A Reply to an Answer Made by Doctor Whitgift, Reply · Part 18
To the next ſection in the. 45. page: Muſculus alſo. &c.
THe place is too common which you aſſigne / you had I am ſure the booke before you / you might hauehave tolde where the place was / and in what title. But that place of Muſculus in the title of the magiſtrate / is anſwered by hym ſelfe in the ſame booke / where he entreateth of the election of the miniſters. For going about (as it ſeemeth) to ſatiſfie ſome of their miniſters / which were brought in doubt of their calling / becauſe they were not choſen by their churches / ſpeaking of the vſe of the church in chuſing their miniſter / he ſayth thus.
Firſt / it muſt be playnly cōfeſſed / that the miniſters were in times paſt choſen by conſent of the people / and ordayned and confirmed of the ſemores.
Secondarily / that that forme of election was Apoſtolicall and lawfull.
Thirdly / that it was conformable to the libertie of the churche / and that thruſting the paſtor vponupon the church / not being choſen of it / doth agree to a church that is not free but ſubiect to bondage.
Fourthly / that thys fourme of choiſe by the church maketh much bothe to that / that the miniſter may gouerne hys flocke with a good conſcience / as alſo that the people may yeelde them ſelues to be eaſtyer ruled / then when one commeth agaynſt their willes vntounto them.
And to conclude all theſe / he ſayeth that they are altogether certayne / and ſuch as can not be denyed. After he ſayth that the corrupt eſtate of the churche and religion driueth to alter this order / and to call the election to certayne learned men / which ſhoulde after be confirmed of the Prince. And that it may yet more clearely appeare that hys iudgement is nothing leſſe then to confirme thys election / he ſetteth downe their election in Bernland / which he approueth and laboureth to make good / as one which although it doth not fully agree with the election of the prymitine churche / yet commeth very neare vntounto it: As that not one man but all the miniſters in the citie of Berne / doe chuſe a paſtor when there is any place voyde.
Afterward he is ſent to the Senate / from the which / if he be doubted of / he is ſent agayne to the miniſters / to be examined / and then if they fynde him meete / he is confirmed of the Senate / (which ſtandeth of ſome number of the people) and by the moſt part of their voyces. By theſe things it appeareth / that this election of the miniſter by the people / is lawfull and Apoſtolike / and confeſſed alſo by him / that thoſe that are otherwiſe / bring with them ſubiection vntounto the church / and ſeruitude / and cary a note and marke of corruption of religion.
Laſt of all / that he goeth about to defende the election vſed in the churches where he was miniſter / by this / that it approched vntounto the election in the primitiue Churche. Nowe what cauſe there may bee / that we ſhould bring the church into bondage / or take away that order wherby both the myniſter may be better aſſured of hys calling / and the people may the willinglyer ſubmit them ſelues vntounto their paſtoures and gouernoures / or what cauſe to depart from the Apoſtolike forme of the choiſe of the paſtor being lawfull / I confeſſe I know not / and would be glad to learne.
To aſſigne the cauſe hereof vntounto the chriſtian magiſtrate / & to ſay / that theſe things can not be had vnderunder hym (as you / vnderunder maiſter Muſcuius name / doe affirme) is to doe great iniurie vntounto the office of the magiſtrate / which abridgeth not the liberty of the churche / but defendeth it / dimmiſheth not the paſtor his aſſurance of his calling / but rather encreaſeth it / by eſtabliſhing the ordinary callings only / which in the time of perſecution ſometimes are not ſo ordinary / withdraweth not the obediēce of the people from ye paſtor / but vrgeth it / where it is not / & conſtrayneth it / wher it is not volūtary. And ſeeing that alſo Muſculus ſayth / that theſe forced elections are remedies for corruption of relygion / and diſordered ſtates / what greater diſhonoure can there be done vntounto the holye inſtitution of God in the ciuile gouernoure / then to ſay that theſe forced elections without the conſent of the people muſt be / where there is a chriſtian Magiſtrate: as thoughe there coulde be no pure religion vnderunder him / when as in deede it may be eaſely vnderunder him pure / which can hardly / and with great daunger / be pure without him. And when as it is ſayd / that the churches conſent ſhould be had in the election of the miniſter / we doe not denye the confirmation of the elections vntounto the godly ciuill magiſtrate / and the diſanulling of them / if the church in chuſing / and the miniſters in directing / ſhall take any vnfitte man / ſo that yet / he doe not take away the libertie from the church / of chuſing a more conuenient man.
So that you ſee / that by Muſculus your witneſſe reaſons / this enforced election without the conſent of the people / is but corrupt / and ſo ought not to be in the churche. And that although it hath bene borne withall / yet it muſt be ſpoken agaynſt / and the lawfull forme of election laboured for / of all thoſe that louelove the truth / and the ſinceritie therof.