A demonstration of the trueth of that discipline which Christe hath prescribed in his worde for the gouernment of his Church, in all times and places, vntill the ende of the worlde Wherein are gathered into a plaine forme of reasoning, the proofes thereof; out of the scriptures, the euidence of it by the light of reason rightly ruled, and the testimonies that haue beene giuen therevnto, by the course of the churche certaine hundredths of yeares after the Apostles time; and the generall consent of the Churches rightly reformed in these latter times: according as they are alleaged and maintained, in those seuerall bookes that haue bin written concerning the same.

CHAP. 3.

EVery Church-officer, ought to execute the office committed vnto him, with all faythfull diligence, and consequently be continually resident vppon his charge, T. C. booke 1. page 65.

They deny not the proposition, but the con∣sequent that is inferred vpon 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 euery thing: But God placeth euery 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 care∣full shepeards) watched night and day, Luk. 2. 8. Euery 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 euery congregation is to bee watched night and day by the minister therof, and consenquently he may not be non∣resident.

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 eui∣dent (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: Ther∣fore may not they be nonresident.

5 If the minister cannot apply himself fruit∣fully, to the capacitie of his people, vnlesse hee haue particular knowledge of their disposition, and capacitie, then is it not lawfull for him to be nonresident: for by continuall residence a∣mong 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 nar∣rowly tyed to their charges, as the priests vnder the law, then may they not be nonresident: For they were alwayes readie in the Temple, to an∣swere the doubts, 1. Sam. 1. 9: But it is clear that they are, because men are now as hardly tray∣ned vnto godlines, and the enemie is as wrath∣full 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, be∣cause it dependeth vpon him. 1. Pet. 5. 2. There∣fore euery 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 con∣tinually with it: Euery 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 loue 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 famili∣arity that shoulde be betwixt the minister and his people, that same is vnlawfull: But nonre∣sidence doth so, for it maketh them strange one to another, and argueth small loue in him to∣wards them: Therefore it is vnlawfull.

14 To be absent from them that haue inte∣rest in vs, and continuall need of vs 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: There∣fore 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 nonre∣sident: 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, 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, to harlots that put out their children, that they may giue themselues to lust the sooner.

18 It was ordayned that none, eyther B. or Elder, should go from citie to citie.

Therefore, if a minister haue the charge of a flocke committed vnto him, to the end to feed it; if God place men, to the end to haue them there imploied; if flocks in daunger haue need of continuall watche; if the ministers dutie to his flocke requireth all that trauayle that he can performe; if he cannot be fruitfully profi∣table vnto them, without continuall residence; if his residence be as strictly required as theirs vnder the law; if he cannot be a patterne vn∣to 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, vn∣lesse

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 loue to them, and comfort from himselfe; if ab∣sence be an hinderance to the louing familia∣ritie that shoulde be betwixt him and them; if they haue 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 vpon good grounds forbid it; if ab∣sence 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 ther∣of contrary to the word of God.

The bellie (for which nonresidencie is de∣fended and practized) hath no eares, there∣fore it is that they heare not the euident sounds; yet haue 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 haue 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 di∣uers pastures; againe, one man may haue 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 de∣uided the Church into congregations, and pla∣ced elders ouer euery 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 non∣residencie, must needes be vnlawfull: and cer∣tainely those that haue any sparkle of consci∣ence, feare of God, or loue to their flockes, will neuer defend it, much lesse enter into the pra∣ctize of it.

Notes

• Our assertion.
• Their assertion.
• Concil Nice canon 15.
• Concil. tom. 2.
• Theoderet lib. 1. cap. 19.
• The conclusion