to whom they might commit that Diaconate by their Apostolick Imposition of Hands which was done accordingly So here was a Meeting of Ecclesiastical Persons upon an Ecclesiastical Affair and so a Matter of Synodical Polity under Authority Apostolical Acts 6. Upon the Persecation St. Cyprian saith that the Apostles sent Philip to Samania Ep. 73. â—8 which began in the stoning of Sâ— Stephen there followed a dispersion of the Church from Jerusadem but they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the Word and Philip the Deacon made a vast Conversion at Samaria of which when the Apostles which were still at Jerusadem heard they sent unto them Peter and John Mission an Act of Conciliar Authority to lay their Hands upon them for the Reception of the Holy Spirit Here was most formally a Mission from the Apostolick College de propagandâ fide of two the most Eminent of their Body and was an Act of Conciliar Form Authority Government and Communication Acts 8.14 15. To the Authority of which College St. Peter accountable to the College of Apostles in publick Council St. Peter himself was forced to give an account at his return for his having Preached to and Baptized the Gentiles Acts 11.1 2 c. Upon the same Persecution several preached the Gospel to the Jews alone in Phenice Cyprus and Antioch in which last some also preached to the Greeks and turned great numbers of them to the Lord and when Tidings thereof came to the Church at Jerusalem they send forth Barnabas to Antioch which Mission must be ordered Conciliarly by the Apostles of which three only had departed from the Colledge Peter John and Barnabas and Peter had returned before this Mission of Barnabas Acts 11. tho' after Herod had killed the Apostle James Major and Imprisoned Peter to the same end by the Conduct of an Angel Peter went off a second time Eldersunder the Apostles in the College at Jerusalem Acts 12. Nor were there only Apostles still presiding at Jerusalem but Elders also under them to whom when Earnabas and Saul returned to give Account of their Ministry they delivered the Collection made for the Brethren of Judea Acts 11.30 Which Elders were a second Clerical Order in that standing Council The 24 Elders in the Revelation represented as a College What the Twenty four Elders in the Revelation were particularly intended to represent 't is not Material to Conjecture 't is only observable here that they are represented as in one Assembly When some from Judea came to Anâ—ioch and Preached to the Gentiles the necessity of Circumcision and were Opposed by Paul and Barnabas herein 3 The Church there was resolved to Consult the Determination of the highest Authority The College of Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem the Sâ—preme Authority which then was in the College of Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem who from that Metropolis yet jointly and Synodically Governed all Ecclesiastical Matters needing their Determination The Legates therefore from Antioch being received by this Colledge and having given an Account of their Affairs in Publick Assembly certain of the believing Pharisees at Jerusalem urged the necessity of Circumcising the Gentiles Whereupon the Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this Matter The Session at Jerusalem about Circumcision among whom the Old Prolocutor Peter first next Paul and Barnabas and last of all James Minor afterward probably the Bishop of that Place upon the dispersion of the rest Apostles delivered their Senses and Resolutions for the Negative in which the whole Council Acquiesced And so it pleased the Apostles and Elders and the whole Church to send Synodical Legates and Epistles to the Gentile Churches in Antioch Syria and Cilicia letting them know That it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to Them to lay upon them no more than four necessary Things to abstain from Meats offered to Idols from Blood from things strangled and from Fornication assuring them withal that those Circumcisionists from Jerusalem had not that in Commandment from the Colledge of Apostles and Elders to impose the Doctrine of Circumcision on them Whereby is imported that that Council or Colledge had a Commanding Power on Missionaries tho' in vertue of that they had given these Zealots no such Circumcising Commandment Syned Afiicara ad Cornel. ap Cyp. Ep. 54. placuit nel is Spiritu Sarcio suggerente Domino per visiones multas manifestas admonente c. This was so very formal a Synod and the Acts and Concerns thereof so formally Synodical that hence all Synods Convened upon Religious Questions and Debates have acted in prescription from this as their Platform or Original Pattern And yet the Dr. tells us That whether this were such a Synod as he and the Letter was then speaking of may very justly be doubted Now what sort of Synod the Dr. intends his then Speech about I cannot tell p. 60. If his General Definition of a Synod will do this was certainly such as fully as ever any was or if he means such a Synod as the Churches usually were directed by I am sure he can find no essential Reason or Form wanting But if â—e means one of Hen. the Eight his Convocations there indeed we must fail him But to such a one as this the Letter pretended no Divine Constitution or Example and therefore 't is not about such a Synods Divine Right that the Dispute lies nor would the Dr. have opposed a Divine Right to such a Model that would so â—â—â—ctually have Consecrated his enslaving Hypothesis No no 't is not this sort for which the Letter lays Divine Foundations 〈◊〉 't is for such a freedom of Synods which our Religious Prince hath deprived us of So that the Doctors Exception properly is either that this of Jerusalem was not an Ecclesiastical or Canonical Council or if it were that it was not sice and exempt from Civil Coercion An exact Man here would have laid out all his force and have set forth on what sort of Synods the Debate is with a description of its Constituent Forms in distinction from others to have been as accurately described Nor will a Man's haste nor avocations Excuse such Omissions by which Divines Students and Learners may be blindly led into dangerous Errours Which defect therefore I hope he will supply in the next Edition and Vindication of his Book But to go on Elders of Asia convened from Ephesus to Miletus The Elders of the Church of Asia being together at Ephesus as the Bishops and Deacons were at Philippi Phil. 1.1 were all Convened by St. Paul to Miletus to receive his Apostolical Order against those ravening Wolves that should after his departure arise to pervert the people from the Faith and to draw Disciples after them against whom he bids them Watch taking heed unto themselves and to the Flock of which the Holy Ghost had made them Bishops viz. the whole Church of Asia under the
and practice and under absolute Obligations unto ordinary and publick frequency yet are under no Sabbatical rigour nor indispensable precept of Stationary days being left to the imitation of the Original and Primitive Practices as much as Times and Occurrences will permiâ— or direct for the best Spiritual Service of the Church And therefore much more may the convention of Synods be left at Liberty for whose stated Returns there are no constant nor fixed Reasons nor Examples in the Scriptures nor the Writers of the next Succession to the Apostles even as to times of Peace much less as to times of Persecution § 4. But further yet to recommend the reasonableness hereof let it be considered that a great deal of the Hierarchical Rules of Order and Polity is truly of Apostolical Prescription Catholick Right for placing Bishops in Cities and Catholickly received for such in and thro' all the first Ages for which however we have no Catholick Laws or Canons in Scripture The General and Primitive Practice of placing Bishops in every City was of Apostolical Direction and Practice Cyp. Ep. 52. § 16. Cum jampridem per omnes provincias c per urbes singulas ordinati sint Episcopi c. vide Praeced but without a Preceptive Obligation upon the whole Church for ever some whole Countries having but one Bishop some one Bishop to two Cities and elsewhere a Village Bishop Yet no doubt the Catholick Church has a divine Right of placing Bishops in every City for upon that Right St. Paul order'd Tit us to do so in Crete that order not being the first Charter of the Catholick Right herein for it was but a Personal and Local Order for Tit us and Crete but grounded upon a general Right in the Apostles and by them left to their Suffragans and Successors to place the Clerical Orders where they saw most convenient which according to all Reason was chiefly and principally to be done in Cities The Convenicacies in the Empire observed for the Government of the Church observing those conveniencies for the publick Government of the Church which being found by experience useful in the Exarchates and Provinces of the Empire appeared in general to the Apostles and their Successors as useful to the Catholick Hierarchy Wherefore where a Right is Divinely constituted the use whereof ought to be left to Freedom and Prudence 't is not only needless but incongruous and hurtful to tye up the exercises of such Right to precise Limits which is I think a good account why Synods in Scripture are not under precept CHAP. V. Of Scripture Synods or Councils § 1. THE grounds of Synodical Authority being duly laid in a Divine Charter it is necessary now to proceed to the Instances hereof in Holy Scripture matters of Fact allowed good upon Record being very good Illustrations in Law of that Right on which they were practised and received This is what also I am more particularly obliged to since the Doctor is loath to own any Instances of this kind not willingly that of Acts xv for such a Synod as he was speaking of In which I confess he is not alone but accompanied with a great croud of Anti-Hierarchical Criticks and other poorer Scriblers which cannot merit that Character But if the practice of the Catholick Church as well as the formal reason of the thing it self evinces that an Ecclesiastical Council or Synod is an Assembly of Ministers in Consult for the Spiritual Conduct of the Church The Desinition of a Council or Synod p. 60. or according to the Doctors more unaccurate definition a meeting of Ecclesiastical Persons upon an Ecclesiastical affair I believe the Doctors second thoughts will set him at Rights that there manifestly appear several Sessions properly Conciliar with their Acts Synodical in the New Testament § 2. That our Saviour instituted two Colledges of Doctors one of the Twelve and the second of the Seventy Christs two Colledges of Doctors cannot I think be doubted under whom the Lay Disciples constituted were the first Rudiments of the Catholick Church râ—presented by the Princes of the Twelve Tribes and the Seventy Elders of Israel which later were no doubt a Society Ecclesiastical in their first unrecorded Originals since they appear to be so in the two Convocations of them by Moses Exod. 24. Nam 11. Ignat. ad Philadelph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in other places of an obscurer intimation of such a Colledge Nor can it be doubted before Moses his days but that each Tribe had its 〈◊〉 all which were concerned in the common Conduct of the Twelve Tribes of Israel to which our Saviours Promise to the Colledge of the Twelve has relation when he says they should sit upon Twelve Thrones The Twelve Apostles one Colledge Judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel as one common Society Now the Twelve Apostles are herein too to be taken for a Colledge because it appears that St. Peter by St. Matthew is Mat. 10. called the first in order and appears in all Conferences of the Twelve whatsoever St. Peter Prolocutor to be the Prolocutor So neither the Twelve nor the Seventy tho' sent out first two by two throughout Jewry were yet several only and Incoherent herent Ministers but were Sociated into two Colledges or Fraternities and to appear as such in all their Conventious § 3. Christ then a little before his Ascension being Assembled with Eleven Apostles commands them not to depart from Jerusalem till the illapse of the Holy Chost at Pentecost A Council for electing an Apostle in the Room of Judas This they observed accordingly and gathered to themselves about an â—â—o Disciples a number held sufficient for a Synagogue In this Interyal St. Peter the constant Prolocutor of the Upper Colledge proposes the Substitution of a Successor to the Apostleship from which Judas by Transgression fell by a consulted Recommendation of two fit Persons unto God of which two the Divine Lot was to determine the Successor Here then being a Session of Eleven Apostles in an Assembly of 120 Disciples putting them all upon Council and Consideration for a Successor to Judas an affair Fundamentally Ecclesiastical Act. 1. I hope will appear to the Doctor to be a Council if not a Synod Ecclesiastical in which there can be no other difference but this that a Synod Difference between a Synod and Council is so called in respect of their Convening together from their several proper Seats but 't is called a Council from their actual Session speaking properly After the Effusion of the Holy Spirit and the intrease of the Church by the Accession of both Jews and Greeks the Greeks murmured against the Hebrews that their Widows were neglected in the daily Ministrations A Council for the Election of 7 Deacons Whereupon the Twelve called the multitude of the Disciples unto them and bid them Recommend seven Men of honest Report and full of the Holy Spirit
Committed by God to set Orders to proper Priests and lastly the Mystick Powers of the Hierarchy of the Keys Hierarchial Powers of binding and loosing of remitting and retaining of sins in Earth to be ratified above by Christ in Heaven was deposited in the Apostles the first Fundamental Bishops under Christ and derived down to all their Successours with whom he promised his presence even to the end of the World that so the Gates of Hell might not prevail over the Church committed to their Charge Consecration by Mystical Imposition of Haâ—d to which end among others they are by a Mystical Imposition of Hands blessed and consecrated unto such Measures of the Holy Spirit as are suitable to so high and holy a Function and such Mystick Offices Now if this in Fact be so then our Rule holds good that none can attempt these Powers but by Divine Commission either Original or Successive the Divine Maxim of the Author to the Hebrews c. 5.4 holding true of these Priesthoods as well as those in the House of Aaron Priesthood not assumable but by Divine Commistion That no Man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Now to secure this Truth and Matter of Fact we have St. Pauls Testimonies to the full in several places namely That Christ hath placed in the Church Pastors Powers Ilicrâ—rchiâ—â—l instincted by Christ Teachers Governments in which they that Rule are to Rule well and with diligence and to be therefore accounted worthy of or assigned double Honour and to be obeyed and submitted to as they that watch for our Souls for which they must give Account as Stewards of God Mysteries 1 Cor. 12.28 Rom. 12.8 1 Tim. 5.17 Heb. 13.17 1 Cor. 4.1 from whence 't is as clear as Noon day that the Christian Laity are by Divine Ordinance under Governors Hierarchical And being so are in a Subordinate state of Ecclesiastical Society with God under their Spiritual Rulers and being antecedently so before are therefore independently so consociated as to Civil Societies according to the Doctrine of the Letter § 3. But this is not all that deserves observation in this matter But beside the different Orders of Governours the Vnity of the Catholick Church is to be much considered under these several Governours either as one Divine School of Christian Piety under many Doctors The Catholick Unity of the Church a◠〈◊〉 â—â—chool Aâ—â—â—y or â—olity under several Principal Governours The Twelve and the Seventy or of one Army in many Partitions under their respective Head Officers or Lieutenants General under Christ the great Captain of our Salvation or as one Polity under many Optimates For first our Saviour came as a Doctor sent from God and gathered under him Disciples of these he ordained twelve chief Doctors and seventy Inferiors to collect more unto and instruct them in this School when collected Now a collection of Disciples into one Society is but one School how large soever it grows and how many Teachers soever the Enlargements do required So many Tutors there are in one Colledge and many Colledges in one University Since then also the whole Catholick Church of Christ is but one general School of his Foundation tho' the Doctors that teach it have their several Rooms and Mansions for their particular Shares these Partitions for Convenience do not divide the general Society into Independent Separations No Independencies in Christs Church The same sort of Unity is to be maintained in the Notion of an Army or Church Militant by Sacramental Vow under Christs Banner under the conduct of its general Officers And lastly if we consider it as the one City or Kingdom of God committed by its Prince during his abscence to several Viceroys assigned their respective Districts and Jurisdictions these are the Bishops succeeding in this Authority to the Apostles So that this One School One Army One City tho' distributively to be governed by the several Rulers as to particular and local Offices yet as to the Interests of the common Vnity and Preservation it must be governed Aristocratically by common Council and Unanimous Authority Conciliar Assemblies necessary to an Aristocracy And as no Monarch can well Govern without a set of Counsellors to Advise such as the Clergy or Chapter of a Diocess ought to be to a Bishop in his District So the Optimates of an Aristocracy cannot not only not Wisely but not Authoritatively act without Conciliar Forms and Methods and they are therefore themselves one standing fundamental Council for the whole Subject Body And hence is the Right of Provincial Synods The Catholick Right and Primitive use of Provincial Synods to be held all over the Catholick Church fundamentally necessary to the Catholick Uniformity of Conduct and Vnity depending thereupon to the end that what each Council resolves may be transmitted to the rest and so mutually treated of if need be by the intervention of Legates or ratified if there be no doubt or need of discussions which was the original form of Catholick Government and Communion in the Christian Church before the Empire set up Christs Banner and was received as of Apostolical Canon So that if the Visible Unity of the Catholick Church as one common Society and Community No need of Scriptural Record for requiring such forms of Government be of Divine Structure the very Truth and Faith hereof immediately imports an Aristocracy and that a Right of Conciliar Assemblies and Legations So that there needed no Scriptural Record requiring this while the Frame and Order hereof was before laid in the first Structure of the Church and Universally known as Established in it before any Scriptures of the New Testament were conceived or lodged in the Archives of the Church as is confessed by the instances of this Conciliar form of Government extant in these Scriptures to be by and by alledged For it is further to be considered that the Convention of these Synods is not universally of constant and indispensably necessary frequency Synods mostly upon emergencies to be fixed to stated times but upon emergencies mostly which yet are frequent enough and in the days of Persecution 't is as inconvenient many times to the Spiritual as dangerous to the Temporal Interests of Christians 't was therefore fitter to leave the exercise of that Authority free to the publick Ecclesiastick Prudence Not to be held constantly in times of danger as to the actual exercise and menage thereof than to confine it to particular Rules Times and Limits Cyp. Ep. 56. § 3. Nec quisquam cum populunmostrum fugari conspexerit metu persecutionis spargi conâ—urbetur quod collection fraternitatem non videat nec tractantes Episcopos andiat c. by Express and Canonical Precept without reserve to a necessary Liberty Nor need this be thought strange since the Assemblies for Doctrine and Worship tho' apparently of Divine Right as to daily use
these little Occasional Transports but fixed Senses in the Holy Martyr Ep. ad Trall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. G. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. Ep. ad Smyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide plura ap V. G. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Philad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Polycarp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vide plura ejusmodi in Psendepig Ign. Inscriptionem Epist Polycarp ad Philippens Cypr. Ed. 34. § 4. Presbyterii honorem c. sessuri nobiscum c. ita Ep. 35 42. § 2 3. as appears by their frequent repetitions requiring an Obedience still to the Presbyteries as to the Apostles which had been extravagant to a Miracle had not Presbyteries been of Divine Institution on Faith of which he calls it the Council of God without which whosoever Acts any thing Ecclesiastical is not of a pure Conscience as being Concorporated for the Unity of the Church there being but one Lords Supper and one Altar of God as there is but one Bishop together with his Presbytery to unity with which all penitent Schismaticks must return in order to the remission of their Sins So that such a System of Presbyteries in every Bishoprick appears by this Disciple of the Apostles and Bishop of their Consecration to be of Divine Ordinance for a Council to the Bishop and the Bishoprick in all its occasions So that so many places attesting such a Systematick Consociation of Presbyteries in every See will bid a fair Interpretation for all those other places which require observance to Elders plurally only named See in the mean time Ep. 6. § 5. Solus rescribere nibil potui nibil sine consilio vsstro c. Ep. 18. 24. but collectively understood as an Ecclesiastick Council and so of the Deacons the same is most probable because they are generally set with the Bishop and the Presbytery in these Rules of Hierarchical Discipline and Vnion according to the forms of those Synods of St. Cyprians which generally contained the Deacons as well as Presbyters gathered together in the face of the whole Church in affairs that did concern all the Orders thereof of which more will be spoken when we come to particulars § 5. In the vacancy the Clergy of Council for the Bishop rick Nor were they only of Counsel and Sub Society to the Bishop while the See was full but they were a Council for the Vacant Bishoprick during the Interval to inspect and conduct the publick state thereof and to give and receive Letters of Communion between other Churches For tho' in the Vacancies Presbyters were not able to do all Episcopal Offices in their own Right as Ordination Anathematizing Absolution c. yet all things preparatory hereunto were in their power as Examination Regulation Suspension Injunctions of Penance c. in which the vacant Bishoprick was to be Canonically Subject and Obedient reserving higher Procedures to the higher Authorities of either the neighbouring Bishops at the present or their proper Bishop next to succeed Ign. ad Rom. For tho' Ignatius tells the Romans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Antiochen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that his Church in Syria at Antioch had now in his steed Christ and Christ only for her Pastor and Bishop yet in that ascribed to him sent to his own Antiochians he charges the Presbyters to feed the Flock till God should give them a Governour and the People in the mean time to be subject to the Presbyters and Deacons And tho' this is indeed an Apocriphal Epistle yet it is an unexceptionable Canon specisied in it and far from an Imposture that the Clergy should Govern the Laity in the Vacancy So Polycarp in his Epistle to the Church at Philippi then as it seems Polycarps ad Philippens charges the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Laity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Cypr. Ep. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. without a Bishop for otherwise the Canon required him to have mentioned him in the first place directs the Presbyters to be Merciful Visiters of the Needy Converters of them that Err forbearing Wrath Partiality Unjust Judgment Severity c. the Laity to be subject to them And when it shall be considered that in these days the several Presbyters had not several Congregations apart to themselves but were all one common Colledge over one People in every See and the Rule of the Government and Obedience setin this Epistle is to the Elders in common without any distributive appropriation it will then be as clear that they were a Council for the Church in the Vacancy as a Council to the Bishop in the Plenarty To which the express Testimonies of the Epistles reciprocated between Bishops and Vacant Sees under the Conciliar Conduct of the Clergy are full and convincing Cler. Rom. Clero Carthag in t Epist Cypr. Ep. 3. § 1. cum incumbat whis qui videmur praepositi esse vice pastor is custodire gregem c. spoken of the Clergy of both Sees Thus the Clergy at Rome writing under their Vacancy to the Clergy at Carthage under the absence of St. Cyprian looked upon it as a duty incumbent upon them in the absence or want of the Bishops to supply their places in what their Order would admit in the custody of the Flock And they therefore having received Letters from the Clergy of Carthage of the Recess of St. Cyprian the Bishop by Clement the Carthaginian Sub-Deacon and Messenger send back this their Epistle by their Agent Bassianus to the Clergy of Carthage Ibid. Harum literarum exemplum ad quoscunque poteritis transmittere per idoneas occasiones c. vid. Cyp. ad Cler. Ep. 6. § 2. and desired them to communicate it by all means and opportunities possible to other Churches Which were plainly acts of Form and Nature Conciliar and such as they looked on as matter of Duty and not Prudence only 'T is true where Bishops were only absent it may be presumed that the Presbyteries did act by the direction of the Absent Bishop but then it is as certain Cyp. ad Cler. Ep. 6. Vice meâ fungamini cirea gerendaca quae administratio religiosa deposcit vid. Ep. 5. § 1. that the Absent Bishop was Canonically obliged so to Authorize or concede that vicarious administration which they upon their own Right before such actual Commission might assume for it was the disobedience of some proud Consessors to the Authority and Conduct of the Deacons and Presbyters Cyp. ibid. § 4. Quando audio quosdam nec à Diaconis aut presbyteris regi posse that occasioned St. Cyprians sixth Epistle to Authorize the Clergy that could safely stay at Carthage under the then persecution in his Stead Name and conceded Authority to carry on the Ecclesiastical Administrations Which was not the first Original of the Clergies Authority in the absence of the Bishop
of Imposture in Religions inlaid with the Power of the Sword the Merchandize the Hypocrites would make of it Athan. ad Orthodox Tom. 1. P. 944. D. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set up Bishops by Kingly force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before its Divine Credit could be throughly established in the Hearts of Mankind and the Reproaches consequent against it there upon did not think sit to call many Mighty or many Noble Wise or great at first to the Profession of Christianity nor permit any Princes by his Providence to exercise any formal Authority in the least over the Church for 300 years tho' Abgarus Mamaea and Philip Gordius are said to have been Christian that the propagation of the Christian Church and Faith might not be attributed nor attributable to the Power of Man but of God only Else it had been as easie and as miraculous for our Lord to have made Princes his first Converts and Apostles and founded this Supremacy in them and their Successors beyond all Question for ever But that it might never in time to come fall under the reproachful Imputation and Character of a State Engine he lodged the Spiritual Powers elsewhere for three Centuries entirely that hereupon the Church might be emboldened as upon sure grounds to assert her proper Powers unalienated and pure against all Atheistical Calumnies whatsoever thro' all Ages that so tho' they were to be subject to Civil Powers to the enforcement of their Duties and for repression of Enormities yet not to the Omission of their Duties and Cares to which God hath called them which is the general Rule and Standard of Subjection in all Countries Ages and Nations Universally and forever § 11. The Christian Character of the first Princes in the Prescription But there is one thing more to be considered in the two first Emperors instanced by the Doctor for this universal Domination of Princes over Synods and that is their Christian Character to qualifie them for this Omnipotency For tho' the Doctor in his few interspersed Reasons for it gives no distinctive grounds for an higher and interiour Supremacy in Christian than in Heathen Princes yet for a good Grace Praef. p. 5. he tells us That whatever Privileges do belong herein to the Christian Magistrate p. 94 96. they belong to him as such which must I suppose be the Rule of Interpreting other Places where he more loosly omits the Christian Qualification But here I would fain know what 't is shall denominate a Prince Christian and that in order to this Authority Internal Authority in Societies grounded upon an Internal Right of Communion For all Internal Authority in all Powers presupposes a right to Communion more or less as the ground of Authority in all Societies whatsoever And therefore the Authorities asserted by the Doctor to all Christian Princes must suppose a right to Communion in all the matters subject to that Internal Authority For he that has no right to receive Sacraments has no Internal Right of Authority to make Laws about them he who is not within the Communion has no Right to pass Sentence for the Ejection or the Restitution of others He may presume to do it upon an uncontroulable Force and Tyranny and the reasons pretended for it may be in themselves good and necessary and so be admitted and observed by the Church at the Command of an Usurping Power not in Conscience of his just Authority but for the reason of the thing and for the avoiding unnecessary Persecution But a Right Internal there is none to them that are without Now tho' Constantine and Constantius so much concerned themselves about Church Synods yet were they not yet Baptised into the plenary Communion of Saints in the Christian Church nor so much as made Competents or Catechumens by Imposition of Hands and consequently what they did about Ecclesiasticals was not of an Office or Nature Internal to Ecclesiastical Polity or Communion but common only to the Prerogative of Princes in General or if it was of Internal importance 't was Usurpation and a Nullity in it self Had they been Catechumens or Competents a pretence might have thereupon been formed that they alone might make Ordinances for those preliminary Statious but not surely for Baptism Consirmation Lords Supper Holy Orders Anathemas Absolutions c. Had they been Baptized and so qualified for Confirmation and the Eucharist it might not have looked so odd in them to have set Rules for such Sacraments and the common Laity in their Celebration but for Ordinations and Hierarchical Powers of the Spirit over the Souls of the Laity and Clergy how incongtuous must it have been in any Emperour to assume the whole Legislature and Ordinance In these therefore the Laws of Princes may well follow Ecclesiastical Constitutions by the Sanction of Secular Penalties but the Constitutions of Sacred Canons ought not to be taken sway from the Hierarchy and lodged only in a Lay-hand that holds a long Sword and for no other Reason but this that the Sword is in it least they that use it Sacrilegiously perish by it Eternally Constantius his want of Right over Synods For as to Constantius whom most accuse to be aresolute Heretick and they that speak most sostly of him represent him as Patron of Heresie through simple Ignorance he thereby became not a Guardian of the Church or the publick Peace thereupon hereby to sound his Right of Supremacy but a very great Persecutor and Embroiler of the Catholick Church even by managing Synods which no doubt in an Unbaptized state of Heresie he had no true Right nor proper Authority to do for whatsoever Right a mere Alien Prince may have while he professes no Enmity no doubt a Professed Enemy has no Lawful Authority to manage that Divine Society and its Principles which he designeth to destroy by that very management And so I resolve that Constantius having declared himself against the Homoonsion had no Authority to call or manage any Synod at all and that no Obedience or Conformity to his Calls were due in Conscience to his Power tho' it might be in Duty â—to God and Care for his Soul as well as the Souls in general of the whole Church the whole Authority of meeting being in the Catholick Bishops but none at all in him or his Arians I might here add that the Fathers might Convene upon his Call for fear of Persecution not in Conscience of Duty to it but I think this did not so far enslave them as to obey but the hopes they had of doing him and the whole Church the useful Services of true Faith and Piety And hence it was that when upon their Petition he would not in answer concede their Dissolution at Ariminuns Right of Dissolution they dissolved themselves not thinking themselves guilty of any sin of Disobedience for who could imagine so of the Conscience of 400 Catholick Bishops suffering for the Faith under Constantius his Tyranny