Discipline Which Christ Hath Prescribed for the Government of His Church, Chapter 3
CHAP. 3.
EVery Church-officer,Our assertion. ought to execute the office committed vntounto him, with all faythfull diligence, and consequently be continually resident vppon his charge, T. C. booke 1. page 65.
They deny not the proposition,Their assertion. but the consequent that is inferred vponupon it, as appeareth by their writinges, VVhitgist page 246. and by their dayly practize in giuing di…pensations for many benefices. The reasons we alleadge to prooue the necessitie of perpetuall residence, and the vnlawfulnes of nonresidence be these that follow.
1 A shepheard hath a flocke to the ende to feed it continually: The minister is a shepherd, and his charge a flocke: Therefore he ought to feede it continually, and consequently to be perpetually resident, for how can he feed them from whom he is absent.
2 Where God doth place anye man, there his continuall trauaile is needfull, for God is most wise in disposing eueryevery thing: But God placeth eueryevery right minister ouer that people, which is his charge: Therefore his continuall trauaile is needfull there, and consequently he may not discontinue.
3 Flockes that are in danger, are (by carefull shepeards) watched night and day, Luk. 2. 8. EueryEvery congregation is a flocke in daunger, for the enemie goeth about like a roaring lyon, 1. Pet. 5. 8. and soweth tares whilest men sleepe. Math. 13. 25. Therefore eueryevery congregation is to bee watched night and day by the minister therof, and consenquently he may not be nonresident.
4 If his dutie to them requireth so muche trauayle, as may continually set him on wor…, then may he not be nonresident: But it is euident (that it doth so) to all them that eyther know by the worde of God, what studie, prayer, doctrine, exhortation, &c. be required of him, or maketh anye conscience of giuing account for the souls committed to their charge: Therfore may not they be nonresident.
5 If the minister cannot apply himself fruitfully, to the capacitie of his people, vnlesse hee hauehave particular knowledge of their disposition, and capacitie, then is it not lawfull for him to be nonresident: for by continuall residence among them, he may knowe them and not else: But the former is true, as the small knowledge that the people get by generall teaching, doth euidently declare: Therfore it is not lawful for him to be nonresident.
6 If the ministers of the Gospell, be as narrowly tyed to their charges, as the priests vnderunder the law, then may they not be nonresident: For they were alwayes readie in the Temple, to answere the doubts, 1. Sam. 1. 9: But it is clear that they are, because men are now as hardly trayned vntounto godlines, and the enemie is as wrathfull as he was then: Therefore they may not be nonresident.
7 If the minister must be an example to his people; then must he be daily present with thē, that they may beholde him: But the former is true, 1. Tim. 4. 12. Therfore is the latter true also.
8 He whom the sheepe are to follow in and out, and must knowe by the voyce, ought to bee continually among them: A good minister of the worde is such a one, Iohn. 10. 4. Therefore he must be resident among them.
9 None can be alwayes readie to feede his flocke, that is absent from it: Euerye minister must be alwayes readie to feede his flocke, because it dependeth vponupon him. 1. Pet. 5. 2. Therefore eueryevery minister is to bee resident with his flocke.
10 Hee that must take heede to his flocke, watch ouer it, and feed it, must be resident continually with it: EueryEvery minister must do so, Act. 20. 28. Therefore, &c.
11 If Satan be the cause of nonresidence, thē is it vtterly vnlawfull: But Satan is the cause of it, 1. thes. 2. 17. 18. Therfore it is vtterly vnlawful.
12 That which abridgeth the louelove of God to his people, and comfort to the minister, that same is vnlawfull: But not to be resident doth both: Therefore it is vnlawfull.
13 That which hindreth the louing familiarity that shoulde be betwixt the minister and his people, that same is vnlawfull: But nonresidence doth so, for it maketh them strange one to another, and argueth small louelove in him towards them: Therefore it is vnlawfull.
14 To be absent from them that hauehave interest in vsus, and continuall need of vsus is vnlawful, which we can see to be true in our seruants, &c: But the congregation hath an interest in the minister, and continuall neede of him: Therefore it is vnlawfull for him to bee absent from them.
15 If the priests might not dwell farre from the temple, then may not ministers be nonresident: But the former is true, as appeareth by this; that they had houses buylded close to the Temple. 1. Chron. 28. 13. Therefore the latter is true also, seeing the residence of the one is as needfull as the other, as appeareth in the sixt reason.
16 Let no Clarke be placed in two charges,Concil Nice canon 15. for it is filthie merchaundize, and no man can serue two masters, and euerye one must tary in that place wherevnto he is called.
17 Damas…us compareth them that set ouer their charges to others,Concil. tom. 2. to harlots that put out their children, that they may giuegive themselues to lust the sooner.
18 It was ordayned that none,Theoderet lib. 1. cap. 19. eyther B. or Elder, should go from citie to citie.
Therefore,The conclusion if a minister hauehave the charge of a flocke committed vntounto him, to the end to feed it; if God place men, to the end to hauehave them there imploied; if flocks in daunger hauehave need of continuall watche; if the ministers dutie to his flocke requireth all that trauayle that he can performe; if he cannot be fruitfully profitable vntounto them, without continuall residence; if his residence be as strictly required as theirs vnderunder the law; if he cannot be a patterne vntounto them without he be resident; if they cannot follow him, nor know him if he be absent; if he cannot be alwayes readie to feed his flock, vnlesse he bee there; if hee cannot take heede to them, feede them, and watche ouer them, without his presence; if Satan be the authour of nonresidencie; if his absence abridge Gods louelove to them, and comfort from himselfe; if absence be an hinderance to the louing familiaritie that shoulde be betwixt him and them; if they hauehave interest in him, and continuall neede of him; if he may no more bee absent, then the priests dwell from the Temple; if the Councel of Nice did vponupon good grounds forbid it; if absence be like to the practize of an harlot; if it be not lawfull to go from place to place; then is nonresidence vnlawfull, & the practize therof contrary to the word of God.
The bellie (for which nonresidencie is defended and practized) hath no eares, therefore it is that they heare not the euident sounds; yet hauehave they very little to saye for it, so grosse is the error thereof; so much as hath any shewe of reason, is here set downe and answered.
1 Obiection Two parrishes may bee vnited, why then may not one hauehave charge of them both before, when they be two.
Ansvvere Because one shepheard may keep one flocke though it bee great, but hee cannot keepe two, being verye little, and going in diuers pastures; againe, one man may hauehave so many flockes as he can lead in and out euerye Sabboth, to the exercises of religion, which is verye plaine that he cannot doe, to more then one congregation.
2 Obiection Parishes were deuided by men, as especially by Denis the Monk, Pope of Rome
Ansvvere That is vntrue, for the Apostles deuided the Church into congregations, and placed elders ouer eueryevery one of them, as the whol course of the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles prooueth: and VVhitgift confesseth page 250. Therefore these mistes, notwithstanding nonresidencie, must needes be vnlawfull: and certainely those that hauehave any sparkle of conscience, feare of God, or louelove to their flockes, will neuer defend it, much lesse enter into the practize of it.