When things were brought to this sad condition, in those dark times of popery, the Churches being thus robbed, & spoiled of their right, God raised up the Waldenses about the year 1161, who, discovering the hypocrisy & tyranny & idolatry of the popish Prelates, separated from them & chose Pastors to them selves, & as the light & reformation increased, in after times, ⟨p. 42⟩the right of the people was more pleaded, by learned men in all countries, as in Germany by Zwinglius &c. in England, by M. Bucer & P. Martyr, in France, by sundry worthy lights, in Geneva, by Viret & Calvin, in the Palatinate, by Ursinus, & others: in these countries, among others, by famous Junius, whose words I translate thus.1 It is manifest that the most simple & approved way of choosing, & calling a minister, by the testimony of holy Scriptures, is that, which the Apostles of old held in the Churches, & the ancient Church, imitating them, observed. The whole Church did choose, that is, the body constituted of the presbytery & common people or multitude with equal & common suffrages. This is the just manner of Election. This (saith he) the old Church did observe sometime, until (as, through mens corruption, it comes to pass) things began to grow worse, & to fall backward, &c. & a little after he saith. Afterwards popery so far prevailed to usurp & tyrannise over the Church, that now there was no speech of the people (viz in the election of ministers) whom Christ hath purchased with his blood, that they might be his Church. Hence came, saith he, that barbarous ignorance, that heap of all sins, that sink of deceit, & selling the souls of men. In the conclusion, he answereth some objections; At nescit populus, dixerit quispiam. But some will say, the people is ignorant of their duty and right therein? Let them be taught, & they will understand it. But they know not how to use this their right? They will never know it, if they never use it. But they are factious often, and are divided into parts? Let them be reduced to peace, by wholesome counsel, & let them be ruled by authority of the word, and endeavours of good men, that, their minds being united and composed, they may do that which by right belongeth to them to do.
When things were brought to this sad condition, in those darke times of popery, the Churches being thus robbed, & spoyled of their right, God raysed up the Waldenses about the yeare 1161, who, discovering the hypocrisy & tyranny & idolatry of the popish Prelats, seperated from them & chose Pastors to thē selves, & as the light & reformation increased, in after times, ⟨p. 42⟩the right of the people was more pleaded, by learned men in all countryes, as in Germany by Zwinglius &c. in England, by M. Bucer & P. Martyr, in France, by sundry worthy lights, in Geneva, by Viret & Calvin, in the Palatinat, by Ursinus, & others: in these countryes, among others, by famous Iunius, whose words I translate thus.1 It is manifest that the most simple & approved way of chusing, & calling a minister, by the testimony of holy Scriptures, is that, which the Apostles of old held in the Churches, & the ancient Church, imitating them, observed. The wholl Church did chuse, that is, the body constituted of the presbytery & cōmon people or multitude with aequal & common suffrages. This is the just manner of Election. This (sayth he) the old Church did observe sometime, untill (as, through mens corruption, it comes to passe) things begā to grow worse, & to fall backward, &c. & a litle after he sayth. Afterwards popery so farr prevayled to usurpe & tyrānise over the Church, that now there was no speech of the people (viz in the election of ministers) whom Christ hath purchased with his blood, that they might be his Church. Hence came, sayth he, that barbarous ignorance, that heape of all sinnes, that sinck of deceit, & selling the soules of men. In the conclusion, he answereth some objections; At nescit populus, dixerit quispiam. But some will say, the people is ignorant of their duety and right therein? Let them be taught, & they will understand it. But they know not how to use this their right? They will never know it, if they never use it. But they are factious often, and are devided into parts? Let them be reduced to peace, by holesom counsail, & let them be ruled by authority of the word, and indeavours of good men, that, their mindes being united and composed, they may doe that which by right belongeth to them to doe.
- 1Jun: Ecclesiastus. 3.1Iun: Ecclesiastus. 3.1
