And one part of their Offices in the Church was to Ordain This is manifest first in Timothy in the Church of Ephesus Acts 20. There were many Presbyters before Timothy was appointed their Bishop yet Saint Paul sent him of purpose to impose hands 1 Tim. 5.22 and say it was with the Presbytery yet it can never be proved that any of that Colledge was no more than a Professing Member You know how strongly all the Presbyterians pleade for the contrary and was this injunction onely personal and to end with Timothies life 1 Tim. 6.13 14 Not so neither For this charge he layes upon him in fearful words I charge thee in the fight of God who quickeneth all things and before Jesus Christ who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keep this Commandment without spot unrebukable till the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ 'T is agreed by all that Saint Paul in this Epistle especially sets an order for the Government of the Church 1 Tim. 5.22 among which that a Bishop lay not hands hastily upon any man is one This then was not Temporary but to last till the end of the world That they were to Ordaine is every whit as plaine in Titus for for that intent he was left in Crete Neither would the Church succeeding admit of any other but Bishops to that businesse for one thousand five hundred years Tit. 1.5 as I will prove unto you if you require it by unpregnable records Two evidences there are of it beyond exception First the condemning Aërius as an Heretique for opposing Episcopal power Secondly that if any one of an inferiour rank presumed to ordaine his act was reversed by the Church as unlawful and the ordained admitted no otherwise to the Communion than as a Lay-man As it befel Ischyras and those who were ordained by Maximus and another blind Bishop Athanas apol 2 Greg. Presb. in vita Nanz. Conc. Constant 2. cap. 4. Conc. Hisp 2. cap. 5. 7. and others in the Church story I beseech you now if you little regard the Fathers and Councils yet view the Scriptures with an unpartial eye and then if the Commission our Saviour gave his Apostles or the Apostles to their successors if the practice of the Apostles themselves or Apostolical men can any whit move consider whether the Presbyters or Ruling members ought to be of the professing members regular ordination Make it plaine that the power of the Keys is subjectivè formalitèr inhaesivè authoritativè in them and I yield you the whole cause Your sixth Proposition that their Office extent understanding by that the Ministry which Christ ordained in his Church must reach from Christs Ascention to the Creations dissolution I easily grant I shall therefore say nothing to that but come to examine your proofs out of Scripture And here I could have wished that you had applyed every text to that part of the Proposition you intended it For it had beene farre easier for me to have judged of the validity of it and more readily have shaped my answer whereas now I can but rove at it and therefore if I mistake you must thank your self The texts alleadged Acts 6.5 14.23 I suppose you referre these to the first part of the fifth proposition for election by Church-members and I have answered them already and shall therefore spare my labour The other if I be not mistaken are to prove your Teaching and Ruling Elders Rom. 12.7 8. 1 Cor. 12.8.28 Ephes 4.7.14 Rev. 4.6 5.6 19 4. But among these I finde not one text to prove your Presbyterial or Combinational Church nor your regular Ordination by professing members The Text then out of the Romans Corinthians Ephesians and the Revelations I am to examine and see how they will conclude what you intend Rom. 12.7 8. Or ministery let us wait on our ministery or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation he that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that sheweth mercy with chearfulnesse The words are Elliptical and therefore must be supplied from the former verses The Apostle being to deliver divers precepts first gives a signification of his power verse 3. Then he prescribes in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To every one God as he pleaseth gives a measure of his gifts and therefore no man ought to arrogate to himself more than he ought for this were absurd as if in the body one part should assume and usurp the faculties of another for to that purpose he makes use of that comparison of a natural body vers 4 5. As then the parts of the natural body have their proper endowments so also have the several members of Christs several graces bestowed on them by God and these gifts must be employed for the benefit of the whole and the parts he thus infers verse 6. Having then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely and graciously bestowed he shewes how we must bestow them And then he reckons up these gifts these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First prophesie Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministery 3. Ability to teach 4. A faculty to exhort or comfort 5. A heart and power to give 6 Wisdome to govern 7. Bowels of mercie These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those Gratuito's those talents we have received from our Lord and they must be laid out for his honour for our brethrens good This I conceive to be the prime intention of the Apostle in this place for he expressely names gifts and not men But because these gifts must upon necessity be exercised by men therefore he intimates on whom they are bestowed more peculiarly not all gifts to one man neither is one man by God sitted alwayes for all gifts One man he calls to be a Prophet and gives him a gift to foretel things to come or to interpret the Scriptures let him then interpret according to the Analogy of faith not adde nor diminish nor alter at his pleasure To another he hath given a gift to teach let him aptly and in easie plaine intelligible words explaine the will of God and teach them he ought To a third he hath given an admirable faculty to stir up and move another to the actions of piety or else to be a Barnabas a sonne of consolation in raising and comforting an afflicted and oppressed soul let him use this exhortation exhibit this comfort as occasion is required To a fourth God hath been graciou and gifted him with wealth and riches of these he is to impart a portion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ingenuously liberally freely simply without any doubting either in respect of persons or a regard to his own profit Upon another is bestowed a gift by which he s made a fit man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb 10.17 to be over others you know that God took of Moses spirit and put it on the seventy Elders and he that hath this gift must use it with diligence
good look some pity some regard Why flie you from her I cannot conceive you think her so dishonest as some Separatists report or that you will fasten upon her the name of a Whore if you should I should grow angry and tell you that in her Constitutions she came nearest the Apostolique Church of any Church in the Christian world and this I openly professe to make good against any Separatist whatsoever Many ungracious sonnes I confesse she had and they brought an aspersion upon her and the vials of Gods wrath have been justly justly I proclaime poured upon her for their iniquities The constitution was good and sound the execution passing through some corrupt hands too often subject to reproof Let not her then who had declared her minde by rules and cautions against all abuses and taught what only she would have done be charg'd with her sonnes irregularities Set in Gods Name the Saddle upon the right horse and let not your Mother beare the whole blame 1. But if yet any will say she was blame-worthy then either it must be in manners doctrine or discipline The manners of her children might be unmannerly and unchristian and are all the sonnes of your Combination bene morati were all at Corinth so all at Thessolonica at Corinth there were incestuous factionists c. at Thessalonica disorderly walkers but I read not that the Apostle adviseth them for such enormous persons to separate to combine and confederate into a new Congregation Such were to be separated by the Authority of the Church and no man farther to separate from the Church for these then by dislike by disclaiming by disallowing and discountenancing of their evil deeds which was done by all good men in the English Church I never learned yet that corruption in good manners was a sufficient cause of separation from a Church Calvin disputes it strongly Lib. 4. Instit cap. 1. Sect. 13 c. will you hear Austin There are saith he bad fish in the net of the Lord Austin Ep. 48. Read Cyprian Epist 51. from which there must be a separation ever in heart and in manners but a corporal separation must be expected at the Sea-shore that is at the end of the world and the best fish must not tear and break the net because the bad are with them 2. To come to the second head Doctrine In this you confesse that the Church of England was not faulty in that you approve her doctrine Catholique as expounded by me in the Catechisme your Salvo will fall upon the third Yet suppose that in her doctrine there had been some errour yet this had not been sufficient to give countenance to a separation For it is not every light errour in disputable doctrine and points of curious speculation that can be a just case of separation in that admirable body of Christ which is the Church nor of one member from another I shall go one pin higher It is not an errour in a fundamental point and yet that amounts to an heresie by conviction that can justifie a departure Perkins in Ep. Jude At Corinth there were that denyed an article of faith the resurrection At Galatia they fouly were mistaken in that great and fundamental doctrine of justification and yet the Apostle dedicates his Epistles to them as to a Church as to Saints and perswades not to separation Christ gave his natural body to be rent and torn upon the Crosse that his mystical body might be One and he is no way partaker of divine Charity who is an enemy to this Unity Now what errours in doctrine may give just cause of separation in this body or the parts of it one from another were it never so easie to determine as I think it is most difficult I would not venture to set it down in particulars lest in these times of discord I might bethought to open a door for Schisme which surely I will never do except it be as a wise man said to let it out Among your Combinational Churches this seems to me to be one of the easiest tasks among whom there have happened so many unhappy Schisms Browns collected Church that went over to Middleburge Bayly pag. 14. fell to such jarring among themselves that they soon broke all to pieces the most turn'd Anabaptists At Amsterdam Ainsworth and Johnson could not agree page 15. which rent the Brownist Church into three fearful Schisms page 16. Ainsworth excommunicating Johnson and Johnson Ainsworth and all his followers and that for trifles Mr. Smith not agreeing with his Church at Amsterdam gâ—â— him to Ley in Holland and accused his Church of Idolatry and Anti-Christianisme of Idolatry for looking on their Bibles in time of preaching and their Psalters in time of singing Of Anti-Christianisme because in their Presbytery they joyn'd to Pastours other two Officers Doctors and Ruling Elders At Leyden Mr. Robinsons small company by divisions was well neer brought to nought pag. 54. pag. 57. pag. 61. pag. 75. pag. 76. pag. 77. pag. 79. Mr. Cotton patronized it in New England but fell into grievous errours and heresies as did the Independents of New England At Roterdam Mr. Peters erected his Church was the Pastour but he was either quickly weary of them or they of him and then Mr. Ward and Mr. Bridge succeeded at what time Mr. Simson came thither who divided the Church upon a trifle and Mr. Simsons separation burst out again to another subdivision and the Schisme grew irreconcilable At Arnhem in the Church the spirit of errour did predominate and protruded most abominable errours I have given you a taste onely of these things that you may see what sober and grave men will be very loth to do that is make a rent into the Church your hot and fiery spirits have done even for slight causes almost in all your Collected Churches It would be well considered what Doctrine that must be for which a man is bound to separate from a Church before he makes a rent 3. And now there is nothing left but discipline that may be a sufficient cause of separation And this hath divided you among your selves as well as divided you from us For the power of the Keys radically and originally you place in the Congregation without any subjection to any superiour and by this you make the Church remedilesse to suppresse any disorder or heresie in any other Congregation Bayly pag. 109. 110 111. because there is no superiour over them but themselves who can have authority to restrain them which is the cause of many Sects among us at this day In the Congregation you say the power is they may elect ordaine depose excommunicate Officers to judge and determine without any appeal But upon the passage and setling of the power you differ for Johnson would give all these acts of power to the Eldership but Ainsworth would reserve it in the Congregation adhuc sub judice lis est though as
I am inform'd the common opinion among you is that the power of the Keys is not in the hands of the Presbytery but the fraternity and so you are of Ainsworths opinion Of the power or Keys I see there is no difference betwixt us both are agreed to what end they serve both use them to effect that the sole quarrel is in whose hands they shall be put On all sides the buzzle is who shall be Prelates The Presbyterians would have them in their hands and Johnson fights on their side The Congregation stifly wrangle for their right and Ainsworth and most of New England take their part Cotons Keyes pag. 10. 13. Mr. Cotton and some others sensible of what might ensue by this just power of the people over the Eldership have begun to fall from Ainsworth to Johnson and to plead the authority of the Eldership over the brotherhood and the necessity of subjection of the people by divine right to the Elders as to their superiours Some wiser than some yet he hath such fine evasions and distinctions to blinde and content the people that a man would think he were playing at hocus pocus But be it as it will a blind man may see that the Prelacy is the game that they have all in chase Now this methinks is not fair dealing to put down Covenant and swear down Prelacy and hunt after it themselves to cry out against others that their whole aime is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lord it over Gods inheritance when they would be the sole Lords themselves Now among the heat of these contenders the old Prelate appears and puts in his claime he pleads Scriptures he pleads antiquity and the perpetual practice of the Church for one thousand and five hundred years And by my consent he that can shew best Cards for it let him carry the game Nor this then hereafter shall be any just cause of separation separation O how I hate the syllables the Authour of it sure was taught by the Prince of darkness and came to some a Bolton the first Separatist hang'd himself Brown the second dyed in prison Ephes 4.4 5 6. unlucky end Unity is the child that God blesseth We all acknowledge one Father we all hope in one Redeemer we serve one Lord we are united by one Spirit we professe one faith we were baptiz'd in one water we have but one hope of our calling for we all hope to meet in one heaven Let us therefore endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace And so the God of peace will take delight to dwell with us and bless us And the Son of God who made our peace and left it to us as his last Legacy will give rest and peace peace of conscience and reconciliation with God while we live here and eternal rest with him in heaven Amen To the first part of your letter you have here my answer and if it finde acceptance I shall proceed to satisfie the other First to vindicate the Church in general from those you call corruptions and degenerations in her government And secondly the Church of England in particular touching those enormities you conceive committed by her That I have not now done it there are some reasons which I will conceal A KEY to open the Debate about a Combinational Church and the power of the KEYES The Second Part. The words of the Letter IN case the frequent pondering of this profitable point which is of so much concernment to be throughly versed in should puzzle any one that begins to question how where or when did the Christian Church which at the first was Presbyterial and pure become so corrupt and polluted as that scarce is the sceleton fashion or face thereof as much as to be perceived the more is the pity in most places or as yet amongst most professours of godlinesse I was really perswaded that a little paines might prove not onely acceptable but advantagious to a person that were so puzzled about the particular for to hear and to have it not alone boldly and barely affirm'd but also fairly and firmly confirm'd by unanswerable arguments that it fell to that foul and fearful degeneration under which it now doth or should groan and for which it hath good cause to grieve by no fewer than five distinct degrees whereof the first was into a Parochial 2. The second into a Cathedral 3. The third into a Provincial 4. The fourth into a National 5. And the fifth was into an oecumenical or a Romane Catholique Church SECT I. The Reply IN this second part of your letter you propose a point I confesse of greatest concernment and such which is most worthy of the sad and serious disquisition which is how where and when the Church became so corrupt polluted and degenerate as scarce the secleton fashion or face thereof is to be perceived no not among the professours of godlinesse Good words I pray The Reformed Churches you say cannot shew it the Prelates cannot produce it the Papists are at the same losse and among the professours of godlinesse be they who they will the Sceleton is scarce to be perceived hardly the fashion the face appears among them And where then shall we looke for the substance the body it self of which if any man be not a part 't is but in vain to look for salvation Since out of the Church no man can have hope of salvation no more than that creature had of life who was out of the Ark of Noah God be merciful to us all poor Christians if our Mother that should nourish us be brought to bare bones have but a face and fashion of a Mother and nothing else surely she will never be able to give her children milk while they are babes and strong meat when they come to be men if this be so Now tell me I pray what is the case why she is brought to this pittiful and lamentable condition how came she so corrupt and polluted Oh say you that is quickly discern'd she is fallen from her Presbytery for all the while she was Presbyterial she was pure First I could advise you to take heed of this affirmative except you put Combinational unto it For all the Presbyterians will catch at it and runne away with it in triumph and where are you then and I beleeve your own party will not con you much thanks that have given the adversary so great advantage Secondly it behoved you since you have laid the strength of your cause upon this word to have demonstrated by infallible arguments out of the Scripture that the Church was at first governed by that kind of Presbytery you mean which you have not done before you pronounced all succeeding Churches corrupt and polluted because they degenerated from that Presbytery This is petitio principii the foulest way of arguing Thirdly that the most learned and modest of the Prelacy though they will grant you a Presbytery in
and from hence it was borrowed and brought into the Church that the chief of the Capitulum should be called Decan which I think is Arch-Presbyter 3. I come now to your other two dislik'd Appellations Chancellours and Surrogates That the Bishop was at first the chief Judge in his Church I have before proved and then no dought he might appoint his subordinate Officials This being a confessed rule in the Law that when any cause is committed to any man he is also conceived to receive full authority in all matters belonging to that cause When the Emperours became Christian they judged it equal and pious to reserve some causes to be tried in the Christian Court in which they constituted the Bishop to be the Judge These causes were properly called Ecclesiastical such as were Blasphemy Apostacy Heresies Schismes Orders Admissions institution of Clerks Cooks Reports fol. 8. Rites of Matrimony Probates of Wills Divorces and such like To give audience to these the Bishop otherwise imployed could not alway be present and yet there was no reason that for his absence justice should not take its course And in some of these had he been present great skill in Civil Lawes is requisite that they be ended aright This gave occasion to the Bishop to appoint his Chancellour and Surrogate A Chancellour who had his name à Cancellis within which he was to sit a man brought up in the Civil Lawes and therefore fit to decide such causes that did depend upon those Lawes who being at first a meere Lay-man and therefore having no power of Exommunication therefore the Bishop thought fit to adjoyne a Surrogate to him that in case that high censure were to be passed this man being in Orders and therefore invested with power actu primo and by Commission with the Bishops power actu secundo sub Episcopo rogatus being demanded and an Officer under the Bishop Actu primo might pronounce the Sentence This was the original of their names and power Now prudential necessity first instituted them and prudence where Episcopal power is of force continues them If a Superiour shall be pleased to revoke some of these causes which were by him made of Ecclesiastical cognizance and cause the litigants to take their trial at Common or Civil Law Vide the book of Order of Excommunication in Scotl. Hist of Scot Amon 2. pag. 46. then in the Church I confesse there will be no use of the Chancellour And if the rest shall be tried by the Bishop and his Presbytery as they were at first neither will there need much a Surrogate But now if that rule of the Presbytery should prove to be true who do challenge cognisance of all causes whatsoever which are sins directly or by reduction then they have power if not to nullifie yet to give liberty to play all Courts and Judicatories besides their own and must bring in thither Sollicitours Atturneys Counsellours Procters c. which will be as un-Scripture-like names as Chancellours and Surrogates Cinod de off Eccl. Joannes Epis Citri in respon ad cabasil Naz. Testam 4. The fourth Appellation that offends you is the Arch-Deacon who was a very ancient officer in the Church and of great esteeme in the Greek Church Neither was he chosen to that place by the Patriarch but came to it by seniority the name then gave him no power but onely this prerogative to be chief of the Deacons of the Church as if you would say of the eldest standing In the Church of England he was more than a Deacon for he was a Presbyter and his office was to be present at all ordinations to enquire into the life the manners the abilities and sufficiency of him who was to be ordained and either to reject him if he saw occasion or to present him to the Bishop to be ordained to induct into any Benefice that man who was instituted by the Bishop to have the care of the houses of God were kept decent and in good repair lastly to take account of all who had to do with the poors money And this last was it which gave him the name of the chief Deacon Ambr. lib. 1. de off c. 41. Prudentius for when the charity of the Church was great and ample gifts were bestowed to the relief of the poorer Christians the Church stock was ample as appears by Lawrence the Martyr who was Deacon to Sixtus Bishop of Rome martyred under Valerian This being committed to the Deacons care that no fraud might be committed as it hapned too oft in money-matters the Church thought fit to set one of the Deacons over the rest who might call them to account as ours were to do the Church-wardens and Overseers of the poor to whom they gave the name of the Arch-Deacon Now speak impartially what harme was in all this What that may offend you Deacon cannot and Arch should not since you know it signifies no more but chief or prime as in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarch And that you may carry some affection or at least not a loathing to it I pray call to memory that a worthy Martyr of our Church John Philpot adjudged to the fire and burnt in Queen Maryes dayes Fox Martyrol An. 1553. primo Mariae resigned up his soul in the flames being then Arch-Deacon of Winchester And that with him Master Cheiny and Master Elmour that refused to subscribe to the doctrine of Transubstantiation in the Convocation-house were both Arch-Deacons 5. But now I return back again to that Appellation Lord-Bishop at which so many have stumbled and been scandalized that others before you have done it I have reason to attribute to envie an evil eye but in you I shal onely impute it to inconsideration Gen. 24. 1 Kings 18. 2 Kings 2. 2 Kings 4. 2 Kings 8. For you are mighty in the Scriptures and therefore might have known that the Hebrew Adoni or the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Latine Dominus which in the Spanish is Don in the French Sciur in English Sir is onely a name of civility courtesie respect reverence By this Rebecca calls Abrahams servant Drink my Lord. By this Obadiah the Prophet Art thou my Lord Elijah By this the children of the Prophets the inhabitants of Hiericho the Sunamite and Hazael the Prophet Elisha By this Mary the Gardner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord or Sir if thou have taken him hence with this civil respect the Greeks accost Philip John 20.15 John 12.21 1 Pet. 3.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sir we would see Jesus In all which places the word imports onely a courteous and respectful compellation And St. Peter commends the woman that shall with this name endear her husband proposing the example of Sarah that obeyed Abraham and call'd him Lord. To a Bishop double honour respect reverence is due for he is comprised under the name of father in the Commandment and whom we
differ for in your Presbyterial Churches you admit into that number those who are not of the Clergy Many of your Presbyters being meer Lay men Of the Texts you hope to prove it I shall consider anon And here about these Ruling Elders I shall deliver my mind 1. Negatively 2. Positively 1. Negatively That Ruling Elders in the Church were never Laicks Presbyters we read of and Presbyteries in the Apostolical writings but none Lay. This negative will be proved as all other negatives are that is by the contrary affirmative These Ruling Elders were alwayes of the Clergy and consequently no Laicks for you know dâ—ae contrariae propositiones non possunt simul esse verae I shall therefore shew you what I have to say of Ruling Elders 2. Positively The Keys Christ gave to his Apostles and they to their Successours and with them so much power as was ordinarily of permanence and perpetuity in the Church which power consisted in four particulars the Dispensation of the Word the Admâ—nistration of the Sacraments Imposition of hands and guiding of the Keys With the three fiâ—st I hear not that Ruling Elders of the Laity undertake to meddle and if they shall lay claim to the last they must shew when and where any such donation was made over unto them otherwise I shall call it an usurpation The contrary is clear in the promise Tibi dabo claves and in the performance sicut misit me pater sic mitto vos quorum peccata remiseritis c. Let it be shewed that any Laick here had any Key any power made over unto him or that the Apostles ever made any designation of it to a Lay hand and you shall for me carry the cause Well then to whom did they assigne it That is clear to me in the Scriptures to the Bishops that they ordain'd I shall instance onely in two Timothy and Titus the one at Ephesus the other at Crete ordained by Saint Paul though if you would believe Anciâ—nt Records I could name you many more James the brother of our Lord Bishop of Jerusalem Mark at Alexandria Clemens at Rome Euodius at Aâ—tioch Polycarp at Smyrna Dionysius at Athens Caius at Theâ—olonica Archippus at Colossi Epaphroditus at Philippi Antipas at â—ergamus Crescens in Galatia Sosipater at Iconium Erastus in Macedon Silas at Corinth with others all which if there be any credit to be given to Oâ—d Râ—cords were set by the Apostles themselves to be the Ruling Elders of the Church But perhaps you 'll say these were chief in their own Churches respectively but they had their Presbyteries and Presbyters to govern with them Well be it so for in some it is evident it was so Yet it lies upon you to prove that those Presbyters were Lay-Elders for otherwise I shall presume to the contrary because I finde it othâ—rwise in the Churches of Ephesus and Crete where Timothy and Titus were Bâ—shops and in all the Churches where I read of a Presbytery That it was thus at Ephesus is beyond all exception For Timothy was there ordained by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4.14 I hope you will not say that Tâ—mothy was made the chief Pastour there by the imposition of any Lay-hands No man ever yet so interpreted that text as for the fathers they expound it of the Colledge of Presbyters which they say was of Prelates Heb. 7.7 Calv. Instit lib. 4. c. 6. 2 Tim. 1.6 because minor non ordinat majorem Calvin of the Office and that it was given by the laying on of Saint Pauls hands and he is resolve that Saint Paul alone did it because of that Exhortation Stir up the grace of God which is in thee by the laying on of my hands Take it in which sense you please here 's no place left at Ephesus for a Lay-Presbytery No nor yet in Crete for to that end was Titus left there to ordain Elders in every City and in the following words the Apostle tells what manner of persons they must be Tit. 1.5.7 who were to be ordain'd and what their office to be Bishops for a Bishop must be blamelesse these Elders then at Crete must be Bishops not then of the Laity And if you shall consider what these Elders were to do at Crete and Ephesus you will easily conceive that many of them fell not within a Lay-mans capacity If any man did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preach any other doctrine then that was sound the Ephesian Elder must prohibere 1 Tim. 1.4 2 Tim. 2.16 Tit. 1.9 if preach prophanely or babblingly he must cohibere restrain him At Crete the ordained Elder must have ability 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to convince the gain-sayers and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with force of Argument Tit. 1.10.13 For particulars if any preach otherwise than becomes him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his mouth must be stopped they must be reproved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken up short Tit. 2.15 with all authority Say in good sooth whether you conceive these to be the Works of a Lay-man I wish all Clergy-men were ad haec idonci But I fear few are Lastly the rod power of excommunication was in the hand of Saint Pauls Elders which I shall never yield to be in your Lay Elders But were the Word of God in this point indifferent which for ought I see is yet very resolute against them the general consent of all antiquity that never to your sense expounded Saint Pauls words nor never mention d one Lay-Presbyter to govern the Church is to me a strong rampire against all these new devices And here did I list I could presse you down with a whole load of fathers and Councils but I spare you for I fear you would cast them off with some scorn The Catalogue you shall have if you desire it For my part I shall close up this point with the words of a wise learned man Bilson's preface to the Government of the Church I like not to raise up that Discipline from the dead which hath lien so long if it ever liv'd in silence by your own confession which no father ever witnessed no Council ever favour'd no Church ever followed since the Apostles times till this our age I can be forward in things that be good but not so foolish as to think that the Church of Christ never knew what belong'd to the government of her self till now of late and that the Sonne of God hath been spoiled of half of his Kingdome as you use to speak by his own servants and citizens for these one thousand five hundred years without remorse or remembrance of any man that ever so great a wrong was offered him You must shew me your Lay-Presbytery in some Ancient Writer or else I shall avouch plainly your Consistory as you presse it is a Novelty And yet I shall adde one thing more by way of Apology for I would not be a stumbling block
place to the Romans are five different from these ministring exhorting teaching giving shewing mercy In all sixteen I hope you will not say there must be so many distinct Offices and functions in the Church For so it may happen that the offices may exceed the number of the officers and so every one must have more than two of them Robinsons Justif p. 107. p. 111. three at least or else the Church shall nor be supplied For put case that Robinsons words be true that a company consisting though but of two or three gathered by a Covenant made to walk in the wayes of God known unto them is a Church and so hath the whole power of Christ Answer to the 32. Quest p. 43 even the same right with two or three thousand Generally you know it is received among you that seven will make a full and perfect Congregation and that the association of these few thus separate by a Covenant is the essential forme of the Church Which if true then is it not possible to find so many distinct functions in the Church because in so small a number there cannot be found men for them Let it be then granted that the Apostle in this chapter speaks of diversities of gifts not of functions and the sense will be clear Apostles there were then in the Church and they had all these gifts in a greater measure than any other Prophets there were and Teachers and to these the Spirit divided the gifts as he pleased in what measure and to what persons he best liked to one to work miracles to another to heale to help and comfort to guide and governe to speak tongues to interpret tongues as might best serve to gather the Saints to plant the Church I must professe unto you that I have both now and heretofore looked into this text with as quick an eye as my weaknesse would give leave and could never yet finde it in any thing that made for your Ruling Elders No you perhaps will say do you not finde here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 governments Yes I do but will it thence follow that it must upon necessity be the government of the Lay-Ruling-Elders you dreame of Why might not the Apostles the Prophets the Teachers here mentioned by the Apostle be those Governours here intended for ought you know Of them the other gifts were verified and why not then this also They could work miracles they could heale they could help and comfort they could speak all languages and interpret tongues what should now hinder but they might by the same Spirit be endowed with the gift of government also Which if it fall out to be true as it indeed did yet the Apostles either by themselves or by those they placed in the Churches which they planted who were Bishops and onely Bishops exercised the jurisdiction you shall never be able to conclude out of this or any other place of Scripture that the Governours of the Churches were a distinct company from the Pastours which is I know that you drive at But to gratifie you a little I shall here willingly yield you more than I need That in the Apostolical Church and after till Constantines time there might be certain men chosen by common consent of the Church to judge of all civil debates that might arise betwixt man and man you perhaps would call these Governours I should rather call them Arbitratours because they had no coactive power to compel any Christian to stand to their Arbitration farther than they would binde themselves And in case that any were refractory and obstinate the Pastour might and did make use of the Church-Key and debarre him from the participation of Christian priviledges so that he was by them esteemed no better than a Heathen or Publican 1 Cor. 6.1 c. And now I will shew you the ground of my conjecture 't is out of Saint Pauls words Dare any of you having an action against another a Christian he means go to Law before the unjust and not before the Saints Paul did not debarre the Magistrates that were Infidels of their jurisdiction nor create new Judges or Governours for civil offences in the Church it was beyond his calling and commission to do either of them but when he perceived the Christians for private quarrels pursued each other before unbelievers to the great shame and scandal of Christian profession he saith Ver. 7. they were better to suffer losse to take wrong to be defrauded Ver. 4.5 But if this would not satisfie if yet there were who would be contentious then he wills them to choose if not the wisest yet the lest esteemed among them in the Church to arbitrate their causes rather than to expose themselves and their profession to the mocks and taunts of Heathen and Profane Judges These Arbitratours you may call Governours if you please but properly they were not so because they were chosen either by consent of the Litigants or else appointed as I am induc'd to opine by the choice of the Church for that purpose but they could not interpose themselves as Judges authoriz'd by Christ because he himself as Mediatour claimed no such power would use none Luke 12.24 You know his answer to the brother that moved him to divide the inheritance Man who made me a Judge or Divider among you Now grant that all this be true and that such Governours began betime and continued long in the Church even untill the Conversion of the Heathen Emperours Can you hence conclude that they must upon necessity continue still no such matter For the Civil power and the Sword is in the Magistrates hand and he is to take up all debates betwixt man and man of these then there is no use From these then to argue that there must be Lay Ruling Elders in the Church is a fallacy since the causes they were to dcide were other and their Authority by Church-right none at all A d such 't is probable may be found in the Scriptures and in the Church-story but never any other Ruling Elders invested with the power of the Keys except in Orders I have been long upon this place to the Corinths but it was because I would leave no scruple unsatisfied That I be not tedious of it I will adde no more but consider your next proof which you bring out of the Epistle to the Ephesians Ephesians Chap. 4. Verse 7. and Verse 14. Ver. 7. But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ver. 14. That we henceforth be no more children tossed too and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive Now here I must confesse it befel me which happens to them who search for gold-ore in the vaults of the earth they open the turfe dig delve labour long to effect their desire but at last
right to govern the administration of discipline say these must be Democratical The Papalins are not more hot for one than they are zealous and contentious for the many-headed multitude But say in good sooth whether this can be likely Even the very Heathen Polititians have branded this kinde of government Plato Aristotle Lycurgus professe it is of the three the very worst and experience convinceth us it is the worst and shall any man imagine that Christ who so loved his Church that he bought it with his own blood would institute in it the worst kinde of government A discipline he left to it that 's confessed and would he leave the rod in the hands of the bellua multorum capitum credat Judaeus Apella non ego Besides popular government proceeds from vindicative justice 't is absurd in nature 't is absurd in policy But Christ was not angry when he gave the Keys then he was pleas'd then he was reconcil'd to the world he could not when he was thus affected with love give them to the people in anger The end he gave them was to purge his Church to keep out scandals to keep out Schismes Errours Heresies out of his Church but being in the peoples hands by this means they are let in and that not thinly but in whole swarms Deny if you can since the people have griped the Keyes whether Arianisme Atheisme Antinomianisme Montanisme Euthusiasme Anabaptisme Familisme Quakerisme Chiliasme Socinianisme I want breath to reckon the rest hath not polluted and to use your own word rottened the Church shall we say this government is from Christ which hath brought forth such effects The children betray the mother And now they are brought forth the Key you so much boast of in the peoples hand hath no power to shut them out of the Church out of your particular Church you perhaps may though I have good ground to doubt of that too especially if they grow numeâ—o is as they do of all Sects How I pray was it Arnhem Rotterdam Amsterdam New England what is this to purging of the whole Church I had thought the Keyes had been given for the benefit of the whole and not for the cleansing onely of one single Congregation Well keep your own as clean as you can without spot without wrinkle and let many of your sister-Combinationals remain defiled as they do then you may admonish councel grieve for them lament over presse your non-communion to them They 'll do as much for you as you do for them but power nor means you have none to mend them nor they you and so Christs Church by commssiion of the Keys unto single Congregations becomes remedilesse If a corrupt or negligent Presbytery do not censure their own Members all the Assemblies of the world may not attempt to censure any of them Bayly pag. 112. though most apparently they did corrupt a whole Nation with the grossest heresies or most scandalous vices What can make the house of God worse than a denne of thieves if this do not Well you may perhaps reply which is indeed all you can say for your selves This may be the conseqent but not the cause Be it so which for present I shall give you but never grant you even this were there no more should rouze you to look about whether your tenure of your Keyes be good and your claim and possession justifiable by clear evidence of Scripture Shew me the words there written toâ—idem syllabis and I will yield Shew such an evidence as others can sicut ne misiâ— pater sic mittovos and I will never question the peoples right any more Nay I will go lower shew me but one example of the peoples practice in this matter and I have done Mr. Cotton saw the inconvenience and with fine distinctions strugled what he could to withdraw the power from the people and I hope in good time God will open your eyes to see this errour and leave the Keyes in their hands to whom Christ bequeathed them 3. There is but one way left by which the Church can be govern'd and that is Aristocracy Which is no sooner named but all parties strive and eagerly contend that their title is good to it as the two women did for the childe The Presbyters put in for their right the Independents will have it in their Congregations but the Prelates will not suffer themselves to be so cheated out of their old inheritance but stoutly maintain their Church and that it is alone to be found among them With the first I am not to skirmish at this time were I then I should tell them that Aristocracy is not like to be found in their Country-Presbyteries The second are the men whose claim and title I am to shew invalid and though I have done it in part before yet I will more clear it here by an evident and demonstrative argument The first we know that opposed holy societies were Anabaptists the next who followed was John Mâ—rell who stood up for popular government of and in Independent Congregations whose opinion when we object to the Combinational brethren their common assertion is that they are far from Democracy and ready to forsake their tenet if that can be demonstrated Democracy then even in these mens eyes is no lovely and beautiful childe that at the very name they startle and fly from it tanquam pedibuâ— qui presserat anguem And now you shall see how I can make it appear that it is no false imputation and I beleeve I shall be able to do it Let us only cast our eyes upon the birth of this childe the Combinational Church and denyed it will not be that three seven twenty thirty more or lesse joyn'd together in a holy Covenant made this Church for the greatest number I have here named were at first ample Congregations These as Democritus his atoms which were onely similar parts falling together made up this body but by their own confession all this whâ—le it was homogeneouâ— one part equal every way like to another it was inorganiz'd having no distinction of parts nor head nor eyes nor hands Methinks I behold Aristotles materia prima nec quid nec quale nec quantum When they saw themselves Chaos like they thought it not good to remain thus mishapen and therefore they cast about how they might lick themselves into some form An Heterogeneoâ—s body they thought it necessary to be and to have Organs by which they might work and at last their fancies suggested how they might clap a head to this body and supply it with eyes and hands They agreed that actu primo they had power sufficient and authority in themselves viz. the power of the Keyes and therefore they might organize their own body at their pleasure upon this thus set to work they elected they ordain'd they chose a Pastour for their head and Elders for their eyes and other Church Officers for their hands and so out of a lump
that it is very probable that they were ordain'd at this meeting at Miletum except you judge that Saint John the Apostle setled them in those Churches before his banishment to Patmos for in those Churches they had the power when he wrote the Revelation Howbeâ—t it will serve my turn well enough if they were onely Pastours with a Presbytery for this will prove the government then of the Church to be Aristocratical 4. If we come to Rome there we finde Paul an Apostle and as all Church Records assure us Peter Bishop there needed none where they lived Rom. 16. Presbyters there were then many Junius Clemens Cleâ—us Andronicus Urbane Tripheus Perses Of these Cletus and Clemens were Bishops after the Apostles Martytdome and their Succesours so apparent that I need not recite them Euseb lib. 2. cap. 24. Hieron ad Evagr. Origen Ambrose 5. What should I speak that Mark was Bishop of Alexandria who died six years before Peter in whose Church there was a Presbytery of Titus appointed Bishop by Saint Paul and left to ordain in the Island Presbyters and to have jurisdiction Of Dionysius the Areopagite the first Bishop of Athens Of Archippus at Colosse Of Onesimus at Philippi Of Gaius at Thessalonica The Records were infinite that I could produce in this kinde You see I have not instanced in any but such who were Bishops viventibus videntibus approbantibus Apostolis that so the truth may be apparent I shall not therefore doubt to affirme that the government of the Apostolical Churches was by Bishops as such who had the chief power and that it was Aristocratical Neither can all the Arguments of the Presbyterians any whit enervate this for you see I grant and prove a Presbytery in these two onely lies the difference betwixt them and us First that they would have a Presbytery established by the Apostles without a Bishop which I shall never grant and I know they can never prove Secondly that the power of this Presbytery without a Bishop should be the most supreme in the Church and that to it without a Bishop the Keyes were delivered For this is it which I affirme that originally the whole power was in the Apostles and by them exercised where they setled no Bishop But to him where they fixed a Bishop they committed their power yet so that so long as they liv'd it was but in subordination and dependency on them for out of question they might have govern'd alone when therefore they gave any power to others it was onely delegated and they lost not any of their own in giving orders What therefore Bishops were to the Apostles that must needs all Presbyters ordain'd by the Bishops be to them voluntarily assumed they were in partem sollicitudinis reginimis and had their power by delegation to assist in acts deliberative and consiliary But by vertue of their order they had no jurisdiction in causes criminal For in the Scripture there is not any commission extant to meer Presbyters there is no institution of any power of Regiment in the Presbytery no constitution Apostolical that meer Presbyters should alone or without Bishops govern no example in Scripture of any censure inflicted by any meer Presbyters no specification of any power they had so to do But the contrary to this may well be collected because to Churches where Colledges of Presbyters were resident Bishops were sent by Apostolical ordination as Titus to Crete Timothy to Ephesus the seven Angels to the seven Churches with power of ordination excommunication and taking cognizance of causes and persons even of Presbyters themselves as is apparent in th Epistles to Timothy and Titus and in the Revelation And a more evident example cannot be given then in the Churches of Corinth and Thessalonica in both which were Presbyteries but as then no constituted Bishop In one of which was an incestuous person in the other disorderly persons why did not these Presbyters then cast them out It was for want of coercive power the Apostle as yet kept that power in his own hand and therefore adviseth the Thessalonians that if any man obey not his words 2 Thes 3.14 15 that they signifie that man by an Epistle to him they in the mean time should forbear his company and admonish but not count him as an enemy that is eject him by Church censure that they should leave to him in whose hand as yet the power was But at Corinth upon signification he gives order to the Presbytery to execute his sentence For I verily absent in body but present in spirit that is by my Apostolical power 1 Cor. 5.3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have already judged or determined the judgment you see was his the decretory sentence his as though I were present conce ning him that hath done this deed In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ when you are gathered together and my spirit that is my power with you with the power of our Lord Jesus â—hrist that is which power the Lo d Jesus Christ hath committed unto me that then you prono nce my sentence and deliver such a one to Satan This shewes clearly where the power was setled in the Apostle first In them secondly In him it was primative from him to them it was derivative All was to be done by his spirit And that this was so viz. that the Presbyters power was not absolute but dependent not prime but delegate there be two testimonies the one in Ignatius the other in Cyprian which seems to me to evince it Ignatius writes to his Church of Antiochia being then in prison in Rome and he gives his Presbyters there this advice that they rule the flock of Christ Ignat. ad Antioch untill God should declare who should be their Pastour His words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Presbyters were to feed or rule the flock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill God should shew and designe him qui principatum habiturus sit as Varlonius renders it who to be their chief Pastour Their government there was to last till then but when God had once designed him Cyprian Ep. 21. their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was at an end The other testimony is that in Cyprian in the case of Candida Numeria and Etecusa women that were accused to have fallen in the persecution and offered incense to Idols Of these the Presbyters in the exile of Cyprian the Bishop took the cognizance and were ready to passe a sentence upon them Cyprian interposeth and upon it causa audita perceperunt propositi eas tantisper sic esse to remain in the state they were Donec Episcopus constituatur untill the Bishop should be appointed Here again we see the verdict suspended till there were a Bishop intimating that the prime power of jurisdiction and censure was in him and that without him it might not be lawfully laid on Nor do I see what can be answered to these two fathers Hitherto
cura commissa est A Law there was made by Solon that all Assemblies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch in Solone were unlawful that the highest authority did not cause to meet Among the Heathen Nebuchadnezzar makes a Law Darius a Decree the King of Nineveh sends forth a Proclamation for a Fast for a Religious service which certainly they had never done had it not been received that they were empowred And among the Romans there was no sooner an Emperour but he took upon him potestatem pontificiam In the Acts we read that the City of the Ephesians was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Mr. Selden teacheth us was an Office to take care of the whole worship and Temple of Diana Seld. not in Marmor Arundel Now this could not be done by any warrant from Scripture evident therefore it is that even by the light of nature seen it was that the supreme power is invested with anthority in Religious duties Care they ought to take that God be served as well as the people governed since they have been hitherto taken to be Custodes utriusque Tabulae 2. Thus it was while reason bare the sway But now let us look into the Scripture How is it written in the Law how read you There it was ordained that the King should have a book of the Law written by the Priests and the end was Deut. 17.18 19 20. that he might fear the Lord and keep it And in this Law there be many precepts that concern him as a man many as a Prince for as Austin Rex servit Deo aliter qua homo aliter qua Rex as a man by a holy Conversation as a Prince by making and executing holy constitutions Austin Ep. 50. As he is the Superiour he is there made the Guardian of Gods Law and the whole Law is committed to his charge By vertue of which Commission when the Kingdome and Priesthood were divided Moses the Civil Magistrate made use of his power over Aaron and reproved him for the golden Calf Joshua a Prince no Priest by the same authority circumcised the sonnes of Israel erected an Altar of stone caused the people to put away their strange gods and renewed the Covenant betwixt God and the people And what other Kings did you have heard before These Acts of these famous Kings performed in Ecclesiastical causes shews clearly what power Kings had under Moses Law And one thing more let me put you in mind of that when there was no King in Israel that was a supreme power for it was no more every man did that which was good in his own eyes and that good was extream bad as the story shews 3. Yea but it may be said that thus it was while the Judicials of Moses were in force but why so now Now the Superiours authority is confined to Civil Lawes Now the Kingdome is Christs and he must rule Indeed could we finde in the Gospel any restriction or rather revocation of what power had formerly belonged to Superiours this plea were considerable but since the rule is true that Evangelium non tollit precepta naturae legis sed perficit The Commission once granted to the Superiour by nature and the Moral Law must be good And be it that the Kingdome is Christs and all power in his hands yet this will be no impediment to what I contend for neither That Christ wants no Vicar on earth but as head of his Church doth govern it is a truth beyond exception But this is to be understood of the spiritual internal government not of that which is external because he must be serv'd with the body as well as with the Spirit in an outward forme of worship as well as an inward therefore he hath left superiours to look to that Their power extends not their accompt shall not be given for what is done within for they cannot see nor cannot judge what is done in that dark cell they have nothing to do with the secret affections of the heart with the sacred gifts of the Spirit with the stedfast trust of future things They are only to moderate and direct the outward actions of godlinesse and honesty and what may externally advance Christs Kingdome So that the question is not here of the internal and properly Spiritual but of the external government order and discipline of the Church which when the supreme power administers as it ought it sets up and no way pulls down the Kingdome of Christ These two are then well enough compatible that the Kingdome is Christs and yet the Superiour way make use of his power in Christs Kingdome A Prophesie there was that under the Gospel Kings should be nursing fathers and Queens nursing mothers to the Church Isa 49.23 Nourishment then they must give that ordain'd for babes that for men the Word and Sacraments they cannot give no more then Uzziah could burn incense or Saul burn Sacrifice no nor yet ordain any to do it The sustenance then which Christians are to receive from them must be that of external discipline and government Those that gave such food were call'd nursing fathers those that denyed it tyrants and persecutors without the favour and execution of this duty Christian Religion had never been so highly advanc'd and therefore the Apostle ordains that Christians pray for those in authority that we may live a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse 1 Tim. 2. and honesty Godlinesse comprehends all duties of the first Table Honesty all duties of the second and where those who are in authority are careful both will be observed both shall be preserved because they know they have a charge of both Thus you see reason Law and Gospel have given a supremacy to those in power non solum in ijs quae pertinent ad humanam societatem verum etiam in ijs quae attinent ad religionem divinam I have enlarg'd my self on this subject beyond my intention least you should split upon that dangerous rock of Jesuitisme while out of a dislike of the British King you make him a violent head of the National Church for what you say of him is as true of all others and what is denyed of him is denyed of all others in that their claim and right is all alike and in case it be not just their violence and usurpation is all alike which to affirm is perfect Jesuitisme And wheresoever this doctrin is turn'd into practice it sets up regnum in regno and if it should be brought into this Common-wealth would reduce again what Henry the eight cast out though under another notion for every Eldership of a Combinational Church would be perfect Papacy absolute independent answerable to none to be guided by none in Church matters punishable by none but themselves to which if you will give a right name it is meere Popish power This is it which Superiours have wisely disclaimed and not admitted themselves like children to be