two Supremacies for so it was before Henry 8. and so it s exprest in my Case and where I pray you is such a distinction exprest to be continued since Henry the 8th You cannot shew it nor doth any thing that you bring Parag 8. or 9. conclude it distinct they were but not so distinct but still they and their priviledges were under the power of the same Supremacie as your self confess Parag. 10 11. where your insinuation against me of seting up two Supremacies is but a flash for I shall shew in the last Chapter that the Supremacie I give to the Parliament is not absolute but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and two such are not inconsistent neither doth such respective Supremacie make the Parliament lawless or subject to no power and for your closing question Where then are the two Supremacies that you erect I answer I affirm it was so but now it is abolisht and so I charge not you with it but infer that being equally under one Supremacie that one Supremacie hath equal power over the priviledges of both which was the thing to be proved Neither do I deny what you affirm parag 12 13. That there are two distinct jurisdictions in our Land under the same head Neither do I denie de facto but a Bishop by the standing laws is regularly the Kings immediate Officer to the Kings Court of Justice in causes Ecclesiastical But the querie is whether this be so unalterable that the King and Parliament may not put it to a companie of Presbyters Which you have not yet disproved Whether covetousnes and ambition be more amongst Prelates then Presbyters whom you accuse God must judge But whether they be not like to rest more among those that would ingross all then among those that would have jurisdiction and maintenance divided men may easily judge For what you say parag 14. of Timothy and Titus I formerly proved them to be Evangelists and what they had extraordinarie to be ceas'd what they have ordinary to rest in Pastors who are Presbyter-Bishops the highest ordinarie Officers For that saying of Cyprian Ecclesia super Episcopos constituitur I would have you reconcile it with that 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay then that which is layd Jesus Christ We acknowledg de facto in Cyprians time that the acts of the Church were ruled by the Bishops but that as Jeroms tells you was by humane custome not Divine disposition nor was it without Presbyters as you would have it who therefore are as far from the government of his times as we what you quote after may be but the heat of a Bishop to whom we oppose Saint Ierem on Titus 1. and Phil. 1. What you cite out of Ignatius is spoken as upon search I finde onely of that Bishop as he then stood Orthodox in opposition to some cursed weeds or Hereticks of the devils planting but when the Bishop was an Heretick as you know in many places it often fell out would they have been blessed or cursed that held with the Bishop think you For what you add touching the privileges of Clergy For the most part you falsly calumniate me that I seek to ruine them you know I call the alieanation of their means Sacriledg neither do I envie any of their just priviledges but this is that which I have in hand whereas there be two sorts of priviledges some Divine some humane I question onely whether those humane priviledges separable from the offices appointed by Christ in his word such as the Monarchie of one above all other may not upon advisement for the good of the Republique admit of alteration as well as Laypriviledges Therefore you slander me grosly in objecting that I would take away all honour from the Ministery that the Scriptures by prophesie or precept have given to them But you on the contrarie egregiously abuse the Scripture in applying what the Scripture saith by way of honour or priviledg of the Ministerie that is of Apostles Prophets Evanglists and Presbyter-Bishops which onely are the Scriptures Bishops to a few Diocesans Creatures whom the holy page never knew And so you-sleight the generalitie of Pastors to exalt a few Lord-Bishops Constantines affection was pious to the Ministers of Christ But the Bishops he honoured so were men of another condition then those you plead for they lorded it not in the Church without the joynt help of their Presbyters in government And further if there were not some error of the times in some of the honours which he gave how came they so quickly to fall together by the ears for Primacie And to give occasion to that observation That when their Chalices were wooden the Bishops were golden but the Bishops became woodden when their Chalices became golden Sure the general abuse gives occasion to suspect some error in expression of those affections But I hope I have said enough to let the intelligent Reader see how far that assertion that I maintain to prooure peace and safetie to Church and Kingdom ready to perish by an unnatural war is from detracting from any just or useful respect commanded from the people to the Ministers if faithful though the meanest Pastours which I know and people will finde God will reward as done to himself But one thing is not unworthy notice in parag 8. Where you say Paul willeth the Philippians to receive Epaphroditus their Apostle or Bishop and also chargeth them to hold such in reputation Consider I pray you had not the Philippians then other such as Epaphroditus else why doth he give them charge of others of like quality And may you not thence see that Epaphroditus was no singular Bishop but such an one as might have other Presbyters his fellows in like honours Case of Conscience Resolved VVHo knows not that one of the priviledges of the Clergie was for the Bishops to sit and vote in the House of Peers yet that is abolisht as incongruous to their calling And then why may not the removall of their Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction be consented to as well if it prove inconvenient and prejudicial to the Church The abolition of the one is no more against the oath then of the other CHAP. VI. Answering Doctor Boughens explanations for the removall of Bishops out of the House of Lords in his 12. chapter I Proceed now to examine your 12. Chapter spent most upon the Theam whether it be incongruous to the calling of Bishops to sit and vote in Parliament And here you are very passionate but I must first tell you your passionate follie falls more foul on King and Parliament then me for I do but render the reason given by them in effect in the very statute * Anno 17. Car. R. An act for disabling all persons in holy Orders to exercise any temporall jurisdiction or authority The words are these whereas Bishops and other persons in holy orders ought not to be intangled with secular jurisdiction the office of the
the Pastor some to the poor some to other pious uses but when your Prelates grew Lordly the like not that and therefore by little and little they changed the Deacons office and made themselves proprietaries of the great revenues and thereby great Princes and you can abuse Scripture to confirm it as the Papists do to exalt the Pope But Paul say you commanded Timothy that the Presbyters be well provided for 1 Tim. 5.17 And to what purpose was this charge unless he were to provide for the Presbyters of his Church For very good purpose as the Apostle shews you himself 1 Tim. 4.11 These things command and teach He was to teach it others to perform it for though he set Presbyters on work in some sense yet it was not for himself but Christ and his Church and they who reap'd their spirituals were to pay them temporals 1 Cor. 9. And you dream when you talk of Timothyes table or allowing maintenance Alas he had no Palace then he kept no Prince-like table to feed his Presbyters these fancies will be ridiculous to learned men especially to Bishops to lay the charge on them to maintain all the Presbyters in their Diocess Yet you say in those times Bishops and Presbyters were used to live in the same house What all the Presbyters in a Diocess and in the Apostles time Alas Sir they were like their Master they had no houses but what they hired nor no tables but where they sojourned as appears by Divine story With what face can you deliver such improbabilities But Parag. 10. You enquire Whence the want of maintenance for preaching Presbyters ariseth and you answer it is from the appropriation of tythes at the dissolution of Abbeys This is true in part but not in the whole for I believe the greater part of Appropriations are held of Bishops and Deans and Chapters and if the Bishops be to maintain the Presbyters and withhold the tythes who is the thief now At least thus far the attempt is just to restore their impropirations And I must tell you this too That there was scarce any Gentleman of any ingenuitie or affection to religion but he made a far more considerable addition out of his impropriation to the incumbent then either Bishops or Deans and Chapters Though the one purchased them when the other swore they came into them freely Nay some Gentlemen resigned their impropriations freely I can hear of no Bishop that hath done so though you say they are bound to maintain their Presbyters You close with a jeer but therein discover your ignorance Impropriations were injurious you confess and if they be not valid in law why do not you supply the cure of some great impropriation and recover the tythes in a legall way if you cannot my position is truth and so not dissonant from the God of truth Parag. 11. You bring my words that if Bishops Lands were bestowed on Presbyters This would be not ruine but to rectifie the devotion of former ages which you say is somewhat like Cardinall Woolsey's pretence who dissolved fourty small Monasteries of ignorant Monks to erect two goodly Colledges for the breeding up learned and industrious Divines was not this to turn impediments into helps was not this as fair a pretence as mine yes the very same and I think few godly and rationall men will disallow it But you would prove by the event that this was not accepted of God because his Colledges were not brought to perfection But vulgus res eventu metitur it s for vulgar capacities to judge of things by the event not Doctors of Divinitie And had Cardinall Woolsey think you no other sins to make God blast his design but this pious attempt Sure no man that knows his story will so judg but this gave occasion to profuse sacriledg but occasions are not alwaies culpable of ill events unless they becauses also as this was not but the covetousness and igonrance with other lusts of ill-guided men Parag. 12. you enquire what the meaning of these words is this will turn pomp into use I answer not what you say but so that wealth which of late served for the useless pomp of one only Princely Lord Bishop would provide many able preachers for the use and edification of the Church But you proceed and say that the power of Bishops which were the main impediments to schism and heresie we have covenanted to root out and have brought in all helps to irreligion and Atheism c. But this is but a false suggestion of yours for though the power of Episcopacie as Jerome saith was first erected to prevent schism yet amongst us of late as I have shewed it was the great occasion of schism the fautor of divers heresies That there have of late appeared more heresies and schism among us then formerly is not because Episcopacie was pul d down but because we were so long without Presbyterie setled which is yet but lamely done for where that is setled it would far better prevent the rise and growth of heresie then Episcopacie as King James demonstrated to Mountague Bishop of Bath and Wells demanding of him upon the occasion of Legatts Arrianism what the reason should be that Scotland was so free from schism and heresie when England was far more pestered with both The relation out of a learned Author you may take as followeth When Legatt the Arrian and Weakman Scoti paracl contra Tileri praen from the relation of a Courtier of good credit lib. 1. c. 8 that affirmed himself to be the Holy Ghost were put to death Mountague Bishop of Bath and Wells ask'd King James seriously whence it was that England did bring forth Sects heresies schisms insomuch that many families before we were aware separated from us and fled away whereas no such thing was observed to happen in the Church of Scotland To whom the King as most skilfull in this cause most wisely answered That such was the Discipline of the Scotch Church that it was impossible for such things to fall out amongst them for first saith the King you must know that every Church hath its Pastor alwaies resident and vigilant in his parish and this Pastor hath joyned with him Seniors and Deacons which every week meet together at a set time and place for the censure of manners that almost the whole flock is known by face to the Pastor and the conditions disposition and religion of everyone is made apparent no heresie therefore can spring up in a Parish without notice taken by the Pastor and to prevent the rooting of any error in a Pastor They have every week their Presbyteries composed of all the Pastors in a Shrievalty or Deanrie in the chief City of that precinct and this not only to decide the more weighty questions touching manners but also to try doctrine it self Here do prophesie at least two whereof the first doth only open the text and expound it The second doth give the
promotion which was competible but to a few So the second inconvenience pressed parag 13.14.15 is avoided also parag 16. All the inconvenience you say that Master Geree presseth is that we are not subject to the Parliament But how far forth we are and are not we shall hear anon Parag. 17.18 You tell me I speak much of a first and ' second oath I answer if that be an error I was led into it by my first Opponent that distinguish'd between oath and oath and the oath to maintain the priviledges of the Clergie he saith expresly is taken after the oath to the whole Realm neither do I see any thing in your Analysis of the oath here or the delineation of the oath in the beginning of your Book that invalidates the expression of my Opponent in realitie though in some formalitie it doth For there I see that the King had particularly and distinctly engaged himself to the whole Realm before he came to the Bishops which are the onely part of the Clergie about whom our controversie is and what he last promises to them confirmed by his oath must not contradict what he hath promised to the other which promise must be understood to have a prioritie in order in the bond of the oath as well as in the bond of the promise Parag. 19. You speak of sending us to Magna Charta to know who the People and Commons of this Kingdom are c. whith only fills up so much paper being nothing to the question in hand But Parag. 20. You reckon up the Priviledges of the Church as you have gleaned them out of Magna Charta and Sir Edward Cook in number 8. The second is that no Ecclesiasticall person be amerced according to the value of his Ecclesiasticall benefice but according to his lay-tenement and according to the quality of his offence The latter clause is reason the former a priviledg without reason and prejudiciall to the Civill state and gives many Ecclesiastical persons leave to sin impunè The fourth That all Ecclesiasticall persons shall enjoy all their lawfull jurisdictions and other rights wholly without any diminution or substraction whatsoever I pray you if the Kings Coronation-oath engage so to the confirmation of this priviledg that the king cannot consent to allow it by Act of Parliament how can that act be justified that enables the Crown of England to appoint what persons else they will to execute all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction in this kingdom If that statute were lawfully made notwithstanding this oath why then may not another statute be made against their standing sith by the former they may be made unusefull and yet the former you brag you have engaged your selves to maintain in your oath of supremacie Parag. 9. The fifth priviledg you name is that a Bishop is regularly the Kings immediate Officer to the Kings Court of justice in causes Ecclesiasticall Whence I gather that by our law a Bishop is a kings creature no Apostle for he was the immediate Officer of Christ though subject in doing or suffering to the Civill Magistrate though heathen You conclude that it is provided by act of Parliament that if any judgment be given contrary to any points in the great Charter it shall be holden for nought c. True unless it be upon some particular statute of a latter Parliament with the king enacting things to the contrarie Parag. 21. You say that I go forward as if it were certain that this to the Clergie was a severall oath from that to the people I answer I disputed upon my opponents proposals and learned opponents do not use to make their cause worse then it is nor indeed doth he for though the king swear but once yet he ptomiseth the things he sweareth severally and the promise of this to the Bishops in question is last and therefore in competition must give way to other engagements neither do the statutes for confirmation of Magna Charta binde the hands of succeeding Parliaments Whose hands as the leaaned Chancellor Bacon observes cannot be bound by their Predecessors if they see reason of alteration a supream and absolute power saith he cannot conclude it self Hist of H. 7. p. 145. CHAP. X. PARAG. 3. Shewing that the Clergie are equally under the Parliament as well as Laytie in answer to Doctor Boughen's 9. Chapter I Now come to answer your ninth Chapter which is an angrie one which makes me think that you were sorely puzled My Dilemma is They are subject to the Parliament or they are not He answers subject they are to the Parliament consisting of head and members not to the members alone without the head for we are subject to the members only for the heads sake Truly this grant is all that I desire or need for the Parliament I propose the Dilemma about is that which consists of head and members united to which if they be subject then may these joyntly determine of any of their priviledges in their own nature alterable as they do of those of the people Indeed the King and Parliament ought not to take away any priviledges that are for edification but such as prove impediments rather but of that they are to be Judges in the application of their power and that 's all needfull to be said to parag 1 2 3 4 5. And yet I leave it with confidence to the judicious Reader as also what I have said in the former Paragraph touching a former and latter oath But whereas you ask Parag. 6. with what face I can say that the Kings oath to the Clergie is inconsistent with his oath to the people parag 6. I wonder with what face you can aver it when as I directly say it must not and therefore take off an interpretation of it that would make it inconsistent whereas you say the nation is weary of the Presbyterian government in three years it s but a piece of none-sence sith this three years except a little liveless shew in the City of London and some few places more the truth is and our miserie is that we have been under no Ecclesiasticall government at all Parag. 7. You mention my words if the oath had such a sence when the Clergie were a distinct Corporation on which you spend your judgment if you know what sence is Truly Sir you are the worst at picking out sence that ever I knew of a D. D. My meaning is plain if the oath had a sence to exempt them from power of Parliament it must be when they were a distinct Corporation under another Supremacie which now you disclaim Parag. 8. You mistake in saying I am zealous in distinguishing you and your Priviledges I answer to the distinction brought by my opponent that it is not such but that the Priviledges of Clergie and People I mean such as are alterable are equally under Parliamentarie power for alteration on just grounds And the kings oath to you is as obligatorie as to the people in the right
argument runs not on the men but the office it self as it then stood excluding Presbyters from part in government which was not the act of any extravagant Bishop but the ordinarie custome of them all so not the men but the office it self was in an abusive posture in excluding Presbyterie from participation in government which is the thing to be proved Which thing you confess I endeavour to prove by Syllogism which you set down parag 3. That power which despoyls any of Christs officers of any priviledg or duty indulged or injoyned them by the word of God that power is an usurpation against the word But this Prelacy did as it stood in England ergo English Prelacy was an usurpation against the word of God Parag. 4. You think to retort this argument on the Parliament to prove them as well to be an usurpation because they have sequestred and dispoyled many of you Presbyters of preaching and ruling in their Congregations But herein I must tell you you bewray your own not the weakness of my argument for my argument runs not upon any particular officers whether justly or unjustly despoiled But of all the officers as they are officers of which Episcopacie was guiltie excluding all Presbyters from partnership in government And had you had your wits about you that can put the dul man upon others this you might easily have seen and that any in the Syllogism notes not particulars in any office but the kinds of officers prescribed by Christ But Parag. 5. You would teach me to speak had you said say you that power that wrongfully dispoyls any of Christs officers and then you tell me I have not learnt it seems to distinguish between justly and unjustly But it seems you though a D. D. have not learnt to understand plain sence For in that sence that my words should be taken can I pray you any kinde of officers be wholly dispoiled of a privileledg or abridged in a dutie lest on record by Christ justly Sure then there must be some power that can controul Christs institution without injustice or usurpation You add as wise an amplification that Gods word and mine are two Gods word saith Non est potestas nisi a Deo there is no power but of God Rom. 13.1 But you say say you of me that there is a power which is an usurpation against the word of God It seems then you think that there is no usurped power in the world or Church no not the Popes claim to both the swords Sure you are a learned interpreter of Scriptures whereas its plain the Apostle speaks onely of all kinds of lawful civil powers not denying but some may usurpe a power that belongs not to them as the Pope doth and it s in question between you and me whether Prelacie did or no. You add I cannot distinguish between the office and the abuse Will you then acknowledg it was an abuse in Episcopacie to ingross all government If you do you grant the question if not you trifle Do you not know Master Doctor that these be two things an usurp'd power and an usurpation in power If Episcopacie have no inflitution from Christ it s an usurp'd power an office without institution that question I wave If there be institution for Episcopacie yet if Presbyterie should govern with it and be excluded this is not an abuse of persons but an incroachment of one office upon another This I accuse prelacie of as it stood one would think this were plain enough to a vulgar capacitie yet you run on in your mistake And Parag. 6. Mention divers examples of particular officers and abusing their power in unjust censures or using it in a just way Which is meer trifling as I shall make it appear by your last instance about Bishops depriving Ministers For I question not now the Bishops or you for calling Truth Heresie nor for the abuse of power in suspending or depriving for unjust causes but for doing it solely without the counsel and consent of a Presbyterie wherein I shall hereafter clear to you they usurp more then the practise and counsels of former Bishops allowed them This is the plain state of the business and its ridiculous to undertake the answer of a Treatise and mistake the plain state of the question But Parag. 7. You come to the Minor and that 's trifling still on the same mistake but to seem to say something at last you say It is as false aspeech to say Prelacy dispoiles any as to say Judicatory wrongs any Where still you bewray your ignorance in comparing an act to an office but may not one Court dispoil another Did not you or some Prelates think these Courts did dispoyl them of their rights heretofore that granted Prohibitions in point of tythes c. and so the Civil power incroach on the Ecclesiastique Why else were some Judges so frown'd on by some Prelates for such prohibitions Parag. 8. You come to my proof which I set down Presbyters are by Christs warrant in Scripture indued with power to rule in their Congregations as well as preach you adde in your own character to as well as much why you know best others may guess For proof I bring four Scriptures the first from 1 Tim. 3.5 If any cannot rule his own house how shall he take care for the Church of God Here is care saith the Doctor to be taken for the Church but no rule given to the Presbyter in the Church unless you will allow as much power to rule in his Parish as he hath in his own house Is it so Doctor is there none given because none is exprest Is there not rule in the Church implyed Hear Theophilact a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in 1 Tim. 3.4 Again in ver 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the house is but as a little Church If therefore he know not how to rule a little and easily circumscribed and known Church how shall he govern so many souls whose mindes he cannot know To the same purpose Chrysostome b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. for the Church is a certain house but if the Rector of the Church have assistants in government so hath the husband the wife in his house Now what the Rectors fellows in government are whether lay-Elders or no let the Doctor inquire He concludes it is far more easie to govern an house then the Church therefore he that cannot govern an house c. So you see that place gives by implication government to a Presbyter If you object what Chrysostome after hinteth as though the things here spoken were meant of one of your Bishops first you your self judge the contrary next it will do you no good for he saith the Apostle passeth from Bishops to Deacons not mentioning the order of Presbyters because between a Bishop and a Presbyter there 's almost no difference for the care of the Church is committed to them to wit Presbyters and what
honour in rule and after by manifest usurpation ingrost all appropriate the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to himself but that the word notes rule And this title is given to all Presbyters Act. 20.28 Feed the flock over whom the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops Over-seers This is said of all the Presbyters without any hint of distinction and doth not this note government Let me ask you a question have you not read Bilsons perp government of the Church of Christ Can you finde no rule belonging there to Presbyters It s then because you cannot see wood for trees pag. 140. He notes government to be comprehended under the titles of Shepherd Watchmen Over-seers Rulers Guides and these titles belong to all Presbyters And pag. 141. The government spoken of 1 Cor. 12.28 He makes common to Pastors Prophets and Teachers and producing that of Jerom Communi Presbytorum consilio regebantur Ecclesiae He adds of his own That Elders at first did govern by common advice is no doubt at all to us This is it which is doubted and denyed by us that those Elders were lay-men pag. 158.159 And after to prove that the Presbyters were not Lay but Ecclesiastical he produceth Jeroms words with approbation Bishops and Presbyters were at first all one and what doth a Bishop save Ordination which a Presbyter doth not Bishops must know that they are greater then Presbyters rather by custom then truth of the Lords disposition and ought to govern the Church in common pag. 150. And all this he cites out of Jerome for his own defence That what Jerome spake he spake of teaching not ruling Presbyters But what need I add particulars the sume of his 11 Chapter is not to deny but taking it for granted that in Primitive times there was a Presbyterie that was joyned in government with the Bishops without which he neither could nor ought to do any thing in point of censure taking I say this for granted he endeavours to prove those Presbyters consisted onely of teaching not lay-Elders Chapter 14. Setting out the use of Presbyters in the fourth use he hath these words The government of the Church was as first so constituted that neither the Presbyteries should do any thing without the Bishop nor the Bishop without a Presbytery pag. 307. Thus far Bilson How clear is that of Tertullian for the rule of Presbyters Nam judicatur magno cum pondere ut apud certos de Dei conspectu summumque futuri judicij praejudicium est siquis ita deliquerit â—ut a commucicatione orationis conventus omnis Sancti commercij relegetur Praesident probati quique seniores honorem istum non praetio sed testimonio adepti Thus it is as clear as the Sun that ruling is injoyned as a duty and given as a priviledg to the Presbyter of which it was dispoiled in England by Episcopacie and therefore to maintain Episcopacie in that posture was to maintain it in usurpation against Christs disposition and so unlawful But you require Parag. 14. one place of Scripture that allows Presbyters to excommunicate or absolve of their own authority I answer in all the places where they are made Church-Governours they are inabled in a regular way to pass all Church-censures and of those places I have produced and asserted many as also where the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven are given to the Ministerie in general in the Apostles and the place above cited in Tertullian doth it not extend to excommunication and that censure to be pass'd by Elders But do you shew me on the contrary in Scripture a Bishop that is an ordinary Pastor distinct from a Presbyter indued with sole power of rule in the Church I will be of your mind Your instances of Timothy and Titus will not serve your turn for that they were Evangelists Bilson confesseth more then once the Scripture never calls them Bishops They are called so by the ancients because they did those acts that by humane custome were afterwards appropriated to Bishops in regard of presidencie but they did them not as Bishops which they are not called but as Evangelists which they were and were called in Scripture For your speech in this clause of particular mens silencing it 's impertiment and for the cause it 's delivered in your railing Dialect which I pass by and of the same railing strain is all your 15. Parag. only you tell us by Scriptures we are made subject to Bishops and I have told you and you confess in Scripture Bishops and Presbyters are all one only you have a vain conceit of an Apostle-Bishop of which more anon Parag. 16.17 You endeavour an answer to that that the Presbyters were subjected to lay-Chancellors but it is only by way of retorsion direct answers you are not furnished with but refer us to the Doctors Commons and yet I doubt not but you have taken the oath with an c. that swears to perpetuitie more then Chancellors but how do you retort first we have set many lay-Chancellors for one as the Parliament and Committees ridiculous when we speak of Ecclesiastical Officers to retort touching those that are civil But secondly you retort that though we complain of one lay-Chancellor we subject Gentry and Commonalty to many Lay-Elders and say not say you that there be preaching Elders with them lest it be return'd upon you that the lay-Chancellor is but the Bishops Officer in such cases of Judicature c. But I will say that they have preaching Presbyters amongst them and more then you can say for Chancellors yet they are to be chosen by the people in general over whom they are to be and though you say the Chancellor is but the Bishops Officer Yet it is apparent in the woful experience of many Ministers that he is such an Officer that without and against the Bishops minde hath convented and suspended Ministers which is more power then the Bishop ought to have Episcopus sacerdotibus ac Ministris solus honorem dare potest auferre non potest confest by Bilson perpet govern pag. 107. where the Counsel of Hispalis 2 ca. 2. and Counsel of Afric ca. 26. are cited what you add about institutions by Chancellors is nothing to me who never yet had institution nor hath it any sense in it that it should be against Gods direction to receive institution from a lay-Chancellor as our land makes a Rectorie an inheritance wherein the Civil Magistrate doth protect us You conclude Parag. 18. That my first argument you hope is sufficiently confuted You have done your best it 's like yet it stands in full force and vertue That if the Kings oath bindes him to maintain Episcopacie as it stood in practise and as it is in your famous c. oath It is an engagement in that point to what is against Scriptures rale and primitive practice therefore an obligation to what is unlawful and in that point invalid In the close you cannot give off
a Presbyter The one a successor of the Apostles indued with power of ordination and other jurisdiction the other the Successor of the Presbyters ordained by Timothy and Titus endued with power of administring word and Sacraments Neg. FOr the sounder and clearer resolving of this question I shall proceed by way of Thesis fetching things from the first original barely proposing only what is confest by all but proving those things wherein there is any controversie or whereon the controversie hath dependance Thesis 1. first its agreed amongst all that all the teaching Officers that can challenge Livine institution are set down in an intire Catalogue Eph. 4.11 And gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers and therefore all that cannot derive their pedigree from one of these must be in the case of those Neh. 7.64 Thesis 2. That of these Officers some were extraordinary some ordinary Thesis 3. That Apostles Prophets Evangelists were extraordinary officers for the first planting of Churches and Pastors and Teachers ordinarie Thesis 4. That the extraordinary officers were temporary and the ordinary to be perpetual in the Church Bilson perp govern p. 300. The office of Evangelists was extraordinary and temporary Field of the Church lib. 5. c. 22. And indeed whatsoever is extraordinary is temporary Thesis 5. That Apostles were the highest of extraordinary officers and Pastors the highest of those that were ordinary Apostles are named first and all that are named before Pastors are acknowledged extraordinary Ephes 4.11 Thesis 6. That in the extraordinary Officers there were some gifts and acts peculiar to them as such as to the Apostles immediate calling divine inspiration infallibility in doctrine universal charge and in the Evangelist to be an assistant to an Apostle not to be perpetually fixt to any place but for the finishing some special work as Timothy at Ephesus 1 Tim. 1.3 Titus at Creet cap. 1.5 3.12 Secondly There were some qualities and actions which though required in and done by them as extraordinary officers in an extraordinary way yet are of necessitie and are in an ordinarie way perpetually to be continued in the Church of God as abilities to teach and rule the Church and the acts of teaching praying ordination of Ministers Church-censures c. See Bilson perp govern chap. 7. pag. 106 107. Thesis 7. That these Pastors Eph. 4.11 that are the highest ordinary Officers are Successors to the Apostles in all that power and authoritie and all those acts flowing from it which are necessary perpetual and ordinary in the Church of God This also is clear power and authoritie require a subject divine power and authoritie a subject of divine institution Now no other remains of those of Gods institution but Pastors and Teachers which if they be not the same Pastor is the chief The other as temporary are ceased therefore Pastors must be their successors in all this power and in them must the commands for execution be kept without spot or unrebukable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 6.14 And to them must that Apostolical promise be performed Matth. 28.20 Behold I am with you to the end of the world Thesis 8. The Pastors and Teachers 1 Cor. 12.28 Eph. 4.11 are no other but Synonymaes with those Elders ordained in every Church Acts 14.23 and in every City Tit. 1.5 This is clear for those Elders that were here ordained were officers of Christs giving The Apostles would ordain no other it had been sacrilegious presumption but they were neither Apostles Prophets nor Evangelists Ergo if Christs they must be under either Pastors or Teachers Thesis 9. These Elders were by the Holy Ghost also stiled Bishops and were indeed Bishops aliud aetatis aliud officii nomen and of them it is that direction is given under the name of Bishops 1 Tim. 3. Herein Jerome is most plain seconded by Ambrose or Hilary an approved Author under his name who though they differ from other fathers who understand by Bishop Hieron in Ep. ad Titum 1 Tim. 3.2 Bishop distinct from a Presbyter such as was in their times Yet Jeromes reason preponderates all because drawn out of the bowels of the Text 1 Titus 1.5 6 7. Attend saith he the words of the Apostle who having discours'd of the qualities of a Presbyter after infers for a Bishop must be blameless c. Therefore a Bishop and a Presbyter are the same Again if any yet doubt saith he whether a Bishop and a Presbyter be not all one let him read the Apostle Phil. 1.1 Paul and Timotheus the servants of Jesus Christ to all the Saints which are in Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons Philippi saith he was a City of Macedonia and certainly in one City as now they are called more Bishops could not be But St. Paul thus wrote because at that time Presbyters and Bishops were all one If yet this seem ambiguous saith he that Presbyters and Bishops were all one it may be proved by another testimony It 's written in the Acts of the Apostles when St. Paul came to Miletum he sent to Ephesus and called to him thence the Elders of that Church to whom amongst other things he spake thus Take heed to your selves and to your flock over which the Holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops to feed the Church of God c. Observe this diligently saith he how calling the Presbyters of one City Ephesus he afterwards calls them Bishops he adds Heb. 13.17 1 Pet. 5.1 2. and concludes these things that we might shew that amongst the Ancients Presbyters and Bishops were the same Thesis 10. After the decease of the extraordinary Officers Apostles Prophets Evangelists and their Office with cause of it with them the Church acknowledgd no other Church-Officers as instituted of Christ but only the two mentioned 1 Tim. 3. Titus 1. 1 Bishops or Presbyters 2 Deacons Clemens mentioned Phil. 4.3 who is witnessed by Tertullian to be ordained of St. Peter himself de prescrip in an Epistle to the Corinthians writes thus The Apostles preaching through the Countries and Regions their first fruits whom they had tryed by the spirit they appointed for Bishops and Deacons to believers Here you see by the Apostles were constituted but these two Offices Bishops and Deacons of whom he afterwards saith that those that have humbly and unblameably ministred to the sheep-fold of Christ those we may not think may be justly thrown out of their Ministry whence he infers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It 's a filthy thing beloved yea very filthy and unworthy that conversation which is in Christ Jesus to hear that the most strong and ancient Church of Corinth for one or two persons should make a faction against their Presbyters He concludes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You therefore who have laid the foundation of sedition be instructed to repent and be subject to your Presbyters so whom he called Bishops he now calls
motion I may also justly take occasion to give notice that our Reformation hath been counted defective for keeping up Episcopacy in its height and not either abolishing it or at lest bringing it within the ancient limits with a Presbytery which now is offered by the King And what other reformed Churches can the Author name but it was part of their Reformation to take away Diocesan Episcopacy Parag. 15. You express a needless grief to hear from a Preacher of the Word that the Bishops must lay down wealth honour and Mytres or else the Crown must run an hazzard Are you sorrie to hear a Preacher speak the truth hath not the Crown run an hazzard in this respect as well as others But whereas you say I give notice of what hath been the cause of my factious preaching you falsly slander for though I know no cause that I should have had to grieve to see the Bishops stript of their greatness in a fair way yet I have as seriously and sincerely grieved for the hazzard of of the Crown as your self and have been as far from furthering it For that you add that few of the Bishops have gained so much by the Church as their breeding cost their parents It will be credible but to a few except to those that know at what rates they made friends in the Court to procure them Parag. 16. You tell me I might have done well to have directed this passage to the Parliament Truly you say true and those that know me know I have not been backward to press and perswade a condescension on their parts as well as on the Kings and that in writing too which on as good an occasion as I had to print my Case may see the light But the Bishops have not been so innocent as you make them for schism they did not prevent it but partly made it by casting out both Ministers and people for their own inventions that willingly and peaceably would have held communion in all Gods ordinances partly occasion'd it by neglect of good Discipline and rigorously requiring conformitie to humane ceremonies for Heresies they did foster them How did the most of them connive at Papists advance Arminians and Socinians while they pretended against Socinianism Blasphemie in one kinde they hinder'd not in that they let blaspemous swearers pass without discipline and enjoy the priviledges of Sacraments Atheism they promoted by hindring the preaching of the Gospel which they were enemies to for the most part to uphold their dumb Ministerie and for fear their idleness should be censured They taught rebellion against the Lord in teaching men to prophane his Sabboths They hindred not but occasioned blood-shed in oppressing Scotland with illegal impositions stirring up the King to war against them and to break his Pacification with them which was the egg that hath bred this cockatrice that is like to destroy all This I speak not of all but some of them nor out of a delight I have to rake in other mens sores but to shew you that Bishops grew not into such odium among the people for nothing nor were they without miscarriages that occasioned such a violence against them and yet for my part I grieve that the peoples dislike of them had not acted in a more orderly and regular way Parag. 17. For Seldens distinction between the Abbot and the Abbey it seems he is better at relating distinctions then practising them And its good to observe that distinction where the man is Gods instituted Officer but that neither Abbot was nor Diocesan Bishop is but both humane creatures Parag. 18. Your quarrell is at my expression of bringing Bishops to moderation which you in a jeering way say is annihilation but as wise a man as you may be deceived for though that relation or title of Episcopacie be taken away wherewith man hath exalted them yet they may retain that place that God hath given them to serve him as Pastors in some parochiall charge as they did before their Episcopacie which he that disdains or thinks nothing or that it is too low for him I dare be bold to say it is too good for him Parag. 19. For that you say that the King suffers for the Bishops obstinacy the more disrespective they not to yield that he may be enlarged if that would do it you know what Gregory Nazianzen not inferior to any of them did for peace for what you relate here and else-where in an accusatorie way of what is done to the Bishops and Clergie I might object what hath been done to the Clergie of the other side when under opposite power but I have neither furthered nor approved the oppressions of neither side but bewail them and fear Gods judgments for them And therefore in your Parag. 20. is slander out of malice or mistake that I have preacht for the Bishops wealth or Mytre c. but your opinion is at last if others be so violent to put him to it the King and his posterity must perish e're you will consent to part with your greatness and honour Sure if you count those that put the King upon this strait his enemies no wise man will count you who will rather let him perish by the rigour of others then relieve him by your condescension good friends you love greatness so that you will rather lose it with him then release it to contribute to his preservation Is this your boasted of affection and loyaltie This shews what you pretend love to the King for to uphold your own greatness not his further then it upholds yours Parag. 21. You conclude that if the Bishops knew themselves guilty of the difference between the King and Parliament God forbid but they should part with all they may c. And if they will remember the beginning of it in Scotland with the occasion they may see guilt enough especially he that called it Bellum Episcopale who it is to be feared spake the minde of the rest But yet they cannot give up what is Gods nor would I have them but for God and to God for his glory both to promote a blessed peace and to set in its proper sphear Presbyter-Bishops of his own appointing and support more able of them to feed the flock of God that may live divers years without one Sermon for many a Diocesan Bishop Case of Conscience Resolved BEsides this argument there be other insinuations brought in by the same Author that it would be dishonourable to the Kings memorie to be an unfortunate instrument to pull down Cathedrals and impoverish them c. Answ To abolish Prelacie and seize the revenue of Prelates to private or civill interest undoubtedly could neither want stain nor guilt such kinde of impropriation as hapned in the dayes of Henry the 8. was cryed out of all the Christian world over Illam bonorum Ecclesiasticorum dissipationem cum detestando sacrilegio conjunctam tecum cum bonis omnibus deploramus scelus universo
use exhortation and application This finisht the rest meet together and the two speakers go aside untill the Moderator of the Presbyterie asketh every ones opinion of the doctrine delivered And if to say no worse they do but smell out any thing either it s forthwith buryed by common suffrage or if the Presbytery be divided in any question yet at least the whole matter is husht in silence untill the next Synod which come twice a yeer Hither come all the Pastors of the whole Province accompanied with their Elders as the state of every Church requires The Moderator of the precedent Synod begins with a Sermon and then either a new Moderator is chosen or which seldom falls out the old is continued The question refer'd to the Synod is either composed or husht up again in silence and refer'd to the National Synod held once every year Hither come not onely the Pastors but the King or his Commissioner and usually some of all degrees sufficiently furnisht with judgement and authority to compose any controversie so Heresie is stifled in the very birth So you may see that Presbyterie is a better way to keep out or under Schisms and Heresies in King James his judgement grounded on experience then Episcopacy For what you add That the Pulpits and Presses are lock'd up to all Orthodox men Is false if to any it is my grief I am not to answer for others faults Parag. 13. You say It s true and not true that by Parochial Pastors the work of the Ministery is chiefly to be performed True you say it is in the Fathers sence not in mine But my sence I shall prove to you is Scripture sence For Pastors in my sence are such as were ordained Act. 14.13 and Tit. 1.5 in every Church and were by the Holy Ghost made over-seers of them to feed them Act. 20.28 This you confess for these places you understand of Presbyter-Bishops And I hope you will not oppose Fathers to Scriptures if you do you know who must fall Gal. 1.8 It s true that the place of a Bishops jurisdiction was sometime called a Parish But that Parish was usually not so bigg as some Parishes in England now If they were how could six Bishops be assembled to the censure of every Presbyter as the Canon was sure thats above the number of all the Bishops that are in one of our Provinces which grates hard on your Diocesans shewing how unlike they are to ancient Bishops ' Nor are the ordering of the Church or ordaining of Presbyters without the sphear of Presbyters by any law of God but humane custom No nor are these the chief works of the Ministery No Doctor Preaching and sound Doctrine are the chief acts of the Ministery which deserve most reward as you may see 1 Tim. 5.17 and 1 Cor. 1.17 and therefore when Saint Paul reckons up Ministers and their Ministerial acts governing comes behinde teaching 1 Cor. 12.28 Rom. 12.6 7 8. But Parag. 14. You think to prove ' That your Bishops do the chief work virtually from an axiom in philosophy propter quod aliquid est tale illud ipsum est magis tale But herein you shew your self as bad a Philosopher as Divine for doth propter quod note out an efficient cause or the final cause think you You are therefore mistaken in your axiom which is false being as if you had said Presbyters are made Preachers propter populum for the people ergo the people are more Preachers A wise conclusion We have a rule indeed quicquid efficit tale est mag is tale And I will grant that they that ordain Preachers ought to be more Preachers themselves but that you know is false in experience in most of your Bishops therefore you should know that such Axioms are true onely in natural not in voluntary causes as the Logicians will teach you Neither are the Bishops the total causes of Preachers Alas at the most they give them but Commission to use their gifts authoritatively which gifts they have from God and are the fundamental cause to make them Preachers Nor can Bishops alone ordain Presbyters that I have proved before And what if I should prove it now by an axiom of philosophie Generare sibi simile To beget his like is the affection of a living creature And Presbyterie you know is a living office ergo Presbyters may ordain Presbyters I believe you will sweat to give a rational answer to it What you add about ordinary Courts of justice and Parliament Sir though I count the Parliament the supream Court yet justice is chiefly done by inferiour Courts because it ordinarily lies on them and the Parliament is onely to supply and rectifie their errors But you proceed and Parag. 15.16 Compare the Ministers to souldiers in an Army and to Mariners in a Navy and your Bishops are as the General they are as the Admiral So then the people are no part of the Ship or Army or else you level the Presbyters with the people whom the Holy Ghost calls their guids set over them Such similitudes you use to make But every Preacher is not fit to be a Bishop that 's your judgement but the Holy Ghost saith none should preach except he be sent and none should be sent but such as are fitted to take the care and over sight of the Church and that 's the Holy Ghost's Bishop Whatever your opinion is see 1 Tim. 3.5 Acts 20.28 Indeed such a Bishop as you would have Monarchically to govern a whol Diocess of a Shier or two cannot be made ex quolibet ligno but neither Scriptures nor primitive times acknowledg any such Bishop But such a Bishop as may joyn with others in the government of a Church a meaner man may be without prejudice for others maturitie in judgement may help his want of experience What you object Parag. 17. about the Levellers Doctrine is sutable to this Is but a capritious fancie of your own for God hath comprized all ordinarie Ministers under the same name of Pastors and therefore man can make no difference among them but for orders sake Neither do I go about to level all Benefices you know there is a difference in a great disproportion which may be for men of different parts But Parag. 18. You exclaim because I say there will be no danger of sacriledg in my way And first you say to overthrow Episcopacy is to overthrow the Church and for that it s not enough for you to abuse a Father but an Apostle too for when Saint Paul saith we are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2.20 What 's that saith Beza but Jesus Christ So the Apostle who is the best interpreter of himself explicates it 1 Cor. 3.9 and adds Planè est Anti-Christus quî sibi tribnit quod unius Christi est He is plainly anti-Christ that arrogates to himself or to any other what is onely Christs What think you of this Again those that
resoluteness so I mean it but I will strive hereafter even in expressions to cut off occasion from them that seek occasion But you say his not consenting to the fall of Bishops may keep him from sin But you beg the question for I argue by my instance in a Governour of a town that there is no sin in resigning upon composition and your proof that it is a sin to consent to abolish Episcopacie because an ordinance of Christ waves the bonds of the oath and argues from the thing the vanity of which I confuted when I met with it Chap. 4. Parag. 16. You answer though the King cannot save your Mitres but endanger his own Crown yet say you he shall avoid sin and save his soul for without consent no sin Neither in consent is there sin in this case as I have proved and then a king I hope may do all that may be done without sin to save his Crown but in the mean time the land may see how tender you are of the king that rather then you will consent to his signing a Bill when it may save his Crown he shall lose it It 's a sign you love the Crown for your Mitres sake and if there must be no Bishops then let there be no kings neither Rightlike him in the Tragedie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parag. 17 18. You examine that I say in a naturall sence it is in the Kings power to consent to the abrogation of Episcopacie not in a morall sence because he cannot now deny without sin the distinction you acknowledg and say it should be the Kings care that he incline not to sin I say so too he must venture all rather then sin and if I thought it were sin I should chuse death rather then perswade him to it but you confidently conclude the King breaks his oath and sins if he consent This I deny the oath engageth not to dissent in this case as I have proved yet were Episcopacie an institution of Christ I confess also it were sin to abolish it but I have proved it a brat of humane power and what man sets up you confess man may pull down But I prove that the king cannot deny his assent to abrogation of Episcopacy now without sin for else such confusion will follow as is most repugnant to the weal of his people this confusion we have felt but what saith the Doctor to this Parag. 19. Thus shall sin vary at your pleasure sin it shall be now that was none heretofore Why Sir is that strange that circumstances should change the morality of actions I am ashamed that a D. D. of mine own mother Universitie should discover such ignorance in Divinitie Was it not a thing unlawful in the Apostles time after the Decree Acts 15. to eat things strangled and bloud where offence was taken but cannot you without scruple now eat a good blood-pudding or a strangled capon truly if you cannot you would get more scorn then followers for such a silly fancie But you proceed Parag. 20. Where there is no law there is no transgression Is there no law for a King to tender the weal of his people yes sure that that requires him to be honoured as a father and therefore if he withholding his assent occasion the keeping up confusion repugnant to the weal of his people undoubtedly there 's a law broken unless there be some superior law to check this Oh but Judge Jenkins saith it s against the oath of the King and Houses to alter the government for religion But I pray you ask the Judge whether it be against their oaths to alter the religion from Popery to Protestancie and withall whether is greater the religion or the external government of it and if without perjury they alter the greater why may they not the less for the trouble that the learned in law shall be put to on alteration If you compare it with garments rolled in blood let the Reader judg whether you be a prudent esteemer of matters But you retort Parag. 21. If the King do consent to abrogate Episcopacie there will follow confusion repugnant to the weal of his people Your reason is that there are as many for Episcopacie Common-Prayer is another business as against it though not so mutinous I answer the danger of confusion is not from the number or quality alone but also from the power of opposers which then was very great and the adverse party weak therefore your retortion was feeble I confess the sins occasion'd by this confusion endanger temporal and eternal weal of people that 's it that makes me so study the healing of it Parag. 22. You infer that I mean to continue these distractions unless Episcapacie be abrogated But you are mistaken in me though I have no good conceit of Episcopacie yet I had rather it had continued though to my burthen and suffering then have seen so much sin and misery by an unnatural war but your expressions carry it that your minde is so Episcopacie may be held up Scelera ipsa nefasque hac mercede placent You are as much mistaken in objecting ambition or avarice to me as a cause of these evils I have by Gods grace followed the dictate of my conscience above these twenty years against my civill interest and I hope I shall not now become such a slave to lust to do such a horrid thing to serve it You close this Chapter Parag. 23 24. with paraleling our present times with the conspiracie of Corah and when you can prove by Gods Law such a difference between Presbyters and Bishops as God made between Priest and Levites it will give a pretty colour to the business but as long as Gods Word tells us that Presbyters are Bishops and Pastors nor hath he left any distinct orders among Pastors you may please your self and credulous followers with your conceit but shall not convict those of any guilt that for peace-sake move that man would abolish that difference of order which the wit of man made and the corruption of man hath made hurtfull God make the Scepter of the King flourish but as for your Episcopall Mitres they have been so stained by those that wear them that well may they get power but I believe they will never get beauty and glory in our Israel again Case of Conscience Resolved THirdly I answer that this Opponent in this Dispute argues upon this ground that the supream jus Dominij even that which is above all laws is in the King which under favour I conceive in our State is a manifest Error There 's a supremacie in the King and a supremacie in the Parliament But the supremacie or the supremum jus Dominij which is over all laws figere refigere to make or disanul them at pleasure is neither in the King nor in the Houses apart but in both conjoyn'd The King is the supream Magistrate from whom all power of execution of laws is legally derived The
without calumniating though never so irrationally I say in answer who ever they be that hinder the Ministers of God from any part or dutie of their calling required of God usurp upon them and they that maintain them in that maintain them in usurpation this is a truth without derogation from any authoritie and so I close this second chapter CHAP. IV. PARAG. I. Wherein it is cleared that Episcopacy is not to be upheld by our Protestation and that there may be ordination without it in answer to Doctor Boughen 's fourth chapter Case of Conscience Resolved BUt though this way of invalidating the Kings oath be most satisfactory to some yet to those that are not convinc'd of the unlawfulness of Episcopacie it will not hold and so it would cast the resolution of this doubt about the oath upon another question touching the unlawfulness of Episcopacie which is a larger field I shall therefore endeavour to shew that though for argument sake it be granted that Episcopacie be lawful yet notwithstanding that his oath the King without impeachment may in this circumstance consent to abrogate Episcopacie To answer this passage you descend cap. 4. but there begin with such notorious trifling as I never saw in a man pretending to learning For Parag. 1. You infer if Episcopacy be lawful then the Kings oath is not vinculum iniquitatis egregiam laudem c. who knows not that on that supposition the oath is lawful You adde but mine own conscience began to check me for this because I say it is only satisfactory to some You are mistaken sir The reason why I disputed the oath on a second bottom was because though I thought you and men of your affection might interpret the Kings oath to maintain Episcopacie in that usurping height wherein it stood that by his oath you might keep up your own absurd c. oath yet I perceived that his Majestie and other impartial Judges might interpret Episcopacie in a more moderate way as it is now come to pass his Majestie offering to bring Episcopacie to that tenor that they shall do nothing without their Presbyters and with such moderation many count it lawful nay few count it unlawful therefore I disputed the case under the second notion though Episcopacie were lawful understanding as you may perceive by the scope lawful only not necessarie yet the King might consent by Bill to abrogate it After having spent parag 2. in impertinent slander according to your custome parag 3. You ridiculously descant upon two phrases satisfactory and not hold though being applyed to divers persons your own conscience tells you there 's no incongruitie in them And then you tell what pity it is that I have to deal with learned and rational men and not with Ignoramus and his Dulman Sir to ease your passion I have to deal with both In my first attempt with the first which I ingeniously acknowledg in this second with the latter which I have in part and shall more clearly evince and that in the next Paragraph For I having said that the King without impeachment of his oath might in this circumstance consent to abrogation of Episcopacie You ask what I mean by circumstance whether the Kings oath or Episcopacie and run on in a childish descant unworthy of paper when any but a Dul-man may see plainly enough what I mean by in this circumstance that is according to the grounds of the question in the former page In this state of the nation that no hope of safety without union between King and Parliament no hope of union without abrogation of Episcopacie for the Houses had abrogated it and the sword was in their hands Next Parag. 5. You confess the King may abrogate what is lawful I thank you Doctor you have given me the question for if the King may abrogate what is lawfull then the reason why the King cannot consent to abrogate Episcopacie is not his oath in your judgment but because it is an ordinance of God and more then lawful Well now let us try it there prove Episcopacie to be the ordinance of Christ I will yield you the cause This you say Parag. 6. You have proved already cap. 2.6.7.8 And I there have shewed the weakness and sophistry of your proofs and shall do it more hereafter But you proceed Parag. 7. That Episcopacy is the onely order to which Christ hath given power to ordain Presbyters and Deacons c. What you deliver here is apparently false for first Christ gave power immediately to Apostles to do it and the Apostles to the Evangelists this power they exercised in Ecclesiis constituendis in constituting Churches And these extraordinary officers dying and their extraordinary offices ceasing as almost all confess what parts of their office were of perpetual use as praying preaching administring Sacraments and the use of the keys were left to those ordinary Officers Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 And under them are comprized all ordinary teaching Ministers without any distinction from God the distinction that followed after was but humane for order and to avoid accidentall inconveniences as Ambrose and Jerome witness most plainly and unanswerably unless men set themselves nodum in foirpo quaerere let the reader view the places in Bilson where he brings them to prove the Presbyteries were of preaching not of lay-Elders against lay-â—lders and let his view be impartial and I doubt not but he will approve what I assert You proceed no Bishop no Priest no Priest no Lords Supper Now indeed you reason like a Catholique but a Roman Catholique for just so Bellarmine and others of that leaven argue against Protestant Churches to un-Church them with whom though you may joyn yet all those that according to their profession are true Protestants and imbrace other reformed Churches as dear sisters will not thank you but disdain you and your assertions that do obliquely un-Church the most of them And that which our Divines answer to them shall stand good maugre your teen and skill For they holding and proving that a Bishop and Presbyter differ not by Gods law but humane And knowing that Presbyters are the Pastors meant Ephes 4.11 And that those Pastors are the successors of the Apostles to exercise all perpetual acts of ministerie whereof ordination being one they must needs by divine law be invested with it The Bishop you plead for was but primus Presbyter a chief Presbyter elected to guide and govern the Presbyterie in acts of government For all antiquitie acknowledgeth the Presbyterie did govern with him and ordain with him Now if the Presbyters elect one to be President though not for life why shall not their act be as valid as if the Presidencie were for longer continuance Sure while learned Bilson gathers from the Presbyterians grant of a President in the Prebyterie by Divine law or light of nature though not the same man perpetually that their Presidens differ not materially from those Bishops that the Fathers
speak of to make good his cause against them We may also infer if the difference be so little as he acknowledgeth as indeed it is not much then may we sure infer that if the Ordination of the one be compleat the Ordination of the other cannot be effentially defective Augustine is impertinently cited by you Sine nostro officio est plebi certa pernities Without our without the Episcopal office there is certain ruin to the people For though Augustine were a Bishop and wrote to a Bishop as you say yet by that without our office he plainly means the office of the Ministery in general not of Episcopacie For he makes it lawful to flee in that Epistle as Paul did when there be others to look to the Church Fugiant saith he ubi ab alijs qui non ita requiruntur non deseratur Ecclesia sed praebeant cibaria consenvis suis qui aliter vivere non possunt Let them flee where the Church is not forsaken of others that have not such an eye upon them but they will minister spiripual food to their fellow servants which otherwise cannot live Now what were those others not Bishops for there were not many of them in one City or Countrey but Presbyters But now you will prove it by the Protestation and Covenant First by the Protestation You have vowed in the presence of Almighty God to maintain the true reformed Protestant Religion expressed in Doctrine of the Church of England Add I pray you against all Poperie and Popish innovations And you must remember again presently upon the framing of the protestation there was an Explanation put forth before it was taken in the Countrey or Citie that under the Doctrine of the Church of England the Discipline then in the Church of Egland was not included So your Argument from the Protestation is of no value But yet let us see what you can say for this out of the Doctrine of the Church of England First the ordinary way to heaven is by the Word and Sacraments No man may preach and administer the Sacrament but he that is lawfully called and sent none are lawfully called and sent but they onely who are called and sent by those who have authority Bishops and onely Bishops have authority to send in this kinde Article 39. Here you play leger-demain for the Article holds forth the way of ordination by the Book of Consecration to be a lawful way but not the only lawful way For the Composers of those Articles knew very well that there was another way of ordination in other Churches whom they alwaies held as sisters which they did not with the Papists condemn though the Article approve the English way and that being held forth as a lawful not the onely lawful way it hinders not but others may be authorized to ordain as in other Reformed Churches and therefore if the Protestation for the maintenance of the Doctrine of the Church of England were without exception against the Discipline it will not prove your no Bishop no Priest The Book you say was composed in the dayes of King Edward the sixth by those holy men who after were blessed Martyrs But these men I must tell you were not of your minde that the distinction of Bishops from Presbyters was any other then what Jerome had taught them by humane custome * Dr Downam in answer to his reply is driven to this If the Bishops better informed concernning their functions had now reformed their judgements that is to hold their offices not by humane but Divine disposition In his answer to the Replyers Preface who had prest him with the judgement of Whitguift and Jewel nor held the power of the keyes belonged onely to them for in this Book of ordination they charge the Presbyter not only with care in Word and Sacraments but the Discipline of Christ too And whereas you add That the Articles were confirmed 13. Elizabeth and subscription enjoyned You should remember it was with limitation so far as they contained the Doctrine of the Church not the discipline You conclude thus far with the Protestation But yet a little further I pray you For the Protestation adds that the Doctrine of the Church of England is to be maintained against all Popery Now you may finde in Bellarmins lib. de Clericis your argument of no Bishop no Priest so no Sacrament so no Church wherein all Protestant-writers oppose him English and others and therefore surely the Doctrine of the Church of England rightly understood condemns your position which is a position in Popery to overthrow Protestant Churches CHAP. IV. PARAG. 2. Where in is shewed that the National Covenant doth not engage to uphold Episcopacy In Answer to Doctor Boughens fift Chapter IN your fift Chapter you attempt to prove that the solemn league covenant engageth to maintain Episcopacy I might tell you this is nothing to me nor to the matter for whatever you fancie of the Covenant they that framed it will follow it in their own sence and if any Covenanters be of that minde as you are that not your but moderated Episcopacie that is a Super-intendencie over a Presbyterie be neerest the word of God yet they were not so considerable as to be able to make peace without abrogation of Episcopacie nor without peace to preserve King and Kingdom If they could then my Treatise were answered by change of circumstances that argues the lawfulness of the Kings condescention chiefly in that circumstance But to the matter it self you have not nor do you here bring any thing to satisfie First Parag. 1 2 3. You come with your Crambe his coctâ That no salvation but by hearing and Sacraments nor these without mission The Apostles were sent of Christ and they sent others Titus and Timothie to ordain Ministers To all which I have answered before and in part cleared it That the Apostles and Timothy and Titus their assistansts as Evangelists were extraordinarie officers and ceased and that the onely ordinary officers now are Pastors and Teachers Ephes 4.11 Touching whom the Apostle gives direction 1 Tim. 5. Titus 1. under the name of Bishops and Elders and these are Successors of the Apostles to all that power that is ordinarie and neceslarie in the Church and among these ther 's by Gods law no prioritie but of gifts and order delegated by election But for any Bishops that are of the same order with the Apostles it s a strange and groundless notion Almost all Divines tell you that Apostleship was an extraordinarie office that ceased and though an Apostle may be said allusively to be a Bishop yet a Bishop may not be said to be an Apostle yet these things you over with again in this Chapter and tell us of two sorts of Apostles the Apostles of Christ and the Apostles of the Churches Philip. 2.25 2 Cor. 8.23 Whereas I have shewed you that for Epaphroditus he is said there either to be a messenger onely from