember them and their seruice for good so as their childrens children may receyue at their handes an inheritance of blessing from the Lorde And if any should be otherwise minded the Lord forgiue it them and graunt that they also in his good time may haue this trueth opened to them and be noble and elect instrumentes chosen and appointed of God to the furtherance of the same Thus farre haue I bin bolde to folowe th' occasion offered me in mencion of a booke of common prayer and administration of Sacramentes agreeable to Gods worde and the vse of the best reformed Churches The whiche I am for their sakes who seeke all aduantages to stirre vp the higher powers against vs truely and vnfeynedlie to protest that I write not with purpose to offende anie God being witnes and least of all any that are in authoritie For I bowe my face downe to the grounde before them all of whom it is saide Ye are Gods and in all reuerent duetie acknowledging the most humble and faithfull duetie which I owe to the great power that God hath giuen them to the punishing onely of the euill doer but to the protection maintenance and comfort of all that doe well in the lande yea further as conscience and duetie bindeth mee in that respect I doe not cease to lift vp my harte and my handes to Almightie GOD day and night for them all that it maye please him dailie more and more to increase in them all the princelie giftes that their high places and authoritie doe require and namely that their hartes may bee more enlarged towardes this so necessarie a cause of Gods seruice the comfort of his people which I doe also as my most straight bound and obligation requireth especiallie for our soueraigne Ladie the Queene that as God in his mercie hath honoured hir right excellent Maiestie with these honors th'extinguishing of the fires wherewith the Church consumed the ouerthrowe of idolatrie and false worship of God the establishing of the free professing and preaching of the Gospell of Christe the harbouring of exiles for the gospels sake the deliuering of the Churches of Scotlande from captiuitie patronizing of the Churches of the lowe Countries ayding and assisting of the Churches of France and the comforting in a manner of all the Churches which professe the gospell that I say to these so manie and so highe and chiefe pointes of true honor this also may be added that hir Maiestie by Gods speciall fauour assistance of his holy Spirit may establishe in this hir happie raigne the same order for directing of the Church and publishing the gospell of saluation to all the people within hir Dominion which almightie GOD hath appointed for this purpose to the great aduancement of the honour of GOD the exceeding ioye of all the good people in the lande and hir owne vnspeakeable comfort and glorie with God and men Thus praying not to be misconstrued in that I haue bin bold vpon occasiō to speake a little to the incouragement of Christian and noble mindes in godlie and duetifull maner to sollicite almightie God and th' authoritie he hath set ouer vs in Syons sute being so necessarie and so importinge the good both of the Church and common wealth amongest vs the happie estate whereof dependeth vpon the fauour of God I returne to the Replier To whom for his replie of agreeable I answere that agreeable is not that which is contrarie but whiche hath a correspondence and harmonicall concorde with that wherewith it agreeth And so is it to be vnderstood in the place whereof he maketh question but such a sence woulde he fayne make of agreeable to saue all vpright in an other place which yet will not serue for sundrie repugnances cōtrarieties which are there with the word with the vse of the best reformed Churches And thus farre to his replie to the matter set downe in the thirde part of the foundation Nowe to his replie to the reason wherewith it is confirmed The proofe alleadged for this thirde point he admitteth not so easilie as the matter it selfe Which being graūted to be true it importeth the lesse whether it be fitly proued by it or no yit peraduenture hee would better haue discerned of the consequence from that place if he had considered the man of God there to note not the ciuill Magistrate nor euery one of the faithfull but only the Minister of the word as both the terme it selfe and the dueties of his calling there mentioned doe testifie Whereby it is playne that the wordes of the Apostle doe more particularlie concerne matters of the Church then they doe ciuill pollicie or morall life as he obiecteth Nowe it being saide that the minister of the worde whose calling is the greatest in the Church is fullie and throughlie instructed by the holy scriptures for euery duetie belonging to his office Surelie the Elders and Deacons whose charges are lesse may be taught by the same what belongeth vnto them and if they furnishe and direct him that requireth most furniture and direction surelie then they can not want that neede lesse And if all that are of publike charge in the Church be fully instructed and inabled of God for euerie parte and pointe of their dueties by the holy scriptures what one concerning the discipline of the Church can be saide not to be taught in the word of God seeing the whole Discipline is administred by those that beare publique charge in the church If this proofe content him not he is to be satisfied further in the proofes of the seuerall pointes
in the beginning and it renowmed for a faithfull Citie Esai 1.25.26 Thus much may suffise to haue sayde to this Section of his Replye For I leaue his iestes and scoffes to him selfe to consider of with remembrance that the Apostle sayeth These are thinges not seemelie and reckoneth this pleasaunt humour amongst a number of other things whereof all professours of the Gospell and much more the Preachers of it shoulde bee ashamed Ephe. 5.4 The Declaration groundinge it selfe vppon the former sentences as pillers of rocke that can not bee shaken the firste that the Churche is the house of the liuinge GOD the seconde That therefore GOD hath appointed a certaine order for the gouuernement of it and last of all that both these beeing so it must needes bee that this order is taught in the holy Scriptures beginneth out of the same to shewe and declare what that order is Wherein the firste pointe whiche is made the next Section is that our Sauiour IESVS Christ hath ordained an holy Ministerie of men to the building vppe of the Church whiche is his body in vnitie of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of GOD. Which is confirmed by two places of Scripture The fourth to the Ephesians and the 12. chapter of the former Epistle vnto the Corinthians The Replyer to the firste of these places taketh this exception that it is impertinentlie alleadged and that it toucheth not the question in hande whereof hee rendreth his reason for that the thinge spoken of in that place is diuerse altogither from the matter to bee proued because the proofe as hee supposeth is to bee made of orders prescribed and sett forth concerninge ecclesiasticall gouuernement for the Churche to bee directed by in all thinges and the matter whiche the Apostle speaketh of is of giftes and functions the ende whereof is referred to vnitie in doctrine of faith and to holy and honest conuersation of lyfe not to the externall orders of the Churches Ecclesiasticall gouernement This is the effecte of his Replie to this point Wherein hee hath fayled in makinge diuerse those thinges that are of great agreement togither For the purpose pretended is to shewe what that order is that the holy Scriptures declare our Sauiour Christe to haue appointed for the guydance of his Church Nowe to performe this there is proofe made of all the Church offices of publique charge that are appointed of our Sauiour Christ for the directing of his people Whiche proofe if it bee sufficient as it is to shewe that the Ministerie of those that are appointed for the preachinge of the worde both Pastours and Teachers and also of other seruinge for other necessarie vses that is both of Elders ordayned and appointed for the care of honest and godlie lyfe and manners and of Deacons instituted for the necessitie and reliefe of the poore and needie is appointed to bee in the Church then is all the pollicie and the Discipline of the Church sufficientlie proued For this being the ordinance of our Sauiour Christ as it is proued by these places that there should be Pastours Teachers Elders or Gouernors and Deacons in the Churche the whole Discipline of the Church standing in nothing els but the due calling of them to such charge and the execution of such dueties after they be called as belong therevnto it is euident that the whole order which concerneth the externall and outwarde guyding of the Church is hereby plainlie shewed what it is and that it is ordayned by the Lorde Where the question were of a king gone to a farre countrey whether he had left anie certayne forme of policie for the regiment of his kingdome in his absence what playner proofe could be made that hee had lefte certayne order for their gouernement in his absence then if it could be shewed by authentike and sufficient recordes vnder his hande and great seale that hee had appointed Magistrates for the mannaging of state causes and other for due execution of iustice amongst his people But this doeth the Declaration in the proofes alleadged For the question being whether our Sauiour Christ haue set anie certayne order for the guyding and directing of his Church till his cōming againe the Declaration answereth that he hath because he hath ordayned Ministers of the word Pastours and Teachers for procuring the aduancement of the faith of the Church Elders for the censure of their conuersation and life and Deacons for the comfort of the poore and afflicted Therefore I take it this allegation is most pertinent and fitteth so neare the matter as the Replier can not by this pretence nor by anie other remoue it But the cause of this errour of his to take that to be from the matter that is so neare vnto it seemeth to bee the abusing of him selfe in th'ambiguitie of the word orders So as where the Declaration vndertaketh to shewe a certayne order to be left by our Sauiour Christ for th'administring of all ecclesiasticall matters the Replyer belike looketh here should be shewed some orders for things indifferent For this place sayeth he referreth all to vnitie in doctrine of faith to holy conuersation of life and not to th' externall orders of the Churches ecclesiasticall gouernement Whereby he sheweth that he looked not to heare proofe of anie matters that are referred to faith or life but to other externall orders and what can they be but of things indifferent Whiche yet that they may remayne indifferent could haue no order appointed by our Sauiour Christ for then should they bee no more indifferent the commaundement of our Sauior binding to a necessarie obedience to doe that which he should command so as this exception can not serue For what orders may more clearely proue our Sauiour Christe to haue taken order for the gouerning of his Church in all ecclesiasticall matters then they which are referred to doctrine and maners Is there anie matter ecclesiasticall that is not referred to one of these And if this place shewe th' order he hath set for all things referred either to faith of doctrine or conuersation of life surely it proueth a certen order for all ecclesiasticall matters Which if the Replyer will denie to followe yet is it to be remembred that he plainlie confesseth here that the place alleadged is referred to matters of vnitie in doctrine of fayth and to holy conuersation of life Whereof whosoeuer he denie it I doubt not but euery indifferent and aduised Reader will easilie discerne that hereby he hath graunted the whole cause except he shew some ecclesiasticall matter that is not referred to one of these Another shift he hath but it is such as he dareth not trust vnto him selfe and yet seemeth to point other to vse it if they lift Whiche is that he sayeth th'Apostle there speaketh of giftes and functions meaning as I thinke cōstruing his meaning out of other places and to his best aduantage that this place cōcerneth not anie kindes of offices or charges but of
which are shewed after to be fullie grounded vpon the worde of God In the meane time this I adde for his further satisfaction It being necessarie to be directed in these matters from God it must needes be that God hath left vs this direction in his worde otherwise he must confesse there are necessarie truthes not written in the worde but this popishe opinion of vnwritten verities is worthilie reiected of all professors of the gospell long agoe For we can not nowe say to anie as Dauid said to Abiathar take the Ephod 1. Sam. 23.9 and aske of the Lord we haue no other Ephod nor other Vrim Thummim left vs from the Lord whereby we may be certified of his good pleasure in anie thing but onely the bright glistering pure light of his H. Scriptures wherein as in the brest of our hye priest Iesus Christ we may see and reade the will of God for our direction Nowe that we neede in these matters to be directed by God appeareth by this that of our selues wee can not by any natural vnderstanding attayne to this knowledge For the naturall man comprehendeth not Act. 7.20.21 the spirituall things of God For which cause Moses a man otherwise of great giftes of nature and of studie as one in whose face the grace of God appeared and who had bin brought vp in all the learning and knowledge of the Egiptians and that by such excellent masters and meanes as were meete for him that was respected in his education as graūd-childe to the King of Egipt yet stoode he in neede to be instructed of God in as small matters concerning the outward guydance of his church as are any mencioned in the declaration and much smaller Further also the Apostle affirmeth that the thinges he wrote to Timothie hee wrote them that he might knowe 1 Ti. 3.14.15 how to behaue him self in the Church which is the house of the liuing God 2. Tim. 4.5 And if Timothy an Euangelist one of whose ministerie the Prophetes had spoken before 1. Tim. 1.18 one that had receyued the faith from his ancestors 2. Tim. 1.5 whō the Apostle for the likenes he had of his Apostolical spirit calleth his naturall sonne stood notwithstanding in need to be informed by writing from the Apostle 1. Tim. 1.2 howe he should behaue him self in the church and that in so many particulars as he instructeth him in sure it must needes be cōfessed to be necessarie for all other to be taught also by writing which is the most certayne way of instruction howe they ought to behaue themselues in the same If it were not needfull to be taught by the Apostles howe a man should behaue him selfe in guyding the house of God why did the Apostle write to Timothie to this ende to direct him in that he had to doe in the Church And if it were needefull for Timothie why is it not as necessarie for all others This reason mouing the Apostle to write of this matter to Timothie no doubt did cause him likewise for the same ende to write to Titus of the like matters And if so excellent personages vnderstoode not what to doe nor howe to behaue them selues in the Church for that which appertayned to them in the administration of it without certaine direction in writing concerning it from the Apostles I can not thinke but the like direction should be needfull for all those who haue anie charge in the church When Nadab and Abihu sonnes of Aaron the high Prieste Leui. 10.2 had bin consumed with fire from before the Lorde for misgouerning them selues in an outwarde thinge concerninge their Ministerie in a matter as it might seeme to fleshe and blood of small importance Moses tolde Aaron his brother that this was so come to passe according to that the Lorde had saide Leui. 10.3 I wil be sanctified in those that come neare vnto me glorified in the sight of all the people meaning thereby that God had forewarned the Priestes that if they misbehaued thē selues in their ministerie he would glorifie him selfe in their examplarie and grieuous punishment Which being so surelie the fault and punishement can not be small nor to be despised if anie of those who come neare to the Lorde to stande and minister before him in the time of the gospell shall misgouerne them selues in their charge Therefore necessarie it is and that moste necessarie that there bee direction for them in the worde of GOD. And thus much also to this point In the next section which the replier maketh of the declaration it is gathered of the former sentences that wee are to searche the Scriptures that we may finde that order whiche is left in them for the guydance of the Church The first thing the Replyer reproueth in this section is that it is saide The gates of hell shall not preuayle against the foundation before mencioned Who may easilie satisfie him self for this obiection because the meaning of the Declaration was not to alleadge those wordes as spoken of that it intreates of it being apparant to be meant of the Church buylded vpon the Prophetes and Apostles Christ Iesus being the foundation-stone thereof somewhat otherwise then he hath taken it who expoundeth it of Christ him selfe but by these wordes although vsed in that place to another ende it declareth the sure stedfastnes of that doctrine which was a litle before mencioned whiche being as the declaration intendeth and as it is in deede a part of the heauenlie trueth of the worde of God whiche can not fayle in any part of the same it was trulie spoken also of the matter it is applied vnto Of the word foundation he taketh occasion to set downe the 1. Corinth 3. ver 10.11.12.13.14.15 where mencion is made of the foundation Christ Iesus and of buylding vpon it straw or stubble which he sayth they doe that vrge anie outwarde order of ecclesiasticall gouernement as matter of saluation After where it is saide in the declaratiō vpon former proofes that we ought therefore diligentlie and reuerentlie to searche the holy Scriptures to finde what the order is whiche GOD hath appointed for his Church he answereth with scoffing reprochefull speaches without any iust matter of rebuke And in the ende of his replye to this section because it is said in the declaration we are to search in Gods worde that order by which God would haue his Church directed in all thinges appertayning to the saluation thereof He replyeth that this were to condemne all the Churches where this order hath not bin obserued which eyther if it be necessarie to saluation could not be the Churches of God without it or if it bee not necessarie it is saith he vnnecessarie to saluation then our Church may remayne gouuerned as it is without either being deformed maymed or no church as some affirme whō he nameth as in reproch For answere to these thinges and to begin where he leaueth
that is with the persons he nameth the former of them we acknowledge M. Cartwright reuerence as his rare giftes of knowledge and zeale and his learned workes cōstant suffring in this cause and at this time his continuall trauell in preaching the gospell doe worthilie deserue for whiche causes he was worthie other respect then the Replier here doeth giue him If he would needes sett downe his name considering the example of the Apostle who notwithstandinge he farre excelled in office and in giftes yet seldome or neuer mencioneth anie Minister of the gospell by name yea scarse any professour without some good marke of the grace of god in them but this and a great deale more both he and whosoeuer shall serue God as they ought in this cause of the further reformation of our Church must account to endure of them that oppose them selues to this most necessarie seruice As for the other that he obiecteth to him concerneth not any of those in whose name the Declaration was published But for the matter of necessitie this worde being taken as hath bin aboue declared a little before in this defence it may stande well inough togither to say as the declaration sayeth that God hath set downe in his worde an order to direct his Church in all things partayning to the saluation of it and yet that some Churches may be worthilie acknowledged the true Churches of God although they haue not in all pointes kept that order For all the things in that order doe not in like degree partayne to saluation which if they did his reason were good but it being otherwise fayleth He him selfe a little before acknowledgeth outward orders in their degrees as necessarie to edification though sayth he not directlie partayning to the necessitie of saluation which we agree to be true in some but that he addeth there nor to the necessitie of obedience is not true in such orders as haue their particular grounde in the worde of God which point because he returneth vnto agayne in this place and often hereafter hee is to vnderstande his answere herein once for all which is as hath bin partlie touched before that certayne pointes of the Discipline are of necessitie to saluation in such absolute degree of necessitie as is of any ordinarie outward meanes Of which sorte is the ministerie of the worde and of the Sacramentes and of the censures of the Church whiche are appointed for the winning of th'offendour and for the sauing of his spirite in the day of the Lorde as we are expreslie taught by our Sauiour Christ in the gospell and by the Apostle Paule in the 5. Mat. 18. of his former Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 5. Wherevppon it consequentlie followeth that the sufficiencie of the ministerie to teache and to exhort according to sound doctrine and to conuince the gayn-sayer likewise their ordinarie residence and diligent attendance vpon the Church whose seruantes they are in the Lord is partayning to the saluation of soules For it is saide That where vision or prophesie that is interpretation of scriptures fayleth there the people perisheth or is made naked Pro 1.29.18 that is exposed to all daunger Mat. 9.36 and our Sauior Christ yearned in his bowelles vpon the people seeing them as sheepe without shepheardes that is in daunger to be made a praye to Satan that roaring Lion who goeth about cōtinuallie to seeke whom he may deuoure In like maner because this is the vse of the censures to serue immediatlie to the recouerie of the sinner to repentance that he may be saued the office of Elders who are by the ordināce of God to keepe the Lords watch ouer the Church and to procure the repentance of the sinner is in his place necessarie which thing being necessarie it followeth also that other inferior meanes which serue herevnto without which these holy offices can not bee thus established nor discharged are in their degree also necessarie The Deacons office is not so directlie tending to the saluation of the soule as these are but rather regardeth the reliefe of the outwarde necessities of the poore and afflicted of the Churche yet not without respect to comfort and confirme their faith in him by whose holy ordinance they are so prouided for But being as it is the ordinance of God that there should be Deacons in the Church for such vses this office is also of the necessitie of obedience And generallie so are all the offices and orders sett downe in the Declaration because they are all ordayned of God to be kept for great and necessarie vse in the church to the ende of the world as it is to be iustified in their seuerall places when we come vnto them So as this is brieflie that we affirme herein that sundrie pointes of the matters of the ecclesiasticall pollicie set downe in the Declaration are directlie partayning to saluation and in that respect necessarie and both they and all the rest are by the appointment and ordinance of God to be continued in the Church and in the necessitie of obedience they are all likewise necessarie Yet where this order appointed of God is not kept by reason of ignorance and wante of due information of the will of God or meanes to performe it or of humane infirmitie such as flesh and blood is subiect vnto it followeth not that they are therefore no church of God The holy ordinances of God were horribly profaned by the sonnes of Elie 1. Sam. 2.17 so as for their abhominations the people of God began to abhorre the seruice of God yet was the Church of God still amongst them The Prophetes in their time charged the Priestes with breach of the couenant that God had made with Leui their Father Mal. 2.5.8 with their ignorance Esai 29. in being a number of them not able to teache the people with their flatteries and bolstring vp of the sinnes of all estates and degrees Esa 56.10 and saying all was well when there were a number of thinges that needed reformation amongst them Iere. 6.13.14 they charged them with ambition with couetousnes Iere 8.8 9.11.12 with prophanenes and many other great enormities yet did the Prophetes continue their teaching of the people and acknowledged the people notwithstandinge to be the people of God Yea euen what the people offered vppon the highe places and the Lordes altar was remoued and put to the wall and the altar of Damascus sett in the place thereof all which were notable breaches of that externall order which God had commaunded to be obserued by them yet were they not therefore straightway no people of God as were the Gentiles God did in deede grieuouslie punish them by warre by famine by pestilence and sundrie other wayes declaring him selfe to be highlie offended at these their transgressions as the Prophetes forewarned them hee would doe but this correction was yet with the Fathers rodde and not with the
first sought how by his pioners ordināce to cast down some of the principall strengthes one after another before he could enter it seate him self in the middst of the temple of God And as where a citie is well policied gouerned hauing good and wholsome lawes statutes for the ruling of it and worthy Magistrates that gouerne wisely and iustly according to the same If any man would oppresse such a state and make him selfe maister of it in vaine should he attempt to doe it whyle those lawes and Magistrates doe continue And therefore would corrupte firste some of the Magistrates by degrees and then afterwarde worke such alteratiō in the lawes as might be lest sensible that by such meanes he might in the ende by his subtle and cunninge practises attayne to that tyrannous rule which if he should make shew of in the beginning he could not doe by any force euen so hath Sathan by his secrete and sutle meanes and practises seeking to tyrannise the citie of God first corrupted such as were of speciall trust in it and had greatest charges committed to them and after by their meanes altered by litle and litle the orders and lawes of the Citie in such sorte as at the last he set vp the kingdome of Antichrist and brought in all kinde of false doctrine and confusion When Iulius Caesar purposed to oppresse the state of Rome he vsed many preparations and meanes vnto it whiche were not easie to be discerned yea such as might seeme to be great stayes to the preseruation of it His greatnes rising by alliances and employmentes abroade the encreasing of his forces the dispensing with home lawes in his respect the continuance of his Dictatorship and such like were in apparance the meanes to vpholde and mainteyne the state of Rome and some of them might haue bin so in deede if they had bin bestowed vpon a subiect faithfull and loyall But in an ambitious mind they so increased his greatnes and his strength as the state it selfe became to weake for him Such a tree as Daniel had shewed vnto him in a visiō to represent the kingdome of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.8.9 Eze. 31.6 and as Ezekiell mentioneth to like purpose in his prophecie whose bowes and braūches are like great trees and the armes of it as the Cedars of Libanus so as all the foules of the heauens make their nestes in them all the beastes of the fielde lye in the shadowe of the same such a tree I say groweth not vp in a night like the gourde of Ionas but in many yeeres Iona. 4.10 receiuing frō day to day some increases though not sensible to the eye in any one instant or in a day or in a weeke yet in time it appeareth that it did encrease and at last groweth to huge bignes Nowe to demaunde what daye or what yeare it grewe in were a question that should haue small reason in it such a tree being many yeares a growing so as it can not be saide that it grewe in such a yeare but onely that it was growing so many yeares till at the last it came to excessiue greatnes Euen thus hath it come to passe in the kingdome of Antichrist the Nebuchadnezzar that hath burnt the Citie of God and the king of Babilon the citie of all confusion in the West To demande therefore as the Replyer doeth as Papists do some certaintie of the time when this kingdome grewe and of euery thing it consumed as he saith here of th' office of Elders whereby it grewe and increased is an impertinent question and can not proue that therefore Sathan did not by chaunge of Gods ordinance in this behalfe increase and strengthen him selfe It suffiseth vs to shewe that in so many yeares this tree was a growing in whose bowes at the last euery foule and hatefull birde nowe doeth nestle and that a meanes of the immeasurable greatnes of it hath bin the chaunging of th'ordinances of God Whiche appeareth manifestlie in this that these offices for the Declaration speaketh of the ordinance of God chaūged in them all are clearlie declared to haue bin vsed in the Churches in the time of the Apostles as ordinarie offices and that the same being now of manie yeares not in vse eyther in part or altogither afore this last restoring of the Gospell agayne in this age they are all founde to be transferred to others who by them selues or their officers disposed of all that the other were wont to doe Which chaunge for the name of Bishop was common to all the Ministers of the worde as it is euident in the 20. of the Actes and other places Phil. 1.1 1. Tim. 3.1 The arrogating of this name by any one of that calling as a peculiar title to him selfe was some chaūg of gods ordināce preparatiō to that which folowed The same name in the Scriptures is neuer giuen vnto any in respect of the Ministers of the worde as to note one set ouer them to see them doe their dueties as the high Priest sometime in the lawe of Moses but alwayes in regarde of the people and the flocke the charge ouerfight and guydance of whom onely was committed to them When this ordinance of God was so farre chaunged that by this worde was noted one set ouer both the flockes and the shepheardes endewed with a power and authoritie to direct correct both as might seeme good vnto him so much more as was diminished of the ordināce of god was added to the aduancement of the misterie which Sathan cunningly by such degrees sought to aduance But when these Bishops contented not them selues to take the name to them as peculiar and an authoritie not onelie of the Church they stoode charged with and the Ministers of the worde with them in the same but taking all occasions which might further their ambition as of hauing moderated the Synodes of certaine circuites of the fewnes of sufficient Preachers of the voluntarie respect whiche was borne them for their pietie and giftes of resort from sundrie partes neare vnto them for their counsell of the preheminence wealth and state of the Cities wherein they were seated and such like challenged to them selues the like authoritie ouer the churches and Ministers of a large circuite this steppe was not farre from the seate whereon the man of sinne was to sitte him downe Another degree aboue this was it when as Bishoppes had dealt with their fellowes the Pastours of the Churches so likewise other dealt with them and became Archbishops chalenging and exercising authoritie ouer all the Churches Pastours and Bishops of a whole Prouince But when as Archbishops of Prouinces were in like sort subiected to other as they had made the Bishops subiect to them and that foure Patriarkes diuided all Christian churches in the worlde amongest them selues ranging Archbishops vnder them doing vnto them as they had done to the Bishops and the Bishopps to the Pastours it remained only