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This argument seemeth to be drawne from kitchin profite, and is but a bug∣begger to scarr covetous men from sub∣mitting their neckes vnto the yoke of that holy Discipline, which our Savior Christ hath prescribed, and which the Admonitor himselfe confesseth, to haue bene practised by the Apostles, and pri∣mitive Church. And yet because this argument seemeth to lay a very heavie
burden on mens shoulders, such as is impossible to be borne, it is an argumēt * 1.1 worthy to bee examined, though in it selfe, the same be very vntrue & absurd. For who did ever fancie that a Pastour, a company of Seniours, and a Deacon, or two at the least, should be men of occu∣pations, or that they should be all found of the parish, because they must leaue their occupations, to attend vpon the matters of the Church? Why? there be many hūdreths of parishes in England, wherein there dwelleth not one man, of an occupation. And what reason then or likelihood of reason was there, to fa∣ther such an absurd necessitie vpon the Church? As for the necessitie of having one Pastour in every particular parish, and of his finding by the parish, because it is his duety, to attend vpon reading, exhortation, & doctrine, although he be no man of occupation, this (I say) is a∣greable & consonant, to the goverment of the church practised by the Bishops. And therefore in the finding, & having of one Pastour in every parish, they, and we differ not. But that men of occupa∣tions onelie should bee chosen Seniours
and Deacons in every parish; or if Seni∣ours and Deacons, were men of occupa∣tions in any parish, that they should bee all found of the parish, wee vtterly dis∣clayme as an absurditie of absurdities. And yet wee deny not, but in Cities and great Townes wherin for the most part, men of trade, do inhabite, that Seniours & Deacons must of necessitie be men of occupations. Vnlesse then an occupati∣on must of necessitie hinder men, from being faithfull, religious, & godly men, there is no reason to inforce, that mē of occupations in Cities, and great townes, should not be chosen Seniors, and Dea∣cons. And as for Countrey parishes, * 1.2 wherein either verie fewe, or no men of occupations doe reside, this obiection is altogether idle. In which parishes also we affirme, that men of greatest gravitie, integritie, wisedome, faith and godlines, ought to be chosen Seniours, and Dea∣cons. And we doubt not, but all such men as whom we intend, ought to bee chosen Seniours, and Deacons, whether dwelling in Cities & Townes, or in the Coūtrey, would be as readie, as willing, and as watchfull, prudentlie to imploy
them selues hereafter, in matters of the Church, as now either them selues, or their equalles, are busied in matters of their corporations, or common weale, without anie maner of contribution, to be yeelded towards their finding.
When the people of Israell were com∣manded to pay their tythes, first fruites, and other oblations vnto the Priestes & Levites, for their attendance and service in the Sāctuarie, we doe not reade in the whole booke of God, that they were in∣ioyned to be helpers and cōtributors to the reliefe and sustentation of the Cap∣taynes over thousands, of the Captaines over hundreds, nor of the Elders & Go∣vernours, placed Citie by Citie, for the affaires of the King. And therefore si∣thence we haue neither precept nor pre∣sident, that all the officers of the church should bee founde at the costes of the Church; and sithence also as well in Coūtrey parishes, as in Cities, & townes (to the prayse and glorie of God be it spoken) we haue many able, wealthie, & substantiall persons, who haue giuen their names vnto Christ, what necessi∣tie is there that any such Seniours, and
Deacons should be elected, as haue need to be relieved, and supported by a com∣mon purse? And had the Admonitor wel and advisedlie pōdered that our Church * 1.3 Wardens, & side men (who carie a sem∣blance of governing Seniours) that our collectors also for the poore (who iustle out the Deacons) being all of them men of occupations, poore husbandmen, or day labourers, and being not founde of the parish, are notwithstandinge often∣times in the yere, troubled and turmoy∣led, from one end of the Diocesse vnto the other, and that which is more, from attendance vpon their day labour hus∣bandrie and occupations, to weight, and to attend not vpō matters of the church, but vpon money matters, perteyning to the officers of the Bb. Consistorie: Had he (I say) wiselie and sincerelie conside∣red these things, he would certeinlie not once haue mencioned this so sillie and simple a suggestion. But quite & cleane to cutt of at one blow all the skirtes of the coat of this sillie bulbegger, that the verie buttockes of it may bee bare, and that the church may see, there is no such burdensome charge, to bee layde vpon
her, as is feyned; the graue and godlie iudgement, and policie of King Edward * 1.4 the sixt his Commissioners, authorized to compile a booke, for the reformatiō of lawes ecclesiasticall, according to an Act of Parleament, in that behalfe pro∣vided, shall rise vp for vs, and pleade the trueth and equitie of this our sayinges. The Commissioners names were these: viz. The most reverend Father Thomas Crammer, Archbishoppe of Canterburie. Thomas Bishoppe of Ely, Richard Cox, the Kings Almoner: Peter Martyr, pro∣fessor of Divinitie, William May, Row∣land Taylor, Doctors of the Lawe, Sir Iohn Cheeke, Iohn Lucas, Richard God∣dericke, Maister Hadon, and others. All * 1.5 which reverend, learned, and religious men, as with one voyce & accord speak one thing: so thus and thus they speake: Evening prayer being finished, where∣vnto all shalbe attēdant, after sermon in their owne Churches, the chief minister whom they call Parochies, and the Dea∣con, if happely they shalbe present, or they being absent, let the Ministers, Vi∣cars and Elders, (lo the Archb. of of Cā∣terburie, afterwards a godlie Martyr, and
Bishoppes can skill of the name of Dea∣con and Elders) with the people conferr about the money put apart to godly vses how the same may bee best imployed; And let the Discipline (loe these sage Counsellours were all Disciplinarians) be reserved vntill that time. For they whose frowardnes hath bene publicke, and tending to the common offence of the Church, let such be recalled to the acknowledgement of their faultes, and let them publicklie for the same be cen∣sured, that the Church by their whole∣some coertion, may be brought in good frame. Afterward, let the Minister go∣ing apart, with some of the Elders, take counsell, how the others (whose man∣ners are said to be lewd, and whose life is saide to be full of mischiefe) may first according to the commaundement of Christ in the Gospell, come together, & be communed with, by sober and dis∣creete men, and with a certeine kinde of brotherly loue. By whose admonition if they shall reforme themselues, thanks are diligently to be giuen vnto God. But if they shall proceed foorth in their wic∣kednes, they are to be bound with that
sharpe payne, which by the Gospell wee know to bee prepared for contumacie. And when the force and vehemencie of excommunication shalbe shaken, first let the Bishoppe be sought vnto, who if he shall consent, and oppose his autho∣ritie, let the forme of excommunicatiō be dispatched, before the whole church that we may bring in as much as may be the auncient Discipline.
Thus much haue these most Christi∣an Disciplinarians, and renewers of the auncient Discipline, by Pastours, El∣ders, and Deacons both written and spoken. And yet haue they sounded ne∣uer a word, to the finding of Elders and Deacons by the Parish, nor by hauing men of occupatiōs to leaue their busines, to attend vpon matters of the Church. For men thus meeting together once onely in the weeke, and that vpon the Lords day, and that onely within their owne parishes, and without payment of any fees, may very well notwithstan∣ding these attendances, giue themselues wholie all the weeke following, to their ordinary vocations. And therefore a∣gainst his not able to find one tollerable
Minister, much lesse to find a company, &c. I conclude thus:
No Parish in England shallbe burde∣ned to find so much as one Seniour or Deacon:
Therefore much lesse shall euery Parish bee burdened to find a company of Se∣niours, &c.
Where the Admonitor complayneth, * 1.6 that many parishes are not able to finde one tollerable Minister, we would glad∣lie learne, by what brand tollerable Mi∣nisters, are knowne from intollerable Ministers, according as the Lords spiri∣tuall iudge, or iudge not, of tollerable, & vntollerable Ministers. For if all rea∣ding Ministers (as nedes with them they must be) or ells why doe they tollerate them, bee tollerable Ministers, what a vayne, and idle distinction, hath he coy∣ned touching the scarcitie of mainte∣nance, for tollerable Ministers? Consi∣dering all Ministers by intendement of lawe, be able to reade: and considering also a verie small maintenance, is estee∣med to be a tollerable maintenance, for reading ministers. For ells why doe the great Bishoppes, in their great Churches
of Cōmendames, and the rich Doctors in their rich Churches of non residen∣cies, make so small allowances to their reading and stipendarie Curates? And where then is that parishe in Englande, that is not able to mainteyne a tollera∣ble Minister?
The next argument, that the people might not choose their Pastours, Elders * 1.7 and Deacons, as is required, is drawen partlie from a feare, that the same wilbe a matter of schisme, discord, and dissen∣tion in many places: partlie from affe∣ction and want of right iudgement of the people, partlie from the vnrulines of the parishes, and partlie from the broyle and trouble which may follow.
That Seni∣ours & Dea∣cons should be found at the charge of ye Parish is absurd.
What kinde of mē ought to be chosen Seniours & Deacons.
Church war∣dens & side men are not found at the chardges of the parishes.
The iudge∣mēt of King Ed. ye sixt cō∣missioners touching Elders and Deacons.
Titul. de di∣uiois officijs cap. 10. fol. 45.
Tollerable and intolle∣rable Mini∣sters.
Pag. 78.