obeat legationem Dei concedatur illis in eundem locum congregatis etiam glorifioare nomen Dei that he may undertake Gods delegation and that the people of the same place may congregate and give God his due glory Without a Bishop to order the Church assemblies they are meere conventicles and unlawfull meetings Here by the way observe that the Father speake of such helpe as one Church may and ought to afford another Annunciatum est mihi Ecclesiam Antiochenam esse pacatam it is reported unto me that the Church of Antioch is quiet and peaceable and needs your help that enjoy a worthy Bishop and I would wish you to doe as Gods Churches have alwayes done ut semper secerunt proximae Ecclesiae quorum aliae misere Episcopos nonnullae verò presbyteros Diaconos that the next Churches some of them have supplyed their neighbour Churches with Bishops others with Priests and Deacons Rome outreacheth and straineth this testimonie upon the largest last and helps to stretch it with her teeth for the Pope that hee ought to choose all Bishops for the Churches With his leave the words serve for any Bishop with his Church to helpe others to able men that want them and for our Novelists they may not once name this text that will choose for themselves and suffer no others to meddle with their right when all Churches have ought to have a common right one in another For the words of Saint Cyprian they may be expounded that the people being peaceable as it was with the Church of Antioch and keeping concord amongst themselves they may then with one consent use all their power to gaine worthy Priests and ingage it to the uttermost to oppose them that are wicked and unworthy and their testimony is to be heard of their betters The Church separates two and God makes choice of one seven honest men are looked out of the societie of Saints and appointed by the Apostles to the businesse of the Church Paul and Barnabas are separated by the Church to a speciall work signified to them by the holy Ghost Let the people on Gods name in these peaceable wayes walke with the Church and for the Church and I know none will condemne them but they are to know all these elections are not of the essence of a Bishop for hee may be so when hee is sent from one Church to another and therfore to speake distinctly and avoid confusion Ordination belongs to a Priest Consecration to a Bishop and Translation is when he is removed from one place to another These three are the formes of the Church and Rites she useth to expresse her selfe but the Episcopall power is that which God gives unto them whom hee useth as his immediate means to convey it to the whole Church For the second objection that Bishops ordaine with others and by others is easily answered in Timothy that he was ordained by the hands of Saint Paul and may be the hands of the Presbytery that is of others that joyned with him or it may be the office hee received by S. Pauls hands alone The question is not whether Priests may joyne with the Bishop but whether they may do it alone without the Bishop There is some thing said for Chorepiscopi or rurall Bishops that they have ordained which were unlawfull if ordination were solely Episcopall I answer what the Bishop may doe by deputation is nothing to my disputation I speak of Gods order and that which is divine of the humane Laws of the Church and what power Bishops have to depute others I leave to them I look upon that which I conceive to be Gods appointment and the constant course of the Scriptures which signifies unto us that either the Apostles or such as Timothie and Titus ordained and not one word of any Evangelist or Prophet or of all Pastours but some speciall ones selected by the Apostles before their death So Timothie ordained as an Evangelist and you at once affirme two untruths 1 that Timothie was extraordinarily called and secondly that such an one being none of the Apostles number might ordaine Timothie was made a Minister by imposition of hands and to Timothie was committed the power to impose hands upon others but both are arguments against his extraordinary calling and hee that makes Evangelists or Prophets by imposition of hands sayes that which no word of holy Scripture will warrant him either by one example or precept in all the new Testament The third objection is that Bishops are the Churches invention in Schismatis remedium I am glad they that like not of Bishops to be of God will confesse them to be of men for so good an end and it shewes what wee have said to be absolutely true that without Bishops the Church must needs be filled with faction and sure I am the quarrell with them is the cause of all our doleful contentions and grievous complaints and if men could work them out and have their wils it would not be So many men so many mindes but millions of mischiefe and misery to this our Nation It s well they see such wisdome in the necessitie of Bishops but is not the originall dangerous to censure Gods Providence of defect and mens inventions of Idolatry To say God provided not for Schisme is to mee a secret Atheisme and checke to him that better sees what the Church needeth then to leave it in so mayne a matter to the policie and pietie of men Againe the remedie is worse then the disease and of desperate cure to them that call all humane inventions in question for Idolatry I hope a necessary means to prevent division in Religion is a speciall ordinance of God and to make it humane is worse in my thoughts then to make it divine Saint Hierome is the most welcome autour they have and yet contra Luciferan hee sayes the Church consists of many degrees and makes the highest end in the Bishope and Dionysius Ecclesiast Hierarch c. 5. affirmes not of one but of all Bishops that immediatè in Christum terminantur and the aforesaid authour ad Euagrium sayes summum tenent locum and Saint Cyprian Epist 65. Pamel l. 5. Epist 9. Episcopi omnes Apostolorum sunt successores It were easie to multiply autorities that speake home in this businesse Saint Ignat. Epist ad Smyru Laici subjecti sunto Diaconis Diaconi Presbyteris Presbyteri Episcopo Episcopus Christo ut Christus patri The subordination and succession is full Lay-men must submit to the Deacons the Deacons to the Priests the Priests to the Bishop the Bishop to Iesus Christ as Iesus Christ to his Father Epist ad Magn. ut praesideant Episcopi loco Dei Presbyteri loco concessus Apostolici c. Bishops are placed in Gods stead Priests accompany them as the Apostles did Christ Hee called them to worke with him and so Bishops call Priests to preach the Gospel and propagate the faith with them
We must lay the comparison thus as the Apostles were to Christ so are Priests to Bishops The similitude holds in the subordination not in the equalitie as if either Bishops were equall to Christ or Priests to the Apostles but the accommodation of the sense must be as the Autor means it in the order of things and not the jurisdiction for here the distinction will hold and helpe us that is by Papists absurdly applyed to the Apostles to make them equall in the one but not in the other when wee are certain of them that order and jurisdiction is the same Isiodorus de officiis Ecclesiasticis l. 2. c. 7. explaines fully what Bishops and Priests hold in common and what is proper to the one above the other His sicut Episcopis dispensatio ministeriorum Dei commissa est praesunt enim Ecclesiis Christi in confectione divini corporis sanguinis consortes cum Episcopis sunt similiter in doctrina populi in officio praedicandi sed sola propter autoritatem summo sacerdoti Clericorum ordinatio consecratio reservata est Chrysostome sola ordinatione Presbyteros Episcopi superant atque hoc tantum plusquam Presbyteri habere videntur Saint Hier. in Epist ad Euagrium quid facit Episcopus excepta ordinatione quod non faciat Presbyter Saint Cyprian Epist 65. sayes thus Dominus Apostolos Episcopos elegit Apostoli elegerunt Diaconos He vindicates the Bishops power from a proud and insolent Deacon and calls him to consider that there is some thing between his calling and a Bishops as having men and not Christ immediately to appoint him Nazian in Apolog. Fug hath this short saying Episcopi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christi in sacerdotio collegae sunt they are Christs companions in the Priesthood Aug. in lib. Quaest ex vet test c. 35. Episcopus Christi imaginem habet ut rex Dei Ambr. in 1. Cor. 11. Episcopus habet personam Christi est vicarius Dei I will end with two of their own that would draw from Bishops to the Pope that which is not his due which these are forced to affirme Alphon. de Caestr l. 2. c. 24. de justa Haeret punit Cajetani sententia est ipsamet falsitate falsior est contra sententiam omnium sacrorum doctorum nam etsi ritus consecrandi Episcopi est ab Ecclesia tamen potestas Episcopi concessa illies a Deo est non ab homine The Church may consecrate Bishops but it hath no power to confer their autoritie which is given them of God and not of man Caesar Baronius in Annal. Anno 58. sayes it is most certain that the Apostles had their dignitie of Christ and therfore Bishops that succeed them must needs have it from the same fountain I hope I may now conclude that Bishops as they are holy in calling so they ought to be honourable in our account and that our causes of contention ought to cease for certainly as long as we imagine their vocation to be humane and their actions inhumane so long wee must needs live at distance and true devotion will be devoured up with damnable practices of which our age is full If Ismaels tongue be persecution Gal. 4.29 then I believe they are persecuted which seeme to persecute others Never did any man convicted go from the seat of judgement without complaint and exclamation of accusers witnesses or judges Men shall gnash their teeth against the most righteous judge and revenge that with words or an irefull countenance which they cannot compasse by their power I professe its difficult to dispute with Adversaries and not to answere them with their owne language Despisers of Dominions and ill speakers of Dignities are compared Iude verse 9. to the Devill who defends himselfe by lyes and all manner of lewdnesse but those that will dispute with these must be like Michael the Arch-angell not so much as to dare to bring railing accusations against any but say the Lord rebuke them that speake evill of those things they know not and in the which they corrupt themselves like bruit beasts who are inraged if any man doe stirre them never so little Saint Aug. de doct Christ 4. cap. 24 dicat sapienter quod non potest eloquenter it is better be wise than â—loquent in this way and it is true wisdome that knowes how to preserve truth and peace together This will carry no water about it to quench zeale but onely so much as may sprinkle it that it may burn the better within compasse not fire the house which is intended but to warm Governours should have the lesse work if men would walke by this rule I know scandall will hardly be escaped in the best intentions we have to others But S. Augustine shall answer for me Si de veritate scandalum sumitur utiliùs permittitur nasci scandalum quam relinquatur veritas if any man will be offended with the truth it s more profitable to permit the scandall then part with the truth Consider what is said without passion and the Lord give us understanding in all things AMEN CHAP. VIII Touching some additions to illustrate some former passages and give satisfaction in the use of a day to God a place for God and his blessed Name to be adored above all names IGnorance of antiquitie breeds the errours of noveltie It s a readie but a most rude answere to an argument from authoritie I care not a button for a Father I feare not to finde the forme of Gods service better in I.C. and T.C. then in holy Ignatius which lived in the times of the Apostles Liturgies they like not all their learning lyes in themselves and they are able in publique to publish the forme of prayer before they have made it and if it were not new in the motion of their own private spirits it would spend it selfe and languish in the dead letter of a publick and common practised pattern For Doctrine and Discipline they will trust nothing but the Scriptures and by them they will be tried but then they must expound them by their private interpretation lest the publique prove poysoned with humane inventions Thus wee condemne and then contemne judge and then despise our betters For my part I esteem one blessed Ignatius above all moderne Writers for my warrant in the service and societie of the Saints If they should all set themselves against him in the government of the Church by Bishops Priests and Deacons and the communion of the people with them at the holy Altar I had rather rest upon him for a constant and ocular witnesse then wrest and wring all to the new forme of this last age The Acts of the Apostles may be an historie of the Churches plantation for some twenty yeares but Saint Iohn that saw Churches planted and established might well say more and set down the exact pattern in his Prophecie written thirty or forty years afterwards and blessed Ignatius
above another to a Christian that will not be prophane Hee that keeps no day to the Lord gives him thanks that hee is not bound to keepe it either as a Iew in yearely monethly or weekly dayes for the Apostle absolves a Christian from all dayes Colos 2.16 and makes the observation of them to frustrate the Gospel Gal. 4.10 11. I say further or to keepe it as a Christian Iew that is to except as some doe the weekly Sabbath and say by Sabbath dayes Col. 2.16 is meant yearly but not of the weekly Sabbath this is prejudice to Christian Religion that brings full freedome first to make all dayes alike before a Christian can make his choice of any day There must in this point be a full abrogation of the law of days before a Christian be able to observe any other day to the Lord. Estimation of dayes with fulnesse of knowledge to the glory of Christ is first to keep no day against him and then to keep any with thankfulnesse for him that hath redeemed us from the bondage of the Law Our dutie is to serve him and our freedome to make choice of such dayes as may be esteemed to his glory not only the Lords day in every weeke but all other dayes esteemed by Christians above others to the honour of him whose servants they professed themselves He that esteemeth one day above another may be a Iew and obstinate in his ignorance yet a good Christian that holds all dayes alike in the fulnesse of perswasion may likewise in the same hold one day above another and give God glory in both yea greater then hee that is intangled either to prophane a day that is lawfully commanded or to be superstitious in keeping one of his owne will and say it is commanded when he cannot prove it but upon the ground of his own imagination The fourth Commandement once commanded the seventh day in expresse words but never the first in the like termes it alwayes commandeth the duty of a holy day and when all dayes are alike it ceaseth not to command the duties of a holiday which are to be observed according to the determination which God hath left to the Christian Church which hath made the first day of the week above all other dayes what advise he gave the Apostles to begin it we read not their example is warrantable upon two grounds First because Christ made all dayes alike and therefore they had libertie to choose Secondly because he made it lawfull to esteeme one day above another and the assignment hath been to the first day and it were a sinne either to denie the first as a Iew or neglect the second as a prophane person I will conclude with the Apostle Who Gal 4.10 in a full enumeration confirmes our point in hand and takes away time as our Saviour takes away place Iohn 4.21 22. for they are holy alike and common alike so that a man would admire what they meane that plead holinesse of time and implead holinesse of place If God be no where to be worshipped hee is to be worshipped at no time for the solemitie of the one inferres the solemnity of the other and the nullitie of the one the nullitie of the other Time and place are but elements of Religion and in themselves weake and beggarly and commonly the weakest desire them and see not their bondage God knowes how to begin the A B C but hee likes not men should learn no further He compares time with time and tels the Galathâ—ans that once they knew not God but did as it were kindle their owne fires and compasse themselves about with their owne sparkles walke in the light of this fire warmed themselves by these speaks and for reward of their bad service might have lyen downe in sorrow Esay 50.11 But God in mercie altered their condition to know God and that which is more to be knowne of God in obeying the voice of Christ to receive light in him to trust in his Name and stay upon him as their God To this all other things are darknesse and yet as Philosophere teach us non dantur purae tenebrae there is no pâ—â—e darknesse without some mixture of light Their service and their seasons wanted signification Their service unto them which by nature were no gods testified of a duty done to an undue object him whom you ignorantly worship saith Saâ—â—â— Paul I declare unâ—o you Acts 17.23 Their seasons were now out of reason and especially to mix themselves with the Iews and to observe their days that is their weekly Sabbath Monthâ— that is every new Moon Times that is their three Feasts of Easter Pentecost and Tabeâ—macles Yeares that is every seventh yeare and the Iubile And here Saint Augustine must be a guide unto us lest wee take hold of time and turn it quite from God Contra Adamant Manich. cap. 15. Nos quoque dienâ— Dominis um â—n Pascha soleuniter â—e lebitamâ—â— quasliâ— alias Ghristicanas dierum festâ—◠〈◊〉 se◠〈…〉 quo pertioneant non temporae observamus sed quaeillis significantur temâ— poribus Wee keepe the Lords day and his Passeover solemnely and all other Christian Festivals but yet â—ee observe not times but the things signified iâ— them because we understand the ends to which they are appointed Christians having libertie use their time to his glory to whom they owe themselves and as the Apostleâ— kept the Iewish Saboath to gaine them by the opportunitâ— râ—â—tie of the day They kept also the â— ordaiday in marvelous equitie to remember him that had redeemed them and no man will deny that it is most equall that Iesus Christ should have such a part of our time 〈◊〉 Creation move us to yeeld him the last day in the 〈◊〉 Redemption will much move force 〈◊〉 finde him 〈…〉 thy of the first Wednesday and Friday are kept fests and the one is in memory of the treason of Iudas which must be thought of as ours to humble us for Iudaâ— could never have betrayed Christ it our fins had not done it and we cannot remember this but with detestation of ourselves and grieve that wee have done wrong to the most innocent as well as the most holy God Aperpetâ—all fast would never expiate the evill yet to remember it alwayes wayes and by the day to keepe it in memory is a duty no godly man will deny and his service that day may well be the Letanie as very fit in many passages to excite the humble soule to lamentation Friday is the memory of the curse for our treason no malediction had been upon our blessed Saviour if wee had not laid it upon him and sinne and Gods curse and all the causes of our lamentation which as we must never forgeâ— so there will be reason found why the Church chooseth dayes to remember them It is true that Saint Augustine tels us wee observe not times as Iewes and put Religion and confidence in a day
faithfull in all obedience to their Bishops as the chiefe of Pastours and the Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Trall as his consiliarii assessores english it as you will so you erre no more in your base account of Bishops What hath not Rome made offensive to vulgar eares the name of a Bishop Priest Altar Sacrifice and all Church-service is set at nought and wee abhorre to heare of veneiable antiquitie it s to small purpose to presse any thing upon them that have sworn to believe nothing but their own novelties and late inventions of discontented persons set on foot to trouble the peace and quiet of our Church which I beleeve holds in the most holy manner the Doctrine Fellowship Altar and Prayers expressed Acts 2.42 Storme not at the word Altar for breaking of bread cannot be without it in that sense which is so often inculcated in the Epistles of Saint Ignatius and think no man can be ignorant that will not wilfully blinde his eyes with prejudice to an Altar and rather make it any thing then an holy Table surely from fellow ship with Bishops he concludes his Altar as Saint Luke does breaking of bread from fellowship with the Apostles I would wish the separation of our times to take need lest to avoid Pope ry they part with puritie it selfe and do not so much find as forsake what they seek for if they take not ministerie from us they have none Then they can have no Baptism break no bread and where will they finde the marks and notes of their Church if they brand ours for none of Gods our Doctrine Fellowship Altar and Prayers will find footing when I feare they will faile in all if they opposeus in any May I conclude not be thought to flatter for I professe what I have said hath ever been my opinion that Bishops are by divine institution CHAP. VII The Cause and Cure of all our Contentions Vnitie in the Church is the path of peace which Papists and Sectaries disturbe in a contrary course The one misplacing the head the other the feet and both set them where they should not The Papists place their Popc where they should place all Bishops and Sectaries seeke that in the feet which is onely to be found in the head Saint Cyprian de unitate Eccles compares the universall power and jurisdiction of Bishops to an head which derives all the vertue to the bodie To a root which feeds and fils all the branches To a fountain from which flow all streams To the Sunne that sends forth all rayes and beames c. This head root fountain and Sun the Papists make their Pope all Bishops but members branches streames and beames of him Ab uno Episcopatu tanquam ab uno capite radice fonte sole oriuntur omnes Episcapi hujus Episcopatus a singulis in solidum pars tenetur A singulis in solidum every Bishop holds wholly for his part whatsoever is in the whole The head root fountain and Sun are similar and alike in all the members The same vertue is in one Bishop that is in all Bishops and the body being univocall hath but one essence in al the parts of it Order jurisdiction is the same and nothing heterogeneall but the Popes challenge to take all to himselfe and make Bishops stand to his courtesie for their calling and power as if all the Sea were in Tyber or the whole Sunne in the Romane Sphere the root in one branch and all the vertue of the head in one member Sectaries are as senslesse that take off the head to give life to the feet raise up the root that the branches may flourish Cut off the fountain that the streames may flow and remove the Sun out of its Orbe that they may enjoy the light These be our diseases whose causes and cure we are now to seeke out and hope it will helpe us to recover our misery I suppose I may reduce all the causes to two heads Envie and Ignorance Envie of the persons Ignorance of the calling of our Bishops Their persons and practices are so hated that Timothy and Titus must be unbishoped for their sakes We imagine corruptions in Bishops and cast such eyes of discontent upon them that we cannot abide to heare of their calling I am confident till that be established our contentions will never cease They are the words of holy Ignatius breathing with the sweet spirit that was in the beloved Disciple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fly the division of unitie his arguments which are as medicines to cure the disease are foure Epist ad Philad First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one faith to be beleeved of all Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one predication of the same as an effectuall meanes Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Eucharist to seale it wherein are many unities to perswade us from division First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one flesh of our Lord Iesus Christ given for us Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one bloud shed for us Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one bread visibly broken to us Fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one cup distributed to us all Fiftly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Altar or Table where we communicate The last argument is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Bishop together with the Presbytery and Deacons This laft unitie being disturbed disturbes all the rest and because all the spite is against the Bishops wherein lyes the Churches unitie we will vindicate the truth thereof and prove plainly that Bishops as the best instruments derive all power and peace to the Church and that without them no unitie can possibly in all the rest be imagined or mayntained We will begin with the mayn text Eph. 4.11 12. There is a double calling for a threefold end First extraordinary in Apostles Prophets Evangelists Secondly ordinary in Pastors and Teachers Vpon these two hangs the perfection of the Saints work of the Ministery and edification of the universall Church In the first wee have that calling which is of God and by God alone In the second that which is also of God but by man and here we must inquire by what men the Scripture resolves us by the Apostles and by no others and therfore Timothy and Titus could be no Evangelists for two reasons First because they were not called immediatly of God and by God but of God by man and Saint Paul witnesseth hee ordained Timothy 2. Tim. 1.6 and no question the same is to be said of Titus Secondly both these ordained others which was effected by no extraordinary persons before them since the Apostles The objection is that Timothy is bidden doe the work of an Evangelist and therefore is one of their number By this reason I must reckon also the foure Evangelists and reduce them to the same order and so confound Apostles and Evangelists A cleere distinction will remedie this confusion First some Evangelists were writers of the Gospel Secondly others