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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49337	Of the subject of church power in whom it resides, its force, extent, and execution, that it opposes not civil government in any one instance of it / by Simon Lowth ...	Lowth, Simon, 1630?-1720.	1685 (1685)	Wing L3329; ESTC R11427	301,859	567

of this Discourse Sect. 1. Not the Power and Offices of the Church but their Subject is what mostly exercises the Age Sect. 2. Whether the Power be originally in Believers in Common or in the Secular Prince in Particular or in a certain Definite Number of Believers the Bishops and Pastors of the Church Sect. 3. The Design of the Whole and its Three General Heads Sect. 4. VVHEN I first consider'd that of Thomas Hobbes in his Leviathan § I Part 1. Cap. 12. Of Religion and which is in short to this purpose in several Paragraphs there That every one is free upon the ceasing or discontinuance of the Miracle to Supersede or Change his Religion once attested by that Miracle to be from God and upon which account it was receiv'd and own'd if the change of the Climate and his Governors his former Education and the present Custom of the Place he resides in requires and all that other Authority and Obligation from Heaven obliged only for that present instant in which the Miracle was wrought and evidenced I with less concern passed it by reflecting on the Person a Man affected with and designing Novelty and Singularity filled with a Conceit of his own worth and autority and opposing it to all the World beside And in particular in this Chapter declaring himself to be such an one that believes an extraordinary felicity a sufficient Testimony of a Divine Calling but going on in my Thoughts and finding by a sad Experience that it went further than the Scheme or Systeme that a great part of our Age is thereby brought into this Opinion and 't is contended for so frequently as their Faith that the Church is nothing at all but in the State its Powers and Offices though once in the Apostles and some of their Successors for some time is now gone with those Miracles that at that time abetted and avouched them nor is the Gospel it self to be Preached or divulged upon other terms or a fixed enjoyned false Religion opposed nay farther this very same to be the stated professed Opinions of some and those too our highest dignified Church-men and left upon Record as the judgment of the greatest part and some of them the most remarkable of our first Reformers that the Prince is invested with whatever belongs to a Church-man then was my heart hot within me and while I was thus musing the fire kindled and at the last I spake with my Tongue I then set my self upon a particular immediate enquiry into the Matter and attaining to a more perfect knowledge of that way I here represent it to my Fathers and Brethren of the Clergy to all good Christians whatever in this following Treatise and only state the plain case as I find delivered down from our Saviour by his Apostles the Bishops Fathers and Doctors of the Church Catholique the Church Historians Councils and Laws Imperial from our own particular Church Articles Canons Rubricks our Book of Ordination and Homilies appointed to be read in the Churches in the time of Q. Elizabeth from our own Doctors and Writers in Divinity in their several times and from the Injunctions and Declarations of our Princes and even the Common-Law and Statute Book of our Kingdom the Honor and Duty I owe to my Jesus to his Universal Church to this particular Church of England to my own Profession as a Divine and love to all Christians is what have engaged to it other advantages I have none nor are any proposed these Considerations alone are they which now makes the dumb Child speak looses the string of that Tongue that held its peace and said nothing and brings him into publick otherwise by an universal Concurrency of all things both Persons and Objects design'd for silence and obscurity § II NOW in order to this I have so much prepared and made ready to my hands that the thing in general is immediately denied by none and that there is a Church-Power to be alwayes upon Earth till the restitution of all things and the Heavens be no more that is certain peculiar Persons and Offices to be separated and discharged in and for the affairs of Souls and the guiding and governing the World in order to Heaven and Salvation is affirmed by all that believe a Heaven and Christ Jesus the Way the Truth and the Life in the Attainment That which has so much unhing'd and discompos'd the World of late is concerning the Subject in which it resides the particular Persons design'd and appointed by our Saviour for the conveyance and execution the due force just extent and consequences of it in whom this Power is to be found and to whom limited since none are extraordinarily by miraculous and sensible demonstrations from Heaven commissioned and marked out thereunto as the Apostles and first Publishers of the Gospel were And though Mr. Selden himself as our great Herbert Thorndike in his Principles of Christian Truth tells us usually said in his common Discourse That all Church Power is an Imposture yet his First Book De Synedriis designed and levelled against this Autority Upon this alone score because presumed in and limited to the Bishops and Pastors of the Church as the Successors of Christ and his Apostles makes it plain his quarrel is because so assumed and limited by them because transferr'd from the Prince or Civil Power in whose hands alone he believes it placed and in those in deputation by him and for which he contends all along in that Book with what Success may be seen hereafter and therein places the Imposture THERE are three distinct Orders of Men § III or at the least to be supposed distinct in which this Power is contended for to be seated each exclusive of one another by the several Assertors and Fautors of the distant Opinions and Parties among us The One places it in the People the multitude of Believers in common as the general first immediate subject of Power Ecclesiastical who by their concurrent Notes Elections and Assignations limit and fix it on particular Persons for the Execution so appointing consecrating and investing for the work of the Ministry to negotiate in the affairs of Souls and in order to their Salvation The Other subjects all in the Prince or Secular Power who is supposed in actu Primo virtually and by a first inherency to be Priest and People equally as Prince and by the Right of Soveraignty as chief Magistrate upon Earth is instructed for all Offices and Duties in relation to Heaven with a Power for Deputation and Devolution as the Harvest may be great or the Labourers few upon each occasion requiring and as he is pleased by his secular Hand to mark out the Person The Third place it not in the Multitude in general or in the Prince in special but in a certain indefinite number of Believers called and impower'd thereunto not by their Gifts and Abilities as Christians in common but by a particular signal Donation superadded given

extraordinary Commissions have ceased which the Apostles and firsh Publishers of the Gospel had though by present Miracles not to be justified And this equally enabling and warranting the Church of God such as can evidence the Succession of Power in its own and appointed way as when Miracles were annexed to affront is an improper Speech but to Teach Declare and Protest against the Establish'd Religion of a Nation if a false one openly to draw Men off from the Profession of it in Contempt is again an ill Expression but in different ways and rules of Duty then those false ones of the Law and Magistrate though the Men of the World do Publish their dislike and threaten and punish and go on into a Law against them as they did when Christianity was first Taught and Church-Power first came down was setled and professed in the World though the Kings of the Earth stand up together and the Rulers take Council they rise up as one Man as did Herod and Pontius Pilate and all the Gentiles against the Child Jesus as it was then the Apostles so is it no less our Duty thus to speak before Kings and not be ashamed Church-Power came first into the World as not from the School of Gamaliel so nor from the Thrones of Kings and 't is independant and distant as in its rise so in its execution though embellish'd assisted and strengthened advantaged much by the outward favours of Princes their many Adjuncts and royal Appendages and which where conferr'd will equally embellish and add to their own Crowns to be sure in Heaven And upon these terms to suffer will be our Duty if what we profess be not received it will amount to Martyrdom If the King's wrath be the return and our Doctrine with our selves be cast out and if we do not this it will come too near the Traditores in the days of the Donatists or to those that offer'd at Heathen Shrines in the Persecutions before what will it be but to give up our Bibles and Profession upon the Summons of any prevailing Party to give up to be sure our Church-Power and which amounts to in effect the same nor can Christianity continue without it when upon Perswasion of the Arians first upon point as he thought of interest receiving his Father's Will from an Arian Priest and then by the Miletians joyning with them Constantius the Emperor engaged against the Faith of one Substance and great and rigorous Persecutions were its consequent Athanasius and his followers that adhered to the Nicene Faith in that Doctrine did not therefore in point of Conscience submit and say nothing with but silence give over and desert the Truth but the rather were more vigorous and active for it even to the greatest Calumnies and Distresses which through the malicious instigations of the Arians and Meletians as evil Men always unite against Truth the Emperor laid upon them And though Liberius of Rome and Hosius of Corduba this latter the ancientest Bishop then in the Christian World and who was one of the Council of Nice and Penned that Creed and Gregory Nazianzen and others even the whole World becoming Arians as St. Jerome complain'd by the height of Threats and succession of Miseries after sharp trials and resistancies did at length submit and subscribe to their Doctrines yet it cost them both repentance and tears as Gregory Nazianzen declares in particular in the Life of Athanasius And all this they did and thought themselves bound in Conscience to do not as extraordinarily Commissioned as the Apostles and first Publishers of the Gospel were as warranted and justified by Miracles but as commissionated in course by their Holy Orders instated with the same Autority though not in so open a shew and equally bound to render an account to God of such their trust and charge committed then and therewith unto them as the same Stewards of his Mysteries and this not upon the receipt of any new Revelation from Heaven but upon the score of their ordinary Ministry contending for the Faith once delivered to the Saints guided and directed by the Tradition of Faith delivered by the Apostles and conserv'd in the Church by a continued devolution and to which St. Athanasius and all the Catholick Bishops which strove against Arianism always referr'd themselves and is evident on all Occasions from Church History as Socrat. Eccl. Hist l. 2. c. 46. l. 3. c. 7. Athanasius ad Serapion ad Epictet Ep. that Faith into which when recommended to him and explain'd the Emperor Theodosius was Baptized Socrat. Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 6. upon which rule all the Councils proceeded in their Conciliary Acts and Determinations as Can. 13. Conc. Nic. 1. Can. 19. Conc. Hab. in Trullo Can. 2. Conc. 2. Nic. Athanas Orat. 1. Cont. Arios and they proceeding upon this bottom what they Decreed is to be receiv'd for Truth by all Christians is to be subscribed and assented to is to be taught before Kings when denying of it 't was this Theodosius himself acknowledged at his Death 't is reputed as the Law the Voice of God himself as St. Basil ad Diodorum among his Canons apud Pandect Can. Beverig and so by Constantine the Emperor in Socrates Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 9. Sozom. l. 1. cap. 20. 25. and in particular it will be expected that that common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that usual shift be omitted so usual among us when this known Power of the Church is urged That 't is accidental only in its Original introduced by the present necessity and upon a common consent and compact the Christians being then under Heathen Governors to whose Judicatures it was neither for their Safety nor Honor to Appeal and stand their Trial and Verdict and therefore they resolv'd it all into the chief Church-men and which Power Constantine becoming Christian and so the succeeding Emperors confirmed by his Royal Autority and continued of his own choice and motion unto them This is the common tattle of the wiser Men as they think and are generally so reputed reporting it to the World with much Confidence and yet upon no other ground than old Womens Stories are told and bottom'd at the farthest they 'l tell you that Mr. Selden and Mr. Hobs said so and every one is as secure of its Autority and Credit as if they had read it in the Gospel of our Saviour or in one of St. Paul's Epistles when 't is all as false as the Gospel it self is true Great and many were the Priviledges Royal Favours and Immunities that Constantine bestow'd upon the Church and Church-men he receiv'd them with both hands and with him in the Comedy could he have found a third he would have gave it them He annex'd to them Adjuncts and Appendages which their Lord and Master Christ Jesus did not could not would not do his Kingdom being not of this World nor was it his business to divide Inheritances and he had all the reason in the world

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decently and in order as the Lord commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Clemens there goes on not without Reason and Rules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where at appointed fixed seasons and hours Oblations and Holy Services are to be offered and performed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in what Place and by what Persons God has appointed that all things being religiously Performed and according to his Will they may be grateful and acceptable unto him where every Man has his Order and Station 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therein gives his Thanks to God or serves him in his Publick Worship expressed by that one principal Branch or Performance To the chief Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are his Offices appropriated to the Priest or Presbyter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a special Province is assigned and the Levites have their own Ministry incumbent upon them The Lay-man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is confined to his Laick Affairs a Body it is like to that of an Army and which this Apostolical Person there recommends to their Consideration where the Souldier is under the Captain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how in order how in readiness and in all subjection executing Commands and Obeying where all are not Praetors or Rulers of Thousands nor Rulers of Hundreds nor Rulers of Fifties every one in his Station and Sphere discharges what of the King and Tribunes is enjoyned him where the great cannot be without the less nor the less without the great in which is a yielding a mixture and condescension and all becomes useful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. May then this our Body be kept whole and entire in Christ Jesus and every one be subject according to that Order in which by the Grace of God he is placed So that Apostolical Person goes on and so are his Prayers as well as Directions as is to be seen at large in that his Epistle A Collection Community or Body gather'd out of the World and so not of it as with a differing Head so by another infusion differing Laws diverse Offices for quite another end and with Powers for a present Peace which the World cannot give unto us Ye are my Body saith our Saviour and each one Members in particular his Body which is the Church ye are not of this World so Christ tells his followers again are neither the Subjects of it nor from its Powers receive neither Rules nor Measures by it § II AND surely then as a Body in and of it self so to Rule and Govern it self to execute its own jurisdiction to pass its own Laws and Sanctions to allot its rewards and penalties to receive and shut out to censure or remit to provide for a Succession in every thing furnished for self-existency and preservation in a word if there be a Church upon earth a body whose head is Christ and each Believer Members in particular if any thing like a visible Association the Rules and Laws and Reasons of all Associations in general enjoyn this nor can that Community be supposed such as is the Christian in particular to subsist under another live in dependency upon or by its concessions whose call and separation was on purpose to be another thing from it which had the grant for its being to reduce and recall in some Cases to gainsay and thwart it which is so fram'd and contrived as to be and increase under the severest of its frowns and the most raging Persecutions from those very Powers of this World which in its lay and make was to have the Kings of the Earth stand up and the Rulers to take Council together against it Our Saviour who knew all things who had the full design of his Father in his Head and before him knew also the several Accidents and Contingencies that would befall the Church and his Wisdom provided suitably he did not leave his Church as the Ostrich in Job did her young ones that every foot might crush and kill them nor did he Build upon those Sands either that every Wind which blows and Storm which descends could destroy her and which he must have done if founding his Church purely in Subordination to the secular Arm to the Wills and Passions of Princes which Experience tells us how various how mutable and disorderly they have sometimes been even the best of them has but the breath in his Nostrils and yet even the worst of them the greatest and a succession too of Tyrants has never been able to dissolve this Community to erase its Foundations To erect a Body solitary and alone without its own Laws and a strength that is singular to subsist and be Ruled by a Foreign Power and that is extraneous to it is in course to be swallow'd up throughly absorpt thereby And 't is again as bad or worse where every private Member is not obliged to such its own Constitutions and Jurisdictions this is Anarchy and Confusion which God cannot be the Author of the Society must on these terms equally dissolve and perish be as liable to Invasions as before Our Saviour therefore erected his Corporation independent to the Secular Power but dependent and in subordination as to its own Members and to one another and if any be unruly and do not submit to the Laws of their Body some of which are unchangeable and as the Sun for evermore others occasional and in the Prudence and Discretion of the present Governors Penal Laws Abstentions Interminations Excision it self is to follow the Church Censures most justly pass upon them nor ought they to have any benefit of that Body can they indeed if such disorders permitted which they so rent in pieces and which by such their Rebellions in course must decay be rendred unserviceable to themselves and others § III AND that this special Power is derived and thus limited to the Church is what as as the common reason so the common sense of Mankind must assent and submit unto it is notorious to the common Senses nor is there any one Demonstration carries more Evidence along with it 't is as plainly and legibly set before our Eyes as Christ Crucified was before the Eyes of the Galatians Gal. 3.1 upon the common Sense and traditional conveyance of Mankind as evidently seen from one to another by handing it downwards as those particular Persons who stood under the Cross did see and behold Christ distended and dying upon it and yet so foolish and bewitched were those very Galatians as to dissent from and make of none effect Christ Crucified unto them and there are of the same unhappy temper still amongst us that deny and exclude this Succession of Church-Power now and in whom to rectifie and undeceive By answering such Objections they produce in their own behalf is what I am in the next place to undertake Their grand Objection runs thus To assert a Church-Power independent and residing in differing Subjects from that of the State must be a restraint to

World before but what was sensible outward and coercive and all Gospel-Power must be such or none a Plea to what is otherwise is a Cheat and Imposture And in answer to which I must here repeat in part what I have said in the beginning of the Third Chapter of this Treatise upon another occasion § XI THAT the Church is a Body but of a quite differing Nature a various Design and Constitution for another purpose according to that eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord Eph. 3.11 a Body but the Body of Christ framed and fitted alone according to the fulness of the measure of his Stature his Body which is the Church Eph. 5.23 an Association of People incorporated and united under him their Head in one Spirit one Lord one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Eph. 4.4 5. growing up into him in all things who is the head even Christ Ephes 4.15 a Body that is to be visible subject to outward sense but 't is by an Holy Life and Religious Conversation that which Men are to see is their good works and glorifie their Father which is in Heaven and all grants to its Officers Power Means Ordinances are only in order hereunto the only change here design'd is the change of our vile Bodies that they may be like unto Christ's glorious Body according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself A Lordship there is but not over Kings and Scepters 't is Death and Sin Christ Jesus treads under his Feet only He is the Lord of the Sabbath invested with all Power in Heaven and Earth relating to God's Worship and Service his Adoration and Homage to appoint stablish and fix as he pleases for ever A BODY or Corporation with its different § XII Organs Parts and Members the Eye to see the Ear to hear and the Foot to walk with Parts more and less Honorable with diverse Gifts and Graces according to the measure of the Gift of Christ some to Govern others to Obey some to Preside others to Submit and be ruled by them Some of which Governors were to remain only for a time others to continue for ever as the Bishops Presbyters and Deacons Orders of Men instituted and invested by Christ not with an improper as some speak with abatement but with a true real Praefecture Power and Jurisdiction in the Church that sitting upon Twelve Thrones and Judging that Spiritual Grace and Investiture to be collated and so Promised in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the new Age or State beginning just after the Resurrection of Christ it is an Autoritative Paternal Power of Chastisements Discipline and Government to be exercised on all its Subjects each one that has given up his Name unto Christ that expects any benefit of the incorporation for the keeping them in some compass within the terms of a Peaceable Holy truly Christian Congregation As are the words of our Learned Doctor Hammond in his Treatise of The Power of the Keys Cap. 1. Sect. 1. § XIII AN Incorporation with differing Offices and Duties Powers and Capacities from any other in the World to be call'd out from others from the World or any Society in it and to unite in a diverse Association which has peculiar Laws and Rules even of Morality is not enough to specifie constitute and express the Church of Christ to signalize that Collection or Association which is Christian All believe and assent so far that there is such a Sect and Coalition of Persons as are called Christians in the World and is usually call'd a Church 't is Matter of Fact self-evident and not to be denied But this Body or Church is not known and acknowledged to have such means of Salvation such Power and Efficacy such Properties and Priviledges as the true Church of Christ implies and contains The name Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belongs to Prophane as well as Ecclesiastical Congregations whether in Athens Corinth Alexandria or Jerusalem as Origen argues against Celsus lib. 3. but all have not the Powers Operations alike The Church of God is a Society as with differing Members and Offices Services and Obligations So to differing Ends with differing Gifts and Endowments For the perfecting the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying the Body of Christ Ephes 4.12 the building and raising them to Heaven in the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God Sciendum est illam esse veram Ecclesiam in qua est Confessio Penitentia quae peccata vulnera quibus subjecta est imbecillitas carnis salubriter curat as Lactantius Lib. 4. Sect. Vlt. Vbi Ecclesia ibi Spiritus Dei ubi Spiritus Dei ibi Ecclesia omnis gratia So Irenaeus l. 3. c. 40. that is the true Church where Confession is and Repentance with wholsome means to cure those Wounds and Sins to which the weakness of the Flesh is subject where there is the Spirit of God and all Grace as in the Armory of David those many Shields of the Mighty Divine Assistances and Remedies for Eternity Catholicum nomen non ex Vniversitate gentium Sed ex Plenitudine Sacramentorum as St. Austin relates of the Donatists well replying Collat. cum Donatist Tertii Diei the fulness of the Sacraments not the bare Coalition of all the Nations in the World makes the true Catholick Church And St. Austin himself says the same Ep. 48. Vincentio fratri where there is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first and second cleansing and Purgation the one the Effect of Baptism the other of Repentance In Sozomen's Church History l. 1. c. 3. Now these different Powers and Duties as distant from all others in the World besides so being diverse also as to themselves and in respect of one another according to the several Gifts and Relations these are either common to the whole each Member of the Association every Believer or else they are limited and appropriate to particular distinct Orders and Offices in the Body What Duties and Offices are common and what appropriate I am now to declare and explain § XIV AS Christians in common all of one Body and under one Head so had they one common Faith which every one Professed to which each assented and gave up his understanding whole and entire and which was a first instance of their Union as an Incorporation a signal Badg or Mark by which as a watch-word they were known to one another and distinguished from the whole World besides Now this object of belief and to which they declared their Adhesion was indeed Jesus the Son of God or Christ and him Crucified as delivered by Christ and the Apostles down unto them but because these Rules must be many and Instructions numerous as they are to this day as given in the Scriptures and every good Christian

Priesthood is one and the same in all and this shall not be called the chief Priest and that a Priest less Perfect but all are equally Priests all equally Bishops as who all have equally receiv'd the Gift of the Holy Spirit the Metropolitan Bishop as having the first Chair with addition shall be called Bishop Metropolitan or which seems mostly apposite for a present Conclusion if any thing can be more than that which is already brought in the sense of those three Bishops Can 8. Conc. Gen. Ephes Whatsoever is nominated contrary to the Ecclesiastical Laws and the Canons of the Holy Fathers and which toucheth the common liberty of Christians is to be renounced and rejected § XXVII I shall now therefore resume what I have already laid down and prov'd at large that those of the Bishop are the full Orders every one instance of Power design'd for the standing lasting use of the Church is in his and consequently is he uppermost in the Church can there be no one branch or design of Power above and beyond him this his Power in some instances of it hath been by consent and for weighty Reasons moving intermitted and suspended in the execution as to the Persons of particular Bishops where the Church increased and multiplied into various Bishopricks and occasions grew and causes arose betwixt one and the other or sometimes arose in one alone and within it self which could not be heard and determined but by different Persons thus Metropolitans were constituted but with no new Power which was not in Episcopacy nor was there any new Consecration only so much devolved upon one for the occasional business An occasion of which we have in part set down by Hosius in the entrance of the Council of Carthage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. if by chance an angry Bishop though such an one ought not to be is over-sharp against a Presbyter or Deacon or over-sudden care is to be taken for better satisfaction and he may appeal to a neighbour-Bishop who is not to deny him audience And that Bishop who first gave Sentence whether right or wrong is to bear the Examination and his Animadversions to be either confirmed or corrected as occasion or else the Bishop derives so much of this Power to the two Orders below him as the Presbyter and Deacon whose Power is more solemnly conveigh'd by laying on of Hands and Prayer and then conferr'd so fixing a Character indelible save only by that Power which devolved it and upon a succeeding Guilt and which for themselves to lay down and desert is Sacriledge and these sent out by the Bishop as is the Harvest great or small so more or less in number in subjection to and dependency upon him So that the standing Church Officers are these the Metropolitan which is only a Bishop with larger Jurisdiction and with the execution of a Power the Bishop has not and the naked Bishop with his Presbyter and Deacon in the ordinary course of officiating in order to Salvation and which three or some one or more of them as is the occasional Service are still to be present and in their spheres and courses according to their several proper Provinces and Offices as already described and particularized to attend and officiate in each Holy Assembly in every Congregation that is Publick and Christian where the Worship and Service of God is so performed as by the rules of the Gospel is order'd and appointed Thus Tertullian among the many absurdities of his time reckons up this Laicis munia sacerdotalia injun●unt the Lay-men undertake the Priestly office De Praescript cap. 41. the 〈…〉 the People united Sacerdoti suo to their Priest and a Flock with their Pastor Cypr. lib. 4. Ep. 9. that is no Church quae non habet Sacerdotem which has no Priest as St. Jerom. adv Luciferianos And he that reads over St. Austin's Sermon super gestis cum Emerito Donatist Episcopo Col. 631. will there find a great many Divine Services and all without acceptance and advantage because thus extra Ecclesiam without the Church no one belonging to the Priesthood there officiating for them The Church of God is either Episcopatus unus Episcoporum multorum concordi numerositate d●ffusus as St. Cyprian again speaks Ep. 52. that one Episcopacy diffused and overspreading the World in the Union and Concord of its numerous Bishops and these either make a general Council or are under their several Metropolitans and are the Church representative or else it is in Episcopo clero omnibus stantibus constituta as Cyprian again Ep. 27. Cum Episcopis Presbyteris Diaconis stantibus Ep. 31. in the Bishop and Clergy the Presbyter Deacon and Laity the latter expressed by the stantes the People standing without in the time of officiating according to the ancient Ecclesiastical Custom And so also Optatus lib. 1. adv Parmen Donatist speaks of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons and turbam fidelium the Believers in general Si tantummodo Christianus es hoc est non Apostolus Tertul. adv Marc. cap. 2. such as were Christians at large and not Publick Officers nor of the Priesthood and this as Members of a particular Church Parish or Congregation or however as relating to the publick Service of God to be discharged by all Christians and which cannot duly be perform'd without the Bishop in Person or in his Proxies by his Power lodged in the Presbyter or Deacon Thus he is called a Schismatick that erects an Altar without the consent of the Bishop Can. 3. Apost even though the Confession of Faith is otherwise sound If thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if thus dividing from and meeting against his Autority Can. 6. Conc. gen Constantinop the very Clergy themselves are not to administer in their Oratories without license had of the Bishop Can. 31. Conc. 6. in Trullo And to the same purpose is Schism again desined a recession from the Bishop erecting an Altar against an Altar Can. 13 14 15. Conc. 1 2. Constantin Can. 57. Conc. Carthag and Can. 6. Conc. Gangrens as the Church is there defined a Congregation of the Faithful with their Bishop so is it there peremptorily determined that the Anathema or Curse is due to those that privately and apart from these do convene and congregate themselves Nor is it Schism only but Heresie also so reputed by the imperial Constitution Sacram Communionem in Ecclesia Catholica non percipientes à Deo amabilibus Episcopis Hereticos justè vocamus We justly call them Hereticks that do not receive Communion in the Catholick Church from the Bishops which are beloved of God for as such they were then look'd upon and that more eminently than others in the then Christian account and it was the Bishop's common Epithete Deo amabiles Episcopi however the opinion and style of them is now alter'd Justinian Novel 109. Praefat. And now these Church-Officers being thus set out and enumerated what their peculiar

any sin in not receiving the Doctrines of Christ All which is to be read with more to the same purpose in his Leviathan Part 3. cap. 42. Of Power Ecclesiastical NOR are they less out of the way when § XXXVII arguing that this Power of the Church must of necessity clash with that of the State and oppose the Soveraignty of Princes for there is no outward Execution in a form of justice can be supposed as from Christ whatever of that Nature is is from the other secular Fountain till Christ Jesus appears himself at the Day of Judgment no Person●l compulsive Summons from him till to that great Bar and all earthy Power and Dominion and Magistracy is to submit and appear to his Jurisdiction because to be at an end to be deposed by God himself ripe as a sheaf of Wheat lay'd up in the Barn with its due just and designed Period and Completion and then this Kingdom of Christ also shall be delivered up to the Father that God may be all in all they are both as to continue upon Earth so to end together but neither destroying one another and the alone Council and Pleasure of the Almighty makes the dissolution and which as the sense of the Primitive and first Christians is cleer by the account that is given of the Kindred of our Saviour in the above-mentioned place of Eusebius of the constant course of their Tribute out of the assiduity of their labour and lower condition in the World they pay'd unto Caesar no one relation to Christ as not of the Flesh so nor of the Spirit either as Men or Christians giving but any shew of Title unto the Government that is Civil or of exemption from any one Tax or Imposition by that Government laid upon them a Truth that has been opened illustrated and deduced down through this Discourse and in some competent measure so as to satisfie upon a rational enquiry and it may be farther cleer'd up and rendred more easie and convincing yet to a due understanding if the several acts and offices of this Body the Church be resum'd again in their distinct Considerations and it will farther appear that these Powers as they never have in Matter of Fact so in their Nature and Constitution they do not any ways impinge upon much less silence and depose any ways justle with and usurp those Powers that are Secular let us run them over as in their order already set down § XXXVIII THE first instance of their Union and Association is in their Articles of Faith joyning and consenting together in this belief that Jesus is the Christ and which makes the Christians a Sect sever'd distinct and apart from all others The sum indeed of all the Gospel as Mr. Hobbs with great industry and pains does collect and prove and 't is what is own'd by him as reconcileable with our obedience to the civil Magistrate be he Christian or Infidel for their Faith is internal and invisible as he goes on and tells us they have the license that Naaman had and need not put themselves into danger for it Leviathan Part 3. cap. 43. or admitting farther and which Christianity surely obliges to that publick Professions of this Faith are to be made and for this the several Creeds as the Apostles c. were drawn up open Confessions of them were made and Subscriptions to them to the incurring of danger from the Civil Power they only hereby engag'd themselves to suffer to dye and become in that signal manner Martyrs and Witnesses for and of them at the stake but never so to oppose as to rebel in the defence and maintenance of them there was nothing there believed and professed or from any other Obligation or Contract that did engage them so to do THEY next covenanted against Sin and § XXXIX Iniquity Murder Fraud Perfidiousness c. and was of old and is still a particular Act of this Christian Body or Association as in the Covenant at Baptism nor is any one any farther a Christian than he performs it and this cannot by Malice it self be termed a covenanting against the Prince or his Power None are indeed and throughly good Subjects but such as are good Christians thus vow and pay Evil manners abate of a just sense and Conscience of Justice and Honesty the Prince cannot have of such men so full a security of their due and true Allegiance and Fidelity to him why should they be more true to him than they are to their God and besides they expose the Government to his Wrath and Vengeance And 't is not upon this account the late Solemn League and Covenant was adjudged by the publick Autority of the Nation to be injurious to the State as ingaging to Repentance and to be burnt by the common Hangman § XL A farther instance of this Association is an assembling and joyning together in the Publick Service of God in those offices of Christianity which belong to all in common as in the Duties of Prayer Praises Lauding with one Mouth and Praising God for all his Mercies to Mankind and to themselves in particular this is a Church Office which must endure so long as the Sun and Moon as there is a Church a Body or Collection of men upon Earth professing Christianity if Publick Prayers and Praises cease the Church the People of God must cease particular Christians may be confined and incapacitated in the Performance and where one is though with Jeremy in the Dungeon or where two or three are met together God will be with them but the daily Sacrifice cannot wholly be abolished till Days and Nights are no more should I say they are to be longer and to remain in Heaven it were not amiss to be sure the Praises will and why not the Prayers so far at least as a signal acknowledgment of our dependency upon God the Perfection of that State and full growth we there arrive unto does not invest us with any of those first and nearest of God's attributes and which are therefore call'd incommunicable as peculiar to his Essence and particularly those of Self-existency and Independency his Autarchy and All-sufficiency and which Duties if discharged as required by God on Earth imply and enjoyn our acknowledgment and obedience as to our God so to our Prince in his distinct relations to us and that by all the ties and obligations the performance of so solemn a Duty as Prayer and Praises are can lay upon us least found perfidious Hypocrites and unfaithful to our God as all that are false to their King in the long run will appear so to God Almighty the very Form and Nature of our Prayers and Praises run so that therein we are first to Pray and give Thanks for Kings and there and in that most solemn manner own them 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. a Rebbel cannot say his Prayers at all but in the very action publish himself a Rogue if saying them as St. Paul has appointed

so as acceptable to God our Saviour 'T is true this Duty is not with the same Circumstances performed as are the two former it requires personal local uniting and which if without the Permission of the Prince may be termed Sedition or Riot or if against his Commands Rebellion or whatever criminal Characters the present Laws put upon such like Conventions the first Christians therefore when under those harder Necessities by the severer Edicts of the Heathen Emperors went still to pray out of the Cities met before day and in the Woods and when discovered and impleaded 't was alone the great and tried innocency of both their Religion and Persons was their advocate and rescue as in the days of Traj●n the Emperor who occasioned particular search to be made into them and such their Assemblies or else they did it with more privacy abating of their Numbers in particular Meetings as less discerned or if discerned less offensive and obnoxious not so liable to jealousies of State and suspitions or if this did not do and gain a connivance as many times it did not they then became Martyrs and Suffer'd whether by Confiscation of Goods or Banishment of their Persons by the Prison or Death as they were appointed to it and engaged to undergo for their Faith it self and the Profession of Christianity there was no Pleas for exemptions of their Persons from such the Laws because Christians as if beyond their inspection and above their Punishments And St. Cyprian Ep. 7. blames particular Christians that when under interdict return'd home again without the leave of that Government by which exiled Et deprehensi jam non quasi Christiani sed quasi nocentes pereant as bringing guilt with such their Punishments on their Heads there was no other strivings or struglings in the Streets unless for their last Breath when upon the Racks and by other Cruelties As their case was every ways like that of the Prophet Daniel so was their behaviour too and the most open inhibition and most severe as to Penalties must not cease the daily Sacrifice and Praises of God Almighty they still own'd their Religion and their God its Author and so they did their Prince in his due Subordination praying with such their last Breath for him There was no Arms nor one Shield of the Mighty but Prayers and Tears and the late Field Conventicles and Rendevouzes of Rebellion were in those days unheard of THAT these Christians by a common Shot § XLI or Purse maintain'd their own Poor carries no more exception or opposition than do any other acts of Charity in what Body or Association whatever and of which this perhaps of the Christians was the most eminent that ever was in the World Charity we know falls under no other Law than that of St. Paul that every one give as his God has prosper'd him readily and of a willing mind nor is it can it be against any Law any ways blame-worthy when fixed on due ends and objects when design'd for and dispended on only the Poor and Indigent but when preferr'd to and justling out of doors acts of Justice and Equity when set up and practised against always necessary and immutable Duties and against which these Christians always provided their own Fulminations or Church-censures by way of Penance and correction still proceeded upon any defect or perverser design discovered and 't was their abhorrency and so ought the Secular Power to animadvert and proceed in its courses of Restraint Coercion Seizures Confiscations or whatever is the ways and Methods the present Government in such cases instructs and enables them to Though where the Church is in the Common-wealth as it is now that the Civil Polity is Christian this case cannot so usually fall out as it did before the days of Constantine a common maintenance being provided for such by Law and the case as to the general is now none at all § XLII NOR doth that other Publick maintenance of such as laboured among them in the Word and Doctrine carry in it self any more of Encroachment or Usurpation or but suspition of Danger on the Powers of the World then that other just now mentioned and which was their pure Charity and a thorow incapacity for subsistence otherways induced to it for this Contribution for their Clergy was purely voluntary what every one of his own motion brought in and lay'd at the Apostles feet was it not thine own and in thine own Power as St. Peter argues with Ananias on the like occasion no motives from Christianity tend to any thing of force or lay any outward Coercion as not to the Persons so nor on the Estates of any their Goods are equally their own as are all their other lawful Rights and Properties after their coming in to be Christians as before every man is to abide in that calling state or advantage as to this World in which he was called if not sinful 't was their own hands and hearts did offer and dedicate their Goods to the Service of the Church they still remain'd in their own Power and they might for any restraint as to their Profession or relating to any such particular Church Endowments use them as all men may their own to what end they please if not to the prejudice of their Prince or their Neighbour And so far were these first Christians and their Church Contributions and religious Enfeoffments from being suspected of bringing dammage or but any one incommodiousness to either that I do not remember any one thing like a charge of that nature drawn up against them for it though great Sums of Money were brought in to this purpose and the Church had great Possessions in the time of the Heathen Emperors and which the Empire confirmed sometimes to the Church by its Princely Edicts as Aurelius did in particular in the case of Paulus Samosetanus and which is above-mentioned or if at any time they were suspected as by their Apologies and Remonstrances in their own behalf it may be inferr'd and their Church-Houses and Gardens their Patrimony alone might be their Crime as what too usually falls out nor was they altogether free from violences as appears by the Restaurations made by Constantine at his Possession of the Empire and which is also above noted they then not only made publick such their Protestations but their Practice too to the contrary and which avouched and vindicated their innocency So Justin Martyr in his Apology to Antoninus for the Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we only Worship God Confessing Kings and Governors of Men and praying for them So again Athenagoras in his Embassy for the Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and if it so falls out that we are accused as doing injustice to any more or less we refuse not to be punish'd we are worthy of it in the highest Nature And Justin Martyr again in his Epistle ad Diognetum speaks of the Christians in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

of it in opposition to a false Religion whether by an extraordinary Commission and justified by Miracles or as ordinary Pastors of the Church for 't is all one as to the Gospel it self which is the same which way soever Preached is said to be an affront and contempt to the Magistracy and Law As again in Dr. Tillotson's Sermon it being quite contrary and to Preach Christ crucified is to honour profess and maintain whatever is in Magistracy and Law nor is it truely Preached but when in a due dependency upon them And if the Jesuites practice be otherwise and he deposes Kings to propagate his Faith Mr. Dean's Observation ought there to have been limited and fixed and not to have drawn so universal a Rule so notoriously making way for the silencing the Gospel for ever if a false Religion be once by Law in that particular Kingdom or Nation or if to be imagined over the whole World established because no way supposed to publish it but by the affront and contempt of the Magistracy and Law but this is too usual a course of too many in the world who if they can but shew their Zeal and produce a present popular Argument against a Jesuit they consider not the common Christianity which is most certainly destroy'd by it as indeed all Church Power on this supposal is gone nor ought it to be pretended to amongst the purest and most Catholick Professors I might say there can be no Professors at all which have no more extraordinary Commissions nor are they any other ways justifiable by Miracles than we believe the Jesuits and sure we are to boot that Men of these Principles will never invade the offices of an Apostle or Evangelist to go forth and convert Nations be first Setlers of the Gospel among them The other instances of this Power is to administer the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper the one admits and enters into this Body upon the terms of the Gospel and farther engages by that Vow and Stipulation there contracted in order to a secure Performance The other accepts of owns confirms and revives it So oft as we approach that Holy Table and no Justice of Peace in the Parish ever yet suspected that his Pastor when officiating in these Administrations entred into and laid the grounds of a Plot or Engagement against his but confined and lesser Jurisdiction in the County These Protestations Covenants and Engagements were never concluded Illegal nor such their practice State Usurpations § XLIV THE Censures of the Church are injunctions laid upon her Members either by way of Discipline only in order to a better progress and more expedite increase of holiness or by way of Penance Mulcts and Amerciaments upon failures but neither of these do externally compel or lay confinements upon the Persons of any any otherwise than by their own intendments and voluntary submission and whatever more their refusal or perverser obstinacy does provoke is only Excommunication or a cutting off from the benefit of that Indenture and which cuts asunder no one relation either of Servant to his Master Husband to his Wife Father to his Son Subject to his Prince and so back again or one Friend to another takes away no one Privilege that is Secular and all ties and compacts whether from Nature or by After-obligations remain as before Christianity dissolves no one that was lawful when entertained but adds more nerves and strength greater force and bonds unto them by new Arguments Motives and Rewards and leaves all in the state they were in before only makes sure provision for Heaven Nor are those Rules and particular Observancies for holy living and satisfaction injoyn'd by the Confessor to take any Place to have any force upon the Penitent or Candidates Conscience if the Performance be inconsistent with and thwarts any one Duty by any one of the forementioned relations arising if common-fidelity Justice or Charity be excluded thereby in any one instance of them or any be contracted against humane Converse and Society And the tenth Canon of the Apostles forbids to Pray with an excommunicate Person but permits to have converse with him the less is still to submit to the greater obligation And the World with its Necessities I and Conveniencies too is always considered there can be no compensations which infers omissions in another kind especially where the Duty neglected is more obliging nor is the Arrearage paid by a differing Debt contracted And by the like Rules also is Excommunication it self to he limited upon the very same terms has it its assigned force and efficacy and which as of it self neither invests with nor deprives of any earthy Goods any one instance of Wealth Power or Dominion so is it to he executed alone in compliance with the Necessities of Mankind with those Laws of that Body and Society to which as Men they stand related this Discipline cannot it be either a Contempt or Affront to the Magistracy or Law and then too when all this is as it ought to be duly observed as to these generals a great deal is left to the prudence and discretion of the Instrument 't is pursued only on rational Grounds and Motives and the effect to be considered with the best foresight which as is already shew'd is not always immediate and irresistible the advantage or disadvantage is to be weigh'd whether as to particular Persons or as to Publick And therefore this instance of the Power of the Keys though deputed to every one that is ordain'd a Presbyter yet by Church Laws and usuage upon Prudence and Prediscernment the execution is limited and the Bishop only has it or some other in special deputation from him to that particular purpose and since the Empire became Christian the Laws of it have prescribed and gave limits to the Bishops themselves as to Persons and the reasons of their Excommunications and which the Church in good Ages of it did own and comply with There were many other notorious offenders in the Church of Corinth and deserved St. Paul's Animadversions too as well as that one incestuous Corinthian who alone was there Excommunicated by him Longè aliter ista longè aliter vitiosa curanda sananda est multitudo but the proceeding against a multitude is to be of another Nature than that against one single notorious Sinner a Schism may be occasioned and the Wheat be pull'd up with so many Tares and instead of curing the Distemper it spread farther as St. Austin Tom. 7. Post Collat. lib. cont Donatist cap. 20. and we read in Socrates his Church History l. 4. cap. 23. of one Arsenius that he never did exercise his Discipline upon and separate from their Society a Monk that was a Novice and not of much continuance in the Fraternity though he might for his offences deserve it and his reason is that the utmost course or excommunication might render such an one but the more obstinate 't was only those that had

Mr. Selden so much admires it must blemish our Saviour much to say he purposely call'd together a Church and design'd it none of its own to preserve it Sect. 4. The Jews Excommunication was not bodily Coercive and then there may be such a Punishment an Obligation to Obedience without force and that is not outward and this much more in the Christian Society Sect. 5. And this their Government abstracted from the Civil Magistrate is an Essay of Christ's Government so far of the same Nature to come into the World Sect. 6. The Christian Church might be both from Caesar and Christ as was the Jewish from God and Caesar and there is no thwarting The Jews and Christians distinct Sect. 7. In answer to his main Objection That all Government must be of this World Sect. 8. It is replied To assert Christ to have such a Kingdom is to thwart his design of coming into the World the whole course of his Actions and Government and those Ancients that expected him to come and Rule with them on Earth yet did not believe it to be accomplished till after the Resurrection Sect. 9. To say he therefore has no Power at all is as wide of Truth the way of Men in Error to run from one extreme to another and of Mr. Selden here Sect. 10. The Church is a Body of a differing Nature from others Sect. 11. With differing Organs and Members of its own in Subordination to one another Sect. 12. With different Offices and Duties Gifts and Endowments these either Common to all Believers or limited to particular Persons Sect. 13. As Christians in common they had one Faith into which Baptized and of which Confession was made the Apostles Creed and other Summaries of Faith and sound Doctrine Interrogatories in Baptism How Infants perform it Sect. 14. They had one and the same Laws and Rules for Obedience for which they Covenanted which is their Baptismal Vow the Abrenunciation of the World the Flesh and Devil Sect. 15. One Common Worship and Service and Religious Performance to God in their Assemblies the particular Offices and Duties there the Priest and People officiate interchangeably as in Tertullian Justin Martyr c. Sect. 16. Common Duties and Services as to God so to one another in supplying one anothers Necessities as occasion Sect. 17. In the supply of such as attended at the Altar by a Common Purse deposited in the hands of the Bishop Sect. 18. Of the Poor and Indigent whose Treasurer was the Bishop Sect. 19. The Power Offices and Duties not promiscuous but limited to particular Persons are those of the Ministry distributed into the three standing Orders of Bishop Presbyter and Deacon and which make up that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Gospel Priesthood to remain to the Restitution Sect. 20. This Power and Jurisdiction though limited to and residing in these three yet it is not in each of them alike in the same degree force and virtue the Deacon is lowest the Presbyter next the Bishop the full Orders and Vppermost Supreme and including all Sect. 21. Against this Primacy of Bishops that of Metropolitans Exarchy Patriarchy and the Supremacy of Rome is objected Sect. 22. The Metropolitan c. is in some Cases above the Bishop but not in the Power of the Priesthood 't is the same Power enlarged No new Ordination in Order to it Sect. 23. The Vniversal Primacy of the Bishop of Rome is but Pretended not bottom'd on either the Scriptures or Fathers or Councils Sect. 24. 25 26. The Bishops Superiority or full Orders and Power in the Church is reassumed and farther asserted He with his Presbyter or Deacon or some one of them are to be in every Congregation for the Presbyter or Deacon or both to assemble the People and Officiate and not under him is Schism The several instances of this Power of the Priesthood Sect. 27. To Preside in the Assemblies Pray give Thanks for Teach and Govern there No Extempore Prayers in those Assemblies Sect. 28. To Administer the Sacraments the Consecration of the Lords Supper by Prayer and Thanksgiving and Attrectation of the Elements Baptism by Lay-Persons Rebaptizations on what terms in the Ancient Church Confirmation Sect. 29. To Vnite and Determine in Council The use of Councils and Obligation Their Autority Declarative Autoritative Sect. 30. To impose Discipline the several instances and degrees of it in the Ancient Church Indulgencies and Abatements Sect. 31. To Excommunicate or cast out of the Church a Power without which the Church as a Body cannot subsist a natural Consequent to Baptism Priests not excommunicated but deposed Sect. 32. To Absolve and Re-admit into the Church this the design of Excommunication which is only a shutting out for a time in order to Mercy on whom to be inflicted It s certain force in the Execution Sect. 33. To depute others in the Ministry by Ordination the Necessity of it An instance in St. John out of Eusebius St. Clemens Romanus Calvin and Bezae's Opinion and Practice It s ill Consequences Only those of the Priesthood can give this Power to others Sect. 34. The Objection answered and 't is plain the Church is an Incorporation with Laws Rewards and Penalties of its own not of this World nor opposing its Government Sect. 35. The outward stroke is reserved to the Day of Judgment but the Obligation is present If the Church has no Power nor Obligation because not that present Power to Punish or any like it neither has any Law in the Gospel Mr. Hobbs the more honest Man says neither the Ecclesiastical or Evangelical Law obliges His and their Principles infer it Sect. 36. The Power of Christ and his Church cannot clash with the Civil Power because no outward Process till the Day of Judgment and then civil outward Dominion is to cease in its course the present Vnion and Power to be sure cannot this is clear from the several instances of it already reckon'd up Sect. 37. Their Faith is an inward act of the Soul acquitted by Mr. Hobbes and that which is more open Confession obliges if opposed but to dye and be Martyrs Sect. 38. That they Covenant against Sin makes them but the better Subjects Sect. 39. No Man that says his Prayers duly can be a Rebel because first of all to own his Prince and Pray for him The first Christians Innocency defended them when impleaded for Assembling without leave If this did not do they suffer'd Their Christianity did not exempt them from inspection Sect. 40. Charity not obstructive to Government when on due Objects a common Purse without leave dangerous not generally to be allow'd These Christians innocency indemnified them The Divine Right of Titles how asserted Nothing can justifie those Practices but their real Case The Profession of Christianity must otherwise cease Sect. 41 42. Presiding in the Church rises no higher than the Duties exercised 'T is Dr. Tillotson alone ever said To Preach Christ is to Affront Princes

Westminster both Usurpers the one of the Regal the other of the Episcopal Power whom they had Assaulted both with Sword and Pen to their then present Abolition and whom he slatters with the specious Titles of Supporters both of Church and State Vobis viri maximi in quos Ecclesia Respublica inclinatè recumbum Britannorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Choice Men and Supreme in our Land Quibus inco●●um est generoso pectus honesto and for Episcopacy it self besides the whole Design of the Book which is laid against it he places it for time and quality with those first Heresies which infested the Church those Antichrists which were then in the World both in St. Paul's Epistles and in St. John's and in the Revelations with those Hereticks that deny the Monarchy of God and the Incarnation of Christ Jesus and that it was by Diotrephes devolv'd to after-ages by degenerate Men who regarded not the institution from God Per degeneres plurimos divinaeque originis immemores propagatum by such only as consult Ambition to whom the Apostolical Humility enjoyn'd by our Saviour was tedious and nauseous men affecting Tyranny and Usurpation against St. Peter's monition 1 Pet. 5.2 3. Obtaedium Apostolicae humilitatis quam praecepit affectantes Tyrannidem c. He approves the Scotish Covenant and their bringing it into England fortissimum Communis concordiae pacisque vestrae vinculum as the most effectual way for Peace and Concord of which Covenant one part of its second Article is this To endeavour the Extirpation of Prelacy i. e. Church-Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops c. and Exhorts them by their Loyalty and Obedience to their Prince to quit and vindicate themselves of that Aspersion of Rebels they lye under and through them may be cast upon all Protestants Christianâ modestiâ pacificisque consiliis perpetuisque fidelis vestrae in regiam Majestatem observantiae exemplis asperas voces refellite that the World convinc'd by Experience may confess that it is neither true now nor ever shall be necessary No Bishop no King and that the one may be admitted and supported without the other Fateaturque continuis experimentis evictus orbis nec verum nunc nec necessarium esse vel fuisse unquam qui aegrè Episcopos ferunt aegriùs reges serre qui nullos admittunt nec regiam potestatem ex animo admittere and assures them of the concurrency of the Protestant Churches on their side the Sea who have often wish'd to see their own Simplicity in Government to be restored and setled among them quam Disciplinam à cismarinis Protestantibus praeoptatam c. and all which is to be seen and more by whoso pleases to read over but his Preface to the Apology Claudius Salmasius goes the same way or worse if worse can be he argues indeed for the Episcopacy in England because continued with the Reformation and what prevented many Pestiferous Sects which after the Seclusion of Bishops arose Quod quamdiu fuerat Episcopatus mille pestiferae Sectae Haereses in Anglia pullularunt Praefat. ad Defens Regiam and aggravates it against the Independents whom he supposes to have Murdered the King and removed the Bishops without his Assent Defens pag. 358. it seems it was concluded in France what Party brought the King to Death nor did they then believe the Bishops to be the Authors of all the Heresies in the Christian World Though Mr. Baxter tells us It is not agreed here in London and that all Heresies sprang thence in that his black Book call'd Church History abbreviated then which a Lucian has not been more rude in his language and scurrilous Imputations to our common Christianity and all Parties of but common apprehension that read that his Book or hear of it must agree that he is indeed a Hater as he in the Title-Page terms himself but not of false History but of the truth of Christian Religion to the baffling of which representing it effectually to the Age inclined enough to believe it as a Cheat and Imposture what more could have been done then by exposing in that odious way so many Successions of the Bishops and acknowledged Governors in the Church the most eminent Professors there and the great part of them to the Stake and with their Blood by such Follies and Impertinencies many times but oftner by heavier guilts reported of them the Author's Impudency and his Falsities as to Matter of Fact has already been given to the World by an Ingenious Hand and nothing but a decay of Discipline and Government in the Church can hinder that a farther censure does not follow his Person be not equally pursued and he publickly Excommunicated the Body of Christians Perhaps James Naylor did not more deserve to have his Tongue bored through But to return to our Friend Walo who in Comparison to Mr. Baxter is so indeed but his Spleen was now but low it swells and grows bigger at other times and our Bishops are then its object he speaks out in other places he says so long as Episcopacy remains which is the foundation and root of Papacy little or nothing is done to cut off the Head is not enough Quamdiu remanebat Episcopatus qui tanquam basis est ac radix Papatûs nihil am parum proficeret qui solum caput resecaret App●rat ad lib. de Primatu pag. 169 70. And he goes to the same purpose Pag. 197. that those Common-wealths or Kingdoms which have receiv'd the Reformation Sworn against the Roman both Court and Church and where there is now no Papacy for what reason they can desire to retain Episcopacy he does not see the Reformation seems not whole and full which is in that part defective and that Episcopacy is become a degree above a Presbyter he imputes to the corrupt Manners to Ambition and desire of Honor and to other evil Arts and depraved Minds of Men Walo Messal de Episcop Presbyt cont Petavium Dissert cap. 6. and suitably did he lay his design and he did not think he could write to the purpose against the Primacy of the Pope without that his tedious and nauseous Apparatus or Preface levelled against the Government of the Church by Bishops and indeed against Church-Government in general so unhappy were still those Men in their Plots against Rome as there will be occasion further to consider in this Discourse and which make up that bulky Volume the World is enrich'd withall and to all which Andrew Rivet has subscrib'd applauding Salmasius in this particular and according with him and thinks it Crime enough in Grotius that he differs from him Grotianae Discuss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 1. 16. John Dailee his rage is nothing less but rather more this way and so is his industry too that eminent Martyr Ignatius is discarded and turn'd out of the Catalogue of Church-Writers for Asserting in so plain and positive words the Divine perpetual Right of Episcopacy and

and Complexion of these Men observed already because all the well-setled duly constituted Churches in Christendom do not dissolve and fall in pieces are not framed anew into the accidental necessitous Model of a private French Congregation And surely the contrary to all this is most true there can be nothing more fatal to Christianity than to have a Power of Substitution of the Clergy to their several Charges put into the hands of the People that the Power of Mission and Approbation of such as are to serve at the Altar be taken from the Clergy nothing can reflect more upon the Wisdom of our Saviour as the Law-giver and who has therefore gone quite another way and the Bishops and Pastors are made Guides Inspectors Rulers Teachers of not in Substitution and Deputation from the People nothing can go more cross and contradictory to the Nature of things as that the Sheep should approve of and appoint their Shepheard such as have wholly design'd themselves to the particular Study should be the worst Judges in the Science least know and be able to judge what Persons are sit to propagate and promote their own Profession and all this put into the hands of Novices and Ignaro's who are not who cannot be supposed to have any Skill for inspection into it no more and greater sign of his fastus indomabilis the worst sort of Pride and irrecoverable pertinacy than that such a sort should any ways desire or pretend such a Power or presume themselves sit for it no greater disrepute to Religion than that those which are really least to be esteemed in the Church should thus have Judgment and alone Judgment in the things of the highest concern a Power to canvass against and determine upon the eminentest Professors of it nothing but a degeneracy in Knowledge and Manners the profoundest Ignorance and deepest Immorality can attempt it the whole World must be stupid and sottish lay aside all Sense of relations and dependency be sunk down together below its Orb Suaeque in integrum restitutionis penitùs oblivisci the words of Blondel are proper here lose all Capacities of but remembring what is fit and decent be past all hopes of a restitution and amendment § XV AND surely then that Plea which is thus unreasonable groundless and every ways impertinent for the Power of the People in Ele●●●●… and Substituting the Bishop or Presbyt●● in their several Stations for the dischar●e of their Functions will render more contemptible yet another Plea many assume and urge for the Power in the People in the Decisions of Matters of Faith and Determinations and fixing Indifferencies in order to present Peace and Practice And where we know the Laity have Convened with the Clergy as in the first Council of Jerusalem and others since they were still bound up and limited Nor can they but with much less reason challenge any more here than in being present at Elections and Ordinations that upon the personal Hearing and View such as desire it may be satisfied of the justness of all Proceedings that no man should blame them in dispensing that Power they are intrusted with and others to submit unto 2 Cor. 2.20 and most precarious is that of admitting Lay-Elders and their Personal necessary concurrency in the Acts and Execution of Government in the Church certain particular Lay-Persons as sharers with the Pastors in the Jurisdiction the gifts of Knowledge Understanding c. are common to all i. e. none are denied them but such as deny them themselves by their own Negligence and Non-improvement or by a first defect in Nature have them not and a promiscuous admission into Debates and rational Decisions is allowable but Church-Power in the governing judiciary part of it is from without and whoever Claims it must evidence the Devolution and Deputation how they were first brought into the Church and in what Exigence Our Judicious Mr. Hooker relates at large that they have since been set up by Divine Immutable Right shews only what the Projects and Interests and Ambition of Men can wrest and pervert Scripture unto and where something of Mens own is lay'd and design'd for so Schismaticks and Hereticks are defin'd De tuo infers So Tertullian to Apelles Lib. de Carne Christi cap. 7. Marcion suum lib. 4. Advers Marcion cap. 7. Something like truth will be alledged in defence of it and surely there is as little for this as ever was urged in behalf of any Sect whatever the once Zealous Abettors of it in this Church and Kingdom could not themselves believe what they pleaded for with so much shew of Zeal and known Violence and their design was only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 't is said the Gentiles did against the Christians in Eusebius with clamorous Noises to make a shew of the want of something to make greater the Rupture they contended for Omnia pro tempore nihil pro veritate as Optatus has observ'd of their elder Brethren the Donatists Lib. 1. Cont. Parme. to serve not Truth but the present disorder by it and it has the Fate of other inordinate Teachings time makes them cease and wear out Nor is this Platform of Lay-Elders the Palladium they now contend for or in the Catalogue of those Grievances and Imperfections are complain'd of Surely there might be Governments and Helps in the Church and Elders which were no Lay-men and 't is no where said in Scripture they were and as certain it is again there 's no after-practice either Apostolical or of Ten succeeding Centuries in which the perpetual immutable Divine Right of it is to be bottomed as D. Blondel has pleaded for their right of Election and Substitution of such as serve at the Altar but with what Success has already appear'd Besides the ill effect of the Schism in general to the first raising of which and after Promotion it concurr'd This particular ill it occasioned and left among us that the Divines of those Ages in which the Aimers at this Platform of ruling Elders so much strove for it as in the days of Queen Elizabeth especially shew'd their greater just Zeal in exposing those their unreasonable Claims of their Consistories to Summon Kings and Arraign them at pleasure In Ordine ad Deum and in defending the Rights of the Civil Power and were less careful in stating the true Rights of the Christian Church as distinct from the Magistrates Power and which is now to be examined and discoursed in this following Chapter CHAP. II. Chap. 2. The Contents This Power is not in the Prince The Child Jesus is Anointed Lord and Christ with all Power given him in order to Heaven to continue in the Gospel-Priesthood to the end of the World Sect. 1. These two Powers have and may reside again in the same Person are both for the general good of Man Emperors how call'd Apli Epi. Sect. 2. Their particular Power necessarily infer not one another The Priest as such is no more a

ask no Directions receive nothing of Autority from them Nor did this Autority thus limited to themselves cease with their Persons or was it translated and deferr'd to any other than of their own assignation by their own Hands and on their own Deputies and Successors the Bishops and Pastors of the Church in whose hands and whose alone it was by them left and there remained with a Power so to depute others and with command to be executed accordingly The very same Church Power I say though not in the same particular Circumstances avouch'd and attended in the same outward manner nor in every single act and effusion does it thus remain and is it to be executed upon all for Salvation and as Christ promised to be with them always to the end of the World and this will fully appear from the Church Records commencing where the Scriptures end from the Concessions of Emperors their Laws and Constitutions made in Church Matters SAINT Clemens Romanus an Apostolical § VII Person and one that wrote his Epistle to the Corinthians not long after the Schism in Corinth mentioned by St. Paul tells us That the Apostles being sent from Christ as from God and Preaching the Word of God through the several Regions and Cities made Bishops and Deacons of the elder Christians such as were the first fruit of their labours and whom they first converted being found sufficient in order to the Service of them that should believe to the bringing more into the Fold and reducing them to Christianity St. Ignatius his Contemporary in part in his Epistle to those of Smyrna commands them to follow the Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in his Epistle to St. Polycarp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they take heed to him as God And again in his Epistle to Smyrna That nothing be done without him in Matters that belong to the Church and Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the meaning is not ill express'd by the additional Pseudo-Ignatius whoever he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Character whatever of their Image and Power God and Christ design'd to devolve and impress upon his Church whether as to the Government or Ministery of it are found in the Bishop He is the Person to whose Faith and Trust the People of God are committed and of whom an account is required of their Souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he governs as Head and all Church Power and Business is to be translated within themselves as in the Apostles Canons wdich bear date about this time Can. 34.39 Irenaeus who trode pretty near their heels says that he can reckon up them that were Bishops instituted by the Apostles and their continued Succession to his days Lib. 3. Adv. Haeres cap. 3. Ed. Paris Habemus eos annumerare qui ab Apostolis instituti sunt Episcopi in Ecclesiis successores eorum usque ad nos to whom and only whom the Gospel was committed Sine quibus nullo certitudo veritatis Ibid. And again Episcopis Apostoli tradidere Ecclesias that the Churches of God were committed to and intrusted with them Lib. 5. cap. 20. Origen if possible is plainer and distincter yet and in his Third Book against Celsus in so many express words distinguishes betwixt the Senate in the Church and that in every City Ed. Cantab. p. 129. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so again betwixt the Rulers and Governors of the Church and the Rulers and Governors of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. And in his Eighth Book towards the end he declares a different Model 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that of the Empire in every City for which and whose safety and success in his Wars he contends and prays for and which he owns and acknowledges with it a Government framed constituted and erected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word which is God and which Government is the Church whose great King is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word and Son of God who has his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Governors still appointed resident and continued there ruling as he hath prescribed according to his own Laws and Dictates the Laws of the Empire being preserved inviolated by them Tertullian as plainly distinguishes betwixt the two Bodies in the Nine and thirtieth Chapter of his Apology against the Gentiles Corpus sumus de Conscientia Religionis Disciplinae unitate Spei foedere we Christians are a Body united in a sense of Religion under a different Discipline as well as hope altogether apart à Ministris corum Potestatibus à statu seculi from their Ministers and Powers and from the state of the World and tells us that Polycarp was made a Bishop in the Church of Smyrna by Saint John in the 23 Chapter of his Book of Prescriptions against Hereticks as also Clement over the Romans he returns to the Chairs of the Apostles which remained till his time in their Succession as the Authors of his Religion and 't is not from the Seat of the Empire but from Corinth and Phillippi from Ephesus and Rome he dates their Power and fetches their derivation Vnde vobis autoritas praestò est whence its rise and devolution And in his Fourth Book against Marcion cap. 5. Ordo tamen Episcoporum ad Originem recensus in Joannem stabit auctorem says that St. John is the Author of the Order of Bishops a Polity and Dispensation all along another thing from that of the Empire flowing from another fountain quite differing from and no ways depending upon it And 't is Tertullian's Argument in his Book De coronâ Militis that a Christian Souldier who fights in the Emperor's Camp and gives him his just Allegiance ought rather to lay down his Arms than wear a Laurel Crown on his Head though a mark of Favour from his Prince because relating too much to a religious Custom among the Ethnicks and he is no where commanded it in Scripture nor is it traditionally delivered to him by the Apostles or Bishops or Governors of the Church either in Precept or in Practice Quomodo enim usurpari quid possit si traditum prius non est quis denique Patriarches quis Prophetes aut Sacerdos aut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quis vel denique Apostolus aut Evangelizator aut Episcopus invenitur Coronatus Cap. 9. where though it was his mistake in accounting such a thing Matter of Religion as the wearing a Crown of Laurels upon the Commands of his Prince This is a different thing from that command of Licinius the Tyrant enjoyning all that would remain in his Camp to Sacrifice to Idols as in Eusebius his Church History Lib. 10. cap. 8. and which rather than do Christians ought not only to leave the Camp but lay down their Lives yet upon the mistake and supposure it is plain that he remov'd from the Secular Power all Matters of Religion such was to be received from Christ alone

of the Church every ways dishonour'd and displaced § IX I know it will be here reply'd and 't is so generally All this was when the Emperors were Heathens nay more Opposers and Persecutors of Christianity how could the Offices Managery and Concerns of Religion be intrusted with them who did who would not understand it who scorned and affronted it who to their power endeavour'd to suppress it by all manner of Cruelties executed on its Professors the Church then did as well as she could and exercised her own Prudence and Strength that Power and Jurisdiction which they agreed upon and assum'd by particular compact among themselves and which became an Escheat to the Crown when the Empire became Christian and Kings then executed it in their own Right as inherent to their Secular Power designed and appointed and expected from them by God Almighty And in Answer to which groundless Plea and Objection I shall add farther either the Bishops and Doctors and Confessors of the Christian Church understood this Case as thus stated That this Power was not really in themselves and their execution of it was but accidental forced under the present Circumstances and to return to such Governors in State as should become Christians as its proper Seat or Subject or they did not understand it To say they did not understand it is to implead and represent them to all Ages succeeding guilty of Ignorance gross and inexcusable to give that for certain Truth which some of our Reformers have made their Libel and Objection against these first and Holy Christians That they were more Zealous than Wise Pious but imprudent less discerning men and from whom Truth is not to be had nor expected and which is in effect to put a baffle upon our whole Christianity in general and to lay a ground for mistrust upon each of its particulars it must receive a great blow upon such Supposals when reflected upon and considered that those who alone propagated our Faith for Three hundred years together did not understand the Power and Autority they were invested with in order to it or the true tenor or state of it To say they did understand it then surely it had been stated by them a Model of it drew up and left at least for Posterity a thing so in course and most usual in other cases thus to give Specimens Schemes and Draughts of the Design and Purpose especially when to propose attempt and carry on something that is but new not before received much more when thwarting to the common Sentiments and Apprehensions of Mankind That no Men but such as the Christians were given out to be by their Opposers and Persecutors Mad-men and Fools the followers of a Carpenter and a few Fishermen can be supposed guilty of Certainly the occasion and meaning of that particular Power they then exercised in the Church different from the Secular nay when enjoyned and commanded the contrary by those Powers that they act and speak no more in that Name when Persecuted to Bonds and Imprisonment moreover unto Death for it had been declared and published to such those Governors a Manifesto or Remonstrance made of it to all Princes of the World certainly among the many Apologies that were made to the Empire in their own behalf this had had a share a room at least in some one of them That what Jurisdiction was then exercised by them the Pastors of the Church was only under the present Necessity a present contrivance of their own to keep their Followers and Adherents in some tolerable Peace and Order to awe and restrain as they could better an assumed Usurped Government than none at all that the real and whole Government was laid upon theirs the Magistrates shoulders alone would they but be pleased to come in to the Faith and sustain and execute it What a plausible even cogent Argument is here all along omitted to let the Powers of the World know what a considerable Portion of their Birth-right as Princes they neglect and disown abdicate and relinquish what a real damage and disadvantage they receive in not coming in to the Church what a principal Jewel would be added to their Crown in so doing So great and considerable a number as they which are Christians and which grow upon the World and increase daily Vestra omnia implevimus Vrbes Insulas Castella Municipia Conciliabula Castra ipsa Tribus Decurias Palatium Senatum Forum cui bello non idonei non prompti fuissemus etiam impares Copiis as Tertullian in his Apology cap. 37. Vast Multitudes every where of all sorts in all Places and Offices who as they professed all manner of Allegiance and Duty to them in Seculars so would they acquit resign into their hands their Power Spiritual nay it is really theirs already and the execution falls in course upon them an accession that must be advantageous cannot be accounted mean and inconsiderable to a Government Thus to be the Fountain and Head of all Rule and every Jurisdiction to invest or abdicate to oblige or punish so great so considerable a Sect as are the Christians to constitute and influence to depose and remove every way to govern at Pleasure their Bishops and Pastors who thus grow upon the World and influence all Men the Motive could never have been neglected the Argument must have had a great deal of room in their several Apologies and Embassies to the Empire in behalf of themselves and their Religion who spared nothing like an Argument that might but ingratiate and insinuate into their good favour and liking as 't is evident from such their Writings and yet there is not one word there of any such Pleadings or any thing like it but the quite contrary as it hath been already made to appear I 'le go on farther and assert that 't is very improbable if not our Saviour himself yet that the Apostles should not have done all this and thus stated the case down to the World and yet no man sets these two Powers of the Church and State more apart than does St. Paul and so leaves them To instance in no more at present he often exhorts That they obey Magistrates and that they also remember those that have rule over them who have spoken to them the Word of God and his Bishop has his distinct care over the Church of God 1 Tim. 3.5 has his things to set in order Tit. 1.5 a Power to Summon by Process to receive Accusations as in Court as upon a Seat of Judicature before witnesses 1 Tim. 5.19 20. though no Power to lay either Confinement or any other corporal outward Punishment on their Persons The Powers of the World becoming Christian it must needs make a great alteration as to its Worship and great was the advantage the Gospel received thereby but so great a translation of Power from one Body to another must in all likelihood have been forewarn'd of and declared by such as had a

foresight for that very purpose of all even Contingencies and much more of what was to come to pass in the future Ages of the Church and as the thing it self was so predivulg'd that Kings and Queens should be Nursing Fathers and Mothers to the Church and this seems reasonable and requisite to be done were it only to satisfie mens Minds in the revolution especially since all Revelations ended in their Persons and 't is only for such to believe and assent to after-translations and new appearances in the Affairs of Religion and not upon such notices aforehand as expect and depend upon new Discoveries and Periodical Illuminations whimsical and Enthusiastical Persons WHEN God was to constitute the Jewish § X Body engaged and stipulating according to the Law of Moses the present State and Necessities as well as other Occurrences foreseen hindring the perfection and full accomplishment of his designed Platform for some time the Wisdom and Mercy and Providence of God which is always present with himself and his own People and accompanies his designs foretold and declared what they were to expect in the particular instances the present narrower state of things and future ill humors of Men prohibiting the one and accidentally occasioning the other As when the Model and Shape of their Government was to be changed into that of Kings or a translation of Power from Person to Person as is the pretended case here it was declared long before by Moses Deut. 17.14 as when the Worship was to be transferr'd at first of necessity elsewhere as is again also here pretended that Church-Power was for a time in the Clergy to the place that God should choose to the Temple at that time not built Men are generally in love with old ways and call that old they have time out of mind been accustomed to Innovations are not relish'd without plain and a great Autority nothing but Prophecy or present notorious Miracles or a great assurance from those whom a known outward evidence makes appear and most manifest that 't was delivered down from Persons so assisted by God and as God's Wisdom and Goodness is always the same so neither certainly had his Mercy and Providence been shorter to this his Body of Christians than 't was to that of the Jews in the like case had there been any like it among Christians as indeed there was none the Government of the Church which is here in this Discourse asserted remaining one and the same and in the same succession of Persons when the Powers of the Earth were Christian as before when they were Heathen and the good Providence of God so ordered it that Constantine the Emperor's becoming Christian and his Succession the Church and Church-men received only new Courage and Strength the greatest additional advantages in such their Charges and Offices by the Imperial Countenance and Protection with all manner of supplies and abundance as to Places Utensils Revenues and Immunities Stately Churches being immediately erected with the greatest magnificence and elegancy of Structure the Furniture as rich and Endowments as large with a like Privilege as to Persons and Things Investitures every ways answerable and all assistance conferr'd and Provision for the time to come by setled Laws and most wholesome Constitutions to preserve and continue what was thus done and granted Serviant Reges terrae Christo etiam leges ferendo pro Christo as St. Augustine speaks in his 48 Epistle The Kings of the Earth serve the Church in making Laws to defend her and which Saying was occasioned by St. Augustine and more to that purpose in that Epistle by reason of the severer Imperial Laws and Penalties made against and inflicted upon that spawn of the Donatists those unruly Circumcellians who broke out into all manner of Outrages and Violence and though the Church had not long enjoyed this Peace but what is the woful effect of Ease and Plenty Divisions and Breaches arose and grew wide within her self carried on to great Ruptures and much was innovated and taught amiss in other Points yet as to this particular the Subject of Church-Power it was never questioned fell not under debate much less was it wrested out of the hands of Church-men did any one Emperor if not withal known Heretical either usurp it to himself or alienate it from the Bishops but all along acknowledge and confirm it to them and this will be as clear from the Aera or Date of their turning Christians as it has appear'd to have been from the first entrance of Christianity till then and that if we continue our Method and look into those times as we have done into the foregoing Ages THERE was no Man of the Age more § XI tenderly Conscientious in professing and paying his Obedience to the Emperor than was the holy Athanasius how solicitously and anxiously did he Vindicate himself when accused as an Enemy and Traducer of him when by his cruel and most malicious Adversaries which were many represented as Rebellious and Disobedient This will appear sufficiently from all such as have imployed their Pens in giving to the World an account of those Transactions by the Arians and Meletians managed and improv'd against him and which were numerous and particularly from his own Apology to Constantius of which he that will take a taste let him read the beginning of it only if he thinks much of his labour to go through with it he acknowledges the Power of the Empire in Religious things in assigning the Feasts of Dedication and their times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he acknowledges his Power over his Person and asks his Diploma or Letters of leave for the exercise of his Episcopal Function in his own Church of Alexandria and for the Convention of Synods Ibid. p. 682. 754. 761. Ed. Paris he asks the Emperor's Grant concerning the Publick Service and Churches in Alexandria as we have out of Sozomen Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 20. but yet he puts a difference betwixt the Work of a Synod and that of the Empire and blames those that confound them or rather refer all to the Emperor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 730. he refuses to receive Arius into Communion upon his Heretical Terms and Principles though the Emperor do Command him though he threaten him if he do not and for refusing he causes him to be deposed by a Synod held at Tyre for that very purpose and of his own Convention and afterwards banish'd him and which he submits to but not to deliver up the Rights of the Church of God as Socrates tells us in his Ecclesiastical History Lib. 1. cap. 27 28.32.35 and he is so bold with Constantius as to six the mark of Antichrist upon him when he undertakes the Protection of a wicked Religion dissolving the received Orders of Christ and his Apostles creates of his own head new Constitutions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Athanasius Ep. ad Solit. Vit. agentes p. 845. 860. and reproves the Emperor

or some Historians their Creatures Men Ambitious and Industrious to keep and confine to themselves that Power which the present Circumstances and Necessities gave occasion even Necessity to Profess and Practice the Powers of the World being not become Christian and which though it bears no Objection as in it self for what ever of ill Church-men might design thencefrom sure it is this sort of Truth and Power relating to Christianity was designedly and professedly committed and intrusted in the hands of Church-men alone and by Christ himself with whom he has promised to be to the end of the world and always without any intermission and never to forsake them And 't is as certain again that this is an evil Machiavel design against all Religion in every instance of it thus professedly endeavouring to wrest it out of their Hands to lodge its Possession Care and Preservation elsewhere in the Laity or at the best in Kings and Secular Governors by the flattery of a new Honor and Prerogative cast upon them the easier to gain their assistance and with more Success to manage their main design Is it not now the common Discourse of the Many Religion and which is still by that sort of Men whose Design is to have no Religion at all complain'd of and lamented as decay'd and lost what can never be retrived or this done continued by Church-men whose purpose is only by their Pride and Ambition to usurp and inclose all into their own hands to have within themselves an Arbitrary Autoritative Absolute Rule and Governance over Mens Faith and Persons and the very title of a Clergy-man gives a suspition of either Unfaithfulness or Insufficiency 't is what is managed by the great Hugo Grotius That Religion is not to be entrusted with nor can it as it ought be promoted and propagated by the Bishops and Councils the Prince is alone capable of it though it is in his raw indigested youthful Book De Imper. Sum. Potest in Sacris and his Posthumous Work after all he then ran with the present Croud he was ingaged in as himself afterwards acknowledges and much certainly is to be attributed to those Untheological barbarous Proceedings in the Synod of Dort which was to be sure fresh in Memory if not actually on the Stage when he was in those his Meditations they allowing neither Humanity nor Argument to such as were Remonstrants whereof Grotius was one that is not of the Calvinistical Presbyterian both Faith and Faction and that in every Point as they required Deprivations Banishments were their Ordinary Punishment and the like Cruelties nay worse and more rigorous Proceedings which was by the French Calvinists at that time upon the same score and that too upon their own Brethren of the Reformation whereof Peter du Moulin was the Head and great Manager of which a bitter taste and such an act of Tyranny as no Story can Parallel is to be had in the Life of Episcopius upon these Reflexions in all likelihood it is that we find not only Grotius but those otherwise Learned and Ingenious Men on the Remonstrants side still to inveigh against Synods and the unfitness of Church-men to Preside and Rule where such controverted Cases are on foot to be debated and determined asserting the Prince as much the fitter Person Oppression makes the Wise man Mad. All which is to be seen of any that are Conversant in those Transactions particularly in the Epistles of those learned Men lately collected in one Volume and Printed at Amsterdam I shall therefore to take off the shew and appearance of this Objection upon what account soever it was made Vindicate the Integrity of true Church-men as well as farther assert this great Truth now in hand by adding to what has been said already the Publick Acknowledgments and Declarations of the Christian Emperors themselves That Church-Power thus removed from them is no injury to their Crowns and Jurisdictions thus seated and limited in the Bishops and Church-Officers only is no Usurpation on their parts 't is what is really existing in them CONSTANTINE the First Christian § XV Emperor continues the same style and owns the same Power in the Church which he found in it at his Conversion and receiving Christianity in his Epistle to Anulinus he says of Cecilianus the Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he is Chief and hath a Government as a Church-man in that Province over which Anulinus was placed by himself as a President in Seculars and enjoyns him that they that serve at the Altar be freed from all Publick Services in the State the better to attend it Euseb Eccles Hist lib. 10. cap. 7. he calls the Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Vita Constantini lib. 2. cap. 2. and cap. 46. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he writes to the Bishops as Governors having Jurisdict●on not in Secular Affairs that belongs to the Presidents of Provinces or the Praefectus Praetorio to whom he there directs them for assistance and this is yet clearer in that his known saying to the Christian Bishops when entertained by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You are appointed by God as Bishops of those things which are within the Church I am appointed by God as a Bishop of those things which are without De Vita Constantini lib. 4. cap. 24. and what is meant in the Ecclesiastical sense of it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appears plainly by a like Phrase in the Tenth Canon of the Council of Carthage just now made use of by us where to disobey the Bishop is Deposition and if they be still turbulent in the Church and go on to Sedition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word but a little changed the outward Secular Power is to Chastise them i. e. by outward Penalties laid upon them the business and work of every Prince being to Defend and Protect the Church or if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be interpreted to relate only to the World i. e. those that are not Christians as some would have it and so the meaning is that Constantine's Province is to govern them which are out of the Church and no Christians the Bishops can take Cognizance only of such as are in her Arms and have submitted to her Discipline the two Jurisdictions are fully owned as a part and distinct and the Empire only appears a loser by the nicety because his right as from hence in Church Affairs and over their Persons is denied him Nor has David Blondel any such reason for his clamorous Exceptions against Rufinus in his Tenth Book of Ecclesiastical History Cap. 2. because he brings in Constantine speaking to the Bishops upon the occasion of some particular Quarrels that were amongst them and telling them Deus vos constituit Sacerdotes potestatem dedit de nobis quoque judicandi ideò nos à vobis rectè judicamur vos autem non potestis ab hominibus judicari that God had constituted them Priests and gave them Power of judging

Service for the People give Rules to the Bishops what Presbyters are to be Ordained inquires into and gives Cautions and Charge for their Manners for their Abilities that they forsake not their Priestly Office claiming the right of Investitures That no Church be built but the Bishop be first consulted for the maintenance of such required there to officiate That no Church be consecrated without the Bishop no Ideot or taken out of the number of those Qui vocantur Laici who are called Lay-men presently upon the entrance into Holy Orders ascend to an Episcopacy he gives to the Clergy Possession of their Churches and they are all in Deputation in their Ecclesiastical Courts from the Emperor and in Religious Matters he gives leave for the Collects or Meeting together confers many Priviledges on their Persons in order to the better performing of such their Offices that no trouble or obstruction be in Litanies and Laws are given for the manner of their Celebration takes care that they meet oft in Councils and Synods enjoyns them residence on their Cures He limits the number of such as are to be Ordained suitable to the Revenues of the Church that there be not an Impoverishment and Contempt thereby that none be Ordain'd but to a Title and in relation to particular Cures or as the present Exigence may require He exempts certain Persons forbidding the Bishops to give them Holy Orders as such as fly to the Church for Ease and Idleness to shake off their Secular Offices and Duty and be acquit of their Burdens that they may enjoy the outward Priviledges and Immunities the Clergy by the Bounty and good Grace of the Empire had granted unto them Such as are actually in Publick Offices to which thereby they become disabled and the State is endamaged As Captains Centurions c. whom he remands to their first station and hence some Laws we find that the tenues fortunâ the Poorer in the Church are only to be Ordained though perhaps with less Prudence and the reason was this because the Church enjoy'd great Priviledges and Immunities and the Rich too frequently ran to it to shelter and advantage themselves in this World a thing too common in our days and the like Laws might not be amiss amongst us in some cases when particular Men leave their Secular and Military Station for the Profit and Grandure of the highest Church-men he forbids that any Holy Offices or Ministerial Functions be usurped sine Sacerdote without a Priest appoints that every one first receive Holy Orders e're he attempts the Execution of the Publick Ministry with more of the like Nature and which are to be seen Cod. Justinian lib. 1. Tit. 2.5.14 Tit. 3.9.10.11.30.31.34.36.46.52 Cod. Theodos 9. Tit. 40.15.16.45.3 Cod. 12.104.115.121 Cod. 16. Tit. 1.3 Tit. 2.1.2.3.6.18.25.32 Tit. 11.1 Novel 3. cap. 1.2 and Novel 6.1.4.7 Novel 16.40.46.68 cap. 1.2.3 Novel 78. Novel 123. Novel 131. cap. 8.9 Novel 137. but then all this amounts to only what is said to be the Office of an Emperor Commonefacere Cod. Justinian l. 1. Tit. 3. to take care warn and see that all these things be done as they ought to be the Rule is antecedent and depends on another Authority I mean where 't is purely Religious and Policy alone ingages not The general Rule laid down and to be observed is this Ne fiant Ordinationes contra interdictiones legum Sacrorum Canonum Novel 12. cap. 12. that all Ordinations be made according to Law and the Holy Canons to the observation of that Rule Quam justi laudandi adorandi inspectores Ministri Dei verbi tradiderunt Apostoli Sancti Patres custodierunt explanaverunt Novel 6. Praefat. which the Ministers of the Word of God the Apostles and Holy Fathers have kept and explained The Emperor in his own Person never Pleads for or attempts the Sacred Action or Office of Ordination it self never yet laid any title to it and the Bishop upon his Ordination receives Secular Priviledges from the Emperor to be emancipated and made free from that Service which otherwise the Laws require of him by his becoming a Spiritual Father But the Ordination it self the Right of a Bishop is no where said to be or so claim'd from the Emperor Novel 8. cap. 3. and although it has been disputed only within this Hundred years at least it never reached any farther than the Whimsical Brains of some one or two now and then and what Point of Faith escaped such whether the Power of Ordaining has been in the Presbyter or in the Bishop only as a distinct Order and Superior to him and how the Votes and Concurrences of the People and in what degree of Necessity they are required unto it yet none ever asserted it to belong to any that was neither Presbyter nor Bishop yet Antiquity is altogether silent as to the Prince in this case the Church always removed nor did the Empire ever claim it this is still represented as the proper Work and Office of the Bishop whatever the Empire did in the case was by commanding the Bishop to Consecrate when such an one is designed for the Function by himself or assenting to the Election made by others but if any more and not of the like Nature the Church of God and all understanding Christians did still look upon it as not to be indured in any one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to act as a Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when never entitled to or partaking of the Priestly Power and it was never first conferr'd on him by any it has been adjudged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of many Deaths as in the case of Ischyras in particular Socrates Hist. Eccles lib. 1. cap. 27. § XXII AND if we look into the Church censures the Animadversions and Punishments laid upon such as are unworthy their Christianity that high Calling wherewith they are called in Christ Jesus The case will appear the same as in Ordination in general great and solicitous was still the care of the Empire for the solemn just and due execution of these Powers a great many Laws and Constitutions were made in order to it several Cautions and Directions given that none be interdicted without a just Cause Cod. Justinian lib. 1. Tit. 3.30 That Excommunication be not for light Causes 39. 1. That no Man be excluded the Sacred Communion before Cause be shew'd and for which the Laws and Canons have commanded it and if any Excommunicates upon other accounts the Person Excommunicated is to be absolved and receiv'd again into Communion Novel 123. cap. 11. and this with the greatest reason in the World for the Prince is Custos Canonum he is the Keeper of the Canons and is to see that their Rules be duly executed Omni innovatione cessante vetustatem Canones Pristinos Ecclesiasticos qui usque nunc tenuere servari Praecipimus Cod. Justinian l. 1. Tit. 26. and 't is as his Province and Work so the

with it and all the Injunctions Rules Directions and Limitations we there meet withal were Rule before only the outward Penal Coercive part which Power the Church never had never pretended to was conjoyned with them for the surer more due Execution even where the Empire was inclined to Heresie as sometimes it was their own Bishops and Councils were first call'd and consulted their Advice and Directions followed What was purely Secular the Emperor 's own and of himself was his Grace and Royal Favour in condescending and yielding to the Church's Determinations and the many Immunities he invested their Persons withal were all his own choice as it was to be a Christian no Power besides could none attempted to force it upon him none ever made Canons but Church-men that is Rules purely relating to the Church of God only the Prince has the outward Coercive Power by force and bodily present Penalties to constrain and compel their Execution Or where Princes assumed of their own devices as particular Extravagant Actions still have been and will be again nor do they amount to the breaking a general Rule the Church still so far opposed as to remonstrate upon the encroachment to assert their Supreme Power as from Christ although they suffer for it and after Emperors have altogether voided them This I have already made good in part and it will farther appear from the several Emperors Concessions Acknowledgments and Declarations to the World that none but bare open foreheads to any thing dare gainsay it HONORIVS and Theodosius the Emperors § XXV make Laws and imbody in the Empire what Canons they found made and if any farther Doubts arise they are to be reserved Sancto judicio for the Holy Judgment of the most Reverend Patriarch of Constantinople as Supreme in Religion and to the Convention of the Clergy Cod. Justinian l. 1. Tit. 2. Lex 6. and which he transcribed out of the Theodosian Cod. 16. Tit. l. 45. and by receiving into his own confirmed Valentinianus and Marcian make void all Pragmatick Sanctions which by Favour or Ambition were gained against the Ecclesiastical Canons 1. lib. Tit. 12. l. 1. Zeno calls it the state of Tyranny where there is Innovations against the Church and its setled Constitutions he calls the times wicked and those Laws and Constitutions impious and confirms all the Priviledges his Royal Predecessors had granted to Holy Church Lex 16. ibid. 'T is Decreed that all the Canons or Holy Ecclesiastical Rules made by the Four first General Councils obtain the force of a Law Novel 131. cap. 1. Nor can we think that the Christian Empire could do less when these very Canons are esteemed by them as the Holy Scriptures ibid. Novel 131. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God himself directing the Speakers of them As Leo the Emperor of the Canons in General Constitut 2. ad finem Novel and which Expressions though they might be over extravagant yet it shews to the World how the Emperors thought of the Autority and Canons of the Church what a Precedency they gave unto them Justinian openly speaks it and calls them Sacras Divinas Regulas Holy and Divine Laws Quas etiam nostrae sequi non dedignantur leges and that himself in framing his Laws does not disdain to follow them and which he Commands his Praefectus Praetorio to make known by Publication to the whole World Epilog ibid. and Novel 6. Epilog what he enjoyns all Patriarchs Metropolitans Bishops and Clergy under a civil Punishment if not observing it is only what Church-men had before appointed 't is all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by virtue and in observancy of the Sacred Canons foregoing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Judgment of the Empire concurs with that of the Church adding Nerves and Autority to its Predeterminations and what to the Church seemed most convenient Novel 42. cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeno Imperator Constitut 9. when the Patriarch of Constantinople required of the said Emperor Zeno that it might by the Law of the Empire be determined concerning the time of Baptizing Children and resolved him that he might do it without a formal Council which to call together to consult only about one Point might be inconvenient being directed as to the particular Matter the Emperor yielded to him but told withal the Patriarch Such things were to proceed from the Church and not originally from him and that in Holy Matters his Holiness ought to pass the Sanction Constitut 17. and if in these lesser things and Circumstantials much more in the weightiest Church-Matters as Abstentions Excommunications Depositions is the Church to be followed are her Determinations and Judicial Acts to precede and so they did Among all the Temporal Punishments upon Hereticks and Schismaticks none was inflicted till by the Councils and Bishops rejected the Clerk that is unfaithful in his Office the Bishop is commanded first to depose him and then follows the Secular Judgment as in the Theodosian Code supra ultimum Supplicium a farther Punishment succeeds and which Dionysius Gothofred interprets to be Death in his Notes upon Cod. Justinian lib. 1. Tit. lib. 3.3 though I cannot assent to him in that finding no Sanguinary Laws in those Cases with many more of the like Nature which we have already produced § XXVI AND now I think here is opportunity sufficient for Information to any one into whose hands these Papers shall come or that will receive it what the Church-Power is in it self and what the Power of the Empire in Religious Matters And particularly for Dr. Tillotson Dean of Canterbury who in his Sermon April 2. 1680. Pag. 11 12 on Joshua 24.15 has thus expressed himself And to speak freely in this Matter I cannot think till I be better informed which I am always ready to be that any Pretence of Conscience warrants any Man that is not extraordinarily Commissioned as the Apostles and first Publishers of the Gospel were and cannot justifie that Commission by Miracles as they did to Affront the Establisht Religion of a Nation though it be false and openly draw Men off from the Profession of it in Contempt of the Magistrate and Law all that Persons of a different Religion can in such a case reasonably Pretend to is to enjoy the Private and Exercise of their own Conscience and Religion for which they ought to be very thankful and to forbear the open making of Proselytes to their own Religion though they be never so sure that they are in the right till they have either an extraordinary Commission from God to that Purpose or the Providence of God make way for it by the Permission of the Magistrate That there has been always a Spiritual Ecclesiastical Power in the World as derived and received once by the Holy Ghost and not of Man so preserved and propagated devolved and continued from the same Fountain in order to the first great end for the support and continuance of the same Religion though the

help it Sure it is they both acknowledged and abetted this very Church-Power and saw not these killing Consequents were aware of no such destroying aim upon themselves thought the Power of the Empire not one whit the less or their Persons to receive any abatement by it and yet Men of reputed Fame and Renown for all manner of Wisdom and Prowess in their Generations nor would they actually forego or but endure a lessening discourse of their Prerogative and particularly their Care and Provision in respect of Church-men was great and Eminent that no Damage return to the Crown upon any Pleas of Exemptions or Priviledges derived from them How severe they were in limiting them in their Ordinations we have already observed that by any Excessive Practice of that special Power acknowledged in the Bishops alone and still remov'd from themselves the State might not be weakned it being it seems too usual for Men of great Fortunes and sufficient Abilities otherways to Serve their Prince in his Wars or other Secular Imployments to come into the Church and receive Holy Orders only to exempt themselves for the advantage of those Freedoms and Immunities invested in the Clergy to crowd under the Church's Protection for Ease and Idleness And therefore the Bishops were forbad to Consecrate any such Persons and many other such like Restrictions are to be seen in the Imperial Laws and Constitutions I 'le instance in one or two of them As that the Jews when Criminal and under bad Circumstances turn'd Christians only for Favour and an easier discharge in the Courts of Justice were not to be received into the Church nor imbodied among the Christians Nor Servants and Debtors which fled to the Altar to avoid their Masters and Creditors and the Clergy that received them were first to be deposed and then to be delivered over to the Civil Power for farther Punishment Cod. 9. Theodos l. l. 1 2 3 4 5. And surely the Empire that was so Industrious and Vigilant to preserve from Church-incroachments such the Accessories of their Power and Government that the meanest of their Subjects be not oppressed by any such Plea or Charter much greater must be their severity upon that Body or Community if suspected in the Make and Constitution to strike at the Original Power it self to lay Limits and farther inconveniencies upon their own Persons and Actions to wrest the Government it self out of their hands to Countermand and Supersede with their Canons the most Sacred and Solemn of their Sanctions and Determinations And though Clergy-men as to every particular Person or some lesser Collection of them may not be altogether Innocent as to some attempts and incroachments upon the State through Zeal ill guided or incogitancy or some particular designed interest for who Pleads that they are all exempted from all faults and suitably strict Provision was made by the Imperial Laws to prevent or restrain or punish yet no one Law or but Provision was made that we read of against the Body of Christians themselves unless by the Heathen Power designing an Extirpation or their Power and Government as from Christ because not under such a Suspition its frame and make was such as designed for the Support but no ways for the Injury of the Empire The best and wisest of Emperors at the same time that they write to the Patriarchs and Bishops of the Church as its Supreme and Universal Governors and own'd and remonstrated their Power as from Christ Jesus alone yet reserved among their own Titles that of Pontifex Maximus the chief Priest as Mr. Selden according to his usual Industry has Collected several Inscriptions of theirs to this purpose lib. 1. De Syned c. 10. and by which Title if they meant the same he would have them to have done as it matters not now to inquire since the Church and Empire still gave and allow'd one another these Compellations interchangeably the Inference is strong on our side that they were not conceived to carry and imply any thwarting or opposition to one another and upon what account soever Julian the Emperor was so obliged by and tenacious of the Title we have reason to believe he did it not on this account to affront in others and ingross to himself Church-Power Antistes legis Christinae being the Title also in his days of the Bishop and so Bishops are still occasionally call'd by Ammianus Marcellinus an Heathen Historian of his time whose History is mostly made up of his Actions and Praises and may not amiss be called his Parasite as well as Historian nor can he be thought to give that to Church-men which in its execution carries so great an Opposition to the Prerogative of his admired Master But that which comes nearer is this when the Emperors submitted to the Laws of the Church as from God himself made them their Rule for their civil Sanctions disdained not to follow them gave them every Eulogy or Character that might declare them of an Heavenly stamp a Divine race and infusion as I have already shew'd yet did they not believe their own Laws and Sanctions the less from God by reason of it or of a lower Institution and suitably still expressed themselves in the Heads of their Laws the Forms and Preambles of their Constitutions in these following manners Quem ex coelesti Arbitrio sumpserimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Justinian Code l. 1. Tit. 1.1.3 The Laws themselves are called Oracula Sacra absolute And then again Leges Sacrae Sanctio sacra Sacratissima Sacratissimae leges Judicium Sacrum Praeceptio Sacra Praeceptum Sacrum Sacrae literae Sanctionibus Consecratae Oraculum Coeleste Divales Sanctiones Divina Precepta Divino arbitrio Decreta Divalia Beneficia Divale Praeceptum Lex Divalis Divalia Scita Divalia Statuta all which and more he that will not Peruse in the several Laws may read at once Collected to his hand by the Excellent Jacob Gothofred 1. Cod. Theodos Tit. 1. Paratitlon Tit. 2. Paratitlon Hereby declaring the Laws both of the Church and Empire to come alike from God and to be equally Heavenly although by differing conveyances upon Persons of different Orders for particular diverse ends but both uniting in and serving the great End the Universal Good and Directions and Government of Mankind and yet each one to act in and keep its Sphere and Order and so independent and the Objection was not raised in those days just now recited nor was any thing like a thwarting suspected and which is now contended for nor indeed can their hitting and justling be otherwise supposed than can that be of the Orbs or that Dissonancy of the Spheres talked of the one or both must become Eccentrick be Perverse and Irregular the whole Universe be untuned in disorder and suffer by it as our own Experience has been a great Evidence of late and whether has lost more by it the King or the Priest is not easily determined though the Pretence was on

the Princes side laid by those that set the Controversie on foot and with shews to disenthrall and enlarge him WHAT is the reason of such our misunderstandings § VII that we cannot think and discern with the Ages before us is it that this Power has been abused in later Ages of the Church as by those of the Roman and Geneva Discipline who out of a Plea to one took both Swords invaded Kings and Kingdoms by it Let but the same Rule take place here as in the other Points of the Reformation and all will soon be well again Return to such the beginning those first and purer Ages of the Church to be ruled and governed by where the Platform is plain the Model easie for any Capacity and the Aberrations of some cannot in reason prejudice it But this will not do the ground of the Quarrel has really another bottom and their Reasons are another thing as must be obvious to him that is conversant with the Writings either of the Principal Authors of these new started Opinions or such as were accidentally only their occasion or after Abettors of them They cannot see nor assent to any Government as existing in the World but what is visible and sensible has its Operations and Effects upon outward Sense and its Organs upon the Person or Estate the Life or Bodily Action of Mankind and this to be presently inflicted Men they are that will allow no Corporations or Societies but those of this World for Buying and Selling for Trading and Trafficking for the Belly and the Back for outward Peace and Ease to Preserve themselves from one another at Home and Invasions from Abroad for the present Mess of Pottage good and gain on Earth nor can any other Power but such as this or in order to it be apprehended We have above observed That Herod the King was the first Man that suggested this great Error and that the Kingdom of our Saviour must supplant and abolish the Kingdoms of this World his Power and Caesar's could not stand together And this was managed by the Jews all along after who united with Herod to destroy our Saviour as an Usurper allowing and owning no King but Caesar upon that one Design and Principle And these Men we have now to deal with are every ways as blind as gross and carnal in this particular Point as were the Jews their Predecessors and the Veil of Moses is it so over their Faces that they are stark Blind either beyond or besides it The Jews of old did not with more Zeal and Industry contend for his Temporal Canaan and Promises Ordinances and Administrations or with greater Blindness rest himself in them or with greater Malice scorn and pursue such as said they saw beyond it then do these Men now adays deride those that say there is a Spiritual Kingdom which is our Saviour's a Power originally from Christ derived by Succession to his Body the Church to remain till the Restitution of all things that there is or can be any King but Caesar resolving all Power whatever into that which is Secular and rejecting all other as Opposite to the Dignity and Prerogative of Princes IT is not much to be marvelled at the § VIII Pamphlets that went about of this Nature in 1641. 'T was the Design of that time to unhinge and overthrow every thing well established and the Argument was less odious that began with the Church and its Power particularly I have by me a small Treatise which came forth in that year call'd The true Grounds of Ecclesiastical Regiment c. but the Title within is The Divine Right of Episcopacy refuted the more to ingage the Reader for Episcopacy was first to be taken away and he had the most advantage to do it it being the particular quarrel but the after-game was at all Church-Power in general and which he endeavours to erase upon this score as against the Soveraign Dignity of Kings for which he seems Zealous when to Dethrone Church-men but at last sets a Thousand more upon the Throne with him his Princes in Parliament as he calls them nay he sets them above the King and says though to Princes on their lawful Tribunals something is more due than at other times but to Princes something is more due than at other times but to Princes in Parliament there is most of all due all Power being not derived to the King without them and whose Ecclesiastical Power he there discourses And which I therefore here repeat to shew what was designed for our Kings by these Men when so much Pleading for a Power belonging to them which is the Church's and his chief Argument all along against Church-Power independent to Princes is that it is not like nor does it enter into any Rivality with that solid sensible coercive Power wherewith God has invested his true Lieutenants upon Earth and therefore is it but Imaginary and Improper That Power which is proper must include not only a Power of Commanding but also an effectual Virtue of forcing Obedience to its Commands and of subjecting and reducing such as shall not render themselves obedient that as among the Jews the Church and State was the same had the same Body the same Head the same Sword and that Head was Temporal and that Sword was Material and therefore 't is so with Christians nor have they any Sword or Head that is Spiritual Christians ought not to be so contrary to that excellent Discipline of the Jews which God himself ordered and to introduce I know not what Spiritual Rule in prejudice of Temporal Rule nor does he expect any Satisfaction from his Adversaries why there should be less Division betwixt Church and State among the Jews and less use of two several Swords and because Adultery was Punish'd with Death Christians ought not to be Excommunicated for it If God has given them sole Knowledge to Determine all Controversies and Power to Enact all Ecclesiastical Canons doubtless he has given them some binding Coercive force correspondent thereunto and if so why do they not expel all Dissention by it If their Virtue extend no further than to Exhortation why do they urge Commands upon us If they have a Commanding Power why do they not second it with due Compulsion it is plainly clear'd to us that Adultery by God's Law was Punish'd by the Temporal not Spiritual Sword and that the Abscissio animae amongst the Jews was only Corporal Punishment by Death the infliction whereof was only left to the Temporal Magistrate and that there was no difference observed between Crimes Spiritual and Crimes Temporal And therefore there ought to be none in the Church of Christ the form or essence of Law is that Coercive or Penal Virtue by which it binds all to its Obedience if Priests had any such Spiritual Sword doubtless it would have some sensible Efficacy and work to good Ends and Men would not nor could not choose but bow and submit themselves

him That he exalts the Church-Power above God and Christ and the Magistrate as all their Masters And indeed according to these Mens Notions to apply the Superlative to any Person or Thing is the height of Blasphemy For why God is not excepted And the most common Phrases of a most Mighty Prince a most Holy Place a most Wise Counsellor are all instances of it nor can any one Attribute of Gods be otherwise applyed to the Creature Whereas if the Word be understood and used as in common use it is to be and in complyance with things it must be suitable to the present Subject it is assign'd and limited to and the particular things it is conversant with as under such and such Heads and Orders all is easie and plain Thus God is the alone Supreme all Rule Governance and Autority being originally in him and eminently Christ is Supreme as Head of the Church to whom all Power is given of the Father for bringing Mankind to Heaven the Apostles and their Successors the Pastors of the Church were and are now Supreme on Earth in the same Power derived from Christ by the Apostles unto them The Prince is Supreme and hath all Power from God committed unto him as to Government relating to this World over all Things Persons and Causes to appropriate or alienate to Endow Limit Restrain Coerce or Compel as the alone Supreme Law-giver upon Earth and none may oppose and the great and gyant Objection that is only wrangling about and mistaking of words falls to the ground as it is in it self nothing CHAP. IV. Chap. 4. The Contents The Objections answer'd Selden's Error that there are to be no other Punishments by Christ than was before and under the Law the Query is to be what Christ did actually constitute He mixes the Temporal Actions of the Apostles and those design'd for Perpetuity Adam and Cain might have more than a Temporal Punishment Sect. 1. The great Disparity betwixt the Jewish and Christian State considered no Inferences to be drawn from the one to the other but what is on our side Sect. 2. Theirs is the Letter ours the Spirit They Punish'd by Bodily Death we by Spiritual Sect. 3. If Government was judged so absolutely necessary by the dispersed Jews that they then framed one of their own for the present Necessity and whose Wisdom in so doing Mr. Selden so much admires it must blemish our Saviour much to say he purposely call'd together a Church and design'd it none of its own to preserve it Sect. 4. The Jews Excommunication was not bodily Coercive and then there may be such a Punishment an Obligation to Obedience without force and that is not outward and this much more in the Christian Society Sect. 5. And this their Government abstracted from the Civil Magistrate is an Essay of Christ's Government so far of the same Nature to come into the World Sect. 6. The Christian Church might be both from Caesar and Christ as was the Jewish from God and Caesar and there is no thwarting The Jews and Christians distinct Sect. 7. In answer to his main Objection That all Government must be of this World Sect. 8. It is replied To assert Christ to have such a Kingdom is to thwart his design of coming into the World the whole course of his Actions and Government and those Ancients that expected him to come and Rule with them on Earth yet did not believe it to be accomplished till after the Resurrection Sect. 9. To say he therefore has no Power at all is as wide of Truth the way of Men in Error to run from one extreme to another and of Mr. Selden here Sect. 10. The Church is a Body of a differing Nature from others Sect. 11. With differing Organs and Members of its own in Subordination to one another Sect. 12. With different Offices and Duties Gifts and Endowments these either Common to all Believers or limited to particular Persons Sect. 13. As Christians in common they had one Faith into which Baptized and of which Confession was made the Apostles Creed and other Summaries of Faith and sound Doctrine Interrogatories in Baptism How Infants perform it Sect. 14. They had one and the same Laws and Rules for Obedience for which they Covenanted which is their Baptismal Vow the Abrenunciation of the World the Flesh and the Devil Sect. 15. One Common Worship and Service and Religious Performance to God in their Assemblies the particular Offices and Duties there the Priest and People officiate interchangeably as in Tertullian Justin Martyr c. Sect. 16. Common Duties and Services as to God so to one another in supplying one anothers Necessities as occasion Sect. 17. In the supply of such as attended at the Altar by a Common Purse deposited in the hands of the Bishop Sect. 18. Of the Poor and Indigent whose Treasurer was the Bishop Sect. 19. The Power Offices and Duties not promiscuous but limited to particular Persons are those of the Ministry distributed into the three standing Orders of Bishop Presbyter and Deacon and which make up that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Gospel Priesthood to remain to the Restitution Sect. 20. This Power and Jurisdiction though limited to and residing in these three yet it is not in each of them alike in the same degree force and virtue the Deacon is lowest the Presbyter next the Bishop the full Orders and Vppermost Supreme and including all Sect. 21. Against this Primacy of Bishops that of Metropolitans Exarchy Patriarchy and the Supremacy of Rome is objected Sect. 22. The Metropolitan c. is in some Cases above the Bishop but not in the Power of the Priesthood 't is the same Power enlarged No new Ordination in Order to it Sect. 23. The Vniversal Primacy of the Bishop of Rome is but Pretended not bottom'd on either the Scriptures or Fathers or Councils Sect. 24. 25 26. The Bishops Superiority or full Orders and Power in the Church is reassumed and farther asserted He with his Presbyter or Deacon or some one of them are to be in every Congregation for the Presbyter or Deacon or both to assemble the People and Officiate and not under him is Schism The several instances of this Power of the Priesthood Sect. 27. To Preside in the Assemblies Pray give Thanks for Teach and Govern there No Extempore Prayers in those Assemblies Sect. 28. To Administer the Sacraments the Consecration of the Lords Supper by Prayer and Thanksgiving and Attrectation of the Elements Baptism by Lay-Persons Rebaptizations on what terms in the Ancient Church Confirmation Sect. 29. To Vnite and Determine in Council The use of Councils and Obligation Their Autority Declarative Autoritative Sect. 30. To impose Discipline the several instances and degrees of it in the Ancient Church Indulgencies and Abatements Sect. 31. To Excommunicate or cast out of the Church a Power without which the Church as a Body cannot subsist a natural Consequent to Baptism Priests not excommunicated

ubi etiam ipsos praedictum est non fuisse credituros The Jew carries with him the Bible into what Nation he is dispersed and Christ and his own belief so plainly there foretold never want a Testimony thereby of his own asserting the one and upbraiding the other And on these Grounds it is we may probably Collect that this Association of the Jews in a voluntary Discipline occasioned by reason of such their Captivity and which a rigider Necessity brought them to being depriv'd of their proper Government and depending on themselves alone was an early instance of the like imbodying and Jurisdiction in the succeeding Church of Christ a Prelibation of that his Kingdom not long after to come down from Heaven and such its abstracted independent Polity is therein anticipated WHEN Mr. Selden goes on and tells us § VII That the Government of the Church was Caesarean only because it was imbodied in the State at least indulg'd by the Empire this has as little of Argument as any one could wish unless he had prov'd the Church had had no other bottom to stand upon that to Institute and Protect were all one and that it could not be from Christ and from Caesar in different respects the contrary to which has been made to appear all along in this Discourse and the Churches in Jerusalem Alexandria Antioch Caesarea Rome might all be and were of an Antecedent Institution though the Owning and Protection from the Empire was much to their advantage or why should this be concluded against the Christians and not against the Jews who are supposed to have instituted their own Discipline under the Captivity before Judea was reduced to a Province and they professed Subjection to the Empire and all along retain'd it and all other Rites or at least so many of them as their conquer'd Condition did render them capable of Practising as immediately from God and independent to the State nor will any one venture to assert otherwise The Law was given by the Mediation of Angels indeed but Princes were not so much as instrumental in it and after its first giving even to the days of St. Paul both the Law and the Temple and Caesar were distinct Powers created different Obligations and he Pleads for himself as injurious to neither of them in the Acts of the Apostles and the Deputy Gallio there had failed much of his Duty when caring for none of these things had the Matters of their Religion resolv'd it self immediately into Caesar especially since Mr. Selden contends that all the Priviledges the Christians enjoy'd as to their Religion they had as Jews going under their Names and as such reputed Nor could the Empire upon this his Supposition assume any Power as to their Religion he did not over the Jewish And to make good this his Precarious and impertinent Presumption That for some years after our Saviour's Ascension the Jews and Christians went under the Name of Jews and were reputed as one he is more precarious yet and goes on in his Arbitrary way and tells us That no Gentiles during that time were admitted Disciples to Christ but such as were before Proselytes either of the Gates or of Justice or first Circumcised all which if true is nothing to his designed end for the Christians might shelter themselves under that Name to partake of by that means the Priviledges and Immunities the Empire bestow'd upon the Jews and retain their distinct Rites and Character their own particular Sentiments as other Sects did Multis in locis Judeos Christum sequentes in Synagogas admissos fuisse credam dummodo ritus servarem Judaicos Grotius Appendix ad Comment de Antichristo That in many places the Jews which followed Christ were admitted into the Synagogue it may be believed especially if we consider that the Jewish Rites were observed for some time together with the Christian at least not publickly absented from and declar'd against So St. Paul had his Vow and Paid it in the Temple upon a Private Consideration and future design so he caused Timothy to be Circumcised But though the Empire might consider them no farther then as Men of another Profession as to Religion in general from it self and so grant one Toleration for them all and the Christians upon particular occasions might intermix with the Jews yet that they were visible and distinguishable as distinct Bodies and different Associations the Case of St. Paul makes manifest when Purifying himself in the Temple how the Jews which were of Asia soon discovered him and ran tumultuously upon him and drew him out of it And that those Greeks then with St. Paul were no Proselytes at all either of the Gates or of Justice though Christians as Mr. Selden supposes all Christians were is more than likely Acts 21. and the whole Book of these Acts of the Apostles renders notorious whence otherwise all those other Persecutions from the Hebrews and that their Women so raved and blasphemed when the Gentiles were received as equal sharers in the Mercies of God with themselves if all were Proselytes before and no more was now pretended to The Christians did not suffer more afterwards by the Heathen Powers than they did thus early by the unbelieving Jews so far as they were able which certainly is no mark of being of the same Body and using the same Synagogue and Service the Jews in general and the Christians were so far from thus associating in one Body and appearing every ways the same however upon particular occasions some of them might that the Believing Jews and the Gentile Christians still made a Separation for a good pretty while after our Saviour's Ascension how wide the rent and great the distance was we read in the Epistle to the Galatians even to a with-drawing and Separation And the Church Story is evident they had their distinct Bishops and Congregations in the same City as St. Peter and St. Paul at Rome and so continued till after the Siege at Jerusalem when the Christians departed to Aelia as Grotius tells us in his Annotations on the Eleventh Chapter and Third Verse of the Revelations BUT these at the most are but trifling § VIII Discourses and altogether Foreign to the point in hand nor could Mr. Selden design them any otherwise than as a Gild and Varnish to his main Body and ill managed Discourse preceding That which is his fundamental Error the bottom of his whole design and which all his Complices begin with and manage together with himself is this That there can be no Government which is not of this World but what is by the Powers Managery Methods and Instruments Courses outward Compulsions and Penalties of it each of whose Forces and Ligaments must operate by the outward Organs sensibly and in a visible manner In this Supposal is his whole Discourse laid as we have already from himself stated it in the latter end of the Third Chapter in some instances shew'd the weakness of the Plea

and who is instructed for the Kingdom of Glory cannot be supposed with Knowledge and Judgment enough so to digest them as to be ready to answer to every Man that asketh a Reason of his Faith that is in him or so as his own need shall require in his daily Confessions and Acknowledgments to God I 'le add so as the Duties in common to be performed by all as Christians even the most learned Scribe among them shall exact for the rehearsing their Faith and open Confession of it before Men was a branch of their constant Devotions And it must be as impertinent and unhandsom when they come together if every one have a diverse Interpretation Digestion and Expression of his Faith as if every one should have a differing Prayer Hymn or Thanksgiving the World must believe them all Mad nothing can be done to Edification nothing of Order and Peace only Confusion be in the Churches of God Hence that Summary of what is to be believed and confessed the Apostles Creed was composed 't is generally concluded by the Twelve Apostles themselves and to which if St. Paul's form of Doctrine delivered Rom. 6.17 his form of sound words that good thing committed to Timothy's trust to be kept by him and to be conveigh'd to others 1 Tim. 2.20 2 Tim. 1.13 14.2.2 related not yet thus much may certainly be collected thence That they had Summaries of Christianity antecedent to St. Paul's Epistles and which suppose these Doctrines receiv'd and pursuant to which St. Paul wrote his Epistles as general needs and in course requir'd or upon particular occasion of false Teachers coming in those vain Bablings and Oppositions of Science falsely so called which some Professing have erred from the Truth and by which Summaries they were to censure and exclude them And the same may be St. Peter's Holy Commandment delivered 2 Pet. 2.21 And St. John's Unction received or that which they heard from the beginning and which he Exhorts them to abide in and it will teach them all things 1 John 2.20.24.27 but of whatever use they were to the conserving of Truth and ejection of Heresies and which falls not under this Head now to pursue Certain it is Creeds they had and Collections of Faith to be assented to and Professed by all that were Baptized or any ways admitted into the Body and Society of Christians Baptism is a Stipulation Agreement and Assent Aliquid respondentes as Tertullian speaks de Corona Militis Cap. 3. There is something answer'd professed and engaged in And Dionysius in Eusebius Eccl. Hist l. 7. c. 9. there mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Questions and Answers in use of Baptism and which were made in part relating to what they believed and receiv'd as Christians Thus Irenaeus Cent. Haereses lib. 1. c. 1. speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Canon or Rule of Truth which is receiv'd when Baptized So Tertullian Lib. de Spectaculis c. 4. Cum aquam ingressi Christianam fidem in Legis suae verba profitemur Going into the Water we make Profession of Christianity St. Cyprian tells the same Sed ipsa interrogatio quae fit in Baptismo testis est veritatis Nam cum dicimus Credis in vitam Eternam remissionem peccatorum per Sanctam Ecclesiam intelligimus remissionem peccatorum non nisi in Ecclesia dari The Question at Baptism is a witness of the Truth And when we say we believe Forgiveness of Sins and Life Everlasting and the Holy Church we understand that Remission of Sins is given only in the Church Ep. 70. St. Jerome adv Luciferianos says also Solenne sit in lavacro post Trinitatis Confessionem interrogare Credis in Sanctâ Ecclesia Credis remissionem Peccatorum 'T is usual at Baptism after the Confession of the Trinity to ask Dost thou believe in the Holy Church and Remission of Sins and l. 2. adv Pelag. in Confessione Baptismatis lavat nos à Peccatis sanguis Christi in our Confession at Baptism the Blood of Christ washes us from our Sins Interrogamus an Credat Deo So Optatus l. 5. cont Parmen Donatist We ask if he believes in God Credo inquis in Deum Thou sayest I Believe in God having renounced the World and Devil at Baptism Salvian l. 6. De gubernat Dei And accordingly are they found together in Eusebius Hist Eccl. l. 7. c. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith and Confession i. e. Baptism and Confession for so is the frequent Ecclesiastical Phrase of Faith Nec secundas post fidem nuptias permittitur nosse they must not Marry again after Baptism or after Confession of Faith by which Baptism is expressed Tertul Exhort ad Castitat c. 1. with many of the like Nature Lib. de Pudicit Cap. 16. Scorpiac c. 8 c. where Fides and Baptisma are but diverse Expressions of the same thing Baptism being a Publick Confession of Faith in and Adhesion to the Gospel of Christ Jesus an open undertaking of it upon its Terms and Conditions And so in the Imperial Laws Cod. 16. Tit. 7. l. 4. to violate Baptism is to violate Faith given up to Christ And the ancient Church distinguishing of Christians into Fideles and Catecumenos those were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Faithful who were Baptized in opposition to the Catechumens which were not and in that sense not Believers And all this is acknowledged by Theodore Beza in his Eighth Epistle written to Grindal Archbishop of Canterbury when they were baptized Adults and at the years of Understanding But upon what account Infantulus de fide compelletur a little Infant should be interrogated or have such Questions put unto him what Covenant can here be entred he knows not What was the Arch-Bishops return to him I have not yet met with I shall at present only reply in the words of St. Austin de Baptismo contra Donatistas c. 23. Ideò cum alii pro iis respondent ut impleatur erga eos celebratio Sacramenti valeat utique ad eorum Consecrationem quia ipsi respondere non possunt Their Susceptors or Undertakers answer for them because they cannot answer for themselves and upon such their undertaking the Sacrament becomes effectual unto them § XV AS Christians and with one Faith so had they the same Laws and Rules for Obedience and Holy Living in this did they Associate and Confederate together Of this we read an eminent instance Tertul. Apol. c. 2. in the words of Pliny to Trajan the Emperor Nihil aliud se conserisse quam Coetus antelucanos ad confederandam Disciplinam Homicidium Adulterium Fraudem Perfidiam Caetera scelera Prohibentes They entred Compacts and a State of Discipline against Murder Adultery Fraud Perfidiousness and other Wickednesses And which Indentment or Compact upon what particular occasion it was then undertook the main design and purpose of it was then by all that were Baptized and has been all along since answer'd in such their Baptism

Another branch or instance of which Vow is this To forsake the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of the wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and to keep all God's Holy Commandments Cum aquam ingressi renunciasse nos Diabolo Pompae Angelis ejus contestamur Tertul. De Spectaculis l. 4. and De habitu Muliebri c. 2. his sunt Angeli quibus in lavacro renunciamus And De Coronâ Militis c. 3. Aquam adituri sub Antistitis manu contestamur nos renunciare Diabolo Pompae Angelis ejus So St. Cyprian Ep. 7. Seculo renunciaveramus cùm Baptizati fuimus So Optatus Interrogamus an renunciat Diabolo Lib. ● Cont. Parmen Donatist And Salvian says the same Quae enim est in Baptismo Salutari Christianorum prima Professio Quae sc nisi se renunciare Diabolo ac Pompis ejus ac spectaculis operibus profitentur Quo modo O Christiane post Baptismum sequeris quae opus Diaboli confiteris De Gubernat Dei l. 6. And all which is but the Baptismal Vow in Latine with a severe check to those whō after their Baptism and so solemn an Engagement to the contrary are over-ruled by the Devil and follow after the World's Pomps and Vanities and sinful Lusts of the Flesh And St. Jerome Ep. ad Paulam calls the Monastical Vow Secundum Baptisma a Second Baptism and 't is that St. Austin cautions the Donatists Ne seculo verbis solis renunciant l. 5. De Baptism cont Donatist that they renounce not the World in words only Nor were the Christians of old their Body or Association discernable and apart from the whole World in any thing more then in their good Life their stricter and most heavenly Conversation § XVI THIS Union of Christians as one Body and Association is farther expressed by Tertullian Apol. Cap. 39. Edam nunc ipse negotia factionis Christianae Corpus sumus de Conscientia Religionis Disciplinae Vnitate Spei foedere coimits in coetum Congregationem ut ad Deum quasi manu factâ Precationes ambiamus Orantes Haec vis Deo grata est Oramus etiam pro Imperatoribus pro Ministris eorum Potestatibus pro statu seculi pro rerum quiete pro morâ finis cogimur ad Divinarum literarum Commemorationem si quid praesentium rerum qualitas aut praemonere cogit aut recognoscere certe fidem Sanctis vocibus poscimus spem erigimus fiduciam sigimus Disciplinam Praeceptorum nihilominus inculcationibus densamus Ibidem etiam Exhortationes castigaetiones censura Divina I will now declare the Offices of Christianity We are a Body in the Conscience of Religion in Unity of Discipline and Covenant of Hope we come together in one Company and Congregation that making Prayers altogether and at once we may procure his Favour and Blessing this force is grateful to God We Pray also for the Emperors for their Ministers and such to whom their Power is deputed for the State of the World for the quiet and due accomplishment of all things The Divine Letters are urg'd upon us either to Premonish us against what we may expect to come or stablish in us what we have received our Faith is nourished our Hope increased our Confidence fixed and Duties frequently inculcated upon us There are Exhortations Castigations and the Divine Censure And to the same purpose in his Book De Anima Cap. 9. Scripturae leguntur Psalmi canuntur Adlocutiones Proseruntur Petitiones delegantur the Scriptures are Read Psalms are Sung Admonitions are made and Petitions are sent forth by us Deum Principem ac rerum cunctarum Dominum adorans obsequio venerabili invocare Arnob. lib. 1. adv Gentes and lib. 4. Huic omnes ex more Prosternimur hunc collatis precibus adoramus ab hoc justa honesta auditu ejus digna deposcimus in quibus summus oratur Deus Pax cunctis venia postulatur Magistratibus Exercitibus Regibus Familiaribus Amicis vitam adhuc degentibus resolutis Corporum unctione in quibus nihil aliud auditur nisi quod humanos faciat nisi quod mites verecundos pudicos castos c. we there adoring with Obsequious reverence call upon God the Chief and Lord of all things before him as is the Custom we are Prostrate asking of him what is Just and Honest and worthy his hearing we Pray for Peace and Pardon to all in Autority for the Armies for Kings for our Familiars and Friends whether dead or alive nor is any heard from us but what makes us Humane Meek Modest and Chast And the same account we have in Justin Martyr in his second Apology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Praying and sending up Hymns of Thanksgiving suitable to our Powers for that he Created us gives us Health Plenty fruitful Seasons and will bestow upon us a blessed Resurrection We there worship and adore God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost the Blessed Trinity and so in the close of that Apology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon Sunday we meet together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Common Prayers and Supplications for themselves all Christians all Mankind giving one another the Holy Kiss celebrating the Communion giving thanks to the Creator of all things by Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost to which the People say Amen reading the Writings of the Apostles and Prophets as the time will bear the President or Bishop discoursing to them upon some one or more Portions of them and against this it is he Cautions that upon any Pets or assumed Anger upon what differences may happen they do not absent and go apart from the Communion in Prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Zenam Serenum So also Origen in his Third and Fourth Books against Celsus Clemens Alexandrinus in his Seventh Stromaton Eusebius l. 7. c. 9. Eccl. Hist and De Vitâ Constantini l. 4. c. 17 18. And Eccl. Hist l. 10. c. 3. Concil Laodicen Can. 15 16 17 18 19. and every one of them to the same Purpose This indeed being the chief Office of the Body of Christ the great End of the Christian Incorporation thus to assemble and be one in the Common Services of God its undoubted Right and Property though not in every instance peculiar to it and incommunicable Thus to confess with their Mouths that Jesus is risen from the Dead to assent to the Gospel by Faith evidenced in an Holy and Innocent Conversation attending the Sacraments of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord the Common Prayers Praises Thanksgivings and Recognitions due to God Almighty as Created Preserved and Redeemed by him all of what order and rank soever thus joyning and uniting in Heart and Hand and Mouth every Man taking and performing his part Priest and People saying that Amen mentioned in Justin Martyr and after him by St. Austin Per tot gentes in quibus respondetur unâ

penè Voce Amen Cantatur Halelujah That Amen which is answer'd and Halelujah which is Sung with one almost Voice throughout so many Nations Lib. 2. adv Literas Petiliani Donatistae super Gestis cum Emerito Episcopo So Athanasius in his Apology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How Decent and Holy is it to hear in the House built for Prayer the People say Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one sound and consent there mentioned Carmen Christo quasi Deo dicere Semet invicem saying a Hymn to Christ as God in courses with one another As Pliny lib. 10. Ep. 97. and is referr'd to by Tertullian in his Apology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Singing back again to one another in St. Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praying betwixt one another Ep. 63. Ad Clericos Neocesariensis Ecclesiae in amoibeunis and alternate Responses The Priest Parat mentes fratrum dicendo sursum Corda ut dum respondit Plebs habemus ad Dominum As St Cyprian upon the Lord's Prayer preparing the Minds of his Brethren saying Lift up your hearts and the People answering We lift them up to the Lord this the great and common constant Service of the Church of God The usual manner of old in the Performance of it and an earlier Pattern we have yet as to the Substance of it So soon as we meet with a Church gathered the Holy Ghost descended and those Thousands Converted by St. Peter Acts 7. he there opens to them the Scriptures they receive the Word and are Baptized they go on and continue stedfast in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and Prayer attend the Holy Communion Praising God Poetically extolling of him And thus became Peter in the letter of it a Rock a first Stone or principal Pillar in the Church or People of God § XVII BUT then besides their Publick Worship of God did this Union into one Body or Corporation farther express and oblige the Members in their Duties and Services to one another in the Supplies and Assistances of all its Members whose either special Offices and Imployments in the Service and Support of the Church Body or Association rendred uncapable of undergoing the Cares and Offices of the World for the providing themselves sustenance suitable to their Office and Quality in the Trades and Imployments of it for the Body of Christians though a Collection and Incorporation for Heaven yet is to remain its due time and abode upon Earth and to subsist whil'st on Earth by the usual and lawful courses of it it does not therefore immediately receive Food from Heaven or else whose unavoidable Want and Poverty by the unaccountable disposal of things and the many Contingencies of this mutable state here lays before them in their Streets and High-ways in the rode to this Jerusalem also as Objects of Pity and Commiseration Relief and Charity for their Saviour has told them That the Poor you must always have with you and to them belongs the Kingdom of Heaven And this is to be done and is the general Duty of the whole Body and each Christian there in particular not only by the tenure of the special Charter from God and it is imply'd and made up and required in the Donation it self but by the common course and Laws of things no Body can subsist without it it must run to Decay Degeneracy and Contempt either through want of Instruction Order and Government on the one hand or by Idleness Destitution and Distress on the other and those weighty Reasons and Motives which engaged freely of their own choice no outward force compelling as in the Associations of the World in order to Governance and Subsistency to unite in God's Service it then necessitates that such ways and means be used here as in the sustaining other Societies and this upon the same Consideration and Motive as they believe it useful to be of such the Association and in Communion with one another especially where the force of the World enjoyns no other Provision as it did not till the Government became Christian and the World came in to the Support of the Church for which our Saviour did and must in reason provide upon failure otherwise Religion can no longer subsist then as the civil Empire pleaseth § XVIII AND first this general Care always extended and was made for such as labour'd among them in the Word and Doctrine such as attended the Altar and ministred in Holy Things and this not only to the maintaining their Persons but to the maintaining them in order to their Function and consequently in supplying them with all Utensils and whatsoever else was then thought necessary for the due and more solemn Performance of the Worship of God and the maintenance of his Service This is that St. Paul so much Pleads for and with so great earnestness and weight of Argument 1 Cor. 9.1 2 3 4 c. and tells them plainly That if he be an Apostle as he most certainly is to them who are the Seal of his Apostleship in the Lord then he hath a right to their Estates Have we not Power to eat and drink Have we not Power to lead about a Sister or Wife and to forbear working Who goeth to warfare at any time at his own Charges Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the Fruit thereof or who feedeth a Flock and eateth not of the Fruit of the Flock Do ye not know that they that minister about Holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are Partakers with the Altar So hath the Lord ordained that they which Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel And this the Church-men had not as Stipendiaries and Salary-men but the Believers brought in of their Goods and laid them at the Apostles feet which made a Common Stock or Bank to be at their Prudence in the disposal call'd the Lord's Goods and in relation to this Common Stock or Bank in the hands of the Apostles in which every Christian upon occasion had a right it is said That all things were common among these first Christians in the Book of the Acts for that no one had Property besides cannot be believed and the fault of Ananias and Sapphira was not that they did not bring all they had and lay it at the Apostles feet reserved nothing of their Estate to themselves but this was their guilt they kept part back and said it was the whole their lying to the Holy Ghost otherwise it was their own and they might have reserved to themselves what of it they pleased Now these common Gifts and common Purse as it was first intrusted with the Apostles so upon their failure did the trust descend and remain with the Bishops their Successors who distributed to the Necessities both of Churches and Church-men their Officers and Attendants as occasion required a competent Portion whereof was set apart and reputed their own Persoanl Goods

as absolutely Autorative in it self and infallible in its Determinations as to make Truth but declarative only of what was Truth from the beginning as the best expedient on Earth to find it out and the alone Autority on Earth to pass Sanctions upon present appearance for present Settlement Peace and Unity every man had his liberty still entire and reserved for farther enquiries where he saw or suspected occasions but this to be proposed in the next Council 't was to be brought to the Apostles and Elders there whose Autority alone was to reject or admit it As to Publick Confessions what room and autority the Empire had and is always to have in these Councils is already declared Cap. 2. and though the Faithful or Believers at large many times had conflux thither and were permitted either for their diversion or private satisfaction or information yet no one ever passed his Vote judicially or concurred in the Power Legislative as has been above also shew'd ibid. This still goes in the Name and Power of the Bishops and Clergy alone as must appear to every one from the both first derivation of that Power and after-practice both in that Apostolical first Synod at Jerusalem and all other succeeding excepting such who on purpose set their Face against what with their Eyes they never did and will not see § XXXI A fourth instance of this especial appropriated Power is the exercise of Discipline Ecclesiastical and this either in fixing set Stations particular rules and orders of Duty and Performances upon such as were newly brought off from Heathenism become Penitents and Converts in order to the Kingdom of Heaven and Christianity or else in laying Punishments Penal Duties upon those who after their admission and undertaking Christianity when they had throughly known the ways of Righteousness been enlightned and tasted the good gift of God revolt and turn back again will not abide the terms of it by way of Penance and Satisfaction and this sometimes by corporal Punishments with a Power reserved for Indulgencies and Abatements a relaxation upon proficiency or non-proficiency under them placed in the power and discretion of the Bishop or Pastor for the best Antiquity is not at all shye in these terms and expressions she spake as she acted Thus in the Catholique Epistle of St. Barnabas set out by Isaac Vossius Sect. 1. ad finem Epistolae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he work with his hands to the purging away his Sins So Lactantius l. 6. Sect. ult Si quid mali fecerit satisfaciat that satisfaction be given for his evil St. Cyprian Ep. 50. gives an account of the Epistle he had received from Fidus his Brother who tells him how Therapius his Colleague did reconcile to the Church over-hastily Victor a certain Presbyter Antequam penitentiam plenam egisset domino Deo in quem deliquerat satisfecisset before he had completed his Repentance and satisfied God against whom he had sinned and for which St. Cyprian admonisheth his Friend that he do so no more ibid. And again Ep. 64. Satisfaction is what is required upon a sense of having sinned ut se peccasse potius intelligant satisfaciant to give all the instances were to spend too much Paper what is here brought may suffice or he that desires more may have it from the learned Hugo Grotius Rivetian Apol. Discuss Pag. 700. ed. Lond and all this placed in such as have the Keys of the Church whence they are to receive satisfactionis suae modum the measures of their Penance and Satisfaction as he there cites St. Austin no man was admitted into the Church of Christ but by degrees but as through so many Posts and Stations through which they were to pass 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 't is Can. 4. 6. 9. Conc. Ancyr and then to go on to that which is more perfect to be admitted to the Holy Communion the top instance of Devotion and Communion or be received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an oblation as 't is expressed Can. 7 8. ibid. for by the words of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that holy Sacrament was by the Ancients still expressed Thus we read in the Church Story and Practice as remembred and referr'd unto but as not then instituted being antecedent and of more antiquity of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hearers only in the Church a set order of Penitents permitted only to hear the Word of God with the Hymns and Songs and Praises placed without the Temple and these were the lowermost form in order to something else to farther Duties as thus instructed and fitted for them and such as staid here and would only hear engage and incorporate no farther neither come to the Prayers nor the Holy Sacrament in the set Order and assigned Times for it were reputed as if they had not been initiated at all the Council of Antioch turns them quite out of the Church Can. 2. and by which rule what will become of the greatest part of our now adays professing Christians let them look to it or perhaps let such as preside over them have the government and power of Discipline in their hands Then we have the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as advanced to the publick Prayers next the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that came to the Sacraments See Can. 11. Conc. Nic. 1. together with the Scholia's of Zonaras and Balsamon and Can. 14. we have the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who it seems were those that were Auditors and more were Baptized as by the Scholia there appears and the same we find before this Council of Nicea Conc. Ancyr Can. 4 5 6. and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Demoniacks who had their distinct station Can. 17. Cum scholiis And these courses of Discipline we have alluded to in several places of Tertullian and therefore were extant in the Church very early Tertullian being sometime before any of these now mentioned Councils but most fully and at once of any that I have observed in them in his Book of Prescriptions Cap. 41. and which I shall therefore here repeat where he reproves and prestringes such those Hereticks he writes against for the perverting violating such this received customary Discipline Non omittā ipsius etiam conversationis hereticae descriptionē quam futilis quam terrena quam humana sit sine gravitate sine autoritate sine disciplina ut fidei suae congruen● imprim●s quis catecumenus quis fidelis incertum sit pariter adeunt pariter audiunt pariter orant etiam ethnici si supervenerint sanctum canibus porcis Margaritas licet non veras jaclabunt simplicitatem volunt esse prostrationem disciplinae cujus penes nos curam lenocinium vocant pacem quoque passim cum omnibus miscent nihil enim interest illis licet diversa tractantibus dum ad unius veritatis expugnationem conspirent omnes tument omnes seditionem pollicentur ante sunt perfecti

〈◊〉 they obey their appointed Laws and by their exacter Lifes and stricter Conversations go beyond the Laws supererogate and are more perfect than their Rules require or Sanctions enjoyn them To which I 'le add that of Octavius to Cecilianus in Minutius Faelix De nostro numero carcer exaestuat Christianus ibi nullus est nisi aut reus suae Religionis aut Profugus your Prisons swarm the Walls will scarce contain them but there is no Christian unless Runawaies and Desertors of their Religion and when we assert the divine Right of Titles and that God himself assigned and separated such a Portion of the goods of the Earth for the maintenance of the Evangelical Priesthood also and which Sanction is to endure together with the Kingdom and to take away this is to rob God we do not then maintain them with any such Clause in the Charter or Conveyance warranting and enabling a forcible violent Entry as in the usual cases of Right and Property upon dispossession that Power St. Paul speaks of as to Eat and to Drink not to work with our hands but to live upon the Gospel and which we believe to descend with the Gospel is together with holy Orders invested in him is quite another thing and neither implies nor supposes Power like it it is bottomed only on the Grounds and Reasons of our Association nor has it any other motives but those which make us Christians and which did not at all depend on outward force Hence it was till the world came into the Church that the Priesthood was maintained by what every one offer'd upon the forementioned inducements and as he that denied this maintenance to him that served at the Altar was supposed still to deny withal his Faith and place in the Body of Christians and suitably is it with the greatest equity and proportion of things still the continued Practice of the Christian Courts to Excommunicate or cut off such an one from the Church Communion so neither could they which saw no reason why themselves should become Christians be supposed to be convinced by other reasons of the necessity of maintaining those who claimed no other right for the maintenance than their Preaching and Publishing such that Religion And therefore when upon with-holding of Tithes or the Churches Revenue we proceed farther than Excommunication to Personal Confinement or whatever outward restraint we have no Warrant or Power for this but from the Prince and the Laws of the Land alone enable us to do it 'T is true to have a Body or Government in it self distinct and apart from that which is Secular and with its own obligations for maintenance which way soever it arises but more especially when from so prevailing a motive and engagement as that which makes men Christians and entitles them to Eternity to have their own bank or stock to what ends or on what Persons soever erogated and expended it matters not whether on their Poor or on their Clergy to which add the Power to assemble for religious Worship upon the same Considerations is what may carry some appearance for Suspitions and Jealousies from the State and advantages are possible to be taken for undermining and overthrowing of it upon each occasion a Government indeed ought to be watchful and jealous in such Cases Premunires Eschetes and Confiscations are but due and equitable Provisions as by Law assigned that surely is a very unsafe Rule I find among other as bad laid down by Mr. Dean in his Sermon in a case not very unlike to this in hand He that acknowledges himself to derive all his Autority from God can pretend to none against him Unless wee 'l suppose there can be no Cheats nor Hypocrites double dealings in the World or that a power or trust duely received cannot be abused and estranged such as designedly Act against God pretend mostly to his Autority and often have it really in them And the truth is nothing but the peculiar constitution of this Christian Body or Incorporation could have then by any one been permitted as it was by some before Constantine or now be pleaded for whose humble innocent peaceable temper and complexion as above described was so undoubted and notorious in every instance experienced whose very essence was obedience whose design of making good Christians was to make them good Subjects the very Plot of the Gospel was in part this that Government be every ways preserved and entire administring new Motives and Arguments for it and that Princes if possible be more Sovereign and Glorious thereby whatever the Gospel Preaches and Commands is all along with a just regard and even subordination to it But then again since thus it is by the Blessings and Providence of God that Kings and Queens themselves are become Nursing Fathers and Mothers of the Church since our Church Doors are set wide open by their command our Revenues in our hands at the publick disposal of our Bishops to which is superadded their own Royal Bounty and Endowments together with more from the Piety of others their Subjects and eminent Christians among us and all by Law Established and Confirmed unto us as the rest of our Tenures still to plead the example of the Primitive Christians who were under no one of these Advantages to keep a part in distinct Assemblies to make Privy Purses and Fonds brings such as practise it under as great a suspicion of Hypocrisie and private ill-laid designs as those first Christians were notorious for their integrity when so doing and unsuspected not only that Government under which they live but all good Christians have ground enough for jealousie of their underhand indirect purposes to implead and seize on the one hand and to admonish and censure on the other as Delinquents no one consideration of State can countervail the Damage a toleration or connivance of such may bring unto it nothing can justifie the Practice it self but that alone which was pleaded by the Primitive Christians and was their real case that the Association and Assemblies of Christians for the Profession and Service of the Gospel must cease and fall without so doing that Christianity it self cannot otherwise stand and which our supposal overthrows as to any such Pleas now adays nor indeed dare any of our Dissenters openly say it § XLIII THAT the Clergy alone preside in their several Districts is no more prejudicial to Government in State than any of the other and which will appear from their Offices there performed as to be the Mouth in Prayer and thanksgiving and which is already consider'd to Catechize Teach and Instruct the People and admonish them in the ways to Heaven by Virtue and the instances of all sorts of Obedience as indispensably required and nothing but a thorow after-repentance and amendment upon failure will regain the Inheritance forfeited and I●le take it to be only an ill Phrasing or inconsideration in the Expression when Preaching the Gospel in the due sense

rather to be hazarded then to comply with and imbody into us any thing that is sinful even to gain a Protection for other instances of Virtue and Duty yet nothing but that which strikes at Religion it self will ingage or be a Warrant to proceed in this extreme utmost way upon him whose alone is the outward Coercive Power and who can weild his Sword at pleasure deny the Church that support countenance and assistance which our Saviour designed Religion should outwardly flourish under be in some respects propagated and preserved by become more notoriously visib●e and conspicuous to all Nations And what is said of Excommunication and other Church censures is to be said of Absolution which though a Power enstated alone in the Priesthood by Christ yet is not to be executed in an Arbitrary way and that not only as to the Laws of Christ but the Laws of Kingdoms also in many cases especially where Christian I 'le end this Section and Head of Discourse in the words of our Learned Dr. Hammond in his Book of the Power of the Keys Cap. 1. Sect. 1. The Power of binding and loosing is only an Engine of Christ's invention to make a Battery or impression upon the obdurate Sinner to win him to himself to bless not triumph over him it invades no part of the Civil Judicature nor looses the bonds thereof by these Spiritual Pretences but leaves the Government of the World just in the posture it was before Christ's coming or as it would be supposed to be if he had never left any Keys in his Church § XLV THAT the Church as a Body and Corporation of it self judiciarily determines in Council and lays obligations to Obedience infringes and inrodes no more than her other acts now mentioned if it be declarative of matter of Faith or Duty indispensably as received originally from Christ by Church conveyance the Determination is no more than the first Teaching and Promulgation of it was if it be constitutive of Laws and Canons for setling and enjoyning of Discipline the matter in it self indifferent but limited for present use and service and of which and to which purpose all Humane Laws Ecclesiastical or Civil are made and tend these Church Canons are as in the make and obligation so in the Practice and execution to retain that just regard to known Duties especially those of Allegiance that such the other Church acts and censures do and as already shewed 'T is true the great transcendent regard and reverence the Empire when Christian has had for the institution as from our Saviour for Religion it self in whose defence the Canons were made and for the high Dignity and Office of the Bishops his Commissioners that it still has made antecedent Canons the Rule of all Laws enacted if relating to or but bordering upon affairs Ecclesiastical as instances are already produced quas leges nostrae sequi non dedignantur Novel 83. and to command contra venerabilem Ecclesiam against the venerable Church Nullius est nisi Tyrannidis cujus actus omnes rescinduntur is reputed as the Act of a Tyrant and such Acts are null'd Cod. Justin l. 1. Tit. 2.16 nay farther Canones ubi agitur de re Ecclesiastica jure civili sunt preferendi and if the Canon and Civil Laws those of the Church and the State have happened to be different and in competition in any Ecclesiastical case the Canons have took place and obliged as in that Code and Title Sect. 6. and their general care and industry was mostly for these as the Determinations more immediately for the good of their Souls Novel 137. but this was from the greater Indulgence and Grace of the Christian Emperors and in particular cases and it cannot be supposed that the Church should designedly set up her Bishops and Laws above or in opposition to that Government which the frame of their Religion includes in Subordination to and by Protection of which it was to be propagated and preserv'd but of this we shall have occasion anon to consider farther And if it be reply'd that a Council cannot be convened or meet at all without the Prince's Grant at least his Letters of leave and how then can they have any Autority independent or should they otherwise assemble they are reputed Seditious Disturbers of the Peace and of Majesty and punishable as is the Law imperial 16. Cod. Theodos Tit. 1. l. 3. To this I answer neither can they nor ought they nor did ever any Christian Council otherwise unite in their Persons then by the Grant and Letters Imperial and that censure was just if any did otherwise attempt it But then it is farther to be consider'd that the form essence and force of a Council that which gives a right for Sanctions and invests with Autority Ecclesiastical is not their local personal meeting as in one place there convocated and sitting but a joynt-enquiry and resolution as to the Truth 's debated and concurrency as one man in the Laws enacted upon the true Motives and Reasons of Faith and the Gospel as by Tradition transmitted or in Discipline for Government and Peace useful and which may be done by the Bishops and Clergy dissite and in diverse Countries by their Letters Missive and Communicatory those Literae signatae or systaticae or circular Epistles to one another and which has been done under diverse Circumstances and when the state of the Church was so low and its Capacities not enabling her to do it otherwise as is plain from Church Story and Practice and that this was the course of the Church's 't is more than probable when that debate arose about the keeping of Easter an account of whose Epistles we have appearing to this purpose given us by Eusebius Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 23. AND lastly that this Church Power is derived § XLVI only from the Church and her Bishops to others in the Succession exclusive to Kings and the Clergy are not in this sense his Ministers he ordains and substitutes them not carries nothing of opposition in the action it self nor any thing in the design than what the Incorporation and Offices themselves imply and which has been hitherto rendred altogether innocent The Leviathan scruples not to say That they all derive their Offices and Power only from the Prince and are but his Ministers in the same manner as Magistrates in Towns Judges in Courts of Justice and Commanders in Armies are and his account why they must be so is because the Government could not be secure upon other terms If the Soveraignity in the Pastor over himself and his People be allow'd of it deprives the Magistrate of the Civil Power and his Peoples dependency would be on such their Doctors both in respect of the opinion they have of their Duty to them and the fear they have of Punishment in another World Part 3. Cap. 42. but this mistake of his has been enough discovered all along in this Treatise and will be more

were made Law and establish'd by the Civil ●…veraign and they were to thank God it was no worse and did the King command to adore the Linnen or Font or Tables themselves they are not to gain-say and affront because affronting Laws and Magistracy to pretend to a farther obligation from Conscience and to oppose even a false Religion or to make Proselytes to their own though they be never so sure they are in the right is to be guilty of gross hypocrisie without an extraordinary Commission from God to that purpose they are no more obliged to do it here at home than to go into Spain or Italy or Turkey and there make Converts and which no Protestant holds himself obliged to do Sure I am the Bishops had had more Justice done them than they found in the Sermon and it seems very unequal that they should be supposed to redress and be left wide open to a popular Odium because not doing what never was in their Commission what would have been their gross hypocrisie in attempting because having neither an extraordinary Commission for it nor hath the Providence of God made way by the Permission of the Magistrate and all that can be reply'd is this that Mr. Dean chang'd his Judgment upon the writing his next Sermon which he hath declared to be by Nature mutable and thereby has this advantage is always ready for better information or rather to act the Aecebolius as occasion and to do him all the right I can this is to be said for him that he dissents from Mr. Hobbs something in this very passage of his Sermon for the inference on his side is strong that where extraordinary Commission by Miracles is evidenced a false Religion is to be opposed and the true one to be Preach'd though the Magistracy and Law be otherwise which Mr. Hobs will by no means allow he will not permit it to the Apostles Leviathan Part 3. Cap. 42. but then how Mr. Dean will avoid this Consequence that there is no Church Power on Earth nor is it lawful for any one to Preach the Gospel when it is not Law by the Civil Soveraign since those Miracles which alone were in the Apostles time and which is though less of it every whit as rank Hobbism I have not sagacity enough to see that he desires to do it is not very certain all that can be said for him is that he seems to have been but raw in the Controversie and is ready as all such ought to be to submit upon better Information and to which if these Papers contribute they so far answer the design of the Author BUT whatever either Mr. Hobs or his Adherents § VII have wrote or preached sure we are our Saviour calls for Confession before Men for the owning asserting and publishing his Truths and most of all then and most publickly when mostly opposed with the greatest hazard and jeopardy even before Kings and not to be ashamed when the Kings of the Earth stand up and the Rulers take Council together against us and Christ risen from the Dead is not only to be believed in the Brain and Heart but to be confessed too with the Mouth if Salvation the effect of it as St. Paul tells us 1 Cor. 10. whatever anteceding Law against us or what Power soever enacting 't is our very case now as was St. Peter's in the Acts and we are to obey God and not Man And as sure I am also that this was the Practice of the succeeding Holy Fathers and Professors of the Church in the best Ages of it who still opposed whatever Religion was false by what Law soever established and abetted and still possessed and preached the true in opposition to it with the hazard of whatsoever was merciless from this World could attend them for it Nor was it then thought a Contempt or Affront to the Persons or Laws or Offices of the Civil Magistrate nor was it believed so to be by the Empire it self where satisfaction desired or enquiry made as appears particularly in the days of Trajan who ceased his Persecutions and Jealousies too being well assured that they met before day to Pray and give Thanks to and Praise God and Christ covenanting against Adultery Murder and such like Iniquities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that they acted nothing at all against the Laws and the Government was not affronted nor endanger'd by it an account of which is to be seen Tertul. Apol. c. 1. and in Eusebius his Church History Lib. 3. c. 33. and not to Profess Christianity was to deny it and nothing but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that second Baptism as 't is call'd in Sozomen's Church History that initiation or entrance by a new Engagement a thorow Change and severe Repentance could give again a Name or Interest in Christ replace such among the Candidates for Heaven And those that offered at the Heathen shrines at the Command of the Emperor that fell away and disown'd the Faith in the time of Persecution were not received nor had their Libellum Pacis admitted to a Reconciliation and Unity with the Church but upon severest Penance and a larger trial of after-adherency and such were never admitted into Holy Orders to any Charge or Publick Power in the Church or if in Holy Orders before he was deposed for ever of so much blacker a guilt was it not to Preach Christ than not barely only to confess him however Mr. Dean places no Duty at all in it but the quite contrary as appears all along in the Story of those times and the Rules and Canons of the Church made occasionally on such accounts And we have instances in some that when dragg'd to the Idol with Cenfers in their Hands and there forced to offer as it was one of the Devices of the Devil thus outwardly to gain Countenance to his Worship Men of greater Eminency in Christianity being reserv'd for this purpose and whose Examples were more prevailing and apter to perswade being represented as such that had freely offer'd these Christians did not satisfie themselves in their own innocency and that the Church did so repute and receive them but when released openly declared the force in the face of the Magistracy and their greatest Conventions and were again laid hold of for it went immediately to the stake or the Beasts suffer'd Martyrdom for it though the Laws of the Land Prohibited it and the doing of it was Death though indulged by the Church and the present Circumstances indemnified if not done yet all did not perswade when but in shew to the World their Christianity was not own'd and to the appearance of many denied by them they could on no other terms believe themselves Christians nor consequently design to live upon Earth than as on Earth they confessed their Saviour before Men on this account only did they expect that Christ should own them before his Father which is in Heaven And they were only the worst of

Acts of Charity we know are to cease in respect of Acts of Justice nor does the Practice of Charity oblige at all but as qualified and in set Capacities every one is to give as he is able and yet both oblige in their kind and order and the engagement is always the same and perpetual the former is not null'd by reason of the present incapacity or doth it end with the Cessation as to Practice or hath the veriest Lazar a Charter thereby for inhumanity And upon the same account it is and the Parity of Reason that even particular Acts of the Positive Institutions and Worship of God give way to Obedience to Governors and when the common Political good of Mankind is engaged as I shall have occasion to instance farther hereafter Upon these accounts it is that the Laws and Magistracy are not to be affronted or contemned nor can the Magistracy it self subsist with the Church upon other terms Obedience is to be preferr'd before Sacrifice the positive Appointments even of God himself and much more may the Obligation cease and which created in us a Duty in Laws purely Humane and Ecclesiastical 'T is true these Powers did never yet clash or break out into publick Oppositions from the time that the Empire became Christian and so along in the best and flourishing Ages as is above observed the Empire still consulting the Church and her Canons were made Law or if otherwise and some particular Indulgences and Abatements there was as to Church Duties by good Emperors upon the score of their alone Imperial Power granted as some there was upon what rules of Policy and Necessity is not now needful to enquire and which we have reason to believe the Church never consented to and to be sure there was no antecedent Canon to go by yet we know this that the Church submitted and her Discipline was so far relaxed and abated thereby Constantine the Great was always a favourer of the true Catholicks and upheld and maintain'd them in each their Privileges and Immunities suffering no one Sect to advance above to oppress and invade them and yet he sometimes gave Indulgencies to all Sects whatever the Heathens not excepted and laid Penalties upon none because of their Religion and the Novatians in particular had again special favour when all other Conventicles were put down Euseb Hist l. 10. c. 5. De Vit. Constant l. 2. c. 59. Socrat. Hist l. 5. c. 10. and that they had their Churches in Rome it self and flourish'd there in many Congregations and with great Auditories Socrates also tells us till removed by Pope Celestinus l. 7. c. 11. and that most Pestilent Sect of the Donatists all along condemn'd by the Catholick Church was so long indulg'd by Constantine till incourag'd by his Mercy they brake out into Tumults and Seditions and the Empire was unsafe even shaken by them the Natural effect of all Schisms and there was a Necessity for recalling their Grants of Liberty as aso by their other continued outrages upon all that was Sacred and Separate whether Persons or Objects all which is to be seen at large in Optatus and Saint Austin especially Lib. 3. Cont. Cres con Donatist or he that desires an account of them more briefly let him read it given by Vallesius in his Treatise entitled De Scismate Donatist bound up at the end of his Eusebius Church History Now in these Cases the Church Power and Laws are to cease in part in the Execution though the right remains nor were they so exercised against these Schismaticks as otherwise they ought and would have been If God's Name cannot be glorified on Earth in that decent befitting reverend useful way agreeing with his Nature and Worship and our relations to him and the whole Earth be filled with his due Praise at once the Church Power and Laws which provide that it may are not to be stretched beyond those Designs for which she is endowed with a Power for Sanction nor can any Society suppose themselves obliged to promote by such means as God never put into their hands the holy Bishops therefore and good Christians of old praised God for the Liberties and Advantages they had in their own Persons and Congregations adorning their Professions by Zeal and good Works they could not remedy in others what Power and Laws which they had not did indulge and indemnifie them in Or if this by a Law he denied to themselves the Laws purely Ecclesiastical were never design'd nor urg'd so to oblige against the state as that the particular Practice is in the immutable indispensable Duties for Heaven and in such cases 't is only their equity reasonableness higher use and advantage in the Christian Worship is to be insinuated pleaded and perswaded unto Autority over mens Persons or Actions was never placed in Church-men nor has it any other influence or effect upon either than to exclude them the Kingdom of Heaven nor will omissions of this Nature and under the same Circumstances amount unto that nor can any man lose his Heaven for it it may be a Sin in such as with too much liberty or too little regard indulge or restrain or in such as too gladly accept of it to the neglect or abuse or contempt of the Service of God but there can be none in those where Necessity lays the force and the harder terms and obligations from the Powers of the World makes the intermission and Vacancies in the Performances § X TO say the whole and alone Power to make Church Laws and six Rules in God's Worship is in the Prince is against the supposal that the Church is an Incorporation by Divine Appointment with its own Laws and Officers a City within it self with its own Rules for Unity within its self and those that place all here and such there be and urge the unreasonableness of Separation upon the account of things indifferent because against the civilly established Polity of a Nation which has appointed their present use and observancy seem to make the terms for Unity and Compliance too wide as others do too narrow and the accidents of the World may occasion inconveniencies insupportable the very naming it is Scandalous that a Christian is originally engaged by his Profession to receive Rules in Holy Worship from an Atheist or a Mahumetan for such Persons may be and so then it must be upon these Principles 't is one thing to want what ought to be or what is most useful through an undue Administration of Justice and which my Religion may engage me to undergo and quite another thing to be antecedently engag'd in their Determinations Nor again on the other hand can the Church be supposed to ingage immutably and peremptorily by those Laws of her own though never so apt and useful to the Practice of which the Persons and other Advantages from the World are necessary and which she hath not in her Power as she is a Society of our Saviour's Institution

witted against the rules of all Policy that was ever heard of till now that the womanish part and such as are less able direct nay over-rule the more able and knowing and to pay our Obedience and Obligations hither to set up this sort of weakness as the rule their suggestions and demands for the Voice from Heaven is not with more seeming semblance to be compared to any thing in the World than to those most absurd Homages and Acknowledgments of the Heathens of old so ridicul'd and laugh'd at by the Primitive Apologists and first most holy Christian Writers which were made to Fevers and Agues to their slavish Fears and weaker Passions paying Sacrifices and Devotions to them who made Gods of Calamities and worshipped the vicissitudes and courses of evil Accidents adored the bad Genius Eumenides and the Furies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. the very Entrails and Ordure of the Beasts over-ruled in their Councils over-aw'd and over-bore them if defects be the rule then let the Monsters and Exorbitancies of Nature which have present Necessity enough to plead be the Patterns of the whole Creation let us take our Ideal knowledge of the Universe from its Wens and Excrescencies the contingencies and accidents of it and by the same rule we shall exclude God from its Government supersede his Providence as we do the Laws of the Church we may as well every one of us cut off our Legs and become Cripples in the Streets lay our selves in the High-ways and become Beggars as if the Sun in the Firmament was only then to be Copied as most beauteous and obliging when labouring and in an eclipse or the whole Earth in its due Posture when in a Paroxysm a Rupture and Consternation Surely these were not the infirmities St. Paul glorified in nor this that depressed dethroned condition of the Church of which the Ancient Fathers make so large Eulogies reckon up unto us so many advantages and though something has always been allow'd and abated upon such the like Exigent and unavoidable Necessity yet it was never on this manner carried on and improved to appear against and affront fixed and established Rules and Laws the particular Connivance or Exception did never cancel the rule but rather confirm and give new Obligations as the exception is said to strengthen in all cases and instances besides 't is the great end and design of Government to observe and animadvert where deficient to make stronger assist and enable where declining So was Job in the Land of Huz Eyes to the Blind Feet to the Lame enabling the Faculty and helping on in Duty and Obedience and this though to be the work of Prudence and Deliberation in applying the general Rule yet 't is the most deplorable condition when the rule comes quite over to the obliquity gives it self up to the defect its Guidance and Directions its Tyranny indeed and Depredations and which to prevent or redress to relieve and rescue from is its office On these terms no means are left for recovery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Disorder goes on to infinite all bounds and limits taken away 't is a running always down hill and the bottomless Pit is to be its last Post or Period perpetual horror desolation and confusion for ever more § XVII 2. THE Laws of Religion are those Laws of Christ and his Apostles instituted and ordained by them such are the two Sacraments generally necessary to Salvation Baptism and the Supper of the Lord such are the other Ordinances of the Gospel and the means of Grace as the Ministry in general with its appropriate distinct Powers and Offices all like those of the two Sacraments the general common ways and means to Salvation but all as Arbitrary in their Sanction and no ways reaching to an antecedent Right or Obligation and our Saviour might have appointed others or none had he so pleased He once made Eye-salve of his spittle and the clay in the Streets and other times cured with a word from his mouth so are they not absolutely and immutably necessary in the practice nor are the Rules and Laws of their positive after Institution such as indispensably to be practised under all Circumstances and Accidents and no other acceptance with God and access to Heaven the Christians of old banished to the Islands and the Mines as under the heathen Persecutions cannot be supposed always perhaps at any time in such their durance and slavery capable of it in any one instance much less in all and yet Afflictions are so far from being an hindrance in Religion that they are its greatest advantage or if these be not 't is because they are not duly made use of and improved And the Fathers of the Church still made use of this as their chief Topick or Common-place for Patience and Consolation to those poor Souls from the good and benefit came thereby unto them the greater devolution of help and assistance from the Heavens the greater reward and glory annexed Ambulatis in metallo captivo quidem corpore sed corde regnante praecessit disciplina sequetur venia Cyphr Ep. 8.77 haec pala illa quae nunc dominicam aream purgat à quo certamen edicitur nisi à quo corona et praemia proponuntur Ecclesia in attonito est tunc fides expeditior Tertul. lib. de fuga in persecut cap. 1. tota paradisi clavis tuus sanguis est speaking of the Martyrs lib. de anima cap. 55. and whom he places immediately in Heaven nearer to God himself excelsoque throno coruscans martyribus septus poem de ult judicio cap. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 1. c. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Ep. ad Smyrn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Rom. per dentes bestiarum molor ut mundus panis Dei inveniar as in that Epistle ad Rom. and which is cited by Ireneus lib. 5. c. 28. nor is the Church always secured against the like Obstructions in the best of her conditions and under the protection of those Governors that are Christian the usual contingencies of the World and which in course succeed so long as day and night succeed one another must make the intermission nor is the casualty to be avoided But then these do not intercept betwixt the Christian and his God no more than did the Mettals and the Thunder-claps the stake and the wild Beasts to those first Christians just now mentioned or should the case really be and which is so often feigned and not always to due purposes that Christians are alone in a Ship or cast on a desert Shoar where neither Bishop nor under Church-man and the Ordinances cannot as in the design of their institution be celebrated among them And surely then the commands of a Soveraign are to have some room in the like cases when in the due execution of that Power intrusted with him by God and a

good Christian who is also a good Subject is to abate of what Duties and Performances he in some instances immediately owes to Religion and his Saviour in obedience to those Secular injunctions to which if not engaged to submit the Government cannot subsist and be managed as in these particular instances did a pretence to or the actual present exercise in religious Worship exempt and disingage Every one is born a Subject owes a duty to his Prince and the Government as soon as he is indebted for his Being to his Maker and an after-dedication of my Person by holy Orders does not cancel that first dependency my Saviour himself hither all along had his regard and he laid his Religion in relation to it and when in the Pulpit or which is more at the Altar in the midst of my Office am I to give up my Person to that Civil Power by my Christianity supposed and by the same God placed over me The severer Rules and Laws of the Sabbath were to give place to the saving the life of a Man in the design of Moses as our Saviour expounds him to the Pharisees and much more for the support of Kingdoms and Communities and so in all other Instances of this sort of Holiness called Relative and which is good only from the institution and positive appointment and no greater more notorious Cheats than those in Ordine ad Deum that manage and abet Disobedience by a Charter from Religion 't is that very Corban in the Gospel so severely chastised by Christ the saying it is a gift and robbing my Father and Mother That absence from Divine Service or religious Worship which is in it self a sin upon a single instance of Charity for the advantage and relief of the neighbour-hood and then surely of a whole Community is a duty on this score Christians fight their Battels on the Lord's-day the very Ass is to be pulled out of the Pit and how the reasons and ends of Government for its better manag●ry and conservation did stiil over-rule in the Christian Church in each of these like religious Performances in the best and most flourishing Times of it and the Empire when Christian gave Laws Directions and Limitations as to the Collectae and Publick Assemblies in Ordinations Excommunications Absolutions c. for the more orderly administration of the Civil Affairs is already shew'd in this discourse and yet the things themselves are immediately from Christ that power is not from the Prince which warrants and makes effectual the Institutions and Offices of each of them AND if it be replied that this seems § XV to come too near to what the design of this discourse is laid against or to be sure was the occasion of it If the Magistrate and the Law are to silence and limit in the exercise and profession of these higher Instances of Christianity what is this less than to submit my Religion to their pleasure To which I answer the case is not at all the same this is only adjusting of Duties in order to a due performance a suspension upon a higher reason and duty intervening and both which are equally Christian or at the most a but concealing some truths upon present reasons and motives and which every one allows may be done Should the Prince command me not to say my Prayers at all as he did Daniel to preach or speak no more in Christ's Name as the Sanedrim did the Apostles that Ordinations and Censures be no more Church both Officers and Offices cease for ever or which is the case in Mr. Dean's Sermon should a false Religion be commanded in their rooms and be made the Religion of the Nation this is the case in which I am to speak before Kings and not be ashamed when my life is in my hand as 't is the expression of holy David with a great many more to that purpose in the hundred and nineteenth Psalm then I am not only to exercise what is my duty as a private Christian but to make what open Proselytes I can to that Religion which I am sure is in the right to draw off all I can from that which is false and imposed by the Magistrate and Law This is that confession with the Mouth call'd for all along in the sacred Epistles Confession at Matyrdome that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in St. Clemens Strom. l. 4. p. 503. an eminent way to gain Mercy for our sins and 't is call'd by the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § XI perfection as he there tells us pag. 480. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the highest act of Charity the greatest demonstration of love when expressed to Souls in the profession of a right and rescuing from a false Religion at so great a distance was it set from gross hypocrisie and which Mr. Dean demonstrates to be such in the next Paragraph of the Sermon I 'le go on so far with his Worship and Consent that where neither Miracles to justifie the extraordinary Commission as had the Apostles nor the providence of God makes way by the permission of the Magistrate the Proselytes are very like to be few and since the former is ceased altogether and never to be more expected the countenance and protection of the latter is what usual course and common Prudence directs to wait for upon any attempt for converting and reducing of Nations from a false Worship I find the Proposal and the Complaint recited and made both at once by our learned Doctor Hammond Serm. 10. in Joh. 7.48 Vol. 2. I 'le here use his own Words If we should plant Christianity in Turkey we must first invade and conquer them and then convince them of their Follies which about an hundred years ago Cleonard proposed to most Courts in Christendom and to that end himself studied Arabick that Princes would join their strength and Scholars their brains and all surprize them in their own Land and Language at once besiege the Turk and his Alcoran put him to the Sword and his Religion to the touch-stone first command him to Christianity with an high hand and then to shew him the reasonableness of the Command Thus also we may complain but not wonder that the reformation gets ground so slow in Christendom because the Forces and potent Abetters of Papacy secure them from being led captive to Christ as long as the Pope is invested so fast in his Chair and as long as the Rulers take part with him there shall be no doubt of the truth of their Religion unless it please God to back Arguments with steel and to raise up Kings and Emperors to be our Champions we may question but never confute his Supremacy Let us come with all the power and rhetorick of Paul and Barnabas all the demonstrations and reasons of the Spirit and yet as long as they have such Topicks against us as the autority of the Rulers and Pharisees we may dispute out our hearts and preach out our Lungs

more private her Majesty declares in Parliament this very same thing in her first year Cap. 1. Sect. 14. Provided also that the Oath expressed in the said Act made in the first year shall be taken and expounded in such Form as is set forth in an Admonition annexed to the Queens Majesties Injunctions Published in the first year of her Majesties Reign that is to say To confess and acknowledge in her Majesty her Heirs and Successors none other Autority than that was challenged and lately used by the noble King Henry VIII and King Edward the VI. as in the said Admonition more plainly may appear § XI KING James who is next comes up to the same Point and in his Proclamation before the Articles of Religion thus declares That We are the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and if any difference arise about the external Polity concerning Injunctions Canons or other Constitutions whatsoever thereunto belonging the Clergy in their Convocation is to order and settle them having first obtained leave under Our Broad Seal so to do We approving their said Ordinances and Constitutions provided that none be made contrary to the Laws and Customs of this Land That out of Our Princely Duty and Care the Churchmen may do the Work that is proper for them the Bishops and Clergy from time to time in Convocation have leave to do what is necessary to the settling the Doctrine and Discipline of this Church SO that I think no more need be said to § XII satisfie any reasonable Person that the King and the Church are two distinct Powers in the sense of the Statute Book or in Parliament Language nor do our Kings interpose in Religious Matters any otherways than to make Religion Law what the Church in Convocation determines and recommends as the Tradition of Faith as agreeing to the Holy Scriptures and the Collections of the Ancient Fathers and Holy Bishops therefrom and to the guarding it with Penalties to be inflicted on such as oppose and violate it just as the first Christian Emperors did Nor can our Religion since the Reformation be any otherwaies called a Parliament Religion then it might have been called so before where the same Secular Power is equally extended and executed as in case of the Lollards certain supposed Hereticks Subverting the Christian Faith the Law of God and the Church and Realm to the extirpating of them and taking care that they be punished by the Ordinaries II. Henry V. Cap. VIII and so before IV. Henry IV. Cap. XV. where the Laws are these None shall Preach without the License of the Diocesane of the same place None shall Preach or Write any Book contrary to the Catholick Faith or the Determination of the Holy Church None shall make any Conventicles of such Sects and wicked Doctrines nor shall favour such Preachers Every Ordinary may Convent before him and Imprison any Person suspected of Heresie An obstinate Heretick shall be burnt before the People And VI. Richard II. Cap. V. Commissions are directed to Sheriffs and others to apprehend such as be certified by the Prelates to be Preachers of Heresies their Fautors Maintainers and Abettors and to hold them in strong Prison until they justifie themselves according to the Laws of Holy Church And which is more remarkable in the II. and III. of this King Cap. VI. the choice or Pope Vrban is made Law and confirmed in Parliament and 't is by them Commanded that he be accepted and obey'd But does the Pope of Rome therefore return and owe his Autority to the Parliament of England how would they of Rome scorn such a thing if but insinuated and yet the Act of Parliament was in its design acceptable and advantageous to them they had the Civil Autority thereby to back and assist them as occasion and which might work that Submission to the present Election his Holinesse's Bulls could not do at least so readily and effectually That this Nation did always understand the outward Policy of the Church or Government of it in foro exteriori to depend upon the Prince a learned Gentleman late of the County of Kent Sir Roger Twisden Knight and Baronet has given a very satisfactory account to them that will receive any in his Historical Vindication of the Church of England in Point of Schism c. Cap. 5. practised by the best of Kings before the Conquest Ina Canutus Edward the Confessor whose Praises are upon Record in the Romanists account of them and the last a Canonized Saint and to which they were often supplicated by the most Holy Bishops Upon the same Grounds are we to laugh at their Folly or Madness or rather Malice when they taunt us with a Parliament-Religion which has only the benefit of the Government for its Protection and our Kings do but that Duty is laid upon them by St. Paul take care that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty Christianity it self ever since Constantine's time may be as well reproach'd that it was Imperial or which is in effect the same Parliamental Since the Empire was Christian and defended it nay while it was Heathen for some particular Emperors upon some occasions have adhered to and protected it and that it had no other bottom than Reasons of State and a worldly Complyance and the lewd Pen of Baxter in his Prophaner History of Bishops c. Cap. 1. Sect. 37. gives the same account of the Church's increase under Constantine on the score of Temporal Immunities That a Murderer that was to be hang'd if a Christian was but to be kept from the Sacrament and do some confessing Penance c. for those Governors then assum'd the same Power in Religious Matters as have done our Kings since the Reformation as must appear to him that compares the two Codes Novels and Constitutions at large or if hee 'l not take that pains the Abridgment is made above with our Statute Book both which only take care that the Religion receiv'd and own'd in the Church and by Churchmen be protected and every Man in his station do his Duty in order to it if the common words in the Statutes carry the usual common sense and are to be apprehended by him that is not a common Lawyer and which the Author of these Papers does not pretend to be § XIII ONLY Mr. Selden inrodes us here again and comes quite cross too against us he tells the World other things That Excommunication in particular and then they may as well do all the rest is what belongs to the Parliament and which has actually Excommunicated and the Bishops are impower'd only by Parliament to proceed in the like censures and but by a Derivation from both Houses he says in plain terms that all Power and Jurisdiction usually call'd Church Power and Jurisdiction is originally and immediately from the Secular and this he thinks he has demonstrated from several Acts of Parliament to this purpose

all to his purpose but on the contrary are all against him himself has given so good an account of it that nothing needs here to be added but the recital of his own words whatever Power there is executed in the Church Semper à jure Anglicano civili temperatum est restrictum ut inde planè modos suos limites perpetuò receperit pag. 387. receiv'd modes and rules and limits by the Laws of the Land Prohibitions and Injunctions in order to a search and enquiry whether not destructive to the Prince to the Justice of the Subject and into the merit and demerit of the Cause or Person all follow as naturally as any thing in the World that in a Christian Kingdom where the Church is protected the Power of her Officers asserted and maintained its Acts and Executions assisted and abetted licensed and indulg'd in every thing that may be advantageous to the promoting this Power rendring it considerable and effectual as in the first design institution and purpose of it that the Prince do not wholly denudate and divest himself by his Grants and Concessions that the Church receive Rules back again and not act independently but with a regard to that arm which thus upholds her and 't is to be the care of a Prince that as not himself so nor his Subjects be burdned and oppressed with the vexatious proceedings of the Courts Ecclesiastical by Excommunications or otherways But then as to the force of Mr. Selden's Argument on this Concession I 'le only here use the words of Mr. Thorndike in his Treatise of the Laws of the Church Cap. ult pag. 394. But will all this serve for an Argument that there is no such thing as a Church in the Opinion of Christendom but that which stands by the acts of Christian Powers because they pretend to limit the abuse of it when as the very name of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in the Title of those Books and those Actions is sufficient Demonstration that they acknowledge and suppose a right to Jurisdiction in the Church which they pretend to limit as the neither Church nor the rest of their Subjects to have cause to complain of wrong by the abuse of it And since Mr. Selden has here Pag. 387. instanced in the first Christian Emperors wee 'l accept of their both rules and limits Laxations and Temperatures as he calls it and who as they never attempted to Excommunicate in their own Power and Persons so neither did they obstruct or declare against in their Laws the Divine immutable Right and Precept of its Institution as is plainly made appear in my Treatise above about it and all that which Mr. Selden has brought to the contrary is only some shew of words and expressions which he has wrested to his purposes as he does here in our Statute-Book and that which he brings of the Rump Parliament Pag. 387. and that Excommunicationi Presbyterali retinacula repagula quae egride ritè ea nequiret diversimodò prudenter assignabant c. they gave Laws and Rules to the Presbyterian Excommunications in their Assembly at Westminster and which though not without some Arguments to the contrary were submitted unto and also of Geneva it self whose Church-Power was thus limited in its Proceedings by State-Rules and for the better Security of the Power all this proves nothing less than what he designs and produces them for for these are the very Men and particular Incorporations as to Faith and Discipline he instances in Pag. 325 326. who assert and defend Excommunication as subjected in themselves and instituted by the preceptive Command and positive Appointment of either Christ and his Apostles or of both and the Inference thence can be only this That a Subordination to the Christian State and submission to the Rules of Policy in the Execution for order and conveniency and the more effectually compassing the end of the Ordinance is not inconsistent as such with the Gospel-Institution it no ways invests the thing it self or Original Power in the State and that which the Assembly-men demurr'd upon when the Parliament laid their Restrictions in all Probability was not that it enterfeired with the Divine Right or encroach'd upon it but as inconsistent with that Omnipotent Power and Self-existent their aim was to erect in their Presbytery or Consistoritorian Seigniority made up of Lay and Church Elders as accountable to none but themselves or the Classis or Synod for the Proceedings of such their Parlour whether King or Parliament demanded it all being there but Subjects that were not by Election of that precise Order and Fraternity and as unlucky an instance he has brought above Pag. 320. out of the Parliament of Scotland III Jacob. VI. Cap. XLV that the Parliament did there Excommunicate also a thing so abhorring to the Kirk and every ways disagreeing to the both humour of those People and it s then present Constitution as reformed by Buchanan and Knox in the height of Calvinism that no one that valued the Reputation of his Book among but easie considering Men would have inserted such a Quotation and yet it serves as well as five hundred more do with which his Margin is all along stuffed § XVI THE next Reason given why there is no such thing as Church-Power distinct and apart but is derived from the Crown is because that Erastus his Works were Licensed by Autority and Printed in the days of Queen Elizabeth by John Wolfe the Queens Bookseller and it stands so Entred in the Booksellers-Hall at London to this day De Syned l. 1. c. 10. Pag. 486. to which I answer that every Book Printed by Richard Royston His Majestie 's now Bookseller and Licensed by Autority is not therefore to be necessarily the sense of the Autority of the Kingdom and the same Latitude was in Licensing Books in the days of Queen Elizabeth as has been since and the same liberty taken Nor is it cleer that the Book was really Licensed by Autority from what Mr. Selden says for the Entrance into the Booksellers-Hall only is that it was reported by Mr. Fortescue to be allow'd by the Archbishop of Canterbury 't is not said that the Archbishop's hand or the hand of any other in Autority was set to the License and Books are not usually Entred for the Press upon a Report that they are Licensed but when a Licence is really not to be had and the Bookseller contrives as good a Plea as he can for his false Entry and surreptitious Impression what is added that the Archbishop had the Book in his Study fairly bound and with a Golden Motto on the outside of it will not do because Heretical it was not fit for many other Studies than his and which is the only thing else urged by Mr. Selden that he Licensed it yet admit it was Licensed duly whether by those viri summi of the Ecclesiastical Order and great Statesmen who got the Copy of Erastus his Widow or of

he proves thoughout the Church Historians Fathers and Imperial Laws thus declaring assenting to and practising pag. 146. If by the Church you mean the Precepts and Promises Gifts and Graces of God preached in the Church and poured on the Church Princes must humbly obey them and reverently receive them as well as other private Men so that Prophets Apostles Evangelists and all other builders of Christ's Church as touching their Persons be subject to the Princes power Mary the word of God in their Mouths and Seals of grace in their hands because they are of God and not of themselves they be far above the Princes Calling and Regiment and in those Cases Kings and Queens if they will be saved must submit themselves to God's everlasting truth and testament as well as the meanest of their People and yet they are for all this Supreme and subject only to God as to outward Process either from the Pope or from any other Power And so pag. 147. he brings in those Passages of Tertullian Optatus and Chrysostom à Deo secundum solo Deo minorem parem super terram non habet c. the word Supreme was added to the Oath for that the Bishop of Rome taketh upon him to command and depose Princes as their lawful supreme Judg to exclude this wicked presumption we teach that Princes be supreme Rulers we mean subject to no superior Judg to give a reason of their doings but only to God pag. 164 165 166. it must be confessed he speaks not home as might be required when explaining how Kings as well as other Christians are comprized under the duty of obeying their Rulers and to be subject unto them c. surely there is a true real obedience due even from Princes to Church-Officers and their Power devolved from Christ and this learned Man seems here and in other places not to be rescued from that common prejudice and possession seized upon too many and all along continued upon casting of the Popes Superiority here in England that there can be no Church-Power at all universally obliging and requiring obedience but what implyes and infers corporal bodily subjection a change in Seculars 't is this puts him upon that great mistake that the Pastors of the Church are not influenced by the Kingly power of Christ and what is regal in him is given to the Civil Magistrate and who only succeed him in that Office perpetual Government of the Church cap. 10. and Arch-bishop Bancroft confounding these two Powers gives Beza and Cartwright as much advantage in that Particular as their Disciples and Followers can now really wish and because they say that Christ as a King prescribed the form of Ecclesiastical Government being a King the head of the Church doth administer his Kingdom per legitime vocatos pastores by Pastors lawfully called he runs them upon this absurdity that their Autority must be without any controul The Pastors must be all of them Emperors the Doctors Kings the Elders Dukes and the Deacons Lords of the Treasury c. survey of the holy pretended discipline c. cap 24. and yet after all 't is mostly Name● and Titles that occasions this or the accidental pressing an argument as there will be occasion to consider anon and Bishop Bilson goes on and acknowledges all in effect only Bishops and Pastors are left out and tells us That the Church may be Superior and yet the Pope subject to Princes Princes be Supreme and the Church their Superior the Scriptures be superior to Princes and yet Princes supreme the Sacrament be likewise above them and yet that hindreth not their Supremacy Truth Grace Faith Prayer and other Ghostly Virtues be higher than all earthly States and all this notwithstanding Princes may be supreme Governors of their Countries and which though in over abating Terms and with too scrupulous a fear where no fear ought to be declares as fully as can be the thing it self viz. That Princes are to be subject to the Government in the Church settled by Christ in its Bishops and Pastors and which both as a Prophet a Priest and a King he derives unto them Church-Officers have a Power underived and independent to the Crown only 't is ill worded by the Warden Things Powers Gifts Virtues c. as standing and settled on Earth and not invested in Persons can really be of no force and command at all or rather and which at last will amount to the same will be what every one shall please to make them and the Prince will have as many Supremes as are pretenders to these Gifts of the Spirit and which will be enough as experience taught us this only then can be meant by these Circumlocutions and why it might not have been spoken in down-right terms I cannot imagine that the Bishops and Pastors of the Church with the Bible put into their hands as it is at their Ordination with full autority given for the Offices ministerial have a real Power and are truly Rulers in the Church have a Supremacy and Superiority peculiarly theirs and all that will come to Heaven must come under this Ministry or Government it 's jurisdiction and discipline be they Princes or Subjects on Earth or what ever worldly Government they are possessed of unless he 'l say every Man hath these Ghostly Virtues which can urge a Text of Scripture and which cannot be conceived of him and to this purpose he goes farther pag. 167 168. Though the Members of the Church be subject and obedient to Princes yet the things contained in the Church and bestowed on the Church by God himself I mean the light of his Word the working of his Sacraments the gifts of his Grace and fruits of his Spirit be far superior to all Princes The plain meaning of which can be but this Certain separate Persons invested by God beyond Christians at large with such Gifts and Graces the Bishops and Pastors of the Church and in which respect a good Emperor is within the Church and not above it as St. Ambrose is to this purpose here quoted by him pag. 171. You must distinguish the things proposed in the Church from the Persons that were Members of the Church the Persons both Lay-Men and Clerks by God's Law were the Princes Subjects the things comprized in the Church and by God himself committed to the Church because they were Gods could be subject to the Power and Will of no mortal Creature Pope nor Prince the Prince is above the Persons of the Church not above things in the Church pag. 173. 176. 178. you know we do not make the Prince Judg of Faith we confess Princes to be no Judges of Faith but we do not encourage Princes themselves to be Judges of Faith but only we wish them to discern betwixt truth and error which every private Man must do that is a Christian pag. 174 175 176. he approves of Ambrose's Answer to Valentinian that is was stout but lawful constant but

Priests to Correct and Punish them to whom the Priests are to pay Tribute and this all along from the Examples of the Kings of Israel from our Saviour from St. Peter this contrary to the practice of the Pope who claims these Powers and Advantages to himself and in his own Power Person executes them 't is the Princes Province assign'd him in the Scripture to Punish and Coerce to enforce Penance and Restitution and that evil-doers be cut off according to St. Paul to prohibit and smite such as refuse to serve God according to the Priests instruction as did Hezekiah to the Worshippers in the Groves and high places destroying them as did the King of Nineveh compelling the whole City to Repentance forbidding for the future by terrible Laws as did Nebucadnezzar thus Justinian the Emperor gave Laws in Religion concerning Faith and Hereticks Churches Bishops and Church-men Marriages c. and the same and only this Power have the Kings of England assum'd to themselves as he instances all along to the End of the Book particularly in the Church Laws made by several Kings in this Island as Canutus Etheldred Edgar Edmund Adelstan Ive Oswin Egfrid William the Conqueror in his Letters for the Endowment of Battle with its Priviledges and Immunities and which Mr. Selden makes use of to his purpose though no ways serving it for he only exempts the Church from Episcopal Visitation but neither in this or any other of their Letters Rules Laws and Injunctions given to the Church is any thing of Church-Power as such own'd claimed appropriated or but pretended to by virtue of the Crown or Regal Power given them of God but the two Powers are supposed distinct and disparates and so in particular King Edgar in that his severer correptive Monitory-Oration or Letter to the Clergy of England their faults appearing then very notorious he at length thus addresses himself unto them Ego Constantini vos Petri gladium habetis in manibus jungawus dexteras gladium gladio copulemus ut ejiciantur extra castra leprosi ut purgetur Sanctuarium Domini ministrent in Templo silii Levi. I have the Sword of Constantine you have the Sword of Peter in your hands let us joyn right hands together let us couple Sword with Sword that the Leprous may be cast out of the Tents and the Sanctuary of the Lord be Purged and the Sons of Levi minister in the Temple And a little farther applying himself to Dunstan the Archbishop he tells him Contempta sunt verba veniendum est ad verbera urguisti obsecrasti atque increpasti Admonitions will do no more good he must come to blows and thereunto directs him to joyn with himself Edwald Bishop of Winchester and Oswald Bishop of Worcester Vt Episcopali Censurâ regia Autoritate turpiter viventes de Ecclesia ejiciantur c. by the Episcopal Censure and Regal Autority the one assisting but neither usurping upon and destroying the other these evil Men be cast out of the Church and better placed in their rooms So unlucky is Mr. Selden in this first Quotation § XXII STEPHEN Bishop of Winchester in his Oration de vera Obedientiâ comes next but brings nothing more of advantage to his side and as it was Printed 1537. and but a year after the Opus eximium c. so does he as to the Substance copy after him and asserts Henry VIII Head of the Church i. e. all Christians within his Dominions as were the Kings of Israel over all the Jews i. e. to take care of their Morals and see that they do their Duty to God their Neighbour and themselves as Justinian gave Laws to the Church and the Causes of Heresies were agitated with the Caesars and Princes that were Christians and Laws made promulgated and enjoyn'd execution both by our Kings here in England and also by others elsewhere and particularly refers to that Oration of Edgar just now mentioned and adds farther out of it how Dunstan that most holy and excellent Archbishop of Canterbury submitted to this his Jurisdiction and most willingly embraced that word of the King Quâ se gladium gladio copulaturum edixit ut dissoluti Ecclesiae mores ad rectam vivendi normam aptarentur in which he engaged to joyn Sword to Sword in order to the reducing the Church to a just and due way of living meaning his Kingly Power to the Power of the Church assisting the Spiritual with the Temporal Arm for so the Bishop goes on and interprets these two Swords and instances in Excommunication as a branch of that which is in the Churches hands Altero gladio ad illud Pauli alludens quem verbi ministri docendo excommunicando exercent altero praeminentiam ostendens jure divino concessam cui omnes parere quotquot Principis ditioni subjecti Ecclesiam constituunt omnino debent By one Sword alluding to that of Paul which the Ministers of the Word exercise in Teaching and Excommunicating by the other shewing that Pre-eminence granted by God and to which all must obey that subjected to the Jurisdiction of a Prince constitute a Church within his Dominions and which two Powers though requiring different Obedience to divers Persons and Governors as to the Bishops and Ministers of the Word of God and to the King are not at all adverse to and against one another nor is any thing more detracted from or diminished thereby of the Obedience to the King than when a Wife obeys her Husband and a Servant his Master by the general Command of God and yet this is another of Mr. Selden's Autorities which with his usual forehead he brings for the sense of the Doctors of our Church in the days of Henry VIII and that the Church-Power is none at all but as derived from the Crown and the Prince can Excommunicate I wonder how he omitted the Oration of Richard Samson to this purpose and at the same time he being Dean of the Chappel to Henry VIII and which would have made a 〈◊〉 shew in his Margin which is the main thing he aims at it certainly came not to his hands and it would have serv'd his turn as well as any of the other there being in him not one word concerning the Power of the Church left by Christ and he only asserts the King Supreme Head of the Church of England the Church as made of so many Persons implying a Body politick too and they Subjects equally as Christians nor could any man think that is but ordinarily considering or designs not by Names and Attempts to deceive the unwary but credulous World and so is a Knave that the two Universities at that time or the eminenter of the Clergy at Court should assert the Supremacy upon other terms who in all Probability were a secretis of his intimate Council when designing for the Supremacy and to be sure could not be ignorant of the King 's Publick Declarations and the Statute in Parliament that

much as it is defended with his Epistles doth not seem to be any of the most probable cap. 6. Sect. 16. I have heard I confess of Doctor Owen's Preface to his Book of Perseverance and then to be sure he is with abundance of honor his second and to omit the other ill Adventures in that unlucky Book of particular Forms of Church-Government and which savour too much of Robert Parker's musty Vessel the Doctor is beyond measure unfortunate who having by a notorious Mistake urg'd the Autority of our whole Church representative in King Edward VI day 's to avouch his most false Assertion That Episcopacy is not necessary and immutable That the King's Majesty may appoint Bishops or not appoint them or appoint other Officers for the Government of the Church cap. 8. When he goes on further to prove this by the particular Autorities of our Doctors since as Whitgift Cozius Whitgift's Chancellor Lowe Hooker Bridges c. he is if possible more unlucky yet and his Mistake more shameful he not only transcribes every Quotation out of Parker's second Book De politeia Ecclesiastica cap. 39.42 and the very Book Page Chapter Section and Figures stand all in Parker's Margin as they are wrote in his Book and which is no great Matter but and which is the harder Fate he urges and appeals to them as his Autority that Episcopacy is mutable and of but humane assignation and which thing Parker all along there owns and declares was not these Doctors Opinions he upbraids and taunts them for asserting the contrary as contradicting themselves and putting Cheats upon others because they believe Bishops by divine Right and perpetually obliging 't is his Objection upon them that their own Principles will not bear them out in it This is the case these Doctors assert over and over again as they must do if agreeing with our Church and their own Subscriptions that the Scriptures are not a full and perfect Rule for Discipline and Government and there is still a Power in the Church to make Laws as occasion offers even to vary from Examples of Discipline and Government which has there been practised Parker thinks he has the advantage and concludes upon them that then the Government by Bishops is changeable also and which is sounded only on Scripture Example and who reply that though they can make Laws in some Cases and alter them as occasion yet in all they cannot though some Examples in Scripture do not yet others do necessarily oblige and the Examples they produce necessarily obliging are these Imposition of Hands in Ordinations that to impose Hands is appropriated to Bishops as the Apostles Successors The observation of the Lord's-Day The institution of Metropolitans c. and this very account Parker himself gives us as to these Instances and all which will readily appear to any one that reads over Parker l. 2. cap. 39 40 41 42. particularly cap. 42. Sect. 8. 9. and that consults farther than Titles and Margins And that this Power of making Canons and Laws for the Government and Discipline of the Church is one of the main Foundations of the Hierarchy and therefore Parker sets himself with might and main to oppose it This will be yielded to Doctor Stillingfleet 't was this alone by which the Courts Ecclesiastical kept them within some moderate Bounds nor did they break out into Rebellion and Schism till that Power was abated in the execution and which made the Bishops so odious to them but that Episcopacy it self is as Arbitrary in its original and occasionally only as are many Church Laws and in the Power of any order of Persons or any Person now upon Earth to alter or confirm it This Parker by arguing would willingly infer upon these Doctors from their own Principles but acknowledges they did not own contrary to their Principles this Dr. Stillingfleet every ways mistakes and reports out of Parker's ill gathered Conclusion and Objection as their both Principles Practice and so every ways defames them and I shall only propose it to the Doctors consideration whether some satisfaction may not ought not to be required of him for the injury he has done to so many Worthies of our Church hereby I can assure him it has been long expected and if it be not done suddenly he may believe the World ere it be much older will be particularly disinformed at present I shall return to those Doctors mentioned in the beginning of this Section and who are not yet freed from the Contumelies laid on them by Parker as these are from his though I do not question but I shall equally vindicate both § XXVI IT is an easie thing to make any Man 's Writing in a plausible shew to run thwart to and contradict themselves the occasion and Circumstances not considered and if particular Occurrencies be not abated for the worst of Heresies will thus shelter themselves under the best Autorities How largely and frequently do the Ancient Fathers of the Church speak of the Powers and excellence of Nature and Reason when disputing against the Gentiles when Apologizing for and recommending to them the Christian Religion Justin Martyr Apol. 2. goes so far as to say the wiser sort of the Greeks were Christians such as Socrates Heraclitus c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. because living up to the Rules of Reason but must not those be wide Arguings that say and some have said it the Fathers thought the use of Reason alone able to direct and assist us for Heaven when 't is the coming of Christ in the Flesh his additional super-natural Revelations of Grace and Truth those farther discoveries and assistances to Mankind is the occasion and general subject of their Writings and a belief of which is that they endeavor to bring the Greeks unto to make evident and rational to all Men when 't was only the particular application of an Argument they aim'd at and in the design is most true that every one so far as truly rational he is Christian Christianity is no new thing nor strange 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever pursues Justice and Honesty and other commendable Actions suited to the universal eternal Rules of Nature is acceptable to God by this both the Jews under the Law and the Patriarchs and holy Men from the first Creation through the knowledg of Christ were saved as Justin Martyr disputes cum Tryphone Judeo and Eusebius has a whole Chapter to this purpose Eccl. Hist l. 1. c. 4. Every one that is read in that History knows that the great cry of the Arians against the Council of Nice was they were Innovators and a licentious Pen has of late managed and pursued it afresh Sandius hist Enucleata as using Words and bringing in Doctrines which were not either in Scripture or in the Writings and Determinations of the ancient Doctors of the Church when asserting and explaining the one substance or eternal Generation of the Son of God which though it