THE PERPETVAL GOVERNEMENT OF CHRISTES CHVRCH .

Wherein are handled ; The fatherly superioritie which God first established in the Patriarkes for the guiding of his Church , and after continued in the Tribe of Leui and the Prophetes ; and lastlie confirmed in the New Testament to the Apostles and their successours :

As also the points in question at this day ; Touching the Iewish Synedrion : the true kingdome of Christ : the Apostles commission : the Laie Presbyterie : the Distinction of Bishops from Presbyters , and their succession from the Apostles times and hands : the calling and moderating of Prouinciall Synodes by Primates and Metropolitanes : the allotting of Dioeceses , and the Popular electing of such as must feed and watch the flocke : And diuers other points concerning the Pastorall regiment of the house of God ; By THO. BILSON Warden of Winchester Colledge .

Perused and allowed by publike authoritie .

Imprinted at London by the Deputies of CHRISTOPHER BARKER , Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie . An. Dom. 1593.

IHaue bene very vnwilling ( good Christian Reader ) to enter into these controuersies of Discipline , that haue now some space troubled the Church of England . I remembred the wordes of Abraham to Lot ; 1 1 Gen. 13. Let there I pray thee , be no strife betwixt thee and me , nor betwixt my men and thine for we be brethren ; and did thereby learne that all strife betwixt brethren , was vnnaturall . I could not forget the saying of our Sauiour ; 2 2 Iohn 14. Peace I leaue with you , my peace I giue you ; and so collected how carefull we should be to 3 3 Ephes. 4. keepe the vnitie of the spirite in the band of peace . Prophane writers could tell me ; by concord , the weakest things growe strong ; by discord , the mightiest states are ouerthrowen : and that made me loath to increase or nourish the dislikes and quarels that haue lately fallen out in this Realme , betwixt the Professours and Teachers of one and the same Religion : yet when I sawe the peace of Gods Church violated by the sharpnesse of some mens humours ; and their tongues so intemperate , that they could not bee discerned from open enemies , I thought as in a common danger , not to sit looking till all were on fire , but rather by all meanes to trie what kind of liquor would restinguish this flame .

Another reason leading mee to this enterprise , was the discharge of my duetie to God and her Maiestie . for finding that some men broched their disciplinarie deuises vnder the title of Gods eternall trueth , and professed they could no more forsake the defence thereofthen of the Christian faith ; and others defaced and reproched the gouernement of the Church heere receiued and established , as vnlawfull , irreligious and Antichristian ; ( for what lees are so sower , that some hedge wines wil not yeelde ? ) I was mooued in conscience , not to suffer the sacred Scriptures to be so violently arrested , and ouer-ruled by the summons and censures of their newe Consistories ; as also to cleere this state of that iniurious slander , as if not knowing or neglecting the manifest voyce of Christes spirite , we had entertained and preferred the dregges of Antichrists pride and tyrannie .

These causes of great and good regard led mee to examine the chiefe groundes of both Disciplines , theirs and ours ; and to peruse the proofes and authorities of either parte ; that by comparing it might appeare , which side came neerest to the synce●itie of the Scriptures , and societie of the auncient and vncorrupte Church of Christ . The which wholie to propose by way of Preface woulde bee exceeding tedious ; shortely to capitulate , that the Reader may knowe what to looke for , will not altogether bee superfluous .

The maine supportes of their newe deuised Discipline are ; the generall equalitie of all Pastours and Teachers ; and the ioyning of Lay Elders with them to make vp the Presbyterie , that shall gouerne the Church . On this foundation they build the power of their Consistorie , that must admonish and punish all offences , heare and determine all doubts , appease and ende all strifes , that anie waie touch the state and welfare of the Church . Against these false groundes , I shewe the Church of God from Adam to Moses , from Moses to Christ , and so downeward vnder Patriarkes , Prophetes , and Apostles , hath beene alwayes gouerned by an inequalitie and superioritie of Pastours and Teachers amongst themselues ; and somuch the very name and nature of gouernement do inforce . for if amongst equals none may chalenge to rule the rest ; there must of necessitie be superiours , before there can bee Gouernours . It was therefore a ridiculous ouersight in our new platfourmers , to settle an ecclesiasticall gouernment amongst the Pastours and Teachers of the Church , and yet to banish all superioritie from them .

Some finding that absurditie , and perceiuing confusion of force must follow where all are equall , and no Gouernour endured ; confesse it to bee an essentiall and perpetuall part of Gods ordinance , for each Presbyterie to haue a chiefe amongst them ; and yet least they should seeme to agnise or admit the auncient and approued maner of the Primitiue Church retained amongst vs , which is , to appoint a fitte man to gouerne each Dioecese ; they haue framed a Running regencie , that shall goe round to all the Presbyters of each place by course , and dure for a weeke , or fome such space ; for the deuise is so newe , that they are not yet resolued what time this changeable superioritie shall continue . With this conceite they maruelouslie please themselues , in so much that they pronounce this onely to be Gods institution , and this ouerseer or Bishop to be Apostolike ; all others they reiect as humane ; that is , as inuented and established by man against the first and authentike order of the holie Ghost .

Thus farre wee ioyne , that to preuent dissention and auoid confusion there must needes , euen by Gods ordinaunce , bee a President or Ruler of euerie Presbyterie ; which conclusion , because it is warranted by the groundes of nature , reason , and trueth , and hath the example of the Church of God before , vnder , and after the Lawe to confirme it , wee accept as irrefutable ; and laie it as the ground-worke of all that ensueth . But whether this Presidentship did in the Apostles times , and by their appointment , goe round by course to all the Pastours and Teachers of euerie Presbyterie , or were by election committed to one chosen as the fittest to supplie that place , so long as hee discharged his duetie without blame ; that is a maine point in question betwixt vs . Into which I may not enter , vntill we haue seene what the Apostolike Presbyteries were , and of what persons they did consist at the first erecting of the Church .

Certaine late writers , men otherwise learned and wise , greatlie misliking in the gouernement of the Church the Romish kind of Monarchie , and on the other side shunning as much popular tumult and Anarchie , preferred a middle course betwixt them of Aristocracie ; thinking the Church would then bee best guided , when neither one , for danger of tyrannie ; nor all , for feare of mutinie did beare the swaie ; but a number of the grauest and sincerest , vndertooke the managing of all matters incident to the Ecclesiasticall Regiment . And for that there was no possibilitie in euerie Church and parish to finde a full and sufficient companie of Pastours and Teachers , to consider and dispose of all causes occurrent ; and the people ( as they thought ) would the better endure the proceedings and censures of their Consistories , if some of themselues were admitted to bee Iudges in those cases as well as the Preachers ; they compounded their Presbyteries partlie of Pastors , and partly of Laie Elders , whome they named GOVERNING PRESBYTERS ; and by this meanes they supposed the gouernement of the Church would bee both permanent and indifferent .

To proclaime this as a fresh deuise of their owne , would be some what odious , and therefore they sought by all meanes as well with examples , as authorities , to make it seeme auncient . for the better accomplishing of their desire ; first , they tooke hold of the Iewish Synedrion , which had Laie Elders mixed with Leuites in euery Citie to determine the peoples causes , and that order being established by Moses , they enforced it as a perpetuall paterne for the Church of Christ to folow . To that end they bring the wordes of our Sauiour , 1 1 Math. 18. Tell it the Church , if he heare not the Church , let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane .

Next , they perused the Apostles writings , to see what mention might bee there found of Elders and Gouernours , and lighting on this sentence of Saint Paul ; 2 2 1. Tim. 4. The Elders which rule well , are woorthie of double honour ; speciallie , they that labour in the worde and doctrine ; they resolutelie concluded , there were some Elders in the Church that gouerned , and yet laboured not in the worde and doctrine ; and those were Laie Presbyters . After this place they made no doubt , but Laie Elders were Gouernours of the Church in the Apostles times , and so setled their iudgements in that behalf , that they would heare nothing that might be said to the contrary .

Thirdlie , because it would bee strange that Laie Elders euerie where gouerning the Church vnder the Apostles , no Councill , storie , nor Father , did euer so much as name them , or remember them , or so conceiue the wordes and meaning of Saint Paul vntill our age ; they thought it needefull to make some shewe of them in the Fathers writings ; least otherwise , playne and simple men should maruell to see a new sort of gouernours wrenched and forced out of S. Pauls wordes , whome the Church of Christ in fifteene hundred yeeres neuer heard of before . And therefore certaine doubtfull speaches of the Fathers were drawen to that intent ; as where they saie , 1 1 Hiero. in epistola● ad Titum , ca. 1. The Church at first was gouerned by the common aduise of Presbyters ; and 2 2 Ambros. in 1. ad Tim. ca. 5. the Church had her Elders , without whose counsell nothing was done ; yea , some of them were so forward and willing to heare of their laie Presbyters , that wheresoeuer anie Councill or Father mentioned Presbyters , they straightway skored vp the place for laie Elders .

This is the warpe and webbe of the laie Presbyterie , that hath so enfolded some mens wits , that they cannot vnreaue their cogitations from admiring their newe founde Consistories . And in deede the credite of their first deuisers did somewhat amuse mee , as I thinke it doeth others , till partlie enclined for the causes aforesayd , and partlie required , where I might not refuse , I began more seriouslie to rip vp the whole ; and then I found both the slendernesse of the stuffe , and loosenesse of the worke , that had deceiued so many mens eies .

As first , for the Iewish Synedrion ; I sawe it might by no meanes bee obtruded on the Church of Christ . for the Iudiciall part of Moses law being abolished by the death of Christ , as well as the ceremoniall ; the Tribunals of Moses must no more remaine , then the Priesthood doth . Moses Iudges were appointed to execute Moses lawe . the punishments therefore and iudgements of Moses law ceasing , as vnder the Gospel there can be no question but they do ; all such Consistories as Moses erected must needs be therewith ended & determined . Again they were ciuill Magistrates , that Moses placed in euery Citie to iudge the people , and had the sword to punish as the lawe did limite ; Leuites being admixed with them to direct them in the doubts and difficulties of the lawe . Such Presbyteries if they frame vs in euery parish without the magistrates power and leaue ; they make a faire entrie vpon the Princes sword and scepter , vnder the colour of their Consistories , which I hope they will be well aduised before they aduenture . Lastlie , that laie Elders in Moses lawe did meddle with discerning or iudging betwixt trueth and falsehood , things holy and vnholy , persons cleane and vncleane , or did intermeddle with the sacrifices or seruices of the Tabernacle , I doe not read ; but rather the execution and superuision of sacred things and dueties belonged to the Prophetes , Priests and Leuites . So that laie Presbyteries vnder the Gospell can haue no agreement with the Synedricall Courtes of Moses , much lesse anie deriuement from them ; vnlesse they will tye all Christian kingdomes to the Tribunals and Iudicials of Moses lawe , and giue their Elders the sworde in steade of the word , which God hath assigned to Princes , and not to Presbyters .

The wordes of Christ in the 18. of Mathew , Tell it to the Church , which they vrge to that ende ; if they were spoken of such Magistrates as Moses appointed , and to whome the Iewes by the prescript of his Lawe , were to make their complaints ; then pertaine they nothing at all to the Church of Christ ; but were a speciall direction for those times , wherein our Sauiour liued , and those persons , that were vnder the Law . If they be taken as a perpetuall rule to strengthen the iudgement of Christes Church , then touch they no way the Synedrions of the Iewes , or any other Courts established by Moses . Let them choose which they will ; neither hurteth vs , nor helpeth them .

The place of Saint Paul at a glimce seemed to make for them ; but when I aduisedly looked into it , I found the text so little fauouring them , that in precise termes it excluded Lay Elders as no Gouernours of the Church . for the Apostle there chargeth , that all Presbyters which rule well , should haue double honor . His wordes be plaine . 1 1 1. Tim. 5. The Presbyters , that rule well , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Let them bee thought woorthie of double honour . Honour in this place is apparantly taken for maintenance ; as the proofes following doe import . 1 1 1. Timoth. 5. Thou shalt not musle the oxe that treadeth out thy corne , and the workeman is worthy of his wages . Now by no precept , nor example , will it euer be prooued , that Lay Presbyters had in the Apostles times , or shoulde haue by the word of God at any time , double honour and maintenance from the Church of Christ . Wherefore they must either giue all Lay Elders double maintenance , as Saint Paul willeth , which they doe not ; or shut them cleane from these wordes , which yeelde double maintenance by Gods law to Presbyters that rule well . What the meaning of Saint Paul is in this place , though much might bee saide , and is saide of others , which I haue omitted ; yet to satisfie the Reader , I haue laide downe foure seuerall expositions too long to bee heere inserted , which I willingly permit to the censure of the wise , whether euerie one of them be not more consonant to the true intent of Saint Paul then theirs is , and as answerable to his wordes .

If Paul in plaine words did not disclaime Lay Elders , as hauing no right to chalenge double maintenance from the church , nor other places contradict them ; yet were there no reason vpon the needlesse and iointlesse construction of this one sentence to receiue them . for by what logicke prooue they out of this place , there were some Presbyters that gouerned well , and laboured not at all in the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is as much as specially or chiefly , doth distinguish ( as they thinke ) the one sort from the other by a superior degree . doth it not distinguish as wel things as persons ? and note so well diuers respects as diuers subiects ? for example if we should say , Magistrates that gouerne well , are worthy of double honor , specially they that heare the complaints of the poore . Were he not very fansiful that would hence conclude , there are ergo two sorts of magistrats , one that gouerneth wel , another that heareth the complaints of the poore ? Againe , out of these speches Counsellors that be wise are acceptable to their Princes , specially such as are faithfull ; workemen are rewarded for their skill , but specially for their paines ; Pastors that be vertuous are to be wished for , but specially if they be learned : wil any sober man inferre that fidelitie and wisedome , skil and industrie , learning and vertue , do not meet in one subiect , because specially goeth betwene them ? Nothing is more common , then by this kind of speach to note as well two diuers qualities in one man , as two sundrie sortes of men ; yea thereby to preferre a part before the general comprising that part . As Teachers are to be liked for their learning , specially for their knowledge in the Scriptures ; good men are to bee loued for their vertues , specially if they be liberall .

In these speeches , they will say , the persons be diuers , as well as the things for some Counsellors be wise , that be not faithfull ; some workemen expert , that be not painefull ; some Pastours learned , that be not vertuous . ] That prooueth true , not by any force of these speeches , but by the defect of the persons that want fidelitie , industrie and integritie . for the words rather imploy that both parts should be , and therefore may be found in one man before he deserueth this adiection of specially . As a Counseller must be wise , and specially faithfull , before he can be acceptable to his Prince . A workeman must be painefull , as well as skilfull , before he deserue his wages . A Pastour must not only be honest , but also able to discharge his duetie , before he should be greatly esteemed . And so by Saint Pauls words they may conclude , a Presbyter must not only gouerne well , but also labour in the word , before he may be counted to be specially , or most woorthie of double honour : other collection out of the Apostles wordes they can make none .

And that shall wee soone finde , if wee resolue the Apostles wordes in such sort , as the nature of the Greeke tongue permitteth vs . The words stand precisely thus ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Presbyters GOVERNING WEL let them be counted worthie of double honour ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , SPECIALLY LABOVRING in the word and doctrine . The participles , as euerie meane scholer knoweth , may be resolued not onely by the Relatiue and his verb , but by many other parts of speech and their verbs ; which oftentimes expresse the sense better then the Relatiue . As , 1 1 1. Timoth. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Thou shalt not musle ( thine ) oxe treading ( out thy corne , ) that is , whiles he treadeth out thy corne , for after thou art not prohibited to musle him . So in the sentence which we speake of , Presbyters gouerning well are woorthy of double honor ; well gouerning is the cause of double honour , neither is double honor due to Presbyters , but with this condition , if they gouerne well . Then resolue the Apostles wordes either with a causall or conditionall adiunction , which is plainly the speakers intent , and we shall see howe little they make for two sortes of Presbyters . Presbyters , if they rule well , are worthie of double honour , specially , if they labour in the word ; or Presbyters for ruling well are worthie of double honour ; specially , for labouring in the word . Here are not two sortes of Elders , ( as they conceiue ) the one to gouerne , the other to teach ; but two duties of eche Presbyter ; namely to teach and gouerne , before hee can be most worthie of double honour .

Their owne rules confirme the same . Those whome they cal Teachers or Doctours must they not labor in the word ? There can be no doubt they must . Are they then most woorthie , or so worthie as Pastors be of double honour , who not onely labour in the word , but also watch and attend the flocke to rule it well ? I trust not . Then Pastors are most worthie , and consequentlie more worthie then Doctors of double honor , because they not only watch to gouerne wel , but also labour in the word .

If any man striue for two sorts of persons to be contained in these wordes , though there be vtterly no reason to force that collection , we can admit that also without any mention of Lay Elders . I haue shewed two interpretations , how diuers sorts of Presbyters may be noted by these wordes , and neither of them Lay , to which I refer the Reader that is willing to see more ; I may not here offer a fresh discourse of things else-where handled .

The briefe is , Presbyters we reade , and Presbyteries in the Apostolike writings ; but none Lay , that were admitted to gouerne the Church ▪ Presbyters did 1 1 Act. 20. attend and 1 1 1. Pet. 5. feede the flocke , as 2 2 1. Corinth. 4. Gods Stewards and were to 3 3 Tit. 1. exhort with wholsome doctrine , and conuince the gainesayers ; and Presbyteries , ( as themselues vrge , ) did 4 4 1. Timoth. 4. impose hands . These be the dueties which the holy Ghost else-where appointeth for the president , and the rest of the Presbyterie ; other then these ( except this place of which wee reason ) the Scriptures name none ; and these be no dueties for Laie Elders : vnlesse they make all partes of Pastourall chage common to Lay Presbyters , and distinguish them only by the place ; as if Pastors were to ouersee and feede the flocke in the pulpite , and Laie Presbyters in the Consistorie . Which if they doe , they allow onely wordes to Pastours , and yeeld to laie Presbyrers , both Pastorall words and deedes ; giuing them authoritie to feede & watch the flocke of Christ more particularly and effectually then Pastours doe , or may by their doctrine . Such labyrinths they leape into , when they seeke for those things in the sacred Scriptures , which were neuer intended .

But were the word of God in this point indifferent , which for ought I yet see , is very resolute against them ; the generall consent of alantiquitie that neuer so expounded S. Pauls words , nor euer mentioned any laie Presbyters to gouern the Church , is to me a strong rampire against all these new deuises . I like not to raise vp that discipline from the dead , which hath lien so long buried in silence , which no father euer witnessed , no councill euer fauoured , no Church euer followed since the Apostles times , till this our age , I can be forward in things that be good , but not so foolish , as to thinke the church of Christ neuer knew what belonged to the gouernment of her selfe , till now of late ; & that the sonne of God hath bin spoiled of halfe his kingdome by his owne seruants and Citizens for these 1500. yeeres , without remorse or remembrance of any man , that so great wrong was offered him . I can yeelde to much for quietnes sake ; to this I can not yeelde . They must shewe mee their Lay Presbyteries in some ancient Writer ; or else I must plainly auouch their Consistories ( as they presse them ) to be a notorious , if not a pernicious nouelty .

Ierome , Ambrose and others , are brought to depose , that the first Church had her Senate and Elders , without whose aduise nothing was done . but how wrongfully the deuise of Lay Elders is fathered on them , I haue declared in a special discourse , I wil not heere repeate it ; onely this I say , if any of them affirme , that in the Primitiue or Apostolike Church Lay Presbyters did gouerne Ecclesiasticall affaires , I am content to recall all that I haue written of this present matter ; if not , it is no great praise , nor good policie for them to abuse the names and wordes of so many learned Fathers , to the vtter discredite of themselues and their cause in the end .