Equal. Whence and How the Pre-rogative of Ministers Sprang, and of the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome, the Third Sermon
THE exposition touching the church of God shall be trulier understood, brethren, by those things which remain to be spoken out of the word of the Lord concerning the ministry and ministers of the church. For I said, the church of God is builded and preserved by the word of God; and that, through ministers appointed for that purpose by the Lord: so that now it followeth to speak of the ministers of the church, and of their ministry, that is, of that order wherewith God governeth his church.
And truly, the ecclesiastical ministry is extended both to stir up, and also to maintain, public prayers and the administration of the sacraments, and especially it is occupied in preaching of the word of God. Of the two former I will speak in place and time convenient: of the ministry of the word I will entreat at this present.
In consideration whereof, first it is expedient to view, wherefore God in instructing men useth the aid or ministry of men; and what men perfect? or work in the ministry itself, and what God. He verily, for his exceeding goodness and mercy toward us, coveteth to pour himself wholly into us, (which I think good to repeat often, that it may be the deeper rooted in our hearts, and that we also may bethink ourselves what we owe unto God,) that we may both be strengthened and blessed in him; and may perfectly understand his will to us-ward, and finally our duty whereby we be bound unto him. As he therefore furthereth our salvation very diligently in all things, so, lest there should be anything wanting to true doctrine, he himself cometh forth to instruct
[2 preestent, Lat.: supply.]]
men. But such is our weakness and corruption through sin, we cannot abide the meeting of his eternal and wonderfull majesty: which is apparent by much communication? of God had with our fathers, but especially at his meeting with the whole church of Israel in mount Sina. For when he came down on the mount, not without glory and heavenly? majesty, and uttered with his own mouth a brief sum of his whole religion and of all the laws, (which sum we call the decalogue, or ten commandments,) the people, being astonied with his divine majesty, sald unto Moses: Talk thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God talk with us, lest we die.” And God, receiving this offer, said: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken. Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, ὅσο. Insomuch that this manner of teaching by men, which men themselves have chosen for themselves, God will have to be perpetual, and never to be broken: so as when he sent his Son into the world, he clothed him with flesh, that he might after that manner speak unto us by him. mi- God indeed might by the secret illumination of his Spirit, without man’s ministry (as his power is tied to no creature), in nis regenerate the whole world, and govern the church itself: but as he despiseth not his creatures, nor destroyeth the work of his own hands, and doeth all things in order; even so from the first beginning he forthwith spake to the world by patriarchs, then by prophets, afterward by apostles; neither at this day ceaseth he to give unto the world doctors and pastors: so that it becometh us not to tempt God, that is, not to look for a secret inspiration with the heretics Enthusiaste; but to acknowledge a just order, and that God himself speaketh unto us by men, of whom he would have us to learn religion. The eunuch of Candace, queen of Kthiopia, did read the holy scriptures, and the Lord could have taught him by secret
[1 immense, Lat.] [2 ex multis colloquiis, Lat.] [3 divina, Lat.] [1 Deus quoque, Lat.] [> Rather, and after that manner spake, &ec.] 6 So the Messalians or Euchites were called.—Mosheim, Eccles.]
[Hist. Book 11. Cent. 4. Part 2. chap. v. ὃ 24. ed. Soames. note 5. Vol.”]
[I. p. 409. But Bullinger probably referred to a sect of the Anabap-]
[tists, called Enthusiasts. See Bulling. adv. Anabapt. Lib. 11. cap. 1.]]
inspiration the mystery? of faith; but he giveth him Philip to be a teacher and an interpreter. Likewise Paul, the doctor of the Gentiles, taken up into the third heaven, and instructed by Christ himself, not by men, of all the principles of our religion, is nevertheless referred over unto a man called Ananias. The angel of God is sent to Cornelius, captain of the Italian band, being at Caesarea, which might have instructed him in all points of true religion; but he willeth him to call for Peter the apostle: “He (saith the angel) will tell thee what thou must do.” For this cause ministers are called saviours: they are said to convert men: their word is called, not the word of man, but the word of God; he which despiseth them, seemeth to despise God himself. It is also said, that they themselves do bind and loose, and retain and forgive sins. For Abdias the prophet saith, that saviours shall ascend into the mount Sion; which many? interpret of the apostles. Paul, pleading before king Agrippa, and rehearsing the words of God which came unto him in a vision, saith: “1 send thee unto the Gentiles, to open their eyes, that they may be turned from darkness to light, &c.” And! Gabriel the archangel said before that, speaking of John, “He shall go before the Lord with the spirit and power of Elias!}, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just men.” Moreover, the apostle to the Thessalonians, “We thank God (saith he), because when ye had received of us the word of the preaching of God!?, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is indeed, the word of God, which worketh also in you that believe.” Again: “He therefore that despiseth these things 3, despiseth not man, but God, who hath even given you! his Holy Spirit.” For the Lord saith in the gospel: “He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me.” And again: “Whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven.” And again: “Whose
[7 negotium, Lat.] [8 jubet, Lat.: cf. Vol. 1. p. 86.] [9 nemo non, Lat.] [190 Etenim, Lat.: For.] [11 in spiritu Heliee, Lat.: and power, not in Lat.] [12 quo Deum discebatis, Lat., and Erasmus.) [13 rejicit nos, Lat. The Vulgate reads, heec spernit.] [4 in nos, Lat., but Erasmus, in vos. ]]
sins soever ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose sins soever you do retain, they are retained.” i But some, wresting these places of the holy scripture him against the natural sense, do give the ministers an equal power in a manner with Christ; and that which only pertaineth unto the him, they communicate also unto them. But they say, that by such means the ministry must be set out, lest it wax vile and of no estimation among profane men. Other some again so speak of the inward drawing of the Spirit, that they seem as it were to make superfluous, or to take clean away, the outward ministry, and to attribute nothing at all unto it. Therefore the ministry must be limited with his bounds, lest it be drawn hither and thither with the affections and lusts of men, and either too much or too little be attributed unto it. Let the ministry indeed be beautified and kept in authority, but let it be done without the dishonouring of God. Neither indeed becometh it us, under the pretence of the ministry, to attribute that to man’s labour which is only God’s office, on whom all men ought to depend, and unto whom, as the only well-spring and giver of all godliness’, they ought to have respect. Therefore the faithful ministers of the Lord Jesus ought only to have regard hereunto, that they may keep the glory and authority of Christ unblemished, and his priesthood sound unto himself in every point. For the Lord Jesus himself, sitting at the right hand of the Father in the true tabernacle, which God pight? and not man, remaineth a priest, yea, the only high priest of his church for ever, executing as yet all the duties of a priest in the church. For he, as the only teacher and master in the church, teacheth his disciples, that is, the church or congregation of the faithful; enduing them with the Holy Ghost, regenerating and drawing them, sanctifying and making them free from their sins: which thing the scripture in every place plainly teacheth. This glory, his power, he hath given unto none, neither doth any minister, of unless he be blinded with devilish pride, take that unto himself, as though he did work these works that are proper unto Christ, either for Christ, or in Christ’s stead, or together with Christ. The apostles, being Christ his most faithful ministers and most chosen instruments of God, did not give the Holy
[1 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577. goodness. Omnis boni, Lat.] [2 pight: pitched.]]
Ghost, did not draw men’s hearts, did not inwardly anoint men’s minds, did not regenerate souls; they themselves did not deliver from sin, death, the devil, and hell: for all these things be the works of God, which he hath not communicated to any. Wherefore the most holy Baptist in plain words denied that he was Christ; he denied that he himself baptized with the Holy Ghost. “1 (saith he) baptize with water: but he baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. I am the voice of a crier in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord.” And Paul, pleading his cause before Agrippa, wisheth of God that king Agrippa were such a one as Paul himself was, except his bonds: but such a wish had not needed, if he himself could draw, sanctify, and absolve. There are infinite other of this kind to be seen in the scriptures.
Yet nevertheless the ministry of the church is not needless. The king’s counsellors and officers have not equal power with the king, neither are they kings with the king or for the king; but for all that, their service is not in vain. Therefore that thing which Christ, the Son of God, who is the greatest, the best, and the chief high priest of his church, worketh in his catholic church inwardly and in their minds, as the only searcher of the hearts; the very same outwardly he declareth and testifieth by his ministers, whom the seripture for that cause calleth witnesses, ambassadors, or messengers. “You (saith the Lord to his apostles) shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.” And Paul saith: “I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.” Therefore the same apostle, in another place, calleth the same gospel both a testimony, and preaching, of our Lord Jesus Christ. And John the apostle affirmeth, that he was banished into the isle of Pathmos “for the word of God, and for the witnessing of Jesus Christ.” And therefore when ministers bear witness of the Son of God, and out of his word promise life everlasting, their word is not called man’s word, but the word of God; and they are said to save, and to release from sin; for they are the true messengers and heralds of the King, who is the deliverer, who hath sent them to publish remis-
[3 preeco evangelii, Lat.] [11 Cor. i. 6; 2 Tim. i. 8, testimonium; 2 Tim. iv. 17, precconium;]
[Erasmus, and Bibl. Lat. Tigur. 1544. ] [BULLINGER, 1v.] ’]
98 THE FIFTH DECADE. [sERM. sion of sins’: whereupon also they attribute all the means of life, salvation, and delivery, to the only deliverer Christ. iv. Paul in another place calleth ministers, fellow-labourers with God;” and afterward again, disposers of the secrets of God.” For the salvation which the Son of God hath only wrought, and which he also only giveth, the ministers preach or dispose? and so they are “fellow-labourers.” The i same apostle out of the doctrine of the gospel, which resem- bleth the teacher in the church to one that soweth seed, compareth the ministers to gardeners and planters of trees; to whom he committeth the outward manuring, reserving the inward working to Christ our Lord, saying: “Who is Paul then, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed; and as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”
With which testimony of the scripture Augustine being instructed, learned so to speak and write of the ministry of the church, as nothing should be diminished from the glory of God, which inwardly moveth and teacheth us; and yet in the mean time the office of the ministry should not be taken away, or despised as unprofitable. For in his epistle ad Circenses, which in order is accounted the 130, speaking of the secret drawing of God and the outward ministry of men: These are not (saith he) our works, but God’s; I would not at all attribute these things unto man’s working: no, not if, when we were with you, so great a conversion of the multitude through our speaking and exhortations should happen. That thing he worketh and bringeth to pass, who by his ministers outwardly warneth by tokens or signs of things; but by the things themselves he inwardly teacheth by himself.” Thus far he. But lest it might seem to any man, that he spake too briefly and sparingly, and not worthily enough, of the ministry of the church, even he himself immediately addeth, and saith: “Neither therefore ought we to be more slow to come unto you, because whatsoever is done praiseworthy among you cometh not of us, but of him which alone doth wonderful things; for we ought more carefully to run to behold the works of God than our own works; because [1 of sins, not in Lat.] [2 dispensant, Lat.]
even we ourselves, if we have any goodness in us, we are his work, and not man’s. Therefore the apostle said: ‘ Neither is he that planteth anything, nor he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”” The same writer, speaking of the very same thing in his twenty-sixth treatise upon John: “All the men of that kingdom (saith he) shall be such as are taught of God; they shall not hear by men: and though they hear by men, yet that which they understand is inwardly given; it shineth inwardly; it is inwardly revealed. What do men in preaching outwardly? What do I now when I speak? Make you to hear a noise of words with your ears. But unless he reveal it, which is within, what say I? or what speak I? The outward workman is the planter of the tree, and the inward is the creator. He that planteth, and he that watereth, worketh outwardly; that do we: but neither is he that planteth anything, nor he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. This is the meaning of, They shall be all taught of God%’” Thus far Augustine.
Wherefore, when in another place St Paul saith, “Ye are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with
[3 Non sunt hee opera nostra, sed Dei; non heec humanis operibus]
[omnino tribuerem; nec si cum apud vos essemus tanta conversio mul-]
[titudinis nobis loquentibus et hortantibus proveniret. Hoc agit ille]
[et efficit, qui per ministros suos rerum signis extrinsecus admonet,]
[rebus autem ipsis per seipsum intrinsecus docet. Nec ideo pigrius]
[moveri nos oportet ad visendos vos, quoniam quicquid in vobis laud-]
[bile est factum, non a nobis, sed ab illo factum est, qui facit mirabilia]
[solus. Multo enim alacrius debemus accurrere ad spectanda opera]
[divina quam nostra, quia et nos, si quid boni sumus, opus illius, non]
[hominum sumus. Unde apostolus dixit, Neque qui plantat est aliquid,]
[neque qui rigat; sed qui incrementum dat, Deus.—August. Ep. 130.]
[Opp. Tom. 11. fol. 124. col. 4. Par. 1531.] [4 Omnes regni illius homines docibiles Dei erunt, non ab homi-]
[nibus audient. Etsi ab hominibus audiunt, tamen quod intelligunt]
[intus datur, intus coruscat, intus revelatur. Quid faciunt homines]
[forinsecus annunciantes? Quid facio ego modo cum loquor? Stre-]
[pitum verborum ingero auribus vestris: nisi vero revelet ille qui]
[intus est, quid dico, quid loquor? Exterior cultor arboris, interior]
[est creator. Qui plantat et qui rigat, extrinsecus operatur; hoc faci-]
[mus nos: sed neque qui plantat est aliquid, neque qui rigat; sed qui]
[incrementum dat, Deus. Hoc est, Erunt omnes docibiles Dei. —]
[Id. Tract. in Joan. 26. Tom. Ix. fol. 47. col. 1. See also Vol. 1.]
[Ῥ. 86.]]
ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in stony tables, but in fleshy tables of the heart;” we must diligently put a difference between the work of the Spirit, and the work of man or of the minister. The minister doth not take on him the honour of God and the work of the Spirit, but his own work, that is to say, the ministry. Paul preacheth, and writeth with ink; but the Spirit of God moveth the heart; and with his grace, or anointing, he writeth in the very heart: so he worketh together with God, Paul working his proper work, and the Spirit working his work. The apostles are preachers and ministers of the gospel, not of the letter, but of the Spirit: not that they give the Holy Ghost, but because they are preachers of the gospel, that is, of that which giveth the Spirit of Christ!, yea, which poureth it into the believers: but they are not preachers of the letter of the law, which doth not give grace and remission of sins, but worketh wrath and bringeth sin to light. Touching the keys and the power of the keys, there will be elsewhere a more fit place to speak. And moreover it seemeth that here is a meet place for those things, which I have disputed of in the first sermon of this decade, touching the power and ministry of the church.
Again; whereas the Lord useth in teaching his church man’s help, and us as labourers together in finishing the salvation of mankind? he sheweth most evidently how greatly he loveth us, and how much he esteemeth of us; who hath laid up so great a treasure in earthen vessels, and even in us ourselves worketh whatsoever is most excellent, and overcometh all the high excellency of the world. Whereby we learn again to attribute all the glory unto Christ, Paul again g2cor.iv. teaching us, and saying: “We preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For it is God, that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, who hath shined in our hearts, for to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are afflicted on every side, yet are we not in distress, &e.” Moreover, all the members of the ecclesiastical body are [ preedicatores evangelii, id est, Christi spiritum conferentis. ]
[2 of mankind, not in Lat.]
wonderfully glued together by the ecclesiastical ministry: for this chiefly helpeth to make concord and continue unity, because we want mutual instruction; and unto every church is one peculiar pastor appointed as a governor, as it were some faithful householder, governing and keeping in order his whole family. Truly it cannot be denied, that in time past that? most exquisite order? of the tabernacle, and temple, and the tribe of Levi consecrated to the priesthood, were to this end ordained of God: which as soon as that ungodly king Jeroboam through wicked presumption forsook, he rent the kingdom in pieces, and at the length utterly overthrew both his own house and the whole kingdom? St Paul also, speaking of the ends of the holy ministry instituted of God, doth not forget the unity of the ecclesiastical body; whereunto also he joineth other notable good things. If any man desire his words, they are these: “Ie instituted ministers, for the gathering together of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edification of the body of Christ: till we all meet together in the unity of faith, and knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, and unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, wavering, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the deceit of men, and with craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but let us follow the truth in love, and in all things grow up into him, which is the head, that is, Christ,” &c. These ends of the ecclesiastical ministry are manifest in the preaching of the word of God. God hath instituted a ministry in the church, that all the members may be brought into the unity of the body, and that they may be subject and cleave to Christ their head, that thereby we may grow to be of full age, and become perfect men; that we be not always children, and that we lie not open to the deceits and bewitchings of all heretics; but, being joined together in true faith and charity, let us hold fast the pure and simple truth of Christ; and serving Christ unfeignedly in this world, we may after death reign with him in heaven,
Out of these things let us also derive this; that the eccle-
[3 totum, Lat.: all that.] [4 cultum, Lat.] [> See Vol. 11. p. 128.] [6 instaurationem, Lat. and Erasmus.]]
102 THE FIFTH DECADE. [SERM. siastical ministry, though it be executed by men, yet is it οί of man, that is to say, invented by man. For the beginand ping thereof is from heaven, and the author or institutor thepeof is God himself; and therefore the worthiness of it doth greatly excel.
The first preacher in paradise was God himself, yea, the Son of God himself: who by the ministry of the Holy Ghost always spake to the fathers; even as afterwards, being incarnate, he was given of the Father to be a master and teacher to the whole world. He preached unto our parents, Adam and Eve, remission of sins and repentance. Ie ordained and revealed a sacrifice, instead of a sacrament; wherein might be represented and ratified! unto them the price of the redemption, promised by the seed in time convenient to be paid, &c. There succeeded in the ministry Adam with his sons and nephews, Seth, Enos, Enoch, Noe, Sem, Abraham, with their sons and nephews, even unto Moses; in whose time, while he governed the church, and after him, there are given prophets and priests, even unto the time of John Baptist and Jesus, the promised seed, I mean Christ, our king and high priest. He in like wise? sent into the world his disciples, that is to say, the apostles, who ordained for their successors bishops and doctors: of which thing I have spoken more largely in another place3. God himself therefore is heard in the voice or doctrine of his ministers; so that we are commanded to give ear to the ministers, preaching the gospel, as to the very angels of God, yea, as to the Lord himself. For this cause Paul praiseth the Ga- ~~ latians, saying: “Ye despised not neither abhorred my trial which was in the flesh; but received me as an angel of God, yea, as Christ Jesus.” Whereupon St Augustine also in his thirtieth treatise upon John: “Let us hear (saith he) the gospel, as if the Lord were present; and let us not say, Oh, happy are they who could hear him: because there were many of them which saw him, and yet consented to kill him, and many among us who have not seen, and yet believed. For that also which sounded precious out of the mouth of the Lord, is both written for our sakes, and kept for us, and is also read for our sakes, and for our posterity’s sake shall
[[! obsignaretur, Lat. ] [2 rursus, Lat.] [> De Episcoporum Instit. et Funct. cap. 5.]]
be read unto the end of the world. The Lord is above; yea, and the Lord, which is the truth, is here also. For the body of the Lord wherewith he rose may be in one place, but his truth is spread abroad everywhere. Let us therefore hear the Lord, and that also which he shall give us of his words.” Thus much he. The Lord, our high priest, speaketh unto us even at this day by the ministers preaching his word. And we have all things, whatsoever the Lord spake by the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, set out in the scriptures, which the ministers of the church do read and declare before us. Who therefore hereafter can despise the ministry and the faithful ministers of Christ, especially since our Lord and Saviour took upon him the ministry, and was made the apostle and minister of the church of the Jews? What and if those first ministers were such, as no age, in any doctrine of religion, in holiness and excellency, had their fellows, much less their betters? At this day, insomuch as they are the last times, wherein scoffers and epicures have their full range, the ministry of God’s word is of no value. But if you run over and weigh all the ages, even unto the beginning of the world, you shall find that the wisest, justest, and best men in the whole world had nothing in more reverence than the word of God, and the prophets, and the holy apostles of God.
But before we proceed any further in other things belonging to this matter, we will make answer to some, which, even under the pretence of the holy scriptures, endeavour to pervert the ministry of the word. For they allege this text of Jeremy: “No man shall teach his neighbour, for all shall know me” As we deny not that Jeremy hath so written;
[[ Nos itaque sic audiamus evangelium tanquam praesentem Do-]
[minum, nec dicamus, Ὁ illi felices, qui eum videre (Bullinger read]
[audire) potuerunt: quia multi in eis qui viderunt, et occiderunt;]
[multi autem in nobis qui non viderunt, et crediderunt. Quod enim]
[pretiosum sonabat de ore Domini, et propter nos scriptum est, et nobis]
[servatum est, et propter nos recitatur, et propter posteros recitabitur,]
[et donec seculum finiatur. Sursum est Dominus, sed etiam hic est]
[veritas Dominus. Corpus enim Domini, in quo resurrexit, uno loco]
[esse potest: veritas ejus ubique diffusa est. Dominum ergo audiamus,]
[et quod ipse donaverit de verbis ejus.—August. Tract. in Joan. XxX.]
[Opp. Tom. 1x.] (6 Imo, Lat.: Nay.] [6 Bullinger. adv. Anabapt. Lib. 11. cap. 4.]]
so we say, by that kind of speech and figurative saying that he meant nothing else, than that the knowledge of God and heavenly things should be very common in the whole world; which Joel also foretold would come to pass, and which Peter allegeth in the Acts, second chapter. In the meanwhile these two prophets, as also all other very often, do make mention of the teachers of the church, whom the Lord should send unto Ν his people: which they would not have done, if they had understood that all preachers should be taken clean away. Whereas other object, that all have the office of teaching committed alike unto them, to wit, parents to teach their children, and every one to admonish his neighbour; therefore that there is no need of the ministry of the word of God in the church: it is sophistical. For all of us can and ought privately to teach and admonish our children and our neighbours; but therefore the public ministry of the word of God is not superfluous. For the same God, which commanded parents and us all that they should instruct their children in godliness, and that every one of us also should teach and admonish our neighbours, hath given public ministers unto the church. It is their office to teach openly or publicly in the church; neither is this permitted to whomsoever will, but only to them that be lawfully ordained; lest happily, if other teach, they should not go forward in the right path; for then it were lawful for every one, being inspired with the Spirit of God, at what time and place soever, both soberly to gainsay and to affirm the truth. Therefore the public ministry of the word remaineth nevertheless, and that perpetually, in the church.
Thus much have we spoken in general of the ministry and the ministers of the word of God. Now that which remaineth of this matter we will discuss by their kinds and parts. And first we will shew what orders, or what offices, the Lord hath instituted from the beginning, or whom he hath put in authority in the holy ministry of the church; then, what manner men, and after what sort, it is meet for us to ordain ministers; last of all, what manner of office it is that they have, that are ordained in the church. And that we be not troublesome unto you, beginning a long discourse from the patriarchs, we will orders begin at our Lord Christ himself; of whom Paul the apostle Speaking: “He that descended,” saith he, “is even the same which ascended up far above all heavens, to fulfil all things.
And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and doctors, to the gathering together of the saints, into the work of ministration, into the edifying of the body of Christ: and so forth, as is read in the fourth chapter to the Ephesians. Therefore our Lord ordained apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and doctors, by whose labour he meant to build, preserve, and govern the church.
Let us now see what the scripture teacheth us of them. Apostle is a new name, given of the Lord himself to those twelve, which he chose peculiarly, and ordained teachers and masters to (all) nations. For thus we read in the sixth of Luke: “The Lord called his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he called apostles.” For apostle signifieth, one that is sent, a messenger, ambassador, or orator; for in the gospel after St John we read: “The apostle (or messenger) is not greater than he that sent him.” And truly, there is very often mention made of sending, in the prophets and in the old Testament!; from whence it seemeth the Lord borrowed that name. We read of no certain bounds appointed to the apostles; for the Lord saith in the gospel: “Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to all creatures.” These are the master-builders of the first church of God, from whom among ancient writers they took the name of apostolic churches; those, I mean, which the apostles first founded: as was the church at Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, and many other mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.
The name of a minister and? prophet is exceeding large: whereof is spoken in another place. Prophets in this place are they which excel in singular revelation, and by whom the Lord foretelleth things that shall come to the church: such a one as we read Agabus was, which both foretold to St Paul the famine which was to come, and his bonds. Wise and godly men, endued with a singular gift of interpreting the scripture, in times past were called prophets: as it may appear by the words of the apostle, 1 Corinth. xiv. chapter.
An evangelist is a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, sent with apostolic authority. Such we read were Philip and Timothy, &e.
[1 in antiqua historia, Lat.] [2 minister and, not in Lat.] [3 See Vol. 1. p. 49.] [ rather, which both foretold the famine, &c. and to St Paul, his]
[bonds. ]]
106 THE FIFTH DECADE. [sERM. Pastors watch over the Lord’s flock, having care of the Lord’s people, feeding the church with the word of truth, and keeping the wolves from the sheepfolds. The chief of these xxi. is that good Shepherd, Christ, which saith unto Peter, “Feed my sheep;” whereby he also joineth himself to shepherds. or Doctors or teachers have their names of teaching. Neither do I see what they differ from shepherds, but that they did only teach, and in the meanwhile were not burthened with the care that belongeth to the pastor: of which sort in a manner are the interpreters of scriptures, and governors of christian schools.
There are also found other names of the overseers of the church in the scriptures. The apostle Paul saith unto the shepherds, gathered together in the council at Miletum: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God.” But bishops are called superintendents, seers, keepers, watchmen, and rulers. The people of Athens called them, whom they sent to their tributary cities subject unto them, diligently to see and mark what they did in every city, ἐπισκόπους; and φύλακας, that is to say, spies and watchmen2 The apostles called bishops watchmen, and keepers of the Lord’s flock, and the stewards of Christ, or disposers of the secrets of God in the church. And presbyter, an elder, hath his name of age and ancient years. In times past the care of the commonwealth was committed unto the elders, as to those that were exercised with manifold experience and long use of things; for governors of cities are both called seniors and senators. And as commonweals have their senators, so hath the church her elders; as it appeareth in the Acts xiv., xv., xx., and xxi. chap. It seemeth that the ordaining of elders came into the church out of the synagogue; for thus we read in the book of Numbers: “Gather unto me (saith he) threescore and ten men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and put upon them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee,
[1 Budi Comment. Ling. Gree. (p. 290. 1529.) apud Bullinger.]
[Expos. in Heb. v. 5. 6. p. 673. Tig. 1537.) [2 The interpretation is the translator’s.] [3 mysteriorum, Lat.] [ constitutio, Lat.]]
lest thou be constrained to bear it alone.” Wherefore the elders in the church of Christ are either bishops, or otherwise prudent and learned men added to bishops, that they may the more easily bear the burden laid upon them, and that the church of God may the better and more conveniently be governed. For Paul saith: “The elders that rule well, let them be counted worthy of double honour; most specially they which labour in the word and doctrine.” There were therefore certain other in the ecclesiastical function, who albeit they did not teach by and byef, as did the bishops, yet were they present with them that taught in all businesses. Perhaps they are called of the same apostle elsewhere governors, that is to say, which are set in authority concerning discipline and other affairs of the church.
And because we are come thus far in this present treatise, we will also declare other names of offices in the church. There is much speech in the scriptures of deacons, and, among ecclesiastical writers, of priests. In the primitive church the care of the poor was committed to deacons; as it is plainly gathered out of the sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. There are also laws to be seen, which are prescribed unto them by the apostle in the first to Timothy, the third chapter. The office of deacons was separated from the function of pastors; and therefore we do not reckon them in the order of pastors. The ancient fathers referred them to the ministry, but not to the priesthood. We read also, that women, not wedded, but widows, ministered in the primitive church; and among other Phebe, of the church of Cencrea, highly praised of the apostle, is very famous. But he forbiddeth women to teach in the church, and to take upon them public offices. How therefore, or in what thing, did women minister in the church? Undoubtedly, they ministered unto the poor in duties appertaining to women. They ministered unto the sick; and with Martha, Christ’s hostess, they did with great care and diligence cherish the members of Christ: for what other offices could they have?
Moreover, the name of priest seemeth to be brought into the church out of the synagogue; for otherwise ye shall not find in the new Testament the ministers of the word of God and of churches to be called priests, but after that sort that [5 episcopi, Lat.: the bishops.] [6 continue, Lat.]
all Christians are called priests by the apostle Peter. But it appeareth that the ministers of the new Testament, for a certain likeness which they have with the ministers of the old Testament, of ecclesiastical writers are called priests; for as they did their service in their tabernacle, so these also, after their manner and their fashion, minister to the church of God. For otherwise the Latin word is derived of holy things, and signifieth a minister of holy things: a man, I say, dedicated and consecrated unto God to do holy things. And holy things are not only sacrifices, but what things soever come under the name of religion; from which we do not exclude the laws viii. themselves, and holy doctrine. In the old Testament we read that David’s sons were called priests!: not that they were ministers of holy things, (for it was not lawful for them, which came of the tribe of Juda, to serve in the tabernacle, but only to the Levites); but because they, living under the government and discipline of priests, did learn good sciences and holy divinity.
Here it seemeth it must not be dissembled, that those mames, which we have entreated of, are in the scriptures one? sed for another. For Peter, the apostle of Christ our Lord, calleth himself an elder; and in the Acts of the Apostles he calleth the apostleship a bishoprick. For St Paul also calling the elders together at Miletum, and talking with them, he calleth them bishops; and in his epistle unto Titus he commandeth to ordain elders town by town, whom immediately after he calleth bishops. And that they also are called both doctors and pastors, there are none so gross-headed to deny.
Now by all these things we think it is manifest to all men, in what orders the Lord himself ordained from the beginning, sole 5 2 and whom he hath consecrated to the holy ministry of the church, to govern his own church. He laid the foundation of the church, at the beginning, by apostles, evangelists, and prophets; he enlarged and maintained? the same by pastors and doctors. To these elders and deacons were helpers: the deacons in seeing to the poor; and the elders in doctrine, in discipline, and in governing and sustaining other weightier [1 chief rulers, Auth. Ver.: princes, marg.: Heb. Ὡ) 713 »γϊοβί8.}
[2 frequens, Lat. omitted: often.] [3 1 Pet. v. 1; Acts i. 20, xx. 28; Tit. i. 5.] [4 consecravit, Lat.]]
affairs of the church. Nevertheless, it appeareth that the order of the apostles, evangelists, and prophets, was ordained at the beginning by the Lord unto his church for a time, according to the matter, persons, and places. For many ages since, and immediately after the foundation of Christ’s kingdom in earth, the apostles, evangelists, and prophets ceased; and there came in their place bishops, pastors, doctors and elders; which order hath continued most stedfastly in the church: that now we cannot doubt, that the order of the church is perfect and the government absolute, if at this day also there remain in the church of God bishops or pastors, doctors also or elders. Yet we deny not, that after the death of the apostles there were oftentimes apostles raised up of God, which might preach the gospel to barbarous and ungodly nations. We confess also, that God even at this day is able to raise up apostles, evangelists, and prophets, whose labour he may use to work the salvation of mankind. For we acknowledge, that holy and faithful men, which first preach the truth of the gospel to any unbelieving people, may be called apostles and evangelists. We acknowledge that men inspired with singular grace of the Spirit, which foresee and foreshew things to come, and be excellent interpreters of the scriptures, or divines illuminated, may be called prophets; as we have shewed? elsewhere more at large.
But in the order of bishops and elders from the beginning there was singular humility, charity, and concord; no contention or strife for prerogative, or titles, or dignity; for all acknowledged themselves to be the ministers of one master, co-equal in all things touching office or charge. He made them unequal, not in office, but in gifts, by the excellency of gifts. Yet they, that had obtained the excellenter gifts, did not despise the greater sort, neither did they envy them for their gifts. St Paul saith: “Let a man so esteem of us, as the ministers of Christ, and disposers of the secrets of God.” The same Paul in more than one place calleth the preaching of the gospel the ministry; for that took deep root in the ancient bishops’ hearts, which the Lord, when his disciples strived for dignity, and (as they say) for the majority, that is,
[6 ostendi, Lat.: Bullinger. de Episc. Instit. et Funct. capp. 1.]
[and 5.] [6 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, meaner: mediocres, Lat. ]]
110 THE FIFTH DECADE, [sErRM. which of them should be the greatest, setting a child in the xvii. midst of them, said: “Verily, verily 2, I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Truly the martyr of God, St Cyprian, standing in the council of the bishops at Carthage, wisely said3: Neither hath any of us appointed himself to be a bishop of bishops, or by tyrannous fear compelled his fellows in office to necessity of obeying: since every bishop hath, according to the licence and liberty of his power, his own free choice; as if he might not be judged of another, since neither he himself can judge another. But let us all look for the judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ, who only and alone hath power both to prefer us in the government of his church, and to give sentence of our doing” Thus far he, At that time, therefore, bishops contended not for I know not what primacy or patrimony of Peter; but that one might excel the other in pureness of doctrine and holiness of life, and mutually to help one another. And then undoubtedly the affairs of the church went forward prosperously; insomuch that, though the most puissant princes of the world should have persecuted the church of Christ with fire and sword, yet nevertheless against all the assaults of the devil and the world she had stood unmoveable, having won the victory, and had daily been more enlarged and also renowned. Oh happy had we been, if this order of pastors had not been changed; but that that ancient simplicity of ministers, that faith, humility, and diligence, had remained uncorrupted!
But in process of time all things of ancient soundness, humility, and simplicity, vanished away; whiles some things are sort.
[1 The translator’s explanation. ]
(2 Amen, Lat.: not repeated.
[38 disertis verbis, Lat.: in express words.]
[ Neque enim quisquam nostrum episcopum se episcoporum constituit, aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem collegas suos adigit; quando habeat omnis episcopus, pro licentia libertatis et potestatis suse, arbitrium proprium, tamque judicari ab alio non possit, quam nec ipse potest judicare: (Bullinger read, tanquam judicari ab alio non possit, cum nec ipse possit alterum judicare:) sed exspectemus universi judicium Domini nostri Jesu Christi, qui unus et solus habet potestatem, et preeponendi nos in ecclesize sux gubernatione, et de actu nostro judicandi.—Cpyprian. ap. Concil. Carthag. Opp. p. 229. Oxon. 1682.
turned upside down; some things either of their own accord were out of use, or else are taken away by deceit; some things are added to. Verily, not many ages after the death of the apostles there was seen a far other hierarchy (or government) of the church than was from the beginning; although those beginnings seem to be more tolerable, than at this day all of this same order are. St Hierome saith: You shall find more. ᾿ upon this place of St In times past churches were governed Hierome elsewhere, in hme er. With the common counsel and advice of the man think thatthe holy elders: afterward it was decreed, that one man speaketh of the: primacy and monarchy Οἱ the elders, being chosen, should be set Far To ane ui the over the other; unto whom the whole care bishops of every - of the church should pertain, and that the veral province. For g ἐπ in St Hierome’s time seeds of schisms should be taken away. fis Ina re 2 Wis much he, In every city and country, berty of tl: safe: therefore every therefore, he that was most excellent was several province chose 3 unto themselves him placed above the rest. His office was to that was best, whom. they called both bi- be superintendent, and to have the overshop, superintendent 7 a sight of the ministers” and the whole flock He had not (as we understood even now out of Cyprian’s words) dominion over his fellows in office or other elders: but, as the consul in the senate-house was placed to demand and gather together the voices of the senators, and to defend the laws and privileges, and to be careful lest there should arise factions among the senators; even so no other was the office of a bishop in the church: in all other things he was but equal with the other ministers. But had not the arrogancy of the ministers and ambition of bishops in the times that followed further increased, we would not speak “a word against them. And St Hierome affirmeth, that “That
[5 in ecclesia, Lat.] [6 — Communi presbyterorum consilio ecclesize gubernabantur.]
[Postquam vero… decretum est, ut unus de presbyteris electus super-]
[poneretur ceteris, ad quem omnis ecclesize cura pertineret, et schis-]
[matum semina tollerentur.—Hieron. Comment. in Ep. ad Tit. cap. 1.]
[Tom. 1v. par. 1. col. 413. Par. 1706.] [7 presbyteris, Lat. ] [ This extract from Bullinger’s treatise De Episcop. Instit. et]
[Funct. cap. 16, fol. 143, is not given in edd. 1577 and 1584; nor in the]
[folio Latin ed. of the Decades, Tiguri, 1552. It appears however in]
[the octavo edition of the Latin Decades, “Londini excudebat Henricus]
[Midletonus;” no date.]]
preferment of bishops sprang not by God’s ordinance, but by the ordinance of man. These things have we remembered,” saith he, “to the end we might shew, that, among the old fathers, bishops and ministers were all one; but by little and little, that the plants of dissensions might be plucked up, all the care was committed unto one. Therefore, as ministers know, that they by the custom of the church are subject to him which is set over them; so let bishops know, that, rather by custom than by the truth of the Lord’s disposition, they are greater than the other ministers; and that they ought to govern the churches together in common, following the example of Moses, who, when it was in his power alone to govern the people of Israel, chose out threescore and ten other, with whom he might judge the people’.” Thus he writeth in his commentary upon the third chapter of the epistle of Paul unto Titus.
But the ancient fathers kept not themselves within these οἱ bounds. There were also ordained patriarchs at Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Rome. There are appointed archbishops, or metropolitans; that is to say, such as have government over the bishops throughout provinces. And to bishops of cities, or inferior bishops, there are added such as were called chorepiscopi (or bishops of the multitude)? that is to say, at such time as the country or region was larger than that the care and oversight of the bishop placed over the city would suffice: for these were added as vicars and suffragans, who might execute the office of the bishop throughout that part of the country. But we know that the functions of suffragans, or vicars general, in these last times, are of a far other manner in bishops’ courts and dioceses. And also under deacons were placed subdeacons. And when wealth increased, there were archdeacons also created; that is to say, overseers of all the goods of the church. They as yet were not mingled with the order of ministers or bishops, and of those that
[1 The former part of this quotation is given above, p. 87, n. 5.]
[Jerome then proceeds: Et in commune (noverint episcopi) debere]
[ecclesiam regere, imitantes Moysen, qui, quum haberet in potestate]
[solus preesse populo Israel, septuaginta elegit, cum quibus populum]
[judicaret.—Hieron. Comment. in Ep. ad Tit. cap. 1. Opp. Tom. 1v.]
[par. 1. col. 413.] [ The translator’s explanation.] [3 sacerdotum, Lat.]]
taught; but they remained as stewards, or factors, of the goods of the church: as neither the monks at the beginning executed the office of a priest or minister in the church; for they were counted as laymen, not as clerks, and were under the charge of the pastors. But these unfortunate birds never left soaring, until in these last times they have climbed into the top of the temple, and have set themselves upon bishops’ and pastors’ heads: for monks have been and are both popes, archbishops, and bishops; and what are they not? It is rehearsed out of the register of Gregory, that he (who nevertheless was very favourable to the monks) himself would put him out of the clergy, who being a monk would take the degree of an abbot; forasmuch as the one dignity would hinder the other?.
Clerks (who are the Lord’s inheritance, or whose lot the Clerks. Lord is) in times past such were called as were students, or professors of divinity”; that is to say, the very seed of pastors of the church, and such as were even as it were consecrated to succeed in the ministry of the church: that is, such as lived under government, and were trained up by the doctors and elders in the study of the liberal sciences and holy scriptures”. This institution is ancient, not new, neither invented by man; for in time past, among the old people of the Jews, they were called Nazarites. And that the most excellent churches have continually had famous schools, even from the time of the apostles, Eusebius doth often witness. But unto those students, the affairs of the church somewhat increasing, it seemeth that the charge of opening and shutting the temple or church was committed; and to prepare all things in the church; and further, to read openly before the people such places of scripture as the bishop appointed them. Whereupon, perhaps, the names of door-keepers and readers sprang, which are at [4 inauspicatee, Lat.]
(5 Presbyteros, diaconos, ceterosque cujuslibet ordinis clericos.. abbates per monasteria esse non permittas.—Greg. Maximiniano Epise. Syracus. Regist. Lib. 11. indict. 12. Epist. x1. p. 98. Opp. Tom. 1v. Rom. 1591.] [6 candidati theologize, Lat.] [7 See Bingham, Antiq. Book I. chap. 5. 7—9.] [8 See Vol. 11. p. 208.] [9 See Bullinger, de Episc. Instit. et Funct. cap. 8. De scholis Christianorum priscis, &c.]
this day reckoned amongst ecclesiastical orders!. But they which were more familiarly present with the bishops and accompanied them, and were esteemed as those who after the decease of the bishops might succeed in their places, were called Acoluthi, as if you would say, “followers;” for it is a Greek word. And as in time, for the most part, all things become worse, even so these things, the further off from their first institution, the more filthily were they wrested. In some things you shall see nothing left but the bare name; some things utterly lost; some things are turned altogether to another use. And here for witness I allege Isidorus, Rabanus, Innocentius, Durandus, and other writers of this Κιπα 3, They make two sorts of ecclesiastical persons; one of dignity, another of order: of dignity; as pope, patriarch, primate, archbishop, archpriest, archdeacon, and provost: of order; as the minister? or priest, the deacon, &c. But some account six orders, other some eight. ΑἸ] with one accord do reckon doorkeepers or porters, readers or singers, exorcists, acoluthes, subdeacons, deacons, elders or priests. Those again they divide into greater and lesser orders. Among the greater orders are the priest or elder, the deacon, and the subdeacon. The rest are called the lesser orders; of which orders there remaineth nothing in a manner beside the bare name. The office of doorkeepers is turned over to the sextons, which they call holy-water clerks? There are no readers; for that ancient reading is worn out of use. The psalmists, or singers, do understand nothing less than that they rehearse or sing. Touching the exorcists this they say: Josephus writeth, that king Solomon found out the manner of exorcism, that is, of conjuring, whereby unclean spirits were driven out of a man that was possessed by Eleazar the exorcist, so that they durst no more come again To this office they that are
[1 Horum mentio fit in Carthaginen. Concilio 1v. Lat. marg. These]
[are mentioned in the fourth Council of Carthage. Labb. et Coss.]
[Tom. 11. col. 1200. capp. 8, 9. Par. 1671.] [2 Isidorus, Etymol. Lib. vir. cap. 12. Tom. ur. p. 339. Rom. 1798.]
[Rabanus, de Instit. Cleric. Lib. 1. cap. 9. Opp. Tom. νι. Col. Agrip.]
[1626. Innocent. III. Epist. Lib. 1. p. 44. Lib. 11. p. 452. Opp. Tom. 1.]
[Par. 1682. Durand. Rational. Divin. Lib. 11.] [3 presbyter, Lat.] [ wmdituos, quos vocant sacristas, Lat.] [5 Refert Josephus, regem Salomonem excogitasse modos exor=]
[cismi, id est, adjurationis, quibus immundi spiritus, expulsi ab homine,]
named exorcists are called; of whom it is read in the gospel: “If I through Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children (to wit, your exorcists or conjurers) cast them out?” Thus much they say; which I rehearse to this end, that it may appear to all men, that these men are the very same of whom the apostle foretold that it should come to pass, that they shall not suffer wholesome doctrine, but shall be turned unto fables.” For who knoweth not, that it is most fabulous which is reported of Solomon? Who knoweth not, that the apostles of the Lord were not exorcists, neither used at any time any manner of enchantments or conjurations? For with a word they cast out unclean spirits, that is, by calling upon and by the power of the name of Christ. Those gifts’ ceased long ago in the church of God. Those sons of Scaeva the priest, in the Acts of the Apostles, were said to be exorcists; whom the evil spirit, though they called on the names of Jesus and Paul, ran upon, and tare the clothes from their backs, and so, by God’s appointment, made known unto all men how much the eternal God is delighted with exorcists: and yet these fellows thrust them upon us as yet. Touching the acoluthes, or followers, thus they write: hear, I pray you, how trimly they reason. “The acoluthes,” say they, “are wax-bearers, because they carry wax-candles. For when the gospel must be read, or mass is to be said, wax-candles are lighted, to signify the joy of the mind”.” Who hearing these things will say, that these men do unlearnedly handle no mysteries? Subdeacons and deacons are no longer providers for the poor; but, being made ministers of superstition, they attend on the popish mass. The deacon’s office is to sing the gospel; the subdeacon’s, to sing the epistle. In few words I cannot express what foolish men do fondly chatter concerning these matters. Over these they have set an archdeacon, which is a name of dignity and preeminence,
[ulterius reverti non sunt ausi.—Rabani Mauri de Instit. Cleric. cap.]
[10 Opp. Tom. vI. p. 6. Col. Agripp. 1626. ] [6 ea gratia, Lat.] [7 Acolythi Greece, Latine Ceroferarii dicuntur a deportandis cereis,]
[quando legendum est evangelium, aut sacrificium offerendum: tunc]
[enim accenduntur luminaria ab eis.ad signum Ilwtitiee demon-]
[strandum.—Isidor. Etymol. Lib. vir. cap. 12.] [ See on the above mentioned orders of ecclesiastical persons,]
[Bingham, Antiq. Book 11. chap. 21; and Book 111. chap. 1—7.]]
Sacrificers, who are also called priests!, are diversely disresu- tinguished; for there are regular priests, and secular priests. By regular priests they understand monks: whereas they are nothing less than those they are said to be. Truly, they resemble those that of old were called monks in no point of their doings: a great part of them are a rule and law unto themselves. Of these men some are doctors appointed to the office of preaching, but yet rather occupied in saying of their hours, and in singing and saying of masses: and these men sow superstition, and most obstinately defend it, and most bitterly do persecute true religion. Another sort, and the greatest part, of these monkish priests do nothing else but sing in the church, and mumble mass, and that for a very slender price. But you may sooner number the sands of the coast of Libya than the whole rabble of these. But they are unprofitable both unto God, and to the church, and also even to themselves; men utterly unlearned, and slow bellies,” and yet in the mean season sworn enemies to the truth of the gospel.
Among the secular priests, the chief are canons; which for the most part are idle persons, given over to voluptuousness, gluttons, and in very deed secular, that is to say, worldly?2. They think they have gaily discharged their duty, if they make an end of the hours which they call canonical, and be present gazers on at the mass; and if they honour and beautify with their presence God’s service, as they call it. They seem to be more strait, and not to be secular priests, who say mass both for the quick and for the dead. There are reckoned also in the number of secular priests parish priests, whom they call Plebani; that is, priests appointed for the people, who only represent some shadow of the old institution in this, that they preach and administer the sacraments; which nevertheless you cannot allow, because they minister them after popish traditions, and not after the doctrine of the apostles. And many other things they do by reason of their office, which godliness by all means doth disallow. There are added unto these hirelings, helpers or vicars. There are also joined unto these Sacellani, whom they call chaplains, of whom there is an exceeding number. These, even as the
[1 Sacerdotes qui et presbyteri, Lat. ] [2 The translator’s explanation.)]
monkish priests, do account the chief parts of their duty to be saying over their hours, but especially in massing: as for doctrine, they attribute nothing to it; for of this company you shall find some who never in all their life made one sermon. For the charge of preaching they commit only to their parish priests, and their vicars; they serve those gods, to whom their altar or their chapel is consecrated, &c. By all which things even unto blind men it plainly appeareth, how shamefully the first institution of ministers or pastors is corrupted and turned upside down. They set over the priests archpriests. I have used that word in my preface or epistle in the beginning of the first decade: and I hear that some brethren are offended at it, as though there stuck some piece of popish leaven still about us; or as though we thought to bring in again some unworthy dignity into the church. But I would not have those brethren to fear. With us there are no popish archpriests: neither understood I any popish dignity by that word, but the office of overseeing, which others call visiting. For they have the charge of all degrees in our country, in admonishing and correcting: they have no prelacy or superiority; they reap no rewards thereby, &ec.
But we return to our purpose. They derive priests, or sacrificers, from the seventy disciples, whom it is read in the gospel that the Lord did choose; the order of bishops, from Peter himself, and the residue of the apostles. And immediately they divide the order of bishops into three parts; namely, patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops. They account the patriarchs the fathers of princes, or highest fathers; and them also they call primates. And primates, say they, have authority over three archbishops, as a king also hath authority over three dukes. Here I think cardinals have their place, in whom the church of Rome is turned as a gate upon the hinges; for in the Decretals of Gregory, De Officio Archip., it is thus read: “Cardinals have their name a cardine,” that
[3 presbyterorum, Lat.] [ The dedicatory preface of the Latin original of the Decades is]
[directed, Clarissimis viris, Rodolpho Gualthero, Petro Symlero, ὅσο.]
[Decanis, seu archipresbyteris, &c. See Appendix.) [5 Gratian. ap. Corp. Jur. Can. Decret. 1. par. distinct. xx1. Tom. IL.]
[p. 26. Par. 1687.]]
is, of the hinge of a gate; “for as by the hinge the gate is ruled, so by cardinals the universal church is governed!” Archbishops are, as it were, the princes of bishops: they are also surnamed metropolitans, because they have their government in the chiefest cities. In very deed metropolis with the Greeks is as it were a mother-city, from whence colonies are deducted, that is, people are sent to inhabit some new place? Whereupon he is called the metropolitan bishop, who governeth some one province, and hath other bishops under him. And these are called both bishops?, chief priests?, and presuls. But if you compare all these things with that which I said before of the bishops and governors of the primitive church, you will say there is very great difference between them. Topopeor But that which they write touching the pope, or chief bishop, is far from the writings of the apostles and evangelists, and from the first ordaining of ministers made by our Saviour Christ. All those bishops, say they, our most holy lord, the pope, doth excel in dignity and power: who is called pope, that is, the father of fathers: he is also called universal, because he is chief of the universal church: and he is also called apostolical, and the chief bishop, because he supplieth the room of the chief of the apostles. For he is Melchizedech, whose priesthood other are not to be compared unto, because he is the head of all bishops?, from whom they descend as members from the head; and of whose power they all do receive, whom he calleth to be partakers of his care and burden, but not to be partakers of the fulness of power, They therefore define the pope to be the
[[! Dicuntur cardinales a cardine: quia sicut in cardine regitur]
[ostium, ita per istos debet in ecclesia regi officium: unde etiam dicti]
[sunt cardinales, quia per eos regitur universalis ecclesia.—Gregor.]
[Decretal. Lib. 1. tit. 24. cap. 2. col. 319. Par.‘1585.] [2 This explanation is the translator’s. ] [3 pontifices, Lat. ] [ antistites, Lat.] [5 quam alienissimum, Lat.: as alien as possible. ] [6 Rather, and he is also called apostolical, because he supplieth]
[the room of the chief of the apostles; and chief bishop (et summus]
[pontifex, Lat.) for he is &c.—See Epist. Decretal. Tom. 1. pp. 342,]
[418 498, 553. Tom. 11. p. 644, Rom. 1591.] [7 pontificum, Lat.] [3 Illius autem preelatus papa 1. pater patrum vocatur; et univer-]
supreme head of the church in earth, and the only universal shepherd of the whole world, who cannot err, neither ought to be judged of any man: for, they say, he is the judge of all men, having absolute power. For thus saith Innocent, the ninth, pope, in his third quest.: Neither of the emperor, neither of all the clergy, neither of kings, nor of the people, ought the judge to be judged.” Upon which place he that wrote the gloss writeth thus: “A general council cannot judge the pope; as appeareth in the Extravagants, in the title of election, cap. Significasti. Therefore, if the whole world should pronounce sentence in any matter against the pope, it seemeth that we must stand to the pope’s judgment?” Hereunto pertain those common grounds of the clawback, flattering lawyers of the pope’s court, very plausible and authentical: “That all the laws of the pope are to be received of all men, as if they proceeded from the very mouth of Peter!?: That the authority of the pope is greater than the authority of the saints!: That the pope is all, and above all!2: That God and the pope have one consistory; which thing also Hostien. affirmeth, In C. Quanto de Transl. prel.: “That the pope cannot be brought into order by any man, though he be accounted an heretic: That he hath supreme power, neither
[salis, quia universe ecclesize principatur; et apostolicus, quia principis]
[apostolorum vice fungitur; et summus pontifex, quia caput est om-]
[nium pontificum, a quo illi tanquam a capite membra descendunt, et]
[de cujus plenitudine omnes accipiunt, quos ipse vocat in partem sol-]
[licitudinis, non in plenitudinem potestatis. Hic est Melchisedec,]
[cujus sacerdotium non est ceteris comparatum.—Durand. Rat. Diy.]
[Offic. Lib. 11. cap. 1. 17. fol. 46. Lugd. 1565.] [9 Neque ab Augusto, neque ab omni clero, neque a regibus, neque]
[a populo, judex judicabitur.— Corp. Jur. Can. Decret. Gratian. Deer.]
[Sec. Par. Caus. 1x. Queest. iii. can. 13, col. 877. Concilium non]
[potest papam judicare, ut Extravag. de Elect. Significasti. Unde si]
[totus mundus sententiaret in aliquo negotio contra papam, videtur]
[quod sententiee papz standum esset.—Gloss. ibid. Papam nullus]
[mortalium judicare potest.—Ibid. Caus. x11. queest. 11. col. 1238.] [1 Sic omnes apostolicze sedis sanctiones accipiendze sunt, tanquam]
[ipsius divini Petri voce firmate sint.—Agatho ap. Corp. Jur. Can.]
[Decret. 1. par. distinct. 19. Tom. 1. p. 24.] (11 The editor has not been able to verify this reference. ] [12 See Jewel’s Works, ed. Parker Soc. Vol. 1. pp- 69, 93, 443.] [13 Consistorium Dei et paps unum et idem est censendum.]
[_ —Hostiens. de Transl. Episc. Opp. fol. 75. Par. 1512.]]
[1 The editor has not been able to verify this reference.]]
hath he any fellow!: That he hath all laws within his breast: That there is a general council where the pope is?: That he hath all laws in his breast: That he hath both swords, whereby he may rightly be called an emperor; yea, that he is above the emperor: That he only can depose the emperor, and pronounce the sentence of the emperor to be of no effect: That he only may spare whom he will; and may also take of away the right of one man, and give it to another; and finally, may take away privileges.” To be short, they say, “he is lord of lords, and hath the right of the king of kings over his subjects; yea, and also hath fulness of power over the temporal things in earth. Yea, and also the whole world is the pope’s diocese, wherein he is the ordinary of all men5: and it standeth upon the necessity of salvation, that every man be subject to the bishop of Rome.” Hereunto, for
[1 — eam potestatem (pape) cui nulla par in terris esse potest.]
[—Jo. Hieron. Albani. de Potest. Pap. par. τι. num. 300. apud Tract.]
[tract. tom. xi. fol. 82. Venet. 1584.] [3 The editor has not been able to verify this reference.] [3 Romanus pontifex.jura omnia in scrinio pectoris sui censetur]
[habere.—Bonifac. VIII. Corp. Jur. Can. Sexti Decretal. tit. 11. de Con-]
[stit. cap. 1. Tom. 11. p. 285.] [1 — est hodie apud pontificem gladius uterque et utraque]
[jurisdictio. Par. 1. cap. 11. Papa.eum (imperatorem) deponit]
[.sic ipse solus dici debet monarcha. cap. 5. — nullas sententias]
[principis esse declarat (pontifex). cap. 9. — fateri oportet pontificem]
[Ceesare superiorem. cap. 44. Papa. debet juste dici princeps regum]
[terrae. cap. 12. — quoniam Christus fuit Dominus terrenorum et judex]
[.ergo et papa, vicarius ejus. cap. 17. Pontifex..habet pleni-]
[tudinem potestatis, et.ei est commissa.administratio tem-]
[poralium. Par. 11. cap. 7. — cui (pontifici) cuncta temporalia et spi-]
[ritualia subsunt. cap. 3. Papa solus omnibus et-in omnibus przeest.]
[cap. 4. — in terris dicitur habere cceleste arbitrium.—Anton. de]
[Rosellis de Monarchia, apud Goldast. Hanov. 1611. The treatise]
[abounds with similar statements. [5. cum dominus Papa sit judex ordinarius omnium hominum.]
[Decret. Gregor. IX. Lib. τι. tit. xxvii. Gloss. in cap. 59. col. 962. Par,]
[1585. Universa Christianitas provincia sua (i.e. pape) intelligitur.]
[Hostiens. Aur. Sum. Lib. 1. cap. 6. fol. 36. Colon. 1612.] [6 Igitur ecclesice unius et unicee unum corpus, nnum caput..]
[Christus videlicet, et Christi vicarius, Petrus, Petrique successor;]
[dicente Domino ipsi Petro, Pasce oves meas…per quod commisisse]
[sibi intelligitur universas.In hac ejusque potestate duos esse]
[gladios, spiritualem videlicet et temporalem, evangelicis dictis instrui-]
[mur.Si suprema (potestas, i.e. ecclesiastica, deviat) a solo Deo,]
conclusion, I will add the words of the glosser, who saith, In Ca. Quinto de Transl. Episcopi. Tit. vii. “The pope,” saith he, “is said to have a heavenly power; and therefore he altereth the very nature of things, by applying the things that are of the substance of one thing unto another: and of nothing he can make something; and that sentence which is of no force he can make to be of force; because in those things with him, what he willeth, his will is instead of reason. Neither is there any may say unto him, Why dost thou so? for he can dispense above the law, and of unrighteousness make righteousness, correcting and changing laws; for he hath the fulness of power?” Thus far he.
But who heareth these things without horror both of body and mind? Who understandeth not, that the saying of Daniel is fulfilled, “He shall think that he may change times and laws?” Who understandeth not, that the saying of Paul is fulfilled, who saith, “I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock; also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them?” Tor from bishops, and from them that advance bishops, came forth this man of sin; who placeth himself in the throne of the Lamb, and challengeth those things to himself which are proper only to the Lamb: of which sort are the supreme government, priesthood, lordship, and full power in the church; whereof I have spoken enough in the former sermons. Whom doth it now not move to think, that that saying of Paul is fulfilled, “The adversary, or enemy? of Christ shall be revealed, and
[non ab homine, poterit judicari.Porro subesse Romano pontifici]
[omni human creature declaramus, dicimus, definimus, et pronun-]
[ciamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis.—Bonifac. VIII. de Majorit.]
[et Obed. Extrav. Comm. Lib. I. tit. 8. cap. 1. Corp. Jur. Can. tom. 11.]
[Ῥ. 394. Par. 1687.] [7 Papa dicitur habere celeste arbitrium: et ideo etiam naturam]
[rerum immutat, substantialia unius rei applicando alii; et de nullo]
[(nihilo) potest aliquid facere: et sententiam que nulla est aliquam]
[facere (facit aliquam): quia in his que vult ei est pro ratione]
[voluntas; nec est qui ei dicat, Cur ita facis? Ipse enim potest supra]
[jus dispensare, et de injustitia facere justitiam, corrigendo jura et]
[mutando: nam plenitudinem obtinet potestatis.—Corp. Jur. Can.]
[Decretal. Greg. IX. Lib. 1. De Transl. Epise. Tit. 7. Gloss. in cap. 3.]
[col. 217. Lugd. 1624.] [3 Pauli quoque, Lat.] [9 emulus, Lat.]]
122 THE FIFTH DECADE. [sERM. shall be exalted above all that is called God, or that is worshipped!; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God?”
But the pope’s chin fins dispute, that it is for the profit and salvation, yea, necessary for the church, to have some one bishop to have preeminence over the other, both in dignity and power. But let them dispute and set forth this their idol as they please: they which will simply confess the truth must needs freely acknowledge, that the pope is antichrist; for that which these men babble of the supremacy of the pope is flatly repugnant to the doctrine of the gospel and of the apostles. For what more evident thing can be alleged against their disputations, than that which the Lord said to his disciples, when they strived for sovereignty? The kings of the Gentiles reign over them, and they that bear rule over them are called gracious lords. But ye shall not be so; but let the greatest among you be as the least; and the chiefest, as he that serveth. For who is greater; he that sitteth at table, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at table? And I am among you as he that serveth.” This place I alleged and discussed briefly also in my former sermon? This simple and plain truth shall conthat tinue invincible against all the disputations of these harpies. The most holy apostles of our Lord Christ will not be lords over any man under pretence of religion; yea, St Peter in plain words forbiddeth lordship over God’s heritage, and commandeth bishops to be examples to the flock.
Whereas they object, that Christ said to Peter, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” &e. and, “Feed my sheep;” and thereupon that St Peter was appointed over all the apostles, and in them over all priests, ministers and bishops, the chief and prince, yea, and the monarch of the whole world; it maketh nothing at all to establish their dominion or lordship. We willingly grant, that St Peter is the chief of the apostles; and we also ourselves do willingly call St Peter the prince of the apostles; but in that sense that we call Moses, David, Helias, or Esay, the chief or prince of the prophets; that is to say, such as have obtained far more excellent gifts than the rest. But that Peter was the
[[! numen, Lat. and Erasmus. ] [2 See above, page 87.] [3 fidei, Lat.) [4 presbyterorum, Lat.]]
chief or prince, after that sort that these men will have him, we deny, and deny again most constantly. And therewithal we defend St Peter, and clear him from those spots, wherewithal these men strive to defile him even being dead. He had not remained faithful towards his master, if he had taken to himself rule or dominion. In all places we read that Peter was equal with the other disciples; but in no place in the scripture that he was their master. And St Paul, in the beginning of his epistle to the Galatians, sheweth in many words, that he in apostleship is nothing inferior to Peter: neither, when he came to Jerusalem, came he to that end he might kiss his feet, or to profess subjection; but that by their meeting and friendly conference together every one throughout all churches might understand there was perfect consent in opinions between Peter and Paul, and that, as touching apostleship, their authority was equal. In the same place Paul calleth James, Peter, and John, pillars: he doth not attribute that prerogative to Peter alone; which notwithstanding he had rightly done, if he had received supremacy at the hands of the Lord, as these men do affirm. How cometh it, that Peter doth nothing of his own head, but referreth ecclesiastical matters to the rest of the disciples, as to his fellows in authority? which thing we may see in the Acts. In another place he calleth himself a fellow-elder, not the prince of priests. When he was sent by the apostles with John into Samaria, he requireth not another to be sent, lest his supremacy should seem to be diminished, but willingly obeyeth. But if we should grant, that Peter was chief of the apostles after that sort as these men do affirm; would it thereupon follow, that the pope is the prince of the whole church, yea, of the whole world? For as the pope is not Peter; so the twelve or eleven apostles are not the whole world. Moreover, Peter could not give that he had not: he had not an empire over the whole world; therefore he gave it not.
But Constantine gave it to Sylvester, say they. But if we never so perfectly agreed, that the donation of Constantine were true, and not feigned or forged (which yet the best learned men do affirm); yet would not Sylvester himself have received an imperie, or dominion, though it had been offered
[5 On the Donation of Constantine, see Fulke’s Answers, ed. Parker]
[Soc. page 360, note 4.]]
124 THE FIFTH DECADE. [SERM. him. For the voice of the high and heavenly prince, Christ, had been of more authority with him, (“The kings of the nations bear rule over them, but it shall not be so with you,”) than the foolish affection of an earthly emperor. Shall we believe that Peter! would have received secular power with imperial government, if the emperor Nero had proffered it him? No, in no wise. For this word of the Lord took deep root in his inward bowels: But it shall not be so with you.” Before he had received the Holy Ghost, wandering in blindness with the rest of the multitude of Jews, he imagined that the kingdom of Christ in earth should be an earthly kingdom: but after he received the Holy Ghost, he understood that the throne of Christ, the chief king and emperor, was not on the earth, but situated in heaven? He knew that Christ our Lord fled into the wilderness, when the people thought to eKingsv. make him a king. He knew that Heliszeus by most wholesome counsel refused the reward of Naaman, the prince; and that Giesi his servant, to his everlasting reproach and overthrow of his own health, required it afterward at his hand. St Peter would not take upon him the charge of the poor, lest he should thereby with less diligence attend upon prayer and preaching of the word of God; which thing the Acts of the Apostles do witness. Who therefore thinketh it likely that he, casting aside the office of apostleship, would have received the empire even of the whole world? He denieth that one man can both happily execute the charge of the ministry of the word, and also minister unto the necessity of the poor. But what pope will they give unto us, that hath the Spirit more fully than Peter had? which can perform that which Peter could not? which can not only now both serve at tables, but also can govern the whole world? Therefore they are trifles which they rehearse to us touching the donation of Constantine. Constantine was more sound than that he would frame such a donation, which he knew was repugnant to the doctrine of Christ. Sylvester was more upright than to receive that which he knew could not be received without the utter overthrow of the ministry of the word. But if
[[! Petrum apostolum, Lat.] [2 Ac regnum ejus non esse ex hoc mundo, Lat. omitted; and]
[that his kingdom is not of this world. ] [3 mensis ministrare, Lat.]]
Constantine gave that altogether, which he is said to have given; and that Sylvester did not refuse his donation; both of them offended, because both dealt against the word of God.
I saw what of late years Augustine Steuchus, a man otherwise well learned and of much reading, hath written touching Constantine’s donation against Laurentius Valla: but he bringeth no sound arguments, though he wonderfully rage, and put all the force of his eloquence in ure, and finally, do busily heap together from all places whatsoever by any manner means may seem to further this cause. And truly, that book seemeth better worthy to be trodden under foot, than to be occupied in good men’s hands. For, that I make no words, that he calleth that ecclesiastical kingdom of Rome oftentimes eternal’, whereas the kingdom of Christ and the saints is only eternal; doth he not most manifestly place the pope in the seat of Christ our Lord? For, after he had recited the testimony of one pope Nicolas, he forthwith addeth: “Thou hearest that the high bishop of Constantine is called God, and counted for God. This verily was done, when he adorned him with that famous edict; he worshipped him as God, as the successor of Christ and Peter. As much as he could, he gave divine honours unto him, he worshipped him as the lively image of Christ.” Thus far he in the sixtyseventh section of his book. Neither hath he written that which is unlike unto this, twenty-eichth section. For he, remembering certain imaginations of his own conceived of the pope, he feigneth I cannot tell what fruit would come thereof, if it were made known among the furthest Indians, that all
[[ Augustini Steuchi Eugubini Bibliothecarii contra Laurentium]
[Vallam, De falsa Donatione Constantini. Libri duo. Opp. Tom. ur.]
[fol. 253, &e. Paris. 1577.] [5 ringatur, Lat.] (6 teratur, Lat.] [7 Vere profertur a nonnullis de ecclesia carmen Virgilianum]
[oraculum summi Jovis, Linperium sine fine dedi. Hoe inquam de eccle-]
[sia, de Romanze sedis majestate vere profertur, que fecit ut imperium]
[Romanorum esset sine fine renatum in ipsa ecclesia.—Steuchi de falsa]
[Don. Con. fol. 258.] [5 Andis summum pontificem a Constantino Deum appellatum,]
[habitum pro Deo. Hoc videlicet factum est, cum eum przeclaro]
[illo edicto decoravit, adoravit uti Deum, uti Christi et Petri succes~]
[sore: divinos honores ei quoad ejus potuit contulit; velut vivam]
[Christi imaginem veneratus est.—Ibid. fol. 277.]]
the kingdoms of the world are governed by the pope’s beck; that kings worship him, as being a thing very well known to them, that he is the successor of Christ; and therefore that they receive him not so much a mortal man, as God himself in him, who hath substituted him in his room on earth; and therefore we ought to abstain from reproachful words, if he sin in anything as a man, because in him they worship the Son of God. These wicked rejoicings, and these flattering or rather sacrilegious voices, would Peter have suffered, think you; who lifted up Cornelius, when he fell down before him, and would have worshipped him, and said, “Arise; I myself also am a man Ὁ We read also, that the angel himself said unto John, which fell down and would have worshipped at the angel’s feet: “See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets.” It is also written of Herod Agrippa, because he repressed not the flattering voices of the people, which cried when he had ended his oration, “It is the voice of a God, and not of a man,” that therefore he was stricken of the angel of God, and he rotted away, being eaten of worms. Therefore we, since we know that Christ himself, the Son of God, doth reign as yet in the church, as to whom only all glory and power is given; and hath not sub stituted any man on the earth, in whom he will be worshipped and served; we worship and serve Christ Jesus, the Son of God, only; and utterly abhor the pope as antichrist, and a dunghill-god, or, if you will, a god of the jakeshouse, together with the sacrilegious? clawbacks and blasphemous flatterers.
The Lord in very deed said to St Peter: “Thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church: and I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” &c. But what make these sayings to establish the monarchy, prerogative,
[1 Cur non potius inducat (Laurentius) Sylvestrum nescio quam]
[cogitationem concipientem que mihi interdum occurrit: Si quis apud]
[remotissimos Indos degens. preedicaret esse..religionem; cujus]
[caput.. tante potestatis..habeatur, ut omnia regna nutibus ejus]
[regnantur;..quem reges adorent, quibus perspectissimum sit.]
[successorem esse Christi. Ob hanc causam solitum esse apud eos,]
[ut non tam mortalem illum hominem, quam in eo Deum ipsum, qui]
[eum sibi in terris suffecisset, suspicientes.abstinentesque male-]
[dictis, si quid is ut homo peccet, propterea quod in eo venerentur]
[filium Dei.— Ibid. fol. 258.] [2 ed. 1577, his sacrilegious. Sacrilegis suis, Lat.]]
and dignity of the pope? Peter is commended of the Lord for the constancy of his faith: whereupon also he received his name, being called Peter a petra, that is, of the rock, wherein he settled himself by a true faith. Christ is that rock whereunto Peter stayed. He heareth, that this shall be the perpetual foundation of the church; that all shall be received into the fellowship of the church, who with a true faith confess with Peter, that Jesus Christ is the very Son of God, and rest upon him as the only rock and salvation. Moreover, the keys of the kingdom of God are promised unto Peter: but when they are delivered, they are not given to Peter alone, but to all the apostles. For “the keys” are not (as these men imagine) a certain dominion and jurisdiction; but the ministry of opening and shutting the kingdom of heaven; to let into the church, and to shut out; which is wrought by the preaching of the gospel, as it shall anon be said more abundantly. After the same manner, when Christ said to Peter, Feed my sheep,” he did not give unto Peter the monarchy of the whole world and dominion over all creatures, but committed unto him a pastoral cure; of which thing I have spoken in my last sermon; as also elsewhere both often and largely against the supremacy of the bishop of Rome? Unto the ancient writers of the church which they object unto us, testifying I know not what of the supremacy of Peter, we will answer in one word; that we care not so much what the old writers thought herein, as what Christ the Son of God instituted; and what the apostles (whose authority doth far excel the judgment? of the old writers) practised, and what they have left both in their writing and examples for us to judge and follow: whereof I have also spoken in the second sermon of this decade.
We have almost gone further than we determined: therefore, that we may draw to an end, we have spoken of the order or office, which the Lord instituted in his church; and whom he hath placed over it, by whose labour he will establish? govern, further, and preserve his church. These things which remain to be spoken we will put off until to-morrow: for they are longer than at this time can be finished; but more worthy and more excellent than that they ought to be restrained into few words, &ec.
[3 See above, page 88, and Bullinger de Episc. Instit. et Funct.]
[cap. 13, fol. 137. Tigur, 1538.] [ auctoritatem, Lat.] (5 fundare, Lat.]]
Of Calling unto the Ministry of the Word of God. What Manner of Men, and After What
Fashion, Ministers of the Word Must Be
Ordained in the Church. Of the Keys of the Church. What the Office of Them Is That Be Ordained. Of the Manner of Teaching the Church; and of the Holy Life of the Pastors. The Fourth Sermon
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