Discipline Which Christ Hath Prescribed for the Government of His Church, To the reader – Table of contents
TO THE READER.
INfinite and vnspeakeable (Christian Reader) are the miseries frō whiche Iesus Christe our Sauiour hath freed vsus, and the benefites and blessings, wherewith in this life he beginneth, and for euer will continue to adorne vsus. The consideration whereof (if our …thankfulnes vntounto his Maiesty, were any way proporcionable, to that which we endeuour vntounto towards men) shoulde make vsus continually to deuise, & all the daies of our life to studie howe wee might shew our selues (at least in some sort) carefull to glorifie his blessed name, aboue all thinges that we desire, by how muche as his louelove towardes vsus, excelleth whatsoeuer can else (according to our wish) befall vntounto vsus: but if we do with equall ballance (on the other side) looke into the course of mans life, howe well this dutie is performed; we shal see, that men declare themselues rather bent to spit in his face, and to defie him, then any way to honour him as their head and Soueraigne: for (to saye nothing of the prophane life, and godlesse couersation, wherewith the generall number, that professeth Iesus Christ, is wholy defiled) wee see that many nations, people and languages are very willing to receiue Iesus Christe as their priest to sacrifice for their sinnes, but that he should become their king, to prescribe lawes vntounto them, whereby they may bee ruled, is of all other things the most vnsauory, yea (if it be offered) the most grieuous tydinges, and vnreasonable request: wherein, albeit manye nations that hauehave renounced that whore of Rome, are heynously sinnefull against his glorious maiestie: yet is there none in the whole worlde so far out of square as Englande, in reteyning that popishe hierarchie, firste coyned in the midst of the mistery of iniquitie, and that filthie sinck of the Canon law, which was inuented and patched together, for the confirming and increasing of the kingdome of Antichrist: Wherein as great indignitie is offered vntounto Iesus Christ, in cōmitting his Church vntounto the gouernement of the same, as can be, by meane vnderlings vntounto a king; in committing his beloued spouse vntounto the direction of the mistresse of the Stewes, and enforcing hir to liue after the orders of a brothelhouse. For the reformatiō wherof, while some hauehave written, and others according to their callinges, carefully stoode, howe heynously it hath beene taken, howe hardly they hauehave bene vsed, and what shamefull reproches hauehave beene offered (euen vntounto the course of the Gospell) for spyte that hath beene borne vntounto reformation, almost by all estates and degrees, lamentable experience hath taught many of vsus: but our posterity shall knowe it more particulerly, and the Church thoroughout the world shall discerne and iudge of it more euidently, when their bodies are rotten in the dust, & their soules (if they repent not) in eternall and intollerable torments; who hauehave reiected a request so holy, profitable and reasonable; yea, and handled the intreaters for the same so cruelly, vnchristianly, and vnlawfully: but they would gladly perswade themselues (if their conscience would let them) that they hauehave onelyonly executed iustice vponupon vsus as malefactours, and they perswade men that we desire a thing, not warranted by the worde, not heard of in the Church of God, vntill within this few years, nor tollerable in any christian common-weal whatsoeuer: The whiche monstrous slaunders, albeit they hauehave bene manye wayes, and by many men of most worthie gifts detected, and made knowne in those seuerall bookes that hauehave bene published concerning the same: yet hauehave I thought it necessarie (in another course) to write also of it. The course of my enterprise, is first in respect of the fauorers of the desired reformation; secondly of the aduersaries of the same, the fauourers of it, are also of two sorts; ministers of the word, & priuate persons, & both I hope, may hauehave profit by it. Concerning the former, when these wofull troubles that were renewed vponupon vsus (by that wretched subscription, that was eueryevery where vrged) did begin to increase, I thought it meete to betake my selfe vntounto that which I had read, or might any way by studie finde out, concerning the cause, and collected all into a briefe sum, and referred eueryevery thing vntounto some head; whiche beeing euer present with me, might furnish me to answere in the defence of the trueth, though it were of a sodden, by which (thorow the blessing of God) I found such profite in my seuerall troubles, that I thought it a course not altogether vnprofitable for others also, and vponupon that occasion betooke my selfe vntounto a more serious meditation about the matter, and communicating the thing with diuers very worthy men; I found encouragement & hartening on, generally by all whom I made acquainted therwith: so that I trust (the iudgments, yea and wishes also of others, so iumping with mine) many ministers that louelove the cause, and hauehave not so thorowly studied it as were meet they should, may reape some profit therby. Now concerning priuate men that louelove the cause, som hauehave great affaires in hand, and hauehave no leasure to read the seuerall books of this argumente: some when they read, are not of sufficient capacity to conceiue the force of a reason, or to make vse of it, to enform themselues in the grounded knowledge of the cause thereby: some (which is the generall falt of our religious gentlemē) will take no paines to read, some are poore and not able to buie the books which might let them see the cause, al these (I hope) may finde helpe in some measure hereby. Nowe concerning the aduersaries vntounto the cause, they are of two sortes also, they that know it, and they that are ignoraunt of it: the former, if they write anye thing against it, are contented to deal in so rouing a course as may rather arise vntounto great volumes, then soundly to saye anye thing againste the cause: Wherein D. Whitgifte, but especially D. Bridges, hauehave giuen vsus an euident example: and these with others of their iudgment (though non in these latter dayes, hauehave written more vnlearnedly then they, of any argument of diuinity whatsoeuer) are cōtented to make the world belieue (if mē will be so wilfully seduced) that our arguments be no arguments, that they be grounded vponupon false foundations, & that we are not able to conclude our cause in any forme of reasoning. The course that is here taken (I trust) shall shew that they are liars: the other sort of aduersaries be they that be meerly ignorant of any thing, either for it or against it; and perswading themselues that the sway and shew of the worlde must needs cary the truth with it, do (like blind bayardes) boldly venture to say any thing against it, and think they do wel. Now of all these sorts of people, I hauehave to request some thing; I hope I shall obtaine my request (at the least) at the hands of some of thē. The first sort of fauorers (which be the ministers) I intreat, that as they tender the glory of God, and honour of the cause which they stand in; so they would diligently imploy themselues in this, that they may be founde able to defend the same by sounde and euident grounds out of the worde, & so muche the rather, for that the aduersaries doe greatly triumph, when they meete with one that professeth the cause, and is not able to defende it, and confute the gainsayers of it. The secoud sort of fauourers, be the priuate persons that louelove the cause, whom I beseech to be carefull (as of all other pointes of religion) of this, that they growe in the knowledge of the word of God, whereby they may be able, vponupon their owne knowledge to defend the truth, and not giuegive the enemie any occasion to think or say, that they be of that minde, because such and suche ministers, whom they do affect, do thinke so. Now concerning the former sort of aduersaries, to wit, they that know it, I pray them to looke into their owne hearts, and they shal finde they mislike it; eyther because it correcteth their excessiue pompe and maintenaunce, or requireth more trauaile in their ministery, then they are willing to vndergo, or at the least, controlleth that dissolutnes of behauior, wherin they willingly wallow: and if it would please god to bring them to a serious meditation of this, that it is the will of the mighty God (before whō they must be called to giuegive an account) whiche they doe resist, they would (I doubt not) more carefully looke about thē. And lastly for them that being ignorant of the cause, speake euill of that they know not: let them (if they will bee admonished) vouchsafe to reade this little book, and wey the reasons with an vpright iudgment, which shal cause thē (at the least) to suspend their sharpe censures, which so vsually appeare in their ordinary communication: & concerning vsus al, let vsus know (for one day we shalbe sure to feel it) that the controuersie is not about goats woolle (as the prouerbe sayth) neither light & trifling maters, which may safely be folowed or reiected (as in deed the enemies of this cause do confidently affirme) but about no les matter thē this, whether Iesus Christ shalbe king or no; For if none is said to be a king, but he that ruleth by the scepter of his lawes, then the turning out of these orders which christ hath prescribed in his word, for the ruling of the Church, is to giuegive him the tytle, and denye him the authority belonging to the same, and so (in trueth) to make him an Idol, making him to cary a shew of that which he is not, & (with the crucifiers of him) to put a reede in his hand, in stead of his yron rod; and crowning him with thorns, in stead of the crown of greatest glory; which is the cause that so many Atheists spit in his face, and so many godles persons, do make but a iest of him: but when he commeth to shew him-selfe in his glorious maiestie; it shalbe said vntounto all these sorts of aduersaries: Those mine enemies whiche would not that I should raigue ouer them, bring hither, and slea them before me. Luk. 19. 27. The which fearefull sentence, that we may auoide, let euerye one of vsus (as may stand with our seuerall callings) carefully endeuor, to aduaunce this kingdom here, which (among other assurances giuen vsus from the Lord shalbe a testimonie vntounto vsus, that we shall hauehave part in that glory, which shalbe reuealed herafter. Now concerning the order of this booke; to direct thee (good reader) vntounto thy further instructiō, in the points therof. Thou hast in eueryevery chapter, diuers proofs out of the holy word of God, which must be the things wherewith thou mayest safely informe thy conscience: then shalt thou finde (also arguments drawn from reson rightly ruled by the same word: and lastly, (because our aduersaries charge vsus, that we desire a thing not known vntounto the olde writers, nor agreed vponupon among the newe) thou hast here the witnes of them both in so plentifull and vniforme wise, as may plainly declare, that al godly learned men of al times, hauehave giuen testimony vntounto the trueth of it. The most of the thinges that are here expressed, I acknowledg to be gathered out of the books that hauehave bene published, and are extant (purposely) concerning this argumēt; as may appeare in the seueral points, wherein thou art sent vntounto thē. Now, lest either thou shouldst be deceiued with a diuers impression, or think me to missealleadge the authors, I am to shew thee what books I hauehave followed. The 1. book of T. C. twise printed, I folow the latter; of Ecclesiast. discip. I folow the latine, printed 1574. and the last booke of D. Whitgift, which containeth all the former in it. The rest (as I take it) hauehave bene but once printed, and therefore cary no doubt in them. If thou bee satisfied herewith, giuegive God the glory: and promote the cause by prayer, and all other good meanes that thy calling may affoord: and pray for vsus, that we may neuer shrinke, nor be ouerthrowen by the strength of them that fight against it.
FINIS.
A Table of Discipline, the particular heades whereof, are handled in the seuerall chapters, according to the number wherevvith they are noted: as follovveth.
The Discipline of the Church is, the order that GOD hath prescribed in his worde, for the ruling of the same: cap. 1
The offices & officers of whiche, are to bee considered in
General, the calling,
wherevnto to wit, to
A certaine office, Chap. 2.
Execute his office faythfully, Chap. 3.
how it muste be by
Election whiche must
be done by
The people, chap. 4.
Examination, chap. 5.
Consent (onelyonly) to a man fit for the place, Chap. 6.
ordination
By whom it must be: by the eldership. Chap. 7.
The maner howe, by
publike prayer with the people, chap. 8.
laying on of hands, cap. 9.
Particular, the officers and offices,
Simple by themselues,
Byshops
Pastours, chap. 10.
Doctours, chap 11.
Deacons or Church seruants,
Ouerse…, chap. 1….
Distributers, chap. 13.
compound the Synode Ecclesiasticall,
What
Be the parties: Pastours, Doctours, and Elders, Chap. 14.
Is the authoritie thereof, chap. 15.
wherein it consisteth: in
placing and displacing; chap. 16.
Censures by
Word, chap. 17.
deed
Suspention, cap. 1…
Excommunication Chap. 19.