Without a Bishop or a Presbyter let not a Deacon presume to baptize vnlesse in their absence extreme necessitie compell which is often permitted vnto Laie christians to do The church of Rome did not giue theÌ„ leaue to baptize but in cases of necessitie wheÌ„ others could not be gotteÌ„ as they did Lay men for my part though Saint Luke in the Acts do not giue them the name of Deacons and Chrysostome expressely thinketh they were made neither Presbyters nor Deacons whose iudgement the Council in Trullo followeth yet by Saint Paules precepts teaching vs what conditions hee required in those that should be Deacons I collect their office was not onely a charge to looke to the poore but also to attend the sacred assemblies and seruice of the Church and euen astep to the Ministerie of the worde Ignatius saith to Heron the Deacon of Antioch Doe nothing without the Bishops for they are Priests thou doest but attend on the Priests They baptize consecrate the mysteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impose hands to ordaine and confirme thou doest in these things but minister vnto them as holie Stephen did to Iames and the Presbyters at Ierusalem And so Cyprian Diaconos post ascensum Domini in caelos Apostoli sibi constiâ—nerunt Episcopatus sui ecclesiae ministros The Apostles after the Lordes ascension into heauen appointed Deacons to attend both on the Church and on their Episcopall function Iustine Martyr an hundred yeeres before Cyprian saith of his time After the chiefe amongst vs hath giuen thankes and all the people saide Amen those that with vs are called Deacons giue vnto euery one present of the sanctified bread and wine and carrie there of to such as are absent The Councill of Ancyra willed Deacons that sacrificed vnto Idoles in time of persecution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cease from all sacred seruice in the Church and neither to deliâ—er the Lordes bread or cup or to speake openly to the people in time of prayers For I interprete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to preach but to command the people silence attention and deuotion which the Deacons vsed to doe whiles the diuine seruice was perfourmed at the Lordes Table Whatsoeuer their office was it is certaine they were not Presbyters and Ministers of the word and Sacraments and therefore from the election of those seuen in the Arts to make a generall and precise rule for the choice of al Presbyters Bishops to the worlds end is but astraine of your forwardnesse it hath neither cause nor consequent in any learning You make final account of it but Cyprian esteemed this to be proofe sufficient to make it Gods ordinance you shall heare his words The people chiefly hath power to choose worthie Priests and refuse vnworthie The which we see descended from the diuine authoritie that the Priest should bee chosen in the presence of the people vnder all mens eyes and be approued to be worthie and fit by publike iudgement and testimonie as in Numbers God commandeth Moses saying Take Aaron thy brother and Eleazar his sonne and thou shalt bring them to the mount before all the assemblie and put off Aarons garments and put them on Eleazar his sonne Before all the multitude God willeth the Priest to bee made that is hee instructeth and sheweth that Priests should not be ordained but with the knowledge of the people standing by that by the people present the offences of the euill may bee detected or the deserts of the good commended and that to be counted a lawfull and true ordination which is examined with the voices and iudgement of all which afterward according to Gods instruction was obserued in the Actes of the Apostles when Peter spake to the people of ordaining a Bishop in Iudas place Neither onely shall wee finde that the Apostles obserued this in the ordaining of Bishops and Priests but also of Deacons Which surely was therefore so diligently and warily done the whole multitude being called together lest any not woorthie shoulde by stealth get either the place of a Priest or to serue at the Altar Wherefore it must be duely retained and kept as comming from the diuine tradition and Apostolike obseruation which is vsed with vs and almost in all prouinces that in rightly ordaining the next Bishops of the same Prouince resort to the people for whom they ordayne a Ruler and the Bishop to be chosen in the presence of the people which best knoweth the life of eche one and hath viewed all the manner of his conuersation It is a notable place I was loath to leaue out any though the wordes were somewhat long I would as soone haue beleeued your report of the wordes had it bin true as your repeating them but you haue done well to put the matter out of doubt and somewhat eased me by alleadging them for nowe I shall not neede but to referre you to your owne allegation I haue much mused with my selfe what shoulde leade you to make so great account of this place as you doe I coulde neuer see any such thing as you intend either contained in the Scriptures which Cyprian bringeth nor expressed in the reason which hee giueth for this kind of choise nor enforced in the heat of those words by which he summeth his collection The places of Scripture say nothing for your purpose Eleazar was not chosen by the people but expressie by God and by him alone Your selues I hope will discharge that quotation as erroneous and mistaken There are no such wordes in the text as Cyprian citeth there were no such deeds God willed Moses to bring Aaron and Eleazar his sonne vp into Mount Hor whither the people neither did nor might ascend and there to put off Aarons garments and to put them on Eleazar his sonne And they three went vp into the mount Hor in the sight of the Congregation standing beneath and onely two Moses and Eleazar Aaron dying in the top of the Mount came downe from the Mount Whereby all the Congregation sawe that Aaron was dead and they wept for him thirtie dayes The Congregation did not intermeddle by worde or deed with this election Eleazar as the eldest sonne was called for by God to succeed in his fathers place Out of this you may gather that God aduaunced the eldest sonne to haue his fathers office not that the people elected him it was not in their power to appoint who should stand before the Arke to minister vnto the Lord. The choise of Matthias helpeth you as much as the apparelling of Eleazar did I haue often sayde you may remember it the people had no power to choose an Apostle no more then they had to choose Eleazar Hee must haue his calling from God and not from men and so Matthias had The faithfull did all acknowledge that hee was the partie whom God had chosen to take Iudas place they did not elect him The wordes of Saint Luke
suffered to haue the chiefe place amongest them Did euer Gods or mans Lawe preferre the feete before the head the rowt before the ruler or the people before the Prince The seruant is not aboue his Master no not in elections of bishops for if the rule be generall it includeth euen that particular Wherefore though there were no Princes christned in the Apostles times nor in 300. yeeres after to claime or vse their right yet against the head that it shall not bee head to rule and guide the feeâ—e can be no prescription by reason Gods ordinance for the head to gouerne the bodie is a perpetuall eternall law and the vsurpation of the members against it is no prescription but a confusion and the subuersion of that order which the God of heauen hath immutably decreed and settled And euen in the Primitiue Church when leisure from greater affaires and occasion of popular vproares put Christian Emperors in mind to vse their right they were by Councils acknowledged to haue good interest in the elections of bishops and by the whole Church suffered not onelie to haue a seuerall and soueraigne consent but by their Lawes to moderate restraine and punish the attempts and abuses as wel of bishops and clarks that were electors ordainers as of the people that were the likers and supporters of the parties so corruptly or disorderly chosen When Valentinian the Emperor vpon the death of Auxentius willed the bishops assembled to elect for the city of Millane such a one as should be fit for the place the Synode praied him being wise religious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to appoint a Bishop To whom he answered the matter is too great for me to vndertake you that are vouchsafed of the diuine grace shall better determine who is meete When Chrysost. was chosen to be bishop of Constantinople Sozomene saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The people Clergie determining on him the king approued it sent to fet him from Antioch After Sisimius was dead though many labored to haue Philip others to haue Proclus ordained yet it seemed good to the powers or princes to haue none of that church aduanced to the Bishoprike by reason of some vaine men but it pleased theÌ„ rather to call a stranger froÌ„ Antioch Upon the death of Maximian successor to Nestorius left againe in the election of a bishop variance should arise and the Church be troubled the Emperor Theodosius strait waies the body of Maximianus not yet being buried coÌ„manded the Bishops that were present to set Proclus in the episcopal seat Pelagius being chosen bishop of Rome without the princes coÌ„mandement for that the city was then besieged and no man could passe through y e enemies camp Gregory was afterward sent to excuse the matter appease the Emperor Nilenim tuÌ„ à Clero in eligendo Pontifice actuÌ„ erat nisieius electioneÌ„ Imperator approbasset for then the act of the Clergy in chusing their bishop was void vnles the Emperor approued the election Greg. that excused Pelagius witnesseth the like of his own choice of sundry others Of himself he saith Lo my most gratious Lord the Emperor hath coÌ„manded an Ape to be made a Lion Wherefore he must impute al my faults negligeÌ„ces not to me who was vnwilling but to his owne deuotion which hath coÌ„mitted the mysterie of strength to so weak an one as I am To al the bishops of Illyâ—iest he writeth Because I vnderstand by your letters that the consent of you al THE PLEASVRE OF THE MOST GRATIOVS PRINCE CONCVRRED in the person of Iohn our brother and fellow-Bishop I greatly reioyce To the Emperor Mauritius he saieth It can bee no small thankes with God that Iohn of happy memory being taken out of this life your godlines about the appointing a Bishop stayed a great while deferred the time and sought aduise in the feare of God Wherefore I thinke my brother and fellow-Bishop Cyriacus to be very fit for the Pastorall regiment whom your holinesse preferred to that order after so long consultation Neither had the Roman Emperors this authoritie to dash elections appoint bishops onely at Rome and Constantinople other places were in like subiectioÌ„ to them though their care were not so great for the smaller cities which were innumerable as for the principal Sees where themselues liued whither they often resorted yet their right was alone in greater lesser Churches If the chiefest bishops might not be chosen without the Emperours consent the meaner places had neither by the Canons nor by the Scriptures any more freedome from the Princes power then the greater So that what superioritie was then acknowledged and yeelded by the greatest and chiefest Churches as due to Christian Emperors in the elections of bishops the same could by no means be denyed them ouer other Churches though the Princes themselues sometimes neglected and sometimes refused to be troubled with the choice of so many thousand Bishops as were vnder their territories And therefore Adrian Bishop of Rome was not the first that did grant and giue this right to the Empire as some Romish stories would faine enforce it was receiued in the Church of Christ many hundred yeeres before Adrian was borne and vsed as well by other Christian kings in their realmes as by the Emperour in his dominions The Pontificall it selfe 580. yeeres after Christ noteth it as a new and strange accident that Pelagius the second was chosen Bishop of Rome without the Emperours commaundement and giueth this reason for that the Longobardes then besieged the Citie and Gregorie the first of that name that next succeeded after Pelagius two hundreth yeres before Adrian confirmeth it to be true by report of his owne election and Gregorie of Turon liuing at the same time and whose Oeacon was present at Rome when Gregorie the first was elected witnesseth as much in the tenth booke of his historie and first Chapter Wherefore Adrian did but either continue or renue this right when the Empire was translated vnto Charles the great and â—atified it with a curse on the transgressoins hee did not then first grant it the Romane Emperours long before enioyed it Adrian and a Synode of one hundred fiftie three Bishops and Abbatâ— defined that the Archbishops and Bishops of euerie Prouince should take their inuestiture from Charles so as vnlesse hee were commended or allowed inuested by the king he should be consecrated Bishop by no man and whosoeuer did against this decree they did wrap him in the band of excommunication Leo the eight in an other Synode more then 130 yeeres after Adrian with the Cleargie and people of Rome did reknowledge and confirme vnto Otho the first of that name king of the Germans and to his successors in the kingdome of Italy for euer power to choose and appoint the Bishop of the Apostolike See of Rome and consequently Archbishops
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
Bishop must bee vnreprooueable as Gods Steward holding fast the faithfull worde of doctrine that hee may be able to exhorte with founde doctrine and conuince the goinesayers No Teachers no Elders by this rule For they were Gods Stewards to exhort and conuince with found doctrine before they tooke that name Elders might not be appointed in any Citie but so qualified as is heere prescribed there was no place then in Creete for your newe founde Elders And as for Lay Gouernours of the Apostolike Church to bee mentioned by Saint Paul in the 1. to the Corinthians and twelfth Chapter the ancient and learned Fathers are further from admitting any such then I am howsoeuer our late writers bee lighted on them Nazianzene expounding the wordes of Saint Paul which our men imagine concerne Lay Gouernours sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gouernements that is ouer-ruling the flesh Chrysostome maketh Helpes and Gouernements all one and saith It is a great blessing of God in matters of the Spirite to haue an helper and exhorter Ambrose saieth In the fift place is giuen the gift of vnderstanding For they bee Gouernours that with spirituall raines doe guide men Theophilact referreth it to the Deacons Helpes gouernements that is to receiue the sicke and guide and dispence the goodes of our brethren Then neither doe the Scriptures any where mention Lay Presbyters nor the Fathers expounding the places that are brought for them did euer giue so much as an inkeling of any such persons The words of Paul to Timothie be not only cleared from them by diuers sound interpretations but produced against them For they admit no Elders but such as were for their worke sake maintained at the costes of the Church and so were neuer anie Lay Presbyters The two other places name Rulers and Gouernours but expresse neyther what persons or thinges they gouerned neyther who they were that did gouerne whether Lay men or Pastours Lay men had Christian gouernements but ouer their families ouer the Church and house of God none had in the Apostles daies that wee reade saue Pastors and Teachers I meane such as did feede and watch the flocke committed to their charge And yet if wee shoulde graunt that in the Apostles time for want of a Magistrate to vpholde the discipline of the Church and punish the disorders and offences of loose brethren there were certaine graue and wise Elders ioyned with the Prophets and Pastours to admonish the vnrulie examine the guiltie and exclude infamous and scandalous persons from the common societie of Christians Is it anie consequent the like must bee vsed with vs in a Christian kingdome vnder a beleeuing Prince The Apostolike Churches were planted in populous Cities where they coulde not lacke meete men to sustaine that charge ours are dispersed in rurall Hamlets where there can bee no hope to finde so many fitte Gouernours as shall bee requisite To the first Churches came none but such as were willing and zealous without all compulsion to ours come all forces Atheistes Hypocrites and howe manie rather forced by Lawe then ledde with deuotion yea woulde God it did not often so fall out that in manie places the richer and wealthier men eyther regarde no Religion or secretely leane to the woorst Euerie Church with them had manie Prophetes Pastours and Teachers the number and neede of the people and tyme so requiring so that their Presbyteries might bee indifferently weighed without ouerbearing either side Wee haue but one in eche Parish and to exact maintenaunce for moe at the peoples handes in euerie Uillage woulde breede that sore which no playster would heale To giue that one a negatiue voyce in all thinges against the Laie Elders were to fill the whole Realme with infinite contentions and questions To giue him no voyce but as one amongest the rest is to shake the Church in sunder with euerie faction and fansie of the multitude Lastly those Churches vnder persecution had none that coulde iustly chalenge to rule the rest ours hath a lawfull Monarch professing the faith to whome by Gods Lawe the gouernement of all crimes and causes Ecclesiasticall doeth rightly belong and therefore the priuate and popular regiment of the afflicted Churches must cease since God hath blessed this realme with a publike peaceable and princely gouernement The greater and stronger power doeth alwayes determine and frustrate the lesser and weaker in the same kinde What neede we priuate men to punish vices when we haue princes to doe it What neede wee Suffrages of Lay Elders to reforme disorders and abuses in Pastors when wee haue open and knowen lawes to worke the same effect with more force and better speede In popular states and persecuted Churches some pretence may be made for that kinde of discipline In christian kingdomes I see neither neede nor vse of Lay Elders Howbeit for my part I doe not beleeue that Lay Elders were vsed in the Apostls times to gouerne the Church With imposition of hands remission of sinnes distribution of Sacraments I am right assured no iust proofe can be made they did or should intermeddle yea the ouersight of those things could not belong whiles the Apostles liued to Lay men and after their deaths the Churches planted by them and ages succeeding them neuer vsed nor acknowledged any Lay Elders Which is to me an inuincible demonstration that the Apostles left them none For would all the Churches in the worlde with one consent immediatly vpon the Apostles deaths reiect that fourme of gouerning the Church by Lay Elders which was setled and approoued by the Apostles and embrace a new and strange kinde of gouernement without precept or precedent for their so doing Howe others can perswade themselues that the whole Church of Christ felt so generally and presently to a wilfull Apostacie I knowe not for myselfe I confesse I had rather forsake the deuise and conceit of some late Writers were they in number moe then they are before I will proclaime so many Apostolike men and ancient and learned fathers to be manifest despisers of the Apostolike discipline and voluntarie supporters if not inuentors of Antichrists pride and tyrannie Wherefore if they shew me Lay Elders vniuersally receiued for gouernours in the Churches and ages next folowing the Apostles I wil agnise they came from the Apostles if there were no such after the Apostles I cannot beleeue they were in the Apostles times CHAP. XI What Presbyterie the primitiue Churches and Catholike fathers did acknowledge and whether Lay Elders were any part thereof or no. MAny men thinke and write that the first Churches and fathers after the Apostles retained and vsed Lay Elders for Gouernors and so witnes as they say obscurely Ignatius Tertullian Cyprian Augustine more cleerely Ambrose Hierome Possidonius and the Canon law and therefore I doe not well in their opinions to pretend the authoritie of Christes Church against them If all these Fathers or any of them did clearely mention or witnesse Lay Elders
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
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
THE PERPETVAL GOVERNEMENT OF CHRISTES CHVRCH Wherein are handled The fatherly superioritie which God first established in the Patriarkes for the guiding of his Church and after continued in the Tribe of Leui and the Prophetes and lastlie confirmed in the New Testament to the Apostles and their successours As also the points in question at this day Touching the Iewish Synedrion the true kingdome of Christ the Apostles commission the Laie Presbyterie the Distinction of Bishops from Presbyters and their succession from the Apostles times and hands the calling and moderating of Prouinciall Synodes by Primates and Metropolitanes the allotting of Dioeceses and the Popular electing of such as must feed and watch the flocke And diuers other points concerning the Pastorall regiment of the house of God By THO. BILSON Warden of Winchester Colledge Perused and allowed by publike authoritie 1. Cor. 14. Came the word of God first from you or did it spread to you alone Iren lib. 3. ca. 3. We can reckon those that were ordained Bishops by the Apostles in the Churches and their successours to this present which neuer taught nor knew any such thing as these dreame Imprinted at London by the Deputies of CHRISTOPHER BARKER Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie An. Dom. 1593. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER IHaue bene very vnwilling good Christian Reader to enter into these controuersies of Discipline that haue now some space troubled the Church of England I remembred the wordes of Abraham to Lot Let there I pray thee be no strife betwixt thee and me nor betwixt my men and thine for we be brethren and did thereby learne that all strife betwixt brethren was vnnaturall I could not forget the saying of our Sauiour Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue you and so collected how carefull we should be to keepe the vnitie of the spirite in the band of peace Prophane writers could tell me by concord the weakest things growe strong by discord the mightiest states are ouerthrowen and that made me loath to increase or nourish the dislikes and quarels that haue lately fallen out in this Realme betwixt the Professours and Teachers of one and the same Religion yet when I sawe the peace of Gods Church violated by the sharpnesse of some mens humours and their tongues so intemperate that they could not bee discerned from open enemies I thought as in a common danger not to sit looking till all were on fire but rather by all meanes to trie what kind of liquor would restinguish this flame Another reason leading mee to this enterprise was the discharge of my duetie to God and her Maiestie for finding that some men broched their disciplinarie deuises vnder the title of Gods eternall trueth and professed they could no more forsake the defence thereofthen of the Christian faith and others defaced and reproched the gouernement of the Church heere receiued and established as vnlawfull irreligious and Antichristian for what lees are so sower that some hedge wines wil not yeelde I was mooued in conscience not to suffer the sacred Scriptures to be so violently arrested and ouer-ruled by the summons and censures of their newe Consistories as also to cleere this state of that iniurious slander as if not knowing or neglecting the manifest voyce of Christes spirite we had entertained and preferred the dregges of Antichrists pride and tyrannie These causes of great and good regard led mee to examine the chiefe groundes of both Disciplines theirs and ours and to peruse the proofes and authorities of either parte that by comparing it might appeare which side came neerest to the synceâ—itie of the Scriptures and societie of the auncient and vncorrupte Church of Christ. The which wholie to propose by way of Preface woulde bee exceeding tedious shortely to capitulate that the Reader may knowe what to looke for will not altogether bee superfluous The maine supportes of their newe deuised Discipline are the generall equalitie of all Pastours and Teachers and the ioyning of Lay Elders with them to make vp the Presbyterie that shall gouerne the Church On this foundation they build the power of their Consistorie that must admonish and punish all offences heare and determine all doubts appease and ende all strifes that anie waie touch the state and welfare of the Church Against these false groundes I shewe the Church of God from Adam to Moses from Moses to Christ and so downeward vnder Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles hath beene alwayes gouerned by an inequalitie and superioritie of Pastours and Teachers amongst themselues and somuch the very name and nature of gouernement do inforce for if amongst equals none may chalenge to rule the rest there must of necessitie be superiours before there can bee Gouernours It was therefore a ridiculous ouersight in our new platfourmers to settle an ecclesiasticall gouernment amongst the Pastours and Teachers of the Church and yet to banish all superioritie from them Some finding that absurditie and perceiuing confusion of force must follow where all are equall and no Gouernour endured confesse it to bee an essentiall and perpetuall part of Gods ordinance for each Presbyterie to haue a chiefe amongst them and yet least they should seeme to agnise or admit the auncient and approued maner of the Primitiue Church retained amongst vs which is to appoint a fitte man to gouerne each Dioecese they haue framed a Running regencie that shall goe round to all the Presbyters of each place by course and dure for a weeke or fome such space for the deuise is so newe that they are not yet resolued what time this changeable superioritie shall continue With this conceite they maruelouslie please themselues in so much that they pronounce this onely to be Gods institution and this ouerseer or Bishop to be Apostolike all others they reiect as humane that is as inuented and established by man against the first and authentike order of the holie Ghost Thus farre wee ioyne that to preuent dissention and auoid confusion there must needes euen by Gods ordinaunce bee a President or Ruler of euerie Presbyterie which conclusion because it is warranted by the groundes of nature reason and trueth and hath the example of the Church of God before vnder and after the Lawe to confirme it wee accept as irrefutable and laie it as the ground-worke of all that ensueth But whether this Presidentship did in the Apostles times and by their appointment goe round by course to all the Pastours and Teachers of euerie Presbyterie or were by election committed to one chosen as the fittest to supplie that place so long as hee discharged his duetie without blame that is a maine point in question betwixt vs. Into which I may not enter vntill we haue seene what the Apostolike Presbyteries were and of what persons they did consist at the first erecting of the Church Certaine late writers men otherwise learned and wise greatlie misliking in the gouernement of the Church the Romish kind of Monarchie and on the
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
Whatsoeuer the Apostles did that had a most plentifull measure of Gods spirite farre aboue Pastours Prophets and Euangelists yet their followers for example Timothie and Tite were not to impose hands without the people and Presbyterie concurring with them I haue heard this often and earnestly asserted but I could neuer yet see it prooued The greatest ground of this presumption is for that the Apostles themselues did so from whose example their scholers would not rashlie depart But as we finde by better view the Apostles did not so by lots and by Prophets directed not by mens wils but by Gods spirit the Apostles choose Elders or rather by laying on their hands as the holie Ghost guided them they did furnish such as before were neither meete nor able to sustaine that charge with the gifts of the spirit fit for that calling by the voyces and liking of the people they made no Pastors nor Prophets that I read and therfore I must haue leaue to thinke that Tite and Timothie vsed rather the helpe of Prophesie to finde whom the spirit would name theÌ„ the consents or suffrages of the people for in their times the gifts of the spirite were not quenched yea the Prophets that were vnder the Apostles continued vnder them and these two gifts the reuealing of secrets and discerning of spirites which the Prophets and Euangelists had though in lesse measure then the Apostles serued chiefly to distinguish who were fit or vnfit for the seruice of Christes Church WheÌ„ Prophets failed the Church was forced to come to voices but so long as the spirite declared by the mouthes of the Prophets whom hee had chosen the consent of the people or Presbyterie might not be required The Apostle giueth rules to Timothie and Tite what maner of men must be chosen how they must be qualified before they be elected Paul doeth not teach the people whom they should elect but appointeth Timothie and Titus whom they should admit To preuent ambition and emulation in the competitors affection and dissention in the electors lots were first liked by the Apostles and retained a long time after by S. Iohn and to disappoint seducing and lying spirites then crept into the world and into the Church these rules were prescribed as a touchstone for Timothie and Titus to discern the spirit of trueth speaking sincerely from the spirit of errour flattring and admiring the persons of men for aduantage sake for as God gaue the power grace of his spirite to his Church in great abundance to illustrate the glorie enlarge the kingdome of his sonne so the deuill ceased not to intermixe whole swarmes of false and deceitfull workemen to obscure the brightnes and hinder the increase of Christes Church and therefore the Apostle setteth downe what manner of men Tite and Timothie shall lay hands on whom they shall refuse left they be partakers of their sinnes Paul could not feare lest the holy Ghost speaking by the Prophets would name men vnworthie the place Paul saw the nuÌ„ber of false Prophets already risen and euery day likely to rise and foresaw the poyson and danger of their deceits and pretences and for that cause setteth down a perpetuall canon to the Church for euer what vices must be shumed and vertues required in a Pastour and Preacher Such did the holie Ghost name whiles hee ruled the mouthes of the Prophets and such for euer should be called euen when the gift of prophesie was decayed The Primitiue Church vsed alwayes to elect her Pastors by the suffrages of the people and Cyprian saieth it is none other then a diuine tradition and Apostolike obseruation I shall haue place and time anone to speake of the custome of the Church and opinion of the fathers till then I reserue the handling of both I am now searching the Scriptures and viewing the word of God whether it can thence be prooued that Pastours and Elders were or ought to be chosen by the consent of the people and for my part I professe I finde none I see some men men zealously bent to authorize it by the will and commandement of God I dare not professe to bee sopriuie to his will without his word In the old Testament Aaron was called of God and al the Leuites according to their families were like wise assigned to their places the children succeeded in their fathers roumes the Prophets were inspired from aboue and none elected Moses Ioshua and the Iudges were appointed by God as also the Princes of the twelue Tribes The seuenty Elders were such as were knowen not chosen to be Elders and Rulers of the people and to make Captains ouer 1000. 100. and 10. Moses tooke the chiefe of euery Tribe to Saul God gaue the kingdome by lottes and after to Dauid by voyce their successours inherited or intruded I see in all these neither amongst the rest of the Gentiles which till then the spirite had deferred but he receiued no power from them to be an Apostle nor to preach vnto the Gentiles Paul saith of himselfe that he was an Apostle neither of men nor by man and that the chiefest gaue him nothing or added nothing vnto him that is neither authoritie nor instruction much lesse did these three of a meaner calling then the Apostles lay hands on him to make him an Apostle that power belonged onely to Christ. Againe he receiued his Apostleship of the Gentiles long before as he saith When it pleased God to reueale his son in me that I might preach him amongst the Gentiles I did not straightway conferre with flesh and blood but went into Arabia and after three yeeres came first to Ierusalem He had beene at Ierusalem and was presented by Barnabas to the Apostles before he came to Antioch For after the first sight of the Apostles he went from Ierusalem to Tarsus and thence Barnabas fet him as a chosen vessell to carrie the name of Christ vnto the Gentiles when he first brought him â—â— Antioch And at Antioch where he preached a whole yeere â—â—fore he receiued this imposition of hands to whome preached he but to the Grecians that is to the Gentiles Wherefore they did not impose handes on him to giue him authoritie to preach to the Gentiles he receiued that commission from Christ long before had then twelue moneths and more preached vnto the Gentiles in the very same place where they imposed hands on him To what ende then did they impose hands on Paul and Barnabas They had preached there a good time and furnished the Church with needful doctrine and meete Pastours to take charge of their soules and then the holie Ghost minding to haue them do the like in other places willed the Prophets and Teachers there to let them go for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie and the words following import as much that the Prophets and Pastours laying hands on
rest yet after his rising from the dead hee gaue all his Apostles like power as Cyprian obserueth and they all receiued the keies of the kingdome of heauen as Ierome auoucheth Are the keyes of the kingdome of heauen giuen onely to Peter by Christ saieâ—h Origen neither shall any other of the blessed receiue them If this saying I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen be common also to the â—est why should not all that went before and followeth after as spoken to Peter be common to all the rest So Augustine If in Peter had not bene a mysterie of the Church the Lord would not haue said vnto him I will giue thee the keies of the kingdome of heauen The Gospell ouer the vncircumcision that is ouer the Gentiles was committed to mee saieth Paul as ouer the circumcision or Iewes was to Peter Letâ— man therefore so reckon of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God The Apostles were Stewards of the word and Sacraments and had the keyes of Gods kingdome not onely to dispence them faithfully whiles they liued but in like sort to leaue them to the Church of Christ as needfull for the same vntill the ende of the worlde Neither neede I spend moe words to prooue they must remaine in the Church since that is not doubted on any side but rather examine to whome the Apostles left them and to whose charge those things were committed The worde and Sacraments are not so much questioned to whom they were bequeathed as the power of the keyes and right to impose hands to whom they are reserued To diuide the word and administer the Sacraments is the generall perpetual charge of all those that feede the flocke of Christ and are set ouer his housholde to giue them meate in season The Elders that are among you I that am also an Elder exhort saieth Peter feede you the flocke of Christ which is committed to you Take heede to your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holie Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the Church of Christ saith Paul to the Elders of Ephesus Goe teach baptize which our Sauiour hath ioyned may not be seuered and the seruice must endure as long as the promise which is this in so doing I am with you alway vntill the ende of the worlde not with his Apostles so long they are dead fifteene hundred yeeres before our dayes but Christ is present with those that succeede his Apostles in the same function and ministerie for euer Their Commission to doe both ceaseth not so long as his precept bindeth them and help supporteth them in both which is to the worlds end The power of the keyes and right to impose handes I meane to ordaine Ministers excommunicate sinners for so I alwaies interprete those two speeches are more controuersied then the other two by reason that diuers men haue diuers conceits of them Some fasten them to the liking of the multitude which they call the Church others commit them to the iudgement of certaine chosen persons as well of the Laitie as of the Clergie whome they name the Presbyterie some attribute them onely but equally to all Pastours and Preachers and some specially reserue them to men of the greatest gifts ripest yeeres and highest calling amongst the Clergie which of these best agreeth with the trueth of the Scriptures and vse of the primitiue Church in place conuenient will soone appeare It shall now suffice in few wordes to obserue how neere imposing handes and binding sinnes doe ioyne with the dispensation of the word and Sacraments that thereby wee may resolue whether laie men may entermeddle with these ecclesiasticall actions or no. To create ministers by imposing hands is to giue them not onely power and leaue to preach the word and dispence the Sacraments but also the grace of the holy Ghost to make them able to execute both parts of their function This can none giue but they that first receiued the same They must haue this power and grace themselues that will bestow it on others Laie men which haue it not can by no meanes giue it and consequently not impose hands which is the signe and seale of both Yea what if to giue power to preach and baptize bee more then to preach and baptize euen as lawfully to authorize an other to doe any thing is more then to doe it our selues Sacramentum baptismiest quod habet qui baptizatur Sacramentum dandi baptismi est quod habet qui ordinatur It is the Sacrament of baptisme saieth Austen that hee hath which is baptized It is the Sacrament of giuing baptisme that he hath which is ordered Yea Caluin himselfe a man of no small learning and iudgement in the Church of God confesseth it is a kind of Sacrament and in that respect not to be giuen by any but onely by Pastours Surely saieth he the Papists are very leud in that they dare adorne their sacrificing Priesthood with the title of a Sacrament As for the true function of the ministerie commended vnto vs by the mouth of Christ Libenter eo loco habeo I willingly accept it for a Sacrament for first there is a ceremonie of imposing hands taken out of the Scriptures then Paul witnesseth the same not to be superfluous and emptie but a sure signe of spirituall grace And that I put it not third in the number of Sacraments it was because it is not ordinarie nor common to all the faithfull but a speciall rite for a certaine function and therefore of imposition of hands he saieth Hoc postremo habendum est non vniuer sam multitudinem manus imposuâ—sse ministris sed solos Pastores This lastly we must learne that the whole multitude did not impose handes on their Ministers but onely the Pastours did it Then may laie men no more chalenge to impose handes then to baptize yea to preach and baptize is not so much as to giue power and grace to others openly and lawfully to doe the like in the Church of Christ and therefore if laie-men be debarred from the one they be much more excluded from the other To excommunicate is to remooue the wicked and irrepentant from the participation of the Lordes Supper least by sacrilegious presuming to violate that table the vngodly should condemne themselues and defile others Whose calling it is to deliuer the bread and cup of the Lord to the due receiuers is out of question they are for that cause named the ministers of the worde and Sacraments Nowe to whom it pertaineth to admit the woorthie to them it belongeth to reiect the vnwoorthie they that are placed by God to deliuer the mysteries to the faithfull and penitent are commanded by him to denie them to the faithlesse and impenitent The charge to deliuer the Sacraments is theirs the care not to deliuer them but where they be willed by God so
matters to whom the Apostolike power and charge which must alwayes remaine in the Church may be communicated and imparted and those are Presbyters and Bishops By Presbyters I meane those whom all the Catholike Fathers and Councils with one consent call Presbyteros placing them in the middle betweene Bishops and Deacons when they deuide the Clergie into Episcopos Presbyterosâ— Diaconos Bishops Presbyters and Deacons Laiâ— Elders I ouerskip as meere strangers to all antiquitie So that when I speake of Presbyteries I vnderstand thereby the assemblies of such Presbyters as were Clergie men and in euery Citie assisted the Bishop in the seruice of God and aduised the Bishop in all other affaires of the Church Thus much I premonish least the often vse of the word Presbyter in this chapter should either perplexe or vnsettle the Reader The times must like wise be remembred The Apostles both in teaching and gouerning the Churches when they were present had helpers when they were absent had substitutes after their finall departures or deathes left successours So that the things originally descending from the Apostles and continuallie remayning in the Church are the charge of the worde and Sacraments and the power of keyes and handes the persons to whom they were committed either Presbyters or Bishops the times when the presence absence departure or death of the Apostles If wee neglect or confound these partes wee shall but roaue in the aire at the right gouernement of the Church if wee obserue them wee shall force the Question to an Issue that will not deceiue vs. And first for the worde and Sacraments It may not bee deuied but as the worde and Sacraments are the most essentiall seedes of the Church so the handling and sowing thereof in the Lordes ground must bee the generall and principall charge of all Pastours and Presbyters that eyther feede or rule the flocke of Christ. for whether they be Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastours or Teachers I meane such as Paul reckoneth to the Ephesians for the worke of the Ministerie or as the holy Ghost in other places calleth them Bishops and Presbyters this power is common to them all Without the worde and Sacraments the Saintes are not gathered the Church is not edified faith is not perfited heauen is not opened wherefore in preaching the worde and administring the Sacramentes the Scriptures know no difference betwixt Pastours and Teachers Bishops and Presbyters Had not our Sauiour deliuered both in one ioynt Commission to his Apostles when he willed them to goe and teach all Nation baptizing them Paul sheweth that preaching the worde was of the twaine the greater and woorthier part of his Apostolike function Christ sent mee not to baptize but to preach the Gospell not that hee might not or did not vse both but the latter was the chiefer So Iohn preached the baptisme of repentance not deuiding the offer of the worde from the confirmation of the Sacrament but ioyning them both together as coherent and consequent the one to the other for God doeth not send his messengers to make emptie promises but ratifieth the trueth of his speach with the seales of his word which are the Sacraments And therfore hee that hath charge from God to preach the one hath also leaue to performe the other Whom God hath placed in his church that by his mouth we should beleeue by his hands also we may bee baptized as appeareth by Philip conuerting and baptizing not onely the Eunuche but the whole Citie of Samaria and for that cause S. Austen iustly calleth as well Presbyters as Bishops Ministers of the word and Sacraments A newe distinction is lately deuised that Pastours in Saint Paul were such as had not onely the word and Sacraments but also the Church and charge of soules committed vnto them and Teachers those that laboured in doctrine but receiued no charge neither of Sacramentes nor soules In deede Ambrose taketh them for Catechizers of Infants and at Alexandria there were moderators of Schooles resembling our Uniuersities for the training and instructing of such as in time were likely to profit the Church of God but these were not ecclesiasticall functions in the Church they were profitable members of a common wealth that so did but no necessarie workemen in the ministerie And though there were such for a season at Alexandria yet all other Cities and Churches had not the like and they that gouerned those Schooles and taught the Catechumes there as Pantenus Clemens and Origen were Laie men and neuer vsed at Alexandria to teach the people in the Church as appeareth by Demetrius wordes then Bishop of Alexandria finding great fault with the Bishops of Ierusal in and Cesaria for suffering Origen after hee had bene Catechist at Alexandria to expound the Scriptures before the people in the Church His wordes are these It was neuer heard nor euer suffered that Laie men should teach in the Church in the presence of Bishops With no face could the Bishop of Alerandria haue disliked Origens fact if it had bene vsuall in his owne Church and the Bishops that wrate in defence of the matter doe not auouch it was a generall or perpetuall rule in the Church of Christ for a Catechizer to teach in the Church but alleage three instances where they sawe the like vsed and confesse they knew no more Wherefore vnlesse their examples and reasons were stronger and surer I preferre the iudgement of Ierome Augustine Chrysostome Theodorete and others before this late conceite who thinke the Apostle expressed one office by two names to shew what things belonged to the Pastorall charge Austen Pastours and Doctours whom you greatly desired I should distinguish I thinke to bee all one as you doe not that wee should conceiue some to be Pastours others to bee Doctours but therefore he subioyned Doctours to Pastours that Pastours might vnderstand doctrine pertained to their office Euery Pastour is a Doctour saieth Ierome Pastours and Doctours saieth Chrysostome were they to whom the whole people were committed and they were inferiour to those that went about preaching the Gospell because dwelling in more quietnesse they were employed onely in one place Paul calleth them Pastours and Doctours saieth Theodorete which were deputed and fastened to a Citie or village Oecumenius by Pastours and Teachers Paul meaneth Bishops to whome the Churches were committed But grant Pastours and Doctours were distinct offices in the Church as you imagine what gaine you by it You may thereby prooue an inequalitie of ecclesiasticall functions you prooue nothing els Obey your Ouerseers saieth Paul and bee subiect to them they watch ouer your soules to giue account for them Obedience and subiection to the Pastour is due from the whole flocke and all degrees thereof which are no Pastours but Teachers as you say were no Pastors they were therfore inferiour to Pastors and subiect to their ouersight Now take your choice if Pastors
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
with the Churches at the first erecting thereof is that which Epiphanius remembreth and Paul toucheth in many places I trust to send Timotheus shortly vnto you I haue no man like minded who will faithfully care for your matters For all seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christes And to Timothie This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia bee turned from me At my first answering no man assisted mee but all forsooke mee Demas hath forsaken mee and embraced this present worlde Wherefore Epiphanius surmise that the scarcitie of tried and approoued men was some cause why euerie place was not furnished at the first with a Bishop is neither vnlikelie nor vnpertaining to the purpose The third reason I take to be this that as Presbyters to labour in the word and augment the Church were presently needefull the haruest being no lesse then the whole world and Bishops to moderate the number of Teachers and to ouersee as well the feeders as the flocke were not so requisit whiles the Apostles who tooke care of those things themselues preached in or neere the places so the wisedome of God woulde not impose that fourme of gouernement on the Church but after long triall and good experience what neede the Churches should haue of it This course he obserued with the people of Israel not straightway to associate the seuentie Elders vnto Moses but to let them alone vntill Moses was wearied with the burden and the multitude grieued for want of dispatch and Iethro seeing the Iudge afflicted with paines and the people discontented with delayes aduised an other way which the whole assemblie liked God confirmed and Moses executed In like manner Christ suffered his Church to trie whiles his Apostles yet liued what equalitie and plentie of Gouernours would worke in euerie place and when it fell out in proofe vpon the Apostles absence that so many leaders so many followers so many Rulers so many factions out euerie Church in sunder the Apostles were forced the world as Ierom faith decreing it that is the faithful throughout the world being therewith contented and thereof desirous to commit their places and Churches not to Presbyters in common and equall authoritie but to their Disciples and followers whome afterward they called Bishops in a superioritie leauing vnto them as vnto their successors the chiefest honor and power of imposing handes and vsing the keyes and resting specially on their care and paines to ouersee both Teachers and beleeuers though the Presbyters were not excluded from helping and assisting them to feed and guide the flocke of Christ. This you say but Ierome saith It was not the Lords disâ—osition by his Apostles but rather a decree and custome of the Church that first made Bishops to differ from Presbyters Ierome saieth it was decreed throughout the world to change the equalitie of Presbyters into the superioritie of Bishops by whome it was so decreed hee doeth not mention in this place but if I prooue as well by the Scriptures as by Ierome himselfe and the rest of the Fathers that this change began in the Apostles times and was both seene and approoued by them I euince it to bee an Apostolike ordinance Then must it also be diuine which Ierome denyeth What Ierom meaneth by the trueth of the Lords ordinance I wil after examine I must prooue in order I shall else but confound both myselfe and the Reader In the meane time I make this reason out of Ierome When the schismes of Presbyters beganne dangerously to teare the Churches in peeces then were the Churches committed to the chiefe and preeminent charge of one but those schismes and factions troubled all the Churches euen in the Apostles times vnder them therefore beganne the change of gouernement which Ierome speaketh of At Corinth indeede there were contentions who were baptized of the greatest men which Ierome doeth exemplifie but the factions must be more generall and deadly that should cause an alteration of gouernement throughout the world So there were euen in the Apostles times To those of Corinth he saith When you come together in the Church I heare there are dissentions amongest you and I beleeue it in part for there must be heresies euen among you that they which are approoued amongst you might beknowen And wheÌ„ he saith there must be heresies amongst you to manifest the good from the bad he meaneth not only at Corinth but euery where which came to passe accordingly To the Romanes he saith Marke them diligently which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which yee haue learned and auoyde them Amongest the Galathians were some that intended to peruert the Gospel of Christ and to carrie them into an other doctrine bewitching them that they shoulde not obey the trueth To the Philippians Beware of dogges beware of euill workemen many walke of whome I tolde you often and tell you now weeping that are enemies of the crosse of Christ whose ende is damnation whose God is their bellie and glorie to their shame which minde earthly things With the Colossians were some that burdened the Churches with traditions euen with the commaundements and doctrines of men and holding not the head aduanced themselues in those things which they neuer sawe and rashly puft vp with fleshly mindes beguiled the simple with a shew of humblenesse and worshipping of Angels At Thessalonica the resurrection of the dead was impugned and some troubled the people with visions with fained messages and forged letters in the Apostles name as if the day of Christ were at hand It came to passe in euery place which Paul foretolde the Presbyters of Ephesus This I know saith he that after my departure shall grieuous wolues enter in amongst you not sparing the flocke Yea of your owne selues shall rise men speaking peruerse thinges to draw Disciples after them Neither were the Gentiles onelie subiect to this danger but the Iewes also as Peter forewarned them There shalbe false teachers amongst you which priuily shall bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them many shal follow their damnable waies through couetousnes with fained wordsshal they make marchandise of you And so Iohn Euen now there are many Antichrists many false prophets and deceiuers are gone out into the world To preuent these deceiuers and represse these peruerse Teachers Paul was forced whiles he liued laboured in other places to send speciall substitutes to the Churches most endangered and by their paines ouersight to cure the soares heale the wounds which these pestilent and vnquiet spirits had made So at Ephesus when the teachers and doctors began to affirme they knewe not what euen prophane and doting fables whose word did fret as a canker and crept into houses leading captiue simple women laden with sinnes and led with diuers lusts and others hauing itching eares gate them teachers after
was giuen thee with imposition of handes of the Presbyterie and this right for Presbyters to impose handes ioyntly with the Bishop dured no long time in the Church as wee shew by the fourth Councill of Carthage I haue often tolde you that place of Saint Paul concludeth nothing for you it hath so many answeres Ierome giueth you one Chrysostome an other and Saint Paul himselfe a third If you like not with Ierome Ambrose and Primasius to take the Presbyterie for the function which Timothie receiued which Caluin well alloweth nor with Chrysostome Theodoret and the rest of the Grecians to applie it to Bishops for so much as Presbyters by their iudgements could not impose handes on a Bishop yet remember Saint Paul was present and did the deede and therfore without some succeeding and supplying the Apostles roâ—â—e as Timothie and Tite did your Presbyteries haue no warrant to impose hands And so much is euident by that verie Councill which you bring for the Bishop must first blesse the party and impose hands on him and then the Presbyters there present must lay their hands neere the Bishops in signe of consent But without the Bishop no Presbyters did blesse or impose hands to ordaine any that euer we reade either in Scriptures or Stories And because you shall not say I speake without Booke as I see many do in our dayes marke well these examples and tell mee what you thinke of them The Councill of Hispalis vnderstanding that a Bishop in ordaining Presbyters and Deacons because hee was pained with sore eyes onely laide his handes on them and suffered a Presbyter standing by to reade the wordes of their consecration and to blesse them reiected the whole action as vnlawful with these wordes Propter tantam praesumptionis audaciam poterat iudicio praesenti damnari si non fuisset morte preuentus sed ne sibi licentiam talis vltra vsurpatio faciat decreuimus vt qui ab eo non consecrationis titulum sed ignominiae elogium perceperunt à gradis sacerdotalis vel Leuitici ordinis quem peruersè adepti sunt depositi aequo iudicio adijciantur Tales enim merito iudicati sunt remouendi quia prauè inuenti sunt constituti The Presbyter that did it if he were liuing might for so bolde a presumption haue beene condemned in this present iudgement but because he is preuented with death lest the same vsurpation should enterprise to do the like we decree that they which receiued of him no title of consecration but a monument of reproch shall be remooued and abiected by a righteous iudgement from the degree of sacerdotall and Leuiticall order which they haue peruersely gotten for such are woorthely adiudged to bee cast off because they are found to be wrongfully made The Bishop being present and imposing handes and not able to reade for the impediment of his sore eies a Presbyter blessed them that is pronounced the words of their consecration this the Council calleth bold presumption and vsurpation against the Ecclesiasticall rule and remooued the men as peruersly and vnlawfully made What thinke you would they haue saide if they heard of Presbyters that had taken vpon them as men doe in our dayes to impose hands and blesse and giue sacred orders not onely in the absence but in defiance of all Bishops Colluthus was a Presbyter in one of the Churches of Alexandria and falling away from the Bishop there for some mislikes ordained certaine Presbyters himselfe being but a Presbyter For this Colluthus was conuented in the generall Councill before Hosius and the rest of the Bishops and commaunded to carrie himselfe for a Presbyter as hee was before and all those that were ordained by him to returne to their former state It after fell out that one Ischyras pretending himselfe to be a Presbyter of Colluthus making accused Macarius of sacrilegious violence offered vnto him then ministring at the Lords Table as he said and hauing the mysticall cup in his hand an hundred Bishops assembled at a Council in Egypt or neere that number to conuince Ifchyras of alie prooue that Ischyras was no Presbyter and so could not bee assaulted whiles hee was handling the diuine mysteries Their wordes be these Quo pacto igitur Presbyter Ischyras aut quo tandem authore constitutus Numquid scilicet à Collutho idenim restat Atqui Colluthum in gradu Presbyterij mortuum omnâ—mque eius manuum impositionem rescissam omnésque ab eo constitutos in Laicorum ordinem redactos esse sub nomine Laicorum ad Synaxim admissos adeò apud omnes constat vt nemo ea de re dubitandum putet Howe then is Ischyras a Presbyter or by whome was hee made What by Colluthus That is all which can be saide But Colluthus himselfe died in the degree of a Presbyter and all his imposition of handes was reuersed such as were made by him were cast backe into the order of Laymen and admitted to the Communion as Laymen which is so cleere that no man euer doubted of it They conclude that Ischyras if he were made by Coluthus could be no Presbyter for so much as Coluthus was a Presbyter and no Bishop and all his impesition of handes frustrated and all the persons ordained by him neither accounted nor admitted into the Church but vnder the name of Laymen And this reuersing of Coluthus orders and agnising none that hee ordained but for Laymen was so cleere a case and vncontrolled with all men that no man euer made anie scruple of it You shaldo well considerately to reade the place it importeth the vniuersall consent of the Primitiue Church to haue beene this that no Presbyter could ordaine a Presbyter but those that receiued imposition of handes from any such were throughout the Church of Christ esteemed and reputed meere Laymen and not otherwise accepted to the Lords Table Maximus that was very familiar and inward with Gregorie Nazianzen whiles he liued at Constantinople and obtained at his handes to bee taken into the Cleargie and placed with the Presbyters of that Citie finding that Miletius Bishop of Antioch and others had translated Gregorie from Nazianzum to Constantinople without a ful Synode somewhat contrarie to the Canons procured Peter bishop of Alexandria to send some bishops of Egypt that did consecrate him bishop of Constantinople When this came to be debated in the second generall Councill the whole Synode not only reiected Maximus as no bishop but al that tooke any imposition of handes from him in what degree of the Clergie soeuer they were by reason they found him a Presbyter and no Bishop and so without all power to impose handes Concerning Maximus and his disorder at Constantinople we resolue that Maximus neither presently is nor hereafter shall be made á Bishop neither any that receiued imposition of handes from him shall remaine in any degree of the Cleargie all that was doone either to him or by him being wholly frustrate or
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
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
and Bishops that they should receiue inuestiture from him So that if any were chosen Bishop by the Clergie and people except he were also approoued inuested by the said king he should not be consecrated Which priuâ—lege to giue Bishoprikes and Abbeys by a ring and a staffe continued in the Romane Emperors more then 300. yeeres after Charles and was restored to Henry the fift 1111. yeeres after Christ by Paschalis the second not afterward wrested froÌ„ him his successors by the bishop of Rome but with extreme treacherie bloodshed and violence As the Emperours of Rome vsed this superioritie in elections of bishops foure hundred yeeres before Charles so the kings of France continually practised the same three hundred yeeres before the Empire came to their handes After Licinius the ninth bishop of Turon in the tenth place Theodorus and Proculus were surrogated by the commandement of Queene Chrodieldis wife to Chlodoueus the first christian King of France The eleuenth was Dinifius who came to the Bishopricke by the election of the said king The twelfth was Ommatius who was ordained by the commandement of king Clodomere one of Chlodouees sonnes At Aruerne foure yeeres after Chlodouees death Theodorike another of his sonnes commaunded Quintianus to be made Bishop there and al the power of the Church to be deliuered vnto him adding hee was cast out of his owne Citie for the zeale and loue hee bare to vs. And the Messengers straite way departing called the Bishops and people together and placed him in the chaire of the Church of Aruerne And when Quintianus was dead Gallus by the kings helpe was substituted in his chaire After whose decease Cato elected by the Clergie and most part of the people bare himselfe for bishop but when king Theodoualdus heard it certaine Bishops were called vnto Mastright and Cautinus ordayned Bishop and directed by the kings commaundement to Aruerne was gladly receiued of the Clergie and Citizens there The same Cato was afterward chosen by the precept of King Chlotharius to the bishopricke of Turon for so the Clergie tolde him non nostra te voluntate expetiuimus sed Regis praeceptione We desired thee not of our owne wils but by the kings commandement which hee refused and thereupon they of Turon suggested another to the King to whom the king replied Praeceperam vt Cato Presbyter illic ordinaretur cur est spreta nostra iussio I commanded that Cato the Presbyter should be ordained Bishop there and why is our commaundement despised They answered We requested him but hee woulde not come And whiles they were with the king Cato himselfe came and besought the king that Cautinus being remooued hee might be placed at Aruerne At which the king smiling hee then secondly requested he might be ordained at Turon which before he had neglected To whom the king saide I first commanded they shoulde consecrate you to that Bishopricke but as I heare you despised the place and therefore you shal be farre enough from it When Pientius bishop of Poicters was dead Austraphius hoped to succeede in his place But king Charibert one of Chlothaâ—ius sonnes turned his minde and Pascentius succeeded by the kings commandement The like precepts of diuers christian kings of France 1000. yeeres before our dayes for the making of Iouinus Domnolus Nonnichius Innocentius Sulpitius Promotus Nicetius Desiderius Gundegisilus Virus Charimeres Fronimius and other bishops of France in sundry churches of that realme he that liketh to see may reade in the storie of Gregorie made Bishop of Turon before Gregorie the first was placed to the See of Rome By which it is euident that other Princes besides the Romane Emperours haue from their first profession of Christianitie not onely ruled the elections of Bishops as they saw cause but appointed such as were meete for the places to be consecrated without depending on the voyces of the people or Clergie And what should hinder christian Princes to take this right into their owne handes from the people since there is no precept in Gods Lawe to binde the church that the people shoulde elect their bishops and consequently the manner of electing them must bee left to the lawes of eche Countrie without expecting the peoples consent Bullinger a man of great reading and iudgement alledging both the examples of the Scriptures and the words of Cyprian which are before repeated at large and also the vse of the primitiue Church in choosing their Bishops cócludeth thus Quanquam ex illis omnino colligere nolim deligendi Episcopiâ—us ad promiscuae plebis suffragia esse reducendum Utrum enim totius ecclesiae comitijs an paucorum suffragijs Episcopum designari melius sit nulla potest certa omnibus praescribi ecclesâ—is constitutio Sunt enim alijs regionibus alia Iura alij ritus instituta Si qui abutuntur iure illo per tyrannidem cogantur in ordinem à sancto Magistratu vel transferatur ab eis ius designandi Ministros Satius est enim eligendi munere seniores aliquot ex regis vel magistratus iussu defungi aduocatis consultisque c. Notwithstanding I woulde not collect by these that the right to chuse a Bishop should be recalled to the voyces of the people Whether it were meeter to haue a bishop appointed by the asseÌ„bly of the whole church or by the suffrages of a few there can bee no certaine rule prescribed to all Churches for diuers Countries haue different Lawes and customes But if any tyrannically abuse their right they may be punished by the godly Magistrate or the right of electing taken from theÌ„ for it were better that some graue men by the Magistrates or the kings commaundement made the election calling to them and consulting with such as know what belongeth to the function of a bishop what is fit for the people and church where he shalbe placed and how to iudge of euerie mans learning and maners Beza that holdeth hard for discipline giueth ouer popular elections as no part of Gods ordinance and confesseth that in Geneua it selfe though their state be popular yet they allow the people no such power The erecting of the Deconship saith he was essential neuer to be abrogated in the church of God And the maner of appointing some for that function in the Church to wit by election was likewise essential but that the whole multitude was called togither gaue their voices that was neither essential nor perpetual for after when experience taught that confusion ambitioÌ„ rising by occasioÌ„ of the multitude increased was to be preuented the Synode of Laodicea being indeed but prouincial yet approued by the sixt Oecumenical council prudently took order by their 13. canon that the electioÌ„ of such as were chosen to the sacred ministery should not be permitted to the multitude or to the people not
consist of the Pastors and some graue wise Lay Elders there dwelling to determine matters emergent within a circuite to be appointed vnto them and from them appeales to be made to the Synode of Pastours and Elders residing in some Principall and chiefe Citie within this Realme so that vnlesse the matter were of verie great weight the Pastours at large shoulde not bee troubled to assemble together and when they assembled their abode not to bee long for sauing of time and charge which men of their calling neither shoulde loose nor can spare lest wee busie them rather as Iudges of mens quarrels then Stewardes of Gods mysteries The chiefe ground of your Discipline is your owne deuise as may well appeare in that no part of it is ancient or was euer vsed in the Church of Christ and the ioyntes of it hang together like sicke mens dreames The Pastours and Lay Elders of euerie Church serued at first to fill vp your Presbyteries and now your bessels are so low drawen that you vse them for Synodes And where you could not abide that Bishops shoulde haue Dioceses nowe you be pleased that Presbyteries shal haue circuits and Ecclesiasticall regiment without their Church and Citie Metropolitanes were not long since the height of Antichristes pride and nowe you are forced for repressing of disorders and enormities in euery parish to allowe some chiefe and mother Cities and to yeelde their Presbyteries Metropoliticall iurisdiction ouer whole prouinces And all this your selues being priuate men take vpon you to deuise and establish without precedent to induce or authoritie to warrant your doings and yet you thinke it not lawfull for the Prince and the whole Realme to imitate the example of the Primitiue Church nor to followe the steppes of religious and godly Emperours that appointed Metropolitanes to call and moderate prouinciall Councils and for ease of all sides to examine such matters before hand as were not woorthie to molest and trouble full Synodes Wherein what else do you but shewe your inconstant and inconsiderate humours that woulde haue the Church guided by Presbyteries and Synodes parochiall and prouinciall and admit Presidents and chiefe Gouernours of either and yet cannot abide that Princes shoulde retaine the ancient and accustomed fourme of Ecclesiasticall regiment by Bishops and Metropolitanes settled so long agoe in the Church and euer since continued without interruption But I pray you what places or voices haue Lay Elders in Synodes what example or reason can you pretend for it If they may iudge in Presbyteries why not in Synodes Belike you woulde haue none but Bishops haue decisiue voyces in Councils according to the Romish order of celebrating Synodes If you were as farre from noueltie as I am from Poperie wee shoulde soone agree howbeit euerie thing vsed or beleeued in the Romish Church is not rashlie to be disclaimed You make it a resolute conclusion that Lay Elders were part of the Presbyteries in the Primitiue Church but when wee come to examine your proofes we find theÌ„ as weake as your imagination is strong Nowe though the Pastours of each parish when they are single might happilie neede as you thinke the aduise and assistance of Lay Presbyters yet that Pastours assembled in Synodes where their number is great their gifts of all sorts should stand in like neede of Lay Elders to leade or direct them is neither consequent to reason nor coherent with the rules of the sacred Scriptures for to whome hath the Lord committed the teaching of all Nations to pastors or to Lay Presbyters who by Gods law are appointed watchmeÌ„ in y â— house of Israel Stewards ouer his familie Bishops ouer his Church and Leaders of his flocke Lay Elders or Christes Ministers If in the Church the sheepe must heare and follow their sheepeheardes as well for trueth of doctrine as holinesse of life by what commission bring you Lay Presbyters into Synodes where the Teachers and Pastors of an whole prouince or nation are assembled Shall your Lay Elders by Christs commandement be scholers in the Church and teachers in the Synode Or do the gifts and graces of preachers so change that in pulpit eache one must be beleeued and obeyed in Councill all ioyning together must'be restrained and directed by Lay Elders If you haue reason or authoritie for it let vs heare it if neither you trouble the Church of God with a pang of your wilfull contradiction and take vpon you to ouer-rule Christian princes and churches with greater surlines then euer did Patriarke or Pope In the Apostles Councill were not onely the Presbyters but all the brethren of the Church of Ierusalem and the letters of resolution were written in all their names and now you disdaine that anie Lay men should be present at your Prouinciall Synodes and Councils which you see the Apostles did not refuse To be present at Synodes is one thing to deliberate and determine in Synode is an other thing If you thinke that either Presbyters or Brethren were admitted to the Apostles Council to helpe and aide the Apostles in their debating or deciding the matter there questioned you be much deceiued The Apostles singled were sufficient to decide a greater doubt then that was much more then the whole assembly of the Apostles able to search out the truth thereof without their assistance The reason why al the church was admitted to be present to ioine with one accord in sending those letters I noted before not only the gainsaiers but the whole Church were to be resolued in a case that touched them all Otherwise aswell the people as the teachers of y â— Iewes would sâ—il haue abhorred the GeÌ„tiles though beleuers as prophane persons vntil they had bin circuÌ„cisÄ™d which was the high way to euacuate the crosse of Christ and to frustrate his grace And therefore not for deliberation or for determination but for the satisfaction of contradictors and instruction of the rest was the whole Church assembled and vpon the full hearing and concluding of the question by the Apostles the rest ioyning with them acknowledged by their letters and messengers that it pleased the holie ghost the Gentiles shoulde not be troubled with circumcision nor the obseruation of Moses Law but that the partition wall betwixt them was broken downe by the blood of Christ and they which were Aliens from the common wealth of Israel strangers from the couenants of promise were nowe citizens with the Saints of the houshold of faith without the legall obseruances of Moses Law S. Luke himselfe witnesseth that to discusse the matter the Apostles and Elders assembled together and after great disputation on either side Peter and Iames concluded the cause whereto the rest consented Yet then Elders were admitted to deliberate with the Apostles in that Synode whereas you suffer none but Bishops to haue voices in Councils I make no doubt but Presbyters sate with the Apostles in Synode to consult of