AN ENQUIRY INTO THE New Opinions Chiefly Propagated by the Presbyterians of Scotland Together also with some Animadversions on a Late Book Entituled A Defence of the Vindications of the Kirk In a LETTER to a Friend at EDINBURGH By A. M. D. D. Jeremiah 6.16 Ask for the Old Paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your Souls but they said we will not walk therein LONDON Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's-Head in St. Paul ' s Church-yard 1696. THE CONTENTS OF THIS TREATISE THE Introduction inviting all the true Sons of the Church especially the Afflicted Clergy to the most serious Exercise of true Repentance and Humiliation P. 1 2 3 4 5 c. The Doctrines and Principles that we contend for against the later Sectaries are Primitive Catholic and Orthodox p 9 10 11. CHAP. I. The Insufficiency of those Pleas and Arguments managed by the Presbyterians against the Catholic Church in Defence of their New Doctrine of Parity p. 12 13 14. Their Arguments reduc'd to three general Heads p. 15. 1. Their Pleas from the Pretended immediate Institution of our Saviour considered p. 16 17 18 19 20 21. 2. Their Arguments from the Confusion of Names observable in the New Testament proved to be Vain and Sophistical p. 22 23 24 25 c. 3. Their Arguments from the Testimony of Ecclesiastical Writters examined p. 39 40. The Testimony of St. Clement the Apostolical Bishop of Rome Vindicated from the Wilful Mistakes of Presbyterians p. 41 42 43 44 c. The Testimony of St. Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna and Disciple of St. John the Apostle enquired into particularly p. 49 50 51. The Testimony from Hermas impartially viewed and the Disingenuity of Monsiour Blondel reproved p. 52 53 54 c. Pope Pius his Epistle to Justus Viennensis Censured as Spurious and if it was Genuine cannot serve the Presbyterian Design p. 56. The Instance of Marcion the Heretic as unfit to support the New Doctrine as the former Testimony from the Spurious Epistle of Pope Pius p. 57. The Testimony from Justin Martyr impertinently alledged by our Adversaries p. 58 59. The Testimony of the Gallican Martyrs p. 62 63. The Testimony of St. Cyprian p. 64. The Testimony from the Authority of St. Jerome p. 65. The Error of St. Jerome discovered to be very different from the New Doctrine of the Presbyterians p. 66. St. Jerome never acknowledged any Interval after the Death of the Apostles in which Ecclesiastical Affairs were managed Communi Presbyterorum Consilio Ibid Seqq. St. Jerome taught that Episcopacy was the Apostolical remedy of Schism from p. 65. to p. 80. The Testimony from the Authority of Saint Austin examined Saint Austin reasoned from the Succession of single Persons governing the Church of Rome from the days of the Apostles and by this Argument overthrew the Doctrine and Schism of the Donatists p. 81. to p. 94. CHAP. II. Of the Succession of Bishops from the Apostles p. 94. Some Presbyterian Concessions preliminary to the true State of the Controversie p. 95 96. The Apostolical Office considered with regard to its Permanent and Essential Nature 2ly As it was adorned with Extraordinary and miraculous Advantages The First was to continue for ever in the Church the Second was Transient and Occasional with regard to the first Plantations of Christianity The Apostolical and Episcopal Office the same in its Original Nature Essence and Design p 98 99 100 101 c. The true State of the Controversie whether the Apostles left the Government of Particular Churches to single Successors or to a College of Presbyters acting in Parity and Equality p. 105 106 The first is affirmed by all Records whether we consider the inspired Writings of the Apostles or the Ecclesiastical Histories of after Ages p. 107 c. The true Notion of an Evangelist altogether different from the Permanent Office of Timothy or Titus p. 111. Saint James the Just Established Bishop of Jerusalem by the Apostles and he in that City was the Centre of Unity and Episcopal Succession in that See p. 112 113. The Episcopal Power lodged in his person ib. The Angels of the Asiatic Churches Bishops in the strictest Sense p. 114 c. The whole Question reduced to three Enquiries p. 118 c. The Force of the Primitive Argument against Hereticks from the Succession of single Persons p. 123 124 125. The Ancients could not be deceived in an affair of this Nature p. 128 129. The Impossibility of changing the Ecclesiastical Government from Parity to Prelacy in the Primitive Ages all things duly considered p. 136 137. This proved at length from the Concessions of the Learned Presbyterians Salmasius blondel and Bochartus Ibid. The Peevishness of our Adversaries in this Controversie p. 150. The Epistles of St. Ignatius overthrow the Pretences of Parity even upon Salmasius his own Hypothesis P. 152 153 c. The whole Controversie reduced to Nine plain Queries p. 157 158 159 160. The Power of Bishops over the Subordinate Clergy and Lay-men in the Primitive Ages p. 161. The Presbyterian exception against large Diocesses discussed p. 162 163 164. Saint James the Just a Diocesan Bishop in the Strictest Sense p. 164 165. CHAP. III. Of several other New Opinions propagated by the Presbyterians of Scotland p. 168. Their Doctrine concerning the Holy-Days of our Saviour's Nativity Resurrection and Ascension Ibid. Anniversary Solemnities not founded upon any Divine or Express Institution observed in the Jewish and Christian Church p. 172 c. Presbyterian Exceptions removed p. 175 176 177. This further Prosecuted from several other Considerations p. 179 180 c. The Festivity of Christmas more particularly considered p. 185. The Vindicator's Mistakes exposed by the Anniversary Commemoration of the Martyrs celebrated by the first Christians p. 188 c. The New Explications of the Vindicator insisted on p. 196 c. Some other ridiculous Fancies examined viz That Christmas was observed in honour of Julius Caesar p. 205. The Testimony cited from Buchanan cannot serve the Presbyterian Design p. 207 208. CHAP. IV. Of the Presbyterian Notion of Schism and their fabulous Stories concerning a Presbyterian Church in Scotland in the first Ages of Christianity p. 211. Several Considerations proposed to prove our Scotish Presbyterians Schismaticks from the Catholic Church in the strictest Sense of that Word p. 213 214 c. A Particular Enquiry into that Fabulous Story propagated by our Adversaries viz. That there was a Presbyterian Church in Scotland in the First Ages of Christianity p. 228 229. The Authors cited by the Vindicator of the Kirk to support this Dream particularly considered p. 230. The Authority of Prosper mistaken and the Testimony cited by our Adversaries from his Chronicon Consulare more narrowly enquired into p. 245 c. CHAP. V. The Presbyterian Doctrine concerning Rites and Ceremonies examined p. 250 251. Their Notions contradict the Practice of all civiliz'd Nations Ibid. The frequent Allusions
Men who have sufficiently expos'd the Writings of Blondel and Salmasius on this Head particularly the incomparable Bishop of Chester yet I may be allowed to examine some of the most remarkable Testimonies from Antiquity that are alleg'd by those Men to support their Doctrine of Parity that the Reader may have a Sample of their Partialities and Prepossessions and if none of the first Worthies of the Christian Church appear for the New Doctrine of Parity we may safely infer that there are little hopes to defend their cause by the Suffrages of after Ages And in the next place I will particularly examine Blondel's Argument from the Authority of St. Jerome and Demonstrate that he mistakes or which is much more probable hides and misrepresents the Doctrine of that Learned Father and if St. Jerome be not his Friend he and his Associates may despair of any other First I will examine some of the most remarkable Testimonies from Antiquity and the first that is nam'd is S. Clement in his famous Epistle to the Corinthians This is the Celebrated S. Clement so Honourably mentioned by S. Paul himself Philip. 4. 3. together with some others whose Names are Written in the Book of Life who was fellow Labourer with the Apostles and Third Bishop of Rome by the Testimony of Irenaeus and probably sat in the Chair of Rome from the Year 64 until the Year 81 or 83. He wrote his first Epistle to the Corinthians to compose the scandalous Divisions and Schisms that had risen among them by the Pride and Vanity of some turbulent Brethren who valu'd themselves upon the miraculous Gifts of the Spirit to the Contempt of their ordinary Ecclesiastical Governors It is thought by some that this Epistle was written towards the end of Nero's Persecution before he was advanc'd to the See of Rome It is very observable that Blondel before he produces any Testimony from S. Clement acknowledges that by the universal consent of the Ancients this very S Clement succeeded S. Peter in the Government of the See of Rome and thô they vary as to his Order of Succession yet all of them agree as to the thing it self His first Argument for Parity is founded on S. Clement's Inscription of his Epist to the Corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From this Inscription he concludes that the Church of Rome was then Govern'd by a Colledge of Presbyters because the whole Church of Rome wrote to the whole Church of Corinth not mentioning the Distinction of the Clergy from the Laity when the Learned Blondel Reasoned at this rate he design'd it seems to please the Independent Party who were then most Numerous and Potent in England rather than the Presbyterians For if his Argument proves any thing it proves too much viz. That the Laity hath an equal share of Jurisdiction in the Administration of Ecclesiastical Affairs with Bishops and Presbyters And thus he might conclude that when S. Paul wrote an Epistle together with Sosthenes Timotheus Sylvanus and all the Brethren that were with him that he had no greater Authority in the Ecclesiastical Senate than the meanest of the Laity Our Learned Country-man Junius gives a far more reasonable Account of this Ancient Simplicity of the Writings of the Apostolical Age than such Childish Reasonings and he tells us that St. Clement did not prefix his Name ut modestiae humilitatis posteris aetatibus exemplar imitandum proponeret and this was very subservient to his Design that he might Teach the Corinthians whom he exhorts to Concord and Humility by his own Example that true and undisguised Modesty which was then so visible in the Practice of the first Christians when both Clergy and Laity were of one Heart and one Mind The next attempt that Blondel makes to support his imaginary Parity in the Primitive Church is from St. Clement's dividing the Clergy into Bishops and Deacons according to the current Phraseology that prevail'd in the Apostolical Age. When they considered the Clergy only in opposition to the body of the People I have answered this already when I examined their Argument founded upon such Dichotomies But when we consider this particular place of S. Clement with regard to that Latitude and Promiscuous use of Names that was very current in those Days the Word Deacon may be understood to comprehend all those Ministers of Religion whether Presbyters in the modern Notion or Deacons who by the first Institution were obliged to attend upon Tables and then his Argument vanishes into nothing nay rather it is a strong confirmation of that which he would most willingly destroy for by Bishops and Deacons we may understand Apostles Bishops Presbyters and Attendants upon Tables for the Word Deacons in the Language of the Holy Scriptures is taken in the greatest Latitude that may be not only for such as were appointed by the Apostles particularly to the Ministry of Tables but also the Apostles themselves the highest Officers in the Christian Church are called Deacons Who then is Paul and who is Apollos but Deacons by whom they believed even as the Lord gave to every Man And again who hath made us able Deacons of the New-Testament c. And upon other occasions they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And those who were ordain'd to the special Ministry or Tables were Originally constituted that the Apostles themselves might not be diverted from the Ministry of Deaconship of the Word And Tychicus is called a faithful Deacon as also Timothy so likewise Arthippus is commanded to take heed to his Deaconship thô it be not expresly determined what room he held in the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy weather he was Bishop Presbyter or Deacons nay such was the Latitude of the Word Deacon in the Apostolical Age that it was applyed promiscuously to all the three Order of the Christain Hierarchy So that if we understand St. Clement according to the current extent of the Word we may safely judge him to have meant by Bishops the Ecclesiastical Governors and by Deacons all subordinate Ministers of Religion whether such as were promoted the Priesthood or the Deacons who were confin'd to their Attendance upon Tables What advantage then does Monsieur Blondel gain to his cause for though Presbyters in the modern Notion are not perhaps the only Persons who may be understood by the Word Deacon yet they may be comprehended as well as other Ministers of a lower Rank Let it be observed also that S. Clement speaks not of the Ecclesiastical Polity such as it was brought to perfection after wards by the Apostles but rather of the first beginnings of the Christian Church immediatly after the Resurrection of our Saviour For thô all the Degrees and Subordinations of the Apostolical Government were founded upon divine Right yet they were not in one moment established in their True and Everlasting Figure but had their beginning as the Jewish Church went on from lessen steps to
that more perfect Scheme that was to continue until the coming of the Messiah This is certain that before the Apostles left the World they established such an Ecclesiastical Government as ought to continue in the Church until the second coming of our Savioar But let us suppose that where we meet with such Dichetomies in other Authors such a Parity as is intended by the Presbyterians may be understood yet when we view the Text of St. Clement more narrowly we must not presume to make any such Inference for the very same St. Clement Dichotomizies the Jewish Clergy who are known to have had their High Priest Chief Priests Priests and Levites yet he comprehends them all in this short and Bipartite Division For speaking of Jacob he hath these Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And must we from hence conclude that there was a Parity amongst the Priests of the Old Testament because they are thus distinguish'd from the Laity without mentioning the several Gradations of the Hierarchy amongst themselves Nay so little do our Adversaries gain by straining the Language of St. Clement contrary to the Latitude and Simplicity of the Apostolical Age that the same Author comprehends all Ministers of Religion under one general Word whether Prophets Apostles Bishops Presbyters or Deacons and not only does he thus speak of the Priests of the true Religion but also of the * Egyptian Priests who are known to have had their several subordinations But that which is most material to our purpose is that the same St. Clement when he exhorts the Corinthians to Christian Order and Harmony sets before them the beautiful Subordinations under the Temple-Service how the High Priest Priests and Levites were distinguished by their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and immediatly recommends to the Corinthians that every one of them should continue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now when we consider the Primitive method of Reasoning from Jewish Precedents St. Clement had never talked at this rate if the Jurisdiction of one over many Priests had been abolish'd under the New Testament and Jerome himself on whose Writings M. Blondel endeavours to establish his Opinion in his Epistle to Evagrius gives light to this place of St. Clements Et ut sciamus traditiones Apostolicas sumptas de veteri testamento quod Aaron filii ejus atque Levitae in templo fuerunt hoc sibi Episcopi Presbyteri Diaconi vendicent in Ecclesia For without all Controversie those traditions descended from the Jewish Church to the Christian as their true inheritance Nay St. Clement himself expresly distinguishes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the last may signifie Office and Age both together Nor can it be an Objection of any weight that the first who were there Spiritual Governors are mentioned in the plural Number since this was an Encyclical Epistle Address'd to Corinth as the principal City and from thence transmitted to its dependencies How considerable the City of Corinth was in those Days every body knows and S. Chrysostom informs us that it was Populous and magnificent in regard of its Riches and Wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So far was S. Clement from intending a Parity of Priests by his promiscuous use of words that he himself distinguishes plainly the spiritual Governors from the body of subordinate Presbyters and it is surprising to observe how much Men may be blinded with prejudice contrary to the Universal suffrage of the Ancients who place S. Clement so early in the Apostolical Succession of the Chair of Rome the Reader may see them all in one view prefixt to Junius his Edition of his Epistle to the Corinthians A second Witness made to appear an evidence for Parity is the venerable S. Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna who by Ireneus Bishop of Lions is said to have been taught by the Apostles to have convers'd with many who had seen our Saviour and that he himself saw him in his younger Days and that he knew him to have been constituted Bishop of Smyrna by the Apostles This is he who by S. Jerome is called totius Asiae princeps One would think that when they name S. Polycarp they had discovered some clear Testimony in his Writings to build their Hypothesis upon but instead of this nothing but a wretched consequence founded upon the Bipartite Division of the Clergy mentioned in his Epistle to the Philippians And yet the Epigraphe of S. Polycarp's Epistle clearly distinguishes him from his Presbyters who were then with him which runs thus Polycarp and the Presbyters that are with him to the Church of God which is at Philippi And if he had not been vested with Episcopal Jurisdiction and Eminence amongst those Presbyters how was it agreeable to the primitive Modesty and self Denial to have named himself only in the frontispiece of this Epistle and to mention none of his Brethern save only by the general name of Presbyters This is mighty uneasie to Blondel and the evidence of Truth forces from him the following words id tamen in S. Martyris epistola peculiare apparet quod eam pr. vatim suo Presbyterorum nomine ad philippensium fraternitatem dedit ac sibi quandam supra Presbyteros 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reservasse videtur ut jam tum in Episcopali apice constitutum reliquos Smyrnensium Presbyteros gradu superasse conjicere liceat There are two things that baffle this shadow of an Argument brought from the Epistle of S. Polycarp The first is that Irenaeus who was intimately acquainted with him and knew him to have been taught by S. John the Apostle and by him ordained Bishop of Smyrna does refute the Heresies of the Valentintans from the unanimous Doctrine preserv'd amongst the single successors of S. Polycarp downwards to that very Period in which he wrote For if the Ecclesiastical Power of the Church of Smyrna had been equally lodg'd in the College of Presbyters his Argument against the Hereticks from the Succession of single Persons teaching the same Doctrine first delivered by S. John and convey'd by S. Polycarp to the following Bishops I say such an Argument so manag'd could have no force nor was it possible for Irenaeus to have us'd it The next is this that in the same Epistle of S. Polycarp to the Philippians the Epistles of S. Ignatius are zealously recommended and we need not inform the Reader how much the Divine Institution Power and Jurisdiction of Bishops above Presbyters is asserted in those Epistles of which I am to speak in due time The Question then concerning S. Polycarp is whether we are to believe S. Irenaeus Bishop of Lions who was fully acquainted with the manner of his Education Apostolical Doctrine and promotion to the See of Smyrna rather than the dark and groundless conjectures of later Ages And from this single Instance alone we see how inflexible and Stubborn the Power of prejudice is how far it
triumphantly Atheism and Impiety lift up their Banners every where Let us endeavour as much as is possible to preserve some Remains of Religion amongst the People Let us assert the ancient Order and Piety that made the Christian Church so beautiful in former Ages The Apostle informs us that the time would come when men could not endure sound Doctrine but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves Teachers having itching Ears and they shall turn away their Ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables The great Founder of our Religion sent his Apostles by found Doctrine to enlighten the World and they convey'd this Spiritual Authority unto others who should transmit it by an orderly Succession and as their Mission was Heavenly in its Original so their Doctrine was pure and holy in all its Tendencies They considered themselves as the Ambas adors of Jesus Christ and Delivered their Commission without any Mixture or Hypocrisy They treated the People with all Humility and Tenderness but in the mean time took great care to mortifie their Lusts and their Passions but when they grew wanton and headstrong and thought themselves too wise to be led by their Spiritual Guides and Rulers then they would have teachers of their own Men chosen by themselves such as were taught to calculate their Doctrines to popular Fancies and Humours such as would prostitute the Gospel to promote Error and Delusion and make the Kingdom of Light subservient to that of Darkness and instead of serving our blessed Saviour they became Slaves to the People by whom they were originally employed and because they were so unhappily successful as to gratifie their Lusts they were therefore voted the most edifying teachers The Primitive Ministers of Religion had their immediate Commission from Heaven accordingly they endeavoured by all means to restore the Image of God in the Souls of Men to raise their Thoughts and Designs to that Happiness and Treasure which the World cannot give which God truth promised and made sure by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead The other had their authority from Men and therefore they must needs please the People who sent them They must reconcile the Rules and Morals of the Gospel to the Wicked Practices and designs of the World they must change the strictest Maxims of the Evangel into looser Theorems and the severe Discipline of the Ancient Church unto all Licence and Luxury the true faith that works by love unto airy Notions and Mistakes Thus the People were pleas'd and the Gospel was defeated the Church is ruin'd and God dishonour'd Every Man in his own station is obliged to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints When the Foundations of Ecclesiastical Unity are shaken loose and the Antient Constitutions trampled upon with great Insolence and Impiety then the hedge of tâ—â—e Religion is not only Invaded but Demolished and without those Sacred Vehicles it must Evaporate into Giddiness and Enthusiasm the Extravagance of these last days is boundless as it Sceptical and Christianity it self is more dangerously wounded by the Delusions of some that are Baptiz'd than by the open Blasphemies of Infidels The last may be assaulted by Reason at least in their more Lucid Intervals but the first are altogether inaccessible we must not presume to instruct them who pretend to extraordinary Illuminations their Errors are made strong by their vanity they plead a Divine Right to every New Opipinion and if we approach them in the ancient Paths of Modesty and Humility they look down upon us with Scorn and Indignation Nay they are inflexible to the plainest and most convincing arguments I have frequently with Grief and Sorrow considered the Decays of Religion and the Difficulties of our Employment We must pull down strong Holds and lofty Imaginations and grapple with the rudest Oppositions the Avenues of Mens Souls are blockaded by passion and prejudices and they are fortified in their Error not only by the Corruption of their Nature but by the artifice of Seducers their itching Ears are pleased their Lusts are gratified their Passions are made more unruly their Envy Hatred and Malice are indulg'd and they are allow'd to distinguish themselves from all others by special Titles of Division and Singularity by which alone they think to make their Calling and Election sure Yet notwithstanding that we are thus resisted by the Multitude of their Follies and Delusions we must not give over by Faintness and Despondency We must plead with them who have left the Unity of the Church by the words of Truth and Soberness and exhort others to continue in that Doctrine that was reveal'd by our Saviour taught by his Apostles and received by all Churches in the first and best Ages that the present Generation may not rise in Judgment against us for our Silence nor Posterity censure our Cowardice We must not be ashamed of the truth even when it is contradicted with all possible Violence and Fury I address this short Treatise to you with a design rather to assert the Truth than to reply to what hath been lately published by the Vindicator of the Kirk of Scotland against a certain Book Entituled Apology for the Clergy c. though I think it necessary to make some of his Mistakes a little more apparent There are certain Practices and Rituals received by the Christian Church in all Ages which are not determin'd expresly in the Holy Scriptures in so many Letters and Syllables yet by the plainest and most undeniable Consequences are agreeable to its general Rules and the Uniform belief of all Christians and they that deny those Usages or the Lawfulness of those Rituals venture upon untrodden Paths and do foolishly condemn the Wisdom of all former Ages The special Providence of God hath so watch'd over the Church that since the first Plantations of Christianity we have preserved to us some Records and Monuments of its Doctrine and Practices The Books of such as have been learn'd in every age do plainly demonstrate that the first Christians were agreed amongst themselves in the great Articles of Religion and in the general Rules of Ecclesiastical Discipline and Order and by this Uniformity of Doctrine and Rituals they strengthened themselves against Infidels and Hereticks There is nothing more opposite to the spirit of true Religion than Stubborness and Petulance and when we despise those Constitutions that have been universally received amongst Christians we overthrow the Foundations of Peace and Charity and consequently we exclude our selves from the visible fellowship of Christ's Houshold and Family When we consider the Schisms and Tumults of particular Churches the confusions of so many Revolutions the shakings of so many Nations the boldness and activity of Hereticks we have reason to adore the Goodness of God that so many Monuments of Ecclesiastical Antiquity are preserv'd and whatever is uniformly determin'd by the Wisest and the best of Christians their learn'dst Bishops and Presbyters
must be received as the Infallible truth of God else we have no certain Standard to distinguish the Catholic Church in former Ages from the combinations of Hereticks these are new in their several Errors and Delusions and upon that very account of their Novelty were expos'd and refuted by the Ancients they neither agreed amongst themselves nor with the Orthodox But the Uniform Voice of Christendom in the first and purest Ages is the best Key to the Doctrine and Practice of the Apostles and their Successors If it appear then that the Opinions which we oppose and are propagated by the Presbyterian Societies are such as were never entertain'd in the Christian Church for fourteen hundred Years after our Saviour's Incarnation then I leave it to every sober Christian to consider whether he may safely continue in the communion of that Party that despises the whole Catholic Church both Ancient and Modern CHAP. I. The Novelty and Insufficiency of those Pleas and Arguments managed by the Presbyterians in defence of their New Doctrine of Parity THE first Opinion that I charge with Error and Novelty amongst our Country-men is this That they affirm upon all Occasions that our Saviour hath appointed his Church under the New Testament whether Provincial National or Oecomenic to be govern'd by the several classes of Presbyters acting in perfect Parity and owning no Subordination to any higher Officer in the Ecclesiastical Senate above a Presbyter in the modern and current Notion of the word Such a Doctrine must be of dangerous consequence because it is altogether new and never propagated in any part of the Christian Church until these last days of Separation and Singularity In this Opinion they differ not only from the Uniform testimony of Antiquity but also from the first Presbyterians amongst ourselves who declare in their Confession of Faith that all Church-Polity is variable so far they were at that time from asserting that indispensible divine and unalterable right of Parity All that the first Presbyterians pleaded was that their new form was allowable and not repugnant to the Oeconomy of the New Testament and Primitive Institution and that it came very near to the Original Model of Churches but they never thought to advance such a bold and rash Assertion as to affirm That the Christain Church by the Original Authority of our Saviour and his Apostles ought to be govern'd in all Ages by a Parity of Presbyters or that there was no other Officer in the Church could pretend to any share of Ecclesiastical Government above a Presbyter When a Society of Men set up for Divine Absolute and Infallible Right they ought to bring plain Proofs for what they say else they must needs be look'd upon as Impostors or at least self-conceited and designing Men. To propagate a Doctrine under the notion of a probable Opinion though it should happen to be an Error is consistent with Modesty and the practice of Learned Men in all Ages But to affirm a new Notion to be established by Divine Right and to require Obedience to that Scheme as a thing that is due to Supreme and Infallible Authority is much worse than Speculative Enthusiasm If a man only entertains himself with his Visions and Fancies he alone suffers by it but if I meet with a company of head-strong Fellows who must needs persuade me that they see so many Armies in the Air fighting and with the exactest Discipline of War nay their Banners the shape and colour of their Horses their several Squadrons and the whole order of their Encampment and will certainly knock me in the head unless I take my Oath upon it that I see all this who never saw any such thing in my Life I think I have reason to complain that my Circumstances are very unlucky I had certainly rather fall into the hands of High-way-men than amongst those Spiritual Robbers who divest me of my Senses and the exercise of my Reason If you inform our Country men that their New Doctrine is thus represented they will tell you that none but wicked men oppose their Government that it is Establish'd upon the express Institution of our Saviour that it hath been asserted and prov'd by several Learned Men of their Party beyond contradiction But if you ask by what particular argument you may be convinc'd of the Truth of their New Doctrine then they begin to lead you into a Labyrinth of dark and intricate Consequences obscure and perplext Probabilities several Texts of Scripture they will alledge but sadly wrested and distorted from their genuine Meaning and Design and the uniform Suffrages of all the Ancients And if you are not satisfied with such proofs as they advance you must be contented to submit to their Censure and the New Discipline must be Obey'd where-ever their Power is equal to their Pretences I can give you but a short History of their Arguments by which they endeavour to Establish their Divine Right of Parity When you read their Books I think all their pleas of whatever kind or force may be reduc'd to these three heads First either they pretend that this Parity of Presbyters is expresly commanded by our Saviour or secondly They endeavour to support it by consequences from several Texts of Scripture or thirdly from the Testimonies of the ancient Writers of the Church First I say they pretend that this Parity of Presbyters exclusive of the Superiority or Jurisdiction of a Bishop is expresly commanded by our Saviour This indeed promises veryfair For if our Saviour hath plainly and positively Commanded that Ecclesiastical Affairs shall be managed in all Churches and Ages communi Presbytero'um consilio and by such a College of Presbyters as excludes the Authority and Jurisdiction of a Bishop then without all Controversie all Christians are oblig'd to submit to it The Consequence is plain and undeniable and because our Country-men do insist upon this more frequently than any of the foreign Presbyterians we ought to hear them calmly and deliberately and when they plead the Authority of our Blessed Saviour we must view those Texts with reverence and attention and see if any thing can be inferred from them that may probably support the now Scheme of Presbytery The Parallel Texts of Scripture are Matth. 20. 25. But Jesus called them unto him and said ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them v. 26. But it shall not be so great among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister V. 27. And whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant v. 28 Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many See also Mark 10. v. 42 43 44 45. and Luke 22. 25. From these parallel Places they plead that the Officers of Chirist's House were by his own express Command establish'd in a perfect
Equality even in such a Parity as excludes the Power and Jurisdiction of any higher Order than that of a Presbyter in the modern Notion Let us now examine whether there be any Foundation for their Inference in the Texts last mentioned In the first place we find that our Blessed Saviour supposes Degrees of Subordination amongst his own Disciples as well as all other Societies and therefore he directs the Ecclesiasticks who would climb to the Highest Places in the Church to take other Methods than those that are most usual amongst the Grandees of the World He that deserved Preferment in the Church was to be the Servant of all so that this Text refers to the Method of Promotion and not to the Extirpation of their Jurisdiction They were not to aspire to Honour and Dignity by Force and Violence or the other Arts that are so fashionable in Secular Courts but rather by all the Acts of Modesty Humility and Self-denial Next let me ask whether the Apostles understood this Precept of our Saviour in the sense of our Adversaries or not If they did as it is alledg'd how came they to exercise Jurisdiction over all Subordinate Ecclesiasticks during their Life time in all the Churches they Planted Did they go cross to the Institution of our Saviour who perfectly understood his meaning and to whom the Precept was Originally delivered But that which Baffles and Exposes this Argument to all Intents and Purposes is this that he did that himself among them which now he commanded them to do to one another and therefore the doing of this towards one another in Obedience to the Command now under consideration could not infer a Parity unless they Blasphemously infer that Christ and his Apostles were equal for when you read the Text with attention you see that our Saviour recommends what he Enjoyns from his own Constant and Visible Practice amongst them viz. that he himself who was their Lord and Master was their Servant and therefore it became the Greatest among them in imitation of him to be Modest Calm and Humble towards all their Subordinate Brethren and this qualify'd them more than any other thing for Ecclesiastical Promotions It is very sad that any should be so much Infatuated with their new Schems of Parity as to alledge such Texts which if understood in their Sense Degrades our Blessed Saviour to the Degree of one of his Disciples for what he Commanded the Apostles he Practised among them himself And this is the strongest Motive to engage their Obedience therefore I may reasonably infer that whatever it was that our Saviour commanded in those places of Scripture it must of necessity be toto coelo different from all Parity and Equality He Commanded them that they should not exercise their Jurisdiction as the Lords of the Gentiles did by a Spirit of Pride and Domination but rather by the more Christian and engaging Behaviour of Charity and Humility He that was to be the Greatest among them was to be their Servant in Imitation of that Heavenly Patern that was set them by our Blessed Lord and Saviour S. Paul thought himself oblig'd to answer his Episcopal Character after this manner when the Care of all the Churches lay upon him when he employ'd his Apostolical Power to promote the Edification of all Men and all the Fathers of the Church who were advanc'd above their Brethren to Ecclesiastical Power and Jurisdiction had this Evangelical Notion of their Dignity that they were the Servants of all others From what hath been said one may easily see that there is no Ground no not a Shadow of any Argument for the New Doctrine in these Texts of Scripture It is true that Salmasius glances at this way of Reasoning in his Walo Messalinus but he lays no great stress upon it That which is most to our purpose is that Beza himself in his larger Notes upon the New Testament asserts that all kind of Jurisdiction is not forbidden in these Texts but that only which is joyn'd with imperious Bitterness and Domination Let it be further considered that the Hierarchy and Subordination of Priests was Established by Divine Authority in the lewish Church and if our Saviour had pull'd down that ancient Polity and commanded an Equality amongst the Presbyters of the New Testament he would not have stated the Opposition between his own Disciples and the Lords of the Gentiles but rather between the Priests of the Mosaie Oeconomy and the Disciples of the New Testament When he reprov'd the corrupt glosses that were introduc'd into the Church by the Scribes and Pharisees and taught them Purer and more Heavenly Strains of Morality he states the Opposition between the current Doctrine receiv'd amongst the Jews and that which he himself Taught and Recommended and there is no doubt to be made if he had forbidden the several Degrees and Subordinations of Priests and Established a perfect Equality he would have stated a plain Opposition between the Model of the Temple and the other Plat-form that was to succeed in the Christian Church As for the other Text that is ordinarily cited to serve the same design 1 Pet. 5.2 3. It is but the Apostle's Commentary on our Saviour's Words and Commandment and it forbids the Spirit of Pride and Insolence as a thing very unsuitable to all Power and Authority in the Church Thus such Texts have been understood from the beginning and it is one strong Prejudice against the new Exposition that it was never heard of until these latter days Secondly If the Presbyterians cannot Establish their Divine Right upon express Texts of Scripture they will support it as they think by the Clearest and most immediate Consequence and this is Equivalent to the most Positive Command and Institution The Argument from the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter fill all their Books from top to bottom And if this be in it self Lame and Sophistical they must despair to Establish the pretended Equality of Presbyters in the Ecclesiastical Government The Argument most insisted on in favour of their Parity exclusive of Episcopal Jurisdiction is built upon the Homonomy of Bishop and Presbyter in the Language of the New Testament or because the Clergy are Dichotomiz'd only into Bishops and Deacons in some Texts of Scripture and in some Ancient Writers of the Primitive Church Hence they exclude the Authority of a Bishop above a Presbyter though the Offices themselves be as much distinguished as is possible in several Texts of the New Testament And if this Argument alone appear Childish and Sophistical they have not another Sanctuary to flee to so my present Business is to Examine the force of it There is not one of their number with whom you Engage in this Controversie but immediately he will tell you that there is no distinction between Bishop and Presbyter in the Scriptures and therefore they conclude that their Argument a Confusione Nominum against the Superiority of a Bishop is
drives Men against Light and Conviction and darkens all their Intellectuals in defiance of common Sense and Reason A third Witness alledg'd by Blondel is Hermas I only name some few of those that are nearest to the Apostles I do not now enquire into the Authority of this Book It is most probable that it was written towards the end of the Apostolical Age and some of the Ancients of great Authority make him to be the same that is mention'd by S. Paul Rom. 16. 14. It is without all Controversie a Book of great Antiquity as appears by the Citations out of him still preserv'd in some Authentick Monuments particularly Irenaeus Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian and Origen There are two palpable evidences that Episcopacy was the Ecclesiastical Government that obtain'd in the Christian Church when this Book was written The first is from the second Vision of the first Book where the sending of the Encyclical Epistle in exteras civitates is insinuated to be the peculiar Priviledge of S. Clement then Bishop of Rome The other insinuation is from the second Book and 12th Mandat Paragr 2. where he reproves the preposterous Ambition of such as would thrust themselves into the highest dignities contrary to the Evangelical Methods of Humility and self-denial exaltat enim se vult primam Cathedram habere If there be no Power there can be no Abuse of it and therefore he reproves that insatiable thirst of Preferment that puts some amongst them upon Projects and Designs contrary to the command of our Saviour who taught us that he that deserv'd the Ecclesiastical Promotion was to be the Servant of all and therefore many of the Primitive Bishops fled and hid themselves upon the first Motion of their being nam'd to the Episcopal Dignity And the other Citation from Book the third Similitud 8. insinuates the very same thing that I intend viz. a Principatus then established as the fixt Government of the Church which some were too too hasty to grasp 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. Vid. Dickson in Matt. and Answer to the Irenicum by G. R. vid. Bez. in 〈◊〉 Vid. Smectim Jus divin Minister Anglican The Unbishoping Timothy and Titus Altare Damascen Durh. Dissert on the Revel v. Cotel Not. inpriorem Epist S. Clem. p. 96. in quibus fusâ— solide demâ—nstratur argumentum a confusione nominum nequaquam Jurisdictionem Authoritatem Episcoporum supra Presbyteros labefactare posse V. Doctiss Bevereg cod canon Eccles primit lib. 2 c. 11. Vid. Clariss Dodwell dissert Cypr. p. 205. Walo Mess Tertul. de Baptismo Stromat Lib. 6. Pastor Herma * Apud clariss Dodwell disertat Cyprian p. 205 â— Cotel in prieâ— Epist Clemen ad Corinth 1 Cor. 15. 7. Wâ—â—â— Mâ—â— * Aplog prosenten Hieronym Amstol 1646. Vind. St. Ignat. Adversus Hereses lib. 3. cap. 3. V. Doctiss Cav Hist liter p. 18. Blondel Apolog p. 9. Plerique Latinorum Hieronymo teste secundumpost Petrum fuisse putaverunt ut ante annum Domini 65 ad Romanae Ecclesiae clavum sedissenecesse sit Apol. pro sent Hier. p. 9. page 9. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. doctiss Bevereg cod Can. Eccles Prim. lib. 2. p. 314. 1 Cor. 3. 5. 2. Cor. 3. 6. Acts. 6. 4. Coloss 4. 7. 1 Thess 3. 2. Coloss 4. 17. Vid. etiam Bevereg ubi supra Pag. mihi 40 41. Pag. 10. Edit Jun. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ— mihi 52 53. V. Cotel Not. in Pr. S. Clemen Epist col 95. Apud Jun. Not. in Clemen p. 12. * Iren. lib. 3. cap. 3. Polycarpus autâ—â—â—non solum ab Apostolis edoctus conversatus cum multis excis qui dominum nostrum viderunt sed etiam ab Apostolis in Asia in ea quae est Smyrnis Ecclesia constitututs Episcopus qurm nos vidimus in prima nostra aetate * Catalog â—pt Eccles Apol. p. Iâ— Vid. Test Veterum ad frontem editionis Oxon