which they are appointed to discharge the same nor doe their properties seeme repugnant to a gradation and differencing of that superiority which their name denoteth 2ly A peculiar manner of discharging the dutie committed unto the Office-bearers in Christs Church for as each name hath a severall signification so it carieth with it a peculiar relation which the Office bearer hath towards the Church according to which hee ought to behave himself in the māner of discharging his dutie And this will suffice to shew in generall the way how this priority and superiorite ought to bee exercised towards others The more particular determination of this matter must bee taken from the speciall commandements which are given to this effect which are many and cannot now be insisted upon at large therefore we will only point at them in shewing the places of Scripture where they maybe found The peculiar duties of a Shepheard and the manner of performing the same are set forth John 10. 1. till 16. and Ezek. 34. 2. till 20. The Rulers dutie is mentioned Rom. 12. 8. and Heb. 13. 17. and Math. 18. 17 18 19. The Watchmans dutie is mentioned Ezek. 3. 17 18 19 20. 21. The Bishops dutie is largely mentioned in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus throughout and chiefly in the places heretofore alleaged concerning their peculiar charges and 1 Thess. 5. 12 13 14 The Stewards dutie is mentioned Matth. 13. 52. 24. 45. 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. The Husbandmans and Builders duties are mentioned together 1 Cor. 3. 6. The Angels duties are mentioned Revel. 2. and 3. Chapters throughout In all which places I do perceive that the manner of discharging their duties is chiefly insisted upon as it hath a relation unto the flock so that their Priority and Superiority is only in that respect cleerly to be gathered namely from the duty which towards the flocke is to bee done Therefore perhaps very little will be found tending to resolve us of the doubt in hand namely how the Priority and Superiority in Charge which one Over-seer may have above another is to be exercised Yet then if there be nothing at all repugnant unto this Superiour Priority of one Over-seer above another in the discharge of the duties here mentioned then I say I ought to conceive that they may very well stand together But if on the otherside any thing here mentioned in the manner of exercising these Charges of Superiority bee altogether inconsistent with an Independent Paritie of Over-seers and yet if that which is to bee done must bee perpetually made use of in Church Government then I say it may be strongly inferred that as for this reason an independent parity is not to bee admitted so a superior priority ought to be allowed yet always so as it may be a furtheranc to all the duties of a particular pastorall charge and no wayes a crosse to the true manner of discharging the same And here I will leave it unto the impartiall consideration of those that are juditious whether or no the special commandements given unto Timothy and Titus for the discharging of that Priority and Superiority wherein they were set above other Officers be not of perpetuall use both in respect of the thing to be done and in respect of the manner of doing the same as it is recommended unto them where speciall notice may be taken of that inspection which is deferred unto them over others for the repressing of false Doctrines for the ordaining of Elders in severall Churches for the imposition of hands for the receiving of accusations against Elders and for the power of the Keyes which things ought still both for matter and manner to be continued as they were recommended unto Timothy and Titus except some substantiall difference can be shewed which as yet I cannot see The examples of Practice both commendable and discommendable in respect of the lawfull or unlawfull discharge of this duty may be gathered from such places of Scripture wherein the Acts of Priority and Superiority and the manner of exercising the same are mentioned I will name some few that come now in my mind First the practice of the Church to which Christ doth send us in cases of scandall Math. 18. 17. whose authority is established there ver. 18 19 20. Secondly the practice of the Apostles at Jerusalem Acts 1. 15. till the end And Chap. 6. in the ordination of Deacons And Acts 15. in holding of the Synod which determined the controversie risen at Antiochia And Acts 14. 23. in ordaining Elders Thirdly the practice of Paul in the matter of excommunication 1 Cor. 5. 3 4 5. and in the manner of exercising his power 1 Cor. 9. throughout And 2 Cor. 10. throughout And ibid. Chap. 13. 2. 3. 10. Item 1 Thess. 2. 3. till 12. Item Acts 20. 20. 26 27 33 34 35. These are examples of commendable practice the examples of practice which is discommended are these First of Diotrephes 3. John 9. 10. who loved to have a preeminencie Secondly of those that in the last times should be disobedient unto the truth through presumptuousnesse who despising all Superiority should perish in the contradiction of Core Judg. 21. by which wee perceive that Core Dathan and Abiram were types of that disobedience which will be under the Gospell in some who will take upon them to bee equall and in nothing inferiour to their lawfull Superiours Thirdly the reproof of the Angels of the Churches for not exercising the authority which they had Revel. 2. 14 15 20. These examples being wel examined I suppose may give us some light to shew the manner how the Superiour Priority which some have over others in the Church ought to be put in practice Thus having laid the grounds and gathered some inferences whereby to regulate my thoughts in this doubtfull matter I thinke I may come to the application of the same unto the Controversie at this time debated to see by what meanes a decision thereof may bee found And here I must consider the circumstances and properties of that Authority which is now questioned whether it be lawfull or no But when I intend to doe this I meet with a difficulty incident to all great disputes which are commonly involved in a multiplicity of particulars and variety of circumstances confusedly debated and partially related by opposite parties where every one seeketh his owne advantage so that it is very hard to state the case truly according to the circumstances vvhich are most materially therein to be considered that the Rules may be applied unto the fundamentall matter of doubt vvhich ought to be decided Yet if I must be impartiall to cleare mine owne and other mens scruples I ought to state the matter so as both sides may agree to have the forenamed Rules applied thereunto And to doe this I conceive it is best to proceed from that vvhich is generall till by degrees I come to that very particular wherein the controversie and contradiction of
parties is most apparant To which effect I reflect first upon this generall assertion Namely that there be some Ecclesiastical Over-seers which have a Priority and Superiority of government above others in the Church of England to which as it is out of all doubt that it is so in England so in the generall notion my former Rules are not repugnant but rather agreeable that it may be so Then in the next place I say that this Priority and Superiority given to some in the Church of England is in the purpose of the Law by which it is publiquely authorized no more but a Superiority and Priority of watching over others for the good of the Society And this I suppose as it is granted by both sides to be true so I think that it is not repugnant to my former Rules Thirdly I comceive that this watching Priority and Superiority intended by the Law is appointed to be for this particular good of the Society namely that the Flocks committed to every Over-seers Charge should be called and led on in the way of Godlinesse through the publick profession of Gods true worship so as it may become most lawfully conspicuous unto the world And to this effect the Over-seers are authorized to see that the flock be provided with fit Teachers Pastors and Deacons by lawfull election and ordination through imposition of hands that it should bee setled in a course of publick prayers and ordinances befitting the administration of Christian Religion that it should be preferred from false Doctrines ravennous Wolves That it should not want a spirituall Judicature as well in matters of accusation against Elders as in matters of scandall and offence betwixt member and member and that in it the power of the keyes to shut open the Kingdom of heaven as occasion should require might not be wanting and that such maintenance as is due unto these that labour in the Word and Doctrine and necessary for the poore the vvidow and the fatherlesse may be provided for them Those I take to be the true ends for which the superiour Watchmen in the Church of England are appointed by the Church and State to have inspection over other Watchmen of an inferiour degree And that such Superiority in vvatching may be exercised I take it as granted from my former ground and Rules So then I finde no difficulty in the thing it selfe nor doe I thinke that any doth oppose a Superiour Priority of Governours in this respect But if any doe then I conceive they are bound to shew that in such things no Priority or Superiority in watching of some few over many may lawfully be appointed in the Church of God but that every particular Officer in all these things is independent and may doe herein by himselfe whatsoever hee shall think good without all relation or subordination unto any whom the Church doth appoint over such businesses Therefore from the thing appointed and the end wherefore it is appointed in this Church I come to the manner of appointing it and here I enquire whether this Priority and Superiority in government hath not beene appointed by those who have authority to do it that is by the Church it selfe here I meane by the Church the body either representative or collective according to the precepts of the Apostles and the most laudable examples of primitive times If yea then I suppose no exception ought to be taken at it but if no then I think that the irregularity of the appointment ought onely to be excepted against and corrected and the Office it selfe neither condemned nor rejected but maintained Now what the Apostolicall Precepts were or whether or no there were any at all ever given for the manner of appointing such Officers in the Churches I doe not know because I finde nothing in Scripture more then I have intimated already which is that such Superiour Officers are neither repugnant to Christs intention nor to the Rules and formes of Government expresly delivered unto us in Scripture but how they to be appointed that is to say what manner of proceeding ought to be used for their Election calling and institution in their Superiour Charge I find nothing in Scripture that I can call to minde except I will represent ancient types unto my selfe from which I can perhaps gather no more but the shadowes of inferences Therefore in this case I suppose I must betake my selfe unto my next generall ground of proceeding which is the laudable practice of primitive times to see what hath beene done in like cases by those whom wee esteeme to have been most rationall in the ways of true government and most likely to have seene and knowne the Apostolicall Practice if there was ever any in this kind different from the ordinary way of appointing other Officers in the Church But if it be more likely that the manner of appointing such Superiour Officers was rather not different in substance then different from the ordinary way of calling and installing other Officers then perhaps it will not be amisse to reflect upon the most immediate followers of the Apostles so as to take notice of their practice both in respect of the thing it selfe viz. that they had such Superiour Officers and of the manner of appointing them as it was most answerable unto the ordinary Institution And this I will rather doe from other mens Observations then from mine owne I find then that Doctour Reynolds in his Conference with Hart Chapter 8. in the end of the third Division and the beginning of the fifth doth well observe when as Elders were ordained by the Apostles in severall Churches that in processe of time they did use to assemble themselves to the end that things belonging to mutuall and common edification might be done by mutuall common counsell and consent In these meetings they did things orderly and followed the examples of their predecessours in like occasions to chuse one who was to be of their company and Moderatour of their actions So amongst the Apostles at Jerusalem James Peter and John are called the Pillars Gal. 2. 9. and in the meeting Acts 15. the matter was concluded at the determination of Peter and James Thus also in after times although there might be many Elders and Pastors in one Church as at Ephesus Acts 20. 17. yet it may be gathered from Revel. 2. 1. that there was one Chiefe in that Church whom Christ calleth the Angell thereof and directeth that to him which the rest were to know by his meanes Hee was afterward from the Priority and Superiority of his Office by the Fathers called a Bishop For it is apparant that in ancient times there was one who had the Presidentship amongst the Elders This Doctour Reynolds in the forenamed gathereth from Cyprian Epist. 6. 13. Prebyteris Diaconis From Eusebius Histor. Eccles. l. 6. c. 42. and from Cornelius letter to Cyprian Epist. 46. apud Cyprian which Doctor Vsher also hath made more
Evangelists 4. Pastors and Teachers Ephes. 4. 11. elsewhere wee finde other names of Gifts and Offices as workers of Miracles Gifts of Healing Helpes Governours Diversities of tongues Interpreters of tongues 1 Cor. 12. 28 29 30. Item Deacons Exhorters Rulers Rom. 12. 7 8. and Bishops Presbyters and Deacons 1 Tim. 3. 1 8. and 5. 17 18 19. From whence I make these inferences 1. If these Officers appointed for the first building of Christs Church were by degrees set in a priority and superiority one above another then I may conceive that a priority and superiority of spirituall Officers is not repugnant to the government of Christs Church But these Officers were so set in relation of degrees one above another therefore I may conceive that such a gradation of spirituall Officers is not repugnant to the government of Christs Church 2. If there was no independent parity in the first Officers instituted in Christs Church then I have reason to conceive that an independent paritie is not answerable to Christs intention in instituting Officers in his Church But there was no independent parity in these first Officers instituted in the Church Therefore I have reason to conceive that an independent parity is not answerable to Christs intention Here two things may be objected or excepted against this Rule of Decision First that the Apostles who were Christs first Officers were equal one to another and independent one from another But to this I answer That I speake not of the Officers appointed before the constitution of the Church but of those that are named expresly to beare office in the Church already constituted Secondly if then it bee said that the inequality of these first Office-bearers doth proceed from the difference of extraordinary and ordinary Officers then requisit at the first constitution of the Church which is not now requisite after it is once constituted then I answer that here I neither intend nor have need to consider which Officers were extraordinary and which ordinary because I take notice of them onely at this time as they were Officers extant at first to build up the Church and my inference goeth no further as yet nor must I come to admit of that distinction in my thought till the matter it selfe carry me to it Fourthly I finde the severall charges and duties of these Officers to be these 1. Christ sending forth his Apostles appointeth them to be his witnesses unto the utmost parts of the earth of that which he hath done for our salvation Acts 1. 8. Also hee giveth them charge to teach all men to observe whatsoever hee had commanded them and to baptise those that received their doctrine Matth. 28. 19. 20. This they did and so gathered a Church together wherein at first the faithfull having all things common brought their goods to the Apostles feet making them distributers thereof unto such as had need But the Apostles found this charge imposed upon them to be too troublesome and not proper unto their spirituall calling therefore they betooke themselves unto their owne peculiar charge which was to attend unto prayer and the Ministery of the word Acts 6. 4. and gave advice that Deacons should be chosen whose peculiar charge at their first institution was to serve the tables Ibid. verse 2 3. yet it is evident that they also preached the word and bore witnesse of Christ Ib. verse 9. 10. and Cap. 8. verse 5. and baptised the beleevers Ib. Chap. 8. vers. 12. 38. Besides these Deacons we finde that the Church being constituted other Officers in it are named and said to bee different in charges As the charge of Prophets was to prophesie according to the Analogie of faith of Deacons to attend their Deaconship of Teachers to attend teaching of Exhorters to attend exhorting of Distributers to distribute of Rulers to rule with diligence Rom. 12. 6. 7. 8. of speakers with tongues to speake and of Interpreters to interpret 1 Cor. 14. 27. Besides these duties thus generally mentioned we finde more particular charges mentioned As first concerning the duties of Prophets how they ought to prophesie of speakers with tongues how they ought to speak unto edification in the Church 1 Cor. 14. 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. Secondly concerning Rulers where we finde the charge given to Timothy and Titus either as Evangelists or as ordinary Bishops and Overseers of the Churches next unto the Apostles their charge was to set in order things which the Apostles left undone for the constituting of the Churches amongst which the ordaining of Elders and Deacons in every Church was a chiefe duty belonging to them 1 Tim. 1. 3. Tit. 1. 5. item To represse and inhibit false doctrines 1. Tim. 1. 3. Tit. 1. 10. 11. item To settle a course of prayers in the Church 1 Tim. 2. 1. item To appoint due maintenance for widowes and Elders 1 Tim. 5. 9. 17. 18. item To be Judges in matters of accusation against Elders ibid. verse 19. and to give imposition of hands to those that were approved and fit for the Ministery ibid verse 22. item To maintaine their authority not to suffer themselves to be despised therein 1 Tim. 4. 12. Tit. 2. 15. And lastly to commit the things which they had heard of the Apostles unto faithfull men able to teach others who should be successors in that place 2 Tim. 2. 2. As for other Rulers in the Pastorall charge their duty is specified to be a watching over the soules of their flock as those which must give an account Heb. 13. 17. and in doing this they are bound to call their sheep by name to lead them out and to goe before them Ioh. 10. 3. 4. item To defend them against the wolves though they hazard their life in so doing ib. verse 11. item To visit the sick pray for them Iam. 5. 14. item To keepe the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven to shut it and open it as occasion shall require Matth. 16. 19 and 18. 17 18. and 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. And then the generall duty of all Officers is that as every one hath received the gift so he should minister the same to others as a good steward of the manifold graces of God 1 Pet. 4. 10. From all this I make these inferences 1. If all these charges and duties are different and yet should be administred jointly as by severall members of one body then it seems such a priority and superiority in some and subordination in others is to be observed as is in the members of a naturall body one in respect of another But all these charges are different and yet so to be administred as is mentioned 1 Cor. 12. 4 5. and till the end of the Chapter Therefore it seems such a priority and superiority in some and subordination in others is to be observed 2. If these charges in their naturall property as they stand in relation one to another be repugnant to an independent parity then
there is no independent parity allowed of amongst the Officers who are to discharge the same But it may perhaps be made good that these charges are in their naturall property as they stand in relation one to another repugnant to an independent parity therefore perhaps there is no independent parity allowed of amongst the Officers who are to discharge the same Fifthly the duty of the flock is in a word to be obedient unto their Rulers and to submit themselves unto them Heb. 13. 7. 17. and to provide necessary maintenance for them Gal. 6. 6. 8. 1 Cor. 9. 7 8 9 10 11 13 14. From hence I inferre that if submission and obedience is to be yeelded and if Rulers be different in charge then according to every ones degree and different place in his charge the submission ought to be differenced But the Antecedent is true and therefore also the Consequent Therefore I conceive that more respect was due unto Apostles even as they were ordinary Ministers then to their ordinary Rulers and more to the Bishops and Overseers that were made Iudges of other Elders then to the Elders that were subject to be judged and more reverence due to the Elders then to the Deacons Lastly the practice of the Apostles as chiefe Masterbuilders was this they laid the foundation which is Christ 1 Cor. 3. 10 11. they built by preaching upon the foundation gold silver and precious stones they baptised the beleevers and gathered them together in one body and ordained Elders and Officers over them to rule them and doe the work of the Ministery See Acts 13. and 14. Chapters and particulerly in Chap. 14. the verses 21 22 23. They gave orders to their followers concerning all things needfull for edification in the Churches as may be seene in 1 Cor. Chapters 5 and 6 and 7 and 8 and 9 and and 10 and 11 and 12 and 14 and 16. verse 1. and in the 2 Cor. Chap. 8 and 9. in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus throughout and elswhere as in the Acts in Chap. 6. and 15. and 20. From whence I infer that if neither in the Apostles owne practice nor in the practice of those whom they set over the Churches in their owne time there be any example of independent parity intimated or used in the way of ordinary government then such a parity may seem to be inconvenient to be admitted into the Church of God But perhaps no such example is to bee found in their practice or in the practice of those whom they appointed to bee ordinary Rulers of the Churches in their owne time Therefore an independent parity may seem inconvenient to bee admitted Thus I have briefly run over the fundamentall matters of the first question in hand not intending to determine any thing precisely but to gather some rules of determination whereby the matter of priority and superiority in government may be tried more at large in due time Only thus much I must now intimate that my doubt concerning priority and superiority of spirituall Officers in the Church is so farre resolved that it seemeth not at all repugnant to me but rather more consonant and answerable to Christs intention in the first institution of his Church then an independent parity And this is the first position wherein I receive some satisfaction to my doubts If therefore any will contradict this position to make me againe doubtfull of it I thinke he is obliged to shew that an independent parity of Rulers is not onely no lesse but as much and rather much more answerable to Christs intention and this he must shew from the same grounds which I have laid except hee can shew these to be insufficient and lay some others that are more satisfactory which if he doth then it will be also requisite that he define cleerly what that prime and independent authority is which every Ruler hath by himselfe in his particular charge As for me because I take this position as granted that Christ did institute in the first constitution of his Church a priority and superiority of spirituall Officers therefore I thinke I may safely gather that for the building up and perpetuall propagating of the same his intention was not altered which second position if any will deny I suppose he will finde himselfe obliged to shew unto me sufficient and evident causes why his intention should be altered and therefore that frame of government which was either necessary or most convenient for the first constitution and building up of his Church is inconsistent with the perpetuall propagation thereof But seeing I conceive it not likely that this can be shewne therefore I ought to proceed and come to the second question to finde out what the priority and superiority is which Christ doth allow of in the spirituall Rulers of the Church and to finde out this it will bee requisite to review againe the grounds heretofore laid from whence the position hath beene gathered that a priority and superiority of Rulers in spirituall government is answerable to Christs intention which that we may doe let us begin at the last and goe upward towards the first The last of our grounds was the practice of the Apostles which yeeldeth no example to us of any independent paâ—â—ty but rather of a superior priority which in the way of their ordinary government they used over others For I suppose no man doubteth of this but the Apostles were in the ordinary couâ—se of their mystery above all other spirituall Officers which ordinarily ruled the Churches If then it be granted that in the ordinary course of their Ministery they were above others the next thing to be sought after will be this wherein their superiority did consist and how far it was derived or not derived unto their successors And to finde out this I conceive that in the Apostles discharge of their duty some thing was extraordinary as being usefull and requisite onely for that time wherein they lived and something ordinary and of perpetuall use which was to bee transmitted unto their successors The extraordinary discharge of their Apostolicall duty was first to lay the foundation and then to raise and settle that frame of Christs Church upon the same which was most answerable to his Kingdome And to doe this God â—â—dued them with extraordinary gifts of tongues of knowledge of wisdome of prudence and of infallibility in truth and publicke government and confirmed their authority with his owne testimony bearing them witnesse as the Apostle saith Heb. 2. 4. both with signes and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost which by the imposition of their hands he conferred upon the beleevers as is evident by Acts 8. 17. and 19. 6. This I conceive was their extraordinary authority and discharge of their duty which should not be transmitted to any after them but should rest in their persons be for after times recorded in Scripture that thereby they should become perpetuall Apostles
cleere by some observations taken from Ignatius his Epistle to the Church of Ephesus written but twelve yeeres after the writing of the Revelation of Saint John and from Tertullian who flourished about a hundred yeares after Ignatius and from Leontius of Magnesia who at the Generall Councell of Chalcedon testifieth that from Timothy until that time there had been at Ephesus a continued succession of seven and twenty Bishops which Bishops no doubt were none else but the Presidents of the Ephesine Presbytery These witnesses being next to the first times and worthy of credit seem to make the matter of primitive and for ought that I see can be excepted of Apostolicall practice also out of doubt And if this Prioritie and Superioritie was such and was in this manner received and deferred to one above others I conjecture that it was by imitation of Apostolicall practice thus deferred and received because I find nothing therein repugnant but every thing rather and every way consonant to Apostolicall Rules so that unto this Bishop as President of the Presbytery all the power belonging to the ordinary Rulers did primely belong which hee by consent of the rest did exercise or the rest by him did put to execution And this I conceiue was the practice of the Apostles themselves in their course of ordinary government as may be gathered from Acts 3. 15. 1 Cor. 5. This in my apprehension is also most answerable to the rules of perpetual government given unto Timothy and Titus and this is every way consonant to the distinction of officers in the Church to the means of building up the Church to the intention of Christ in uniting all believers into one body and therefore may without scruple be believed to have beene the practice of the first primitive and incorrupt times which being granted as I think it should then I ought not to make any more doubt of the matter chiefely if from that time to this day and now also at this time in all the Christian and protestant Churches except onely those that are in feare of danger by reason of the abuse of this authority or are under the crosse of a superstitious State-government either the undoubted footesteps or the manifest use of such a Priority and Superiority hath beene in all ages and places and still is in some measure to be found which if I perceive so to bee as truly I doe then I judge that my minde should fully bee at rest and trouble it selfe no more about this matter Thus I have satisfied most of mine owne doubts so farre as I conceive them to bee common both to the simple and more learned There be some other Scruples more proper to those that dive deeper into matters which I know not if it be fit to propose to every one least in stead of taking away ordinary wee may ordinary wee might raise extraordinary scruples therefore till I be better resolved what ought to bee done in this and perceive how farre this way of deciding matters doth give satisfaction unto divided Judgements I thinke it will not be amisse to surcease In the mean time such as are spirituall ought to exhort all sides not to censure one another with rigour nor to doe things with passion and rashly or to judge of persons according to the outward appearance but to judge righteous judgement which may bee done if they will study to seperate in these particular courses and different opinions of most men the precious from the vile and apply themselves rather to heale then to exasperate sores rather to build up then to pull downe The Lord give us all understanding that keeping the foundation aswell in knowledge as in practice we may through Charity build thereon not hay and stubble but Gold Silver and precious stones yet when wee shall be carefull first to keepe our selves without blame in the midst of this froward generation wee may then also be able to hold forth unto al the word of life making a difference have compassion of some and save others with feare as pulling them out of this fire of endlesse strife and contention Now the Lord enable us to doe this in the Spirit of lenity with godly Zeale to his Glory Amen FINIS