and that they may be imposed upon the credulous and unwary multitude to promote some designs we are not yet acquainted with and that they will certainly serve no other but Popish purposes in the end I shall therefore shew as plainly as I can in this short treatise That the Constitution of the Church of England is such as need not give any matter of offence to the Conscience of any good Christian I shall then answer the most common and popular Objections that are wont to be made against this Constitution and the Clergy that conform unto it and lastly consider the means of Vnion that have been hitherto proposed And in discoursing of these things I shall keep my self as much as may be on the defensive side and strive only to ward off the blows that are made at us without endeavouring to wound the hand from whence they come And that I may if it be possible avoid giving the least offence I shall not so much as name the Authors from whence I take the Objections I endeavour to answer but make choice of such as I have observed to be most usually insisted on of late and some others which have been spread abroad to no other end that I can conceive but to incense the minds of men against us and raise animosities at such a time as the most calm and peaceable Counsels would be more seasonable and of greater advantage to the Protestant Cause And therefore I do here solemnly profess that I shall not say any thing out of partiality or any sinister respect whatsoever or any ill will I ever bore to any of our Non-Conforming brethren by some of which I have been most particularly obliged and I love them all as men and more especially as Christians But as a compassionate member of a poor despised Church that has been made the mark of common obloquy and scorn I shall declare her innocency as publickly as I can now that I take her to be in so much danger of ruine from the settled and deliberate malice of Popish Agents and the inconsiderate heat of other Adversaries that will dearly repent it when it is done if they should ever be so unfortunate as to succeed in such an attempt I cannot have so bad an opinion of all but that they may see what a Church some of them could wish destroyed I shall briefly lay open the Principal parts of the Constitution of it as it consists in Episcopacy Liturgy and Ecclesiastical Laws Of these I shall treat but very briefly and only to give what satisfaction I can to those that have not leisure or skill to peruse those many large and learned discourses that have been formerly and some very lately written upon these Subjects SECT II. Episcopacy or the Government of one Bishop over many Presbyters is a thing so very antient that it seems to have been propagated in the World by the first Planters of the Christian Religion That the Apostles had such an authority will not be denyed and that they communicated the like authority to others is no less evident in the Examples of Timothy and Titus and to affirm that this power of theirs over many Presbyters was only temporary and personal and that it was to cease as soon as the Apostles and those immediately constituted by them were dead is an assertion altogether precarious For the Scripture makes no mention of it and there is no reason to imagine that that Government which was once established in the Church should be afterwards altered unless it had been declared by them that did establish it that it was to continue but for such a period of time And if any without such a declaration shall maintain that the Apostolical and Episcopal power is now wholly ceased others upon the same principle may contend that the Presbyterial power is ceased too and as they say that every Presbyter is become a Bishop so these will plead that every Christian is to be a Presbyter though it might not be so at the first institution But besides that the Scripture does not acquaint us that this power was ever to cease the whole current of antiquity runs strongly against it The oldest and most Authentick writers of the Church do generally acknowledge the Episcopal Authority and look upon Bishops as the successours of the Apostles in their ordinary power and Jurisdiction And sometimes in their disputes with Hereticks they appeal to the Records that were then extant to shew how they succeeded one another from the Apostles down to their own times And this is enough to prove what opinion they had of the Original and continuance of the Episcopal power But if we wanted these testimonies and were not able to derive the succession so high as we can yet this is confessed by the most zealous and learned opposers of Episcopal Government that such Bishops as we contend for were universally allowed very soon after the decease of the Apostles And I do not think that any one can name one Church that had not a Bishop in it in those first and purest ages of Christianity and when other corruptions crept in they were not so great and bold as to attempt the subversion of that truly Primitive Government And when some in these latter times have endeavoured to contrive another kind of Ecclesiastical order they seem to have been forced upon it rather out of necessity than choice They did not so much prefer their own model before the antient one but when they could not have this they were fain to content themselves with that They that framed and promoted the Discipline of Geneva the most have spoken very honourably of the English Episcopacy And many learned Men that have lived quietly under that Constitution have thought ours the more desirable and there have been none that I know of beyond the Seas but that have readily acknowledged that it might at least be allowed So far have they been from calling it Popish or Anti-Christian that is a Complement that none but a disobedient Son could bestow upon so good a Mother But we need not come so low as these latter ages to seek for Authorities to confirm the Episcopal Jurisdicttion it was the Government that was always owned and exercised amongst the first Christians And they were wont to settle their Bishops in places of the greatest confluence in Cities whither the people did usually resort from the neighbouring Villages and lesser Towns for the convenience of Trade and administration of Justice And because in every Province there was one Capital City or Metropolis where the chief Secular Magistrate had his ordinary residence they had there a Bishop which was first called a Metropolitan and afterwards an Archbishop who had an authority over the several Bishops within the whole Province And in some parts of the Roman Empire there were Bishops that were stiled Patriarchs who had a certain Superiority over the Metropolitans themselves The order that was observed amongst
them seems to be this The inferiour City had a Bishop who with the assistance of a number of Presbyters under him had the Ecclesiastical care of the Territory that belonged to his City in the chief City was a Metropolitan or Archbishop and without him there were some things that were not to be done by the other Bishops and in some parts there were Patriarchs that had the inspection of divers Provinces And herein the Ecclesiastical honour followed the Civil and in those places where the secular Governour had the greatest power the Authority of the Bishop was increased in some degree proportionable to that And this indeed and not his being the pretended Vicar of Christ or the successor of S. Peter is the true reason of all the preheminence that the Bishop of Rome could ever lay claim unto He was Bishop of the Capital City of the Empire and upon that account might have the honour of precedency but was never acknowledged to be the Universal Pastor that had a power of commanding the whole Catholick Church He had the same Authority and no more within his own Precincts as other Patriarchs and Metropolitans had in theirs What ever the Priviledges of the Bishop of Rome were it is well known that the Bishop of Constantinople had the same conferred upon him by the decree of several Councils and the reason that is given for it is this because it was new Rome and an Imperial City as well as the old But it is clear that this distinction I have been speaking of is very antient We find mention of a Patriarch very probably of Alexandria in an Epistle of the Emperour Adrian which must be written within about a hundred years after the passion of our Saviour In the first general Council at Nice the power of Metropolitans was confirmed and then accounted by the Fathers assembled there amongst the antient customs of the Church So that it is evident what the judgement of Antiquity was in the case of Episcopacy they did not only allow of the Superiority of Bishops over Presbyters but gave the Metropolitan some power over the other Bishops which was very agreeable to the form of Government that was exercised in the time of the Apostles Now all the Christians in the World make up but one Catholick Church and the several portions and subdivisions of that whether smaller or greater have the same name and are called Churches as the whole is Thus we may read of the Eastern Western or African Church which did consist of divers Provinces and of the Church of Hierusalem Antioch or Corinth which were Episcopal or Metropolitical Churches and thus every particular assembly of Christians meeting orderly together for the worship of God may be called a Church For in homogeneous bodies where the nature of all the parts is the same they do properly take the same denomination with the whole thus every Bucket or drop that is of it is water as well as the Ocean And thus have all Christians spoken of Churches without any scruple in all ages But that there are no Churches but Congregational only is an opinion which I take to be exceeding modern And I will endeavour to make it appear in the instances of Jerusalem and Corinth that it was otherwise in the most Primitive times The Christian Religion by the blessing of God spread it self so fast at Jerusalem that within a short time after the miraculous descent of the holy Ghost we find that many of them which heard the word believed and the number of the men was about five thousand And soon after that Believers were the more added to the Lord multitudes both of men and women And again the word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith Now if we consider these expressions and the mighty numbers that were wont to be converted by the Apostles preaching we may well conceive that by this time they might be augmented from five to ten or twelve thousand or it may be more But suppose them not to amount to above seven or eight thousand which is the least that can be reasonably imagined these how many soever there were of them did all make but one Church but it cannot be thought that they met all in the same place and that they made but one single Congregation For if there were no other Preachers there besides them yet the Apostles were all at Jerusalem at that time and then one of them must have gathered a Church but the rest could have none if it be supposed to have been but one Congregation But not to insist upon this If they were but one Congregation in what place could they possibly meet together for the publick exercise of their Religion If hated and persecuted as they were they durst have adventured upon erecting of a building capacious enough for so vast a multitude they had not yet done it When they assembled themselves it was in some private house and commonly in an upper room and what beams and rafters were able to bear them or what Palace had a Hall large enough to contain such huge numbers as must flock together upon their solemn times of Worship Or if these difficulties were removed the unbelieving Jews were their sworn and most implacable enemies and would not have suffered so many of them to meet without the most violent opposition and setting the whole City in an uproar against them Or if their malice could the vigilancy of the Roman Government would never have indured it They were extreamly jealous of every great and unusual concourse of people and would be more so in a Nation that had not been very long conquered and accustomed to the yoke especially one so stubborn and rebellious and hated of all the world as the Jewish was And their jealousie would have been increased when they had found that this was to be a frequent stated meeting for the exercise of a strange Religion as the Christian was then accounted For though they were very indulgent to all their conquests in allowing them the free use of the old Religion of their Country they were very fearful and cautious of admitting any new ones And these considerations being laid together it seems to me absolutely incredible that the Church of Jerusalem should consist but of one particular assembly For when the Christians there were so exceedingly multiplied why should we not think that they had so much prudence as to part themselves into several Congregations when it is a thing confessed to be allowable and sometimes necessary and there were Apostles and Teachers ready to instruct and edify them all and they might do it with so much greater convenience and security And that they did so besides the reasons already alledged the Text seems to intimate plainly enough And daily in the Temple and in every house that is
it that there may some things happen in the Church which may lawfully be set in order that are not expresly determined in Scripture For such are those here mentioned which if they are any where determined it must be in the second Epistle to the Corinthians but there it cannot be for besides that it would be difficult to shew the place where it is done that second Epistle was written not long after the first before the holy Pen-man of it had gotten any leisure to come amongst them but these cases were reserved till then when I come He forbore to write any thing of them because he intended to decide them when he should be personally present But what he did then we have nothing in the sacred writings that acquaints us and therefore it seems that some things may be determined which are not entred into those holy records This is a matter that has been always esteemed so very plain that it was never made a controvesie in former ages But of late some have been exceeding jealous of it because as they conceive it seems to derogate from the great Protestant Doctrine of the fulness and sufficiency of the Scriptures If I could see any argument to perswade me that it did so indeed I should be easily induced to reject it with as much indignation as any of those that do contend the most zealously against it But we do readily acknowledge that the Holy Scripture does contain all things necessary to Salvation that nothing is to be received as an article of Faith that is not there clearly revealed that nothing is to be imposed as a duty in it self acceptable unto God which may not be manifestly proved from thence that nothing is to be accounted an essential part of divine Worship which is not there expresly commanded All that we attribute to our Governours is only a Power of determining about Indifferent things which the word of God has not determined and these we hold to have no other influence upon our future happiness or misery but only as we take obedience to superiours to be our duty and that we ought not obstinately to oppose them in such things as we might have innocently done if they had not been prescribed by their Authority Where the Scripture has forbidden or commanded any thing as it has whatever is necessary there all the Powers upon earth are bound to submit Where the Scripture is silent as it is in many matters of lesser moment there we are obliged to comply with the injunctions of a lawful Power So that the sufficiency of the Scripture may be very consistent with the making of certain Rules for external order and decency But some have thought that if we should allow any Power in the Church of imposing such things we might by degrees have so many of them imposed as might be extreamly prejudicial to the state of Religion and that true Piety might be stifled and buried as it were under the rubbish of a huge number of needless Ceremonies And therefore they think that no such Power ought to be admitted But all that can be proved by this way of reasoning will amount but to thus much that such a Power may possibly be abused but it is not well argued from the abuse of a Power to the nullity of it It has been always supposed that Parliaments had a Power of granting mony upon the Subject But if any should say they cannot tell but that they may in time grant away their whole Estates and therefore should conceive that they could not grant any thing at all such a fond surmize would never be thought to have force enough to deprive them of their undoubted right But in Church Power as it is now bounded there cannot be any just apprehensions of such an excess as is pretended for besides the restraint that common prudence must lay upon those that have the management of it it is limited on the one hand by the Scripture that it cannot command any thing contrary unto that and on the other by the Civil Authority whose approbation will be requisite to give a validity to every order of the Church And here then is a sufficient check to prevent all exorbitancies that can be feared If any thing be imposed that is not confirmed by the Civil Power it will not be thought obliging if any thing be prescribed that is contrary to Scripture it most not be obeyed But if any Constitutions should be made which are only esteemed Burdensome by reason of their number but are not otherwise unlawful the fault will be in those that imposed them and not in those that submit unto them This is a thing that has been antiently complained of but neither those that made the complaint did separate from the Church themselves nor perswade others to do it upon that account For where the Imposition is really Burdensome they are to be blamed that laid it on but they that quietly bear it will make their obedience the more acceptable by adding patience and humility unto it But this objection cannot be made in our particular Case the injunctions of the Church of England are for their nature innocent and for their number not many And if they should be judged to be unlawfully imposed because they may be excessively multiplied I think there is no occasion now for such a fear However it will be time enough to apply the remedy when we feel the distemper growing upon us but it is always dangerous tampering with Physick when we find our selves in perfect health Every extravagant jealousie of what may happen hereafter ought not to shake what is well established at the present For if the contrary principle should be allowed it were impossible for any Church or State in the World ever to injoy one minutes repose Our Church then is so far very blameless that has admitted of a Power of making some Laws for the more orderly conduct of Ecclesiastical affairs since it is a thing very reasonable in it self very agreeable to the practice of all ages and very consonant to the rules of Scripture from whose fulness it does not detract neither can the possibility of its being abused make it wholly null I have hitherto indeavoured to lay together the summ of what I conceive may not be impertinently urged in defence of the Church of England as to the three principal parts of her Constitution Episcopacy Liturgy and Ecclesiastical Laws All which as they are here established are agreeable to the practice of the best Churches consonant to the holy Scriptures and may therefore be conformed unto with a good Conscience SECT V. I shall now give some answer to several objections that have been made against her especially those that I have observed to be the most popular and which have raised the strongest prejudice in the minds of such as do not approve of our present establishment And these are of two sorts some that are made against the Constitution