Declaration of Ecclesiastical Discipline out of the Word of God — Walter Travers

Declaration of Ecclesiastical Discipline out of the Word of God · Walter Travers

And as for that part off there office / off taking heede to offences / who can doubt that / That charge properly apperteineth vntounto the Elders? ſeing that they are ſaide alſo in the Scriptures to rule / to ouerſee and to gouerne?Act. 20.28 1. Theſſ. 5.12. Heb. 13.17. 1. P…. 5… … 5 17. For this ouerſight can hauehave but two partes only / wheroff the firſt perteinethe to Doctrine and Religion / the other to life and māners. Seing then that two kindes off Elders are expreſſly named by Saint Paule / wher off the firſt ſort are occupied in preachinge and Doctrine / Iris neceſſary that the other ſhould hauehave charge off manners and conuerſacion / which part only remaineth.

And hitherto the example off the primitiue churche doth leade vsus / which for aſmuche as they were next to the Apoſtles time / might beſt vnderſtand to what vſe Elders had bene appointed in the church by them. But how the primitiue churche tooke thoſe degrees off the Apoſtles / both Eccleſiaſticall hiſtories doe witnes / ād reformed churches which in our tyme hauehave reformed them ſelues according to there example / doe ſufficiently declare.

Therfore ſeing the office off Elders was apointed in the churche / off our Sauior Chriſt by his Apoſtles / and ſeing it is ſo proffitable ād neceſſarie for the ſame / hauehave we not iuſt cauſe now to complaine / that our church wanteth ſo worthy an office? do not the ſlaunders off our aduerſaries who are ready to take all occaſions to ſpeak euill off the Goſpell require ſuche watchemen to watche and ſee that offences riſe not in the churche? doth not the ſhamefull wickednes off men require ſuche Cenſors? And can this noble lawe off doinge all thinges orderly and comely in the churche off God want thoſe any longer who ſhold hauehave a care to ſee it kept? That all thinges come not to confuſion and be turned vpſide downe?

Therfore let Elders be reſtored to our churche againe which are both neceſſary helpes for the ſafetye and preſeruation off yt and worthy ornamentes for the eſtimation off the ſame. Let vsus obeye the Lordes Commaundement touchinge the ordeyninge off Elders / yff either the ſafety or eſtymacion off the church be deare vntounto vsus / or yff we hauehave any care off doinge our duty vntounto god.

As for election and Ordynacion off them / ſeing yt may be taken out off thoſe Generall rules which I hauehave giuen before / and doth not requyre any thinge to be ſpeciallie ſpoken in this behalffe / Let vsus conclude this matter / and together with all / euen the whole treaty which hath bene handled concerninge the ſymple charges and offices off the churche / beſech ing God our moſt mercifull father / that yt may pleaſe him to hauehave mercy off our churche and that as he hath raiſed yt in a māner from the deade and oute of the graue againe So he would alſo vouchſafe / to adorne and beautyfy yt being raiſed vpp: That yt may pleaſe hym to take awaye the deformyties off yt / cutting off that which is ſuperfluous / and ſupplyinge that which wantethe / To encreaſe hir beau…y and ornamentes and to Pooliſhe and perfect her with his moſt freſhe and lyuely colors: To reſtore trewe Diſcypline againe / To aboliſhe the Canon lawe / that only they which are called may bare office in the churche / That Ambition may be repulſed and put back / That the the lawes off lawfull Election and ordynation may be kept: Fynally that a lawfull Myniſtery may be eſtabliſhed thoroughout the Realme which may continewe for euer: That Deacons may be made for the poore / and Elders to admoniſhe ſuch as goe aſtray / And laſt off all that as he hath moſt mercifully allready begonn in our church all thinges / which he hath moſt wiſely appoynted to the glorifyinge off his name and preſeruinge off his churche / So yt may pleaſe hym of like grace and fauour to perfect and finiſhe his worck emonges vsus. And thus much off thoſe offices and charges off the churche whiche we call ſymple.

It followeth now to ſpeake off the Conſyſtory or Councell off the churche. Whereoff allthoughe ther be no newe or ſpeciall Eelection and ordynacion / becauſe yt conſiſteth off ſuche as are allredy called to the former offices / yet I thought Good euen for this cauſe to diſtinguiſhe them from the former / for that here no one man hath any office or authothoritye to do any thing as in the former: But ther is one office off all / which they all do execute in common together: For the Conſiſtory or Councell off the churche is the company and Aſſemblye off the Elders off the churche / who by common Counſell and authoritye do rule and gouerne the ſame.

VnderUnder the name off Elders / I do meane only Paſtors / Doctors and thoſe who are by proper named called Elders. For I ſee not what ground yt hath that ſome would alſo hauehave Deacons to be off this company.1. Timot. 4.24. For ſeing that Sainct Paule / calleth this aſſembly the company off Elders / It followeth that they muſt be Elders who be off this aſſembly. But the name off Elders is no wher in the Scriptures that I can remember attributed vntounto Deacons / But only vntounto Paſtors / Doctors / and ſuche as are properly ſo called. To proue that Paſtors and Doctors be Elders I neede not cite many places (which are infinite) where they are ſo named. As for them who are ſpecially called by this name / That one place in the xij. off the Romanes may ſufficiently proue. Where the Apoſtle diſtinguiſhinge the office off a Deacon into two partes geueth to thoſe only / the name off Elders and gouerners:Rom. 12.8. calling the other / by an other name.

This Conſiſtory therfore conſiſteth of theſe three ordres / Paſtors / Doctors and Elders: which is called by S. Paule the Aſſembly off Elders: as alſo by the ſame Apoſtle they are all called by the name off Elders in an other place.1. Timo. 4.14. 1. Timoth. 5 17. In the xviij. off Mathew our Sauior calleth them by the name of the churche: becauſe they rule ād gouerne church matters vnderunder the name and authority off the churchr. So likewiſe the name off all the aſſembly / by Moſes is geuen to the Elders off the Iewes: that is to ſay vntounto certein choſen and picked out men who were aſſigned by all the congregation to the gouernment off the affaires.

Thus plainly it is taken in the viij. of nombres wher the Lord appointeth that the Congregation ſhall lay handes vppō the Leuites: But I think no man will ſay that this is to be vnderſtoode off all the congregatiō / that ſo many thouſandes ſhould laie there handes vponupon them / as are reherſed to hauehave bene then in the hoſt off Iſraell / but the Elders and princes only / as Aben Ezra doth rightly interprete yt. Which is to be noted the rather / becauſe ſome will hauehave the wordes off our Sauior to be expounded off all the churche:Levi. 25. wher as accordinge to the manner off ſpeakinge which the Hebries vſe / the Conſiſtory or counſell off the churche / is called the church: where alſo it is to be obſerued / that togither with the name / the thing it ſelfe is tranſlated from the Iewes vntounto vsus: That looke what a Counſell the Iewes vſed for the gouernment off the churche / we ought to vnderſtand by this name that ſuche a one is apointed by our Sauior / to be in our churche. Therfore in the ſame place he attributeth to this Counſell the chiefe gouernment off all churche matters: that all ſuch thinges as cannot otherwiſe be agreed and ended / be at the laſt brought vntounto them / and ended by ther au…horitie and iudgement.

And iff there ſhold be any off ſo deſperate boldnes / that ſhould diſpiſe the authoritie off this Aſſembly off Elders / Our Sauiour Chriſt pronounceth hym to he as an ethnik or a publycan / aſſuringe ſuche a one / that his ſtubburnnes and rebellion ſhall not eſcape vnpuniſhed. Wherfore he graunteth vntounto them chiefe authoritie accordinge to his word to forgeue or retaine ſynnes: which the Doctors off the church are wont to call the keies off heauen / becauſe that heauen is in a manner ſet open for them to enter into / whome they hauehave thus accordinge to god his word forgyuen there ſynnes / as contrarywiſe it is ſhutte / and barred againſt them / whoſe ſinnes they doe retaine.

And ſeing that God hath giuē to our Sauiour Chriſt all power in heauen and in earth / and that the keye off the houſe off Dauid which is the church off god is geuen to him / and laid vppon his ſhoulders / ſo that no man may ſhutte iff he doth open / neither open iff he doe ſhutte / yt is not to be doubted / but that heauen is open and ſhutte alſo / when they do open and ſhutt who hauehave receiued his authority and vntounto whom he hath committed this keye.

Therfore as Lacedemon had an aſſemblie off Elders / Athenes a highe court named Areopagus / Rome a Senate / and fynally / eueryevery kingdome and cōmon welthe a Counſell whos authoritie is chiefe and ſoueraigne in all affaires / and by whome the reſt off the ſociety are gouerned / So lykewiſe the churche hath an Aſſembly off Elders / by whoſe authoritie / eccleſiaſticall and church matters are gouerned and adminiſtred. But theſe thinges are to be declared more at large: and all this power and authority more eſpecially and particulerly to be ſhewed / that we may knowe how farre it extendeth it ſelffe / and off how great force and waight it is to the lawfull gouernment off the churche.

Therfore the whole authority of the cōſiſtory cōſiſteth in ij. partes. off which the firſt concernethe the officers off the churche / that is to ſaie / touchinge bothe the chooſinge and depoſinge off thē: wherof I ſhall not need to ſpeake in this place / ſeig I hauehave ſufficiently ſpoken before off Elections: wherby alſo may be eaſelye vnderſtoode / that which apperteynethe to the other pointe off depoſitions.

Rom. 16.…The ſecōd part off this authoritie cōſiſteth allmoſt wholie in takinge heede to offences and correcting and remouinge them out off the churche. Which offences / Saint Paule ſemeth in the xvj. off the Romans / to deuide into two ſortes: into ſectes / and Offences: wheroff the firſt ſemeth to apperteine vntounto Doctrine / and the other vntounto manners All which authority off Correctinge is ſpirituall / as proceeding not from the Magiſtrates but from the Elders off the churche. For as this counſell is Eccleſiaſticall / and the court a ſpirituall court (as we vſe to call yt (as alſo it is manifeſtly diſtinguiſhed by S. Paule / from the cyuill courtes and places which the Apoſtle calleth courtes for thinges belonging to this life) So alſo the punyſhement is ſpeciall and ſuche as belongeth to the ſowle and Conſcience / and concerneth not this life nor thoſe thinges with which the ciuill magiſtrate is wont to deale.…. Corr. 6.…

So that they are the more to blame / who for this cauſe reiect and refuſe all Eccleſaſticall kinde off puniſhement / as iniurious to the magiſtrate / ſeing it handleth nothing that the magiſtrate can in ſuche ſort deale with all / but is lymited and bounded with reprehenſions taken out off the word off god by takinge awaye the vſe and communication off Sacramentes and publique praiers from them and ſuche like thinges as do apperteine to the ſoule and conſcience.

But moſt off all they are to be blamed who doe falſly charge this lawfull diſcipline as I ſhewed (whith offendinge againſt Princes and magiſtrates: wheras yt neither punyſheth any thīge which belōgeth to the courtes off ciuil officers / nor yet punyſheth with cyuill puniſhemēt / as off goodes or off body / any fault which it correcteth: but only in ſuch ſort as hath bene declared wheras they whoe do obiect this / may be charged with bothe faultes. For this diſcipline off theyrs both dealeth in cyuill cauſes / and by right apperteyninge to the courtes off the Magyſtrates / and often tymes thoſe whome they hauehave authoritye to correct / they punyſhe by the purſe or empriſonment. But to paſſe thes lightly ouer for haſt (which notwithſtanding are moſt waighty accuſations / and worthy for the haynouſnes off them to be de…ie with in the kinges benche / as offending ſo highly againſt the ſtate and authoritie off the prince and Magiſtrate) Let vsus come to the diuers kindes of Cenſures and reprehenſions which are vſed in this lawfull diſcipline.

Now this correction is off two ſortes: and is done either by Speeche or wordes only / as when a man is rubuked for ſome fault which he hath committed and is warned to take heed that he offend not ſo againe / or ells when beſides the chaſtiſement off wordes / ther is ſome ſpirituall puniſhement and correction adioyned therunto) Example we hauehave off the firſt ſort in the fourth off the Actes / where Theapoſtells Peter and Iohn being brought to the Aſſembly off the Elders / they were aſked by what authoritie they taught the people / and preached the reſurrection from the dead in the name of Ieſus: for which after that they had bene rebuked and threatned / they were forbidden to preache or ſpeake any more to any man in the name off Chriſt / and ſo let go.

In deed they did wickedly to rebuke them for the preachinge the of goſpell / the beſt thing that cā be and moſt neceſſary for the ſaluacion off man: but yet by this there doinge we may perceiue what was the forme off gouernment off the churche emonges the Iewes / which our Sauiour Chriſt hath tranſlated to his churche: For this is it that our Sauiour Chriſt meanethe in the xviij. off Matthew / and xvij. verſe / when he commandeth the ſtubborne that will not be obedient to the admonytion off two or three / to be brought to the churche / that he may be admoniſhed and corrected by the churche. Wher vntounto alſo belongeth that / wher S. Paule admoniſheth Tymothy off reprouinge the Elders openly: that is to ſay / ſuche / as had bene lawfullie conuicted.1. Timoth. 5.20.

And for thoſe admonitions and corrections which hauehave ſome puniſhment ioined with them / for the diuerſitie both of faultes and puniſhementes they are deuided into two ſortes: And reſemble in a manner thoſe two puniſhementes off the Romanes / wherby the ſtate / condition / and priuilege off ſuche as did offend was diminiſhed: wheroff the firſt is called by Eccleſiaſticall writers Suſpenſion / the ſecond Excommunication.

Now ſuſpenſion is a charge geuen by the aſſembly of the Elders to abſteyne a certen tyme from the communication off the ſupper off Lord. Hereoff ther is ſome example and ſhadowe in the lawe / which forbiddeth ſuch as be vncleane to be partakers off ho…y thinges / and ſuffered not indifferently any to enter into the Temple / and to be partakers off the Sacramentes and ſacrifices which were offred.… Chro. 23.…. Therfore there were appointed keepers off the gates off the temple by Iehoyada the prieſt to keepe eueryevery filthy and vncleane perſon from entringe into the temple.Exod. ….48. So alſo in the xij. off Exodus It is forbidden that any man being vncircunciſed ſhold be admitted to the cmomunicatinge off the Paſſouer: or that any ſtraunger who by receiuinge circunciſion / profeſſed not the like Religion with them ſhould be admitted.

In the ix. off Nombres ther is a notable example concerninge this matter / off certen who beinge driuen from communicatinge the Paſſouer bycauſe they had polluted them ſelues by touchinge a dead body / wēt to Moſes and Aaron / that is to ſay ſyttinge in the Counſell houſe (as it is well noted by an Hebrew Interpretor) and deſyred that ther vncleanes might be forgeuen them / that they might eate the paſſeouer with the reſt off Iſraell / alledginge that ſeinge off neceſſitie ſome muſt dailie die in ſo great a multitude / yt ſeemed not that / that vncleanes wherwith they were polluted by doinge ther neceſſary dewry to ther frendes and neigbours (in burying off them) ſhold be ſo great / that they therfore ſhould be forbidden to eate off the Paſſeouer with the reſt off the church. But Moſes aſkinge counſell off god what was to be done in this caſe / Aunſwer was made that they ſhold not eate the paſſeouer with the reſt off ther brethren / and a lawe made for euer after / touchinge that matter. That thoſe kinde off vncleane perſons ſhold not eate the paſſeouer with the reſt of Iſraell in the firſt monethe / but ſholde tarie to eate yt in the ſecond monethmonth.

Out off which places we hauehave many thinges to gather which belonge to the diſcipline off the churche. And firſt off that which is in the xij. off Exodus. That no vncircumciſed perſon ſhold be admitted to eate the paſſeouer / no allthoughe they were Iewes / and by nature borne heires off the couenaunt and off the promiſes / but that open profeſſion off trew Religion was neceſſarilie required as well off Iewe as off ſtraunger before they were admitted to eate off the paſſeouer.

Off this I ſaie we learne / that now no mā ought to be admitted to the Lordes table and to the holie communiō / but he that is knowen by his open profeſſion to be off trewe Religion: for Aſmuche as the body excelleth the ſhadowe / and the Trewth the figure / So muche more carefully ought we to take heed / that the Sacramentes / wherin we hauehave the truthe / and the body it ſelffe / be not communicated with vncircumciſed and vncleane perſons. So that diligent Inquiſicion is to be had off eueryevery man what ſaythe he holdeth and how he ſerueth God / leſt we communicate them with any who profeſſe not the ſame trewe Religion off Chriſt.

Which was ſo well taken heed vntounto in the primitiue churche / that Euſebius reportethe in his Eccleſiaſticall hiſtory / 6. Boke of his Eccleſiaſticall hiſtorie.that a Romaine Emperour named Philippe who f…rſt became Chriſtian off all the Emperours / and fyrſt ſubmitted the romaine Empire vntounto Chriſt) deſyringe to cōmunicate with the reſt off the churche / was not admitted therunto by the Biſhop off that churche (for that he was yet ſuſpected for diuers cauſes) before that he had openly made profeſſion off trewe Religion / And in thoſe our daies / in theſe churches which hauehave receyued the Doctrine off the Goſpell and trewe diſcipline together / as in olde tyme no man was ſuffered to eate off the Paſſeouer / beinge either a ſtraunger or a hyred ſeruant onleſſe he had his part in the lambe / So likewiſe in the holie Communion off the Lordes ſupper / Chriſt the trewe paſchall lambe is communicated onelyonly to ſuche (as farre as men can iudge by there outward profeſſion) vntounto whome Chriſt hym ſelffe belongethe.

Now thē / ſeing we hauehave a lawe touching this matter off no leſſe waight then theyrs / why do we ſuffer yt to Remayne in the book off the goſpell / as in a ſcabbard / and ſuffer the edge off yt to wax dull / now fyften yeeres together? why do we communicate the holie Sacramentes with the Papiſtes / and require not before they be admitted a ſyncere / open / and franck Confeſſion off trewe Religion? The holie Myſteries off God are prophaned / The Gentles enter into the Temple off God / The holie thinges are indifferently communicated with cleane and vncleane / cyrcunciſed and vncyrcunciſed / and yet we ſ…t no porters at the churche dores / nor ſhut vpp the vncleane and polluted together by them ſelues. Therfore / Let this ſo neceſſary a part off Ecleſiaſticall diſcipline be eſtabliſhed Let an open profeſſion off trewe Religiō be exacted of thoſe / who are admitted to the vſe off holie thinges: ād Let no longer the heauenly myſteries off God be prophaned / by communycating them with the Papiſtes.

The next thing which is to be noted out off theſe places / which I hauehave alledged belongeth vntounto thoſe / who are in deede heires off the promiſes / and as Saint Peter ſpeaketh in the Actes Sonnes off the Teſtament and couenant made withe the Fathers / but yet for ſome fault made / are for a tyme excluded from the vſe off holie thinges.Act. 3.2…. And hitherto belongeth that example which I alledged out off the ix. off Nombres / off thoſe who were put ouer vntounto the ſecond monethe before they might eate the Paſſeouer.

Touching which kind off puniſhment / all thoughe ther be nothing expreſſely mencioned and commanded in the goſpell / yet ſeing it is commanded in the fift off Matthew / that he at whome a brother is offended / bringing an offring to the aulter of the lord ſhould leaue his offring there and goo firſt ād be recōc…led to his brother / how muche more ought this to be done / wher the Anger hath bene ſo hote / that it hath broken out into reprochefull and contumelious wordes / E…. 5.24.and ſuche as our Sauiour manifeſtly declareth to be ſuche as the Counſell off the churche hath to deale with?Mat. 5.…2. that is to ſaie / That they be commanded to abſtaine from the aulter off the lord / vntill they be reconciled with there brother who is offended. For otherwiſe If without reconciliacion they offer ther gift / the offringe is prophaned and they that doe ſuch thinges / are giltye off great offence / and for a ſmall fauit that was made before / hauehave nowe cōmitted a great ād a hainous treſpaſſe. For ſo the lawe threateneth to that vncleane perſon / that durſt touche the holie fleſhe / ād eate of the ſacrifices / that he ſhould ſurely pay for it / ād that no other ſacrifice ſholde ſerue to take away his ſin̄e / but euē his owne blud:Levi. 7.18. Math. 5.26As alſo our Sauiour Chriſt threatneth in the goſpell / that they which reconcile not them ſelues / ſhall ſurely paie for it / euen to the vttermoſt farthing. And S Paule ſaithe that they that drincke and eate the Lordes body vnworthely / eate and drinck there owne damnation.

Seing thē it is ſo ād that the lord is ſo greuouſly diſpleaſed with the neglectinge off theſe dewties / and prophanation off his holie miſteries / Seing alſo that thoſe men thē ſelues who do thus boldly prophane them / doe make them ſelues gilty by this meanes of more greuous iudgement and condenmnatiō / this part off diſcipline alſo being no leſſe neceſſary then the other / which we want nowe to lōge time / is to be reſtored againe: and the keepinge off it to be as muche eſteemed / as we eſteme ād ſet by the heauy iudgemēts of god / and his wrathe puniſhinge and reuēginge the prophanatiō of his holie miſteries.

For let no man here obiect vntounto me the Biſhops Conſiſtory / and the Officiall / and Cōmiſſarie geuinge charge from the Biſhop to be recōcyled ād puniſhinge by the purſe ſuche as do offend / as if we wanted not thoſe thinges that I ſaie we wāt / for all thoſe are but toyes and trifles / which ſeing it hath aboliſhed the lawfull man̄er of taking awaie off offences / apointed by our Sauiour Chriſt to be kept in his churche / what hope can we looke for / to hauehave any holeſome remedie by theſe meanes off ſo daungerous diſeaſes? Therfore Let ther be a lawfull Counſell eſtablyſhed in the churche / and Let them vſe that authoritie / which they hauehave appointed them off the Lord / for the thruſtinge back off Prophane and vncleane perſons / off the keepinge chaſte and pure the ſeruice off god / off taking awaye off offences / and prouidinge off meete remedies for eueryevery fault and tranſgreſſion.

Now remaineth the other parte touchinge excommunication / a large point and off great waight and vſe in the churche: but ſo muche the more fowlie abuſed as the right vſe off yt / is good and profitable. But as I purpoſed / touchinge onlie thoſe faultes which are committed in our diſcipline in this behalffe / I will omitt all other: and firſt off all I paſſe ouer them who take awaye all vſe off excommunication / and contend that it is not neceſſary in a Chriſtian churche. For our men who reteine yet ſtill ſuche a kinde off excommunication as they hauehave receyued from the papiſtes denie not that ther is ſome vſe off yt / but rather contrarilie do proue it to be neceſſarie thinking it better to vſe this beinge as yt wer a leaden ſword / then none at all. Althoughe / that which ſhalbe alledged by me oute of the Scriptures touching the lawfull vſe hereoff / ſhallbe ſufficient to cōnfute them alſo / who do denie any vſe off yt at all.

Excommunication therfore is a ſentence giuen by the Aſſembly off the Elders / wherby the partie that is conuicted off ſome greuous cryme and offence / and can by no meanes be brought to repentannce / being firſt forbidden to come to the lordes table / with out preſcription off any other certeine time then off his repentaunce / is driuen out from the churche / and cutt off from the communion and felowſhippe off the faithfull.

This part of Eccleſiaſticall cenſure as alſo the firſt were translated vntounto vsus from the Iewes. For the churche off Chriſt / in all this matter off diſcipline hath receiued all hir lawes and decrees from the Iewes: for as it hath bene ſhewed before / It is plaine and manifeſt / that our Sauiour in the xviij.M… 17.18 off Mathew alluded to the manner off the Iewes / becauſe that otherwiſe his ſpeache ſhould hauehave bene very obſcure / and ſuch as no man had bē able to vnderſtand. But this appereth moſt manifeſtly by the excommunication off the blind man in the ix. off Iohn / and by the xvij. off the ſame Goſpell / wher Chriſt geuethe the Apoſtles warninge / that they ſhould be excommunicate for his ſake.

Some fetche the Originall hereoff euen from Adam whom the Lord caſt oute off Eden / and ſet an Aungell at the entrye / who by ſhakinge the blade off a gliſtering ſword fraied him from entring in / and ſuffred him / not to taſt or touche that tree which was a Sacrament off life vntounto him. Suche a like thing alſo the Hebrewe Interpretours obſerue off Cain / whom the Lord with a certeine curſe caſte out off the Land wher his Father Adam dwelt: which place was nere vntounto Eden / and had certeine vndoubted tokens off the preſence and fauour off god remaning in it. For that there was certeiteine place there wherin the ſacrifices were offred / Aben Ezra / doth learnedly note vponupon this wher yt is ſaide off Cain and Abell / that they brought there oblations to offer / which muſt needes be vnderſtoode That they brought them to a certen place: and in the ſame chap. Caine complaineth / thathe is caſt oute frome before the face of god. Furder allſo ſome ſhadow hereoff apperethe in the Leepers / who for ther leproſye were caſt out off the cytie.

And ſurely thos be no obſcure and dark ſhadowes / but plainlie and lyuelie do repreſent vntounto vsus the nature off excommunication / yf they be well and narowly obſerued: which not withſtandinge is ſet forth more plainlie in the xvij. off Geneſis wher the lord inſtitutinge the ſigne off circumciſion / for a ſeale off the couenant made betwene hym / and Abraham / and his ſeed / threateneth that the contemner off this ſigne / that ſhall refuſe to be circumciſed / ſhallbe ſhut out from the couenaunt / and to be cut off from the people / with whome he had made his couenaunt / and to be eſteemed as one that had bene borne emonges the other profane nacions.

Afterwards alſo this couenaunt being renewed with the Iſraelites vnderunder the lawe / as the promiſes were ſigned with moo ſeales / and as they were aſſured off them by moo meanes / So this cutting off which they call Carith is more often tymes threatned and mencioned: which / that yt was the ſame in the tyme off the lawe / that our excommunication is nowe / appeareth by that that the very formes of ſpeakīg and the names theroff / are borowed from it / and tranſlated vntounto oures. For what other thing ys yt / to be an ethnik and a publican / by which kinde of ſpeakinge Chriſt noteth excommunication and that alſo which is in the ix.Iohn 9.17. of Iohn / To be caſt out off the Synagogue / and thoſe manners off ſpeaking vſed in this caſe by the primitiue churche / To be caſt out from the Communyon off the faithfull. To be baniſhed. And to be, acompted ſtraungers from the church, And that which Paule ſaith in the firſt to the Corinthes. chap. 5.2. That he may be taken out from emongs yow, and the 8. verſe Put out that vvicked man frō emonges yow / what other thing I ſay is declared in all theſe kindes off ſpeakinge / but that which is ſo often repeared in the lawe / To be be cut off from Iſraell & te be cut off from his people▪ Yea further / both our Sauiour Chriſt in the 18. off Matthew and the 8.Galat. 5.12 Act. 3.24. verſe / and S. Paule to the Galathians / and S Peter in the Actes / ſeme manifeſtly to allude / to this name off Cutting off.

That ſame alſo which is in the 9. off Nōbres wher the lord threatning that he ſhall be cut of from his people that eareth off his ſacrifice after yt was offred / ſaith / that his ſacrifice ſhall proffit him nothinge / nor be accounted to hym to take avvay his ſynne, but that his ſynne ſhall remaine ſtill vppon his ovvne heade, & be punyſhed vponupon him ſelffe, For ſo Aben Ezra doth expound yt: or as man might peraduenture turne the wordes and more fytlie / He threatneth / that ſuche a one ſhall beare his owne ſinne.

…en. 18.15And that ſame alſo in the xviij. off Deuteronomye / where threatninge the ſame cuttinge off / to the contemner off the Prophet which ſhould be ſent / I vvilll require, ſaith he, his ſynne at his hands: what other thing do theſe two kinde off ſpeaches ſignifie / then the wordes off Bynding & not Forgiuing Synnes, which are vſed by our Sauiour Chriſt in the xviij off Matthew in this behalffe? Laſt off all doth not Saint Paule in his firſt epiſtle to the Corinthes and 5. chap. the 6.7. and 8. verſes / ſeeme to hauehave taken the ground and foundacion off that excommunication from that Cutting off, which is mencioned in the 12. off Exodus the 15. and 19. verſes? And verie properly and fitly to hauehave tranſlated yet therunto? For wheras Moſes had threatned that he ſhold be cut of from his people / who duringe the ſeauē daies of his Paſſeouer had any leauen in his houſe / but onelie ſweet breade / Saint Paule making oure whole life to anſwer to thoſe 7. dayes off the Paſſeouer / and Chriſt to be our Paſchall Lambe / the houſe to be the Aſſembly and Companye off Communicantes (as alſo ſome off the Hebrew interpretors expound yt) Sweate bread / to be ſynceritie and trew the / and Leauen / to be maliciouſnes and wikednes / ſeemeth he not I ſay to ground and gather herevppon / that that ſame Corinthian / who in the tyme off the feaſt off our trewe Paſſeouer had that leauen found in his houſe / that is to ſaye had ſo greuouſly ſynned after the profeſſion off Chriſtian Religion / was to be caſt out off the church? And hauinge chaunged a litle the manner off Speakyng, / he addeth in the ſame place / that this olde leauen was to be purged out from the church off God / which he calleth a newe Lumpe and Sweete / or vnleauened bread. Herebye therfore / as I think yt is plainly proued / bothe that the vſe offexcommunication hathe bene at all tymes neceſſarie in the churche / and alſo that is was fyrſt tranſlated vntounto vsus from he Iewes by Lord hym ſelffe. And that yt was afterwardes vſed by the Apoſtles and ſynce the Apoſtles tyme euen vntounto this age / in the churche off God / Allthoughe myſerablye depraued and corrupted in this later age wheruppon I conclude that it ought to be vſed in Chriſtian churches when tyme and occaſion doth ſerue.

Furder / it hathe bene declared hereby what excommunication is / and what the force and nature off it is namely that yt cutteth off from the church / (that is to ſaie that company which profeſſeth the trewe ſeruice off god) the party againſt whom ſuche a ſentence is geuen / and depriueth hym from the bleſſed hope …ff the children off God and waiting for the promiſes / togither with the ſignes and ſeales theroff: which both promiſes & Sacraments / are geuen to the churche alone. So that by this / as it was in that moſt greuous ſentence and condemnacion off the Romaines ſpoken off before / all the rightes priuiledges and freedomes off a citezin off the cyty off God / are cleane loſt and taken away / and ſo muche the more greuous is this ſentence to be eſteemed / that wheras he that had loſt his fredom in Rome might hauehave bene denyzed into ſome other free towne or place: but he that loſeth the freedome off this cytie / can not be receiued as Deniſon into any other free ſtate or common welthe / but being caſt oute off the kingdome off god is delyuered to the kingdome off darcknes and to extreame bondage / ſeing ther is no meane / but that he who is not off the one kingdome muſt be off the other as doth appeere in the example to the Coloſſians.

Coloſ. 1.13.Therfore our Sauiour Chriſt / declareth that by this ſentē ce a man is pronounced to be an ethnick and a publycā which being ſpoken in reſpect off the Iewes / is as aſmuche as one ſhould ſay nowe in reſpect off the Chriſtians / a Panym a Saracene / or a Turcke. And Saint Paule / declareth it to be a delyuering to Sathan: wherupon alſo we are commāded in the Epiſtle to the Theſſalonians / that we hauehave not to doe with thē who are ſuche / which Sentence the more greuous yt is / and how much more terrible this ſword is / then that the Angell ſhaked before Adam to feare hym with all:…. Corr. 5.5 … Theſſ. ….….14. So muche the more care and heede is to be taken here / againſt whom we pronounce ſuche a ſentence / againſt whom we draw out ſo ſharpe …n edged ſword: leſt that iff it be againſt and Innocent / or one that is not giltie off ſome haynous offence and vnrepentant / we make our ſelues by prophaninge / the moſt holie and ſacred Iuſtice off god / gyltie off his heauy iudgement and diſpleaſure. Therfore this ſword is to be handled and ruled by the word and commandement off the highe Iudge / and to be drauen out onlie againſt them / againſt whom he ſhall commaund it to be drauen / neither is ſo ſharpe a kinde off ſurgerie to be vſed to the curing off the reſt off the body / except yt euidently appere that ſome member be cleane rotten / and putrified.

Wherin leſt we ſhould offend by any error / certen expreſſe rules are geuen vsus / which do fully ſett out all the ordre whereby we ought to proceede in this caſe.Mat. 18.17 For our Sauiour Chriſt declareth generallie that eueryevery one who ſhalbe diſobedient vntounto the churche / exhorting him to acknowledge / and bewaile his offences / ſhold be holden as an ethnick and a publican.Tit. 3.10. And Saint Paule more particulerly declarethe an heretick is be excommunicated / A ſchiſmatike / a Blaſphemer an Idolater / or he that offendethe ſo greuouſly in māners that he is an inceſtuous perſon or a fornicator or giltie off any of thos crymes which are reherſed in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthes the v. chap. and the xj. verſe and to the Theſſalonie in the ij. Epiſtle the iij. chap. and ij verſe.

For allthoughe (as our Sauiour Chriſt moſt wiſely and worthelie handleth this matter in the xviij. off Math.) yt be better that one member be cut off then that all the bodie do periſhe / yet wher the caſe is concerninge the cutting off / off ſome part off our bodie / or off pulling out the eie / we ought to conſidre firſt diligently / yff there be any hope to recouer yt againe. yff there be any medicine that may do yt good: yff the publique faſt off the churche as a certene ſpirituall diet off the whole bodie may remedy it: fynally wither yt be alltogether putrified and rotten / ſo that the part muſt needes be plucked awaie or cut of that the reſt of the the bodie may be preſerued before we ſuffer yt to be pulled out or cut off from the bodie. Yea futhermore allthoughe it plainly appeerethe to be putrified / and that the ſore be alltogether deſperate and paſt hope of remedie / yet notwithſtandinge we ought not to mayme the bodye / or put out the eye / althoughe that part and membre be become vnproffitable / nay althoughe yt be hurtfull and and noyſome to the reſt / without great griefe and ſorowe off the whole bodye / nor without ſence and feelinge / and naturall compaſſion off ſo great a myſerie.

In which behalffe / as the Papiſtes were wont moſt greuouſly to offend when as for eueryevery light cauſe / and euen for not payinge the Officiall or ſome Officer off his court ſome ſhillinge or two or other dewties / men that were otherwiſe very honeſt and godlie had bothe other ſentences / and euen this moſt greuous emonges all / geuen againſt them. So that to this daye this notable corruption off this deuyne Iuſtice is not corrected nor amended: But euen as yt was wont to be in tyme off darknes / matters off leſt waight and importance are punyſhed with thoſe greuous and fearefull ſentences. But ſeing that the Edge both off the other ſentences and alſo off this which is moſt greeuous / is the commanndement off god / ād that not only one off the Biſhopps officers / but all men alyue are not able to cut off from the churche / whom Chriſt from heauen doth quicken which his ſpirit as a membre off. his bodie / ther is no cauſe why any man ſhould feare that ſentence / as yf it were this thunderbolt which I hauehave deſcribed.

But as there hath bene fault into muche lightnes and raſhenes / and pronouncinge ſo heauy ſentences without iuſt cauſe / ſo ther hath bene no leſſe fault in this / that by negligence this wholeſome ſeuerytie when iuſt cauſe and occuſion requireth / is not executed. For that meanes being taken awaye which the Lord would hauehave exerciſed in his church and wherby offences are to be prouided for / and the whole authoritie tranſlated from the conſiſtorye and company off the Elders / to the Biſhop and his court / where the Paſtor muſt come to pleade / yff he will hart from the cōmunion ſuche as are to be put back by the word off god the holie myſteries off god are with great lycence and without any puniſhement daily prophaned / the holie thinges are proſtituted and ſet open to Adulterers / fornicators / drunckerds / and all kinde off vicious and ſinfull liuers / and (which our Sauiour forbiddethe) precious ſtōnes are caſt before hogges / and ſwine. And the holie myſteries not only prophaned by taking awaie off this means wherby they might be kept from thes pollutions and propanaciōs but the churche alſo is brought into an vndoubted daūger / For aſmuche as it is to feared / leſt that the reſt off the body be infected with the ſame contagion: and euen they them ſelues who be ſuche / heape and doble their condēnacion / for that they dare take in hand to be ſo bold tho come in ſuche ſort vntounto the lords table.

For beſides that the worſhip and ſeruice off god is preſerued and kept chaſt / pure / and vndefiled by this ſeueritie / the whole churche alſo and euen the parties them ſelues who are giltie are beſt by this meanes prouided for. And that the church is thus preſerued / the Apoſtle plaīly ſheweth wheras willing them to caſt out the leauen / he geueth them warninge / that the whole lumpe is ſone ſowred with a litle leauen. And that this alſo doth apperteine to the benefit and ſafety off the gilty parties S. Paule ſheweth / noting this to be the end off deliueringe the inceſtuous man vntounto Satan / that his ſowle might be ſaued in the daie off the Lord.1. Cor. ver. 6. 1. Cor. 5.5.And againe where he ſaith / that they ougt to be contented with that correction which had bene done / leſt that peraduētur the partie ſhould be ſwallowed vp with to muche greefe.2. Cor. 2.7. Wherby we ſee / that this a medicine / rather then a deadly puniſhement: a ſharpe ād bitter medicine in deede / But we muſt remember that no remedy is ſo greuous as that which is moſt healthfull and holeſome.

Seinge therfore excōmunication hath ſo profitable / neceſſarie …od holeſome vſes in the churche / let it be reſtored to vsus agayne and eſtabliſhed in ſuche ſort as ys deſcribed by the word off God / Let the holie Sacramentes off god be carefully kept from all pollucion and and prophanacion / Let the leauen be purged and caſt out off the churche / that we may be a newe lump as we are vnleauened and ſweet breade as the Apoſtle witneſſeth. Let vsus procure diligently the helth off thoſe membres which be in daunger / that we enter not lame / and maimed / but whole into that life / which by the word off God we hope for. Let the Angell off God therfore / be ſet at the gate off Eden / that with his ſharpe and gliſtering ſword he may keepe back all polluted and vncleane perſons from taſtinge or touching off the tree off life. Let the ſafety off the churche be procured and ſought for by this kind of purgation / and the amendemēt off ſuche as goe aſtray / by theſe remedies: ſharpe in deed and vnpleaſant but holeſome notwithſtanding and proffitable.

Thus in thoſe two kindes or ſortes / all manner off kindes off Eccleſiaſticall diſcipline ād remedyinge off offences / is conteined: onles ſome man think good that / that execration be added which S. Paule denounceth and threatneth in the firſt to the Corinthians and the laſt chap. againſt all thoſe who louelove not the Lord Ieſus:…. Cor. 16.1.22. Galat. 1.2.8.….14. and to the Galathians againſt ſuche as preache any other Goſpell: which S. Iude oute off Enoch ſemeth to thunder againſt all the wicked. Which iff any man ſo take and referr to excommunication / Saint Iohn ſeemeth to allude to the neceſſary vſe off excōmunication in the church / were (as it ſemeth out off Zachary who had propheſyed that in the kingdome of Chriſt ther ſhould no more be any Cananite in the Land) he declareth that in this cyty which he deſcribeth in the xxij. chap. ther ſhould no more be any accurſed thing / as alſo in the xxj. chap. and xxvij. ver. and the 22. chap. the 25. ver. he alludeth to the ſame thing / wheras he ſay that no prophane or abhominable thing / no doggs / inchaunters fornicators / …c. ſhall enter into the cyty.

But that ſemeth to be more then a Medicine / and to be rather a ſentence off deathe and a threatning off the laſt Iudgement without hope off forgyuennes: And ſome think yt agreeth rather to the vices them ſelues then to any certen perſons: as alſo the Apoſtle denounceth thē not againſt certē men but generally againſt the wicked and reprobate. Althoughe the primitiue churche pronounced this ſentence euen againſt certē mē / as Socrates declareth in his hiſtory / that Neſtorius was accurſed by the churche men / which curſe / ſaith he we Chriſtianes are wont to call the ſentence that is pronounced againſt a blaſphemer / when as iff it were grauen vponupon ſome pille… / we publiſhe this ſentence to all the world.The ſeuenth boke of his Eccleſ… aſticall h… tory. Which iff we take in this ſenſe / yt ſemeth ſo to anſwer to excommunication / as Deſtruction. Which the Hebrews call Abaddon / doth anſwer to that exciſion and cutting of whiche they call careth / Which hath bene ſpoken off before. Touching which Deſtruction the Hebrew interpretours confeſſe that they knowe not certenly what it is / yet they do proue plainly that it is an other kind off punyſhement diſtinguiſhed from the other / and off more greeuous and certen deſtruction.

And let thus much ſuffiſe to hauehave bene ſpokē of the chiefe and ſoueraigne authority off the Aſſembly off the Elders in the gouernment off the churche: wherby we may ſee by which of the three ſtates of lawfull gouernmēt (which are / wher one is ſoueraigne / or more / or all) the churche is gouerned. For aſmuche as the ſtate and kind off gouernment / is eſteemed off the ſoueraigne whither he be one / moo / or the commynaltie / Therfore for aſmuch as all thinges are ordered and gouerned by the authority off certen choſen men who are cheife in the congregation in godlines and vertewe / we may call the gouernment off the churche / Ariſtocratie that is / that gouernment and ſtate wherin a fewe off the beſt do beare the rule: or rather Theocratie that is the gouernment off god / ſeing that they hauehave no authoritie to do any thing but by the word and commandement off god.

But theſe choſen ād picked out mē / do ſo exerciſe this authoritie / that they do well vnderſtād they execute no ciuill nor politique gouernment / but that they ſo rule ouer the people off god: that ther be no violence nor tyranny vſed: or ſuche like / as comonly is vſed in that ſtate / which degenerating from the gouernment of a fewe off the beſt / commeth to a fewe off the richeſt: but that they adioyne alſo to ther owne authoritie (eſpecially in matters off great waight as in chooſinge / or depoſinge off any Eccleſiaſticall Officer / or in ſuſpendinge or excommunicatinge any man) the conſent and agreement off all the people. For we reade it to hauehave bene thus done / euē frō the Apoſtles tymes vntill that Diſcipline was corrupted / as appereth in the Actes off the Apoſtles written by Sainct Luke / and the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtory off the primitiue churche. So that in this reſpect yt ſeemeth that the churche is gouerned rather by all / then by a fewe. And therin to reſemble that ſtate off gouernment wherin the cōminaltie is the chiefe. Which ſocietie muſt needes be gouerned by a heauenly ordre / for it is the beſt ſtate off all wheras all theſe thre meete in one kind off gouerment: as both Plato thought and Ariſtotle and the other chiefe and excellent Philoſophers: that ſtate I ſay / wherin all the cytezins obediently ſubmit them ſelues to god which cōmandeth / as kinge and monarche / and the aſſembly which decreeth by his will and authoritie / where alſo the aſſembly decreeth no weighty matter without the cōſent and approbacion off the reſt off the churche and people.

Neither is this the māner of gouernment off pariſh churches onelyonly / but the ſame is alſo kept where more churches are either for that they be nighe togeether / or becauſe they are all ſubiect to the ſame Magiſtrate / or for ther cōmon proffit and commodty / ioyne togeether / and make as yt were one body. For off this ſort alſo be all the aſſemblyes which are gathered for the gouernment off the churche: both thoſe which are called Conferences and Synodes wither they be leſſe Synodes / ſuche as they were wont to hauehave twiſe a yeere in eueryevery prouince / or greater which are gathered to geether by the authoritie off any one whole kingdome / free ſtate / or common wealthe: or ells off mo kingdomes and countries. For the ſouerantie allwais reſerued vntounto Chriſt by whoſe word all thinges are gouerned as in a Monarchy / The counſell or Aſſembly off Elders as in the ſecond ſtate off gouernment which I deſcribed before / decreeth by common counſell and authoritie / that which is for the wealth and commoditie off the churche: the people with all good will allowing off the godly iuſt and honeſt determinacions off the Aſſembly / or making them voide and off none effect / yff they be not ſuche / as in the laſt ſtſtate wherin the people hathe to rule and gouerne.

Off which Aſſemblye both Conferences and Synodes of both ſortes / althoughe many thinges might be ſaid very neceſſary and profitable for the vſe off our churche / to which nothing could be more profitable then theſe aſſemblies being ſo vſed as they are apointed to be vſed by the word off god and vſed by other purer and better reformed churches (as contrariwiſe nothinge doth more hurt then theſe Synodes viſitacions and conuocations / which are come into ther places / which as we vſe them are full off infinitie abuſes wherin almoſt no other thīge is talked of or detreed but of ſquare cappes copes ād ſurpliſes / what faſhiō the miniſters gowne and cloke muſt be off an ſuch like trifles) yet ſeing this hangeth off that which hathe bene allready ſpoken off the gouernment off particuler churches / and the more full handling off thoſe thinges may be taken out of the lerned writinges of ſome off our daies which hauehave lately writē / touching this matter / paſſinge this thus briefly ouer / let vsus returne againe to the aſſembly and cōpany off Elders / which ſeing I hauehave declared both to hauehave bene inſtituted by our Sauiour Chriſt and to be very neceſſary for the preſeruacion off the churche / becauſe that therby controuerſies are ended / offenſes are taken away / the churche being purged is deliuered from the feare off the puniſhement off god / the Sacraments are kept holie and vndefiled / fynally all thinges are done ſeemely and orderly as the Apoſtle cōmandeth to be done in the churche off god / By what ſubtelty off Satan and negligence of our ſelues are our churches bereaued off ſo ſinguler ād heauēly a benefit? can any mā deny but that Chriſt hath thus apointed that this aſſemblie ſhould thus gouerne in his churche? iff ther be any man that can deny it / Let hym tell vsus what the meanyng ys off thes wordes / Tell the Aſſembly in the xviij. off Matthew: or what keyes / that is to ſay what power off openinge and ſhutting off heauen / off bindinge or loſinge ſinne our Sauiour ſpeaketh off in that place:2. Timo. 4.…4. …. Peter. 5. ver. 1. 1. Corr. 23.23. 1. Theſſ. 5.12. ver. Heb. 13.17. Act. 15.2.20.17. Mat. 18.7. Or what that Aſſembly off Elders is which Paule in his Epiſtle to Tymothy ſpeaketh off: or what Elders they be that he ſpeaketh off in the chap. following. And Peter likewiſe in his Epiſtle / who they be that to the Corinthians he calleth gouernours. To the Theſſalonians Rulers and Ouerſers: And who they be whom the Apoſtle to the Hebrews ſaith / to be ſet ouer the congregation vntounto whom he willeth them to be obedient / and to ſubmitt them ſelues: And who they be alſo whom Sainct Luke in the Actes calleth the Elders off the churche off Hieruſalem and off Epheſus? wold they hauehave vsus proue that it is neceſſary? Let them teache vsus contrary to that which our Sauiour Chriſt hath geuen vsus warning off) that yt is not neceſſary that offenſes ſhould ariſe: or ells ſhewe ſome better meanes how to redreſſe them or take away when they be riſen / then that which our Sauiour hath appoynted / which is to be exerciſed by the Aſſembly: Let them ſhewe it to be a needles care to kepe the Sacramentes impolluted and vndefyled? or iff they confeſſe yt to be needfull / let them teache vsus ſome better way to do yt by then that which our Sauiour Chriſt hath taught vsus allready.

For I think ther is no man off any ſound Iudgement / that will ſay / That which we vſe nowe is fytter for this purpoſe: that is to ſay / that one Biſhopp and he not oftentymes by him ſelffe / but by his Chancellor and he by his Surroga…e / ſhould take hym ſo ſelffe all this authoritie / alone rule / as he liſteth / in ſteade off a lawfull Aſſembly off Elders / who by common counſell and authoritie ſhould gouerne the church For as I declared before the Biſhop tooke vponupon him the office off Deacons / that they being taken away he might diſtribute the church goods all alone / and how after alſo takinge vppon him t…e office off the Elders / when he had likewiſe thruſt ou… them / he tooke vponupon him alone all the care off the churche: So here alſo he hath aboliſhed the whole Aſſembly that he alone may be aſked Counſell off / he alone may hauehave knowledge / iudge and determyne off all matters. For he ſpreadeth him ſelffe ouer all the body / euen as the eye which S. Paule ſpeaketh off in the firſt to the Corinthes: For as the eye will hauehave no eare nor hearing in the body / no noſe nor ſmellinge / no handes nor fealinge / fynally nothing but the Eye and ſeinge / So the Biſhop cutteth off the Deacons / as the handes from the body / taketh away the Elders who do neceſſarilie ſerue to ſmell out and vnderſtand many matters / aboliſheth the Aſſembly / as if he ſhould ſtopp vp the eares which are apointed for the hearing off controuerſies / and fynallie hath deſtroyed the whole body / whiles he will hauehave yt nothing but an eye:1. Cor. 14.17. neither will ſuffer either the Deacons or the Elders / or the Aſſembly / to do any thing but only himſelfe to heare handle and deale / with all manner matters. But what a body is this which is nothing but an eye for as the Apoſtle ſaith / The whole body is not one member but many:1. Cor. 12.13.17. And if ther be nothing but an eie / then where is the ſmellinge? wher is the hearinge? wher be the handes? and wher be the other partes / Surely God made the bodie otherwiſe / apointed to eueryevery membre his office and function. Neither can the Biſhopp ſay vntounto the Deacon no more then the Eye vntounto the hand that he hathe no need off him / ſeing we ſee Apoſtles who were the cleareſt Eyes which euer were had neede off the Deacons helpe. Muche leſſe can I ſay that he hathe no need off the Elders / or off the whole aſſembly.

Neither durſt the Byſhoppes arrogate thus muche to them ſelues in the begynninge / but by litle and lytle / as Ambition / and dyſyre off bearinge rule did encreaſe in them / and the care off the churche did decreaſe in ther fellows / at the laſt they came to this vnſpeakable pride. Wherunto this was the firſt ſteppe / when as the name off a Biſhopp which is common to all other miniſters and there fellowes / as yet appeerethe in the xx. off the Actes beganne to be attributed to one alone / who was choſen by the reſt to this end that he might propound the matters which were to be handled vntounto the Aſſembly / and gather the voices / and beare as yt were that office which the Conſull did in the Senate off Rome. But as yet he was choſen by the reſt / and that not for euer but for a tyme: And althoughe he had the honor off the name / yet for other thinges he vſed no priuate authority neither toke vntounto him ſelffe any more geuinge off voyces or determyninge off matters / then any off the reſt / he contynewed ſtill in the common care and chardge off all the Aſſemblie / to watche ād ouer ſee the flock / and was carefull alſo off his owne particuler dewty / to preache ād to teache the people / neither pretēded the charge off the common care which he had with the reſt / to make yt a cloke for his ydlenes and to liue at eaſe and leaue his proper and peculier charge off preaching / but kept ſtill his owne churche / as his ſtandinge vponupon the wall / ſo that yet hether to eueryevery thing But only the Arrogatinge off the name off Biſhopp vntounto him ſelfe was tollerable. But afterwardes when as by the negligence and ignorance off Biſhopps and miniſters / there were but a fewe / who were meete to handle ſuche matters / and many were vnlerned / ſome alſo idle / and negligent / and cared not for the churche / then began this authority and charge touchinge the Diſcipline off the churche / to be allmoſt wholie geuen vntounto one: which occaſion Ambition tooke / and ſeing the tyme to ſerue ſo fitt for the purpoſe / hoiſed vp the ſailes vntounto honor: So yt became a perpetuall office / wheras before they were choſen vntounto yt for a tyme: And all matters were gouerned and ruled by one mans Authoritie alone / and no more by the voyces off his fellowes / and off the Aſſembly.

But afterward / that darknes encreaſinge / and couering all the churche / when as fewe fit Myniſters were to be found not onelyonly in one towne or cytie / But in ſome whole countrie or prouince / the Tyranny grewe greater and encreaſed ſtill / and brought vnderunder the ſubiection off one man / all the churches which were in a whole Dioces: wheruppon the charge off a perticuler and as we will call yt a pariſhe churche / was ſhaken off vnderunder pretence off this great burden off the ouerſight off ſo many churches: So that they left vntounto them ſelues no more off the trew office off a Biſhop and myniſtery then that ſerued for ther honor / that is / they reſerued only ſo muche / that they might ſpeake to the people / wher / and in what churche / and when they wold.

Thus they vſurped all the authority off the Aſſembly yea ouer the Aſſembly / ruling them as they liſted / choſing and putting out whom they would / vntill at the laſt the Aſſemblies were cleane taken away / and the churches off eueryevery Dioces / had Lordes ſet ouer them. But ambition which as the flame or fyre / goeth vpwardes ſtill / and cannot be kept with in any bandes / ſtaied not thus in Dioces and ſmall prouinces / But aſcended vpp to greater / from whence come our Metrapolitanes who were called Archbiſhopps (and fyrſt begann that Authoritie to be geuen them in theyr name / which in deed they had vſurped before / Then from the greater prouinces and Archebiſhoprickes they came higher / to the rule off all the churches in a whole kingdome / whervppon they wer called primates. Then the whole churche thoroughe out the world was ruled by a Quadrumvirat / that is by foure / who had the chiefe charge off all the world / and were called Patriarches / vntill at the laſt Antychriſt by thes ſtaires went vpp to the throne off god / and ſat hym downe in the middeſt off the churche / as Paule had propheſied / and boaſted him ſelfe as god.2. Theſſ. 2.4.

This is the trewe hyſtorie off the confuſion off Eccleſiaſticall offices: This was the cradle and the beginning off the Ambition off churche men: Thus they grewe forewardes vpp and encreaſed: wherby iff we perceyue all thinges to be ſo oute off ordre / that the ſtate off the whole bodye is to be feared by yt / Let vsus at the laſt geue warninge to our Prymat / to our Metropolitanes / and to our Lorde Biſhoppes / that yff they think yt a ſhamefull and an ambytious thinge / and vnbeſceminge the modeſty off the ſeruant off Chriſt and off a trewe Paſtor / for the pope to take the Authorytye off Generall Counſells / and to ſuffe nothing to be done nor decreed in them but what he only dothe or alloweth / that I ſay / yff they think this ſhamefull in the pope to doe to generall Counſells / they would not plaie the petipopes in Conuocations or prouinciall Synods / and takinge awaie the libertie off the Eccleſiaſticall Synodes and Aſſemblies / rule / gouerne / and apoint all alone by tyranny / leſt they ſeeme not to hauehave deſyred to deliuer the churche cleane out off Bondage / but only to chaunge the maiſter / and to make it become ſubiect vntounto them / and to hauehave ſought onelie that we ſhould hauehave no forraine popes / not that we ſhould hauehave none at home / or none alltogether / and rather to hauehave abhorred the pope off Rome / then the popedome yt ſelffe.

Let them remember at the laſt / that they hauehave as great need (iff they do ther dewties) off the helpe off Deacons as the Apoſtles had: Let them remember that the bodye would bee deſtroyed / yff there were no member in yt but the eye: And that churche in like manner wherin no man beareth any office but the Biſhopp: Let them remember that god hathe ſo made the bodye / that there is a merueilous neceſſary vſe off the diuers membres theroff: which variety off partes and members muſt needes be preſerued / yff we would hauehave the bodie whole / healthfull and ſtronge. Let this infinite Ambition and deſyre off rule / and off medlinge with eueryevery thinge that is in the Lord Biſhoppes / be corrected: Let the Conſiſtorie and Aſſembly off the Elders being ſo neceſſarie and ſo profitable for all the affaires off the churche / be eſtabliſhed: wherin they may hauehave indeede / the fyrſt place in reſpect off the worthines off ther office / S that they leaue the ſecond to the Doctors and the third to the Elders. For the churche perceiue the howe hurt full a thinge yt is / that they ſhould take all vntounto them ſelues and can beare yt no longer / perceiuinge well that the ſhamfull prophanacion off the Sacramentes / the manifold and intollerable abuſes off excommunication / which is the higheſt Iuſtice off the churche / and other innumerable euilles flow and ſpringe from no other fountaine then from this pride off the… and buſy medling / very hurtfull and daungerous / for the ſtate off the churche. And thus muche off Eccleſiaſticall officers / off whom becauſe I hauehave ſpoken more at large / how they ought to be appointed / for that in the appoyntinge off them Eccleſiaſticall diſcipline dothe in a manner wholie conſiſt / I will recompenſe yt with the ſhortenes off that part which followeth: which is touchinge the dewtie off all the Saintes and faithfull.

VnderUnder the name off the Sainctes are conteined all the reſt off the churche / which doe not exerciſe any publique office or function therin / whoſe dewtie as in all other ſocieties ys only this / to ſuffer them ſelues willingly to be ruled and gouerned by thoſe / whom god hathe ſet ouer them whervnto there is a ſhort / but a notable and pithy exhortacion off the apoſtle to the Hebrevvs: Heb. 15.1…wherin he exhorteth them ād by them all other churches / to obedience vntounto them who hauehave the ouerſight off thē / that they may geue vp their accōpte of the charge off ſowles which they hauehave taken in hand with ioye and comforte / and that they maye readilie ād with good courage / beare for the churches ſake / all ſuche labor / grees / cares / and ſorwes as are ioined vntounto ther offices.

Neither let Mageſtrates think (allthough in reſpect off ther ciuill authoritie the churche be ſubiect to them) that in this behalffe / they are to be exempted from this precept and commanndement off the Appoſtle / who chargeth eueryevery one to be ſubiect to thoſe who in Lord are ſet ouer them / for ſeing they ought to be carefull as well off the ſaluacion off the Magyſtrate as off others / and that the ſowle off the magyſtrate / as well as of the reſt / is committed to theyr charge. They muſt alſo as well as the reſt ſubmit them ſelues and be obedient to the iuſt and lawfull authoritie off the Officers off the churche. For ſeinge they not onlie rule by the authoritie off Ieſus Chriſt / but in a māner do repreſent his perſon / ſeing they rule not as they / them ſelues liſt accordinge to ther owne will / but only accordinge to this word and commandement / Is it not meete that euen kinges and the higheſt magyſtrates ſhould be obedient vntounto them? For yt is meet that all the princes and Monarches off the world ſhold geue vpp their ſceptres and crownes vntounto him / whome god had made and appointed the Heyre off his kingdome and Lord off heauen and earthe.

I might alledge heare oute off the hiſtories off all times diuers examples off godlie princes who ſubmitted them ſelues to the order and gouernment off the churche apointed by god. Who allthoughe as touching this life they did rule and gouerne / yet they deſpiſed not the diſcipline ād correction off the Lord / I might name out off the moſt auncient hiſtorye and holie Chronicles off the Hebrevvs / kinge Azarias who allthoughe he proudely and boldly vſurped the prieſthood / yet when he was ſtryken by the Lord with a Leproſy / and was therfore caſt out of the temple and ſeperated from the cōmon ſociety off men by the highe prieſt accordinge to the lawe which God had made therin / He obeied the prieſt cōmandinge / according to God his word / and letting his ſonne rule is his ſteade paſſed the reſt of his life in ſolitarines alone by himſelfe.2. Chro. 26 21.

Amonges the Chriſtian Emperors / allthoughe ther be many worthy examples which now a dayes Princes may ſet before them to follow / yet thoſe two which the eccleſiaſticall ſtory reherſeth off Philipp the firſt Chriſtian Emperor and off Theodoſius conteine a ſinguler example aboue the reſt off godlie ſubiection:Euſeb. 4. boke off his eccleſ. ſtory wheroff the one beinge commaunded to abſteine from the Sacramentes vntill he had firſt profeſſed him ſelffe to be a penitent (for that he had committed certen faultes) and had made open proteſtacion off his Religion (for that he was ſuſpected) He willinglie obeied the Biſhopp or rather the word off god: And both proteſted openly his grefe and ſrowe for the ſynnes he had committed / and profeſſed before all the churche his faithe and Religion.

Theodori…us in his 5. boke off his eccleſiaſticall ſtory.The other that is Theodoſius / being not admitted by Ambroſe into the churche / into the which he would hauehave come / did likewiſe ſo willinglie obeie / that proſtratinge hym ſelffe vppon the grownd and pauement off the temple / in the ſight off god and his Angells and all the churche / followinge the meeknes off Dauid reprehended off Nathan) declared the wūderfull ſorowe which he had for his wiked fact and the ſlaughter committed at Theſſalonica by his commaundement reherſing theſe wordes out off the Pſalme. My ſoule did cleane vntounto the pauement. Therfore all the faithfull and euen the princes and magiſtrates them ſelues ought to be ſubiect to the word off god / and to Eccleſiaſticall Diſcipline: and then is the churche in floriſhing eſtate / when bothe they / who beare rule / do commannd according to gods word and the… who be ſubiectes do willingly obeye.

But the Magiſtrates hauehave this proper and peculier to them ſelues aboue the reſt off the faithfull. To ſet in order and eſtabliſhe the ſtate off the churche by ther authoritie and to preſerue and mainteine it according to godds will being once eſtabliſhed Not that they ſhould rule the Eccleſiaſticall matters by their authoritie / for this belongeth vntounto Chriſt alone and to hym he hath committed this charge / but for aſmuche as the Apoſtle teachethe / that they are apointed off God / to thend that we may lyue a godlie ād a peceable life / ād that the kinges off Iſraell by the apointement off god had charge to ſee the execution off all the lawe / they ought to prouide / and ſee that the ſeruice off god be eſtabliſhed as he hathe appointed / and adminiſtred by ſuche as ought to adminiſtre the ſame / and afterwardes preſerued in the ſame ſimplicitie and ſinceritie vndefiled.1. Timo. 1.2. Deu. 17 18.19.

In which ſo worthie an office / Godlie Princes now a daies may chooſe out of the holie hiſtory many paterns to look vponupon and to followe / as Dauid, Salomon, Ezechias, Ioſias, Zerubabell, and others / whoſe labor was famous and notable partly in apointinge the ordre off religion accordinge to the word of god and the voice of the prophetes / partlie in reſtoringe yt againe / after it had bene decaied. By religion I vnderſtād / not only the doctrine which we profeſſe / touching the māner off ſeruing god / and the obteininge of our ſaluaciō by his ſonē but alſo the māner of gouernīge the churche / of apointing the Officers theroff / off correctīge and takinge away off offences: which all / thoſe moſt noble worthies did trewlie and according to the will off god iudge to belong to the office and dewty off the magiſtrate.

Whoſe worthie examples / O moſt noble Queene Elizabeth, iff as your Maieſtie hath well begun̄ / ſo yow do continewe to followe / I hope ſurelie / that for the godlie diſpoſition theroff / both your honorable nobilitie and many notable and famous men off the Eccleſiaſticall degree / and euen the whole Parliamēt wilbe ready to furder / your Graces godlie purpoſe: which bote the ſcriptures do witnes to hauehave hapned to Dauid Salomon and other Religious Princes and famous / (euen for Religion and reformacions ſake) in the like cauſe: And we hauehave alſo ſeene to hauehave hapned vntounto your Maieſtie not with out the devine and merueilous prouidence off god at the aboliſhing off poperie in the beginninge off your raigne. Eſpecially your Highnes right honorable Counſellers / and choſen by your Maieſtie vntounto the bearinge off the chiefeſt offices in your realme / wyll furder this noble enterpriſe who eueryevery one / will chooſe vntounto him ſelffe ſome worthie patterne out off the godlie courtes off thoſe noble kinges for him to followe: in this behalffe: and ſome man peraduēture Eliachim / great ſteward off kīg Ezechias houſe. Some other Shaphan Chan̄ cellor in Ioſias time: other the honorable Secretaries off king Salamon: And the reſt ſome other off the godlie officers in Dauids and Salomons courts: fynally all off them chooſinge to them ſelues ſome ſuche patterns to followe in all vertue and Religion / will ſtriue which off them ſhall be moſt foreward to promote your Graces godlie decrees and purpoſes.

Seing then that all will be ſo ready. O moſt noble Quene fyniſhe and make perfit now at the laſt with the readie wil and conſent off all your Highenes ſubiectes / this heauenlie worck off the ſeruice and Religiō off god which your maieſty hathe begōne / and that not onlie by the example of theſe excellent and famous kinges / whom I hauehave ſet before your eyes / but alſo by the example off your Graces moſt noble Father Henry the viij. off moſt famous memory / and off the moſt godlie prince Edvvard the vj. your Highnes brother / that in the ſame familie wherin the praiſe off religion and reformacion begann to floriſhe / yt may be alſo perfected and finiſhed by your maieſty. For theſe are allmoſt the ſpeciall praiſes off your Highnes houſe and progenie / To baniſhe Idolatry / and to ſet vp the trewe ſeruice off god: wherby / the one / that is to ſay the aboliſhinge off popery / we owe in a great parte to your highnes moſt noble Father / the other / that is the reſtoringe off trew religion / firſt to your Highnes moſt worthy brother that godlie Prince Edvvard the vj. and after alſo to your maieſty / who as yt is written off the good king Ezechias opened vntounto vsus againe the dores off the tēple of the Lord which had bene ſhut ād cloſed vp before / erected vp his aulters againe / which had bene beatē downe / and lighted againe the cleere lampe off the word off the Lord which had bene put out. Which Princely vertewes off your Highnes moſt worthy houſe iff your maieſty crowne with reſtoringe off lawfull diſcipline vntounto the churche / which yet remaineth / Then ſhall our churche of Englād moſt worthelie acknowledg to hauehave receiued hir full libertie and perfit reſtoringe againe next after god / only to that moſt noble houſe wheroff your Highnes is: And confeſſe to hauehave founde moſt trew in that one famouſe houſe off Tedder hir eſtate / that worthy propheſie off Eſay. Kings ſhalbe thy foſter fathers & Queenes thy Nurces. which I pray God moue your Graces hart to performe to the honor off his moſt holy name / the edifying off this our churche off England and the diſcharge off your Highnes dewty vntounto bothe and laſt off all to the longe and proſperous continuance off your maieſties reigne ouer vsus.

Thus nowe the lawfull and trew diſcipline hath bene deſcribed: which gouernment of the churche off Chriſt as off the Lords houſe / who ſo euer diligently and attentiuely conſider / ſhall eaſilie perceiue a merueilous heauēly wiſdome to ſhine in all the gouernmēt of the ſame. And ſo muche the more merveilous then was the gouernment off the houſe and court off Salamon / weroff mencion is made in the holie hiſtory off the kinges / as he is wiſer then Salomon / who did appoint all the ordre and manner off the ordring off it.1. King. 10. For wither we conſider the ordres and degrees off Officers / or ther orderly ſitting downe / or the diuers ornamentes and apparell off eueryevery one / according to his diuers eſtate and degree / we ſhall ſee / that nothing could be wiſely inuented nor diſpoſed with Iudgement and reaſon either forthe preſeruacion off the ſure and ſafe eſtate off the churche / or for beautifyinge and adorninge the eſtimacion off the ſame / which is wanting in this gouernment. For as touching the Officers / what neceſſary office is omitted and neglected? or what office needles and vnneceſſary is appointed? or what can be named more ſeemely and orderly then this appointinge off the offices? That thoſe functions ceaſinge which ſerued but for a tyme / and were vſed extraordinarily in the firſt yeeres off the raigne off our Sauiour Chriſt for the eſtabliſhing off his kingdome.

Ordinary and perpetuall offices ſhould be appoynted in two ſortes / wheroff the firſt is ſuche wheras eueryevery man hath his ſeuerall charge. The other / where many hauehave but one and the ſame charge which they execute by common counſell and Authoritie. Wheroff againe the firſt ſort conſiſteth in ij. kindes / of Biſhopps (which expound and teache Religion and the ſeruice off god / that is Paſtors ad Doctors) and as many Deacons, (that is to ſay / Deacons & Elders / ſo called figuratiuely by names which are more generall. Off whō ſome go watche ouer the life ād conuerſatiō off all the churche / And the other are carefull to helpe the neceſſities off wydowes / ſtraungers / ſick folk / and generallie off all the poore: ſo that both all the houſe is ſufficiently prouided for / aſwell touchinge the purity off faithe and doctrine / as the honeſtie and integritie off life and manners / and alſo the neede and neceſſitie off every one particulerly not neglected.

Then / the conſiſtory or the Aſſembly off Elders which conſiſtethe of the three firſt and cheefe Officers off the church / Paſtors, Doctors, & Elders, hauehave the chiefe care and charge off this commō wealthe: to ſee that no office want his officer / and how faithfullie eueryevery one beareth hīſelfe in doinge off his office / regarding all with one eye / how offēſes may be auoided / and how they may be remedied when they do ariſe / As for the placinge off eueryevery one in his degree how honeſt and orderly ys it? wheras all do generally reuerence and reſpect the Aſſembly / for their Authoritie: And eueryevery one knoweth his place and degree / and lifteth not him ſelfe / aboue his callinge: But the Deacons ſitting downe in the loweſt Roume / geue place vntounto the Biſhopps / who ſitting as Stevvards off the Lordshouſe at the higher ende off the table / enuie not other officers to ſit together with them. And the Stewards alſo do ſo know them ſelues to beare the ſame office / that notwithſtanding the Paſtors go before / and the Doctors follow after: After whom next be the Elders / and in the laſt place the Deacons / ſitting notwitſtandinge at the Officers table.

As for eueryevery mans garments and apparell / howe ſeemely are they / how meet for ther callinges / and how precious ād excellent? The common Araie off them all / is a certen godlie and holie knowledge and profeſſion off Religion / and an vndefiled life and cōuerſacion: wherwith being clothed / as with thoſe white garmentes which Saint Iohn mencioneth in his reuelacion they need no cloth off gold our ſuche like coſtly apparell to ſet them out with all. Yet beſides this common Aray / eueryevery one carieth the proper tokens and badges off his office: For the Biſhopps as the kinges ſtewardes in ſteade off ther ſtaues / hauehave ſounde knowledge of the ſcriptures / beſides which the Paſtors hauehave allſo that mouīge ād percinge ſpeeche / wherby they hauehave bothe power and authoritie to ſtrenghten and to terrefie / to comfort and to caſt downe againe / as the Reye off openinge and ſhuttinge / which Eliachim / great ſteward off kinge Ezechias houſe / is deſcribed to beare vponupon his ſhoulder.… 1….22.

As for the reſt off the Deacons their ſeuerall ſignes and markes / are Diligence & Symplicitie: Which ſo merueilous gouernment off the howſe off God / apointed by the moſt devine and heauenly wiſdome / ſeing it paſſethe aboue meaſure the ordre off Salomons houſe with the louelove wheroff the Queene off Saba was Rauiſhed / the God off all mercy graunt / that yt may muche more rauiſhe our moſt noble Queene and hir right honorable Counſellors with the love theroff then the other did the Queene off the Sowthe and hir Courtiers. For then ſhall we bee all moſt happy who liue in the churche as in the court off Chriſt our trewe Salomon when we may allwais ſtand in his preſence before him / and heare him ſpeake being the wiſdome off his Father: Then ſhall we confeſſe that king Salamon doth reigne in deede / and that all thinges are trew which the Prophetes propheſied touching his kingdome / when we ſee the churche in this ordre / when we ſee the Miniſters and officers theroff thus araied and apointed. For althoughe as we ſaie / the court is wher the king is / So alſo the church is wher as Chriſt is preſent: And allthoughe this be the cheifeſt end moſt principall / To heare the voice and wiſdome off Salomon / yet it is not poſſible / that he ſhould tary any longe tyme in a place / that he appoint not and ſet in ordre his Court according to his heauenlie wiſdome.

It may be that in time of his progreſſe / where he ſoiourneth but for a ſhort tyme being ready by and by to depart againe / that this whole ordre and gouernment off his court can̄ot ſo well be ſeene and appeere: but it cannot be that where he is purpoſed to dwell / and where he hath choſen a certen place to abyde and continewe in / that he ſet not all thinges in ordre according to his wiſdome / meeteſt both for his ſtate ād maieſtie and for the perpetuitie off his reigne. For which cauſe I am the more a fraid / leſt that he be come into England / as into ſome caſtle in the waie off his progreſſe for a ſmall tyme vnles this confuſion and diſordre which cōmonly followeth progreſſes be taken awaye / and a certeine and ſure ordre off gouerninge the churche be eſtabliſhed: for I cannot fullie reioice in the ſtate off our churche / vntill that I ſee both for religion ſownde faithe and doctrine in Chriſt / and for diſcipline / a commely and meet order off gouerninge the churche / which Saint paule reioiſed to ſee in the churche off the Coloſſians. For the ſtable and perpetuall ſtate and condition off the churche ſtandethe vponupon theſe ij pillers.

Wherfore I moſt humblie pray and beſeech all men that hauehave any care to preſerue and keepe the kingdome off Chriſt emonges vsus / to deliuer the trew ſeruice and worſhipp off God to our poſteritie / that to their power eueryevery one would ſeeke for this lawfull diſcipline off the churche which I hauehave deſcribed and bo…he all ſeeke to furder yt with their good will and prayers / and eſpecially the miniſters by preachinge and the Maieſtrates by authoritie. As for me I bynd my ſelffe as it were by this Obligation to god and to the churche / that my labor and diligenc ſhall neuer be wanting in any thing that may helpe and furder by any meanes this reformation / which our Eyes daſell and our ſowles pyne away with ſo long looking and waiting for / which yff I may once ſee / I ſhall thinck that parte off any life the happieſt / wherin ſo great a benefit ſhall comme vntounto the churche: but Iff I ſhall neuer ſee yt with mine eyes / yet I am glad / that I hauehave ſeene the forme and patterne off it allready in my mind and left it to thoſe that ſhall come after and ſo by the example off Dauid and Ezechiel / whoſe condicion was not vnlyke in this behalffe / and by the teſtimony off my conſciēce / that I hauehave diſchardged my dewty to my God / and to our churche: I will reſt and confort my ſelffe herewithall / in the want off that which with ſo great deſyer I hauehave longed for.

To God alone be honor & glorye.

Declaration of Ecclesiastical Discipline out of the Word of God, Tract (5 of 5)