The proofe of their exposition of Ambrose disproued and the reasons why the counsell of the Seniors was neglected defended Chap. 9. Answering the testimonies which the Refuter alleageth to proue Lay-elders Chap. 10. Contayning an answere to the same testimonies and some others as they are alleaged by other Disciplinarians Chap. 11. Answering the allegations out of the Fathers for Lay-elders The second Booke proueth that the Churches which had Bishops were Dioceses and the Angels or Pastors of them Diocesan Bishops CHap. 1. Intreating of the diuers acceptations of the words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Church Diocese and Paraecia which is translated parish Chap. 2. Prouing by ether arguments that the ancient Churches which had Bishops were not Parishes but Dioceses Chap. 3. that the seauen Churches in Asia were Dioceses Chap. 4. That Presbyteries were appointed not to Parishes but to Dioceses Chap. 5. Answering their obiections who say that in the first 200. yeeres all the Christians in each great city were but one particular congregation assembling in one place Chap. 6. The Arguments for the new found Parish discipline answered Chap. 7. That the Angels or Bishops of the primitiue Churches were Diocesan Bishops The third Booke treateth of the superioritie of Bishops aboue other Ministers CHap. 1. Confuteth the Refuters preamble to the fourth point concerning the superiority of Bishops and defendeth mine entrance thereinto Chap. 2. Declareth in generall that Bishops were superiour to other Ministers in degree Chap. 3. Sheweth more particularly wherein the superiority of Bishops did and doth consist And first their singularity of preheminence for terme of life Chap. 4. Demonstrateth the superiority of Bishops in power and first in the power of ordination Chap. 5. Proueth the superiority of Bishops in the power of iurisdiction Chap. 6. Treateth of the titles of honour giuen to Bishops The fourth Booke proueth the Episcopall function to be of Apostolicall and diuine institution CHap. 1. That the Ecclesiasticall gouernment by Bishops was generally receiued in the first 300. yeeres after the Apostles Chap. 2. That the Episcopall gouernment was vsed in the Apostolicall Churches in the Apostles times without their dislike Chap. 3. That the Apostles themselues ordayned Bishops Chap. 4. The places where and the persons whom the Apostles ordayned Bishops but chiefly that Timothie was Bishop of Ephesus and Titus of Creet Chap. 5. Answereth to the allegations out of Ierome Chap. 6. Directly proueth the Episcopall function to be of diuine institution Chap. 7. Defendeth the conclusion of the Sermon and sheweth that the chiefe Protestants did not dissallowe the Episcopall gouernment FINIS An Ansvvere to the Preface THE scope of the refuter in his preface is as of Orators in their Proemes to prepare the Reader and if he be such a one as will be led with shewes to draw his affections to himselfe and to withdrawe them from me It containeth a Prologue to the Reader an Epilogue concluding with prayer and with praise to God The former consisteth of a declaration and of a direction to the Reader He declareth three things first the weightie causes mouing him to vndertake this worthie worke secondly his valiant resolution in vndertaking it thirdly his manner of performance As touching the first that you may not thinke him after the manner of factious spirits blinded with erroneous conceits and transported with vnquiet passions vnaduisedly or headily to haue attempted this busines he telleth you that there were two motiues that moued him thereto the one his strong opinion pag. 3 the other his vnquiet desire pag. 7. His opinion was that my sermon defending the honourable function of Bishops was most needfull to be answered for so he saith I deemed it as needfull to be answered as any booke our Opposites haue at any time set forth And that no man should thinke this his opinion to be fantasticall or erroneous hee confirmeth it with diuers reasons but such as who shall compare them either with the truth or with his opinion for the proofe whereof they are brought or one with another he shall see a pleasant representation of the Matachine euery one fighting with another The first reason because he sawe the Sermon tended directly to proue that the calling of our L. BB. as they now exercise it in the Church of England is to be holden Iure diuino by diuine right not as an humane ordinance their ancient and wonted tenure c. In which speech are diuerse vntruthes For first with what eye did hee see that directly proclaimed in the Sermon which directly and expressely I did disclaime pag. 92. where I did professe that although I hold the calling of BB. in respect of their first institution to be an Apostolicall and so a diuine ordinance yet that I doe not maintaine it to be Diuini juris as intending thereby that it is generally perpetually and immutably necessarie as though there could not be a true Church without it which himselfe also acknowledgeth pag. 90. of his booke 2. where I spake of the substance of their calling with what eye did he see me defending their exercise of it As if he would make the reader belieue that I went about to iustifie all the exercise of their function which in all euen the best gouernements whatsoeuer is subiect to personall abuses 3. Neither is it true that the ancient tenure of BB. was onely Iure humano vnlesse he restraine the ancieÌtnesse he speakes of to these latter times which are but as yesterday For in the primitiue Church as hereafter shal be plainely proued the function of BB. was without contradiction acknowledged to be a tradition or ordinance Apostolicall and the first Bishops certainely knowne to haue bene ordained by the Apostles And as his first reason fighteth with the truth so the second both with his opinion and with it selfe For why was the sermon most needfull to be answered because saith he it is euident that the doctrine therein contained howsoeuer M. D. saith it is true profitable and necessarie is vtterly false very hurtfull and obnoxious necessarie indeed to be confused at no hand to be belieued In which words 3. reasons are propunded which now come to be examined It is euident saith he that the doctrine in the sermon is vtterly false therefore it is most needfull to be confuted But say I if it be euidently false it needs no confutation Things manifestly false or true are so iudged without disputation or discourse Neither doth any thing need to be argued or disputed but that which is not euident This reason therefore if it were true would with better reason conclude against his opinion It is euident saith he that it is vtterly false therefore it needeth not to be confuted The second brâanch It is very hurtfull and obnoxious therfore c. Obnoxious what is this subiect or in danger to be hurt with euill tongues subiect to sophistical cauillations and malicious calumniations But hurtfull it is not for I
needeth some exposition The second reason is propounded ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã preuenting a secret obiection against the former reason which might be this though the interpretation be allegoricall yet the exposition of the allegorie is agreed vpon to wit that by the Angels are meant the Bishops of those Churches and therefore further explication needeth not to this I answere in a discretiue sentence granting the antecedent but denying the consequence that although it be agreed vpon that the Angels are the Bishops of the Churches yet in these times it is become a great controuersie and needfull to bee decided what manner of Bishops they were which in former ages was not wont to be called into question Against the former reason the resuter first obiecteth 2. things the one that it maketh against my selfe the other that it is ãâ¦ã and ãâã he telleth me how I might haue bestowed ãâ¦ã maketh against me he proueth thus ãâ¦ã faith he is allegoricall thârefore it was ãâ¦ã c. Whereunto I haue answered that the meaning of the allegory is on both sides agreed vpon and that our aduersaries themselues confesse that the Angels were the Bishops of the Churches and therefore by their owne confession the text was as fitly chosen as if it had beene said the 7. starres are the Bishops of the 7. Churches Yea but saith he though it be granted that the Angels be the Bishops yet not such Bishops as you speake of Then the vnfitnes of the text be like is not because it is allegoricall but because in his conceit it is impertinent Which his conceit proueth the exposition of this text to be needfull as I shewed in the second reason Yea but hereby saith hee the first reason appeareth to be superfluous It followeth not Of the same thing there are many times giuen two expositions a shorter called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a larger called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of both there was need in this place The necessitie of the former ariseth from the allegory which I breefly expound according to the receiued interpretation viz. that the Angels signifie the Bishops of the Churches The necessitie of the latter ariseth from the controuersie which some haue raised in these times c. After hee hath shewed that my first reason might well haue beene spared he telleth me that I might haue spent my paines better in opening a doubt which either I did not or would not see And what is that I pray you For it is great pittie I had not your helpe If I would needs haue these Angels to be Diocesan Bishops I should haue giuen some reason why the number of theÌ is not limited as well as of the Churches to seuen no more And from hence reasoneth thus If the holy Ghost by Angels had meant Diocesan Bishops whereof there is but one in a Church then would heehaue limited them as well as the Churches to the number of seuen But he hath not limited them to seuen Therefore by Angels he meaneth not Diocesan BB. The assumption he proueth because if the holy Ghost had intended to signifie no more but 7. Angels he would haue said the 7. starres are the 7. Angels of the 7. Churches And hauing so doughtily proued that the number of the Angels is not limited from thence as if he had made all Cocke-sure he inferreth 2. things 1. that the holy Ghost in not limiting the number would haue vs to vnderstand there were more Angels or Bishops then 7. in these Churches 2. that where euery Epistle is directed to the Angell of each Church as to one we are not literally to vnderstaÌd one but by a synecdoche more then one Which light as he calleth it standing at the entry dore if I had had his eyes to haue discerned I should no doubt haue seene an high point in a lowe house But were not I pray you the Angels or BB. to whom S. Iohn writeth iust seuen helpe me I beseech you to remoue this veile which hideth the light you speake of from me The starres which Christ hâld in his hand were iust seuen or limitted to the number of 7. Apoc. 1.16 20. 2.1 The Angels of the 7. Churches were the starres which Christ held in his hand Apoc. 1.20 Therefore the Angels of the 7. Churches were iust 7. or limited to the number of 7 Againe of 7. monades or vnities such as be 7. singular persons the number is iust 7. The Angells were 7. Monades or Vnities as beeing 7. singular persons therfore of the Angells the number is iust 7. That the Angels were 7. singular persons it appeareth by the inscriptions of the 7. Epistles written vnto them viz ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to the Angell of the Church at Ephesus to the Angell of the Church at Smyrna c where whosoeuer is able to count 20. may easily finde iust 7. I will recite them and let the refuter keepe the tale The Angell of the Church at Ephesus 1. the Angell of the Church of Smyrâa 2 the Angell of the Church at Pergamus 3 the Angell of the Church at Thyatira 4. the Angell of the Church at Sardes 5 the Angell of the Church at Phyladelphia 6. the Angell of the church of Laodicea 7 seuen Angels neither more nor lesse Moreouer to whom the 7. Epistles were written they were iust 7 for they were written singulae singulis the first to the first the second to the second c. To the Angels of the 7. Churches the 7. Epistles were written Therefore the Angels of the 7. Churches were iust 7. The same is testified by Arethas vnto these 7. Churches blessed Iohn saith hee reckneth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ouerseâing or superintendent Angels iust of the same number and by Ambrose wee must vnderstand the 7. Angels to bee the gouernours of the 7. Churches and afterwards he calleth them the 7. rulers of the 7. Churcââs Yea but the holy Ghost if hee had limited their number to 7. would haue said that the 7. Starres are the 7. Angels of the 7. Churches Whereto I answere that he hath more plainely limited the number then if hee had said so For if hee had said they are the 7. Angels of the 7. Churches such a captious Sophister as my aduersarie would haue expounded septem 7. by septeni seuen a peece and so haue multiplied them by 7. as if there had bene according to the number of the supposed Deacons at Ierusalem 7. in euery Church But when hee saith the 7. starres are the Angels of the 7. Churches he plainly signifieth that there were iust so many of them as of the Churches that is to say seuen Seeing therfore the number of the Angels is limited to seuen it is not materiall what the refuter inferreth from the not limitation of them And whereas he saith that by the Angel in each inscription we are to vnderstand more then one I would know of him first what reason he hath to forsake the grammaticall
sense And where the holy Ghost speaketh but as of one how he dare without good reason expound him as speaking of more then one SecoÌdly whether in one particular congregation there were more Pastors then one Thirdly whether himselfe did not teach pag. 2. that the Angels signifie such BB. or Ministers as were Pastors onely of particular coÌgregations 4. whether in Ephesus there were more particular congregations seeing in Ephesus as him self saith pag 3. there were more angels For one that had his facultie in syllogizing might appose him with these Syllogismes 1. The Pastor or Bishop of a particular congregation is but one and hee as the new discipline teacheth the supreme Ecclesiasticall officer in euery Church Each Angell of the Churches saith the refuter did signifie a Pastor or Bishop of a particular congregation Therefore each Angel did signifie but one 2. Where were many Angels were many Pastors of particular congregations and where were many Pastors of particular congregations there were more particular congregations then one But at Ephesus saith my aduersary were many Angels and so many Pastors Therefore at Ephesus there were more particular congregations then one Which two conclusions are directly contradictory to his other assertions both here else where in his booke Sect. 4. Hauing thus manifestly proued that the Angels of the seuen Churches were iust seuen and consequently that there was one and but one in euery Church whom the holy Ghost calleth the Angel of that Church it wil be easie both to free my Text from the cauil which more then once my aduersary obiecteth against it as also out of the text to cleare the maine controuersie which is in hand For whereas he obiecteth that all Ministers are Angels Pag. 2. 4 and 6. as I my selfe teach in the Sermon of the dutie and dignitie of Ministers And therefore that nothing can bee gathered from this Text which is not common to all Ministers for that the Angels are Bishops saith hee who denyeth but withall who knoweth not that so are all Ministers I answere that all Minsters who haue charge of soules are in a generall sense called Angels Pastors Bishops because they are messengers sent from God to feede to ouersee his flocke But yet where there are many ministers who are in general called Angels Pastors Bishops if there bee one and but one who ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is called the Angell the Pastor the Bishop of that Church he is plainely noted to haue a singular preheminence aboue the rest Wherof see more in my answere to pag 6. And this is so plaine a case that euen Beza himselfe though a chiefe patron of the pretended discipline and one that sheweth himselfe as loath as may be that the Episcopall degree should be hence proued confesseth that by the Angell of the Church at Ephesus so of the rest we are to vnderstaÌd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã him that was the Prelate or President of the Presbyterie for so els-where he confesseth that Iustin Martyre calleth him whom others call the Bishop And although he would haue vs thinke that this office of Presidentship was not perpetuall but for a short time and that by course yet he would haue vs also note out of 1. Tim 5.19 where Timothy is willed not to receiue an accusation against a Presbyter but vnder 2. or 3. witnesses that Timothie was at that time the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as Iustine calleth him that is Antistes the Prelate or President in the Presbitery at Ephesus Now it is absurd to imagine that Timothy was sent thither to be President among them as his course only or turne shuld come as though the other Presbyters there were equall to him Moreouer we are able to shewe by the testimonie of the most ancient Authors in the Church who were these singular persons whome the holie Ghost doth call the Angell of the Church at Ephesus and likewise at Smyrna For as before this time Timothy had bene the Angell or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as Beza confesseth so at this time Onesimus was the Pastor of Ephesus as Ignatius testifieth Polycarpus the Byshop of Smyrna If therefore Onesimus was but one man and likewise Polycarpus then wee may be bold to conclude that the Angell of the Church of Ephesus was but one singular person and likewise the Angell of Smyrna and so of the rest So much of the first reason The second indeed saith hee necessarily occasioneth vs to enquire what manner of BB. these Angels were because as I said some of our times haue made a question of that which in former ages was not wont to be called into controuersie so saith hee because B. Bilson and B. Barlow haue fancied to themselues another sort of Bishops then either the scriptures of the new Testament do mention or any sound Diuines doe teach thereout This then is the controuersie which remaineth to be decided whether sort of BB. such as those learned Fathers and my selfe do defend or such as my aduersary and his adherents do stand for is that kinde of Bishop which hath bene but of late deuised and neuer till of late obtruded on the Church And on which side the iudicious Reader shall see better euidence more pregnaÌt proofes I adiure him in the name of God without partialitie to assent thereto The second question is concerning the qualitie of the function which is determined in the second Assertion viz that the calling of B.B. who are here meant by the starres and Angels is lawfull and good And this is a doctrine so necessarily arising out of the Text that if it be proued that Bishops are here meant by starres and Angels which was the thing I vndertook before to proue now doubt not by Gods help to make euident it cannot be denied but that their calling is both aproued as good and commended as excellent Neither would the refuter haue wrangled with this passage hauing nothing to say but that which with an idle Coccysme he oft repeateth and in this place is altogether impertinent that Diocesan BB. are not here meant were it not that he was resolued before hand to cauill with whatsoeuer hee should find in my booke Especially if you consider that elsewhere hee would make me beleeue the proofe of this doctrine to be superfluous the former point being once proued Serm. Sect. 2. Pag. 3. For the deciding of the former question two things are in the wordes offered to our consideration For whereas they are said to be the Angels of the Churches we are first to consider what maner of Churches they were whereof they were the Angels and secondly what manner of preheminence they had in those Churches in regard wherof they are called the Angels of the Churches As touching the first wee are to trie whether these Churches whereof they were Angels or BB. were Parishes or Dioceses and consequently whether they were Parishionall or Diocesan BB.
giue the sole authoritie Ecclesiasticall to the Bishop Indeed if we were so madde as to thinke that there were no Ecclesiasticall gouernement but parishionall there were something in his speech But when besides and aboue the gouernement not onely parishionall but also Diocesan we acknowledge a superiour authoritie in the Archbishop and his courts in the prouinciall synodes especially that authoritie of making Church-lawes whereby both Dioceses and parishes are to be ruled it is apparent that although I did take all authoritie from parish-bishops and their Elders yet it would not follow that I giue the whole authoritie Ecclesiasticall to the Diocesan alone But that which hee saith of my ascribing the supreme authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall to the Diocesan Bishops that is the supreme and the loudest lye and maketh the assumption of his chiefe Syllogisme most euidently false Doe I or any of vs say that the Diocesan Bishop hath the supreme authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall doth not our Church subiect the Bishop to the Archbishop and prouinciall Synodes doth not appeale lye from the sentence of the Bishop to the Archbishop and likewise from him to the Kings Delegates doth not himselfe acknowledge pag. 69. the Bishops so to be subiected to the two Archbishops as that if we may iudge by the outward appearance and practise we may in his opinion seeme to haue but two Churches and those prouinciall the one of Canterbury and the other of Yorke doe wee not all with one consent acknowledge the Kings Maiestie to haue the supreme authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall and whereas the greatest authoritie of Churchmen is exercised in Synodes and the greatest authoritie of Synodes is the making of Church-lawes yet the ratification of them we submit to the King according to the Practise of the ancient Churches liuing vnder Orthodoxall Kings in so much that they and all our Church-lawes are called the Kings Ecclesiasticall lawe Now then if neither I take all authoritie from the pastors nor giue all to the Bishops nor ascribe vnto themâ sole nor supreme authoritie what haue the libellers gained by all their triumphing outcryes but the manifestation of their owne manifold vntruthes Yea but the title of absolute Popelings agreeth better to our Diocesan BB. then to their parish BB. Neither did I say that they are such but that if they did not ioyne vnto them a consistory of Elders they would seeme to set vp not onely a Popeling but an absolute Popeling in euery parish a petite pope indeed their pastor is in regard of that supremacy they ascribe vnto him making him the supreme Ecclesiasticall officer in euery Church which wee deny to our Bishops and were it not that hee hath a consistory ioyned to him as the Pope hath of Cardinals hee would bee more then a pope And againe whereas our Bishops are to be guided by lawes which by their superiors are imposed vpon them their pastors with their Elders and people hauing as the Pope saith he hath a supreme immediate and independent authoritie sufficient for the gouernement of their Churches in all causes Ecclesiastical and therefore for making of Ecclesiasticall lawes they are to be gouerned by their owne lawes For the chiefe thing in Ecclesiasticall gouernement is the authoritie to prescribe lawes Ecclesiasticall If therefore each parish hath as they say it hath sufficient authoritie within it selfe for the gouernement of it selfe in all causes Ecclesiasticall immediately deriued from Christ then questionlesse they haue authoritie to prescribe lawes Ecclesiasticall And as the Pope doth not acknowledge the superioritie of a synode to impose lawes vpon him no more doe they They will giue synodes leaue to deliberate of that which may be best and to perswade thereto but they will not be ruled by them As for the Kings supremacie in causes Ecclesiastical how it may stand with their maine assertion wherein they ascribe to euery parish an independent authoritie immediately deriued from Christ sufficient for the gouernement of it selfe in all causes Ecclesiasticall I will not dispute Serm. Sect. 3. pag. 5. Concerning the secoÌd viz. what was the preheminence of these BB. in the Churches in respect whereof they are called the Angels of the Churches others more wise and learned then the former granting they were BB. of whole cities the countries adioyning that is to say of Dioceses notwithstanding the sway of the gouernement they ascribe to the Presbyteries of those Churches consisting partly of Ministers and partly of annual or Lay-presbyters making these Angels or Bishops nothing else but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or presidents of those Presbyteries and such presidents as were not superior to other Ministers in degree c. to pag. 6. in their turnes Of the two points seruing to shew by way of explication of the text what manner of Bishops were meant by the Angels the latter I propounded in this section to be examined A reason whereof I alledge a controuersie betwixt vs and another sort of disciplinarians who are as I said more wise and learned then the former who though they grant that which the former denied yet doe greatly differ from vs concerning the preheminence which the Angels or ancient Bishops had in the Churches So that in this section are 2. things first the proposition of the second point concerning the preheminence of BB. in respect whereof they were called the Angels of the Churches secondly a reason thereof To the proposition he answereth that they had this name Angels in regard of their generall calling of the ministerie not because of any soueraignetie or supremacie ouer other their fellow Ministers as he saith I imply here and plainely but vntruely affirme afterwards In which fewe words are 2. vntruthes Whereof the former is an errour that they are to tearmed in respect of their generall calling of the ministery For though to be called Angels generally agreeth to all Ministers yet for one and but one among many Ministers in one and the same Church to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã called the Angell of that Church is not a common title belonging to all Ministers in regard of their generall calling but a peculiar stile belonging to one who had singular preheminence aboue the rest that is to say a Bishop So saith D. Raynolds in the Church of Ephesus though it had sundry Elders and pastors to guide it yet among those sundry was there one chiefe whoÌ our Sauiour calleth the Angell of the Church and writeth that to him which by him the rest should know And this is he whom afterward in the primitiue Church the fathers called Bishop As touching the latter where he saith that I doe here imply that the Bishops haue a soueraignety or supremacy ouer other Ministers and afterwards doe affirme it plainely that plainely is a plaine lie Soueraignetie and supremacy ouer other Ministers none but Papists giue to their Bishop and they to none but to the Bishop of Rome Superioritie indeed belongeth to
of Cilicia Basil the Great of Cappadocia c. but as hauing one onely Bishop as the nation of the Scythyans hauing many cities townes and castels had all of them by antient custome one only Bishop which was the Bishop of their chiefe citie Tomis CHAP. III. Maintaining the first Argument in the Sermon prouing that the seuen Churches of Asia c. were Dioceses THese testimonies and proofes hitherto produced are so euident demoÌstratiue for dioceses and diocesans as that if no more could be said they are sufficient if not to perswade yet at the least to conuince the gainsaiers But if besides these the arguments which the Refuter hath in chase shall be made to returne vpon him and to driue him and his consorts like the men of Ai vpon these new forces and if the forces which hee bringeth to maintaine his quarell shall bee found to bee of no force and altogether vnable to endure the least encounter then doe I hope that our Disciplinarians themselues will be perswaded to speake no more for the new found parish Discipline But before I enter into this second conflict I am to take a suruey of his forces which I perceiue are diuided into 2. troopes the one encountering with my forces the other fortifying their hold of the parish discipline In his encounter or refutations first he findeth fault that I doe not conclude in this second part what he would haue me to conclude according to his forced Analysis For answere whereof let my words be considered Serm. s. 1 pag. 17. I come now to the second which is to shew that in the Apostles time and in the ages following the Churches wherof the Bishops are called Angels or to vse their own words the visible Churches indued with power of Ecclesiastical gouernment were Dioceses properly and not parishes This is prooued out of this place c. The assertion which I indeuour to prooue in the foure first points of my Sermon was this that the Angels or gouernors of the primitiue Church were Diocesan Bishops and for the substance of their calling such as ours be This assertion after I had prooued it in the first point ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by disproouing their Presbyteries in the three next points I indeuour to prooue it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã shewing that they were such as ours are both in respect of the largenesse of their authoritie to which end I shew that their Churches were Dioceses in the second point and themselues Diocesans in the third and in respect of the height of their authoritie and Preheminence that they were superiour in degree to other ministers c. which I prooue in the fourth In this second point therefore if I indeauour to prooue that the primitiue Churches which had Bishops and Presbyteries and were indued with power of Ecclesiastical gouernment were not parishes properly but Dioceses nothing could be more directly and pertinently deliuered But the onely thing which I seeke to prooue and maintaine in this part as euery man seeth is that the Churches which had Bishops and Presbyteries c. were not parishes properly but Dioceses And this I first prooue by mine owne arguments and secondly maintaine against theirs My arguments were two The former grounded on the text and is thus to be framed Churches whose circuit contained not onely cities but also countries adioyning were Dioceses The circuit of the 7. churches wherof the 7. Angels were Bishops and whereto other Churches hauing Bishops and Presbyteries indued with power of Ecclesiasticall gouernment were like contained the cities and Countries adjoyning Therefore the 7. Churches c. were Dioceses The proposition I did not expresse but did presuppose it and take it for granted Likewise that part of the assumption inclosed in the parenthesis affirming that to the 7. Churches all others which had Bishops and Presbyteries and consequently were indued with the power of Ecclesiasticall gouernment were like I also presupposed because it is not to be doubted but that the primitiue Churches indued with the power of Ecclesiasticall gouernment were of the like nature and constitution And vpon this hypothesis the onely argument which this great disputer bringeth to make good his cause is grounded affirming that it is clear by all learned I know not what that the constitution of the visible Churches was at the first one the same in al places Now that the 7. Churches within their circuit contained both the cities and Countries thereto adjoyning it is proued first ioyntly For if the 7. Churches within their circuit comprised all the Churches in Asia then all both in cities and countries but the first is true for our Sauiour Christ writing to the churches in Asia compriseth all vnder these 7. as being the principall and containing within their circuit all the rest Then seuerally The church of Ephesus contained a great and ample citie indeed a Metropolis or mother city and the country subiect to it the church of Smyrna a mother city the country beloÌging to it the church of Sardes a mother city and the country adioyning the church of Laoidcea a mother city and the country vnder it the Church of Pergamus or PergamuÌ a famous city which had beene the fear of the Kings of Asia and the countrey belonging to it the churches also of Thyatira and Philadelphia contained a cities with their territories Now let vs see how our refuâer cauilleth with these arguments The first he frameth thus If the churches of Asia to which our sauiour Christ writ were great and ample cities and not the cities alone but also the couÌtries adioyning then they were dioceses properly and not parishes But the churches of Asia were such Therefore they were Dioceses c. Of this syllogisme saith hee the assumption is on the eighteenth page and the conclusion on the seuenteenth The proposition is of necessity so to be supplied To which I answere that the consequence thereof is naught Euen so in your conceit bee almost all that you make for me But âs your necessity or need such that you caÌnot frame a syllogisme with hope to answer it vnlesse the propositioÌ haue coÌsequence which you may deny Let me intreat you that the proposition may be simple as euen now I propounded it theÌ deny it if you can Churches whose circuit contained not on the cities but also the coântries adioyning were Dioceses This proposition will stand vnmooueable when the foââdation of your discipline wil be raced And so wil the coÌsequeÌce which your self propouÌd being grouÌded on this propositioÌ as the hypothesis therof But why is the consequeÌce naught for it will not be amisse to take a breef view how he playeth with it 2. reasoÌs he rendreth 1. Because it presupposeth that al Churches in the world at that time were âmple and great Cities Which as it appeareth to bee manifestly false to all that are of any vnderstanding so it and some other places in
the word of the Lord Iesus both Iewes and Gentiles Well Paul hauing placed many Presbyters among them and hauing continued among them for the space of three yeeres afterwards sendeth Timothy to be their Bishoppe who ordinarily continued among them vntill his death And that you should not thinke there was but that Church at Ephesus in Pauls time hee maketh mention of the Churches of Asia Saint Peter likewise had preached and by his preaching conuerted many in Asia to whom among others hee directeth his first Epistle After the death of Peter and Paul because those Churches were as Paul had foretold much annoled with heretikes Saint Iohn by the direction of the holy Ghost went into those parts preached the Gospell for many yeeres ordained Bishoppes and Presbyters where need was To the ministery of the Apostles adde the preaching of the Bishoppes and Presbyters ordained by them and disciples which they had instructed by whose ministerie not onely many particular Christians but some Churches were brought to the faith As that of Colossae which was in the confines of Phrygia bordering on this Asia in Pauls time planted by the ministerie of Epaphraâ as their founder watered by the ministerie of Archippus as their Bishoppe Now I appeale to the conscience of euery indifferent Reader whether it bee not vnlikely that not in any one of these famous Churches no not in that of Ephesus there were in the whole citie and country belonging to it any more then one ordinary congregation after the preaching of such and so many for the space of forty fiue yeeres And so much for the first of his assertions the other two I will ioyne together For if there were but one Bishoppe for the Church both of the citie and country as there were but seuen in all these seuen Churches and but one Presbytery if the Churches both of the citie and country were subiect to the Bishoppe of the citie if the parishes both of citie and country had neither Bishoppe nor Presbytery but Presbyters seuerally assigned to them if the Presbyters of the country were ordained by the Bishoppe of the citie and not onely they but the rurall Bishoppes also were subiect to his authoritie all which I haue by most euident arguments and testimonies proued already then did the seuerall congregations and parishes which J haue also prooued were all but members of one body depend vpon the chiefe Church in the citie as the head which afterwards was called Matrix ecclesia cathedra episcopi or the cathedrall Church neither had the power of ecclesiasticall iurisdiction whereof they speake as I haue also proued before I come to the assumption wherewith hee cauilleth egregiously because I said that the Churches whereof the seuen Angels were Bishoppes were not onely the cities but the countries adioyning that is as I expressed my meaning in the syllogisme before that the circuit of euery one of these Churches contained both the citie and country which assumption I haue made good by necessary proofe But saith hee Who euer said that the Church of Ephesus was a great Citie Who knoweth not that the Citie is one thing and the Church another But this might serue M.D. turne to dazell the eies of the simple c. As touching this foule imputation that I may beginne with it J thanke God I am free both from desire and intent of dazâling the eyes of the simple But as in my conscience I am cleerely resolued of the truth of these fiue points contained in the Sermon so I haue endeuoured with plaine euidence to vphold and maintaine the truth against the nouelty of your inuentions and the subtilties of your sophistications wherewith you haue too long both dazeled and seduced the simple So much of that by the way If hee discerned the speech which I vsed to bee improper had hee not so much neither Art I meane either Rhetoricke or Logicke nor grace I meane charity as either to conceiue me to haue spoken by a trope or to explane my speech by such an enunciation as the nature of the arguments doth require When it is said in my text the seuen starres are the Angels will he say who euer heard that starres were Angels Or when Christ saith This cup is my bloud that is shâd or the new Testament in my bloud will he say who euer heard that the cup is bloud or the Testament When I said the Churches are the cities and the country could he neither vnderstand me as speaking after that most vsuall metonymy of the Christian people in the citie and country nor yet explane my words as the nature of the argumeÌts contained in the speech doth lead him If I should say a man is not onely body but soule also or the body is not one member alone but many you would vnderstand me thus Man consisteth of body and soule the body consisteth not of one member alone but of many Or thus Whole man containeth these two parts the bodie containeth not one member alone but many Euen so the Church or diocesse of Ephesus is that is containeth not only the City but the Country But is that so strange a thing with our learned Refuter that the name of the Citie should be giuen to the Church Let him looke backe to Apoc. 1.11 and hee shall finde that the seuen Churches were Ephesus Smyrna c. And so vsuall is it with good Authors speaking of BB. to say they were Bishops of such or such a Citie as I might fill a Volume with quotations to this purpose These few testimonies may suffice Eusebius saith that Euodius was the first Bishop of Antioch and that Ignatius was the second Bishop of Antioch c. The Councell of Nice writing to the Church of Alexandria maketh mention ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of the Bishop of Alexandria Athanasius calleth Damasus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Bishop of the great Citie Rome and Dionysius the B. of Alexandria The first Councell of Constantinople mentioneth the Bishop of Alexandria the Bishop of Constantinople and the Bishop of Rome And more plainely in the Councell held in Trullo Nectarius is said to haue beene the Bishop of the Citie of Constantinople Dionysius the Archbishop ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of the great Citie of Alexandria Looke into the subscriptions of Bishops vnto Councels as to that of Nice subscribed Osius the Bishop of the Citie of Corduba Alexander Bishop of Alexandria c. to the Councell of Sardica Athanasius Bishop of the great Citie of Alexandria Alexander Bishop of the Citie of Mesenia and in like maner all the rest stiling themselues Bishops of the Cities Looke into the inscriptions of epistles written either by Bishops or vnto Bishops Ignatius stileth himselfe thus Ignatius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Bishop of Antioch Leo in his Epistles stileth himselfe sometimes Bishop of Rome sometimes Vrbis Romae of the Citie of Rome Basil writeth to Eusebius
see what the refuter can obiect why our Sauiour writing to these seuen Churches should not vnder them comprise all the Churches in Asia Because euen there or near saith he we find diuers other churches as those of Colossa Hierapolis Troas mentioned in the Scripture to let passe Magnesia and Trallis recorded in other writers But none of the three former are mentioned in the scripture as parts of Asia Troas beeing the same with phrygia minor and Hierapolis and Colossae Cities of Phrygia maior It is recorded by Eusebius that in the yeare of Christ 66. and tenth of Nero these three cities Laodicea Hierapolis and Colossae were ouerthrowne with earthquakes And although we read that Laodicea was quickly reedified and flourished againe when Saint Iohn wrote the Reuelation and Hierapolis not long after seeing we read that Papias Saint Iohns Scholler was by him made Bishop there yet of Colossae as Caluin obserueth that shortly after the Epistle was written to them that Church with the rest perished so that it stood in Saint Iohns time I read not neither doe I remember any mention of it or of the Bishops thereof in or neere those times Howbeit in processe of time it was reedified and called Conae or Chonae whereof Nicetus the writer of the annales because he was of that citie is called Coniates Oecumenius saith that Colossae was a citie of Phrygia ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is now called Chona and by that name ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is reckoned among the Bishopricks as they are digested by Leâ the Emperour That Colossae was no parte of Asia Theodoret sheweth For beeing of opinion that Paul had beene at Colossae he prooueth it because it is said that he went through Phrygia Neither saith he let any man object that Paul was forbidden of God For Luke speaketh of Asia and Bithynia not of Phrygia As touching Magnesia and Trallis it appeareth not that they were as yet conuerted vnto the faith when they were conuerted as not long after I confesse they were seeing Ignatius a little before his death did write vnto them they were inferiour to those seuen which Saint Iohn nameth as the principall and both of them subject to the Bishop of Ephesus as appeareth by the subscriptions in the Councill of Chalcedon where Eutropius the Bishop of Ephesus subscribing as other Metropolitanes did for himselfe and the Bishops which were vnder him beeing absent among twentie others mentioneth Alexander of Magnesia and Maximus of Trallis Likewise in the distribution of the Churches made by Leo the Emperour among the Bishops subiect to the Bishop of Ephesus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Bishop of Tralles and of Magnesia vpon Maander are numbred Vpon these weake premisses the Refuter inferreth a very confident conclusion It is cleare therefore saith he that our Sauiour intended not to write to all the Churches of Asia but onely to those seven which he nameth to noâe of which so many and so famous Churches could belong Whereto I aunswere according to that which I haue prooued that euery Church that was in Asia in these times was either one of these seuen or depending on them As for those Churches which he mentioneth in Asia maior or Asia minor yea euen those which were in Phrygia minor or Troas or in Phrygia maior as Hierapolis and Colossae were not any of them in Asia so properly called there remaine only Magnesia and Tralles to prooue his conclusion Which either he cannot prooue to haue beene Churches at this time or if they were hee cannot disprooue that they belonged to one of these seuen So that nothing which he can obiect doth hinder but that vnder these seuen our Sauiour did write to all the Churches in Asia Thus the former parte of the assumption remaineth true and so will the latter though he say it is vtterly false for his reason is no other but that which I haue alreadie confuâed that they were neither mother cities nor cities at all And whereas he obiecteth that the Epistles were directed to the Angell of the Church in Ephesus in Smyrna c. and not of Ephesus the Church Smyrna the Church as of the whole cities were the Churches I answere that although the whole citie of Ephesus meaning Civitas was not the Church vntill it was wholly conuerted to the profession of Christianitie notwithstanding the whole citie meaning vrbs was contained within the circuite of the Church intended by the Apostles and acknowledged by the iudgement and practise of that Church conformable to the iudgement and practise of all other churches in christendome Neither is that materiall that the church is said to haue bin in Ephesus as it also was when the whole city was conuerted to christianity seing in vrbe in the city the church was chiefly seated as was said before Now that some of these were Metropoleis that is as I said not onely mother cities but also Metropolitan churches I wil briefly declare Those cities which were capita ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the heads of the ciuil iurisdictioÌ where the presideÌts of the Roman prouinces held their assemblies kept their courts were mother cities to the rest which were vnder the said iurisdiction But such were fiue of these as hath beene heeretofore noted out of Plinie viz. Ephesus Smyrna Pergamum Sardes Laodicca Where also Philadelphia is noted as one of the cities subiect to Sardes and Thyatira to Pergamus This distinction the Church followed in al excepting Pergamus which it selfe was subiected to Ephesus and Thyatira which had belonged to it sometimes to Synada for in the councel of Chalcedon Marmianuâ the Bishop of Synada among the BB. which were vnder him reckoneth Helladius of Thyatira sometimes to Sardes as in the Emperor Leo the Philosophers time The Bishops of the other 4. in the council of Chalcedon in the condemnation of Dioscorus are stiled Metropolitanes and in the diuers subscriptions to that councill are placed among the Bishops of the mother cities In the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or distribution of the Churches by the Emperour Leo Ephesus is a Metropolis hauing 36. Bishopricks vnder it among which Pergamum is the 19. Sardes likewise is a Metropolis hauing vnder it 24 Bishopricks whereof Philadelphia is the first and Thyatira the third to Laodicea likewise 21. Bishoprickes were subiect and to Smyrna 7. And so much may suffice for the first argument grounded on the text CHAP. 4. That Presbyters were appointed not to parishes but to dioceses THe Analysis of the 2. argument is mistaken by him to say no worse for hee should haue looked to the end of that which though he make the 3. section should haue beene ioined to the 2. Where hee should haue found this to be the main conclusioÌ of al that which followeth the first argument concerning the 7. churches to that place viz. That the Presbyteries in the Apostles times
charitably And whereas I say they agree with vs in this that by diuine institution there was in the primitiue Church and still ought to be one set ouer the Presbyters he saith I had need to be as mighty in eloquence as Pericles if I would perswade that But small eloquence may serue where there is such euidence to proue the truth Only the Reader must remember that I speake not of my aduersary and other new fangled disciplinarians who are not to haue the credit of comming so neere the truth but of men of greater learning and better desert in Gods Church who as they agree with vs that the Churches were dioceses and the Presbyteries with the Presidents thereof prouided for diocesses which â haue shewed before so they consent in this that the Presbyteries had by diuine ordinaÌce a President set ouer them the which I wil proue straightwaies after I haue noted his ceÌsure concerning the three points wherein I said they differ from vs. The first that they make the Bishop superior in order only and not in degree 2. That they assigne a superiority or presidentship vnto him for a short time and that by course 3. That granting vnto him a priority of order they deny vnto him a maiority of rule or power To the first he saith If by degree I meane dignity onely as neuer any man did they doe not deny the President to be superior indignity and honour during the time of his presidentship which is nothing else but to grant vnto him a priority of order which Beza calleth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the prerogatiâe or precedence and to go before in honor But if I vnderstand degree of office and ministery distinct from Presbyters as theirs is from deacons then he professeth themselues to dissent from vs. And so let them for he cannot be ignorant that I maintaine the antient distinction of the ecclesiasticall Ministers into three ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã degrees Bishops Presbyters and Deacons As for those Presidents of Presbyteries which were superior to the other Presbyters in order and not in degree such were they whom they were wont to call sometimes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sometimes archipresbyteri sometimes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to say Deanes and not Bishops And it was a great ouersight in these learned men vnder the name and title of the ancient Bishops to describe vnto vs Deanes To the second he saith It is manifestly false for we tie not the presidentshippe to any short or long time nor giue it to all presbyters by course as if it were a matter of diuine institution howsoeuer where all are fit for that seruice as no doubt but in Vtopia they all are we thinke it perhaps for he doth but ghesse at things which he knoweth not in discretion he might haue said indiscretion confirmed by experience not amisse to haue the businesse so carried To the third he saith That it also is vntrue for wee giue saith he the President during the time of his presidentship as priority of order so maiority of rule though not supreme and sole authority as none but Papists doe and they to none but to the Pope As touching their agreement with vs and the second point wherin they differ from vs for of the first I haue spoken at large before shewing the iudgements of Caluin and Beza therin you shall heare the opinion of a cheife patron of the discipline in a treatise which he hath written in defense thereof Beza therfore teacheth that it is a diuine ordinance both that there should be a president of each presbytery and also that his presidentshippe should be but for a short time and by course The former which is the order it selfe he saith is not onely an ordinance diuine but also essentiall and immutable The latter which is ordinis modus though it were of diuine institution yet it is but accidentall and so mutable And when hee distinguisheth Bishops into three sorts he calleth them onely diuine which haue a priority of order onely and that for a time and by course As for those which had a perpetuall presidentship whereunto they were preferred by election by whom the priority of order as he imagineth was changed into a superiority of degree and were such as hee will not absolutely condemne yet such in his opinion are but humane and to these he supposeth the name Bishop first to haue beene appropriated Such diuine Presidents he acknowledgeth these seuen Angels to haue been and before them Timothy at Ephesus And whereas Ierom saith at the first the Churches were gouerned ãâã Presbyterorum consiliâ by the common counsell of Presbyters Nââ confuso saith he perturbatâ What saith he confused and disordered so as when the Presbyters did meete none should be President among them That is not likely therefore euen then the Presbytery had a President And where it was obiected by D. Sarauia against that opinion of Ierome that these seuen Churches had each of them an Angell by diuine ordinance set ouer them to whom a more eminent authority belonged in the regiment of the Church to what purpose saith Beza doe you vrge this against Ierome For when hee said the Churches were gouerned at the first by the common counsell of Presbyters wee may not thinke that hee so doted as to dreame that none of the Presbyters was President ouer that assembly As for the third and the last nothing is more euident then that Caluin and Beza as they deny the Bishop to bee superior to other Ministers in degree so also in rule and dominion For he was not so superior in honour and dignity saith Caluin as to haue dominion ouer his Colleagues And againe that he did goe so before others in dignity that himselfe was subiect to the assembly of his brethren Beza acknowledgeth their superiority to haue been the dignity or honour of the first place but no degree of rule ouer their compresbyters And is not this part of H. I. his second maine assertion that the ancient Bishops in the first two hundred yeeres differed from other pastors onely in priority of order and not in maiority of rule T. C. likewise speaking of him that was chosen to moderate the meeting of Ministers saith If any man will call him a President or Moderator or a Gouernour we will not striue so that it be with these cautions that hee be not called simply Gouernour or Moderator but Gouernour or Moderator of that action and for that time and subiect to the orders that others bee and to be censured by the company of the Brethren as well as others if hee be iudged anyway faultâ And that after that action ended and meeting dissolued hee sit him downe in his old place and set himselfe in equall state with the rest of the Ministers Thirdly that this gouernment or presidentship bee not so tied to that Minister but that at the next meeting it
haste touching only vpon the points as a dogge by the riuer Nilus not daring to stay by it yet so brag he is that he would seem to haste away not for feare but rather in disdain as not vouchsafing to waste time in a matter either so impertineÌt as the former part of this section or so needlesse as the latter For this is his vsual guise to cast off those points of the Sermon which indeed are most materiall as impertinent or needlesse The former is impertinent because it is not prooued to belong to those seuen Angels nor within the first two hundred yeeres Which is a meere euasion vnlearned and J greatly doubt also vnconscionable Doe I not plainely note that these seuen Angels had this singularity of preeminence when as I say the holy Ghost teacheth that whereas there were many Presbyters who also were Angels in euery Church yet there was but one who was the Angell of ech Church For to his obiection of their not being diocesan Bishops I haue answered before And for the time doe I not affirme that Timothy had this singularity of preeminence at Ephesus Titus in Creet Epaphroditus in Philippi Archippus at Colosse in the Apostles times As for the rest of my witnesses they doe either testifie de iure which in their iudgement is perpetuall or if they speak de facto it is of that which was in the Apostles times Cornelius the worthy martyr who was Bishop of Rome about the yeere two hundred fifty auoucheth that there ought to be but one Bishop in a Catholike Church though the number of Presbyters and other clergy men were very great and imputeth it as a matter of great ignorance to Nouatian that he did not know ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã there ought to be but one Bishop in a Catholike Church wherein he knew there were forty six Presbyters c. This testimony is reiected because it was giuen fifty yeeres after the date which were but an euasion if it did testifie de facto onely But seeing Cornelius speaketh de iure of what ought to be I hope that which ought not to haue been in Cornelius his time was not lawfull before vnlesse the Refuter can shew that before Cornelius his time plurality of Bishops in one Church was counted lawfull § 5. The Councell of Nice whose testimonie I also alleaged was of this iudgement that there ought not to bee two Bishoppes in one Citie For hauing decreed that when the Catharists that is Puritans or Nouatians returned to the Catholike Church those who were of the clergy should retaine their degree as hee that was a Deacon or a Presbyter should so continue and likewise a Bishoppe for euen the Puritanes or Catharists themselues had their Bishoppes if there were not another alreadie in the Catholike Church But if there were a Bishoppe of the Catholike Church alreadie then it is manifest before hand that the Bishoppe of the Church shall haue the honour of the Bishoppe but hee that was called Bishoppe among the Catharists shall haue the honour of a Presbyter vnlesse it please the Bishop to communicate vnto him the honour of the name But if that like him not he shall finde him out either a Chorepiscopus that is a country Bishops or a Presbyters place that still he may be retained in the clergy ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that there may not be two Bishop in one Citie Which words in Ruffinus are the tenth Canon Ne in vna Ciuitate duo sint Episcopi Augustine also vnderstood though somewhat too late that it was forbidden by the Councell of Nice that there should be any more Bishops in a Church then one For how soeuer whiles he was ignorant thereof he was drawne to take vpon him the Bâshopricke of Hippo whiles Valerius was aliue yet when himselfe was old and desired that Eradius might bee his Coaââutor whom also he nominated for his successor yet he thought it vnlawfull that whiles himself liued he should be ordanied Bishop Whiles Valerius liued saith he I was ordained Bishop and I sate with him both of vs being ignorant that it was forbidden by the Councell of Nice But what was reprehended in me shall not be blamed in him Or as Possidonius speaketh Quod sibi factum esse doluit alijs fieri noluit In the next place I bring the testimonies of Ierome Chrysostome Ambrose Theodoret and Oecumenius on Phil. 1. All which I confesse liued after the two hundred yeeres but they testifie that in the Apostles times there could be no more Bishops then one And the like hath Primasius on the same place To all this hee answers that he will not greatly striue about mens deuices which noâwithstanding he can neuer proue to bee humane and I trust the singularity of preeminence in each of these Angels in Timothy in Titus c. was no humane deuice But though he will not striue yet he alleageth that little which hee was able and that also more then himselfe doth beleeue to be true For he obiecteth that Epiphanius and Eusebius also in his ecclesiasticall story reckon both Peter and Paul for Bishops of Rome at one time Founders they both were of the Church of Rome as Irenaeus testifieth and hauing founded the Church ordained Linus Bishop but that either of them both and much lesse that both at once were Bishops of Rome the Refuter himselfe doth not beleeue To what purpose then doth he alleage that which himselfe is perswaded to be false Would he haue his Reader beleeue that to be true which himselfe beleeueth to be vntrue That which he quoteth out of Athanasius that there were diuers Bishops in some one Church though I cannot finde it may be true in time of schisme and diuision as at Antioch sometimes there were three Bishops c. His allegation out of D. Sutcliffe is very childish as though when he saith that Paul ordained in euery Towne or Citie Presbyters and Bishops his meaning were that in euery Citie he placed more Bishops then one If I should say there are Bishops placed in euery Citie or diocesse throughout England J should speake truly and yet my meaning would be that in euery diocesse there is but one Where I say that as this singularity of preeminence was ordained for the preseruation of the Church in vnitie and for the auoiding of schisme so is it for the same cause to be retained he would seem half amazed that I who do not deny other formes of gouernment to be lawfull pag. 95. and no further hold the episcopall function to be of diuine institution then as being ordained by the Apostles it proceeded from God without implying any necessary perpetuity thereof pag. 92. should now plainly auouch a necessity of retaining the gouernment of diocesan BB. for the preseruation of the Church in vnity c. But the Readâr that fauoreth the Refuters person and cause hath more cause to be amazed at his dealing
you to that which before hath been by mee alleaged Jt is euident therefore by the testimonies of Tertullian and Ierome that such was the superioritie of Bishoppes in respect of iurisdiction that the Presbyters and Deacons though the right to baptize belonged to their power of order yet they might not exercise that power without iurisdiction and authority granted them from the Bishop The like I alleaged concerning the Lords Supper Ignatius saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Let that Eucharist be allowed as firme and warrantable which is celebrated vnder the Bishop that is in his presence or by such namely in his absence or in those Congregations where he is not present as he should permit or appoint The words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã preuent the Refuters cauill who saith that the Church was but one Congregation whârein no man had authoritie to minister the word or Sacraments but with the liking of the Pastor For that Eucharist which was ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was in the congregation where the Bishop was present it being administred in other congregations by such as the Bishop did authorize But the idle conceit of one onely Congregation in the greatest Churches hath beene before sufficiently refuted Where I alleged Cyprian reproouing the Presbyters of Carthage for giuing the Communion to some which had fallen in time of persecution without warrant from him though he were absent therin not regarding as they ought praepositum sibi Episcopum the Bishop who was set ouer them nec Episcopo honorem Sacerdotij sui Cathedrae seruantes nor reseruing vnto the Bishop the honour of his Priesthood and Chaire the Refuter saith the same answer which he gaue to Tertullian will serue as a poore shift for Cyprians testimonie who had iust cause to complaine that the Presbyters who in his absence were to feede the Flocke had taken vpon them to admit to the Communion c. Doth not the Refuter see his former shift will not serue the turne Is it not plaine that the Presbyters which Cyprian speaketh of who as hee saith elsewhere were cum Episcopo sacerdotali honore coniuncti ioined to the Bishop in the honour of Priesthood who were to feed the people and whose office it was to deliuer the holy Communion to the people were Ministers of the word and Sacraments Againe will it serue the turne to say either that the Presbyters had authority only in this particular of the Sacrament or that Cyprian was either but a titular or a parish B. whom I haue proued before to haue beene a Metropolitan In the end he resteth in his first answer that Cyprian is vnder age Alas good Cyprian how hard was thy happe that thou wert not Bishop one fortie yeeres sooner that the Refuter and his consorts which now haue excluded thee without the compasse of their imagined Primitiue Church might haue esteemed thy testimonie as good as Tertullians or others who wrote in the first 200. yeeres The like I might haue added concerning other ministeriall functions The second Councell of Carthage decreed that if any Presbyter without the consent of the B. should in any place agenda celebrare celebrare diuine seruice and performe such actions as belong to the ministerie hee should be deposed The Councell of Gangra pronounceth him accursed who shal performe the actions of the church meaning those things which appertaine to Gods publike seruice and the ministerie of the word and sacraments ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã there being not present a Presbyter by the appointment of the Bishop The ancient Canon called the Apostles appointeth that such a Presbyter as will of his owne authoritie without the appointment of the B. hold assemblies for the seruice of God vse of the sacraments that he should be deposed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as ambitious The same hath the Councell of Antioch in the fifth Canon which Canon being recited in the Councell of Chalcedon all the BB. gaue it this acclamation This is a iust rule this is the rule of the Fathers This case being propounded in the Councell of Carthage if a Presbyter being condemned by his owne B. shall swell with pride against him and thinke he may apart celebrate the diuine seruice and offer the Communion c. the Councell determined if any Presbyter swelling with pride against his B. shall make a schisme withdrawing himselfe from the Communion of his B. c. let him be anathema For a conclusion I alleged the words of Ignatius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Let no man without the B. that is without his leaue and authority doe any thing that belongeth to the Church To which the Refuter maketh this one only answer of one congregation which I haue confuted more then once To proue the Bishops power and authority in correcting Presbyters in the first place I alleged Cyprian who telleth Regatianuâ a B. who had beene abused of his Deacon that pro Episcopatus vâgore Cathedrae authoritate for the vigour of his Bishopricke and authority of his chaire hee might himselfe haue censured him as he thought good counselleth him if the Deacon did persist hee should exercise the power of his honor towards him and either depose him or excommunicate him Secondly Ierome maruelling that the B. where Vigilantius was Presbyter did not virga apostolica with the apostolike and with an iron rodde breake that vnprofitable vessell and deliuer him vnto the destruction of the flesh Both these the refuter casteth off as vncompetent witnesses who speake but of the practise of their owne times as who should say it had beene otherwise before their times But it is plaine almost by innumerable testimonies some whereof I will cite anon that the ancientest Canons Councels and Fathers acknowledge and allow this correctiue power in the Bishops ouer the Presbyters and Deacons in the Primitiue Church As for the Apostles times I prooue the same out of the Apocalypse but more plainely out of the Epistles to Timothe and Titus The former reason if the Refuter will giue me leaue to frame it is this Those who either are commended for examining and not suffering such in their Church as called themselues Apostles and were not or were reprooued for suffering false Teachers had a correctiue power ouer other Ministers The Angell of the Church of Ephesus is commended for the former the Angell of the Church of Thyatira is reproued for the latter Therefore these Angels which before I haue proued to be BB. had a correctiue power ouer other Ministers His answer is friuolous that neither these Angels were diocesan Bishops which before hath been prooued nor these false Teachers diocesan Presbyters which word himselfe deuised for a shift Is it not against sense saith hee that the Presbyters which were subiect to the B. should call themselues Apostles If they were not subiect to him why is hee either commended for exercising
such Archbb. as are aboue Metropolitanes were not ordayned by Christ and his Apostles as D. Bilson who also is alledged as hauing beene of the Refuters minde because he citeth Ierome in Tit. 1.1 ad Euagr. Some that there were two sorts of Elders as Iunius Some vnderstanding Ieromes words of the time when factions began not of the Apostles times but afterward as Iunius These are all his witnesses besides some with whose names onely without their testimonies he thought best to make a simple flourish Now if any one of these allegations were reduced into the forme of a Syllogisme concluding the contradictorie to my assertion viz. that some auncient Councils Histories or Fathers doe testifie that in the three hundred yeares after Christ and his Apostles the gouernement by BB. was not generally and perpetually vsed it would appeare to euery one how ridiculously our refuter argueth As for example Danaeus Musculus Iunius c. doe testifie that in the three hundred yeares after Christ and his Apostles the gouernment by BB. was not generally receiued Therefore some ancient Councils Histories or Fathers doe testifie so much Yea but you speake of sound Writers in generall will he say and so I conclude Therefore some sound Writers doe testifie so much But it is plaine say I that I meane the ancient But to his argument such as it is I answere first that if these Writers had testified that which is contayned in the antecedent yet had not they beene competent witnesses in a matter of fact fourteene or fifteene hundred yeares before their time the greatest part of them being also parties in the cause But indeede not all no nor any one of his witnesses doth testifie that in the three hundred yeares after the Apostles the gouernment of Bishops was not generally receiued but all his allegations accommodated to that conclusion are most ridiculous As for example in in the Apostles times Bishops and Presbyters were the same Therefore in the three hundred yeares after the Apostles the gouernment by Bishops was not receiued Bishops were ordayned not by Gods law c. Therefore they were not in the first three hundred yeares and so of the rest But some body will say though these testimonies be impertinent to the present purpose and I must needes confesse that your Refuter did grossely abuse his vnlearned Readers in making such a flourish with them notwithstanding some of the allegations contayne assertions contrarie to some points in your Sermon Of whom in steed of answere if I should aske this question whom hee conceiueth to be aduersaries to vs in this cause he would answere those that stand for the pretended discipline And who be those Caluin Beza Danaeus lunius Sadeel and the most of those whom the Refuter hath alledged If they be aduersaries in this cause is it to be wondred that they haue deliuered contrary assertions and if they be parties in the cause are their testimonies to be admitted Verily he might better haue alledged M. Cartwright and M. Trauers then some of those whom hee did cite being more parties in the cause then they as not onely hauing written in defence of their discipline but liuing where it is practised but that hee knew the simple Reader vvho cannot be ignorant that T. C. and W. T. are parties vvas ignorant that these outlandish Writers vvere aduersaries vnto vs in the cause to vvhose assertions seeing it is folly to oppose the authorities of learned men vvho are on our side vvhom the Refuter vvould reiect as parties I oppose the testimonies of antiquity and the reasons contayned in this booke desiring the Reader in the feare of God to giue credit without partiality to that side on which there is better euidence of truth And thus hauing turned ouer and as I suppose ouerturned more then fiue leaues vvhich hee blotted vvith these testimonies I come to his examples of vvhich hee hauing not any one betweene the Apostles times and ours therefore giueth instance in the Churches of our time and in the time of the Apostles But marke I pray you vvhat vvas my assertion vvhich hee vvould seeme to contradict Was it not this that no example of any Orthodoxall or Apostolicall Church can be produced to proue that in the three hundred yeares after Christ and his Apostles the gouernment by Bishops vvas not generally receiued No saith hee vvhat say you then to the Churches of Heluetia France lowe Countries c. in our time and to the Church of Corinth Cenchrea Ephesus and Antioch in the Apostles times Marry this I say that the Refuter is a very trifler vvho pretending to giue instance of some Church vvithin three hundred yeares after the Apostles times contrarie to my assertion thinkes to satisfie his Reader eyther vvith examples of some Churches in our age or of those in the Apostles times vvhereof this present question is not I confesse that the Churches in the Apostles times at the first had not Bishoppes excepting that of Ierusalem Notwithstanding before the death of Saint Iohn the Churches had not onely Bishops but diuers of them a succession of Bishops and such were two of those which he nameth to wit Antioch and Ephesus for at Antioch there were Bishops successiuely in the Apostles times Evodius and Ignatius And at Ephesus before the Angel to whom that Epistle is directed Apoc. 2.1 Timothie About the yeare one hundred seauenty and foure Dionysius was B. of Corinth and before him was Primus who was of the same time with Anicetus Anno one hundred fifty sixe before whom there was a succession from the Apostles time as Hegesippus recordeth As for Cenchrea that neuer had a peculiar Bishop of her owne but was subiect as other Townes and Parishes of Achaâa to the Bishop of Corinth As touching the Churches after the Apostles times the Refuter hath nothing to obiect but what before he hath alleadged out of Iustin Martyr and Tertullian in whom there is not a word against Bishops Iustin Martyr speaketh but of one gouernour in each Church whom he calleth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is the B. saith Beza speaking so plainely for the singularity of preheminence of one B. in each Church that T. C. who would perswade that in the seueral Churches there were more Bishops then one saith that euen in Iustines time there began to peepe out something which went from the simplicity of the Gospell as that the name of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which was common to the Elders with the Ministers of the word was it seemeth appropriated vnto one And whereas this place of Iustine was alleadged to proue the Bishops superiority ouer the Presbyters for euen Beza confesseth hee was the President of the Presbyterie who afterwards was called a Bishop hee answereth if it should be granted that Iustines President had superioritie ouer the Ministers yet how fondly is it concluded that it is Lawfull because it was And as I
Ignatius who liued at the same time who in his Epistle to the Ephesians mentioneth their B. Onesimus The latter argument prouing that these seauen Angels were BB. is because from them all a succession of BB. was continued in those seauen Churches to the Councill of Nice and afterwards for to omit that the auncient BB. of these Churches are sometimes occasionally mentioned as Polycrates of Ephesus Thraseas of Smyrna Melito of Sardes c. it is euident that the Bishops of these Churches subscribed to diuerse of the ancient Councils as to the councill of Nice Menophantes B. of Ephesus Eutychius of Smyrna Artemidorus of Sardes Thomasion of Philadelphia Serras of Thyatira Nunechius of Laodicea to the Council of Chalcedon Stephanus of Ephesus Aethericus of Smyrna Eutropius of Pergamus Helladius of Thyatira Florentius of Sardes Megalus of Philadelphia Nunechius of Laodicea To this argument the Refuter answereth nothing in particular With these two arguments the refuter ioyneth that which I propounded Pag. 63. concerning the succession of Bishops in some Churches within the Apostles times being indcede the second argument whereby I proued the assumption that in the Apostles times were BB. To all these he answereth first ioyntly and then cauilleth with some of them seuerally His ioynt answere to them all I reserue vntill I come to that second argument The Epistle of Smyrna which himselfe heretofore alledged as authenticall being now alledged by me so hard is my hap is growne suspitious and why I pray you for the Refuter trauailed of a point of learning which he desired to be deliuered of Forsooth because it vseth the word Catholicke which is not to be found in any of the Epistles of Polycarpus or Ignatius nor seemeth to haue beene in vse vntill the end of the second age Clemens Alexandrinus I thinke is the ancientest in whom it can be found How many Epistles of Polycarpus this Refuter hath read I know not for my part I haue seene no more but his Epistle to the Philippians Indeede Suidas who noteth him to haue beene the Disciple of S. Iohn and the successor of Bucolus who was the first B. of Smyrna saith he wrote an Epistle to Dionysius the Areopagite and to other Churches which Epistles if the Refuter haue he should doe well to communicate them if not how can he tell that the word Catholicke was not vsed in them But to the point was not the Creed of the Apostles as ancient as this Epistle which writeth of the martyrdome of Polycarpe who was put to death in the seauenth of Aurelius Antonius about the yeare one hundred sixtie and nine and yet that mentioneth the Catholicke Church Againe vvas not this a high point of learning to suspect this Epistle to be counterfait because it vseth a word which hee confesseth is vsed by Clemens Alexandrinus who liued at the same time though wrote not perhaps more then twentie yeares after Where I proued that Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians or at least that testimonie which I cited concerning Onesimus their Bishop not to be counterfait because Eusâbius mentioneth that Epistle and those words he saith this argument is none of the sufficientest but I alwaies thought if Ignatius his Epistles were counterfaited that this happened to them since Eusebius time It sufficeth me that the testimonie which I alledged vvas not in Eusebius his time who liued vvithin two hundred yeares after Ignatius suspected as counterfait For if Eusebius and those in his time knew no cause to suspect that Epistle I know no reason besides his owne suspiciousnesse vvhy the Refuter should suspect it The second argument whereby I proue the former assumption is this that it is with great consent testified by Authors of best credit in the Church of God that in the Apostles times reckoning vntill the death of S. Iohn that is to the yeere of our Lord one hundred and one there were not onely BB. but also a succession of BB. in diuerse Churches as at Rome Linus Anacletus Clemens Euaristus at Ierusalem Iames the iust and Simeon the sonne of Cleophas at Antioch Evodius and Ignatius at Alexandria S. Marke Anianus Abilius Cerdo hereto he saith that he hath formerly shewen that if not all yet the most of these witnesses doe affirme that those BB. were ordinary ministers without any such supreame power he ought to say if he would leaue his calumniating superiority in the power of ordination and iurisdiction But this is one of his vsuall bragges vttered with what conscience I know not for what one of these hath he or what one among all the ancient Writers can he bring to make good his assertion Now the answere which he maketh to these arguments ioyntly is that the seauen Angels and these Bishops whereof there were as I said successions in the Apostles times were Bishops indeed no meruaile for so were the lay Elders but not Diocesan for what though long after the Apostles times they were so doth it follow thereupon that therefore they were so in their times If euer there had beene within the compasse of a Diocesse more Bishops then one at once since the Apostles times or if it could be truly alledged that the circuit of the Bishops charge was enlarged from a Parish to a Diocesse then were there some colour for this exception but these conceipts I haue disproued heretofore and therefore doubt not most confidently to conclude that if the successors of these seauen Bishops or of the others whom I named as hauing beene Bishops in the Apostles times were in the end of three hundred yeares Diocesan Bishops then were their first antecessors such Neither is his example of the Duke of Venice to the purpose vnlesse hee could proue that the latter Bishops within the first three hundred yeares had vsurped or vsed as they were Diocesans a greater and larger authoritie then had belonged to their Predecessors The latter part of the assumption remaineth to be proued where I said that the Bishops were not contradicted by the Apostles but approued by them Hee obiecteth that this proofe is needlesse seeing the Bishops were such as he fansieth but till he can disproue the former part of my Sermon and of this Treatise hee must giue the Reader leaue to thinke they were such as they haue beene manifestly proued to be but this needlesse accusation being commonly vsed by the Refuter against such passages of my Sermon as are most materiall maketh me conceiue there is somewhat in this point that hee could wish had beene spared or at least whereabout he meaneth to spare his answere That this passage was not needlesse but very materiall appeareth hereby For if I had onely said that BB. had beene in the Apostles times and therefore were of their institution it might haue beene obiected that there were abuses crept into the Churches in the Apostles time whereof notwithstanding the Apostles were not Authors wherefore in this place
them alone as extraordinarie persons vvhose authoritie should dye with them but to those also which should succeed them in the like authoritie vntill the end But whether the Bishops were to be their successours or the whole congregation or the Presbyterie belongeth not to the assumption but rather to the proposition Howbeit that which he saith either in denying the Bishops to be the successours of Timothie and Titus or affirming the congregation and Presbyterie to haue succeeded them in the power of ordination and iurisdiction is spoken altogether as against the truth so without proofe I will therefore returne to the proposition which is grounded on this Hypothesis that Diocesan Bishops were the successours of Timothie and Titus For if that be true then is the proposition necessary though the refuter flatly denyeth it Thus therefore I reason If the successours of Timothie and Titus were Diocesan Bishops then those things which were written to informe their successours were vvritten to informe Diocesan Bishops But the successors of Timothie Titus were Diocesan BB. Therefore those things which were vvritten to informe the successours of Timothie and Titus vvere vvritten to informe Diocesan Bishops Here the refuter thinking he had as good reason to deny the one part of this syllogisme as the other denyeth both The consequence of the proposition is feeble saith he vnlesse it were certaine that the Bishops both de facto were de iure ought to haue beene their successors That the Bishops were de facto their successors of all other Apostolical men in the gouernment of the Churches I haue already proued and there vpon haue inferred that de iure also they were Because what gouernment was not onely generally receiued in the 300. yeeres after the Apostles but also was in vse in the Apostles times in the Apostolicall Churches that without doubt was of Apostolicall institution The assumption I proue by two arguments first by this disiunction Either the Bishops were their successours or the Presbyteries or which the refuter would adde the whole congregation But neither the Presbyteries nor the whole congregation which had no greater nor other authority and power vnder Bishops then they had before vnder Timothie and Titus Therefore the Bishops were their successors Againe those who succeeded Timothie and Titus in the gouernment of the Churches of Ephesus and Creet were their successors But the Bishops of Ephesus and Creet did succeed Timothie and Titus in the gouernment of those Churches Therefore they were their successors These reasons the refuter saw not onely he taketh vpon him to answere the proofes of this last assumption And first for Timothie his successors in Ephesus it is apparant that not onely the Angell of the Church of Ephesus Apoc. 2.1 whether it were Onesimus or any other was one of his successors and Policrates the Bishop of Ephesus another But also that from Timothie vntill the Councill of Chalcedon there was a continued succession of Bishops For whereas in the Councill of Chalcedon Stephanus the Bishop of Ephesus being deposed some question did arise whether the new Bishop who was to succeed were to be chosen and ordained by the Councill or by the Prouinciall Synode of Aisa Leontius the Bishop of Magnesia in the Prouince of Asia alledged that from St. Timothie to that time there had beene twenty seauen Bishops of Ephesus all ordained there To this he answereth nothing but that which before hath been refuted that howsoeuer the latter Bishops of those twenty seauen might be Diocesan the former were not For it is certaine that both the latter and the former were not onely Diocesan but also Metropolitan Bishops And where I number the Angell of Ephesus in this rancke he saith that I tediously begge the question But I appeale to the refuter himselfe first whether this Angell was not the B. and gouernour of the Church of Ephesus secondly whether he did not succeed Timothie in the gouernment of that Church thirdly whether he was not one of those twenty seauen Bishops mentioned by Leontius in the Councill of Chalcedon And the like may be said of Polycrates who had beene the eight Bishop of his owne kindred sauing that concerning him there is more euidence that he being Bishop of Ephesus was the Metropolitane or primate of Asia For Eusebius saith that he ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he was the ruler or chiefe of the Bishops of Asia who by his authoritie did assemble a Prouinciall Synode to discusse the question concerning Easter As touching Creet because there is not the like euidence the refuter taketh vpon him to deliuer diuers things without booke as if Titus had successours in the gouernment of Creet it would be auailable for Arch-bishops which were not bred a great while after but it maketh nothing for Diocesan Bishops Whereto I answere first though such Archbishops as were also called Patriarches were not from the Apostles times yet such as are Metropolitanes were And againe if Prouinciall Bishops may be proued to haue been from the Apostles times much more may Diocesan For euery Metropolitane is a Diocesan but not contrariwise And although I doe not remember that I haue any where read of the next successour to Titus yet I read of Gortyna the mother City of Creet and the Metropolitane Bishops thereof who were Arch-bishops of Creet and successors of Titus though not his immediate successours For Dionysius of Corinth who flourished at the same time with Hegesippus writing an Epistle to the Church of Gortyna together with the rest of the Churches of Creet hee commendeth Philippe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã their Bishop for his renowned vertue And although he called him the Bishop of the Churches in Creet yet the Diocesan Churches had their Bishops too as the Church of Gnossus a City of Creet had Pinytus at the same time her Bishop which proueth the other to haue beene an Arch-bishop Theodorus Balsamo saith f antiquius Nomocanonum versaui c. I haue perused the ancient Code of Councils and by the subscriptions I finde that in this Councill held in Trullo Basil the Bishop of Gortyna which is the Metropolis of Creet was present And where he saith that Creet hauing many Churches had no one Bishop to gouerne them after Titus the Euangelist till Diocesan Bishops had got the sway of Ecclesiasticall matters I confesse it is true but he must remember that euen in the Apostles times there were Diocesan Bishops And in the very next age after them Philippe was Archbishop of Creet But though there were no direct proofe that Diocesan or Prouinciall Bishops were the successours of Timothie and Titus yet it might easily be gathered by other Churches from whose forme of gouernment Ephesus and Creet did not vary It cannot be denyed but what authoritie Timothie and Titus had the one in Ephesus the other in Creet the same had Marke at Alexandria Evodius at Antioch Linus at Rome c. Neither may it
at the second hand but to examine the allegations and to cite them out of the Authors themselues So that although the liquor many times is the same yet I drewe it at the fountaine and not at the streame remembring who saith Tardi est ingenij riuulos consectari fontes non videre Which course better Schollers then my aduersarie would allowe especially to one that had no more time then I had both to prouide what to speake and to speake what I had prouided And forasmuch as in many places of his booke he maketh references to D. Bilsons booke to shew that what I deliuer was taken thence I intreat the Reader once for all to compare the places For thereby he shall see this cauiller to haue played the Ratte both in discouering his owne falshood and in betraying his cause For as touching the former I doe vnfainedly professe that I am not conscious to my selfe either in that Sermon or any other writing that I haue published to haue taken any one line from any without citing the Author His cause also shal be notably disadvaÌtaged because those things which I did perhaps briefly and as it were in hast set downe the Reader shall sometimes in the booke whereunto hee is referred reade the same points fully accurately handled to his great satisfaction and good contentment And whereas he obiecteth that my house is built of old stuffe c. Let him knowe that in these kindes of buildings the oldnes of the stuffe is a great commendation For that which is the oldest is the truest And that which hath beene of greatest antiquitie for the time past will also be of the longest continuance for the time to come As for those buildings which our new Church wrights haue lately set vp specke and spanne new building Churchframes as it were of wood couered ouer with strawe which will not abide the fire I verily thinke they will not continue vntill they be old His third quarrell is against the choyse of the text as it were the plot of ground whereon to set my building The which because it is allegoricall is compared to a marish ground where though I digge deepe and doe what I can I shall hardly find fast ground whereon to lay my foundation The which quarrell doth please him so well that he repeateth it againe pag. 3. But without cause For seeing the exposition of the allegory is not doubtfull but is confessed on both sides that as by the 7. starres are meant the 7. Angels so by the Angels the Bishops of the Churches who seeth not that this assertion that the calling of Bishops is lawfull good is built on the foundation of the Apostle Iohn as it were vpon a Rocke For although some obiect that by the Angels are meant either all Ministers in generall as the newe sect of disciplinarians doth or the presidents of the Presbyteries as the Elder and more learned disciplinarians doe who doe not stand for the new-found parish-discipline yet I doe proue both by the text it selfe and by other euidence that the calling of Diocesan BB. is in this text commended vnto vs vnder this title of the Angels of the Churches But hereof more in my answere to the third pag. CHAP. II. Diuiding the Sermon and defending the first part thereof which he calleth the Preface HAuing thus quarrelled with the Author the matter and subiect of he Sermon he setteth vpon the Sermon it selfe Which in the abortiue booke was dismembred into sixe parts and yet one maine part left out In this after-birth into 3 viz the Preface the body of the Sermon and the conclusion The Preface he saith is concerning the text and the fiue points I vndertake to handle and that againe he mangleth into 4. sections But if my aduersaries were as good in diuiding as they are in making diuision or so skilfull in analysing logically as they are captious in comptrolling that which hath bene logically composed they would either haue followed the ordinarie diuision of orations saying that the Sermon consisted of 4 parts which are 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the proaeme to pag. 2. lin 3. 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the proposition or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã wherein the points to be handled are first diduced out of the text to pag. 6. l. 16. and secondly enumerated and distinctly marshalled pag. 6 7. 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the confirmation prouing and defending those fiue points from pag. 8. to 94. 4. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the conclusion containing the application pag. 94. to the end Or if this diuision had not liked them they might out of the transition pag. 94. haue obserued a distribution of my Sermon into 2. parts viz. the explication continuing to that place and the application from thence to the end The explication containeth 2. assertions the first that the pastors or gouernours of the primitiue Churches here meant by the Angels were Diocesan Bishops such for the substance of their calling as ours be The second that the function of Diocesan BB. is lawfull and good Of these two assertions the former is an explication of the text the latter a doctrine collected out of the text so explained These assertions are for the handling of the text first propounded to be discussed in that which he calleth the Preface and afterwards proued in that which he calleth the body of my booke The former as I said may be called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the proposition the latter ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the confirmation Now for the tryall of the first viz. whethâer by the Angels of the Churches we are to vnderstand Diocesan BB. or not these two points are propounded to be examined first what manner of Churches they were whereof they were Bishops whether parishes onely as our new disciplinarians say or dioceses as we and the elder disciplinarians hold and consequently whether themselues were parishionall or diocesan BB. 2. what manner of preheminence they had in their Churches in respect whereof they be called the Angels of the Churches whether onely a prioritie in order aboue other Ministers and that but for a short time and by course or a superioritie in degree and maioritie of rule for terme of life And this is the summe of that which he calleth the Preface Now I come to his sections and his quarrells against the same Serm. Sect. 1. pag. 1. Our Lord and Sauiuor Christ hauing appeared to S. Iohn in a glorious forme c. to heauen at the mids of pag. 3. In these words two questions which be determined in the 2. assertions euen now mentioned are propounded The former what manner of persons are meant by the Angels of the Churches And why this question was to be discussed I alleadged as he saith 2. reasons The first because when the holy Ghost expoundeth the starres by Angels this interpretation it selfe is allegoricall and therefore
Bishops ouer other Ministers and so much is intended in this place To the reason if it had beene obscure hee should haue answered as Aristotle teacheth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I vnderstand not For better were it to plead ignorance then to wrangle with that he doth not or will not vnderstand For I doe plainely note in the Sermon two sorts of disciplinarians who are opposite vnto vs in this controuersie the one a new sect of disciplinarians lately risen amongst vs who haue coyned the new-found parish discipline which commeth nearer the practise of the Brownists then of any well ordered Church of whom I spake in the former point the other a sort of graue and learned diuines such as Caluin and Beza c. who stand for that discipline which is practised in Geneua and some other reformed Churches shewing that as they doe not consent with our newe disciplinarians in the former point so they dissent from vs in the latter touching the superioritie of Bishops The refuter vnderstandeth all as a grant made by them whereof some part hee acknowledgeth to be true the rest he reiecteth as false And though in neither he doe vnderstand what was intended yet hee is as bold as blind Bayard to blunder out this blustering speech that with one breath I blowe out both truth and falshood Neither doubteth he though meerely ignorant of that which he auoucheth to charge me with foure vntruthes denying 1. that they grant Bishops which here are called Angels to haue beene set ouer Dioceses that is to say the whole citie and countrey adioyning 2 That they teach the onely gouerning Elders to be lay or annuall 3 That the Angels of the Churches were nothing else but presidents of the Presbyteries 4 That their presidentshippe was onely for a weeke or a moneth and that by course as being common to them in their turnes For the manifestation of the truth in all these points I shall not need to seeke further then to the writings of Caluin and Beza Sect. 14. As touching the first Caluin teacheth that in the primitiue Church when in the gouernement thereof there was nothing almost dissonant from Gods word each citie had a colledge of Presbyters who were Pastors and Doctors and that to euery citie was assigned a certaine region which should receiue their Presbyters meaning the pastors of seuerall parisnes from thence and should be accoumpied as part of that Church Euery Colledge was subiect to some one Bishop But if the countrey which was vnder his Bishopricke was larger then that he could in all places discharge all the functions of a Bishop in certaine places throughout the countrey were appointed certaine Presbyters who in busines of lesse importance should be in his steed These were called Chorepiscopi because in the prouince they represented the Bishop Likewise Beza teacheth that the first distribution of the Church into Dioceses was framed according to the diuision of the prouinces vnder the Romane Empier into ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as it were precincts of gouernement which Plinie calleth conuentus iurisdictiones in the chiefe cities whereof the presidents kept their courts of iudgment of which sort Pliny reckneth 9. in Asia the lesse fiue whereof are mentioned in the Apocalypse viz. Laodicea Sardes Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Neither are we saith he to imagine that this order at the first proceeded rather from a councill or decree of the ancient fathers assembled together then from the very instinct of nature and instigation of necessitie Now saith hee in the chiefe Towne of euery Diocesse the first Presbiter who afterwards by a dangerous Catachresis was called a Bishoppe in the daily common iurisdiction Praeerat caeteris tum vrbanis tum alijs eius regionis com-Presbyteris id est totj Diocoesi was President ouer his fellow Presbyters both of the Citie and Countrey that is the whole Diocese And because sometimes the Countrey was of larger extent then that all vpon euery occasion could conueniently meete in the Citie and forasmuch as other small Cities and Townes did neede commune inspection or ouersight they also had their Chorepiscopi that is Countrey-Bishops or Vice-Bishops For the second that they acknowledge their onely gouerning Elders to be of the Laitie it is plaine For whereas Caluin diuideth the Church into two Orders or Ranks Clerum sc. plebem the Clergie and Laitie hee plainely saith that these Elders are chosen from among the Laitie And forasmuch as being chosen they doe not become to bee of the Clergie hee must needes meane that they still continue to be of the Laitie And that hee thought they should be annuall the order of the Church of Geneua by him set downe doth declare Both which points Beza acknowledgeth together In this Citie of Geneua saith hee those gouerning Elders which in the title of the chapter hee called annuall are chosen yearely not of the baser sort of the people but out of the very order of 25.60 and 200. men which be the councills of state in Geneua 2. being chosen out of the 25.4 out of the 60. and 6. out of 200. not without the knowledge and consent of the people I say euery yeare newe are chosen or the olde confirmed So euery where saith hee in other free Churches according to the condition of the place the like choice is obserued For of the Laitie some are chosen to this Eldership in Scotland yearely in the Low-Countreyes they are chosen for 2. yeares the halfe of them being changed euery yeare Now it may not be doubted but that those which bee of the 25. or 60. or 200. in Geneua being all States-men as their gouerning-Elders bee are Lay-men Againe great consideration must bee had saith Beza that Princes and Noble men and such as haue authoritie and preheminence in the Church bee chosen to be of the Seignorie And surely saith he in another place prouing that there ought to bee such Elders of the Laitie ioyned to the Ministers vnlesse some chosen men out of the bodie of the whole congregation doe sit in that assemblie whereby the whole Church is gouerned Scarcely shall the vniuersall name of that Church agree to that assemblie wherewith notwithstanding Christ adorneth it Namely because they being chosen out of all the parts of the whole Church should represent the whole Church His reason therefore is that as the whole Church consisteth of the Clergie and Laytie So that Senate which is to represent the whole Church must consist not onely of the Clergie but of the Laitie also And in another place he prooueth by a necessary disiunction as he thinketh that if there must bee a Presbyterie at all a good part thereof must be chosen out of the Laitie Whence doe they thinke they are to be chosen if not of them whom they call Lay-men c. Thirdly that they make the Angels of the Churches or ancient BB. in respect of their superioritie
only Presidents of the presbyterie c. Nothing is more plaine The Presbyters saith Caluin in euery Citie chose one out of their number to whom specially they giue the title of a Bishop least from equalitie as is wont dissentions should arise But yet the Bishop was not so in honour and dignitie superiour that hee had dominion ouer his colleagues But what office the Consul had in the Senate to propound matters to aske voyces to goe before others in counselling admonishing exhorting by his authoritie to rule the whole action and to execute that which by common counsell hath bene decreed that office did the B. beare in the assemblie of the Presbyters Againe euery Colledge of Presbyters onely for preseruation of peace and good order were subiect to one Bishop who did so goe before others in dignitie that himselfe was subiect to the assemblie of the bretheren meaning the Presbyterie Caluin therefore maketh the Angels or ancient Bishops nothing else but presidents of the Presbyterie or moderators of the Assemblie Beza as by each of these Angels he vnderstandeth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the President of the Presbyterie as before I noted So he will acknowledge the first Bishops to haue bene no other but presidents of the Ecclesiasticall Senate Presidents ouer the assemblies of Pastors to wit of diuerse Parishes belonging to one Church whose authoritie he will acknowledge to bee nothing else but the Dignitie of the first place in the sacred Assemblie with the right of ruling the common action without any dominion ouer those which sit with him And such a presidentship hee acknowledgeth to bee a Diuine ordinance And whereas Ierome saith there was a time when the Churches were gouerned by the common counsell of the presbyters hee would not haue him so vnderstood as if they had not alwayes a president And whereas D. Sarauia objecteth that in Saint Iohns time these 7. Churches of Asia had by Diuine ordinance 7. BB. set ouer them whome hee calleth the Angels Beza replieth Wherefore vrge you this against Ierome vs For when he saith that the Churches at the first were gouerned by the common counsell of Presbyters wee may not thinke he was so vnwise as to dreame that none of the Presbyters was President of the assemblie And most plainely in the next Chapter As touching the first Presbyter saith hee or Bishop of the Diocesse what his Dignitie was and wherein it did consist I haue often shewed that it was wholly of Order and not of degree Euery one of his fellow-Presbyters or Pastors ruling his own Parish and that first Presbyter or Byshop of the Diocesse hauing a super-intendencie or in-spection ouer all his fellow-Presbyters thus farre as to admonish them of their dutie as also hauing assembled his Presbyterie either on set dayes or extraordinarilie to propound matters to them concerning the Diocesse or the Censure of manners to aske their voices to pronounce what to the rest seemeth good From which iudgement it was lawfull to appeale to a Prouinciall Synode As touching the last point what the learned disciplinarians hold may be gathered by the practise of Geneua and other Churches which they did reforme as was pretended according to the discipline of the primitiue Church the Presidents of the presbyteries in those Churches being not perpetuall or for terme of life but for a short time But omitting the rest Beza often vrgeth this point that the ancient BB had this presidentship but for a short time and that by course And as hee professeth the presidentship in the Presbytery of euery Church to be a diuine ordinance immutable So hee acknowledgeth those BB alone for diuine who had this presidentship but for a short time and by course How be it hee confesseth that howsoeuer the order it selfe Namely that there should bee a president in each presbyterie is perpetuall and immutable as beeing essentiall Yet ordinis modum the manner of this order though it were a diuine ordinance that it should bee by course and for a short time was variable as being but accidentall But his wordes which most plainely testifie that which I deliuered are these In what sense it is to be taken that Ierome saith The Churches in the beginning were gouerned by the common Counsell of the Presbyters Ambrose teacheth namely so as there should bee one among them not superiour in degree but first in the dignitie of Order and Honour to which office euery one should succeede in their turnes Now what space of time was prescribed to this Presidentship Ambrose describeth not But it is probable that it was a weekely course such as that of the Aaronicall Priest-hood And after speaking of that change which Ierome noteth hee giueth this reason thereof That the Primacie of Order by course or turnes of mutuall succession was by experience found not sufficient for auoyding of Schisme the dignitie of this Primacie being communicated vnto each of the Pastors in their turnes Therefore that which had bene common to all in their turnes it was thought good to translate vnto one and that one chosen by the iudgement of the whole Presbitery Let the refuter therefore take home those foure vntruths to himselfe which hee obiected against mee whether out of vnmannerly ignorance or rather cunning-rudenes For it can hardly be thought that such bolde challengers of the BB. and so confident an vndertaker of this busines could simply be ignorant of these things but rather cunninglie sought to conceale the diuision which is among themselues fearing lest their fauourites whereof some followe some goe before them out of a zeale not guided by knowledge should take notice that the aforesaid challengers and this Champion stand for a Discipline neither taught by Caluin and Beza and such other learned men nor yet practised by the reformed Churches whereof I desire all men to take notice And verilie for my part I was of opinion till I sawe H.I. booke to the King and the vnmodest vnchristian offer of disputation that they who stand for the pretended reformation among vs had sought for no other discipline then that which Caluin and Beza taught and the reformed Churches especiallie of Geneua doth and Scotland did practise But when I saw the nouell Assertions wheron the new-found parish discipline is founded vrged with such bold vehemencie I must confesse I was much alienated from that side And so I hope will all moderate Christians when they shall consider how they make no ende of broaching more and more Nouelties Serm. Sect. 4 pag. 6. Now for the clearing of this matter which we haue in hand Forasmuch as both sorts obtrude Lay-Elders to extrude Bishops I would first proue against both c. to the end of pag 7. Hitherto the two Assertions contained in the explication haue beene propounded to be discussed Now in this Section I made way to the proofe hereof by enumerating distinctly the seuerall
points which I purposed to handle for the proofe of either And first for the former which is the explication of my Text viz that the Angells or Pastors of the primitiue Church were Diocesan Bishops and such for the substance of their function as ours bee I endeuoured to prooue it both ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by disproouing the presbyterian discipline wherein I intended a disiunctiue argumentation that the question beeing whether the Churches were gouerned by presbyteries as they say consisting for the greater part of Lay-men or by BB as wee holde the disproofe of their presbyteries might bee a proofe for our Bishops and also ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by shewing what the authoritie of the Angels or ancient Bishops was as well extensiuè against our newe disciplinarians viz that the Churches whereof they were Byshops were Dioceses and themselues Diocesan Bishops as intensiuè against the Elder and more learned disciplinarians that BB. were superiour to other Ministers not onely in order but in degree also c. And for the proofe of the 2 Assertion which is a doctrine arising out of the Text before explaned concerning the lawfulnesse of the Bishops calling this is proposed to bee proued that the fanction of Byshops is of Apostolicall and diuine institution and this as in the ende of the Section is signified was the thing chiefely intended by mee These points I did not thus propound in Dichotomies which the greatest part doth not so well conceiue and remember but for more easinesse was content to make a bare enumeration of them And this is the frame of that which hee calleth the bodie of my Sermon the which our refuter endeuoreth heere to put out of frame For hauing first of the fiue points which I propound referred the first foure to the former part of my maine distribution as he calleth it where I enquire what manner of Bishops the Angels were and the last to the latter which respecteth the qualitie of their function in the next words as if presently he had forgotten himselfe after hee hath shewed his scornefull and disdainefull spirit hee setteth vp a frame of his owne to worke vpon The mansion saith hee that hee buildeth is a Princely and pleasant Palace for our Bishops Lordships vnder the roofe whereof their Honours may dwell safely as in a Sanctuary without danger of the aduersarie and much delight Looke we vpon the bare frame as it standeth without glasing painting c it is of this forme The function of the Bishops of the 7. Churches is lawfull and good The function of the Bishops of the Church of England is the function of the Bishops of the seuen Churches Therefore the function of the Byshops of the Church of England is lawfull and good The proposition of this syllogisme is laid downe pag 2. and 55. where hee saith that the office and function of Bishops heere meant by Angels is in this Text approoued as lawfull and commended as excellent That is is lawfull and good hauing diuine both Institution being Angels and approbation being starres The assumption is in the same second page propounded thus The Bishops of the 7. Churches for the substance of their calling were such as the reuerend fathers of our Church are The which hee saith by the grace of God hee will plainely prooue and that in the foure first points of the fiue for to them he there referreth vs for that purpose pag. 61. Wee are therefore in the next place to see out of which of those foure points it is concluded and how Which to my vnderstanding must be out of the second third and 4. points after this manner The function of those Bishops whose Churches are Dioceses and themselues Diocesan Bishops superiour to other Ministers in degree hauing sole power of Ordination and Iurisdiction is the function of the Bishops of the 7. Churches The function of the Bishops of the Church of England is the function of those Bishops whose Churches are Dioceses and themselues Diocesan Bishops superiour to other Ministers in degree hauing sole power of Ordination and Iurisdiction Therefore the function of the Bishops of the Church of England is the function of the Bishops of the seuen Churches In lieue of the proposition of this Syllogisme wee haue the prosyllogisme or proofe of it in the 2.3 and 4. points before named c. Beholde to how great trouble too much Learning will put a man Nimia est miseria doctum esse hominem nimis If his skill in the Analysis of a Treatise had not bene extraordinarie all this stirre had bene needlesse But if you marke the ende of his ouerbusying himselfe in resoluing my Sermon and then putting the endes together to make vp his owne frame perphaps he will not seeme so skilfull in resoluing as wilfull in dissoluing the same The end of his double dealing appeareth in the sequele to haue bene double For first whereas there are of the fiue points which I propounded two of principall vse seruing directly the one to disproue their Presbyterian discipline the other to approue the gouernement by Bishops both which hee could wish that I had spared hee would faine make his Reader belieue that of these two the former is impertinent and the latter superfluous or as else-where hee speaketh the former bootlesse the other needlesse 2. When hee could not tell how to wrangle with the other 3. points hee bringeth them to his frame as it were to the racke first finding fault that they doe not directly prooue that which hee would haue them and then by torture making them to say what hee pleaseth that he may the more easily contradict them To countenance these sophisticall shifts he hath brought my Sermon to the Smiths forge and hauing hammered it well hee hath reduced the whole body of it into one syllogisme with the proofs thereof Vsing this syllogisme for the parts of my SermoÌ as the tyrant vsed his bed for his ghests cutting off those parts which seeme to reach ouer and retching out those which seeme to come short But let vs examine his Syllogisme which with the prosyllogisme of the assumption hee propoundeth as the Analysis of the whole body of my Sermon The function of the Bishops of the seauen Churches is lawfull and good c. I doe not deny but that out of diuerse places of my Sermon patched together some such Syllogisme as this may be framed But in Analysing we must respect not what we can deuise or collect but what the writer did intend and our Analysis must be answerable to his Genesis It is apparant that I propounded two things to be distinctly proued the one as the explication of the text shewing what manner of Bishops the Angels were the other as a doctrine collected out of the text concerning the qualitie of their function viz. that the calling of Diocesan Bishops is lawfull and good This which I propounded as a doctrine to be collected out of the text pag. 2. and
as a conclusion to be proued in the last part pag. 55. and is indeed not the proposition but the conclusion of the Syllogisme which himselfe frameth he would against sense make the Reader belieue was by me propounded as the proposition of his Syllogisme As for the proposition which he assigneth to me I did not expresse but tooke it for granted in the collection of the doctrine out of the text which may be collected after this manner Bishops are such as are here meant by the Angels of the Churches therefore their function is lawfull and good Of which collection if any man should make doubt the consequence would be proued by the addition of the proposition The calling of such as are here meant by the Angels of the Churches is lawfull and good c. Wherefore as there were two distinct parts propounded by me so if he had drawne the same into two distinct Syllogismes concluding the same question and not confounded the parts of the Sermon to make the principall branches thereof to seeme heterogeneall or superfluous he had not much missed of my proiect The former Syllogisme as I haue said might be this The calling of such as are here meant by the Angels is lawfull and good Diocesan BB. are such as are here meant by the Angels therefore the calling of Diocesan BB. is lawfull and good The proposition I tooke for granted and therefore did not expresse it The assumption is the same with the former assertion and is proued by the foure first points The conclusion I did not expresse being implyed in the collection of the doctrine out of the text The latter Syllogisme is this That calling which is of appostolicall and diuine institution is lawfull and good The calling of Diocesan BB. is of apostolical diuine institution Therefore it is lawfull and good of this Syllogisme the assumption is the same with the fift point here propounded So that of the fiue points which I propounded not any one is either impertinent or superfluous the foure former seruing to proue the former assertion which is the assumption of the former Syllogisme the fift and last being the assumption of the second Syllogisme As for the second Syllogisme which he assigneth to me I vtterly disclaime it because as no one part thereof is propounded by me so both the premisses are false and contrarie to my meaning For neither to the Angels of the Churches nor to the Bishops doe I ascribe that sole power of ordination and iurisdiction which he speaketh of as after shall appeare But that his Analysis of my Sermon was meerely forced against the light of his owne conscience appeareth first by the quarrels which thereout he hath raised seeing by his Analysis of the fiue parts the first seemeth impertinent the last superfluous the three in the middes not prouing that for which as he saith they are brought For could he perswade himselfe that his Analysis or resolution was answerable to my Genesis or composition of the Sermon when he saw two parts of the fiue could not be brought to his frame and the other three not to be sutable vnto it Secondly by the distribution of my Sermon and the transitions which I vse wholy disagreeing from his Analysis Thirdly by the Analysis propounded here by my selfe and by the defence of the seuerall parts here ensuing wherein I shall by the helpe of God manifestly proue that neither the first of the fiue was impertinent nor the last superfluous nor the other three concluding besides the purpose But now we are to intreate of them seuerally hauing first giuen you to vnderstand that he diuideth the body of my Sermon as he calleth it into fiue parts euery part into diuerse sections as namely the first which concerneth the Eldership into eight sections in all which the summe of that which I maintaine is this that there were no other Presbyters in the primitiue Church but Ministers CHAP. III. Defending the two first Sections concerning Elders Serm. Sect. 1. pag. 8. And first I am to shew that there were no other Presbyters in the primitiue Church but Ministers A sufficient proofe whereof may be this c to obtrude vpon vs in the end of the 8. pag. AS touching this first point the refuter endeuoureth two things First as hee saith he wardeth and repelleth my blowes and then that we may see what a man he is of his hands he sheweth that he also can strike if need be His former act is a reproofe of my treatise the latter a proofe of his owne assertion And first in grosse he reiecteth the whole discourse of Elders as impertinent and after descendeth to the particulars For the first Reason would saith he that M. D. had shewed vs how this first point pertaineth to the proofe of the matter in question Whatsoeuer he conceiue of it I discerne not what affinitie it can haue with any member of his former assumption c. I might answere that common sense would that what he seem done he should conceiue and acknowledge to be done And charitie would which selfe loue would not that if he discerned not the affinitie of this point with his pretended assumption he should rather haue suspected his owne Analysis to be forced then haue blamed me for his owne want of iudgement But that he may discerne this passage concerning Elders to be pertinent to the matter in question I would but intreat him to take notice what is in question betweene vs. The question discussed in the Sermon is twofold The first de facto whether the primitiue Church were gouerned by Diocesan Bishops as we say or by Presbyteries of such Elders as they spake of The second de iure whether the Church may lawfully be gouerned by Bishops as we hold or must needs be gouerned by their Presbyteries as they affirme The first questioÌ is handled in the former part of the Sermon the second in the latter The question debated in the former part of the Sermon I say againe is this whether the primitiue Churches were gouerned by Diocesan Bishops such as for the substance of their calling ours be or by such Presbyteries as the Presbyterians stand for And those either parishionall consisting of the Parish-Bishop and a company of lay or onely gouerning Elders as the new and shallow sort of disciplinarians doe boldly though ignorantly affirme or Presbyteries in the cities consisting of the president and other Presbyters whereof some are Ministers but the greater some lay or onely gouerning Elders as the Elder and more learned sort of disciplinarians doe teach In this question as the refuter will confesse vnlesse he will confesse himselfe to be ignorant in logicke this disiunction is implyed either the Church was gouerned by Diocesan Bishops as we say or by such Presbyteries as they speake of And this disiunction though it be not absolutely necessarie yet is it necessarie ex hypothesi and so presupposed on both sides For this being the
The third testimonie I find not vrged any where but in the counterpoison Where it is said that Iames willing them when they be weake to send for the Elders of the Church thereby plainely declareth that the Church ought not onely to haue a pastor and a doctor whose chiefe attendance must be on reading exhortation and doctrine but also many who ought alwaies to be readie at an instant calling of diuerse and many at once that none in that necessarie worke be neglected It followeth thereby that besides them there ought to be such other Elders as may admonish the vnruly comfort the weake minded and be patient towards all If all this were granted as it is propounded it would not follow thereupon that therefore there should be any Lay-Elders but many Ministers in euery Church for such were those in the place cited and it is the duetie of those whom Iames would haue sent for to attend vnto reading doctrine and exhortation But his meaning no doubt was this There ought to be many Elders in euery Church therefore some Lay-Elders The consequence he taketh for granted the antecedent he proueth thus There were many Elders in euery Church in S. Iames time therefore there ought to be many now For answere to his antecedent and proofe thereof we are to distinguish of the word Church For if thereby he meane the Church of a whole citie and countrey adioyning there were and are many Presbyters in euery Church but if thereby he meane euery seuerall congregation meeting or assembly of Christians there neither are nor were many Presbyters appointed to euery such Church In S. Iames time though in each Church there were diuerse assemblies of Christians meeting as they could yet were not parishes distinguished nor Presbyters seuerally and certainely allotted to them but to the Church of a whole citie and countrey adioyning there was one Bishop and many Presbyters prouided But when parishes were distinguished to each of them seuerally a Presbyter was assigned out of the Clergy or Presbyterie of the citie the residue of the Presbyters remaining with the Bishop who as before the diuision of parishes retained still the charge of the whole Diocesse as I will God willing shew in the next booke Wherefore though in S. Iames time before the diuision of parishes there were in euery Church that is Diocesse many Presbyters yet it doth not follow that therefore in euery parish there should be diuerse Presbyters But his consequence is especially to be insisted vpon for though there were in each Church many Presbyters as at Ephesus Act. 20. and at Ierusalem where Iames himselfe was Bishop Act. 15. 21. of which number Iames would haue the weake to send for some yet in that number there was not one who was not a Minister Neither can any sound reason be alleaged why we should conceiue these Presbyters of whom Iames speaketh to haue beene any other then Ministers First the title which is giuen them viz Presbyters of the Church as Act. 20.17 is peculiar to Ministers not one instance to be giuen to the contrarie Secondly the function for the performance wherof they were to visit the sicke chiefely if not onely pertaining to Ministers and that was not onely to pray ouer the partie and that as it seemeth by the phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with imposition of hands but also to annoint him with the oile in the name of the Lord that by the oile as an outward though temporarie Sacrament annexed to the temporarie gift of healing granted for a time not onely to the Apostles but also to their successors in the ministerie of the word the sicke might be restored to health and by prayer ioyned with imposition of hands the sinnes of the partie might be remitted and so the cause of the sicknes be remoued Wherefore I make no question but the speach of Saint Iames is to be vnderstoode according to the perpetuall vse of the word the generall interpretation of all writers both old and new excepting not all that be parties in the cause and the generall and continuall practise of the Church expounding him as if he had said let him call for the Ministers c. The fourth testimonie is thus vrged If the Apostle setting downe the ordinary members of Christ his Church which differ in their proper action doe set downe the Elder to be ouer the people with diligence and not to be occupied in the ministerie of the word either by exhortation or doctrine but to admonish them and rule them then the onely-gouerning Elders were ordained by the Apostles but the first say they is manifest Rom. 12.6.7.8 therefore the second But the first say I is so farre from being manifest that it cannot so much as obscurely be gathered out of the text It is true the Apostle speaketh of the members of the body of Christ and of the diuerse gifts bestowed vpon them which the Apostle exhorteth euery one knowing his proportion or measure in all humilitie and modestie to imploy to the common good of the whole body But you must vnderstand First that the members of Christ are not onely officers in the state Ecclesiasticall but all Christians whatsoeuer as well in the body politicke as Ecclesiasticke whether publicke or priuate Secondly that the Apostle doth not speake of distinct offices which are not coincident to the same persons but of the diuerse gifts and graces of Gods spirit for so he saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c hauing diuerse gifts according to the grace which is giuen vnto vs of which all or most may concurre in the same subiect As for example a good and faithfull Minister hath as a Minister First ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the gift of expounding the scriptures and of prayer Secondly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a function to Minister and serue God in the edification of the church Thirdly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the gift of Teaching 4. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the gift of Exhortation 5. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the gift of gouernment and as a good Christian. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and 7. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the grace to distribute and to communicate to to the necessities of his bretheren in simplicitie and cheerefulnes 3. That these gifts are not proper to Ecclesiasticall persons but common to others But if the Apostle had here propounded distinct offices then might 7. be distinguished and those ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or in-compatible in the same person But neither are there according to these branches 7. distinct offices And besides they are or may be all or diuers of them coincident to the same person As for Lay-Elders they are neither particular lie expressed nor in the generall implyed The speech is generall hee that gouerneth in diligence appartaining to all that haue authoritie not onely in the church but also in the family or common-wealth Indeed if it were presupposed which will neuer be proued by them
not that we are able to ouersway them without comparison no writer till our age giuing testimonie no Church since the Apostles times vntill this present age giuing approbation to Lay-Elders but all writers and Churches before our time giuing testimonie and approbation to the gouernement of Bishops To omit that as in the number of learned men we are not inferiour so in the multitude of Churches at this day which doe not admit the Lay-Elders we are farre superiour as hereafter shal be shewed And thus much I hope will suffice for the first point FINIS LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Creed 1611. THE SECOND BOOKE PROVING That the Primitiue Churches indued with Power of Ecclesiasticall Gouernment were not Parishes properly but Dioceses And that the Angels of the Churches or ancient Bishops were not Parishionall but Diocesan Bishops The First Chapter entreating of the diuers acceptations of the words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Church Diocesse and that which is translated Parish IN this second conflict I find the Refuter very confident like the men of Ai though not vpon the like occasion as though my forces were not able to stand before him But forasmuch as in the former assault I haue taken the Acropolis chiefe hold of the Presbyterian Discipline I doubt not but that when he shall with the men of Ai looke backe and see the chiefe Tower of his defence I meane the Presbytery vanishing as it were a smoake his courage will bee abated For the Presbytery being downe what hath he wherewith to hold out Bishoppes For seeing the Primitiue Churches were gouerned eyther by Diocesan Bishoppes as we hold or by Pastors of Parishes assisted with Lay-Elders as they imagine who seeth not that vpon the ouerthrow of the Presbyteries the gouernment by Bishops is necessarily inferred Hauing therefore proued the first point of the fiue with such euidence of truth as I am wel assured all the gainesayers thereof will neuer bee able soundly and substantially to confute I need not doubt of preuailing in the rest As for the 2. next points which I handle concerning Dioceses and Diocesans the refuter thinketh they be the weakest of all the fiue and the worst appointed and thereupon would take occasion to cauill at my order as if I were to learne Methode of him whereas indeed his imputation of weakenesse to these 2. parts if it were true would commend my disposition of them as Homericall seeing I haue marshalled them Nestorio more after the manner of Nestor in medio infirma placing the weakest in the middest The chiefest points in my estimation being the first and the two last The truth is I did more lightly passe ouer these two then the rest but not out of an opinion of weakenes in the points themselues but partly in a conceit of their euidence and partly in consideration that they were not either so worthie or so needfull to be insisted vpon as the rest For first I supposed them to be so euident that howsoeuer T. C. in whose steppes our new Disciplinarians tread vpon weaker grounds then a man of learning iudgement should haue stood vpon doth deny them yet scarsly any other man of learning iudgement besides him would gain-say them Secondly that the three weightiest points which are most contradicted and in which these 2. are presupposed were most worthy in that breuity whereto I was confined to be stood vpon And thirdly that J needed not to bee so carefull in prouing of them seeing the chiefest patrones of the pretended Discipline as Caluin and Beza c. doe herein ioin with vs against our new sect of Disciplinarians as hath already beene proued Now whereas I brought forth these forces intending only a light skirmish velitationem quandam tanquam leuis armaturae my aduersary bringeth his maine battel into the field as if the euent of this whole warfare depended vpon this encounter I will therefore not onely bring a new supply like those of the Israelites which came vpon the men of Ai as they were pursuing the other companies of Israel but also cause these Arguments which now like the troupes of Israel seem in his conceit to flie before him to returne vpon him a fresh And forasmuch as here we are to entreat of Churches Parishes and Dioceses it shall not bee amisse to beginne with the names which are diuersly taken And first with the word Ecclesia which signifying generally any assembly company or congregation of men whatsoeuer ciuill or ecclesiasticall holy or prophane is in all the places of the new Testament excepting Act. 19. appropriated to the Companies of the faithfull For whereas all mankind is to be diuided into two Companies the one is the world which is the kingdome of darkenesse containing manie particular companies which are all the Synagogues of Sathan the other the Kingdome of God this latter is called Ecclesia signifying a Company of men as redeemed so also called out of the world as the Greeke word importeth Ecclesia therefore is a company of men called out of the world vnto saluation by Christ that is to say more brieflie the Church doth signifie a companie of Christians And thus it is vsed in the Scriptures either more Generally to signifie eyther the Vniuersal company of them that are elected in Christ or called to be Saints as Ephes. 1.22 3.21 5.23 24.25.27.29 32. Act 2.47 Colos. 1.18.24 The two main parts of the vniuersall Church Triumphant in heauen as Heb. 12 23. Militant on earth as Mat. 16.18 1. Cor. 12.28 Eph. 3.10 1. Tim. 3.15 and that eyther dispersed in diuers nations and Countries throughout the world 1. Cor. 10.32 15 9. Act. 8.3 Gal 1.13 Phil. 3.6 Congregated in an vniuersall or Oâcumenicall Synode Particularly that either Definitely to signifie the Church of a Nation in the nuÌber Singular Act. 7 38. Plural Rom. 16.4 1. Cor. 16.1.19 2. Co. 8.1 Ga. 1.2.22 And these either dispersed or coÌgregated into a Synode or consistory Mat. 18.17 Act. 15.22 Congregation whether set or vncertain as Act. 11.26 14.27 1. Cor. 11 18 22. 14.5.12.19 23.28.34.35.3 Ioh. 6. City and Country adioyning Act. 5.11 8.1 11.12 12.1.5 13.1 14.23 20. 17.28 1. Cor. 1.2 2 Co. 1.1 8.23 Col 4.16 2. Thes. 1.1 1. Tim. 5.16 Iam. 5.14 Apoc. 1.4 11.20 2.1.7.8.12.18 3.1.7.14 Village or towne Rom. 16 1. Family Rom. 16.5 1. Cor. 16 9. Col. 4.5 Philem. 2. Indefinitely signifying any company of Christians not defining either the Place Society whether of a Nation City c. quantity whether an entire church or but a part as Act. 9. â1 15 3.4.41 18.22 Rom. 16.16 23.1 Co. 4.17 6.4 11.16 14. 33. 2. Cor. 8.18.19.24 â1 8.28 12.13 Phil. 4.15 1. Thes. 2.14 2. Thes. 1.4 â Tim. 3.5.3 Iohn 9. 10. Apoc. 2.7.17.23.29 3.6.13.22 22.16 The significations of the word Church being so manifold in the Scriptures
neither was the iurisdiction ouer the parishes in the Countrey by vsurpation of the latter Bishops but a right from the beginning belonging to the very first Bishoppes of the Citie For euidence whereof call to mind what before was prooued that dioceses were not wont to be enlarged or the number of Bishoppes lessened but contrariwise those parts of the Country which euer had a Bishop were still to retaine him and those which neuer had if they were so populous as that they seemed to deserue a Bishopricke a Bishop was with the consent of the ancient Bishoppe of the Citie and the authority of the prouinciall synod and the Metropolitane set ouer them This is sure that all Countries were vnder their seuerall Cities and whosoeuer were from the beginning Bishopps of the Cities were Bishops also of the Countries belonging vnto them Neither might the Bishop of one Citie encroach vpon the Country or parishes subiect to another Citie but they were to bee gouerned by them to whom they had belonged from the beginning Jn the generall Councell of Ephesus when complaint was made that the Bishop of Antioch had encroached vpon them of Cyprus for the ordination of their Metropolitan who euer from the Apostles times were in that and other matters of greatest moment ordered by their owne prouinciciall synods his attempt was censured as an innouation contrary to the ecclesiasticall lawes and Canons of the holy Apostles And therefore this generall decree was made by the Councell for all dioceses and prouinces that no Bishop shall take vpon him any other prouince or countrey ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which for the time past and from the beginning hath not been vnder him or his Predecessors And againe that to euery prouince or countrey their right should be kept pure and vnuiâlable which had belonged to them for the time past and from the beginning according to the custome antiently receiued Likewise in the Councell of Carthage that the people in the Country which neuer had a Bishop of their owne should not receiue a Bishop but by the consent of the Bishop by whom and his antecestors they haue bin ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from the begânning possessed And where some had schismatically seized vpon some part of a diocesse and being guilty of their wrong would sequester themselues from the meetings and synods of the Bishops it was decreed that the lawfull Bishop should inioy not only his See but also such dioceses And againe it was demanded what course should be taken if a Bishopricke being erected in a part of the diocesse by the consent ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of the Bishop who hath held the dioceses from the beginning the new Bishop should encroach vpon other parts of the diocesse which were not intended to him Answer was made that as that part which he had was taken ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã out of the company of parishes ioyntly possessed and as a member ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã out of the body of many by the consent ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of the Bishop who had authority or power so the new Bishop should not encroach vpon any other The great councel of Chalcedon determined that countrey parishes should vnremoueably remaine to the Bishops which held them Which Canon was renewed in the councell of Constantinople with this addition if the said Bishops held them quietly and without contradiction for the space of thirty yeeres But nothing doth more euidently proue that in the primitiue Church dioceses were subiect to Bishops then the antient institution of country Bishops called chârepiscopi Who where the country seemed larger then that the Bishop by himselfe could performe all episcopall offices were for the more ease of the Bishops and commodity of the country Churches appointed in certaine places as their suffragans or vicegerents and to performe vnder them and for them some episcopall duties of lesse moment but yet so as the chorepiscopââ might doe nothing of weight without the appointment of the Bishop neither might he ordaine without the Bishop of the citie ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã vnto which both himselfe and his Country is subiect Fourthly this truth is also demonstrated partly by the perpetuall successions of Bishoppes in all the Apostolicall Churches singularly succeeding from the Apostles times to the latter ages plainly euincing that euen in the greatest Cities and Churches where there hath alwaies been a great multitude of Presbyters there hath been but one only lawfull Bishoppe at once successiuely and partly by the vniuersall consent of all Churches not onely in former ages both catholike and hereticall for euen the Nouatians the Donatists the Arians c. retained the gouernment of the true Church by Bishops but also of all almost at this day being established in peace retaining for the most part the antient distinction of Churches according to dioceses and prouinces which hath continued euer from the first conuersion of them not any one example being to be produced in the whole world neither in nor since the Apostles times vntill our age of any Church gouerned according to the new-found parish discipline Yea the Church of Geneua it selfe which hath been a paterne to others though it hath abolished the episcopall gouernment notwithstanding it remaineth a diocesse vnder their one onely Presbytery as well as it was wont vnder their one onely Bishoppe the authoritie and iurisdiction of their Presbyterie beeing not confined to any one parish nor any one parish allowed a Presbytery but is extended to all the parishes both in the citie and territory thereto belonging hauing the same circuit that the Bishop was wont to haue Finally it may be alleaged that as with vs Bathe and Wels Couentry and Lichfield London and Coâchester so in the primitiue Church more cities then one with the countries thereto belonging haue sometimes made but one diocesse For when to the general Councell of Ephesus petiton was made by certaine Bishops that whereas it had bin an antient custome in the prouinces of Europe that diuers Bishops should haue each of them two cities vnder them as the Bishop of Heraclea had both Heraclea and Panion the Bishop of âyze had also Arcadiopolis the Bishop of Cââla Callipolis the Bishop of Sabsadia A phrodiâias and the latter of these Cities neuer had a proper Bishop of their owne but euer from the beginning were subiect to the aforesaid Bishops and whereas now they feared some innouation they referred the cause to the Councell The Councell therefore determined that there should not then nor afterwards bee any innouation but the aforesaid Bishops should according to the antient custome which hath the force of a law retaine the said Cities And likewise it may be added that some whole nations in the primitiue Church were subiect to one Bishop not as the primate or Patriarch for that was ordinary so was Ignatius Bishop of Syria Liberius of Italy Cyprius of Africke Diodorus
Presbyter assigned to it this will prooâe that the mother Church of Corinth was diocesan as all Cathedrall Churches bee and that parishes distinguished from the Cathedrall as children from the mother were such as that of Cenchreae That which is testified for Ephesus Act. 20.28 is such as vpon like occasion might by all in his visitation be applied to aââ the ministers of a diocesse that they should attend the stocke c. For must the word stocke which may be extended either to the vniuersall or nationall or prouinciall or diocesan Church must it needes signifie onely the congregation of a Parish yet he that breathes nothing but nouelties saith it is a new conceit to suppose a Diocesan flocke But this calumny of nouelty I haue by plentifull testimonies of antiquity before cited wiped cleane away As touching Act. 14.27 cited for Antioch where it is said that Paul and Barnabas gathered together the Church to relate vnto them what God had done by them since they had laid their hands vpon them and had commended them to the grace of God it is apparant that not all the Church consisting of husbands and wiues their children and seruants but some of the chiefe and principall perhappes not many perhappes not any besides those of the Clergy were called to that meeting These were his proofes out of the Scripture His other testimonies are out of Eusebius Ignatius and some of our owne Writers all which testimonies are scarse worth the mentioning Eusebius calleth the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Of the ancient vse of this word sometimes signifying the whole Diocesse sometimes the whole City and Suburbes I haue spoken sufficiently heretofore as also of that which hee obiecteth concerning the Parish in Ephesus Wherto I adde that Eusebius as he vsed the preposition ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã so sometimes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to the same purpose Ignatius writing to the Church of Ephesus the multitude whereof hee calleth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as if he had of purpose noted it to be a Church consisting of many multitudes or congregations exhorteth them as one might in like manner the faithfull in London though diuided into many congregations to come oft together to giue thanks and glory to God for when you come oft together into one place the power of Satan is weakened c. His other testimony out of Ignatius is out of his Epistle to Hero where he calleth the Church of Antioch ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Synagogue that is the church or congregation of the Lord. The word being vsed in the same signification with Ecclesia whereof I spake before But whether Ignatius were Bishop onely of one Congregation or parish let his own words testifie Remember me saith he in his Epistle to the Magnesians in your praiers and the Church which is in Syria whereof I am not worthy to be called the Bishop And in the Epistle to the Romanes towardes the latter end Remember in your praier the Church in Syria the which in stead of me hath the Lord to bee her pastor who saith I am the good shepheard Or if these words bee not plaine inough hee calleth himselfe in the same Epistle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Bishop of Syria Now let my aduersarie tell mee what maner of Parish Syria was And let me heare also what he can obiect against these two Epistles of Ignatius to the Magnesians and Romanes For euen they which suspect his Epistle to Herâ which the refuter citeth and foure others acknowledge these two to bee no bastards Eusebius mentioneth both And that to the Romans he not onely mentioneth but also citeth a good part thereof Thus leauing that most pregnant and authentique euidence of Ignatius to my aduersary to muse vpon J come to his testimonies of our new writers all which excepting two testimonies of Tindall he most childishly alleadgeth to proue that the Churches of Ephesus and of other the like Cities were each of them but a Parish because they call a Church a Congregation vsing the word Congregation in as ample sense as before I proued the word Ecclesia whereof that is the English to bee vsed The auncient English Bibles neuer almost vse the word church but in stead thereof doe vse the word congregation not onely where is mention of particular Churches but of the vniuersall or catholicke Church As Mat. 16. Vpon this rocke I will build my congregation Eph. 1. Hee hath made him head of the Congregation which is his body Eph. 5. Yee husbands loue your wiues as Christ loued the congregation And so in the Communion Booke both in the Praiers translation there vsed As in the Praier for the King before the Epistle haue mercy on the whole congregation In the solemnization of Matrimony out of Ephes. 5. I speake of Christ and the Congregation But you shall heare his particulars First Tindall translateth the word Ecclesia by congregation thus to the angell of the congregation of Ephesus c. 2. Iohn Bale translateth and expoundeth the word Candlesticke and Church by Congregation The reasons why the first Translaters of the Bible into English in these latter times did auoid the name Church and insteed thereof vsed Congregation doe seeme to haue been these two The first because Church or Kyrk being deriued from the Greeke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã doth more properly signifie the place of meeting then the congregation it selfe which is meant by ecclesia and therefore the word Congregation thought to be the fitter translation The second because the Papists had abused the word Church whether it were generally vsed to signifie the Romish Church or particularly to import the Romish clergy So saieth Tindal Because the clergy had appropriated to themselues the name Church therefore I translated the word Ecclesia by this word Congregation For when the people vnderstood that by Church was meant the company of men professing the faith of Christ the name Church is euery where vsed as the translation of ecclesia Thirdly Yea but D. Fulke iustifying the translation of Ecclesia Eph. 5.23 by congregation argueth plainely that he held the Church of Ephesus to consist but of one particular congregation onely Which allegation sheweth extreame want either of iudgement or honesty for what church or congregation is there mentioned the Church of Ephesus or the vniuersall Church of Christ when it is said as Christ is the head of the Church Vpon which words when the Rhemists had noted it as a corruption of the first English Bibles which did not vse the word Church but congregation in stead thereof D. Fulke answereth that the Translator rather vsed the word Congregation then Church to auoide ambiguity because this word Church is commonly taken for the house of the assembly of Christians and that the people might know that the Church is a gathering together of al the
yeeld there be prouinciall Churches then I must confesse there be no diocesan or if I will needes hold there be diocesan Churches then I ouerthrow the prouinciall So that what may soeuer we looke saith he I see nothing against vs but all for vs. Thus hath he brought himselfe into a fooles paradise where I leaue him to feed vpon his owne fancies and to solace himselfe with the conceit of his imagined conquest CHAP. VII Prouing the third point of the Sermon that the Bishops of the primitiue Church were Diocesan Bishops Serm. sect 1. Now these Presbyteries in the Apostles times as the Presbyterians confesse had c. ad lin a fine 4. THe Refuter hath acquitted himselfe in his owne conceit so valiantly and victoriously in subuerting my former assertion concerning dioceses which he supposeth to be the foundation of my building that as he lookes for no strength in the rest of the building to resist his forces the foundation it selfe being so weake and tottering so he promiseth to himself assured successe in ouerthrowing the rest But if my building be founded as it were on a rocke against which his maine forces could not preuaile at al but like the waues and billowes of the sea though they beate against it with great noise returne backe with froth and fome as I hope it appeareth to euery indifferent and iudicious Reader then may I promise to my selfe the like successe in withstanding his future assaults And the better hope J doe conceiue hereof because he seemeth to confesse that if I can demonstrate that the ancient Churches were dioceses that then the other points will follow of their owne accord But that I haue so demonstrated that I neuer expect any sound answere thereto As for this point which now I haue in hand it is not onely demonstrated already in the proof of the former but is also by necessary consequence deduced therefrom My purpose therefore is to bee as briefe in propugning this truth as hee is in oppugning the same J will therefore omit his friuolous cauill which now the fourth time he repeateth for my not concluding what he according to his forced Analysis would haue concluded because the Reader cannot but discerne that I directly conclude what before was propounded viz. that the Angels or Pastors of the primitiue Church were diocesan Bishoppes which I proue in the Sermon by degrees first seuerally before the diuision of parishes and after the distribution of them both in the city and in the country then iointly both before and after For hauing concluded the former point with these words that the Churches contained many particular congregations vnto all which there was but one Presbytery or Colledge of Presbyters assigned and hauing here signified that by the confession of the most learned Disciplinarians each Presbytery had a President which S. Iohn calleth the Angell of the Church and the Fathers a Bishop I proue from that which hath already been proued that the President of the Presbytery the Angell of the B. of the Church was not a parishionall but a diocesan Bishop But before I come to the proofe contained in this section I am to note how those last words of the former part which are very materiall are by this refuter passed ouer in silence For it would be knowne whether there were in Cities where were many congregations yea in whole dioceses any more Presbyteries or Colledges of Presbyters then that one belonging to the mother Church in the Citie If to shew either his ignorance or want of good conscience he shall say there were as indeed that is their assersion that in euery parish both in citie and country there ought to bee a Presbytery or senate of ruling Elders let him giue but one approued instance to proue his assertion in the first foure hundred yeeres and I will yeeld that where was a parish Presbytery there was a parish Bishop If Calum and the reformers of other Churches according to the pretended discipline had been of that iudgement they would not haue appointed one onely Presbytery for many parishes If he shall confesse that in a whole circuit which wee call a diocesse there was but one colledge or senate of Presbyters consisting of those who were called the Presbyters of the citie which is a most certaine and vndeniable truth then must he confesse his platforme of parish discipline to be a meere nouelty and an vndisgested fancy hauing no warrant of scriptures nor testimony of antiquity and contrary wise that there was but one Presbytery and one Bishop set ouer a whole diocesse Hee that catcheth at euery word yea at the least letter whereat hee hopeth to haue the least aduantage as at the terme pagani in this passage and at the little letters in the word Cretians would not swallow vp in silence such pregnant arguments if silence were not his best answere But though he would not see that argument yet in my propounding of the question here to bee concluded hee hath spied a syllogisme which I did not intend out of that which I propounded in axiomaticall disposition as taking it for granted But the Refuter maketh me reason thus The presidents of the Presbyteries were diocesan BB. The Angels of the seauen Churches were presidents of the Presbyteries Therefore the Angels of the seauen Churches were diocesan BB. Which is the hansomest syllogisme he hath bestowed on me as yet neither wil I refuse to maintaine any one part of it if he will be pleased to take notice of that which euen now was proued that there was but one Presbytery for a whole diocesse So the proposition will be manifest that the presidents of Presbyteries which were prouided for whole dioceses whom the fathers call BB. were diocesan BB. for so much might haue been added to the proposition out of my words The assumption I haue made good before by the confessions of Caluin and Beza But he beginneth with the assumption saying that he hath good cause to doubt of it and that I doe but threapen kindnesse on them when I talke of their Confessions For plentifull proofe whereof I referre you to that which before hath been alledged out of Caluin and Beza But what will not this Refuter quarrell with for if the Churches had been such as he conceipteth that is to say parishes hauing euery one a Bishop and a Presbytery of gouerning Elders would any man doubt either that the Bishop was called the Angell of the Church or that he was president of the Presbytery Now to the proposition saith the Refuter for answere whereto in one word I say it is false let vs examine the proofe of it and then frameth a syllogisme the conclusion whereof is this therefore the Bishop who was set ouer a whole diocesse and who was President of the Presbytery allotted to a whole diocesse was vndoubtedly a diocesan Bishop Was this the proposition which he denied or was he so vnreasonable to deny it What
that they were of ancient assigned to seuerall Presbyters all of them which were Catholique or orthodoxall beeing vnder the Bishop Neither should this seeme strange that the Churches in Alexandria were subiect to the Bishop seeing the rest in Aegypt were vnder his iurisdiction Neither was this a thing peculiar to the Bishop of Alexandria but commoÌ to others especially who were Bishops of mother Cities Ignatius was Bishop not onely of Antioch but of Syria as you heard testified by himselfe Irenaeus the Bishop of Lyons was Bishop of the Churches in France And to omitte others as Diodorus the Bishop of Tarsus to whose charge was committed the nation of the Cilicians Amphilochius who gouerned the whole nation of the Lycaonians Photinus Bishop of the Churches in Illyricum Agapetus Bishop of the Churches which were vnder Synada c Eusebius testifieth of Titus and in the next age after of Philippe that hee was B. of the Churches in Creet Theodoret saith the like and of Timothe that hee was Bishop of the Asians whose metropolis was Ephesus It is manifest saith Chrysostom that to Timothy was committed the rest of the Church or that whole nation of Asia To these testimonies of Eusebius and Theodoret I name so many as were cited in the sermon the refuter answers First that Eusebius liued 230. yeares after Timothy and Titus and Theodoret 330. What then the question is not whether the witnesses liued in the first 200. yeares but whether within that time there were diocesan Bishops It is a very vncharitable and vnlearned part that I say no worse to imagine that Eusebius and Theodoret would of their owne heads testifie these things and not by the relation of those which liued in former ages especially seeing Eusebius saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it is recorded in histories But suppose the testimonies of these 2. were not sufficieÌt what will he say to that cloud of the ancient most autheÌtick witnesses which with one coÌseÌt do testifie that Timothy was B. of Ephesus those parts of Asia and that Titus was B. of Creet But of this more heereafter In the meane time let it bee acknowledged as a point of intollerable impudency that in a matter of fact so agreeable with the scriptures I meane especially the Epistles to Timothy and Titus written to them as to Bishops any of vs should deny credit to the constant generall and perpetuall consent of the ancient writers whereof some liued 13 or 1400 yeares before vs. 2. Yea but if these testimonies be true Titus and Timothy were Archbishops So is Titus called in the subscriptioÌ of that Epistle And that they were Metropolitanes appeareth by all their successors who were Bishops of Gortynae and Ephesiuâ the one Metropolis of Creet the other of Asia How D. Bilson denieth this let the reader see page 409. of his book the other which the refuter citeth beeing misalledged where he citeth Chrysostome and Ierome testifying that to Titus was committed a whole Iland and the iudgement of so many Bishops Theodoret that to Timothe Paul committed the charge of Asia Now if there were Metropolitan Bishops in the Apostles times who besides their own peculiar diocesse had the ouersight also of other Dioceses Bishops it should not seeme strange that there were Diocesan Bishops who besides their cathedrall churches had manie parishes and Presbyters subordinate to them To which purpose Epiphanius also was alledged who saith that each Bishop had diuers churches vnder them to whom many other might be added as that of Optatââ that in the city of Rome where was but one onely Bishop were aboue forty Churches the Epistle of Constantine to Eusebius mentioning those diuers Churches which were vnder him and signifying as the multitude of Christians did encrease so the number of Churches was to be multiplied the testimony of Theodoret the Bishop of Cyrus who affirmeth that it was his lotte to be pastor of 800. Churches for so many parishes saith hee hath Cyrus Yea but Epiphanius was 390. yeares after Christ. Will any wise man therefore inferre that in the first two hundred yeares it was so Good sir sauing your wisedome you shall seldome reade in ancient records of enlarging of dioceses but of the contracting of them by erecting new Bishopricks very oft It was testified before that the circuits of dioceses were from the beginning of the Churches and therefore what circuit was of any Bishopricke in Epiphanius his time the same ordinarily if not greater was in the first 200. yeares Serm. sect 3. page 24. As touching countrey townes they were indeed conuerted after the cities c. to page 25. ad lin 8. In this section I proue the latter part of the former assumption concerning country parishes viz. that the Bishop of the citie was ouer them also which I proue by this Enthymeme The B. and the Presbytery of the City in all places acknowledged tâem to belong to their charge Therefore the Bishop was ouer them as being part of his Diocesse The antecedent I proue by their care ouer them both before they were conuerted and after Before because they labored their conuersion after because the Bishop out of his Presbytery assigned to each of theÌ a Presbyter not a Presbytery or a B. 2. Where the diocesse was large he substituted a Chorepiscopus or country B. Of these points the last our refuter wery conscionably concealeth all the former very learnedly he denieth He denieth I say 1. That the Bishop and Presbytery of the city acknowledged the country to belong long to their charge Which as it is a most ignorant conceit as hath beene proued before so would it haue beene most precious to the church of God if the BB. and Presbyof those times had so conceiued Now that both they and the country churches so conceiued as J said the vniuersall perpetuall practise of the church of Christ subiecting in al places the country parishes to the Bishop of the city doth ineuitably proue 2. That they did not labour their conuersion by vertue of their office but were to attend those who were conuerted As if the Bishop and presbytery had beene ordained onely for those fewe that were at the first conuerted and were not rather as leauen put into the meale to season the whole lump I would gladly know therefore who after the death of the Apostles and apostolicall men which laboured in the cities were appointed or prouided for the conuersion of the country towns If it were not the office of the Bishop and Presbytery of the city to which they were subiect much lesse was it the office of others who being neither Apostles nor Euangelists were tied to their own charges might not by the most ancient canons of the church exercise any mysteriall function out of their owne bounds Besides the bounds of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction followed the ciuill ordinarily so that those countries were
shall bee lawfull to take another The vntruths therefore which the Refuter hath bestowed vpon me here he must be intreated to take to himselfe To proue their dissent from vs in this fourth point I alleaged Beza his distinction of Bishops into three sorts and because it is an odious distinction I conceaââd his name and to salue his credit J shewed that although hee came farre short of Caluins moderation yet he is more moderately affected towards our Bishops then the Disciplinarians among vs vsually bee who as they speake despitefully of them calling them Antichristian pettite Popes c. so doe they wish and labour for the extirpation of them whereas Beza speaking reuerently of them praieth for their continuance But both his distinction and his wish by the Refuter are peruerted expounding him as though he had accounted for humane those which had onely a priority of order whereas indeed he acknowledgeth such a presidentship as you haue heard to be a diuine ordinance and vnderstandeth his praier where he wisheth the continuance of the Bishops as if he had wished that so long as England hath Bishops they may bee such as may giue their liues for the truth as they did Where whiles hee vnderstandeth Beza as wishing our Bishoppes to be Martyrs he indiscreetly maketh him to wish that our Princes may bee persecutors which God forbid That which he addeth concerning my saying Amââ to the like wish for the Churches of France and Scotland and yet be no maintainer of their presbyteries is meerely idle for I did not bring in Beza as a maintainer of Bishops bvt rather did note him as one of their chiefe opposites citing his differences from vs and mentioning that distinction of Bishops howbeit I acknowledge his proposition to be with more moderation then is commonly to be found in the Disciplinarians among vs. Now I am to descend with him into the particulars which I propounded to be handled first to shew that the Bishops or Angels of the primitiâe Church were as well as ours superior to other Ministers in degree and secondly to declare more particularly wherein their superiority did consist But before he entreth the combate distrusting himselfe and his cause he seeketh as such champions vse to doe which way if need be he may make an escape and hauing to this purpose looked well about him he hath found out two starting holes whereby he hopeth to finde some euasion The former hath these windings and turnings in it 1. That the primitiâe church is to be confined to the Apostles times and not extended to the whole 200 yeares 2. That the question is ââ be ânderstood of the Angels of the 7. Churches 3. That I must pââââe these Angels to haue had sole power of ordination and iurisdiction The first of these argueth extreame diffidence for Caluin and others in this question within the limits of the primitiue Church include the times of Constantiâe at the least yea Caluin includeth all the time aâtepapaââm before the Papacy in which time he acknowledgeth the forme of Church gouernment to haue had nothing in it almost dissoâant from the word of God And whereas saith he euery prouince had among their Bishops an Archbishop and whereas also in the Councill of Nice there were established Patriarchs who in order and dignity were superior to the Archbishops that appertained to the preseruation of discipline And although he misliketh that the gouernment so established was called Hiera âhy notwithstanding if omitting the name saith he we looke into the thing we shall finde that the ancient Bishops would not frame a forme of Church gouernment differing from that which God prescribed in his word And Beza confesseth that those things which were ordained of the antient Fathers concerning the seats of Bishops Metropolitanes and Patriarches assigning their limits and attributing vnto them certaine authority were appointed optimo zelo out of a very good zeale And therefore no doubt out of such zeale as was according to knowledge otherwise it would haue been far from being optimus the best Zanchius intreating of the diuers orders of Ministers in the primitiue Church as Presbyters Bishops Archbishops c. faith they may be defended Against which some learned man I will not say Beza hauing taken exception Zanchius maketh this apology When I wrote this confessioÌ of the faith I did write all things out of a good conscience and as I beleeued so I freely spake Now my faith is grounded chiefly and simply on the word of God Something also in the next place on the common consent of the whole antient Catholike Church if that bee not repugnant to the Scriptures I doe also beleeue that what things were defined and receiued by the godly Fathers being gathered together in the name of the Lord by the common consent of all without any gainsaying of the holy scriptures that those things also though they be not of the same authority with the holy Scriptures proceeded from the holy Ghost Hence it is that those things that be of this kind I neither will nor dare with good conscience mislike But what is more certaine out of histories Councels and writings of all the Fathers then that those orders of Ministers whereof I spake were established and receiued by the common consent of all Christendome Quis aâtem ego sim qui quod tota Ecclesia approbauiâ improbem And who am I that I should disallow that which the whole Church allowed c. Neither doe I see any reason why the Church in Constantines time should not rather bee propounded as a pateââe for imitation to Churches that liue vnder Christian princes and flourish through Gods blessing in peace and prosperitie then the Churches of former times which were not in all things established and setled according to their desires but were hindred by persecutioÌ For in time of persecution their gouernment was not alwaies such as they would but such as they could attaine vnto And vnlesse we would haue the Churches to liue alwaies vnder persecution it is madnesse to require them to be imitated in all things But what was by generall consent receiued and practised in the time of peace and prosperity was that which in their iudgements ought to be done and is of vs being in the like case to be imitated Now that in Constantines time the Bishops had superiority ouer other Ministers in degree and a singular preheminence of power and authority it is most euident Neither was their superiority and authority increased by the accession of the Christian Magistrate as their wealth was but rather diminished seeing while there was not a Christian Magistrate they were faine to supply that defect and by their owne authority did many things which afterward were done or assisted by the Magistrate But though there can no colour of a good reason be giuen why the superiority and authority of Bishoppes as they were diocesan should haue been greater
will you also heare what T. C. gathereth out of these words of Ierome Godly ãâã mâslikâd this order of giuing the name Bishoppe to one in a Church and by all likelihood broke it which Ieromes words do apparently import This custome was in the Church of Alexandria from Saint Marke vntill Heraclas and Dionysius for vnlesse there were some change then why should hee not rather haue said From Saint Marke to his time First to his assertion I say it is vntrue that godly men misliked the giuing of the name Bishoppe to one in Church neither was there any reason why they should mislike it For first as the name of Angels being common to all Ministers is by the holy Ghost appropriated to Bishops in such sort as though euery Minister be an Angell yet onely one is the Angell of the Church so by the same reason Episcopi being in the scriptures a title common to al Ministers is so appropriated to one in euery Church that whereas all Ministers are Bishops in a generall sense one onely is the Bishop of that Church neither was it arrogancy but modesty rather in Bishops who assumed this name For whereas in the Scriptures they are called sometimes the Angels of the Churches sometimes the Apostles of the Churches sometimes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Rulers sometime ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sometimes episcopi they contented themselues with the title of least honour and left the name ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã importing the honour of the Ministery in generall to other Ministers Neither is there any more reason as D Raynolds also saith why the appropriating of the name Bishop to the Angels of the Churches should be misliked then of giuing the name Minister to Presbyters which is common to Bishops Presbyters and Deacons Besides it is most certaine that in the writings of Ignatius and others who liued in or neere the Apostles times the name episcopus was appropriated to the Angel of ech Church Ierome plainly testifieth that from S. Markâ time who was the first Bishop whom three other succeeded in the Apostles times one who was set in a superior degree was called Bishop But that the custome of giuing this name to one in the Church which from S. Marks time had continued should begin to be misliked in the time of Heraclus and Dionysius is against reason vnlesse it may be thought that the estimation of Bishops then decreased which ill agreeth with H I. conceit What antient Writer mentioning Dionysius doth not cal him Bishop of Alexandria Eusebius so termeth him Athanasius who was one of his successors doth not only cal him Bishop ofteÌtimes but also acknowledgeth him to haue bin a Metropolitan B. or rather Patriarch For when as the Bishops of Pentapolis began to fauor the heresie of Sabâllicus Dionysius to whose charge those Churches did appertaine sought to reform them You haue heard T. C. assertion His reason is this some change there was therefore in the name Bishop How weake a reason this is I shal not need to note seeing I haue shewed wherein the change was there being lesse likelihood of alceration in this kind then in any other For could any man at that time mislike that the Bishop of Alexandria should be called a Bishop seeing at that time he was without the mislike of any a Metropolitan Bishop yea a Patriarch But to returne to H. I. who saith his Diocesan L. Bishop ruling alone who was not established in Ambrose Ierome and Augustines time tooke place soone after And how is this proued He saith hee doubts not of it though he be not able to shew neither where nor when nor by whom nor how the Bishops authority was increased after Augustines times What if in Augustines time the authority and preheminence of Bishops was abated and restrained namely in the fourth Councell of Carthage more then euer before For whereas the antient Canons referre the power both of ordination and iurisdiction to the Bishop without mentioning the assistance of the Presbytery And whereas Bishoppes before such as were peaceable and well disposed did voluntarily vse the aduice and assistance of their clergy by that Councell the assistance of the clergy both in ordination and iurisdiction in the Churches of Africk became necessary Neither doe I know any reason why the authority of diocesan Bishops after Augustines time should bee thought to haue increased For as by the lawfull authority of Christian Kings Princes to whom they were subordinate in regard of the coÌmon good of the kingdom whereof they were meÌbers so much more by yâ vsurped supremacy of the B. of Rome after the yeer 607. yâ authority of bishops was lessened impaired We are to come to his fift step which is of patriarchal BB. but he hath cleane marred the staires that the refuter and his consorts vse to talke of whereby the Bishoppes of Rome from being as they say a parish Bishop did arise to the papacy partly by denying such BB. as he esteemeth ours to be to haue been till after Augustines time and partly by out-skipping the Metropolitanes For it cannot be denied but that there were diocesan Bishoppes such as ours be before there were Metropolitanes or Primates actually and there were Metropolitanes before there were Patriarches Now it would be knowne when Patriarches begun In the Councel of Nice held about the yeere three hundred twentie foure it is acknowledged to haue been an antient custome which there was ratified that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue authority of Egypt Libya and Pentapolis and the like custome for the Bishop of Rome in the West and of Antioch in the East is mentioned and the antient priuiledges to each Church espcially to each Metropolis reserued To say nothing of Rome whereof the Papists say too much it is plaine by that testimony of the Nicene Councell of Epiphanius before alleaged of Athanasius euen now cited that the Bishops of Alexandria had of old long before their time patriarchall authority For that of Antioch the testimony of Ignatius added to the authority of the Nicene Councell is sufficient calling himselfe the Bishop of Syria whereby we cannot conceiue him to haue been lesse then an Archbishop Now if I should aske H.I. or this Refuter when Metropolitanes first began they would not be able truly to assigne their originall after the Apostles times And therefore cunningly were they omitted by H. I. though I cannot accuse him of any great skill in making a doubt whether Caesarea in the Councell of Nice be reckoned as one of the foure seats of the Patriarches For expresse mention is made of Aeliâ which was the new name giuen by Adrian to Ierusalem to which according to antient custom the next place of honor after Antioch was granted the proper dignity notwithstanding to the Metropolis which indeed was Caesarea being reserued But if Metropolitanes had not their beginning after the Apostles times as no man is able to
shew they had then can it not be doubted but that diocesan Bishops much more were in the Apostles times for euery MetropolitaÌ was originally B. of his peculiar diocesse being not actually a Metropolitan vntill diuers Churches in the same prouince being constituted there was a consociation among themselues and subordination of them to him as their primate There was therefore no such difference betweene the first two ages of the Churches and those which followed as that either H. I. or the Refuter should restraine the times of the primitiue Church either to the end of the second century or of the first with hope to escape that way Wherefore what proofes I bring from the third or fourth yea or fifth century for the superiority of Bishops they are to be esteemed such as doe directly and sufficiently proue the question vnlesse they shall be able to shew not onely that no such thing was in vse but also that it was not intended in the Apostles time and the age following for what was receiued and practised by generall consent in all Christendome so soone as God gaue peace vnto his Church was vndoubtedly desired and intended from the beginning The second corner of his first starting hole wherewith the second also meeteth is that the question is of the seuen Angels And what of no other Is it not lawfull to ascend from the hypothesis to the thesis especially when it is confessed by the Refuter that the primitiue Churches were all of the like constitution And therefore what may be said either of the seuen Angels in respect of the substance of their calling may be concluded of other Bishops and what may be said of the office of other Bishoppes in the primitiue Church may be verified of these Angels The third that I must proue these Angels to haue had sole power of ordination and iurisdiction which also is repeated in his second euasion But where doe I say in all the sermon that the Bishops had the sole power of ordination and iurisdiction Where doe I deny either that the BB. did or might vse the assistance of their Presbyters for either of both or that in the defect of Bishops both the one and the other might be performed by Presbyters In a word where doe I deny all power either of ordination or iurisdiction to Presbyters But let the Reader vnderstand that there are two maine calumniations whereby this Resuter and his consorts doe vse to disgrace my Sermon with their followers The one that I hold the tenure of our episcopal function so to be iure diuino as though no other manner of gouernment were any way or any where lawfull The other that J ascribe so the sole power of of ordination and iurisdiction to BB. as though the Presbyters had no iurisdiction or as though those Churches had no lawful Ministers which haue not such BB. to ordaine them His other ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or starting hole is that which hee hath already foure times runne into and making vse of it now the fifth time in the beginning of the next section desireth the Reader that it may not be tedious to him that now the fifth time he doth finde fault with me for not concluding what hee according to his forced analysis would haue concluded though all men see I doe directly prooue what before was propounded for the proof of my first assertion viz. that the Angels or BB. of the primitiue Church were diocesan Bishops and for the substance of their calling such as ours be Hauing therefore prooued that their Churches were dioceses and themselues diocesan it remained that J should proue that they were as well as ours superior to other Ministers in degree c which if I did not endeuor to proue directly he might haue had some quarrell against me CHAP. II. That Bishops were superior to other Ministers in degree Serm. sect 2. pag. 29. That Bishoppes were superiour to other Ministers in degree all antiquitie with one consent if you except Aërius c. to the end of pag. 31. MY reason hee frameth thus If all antiquitie except Aërius who for dissenting in this point was counted an heretike by Epiphanius and Augustine with one consent doe acknowledge that Bishops were superior to other Ministers in degree then Bishops were superior to other Ministers in degree But the former is true therefore the latter First hee cauilleth with the consequence which no man bearing the face of a Diuine I had almost said of a Christian would doe calling it sore poore feeble and insufficient vnlesse the consent of the Apostles and Euangelists be added Where let the Reader consider what is the question which is here concluded viz. That the Bishops of the primitiue Church were superiour to other Ministers in degree This question plainly is de facto of what was for de iure that is of the quality lawfulnes I intreat in the second assertion Now for a man to deny credit to all antiquitie in a matter of fact not gainsaid by scripture it is a plain euidence that he is addicted to nouelty and singularity rather then the truth Doth all antiquity testifie with one consent that the Bishops in the primitiue Church were superior to other Ministers in degree and hath any of vs the forehead to deny it Neither is the consent of the Apostles wanting as â proue in the sermon both in the particulars of the superiority in respect of the fact as also in respect of the right in the demonstration of the second assertion Where I doe with such euidence demonstrate that the Bishops described in the first assertion are of Apostolicall institution as I am well assured that this Refuter with all his partakers will neuer be able soundly and substantially to confute For there is nothing written with such euidence of truth but that captious persons may easily cauill with it And although it had been sufficient for the demonstration of the first assertion to haue produced such euidence as doth testifie onely de facto yet many of the allegations which I bring doe also giue testimony to the right Thus much of the authoritie of antiquitie whereon the consequence is grounded Now to the thing testified which is the assumption which I proue by fiue arguments The first If Epiphanius and Augustine doe reckon Aërius among the heretikes condemned by the antient Catholike Church for denying the superiority of Bishops then the antient Church doth giue testimony to the superiority of Bishops not onely de facto but also de iure But the first is true therefore the second Against the argument it selfe he hath nothing to say but where I said all antiquity besides Aërius did acknowledge the superiority of Bishops against this he obiecteth that either Ierome is against Bishops as well as Aërius or Aërius is brought in by me to no purpose For de facto Aërius denied the superiority of Bishops no more then Ierome did And de iure
Ierome denies it as well as he For that which he addeth of diuers others consenting in iudgement is a vaine flourish let him name but one other in the first six hundred yeeres I thinke I might say 1000. and I wil yeeld the cause And those latter Writers which consent with him vse his words build vpon his authority so that the whole weight of this cause lieth on Ieroms shoulders whoÌ if I can disburdeÌ thereof there can nothing at all be produced out of antiquitie against the superioritie of Bishops First then I say that they abuse Ierome who match him with Aërius for besides that Aërius was a damned hereticke being a most perfect Arian as Epiphanius saith who liued at the same time liuing in a Church of Arians standing in election for the Bishopricke against Eustathius who also was an Arrian out of a discontented humor the common sourse of Schisme and heresie broached this heresie as Epiphanius Augustine censure it Presbyterum ab Episcope nulla differentia debere discerni ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã denying the Superiority of Bishops both de Iure as Augustine reporteth his opinion and de facto as Epiphanius alledging that there is no difference between a Bishop and a Presbyter For there is one order saith he of both one honor and one dignitie The Bishop imposeth hands so doth the Presbyter the B. giueth the lauer of Baptisme so doth the Presbyter the B. doth administer Gods worship so doth the Presbyter the B. sitteth on the throne so also doth the Presbyter But Ierome was not so mad to vse the refuters words of Aërius who indeed as Epiphanius saith was ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a franticke fellow as to deny the Superioritie of BB. de facto which oftentimes he doth auouch neither doth he deny it de Iure And therfore the refuter here hath deliuered two vntruthes the one that he saith Aërius did not deny the Superioritie of BB. de facto which most manifestly he did and did it no doubt with this mind that though he missed of the Bishopricke which ambitiously he had desired yet he would be thought as good a man as a Bishop The other that he saith Ierome denied the Superiority of BB. de Iure For it is most euident by many testimonies alledged in the Sermon that Ierome held the Superiority of Bishops to be lawfull and necessary For though somewheres he saith that Bishops are greater then Presbyters rather by the custome of the Church then by the truth of Diuine disposition yet he acknowledgeth that custome to be an Apostolicall tradition and therefore either he may be vnderstood as holding the superioritie of BB. to be not Diuini but Apostolici iuris or he may be interpreted as speaking of the names prouing by diuers testimonies of the Scripture that Presbyters are called Bishops But heereof wee may not conclude that therefore Presbyters and Bishops are all one for not onely Bishops but also Apostles are called Presbyters and the Apostleship is called Bishopricke For howsoeuer all Presbyters are in the Scriptures called Angels and Bishops yet that one among many who had singular preheminence aboue the rest is by the warrant of the holy Ghost called the Angell of the Church and by the same warrant may be called the Bishop Now whereas Aërius for denying the superiority of Bishops was by Epiphanius and Augustine iudged and heretike hereby it appeareth that this alleagation not onely proueth the superiority de facto but de iure for seeing there is no heresie which is not repugnant to Gods word it is euident that they who iudged this opinion of Aerius to be an heresie did also iudge it contrarie to Gods word Neither did Epiphanius and Augustine alone condemne Aërius for an heretike but as Epiphanius reporteth all Churches both in City and Countrey did so detest him and his followers that being abandoned of all they were forced to liue in the open fields and in wods And whereas some obiect against Epiphanius and Augustine in defence of Aerius that his opinion is not heresie because Epiphanius did not sufficiently answer one of Aërius his allegations out of Scripture where Presbyters seeme to be called Bishops and that Augustine followed Epiphanius himselfe not vnderstanding how farre the name of an heretike is to be extended these are very slender exceptions to be taken by so learned a man For be it that Epiphanius did not sufficiently answere some one of Aërius his allegations is that sufficient to excuse Aërius from being an heretike seeing that testimony may be sufficiently answered as J haue shewed and seeing euery testimony alleaged by each heretike hath not alwaies beene sufficiently answered by euery one that hath written against them The Allegation which Aërius bringeth out of Phil. 1.1 doth onely proue that the Presbyters were called Bishops at what time he which was the Bishop of Philippi namely Epaphroditus was called their Apostle And it is confessed by many of the Fathers that howsoeuer there were many in Philippi which in a generall signification were called Bishops yet there was but one nay that there could be but one which properly was called the Bishop of Philippi And as touching Augustine I maruell that learned men could derogate so much from him as that he at that time especially would write vpon the authoritie of others what himselfe vnderstood not For Augustine was no youngling or nouice at that time but hee wrote that booke in his elder age euen after hee had written his bookes of Retractations at what time hee had written 230. bookes besides his Epistles and Homilies Neither doth Augustine write any thing in his preface of that booke whereby it might bee gathered that hee was in doubt whether any of those particulars which he noteth were to be judged heresies onely he saith that what maketh an Heretike can in his judgement hardly if at all be set downe in an accurate definition Notwithstanding he distributeth his intended Treaâise into two parts The first of the heresies which after Christs ascension had been contrarie to his doctrine and which he could come to the knowledge of among which the heresies of Aërius haue the 53. place in the latter hee promiseth to dispute what maketh an Heretike But though he came not to that or if he did what he wrote of that point is not come to our hands yet in the conclusion of his Treatise which is extant he saith thus What the Catholike Church holdeth against these meaning all the 88. heresies which before he had recited it is but a superfluous question seeing it is sufficient in this behalfe to know Eam contra istâ sentire nec aliquid horum in fidem quenquam dâbere recipere that the iudgement of the Church is contrary to these and that no man ought to receiue any of these into his beleefe And again Omnis itaque Christianus Catholicus istâ non debet credere
antecedent I prooue by Pauls substituting Timothe at Ephesus and Titus in Creet to that end that they might ordaine elders notwithstanding that there were diuerse Presbyters in both those Churches before Whereto he answereth that it had been lawfull for the Presbyters and people to haue ordained but at the first they were lesse fit for the purpose then an Euangelist That the people sometimes haue had some stroake in election of their Bishops I do not denie but that they euer had any right to ordaine can neuer be proued That the Presbyters had right to haue done it he should haue declared But what Presbyters doth he speake of ministers they I trust if the new conceit be true were confined ech man to his own parish neither might they intermeddle in other parishes euerie parish hauing sufficient authoritie within it selfe neither can it be thought that the Presbyters of latter times should be fit and that they which were ordained by the Apostles themselues were not fit for the execution of their power assuredly if it were not fit for them to ordaine but for Timothe and Titus by the same reason neither is it fit for Presbyters afterwards but for Bishops who succeeded Timothe and Titus Jf he say the lay Presbyters and the people had right to ordaine he must first proue which he will neuer be able to doe that euer there were such Presbyters and then he must proue that they and the people had right to ordaine ministers which when he hath performed he may hope to proue any thing The latter part of the antecedent I proue thus Who were the successors of Timothe and Titus for the gouernment of Ephesus and Creet to them after their decease was their power of ordination deriued The Bishops of Ephesus and Creet were the successessours of Timothe and Titus for the gouernment of those Churches and not Presbyters Therefore to the BB. and not to the Presbyters was the power of Ordination deriued Hereto he answereth that Timothe and Titus were Euangelists and not Bishops and therefore that which followeth of deriuing their authoritie to their successors is meerely idle Thus no part of my syllogisme is answeared vnlesse it be the conclusion But to answeare his reason whereby he goeth about ãâã clâââ pelâere their being Euangelists whiles they attended the Apostle in his peregrinations and were not deputed to any one place doth not hinder but that they might be and were Bishops as all antiquitie with one consent testifieth when they were assigned to certaine Churches Neither is it greatly materiall as touching the force of this argument whether they were Euangelists or Bishops seeing the power which they had of ordination and jurisdiction was not to dye with them but to be transmitted to them who should succeed them in the gouernment of the Church Now that the Bishops of Ephesus and Creet and so of all other Churches did succeed Timothe and Titus and other Apostolicall men who were the first gouernors of the Churches is a most certaine truth as the singular succession of Bishops in those Churches from the Apostles times doth ineuitably euince But hereof I shall haue better occasion hereafter to speake Now that the Presbyters were not their successors it is euident for they had the selfesame authoritie and no greater vnder the Bishops who were successors to Timothe and Titus which before they had vnder them For they which had no other authoritie after them then they had vnder them could not be their successors Serm Sect. 7. p. 37. They obiect 1. Tim. 4.14 Neglect not the gift which is in thee which was giuen thee by imposition of hands of the Presbytery c. to ex authoritate pag. 39. MY answere to this testimony out of 1. Tim. 4. is That howsoeuer the Presbyterians doe vpon this place especially build the authoritie of their pretended Presbyteries yet this text maketh not for them That it maketh not for them I proue by this reason If there be but two expositions which are giuen of the word Presbyterie neither whereof doth fauour their presbyteries then the authoritie of their Presbyteries cannot be concluded out of this place But neither of the two expositions do fauour their Presbyteries Therefore their authoritie cannot be concluded hence The exceptions which he taketh against this answere are very friuolous As first that how many expositions soeuer any text in the conceit of men may admit the holy ghost except by way of allegorie intendeth but one Be it so but yet there may be question which of the diuerse expositions which be giuen is the sense of the holy Ghost vnlesse that must needs be alwaies the meaning of the holy Ghost which the refuter fancieth For my part I did not take vpon me to determine whether sense is the more likely Jt was sufficient for me that whereas there be but these two expositions which are or can be giuen neither of both maketh for the pretended Presbyteries His first exception therefore is to no purpose Now that the former exposition vnderstanding by Presbyterium the Priest-hood or office of a Presbyter maketh nothing for their Presbyteries it is more then euident And that this exposition which so plainly defeateth their Presbyteries is very probable I shewe first because the word is in that sense oft vsed though not in the new testament yet in greeke writers of the Church It suffiseth the Refuter that it is not vsed in that sense in any other place of Scripture and yet himselfe saying that the word is no wheres else vsed in all the Scriptures doth as much prejudge his own exposition as this How be it I do not deny but the worde is else where vsed in the Scriptures onely this I say that there is no other place wherein it can be drawne to signifie the Christian Presbyterie meaning either the company of Presbyters or the office of a Presbyter This then being the onely place where it is so vsed we must not expect parallele places in the Scripture to confirme either sense Secondly I shew that this may be the sense because not onely diuerse in former times as Ierome Primasius Anselmus Haymo Lyra but Caluin also doe so expound it To this his answere is worse then friuolous that though these writers doe so expound it yet Doctor Bilson doth not say that therefore it may be so vnderstood And why so I pray you because he confesseth that Chrysostome Theodoret and other Graecians expound it of the persons which did ordaine not of the function whereto Timothe was ordained Doth not Doctor Bilson say it may be so vnderstood when more then once he mentioneth it as one of the receiued expositions of that place approued by Caluin himselfe the chiefe patron for I must not say founder of the Presbyterian Discipline neither doth his relating of Chrysostomes exposition proue that he rejecteth the other no more then his alledging of Ieromes interpretation doth argue that he refuseth that of Chrysostomes but
was prouided as a remedie against Schisme lest euerie one drawing after him should rend the Church of Christ. What say you Ierome were Bishops first ordained after Saint Iohns time doe not your selfe testifie that Saint Iames a little after the ascension of Christ was by the Apostles made Bishop of Ierusalem that Marke was Bishop of Alexandria that euer since his time and he dyed almost 40. yeares before Saint Iohn there hath beene a Bishop in a degree superiour to other Presdyters that Timothe was Bishop of Ephesus c. That word afterwards therefore is not to be referred to Saint Iohns time but to those testimonies where he prooued the name Episcopus to be giuen to Presbyters which custome as he supposeth continued vntill one of the Presbyters beeing chosen from among the rest was called Bishop for indeed whiles Apostles or Apostolicke men were made BB. BB. were called the Apostles of the Churches But when out of the Presbyters one was chosen he began for difference sake to be called the Bishop the Angell of the Church Now that BB. were chosen out of Presbyters and by Presbyters he prooueth by the example of the Church at Alexandria For euen at Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist vnto Heraclas and Dionysius BB. who were not chosen from among the Presbyters the Presbyters haue alwaies called one chosen from among themselues and placed in a higher degree the Bishop euen as if an army doe choose their generall or Deacons choose from among themselues one whom they know to be industrious and call him the Archdeacon His fourth argument is this There be many things which a Bishop by the power of his order may doe which a Deacon cannot but there is nothing which a Bishop may doe by the power of order excepting ordination which a Presbyter may not doe A Presbyter is therefore by so much superior to a Deacon by how much he is nearer to the Bishop this is the verie scope of this place and to the same are all the arguments following referred c. the summe whereof is that the Presbyterie is a degree betweene the Bishops and Deacons You see then what Ierome prooueth out of the Scriptures not that the office but the name of Bishop and Presbyter were for a time confounded Now let vs see what he prooueth by the practise of the Church at Antioch he would say at Alexandria that of old a Bishop and a Presbyter were all one See you not how he prooueth it when he saith that euer since Marks time the Bishop hath beene placed in a higher degree aboue the Presbyters Was this to prooue that a Bishop and Presbyter are equall or all one or did Ierome intend any thing else but to prooue the Presbyters superiour to Deacons and that by such arguments as before I analysed We haue heard what Ierome prooueth out of the Scriptures and practise of the Church at Alexandria now at the last let vs heare the end of his speech That he I know not who might see that in his time also there remained a proofe thereof because a Bishop euen then did nothing except ordination which a Presbyter could not doe Toto coelo errat it was not Ieromes end to prooue the Presbyter equall with the Bishop but superiour to the Deacon For if the former had beene his intent this and the other from the practise of Alexandria had beene very vntoward arguments to prooue his purpose At Alexandria the Bishop euer since Marks time was superiour to Presbyters in degree therefore they were equall The Bishop is superiour in the power of ordination therefore Presbyters be his equals Hath not the Refuter now great cause thinke you to crake of this answere was this among all the testimonies which I alledged chosen as most misalledged by occasion whereof he might pay me mine owne and tell me that it was wherried in with âareâ by him that looked an other âay Blessed bee God that so guided me in the way of truth that among all my allegations the refuter hath not beene able to charge mee with misalledging any one As for this nothing could bee more pregnant and pertinent to proue that BB were superiour to Presbyters in ordination then as I said in the sermon that Ierome himselfe euen when and where he seeketh to aduance the Presbyters as high as hee can aboue the Deacons doth confesse ordinatioÌ to be peculiar to Bishops Now whereas Ierome saith a Presbyter may doe any thing which a Bishop doth excepting ordination I did easilie forsee it would bee obiected that if BB. bee superiour onely in the power of ordination then are they not superiour in iurisdiction This obiection I preuented in these words Where you are not to vnderstand him or other of the Fathers speaking somâtime to the like purpose as though the B. were not superiour in any thing else but that potestate ordânis as touching power of order âe is superior only in ordination For that he is superior potestate iurisdictionis they euery where acknowledge I know some answere that in Ieromes iudgement BB. are iure diuinâ superiour to other Ministers onely in the power of ordination but in the power of iurisdiction iure apostolico in that hee acknowledgeth that superiority of BB. was brought in by the Apostles necessarily for auoiding of schismes Which answere I refusing because Ierome saith the like of the superiority of the BB. in generall and of the power of ordination in particular that it was reserued to the B. ne a multis disciplina ecclesia vendicata concordiam sacerdotum solueret et scandala generaret made choice of this other as the more like to bee true Not that J absolutely was of this iudgement that the right of ordination doth belong to the power of Episcopall order as appeareth by that supposall which J made in the sermon page 44. l. 3. but that I supposed it to be the iudgment of Ierome and some other fathers who acknowledging the Bishop to bee superiour in iurisdiction and yet affirming that hee is superiour onely in the right of ordination or imposing hands must thus bee vnderstood as iudging the Bishop to bee superiour onely therein quoad ordinis potestatem as touching the power of order they holding other things belonging to the power of order as the ministry of the word and Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper to bee common to BB. with other ministers but the power of ordination to bee peculiar to the BB. and in their iudgements not communicable to Presbyters because as Thomas saith ea quae sunt ordinis non possunt committi nisi habenti ordinem Hereunto the Refuter after his malepert and saucy manner answereth that I vnderstand not this distinction For saith he potestas ordinis power of order is not potestas ordinationis power of ordination but power to doe all that which belongeth to the order of that ministery which hee hath receiued as Tolet sheweth But
the Fathers had thought the power of ordination to haue bin peculiar to BB. by any ordinance of God they would not haue allowed any such ordination as I speake of without a B it followes not For though they held the right of Baptizing to beloÌg to the Ministers of the Church by Gods ordinance though they held the right of imposing hands to be peculiar to the Apostles and their successors yet in a case of necessity they held baptisme without a Minister and confirmation without a B. to be lawfull In like maner though they held that the right of ordination was peculiar to Bishops by Apostolical institution therefore taught that none but Bishops could regularly and ordinarily ordaine notwithstanding in a case of necessity we may well thinke they would haue allowed of such an ordination as J spake of though as I said not as regular according to the rules of ordinary Church gouernment yet as effectuall and iustifiable in the want of a B. If he still say they wouâd not then must he confesse that the practise of the Disciplinarians is such as the Fathers of the Primitiue Church would in no case haue allowed and that is all the inconuenience that can come to our cause if my defence of them be not sufficient As for his cauill at my supposall of the right of ordination to belong to the power of order in BB. I haue answered before To such obiections one answer is enough two is too many And thus much of the Bishops right in ordaining CHAP. V. That Bishops were superior to other Ministers in the power of iurisdiction Serm. sect 9. pag. 45. Now I am to shew that the B. is superiour also in the power of iurisdiction The Presbyters indeede c. to the end of the page HEre the Reader is to obserue what is by me propounded to be proued not that the BB. had or haue the sole power of iurisdiction the defence whereof the Refuter euery where would faine force vpon me but that they are and were superiour in the power of iurisdiction or gouernment I deny not the Presbyters which haue charge of soules to haue iurisdiction both seuerally in their parishes and iointly in prouinciall synods And I haue confessed before that Presbyters haue with and vnder the Bishops exercised some iurisdiction I grant that godly BB. before they had the countenance and assistance of Christian Magistrates and direction of Christian lawes vsed in all matters of moment to consult with their clergy imitating therein as Ierome speaketh the example of Moses Quâ cùm haberet in potestate solus praesse populo who when it was in his power to gouerne the people alone hee chose seuenty with whom to iudge the people This was practised by Cyprian who resolued from the beginning of his Bishopricke to doe nothing of importance alone because he would preuent dissension and scandals Ambrose also teacheth that there was a time when nothing was done without the aduice of the Presbyters who therefore by Ignatius are called the counsellours and coassessours of the B. Which course if it were vsed still as it would ease the Bishops burden very much so would it nothing detract from their superiority in gouerning the sway of their authority being no lesse when they vsed the aduice of their Presbyters then when they vsed it not For the assistance of the Presbyters was to helpe and aduice but neuer to ouerrule the Bishop Neither will any man say that the authority of a Prince who vseth the aduice of his counsell is the lesse for it but the moâe aduised But what the authority of BB. was in the primitiue Church in respect of gouernment I will first shew absolutely and then by way of comparison with Presbyters What the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as the Councell of Carthage calleth the authority of BB. was may first appeare by this that they were accounted the gouernours and rulers of the Churches meaning thereby dioceses For though there were many ministers who were Angels Pastors Bishops yât there was but one in euery Church who was the Angel the Pastor the Bishop the gouernour of the Church bearing as Ignatius saith the sway of authority aboue and ouer them all But I delight to heare Ierome the onely pretended patron of the Disiplinarians who confesseth as wee haue heard that of necessity a peerelesse power and eminent aboue all is to bee attributed to Bishoppes and that the safety of the Church dependeth thereon Hee therefore in his Commentary vpon Esay chap. 60. verse 17. reading according to the Septuag I will giue thy Princes in peace and thy Bishops in righteousnesse saith Herein the Maiestie of the holy Scriptures is to bee admired which calleth principes futuros ecclesiae episcopos the Princes or Rulers which should bee of the Church Bishoppes whose visitation is all in peace and the name of their dignitie meaning their superintendencie in righteousnesse And on those words of the 45. Psalme In stead of fathers children shall be borne vnto thee O Church saith he the Apostles were thy fathers for they begate thee Now forasmuch as they are gone out of the world thou hast BB. who were borne of thee For these also are thy fathers because thou art gouerned of them And on the words following whom thou shalt make Princes in all the earth for saith he in the name of God the gospell is spread in all ends of the world in which Principes ecclesiae i. episcopi the princes of the Church that is to say the Bishops are placed On which words Augustine also doth comment to the like purpose In stead of the Apostles sonnes are borne to thee BB. are ordained thinke not thy selfe forsaken because thou seest not Peter and Paul who beg at thee of thine owne issue is sprung a fatherhood Agnoscant qui prâcisi sunt veniant ad vnitatem c. Let them which are precise or cut off by schisme acknowledge it and come vnto vnity The Church hath borne sonnes and in steed of her fathers hath made them princes ouer all the earth Optatus likewise calleth the BB apices principes omnium The Councell of Carthage decreed that when the Donatists returned to the Church they should be receiued each one in their degrees according to the will and pleasure of the B. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã who gouerneth the Church in the same place if he shall thinke it expedient for the peace of the Church Cyprian though he had approued Cornelius his courage in that Felicissimus a wicked schismaticke attended with a troope of desperate fellowes was by him vigore pleno quo episcopum agere oportet pulsus de ecclesia with full vigour of auâhority and courage wherewith it behoueth a B to deale driuen out of the Church yet perceiuing him to be somwhat daunted with the threatnings of those lewd companions if this be so saith he that the
no further then he seeth cause He therefore reporteth it as a doctrine of Peter that no Presbyter ought to doe any thing in any Bishoppes parish or diocesse without his permission and that all Presbyters ought without delay to be obedient to their BB. in all things § 14. But as I prooued that Presbyters might doe nothing without the Bishoppes appointment or consent so I noted especially those things which belong to their power of order as the actions of their ministery to baptize to celebrate the Communion to preach to say the publike Liturgy or diuine seruice As touching Baptisme I alleaged Tertullian testifying that the Bishoppe hath the right to giue Baptisme then the Presbyters and the Deaconâ but yet not without the authority of the Bishoppe for the honour of the Church that is the honour due vnto him in the Church which being safe peace is safe Where note in Tertullians time within the first two hundred yeeres the Bishoppe was so greatly honoured that the peace of the Church was supposed to depend on the honour of the Bishoppe as Ierome also speaketh that the ordinary right of baptizing was primarily in the Bishop secondarily in the Presbyters Deacons but not to be exercised by them without his authority whereas extraordinarily and in case of necessitie lay men in his iudgement might baptize To this the Refuter giueth fiue answeres but neuer a good one As first that Tertullian speaketh not of their iuresdiction in the Apostles times or afâer by authority from them Hee speaketh nor de facto but de iure noting what right Bishops had and hee sheweth the ordinary right of baptizing which the Presbyters had was not without the Bishops authority 2. That the preeminence he giueth them was for the honor of the Church and preseruation of peace What then was this peculiar to his time Were they not as carefull of the honour of the Church and preseruation of peace in the Apostles times as after 3. Neither doth he speake of the authority of the Bishop in generall but of an honour giuen him in one particular And for one particular belonging to the power of order did I alleage it that hauing prooued this point in generall I might also shew it in the particulars which cannot otherwise be done but sigillation one by one Yea but this honour no one particular might well bee in a titular Bishoppe that had no such iurisdiction Titular Bishops in the primitue Church were such as had the name and title but not the authority of a Bishop granted to them Such a one was Meletius who by the censure of the Councell of Nice was not to haue ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the authority but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the bars name of a Bishop And such were Nouatian Bishops returning to the Church permitted to be if the Catholike Bishop would gratifie them with the name and title of a Bishop I reade of Eustathius the Metropolitan B. of Pamphylia who being desirous to leade a more quiet and solitary life gaue vp his Bishopricke whereupon Theodorus was chosen in his roome For it was not meet ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that the Church should continue a widow and that the flockes âf our Sauiour should remaine without a gouernour But he afterwards repenting him of the abdication of his Bishopricke putteth vp a petition to the Councell of Ephesus that hee might at the least retaine the name and honour of a Bishop At his request the Councell writeth to the Synod of Pamphylia that he might haue ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the name the honour and communion of a Bishop but yet so as that neither he doe ordaine nor taking vpon him the charge of the Church should performe sacred actions by his owne authority Thus we see who were titular Bishops in the primitiue Church such as were gratified with the name but wanted the office and authority of a Bishoppe As for those who had the office of a Bishoppe of whom Tertullian speaketh they had also vigorem episcopatus the vigor of the episcopall office whereof Cyprian so oft speaketh and the sway of authority ecclesiasticall was in their hands insomuch that Presbyters and Deacons who by the power of their order had right to baptitize might not euen in Tertullians time exercise that power but by authority from the Bishop In the fourth place the Refuter obiecteth that these Presbyters were not ordinary Ministers of the word and Sacraments but such as he and his fellowes dreame of because Tertullian in the very next words affirmeth alioquin etiamlaicis iut est otherwise lay men also might baptize That the Presbyters were Ministers I haue manifestly proued before and I haue noted already that Tertullian signifieth the ordinary right of baptizing to be in the Bishop Presbyters Deacons that yet extraordinarily and in the case of necessity lay men might baptize And so Ierome seemeth to exhound Tertullians meaning Hence it is that without Chrisme which the Presbyters of the seuerall parishes were to fetch from their B. and without the commandement of the Bishop neither Presbyter nor Deacon haue right to baptize Which notwithstanding wee know to be oft times lawfull for lay men to doe si tamen necessitas cogit but yet so if necessity doe compell But nothing is more euident then that the Presbyters were Ministers by that which hath heretofore been deliuered Whereunto this helpeth somewhat that Tertullian opposeth Presbyters and Deacons to laymen This obiection the Refuter thought to preuent by saying that the gouerning Elders and Deacons were accounted among the Clergy Which also is an vnlearned assertion For to omit the arguments which before were brought to prooue that the Presbyters and Deacons were degrees of the sacred Ministery it is plaine that the clergy of each diocesse was a company of such as were trained vp in learning it being the seminary of the whole diocesse And as they profited in yeeres learning and pietie so they were preferred to bee Readers then Exorcists then Acolythi then Sub-deacons after that Deacons then Presbyters out of whom ordinarily was chosen the Bishoppe And moreouer the Presbyters and Deacons with the rest of the Clergy had all their maintenance according to their place and degree in the Church And therefore our disciplinarians if they will haue such Presbyters and Deacons as were in the primitiue Church they must fetch them from the Vniuersitie and schooles of learning as we doe and maintaine them by the charges of the Church as well though not with so large allowance as the Bishop His last euasion for none of his answers is better is that the lower Tertullian speaketh of might well be and was on a parish Bishop the Presbyters being subiect to him as his assistants for that one Church But parish Bishoppes such as they speake of and lay elders be of one edition neuer heard of before our age For the more manifest proofe whereof I referre
haue published in print in most glorious and vaunting manner fiue times that I know of arguing nothing but their gerat malice small iudgement I haue answered before to their shame How oft must they bee told that wee neither make our Bishops supreme gouernours as they doe their parish Bishop nor sole as theirs would bee if they had not the assistance of their Presbyters And who knoweth not that it is the supremacy that maketh a Pope and supremacy they giue to their parish Bishop The other part of the assumption which saith they had not assistants in the parish to restraine them he denieth But before he wil examine my reasoÌ which I broght to proue it his grauity thoght good to cauil with the phrase which saith he soundeth very strangely in our eares Assistants are for his helpe whom they assist not to hinder in the execution of his office so doe the Iustices of peace assist the Iudges at the assises Therefore he should either not haue called them assistants or forborne the terme of restraining Where were so many eares as he speaketh of there were more heads then one that ioined in this work as I vnderstand there did But where so many heads were it is strange there was no more iudgement Are your Presbyteries assisting your parish Bishop to be compared to the Iustices of peace at the assises who haue no right of suffrage or giuing sentence or not rather to the Iudges assisting the chiefe Iudge in euery Court haue not all in your Presbyteries or consistories equal right of suffrage and are not all things carried by plurality of voice Is it not plaine that the Iudges in the Kings bench or common plees who are assistants to the L. chiefe iustices are ioyned to either of them as to heâlpe him in giuing right iudgment so to restraine him that he iudge not alone according to his own pleasure Is it not euident when more are ioyned in one commission that they are ioyned as well to restraine him that is the cheefe that he shall doe nothing alone as to helpe him in the execution thereof What a shallow conceit then was this that assitants might not be said to restraine seeing their office is as to helpe him whom they assist to doe right so to restraine him that hee doe no wrong Let vs now heare what hee can say to the reason which is this If the pastors of euery parish had assistants then Presbyteries either of lay-presbyters or of Ministers But they had not presbyteries to assist them neither of lay-presbyters nor of ministers Therefore they had none assistants The Proposition is grounded vpon this hypothesis which I tooke for granted that all assistants or coassessours ioined with the Bishop or pastor in the gouernment of the Church that are any wheres noted to haue been in the primitiue Church were Presbyters For that which againe he addeth concerning the whole congregation is a very fond conceit Whoeuer heard that the whole congregation assisted the pastor in the gouernement of it selfe assuredlie they which attribute authority to the whole congregation ascribe vnto it the chiefe authority as in popular states which the refuter hath before acknowledged saying that they subiect both the pastors elders to the whole congregation turning the world vpside down and making the flock to rule their pastor And yet how this standeth with their other position that the pastor is the supreme ecclesiasticall officer in euery Church J cannot sell vnlesse they meane the highest vnder the Church it selfe Which if it be so then is not the Church according to their conceit assistant to the Pastor but the Pastor is the Churches deputy and lieuetenant for the gouernement of it selfe in which gouernement of the Church the Presbyters bee his assistants But whatsoeuer might be added to the proposition according to the vnstayed fancies of certaine innouators which I respected not the proposition is necessary according to the practise of the primitiue Church wherof only J spâke But he denyeth the assumptioÌ also saying that they had other Presbyters which were not ministers But I hope he wil vnsay that saying when he shall haue read what before hath beene deliuered concerning their onely-gouerning Elders Besides against their parish-presbyters I alledged the practise of the Churches in Scotland and Geneua For in Scotland they had not a Presbytery or consistory in euery parish but in such circuits as are answerable to our deanries And whereas he saith that neither I nor hee ãâ¦ã truely what the practise of Geneua is but by uncertaine reports hee should haue spoken for himselfe For what I report concerning Geneua I haue read as in other Authors so in Beza himselfe shewing that they haue but one Ecclesiasticall presbyterie or consistorie for all the parishes both in the city and territory thereto belonging consisting of eighteene seniors whereof 6. are Ministers constant and 12. chosen euery yeare out of their 3. councils of state viz. 6. out of the councill of 200 4 out of that of 60 and 2. out of the 25. as I haue noted before But where he saith that Geneua may well be taken for one parish seeing it hath no diocesan Bishop it seemeth he doth not greatly care what he saith Belike there is but one parish church and all the rest beeing aboue 20. be chapels of ease and who then is the pastor of the whole Church of Geneua and what be they that are set ouer the Churches if they bee not the pastors of them Againe it is not long since Geneua was vnder a Bishop and then was it a Diocese and is it now come to bee but a parish or shall we not rather say that as the Bishop in his time was Diocesan so the presbyterie now is not a parishionall but a Diocesan presbyterie and that the whole Church of Geneua consisting of many parishes is as well a Diocese now as it was before It remaineth therefore as I said in the sermon that the ministers of seuerall parishes were subiect to the Bishop whose pastoral care extended it selfe to al euen theremotest parishes in his Diocese c. CHAP. VI Titles of honour giuen to BB. Serm. sect 13. pag. 52. Thus haue you heard that the Angels or BB. of the Primitiue Church were for the substance of their calling such as ours be c. to the end of the fourth point HEere I thanke him he compareth me to such as be called Iuglers because as they can perswade men they see what they doe not see so I would perswade my hearers that they heard which they did not heare Whether of vs doth vse more plaine euidence of truth and whether of vs tricks of legerdemaine I appeale to the conscience of the Reader though it bee the refuter himselfe But good sir though it was not in me to perswade euery one that did heare yet me thinks I might without offence say they had heard that which they did heare whether it were
B. Geminianus And this was the vsuall stile which Presbyters did vse when they did subscribe to Councels instead of their B. whose place they supplied As to the Councell of Arles Desiderius Presbyter directus à Domino meo Ioanne Episcopo directed from my Lord Iohn the B. haue giuen my consent and subscribed and so three others there mentioned in like maner to diuers other Councels Whosoeuer will peruse the Acts of the great Councell of Chalcedon hee shall seldome read any B. mentioned without some title of great reuerence and honour as reuerendissimus sanctissimus And long before that Socrates acknowledgeth that it was the vsuall manner in his time not to speake of BB. without titles of great honour calling them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã most religious most holy or such like And Chrysostome saith plainly that Heretikes haue learned of the Diuell not to giue due titles of honour to Bishops But where hee findeth fault with them for that in stead of those titles which argue their authoritie they said your reuerence your wisedome and such like what would hee haue said to the tearmes that haue beene vsually giuen to our Bishops by the Disciplinarians among vs I say among vs for Caluin Beza and others when they haue had occasion to write to our Bishops haue not refused to giue them their titles of honour To omit the rest Caluin writing to Archbishop Cranmer vseth these titles Illustrissime Domine Ornatissime clarissime Praesul c. Zanchius to Bishop Grindall Reuerendissime Antistes Beza and Sadeel to Archbishop Whitgift Reuerendissimo viro in Christo Patri Domino Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi serenissimae Reginae Consiliario totius Angliae Primati c. His second answer containeth two things the former that the title of Angels which the holy Ghost giueth to BB. for that onely J mentioned is quite besides the purpose my argument being this The holy Ghost giueth BB. a more honourable title in calling them the Angels of the Churches then if he had called them Lords Therefore wee should not thinke much that they are called Lords He answereth The Angels are glorious creatures of heauen and haue some fit resemblance of the Ministers office Lord Lordship and grace are tearmes of ciuill honour not so well befitting the Ministers of Christ Iesus I confesse they doe not so well befit them because they come short of that honour and excellencie which in the name of Angels the holy Ghost ascribeth to them For they are called not only Angels that is messengers and ambassadours of God as all ministers are in respect of their ministerie but also each of them is called the Angell of the Church whereof he is B. in respect of his gouernment and gardianship of the Church as the holy Angels of God are said to be their Angels ouer whom they are appointed Gouernours and gardians Therefore the name Lord giuen to them in respect of their gouernment and authoritie is a title of lesse honour then that which in the same respect is giuen them by our Sauiour Christ. Neither are they therefore ciuill Lords because they haue that title of Lords common to them with the Lords temporall For who knoweth not the distinction betweene the Lords spirituall and temporall so often mentioned in the Acts of Parliament And whereas in the second place hee would insinuate that our Sauiour Christ expresly forbiddeth these titles of Lordship and grace Luc. 22. where though hee readeth thus The Kings of the Gentiles reigne ouer them and they that beare rule ouer them are called gracious Lords but you shall not bee so yet he is not so ignorant of the Greeke tongue as not to know that neither gratious nor Lords are there mentioned in the originall text That was an affectionate translation of those who were too partiall in this cause That very title which our Sauiour speaketh of two of the Ptolemies Kings of Aegypt did assume vnto themselues either of them being called Ptolomeus Euergetes Ptolemy the bountifull or benefactor But indeed in the language wherein our Sauiour spake the word which is translated Benefactors is often vsed for Principes or Heroes as Psa. 118.9 It is better to trust in the Lord then to put our trust in Princes And that seemeth to haue beene Lukes meaning as not only Merceruâ but Beza also supposeth The 70. translate the word Prou. 19.6 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the King in Psal. 118 9. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Princes So Psal. 47.10.83.12.113.7 But 1. Sam. 2.8 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Pro. 8.16 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã It is also plaine that the disciples imagining that Christ should be a worldlie Monarch expected that themselues should be earthly Princes in great authoritie about him euery one affecting a neerer place about him then his fellowes as appeareth by the two sonnes of Zebede whose ambitious suite to Christ that they might sit one on his right hand and the other on his left in his kingdome gaue occasion of this speech as Matthew noteth Whereas therefore they both erred in their imagination thinking that they should be great Princes vnder an earthly Monarch and were corrupt in their affection each one of them ambitiously seeking superioritie ouer the rest our Sauiour seeketh to reforme both telling them that neither they should bee earthly Princes as they imagined in these words But you not so neither ought they to affect ambitiously superioritie ouer others but that by how much they should exceed others in dignitie they should labor by so much the more to excell them in humility imitating his example Neither did our Sauiour Christ interdict his Apostles either superioritie of authority ouer others or titles of eminent honour The authoritie and dignitie of being his Apostles is greater then any either honour or title that is giuen to our BB. Ierome writing on Pauls stile which he assumeth to himselfe Tit. 1.1 saith Where hee calleth himselfe the Apostle of Iesu Christ it seemeth some such thing as of hee had said Prâfectus prâterio Augusti Caesaris Magister exercitus Tiberij Imperatoris For euen as the Iudges of this world that they may seeme the more noble take names from the Kings whom they serue and from the dignitie wherewith they are puffed vp euen so the Apostle challenging to himselfe great authoritie among Christians he signified before hand that he was the Apostle of Christ that by the authoritie of the name bee might bring in awe those that should reade shewing thereby that all which beleeue in Christ must be subiect to him Hauing thus answered the first obiection I did easily foresee that three other things would bee obiected the first if Bishops may be called Lords then they may behaue themselues as Lords of the Churches I answered that although they may not behaue themselues as Lords of the Churches yet being the Angels of the Churches and spirituall Fathers to
whom a paternall and pastorall authoritie is committed may worthily be honoured with the title of Lords To this he replieth that we call not Shepheards nor Fathers Lords and therefore the paternall or pastorall authoritie of Bishops doth not make them capable of such Lordly titles J answer that Magistrates yea Princes both in Scriptures and prophane Writers are called Pastors as well as Bishops and for the same cause are Lords Neither doe I doubt but that the title of Father being giuen by way of honour to him that is not a naturall Father is a word of as great honour at the least as Lord and that is the signification of the name Papa which hauing beene giuen in the Primitiue Church to all Bishops as a title of eminent honour is for that cause by the Pope of Rome appropriated to himselfe The second there is too great oddes betweene the titles of Bishops and other Ministers the one being called Masters the other Lords I answered there is no such great difference betweene Master and Lord that inferiour Minister which assume to themselues the title of Master should denie the title of Lord to Bishops Hee replieth as conceiuing my speech simply that there was no great difference betweene Master and Lord. If you respect their vse in relation as they are referred to their correlatiues there is no difference if the vse without relation among vs there is great difference but yet not so great as that Ministers which assume the one to themselues should denie the other to Bishops there being as great difference betwixt their degrees as their titles Where he saith it is not assumed but giuen by custome to them as Masters of Arts both parts are false for both it is giuen to all Ministers as they are Ministers though not Masters of Arts though not graduates and also I especially meant certaine Ministers who not enduring the title of Lord to be giuen to Bishops will neither tell you their name by speech nor set it downe in writing without the preface of Mastership The third if Bishops bee called Lords then are they Lords of the Church I answered it followeth no more that they are therefore Lords of the Church because they are called Lords then the Ministers are Masters of the Church because they are called Masters for neither of these titles is giuen to them with relation but as simple titles of honour and reuerence No saith he let their stiles speake Lord of Hath and Welles Lord of Rochester c. What Lord of the Cities nothing lesse but Lords of the Diocese They are Lords of neither but Lord BB. both of the City and Diocese And the relation is not in the word Lord but in the word Bishop though it bee not expressed alwaies but many times is vnderstood The Refuter hauing thus weakly friuolously and fondlie shifted off my arguments and testimonies rather then lie shifted off my arguments and testimonies rather then answered them there being not one line in my Sermon hitherto which I haue not defended with euidence of truth against his cauillations notwithstanding concludeth with a most insolent bragge as if he had as his fauourites giue out laid me on my backe And therefore as some wrestlers after they haue giuen one the foile will iet with their hands vnder their side challenging all others euen so he hauing in his weake conceit giuen me a strong ouerthrow because he findeth me too weake to stand in his armes hee challengeth all commers saying Let him that thinketh he can say more supplie his default I do vnfainedly confesse there be a great number in this Land blessed be God who are able to say much more in this cause then I am notwithstanding a stronger propugner thereof shall not neede against this oppugner And because I am assured in my conscience of the truth and goodnesse of the cause I promise the Refuter if this which now I haue written will not conuince him as I hope it will whiles he will deale as a Disputer and not as a Libeller I will neuer giue him ouer God giuing me life and health vntill I haue vtterly put him to silence In the meane time let the Reader looke backe to that which hath beene said on both sides let him call to minde if he can what one proofe this Refuter hath brought for the paritie of Ministers what one sound answer he hath giuen to any one argument or testimonie to my one proposition or assumption which I haue produced and then let him consider whether this glorious insultation proceeded not from an euill conscience to a worse purpose which is to retaine the simple seduced people in their former tearmes of factiousnes THE FOVRTH BOOKE Maintayning the fift point that the Episcopall function is of Apostolicall and diuine Institution The I. CHAPTER Prouing the Episcopall function to be of Apostolicall institution because it was generally receiued in the first 300. yeeres after the Apostles Serm. pag. 54. It remaineth that I should demonstrate not onely the lawfulnesse of the BB. calling c. to page 55. li. 7. THE Refuter finding himselfe vnable to confute this discourse of the lawfulnesse of the BB. calling would faine perswade his Reader that it is needlesse moued and mouing thereto by as friuolous reasons as euer were heard of For though it be true that this point hath already beene proued by one argument is it therefore needlesse to confirme the same by a second Did euer any man meete with such a captious trifler as would not permit a man to proue the same truth by two arguments but the one must straight be reiected as needlesse but indeed his analysis was forced as he could not but discerne both by the distribution of the Sermon page 2. and also by the transition here vsed neither was this point handled before but the former assertion whereby the text was explicated that the Angels or Bishops of the primitiue Church were diocesan Bishops and such for the substance of their calling as ours be superiour to other ministers in degree c. This which now wee are to handle is the second assertion being a doctrine gathered out of the text so explicated I confesse the former doth proue the latter and that doth commend the methode of my Sermon and both being disposed together may make this Enthymeme The Pastors or gouernours of the primitiue Church here meant by the Angels were diocesan Bishops and such for the substance of their calling as ours be Therefore the calling of such diocesan Bishops as ours be is lawfull But I contented not my selfe with collecting the doctrine out of the text but as the manner of all preachers is when they haue collected a doctrine which is controuersall I thought it needfull to proue and to confirme the same with other arguments But other arguments saith he needed not if the three middle points were sufficiently cleared what will he assume but the three former points were sufficiently cleared
perpetually vsed in all Christian Churches in the first three hundred yeeres after Christ and his Apostles the latter and was not ordained by generall Councils The former part I proue by foure arguments The first whereof is this If the Angels or gouernors of the primitiue Church in the first 300. yeeres after Christ and his Apostles were diocesan BB. then the gouernment of the Church by such BB. was generally and perpetually vsed in that time But the antecedent is true Therefore the consequent He maketh a doubt of the proposition because he hath not learned that speeches in disputation indefinitly propounded are generally to be vnderstood for auoiding of clenches and therefore when I say the Angels or gouernours I meane all the Angels or gouernours when I say in the three hundred yeers I meane throughout that terme euen from the death of Saint Iohn to the end of the foure hundred yeere after the incarnation of Christ. The assumption hath beene proued at large in the former part of the Sermon and in this defence thereof first by this disiunction either the Churches after the Apostles time were gouerned by diocesan BB. as we say or by presbiteries consisting for the most part of Lay-elders as the disciplinarians hold But neuer by such presbiteries Therefore euer by BB. Secondly I haue proued that euer since the Apostles times the Churches haue been dioceses and the BB. diocesans superiour to other ministers in degree hauing singularity of preeminence during life and majoritie of power in respect both of ordination and iurisdiction his answere is that he hath answered those points of my Sermon where he hath shewed that I proued no such matter whereunto I reply that all his answeres were but shifts and euasions and stand fully confuted But perhaps the refuter will say if I had vnderstood your proposition as vttered in generall termes as now it is expounded by you then I would haue taken the same exception against the proofe of the assumption which I did against your proposition for although in some part of that time some BB. were perhaps such as you described yet it followeth not that generally and perpetually in the first three hundred yeeres after Christ and his Apostles they were such That they were generally such in the last of the three hundred yeeres which is the fourth century after Christ it thing most fully testified and most manifestly proued in the proofe of the former points and hath been confessed by the refuter neither can be denyed of any man who hath any sound learning ioyned with a good conscience Let vs then consider when such BB. had their beginning Perhaps some will say they began with Constantine for then was the greatest alteration in the state of the Church I answere the alteration was in respect of outward peace and prosperitie wherewith God blessed his Church not in the discipline or doctrin of the Church in respect of the wealth and better maintenance of the BB. not in the substance of their calling It is euident that BB. were diocesan before they were actually Metropolitanes and Metropolitanes before they were Patriarches for of the combination of dioceses did follow Metropolitanes and vpon the consociation of prouinces were Patriarches ordayned and yet long before the Councill of Nice the Patriarches were in vse and the customes of subiecting diuerse prouinces to them are called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ancient customes In the same canon it was also decreed that the priuiledges or prerogatiues of Churches meaning especially the priuiledges of being mother Churches should be reserued to them which priuiledge as I haue shewed before belonged to them euer since the Apostles times When the B. of Antioch attempted to ordaine the Metropolitane of Cyprus the BB. of Cyprus complaine to the Councill of Ephesus alledging that euer since the Apostles the Metropolitane B. of Constantia was ordained by the Synode of the prouinciall BB. whereupon the Councill not onely censured the attempt of the B. of Antioch as an innouation contrarie to the rules of the Apostles but also determineth first that no B. should haue to doe with any countrey or prouince which had not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã euer from the beginning belonged to his See and secondly that euery prouince within it selfe should retayne inuiolable such rights as they had ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã euer from the beginning according to the custome receiued of old If therefore Metropolitanes and Patriarches were in vse long before Constantines time who can doubt but diocesan BB. were much more Long since saith Cyprian in all prouinces and in all cities BB. are ordained in age ancient sound in faith tryed in affliction c. in Prouinces Metropolitanes such as himselfe was in Cities diocesans Without doubt if diocesan BB. had their beginning after the Apostles times then was it shortly after their decease But that cannot be first because as I shall proue in the next reason they were in the Apostles times secondly because as I said in the Sermon it is incredible that all the Churches would and impossible that they could agree in abolishing a gouernment receiued from the Apostles and setting vp at once in all places of the world one other vniforme gouernment by BB. without the gaine saying of any one of the godly Fathers or worthy Martyrs of Christ. Besides the succession of BB. from the Apostles times as I shall shew doth plainely proue their originall to haue beene in the Apostles times Whereunto may be added the testimony of Eusebius concerning the age succeeding the Apostles times for hauing shewed that about the twelfth yeere of Traian which was about seauen yeeres after the death of Saint Iohn Primus succeeded Cerdo in the Bishopricke of Alexandria and Alexander Euaristus in the Bishopricke of Rome he testifieth that in those times both the doctrine of Christ and his Church did flourish dayly more and more Likewise in the time of Adrian he testifieth both that the Churches shined in all places of the world like most glorious lights and the faith of Christ in all nations flourished And in the same book after he had noted the succession of the BB. of Rome Alexandria Antioch shewing how Soter succeeded Anicetus at Rome Agrippinus Celadion at Alexandria Theophilus Heros who had succeeded Cornelius and he Heron at Antioch and hauing mentioned some other famous BB. as Dionysius of Corinth and Pinytus of Candy Philippe Apollinaris Melita Musanus Modestus and Irenaeus he saith that Hegesippus flourished at the same time whose testimonie of the estate of the Church in his time he hath recorded to this effect that iourneying toward Rome in many places he had conference with the BB. all which he found to be teachers of one and the same doctrine and hauing spoken of the Epistle of Clemens to the Corinthians he giueth this testimony to the Church of Corinth in particular that it had continued in the right faith
I shew that Bishops not onely were in the Apostles times but also were approued by them That they were in respect of their function approued I proue by the examples of the 7. Angels approued by S. Iohn or rather by our Sauiour Christ of Epaphroditus the Apostle or B. of the Philippians who therefore is not mentioned in the inscription of that Epistle because the Epistle was sent by him commended by S Paul as his compatner both in his function and in affliction and the Philippians commanded to haue in honour such Iames the Iust B. of Ierusalem approued of all Archippus the B. of Colossa approued of Paul Antipas who had beene B. of Pergamus commended by the holy Ghost To none of these hath the Refuter any thing to say but to Epaphroditus whom he would not therefore haue thought to haue beene a Diocesan B. because Paul calleth him his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã fellow workâ-man nor that the Apostle meant to equall him to himselfe in the Apostleship for Epaphroditus was none c. Though that word doth not proue it neither was it alledged to that end but as one of the titles of commendation giuen to Epaphroditus yet the word Apostle which I alledged doth proue it neither should the Refuter haue balked that to lay hold vpon another vnlesse it were to deceiue the simple It is therefore to be noted that as the twelue Patriarches of Christs Church which were sent into the whole world some going one way some another were called the Apostles of Christ and not the Apostles of any Church in particular excepting Iames who was the Apostle of the Iewes so those Apostolicall men who were set ouer particular Churches as the Bishops thereof were for a time called the Apostles of those Churches So Paul calleth Epaphroditus the Apostle of the Philippians and therefore it was malepertly said by the Refuter that he was not an Apostle But of this more hereafter Before I ended this point I thought it needfull to meet with that obiection which ordinarily is made out of Ierome by them who vnderstand him as if he had said that Bishops were not ordayned in the Apostles times But I shew both by the place it selfe which they alledge and by conference of other places in Ierome that hee plainely confesseth BB. to haue been ordayned in the Apostles times Ierome therfore confesseth in the place which is vsually obiected that when factions began to arise in the Church some saying I am of Paul I am of Apollos I am of Cephas which was in the Apostles times 1 Cor. 1. it was decreed in the whole world and therefore by the Apostles for who should in the Apostles times make such a generall decree but the Apostles yea and Ierome himselfe calleth the Episcopall function a tradition Apostolicall that one being chosen from among the Presbyters should be set ouer the rest vnto whom the care of the whole Church should appertaine Whereunto I added his confession of the same truth in other places For he confesseth that Iames the Iust shortly after the Passion of Christ was made Bishop of Ierusalem and continued B. there thirtie yeares euen vntill his death In the same Catalogue it is confessed that Simon succeeded the said Iames in the Bishopricke and that Timothie was B. of Ephâsus and Titus of Creet and Polycarpe of Smyrna in S. Iohns time that Linus Anacletus and Clemens were BB. of Rome Hee confesseth also that at Alexandria euer since S. Marke there had beene BB. chosen successiuely that S. Marke was the first B. of the Church at Alexandria and that Anianus succeeded him After whom there were two more Abilius and Cerdo in the Apostles times It is most plaine therefore that Ierome acknowledgeth BB. to haue beene in the Apostles time Now let vs see what tricke the Refuter hath to auoide such plaine euidence Forsooth because these testimonies were as he saith not knowing indeed nor greatly caring what he affirmeth brought in by me out of order and some of them come to be handled againe he will answere generally and briefly that the Bishops Ierome speaketh of were not Diocesan Lords but such as himselfe describeth where hee sheweth the custome of the Church of Alexandria c. Whether they were called Lords or not it is not greatly materiall seeing they were called the Angels and the Apostles of the Churches which are titles of greater honour neither doth it appertaine to the substance of their calling in regard whereof I defend the ancient Bishops to haue beene such as ours are And such doth Ierome describe them in the place which the Refuter meaneth For hee plainly noteth the Bishop to haue beene but one in a whole Church or Diocese to whom the care of the whole Church did belong superiour also to the Presbyters in degree c. The Refuter hauing answered my second argument in such sort as you haue heard taketh his turne to reply and that thus That gouernment which euen in the Apostles times was vsed in the Apostolicall Churches and was not contradicted by them was of Apostollicall institution The gouernment by common consent of Elders was vsed euen in the Apostles times in the Apostolicall Churches and not contradicted by them Therefore the gouernment by the common consent of Elders was of Apostolicall institution The Proposition saith he is sure on our side though it was not of his See âee homo homini quantum praestat that which is weake in my hand is strong in this The truth it selfe belike is so partiall as that it is true onely in his mouth For the strengthening of the assumption saith hee besides that which before I answered Sect. 3. which was besides the testimonie of Cyprian and Ierome before answered an allegation of some new Writers who are parties in the cause I will adde the testimonies of B. Whitgift D. Bilson D. Sutcliffe and D. Downame himselfe all speaking to the truth thereof He should haue done well to haue cited these testimonies so would it haue appeared that we spake according to the truth but not according to his meaning which is vntrue But I answere to his assumption and first to the former part of it by distinction If by Elders he meaneth the onely gouerning Elders as well as Ministers as hee doth or else he saith little for the pretended discipline I answere that the Church was neuer gouerned by the common Counsell of such Aldermen neither did Cyprian and Ierome testifie it nor D. Bilson D. Sutcliffe or D. Downame confesse it If by Elders he meane onely Ministers as Ierome did when he said at the first the Churches before factions did arise were gouerned by the common counsell of Elders two things may be questioned first whether this gouernment of theirs were vnsubordinate according to the new discipline and secondly whether the Apostles did intend that the Churches should be
assumption therefore which is true of the rest of the Apostles is not true of Iames and were to be denied if the Syllogisme were thus framed BB. had certaine Churches assigned to them Iames had not a certaine Church assigned to him Therefore he was not B. This assumption I haue disproued And therefore though that argument may seeme to conclude sufficiently against Peters being B. of Rome it concludeth not against Iames his being B. of Ierusalem And besides betweene Iames and the rest this difference may be noted that whereas they hauing planted Churches when they saw their time committed the same to certaine BB. so Peter and others of the Apostles committed Antioch to Evodius Peter and Paul committed Rome to Linus Paul committed Ephesus to Timothie Creet to Titus Iohn committed Smyrna to Polycarpus and diuers other Churches in Asia to other Bishops as Eusebius reporteth yet Iames abiding all his time at Ierusalem committed that Church to no other though when he was dead the Apostles committed it to Simon whom they ordayned his successour The second reason applied to Iames. If Iames were B. then by the same reason other of the Apostles were BB. But the other Apostles were not Bishops properly Therefore not Iames. Why I should not grant this consequence I haue shewed sufficient reason in setting downe the difference betweene Iames and the rest of the Apostles Therefore that reason also howsoeuer it may take place as touching Peter in whom no such difference from the rest of the Apostles can be truly noted yet it holdeth not against Iames his being B. of Ierusalem If the Refuter or any other be not as yet perswaded of this point to satisfie him in the maine point that the Apostles appointed and ordained Bishops I will be content to suppose that Iames was not B. of Ierusalem because it might be supposed and granted without any great preiudice to the cause seeing it is manifest that the same ancient Authors who testifie that the Apostles appointed Iames B. of Ierusalem doe also witnesse that after his death the Apostles who were then remayning ordayned Simon the sonne of Cleophas to be B. there as hereafter shall be shewed After I had proued that Iames was B. of Ierusalem I endeuoured to confute the opinion of the learneder sort of Disciplinarians who doe hold as before hath been shewed that Bishops were not superiour to other Ministers in degree neither had superioritie for terme of life but for a short time And to this end obiected the same conceipts that by this instance of Iames they might plainly be refuted Hereunto the Refuter replyeth that I deuise those obiections to make my selfe worke when as indeed they be the two maine points wherein Beza differeth from vs. But saith he who euer conceiued any such thought of the Apostle Iames I am sure there is not a syllable nor a letter of him at all in the place he quoteth out of Beza the more wrong he doth him c. All this adoe ariseth from the misprinting of one letter in the margent c being put for p. For in the 23. page of that book in the end of the third chapter he hath this saying though I grant that Iames the brother of our Lord was in order first in the Church of Ierusalem yet it followeth not that he was in degree superiour either to the Apostles or else to his fellow Ministers Which saying as it seemeth I should not neede to haue confuted if all the Disciplinarians were of our Refuters minde who censureth that speech as vntrue and vnreuerent But yet that he might let his Reader see that he is able to defend any thing against me he saith if a man would speake so vntruly and vnreuerently he might easily maintayne it against the answere that M. D. bringeth They must remember saith he that he was an Apostle and his honour and degree by his Bishopricke not impaired As if the question were not of him as a B. not as an Apostle His superiority in degree proceeded from his Apostleship and yet as a B. he might be superiour in order onely This tricke of fast and loose was not worth the shewing vnlesse it could haue beene done more cleanely To returne these trickes of fast and loose to such a shifting Sophister as I haue proued the Refuter to be it is plaine that Beza speaketh simply of Iames as the chiefe in the Church of Ierusalem as wel in respect of the Apostles as the Presbyters there And therefore considereth him as an Apostle as well as a B. And if he had intended any such distinction as the Refuter imagineth hee should haue conceiued that Iames his honour and degree by his Bishopricke was impaired and that the Apostles in choosing him to be B. of Ierusalem should rather haue depressed him then done him honour But they thought it a singular honour to be the Apostle or Bishop of that Church which Christ himselfe had founded And therefore as Clement noteth the chiefe of the Apostles Peter Iames and Iohn though Christ had vouchsafed to them greater honour then the rest yet would not arrogate to themselues that honour but preferred Iames the iust the brother of our Lord thereunto and when it was void againe by his death they made choise of Simon the sonne of Cleophas for the same cause because he also was the Lords kinsman The graue censure of the Refuter is that Clements speech is vnsauourie and the respect carnall which Hegesippus and Eusebius alledge Thus is hee able as it were with a breath to blowe away these worthy Authors Hegesippus Clemens and Eusebius they are not able to stand before him But why vnsauourie when the Apostles were to be dispersed into diuers parts of the world was it not a speciall honour for one amongst them without that trauaile wandring wherto the rest were subiect to be set ouer the mother Church of Christendome which Christ himselfe had founded to be the Apostle of that people which had sundry prerogatiues aboue all other Nations and in respect of that place to haue a precedence before the other Apostles as Iames had Act. 15. Gal. 2 And why carnall were not they bound in respect of that loue and reuerence which they did owe to our Sauiour Christ to preferre his neere kinsmen according to the flesh being at the least equall with others It is certaine that Iames for his admirable piety was wonderfully honoured not onely among Christians but also among the vnbeleeuing Iewes as might easily be shewed in so much that Iosephus imputeth the destruction of Ierusalem to his death as to a principall cause But saith he if it had beene arrogancie in them why not in him That which had beene arrogancie in them to haue arrogated to themselues was no arrogancie in him to vndertake being imposed vpon him Yea but if it were so great a priuiledge why might it not haue aduanced him
the Apostles would put off the matter till there was no remedie and I cannot much blame them if it be true which D. Bilson saith that they were to keepe the power of imposition of hands to themselues vnlesse they would loose their Apostleship It is more meruaile therefore that they would ordaine any Bishops at all as long as they liued then that they would deferre the doing of it so long as they could Which words as they contayne a meere cauill at my words not worth the answering so a meere belying of that reuerend B. who saith that the Apostles could not loose that viz. the power of imposing hands and deliuering vnto Sathan which the Fathers call Episcopall power vnlesse they lost the Apostleship withall Secondly hee obiecteth want of proofes What proofe bringeth he that the Apostles ordayned such Bishops in other Churches neither one text of Scripture nor any testimonie out of the ancient Writers onely authoritate praetoria hee telleth vs Pythagoras like they did so c. Here in complayning of the want of proofes he giueth sufficient proofe of a bad conscience In this section I did but in generall hauing noted the difference of the time declare what course the Apostles tooke first in deferring the choise of Bishops and afterwards in appointing them The proofes doe follow in the sections following shewing the places where and the persons whom the Apostles ordayned Bishops That imputation of speaking Pythagoras like hee hath often layd vpon me and yet not so oft as vniustly who haue in this Sermon and in this Treatise deliuered nothing almost without plentifull proofe or sufficient authority Thirdly hee carpeth at the names wherewith I said the first Bishoppes were called asking what is all this to the matter Would he prooue they were Diocesan Bishops because they were called by these names what a notorious cauiller is this may nothing be spoken but by way of proofe may nothing be said by declaration or explanation or preuention I knew it was obiected that Bishops are not mentioned in the scriptures the name Episcopus Bishop being giuen to Prebyters and therefore that is not like they were ordayned by the Apostles of vvhom no mention is in the Scriptures For preuention of this obiection or assoyling this doubt I declared first that the Bishops in the writings of the Apostles are called sometimes the Angels of the Churches sometimes their rulers sometimes their Apostles Yea but in my former Sermon I gaue all these names saue onely the name of Apostles to all ministers The former Sermon is of ministers in generall including the Bishops and diuers things there spoken of ministers in generall doe principally belong to Bishops All Pastors are rulers or rectors of their seuerall flockes but the Bishops are rulers both of them and their flocke All ministers are called Angelâ but the Bishop alone is the Angell of each Church or Diocese c. But by what authority saith he is the title of Apostle appropriated to BB he would haue said communicated to them with the twelue For I know no man so foolish as to appropriate it to the Bishops This reason I rendred why they be called the Apostles of the Churches because they succeeded the Apostles in the gouernment of the particular Churches whereof I gaue instance Phil. 2.25 where Epaphroditus who was the B. or Pastor of Philippi is therefore called their Apostle Therefore saith he Who saith so Ambrose Ierome Theodoret Caluin Thomas Aquinas if we will beleiue D. D. but if we will looke vpon the bookes themselues not one of them saith so Caluin Aquinas and some other indeed as Lyra interlineall glosse Lombard Anselme c. are of minde that Apostle there signifieth teacher and no more Caluin saith thus The name of Apostle here as in many other places is taken generally for proquolibet Euangelista for any Euangelist But by their Euangelist he vnderstandeth their Pastor and so calleth him diuers times vsing that word vpon that occasion sixe or seauen times in that place Paul sendeth to them Epaphroditus ne Pastore carerent qui recte compositum statum tueretur least they should want their Pastor who might maintaine their well ordered state On these words verse 26. He had a longing desire towards you all and was pensiue because you had heard that he was sicke Caluin noteth a signe of a true Pastor that when he was farre distant from them notwithstanding was affected with the care and desire of his flocke and when he vnderstood that his sheepe sorrowed for his sake was pensiue for their sorrow In like manner the godly carefulnesse of the Philippians for their Pastor is noted on the 27. where Paul signifieth what griefe he should haue conceiued if Epaphroditus had died Paul saith he was mooued with the losse of the Church which he saw would haue beene destituted optimo Pastore of a very good Pastor in so great want of good men On the twenty eight he saith Paul did the more carefully send him because he was sory that for his occasion he had beene withheld from the flocke committed to him On the twenty nineth he obserueth how desirous Paul is that good Pastors may be much esteemed c. let the reader therefore iudge whether Epaphroditus were not in Caluins iudgement the Pastor of the Philippians By the Apostle saith Ambrose he was made their Apostle that is Bishop as Ambrose expoundeth the word in other places Apostoli Episcopi sunt the Apostles are Bishops But according to the refuters sence he had beene an Apostle not of Pauls making but of their owne Ierome writing on those words my fellow Souldiour and your Apostle fellow Souldiour saith he by reason of his honour because he also had receiued the office of being an Apostle among them And on those words haue in honour such not onely him saith hee qui vester est Doctor who is your Doctor by vvhich vvord in Ieromes time Bishop most commonly was signified c. Theodoret saith thus hee called him Apostle because to him the charge of them was committed Wherefore it is manifest that those which in the beginning of the Epistle were called Bishops were vnder him as hauing the place of Presbyters And from this place as afterwards I noted Theodoret gathereth that at the first they whom now wee call Bishops were called Apostles Thus Epaphroditus was the Apostle of the Philippians Thomas Aquinas hee calleth him brother saith he by reason of his faith fellow worker in the labour of preaching fellow souldier because they had suffered tribulation together your Apostle that is Doctor Hic fuit Episcopus Philippensium Hee was the Bishop of the Philippians And so saith Bullinger Philippensium Episcopus erat With what face therefore could the Refuter denie that any one of these Authors did say that hee was therefore called the Apostle of the Philippians because hee vvas their Bishop and Pastor And so are they to be
vnderstood vvho expound the vvord Apostle by Teacher As Chrysostome ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and those vvhom the Refuter nameth For they did not by Apostle vnderstand euery common Teacher or teaching Presbyter but specialem doctorem saith Anselme instructorem praecipuum their chiefe instructor sayeth Dionysius Carthusianus These authors and more as they doe all giue testimony with my exposition so against that interpretation of the word Apostle which the refuter bringeth who would haue him called Apostle not in respect of any sacred function which he performed towards them but because he was their Messenger to the Apostle And of this iudgement he saith are Primasius Haymo Caietan and two others which be as much partyes in this cause as himselfe Beza and Piscator And Caluin acknowledgeth it to agree with the place Primasius saith that Epaphroditus had receiued gradum Apostolatus the degree of Apostleshippe among them Caluin doth indeed mention that interpretation but so as he preferreth the other sed prior sensus meliùs meo iudicio conuenit But the former sence in my iudgement agreeth better He could not thinke that both sences being so different agreed to the text Yea but he hath two reasons to proue his to be the more likely sence First as the words following in the same Verse and Chapt. 4.18 doe shew how he ministred to him so the same phrase is vsed to the like purpose 2 Cor. 8.23 where the brethren sent with Titus to receiue the Corinthians beneuolence are called Apostles that is messengers of the Churches I acknowledge that Epaphroditus brought a gratuity from the Philippians to Paul to supply his necessity being a prisoner in Rome And the brethren likewise who accompanyed Titus were to receiue the beneuolence of the Corinthians but it is vnlikely that either he or they were called the Apostles of the Churches in that regard It appeareth by diuers of Ignatius his Epistles that when the churches did send one vpon a Christian Embassage the B. commonly was entreated to take that Embassage vpon him In like manner the Philippians being to send as it were vpon Embassage to Paul Epaphroditus their B. vndertooke that voyage He being therfore both their B. and their Embassadour it is more likely that he was called their Apostle because he was their Bishop then for that hee was their Embassadour For it is vnlikely that the name of that sacred function of the Apostles of Christ who also himselfe is the Apostle of our profession should be vsed in the Scriptures to signifie the messengers of men Besides in both places the Apostle intendeth by this title highly to commend Epaphroditus and the others but this had beene but a small commendation that they were messengers of the Churches Againe if they in 2 Cor. 8. were called the Apostles of the Churches because they were their messengers then those Churches should haue sent them but it is euident that Paul himselfe sent them for as it was required of him Gal. 2 so had hee vndertaken to procure a supply for the reliefe of the brethren in Iudaea who were oppressed vvith famine And to that end hauing before dealt with the Corinthians sendeth Titus and two others to receiue their contribution His second reason is that it standeth not so well with the properties of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifieth a messenger to entitle any man in regard of his ministeriall function their Apostle to whom as his from whom hee is sent And therefore among all the titles Paul taketh to himselfe to magnifie his office he neuer calleth himselfe their or your Apostle but an Apostle of Christ and an Apostle to them Wee may therefore say of M. D. as Iunius doth of Theodoret the clearest witnesse he alledgeth he is deceiued by the aequiuocation of the word Apostolos which sometimes in a common and generall sence is giuen to any one that is sent as a messenger and sometimes more specially ascribed to those that were imployed as the Apostles in an extraordinarie and high Embassage from Christ. Here the Refuter whiles he goeth about to discouer my ignorance as though I knew not the signification of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as well as he bewrayeth his owne For it is euident that in the Scriptures the vvord is vsed with reuerence as vvell to the parties to vvhom as to the party from vvhom the Apostle is sent Thus Paul calleth himselfe the Apostle of the Gentiles ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and saith that Peter had ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Apostleship of Circumcision meaning that he was the Apostle of the Iewes because to himselfe was committed the Gospel of vncircumcision as to Peter of the circumcision So Angels haue relation not only to the sender who is God but to the parties to whom they are sent and are called their Angels And euen as Angels absolutely spoken is a title of all ministers who are sent of God but vsed with reference to the Churches whereto they are sent as the Angels of the seauen Churches doe signifie the Bishops or Pastors of the same churches so Apostoli absolutely vsed is a title of all Embassadours sent from God with authority Apostolicall though ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã giuen to Paul and Barnabas and the twelue Apostles but vsed with reference to particular Churches doth signifie their Bishops And in that sence Epaphroditus is called the Apostle of the Philippians And howsoeuer the word may signifie any messenger with relation to any sender yet in the scriptures it is not vsed to signifie messengers sent from men neither is to be translated otherwise then Apostle For though our Sauiour doe seeme to speake indefinitly Iohn 13.16 of the Apostle and him that sendeth him yet it is euident that he meaneth himselfe who sent and the Apostles who were sent But admit saith the refuter that Epaphroditus were Bishop or Pastor of Philippi where abouts I will not striue how shall it be proued that Philippi was a Diocesan Church c. This is written as the most of the booke to bleare the eyes of the simple For I cannot thinke he which would vndertake this cause was so void of iudgement as the refuter here would shew himselfe to be if he wrote sincerely For I pray you what was the point which here I had in hand was it not to shew that the Bishops at the first in the Apostles times were called Apostles and doe I not proue it by this instance that Epaphroditus being the Bishop of the Philippians is therefore called their Apostle Admit it be so saith the refuter yet how shall it be proued that Philippi was a Diocesan Church and how weakely with that doth M. D. inferre that he was a Diocesan Bishop like to ours for the substance of his office All men see he deceiueth his reader with the like equiuocation in the word Bishop which in the Apostles times by his
owne confession was common to all Pastors though afterwards appropriated to some speciall persons as if he should haue said I grant that which here you doe proue but yet that followeth not hereon which you intended not That the Churches were Diocesses and the Bishops Diocesan like to ours for the substance of their office I proued before in the former part here I am so farre from inferring or prouing it that I presuppose it as sufficiently proued before But this is the poore shift which the refuter vsually flyeth vnto when he hath nothing to answere He perswaded himselfe such was his iudgement that in the question of parishes and Diocesses he had the vpper hand and therefore when he is foiled in any of the points following he flyeth to that as his refuge yea but though this be so as you say yet the Church was not a Diocese nor the Bishop a Diocesan But how little reason he hath to imagine Philippi one of the cheife Cities of Macedonia to haue beene a parish Church may be gathered by that which before hath beene said of the like Cities Where he saith I goe about to deceiue the reader with the like equiuocation of the word Bishop he doth me wrong But he and his consorts deceiue the readers when they would perswade them that because in the Apostles writings and for some part of the Apostles time the names Episcopus Presbyter were confounded namely vntill Bishops began to be chosen from among the Presbyters that therefore the offices were confounded For here I shew that when Presbyters were called Episcopi those who euer since the Apostles times haue beene called Bishops were then called the Agels and the Apostles of the Churches to whom as I noted before out of Theodoret those who were then called Episcopi that is Presbyters were subiect For as I said in the Sermon whiles the Episcopall power was in the Apostles and Apostolicke men those who had that power were called Apostles and therefore Ambrose by Apostles in some places of Scripture vnderstandeth Bishops and to the like purpose Cyprian Apostolos id est Episcopos praepositos dominus elegit the Lord chose Apostles that is Bishops and Gouernours For as Theodoret hath well obserued on 1 Tim. 3. In times past saith he they called the same men Presbyters and Bishops and those who now are called Bishops they named Apostles But in processe of time they left the name Apostle to those who are properly called Apostles and the name of Bishop they gaue to them who had beene called Apostles Thus Epaphroditus was the Apostle of the Philippians Titus of the Cretians and Timothie of the Asians Which testimony if it be conferred with some before cited out of Ierome the truth concerning this matter will appeare to be this Whiles the Bishops were Apostles and Apostolicke men for such were the first Bishops the Angels of the Churches were also called the Apostles of the Churches other Ministers being then called Presbyteri Episcopi indifferently but when the first Bishops being dead their successours were to be chosen out of the Presbyters which Ierome noteth to haue been done at Alexandria euer since the death of S. Marke and was done in all other places where were no Euangelists or Apostolicall men remayning then they left the name Apostle and for difference sake called him the Bishop Wherefore as I said in the Sermon it was not long that the name Episcopus was confounded with Presbyter For Ignatius who was a B. aboue thirtie yeares in the Apostles time after that Evodius had beene B. of Antioch aboue twenty yeares before him appropriateth the name ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to a Bishop and vsually distinguisheth the three degrees of the Clergie as the Church euer since the Apostles hath distinguished them by these three names Bishop Presbyter and Deacon Yea but we may gather out of Theodorets testimonie saith the Refuter that the report which M. D. maketh of Ignatius his appropriating the name of Episcopus to a Diocesan Bishop is without any sufficient warrant For seeing Ignatius liued in the Apostles times and died within sixe yeares after S. Iohn and Theodoret saith that in processe of time the name of B. was imposed it is not likely Ignatius should be the imposer of it No man includeth the processe of time within the compasse of sixe yeares any man will thinke The processe of time wherof Theodoret speaketh was as appeareth by conference of him with Ierome in the Apostles time At the first towards the beginning of the Apostles time the Gouernours of the Churches were called Apostles but in processe of time when the first Bishops who had beene Apostles or Apostolicall men were dead and now were to be chosen out of the Presbyters which was towards the latter end of the Apostles times then they began to be called Episcopi Bishops And that this was so appeareth not onely by Ignatius who continually vseth the word as the first and highest degree of the Clergie Presbyters as the second and Deacons as the third but also by other monuments of antiquity which I mentioned in the Sermon I haue the longer insisted on this point because it is of great consequence For hereby it appeareth first that when the name Presbyter and Episcopus were confounded yet the offices of Bishops and Presbyters were not confounded Secondly that Bishops being then called Apostoli were superiour to other Ministers who were called Presbyteri Episcopi And lastly that such Bishops as were superiour to other Ministers were in the Apostles times and mentioned in the Apostles writings The IIII. CHAPTER Shewing the Places where and the Persons whom the Apostles ordayned BB but chiefly that Timothie was B. of Ephesus and Titus of Creet Serm. Sect. 7. pag. 72. But we are also to shew the places where and the persons whom the Apostles ordayned BB. and first out of the scriptures c. to all ordayned there pag. 75. IN this section and the two next following I proue that Timothie and Titus were by S. Paul ordayned Bishops the one of Ephesus the other of Creet and maintaine the same assertion against their obiections Afterwards I shew out of other the auncientest monuments of antiquitie that other BB. of other places were ordayned by the Apostles This saith the Refuter is the last supply to maintaine the former antecedent by shewing the places where and the persons whom the Apostles ordayned Bishops If this faile he is vndone As who should say that all which hitherto hath beene said hath by him beene very learnedly and sufficiently refuted When as in truth hee hath not beene able to confute any one sentence or line of the Sermon hitherto with soundnesse of reason or euidence of truth And the like assurance I haue of that which followeth Now that Timothie and Titus were by the Apostle ordained Bishops I proue by a two-fold reason which I ioyned together is thus to be
dissolued the former standing thus If in the Epistles to Timothie and Titus it be presupposed that Paul had ordayned Timothie and Titus Bishops of Ephesus and Creet then is it true that they vvere by him ordayned BB. of those Churches But the antecedent is true Therefore the consequent That the antecedent is true I proue by this reason because it is presupposed in the Epistles that the Apostle had committed to them Episcopall authority both in respect of Ordination and Iurisdiction to be exercised in those Churches Against which consequence this onely thing can be obiected that the Episcopall authority might be committed to them not as ordinarie Bishops or Pastors of those Churches but as extraordinarie gouernours or Euangelists which afterwards is answered To this argument the Refuter answereth not The second he frameth thus If the Epistles written to Timothie and Titus be the very patternes and precedents of the Episcopall function whereby the Apostle enformeth them and in them all Bishops how to exercise their function then Timothie and Titus were Bishops But the antecedent is true Therefore the consequent First he taketh exception against the proposition saying though it make a goodly shew yet was it confuted long agoe by M. Cartwright Whose confutation either he thinketh to be insufficient or else he doth but kill a dead man in seeking with a new on-set to disproue the consequence First for the consequence it selfe I auouch thus much that from that antecedent I might not onely haue inferred that particular that therefore these two to whom the Epistles were written were Bishops but in generall that the function of Bishops whose authority and office is described and the manner of the execution thereof prescribed in the directions giuen to Timothie and Titus in these Epistles hath warrant in the word of God and when they can make as good an argument for their lay-elders out of the Scriptures I will subscribe to their Presbyterian discipline Of T. C. answere to that consequence I haue taken speciall notice heretofore and did greatly wonder that hee could satisfie himselfe with such a friuolous answer And I do no lesse wonder at the Refuters either lacke of iudgement who tooke that answere for good payment or want of consideration and care of T. C. credit in referring vs to so sleight and friuolous an euasion For whereas D. Whitgift argueth thus That Timothie was Bishop the whole course of the Epistles written vnto him declareth wherein is contayned the office and dutie of a Bishop and diuers precepts peculiarly pertayning to that function T. C. answereth that by this reason he might as well proue that Timothie was a deacon or a widdowe an olde man or an olde woman seeing in those Epistles the Apostle wrote of their duties Yea rather that hee was a Deacon considering that there is nothing in the description of a Deacon which agreeth not to him but in the description of a Bishop that which he requireth of not being giuen to wine and not being a young Christian could haue no place in Timothies instruction Not to argue with T. C. but to let him rest in peace can the Refuter be so ignorant or without iudgement as to thinke that D. Whitgift when hee spoke of the whole course and tenure of the Epistles did meane onely the description of a B. or Minister set downe in the beginning of the third chapter of the former Epistle if that had beene his argument hee had argued thus Paul directeth Timothie what manner of men to ordayne Bishops or Ministers and likewise Deacons Therefore Timothie himselfe was a B. or Minister or likewise a Deacon Is it not plaine that by the whole course hee vnderstandeth all those directions which are giuen to Timothie throughout the Epistles for the discharge of his office either in respect of the Ministerie common to all Ministers or of his Episcopall function chiefly in regard either of Ordination or Iurisdiction vnto which heads the precepts directions in those Epistles are to be referred for when he speaketh of the duties of men and women olde and young hee directeth Timothie and in like manner Titus what to preach When hee describeth the qualities of Ministers and Deacons and Widowes he directeth him what manner of Ministers and Deacons to ordayne and Widowes to admit And whereas D. Whitgift hauing said that in those Epistles diuers precepts pertaine peculiarly to the Episcopall function T.C. chalengeth him to shew him any one precept in those Epistles which is proper to a B It is not hard to shew him more then one as lay thy hands hastily on no man Against a Presbyter or Minister receiue not an accusation but vnder two or three witnesses c. These are perpetuall directions which were not common eyther to other Christians or other Ministers therefore peculiar to BB. And this was T. C. confutation of the Proposition Now let vs heare what the Refuter can say The Proposition saith hee is grounded vpon a false supposition and what is that that the Apostle by describing in these Epistles the rules to be obserued in ordination and iurisdiction intended to informe Timothie and Titus as BB. and in them all other BB. how to carry themselues in those matters Is this the Supposition whereon the Proposition is grounded Alas good man you know not what the Hypothesis or Supposition of an Hipotheticall Proposition is this which you suppose to be the Supposition of the Proposition is plainly the Assumption of the Syllogisme which your selfe framed But because the Refuter hath confounded himselfe with his owne hypotheticall or connexiue Proposition I will propound my Argument in another forme Whosoeuer describing vnto Timothie and Titus their office and authoritie as they were Gouernours of the Churches of Ephesus and Creet and prescribing their dutie in the execution thereof and that as afterwards I shew to be performed by them and their Successours till the comming of Christ doth plainely describe the office and authoritie and prescribe the dutie of BB hee doth presuppose them to be BB the one of Ephesus the other of Creet But Paul in his Epistles to Timothie and Titus describing vnto them their office and authoritie as they were Gouernours of the Churches of Ephesus and Creet and prescribing their dutie in the execution thereof to be performed by them and their successours vntill the comming of Christ doth plainly describe the office and authority and prescribe the duty of BB. Therefore Paul in his Epistles to Timothie and Titus presupposeth them to be Bishops the one of Ephesus the other of Creet This Proposition because I know not what can be obiected against it T. C. and the Refuter hauing assailed it in vaine I will once againe take for granted The assumption I proue by those particulars wherein the Episcopall authoritie doth chiefly consist both in respect of Ordination Tit. 1.5 1 Tim. 5.22 and also of Iurisdiction they being the censurers of other Ministers
as we see in Matthew and Iohn so Euangelists might be Bishops as we see in Marke But as for Timothie Titus the Greeke Writers expounding that place plainely say they were not Euangelists but Pastors or Bishops For they after they were placed the one in Ephesus the other in Creet did not trauaile vp and downe as in former times when they accompanied the Apostle but ordinarily remained with their flockes The Greeke Scholiast saith thus Euangelistsâ that is those which did write the Gospell Pastorsâ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hee meaneth such as had the Churches committed to them such as Timothie was such as Titus And to the same purpose both Chrysostome and Theophylact doe mention them by name Neither was it a debasing of Timothie and Titus when they were made Bishops but an aduancement Forwhereas before they were but Presbyters though called Euangelists in a large sence they were now made the Apostles of those Churches and by imposition of hands ordayned Bishops In the second place hee taketh exception against those words where I say they were furnished with Episcopall power and denieth that when Timothie Titus were assigned to Ephesus and Creet they receiued any new authority which before they had not or needed any such furnishing But were to exercise their Euangelesticall function in those places For so Paul biddeth Timothie after hee had beene at and gone from Ephesus to doe the worke of an Euangelist If they receiued no new authority why did Timothie receiue a new ordination by imposition of hands whereof the Apostle speaketh in two places and which the Fathers vnderstand of his ordination to be Bishop were men admitted to the extraordinarie function of Euangelists by the ordinarie meanes of imposing hands or may we thinke that any but the Apostles being not assigned as Bishops to seuerall Churches had that authority wheresoeuer they came which Timothie had at Ephesus and Titus in Creet verily Philippe the Euangelist though hee conuerted diuers in Samaria and baptized them yet had not authority to impose hands whereby men might be furnished with graces for the Ministerie but the Apostles Peter and Iohn were sent thither to that purpose And whereas Paul willeth Timothie to doe the worke of an Euangelist what is that but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to preach the Gospell diligently and to fulfill his Ministerie or to make it fully knowne the word Euangelist being there taken in the generall sence Now what his Ministerie was Ierome Sedulius declare Ministerium tuum imple Episcopatus scilicet Fulfill thy Ministerie that is to say as thou art a Bishop Now that their being Euangelists did not hinder them from being Bishops when ceasing from their trauailing about they were assigned to these particular Churches I proued by the testimony of Zuinglius who saith that Philip the Euangelist who had beene one of the Deacons was afterwards Bishop of Caesarea Iames the Apostle was Bishop of Ierusalem and diuers of the Apostles which may much more be verified of the Euangelists when they ceased from their peregrinations became Bishops of certaine Churches as by the ancient histories is manifest Whereto the refuter answereth two things first that Zuinglius speaketh according to the phrase of the histories and writers before him therefore say I according to the truth Or else we must thinke that none of the Fathers or ancient historiographers knew whom to call Bishops and whom not But the refuter and his fellows onely haue this knowledge Yea but a certaine learned man saith that when the Fathers call Peter or Iames or any of the Apostles Bishops they doe not take the name Bishop properly For Peter I graunt but of Iames there is another reason as I haue shewed before And although it were true that Apostles could not properly be called Bishops yet what is that to Timothie and Titus whom I haue proued notwithstanding their supposed Euangelisticall function to haue beene particularly assigned by Paul to the Churches of Ephesus and Creet where also they liued and dyed His other answere is that howsoeuer Zuinglius speake of their being Bishops it is manifest by his writings he neither thought they were and so belike spake otherwise then he thought nor any other might be a Diocesan B. as by a testimony hereafter alledged appeareth where he saith no such thing I will therefore adde another testimony of Zuinglius in the same booke when Paul said to Timothie doe the vvorke of an Euangelist Timothie was a Bishop vvherefore it is certaine according to Pauls opinion the office of an Euangelist and of a Bishop is all one After I had thus answered these two obiections I brought a new supply of arguments to proue Timothie and Titus to haue beene Bishops of Ephesus and Creet And first by occasion of his second obiection I argue thus The function and authoritie which Timothie and Titus did exercise in Ephesus and Creet was either extraordinarie and Euangelisticall as the Disciplinarians teach or else ordinarie and Episcopall as we hold But it was not extraordinary and Euangelisticall Therefore ordinary and Episcopall The assumption I proued thus The supposed Euangelisticall function of Timothie and Titus was to end with their persons and admitted no succession being as themselues teach both extraordinary and temporary But the function and authority which they had as being assigned to certaine Churches viz. of Ephesus and Creet consisting especially in the power of ordination and iurisdiction was not to end with their persons but to be continued in their successors Therefore the function and authority which Timothie and Titus had as being assigned to Ephesus and Creet was not extraordinary and Euangelisticall Here the refuter would make his reder belieue that I hauing before denyed the consequence of the second obiection doe also deny the antecedent and in this place reason against it But I doe not deny they were Euangelists howsoeuer I doe not conceiue their Euangelisticall function to haue beene such and so great as the refuter and other Disciplinarians suppose and therefore I call it their supposed Euangelicall function Now that I did not intend to deny or disproue that antecedent but to bring a new supply of arguments taking occasion by the last obiection appeareth by those words which I premised as it were an introduction to this argument hereof we may conclude thus But let vs heare what he answereth Forsooth he flatly denyeth the assumption wherein though he vntruely say that I begge the question that Timothie and Titus were assigned to Ephesus and Creet as ordinarie Bishop or Pastors of those Churches for that I doe assume but conclude yet hath he nothing to disproue it but a meere begging of the question and denyall of the conclusion rather then the assumption viz. that they had no assignment to those Churches but onely as euangelists which doth not touch the assumption no more then that which followeth Neither by that Euangelisticall office
vvarrant I vvould say the Monarchy as hauing diuine both institution and approbation But yet so as vvhere this cannot so vvell be had the other formes of gouernment be lawfull Euen so in the Church of euery country that there should be a power of Ecclesiasticall gouernment to be exercised an order or eutaxy it is the perpetual immutable ordinance of God the Church being by his appointment a well ordered society as the wise man saith tanquam acies ordinata But whether the sway of spiritual authority shold be in one alone of euery Church or in more it seemeth not to be so essentiall though I must confesse that both in the Church of the Iewes by the appointment of God it vvas in one namely the high Priest and likewise in the primitiue Churches as hath beene shewed And as touching the title that seemeth also to be variable For the gouernours in the Church of the Iewes came to their places by succession and lineall descent but in the Churches of Christ by free election after Gods first immediate calling Now if we shall enquire what forme of Church-gouernment hath the best warrant hereby we may be resolued For it is manifest that our Sauiour Christ committed the power of Ecclesiasticall gouernment cheifly to his Apostles and that they being seuered into diuers parts of the world did gouerne the particular Churches which they had collected seuerally And howsoeuer there were diuers things extraordinary in the Apostles and peculiar to their persons as their immediat calling from Christ their vnlimited function hauing authority to exercise their Apostolicall power wheresoeuer they came their admirable extraordinary gifts of wisedome of languages of miracles their infallible inspiration direction of the holy Ghost preseruing them from errour notwithstanding there were other things in them which being perpetually necessary for the being and well being of the Church were from them to be communicated or deriued to others as the power to preach the Gospell and to administer the Sacraments and publicke prayer or liturgy the power to ordayne ministers and Pastors the power of the keyes for gouernment and exercise of Ecclesiasticall censures Now the power of preaching the word and administring the Sacraments was not from the Apostles communicated to euery Christian but to such as they ordayned ministers and by the imposition of their hands communicated that power to them The power of ordination and publicke iurisdiction was not committed by the Apostles neither to other Christians nor yet to all ministers whom they ordayned but after the ordination of Presbyters in each Church they reserued the power of ordination and publicke iurisdiction in their owne hands which after a time they communicated to those whom they set ouer the seuerall Churches to that very purpose viz. to ordayne Presbyters and to exercise publicke iurisdiction which manifestly appeareth by the Epistles to Timothie and Titus Thus was Timothie set ouer the Church of Ephesus Titus of Creet Linus of Rome Evodius of Antioch Simon of Ierusalem Marke of Alexandria c. and what authority was from the Apostles communicated to them was from them deriued to their successors not onely since but euen in the Apostles times For what authority Evodius had at Antioch the same after him had Ignatius and what Linus had at Rome the same had Anacletus Clemens Euaristus what Marke had at Alexandria the same after him had Anianus Abilius and Cerdo and all these in the Apostles times and what Timothie had at Ephesus the same had Gaius who if Dorotheus is to be creditted was his next successor Onesimus after him and Polycrates and euery one of those twenty seauen mentioned in the Councill of Chalcedon which from Timothie to that time had beene successiuely the Bishops of Ephesus These to my vnderstanding are plaine euidences to warrant the Episcopall function and to shew the deriuation of their authority from the Apostles and to perswade Christians to preferre that forme of gouernment before others For as I added and will now repeate a reason vvhich the refuter might more easily elude vvith a male pert speech calling it wauing and crauing then to answere vvith soundnesse of reason and euidence of truth If the Apostles vvhiles themselues liued thought it necessary that is needfull and behoofefull for the well ordering of the Churches already planted to substitute therein such as Timothie and Titus furnished with Episcopall power then much more after their decease haue the Churches need of such gouernours But the former is euident by the Apostles practise in Ephesus and Creet and all other Apostolicall Churches Therefore the latter may not be denyed All which notwithstanding I doe not deny but that where the gouernment by Bishops cannot be had another forme may be vsed because the modus or forme of being in the B. alone doth not seeme so to be of diuine ordinance but that it may vpon necessity be altered But if any shall reply that howsoeuer in ciuill gouernment the forme is variable yet for Church gouernment we are to keepe vs close to the word of God and what hath warrant there we are to hold perpetuall and vnchangeable by men as some of our Disciplinarians vse to argue I wish them to looke to this inference For if they doe not leaue that hold they must needes grant that the Episcopall function hauing that vvarrant in the Scriptures which I haue shewed is to be holden iure diuine And whereas to confute me or rather to fight with his owne shadow hee saith that other reformed Churches haue continued many yeares and may doe more without Bishops I confesse they haue and I wish they may continue to the end in the sincere profession of the truth But where hee saith that they haue continued in more quietnesse then ours hath done or is like to doe for that wee may thanke him and other vnquiet spirits who haue troubled the peace of Israell with vrging and obtruding their owne fancies for the ordinances of God To these reasons I added the testimonies of antiquity which with a generall consent beareth witnesse to this truth that Timothie was B. of Ephesus and Titus of Creet Of all which the Refuter maketh very light All that remaineth to proue that Timothie was B. of Ephesus and Titus of Creet is no more but this the subscriptions to the Epistles to Titus and 2 to Timothie call them Bishops as also the generall consent of the ancient Fathers and histories of the Church doe No more quoth he but the generall consent of antiquity in a matter of fact agreeable with the Scriptures Why the testimony of some one of the Fathers affirming it ought to be of more weight with vs then the deniall of the same by all the Disciplinarians in the world But let vs come to the particulars First I alledged the subscriptions annexed to the end of the Epistle to Titus and second to Timothie wherein the one is said to haue
beene ordayned the first B. of the Church of the Ephesians and the other the first B. of the Church of the Cretians This is something plaine But he asketh me why I seuered them from the consent of the ancient Fathers was it because I thought them to be of the Canon I answere that I did not seuer them but ioyne them in a copulatiue speech and if I had beene of opinion that they were of the Canon I would not haue said as I did it appeareth not onely by the subscriptions but also by the generall consent of the Fathers but contrariwise not onely by the generall consent of the Fathers but also by the subscriptions annexed by the Apostle himselfe But though it were not likely as he hath alledged out of T. C. that they were subscribed by the Apostle himselfe yet is it certaine that they are of great antiquity and of better credit then the Refuter and some other Disciplinarians would make them Indeed if any other learned man that were not a party in this cause had censured these subscriptions I would haue respected their censures but the cauillations of Disciplinarians against them who being parties in this cause are so plainely confuted by them are to be reiected Let vs therefore heare what the Refuter obiecteth against them How little credit those subscriptions deserue it may appeare by that vnder the Epistle to Titus which is quite contrary to the Epistle it selfe And why so I pray you the subscription saith the Epistle was written from Nicopolis and Paul himselfe willeth Titus to come vnto him to Nicopolis for I haue determined to winter there But if Paul had beene now at Nicopolis when he wrote he would haue said not there but here Therefore hee was but a simple fellow that was the Author of that subscription So saith this great Criticke But if you will consider with me that Paul being as vsually he was in peregrination Titus could not well tell where he was neither had Paul signified in the Epistle where he then was therefore wrote being at Nicopolis as any discreet man would in the like case come to mee to Nicopolis for I meane to winter there whereas if hee had written as the Refuter would haue had him if hee were at Nicopolis come hither for I meane to winter here or come to Nicopolis for I meane to winter here might not Titus haue said where Paul as being vncertaine where Paul was and whether himselfe was to goe This therefore is too seely a censure though receiued from T. B. himselfe to ouerthrow the authority of so ancient a subscription in which besides the ancient Greeke copies it is also testified in the Syriack that this Epistle was written from Nicopolis Athanasius speaking of that Epistle to Titus saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Hee wrote this Epistle from Nicopolis for there he wintered Oecumenius testifieth the same in his argument on that Epistle to Titus Sedulius likewise this Epistle hee wrote from Nicopolis and Theophylact. argument in Epist. ad Tit the Authors of the Centuryes cent 1. l. 2. c. 10. in Tito To the subscriptions I added the testimonies of these Fathers First Eusebius reporteth out of the Ecclesiasticall Histories vvhich vvere before his time that Timothie had first the Bishopricke of the Church at Ephesus and Titus of the Churches in Creet Secondly the auncient Author of the booke de diuinis nominibus dedicating the same to Timothie Bishop of Ephesus if it be Dionysius Areopagita himselfe who liued at the same time with Timothie doth beare an vndeniable witnesse to this truth or if it be another vsing his name yet he plainely signifieth that in his time it was a thing generally receiued that Timothie was Bishop of Ephesus Thirdly Dorotheus saith that Timothie was by Paul ordayned the B. of the Ephesians he calleth Titus the B. of the Cretians Fourthly Ambrose testifieth the same Paul instructeth Timothie being already created a B. how he ought to order the Church And againe he entreateth Timothie his fellow Bishop c. Againe Timothie was a B. Hence it is that Paul directeth him how he should ordaine a B. Likewise of Titus he testifieth that the Apostle consecrated him B. Fiftly Ierome noteth that Timothie receiued the grace which Paul exhorteth him not to neglect when he was ordayned B. And wher Paul willeth him to fulfill his Ministery Ierom vnderstandeth it of his Bishopricke And in the Catalogue of Ecclesiasticall Writers which is in his first Tome it is testified that Timothie was ordayned of blessed Paul the B. of the Ephesians and that Titus was B. of Creet Sixtly Chrisostome writing on those words Phil. 1. Bishops and Deaconâ saith what meaneth this were there many Bishops of one City in no wise but so he called the Presbyters For then were the names common and a Bishop was also called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Deacon or minister For which cause writing to Timothie being a Bishop fulfill ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã thy ministery For that he was a Bishop he saith doe not hastily impose thy hands vpon any man againe with the imposition of the hands of the Presbytery but Presbyters did not ordaine a Bishop in another place hee giueth this reason why Paul wrote to Timothie and Titus and not to Syluanus or Silas or Clemens ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã because he had already committed the Churches to them but the others he still carryed about with him And on the fourth to the Ephesians hee giueth instance in Timothie and Titus as being Pastors assigned to certaine places Seauenthly Epiphanius saith that Paul 1 Tim. 4. writeth to a Bishop and that a Presbyter cannot be the same with a Bishop the diuine speech of the Apostle teacheth who is a Bishop and who a Presbyter when he saith to Timothie being a Bishop receiue not hastily an accusation against a Presbyter c. Eightly Primasius saith Timothie was a Bishop and Pauls Disciple That grace was the blessing which Timothie when he was made Bishop receiued by imposition of hands Ninthly Theodoret saith that Titus was the Apostle that is Bishop of the Cretians and Timothie of the Asians And out of him Oecumenius citeth these words Titus was an admirable Disciple of Paul ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and he was by Paul ordayned Bishop of Creet And in another place why did Paul hauing other Disciples as Silas and Luke and others write onely to Timothie and Titus We answere Because to these he had committed Churches but the others he had still with him Tenthly Sedulius this Timothie was B. in Ephesus as it is said in the booke of histories And on these words stirre vp the grace which was giuen thee by the imposition of hands that is iuxta ordinationem tuam in Episcopatum by thy ordination into the Bishopricke 11. Gregory the great hence it is
answere For it appeareth that neither the Apostles or Apostolicall men being Bishops were simply bound to vse the councell of the Presbyters but that the vse of them was voluntarie after the example of Moses as Ierome saith and the auncient Bishops of the Primitiue Church who vvere of the best disposition as Cyprian by name did follow their example resoluing to doe nothing of moment without their counsell and aduise seeking therein the good and peace of the Church And this custome was vsed by all godly Bishops vntill as I said the Presbyters aduise and assistance to themselues seeming troublesome and to the B. by reason of the frequent Synodes and Synodall constitutions needlesse grew out of vse whereupon Canons vvere made that their counsell and assistance should be required an had in greater matters which is not misliked but wished to be more vsed And so much may suffice to haue answered an obiection which the refuter doth not acknowledge I proceede therefore to the third which is as it vvere the shoote-anchor of the Disciplinarians which fayling their Discipline vvill suffer shipwracke Presbyters and Bishops were all one therefore Bishops are to know that they be greater then the Presbyters rather by the custome of the Church then by the truth of Diuine disposition To this obiection I returned two answeres the first that where Ierome saith Episcopus and Presbyter is all one it may be vndertooke of the names vvhich hee proueth by many testimonies to be confounded in the vvritings of the Apostles And in this sense it is true that whereas now Episcopus is more then Presbyter it is to be ascribed to the custome of the Church as before I haue noted out of Theodoret And in the same sense Augustine is to be vnderstood vvhen hee saith according to the names of honour in which the vse of the Church hath preuailed Episcopatus Bishopship is a name of greater honour then Presbyterium The refuter comming to examine this answere saith I denyed the Antecedent vvhen as indeed I granting the Antecedent in that sense vvhich I giue in the answere denyed the consequence That although the distinction of the names vvas not by diuine disposition but by the custome of the Church yet that hindreth not but the function may be of Apostolicall institution Seeing they vvhich at the first vvere ordayned by the Apostles to the Episcopal function though they vvere not called Bishops till they were chosen out of the Presbyters yet vvere called sometimes the Apostles sometimes the Angels of the churches So that when the names were confounded the offices were not But the refuter censureth this distinction as an idle conceipt and shift hauing no colour of excuse for it As though it needed excuse vvhen I brought iust defence of it vvhich hee is not able to answere For how shall Ieromes minde be knowne in that assertion that Episcopus and Presbyter was all one but by the proofes vvhich he bringeth for it but all his proofes are that the names vvere confounded in the vvritings of the Apostles and that the same men were called Presbiteri Episcopi and that was all that Ierome could truely inferre out of those places For if hee would haue concluded out of them that the offices vvere confounded his consequences would be very weake The second defence of my answere vvas this that Ierome is to be vnderstood eyther of the names or of the offices But not of the offices therefore of the names If you shall vnderstand Ierome as affirming that the offices were confounded and denying that the office and superioritie of Bishops was of Diuine disposition in that sense that Apostolicall ordinances may be said to be of Diuine Institution you shall make Ierome not onely to striue against the streame of all Antiquitie but also to be contrarie to himselfe but this latter is absurd so is the former To the former reason the refuter answereth not but bringeth a reason or two such as they be to ouerthrow my distinctions seeking as we say clauum clauo pellere Can any man be so sotttish saith he as to imagine that the question betwixt Ierome and those Deacons was about names not offices or would Ierome reason so simply as to proue the dignitie of the Presbyters aboue Deacons because the name of Presbyter and Episcopus was all one it were absurd to spend more time in answering so vnreasonable a distinction You see how bragge our refuter is when hee seemeth to haue gotten neuer so little aduantage To his former question I answere that although the question vvas concerning the office of Presbyters and Deacons vvhether were superiour yet Ierome might and indeede did proue the Presbyters to be superiour because as the Apostles did call themselues Presbyters so Presbyters vvere called Bishops Yea but saith he in the second question Ierome would not reason so simply Whereto I answere that not onely learned men but the holy Ghost also in the Scriptures doth reason to that purpose prouing their dignitie to be greater vvho haue obtained a greater name For as the Philosophers say names are the resemblances and imitations of the things Secondly hee obiecteth the authoritie of diuerse new and I confesse worthy Diuines who thinke that Ierome maketh a Bishop and a Presbyter all one not in name onely but in office also Which is a kinde of arguing frequent with this refuter but seldome or neuer vsed by any writer of worth Against his authorities therefore that Ierome was of that iudgement I feare not to oppose the reasons which I produced and namely the second But saith hee we neede not stand in feare of that glittering flourish whereby wee are charged to make Ierome striue against the streame of all Antiquitie and to be contrarie to himselfe if eyther hee confound the functions or deny it to be an Apostolicall ordinance that Bishops should be set ouer the Presbyters What one testimonie of Antiquitie within the first two hundred yeares eyther hath beene or can be alledged to that purpose of as little force are the allegations which M. D. saith hee hath cited out of Ieromes writings In both which answeres the refuter sheweth himselfe to be very impudent For first that the office or degree of Bishop and Presbyter are distinct haue I not brought forth most plaine and plentiful proofes out of Ignatius Tertullian Origen Cyprian and other auncient writers that Bishops were ordayned by the Apostles haue I not alledged most pregnant testimonies out of Ignatius Irenaeus Tertullian Hegesippus and Clemens cited by Eusebius and can it seeme doubtfull to any that shall reade vvhat is alledged by mee and the refuter in this controuersie which way the streame of Antiquitie runneth And as for Ierome vvhat more plaine testimonies can be desired then those vvhich I brought to proue that in his iudgement Bishops vvere ordayned by the Apostles And that Ierome neuer thought that the office of Bishop and Presbyter was confounded it
retayning the gouernment of Diocesan Bishops hee vseth these words Who would haue thought to haue heard such a speech from him that acknowledgeth another gouernment good and lawfull pag. 95. and maketh the calling of Bishops no further of diuine institution then as being ordayned by the Apostles it proceeded from God without implying thereby any necessarie perpetuitie thereof Pag. 92. Thus sincerely their cause of sinceritie as themselues call it is maintained Now that Bishops were ordayned of God I proue by this argument as the refuter hath framed it If God ordayned Timothie Archippus and the Angels of the seauen Churches Bishops then were Bishops ordained by God But God ordained them Bishops Therefore Bishops were ordained by God As touching Timothie I argued thus By whom was he ordained Bishop By Paul I confesse as the instrument but yet by the holy Ghost as the author and directer of his ordination For he was made B. by prophecie 1 Tim. 4. How is that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã What is by Prophecie saith Chrysostome by the holy Ghost Paul stirring him vp putteth him in minde who elected and ordained him as if hee had said God hath chosen thee hee hath committed his Church vnto thee ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã thou wert made Bishop not by humane suffrage but by Prophecie that is by Diuine reuelation saith Theodoret that is spiritu sancto iubente by the commandement of the holy Ghost saith Theophilact ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Oecumenius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for by the appointment of the holy Ghost Bishops were made and not at randome Whereunto you may adde the testimonie of Caluin Per Prophetiam quomodo quia scilicet spiritus sanctus oraculo Timotheum destinauerat vt in ordinem pastorum cooptaretur Neque enim delectus tantuacute m fuerat hominum iudicio vt fieri solet sed praecesserat spiritus nuncupatio To this argument the refuter answereth nothing but that which I haue plainely and fully confuted before that Timothie was not a Bishop though Caluin as you see confesseth that Timothie by the oracle of the holy Ghost was chosen into the order of Pastors For if hee were a Pastor it is not to be doubted but he was a Bishop That Archippus was ordayned Bishop of God I proue thus Because Col. 4.17 Paul vsing the same exhortation to him vvhich hee gaue to Timothie the Bishop of Ephesus namely that hee should fulfill his ministerie hee addeth which thou hast receiued in the Lord and therefore by Gods ordinance and as it vvere at his hands The refuter hauing framed the argument thus Hee that receiued his Episcopall ministerie in the Lord was ordained a B. by the Lord. Archippus receiued his Episcopall ministerie in the Lord Therefore hee was ordained Bishop by the Lord He denyeth the proposition because neither is all Episcopall ministerie proper to a Diocesan Bishop else the Apostle would not haue made a B and Presbyter all one neither is that office onely in the Lord. Of which reasons the latter is meerely impertinent and friuolous For who euer said or thought that the office of a Bishop onely is in the Lord neither is the former to any purpose seeing he knoweth that by Episcopall ministerie I vnderstand the function of a Diocesan Bishop and therefore should not haue denyed the proposition but haue distinguished of the assumption saying that hee did not receiue the Episcopall ministerie meaning the function of a Diocesan Bishop For proofe whereof it sufficeth to mee that Archippus was as Ambrose noteth Bishop of Collosae which was a Citie seeing I haue manifestly proued before that the Bishops of Cities were Diocesan Bishops As touching the Angels I argue thus Those who are called by the holy Ghost the Angels of the Church and were signified by the seauen starres which were in Christs right hand had Diuine both institution and approbation The Diocesan Bishops of the seauen Churches are called by the holy Ghost the Angels of the seauen churches and were signified by the seauen starres which vvere in Christs right hand Therefore the Diocesan Bishops of the seauen Churches had diuine both institution and approbation The proposition I proued because they who are called Angels are authorized and sent of God and starres vvhose both preheminence of dignitie is noted in this life for the starres are the crowne of the Church and also prerogatiue of glorie which they shall haue in the world to come And finally they who are signified by the seauen starres in the right hand of Christ are such as Christ doth both approue and protect The assumption I went not about to proue now because it was proued at large in the former part of the Sermon And yet all that the refuter answereth to the purpose is that they were not Diocesan Bishops For that which he addeth besides is but the vttering of his spleene and emptying his gall against Bishops to whom he cannot abide such is his malice that the titles of Angels and starres which notwithstanding the holy Ghost giueth to the Bishops of the seauen Churches and which himselfe acknowledgeth to be titles common to all ministers should be applyed to Bishops It is true that these titles of Angels and stars are common to all ministers yet ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to signifie their preheminence they be attributed to Bishops For as I haue said before when in a Church where are many Ministers who are all tearmed Angels the Bishop onely is called the Angel of the Church this title doth note his singular preheminence And the same is signified when as there being a great number of ministers in Asia who all were starres the seauen Bishops onely of those Churches are signified by the seauen starres vvhich Christ held in his right hand Now if these seauen Bishops were Diocesan Bishops as I haue manifestly proued them and all the Bishops of the auncient Churches to haue beene then must the refuter be content to endure both that Diocesan Bishops were called the Angels of the Churches and the starres which Christ held in his right hand and consequently also that the function of Diocesan Bishops is of Diuine institution And thus passing by his rayling as not worth the mentioning I proceede to the conclusion of my Sermon The VII CHAPTER Defending the conclusion of the Sermon and shewing that the chiefe Protestant writers did not disallow the Episcopall gouernment The third part of the Serm. Sect. 1. page 94. Thus hauing proued this doctrine arising out of the Text that the Episcopall function is of Apostolicall and diuine institution it remaineth that we should from thence gather some vses to our selues both for the informing of our iudgement and reforming of our liues c. to now let vs pag. 97. THe vse which serueth for rectifying the iudgement is contained in this section and it is first propounded and afterwards maintained against two obiections The vse is this that
A DEFENCE OF THE SERMON Preached at the Consecration of the L. Bishop of Bath and VVelles against a confutation thereof by a namelesse Author Diuided into 4 Bookes The first prouing chiefly that the lay or onely-gouerning Elders haue no warrant either in the Scriptures or other monuments of Antiquity The second shewing that the primitiue Churches indued with power of Ecclesiasticall gouernment were not Parishes properly but Dioceses and consequently that the Angels of the Churches or ancient Bishops were not parishionall but Diocesan Bishops The third defending the superioritie of Bishops aboue other Ministers and prouing that Bishops alwayes had a prioritie not onely in order but also in degree and a maioritie of power both for ordination and iurisdiction The fourth maintayning that the Episcopall function is of Apostolicall and diuine institution By GEORGE DOWNAME Doctor of Diuinitie LONDON Printed by Thomas Creed William Hall and Thomas Snodham 1611. TO THE MOST High and mighty Monarch Iames by the grace of God King of great Britayne France and Ireland defender of the faith c. All true happinesse and prosperitie in this life and eternall felicitie in the life to come THE prudent speech of the politicke Historiographer most gracious and dread Soueraigne is in some sort verified of vs in this Church ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã those which be in the middest are slaine or at the least wise assayled on both sides The Romanists on the one side blaming vs for departing too farre from the Church of Rome our innouatours accusing vs on the other side for comming too neare the same Which contrarie accusations of men being in contrarie extreames are a good euidence for vs that wee hold the meane For neither are wee departed further from the now-Roman church then it hath swarued by Apostasie from the auncient Church of Christ to which in departing from them wee are returned neither haue wee retayned eyther for the substance of Doctrine or for the forme of Discipline any thing almost agreeing with them which with them wee haue not receiued eyther from the doctrine or institution of the Apostles or from the approued practise of the Primitiue Church The which as it is to be acknowledged to the high praise of God and to the singular commendation of your Maiestie so also to the contentation and ioy of all your louing subiects God hauing vouchsafed vnto vs this especiall fauour for which his name is euer to be praised and magnified among vs that there is not a Church vnder the Sunne which both for the substance of Doctrine and forme of Discipline doth come so neare the patterne of the Prime and Apostolicall Churches as these vnder your gracious gouernment Your Maiestie also hauing beene a blessed instrument of God not onely for the retayning of the truely Catholike and Apostolicke doctrine and religion in all your Dominions but also for the establishing of the auncient and Apostolicall gouernment where it was in vse before and likewise for renewing and restoring the same though to your great cost and charges where it was formerly abolished These vnestimable benefits if wee in this land doe not acknowledge and professe our selues to haue receiued from God by your Maiestie wee must confesse our selues to be not onely vnthankefull both to God who is the gracious Authour and to your Highnesse who are the happie meanes of these benefits but also vnworthy to enioy them If we doe according to our bounden duetie acknowledge so much it remayneth that wee should testifie our thankefulnes to GOD Almightie as in respect of his true Doctrine and sound religion continued among vs by walking worthy our calling and by adorning the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things so also in regard of the Apostolicall forme of gouernment established among vs by a due and respectiue countenancing of it on all hands For howsoeuer a great number in these dayes haue thought so much the better of themselues by how much they haue thought the worse of Bishops yet is it most certaine that the contempt of Bishops is the cause if not of all euill which notwithstanding Chrysostome seemeth to affirme yet of very much euill among vs. This contempt therefore is diligently to be preuented and auoided as by the godly and religious care both of your Highnes in preferring worthy men to this high and sacred function and of the reuerend Bishops in shewing themselues worthy of that honour whereof they would and indeed should be accounted worthy so also by instructing the people to conceiue a right of this holy and honourable calling And for as much as the pernicious schisme and diuision which is among vs proceedeth from an erroneous conceipt eyther that the Presbyterian Discipline is the holy ordinance of Christ or that the gouernment by Bishops is vnlawfull and Antichristian I was perswaded for my part that I could not performe a seruice eyther more acceptable vnto God or more profitable to his Church then to publish those arguments for the satisfaction of others which had perswaded mine owne soule not onely that the Presbyterian Discipline is a meere humane inuention and new deuise hauing no ground eyther in the Scriptures or other monuments of Antiquitie but also that the Episcopall function is of Apostolicall and Diuine institution And whereas my Sermon published in defence of the holy and honourable calling of Bishops hath been eagerly oppugned by a namelesse refuter I thought my selfe bound in conscience to deliuer the truth which I had defended from his sophisticall cauillations The which through Gods good blessing vpon my labours I haue so performed that there is scarce any one sentence of the Sermon if any at all oppugned by the aduersarie which I haue not defended by plaine euidence of truth These my labours I haue presumed to dedicate to your Maiestie as the principall Patrone vnder Christ of that truth which I defend not onely intreating your Highnes to accept in good part my poore endeauours but also commending my selfe and them to your most gracious Patronage and Royall protection The King of Kings blesse prosper and preserue your excellent Maiestie to his glorie the good of his Church and your owne euerlasting comfort Amen Your Maiesties most dutifull and loyall subiect GEORGE DOVVNAME The Contents of this Booke The first booke treateth chiefly of Lay-elders CHap. 1. Answering the Refuters Preamble concerning the Authour and matter of the Sermon and the Text. Chap. 2. Deuiding the Sermon and defending the first part thereof which he calleth the Preface Chap. 3. Defending the two first sections concerning Elders and prouing that there were no Presbyters in the primitiue Church but Ministers Chap. 4. Contayning the first reason why Lay-elders are not proued out of the 1 Tim. 5.17 Chap. 5. Maintayning the second reason Chap. 6. Mayntaining the third reason Chap. 7. That Ambrose on 1 Tim. 5.1 doth not giue testimonie to Lay-elders and that their exposition of Ambrose is vntrue Chap. 8.
c to pag. 5. own case That these 2. things are offered to our consideration saith the refuter wee denie not but if he had walked with a right foote in the path hee entred into hee should by his Text haue taught vs the meaning of these 2. points and not quite contrarie as hee goes about by these two points to teach vs the meaning of his Text. To whom I will not giue that answere which Festus did to Paul that too much learning hath made him madde for hee seemeth not to be greatly sicke of that disease but I may truely say that too much anger and wrath which is furor breuis which he vnmeasurably sheweth in this Section hath made him so to forget himselfe that hee wrangleth without witte and against sense Vnlesse any man that is in his wittes will say that it is not lawfull for a Preacher to explane his Text. For what was it that in this Section I had in hand was it not to indeuour the explication of my Text and to shew what manner of BB are here meant by the Angels of the Churches for the explicatioÌ wherof what could more fitly be propounded then the consideration of these 2. things viz what manner of Churches they were whereof they were the Angels or BB and what manner of preheminence they had in those Churches in regard wherof they are termed the Angels of the Churches that from my Text rightly expounded of Diocesan BB. I might deduce the doctrine of the lawfulnes of their calling and from it inferre the vse Indeed if I had bene now propounding the doctrine gathered out of the Text or vrging the vse therevpon inferred there had bene reason I should prooue them as afterwards I doe by the Text already explicated But when I am about to explicate the Text propound the points that are therein questionable to be discussed for the clearing of the Text who seeth not that the handling of these points is the very explication of the Text and the Text that which is explicated And if the Text be that which is explicated who could bee so senselesse as either to require that the points should be explaned by the Text or to finde fault that by the handling of them the Text is explaned But now hee is pleased of his grace to consider them And wheras I yeeld as a reason of my propounding the former point to bee discussed diuers new-fangled Assertions of the new-found parish discipline whereof I spake but too mildely as you may see hee chargeth mee with bitter inueighing scornefull vpbraiding ouerflowing of the gall with spitting out vnsauoury reproaches making a calumnious out-crie in the ende of the Section and much adoe he had not to apply to mee that saying of Salomon with whome it better fitteth let the Reader iudge Proud haughtie and scornefull is his name that worketh in his arrogancie wrath and in the ende out of the super-aboundance of his charitie hee is afraide for mee that I care not to loose much of my peace within that all I here speake is Night worke proceeding from great distemper of the braine c. Was my aduersaries backe or conscience rather galled was hee guiltie to himselfe of being one of the coyners of those newe opinions that hee thus flingeth and kicketh when they are so gentlie touched Who knowing that those Assertions were some of those 16. positions for the tryall whereof the vnchristian and vnmodest offer of disputation was made which are there magnified as beeing such chiefe points in controuersie betweene vs and the Papists that if in them the BB. ioyning as they pretend with the Papists haue the truth then extreme wrong is offered to the Church of Rome by our separating therefrom and all Protestant Churches are for that cause Schismaticall that if the Priests and Iesuites can satisfie them in these points they would bee reconciled to the Church of Rome Who I say knowing this could with more mildnesse haue spoken of such Schismaticall nouelties For where hee saith that almost all of them haue bene alwayes generallie maintained and practised by all soundly reformed Churches hee seemeth either not to care what hee speaketh or by soundly reformed Churches to meane none but Brownists or such like Betweene whom and these vnchristian and immodest challengers there went as wee say but a paire of sheeres These remaining after a sort in the peece the other beeing by open Schisme cut off Which againe they haue manifested in their late petition to the Kings Maiestie This being the summe of their suite that they may be tollerated Schismatickes But to let passe their new-coyned positions excepting those that concerne this cause with the Libellers bitter wranglings and vaine ianglings There are two things in answere to this Section which I may not let passe the one is his defence of the challengers the other a great aduantage taken against a word which as hee saith I dropt by the way His defence is against that calumnious outcrie as hee calleth it in the ende of the Section where I brieflie note that by what reason they denie the Bishops to bee members of the true Church because forsooth they bee not of some certaine parish by the same they may as well denie the King who hauing a more generall reference to all the Churches within his dominions as being the Gouernour of them all in Great Brittaine and Irelând is further from being a member of one onely parish then anie Bishop in this Kingdome Hee answereth that the challengers hold the King and his Houshold to bee an entire Church of it selfe But tell mee doe they hold it to bee a true Church that so the King may be thought to be a member of a true Church Or if they doe Why may they not with the like reason acknowledge a Bishop and his familie to bee an entire familie by themselues But it is no matter what they holde vnlesse they were more learned and iudicious The aduantage which is taken at my words had need to bee verie great or else the refuter and his copartners doe shewe themselues to be very weake men seeing it is fiue times repeated in print once in their late petition with great amplifications once in the Abortiue booke with this note in the margent sic tu beas amicos Thrice in this Booke with great triumphes and insultations not onely in the treatise it selfe but also euery where in the margent demanding with scorne in this place Is this your kindnesse to your friends in the second sic tu beas amicos in the third quid facias odio sic vbi amore noces The Reader must needes expect some great matter seeing these hilles thus to swell The words whereat they take aduantage were these Least they might seeme to set vp an absolute Popeling in euerie parish who should haue not onely supreame but also sole authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall they adioyne to him that
of my exposition there are two parts the one concerning the subiect or parties here mentioned whom I expound to be ministers onely the other concerning their duties in regard whereof double honour is due to them the one generall the other speciall in both respects the one text doth answere the other as face answereth to face in the water For first that Presbyters here are Ministers onely I proue thus The Presbyters to whom Paul speaketh Act. 20. were Ministers onely The Presbyters of whom he speaketh 1. Tim. 5.17 were the same to whom he spake Act. 20. Therefore the Presbyters of whom he speaketh 1. Tim. 5.17 were Ministers onely Secondly that the duties both generall and speciall are peculiar to Ministers I proue by this argument The duties which Paul requireth Act. 20.28 are duties required peculiarly of Ministers The duties for which double honour is due 1. Tim. 5.17 both generall and speciall are the same with those which Paul requireth Act. 20.28 therefore the duties for which double honour is due 1. Tim. 5 17. are duties peculiarly required of Ministers This latter Syllogisme my expert aduersarie obserued not the former he flingeth after his manner into a connexiue Syllogisme For though his forge doe scarcely afford any other yet hee hath gotten a pretie smacke of Syllogizing that way were it not that his Syllogismes for the most part are too long by the halfe But here he surpasseth himselfe for hee hath cast my whole Syllogisme into his connexiue proposition and in his minor repeateth at large both the proposition and assumption But let vs see what he saith to these Syllogismes In the first he onely denieth my proposition viz. that the Presbyters Act. 20. were none but Ministers which I must confesse in that breuitie I tooke for granted because I thought it needed not to be proued For seeing that verse is not onely generally vnderstood euen of them which stand for Lay Elders writing not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but commenting vpon or otherwise expounding that place of Ministers but also is alledged both by protestants and papists to iustifie the calling of BB. I did presume that it was to be vnderstood of such onely as are Ministers at the least But that which before was for breuitie omitted shall now be supplyed First therfore I argue thus All those that are called BB. in the acts and writings of the Apostles are Ministers of the word All the Presbyters to whom Paul speaketh Act. 20.28 are called BB. Therefore all the Presbyters to whom Paul spake Act. 20.28 were Ministers of the word Or thus Lay-Elders are no where called BB. All the Presbyters Act. 20.28 are called Bishops Therefore none of those Presbyters were Lay-Elders Shall I need to proue any of the premisses Are our Presbyterians of late growne so absurd as to denie them What are not all BB. Ministers and are your Lay-Elders growne of late to be Bishops did not our refuter pag â affirme that these Presbyters Act. 20. are Angels and Bishops and that Angels are pastors and are Lay-Elders Angels and pastors too âie for shame and yet so absurd is our refuter as to say that some of these Elders whom Paul calleth Bishops were not Ministers but their lay or onely-gouerning Elders But if either reason or authoritie will preuaile with him he may easily be confuted my reason I frame thus All Episcopi or Bishops must by the Apostles rule which is generall be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã able to teach 1. Tim. 3.2 that is as he expoundeth himselfe Tit. 1.9 holding fast the faithful word according to doctrine that they may be able to exhort with holesome doctrine and conuince the gain-sayers But not Lay-Elders nor any but Ministers doe need by the Apostles rule to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã able to preach in that sense that he expoundeth it Tit. 1.9 For on those words Caluin obserueth that it is required in theÌ that they should be learned and indued with sound knowledge and that their doctrine should tend to edification c. Therefore not Lay-Elders nor any but Ministers are Bishops As for authoritie let him shew me any testimonie of scripture or of any sound writer old or new that is not a partie vsing the word Bishop for Lay-Elder or any one that is not a Minister and I will yeeld to him the bucklers Caluin though a partie plainly saith that the scripture vseth promiscuously these words Bishops Presbyters Pastors Ministers to signifie those who doe exercise the ministerie of the word And hauing intreated of them in conclusion he saith that as yet he had not spoken of any other functions but such as consist in the ministerie of the word And in another place although he collâteth out of 1. Tim. 5.17 two sorts of Presbyters yet he saith that the Presbyters mentioned Tit. 1.5 are by the context manifested to be no other but Doctors or Teachers because Paul presently after calleth them Bishops The author of the booke de Ecclesiastica disciplina and of the defence thereof ingenuously confesseth that onely pastors and teachers are Bishops and that ruling Elders are not comprehended vnder the name Bishop and so farre is he from comprehending them vnder the title of Bishop that although he were resolued to find a roome for them 1. Tim. 3. yet he durst not comprise them vnder the title and description of a Bishop though the Bishop be all one with Presbyter Tit. 1.5.7 but shrowdeth them vnder the title and description of Deacons as hereafter we shall shew Againe all pastors of Christs flocke are Ministers onely All the Presbyters of Ephesus were pastors of Christs flocke therefore they were Ministers onely Or thus Lay-Elders are not Pastors of Christs flocke of other flocks perhaps they may All the Presbyters of Ephesus were Pastors of Christs flocke Therefore they were not Lay-Elders That they were pastors I proue thus Bishops set ouer the flocke of Christ by the holy Ghost to feed the Church of God are pastors The Presbyters of Ephesus were such Act. 20.28 Therefore they were pastors And that Caluin confesseth more then once And our refuter also in the place before alledged from whose confession I argue thus The Angels were pastors saith our refuter The Presbyters of Ephesus were Angels therefore the Presbyters of Ephesus were pastors But why should so plaine a thing seeme to be made doubtfull with longer proofe for if such Presbyters as were also Bishops and pastors were any but Ministers then Presbyters Bishops and pastors were Lay-Elders also and Lay-Elders were all in all And whereas he obiecteth that Lay-Elders may be comprehended vnder the name Presbyter and Episcopus because D. B. saith that these words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Bishop Presbyter DeacoÌ or Minister are oft so largely taken as that they comprise all Ecclesiasticall functions I answere in a word by Ecclesiasticall functions he meaneth onely the functions of the Ministerie including neither your Lay-Elders nor
refuter obiecteth that our BB haue not the like assistance of the Deane and chapter that the ancient BB had of their Presbyteries For Ambrose complaineth that euen in his time their counsell was neglected And yet in these times as the Bishop may vse their aduise if he please so in some cases their assistance is necessarily required the acts of the Bishop being void without their consent Besides sede vacante in the vacancy of the See the custodie of the Bishopricke Episcopall rights as also the election of the new Bishop is after a sort referred to them And as in times past so now the placing and displacing of the Presbyters of the citie whom we call Prebendaries appertaineth to the BB a few Churches onely among vs excepted And to conclude as Deanes and Chapters with vs are in a maner peculiar to Cathedrall Churches the seats of Bishops some collegiate Churches excepted so were the Presbyteries in the primitiue Church Insomuch that our new sect of disciplinarians might as well say there was in old time now should be a Deane chapter as a Presbyterie in euery parish If therefore they will sue for reformation according to the precedent of the primitiue Churches let them seeke and sue that the Bishops may vse the counsell and assistance of the Presbyterie of the citie which we call the Deane and Chapter and they may hope to preuaile if none of the reasons why their assistance is forborne be sufficient which now come to be examined Serm. Sect. 8. pag. 16. But howsoeuer Ambrose knew not what to say of this matter otherwise then by coniecture c to the end of the first point pag. 17. These reasons I added by way of surplusage or aduantage to giue satisfaction if it might be But nothing will satisfie them who set themselues to cauill for whereas I said I doubt not but the true causes c the refuter depraueth my speech as if the word I had beene vttered with an immodest Emphasis when as I meant no more by that speech then when we say proculdubio or dubium non est which kind of speech my aduersarie me thinkes should not so greatly mislike sithens their Lay-Elders which haue beene vrged with such heat haue no better warrant then dubium non est satis opinor constat probabile est as you shall heare when we come to their proofes They may say confidently there were Lay-Elders in the time of the Apostles yea from the time of Moses vntill Christ and that after the example of the Iewes who indeed neuer had such Presbyteries they are to be erected in euery parish and yet haue no better warrant for these things then their owne coniectures They may take vpon them to auow without reason that to haue beene done in the Apostles times whereunto neither scripture nor Father giueth testimonie and in me it is great immodestie to affirme that which but one of the Fathers seemed to doubt of though I alleage sufficient reason of my affirmation For in the first three hundred yeares after Christ when Christians neither had frequent Synodes to determine doubts nor Synodall constitutions to direct the Bishops nor the authoritie of the Christian Magistrate to rectifie what was amisse in the gouernement of the Church there was great necessitie that the Bishop should vse the aduise and counsell of other wise and learned men otherwise his will would haue seemed to stand for a law and his gouernement would haue beene subiect to ouersight in himselfe to remedilesse wrong towards the clergie and people and to the obloquy and scandall of all But when as prouinciall Synodes were frequently assembled to determine doubts to right the causes of them that were wronged to prescribe so many Caâons and constitutions as to the BB assembling in Councell seemed sufficient for their direction wheÌ the authoritie of the christian Magistrate was helpefull to the Church then we may easily conceiue that as the Councell and assistance of the Presbyterie was not so needfull so both to the Presbyters desiring their ease and Scholasticall quietnesse and also to the Bishops desiring to rule alone it would seeme needlesse which reason I am well content it shall be put into the equall balance of the Readers iudgement against the cauills of the refuter wherewith he hath blotted more then a whole leafe It happened to the Presbyteries as after it did to the prouinciall Synodes For when by experience it was fouÌd to be very troublesome chargeable to the BB hurtfull to their churches tedious to suiters by reason of multitude of causes referred to Synodal audience that al the BB in euery couÌtry should twice euery yeare for a long time be absent from their churches to be present at Synodes it was decreed both by the Emperours and BB that those causes wherewith prouinciall Synodes had vsually bene troubled should be referred to the audience and decisioÌ of the Archbishop or Metropolitan Euen so when it was found troublesome and tedious to the Presbyters and hurtfull to the Church that their time which might better be spent in studie of Diuinitie to furnish them for the publike Ministery should be taken vp in hearing brabbles and quarrels and also their assistance seemed not needfull to the Bishops for the causes aforesaid it is not to be maruelled that their assistance grew out of vse For whereas the refuter obiecteth and is the onely thing worth the mentioning which he obiecteth that the Presbyteries continued in Ambroses time and long after I answere that they continue to this day But as their assistance now in matters of gouernement is not much vsed so before Ambrose his time it began to be neglected And thus much concerning the testimonie of Ambrose which hauing cleared as well as that 1. Tim. 5.17 being the onely places of moment which vse to be produced in this cause I might safely conclude from all the premisses that therfore there were no Lay-Elders in the primitiue Church From whence besides the maine conclusion that therefore the primitiue Church was gouerned by Diocesan Bishops the two particular assertions concluding against our new sect of disciplinarians will necessarily follow The first that therefore there were no parishionall Presbyteries the second that therefore parish Bishops or pastors were subiect to the Diocesan Bishops Against the former he obiecteth a speech of D. Bilson affirming that euery Church in the Apostles times had many Prophets Pastors and Teachers which as the refuter saith might make a Presbyterie But the Churches D. Bilson speaketh of were not in seuerall parishes but as he saith in populous cities such as that of Ephesus Act. 20 and those prouided not for any one parish but for the whole citie and countrey adioyning that is to say the Diocesse For when my aduersarie shall produce any one pregnant testimonie that in such congregations as we call parishes there was a Presbyterie of Ministers I will also grant
it may bee demanded what is truly and properly a Church vpon earth Whereunto I answer by warrant of the word that euery company of men professing the true faith of Christ is both truly a Church and also a true Church So is the whole company of the faithfull vpon earth the true Church and spouse of Christ the piller and ground of truth So is the company of Christians professing the true faith of Christ in any Nation or part of the world to bee termed by the name of a Church For euen as the whole people of Israel professing the true religion were one Church though containing verie many particular Congregations or Synagogues which also were so many Churches euen so the whole people of England professing through Gods mercy the true Catholike and Apostolicke faith is to bee called the Church of England For whereas some alleage that the Church of the Iewes was one because it was vnder one high Priest who was a figure and therefore ceased it is euident that it was one Church because it was one people or commonwealth ruled by the same lawes professing the same religion both before there was one high Priest and after there were through corruption more then one Neither was the high Priest in respect of his preeminence and gouernment ouer the priests and people a type of Christ for then had he as well as Melchisedeck been a type of Christs gouernment and kingly office as well as of his priesthood and consequently Christ might haue bin a priest of the order of Aaron as well as of Melchisedeck but in respect of his sacrifice for the whole people and intercession for them and his entrance alone within the sanctuary bearing the names of the twelue Tribes for Christs gouernment appertaineth to his kingdome and not to his priesthood Likewise the Christian people of any Citie and Country adioyning whether that which wee call a prouince or diocesse though consisting of many particular congregations is rightly termed a Church as the Church of Ierusalem Antioch Ephesus Smyrna Sardes Philadelphia c. Jn like manner the Christian people of one Towne or Village containing but one congregation which we call a parish is truly called a church as perhaps that of Cenchreae And to conclude the company of faithfull in one familie doe deserue the name of a Church as hath bin shewed Indeed that any particular Chruch of a whole Nation Citie and Country Towne Parish or family family I say being alone and not a part of a congregation but as an entire Church or parish by itselfe may bee accounted a true visible Church there is required besides the profession of the true faith wherein the life and being of a Church consisteth the ministery of the word and sacraments and eutaxy or some good order of gouernment Not that all gouernours are to be placed in euery society or Church but that the effect and benefit of the gouernment is to redound to euery particular For as well might an high Councell of State or Parliament such as was the synedrion of the Iewes which was but one for the whole Nation be required in euery Citie and a Maior and Aldermen such as be in London and other chiefe Cities in euery village as a Bishop and Presbytery in euery parish All which J haue the rather noted because some hauing first strongly conceited that there is no true visible Church but a parish nor lawfull church-officers but parishionall haue haled the places of Scripture where Ecclesia is mentioned to the confirmation of their conceit and thereupon as their chiefe foundation haue built their newfound parish discipline Whereas in very truth scarce any one testimony of such a congregation of Christians as we call a parish can be alleaged out of the Scriptures Indeed at the very first conuersion of Cities the whole number of the people conuerted being sometimes not much greater then the number of the Presbyters placed among them were able to make but a small congregation But those Churches were in constituting they were not fully constituted vntill their number being increased they had their Bishoppe or Pastor their Presbytery and Deacons without which Ignatius saith there was no Church meaning no accomplished or fully constituted Church Neither was the Bishop and the Presbytery which at the first was placed in any Citie prouided onely for that set number which was already conuerted but they were there placed for the conuersion of the whole Citie and country thereto belonging their ministery being like to the leuen put into three pecks of meale which by degrees seasoneth the whole lumpe Neither was it meant that the whole number of Christians of each Citie and territory being much increased should continue but one particular ordinary congregation assembling in one place but that vpon the multiplication of Christians diuision should be made of the whole Church into diuers particular congregations which after happened in all Churches accordingly But vpon this diuision there was not to euery seuerall congregation allotted a Bishop and a Presbytery but only seuerall Presbyters assigned singuli singulis some of the Presbyters continuing with the Bishop The Bishop himselfe remaining as it was first intended and as the Church of God euery where throughout the world expounded that intent by their practise the Pastor or Superintendent of the whole Citie and country adioyning Neither are all the Disciplinarians in the world able to shew that there were or ought to haue been after the diuision of parishes and assignement of seuerall Presbyters vnto them any more then one Bishop and one Presbytery for a whole diocesse But of this more hereafter In the meane time hauing shewed that the vse of the word Ecclesia in the Scriptures doth not sauour their conceit who imagine there is no true Church but a parish the word signifying according to the vsuall phrase of the holy Ghost any company of Christians whether great or small I am now to declare the vse of the word Ecclesia paroecia dioecesis which are commonly translated Church parish diocesse in antient Writers Where I am to note that setting aside the general significatioÌ of the word Ecclesia signifying either the whole Church in general or the two maine parts of it in heauen and earth in which sense paroecia and dioecesis are not vsed as also the largest signification of dioecesis containing the whole circuit of a patriarchall and archiepiscopall iurisdiction as the diocesse of the Patriarch of Alexandria contained all Egypt Libya and Pentapolis the diocesse of Antioch the East Countries c. In which sense the word paroecia is not vsed setting aside I say these large significations of ecclesia and dioecesis otherwise these three words ecclesia paroecia and dioecesis are for the most part vsed as words of the same signification For as in the singular number commonly each of them doth signifie a diocesse excepting wherein the distribution of the diocesse paroecia is opposed
in euery Deanây they acquaint in particular euery Parish Euen so by Christ his writing to the 7. Churches what he would haue imparted to all the particular Churches it may bee gathered that the rest of the particular Churches were subiect to them And it may well be that when our Sauiour writing to euery one of the Angels seuerally concluding each Epistle with this Epiphonema Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirite saith to the Churches would haue it vnderstood what he writeth to the Angell he writeth to the Churches which be vnder his charge And thus you haue heard how he hath fared with the Proposition The Assumption hee distinguisheth into two parts the former affirming that Christ wrote to all the churches of Asia the latter that some of these seuen Churches were Mother-Cities both hee denieth as false The former because it is vnlikely as he saith if not impossible that our Sauior writing to that third part of the world which was not much lesse then both the other Africa and Europe would write but to these 7. which were all together in one little corner of it Here I appeale to my aduersary if he be a man of learning whether hee doth not cauill against the light of his conscience seeing he could not be so ignorant as to thinke that by Asia mentioned in the Apocalypse and else where in the Epistles and Acts of the Apostles is not meant Asia the great nor yet that which is called Asia minor being the whole Chersonesus now called Natolia bounded on the north with Pontus Euxinus on the west with the Hellespont mare Aegaeum on the south with the Mediterranean sea including according to Ptolemey eight countries whereof Asia so properly called is one And albeit he knoweth as I am perswaded that by Asia in the Apocalypse is meant onely that which is so properly called yet he maketh a great flourish partly to shew some small skill in Geography but chiefly that I may vse his owne terme to dazell the eyes of the simple shewing how vnlikely it is either that the great Kingdomes of Asia maior should bee Parishes vnder the seuen Churches or that those many famous Churches of Asia Minor as the Churches of Derbe Lystria Iconium Antioch in Pisidia Pergain Pamphylia of Galatia which were many were but dependants vpon these seuen If hee doth not know that none of these Countries are contained in that Asia whereof the holy Ghost speaketh let him compare but these few testimonies of Scripture Act. 2.9.10 6.9 16.6.7 1. Pet. 1.1 and he shall find that Cilicia Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Bythinia Phrygia Pamphylia and Mysia meaning Mysia maior or Olympina being all parts of Asia minor are reckoned as diuers countries from that Asia which is mentioned in the Scriptures If the refuter would needs haue shewen his skill in Geography he should haue done well to haue set down the bounds and limits of this Asia whereof wee speake For the Authors that write thereof whome I haue seene doe not agree with the Scriptures The Romanes when Attalus Philomator the King of Pergamus and the countries adioyning had bequeathed his Kingdome to them and they had recouered it from Aristonicus who claimed it as his inheritance they reduced it into a Prouince and by the name of the continent called it Asia hoping it would be an introduction to the rest Erasmus saieth it is euident that when Asia is named absolutely that part of Asia minor is signified where Ephesus standeth And on Act. 16. where Paul and his company were forbidden to preach the Word in Asia the holy Ghost meaneth saith hee that Asia not which by the generall name is called minor enuironed on each side but on the East with the Sea and which comprehendeth Phrygia Pamphylia Galatia and some other Countries but that which is neare to Ephesus for that properly is called Asia minor But hee doth not tell vs how much of the Country which is not farre from Ephesus is contained within the circuit of Asia Those which write of Geography giue a larger circuit vnto it then agreeth with the Scriptures bounding it northward on Bithynia westward on Propontis Hellespont and the Aegean sea which in those places is called the Icarian sea Southward on the Rhodian sea Eastward on Lycia Pamphylia and Galatia And by this meanes they include within the limites of it Phrygia both the greater and the lesse wherein Troy stood and Mysia both the greater which is called Olympina and the lesse which is called Pergamene When as Phrygia is in the Scriptures distinguished from Asia and onely the borders or frontiers of it where Laodicea according to their opinion standeth are reckoned in it and likewise Mysia Olympina and Phrygia minor which is also called Epictetus or Troas are reckoned apart from Asia So that according to the scriptures Asia seemeth to include Ionia Mysia Pergamene Lydia or Maeonia and perhapps Caria for thereof is no mention In Ionia stoode Ephesus and from it northward Smyrna In Mysia Pergamene stood Pergamum northward from Smyrna and southward from it Thyâtira which Strabo calleth Mysorum vltimam In Lydia which Strabo Ptolemy and Pliny l. 5. c. 29. take to bee all one with Maeonia stood Sardoâ which Strabo calleth Lydorum caput southward also from Pergamus In the confines of Mysia and Lydia stood Philadelphia The borders of Phrygia Caria and Lydia are hardly distinguished saith Strabo because they meet together and are confounded in the midlands as Aeneas Syluius saith and this confusion is encreased saith Strabo because the Romaines haue diuided these countries not by the nations but according to the administrations ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is circuits of iurisdiction wherein Courts are kept and iudgements exercised according to law Now in these confines standeth Laodicea which according to Ptolemey is a City of Caria and by the testimony of the holy Ghost in the Apocalypse is a part of Asia though by the most Geographers it is saide to stand in the borders of Phrygia Eunapius speaking of Clearchus made proconsull of Asia by Valens the Emperor describeth the circuit ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of that which now properly is called Asia that it beginning at Pergamum and comprehending the sea coasts endeth in the continent at Caria the mount Tmolus circumscribing the borders thereof on Lydia So that according to this description the circuit of Asia is lesse then that which is limited in the Scriptures Lydia and Caria being excluded And accordingly in the subscriptions to the Councell of Nice not onely Phrygia but Lydia also and Caria are reckoned apart from Asia that we should not maruaile that a lesse circuit is assigned vnto it in the Scriptures then the Geographers doe describe seeing within a lesse compasse then that which the Scriptures assigned thereunto it is circumscribed by others Seeing therefore Asia is gathered into so small a compasse let vs
common to attend the whole flocke conuerted For that which is added of labouring the conuersion of the residue c. is the errour forsooth which before he noted How proueth he these points to be false Thus whome can M.D. perswade that the Apostles would either appoint or allow of such confused assemblies wherein the teachers and hearers should euery day so disorderly be changed And then putteth the like case of a schoole himselfe being worthy to be put into a cloake-bagge For in which of these points doth this orderly vnconfounded man note such disorder and confusion or was not the confused conceite he speaketh of in his own braine Let him call to mind what euen now hee said in oppugning the proposition that euery one of the churches then was but one parish which by reason of the multitude of the people had many teachers Do we not see the like saith he in the French Duch churches here in England concludeth that such Parishes there were in the Apostles times and none but such Tell me then is the French or Duch Church in London distinguished either of them into seuerall parishes which is the first point If they be how are they but one Parish Are their ministers supposing them to be as he saith many as there were many Presbyters in the Apostles times in each Church before the diuision of the parishes are they assigned to seueral titles that is parishes or cures If their Church be not diuided into diuers parishes how can their Presbyters be assigned to diuers which is the 2. point Thirdly doe not their ministers communi consilio mutuo auxilio by common counsel and mutuall helpe attend their whole flocke none of them being appointed to a seuerall charge And yet all this I hope without disorder or confusion That therefore which hee bableth in the greatest part of the page concerning disorder and confusion is wholy to be ascribed to his owne distemper and confusion Yea but M.D. telleth vs that the Presbyters were to attend the whole flocke So saith S. Luke Act. 20.28 What of that if they were to attend the whole flocke in coÌmon then were they not assigned to seuerall parishes which were but parts of the flocke to which purpose the place of the Acts was quoted Doth either of them say that a flocke was any more then one ordinarie assembly and might not that be a Parish as well as a Diocesse Either of whome hee had meÌtioned none but S. Luke onely But let that passe For to what purpose doth he aske whether Luke said that a flocke was any more then one assembly If the flocke were but one asseÌbly that which I proposed is the more confirmed For if they were to attend al one assembly theÌ were they not assigned to seueral parishes But yet I would haue him know that the word flock the word ecclesia or church which there the word people which in other places is vsed as a word of the same signification is of a larger exteÌt then to signifie onely one assembly The flocke is that for which Christ the good shepheard did giue his life vnto which appertained the sheep which his father gaue him not only amoÌg the Iewes but the Gentiles also And this flock is that Church which God meaning Christ who is God in that place of the Acts is said to haue redeemed with his bloud that people of his which he saueth froÌ their sins And as this is spoken of the Church in generall so the company of them that belong to Christ in any Nation Prouince Diocesse City or Parish may bee called the Flocke the Church the people of God Neither doe I doubt for the reasons before alleadged but that the flock in which those Presbyters Act. 20. were set as ouerseers was the people belonging to God in the City of Ephesus and the Country adioyning where he saith the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is ordinarily vsed of beasts and fowles that heard and flocke together I confesse it is beyond the compasse of my reading who neuer read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã applied to fowles but haue found the word vsed properly for a flocke of sheepe and metaphorically for the flocke of Christs sheepe but that flocke is not one onely particular congregation For Luke 12.32 Iohn 10.16 as touching the word Ecclesia which he denieth to signifie any other outward company of men then a particular congregation only I haue already said more to confute that ignorant conceit then will be answered in hast But heare his conclusion if my that is if the word Ecclesia doth not signifie any other then a particular congregation what truth is there in his assumption that denieth parishes to bee distinguished he would haue said to haue beene distinguished in the Apostles times and the Presbyters to haue been assigned to their seuerall titles or cures This conclusion I desire may be kept in remembrance vntill as you haue seene him deny it before so you shall see him againe and againe to deny it Jn the meane time I beseech you how is it inferred If the word Church signifie onely a particular congregation and such a one was that flock in which the Presbyters were set Act. 20.28 therefore there is no truth in the assumption which denieth the parishes to haue beene distinguished and the Presbyters assigned to their seuerall titles or cures Who seeth not that the contrary is to bee inferred Jf the word Church did signifie one congregation and was in euery City but one and if such was the flocke which the Presbyters were appointed to attend wholly and in common then it followeth that the flocke was not diuided into particular parishes nor the Presbyters assigned to seuerall cureâ And so the assumption by his owne inference is proued to be true This and thus weakly saith the refuter hath M.D. proued the point of so great importance And thus and thus stongly say I hath our refuter disproued it Now let the iudicious Reader iudge whether my weakenesse hath not been of sufficient force to ouerthrow his strength CHAP. V. Answering their obiection who say that in the first two hundred yeeres all the Christians in each great Citie were but one particular congregation assembling in one place NOw wee are to examine their proofes And first that which I obiected for them and then that which the Refuter bringeth for himselfe Serm. sect 4. page 19. Against this which hath been said they doe obiect that in the first two hundred yeeres c. 16 lines Here the refuter chargeth me that I making shew of taking away what euer can bee said against my assertion doe propound but one onely bare obiection whereas diuers testimonies and reasons both from scriptures and fathers haue been alleaged by others c. Thus makes he no conscience either of belying me who onely intended to answere that which I tooke to be their chiefe obiection and had of
vnto you but now you haue the fewer enemies by reason of the multitude of Christians penè ãâã ciâium being almost all citizens penè omnes ciues Christianos habendo by hauing almost al your Citizens Christians Let the Reader judge what the number of Christians were in those times whether Tertullian doth not speake chiefly of the city of Rome let him consider whether almost all the citizens of Rome of whom ordinarily there were diuers huÌdred thousands besides christian strangers seruants and the female sex were like to be the people of one parish The same author speaking to the same purpose in another place saith it may be sufficiently manifest vnto you that we deale according to the doctrine of diuine patience Seing we being so great a multitude of men euen the greatest part almost of euery city do cary our selues in silence modestie And so much concerning the multitude of the people Serm sect 7. p. 21. Ad to the multitude of the people the consideration of the times raging for the most part with persecution c. to the end of the 2. point As touching the times the refuter answereth that how furiously soeuer the times raged with persecution yet the christian people did vsually assemble together Whereof I doubt not But the question is whether in diuers congregations as I say as it is most euideÌt or altogether in one place which is altogether vncredible As for the places wherin the christians in the first 200. yeares vsed to assemble especially in time of persecution whereas I say they were priuate houses vaults and secret places not capable of such multitudes as haue bin spoken of for refuge he flieth to the vâlts holes as he calleth theÌ which he supposeth were capable of great multitudes but omitteth priuate houses and other small roomes turned to this vse And whereas J say they were not capable of such multitudes as were thâ whole companies of Christians in the greatest cities proued before to haue bin in a manner innumerable hee onely saith great multitudes But what we are to coÌceiue of this point let vs enquire of Hospinian a Protestant writer who hath trauelled in this argument He therefore saith in the time of the Apostles and some while after the places of meetings which Christians had were simple houses neither were they permitted by the cruelty of tyrants and rage of the people to build I say not magnificent but not meane Temples The places therefore of publike meetings in those times were base more like dens and secret corners then magnificall Temples as Eusebiusâestifieth âestifieth And Tertullian plainly affirmeth that in his time the Christians had no other temples but simple houses Polydor Virgil testifieth that the Christians were so far from hauing any temple built in these times that all was secret their places of meeting were chapels and those hidden and for the most part vnder the ground rather then in open and publike places Bullinger likewise saith that the antient Christians vnder Constantine the Great were wont vnder the quire of the temples to build cryptaâ vaults in memory of the persecutions whereby the Christians vnder the Emperors before Constantine were not suffered sometimes to come abroad and therfore they were forced to hold their assemblies and performe the sacred exercises in secret sometimes in dens and other priuy places But saith the Refuter Let them bee as little as he would make them yet it doth not follow hereof that the Churches in the Cities alone contained many particular congregations or parishes To which purpose againe he alleageth his chapels of ease for a meere euasion seeing himselfe is perswaded there was none such in those times And where he saith that although there were diuers places of meeting in those times yet all appertained to one congregation I confesse it to be true for euen after the distinction of parishes both in citie and country all of them belonged to one Church as meÌbers of the same body Yea but saith he if there were many particular congregations in euery city how chanceth it he told vs before that the parishes were not distinguished Distinguish the times and the answere is easie In the first hundred yeeres though Christians met in diuers places as they could yet neither were there in the most cities certaine set places of meeting nor certaine Presbyters assigned to them as to their perpetuall and peculiar charge But at the end of the first hundred yeeres Euaristus diuided to seuerall Presbyters in Rome titles that is the set places of meetings which we call parish Churches whereof they were entituled and called the Presbyters of such and such a title or parish And thus haue J maintained my arguments and answers against his cauils Now am I to defend my assertion against his proofes CHAP. VI. Answering the Refuters arguments ANd first because you shall know what he meaneth to conclude he propoundeth the question which is saith he whether in the Apostles times and the age following that is the first two hundred yeeres the visible Churches indued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernment were parishes or no. In which question seeing he his consorts restraine the times of the primitiue Church to the first two hundred yeeres the Reader will I hope expect that he should conclude that foâ this whole terme at the least the churches were each of them but a parish and that in all this time there were no dioceses His argumentation containeth two ranckes of instances the former taken out of the scriptures the latter out of the Fathers The former he concludeth thus If the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch being visible Churches indued with power of ecclesiasticall government were each of them but one parish vnderstand for the whole terme of 200. yeeres then the other visible Churches ãâã with the like power were also each of them during the same terme but one parish But the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch being visible Churches endued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernment were each of them but one parish for the first 200. yeeres Therefore the other visible Churches endued with the like power were also for the like terme each of them but one parish The proposition I will be content to yeeld to my aduersarie so it may be lawfull for me to vse the like for then I would conclude thus If the Churches of Alexandria and Rome were not parishionall Churches in the first 200. yeeres neither were the Churches of other Cities But the antecedent is true therefore the consequent The consequence is the same with his and grounded on the same hypothesis viz. that all Churches endued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernment were at the first of the same nature and constitution The former part of the assumption concerning Alexandria I will manifestly prooue when I come to the third point concerning Diocesans viz. that it was not one parish but contained diuers parishes euen
in the first 100. yeeres Concerning Rome I haue proued already that within the first 200. yeeres it was diuided into many parishes and therefore although there bee not so good euidence for other Cities in particular yet the like is to bee concluded of them seeing they were all of the same constitution Passing by therefore his proposition I take hold of his assumption and doe plainely denie the Churches he speaketh of or any other which had a Bishop and Presbyterie to haue beene for the first two hundred yeeres no more but parishes for J doubt not but it is easier to proue that within this terme not onely the Presbyters and people in the said dioceses but also the Bishops in the same Prouinces were subiect to the Bishops of these three Cities For as it is euident of Antioch by the testimonie of Ignatius who calleth himselfe the Bishop of Syria so no reason can bee alleged why the Bishops of Ephesus and Corinth who in the third centurie and in the ages following were Metropolitans were not so in the second or if they were Metropolitans in the third and in the ages following as most certainely they were why they should not haue beene Diocesans at the least in the second The assumption hee saith appeareth plaine by the proofe of the particulars But what doth he prooue of the particulars Are his syllogismes so soone come to an end His chiefe proofes be that in the Apostle Pauls time each of them vsed to assemble in one Congregation Was this your assumption You that are so strict in exacting syllogismes and direct proofes should not haue sought to carrie away the matter as it were in the cloudes Yea but that which he prooueth doth prooue the assumption That shall thus bee tried by his owne forme of argumentation If those Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch in the Apostle Pauls time were each of them no more then ordinarily assembled in one place then were they for the first 200. yeeres each of them but one parish But the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch in the Apostle Pauls time were each of them no more then ordinarily assembled in one place Therefore for the first 200. yeeres they were each of them but one parish The proposition is omitted by the disputer as taken for granted but therein he hath plaied the sophister for he that meaneth truly doth not vse to omit any part of his argument but that which is certaine or confessed But the consequence of this proposition is worse then naught for if hee had onely said thus If in the Apostles times they were each of them but one Congregation therefore for 200. yeeres they were so the consequence had beene starke naught or if he had onely said If in the Apostles time they were each but one Congregation then were they each one parish that consequence also had beene naught but when he saith If in the Apostles times each was but one Congregation therefore for 200. yeeres each of them was but a parish that consequence is as I said worse then naught That the first of the two consequences is naught it is euident for though at the first conuersion of any great City and for a while after the number vsually was so small that they might haue assembled in one place yet it is certaine that within 200. yeeres their number was growne to bee almost innumerable as hath beene shewed and therefore too great to make one ordinarie congregation This one exception if no more should bee added ouerturneth all his dispute As touching the second though it should bee granted that each of these Churches in the Apostles time did ordinarilie assemble together in one place yet would it not follow that therefore each of them was but a parish and much lesse which is the end of all this disputation that all Churches endued with ecclesiasticall power should be but parishes and consequently that euery parish should haue a Bishop and presbyterie The reasons of my deniall of these consequences I haue before set downe at large Chap. 3. § 5. and 6. and therefore this disputation I haue sufficiently ouerthrowne already For a surplussage I adde these two reasons First If these Churches because they were each of them but one Congregation were parishes before the diuision of parishes then were they such Churches as after the diuision parishes were This consequence may not be denied especially by them who would haue all parishes framed to the constitution of the first Churches But they were not such for the parishes after their diuision had not a Bishop and presbyterie but only a Presbyter assigned to them neither was the Pastor thereof superintendent ouer others neither was any of them intended to bee a mother Church Secondly if that assumption was false which denied parishes to haue beene distinguished in the Apostles times then these Churches were not onely many congregations but many parishes also But he said before that that assumption had no truth in it These two iust exceptions I haue against his consequence If against the former it bee obiected that some of his testimonies doe seeme to prooue that after the Apostles times these Churches were each of them but one congregation I answer that his maine argument and proofes thereof doe speake of the Apostles time Those which are extended further shall bee further examined Now I come to his assumption for though I doe not denie but that at the first and namely in the time of the Apostle Paul the most of the Churches so soone after their conuersion did not each of them exceed the proportion of a populous congregation yet I cannot yeeld to all his proofes His proofes be either allegation of Scriptures or other testimonies His Scriptures for Corinth are out of the first epistle to the Corinthians and Rom. â6 1 for Ephesus Act. 20.28 for Antioch Act. 14.27 Now let vs consider the date of his testimonies and then what is testified in them The date of them is ancienter then Paul his going to Rome which was in the yeere 5â or â6 Which I do note to shew to what time his proposition is to bee restrained as if hee had said If before the yeere 55. or â6 they were but one congregation then they were no more vntill the yeere 200. The thing that is testified for Corinth 1. Cor 11. is such as might bee written to the Church of England as verse 18. When you come into the Church I beare there bee schismâs among you vers 20. When you come together in the same place this is not to eat the Supper of the Lord vers 33. When you come together to eat expect one another Rom. 16. There is mention of the Church of Cenchreae whereof mention hath beene made now thrice to no purpose vnlesse it bee against himselfe for if Cânchreae were a parish subordinate to the Church of Corinth as most certainly it was it selfe hauing not a Bishop or presbyterie but a
meÌbers into one body which in the name of church doth not appeare But after the people were taught to distinguish of the word Church and to vnderstand it for the mysticall body of Christ the latter translations vsed that terme not that the other was any corruption or the latter any correction but to declare that both is one Is it not plaine that he by congregation vnderstandeth the vniuersall Church which is a gathering together of all the members into one body but of the Church of Ephesus speaketh neuer a word In the 4. place the notes of M. Perkins sermons on the Apocalypse taken from his mouth are alleadged wherein it is said that the seuen Churches were particular congregations meaning thereby that which I doe not deny particular churches and that euery particular congregation is a Church and hath priuiledges of a Church belonging to it which is also true Fiftly the great Church Bible readeth thus Iohn to the seuen Congregations Lastly D. Bilson saith that the church is neuer taken in the old or new Testament for the Priests alone but for the congregation of the faithfull From which allegations to inferre that each church is but one particular congregation is as I said most childish But those 2. out of Tindall the one that a Bishop was the gouernour but of one congregation the other that hee was the ouerseer but of a Parish to preach the word to a parish was not a childish mistaking but a wilfull misalleadging of the Author who in the former place hath no such thing Or if hee haue any where he vseth the word Congregation in as large a sense as Ecclesia wherof it is the translation In the latter speaking of such a Bishop as is described 1. Tim. 3. that is of such a one as in his conceit was but a Presbyter hee saith by the authority of the gospell they that preach the word of God in euery Parish and performe other necessary ministeries haue right to challenge an honest liuing Neither is the Refuter content once to haue falsified the testimony of this holy Martyr but againe in the end of his booke hee alleadgeth him to the same purpose After hee hath thus doughtily proued his Assumption concerning these 3. Churches he bringeth a new supply of testimonies out of Ignatius Tertullian and Eusebius concerning others Ignatius exhorteth the Magnesians that they would all come together into one place to praier all as with vs that belonged to the same congregation And perswading the Philadelphians to vnity exhorteth them that they would vse one faith one preaching one eucharist because the body of Christ is one and his bloud one one cup and one bread one Altar for the whole Church and one Bishop with the Presbytery and Deacons for there is but one God the Father c. one faith one baptisme and one Church which the Apostles haue founded from one end of the world to another c. In which words none fauoureth the Refuters conceit but that of one altar seruing for the whole Church the word Altar being expounded for the Communion Table which is not likely and too much sauoureth of popery But by one altar is meant Christ who sanctifieth all our sacrifices or oblations and maketh them acceptable to God as Ignatius expoundeth himselfe in his Epistle to the Magnesians all as one runne together into the Temple of God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã vnto one Iesus Christ as it were vnto one altar But that which he alleageth out of the same Epistle that they were to gather themselues together into one place to chuse their Bishop if it were rightly alleaged would proue not their ordinary and parishionall but extraordinary and panegyricall meeting to such an end but this needed not their Bishop at this time was come to Ignatius in his iourny towards Rome as appeareth by the beginning of the Epistle as it were vpon an honourable ambassage from the Church as were the BB. of other Churches But he saith it becometh you as being a Church of God to doe as other Churches haue done that is as he sheweth in the words following to appoint a Bishop that he may ãâã Antioch performe the âmbassage of God that it may be granted to them being gathered together into one place to glorifie the name of God From whence also the Reâuter gathereth that a Bishop is Gods Ambassador to a people that are together in one place Which is true so oft as he preacheth But Ignatius meaneth nothing lesse then that they should appoint the Bishop of Antioch but onely willeth them to send a Bishop as it were vpon ambassage thither His meaning is more plainly expressed in his Epistle to the Sâyrneans where he writeth to the same purpose that seeing the Church of Antioch after his departure had some peace the persecutors contenting themselues to haue taken him who was their ringleader from among them he exhorteth them to ordaine ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a sacred Ambassador who when he should come into Syria should reioice with them because they had peace Tertullâââ also is made to speake for them as though he said the Christian Churches were all one body and came all together into a company and congregation By which testimony if it were truely alledged all Christian Churches as they are one body of Christ so all should meet together to make one parish His words be these I will now set forth the practises of the Christian party That hauing refuted the euils obiected I may declare the good We are a body consenting in the knowledge of religion in the truth of discipline or doctrine and the couenant of hope We come together into a company and coÌgregation Which words may be verified of the Christians of these times which in euery Church are diuided into seuerall congregations Out of Eusebius hee hath nothing to alledge but that which before I came to his arguments I sufficiently answered that he calleth the Church of Ierusalem the parish of Ierusalem the Church of Alexandria the parish of Alexandria c. To which J answere that Eusebius indeed calleth each of the Churches by the name ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but he calleth none of them a parish as we vnderstand the word parish In the place which hee quoteth concerning Ierusalem Eusebius saith that after the martyrdome of Iames who no doubt from an Apostle had been preferred to bee a parish Bishop because he was Christs kinsman the Apostles and disciples of Christ which yet remained did from all places come together with those who were of Christs kinred to consult whom they might thinke worthy to bee Iames his successor and that with one consent they made chuce of Simeon the sonne of Cleophas as worthy the throne of that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Church because he also was our Sauiours kinsman All this was done no doubt in a parish meeting to set a parish B.
question seeing it is confessed that Nazianzens father was B. of that diocesse These bee all the instances which T.C. bringeth in this cause excepting one more out of the canon law which our refuter thought not worth the obiecting But his inference hereupon is worth the obseruing Al this M.D. could not choose but know if he had read but somuch as M. Cartw. 2. reply with as good a mind as hee did D. Bilson Whereto I answere that I read with resolution to yeeld to the trueth whersoeuer I find it But God hath giuen me so much iudgment as not to be perswaded by meere colours such as I signified in my preface T. C. arguments in this cause to bee and such as in this treatise I haue prooued many of them to bee and so will the rest if the Refuter shall vrge them or take vpon him to maintaine them Hauing so substantially answered the substance of my argument hee taketh occasion to shewe his learning in giuing a more learned reason why the heathen are of Christians called Pagani then I did I said and I am sure haue read it in some learned author that they are so called because the people who liued in the country villages which are properly called pagani a pagâ and that of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as Pomp. Festus saith quia eadem aqua vterentur remained for the most part heathenish after the cities for the most part were conuerted to Christianity Hee thinketh the heathen were called pagani because they are not Christs Souldiers induced so to thinke because Tertullian saith Apud hunc tam miles est paganus fidelis quam paganus est miles infidelis Which hee englisheth thus as well a faithfull Souldier as an vnbeleeuing souldier is a pagan Which if it were Tertullians meaning as well Christians as infidels should be called Paganes But Tertullian is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã darke and writeth as it seemeth aboue some mens capacity With Christ saith Tertullian as well a belieuing pagan is a souldier as an vnbeleeuing souldier is a pagan meaning by Pagan according to the vse of the Romanes him that is not a Souldier Whereas therefore among the Romanes and all warlike nations those who were Souldiers were greately honoured as the vse of the word miles and armiger with vs doth shew and contrariwise those who were not Souldiers were of base esteeme called Pagani perhaps in some such sense as Villani with vs that is to say villaines clownes boores Tertullian disswading Christians from going to warre vnder infidels perswadeth theÌ not to be moued with this respect of being honoured if they be souldiers and dishonoured if they be not for saith he with Christ a faithfull man though despised in the world as a pagan is highly esteemed and honoured and also an vnfaithfull man though honoured as a souldier or cheuallier in the world is of base account with Christ. But how heatheÌ people should from hence be called Pagani I know not vnlesse christians were also called milites or cheualliers for Pagani here as a base terme signifying villains or clownes or boores is opposed to milites as a name of honour Serm. sect 4. pag. 25. Thus then parishes were distinguished both in the cities countries and seueral presbyters particularly assigned c. to promiscuously pag. 26. In this section I proue that the BB. both before after the diuision of parishes were diocesan and first I answere an obiection for wheras some might imagine that Bishops before the diuision of parishes were parishional after diocesan as being set ouer many churches I shew which before hath bene proued that the circuit of the Bishops charge or diocesse was the same before the diuision of parishes which it was after c. And to this purpose I declare that the circuit of the B. charge from the beginning contained ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã meaning thereby the City whence he hath his denomination and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is the country subiect vnto it And wheras some vnderstand ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to signifie a parish according to the vulgar vse of the English word I shewed that in the best authors euen after the diuision of parishes it signifieth the whole city with the suburbs My reason standeth thus To whose iurisdiction both ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is the city suburbs though containing manie parishes and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is the whole country belonging to the same citie is subiect he is ouer the Churches both in citie and country and consequently a diocesan But to the iurisdiction of the antient Bishoppes both ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the citie and suburbs and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the country thereto belonging were subiect Therefore the antient BB. were ouer the Churches both in the citie and country and consequently were diocesans The proposition is of vndeniable truth the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being so vnderstood as I prooued before The assumption J proue by two most pregnant testimonies the one being one of the ancient canoÌs called the Apostles the other a canon of the councell of Antioch whereof I haue also spoken before But to them we may adde the next canon called the Apostles which is also recited in the councell of Antioch That a Bishoppe may not presume out of his owne limits to exercise ordinations to Cities and Countries not subiect to him And if he shall be conuinced to haue done this without the consent of them who hold those Cities or Countries let him be deposed and those also whom he hath ordained This syllogisme being too strong to be refuted his best course was not to see it Notwithstanding he cauilleth with some points therein For whereas his chiefe proofe before was that the Church of Antioch of Ephesus of Ierusalem of Alexandria c. were each of them but one particular congregation c. because Eusebius calleth each of them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã thereby abusing the Reader as if Eusebius had by that name ment that which we cal a parish here he disauoweth the authority of Eusebius alledged according to his true meaning vnlesse he had said it was of that signification in the end of the Apostles time and the age following Which is a silly shift seeing Eusebius speaking of the Churches of whole Cities in the first two hundred yeeres euen of such as he had expressly mentioned as containing many Churches he calleth them by that name As at Alexandria he acknowledged the Churches to haue beene instituted by Saint Marke and yet he comprehendeth them all afterwards yea after the number of them was increased vnder the name of the paroecia in Alexandria as I haue shewed before And where besides Eusebius I quote Epiphanius and the Councell of Antioch he saith It is to no purpose to cloy the Reader with multitude of allegations concerning the decrees or practises of latter ages Which also is a very friuolous exception seeing it is easie
Alexandria that order was changed Then at the soonest saith the refuter began M. D. superiority of Bishops to creep in c. Which answere if his meaning be as our refuter conceiteth is vnsound For first where he saith the order was changed in Heraclas and Dionysius that is spoken but by ghesse because Ierome nameth them Vpon which coniecture T. C. and H. I. as you haue heard did build their two diuers fancies For Ieromes meaning was not to signifie that the superioritie of Bishops was altered but as I haue shewed that vntill Heraclas and Dionysius who were not Presbyters but Teachers of the schoole in Alexandria the Presbyters euer since S. Marks time did chuse one out of their owne number That which the Refuter addeth is absurd and against Ieromes plaine words Then at the soonest began M. D. superiority of Bishops to creepe in for the superiority I spake of is superiority in degree And Ierome saith that euer from Saint Marke and therefore euen in the Apostles times the BB. had been placed in a higher degree My fift argument is also from the authority of Ierome which yeeldeth a double proofe the former that the superiority of Bishops ouer Presbyters and Presbyters aboue Deacons is an ordinance or tradition apostolicall Secondly that as the high Preist was in degree superiour to the other Preists and they to the Leuits so by an apostolicall ordinance the Bishop is superiour to the Presbyters and the Presbyters to the Deacons That wee may know saith he the apostolicall traditions are taken out of the old testament looke what Aaron and his sonnes and the Leuits were in the Temple the same let the Bishops Preists and Deacons challenge in the Church To this testimony containing two impregnable proofs for the superiority of BB. not onely de facto but also de iure the refuter thought it his wisest course to say nothing To these arguments this may be added That as the new ordination of a Deacon when he was made a Presbyter doth proue that he was aduanced to a higher degree of the ministery euen so when a Presbyter was chosen to be Bishop he was by a new ordination promoâed to the Bishopricke as to a higher degree The two first canons among those which are called the Apostles appoint that a Bishop should be ordained of two or three Bishops but let a Presbyter say they be ordayned of one Bishop and likewise a Deacon and the rest of the clergy Valeriuâ the Bishop dealth with the Primate the Bishop of Carthage by letters intreating him that Augustine who then was Presbyter might be ordained Bishop of Hippo which being obtained Augustine tooke vpon him the care of the Bishopricke maioris loci ãâ¦ã and ordination of a greater place The councell of Sardica taketh order that before a man may be a Bishop he must first performe the ministery of a Reader then of a Deacon then of a Presbyter that so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by euery degree if hee be worthy he may arise ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã vnto the height of the Bishopricke Theadoret testifieth that Iohn Chrysostome hauing been the chiefe of the Presbyters at Antioch a long time oft times might haue been chosen to the Bishopricke which he calleth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Apostolicall presidency but alwaies did flie ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that principality So that though he were ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the chiefe of the Presbyters yet he was no Bishop neither durst he for a long time take vpon him that degree of principality So much of the superiority of Bishops in generall CHAP. III. Shewing wherin the superiority of Bishops did and doth consist and first of the singularity of preeminence Serm. sect 3. page 32. But let vs consider more particularly wherein the superioritie of Bishops did and doth consist c. ad lin a fine 6 THe superiority of Bishops ouer other Ministers I place in three things singularity of preeminence during life the power of ordination and the power of iurisdiction all which I ground on Tit. 1.5 But where I say during life hee saith This addition needed not seeing it is grounded vpon an erroneous conceit of mine owne whereby I charge them as holding the contrary Secondly that it is not proued out of the place alleaged In the former hee sheweth how audacious he is seeing Beza the chiefe patron of the pretended discipline holdeth that the Presidents of the Presbyteries which afterwards as he saith were called Bishoppes ought to be but for a short time and that by course and esteemeth them which had a perpetuall presidenship to be Bishops humane as I haue shewed before The practise also of those Churches where the discipline is vsed doth prooue what their Founders thought was agreeable to Gods word This their conceit is euidently confuted by the Epistles to Titus and to Timothy For seeing they doe confesse that they were the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Churches of Creet and Ephesus it is euident that they continued in this Presidentshippe whiles they liued there For it is absurd to imagine that Titus was sent to Creet and Timothy to Ephesus to be presidents there in their turnes and when their turnes were ended to be subiected to other of the Presbyters there in their course But these things the refuter doth but cauill at by the way For he granteth that Titus had this superioritie which we speake of his maine answer is that Titus was not a Bishop Which afterwards J proue in the Sermon by the common consent of the antient and most approoued Writers of the Church with whose affirmation in a matter of fact if this Refuters deniall shall be weighed in the ballance of an vnpartiall iudgement it will be found as light as vanitie it selfe But of this question more hereafter In the meane time J will but desire the Reader to take this for granted because it cannot be denied that if Titus was Bishop of Creet then Bishops had this threefold superioritie which I speake of Where I commend this order of Church gouernement consisting in the superiority of Bishoppes and inferioritie of other Ministers this graue and learned Refuter maketh a scorne at it saying It is a toy to please children and a gay Epiphonema wanting a note of exclamation he would haue said acclamation to grace it The which argueth his spite against the gouernment of Bishoppes rather then his might being neither able to endure the iust commendation of episcopall gouernment nor yet to confute it For what hath he but trifles and toies to obiect against it For where hee saith I begge the question supposing ech Church to be a diocesse the conscience of the Reader I hope also of the Refuter will testifie that what I suppose in this behalfe hath beene before sufficiently prooued Besides those with whom I principally contend in this point doe confesse the Churches indued with power of
Presbyters as this Bishop also did vnder his presence to do those things which are not done but by Bishops but that he should call for a Bishop to whom he may commit that which is to be done in the Church But if we must talke of toyes what a toy was this that all these things which I haue alleaged being duely considered diuers of our disciplinarian Ministers haue renounced their ordination which they had receiued from a Bishop that they might be ordained by such as themselues And thus you haue heard how easilie he hath answered the Councils by vouchsafing them no answere Now let vs weigh his answeres to the testimonies of Ephiphanius and Ierome His common answere to both is such as vnlearned yet obstinate Papists vse to giue that though they cannot tell how to answere our arguments yet there be learned men which can There be Lectures of the parââie of Ministers one day to be published which will shew the weaknesse of Epiphanius his reasons and there is another learned man that hath answered the allegation out of Ierome Why but hath the Refuter no answeres of his owne that he referreth vs thus to other men yes no doubt such answeres as his are neuer to seeke First he wrangleth with Ephiphanius and then with me for alledging him He telleth Epiphanius that he beggeth the question Alas good man he wanted the Refuters acumen in disputing And what was the question I pray you was it not the same which is now betweene you and vs whether Bishops and other Ministers be equall as Aërius held This assertion of Aërius Ephiphanius disproueth by two maine arguments as I do yours prouing that BB. are superiour to other Presbyters both in the power of ordination and iurisdiction His former argument may thus be concluded That order which hath power by ordination to beget Fathers to the Church is superiour to that which hath not that power The order of Bishops hath power by ordination to beget Fathers to the Church which the order of Presbyters is not able to doe Therefore the order of Bishops is superiour to the order of Presbyters Call you this begging of the question Yea but Aërius denied that Bishops had power more then Presbyters to beget Fathers How is this proued he said they were equall It followeth not Aerius being a giddie-headed fellow because he perceiued the Presbyters to doe the same things that the Bishops did in some particulars by an insufficient enumeration or induction concludeth that therfore there was no difference betweene them The parts of Aërius his induction concerne the superioritie and preeminence of the Ministerie in generall aboue the people noting those things whch be common to Bishops with other ministers as their imposing hands on the penitent their giuing of Baptisme their executing of Diuine seruice their sitting in the chaire or pulpit to instruct the people but considered not the respect which was between the Bishop and the Presbyters themselues Epiphanius therefore sheweth that although it were true that Bishops and Presbyters did the same things which argue their Preeminence in common aboue the Laity yet this hindreth not but that Bishops were superiour to the Presbyters and this Epiphanius proueth by two instances which Aërius himselfe could not denie because the Bishops were ordainers of the Presbyters hauing the power of ordination of Presbyters and Deacons which Presbyters had not the second because the Bishops were also gouernours and judges ouer Presbyters The Refuter therefore should rather haue suspected the shallownesse of his own judgement then haue laid such an imputation vpon Epiphanius What then doth he answere to Epiphanius his syllogisme He denieth in effect though perhaps he intend not so much both the proposition and the assumption and first the assumption For where Epiphanius saith that Presbyters were not able to beget Fathers he asketh What hindreth them but the vsurpation of Bishops In which words two things are implied The first that the power of ordination which the BB. haue is vsurped by them The second that Presbyters haue as good right to ordaine as they But you will say how are those things proued you must be intreated to take them vpon his word for prooâe he hath none and yet can he by no meanes abide begging of the question But such is the boldnesse of our new Disciplinarians that they doubt not to prefer their new-fangled opinions self-set assertions which haue no ground nor warrant in the word of God or true reason before the judgement and practize of all the ancient Fathers of all the approued Councils of all true Christian Churches of former times We proue that the Apostles had the right of ordaining that this right was from them deriued to their substitutes and to their successors to their substitutes as to Timothe in Ephesus and Titus in Creet to Mark at Alexandria to Polycarpus at Smyrna to Euodius at Antioch to Linus at Rome c. to their successors as to Simon the sonne of Cleophas the successor of Saint Iames at Ierusalem c. that from these substitutes and first successors of the Apostles the same was deriued to their successors which without all doubt were the BB. of the seuerall Churches And hereunto we adde the generall consent of the Fathers and Councils many of them affirming and confirming not one I say not one denying the superioritie of BB. in ordaining the perpetuall practize of all true Christian Churches not one approued instance to be giuen to the contrarie and yet he shameth not to auouch the Bishops right in ordaining to be but vsurpation As touching Presbyters that they haue right to ordaine we see no warrant in the word but rather the contrarie no testimonie of Fathers no decree of Councils for it but many testimonies and decrees against it no approued example to warrant it how then could he say the Presbyters haue as good right to ordain as BB But because he shal not cary the matter without proofes this I will offer him that if he can bring any one pregnant testimonie or example out of the Scriptures any approued authoritie or example out of the ancient Fathers Councils or Histories of the Church prouing that the Presbyters had by and of themselues an ordinarie power or right to ordaine ministers J meane Presbyters and Deacons I will promise to subscribe to his assertion But if he cannot do this as I know he cannot then let him for shame giue place vnto the truth Againe whereas Epiphanius in the assumption saith that BB. beget Fathers meaning that they haue power to ordaine ministers of the word and sacraments or as he expoundeth himselfe teachers he fondly cauilleth at Epiphanius words saying that ministers are no spirituall Fathers vntill they beget children vnto God Why but their calling is to be spirituall Fathers ordained of God to this end that they may by the lauer of regeneration ministery of the Gospell beget children vnto God when Stephen
and were Pastors thereof And secondly because if I prooue they gouerned the Presbyters who were the gouernours of the seuerall flockes then much more their iurisdiction did extend to the flockes themselues Where he saith J must prooue that the censuring the people is their onely right I answer it is sufficient to prooue their superioritie in iurisdiction which I intended and that none in the Diocese doth exercise externall iurisdiction but from the B. and vnder him A notable euidence whereof wee haue in Siluanus the famous Bishop of Troas who perceiuing those of his Clergie to make gaine of mens suits appointed others whom he thought good to bee the Judges of mens causes whereby he got himselfe great renowne And as for the power of binding and loosing in the court of conscience it is common to Bishops with all Presbyters howsoeuer in respect of the vse and exercise thereof they are subiect to the Bishop Where hee saith that Bishops haue their iurisdiction jure humano because they haue it not potestate ordinis by the power of their order he seemeth to harpe vpon something which hee doth not well vnderstand For although the Schoolemen and Papists teach that to the power of order belongeth a character and grace which God alone doth giue in their ordination yet they grant also that the jurisdiction which is conferred to them by the will of man doth also mediately proceede from God And howsoeuer it be true that Bishops with vs are assisted iure humano to exercise their publike and externall iurisdiction and to iudge in causes ecclesiasticall by the Kings ecclesiasticall Law yet this doth not hinder but that they are authorized thereunto iure Apostolico as is manifest by the Apostles themselues by Timothie and Titus and all the ancient Bishops of the Primitiue Church who by authoritie deriued to them from the Apostles did exercise the ecclesiasticall censures ouer the people and clergy before there were any lawes of Christian Magistrates to authorise or assist them thereunto But he is pleased to see how I proue the BB. to haue been superior to the Presbyters in iurisdiction though not pleased that I speake in generall of BB. for here his Coccysme againe hath place that I should haue proued the Angels of the seauen Churches to haue had iurisdiction ouer ministers vnder them Which is a miserable poore shift indeed Was not this the thing propounded to be proued that the BB. of the primitiue Church were superior in iurisdiction doth not himselfe confesse that the ancient Churches were all of one Constitution And is not the proofe of the generall a proofe of the particular also If I should say these seauen Angels had this iurisdiction some such exception of singularity in them would with as great reason be taken as against Timothy and Titus But when I proue that BB. in generall had this superiority I doe more then proue that these seauen Bishops had it The reason which I vse is an induction The Bishop had superiority in iurisdiction both to the Presbyters that were parts of the Presbytery assisting him and to the Pastors assigned to seuerall cures Therefore he had superior iurisdiction to all the Presbyters in the diocesse But the Refuter maketh me reason thus If the Bishoppes had maiority of rule both ouer the Presbyters that assisted them and also ouer the Pastors allotted to their seuerall charges then had they power of iurisdiction But they had maiority of rule ouer the Presbyters assisting them and the Pastors c. Therefore they had power of iurisdiction Why Needes this to be proued that Bishops had power of iurisdiction which euery parish Minister hath Or doth the Refuter deny that Bishops had power of iurisdiction Or if he cannot but grant the conclusion what a folly is it to wrangle with the premises And yet for feare of granting the conclusion first hee pickes a quarrell with the proposition For though they had maiority of rule c. yet wâll it not follow they had sole power of iurisdiction Whence commeth this sole I pray you that hath so oft been foisted in I feare greatly from an euill conscience resolued to oppugne and deface the truth Cannot the B. be superior to Presbyters in the power of iurisdiction vnlesse they haue as none haue the sole power of iurisdiction Then hee flatly denieth the assumption But what reason doth he giue of his deniall what euidence of truth doth he bring to proue the contrary Alas he troubleth not himselfe that way all his care and endeuour is to find out starting holes and euasions to elude the truth I proue first in generall that BB. had maiority of rule or superiority of iurisdiction ouer the Presbyters euen those of the City who were the chiefe Then in particular in the next section The former I proue first by the testimony of Ierome who confesseth that of necessity a power eminent aboue all and admitting no partner at least no compeere is to be granted to the B. To this besides the poore euasion of Ieromes minority and being vnder age before answered he saith Ierome speaketh of such BB. as hee acknowledgeth to ãâã no warrant in the scriptures and to haue beene brought into the Câârch by occasâââ of schisme after the Apostles times Both which I haue before proued and shall againe proue to be manifestly false Doth Ierome deny BB. to haue warrant in the scriptures besides the places of the new testament often alledged call to mind those two on Psalme 45. and Esay 60. Where he calleth them principes ecclesia by warrant of those scriptures Doth Ierome say they were not brought into the Church vntill after the Apostles times doth not he confesse Iames Markâ Timothy Titus and diuers others to haue been BB. in the Apostles times and that euer since S. Marke there haue beene BB. at Alexandria Secondly I alledge Ignatius whom themselues oft alledge for their Presbyteries But see what hard hap some men haue he whose authority is so good when he is alleaged by them is but a counterfeit when he is produced by me And yet those who suspect fiue of his epistles because Eusebius and Ierome mention but seauen acknowledge this ad Trallianos to be none of the fiue which are suspected but one of the seauen which are receiued This âuasion should not haue bin vsed if he could tell how to answer his testimony otherwise Yes that he can For though Ignatius doe say that a B. is such an one as holdeth or manageth the whole power and authority aboue all yet that proueth not the sole iurisdiction of BB. God amend that soule that so oft foisteth in that sole besides my meaning and my words And yet truely Ignatius saith faire for the sole power For if the B. haue the whole power and authority aboue all why may he not be said to haue the sole power and authority ouer all what saith the refuter he alone
authoritie ouer them or reprooued for suffering them And if they were not Presbyters because they called themselues Apostles be like they were better men Js it not then against sense to deny that Presbyters were subiect to the ceÌsure of the Bishop because he imagineth these who were subiect to their censure were better men Whatsoeuer they were whether Presbyters or in a higher degree whether of the Bishops presbytery or not whether of his diocese originally or come from other places it is plaine that they were Teachers and that being in their diocese the Bishops had authoritie either to suffer them to preach or to inhibit them to retaine them in the Communion of their Church or to expell them My other reason that BB. had correctiue power ouer the Presbyters is because Timothe and Titus had such power ouer the Presbyters of Ephesus and Creet as I proue by most euident testimonies out of Pauls epistles written to them and Epiphanius his inference on these words to Timothe Against a Presbyter receiue not thou an accusation but vnder two or three witnesses c. Therefore saith he Presbyters are subiect to the B. as to their Iudge To my inference out of S. Paul he answereth that Timothe and Titus were not BB. and that I shall neuer prooue they were I desire therefore the Reader to suspend his iudgement vntill hee come to the proofes on both sides and if he shall not find my proofes for their being BB. to be better then his to the contrarie let him beleeue me in nothing In the meane time let him know that if the generall consent of the ancient Fathers deserue any credit for a matter of fact then must it be granted that Timothe and Titus were Bishops Against Epiphanius hee obiecteth that hee tooke for granted that which Aerius constantly denied But this is one of his presumptuous and malapeit conceits for when Epiphanius prooueth against Aerius that Bishops were superiour to other Presbyters because Timothe was taking it for granted that Timothe was a Bishoppe what moderate or reasonable man would think otherwise but that this assertion that Timothe was a Bishoppe was such a receiued truth as hee knew Aërius himselfe would not deny it Serm. sect 12. pag. 50. But consider also the Presbyters as seuered in place from the Bishop and affixed to their seuerall Cures c. to offenders pag. 52. My first Argument to proue the iurisdiction of Bishops ouer Presbyters assigned to their seuerall cures is that when any place in the country was voide the Bishoppe assigned a Presbyter to them out of his Presbytery which as hath beene said before Caluin confesseth and is an euident argument as to proue the iurisdiction of the Bishop ouer the country parishes and Presbyters thereof so to demonstrate that the Bishops were Diocesan This reason because hee could not answere he would as his maner is perswade the Reader that it is needlesse Secondly I alledge that these Presbyters might doe nothing but by authority from the Bishoppe from whome they had their iurisdiction and therefore were subiect to him as their ruler Thirdly that they were subiect to his iudgement and censures These two points with their proofes hee passeth ouer as if hee made hast to the reason following which he supposeth to be the weakest For this is his maner to passe by in breuity or in silence the best proofes and if he meet with any thing which seemeth to him weaker then the rest there he resteth like aâlie in a raw place But by his leaue I will insist a little on these two points And first for the former point in generall the ancient Councell of Laodicea hauing ordained that Country Bishops might do nothing without the consent of the B. in the City in like maner commaundeth the Presbyters to doe nothing ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã without the consent of the B. The same hath Damasus who hauing spoken of Country Bishops in like manner saith this must be held concerning Presbyters vt sine iussu proprij Episcopi nihilagant that they do nothing without the commaundement of their owne B. To omit those actions that belonged to the power of order which I haue already proued they could not performe without licence and authority from the Bishop consider how in respect of their persons those of the Clergy were subiect to the Bishop to be disposed by him First hee had authority to promote theÌ from one degree to another as he saw cause insomuch that if they refused to bee promoted by him they were to loose that degree from which they would not be remoued Secondly they might not remoue from one Diocese to another without his consent If they did he had authority to call them backe Or if any other Bishop should ordaine any of his Clerks without his coÌsent or letters dimissory and in that Church preferre him to a higher degree his own B. might reuerse that ordination bring him again to his own Church Con. Nic. c. 16. Arel 2. c. 13. Sard. c 15. Constant. in Trullo c. 17. Venet. c. 10 Epaun. c. 5. Thirdly they might not so much as trauel from one City to another without the B. licence his commendatory letters This was decreed by the councell of Laodicea and diuers others as Con. Agath c. 38. Epaunens c. 6. Aurelian 3. c. 15. Venet. c. 5. Turon c. 11.12 Hereby the Reader will easily discerne that the whole Clergy of euery Diocese was subiect to the B. as to their Ruler And that he was their iudge it is euident Cyprian testifieth that heresies and schismes arise hence that the Bishop is not obeied nec vâus in Ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos ad tempus index vice Christi cogitatur neither is one B. in the Church and one iudge for the time in the stead of Christ acknowledged First in their controuersies for when Clerks are at variance the B shal bring them to concord either by reason or by his power If there be a controuersie betweene Clerks saith the Councel of Chalcedon they shal not forsake their owne B. but first their cause shall be tried before him And if in their sutes they thought themselues wronged in their Bishoppes court then were they either to seâke to the next BB if the matter could not be differred to the next Synode or else they might appeale to the Metropolitane or Prouinciall Synode But that the B. should be ouerruled controlled or censured by his owne Presbytery it was neuer heard of vnlesse it were by way of insurrection or rebellion Secondly in causes criminall that the Presbyters and others of the Clergy were subiect to the BB. censures it is euery where almost in the ancient Canons and Councels either expressed or presupposed If any Presbyter or Deacon saith the ancient Canon be excommunicated by the B. he may not be receiued by another
therefore as the first point was bootlesse so this last is needlesse If he like not of this assumption he cannot make this conclusion which notwithstanding he maketh if he will assume that they were not sufficientlie cleared as he hath borne the reader in hand all this while then he must needs conclude against himselfe that therefore these other arguments were needfull The truth is though the former points were so sufficientlie cleared as that the refuter had nothing whereby to auoid the euident truth thereof conuicting his conscience but beggerly shifts and sophisticall euasions notwithstanding for so much as some of them with whom I had to deale are so lead with a spirit of contradiction as if they were in the contradiction of Chore the Lord open their eyes and turne their hearts I therefore thought it needfull for the more full conuiction of the gainesayers to confirme by other arguments the doctrine which I collected out of the text But where I had beene to blame for not setting downe this collection plainely were it not a point of Art sometimes to conceale Art the reader is to coy the refuters head for making so plaine a collection for his own conuiction as they say for gathering a rod for his own taile The collection being reduced into a sillogism standeth thus The calling of such as are here meant by the Angels is lawfull and good Diocesan BB. such as our be are here meant by the Angels Therefore the calling of Diocesan BB. such as ours are is lawfull and good The proposition is such as no man of vnderstanding or conscience will make question of saith the refuter we aske no more but to haue this assumption confirmed that the Angels were such and then you shall not need other arguments to proue this conclusion But the assumption say I is that which in the Sermon and in this defence thereof hitherto hath beene proued how sufficiently I referre to the reader and I appeale to the refuter This therefore may stand for the first argument I proceed to that which was expressed in the Sermon omitting what else he hath in this section as being either refuted before or vnworthy to be mentioned now Serm. Sect. 2. pag. 55. All the question now a daies is of the lawfulnes c. to pag 56. l. 1. All the question saith he of the lawfulnesse had beene ended before this time if the Angels of the Churches had beene proued to be such BB. But say I the Angels of the Churches were the BB. of the primitiue Church who in the former part of the Sermon were proued to be such and those proofes in this defence haue hitherto beene confirmed in such sort as I hope the refuter will acknowledge himselfe to be satisfied if not yet it is but folly to multiply words concerning the proofes of the former assertion for they must stand vntill the refuter or some other of more strength shall take vpon him to assaile them And I doubt not but they will stand after they haue beene assailed My argument therefore standeth thus What function hath diuine institution and approbation is lawfull and good The function of BB. such as were described in the former part of the Sermon hath diuine institution as being Angels sent of God and approbation as being Starres which Christ holdeth in his right hand Therefore the function of such BB. is lawfull and good To the assumption he hath nothing to answere besides the bare deny all thereof but that which already he hath repeated three or foure times since he entred into this fift point that diocesan BB. are not meant by the Angels and Starres and chargeth me as though I thought it enough to affirme it would haue my readers to take it vpon my bare word when the thing which I haue proued hitherto hath beene only this that the Angels or BB. of the primitiue Church were such as in the former assertion wer described But the assumption I proue in the residue of the sermon first by consequeÌce then directly By consequence in the next section Serm. Sect. 3. pag. 56. for what function or gouernment is of Apostolicall institution that is to be acknowledged a diuine ordinance in respect of the first institution as hauing God the author thereof The Episcopall function or gouernment by BB. is of Apostolicall institution Therefore it is a diuine ordinance c. to pag. 61. l. 2. The proposition is acknowledged not onely by Beza who saith if it proceeded from the Apostles I would be bold to ascribe it wholy as all other Apostolicall ordinances to the institution of God but also by the refuter himselfe as needing no proofe The assumption I proued by three arguments wherein I proceeded as it were by degrees two whereof saith the refuter are needlesse as if still he held it superfluous to bring more arguments then one I confesse that any one of these cords are strong enough to bind a stronger man then this refuter yet I thought it not needlesse to vse three knowing that as Salomon saith a three-fold cord is not easily broken The first of the three I thus propounded That gouernment which was generally and perpetually vsed in all Christian Churches in the first three hundred yeares after Christ and his Apostles and was not ordayned by generall Councils was vndoubtedly of Apostolicall institution This proposition I proued first by two testimonies of Augustine whereunto might be added the like testimonies out of Tertulian Constatid ab Apostolis traditum quod apud Ecclesias Apostolorum fuerit sacrosanctum T. C. saith the example of the Apostles and generall practise of the Church vnder their gouernment euen without a commandement draweth a necessitie Secondly By reason shewing that both it is incredible that all the godly Fathers and Christian Churches would abolish that gouernment which was ordayned by Christ and his Apostles and also impossible that a gouernment not receiued from the Apostles nor ordained by Councils should at once be set vp in all parts of the Christian world But the refuter saith I did not need to proue the proposition for though such a change might be possible yet it is so vnlikly that it is against both Christianity ciuility to suspect that there was any such for which grant though he could doe no other I thinke my selfe as much beholding to him as if he had granted the cause But thereupon saith he we may boldly inferre that if in the Apostles times the gouernment was in the hands of the presbitery it continued in the Church along time after their decease from which proposition I may boldly and truely assume conclude that after the Apostles times the gouernment was not in the hands of such presbiteries as the disciplinarians speake of therefore neither in the Apostles times The assumption consisteth of two parts the former that the gouernment of the Churches by such BB. was generally and
61. Now I proceede to the second degree ascending to the Apostles times from whence in the second place I argue thus That gouernment which euen in the Apostles times was vsed in the Apostolicall Churches and was not contradicted by them was vndoubtedly of Apostolicall institution c. ad pag. 65. WHere I take this proposition for granted namely of the aduersaries he saith I reckon without mine host yet confesseth it to be true according to their opinion who hold there may be but one gouernment in the Church and that instituted by the Apostles which is the generall opinion of the Disciplinarians confessed in effect by himselfe Pag. 130. Yea but I say afterward in fauour of the Disciplinarians therein clawing a Churle according to the homely prouerbe as appeareth by this refuter that though the gouernment by BB. is the best yet we doubt not but where this may not be had others may be admitted neither doe we deny but that siluer is good though gold be better If therefore saith he there be diuers kindes of gouernment which may be admitted then might there be a gouernment in the Churches in the Apostles times not contradicted by them which yet was not of Apostolicall institution whereto I answere first that I did not say simply that other gouernments may be admitted besides that which was ordained by the Apostles but where that cannot be had But whiles the Apostles liued that which they ordayned might be had Againe if any in the Apostles times should of their owne heads haue altered the forme of gouernment established by them and consequently haue set vp a worse it cannot be thought that either the Apostles would haue allowed it or that all Churches would haue retayned that gouernment vvhich they had not receiued from the Apostles Besides it is incredible that in the Apostles times any forme of gouernment was vsed in the Apostolicall Churches but that which was ordayned by the Apostles and therefore the proposition is more then manifest Now followeth the assumption vvhereof are two parts the one that the gouernment by BB. was vsed euen in the Apostles times the other that it was not contradicted by them The former I proue by two arguments the one because the seauen Angels were in the Apostles times and they were BB. for the substance of their calling such as ours be and therefore such BB. were in the Apostles time Ere the refuter will answere to the matter of the assumption he propoundeth two things worthy his obseruation the one that I confine the number of the Angels to seauen which neither the text doth saith he nor himselfe euer did till now Did not I before obserue in the Sermon that there was but one Angell in each of the seauen Churches and doth not the text say that the seauen Starres are the Angels of the seauen Churches I haue spoken of this point before onely let the refuter call to mind this argument among the rest The text saith the Starres were seauen The text saith that the Angels be the Starres Therefore the text saith the Angels be seauen The other is that I shunne the terme Diocesan in which notwithstanding the whole question consisteth for no man doubteth that the gouernment was by BB. in the Apostles times seeing that both ministers and ruling Elders were called BB. doth he not speak against the light of his owne conscience when he saith I auoid the name Diocesan seeing in expresse termes I said they were for the substance of their calling such as ours be If I had onely said Diocesan he might haue excepted in behalfe of the learneder sort of Disciplinarians that they doubted not but that the Angels were superintendents of the City and countrey adioyning but all the question would they say is of the superiority whether they had a singular preheminence for terme of life a superiority in degree a maiority of power in respect of ordination and iurisdiction when as therefore I say that for the substance of their calling they were such BB. as ours are I doe say not onely that they were Diocesan but also that they were superiour to other ministers in degree c. But whence I pray you hath the refuter this confidence so boldly to affirme that their ruling Elders were called BB. Caluin and M. Trauers c. confesse that BB. signifie onely preaching Elders and are your Lay-elders now become BB the people may haue ioy of such guides that cease not to broach such fansies After he hath played a little vvith the assumption hee plainely denieth it what thinke you saith he M. D. bringeth to proue it Nothing saith the refuter but that which hath already beene answeared if that were true yet that nothing is more then the refuter will euer be able to disproue and that is this that the seauen Angels were BB. all doe confesse that they were such BB. as ours be for the substance of their calling I proued in the first foure points of the Sermon yea but saith he I haue proued that for the substance of their calling they were but ordinarie ministers let the reader therefore in Gods name iudge secundum allegata probata according to the euidence which hath beene brought on both sides and where he saith I quickely haue done with the scriptures because they indeed afford but slender shew c. I answere first that I had no reason to insist longer in this proofe vnlesse I would haue repeated the former part of the Sermon againe was it not sufficient to referre them to the former part where this point was professedly handled neither is he ignorant but that in demonstration of the latter part of the assumption I bring other proofes out of the scripture But faine he would disgrace our cause with the reader as though we had no proofes in scripture which ill becommeth him that hath not one sillable in the scriptures or other monuments of antiquity to proue their Presbiterian discipline But it is vntrue that I bring nothing to proue the assumption but what was before answered For I bring two other arguments to proue that these seauen Angels were such BB. The former though this great analyser either did not or would not see it that two of these Angels were Polycarpus and Onesimus Polycarpus the B. of Smyrna and Onesimus the B. of Ephesus and what is said of two is to be vnderstood of the rest That Polycarpe was in these times the B. of Smyrna I proued by the testimonie of the Church of Smyrna testifying that he had beene the B. of the Catholicke Church in Smyrna And of Bullinger who noteth that Polycarpe had beene B. of Smyrna thirteene yeares before the reuelation was giuen and so continued for many yeares after Whereunto may be added those authenticall testimonies which after are alledged that he was made B. of Smyrna by S. Iohn That Onesimus was B. of Ephesus at this time I proue by the testimonie of
the first Bishop of Ierusalem and setteth downe the same succession of the Bishops from Iames vnto Hilarion noting the yeeres of the seuerall Emperours reigne vnto which they continued Bishops The same concerning Iames is witnessed by Chrysostome by Ambrose on the Epistle to the Galathians Paul saw Iames at Ierusalem because there he had beene ordayned B. of the Apostles By Dorotheus by Augustine and to omit all other testimonies of particular men by the generall Councill of Constantinople affirming that Iames who according to the flesh was brother of Christ our Lord was the first to whom the throne of the Church of Ierusalem was entrusted § 4. These testimonies for a matter of story me thinks should suffice let vs then see what the refuter obiecteth First that which he obiected against the consequence is more direct against the antecedent that is that if the Apostles ordayned Iames B. of Ierusalem then they gaue him the Episcopal power but they gaue him no power which the Lord had not before inuested in his person as an Apostle therefore they did not ordayne him B. I answere by distinction the power of order if I may so terme it Iames had before as those who are Bishops sine titulo but the power of iurisdiction was committed to him when he was designed Bishop of Ierusalem and had the Church of Iewry in particular assigned to him For though our Sauiour Christ bad the Apostles to goe into all the world yet his meaning was not that euery one should trauerse the whole world For if euery one had been to trauell ouer all the world great inconuenience disorder and confusion would haue followed thereof Therefore the Apostles who by our Sauiour were indefinitely appointed to goe into all the world by the direction of the holy Ghost before their dispersion from Ierusalem deuided the world among themselues in such sort that one being assigned to one part another to another euery man walked vvithin his owne compasse and according to his owne Canon or rule and did not vsually build vpon the foundation of another nor enter one into anothers labours Now as they were carefull to prouide for other parts of the world so vvould they not all forsake Iewry and Ierusalem but assigne one of their company to take charge thereof Who though he wer an Apostle yet being assigned to the peculiar Church of one nation might not vnfitly be called as he was indeed the B. thereof And hence it is that although the Apostles vvere commanded to goe into all the world yet Iames stayed at Ierusalem vntill his death Secondly he taketh exception against the euidence which I brought first because it is not testified in the Acts of the Apostles that they made Iames B of Ierusalem As though the Apostles did nothing but what is recorded in the Actes and as though vve should deny credit to the ancientest writers and such as be of best credit reporting vvith one consent a matter of fact not registred in the Acts. But though the act of making him B. be not set downe in the Acts yet the story so speaketh of his continuance at Ierusalem of his assistance of Presbyters of his presidency in that Councill vvhere Peter and Paul were present that it may appeare their testimonie is true and agreable to the scriptures who haue reported him to be B. there The next exception is that I produce none of the Apostles Disciples to testifie it And what one of them whose writings are extant could I alledge vvhom you vvould not reiect as counterfeit Clemens the Disciple of the Apostles not only vvriteth an Epistle to Iames translated by Ruffinus calling him the Bishop of Bishops gouerning the holy Church of the Hebrewes in Ierusalem but also in his booke of recognitions translated likewise by the same Ruffinus and dedicated to Iames the brother of our Lord calleth him vsually the B. yea the cheife of Bishops which titles how the Pope can disgest I know not But suppose that none of the disciples of the Apostles in those few writings of theirs which be extant had giuen testimony to this matter were not the testimony of Hegesippus and Clemens who both liued in the very next age to the Apostles sufficient It is not to be doubted but that Iames his being B. of Ierusalem was a thing as notorious and as certainely knowne among Christians in those times as there is no doubt made among vs now that D. Cranmer was Archbishop of Canterbury in King Henry the eights time In the third place he would seeke to descredit all Historyes in generall because the most learned B. of Ely in a Sermon preached when he was of Chichester truely noteth what might be obiected against historians of latter times But Eusebius is free as I suppose from that imputation and much more Hegesippus and Clemens in whom also that cauill of his hath no place that they spake of Bishops which had beene before according to the condition of them in their times For such was the estate of Ierusalem and of the Iewes in their times as that the condition of the Bishops there was rather impayred then increased Neither were they nor any other whom I cited so simple but that they knew as well as the refuter that Iames was an Apostle neither did they know any reason which the refuter would seeme to know why his being an Apostle should hinder his being the Apostle or Angell of that Church For so were the Bishops at the first called Fourthly and lastly he giueth all my witnesses the lye saying playnely that Iames was not Bishop of Ierusalem neither could be so that their testimonie is not onely false but impossible But how is this proued forsooth because two or three late writers worthy men I confesse D. Whitakers Bishop Iewell D. Raynolds doe deny that he was Bishop there If they all had denyed ât as they did not yet without any disparagement to them the affirmation of so many ancient writers in a matter of fact agreeable also with the scriptures proued by the succession of the Bishops of Ierusalem remayning yet in diuers good authors vpon record besides other euidence may ouerweigh their denyall But what if they all did not deny it to D. Raynolds I know not what to say the refuter onely maketh a shew with his name neither alledging his words nor quoting the place He citeth Bishop Iewels defence of the Apology pag 300. telling Harding out of Clemens Epist. 1. that Iames was no otherwise B. of Ierusalem then ouer all the other Churches where is no such matter Indeed in the 300. page of his reply vnto Harding in the fourth article I find the first Epistle of Clement alledged but Bishop Iewel misalledged and falsified For hauing maintayned against Harding that he was not able to proue the Pope to haue beene called in ancient times the vniuersall B. he sheweth that
as much in effect yea and in expresse termes had been giuen to others as to the B. of Alexandria called by some the iudge of the whole world to the B. of Constantinople called vniuersall or oecumenicall Patriarch to Iames the B. of Ierusalem Heare B. Iewels words Clement vnto Iames B. of Ierusalem writeth thus Clemens Iacobo fratri Domini Episcopo Episcoporum regenti Hebraeorum sanctam Ecclesiam Hierosolymis sed omnes Ecclesias quae vbique Dei prouidentia fundatae sunt Clement vnto Iames the brother of our Lord the B. of BB. gouerning the holy Church of the Iewes at Ierusalem and besides all the Churches that be founded euery where by Gods prouidence These be all his words sauing that hee saith if Harding had so good euidence for the B. of Rome he would not thus haue passed it ouer in silence Which if you compare with the refuters allegation you may well wonder at his dealing Doth not B. Iewel himselfe in plaine termes call Iames the B. of Ierusalem and that which is said of his gouerning other Churches is not his saying but Clements if it be truely printed in the copies which B. Iewel did follow Neither would it follow of those words alledged as they are that he was no otherwise B. of Ierusalem then ouer all the other Churches The B. of Constantinople though he were called vniuersall or oecumenicall Patriarch yet was he the Diocesan B. of the Church of Constantinople alone and that was his peculiar Diocese So if Clement had meant that Iames had beene the gouernour of all Churches yet the Church of Ierusalem was his Diocese wherein Simon and the rest of the Bishops of Ierusalem did succeed him and thereof he had his denomination The Pope himselfe though he claime to be vniuersall Bishop yet is he specially Bishop of Rome and his cathedrall Church is the Church of Laterane of which he is Bishop Howbeit in the edition of that Epistle set forth by Sichardus and printed at Basill together with his recognitions anno 1526. we read thus Sed ominibus Ecclesiis quae vbique sunt By which copy if it be true Iames is not signified to be the gouernour of all Churches but Clements Epistle is directed not onely to Iames but to all Churches c. Yea but D. Whitakers by eight arguments doth proue that he neither was nor might be B. of Ierusalem I promise you this maketh a faire shew if it be true But this also is a manifest vntruth For the arguments that he vseth are to proue that Peter was not Bishop of Rome Yea but the same are as effectuall to proue that Iames might not be Bishop of Ierusalem and therefore to these eight arguments he doth referre me But this also is vntrue For six of these eight are such as the refuter with all his sophistry cannot with any shew of truth applie to St. Iames. For his third argument taken from Peters long absence from Rome after he was according to their opinion B. there cannot be applyed to Iames who was resident at Ierusalem as the Actes besides other witnesses testifie Nor the fourth that if Peter were B. then had he two Bishopricks For he had beene by their owne doctrine as well B. of Antioch as of Rome But no such thing can be obiected against Iames. Nor the fift that whiles Peter liued Linus was B. of Rome so he was indeed by the appointment of Peter and Paul as Irenaeus teacheth But whiles Iames liued none was B. of Ierusalem but he But after he was dead Simon was chosen to be his successor Nor the sixt that the authors which mention Peters going to Rome note this to haue beene the end not to be B. there but to oppose Simon Magus But the cause of Iames his staying and continuing at Ierusalem was to take charge of that Church which during his life had no other B. Nor the seauenth that if Peter were B. of Rome then would he haue professed himselfe the Apostle of the Gentiles neither would he haue conuenanted with Paul that he and Barnabas should take care of the Gentiles but himselfe and Iames and Iohn of the Circumcision For Iames as he is said to haue beene B. of Ierusalem so hee professeth himselfe to haue beene the Apostle of the Iewes For besides that he writeth his Epistle to the Iewes he and Peter and Iohn gaue the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas that themselues would be for the Circumcision And for as much as Peter and Iohn trauelled to other parts Iames alwayes abiding at Ierusalem it is more then probable that the Church of Iewry was peculiarly assigned to him Neither is it for nothing that both in the 15. of the Acts he is noted as President or chiefe in that Councill and in the 2. Chapter to the Galathians Paul speaking of such Apostles as were at Ierusalem he giueth the precedence to Iames before Peter and Iohn Nor the eight for they that say Peter was Bishop of Rome say Paul was also meaning that they were both founders of the Church but Linus was the B. to whom they both committed the Church as Irenaeus saith But they which say Iames was B. of Ierusalem mention him alone Neither was he founder of that Church but Christ himselfe who was the minister of Circumcision But it will be said the two first reasons of the eight doe proue that Iames was not B. of Ierusalem That commeth now to be tryed The first reason is this Bishops haue certaine Churches assigned to them The Apostles had not certain churches assigned to them Therefore the Apostles were not Bishops The assumption is to be distinguished according to the times For when Christ gaue them their indefinite commission goe into all the world hee assigned no Prouinces nor parts of the world to any Notwithstanding before they were to goe abroad he willeth them to stay at Ierusalem till they had receiued the holy Ghost who should direct them what to doe and we may be assured that he did not direct them to goe confusedly but distinctly some to one part of the world some to another Howbeit when they ceased to trauaile in their olde dayes and rested in some chiefe Citie where they had laboured they were reputed Bishops of that place where they rested though some of them perhaps were not properly Bishops And this is true of Peter and of the most of the Apostles But herein Iames differeth from the rest for to him at the first before their dispersion the Church of Ierusalem was assigned Neither did he trauaile as the rest from one Country to another being not confined to any one Prouince though in the end of their trauels some of them made choise of some speciall place where they rested exercising no doubt a patriarchall authority as it were in that circuit where they had trauailed and planted Churches Thus Iohn rested at Ephesus and others in other places That
to a higher degree aboue the rest of the Apostles because the Apostleship being the highest degree of the Ministerie this was the greatest honour to haue a priority and precedence in that degree Yea but I denie him to haue beene B. when I say that whereas before the Apostles had ioyntly gouerned the Church of Ierusalem that charge which before they had in coÌmon they being now to depart coÌmitted to him in particular but their charge was of Apostles not of Bishops As though the charge of Apostles is not by the holy Ghost called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Bishopricke and as though Iames who before was an Apostle absolutely did not by this designement become the Apostle of the Iewes Neither was this a clipping of his wings as it pleaseth the Refuter to speake more then of the rest of the Apostles when by mutual consent euery mans Prouince as it were circuit and charge was assigned to him But I spake not without booke deliuering mine owne conceipts as the Refuter euery where doth but what I said I receiued from their owne and almost onely Author Ierome which he receiued also from Hegesippus Hegesippus saith he who was neare the Apostles times in the fift booke of his Commentaries speaking of Iames saith Iames the brother of our Lord sirnamed the iust receiued the Church of Ierusalem post Apostolos after the Apostles As touching the other point though the Refuter would scarsely vouchsafe to touch it as being impertinent notwithstanding it not onely confuteth the conceipt of those who hold Bishops were but for a short time and not for terme of life but also proueth plainly that Iames was B. of Ierusalem I therefore shewed that he continued at Ierusalem as the superintendent of that Church vntil his death ruling the same by the space of thirtie yeares after that manner as his successor after him ruled it eight and thirty yeares Yea but this doth not proue that he was B. Neither was it so much alledged to that end as to shew the preheminence which he had was not as Beza saith of all the ancient Bishops which hee acknowledgeth to be diuine for a short time or by course but for terme of life And yet it proueth the maine point also that he was B. and as the Geneua translators confesse superintendent of that Church For if he were not the Apostle of that Church that is to say the B. why did not he after the example of other Apostles trauaile into other parts but continued there ruling that Church by the space of thirty yeares vntill his death Forsooth hee did not stay so much to rule that Church for that might haue beene otherwise performed as to conuert the multitudes of Iewes which should resort thither Where hee saith the Church might otherwise haue beene gouerned it is nothing to the purpose vnlesse he can shew that it was otherwise gouerned There is no doubt but that Church had a Pastor assigned to them by the Apostles who would not leaue that mother Church as a flocke without a shepheard But what Pastor had it if Iames who continued there and ruled it for thirtie yeares were not the Pastor thereof There is no doubt to be made but the cause and end of his staying there thirtie yeares was the same of his successour Simons staying there thirtie eight yeares and of his successours euery one vntill their death Wherefore was it not great pitie that the Refuter did forget himselfe to spend so much time in things that were so impertinent Serm. Sect. 6. pag. 69. As touching other Churches wee are to obserue that the Apostles did not at the very first planting of them appoint BB. vnto them c. to pag. 72. li. 17. The difference in respect of the time which before I noted betwixt Ierusalem and other Churches I doe in this section explane shewing that the Apostles did not at the first planting of them appoint Bishops to them as presently after the ascension of Christ they appointed a Bishop ouer the Church of Ierusalem yeelding these reasons because as yet there was neither that choise nor yet that vse of them among a people which was to be conuerted before it needed to be gouerned and shewing what course they did take before they appointed Bishops namely that first they ordayned Presbyters to labour the conuersion of the people to feed them being conuerted and to attend them in common gouerning them after a priuate manner and as it were in foro conscientiae And this is that which Ierome saith that the Churches at the first before Bishops were appointed ouer them were gouerned by the common counsell of the Presbyters But the Episcopall power which consisteth specially in the right of ordination and in the sway of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction committed to one I said the Apostles each of them retayned in their owne hands as was manifest whiles eyther they continued neare them or meant not to be long from them All which while Bishops were not so needfull the Apostles prouiding for the necessitie of those Churches either by their presence or by their letters and messengers And this I noted to be the cause why in the writings of the Apostles Bishops are so seldome though not so seldome as some imagine mentioned and the name with Presbyter confounded But when as they were to leaue the Churches altogether either by departure from them or by death that the Churches should not be left fatherlesse they fulfilled that in Psal. 45. according to Augustines and Ieromes exposition in steed of Fathers that is the Apostles there shall be children borne vnto thee whom thou shall make Princes ouer all the earth that is Bishops succeeding the Apostles in the regiment of the Church At their departure they left substitutes and at their death appointed successours to whom they committed the gouernment of the Churches furnishing them by a singularitie of preheminence both with the right of Ordination and with the power of Iurisdiction as vvell ouer the Presbyters as the people of each Citie with the Countrey adioyning And these I saide at the first vvere called sometimes the Angels of the Churches sometimes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Praepositi Rulers Heb. 13.17 vvhich text in the auncient canons called the Apostles and in the second Epistle of Ignatius as also the name praepositi in Latine Fathers from thence is appropriated to BB. sometimes the Apostles of the Churches c. To all this the Refuter answereth by snatches as he doth to the residue of the Sermon for which cause I thinke it expedient to repeate the points deliuered in the Sermon that his dealing may the better appeare And first hee snatcheth at those wordes where I said that vntill the Apostles were to leaue the Churches altogether Bishops were not so needfull as after their departure and death which is most manifest Belike saith he they were needfull before but
doctrine 1 Tim. 1.3 2 Tim. 2.16 Tit. 1.10.11 and 3.9 and iudges of their persons and conuersation 1 Tim. 5.19.20.21 Tit. 3.10 to which proofes he answereth nothing Wherevnto might be added the authority of Gregorie Nazianzene of Chrysostome of Oecumenius and Gregory testifying that these Epistles doe teach Bishops how to behaue themselues in the Church of God Now because the Refuters supposition is the same in efâect with his assumption I will examine first what he obiecteth against the assumption vnder the name of that supposition and so proceed to his answere which he directed against the assumption The summe of that which he obiecteth against the supposition is this that though Timothie and Titus were by Paules direction to doe those things which Bishops arrogate to themselues yet they were to doe them by an higher power and therefore not as Bishops Whereto I answere that they were to be done by a power vvhich vvas to continue in the Church vntill the end and therefore not by a higher power then Episcopal And secondly that the power Episcopal whereby Bishops doe these things which Timothie and Titus had in commission is so much of the Apostolicall power as was to continue in the Church vnto the end The assumption it selfe hee denyeth saying these Epistles are not precedents of the Episcopall function c. The reason of his deniall is this What though Bishops haue now gotten that power into their hands yet were not those instructions giuen to Timothie and Titus as Bishops the Apostles dreaming of no such soueraigntie but particularly to Timothie and Titus as Euangelists and in generall to the Presbyters to whom the charge of those affaires belongeth To the Euangelists to administer in all the Churches of those Regions whither the Apostles sent or where they left them to the Presbyters to administer in their seuerall congregations or Churches Hee said euen now that Timothie and Titus did those things which BB. doe by a higher power now he saith he Apostle dreamed not of any such soueraignty as the BB. haue Where he saith these instructions were not giuen to BB. but particularly to these Euangelists to performe them in all Churches and Regions where he should place them and generally to Presbyters c. both parts are false For these directions Paul gaue to Timothie and Titus to be obserued of them as they were particularly assigned gouernours of the Churches of Ephesus and Creet and are such as are to be obserued to the end Neither are these instructions giuen in generall to Presbyters neither doth the charge of these affaires belong to them And that these things belong to the BB. I haue sufficiently proued before To make the matter plaine he bringeth in an example which is worth the hearing Suppose saith he a Democraty where the common-wealth is gouerned by the people it must needs be that in such a place there are lawes for the choosing and ordering of Officers What if this gouernment fall into the hands of the Nobilitie which continue the same lawes still in the same cases What if some mightier then the rest at the last make himselfe sole Gouernour still obseruing those fundamentall lawes which were at the first established is it to be saide that those lawes are the verie patternes and precedents of the Aristocraticall or Monarchicall gouernement whereby the first maker of those lawes would enforme in the one the Nobilitie in the other the Monarchie and in them all other how to exercise that function The administration of Church matters touching ordination and iurisdiction was first in the seuerall Churches or congregations which by their Presbyteries had the menaging of all Church businesse in processe of time it came to be restrayned to the Clergie onely the B. and his Presbyterie of Ministers onely at last as things grew worse and worse the B. like a Monarch got the reynes into his owne hands Now though the lawes of Ordination and Iurisdiction remaine the same and the practise also in some sort yet are they not patternes and presidents either of the second or third kinde of gouernment neither were they giuen to instruct the Bishop alone or the Bishop and his Clergie together Which comparison I desire may be well considered especially by the vnlearneder sort for hereby they shall discerne what manner of guides they haue desired to follow For not to contend with him about his politicke proposition not well agreeing with the rules of policy wherein we are taught that the appointment of chiefe Officers being reckoned inter iura maiestatis doth alwayes belong to them who haue the soueraigntie in the whole comparison but especially in the reddition we may behold the trim Idea of discipline which the fancie of our Refuter and his fellow-challengers hath forged For he conceiueth as if he were a Brownist or an Anabaptist that the ancient state of the Church was Democraticall that the right of Ordination and Iurisdiction was in the whole congregation of euery Parish which by their Presbyteries consisting for the greatest part of the laity had the menaging of all Church-businesse that the lawes and Canons for Church-gouernment set downe in the Epistles to Timothie and Titus were first prouided for this popular state of the Church Howbeit by the vsurpation of the B. and his Clergie the popular state was turned into an Aristocraty the B. and his Presbyterie of Ministers onely menaging the Church affaires Lastly in processe of time this Aristocraty was turned into a Monarchie the B. like a Monarch hauing got the reynes into his owne hands Now the lawes concerning Ordination and iurisdiction are still in force yet were they not patternes neither for the Monarchicall gouernment of the B. alone nor for the Aristocraticall gouernment of the Bishop and his Presbytery of ministers but for the popular and golden state of euery Parish which within it selfe had authoritie immediately deriued from Christ sufficient for the gouernment of it selfe in all causes Ecclesiasticall This forme is propounded also in the modest and Christian offer of disputation Haue not our forwarder sort of people bin well aduised thinke you to doate vpon such leaders as these who broach such a sort of dreames and dotages for which they haue not so much as the shew of any sound proofe Our refuter hath often times obiected against me though most vniustly that Pythagoras-like I looke to be creditted vpon my bare word but what proofes I pray you doth hee bring for these schismaticall nouelties First it is here presupposed that euery Church indued with power of Ecclesiasticall gouernment was a Parish all Church officers Parishionall Which dotage I haue before refuted Secondly that the forme of Church-gouernment was Democraticall or popular the cheife authority being in the people Which hath authority to be exercised partly by themselues partly by their Presbytery to elect ordayne depriue depose their Pastor or B. for the proofe whereof the
cheife burden must lye vpon Mat. 18. dic Ecclesiae which hath bin before examined Beza making mention of one Morellius who pleaded in like manner for the popular gouernment giueth him this stile Democraticus quidam fanaticus shewing that these who plead that cause are lead with a phantasticall fanaticall spirit For is it not a phrensy to vrge the peoples supremacy in Church-gouernment is there any shew in scripture or in reason that the sheepe should rule their Shepheard or the flocke their Pastor But for the confutation of them I referre them to other Disciplinarians from whom they had their first grounds seing by this fancy they seeke to ouerturne as well those Churches where the Geneua discipline is established as ours The third dreame is that the lawes of Church-gouernment prescribed in the Epistles to Timothie and Titus were prouided for the democraticall state of the Church So that when Paul saith lay not thou hands on no man hastily you must vnderstand the speech directed not to Timothie to vvhom the Epistle was written but to the people that they should not suffer their Lay-elders when their minister is dead to be hasty in laying hands on a new And vvhen hee saith doe not thou receiue an accusation c. it must be vnderstood of the people and Presbyterie After two or three admonitions doe thou auoid an hereticke or excommunicate him that is thou people What of Creet belike the whole Iland of Creet was a Parish too The next fancy is that the popular state of the seuerall Churches did first degenerate into an Aristocraty and after into a Monarchie But it is as cleare as the light that the seuerall Churches were at the first gouerned by the Apostles or Apostolicall men seuerally and that either perpetually as by Iames Marke c. or but for a time as by Peter Paul c. and that when the Apostles left the Churches they committed them to other Apostolicall men such as Timothie Titus Evodius Simon the sonne of Cleophas Linus Clemens c. communicating vnto them the same authority both for the worke of the ministery and for the power of ordination and iurisdiction which themselues had in those seuerall Churches and what authoritie each of them had their successors in the seuerall Churches had the same Neither haue our BB. at this day greater authority in menaging Church causes then Timothie and Titus and other the first Bishops had Who was to ordaine ministers in Creet and to gouerne that Church did not Paul commit these things to Titus without mentioning either of Presbytery or people are not all his precepts for ordination and Church-gouernment directed onely to Titus for Creet to Timothie for Ephesus and doth not this euidently shew that howsoeuer they might vse either the presence and consent of the people or the Counsell and aduise of the Presbyters in causes of greatest moment as Princes also doe in common-wealthes yet the sway of the Ecclesiasticall gouernment was in them It is therefore most plaine that in the Epistles to Timothie and Titus it is presupposed that they had Episcopall authority and that the rules and directions giuen to them are precedents for Bishops and patternes vnto them for the exercise of their Episcopall function And this I proue againe in my Sermon by another argument which the refuter hath framed thus Those things which were written to informe not Timothie and Titus alone as extraordinarie persons but them and their successors to the end of the world were written to informe Diocesan Bishops But those Epistles were written to informe not Timothie and Titus alone as extraordinarie persons but them and their successors to the end of the world Therefore they were written to informe Diocesan BB. The assumption for with that the refuter beginneth I proued by testimony and by reason And first by the testimony of Paul straightly charging Timothie that the commandements and directions which he gaue him should be kept inuiolable vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ therfore by such as should haue the like authority to the end Hereof Caluin saith thus nomine mandati significat quae hactenus de officio Timothie disseruit Vnder the name of the commandement he signifieth those things whereof hitherto he had discoursed concerning the office of Timothie And againe omnino ceriè ad ministerium Timothie refero I doe wholy referre it to the ministerie of Timothie For Paul wrot to this end to giue direction to Timothie how he should behaue himselfe in the Church which is the house of the liuing God Which directions he chargeth him Chap. 6. to obserue inuiolable vntill the comming of Christ which could not be performed in the person of Timothie who was not to continue to the end but in a succession of them who should haue the like authority vntill the end T. C. and other Disciplinarians hauing fancied that the Apostles had giuen direction in that Epistle for onely-gouerning Elders hereupon conclude that they are to be continued vntill the comming of Christ So that they can conclude vpon that charge the continuance of an office not once mentioned in that Epistle but they cannot or will not see how the continuance of that office which Timothie did beare for the execution whereof all these directions are giuen is concluded vpon the same ground The second testimonie was of Ambrose writing on those vvords of Paul saying that Paul is so circumspect not because he doubted of Timothie his care but in regard of his successors that they after the example of Timothie might continue the well ordering of the Church The reason whereby I proued that Paul giueth direction not to Timothie and Titus onely as to extraordinary persons but to them and their successors vntill the end of the world was because the authority which was committed to them for the execution whereof the Apostle giueth his directions is perpetually necessary without the which the Church neither can be gouerned as without iurisdiction neither yet continued as without ordination therefore not peculiar to extraordinary persons but by an ordinary deriuation to be continued in those who are the successors of Timothie and Titus The effect of the refuters answere is that he could be content to graunt this assumption were it not that he is resolued to deny the conclusion which followeth thereupon For first hee granteth Pauls purpose to instruct those that should succeed Timothie and Titus in the authoritie which they had but not in their office And that this authoritie was not nor was to be in the hands of any one particular man but the right of it was in the whole congregation the execution in the Presbytery So that the power of ordination and iurisdiction might be continued without Bishops c. It is sufficient for the truth of the assumption which the refuter granteth that what Paul did write to Timothie Titus he wrote not to
be doubted but that each of these had Bishops to their successours euen in the Apostles times as before hath beene shewed and therefore the refuter should not make it so strange that Bishops were the successours of Timothie and Titus Serm. Sect. 8. pag. 75. Against this two things are obiected first that Timothie and Titus may seeme not to haue beene appointed BB. of Ephesus and Creet because they did not continue there but were remoued to other places c. to other in Creet pag. 78. The first obiection is thus framed by the Refuter Timothie and Titus did not continue in Ephesus and Creet but were remoued to other places Therefore Timothie and Titus were not ordayned Bishops of Ephesus and Creet I answere by distinction For if by continuing they vnderstand as the words seeme to import a perpetuall residence without remouing or trauelling thence vpon any occasion then I denie the consequence or proposition which is vnderstood For by no law either of God or man are Bishops or other Pastors so affixed to their cures but that vpon speciall and extraordinarie occasion they may either for their owne necessitie or for the greater or more publicke good of the Church trauaile or remoue to other places It is sufficient that they be ordinarily resident vpon their charge If by continuing be meant ordinarie residence then I denie the antecedent and doe contrariwise affirme that although vpon speciall and extraordinary occasions they were by the Apostle called to other places as his or the Churches necessity required yet these were the places of their ordinary residence And that I proue because they both liued and died there That they continued or had their ordinary abode there in their life time I proue by testimony of Scripture and other euidence For if Paul required Timothie ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to continue or abide still in Ephesus and appointed Titus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to continue to redresse vvhat vvas vvanting in Creet then vvere they to continue or haue their ordinarie residence there But the antecedent is true in both the parts thereof Therefore the consequent The Refuter denieth the consequence to be of any force vnlesse first it could be proued that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifieth a perpetuall abiding in a place without departing from it all a mans life vvhich needeth not seeing ordinarie residence which is meant by that terme which is required in BB. ordinarie Pastors may be without such perpetuall abiding Secondly except ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã be vnderstood also for the whole terme of life But it sufficeth that it signifieth to continue in redressing as the Geneua translation also readeth For thereby is meant as I said that hee was not left there for a brunt but that he should as things were defectiue or wanting ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã continue to redresse them and still keepe that Church in reparation For though the Church were new as the Refuter obiecteth to signifie that it should not need any reparation yet were the Bishops and Presbyters subiect to death and the places of them which dyed were to be supplied and the Church subiect to personall corruptions both for doctrine discipline manners which would need reformation And whereas their opinion who imagine that Timothie was required to stay at Ephesus but for a short time when Paul went into Macedony Act. 20. is contrary to that former testimony concerning Timothie I shew that in all the iourneyes of Paul into Macedony mentioned in the Acts Timothie did accompany him And therefore that this voyage of Paul was after his first being at Rome with which the Acts of the Apostles end not mentioning any of his trauels and other occurrents which afterwards happened for the space of nine or tenne yeares The Acts of which time cannot otherwise be knowne but by such of his Epistles as were written in that time and other monuments of antiquity The which passage though the Refuter hath passed by in silence I thought good to put the Reader in minde of that he may acknowledge many things to haue beene done by the Apostles which are registred in other records of anitquity though they be not mentioned in the history of the Acts of the Apostles which endeth vvith those things which happened aboue fourty yeares before the death of S. Iohn Now the Acts of the Apostles which were performed after S. Lukes history thereof were in part recorded by Hegesippus and Clemens and other auncient Authors which testifie that Paul ordayned Timothie B. of Ephesus and Titus of Creet and that he and other Apostles appointed other Bishops in other places Whose testimonies whosoeuer doe refuse to beleiue doe themselues deserue no credit To those allegations therefore out of Paul I added the credible testimony of diuers Authors viz. Dorotheus in synopsi Hieron siue Sophron. in Catalogo in Tito Isidorus de vita morte sanctorum Num. 87. 88. Vincent lib. 10. c. 38. Antonius ex Policrate part 1. tit 6. c. 28. Niceph. l. 10. c. 11. Who report that Timothie and Titus as they liued so also dyed the one at Ephesus the other in Creet The Refuter answereth he may well credit the report of these Authors and yet not grant that therefore they were Diocesan Bishops of those places Indeed if I had argued thus as the Refuter would haue the Reader thinke Timothie and Titus dyed the one at Ephesus the other in Creet Therefore they were BB. there it had beene a loose consequence But he wrangleth besides the pupose It was obiected that Timothie and Titus were not Bishops of those places because they did not continue there I proue that they held their ordinary residence there not onely because S. Paul required them both to continue there but other Authors also testified that they both liued and died there The Refuter answereth and would haue the Reader content himselfe with this answere that howsoeuer indeed it is true that they continued there yet hereof it followeth not that they were Diocesan Bishops of those places Yea but saith he it would be obserued that M. D. granteth the consequence to be good namely that they were not Bishops of Ephesus and Creet if they did not continue there but were remoued to other places Now that they were remoued himselfe confesseth c. If I had confessed that they were remoued and also that if they were remoued they were not Bishops Then I should haue granted both the antecedent of the Enthymeme which hee said before that I denyed and also the consequence But indeed I denyed the consequence in that sence which the Refuter conceiueth and yet granted that though they were sometimes remoued yet they kept ordinary residence the one at Ephesus the other in Creet And therefore their trauelling or remouing vpon extraordinary occasions doth not hinder their being BB. Doe you indeed grant that sometimes they were remoued marry that will I proue saith the
that Paul admonisheth his Disciple praelatum gregi being the Prelate of a flocke saying attend reading vntill I come 12. Isidor saith that Timothie was Bishop of Ephesus 13. Polycrates saith that Timothie trauailing with Paul to Ephesus was made the first B. there by him in the raigne of Nero. 14. Theophylact vnderstandeth by Pastors and Doctors Eph. 4. those to whose care the Church was committed that is to say BB. such as Timothie and Titus And for that cause he saith that Paul wrote to them two Againe Titus being ordayned Bishop is set ouer the great Island Creet 15. Oecumenius on those words I requested thee to remaine in Ephesus saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here hee had ordayned him B. And againe in Tim. 5. he speaketh of ordinations ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for he wrote to a B. And of Titus he saith that Paul left him to ordaine BB. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hauing first made him a B. And of both on those words Pastors and Doctors he saith Paul meaneth such as to whose trust the Churches were committed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã BB. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã such as Timothie and Titus 16. Nicephorus saith that after Paul was first dismissed from Rome he wrote his former Epistle to Timothie whom he had ordayned before B. of Ephesus And another Epistle hee wrote vnto Titus whom hauing before ordayned B. of Creet he had left there To these I might adde the testimonies of diuers new writers but I will mention onely a few whose iudgements the Disciplinarians will not easily reiect First therefore Caluin in diuers places on the Epistles to Timothie doth note that he was the Pastor of the Church at Ephesus The authors of the Centuryes say it is euident that Paul appointed Timothie the Pastor to the Church of Ephesus D. Fulke saith among the Clergie for order and seemely gouernment there was alwayes one principall to whom by long vse of the Church the name of B. or superintendent hath beene applyed which roome Titus exercised in Creta Timothie in Ephesus and others in other places c. Finally Beza himselfe noteth that Timothie was the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as Iustine calleth him that is Antistes or President in the Presbytery at Ephesus that is to say according to Bezaes language a Bishop To the testimonies which I produced the refuter answereth three things first in effect this that though the Fathers call them BB. yet properly they were not Bishops which bare denyall of his if it be weighed with the testimonies of the ancient which I named will proue as light as vanity it selfe Secondly that the consent of the Fathers is not so generall as I would make men beleiue seeing both Ambrose and Ignatius doe make Timothie a Deacon And for proofe thereof he referreth vs to T.C. whose words are these all ancient writers are not of that iudgement for not to speak of Ambrose which calleth Timothie a Deacon where he opposeth a Deacon to a Bishop Ignatius an ancient writer saith that hee was a Deacon that where diuiding the ministeries of the Church into Bishops and Deacons c. doth openly oppose a Deacon to a Bishop little reason had T.C. to speake of Ambrose and therefore might well say not to speake of him For these are Ambrose his words with the BB. and Deacons that is with Paul and Timothie qui vtique Episcopi erant who verily were Bishops he also signified the Deacons which ministred vnto him For he writeth vnto the people For if he had written to the Bishops and Deacons he would haue written to their persons and it had beene fit that he should haue written to the Bishop of the place not to two or three as hee did to Titus and to Timothie Ignatius his words be these What be the Deacons but the imitators of the Euangelicall powers ministring vnto him that is the Bishop as the Angels doe to God a pure and blamelesse ministerie as holy Steuen to Iames the blessed and Timothie and Linus to Paul Anacletus and Clemens to Peter Distinguish the times and the answere is easie Timothie was such an Euangelist as first ministred to Paul as a Deacon afterwards was ordayned Presbyter as Ambrose saith and lastly a Bishop which is as the same Ambrose saith primus Presbyter But doth his seruing vnder Paul as a Deacon proue that afterwards he was not a Bishop nay rather his being a Deacon and afterwards a Presbyter doth proue he was not such an Euangelist as the Refuter imagineth And by as good reason he might proue that neither Linus nor Anacletus nor Clemens were Bishops of Rome because they had serued vnder Peter and Paul as Deacons Here is all that our Refuter can either by himselfe or with T. C. helpe obiect out of antiquity against Timothie his being a Bishop His third answere is that the Scripture calleth him an Euangelist 2 Tim. 4.5 and therefore he was no B. which is the same with the second obiection already answered I hope therefore I may be bold with the Readers consent to conclude that Timothie and Titus were ordayned BB. by the Apostle Paul the one of Ephesus the other of Creet Serm. sect 10. pag. 81. To these mentioned in in the Scriptures we adde others out of other the most auncient records of the Church wherof some were made BB. by Peter Paul some by Iohn the Euangelist and other the Apostles c. to pag. 87. l. 1. In this section I brought diuers most plaine and pregnant euidences to proue that the Apostles ordayned BB noting the Places where and the Persons whom they ordayned The which because the Refuter passeth ouer as it were in silence I will breifly recite that it may appeare to the Reader that the Refuter had cause to be silent because the euidence of truth did put him to silence First I shewed out of Eusebius that about the yeare fortie fiue Euodius was made Bishop of Antioch by the Apostles Peter and Paul as Ignatius who succeeded him in the Apostles times doth witnesse Secondly that Peter and Paul ordayned Linus Bishop of Rome about the yeare 56 whom Anacletus succeeded and after him Clemens testified by Irenaeus and Eusebius Thirdly that by the appointment of Peter Marke was the first B. of Alexandria whom Anianus succeeded in that Bishopricke after him Abilius and then Cerdo all in the Apostles times testified by Nicephorus Gregory Eusebius Ierome and Dorotheus Fourthly that after the death of Iames the iust Simon the sonne of Cleophas was by the Apostles which then were remayning made Bishop of Ierusalem testified by Hegesippus and Eusebius Fiftly that Iohn the Apostle ordayned Polycarpe Bishop of Smyrna testified by Irenaeus Eusebius Tertullian and Ierome Sixtly that Iohn after his returne from exile ordayned BB. in diuers places testified by Clemens
vnââââstand thâ former âââswere ãâã not supââââsed and ãâ¦ã this reââââ if he ãâã the samââââthor ãâ¦ã gotten âââpy then hath wâââsome cââââons and âââtions puââââshed the ãâ¦ã againe ãâã almost ãâã thing to abortiueâââ as may ãâã gathereâ those feâââ sheets thâââ were prâââ but an inâââ on of gaâââ bitterneâââ c Ad pag. 8. ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ Ad pag. 9. ¶ Ierom. Epist. 152. fame nemo credit nisi inconsideratus Tertull Apolog. c. 8. (a) Ad. pag. 10. ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ Psal. 17.1 Deut. 2 Psal. 15 1. Cor. 6. Ier. 36. â Psal. 64. Ad pag. â His insulââ ouer the ââthor of thââ Sermon (1) The points in ãâã SermoÌ mâââ and plainââ handled (2) Nehââ 4.3 (3) Cantâ 15. The foxeâ heretikes schiâ maâlââ Answ. to the ãâã pag. 15. 1. King 20.11 Neâ Pro Plââ gloriââ tu leââ dissiâââ spiriââ si verââ soliââ (a) Hâââ at the âââ of theâââ 2. Kiâââ Cic. de orat Suo iudicio tanquam soreâ c. 1. Cââ Ad ãâã His ãâã at the ãâã of the ãâã Aboââ Bez. iâââ 2. (a) The diuisioÌ of the Sermon vvith the summe of the Preface thereof Arist. Rhet. 3 1â Sect. 2. Concernâââ the 2. ãâã propâââded and who are meant by ãâã gels Aâ pag. 3. Sect. 3. Whether the Angels vvere 7 In Apoc. 1.11 Ambros. in Apoc. 1. BB. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã called the ââgels of theâââ Churches Infr. S. 12. in Apoc 2. In Philip 1. Notandum in hoc loco Timotheum in Ephesino Presbyterio tum fuisse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i. Antistitem vt vocat Iustinus Bez in Tim. 5 19. Sect â Ad Pag. What ãâã of Bishop Angels ãâã The 2. quest concerning the qualitie their functioâ Sect 6. For the deciding of the former question 2 things are to be knowne by explication wherof the Text is explaned Sect. 1. Wheâ the Chuâ were Diââses or Pâshes and BB. Dioâ or Parishânall and this was pââpounded discussed Ad Pag. Pro. 21. ââ Anno. 1609. Wh ãâ¦ã Kin ãâ¦ã a m ãâ¦ã som ãâ¦ã rish ãâ¦ã oce ãâ¦ã Ad pa ãâ¦ã Sec ãâ¦ã Their ãâã that by sertion ãâã cesan ãâã Popelin ââswered Pag. 1ââ Pag 4â Pag 1ââ Montes perbi suâââ Aug ãâã Psal. 10 Quid d ãâ¦ã tanto feââ hic promâââsor hiatâ parturiunt montes nascetur ridiculus mus Horat de art Poet. In their ãâã foure vntruthes coâââtained The first ãâã truth In the booke of ordination it is presupposed that a Minister may and ought to Minister the doctrine and sacraments and the discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and as this realme hath receiued the same Fol. 12. interrog 2. The second vntruth The thiââ truth The fourââ vntruth (a) Euseb. in vita Constant lib. 3. saith that Constantine ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Concil Tolât â in sinâ edict reg de confirm concil Conc. Const. 5. Rogamus clemeÌtiaÌtisam saith the counsell to the Emperour Theodos. vt per litras ãâã pietatis ratum esse jubeas confââmesque concilij decreâum Con. Chalc. âct 3. sacro ãâ¦ã edicto ãâã Martiâus the Emperour ãâ¦ã confirmamus (b) Sir Edw. Cooke do iure regis Ecclesiastico H.I. supplic an 1609. Sect. 12. The 2. what preheminence the BB. had and why this point was propounded Conf. wit Hart. pagâ 461. Act. 20.1 Apoc. 2.1 Sect. 13. Ad pag. 7. The refuter mistaking the reason and craftily concealing thâ diuisioÌ whicâ is among them is bolâ to charge ãâã with foure vntruthes That Caluin and Beza c. hold 1. that the Churches were Diocesan Inst. lib. 4. c. 4. Sect. 1. Sect. 2. (a) de gradib ministr c. 24. (b) Plin. lib. 5. cap. 29. 30. (e( So by Aââbrose his wââârant hee calleth a Bâshoâ vvho saith thâââ Timothie waâ such a one at Ephesus § Sect. 15. 2 That the onely gouerning Elders be of the Laitie and annuall officers Inst. lib 4 c. 12. Sect. 1. li. 4. c. 3. Se. 8 de grad Ministr c. 11. The Presbyâââââ ãâã pag 112. De grad Minist cap. 11 pag 64. § Sect. 16. 3 They held that the Angels were but Presidents of the Presbyteries Inst. lib. 4. c. 4. Sect 2. Vid T. Câli 1.109 110. Eccles. disciplia ang pag 181.182 In Apoc. 2.1 de grad Ministr cap. 20 114.123 cap 21 cap 23.139 140. cap 23.159.160 cap 24.168 § Sect. 17.4 That they held the Presidentship to haue bene but for a short time and by course (a) Sec T.C. lib. 1.110 Eccl. discipl Ang. pag. 184. De Minist grad cap 23 pag 142. ca 141.153 ca 140.141 âed hebdomadiâam hanc ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã fuisse probabile est pag 143. The refuâ his Copââ plead for ââcipline nââ taught by ââuin and oâ learned Prâââtants noââctised by ãâã reformed Churches Sect. 18. The 5. poinâ propounded Sect. 19. The refuter by a forced Analysis hath put the frame of the Sermon out of frame to make himselfe worke Pag. 9. Pag. 107. Pag. 53.70.84 Sect. 1. That the ââpute conââââning Layââders is noâ impertineââ Pag. 49. fine Aâ pag. 10. Pag. 6. li. 18. * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Arist. Mâtaph li. 10. c. 5. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ibid. Pag. 6. in med Sect. 2. The summe of that which in the Sermon was said concerning Lay-Elders § Sect. 3. Ad pag. 11. His cauill against the former part of the antecedent and the consequence deduced therefrom ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Arist. Poster 17. § Sect. 4. His answere to the latter part and to the consequence inferred thereon Pag. 12. Though by the refuter they were lewdly vnited as afterwards will appeare Supplicat anno 1609. § Sect. 5. Hâs answere to the assumption and first to the former part that Presbyter alwayes signifieth a Minister Aâ pag. 12. Cal. in Tit. His answere to the latter part of the assumption § Sect. 6. Ad DuraeuÌ Conf. with Haât 4â3 464 (c) ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã (d) ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Moâ trium literarum tyrannus Sacrificateurs Coâr Rhem. in Matth. 23. S. â In Act. 14. S. 4. In Lam. 5 l. 4. n Matt. 23. Presbyteri Pag. 251. § Sect. 7. His second accusation chargeth mee vvith vntruth Ad Pag. 13. § Sect. 8. The third iâputation of scorne and contempt Instit. li. 4. c. 12. li. 1. Let our great Clergie men saith he know and be all men by these presents giuen to vnderstand c. De grad Ministr cap. 11. § Sect. 9. The deseââ of the 2. seââ on seruing proue that there are ãâã sound testimonies foâ Lay-Elders and that theâ are but two that I thouââ worth the aââswering Ad pag. 1. The refuters three wonders § Sect. 10. § Sect. 11. Ad pag. 15. His answere to the challenge (a) The abortââe booke hath theâe worde no man can reasonably looke that we should dispute the question § Sect. 12. Dâ grad Minist â 13 § Sect. 2 Ad Pag. 1â His first reasoâ of his denyalâ of the consequence § Sect. 3. His 2. reason because their
q Act. 18. r Actionâ s Iuâ graecevom pag. 90. §. 12. That some of the seuen Churches were mother Cities t Plin. l. 5. c. 29 et 30. u Actio 6. x Iur. gracorom pag. 90. y Actio 3. z Iur. graecoraÌ 88. a Page 90. b page 94. c page 100. Ad pag. 54. Mat. 13.53 Act. 20 1â.31 Iohn 10. Acts 1â 10 Ad. Pag. 5â §. 4. c Alasco §. 6. Ad pag. 59. § 7. Act. 20.28 Ioh. 10.16 Act. 20.28 Mat. 1.21 Sup. cap. 1. Ad pag. 60. Ad page ââ §. 2. His consequence denied § 3. The Church of each citie not one parishionall congregation onlâ He should haue added and the towns about Ad. Pag. 62. T. C. H.I. § 4. Of the number of Christians in one Citie Ad pag. 63. Act. 2.41 Act 4 4. Act. 6.1.7 2. Tim. 1.15 §. 5. Pag. 57. 63. Whether all in Asia made an apostasie from the faith in Pauls time 2. Tim. 4.16 Chrys. in 2. Tim. 1. hom 3. §. 6. Of the number of Christians at Ierusalem Ad pag. 64. §. 7. He retorteth my argumeÌt Act. â 1 Rom. 9.10.11 After which time the BB of Ierusalem were of the Gentiles who till then had beene of the circumcision § 8. The church of Ierusalem not parishionall Conc. Nic. c. 7. Act. 1.5 §. 9. My Instance from the City of Rome Ennead 7. l. 4. De vitiâ R. poÌtif in Euaristo De vitis poÌtif Will. Harison Prebendary of Windsore §. 10. Ad. Pag. 65. Iust. Marâ Apolog 2. §. 11. Plat. de vit pontif in Dionysio Presbyteris ecclesiâ et coemiteria in vrbe Roma statim diuisit Dionys. epist. ad SeueriÌ De episcopat et titul c. §. 12. The testimony of Cornelius Euseb. l. 6. c. 43 The testimony of Tertullian Tertul. apol c. 37. Ad Scapulam § 13 The time and place De origin templor c. 6. Lib. 5. de inuent c. 6. De orig errârum lib. 1. c. 21. Ad pag. 66. The Refuters first argumeÌt § 2. Whether the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch were each of them but a parish Page 60. § 3. Whether the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch were each but one congregation His proofe out of Scripture In respect of Antioch hee might haue said 45. Corinth was situated in Isthmo betweene two seas hauing on either side a port the one Cenchreae seruing more properly for Asia the other Lechaeum seruing for Italie and other parts of Europe Strab. l. 8. Ad pag. 67. § 4. His testimonies out of humane writings a Ignat. ad Eph. b ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c Epist. ad Magnes d Igna. ad Ro. e Ad Rom. f Pârk problem g Euseb. l. 3. c. 35.36 Tindal pag. 250. D. Fulk in Eph. 5. â 2. Ad pag. 68. Tindal pag. 135.250 Vid. infr lib. 4. c. 7. § 9. § 5. His second rancke of instances Ignat. ad Magnes Ad Philadelph Ignat. ad Magnes Ad Philadelph Ignat. ad Sâyrn Tertull. apolog c. 39. Eusebius Eus. l. 3. c. 11. § 6. The Refuter obiecteth that we haue no diocesan because we haue two prouinciall Churches Ad page 69. C. Antioch c. 10. The councell of Sardica calleth the metropolitan the gouernor of the prouince ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã § 7. Of Metropolitanes when they began In Conc. Constant 1. c. 2. Conc. Nic. c. 6. De gradib c. 24. De. grad c. 20. Euseb. l. 5. c. 23 Ex Balsam in Conc. Ephes. c 8. exemplar suggest de Cypri Episcopis ex Decreto Conc. Ephes. post aduentum Episcoporum Cypri Can. Apost 35. Conc. Nâc c. 5.6 Constant. 1. c. 2 Trodus Sabinus Epiphanius qui ante Illos sanctissimi Episcopi quia sanctis Apostolis erant omnes orthodoxi ab his qui in Cypro Constituti sunt § 8. Metropolitan Churches are proofs rather then disproofs of Diocesan Ad page 70. §. 2. This third point deduced from the second Lib. 1. cap. 2. §. 16. Ad pag. 71. §. 3. The analysis of this section and that which followeth Ad pag. 72. 73. Tit. 1.12 That the Bishops had the charge of all the parishes in the city after they were diuided or set out Ad page 74. a By T. C. pa. nusquam Euse. l. 2. c. 15 c ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã d Euse. l. 5. c. 9 e Lib. 5. c. 2â f Lib. 6. c. 1. g Lib. 6. c. 35. h Socra l. 2. c. 6 i Euseb. l 9. c. 6 k Ruf. l. 1. c. 19 l Socr. l. 4 c. 13. m Epiphan haeres 69. n Epist. ad Râ o Eus. l. 5. c. 23 p Theo. l. 5. c. 4. q Li 4. c. 11. r Socr. l. 2 c 18 s Soc. l. 7. c. 3. t Euseb. l. 3. c 4 u Lib. 4. c. 21. * Theodor. in 1. Tim. 3. x in 1. Tim. 5.19 y ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ad pag. 75. The refuters answere to these testimonies a Hâmil 1. in Tit. b De script ecâles in Titâ c Praefat. in 1. ad Tim. d Epist. ad Ioân Hieros apud Hieronyâ â 2. e Lib. 2. couâr Parâen f Euseb. in vita Const. Theod. l. 1. c. 19 g In epist. ad Leon. M. h Ex Cont. Ephesin Et Asrit c. §. 6. That the B. had the charge of the parishes in the country §. 7. That the B. of the city assigned seuerall Presbyters to the countrie parishes Ad pag. 77. a Page 57. Theod. l. 2. c. 15 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Balsans c. 54. graec §. 8. The refuters instances of parish Bishops answered h Eus. l. 5 c. 16. i An. 205.27 k Euseb. l. 5. c. 18. l Lib. 4. c. 25. m 1. Pet. 5.1 n T.C. l. 2. pag. 519. o L. 5. c. 4. Apud Hier. tom 1. Fortè BaieÌsit Conc. Carth. graec c. 54. et 57. et 101. Afric c. 20. et 23. et 65. Leo epist. 87. ad Episcopos Afric c. 2. Socrat. l. 4. c. 26. Iur. graecorom in ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã pag 88. Greg. epist. 42. et 65 Caes. Baron an 366. num 10. § 9. Why the heathen are called Pagani Master Hooker is of the same iudgement l. 5. Pagani quasi ex eodem fonte bibântes De Corona militis §. 10. Ad. Pag. 78. BB. both before after the diuision of Parishes were diocesans Can. Apost 34. Conc. Antioch c. 9. C. 35. C. Antioch c. 22. §. 11. Of the Canons called the Apostles * As the last of all which leaueth out the Apocalypse and reckoneth Clements Epistles and Constitutions as canonicall For the CouÌcell in Trullo which receiueth the 85 Canons notwithstanding reiecteth Clements constitutions a de orthod fid l. 4. c. 18. in fine ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã b vid gloss c Praefat. in coÌ cil vid. dist 16. c. 4. d Conc. Const. in Trullo c. 2. e Tilius his Edition being here defectiue is out of the manuscript copies thus to be supplied ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã f Ex Conc. Nic. c. 15
4. i Conc. Chalc. act 10. k Bals. in Conc. Eph. c. 5. l Burchard decret l. 2. c. 126. ex Conc. Parisiens §. 21. The superioritie of BB. in iurisdiction prooued by reason §. 22 Ad pag. 104. a Page 6. Ad. pag. 105. Whether BB. may be called Lords Acts 9.5 Ad page 106. Psal. 91.11 Dan. 10.11 §. 2. a Theodor. l. 1. c. 4. b Th. l. 1. c. 5. c Ibid. c. 6. d Atha Apol. 2. e Sozom. l. 3. c. 22. f Soz. l. 3. c. 23. g Greg. Naz. epist ad Greg. Nyss. h Theo. l. 4. c. 9. i Soz. l. 4. c. 13. k Constantine p. 1. apud Theodor l. 5. c. 9. l Ambros. Epist 81. m Conc. Arelat 3. n Turonens 1. Epaunens Valent. Aurelian 3. Toleta 3. c. o Socr. hist. l. 6. in prooem p Chrys. in Ps. 13. apud Caes. Baron an 58.2 q Epist. Caluin ad Cranmer r Epist. Dedic l. de 3. Elohius s Suru 131. Septemb. 15. 1589. t Luc. 22.26 u ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Nedibim * In Pagnia thesaur x In Luc. 22.26 y Matt. 20.20 25. z Hier. in Tit. 1. § 27. § 28. Ad pag. 107. § 1. That this treatise of the lawfulnesse of the BB. calling is not superfluous though from the former points the same thing may be concluded Ad pag. 108. § 2. The question is of such BB. as were described in the former part of the Sermon and in the 2. and 3. bookes of this defence Ad pag. 109. § 3. Ad pag. 110. That the function of such BB. is of Apostolicall institution a De grad c. 23. The 1. argument because it was generally vsed in the primitiue Church b De Baptisme cont Donat. l. 4. c. 24 Epi. 118. c De praescript aduers. haeres con Marc. l. 4. d Lib. 2. pag. 2. Ad pag. 111. § 4. 4. Arguments prouing the assumption 1. Because all the Angels or gouernours of the primitiue Church in the first three hundred yeeres after the Apostles were diocesan BB. Ad pag. 112. f Con. Nic. c. 6. g Conc. Ephe. post aduentum Episcoporum Cypri h Cyp. lib. 4. epi. 2 § 5. That diocesan BB. had not their first beginning after the Apostles times i Eus. hist. l. 4. c. 1. 2. k ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã l c. 6 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã m lib. 4. c. 19.20.21.22 n An. 8. Antoni Christi 169. o Eus. l. 4. c. 22. § 6. The second argument from the two testimonies of Ierome p Hier. in Tit. The 1. q Ad. Euagr. r 1 Cor. 1. s Conc. Ancyr c. 16.20.21.22.23.24.25 Et Neocaes c. 2. 3. § 7. The second testimonie of Ierome in Psal. 45. t Ad. Euagr. Ad pag. 113. § 8. The third argument consisting of two parts the first affirmatiue that all Councils Histories and Fathers giue testimony to BB. u Note his reason the testimonies of the Fathers to no purpose because the antientest Councils were in the fourth age vv They be the first words of Eusebius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. § 9. The second part of the third argument negatiue that no instance can be giuen to the contrary All the refuters instances either false or impertinent Hier. ad Euagr. § 10. The refuters instances out of the old writers Ignatius Iustin Martyr Tertullian a Cyp. l. 3. Epi. 19 b l. 4. Epist. 9. c l. 3. Epist. 9. d li. 3. Epist. 2. 13. l. 4. Epist. 2. e li. 1. Epist. 3. l. 3. epi. 9. 14. 15. f li. 4. Epist. 9. g li. 3. Epist. 9. 16. li. 1. Epist. 3. § 11. Cyprians testimonie examined h li. 3. Epist. 14. i Epi. 15. 16. k li. 3. Epist. 15. l li. 4. Epist. 16. m Epi. 17. 18 n L. 3. Epist. 19. o L. 3. Epist. 20. p L. 3. Epist. 18. q In Tit. 1. r lib. 3. Epist. 10 s lib. Epist. 5. lâb 3. Epist. 22. lib. 4. Epist. 5. t Con. Carth. 4. cap. 22. 23. § 12. The testimony of Ambrose in 1 Tim. 5. The testimonies of Ierome answered u Ad Ocean in Tit. 1. Ad Euagr. (w) Hier. ad Euagr. Theodor. in 1 Tim. 3. § 13. A fourth testi +mony of Ierome misalledged aduers. Lucifer § 14. Ad pag. 114. The testimony of Augustine Epist. 19. a Aug. â 2. Epist. 17. 18. b Ad Craââer c Erasmus in 1. Tim. 4. Theodoret. Beda Sedulius c. d Sacerdotes § 15. Allegations out of the new Writers § 16. His allegations out of new Writers answered § 17. Ad pag. 125. Allegation of Examples * I omit here how shamefully he belyeth the Doctrine of the Churches of England Wirtemberge and Sweueland as opposite to the gouernment of BB. quoting Harmon Confess Sect. 11. The Church of Sweueland is so farre from opposing it selfe to the spirituall authority of Bishops that it doth not contradict the secular power and soueraigntie of such Bishops as be Princes a Euseb. Chron. anno 174. b Euseb. hist. l. 4. c. 21. 22. c Apol. 2. d Lib. 1.14 e Lib. 2.621 f Bez. in 1 Tim. 5. in Phil. 1. g Lib. 1. cap. 11. § 3. h Apologeâ c. 39. i Praescrip contr haere § 18. Ad pag. 126. The fourth argument from the succession of BB. k Euseb. hist. Chron. l Iren. li. 3. c. 3. m Tertul de praescript Augustine Epist. 24. Christiana societas persedes Apostolorum ac successiones EpiscoporuÌ certa per orbem propagatione diffunditur n li. 3 cap. 1. §. 10 12. The Episcopall function not first ordained by Councils o Conc. Nic. c. 6. p ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The conclusion § 19. A syllogisme concluding against the pretended discipline vpon the same groundâ His answere to the proposition § 2. Ad pag. 128. His answer to the assumption § 3. His answere to the former part of the assumption and the proofes therof a Eus. l. 4. ca. 15. b in Apoc. coâ 9. c Eus. l. 5. ca. 24. lib. 4. cap. 26. Sozo lib. 4. c. 24. § 4. Ad pag. 129. d Inter Orthodoxographa e In Polycarpo f ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã g Euseb. l. 3. c. 35. § 5. The second argument prouing the assumption h Iranaeus Eusebius Epiphanius Augustine c. His ioynt answere to the former reasons § 6. The latter part of the assumption that the Episcopall function was not disallowed by the Apostles k Phil. 2.25.29 l Act. 15. 21. Gal. 1.19 m Col. 4.17 Philem. 1. n Ap. 2.13 Ad pag. 130. o Chap. 3. § 12.13.14 § 7. That Ierome acknowledgeth BB. to haue bin in the Apostles time p In Tit. 1. q Ad Euagr. r Catalog script s In Clemente t Ad Euagr. u Proaem in Mat. w Catalog in Marco x Ad Euagr. y In Tit. 1. § 8. The refuters argument for the Presbyterian discipline a In Tit. 1. b Ad Trall His answere to the preposition c li.