The proofe of their exposition of Ambrose disproued and the reasons why the counsell of the Seniors was neglected defended Chap. 9. Answering the testimonies which the Refuter alleageth to proue Lay-elders Chap. 10. Contayning an answere to the same testimonies and some others as they are alleaged by other Disciplinarians Chap. 11. Answering the allegations out of the Fathers for Lay-elders The second Booke proueth that the Churches which had Bishops were Dioceses and the Angels or Pastors of them Diocesan Bishops CHap. 1. Intreating of the diuers acceptations of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church Diocese and Paraecia which is translated parish Chap. 2. Prouing by ether arguments that the ancient Churches which had Bishops were not Parishes but Dioceses Chap. 3. that the seauen Churches in Asia were Dioceses Chap. 4. That Presbyteries were appointed not to Parishes but to Dioceses Chap. 5. Answering their obiections who say that in the first 200. yeeres all the Christians in each great city were but one particular congregation assembling in one place Chap. 6. The Arguments for the new found Parish discipline answered Chap. 7. That the Angels or Bishops of the primitiue Churches were Diocesan Bishops The third Booke treateth of the superioritie of Bishops aboue other Ministers CHap. 1. Confuteth the Refuters preamble to the fourth point concerning the superiority of Bishops and defendeth mine entrance thereinto Chap. 2. Declareth in generall that Bishops were superiour to other Ministers in degree Chap. 3. Sheweth more particularly wherein the superiority of Bishops did and doth consist And first their singularity of preheminence for terme of life Chap. 4. Demonstrateth the superiority of Bishops in power and first in the power of ordination Chap. 5. Proueth the superiority of Bishops in the power of iurisdiction Chap. 6. Treateth of the titles of honour giuen to Bishops The fourth Booke proueth the Episcopall function to be of Apostolicall and diuine institution CHap. 1. That the Ecclesiasticall gouernment by Bishops was generally receiued in the first 300. yeeres after the Apostles Chap. 2. That the Episcopall gouernment was vsed in the Apostolicall Churches in the Apostles times without their dislike Chap. 3. That the Apostles themselues ordayned Bishops Chap. 4. The places where and the persons whom the Apostles ordayned Bishops but chiefly that Timothie was Bishop of Ephesus and Titus of Creet Chap. 5. Answereth to the allegations out of Ierome Chap. 6. Directly proueth the Episcopall function to be of diuine institution Chap. 7. Defendeth the conclusion of the Sermon and sheweth that the chiefe Protestants did not dissallowe the Episcopall gouernment FINIS An Ansvvere to the Preface THE scope of the refuter in his preface is as of Orators in their Proemes to prepare the Reader and if he be such a one as will be led with shewes to draw his affections to himselfe and to withdrawe them from me It containeth a Prologue to the Reader an Epilogue concluding with prayer and with praise to God The former consisteth of a declaration and of a direction to the Reader He declareth three things first the weightie causes mouing him to vndertake this worthie worke secondly his valiant resolution in vndertaking it thirdly his manner of performance As touching the first that you may not thinke him after the manner of factious spirits blinded with erroneous conceits and transported with vnquiet passions vnaduisedly or headily to haue attempted this busines he telleth you that there were two motiues that moued him thereto the one his strong opinion pag. 3 the other his vnquiet desire pag. 7. His opinion was that my sermon defending the honourable function of Bishops was most needfull to be answered for so he saith I deemed it as needfull to be answered as any booke our Opposites haue at any time set forth And that no man should thinke this his opinion to be fantasticall or erroneous hee confirmeth it with diuers reasons but such as who shall compare them either with the truth or with his opinion for the proofe whereof they are brought or one with another he shall see a pleasant representation of the Matachine euery one fighting with another The first reason because he sawe the Sermon tended directly to proue that the calling of our L. BB. as they now exercise it in the Church of England is to be holden Iure diuino by diuine right not as an humane ordinance their ancient and wonted tenure c. In which speech are diuerse vntruthes For first with what eye did hee see that directly proclaimed in the Sermon which directly and expressely I did disclaime pag. 92. where I did professe that although I hold the calling of BB. in respect of their first institution to be an Apostolicall and so a diuine ordinance yet that I doe not maintaine it to be Diuini juris as intending thereby that it is generally perpetually and immutably necessarie as though there could not be a true Church without it which himselfe also acknowledgeth pag. 90. of his booke 2. where I spake of the substance of their calling with what eye did he see me defending their exercise of it As if he would make the reader belieue that I went about to iustifie all the exercise of their function which in all euen the best gouernements whatsoeuer is subiect to personall abuses 3. Neither is it true that the ancient tenure of BB. was onely Iure humano vnlesse he restraine the ancieÌ„tnesse he speakes of to these latter times which are but as yesterday For in the primitiue Church as hereafter shal be plainely proued the function of BB. was without contradiction acknowledged to be a tradition or ordinance Apostolicall and the first Bishops certainely knowne to haue bene ordained by the Apostles And as his first reason fighteth with the truth so the second both with his opinion and with it selfe For why was the sermon most needfull to be answered because saith he it is euident that the doctrine therein contained howsoeuer M. D. saith it is true profitable and necessarie is vtterly false very hurtfull and obnoxious necessarie indeed to be confused at no hand to be belieued In which words 3. reasons are propunded which now come to be examined It is euident saith he that the doctrine in the sermon is vtterly false therefore it is most needfull to be confuted But say I if it be euidently false it needs no confutation Things manifestly false or true are so iudged without disputation or discourse Neither doth any thing need to be argued or disputed but that which is not euident This reason therefore if it were true would with better reason conclude against his opinion It is euident saith he that it is vtterly false therefore it needeth not to be confuted The second brâ—anch It is very hurtfull and obnoxious therfore c. Obnoxious what is this subiect or in danger to be hurt with euill tongues subiect to sophistical cauillations and malicious calumniations But hurtfull it is not for I
The third testimonie I find not vrged any where but in the counterpoison Where it is said that Iames willing them when they be weake to send for the Elders of the Church thereby plainely declareth that the Church ought not onely to haue a pastor and a doctor whose chiefe attendance must be on reading exhortation and doctrine but also many who ought alwaies to be readie at an instant calling of diuerse and many at once that none in that necessarie worke be neglected It followeth thereby that besides them there ought to be such other Elders as may admonish the vnruly comfort the weake minded and be patient towards all If all this were granted as it is propounded it would not follow thereupon that therefore there should be any Lay-Elders but many Ministers in euery Church for such were those in the place cited and it is the duetie of those whom Iames would haue sent for to attend vnto reading doctrine and exhortation But his meaning no doubt was this There ought to be many Elders in euery Church therefore some Lay-Elders The consequence he taketh for granted the antecedent he proueth thus There were many Elders in euery Church in S. Iames time therefore there ought to be many now For answere to his antecedent and proofe thereof we are to distinguish of the word Church For if thereby he meane the Church of a whole citie and countrey adioyning there were and are many Presbyters in euery Church but if thereby he meane euery seuerall congregation meeting or assembly of Christians there neither are nor were many Presbyters appointed to euery such Church In S. Iames time though in each Church there were diuerse assemblies of Christians meeting as they could yet were not parishes distinguished nor Presbyters seuerally and certainely allotted to them but to the Church of a whole citie and countrey adioyning there was one Bishop and many Presbyters prouided But when parishes were distinguished to each of them seuerally a Presbyter was assigned out of the Clergy or Presbyterie of the citie the residue of the Presbyters remaining with the Bishop who as before the diuision of parishes retained still the charge of the whole Diocesse as I will God willing shew in the next booke Wherefore though in S. Iames time before the diuision of parishes there were in euery Church that is Diocesse many Presbyters yet it doth not follow that therefore in euery parish there should be diuerse Presbyters But his consequence is especially to be insisted vpon for though there were in each Church many Presbyters as at Ephesus Act. 20. and at Ierusalem where Iames himselfe was Bishop Act. 15. 21. of which number Iames would haue the weake to send for some yet in that number there was not one who was not a Minister Neither can any sound reason be alleaged why we should conceiue these Presbyters of whom Iames speaketh to haue beene any other then Ministers First the title which is giuen them viz Presbyters of the Church as Act. 20.17 is peculiar to Ministers not one instance to be giuen to the contrarie Secondly the function for the performance wherof they were to visit the sicke chiefely if not onely pertaining to Ministers and that was not onely to pray ouer the partie and that as it seemeth by the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with imposition of hands but also to annoint him with the oile in the name of the Lord that by the oile as an outward though temporarie Sacrament annexed to the temporarie gift of healing granted for a time not onely to the Apostles but also to their successors in the ministerie of the word the sicke might be restored to health and by prayer ioyned with imposition of hands the sinnes of the partie might be remitted and so the cause of the sicknes be remoued Wherefore I make no question but the speach of Saint Iames is to be vnderstoode according to the perpetuall vse of the word the generall interpretation of all writers both old and new excepting not all that be parties in the cause and the generall and continuall practise of the Church expounding him as if he had said let him call for the Ministers c. The fourth testimonie is thus vrged If the Apostle setting downe the ordinary members of Christ his Church which differ in their proper action doe set downe the Elder to be ouer the people with diligence and not to be occupied in the ministerie of the word either by exhortation or doctrine but to admonish them and rule them then the onely-gouerning Elders were ordained by the Apostles but the first say they is manifest Rom. 12.6.7.8 therefore the second But the first say I is so farre from being manifest that it cannot so much as obscurely be gathered out of the text It is true the Apostle speaketh of the members of the body of Christ and of the diuerse gifts bestowed vpon them which the Apostle exhorteth euery one knowing his proportion or measure in all humilitie and modestie to imploy to the common good of the whole body But you must vnderstand First that the members of Christ are not onely officers in the state Ecclesiasticall but all Christians whatsoeuer as well in the body politicke as Ecclesiasticke whether publicke or priuate Secondly that the Apostle doth not speake of distinct offices which are not coincident to the same persons but of the diuerse gifts and graces of Gods spirit for so he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c hauing diuerse gifts according to the grace which is giuen vnto vs of which all or most may concurre in the same subiect As for example a good and faithfull Minister hath as a Minister First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of expounding the scriptures and of prayer Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a function to Minister and serue God in the edification of the church Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of Teaching 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of Exhortation 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of gouernment and as a good Christian. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grace to distribute and to communicate to to the necessities of his bretheren in simplicitie and cheerefulnes 3. That these gifts are not proper to Ecclesiasticall persons but common to others But if the Apostle had here propounded distinct offices then might 7. be distinguished and those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in-compatible in the same person But neither are there according to these branches 7. distinct offices And besides they are or may be all or diuers of them coincident to the same person As for Lay-Elders they are neither particular lie expressed nor in the generall implyed The speech is generall hee that gouerneth in diligence appartaining to all that haue authoritie not onely in the church but also in the family or common-wealth Indeed if it were presupposed which will neuer be proued by them
it may bee demanded what is truly and properly a Church vpon earth Whereunto I answer by warrant of the word that euery company of men professing the true faith of Christ is both truly a Church and also a true Church So is the whole company of the faithfull vpon earth the true Church and spouse of Christ the piller and ground of truth So is the company of Christians professing the true faith of Christ in any Nation or part of the world to bee termed by the name of a Church For euen as the whole people of Israel professing the true religion were one Church though containing verie many particular Congregations or Synagogues which also were so many Churches euen so the whole people of England professing through Gods mercy the true Catholike and Apostolicke faith is to bee called the Church of England For whereas some alleage that the Church of the Iewes was one because it was vnder one high Priest who was a figure and therefore ceased it is euident that it was one Church because it was one people or commonwealth ruled by the same lawes professing the same religion both before there was one high Priest and after there were through corruption more then one Neither was the high Priest in respect of his preeminence and gouernment ouer the priests and people a type of Christ for then had he as well as Melchisedeck been a type of Christs gouernment and kingly office as well as of his priesthood and consequently Christ might haue bin a priest of the order of Aaron as well as of Melchisedeck but in respect of his sacrifice for the whole people and intercession for them and his entrance alone within the sanctuary bearing the names of the twelue Tribes for Christs gouernment appertaineth to his kingdome and not to his priesthood Likewise the Christian people of any Citie and Country adioyning whether that which wee call a prouince or diocesse though consisting of many particular congregations is rightly termed a Church as the Church of Ierusalem Antioch Ephesus Smyrna Sardes Philadelphia c. Jn like manner the Christian people of one Towne or Village containing but one congregation which we call a parish is truly called a church as perhaps that of Cenchreae And to conclude the company of faithfull in one familie doe deserue the name of a Church as hath bin shewed Indeed that any particular Chruch of a whole Nation Citie and Country Towne Parish or family family I say being alone and not a part of a congregation but as an entire Church or parish by itselfe may bee accounted a true visible Church there is required besides the profession of the true faith wherein the life and being of a Church consisteth the ministery of the word and sacraments and eutaxy or some good order of gouernment Not that all gouernours are to be placed in euery society or Church but that the effect and benefit of the gouernment is to redound to euery particular For as well might an high Councell of State or Parliament such as was the synedrion of the Iewes which was but one for the whole Nation be required in euery Citie and a Maior and Aldermen such as be in London and other chiefe Cities in euery village as a Bishop and Presbytery in euery parish All which J haue the rather noted because some hauing first strongly conceited that there is no true visible Church but a parish nor lawfull church-officers but parishionall haue haled the places of Scripture where Ecclesia is mentioned to the confirmation of their conceit and thereupon as their chiefe foundation haue built their newfound parish discipline Whereas in very truth scarce any one testimony of such a congregation of Christians as we call a parish can be alleaged out of the Scriptures Indeed at the very first conuersion of Cities the whole number of the people conuerted being sometimes not much greater then the number of the Presbyters placed among them were able to make but a small congregation But those Churches were in constituting they were not fully constituted vntill their number being increased they had their Bishoppe or Pastor their Presbytery and Deacons without which Ignatius saith there was no Church meaning no accomplished or fully constituted Church Neither was the Bishop and the Presbytery which at the first was placed in any Citie prouided onely for that set number which was already conuerted but they were there placed for the conuersion of the whole Citie and country thereto belonging their ministery being like to the leuen put into three pecks of meale which by degrees seasoneth the whole lumpe Neither was it meant that the whole number of Christians of each Citie and territory being much increased should continue but one particular ordinary congregation assembling in one place but that vpon the multiplication of Christians diuision should be made of the whole Church into diuers particular congregations which after happened in all Churches accordingly But vpon this diuision there was not to euery seuerall congregation allotted a Bishop and a Presbytery but only seuerall Presbyters assigned singuli singulis some of the Presbyters continuing with the Bishop The Bishop himselfe remaining as it was first intended and as the Church of God euery where throughout the world expounded that intent by their practise the Pastor or Superintendent of the whole Citie and country adioyning Neither are all the Disciplinarians in the world able to shew that there were or ought to haue been after the diuision of parishes and assignement of seuerall Presbyters vnto them any more then one Bishop and one Presbytery for a whole diocesse But of this more hereafter In the meane time hauing shewed that the vse of the word Ecclesia in the Scriptures doth not sauour their conceit who imagine there is no true Church but a parish the word signifying according to the vsuall phrase of the holy Ghost any company of Christians whether great or small I am now to declare the vse of the word Ecclesia paroecia dioecesis which are commonly translated Church parish diocesse in antient Writers Where I am to note that setting aside the general significatiō of the word Ecclesia signifying either the whole Church in general or the two maine parts of it in heauen and earth in which sense paroecia and dioecesis are not vsed as also the largest signification of dioecesis containing the whole circuit of a patriarchall and archiepiscopall iurisdiction as the diocesse of the Patriarch of Alexandria contained all Egypt Libya and Pentapolis the diocesse of Antioch the East Countries c. In which sense the word paroecia is not vsed setting aside I say these large significations of ecclesia and dioecesis otherwise these three words ecclesia paroecia and dioecesis are for the most part vsed as words of the same signification For as in the singular number commonly each of them doth signifie a diocesse excepting wherein the distribution of the diocesse paroecia is opposed
possible but that if these churches did containe ample Cities with the countries such as we cal shires belonging to them they were not dioceses but parishes although your assumptiō should bee granted namely that these churches contained not only the cities but countries notwithstanding your conclusion is to be excepted against For though these were dioceses yet others might be parishes Such a froward aduersary I haue met withall who in other places accusing mee for not concluding what these churches or the angels of thē were here findeth fault that J cōclude what they were But both his accusations are alike vniust seeing the constitution of them and all others indued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernment was the same and what is said of the one is to be vnderstood of the other His second reason why the consequence is naught because it doth not appeare neither is it true that euery one of these Churches was diuided into diuers seuerall ordinary asblies all of thē depending vpon some one as the chiefe without power of ecclesiastical gouernment apart in themselus Is this the denial of any thing but the conclusion is not the deniall of the conclusion an euidence that the answerer is confounded and is not confusion a manifest signe of one that writeth against his conscience resolued not to bee perswaded though his conscience be conuicted As touching his assertion opposed to my conclusion that they were not Dioceses because they were not diuided c. it containeth three branches First that they were not diuided into diuers ordinary assemblies Secondly If they were yet they did not all depend vpon some one as the chiefe Thirdly That they had the power of ecclesiastical gouernement in themselues These assertions would haue beene proued by them that are opponents and will needes perswade vs to admitte of their parish Discipline But I am well assured that they are notable to proue any one of them And although it were sufficient for me to deny these assertions and to put them to proue them yet because I desire from my soule to satisfie our opposites in this cause as Brethren and because they containe the very grounds of the parish-discipline I will briefly disproue them For as touching the first I haue often wondred what our brethren meane to argue from the example of the churches which were not diuided into parishes to those that bee Would they haue the Church of a City and country belonging to it to bee all but one congregation assēbling ordinarily in one place If they would thē are they too absurd to be thought worthy to be confuted But though they would the ancient christians would not who when their multitude was increased in all places of the world were diuided into diuers particular assemblies If they would haue them diuided as of necessity they must then let them tell mee whether wee that doe and of necessity must consist of diuers congregations are to follow the example of any ancient church as it was before it was diuided or as it was after it was diuided If the former then are they absurd againe If the latter then haue I that which I desire They will say perhaps that each congregation after the diuision was as that one before Nothing lesse Let them proue that and I will yeeld in the whole cause The one before had a Bishop and a Presbytery as they will confesse which were to attend the whole flocke but after the diuision not each parish had a Bishop and a Presbytery but one of the Presbyters assigned to it the rest remaining with the Bishop who as before assisted with his Presbytery had a generall superintendencie ouer them as well diuided as vndiuided and was but one in euery diocesse as well after the diuision as before Which is so manifest a truth so confirmed by testimonies before cited so testified by the generall consent and practise of the Christian world not one instance to be giuen to the contrary as that it cannot but conuince the conscience I hope also it will perswade For tell mee I pray you were not parishes distinguished in Constantines time and before as well as now Yes questionlesse Were any other assigned to them seuerally then seuerall Presbyters euen as they be now That also is out of doubt Was it euer or at any time otherwise after the diuision of parishes No without question There remained but one Bishop and one Presbytery for the whole citie and country as well after the diuision as before And that is so euident a truth by that which hath bin said that no man of learning can with a good conscience any longer denie it But it will be said that the Churches before they were diuided were not dioceses Whereto I answere that the circuit of the Church in the intention of the Apostle or first founder of it was the same as well before the diuision of parishes as after Euen as the subiect of the leauen is the whole bach in the intention of him that putteth it into the lumpe though the loaues bee not yet diuided yea though but a little of the dough bee yet after it is newly put in seasoned If you aske mee how J know this I answere First because the whole Church of God euer since the Apostles daies vnto our age hath so vnderstood the intention of the Apostles and of their first founders the circuit of euery Church hauing from the beginning included not onely the citie but the country thereto belonging Secondly because that diuision of Churches which was three or foure hundred yeeres after Christ with their limits and circuits were ordinarily the same which had been from the beginning as before hath been testified by diuers antient Councels Thirdly because it is confessed by Beza and testified by Doctor Rainolds and others that the distribution of the Church did vsually follow the diuision of the common-wealth insomuch that those countries which were subiected to the ciuill iurisdiction exercised in any citie were also subiect ordinarily to the ecclesiasticall and as they were accounted of the same county or prouince in respect of ciuill gouernment so of the same Church or diocesse in regard of spirituall And as the Church followed the ciuill distribution at the beginning so also if there were any new citie erected by the authority of the Emperour it was decreed by the Councell of Constantinople following therein the canon of their forefathers that the order of ecclesiasticall things should follow the ciuill and publike forme Therefore though these Churches had not been diuided into seuerall congregations yet had they each of them been dioceses But now I adde that at the time of writing the Reuelation which was almost an hundeed yeeres after the birth of Christ it is more then probable that they contained diuers congregations For when Paul had continued but two yeeres at Ephesus the holy Ghost restifieth that all which inhabited Asia so properly called did heare
at the first was conuerted Did not the Apostles in ordaining many Presbyters when few others were conuerted intend the conuersion of more then those fewe and was it not their office theâ— to labour their conuersion Jf they were not to labour their conuersion how were they to bee conuerted Nay if they did not labour it how were they conuerted Were all these Presbyters pastors properly of that one flocke or was there but one who properly was the pastor or Bishoppe the rest beeing his assistants as the Presbytery When therefore more were conuerted then could well assemble together in one ordinarie congregation were not the congregations diuided Vpon this diuision was there a Bishoppe and presbyterie assigned to euerie seuerall congregation or onely a Presbyter the Bishoppe assisted with his Presbyterie hauing a generall superintendencie ouer all not onelie to attend those who were already conuerted but also to procure the conuersion of the rest and still as people in diuers places were conuerted to furnish them with a Presbyter and to guide and gouerne both them and their Presbyter after their constitution to bee a seuerall Church and his institution to bee their Minister To imagine therefore that the state of the Churches and charge of the Ministers was so the same before the diuision of parishes and after that as either before there was ouer one congregation a Bishoppe and presbyterie so there should after to euery particular congregation be assigned a Bishoppe and presbyterie or after as the proper office of the ministers appointed to their seuerall charges was to attend them so before the Bishoppe and presbytery should haue beene prouided properly for that number alone which was conuerted and they should not haue thought it to belong to their charge to seeke or to labour the conuersion of the residue I say to thinke this argueth the parish-disciplinarians to bee of shallow iudgement and the parish-discipline to consist of vndâ—sgested fancies Vpon the proposition therfore and the assumption before propounded this conclusion notwithstanding al his cauills doth follow Therefore the Presbyteries ordained by the Apostles were appointed not to parishes but to Dioceses Serm. sect 3. page 18. Neither were the parishes distinguished c. to page 19. l. 5 The second argument whereby the same assertion in these words is proued may thus be framed When the Churches were not diuided into seueral parishes nor Presbyters assigned to their seuerall titles or cures but werein coÌ„moÌ„ to atteÌ„d the whole flock feding them that were already conuerted and labouring the conuersion of the rest so farre as they were able both in citie and country then were not the Presbyteries appointed to parishes but to dioceses In the Apostles times the churches were not diuided into seuerall parishes c. Therefore in the Apostles times the Presbyteries were appointed not to parishes but to dioceses The proposition seemeth to be of necessary and euident truth for when there were no parishes distinguished how could the Presbyters be assigned to seuerall parishes And if they were appointed to labour the conuersion of all which belonged to God both in citie and countrey how were they not appointed to dioceses For can hee thinke that all the people which belonged to God in the city and country and which after also were conuerted belonged to one parish Is it not euident that after their conuersion they were diuided into many both in citie and countrey And what though at the very first all the Christians in the citie and countrey if they had beene assembled together would haue made but a small congregation were they therefore of one parish before there was any parish at all Was not the circuit of the Church as before hath beene prooued and of the Bishop and Presbyteries charge the same in purpose and intention at the first when they were but a few which it was afterwards in execution when all were conuerted The assumption also is that which the Refuter himselfe holdeth that there were not in any Church many parishes in the Apostles times Howbeit I except the Church of Alexandria as after you shall heare But though he know not how to answer directly to either of both yet he wrangleth with both and as a man confounded yet resolued to contradict though against the light of his conscience he denieth the conclusion and contradicteth himselfe The proposition after his perpetuall manner hee propoundeth connexiuely If the parishes were not distinguished c. then were not the Presbyters appointed for parishes c. The force of the connexion as it inferreth they were appointed to dioceses he suppresseth leauing out the words of greatest force viz. that they were appointed to labour the conuersion of those that belong to God so farre as they should be able both in the citie and in the countries adioining And as it inferreth that they were not appointed to parishes he answereth not only he maketh a flourish with the shew of regestion which kinde of answer best fitteth him that is at a Nonplus Howsoeuer the world goeth the consequence must be denied that is resolued vpon though he haue nothing to oppose against it Yes he hath two things to oppose the first a question What if euery one of the Churches then were but one parish As if hee should say What if the maine question betweene vs bee true in that part which wee hold viz. that the Churches were parishes and not dioceses Where are you then Why but I prooue they were not parishes because the presbyteries were not appointed to parishes but to dioceses And come you now with this question What if they were Yea but I will prooue they were You will neede your proofes in a fitter place Yea but in the meane time I disprooue your consequence You will say something perhaps to bleare the eies of the simple but you doe not indeede denie and much lesse doe you disprooue the consequence The deniall of the consequence were this Though it bee supposed that parishes were not distinguished and that the Presbyteries were appointed for the conuersion of all both in Citie and Countrey yet it doth not follow that they were appointed to dioceses and not to seuerall parishes and not this nay but the Churches were each of them but one parish This is to denie the maine conclusion which is already prooued Yea but the proofe of this deniall disprooueth your consequence The consequent perhaps which is the conclusion but the consequence it cannot without supposing as it doth not those things which are supposed in the proposition thus Though there were no parishes yet they were assigned to parishes though they were appointed both for Citie and Country yet they were not appointed for dioceses You deny therefore as a man amazed the maine conclusion the consequence of the proposition you touch not But let vs see how he disproueth the conclusion though his argument come out of time and be here vsed only for a poore shift It may thus be framed
late been most vrged or of outfacing the truth with vaunts of diuers testimonies and reasons which are scarce worth the answering blaming also me for bringing but one reason for them when himselfe after all his brags bringeth but one and that not so strong though you adde thereto the testimonies which he vaunteth of In the obiection which J bring for them he putteth such confidence that if he can make it good against me whereof he doubteth not such is his tried valor all my labour about my Sermon will proue nothing worth No doubt he would appeare to be some tall man if he durst shew his head But let vs heare his dispute for he hath taken the obiection out of my hands because I did not vrge it strongly for them obiecting no more then J knew my selfe able to answere and yet all that he addeth is but losse of time in multiplying of words First he premiseth a syllogisme concluding the maine question that the Churches in the Apostles times hee should haue added as I did and the age following for themselues in their question include two hundred yeeres were not dioceses properly but parishes If the Presbyteries and presidents therof in the great Cities â—ere assigned but to one particular ordinary congregation assembled together in one place then the Churches in the Apostles times and in the age following were not dioceses properly but parishes But the Presbyteries and presidents thereof in the great Cities were assigned but to one particular ordinary congregation assembled together in one place Therefore the Churches in the Apostles times and in the age following were not dioceses properly but parishes The consequence of the proposition is cleare by that I answered a little before where I said that adâ—cesse must needs consist of distinct congregations But if this proposition haue no better hypothesis to support it I may deny it seeing I haue proued before that there were dioceses in the first conception of the Churches before distinction of parishes So that the addition of this syllogisme hath made his cause somewhat worse then it was before The assumption is thâ—â—â—râ—â—â—d If all the Christians in any one great Citie did make but one such congregation then both the Presbyteries and presidents thereof were assigned but to one congregation hee should say to one particular ordinarie congregation assembled together in one place But al the Christianâ— in any great Citie vnderstand in the first 200 yeeres did make but one such congregation Therefore both the Presbyteries and presidents therof of were assigned but to one congregation The former syllogisme for breuity I omitted desiring in few words to bring their argument to the issue presuming that any man might from my conclusion deduce the maine question after this manner They were prouided but for one particular ordinary congregation assembâ—ing together in one place Therefore not for a diocesse The second which containeth the issue I propounded as forcibly as he hath done But my aduersary is one of those disputers who when the consequence of an Enthymeme is denied make it good by a connexiue syllogisme When as an Enthymeme for disputation is by somuch better then a connexiue syllogisme by how much it is shorter the consequence being thesame with the connexion of the proposition the antecedent all one with the assumption and the consequent the very same with the conclusion of the connexiue syllogisme Such disputers are good to waste paper and spend time But to the point I deny as before both the consequence and the antecedent of the Enthymeme so now both the proposition and the assumption of his syllogisme The proofe of the consequence hee slubbereth ouer for his faculty is better in denying consequences then in prouing of them For saith hee seeing the deniall is vpon this ground that the Prestbyters were appointed not onely to take charge of them that were conuerted but also to labour the conuersion of the rest which we haue shewed to bee false it wil remaine good notwithstanding But I haue proued that it is an vndigested fancy rare conceit of shallow if not giddy heads which see no further then their nose end to imagine that the Apostles intending as they cannot deny the conuersion of the citie and country did place in the citie a Bishop and Presbytery to take charge only of that small number which at the first was conuerted but chiefly from hence to infer that euery particular parish should haue the like Bâ—shop and Presbytery The antient Church of God in all places vnderstood the Apostles intent as I expound the same And therefore when all both in citie and country were conuerted to the profession of the faith they acknowledged the generall care and inspection ouer them all to belong to that one Bâ—shop of the citie and themselues as I said in the Sermon to be part of that Church and neuer did vnlesse it were in time of schisme or heresie set vp another B. and Presbytery within the diocesse but euery congregation contented it selfe with a learned Presbyter if it could bee so well prouided for And this is so manifest a truth that I doubt not to pronounce him void either of a sound iudgement or good conscience that shall deny it This consequence therefore will neuer bee made good And therefore the Refuter might haue saued his labour if it were ought worth which he spendeth vpon the assumption vntill he had proued the proposition Yea but this consequence belike might haue been made stronger For he did wisely saith he to digge the pit no deeper but that he might be able to fill it againe so could hee not haue done had â—e gone as low as we doe who thus frame our reason All the Christians in any one great Citie and the townes about it vnlesse there were distinct Churches in those townes did make but one particular ordinary congregation assembled in one place Therefore both the Presbyters and Presidents thereof were assigned but to one congregation I mislike not his addition of the townes about so he will bee pleased as hee addeth them to strengthen his consequence so not to forget as I doubt he will to take them into the defence of his antecedent But where he speaketh of his digging deeper others as good Pioners as hee to vndermine the state of our Church went no deepeer and I durst not adde more to their antecedent as he hath done lest I should make it too absurd But what meaneth that parenthesis vnlesse there were distinct Churches in those townes I feare to be circumuented with this inclosure Belike there were more congregations then one in the cities and townes as he said before Cenchrea was a distinct Church from Corinth and then how shall all both in citie and country be said to bee but one congregation Tush wee haue a bush for that gap We will except all other congregations but that one and so they being excepted all will bee but one Ridiculum caput As if
you had said all the congregations of Christians both in citie and country were but one vnlesse there were more then one I promise you you haue digged well and haue hedged your ditch with a strong enclosure But why had you not the like hedge or wall rather for the citie vnlesse there were distinct Churches in the citie for then all had been cockesure This hedge for the townes and this wall for the citie would haue sufficiently fenced the antecedent But then the consequence had been ridiculous and as it is now propounded with this inclosure in the antecedent is altogether as weake as it was before For to what purpose are the townes added if the parishes be excepted And by this inclosure the antecedent it selfe is bewraied of falshood For if there were in the citie and country more distinct Churches or parishes as here is supposed and these all subordinate to one as I haue manifestly proued before then all these will make a diocesse I say therefore againe that though their antecedent were true yet the consequence were to be denied Serm. sect 5. pag. 19. But the Antecedent is not onely false but also vnreasonable and vncredible c. 20. lines to one day The reason whereby I disprooue the Antecedent is by the Refuter framed after his fashion and propounded at large It shall suffice to turne his proposition into an Enthymeme thus The number of the Christians in the greatest Cities was very great hee should haue said greater then could ordinarily meet in one assembly the times such for persecution as would not permit them ordinarily to meet in great multitudes and the places of their meeting priuate and vncapeable of any great multitude I say such multitudes Therefore in the first two hundred yeeres all the Christians in any great Citie and the townes about which he should haue added did make more then one particular congregation ordinarily assembling in one place Did not I tell you that hee would forget to adde to the Cities the Townes about them which hee did adde to his Antecedent to make the former consequence good but dares not adde it now for feare of marring all But what doth he answere to it as it is First hee cauilleth and meerely cauilleth with the consequence obiecting such things as hee is perswaded in his owne conscience neither were in the primitiue Church nor ought to haue been Themselues doe teach that parishes ought to bee so well compact and trussed together as that all of the same Church may conueniently and ordinarily meet together and also that where the multitude is greater then that all can well meete together they ought to diuide themselues into diuers congregations And now he telleth vs of great parishes either in the suburbs of London or in some parts of the land which were at their setting out nothing so populous as now they are both which sorts being so mightily increased in respect of the number of their parishioners himselfe I dare say is of opinion that they ought to bee diuided And therefore ought not but that hee meant to cauill to haue supposed the practise of the primitiue Church which hee and his consorts doe alwaies vrge as a precedent for imitation to bee sutable to those instances which though hee giueth yet hee and all his partners doe vtterly mislike as swaruing from the practise of the primitiue Churches And where he saith M. D. doth mistake the matter whiles hee thinketh that wee hold that all and euerie of the Christians in the great Cities did or could alwaies meete in the same place hee vtterly mistaketh me in so conceiuing though I am not ignorant they hold very strange things but this J conceiue you to hold that each visible Church was and still ought to bee a particular ordinary constant congregation of Christians which not onely may conueniently but also must necessarily if they bee not by sufficient causes hindered assemble together ordinarily to praier and to the ministery of the word and Sacraments And I say that in respect of the number or rather innumerable company of Christians which T. C. himselfe thinketh to haue been greater in those times then now in respect of the times wherein they liued raging with persecution and in regard of the places vncapeable of such multitudes it is vncredible yea impossible that all the Christians in the greatest cities and countries about them should make but one particular congregation ordinarily and constantly meeting in one place Neither doth that further his cause which hee professeth to be their assertion that the Christians which dwelt in and about any great Citie and were called the Church of the Citie were members of one body for not onely they but also those that dwelt in the remotest parts of the Country though distinguished into many particular congregations did not hold themselues to bee entire bodies by themselues vnlesse they were schismatickes or heretikes but all members of the same outward body and visible Church whereof the mother Church in the citie was the chiefe or head by which they were denominated and also distinguished as now they are from other Churches Hauing thus cauilled with the consequence hee proceedeth to the antecedent which is the assumption of his syllogisme denying euery particular branch thereof And first for the number hee would examine my proofes but what should hee speake of proofes when all I say is but vpon imagination Verily for ought I see my imaginations are better reasons then your strongest proofes And that here appeareth where you weaken my imagination J will not say falsifie it by propounding it after your maner But could a man professing sincerity so cast off all shame as to affirm that all I say is but vpon imagination when of that which I say there are foure proofes set downe in the Sermon first by comparison of the lesse to the greater secondly an instance of Rome thirdly the testimony of Cornelius fourthly the testimony of Tertullian The first he propundeth thus If the multitude of Christians at Ierusalem within a few weekes after Christ was very great then was it great in such cities But the former is true Therefore the latter It is your fashion to make my consequences not to exceed the proportion of your owne imagined ability in answering them My reason standeth thus If the multitude of Christians at Ierusalem was verie great within a few weekes after the ascension of Christ then in all likelihood the number of Christians in greater cities hauing the like though not alwaies so great meanes was within two hundred yeeres increased so much as to exceed the proportion of one particular assembly ordinarily meeting in one place But the former is true for at the Feast of Pentecost 3000. were conuerted in one day and shortly after their number was growne to 5000. which afterwards daily and mightily increased therefore the latter In my argument as you see comparison is made not onely betweene Ierusalem and
of Ierusalem that is almost 150. yeares before the period of that time whereof we speake And yet in Act. 21. there is mention of I know not how many ten thousands of belieuing Iewes ver 20. You see say they to Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how many ten thousands there are of belieuing Iewes c. My second argument to proue that in some Cities the multitude of Christians did not ordinarily assemble in one place as one set particular congregation is a particular instance of the City of Rome in these words Serm. Sect 6. Pag. 20. At Rome about the yeare 100. the Company of Christians being much increased c. Euaristus diuided them into diuers Parishes c. to Apolog. c. 37. pag. 21. To this instance his answere is twofold First that it is but a tale of no credite nor truth Of no credite because both the author deserueth no credite and the matter reported by him is vnlikely and vntrue The Author either because wrongfully hee beareth the name of Damasus or if it be Damasus himselfe hee is not to be credited in reporting a matter done 300. yeares before his time So that wee are resolued to deny it let the author bee who hee will Yea but the Venetian Edition of the Councels chargeth that Author but hee saith not where with disagreement from other approued histories but he saith not wherein Doth hee in this particular disagree from approued histories Or is there any reason why he should be suspected of forgery in this particular In all writings of the Romanists which are suspected of forgery there is something contained which seemeth to bee coined or foisted in for an aduantage Now I would gladly know to what end they should faine this particular serueth it to magnifie the Papall supremacy or to maintaine any of their corruptions or to contradict their opposites in any thing which they held in former times Nothing lesse For to begin with the last It could not bee counterfeited with purpose to contradict any body for that one and the same Church was and ought to be diuided into Parishes and that Presbyters were and ought to be seuerally appointed to them neuer any man that J haue read or heard of denied before T. C. Not Caluin nor Beza nor any other fauourer of the pretended Discipline before him Likewise that which is reported was a godly and necessary act which had been practised long before this in Alexandria though I knew not so much when I made the Sermon but you shall heare of it in due place which also was practised vpon the like occasion in all the Churches of the world that is to say when the number of Christians was so increased that they could not all conueniently meet in one place they were by their B. diuided into diuers assemblies Was not this done in all Churches whatsoeuer yea ought it not to haue bene done In Rome it was done long before the time of Damasus for before his time there were aboue 40. parish Churches built in Rome and no doubt but it had a beginning and a beginner which if it were not Euaristus let it be shewed who it was It was done as J will straight waies note before Tertullians time who flourished about the year 180. And therfore if not by Euaristus thē by one of the other anciēt BB. within the compas of the limited time who were godly BB. famous Martyrs That it was Euaristus his act to let passe Damasus and the volumes of the councils which report it out of him Platina Onuphrius before cited and Sabelliciu testifying the same others as opposite to Popery as our refuter haue beleeued accordingly reported Iohn Bale reporteth of Euaristus that hee shining with the grace of God euen in the time of persecution increased the number of the sacred assemblies of Christians Likewise Robert Barnes that famous Martyr saith Presbyteris Rome titulos distribuit Hee distributed the titles or parishes to the Presbyters To these I might adde the testimony of a Protestant writer who for 30. yeares together studiously laboured in penning a Chronologie though it be not printed wherein among other things he reporteth of Euaristus who as he noteth was made Bishop of Rome in the yeare 99. that hee brought the places of the assemblies of the Christian brethren in Rome vnto 7 congregations appointed to each of them seuerall pastors teachers that they might by such means remaine more secret liue in better securitie and heare the word with more ease and profit then otherwise they could considering the iniquity of the time if they did meete in greater nūbers As touching the matter he saith 1. it is vnlikely that the Presbyters attended the flocke promiscuously and the people met in diuers places vncertainely and yet that which he excepteth against as the matter is not so much as material The question is whether Euaristus diuided the Church of Rome into diuers seuerall congregations and assigned seuerall Presbyters to them as Damasus reporteth But whether the Presbyters before attended them promiscuously or the people mette vncertainly that is not the question But seing hee is pleased to except against those words which are not in Damasus but Onuphrius my selfe added as a reason of Euaristus his act let him also be pleased to answer me whether the whole Christian people of Rome in the city suburbs country adioyning did vsually ordinarily meete together in one assembly throghout the whole term of 200. years or in diuers assemblies as they could most conueniently If they alwaies or most vsually met together then whether alwaies in one certain place or in diuers vncertainly occasionally The former himselfe denieth If the latter then the Presbyters had not charge of them seuerally but of them al promiscuously then also the people met vncertainly If they did not ordinarily meet all together but in diuers assemblies which is the truth then whether were the seuerall meetings set and certain and seueral Presbyters appointed to them or were the meetings and Presbyters for the instructing of those assemblies appointed vncertainely as occasion and opportunity serued If the latter which seemeth to haue beene the vse before Euaristus his time then that is true which hee excepteth against If the former which was brought to passe by Euaristus then the maine assertion which he oppugneth is true Secondly he would proue it to be false and that by 2. testimonies the former of Iustin Martyr an 142. Who directly affirmeth of the Church of Rome in speciall as in generall of all other Churches that they vsed vpon the sabbath day all to assemble together in one place His words are these On the sunday as it is called all the Christians dwelling in the cities or abroad in the countries do come together in the same place He speaketh not of the Church of Rome in speciall but of the practise of all Christians in general Is therefore the
word all to bee taken collectiuè or distributiuè if in the former sense then his meaning should be that all Christians in the world whether they dwelt in cities or countreys did on the Lords day meet in one place which is absurd If the latter then he meaneth all them distributiuely who whether they liued in the cities or countries belonged to one congregation As if one of vs speaking of the custome of our times should say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on Sunday so called there is a comming together of all into one place who doe dwell in the cities or the countries that is all in euery place that belong to the same congregations And that it is so to be vnderstood it appeareth by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cities propounded in the plurall nuÌ„ber For his meaning neuer was that the people of diuers cities did meet ordinarily together the note of disiuÌ„ction â— or added to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuntry doth signifie that those of the country did not al meet with theÌ„ of the City for then he would haue said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that al did meet in their seuerall congregations whether they liued in the cities or couÌ„tries His other testimony is of Platina affirming that Dionysius about 160. yeares after Euaristus did first diuide and set out parishes and therefore hee referreth him Damasus to Onuphrius to be reconciled But well may this refuter with shame enough hide his head who shameth not so oft to falsifie the authors which hee quoteth This is that which Platina reporteth of Dionysius that he being made B. straightwaies diuided the Churches and coemiteries which were the places of christian meetings in the city of Rome to the presbyters but he saith not that he first did it neither was it his mening for he had said the same before of Euaristus Abroad also saith he in the country he distributed parishes dioceses so couÌ„try parishes are called to the end that euery one should be content with his bounds limits Agreeable hereunto is the report of Dionysius himself if it be himself in his epistle to Seueruâ— the B. of Corduba For wheras Seuerus had asked his directioÌ„ what course was to be takeÌ„ coÌ„cerning parish churches throghout the prouince of Corduba he wisheth him to follow that which he had lately done in the church of Rome ecclesias vero singulas singulis presbyteris dedimus seueral Churches we assigned to seueral presbyters diuided to theÌ„ the churches coemiteries ordained that euery one shold haue his proper right in such sort as that none may inuade the lands bounds or right of another parish but that euery one should be content with his owne boundes and so keepe his church and people committed to him that before the tribunall of the eternall Iudge he may giue an account of all committed to him and may receiue glorie and not iudgement for his deeds Now these reports are easily reconciled with the afore cited testimony of Damasus For as Onuphrius also hath obserued Euaristus first diuided the parishes to the presbyters the nuÌ„ber wherof by Hyginus not loÌ„g after was augmeÌ„ted an 138 After whoÌ„ nothing was altered vntill the time of Dionysius an 260. who increased the nuÌ„ber of the parishes which afterwards were multiplied by Marcellus about the yeare 305 c. Besides thogh Euaristus first diuided the parishes in Rome yet Dionysius might be the first that set out the couÌ„try parishes Which distinction if it wil salue their credits who haue said that Dionysius first diuided parishes I wil not be against it His 2. answere is that if Euaristus did any such thing he diuided the titles to only gouerning elders c. A likely matter For the titles were the sacrae aedes the places of metings vnto Gods worship in which the Presbyters or as Dionysius calleth theÌ„ sacerdotes the Priests were ordained to feed the people coÌ„mitted to them with the ministery of the word sacraments and goe before them in the worship of God But of lay elders I haue sufficiently spoken before if any thing wil suffice to perswade men that there neuer were any such in the church of God My 3. proof is the testimony of Cornelius the B. of Rome who as he saith there were 46. Presbyters at that time in the Church of Rome 108 others of the clergy 1500. poor people maintained al of them by the contributioÌ„ of christians so he calleth the Christian people in Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very great innumerable people Did the B. and 154. clergy men attend one parishionall assembly only was there 1500. poor christians besides 154 of the clergy together with the B. maintained of one parishional congregatioÌ„ was an innumerable people the people of one particular ordinary congregation assembling in one place This testimony saith our refuter is quite besides the purpose a fift part meaning 50. yeres beyond the time we speak of The limitatioÌ„ of the time wherto they haue coÌ„fined the primitiue church was deuised for a poor shift because they knew there was not the like euidence for the 2. century as for the 3. Otherwise what reasoÌ„ can be reÌ„dred why there should be diuers parishes vnder one B. in the year 250. if it were not so in the year 200 especially seing they which of purpose haue written of these things do professe that there was no differeÌ„ce in the nuÌ„ber of the parishes in that time 10. years after What reson can be giueÌ„ why the christian people which was innumerable in the yeare 250. should haue been in the yeere 200. the people of one particular parish especially seeing good authors before the year 200 doe acknowledge as much as if they had said that then they were innumerable To which purpose in the 4 place I quoted Tertullian whom J needed not if we wil beleeue the refuter to haue cited seeing saith he he speaketh vnlimitedly of the christiaÌ„s in the Romane Empire saith nothing herein that wâ—e deny nor ought for M.D. profit By his good leaue therefore I will recite the words For after that hee had professed that christians then contrary to the iudgement and practise of the Papists now thought it vnlawfull for them to auenge themselues on their persecutors he saith For if we should shew our selues to be open enemies not secret auengers should we want either number or strength we are aliants froÌ„ you et vestra omnia implenimus and we haue filled al places that are yours cities Islands Castles towns assemblies c. only your temples we leaue vnto you If we should but depart away from you the losse of so many citizens would amaze you Without doubt you would be astonished ad solitudineÌ„ nostraÌ„ at the solitarines which our abseÌ„ce would make you would seek the reliques of a dead city wherein you might rule more enemies then citizens wold remain
vnto you but now you haue the fewer enemies by reason of the multitude of Christians penè 〈◊〉 ciâ—ium being almost all citizens penè omnes ciues Christianos habendo by hauing almost al your Citizens Christians Let the Reader judge what the number of Christians were in those times whether Tertullian doth not speake chiefly of the city of Rome let him consider whether almost all the citizens of Rome of whom ordinarily there were diuers huÌ„dred thousands besides christian strangers seruants and the female sex were like to be the people of one parish The same author speaking to the same purpose in another place saith it may be sufficiently manifest vnto you that we deale according to the doctrine of diuine patience Seing we being so great a multitude of men euen the greatest part almost of euery city do cary our selues in silence modestie And so much concerning the multitude of the people Serm sect 7. p. 21. Ad to the multitude of the people the consideration of the times raging for the most part with persecution c. to the end of the 2. point As touching the times the refuter answereth that how furiously soeuer the times raged with persecution yet the christian people did vsually assemble together Whereof I doubt not But the question is whether in diuers congregations as I say as it is most euideÌ„t or altogether in one place which is altogether vncredible As for the places wherin the christians in the first 200. yeares vsed to assemble especially in time of persecution whereas I say they were priuate houses vaults and secret places not capable of such multitudes as haue bin spoken of for refuge he flieth to the vâ—lts holes as he calleth theÌ„ which he supposeth were capable of great multitudes but omitteth priuate houses and other small roomes turned to this vse And whereas J say they were not capable of such multitudes as were thâ— whole companies of Christians in the greatest cities proued before to haue bin in a manner innumerable hee onely saith great multitudes But what we are to coÌ„ceiue of this point let vs enquire of Hospinian a Protestant writer who hath trauelled in this argument He therefore saith in the time of the Apostles and some while after the places of meetings which Christians had were simple houses neither were they permitted by the cruelty of tyrants and rage of the people to build I say not magnificent but not meane Temples The places therefore of publike meetings in those times were base more like dens and secret corners then magnificall Temples as Eusebiusâ—estifieth â—estifieth And Tertullian plainly affirmeth that in his time the Christians had no other temples but simple houses Polydor Virgil testifieth that the Christians were so far from hauing any temple built in these times that all was secret their places of meeting were chapels and those hidden and for the most part vnder the ground rather then in open and publike places Bullinger likewise saith that the antient Christians vnder Constantine the Great were wont vnder the quire of the temples to build cryptaâ— vaults in memory of the persecutions whereby the Christians vnder the Emperors before Constantine were not suffered sometimes to come abroad and therfore they were forced to hold their assemblies and performe the sacred exercises in secret sometimes in dens and other priuy places But saith the Refuter Let them bee as little as he would make them yet it doth not follow hereof that the Churches in the Cities alone contained many particular congregations or parishes To which purpose againe he alleageth his chapels of ease for a meere euasion seeing himselfe is perswaded there was none such in those times And where he saith that although there were diuers places of meeting in those times yet all appertained to one congregation I confesse it to be true for euen after the distinction of parishes both in citie and country all of them belonged to one Church as meÌ„bers of the same body Yea but saith he if there were many particular congregations in euery city how chanceth it he told vs before that the parishes were not distinguished Distinguish the times and the answere is easie In the first hundred yeeres though Christians met in diuers places as they could yet neither were there in the most cities certaine set places of meeting nor certaine Presbyters assigned to them as to their perpetuall and peculiar charge But at the end of the first hundred yeeres Euaristus diuided to seuerall Presbyters in Rome titles that is the set places of meetings which we call parish Churches whereof they were entituled and called the Presbyters of such and such a title or parish And thus haue J maintained my arguments and answers against his cauils Now am I to defend my assertion against his proofes CHAP. VI. Answering the Refuters arguments ANd first because you shall know what he meaneth to conclude he propoundeth the question which is saith he whether in the Apostles times and the age following that is the first two hundred yeeres the visible Churches indued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernment were parishes or no. In which question seeing he his consorts restraine the times of the primitiue Church to the first two hundred yeeres the Reader will I hope expect that he should conclude that foâ— this whole terme at the least the churches were each of them but a parish and that in all this time there were no dioceses His argumentation containeth two ranckes of instances the former taken out of the scriptures the latter out of the Fathers The former he concludeth thus If the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch being visible Churches indued with power of ecclesiasticall government were each of them but one parish vnderstand for the whole terme of 200. yeeres then the other visible Churches 〈◊〉 with the like power were also each of them during the same terme but one parish But the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch being visible Churches endued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernment were each of them but one parish for the first 200. yeeres Therefore the other visible Churches endued with the like power were also for the like terme each of them but one parish The proposition I will be content to yeeld to my aduersarie so it may be lawfull for me to vse the like for then I would conclude thus If the Churches of Alexandria and Rome were not parishionall Churches in the first 200. yeeres neither were the Churches of other Cities But the antecedent is true therefore the consequent The consequence is the same with his and grounded on the same hypothesis viz. that all Churches endued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernment were at the first of the same nature and constitution The former part of the assumption concerning Alexandria I will manifestly prooue when I come to the third point concerning Diocesans viz. that it was not one parish but contained diuers parishes euen
q Act. 18. r Actionâ— s Iuâ— graecevom pag. 90. §. 12. That some of the seuen Churches were mother Cities t Plin. l. 5. c. 29 et 30. u Actio 6. x Iur. gracorom pag. 90. y Actio 3. z Iur. graecoraÌ„ 88. a Page 90. b page 94. c page 100. Ad pag. 54. Mat. 13.53 Act. 20 1â—.31 Iohn 10. Acts 1â— 10 Ad. Pag. 5◠§. 4. c Alasco §. 6. Ad pag. 59. § 7. Act. 20.28 Ioh. 10.16 Act. 20.28 Mat. 1.21 Sup. cap. 1. Ad pag. 60. Ad page â—◠§. 2. His consequence denied § 3. The Church of each citie not one parishionall congregation onlâ— He should haue added and the towns about Ad. Pag. 62. T. C. H.I. § 4. Of the number of Christians in one Citie Ad pag. 63. Act. 2.41 Act 4 4. Act. 6.1.7 2. Tim. 1.15 §. 5. Pag. 57. 63. Whether all in Asia made an apostasie from the faith in Pauls time 2. Tim. 4.16 Chrys. in 2. Tim. 1. hom 3. §. 6. Of the number of Christians at Ierusalem Ad pag. 64. §. 7. He retorteth my argumeÌ„t Act. â— 1 Rom. 9.10.11 After which time the BB of Ierusalem were of the Gentiles who till then had beene of the circumcision § 8. The church of Ierusalem not parishionall Conc. Nic. c. 7. Act. 1.5 §. 9. My Instance from the City of Rome Ennead 7. l. 4. De vitiâ— R. poÌ„tif in Euaristo De vitis poÌ„tif Will. Harison Prebendary of Windsore §. 10. Ad. Pag. 65. Iust. Marâ— Apolog 2. §. 11. Plat. de vit pontif in Dionysio Presbyteris ecclesiâ— et coemiteria in vrbe Roma statim diuisit Dionys. epist. ad SeueriÌ„ De episcopat et titul c. §. 12. The testimony of Cornelius Euseb. l. 6. c. 43 The testimony of Tertullian Tertul. apol c. 37. Ad Scapulam § 13 The time and place De origin templor c. 6. Lib. 5. de inuent c. 6. De orig errâ—rum lib. 1. c. 21. Ad pag. 66. The Refuters first argumeÌ„t § 2. Whether the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch were each of them but a parish Page 60. § 3. Whether the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch were each but one congregation His proofe out of Scripture In respect of Antioch hee might haue said 45. Corinth was situated in Isthmo betweene two seas hauing on either side a port the one Cenchreae seruing more properly for Asia the other Lechaeum seruing for Italie and other parts of Europe Strab. l. 8. Ad pag. 67. § 4. His testimonies out of humane writings a Ignat. ad Eph. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Epist. ad Magnes d Igna. ad Ro. e Ad Rom. f Pâ—rk problem g Euseb. l. 3. c. 35.36 Tindal pag. 250. D. Fulk in Eph. 5. â— 2. Ad pag. 68. Tindal pag. 135.250 Vid. infr lib. 4. c. 7. § 9. § 5. His second rancke of instances Ignat. ad Magnes Ad Philadelph Ignat. ad Magnes Ad Philadelph Ignat. ad Sâ—yrn Tertull. apolog c. 39. Eusebius Eus. l. 3. c. 11. § 6. The Refuter obiecteth that we haue no diocesan because we haue two prouinciall Churches Ad page 69. C. Antioch c. 10. The councell of Sardica calleth the metropolitan the gouernor of the prouince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 7. Of Metropolitanes when they began In Conc. Constant 1. c. 2. Conc. Nic. c. 6. De gradib c. 24. De. grad c. 20. Euseb. l. 5. c. 23 Ex Balsam in Conc. Ephes. c 8. exemplar suggest de Cypri Episcopis ex Decreto Conc. Ephes. post aduentum Episcoporum Cypri Can. Apost 35. Conc. Nâ—c c. 5.6 Constant. 1. c. 2 Trodus Sabinus Epiphanius qui ante Illos sanctissimi Episcopi quia sanctis Apostolis erant omnes orthodoxi ab his qui in Cypro Constituti sunt § 8. Metropolitan Churches are proofs rather then disproofs of Diocesan Ad page 70. §. 2. This third point deduced from the second Lib. 1. cap. 2. §. 16. Ad pag. 71. §. 3. The analysis of this section and that which followeth Ad pag. 72. 73. Tit. 1.12 That the Bishops had the charge of all the parishes in the city after they were diuided or set out Ad page 74. a By T. C. pa. nusquam Euse. l. 2. c. 15 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d Euse. l. 5. c. 9 e Lib. 5. c. 2â— f Lib. 6. c. 1. g Lib. 6. c. 35. h Socra l. 2. c. 6 i Euseb. l 9. c. 6 k Ruf. l. 1. c. 19 l Socr. l. 4 c. 13. m Epiphan haeres 69. n Epist. ad Râ— o Eus. l. 5. c. 23 p Theo. l. 5. c. 4. q Li 4. c. 11. r Socr. l. 2 c 18 s Soc. l. 7. c. 3. t Euseb. l. 3. c 4 u Lib. 4. c. 21. * Theodor. in 1. Tim. 3. x in 1. Tim. 5.19 y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad pag. 75. The refuters answere to these testimonies a Hâ—mil 1. in Tit. b De script ecâ—les in Titâ— c Praefat. in 1. ad Tim. d Epist. ad Ioâ—n Hieros apud Hieronyâ— â— 2. e Lib. 2. couâ—r Parâ—en f Euseb. in vita Const. Theod. l. 1. c. 19 g In epist. ad Leon. M. h Ex Cont. Ephesin Et Asrit c. §. 6. That the B. had the charge of the parishes in the country §. 7. That the B. of the city assigned seuerall Presbyters to the countrie parishes Ad pag. 77. a Page 57. Theod. l. 2. c. 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Balsans c. 54. graec §. 8. The refuters instances of parish Bishops answered h Eus. l. 5 c. 16. i An. 205.27 k Euseb. l. 5. c. 18. l Lib. 4. c. 25. m 1. Pet. 5.1 n T.C. l. 2. pag. 519. o L. 5. c. 4. Apud Hier. tom 1. Fortè BaieÌ„sit Conc. Carth. graec c. 54. et 57. et 101. Afric c. 20. et 23. et 65. Leo epist. 87. ad Episcopos Afric c. 2. Socrat. l. 4. c. 26. Iur. graecorom in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag 88. Greg. epist. 42. et 65 Caes. Baron an 366. num 10. § 9. Why the heathen are called Pagani Master Hooker is of the same iudgement l. 5. Pagani quasi ex eodem fonte bibâ—ntes De Corona militis §. 10. Ad. Pag. 78. BB. both before after the diuision of Parishes were diocesans Can. Apost 34. Conc. Antioch c. 9. C. 35. C. Antioch c. 22. §. 11. Of the Canons called the Apostles * As the last of all which leaueth out the Apocalypse and reckoneth Clements Epistles and Constitutions as canonicall For the CouÌ„cell in Trullo which receiueth the 85 Canons notwithstanding reiecteth Clements constitutions a de orthod fid l. 4. c. 18. in fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b vid gloss c Praefat. in coÌ„ cil vid. dist 16. c. 4. d Conc. Const. in Trullo c. 2. e Tilius his Edition being here defectiue is out of the manuscript copies thus to be supplied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f Ex Conc. Nic. c. 15
the Bishop in euery diocesse had for terme of life A few testimonies therfore shal suffice in this place In the Church of Rome there were many not onely Presbyters besides the one onely lawfull Bishop but also diuers parishes and titles soone after the Apostles times whereunto Presbyters were assigned seuerally the Bishop being the Superintendent ouer them all About the yeere 250. Cornelius being chosen Bishop of Rome Nonatianus a Presbyter of Rome discontented with the election by the instigation of Nonatus a fugitiue Bishop lately come out of Africke not only broached the heresie of the Nouatians or Catharists but procureâ—â— three simple B shops fetched from the vttermost parts of Italie to ordaine him Bâ—shop of Rome hauing also inueigled by his subtilties certaine famous men that had beene Confessours to bee of his partie and to ioine with him in the schisme against Cornelius Of this fact what was the iudgement of Cyprian of Cornelius and other Bâ—shops and finally of the Confessours themselues you shall in few words heare For when Nouatianus had sent his Messengers as to other chiefe Bâ—shops so to Carthage to procure the approbation of Cyprian hee disswadeth them from the schisme telling them that a Bâ—shop being ordained and approoued by the testimonie and iudgement of his fellow Bâ—shops and of the people another may not by any meanes be ordained And writing to some of those Confessours hee signifieth his great griefe because he vnderstood that they contrary to the order of the Church contrary to the law of the Gospell contrarie to the vnity of Catholike discipline had thought it meet that another B. should be made that is to say which is neither right nor lawfull to bee done that another Church should be erected the members of Christ dismembred c. Cornelius hauing called together diuers Bishops besides his owne Clergie deposed the Bishops who ordained Nouatianus and writing of these matters to Fabius the B. of Antioch he saith this Patron of the Gospell forsooth meaning Nouatian did not know that in a Catholike Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there ought to bee but one B. in which notwithstanding he could not be ignorant but that there are 46. Presbyters and 108. more of the Clergie The Confessors afterwards acknowledging their fault among other things in their submission confesse that as there is but one God and one Lord so in a Catholike Church there ought to be but one Bishop Now whereas Cornelius testifieth that there were besides the Bishop who ought to be but one 46. Presbyters in the Citie of Rome and 108. others of the Clergie if any man notwithstanding it bee also testified by diuers that there were diuers Churches in Rome whereunto seuerall Presbyters were assigned will needes hold that the whole Church of Rome was but one parish and that all these Presbyters and Clerkes attended but one particular ordinary congregation I cannot let him from being so absurd Howbeit this is certaine that in the next age in Optatus his time when there were in Rome aboue fortie parish Churches whereunto seuerall Presbyters were deputed there remained still but one only Bishop The like is to be said of Alexandria wherein as Epiphanius testifieth were before the time of Constantine many parish Churches all which at least so many as were Catholike were vnder one Archbishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ouer them seuerally are Presbyters placed for the ecclesiasticall necessities of the inhabitants who might each of them bee neere vnto their owne Church c. Now saith Epiphanius besides the Church called Caesaria which was burnt in Iulians time and reedified by Athanasius there are many others as the Church of Dionysius of Theonas of Pierius of Serapion of Persaea of Dizya of Mendidius of Amianus of Baucalis and others In one of these was Colluthus Presbyter in another Carpones in another Sarmatas and Arius in another namely that which is called Baucalis The same is testified by Nicetas Choniates affirming that in Alexandria there were of old many Churches subiect to the B. of Alexandria committed seuerally to Presbyters as that which is called Baucalis and those which haue their names from S. Dionysius Theonas c. and that Arius being the gouernor of the schoole in Alexandria was by Achilles the B. the predecessour of Alexander set ouer the Church called Baucalis And although there be not the like euidence for multitude of parishes in other Cities immediately after the Apostles times yet is it not to be doubted but that in euery City when the number of Christians was much increased the like diuision of parishes was made vnto which not BB. but seuerall Presbyters were appointed there remaining in each Citie but one Bishop as the practise of all Churches in the Christian world from the Apostles times to our age doth inuincibly prooue But now suppose that the Church of each Citie had beene but one parish which is most false yet forsomuch as to euery Citie there was as Caluin truly saith a certaine region allotted which belonged to the Bishops charge and was from the Presbyterie of the Citie to receiue their Ministers who seeth nor that the charge of a Bishop was not a parish but a diocesse And that is the second thing which J promised to prooue For Churches containing within their circuit not onely Cities with their Suburbs but also whole Countries subiect to them were dioceses But the Churches subiect to the ancient Bâ—shops in the Primitiue Church contained within their circuit not onely the Cities with their suburbs but also the whole Countries subiect to them Therefore they were dioceses The assumption is prooued by these reasons first The circuit of a Bishops charge was anciently diuided into these parts the Citie with the suburbs and Country subiect to it For proofe whereof you heard before two most plaine testimonies The former in one of the Canons of the Apostles so called charging the Bishop with his owne Paroecia and the Countries which be vnder it The other in the Councell of Antioch which reciting the same words addeth this reason For euery Bishop hath authoritie ouer his owne Paroecia and doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is performe the dutie of a Diocesan hauing a prouident care or superintendencie of the whole Countrey which is vnder his Citie so that he may ordaine Presbyters and Deacons and order all things with iudgement To the same purpose is the diuision of Churches subiect to each Bishop into the Church of the Citie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Nâ—trix Ecclesia and all other parish Churches within the diocesse called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hence ariseth the distinction of Presbyters subiect to the same Bishop that others were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters of the citie or as in some Latine Councels they are called Ciuitatenses others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Countrey Ministers or dioecesanâ— Ministers of the diocesse Secondly
the Bishop of Samosata to Athanasius the Bishop of Ancyra to Ambrose the Bishop of Millaine and writing to the Bishops of France and Jtaly calleth himselfe the B. of Caesarâ—a This title giuen to Bishops after the diuision of parishes plainly prooueth also that they were not Bishops of any one parish but of all the Churches in the Citie and of the whole diocesse My assertion therefore that each of the seuen Churches was not only the Citie but the countrey also adioining would according to the true meaning thereof haue beene consuted if hee had beene able and not the words fondlie cauilled with But not contended heere with he stretcheth my words beyond that which his owne conscience would tell him was my meaning as if I had said that all the people in the City and Country had beene at this time Christians Which could scarcely bee verified of any Citie and Country for 200. yeeres after and more I meane vntill Constantines time Neuerthelesse this was an assertion which he found himselfe able to confute And therefore full soberly he goeth about it telling vs that there were not then so many Christians as inhabitants nor it was not then in Ephesus as it is now in London And very learnedly out of hâ—s reading telleth vs that Polycarpus was put to death by the rage of the heathen multitude in the sight of his people when euery body knoweth that in all Cities and Countries for the space of almost 300. yeeres the Christians were persecuted by the Gentiles If any man aske how it may bee said that the Church contained the Citie and Country when but a few Christians in comparison of the heathen were in either of both I answer as before that the circuit of the Church or diocesse was the same when there were few and when there were many yea when all were Christians Neither were there more Bishops set ouer the Citie and Country when all were Christians then when there were but a few the same Bishop of the Citie hauing iurisdiction ouer all the Christians both in the Citie and country as well when all were Christians as when but a few which J prooued before by the generall consent and perpetuall practise of all Christendome euer since the Apostles times which ought without comparison to preuaile with vs aboue the authoritie of a few selfe-conceited persons among vs who are not so singular for learning as they are singular in opinion whose pride and arrogancie in aduancing themselues against the iudgment and practise of the vniuersall church in all places and in all ages since the Apostles times is intolerable Yea but saith hee the Church of Smyrna writing of the said Martyrdome of Polycarpus intituleth her selfe the Church of God which is at Smyrna Was there a whole Diocesse or Countrey of Christians inhabiting Smyrna Which is an obiection scarce worth the answering For whether by the Church of Smyrna you vnderstand the whole Diocesse it was seated chiefely in the Citie as the soule which is in all the bodie is said to bee in the head and God who is in all places to be in heauen or but that part which did inhabit the Citie you are not to maruell if the whole companie of Christians inhabiting a City are called a Church seeing the companie of Christians in a parish or in a familie deserueth that name Neither doth the naming of it selfe the Church which is at Smyrna exclude the Churches in the Countrey from being of the same bodie or diocesse with it And thus much may suffice to haue spoken concerning the first syllogisme which he framed for mee Now are wee to examine the second M.D. saith he perceiuing that this assumption wanted strength sought to fortifie it by two reasons This is my aduersaries vsuall though odious fashion sophistically to argue euery assertion of weaknesse for which I bring proofe when rather the proofe if it bee good as hitherto hee hath not beene able to disprooue any doth argue the weakenesse of their iudgement who denie or doubt of the truth which is prooued and the strength also of the assertion which is armed with such proofe The former reason he propoundeth thus If our Sauiour writing to the Churches of Asia numbreth but seuen and some of them mother Cities then were they great and ample Cities and not the Cities alone but the Countries adioining But our Sauiour writing to the Churches of Asia numbreth but seuen c. To let passe his vnmannerly gibing not worth the mentioning and to referre you to the manner how this Syllogisme is to be framed before mentioned let vs see how hee dealeth with this frame which himselfe hath fashioned He denieth after his vsuall manner both the proposition and the assumption So hard is my happe that scarce any one proposition or assumption which hee frameth for me may be acknowledged to be true and yet so hard is his happe that he is not able to prooue any one either proposition or assumption of mine to be vntrue The proposition hee would confute by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it were granted that our Sauiour wrote these epistles to all the Churches of Asia yet it will not follow that therefore all the rest depended vpon these as children vpon the mother To which he addeth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in denying the former part of the assumption viz. that our Sauiour did not write to all the Churches of Asia His deniall of the consequence he confirmeth by putting a case If the Emperour finding some abuses commonly raigning in the whole Country of Asia should haue written to these principall and mother Cities for the reforming of those abuses with intent saith he that all other Cities and Townes should be warned by his reproofe of them which put-case with that intent is worthy to be put into a cap-case might a man conclude thereupon that all other Townes and Cities of Asia were subiect to the gouernment of these seuen But say I put the case that the Emperor so should doe with that intent which is and also hath beene vsuall in such cases that is to the intent that what hee writeth to them might by and from them be notified to those Townes and Villages which were within the circuit of their iurisdiction would it not strongly proue that all those other townes and villages were subiect to them Come we to our selues When the King or his Counsell would haue any thing intimated to all his Subiects in certaine Counties are not warrants directed to the Lieutenants of each County from them to the high Constables of euery hundred from them to the Constables of euery towne and doth not this shew that the officers of the towne are subordinate to those of the hundred and much more to the gouernours of the County In like manner when the Archbishop would haue any thing imparted to euery parish hee directeth his letters to the Bishops they to the Archdeacons they to the officers
were not appointed to parishes but to dioceses From whence the principall question of this part is thus to be inferred The Presbyteries ordained by the Apostles were appointed not to parishes but Dioceses therefore the churches indued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernement were not parishes but dioceses This consequeÌ„ce the refuter graÌ„teth in graÌ„ting the connexiue propositioÌ„ of the syllogisme which he frameth p. 58. l. 1. If he did not it might easily be confirmed by adding the assumption viz. to visible Churches indued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernement the Presbyters ordained by the Apostles were appointed The antecedeÌ„t which is also the propositioÌ„ of the syllogism if the assumption bee added I proue by 2. arguments The first concluding thus They who were appointed to whole cities and countreys to labor so far as they were able the conuersion of al that belonged to God were appointed to dioceses and not to parishes This propositioÌ„ I omitted also as taking it for granted As for his cauils against his owne proposition which he framed for the nonce to cauill withall they are not worth the refuting For besides that he absurdly cauilleth with me as thogh I had said that al in the city country were in S. Iâ—bus time conuerted he alleadgeth that there is no necessity that they which were conuerted should be of the same church with theÌ„ who did conuert them As for example they of Ceuchrea receiued the gospel from Corinth and yet were a distinct Church For it is called the church of Câ—nchrea RoÌ„ 16. 1. But I spake of them which did accidentally conuert others but of such as by whose meanes the conuersion of the city and country was originally intended And I say that they whose ministery was intended for the conuersion of the city and countrey to their care or charge both for the first conuerting of theÌ„ gouernment of theÌ„ being conuerted the city country beloÌ„ged As for Cenchreae though it be called a church as euery company of christians may so be termed yet it was not such a church as they speak of indued with power of ecclesiastical gouernement but subiect to the iurisdiction of the Church of Corinth Now followeth the assumption But the Presbyteries ordained by the Apostles were appointed for whole cities countries therto belonging to labour so farre as they were able the conuersion of al that belonged to God This assumption confirmed with 2. arguments is set down p. 18. the one the end inteÌ„ded by the Apostles in appointing presbyters in cities which was the conuersion of the nation for which themselues first preached in the chiefe cities the other is the 〈◊〉 or as they call it causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their hope by the ministery of the Presbyters placed in the city to conuert them which belonged to God both in city country grounded on the force of the gospell restified by our Sauior The words are these for it is euident that the Apostles when they inteÌ„ded to conuert any 〈◊〉 they first preached to the chiefe cities therof Wherin when through Gods blessing they had conuerted some their manner was to ordaine Presbyters hoping by their ministery to conuert not only the rest of the city but also in the countries adioyning so many as did belong to God The Kingdom of heaven being like a little leauen which being put into any part of the 〈◊〉 seasoneth all These words thus set downe at large be the assumption of the syllogisme which he hath framed for what cannot he bring within the compasse of his syllogisms and therof he maketh 3. parts About the first he saith hee will not striue viz. the Apostles beginning to pâ—each in the chiefe cities of euery nation which though he think I caÌ„not proue is most easie to bee proued because it was the most wise and likely course to be taken for the conuersion of nations as also because it is manifest both by the scriptures other ancieÌ„t records that they took that course As Paul inteÌ„ding the conuersion of Asia where hee staied three yeares continued in Ephesâ—s all the time intending the conuersion of Macedonia went to Thessalonica Philippi of Achaia to Corinth c. The second also he franckly yeeldeth that the Apostles ordained Presbyters in cities where they had conuerted some to the truth But the 3 which is indeed the assumption it selfe and which is inferred on the former as I set them downe that if the Apostles intending the conuersion of the nation as they began themselues to preach in the cheefe cities so they placed Presbyters to the same intent hoping by them to conuert both city and countrey then were they appointed and it was their duty to labour the conuersion of all belonging to God both in city and country the assumption I say it selfe he doth deny saying it was the office of those Presbyters to attend vpon the flock that is the company already conuerted but that it can neuer be shewed nor may reasonably be thought that it was any part of their proper duty to labour the conuersion of the residue either in citie or country By which few words the deepe wisedom of the parish-disciplinarians may easily be sounded 1. They conceiue that churches in the first constitution of theÌ„ when there were but a few conuerted and before parishes were distinguished were in the same estate that now they are being fully constituted al being conuerted to the profession of the faith parishes distinguished pastors being seuerally assigned to certain particular ordinary set coÌ„gregatioÌ„s 2. That the flocke ouer which they were set was onely that number of christians already conuerted and not the whole number which in those parts pertained to God But our Sauiour calleth the elect not conuerted his sheepe And the Lord in Corinth had much people when but a few were as yet conuerted 3. That their proper office was to attend them onely which were already conuerted not to labor the conuersioÌ„ of the rest As thogh the Apostles intended by their ministry the conuersion and saluation of no more then of those few which at the first were conuerted But for the better manifestation of their wisedome they shall giue mee leaue to appose them with a few questions The Presbyters which the Apostles ordained were they not ministers of the word Caluin confesseth it and if you should deny it I haue manifestly proued that they were not lay nay that there were not any lay presbyters Were not the presbyters many in some places more in some fewer according to the proportion of the cities or countreys where they were placed were these many Presbyters who at the first were sometimes as many as those who were besides conuerted the Apostles conueying by imposition of hands the gifts of the spirit on them whom they had first conuerted who thereby were inabled for the ministry as Acts 19.6 Were they I say being many intended onely to attend that smal number which
common to attend the whole flocke conuerted For that which is added of labouring the conuersion of the residue c. is the errour forsooth which before he noted How proueth he these points to be false Thus whome can M.D. perswade that the Apostles would either appoint or allow of such confused assemblies wherein the teachers and hearers should euery day so disorderly be changed And then putteth the like case of a schoole himselfe being worthy to be put into a cloake-bagge For in which of these points doth this orderly vnconfounded man note such disorder and confusion or was not the confused conceite he speaketh of in his own braine Let him call to mind what euen now hee said in oppugning the proposition that euery one of the churches then was but one parish which by reason of the multitude of the people had many teachers Do we not see the like saith he in the French Duch churches here in England concludeth that such Parishes there were in the Apostles times and none but such Tell me then is the French or Duch Church in London distinguished either of them into seuerall parishes which is the first point If they be how are they but one Parish Are their ministers supposing them to be as he saith many as there were many Presbyters in the Apostles times in each Church before the diuision of the parishes are they assigned to seueral titles that is parishes or cures If their Church be not diuided into diuers parishes how can their Presbyters be assigned to diuers which is the 2. point Thirdly doe not their ministers communi consilio mutuo auxilio by common counsel and mutuall helpe attend their whole flocke none of them being appointed to a seuerall charge And yet all this I hope without disorder or confusion That therefore which hee bableth in the greatest part of the page concerning disorder and confusion is wholy to be ascribed to his owne distemper and confusion Yea but M.D. telleth vs that the Presbyters were to attend the whole flocke So saith S. Luke Act. 20.28 What of that if they were to attend the whole flocke in cōmon then were they not assigned to seuerall parishes which were but parts of the flocke to which purpose the place of the Acts was quoted Doth either of them say that a flocke was any more then one ordinarie assembly and might not that be a Parish as well as a Diocesse Either of whome hee had mētioned none but S. Luke onely But let that passe For to what purpose doth he aske whether Luke said that a flocke was any more then one assembly If the flocke were but one assēbly that which I proposed is the more confirmed For if they were to attend al one assembly thē were they not assigned to seueral parishes But yet I would haue him know that the word flock the word ecclesia or church which there the word people which in other places is vsed as a word of the same signification is of a larger extēt then to signifie onely one assembly The flocke is that for which Christ the good shepheard did giue his life vnto which appertained the sheep which his father gaue him not only amōg the Iewes but the Gentiles also And this flock is that Church which God meaning Christ who is God in that place of the Acts is said to haue redeemed with his bloud that people of his which he saueth frō their sins And as this is spoken of the Church in generall so the company of them that belong to Christ in any Nation Prouince Diocesse City or Parish may bee called the Flocke the Church the people of God Neither doe I doubt for the reasons before alleadged but that the flock in which those Presbyters Act. 20. were set as ouerseers was the people belonging to God in the City of Ephesus and the Country adioyning where he saith the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ordinarily vsed of beasts and fowles that heard and flocke together I confesse it is beyond the compasse of my reading who neuer read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 applied to fowles but haue found the word vsed properly for a flocke of sheepe and metaphorically for the flocke of Christs sheepe but that flocke is not one onely particular congregation For Luke 12.32 Iohn 10.16 as touching the word Ecclesia which he denieth to signifie any other outward company of men then a particular congregation only I haue already said more to confute that ignorant conceit then will be answered in hast But heare his conclusion if my that is if the word Ecclesia doth not signifie any other then a particular congregation what truth is there in his assumption that denieth parishes to bee distinguished he would haue said to haue beene distinguished in the Apostles times and the Presbyters to haue been assigned to their seuerall titles or cures This conclusion I desire may be kept in remembrance vntill as you haue seene him deny it before so you shall see him againe and againe to deny it Jn the meane time I beseech you how is it inferred If the word Church signifie onely a particular congregation and such a one was that flock in which the Presbyters were set Act. 20.28 therefore there is no truth in the assumption which denieth the parishes to haue beene distinguished and the Presbyters assigned to their seuerall titles or cures Who seeth not that the contrary is to bee inferred Jf the word Church did signifie one congregation and was in euery City but one and if such was the flocke which the Presbyters were appointed to attend wholly and in common then it followeth that the flocke was not diuided into particular parishes nor the Presbyters assigned to seuerall cure◠And so the assumption by his owne inference is proued to be true This and thus weakly saith the refuter hath M.D. proued the point of so great importance And thus and thus stongly say I hath our refuter disproued it Now let the iudicious Reader iudge whether my weakenesse hath not been of sufficient force to ouerthrow his strength CHAP. V. Answering their obiection who say that in the first two hundred yeeres all the Christians in each great Citie were but one particular congregation assembling in one place NOw wee are to examine their proofes And first that which I obiected for them and then that which the Refuter bringeth for himselfe Serm. sect 4. page 19. Against this which hath been said they doe obiect that in the first two hundred yeeres c. 16 lines Here the refuter chargeth me that I making shew of taking away what euer can bee said against my assertion doe propound but one onely bare obiection whereas diuers testimonies and reasons both from scriptures and fathers haue been alleaged by others c. Thus makes he no conscience either of belying me who onely intended to answere that which I tooke to be their chiefe obiection and had of
in Ierusalem were not so many but that still they continued one parishionall assemblis meeting together in one place then the Christians of other Cities might be and did so in like sort But the antecedents is crue therefore the consequent Of the consequence hee saith no reasonableman can make any doubt and so taketh it for granted wanting reason to prooue it Me thinkes there is great reason why I should not onely doubt of it but plainely denie it for when he saith At Ierusalem they were not so many c. hee should haue said when and that still they continued c. hee should haue said how long that being compared with other Cities at the same time and of the like continuance the reason of his consequence might appeare There bee three reasons to be giuen why the Church at Ierusalem should not bee at the end of one hundred or two hundred yeeres so great as in other Cities First the persecution begunne with the martyrdome of Steuen and continued vntill the destruction of Ierusalem vpon the beginning of which persecution all the faithfull in Ierusalem except the Apostles were dispersed into other parts Secondly â—he reiection of the Iewes for the generality of them when the Gentiles were to be called 3. The destruction of Ierusalem by Titus about the yeare 72. and finall extirpation of the Iewes out of Ierusalem by Aelius Hadrianus about the yeare 137. who called it Aelia after his owne name prohibiting any â—ew to come any more within that City So that if it were true that the number of the Christians in Ierusalem within the first 200. yeares had neuer exceeded the proportion of a parishional assembly yet hereof it would not follow that the number of Christians in other Cities should for 200. yeares continue so smal No reasonable man therefore would looke to haue that consequence granted him The Assumption also is false The Church of Ierusalem whereof Iames was Bishop neuer was a Parish so far was it froÌ„ continuing so still But as the people both in the City and Country were vnder one high Priest so was it intended that all the Christians both in the City and countâ—y should be vnder the Bishop of Jerusalem and so continued vntill the destruction thereof Afterwardes because that City being destroied Caesarea was made by the Romans the Metropolis of Iewry it came to passe the church following the common-wealth that the Bishop of Caesarea was the Metropolitan The Bishop of Ierusalem hauing the Bishopricke of the City the places adioining Howbeit in processe of time the Christians honouring the place granted the prerogatiue of the 4. Patriarchship to the Bishop of Ierusalem or Aelia reseruing to Caesarea the Metropolis her owne dignity Nether is it probable that the Church at Ierusalem after they once came to the number of 5000 as quickly it did continued with great increase vntil the death of SteueÌ„ did ordinarily meete all in one place We reade of some Panegyricall meetings as it were in Salomons porch and in the temple such as be the meetings at Paules Crosse or at the Spittle but their ordinarie as it were parishionall meetings were by coÌ„panies in more priuate places Nay I say further that the meetings either of the 12. Apostles who neuer were intended to be members either all or any of them of one parish with the Disciples Act. 6.1 or of some of them with the Presbyters and whole assembly Act. 15.22.26 which places are by the refuter alleadged were not parishionall but rather Synodicall As for those other places in the Acts some of them are ignorantly some absurdly alleadged In the 2. of the Acts he quoteth three places viz. the two first verses 6. 44. In the first it is said that when the day of Pentecost was come they were all with one accord in the same place All that is all the Apostles whose mutuall society and conuersing together is noted So doe some old Manuscrpts reade saith Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Apostles For to them alone had Christ promised that they should bee baptized after a few dayes with the holy Ghost and to that purpose hee commaunded them to stay at Ierusalem expecting the performance of this promise Luke also sheweth who they were verse 14. saying that Peter stood with the eleuen and the people who wondred at them seem to inâ—inuate saying are not all these men of Galilee Is it not strange then that the conuersing of the Apostles together in one house should be alleadged as an example yea patterne of a parishionall assembly Or if by all were ment the 120. Disciples assembled before the descending of the holy Ghost how doth it proue either that they were a parishionall assembly wherein the 12. Patriarches of Christendome were met or that they continued for an 100. or 200. yeares so small a company as a parishionall assembly seeing within a few dayes yea the very same day they grew to bee many thousands In the 6. verse it is said that when this voice or rumor was spread in the streetes concerning the Apostles speaking with variety of tongues great multitudes of people flocked together not of Christians to make a parishionall assembly but of all sorts to behold this wonder whereat when some had wondred and some had scoffed by Peters sermon 3000. of them were conuerted In the 44. verse Luke saith that all they which belieued were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had all things common and sold their possessions c. Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth either signifie they conuersed together in one place and kept company one with another and so speaketh not of their assemblies for vers 46. hee speaketh of their meeting in the temple where they could not meet alone wherein nationall rather then parishionall meetings vsed to bee assembled or else it signifieth they were in one that is they were ioined together in heart and affection as it is said Act. 4.32 which sense Caluin preferreth There remaineth Act. 21.22 where the Presbyters of Ierusalem who were with Iames their Bishop when Paul came to him tell Paul that it cannot be auoided but the multitude would come together hearing that he was come Vnderstanding by the multitude either the multitude of the people of Ierusalem as well those which belieued not as those which did for they direct him to goe into the temple there to shew himselfe to be an obseruer of the law or the company of beleeuers onely who when they would flocke together to see him should find him in the temple conforming himselfe to the law of Moses But to the absurditie of alleadging these places this is added that none of them reach any thing neare the time which we speake of For the 2. of the Acts speaketh of that which was done within a fortnight after Christs Ascension The 6. before the martyrdome of Steuen the 15. aboue 20. yeares the 21. about 15. years before the destruction
that they were of ancient assigned to seuerall Presbyters all of them which were Catholique or orthodoxall beeing vnder the Bishop Neither should this seeme strange that the Churches in Alexandria were subiect to the Bishop seeing the rest in Aegypt were vnder his iurisdiction Neither was this a thing peculiar to the Bishop of Alexandria but commoÌ„ to others especially who were Bishops of mother Cities Ignatius was Bishop not onely of Antioch but of Syria as you heard testified by himselfe Irenaeus the Bishop of Lyons was Bishop of the Churches in France And to omitte others as Diodorus the Bishop of Tarsus to whose charge was committed the nation of the Cilicians Amphilochius who gouerned the whole nation of the Lycaonians Photinus Bishop of the Churches in Illyricum Agapetus Bishop of the Churches which were vnder Synada c Eusebius testifieth of Titus and in the next age after of Philippe that hee was B. of the Churches in Creet Theodoret saith the like and of Timothe that hee was Bishop of the Asians whose metropolis was Ephesus It is manifest saith Chrysostom that to Timothy was committed the rest of the Church or that whole nation of Asia To these testimonies of Eusebius and Theodoret I name so many as were cited in the sermon the refuter answers First that Eusebius liued 230. yeares after Timothy and Titus and Theodoret 330. What then the question is not whether the witnesses liued in the first 200. yeares but whether within that time there were diocesan Bishops It is a very vncharitable and vnlearned part that I say no worse to imagine that Eusebius and Theodoret would of their owne heads testifie these things and not by the relation of those which liued in former ages especially seeing Eusebius saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is recorded in histories But suppose the testimonies of these 2. were not sufficieÌ„t what will he say to that cloud of the ancient most autheÌ„tick witnesses which with one coÌ„seÌ„t do testifie that Timothy was B. of Ephesus those parts of Asia and that Titus was B. of Creet But of this more heereafter In the meane time let it bee acknowledged as a point of intollerable impudency that in a matter of fact so agreeable with the scriptures I meane especially the Epistles to Timothy and Titus written to them as to Bishops any of vs should deny credit to the constant generall and perpetuall consent of the ancient writers whereof some liued 13 or 1400 yeares before vs. 2. Yea but if these testimonies be true Titus and Timothy were Archbishops So is Titus called in the subscriptioÌ„ of that Epistle And that they were Metropolitanes appeareth by all their successors who were Bishops of Gortynae and Ephesiuâ— the one Metropolis of Creet the other of Asia How D. Bilson denieth this let the reader see page 409. of his book the other which the refuter citeth beeing misalledged where he citeth Chrysostome and Ierome testifying that to Titus was committed a whole Iland and the iudgement of so many Bishops Theodoret that to Timothe Paul committed the charge of Asia Now if there were Metropolitan Bishops in the Apostles times who besides their own peculiar diocesse had the ouersight also of other Dioceses Bishops it should not seeme strange that there were Diocesan Bishops who besides their cathedrall churches had manie parishes and Presbyters subordinate to them To which purpose Epiphanius also was alledged who saith that each Bishop had diuers churches vnder them to whom many other might be added as that of Optatâ—â— that in the city of Rome where was but one onely Bishop were aboue forty Churches the Epistle of Constantine to Eusebius mentioning those diuers Churches which were vnder him and signifying as the multitude of Christians did encrease so the number of Churches was to be multiplied the testimony of Theodoret the Bishop of Cyrus who affirmeth that it was his lotte to be pastor of 800. Churches for so many parishes saith hee hath Cyrus Yea but Epiphanius was 390. yeares after Christ. Will any wise man therefore inferre that in the first two hundred yeares it was so Good sir sauing your wisedome you shall seldome reade in ancient records of enlarging of dioceses but of the contracting of them by erecting new Bishopricks very oft It was testified before that the circuits of dioceses were from the beginning of the Churches and therefore what circuit was of any Bishopricke in Epiphanius his time the same ordinarily if not greater was in the first 200. yeares Serm. sect 3. page 24. As touching countrey townes they were indeed conuerted after the cities c. to page 25. ad lin 8. In this section I proue the latter part of the former assumption concerning country parishes viz. that the Bishop of the citie was ouer them also which I proue by this Enthymeme The B. and the Presbytery of the City in all places acknowledged tâ—em to belong to their charge Therefore the Bishop was ouer them as being part of his Diocesse The antecedent I proue by their care ouer them both before they were conuerted and after Before because they labored their conuersion after because the Bishop out of his Presbytery assigned to each of theÌ„ a Presbyter not a Presbytery or a B. 2. Where the diocesse was large he substituted a Chorepiscopus or country B. Of these points the last our refuter wery conscionably concealeth all the former very learnedly he denieth He denieth I say 1. That the Bishop and Presbytery of the city acknowledged the country to belong long to their charge Which as it is a most ignorant conceit as hath beene proued before so would it haue beene most precious to the church of God if the BB. and Presbyof those times had so conceiued Now that both they and the country churches so conceiued as J said the vniuersall perpetuall practise of the church of Christ subiecting in al places the country parishes to the Bishop of the city doth ineuitably proue 2. That they did not labour their conuersion by vertue of their office but were to attend those who were conuerted As if the Bishop and presbytery had beene ordained onely for those fewe that were at the first conuerted and were not rather as leauen put into the meale to season the whole lump I would gladly know therefore who after the death of the Apostles and apostolicall men which laboured in the cities were appointed or prouided for the conuersion of the country towns If it were not the office of the Bishop and Presbytery of the city to which they were subiect much lesse was it the office of others who being neither Apostles nor Euangelists were tied to their own charges might not by the most ancient canons of the church exercise any mysteriall function out of their owne bounds Besides the bounds of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction followed the ciuill ordinarily so that those countries were
only Presidents of the presbyterie c. Nothing is more plaine The Presbyters saith Caluin in euery Citie chose one out of their number to whom specially they giue the title of a Bishop least from equalitie as is wont dissentions should arise But yet the Bishop was not so in honour and dignitie superiour that hee had dominion ouer his colleagues But what office the Consul had in the Senate to propound matters to aske voyces to goe before others in counselling admonishing exhorting by his authoritie to rule the whole action and to execute that which by common counsell hath bene decreed that office did the B. beare in the assemblie of the Presbyters Againe euery Colledge of Presbyters onely for preseruation of peace and good order were subiect to one Bishop who did so goe before others in dignitie that himselfe was subiect to the assemblie of the bretheren meaning the Presbyterie Caluin therefore maketh the Angels or ancient Bishops nothing else but presidents of the Presbyterie or moderators of the Assemblie Beza as by each of these Angels he vnderstandeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the President of the Presbyterie as before I noted So he will acknowledge the first Bishops to haue bene no other but presidents of the Ecclesiasticall Senate Presidents ouer the assemblies of Pastors to wit of diuerse Parishes belonging to one Church whose authoritie he will acknowledge to bee nothing else but the Dignitie of the first place in the sacred Assemblie with the right of ruling the common action without any dominion ouer those which sit with him And such a presidentship hee acknowledgeth to bee a Diuine ordinance And whereas Ierome saith there was a time when the Churches were gouerned by the common counsell of the presbyters hee would not haue him so vnderstood as if they had not alwayes a president And whereas D. Sarauia objecteth that in Saint Iohns time these 7. Churches of Asia had by Diuine ordinance 7. BB. set ouer them whome hee calleth the Angels Beza replieth Wherefore vrge you this against Ierome vs For when he saith that the Churches at the first were gouerned by the common counsell of Presbyters wee may not thinke he was so vnwise as to dreame that none of the Presbyters was President of the assemblie And most plainely in the next Chapter As touching the first Presbyter saith hee or Bishop of the Diocesse what his Dignitie was and wherein it did consist I haue often shewed that it was wholly of Order and not of degree Euery one of his fellow-Presbyters or Pastors ruling his own Parish and that first Presbyter or Byshop of the Diocesse hauing a super-intendencie or in-spection ouer all his fellow-Presbyters thus farre as to admonish them of their dutie as also hauing assembled his Presbyterie either on set dayes or extraordinarilie to propound matters to them concerning the Diocesse or the Censure of manners to aske their voices to pronounce what to the rest seemeth good From which iudgement it was lawfull to appeale to a Prouinciall Synode As touching the last point what the learned disciplinarians hold may be gathered by the practise of Geneua and other Churches which they did reforme as was pretended according to the discipline of the primitiue Church the Presidents of the presbyteries in those Churches being not perpetuall or for terme of life but for a short time But omitting the rest Beza often vrgeth this point that the ancient BB had this presidentship but for a short time and that by course And as hee professeth the presidentship in the Presbytery of euery Church to be a diuine ordinance immutable So hee acknowledgeth those BB alone for diuine who had this presidentship but for a short time and by course How be it hee confesseth that howsoeuer the order it selfe Namely that there should bee a president in each presbyterie is perpetuall and immutable as beeing essentiall Yet ordinis modum the manner of this order though it were a diuine ordinance that it should bee by course and for a short time was variable as being but accidentall But his wordes which most plainely testifie that which I deliuered are these In what sense it is to be taken that Ierome saith The Churches in the beginning were gouerned by the common Counsell of the Presbyters Ambrose teacheth namely so as there should bee one among them not superiour in degree but first in the dignitie of Order and Honour to which office euery one should succeede in their turnes Now what space of time was prescribed to this Presidentship Ambrose describeth not But it is probable that it was a weekely course such as that of the Aaronicall Priest-hood And after speaking of that change which Ierome noteth hee giueth this reason thereof That the Primacie of Order by course or turnes of mutuall succession was by experience found not sufficient for auoyding of Schisme the dignitie of this Primacie being communicated vnto each of the Pastors in their turnes Therefore that which had bene common to all in their turnes it was thought good to translate vnto one and that one chosen by the iudgement of the whole Presbitery Let the refuter therefore take home those foure vntruths to himselfe which hee obiected against mee whether out of vnmannerly ignorance or rather cunning-rudenes For it can hardly be thought that such bolde challengers of the BB. and so confident an vndertaker of this busines could simply be ignorant of these things but rather cunninglie sought to conceale the diuision which is among themselues fearing lest their fauourites whereof some followe some goe before them out of a zeale not guided by knowledge should take notice that the aforesaid challengers and this Champion stand for a Discipline neither taught by Caluin and Beza and such other learned men nor yet practised by the reformed Churches whereof I desire all men to take notice And verilie for my part I was of opinion till I sawe H.I. booke to the King and the vnmodest vnchristian offer of disputation that they who stand for the pretended reformation among vs had sought for no other discipline then that which Caluin and Beza taught and the reformed Churches especiallie of Geneua doth and Scotland did practise But when I saw the nouell Assertions wheron the new-found parish discipline is founded vrged with such bold vehemencie I must confesse I was much alienated from that side And so I hope will all moderate Christians when they shall consider how they make no ende of broaching more and more Nouelties Serm. Sect. 4 pag. 6. Now for the clearing of this matter which we haue in hand Forasmuch as both sorts obtrude Lay-Elders to extrude Bishops I would first proue against both c. to the end of pag 7. Hitherto the two Assertions contained in the explication haue beene propounded to be discussed Now in this Section I made way to the proofe hereof by enumerating distinctly the seuerall
minister should be iudged in causes Ecclesiasticall by the consistory of the Emperour because it consisted of Lay-men and would hee allow a B. or minister should be iudged yea deposed and depriued by a parishionall consistory or whole parish consisting of Lay-men doth he commend the good Emperour that said he was vnable to iudge among Bishops and would hee allow of priuate men vnlearned and vnacquainted with gouernement as competent Iudges in causes Ecclesiasticall And thus much of my denyall of their exposition of Ambrose made good by sufficient proofe CHAP. VIII The proofe of their Exposition of Ambrose disproued and the reasâ—os which I alleadged why the Counsell of the Seniors was neglected defended Serm. Sect. 7. Pag. 14. But let vs examine the force of their Argument Ambrose saith there were Elders in the Church as well as in the Synagogue Therefore say they there were Elders It followeth not c to learned Presbyters in the middle of pag. 16. THeir Argument is heere such as in this question of Lay-Elders perpetuallie they vse in all their proofes of Scriptures and Fathers that is from the genus to the species yea to a fancied or fained species affirmatiuely As if they should say hee is a Magistrate therefore a Constable an ancient Cittizen therefore an Alderman or rather thus It is a man therefore the man in the moone I see a shippe therefore it is Argo Like the wise man of Athens who standing in Pyraeo on the key there saide euery shippe he saw was his Sauing that he was somewhat wiser because he had a shippe at the Sea These mens shippe doth swimme in their owne braines So strong is their fancie as wee shall heare that when either Christ saith Tell the Church that is as themselues expound it the rulers of the Church they strongly conclude therefore tell Lay-Elders or Luke that Paul and Barnabas ordayned Presbyters ergo Lay-Elders or Iames is any sicke let him send for the Presbyters ergo for Lay-Elders or Paul hee that ruleth Marke how he speaketh of a ruler therefore of a Lay-Elder God hath appointed gouernements therefore of Lay-Elders or Ignatius be subiect to the Presbyters as to the Apostles of Christ ergò to Lay-Elders or Tertullianus Certaine approued Seniors be presidents c ergo Lay Elders or Ierome wee haue a Senate of Presbyters Ergo of Lay-Elders And that no man should liue in feare of the great stroakes which this great champion hath threatned let him vnderstand that these be all the strokes that he will strike when his turne of striking commeth To this argument and all the rest I answere by denying the consequence which is so badde as the refuter is loath to Father it and yet neither in this nor in any other of their testimonies they haue or can make no better Well saith he Whatsoeuer the argument is the answere is well worse meaning as it seemeth the reason of the answere which was this for euen the Synagogue had Seniors of the Priests as well as of the people My reason may thus be explained If not onely the Church had Seniors that were ministers whose aduise was neglected in Ambrose his time but euen also the Sinagogue meaning Israell or the state of the Iewes had Seniors of the Priests then it followeth not that the Seniors of whom Ambrose speaketh were Lay-Elders But the antecedent is true in both the parts of it Therefore the consequent The consequent of the proposition is necessarie for an argument from the genus to the species doth not hold affirmatiuely Genus saith Fabius ad probandum speciem minimuÌ„ valet plurimum ad refellendum the generall is of no force to proue the speciall affirmatiuely though it bee of great force to disproue it if you argue from it negatiuely As for example it followeth noâ— because it is a tree that therefore it is a plane tree It is not necessary saith the Philosopher that what is affirmed of the genus should also be affirmed of the species As touching the assumption the former part viz that the Church had seniors which were ministers I tooke for granted because either all those places of Scriptures and Fathers as I say or at least some as my aduersarie will confesse where Presbyters be named Ministers are vnderstood The second part I proue out of Ierem 19.1 where the Prophet is commanded to take with him some not onely of the Seniors of the people but also of the Seniors of the Priests that is men of authoritie as well of the Ecclesiasticall state as of ciuill Which words though the refuter vnderstand as I doe as prouing not that the Iewes had an Eccclesiasticall Senate consisting partly of the Priests and partly of the Elders of the people for of such a presbyterie though there be much talke yet there is no proofe but that in the Iewish state there were as well Seniors of the priests as Seniors of the people notwithstanding the seely Philosopher would faine make the Reader belieue that I confesse which most confidently I doe denie that in the Church of the Iewes there was an Ecclesiasticall Eldership consisting both of the priests and Seniors of the people and therevpon would inferre that this testimonie maketh mee Because forsooth Ambrose acknowledgeth that there was such an Eldership in the Church as had beene among the Iewes But among the Iewes there was as hee saith I confesse an Ecclesiasticall Senate consisting of the Priests and Elders of the people therefore Ambrose acknowledgeth such a Presbyterie to haue bene in the Church consisting of Ministers and Lay-Elders First for Ambrose hee doth not speake of Eldership either among Iewes or Christians but sheweth that because both the Iewes and Christians had Seniors this is an Argument that age is honorable seeing that ancient men were of authoritie both among the Iewes who had Seniors as well in the Ecclesiasticall as ciuil state and also among Christians Now to inferre from hence that either the Iewes or Christians had an Ecclesiasticall senate consisting in part of Lay-Elders is a vaine collection For if by Synagogue is meant the state of the Iewes they might haue as indeed they had a Senate consisting of Priests and Leuites and chiefe of the people but that was not an Ecclesiasticall Senate as hereafter shall be shewed but their chiefe Counsell of state â—f by Synagogue you vnderstaÌ„d only the ecclesiasticall state of the Iews in that ther were no other seniors but of the Clergie of Israel And as for my confession I protest that I meant nothing lesse then that the Church of the Iewes had an Ecclesiasticall Senate consisting of the Seniors of the Priests and Elders of the people For I know it to be an idle conceit hauing no other warrant but the probabile est of a new writer a chiefe party in this cause But hereof more in my answer to his allegation out of Matth 18. Besides can any man that
that there were no other but parish Bishops In the meane time let the Reader hold this for a certaine and vndeniable truth that there were no Presbyteries of Ministers but onely in cities and Cathedrall Churches but hereof I shall haue occasion to speake in the second booke As touching the second conclusion it followeth thus the parish pastor had either a Presbyterie to assist him or he was subiect to superiors as namely the Diocesan and prouinciall Bishops to ouerrule him or else he ruled like a Pope for a fourth thing cannot be named before there were Christian Magistrates But it is absurd to imagine that in the primitiue Church they had an absolute popeling who neither had assistants nor superiors for that were to ascribe not onely supreme but also sole power to them and it is as false that in seuerall parishes there was a Presbyterie to assist him therefore it remaineth that the parish Bishops were subiect to the authoritie of the Diocesan and prouinciall Bishops To the proposition he answereth two wâ—ies first by retortion that what I say of the parish Bishop his ruling as a Pope may with more probabilitie be spoken of a Diocesan Bishop which I haue answered before For this is the second place where he laboureth out of my wordâ— to proue our Diocesan Bishops to be popes vsing this insultation in the margent Sic tu beas amiâ—os But though their parish Bishops whom they make the supreme Ecclesiasticall officers would be absolute popelings if presbyteries were not adioyned to them because they should haue not onely Supreame but also sole authoritie yet it followeth not that our Bishops to whom neither supreme nor sole authoritie belongeth should he esteemed such Secondly he denieth the disfunction alleaging that a fourth thing might be added concerning the chiefe authoritie of the people Which if it be added in the proposition is with the rest to be denied in the assumption For this brownisticall or rather Anabaptisticall conceit for some of the Brownists disclaime it that the Bishops in the primitiue Church were subiected to the people as if the state of the Church had beene Democraticall or popular is a dotage that was neuer dreamed of till of late and therefore as it is most confidently to be denied so it needed not to be inserted in the proposition CHAP. IX Answering the testimonies which by the refuter are alleaged to proue Lay-Elders BVt now had I need to call for armour of defence For hitherto saith the refuter we haue warded the blowes that M. D. gaue to beat downe the Lay-presbyterie now let vs shew that we also can strike if need be The Reader that hath found the refuter so strict in exacting Syllogismes of me euen when I performe the part of an answerer cannot but expect most formall and accurate Syllogismes at his hands But he shall finde that to be true which I foretold him not long since that this great Champion not daring to vrge his testimonies or to reduce his proofes into Syllogismes according to the poore pollicie of them all holdeth out certaine testimonies as it were Pallas shield thinking with the bare quotation of them though he cite them not to put vs to silence And to this purpose like a notorious Mountebanke setting himselfe to delude the simple he commendeth his witnesses euen Christ himselfe his Apostles and Euangelists with swelling titles when their testimonies themselues are not so much as cited as though he thought it more needfull to winne credit to his witnesses then to proue â—hat they testifie that for which he would seeme to alleage them But you shall heare Pyrgopolinices himselfe For the scriptures we haue among others these mightie ones to wage battell for vs. First the great Emperour of the Christian armie our Sauiour Christ himselfe Mat. 18.17 Next a great worthy Luke the Euangelist Act. 14.23 Adde to these Iames the Apostle one of the Pillars of the Church Iam. 5.14 and that famous Generall of the gentiles the Apostle Paul Rom. 12 8.1 Cor. 12.28 These are most worthy witnesses indeed and without exception If any one of these giue testimonie to your Lay-Elders we will most willingly yeeld But I pray you let vs heare their words It shall not need if you will not belieue vs that they giue testi-monie to Lay-Elders yet belieue other diuines who say they doe Are they witnesses what they said only or what by the holy Ghost is committed to writing If the latter why be not their owne testimonies produced but other witnesses must be deposed that they said so when it appeareth vpon most authenticall record whether they said so or not Let vs therefore heare the words themselues The first is Matt. 18.17 Where our Sauiour Christ saith dic Ecclesiae tell the Church or assembly What then therefore there ought to be Lay-Elders in euery congregation See you not by this time what a striker this is first there may be question whether Ecclesia signifie the whole congregation of the people or an assembly of iudges or gouernours if the former sense be followed there is no shew for Lay-Elders If the latter which is the more likely question againe may be made whether Christ speake of the Synedrion of the Iewes as Caluin and some others suppose or of Christian gouernours if of the Synedrion which was a ciuill senate and indeed the high counsell of estate in the policie of the Iewes what doth that make for Ecclesiasticall Elders in the Church of Christ and that in euery parish If of christian gouernours as the Fathers expound it what sense is there to vnderstand the words of Lay-Elders vnlesse it can otherwise be proued either that Christ had alreadie ordained them or that afterwards they were in vse in the Church of Christ. But the former is absurd and for the latter they haue not so much as a faire shew being disarmed of the two places which I haue vindicated out of their hands viz 1. Tim. 5.17 and Ambrose in 1. Tim. 5.1 Nay further I adde that if it could be proued as it neuer will that euer there were Lay-Elders in the Church before this our age yet they should but argue from the Genus to the Species affirmatiuely tell the gouernours ergo Lay-Elders wherefore this is a very seely argument Yea but other diuines say that Christ spake of Lay-Elders What others say it is not greatly materiall in this kind so long as we plainely see there is no necessitie nor probabilitie so to vnderstand him But who are they that say so Chrysostome Theophylact Erasmus Caluin Beza Piscator vpon the place it selfe c. For the three first because they are no parties I can be content to examine their testimonies All that Chrysostome saith of those words is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tell the Church that is Prelates and gouernours and on those words whatsoeuer you shall bind on earth c nec dicit saith he Ecclesiae presuli neither did he
publican that by these meanes seeing himselfe auoided shunned hee may at length be ashamed and brought to repentance And least any man should lightly esteeme the iudgement of the Church that is of such spirituall gouernors as haue authoritie in the church to cēsure offenders Verily I say vnto you saith our Sauiour speaking to his Apostles and in them to all their successors to whom the keyes of heauen are committed Whatsoeuer you for you and such as you sitting in Consistory or Synode are they whom I meant by the Church or assembly whatsoeuer you shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Neither thinke when I mentioned the church I meant a great assembly only or the whole congregation for I say vnto you that where 2. or 3. are gathered together in my name I am there in the middes of them therfore if but 2. of you shal cōsent in asking any thing of God as namely pardon for the penitent sinner it shall be graunted vnto you If against this exposition it shal be obiected that the Churches hearing and censuring of offences would be prejudiciall to Magistrates I answere offences and offenders admitte diuers distinctions Of offences some are open notorious some are secrete priuate Some againe are grieuous and capital crimes which may not be cōcealed or left vnpunished other be offēces not so hainous or enormous but they may be concealed and pardoned where is hope of amendment For notorious and enormous crimes our Sauiour doth not prescribe this course but for the priuate and lesse offences Againe offenders are either in the iudgment of charity our brethren in Christ or the sonnes of Belial For the latter we may take the ciuile course of Iustice for the former we must take a spirituall course of Christian charitie that wee may winne our brother vnto Christ or recouer him beeing fallen which course our Sauiour heere prescribeth By Church therefore or assemblie our Sauiour meaneth neither the supposed Ecclesiasticall senate of the Iewes nor yet a Presbyterie of Christians answerable therto consisting for the most part of Lay-elders Not the former for Christ speaketh of such as should meet in his name to whō he promiseth what they bind vpon earth shal be bound in heauē neither are we to think that our Sauior would send his disciples to the corrupt Consistories of the vnbelieuing Iewes as Caluin also saith It was a strange conceit therefore of Beza not only to imagine that the name Church is here attributed to the Iews but that the Archisynagogi assembled together were they who are meant by Church in this place Or if that were true how should this direction belong to vs seeing not only the imaginarie Ecclesiasticall Senate of the Iewes is vanished but also the true Synedrion is long since abolished and their whole policie abrogated Not the latter for our Sauiour by Church vnderstandeth such as should haue power to bind loose sinnes as appeareth by the words following Which power of the keyes of binding and loosing sinners of retaining and remitting sinnes our Sauiour Christ hath so peculiarly appropriated to the Apostles their successors in the ministerie of the word and Sacraments as nothing more Neither had the Iewes indeed such an ecclesiasticall Senate as they speake of mixed of the Priests and Leuites with the Elders of the people as I am now to shew in answering the assumption For if this be true that the Iewes had no such Presbyterie then what shew of trueth or probabilitie is in their argument taken from Matth 18.17 Caluin saith that the Iewes after their returne from captiuitie had a chosen counsell to which was cōmitted the censure of doctrine manners which they called Sinhedrin or Sanedrin in Greek Synedrion T.C. holdeth that the Synedrion was not then first instituted but restored which seemeth to be the truth Howbeit his reason as almost all the rest is but a meere colour For it would follow saith he that the Priests other Leuiticall teachers who were a part of that Bench had then their first institution when it is plaine that the Priests and Leuiticall teachers were instituted before the Synedrion and so might haue cōtinued their functiō though the Sanedrin had neuer bin Beza fetcheth the first institution of it from Moses the instauratiō therof whē it was decayed frō Iosaphat T. C. doubteth not to fetch the Eldership from Exod 4. With his Elders therefore as being the eldest in conceit I will beginne This order of Eldership saith hee was taken from the gouernement of the people of God before and vnder the Law Before the Law the Elders which Moses assembled Exod 4. were Ecclesiasticall officers for it is not likely that vnder such a Tyrant they should haue Magistrates of their owne I answere briefly the state of the Hebrews if you respect the whole people was neither a settled Church nor established common-wealth But if you respect the seuerall kinreds and Families they were ruled by the Elders of the people which were the heads of the Families who as alwayes from the beginning so at that time vntill the separation of the Tribe of Leui to the priestly function were both priests and magistrates to their seuerall kinreds and Families Wherefore let them who will needes haue these to be Lay-Elders tell vs who were then the priests whome these Elders did assist Vnder the Law he findeth these Elders in Elisha his house 2. King 6. and in Ezekiels house Ezek 8. because it is vnlike that in so corrupt a state the Prophets could haue the ciuill Gouernors to consult with is it not more vnlike that there should be approued Elders of an ecclesiasticall Senate either in the Apostoticall Church of Israell vnder Achab and Iehoram or in Mesopotamia whether Ezekiell and those Elders of Iuda were transported who could neuer be found vnder the most godly Kings at Ierusalem Againe hee findeth them standing on the right hand of Ezra and on the left Nehem 8. Being distinguished both from the teaching Leuites and from the people From the people because they stood by Ezra From the teaching Leuites because he speaketh of them after Therefore they must needs bee Lay-Elders as though either some of the Princes of the people might not stand with Ezra or that these might not haue beene priests or that all the Leuites were teachers or that there were no more teaching Priests or Leuites but those which are mentioned then and there to haue taught the people Hee that considereth what T. C. was able to say in a good cause must needs thinke this cause to be very badde which he was not able to make good by better arguments then those most vnlikely likely-hoods Beza holdeth that 2. sorts of councels or consistories were ordained by Moses which should be held both in Ierusalem the
of God as well as those which concerned the ceremoniall law Neither do I therefore reiect the exposition of Beza and some others who by the causes of God vnderstand Ecclesiasticall causes and by the causes of the king ciuill causes because it is preiudiciall to my defence but because it is repugnant to the truth for though their interpretation were admitted it would no more proue that there were two distinct Synâ—dria then that which I doe embrace For though Zebadiah the prince of Iuda was the chiefe in the causes of the King as Amariah the high priest was the chiefe in the causes of God yet were they Colleagues and coassessors in the same counsell as Iosephus also doth witnesse For speaking of this act of Iosaphat he saith that he being returned to Ierusalem appointed iudges there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Priests and Leuits and of the chiefe or principall men of the people requiring them to exercise iust iudgement but especially that they should be diligent in determining those difficult causes that should be brought to them from inferiour iudgement seats but the chiefe or presidents of them as colleagues and coassessors be appointed Amasiah the Priest and Zabadiah of the tribe of Iuda and relating the law Deu. 17.8 he saith if the iudges in the cities be not able to determine any cause it is entirely to be sent to the holy citie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and let the high Priest and the Prophet that is the scribe or Doctor of the law saith Sigonius and the senate assembling together pronounce what seemeth right Besides it is manifest that the counsell at Ierusalem after the captiuitie which consisted of priests and Leuits besides the Seniors of the people and whereof the high priest was president as Bertram confesseth hauing authoritie to assemble it c. Act. 5.21 Matt. 26.57.59 was the high councell of state called the Sanedrin or Synedrion or coÌ„sistorium Gazith which dealt in causes not onely Ecclesiasticall but also ciuil and in causes criminall and capitall Neither happened this by the ambition of the priests but by the ordinance of God in respect of the first institution Deut. 17. and instauration by Iosaphat 2. Chron. 19. and by his approbation as Caluin witnesseth in respect of the erection of it after the captiuity For as the Lord promised by Esay to restore their iudges and counsellers after the captiuitie as before so Ezekiell prophecieth that the Priests after the captiuitie should not onely teach the people and iudge betweene holy and prophane betweene cleane and vncleane but also that they should stand vp to iudge controuersies iudging according to Gods iudgement Iosephus also testifieth that the Priests were ordained by Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ouerseers of all iudges of controuersies and punishers of such as are by the law condemned And so much for the present shall suffice concerning the counsell at Ierusalem vntill I come to answere Caluins opinion As touching Ecclesiasticall Presbyters in other cities Beza hath nothing but his owne coniectures For the courts of iudgement which both Moses instituted and Iosaphat renewed though they had Leuites among them were to deale not onely in Ecclesiasticall but also in ciuill and criminall causes The reasons which he bringeth for distinct Ecclesiasticall senates are three First because the Archisynagogi had as it is probable Seniors of the people ioyned with them Secondly because the name of Church in this place of Mathew is giuen to them which could not be vnlesse they did consist of the laitie as wel as the clergie Thirdly because as the ciuill consistories assembled in the gates so the Ecclesiasticall in the Synagogues To the first I answere that a probabilitie if this were such as indeed it is not is no proofe to the 2. that the name Ecclesia is not giuen to the Archisynagogi but to the Rulers of Christs Church assembling in his name with whom he promised his presence and to whom he committed the power of the keyes to whom also the name Ecclesia which may be giuen to any company of Christians be it but of two or three meeting in the name of Christ doth fitly agree Thirdly he telleth vs of Ecclesiasticall consistories ordained by Moses and renewed by Iosaphat sitting in Synagogues when there is not once mention in the old testament either of Ecclesiasticall consistories or yet of Synagogues And in the new such iudges are mentioned in Synagogues as punished by stripes Bertram also witnesseth that in the Synagogues of the cities iudgements were exercised by ordinarie iudges the greater and weightier causes as also the appeales of the lesse being referred to the counsell â—t Ierusalem And againe that the people came to the Synagogues to prayer to heare the law and the Prophets and to heare the iudgement of Moses law as well ciuill as Ecclesiasticall And so much of Beza Caluiâ— by Ecclesia vnderstandeth the Synedrion or Sanedrin of the Iewes instituted by them after their returne from Babylon which he conceiueth to haue beene an Ecclesiasticall senate to which belonged the censure of doctrine maners hauing the power oâ— excoÌ„munication c. What this Synedrion was Caluin himselfe shall tell vs It is certaine saith he that the Iewes when they were returned from the Babylonian banishment because they might not make a King did imitate this example of appointing 70. Elders Num. 11 in ordaining the Synedrion Onely so much honour was granted to the memorie of Dauid and the Kings that out of their stocke they would choose 70. gouernours in whom should be the chiefe power And this course continued vntill Herod c. The Sanedrin indeed was the high counsell of state which was to iudge of causes not only Ecclesiasticall but also ciuill and criminal yea capitall hauing the authoritie of the sword and power of life and death Whereby they adiudged malefactors conuicted of capital crimes to one of these foure kinds of death stoning burning killing with the sword and strangling hauing also authoritie to ordaine Sanedrioth that is the consistories of iudges in other cities to whom alone it appertained to iudge the cause of a tribe of a false Prophet of the high Priest c. And howsoeuer their power was much restrained after Iewrie became a prouince subiect to the Romanes notwithstanding the Romanes hauing granted the Iewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 libertie to liue according to their owne lawes permitted them to exercise authoritie both in iudging not onely Ecclesiasticall but also ciuill and criminall causes and also in punishing by stripes and imprisonment and sometimes by death Moreouer by the law of God he that disobeyed the sentence of this counsell was not as our Sauiour Christ heere saith to be held as an heathen or Publican but he was to die the death Finally there was but one Synedrion for the whole estate of the Iewes by the appointment of God and that in the
nor graunted by vs that among gouernours Lay-Elders had a place in the primitiue church then this generall might particularly be applyed to them after this manner all gouernours ought to be diligent therfore they But seeing there were none such for men to argue from the generall to a fained speciall and that affirmatiuè in this manner the Apostle speaketh of gouernours therefore of Lay-Elders It is an argument like all the rest not worth the answering Yea but the disputer alleageth Caluin who in his institutions affirmeth that this place cannot bee otherwise vnderstood I would be loath to contest with Caluin whose name is reuerend and whose memorie is blessed Neuertheles it is euident by that which hath bene said that it may and ought otherwise to be expounded Yea Caluin himselfe confesseth else-where that howsoeuer this place doe seeme especially to be vnderstood of Ecclesiasticall Gouernours or Seniors tamen dubium non est quin omne iustae prefecturae genus nobis commendet Yet it is not to bee doubted but that the Apostle doth commend vnto vs all kindes of iust gouernement And againe although properly he call the Church-Gouernors and namely the Seniors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notwithstanding what he saith of them may vniuersally be extended to gouernements of all sorts By Caluins owne confession therfore the words may generally be vnderstood And if they may then also they must For who shall dare without good warrant to restraine the generall sence of the holy Ghost to one onely particular Especially that being but a counterfeit as if the Apostle when he saith hee that gouerneth in diligence had said let the Lay or only gouerning Elders be diligeÌ„t in their office Yea but the Apostle speaketh of such a Gouernour as might neither teach nor exhort and therefore beeing neither Pastor nor Doctor it must needes be the only gouerning Elder Of this Enthymâ—me both the antecedent is false and the consequence vnsound For if the Apostle speake of such a Gouernour as might not teach nor exhort then neither distribute nor shew mercie and by the same reason the teacher and exhorter of whome hee spake before may not gouerne But as I said the Apostle doth not speake of distinct offices but of diuerse gifts which manie times concurre in the same person So that as hee that teacheth and exhorteth may also gouerne and distribute so hee that gouerneth as the Pastor may teach and exhort and not onely hee but the Father is to teach and exhort his children the maister his familie yea priuate Christians are to instruct and exhort one another Neither doth it follow if he which gouerneth be neither a Pastor nor Doctor that straightwaies he should be an onely gouerning Elder For husbands parents maisters and magistrates maisters of Colleges and hospitalls are gouernors though neither Doctors nor Pastors and yet are they no Ecclesiasticall Lay-Elders To conclude D. Fulke vnderstaÌ„deth this place chiefly of Bishops whom he supposeth here to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Heb 13.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fifth and last testimonie is thus inforced by them If God hath set in his Church Gouernours distinct from the Ministers of the Word then hath he ordained Lay or onely gouerning Elders But the first is testified by the Apostle 1. Cor. 12.28 therefore God hath ordained lay or onely gouerning Elders In this Syllogisme no part is sound for first the consequence of the proposition is naught for by Church as it is taken in the assumption citing 1. Cor. 12. is meant the whole body of Christ and by the members of his body all Christians among whom God hath established degrees of superiors to gouerne and inferiors to obey in all societies as well in the family coÌ„monwealth as in the Ecclesiasticall state Secondly the assumption is false for although it be true that in Christs body there are gouernours Occonomicall politicall distinct from the Ministers yet Paul doth not in this place testifie that Christ hath set in his Church gouernours distinct from the Ministers and much lesse doth he testifie that in the Church that is the state Ecclesiasticall he hath ordained gouernours which are not Ministers Nay which is more the Apostle doth not once mention gouernours in this text for it is the fault of the translation for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is helpes and gouernements to read helpers and gouernours it being the purpose of the holy Ghost in all the 12.13 and 14. chapters to discourse of the diuerse gifts wherewith God doth adorne the membes of his Church in this context in the midsts of other gifts which are expressed in the abstract he placeth these two for so he saith powers gifts of healing helpes gouernemeÌ„ts kindes of tongues Now it is no better reasoÌ„ to make two distinct offices of helpers and gouernours out of these words then to raise three others out of the other three powers gifts of healing and kinds of tongues But it were ridiculous to make three distinct offices of these three so is it of the other And if the other three are to be accounted as gifts and not as offices why should we not so conceiue of helpings and gouernings that is to say the gift of helping and gouerning Yea I say further that although in the beginning of the verse the Apostle doth reckon three offices Apostles Prophets Teachers yet his purpose was not exactly to distinguish Ecclesiasticall functions but to enumerate the diuerse gifts of Gods spirit wherwith the members of Christs bodie are adorned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the common good of the bodie Some being honoured with the gift of the Apostleship some with the gift of Prophecie some with the gift of teaching some with the gift of working miracles some with the gift of healing diseases some with the gift of helping and relieuing those that be distressed as Chrysostome expoundeth it and as the word is vsed Act 20. some with the gift of gouerning some with the gift of tongues For if the Apostle had meant in this place to distinguish the Functions and Offices of the Church then from this Text should eight distinct offices bee collected neither should these gifts haue bene coincident into the same persons so that teachers might not gouerne and gouernours might not teach c. whereas contrariwise it is euident that the Apostles had all these gifts as Chrysostome also saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prophets and Teachers had diuers of them c. It is plaine therefore that the Apostle did not distinguish the offices of the Church but orderlie recount the gifts and graces wherewith the Lord doth beautifie diuers members of the Church And whereas the Corinthians were proud of their gift of tongues and despised others the Apostle sheweth that among all these gifts which hee reckoneth that of tongues deserueth the last place And therfore exhorteth theÌ„ to be zealous of
the Bishops and Deacons between whom they are vsually ranged by Ignatius as the second degree of the Clergie willing the Lay-men to bee subiect to the Deacons the Deacons to the Presbyters the Presbyters to the Bishop and the Bishop to Christ which by the way is H. I. third testimonie and in effect the same with the second And againe let the Presbyters and the Deacons and the rest of the Cleargie together with all the people bee obedient to the Bishop By which it is plaine they had not in those times either Lay-Elders or Lay-Deacons For the very Deacons are by him called the ministers of Christ vnto the word of God and ministers of the mysteries of Christ. As for the BB they were not parish Byshops assisted according to the new conceit with Lay-Elders but BB of Cities such as Ignatius himselfe who was Bishop of Antioch the chiefe Citie of Syria hauing the assistance of diuerse Presbyters who were Clergie men or ministers and so are in expresse termes reckoned by Ignatius as one of the degrees of the clergie whom in the words before alleaged and in other places hee resembleth to the Apostles of Christ and would haue them so obeyed exhorting them with the words which Saint Peter vseth to ministers 1. Epist 5.2 to feed the flocke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This is also proued by the vniuersal consent of the most ancient Councells Canons and Fathers who in innumerable places meÌ„tioning Bishops Presbyters Deacons neuer conceiue of them otherwise then of 3. degrees of the clergie in that very sense wherin our church doth vse retaine them And thus much concerning that most worthy martyr and Bishop Ignatius sauing that I would commend a few senâ—ences of his to this disputer and his consorts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be you vnited to the Bishop submitting your selues to God by him in Chirist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whosoeuer are Christs they are with the Bishop And againe doe not thinke that I speake this as hauing vnderstood the separation of some he is witnesse to me for whose sake I am bound that I haue not learned this from the mouth of man but the spirit hath preached vnto me saying these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Bishop doe nothing loue vnitie auoid diuisions The testimonie which is vsually cited out of Tertullian is in his Apologetico Where hauing said that Christians did vse to meet in assemblies and congregations to prayer and to the hearing of the word he addeth there are also exhortations chastisâ—ments and diuine censure iudgement is exercised with great aduise as among those who are certaine that God doth see them and it is a great foreshewing of the iudgement to come if any shall so offend as that he shal be banished from the communion of prayer and of the assembly and of all holy fellowship Praesident probati quique seniores honorem istum non pretio sed testimonio adepti the presidents of our meetings are approued Seniors hauing obtained this honour not by reward but by good report By which testimonie it is apparant that the same parties were the presidents of the assembly as well in prayer and in the ministerie of the word as in the exercise of discipline and censures But Ministers and not Lay-Eldeâ—s were presidents and Rulers of the meetings in publicke prayer and ministerie of the word therefore also in the exercise of discipline Who these presidents were Tertullian himselfe sheweth else where testifying that the Christians receiued the Sacrament both in the time of their meales and also in their meetings before day nec de aliorum manu quam presidentium sumimus Neither doe we receiue it at the hands of any others then of our presidents On which words Beatus Rhenanus writeth thus Presidentes voc at presbyteros etiam alibi the Presbyters he calleth presidents also in another place and quoteth the place alleaged out of the Apologeticke And whereas Tertullian imagined though erroneously that the husband of a second wife could not be a Bishop or Minister his opinion he vttereâ— in these words how derogatorie from faith and how opposite to pietie second mariages are the discipline of the Church and the prescript of the Apostle doth declare cum digamos non siuit presidere when it doth not suffer twice maried men to be presidents that is Ministers And whereas the Catholicks whom he endeuoureth to refute vnderstood that rule of the Apostle as peculiar to Bishops Ministers he chargeth them also with the breach thereof euen in that sense Quot enim ex digamiae president apud vos insultantes vtique apostolo for how many after their second mariage are presidents among you euen insulting ouer the Apostle and blush not when these things are read before them It is plaine therefore that the Seniors which were presidents in the assemblies of Christians of whom Tertullian speaketh were Ministers whatsoeuer some new writers whom he quoteth doe say to the contrarie For whereas among others who were parties in the cause he quoteth B. Iewell who indeed is no partie I answere if he haue alleaged the rest no better then him as for my part I meane not to search especially seeing the chiefe of his Authors are quoted at Random he will gaine the opinion of a notable falsifier of Authors Harding blamed the translator of the Apologie into English for translating Presbyteri Elders and not Priests The translation Bishop Iewell defendeth saying that Presbyter a Priest is nothing else but Senior and that a Priest and Elder are both one thing And whereas Harding affirmed that Priests and Deacons waited onely vpon the Bishops but gaue no sentence in counsels which in respect of prouinciall counsels is euidently false he disproueth that assertion First by Act. 15. Secondly by Nicephorus Thirdly by this testimonie of Tertullâ—an president probati quique Seniores the iudges in such Ecclesiasticall assemblies be the best allowed Elders that is according to Bishop Iewels interpretation Priests for to that end he citeth the testimonie and before he had said that Senior and Priest is all one D. Whitgift conceiuing as Bishop Iewell did that these Seniors were Ministers T. C. obiecteth and it is the onely thing he obiecteth that it is incredible that all the Churches whose defence Tertullian taketh vpon him and whose vsage he doth describe had such a college of Seniors that were Ministers Whereunto the answere is easie that Tertullian speaketh of the Churches in cities in which onely were Presbyteries vnto which the parishes of the countrey adioyning so soone as there were any were subiect and those wholy consisting of Ministâ—rs Neither can any testimonie or example be alleaged either of Presbyters that were not Ministers or of Presbyteries in villages or countrey parishes As touching Cyprian the disputer might haue cited some testimonie or at least quoted some place in his
not that we are able to ouersway them without comparison no writer till our age giuing testimonie no Church since the Apostles times vntill this present age giuing approbation to Lay-Elders but all writers and Churches before our time giuing testimonie and approbation to the gouernement of Bishops To omit that as in the number of learned men we are not inferiour so in the multitude of Churches at this day which doe not admit the Lay-Elders we are farre superiour as hereafter shal be shewed And thus much I hope will suffice for the first point FINIS LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Creed 1611. THE SECOND BOOKE PROVING That the Primitiue Churches indued with Power of Ecclesiasticall Gouernment were not Parishes properly but Dioceses And that the Angels of the Churches or ancient Bishops were not Parishionall but Diocesan Bishops The First Chapter entreating of the diuers acceptations of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church Diocesse and that which is translated Parish IN this second conflict I find the Refuter very confident like the men of Ai though not vpon the like occasion as though my forces were not able to stand before him But forasmuch as in the former assault I haue taken the Acropolis chiefe hold of the Presbyterian Discipline I doubt not but that when he shall with the men of Ai looke backe and see the chiefe Tower of his defence I meane the Presbytery vanishing as it were a smoake his courage will bee abated For the Presbytery being downe what hath he wherewith to hold out Bishoppes For seeing the Primitiue Churches were gouerned eyther by Diocesan Bishoppes as we hold or by Pastors of Parishes assisted with Lay-Elders as they imagine who seeth not that vpon the ouerthrow of the Presbyteries the gouernment by Bishops is necessarily inferred Hauing therefore proued the first point of the fiue with such euidence of truth as I am wel assured all the gainesayers thereof will neuer bee able soundly and substantially to confute I need not doubt of preuailing in the rest As for the 2. next points which I handle concerning Dioceses and Diocesans the refuter thinketh they be the weakest of all the fiue and the worst appointed and thereupon would take occasion to cauill at my order as if I were to learne Methode of him whereas indeed his imputation of weakenesse to these 2. parts if it were true would commend my disposition of them as Homericall seeing I haue marshalled them Nestorio more after the manner of Nestor in medio infirma placing the weakest in the middest The chiefest points in my estimation being the first and the two last The truth is I did more lightly passe ouer these two then the rest but not out of an opinion of weakenes in the points themselues but partly in a conceit of their euidence and partly in consideration that they were not either so worthie or so needfull to be insisted vpon as the rest For first I supposed them to be so euident that howsoeuer T. C. in whose steppes our new Disciplinarians tread vpon weaker grounds then a man of learning iudgement should haue stood vpon doth deny them yet scarsly any other man of learning iudgement besides him would gain-say them Secondly that the three weightiest points which are most contradicted and in which these 2. are presupposed were most worthy in that breuity whereto I was confined to be stood vpon And thirdly that J needed not to bee so carefull in prouing of them seeing the chiefest patrones of the pretended Discipline as Caluin and Beza c. doe herein ioin with vs against our new sect of Disciplinarians as hath already beene proued Now whereas I brought forth these forces intending only a light skirmish velitationem quandam tanquam leuis armaturae my aduersary bringeth his maine battel into the field as if the euent of this whole warfare depended vpon this encounter I will therefore not onely bring a new supply like those of the Israelites which came vpon the men of Ai as they were pursuing the other companies of Israel but also cause these Arguments which now like the troupes of Israel seem in his conceit to flie before him to returne vpon him a fresh And forasmuch as here we are to entreat of Churches Parishes and Dioceses it shall not bee amisse to beginne with the names which are diuersly taken And first with the word Ecclesia which signifying generally any assembly company or congregation of men whatsoeuer ciuill or ecclesiasticall holy or prophane is in all the places of the new Testament excepting Act. 19. appropriated to the Companies of the faithfull For whereas all mankind is to be diuided into two Companies the one is the world which is the kingdome of darkenesse containing manie particular companies which are all the Synagogues of Sathan the other the Kingdome of God this latter is called Ecclesia signifying a Company of men as redeemed so also called out of the world as the Greeke word importeth Ecclesia therefore is a company of men called out of the world vnto saluation by Christ that is to say more brieflie the Church doth signifie a companie of Christians And thus it is vsed in the Scriptures either more Generally to signifie eyther the Vniuersal company of them that are elected in Christ or called to be Saints as Ephes. 1.22 3.21 5.23 24.25.27.29 32. Act 2.47 Colos. 1.18.24 The two main parts of the vniuersall Church Triumphant in heauen as Heb. 12 23. Militant on earth as Mat. 16.18 1. Cor. 12.28 Eph. 3.10 1. Tim. 3.15 and that eyther dispersed in diuers nations and Countries throughout the world 1. Cor. 10.32 15 9. Act. 8.3 Gal 1.13 Phil. 3.6 Congregated in an vniuersall or Oâ—cumenicall Synode Particularly that either Definitely to signifie the Church of a Nation in the nuÌ„ber Singular Act. 7 38. Plural Rom. 16.4 1. Cor. 16.1.19 2. Co. 8.1 Ga. 1.2.22 And these either dispersed or coÌ„gregated into a Synode or consistory Mat. 18.17 Act. 15.22 Congregation whether set or vncertain as Act. 11.26 14.27 1. Cor. 11 18 22. 14.5.12.19 23.28.34.35.3 Ioh. 6. City and Country adioyning Act. 5.11 8.1 11.12 12.1.5 13.1 14.23 20. 17.28 1. Cor. 1.2 2 Co. 1.1 8.23 Col 4.16 2. Thes. 1.1 1. Tim. 5.16 Iam. 5.14 Apoc. 1.4 11.20 2.1.7.8.12.18 3.1.7.14 Village or towne Rom. 16 1. Family Rom. 16.5 1. Cor. 16 9. Col. 4.5 Philem. 2. Indefinitely signifying any company of Christians not defining either the Place Society whether of a Nation City c. quantity whether an entire church or but a part as Act. 9. â—1 15 3.4.41 18.22 Rom. 16.16 23.1 Co. 4.17 6.4 11.16 14. 33. 2. Cor. 8.18.19.24 â—1 8.28 12.13 Phil. 4.15 1. Thes. 2.14 2. Thes. 1.4 â— Tim. 3.5.3 Iohn 9. 10. Apoc. 2.7.17.23.29 3.6.13.22 22.16 The significations of the word Church being so manifold in the Scriptures
Such as are the French and Duch Churches here in England such were the Churches in the Apostles times But the French and Duch Churches here in England are not diocesan but distinct parishionall assemblies Therefore the Churches in the Apostles times were not diocesan but distinct parishionall assemblies First I denie the proposition not onely because the circuit of the Churches in the Apostles intention was not included within a Citie as of the French and Duch Churches with vs but chiefly because the French Church for example in London is but one Church among many professing the same religion being a certaine and set number hauing a Presbytery consisting for the most part of lay men placed among vs not with purpose to conuert either the City or Country to them but to attend them of their owne Church whereas contrariwise the Churches in the Apostles times before the diuision of parishes were not each of them one among many but were planted among heathen people hauing a Bishop and a Presbyterie of learned men placed among them as leauen is put into the lumpe with purpose to conuert the rest both in Citie and Country The Church which had the Bishop and Presbytery first placed in it was Matrix Ecclesia as after it was called begetting other Churches and spirituall Fathers for them which being begotten in Citie and Countrey were all euen when the whole Citie and Country were filled with her off-spring to bee subordinate and subiect to her as their mother But no such thing can be imagined of the Duch and French Churches among vs. As touching the assumption I say that the French and Duch Churches with vs are not properly parishes nor such as the ancient parishes were after the first diuision of them seeing the members thereof dwell in many distinct parishes either of them being endued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernement and not subordinate to another Church as members thereof but being entire bodies by themselues are models as it were of diocesan Churches hauing a Presbytery as the Church of Geneua hath to supply the want of a Bishop which once they had and still might haue in imitation of the ancient Christians who when the Citie where they dwelt was replenished and the Mother Church occupied with men of another faith as with Arians sometimes in Antioch and Alexandria as ours be with men of another Language had a Bishop of their owne in all respects like other Bishops sauing that they held not the Mother Church and therefore had neither the like Clergie nor the like reuenewes to maintaine them The second thing which hee opposeth is as I said a shew of regestion which he propoundeth with great confidence as if hee had mee at no small aduantage saying that I pull downe with one hand that I set vp with another If there were at that time no parishes how could there bee dioceses seeing euery diocesse consisteth of diuers distinct parishes Thus saith he the light will breake out though men shut their eies against it You see how bragge hee would seeme to bee But good sir what is this to my consequence If there were no parishes in the Apostles times then the Presbyteries were not appointed to parishes You answer If there were no parishes then there were no dioceses To what end is this spoken To denie my consequence or the maine conclusion Assume But you say there were no parishes therefore there were no dioceses which is the contradictorie to the maine conclusion But where doe I say there were no parishes Not in the proposition where it is only supposed but in the assumption for that which is supposed in the antecedent of the proposition is positiuely set downe in the assumption Therefore when he would seeme to deny the consequence of the proposition he doth not so much as touch it But by taking a supposed aduantage against the Assumption hee denieth the principall conclusion But let vs examine his argument If there were no parishes in the Apostles times there were no Dioceses This consequence I deny For the Diocesse was the same before the Parishes were diuided and after And the circuit of the spirituall iurisdiction intended the same before parishes were diuided with that it was after they were diuided that is answerable to the ciuill The same circuit belonging to the Church both in the intention before all were conuerted and in execution after all were conuerted which belonged to the ciuill state Yea but saith he euery Diocesse consisteth of distinct Parishes It is true after the distinction of Parishes but not before as a bach of bread consisteth of many distinct loaues after the distinction which before it contained vndistinguished in the lumpe A man consisteth of many distinct members after they are distinguished which at his first conception were not distinct The Proposition being thus recouered out of his hands J am now to rescue the Assumption Which saith that the Churches in the Apostles times were not diuided into parishes c. Which is to be vnderstood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as true of the most Churches Here I expect a direct answere were they diuided into parishes or were they not If they were as at Alexandria it seemeth to haue beene euen in the Apostles times then was not euery Church but one parish if they were not then the Presbyters were not assigned to seuerall parishes and so the assumption is true Nay rather then the assumption shall goe for currant we will deny each Church to haue beene but a parish Is it credible that any man should bee so transported with the spirit of contradiction as that hee should not care so hee may gainesay his aduersaries present assertion how shamefully hee contradicteth himselfe yet thus it fareth with our refuter In oppugning the proposition hee said and laboured to proue it that each church was but one parish the same he saith and saith againe in defending their obiections propounding his own only argumēt And yet here this assumptiō must be censured as hauing no truth in it for that it denieth Parishes to haue beene distinguished in the Apostles times and the Presbyters to haue beene assigned to their seuerall titles or cures They be his wordes in the conclusion of his answere to the assumptiō And the same he repeateth pag. 71. But let vs see what he obiecteth against the assumption First he findeth an errour in it before noted concerning the end of the Presbyters ordination which he saith is here repeated and therefore not of ignorance by him omitted in the proposition the which though hee call an errour yet I proued to be an euident truth and discouered the shallownes of their iudgement which do denie it Besides that errour he chargeth the maine points in the assumption as altogether void of truth The points are these 1. that parishes were not distinguished in the apostles times 2. that Presbyters were not then assigned to their seuerall titles or cures 3. that they were in
Presbyter assigned to it this will prooâ—e that the mother Church of Corinth was diocesan as all Cathedrall Churches bee and that parishes distinguished from the Cathedrall as children from the mother were such as that of Cenchreae That which is testified for Ephesus Act. 20.28 is such as vpon like occasion might by all in his visitation be applied to aâ—â— the ministers of a diocesse that they should attend the stocke c. For must the word stocke which may be extended either to the vniuersall or nationall or prouinciall or diocesan Church must it needes signifie onely the congregation of a Parish yet he that breathes nothing but nouelties saith it is a new conceit to suppose a Diocesan flocke But this calumny of nouelty I haue by plentifull testimonies of antiquity before cited wiped cleane away As touching Act. 14.27 cited for Antioch where it is said that Paul and Barnabas gathered together the Church to relate vnto them what God had done by them since they had laid their hands vpon them and had commended them to the grace of God it is apparant that not all the Church consisting of husbands and wiues their children and seruants but some of the chiefe and principall perhappes not many perhappes not any besides those of the Clergy were called to that meeting These were his proofes out of the Scripture His other testimonies are out of Eusebius Ignatius and some of our owne Writers all which testimonies are scarse worth the mentioning Eusebius calleth the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the ancient vse of this word sometimes signifying the whole Diocesse sometimes the whole City and Suburbes I haue spoken sufficiently heretofore as also of that which hee obiecteth concerning the Parish in Ephesus Wherto I adde that Eusebius as he vsed the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the same purpose Ignatius writing to the Church of Ephesus the multitude whereof hee calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he had of purpose noted it to be a Church consisting of many multitudes or congregations exhorteth them as one might in like manner the faithfull in London though diuided into many congregations to come oft together to giue thanks and glory to God for when you come oft together into one place the power of Satan is weakened c. His other testimony out of Ignatius is out of his Epistle to Hero where he calleth the Church of Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Synagogue that is the church or congregation of the Lord. The word being vsed in the same signification with Ecclesia whereof I spake before But whether Ignatius were Bishop onely of one Congregation or parish let his own words testifie Remember me saith he in his Epistle to the Magnesians in your praiers and the Church which is in Syria whereof I am not worthy to be called the Bishop And in the Epistle to the Romanes towardes the latter end Remember in your praier the Church in Syria the which in stead of me hath the Lord to bee her pastor who saith I am the good shepheard Or if these words bee not plaine inough hee calleth himselfe in the same Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop of Syria Now let my aduersarie tell mee what maner of Parish Syria was And let me heare also what he can obiect against these two Epistles of Ignatius to the Magnesians and Romanes For euen they which suspect his Epistle to Herâ— which the refuter citeth and foure others acknowledge these two to bee no bastards Eusebius mentioneth both And that to the Romans he not onely mentioneth but also citeth a good part thereof Thus leauing that most pregnant and authentique euidence of Ignatius to my aduersary to muse vpon J come to his testimonies of our new writers all which excepting two testimonies of Tindall he most childishly alleadgeth to proue that the Churches of Ephesus and of other the like Cities were each of them but a Parish because they call a Church a Congregation vsing the word Congregation in as ample sense as before I proued the word Ecclesia whereof that is the English to bee vsed The auncient English Bibles neuer almost vse the word church but in stead thereof doe vse the word congregation not onely where is mention of particular Churches but of the vniuersall or catholicke Church As Mat. 16. Vpon this rocke I will build my congregation Eph. 1. Hee hath made him head of the Congregation which is his body Eph. 5. Yee husbands loue your wiues as Christ loued the congregation And so in the Communion Booke both in the Praiers translation there vsed As in the Praier for the King before the Epistle haue mercy on the whole congregation In the solemnization of Matrimony out of Ephes. 5. I speake of Christ and the Congregation But you shall heare his particulars First Tindall translateth the word Ecclesia by congregation thus to the angell of the congregation of Ephesus c. 2. Iohn Bale translateth and expoundeth the word Candlesticke and Church by Congregation The reasons why the first Translaters of the Bible into English in these latter times did auoid the name Church and insteed thereof vsed Congregation doe seeme to haue been these two The first because Church or Kyrk being deriued from the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth more properly signifie the place of meeting then the congregation it selfe which is meant by ecclesia and therefore the word Congregation thought to be the fitter translation The second because the Papists had abused the word Church whether it were generally vsed to signifie the Romish Church or particularly to import the Romish clergy So saieth Tindal Because the clergy had appropriated to themselues the name Church therefore I translated the word Ecclesia by this word Congregation For when the people vnderstood that by Church was meant the company of men professing the faith of Christ the name Church is euery where vsed as the translation of ecclesia Thirdly Yea but D. Fulke iustifying the translation of Ecclesia Eph. 5.23 by congregation argueth plainely that he held the Church of Ephesus to consist but of one particular congregation onely Which allegation sheweth extreame want either of iudgement or honesty for what church or congregation is there mentioned the Church of Ephesus or the vniuersall Church of Christ when it is said as Christ is the head of the Church Vpon which words when the Rhemists had noted it as a corruption of the first English Bibles which did not vse the word Church but congregation in stead thereof D. Fulke answereth that the Translator rather vsed the word Congregation then Church to auoide ambiguity because this word Church is commonly taken for the house of the assembly of Christians and that the people might know that the Church is a gathering together of al the
meÌ„bers into one body which in the name of church doth not appeare But after the people were taught to distinguish of the word Church and to vnderstand it for the mysticall body of Christ the latter translations vsed that terme not that the other was any corruption or the latter any correction but to declare that both is one Is it not plaine that he by congregation vnderstandeth the vniuersall Church which is a gathering together of all the members into one body but of the Church of Ephesus speaketh neuer a word In the 4. place the notes of M. Perkins sermons on the Apocalypse taken from his mouth are alleadged wherein it is said that the seuen Churches were particular congregations meaning thereby that which I doe not deny particular churches and that euery particular congregation is a Church and hath priuiledges of a Church belonging to it which is also true Fiftly the great Church Bible readeth thus Iohn to the seuen Congregations Lastly D. Bilson saith that the church is neuer taken in the old or new Testament for the Priests alone but for the congregation of the faithfull From which allegations to inferre that each church is but one particular congregation is as I said most childish But those 2. out of Tindall the one that a Bishop was the gouernour but of one congregation the other that hee was the ouerseer but of a Parish to preach the word to a parish was not a childish mistaking but a wilfull misalleadging of the Author who in the former place hath no such thing Or if hee haue any where he vseth the word Congregation in as large a sense as Ecclesia wherof it is the translation In the latter speaking of such a Bishop as is described 1. Tim. 3. that is of such a one as in his conceit was but a Presbyter hee saith by the authority of the gospell they that preach the word of God in euery Parish and performe other necessary ministeries haue right to challenge an honest liuing Neither is the Refuter content once to haue falsified the testimony of this holy Martyr but againe in the end of his booke hee alleadgeth him to the same purpose After hee hath thus doughtily proued his Assumption concerning these 3. Churches he bringeth a new supply of testimonies out of Ignatius Tertullian and Eusebius concerning others Ignatius exhorteth the Magnesians that they would all come together into one place to praier all as with vs that belonged to the same congregation And perswading the Philadelphians to vnity exhorteth them that they would vse one faith one preaching one eucharist because the body of Christ is one and his bloud one one cup and one bread one Altar for the whole Church and one Bishop with the Presbytery and Deacons for there is but one God the Father c. one faith one baptisme and one Church which the Apostles haue founded from one end of the world to another c. In which words none fauoureth the Refuters conceit but that of one altar seruing for the whole Church the word Altar being expounded for the Communion Table which is not likely and too much sauoureth of popery But by one altar is meant Christ who sanctifieth all our sacrifices or oblations and maketh them acceptable to God as Ignatius expoundeth himselfe in his Epistle to the Magnesians all as one runne together into the Temple of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto one Iesus Christ as it were vnto one altar But that which he alleageth out of the same Epistle that they were to gather themselues together into one place to chuse their Bishop if it were rightly alleaged would proue not their ordinary and parishionall but extraordinary and panegyricall meeting to such an end but this needed not their Bishop at this time was come to Ignatius in his iourny towards Rome as appeareth by the beginning of the Epistle as it were vpon an honourable ambassage from the Church as were the BB. of other Churches But he saith it becometh you as being a Church of God to doe as other Churches haue done that is as he sheweth in the words following to appoint a Bishop that he may 〈◊〉 Antioch performe the â—mbassage of God that it may be granted to them being gathered together into one place to glorifie the name of God From whence also the Reâ—uter gathereth that a Bishop is Gods Ambassador to a people that are together in one place Which is true so oft as he preacheth But Ignatius meaneth nothing lesse then that they should appoint the Bishop of Antioch but onely willeth them to send a Bishop as it were vpon ambassage thither His meaning is more plainly expressed in his Epistle to the Sâ—yrneans where he writeth to the same purpose that seeing the Church of Antioch after his departure had some peace the persecutors contenting themselues to haue taken him who was their ringleader from among them he exhorteth them to ordaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacred Ambassador who when he should come into Syria should reioice with them because they had peace Tertullâ—â—â— also is made to speake for them as though he said the Christian Churches were all one body and came all together into a company and congregation By which testimony if it were truely alledged all Christian Churches as they are one body of Christ so all should meet together to make one parish His words be these I will now set forth the practises of the Christian party That hauing refuted the euils obiected I may declare the good We are a body consenting in the knowledge of religion in the truth of discipline or doctrine and the couenant of hope We come together into a company and coÌ„gregation Which words may be verified of the Christians of these times which in euery Church are diuided into seuerall congregations Out of Eusebius hee hath nothing to alledge but that which before I came to his arguments I sufficiently answered that he calleth the Church of Ierusalem the parish of Ierusalem the Church of Alexandria the parish of Alexandria c. To which J answere that Eusebius indeed calleth each of the Churches by the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he calleth none of them a parish as we vnderstand the word parish In the place which hee quoteth concerning Ierusalem Eusebius saith that after the martyrdome of Iames who no doubt from an Apostle had been preferred to bee a parish Bishop because he was Christs kinsman the Apostles and disciples of Christ which yet remained did from all places come together with those who were of Christs kinred to consult whom they might thinke worthy to bee Iames his successor and that with one consent they made chuce of Simeon the sonne of Cleophas as worthy the throne of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Church because he also was our Sauiours kinsman All this was done no doubt in a parish meeting to set a parish B.
But no wheres he saith that Bishops and Presbyters were equall for before BB. were ordained he could not say that Presbyters and Bishops were equall he saith they were the same After Bishops were ordained which he acknowledgeth to haue been done in the Apostles times and that by the Apostles for which cause he calleth their institution a tradition Apostolicall he plainly confesseth that one who was chosen from among the Presbyters and was called the Bishop of the Church to haue been placed in a higher degree But hereof we shall haue occasion hereafter to intreat more fully His second reason Ierome maketh Heraclas and Dionysius in Alexandria the first authors of aduancing one minister aboue another in power The words are Nam Alexandriae á Marco Euangelista vsque ad Heraclam Dionysium Episcopos Presbyteri semper vnum ex se electum in â—â—ccelsiori gradu collocatum Episcopum nominabant quo modo si exercitus imperatorem faciat For euen at Alexandria euer since Mark the Euangelist vntill the Bishops Heraclas and Dionysius the Presbyters haue alwaies called one being chosen out of themselues and placed him in a higher degree Bishop euen as an armie chooseth their chiefetaine Which words as so far from giuing the least inckling of the Refuters conceit that Heraclas and Dionysius should be the first authors of aduancing Bishops that they plainely declare the Bishops euer from Saint Marks time to Heraclas and Dionysius to haue been placed in a higher degree aboue the Presbyters as the generall aboue the souldiours And truely of the two T. C. conceit who collecteth the cleane contrarie to our refuter hath the better glosse for he imagineth that vntill Heralas and Dionysius they who were chosen from among the Presbyters were called Bishops but then godly men misliking the appropriating of the name to one in a Church ceased to call him so And he might haue added with no lesse colour out of the words that the Bishops till then had been placed in a higher degree aboue other ministers but then good men misliking their aduancement aboue their fellow ministers brought them a peg lower To these conjectures the words would seeme to them that vnderstand not the right meaning thereof which heretofore I haue declared to giue some colour of likelyhood were it not that the practize of the Church did openly proclaime the contrarie Wherefore of all collectors my Refuter shal beare away the bell For he that can collect out of these words Euer vntill Heraclas and Dionysius the Bishop was placed in a higher degree that Heraclas and Dionysius were the first that aduanced the Bishops needs not doubt to collect quidlibet ex quolibet what himselfe will out of any thing whatsoeuer His third reason that Ierome in the same Epistle doth teach the contrarie is most false For Ierome plainly confesseth the Bishop to be superiour in the power of ordination and in the end concludeth that what Aaron and his sonnes and the Leuites were in the temple the same let Bishops Presbyters and Deacons challenge to themselues in the Church The Refuter hauing thus salued this testimonie of Ierome in the end rejects it For if this be true that vnlesse the Bishop haue a peerelesse power there will be as many Schismes in the Church as there be Priests then by the like reason Bellarmine may argue if there be not a peerelesse power giuen to the Pope there will be as many Schismes in the Churches as there ar Bishops but this latter consequence is naught so is the former Thus Ierome on whose only authoritie among the ancient the Disciplinarians in this cause relie when he speaketh any thing for the BB. his credit is no better with them then if he had spoken for the Popes supremacie But this is his desperate malice against the holy calling of Bishops whereby he seeketh euery where to parallele the Christian superioritie of BB. with the Antichristian supremacy of the Pope But all in vaine For though it be true in Ieromes conceit that if there were no Bishops there would be as many Schismes almost as Priests yet it doth not follow thâ—t if there were no Pope there would bee as many Schismes as Bishops For first experience teacheth how to judge of this matter for vntill the yeare 607. the Pope neuer attained to his supremacie and yet the Church was more free from Schismes before that time then since whereas contrariwise when there were no Bishops for a short season in the Apostles times in most of the Churches euery one of the Presbyters as Ierome speaketh sought to draw Disciples after him which he supposeth to haue been the occasion of instituting Bishops Secondly there is great oddes betweene BB. and the greatest number of Presbyters One Bishop say the Fathers of the Africane councill may ordaine many Presbyters but one man fit to be a Bishop is hard to be found Thirdly before there was one supreme or vniuersall Bishop there was vnitie and communion betweene all the Bishops in Christendome whose course to preserue vnitie in the Churches and to auoid Schisme was to communicate the confessions of their faith one with an other by their communicatorie pacificall or formed letters And if any were in error they sought first seuerally by their letters to reclaime them and if they preuailed not they assembled in Councils either to reduce them to vnitie or to depose them Cyprian saith that the Catholike Church is one not rent into Schismes nor diuided but euery where knit togither coharentium sibi inuicem Sacerdotum glutino copulata and coupled with the glew as it were of Bishops agreeing mutually among themselues And in another place which before hath beene alledged Therefore is the bodie of Bishops copious coupled together with the glew of mutuall concord and with the bond of vnitie that if any of our companie shall be authour of an Heresie shall endeuour to rend the flocke of Christ and to make hauocke thereof the rest may helpe c. Whereas contrariwise if there were one supreme and vniuersall Bishop whose authoritie were greater then of generall Councils as the Papists teach when he doth erre who should reclame him when he is exorbitant who should reduce him into the way when he shall draw with him innumerable troopes of soules into Hell who may say vnto him Domine cur ita facis Syr why do you so And as the Church is to be carefull for auoiding Schisme and preseruation of itselfe in the vnitie of truth which may be prouided for as it was wont yea better then it was wont where are Christian and Orthodoxall magistrates by the BB. singularitie of preeminence in euery seuerall Church and mutuall concord of them in the truth so must it be as carefull to auoid conspiring consenting in vntruth But where there is one supreme and vniuersall Bishop when he erreth and goeth astray he becommeth as we see in the Papacie the head of
so gouerned still Whereunto I answere according to the euident light of truth that the Presbyters gouerned the Churches as vnder the Apostles and that but for a time vntill the Apostles substituted BB. or left them as their successors committing the gouernment of the seuerall Churches vnto them To the second part of his assumption I answere that the Apostles contradicted that gouernment which hee speaketh of by common counsell of Elders ruling without a B. not so much by words as by deeds when ordayning BB. in seuerall Churches they committed the whole care thereof as Ierome speaketh or at least the chiefe care and authoritie as Ignatius testifieth to them And so leauing the Refuter to rowle the stone he speaketh of I proceed to my third argument The III. CHAPTER Prouing that the Apostles themselues ordayned Bishops Serm. Sect. 5. pag. 65. But yet I proceede to a further degree which is to proue that the Apostles themselues ordayned BB. and committed the Churches to them and therefore that the Episcopall function is without question of Apostolicall institution c. to 38. yeares pag. 69. THE refuter would faine haue me seeme to proue idem per idem but that he could not but discerne that I argue from the ordination of the persons to the institution of the function against which consequence though himselfe say that without question it is good yet I confesse he might haue taken more iust exception then he hath hitherto against any which was not of his owne making so farre is it from concluding the same by the same For he might haue said though they ordayned the persons yet Christ instituted the function and that is the iudgement of many of the Fathers who holde that our Sauiour Christ in ordayning his twelue Apostles and his seauentie two Disciples both which sorts he sent to preach the Gospell he instituted the two degrees of the ministerie BB. answering to the high Priest and Presbyters answerable to the Priests Againe those Fathers who affirme the BB. to be the successors of the Apostles doe by consequence affirme that Christ when he ordayned Apostles ordayned BB. and Cyprian in plainetermes saith so much that our Lord himselfe ordayned Apostles that is to say Bishops For the Popish conceipt that the Apostles were not made Priests till Christs last supper nor BB. till after his resurrection as it is sutable with other their opinions deuised to aduance the Popes supremacy so it is repugnant to the iudgement of the ancients contrary to the truth Seeing the very Disciples who were inferiour to the Apostles were authorized before Christs last supper to preach to baptise Neither had they or needed they any new ordination whereby they might be qualified to administer the Sacrament But of this matter I will not contend for whether the function were first ordayned by Christ or instituted by the Apostles Christ is the authour thereof either immediatly according to the former opinion or mediatly according to the latter And those things are said to be of Apostolicall institution which Christ ordayned by the Apostles The antecedent of my argument viz. that the Apostles ordayned BB. and committed the Churches to them was in the Sermon explaned and proued by shewing the time when the places where the persons whom the Apostles ordayned BB. As concerning the time I said there was some difference betweene the Church of Ierusalem and the rest in respect of their first Bishop For there because shortly after Christs passion a great number were conuerted to the faith for we read of three thousand conuerted in one day and because that was the mother Church vnto which the Christians from all parts were afterwards to haue recourse the Apostles before their dispersion statim post passionem Domini straight wayes after the passion of our Lord ordayned Iames the iust Bishop of Ierusalem as Ierome testifieth Here my refuter maketh me to argue thus culling out one part of my argumentation from the rest Iames was ordayned Bishop by the Apostles therefore the Apostles ordayned Bishops And then denieth the consequence because though Iames being an Apostle had Episcopall power in respect of ordination and iurisdiction yet it would not follow that the Apostles ordayned Diocesan Bishops in other Churches But my argument is an induction standing thus The Apostles ordayned BB. at Ierusalem and in other Churches which afterwards particularly I doe enumerate therefore they ordayned BB. That they ordayned BB. at Ierusalem I proue because they ordayned Iames the Iust and Simon the sonne of Cleophas BB. of Ierusalem That they ordayned Iames B. of Ierusalem I proue in this section That they ordained Simon the sonne of Cleophas B. of Ierusalem and Bishops in other Churches I proue afterwards according to the order of time Beginning here with Ierusalem because that Church had first a Bishop Now that Iames was by the Apostles made B. of Ierusalem I proue by these testimonies first of Ierome whose words are these Iames who is called the brother of our Lord fâ—â—named the iust straight wayes after the passion of our Lord was ordayned by the Apostles the Bishop of Ierusalem This is that Ierome on whose onely authoritie almost the Disciplinarians in this cause relye alledging out of him that Bishops were not ordayned till after the Apostles times Secondly of Eusebius and of the most ancient histories of the Church whose testimonies he citeth to this purpose first therefore he saith in generall that the histories before his time did report that to Iames the brother of our Lord surnamed the iust the throne of the Bishopricke of the Church in Ierusalem was first committed Then particularly he citeth Clemens Alexandrinus testifying that Iames Peter and Iohn after the ascension of our Sauiour did choose Iames the iust Bishop of Ierusalem Afterwards Hegesippus who was nere the Apostles times as Ierome speaketh being as Eusebius saith in the very first succession of the Apostles to the like purpose Eusebius himselfe in his Chronicle translated by Ierome hath these words Iames the brother of our Lord is by the Apostles made the first Bishop of Ierusalem Againe in his history he not onely saith that Iames called the brother of our Lord was the first Bishop of Ierusâ—â—em but also testifieth vpon his knowledge that the Episcopall throne or chaire wherein Iames sate as Bishop of Ierusalem and wherein all the BB. of that See succeeded him was yet in his time to be seene being preserued as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a worthy and sacred monument And finally both in his historie and Chronicle he setteth down the succession of the Bishops of Ierusalem from Iames vnto Macarius whom he noteth to haue been the thirtie ninth Bishop of Ierusalem reckoning Iames the first and Simon the second and Iustus the third Zacheus the fourth c. Epiphanius also testifieth that Iames the Lords brother was