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And if so be that there fall out any question at any time whyche is to be decyded by the worde of God, and wherein the aduyse of the minister is needefull, there the ministers helpe maye and* 1.1 ought to be required. For thereof we haue not onely an example in (*) 1.2 Esra, where the Princes* 1.3 in a matter of difficultie, came and asked the counsell of Esra, but we haue a playne commaunde∣ment
in Moses by the Lorde, who commaunded that the cause of periurie shoulde be heard before the Lorde in the Sanctuary, at the hearing whereof the highe Priest should be present, by which commaundemente the Lorde dothe not by bringing thys cause into the Sanctuar e declare, that the iudgement thereof dyd apperteyne vnto the ecclesiasticall courte, but bicause it beeing a matter whiche touched the glory of God very expressely, he would haue the Princes whiche were Iudges there, to be the nearer touched, and the deepelyer affected wyth the glory of God, whereof they sau e the sacrament before their eyes, neyther is the high Priest commaunded to be present to this ende▪ that he should sit as iudge of that matter, but that he might dissolue the difficulties, if any rose of the vnderstanding of the lawe, and that he might pricke forwarde, and stirre vp by admoni∣tion▪ the princes to whome the iudgement apperteyned, if so be he should see them colde and slacke to reuenge the iniuried done vnto the Lorde. Which thing may the better appeare, in that the hand∣ling of the matter, is there appoynted, not vnto the priests, but vnto the Iudges or princes onely, and so lykewyse of matrimonie and diuorse, although the iudgement thereof apperteyne vnto the ciuill Magistrate, yet the minister, if there be any difficultie in knowing when it is a lawfull con∣tract, and when the diuorse is lawfull, may and ought to be consulted with. Thus may the com∣mon wealth and Churche enioy bothe the wisdome and searning which is in the minister, & things may be done in that order whych God hath appoynted, without suche confounding and iumbling of offices and iurisdictions togither.
You woulde not haue a minister to enioy any ciuill office, and yet would you not* 1.4 haue the ciuill Magistrate to determine any thing in matters of weyght, without the aduise and counsell of the minister, that is, the Minister must prescribe vnto the ciuill Magistrate what he should doe in all weyghtie and doubtfull cau. es. This is your drifte in this place, so farre as I can gather: else I knowe not to what purpose you should spende so many words, for they conclude nothing agaynst the cause, but with it rather. In déede I haue heard say, that in some Churches which some of you haue gone about to reforme, the minister was all in all, and in all affayres his aduise and consent was had, else nothing could be done. Whiche authoritie surely passeth all the ciuill turisdiction, that I knowe any man hath or desireth in this Church. But you may intermeddle in the offices of Maiors, Bayliues, Iustices of peace, & in deede haue an oare in euery mans boate, and yet nothing hinder your Pastoral office: such is the excellencie of your wit and giftes aboue other men, that the same thing may be lawfull in you, a little portion wherof may not be permitted to others.
You make a fayre glosse vpon the. 19. of Deuteronomie: but howe aptly, the Rea∣der may consider if he marke the place well: the words of the text be these: If a false* 1.5 witnesse rise vp agaynst a man to accuse him of trespasse, then bothe the men that striue to∣gither shall stande before the Lorde, euen before the Priests and the Iudges whiche shall be in those dayes, and the Iudges shall make diligent inquisition. &c. First heere is no word of ye Sanctuarie, for this that is sayd (before the Lord) M. Caluin in his harmonie doth interprete on this sorte: Coram leboua. i. corā sacerdotibus & iudicibus qui fuerunt in diebus illis: Before Iehoua, that is, before the Priests and Iudges which were in those dayes. And in deede God is sayde to be there present, where his true ministers are assem∣bled: wherfore your descanting of the Sanctuarie▪ is without any ground. Moreouer it dothe not appeare, by any thing in this place, but that the Priest had as muche to doe in the matter, as the iudge had: wherefore this place can not serue your turae in any respect.
The place in the. 9. of Esoras maketh altogither agaynst you: for the rulers came* 1.6 to complayne vnto Esoras, that the people had married with the Gentiles, and Es∣dras tooke vpon him as one hauing authoritie, to reforme it, and to separate them from their wyues, as it euidently appeareth in the tenth chapter, and. 4. and. 5. verse. For certayne of them came vnto Esoras, and spake vnto him in this maner: Aryse, for the matter belongeth vnto thee. &c. It appeareth that you haue very smal care what you alleage, so it may seeme to be something.
You adde in the ende, and say: and so likewyse of matrimonie and diuorse. &c. But the Reader muste take heede that he imagine not this assertion of yours, to be conteyned in any of these two places quoted by you. It is but your owne bare affirmation, you alleage no authoritie for it.
Esra. 9.
This place maketh agaynst your selfe.
Deut. 19.
A greater in∣risdiction sou∣ght in dispro∣uing the lesse.
Deut. 19.
The Replyer ouerthroweth his owne cause.