To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
THe D. to deliuer the Non residents / from the crime he ys charged with / flieth from the iudgement off the word off God / vnto his owne conscience: so that yf he / and his
conscience although astonished / or blindled / can agree off some easier way thē is debated / all mouthes are shut vp to speake aga∣inst him. And pa. 238. he saith that preaching, and priuate exhortations, must be according to the conscience, and discretion off the Pastor: which is too shamefull a saying. In stead wheroff if he had put a good conscience (which will admit no persuasion but out off the word off God): he had openly begged that in question. The lord knew too well the vnreformed corners / and false doores of the best cō∣scicēces / to cōmit his church which he loued so dearly vnto their * 1.1 courteousie. When Saint Paul cōfesseth that he was not as tow∣ching his ministrie iustified / albeit his conscience cast him not in the teeth / of any thing he had doon: he declareth that the consci∣ence is no sufficent rule / to direct the minister in his charge▪ Yet his was more Chryst allike / then is to be hoped after off any now. and when he saith / that all the worckes off a good minister / are * 1.2 taught out off the scripture inspired off God: he incloseth the Pastor within streighter boundes / then the Answ. which leaueth him in the large field / or wildernes rather sometime off his con∣science / sometime of the peoples pleasure. That which he brin∣geth off the examples off the Apostels / and Euangelistes / is ab∣surd: considering that both the callinges are diuers: and euen in the very point whereoff the question is towching the place / yt is confessed of him / that the Pastor hath one certein appointed him to exercise his charge / which the other haue not. Off this sor∣te * 1.3 is that he alledgeth after off sonas the Prophet: whose mynistery was altogether extraordinary towardes the Nineuites. Whiche yf yt proue any thinge: yt proueth that the pastor / after he hathe once laide open the synnes off his flocke / and denounced the iud∣gement against them / may goe his waies withowt ether deputy / or returne. Likewise that off S. Paul Act 20. free from the Ephes. bloud, becawse he had declared them the whole counsail off God. Which is first impertinent: considering that the pastors teaching at his * 1.4 charge / is not to be compared with the Apostels teaching at one church / but at all the churches of his Apostelship. Then yt ys ap∣parantly againste him: considering that the Apostle which clea∣reth him selfe off their bloude / doth nowithstanding all the kno∣wledge they had / charge the pastors with watche / and warde
ouer them / as those which should answer for them. So that on∣les S. Paules diligence had bene poursued in feeding them / wh∣ich were alredy so well fed / not the people onely / but the pastors also / should haue perished.
And euen the extraordinary callinges / are so far from stren∣ghthening thes startinges a side from appointed charges: that they help to binde them more streitly to them▪ for they had not on∣ely a generall calling to execute their function: but withall speci∣all direction vnto the persons / and places vnto which the Lord would haue their ministrie to apperteine. for when those off Na∣zareth thought muche / that our Sau. Christ healed in other cy∣ties * 1.5 off Galile / and not in theirs / where he was brought vp: he alledgeth the calling off God / which sent him to doo miracles in other places / rather then there: and sheweth the cawse why Eli∣as rather relieued the extreme famin / and Elizeus cured the lepro¦sie of straungers / then of their owne countrey: for that they were sent vnto them. Also desired to tary in a place / he saide it was not * 1.6 at his libertie to tary / but that he muste preach to other cyties. al∣ledging this reason / that he was sent off his father so to doo. Considering therefore that they had not onely generall callinges to doo their duties / but also where / and to whom: muche more in the callinges which are ordinary / and certein it owght to be ob∣serued / that men haue not onely callinges to preach / but direction vnto the place / and parties to whom they should preach. Which because yt is not now / without calling of the church: yt followeth there can be none such. That he addeth / if he haue care off them, is altogether from the cawse: considering that the pastors care / is but one part of his duty: and may be taken off one neuer present. Likewise that of his sufficient deputy (beside that yt cometh after to be spoken of) if the absence he phansieth be vnlawfull: the deputy for yt ys idly mentioned.
I alledged that the Euangelistes, and Apostles taried mo∣re in one place then in an other. Which may be easely vnderst∣anded / not onely in that S Paul / preached somewhere yeares / other where moneths / in some places weeks / in other not all but in that by certein vocation S. Peter / &c. were more bound to * 1.7
the places where the Iewes / then where the Gentils were: and Saint Paul / and Barnabas had in their generall charge / a more streight bond to preach vnto the Gentils / then to the Iewes. And albeit the Euangelistes he imagineth / are let so lose that they may preach through the realm: yet euen in that scope he leueth them / they haue a neerer knot / and further dutie off preaching in places of their natiuitie / abode of freinds / ād kinsfolk. Therfore if the residence off a Pastor / be no more then the D. plainly setteth downe / that he ought to doo it especially in that place, and more in that then * 1.8 in others: the difference betwene a Pastor / and them / towching the bond to a place / graunted also off the Answ. is cleane taken away. Burhe will not answer the former reason / because it cometh owt off place. Where forsomuch as preaching in other places / is al∣ledged to be one off the cheif cawses off non residence: all men see that this arrow was shot at the heart off his cause. And yf yt had no place here: why did not he cary yt to the proper place? how cometh it to passe / that he answereth yt not els where? But how vaine this excuse is / it appeareth: seing euē in this diuision / to proue that the Pastors may preach in other places / then in their charges / which is that he refuseth to speake off / as imperti∣nent: he alledgeth the example of the Apostels / and Euangelists / and so continueth almost a whole side off repetitions.
Likewise to that alledged / that Timothe, and Tite, cam not from Ephesus and Crete off their ovvne heades, but called off the Apostle a cheiff gouernour off the church, vvhich can be no vvarrant to those vvhich leue their charges vvithout any such calling: he answereth not. That which is saide off the D. that S: Paul sent for Timothe for his owne priuate busines: is vntrue / nether hath any grownd off the word. And if he thinck that those wor∣des help him / that Timothe should bring Marck as one profita∣ble to serue him: they rather confute him. for yt is absurd to ima∣gin / * 1.9 that S. Paul would take twoo such notable lightes from the seruice off the church / to serue his priuate busines / and to doo that which m••ght be doon by others / which had no publike char∣ge in the church: especially considering that he had Luke with him before. Therfore that seruice must be expounded / of the seruice
off the gospell / whereunto he would employ them.
Whereas I alledged for residence / against those which lea∣uing their proper charges wander in other places / that they * 1.10 should not attempt any thing in the ministerie, vvithout cal∣ling: the Ans. saith / a man is not so called to one place, that he is restrai∣ned from doing good in other: which is not the question. For it is not denied but he may doo good by praier / counseill / and writing A∣fter be saith / that he constantly belieueth that in the moe places he labou∣reth, the more his seruice is accepted vnto God: and p. 241. that he is a mēber, and minister off the whole church generally: and pag. 224. wheresoeuer the preacher may doo most good, thyther he is called of God. Wherein beside the miracle off making Apostles / he bringeth in other wonders which the Lord him selff neuer wrought: which is / to chaunge a Pastor into an Apostle. And beside that it is directly against the * 1.11 order off the scripture / which calleth them bishops off such / and such a particular church / and not off the whole church: against the Canons off the ould Councels / which forbad the bishops to goe beyond their owne boundes / and assigneth that cause off appoin∣ting Patriarchs: yt is against that him self hath set downe / where putting differēce betwene pastors / bishops / ād other preachers / he saith / that Pastors, and bishops haue their cures limited Whereuppon foloweth that if they goe to other places / they both passe their li∣mits / and destroy the difference assigned off the Answ. between them / and other licenced preachers.
Yea if he be minister off the whole church / he hath a necessa∣ry calling to preach in as many places / as he can possibly: as he which otherwise shalbe gilty off their bloud / ouer whom hauing a mynistry / he hath doone no duty. But forasmuch as the Pastor hath his calling vnto one certein place onely / yt must needes be that he goyng to other churches off his owne head / goeth with∣owt calling. Onles he will here / flie vnto secret persuasions off the spirit off God / without the voice off the church: which is me∣re Anabaptisticall. And where he saith / that God calleth him to that place where he may doo moste good: first he doth presumpteously / that taketh vpon him to determin where he may doo moste good / and that which controlment off the churches iudgement / which pla∣cing
hym in a certein church / thereby gyueth her sentence / that he might doo moste good there.
Then I answer / that although he could know where he might doo most good: yet that is no sufficient calling off God. For the lord calleth sometime his ministers vnto places / where they gaine least / and sendeth none to those where after preaching would fo∣low repentance / as appeareth by that our Sauiour Christ spea∣keth off Corazim / and Bethsaida / compared with Tyre / and Sy∣don * 1.12 / off Capernaum compared with Sodom: and by that the Lord saith to Ezechiel / off the Iewes compared with the Gen∣tils. And our Sau. Christ which knew where he might do moste good / and best fill his hand off the Lordes corne / folowing the calling off God his father / euen in the land off Iury where his charge was / preached more in certein stoncharted townes / then in those which were better affectioned to his doctrine. Which may appeare both by Ierusalem / and the exāples before recited / and especially in Capernaum. In which for that he preached so often / and wrought so many miracles / yt is in an other place cal∣led his owne cyty. Now if our Sau. Christ preached no where but by the calling off God his father / and yet few in places more * 1.13 aboundantly / where he knew he should haue a thinner haruest: yt foloweth that yt ys both vntrue which the Answ. saith / that God calleth a man to preach / where he may doo most good: and true / that the lawfull voyce of the church (being the same to the Mynisters now / which the holy spirit off God was in those extraordinary callinges) owght to goe before euery one in his mynistry / not onely for direction off hym to preach / but also for the place where. Whereuppon foloweth / that he which being placed in one church / leapeth into an other / without an other cal∣ling off the church / runneth or euer he be sent. So that althowgh the Pastor had neuer so harty a desyre to profyt, in his wandring from place to place: yet hauing no calling / there is no obedience: and therefore if in casting his net into an other mannes fishing / he should enclose neuer so great a multitude: yet with owt pardō / he shall one day heare / that to obey is better thē sacrifice▪ and to harken better then the fat of rāmes▪ Where he addeth that God * 1.14 enclineth
not so to one church, that he would haue the other neglected: I graunt / and further that euery one ought to take care off all the churches / but according to the boundes off that calling / wherein he is set off God. And beside that I haue shewed / that the loue off God towards men is no certein rule / to direct the minister in his fun∣ction / but his calling: the Answ. by this reason / must take ship∣ping ouer to Rome / and Constantinople / and to whatsoeuer pla∣ce he shall vnderstand to haue need off his help.
Yow doo as yow say dally, not with mine / but with the ho∣ly * 1.15 Gostes metaphors off pastor / and watcheman. And fyrst w∣here yow would so assigne the resemblance betwene these / and a Pastor off the church in other thinges / that yow would not haue * 1.16 yt come to the diligence / and continuance in feeding: yow are ma∣nifestly confuted by the words off the scripture. for in the person of Peter / yt requiring off all ministers off the word / that they should feed, feed, feed, according to the charge committed vnto * 1.17 them: sheweth that the similitude reacheth to the diligent conti∣nuance. Which may better appeare / in that as the gouernment of the Pastor towardes his church / is set owt in the picture off a shepherd: so is the spirituall gouernment of our Sauiour Christ / shadowed forth in the same similitude. and life as our spirituall * 1.18 feeding is off Christ: so the principall meanes which he vseth to feed vs by / is the Pastor. Whereuppon yt followeth / that if it be needfull for vs at all times / to haue our spiritual feeding of Christ: yt is needfull also to haue alwaies / that hand which the Lord e∣specially hath appointed to giue it by. Likewise noting a good minister by watch day and night / without cease / yt is cleare that * 1.19 the resemblance reacheth vnto the continuance vpon their char∣ge. Whereunto perteineth / that the scripture compareth the spi∣rituall watch ouer the churches / with the watch which shepher∣des kept in those countreis / which for the multitude off wolues / and other hurtfull beastes / watched day and night. For thereby * 1.20 is implied a greater attendance / then if the comparison had been drawne off the fashion off our countreis. Which although it be expresly set downe in my 49. pag. yet the Ans. will not vnderstand ••t: but saith he knoweth not wherefore the 2. of S. Luke should be quoted.
To conclude it is to be obserued / that albeit he grateth the
cares off his reader / by so often repetition off thes syly differen∣ces: yet he will not once acknowledge the strenght off the argu∣ment: which is not as he imagineth off like, but off the lesse to the more. For if there owght to be such diligence / and continuance off watch for thinges off so small valew: how much greater owght yt to be for those / which are bowght with the precious bloud off the sonne of God. If for those which haue sometimes truce with their ennemy: much more for those which haue restles war. If a∣gainst the hazard off this life onely: much more against the daun∣ger off euerlasting death. Therefore to let the vntruth off some differences which he raketh vp / vnworthy off confutation / rest in the iudgement off the reader: yf they were all true / the argu∣ment remaineth still vnanswered. For albeit the absence / and sub∣stitution which the D. imagineth / be allowed in the wordly watch: yet it followeth not that the same is to be allowed off / in the spirituall.
Nether helpeth yt which he alledgeth / and that in an other * 1.21 place / owt off Chrysostome: that the sheep are here reasonable, which a∣re there vnreasonable. Wherein first cometh to be obserued / how all is fish with the Answ. that cometh to net. To briue the church from the election off her minister / he alledged owt off Chrysosto∣me / that the people is nothing but a tumultuous stir, compacted of folie. He∣re where he would make more elbowroume for the Pastor / they are reasonable sheep / such as can feed themselues / such as can * 1.22 prouide for them selues. Thus he is content for aduantage / both him self to play on both handes: and to drawe his Doctor to the same. But yf this reason be oftentimes in the reasonable sheep * 1.23 more ennemy then freind vnto the spirituall feeding; if the setld: sheep haue naturally more appetite to desire / tast to discern / and * 1.24 meanes to enioy their conuenient feeding / then thes reasonable haue for theirs: then this sentence off Chrysostome helpeth not. And yt may peraduenture seem to smell off the smoke of free will / and off the naturall power of man: whereoff he is often too lowd a preacher.
Likewise that which he bringeth / off the difference off the temporall meat soone digested, and off the spirituall which continueth for e∣uer, * 1.25 so oft repeted: and of that no man can take the sheep off God owt of
his hand, is ashamefull abuse off the holy scripture. For to let pa•• how many waies this feeding is through the malice off the de∣uill / * 1.26 and corruption off mennes natures / ether clean taken away / or turned to the hurt off the hearers: likewise not to stand in that the Pastor knoweth not what time the Lord calleth effectually / and gyueth that meat that neuer consumeth / to those which are vnder his charge / which ought to kepe him in a continuall exerci∣se off his function / and wayting for that howre when the Lord will towch their heartes: I say not to stand vpon thes / the D. should haue knowne / that as the Lord declareth / that none can take them owt off his hand: so he hath disposed off the meanes / whereby he will hould them / which is the ministry off his word. And as he sheweth the vertue of the word / in the heartes of tho∣se which are effectually called / to be perpetuall: so he ordeineth y•• should haue that perpetuite / by that meanes off preaching / whe∣reby it first took root: In watering that which is planted / feed∣ing * 1.27 first with milk / then with whole meat / them which are once conceyued by the immortall seed of the word preached / vntill such time as they come to their perfect growght / and stature off the * 1.28 full age off Christ. Ad hereunto / that thes places applied vnto the vse the D. putteth them / serue to proue that preaching off the word / is needles amōgest those which haue belieued / and aswell that the pastor may be away without any deputy / as with one. For if the residence off the Pastor may be lesse / because the sheep off God can not fall from their calling / and because the spirituall food which they haue once tasted of / endureth to life: the same comming to passe vvithowt any further instruction / yt followeth by the D. reason / that they may be vvithout all ministry off the word. And iff this may diminish the continuall residence off the Pastor / yt may aswell abate the diligence off the hearers: so that after they feel them selues to haue belieued / they need not seek so carefully / the food off the word off God. But as sentence giuen by God that S. Paul should appeare at Rome / and not perish * 1.29 vvith his cōpany in the sea / it being vnpossible that he should pe∣rish / or any off his company / he truly saied / that they could not be saued / onles the mariners did abide in the the ship: euen so it impos∣sible to take Gods sheep owt of his hand / is truly saied not∣withstanding
/ that yt is impossible for them to be saued / withowt continuance off feeding by the word off God. For as that was the ordinary meanes / to deliuer from ship wrack: so this from spi∣rituall destruction.
In the next diuision that which he answereth of a Pastor ace∣pted of God, though he be not so wise as Salomō, &c. is from the pourpo∣se. * 1.30 if he would haue answered / he shoulde haue saide / that a man hauing both his handes full / and more then he can ouercome / off the charge committed vnto him: may voluntarily / and off his o∣wne head / reach owt his hand for more. The mildnes off Christ hin∣dreth not his iustice / not onely against the vnfaithfull seruāt / w∣hich hideth his talent in a napkin: but against the foolish / vvhich hauing enough to doo at home / maketh him self worck abroad. The cauill of baptisme is vtterly vnworthy of answer: cōsidering that I expound my self in the next wordes. The example off cele∣brating baptisme but once or twise in the year, is fondly / and without iudgement alledged: seing that it was very inconuenient / and not to be followed. Preaching at the discretion off the Pastor, is confu∣ted: that other may mynister sacramentes, then mynisters off the word, is a begging off that in controuersie / and after disputed.
To that that I propounded of the necessary / and continuall abode / to the end that the preaching thorough knowledge off th∣estate * 1.31 off the people / might haue the better effect: he answereth / that the Apostles althowgh they did not long continue in a place, yet preuailed muche. as yf the Pastors now had the discretion off spirits / wh∣ich the Apostels / or were armed as they / with power off vvor∣king miracles / and distribution off giftes / vvhereby their prea∣ching was made so fruitfull: or as yf there were not more parti∣cular knowledge required in a Pastor toward his flock / then in an Apostle towards his charge. Considering that an Apostle mi∣ght execute his Apostelship / towards those vvhom he neuer saw / or was present vvith: vvhich I thinck he vvill not say off a * 1.32 Pastor. Where he saith / yt is not so hard a matter to know the peoples conditions: all wise men see the contrary: yea the experience of men deceiued in the natures off their frendes / wiues / and children / best knowen vnto them / might haue taught him otherwise. And
yf he were so righthanded in this matter / as he pretendeth: yet considering the estate off his people chaungeth / in the whole / or in the particulars: yt is meet for the knowledge of their estate / he should waite vpon the alterations.
He saith also / that admonitiō being giuē them in due time, and order, their bloud shallbe vpon their owne pates: and in other place / that if the the city be sufficiently admonished, leauing some behinde him, the watchman hath doō his duty, and may goe to another place. Wherin first (as his wōt * 1.33 is) he taketh that for graunted / vvhich is the question. For yt is in question vvhat is sufficient admonitiō / and what is to admo∣nish in time / and order: whether as long as he continueth Pastor of that churche / vvhich vvee maintein: or vntill he shall esteem his church lightened vvith the knowledge off the truth / which the D. supposeth. Then the similitude of the vvatcheman / confuteth his imaginary sufficiency. For as where the vvar is durable / the∣re yt ys not enough for the vvatcheman to haue discried the en∣nemies once / or twise / onles he doo yt as oft as they come against the city: euen so yt can be no discharge vnto the spirituall watch∣eman / to haue giuen vvarning / onles he doo yt during the who∣le time off the spirituall war: which being continuall / and with∣owt truce / requireth his continuall watch. And this being alled∣ged * 1.34 off me afterward / ys altogither vnanswered.
Moreouer there is herein / difference between the spirituall / and bodely watch / that there yt ys enough of one daunger to ha∣ue gyuen one vvaarning: but in the spirituall / the alarme bell must be rung oftentimes / for one / and the same daunger / yea and * 1.35 that in thinges well knowen. Againe although in bodely vvatch / the watchmā after he hath gyuē warning may goe to his rest: yet it is not so with the spirituall watchmā. For he is bound not onely to admonish thē of the cōming of the en̄emies / but to fortify / and cōfort them: they must as the preists in the battailes of the Isra∣elites / blow continually the syluer trumpet / not onely that they should euery one take him self to his armour: but that in the fight through that passioned / and stirring musicke off trumpettes / they might blow vp / and whet the courage off the souldiers. And herein he is greatly abused / that in this whole disputacion / and precisely here / he imagineth the duty off the Pastor / to be onely
in instructing the sinner / and giuing to vnderstand what he must doo: when as the Lord teacheth / that this vvatch consisteth as∣well in admonishing the righteous / and those that haue liued * 1.36 long in all commendation off good worckes / as the sinner which neuer was lifted vp / owt off the myre off his wickednes. Likewi∣se that the Pastors agreement vvith the fieldshepherd / is not o∣nely in leading them to the pastures / and setting meat before * 1.37 them / whereby they may be kept from staruing: but in healing the sicke / bringing home the straies / strengthening the weake: whereunto if wee ad that off S. Peter / which teacheth that he owght to strengthen the strong: I would gladly know off the Answ. what time there is / wherein one off these duties is not in season to be doon off the Pastor.
Further this answer cleaueth not together. For if the Pastor haue discharged his duty after his supposed warning, that their blowd shall light vpon their owne pates: what need he leaue a deputy behinde him? He dare not answer that the deputy is but off pure grace off the Pa∣stor / and if he leaue hym to instruct off necessitie: how hath he discharged his duty / that in necessary substitution off an other in his place / he still confesseth him self bownd vnto? And those o∣ther duties off conforting the sad / binding vp the broken / &c. be aswell commaunded vnto the Pastor / as the bringing them to the knowledge of the truth: and be also more proper / considering that his gouernement is properly off those / which haue some en∣trance into the church. by what rule is it lawfull more / to turne ouer vnto his deputy / thes other offices off ministry: then that which him selff esteemeth hym bound to / in his owne person? Yf he may set ouer his second / and third instructions / and admoni∣tions / &c. why may be not the first? So it may come to passe (wh∣ich he deniing in vvordes / doth in deed confirme) that a Pastor * 1.38 may doo all by deputy.
That he alledgeth off God directing the preacher in his wordes, and matter: tendeth to Anabaptisme. For aswell may it be alledged to proue / that the Pastor may preach without study: as withowt knowledge of the estate of his people / as a meanes to direct both his wordes / and matter / to the most profit of his hearers. Where he saith / a discrete preacher will so temper his matter, as he may profit all,
and hurt none. Yf he had tould vs how / and off what droges tha•• receipt is made / which is fit at all times / in all places: I should better haue knowen what to haue answered. In the mean season / he is cleane beside the question: vvhich is not whether a man may profit / in preaching to the people / whose estate he knoweth not: but whether he profiteth more / that knoweth yt. He that casteth blindefold / may hit the mark: but no wise man will lay any thing on his head. The reasons I brought to proue / that the want off knowing the estate / may ether hinder the fruit / or gyue occasion off that daunger / vvhich by knowing it might be auoided: are for the moste part vntowched.
Heere his memory serueth him not / for any place owt of the * 1.39 law, which proueth continuall residence off the Pastor. I will let passe the howses built rownd abowt / and ioyning to the temple / vvh∣ich being doon off Salomon (as was the rest off the building) ac∣cording to the vvord of God / might declare how neer their char∣ges the lord vvill haue the Ministers off the church. Likewise I will not presse the example which is alledged / off Ely sitting at the dore of the Tabernable / to espy the manners / and answer the doubtes off those vvhich entred. I vvill content my selff vvith the Apostel / the best expounder off the law: vvho setting forth the Priestes function / by that part off it vvhich consisted in sacri∣fices: vseth a word off great strenght / to binde them to a conti∣nuall residence / and signifieth in effect / a continuall sitting at th∣eir * 1.40 charge. Now considering that the Pastors diligence is the sa∣me in his church / that theirs was in their charge: continuall pre∣sence being required off them / the same / or greater rather if gre∣ater can be / is required off the pastor: as he which hath greater trust / committed vnto him.
That which is spoken off diuers beside the Pastor, able to dissolue doubtes which arise: not to meddle vvith the truth thereof / nor to stay in the great giftes required in one / that should comfort him that is cast downe / whom the scripture affirmeth to be so care / that a man shall skarce finde one amongest a thowsand: I ans∣wer * 1.41 that it helpeth not / not onely becawse they hanging of their Pastor / know not to whom to haue recourse: but also considering that the dissoluing off the doubt / or comfort according to the ne∣cessity
off the person / dependeth not off knowledge onely / but vp∣pon the blessing which the Lord giueth. that being therefore greater / and more aboundant / when yt is doon by the instrument vvhich the Lord hath sanctified for that pourpose: yt followeth / that if there vvere such supplies as he speaketh of: yet the Pastors presence is necessary. And therefore yt helpeth him not / which he * 1.42 alledgeth afterward owt off the Coloss. that they should admo∣nish one an other in psalmes, &c. but maketh against him / con∣sidering that if particular persons / haue a duty off admonishing those that are fallen: the Pastor hath much more. And if the lord will not spare the meanes off the admonition off a priuate man / for restoring off hym that is fallen: he vvill much lesse spare the mynistery off the Pastor.
That which he often repeteth of help by reading off the scriptu∣res, is not to the pourpose. For if the help of the Pastor be not re∣quisite / when the sheep are particularly stricken off the Lord: there ys no necessary vse off hym at all. And where the Lorde hath prouided resistance agaynst tentation / not onely by rea∣ding / but also and that especially / by the lyuely voice off the Mynister: what is els to betray the sheep vnto the woulf / yf this be not / to leaue them destitute off the moste principall mea∣nes off their defense? beside that / the place off Tymothe 2. 3. is abu∣sed / whilest he draweth those thinges to priuate men / vvhich the Apostle speaketh off the Mynister off the word: vvhom he calleth the man off God, as the manner of the scripture is to call the Prophetes / in which respect Saint Paul so calleth Timothe in an other place. Nether dothe it belong vnto priuate persones * 1.43 to teach / and to confute false doctrine: which the Apostle she∣weth to be a part off those good workes / which scripture storeth that man off God with. To the next diuision he answereth nothing / but yet filleth vp the place / as is there to be seen. * 1.44
To that out off the Apostle / and our Sauiour Christ / off the Pastors presence, that in going before his flock, he might serue for a patron off good vvoockes: he answereth that our Sauiour Christ / and Sainct Paul serue for examples, to those which
neuer saw them, and with whom they were not continually. Albeit the lig∣ht off their example shining so cleare / might be seen off those w∣hich were far of: yet the same followeth not in the pastors / vvho∣se light is a great deal dim̄er. Likewise the pastor being notas our S. Christ / and S. Paul lightes off the world / but off those how∣ses ouer vvhich they are set: ought to be placed vvhere they may giue most light vnto them. Cōsidering that it is vnmeet / not one∣ly to put the light vnder a bushell / vvhere it is altogether vnpro∣fitable: but also vnder the table / vvhere notwithstanding it may giue some comfortable remedy / against the darcknes. There∣fore forsomuch as the example that may be both seen / and heard / hath more force to conforme the followers vnto yt / then that which is onely heard: the reason remaineth still vnanswe∣red. seing the question is not onely / how he may serue for exam∣ple / but how he may doo yt to their moste aduantage.
To that of the restreint of Pastors to their proper flockes, * 1.45 he answereth / he wrote not to Pastors onely, but to all in generall, that haue the name off Elders. his reason therof that Peter saith he was also an elder, is senseles / and hath no māner of tast. I vvill not stick to cō∣fesse / that S. Peter vvrote in those wordes to other Elders then the Pastors: yet that he vvrote to them onely / that vveretied to particular congregacions (which mainteineth the reply) yt ys manifest by the vvordes alledged owt of S. Peter. Wherein yf I haue brought the right sense / he owght to haue rested: els to haue confuted thereasons / wherewith that translation is vvarran∣ted / and the other vvhich he setteth downe / remoued; and not thus cōfusedly to make a mashe of all. And it auaileth him not / to seek corners in the diuers interpretation off the place: when as that off the Actes doth in plaine / and confessed speach / vtter the same that is here debated off.
After he addeth howsoeuer the place be expounded, yet it maketh not against him. No if S. Peter / and Paul crye neuer so highe / in this language of continuall residence: yet the D. is deaf / and will not heare. Yf both the Apostles doo not only commaund the Pa∣stors to feed in their proper flockes: not onely that they must em∣ploy their talentes / but vvhere: yt ys manifest that they shut owt / that rouing abroad vnto other churches / vvhich is pretended for
Non residence. I shewed how the argument is good / taken from the place off the Thessal. that for so much as S. Paul conceiued a great greif / in being absent a small space from those / to whom * 1.46 he was not so streitly bound / as the Pastor to his flock: the Pa∣stor owght muche more to be greiued / to be away from his flock. And consequently thereoff must follow / that if their absence sat so neer their hartes / as yt owght: yt would hang such plummets off their heales / as should hinder them from those lightfooted leapes / which he mainteineth. I added also / that the Pastor ha∣uing the same dutie vnto his proper church, vvhich the Apost∣les had tovvardes all the churches of their charge: yt must fol∣lovv, that as they vvere continually in their ministery tovvar∣des some off those churches: so the Pastor should be continuall vppon the charge off his church. That he bringeth against this / that the Apostle did not speake this in any duty off mynistery: for that a le∣arned man noteth off that place, how the sainctes desire to see one an other bo¦dely, is ridiculous: as if his desire to see them / could not stand with the duty off the his mynistery.
In the two next diuis. vnto the reasons alledged / off the * 1.47 Pastors care so much more stirred vp, as he seeth the blessing of God vpon his labour: and of familiar acquaintāce needfull in a Pastor tovvardes his flock, to embolden them to come vnto him, both vvhich are best procured by continuall residence: he answereth nothing. where I alledged / the singular loue by this meanes vvrought betvvene the Pastor, and the flock: he asketh me how I know it / seing I had neuer experience in any? I know yt of the cawses off loue / whereoff the daily conuersation / and de∣light to be together / is one off the principall. off naturall reason which I cyted owt off Aristotle / that teacheth how men haue greater care / ouer thinges proper vnto them / then ouer those that are commen to them with moe. And hauing greater care / yt follow∣weth they haue greater loue / from whence the care proceedeth. Likewise I know yt by experience in the Apostle S. Paul: which vttereth greater affections off loue towardes the Corinth. and Philip. and other with whom heremaineed longest / and suffred
moste for: then towardes the other churches / where he made not that abode / nor tooke so great paines.
He asketh what Aristotle had to doo with non residence? if yt had bene but Balams asse / he should haue bene schoolemaster fit enough for some / which refuse to be taught by the vvord off God. But this is one off M. D. oracled / which he saith owght to be belieued? considering that speaking off the naturall causes off preseruation of thinges / for which I alledged him / he spake of thin∣ges perteining to his profession. That he chargeth me with not repor∣ting Aristot. vvordes truly / is a wrangling cauill: for I kept the sense off the autor / considering that a thing commen to many / re∣quireth the care off many. That he saith / it can not be true that it is ne∣glected off all, which is cared for off all, is to childish: considering the flower off speach so often vsed off all writers / both prophane / and holy: as they liuing are dead / hauing nothing possesse all thin¦ges / he that is euery where / is no where. Nether is care taken in lesse measure then yt owght to be (which I speake off) contrary to neglect, as he supposeth: but a kinde off neglect. That he addeth a man owght not so take care off hit priuate thinges, as to neglect the commen wealth, is frō the pourpose: seing the pastor in his charge ouer his flock / serueth not him self / but the commen profit / and that off the whole church. forasmuch as it perteineth to the commoditie off the vvhole body / that the part which he hath the nourishe∣ment off / be well preserued: beside that I haue shewed / how the care for other churches / may be with a continuall residence at his owne.
In the next diui. skowring ouer againe the remouing of A∣postles / and Euāgelistes from place to place (which is answered) * 1.48 he addeth that the Pastors did the same, which is vtterly vntrue: that a man may be transferred from one place to an other, which is no part of the question: that those which haue gyuen their names to the gospell, are sufficiently armed with faith, although the Pastor be not present, which is absurd / when the armour off faith / with the rest off the comple∣te harnesse off o Christian / which he speaketh off in the next diuis. is not so put vpō / but that it is daily to be put on / and that by the preaching off the gospell especially, He saith further that although
they be tempted, yet they can not be ouercome: which is confuted not ••∣nely by diuers examples of moste excellent sainctes / Noe / Dauid / Peter / &c. but by whole churches off Galatia / &c. which haue be∣ne caried away by false teachers. For if he speake off the finall vi∣ctory / yt is absurd: consydering that that dependeth off the electi∣on off God / vnknowen vnto him / and may be aswell saied off the elect which haue not yet belieued. Likewise that it is a more accep∣table worck, to gaine those which are altogether in ignorance: vvherein beside that he taketh vppon him to be a planter off churches / * 1.49 which before he assigned to be proper to the Apostles: I answer that albeit it be neuer so good a worck in yt self / yet it is not good / much lesse the best / vnto him which hath no calling therunto. And in that he presumeth a calling / he doth but beg that in con∣trouersy / which is also before refuted. That he alledgeth off the loste groat▪ Prodigall sonne, &c. maketh against him: considering that those places are not off straungers from the church / but off them vvhich after knowledge off the truth / fall into some corruption of life / or doctrine / as appeareth in the parable of the stray sheep / * 1.50 which although it be of the same kinde with thother two / he hath by all likelihood left owt / because it did more plainely shew his folie. In this respect also S. Iames saieth / that a man that gai∣neth his brother straied from the truth / s••ueth a sowle. He saieth * 1.51 his brother / not his neighbowr. Therefore this moste excellent worck off conuerting sinners / and finding off those which are lost / being alwaies in the purest churches / through the ambicion / couetousnes / idlenes / licentiousnes / &c. off one / or other: it follo∣weth / that the pastor hauing exercise of the moste excellent worck which can be / in his owne church / owght not by the D. owne rea∣son / cast him self vppon others. All in the two next diuis. is ans∣wered: nether conteine they any answer / proper vnto the reasons alledged off me.
He answereth that the similitude off the eie, and sowle in the body, * 1.52 cōpared with the Pastor in his church, agreing in some pointes, can not be ap∣plied to the residence: becawse the Pastor may be absent from his flock with∣owt present destruction, which the eie, and sowle can not. Yf this be a suffi∣cient exception / there be few similitudes in the scripture / which are able to hould owt: and he might aswell say / that as the eye
waxeth worse / and worse through age / so the Pastor may w••r euery day more foole then other. Howbeit this is clear / that for∣somuche as the Pastor doth the office off an eye / and off the so∣wle * 1.53 vnto his church: his absence from it ought to be such / as the body off the church may nether see the worse / nor be les disposed / and liuely vnto all good worckes: which is enowgh to break the neck / both off his monethly / much more quarterly sermons / and off his reading deputies.
Hetherto perteineth which the D. intitleth / the moste effe∣ctuall * 1.54 kinde off preaching: where he would if he durst / expound dili∣gent preaching / preaching once a moneth: to vvhich end he sto∣wreth vp a freshe / the difference betwene spirituall food / and cor¦porall / before answered. But because he dare not take vpon him this defense / and the rest of the treatise hath nothing but a childi∣she excuse / off his reproches against the Ministers of London, an im∣pudent deniall off his Lewdenes towardes the weomen, an intolle∣rable bragg off his benefites / and off his preaching often, owt co∣urses against me / all beside the cawse: I will leaue them in the re∣aders iudgement.
In the next Tract. off the great conuenience off preaching before administration off the Sacramentes / falling also into this * 1.55 treatise (as that which pulleth at the least one of those feathers / wherewith non residentes so willingly take their flight from th∣eir owne charges) there should haue bene almoste as title to ans∣were / as in the other: if the D. had not vsed such open false accu∣sations / as he may thereby seem to haue striuen for the mastrie thereoff / with the father off them. And first to let pas his corre∣ction off thorder off my reasoning / whereby he maketh him selff more then ridiculous / to all which haue a graine off knowledge that waies: to that he saith / that Iohn as minister preached in the wil∣dernes, and baptised in Iordan, and therupon will conclude / that if prea∣aching before the Sacramentes now haue grownd in Iohnes example, pre∣aching in the wildernes, and baptizing in riuers haue the same: I answer that the case is nothing like. For his preaching in the wildernes / was by speciall vocation / wherunto he was directed by an expres∣se propheceye. This instance therefore is vnfitly alledged / which * 1.56 albeit it were incident to his ministerie: yet that was by extraor∣dinary
calling. The baptizing in Iordan / was for that he sought the commoditie off water / as appeareth by other places / where * 1.57 he likewise baptized not as the D. pretendeth / for that his my∣nisterie called him more to that place / then vnto an other.
Yt is also vntrue / that the Apostles in that they were ministers of the word, preached in all places, and wrought miracles. For then all minist∣ers * 1.58 off the word / should doo the same. Considering that as what∣soeuer agreeth vnto one man / as he is man / agreeth vnto all / euen so whatsoeuer agreeth vnto one minister off the word / as he is minister theroff / must needes be verified off all. The reason whe∣roff is more knowen / then that the D. withowt blusshing / ow∣ght thus to be ignorant off: that vvhatsoeuer is verefyed off a generall, as generall, is verefyed off all vnderneth yt. Therefore that the Apostels preached the word / they did it in that they we∣re ministers off the word: but that they preached in all places / and ioyned therewith miracles / they did it not as ministers off the word / but as such ministers / that is to say / extraordinary / and Apostles. Where he saithe / there is an other reason off preaching before Iohns baptisme, then before ours, for that Iohn had to doo with those that belieued not in Christ, whhich he calleth a litle after infidels, and we ha∣ue to baptise infantes onely: to passe by his ignorance off calling the Iewes at that time infidels (the onely people off God / euen be∣fore Iohns baptisme) which notwithstanding deserueth the w∣hip: he owght to vnderstand / that albeit the baptisme be admi∣nistred vnto infantes / which haue no vse off preaching yet forso∣much as the knowledge off that mynistery / necessarily perteineth to the whole assembly / and particularly to those which vnderta∣ke the bringing vp off the infantes▪ the necessitie off preaching before the Sacrament / doth remaine.
He saith / that it can not be gathered off S. Math. that S. Iohn prea∣ched immediatly before he baptized ād yet the first reason I alledged / * 1.59 that he baptized after he had preached, he cleane passeth by: the other off the Actes / he vnderstandeth not how it can be gathered. Although the interpretation I noted was not commenly know∣en / as that which towched off some fewe / was not seen of diuers writers off name: yet when I pointed him to it / I suppo∣sed
he would haue vnderstanded. But I presumed the ••••che off his vnderstanding / and yet not knowing what I would note / he condemneth the sense I haue followed / as tending to Anabaptistry or Papistrie, or I know not what. S. Paul meaning to refer the giftes off the holy ghost / which the twelue disciples at Ephesus / were to receiue by putting on off handes / vnto the performance * 1.60 off the truth off the promise figured by baptisme / and so to ioyne the signe with the thing signified: in the fourth verse sheweth how Iohn preached, that his disciples should belieue in Iesus Christ vvhich came after him. After in the 9. vers. he sheweth * 1.61 that those disciples off Iohn, and not (as is commenly supposed) those twelue disciples off Ephesus / hauing heard Iohns prea∣ching, and not (as is also supposed) Paules / vvere baptized in∣to * 1.62 the name off the lord Iesus. Which interpretation as yt flo∣weth / and hath plaine proofe off the twoo coniunctions / which haue relation one to an other / and can not without violence be se∣uered: so off all other yt moste stoppeth the mouth off the Anaba∣ptistes, and Papistes, taking all coulor off Argument from them: and withall noteth the order I alledged yt for / that after they had heard Iohn preach, they vvere baptized.
Where it being most boldly affirmed off the D. that it is ma∣nifest * 1.63 that our Sauiour Christ was baptized without preaching, he owght to haue shewed yt by manifest reasons: he not onely set downe no reason / but agaynst the reasons I alledged / opposeth his na∣ked saying. For that that S. Luke hath not, that S. Iohn preached imme∣diatly before he baptized, is vnworthy off answer: as if the order off the storie could not shew that / withowt the word immediatly: or as if nothing might be saide doon immediatly after an other / but where some such precise note off time is added. That he saith / he knoweth no pourpose why our Sauiour Christ should be at Iohns sermon: yt was answered / that he vouchesafing to be baptized off Iohn / yt was probable / that he vvould honour the ministery off the word with his presence: which he passeth with silēce, beside that he must learne / that our Sauiour Christ growing in wisdome / * 1.64 and stature vntill the time off his baptisme / when he receiued
the holy ghost withowt measure: no more neglected the ordinary meanes off God / vvhereby he receiued his increase off wisdome / then the ordinary nourishement whereby he grew in stature.
That the disciples were preached vnto of the vse of the supper / * 1.65 before they receiued / the reason followeth in the 6. diuis. That S. Luke noted the sommes / rather then laied owt at large / the ser∣mons of our Sa. Christ: howsoeuer the D. will not acknowled∣ge yt / is more manifest then his impudent deniall / owght to caw∣se me enter into profe off. To the next reason / of continuall pra∣ctise * 1.66 of preaching immediatly before the Sacramentes / proued owt of S. Luke / his answer is insufficiēt. For beside that it is vn∣true / that the assemblie infantes excepted / are sufficiently instru∣cted off the vse off baptisme: his answer off preaching immediatly be∣fore the sacramentes, to those that are not conuerted, hath no place / con∣sidering that S. Paul preached to those in the administration off * 1.67 the supper / which were already conuerted.
Where I confesse that nether the Adm. nor I hould for a * 1.68 thing simply necessary / that the word be preached immediatly before the Sacramentes: he saith that there is then no cause to contend, yt being agreed off the conuenience. Yf it be very conuenient that prea∣ching be immediatly before the Sacramentes: then the coustome off reading onely / is not sufficient: which is that he found fault with in the Adm. for at the least a great conuenience is wanting to that sufficiency. And seing the scripture commendeth thin∣ges conuenient / as it forbiddeth the contrary: the order of prea∣ching immediatly before the Sacramentes / euen in this respect / owght (onles yt be rare / and vppon great causes) to be obserued. Where I say the life off the sacramentes dependeth vppon the the vvord preached: the D. saith yt is a fowle error. no meruaile ac∣cording to his black diuinitie. But how cometh it so fowle? be∣cause the life off the Sacramentes dependeth vpon the promisses in the word. I graunt / and nether vpon preaching, nor reading. that is vtterly false. for when baptisme belongeth not vnto infantes / but in that the∣ir ancesters in the conuenant / and those no otherwise in con∣uenant / then by faith which cometh are preaching: yt followeth / * 1.69 that the parentes hauing no Fruict off the couenant but by pre∣aching by
/ can much les haue profit off the Sacrament without it I graunt their infantes saluation / dependeth vpon the election off God: yet that they may be partakers off baptisme / dependeth on that the promise preached was receiued (at least in the chur∣ches iudgement) off those off whom they are descended. Thus the doctrine fowle in the D. iudgment / is beautifull in the scriptures.
Let vs now se whether yt be so vncourteously hand∣led off others as off the D. Caluin shewing that the Sacra∣ment * 1.70 standeth of the word / and element / saith vve muste vnder∣stande the vvorde, notvvispered, vvithovvt vnderstanding, and faith, vvith a noise onely, as if yt had povver like an enchan∣tement, to consecrate the Element: but vvhich being pre∣ached * 1.71 causeth vs to vnderstand, vvhat the visible signe me∣aneth. Likewise vppon these wordes (Preaching the baptisme of repentance) the vvord sacrament doth not signifye a vaine Ceremonie, vvhich standeth of shevves vvithovvt doctrine, but the vvord off God is alvvaies annexed: vvhich gyueth life vnto the outvvard Ceremonie. I vnderstand the vvorde not mumb∣led betvvene the teeth, but pronounced vvith a cleare voice, fit to edifie the faith▪ for yt is not saide simply that Iohn baptized to repentance, as though the grace of God vvere shut vp in the visible signe: but that he preached the vertue of baptisme, that the figne might haue effect, by the vvord he preached. Here is not onely the same iudgmēt / but almost the same wordes: that the life of the sacramēt dependeth vpon the word / and that prea∣ched. In his dispute after / as though I had saide that the sacram∣entes are dead / vnles the word be preached im̄ediatly before / he declareth that be is gyuen to speake all vntruth / be yt neuer so ap∣parant. For it is directly against that I set downe / in the same place / he rayseth this false accusation: where I confessing that there is no precise necessitie off preaching immediatly before the sacramentes / affirme notwitstanding / that preaching owght to * 1.72 goe before them.
In that he bringeth owt off Zuing. against the Anabap∣tistes / the first place is altogether against him. For although the
disciples baptized withowt teaching: yet it being saide there that our Sauiour Christ tavvght, yt is euident that preaching went befo∣re the sacrament. The other place is to fill vp roume. For we say not that young infantes must be tawght before they be baptized: but that doctrine must goe before the sacramētes in the church of God / as the publishing off the graunt before the seale. Where he would conclude that I vnderstood the necessitie off preaching before the * 1.73 administration, not in respect off the rest off the church present, but off the infantes, for that the life off the sacrament perteineth not vnto others then those which be pareakers: Who hath so blinded hym that he vnderst∣andeth not / that baptisme receiued off the standers by in their in∣fancie / taketh effect daily by preaching after they be off age: and that withowt preaching in those vvhich be off discretion / yt re∣maineth vnfruitfull / and seruing onely to condemnation. Yea e∣uen the baptisme off the infantes / not onely perteineth vnto the parentes for whose comfort yt is also ministred: but depen∣deth as I haue shewed off this / that they off whom they come / haue through preaching off the word before that baptisme / gy∣uen their names vnto Christ. Thus hauing obteined that yt is ve∣ry conuenient / that there should be preaching immediatly before the administration off Sacramentes: I returne back with one band more / to hold the Pastor from rouing beyond the tether off his church. Other thinges impertinent vnto this place shalbe answered in their places.
His triumphes vpon that I confesse / that the Pastor may * 1.74 for some busines vvith leaue off his church, vvith an able depu∣ty be absent: notwithstanding he would so faine mount them on highe by his questions / are beggerly / and doo scarce crepe vpon the ground. For where he asketh first / whether he may not aswell be away for publicke affaires, as for priuate: he may if they be of that sort / which agree with his vocation. But what then? will he conclu∣de of an ynch an ell / off a week a moneth / off a moneth half a yea∣re: and off a case off necessitie / make an ordinary licence? when S. Paul will haue him which entreth into this warfare off ministry / to vnwrap him self off all occasions which may drawe him from * 1.75 yt: being already entred / he will much lesse suffer that he should
ether feek new occasions off absence / or take all that are offered. Our Sauiour Christ not suffring those whom he called to this worke / to goe bury their dead / and giue the farewell vnto * 1.76 those off their howse: declared sufficiently that they owght to be very vrgent cawses / which should drawe the mynister off the word / from the charge committed vnto him. And when his loue towardes God / must be moten by feeding off his flocke commit∣ted vnto his charge: his long / and often voluntary absence / must * 1.77 needes proue a small loue in him towardes the Lord. Which rea∣son being alledged / is altogether vnanswered. This rare absence / and that vppon vrgent cawse / may appeare a so by the practise of the church. The Councell off Mens / decreing that the Bishop vpon sickenes or some other vrgent cause off absence not able * 1.78 to preach, should haue some euery sonday, and other festdayes to preach in his steed: declareth that the vse off the church / did nether suffer the bishop to be away but vpon great cawse: and that not so much as one holy day / withowt a preaching minister to supply his place. Augustine saieth / that he vvas not absent frō the church of Hippo, but cōpelled by sickenes. Zuinglius put∣ting * 1.79 difference betweene an Apostel / and Pastor / saieth that he that doth the office off a Pastor, is alvvaies in the povver of * 1.80 the church ouer vvhich he is set, and neuer goeth from it. Vp∣pon which both testimonies off the scripture / and practise off the church yt appeareth / how to haue a deputy owght not to be (as the D. would haue it) an accoustomed thing: but rare / and vpon vrgent causes.
Where before he alledgeth for profe off a deputy / that there * 1.81 is no shepherd which hath not a boy, or a man to supply his absence: he ow∣ght to vnderstand / that our Sauiour Christ is that master sheph∣herd / and therefore he being but a seruant / can no more set ones his charge / then one seruant discharge him self vppon an other. Beside / what sheepmaister is there of so smal housbandry / which will be content that his stipend should be mangled / and a portion giuen vnto an hyreling / for a monethly / or quarterly ouersight off his flocke / suffer the shepherd to enioy the rest? yt may well be for the poursprofit off the shepherd: but it can not be but to
the great scare off the sheep. considering that not onely the hyred can not by any likelyhood / haue that care ouer the flocke which the proper pastor hath: but also that all this disputacion tendeth hether / that they may haue a reading / or other in sufficient substi∣tute: which as the shepherdes boy / or rather eurr / content with a locke / or twoo / will leaue Maister Person the maister shepherd / the rest off the fleese. For such is their fidelity / that where as in times past the preistes are commaunded to beare the arck vpon * 1.82 their owne shoulders / so they should feed their flockes them selues: they are not onely content to shift yt from their owne sh∣oulders / but as the foolish / and idle preistes in committing yt to * 1.83 such vnstilfull gouernours / they lay yt vpon a cart / hale yt with oxen / not with the aduenture / but with certeine euent of an ouer∣throw. Although herein I speak too fauorably off the greatest nombre off them: which doo not bestowe so muche coste as a new cart / and a draft off oxen come to. For they haue learned their howsebandry rather off him which teacheth / that alvvaies it stan¦deth * 1.84 a man in least, vvhich may be doon by a poore asse. And if this carting off the church of God / were sent home to our popish Philisthins from whence yt came: the kitchen fyre being thereby * 1.85 well abbated / this disputation for adeputy / would be well coo∣led. For an able man would either for conscience / or honesties sa∣ke / kepe him selfe from this hyrelingship. I say consciēce / because amongest other corruptions / he can not auoide the crime off Si∣mony (as they call yt) whylest to obteine a place / he is content to part stakes with the Pastor. Honesty / whylest all not seruill min∣ded / will rather choose to be free / then vnder the yoke off an oth∣er * 1.86 mannes seruice.
His second questiō / whether the flocke be not in like daunger in the Pa∣stors absence with leaue, as withowt: is altogether from the pourpose / when it is no lawfull for him nether with leaue / nor without lea∣ue / to be away with daunger off his flocke. His third / where I finde in scripture that the Pastor owght to haue leaue off his parish: is answered in that I shewed that the Pastors are belonging to their chur∣ches / and are their seruantes: which he altogether passeth by. His laste asketh how he cā in his absence haue an able deputy, seing he may
not be admitted to the ministery, which hath not a certeine flocke. As thou∣gh in suche necessitie for so small a time / the supply may not be made by the Pastors hard by: which is also answer to that he ob∣iecteth pag. 249.
Vnto the next diuis. I answer not. Vpon that many parishes * 1.87 may be ioined in one, and fix townes in Fraunce (as he saith) are committed vnto one Pastor, he concludeth that one Pastor may haue diuers flockes: which is vnworthy any answer. As if a thowsand sheep in one pasture / were not easelier / and with more cōmoditie tended / then three in three sheepgates. For as towching the preaching off the word / and administring the Sacramentes / vnto diuers townes assembled into one bodie vff a church: the labour is almoste all one in ten / and ten hundred. The residue off the charge being commen with him vnto the rest off the elders / may be (especially in such necessities) borne owt by increasing their numbre / accor∣ding to the compas off the churches territorie. Yt is also vntrue that he affirmeth I haue saide / that the numbre, or distance off place is all one. And yt is inconuenient / that ether a greater numbre be as∣sembled into the bodie off one particular church / then can be at once tawght off one mouth / or that the numbre should be taken owt off townes / farther remoued from the places off the churches resort / then that they may haue conuenient accesse. Likewise yt is vntrue which he saith off six townes to one Pastor in Fraunce. For although one church be assembled owt off diuers townes: yet it falleth owt that the least part off those townes perteineth vnto the church: and those fewe meet together in one place / to re∣ceiue the nourriture prouided for them off the Lord / by the hand off their Pastor.
To that alledged / that the Pastor if he vvill haue many flo∣ckes, should content him selff vvith that stipend off them all, * 1.88 vvhich he hath off one, vvhen that one is able to mainteine him, and his familie honestly: he answereth not. yet was it neces∣sary to be answered / considering that therby the peinting of that Zeale / vnder pretence whereoff they spred their nettes ouer so many churches / is washed away. Where he accuseth me whotly / other of deceiuing, or being deceiued, in that the Councell off Nice, is put with∣owt
the addition off Second. wherby yt might be seuered from the purer Co∣uncell off Nice: I can not precisely say / whether the leauing owt off Second / were my fault / or the fault off some other. but that I me∣ant to deceiue none / there be which can witnes: by that that in the second edition (howsoeuer yt was omitted) I gaue a note wherby that should be corrected. His reasō wherwith he would proue / that I ment to abuse the reader, for that I set it before Damasus, is to friuolous: considering that that conterfeict Damasus / men∣tioned in the first Tome off councels / was not before this second Councell: and yt is not vnwonted to put the iudgemēt off a coun∣cell before that off a particular person. As for the corruption off the Councell, I haue shewed how that maketh more against the D. * 1.89 then if the testimonie had been fetched from the first Councell. And where he saith / the Councell ment that one should not haue permit∣ted vnto him moe great cyties then one: yt is a shameles corruption off the minde off the Councell. Considering that the drift theroff is / that one should not haue more to liue one / then is needfull to mainteine him self competently: and therfore is cōtent as it were to wincke at those / which are placed in poore churches not able to mainteine their Pastor: albeit it inclineth rather to this / that he * 1.90 should supply that which is wanting / by some honest occupa∣tion.
That he addeth that Gratian him self doth so expound it: all men vnderstand how vnsauourly yt is spoken. As yf it were any mer∣uaile that Gratian so expounded yt / which is knowen to be an o∣pen corrupter off the Councels / and manifestly in this point off hauing many benefices / not onely in this councell / but in that off Calcedon. For where the Councell decreed that no man might be ordeined in tvvo cyties: he doth impudently dally with it / saying he may be notvvithstanding Archebishop of one cytie, and bis∣hop * 1.91 of an other: prouided that he enioy the one as intituled to yt, and the other by vvay off commendation. Which is but a toy to mock an ape. As if a man should say / that yt were not lawfull to haue two wiues at ones / but yet he might haue two weomen / one vnder the title off a wife / an other of a lem̄end. This interpre∣tation off the Councell / is yet made worse by the D. for he ad∣deth
that a Pastor may not be ordeined in moe great cities then one: as thoug the Councell would permit one to be ouer diuers small cyties. The proofe browght by the Councell / that * 1.92 euery one ovvght to tary in that vocation vvherin he is called, is fit. The reason against yt / that the Apostle speaketh off the kinde off vocation, and not off the place, is fonde: as thowgh yt were not a mannes calling / to doo that he hath to doo / in one certein place: or as thowgh yf the soldier / or embassadour commaunded to serue in one place / serue in an other / he offended not against this rule off the Apostle. Where fault is found / that I set downe councels in the plurall numbre, alledging but one: he dealeth very streightly which will not suffer me to speake as other doo. but that there may be councels / let him learne that the same was decreed in the coun∣cell off Toledo. Wherunto I ioyne Maister Hopers iudgement / * 1.93 which saith that no man off vvhat giftes soeuer may haue tvvo liuinges. and therfore he is not so much a shepherd which hath many flockes / as the D. saith / as a theef: seing not able to doo the office of a Pastor towardes them / he pilleth them.
Towching Damasus / that his pourpose was nothing les then to condemne idle bishops / him selfe idlest off all: shalbe seen in an other place / when yt shall appeare that he had no good me∣aning in thes wordes. Notwithstanding the comparison (which likeneth the Pastors that put ouer their charge, vnto harlots that gyue their children to other to nourse, that they may soo∣ner gyue them selues to lust) being apt / I tooke as a good stone set in an euill place. In the next diu. the first part / that it is better * 1.94 that one should haue diuers flockes / then any be vntawght / is answered: in that yt is both better that one church be sufficiently fed / then all insufficiently: and it is alledged before / and after / how the want off preachers is in part becawse they are not sought after / in part because they are driuē owt / which were pla∣ced. * 1.95 The other part is also answered.
All the Answer. witnesses / browght in to proue that Denis the Monkish pope fyrst deuided parishes, and Dioceses, are suspected. Polidore whom he hath chosen to speake in the name off the rest / doth (as the D. hym selfe hath doon) falsifie the wordes off the
Monke. Considering that he saith not that he appointed dioce∣ses / but parishes / and churche yardes onely / making no mention off dioceses. Wherupon the Canonistes them selues say / that bo∣undes * 1.96 off bishoprickes were deuided long before. Both which opinions shall appeare more at large to be false / where I shall shewe God willing / by what practises the bishoppes stretched owt their armes so far. Afterward the man in going abowt to shew mine / proclaimeth his owne ignorance. For where he saith ther was no limitation off place in the Apostles tyme, he is greatly decey∣ned. For beside that there is almoste in euery story before the Apo∣stles / often mention off prouinces / wherinto the gouernementes were deuided: Cicero maketh mention off the diuision off prouin∣ces * 1.97 into dioceses. The Romans likewise before the Apostles had their Curias / the same with the greeke word wherof our word (parish) is taken. Also towching the very word parish, by * 1.98 that Eusebius reciteth owt off Apolonius / a Senator off Rome / who liued about the yeare off our Lord 180. of Montanus vvhich could not be receiued, not so much as of his ovvne parish vv∣hence he vvas: yt appeareth that it was both in vse / and in the same signification that we take yt / long before Denis (off whom the D. would father this diuision off Parishes) was bishop. So yt is manifest thes diuisions were before the Monkes tyme / yea before the Apostles time.
And where he saith / all men may know that limitation off Pari∣shes, and dioceses could not be made but off men in authoritie, and therup∣pon concludeth / that it could not be made by the Apostles: yt is very true towching the precise limitacion. but how is he so blinded that he can not also therby see / that yt is an idle dreame that he so greatly stryueth for / that Denis limited dioceses, parishes, &c? conside∣ring that the Denis he supposeth / lyuing about An. 266. had no authoritie / but was a poore Bishop vnder persequnting Emperours. And if the Emperours had been Christian then / as they were heathen: yet how cometh yt to passe / he doth not vnderstand / that in going about to make men belieue / that the Bishop off Rome at that tyme had authoritye to limite dioceses / parishes / &c. in the church off God: he setteth
vpp a Pope / and armeth him with that authoritie which he neuer came vnto foure hundreth yeares after. Finally if this Monke were off any credite / he is directly against him euen in this cawse. For off the wordes before alledged yt is cleare / that he appointed vnto euery elder a seuerall parish: vvherin he should keepe him selfe: which is against the pluralitie off bene∣fices / that he so greatly striueth for.
He asketh where it appeareth, that the scripture deuided nationall ch∣urches into congregations, and parishes? I answer that off that the scri∣pture * 1.99 willeth elders to be chosen for euery competent congrega∣tion / and particular bodie off church / and also that thes assembli∣es (as all other thinges in the church) should be with the greatest conuenience / so that as Ierusalem had commendation in hauing her building knit closely together / euen so the church as much as may be conueniently / should haue her partes not onely in a spiri∣tuall bond off charitie / but in neighbourhood of dwellinges well trussed one with an other: yt is apparant / that although the scri∣ture doth not mention parishes / nor precisely define off the com∣passe / yet yt giueth the rule / wherby they are squared owt. For when a parish well bounded / is nothing els but a nomber of tho∣se families / which dwelling neere together may haue a commo∣dious resort: and the assemblies off the churches owght so to be ranged / as they may be neerest the place off their spirituall refe∣ction: yt followeth that the scripture hathe after a sort / gyuen the churches tarriers / and that a parish well bounded for the spiritu∣all intercommuning / hath testimonie owt off the word off God.
Where he asketh proofe off this / that dioces is taken for a parish: yt appeareth first that in the primitiue church / bishops in steed * 1.100 that they are now off such a dioces / were then of a parish. after∣ward when they began to hooke into their possession / moe chur∣ches then they were able to feed: they were called bishoppes off dioceses▪ yet the name parish was not quite worne owt / but in∣differently vsed for a dioces: as appeareth by the councell of An∣cyran / where one translation hauing dioces, thother hath pa∣rish. * 1.101 And yt shall better appear in the 8. Tract. that at the first there were dioceses off so narrow compas: that diuers parishes in England / may appear to be off greater circuit then they.
That the place off buriall mentioned off Euseb. wat in the field, may as I saied be gathered off the vse off the church: which I haue no∣ted in an other place. That the churches of Christ had nether thē / nor in the time that the D. imagineth / any churchyardes / ys manifest: considering that then the temples (wherunto the chur∣chyardes were annexed) were possessed off idolaters. The answer to the incommodities off buriall in churchiardes / that by that rea∣son churches, and other thinges must necessarily be remoued: is a begging off that in question / and otherwise insufficient. For yt is in dema∣und wether it be conuenient: and if it had been / yet being not ne∣cessary / it owght for such abuses to be taken away. And beside the incommodities assigned / it was as may appeare / taken of the Papistes / from the superstition off the heathen. For Lycurgus * 1.102 made this law / that men should burye in cyties, and round a∣bout the temples. Now residence being necessary / and that prin∣cipally for preaching off the word / it appeareth how disordered a power yt is off the bishop: off whose licence the pastor both chosen and ordeined / must depend / in a thing precisely commaun∣ded to him by the Lord / and for omitting wherof the thunderbolt * 1.103 of Gods course / is from heauē throwen vpon him. Therfore the chapter intitled Off licences to preach / shall be heere in a word or two dispatched.
First the D. charged with false dealing / in that he surmi∣seth of the Ad. as if one might preach withowt their approbati∣on to whom yt apperteineth: answereth their meaning is plaine. be∣like he hath it by reuelation / for in their wordes there is not a ti∣tle sounding thar waies. But he saith yt was their owne case, which put from preaching would haue preached against the bishops will. Where leauing that to those that may haue knowledge therof / I answer that he towcheth not the matter. For both they speake / ād my re∣ply was of those / which ordeined to preach the gospell / are sent to their charges not able to doo their duties withowt further licen∣ce: as if a man charged to doo a thing / should be bound hand and foot of him that charged hym / and layed at his mercy whether he wil lose him. Wherunto he answeretth not a word. Thirdly he laieth to my charge / that I had not answered towching that the Adm. would haue preached against the bishops will: a word wheroff is not
found but onely in his latter book. then which what greater do∣tage can there be? as yf there could be default off answer / whera there was no such thing obiected.
In that I saied / vvithovvt their approbation to vvhom yt apperteineth: he excepteth that there is an equiuocation, yt being not set downe by whom the election should be made. Where beside that yt was apparant before by a whole treatise / what we think in that behalf / and owt of place to speake off it heere: his exception is too childish. For to whomsoeuer thelection doth appertein / this ca∣se remaineth the same. whether it be vnlawfull to ordein one to preach the word / and yet to keepe it still in his power / whether he shall doo yt or no. Off this sort is that he saith / I suppose no man may preach which hath not certein charge, and onely in yt. Wheroff al∣though I make not heere one word off mention: yet howsoeuer yt be taken / this case remaineth one. Where I shewed that the bishop could not alledge for defense / that he vvhom he sendeth prisoner to his church / is ether heritik, or schismatick, or suspe∣cted, for that he ovvght not then to haue admitted hym vnto that ministery: he vseth open falsehood. For he saith I suppose that hypocrites, schismatikes &c. may be knowē forthwith: or suspected may be by and by remoued. Wheras first I haue not a word off Hypocrites / and haue before manifestly tawght the contrary off that he hee∣re forgeth / that the church can not procede against Hypocri∣tes, that is those whose sinnes are not discouered: and that God onely hath reserued their iudgement vnto him self. Then whe∣re I shewe / that those which are to be admitted to the ministery / owgt to be free from suspicion off heresy / or schisme: the D. an∣swereth as if I had saied / that those which haue already bene in the ministery / were vpon suspicion off heresy to be desposed. Wh∣ich what seely Sophistery it is / and whether this whole diuis. declare the D. spoiled off all both conscience / and iudgement: I leaue yt to be considered off all men.
1. Cor. 4. 3. 4.
2. Tim. 3▪ 16.
Diuis. 12. pag. 244.
Diuis. 13: Pa 244.
Luk. 4. 23. &c.
Luk. 4. 43
Gal. 2.
pag. 242.
2. Tim. 4. 11.
Diuis. 2. Pag. 237.
Act. 20. 17. Philip. 1. 1 Socrat. li. 5. ca. 8. pag. 224.
Math. 11. 20. Ezec. 3. 6.
9. Math. 1
1. Sam. 15. 22.
Diuis. 3. pag. 237.
pag. 220.
Iohn. 21. 15. &c.
Psal. 23. Iohn 10.
Esa. ••2 6.
Luk 28. Gen. 31. 40.
pa. 221. & 244.
pag. 215.
pag. 221.
Rom. 8. 7 Math. 16. 17.
221. 556. 244.
Math. 13. 4. &c.
••. Cor. 3. 7.
••. Pet. 1. 23 & 2. 2. Ephes. 4. ••5.
Act. 23. 11 Act. 27. 23 &c. & 27. 31.
pa. 23••.
pag. 139.
2. Colos. •• pag. 241.
pag. 244.
pa 244.
Philip 3. 1. 2. 2. Pet. ••, 12.
Ezec. 3. 18 19. 20.
Ezec. 34. 4. 2. Pet. 1. 12
pag. 243.
Diui.s 6. pa. 240. 1. Reg. 6. 1. Chron. 28. 11. 12. 13. 19. 1. Sam. 19. 12. 1. Cor. 9. 13.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Iob. 33. 23
pag. 244.
1. Tim. 6: 11.
Diuis. 8. pag. 241. 1. Tim. 4. 12. Io. 10. 4.
1 Pet. 5. 2. Act 20 28.
1. Thess, 2. 17.
pag. 242. 243.
Pag. 243. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
Pag▪ ••••••▪
Lu. 15. 14. &c.
5. Iam. 19: 20.
Diuis. 14. 15. Pag. 245: 246.
Mat. 6. 22
Thele∣uenth Tract. Pag. 554. &c.
pag. 562.
Es. 40. 7.
Iohn. 3 23
pa. 563.
Diuis. 2. pag. 563. 19. ca. 4. 5
1. Act. 5.
Act. 19.
4. vers 5. vers.
Diuis. 3 pag. 505
Luk. 2. 52.
Diuis. 4:
Diuis. 5.
Act. 20. 7
Diuis. 6. 566.
Rom. 4. 12. & 10. 14.
Instit. lib. 4. c. 14. 4.
Har. in 3. ••arg.
Diuis 7. pag. 567.
Pag. 568.
Diuis. 14. & 15. pag. 245. &c.
2. Tim. 2. 4.
Luk. 9. 60 61. 62.
Iohn 21.
2. Tom. Cal. 25.
Epist. 138
Ecclesias.
Pag. 221.
Nom. 7. ••
2. Sam. ••. 6.
Plin. l. 18. natur hist
1. Sam. 6. 8.
1. Cor. 7. 24.
Chap. 2. Diuis. 2. pag. 247. of Plurali¦ties of Be¦nifices.
Diuis. 3. 4 5. pag. 247. 248. &c.
pa. 223.
Propter homin•• inopiam indulge∣atur.
Can. 2, Clericū.
1. Cor. 7. 20.
Caus. 10. can. 3. Vpon the com̄aun. Thovv shalt not steale.
pag. 149.
In the 2. diuis. off this cha. Diuis. 7. ••ag. 250.
80 distin. gl••s. cau. 13. quest. 1 ca. 1. v∣pon the vvordes of Denis.
Li. 13 E∣pist. sam.
Euseb. 5. 17.
Act. 14. 23 Tit. 15. 1. Cor. 41. 40. Psal. 122. 3
Euseb. 6. li 9. 10 20 21.
Ca 18.
Plut. in vit. Ly∣cur.
1. Tim. 3: 10. 1. Cor. 9. 16. Chap. 3. Tract. 6. pag. 255.