and as his instrument that he doth not in the distinct person of a Presbyter He that payeth money or delivereth possession in his Masters name doth it not in his own So that if really they mean as they say that quoad personam legalem quamvis non naturalem it be the Bishop that doth Teach and Officiate per alios then no Presbyter is indeed endued with any power of Teaching Officiating or Ruling in the person of a Presbyter but only to be the Servant and Instrument of the Diocesane 2. No Presbyter hath power to judge whom he shall Baptize or whom to refuse but is to Baptize all without any exception that have Godfathers and Godmothers who will but say the words in the book The Canon 78. is No Minister shall refuse or delay to Christen any Child according to the book of Common prayer that is brought to the Church to him upon Sundays or Holidays to be Christened Else suspended three months from his Ministry Yea that is it that pays for all So Can. 79. he is bound to do in houses in case of danger Yet Can. 29. No Parent shall be urged to be PRESENT nor be admitted to answer as Godfather for his own child Now the Liturgy requireth not any Godfather to Adopt the Child and take it for his own Nor doth it allow us to refuse the Children of Turks Jews or Heathens And if these Godfathers be known Atheists Turks Jews or Heathens or the filthiest Adulterers or wicked persons if they did ever in their lives receive the Sacrament and will say as the Book bids them the Priest cannot refuse the Child But if the godliest Parent can get none to be such Godfathers or Godmothers his Child must not be Baptized I told the Bishops my self that I had a notorious Infidel boasted that he would bring his Child to be baptized and say the words of the book and see who durst refuse it And I was answered that if the Child had Godfathers there was no scruple but I should Baptize him But when I ask what if these Infidels professedly such be the Godfathers and say before-hand I will say those words and refuse me if you dare they have nothing to say that common reason should regard Now he that is but sent to Baptize those even all whomsoever that others bid him baptize and hath no more discerning or judging power of the persons capacity than a Lay-man hath is in this no Presbyter but a Prelates messenger or servant 3. They have no power to instruct admonish or reprove in secret or publick or in their own houses any one Ignorant Heretical Infidel Atheistical or scandalous wicked man that will but refuse to speak with them or to hear them And yet he must give this person the Sacrament at least till he prove that by him which his refusal to speak to him maketh impossible to be publickly proved If I have great reason by some private occasional speech or report to believe that many of the Parish know no more of Christ than Pagans do or that they among their own companions who will not accuse them profess Atheism Infidelity or Heresie or if after scandalous fames I would admonish them to repent If they refuse to speak with me or suffer me not to come and speak to them I have no remedy but must still continue them in the Communion of the Church Obj. You would not have such men forced your self Answ But I would not be forced then my self to give him the Sacrament of Communion as his Pastor who refuseth to speak with me or to hear me as his Pastor but would have power to refuse that Pastoral administration to him that refuseth the rest 4. They have no power to judge of the fitness of any one for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in point of knowledge faith or Covenanting with God nor whether he understand what the Sacrament is any more than an Infidel or ideot so be it the Bishop do but confirm him in his childhood or he will say that he is ready to be confirmed Indeed all are required to send their children to be Catechised But 1. few Ministers use it 2. few persons in a parish come 3. If they refuse we cannot prevent their further communicating 4. It is but to say over the words of that Catechism which they are called to which experience tells us children will do like Parrots without understanding what they say And we must not ask them any other questions It is true also that they who are confirmed by the Bishop should bring a Certificate from the Minister that they can say the Creed Lords prayer Commandments c. But they may choose and not one of many doth it I went my self at thirteen years of age or fourteen to the worthy Bishop Morton with the rest of the School-boyes without any Certificate and without any examination he hastily said as he passed on three or four lines of a prayer over us when I knew not what he said And after this no Minister can refuse any one at age the Sacrament The Rubrick saith They should openly own their Baptism c. But few do it and none can be refused for not doing it And so the transition from the number of Infant members into the number of the adult is made without the Ministers Consent Though the Kings Declaration once yielded to the contrary And Communicants croud upon him in utter ignorance because they were Baptized in Infancy Nay few in a Parish not one of many hundred of my acquaintance is ever confirmed by the Bishop at all so much as ceremoniously or regard it 5. They have no power to choose what Chapter they will read to the Church in publick though a word before the Homilies lib. 2. seemed once to allow it them But every day in the year even week-days and Holidays they are tyed up to the Chapters imposed on them though Bell and the Dragon Judith Susanna Tobit and other Apocryphal writings be appointed for Lessons even about 106 Chapters of the Apocrypha in two months And though any scandal or other occasion in his Church would direct him to choose some other subject for the peoples good 6. He hath no power to choose what words to use in his publick prayers to God no not to use any that are not written for him to read out of the book And though custom hath so used Ministers to pray without book in the pulpit yet this is but connived at because it cannot easily be remedied One of them wrote a book against it as answering that part of our Savoy Reply 1660 Dr. Heylin hath largely laboured to prove that it is contrary to the Canon which indeed doth seem express against it And that 's not all However their Consciences digest it all the Conformists in England do subscribe as ex animo a covenant or promise that they will use the form in the said book prescribed in publick prayer and
teach them not to disdain the advice of their Presbyters but to use their Authority with so much the greater humility and moderation as a Sword which the Church hath power to take from them This is Mr. Hooker And page 14. He confesseth that according to the Custom of England and a Council at Carthage Presbyters may impose hands in Ordination with the Bishop though not without him So that by this they have the the power of Ordination to though he have a Negative Voice in it And indeed if all Ordination must be done by one of a Superiour Order who shall Ordain Bishops or Archbishops or Patriarchs or the Pope And page 18. He saith Most certain truth it is that Churches Cathedral and the Bishops of them are as glasses wherein the face and countenance of Apostolical antiquity remaineth even as yet to be seen Which is it that we also affirm every City or Church having a Bishop and Presbytery of their own And whereas page 19. He saith If we prove that Bishops have lawfully of old ruled over other Ministers it is enough how few soever those Ministers have been how small soever the circuit of place which hath contained them If this be so we grant you enough when we grant Parochial Bishops But no where doth he more palpably yield our Cause than page 21 22. where to Cartwright's Objection that the Bishop that Cyprian speaketh of is nothing else but such as we call Pastor or as the common name is Parsons and his Church whereof he is Bishop is neither Diocess nor Province but a Congregation which met together in one place to be taught by one man He hath no better answer to this than to tell us that If it were true it is impertinent and that it is not true because Cyprian had many Presbyters under him so as they might have every day change for performance of their duty And he never once attempteth to prove that Cyprian had more Churches yea or Assemblies than One but only that he was over the Presbyters in one Church or Assembly and as an Archbishop was over Bishops The same thing which I submit to but nothing against the things that I assert against him A Parson may have divers Curates under him and not divers Churches much loss a thousand that have no other Bishop And whereas page 33. It is objected that many things are innovated in our Discipline as imposing Ministers on the People without their consent Bishops Excommunicating alone Imprisoning c. His answer is that the Church may change her customes And on that ground alloweth the Ordination of Presbyters alone because the Church can give them power For he goeth in Church-matters as he doth in point of Civil Government on his false supposition that all Power is Originally in the whole Body saying page 37. The whole Church visible being the true Original subject of all power it hath not ordinarily allowed any other than Bishops alone to Ordain Howbeit as the ordinary course is ordinarily in all things to be observed so it may be in some cases not unnecessary that we decline from the ordinary ways What is more contrary than Saravia Tract de Obedient and Hooker in their Principles of Government From hence also page 38. He inferreth the no necessity of continued Succession of Bishops in every effectual Ordination And it is very observable which he granteth for it cannot be denied The Power of Orders I may lawfully receive without the asking consent of any multitude but the power I cannot exercise upon any certain People against their wills And page 38. He cannot deny but the ancient use was for the Bishops to excommunicate with the College of his Assistant Presbyters but he taunteth Beza for thinking that this may not be changed These are the men that build upon Antiquity and the Custom of the Universal Church And page 69. when the Canons for Bishops spare course of living are objected he saith that those Canons were made when Bishops lived of the same Purse which served as well for a number of others as for them and yet all at their disposing Intimating the old Course when every Church had its Bishop and inferiour Clergy But Innovation is lawful for our Prelacy And now he that can find any thing in Hooker against the points which I defend or for that Prelacy which I oppose any more worth the answering than this that I have recited let him rejoyce in the perfection of his eye-sight And if thus much be worthy to be confuted or such as this let them do it that have nothing else to do So ridiculous is the Challenge of one that glorieth to write a Book with the same Title of Ecoles Policy who insultingly provoketh us to write a full Confutation of Hooker who saith so little to the main point in Controversie our Diocesan Form of Prelacy and writeth his whole Book in a tedious Preaching stile where you may read many leaves for so much Argumentation as one Syllogism may contain that I think I might as wisely have challenged himself to conâ—â—ue Mr. Fâ—x's Book of Martyrs or Baronius his Annals almost or at least may say as Dr. John Burges doth of Mr. Parker another sort of Parker his Book of the Cross which Dr. Ames saith was never answered that if any will reduce that gawdy Treatise into Argument it being indeed almost all made up of the fruits of Reading History Sentences c. of purpose to confute them that said the Nonconformists were no Schollars he should quickly have an Answer to it So if any will reduce all that is in Mr. Hooker's 8 Books in tedious Discourses into Syllogism which is against what I maintain I believe it will not all fill up one half or quarter of a page and it shall God-willing be soon answered In the mean time the popular Principles of his First and Eighth Book subverting all true Government I have already confuted elsewhere in my Christian Directory 5. Bishop Downame hath said much more to the main Points in the defence of his Consecration Sermon and as much as I can expect to find in any But 1. as to the mode he is so contrary to Hooker that being a very expert Logician he wasteth so much of his Book about the Forms of Arguments and Answers that he obscureth the matter by it and ensnareth those Readers who do not carefully distinguish between Matter and Words and between the force of the reason and the form of a Syllogism And he so adorneth or defileth his Style with taunts insulting scorns and contemptuous reproaches that it is more sutable to the Scold sat Billings-gate than so learned and godly a Divine and occasioneth his Adversaries to say You have here a taste of the Prelatical Spirit 2. As to the matter of his first Book I am of his mind against meer ruling Elders He and Bilson have evinced what they hold in that But as to the points in which
As the heavenly Angels are the Guardians of the Churches so these Stars are those Angels in whose Person I speak to the Churches themselves that are signified by the Candlesticks Or As the Angels are the Guardians of the Churches so by that title I signifie the whole Ministry that guide them and by the Candlesticks the Churches and I write to the whole For as every Message begins with To the Angel so it endeth with To the Churches Obj. The Bishop was to deliver it to the Churches Ans This is precarious 1. The Apostle wrote it that both Pastors and People might immediately read it and did not intrust it as an unwritten tradition to one to be delivered to the rest 2. All the Pastors were to deliver or teach it to the People and not one Bishop only This therefore is no cogent Argument 10. As for the Disputers for Episcopacy at the Isle of Wight with King Charles they manage Saravia's Argument fetcht from the Continuance of the Ordinary part of the Apostles Office as he did before them and many others so well that for my part I cannot confute them but remain in doubt and therefore have nothing to say against them But that 's nothing to our Case whether every particular Organized Church should have a Bishop or the full Pastoral Office in it 11. As to Joh. Forbes his Irenic he maintaineth but such an Episcopacy as we offered to his Majesty in Bishop Usher's Reduction He pleadeth for such a Bishop as is the Moderator of a Presbytery p. 242 243. and as must be subject to censure himself p. 145. and that shall do nothing of weight without the Presbyteries consent p. 145. and as is still bound to the Work of a Presbyters Office p. 146. And that an Orthodox Church that hath no Bishop or Moderator hath but a certain Oeconomical defect but is still a true Church and hath the power that other Churches have that have Bishops p. 158. And that jure divino Presbyters have the Power of Ordaining as well as of Preaching and Baptizing though they must use it under the Bishops inspection in those places that have Bishops page 164. And he is more full for the Power of Presbyters Ordaining and the validity of it than any man that I now remember 12. The two Books of the Bohemian Government of the Waldensian Churches Written by Lascitius and Commenius contain that very Form of Government which I think the soundest of any that I have yet seen 13. The Learned and Judicious Grotius before he turned to Cassander's and Erasmus's temperament in Religion in his book de Imper. sum pot circa sacra in almost all things speaketh the same which I approve and plead for though he be for some Episcopacy 1. As to the Pastoral power it self in whomsoever he affirmeth it to be but Nuntiative Declarative Suasory and per consensum and not any Imperium Like the power of a Physitian a Counsellor and an Embassadour Chap. 4. But then by Imperium he meaneth that which is coactive by the Sword And he acknowledgeth the power of the Ministry by the Word upon Consenters to be of Divine Institution so that they sin against God who do reject it And if the Pastors of the Church did meddle with no other power we should the sooner be agreed For my part I take the very power of the Keys to be no other than a power of applying God's Word to the Consciences of the Penitent and Impenitent and the Church and a power of judging who is fit or unfit for Church-communion according to God's Word which judgment we can no otherwise execute but by the same Word and by forbearing or exercising our own Ministerial actions to the person As a Physitian may refuse to Medicate the unruly In chap. 6. He speaketh justly of the Princes power as in the former And so he doth chap. 7. of the use and power of Synods or Councils Chap. 8. He well vindicateth the Magistrate and denyeth to the Church or Bishops the Legislative power circa sacra and sheweth that Canons are not proper Laws Chap. 9. He sheweth the Jurisdiction properly so called belongeth to the Magistrate and not to the Pastors as such Though of old they might be also Magistrates He sheweth that the use of the Keys is called Jurisdiction but by the same figure by which Preaching is called Legislation which is true as to the Declaration who is bound or loose in foro caeli but Pastors more properly judge who is to be taken into Church-communion or excluded The prescript of Penance he saith is no Jurisdiction but as the Councel of a Physitian or Lawyer or Philosopher That the denying of the Sacraments is not properly Jurisdiction he thus excellently explaineth p. 229. As he that Baptizeth or as the old custome was puts the Eucharist into ones mouth or hand doth exercise an act of Ministry and not of Jurisdiction so also he that abstaineth from the same acts For the reason of the visible signs and of the audible is the same By what right therefore a Pastor denounceth by-words to one that is manifestly flagitious that he is an utter alien to the Grace of God by the same right also he doth not Baptize him because it is the sign of remission of sin or if he be Baptized giveth him not the Eucharist as being the sign of Communion with Christ For the sign is not to be given to him that the thing signified doth not agree to nor are pearls to be given to swine But as the Deacon was wont to cry in the Church Holy things are for the Holy Yea it were not only against Truth but against charity to make him partaksr of the Lords Supper who discerneth not the Lords Body but eateth and drinketh judgment to himself In these things while the Pastor doth only suspend his own act and doth not exercise any Dominion over the acts of others it is apparent that this belongeth to the vse of Liberty and not to the exercise of Jurisdiction Such like is the case of a Physician refusing to give an Hydropick water when he desireth it or in a grave person who resuseth to salute a profligate fellow and in those that avoid the company of the Leprous Only it must be remembred that this avoidance is by a Society governed therein by an Officer of Divine Institution Next he proceeds to the Churches duty and sheweth 1. That as Cyprian saith The Laity that is obedient to God's commands ought to separate themselves from a sinful Pastor or Prelate that is that is grosly bad 2. That they ought to avoid familiarity with scandalous Christians As a Schollar may forsake a bad Teacher and as an honest Man may leave the friendship of the flagitious As for the names of Deposition and Excommunication he saith That we must interpret the name by the thing and not the thing by the name And that the Church deposeth a Pastor when
abilities and to manage Gods work in each assembly more skillfully and guide the Church more prudently and defend the truth more powerfully than common unlearned Presbyters could do Now let it be for the present granted that for such reasons Episcopacy in each Church was justly setled and call it an order or a degree as you please It will be a difficult question what shall be judged of those that have the same place and Title without the same Qualifications and precedencie of parts Because the Reason of his power faileth If one be chosen Bishop to keep out Hetesie and he prove a Heretick and the Presbyters Orthodox whatis his power to that end If one be chosen Bishop to keep out Schisin and he prove a Schisinatick or Sect-Master and the rest concordant what is his power If one be made Bishop to teach the people better than the Presbytres and to teach the Presbyters themselves and to defend truth and Godliness and he prove more ignorant than the Presbyters and Preach not to the thousandth or hundredth part of his Diocese once in all his life nor to any at all past once in many weeks or months or years and if he do but silence the Ministers that are abler and farr more pious than himself what power hath he as a Bishop to those ends Sure I am that dispositio materâ—e is necessary as sine qua noâ— ad receptionem formae If one be made a Schoolmaster that cannot reach the Scholars half so much as they know already but hath need to learne of them and yet will neither learne of them nor suffer them to learne without him I know not well how farr he is their Schoolmaster indeed If one be made a Physician that knoweth not half so much as I do I should be loth for Order sake to venture my life upon his trust Nor yet to venture my own life and others in a Ship that had an ignorant Pilote when the Mariners had more skill but must not use it Orders and Office that are appointed for the work 's sake essentially suppose ability for that work And without the necessary qualifications they are but the Carkasses or images of the office but of this before Therefore it is that the Christian flocks could never yet be cured by all the aâ—t or tyranny that could be used of the esteem of real Wisdome and Godlinesâ— and preferring it before an empty title or a pompous shew and from setting less by Ignorance and Impiety venerably named and arrayed then by self evidencing worth nor from valuing a Shepherd that daily feedeth them from a Wolfe in Sheeps cloathing that hathe Fangs and bloody jawes and fleeceth and devoureth the flock with the Shepherds And hence we may say that God himself useth to give Bishops to the Church whether men will or not while he giveth them such as Jerome Luther Melanâ—â—horn Bucer Calvin Zanchius c Who had Episcopal ability and really did that which Bishops were first appointed for while the Bishops would have hindered them and sought their blood They taught the people they bred up young Ministers they kept out Heresies and Schismes they guided the churches by the light of Sacred truth and by the power of Reason and Love And who than was the Bishop who is the real Architect he that buildeth the house or he that hath the title and doth nothing unless it be hindering the builders To this already said I add but two more intimations which I desire the sober impartial Reader to consider 1. Writing is but a mode of Preaching And of the two it is worse to have inept Sermons in Publick Assemblies and so Gods worke and worship dishonoured than to have inept bookes in private And no doubt the Pastors oversight extends to publick and private Now while the meer worth of bookes without any Authority commendeth them to the world though sometimes with some few giddy Pamphlets are accepted yet that is but for a fit and ordinarily the Book-sellers sufficiently restrain all that are not of worth because they cannot sell them But if a Bishop must impose on all the people what bookes they must read in many Kingdoms it will be for the Pope and Masse in others for Exorcism and Consubstantion c. 2. Is not order for the the thing ordered Episcopacy is for the Churches benefit by the Bishops eminent gifts and parts But if the Bishop be of lower parts than the Pastors and an Envious Malignant hinderer of their work Quere Whether the order being humane cease not ubi cessat subjecti dispositio relatio ad finem when the end and the pesons capacity cease II. But how the world by the countenance of Emperours was invited to come in t the Church How worldly wealth power and honour did indue them How Bishopricks were made baites for the proud and tyrannical and Covetous How such then sought them and so the worldly Spirit had the rule and altered Episcopacy I shewed in the History before THE Second Part. Having in the former Part laid down those Grounds on which the Applicatory Part is to be built and subverted the foundations of that Diocesane frame which we judge unlawful I shall now proceed to give you the Application in the particular Reasons of our judgment from the Evils which we suppose this frame to be guilty of CHAP. I. The clearing of the state of the Question THE occasion of our dispute or rather Apology is known in England 1. Every man that is ordained Deacon or Presbyter or licensed a Schoolmaster must subscribe to the Books of Articles Liturgy and Ordination as Ex animo that there is nothing in them contrary to the Word of God And by the late Act of Uniformity that he doth assent and consent to all things conteined in and prescribed by the said books as since altered we think for the worse 2. In the year 1640 the Convocation formed printed and imposed a new Oath in these words after others Nor will I ever give my consent to alter the Government of this Church by Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans Arch-Deacons c. as it stands now established and as by right it ought to stand 3. After this the Parliament in the Wars imposed a Vow and Covenant on the Ministers and People contrary to this called the Et caetrea Oath which Vow contained a clause to endeavour the exâ—â—rpation of this Prelacy In the Westminster Assembly before it passed many Learned Divines declared that they would not take it as against Prelacy unexplained lest it should seem to be against all Episcopacy which was not their judgment they being for the primitive Episcopacy To satisfie these men that else had protested against it and the Assembly been divided the Scots and some others being against all the additional Titles of Deans Chapters c. were put in as a description of the peculiar English frame of Prelacy which they all agreed against Since His Majesty's Restoration there are many Acts
administration of the Sacraments and no other Canon 36. Mark No other And the Bishops that endure this are forced to say that these Pulpit prayers are not the Churches prayers but our own But yet they are Publick prayers and therefore I doubt a breach of the Canon-Covenant 7. A Presbyter as such hath no power to preach the Gospel The words of his Ordination do but give him power to preach when he shall be lawfully called yea his Presentation Institution Induction and possession of a Pastoral Charge do not all make up this Lawful call nor may he preach one Sermon after all this till he have a particular Licensing Instrument from the Bishop So that he preacheth not meerly as a Presbyter nor as a possessed Incumbent but as Licensed by the Bishop 8. When he visiteth the sick he hath no Power left him to judge Whether the person be penitent and fit to be Absolved or not But if the wickedest liver will but say or swear that he repenteth of Swearing of Adultery of Perjury though such expressions or circumstances be such as plainly tell a present Minister that he hath nothing like to a serious repentance yet must this Minister be forced even in Absolute words to Absolve him from all his sins When a Popish Confessor would require more I do not in all this lay the fault that this Minister hath not power to keep away any of these persons from Baptism Confirmation the Lords Table Absolution c. but only that he hath no Power to forbear his own action and application and leave them to others that are satisfied to do it Nor not so much as to delay till he give a reason of his doubt to his Lord Bishop 9. When he buryeth the dead he hath no power to judge so far as to the performing or restraining of his own act whether the deceased person must needs be declared and pronounced blessed Three sorts of persons he must deny Christian burial to 1. Those that die unbaptized though they be the Children of the holiest Parents 2. Those that kill themselves though they be the faithfullest persons of godly and blameless lives who do it in melancholy deliration a phrenzy feaver or distraction 3. All that are Excommunicate though by a Lay Chancellor for not paying their fees or though it be because they durst not take the Sacrament from the hands of an ignorant ungodly drunken Priest to whose ministery neither they nor other of the Parish did ever consent or that it be the Learnedest Godly Divine that is excommunicate for dissenting from the Prelatists But all others without any exception that are brought to Church they must bury with a publick Declaration that they are saints viz. That God in mercy hath taken to himself the soul of this our dear brother And without Holiness no man shall see God So great difference in Holiness there is between the Holy Church of Rome and ours that they Canonize one Saint in an age by the Pope and we as many as are buryed by the Priest Though it was the most notorious Thief or Murderer or the most notorious Atheist or Infidel or Heretick who either writeth or preacheth or disputeth that there is no God or no life to come or useth in his ordinary talk to mock at Christ as a deceiver and to scorn the Scriptures as nonsence and contradiction or though it be a Jew who professeth enmity to Christ Much more if it be a common blasphemer perjured person adulterer drunkard a scorner at a godly life c. who never professed repentance but despised the Minister and his counsel to the last breath yet if he be brought to the Church for buryal the Priest must pronounce him saved in the aforesaid words so be it he be not Excommunicate of which sort of late there are too great numbers risen up in so much that the sober Prelatists themselves cry out of the growth and peril of Atheism Infidelity and most horrid filthiness and profaneness The words of the Canon are Can 68. No Minister shall refuse or delay to bury any corps that is brought to the Church or Churchyard convenient warning being given thereof before in such manner and form as is prescribed in the book of Common Prayer And if he shall refuse except the party deceased were denounced Excommunicated Excommunicatione majori for some grievous and notorious crime and no man able to testifie of his repentance he shall be suspended by the Bishop of the Diocese from his Ministry by the space of three months But the New Rubrick in the Liturgy saith The office ensuing is not to be used for any that die unbaptized or Excommunicate or have laid violent hands on themselves The Office saith Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the Soul of our dear brother here departed c. And We give thee hearty thanks that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful world And yet as self-contradicters and condemners if any man do but say of one that hath been openly against the Prelates or Conformity that he was a godly honest man much more one that was against the King and especially a downright Traitor who so lived and died impenitently they take it for a heinous crime as in the latter case they well may do And yet except those whose quarters they set up upon the gates or deny Christian burial to by the Magistrate the poor Priest must pronounce them all at the Grave to be the Bishops dear brethren and saved as aforesaid 10. They have no Power to give the Sacrament of Communion with Christ and his Church to any the most Learned holy Christian who dare not receive the Sacrament kneeling for fear of bread-worship in appearance c. which though I think is unwarrantably scrupled yet hath so much of Universality and Antiquity as maketh it ill beseeming those same men who cry up the Church Councils Customes and Antiquity to cast out of Communion those that conform to all these for so doing For who knoweth not by Can. 20. of Concil Nic. 1. and the consent of Antiquity that they took it for a custome and tradition and Canon of the Universal Church that none should at all adore God kneeling on any Lords day in the year nor on any week-day between Easter and Whitsunday 11. They have no power to forbear denying the Sacrament of Communion to any how faithful and holy soever who is against the Diocesanes Confirmation and is unwilling that those whom he taketh to be no true Bishops should use that which he taketh as used by them to be no true Ordinance of God but a taking of his name in vain or if on any other account he be unwilling of it For the new Rubrick is There shall none be admitted to the holy Communion until such time as he be Confirmed or be ready and desirous to be Confirmed So that
Socrat. l. 7. c. 44. Joh. 5. 22. Gen. 3. 15. Joh. 17. 2. Mat. 28. 18 19. Eph. 1. 21 22. * The London Ministers Thanksgiving to the King is to be seen in Print As also their desire of B. Usher's Primitive Model of Government * Now 18 years this being written 9 years ago Whitgift â—aâ—avia Vid. p. 104. 110 111. 120 121. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Bilson Hooker answered as far as our cause requireth Remember also that Hooker's third Book is written to prove that no one Form is commanded in Scripture Therefore not the Prelatical How little doth this agree with Dr. Hammond ☞ And yet must I sweat never to consent to any alteration Bishop Downame Answered He fell after under the frowns of Bishop Laud himself his Book of perseverance being prohibited * Ambrose in Eph. 4. Aug. qu. in vet N. Test q. 101. Cypr. l. 3. ep 17. Concil Carth. Graec. c. 43. Carth. 2. c. 4. Conc. Arausic c. â— * The Prelates pretence for innovation All the cause is laid on Magistrates †Doth a publick Church Pastor govern but privately what meaneth he by that which can be good sence A private man may rule privately that is by Counsell Judicium publicum is the Officers judgment †In my Treat of the true way of Concord I have also disproved the Instances of Rome and Alexandria Bish Hall Petavius Bish Andrews B. Usher †Lib. 3. c. 30. de Doctrin Christian which Augustine seemeth to approve The Dispute at the Isle of Wight John Forbes Grotius ☞ Be it known to posterity that if the Prelates would have granted us but so much liberty our distracted Churches might have had Concord J. D. c. M. Ant. de Dom. Spalatensis †Yea never into one Parish of ten or twenty ☞ ☜ Dr. Hammond answered The Annotations * Quemad modum hodiâ— ab aliquâ—t seculâ—s Antioch in a sides Patr. noâ— est in ea uâ—be unâ—â— nomen habet sed in Meredin ad ripaâ—n Châ—bar in finibus Mesopotainae Jos Scaliger Animad in Euseb pag. 211. Yet I confess that he that converteth many caeteris paribus is fittest to be chosen for their Pastor on which account Greg. Nazianz. was chosen at Constantinople for the Success of his Ministry against Arianism And in my Church-History I have told you of a Council that decreed that if a Bishop neglected to turn any of his City from heresie he that converted them should have them for his flock which sheweth that there might on just cause be then more Bishops and Churches than one in a City and that they were not necessarily measured by the compass of ground but Churches might be mixt among each other as to habitation on such occasions â—â—â—â— Chrysostom de sâ—cerdotio cap. 17 p. 57 Even about so small a part of a Bishops or Pastors charge as the care of Virgins saith But if any one say that there is no need of a Bishop to meddle with such things as these Let him know that upon him will fall all the cares of Virgins duty and so all the accusation which shall be cast on Virgins And therefore it is much better if he administring the business himself he shall be void of those causes which he must susteine by others offences thus leaving that administration to live in fear of giving account or being judged for the sins which others do commit Adde also that he that performeth this office by himself transacteth all with great facility But he that is necessitated to do it by the vicarious labour of others besides that it is a great business to him to perswade all mens minds well to performe the work certainly he himself hath not so much remission of his labour by abstaining from that office as he must sustaine business and troubles from them that resist and strive against his judgment and opinion And if so great a Bishop as the Patriarks of Constantinople must not do so small a part of his work per alios alas what a life do our Diocesans live â—â—at Christ Mat. 18. in his â—â—â—l the Church â—â—anâ—th â—â—ll the congregation assembly or multitude and not only â—â— tell an absent Diâ—â—â—san Bishop when â—erâ—aps â—ne â—â—â—â—â—â— 20 4â— 6â—â—â—les to tell him see Grotius himself in his Aâ—â—t on the Text and his â—â—â—â—ort of sertullian and others See also Eâ—â—â—mus on the place And many others say the same though some would have the Church to be only the Bishop or as others the Presbytery Ruâ—herfords contrary reason is but a fallacy viz. The same Church that must be heard must be told but it is not the Congregation but the Elders that must be heard Ergo c. Ans The Church consising of the Pastor and people must be told and they have all ears that without confuson can hear at once but they cannot without confusion all speak at once therefore one must speak for all For this argument would equally prove that it is not any Presbytery or Court or many Ministers that should be told if it be but one that is to speak to the â—inner And it is not necessary that theâ— all speak to him As the chief Judge speaketh for all the Bench and the Prosecutor for all the Synod and yet the Court or Synod may be complained to so is it hear The samâ— man â—ay see with two eyes and hear with two ears and yet speak but with one tongue yet this reason once deceived me Seeing then that Christ instituted thus much of discipline in each particular Church it is clear that by his iâ—stitution every particular Church associated for presential Communion should have one or more â—â—â—tors authorized for so much discipline which is that which we plead for * Disput of Church Gover 2. That unjust excommunications bind not see the judgment of the most approved casuists in Bapt. Fragoso de Regim Reipub. p. 1. l. 1. pag. 112. Col. 2. Gregor Sayrus To. 2. l. 1. c. 17. num 2. 5. 8. c. And indeed they conclude that out of the case of scandal Magistrates Laws unjust materially that is to the Common hurt or that are against common good bind not in Conscience ut Id. Fragoso ib. p. 112. n. 234. 336. Wâ—â— citeth the consent of Silvest Tabien Bald. Bartol Hostiens Doctorum Communiter So that Mr. John Humfrey is not singular in his resolution of this Case though I gave him many cautions and limitations in the Letter part of which he hath printed in the end of his book 2 Cor. 5. 19. Act. 26. 18. Mat. 28. 20. * Hierome saith he dyed in the eighth year of Nero. aid â—oi Scaliger Anim. in Euseb Dorothaeun resutantem pag. 195. 1. Petavius 2. Bishop Downame 3. Master Mede 4. Bilson 5. Grotius 6. Bishop Jeremy Tailor 7. Doctor Hammond 8. All the Divines in the same Cause Cyprian in the Separation of Feliciss and sive Presbyters Epist 44. ed. Goul pag. 93. saith Deus unus
mean time they observe not the peoples mindes and lives much lesse do they reforme them Nor do they take care how the people grow in the knowledge of God the faith of Christ and in true Godliness They apply not themselves to the study of the Scriptures nor perswade the people to read them in their houses they neither take care of the poor and strangers nor visit the sick as little caring how and with what faith they depart And thus they discharge their Ministry neither faithfully prudently nor profitably It is indeed of great moment that they bring not strange Doctrine into the Church but teach the Scripture Doâ—â—rine and that they use not superstitious rites but are not content with simple administration of the Sacraments according to the custome of the Primitive Church But in this they are to be blamed that they do things right and profitable not from the hearts but sleightly as on the by and what is accordingly to be else done by a faithful Minister they wholly neglect While they thus Minister they do not indeed bring Errour and superstitions into the Churches as in the foregoing ages was done But in the mean time inclining to the other extreme they take the course which by degrees will bring the people into that indifferency in Religions which is the most pestilent and to drink in Epicurism the waster and extniguisher of all religion Wherefore I beseech them in the Lord that they fully performe and discharge their Ministry and not thus by the halves Thus far he describeth our ordinary better sort of the Clergie but not our Bishops And Pa. 431. They that labour more to keep up the authority of Bishops than to save the people when they cannot convince the Ministers called by the Magistrate of error do raise a question about their calling being themselves neither lawfully chosen nor called saying what Suffragane ordained you minister what Bishop called you to the office As the Priests by Christ They questioned not his work which they could find no fault with but his power so these where they cannot by Gods word defend their own errours and abuses nor disprove our true doctrine they fly to the Episcopal power and authority as if they did passess any such umblamable and lawful power when they neither discharge the office nor have the power of true Bishops wherefore let no true sincere Minister of Christ regard the barking of these men but as content with the testimony of his Conscience and his calling to teach by the Lawful Magistrate go on in the Lords work with alacrity of spirit Here he addeth the manner of their calling at Bern by the election of the Pastors and confirmation of the Magistrates and reception of the people that you may know what he meaneth by the Magistrates Call And p. 436. having told us that Christianity falleth where the election and Pastoral care of the Ministry falleth he addeth But now they that endeavour to put out the light of truth boast much of the power of Bishops Arch-Bishops Metropolitanes Patriarcks and the Roman Pope where if you urge them to it they are not able to prove by any truth of divine institution that so much as this first ministerial power of Ministring in the Church is in those Bishops Arch-bishops Metropolitanes Patriarcks or Pope that is in these Church Lords Satrapes Let them prove that these are true Ministers of Christ I strive not about Episcopacy simply in it self whether it be to be numbred with Christs true Ministers But the controversie is whether such Bishops as our age too patiently tolerateth are to be numbred with Christs true Ministers It is greatly to be feared lest in the day of judgment they will hear that dreadful word from God Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not I have added more of Musculus then directly concerneth the point now in hand because I would take him all together And because the Helvetians are not accounted Presbyterians I add Bullinger Decad. 5. Serm. 3. p. mihi 377. 378. and Serm. 4. p. 383. Where he sheweth that Diocesan Bishops have not the sole power of ordination that Presbyters and Bishops were the same and had the same work and the horrid abuses that came into the Church by the degenerating of Episcopacy And Decad. 5. Serm 10. p. 491. that in latter Ages Prelates and Bishops snatching by tyranny that power of excommunication to themselves which before was used by the Pastors in Synods in common and sacrilegiously using it against the first institution had tarned a wholesome medicine into deadly poyson and made it abaminable to good and bad But I may not recite all Wagundus was no Presbyterian being superintendent of Magdeburgh first and after of Wismaria and after of Jene and after Bishop Pomeraniensis nor yet Math. Iudex yet go they the same way as may be seen Sytagm p. 1049. de excom p. 1114. de Eccles p. 1135. de Minist Should I cite all that is said by those that never were called Presbyterians about the degeneration of Episcopacy the largeness of their charge the ruine of discipline by their tyranny ambition and grasping wealth and titles when they neither will nor can perform the work I mean by Luther Melancton Illyricus Chytraeus Tzegedine Bucer Zuinglius Oecolampadius Gryneus Aretius Gualther Pet. Martyr Paraeus Chenmitius Pelargus c. I should but over-weary the Readers patience I only add that if the Churches of France Belgia Geneva and the rest of the Presbyterians and the Churches of Transilvania Hungary and formerly Poland that were Orthodox and Bobemia Brandenburgh Saxony the Palatinate c. that set up another sort of Episcopacy had found that the old or English species would have done the Ministerial works it is not credible that they would all have rejected it III. The third part of that experience which I alledge is the Bishops own 1. This is signified by their confessions before named Ar. Bishop Ushers reasons for the ancient use of Episcopacy with their Presbyters who shall be acknowledged true Church Governours over their flocks is fetcht from the need of so many to the work And Mr. Stanley Gower late of Dorchester was wont to profess being long intimate with him that he professed to him that he took a Bishop to be but primus Presbyterorum of the same order and every Presbyter a Governour of the flock And when he asked him why then he would be a Primate as he was he told him that he took it not for any part of his office as instituted by Christ but for a Collateral Dignity which the King was pleased to bestow on him for the more advantageous discharge of his Spiritual Office What Bishop Jewels opinion was to the like purpose is plain enough in his works Bishop Reignolds that now is professed to me his opinion to be the same when he took the Bishoprick and when he saw Dr. Stillingfliets book that no form of Church Government is
prescribed in Scripture professed that it was always his opinion And joyned with us in our proposals for Bishop Ushers Model Dr Stillingfleet in his Irenicon hath said so much against the Jus Divinum of our Prelacy as can never be answered I have talked with many of the Bishops and Episcopal Conformists my self of these matters and I do not remember that ever I spake to one accounted a Learned man that did not confess when driven to it that the Greatness of the Diocesses and the Chancellors Government by the Church Keyes were causes of so great a lapse of discipline as is to be groaned under And can shew us no probability it possibility of restoring it while it so stands And yet they would have us subscribe and swear never to endeavour any alteration of the Church Government not excepting in our place and calling by petition or otherwise no though the King commanded us Bishop Hall in his Mod. Offer doth confess the faultiness and desires reformation and in his excellent Peace-maker would take up even with a presidencie durante vita as sufficient to reconcile us Dr. Hammond himself oft complaineth of the lapse of discipline and the clergies and peoples vices thereupon The Liturgy wisheth the godly Discipline restored but doth it not as if in our case it could not be done Abundance of their Writers lament the scandals of clergy and people which have abounded of which I shall say somewhat more anon 2. And this is yet plainlier confessed by the Actual omission of discipline We need not to dispute whether that can or be ever like to be done by our Prelacy which is no where done and never was done no not by any one man of them not excepting the very best so that if they had not come neer the Erastian opinion in their hearts and thought this use of the Keyes to consist but in bare Teaching or the rest to be of no great need it had not been possible that they should have quieted their Consciences Or at least if they did not do it by saying I cannot help it It is not long of me As Bishop Goodman layeth it on the King in the case of Chancellours and most lay it on the Church-Wardens and Ministers for presenting no more But all must confess that little is done besides the troubling of Nonconformists It is not one of a thousand in a Diocesse I am confident that ever is brought under the excercise of Church discipline that ought to be Nor one of many thousand that should be so according to the ancient Canons of the Churches If I should give no other instance than the ordinarie neglect of all Gods publick worship Preaching Prayer and Sacraments in publick Churches or any other Religious Assemblies I do not think but ten thousand persons in this Diocesse and twenty thousand if not fourty in London Diocesse are guilty that were never questioned by the Church I may therefore argue thus That which never was done by any one Bishop in England being the confessed work of their office is naturally or Morally Impossible to be done or if it have a possibility it is as bad as none when it never was once reduced into act But the true exercise of Church discipline on all or the hundredth or many hundredth person that it is due to was never done by one Bishop in England that can by any credible History be proved since the deformation or reformation Ergo. The strength of the Major is plain 1. From the Bishops own mouths who use to praise themselves as the Wisest Learn dst and best of the Clergie and therefore fitter to be trusted with the Government of the Church than all or any of the Presbyters though but under then And they would take it heynously if we question their wisdom conscience or honesty and if they are all or most so good sure it is long of the state and constitution of their places and not long of their persons that their very proper work is made but a shaddow and a dream 2. But though this be but ad homines yet really we have had very worthy and excellent persons to be Bishops what a man was Jewell Arch-bishop Grindal had Godliness enough and resolution too to make him odiâ—s and favoured Lectures and Preaching c. Enough to bring him down if Cambden Godwin or Fuller are to be believed but never could do this work of discipline upon one of hundreds or thousands under him We had an excellent Arch-Bishop-Abbot afterwards good enough to be reproached by Heylin and to suffer what I need not mention but never able to do this work What Learned Judicious worthy men were his Brother Robert Abbot and after him Davenant Bishops of Salisbury And how good a man was peaceable Bishop Hall so Usher in Ireland Moron and many more But no such thing was done by any of them what should I say now of Bishop Reignolds and Bishop Wilkins Men Learned and extraordinary honest in these times But let any man enquire whether any such thing as the discipline in question is exercised on the thousandth Criminal in their Diocese Indeed we have heard in Bishop Reignolds Diocese of a great number censured for Nonconformity And it is his praise that it was not his doing but his Chancellours though heretofore Judge Advocate in Fairefaxes or Cromwells Army And to say now that it is long of Church-Wardens Chancellours c. Is but to say that the Church is corrupted the Episcopal discipline almost quite cast out and all the remedy is to say It is long of somebody Like the Physician whose Praise was that his patients dyed according to the rules of art or the nurse whose praise was that though most of the Children perished it was long of themselves or somebody else IV. But the fullest experience which so far satisfieth me that all the books in the world cannot change me in this is my own and the rest of my Brethren in the Ministry I have lived now through Gods wonderful mercy threescore years wanting lesse than four In all this time whilst the Bishops ruled I never heard one man or woman called openly to repentance for any sin nor one ever publikely confess or lament any sin Nor one that was excommunicate in any Country where I came except the Nonconformists Nor did I hear of any but one man to my remembrance who did formal penance for Fornication I doubt not but there have been more But the number may be conjectuâ—ed by this I lived under a great number of drunken and ignorant Curates that never preached and Schoolmasters my self and many more were round about us that were never troubled with discipline or cast out I never lived where drunkards and swearers were not common but never one of them underwent the Churches discipline But those that met to fast and pray and went to hear a Sermon two miles off when they had none at home But yet this is the last