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<DATE>2011-02-09</DATE>
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<NAME>Megan Marion</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<STC T="W">T2287</STC>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>TRIPLE EPISCOPACIE: OR, A THREE-FOLD ORDER OF BISHOPS: One of GOD, another of MEN, and another of the DIVELL; the two later mu&s;t be pluckt up, the former only mu&s;t continue, and the Rea&s;ons why.</P>
<P>With a declaration of certaine other weighty points concerning the Di&s;cipline and Government of the Church:</P>
<Q><BIBL>Matth. 15. 13.</BIBL> Every plant which mine heavenly Father hath not planted &s;hould be rooted up.</Q>
<P><FIGURE>
<FIGDESC>three men holding books</FIGDESC>
<FIGURE>
<HEAD>Of God,</HEAD>
<P>bible</P>
</FIGURE>
<FIGURE>
<HEAD>Of Man,</HEAD>
<P>Seruice book</P>
</FIGURE>
<FIGURE>
<HEAD>Of the Divell.</HEAD>
<P>Sup<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">sti|cion</P>
</FIGURE>
<LG>
<L>Loe, here are three men, standing in degree,</L>
<L>The lea&s;t of the&s;e, the greate&s;t ought to be.</L>
<L>The other two, of men and of the Devill.</L>
<L>Ought to be rooted out for ere as evill.</L>
</LG>
</FIGURE></P>
<P>Printed, and are to be &s;old by SAMVEL SATTERTHVVAIT at his hou&s;e <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 span"></P>
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<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<HEAD>A three-fold Epi&s;copacie.
We mu&s;t needs make three Bi&s;hops:
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. Of God.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. Of MAN.</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. Of the DIVELL.</ITEM>
</LIST></HEAD>
<P>_BI&s;hops ordained of God, or &s;et up by the Law of God, doth declare nothing el&s;e but their calling, which by another more &s;peciall name, are called Pa&s;tors, whom (&s;aith <HI>Luke)</HI> the holy Gho&s;t hath appointed Bi&s;hops to feed the Church of God. And either of the&s;e names of Pa&s;tor or of Bi&s;hop, is proper to them in the new <HI>Te&s;tament,</HI> where|by the Apo&s;tle doth di&s;tingui&s;h them from Apo&s;tles, Prophets, and Euangeli&s;ts, which were callings to endure for a time, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 4. 11. and from Deacons, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. &amp; <HI>Phil.</HI> 1. 1. for otherwi&s;e they are every where called Elders; and <HI>Paul</HI> doth call his Apo&s;tle&s;hip a Deacon|&s;hip, <HI>Rom.</HI> 11. 13. But they are called Bi&s;hops in regard of the &s;heepe committed unto them, as though a man &s;hould call them Watch|men of over&s;eers.</P>
<P>The&s;e now were one alone, as where any Church but one Pa&s;tor, or more, if the Church had more than one. And the meeting of them together joyntly with their Elders, whom <HI>Paul</HI> calls Govern|ours, of the other common name called, was the elder&s;hip. Their du|ty was to attend on the Word and Prayer, both publiquely and pri|vately, and in common to governe the Church, as appeareth by ma|ny places of Scripture.</P>
<P>That the &s;ame were &s;ubject to Magi&s;trates, though prophane, ap|peareth not onely by the example of Chri&s;t the high Prie&s;t, and of the Apo&s;tles, but al&s;o by the expre&s;&s;e words of <HI>Paul,</HI> 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 2. and <HI>Luke</HI> 12. 13.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="2" REF="3">
<HEAD>Of the Bi&s;hop that is of Men.</HEAD>
<P>THe Bi&s;hop that is of Men, that is to &s;ay, brought into the Church by the alone wi&s;edome of man, be&s;ides the expre&s;&s;e Word of God, is a certain power given to one certaine Pa&s;tor above his other fellowes, yet limited with certaine orders or rules provided again&s;t tyranny. They which did beare this office of Bi&s;hop, are called Bi|&s;hops in regard of their fellow Elders, and the whole Clergie, as watchmen &s;et over the Clergie.</P>
<P>That this calling was not brought in by the Word, it is manife&s;t by that, that there is not to be found in the new <HI>Te&s;tament,</HI> &s;o much as one &s;yllable, whereby there may be the lea&s;t &s;urmi&s;e of any &s;uch thing: For although we doubt not, but all things ought to be done orderly in the Lords hou&s;e, and therefore, that &s;ome one &s;hould be pre&s;ident in every a&s;&s;embly, whom <HI>John</HI> in the <HI>Revelation</HI> &s;eemeth to call the Angel of the Churches, And <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> calleth the moderator <HI>Proe&s;tota,</HI> yet this moderator of actions of the Church, &s;aving this one thing, that he was the fir&s;t in order in the company, had no autho|rity over his fellowes, neither did hee exerci&s;e any higher office. Therefore the author of the Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Hebrewes,</HI> as <HI>Hierome</HI> no|teth, doth call the whole company of the Elders, Governours; not any one certaine man. Such a one was <HI>Peter</HI> many times in the very a&s;&s;embly of the Apo&s;tles, of a great authority &s;urely among&s;t the Apo&s;tles, who were all otherwi&s;e equall, and yet he him&s;elfe one of the company of the Apo&s;tles, &s;ent by his companions to <HI>Samaria</HI> with <HI>John, Acts.</HI> 8. 14. and in the a&s;&s;embly giving an account of his Mini&s;tery, to tho&s;e that were of the Circumci&s;ion, <HI>Acts</HI> 11. 2. But if any &s;uch Bi&s;hop like authority of any one above the re&s;t, as there was afterwards, had been then, &s;urely the Apo&s;tles would have &s;et down their names even at that time, in their letters which they &s;ent from one to another, e&s;pecially &s;eeing <HI>Paul</HI> in his Epi&s;t. to the <HI>Philippians</HI> doth name Bi&s;hops in the plurall number, and Deacons: or there &s;hould have beene at lea&s;t &s;ome peculiar mention made of them. Which, &s;eeing it is not done, it appeareth that among&s;t the&s;e Go|vernors, there was none in degree above their companions and fel|low Bi&s;hops: but as occa&s;ion &s;erved, the Churches were governed by a fellow-like and equall authority, among the fellow Elders in
<PB N="3" REF="3">
their Elder-&s;hips, he onely going before the re&s;t, who&s;e godline&s;&s;e and authority, the company did mo&s;t allow of.</P>
<P><HI>Epiphanius</HI> again&s;t the <HI>Arrians,</HI> defending the contrary opinion: namely, the Bi&s;hop ordained by man, as ordained by God, doth bring forth three Rea&s;ons to the contrary. Two, as it were, out of the Word of God: the third out of the Hi&s;tory of tho&s;e times. The fir&s;t place is, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 5. 1. <HI>Rebuke not an Elder, &amp;c.</HI> whereby he gathereth, that <HI>Timothy</HI> had &s;ome authority over the Elders, that is, the Pa&s;tors of the Church of <HI>Ephe&s;us.</HI> But (be it &s;poken with the favour of &s;o worthy a man) he &s;hould have marked, that here an Elder is called, he that is &s;uch by age, not he that is a Pa&s;tor, which is declared by the oppo&s;ition next following of young men.</P>
<P>Another place is out of the &s;ame Epi&s;tle, <HI>Receive not an occu&s;ation again&s;t an Elder,</HI> 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 5. 19. Whereby he gathereth, that the Elders were &s;ubject to the Bi&s;hops and tribunall &s;eat. But who will grant him that <HI>Timothy</HI> was Bi&s;hop of <HI>Ephe&s;us?</HI> For the hi&s;tory will ea&s;ily refell that, which the Fathers doe report as certaine; for no man can deny that <HI>Timothy</HI> was one that accompanied <HI>Paul,</HI> and there|fore no Bi&s;hop a&s;&s;igned to any one certaine place, who was &s;ent one while to this place, another while to that, for the e&s;tabli&s;hing of the Churches. And finally, that he was an Euangeli&s;t, and not a Bi&s;hop of any one certaine flocke. I have de&s;ired thee (&s;aith he) to abide at <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI> while&s;t I went into <HI>Macedonia.</HI> And why &s;o? namely, to looke to the Church which he had begun to e&s;tabli&s;h, untill he were called for againe, which he doth in the other Epi&s;tle. What? and did the Apo&s;tle rob the <HI>Ephe&s;ians</HI> of their Bi&s;hop without asking their Church at the lea&s;t? Surely, when hee went la&s;t to <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> never minding to returne to <HI>Ephe&s;ians</HI> either he would have re&s;tored <HI>Timothy</HI> unto them, or the <HI>Ephe&s;ians</HI> would have required him againe of the Apo&s;tle, when hee put them in minde of &s;o great danger at hand: or if any other were to be put into his roome, he would have made expre&s;&s;e mention in that his divine Sermon. But he is &s;aid to have &s;ent for the Elders onely, and to have warned them of the duty belonging to them all. Yet it need not &s;eeme &s;trange to any that the Euangeli&s;t <HI>Timothy,</HI> a man indued with &s;o many and &s;o great gifts remaining at <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI> did governe all things by his directi|on, as one in degree above the Elders, and by the Apo&s;tles authority appointed there for a time.</P>
<P><PB N="4" REF="4">
But let us grant <HI>Epiphanius</HI> more than this, that <HI>Timothy</HI> had the authority of the laying on of hands out of the&s;e words of the Apo|&s;tle, <HI>Lay not hands &s;uddenly upon any:</HI> Let us grant this too, that the&s;e duties belonged to the Governours, yet we deny that <HI>Timothy</HI> could have had any authority therefore over the Elders of <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI> except he had been an Euangeli&s;t. For <HI>Paul</HI> him&s;elfe, <HI>Tim.</HI> 4. 14. doth &s;hew &s;ufficiently, that the laying on of the hands was done in the name of the Elder&s;hip it &s;elfe, not by the authority of any &s;uperior. Now the Rea&s;ons of the &s;ame <HI>Epiphanius</HI> are the&s;e: Bi&s;hops (&s;aith he) beget the Fathers of the Church, but Elders the &s;onnes, in as much as Bi|&s;hops, and not Elders ordained Bi&s;hops. But what is this el&s;e, than to aske to have that which is in que&s;tion: for it may be, and ought to be an&s;wered, that the Bi&s;hops tooke that authority upon them, without warrant of the Word of God, and that the rule is fal&s;e, which concerning this matter, doth attribute it to the Apo&s;tles, which may be &s;hewed by the ordaining of <HI>Timothy</HI> by the Elder&s;hip. Againe, for as much as election is the chiefe ground of Church-of|fices, which dependeth of the voyces of the whole company, and not of the laying on of hands, which made not Bi&s;hops, but &s;ent them into their po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ions after they had made them: we may more truly affirme with the Apo&s;tle, that the holy Gho&s;t by the voyces of the childrem them&s;elves, made the Fathers, and not the Bi&s;hops.</P>
<P>Another of his Rea&s;ons is, a depraving of places alleged out of <HI>Paul,</HI> that the Church being new borne, Bi&s;hops could not be &s;o e&s;tabli&s;hed every where at the fir&s;t, as is to be &s;eene in the election of Deacons. Whom yet can <HI>Epiphanius</HI> per&s;wade, that it was for want of fit men only, that there were many Bi&s;hops in every Church? For that which not only <HI>Hierome,</HI> but <HI>Epiphanius</HI> again&s;t the <HI>Miletians</HI> al&s;o reporteth, concerning them of <HI>Alexandria:</HI> that is, <HI>Alexandria</HI> never had two Bi&s;hops, as the other cities, upon what ground the men of <HI>Alexandria</HI> did it, and followed not the examples of other Churches, let them &s;ee to it.</P>
<P>Finally, that this kinde of Bi&s;hop, which who &s;o beareth it, is not the fir&s;t in order among&s;t his fellow-Elders, but in degree above them, being the onely man in his dioce&s;&s;e, is not ordained by the Word of God, but by cu&s;tome among&s;t the Fathers, <HI>Hierome</HI> wit|ne&s;&s;eth, as very many others long &s;ince have ob&s;erved: For the&s;e are his words in his Epi&s;tle to <HI>Euagrius.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="5" REF="4">
The Apo&s;tle (&s;aith he) doth teach plainly, that Elders and Bi&s;hops are all one, &amp;c. And whereas one after was cho&s;en to be &s;et over the re&s;t, that (&s;aith he) was a remedy found out for a remedy of &s;chi&s;me, that every one drawing Chri&s;t unto him&s;elfe, might not rend the Church in &s;under. For at <HI>Alexandria</HI> al&s;o, from the time of <HI>Marke</HI> the Euangeli&s;t, to the time of <HI>Heraclea</HI> and <HI>Dionyfius</HI> the Bi&s;hop, the Elders placed one in a high degree or place, cho&s;en by them&s;elves, whom they called a Bi&s;hop. Moreover, upon the fir&s;t to <HI>Titus.</HI> An Elder, and a Bi&s;hop (&s;aith he) is all one, and before by the in&s;tigation of the Divell, there was partaking in Religion, it was &s;aid among&s;t the people: I am of <HI>Paul,</HI> of <HI>Apollos,</HI> and of <HI>Cephas:</HI> the Churches were governed by the common advice of the Elders. But after that every one imagined, that tho&s;e whom hee bapti&s;ed were his owne, and not Chri&s;ts: it was decreed throughout the whole world, that one cho&s;en of the Elders, &s;hould be &s;et above the re&s;t; unto whom all the care of the Church might appertaine to the taking away of the &s;eeds of contentions. And a little after, as the Elders know, that they are &s;ubject by the cu&s;tome of the Church to the Bi&s;hop that is &s;et over them: &s;o let the Bi&s;hops know, that they are greater than the Elders, rather by cu&s;tome, then by any vertue of the Lords appointment. Yea, and <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> al&s;o in his 19. Epi&s;tle &s;aith, that ac|cording to the titles of honour, which the u&s;e of the Church hath gotten, the office of a Bi&s;hop is greater than the office of an Elder.</P>
<P><HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome</HI> al&s;o witne&s;&s;eth, upon 1 <HI>Tim. cap.</HI> 3. that the Bi&s;hops dif|fer from the Elders only in ordination, that is (as <HI>Theophylact</HI> &s;peaks more plainly) in the onely Ceremony of con&s;ecration. <HI>Theodoret</HI> writing upon the &s;ame place, &s;aith, That in the old time they called the &s;ame men Elders &amp; Bi&s;hops, as though, for &s;ooth, the thing it &s;elfe had then beene onely called by another name, and goeth about to prove that, becau&s;e <HI>Paul</HI> calleth <HI>Epaphroditus</HI> the Apo&s;tle of the <HI>Philippians.</HI> This is of no weight at all. The names which are given of fellow-labourer, and fellow-&s;oldier doe declare, that hee was no Bi&s;hop in this kind of Bi&s;hop, but an Euangeli&s;t, tied to no one City, much le&s;&s;e to a Dioce&s;&s;e, of the number of tho&s;e whom the Apo&s;tles did keepe, to &s;end to and fro, at the motion of the Spirit of God. The Councell of <HI>Nice</HI> al&s;o, di&s;puting about the degrees of Bi&s;hops, allegeth ancient cu&s;tomes, whereof we mind to &s;peake anon. And
<PB N="6" REF="5">
whereas <HI>Cyprian</HI> not in one place, calleth the Bi&s;hops &s;ucce&s;&s;ors of the Apo&s;tle, who&s;e authority is from God; and if wee take it &s;o, as though by the very commandement of God, the&s;e Bi&s;hops are the &s;ame, that in time pa&s;t the Apo&s;tles; the thing it &s;elf doth refute that, &s;eeing there was alwayes a certain portion a&s;&s;igned to every Bi&s;hop. But the Apo&s;tles, by direction of the Spirit of God, though not con|fu&s;edly, did exerci&s;e their Mini&s;tery throughout the whole world. But if this be true, there &s;hould have beene more Bi&s;hops in the Church of <HI>Rome</HI> it &s;elfe, namely, <HI>Peter</HI> and <HI>Paul,</HI> which yet after|wards was accounted peculiar to one. And &s;urely, there cannot be more, the chiefe in one and the &s;ame company at one time. And whereas the name of Bi&s;hops is &s;aid of the Apo&s;tle&s;hip, <HI>Acts</HI> 1. 20. It maketh nothing to the matter, except a man by a like rea&s;on would have the Deacons to have beene Apo&s;tles, becau&s;e <HI>Paul</HI> cal|leth his Apo&s;tle&s;hip a Deacon&s;hip or Mini&s;tery. But wee are to looke into that al&s;o, that <HI>Hierome</HI> might &s;eeme to be of the mind, that this kinde of Bi&s;hop begun then, when as &s;chi&s;mes aro&s;e up in the Church. That this is not &s;o, we may gather out of <HI>Paul</HI> him|&s;elfe, who of purpo&s;e writing to the <HI>Corinthians</HI> about the &s;ame matter, doth not onely pa&s;&s;e over this remedy, but al&s;o as fore|&s;eeing &s;uch a matter, doth in the title of the Epi&s;tle, joyne unto him|&s;elfe <HI>So&s;thenes,</HI> to teach by his example how carefully this Primacie is to be avoided in a&s;&s;emblies of the Church, who (it is evident were not onely the fir&s;t in order next unto Chi&s;t, but al&s;o highe&s;t in de|gree) did execute their Mini&s;tery in common. VVherefore, no not the &s;ame <HI>Paul</HI> alone would excommunicate the ince&s;tuous per&s;ons by his Apo&s;tolicall authority, but by the authority of the whole Elder&s;hip, neither doth <HI>Peter</HI> doubt to call him&s;elfe fellow Elder.</P>
<P>Nay, this is &s;o farre off from being any good remedy, from &s;taying of &s;chi&s;mes, that contrariwi&s;e there was never more bitter conten|tion in the Church, than about this Primacy which had never come to pa&s;&s;e, if this preheminence above their fellows had been forbid|den, or rather, if men had never brought it in. Whereupon we con|clude, that this kinde of Bi&s;hop which is not of order, but of &s;upe|riority, was brought in of man, and as <HI>Hierome</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Tit.</HI> 1. by little and little, and that &s;o as he is indeed thought, that the plants of di&s;|&s;ention might be thereby plucked up, all the care was committed to one man.</P>
<P><PB N="7" REF="5">
And whereas hee &s;aith in the &s;ame place, that it was decreed throughout all the world: Wee are to under&s;tand it no otherwi&s;e, than of a privie cu&s;tome, brought in by little and little. And what|&s;oever is found in <HI>Ignatius,</HI> or other antient Writers, when the Bi|&s;hop of Satan was not yet found out, touching the authority of the Bi&s;hops or Over-&s;eers (as <HI>Ju&s;tin</HI> &s;peaketh) is to be under&s;tood of this kinde of Bi&s;hop.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The Bi&s;hop of the Divell.</HEAD>
<P>THus al&s;o we de&s;cribe the Bi&s;hop of the Divell; that even as that kind of Bi&s;hop ordained of God, degenerated by little and little into an humane ordinance, whereof wee intreated in the &s;econd place: &s;o this of the Divell, again&s;t which we now labour, is &s;prou|ted forth of the corruption of the Bi&s;hop brought in by man. Of this intollerable corruption there are foule, mo&s;t manife&s;t, and un|doubted markes. Some of this kind of Bi&s;hops have wholy &s;ingled them&s;elves from the Elder&s;hips, &s;o that they have nothing to doe with them: Some have wholly aboli&s;hed them. And that they have challenged unto them&s;elves, and I know not to what Officials, the whole guidance of the Church, and chiefly the authority to elect, to depo&s;e, and to excommunicate: &s;o as they not onely are above others, but as it were alone doe exerci&s;e Lord&s;hip over Gods inheritance, contrary to the expre&s;&s;e inhibition of <HI>Peter.</HI></P>
<P>That al&s;o they have invaded upon temporall dominions contrary to the flat commandement of Chri&s;t. And that they will not only be pre&s;ent, but al&s;o pre&s;ident in cau&s;es of this life, and affaires of the Common-wealth, the commandement of the Apo&s;tle to the con|trary notwith&s;tanding, 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 2. 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 6. yea, and that of Chri&s;t him|&s;elfe, <HI>Luke</HI> 13. 14.</P>
<P>That al&s;o they wa&s;te in riot and &s;tateline&s;&s;e again&s;t con&s;cience and all &s;hame, the goods con&s;ecrated to holy u&s;es.</P>
<P>That al&s;o they have tyed the Spirit of God to certaine places and per&s;ons, as though the Bi&s;hop of the more noble place, mu&s;t needs haue nece&s;&s;ary gifts above the re&s;t: or, as though he, who now is mo&s;t fit, mu&s;t needs be &s;o alwayes.</P>
<P>And la&s;t of all, that they are the Image of that bea&s;t which is de|&s;cribed, <HI>Apoc</HI> 13. as Pope <HI>Anacletus</HI> him&s;elfe witne&s;&s;eth, Epi&s;t. 2. in as much as they are di&s;tingui&s;hed among them&s;elves, by tho&s;e their
<PB N="8" REF="6">
thrones and degrees, according to the patern of the Roman Empire The Apo&s;tle, <HI>Act.</HI> 20. 19. foretold of this Hierarchie, as they terme it, of the fal&s;e Bi&s;hop, which in time became an Antichri&s;tian pri|macy. And in the 3. <HI>John</HI> 9. it is mo&s;t manife&s;t, that Satan begun even then to lay the foundation of this my&s;terie.</P>
<P>Now, out of the Hi&s;tory of the <HI>Nicene Councel,</HI> which otherwi&s;e touching doctrine, was every where received, it is cleare how foule di&s;&s;entions were even then, of ordering the bonds betweene the Bi&s;hops, the fountaines whereof they were &s;o farre from damming up, that pretending ancient cu&s;tomes, they confirmed the Patriarch|&s;hip, and made a way for the horrible Papacie of <HI>Rome</HI> then &s;liding on, and underlaid the &s;eat for the Harlot that &s;itteth upon &s;even mountaines. But far be it off, that the&s;e things, although they have their ancient &amp; great authority, &s;hould be prejudiciall to the divine and Apo&s;tolicall writings, according to the rule wherof, there is no wi&s;e man wil doubt, that the councels them&s;elves are to be &s;quared.</P>
<P>And to what purpo&s;e &s;hould I confute that agreement between the Prie&s;thood of the <HI>Levites,</HI> and of Chri&s;t, which &s;ome old writers alledge to prove this divelli&s;h oligarchy, and at the length even plaine tyranny. Indeed, it is evident, that the high Prie&s;t was a fi|gure of Chri&s;t him&s;elfe, who&s;e &s;econd Image, if wee grant that the Bi&s;hops are, it will follow, that there are as many images of Chri&s;t as there be Bi&s;hops, in as much as there is none above him. But con|trariwi&s;e, no Bi&s;hop hath been the Image of Chri&s;t. Be&s;ides, Bi&s;hops are not heads of the univer&s;al Church, but of their own particular: Nay, no heads at all, in as much as the Bi&s;hops are under Archbi&s;h. the Archbi&s;hops under the Patriarchs, &amp; they again under the Pope, that is not under the true figure, but the counter &s;eit figure of Chri&s;t. Now, &s;eeing that our only head is taken up into heaven, a &s;ucce&s;&s;or for whom living for ever, we are not to &s;eeke; who &s;eeth not, that the Elders ordained by the Law of God, come in theroome of the Prie&s;ts of the Law, and the Deacons to an&s;wer to the <HI>Levites?</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="question">
<HEAD>The fir&s;t Que&s;tion.</HEAD>
<P>Seeing that there are ordained in &s;everall Churches, &s;everall Pa&s;tors and Mini&s;ters, and the authority of all Chri&s;ts Mini&s;ters in the Church &s;eeme to be equall: Whether the office of the Bi&s;hops be nece&s;&s;ary in the Church to procure meetings when occa&s;ion &s;er|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="4 letters"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 span">
<PB N="9" REF="6">
on ju&s;t cau&s;es: or whether all the Mini&s;ters having equall autho|rity, and not under the authority of any &s;uperiour Bi&s;hop, ought to chu&s;e fit men with the con&s;ent of the Patron who enjoyeth the benefice, and the people them&s;elves, as al&s;o to correct and re|move from the charge. And the manners of the people them|&s;elves, who can hardly, or not at all, be kept in obedience without the bridle of the Bi&s;hops authority, which may runne through in vi&s;iting of the Churches of the Province, may put us in minde to retaine &s;uch Bi&s;hops. Againe, &s;o often as there &s;hall be dealing in matters touching the &s;afety of the common wealth in the &s;olemne a&s;&s;emblies of the Land, according to the Lawes which the kingdome hath of a long u&s;e and cu&s;tome received, there can be no|thing e&s;tabli&s;hed without the Bi&s;hops, who have the third roome and place in the kingdome, which to take away, or wholly to put downe, would be very dangerous to the Common-wealth.</P>
<DIV3 TYPE="answer">
<HEAD>The An&s;wer to the fir&s;t Que&s;tion.</HEAD>
<P>Whereas Satans Bi&s;hop hath been the overthrow of the Church and all the Chri&s;tian kingdomes, who&s;e head is the Romane Anti|chri&s;t, it is to be looked unto of all hands, e&s;pecially of all godly Princes, that they at once aboli&s;h it, if they mind the reformation of the Church, and their owne &s;afety. As for the Bi&s;hop ordained by man, and brought into the Church by little and little, whereby Satan made him a way for greater things, it had beene tolerable, &s;o that with all the ancient good Lawes providing for the re&s;i&s;ting of the governing by &s;ome few, had been in their former force againe. But be&s;ides, that the &s;tate of the world being quite changed, expe|rience of &s;o many ages doth teach us too well, that unle&s;&s;e this root al&s;o be pluckt up, it will come to pa&s;&s;e, that the &s;ame fruit will &s;prout and bud forth againe. Finally, &s;eeing the Lord hath &s;o often decided this controver&s;ie of &s;uperiority among his own Di&s;ciples, that he &s;hut it clean out, &s;eeing the rule both for doctrine &amp; good or|der of the Church, is to be &s;ought for out of the very writings of the Apo&s;tles: and it is manife&s;ted, the Churches then pro&s;pered, when all this authority of one man over the re&s;t, yet was not, but as that grew up, &s;o all things fell to decay. Finally, &s;eeing where the rem. nants of this government by a few, are not cleane taken away, the worke of the Lord, is openly hindred: Our judgement is, that after
<PB N="10" REF="7">
the cha&s;ing away of this device of man, the Churches &s;hall be well provided for, if they may be repaired according to the writings of the Apo&s;tles. And the reformation, as it &s;eemeth to us, con&s;i&s;teth herein; that fir&s;t the whole kingdome is to be divided into regions. Againe, the regions into pari&s;hes, either of cities or country townes; that in places mo&s;t fit, and of greate&s;t a&s;&s;embly, be placed Pa&s;tors, be|ing lawfully propounded by the company of their owne Elders, to the Kings Chri&s;tian Maje&s;tie, or the deputies thereof, and allowed of all. La&s;tly, being received of their owne people, over whom they are to be &s;et, they be placed, promulgation having gone be|fo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">: and that in every pari&s;h the Pa&s;tor may have with him &s;it men to a&s;&s;i&s;t him, who al&s;o may, being watchfull, &s;alve up the offences not &s;o weighty, leaving the other of greater importance, to the whole Elder&s;hip. Al&s;o, that Elder&s;hip made of the Pa&s;tors of pari&s;hes, both of City and countrey, and a &s;ufficient number of men approved for their godline&s;&s;e &amp; wi&s;edome, lawfully al&s;o cho&s;en, as is afore&s;aid, be placed in mo&s;t fit places, who a&s;&s;embling at a certain time and place, may determine of the Church affaires, of their owne government, according to the pre&s;cript lawes, fir&s;t &s;et downe in a generall Coun|cell, and afterward confirmed by the authoritie of the &s;overaigne Maje&s;tie.</P>
<P>In this company let there be cho&s;en by comon voyces, one fir&s;t in order, not &s;uperiour in authority, who &s;hall be thought mo&s;t fit, and that without making choyce of any certain place, and but for a cer|taine time. After the expiring wherof, either let another be cho&s;en, or el&s;e the &s;ame man is to be e&s;tabli&s;hed again for another time by a new con&s;ent: who&s;e office is to make report of the common affaires to the company, to demand their judgements, and to give &s;entence by the judgement of the Elder&s;hip, having no authority given him over his fellowes, to whom rather he is mo&s;t &s;ubject. In this a&s;&s;em|bly let nothing be debated of be&s;ides matters of con&s;cience, &amp; that by the Word of God, and the lawes of Church di&s;cipline e&s;tabli&s;h|ed, drawne out of the Word of God, not one whit medling with the authority of the civill Magi&s;trate. And let the &s;overaigne Maje&s;ty and the lawfull Magi&s;trate thereby appointed, be keepers of this order, and the puni&s;her of tho&s;e that &s;editiou&s;ly rage again&s;t it. But if any &s;hall imagin that this &s;udden aboli&s;hing of both the&s;e Bi&s;hops
<PB N="11" REF="7">
will mini&s;ter occa&s;ion of new &s;tirs, although wee &s;ee not with what con&s;cience the Bi&s;hops may &s;o challenge to them&s;elves the goods of the Church, or el&s;e call them&s;elves Bi&s;hops, and live like Princes of this world: yet for to keepe the common peace, the &s;overaigne Ma|je&s;ty may leave unto them, which are now Bi&s;hops, their revenues whole for their life time, &s;o they trouble not the well made order of the Church, with providing there be none cho&s;en into their place, when they be dead. As for the frowardne&s;&s;e of the people, it may be kept downe better a great deale by other reynes, than by the autho|rity of a fal&s;e named Bi&s;hop; as by preaching of the Word of God, by cen&s;ures of the Church, and the authority of the Magi&s;trate of the country, again&s;t the open troubles of the publike &s;tate, either Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall or civill. The Churches may very well be vi&s;ited at &s;et times without any great co&s;t and Bi&s;hoplike pride, by them whom every Elder&s;hip hath cho&s;en under the Kings Maje&s;ties au|thority, which will not be alwaies nece&s;&s;ary, if the Elders doe right|ly execute their office. This &s;itting of the Bi&s;hops with the authori|ty of the voyce in the publike e&s;tates of the kingdome, came in with a manife&s;t abu&s;e, contrary to the Word, and therefore in our minde is to be utterly aboli&s;hed. For the Bi&s;hop hath nothing to do in or|dering of mere civill affaires: yet fora&s;much as in &s;uch a&s;&s;emblies, e&s;pecially &s;ome things many times happen, belonging to the e&s;ta|bli&s;hing of the e&s;tate and order of the Churches: the keepers wher|of the godly Magi&s;trates ought to be, and not the over-turners, as we are taught by the example of holy Kings. It is very nece&s;&s;ary, that as often as the meetings of the land are proclaimed, intelli|gence thereof be given to the chiefe Elders, who may be pre&s;ent in the behalfe of their &s;eigniories, yet not &s;itting as Judges, but dealing about matters of the Church onely with the e&s;tates of the land, as their Elder&s;hips have given them in charge, except the &s;tates thinke good upon extraordinary occa&s;ion, that they aske coun&s;ell of God about &s;ome other affaires al&s;o. If al&s;o the Kings Maje&s;tie thinke good to admit into coun&s;ell among&s;t the Pa&s;tors, or Elders, one, who &s;hall be thought to be wi&s;e and experienced in things, he may admt him, though not as a Pa&s;tor or Elder, yet as a citizen. And it were injurious to remove from their office in the Church, the Pa|&s;tors, and much le&s;&s;e the Elders and Deacons, otherwi&s;e Lay-men
<PB N="12" REF="8">
from that degree, which they hold as Citizens, either in the com|mon wealth, or in the a&s;&s;emblies. But the Kings Maje&s;tie, and all the Princes and Lords, are to be exceeding wary, that they make not courtlike governours of their Pa&s;tors, to the great indamaging of the Church, as we have a faire example in <HI>Eu&s;ebius</HI> of <HI>Nicomedia</HI> in the Court of <HI>Con&s;tantine.</HI> As for the right of the patronage, le&s;t &s;ome man &s;hould &s;ay, that it was gotten for him&s;elfe; Our judge|ment is, that it may be concealed, but not without &s;ome conditions: namely, that he which &s;hall be cho&s;en by the free voyces of the El|der&s;hip, &s;hould be offered by the Patron to the Kings Maje&s;ty, be|ing al&s;o to &s;et upon his charge, after the con&s;enting of his flock.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="question">
<HEAD>The &s;econd Que&s;tion.</HEAD>
<P>After that religion is reformed, it hath beene a received cu&s;tome that the Bi&s;hops, and of the Mini&s;ters, Pa&s;tors and Elders, &s;o many as &s;hould be &s;ent of the Bi&s;hops, &s;hould a&s;&s;emble them&s;elves, that they, together with the chiefe Barons and Nobles which profe&s;&s;e the true Religion, might make enquirie after the doctrine and man|ners of every one. But &s;eeing the Prince him&s;elfe is a lover of the true Religion, it is a que&s;tion whether there may be &s;uch an a&s;&s;em|bly without the con&s;ent or commandement of the Prince. Whether the Mini&s;ters alone may meet as often as they will. La&s;t of all, whe|ther the Nobles and other godly men and Elders (which are yeerly cho&s;en with us out of the people &amp; nobility together) may lawfully or expediently come without the commandement of the King to &s;uch a&s;&s;emblies. Which a&s;&s;embly of the nobles and people, &s;eemeth to &s;ome altogether needle&s;&s;e under a godly Prince, either becau&s;e it hath not long &s;ince beene received by a mere cu&s;tome without any Law, and that under a Prince, who then re&s;i&s;ted the Religion, whereby &s;uch a&s;&s;emblies might have the greater authority: or el&s;e becau&s;e it may &s;eeme dangerous, if &s;o many nobles a&s;&s;emble &s;o often without the con&s;ent of the King, they may &s;ometimes con&s;ult of &s;omething el&s;e be&s;ides Religion.</P>
<P>Others thinke that this a&s;&s;embly is in no ca&s;e to be refu&s;ed, but rather that it is very needfull, that the Nobles and other Religious men be pre&s;ent as helpers to their Mini&s;ters in the a&s;&s;embly bea|ring witne&s;&s;e of their life and the peoples behaviour, otherwi&s;e it wil after come to pa&s;&s;e, that if an impious Prince raigne afterward,
<PB N="13" REF="8">
that neither Mini&s;ters may &s;afely a&s;&s;emble, neither can the deter|mination be put in execution, without the con&s;ent, helpe and aide of the nobles.</P>
<DIV3 TYPE="answer">
<HEAD>To the &s;econd Que&s;tion.</HEAD>
<P>Councels are nece&s;&s;ary in the Church for many cau&s;es, both to the retaining of agreement, and al&s;o to the &s;eeking of remedies by common advice for the dangers which fall out. And la&s;t of all, to take order for tho&s;e that re&s;t not in the judgement of particular &s;ei|gniories, if they thinke they have any injurie done them. And the&s;e Councels are either of a whole nation, or of &s;ome one Region or Province or Dioce&s;&s;e (as they have begun to &s;peake after the de|&s;cription of the Provinces of <HI>Rome)</HI> divided into many Seigniories.</P>
<P>It is nece&s;&s;ary that the Councels of the Provinces be divided for many cau&s;es, and except there be other urgent cau&s;es, they would be appointed rather every hal&s;e yeere then quarterly, le&s;t in di&s;cour|&s;ing of matters, they &s;pend the time in vaine. And it will be be&s;t for the avoiding of Ambition, that the Councell be not alwayes a&s;&s;em|bled in the &s;ame place of every Province: but as &s;oone as one halfe yeeres Synode is di&s;cu&s;&s;ed, it may be determined by common con|&s;ent, where &s;hall be the place of the next following. It will be very well that two of every &s;eigniory of the Province, cho&s;en by com|mon voyces, and &s;ent with &s;ome commi&s;&s;ion, be pre&s;ent at the&s;e Councels: one a Pa&s;tor, and the other an Elder or a Deacon, Nei|ther would we have any &s;trife about &s;itting, who &s;hould &s;it fir&s;t or la&s;t, but every one to &s;it, as it &s;hall fall out without any contention, and the judgement to be given as any one &s;hall &s;it.</P>
<P>Now, hee that &s;hall governe the whole action, who was cho&s;en for this one thing by common con&s;ent of voyce, the chiefe Pa&s;tor of the place, being in the beginning Pre&s;ident, which office &s;hall end, when the Councell &s;hall be ended. There are no matters in que&s;tion to be propounded to the&s;e Councels to take knowledge of, but &s;uch as are more &s;pirituall and belong to that Province, where they are to be decided without appeale by the Word of God, and the rules there &s;et downe, without any brabling or di&s;turbance of the company. Yet if any great private controver&s;ie &s;hall fall out in the Provinciall Synode, where &s;ome may think that he hath cau&s;e to complaine of injurie done unto him, hee may put up his com|plaint
<PB N="14" REF="9">
to be decided in a generall Councell; when it &s;hall be thought good to a&s;&s;emble it.</P>
<P>Furthermore, it is chiefely required, that if all the Lawes of the Church be e&s;tabli&s;hed of the Kings Chri&s;tian Maje&s;tie: It fol|loweth, that the Councels are to be a&s;&s;embled by his commande|ment and direction, and not otherwi&s;e. Neither yet is there a new commi&s;&s;ion every time to be &s;ought for of the King for that purpo&s;e, &s;eeing his Maje&s;tie hath once e&s;tabli&s;hed a Law touching the &s;et times of ordinary Synods. But yet if there ari&s;e ju&s;t cau&s;e of &s;u&s;pi|tion of handling in the&s;e meetings, other matters be&s;ides meere Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall, it &s;hall be &s;afe for the Kings Maje&s;ty to &s;end one of his Subjects whom he will, to grace by his pre&s;ence the meeting of the Synodes: where yet he is not to be as a Judge, except &s;ome thing fall out where it is nece&s;&s;ary that the authority of the civill Magi|&s;trate be put betweene.</P>
<P>A generall Councell of the Land is not to be a&s;&s;embled, but up|on great cau&s;es, which &s;eeing they agree not with &s;et times, it fol|loweth, that they are not to be &s;tanding neither; but as often as &s;omething &s;hall &s;eeme to fall out of &s;o great weight, either in do|ctrine or in government of the Church, as cannot well be decided but in a generall meeting, that Province is to be careful, to put other Provinces in mind concerning that matter, in the&s;e halfe yeeres Synodes: that with the con&s;ent of all, or the greater part, they goe unto the Kings Maje&s;ty, who (as being a Chri&s;tian Prince, is to de&s;ire nothing more, than the peace of the Churches) ought without any &s;tay or doubting, at the &s;uit of the Churches, to appoint a place and time for a generall meeting, as the need of the Churches &s;hall re|quire. And the &s;ame order may &s;eem to be kept in the general coun|cels, which is in the Provinciall, whether before the Kings Maje&s;ty him&s;elfe, as in &s;ome generall Councels, the Emperours of <HI>Rome</HI> have been pre&s;ent, or before the honourable Lords of the Kings Maje&s;ty. And la&s;t of all, what&s;oever &s;hall be allowed by the common con|&s;ent of the Synode, &s;hall be confirmed by the Kings Maie&s;ties ex|pre&s;&s;e authority, after the example of the godly Emperours.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
