Sermon 8 February 1588, Part 2 – Part 4
D. BANCROFT. Pag. 8. line. 10. Laſtly, they are falſe Prophetes, who do peruert the meaning of the Scriptures, for the maintenance and defence of any falſe doctrine, ſciſme, of hereſie. Herof you know, I might giuegive you many examples. I pray you beare with me if I ſet downe, one as ſtrange in my opinion, as any to be found in a matter of no great importance. The name of falſe prophets, I am content in diuers reſpects to ſuppreſſe. The matter it ſelfe, which I meane, ſtandeth in this ſort. There are many nowe a daies who doe affirme, that when Chriſt vſed theſe wordes: DTC ECCLESIAE.Math. 18 He meant hereby to eſtabliſh in the Church foreuer, the ſame plot and forme of Eccleſiaſticall Gouernement to be en…ct in eueryevery pariſh which Moſes by … counſell, appointed in mount Sinay:Numb. 11. and which afterward; the… was did imitate in their particular Sinagogues.
ANSVVERE.
They … read your Sermon, will beare you witnes, that you are ſufficiently able, to afforde your auditours an example of a falſe teacher: And yet it were hard, to account all thoſe to be falſe Prophets (without exception) who peruert the meaning of the worde, to the maintenaunce of eueryevery point of falſe doctrine. For we know, that many of the true Miniſters of God, hauehave in the error of their iudgement, held ſome points of vnſound doctrine, and peruerted the meaning of the holy ſcripture for the maintenance of the ſame. To ſpeake nothing of Cyprian, Chriſoſtome, Ierome, Auguſtme, and eſpecially, Origen and Barnard who hauehave had eueryevery one of them their blemiſhes, and wreſted the word for the defence thereof: that worthy man of God, M. Luther you know, hath deliuered vniuſtifiable and falſe doctrine, concerning the manner of receiuing of the thing ſignified, to wit Chriſt Ieſus, in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper: and as it may bee truly ſayde, hee hath peruerted many places of the worde, for the maintenance of this his error, yet M. Bancroft, I thinke you will not inrolle him in the catalogue of falſe Prophets: Wherefore, if I denied the ground and principle of your reaſon, and ſent you again vntounto your note book, for a better deſcription of a falſe Prophet, I ſhould do nothing contrary vntounto equity and reaſon. But I meane not to ſtand with you in a maner of ſo ſmall moment: ſeeing, eſpecially you do by this your diſcription, teach the reader, what account he is to make of you, and your brethren of the ſame crewe, who daily in your Sermons and writings, do wreſt, peruert, and abuſe the ſacred word of God, for the maintenaunce of moſt falſe and pernicious doctrine, whereof it may bee, ſome thing ſhall be ſpoken hereafter.
But I pray you, who are they that expound the words of our ſauiour Chriſt. Mat. 18. Dic eccleſiae: Tell the Church, to bee referred to the Eccleſiaſticall gouernment, which Moſes by Iethroes counſell appointed in mount Sinai? you ſay they are manie, why then did you not name one of them, or quote the writings of ſome one of them? Euen indeed, becauſe you are not able to father this abſurditie vponupon none of thoſe, whome you would gladly beare the world in hand to be the maintainers therof.A godleſſe and ſlanderous ſhift of M. Bancro…. And heere the reader is to bee aduertiſed, that among many ſhiftes, which you hauehave to obſcure the truth, delude your readers and auditors, and to colour your ſlanderous vntruthes, there is one whereof you make a ſpeciall vſe, and that is to charge vsus with the defence of ſuch points as wee neuer held: Thinking it ſufficient for you to ſay, that there are many now a daies who affirme, that when our Sauiour Chriſt, &c. Whereas the error, as you hauehave ſet it downe, is ſo abſurd and ſenceleſſe, and ſmelleth of ſuch groſſe ignorance, as I aſſure my ſelfe, that none who hauehave written in the cauſe of reformation ſince the beginning of her maieſties raign, vntounto this hower, could bee ſo groſlye ouerſeene, as to conceiue, much leſſe holde and maintaine any ſuch thing as you hauehave vttered. For firſt, the officers appointed. Num. 11. (and I beſeech the reader to marke) were not ordained at mount Sinai,Not at mount Sinai as you hauehave ſet down, but (as the holy Ghoſt expreſly noteth) at Kibroth Hataauah,Numb. 11. which was 3. daies iorney from mount Sinai: compare Numb. 10.33. with Numb. 11 24.34 and 33.16. and Deut. 1.1. And therefore it is very abſurd, to aduouch that the 70. Elders, mencioned Num. 11. were ordained at mount Sinai: and it is no leſſe falſe to giuegive our,Not at the coū ſel of Iethro that theſe were the officers appointed by Moſes at ye coūſel of Iethro. For Iethroes aduiſe was put in execution,Exod. 18.12. & 40.17. before the erecting of the Tabernacle, euen in the firſt year of their departure out of Aegypt. The ordinance of the 70. elders, taken in hand after the ſetting vp of the Tabernaele,Exod. 40.17. Numb. 10.11.…2. & after the 20. day of the 2. monethmonth of the 2. yeare. Againe, the gouernours in Kibroth-Hataauah were but 70. or at the moſt 72. in number: the other ordained by the counſel of Iethro, being gouerners of 1000. gouernors of 100. gouernors of 50. & gouernors of 10. muſt needs exceed that number by many degrees.Not eccleſiaſtical. Laſtly, (which is your 3. ſlanderous abſurditie) who told you that the gouernment ordained in the 11. of Numbers, was Eccleſiaſticall. The very place it ſelfe, and all the circumſtances thereof doe prooue it to bee ciuill: And ſo our men that hauehave written of this argument would hauehave taught you,Maſter Cornel. Bertram de potialud. cap. 6. if you had ſought the trueth of the cauſe out of their writings. The holy ſtory it ſelfe, maketh the matter to bee out of controuerſie, which is this in effect. Numb. 11. There grew an vniuerſall murmuring among the people, becauſe they had not fleſh to eat. The authoritie of the rulers ouer thouſands, rulers of hundreths, &c. ordained by the aduiſe of Iethro, reached not beyond the number allotted vntounto thē: So that the defection of the people being generall, (and it may bee, many of their rulers ioyned with them) they would not hauehave an anſwere, nor bee pacified by the inferior officers, but they come to Moſes the chiefe gouernor, & would hauehave him to giuegive thē fleſh: Moſes being ſore vexed with the outcries againſt him, expoſtulateth with the Lord, thinking himſelfe to be hardly delt with, that there was none apointed for ye reſtraining of the general …itude, but he himſelfe alone: Herupon the Lord commanded him to gather 70. of the Elders of Iſraell,Verſe. 16. ſuch (ſaith the text) as hee knew, to be governors of the people, & the Lord would appoint thē as aſſiſtants with him, to take the generall charge of the people, yt when the multitude would not be ruled by their inferior officers, as the rulers of 1000. &c. theſe 70. elders ſhould be armed by the Lord, with authority and gifts, to beare the burthen with him, and it was peformed accordingly.
Now M. Bancroft, for whoſe aſſiſtance were theſe Elders appointed? the word expreſly ſetteth down, that they were to aſſiſt Moſes: and therefore the offices wherunto they were ordeined were ciuil; wheras if they had bin eccleſiaſtical, they ſhould hauehave bin appointed helpers vntounto Aaron. & not vntounto Moſes. For Moſes at this time was no more to intermedle with the prieſthood, becauſe Aaron & his ſons,Num. 16.10. Exod. 28.1. were now conſecrated thervnto, & the tribe of Leui allotted to aſſiſt Aaron, euen to take ye charge with him of the whole congregation,Numb 3.7. in reſpect of the tabernacle The laſt time yt euer Moſes dealt in the office of the prieſthood, was at the conſecration of Aaron & his ſons, but frō the time that Aaron was receued in to ye office, Moſes neuer medled with it any more.Leu 8.90. Exod. 28.1. & 29.44. & 38.44. & 30.7. Leuit. 1.5. & cap. 8. & 9. Num. 16.10. Num. 11.23. So the cauſe is to clear, yt they who were appointed to aſſiſt Moſes, & not Aaron, w… ciuil & eccleſiaſtical rulers. Where it is ſaid, than the 70. Elders prophiſied, it can no more proue them to belong to the gouernment of the church, then the like gift beſtowed vppon Saule,1. Sam. 10.10: can make him a church-officer.
Seeing then M. Bancroft, the platforme of Gouernment, whereof you ſpeake, was neither appointed at mount Siuai, nor by the counſell of Iethro, nor yet ordained for the regiment of the Church, but for the vſe of the ciuill ſtate, and ſeeing you can father this expoſition vponupon none of theſe, whom afterward you call the cleargie and layitie factions, the conſequent is, that your owne ignoraunce in the cauſe of Chriſts gouernement which you oppugne, hath coyned vsus this moſt vnlearned and ſenceleſſe expoſition: wherein you doe no more I grant, then that which is the common cuſtome of all your fellowes: And that is, to imagine that theſe, who by the goodnes of God are ſeen in this cauſe, can bring no better reaſons for the defence of the ſame, then you whoſe ignoraunce therein is manifeſt and ridiculous vntounto vntounto all men. And indeed for your part M. Bancroft, if you had any modeſty in you, & ſhame of the world, (to omitte the conſcience and ſound feare of God, which ought to be in a Miniſter of the Goſpell as you would bee accounted) you would giuegive your ſelfe little reſt, vntill either you had named vsus ſome of theſe very many, who affirme as you hauehave ſet downe, or make open confeſſion of your great ignorance in that cauſe, whereunto you hauehave beene alwaies ſo great an enemy. The reader may well know, that you hauehave ſet downe theſe thinges, rather of meere ignorance, then of ſingle malice only, becauſe otherwiſe, you that are ſo ready to take any aduantage againſt your aduerſaries, and their arguments, would hauehave bene glad to hauehave found ſo many breaches in one poore reaſon of theirs: And though you would neuer ſo faine auoid this blot of your inſufficiency, yet your owne words following do witneſſe, that you hauehave ſpoken of the cauſe, euen according vntounto the deep knowledge that you hauehave thereof, where you ſay that the Iewes in their particular Sinagogues, did imitate this gouernement ordained by Moſes in mount Sinai at the counſell of Iethro: As though, eueryevery particuler Sinagogue of the Iewes could affoord 70. elders that were knowen to be the gouernors of the people, to attend vppon the regiment of the Church? It appeares that you are well ſeene, either in the ciuill or Eccleſiaſticall politie of the Iewes, which appoint theſe elders vntounto their particuler Sinagogs. You might as well ſaye, that wee in England in the gouernement of our particuler pariſhes, by Church-wardens and Side-men, doe reſemble the maieſtie that is in the aſſembly of Star chamber or at the Counſel table, as that the Iewes in their particuler Sinagogues, did imitate the gouernement of the 70. Elders: who being ioyned in authoritie with Moſes, are manifeſted to bee the higheſt ciuill officers, that were in all the congregation of Iſrael, and both before and after the captiu…ty, they are ſaide by the learned, to hauehave the higheſt authority in the Common-wealth of the Iewes, next vntounto the ſupreame Magiſtrate. If you had bene but meanely ſeene in Ioſephus (to omitte other writers) you could not hauehave beene ignorant of this point. The name Elder it may be, is that deceiues you, thinking belike, that whereſoeuer wee read of any called Elders in the Scriptures, wee preſently take the place, as making for the Elderſhip vnderunder the Goſpell. Wee thinke farre otherwiſe then ſo, becauſe wee finde the Gouernours of the Common wealth,Reade Geneſis 50.7. Ioſua… 6.11. as well as the rulers of the Church; to be called Elders by the ſpirit of God.
Whatſoeuer then you ſay of falſe Prophets, (as you ſpeake much of them in your Sermons) the reader ſeeth, that at your firſt aſſault of the cauſe of Chriſts Gouernement, you hauehave manifeſted your ſelfe to bee of their number, that ſpeake euill of the thinges they knowe not, which the holy Ghoſt maketh to be a marke of theſe falſe teachers,2. Pet. 2.13. by whom the way of truth in the latter ages, ſhould bee euill ſpoken of.
But heere you will ſaye, that wee ground ſomething for the proofe of the Elderſhippe vppon the place of Math. 18. Tell the Church, &c. and that wee bring in the Iewiſhe Sinagogue for ſome purpoſe in this queſtion. True it is, wee doe ſo: And becauſe you neither knowe, as it appeareth, what wee inferre, nor weare able to aunſwere them, being made knowen vntounto you therefore you did wiſelie to ſet downe in our name, your owne abſurdities, which of themſelues, with out any confuter, deſire for ſhame to be buried vnderunder the earth. That which we affirme is this. And we appeale vntounto the conſcience of the reader, whether wee ſpeake the truth or not. Firſt we prooue that the offices of Paſtors, Doctors, Elders, &c. are perpetually to continue in the Church, becauſe the Lord hath appointed them to bee members thereof, Romans 12.6.7.8.M. Cart 1. reply pag. 140. 141. Counterpoiſon Anſwere to Briges ſlanders. And becauſe Saint Paule writing vntounto Timothie, maketh the retaining of them in the Churche of Chriſt, not arbitrarie matters, left to the diſcretion of the Church, but a commaundement which is to bee kept inuiolable, vntill the appearing of the Lord Ieſus.
Secondly, we affirme that our Sauiour Chriſt, did eſtabliſhe (Mathew 18. theſe wordes, Tell the Church) this Gouernment of his houſe by the offices of Paſtors, Doctors and Elders: In that he commaundeth vsus, when a brother doth not profite by the degrees of priuate admonition which hee there mencioneth, that wee ſhould acquaint the Church with his offende: Tell the Church ſaith hee. By the Church in this place, wee ſay, that either the whole multitude muſt bee ment, or ſome one man, as the Biſhoppe, Chauncellour, &c. or els the Elders ioyned together, with the Paſtour and Doctrour if there bee any. Nowe you will not ſay, that a man ſhould goe and ſeeke remedie at the whole multitude when his brother offendeth him. On the other-ſide, if you ſay, yt by the Church in this place, is ment ſome one man in the Church, and ſo goe tell the Church; ſhould bee,The phraſe of ſpeach alſo that on man ſhould be taken for the Church, is vnwarrantable. goe tell one man in the Church, as the Biſhoppe or Chauncellour: The expoſition is diuers vvaies prooued to bee falſe. Becauſe the degrees of proceedings, which our Sauiour. Chriſt ſetteth downe, dooth ouerthrow it. For wee are commaunded from a priuate reproofe of our brother between vsus and him, to riſe vntounto an admonition before one or two witneſſes, and ſo from two or three, not to come backe again, to make his fault known before one witneſſe, as the Biſhop or Chauncelour, but before many, vz. the Church gouernors, as before is ſet downe. And in this ſpeeche tell the aſſemblie of Church, wee ſay that our ſauiour Chriſt, pointing out by the ſpirit of propheſie, the gouernement of the elderſhip vnderunder the goſpell, doth allude vntounto the forme of the Iews, gouernment in their Sinagogues, vntounto whom whoſoeuer gaue not eare, was accounted as an heathen or a publicane.
This M. Bancroft, is the ſum of that which wee affirme out of Math. 18. when you can bring any thing againſt this expoſition of the place, you ſhall be anſwered by the aſſiſtance of God: And it ſhall appeare, whenſoeuer you or yours, dare abide the publike triall of your cauſe, that there are not onelyonly many that affirme this but alſo many that wil proue this to bee moſt true. In the meane time, wee refer the matter vntounto the conſcience of the reader, whether you and your vpholders, in expounding tell the church, to be, complaine to the Biſhop or chancelour, that is, tell one man in the Church, or wee which interprete the ſame to bee, tell the gouernors of the Church: to wit, the Paſtor, Doctor, and Elders ioyned together, beeing not one but many, doe peruert the meaning of the ſcripture: and as his iudgement in theſe things ſhall be conuinced, ſo let him account of you and vsus accordingly.
D. BANCROFT page 9. They had ſay theſe men in their ſinagogues, the … prieſts, we muſt hauehave in eueryevery pariſh our paſtors, they their Leuite, we our Doctors, they their rulers of their ſinagogues, we our Elders, they their leuittical treaſurers, we our Deacons.
ANSVVERE.
And what can you ſay againſt this ſaying of theirs? if it be falſe, why doe you not confute it? your abilitie indeed to diſprooue the afternoon you ſhewe in that you leaue it as you found it. And that the reader may perceiue what madnes it were, for you to go about to weaken any part heereof, I will brieflie note out the places, wherein theſe offices are mencioned both in the olde and new teſtament.
Firſt then for the offices of Prieſtes and Leuites, Numb. 16 9.10, and Deut. 33.9.10. and there you ſhall ſee the Prieſts and Leuites ſo diſtinguiſhed, as although they were both of them to teach Iaacob the iudgements, and Iſraell the lawe, yet was the Prieſte alone to put incenſe before the face of the Lord: Now vnderunder the new Teſtament, anſwerable vntounto the Prieſte and Leuite: there is the Paſtor and the Doctor,Ephe. 4 11.12. and both of them appointed for the gathering together of the Saintes, by the worke of the miniſterie, yet both of them diſtinguiſhed in their ſpeciall ſubiects. The one of them to attend [aRom. 12.7.8.] vponupon the gift of teaching, the other vponupon exhortation, the one of thē to be in an eſpeciall fort, [b1. Cor. 12.8.] indued with the word of knowledge, the other with the word of wiſedome. Concerning thoſe, who in the new [cActs 12.15. &c 18.8.] teſtament are called the rulers of the Sinagogue, the ſpirit of God in the old, nameth them [d2. Chro. 19.…] the Princes or the chiefe of the families: who although they were not of the tribe of Leui, yet were they appointed for the cauſe and iudgements of the Lorde, as well as the Prieſtes and Leuites themſelues. In like manner,2. Tim. 5.17. Rom. 12.8. Act. 20.28. 1. Cor. 12.28. there are Elders in the newe Teſtament, bearing a diſtinct office from the Paſtor and the doctor, and yet appointed to rule & ouerſee the houſe of God by vertue of their owne proper function. Laſtly, as vnderunder the lawe, wee finde Church treaſures, vntounto whoſe cuſtody,1. Chro. 26.20 28 2. Chro. 31.13.15. the dedicate thinges belonging to the ſacrifices, and the maintenaunce of the Leuites were committed: So in the kingdome of Chriſt vnderunder the newe couenaunt, are Deacons appointed:Act. 6.2.3. Rom. 12 8.9. 1. Tim. 3.6. whoſe office is neither to medle with the word and Sacraments, nor yet with the gouernment of the houſe of God, but onelyonly to attend vppon the goods of the Church, and the right diſtribution of them to the vſe of the poore, &c. I omit heere, that as the Gebonites and the Nethinimes, were imployed about the inferior and baſer offices of the temple and tabernacle, ſo the holy ghoſt hath appointed Church ſeruaunts and widowes, to the ſame purpoſe vnderunder the Goſpell. Heere by good reades thou ſeeſt, that not onelyonly wee, but the holie ghoſt alſo ſaith, thoſe thinges concerning the regiment of the Church, hoth vnderunder the new and olde Teſtament, which Maiſter Bancroft is not able to: gaine ſay with any colour of truth. And yet it were, ſeaſon that either his anſwere, or his conſent ſhould: be had.
M. BANCROFT. This forme of gouernement, they cal the tabernacle, which God hath appointed, the glory of God, and of his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, the preſence of God the place which he hath choſen to put hi… name there, the courte of the Lord, and the ſhining forth of Gods glory.
ANSVVERE.
Although I deny not, but the true gouernement of the Church by the Elderſhippe, might hauehave the moſt of theſe titles truly attributed vntounto it, wherewith the viſible Church vnderunder the new Teſtament is adorned: yet the moſt of thoſe names which you ſet downe, being ſomething inſolent and ſtrange, I make no doubt, but all modeſt writers would abſtaine from them: Eſpecially, knowing how ſubiect this cauſe in our time is, vntounto the godleſſe cauils of ſuche, as care not what they write to the diſgrace thereof. And becauſe you hauehave ſet them down with out any authority: for mine owne part, I can no otherwiſe thinke of them, then of the brood of your owne ſlaunderous ſpirite, whereunto you can find no couert vnderunder the wings of your aduerſaries, whē you hauehave produced your witneſſes, to prooue them none of yours, I will in this point alter mine opinion, and it ſtands you vponupon to cleare your ſelfe. That which followeth in your Sermon, doeth manifeſt both your ignorance in the cauſe, and alſo that you hauehave ſo acquainted your tongue and pen with vntruthes, that you are a ſtranger vntounto the wordes of veritie and vprightnes: your wordes are theſe.