A DISPUTATION PROVING That it is not convenient to grant UNTO MINISTERS SECULAR JURISDICTION And to make them Lords Statesmen IN PARLIAMENT LONDON Printed in the Year MDCLXXIX It is not expedient to grant unto Clergy-men secular Jurisdiction 1. I Do not undertake to prove that it is simply unlawful And the worthy and judicious Bishop Davenant doth grant and assert Determ quest 11. That the Law of Prudence and Equity it self doth forbid Kings to burden Clergy-men with it so far as it will let and avocate them from their spriritual office and function 2. It will be demanded who must be Judge what is and what is not expedient To which the forenamed Davenant makes answer That is to be accounted expedient which a Wise Man shall so judge and determine whereunto I assent He afterwards adds That which a wise and religious Prince shall so determine Neither do I dissent in this provided it be soundly understood For that which a wise and religious Prince shall judge to be expedient if it be so indeed all wise men will at least they ought so to think for sound wisdom is the same in all But it is too possible for the most wise and prudent Prince to enjoyn things not good and expedient King David thought it most prudent to number the people who was a most wise Prince but in that his wisdom fail'd him Joab his General that was much inferiour to David in goodness and heavenly wisdom thought it very imprudent and the event proved Joab to be the wiser man in that 3. Some things are more evidently other things are less evidently expedient The Scales may hang so even and equilibrious that a wise comparing judgment can scarce tell whether is the heavier end and whether part hath the stronger reasons and the Scales may be so odd and unequal so much solid reason may be said for the one side and so little for the other that to a wise comparing judgment the case is not doubtful to decide Now I shall manifest that it is evidently inexpedient to grant secular jurisdiction to Ministers and Glergy-men that is That the same person be a Minister Bishop or Pastor of Souls and a Magistrate or â—oâ—â—lve Judge one that heareth the Sword Rom. 13.4 4. Arg. 1. Jesus Christ did not see it meet to exercise any such power while he was upon earth being moved to be a kind of worldly Judg between two Brethren he refused saying Who made me a Judg or a divider over you Determ quaest 4. Luk. 12.14 As if he should say says Davenant upon the words Neither by divine nor by humane Ordination do I exercise Judiciary power over private persons much less over Kings By which argument the same Davenant goes about to prove the nullity of the Popes power in Temporals Now if his argument be of force against the Bishop of Rome I see not but it is of equal force against worldly Jurisdiction in all Bishops and Pastors whatsoever Now if Christ saw it not meet for him to exercise worldly Jurisdiction methinks all Bishops and Pastors of Souls who have their office and calling particularly from him should see it meet to learn of him and imitate him herein and Princes themselves should not think it expedient to burden Ministers with that which Christ himself refused and put from him as either unlawful in it self or inexpedient Mat. 11.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn of me 5. Arg. 2. The Apostles and the successors of the Apostles the Bishops and Pastors of the Churches for the space of three hundred years unto the time of Constantine had no Temporal Jurisdiction nor did exercise any And those are counted the best and purest times of the Church If we may not make the Apostles of Christ and their immediate successors the Bishops and Pastors of the Churches for the first three hundred years our pattern what shall we make our pattern and by what law and rule shall we determine what is and what is not expedient Can we better govern our selves and the Churches than they Have we more wisdom to invent and find out ways of good governing the Church than they had Have we more holiness and goodness and faithfulness to God our selves our calling and the Church than had they If the Church did well and best subsist when it had no Magistrates but what were Pagan Infidel and Jewish many of whom were great Persecutors all of them deâ—â—â—â— of the Christian name will it not well and better subsist if better can be where Magistrates are Christian and desenders of the Faith if Bishops and Pastors contenting themselves with no more but the Episcopal and Pastoral office and refusing all worldly Jurisdiction shall wisely and faithfully behave themselves in their office as those first and most ancient Bishops and Pastors of the Churches did 6. Unto this the worthy Davenant makes answer That those â—â—nes and ours are not alike Those times were exceeding 〈◊〉 and good ours be exceeding bad There needed no secular authority in Pastors then there was so much holiness and piety the Word and Discipline were abundantly enough but now the Christian World is so exceeding corrupt and degenerate that unless Ministers be armed with Secular Jurisdiction their authority will be despised and the Discipline which God hath appointed to be in his Church will be scorned as base and contemptible rather than be reverenced for any good it will do Non tam usui esset quam ludibrio those are his very words Davenant is the man whom I do highly esteem and so do all that be wise and knowing in the things of God but in this Davenant hath fallen much below himself and the feebleness of his reasoning doth much confirm me in my judgment and perswasion that the cause which he oppugneth and which I do here defend is too strong to be overthrown 7. His answer is partly not true not to say it is directly and flatly false For let any impartial man make a due estimate of things and compare the Pastors and Churches under the Apostles I except the persons of the Apostles themselves and during their abode upon earth and their successors the Pastors and Churches immediately following to the time of Constantine I say compare these with the Pastors and Churches of our times and it will be found that there is no such inequality as he suggests Bradford and Philpot and Rogers and Cranmer and Latimer and Ridley and Hooper and Bilney and Sanders and other of the English Martyrs were worthy and famous Martyrs of Christ as well as were those first and most ancient Martyrs And Grindal and Jewel and Vsher and Davenant and Gataker and Vines and Hildesham and Preston and Sibbs and Dod and Joseph Allen and many more of our own and foreign Divines were able to vye with the ancient Bishops and Pastors of the Churches such as died not Martyrs And the private Christians and Families and Congregations of our times
extreamly wicked and graceless neither fearing God nor regarding men as to despise and scorn all the wise and holy and faithful Pastors in the Church that are but meer Pastors According to this opinion one of these two wickednesses and absurdities will follow either that all the Pastors in the Church that are but meer Pastors are shamefully wicked and intolerable and most unworthy to be Pastors or that all besides in the Church that are no Pastors Princes Rulers and people are extreamly wicked even scorners and contemners of Gods Ministers Worship Word Discipline and holy institutions If Christian Magistrates and such as be faithful be not a help and defence to Gods Church and Ministers in their office then it is a contradiction to desire their office as an help and expedient to the Church and that Ministers might be armed with the authority of a Magistrate too And then it is no blessing but rather a curse to have faithful Kings Princes and Magistrates and then we should not pray for them and then it were all one to have Persecutors as Protectors Julian as Constantine Nero Dioclesian Queen Mary and bloody Popes and Tyrants as Theodosius Josias Queen Elizabeth and wise and just and faithful Governors 12. Arg. 5. Either you would have Pastors and their authority in the Church reverenced or you would not If you would have them reverenced what must it be for you would have the same man to be a Pastor and a Magistrate and so to be reverenced Very good if then the same man as Pastor be base and vile worthy of no reverence how shall we do to reverence the same man as Magistrate shall we say that the same man is worthy and unworthy vile and honourable faithful and unfaithful will you say that he hath two souls or two consciences one as a Pastor and so he is a worthless wretch to be contemned of all and the other as a Magistrate and so he is honourable and to be had in esteem by all If the same man as Pastor be damned what shall become of the same man as Magistrate If Pastors be worthy men all men will reverence and esteem them at least God will and all that be taught and instructed of God Even an Herod will reverence a John Baptist Wisdom and Holiness will be reverenced in all and folly and vice and wâ—ckedness will be reverenced in none But especially wisdom and holiness will be reverenced in Pastors and vice and folly and hypocrisie and unfaithfulness will be thought not so odious and unsavoury in any as in Pastors and Bishops For it is of them especially that God saith Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.30 If a Minister be truly worthy and honourable he shall be honoured All right esteeming men if there be any that fear God and make conscience of his commands will reverence and esteem him very highly in love for his works sake 1 Thes 5.12 13. But if he be but the meer name and outside of a Bishop if he be a Bonner a hater and persecutor of good men foolish wicked ambitious slothful worldly self-seeking contentious heretical ignorant scandalous and unfaithful nothing that you can do will uphold his reputation make him a Lord or Prince in Parliament heap all the dignities and honours that be among men upon him make him the greatest men for office in the Kingdom next to the King himself his vices aâ—d corruptions will shame him before the world no covers formalities and worldly eminencies and additaments will be able to hide the spots and deformitieâ— of his soul and win him reputation with any but Fools Flatterers and Knaves For it is righteousness and it only which exalteth a nation or person but sin is a reproach to any person or people Prov. 14.34 If you would not have Ministers and their authority in the Church reverenced and esteemed then you contradict your selves who would have Ministers to have worldly jurisdiction as a means to procure them reverence and esteem in the Church and then it is no sin not to esteem those that be worthy of esteem and then Judas and Peter be a-like worthy and we are to be as thankful for and rejoice in an Arrius as an Athanasius a Bonner as a Bradford an Antichristian murdering wicked Pope as a Peter and Paul and the most holy Pastor and Bishop upon earth 13. Arg. 6. In defence of Ministers being made Magistrates sundry instances out of the Old Testament be urged which be of Gods ordaining As we read of Melchisedeck King of Salem and Priest of the most high God and of Eli and Samuel who were both Priests and Judges in Israel The answering and clearing of this will make for the advantage of the truth and therefore I put it in the number of my Arguments These instances may be of some weight to make one think that the thing in it self is not simply universally and absolutely unlawful But what if I shall say that these be caseâ— extraordinary and will not warrant an ordinary and general practice That Melchisedeck was a person extraordinary a special and singular Type of Christ is clear from Psal 110.4 Heb. 5.10 Heb. 7 17. Cuneus de republicâ Judaeor to my remembrance holds him to be Christ â—imself but that is thought to be an error by most Certain it is he was a great man great I mean in the sight of God as well as great before men For he blessed Abraham the Father of the faithful and without contradiction says the Apostle the less is blessed of the better Heb 7.6 7. Moreover in those times the Church was much confined to Families and the Head of the Family was both Priest and Governor of the Family Job sanctified his Sons and offered burnt-offerings for them Job 1.5 Abraham Isaac and Jacob were Priests and Parents and Magistrates in their Families and over their Housholds For if a murder had been done in any of their families they were bound by Gods Law Gen. 9.6 to execute vengeance upon the murderer And as for Eli and Samuel they were both Priests and Judges Now Judges in those times were a peculiar and extraordinary sort of Magistrates and Commonwealth Governors raised up by God himself and sometimes there was none His Office was neither elective nor successive when he died his Office died with him When the order of Kings was instituted and took place in Saul and David the government by Judges ceased Now to argue from these extraordinary and rare cases to an ordinary practice I suppose will not hold Besides those times and ours do very much differ as to many things pertaining to Church-matters Every Parent among the Jews by the Law I suppose was to circumcise his Male-children Exod 4.24 25 26. Gen. 17.10 But under the Gospel it is made a part of the office of Pastors to Baptize Children and for Parents to do it is a sacrilegious invasion
4.1 2. Acts 20.28 31. Col. 1.28 2 Thes 2.11 Gen. 31.40 Act. 15.6 Mat. 18.17 he is personally to instruct and catechise and confer with all of his charge he is to visit the sick he is to admonish reprove comfort counsel warn and charge every one night and day with tears as a Father his Children he is to assist in neighbour-meetings and Church-associations of Pastors and Brethren for concord and communion he is to hear all such Causes as need due and regular discipline And is any one man able to do all this as it should be done to any of those Parishes in City o◠Country which abound with multitudes of Souls that would find work for many Minsters to do it faithfully as it should be done Whereas if there be one in a Parish and in some one with a Reader or Curate that is thought enough I confess at that rate that many do the work of the Ministry it is an easie matter for one man to be a Pastour to a Parish of a dozen Miles compass in the Countrey and St. Giles's in the Fields St. Martins Stepney and Cripple-gate in the City of London But to do the work of a Pastour faithfully and entirely to all the Souls within any one of these and such like Parishes would require a whole Colledg and combination of Ministers We see in a Troop of Horse of but some fourty or fifty men there is a Captain and a Lieutenant besides other Officers In a Regiment of Fifteen hundred much more of fifteen thousand what a vast number of Officers are there Captains over thousands Captains over hundreds Captains over fifties and Captains 〈◊〉 tens Deut. 1. 15. Every tenth man was to have a Captain or Officer But there is many a Parish in England that may have Ten thousand Souls in it and but one or two Pastours appointed to look to all these fouls When King Solomon built his Temple He set threescore and ten thousand to be bearers of burdens and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountains and three thousand and six hundred to be overseers to set the people a work 2 Chron. 2.18 But in the building of the Lords spiritual Temple there is not one Pastour to a thousand Souls in many Parishes of England I know many will think there are too many Ministers I think there are to many bad ones but I never read or heard of any Kingdom or place or people to this day that had too many faithful Ministers And I shall think it a holy and happy time when such a thing is but I despair to see it in this world Were it not that there are not Ministers enough to do all the pastoral work of each Congregation I should think most of the godly Ministers in England notoriously guilty before God of gross neglect and unfaithfulness for want of personal and private oversight of all their people though I think a great deal more might be done by many than ordinarily is Well then there being so great a want of Ministers and no want of Magistrates would you have Ministers to turn Magistrates too must those few that are be hindered and distracted by calling them off to worldly and secular businesses Is it not enough that Ministers have more work upon their hands than they can do and would you make them more and that too diverting and alien work extra Episcopal and almost if not altogether pragmatical work What is this but to serve Satan in the name of Christ and under pretence of Order to pull down Order and make the Church more low and weak by much than it is The holy Apostles of our Lord were of another mind when they saw they could not both look to the corporal necessities of the poor and the spiritual necessities of Souls too they contrived an expedient for both They appointed a new office of Deacons in the Church to see to the bodily necessities of the poor but say they We will give our selves continually to prayer and to the ministry of Gods word Act. 6.2 4. Far unlike to those that leave the Word of God and Prayer and give themselves to the doing of worldly matters and secular businesses and teach men so and plead for it as their priviledg and a means of advantaging the Church and of promoting holiness and peace Non tali auxilis nec defensoribus istis tempus eget 15. Arg. 8. Those who maintain it to be good to have Clergy-men armed with secular jurisdiction do urge for reason the practise of the ancient Bishops and Churches for the first three hundred years while the Church was without Christian Princes and Magistrates It was usual in those times for the people to refer their dissentions about worldly things to the decision and arbitration of their Bishops who to prevent going to Law before Heathen Magistrates and to prevent and compose differences and strifes and keep peace among their people would give themselves the trouble to hear and arbitrate Causes and Pleas and worldly differences referred to them And hence it is argued that if it was lawful for Clergy-men to be Arbitrators and elected Judges to decide between brethren it is lawful for Clergy-men to be Judges made and constituted by authority and commission from the higer powers 16. As to this I take it to be true as to matter of fact that it was usual for the Bishops of those times to hear and arbitrate civil Causes and Rights And it grew by occasion I was a saying by a misconstruction of the Apostles words 1 Cor. 6.5 I speak to your shame Is it so that there is not a wise man amongst you no not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren Thinking none more wise and consequently more fit to arbitrate and decide their Causes than their Bishops And this continuing to the time of Constantine and he finding them in possession thereof continued it to them and confirmed it in their hands by Law which was the beginning of Clergy-mens lordliness and domination the fruits and consequents whereof have been very calamitous to the Church ever since 17. I have many things to say as to this As 1. That it is very likely the ancient Bishops who took upon them this trouble of hearing and arbitrating the civil Rights and Causes of their people did it with no joy they were not fond of it they thought it a burden and if they might have had their choice would rather have been free from all such trouble So much is intimated in a passage which Davenant in his Determ quest 11. aforenamed quoteth out of Augustine They did not esteem them priviledges or easements but molestias for so are Augustines words as cited molestations and troubles But the Bishops and Clergy of our times seek them contend for them and are tenacious of such things as priviledges 2. Either the Bishops imployed in the hearing and arbitrating those Causes were the same with our Diocesan Bishop or they were
not If they were then what discretion could there be in the people to refer all the Causes within the Bishops Diocess supposing it to be of the same extent and bigness with the Diocesses of Bishops in England to one man their Bishop And what discretion could it be in such a Bishop as among us the Bishop of Norwich the Bishop of London the Bishop of Lincoln c. to take upon him the trouble of hearing and arbitrating all Civil causes controversies and differences of the people inhabiting so vast a compass as his Diocess He must do nothing else but meerly hear civil Causes He must be but a Bishop in name How expensive and very inconvenient would it be for all the Christians in any the least Diocess in England much more in the greatest to travel with their Law-Suits to the Bishop of the Diocess His House then must be a meer Westminster hall and all the days in the year scarce the Lords-day excepted must be term-time with him To think that the Apostle ever meant any such thing when he counsels them to refer their matters to a wise Arbitrator is a gross wresting of his words For he wrote to the Church of Corinth which was but one particular Church Is there not a wise man among you He must be a wise man among them one near at hand easie to be resorted to to whom they might refer their Causes And therefore it could not be that the Christians then referred their Causes to a Diocesan Bishop such as ours And if not then the Cause of our Diocesan Bishops will receive a deep wound and it will make way for an unwelcome truth That the Bishops to whom the people referred their Causes were the Pastors of every Parish the very same with our Parish-Ministers and the Rectors of Parsonages These of the Clergy were the fittest to arbitrate the Causes of all the people within their Parish A Parish-Bishop or Minister may with far more ease arbitrate and compose the dissentions and suits of all in his Parish than the Diocesan Bishop can do of all the Pastors and people in his Diocess 3. It is not the intent and meaning of the foresaid words of the Apostle that Pastors should be imployed in hearing and arbitrating the secular Causes of their own people or of the people of other Parishes I will not say it is absolutely and universally unlawful nor will I say it is expedient in no case at all There may be Cases rarely here and there in Parishes so circumstanced both under Christian and Pagan Magistrates in which it may be both lawful and expedient for the Pastors to arbitrate and compose suits and differences among the people But generally and for the most part it is inexpedient For either he will do right or do wrong If he do right it is well if one side be not displeased and fall out with him and take a grudge against him and either turn from him and not hear him or hear him with prejudice and so by this means the Pastor may be an occasion of much sin and damage and damnation to his Soul which prudence and piety and compassion in a Minister doth forbid and will make him watch against If he do wrong then it is hurtful to his own Soul it is a wronging of the Innocent and a perverting of Justice and a scandal to his Ministry Besides He can scarce do it but with distraction If he do it but a little it will be a hindrance to his other work and distract him much more will it hinder and distract him if he should use it and do it frequently And the words of Christ are considerable and worthy to be thought or Luke 12.14 Man who made me a judge or a divider an Arbitrator between you 4. The words of the Apostle may be well understood in this sense either there is besides your Pastor a wise man among you and one that is able to judge between brethren or there is not If there be refer your contentions and civil causes to him Neither go to Law before the unbelievers nor do you trouble your Pastors and Bishops but single out a wise man among you one that is able to hear and decide your Causes and make him Judge and Arbitrator between you If there be not one such wise and able man among you then it is a shame and reproach to you all What Do you call your selves Saints Do you not know that the Saints shall judge the world even Angels themselves Are they no then fit to judge on earth small matters and to decide a petty controversie about mine and thine between Brethren but Brother goeth to Law with Brother and that before the unbelievers This is to your shame 5. When Constantine came to the Crown and Magistrates became Christians the most expedient way had been to have eased Pastors of all those molestations and avocations and lest the Pastor nothing to do but his own part and the Magistrate his part To make the Clergy worldly Judges and Magistrates is no benefit but a burden it is nothing that a wise man should rejoice in but rather groan under as a pressure and hindrance and pray to God to be eased of it and rejoyce in being free from it and at liberty to imploy all the time which was wont to be spent in such Secular affairs in Religious and Sacred exercises which have a more special tendency to Souls good and are most becoming a Pastor 18. Lastly I will set the worthy Davenant against himself who going about to prove that the Bishop of Rome hath no temporal power over Kings lays down this position Bonum spirituale non postulat ut ulla temporalis potestas a Romano pontifice exerceatur And if not by him then by no other Bishop or Pastor whatsoever Non est enim in ordine ad hunc finem aut necessarium medium aut accommodatum aut licitum aut denique cum spirituali censura excommunicationis ullo jure connexum Spiritual good doth not require that any temporal power be exercised by the Bishop of Rome for it is not in order to this end either a necessary mean or fit or lawful or lastly by any right knit with the spiritual censure of excommunication Determ quest 4. And he gives very substantial proofs I am at a loss how to reconcile him to himself But whether he be consistent to himself or not I lay not my cause upon that the other proofs and evidences do overpower my understanding 19 Now if it be manifestly inexpedient to make Clergy-men Magistrates and grant them civil jurisdiction then it must needs be manifestly inexpedient to make them supream Magistrates and to confer upon them the highest jurisdiction which Subjects be capable of as to be Lords in Parliament and to have equal votes with the Peers and Nobility of the Realm and sit as Princes there to be many days and weeks and months from their Flock and to be
all that while taken up in State-matters Civil and Secular affairs If the other Arguments be good against granting any temporal authority and jurisdiction at all to Pastors and Clâ—rgy men and the Reasons for it be exceeding weak and but shews and shadows of Reason then it must needs be much more inconvenient to heap secular honours dignities greatness preeminence and authority upon Clergy-men and betrust them with the highest jurisdiction by making them Lords in Parâ—iament 20. They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 It holds good most strongly of those that seek both worldly wealth and outward height grandure and state that would be great and sit in the highest Seat and be accounted Lords and Princes and have dominion over the lives the liberties the estates yea and souls of men and would have wealth and riches to support their grandure and preferment It is this which hath let many evils into the Church and given occasion to the Roman-Bishop to lift up himself above all other Bishops yea above Kings and Emperors themselves and to assume the title of Universal Bishop and Christs Vicar-general upon earth and to usurp authority dominion and supremacy above all that is called God 2 Thess 2.4 Constantine the Christian Emperor thought he did the Church a kindness in heaping Civil honours upon Clergy men and putting them into places of state and preferment but in truth he did them and the Church no kindness It had been well for the Church of God that Bishops and Clergy-men had continued meer Bishops and Clergy-men without any worldly honours preferments in Parliament outward greatness and jurisdiction 21. Nor is there any hope that the Church of God should enjoy true rest and be setled in happy and lasting concord and flourish as it should in holiness and Peace till its Bishops and Pastors be reduced to the Primitive and Apostolick pattern One would think the words of our Saviour were plain enough in this case when there was a strife among the Twelve Apostles which should be greatest our Saviour quickly ends the controversie by telling them The Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them But it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great and chief among you let him be lâ—west and servant of all Mat. 20.25 26 27. Luk 22.25 26. It shall not be so among you and consequently it shall not be so among your successours But so it hath been and so it is to this day God grant it may be so no longer There is a striving which shall be high and great striving for worldly honours preferment and votes and authority in Parliament There is not a striving who shall be most humble and self-denying and do the work of God faithfully There is a striving who shall be like the Pope rather than Jesus Christ who shall have worldly lordship wealth and preferment and exercise domination not who shall be most good and holy most faithful and diligent in the work of the Ministry 22. Ambition and domination is not good in any but it is worst and most odious in Bishops and Clergy-men By seeking themselves and their own honour rather than the honour of God they lose themselves and do but prepare themselves for a fall Is it not a most sad thing to read in Church-history the contentions and strivings of Bishops and Patriarchs and Clergy-men about names and places and dignities and worldly greatness and authority and all the doleful evils which Clergy-domination and worldly-Prelacy hath produced And to see Christian Emperors Kings Princes States and Parliaments to enslave themselves to a dominating Clergy This is it which makes wise and good men to think it were much better to let Bishops and Clergy-men be meer and simple Bishops and Clergy-men and no more and for the Magistrate to keep the Sword in his own hands For if once you take up this for a principle that the example of Christ and of his Apostles and of the Pastors and Bishops of the Churches for the first Three hundred years is not a sufficient pattern yea and the very best pattern for all Christian Pastors and Churches to conform to if once you leave this you depart from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 It is not possible to keep out pride contention and domination these will be and they will prove the scab yea the plague of the Church and danger to eat out its vitals or so weaken and consume it that it will want much of its strength and beauty 23. Sound prudence is always to go by a sure and stedfast Rule Christs pattern the way and practice of the Apostles and first and most pure Churches is a sure rule to go by Keep to this and we are safe God will not find fault with us for holding us to his Rules and seeking to be no more wise no more holy no more great and honourable and good than his Rule and Standard requires But if you alter your rule and once think and say the Clergy must have some more honour and jurisdiction than so you let in confusion contention domination and a troop of evils and mischiefs not to be told As in the case of Ceremonies and namely that of the Cross in Baptism if it be prudent and advisable to add unto Gods institution of Baptism a dedicating symbolical sign and say that Baptism without it is not best as Christ ordained it you may by the same reason add Cream and Salt and Spittle and a multitude of vain and foolish things no just bounds can be set 24. And therefore Bishops Pastors and Clergy-men in Parliament should make their humble address to the King the Nobility and Commons in Parliament to this effect Our office is to be Bishops and Shepherds of Souls to give our selves continually to Prayer and to the ministry of the Word and to take heed to our selves and to all the flock over which the Holy-Ghost hath made us overseers Had we more time than we have had we more wisdom and goodness in our Souls could every one of us do the work of ten of the best and ablest and most godly Bishops and Pastors that ever the Church of God had the Souls in England and Wales would find us all work enough We may not leave our work and calling unto which we are separated without injuring you and us and the souls of our people and procuring far more damage to all sides than the benefit can countervail These honours that you put upon us these places of dignity and jurisdiction that you put us in are a snare and a burden to us they are no priviledg but a let To strive for them were to strive to bring Fire and Gun-powder together All the while we be here we tread as upon Coals of Fire We are as
Gods will that he who is best be best esteemed and that the less wise do learn of the more wise that the younger submit themselves unto the elder yea all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility 1 Pet. 5.5 Ministers cannot always be executing their Office as Praying Preaching Baptizing c. And there may be some parts and branches of the Office which they may never be called to exercise as Ordination authoritative Excommunication and Absolution And no authority is given but for use and edification and where there is no use of it or where it cannot be used without making things worse and doing more hurt than good it is to be forborn But it is fit that Ministers be Ministers and Pastors and Bishops be Pastors and Bishops and be invested and intrusted with compleat Pastoral and Episcopal power and that they do use and exercise every branch and part of their office and authority when and so often as sanctified Conscience and sound prudence and discretion shall say it is convenient and they cannot forbear to do it without manifest damage and inconvenience as it is convenient a Captain have his Sword though he may not be put to use it in fight against any And it is fit that a Schoolmaster have power to use his Ferula and moderately correct untoward and misruly Scholars though possibly he may have none such and so never be put to use the Rod. 29. This being so I must needs grant that if it be convenient and advisable that the whole tribe of Ministers who be of the order of Presbyters be accounted Lord-Bishops Lord-Presbyters Lord-Pastors and Lord-Preachers and have equal right to be Lords and Statesmen in Parliament and supream Judges in all causes and questions both Political and Ecclesiastical which shall come before that honourable Assembly then I yield the cause my position is erroneous and I do ill to say it is inconvenient that Clergy-men be Lords and Statesmen in Parliament But if it be inconvenient and against sound prudence to honour or rather burden the whole Tribe of Ministers and right-ordained Pastors and Presbyters with these honours preferments greatness and authority then I see not but my position will hold sound and good for if all appearance of evil is to be avoided then all appearance of partiality is to be avoided and of that partiality which hath conjoined with it many snares and which a wise man is bound to avoid as distractions precipices and burdens I have no envious partiality against Arch-bishops and Bishops I am neither against the name nor the office and thing imported by the name Every Pastor unto whom God doth give more than ordinary gifts and graces is in my judgment a real Archbishop in Gods Church jure Divino a chief Pastor and eminent Prelate in Gods Church above his fellows of which rank I do estimate the famous Vsher Augustine Athanasius Calvin Zanchy Bradford Davenant Cranmer Dâ—d Bains Hildersham Preston Sibbs Gataker Joseph Hall Babington Joseph Allaine and many more both ancient and modern Divines all burning and shining lights in Gods Church more eminent than vulgar Divines I think my self not worthy to carry their Books after them I think they better deserve the Title of Lord than many a temporal carnal Lord that is honoured with that name The fifth Commandment bindeth me to honour my Father and my Mother and my Catechism teacheth me that by Father and Mother is to be understand all superiors in office age and gifts Good Obadiah says to Elijah Art thou that my Lord Elijah 1 Kings 18.8 The truth is our ordinary word Master or Sir which we give to almost all importeth the same with the title Lord it being in Greek Kurios and Kurie in Latin Dominus and Domine save that custom which is the great arbiter of Speech doth appropriate this title Lord to the temporal nobility If we must give honour to whom honour is due and honour all whom God doth honour or else we are disobedient to Gods word and unholy then both Clergy-men and Lay-men Magistrates Pastors Parents and private Christians are to be honoured with decent and seemly honour without denying them what all wise and peaceable Christians account to be their due and to be safe and decent to be given to them or giving them more out of flattery and baseness having mens persons in admiration because of advantage See Job 32.22 Jude 16. 30. But now it is not the custom with us nor with the Churches of Christ and Christian people and custom in this case creates a Law 1 Cor. 11.16 to give the Title Lord to the Parish-bishops and Presbyters though never so eminent and it is but meet that according to the use of all Nations and the Scripture it self a difference be made between the temporal Nobility and the Clergy And why it should be given to a Popish Bishop meerly because a Bishop such as Bonner Gardiner and many of the Popes and Cardinals who have been wretched men or to a Ridley a Hooper a Davenant rather than to a Bradford a Philpot a Dod a Joseph Alleine I know not If the honour be due to the Office then all Ministers must be counted Lord-bishops and Lord-pastors I am clear in that Act. 20.28 Phil. 1.1 This I know will not please our Lord Arch-Bishops and Bishops and those whose zeal upholds them All that I contend for is that all that be equal in office be equal in honour and no one partially preferred no one assume to himself carnal state and superiority over his Brethren Jam. 3.5 Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth This advancing of equals above their equals and brethren above their brethren and pastors above pastors in Gods Church is not good 31. I do not impugn bare names and titles but my aim is to impugn factious partiality and pride in Clergy-men occasioned by the over-indulgence of Princes and supream Magistrates It is simplicity humility and sincerity in Bishops which I contend for Either the Arch-bishops and Bishops must come down and abate of their honour their lordliness their principalities and worldly state and be upon even ground with the rest of their Brethren who have as good insides as they and are as real Bishops and Overseers of souls as they and have equal office authority and commission with them Matt. 28.19 20. Joh. 20.23 and will pass for as much at death and judgment as they or else the rest of their Brethren who be equal in office and merits to them must be heightned and advanced and made to be upon even ground with them This latter is not advisable nor will be granted it is not fit it should The other is both feisiable and convenient It will make our Arch-bishops and Bishops to be no worse men nor worse Arch bishops and Bishops if they be but meer and simple Bishops of Souls and meddle no more in State-matters and secular affairs than needs they
offenders and offences and execute revenging wrath upon evil doers And by this means there was much quiet and good living and order in the Realm This course is now antiquated and degenerated into another course not so profitable and convenient for good order and publick quiet and that is the Circuit of Judges itinerant twice each year through the Realm keeping their Assizes at one place only and making all the County to come thither and having a Judges Sermon Preached at the entrance of the Assizes Though the Church and Ministry will stand if the Pastors do their duty yet if Christian Magistrates do not their duty in their place and calling they do so far unchristianize themselves and if they protect the evil and punish the good or think that 〈◊〉 pretence of Liberty of Conscience men may be allowed to blaspheme God to teach Atheism Infidelity and Soul-destroying doctrines and acâ— the part of Corah and his complices against the faithful Ministers of Christ God will make them know one day that that was not the end for which he appointed them Magistrates and that they be his Ministers and are therefore called Gods and ought not to bear the Sword in vain and to stand by and see the Church wasted persecuted and torn in pieces by violence heresies schisms profaneness and wickednesses and they be like Gallio unconcerned and care for no such things And the truth is it is no â—â—ttle that the due execution of the Magistrates office doth conduce to the success of the Gospel and the promoting of the Ministry and of the Word and Work of God upon mens Souls And therefore though I dissent from the worthy Davenant in this That he would have Pastors to be Magistrates and I would have Pastors to be but meer Pastors and the Offâ—ce of the Magistrates to be an Office by it self and bestrusted with 〈◊〉 persons who are no Pastors and who may intend it and make 〈◊〉 their work yet thus far I agree that it is most convenient and godly that throughout all the Churches there be in every place an heir of restraint a revenger to execute wrath upon them that do evil and to protect the good that these two standing Ordinances of Jesus Christ and of God the Father by him may stand and consist together and walk hand in hand and mutually support and conserve each other for the Glory of God and the good of Church and Common-wealth And this is no Vtopia or Platonick Idea or form of a Common-wealth which is but a fiction or imagination no where to be found in this World But it is obvious and plain to all and needs not so much any new institution as a restauration of ancient practice and a faithful execution of what all sides agree in consistent with the municiâ—al laws and saâ—ctions of this Kingdom 40. If any shall think I have committed inexpediency in writing against inexpediency and have medled with a point that will not abide to be medled with when I am convinced of it I will acknowledg my error Till then I will stand upon mine own defence and plead not guilty Almost imprudent is prudent If any tâ—x me of pragmaticalness I answer it is pragmaticalness that I write against and I cannot cure the wound unless I search it to the bottom and apply to it suitable Plaisters Pragmatical Divines cannot content themselves to be Divines in common with their Brethren but they will play the Bishops in anothers Diocess and think it well becomes them to immerse themselves in State-affairs If it shall be said that hereby I cast aspersion upon the Government of the Nation and censure the judgment and esteem of many generations of Princes Parliaments Wise-men Divines and Counsellors I answer That if it be lawful for a Davenant to assert in Schools and publish to the world an erroneous position Civilis jurisdictio jure conceditur ecclesiasticis it cannot be thought unlawful by equal judges for another though not to be named with Davenant to assert the contrary and shew the unsoundness of his opinion though with all just reverence to so worthy a man And in doing this I do but expound the true meaning and extent of the fifth Commandment and assert the rights of the Church universal and the consentient judgment of the best and soundest Divines and the due bounds of Magistracy and Ministry and reduce things to primitive order and simplicity according to the pattern of Christ and his Apostles and the first and purest times of the Church FINIS