intimations of Scripture and the discord of these reporters among themselves Only it is certain that nature it self would so restrain them that as they could be but in one place at once so they could not be in perpetual motion and prudence would keep them longest in those places where most work was to be done And therefore Pauls three years abode at Ephesus and the neighbouring parts of Asia did not make him the fixed Diocesan Bishop of Ephesus And what I say of the Apostles I say also of many such Itinerant unfixed Ministers which were their helpers as Silas Apollo Barnabas Titus Timothy c. For though Timothy be called by some Anâ—ients the first Bishop of Ephesus and Titus of Crete yet it is apparent they were no such fixed Ministers that undertook a Diocess durantâ— vita as their proper charge which were then called Bâ—shops but they were â—tinerant helpers of the Apostles in gathering planting and first ordering of Churches And therefore Titus was left in a whole Nation or large Island to place Bishops or Elders in each City and set things in order and this but till Paul come and not to be himself their fixed Bishop and Timothy is proved by Scripture to have been unsetled and itinerant as a helper of Paul after that he is by some supposed to be fixed at Ephesus I will not needlesly actum agere let any man that is unsatisfied of this read impartially Mr. Prins unbishoping of Timothy and Titus and note there the Itinerary of Timothy from Scripture Texts If therefore our Bishops would have been of the Apostles and their General helpers race they should have gone up and down to gather and plant Churches and then go up and down to visit those which they have planted or if they live where all are Enchurched already they should go up and down to preach to the rudâ—r sort of them and by the power of the word to subdue men further to Christ anâ— to see that all Ministers where they come do their duty reproving and admonishing those that neglect it but not forbidding them to do it as a thing belonging only to them And by Spiritual weapons and authority should they have driven Ministers to this duty and not by meer secular force of which more anon 2. And as for the fixed Bishops of Apostolical Institution our English Prelacy are not like them For the fixed Bishops established by the Apostles were only Overseers of one particular Church But the English Prelates were the Overseers of many particular Churches Therefore the English Prelates were not the same with the old Bishops of the Apostles institution The course that the Prelates take to elude this argument is by giving us a false definition of a particular Church That we may not therefore have any unprofitable strife about words I shall signifie my own meaning By a Particular Church I mean an Associated or combined company of Christians for Communion in Publick Worship and Furtherance of each other in the way to heaven under the Guidance of Christs Church Officers one Elder or more such as are undivided or Churches of the first order commonly called Ecclesiae Primae as to existence and which contain not divers Political Churches in them A family I mean not for that 's not a Political Church having no Pastor An accidental company of Christians I mean not For those are no Association and so no Political Church Nor do I mean a National or Diocesane or Classical Church or any the like which are composed of many particular Churches of the first order conjunct It is not of Necessity that they alway or most usually meet in one Congregation because its possible they may want a capacious convenient room and its possible they may be under persecution so that they may be forced to meet secretly in small companies or there may be some aged weak people or children that cannot travail to the chief place of Meeting and so may have some Chappels of ease or smaller meeting But still it must be a number neither so big nor so small as to be uncapable of the ends of Association which enter the definition how ever weaknâ—ss age or other accidents may hinder some members from that full usefullness as to the main end whith other members have So that they which are so many or live at such a distance as to be uncapable of the ends are not such a Church nor are capable of so being For the number will alter the species In a word it cannot I think be proved that in the Primitive times there was any one fixed Bishop that Governed and Oversaw any more then one such particular political Church as was not composed of divers lesser political Churches nor that their Churches which any fixed Bishop oversaw were more then could hold Communion in Worship in one publick place for so many of them as could ordinarily hear at once for all the families cannot usually come at once they were not greater then some of our English Parishes are nor usually the tenth part so great I have been informed by the judicious inhabitants that there are fourscore thousand in Giles Cripple-gate Parish in London and about fifty thousand in Stepney and fourty thousand in Sepulchres There cannot any Church in Scripture be found that was greater nor neer so great as one of these Parishes No not the Church at Ierusalem it self of which so much is said No not if you admit all the number of moveable Converts and Sojournours to have been of that particular Church which yet cannot be proved to have been so I know Bishop Downam doth with great indignation Dispute that Diocesses were beâ—ore Parishes and that it was more then one Congregation that was contained in those Diocesses We will not contend about the name Diocess and Parish which by the Ancients were sometime used promiscuously for the same thing But as to the thing signified by them I say that what ever you call it a Diocess or a Parish there were not near so many souls as in some English Parishes nor take one with another their Churches commonly were no more Numerous then our Parishes nor so numerous A Diocess then and a Parish were the same thing and both the same as our particular Churches now are that is the Ecclesiae primae or Soceities of Christians combined under Church-Rulers for holy Communion in Worship and Discipline And there were no otherwise many Congregations in one Church then as our Chapples of ease or a few meeting in a private house because of rainy weather are many Congregations in one Parish The foresaid Learned and Godly though angry Bishop Downame saith Def. li. 2. cap. 1. page 6. that Indeed at the very first Conversion of Cities the whole Number of the people converted being some not much greater then the Number of the Presbyters placed among them were able to make but a small Congregation Call that Church then a Diocess or a Parish I
care not so we come near an agreement about the proportion of Members that the definition be not overthrown and the ends of it made impossible by the distance number and unacquaintedness of the members that cannot have any Church communion immediately one with another If there be no communion how is it a Church Nay or if there be no such communion as consists in mutual assistance and conjunction in Worship and holding familiarity also in our conversation which the excommunicated are excluded from And if a communion there be it is either Immediate by the members themselves Assembled or else but Mediately by their Officers or Delegates If it be only by the latter Mediately then it is not the Ecclesia prima but orta It is an association of several Political Churches For that is the difference between the communion of a single particular Church and many combined Churches that as the first is a combination of persons and not of Churches so the communion is held among the Members in common whereas the other being a combination of Churches the communion is maintained orderly by Officers and Delegates joyning in Synods and sent from the Congregations If therefore it be an Immediate ordinary communion of members in Ecclesiastical affairs viz. Worship and Discipline that is the Particular Church that I intend call it what you will else and whether there may be any private meetings in it besides the main body or not as possibly through some accidents there may be and yet at Sacrament and on the most solemne occasions the same persons that were at Chappels or less meetings may be with the chief Assembly But I shall proceed in the proof of this by the next Argument which will serve for this and the main together Argum. 11. THat sort of Church Government may most safely be now practised which was used in the Scripture times and that 's less safe which was not then used But the Government of many Elders and particular Churches by one Bishop fixed and taking that as his proper Diocess such as the English Bishops were was not used in Scripture times Therefore it is not so safe to use it or restore it now The Major is proved hence 1. In that the Primitive Church which was in Scripture times was of unquestionable Divine Institution and so most pure And it is certainly lawful to practice that Church-Government which alone was practised by all the Church in the Scripture times of the New Testament 2. Because we have no certain Law or Direction but Scripture for the frame of Government as jure Divino Scripture is Gods sufficient and perfect Law If therefore there be no mention of the Practice of any such Episcopacy in Scripture no nor any precept for the practice of it afterwards then cannot we receive it as of Divine Institution The Objections shall be answered when we have proved the Minor And for the Minor I shall at this time argue from the Concessions of the most Learned and Reverend man that at this time hath deeply engaged himself in defence of Episcopacy who doth grant us all these things following 1. That in Scripture times they were the same persons and of the same office that were called Bishops and Presbyters 2. That all the Presbyters mentioned in Scripture times or then instituted as far as we can know had a Power of Ordination 3. And also a Power of Ruling the Church Excommunicating and Absolving 4. That there was not then in being any Presbyter such as the Bishops would have in these times who was under the Bishop of a particular Church or Diocess His words are these And although this title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders have been also extended to a second Order in the Church and is now only in use for them under the Name of Presbyters yet in the Scripture times it belonged principally if not alone to Bishops there being no Evidence that any of that second order were then instituted though soon after before the writing of Ignatius Epistles there were such instituted in all Churches 5. It is yielded also by him that it is the office of these Presbyters or Bishops to Teach frequently and diligently to reduce Hereticks to reprove rebuke Censure and absolve to visit all the sick and pray with them c. And therefore it must needs follow that their Diocess must be no larger then that they may faithfully perform all this to the Members of it And if there be but one Bishop to do it I am most certain then by experience that his Diocess must be no bigger then this Parish nor perhaps half so big 6. And it must needs follow that in Scripture times a Particular Church consisted not of seveâ—al Churches associated nor of several Congregations ordinarily meeting in several places for Christian communion in the solemn Worship of God but only of the Christians of one such Congregation with a single Pastor though in that we dissent and suppose there weâ—e more Pastors then one usually or often That this must be granted with the rest is apparent 1. The Reverend Author saith as Bishop Downam before cited That when the Gospel was first preached by the Apostles and but few Converted they ordained in every City and region no more but a Bishop and one or more Deacons to attend him there being at the present so smal store out of which to take more and so small need of ordaining more that this Bishop is constituted more for the sake of those which should after believe then of those which did already 2. And it s proved thus If there were in Scripture times any more ordinary Worshiping Assemblies on the Lords dayes then one under one Bishop then either they did Preach Pray Praise God and administer the Lords Supper in those Assemblies or they did not If not then 1. They were no such Worshipping Assemblies as we speak of 2. And they should sin against Christ who required it 3. And differ from his Churches which ordinarily used it But if they did thus then either they had some Pastor Presbyter or Bishop to perform these holy actions between God and the people or not If not then they suppose that Lay-men might do all this Ministerial work in Word Sacraments Prayer and Praise in the name of the Assembly c. And if so what then is proper to the Ministry then farewell Bishops and Presbyters too If not theâ—â—â—her the Bishop must be in two Assemblies at once performing the Holy Worship of God in their communion but that 's impossible or else he must have some assisting Presbyters to do it But that 's denyed Therefore it must needs follow that the Church order constitution and practised Government which was in Scripture times was this that a single Worshipping Congregation was that particular Church which had a Presbyter or Bishop one or more which watched over and ruled that only Congregation as his Diocess or proper charge having no Government
themselves in Execution But he leads them the way by Teaching them their duty and provoking them to it and directing them in the execution and oft-times offering himself or another to be their Teacher and Leading them in the Execution So that it belongeth to his office to gather a Church or a member to a Church Sect. 18. 11. Hence is the doubt resolved Whether the Pastor or Church be first in order of time or Nature I answer The Minister as a Minister to Convert and Baptize and gather Churches is before a Church gathered in order of Nature and of time But the Pastor of that particalar Church as such and the Church it self whose Pastor he is are as other Relations together and at once as Father and Son Husband and Wife c. As nature first makes the Nobler parts as the Heart and Brain and Liver and then by them as instruments formeth the rest And as the Philosopher or Schoolmaster openeth his School and takes in Schollars and as the Captain hath first his Commission to gather Soldiers But when the Bodies are formed then when the Captain or Schoolmaster dieth another is chosen in his stead So is it in this case of Pastors Sect. 19. 12. Hence also is the great controversie easily determined Whether a particular Church or the universal be first in order and be the Ecclesia Prima To which I answer 1. The Question is not de ordine dignitatis nor which is finally the Ministers chief End For so it is past controversie that the Universal Church is first 2. As to order of existence the universal Church is considered either as consisting of Christians as Christians converted and Baptized or further as consisting of Regular Ordered Assemblies or particular Churches For all Christianâ— are not members of particular Churches and they that are are yet considerable distinctly as meer Christians and as Church-members of particular Churches And so its clear that men are Christians in order of Nature and frequently of time before they are member of particular Churches and therefore in thâ—s reâ—pect the universal Church that is in its essence is before a particular Church But yet there must be One particular Church before there can be many And the Individual Churches are before the Association or Connection of these individuals And therefore though in its essence and the existence of that essence the universal Church be before a particular Church that is men are Christians before they are particular Church-members yet in its Order and the existence of that Order it cannot be said so nor yet can it fitly be said that thus the Particular is before the universall For the first particular Church and the universal Church were all one when the Gospel extended as yet no further And it was simul semel an ordered universal and particular Church but yet not quâ— universal But now all the Vniversal Church is not Ordered at all into particular Churches and therefore all the Church universal cannot be brought thus into the Question But for all those parts of the universal Church that are thus Congregate which should be all that have opportunity they are considerable either as distinct Congregations independent and so they are all in order of nature together supposing them existent Or else as Connexed and Assoâ—iated foâ— Communion of Churches or otherwise related to each other And thus many Churches are after the Individuals â—he single Church is the Ecclesia prima as to all Church forms of Order and Associations are but Ecclesiae ortae arising from a combination oâ— relation or Communion of many of these Sect. 20. The fourth part of the Ministerial work is about particular Churches Congregate as we are Pastors of them And in this they subserve Christ in all the parts of his office 1. Under his Prophetical office they are to Teach the Churches to observe all things whatsoever he hath commanded them deliver open to them that Holy doctrine which they have received from the Apostles that sealed it by Miracles and delivered it to the Church And as in Christs name to perswade and exhort men to duty opening to them the benefit and the danger of neglect 2. Under Christs Priestly office they are to stand between God and the People and to enquire of God for them and speak to God on their behalf and in their name and to receive their Publick Oblations to God and to offer up the sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving on their behalf and to celebrate the Commemoration of the sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross and in his name to deliever his Body and Blood and Sealed Covenant and benefits to the Church 3. Under his Kingly office a Paternal Kingdom they are to Proclaim his Laws and Command obedience in his Name and to Rule or Govern all the flock as Overseers of it and to reprove admonish censure and cast out the obstinately impenitent and confirm the weak and approve of Professions and Confessions of Penitents and to Absolve them by delivering them pardon of their sin in the name of Christ. Sect. 21. 14. This work must be done for the ends mentioned in the Definition To his own Safety Comfort and Reward it is necessary that those Ends be sincerely intended For the comfort and Satisfaction of the Church and the validity of the Ordinances Sacraments especially to their spiritual benefit it is necessary that these ends be professed to be intended by him and that they be really intended by themselves Sect. 22. 15. By this the Popish case may be resolved Whether the Intention of the Priest be necessary to the Validity and success of Sacraments The reality of the Priests Intention is not necessary to the Validity of them to the people For then no ordinance performed by an hypocrite were Valid nor could any man know when they are Valid and when not But that they may be such administrations as he may comfortably answer for to God his sincere Intention is Necessary And that they be such as the People are bound to submit to it is necessary that he profess a sincere Intention For if he purposely Baptize a man ludicrously in professed jest or scorn or not with a seeming intent of true Baptizing it is to be taken as a Nullity and the thing to be done again And that the ordinances may be blessed and effectual to the Receiver upon Promise from God it is necessary that the Receiver have a true intent of receiving them to the ends that God hath appointed them Thus and no further is Intention necessary to the validity of the Ordinance and to the success The particular ends I shall not further speak of as having been longer already then I intended on the Definition Sect. 23. But the principal thing that I would desire you to observe in order to the decision of our controversie hence is that the Ministry is first considerable as a Work and Service and that the Power is but
himself hath done 2. And I think it is no better then Pride for men so far to exalt themselves above the Church of God as to institute new signs and ordinanceâ— and say I command you all to worship God according to these my institutions and inventions and he that will not thus worship him shall not have liberty to worship him at all nor to live in the Communion of Christians What 's Pride and arrogancy if this be not § 9. Reas. 8. None knoweth the mind of God concerning his worship but by his own Revelation If therefore he have not Revealed it to man that he would be served by such mystical Rites and Ceremonies then no man can know that it will please him And if it Please him not it will be lost labour and worse and we may expect to hear who requireth this at your hands How do you know that it pleaseth him to be served by Images Exorcisms Crossings and many pompous Ceremonies He hath nowhere told you so And your will is no proof of the will of God § 10. Reas. 9. God would not have taken down the Legal Ceremonies and delivered us from them as a burden and commanded us to stand fast in the Liberty with which Christ hath made us free and not again to be entangled with the yoak of bondage Gal. 5.1 if he would have given men leave to have imposed the like burdensome observances at their pleasure If you say that these present Ceremonies are not burdensome I aske why then were those of Gods institution burdensome That yoak was streight and burden heavy and Christ hath called us to take upon us his yoak that is easy and his burden that is light Matth. 11.28 It was not only the threatnings conjunct against the disobedient that made the Jewish Ceremonies to be a burden which they were not able to bear Act. 15. nor yet because they were but Types for to be Types of Christ was their highest honour But also because they were numerous and required labour and time and were unnecessary when Christ was come and so against the liberty of the Church as Col. 2.16 c. And is it a likely thing that God would take down his own institutions when they became unnecessary and at the same time give commission to the Pastors of the Church to set up unnecessary Ceâ—emonies of their own Yea or give them leave to do it without his commission If it be such a mercy to be delivered from Divine Ceremonies when they grew needless and a liberty which we are commanded to stand fast in I know not why men should impose on us unnecessary Ceremonies of their own and rob us of our Mercies § 11. Reas. 10. The imposition of unnecessary Ceremonies is a certain means for the Dâ—vision of Christians and therefore is but an engine of the Devill the great divider As the Papists set up a Vicechrist and false Center of union under pretence of the unity of Christians when nothing is so great a cause of their division so usually the Imposers of Ceremonies pretend the Unity and Peace of Christians to be their end when they are most effectually dividing them They are preserving the house by casting fire into the thatch There is no more effectual means of Division then to set up impossible terms of unity and tell men that they must Agree upon these or none All Christians will unite in Christ and Agree in all the essentials of Christianity and all that is the known word of God But no wise man will expect that all Christians should ever Unite and Agree about the Mystical signs and Ceremonies of mans invention and imposition Come to a Congregation that walke in unity and holy order in the simplicity of faith and Scripture ordinances and make Laws to this Church that no man shall joyne in the worship of God that will not Cross himself and be sprinkled with holy water and bow toward the Altar and wear a sword and helmet to signifie the spiritual warfare and such like and try whether this course will not divide the Congregation Men are likeâ— to agree in few things then in many in Certain truths then in uncertain Controversies in Divine ordinances then in Humane inventions Undoubtedly if you impose such Ceremonies multitudes of honest Christians will dissent And if they dissent what will you do with them If you leave them to their liberty then your Ceremonies are not imposed If you do not you will drive them to a separation and break all in pieces by your violence and exasperation of mens minds § 12. Reas. 11. And by this means you will be led and also lâ—â—d others into the haynous guilt of persecuting the members of Christ. For when you have mâ—de Laws for your Ceremonies you will expect obedience and take all for schismaticks or disobedient that refuse them and it s like your laws will be backt with penalties you will not be content to have the liberty of using these Ceremonies themselves and to leave all other to their liberties We hear and formerly heard it more how impatient almost all of this way are of diversity in Circumstances and Ceremonies They take it to be intolerable confusion to have diversity in these things what say they shall one use one gesture and another use another what confusion will this be or if a few of the wiser sort have more wit yet custome will bring the multitude to this pass We see now they will not endure to joyn with those that sit at the Lords Supper though they may kneel themselves If they see but two or three shops in a Town open on Christmas day they throw stonâ—s at them and break their windows where they dare and are ready to rise up against such as enemies in war Besides you will take it as a contempt of your Laws if men do not conform to them And if you use the Ceremonies and others disuse them you will think they censure your practice by their forbearance And its like they will be forced to give some reasons of their forbearance And those Reasons must needs be against your way and consequently seem to disparage you so that I may take it for granted that those that would have Ceremonies would have them forced on the Church and so would raise a persecution to maintain them § 13. And then this persecution when it s once begun its never like to stay till it reach to the height of Cruelty For 1. When you have begun you will think that you are engaged in honour to carry it on and not to suffer every poor man or woman to disoby you and disparage your wisdom 2. And if you lay but a gentle penalty on dissenters â—t will do no good on them but perhaps excite them to the more opposition When Conscience is engaged against you it is not small mulâ—ts nor imprisonment neither that will alter the judgements or the waies of such And therefore you must either
them when written and the like after the printing for the collecting the Errata of the Press I find by this hasty review and by some observation of mens readiness to misunderstand me that it is necessary to speak a little more about the following particulars that I may be understood by such as are willing to understand me and the mistakes of others I shall easily bear Sect. 1. Pag. 89. There is somewhat that requireth correction of the pen and somewhat that requireth explication In translating that passage of Ignatius Unus panis qui pro omnibus fractus est must be written next effusus est before unus Calix And for the following objection though it was made by a discreet person yet I know no ground for it unless Is. Vossius his Edition leave out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I have not now at hand but is likelyest I know not of any Greek copy that leaves it out Indeed Bishop Ushers Latine doth and the Vulgar Latine leaves out the translation of the next words before it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which saith Bishop Usher Ex interpretatione hac excidisse videantur And noting the corruption of the Vulgar Translation in this very place I there premised to my Answer that it might occasion a change in the Text that it hath done so in many places I think is easie to prove but that it hath done so here there is no probability if any Greek Copy be as is objected and the Reasons of my conjecture of the possibility are so little for a probability that as I express them not so I think them not worth the expressing but rather bid you take that as non dictum Though of the general I find Bishop Usher himself saying both of his Latine Version Ex eâ solâ integritati suae restitui posse Ignatium polliceri non ausim and of the first Greek Edition Hanc reliqui sequuti sunt editores non ex Graco aliquo codice alio sed partim ex ingenio partim ex vetere Vulgato Latino Interprete non paucis in locis eandem corrigentes Epist. ad Lect. ante Annot. pag. 26. Dissert Sect. 2. I must intreat the Reader to observe that my drift in this writing is not so much to oppose any form of Government meerly as contrary to the Institution or Apostolical Rule as to plead against that which I take to be destructive to the Ends of Government Not that I desire not a careful adhering to the sacred Rule but 1. Because I suppose that many circumstantials of Discipline undetermined in the Word are feigned by some to be substanstantial necessary things and that many matters are indifferent that some lay the Peace if not the being of the Church upon 2. Because I so far hate contention that if any Government contrary to my Iudgement were set up that did not apparently in the nature of it wrong the Church I would silently live under it in peace and quietness and accordingly would be now loth to enter a quarrel with any Writers that differ from us in tolerable things But if I know that their judgement reduced to practice is like to be the undoing of many souls and to cast Discipline almost wholly out of the Church I think it better to displease them then let them undo the Church without contradiction The best is the serious Christians of this age have experience to help them to understand the case and I suppose my Disputation to be unto them as if I Disputed before a man that is restored from want or banishment or sickness whether he should be reduced to the Condition from which he is restored Sect. 3. Some passages here will occasion the Question as p. 5. Whether and how far Church Government is jure Divino But of this in the main I am agreed with them that I dispute To speak further my own judgement is 1. That the Spirit of God hath established all the Officers and worship-Ordinances of his Church and that no new Church-office or Ordinance of worship as to the substance may be instituted by man 2. But that there are many Circumstantials about the Exercise of those Offices and Ordinances that are not determined particularly by a Law but are left to humane prudence to determine of by the General directions of the Law And so I suppose that Bishops and Presbyters are but one Office of Gods institution but in the exercise of this Office if one for order be made a Moderator or President of the rest or by agreement upon a disparity of parts or interest do unequally divide their work between them in the exercise it is a thing that may be done and is fit where the Edification of the Church requireth it but not a thing that always must be done nor is of it self a Duty but a thing indifferent The following Case therefore I hence resolve Sect. 4. Quest. Whether the Order of subject Presbyters might lawfully be created by Bishops or any humane Power and whether the Order of Bishops might lawfully be created for the avoiding of Schism by the consent of Presbyters or Metropolitans by Bishops Answ. If you understand by the word Order a distinct Office none may create any of these but God But if by Subject Presbyters be meant only men of the same Office with Bishops that do for the Churches benefit subject themselves to the direction or Presidency of another upon some disparity in their gifts or the like in the exercise of that Office I suppose that this is a thing that by Consent may be lawfully done And so I verily believe that betimes in the Church it was done of which anon So if by Bishops be meant no distinct Office but one of the Presbyters chosen from among the rest to exercise his Ministery in some eminency above the rest by reason of his greater Gifts or for Peace and Order I doubt not but it is a thing that consent may do And accordingly the Canon Law defines a Bishop that he is Unus è Presbyteris c. So if by a Metropolitan be not meant another Office but one in the same Office by reason of the advantage of his Seat chosen to some acts of Order for the common benefit I doubt not but it may be done but every such Indifferent thing is not to be made Necessary statedly and universally to the Church Sect. 5. When I do in these Papers plead that the Order of Subject Presbyters was not instituted in Scripture times and consequently that it is not of Divine Institution I mean as aforesaid that as a distinct Office or Species of Church ministers as to the Power from God it is not of Divine Institution nor a lawful Institution of man but that among men in the same Office some might Prudentially be chosen to an eminency of degree as to the exercise and that according to the difference of their advantages there might be a disparity in the use of their
London sure is exempted from his superiority And I yet know not that any Civil Magistrate of Canterbury or York or London or Worcester hath any government in this Countrie except the Soveraign Rulers at Westminster be meant And I hope our Itinerant course of Iudges will prove the right to the Objectors of Itinerant Apostolical Overseers of the Churches for settlement at least Sect. 28. Object But Parishes being not divided till long after the Apostles days there might be then no ordinary Assemblies but in the City and yet the whole Territory adjacent be the Diocess Answ. Were there in the Territories persons enough to make many Assemblies or only so few as might travel to and joyn with the City Assembly If the latter it 's it that I assert as usual in the first age at least If the former then either all those in the Territories met for publick Worship and Communion or not If not they sinned against the Law of God that obliged them thereto as well as Citizens If they did then they must have either Bishop or Presbyter with them for the due performance of that worship Sect. 29. If any think all these stragling objections and advertisements here unseasonable I render him this true account of them This first Disputation was prepared only for our ordinarily Monthly Exercises here and so written long ago before the London Ministers Book or the Answer to it and the rest that have followed and therefore could not take notice of much that hath since passed and withal was not intended for publick view But when I saw sâ— many of the Gentry and Commonalty withdraw from the publick worship and the ignorant and prophane had learnt to refel their Pastors Instructions by calling him a Lay-man and saw how the new separation threatned the perdition of multitudes of the people especially was awakened by the Calls of Ministers in other Countries that were far more troubled with them then we I thought meet to prefix this to the Second Disputation which was it that was desired of me and therefore to take notice of those things so late Sect. 30. And the common experience tells you that it is not a few that go the way that lately was singular even among the Episcopal to which I may add the Testimony in Vindic. against the London Ministers p. 104. And though I might truly say that for those more minute considerations or conjectures wherein this Doctor differs from some others he hath the suffrages of many of the Learnedst men of this Church at this day and as far as he knows of all that embrace the same cause with him c. Sect. 31. And this at least I may expect from the Reader that if he think we argue weakly he will confess that we argue not for worldly greatness but go against our carnal interest We contend against Bishopricks of the English mode as desiring no such Wealth or Honour Some of us have as good opportunities to have a part in that kind of Greatness if it were again introduced as they But I am not able alone for a Parish charge and am loth to have more on my hands and my accounts which is I suppose the mind of my Brethren also Sect. 32. One more Advertisement I owe the Reader that this being written so long since I was made confident by Bishop Usher de Primordiis Eccl. Brit. that Ireland was the Ancient Scotia where Palladius c. planted the Gospel which pag. 97. I have signified But I should wrong Scotland if I should not tell thee that I have received such Arguments to the contrary since then from the Right Honourable and my highly valued friend the Earl of Lawderdail that I am forced to suspend my judgement in that point till I have leisure better to study the point being yet unable to answer the said arguments Whether it be Necessary or Profitable to the right order or the Peace of the Churches of England that we restore the extruded Episcopacy IN this Question here are these three things supposed 1. That there are yet particular Churches of Christ in England and therefore those that conclude that there hath been no Church among us since the Diocesan Bishops were laid by are none oâ— them that we are now disputing with and indeed we think so gross a conceit unworthy of a Confutation 2. It is supposed that both the right Order and the Peace of these Churches are matters highly to be valued 3. And also that its our duty for the obtaining of it to do that which is necessary or profitable thereto But the doubt is Whether the Episcopacy in question be necessary or profitable thereto For the decision whereof I shall briefly tell you my Judgement in these propositions whereof the two first are but preparatory Proposition 1. A Peace with the Divines of the Episcopal judgement is much to be desired and earnestly to be endeavoured Prop. 2. A certain Episcopacy may be yielded to for the Peace if not for the right order of the Church Prop. 3. The Diocesan Episcopacy which was lately in England and is now laid by may not lawfully be re-assumed or re-admitted as a means for the right Order or Peace of the Church 1. For the first of these I think it easie to prove that we ought to seek an Agreement in the Episcopal controversie with those that differ from us in that point For 1. They are brethren of the same faith with us whom we are bound to love and honour and therefore to use all just means for peace with them If we must as much as in us lyeth if possible live peaceably with all men Rom. 12.18 much more with Brethren of the same family and profession 2. They are very many and the far greatest though not the purest part of the Church is of their mind All the Greek Church and the Ethiopian Church and the Jacobites Armenians and all other parties without the verge of the Reformation from Popery here in the West that ever I read or heard of are all of that way besides all the Romane Church And though I know that much ignorance and imperfection if not superstition and fouler errors may be justly charged on the Greek Ethiopian c. Churches as well as on Rome though not Popery it self yet I think there is scarce a good Christian that is not unwilling to cast off so great a part of the Church of Christ as these are Indeed he that dares so far despise all the Churches of Christ on earth except these few that are happily reformed as to think that it is no duty of ours to seek unity and peace with them by all just means I think is no meet person for us to dispute with It is the hainous sin of Rome to despise and unchurch Greeks Ethiopians and all save themselves which I hope Protestants will never imitate who have justly condemned them so deeply for it Let the Donatists shut up the Church of Christ
to one that is only the Overseer or Ruler of the People of one particular Church and not of any Church-rulers themselves That ruleth the flock but not any Shepherds 2. Those also may be called Bishops who only are Ioint-Rulers with others of a particular Church and Presidents among the Elders of that one Church for Vnity and order sake without assuming any Government over those Elders 3. A third sort there are that are Presidents in such an Eldership and withal do take a Negative voice in the Government so that nothing shall be done without them in such affairs 4 A fourth sort are the sole Pastors of such a particular Church that have many Ministers under them as their Curates who are properly to be Ruled by them alone so that the Pastor is the sole Ruler of that Church and the Curates do only teach and otherwise officiate in obedience to him Which is the case of divers Ministers of great Parishes that keep one Curate at their Parish Church and others at their Chappels Yet it s one thing to be the sole Ruler of the Parish and another to Rule the rest of the Elders 5. A fifth sort of Bishops are those that are the fixed Presidents of a Classis of the Pastors of many particular Churches who hold the title durante vitâ or quà m diu bene se gesserint though they are in use only while the Classis sitteth and have only a power of Moderating and ordering things as the foreman of a Jury or a double or casting voice as the Bayliff in Elections in most Corporations or as the President in some Colledges but no Negative voice which maketh a Power equal with all the rest 6. A sixth sort are the heads of such Classes having a Negative voice so that the rest can do nothing without them 7. A seventh sort are the Presidents of Provinces or Diocesses containing many Classes which have only a Moderating Power but no Negative voice 8. An eighth sort are the Bishops of particular Cities with all the Rural parts that are near it containing many Churches who assume the Power of Governing that Diocess to themselves alone without the Presbyters of the particular Churches either not using them at all in matter of Government or only consulting with them in Assemblies but giving them no determining votes 9. A ninth sort is a Diocesan Bishop of such a City who doth not take upon him the Rule of the people of the Diocess beyond his own Congregation but only of the Pastors supposing that the several Pastors or Presbyters have power to Rule the several Congregations but withall that they themselves are to be ruled by him 10. A tenth sort are such Bishops as assume the Government of these Diocesan Bishops which are commonâ—y called Archbishops to which also we adjoyn Metropolitans Primates and Patriarchs who assume the Power of Governing all below them as under the seventh rank I do also for brevity comprehend Metropolitans Primates and Patriarchs who assume no Governing Power over other Bishops but only the primam sedem and the moderating Power in Councils 11. The eleventh sort are unfixed general Pastors called Ambulatory or Itinerant that have a care of all the Churches and are no further tyed to any particulars then aâ— the necessary defect of their natural capacity seeing they cannot be in all places at once or else the dispatch of that work which they there meet with before they go further and some such occasion doth require and being excluded out of no part of the Church further then by consent for the common good they shall exclude themselves such I mean as the Apostles were 12. The twelfth and last sort is the Judas that goes under the name of St. Peters Successor and Christs Vicar General or the Vice-Christ who claimeth a power of Governing the whole universal Church as its Head having Infallible power of determiâ—ing Controversies and matters of Faith and whose Office must enter the definition of the Catholick Church and those that separate from him are no Catholikes or true Christians This is he that beareth the bag and maketh the twelfth sort 3. I Come now in the third place to tell you how many and which of these sorts of Episcopacy I think may be admitted for the Peace of the Church And 1. Of the first sort â—here is no Controversie among us few will deny the Ius Divinum of Presbyters as having the Rule of the people of a particular Church and the sole Rule supposing that there is no other Pastor over that Church but himself 2. Of the second sort of Parish Bishops who are meer Presidents over the whole Eldership of that particular Church and that continually or fixedly I think there is little question will be made by any but they also will easily be admitted 3. The third sort A Parochial Bishop having a Negative voice in a Parish Eldership I should be content to admit for the Peace of the Church but whether of it self it be desirable I do not dispute for if one Pastor even in a Parish may have a Negative voice among two or three Curates it will follow that the thing it self is not unlawful viz. for one Minister to have a Negative vote among many and so among an hundred if there be nothing else to forbid 4. The fourth sort for brevity Comprehendeth two sorts 1. Such Pastors of a single Congregation which having diverse Curates under them who are Presbyters do yet themselves take upon them the sole Government of the people and of their Curates I think this is intolerable and indeed a Contradiction or a Nulling of the Presbyters office for it is essential to the Presbyter of any Church to be a Guide or Ruler of that Church to put them out of all Rule therefore is to Null or suspend the exercise of their office which cannot statedly be done without destroying it But then 2. if we speak of the second sort that is such Pastors of particular Churches as have Curats who are Presbâ—ters and they govern their Curates but take the Curates as true Governors of the flock these as I dare not simply defend for if it be lawful for one Pastor to Rule two or three in a Parish then why not twenty or an hundred if nothing else forbid so I confess I should be ready to admit of them if it might attain the Churches peace for I see many godly Divines that are against Episcopacy yet practice this and will have no Curates in their Parish that will not be Ruled by them And there is a certain Obedience which Juniors and men of weaker parts do owe to their Seniors and men of far greater knowledge though the Office be the same And the Nature of the Government being not Compulsive and Coercive but only upon the voluntary whose judgements approve and their wills consent its considerable how far even a Ruler of others may voluntarily consent and so oblige himself to be Ruled
in the expounding of the Scripture they that bring the best Evidence will beget the most Knowledge and they that produce the clearest Divine Testimony will beget most effectually a Divine belief and those that are known to be of far greatest abilities in learning experience and grace and consent with the most of the Church will procure more effectually an humane belief then a weak unlearned unexperienced Pastor of our own therefore the Jurisdiction of supereminent Bishops Metropolitans Primates and Patriarchs will appear to be reduced into so narrow a room and written in so small a character that he hath need of very quick sight that can read it and humble men may be easily drawn to think that the Unity Happiness and Safety of the Church lyeth not in it and that if it had been only for Christ and not their own Greatness there had not been such Contention and Division made about it in the Church as there hath been TO draw some of this which I have said into a narrower room I shall briefly tell you what I could heartily wish both Magistrates and Ministers would speedily accomplish for the order and Peace of the Church in these matters 1. I could wish that they would choose out the ablest Godly men and let them be appointed General Teachers and Guides to call the uncalled and to order confirm and so take care of the Churches that are gathered And if by the Magistrates consent and their own they divide their Provinces it will be but meet These I would have to go up and down to the several Parishes in their Provinces and to have no particular Parishes of their own nor to take the fixed Pastors power from them but to take care that it be by themselves well exercised And I would have the Magistrate keep his sword in his own hand and let these prevail with mens consciences as far as they can and in that way if they would exceed their bounds and arrogate any unjust power to themselves we shall dissent and deny it them and stand upon our ground and deal with them upon equal terms and so need not to fear them And I have cause to think that neither Presbyterians nor all the Independents will be against such General Officers Successors of the old ones as I here describe Not the Presbyterians for in Scotland they appointed and used such in the beginning of their Reformation when they made Visitors of the particular Churches and assigned to each their limited Provinces and so they were Commissioners to cast out Ministers put in others and plant Kirks and they had several Superintendents all which is to be seen in the Doctrine and Discipline of the Kirk of Scotland printed not long agoe again And the Itinerant Commâ—ssioners in Wales that were set there to go about preaching and Reforming doth shew that their Judgements were not against the Power 2. I could wish that every Parish Church may have one Eldership where they may be had or some Elders and Deacons with one Constant Fixed Perfect for Order and Unity 3. I could wsh that Ordination and Constitutions for Unity and Communion may be done only in Synods less or greater and that of many Presbyteries there may consist a Classis as commonly called and of many of those a Province And that the Classical meeting may be frequent and that some one the fittest man may be standing President of that Classis during life except he deserve removal 4. I could wish also that the Provincial Assembly to be held once a quarter or half year in each County may have the most able discreet godly Minister chosen to be the standing President also during life unless he deserve removal So that here are four several sorts of Bishops that for Peace and Order I could consent to to wit 1. A General unfixed Superintendent 2. A fixed Parochial Bishop President of that particular Presbytery 3. A Classical Bishop President of that Classis 4. A Provincial Bishop President of the Provincial Assembly But there is no necessity of these 5. Of the degree of their Power I said enough before It is intolerable they should have a Negative vote in Excommunications and Absolutions and such Government of the people except the Parochial Bishop save only in case of appeals and there I leave it to each mans consideration though I had rather they had none But whether they should be admitted a Negative in Ruling the Pastors I determine not Only in case of Ordination I would have all resolve to do nothing except in a case of Necessity but when the President is One and stop there which will permit him de facto the use of his Negative and yet trouble no mans conscience to acknowledge de jure that it Must so be for to that none should be forced This much I could willingly yield to for reconciliation and unity And I doubt not but I shall be sufficiently reproached by some for yielding so far and by others for yielding no further AND now at last after these not needless preparations I come to the main Question it self Whether it be Necessary or Profitable for the right Order or Peace of the Churches to restore the extruded Episcopacy And this I deny and having said so much already for explication shall presently give you the Reasons of my denyal in which the rest of the necessary explication will be contained Argument 1. That sort of Prelacy or other Government which destroyeth the End of Government and is certainly inconsistent with the Necessary Government and discipline to be exerciâ—ed in the Churches is not to be restored under pretence of the Churches Order or Peace nor can be consistent with its right Order and Peace But such is the Episcopacy which was of late exercised in England and is now laid by Therefore c. The Major needs no proof for few Christians I think will deny it If Episcopacy as lately here exercised be the certain excluder of Government it self and Christs discipline while it only retains the empty name then doubtless it is not to be restored The Minor I prove thus If there be a very Natural Impossibility that the late English Episcopacy though in the hands of the best men in the world should Govern the Churches as Christ hath appointed and as they should and may otherwise be Governed then the foresaid inconsistency and destructiveness is apparent But that there is such a Natural Impossibility for the late English Episcopacy to Govern the Church thus I shall prove 1. By shewing you what is undoubtedly necessary in Christs Government 2. And then what was the late English Episcopacy and then 3. The Impossibility will appear of it self when both these are opened and compared together without any more ado 1. And 1. It is past controversie among us that Church Governours should watch over each particular soul in their flock and instruct the ignorant admonish the faln convince gainsayers counterwork seducers among them
of any other Church Congregation or Elders De facto this is plainly yielded Well this much being yielded and we having come so far to an agreement about the actual Church Constitution and Government of the Scripture times we desire to know some sufficient reason why we in these times may not take up with thaâ— Government and Church order which was practised in the Scripture times And the Reason that is brought against it is this Because it was the Apostles intention that this single Bishop who in Scripture times had but one Congregation and Governed no Presbyters should after Scripture times have many settled Congregations and their Presbyters under them and should have the power of ordaining them c. To this I answer 1. The Intentions of mens hearts are secret till they are some way revealed No man of this age doth know the Apostles hearts but by some sign what then is the revelation that Proveth this Intention Either it must be some Word or Deed. For the first I cannot yet find any colour of proof which they bring from any word of the Apostles where either they give power to this Presbyter or Bishop to Rule over many Presbyters and Congregations for the future Nor yet where they do so much as foretell that so it shall be As for those of Paul to Timothy and Titus that theâ— rebuke not an Elder and receive not accusation against them but under two or three Witnesses the Reverend Author affirmeth that those Eâ—ders were not Presbyters under such Bishops as we now speak of but those Bishops themselves whom Timothy and Titus might rebuke And for meer facts without Scripture words theâ—e is none that can prove this pretended Intention of the Apostles First there is no fact of the Apostles themselves or the Churches or Pastors in Scripture time to prove it For Subordinate Presbyters are confessed not to be then â—nstituted and so not existent and other fact of theirs there can be none And no fact after them can prove it Yet this is the great Argument that most insist on that the practice of the Church after Scripture times doth prove that Intention of the â—pâ—stles which Scripture doth not for ought is yet proved by them that I can find at all express But we deny that and require pâ—ooâ— of it It is not bare saying so that will serve Is it not possible for the succeeding Bishops to err and mistake the Apostles Intentions If not then are they Infallible as well as the Apostles which is not true They might sin in going from the Institution And their sin will not prove that the Apostles intended it should be so de jure because their followers did so de facto If they say that it is not likely that all the Churches should so suddenly be ignorant of the Apostles Intention I answer 1. We must not build our faith and practice on Conjectures Such a saying as this is no proof of Apostolical intentions to warrant us to swerve from the sole practised Government in Scripture times 2. There is no great likelihood that I can discern that this first practised Government was altered by those that knew the Apostles and upon supposition that these which are pretended were their intents 3. If it were so yet is it not impossible nor very improbable that through humane frailty they might be drawn to conjecture that that was the Apostles intents which seemed right in thier eyes and suited their present judgements and interests 4. Sure we are that the Scripture is the perfect Law and Rule to the Church for the Establishing of all necessary Offices and Ordinances and therefore if there be no such intentions or Institutions of the Apostles mentioned in the Scripture we may not set up universally such Offices and Ordinances on any such supposed intents De facto we seem agreed that the Apostles settled One Pastor over one Congregation having no Presbyters under his Rule and that there were no other in Scripture time but shortly after when Christians were multiplied and the most of the Cities where the Churches were planted were converted to the faith together with the Country round about then there were many Congregations and many Pastors and the Pastor of the first Church in the City did take all the other Churches and Pastors to be under his Government calling them Presbyters only and himself eminently or only the Bishop Now the Question between us is Whether this was well done or not Whether these Pastors should not rather have gathered Churches as free as their own Whether the â—hristians that were afterward converted should not have combined for holy Communion themselves in particular distinct â—hurches and have had their own Pastors set over them as the first Churches by the Apostles had They that deny it and Justifie their fact have nothing that we can see for it but an ungrounded surmise that it was the Apostles meaning that the first Bishops should so do But we have the Apostles express Institution and the Churches practise during Scripture times for the other way We doubt not but Christians in the beginning were thin and that the Apostles therefore preached most and planted Churches in Cities because they were the most populous places where was most matter to work upon and most disciples were there and that the Country round about did afford them here and there a family which joyned to the City Church Much like as it is now among us with the Anabaptists and Separatists who are famed to be so Numerous and potent through the Land and yet I do not think that in all this County there is so many in Number of either of these sects as the tenth part of the people of this one Parish nor perhaps as the twentieth part Now if all the Anabaptists in Worcestershire or at least that lived so neer as to be capable of Church communion should be of Mr. T 's Congregation at Bewdley or of a Church that met in the chief City Worcester yet doth not this intimate that all the space of ground in this County is appointed or intended for the future as Mr. T 's Diocess but if the successive Pastor should claim the whole County as his charge if the whole were turned to that opinion no doubt but they would much cross their founders mind And if the comparison may be tolerated we see great reason to conceive that the Ancient Bishops did thus cross the Apostles minds When there were no more Christians in a City and the adjoyning parts then half some of our Parishes the Apostles planted fixed Governours called Bishops or Elders over these particlar Churches which had constant communion in the worship of God And when the Cities and Countreyes were converted to the faith the frailty of ambition co-working thereto these Bishops did claim all that space of ground for their Diocess where the members of their Church had lived before as if Churches were to be measured by the
sort with theirs for ours is of the first sort and if theirs be of the same we are both agreed And that the Lord Jesus Christ should settle one kind of Government de facto during Scripture time and change it for ever after is most improbable 1. Because it intimateth levity or mutability in a Law-giver so suddenly to change his Laws and form of Government either something that he is supposed not to have foreseen or some imperfection is intimated as the cause Or if they say that it was the change of the state of the body Governed viz. the Church I answer 2. There was no change of the state of the Church to necessitate a change of the kind of Officers and Government for as I shall shew anon there was need of more Elders then one in Scripture times and the increase of the Church might require an increase of Officers for Number but not for Kind There was as much need of assisting Presbyters as of Deacons I may well conclude therefore that he that will affirm a Change of the Government so suddenly must be sure to prove it and the rather because this is the Bishops own great and most considerable Argument on the other side when they pâ—ead that the Apostles themselves were Rulers of Presbyters therefore Rulers over Presbyters and many Churches should continue as Gods Ordinance many on the other side answer them though so do not I that this Ordinance was temporary during the Apostles times who had no Successors in Goveâ—nment to whâ—ch the Prelates reply that it s not â—â—agiâ—abâ—e that Christ should settle one sort of Church-Governmeâ—t for the first age and another ever after abolishing that first so soon and thaâ— they who affirm this must prove it For my part I am overcome by this Argument to allow all that the Apostolical pattern can prove laying aside that which depended on their extraordinary gifts and priviledges but then I see no reason but they should acknowledâ—e the â—oâ—ce of their own Mediâ—m and conclude it s not imâ—ginable that if God setâ—led â—ixed Bishops only over particular Congregations without any such order as subject Preâ—byters in the first age he should change this and set up subject Presbyters and many Churches under one man for ever after If they say that this is not a change of the speâ—ies but a growing up of the Church from Infancy to Maturity I answer It is a plain change of the Species of Government when one Congregation is turned into Many and when a new order of Officers viz. subject Presbyters without power of Ordination or Jurisdiction is introduced and the Bishops made Governours of Pastors that before were but Governours of the People this is plainly a new Species Else I say again let them not blame us for being against the right Species 3. The third Reaâ—on is this They that affirm a change not of the Governours but also of the very nature or kind of a particular Governed or Political Church from what it was in Scripture times do affirm a thing so improbable as is 〈◊〉 without very clear proof to be credited But such are they that affirm that Congregational Bishops were turned to Diocesan therefore c. The Church that was the object of the Government of a fixed Bishop in Scripture times was A competent Number of persons in Covenant with Christ or of Christians co-habiting by the appâ—intment of Christ and their mutual expressed consent united or associated under Christs Ministerial Teachers and Guides for the right worshipping of God in publick and the Edification of the Body in Knowledge and Holiness and the maintaining of obedience to Christ among them for the strength beauty and safety of the whole and each part and thereby the Pleasing and Glorifying God the Redeemer and Creator Iâ— would be too long rather then difficult to stand to prove all the parts of this Definition of the first particular Political Church That part which most concerneth our present purpose is the Ends which in Relations must enter the Definition which in one word is The Communion of Saints personally as Associated Churches consisting of many particular Churches are for the Communion of Saints by officers and Delegates And therefore this communion of Saints is put in our Creed next to the Catholick Church as the end of the combination I shall have occasion to prove this by particular Texts of Scripture anon A Diocesan Church is not capable of these Ends. What personal communion can they have that know not nor see not one aonther that live not together nor worship God together There is no more personal communion of Saints among most of the people of this Diocess then is between us and the inhabitants of France or Germany For we know not so much as the names or faces of each other nor ever come together to any holy uses So that to turn a Congregation into a Diocesan Church is to change the very subject of Government Obj. This is meer independency to make a single Congregation the subject of the Government Answ. 1. I am not deterred from any truth by Names I have formerly said that its my opinion that the truth about Church-Government is parcelled out into the hands of each party Episcopal Presbyterian Independents and Erastian And in this point in Question the Independents are most right Yet I do dot affirm nor I think they that this one Congregation may not accidentally be necessitated to meet in several places at once either in case of persecution or the age and weakness of some members or the smalness of the room But I say only that the Church should contain no more then can hold communion when they have opportunity of place and liberty and should not have either several settled Societies or Congregations nor more in one such Society then may consist with the Ends. And that these Assemblies are bound to Associate with other Assemblies and hold communion with them by the mediation of their Officers this as I make no doubt of so I think the Congregational will confess And whereas the common evasion is by distinguishing between a Worshipping Church and a Governed Chuch I desire them to give us any Scripture proof that a Worshipping Church and a Governed Church were not all one supposing that we speak of a settled society or combination I find no such distinction of Churches in Scripture A family I know may perform some worship and accordingly have some Government And an occasional meeting of Christians without any Minister may perform some Worship without Government among them But where was there ever a Society that ordinarily assembled for publick worship such as was performed by the Churches on the Lords dayes and held communion ordinarily in worship and yet had not a Governing Pastor of their own Without a Presbyter they could have no Sacraments and other publike Worship And where was there ever a Presbyter that was not a Chuâ—ch Governour
Certainly if subject Presbyters were not till after Scripture times nor any settled Worshipping Church without a Presbyter unless the people preached and administred the Sacraments then there could be no Worshipping Church that had not their own proper Governour nor any such Governour fixed that had more Churches then one Reason 4. The contrary opinion feigneth the Apostles to have allotted to each Bishop a space of ground for his Diocess and to have measured Churches by such spaces and not by the number of souls But this is unproved absurd 1. Unproved For there is no place in Scripture that giveth the Bishop charge of all that space of ground or of all the Christians that shall be in that space during his time Indeed they placed a Bishop in each City when there was but a Church in each City But they never said there shall be but one Church in a City or but one Bishop in a City much less in all the Country region 2. And its absurd For it s the number of souls that a Church must be measured by and not a space of ground so they do but co-habite For if in the same space of Ground there should be twenty or an hundred times as many Christians it would make the number so great as would be uncapable of personal communion and of obtaining Church Ends. If a Schoolmaster have a School in the chief City or Town of this County and there come as many from many miles compass as one School can hold and there be no more there so long all that space may belong to his School not for the space sake but the number of Schollars For if there be afterward an hundred times as many in that space to be taught they must set up more Schools and it were no wise part in the old Schoolmaster to maintain that all that Country pertaineâ—h to his School because that it was so when there were fewer So that to measure our the matter of Churches by space of ground and not by number of souls is plainly against the Reason of the Relation Reason 5. The opposed opinion doth imply that God more regardeth Cities then Country Villages or that Churches are to be measured according to the number and greatness of Cities rather then according to the number of souls For they suppose that every City should have a Bishop if there be but twenty or fourty or an hundred Christians in it but if there be five hundâ—ed Country Parishes that have some of them many thousand souls in them these shall have no Bishops of their own but be all ruled by the Bishop of the City Now how unreasonable this is methinks should not be hard to discern For 1. What is a City to God any more then a Village that for it he should make so partial an institution Doth he regard Rome any more then Eugubium or Alexandria more then Tanis for their worldly splendor or priviledges No doubtless it is for the multitude of inhabitants And if so its manifest that an equal number of inhabitants elsewhere should have the same kind of Government 2. Is it probable that God would have twenty thousand or an hundred thousand people in a Diocess and in some a Million to have but one Church-Ruler and yet would have every small congregation in a City to have one though there be none else under him What proportion is there in this way of Government that an hundred or fifty men shall have as many Governours as a Million as if ten thousand or an hundred thousand Schollars ouâ— of a City shall have no more Rulers then an hundred in a 〈◊〉 and all because one part are in a City and the other not Or a Physitian shall have but an hundred Patients to look to in a City and if there be a Million in that City and Country he shall also upon pain of Gods everlasting wrath undertake the care of them all Let them that strive for such a charge look to it I profess I admire at them what they think 1. Of the needs of men souls 2. Of the terrours of Gods wrath 3. And of their own sufficiency for such a work Were it my case if I know my own heâ—rt at all I should fear that this were but to strive to damn thousands and to be damned with them by undertaking on that penalty to be their Physitian under Christ when I am sure I cannot look to the hundreth man of them and I had rather strive to be a gally-slave to the Turks or to be preferred to rid Chaâ—els or the basest office all my dayes Reason 6. According to the opposâ—d opinion it is in the power of a King to make Bishops to be either Congregational or Diocesan to make a Bishâ—p to haâ—e a Million of souls or a whole Nation in charge or to have but aâ— few For if a King will but dissolve the Priviledge and title and make that no City whâ—ch was a City though he diminish not the number of souls and if he will do thus by all the Cities save one in his dominion then must there be but one Bishop in his dominion And if he will but make every countrey Town that hath four or five hundred or a thousand inhabitants to be incorporate and honour it with the title and priviledges of a City thâ—n shall they have a Bishop Moreover thus every Prince may de jure banish Episcopacy out of his Dominions without diminishing the number of Christians if he do but defranchise the Cities and be of the mind as I have heard some men have been that Cities are against the Princes interest by strengthening the people and advantaging them to rebellions Also if there be any Indian Nations so barbarous as to have no Cities though they were converted yet must they have no Bishops Also it would be in the Princes power de jure to depose any of those Bishops that the Apâ—stles or their Successors are supposed to set up For the Râ—man Emperour might have proclaimed Antioch Alexandria or any of the rest to be no Cities and then they must have no longer have had any Bishops And what Bishâ—ps shall Antioch have at this day Now how absurd all this is I need not manifest that whole Contreâ—eâ— shâ—ll have no Government for want of 〈◊〉 that Kings shall so alter Church Officers at their pleâ—sure â—hen they intend it not meerly by altering the Civil Priviledgâ—s of their people that a King may make one Diocess to become an hundred and an hundred become one by such means And yet all this doth undenâ—ably follow if the Law be that every City and only every City shall be a Bishops Sea where there are Christians to be governed Reason 7. There is no sufficient Reason given why subject Pâ—â—sâ—byters should not have been set up in the Scripture times as well as after if it had been the Apostles intent that such should be instituted The Necessity pretended was
no necessiâ—y and the Non-necessity is but preâ—ended First it is preâ—eâ—â—ed that there were so few fit men that there was a Necessity of forbâ—arance But this is not so For 1. The Church had larger gifts of the Spirit then then now and therefore proportionable to the flocks they might have had competent men then as well as now 2. They had men enough to make Deacons of even sâ—ven in a 〈◊〉 And who will believe then that they could find none to make such Elders of Was not Stephen or Philip sufficiently qualified to have been a subject Elder 3. They had many that prophesied and interpreted and spake with tongues in one Assembly as appears 1 Cor. 14. And therefore its manâ—fâ—st that there were enough to have made Ruled Elders At least sure the Church at Ierusalem where there were so many thousands would have afforded them one such if it had been requisite But secondly its pretended not to have been Necessary because of the fewness of the people But I answer 1. The same persons say that in Ignatius his time all Churches had such Presbyters And its manifest that many Churches in the Scripture times were more populous or large then many or most beside them were in Ignatius time 2. Did the numerous Church at Ierusalem ordinarily meet on the Lords dayes for holy communion or not If they did then it was but a Church of one Congregation which is by most denyed If not then the several Assemblies must have several Presbyters for several Bishops they will not hear of Doubtless they did not celebrate the holy communion of the Church and Ordinances of God by meer Lay-men alone 3. What man that knows the burden of Pastoral Oversight can say that such Churches of thousands as Ierusalem Rome Alexandria c. had need of no more than one man to Teach them and do all the Pastoral work and so that assisting Ruled Presbyters were then needless If they were needless to such numerous Churches then let us even take them for needless still and set up no new orders which were not seen in Scripture times Reas. 8. The Apostles left it not to the Beshops whom they established to make new Church-offices and orders quoad speciem but only to ordain men to succeed others in the offices and orders that themselves had by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost appointed or else Christ before them A Bishop might make a Bishop or a Deacon perhaps because these were quoad speciem made before and they were but to put others into the places before appointed But if there were no such creature in Scripture times as a subject Presbyter that had no power of Ordination and Jurisdiction then if the Bishops afterward should make such they must make a new office as well as a new officer So that either this new Presbyter is of the institution of Christ by his Apostles or of Episcopal humane institution If the former and yet not institututed in Scripture times then Scripture is not the sufficient rule and discoverer of Divine Institutions and Church Ordinances and if we once forsake that Rule we know not where to fix but must wander in that Romane uncertainty If the latter then we must expect some better proof then hitherto we have seen of the Episcopall or any humane power to make new Offices in the Church of Christ and that of universal and standing necessity Till then we shall think they ought to have made but such Presbyters as themselves Reason 9. If there be not so much as the name of a Ruled Presbyter without power of Ordination or Iurisdiction in all the Scripture much less then is there any description of his Office or any Directions for his ordination or the qualifications prerequisit in him and the performance of his office when he is in it And if there be no such Directory concerning Presbyters then was it not the Apostles intent that ever any such should be ordained The reason of the consequence is 1. Because the Scripture was written not only for that age then in being but for the Church of all ages to the end of the world And therefore it must be a sufficient directory for all The second Epistle to Timothy was written but a little before Pauls death Surely if the Churches in Ignatius daies were all in need of Presbyters under Bishops Paul might well have seen some need in his time or have foreseen the need that was so neer and so have given directions for that office 2. And the rather is this consequence firm because Paul in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus doth give such full and punctual Directions concerning the other Church-officers not only the Bishops but also the Deacons describing their prerequisite qualifications their office and directing for their Ordination and conversation Yea he condescendeth to give such large Directions concerning Widows themselves that were serviceable to the Church Now is it probable that a perfect Directory written for the Church to the worlds End largely describing the qualifications and office of Deacons which is the inferiour would not give one word of direction concerning subject Presbyters without power of Ordination or Rule if any such had been then intended for the â—hurch No nor once so much as name them I dare not accuse Pauls Epistles written to that very purpose and the whole Scripture so much of insufficiency as to think they wholly omit a necessary office and so exactly mention the inferiour and commonly less necessary as they do Reason 10. The new Episcopal Divines do yield that all the texts in Timothy Titus and the rest of the New Testament that mentitn Gospel Bishops or Presbyters do mean only such as have power of Ordination and Iurisdiction without the concurrence of any superiour Bishop The common Inerpretation of the Fathers and the old Episcopal Divines of all ages of most or many of those texts is that they speak of the office of such as now are called Presbyters Lay both together and if one of them be not mistaken they afford us this conclusion that the Presbyters that now are have by these texts of Scripture the power of Ordination and Iurisdiction without the concurrence of others And if so then was it never the Apostles intent to leave it to the Bishops to ordain a sort of Presbyters of another order that should have no such power of Ordination or Jurisdiction without the Bishops Negative Reason 11. We find in Church History that it was first in some few great Cities especially Rome and Alexandria that a Bishop ruled many settled worshipping Congregations with their Presbyters when no such thing at that time can be proved by other Churches therefore we may well conceive that it was no Ordinance of the Apostles but was occasioned afterwards by the multiplying of Christians in the same compass of ground where the old Church did inhabite and the adjacent parts together with the humane frailty of the
would not lay too great a stress upon any forms or modes which may be altered or diversified Let the Church have but such a Number of souls as may be consistent with the ends and so the essence of a particular Church that they may held personal holy communion and then I will not quarrel about the name of one or two Congregations nor whether they must needs all meet together for all ordinances nor the like Yea I think a full number so they be not so full or distant as to be uncapâ—ble of that communion are desireable for the strength and beauty of the Church and too smal Churches if it may be to be avoided So that all the premises being considered out difference appears to be but small in these matters between the Congregational and Presbyterian way among them that are moderate I shall not presume more particularly to enter into that debate which hath been so far proceeded in already by such Reverend men but shall return to the rest of the task before promised against the Diocesan Churches as the supposed subject of the Bishops Government As for Scripture times and the next succeeding together I shall before I look into other testimonies propound these two Arguments 1. From the Bishops office which was before mentioned If the office of a Bishop in those times was to do so much work as could not be done by him for a Church any greater than our Parishes then were the Churches of those times no greater then our Parishes But the Antecedent is true therefore so is the consequent The works are before mentioned Preaching Praying administring the Lords Supper visiting the sick reducing hereticks reproving censuring absolving to which they quickly added too much more of their own The impossibility of a faithful performance of this to more is so undenyable that I cannot suppose any other answer but this that they might ordain Presbyters to assist them in the work and so do much of it by others But 1. I before desired to see it proved by what authority they might do this 2. Their office and work are so inseparable that they cannot depute others to do their work their proper work without deputing them also to their office For what is an office but the state of one Obliged and Authorized to do such or such a work A Presbyter may not authorize another to preach as the Teacher of a Congregation and to administer the Sacraments without making him a Presbyter also Nor can a Bishop authorize any to do the work of a Bishop in whole or by halves without making him a Presbyter or half a Bishop And he is not authorized either to make new officers in the Church or to do his work by deputies or substitutes 2. I argue also from the Identity of that Church to whâ—ch the Bishops and Deacons were appointed for ministration It was not a Church of many stated Congregations or any larger than our Parishes for number of souls that the Deacons were made Ministers to therefore it was no other or bigger which the Bishops were set oveâ— The consequence is good because where ever Deacons are mentioned in Scripture or any Writer that I remember neer to Scripture times they are still mentioned with the Bishops or Presbyters as Ministers to the same Church with them as is apparent bâ—th in the seven chosen for the Church at Ierusalem and in Phil. 1.1 2. and in the Direction of Paul to Timothy for ordaining them And the Antecedent is proved from the nature of their work For they being to attend on the tables at the Love feasts and the Lords Supper and to look to the poor they could not do this for any greater number of people then we mention Whether they had those feasts in one house or many at once I determine not but for the number of people it was as much as a Deacon could do at the utmost to attend a thousand people I shall proceed a little further towards the times next following and first I shall take in my way the confession of one or two learned men that are for Prelacy Grotius in his Annotat. on 1 Tim. 5.17 saith Sed notandum est in una Vrbe magna sicut plures Synagogas ita plures fuisse Ecclesias id est conventus Christianorum Et cuique Ecclesiae fuisse suum praesidem qui populum alloqueretur Presbyteros ordinaret Alexandriae tantum eum fuisse morem ut unus esset in tota urbe praeses qui ad docendum Presbyteros per urbem distribueret docet nos Sozomenus 1.14 Epiphanius ubi de Ario agit dicitque Alexandriae nunquam duos fuisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voce â—a sumpta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita ut significat jus illud quod habebat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that Grotius affirmeth that Bishops had not then so much as all the converted persons of a great City under their care but the Churches and Assemblies were the same and each Assembly had a Prelate and in the great Cities there were many of these Churches and Prelates and that only the City of Alexandria had the custom of having but one such Bishop in the whole City 2. Those learned men also must grant this cause who maintain that Peter and Paul were both of them Bishops of Rome at once there being two Churches one of the Circumcision under Peter the other of the uncircumcision under Paul and that one of them had Linus and the other Cletus for his Successor and that this Church was first united under Clemens and the like they say of two Churches also at Antioch and elswhere If this be so then there is no Law of God that Bishops should be numbred by Cities but more Bishops then one may be in one City and were even when Christians comparatively were a small part of them 3. Also Mr. Thorndike and others affirm that it was then the custome for the Bishops and Presbyters to sit in a semicircle and the Bishop highest in a Chair and the Deacons to stand behind them This he gathereth from the Apost Constitut. Ignatius Dionysius Arcop and the Jews Constitutions in his Apost form page 71. and Right of the Church c. p. 93.94 95. And if this were so it seems that Bishops Presbyters and Deacons were all the Officers of one such stated Congregation and had not many such Congregations under them For the Bishop could be but in one place at once and therefore this could be the custome but of one Church in his Diocess if he had many whereas it is made the form of the ordinary Christian Assemblies The same learned man Right of Church p. 65. saith that About Saint Cyprians time and not afâ—re he finds menâ—ion of setled Congregations in the Country By which it may be well conjectured what a small addition the Bishops had out of the Countreys to their City Chuâ—ches and how many Congregations they Governed in the Apostle
whether they were Bishops of a County or Bishops of a Parish that were there in those daies For my part I heartily wish that Ireland had three hundred sixty five good Bishops and Churches at this day even when the whole Nation profess themselves to be Christians which then they did not To this purpose runs the 14. Canon Concilii Agath and if it were so then much more long before Si quis etiam extra Parochias in quibus legitimus est ordinariusque conventus oratorium habere voluerit reliquis festivitatibus ut ibi Missam audiat propter fatigationem familiae justa ordinatione permittimus Pascha vero Natali Domini Epiphania Ascensione domini Pentecoste Natali Sancti Johannis Baptistae siqui maxime dies in festivitatibus habentur non nisi in Civitatibus aut Parochiis audiant Here it appeareth that there was but one legitimus ordinariusque conventus in a Parish though they tolerated an Oratory or Chappell of ease And that a Parish here is taken for a Diocess or such a Church as had proper to it self a Bishop and Presbyterie as it is probable from the ordinary use of the word by Eusebius and other antients in that sence so also from what is further said in the following Canons of this Council And so the word Parish here may be expository of the word City or else denote a Rural Bishoprick For Can. 30. saith Benedictionem super plebem in Ecclesiâ fundere aut paenitentem in Ecclesia benedicere presbytero penitus non licebit And if a Presbyter may not bless the people or the penitent when the blessing of the people was part of the work in every Solemn Assembly for Church communion then it is manifest that a Bishop must be present in every such Assembly to do that part which the Presbyter might not do and consequently there were no more such Assemblies then there were Bishops And to prove this more fully mark the very next Canon of that Council viz. the 31. Missas die dominico secularibus totas audire speciali ordine praecipimus ita ut ante benedictionem Sacerdotis egredi populus non praesumat Quod si fecerint ab Episcopo publicè confundatur So that its plain that on every Lords day all the people for here is no distinction or limitation were to be present in the publick worship to the end and the Bishop to pronounce the blessing whoever preached and openly to rebuke any that should go out before it From whence it is evident that all such Church Assemblies for communion every Lords day were to have a Bishop present with them to do part of the work and therefore there were no more such Assemblies then there were Bishops In the 38. Canon of the same Council we find this written Cives qui superiorum solennitatum id est Paschae Natalis Domini vel Pentecostes festivatibus cum Episcopis interesse neglexerint quum in Civitatibus commnionis vel benedictionis accipiendae causa positos se nosse debeant triennio communione priventur Ecclesiae So that it seems there were no more Church-members in a City then could congregate on the festival daies for Communion and the Bishops Blessing therefore there were not many such Congregations when every one was to be three years excommunicate that did not Assemble where the Bishop was Moreover all those Canons of several Councils that forbid the Presbyters to confirm by Chrysm and make it the Bishops work do shew that the Diocess were but small when the Bishop himself could do that besides all his other work In the Canons called the Apostles cap. 5. it is ordained thus Omnium aliâ—rum primitiae Episcopo Presbyteris domum mittuntur non super Altare Manifestum est autem quod Episcopus Presbyteri inter Diaconos reliquos clericos eas dividunt By which it appeareth that there was but one Altar in a Church to which belonged the Bishop Presbyterie and Deacons who lived all as it were on that Altar And Can. 32. runs thus Si quis Presbyter contemnens Episcopum suum seorsim collegerit Altare aliud erexerit nihil habens quo rebrehendat Episcopum in causa pietatis justitiae deponatur quasi principatus amator existens Haec autem post unam secundam tertiam Episcopi obsecrationem fieri conveniat Which shews that there was then but one Convention and one Altar to which one Bishop and Presbyters did belong So that no other Assembly or Altar was to be set up apart from the Bishop by any Presbyter that had nothing against the Bishop in point of Godliness or Justice And I believe if Bishops had a whole Diocesse of two hundred or three hundred or a thousand Presbyters to maintain they would be loth to stand to the fifty eighth Canon which makes them Murderers if they supply not their Clergies wants But let that Canon pass as spurious And long after when Concilium Vasense doth grant leave to the Presbyters to preach and Deacons to read Homilies in Country Parishes as well as Cities it shews that such Parishes were but new and imperfect Assemblies In the Council of Laodicea the 56. Canon is Non oportet Presbyteros ante ingressum Episcopi ingredi Ecclesiam sedere in tribunalibus sed cum Episcopo ingredi nisi forte aut aegrotet Episcopus aut in peregrinationis commodo eum abisse constiterit By which it seems that there was but one Assemby in which the Bishop and Presbyters sate together Otherwise the Presbyters might have gone into all the rest of the Churches without the Bishop at any time and not only in case of his sickness or peregrination The fifth Canon of the Council of Antioch is the same with that of Can. Apost before cited that no Presbyter or Deacon contemning his own Bishop shall withdraw from the Church and gather an Assembly apart and set up an Altar By which still it appears that to withdraw from that Assembly was to withdraw from the Church and that one Bishop had but one Altar and Assembly for Church Communion So Concil Carthag 4. Can. 35. which order the sitting of the Presbyters and Bishop together in the Church And many decrees that lay it on the Bishop to look to the Church lands and goods and distribute to the poor the Churches Alms do shew that their Diocesses were but small or else they had not been sufficient for this All the premises laid together me thinks afford me this conclusion that the Apostolical particular Political Churches were such as consisted of one only Worshipping Congregation a Congregation capable of personal communion in publick worship and their Overseers and that by little they departed from this form each Bishop enlarging his Diocess till he that was made at first the Bishop but of one Church became the Bishop of many and so set up a new frame of Government by setting up a new kind of particular Churches And thus
if Pastor must cease when Ordination ceaseth For though wâ—thout Pastors there may be communities of Christians which are parts of the universal Church yet there can be no Organized Political Churches For 1. Such Churches consist essentially of the Directing or Ruling Part and the Ruled Part as a Republick doth 2. Such Churches are Christian Associatioâ—s for Communion in such Church Ordinances which without a Pastor cannot ordinarily at least be administred And therefore without a Pastor the Society is not capable of the End and therefore not of the form or name though it be a Church in the fore-granted sence Nay indeed if any should upon necessity do the Ministerial work to the Church and say he did it as a Private man it were indeed but to become a Minister pro tempore under the name of a private man If Paul had not his Power to destruction but to Edification neither have Prelates And therefore the Acts are null by which they would destroy the Church Their Power of Ordering it such as they have occasionally enableth them to disorder it that is If they miss in their own work we may submit but they have no authority to destroy it or do any thing that plainly conduceth thereunto Sect. 29. The ceasing of Ordination in any place will not either disoblige the people from Gods publick Worship Word Prayer Praise Sacraments Neither will it destroy their Right to the Ordinances of God in Church communion But this it should do if it should exclude a Ministry therefore c. The Major is proved 1. In that the Precept for such Publick worship is before the precept for the right ordering of it He that commandeth the Order supposeth the thing ordered 2. The precept for publick worshâ—p is much in the Law of Nature and therefore indispensable and it is about the great and Necessary duties that the honour of Gods add saving of men and preservation of the Church lieth on It is a standing Law to be observed till the coming of Christ. And the Rights of the Church in the excellent Benefits of Publick Ordinances and Church order is better founded then to depend on the Will of ungodly Prelates If Prince and Parliament faâ—l and all the Governours turn enemies to a Common-wealth it hath the means of Preservation of it self from ruine lest in its own hands or if the Common-wealth be destroyed the Community hath the Power of self-preservation and of forming a Common-wealth again to that end The life and being of States specially of mens eternal happiness is not to hang upon so slender a peg as the corrupt will of a few Superiours and the mutable modes and circumstances of Government nor a Necessary End to be wholly laid upon an uncertain and oft unnecessary means The children lose not their Right to Food and Rayment nor are to be suffered to famish when ever the Steward falls out with them or falls asleep or loseth the Keyes Another servant should rather break open the doors and more thanks he shall have of the Father of the family then if he had let them perish for fear of transgressing the bounds of his calling If incest that capital disorder in procreation were no incest no crime but a duty to the Sons and daughters of Adam in case of Necessity because Order is for the End and thing ordered then much more is a disordered preservation of the Church and saving of souls and serving of God a duty and indeed at that time no disorder at all Sect. 30. 7. Moreover if the failing of Ordination should deprive the world of the preaching of the word or the Churches of the great and necessary benefits of Church Ordinances and Communion then one man yea thousands should suffer and that in the greatest matters for the sin and wilfulness of others and must lie down under such suffering lest he should disorderly redress it But the consequent is against all Justice and Reason Therefore the Antecedent is so to Sect. 31. In a word it is so horrid a conclusion against Nature aâ—d the Gospel and Christian sence that the honour of God the fâ—uits of Redemption the being of the Church the salvation or comfort of mens souls must all be at the Prelates mercy that a considerate Christian cannot when he is himself believe it that it should be in the power of heretical malicious or idle Prelates to deny God his honour and Christ the fruit of all his sufferings aâ—d Saints their Comforts and sinners their salvation and this when the remedie is before us and that it is the will of God that all these evils should be chosen before the evil of an unordained Ministry this is an utterly incredible thing Sect. 32. Argument 2. Another Argument may be this If there may be all things essential to the Ministry without humane Ordination then this Ordination is not of Necessity to its Essence But the Antecedent is true therefore so is the consequent That there be a people qualified to receive a Pastor and persons qualified to be made Pastors and that God hath already determined in his Law that Pastors there shall be and how they shall be qualified is past all dispute So that nothing remains to be done by man Ordainers Magistrates or People but to determine who is the man that Christ describeth in his Law and would have to be the Pastors of such a flock or a Minister of the Gospel and then to solemnize his entrance by an Investiture And now I shall prove that a man may be a Minister without the Ordainers part in these Sect. 33. If the will of Christ may be known without Ordination that this man should be the Pastor of such a People or a Minister of the Gospel then may a man be a Minister without Ordination But the will of Christ may be known c. ergo Sect. 34. Nothing needs proof but the Antecedent For it is but the signification of the will of Christ that conferreth the Power and imposeth the Duty And that his will is sometime signified concerning the individual person without Ordination is apparent hence 1. The Description of such as Christ would have to preach the Gospel is very plain in his holy Canons in the Scripture 2. His Gifts are frequently so eminent in several persons as may remove all just occasion of doubting both from the persons themselves and others 3. Their suitableness to a People by interest acquaintance c. may be as notable 4. The Peoples common and strong affection to them and theirs to the People may be added to all these 5. There may be no Competitor at all or none regardable or comparable and so no controversie 6 The Necessities of the People may be so great and visible that he and they may see that they are in danger of being undone and the Church in danger of a very great loss or hurt if he deny to be their Pastor 7. The Magistrate also may call and command him
Christian without Baptism and have Christ and pardon and Justification and eternal life without it then may a man be a true Minister without Ordination For no man can reasonably plead that Ordination is more necessary to a Minister then Baptism to a Christian. Even the Papists that make a Sacrament of it and ascribe to it an indelible Character must needs set it somewhat lower then Baptism Baptizing is commonly called our Christening as that in some sort makes us Christians And yet for all that the true use of Baptism is but to solemnize the Marriage between Christ and us and to Invest and inaugurate them in a state of Christianity solemnly that were indeed Christians before And the Papists themselves confess that when a man first repenteth and believeth with a faith formata Charitate he is pardoned and in a State of Salvation before Baptism and shall be saved upon the meer Votum Baptismi if in case of Necessity he die without it Though the partial Proctors will damn the infants for want of Baptism that never refused it when they save the parents that have â—ut the desire No doubt but Constantine and many other that upon mistake deferred their Baptism were nevertheless Christians and judged so by the Church both then and now And yet to neglect it wilfully were no smal sin So if in our case men want Ordination they may be really Ministers and their Ministrations Valid but it is their very great sin if their wilfull neglect be the cause that they are not Ordained Sect. 46. As Baptism is the open badge of a Christian so Ordination is the open badge of a Minister and therefore though a man may be a Christian before God without Baptism yet Ordinarily he is not a Christian before the Church without Baptism till he have by some equivalent Profession given them satisfaction And therefore if I knew men to be utterly unbaptized I would not at first have Communion with them as Christians But if they could manifest to me that Necessity forbad them or if it were any mistake and scruple of their consciences that hindered them from the outwaâ—d Ordinance and they had without that Ordinance made as publick and bold a profession of Christianity and satisfactorily declared themselves to be Christians by other means I would then own them as Christians though with a disowning and reprehension of their error Even so would I do by a Minister I would not own him as a Minister unordained unless he either shewed a Necessity that was the Cause or else if it were his weakness and mistake did manifest by his abilities and fidelity and the consent and acceptance of the Church that he were truly called And if he did so I would own him though with a disowning and reproof of his mistake and omission of so great a duty Sect. 47. 5. There is not a word of God to be found that makes Ordination of absolute Necessity to the being of the Minâ—stry therefore it is not so to be esteemed The examples of Scripture shew it to the regular way and therefore Ordinarily a duty but they shew not that there is no other way Sect. 48. Object It is sufficient that no other way is revealed and therefore till you find another in Scripture this must be taken for the only way Answ. 1. Scripture is the Rule of our Right performance of all duties We cannot imagine that in the Rule there should be the least defect and therefore no precept or imitable pattern of sin in the smallest matter is there to be found And yet it followeth not that every sin doth Nullifie a Calling because there is no Scripture warrant for that sin All that will follow is that no other way is innocent or warrantable and that only when Necessity doth not warrant it 2. I have shewed already that there are other wayes warranted in some cases in the Scripture And I shall shew anon that as great omissions nullifie not the office Sect. 49. Object But how shall they preach unless they be sent saith Paul Rom. 10. Answ. But the question is Whether no man be sent that have not humane Ordination The text doth not affirm this Let that be Godâ— Ordinary way but yet it followeth not there is no other If God send them however they may preach as Edesius Frumentius Origen and others did of old Sect. 50. Argument 3. He that hath the Talents of Ministerial Abilities is bound to improve them to the service of his Master and best advantage of the Church But such are many that cannot have Ordination ergo Concerning the Major note that I say not that every man that is able is bound to be a Minister much less to enter upon the sacred function without Ordination For 1. Some men that have Abilities may want liberty and opportunity to exercise them 2. Others that have Ministerial Abilities may also have Abilities for Magisâ—racy Physick Law c. and may live in a Country where the exercise of the later is more Necessary and useful to the good of men and the service of God then the exercise of the Ministry would be For these men to be Ministers that either want opportunity or may do God greater service other waies is not to improve their Talents to their Masters chiefest service But still the general obligation holds to improve our Talents to the best advantage and do good to as many as we can and work while it is day And therefore 1. Such a man is bound if he be not otherwise called out first to offer his service to the Church and seek Ordination And if he cannot have it upon just seeking in case of Necessity he is to exercise his Talents without it lest he be used as the wicked slothful servant that hid his Talent Mat. 25. Sect. 51. If this were not so it would follow that the Gifts of God must be in vain and the Church suffer the loss of them at the pleasure of Ordainers and that the fixed universal Law that so severely bindeth all men as good Stewards to improve their Masters stock their Time abilities interest opportunities might be dispensed with at the Pleasure of Ordainers And that God hath bound us to seek in vain for Admittance to the exercise of the Talents that he hath endowed us with and that even in the Necessities of the Church Which are not things to be granted Sect. 52. Object By this doctrine you will induce disorder into the Church if all that are able must be Ministers when they are denyed Ordination For then they will be the Iudges of their own Abilities and every brain-sick proud Opinionist will think that there is a Necessity of his Preaching and so we shall have confusion and Ordination will be made contemptible by Pretences of Necessity Sect. 53. Answ. 1. God will not have the Necessities of mens souls neglected nor allow us to let men go quietly to damnation nor have his Churches ruined for fear of
prevail with Papists Italians or French to give us such a proof 2. It is a thing impossible for any man now alive to prove the Regular Ordination of all his Predecessors to the Apostles daies yea or any Ordination at all How can you tell that he that ordained you did not counterfeit himself to be Ordained Or at least that he was not ordained by an unordained man or that his Predecessors were not so It is a meer impossibility for us to know any such thing we have no Evidence to prove it Sect. 8. Object But it is probable though not certain for the Church proceedeth by such Rules and taketh the matter to be of so great weight that there is no probability that they would suffer any to go for Pastors or Bishops that are unordained in so great a case Answ. 1. All this is no certainty and therefore no proof and no satisfaction to the mind of a Minister in the forementioned doubts 2. Yea we have so great reason to be suspicious in the case that we cannot conclude that we have so much as a probabâ—ly Sect. 9. For 1. We know that there is so much selfishness and corruption in man as is like enough to draw them to deceit Ordainers may be bribed to consecrate or ordain the uncapable and the Ordained or Consecrated may be tempted to seek it in their incapacity and many may be drawn to pretend that they were Ordained or Consecrated when it was no such matter And so there is not so much a a Probability Sect. 10. 2. And we know that there were so many heresies abroad and still have been and so much faction and Schism in the Church that we cannot be sure that these might not interrupt the succession or that they drew not our predecessors to counterfeit a Consecration or Ordination when they had none or none that was regular Sect. 11. 3. And we know our selves that the thing hath been too usual When I was young I lived in a village that had but about twenty houses And among these there were five that went out into the Ministry One was an Old Reader whose Original we could not reach Another was his son whose selfâ—Ordination was much suspected The other three had Letters of Orders two of them suspected to be drawn up and forged by him and one that was suspected to Ordain himself One of them or two at last were proved to have counterfeit Orders when they had continued many years in the Ministry So that this is no rare thing Sect. 12. Among so many temptations that in so many ages since the Apostles dayes have befallen so many men as our predecessors in the Ministry or the Bishops predecessors have been it were a wonder if all of them should scape the snare So that we have reason to take it for a thing improbable that the succession hath not been interrupted Sect. 13. And we know that in several ages of the Church the Prelates and Priests have been so vile that in reason we could expect no better from men so vicious then forgery and abuse he that reads what Gildas and others say of the Brittish and what even Baronius much more Espencaeus Cornelius Mus. and others say of the Romanists yea he that knows but what state the Bishops and Priests have been in and yet continue in in our own dayes will never think it an improbable thing that some of our predecessors should be guilty either of Simony or other vice that made them uncapable or should be meer usurpers under the name of Bishops and Ministers of Christ. Sect. 14. Argument 2. If uninterrupted Regular Ordination of all our Predecessors be Necessary to the Being of the Ministry then can no Bishop or Pastors whatsoever comfortably Ordain For who dare lay his hand on the head of another and pretend to deliver him authority in the name of Christ that hath no assurance nor probability neither that he hath any Commission from Christ to do it But the Consequent will be disowned by those that dispute against us therefore so should the Antecedent be also Sect. 15. Argument 3. If there be a Necessity of an uninterrupted succession of true Regular Ordination then no man can know of the Church that he is a member of or of any other Church on earth that it is a true Church By a Church I mean not a Community but a Society not a company of private Christians living together as Christians neighbours but a Politick Church consisting of Pastor and people associated for the use of publick Ordinances and Communion therein But the consequent is false c. Sect. 16. The Major or consequence is certain For no man can know that the Church is a true Political Organized Church that knows not that the Pastor of it is a true Minister of Christ. Because the Pastor is an Essential constitutive part of the Church in this acceptation And I have proved already that the truth of the Ministry cannot be known upon the Opponents terms And for the Minor I think almost all Church members will grant it me For though they are ready enough to accuse others yet they all take their own Churches for true and will be offended with any that question or deny it Sect. 17. Argument 4. If there be a Necessity of an uninâ—errupted succession of true Ordination then cannot the Church or any Christian in it know whether they have any true Ministerial administrations whether in Sacraments or other Ordinances For he that cannot know that he hath a Minister cannot know that he hath the administration of a Minister But the consequent is untrue and against the comfort of all Christians and the honour of Christ and is indeed the very doctrine of the Infidels and Papists that call themselves Seekers among us Sect. 18. Argument 5. If the Churches and each member of them are bound to submit to the Ministry of their Pastors without knowing that they are regularly ordained or that they have an uninterrupted succession of such Ordination then are they quo ad Ecclesiam true Pastors to them and their administrations valid though without Ordination or such a succession But the Antecedent is true and granted by all that now we have to deal with Though they will not grant a known unordained man is to be taken for a Minister or one whose succession had a known intercision Yet they will grant that if the Nullity be unknown it freeth not the people from the obligation to their Pastors Sect. 19. Bellarmine lib 3. de Eccles. c. 10. was so stalled with these difficulties that he leaves it as a thing that we cannot bâ— resolved of that our Pastors have indeed Potestatem Ordinis Iurisdictionis that is that they are true Pastors And he saith that Non habemus certitudinem nisi Moralem quod illi sint vere Episcopi But when he should prove it to us that there is a Moral Certainty he leaves us to seek and gives us
none such as is granted therefore c. And what proof is there of Archbishops then Sect. 23. Their first proof is from the Apostles But they will never prove that they were fixed Bishops or Archbishops I have proved the contrary before But such an itinerant Episcopacy as the Apostles had laying by their extraordinaries for my part I think should be continued to the world and to the Church of which after Another of their proofs is from Timothy and Titus â— who thy say were Archbishops But there is full evidence that Timothy and Titus were not fixed Bishops or Archbishops but Itinerant Evangelists that did as the Apostles did even plant and settle Churches and then go further and do the like See and consider but the proofs of this in Prins unbishoping of Timothy and Titus Such Planters and Itinerants were pro tempore the Bishops of every Church where they came yet so as another might the next week be Bishop of the same Church and another the next week after him yea three or four or more at once as they should come into the place And therefore many Churches as well as Ephesus and Creet its like might have begun their Catalogue with Timothy and Titus and many a one besides Rome might have begun their Catalogue with Peter and Paul Sect. 24. Another of their proofs is of the Angels of the seven Churches which they say were Archbishops But how do they prove it Because those Churches or some of them were planted in chief Cities and therefore the Bishops were Metropolitans But how prove they the consequence By their strong imagination and affirmation The Orders of the Empire had not then such connection and proportion and correspondency with the Orders of the Church Let them give us any Valid proof that the Bishop of a Metropolis had then in Scripture times the Bishops of other Cities under him as the Governor of them and we shall thank them for such unexpected light But presumption must not go for proofs They were much later times that afforded occasion for such contentions as that of Basil and Anthymius Whether the bounds of their Episcopal Jurisdiction should change as the Emperours changed the State of the Provinces Let them prove that these Asian Angels had the Bishops of other Churches and the Churches themselves under their jurisdiction and then they have done something Sect. 25. But if there were any preheminence of Metropolilitans neer these times it cannot be proved to be any more then an honorary Primacy to be Episcopus primae sedis but not a Governour of the rest How else could Cyprian truly say even so long after as is before alledged that none of them was a Bishop of Bishops nor imposed on others but all were left free to their own consciences as being accountable only to God Sect. 26. Yea the Reverend Author above mentioned shews Dâ—ssertat de Episcop 4. cap. 10. Sect. 9 10 alibi that there were in those times more Bishops then one in a City though not in una Ecclesia aut Coeâ—u And the like hath Grotius oft So that a City had oft then more Churches then one and those Churches had their several Bishops and neither of these Bishops was the Governour of the other or his Congregation much less of the remoter Churches and Bishops of other Cities And this they think to have been the case of Peter and Paul at Rome yea and of their immediate successors there And so in other places Lege Dissert 5 c 1. Sect. 27. When the great Gregory Thaumaturgus was made Bishop of Neocaesarea he had but seventeen Christians in his City and when he had increased them by extraordinary successes yet we find not that he had so much as a Presbyter under him And if he had it s not likely that Musonius his first and chief entertainer would have been made but his Deacon and be the only man to accompany him and comfort him in his retirement in the persecution and that no Presbyter should be mentioned which shews that Bishops then were such as they were in Scripture-times at least in most places and had not many Churches with their Presbyters subject to them as Dâ—ocâ—san Bishops have And when Comana a small place not far off him received the faith Gregory Ordained Alexander the Colliar their Bishop over another single Congregâ—tion and did not keep them under his own Pastoral charge and Government Vid. Greg. Nysâ—n in vita Thaumat Sect. 28. But because that our Dâ—ocesan Bishops are such as the Archbishops that first assumed the Government of many Churches and because we shall hardly drive many from their presumption that Timothy and Titus were Archbishops besides the Apostles I shall now let that supposition stand and make it my next Argument that Argument 3. Ordination by Archbishops is not necessary to the Being of Ministers or Churches Our English Bishops were indeed Archbishops therefore Ordination by them is not Necessary It is not the Name but the office that is pleaded Necessary Sect. 29. And for the Major I think it will not be denyed All that I have to do with Protestants and Papists do grant the Validity of Ordination by Bishops And for the Minor it is easily proved The Bishops that are the Governours of many Churches and their Bishops are Archbishops The Bishops of England were the Governours of many Churches with their Bishops therefore they were Archbishops The Major will be granted And for the Minor I prove it by parts 1. That they were by undertaking the Governours of many Churches 2. And of many Bâ—shops Sect. 30. He that is the Governour over many Congregations of Christians associated for the publick Worship of God and holy communion and Edification under their Proper Pastors is the Governour of many Churches But such were our English Bishops therefore c. That such Societies as are here defined are true Churches is a truth so clear that no enemy of the Churches is is able to gainsay with any shew of Scripture or reason they being such Churches as are described in the Scriptures And 2. That our Ministers were true Pastors if any will deny as the Papists and Separatists do I shall have occasion to say more to them anon Sect. 31. Argument 4. If Ordination by such as the English Bishops be of Necessity to the Ministry and Churches then was there no true Ministry and Churches in the Scripture times nor in many years after But the consequent is false therefore so is the Antecedent The reason of the Consequence is because there were no such Bishops in those times and this is already proved they being neither the Itinerant Apostolical sort of Bishops nor the fixed Pastors of particular Churches besides which there were no other Sect. 32. Argument 5. If Ordination by such as the English Prelates be Necessary to the Being of the Ministry and Churches then none of the Protestants that have not such Prelates which is almost all are
Onuphrius Navarrus yea Bellarmine and Pope Nicolaâ— who maintain that In summo Pontifice pâ—st Electionem nulla alia requiritur confirmatio quia statim ut electus est suscipit administrationem And to this agreeth their Practice who at the Council of Trent had many Bishops meerly Elect and Elect Cardinals are admitted to Elect a Pope His sixth Argument is Quod Consecratio seu Investitura potest abâ—sse aliquo in Casu Electio autem nunquam ergo fundamentum Ministerii seu potestatis Ecclesiasticae est Electio non Consecratio which he endeavours to confirm My opinion of the fundamentum potestatis I have expressed in my Christian Concord othrrwise but yet I consent as is there expressed to the Necessity of the peoples Consent to our Office Sect. 90. Argument 20. If those in the Reformed Churches that are Ordained by Presbyters have as good a call to the Ministerial Office as the Princes of the Nations yea any one of them have to their Soveraignty or Power then are they true Ministers of Christ and their administrations valid to the Churches and their Ministry to be received But the Antecedent is true therefore so is the Consequent And I prove them both Sect. 91. The Secular power will be granted as to the most at least of Christian Princes and other Soveraigns when the Holy Ghost commandeth subjection to the Higher Powers even when they are Heathen and come in as Neâ—o did Rom. 13. we may well take it for granted that Christian Magistrates that have no better title then he are such as we must be subject to even those that have not so lawful an entrance as may justifie their possession or free them from the guilt of flat Usurpation before God may yet â—e such while they are in possession as we must be subject to for Conscience sake and all their administrations are â—s valid to the innocent subjects as if they had as good a title as the best They that deny this must overthrow almost all the Common-wealth's on Earth and turn Subjection into Rebellion Sect. 92. The Consequence then is proved from the parity of Reason in both 〈◊〉 The title of such Princes is so far good as that subjection is due to them and their Government valid our title to the Ministry is at least as good as theirs therefore submission or obedience is due to us and our administrations valid to the Church And that our title is as good as theirs will appear by a due comparison Sect. 93. 1. God is equally the Author of our Office and of theirs He that appointed the Magistrate to Rule by force appointed the Ministry to Teach and Guide and Worship publikely before the Church There is no Power but of God even Magistrates could have none unless it were given them from above 2. Usurpation therefore is a sin in Magistrates as well as Ministers And there is the same reason why it should invalidate their actions as ours if we were guilty of it 3. The Dissenters rule Nemo dat quod non habet concerneth the Magistrate as much as the Minister and somewhat more A man may do more in works of service to others without a special Office then in Magisterial Government Magistracy is a Relation that must have a foundation or efficient cause as well as Ministry If a Giver that himself hath the Power given is necessary to make Ministers then also to make Magistrate which yet is false in both if you speak of humane Donation to the Soveraign The effect can no more be without a cause in them then in us 4. Iâ— the Election or Consent of the people be enough to make a Magistrate or to be the foundation or donation as they suppose of his authority then much more may the election or consent of the people with the approbation and investiture by Presbyters and allowance of the Magistrate prove those in question to be true Ministers 5. No Prince on earth that ever â— heard of can prove any thing like an uninterrupted succession of legitimate Princes from a Predecessor immediatly authorized by God If Hereditary Princes that are the Successors of Usurpers are not to be obeyed it will be hard to find an Hereditary Prince that is to be obeyed so that their case is worse then the case of Ministers Sect. 94. For though 1. No Pastors on Earth can prove an uninterrupted Succession of persons lawfully Ordained 2. Nor is it necessary to prove a Local succession because God hath not tyed his Church to Towns or Countries and a Church and Pastor that are banished into another Land may there be the same Church and Pastor though in and of another place yet 1. We have a succession of possession in the Office itself 2. And a succession of actual Ordination in great probability no man can prove against us that we receive our Ministrie from any that were not actually Ordained Yet this much is not Necessary to our Office Sect. 95. Object But Christ hath tyed the Office of the Ministry to a legitimate Ordination but he hath not tyed the Magistracy to a lawful Title Answ. Here are two falshoods barely affirmed or implyed One is that a just Title is less necessary to the Magistrate then the Minister when the Reason of both is the same Title is the foundation of Right Magistracie is a Right of Governing No Relation can be without its Foundation The other is that God hath tyed the Office of the Ministrie to a legitimate Ordination This is unproved and I have proved the contrary before It is our Duty to enter by Legitimate Ordination where it may be had and thus we do But if any of our Predecessors perhaps a thousand or five hundred years ago did enter otherwise that doth not invalidate our Ordination or Ministrie nor is it any of our sin Sect. 96. As Ministers were at first Ordained by Imposition of hands so Kings were chosen by God and in the Church anointed by a Prophet or special Officer of God and sometime by the people that is by their suffrages appointing it or consenting to it as appeareth 1 Sam. 10.1 15.17 16.13 24.6 2 Sam. 2.4 7. 5.3 12.7 19.10 1 King 1.45 5.1 2 King 11.12 23.30 2 Chron. 22.7 so that there is as much in Scripture for this manner of their investiture as there is for Ministers Ordination by imposition of hands yet may they be Kings that have no such Investiture much less all their predecessors We then that have a due Investiture may prove our Ministry whatever our predecessors had Sect. 97. I come now to the Arguments of the adversaries of our Ministrie which I need not stand long on because they are few and scarce considerable and sufficiently answered in what is said And first its said by a Learned man Dissâ—rtaâ— de Episcop contra Blondel Praemoniâ— ad Lâ—ctor sect 4.13 Nos illud in hac discâ—ptatione pro concesso positum censâ—bimus
either restrain or change them But when they have such an irritation and encouragement as this and that from men that would be reputed as Godly as the best then no wonder if they are hardened in their malignity When we would instruct them and mind them of their everlasting state and help to prepare them for their latter end they are told by Learned men that we are no Ministers but Lay-men and Schismaticks and that it is their sin to own us or receive the Ordinances of Christ from us as Ministers and so the poor people turn their backs on us and on the Assemblies and Ordinances of God and being taught by wise and learned men to disown us and despise us they follow their drunkenness and worldliness and ungodlyness with greater security and with less remorse for now they have a defensative against the galling doctrine of those precise Preachers that would not let them alone in their sin they were wont to be disturbed at least by Sermons and sometime they purposed to return and were in the way of Grace and in some hope but now they are taught by Learned Godly Divines to keep out of hearing they can go on and sin in peace Sect. 21. 15. By this means also you rob God of his publike worship People are taught to turn their backs on it you teach them that it is better that God have no publike Ministerial worship at all in Prayer Praises Sacraments c. then that he should have it from any but Prelatical Ministers O sacred doctrine And if you had your wills for the silencing or ejecting of all that are not Ordained by Prelates how many hundred Church-doors must be shut up in the Christian world or worse Sect. 22. 16. By this means all Impiety would be cherished and let loose When once the mouths of Ministers were stopped the mouth of the swearer and curser and railer and scorner at Godliness would be open and so would be the mouth of the drunkard and glutton If all that can be done be so much too little as experience tells us what a case would the Nations be in and how would iniquity abound if Ministers were cast out Sect. 23. 17. Yea it might endanger the Churches by the introduction of Infidelity or Heathenism it self For nothing is more natural as it were to corrupted man and if once the Ministry be taken down and they have none or those that are next to none Infidelity and Atheism will soon spring up And it will be a more dangerous sort of Infidelity then is among many of the open Infidels because it would be palliated with the name of Christianity and leave men further from conviction then some that never heard of Christ. Sect. 24. 18. And it is a temptation to Infidelity and Contempt of the Church and Ministrie when men shall â—ee that one party of Christians doth thus unchurch another They will think that they may boldly say that of us which we say of the another one party unchurcheth all the Papists these that we are now speaking to do unchurch all the Protestant Churches that are not Prelatical The Papists unchurch all but themselves and so among them they leave Christ but a very small part of his inheritance Sect. 25. 19. Yea I fear that by Consequence and too near and plaâ—n a Consequence they dissolve the Catholike Church it self And if it be so let them judge whether their doctrine subvert not Christianitie I use no violence for the inference If want of Prelatical Ordination do Null the Protestant Ministrie and Churches then it must needs follow that far greater defects and more against the vitals of the Church will do as much to unchurch the Romanists the Greeks Armenians Syrians Ethiopians Egyptians c. But alas how easie is it to prove that all these have far greater defects then the Presbyterian Protestant Churches and so the whole must fall together Sect. 26. 20. By all these means they joyn with the Quakers and Seekers and Drunkards in opposing the same Ministrie that they oppose You are no true Ministers of Iesus Christ say the Quakers Seekers and other Sects so also say these that now we are speaking of and if they preach their doctrine and side with them against the servants of Christ let them be afraid lest they partake of their Spirit and Reward Sect. 27. 21. Their doctrine and practice tendeth to grieve the hearts of the most experienced gracious souls Should all the Ministers be cast out that are not Prelatical and the places supplyed as they mâ—st be in their stead with such as can be had O what a day would it be to honest humble souls that were wont to delight themselves in the publike worship of God and to find instruction and admonition and consolation sutable to their necessities If now they should have all turned to what the Doctrine of these men portends their souls would be as in a Wilderness and famine would consume them and they would lament as David in his banishment and the Jews in their captivity to think of the daies that once they saw Sect. 28. 22. And doth it not imply a great deal of unholiness and enmitie to Reformation when men dare thus boldly unchurch the most of the Reformed Churches and pass such desperate nullifying censures on the most holy able painful Ministers of the Gospel O how many of them are studying and watching and praying for their people day and night and teaching them publickly and from house to house and that sometimes with tears willing to spend and be spent fo their Salvation not seeking theirs but them and when they have done all they are reproached as no Ministers of Christ and the people taught to disown them and forsake them Is this a sign of a son of God that is tender of his honour and interest or of a Holy Gracious soul Sect. 29. 23. At least by this means the hands of Ministers are weakned in their work and their difficulties increased and their hearts grieved because of their peoples misery O if they could have but a free unprejudiced hearing with poor sinners some good might be done But they will not hear us nor come neer us or speak to us Especially when they are taught to forsake us by such men I would not be the man that should thus add burden and grief to the faithful Ministers of Christ upon such an account for all the Bishopricks on earth Sect. 30. 24 They also distract the minds of Christians when they hear men thus degrading and unchurching one another so that weak persons are perplexed and know not what to think nor what Church or Religion to be of yea it is well if many be not tempted hereby to be of no Religion at all when they hear them condemning one another Sect. 31. 25. These shew too much formality and Ceremoniousness when they so much prefer their own opinon about a circumstance Ceremony or Mode before the very being
unworthy though they were Ordained by Bishops adding Ordinari nonnunquam indignos non secundum Dei voluntatem sed secundum humanam praesumptionem haec Deo displicere quae non veniant ex legitima justa Ordinatione Deus ipse manifestat c. Necessity may justifie some things that otherwise would be irregularities but when Per urbes singulas that is in every Church Ordinati sint Episcopi in aetate antiqui in fide integri in pressura probati in persecutione proscripti ille super â—os creare alios pseudo-Episcopos audeat this is a fact that the poeple should disown And Qui neque unitatem spiritus nec conjunctionem pacis observat se ab Ecclesiae vinculo atque à Sacerdâ—tum collegio separat Episcopo nec potestatem potest habere nec honorem qui Episcopatus nec unitatem voluit tenere nec pacem Cyprian Epist. 52. ad Antonian Sect. 57. Prop. 5. Solemn Investiture is the last part of Ordination by which the man that by consent of the people and himself and by the Pastors Approbation had received from Christ a Right to the Power and Honour and Priviledges and an Obligation to the Duties of the Office is solemnly introduced and put in Possession of the place Sect. 58. Though in some cases a man may exercise the Ministry upon the foresaid Approbation and Election which are most necessary without this solemn investiture yet is it ordinarily a duty and not to be neglected And the people should require the performance of it I need not stand upon the Proof for it is proved before by what was said for Approbation seeing they have ever gone together Though fundamentally he be a Christian that hath entered Covenant with Christ yet before the Church he is Visibly no Christian that hath not been Baptized or at least made open Profession of that Covenant Though fundamentally they are Husband and Wife that are contracted or knit together by private Consent yet in foro Civili in Law sence and before men they must be solemnly married or else they are judged fornicators And should any fantastical persons seek to cast by this publick investiture or solemn Marriage as unnecessary he would but let in common Whoredoms The solemnity or publication in such Cases is of great Necessity And it s much conducible to the greater obligation of Pastor and people to be solemnly engaged together and to have solemn Prayer for Gods blessing tendeth to their prosperity Sect. 59. When men are Ordained only to the Ministry in General it may be done in one place as well as another that is otherwise convenient But if they are also Ordained to be Pastors of a Particular Church it is the fittest way by far that they be Ordained in the face of the Church that the people and they may be mutually engaged c. Though yet this be not absolutely necessary Sect. 60. And thus I have dispacht with the brevity intended this weighty point concluding with these two requests to my Brethren that shall peruse it 1. That before they let out their displeasure against me for contradicting any of their conceits they would humbly impartially and with modest self-suspicion both study and pray over what they read and not temerariously rush into the battell as pre-engaged men 2. That they will alway keep the faith and charity and self-denyal and tenderness of Christians upon their hearts and the great Ends and Interest of Christ and Christianity before their eyes and take heed how they venture upon any controverted points or practice as a Means that certainly contradicteth the Spirit of Christianity and the great Ends the Churches Unity Peace and Holiness c. which all true means are appointed and must be used to attain And whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule and mind the same things Phil. 3.16 Remembring that in Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth nor uncircumcision but a new creature And as many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and Mercy and on the Israel of God Gal. 6.15 16. Finitur May 19. 1658. The Third DISPUTATION FOR Such sorts of Episcopacy or Disparity in Exercise of the Ministry as is Desirable or Conducible to the Peace and Reformation of the Churches By Richard Baxter LONDON Printed by Robert White for Nevil Simmons Bookseller in Kederminster Anno Dom. 1658. AN Episcopacy Desirable for the Reformation Preservation and Peace of the Churches CHAP. I. Of General unfixed Bishops or Ministers § 1. IT is but delusory dealing of them that make the world believe that the question between the Prelatical Divines and the rest of the Reformed Churches is Whether the Church should be Governed by Bishops This is a thing that is commonly granted But the controversie is about the Species of Episcopacy Not whether Bishops but what sort of Bishops should be the ordinary Governours of the Church of Christ § 2. And therefore it is also very immethodical and unsatisfactory of most that ever I read for Episcopacy that plead only for Episcopacy in General but never once define that sort of Episcopacy which they plead for but go away with it as smoothly when the question is unstated as if they understood themselves and others were capable of understanding them and so they lose their Learned labours § 3. I have already in the first Disputation told you among ten several sorts of Episcopacy which they be that I think desirable and which I judge tolerable aad which intolerable And I have there already given you the Reasons why I judge such a general unfixed Bishop to be of standing use to the Church and world as here we are speaking of and therefore I shall forbear here the repeating of what is said already § 4. That the world and Church should still have such a General Itinerant unfixed Ministry as that was of the Apostles Evangelists and others having there already proved I have nothing to do more but to shew the use of it and to answer the objections that some very learned Reverend Divines have used against it § 5. The principal use of a general Ministry is for the converting of the unconverted world and Baptizing them when converted and Congregating their Converts into Church order and setling them under a fixed Government And the next use of them is to have a Care according to the extent of their capacity and opporunities of the Churches which they have thus Congregated and setled and which are setled by other Ministers § 6. Let it be remembred that we are not now disputing of the Name but of the Thing It is not whether such an Officer of Christ be to be called an Apostle or an Evangelist or a Prophet or a Bishop or a Presbyter But whether unfixed general Ministers to gather Churches and settle them and take the care of many without a special Pastoral charge of any one above the rest were appointed by Christ for continuance in his
Church This is it that I affirm and have already proved § 7. Nor yet is it any of our Question Whether the difference between these general unfixed Ministers and ordinary fixed Presbyters be in point of Authority or of exercise only Whether they are two distinct Species of the Ministry or but one of the same Office in Specie variously exercised I have given in my thoughts of this before so far as I can yet reach But if it be granted that some should ordinarily exercise their office generally and ambulatorily over many Churches as others ordinarily must exercise it fixedly in one particular Church I shall not contend whether they are to be called One Office or two nor yet whether the fixed Minister may not extraordinarily upon a special reason do the same work as the itinerant Minister in the same way But Ministers there must be for both these work § 8. And that some should make the general work before mentioned their ordinary business and not take the pastoral Charge of any particular Church I conceive besides the former proofs is further manifest 1. In that the work of Converting Unbelievers and bringing them into a fitness for Church Communion is the work that is to go first and is the greatest work It s the greatest in weight praecisively considered and as to the terminus à quo of the change that it effects and it is the greatest in regard of opposing difficulties the winning of a soul which rejoyceth Angels and rejoyceth Jesus Christ himself will have so much of Satans malice to oppose it and hath so much resistance in the heart of the sinner that it requireth the whole work in ordinary of those Ministers that are specially called hereunto § 9. And 2. Withall it commonly falls out that there are far greater numbers to be converted then to be Governed after Conversion If it be not so in some Countries where the face of God hath shined most effectually yet in others and in most it is even in the far greatest part of the world O how many millions of souls are there that perish for lack of knowledge and know not for want of teaching and never heard of Jesus Christ in any likely manner to prevail in all their lives Surely such multitudes of Miserable souls yea Nations require Ministers wholly set upon this work § 10. And 3. It ordinarily falls out too that the unconverted unbelieving part of the world do live at a great distance from the Churches of Christ and therefore the same man that is Pastor of a Church hath not opportunity to speak to them Or if they live in the same Country they seldom meet in greatest numbers in the same Assemblies And therefore when the Pastor is upon his own work it is requisite that there be some to speak to the rest § 11. And yet I doubt not but as there are hypocrites in most Churches and among us many that by their ignorance or impiety we have cause to judge to be yet no Christians are our Ordinary hearers so the Pastors of the Churches may and must endeavour their conversion and much suit their preaching to the condition of such souls But yet those millions that in other parts of the world and perhaps in Ireland Wales and the Highlands of Scotland too many such may be found that neither know what Christianity is nor are the Ordinary hearers of a fixed Ministry and live not within the reach of such should have a Converting Itinerant Ministry for themselves § 12. Moreover 4. The Pastoral work is it self so great and the charge that we take of particular Churches and our obligation to them so strict that it will usually it self take up the whole man and will not allow a Pastor time for the other work on those at a distance yet uncalled without neglecting the souls that he hath undertaken to oversee § 13. And 5. For want of such general Ministers the state of persons is in some places confounded and the world and the Church are thrust together as if there were no difference to be made Because there are no Ministers known but Pastors therefore there are no People known but as Christians where yet the very knowledge of Christianity is too rare Whereas if where numbers and distance make it necessary the preparing Ministry had first done their part it would have prevented much dangerous confusion and self-deceit that followeth hereupon in many places § 14. And 6. By the mistaken supposition that such generall or unfixed Ministers are ceased men have been drawn to set Lay-men upon the greatest and noblest work of the Ministry and a conceit is hence risen among some that because this is not proper to the Pastors of a Church therefore it is not a Ministerial work but the work of gifted Brethren And hereupon uncalled men are tempted to exercise it and by laying aside the officers appointed hereunto by Christ the burden is cast on the weakest men § 15. Yea 7. By this means many Ministers themselves understanding not the Nature and extent of their own Office when they do but preach to any that are not of the Church that they have charge of imagine that they preach but as meer Lay-men and if they preach for the Conversion of unbelievers they profess it to be no act of their office which is an act that hath more inconveniences then I shall now express § 16. And 8. Which is worst of all by supposing that no Ministers are now to be appointed for the Conversion of Infidels and gathering and planting Churches it is come to pass that the most necessary work in all the world is neglected cast off and almost quite unknown in the world except Mr. Eliots and a few with him in New England and some of the Jesuites and Fryars in the East-Indies and America who have been sent or have adventured themselves for the Converting of the Nations Were it but known and considered how much of the Will of Jesus Christ is to be fulfilled by this most blessed work Princes would have studied it and contributed their assistance and many would have been ready to have offered themselves to God for the work when now it is looked on as no part of our duty not only because that sluggishness and cowardize calleth it impossible and the adventure unreasonable but also because we think it was a work that was proper to Apostles and Evangelists and Ministers are now tyed to their proper flock And thus the poor unbelieving world is left in their sin § 17. And 9. I doubt by this mistake and neglect we forfeit the benefit of that special promise in too great a measure Mat. 28.20 and miss of that eminent assistance and presence of Christ with our Ministry that otherwise we might expect If we did go into the world and preach the Gospel to the Nations having used our industry first to learn their languages we might expect that Christ would alwayes be with us
the point For 1. It seemeth a most improbable thing that all the Churches or so many should so suddenly take up this Presidency Prelacy or Disparity without scruple or resistance if it had been against the Apostles minds For it cannot be imagined that all these Churches that were planted by the Apostles or Apostolical men and had seen them and conversed with them should be either utterly ignorant of their minds in such a matter of publike practice or else should be all so careless of obeying their new received doctrine as presently and unanimously to consent to a change or endure it without resistance Would no Church or no persons in the world contend for the retention of the Apostolical institutions Would no Chuâ—ch hold their own and bear witness against the corruption and innovations of the rest would no persons say you go about to alter the frame of Government newly planted among us by the Holy Ghost It was not thus in the dayes of Peter or Paul or John and therefore we will have no change Thâ—s seeâ—s to me a thing incredible that the whole Church should all at once almost so suddenly and silently yield to such a change of Government And I do not think that any man can bring one testimony from all the volumes of Antiquity to prove that ever Church or person resisted or disclaimed such a change in the times when it must be made if ever it was made that is in the first or second ages § 17. Yea 2. It is plain by the testimony of Hierom before mentioned and other testimonies of antiquity that in Alexandria at least this practice was used in the dayes of the Apostles themselves For they testifie that from the dayes of Mark the Evangelist till the days of Heroclas and Dionysius the Presbyters chose one from among them and called him their Bishop Now it is supposed by the best Chronologers that Mark was slain about the sixty third year of our Lord and the tenth of Nero and that Peter and Paul were put to death about the sixty sixth of our Lord and thirteenth of Nero and that Iohn the Apostle died about the ninety eighth year of our Lord and the first of Trajan which was about thirty five years after the death of Mark. Now I would leave it to any mans impartial consideration whether it be credible that the holy Apostles and all the Evangelists or Assistants of them then alive would have suffered this innovation and corruption in the Church without a plain disowning it and reproving it Would they silently see their newly established Order violated in their own dayes and not so much as tell the Churches of the sin and danger Or if they had indeed done this would none regard it nor remember iâ— so much as to resist the sin These things are incredible § 18. And I am confident if the judicious godly people had their choice from the experience of what is for their good they would commonly choose a fixed President or chief Pastor in every Church Yea I see that they will not ordinarily endure that it should be otherwise For when they find that God doth usually qualifie one above the rest of their Teachers they will hardly consent that the rest have an equal power over them I have seen even a sober unanimous Godly people refuse so much as to give their hands to an assistant Presbyter whom yet they loved honoured and obeyed though they were urged hard by him that they preferred and all from a loathness that there should be a parity I know not one Congregation to my remembrance that hath many Ministers but would have one be chief § 19. Object But the Prelatical men will say our Pariâ—shes are not capable of this because they have commonly but one Pastor nor have maintainance for more Answ. 1. Though the greâ—ter number have but one yet it is an ordinary case to have two or three or more where there are Chappels in the Parish and the Congregations great as in Market Towns And if ever we have Peace and a setled faithfull Magistrate that will do his part for the house of God we shall certainly have many Ministers in great Congregations Or else they are like to be left desolate For Ministers will over-run them for fear of undertaking far more work then with their utmost pains they are able to perform § 20. And 2. There are few Congregations I hope of Godly people but have some private men in them that are fit to be Ordained Assistant Presbyters though not to govern a Church alone without necessity yet to assist a Learned judicious man such as understand the body of Divinity as to the great and necessary points and are able to pray and discourse as well as many or most Ministers and to exhort publickly in a case of need He that would imitate the example of the Primitive Church at least in the second Century should Ordain such as these to be some of them Assistant Elders and some of them Deacons in every Church that hath such and let them not teach publickly when a more learned able Pastor is at hand to do it but let them assist him in what they are fittest to perform Yet let them not be Lay Elders but authorized to all Pastoral administrations and of one and the same office with the Pastor though dividing the exercise and execution according to their abilities and opportunities and not comming in without Ordination nor yet taking up the Office only pro tempore And thus every Parish where are able Godly men may have a Presbyterie and President § 21. Till then 3. It is granted by the Learned Dr. H. H. that it is not necessary to the being of a Bishop that he have fellow Presbyters with him in that Church If he have but Deacons it may suffice And this is easie to be had § 22. And indeed 1. The parts of many very able Christians are too much buried and lost as to the Church for want of being drawn into more publick use 2. And it is it that tempteth them to run of themselves into the Ministry or to preach without Ordination 3. And yet few of these are fit to be trusted with the Preaching of the word or guiding of a Church alone no nor in equality with others for they would either corrupt the doctrine or divide the Church But under the inspection and direction of a more Learned judicious man as his assistants doing nothing against his mind they might be very serviceable to some Churches And such a Bishop with such a Presbyterie and Deacons neither Lay nor usually very Learned were the ancient fixed Governours of the Churches if I can understand antiquity CHAP. V. Objections against the Presidency forementioned answered § 1. BUT it is not likely but all these motions will have Dissenters on both sides It were strange if in a divided age and place and among a people engaged in so many several parties and that
common to other Churches was never denyed by any author Words may not break square where the things are agreed If the name of a Bishop displease let them call this man a Moderator a President a Superintendent an Overseer Only for the fixedness or change of this person let the ancient and universall practice of Gods Church be thought worthy to oversway And if in this one point N. B. wherein the distance it so narrow we could condescend to each other all other circumstances and appendances of varying practices or 〈◊〉 might without any difficulty be accorded But if there must be a difference of judgement in these matters of outward Policy why should not our hearts be still one why should such a diversity be of Power to endanger the dissolving of the bond of brotherhood May we have the grace but to follow the truth in Love we shall in these several tracts overtake her happily in the end and findâ— her embracing of Peace and crowning us with blessedness So far Bishop Hall so that you see that only the fixing of the Moderator or President will satisfie such as he and so with him and such as he for my part I am fully agreed already § 4. And here by the way because there are so many Episcopal separatists of late that hazzard the souls of their partial followers and because the right habituating of the mind with Peace is an excellent help to a sound understanding and the escaping the errors and hainous sins that Faction engageth too many in I therefore make it my request to all that read these lines but soberly to read over that one Book of Bishop Halls called the Peace-maker once or twice which if I could procure I think I should do much to the Peace of these Churches and to the good of many endangered souls that by passionate and factious leaders are misguided § 5. The same Reverend man in his Humble Remonstrance hath these words Pag. 29 30 31. The second is intended to raise envy against us as the uncharitable censurers and condemners of those Reformed Churches abroad which differ from our Government wherein we do justly complain of a slanderous aspersion cast upon us We love and honour those Sister Churches as the dear spouse of Christ we bless God for them and we do heartily wish unto them that happiness in the Partnership of our adminâ—stration which I doubt not but they do no less heartily wish unto themselves Good words you will perhaps say but what is all this fair complement if our act condemn them For if Episcopacy stand by Divine right what becomes of these Churches that want it Maâ—ice and ignorance are met together in this unjust aggravatiâ—n 1. Our position is only affirmative implying the justifiableness and holiness of an Episcopal calling without any further implication Next when we speak of Divine right we mean not an express Law of God requiring it upon the absolute Necessity of the Being of a Church what hinderances soever may interpose but a Divine institution warranting it where it is and â—equiring it where it may be had Every Church therefore which is capable of this form of Government both may and ought to affâ—ct it but those particular Churches to whom this power and faculty is denyed lose nothing of the true essence of a Church though they miss some thing of their glory and perefection And page 32. Our form of Government differs little from their own save in the perpetuity of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moderatorship and the exclusion of that Lay-Presbyterie which never till this age had footing in the Christian Church And Page 41 42. Alas my Brethren while we do fully agree in all these and all other Doctrinal and Practical points of Religion why will you be so uncharitable as by these frivolous and causeless Divisions to â—end the seamless coat of Christ It it a Title or a Retinue or a Ceremony a Garment or a Colour or an Organ Pipe that can make us a different Church whiles we preach and profess the same saving truth whiles we desire as you profess to do to walk conscionably with our God according to that one Rule of the Royall Law of our Maker whiles we oppose one and the same common enemy whiles we unfeignedly endeavour to hold the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of Peace For us we make no difference at all in the right and interest of the Church betwixt Clergy and Laity betwixt the Clergy and Laity of one part and of another we are all your true Brethren we are one with you both in heart and brain and hope to meet you in the same heaven but if ye will needs be otherwise minded we can but bewail the Churches misery and your sin You hear how this good Bishop was far from a separation § 6. How contrary to this is the foresaid writing of Dr. Hide which I instance in because it is come new to my hand who stigmatizeth the front of his book with the brand of separation and that of one of the most rigid and unreasonable kinds Thus he begins When Conscientious Ministers cannot associate in the Church and Conscientious Christians cannot go to Church and Customary Christians go thither either to little purpose because to no true worship or to great shame because to no true Ministers t is fit the Church should come to private houses Doth he not begin very wisely and charitably What could the most Schismatical Papist say more What! no true worship no true Ministers and but Customary Christians that come thither Yes and that 's not all he pursues it with an exprobration that we are faln from our Religion p. 4. and yet that 's not all he adds Here seems yet to be a very bad certainty of their Religion and how can there be a better Certainty of their salvation unless that we may gratifie their singularity more then our own veracity we will say There may be a company of good Christians out of the Communion of Saints or a Communion of Saints out of Christs Catholike Church Should we laugh or weep at such a man as this What! no communion of Saints but with the separating party of the Prelates Unhappy we that live in England and can meet with so small a number of these Saints Is the Catholike Church confined to this party and Salvation to this Chunch Transcendent Papal arrogancy It s well that these Prelates are not the only Key-keepers of heaven for we see how we should then be used I must tell this Dr. and all of his mind that it is an easier way to Heaven then we dare hope to come thither by to joyn our selves to their separating Communion of Saints and live as the most that we are acquainted with that are of that Saint-like Communion He had been better have talked at these rates to men of another Age or Nation then to us that see the lives of their adherents We never
the Pastors prayer which they must pray over with him and not only hear it is a stinted form to them even as much as if he had learnt it out of a Book They are to follow him in his method and words as if it were a Book prayer Argum. 7. It is lawful to use a form in Preaching therefore a stinted Liturgy is lawful 1. Because preaching is a part of that Liturgy 2. Because the reason is the same for prayer as for that in the main Now that studyed formed Sermons are lawful is so commonly granted that it shall save me the labour of proving it which were easie Argum. 8. That which hath been the practice of the Church in Scripture times and down to this day and is yet the practice of almost all the Churches of Christ on earth is not like to be unlawful buâ— such is the use of some stinted forms of publick service therefore c. That it was so in the Jews Church and approved by Christ I have shewed That it hath been of antient use in the Church since Christ and is at this day in use in Africk Asia Europe even among the Reformed Churches in France Holland Geneva c. is so well known that I think I need not stand to prove it yea those few that seem to disuse it do yet use it in Psalms and other parts of worship of which more anon Prop. 2. A Stinted Liturgy in some parts of publick holy service is ordinarily necessary This Proposition is to be proved by instances and the proof of the parts The parts where a set form is usually necessary I shall enumerate desiring you by the way to understand 1. That I speak not of an Absolute Necessity ad finem as if no other could be accepted but a Necessity of Duty it ought to be done as the best way 2. That I say but ordinarily as excepting some unusual cases 1. The Communication or revealation of the will of God to the Church by Reading of the Holy Scriptures is part of the publick service of God As Moses and the Prophets were read every Sabbath day so by parity of reason should the Gospel and Paul required the publick reading of his Epistles Act. 13.27 15.21 2 Cor. 3.15 Luk. 16.29 Col. 4.16 1 Thes. 5.27 Rev. 1.3 But this Reading of the Scriptures is the using of a set form in publike service For they are the same words that we read from day to day and usually Must read 2. The Publick Praysing of God by singing of Palms is a part of publick worship and a most excellent part not usually to be omitted But this part of worship is ordinarily to be used in a stinted form because the gift of composing Psalms ex tempore without a prepared form is not usual in the Church and if it were so to one it is not to the rest that must use this worship Had we not stinted forms of Psalms we should have ill-favoured work in the Church 3. Baptisme is usually to be administred in a form of words for Christ hath prescribed us a form Matth. 28.19 Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost I think few sober men will think it ordinarily meet to disuse this form 4. The use of a form in the Consecration and Administration of the Lords Supper though not through the whole action is ordinarily most fit for Christ hath left us a form of words Take ye Eat ye c. which are most exact and safe and none can mend And Paul reciteth his form 1 Cor. 11. And small alterations in the very words of Baptisme or Delivering the Lords Supper may easily corrupt the Ordinance in time 5. The very Sacramental Elements and Actions are stinted forms of Administration which none may alter As the washing with water the breaking of bread and powring out of wine and giving them and taking them and eating and drinking c. These are real forms not to be changed at least without Necessity if at all 6. The Blessing of the people in the Name of the Lord was done by a prescribed form of old Num. 6.23 and is usually to be done in a form still For in all these forementioned parts of worship should we still use new expressions when so few and pertinent must be used we should be put to disuse the fittest and use such as are less fit 7. In our ordinary Preaching a form not imposed unless in cases of great Necessity and unfitness but of our own premeditating is usually fittest I think few men are so weak as to prefer with most preachers unprepared Sermons before those that have more of their care and study And then at least the Text Method and somewhat of the words must be premeditated if not all 8. Ordinarily there should be somewhat of a form in Publick Confessions of the Churches faith For how else shall all concur And it is a tender point to admit of great or frequent mutations in so that in Baptisme and at other seasons when the Christian faith is to be openly professed by one or more or all a form that is exact is usually meet to be retained though in many personal Cases explicatory enlargements may do well 9. If there be not a frequent use of many of the same words and so somewhat of a form in Marriage Confirmation Absolution Excommunication the danger will be more then the benefit by mutation will be 10. And with some Ministers of whom anon even in Prayer especially about the Sacraments where there must be great exactness and the matter ordinarily if not alwayes the same the ordinary use of a form may be the best and fittest way In the most of these Cases 1. The Nature of the thing sufficiently proves the ordinary fitness of a form 2. The constant Practice of almost all Churches if not all is for it even they that scruple forms of Prayer use constantly forms of Praise of Reading of Sacraments c. 3. The rest are proved fittest as aforesaid by the Apostles generall Rules 1 Cor. 14.26 40. Let all things be done to Edifying and Let all things be done decently and in order Now in the cases before mentioned the Edification of the Church to say nothing of Order requireth the ordinary use of forms Prop. 3. IN those parts of publick worship where a form is not of ordinary necessity but only Lawfull yet may it not only be submitted to but desired when the Peace of the Church doth accidentally require it This Proposition needs no proof but only explication For he is far from the temper of a Christian that sets so light by the Peace of the Church that he would not use a Lawfull means for the procurement of it when Paul would become all things to all men to save some and would eat no flesh while he lived rather then offend his weak brother But here you must take these cautions lest
what hath been said you may see which of the late English Controverted Ceremonies I take to have been Lawful and which unlawfull Too many years did I spend long agoe about these controversies and the judgement that then I arrived at I could never find reason since to change notwithstanding all the changes of the times and the helps I that have since had And it was and is as followeth § 39. 1. About Episcopacy which was the principal point concomitant with the Ceremonial Controversie I have given you my thoughts before 2. The ceremonies controverted among us were especially The surplice the gesture of Kneeling in Receiving the Lords supper the ring in Marriage Laying the hand on the Book in taking aâ— Oath the Organs and Church musick Holy daies Altars Rails and the Cross in Baptism To say nothing of the matter or form of the Prayers § 40. And 1. If the surplice be Imposed by the Magistrate as it was who is a lawfull Governor and that directly but as a Decent Habit for a Minister in Gods service I think he needlesly strained his Power and sinfully made an engine to divide the Church by making such a needless law and laying the Peace of the Church upon it But yet he medled with nothing but was within the reach of his Power in the general Some Decent Habit is Necessary Either the Magistrate or the Minister himself or the Associated Pastors must determine what I think neither Magistrate nor Synod should do any more then hinder undecency But yet if they do more and tye all to one Habit and suppose it were an undecent Habit yet this is but an imprudent use of Power It is a thing within the Magistrates reach He doth not an aliene work but his own work amiss and therefore the thing in it self being lawfull I would obey him and use that garment if I could not be dispensed with Yea though Secondarily the Whiteness be to signifie Purity and so it be made a teaching sign yet would I obey For secondarily we may lawfully and piously make Teaching signs of our food and rayment and every thing we see But if the Magistrate had said that the Primary reason or use of the Surplice was to be an instituted sacramental sign to work gâ—ace on my soul and engage me to God then I durst not have used it though secondarily it had been commanded as a decent garment New Sacraments I durst not use though a secondary use were lawfull § 41. 2. And for Kneeling at the Sacrament I doubt not at all but the imposing it and that on such rigorous terms tying all to it and casting all out of the communion of the Church or from the participation of the Sacrament that durst not use it was a very grievous sin and tended to persecution injustice and Church-dividing It is certainly in a doubtful case the safest way to do as Christ and his Apostles and the universal Church did for many hundred years That none should Kneel in publick worship on the Lords day no not in Prayer much less in receiving the Eucharist was a Custome so ancient and Universal in the Church that it was everywhere observed before general Councils were made use of and in the first general Council of Nice it was made the last Canon and other general Councils afterward renewed it so that I know not how any Ceremony can possibly pretend to greater Ecclesiastical Authority then this had And to cast out all from Church Communion in Sacraments that dare not go against the examples of Christ and his Apostles and all the Primitive Church who long received the Eucharist in another gesture and against the Canons of the first and most famous and other succeeding general Councils this is a most inhumane part Either the gesture is indifferent in it self or not If it be how dare they thus divide the Church by it and cast out Christians that scruple it when they have these and many other reasons of their scruples which for brevity I omit If they say that Kneeling is of it self Necessary and not Indifferent because it is Reverent c. then 1. They make Christ an â—mperfect Law-giver 2. They make himself or his Apostles or both to have been sinners 3. They condemn the Catholick Church of sin 4. They condemn the Canons of the Chief general Councils 5. And then if the Bishops themselves in Council should change the gesture it were unlawfull to obey them All which are consequents that I suppose they will disown What a perverse preposterous Reverence is this when they have leave to lie in the dust before and after the very act of receiving through all their confessions and prayers yet they will at other times stand and many of them sit at prayer and sit at singing Psalms of Prayer and Praise to God and yet when Christ doth invite them to a feast they dare not imitate his Apostles and universal Church in their gesture lest they should be sinfully unreverent § 42. But yet as sinfully as this Gesture was imposed for my part I did obey the imposerâ—â—nd would do if it were to do again rather then disturb the Peace of the Church or be deprived of its Communion For God having made some Gesture necessary and confined me to none but left it to humane Determination I shall submit to Magistrates in their proper work even when they miss it in the manner I am not sure that Christ intended the example of himself and his Apostles as obligatory to us that shall succeed I am sure it proves sitting lawful but I am not sure that it proves it necessary though very convenient But I am sure he hath commanded me obedience and peace § 43. 3. And for the Ring in Marriage I see no reason to scruple the lawfulness of it For though the Papists make a Sacrament of Marriage yet we have no reason to take it for any ordinance of Divine worship any more then the solemnizing of a contract between a Prince and People All things are sanctified and pure to the Pure but that doth not confound the two Tables nor make all things to be parts of Worship that are sanctified The Coronation of a King is sanctified as well as Marriage and is as much a Sacrament as Marriage and the Ceremonies of it might as well be scrupled especially when God doth seem to go before them by the example of Anointing as if he would confine them to that Ceremonie which yet was none of his intent nor is it much scrupled § 44. 4. And though the taking of an Oath be a sort of worship yet not the natural worship of the first Commandment nor the Instituted of the second but the Reverent use of his name in the third so that it is not primarily an act of worship but Reductively and Consequentially It being the principal use of an Oath to Confirm the Truth and End strife by appealing to God which appellation is indeed an acknowledgment
the Ruler is the Judge of them therefore the people should ordinarily obey when they see them not themselves § 15. Object But in case the Genus is commanded by God and the Species are equal may not the Governour limit us to one of the two Especially in case the people are dâ—vided about them or else will do nothing because they cannot resolve which way to do it For instance if sitting standing and kneeling be equally convenient at the singing of Gods Praises if the people be in a doubt which to use or at least if they fall into contention about it may not the Governours interpose and limit them to one If you be the conductor of Travailers or Souldiers and they come to a place where the way divideth though both wayes are equally good and neer yet you must command them one way and choose for thâ—m because else they will go no way at all § 16. Answ. 1. In this case you are not to choose one Gesture or one Way rather then another unless they make it necessary by Accident But tell them of the Indifferency and Equality and drive them on to Action And so you only choose and cause them to choose Action before Cessation but not this way before that 2. If this will not serve but they will do nothing unless you determine of their Gesture or Way you must then command one rather then another because they can use but one and some one they must use But in thus doing your comparing taking This rather then the other is not to be done by Election nor be a humane act there being no more Reason that 's supposed for one then for the other But though you name them one Way or Gesture only when they necessitate it you do it but as choosing their Action before their cessation this therefore is all that is Moral in your Act and that you Determine them to Action by Naming This way and not the other is good for the Determination for Duty sake was eligible but that it was rather to This then the other was Indifferent and not Moral For of that you had no Reason and where there is no Reason there is no Morality § 17. All this considered I leave it to the consideration of common Reason and of men that have any pitty for the Church or their own souls whether it be a Prudent or Christian course to make Laws for the Church about things Indifferent that have nothing in the Nature of them to induce them hereunto and then to cast out Ministers and other Christians for not obeying them and deprive men of the greatest blessings on the account of things indifferent § 18. If God have left us at Liberty by not commanding or forbidding then man should not take that Liberty from us without great cause and without some Accidental good that is like to come by depriving us of that liberty and the Good must be greater then the Accidental evill Why should any man on earth deprive the Church of Liberty in that thing where God thought not meet to deprive him of it unless he caâ— prove that time or place or some special accident hath altered the case In any case which standeth with us just as it did in Scripture times we must no more be deprived of our freedom by man then we are by God Had it been best for us God would have done it CHAP. VII Prop. 7. Some things may be lawfully and profitably commanded at one Time and Place and to one sort of people that may not at or to another no nor obeyed if commanded § 1. THE case is so plain in point of Commanding that it is past all doubt Many Accidents may make that destructive at one Time and place that would be profitable at another Pauls precepts and practâ—ce in becoming all things to all men do manifest this § 2. The Papists themselves are convinced of this and therefore sometime granted the Bohemians the use of the cup for the Laity in the Lords Supper and profess that it is in the Power of the Pope and Council to do the same by other places Yea when they burn men for the Protestant Religion in one Countrey they tolerate it in another for fear of a greater evil And when they torment men in one age and place for using a Bible in the vulgar tongue in another place or time they themselves translate it § 3. It is therefore a very great sin in Governours unnecessarily to make such things the matter of a common standing Law which is so variable yea and must be varied according to diversity of times and places These things should be left to the Prudence of the Governours that are on the place No wise General will take a Commission for the Command of an Army if he must be tied up before hand when to march and when to stand still and which way to go and how to â—ight in all the variable Circumstances Shall Governours pretend to be so much wiser then God as to make a standing Law for that which God thought best to leave at liberty to be varied as occasions vary § 4. The English Church Laws do tie the Ministers to a particular habit and to the particular Chapters of Scripture that we must read and if the Law-givers had pleased they might as well have tied us to that particular Text which they will have us preach on and forbid us to choose a Text as a Chapter And they might have as well tyed us to particular Psalms in singing as in Reading But all this is against the nature of our office and the good of the Church And therefore it is not fit matter for a Law If I know my hearers to be most addicted to Drunkenness must I be tyed up from Reading or Preaching against that sin and tyed to Read and Preach only against Covetousness or the like because it seemeth meet to Governours to tye me to a constant course If I have a tractable people it may do them no harm to limit them to this or that gesture vesture c. But what if they be prejudiced against a thing that in it self is lawfull and take it to be a sin and resolve that they will rather forbear Gods Ordinances then use a thing that their Consciences are against must I needs exercise or press a Gesture vesture or such Ceremonie when I see it tendeth to the destruction of my flock Must I needs deny the Lords Supper to all my flock if they dare not receive it in this or that gesture let it be sitting or kneeling and all because I am commanded to do so § 5. Suppose it here granted that the thing being lawfull it is the peoples sinful weakness that causeth them to refuse it and that the power commanding me no otherwise to deliver it is such as in things lawful I am bound to obey yet is it not a thing lawfull to punish the peoples infirmity in a
circumstance so severely as with an excommunication or a denying them the communion of the Church in the Lords supper In such a case my first duty is to tell the Magistrate that such a Law is sinfully cruel and destructive to the Churches peace If that will not prevail with him to repeal or suspend such an unrighteous law my next duty is yet to perswade the people to obey him for we suppose the gesture or ceremony commanded now to be lawfull But if I can neither prevail with the Magistrate to forbear his imposition nor with the people to obey him my next duty is to forbear the execution of his unrighteous penalty I dare not be his executioner in excluding all Christs servants from his house or holy Communion that dare not do every circumstantial action that is imposed on them For the penalty is flat contrary to the Commands of Christ. Yet would I not resist the Magistrate but lay down my office if the Churches necessity did not forbid me to lay it down but if it did I would do my office and suffer what the Magistrate should inflict upon me § 6. And indeed I might else be obliged by a Magistrate to excommunicate or deny Communion to all Christians within my reach For all Christians are imperfect and there is not one but is liable to error in a greater matter then a gesture or circumstance such as we have now before us no nor one but doth actually err in as great a matter and therefore one as well as another on this account may be cast out But Christ would not have this dealing in his Church § 7. How tender are his own expressions his practise and his laws towards those that are infirm He came to preach the Gospel to the poor and heal the broken-hearted and lay upon them an easier yoak and lighter burden He will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking flâ—x he carryeth the Lambs in his arms and gently driveth those with young The little ones that believe in him must not be offended It were better for him 〈◊〉 offendeth one of them by injurious persecution that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were cast into the sea Him that is weak even in in the Faith we must receive and therefore must not cast him out that doubteth of a ceremony And they that are strong must bear with the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves but every one to please his neighbour for his good to edification No man should put a stumbling block or occasion to fall in his brothers way If we grieve our brother by our meats or other indifferent things we walk uncharitably we must not for such things destroy them that are the work of God and for whom Christ died It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine or any thing whereby he stumbleth or is offended or is made weak He that doubteth is condemned if he eat because he eateth not of faith And we must not be too forward in damning men for a morsel of bread or a garment or a gesture § 8. Moreover the Ministry hath a certain end to which all our administrations are Means even the saving of our flock and the Pleasing of God thereby And if Magistrates will commands us to order but a lawful Circumstance so as shall not only cross but destroy these ends we must as soon leave our Mâ—nstry as obey him Our Power is given us to Edification and not to Destruction Not only those things that of themselves destroy but those that are like to be the occasions of such an event through the infirmity of the people must be by us avoided To command us a way of Mâ—nistration that shall though but accidentally damn men and that unnecessarily is to destroy our office by destroying the end which is mens salvation If men will destroy themselves by the only means of salvation Christ and the Gospel this will not excuse us from preaching that Gospel but if men will destroy themselves by a Ceremony or unnecessary circumstance I will take it out of their way if I can It is a Lawfull thing for all sick people in England to eat of one paâ—ticular dish of meat as well as on others But if the Law-givers command that all Physicians shall give no man Physick that will not be tyed only to such or such a dish I would not be a Physician if I must obey that command what if my Patient have a weak stomack and cannot eat of that dish or be peevish and will not must I therefore be guilty of his death by denying him my necessary help because the Magistrate forbiddeth me He may as well forbid us all to visit the sick or relieve the poor or cloath the naked if he can but find the least infirmity that they are guilty of And I think that Christ will not take it for an excuse in judgement if any man say Lord I would have relieved them cloathed them healed them but that the Magistrate forbad me and I thought it the part of a seditious rebell not to obey my governors Yet I should much less desire to be in that Ministers case whose labours are necessary to the Church that had no better an excuse for his denying to preach the Gospel or to admit the servants of Christ to holy Communion then that the Magistrate forbade him Our Ministration is a work of Charity to be exercised upon voluntary receivers And if a Magistrate have power to forbid us to preach or grant the Sacraments and Communion of the Church to any that wear not black or blew or white or red or that kneel not at the Sacrament or such like then may he as well or much better forbid us to give alms to any that wear not a horn on their backs and an iron ring about their arms as Bedlamâ— do No Magistrate can dispence with Charity especially in so great a case as mens salvation no more then the Pope can dispence with Oaths and Covenants § 9. We have therefore the use of our Reason left us to weigh the tendency of a Magistrates commands even where the act commanded is in it self indifferent For the Magistrates Power and the Ministers are from one Fountain and are but Means to one and the same end And neither of them hath any power to destroy that end And therefore if by accident through the weakness of my flock the observation of a trivial circumstance would undo them I would not use it no not in obedience to the Magistrate but would resolve with Paul never to eat flesh while I live rather then to offend or destroy my brother But if I find by the weighing of all accidents that my obedience will do no such hurt to the Church and Souls of men but as much good as my not obeying then in such indifferent cases I would readily obey But otherwise I would appeal to God and bear
proceed to blood or banishment or you miss your ends and will but be opposed with greater animosity § 14. Reas. 12. And then this will raise an odium upon your Government and make men look upon you as tyrants For naturally men pitty the suffering party especially when it is for the cause of God or Profession of more then ordinary exactness in the obeying of Gods commands And then mens minds will by this be tempted to disloyal jealousies and censures if not to the opposition of the Rulers § 15. Reas. 13. And it were an evil which your Ceremonies will never countervail if it were but the uncharitableness that will certainly be raised by them When you will persecute men and force them against their Consciences in such indifferent things as you call them you will occasion them to judge you persecutors and cruel and then they will censure you as ungodly yea as enemies to the Church And then you will censure them for schismatical and self-conceited and refractory disobedient people And so Christian love and the offices of love will be extinguished and you will be mutually engaged in a daily course of hainous sin § 16. Reas. 14. And it will be the worse in that your persecution will oft fall on the most consciencious persons Hypocrites and temporizers dare do any thing and therefore will follow the stronger side and obey him for their worldly ends But the upright Christian dare not do that which is displeasing to God for a world He is the man that will be imprisoned or banished or rackt or slain rather then he will go against his Conscience And is it not a horrid thing to make such Laws that the most conscionable are likest to fall under and to perish by May it not make you tremble to read that God himself doth call such his Jewels Mal. 3.16 17. and saith he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye and that it were better for him be cast into the depth of the sea with a Mâ—lstone about his neck that offendeth one of these little ones Away with the Ceremonies that are unnecessary and yet have such effects and bring you into such danger § 17. Reas. 15. And then a more grievous evill wilâ—â—follow the Ceremony will devour the substance and shut out the preachers and consequently the word and worship of the Lord. For you will never give men Liberty to forbear them And when godly Ministers will not be conformable to your will you must silence them lest they draw the people from you And so the ignorant must be left in their ignorance and the prophane in their prophaness and the godly in their sorrows for want of their faithful Teachers and the ordinances of grace § 18. Reas. 16. And then it will follow that ignorant idle ungodly Ministers must be taken in to supply their rooms For if the best disobey you you will think your selves necessitated to take such as will obey you And so God shall be dishonoured his word and work abused his people grieved his enemies encouraged the wicked hardened and the unworthy Ministers themselves undone and destroyed and all for a few unnecessary ceremonies of your vain invention § 19. Reas. 17. And now it were more unexcusable then ever before to Impose such unnecessary burdens on the Churches when we have so lately seen and felt the sad and miserable effects of such impositions We are scarce out of the fire that this straw and rubbish kindled in this land We are the men that have seen the Churches divided by them and the preachers cast out for them and persecution occasioned by them and the Nation hereupon corrupted with uncharitableness the Bishops against the people and the people against the Bishops and war and misery hence arising And yeâ— shall we return to the occasion of our misery and that while we confess it to be a needless thing § 20. Reas. 18. Yea this course is like to kindle and maintain Divisions between the Churches of several Nations as well as among those that are under the same government For either you will have all the Christian world to join with you in your Mystical and unnecessary Ceremonies or not All cannot be expected to join with you For 1. The world will never agree in such humane unnecessary things 2. There is no universal governor to Impose one Law of Ceremonies on all the Churches Christ only is the universal King and Head and he hath done his part already If you will have more universal Laws you must first have another universal King or Head And there is none such Only the Pope and a General Council pretend to it and they are both deceived in this and would deceive us They are none of our Lords as I have elsewhere proved But if you expect not universal Concord in your Mystical signs and Ceremonies then 1. Why should you cast out your Preachers and brethren for those things which other Nations may be so well without and hold communion with forreigners that avoid them and deny Communion to neighbors as good that are of the same mind And 2. This will make forreign Churches and you to grudge at one another and the diversity will cause disaffection especially when you persecute your members for the cause that 's theirs We find now by experience that the Images Exorcism Crossing c. of the Lutherans doth exceedingly hinder their Peace with other Churches while others censure them as superstitious and they by custome are grown so highly to value their own Ceremonies as to censure and disdain those that are not of their mind § 21. Reas. 19. It easily breedeth and cherisheth ignorance and formality in the people You cannot keep them from placing their Religion in these Ceremonies and so from deceiving their souls by such a Pharisaical Religiousness in washings and observances And so in vain will they worship God while their worship is but a Conformity to the doctrines traditions and inventions of men Mat. 15. § 22. Reas. 20. To prevent these evils and yet in vain your Rites and Signs must bring New doctrines and new labours into the Church which will exceedingly hinder the doctrine and work of Christ. The Ministers must teach the people the meaning and use of all these Ceremonies or else they will be dumb signs contrary to your intent and the use of them will be vain And if we must spend our time in opening to our people the meaning of every ceremony that you will impose 1. It will be but an unsavoury kind of preaching 2. It will divert them and us from greater and more needful things Yea we must teach them with what Cautions in what manner to what ends c. to use all these Ceremonies or else they will turn them all to sin if not to Popish yea to heathenish formalities And alas how much ado have we to get our people to understand the Creed and the Kernel of the Gospel the essentials of
another They command us to imitate them give us leave then to imitate them at least in all things that your selves confess to be lawfull for us § 30. Reas. 28. Hath not God purposely already in the Scripture determined the Controversie supposing your Ceremonies which is their best to be indifferent He hath interposed also for the decision of such doubts He hath commanded Rom. 14.1 3. that we Receive him that is weak in the faith but not to doubtfull disputations much less to imprisonment or banishment Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth for God hath received him Nay we must not so much as offend or grieve our brother by indifferent things Verse 13.15.21 to the end And so Chap. 15.1 We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves So that the case is decided by the Spirit of God expresly that he would have weak Christians have liberty in such things as these and would not have Christians so much as censure or despise one another upon such accounts And therefore Prelates may not silence Ministers nor excommunicate Christians on this account nor Magistrates punish them especially to the injury of the Church § 31. Object But this is spoken only to private Christians and not to Magistrates or Prelates Answ. 1. If there had been any Prelate then at Rome we might have judged it spoken to them with the people And no doubt but it was spoken to such Pastors as they then had For it was written to all the Church of whom the Pastors were a part And if the Pastors must bear with dissenters in things indifferent then most certainly the Magistrates must do so 2. If Magistrates are Christians then this command extendeth also unto them God hath sufficiently told us here that he would have us bear with one another in things of such indifferency as these If God tell private men this truth that he would have men born with in such cases it concerns the Magistrate to take notice of it Either the error is tolerable or intolerable If intolerable private men must not bear with it If tolerable Magistrates and Pastors must bear with it It is as much the duty of Private Christians to reprove an erroneous person and avoid him if intolerable and impenitent as it is the duty of a Magistrate to punish him by the sword or the Pastor by Church-censures If therefore it be the duty of Private men to tolerate such as these in question by a forbearnce of their rebukes and Censures then is it the duty of Magistrates to tolerate them by a forbearance of penalties and of Pastors to tolerate them by a forbearance of excommunication Who can believe that God would leave so full a determination for tolerating such persons and yet desire that Prelates should excommunicate them or Princes imprison banish or destroy them Some English Expositors therefore do but unreasonably abuse this text when they tell us that Magistrates and Prelates may thus punish these men whom the rest of the Church is so straitly commanded to bear with and not offend § 32. So Col. 2.16 to the end Let no man judge you in Meat or Drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbaths c. ver 20. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances Touch not taste not handle not which all are to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will-worship and humility and neglecting of the body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh Here also God sheweth that it is his will that such Matters should not be made Laws to the Church nor be imposed on his servants but their freedom should be preserved Many other texts express the same which I need not cite the case being so plain § 33. Reas. 29. Moreover me thinks every Christian should be sensible how insufficient we are to perform the great and many duties that God hath imposed upon us already And therefore they should have little mind to be making more work to the Churches and themselves till they can better discharge that which is already imposed on them by God Have not your selves and your flocks enough to do to observe all the precepts of the Decalogue and understand all the doctrines of the Gospel and believe and obey the Gospel of Christ but you must be making your selves and others more work Have you not sin enough already in breaking the Laws already made but you must make more Laws and duties that so you may make more sin If you say that your precepts are not guilty of this charge you speak against reason The more duty the more neglect we shall be guilty of See how the Lord Falkland urgeth this Objection on the Papists And it is considerable that by this means you make your selves unexcusable for all your neglects and omissions toward God Cannot you live up to the height of Evangelical Sanctity Why then do you make your selves more work Sure if you can do more it may be expected that you first do this that was enjoyned you If you will needs be Righteous materially overmuch you are unexcusable for your unrighteousness § 34. Reas. 30. Lastly consider also that all your Mystical Teaching Signs are needless things and come too late because the work is done that they pretend to God hath already given you so perfect a directory for his worship that there is nothing more that you can reasonably desire Let us peruse the particulars 1. What want you in order to the Teaching of our understandings Hath not God in his word and his works and his Sacraments provided sufficient means for our instruction unless you add your Mystical signs Will your Ceremonies come after and teach us better then all these Means of God will do We see by the Disciples of Ceremonies what a Master they have 2. What want you for the exciting of dull affections that God hath not provided you already Have you Ceremonies that can give life and are more powerfull remedies against Corruptions and more effectuall means of Grace then all the institutions of God Or hath God left any imperfection in his institutions for your Ceremonies to supply Would you have plain Teaching in season and out of season This God hath appointed already and setled the Ministry to that end Would you have men taught by a Form of words Why you have a copious Form The whole Scripture is a form of words for mens instruction And yet we deny not but out of this Form you may gather more contracted forms for the instruction of your flocks Catechizing and publick and private teaching are Gods own Ordinances Would you have a Directory for Prayer Confession and
Thanksgiving Scripture is a Directory and out of it we shall be glad of any direction that you will gather for us Would you have forms of Words for Prayer and Praise Scripture hath given you many the Lords Prayer the Psalms and many more And if you think you can do better you have liberty to do it your selves And is not that enough God hath left it indifferent to us whether we use a stinted form or not If you be not wiser then God do you leave it indifferent also Would you have a stated day for Gospel-worship in Commemoration of the work of our Redemption Christ and his Apostles have taught you to observe one even the Lords day to these Ends. Would you have exciting mystical instituted signs Christ hath appointed you Baptism and the Lords Supper which signifie the very substance of the Gospel Can your signs do more Or is a greater number more desirable Why may not a few of Christs institution full and clear that have a promise of his blessing serve turn without the additions of mens froathy wits Use the Lords Supper ofter and with more preparation and you will need no Sacramental Riâ—es of your own If Christs signs will not do it in vain do you hope for it from the devises of men Gods Ordinances have no blemishes and wants that need your patches Do that which Scripture hath cut out for you and I warrant you you 'l find no want of such additions The making of the Law and Rule of Worship is Gods work the obeying it is yours It s a course most perverse when you fail and deal falsly in your own work to fall upon Gods work and take on you to mend that Do your own well in obeying and judge not the Law and trouble not the Church with your additions § 35. Yet still remember that we allow both Magistrates and Pastors to see to the execution of Gods laws and to determine of Circumstances in order thereto that are necessary in genere But it is only 1. Such Mystical signs as in genere are not commanded us and left to mans determination that I speak of 2. And also the needless determination of circumstances and making Laws for such things as should be left to the prudence of every Pastor to be varyed as occasion requireth CHAP. XV. Reasons for Obedience in Lawfull things § 1. LEST men that are apt to run from one extream into another should make an ill use of that which I have before written I shall here annex some Reasons to perswade men to just obedience and preserve them from any sinfull nonconformity to the commands of their Governours and the evill effects that are like to follow thereupon § 2. But first I will lay together some Propositions for decision of the Controversie How far we are bound to obey mens precepts about Religion Especially in case we doubt of the lawfulness of obeying them and so cannot obey them in faith § 3. Briefly 1. We must obey both Magistrates and Pastors in all things lawfull which belong to their offices to command 2. It belongs not to their office to make God a new worship But to command the Mode and Circumstances of worship belongeth to their office for guiding them wherein God hath given them generall rules 3. We must not take the Lawfull commands of our Governours to be unlawfull 4. If we do through weakness or perversness take Lawfull things to be unlawfull that will not excuse us in our disobedience Our error is our sin and one sin will not excuse another sin Even as on the other side if we judge things unlawfull to be lawfull that will not excuse us for our disobedience to God in obeying men 5. As I have before shewed many things that are miscommanded must be obeyed 6. As an erroneous judgement will not excuse us from Obedience to our Governours so much less will a doubtfulness excuse us 7. As such a doubting erring judgement cannot obey in plenary faith so much less can he disobey in faith For it is a known Command of God that we obey them that have the Rule over us but they have no word of God against the act of obedience now in question It is their own erring judgement that intangleth them in a necessity of sinning till it be changed 7. In doubtfull cases it is our duty to use Gods means for our information and one means is to consult with our Teachers and hear their words with teachableness and meekness 8. If upon advising with them we reâ—ain in doubt about the lawfulness of some Circumstance of order if it be such as may be dispensed with they should dispense with us if it may not be dispensed with without a greater injury to the Church or cause of God then our dispensation will countervail then is it our duty to obey our Teachers notwithstanding such doubts For it being their office to Teach us it must be our duty to believe them with a humane faith in cases where we have no Evidences to the contrary And the Duty of Obeying them being certain and the sinfulness of the thing commanded being uncertain and unknown and only suspected we must go on the surer side 9. Yet must we in great and doubtfull cases not take up with the suspected judgement of a single Pastor but apply our selves to the unanimous Pastors of other Churches 10. Christians should not be over-busie in prying into the work of their Governours not too forward to suspect their determinations But when they know that it is their Rulers work to guide them by determining of due Circumstances of worship they should without causeless scruples readily obey till they see just reason to stop them in their obedience They must not go out of their own places to search into the Actions of another mans office to trouble themselves without any cause § 4. And now I intreat all humble Christians readâ—â—y to obey both Magistrates and Pastors in all Lawfull things and to consider to that end of these Reasons following Reas. 1. If you will not obey in Lawfull things you deny authority or overthow Government it self which is a great ordinance of God established in the fifth commandment with promise And as that commandment respecting societies and common good is greater then the following commands as they respect the private good of our neighbours or are but particular Means to that Publick good whose foundation is laid in the fifth commandment so accordingly the sin against this fifth commandment must be greater then that against the rest § 5. Reas. 2. In disobeying the lawfull commands of our superiors we disobey Christ who ruleth by them as his officers Even as the disobeying a Justice of Peace or Judge is a disobeying of the soveraign Power yea in some cases when their sentence is unjust Some of the ancient Doctors thought that the fifth commandment was the last of the first Table of the Decalogue and that the Honouring of Governors is
out of the fire and to love our neighbours as our selves and therefore to see a man yea a town and Country and many Countries lie in sin and in a state of misery under the Wrath and Curse of God so that they will certainly be damned if they die in that condition and yet to be silent and not Preach the Gospel to them nor call them home to the state of life this is the greatest cruelty in the world except the tempting and driving them to hell To let the precious things of the Gospel lie by unrevealed even Christ and pardon and holiness and eternal life and the communion of Saints and all the Church Ordinances and withal to suffer the Devil to go away with all these souls and Christ to lose the honour that his grace might have by their conversion certainly this in it self considered is incomparably more cruelty to men then to cut their throats or knock them on the head as such and as great an injury to God as by omission can be done I need not plead this argument with a man that hath not much unmand himself much less with a Christian. For the one is taught of God by nature to save men out of a lesser fire then Hell and a lesser pain then everlasting torment to the utmost of his power And the other is taught of God to love his brother and his neighbour as himself If the Love of God dwell not in him that seeth his brother in corporal need and shutteth up the bowels of his compassions from him how then doth the love of God dwell in him that seeth his brother in a state of damnation Cursed by the Law an enemy to God and within a step of everlasting death and desperation and yet refuseth to afford him the help that he hath at hand and all because he is not ordained Sect. 24. Let this be considered of as in any lower case If a man see another fall down in the streets shall he refuse to take him up because he is no Physician If the Country be infected with the Plague and you have a Soveraign medicine that will certainly cure it with all that will be ruled will you let them all perish rather then apply it to them because you are not a Physitian and that when the Physitians are not to be had If you see the poor naked may no one make them cloaths but a Taylor If you see the enemy at the Walls will you not give the City warning because you are not a Watch-man or on the Guard If a Commander die in fight any man that is next may take his place in case of Necessity Will you see the field lost for a point of Order because you will not do the work of a Commander A hundred such cases may be put in which its plain that the substance of the work in which men can do a great and necessary good is of the Law of Nature though the regulating of them in point of order is oft from Positive Laws but the Cessation of the obligation of the Positives about Order doth not disoblige us from the common Law of Nature For then it should allow us to lay by humanity Sect. 25. To this some may say that Its true we may preach in such cases but not as Ministers but as private men and we may baptize as private men in Necessity but we may do nothing that is proper to the Ministry To this I answer God hath not made the Consecration of the Bread and Wine in the Eucharist nor yet the Governing of the Church the only proper acts of the Ministry To preach the word as a constant service to which we are separated or wholly give up our selves and to baptize ordinarily and to congregate the Disciples and to Teach and Lead them in Gods worship are all as proper to the Ministry as the other And these are works that mens eternal happiness lieth on If you would have an able gifted Christian in China Tartary Indostan or such places supposing he have opportunity to speak but occasionally as private men and not to speak to Assemblies and wholly give up himself to the work and gather Churches and set a foot all Church Ordinances among them you would have him unnaturally cruell to mens souls And if you would have him give up himself to these works and yet not be a Minister you speak contradictions For what 's the office of a Minister but a state of Obligation aod power to exercise the Ministeâ—ial acts As it s nothing else to be a Physitian supposing abilites but to be obliged and impowred to do the work of a Physitian The works of the Ministry are of Necessity to the salvation of mens souls Though here and there one may be saved without them by privater means yet that 's nothing to all the rest It is the salvation of Towns and Contreyes that we speak of I count him not a man that had rather they were all damned then saved by an unordained man Sect. 26. The End of Ordination ceaseth not when Ordination faileth the Ministerial works and the benefits to be thereby conveyed are the Ends of Ordination therefore they cease not This is so plain that I perceive not that it needs explication or proof Sect. 27. Nature and Scripture teach us that Ceremonies give place to the substance and matters of meer Order give place to the Duty ordered and that Moral Natural duties cease not when meer Positives cease But such is the case before us Ordination is the ordering of the work If that fail and the work cannot be rightly Ordered it follows not that it must be cast off or forborn On this account Christ justified his Disciples for plucking ears of Corn on the Sabbath day Necessity put an end to the Duty of Sabbath keeping but the duty of preserving their lives continued On this account he justifieth his own healing on the Sabbath day sending them to study the great rule Go learn what this meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifiâ—e So here he will have Mercy to souls and Countreyes rather then Ordination On this account he saith that The Priests in the Temple break the Sabbath and are blameless and he tells them what David did when he was hungry and they that were with him how he eat the shewbread which out of Necessity was not lawfull for him to eat but only for the Priests and yet he sinned not therein Sect. 28. Moreover the Church it self is not to cease upon the ceasing of Ordination nor to hang upon the will of Prelates Christ hath â—ot put it in the power of Prelates to deny him a Church in any countries of the world For he hath first determined that particular Churches shall be and that determination ceaseth not and but secondly that they shall have Pastors thus ordained He is not to lose his Churches at the pleasures of an envious or negligent man But so it would be