that but Popish but to a Doctrinal succession for that is Protestant And here what need I say much to prove that the Right Reverend Bishops Doctors and Pastors of our Church have owned Presbyterian ordination as valid sith that incomparable Mr. Baxter hath cited Bishop Jewel Bancroft Vher Downame Disput with Everard 240. Trys 541. Davenant Alley Morton Pilkinton Prideaux Overall Bramhall Bridges Bilson and Andrews all Bishops and D. Field Saravia Powell Chillingworth Bernard Ferne Steward Mason with the Lord Digby Grotius and Chisenhall to whom may be added the Revered D. Sanderson D. Featley Dr. â—â—wnes and D. Forbess and especially leâ—â—â— the Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons and Clergy of England be forgotten Irenicum who in their Book entituled The institution of a Christian man subscribed with all their names and dedicated to K. H. 8. an 1537. c. of Orders Nor K. H. 8. himself who in his book stiled A necessary erudition for a Christian man set out by authority of the Stat. of 32. H. 8. c. 26. approved by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal M. Pâ—yns â—ubâ—sh Tim. Tit. p. 71 72. with the Neather House of Parliament published an 1543. in both which Tracts they resolve that Bishops and Priests by Gods Laws are one and the same and that the power of ordination and excommunication belongs equally to them both Now judge who are nearest the Church of England the rigid Prelatist or the moderate Presbyterian And that our honoured Fathers were against the reordination of the presbyterially ordained appears partly from their owning such ordinations as valid and more fully in their constant admitting such to preferment without any reordination To instance in that famous story of the three Bishops whereof B. Andrews was one that were to consecrate Bishops for Scotland and the Qu. being mov'd whether those Scotch Ministers should not be reordained Presbyters before they were consecrated Bishops and it wâ—â—arried in the Negative and so they proceeded Iremember not long since a Reverend Minister and Prebendary told my self that he having received Presbyterian ordination beyond sea who when he came over into England went to a Bishop about his ordination who refused tâ— reordain him the judgement of Wickliff Hooker Armachanus and Mason shall be given by and by But if any one would perswade me that the antient Bishops were for such a reordination I shall only entreat him to produce a Catalogue of their names with a citation of their words for seeing is believing But I confess I have arrived at such a degree of assurance that few if any at all of the late Bishops excepting A. Laud with two or three of his Proselites that ever avowed a reordination of those that were ordained by Presbyters were those old dead Bishops but alive again they would quickly I believe remove reordinations and such like altitudes Nay more yet I do not believe that A. Laud B. Mountague or Bishop Hall though the highest in England that I have read of did ever maintain that those might lawfully be reordained which were validly ordained before so then the person in the Question must be satisfied that his former ordination is void or else he departs from those three lofty Bishops but if therein he be satisfied then he departs from others in this at least much more humble Judge now by this how we can accept a second ordination and yet be faithful to the Church of England 15. Will not this submission to a re-ordination prove a confirmation of some in certain false principles an enervation of others in certain true principles and so prove a lamentable scandal to them both See the danger of scandalizing your brethren Jer. 23.14 Mat. 18.6 7. Rom. 14.14 ult 1 Cor. 10.28 29 30 31 32. 1 Cor. 8.9 10 11 12. Now consider whether these be not false principles That there is an absolute necessity of a regular succession of Bishops and Priests that Bishops are a distinct order from the Presbyters jure divino that the sole power of ordination as well as the exercise of it lies jure divino wholly in the Diocesan or that a Diocesan Bishop is ential to ordination And so where there are no Diocesans there are no Ministers no Ordinances no Churches Organical no Christians See now how naturally such a re-ordination tends to the lengthening the cords and strengthening the stakes of these principles and likewise how craftily it weakens the hands and emasculates the hearts of those in England and other Reformed Churches which maintain the contrary Little do some think how their re-ordination hath drawn tears from many an eye and sobâ— from many a spirit whom they would not have made sad and encouraged many young ones to imbibe those principles which otherwise they durst not have tasted and how it hath been a sport unto some mocking and scorning at mens fluid vertiginous humors whilst others have stood trembling to see their dangerous stumbles and how it hath filled some men with hopes that all would do so and therefore they need to abate us just nothing and others with fears that too many would do so and therefore they dare trust us with nothing and just as the unnecessary Imposers so the Weathercock-Turners do sadly promote the Brownistical separation 16. How can the person in the Question pray in faith for a blessing on the second ordination either before in or after the solemnity for what ground have we to believe that Christ will bless such an odd use or I fear abuse of his ordinance or if you will a humane injunction varnished over with specious pretences of Christs institution Whether there be any more then a pretence of Christs institution try and see 1. In Christs ordination there is a segregation of person from the world which supposes hiâ— in the world in a sense before but thaâ— supposition cannot be admitted and consequently there is no segregation in reordination 2. Is there not in Christs ordination special dedication of a person to God which supposes that he was not so dedicateâ— before now this cannot be supposed iâ— reordination 3. In Christs ordination iâ— there not an investiture with Ecclesiastical power which supposes a defect of that power before but not so in reordination Where then is the essence of the instituted ordination or the natural consequentâ— thereof to be found in this new devised transaction which must be called a legal establishment a Canonical confirmation c. Upon what foundation therefore shall we build either our faith or hope that God will own us or blesse us in such a business 17. Is it not worth while to consider whether the Reordainers themselves be canonical or not not that I intend to slander in the least any of our Right Reverend Bishops only as I may without just offence discover in thesi that Bishops have as little regular authority to ordain as the Presbyters themselves 1. What hath been thought of these Bishops which were never elected
A Peaceable Enquiry INTO THAT Novel Controversie ABOUT Reordination WITH Certain close but candid Animadversions upon an ingenious Tract for the lawfulness of Reordination Written by the Learned and Reverend Mr. J. HUMFREY By R. I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4 15. London Printed 1661. The Prefatory Epistle to the Reader Candid Reader SO I call you because I would have you for so I need you knowing much that I know but little even so much that consciousness of imbecillity had almost stupified conscience of duty and had those more antient more literate more judicious Classical Divines been but half so forward to vindicate their ordinations as they were to engage young Scholars to accept them I should have been a Reader â—wtâ—h you whilst such had been our Writers Though in other points they have done worthily yet shall I praise them in this I praise them not they have been almost wholly silent and therefore least the truth should suffer I have exposed these rude lines unto publick censure yet not Dictator-like dogmatically determining but Learner-like humbly yet closely enquiring and hence it is that you may observe so many Interrogations and other expressions which you may understand interrogatively yet this proceeds not from the clearness of my knowledge of unanswerable doubts but from unanswerable doubts of the clearness of my knowledge and where you find the most determinative expressions they are sometimes to be understood de posse non de esse and where they are to be understood de esse either in general commendations discommendations or otherwise you may do me right to distinguish both persons times and places more especially let not any construction be be put upon any expression contrary to the Authors intention that may produce the least disloyal reflexion upon the Kings most excellent Majesties Person or Authority whom I love and honour fear and obey pray and praise the Almighty for Neither let there be thought that here is the least unworthy aspersion cast upon the right reverend Bishops for so I dare stile them whom I honour for their Learning and Gravity Loyalty and Authority Nor any Citations Interrogations or Animadversions from or upon any book whatsoever be pressed with such an unnecessary construction as is unwarrantable or unworthy a Christian man And though Mr. John Humfrey be the very first in the Christian Church that ever I heard or read of that wrote a whole Tract for Reâ—â—ination yet the reverend Author being learned and moderate the Tract ingenious and peaceable I should account it disingenuity to be abhorred to deal disingeniously in the least with such a person and though we are so unhappy as to differ not only about this point of Reordination but also about that other of general Admission yet these making no breach in the foundations of Christianity shall make no breach on my part in the bonds of fraternal charity Nay this I hope that peaceable humble spirits will promote charity by the candid management of their differences whilst proud and peevish spirits waste theirs about the very punctilio's of their unities A judicious pious person without passion or faction a Christian Catholick without a party is a Phenix no lesse excellent then rare Many have taught this way but few have trod it and fewer will there be when the necessary Evangelical terms of peace shall be slighted and new unnecessary additionals shall be advanced But yet if any shall break peace with me as an impossibility or illegality on their false terms yet I will keep peace with them if possible on better terms And verily what I have here written was not to kindle contentions but to allay them and he that will not believe me let him for his satisfaction but read Ecclesiastical History where to his grief he may observe what dividing scandalizing contentions have risen about Ordinations for the preventing whereof in the Church of England I have here produced an expedient in order to accommodation heartily imploring the Throne of Grace that our Protestant Bishops may never joyn with the Popish Idolatrous Prelates in decrying the Reformers and Reformation the reformed Churches Ministry and Administrations 1 King 22.24 Nor like Zedechias quarrel with Micha thus By what way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee Mat. 13.55 56. Nor like the Pharisees who said of Christ Is not this the Carpenters Son Whence then hath this man all these things Nor as the high Priest to the Apostles By what authority do ye these things I find a notable Instance in Petilian Acts 4 7. who pleaded the cause of the Donatists in the Council at Carthage against Saint Augustine who pleaded the cause of the Catholicks and having nothing as it were to say against Saint Augustine he fals a quarrelling about his ordination Tu quis es Filius Ceciliani an non Collat. Carth. tert art 227 c. Unde coepisti quem habes patrem Unde tua progenies ubi tuum caput Si non habes ergo haereticus c. Even so our reverend Prelatists have nothing against me and such as I who were neither fighters nor fomenters in the late unhappy wars neither perjured nor apostatical by breaking either Oath of Supremacy Allegiance or Canonical obedience or contradicting our subscription having never been exercised with them by reason of our minority We are no Covenanters no Engagers no Abjurers of the Royall Family and if others were engaged in rebellion in schism or the like we will not own them nor justifie them therein if we know it We abhor the murder of the late King the violations of the late Parliament the late Vsurpations the uncharitable oppression of several learned and pious Prelatists and those rebellious risings and mutinies since his Majesties return We now make it our business to preach up peace and purity truth and loyalty and waving contentions we labour for moderation and condoling the suppression of an honest party we would gladly rejoyce in an accommodation fearing not only the entangling impositions but also the dividing separation Oh I wish again and again that they had never questioned our ordination for sure I am it hath exceedingly hindred an accommodation of the old differences and promoted also new dissentions But for the removing this mountain out of our way to the Land of Peace I shall out of my penury offer this Manual of instruments prepared first for my private use wherein you have after the Question propounded 1. Certain distinctions in order to explication 2. Certain propositions for the stating of the Question 3. Certain argumentative Interrogations for further deliberation 4. Certain Solutions of Mr. J. Humfreys Arguments for better satisfaction 5. Certain concessions in order to an accommodation 6. Certain Considerations humbly offered to the Imposers of Reordination to perswade to moderation By which I hope to manifest to the world that we are not averse to peace but passionately
Council of Nice Merlin de Concil Can. 8. it was ordained that the Novatians though as it is said by some ordained by Presbyters and in a schism yet upon their return to the Catholick Church should have reconciliatory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so remain in the Clergy Thus the Canon runs Si qui voluerint venire ad Ecclesiam Catholicam ex Novatianis placuit sancto Concilio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reconciliatoria manus impositioneÌ„ accepta saith Blondel Hi vero qui ab illis veniunt In Apol. P. 357. si forte Episcopus fuerit habeat sacerdotii dignitatem nisi forte placeat Episcope Catholico concedere ei etiam Episcopalis nominis honorem si vâ—ro non placuerit inveniat ei locum ut sit in parochia Coepiscopus aut in Clero Presbyâ—r in civitate una non videantur duo Episcopi esse ille omnimodò in clero â—â—r manere videatur To the same purpose â—or ought I am sure to the contrary Tom. 7. Cont. Epist Parm. l. 2. c. 13. may â—e applied that of St. August concerning â—he Dontatists Et cum expedire hoc videatur Ecclesiae ut Praepositi eorum venicentes â—â—d Catholicam societatem honores suos ibi non administrent non eis tamen ipso ordinationis sacramento detrahuntur sed manent super eos ideoque non eis in populo manus imponitur ne non homini sed ipsi sacramento fiat injuria si quando ignoranter fit nec animose defenditur factum sed corrigitur cognitum venia sacilius impetratur Deus enim noster non est dissentionis Deus sed pacis Concil Ilerden thus determines Qui contra decreta Canonum indiscrete clericos usque nunc or dinaverunt eis Dominus vel sancta Ecclesiastica charitas ignoscat amodo vero si in tali usu proruperint decretum Canonum quod ciroa corum personas statutum est id est ut nullum ordinare jam audeant observetur vel qui deinceps ordinati fuerint deponantur hi vero qui tales hactenus ordinati sunt nullo tempore promoveantur Here is rigor enough yet not exclusive of all charity Yet further I shall cite a story out of M. Mason De Min. Aug. p. 169 170. to the extreamest shame of uncharitableness He urges against the Romanists that their Bonner Bishop of London Heath Archbishop of York and Thurleby Bishop of Ely were ordained in a time when both ordainers and ordained were pronounced both Hereticks and Schismaticks by the Pope of Rome Sand. de Schism l. 2. p. 260. Unbish Tim. Tit. postc p. 35. postc p. 35. and Cardinal Pool when Queen Mary came in Pontificis Legatus cum regnum à priore schismate ac haeresi absolvisset Ecclesiae Catholicae reconciliasset Episcopos omnes qui sententia religionis erant Catholici in priore schismate factos confirmaret ita pro legitimis habiti sunt Episcopis The same story I find in that Testimonial Writer Mr. Pryn with two more The one is this That sundry English Scholars who fled beyond the seas to preserve their lives liberty and religion during her i.e. Queen Maries bloody raign where they received ordination from Presbyters in many Protestant Churches of Germany and Genevah were not only allowed and presented to benefices as lawful Ministers by our Bishops 〈◊〉 Queen Elizabeths raign upon their reâ—â— England without any reordination but one or two of them made Bishops without any previous Episcopal ordination and Archbishop Parker himself consecrated by three Bishops and a Presbyter The other story is of Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury who coming from Rome an 670. confirmed Ceadda ordained before by the Presbyter Monk of Hy Abby In the Synodical Epistle of the Council of Nice we have this eminent instance of the confirmation of those that were ordained by Meletius Hist l. 8. c. 10 24. Socrates in Harm translat l. 1. c. 6. p. 225. who sacrificed to Idols in time of persecution joyned with the Arrians and was excommunicate of the Church and as Nicephorus saith took his Bishoprick to himself There remained as yet touching the contumacy of Meletius and such as he had advanced to Ecclesiastical orders to be determined of us and what the Council decreed touching him thus understand Well beloved brethren the Council being bent to deal with more clemency towards Meletius then he deserved for by just judgment he was worthy of no pardon decreed that he should remain in his proper City that he should have no authority to make Ministers no authority to advance any to the Ecclesiastical function neither to appear nor present himself in any other region or in any other city for that purpose but only to retain the bare name and title of his office and dignity They have decreed further touching such as were entred into holy orders by the laying on of his hands that they after confirmation with more mystical laying on of hands should be admitted into the fellowship of the Church with this condition that they should enjoy their dignity and degree of the Ministry They who through the grace of God and the means of your prayers were found no maintainers of schism but contained themselves within the bounds of the Catholick and Apostolick Church void of all erroneous blemish let these have authority to consecrate Ministers to nominate such as shall be thought worthy of the Clergy and in fine freely to do all according to the Canon of the Church Let me add one instance more Niceph. hist l 11. c. 20. and that shall be of Amphilochius of whom it is storied that he was consecrated a Bishop by the Angels which thing being known Estius in Sentent Com. l. 4. in dist 25. p. 43. certain Bishops without any further consecration admitted him to the Episcopal function bestowing upon him only a salutation and a kiss and thus was a doubtful ordination confirmed By all which we see that good men and great men Politicians and Christians have thought such a general confirmation in the case of doubtful ordinations both lawful and needful charitable and profitable and surely it may be imagined that when God shall give us divinely qualified heads and piously peaceable hearts then shall we be ready to transcribe their presidents into our practices and draw their instanced confirmations into healing imitations FINIS