Christian Faith Clemens Romanus in his First Epist to the Corinthians Paragr 5. Says that St. Paul went Preaching the Gospel to the farthest bounds of the West 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which Term Britain was then Understood And Theodoret expresly Names the Britains among the Nations Converted by the Apostles To. 4. serm 9. p. 610. And Eusebius in his Evangelical Demonstration l. 3. c. 7. p. 113. Names likewise the Britains as then Converted But whether St. Paul or as some Conjecture Joseph of Arimathea or any other Apostolical Person was the first who Preached Christ in England it matters not as to our Present Purpose who Enquire only concerning Episcopacy And it is Certain by all our Histories that as far up as they give us any Account of Christianity in this Island they tell us likewise of Bishops and the Succession of this Church of England has been Deduc'd in the Succession of Bishops and not of Presbyters And particularly in the Diocess of London which was the first Archi-Episcopal See before Augustin the Monk came hither after which it was Establish'd in Canterbury And the Saxon Writers have Transmitted the Succession of their Bishops in Canterbury Rochester London c. And in Countries so Remote and Barbarous as Island it self we find the same care taken Ara or Aras an Islandish Priest Surnam'd Hinfrode the Leurned who flourish'd in the Eleventh Century and was 25 Years Old when Christianity was brought thither in his Book of that Country written in Islandish has Transmitted to Posterity not only the Succession but the Genealogies of the Bishops of Skalholt and Hola the two Episcopal Sees of Island as they Succeeded one another in his Time I mention this of Island to show that Episcopacy has Extended it self Equally with Christianity which was carry'd by it into the Remotest Corners of the Earth upon which account the Bishops of Skalholt and Hola and their Succession are as Remarkable Proofs of Episcopacy tho' not so Famous as the Bishops of Canterbury and London IV. If the Presbyterians will say because they have nothing left to say that all London for Example was but one Parish and that the Presbyter of every other Parish was as much a Bishop as the Bishop of London because the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop and Presbyter are sometimes us'd in the same â—eâ—… They may as well prove that Christ was but a Deacon because He is so call'd Rom. xv 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we rightly â—raâ—â— are a Minister And Bishop signifies an Overseer and Presbyter an Ancient Man or Elder Man whence our Term of Aldermâ—n And this is as good a Foundation to Prove that the Apostles were Aldermen in the City acceptation of the Word or that our Aldermen are all Bishops and Apostles as to Prove that Presbyters and Bishops are all one from the Childish Gingle of the Words It wou'd be the same thing if one shou'd undertake to Confront all Antiquity and Prove against all the Histories that the Emperors of Rome were no more than Generals of Armies and that every Roman General was Emperor of Rome because he cou'd find the word Imperator sometimes apply'd to the General of an Army Or as if a Common-wealth-man shou'd get up and say that our former Kings were no more than our Dukes are now because the Stile of Grace which is now given to Dukes was then given to Kings And suppose that any one were put under the Pennance of Answering to such Ridiculous Arguments what Method wou'd he take but to shew that the Emperors of Rome and former Kings of England had Generals of Armies and Dukes under them and Exercis'd Authority over them Therefore when we find it given in Charge to Timothy the first Bishop of Ephesus how he was to Proceed against his Presbyters when they Transgressed to Sit in Judgment upon them Examine Witnesses against them and pass Censures upon them it is a most Impertinent Logoâ—…chy to argue from the Etymology of the Words that notwithstanding of all this a Bishop and a Presbyter are the same thing Therefore that one Text 1 Tim. v. 19. is sufficient to silence this Pitiful Clamour of the Presbyterians our English reads it against an Elder which is the Literal Translation of the word Presbyter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against a Presbyter receive not an Accusation but before two or three Witnesses and them that sin Rebuke before all that others also may fear Now upon the Presbyterian Hypothesis we must say that Timothy had no Authority or Jurisdiction over that Presbyter against whom he had Power to Receive Accusations Examine Witnesses and pass Censures upon him And that such a Presbyter had the same Authority over Timothy which is so Extravagant and against Common Sense that I will not stay longer to Confute it and think this enough to have said concerning the Presbyterian Argument from the Etymology of the words Bishop and Presbyter And this likewise Confutes their other Pretence which I have mention'd that the Ancient Bishopricks were only Single and Independent Congregations or Parishes This is a Topick they have taken up but of late being Beaten from all their other Holds and Launched by Mr. David Clarkson in a Book which he Entitules Primitive Episcopacy which has given occasion to an Excellent Answer by Dr. Hen. Maurice call'd A Defence of Diocesan Episcopacy Printed 1691. which I suppose has ended that Controversie and hindred the World from being more troubl'd upon that Head And their other little Shift and as Groundless that the Primitive Bishops were no other than their Moderators advanced more lately by Gilb. Rule late Moderator of the General Assembly in Scotland has been as Learnedly and with great Clearness of Reason Confuted by the Worthy J. S. in his Principles of the Cyprianick Age Printed 1695. But as I said that Text 1 Tim. v. 19. has made all these Pretences wholly useless to the Presbyterians For supposing their most Notorious false supposition as if the Bishopricks of Jerusalem Rome Alexandria or London consisted but of one single Congregation and that such Bishops had no Presbyters under them but that all Presbyters were Equally Bishops I say supposing this then it must follow from what we Read of Timothy that one Bishop or Presbyter had Jurisdicton over other Bishops or Presbyters which will Destroy the Presbyterian Claim of Parity as much as their Confession to the Truth and plain Matter of Fact that Bishops had Presbyters under their Jurisdiction and that they were Distinct Orders Notwithstanding that a Bishop may be call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Deacon or Minister of Christ and likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Elder or Grave Man which is a Term of Magistracy and Dignity and not ty'd to Age. And a Presbyter may likewise in a sound Sense be call'd a Bishop that is an Overseer or Shepherd which he truly is over his Particular Flock without denying at all
and to the Deacons Without the Bishop do nothing In his Epistle to the Smyrneans he says Flee Divisions as the beginning of Evils All of them follow their Bishops as Jesus Christ the Father and the Presbyters as the Apostles and Reverence the Deacons as the Institution of God Let no man do any thing of what appertains to the Church without the Bishop Let that Sacrament be judg'd Effectual and Firm which is Dispenced by the Bishop or him to whom the Bishop has Commited it Where-ever the Bishop is there let the People be as where Christ is there the Heavenly Host is gathered together It is not lawful without the Bishop either to Baptize or celebrate the Offices But what He approves of according to the good Pleasure of God that is firm and safe and so we do every thing securely I salute your most worthy Bishop your venerable Presbytery and the Deacons my Fellow Servants Anno Domini 70. St. Clement Bishop of Rome and Martyr of whom mention is made Phil. iv 3. in his 1st Epist to the Corinthians N. 42. p. 89. of the Edition at Oxford 1677. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In his Epistle to St. Policarp Bishop of Smyrna and Martyr who together with himself was Disciple to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist He gives these Directions If any can remain in Chastity to the glory of the Body of the Lord let him remain without Boasting if he Boast he Perishes and if he pretends to know more than the Bishop he is corrupted It is theduty both of Men and Women that Marry to be joyn'd together by the Approbation of the Bish that the Muriage may be in the Lord and not according to our own Lusts Let all things be done to the Glory of God Give heed to your Bishop that God may Harken unto you My Soul for theirs who subject themselves under the Obedience of their Bishop Presbyters and Deacons and let me take my Lot with them in the Lord. And he says to Bishop Policarp Let nothing be done without thy sentence and approbation In his Epistle to St. Policarp Bishop of Smyrna and Martyr who together with himself was Disciple to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist He gives these Directions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A.D. 180. St. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons in France who was Disciple of St. Polycarp he flourish'd about the year of Christ 180. We can reckon those Bishops who have been Constituted by the Apostles and their Successors all the way to our times And if the Apostles knew hidden Mysteries they wou'd certainly deliver them chiefly to those to whom they committed the Churches themselves and whom they left their own Successors and in the same Place of Government as themselves We have the Successions of the Bishops to whom the Apostolick Church in every place was committed All these Hereticks are much later than the Bishops to whom the Apostles did deliver the Churches The true Knowledge is the Doctrin of the Apostles and the Ancient State of the Church â—hrough the whole World and the Character of the Body of Christ according to the Succession of the Bishops to whom they committed the Church that is in every Place and which has Descended even unto us A.D. 180. St. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons in France who was Disciple of St. Polycarp he flourish'd about the year of Christ 180. Advers Haereses l. 3. c. 3. Habemus muncrare qui ab Aposolis Instituti sunt Episcopi in Ecclesiis successores corum usque ad nos Et si Recondita mysteria Scissent Apostoli vel his maxime traderent ea quibus etiam ipsas Ecclesias committebant quos successores relinquebant suum ipsorum locum Magisterii tradentes lib. 4. c. 63. Habemus successiones Episcoporum quibus Apostolicam quae in unoquoque loco est Ecclesiam tradiderunt l. 5. c. 20. Omnes enim ii Haeretici valde Posteriores sunt quam Episcopi quibus Apostoli tradiderunt Ecclesias L. 4. c. 6. Agnitio vera est Apastolorum Doctrina Antiquus Ecclesia status in universo Mundo Character Corporis Christi secundam successiones Episcoporum quibús illi eam quae in unoquoque lico est Ecclesiam tradiderunt quae pervenit usque ad nos Tertullian A.D. 203. of the Prescription of Hereticks A.D. 203. c. 32. Let them produce the Original of their Churches let them shew the Order of their Bishops that by their Succession deduc'd from the beginning we may see whether their first Bishop had any of the Apostles or Apostolical Men who did likewise persevere with the Apostles for his Founder and Predecessor For thus the Apostolical Churches do derive their Succession As the Church of Smyrna from Polycarp whom John the Apostle placed there The Church of Rome from Clement who was in like manner ordain'd by Peter And so the other Churches can produce those Constituted in their Bishopricks by the Aposiles c. 36. Reckon over the Apostolical Churches where the very Chairs of the Apostles do yet Preside in their own Places At Corinth Philippi Ephesus Thessalonica c. Of Baptism c. 17. The High-Priest who is the Bishop has the Power of conferring Baptism and under him the Presbyters and Deacons but not without the Authority of the Bishop Origen Names the distinct Orders of Bishop Presbyter and Deacon Such a Bishop says he speaking of one who sought vain Glory c. doth not desire a good Work and the same is to be said of Presbyters and Deacons The Bishops and Presbyters who have the Chief Place among the People The Bishop is called Prince in the Churches And speaking of the Irreligious Clergy he directs it to them whether Bishops Presbyters or Deacons Tertullian A.D. 203. of the Prescription of Hereticks Edant ergo Origines Ecclesiarum suarum evolvant ordinem Episcoporum suâ—rum ita ut per successiones ab initio decurrentem ut primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis vel Apostolicis viris qui tamen cum Apostolis perseveraverit habuerit Auctorem Antecessorem Hoc emm modo Ecclesiae Aposlolicae census suos deferunt sicut Smyrneorum Ecclesia Polycarpum ab Johanne conlocatum refert sicut Romanorum Clementem à Petro ordinatum itidem Perinde utique Ceterae exhibent quos ab Apostolis in Episcopatum Conslitutes Apostolici
Apostles receiv'd great Benefit by it 1 Cor. x. 16. c. xi 29. To some it is the savour of Life even the Communion of Christ's Body and Blood to others of Condemnation who discern not the Lord's Body in it but receive it as a common thing Therefore we are commanded to examine our selves v. 28. to prepare our Hearts for the worthy Receiving of it But some say as the Jews to Christ shew us a sign They wou'd have some Miraculous Effects immediately to appear These are Ignorant of the Operations of the Spirit and to these I say in the words of Christ Joh. iii. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit It works silently but powerfully and its Progress like the growing of our Bodies is not all at once but by Degrees whose motion is Imperceptible to humane Eyes The true use that is to be made of this Objection that so few and yet they are not few who receive the Inestimable Benefits which are convey'd in the Sacraments of Christ's Institution is this To take the greater Care and the more Earnestly to beg the Assistance of God's Grace to fit and prepare us for the worthy Receiving of them but by no means to neglect them For those who refused to come to the Supper were Rejected as well as he who came without a Wedding Garment A SUPPLEMENT THE stress of this Discourse being Founded upon Episcopacy and long Quotations being improper in so short a method of Argument as I have taken to supply that Defect and at the same time to make it easier to the Reader I have added by way of Supplement a short Index or Collection of Authorities in the first 450 Years after Christ for Episcopacy with respect to the Presbyterian Pretences of making a Bishop all one with a Presbyter at least with one of their Moderators And in the next place I have shewn the sense of the Reformation as to Episcopacy Take them as follows Some Authorities for Episcopacy as distinct from and Superior to Presbytery taken out of the Fathers and Councils in the first Four Hundred and Fifty Years after Christ Anno Domini 70. St. Clement Bishop of Rome and Martyr of whom mention is made Phil. iv 3. in his 1st Epist to the Corinthians N. 42. p. 89. of the Edition at Oxford 1677. The Apostles having Preached the Gospel thro' Regions and Cities did Constitute the first Fruits of them having prov'd them by the Spirit to be Bishops and Deacons of those who shou'd believe and this not as a new thing for many Ages before it was written concerning Bishops and Deacons for thus saith the Scripture Isa Lx 17. in a certain place I will constitute their Bishops in Righteousness and their Deacons in Faith What wonder is it then that those who were Intrusted by God in Christ with this Commission shou'd Constitute those before spoke of ibid. n. 44. And the Apostles knew by the Lord Jesus Christ that Contests wou'd arise concerning the Episcopal Name or Order and for this Cause having perfect fore knowledge of these things they did Ordain those whom we have mention'd before and moreover did Establish the Constitution that other approved Men shou'd succeed those who Dy'd in their Office and Ministry Therefore those that were Constituted by Them or afterwards by other approved Men with the Consent of all the Church and have Administred to the Block of Christ unblamably with Humility and Quietness without all stain of filth or naughtiness and have carry'd a good Report of a long time from all Men I think cannot without great Injustice be turn'd out of their Office For it will be no small sin to us if we thrust those from their Bishopricks who haves Holily and without Blame offer'd our Gists and Praiers to God Blessed are those Priests who are happily Dead for they are not afraid of being Ejected out of the Places in which they are Constituted For I understand that you have Depriv'd some from their Ministry who behaved themselves un-re-provable amongst you Par. 40. To the High-Priest his proper Offices were appeinted the Priests had their proper Order and the Levites their peculiar Services or Deaconships and the Lay-men what was proper ser Lay-men This as before shewn St. Clement apply'd to the Distribution of Orders in the Christian Church Bishops Priests and Deacons And the Office of the Levites is here cali'd by the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the Office of Deacons A.D. 71. St. Ignatius a Glorious Martyr of Christ was Constituted by the Apostles Bishop of Antioch and did there by think that he succeeded them as all other Bishops do in their full Apostolical Office Thence he salutes the Church of the Trallâ—ans in the Fulness of the Apostolical Character and in his Epistle he says to them Be subject to your Bishop as to the Lord And to the Presbyters as to the Apostles of Christ Likewise the Deacons also being Ministers of the Mysteries of Christ ought to please in all things Without these ther is no Church of the Elect-He is without who does any thing without the Bishop and Preslyters and Deacons and such an one is Desiled in his Conscience In his Epâ—st to the Magnesians he tells them That they ought not to despise their Bishop for his youth but to pay him all manner of Reverence according to the Commandment of God the Father And as I know that your Holy Presbyters do Therefore as Christ did nothing without the Father so neither do ye whether Presbyter Deacon or Laick any thing without the Bishop Some indeed call him Bishop yet do all things without him but these seem not to me to have a good Conscience but rather to be Hypocrites and Scorners I Exhort you to do all things in the same mind of God the Bishop Presiding in the Place of God and the Presbyters in room of the College of the Apostles and the Deacons most beloved to me who are intrusted with the Ministry of Jesus Christ He directs his Epistle to the Church at Philadelphia to those who were in Unity with their Bishop and Presbyters and Deacons And says to them in his Epistle That as many as are of Christ these are with the Bishop and those who shall Repent and Return to the Unity of the Church being made worthy of Jesus Christ shall partake of Eternal Salvation in the Kingdom of Christ My Brethren be not deceived if any shall follow himthat makes a Schism he shall not Inherit the Kingdom of God I Exhort you to partake of the one Eucharist for ther is one Body of the Lord Jesus and one Blood of His which was shed for us and one Cup and one Altar so ther is one Bishop with his Presbytery and the Deacons my Fellow Servants Give heed to the Bishop and to the Presbytery
seminis traduces habeant Percurre Ecclesias Apostolicas apud quas ipsae adhuc Cathedrae Apostolorum suis locis Prasident Corinthi Philippi Ephesiis Thessalonica c. Dandi Baptismum jus habet summus sacerdos qui est Episcopus dehinc Presbyteri Deaconi non tamen sine Episcopi Authoritate A. D. 220. Origenis Comment A.D. 220. in Matt. Rothomagi 1668. Gr. Lat. p. 255 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. p. 443. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 420 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 442. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Cyprian Archbishop of Carthage A. D. 240. A.D. 240. Our Lord whose Commands we ought to Reverence and Obey being about to Constitute the Episcopal Honour and the Frame of His Church said to Peter Thou art Peter c. From thence the Order of Bishops and Constitution of the Church does descend by the line of Succession thro' all Times and Ages that the Church shou'd be built upon the Bishops It is Establish'd by the Divine Law that every Act of the Church shou'd be Govern'd by the Bishop To Cornelius then Bishop of Rome We ought chiefly my Brother to Endeavour to keep that Unity which was Enjoyn'd by our Lord and His Apostles to us their Successors to be carefully observ'd by us The Deacons ought to remember that it was the Lord who chose the Apostles that is the Bishops Christ said to the Apostles and by that to all Bishops or Governors of His Church who succeed the Apostles by vicarious Ordination and are in their stead He that heareth you heareth me For from hence do Schisms and Heresies arise and have arisen while the Bishop who is One and Governour of the Church by a proud Presumption is Despis'd and that Man who is Honour'd as Worthy by God is accounted unworthy by Man Nor are Heresies sprung up or Schisms arisen from any other Fountain than from hence that Obedience is not paid to the Priest of God and that ther is not one Priest at a time in the Church and one Judge for the time in the Place of Christ To whom if the whole Fraternity did obey according to the Divine Oeconomy none wou'd dare to move any thing against the Sacerdotal Colledge It is necessary that the Bishops shou'd exert their Authority with full Vigor But if it is so that we are afraid of the Boldness of the most Profligat and that which these wicked Men cannot compass by the Methods of Truth and Equity if they can accomplish by their Rashness and Despair then is ther an end of the Episcopal Authority and of their Sublime and Divine Power in Governing of the Church Nor can we remain Christians any longer if it is come to this that we shou'd be afraid of the Threats and Snares of the Wicked The Adversary of Christ and Enemy of His Church for this end strikes at the Bishop or Ruler of the Church with all his Malice that the Governor being taken away he might Ravage the more Violently and Cruelly upon the Ship-wreck of the Church Is Honour then given to God when the Divine Majesty and Censure is so Despised that these Sacrilegious Persons say do not think of the Wrath of God be not afraid of His Judgment do not knock at the Door of the Church but without any Repentance or Confession of theâ—r Crime Despising the Authority of their Bishops and trampling it under their feet a False Peace is Preach'd to be had from the Presbyters Scilicet in their taking upon them to Admit those that were Fallen into Communion or the Peace of the Church without the Allowance of the Bishop They imitate the coming of Anti-Christ now approaching Valerian the Emperor wrote to the Senate that the Bishops and the Presbyters and the Deacons shou'd be prosecuted The Power of Remitting Sins was given to the Apostles and to the Bishops who have succeeded them by a vicarious Ordination What Danger ought we to fear from the Displeasure of God when some Presbyters neither mindful of the Gospel nor of their own Station in the Church neither regarding the future Judgment of God nor the Bishop who is set over them which was never done under our Predecessors with the Contempt and Neglect of their Bishop do arrogate all unto themselves I cou'd bear with the Contempt of our Episcopal Authority but ther is now no room left for Dissembling c. St. Cyprian Archbishop of Carthage A. D. 240. Edit Oxon. Epist XXXIII Lapsis Dominus noster cujus Praecepta metuere observare debemus Episcopi honorem Ecclesiae suae Ratio nem disponens in Evangelio loquitur dicit Petro Ego dico tibi quia tues Petrus c. Inde per temporum successionum vices Episcoprum Ordinatio Ecclaesiae Ratio decurrit ut Ecclaesia super Episcopos Constituatur Divina Lege fundatum est ut omnis actus Ecclaesiae per Episcopum Gubernetur Ep. XLV Cornelio Hoc enim vel maxime Frater laboramus laborare debemus ut Unitatem à Domino per Apostolos nobis Successoribiâ— traditam quantum possumus obtinere curemus Ep. III. Rogatiano Meminisse autem Diaconi debent quoniam Apostolos id est Episcopos Dominus Elegit Ep. LXVI Florentio Dixit Christus ad Apostolos ac per hoc ad omnes Praepositos qui Apostolis vicaria ordinatione succedunt Qui vos audit me audit Ibid. Inde enim Schismata Haereses ortae oriuntur dum Episcopus qui units est Ecclesiae Prae-est superba Praesumptione contemnitur homo dignatione Dei honoratus Indignus hominibus judicatur Ep. LIX Cornelio Neque enim aliunde Haereses obortae sunt aut nata sunt schismata quam inde quod Sacerdoti Dei non obtemperatur nec unus in Ecclesia ad tempus Sacerdos ad tempus Judex vice Christi cogitatur Cui si secundum Magisteria Divina obtemperaret Fraternitas universa nemo adversus sacerdotum Collegium quicquam moveret vigore pleno Episcopos agere oportet quod si ita res est ut Nequissimorum timeatur Audacia quod Maelt vere atque aequitate non possunt Temeritate Desperatione perficiant actum est de Episcopatus vigore de Ecclesie gubernandae sublimi ac Divina Potestate Nec Christiani ultra aut durare aut esse jam possumus si ad hoc ventum est ut Perditorum Minas atque Infidias pertimescamus Christi Adversarius Ecclesiae ejus Inimicus ad hoc Ecclesiae Praepositum sua Infestatione persequitur ut Gubernatore sublato atrocius atque violentius circa Ecclesiae Naufragia grassetur Honor ergo datur Deo quando sic Dei Majestas Censura Contemnitur ut proponatur à Sacrilegis atque dicatur ne Ita cogitetur Dei ne timeatur Judicium Domini ne pulsetur ad Ecclesiam Christi sed sublata Poenitentia nec ulla Exomologesi Criminis facta Despectis
to the People And apply to this what I have before shewn in the words of St. Clement whose Name is written in the Book of Life That the Evangelical Priesthood is as surely fixed in the Bishops of the Church and its Succession continu'd in those Ordain'd by them as the Levitical Priesthood was confirm'd by the Budding of Aaron's Rod and to be continu'd in that Tribe III. And here let our Korahites of several sizes take a view of the Heinousness of their Schism and let them not think their Crime to be nothing because they have been taught with their Nurses Milk to have the utmost abhorrence to the very Name of a Bishop tho' they cou'd not tell why Let them rather consider seriously the misfortune of their Education which shou'd make them Strangers to all the rest of the Christian World but themselves in a Corner and to all the former Ages of Christianity They have been told that Episcopacy is Popery because the Papists have Bishops So have they Presbyters too that is Parish Priests They have the Creed likewise and the Holy Scriptures and all these must be Popish if this be a good Argument But are they willing to be undeceived Then they must know that Episcopacy has none so great an Enemy as the Papacy which wou'd Engross the whole Episcopal Power into the single See of Rome by making all other Bishops absolutly dependent upon that which only they call the Apostolical Chair And no longer since than the Council of Trent the Pope endeavor'd with all his Interest to have Episcopacy except only that of the Bishop of Rome to be declar'd not to be Jure Divino By which no other Bishops cou'd claim any other Power but what they had from Him But that Council was not so quite Degenerated as to suffer this to pass And the Jesuits and Others who Disputed there on the Pope's part us'd those same Arguments against the Divine Right of Episcopacy which from them and the Popish Canonists and Schoolmen have been lick'd up by the Presbyterians and others of our Dissenters They are the same Arguments which are us'd by Pope and Presbyter against Episcopacy When the Pope cou'd not carry his Cause against Episcopacy in the Council of Trent he took another Method and that was to set up a vast Number of Presbyterian Priests that is the Regulars whom he Exempted from the Jurisdiction of their respective Bishops and fram'd them into a Method and Discipline of their own accountable only to Superiors of his and their own contriving which is exactly the Presbyterian Model These Usurpations upon the Episcopal Authority made the Famous Archbishop of Spalato quit his great Preferments in the Church of Rome and Travel into England in the Reign of King James I. to seek for a more Primitive and Independent Episcopacy Himself in his Consilium Profectionis gives these same Reasons for it And that this shameful Depression and Prostitution of Episcopacy in the Church of Rome was the cause of his leaving her He observ'd truly that the further we search upward in Antiquity there is still more to be found of the Episcopal and less of the Papal Eminency St. Ignatius is full in every line almost of the high Authority of the Bishop next and immediately under Christ as all the other Writers in those Primitive Times But there is a profound silence in them all of that Supremacy in the Bishop of Rome which is now claim'd over all the other Bishops of the Catholick Church Which cou'd not be if it had been then known in the World This had been a short and effectual Method whereby St. Paul or St. Clement might have quieted the great Schism of the Corinthians against which they both wrote in their Epistles to them to bid them refer their Differences to the Infallible Judge of Contreversy the Supreme Pastor at Rome But not a word like this Especially considering that St. Peter was one for whom some of these Corinthians strove 1 Cor. i. 12. against those who preferred others before Him The Usurp'd Supremacy of the later Bishops of Rome over their Fellow-Bishops has been as Fatal to Episcopacy as the Rebellion of our yet later Presbyters against their Respective Bishops And indeed whoever wou'd write the true History of Presbyterianism must begin at Rome and not at Geneva So very Groundless as well as Malicious is that popular Clamour of Episcopacy having any Relation to Popery They are so utterly Irreconcilable that it is impossible they can stand together For that moment that Episcopacy were Restor'd to its Primitive Independency the Papacy that is that Supremacy which does now distinguish it must ipso facto cease But enough of this for I must not digress into various Subjects I have shewn in Answer to the Objection of the Ages of Popery in this Kingdom that all those Errors even Idolatry it self does not Un-church nor break Succession And 2dly I have Exemplifi'd this from the Parallel of the Jewish Church under the Law Then applying of this to our Case I have vindicared Episcopacy from the Imputation of Popery I will now go on to further Reasons why the Succession of our present Bishops is not hurt by that Deluge of Popery which once cover'd the face of this Land IV. The end of all Government as well in the Church as State is to preserve Peace Unity and Order and this cannot be done if the Male-administration of the Officers in the Government did Vacat their Commission without its being Re-call'd by those who gave such Commission to them For then 1st Every Man must be Judge when such a Commission is Vacated and then no Man is bound to obey longer then he pleases 2dly One may say it is Vacated another not whence perpetual Contention must arise A Man may Forfeit his Commission that is do those things which give just Cause to his Superiors to take it from him But it is not actually Vacated till it be actually Recall'd by those who have lawful Power to take it from him Otherwise their cou'd be no Peace nor Certainty in the World either in Publick or in Private affairs No Family cou'd subsist No Man enjoy an Estate No Society whatever cou'd keep together And the Church being an Outward Society as shewn in the Discourse of Water Baptism must consequently subsist by those Laws which are indispensible to every Society Sect. iii. â— 1. And tho' Idolatry does justly Forfeit the Commission of any Church in this sense that God's Promises to Her being Conditional He may justly take her Commission from her and Remove her Candlestick Now tho' her Commission be thus Forfeitable yet it still Continues and is not actually Pacated till God shall please actually to Recall it or take it away For no Commission is Void till it be so Declar'd Thus tho' the Jews did often fall into Idolatry yet as before has been said God did bear long with them and did not Un-church them tho'
they had justly Forfeited And these wicked Husband men who slew those whom the Lord sent for the Fruits of His Vineyard yet continu'd still to be the Husband-men of the Vineyard till their Lord did Dispossess them and gave their Vineyard unto others And natural Reason does enforce this If a Steward abuse his Trust and oppresses the Tenants yet are they still oblig'd to pay their Rent to him and his Discharges are sufficient to them against their Landlord till he shall Supersede such a Steward If a Captain wrong and cheat his Soldiers yet are they oblig'd to remain under his Command till the King who gave him his Commission or those to whom he has Committed such an Authority shall Cashier him And thus it is in the Sacerdotal Commission Abuses in it do not take it away till God or those to whom He has Committed such an Authority shall Suspend Deprive or Degrade as the Fact Requires such a Bishop or a Priest And there is this higher Consideration in the Sacerdotal Commission than in those of Civil Societies That it being immediately from God as none therefore can take this Honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron so can none take it way but he that is as Expresly and Outwardly called thereunto as Aaron was to be a Priest For this wou'd be to Usurp upon God's immediate Prerogative which is to Constitute His own Priests Upon this Foundation I argue V. As the necessity of Government and the general Commands in Scripture of Obedience to Government do require our Submission to the Government in being where there is no Competition concerning the Titles or any that Claims a better Right than the Possessor So where a Church once Establish'd by God tho' suffering many Interruptions does continue Her Governors ought to be acknowledg'd where ther is no better Claim set up against them This was the Reason why our Saviour and His Apostles did without scruple acknowledge the High-Priest and Sanbedrin of the Jews in their time tho' from the days of the Maccabees ther had been great Irruptions and Breaches in the due Succession of their Priests and before Christ came and all His time the Romans as Conquerors dispos'd of the Priesthood as they pleas'd and made it Annual and Arbitrary which God had appointed Hereditary and Unmovable But ther was then no Competition The Jews did submit to it because they were under the subjection of the Romans and cou'd have no other No High-Priest claimed against him in Possession but all submitted to him And our Saviour did confirm His Authority and of the Sanhedrin or Inferior Priests with him Matth. xxiii 2. saying the Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses's seat All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and de And St. Paul own'd the Authority of the High-Priest Act. xxiii 5. Many Objections might have been rais'd against the Deduction of their Succession from Moses But ther being none who claim'd any better Right than they had therefore their Right was Uncontroverted and by our Saviour's Authority was Confirm'd Now suppose some Interruptions had been in the Succession or Corruptions in the Doctrine and Worship of our English Bishops in former Ages yet as in the Case of the Scribes and Pharisees that cou'd have no Effect to Invalidate their Commission and Authority at the present SECT IV. The Assurance and Consent in the Episcopal Communion beyond that of any other I. THE whole Christian World as it always has been so at this Present it is Episcopal except a few Dissenters who in less than Two Hundred years last past have arisen like a Wart upon the Face of the Western Church For little more Proportion do our Dissenters here the Hugonots in France the Presbyterians in Holland Geneva and thereabouts bear to the whole Body of the Latin Church which is all Episcopal But if you compare them with the Catholick Church all over the World which is all Episcopal they will not appear so big as a Mole II. If our Dissenters think it much that the Church of Rome shou'd be reckon'd in the List against them we will be content to leave them out Nay more if we shou'd give them all those Churches which own the Supremacy of Rome to be joyn'd with them as they are the nearest to them it will be so far from casting the Ballance on their side that the other Episcopal Churches will by far out-number them both Let us then to these Dissenters against Episcopacy add the Churches of Italy and Spain entire with the Popish Part of Germany France Poland and Hungary I think they have no more to reckon upon against these we produce the vast Empire of Russia which is greater in Extent than all these Popish Countries before nam'd England Scotland Denmark Sweden and all the Lutheran Churches in Germany which will out-number both the Papists and Presbyterians before-mention'd And this comparison is only made as to the Latin Church But then we have all the rest of the Christian World wholly on the Episcopal side against both the Supremacy of Rome and Parity of the Presbyterians The whole Greek Church the Armenians Georgians Mingrelians Jacobites the Christians of St. Thomas and St. John in the East-Indies and other Oriental Churches Then in Africa the Cophties in Egypt and great Empire of the Abyssins in Aethiopia These all are Episcopal and never own'd the Supremacy of Rome And over reckon out of sight all that disown Episcopacy and all that own the Supremacy of Rome with them III. Let me add that among our Dissenters every Class of them does Condemn all the rest the Presbyterian Damns the Quaker the Quaker Damns him Independent Baptist c. All Damn one another and Each denys the others Ordination or Call So that the Ordination of every one of them is disown'd by all the rest and all of them together by the whole Christian World And if their Ordinations are not Valid then they have no more Authority to administer the Sacraments than any other Lay-men and consequently ther can be no security in Receiving Baptism from any of them IV. What allowances God will make to those who think their Ordination to be good enough and that they are true Ministers of the Gospel and as such do receive the Sacraments from them I will not determine But they have no reason to expect the like allowances who are warned of it before-hand and will notwithstanding venture upon it before these Dissenters have fully and clearly acquit themselves of so Great and Universal a Charge laid against them such an one as must make the whole Christian World wrong if they be in the Right Not only the present Christian Churches but all the Ages of Christianity since Christ Of which the Dissenters are desir'd to produce any one in any Part of the World that were not Episcopal any one Constituted Church upon the Face of the Earth that was not Govern'd by Bishops distinct
Bishop The Presbyter ought to consult the Bishop and receive his Orders in it as is declar'd in the 7. Can. Can. 10. If any Presbyter being puff'd up with Pride shall make a Schism against his own proper Bishop let him be Anathema Can. 11. Gives leave to a Presbyter who is Condemn'd by his Bishop to Appeal to the Neighbouring Bishops but if without this he flies off and makes a Schism from his Bishop it confirms the Anathema upon him Can. 12. Orders what is before Recited out of Can. xi of the Council of Carthage That a Bishop who is Accus'd shall be try'd by twelve Bishops if more may not be had a Presbyter by six Bishops with his own Bishop and a Deacon by three Can. 14. Orders that in Tripeli because of the smaller number of Bishops in those Parts a Presbyter shall be judg'd by Five Bishops and a Deacon by Three his own proper Bishop Presiding Can. 46. That a Presbyter shall not Reconcile a Penitent without the knowledge of the Bishop unless upon necessity in the absence of the Bishop Can. 59. That one Bishop may ordain many Presbyters but that it was hard to find a Presbyter who was fit to be made a Bishop Can. 65. That a Clergy man being Condemned by the Bishops cannot be deliver'd by that Church to which he did belong or by any Man whatsoever Can. 126. That Presbyters and Deacons may Appeal from their own Bishop to the Neighbouring Bishops chosen by consent of their own Bishop and from them to the Primate or Provincial Synod but not to any Trans-marine or Forraign Jurisdiction under pain of Excommunication The Council of Carthage A. D. 419. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Council of Chalcedon being the Fourth General Council A. D. 451. Can. 9. If any Clergy-man have a Cause of complaint against another Clergy-man let him not leave his own proper Bishop and have Recourse to the Secular Courts-Whoever does otherwise shall be put under the Canonical Censures Can. 13. That a Forreign Clergy-man and not known shall not officiate in another City without Commendatory Letters from his own Bishop Can. 18. If any of the Clergy shall be found Conspiring or Joyning in Fraternities or Contriving any thing against the Bishops they shall fall from their own Degree Can. 29. To reduce a Bishop to the Degree of a Presbyter is Sacrilege The Council of Chalcedon being the Fourth General Council A. D. 451. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Authorities are so plain and full as to prevent any Application or Multiplying of further Quotations which might easily be done For if these can be answer'd so may all that can possibly be produc'd or framed in words And ther is no Remedy left to the Presbyterians and other Dissenters from Episcopacy but to deny all these by whole-sale to throw off all Antiquity as well the first Ages of Christianity even that wherein the Apostles themselves Liv'd and Taught as all since and to stand upon a New Foundation of their own Invention But this only shews the Desperatness of their Cause and the Impregnable Bulwork of Episcopacy which I must say it stands upon so Many Clear and Authentick Evidences as can never be overthrown but by such Topicks as must render Christianity it self Precarious And if from the Etymology of the Words Bishop and Presbyter any Argument can be drawn against all the Authorities Produc'd to prove them the same we may by this way of Reasoning prove Cyrus to be Christ for so he is call'd Isa XLV 1. Or if the Presbyterians will have their Moderator to be a Bishop we will not Quarrel with them about a word Let us then have a Moderator such as the Bishops before describ'd viz. A Moderator as a standing Officer during Life to whom all the Presbyters are to be obedient as to Christ i. e. to the Moderator as Representing the Person of Christ That nothing be done in the Church without Him That He be understood as the Principle of Unity in His Church so that they who unjustly break off from his Communion are thereby in a Schism That he shew his Succession by Regular Ordination convey'd down from the Apostles In short that He have all that Character and Authority which we see to have been Recogniz'd in the Bishops in the very Age of the Apostles and all the succeeding Ages of Christianity and then call Him Moderator Superintendent or Bishop For the Contest is not about the Name but the Thing And if we go only upon the Etymology of the Word how shall we prove Presbyters to be an Order in the Church more than Bishops as Athanasius said to Dracontius of those who persuaded him not to accept of a Bishoprick Why do they persuade you not to be a Bishop when they themselves will have Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will end this Head with the Advice of that great Father to this same Drasontius If the Government of the Churches do not please you and thâ—t you think the Office of a Bishop has no Reward thereby making your self a Despiser of our Saviour who did Institute it I beseech you surmise not any such things as these nor do you Entertain any who advise such things for that is not worthy of Dracontius For what things the Lord did Institute by His Apostles those things remain both good and sure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas Epist ad Dracont II. Having thus Explain'd those Texts of Scripture which speak of Episcopacy by the Concurrent sense of those who liv'd with the Apostles and were taught the Faith from their Mouths who liv'd zealous Confessors and dy'd glorious Martyrs of Christ and who Succeeded the Apostles in those very Churches where themselves had sat Bishops And having deduc'd their Testimonies and of those who Succeeded them down for Four Hundred and Fifty Years after Christ from which time ther is no doubt rais'd against the Universal Reception of Episcopacy and this not only from their Writings apact but by their Canons and Laws when Assembl'd together in Council which one wou'd think sufficient Evidence against none at all on the other side that is for the Succession of Churches in the Presbyterian Form of which no one Instance can be given so much as of any one Church in the World so Deduc'd not only from the days of the Apostles as is shewn for Episcopacy but before Calvin and those who Reform'd with him about 160 Years last past I say tho' what is done is sufficient to satisfie any Indifferent and Un-byass'd Judgment yet ther is one Topick yet behind which with our Dissenters weighs more than all Fathers and Councils