And if it should happen (which may come to passe) that any Church should desire or choose, or consente vpon by the moste parte, some that is vnmeete, eyther for doctrine or manners, then the ministers & Elders of the other Churches round about, should aduertise first, and afterwarde as* 1.1 occasion shoulde serue, sharpely and seuerely charge, that they forbeare suche election, or if it be made, that they confirme it not, by suffering him to exercise any ministerie. And if eyther the Chur∣ches rounde about do fayle of this duetie, or the Churche whiche is admonished rest not in theyr admonition, then to bring it to the next Synode, and if it rest not therin, then the Prince or Ma∣gistrate, whiche muste see that nothyng in the churches be disorderly and wickedly done, ought to driue that Churche from that election to an other which is conuenient. Now I will examine the reasons whiche you adde to proue, that althoughe in times paste the churche choosed theyr mi∣nisters, yet now it must be otherwyse.
What scripture haue you to proue, that if the Parishes shoulde choose an vnmeete* 1.2 minister, then the ministers and elders of other Churches should take in hande the matter &c. and if they wyll not, then to bring it to the nexte Synode: if that wyll not serue, then that the Prince or Magistrate must and ought to driue that Churche from that election, to an o∣ther more conuenient? Where haue you I say, either commaundement, or example of any suche order in the whole scripture? will you of your owne head and brayne take vpon you to prescribe a rule besides all Scripture? And dare you so boldly condemne an order taken by the common consent of so great a Churche as thys of Englande is, bycause it is not in all poyntes correspondent to some examples in the scripture? Men may sée if they be not blynde, what your meaning is. You thinke peraduenture that if this were once brought to passe, it should not be long or you were placed somewhere, according to your desyre. The like pollicie and practise hath bin vsed by others: looke Zuinglius in his Ecclesi.
But to come to a néerer examination of this your deuise: First, you haue forgotten* 1.3 yourselfe, for a little before you proued by that which S. Paul sayth. 1. Cor. 2. Spiritu∣lis omnia dijudicat: he that is spirituall discerneth all thyngs. &c. That they were spiri∣tuall,* 1.4 and therefore coulde not be without discretion of ordering them selues in choo∣sing their pastor: and nowe you say, if any churche shoulde by the most part choose some vn∣meet man. &c. Whereby you confessr that they maye be deceyued, contrarie to your former wordes.
Secondly, your order is most vnperfitte, & full of intollerable inconueniences: for* 1.5 who shall complaine of this election to other Churches? And when cōplaint is made, who shall call them togither? when they be called togither, what order shal be taken for the auoyding of confusion & tumult? or who shal beare their charges? or in what place shal they méete, or how often? Likewise If the churches round about do faile in this duetie. &c. who shall bring it to the next Synode? or who shall summon the Synode? or in what place shal it be kept? or at what stay shall the parishes be for a pastor, vntill the matter be determined? or who shal complaine to ye Prince and magistrate? or what if the Prince will not driue them to a new election, but allow of the olde? Do you not sée of what disorder, contentions, tumults, & inconueniences this your disordered order would be the cause? For how many méetings of Churches should we haue? how many Sy∣nodes? what parts takyng? what running vp and downe? what losse of time? what cause of offence? what quarels? yea what not?
But amongst al other things you haue here appoynted to ye Prince or magistrate* 1.6 a good office, that he must stand and behold al this, and in the end only driue the parish to a newe election, which also you say that he must doe. Throughout your whole booke you take from the ciuil Magistrate his whole authoritie in ecclesiasticall matters, & giue