Chap. 8. the. 1. Diuision.
Io. Whitgifte.
NOwe that you haue vttered all your authorities and reasons, to proue that the people ought to haue interest in the electing of their ministers, & that I haue suf∣ficiently (I truste) answered the same: Lette it not be troublesome vnto you, if summarily I collect my reasons that moue me to thinke the contrarie.
- 1. And fyrst I will proue that there is no certaine forme of electing prescribed in Scripture, but that the same is left frée for the Churches to appointe, as shall bée thought most conuenient for their states and tymes.
- 2. Secondly, I will shewe, that there hath bene greate diuersitie from tyme to tyme, vsed in the Churche, touching elections, and that the people at all tymes, and in all places, haue not bene admitted thervnto.
- 3. Last of all, I will sette downe the reasons why the people haue bene debar∣red from such elections, and why they ought still so to bée.
Touching the fyrst, these be my reasons.
- 1. Chryst (whose factes and déedes we ought especially to followe) did of himselfe* 1.1 alone, without the consent of any, call, and choose his Apostles, and lykewise the 70. disciples whome he sent to preache.
- 2. The Apostles Acts. 1. altered this maner and forme: for they presented two, and the one of them was chosen by lotte.
- 3. In the. 6. of the Actes, they cleane altered this also: for the people presented seuen to the Apostles, and they were all chosen withoute lottes, the Apostles also layde on their handes vpon them.
- 4. In the. 14. of the Acts this forme is lykewise changed, for Paule and Bar〈1 line〉〈1 line〉abas ordeyned ministers in euery citie, without eyther presentment by the people, or ca∣sting of lottes.
- 5. In the. 13. of the Acts it is manyfest, that Paule and Barnabas were sent one∣ly by the Prophetes and Doctours, without any consent of the people, eyther giuen or required: reade the beginning of the Chapter, it is playne inough of it selfe.
- 6. Paule sent Timothie and Titus, and gaue them authoritie to ordeyne other:* 1.2 So that it is certayne, that here is no prescripte maner and forme appoynted, to be obserued for euer: séeing that the Apostles themselues did not bynd or tie themselues to anye suche rule: which both M. Bullinger, Zuinglius, and Beza, doe lykewyse con∣fesse, as I haue before declared. And therefore M. Caluine (as I tolde you before) sayth, that of that example in the first of the Acts no certayne rule can be gathered of electing and choosing ministers. And M. Beza is of the same iudgement both for that example Act. 1. and the other also of Deacons Act. 6. as I haue lykewise declared be∣fore. And in that booke of confession and. 5. Chapter, he hathe this saying worthie to be noted: Bycause the multitude is for the most parte ignorant and intractable, and the* 1.3 greater parte doth oftentymes preuayle agaynst the better, not in a popular state lawfully appoynted, are all things committed to the vnbridled multitude: but certain Magistrates are appoynted by the consent of the people, to rule and gouerne them: if this wysedome be in worldely affaires, muche more is a moderation to be had in those matters, wherein men be oftentymes blynded. Neyther is there any cause why any man of sounde iudge∣ment should exclame that in such matters there is no place for pollicie, except he can shew this policie wherof I speake, to be repugnant to the word of God, whiche I thinke he can not: Hitherto M. Beza: and he speaketh of the electors of Ministers. And a little after he sayth, that wee must not alwayes looke what the Apostles did in Ecclesiasticall pollicie,* 1.4