Attestation of Many Learned Godly and Famous Divines, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. The Testimonies and practiſe of the best Antiquitie, after the New Testament, heerein likewiſe with vsus.
HOwbeit furthermore, that it may not bee thought noveltie or vnbeſeeming Chriſtian Religion, (although no honeſt mā will once think ſo of any thing which ſuch a vniforme cōſent of ſo renowned late Chriſtians doth iuſtifie, yet) I iudge it very cō venient to produce alſo ſome teſtimonies of the moſt ancient times of Chriſtianitie after the Apoſtles downe-ward, even while anie ſoundnes of the Goſpell did openly ſhew it ſelfe in the world. I ſay, ſuch teſtimonies I purpoſe hee…e to ſhew of famous Chriſtians as have ben alwayes continually after the Apoſtles, by which the practiſe of the peoples free conſent in their Church governement is approoved: yea in peace as well as in perſecution, till the tyrannie of Antichriſt would beare it no longer in any publike ſtate. And this (God willing) I ſhall performe in this maner.
To begin therefore, we will firſt obſerve the Church of Ieruſalems practiſe in this point immediatly after the deceaſe of the Apoſtle Iames that dyed there, as Euſebius recordeth. Saith …ee;Ann… circôter 70. “Euſeb 3.10After Iames was dead it is reported that the Apoſtles & Diſciples out of all places (neare about Ieruſalem) came togeather into one, and tooke counſaill togeather who might bee iudged worthy to ſu…ceed in Iames his pla…e. Therefore all with one conſent did thinke Simeon the ſonne of Cleophas meet and able to have the governement of the Church there. And againe out of Egeſippus;“4.…1. After that Iames was ſlame, Simeon the ſo…e of Cleophas was made Biſhop: whom in t…eſecond place all the Diſciples appointed by voyces to that governement. This was the firſt & moſt notable exāple of the Chriſtians pract ſe in this matter, neither cā … we read of any neerer to the Apoſtles after the times of the New Teſtamēt, then this. Alſo wee ſee it was in the very Mother Church of all Chriſtianitie. Wherefore this order of Calling to the miniſterie, rather then any later, is moſt worthy, yea neceſſary to be obſerved and imitated by vsus every where and for ever. The like we read of there againe, thus:“6…. Anno 205. When Narciſſi… (the Biſhop) had withdrawne himſelfe & was gone no man knew whither, they who governed the neighbour Churches thought good to make another Biſhop. But how? By the peoples voyces. And ſo Dius was choſen. Afterward Narciſſus returning, the Brethren deſired him to take again… the governement of the Church. VntoUnto whom was adioyned Alexander for his fellow, the people of Ieruſalem with the common conſent of the neighbour Biſhops conſtrayning him neceſſarily to tary with them. Theſe were the meanes that made theſe Miniſters.
Ignatius of Antioch teacheth, and ſaith to the Church at Philadelphia, that“Ignat. ad Philad. It was me…te for them as being a Church of God,Anno 112. by voices to choſe their Biſhop. foreign It can not be denied, but that this writer ſheweth in the word foreign, that is. Lifting vp of hands …n thepeoples voyce giving, that Elections of Miniſters were then made by the peoples free choyce. Seeing he ſignifyeth Ordination and Laying on of handes, by another proper word, viz. foreign.
The practiſe of the Church of Rome was alſo the ſame in this matter.Anno 240. Of which we read,'Euſeb, 6.2 & "When all the Brethren were come togeather in the Church for the purpoſe to choſe a Biſhop (whoſe place now was voyd) the whole people with one conſent cryed that Fabianus was worthy of that dignitie, and preſently he was placed in the ſame. Afterward againe we read of Cornelius that he was choſen in like maner. For ſo writeth Cyprian of him, ſaying:†Cyprian. Epiſt. 4.2. Factus eſt Cornelius Epiſcopus de Dei & Chriſts eius iudicio, de plebis (qua tune affuit) ſuffragio, &c. Cornelius was made Biſhop by the iudgement of God and his Chriſt by the voyce giving of the people which was then preſent. &c In an other place alſo he ſaith, Hee was†3.13. de Dei iudtcio & Cleri ac Plebis ſuffragio ordinatus: Ordayned by the iudgement of God, and by the voyces of the Clergie and people.
The practiſe of the Church of Carthage was the ſame,Anno …5…. as Cyprian alſo (ſpeaking of him ſelf) ſheweth, ſaying that he was choſen“Cyprian. Epiſt. 1.3. Populi vniverſi ſuffragio in pace, by the voyce-giving of the whole people in peace, and quietly: alſo he calleth this†1.8. their voyce giving, Gods iudgement. And he writeth of another Church in Afrike at Legio (as we may gather) that there one Sabinus was made Biſhop†1.4. de vniverſae fraternstatis ſuffragio, by the voyce-giving of the whole brotherhood, and by the iudgement of the Biſhops that were come togeather.
But above all other, that place in Cyprian is ſingular for our purpoſe, where his owne iudgement and ſentence with many other Biſhops beſides, is to bee noted concerning this power and right of the people. It is in this ſame Epistle a litle before, thus:“Ibidem. viz. 1.4. Plebs obſequens praeceptis Dominicis & Deum metuens a peccatore praepoſito ſeparate ſe debet, nec ſe ad ſacrilegi Sacerdotis ſacrificsa miſcere, cum ipſa maximè babeat poteslatem vel eligendi dignos Sacerdotes, vel indignos recuſandi. Quod & ipſum videmus de Divina authoritate deſcendere. &c. A people obeying the Lords Commandementes and fearing God ought to ſeparate them ſelves from a wicke… Miniſter, and not ioyne them ſelves to the Divine Service of a Sacrilegious Prieſt, ſeeing they (the people) chiefly have power to choſe worthy Miniſters and to refuſe vnworthy ones. Which thing alſo we ſee cometh fi… Divine authoritie &c. Lo what Cyprians iudgement is of the peoples power & right in the making of Miniſters. He with divers other his fellow-Biſhops doth heere profeſſe that it cometh frō Divine authoritie.So before he called it Gods iudgement and his Christes. What can be more full and abſolute to our purpoſe, then this?
The ſame alſo he holdeth touching the peoples power in Church cēſures. As where he willeth Stephan Biſhop of Rome to write“Epiſt. 3.14. ad plebem Arelate conſiſtentem, to the people at Arles in France. His intent is heere that their Novatian Biſhop Martianus ſhould bee removed and another ſet in his place by them togeather with Stephans helpe. And elswhere touching one Victor a Presbyter fallen from the Church & returned againe, Cyprian greatly miſliketh & rebuketh Therapius the Biſhop for receaving him†3.8. ſine petitu & conſcientia plebis, without the deſire & knowledge of the people: and adviſeth him that hee do ſo no more. And as touching himſelfe hee ſheweth in many places his owne conſtant practiſe to be ſuch alſo.Or, without the deſire &c conſcience of the people. Firſt of ſome raſh and proud Preſbyters hee ſaith, if they perſiſted in their ſcandalous behaviour, they ſhould anſwer it“3.14. apud plebe vniverſam, before all the people, as iudges with himſelfe & others of their miſdemeanor. Againe writing ſeverally to his people about ſome that deſired to bee reconciled to the Church at Carthage, he ſaith,“3.16. Examinabuntur ſingula praeſe itibus & iudicantibus vobis: Every thing ſhalbe examined, you (the people) being preſent and iudging of it. And thus hee meaneth where he ſaith hee muſt†3.1…. diſpomere omnia conſilij communis religione, diſooſe all things by a religious obſerving of ſuch common adviſe. Lo, he putteth & acknowledgeth Religion heerein And therfore it is, that to a few Presbyters of his Church, who had written to him being then abſent from Carthage about ſom of his church affaires, he ſaith; He could not ſo much as write backe to thē therof.“3.10. Seeing he had determined to do nothing privatly of his owne minde without the Presbyters counſaill and the peoples conſent, And promiſeth that when hee ſhould returne he will handle matters in common, both ſuch as were paſt while hee was abſent, and alſo ſuch as were to come after his returne. Yea and therfore in an other place he ſaith:“3.19. Praiudicare ego, & ſolum mihi rem communem vendicare non audeo. I dare not praeiudge, and take to my ſelfe alone common matters Adde vntounto this that he ſaith alſo,†….4. Apud nos quoque, & ferè per Provincias vniverſas te…etur: Thus cuſtome and practiſe is obſerved with vsus at Carthage, & almoſt through out all Provinces.
By all which it is manifeſt that D. Bilſon vainly anſwereth, that Cyprian did yeeld to the people their free cō ſent in the Church-governement out of“D. Bil…. perpet gover. pag. 171. 176. a private moderation, and but of his owne free will. Nay, he ſaith (as wee heard) that he durſt not do otherwiſe, and that he obſerved it out of religion, and that this power of the people cometh from Divine authoritie. Yea doubtles, ſuch a generall and perpetuall cuſtome, even from the Apoſtles times, and appearing in the Apoſtles practiſe alſo (as the New Teſtament ſheweth) can not be in Cypriaen a privat moderation only, but even an vnchangeable law. Neither is that anie truer where hee ſaith, that“Pag. 178. Cyprian him ſelfe was the first that caſ…iered his owne confeſsion, †Pag. 18….and brake that custome. Hee brake it not: Hee did not caſſier his owne confeſſion. Though that is a thing not impoſſible. Cyprian is not ſo perſit, but hee might thus faile thorough affection to him ſelfe: and yet his former teſtimonies of the peoples right and power afore ſaid may be (as they are) moſt true. But as I ſaid, Cypriā neverbrake this his own & others cuſtome. Verily as touching the ſubſtance of the matter he never brake it. What inſtances hath hee againſt vsus? Saith he, Cyprian without the people madeEpiſt. 4.5. Celerinus, †2 5.Aurelius, and“3.22. Saturus Readers: and Optatus a Subdeacon. What of this? None of theſe come into our queſtion. Wee have no care of making Readers and Subdeacons. But without the people he made*4.10. Numidicus a Presbyter. The place ſheweth no ſuch matter; nor yet that he was made Presbyter then. But rather being abſent hee ſheweth the Presbyters and people at Carthage, that Numidicus was to be made a Presbyter. Saying in the future tence, Et promovebitur quidem dum tempus permiſerit, ad ampliorem locum religionis ſuae, cum in preſentia, protegente Domin…, venerimus. He ſhalbe promoted, when wee ſhall come in preſence among you. So that he ſaith not, that hee alone had nowe made him a Presbyter. Beſide, it is moſt manifeſt in all theſe places that Cyprian ſhewed a ſpeciall care to have the peoples liking and free conſent to all which hee did: and that in his abſence hee would attempt not anie thing, but that which he preſumed & was ſure of that their liking was to it as much as his own. So that he maketh it apparant even heere, that hee would do none of theſe things againſt their wills. Which is all that we ſeeke alſo in our aſſertiō, as touching the ſubſtance of it, as before we have often ſhewed. Laſt of all, hee ſaith of Numidicus, that he was to bee a Presbyter dignatione Divinâ, by Gods ſpeciall Divine will: and that Celerinus, and Aurelius had their places ſo I kewiſe. But we ſpeake of no ſuch extraordina…e & Divine calling. This alſo toucheth not our queſtion. We holde the peoples right of giving conſent to be only for the ordinarie callings in the Miniſterie. D. Bilſon further vrgeth that Cyprian receaved ſome into the Church“Pag. 17… without the peoples conſent: yea when the people withſtood it, becauſe hee ſaith in one place, † Vix plebi perſuade…, immo extorqueo, I ſcarce perſuade the people,Epiſt. 1.3. or rather I wring it from them. &c. And obnitente plebe & contradicente, I receaved thē the people ſtriving againſt it, & gainſaying it. I anſwer, Seeing hee ſaith, I ſcarce perſuade the people, therefore they were perſuaded & did cōſent to his minde. Indeed he ſheweth that this matter was hardly gotten at their handes, yea a whilè they ſpake againſt it: but they were perſuaded at laſt, and ſo in concluſiō thei agreed to do as he thought good. Thus hee did not this thing plainly and ſimply without the peoples conſent, or againſt their w…s ſimply: but with their conſent & ag…eement, ſo as I ſaid. Whereby it appeareth how frivolous exceptions are taken againſt Cyprians concurrence and correſpondence with vsus in this cauſe: whoſe moſt cleere, and vnanſwerable, and frequent ſpeaking on our part heerein, we have ſeene before.
Now only one place more I will note in him deſcribing fully his ordinarie practiſe in Church governemē …, and may bee a ſingular example and patterne for vsus. Epist. 3.11. ſhewing how he receaved againe certaine p…enitents who had ſchiſmed from the Church. He ſaith thereof firſt;“3.11. Omni actu ad me perlato placuit cōtrahi Presbyte…ū: Every act of their repētāce being brought vntounto me, I thought good to call togeather he Presbyterie or Elderſhip. Whether heere were any Lay Elders in this Presbyteric, or whether all were ordinarie Miniſters of the Word and Sacramentes, it is nothing materiall. Though D. Bilſon and D. Downame do make all their ſturre about this queſtion, yet as I ſaid (even in the“pag. 11. 12. 23. entrance of this Treatiſe) it is nothing to the ſubſtance of the controverſie betweene vsus: but it is impertinent & from the maine purpoſe altogeather. To paſſe this therefore: Secondly Cyprian in this place addeth, His ita geſtis in Presbyterium venerunt, &c. Then the pe…ntentes came into the Elderſhip, earneſtly praying that the things they had committed might be forgotten, &c. Thirdly, Quod e…at conſequens, omnis hic actus populo fuerat …nſinuandus. It remayned, that all this action was to be ſignifyed to the people Magnus fra…ernitatis concurſus factus eſt. There was a great Meeting of the brethren. Vna vox eras …mnium. Maximum Presbyterum locum ſuum agnoſcereiuſsimus. Caeteros cum ingenti populi ſuffragio recepimus. There was one voyce of vsus all. We willed Maximus the Presbyter to know his place. The reſt we receaved with a great voycegiving of the people allowing it. Heere we ſee what place and order & conſent the people vnderunder Cyprian had in the ordinarie Church governemēt. Certainly it is a plaine example, and right worthie to bee followed of vsus. And ſo much concerning Cyprian is ſufficient,
A while after this time,Antioch. at Antioch the neighbour Biſhops comming togeather,Anno 27…. do acknowledge that even the Churches thereabouts cōcurred and ioyned with them in the act of Excommunicating & depoſing Paul the Biſhop there, and in ordayning Domnus in his roome. This they ſignifie i… the title of their“Euſeb 7.24. Epiſ…le which they all togeather do write about this matter. Now queſtionles among theſe Churches, the Church (that is, the people) of Antioch it ſelfe were the principall in this action. For they were the proper Body of which that wicked Biſhop was the proper Miniſterial Head alſo there the Meeting about his depoſing, was helde; & they were they which were ſpeciallie grieved with him, who yet for feare of his pride and tyrannie durſt not themſelves alone accuſe him, as it is there ſignified. The point is, we ſee heere at Antioch the Churches (that is, the peoples) concurrence and conſent with other Biſhops and Teachers neare adioyning, in the Excommunication & Depoſition of one, and in Ordayning to them ſelves another Biſhop.
After this againe the Councill of Nice decreed,Concil. Nicen. that the people ſhould choſe their Miniſter, as appeareth where they ſay,Anno. 330. If any Church Miniſter dye, let one of the Chuch ſuccede in his place, ſo that he ſeeme fit, and be choſen of the people, and the Biſhop conſent, and confirme the peoples election. “Socrat. 1.6.This order was written by this Councill,Theodoret. 1.9. namely to the Alexādrian Churches, becauſe of a particular occaſion, but it ſerved as a rule generally for all places as the Councill was generall. Which doth plainly appeare by that which afterward the Councill of Constantinople did in“Theodores. ….9. obſerving this Nicen ordinance as an order belonging to them.
About the yeare 420. the fourth Councill of Carthage decreed thus:†Concil. Cartha. 4 C…n 22 Au c…c. 420. E…pus ſine Concilio Clericorum ſu…rum Cle…s non ordinet; ita vt Civium aſſenſum, & …ventiam, & testimonium quarat. Let … a Biſhop ordayne any Clergie-man wichout an aſſemblie of his Clergie: ſo that let him …eke the peoples conſent, and connivence, and Mimonie. This Canon will have Miniſters made in no wiſe without the peoples conſent, contentment, & teſtimonie of their worthines. Heere D. Downame with little ſhew, but with great falſhood turneth this word Et and, into Or: ſaying aſſent, or connivence, where he ſhould ſay aſſent and cōnivence, as“Pag 24.25. before I brieflie touched. Whereby he would make the Council ſeeme to meane that either of theſe was ſufficient in the making of Miniſters, & that their aſſent was not ſimply neceſſarie: but if they did connive or hold their peace, the Councill was content and required no more. But both the preſent wordes, and all circumſtances of theſe times do plainly declare that the Councill heere requireth in making Miniſters, the peoples expreſſe conſent, and teſtimonie alſo of their worthines, as before I noted. Of theſe times Calvin ſaith thus:“Inſti…. 4.4.10. Cum paroch… no vt Presbyters deſtinabantur, tunc loci multitudinem nominatim conſentire oportuit. When new Presbyters were appointed to the pariſhes then the people of the place muſt conſent expreſly.
This, with the reſt of the Councill… of Carthage, was confirmed in the generall Council of Constantinople holden in Trullo about the yeare of Chriſt 682.Con…ll. Conſtantinop. A…. 682. Wherefore ſo long, & longer alſo wee may well thinke, particular Congregations kept their ſpirituall right and power in this behalfe. Which Calvin ſaith was ſuch, that though the Governors ſomtimes did of them ſelves firſt choſe, and then brought the matter to the people, yet“Inſtie. 4.4.1…. they (the people) were not bound to thoſe foreiudgemēts. And when the Church was deprived of this her right, it is by him called Impia Eccleſia ſpoliatie, quoties alicui popul… ingeritur Epiſcopus quem non petierit, aut ſaltem liberâ voce approbarit. It is an vngodly robbing of the Church ſo often as a Paſtor is putvpon any people whom they havenot deſired, or at leaſt approved by free voyce. I grant by this time many great preparations were made to bring in that Antichriſtian apoſtaſie and tyrannie, which afterward followed and overflowed every where. Howbeit yet thus long the Churches even by publike lawes retayned their life: at leaſt wiſe that iniurie and violence & ſpirituall robbery & tyranny which afterward prevayled againſt them, as yet was not generall.
It is to no purpoſe heere to inquire whē or by whom this wrong firſt entered; I meane, this withholding frō the people of God their free conſent in ſpirituall governement. It is ſufficient that we ſee this their freedome to be Apoſtolicall: alſo to bee taught and obſerved in the Chriſtian Churches next ſucceeding the Apoſtles, yea even till after the time that Antichriſt began the deſolation of abhominarion, which ſince hath ben every-where ſet vp, & with ſtrong hand maintayned. Alſo, that wee ſee the moſt vndoubted inſtruments of God in theſe later times ſo cleerely to avouch this moſt ſingular meanes of overthrowing Antichriſt, and ſo earneſtly to defend it, as they do, viz. as if without it there were neither any way to repell him at firſt, nor ſecuritie afterward for vsus to ſtand long againſt his vnceſſant indeavours, labouring ſtill to returne and tyranniſe over our ſoules againe.
This, I ſay, is ſufficient for our preſent purpoſe at this time and in this place. Which alſo being well conſidered, can not but cauſe every honeſt man to mourne and ſigh before the Lord, beholding this foundation of pietie and godly life to be ſo deſpiſed, yea ſo maligned, and reſiſted, as by many it is now amōg our ſelves, where the Goſpell is, and hath ben entertayned (thankes be to God) theſe many yeares. Frō which moſt iuſt cauſe of griefe it proceedeth alſo neceſſarily that we cannot but opē our mouthes (as we do) to beare witnes in the behalfe of this cauſe of Chriſt, being alſo the only true and aſſured meanes which doeth moſt nearely concerne vsus (as we wel vnderſtand) in the matter of the ſalvation of our ſoules. And ſo much touching this point.
Only this moreovet for a Concluſion I deſire may be hoere noted, the ground whereof I take out of our adverſaries. Namely, Whatſoever the whole Church militant ever ſince the Apostles, hath held, and was not instituted by Councills but hath ben alwayes retayned, that is most rightly believed to be delivered by the Apostles.
The whole Church Militant over ſince the Apostles hath held the peoples conſent in then owne Church governement, & it was nor inſtituted by Councills, but it bath ben alwaye, retained.
Therefore the peoples conſent in their owne Church governement is most rightly believed to bee delivered and ordained by the Apoſtles.
The firſt Propoſition is our adverſaries.“p…rp… govern. pag. 258. D. Bilſon and † D. Downame do much magnifie it out of†Serm pag. 56. 57. Defen. 4 Austin. And we acknowledge it to bee true. The Aſſumption is proved heere before in this 5. Chapter ſo fully and plentifully as any thing can be by Humane records and teſtimonies. For wee have none extant better thē theſe, At leaſt by theſe it is prooved ſo fully as our adverſaries do intend in the Propoſition. Wherefore the Concluſion is moſt certain and cleere againſt them, viz. that the peoples conſent in their owne Church governement is an inſtitution and ordinance of the Apoſtles. Whence alſo conſequently it will follow, that thoſe textes of Scripture vſually alleadged for proofe of the ſame,mentioned alſo pag. 76. and which I have to that pur…iſe handled in my 3. and 9. Argumentes of the Divine beginning and institution of Chriſtes Viſible and Miniſteriall Church, do well ſhew and teſtifie to vsus ſo much.