of many Cities each of which had a Bishop over them as when in the Councel in Trullo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyprian is said to be Archbishop of the Region of the Africanes Region there signifying the whole Province under that Metropolitane and so Cyprian himselfe makes it his observation Jampridem per omnes provincias singulas urbes instituti sunt Episcopi Antiently through all the Provinces and each of the Cities Bishops were instituted Where the Bishops in the several Provinces as those differ from the Bishops in each City are undoubtedly Archbishops And if that place so very agreeable to this of Clemens may be allowed to give us the meaning of it we see what it will be and how distant from these mens conclusion that the Apostles instituted Bishops in every City and in each Region or Province and in the Metropolis or chiefe City of it a Metropolitane or Archbishop But then 2. if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should signifie as they would have it a company of villages or little townes lying neer together so as to be here used in opposition to the Cities yet could it not be from hence concluded that the Apostles constituted Bishops in those villages The words are they preached through regions and Cities and constituted their first fruits earlyest converts into Bishops and Deacons which will be perfectly true though all the Bishops and Deacons constituted by them had their fixt seats of residence in the Cities For that they constituted Bishops in the Regions is not here affirmed Much more might be said in this matter to shew that the utmost concessions that the adversaries could demand from hence would no way hinder or disadvantage our pretensions but onely give the Chorepiscopi a greater Antiquitie in the Church than either they or we have reason to thinke they had of which whole matter the reader may see a full discourse Dissert 3. c. 8. Sect. 25. c. and of it somewhat we shall anon have occasion to repete from thence The second Testimony of Clemens is set down by them in these words That the Apostles knowing by Jesus Christ that there would a contention arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about the name of Bishop being indued with perfect foreknowledg they appointed the aforesaid that is the aforesaid orders of Bishops and Deacons c. Here they require two things to be noted 1. that by name is not meant the bare name of Bishop but the honour and dignity as it is taken Phil. 2. 9. Ephes 1. 21. Heb. 1. 4. Rev. 11. so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The controversie among the Corinthians was not about the name but dignity of Episcopacy for it was about the deposition of their godly Presbyters pag. 57. 58. 2. That the onely remedy appointed by the Apostles for the cure of all contentions arising about Episcopacy is by committing the care of the Church to Bishops and Deacons Afterwards the Church found out another way by setting up one Bishop over another But Clemens tells us that the Apostles indued with perfect foreknowledge of things ordained only Bishops and Deacons for a remedy of Schismes To this they adde to supersede farther citations our of this Epistle It would be too long to recite all that is said in this Epistle for the justification of our proposition let the Reader peruse pag. 57. 62. 69. 72. and take notice that those which are called Bishops in one place are called Presbyters in another and that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughout the whole Epistle What this whole Epistle will yeild toward the proof of their proposition which is That after Christs Ascension the Church of God for a certaine space of time was governed by a Common Councel of Presbyters without Bishops I thinke it reasonable for any that hath not read it to conjecture by these two testimonies which these who assert the proposition and here undertake to prove it have thought fit to cull out of it having withall nothing more to collect for their turne from the rest of the Epistle particularly from the comparing those foure pages 57. 62. 72. but only this that they which are called Bishops in one place are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders in another Now this last they know is the very thing that I contend as from the Scripture so from this and other antient writings that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop and Elder are words of the same importance all the question is whether at the first both imported Bishops or both Presbyters in our moderne notion That there is no one circumstance so much as offered by them to consideration which may incline it their way is evident by their owne words neither of their two notes pretending to it only their conclusion affirming that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of the same importance The whole matter therefore will still divolve to this one Quaere whether when Clement saith of the Apostles that they constituted none but Bishops and Deacons by Bishops a College of Presbyters in every City be to be understood or rather one Bishop with his Deacon or Deacons in every City For the clearing of this one difficulty for this being evinced all that their two notes affirme is directly on our side against them I shall here intirely set downe the whole place last produced of which they have left out one halfe It is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Apostles knew by our Lord Jesus Christ that must be by revelation from him that there would contention arise upon the name or dignity of Episcopacie i. e. about the authority of Bishops in the Church some opposing it and casting them out of their Offices as here in the Church of the Corinthians and through all Achaia was actually come to passe at this time and occasioned this Epistle to them For which cause therefore the Apostles having received perfect foreknwoledge that there would be such contentions on this occasion did for the preventing of them constitute the forementioned Bishops and Deacons of those which should come in to the Faith in their new plantations and after them so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in Barnabas's Epistle Sect. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the people that should be after and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 13. 42. that which should follow the next after gave a Series or Catalogue or manner of succession i. e. set downe a note of them which in each Church should succeed the present Incumbent that when they dyed other approved men might succeede to their office or ministery What can be more manifest than that the dignity which the Apostles conferred on the Bishops in each City and Province which in the former Testimony hath been cleared to belong to single Bishops not to any College of Presbyters was by them foreseen that it would be matter of Contention occasion of Sedition in the Church for the prevention of
Armagh Some Testimonies out of them The cause of his so inculcating obedience to Bishops Mr. Causabones Testimony considered and the Allegations from the Archbishop of Armagh Three reasons against these Epistles answered No Marriage without the Bishop Of the Reformed Churches Of the Church of Scotland after the first conversion p. 143 Sect. 4. Of Salmasius's conceit that these Epistles were written at the time of Episcopacy first entring the Church p. 163 Sect. 5. Testimonies of Iraeneus The use of Presbyteri for Bishops p. 165 Sect. 5. Testimonies of Tertullian Seniores Majores natâ— for Bishops so in Firmilian p. 169 Sect. 6. S. Jerom's Testimony of Bishops c. by Apostolicall Tradition Consuetudo opposed to Dominica dispositio S. Jerom's meaning evidenced by many other Testimonies to be that Bishops were instituted by the Apostles So by Panormâ—tan also The Testimonies of Isidore c. the Councell of Aquen and of Leo vindicated Of Ischyras's Ordination The testimony of the Synod ad Zurrium and of the 4th Councell of Carthage p. 171 Sect. 7. The Testimonies of Ambrose and Austin Consignare used for consecrating the Eucharist and that belonged to the Bishop when present p. 187 Sect. 8. Of the Châ—repiscopi p. 189 A VINDICATION OF THE Dissertations concerning Episcopacy From the Answers or Exceptions offered against them by the London-Ministers in their Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici The INTRODUCTION Of the occasion of this Worke The state of the Controversie The Heads of the Prelatists Plea from Scripture and Antiquity with some Observations assistant to them The considerable concernements of the question BEing advertised from many hands that the Booke called Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici which is lately published by some who intitle themselves the Provinciall Assembly of London hath undertaken to consider and confute many passages of the Dissertations three years since published in Latine in defence of Episcopacy against D. Blondell and others I have thought my selfe obliged to examine whether there be any thing objected by them in relation to those Dissertations which may reasonably move me to retract what was there either with diffidence proposed or more confidently asserted by me 2. And having diligently surveyed the whole Booke that I might omit no passage wherein my interests might be in the least concern'd being truly able to affirme from that view that it hath yielded me no one syllable of usefull Exhortation no motive to retract any period or alter any expression in those Dissertations but as farre as I doe perswade my selfe that this Provinciall Synod containes in it Men of judgement and abilities to maintaine the truth and convince gaine-sayers so farre I am forced to assume that what I have written is testified to be Truth and by that priviledge competently secured against all opposers I might herein reasonably acquiesce without farther importuning the Reader or my selfe with impertinent vindications onely trusting and adventuring the whole matter to the judgement of each intelligent Reader who is obliged by all Rules of Justice to compare either by his Memory or by his Eye those passages in this Booke and the Chapters in the Dissertations to which they are confronted 3. But I am againe told that many who have read and are moved by the Arguments and Answers of this Booke and the Authority of a Provinciall Synod are yet disabled to be so just as to examine them by comparing them with the latine Dissertations and that we are fallen upon those times wherein whatsoever is not answered is cried up as unanswerable an humour of which if I might be permitted to receive the fruits I should have no temptation to complaine there being so much a greater part of those Dissertations which was never attempted to be answered I continue still under some seeming obligation to give an exact account of the whole matter as it lies in contest betweene this Provinciall Synod and those Dissertations and I shall hasten to doe it when I have first by way of necessary Introduction premised these two things 4. First the state of the Controversy as it generally lies between us which is this whether the Apostles of Christ when they planted Churches in each City left them in the hands of many to be governed by the Common Councell of those many erecting an equality or parity of severall Rulers in every City to whom all others were subjected and they to none or whether they placed the Superiour power and Authority in some one and subjected all others to him Other consequent differences there are arising from hence and those of such weight and concernment to those with whom I now dispute in case the Truth be not on their sides as will make this returne to their Objections no lesse than a duty of Charity as to Brethren if by the Grace of God they shall judge it reasonable to make that use of it but this is the one Basis of all whether the Apostles planted parity or imparity in the Church many equall Governours in one City or but one in each The former is the Presbyterians interest to defend the latter the Prelatists And so the controversy stands between them to be debated and evinced by such evidences as a matter of Fact is capable of the Right being by both sides acknowledged to follow that Fact i. e. by the Testimonies of those who are fit to be credited in this matter Secondly the briefe heads of the Plea by which I have undertaken to maintaine the Prelatists assertion 1. By Scripture 2. By the Records of the first times the Writings of those who were neerest the Apostles and either affirme what was done by the Apostles or how it stood practiced in the Churches all the World over which were planted by them As for the third way of arguing from the universall consent and practice of all Churches for about 1400. yeares together i. e. from about the yeare 140. till the Reformation this I doe not insist on as I might with all evidence because it is knowne and confest by the Adversaries and all that is by them pretended is that parity and equality being prescribed and practiced by the Apostles soone after their death and quite contrary to their plat-forme Prelacy was introduced into all Churches It being their desire and demand now a little different from what M. Calvin at first proposed to the Churches of Helvetia that all may be reformed and reduced to the state wherein the Apostles left it 6. In the managing the proofes proposed by mee I have used this method which seemed to mee most convincing 1. To insist on some few Testimonies under each head which are sufficient to conclude the matter on the Prelatists side and then to propose some observations which may accord all other places both of Scripture and antient writers with those Testimonies and that conclusion 7. The speciall proofes of Scripture are taken First from the power derived as from God the Father to Christ so from Christ
the Region adjacent and pertaining to that City and so as Church and Congregation are all one as in ordinary use in all languages they are they were Congregationall and Diocesan also 12. What followes of the paucity of believers in the greatest Cities and their meeting in one place as also of a Church and City being all one is willingly granted by us and hath not the least appearance of being usefull to their pretentions or hurtfull to ours and therefore I have no temptation to make any the lest Reply to it 13. That which next followes though it concerne us not to examine it our interest being equally secured be it true or false yet I cannot but take some notice of it in passing because it is a little extraordinary 14. Afterwards say they we conceive that believers became so numerous in these great Cities as that they could not conveniently meet in one place Thus it was in the Church of Jerusalem Act. 2. 41. and 4. 4. and 5. 14. and thus possibly it might be in most of these Asian Churches in St. John's time 15. Here certainly the word Afterwards is relative and referrs to the Antecedent in the former Paragraph and that is In the beginning of Christianity Hereupon I demand what time is that which they call the beginning of Christianity Is it that wherein Christ continued on the Earth If so they will easily believe us that we doe not think that Diocesan Bishops were placed in the Church within that period If it be the time immediately following the Resurrection of Christ when the Apostles began to preach and propagate the Faith then how come they to divide that time which is spoken of Act. 2. 41. from that time of the beginning of Christianity by this word Afterward for t is certain what is there storied of the 3000. Converts is the effect of the first Sermon preached by any of the Apostles immediately upon the descent of the Holy Ghost upon them and the gift of Tongues the wonderment whereof brought those so many Auditors together 16. So secondly when they say of this point of time Act. 2. 41. The believers were so numerous that they could not conveniently meâ—t in one place This is contrary to the evidence of the Text which saith expresly v 44. That all the believers were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the last paragraph they interpreted meeting in â—ne and the same place The like might be said of the other places Act 4. â—4 and 5 14. for certainly as yet though the number of Believers increased yet they were not distributed into severall Congregations But this by the way being assured that this disquisition is perfectly extrinsecall to the matter in debate betweene us because as at Jerusalem the antients are cleare in affirming that soone after Christ's Ascension Peter and James and John chose James the just the Brother of the Lord and constituted him Bishop or Jerusalem which is all that we need pretend to from the story of that Church so it matters not much at what point of time that was done whether at the very beginning or afterwards much lesse how soone it was that that Church was distributed into severall divided Assemblies the Creation of the Bishop not at all depending on that as hath formerly been shewed 17. Hence will it appeare to how very little purpose are those cautions added and observations made in the remaining part of this sixt Chapter 18. Thus say they possibly it might be i.e. the believers be so numerous in great Cities that they could not conveniently meet in one place in most of these Asian Churches in St. John's time But yet notwithstanding all this there are three things diligently to be observed First that these meeting places were frequented promiscuously and indistinctly and that believers were not divided into set and fixed Churches or Congregations in the Apostles dayes 19. But first I demand Is there any truth in this observation was not the Church of Jerusalem in the Apostles dayes a set and fixed Church so as to be perfectly severed from the Church of Alexandria and Ephesus Was not James the Brother of the Lord Bishop of the one and not of the other 20. Secondly why was this for the Presbyterians interest to be so diligently observed If one of these Churches were not thus divided and severed from others how could it be governed by a Presbytery as they pretend it was Must it not be a determinate fixed body that is governed by any whether Bishop or Presbyters I professe not to be able to discerne by my most diligent observation why this was so necessary to be so diligently observed 21. Secondly say they it must be as diligently observed that notwithstanding these different meeting places yet the Believers of one City made but one Church in the Apostles dayes as is evident in the Church of Jerusalem which is called a Church not Churches Act. 8. 1. 15. 6. 22. 16. And so likewise it is called the Church of Ephesus and the Church of Thyatira c. not Churches c. 22. This Observation I acknowledge to have perfect truth in it and not to be confutable in any part save onely that the two latter Texts are certainly misquoted and not rectified in the Errata and therefore instead of rejecting I shall imbrace it and from thence conclude that there is no manner of incongruity in assigning of one Bishop to one Church and so one Bishop in the Church of Jerusalem because it is a Church not Churches being forced to acknowledge that where there were more Churches there were more Bishops and so likewise one Angel of Ephesus and of Thyatira c. This I suppose was not the thing they meant to inferre from hence nor indeed doe I conceive it necessarily inferred from onely very agreeable to the onenesse of each Church without other arguments to joyne with it But I am still to seek and emand what advantage accrues to their cause or disadvantage to ours by this observation 23. But then thirdly they adde that this Church in the City was governed in the Apostles dayes by the common councell of Presbyters or Bishops 24. This indeed were worth their diligent observing if it could be descried and would abundantly recompence them for the no-profit their two former observations brought them in if it could be obtained by all their diligence But this being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the onely thing in question betwixt us whether the Church in each City was in the Apostles dayes governed by the common councell of Presbyters or Bishops or by one single Bishop called sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elder as that signifies simply a Governour not with restriction a member of a College of Governours this I say being the onely question in debate betweene us it must not be any farther yeilded to them than their proofes and evidences will enforce it And these of what virtue they are must now appeare
a speciall manner 35. To this I shall adde thirdly that as Aristides saith of Ephesus that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common magazine or store-house of Asia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their refuge for all wants so it must needs be the fittest way of conveying intelligence speedily to all the Cities of Asia especially the proximae civitates as Irenaeus said the Cities next adjoyning and so most commodious to assemble those other Bishops to Paul at Miletus and not only him or those that are supposed to have resided at Ephesus 36. And accordingly we finde in Eusebius that the Epistle of Antonius â—ius concerning the Christians which was to be communicated to all Asia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was proclaimed or divulged at Ephesus in the common meeting of Asia as the readiest way to make it universally knowne 37. All which being premised and withall that there is no reason to imagine that St. Paul at the time of his fimall parting taking his solemne last leave of them v. 38. should not so much consider as to call for or desire to see any of the rest of his Sonnes the Governours of the Inferiour Churches to whom he had committed that numerous flock which was now so universally in such danger of Wolves save onely those of the one Church of that one City of Ephesus supposing there had been more than one there This will be a very competent confirmation of Irenaeus his testimony that indeed thus it was as he hath delivered that the Bishops of the Cities neerest adjoyning to Ephesus as many as by summons from thence could speedily be called together in all reason the Bishops of the Cities which were under that Metropolis were sent to meet the Apostle at Miletus and accordingly met him there 38. The second testimony is that maxime of the Greeke Scholiast on 1 Pet. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Booke of the Acts calls the Bishops Elders which being avow'd by me in the Dissertations and cleared through all the places in the Acts they ought by all Lawes of disputing either to have endeavoured the refuting of what is there said or the proving that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders must needs there signifie Presbyters in the moderne notion which having not here attempted to doe there is no kinde of force in what is here dictated nothing said but what had beene long since largely and clearely answered 39. Yet because in the next Chapter where this place of the Acts is viewed againe one argument I see produced in favour of their pretensions which they found in an observation of mine I shall thinke my selfe concern'd to give an account of it 40. It is this Pag. 85. If the Apostle by the Elders of the Church had meant the Bishops of the Church of all Asia he would have said not the Elders of the Church but of the Churches It is an observation made use of by one of those that makes use of this answer we are now confuting That when the Scripture speakes of Churches in Cities it alwayes useth the singular number as the Church of Jerusalem the Church of Corinth c. but when it speakes of provinces where there are many Cities then it uses the plurall number as the Churches of Judaea and the Churches of Asia Rev. 1. 11. According to this observation if the Apostle had meant of the Bishops of all Asia he would have said the Elders of the Churches whereas he calls them Elders of the Church v. 17. and so must meane the Elders of the Church of Ephesus and so meere Presbyters not Bishops 41. But herein is a manifest mistake For the observation is not made as is here suggested of Churches in Cities and Provinces that the former of them are constantly to be understood where there is mention of a Church in the singular number without any name of particular City added to it and that when a Province is mention'd 't is alwayes done by Churches in the plurall number This is the sense on which their argument is founded But if the Reader consult the Dissertations p. 190. He shall finde there is no such thing 't is onely this That in the New Testament there is mention made of Churches in the plurall number the Churches of Judaea of Samaria of Galilee of Syria of Cilicia of Galatia of Asia of Macedonia whereas in other places there was as frequent mention of a Church in the singular the Church in Jerusalem in Antioch in Cenchrea in Corinth of the Thessalonians of Ephesus of Smyrna of Pergamus of Thyatira of Sardis of LaodicaeaÌ„ 42. The cause of that difference is there said to be this that Judaea c was the name of a Province in which there being many Cities there were consequently many Churches and Bishops in them whereas one City with the territory adjoyning to it being ruled by one single Bishop was to be called a singular Church and therefore that which is said to be done in every Church Acts 14. 13. is said to be done in every City Tit. 1. 5. The sum of which observation is onely this that one City with the territory adjoyning to it never makes above one Church in the Scripture style whereas a Province or Country or Nation consists of many Cities and so of many Episcopall Sees or Churches 43. This was all that was said in that place or that was usefull to be said in order to the end to shew the Originall of Metropolitanes there And what a wresting of a plaine obvious observation is it to conclude it from hence to be my assertion that when that must be whensoever or else the conclusion cannot be deducible from it the Scripture speakes of a Province it is in the plurall number It doth sometimes do so and that was all that was usefull to me If it had done so but once though twenty times it had done the contrary it had been sufficient for some reasonable account there must be for the doing it once and what could that be but the number of the Cities and so of Churches in each Province or Nation much more when there were so many examples of it 44. But this is not to affirme that it alwayes doth so especially when being left at large without any restraint not the Church of Ephesus or the like but indofiniâ—ely the Church it is very capable of another interpretation For sure when I wrote that I had not forgotten my Creede or in it the name Church in the singular number which by the adjunct of Catholike must needs be more than the Church of one City And having read Mat. 16. where the whole Church of Christ is called my Church in the singular a like phrase to that of the Church of God which the Bishops here are commanded to feed and in the one Epistle to the Ephesiaâ—s having six examples of the word Church in the singular each signifying evidently the universall Church I might very well be allowed
which they used the probablest meanes imaginable named successors to the present Bishops in every Church who should supply the vacant places as soon as they fell and so prevent suing and contending for them and were by the speciall spirit of God directed who those successors should be so that the opposing their succession or casting them out afterwards must be a great sin even of resisting the spirit of God who had designed them to this inheritance Which next to Christ's bearing them in his right hand Rev. 1. 20. is the greatest character of dignity and evidence of Christ's approving of the Order and care of continuing it as the originall of union not division in the Church There is not by these men one word of objection offered against this conclusion thus formerly deduced in the Dissertations and therefore I need adde no more for the vindicating this testimony yet will it not be amisse here to interpose the words of Hegesippus one that was present at the time of that sedition and gives an account of it in Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church of the Corinthians continued in the right untill Primus was Bishop of Corinth Which is a testimonie as antient as that of Clement and tells us what Bishops they were which Clement speakes of such as Primus was at Corinth i. e. one singular Governour in a City The same will be yet more manifest if we consider what by all Authors is affirmed of Clemens himselfe the writer at the time of writing this Epistle that having been Saint Paul's Peter's Deacon Ignat. in Ep. ad Trall he was no Bishop of Rome by the joynt suffrage of Irenaeus and all the Antients even of Saint Jerome himselfe in his Catalogue and by him styled an Apostolical person on Isa 52. a companion of the Apostles in Interp. Com. Orig. in Rom. and by Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. lib. 4. an Apostle in the sense that Theodoret saith those whom in his time they called Bishops had been at first called Apostles Accordingly of him saith Irenaeus in his Catalogue of the successive Governors of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the third place from the Apostles Clemens came to the Bishoprick Which how it is easily to be accorded with those who truly make him Peters immediate successor see Dissert 5. c. 1. Sect. 6. c. Other testimonies there are producible from this Epistle of Clement which are all to the same purpose with the former As when he findes an image of the Ecclesiasticall state under Bishops and Deacons in the prophecie of Isaiah cap. 60. 17. where in the Greek translation then in use he had read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will constitute their Bishops in righteousnesse and their Deacons in faithfulnesse speaking of the Judges and their Ministers and officers in every City And so againe when he exhorts them to give due honour to the Elders among them talkes of their sedition against their Elders and casting them out of their Episcopacy in one place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and removing them from that honoured office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in another and the like All of the same importance and to be interpreted by the former Sect. II. The Testimony of Polycarpe That he was himselfe a Bishop His mention of Ignatius's Epistles fit to give authority to them being so confirmed as it is by a series of the Antients IN the next place followes their testimonie out of Polycarpe introduced in this manner The like Record we have of Polycarpe that famous Disciple of John the Apostle who lived also within the first century and wrote an Epistle to the Philippians in which he makes also but two Orders of Ministery Bishops and Deacons and perswades the Philippians to be subject to their Presbyters and Deacons as to God and Christ To this Testimony from Polycarp there is no reason I should deny any part of my assent being so perfectly such as the cause which I defend requires If there be with him but two orders of Ministery Bishops and Deacons and he perswades the Philippians i.e. that whole Province the same to which Saint Paul had written consisting of many Churches all under that Metropolis of Philippi to be subject to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders and Deacons and sets the former of them in the comparison to answer God the Father the supream Monarch of Heaven and the latter to be the parallel to Christ who came out from Heaven upon his Fathers messages then what reason have I to doubt but that these Elders and Deacons are the very same which Saint Paul had called Bishops and Deacons Phil. 1. 1. which that it belonged to the severall Bishops of that Province of Macedonia hath before been sufficiently vindicated And therefore without farther debating this Testimony I shall adde some few things concerning this Polycarp which will helpe conveniently to cleere the whole matter First That as it is most true that is here said of him that he was a famous Disciple of Iohn the Apostle so this is added to his titles by the authontiâ—k Epistle of the Church of Smyrna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the most wonderfull person in our times being an Apostolicall and Prophetical Doctor and that he was a most glorious Martyr is the designed matter of that whole Epistle Secondly That this famous most admirable Apostolical Doctor and Martyr was the Bishop of Smyrna and so constituted by the Apostles as will appeare by three Testimonies each of them irrefragable 1. By the Epistle of that Church of Smyrna written on purpose concerning his Martyrdome a reverend piece of Antiquity fit to compare with any that remaines in the Church And there we finde in the close of his titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was Bishop of the Catholike Church which is in Smyrna i. e. both of Iewish and Gentile Christians there So Polycrates the eight Bishop of Ephesus borne within a while after Saint Iohn's death in his Epistle to Victor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polycarp the Bishop of Smyrna and Martyr So Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 3. speaking of him saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was constituted by the Apostles Bishop of the Church of Smyrna in Asia And then what possibility can there be that he being thus a Bishop nay Metropolitane himselfe as hath formerly been shewed writing to another Metropolis and commanding to obey the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Deacons should meane any thing else but Bishops by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly That this Polycarp as in this Epistle he acknowledgeth to have received an Epistle from Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You wrote to me and to Ignatius also so he tells them that he had sent them a collection of the same Ignatius's Epistles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Epistles of Ignatius sent to us by him and as many others as we had by us we
have sent to you as you required which are subjoyned to this Epistle by which you may receive great benefit By this passage it is cleare that as Ignatius wrote one Epistle to Polycarpe another to the Church of Smyrna whereof Polycarpe was Bishop both contein'd under the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent to us as it is explain'd by Eusebius in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignatius wrote to the Church of Smyrna and severally to Polycarpe the Ruler thereof so he wrote divers others also which at that time before Ignatius's death were by the Philippians desired from Polycarpe and by Polycarpe transmitted to them and so cannot with any sense be affirmed to be forged and affixt to his name after his death How these Epistles were from Polycarpe brought down to the hands of Irenaeus who lived in Polycarp's time and saw him an old man and so testifies in his Epistle to Florinus and cites a notable passage out of Ignatius which we now have in his Epistle to the Romans How soone after Irenaeus Origen cites them again calling him Martyr and Bishop of Antioch the second after Peter and setting down the very words which we now have in the Epistle to the Ephesians How after Origen Eusebius sets down the whole story of writing them together with a distinct Catalogue of seven to Ephesus to Magnesia to the Trallians to the Romans to the Philadelphians to the Smyranaeans and to Polycarpe And in like manner Athanasius citing from Ignatius words which we now finde in his Epistle to the Ephesians and Theodoret in many passages out of that to the Ephesians to the Trallians to the Smyrnaeans And at last St. Hierome on whose authority the Presbyterians so much depend according exactly with Eusebius to give these seven Epâ—stles of Ignatius a full authority with all All this I say hath been at large deduced and evidenced in the Dissertations And this one would thinke might have been sufficient to have given Ignatius some place among their Testimonies for the opinion of antiquity in this matter especially when that very Epistle of Polycarpe which for the bare name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders used by him they cite and give him his just honour doth give testimony to the Epistles of Ignatius as cleare and as universally and fully confirmed by others as any by which that Epistle of â—olycarpe or Clemens or any other antient writing stands in the Church But all this it seemes is of no weight with them and therefore after the two testimonies of Clemens and one of Polycarpe backt with the like number of three more a saying of Bishop Bilson very unlikely to be to the praejudice of Bishopâ— if it were here seasonable to examine it and the like of Gratian and the third of the Lord Digby They are then at leisure to remember what out of Ignatius is objected against them Had he by any possible colour of any passage in him been capable of doing them any service he might then as his Epistles were written before Polycarps have also been called out and cited before him But all those Epistles being so diametrally contrary to their pretensions as every man knowes they are he is now to be lookt on and answered as temptations are wont to be to be mentioned only that he may be rejected by them Section III. A vindication of Ignatius's Epistles Vossius's edition of them and the Archbishops of Armagh Some Testimonies out of them The cause of his so inculcating obedience to Bishops Mr. Causabones Testimony considered and the Allegations from the Archbishop of Armagh Three Reasons against these Epistles answered No Marriage without the Bishop Of the Reformed Churches Of the Church of Scotland after the first conversion THus therefore they proceede p. 107. Against all that hath been said in this proposition it is objected that the blessed St. Ignatius who lived in the first century hath in his Epistles clearely and fully asserted Episcopall Government as it is distinct from Presbyteriall and that therefore there was no space of time wherein the Church of Christ was governed by the common councell of Presbyters without Bishops properly so called I doe not conceive that they have said any thing of any availe for the proving their Proposition and presume that neither from Clement nor Polycarpe it hath appeared that they have gained any thing And therefore against all that they have said there is no need that I should make any Objection But in a farre larger style I think it were no insolence to say that against all that was ever imagined by any to be producible out of Antiquity in behalfe of Presbytery the bare testimonies of this one Apostolicall Martyr Ignatius will be abundantly sufficient being put in the other Scale to weigh them all downe and decide the controversie on the Prelatists side It were here unreasonable at large to recite all these testimonies being already set downe particularly Dissert 2. c. 25. and the notoriety of the fact being such that a speciall Objection against the Epistles is that he every where asserts Episcopacy And therefore the onely way that could be invented for the supporting the Presbyterians interest against such direct Testimonies so every where inculcated and so impossible to be reconciled with their assertions is this which they give us p. 108. in these words In answer to this we must intreat the Reader to take notice that in the Primitive Times there were abundance of spacious and supposititious workes put forth under the Names of the Apostles and blessed Martyrs which were none of theirs c. The like fraud hath been used in Ignatius's workes c. Here first 't is a little strange that the spurious and supposititious workes of the Apostles and Martyrs should be said to be put forth in the Primitive Times unlesse that phrase Primitive be taken in a very great Latitude I had thought that it had been in after times when errors were gotten in and sought patronage and covert from the Primitive Fathers that these spurious brats were borne and affixt to great Names And by this meanes indeed they are generally descryed by their impudent mentioning of some matters of fact which fell out in those latter times and so discovered the imposture But this mistake importeth not much to our present controversy If what is here confidently affirmed The like fraud was used in Ignatius's workes can be any way proved to have truth in it either in respect of the Primitive or after-times I shall not quarrell upon such niceties I shall therefore examine their proofes which follow And first say they it is certaine the Epistle of the blessed Virgin Mary to Ignatius and of Ignatius to the blessed Virgin and two other Epistles of Ignatius to John the Apostle are spurious and counterfeit To this I most willingly yeild that the Epistles under Ignatius's name to the blessed Virgin and St. John may very probably be deemed none of his
A VINDICATION OF THE DISSERTATIONS CONCERNING EPISCOPACIE From the ANSVVERS or EXCEPTIONS offered against them by the London Ministers in their Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici By H. HAMMOND D.D. LONDON Printed by J. G. for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane 1654. TO THE READER IN Erasmus's distribution of his owne writings into Tomes the 8th we finde thus inscribed by him Octavum occupent Apologiae Me miserum Et hae justum volumen efficient It was his great infelicity that the Apologies and Answers to exceptions and calumnies which he was constreined to write made up an intire large Volume in folio Now though I have that pleasure in the temper of that person which gives me security by the Romanists Proverbe never to be deemed one of their good Catholicks and so may probably partake of some part of his fate yet 't were great insolence in me who have not troubled the World with a tenth proportion to that were with he hath favoured it to expect the Tithe of that consideration which is required to make one capable of that degree of infelicity which lay a full load on him Neverthelesse these few last moneths have given me a tast and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what I am to expect For besides the reproaches of one learned Gentleman to which being barely such I have no one word to retribute but that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Christ directs me to I have farther met with some variety Many exceptions though litle of contumely from these Assemblies More and in a very distant Character from a large Preface of Animadversions on the Dâ—ssertations sent me lately from Oxford others also there are which I have not yet had leasure to weigh but soon purpose and hope to do it and if either I discerne my selfe or finde it the opinion of others that what is already said in the Tracts which they oppose be not sufficient to prevent or remove the scruples proposed by them I shall willingly dedicate some time of vacancy to that imployment At the present the Exceptions of the London Ministers have challenged the precedence and here are offered to consideration And because the Praeface from Oxford falls on the same sort of matter Episcopacy and Ignatius's Epistles as they are defended in the Dissertations I purpose God-willing that an Answer to that shall now follow assoone as the Printer can dispatch it And that is all that I had to say to the Reader by way of Praeface THE TABLE CHAP. I. COncerning the Angels of the Churches of Asia Page 9. Section 1. The grounds of affirming them to be Bishops Ibid. Sect. 2. Of Timothy of Onesimus of Policarpe p. 15. Sect. 3. Of the negative argument from S. John's not using the word Bishop Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Revelation p. 19 Sect. 4. Of S. Johns writings Againe of Diotrephes p. 25 Sect. 5. Of S. John's being Bishop of Asia Of the Apostles being Bishops p. 29 Sect. 6. Of the word Angel and Star pretended to be common to all Ministers Of Messenger and Embassadour The singularity of the word Angel p. 35 Sect. 7. Of their exception to our arguing from Symbols Of Bishop and Elder being the same p. 38 Sect. 8. Of the singularity of each Angel The objections from the use of the plurall number p. 41 Sect. 9. Of the Elders at Ephesus Act. 20. p. 45 Sect. 10. Of expressing a number by singulars A Church by a Candlestick Of the seven Angels Rev. 8. p. 47 Sect. 11. Of the Epistles being sent to the whole Church not to the Bishop only Of Timothy Onesimus and Polycarp being Bishops of some of the Asian Churches without any charge of Apostacy falling on them by this meanes p. 50 Sect. 12. Of Timothies being an Evangelist that it hinders not his being a Bishop p. 55 Sect. 13. Of the Bishops at Ephesus Of the plural number in the Epistle to the Angel of Smyrna p. 56 Sect. 14. Of Beza's interpretation of the Praesident p. 57. Sect. 15. Of Dr. Reynolds interpretation of the Bishop in Cyprian Of Ordination by Bishops not without Presbyters from the Testimones of Cyprian and Fermilian p. 51 Sect. 16. Of the Churches of Asia being Metropoliticall Of the paucity of believers p. 54 Sect. 16. Of modelling Churches according to the Government of the Roman state Of exemplars of Metropolitans among the Jewes Testimonies of the Apostles instituting Metropolitans p. 67 Sect. 17. Of the objection against Metropoles from the seven Starres in seven Churches p. 71 Sect. 18. Of the use of the word Bishop for Archbishop in Tertullian Of Angel in Christs Epistle p. 64 Sect. 19. Of division into Parishes and Vnion into Diocesses Of Diocesan Bishops in the Apostles dayes Elders in every Church Act. 14. Elders of the Church Act. 20. That place vindicated from exception p. 75 CHAP. II. OF the equivalence of the words Bishop and Elder in the New Testament p. 92 Sect. 1. Foure sorts of equivalence of these words proposed Ibid. Sect. 2 Of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 95 Sect. 3. Of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elder p. 100 Sect. 4. Of reverence to Antiquity and the interpretations of the Antients Of Praelatists disagreement among themselves 102. Sect. 5. Inconveniencies objected and answer'd Of more Bishops in one City No Presbyters in the Apostles dayes The no Divine right of the order of Presbyters p. 105 Sect 6. A first confession objected and vindicated Of the Ephesine Presbyters being all the Praelates of Asia Elders Aldermanni p. 108 Sect. 7. A second confession of the Bishops Phil. 1. 1. being Bishops of that whole Province Philippi a Metropolis and a Colony p. 110 Sect. 8. A third confession of Timothies being an Archbishop Of the qualifications 1 Tim. 3. 2 belonging to Bishops Of the Bishops being worthy of double-honour though he never preach Of the word and Doctrine Of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4 Of Rebuking and receiving accusation against an Elder p. 112 Sect. 9. A fourth confession of Titus being Archbishop of Creet p. 116 Sect. 10. A fift charge of contrariety to Scripture answered Of visitation of the sick belonging to Elders James 5. p. 118 Sect. 11. A last objection from Act. 21. 18. and. 14. 3. and 11. 30. answered Elders for Rulers or Bishops p. 122 CHAP. III. COncerning the Opinion of Antiquity in this Question Page 129. Sect. 1. The Testimonies of Clemens Romanus Bishops and Deacons the onely offices at the first Corinth Metropolis of Achaia What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies The Apostles care to prevent contentions about Episcopacy Hegesippus's testimony of the contentions at Corinth Clement a Bishop p. 129. Sect. 2. The Testimony of Policarpe That he was himselfe a Bishop His mention of Ignatius's Epistles fit to give authority to them being so confirmed as it is by a series of the Antients p. 139 Sect. 3. A vindication of Ignatius's Epistles Vossius's edition of them and the Archbishops of
transcribing it Thirdly that if any one or more places shall be thought by any man to belong to Presbyters in our moderne sense as that of Jam 5. 14. or the like I shall onely desire that he will bring any convincing proofe or authentick Testimony that in that or those places it so signifies and I shall most willingly grant it to him and be so farre from thinking it in the least degree disadvantagious to our pretensions that I shall not doubt to evidence it a demonstrative argument to confirm them but shall not need to insist on that till such proofe be offered Fourthly that by this it is already most evident that my assertion was not truely cited p. 92. in these words that wheresoever the word Presbyter is used in the New Testament it is to be understood not of a meere Presbyter but of a Bishop properly so called Certainly neither my words nor sense extended to the wheresoever and it is to be being onely in a disjunctive forme either constantly so or sometimes but rarely otherwise Fifthly that if I were not misreported and the Paradox were as high and as positive as it is represented yet I conceive not the reason why they that have with great confidence affirmed that both Bishops and Elders do alway signifie in Scripture their Presbyters and no more for if either of those words do but once signifie a Bishop their Jus Divinum and whole cause falls to the ground irrecoverably should be so much at leisure from excusing themselves to accuse that for a Paradox in others which is not imaginable to be more an extreme on one side then theirs is on the other Lastly that if they doe not thinke it necessary to take a particular survey of all that is said in justification of these which they thus please to style Paradoxes which is in effect as if they should professe to deny and declaime against the conclusion without attempting to satisfie any reason by which it is inferr'd It might be as just in me to tender them answers of the same making and so to supersede any farther dispute in this matter But I shall not imitate their method but rather prepare to attend them in it and having thus farre served them by undertaking the taske which was due to them in giving the Reader a briefe view of the grounds of my Assertions which were too long for them to take notice of I shall now trace their steps and follow them which way soever they lead Section IV. Of Reverence to Antiquity and the Interpretations of the Antients Of Praelatists disagreement among themselves FIrst then say they we desire it may be considered that these assertions are contrary to antiquity which yet notwithstanding our Brethren doe so highly magnifie and boast of it in this controversy and for receding from which as they say we do they doe most deeply charge us That these Assertions as farre as they are owned by me and are Assertions are so distant from being contrary to antiquity that they are founded in the Records of the most antient reverend authority hath appeared most plainly by what hath now been said and had before been laid as the ground of the interpretations in the fourth Dissert if they which gathered the conclusion from thence would have vouchsafed to take notice of the praemisses The utmost that can be with truth pretended is that some of the Texts which we have insisted on here and so likewise some of those where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders are mentioned are not by all the antients interpreted just in that manner as I thinke they may safely and most probably be interpreted and so as they will best accord with the opinions which those very antients appeared to have concerning the Originall of Episcopacy In this I hope I have not offended against the antient Church or if I had as I should have expected other accusers than those I have so should I waite for no other judge but my selfe and immediately submit to any penance for it But they which truely reverence antiquity discerne also wherein this Reverence is terminated not in adhering to every interpretation of each Text of Scripture given by any antient Commentator or Interpreter for truely that is absolutely impossible severall of them being known in interpreting of Texts very frequently to differ one from the other This can be no newes to any man who hath but lightly viewed them or but occasionally consulted Tirinus or such like later Commentators who have collected the Interpretations of the Antients and marshalled their names and told us how many have been for one how many for another sense of such a Text. And in affaires of this nature wherein they have neither taught Doctrines nor testified Traditions but onely exprest their single opinions or conjectures of an Apostles meaning in words capable of more senses than one I know no Praelatist that ever denyed later Writers liberty to recede from one and adhere to some other of the antients or if more convincing reasons appeared for any fresh interpretation never given before the like liberty hath been allowed And indeed if it were not so our studying of the Originalls inquiry into the nature of words and phrases observation of customes among the antients and all wherein learned men differ from unlearned consideration of the context and argument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of each difficult place and all the other skills and advantages of a good Interpreter would all be unusefull first and then dangerous would tempt one oit to recede from some former Writers to forsake the roade and method so ordinary of transcribing other mens labours and by inciting him to say any thing which had not oft been said before which if it have why doth he againe trouble himself and others to repeat it would infallibly involve him under the burthen and guilt that is here laid on me of being contrary to Antiquity But I am unwilling to discourage them from any sort or degree of reverence to antiquity and on condition they will be fairely tried by it in any notion by which they can imagine to define that Reverence or the word Antiquity I will forgoe all my novell interpretations and say no one word which the Antients have not distinctly said before me and refer the whole fate of the cause to this judicature Their second consideration is that they are contrary to all that have ever written in defence of Episcopacy from whence they conclude that till their brethren i. e. we Praelatists agree among themselves they need not spend time to answer the private Opinions of one Doctor To this I answer that it hath alwayes been deemed lawfull to any man which hath undertaken the defence of a Christian cause asserted constantly by the Church to choose his arguments as combatants do their weapons such as he thinkes are fittest for his managery and will most probably in his opinion convince
Orbe or with the divisions or distributions of this Nation within it selfe into Cities and Provinces c. or goe about to innovate any thing in that matter Is it not certaine that it was no part of the Christian faith to be such a judge or divider but on the other side that all should remaine as it did in that respect before the coming of Christianity And therefore supposing 1. That this Nation were governed by a King of its own is it not certain that this nationall Church should follow the boundaries of the Nation and so be modeld according to the government of the formerly Heathen Britannick state And supposing againe what hath already been proved by the testimony of Clemens and by comparing Act. 14. 23. with Tit. 1. 5. that a Bishop were constituted in every Church in each City will there be any reason of doubting but that those Cities being subordinate one to another according to the customes of the Nation the Churches in those Cities and the Bishops in those Churches shall be so also This I hope will not be deemed an impious compliance with heathenisme or conformity with the World nay though the Emperour of Rome by his conquests here were the author of these distributions 4. But then secondly it is already cleared in the Dissertations that this Ecclesiastick division of Cities into Mothers and Daughters Metropoles and inferiour Cities was by the Apostle copied out from the Jewes as when God commands by Moses that Judges and Officers should be ordained in every City Deut. 16. 18. and that in matters of weight and doubt they should resort to Jerusalem to the Judge and Sanhedrim there according to which it appeares that Jerusalem was the Metropolis of those other Cities and so is evident Act. 9. by the story of Saul carrying Letters of Commission from the Sanhedrim there to the consistories in Damascus and by many other evidences So likewise Numb 3. when three Families of the Levits the sonnes of Aaron were separated for the service of the Tabernacle and an head or Prince or President of every of these called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 24. 30. 35. Eleazar Aaron's Sonne is constituted over all these and styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the head of the heads of the Levites This is clearly a patterne of the Metropolitanes in the Christian Church which may therefore owne it's derivation from thence and not from the Heathen models of Government which yet it was not reasonably to disturbe being found so concordant to and commodious for it 5. And that what was done in this kind was done by the Apostles themselves and Apostolicall persons the first founders of Churches and not onely by the after policy as is suggested of Christian Emperours and Bishops might have appeared abundantly by these few testimonies of they had been worthy to be taken notice of First of the councell of Nice An. Domini 325. not many yeares after the conversion of Constantine the first Christian Emperour Can. 6. which takes care for the preserving the priviledges of the Metropolitanes by name that the Bishop of Alexandria should have power over the Churches in Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis that in Antioch and the rest of the Provinces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the priveleges should be preserved to the Churches begins with this rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the antient customes continue in force which certainly referres to that which was long before the Christian Emperours and without any reason of doubting to the first constitutions of those Churches by St. Marke and St. Peter and then the Canon goes on to exact this by way of conformity with other places with Rome it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this is the custome of force with the Bishop of Rome and upon these grounds the Canon requires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 universally that if any man be made a Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the judgement of the Metropolitan he ought not to be Bishop 6. So in the 9. Canon of the Councell of Antioch in the yeare 341. which begins thus that the Bishop which presides in the Metropolis ought to know the Bishops in every Province and to take care of the whole Province 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because all that have businesse resort from all sides to the Metropolis which is the very thing we now contend to be the reason of conforming the Ecclesiastick to the civill models and then proceeds to forbid other Bishops acting any thing of such a nature without him this is backt with these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the antient Canon of our Fathers which hath been in force referring againe to the immemoriall custome of all Churches since the first plantation and not the after-policie of Christian Emperours and Bishops as is here suggested 7. Lastly in the last canon of the Great councell of Ephesus in the yeare 431. which is the defining a speciall matter of Metropoliticall right where the occasion of the controversie is rehearsed how the Bishop of Antioch invaded the priviledges of the Cypriots contrary to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the antient custome and the decree is made that the Bishops of Cyprus shall retaine them inviolate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Canons of the Holy Fathers and the antient custome The Canon extends it selfe to all other Dioceses and Provinces that no Bishop shall meddle with another Province 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was not upward and from the beginning under his i. e. his praedecessors power where it is most evident that the Metropolitical power and primacy Ecclesiasticall is derived from the beginning of the plantation of each Church and consequently that this was a part of Apostolicall policy and not onely an after policy of Christian Emperours c. 8. And upon these grounds of probation I shall be competently secured that this is proved which they doe not believe ever can be and have no other argument to prove their negative but their not believing the affirmative Section XVII Of the objection against Metropoles from the seven Starres in seven Churches OF the same temper is their third answer that they are fully assured that it can never be made out that any of these Asian Angels were Archbishops or Bishops over other Bishops or Bishops over divers settled Churches The seven Starres are said in Scripture to be fixed in their seven Candle-stickes or Churches not one Starre over divers Candle-stickes or Churches 2. What they are already fully assured of that it can never be made out I shall have little confidence to perswade them was formerly done to their hands Otherwise I should hope that by what had long since been said and hath now been more largely deduced in Reply to their last answer they might find cause to alter their judgements and retract their so definitive sentence of full assurance 3. As for the onely appearance of reason which is here superadded viz.
that the seven Stars are found fixed in seven not one over divers Churches this I conceive not to be of any force For it being by us granted and presumed that each of the seven Asian Angels was Bishop of his particular Church one of Ephesus another of Smyrna c. It is perfectly reconcileable herewith that in case these seven were not the onely Cities and Churches in Asia as it is certaine they were not all Asia consisting of many more Cities being before this converted to the Faith all the other might have dependance on these seven 4. For this we know that two Bishops in England that were each of them first in one City for example in Canterbury or Yorke had yet each of them a superiority or Metropoliticall power over divers other Cities and when any Record styles one of them Bishop of Canterbury as the Scripture doth Angel of Ephesus we should sure acknowledge it a very infirme inference from the words of that Record to conclude that being Bishop of Canterbury he could not be Metropolitan of London Rochester c. 5. And this is the very parallel to the present instance and if it were not invalid enough by being a bare negative argument they are not said in Scripture to be one Starre over divers Churches all things that are are not said in Scripture those Angels have not therefore no names because they are not there recorded this parallel instance which supposes the contrary to their pretensions would be sufficient to invalidate it Section XVIII Of the use of the word Bishop for Archbishop in Tertullian Of Angel in Christs Epistle A Fourth answer or rather confutation is added That if this opinion were true then Tertullian did not doe well in saying that St. John made Polycarpe Bishop of Smyrna but he should rather have said that he made him Archbishop And our Saviour Christ had not given to these seven Angels their due Titles for he must have written to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus together with all those Churches in the Cities subordinate to Ephesus And so likewise of the other six 2. To this I reply that the affirming the seven Angels to have been Metropolitanes no way obligeth us to find fault either with Tertullians or our Saviour's style Not with Tertullian's for 1. an Arch-Bishop is a Bishop though dignified above some others of that order Secondly supposing Smyrna to be a Metropolis as no doubt if it were Tertullian knew and supposed it to be then his styling Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna is aequivalent to his calling him a Metropolitaâ— or Archbishop As acknowledging Canterbury to be a Metropolitical See in England the affirming William Laud to be constituted Bishop of Canterbury is all one as to affirme him Archbishop 3. Thus when Chrysostome saith of Titus that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an intire Island and the judgement of so many Bishops was committed to him what is this but to affirme Titus Arch-bishop of Crete And yet Eusebius who believed this and adverted to it as much as Chrysostome uses this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was Bishop of the Churches of Creet calling him Bishop distinctly though by the mention of the Churches in the plural 't is evident he meant the same that we doe by Arch-Bishop 4. So againe Eusebius of Irenaeus that he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was Bishop of the Provinces of France which must needs signifie Archbishop of Lyons for so he was And 't is certaine that other of the Antients use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arch-Bishop of those which were no otherwise qualified for that title as when Saint Cyprian the Bishop of Carthage under which the whole Province of Africk is comprehended is by the Councel of Constantinople called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arch-Bishop of the region of Africk 5. The same answer will competently suffice for the reconciling Christ's style and ours for supposing Ephesus to have been a Metropolis the writing to the Angel of that Church implyes writing to those other Churches in the Cities subordinate to Ephesus and need not be more fully exprest as when the Apostle wrote to the Church of Corinth and not onely so but to all the Saints and so all the Churches in all Achaia 2 Cor. 1. 1. 't is certaine that the former Epistle was written to those very same Churches viz. all under the Metropolis of Corinth and yet it is inscribed to the Church of God which is at Corinth 1 Cor. 1. 1. without mentioning of Achaia save onely in a general indefinite phrase with all that in every place call on the name of Jesus 6. Secondly the word in Christ's Epistle being not Bishop but Angel is not at all lyable to this exception For why may not an Arch-Bishop be as fitly called an Angel as a Bishop would be nay if it be remembred what was formerly cited out of Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. 6. that there are seven Angels which have the greatest power by him styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first-borne rulers of the Angels parallel to the phrase in Dan. 7. 10. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the head Lords or chiefe Princes or as we ordinarily stile them the Archangels of which number Michael is there named to be one There will then be more than a tolerable propriety of speech in Christ's style a most exact critical notation of their being Arch-Bishops and withall a farther account of Tertullian's calling Polycarp a Bishop of Smyrna though he were Arch-Bishop just as the Archangels in Daniel are more than once called Angels in the Revelation 7. For a close of this mater they are pleased to adde their Character not over-benigne of those by whom this device as they style it was found out for the honour of Archpiscopacy that they did aspire unto that dignity 8. If hereby be meant the Lord Primate of Ireland in his discourse of the Original of Bishops this character can have no propriety in it he having quietly enjoyed that dignity many yeares before the writing hereof If it be designed for a reproach to me I shall elude the blow by not thinking it such For as at a time when Episcopacy it selfe was by the Parliament abolisht and that Act of severity actually put in execution it had been a great folly in any to hope that he should ever attaine to that Office of Dignity in the Church and what ever other follies I have been guilty of truly that was none of them so I thinke there could not a point of time more commodiously have been chosen in the space of above 1600 yearâ—s wherein a man might have better secured a Discourse for Bishops and Metropolitanes from the Censure of aspiring to either of those Dignities that was that wherein that Book was published 9. To this if I adde by way of retortion that it is evident that they which write this Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangeliei doe aspire every one of them to their