The True Form of Church Government, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
IT belongeth to the Church, to make choise of those Officers which Christ would have placed in the same: T. C. 2 booke,Our assertion. 1 part, page 193. Ecclesiast. Discip. fol. 40. and Whitgift confesseth it, page 164.
They deny this, as their denying of all the arguments that bee brought for it doth prove, Whitgift page 154.166, &c. and their practise of allowing patrons, and also being such themselves doth evidently decla…e.
If the former be proved true, then the latter must return to Antichrist, which …s thus declared.
1 That which was the continuall and constant practise of the Church in the time of the Apostles, that same is to be followed for ever, which appeareth by this, that the ordinances given from God by Paul, Acts 1.…1 Tim. 6.14. are enjoyned to be kept untill Christ come to judgement: But it was the constant, and the continuall practise of the Churches, then to have a stroke in the choise of their owne ecclesiasticall Officers, Act. 1.26. where the Apostles presented two, to the peoples liking: whereof God was to be prayed unto, to make one an Apostle, Act. 6.3. where the Church is willed to choose their Deacons, and Act. 14 25. where they gave their consent in the choosing of their Elders, by the stretching forth of their hands: Therefore it belongeth to the Church to choose their own Church Officers.
2 If the people had an interest in the liking of their teaching Levites,Numb. 8.9. (which were of the tribe of Aaron) then much more must the people now, for there was greater likelihood, that they were sent of God, then any of the common sort of men: But the former is true, as appeareth by the manner of the setting of them aside unto that office in the law: Therefore must the latter needs be true also.
3 That which pertaineth unto all, ought to be approved of all the congregation: But every Ministery in the Church, pertaineth to all the congregation: Therefore, authority to approve of them, pertaineth to all the congregation.
4 That election which is most effectuall to bring the people to obedience, is of all other the best, and to abridge it, is unlawfull: But election by common consent, is most effectuall to bring the people to obedience; when they shall see him teach or rule, whom they themselves have chosen: Therefore election by the Church is the best, and all other kinds of elections unlawfull.
5 That election which procureth greatest reverence of the people to their teachers and rulers is meetest, and all others unlawfull: But for the people to consent in the election of their Governours, procureth greatest reverence, in their hearts towards them: Therefore election by the people is the best, and all others be unlawfull.
Testimonies of the ancient Writers.
Cyprian bo…kes. Epist 3.6 The Minister should be chosen (the people being present) in the eyes of all, and should be by the common judgement, and testimony approved worthy and fit, &c. Therefore this is the lawfull vocation by the word of God, where those which are chosen, be appointed by the consent and approbation of the people. For which also, he bringeth divers authorities out of the Scriptures.
7. That is truly and certainly a Divine election of a Bishop,Ambrose Epist. …2. which is made by the whole Church.
8. Let the people have authority to choose their Clerkes and Ministers.Ierome ad Ruf… ….
9. They runne (speaking of the life of the Clerkes) to Bishops suffra…a… certaine times of the yeare,Ad Nepo… num. and bringing some summe of money, they are anoynted and ordained, being chosen of none, and afterward the Bishop without any lawfull election,This is right ou… … …a…hion. is chosen in huggermuger of the Canons, or Prebendaries onelyonly, without the knowledge of the people.
10. In the Oration of the death of his Father,Nazianzen. approveth the election by the people, at large, and confuteth them that would hinder it
11. When he appointed Eradius to succeed him, faith,Augustine. it was the approved right and custome, that the whole Church should either choose o… consent unto their Bishop.
12. Anthimius choosing a Bishop without the peoples consent, filled all Armenia with sedition.Basil Epist …8.
13. Why did Peter communicate the election with the Disciples? left the matter should have turned to a braule,Chrysost in act. 1. and have fallen to a contention.
Testimonies of generall Councells.
14. It is meete that you should have power, both to choose,Concil Nicen. … Theodoret. and to give their names that are worthy to be among the Clergie, and to doe all things absolutely according to the lawes and decrees of the Church, and if it happen any to dye in the Church, then those which were last taken, are to be promoted, to the honour of him that is dead, if they be worthy, and if the people choose them.
15. Let the people choose, and the Bishop approve, and seale up the election with them.The same C… test hist. trip…r… l…b 2. Con…il Constan. …est … part hist. lib. 9. cap 14.
16. In an Ep…stle to Damasus, Ambrose, &c. saith, wee have ordained Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople, &c. the whole Citie decreeing the same; and Flaviarus was appointed Bishop of Antioch, the whole Citie appointing him.
17. When he hath beene examined in all these and found fully instructed, then let him be ordained Bishop,Concil Carthag. ca… …. by the common consent of the Clerkes and lay people.
18. Let not him be counted a Priest in the Church,Concil …. test d…st. 51. whom the Clergie, and people of that Citie where he is, doe not choose.
Concil. …. Canon. 10.19. If any Bishop after the death of his Predecessor, be chosen of any, but of the Bishops of the same Province, and of the Clergie and Citizens, let another be chosen: and if it be otherwise, let the ordination be void and of none effect.
Testimonies out of the Emperours Lawes.
…usti…i…n in …od.20. Following the doctrine of the holy Apostles, &c. wee ordaine, that as oft as it shall fall out, that the Ministers place shall be void in any Citie, that voyces be given of the Inhabiters of that Citie, that he (of three which for their right faith, holinesse of life, and other things, are most approved) bee chosen to the Bishopricke which is most meete o… them.
Carolus M…gn… di…t 63 ….21. Being not ignorant of the holy Canons: that the holy Church should use her honour the more freely, we assert unto the Ecclesiasticall order, that the Bishops be chosen, by the election of the Clergie and people
Lodovic… Caro… ….22. He decreed, that he should be Bishop of Rome, whom all the people of Rome should consent to choose
P…atin… in vita ….23. Lodovicke the second, commanded by h…s Letters, the Romans to choose their owne Bish…p▪ not looking for other mens voyces, which (being strangers) could not so well tell wh…t was done in the Common-wealth, where they were strangers, and that it appertained to the Citizens.
Idem in vita Leonis ….24. Let the people (saith Otho the Emperour) choose and I will approve it.
The testimonies of the new Writers.
25. The new Writers, as Musculus, in his common places, in the t…tle of Magistrates: Bullinger upon 1 Tim. 4. Calvin. Justitut. Bo…ke 4 chap. 3. sect 15 Harmon. confes. Helvet. cap. 18. and many others are on our side in this behalfe.
26. If there be none that write against it, but …he Papi…s, and no arguments us…d against it, but those which b… borrowed out of the Popish writers, then doth it belong to th… Church to choose their owne Church officers: but the former is true, as a…l that doe reade them that write o… this argument doe know, and as is manifest, by compari…g Pighius, Hosius, &c. with Whitgift: Therefore the latter is true also.
Therefore seeing the interest of the Church in choosing of their Church officers,The Conclusi…n T C. 2. booke 1 part. page 212. is grounded upon the word of God, both in commandement, and continuall practize, both in the Old and N…w Testament; seeing it is warranted by the l…ght of common …eason; seeing it is commended unto us, by the manifold practize of all ancient times, so long as any sinceritie remained, not onelyonly in the time of persecution, but also o… peace; seeing it hath beene confirmed by so many generall Councels, and ratified by the Decrees of so many Emperours; seeing it hath such a cloude of witnesses, both of ancient and latter times, of the best approved writers; seeing none doe set themselves against it, but the Papists, or they that invade it onelyonly with the same weapons that are fetched out of the Popes Armory, it must needs follow, that it belongeth unto the Church to choose their Church officers: and that the taking away of this freedome, abridgeth the liberty that Christ hath endowed his Church withall, and bringeth her into great bondage, as Musculus truly affirmeth.
Their ob…ections against those things are these.
1 Ob…ect. They were then under the crosse, …ew in number, and therfore it was easily knowne who were fit.
Answ. The Gospell was dispersed thorowout all Asia, Affricke, and much of Europe, and they could lesse keepe together, or meete, and therefore that maketh rather for us.
2. Object. Wee have many hypocrites, to whom it were dangerous to commit such waighty actions.
Answ. It is true, that we have many: but it is a principle in hypocrisie, to be forwardst in such publike actions, that they may get fame thereby.
3. Object. They had knowledge to doe it, but our people be ignorant.
Answ. We should also find our people to have knowledge, if they had teaching: but howsoever they choose, they cannot have worse then ordinarily are chosen by the Bishops and Patrons.
4. Object. The Church was not then established.
Answ. That is untrue, for though it wanted the help of Magistrates▪ yet the Apostles could and did better establish without them, then we can with the help of them: but if this order might be altered, it had bin fitter then, for now the Magistracie may compound the differences of the Elders, which help then they lacked.
5. Object Drunkards, Papists, &c. will choose them that be like themselves, and we know the best disposed be alwayes the fewest.
Answ. Such are not of the Church, but without, 1 Cor. 5.12 and therefore are not …o meddle in any holy action: but if the people should choose an unmeet man, the Eldership that governeth the action, is to reforme them: besides this, if Gods order had her place, the Schooles of the prophets would send them none, (for the Ministers especially) to make choyse of, but meet men, that whomsoever they tooke, he should be found sufficient.
6. Object. Paul commandeth, 1 Tim. 5.22. to lay his hands on no man rashly: therefore one did it.
Answ. He teacheth what to doe for his part, and though others would be rash, yet he should not joyne with them in it, as appeareth in the latter end of that same verse, for that is ascribed unto him, which also belonged unto others, because he was the director: Calvin and Musculus expound the place so.
7. Ob…ect. The Councell of Laodi…ea decreed that the people should not elect.
Answ. That is, as Calvin taketh it upon Acts 16. they might not elect alone, without the direction of some grave and good Minister, which should be the manner in the elections, that (according to Gods word) we desire.