then Timothies present instruction as Gersonius Bucerus rightly observes Finally learned Doctor Whitaker hath long since assoyled this objection in these words That Timothy is commaunded not rashly to admit an accusation against an Elder this prooves not that Timothy had power or dominion over Elders For according to the Apostles minde to receive an accusation is to bring a crime to the Church to bring the guilty person into Iudgement openly to reproove which not onely Superiors may doe but also aequals and inferiors In the Roman Republike Knights did judge not onely the people but also the Senators and Patricij And certainly it seemes not that Timothy had such a Consistory or Court as was afterwards appointed to Bishops in the Church What this authority was may be understood by that which followes Those that sinne rebuke before all which aequals also may doe Thus Bishops heretofore if any Elder or Bishop had an ill report referred it to the Ecclesiasticall Senate or Synod and condemned him if hee seemed worthy by a publike judgement that is they did either suspend excommunicate or remoove him The Bishop condemned nocent Elders and Deacons not with his owne authority alone but with the judgement of the Church and Clergy Those who where thus condemned might lawfully appeale to the Metropolitan but hee could not presently alone determine what seemed good to him but permitted the Synod to give sentence and what the Synod decreed was ratified The same answer Martyn Bucer De vi usu S. Ministerij Doctor Andrew Willet Synopsis Papismi Cont. 5. Gen. Quest 3. part 3. in the Appendix and Gersonius Bucerus De Gubernat Ecclesiae pag. 300. to 398. where this objection is most fully cleared by Councels Fathers and other authors testimonies give unto this place so that it makes no proofe at all that Timothy was a Bishop So as from all these premises I may safely conclude that Timothy was neither a Bishop nor Bishop of Ephesus nor first nor sole Bishop of that See as many overconfidently and erroniously affirme Obj. 6. If any in the sixt place object that diverse of the ancient Fathers as Dionysius Areopagita Hierome Ambrose Dorothew Theodoret Chrysostome Epiphanius Eusebius Gregorie the great Policrates Occumenius Primasius Isidor Hispalensis Beda Anselme Rabanus Maurus with many moderne writers affirme Timothy to be Bishop and first Bishop of the Ephesians therefore hee was so Answ 1. I answer first that as some of these Fathers are spurious and not to be credited so many of their testimonies are ambiguous if not contradictory p Eusebius writes that Timothy IS REPORTED to be the first Bishop of Ephesus and Titus of the Churches of Creta which is rather a deniall then an affirmation that hee was Bishop there in truth Theodoret and Beda affirme him to be Bishop of all Asia not of Ephesus onely and so an Archbishop rather then a Bishop Their Testimonies therefore being so discrepant and dubious are of no validity Secondly Many of the Fathers affirme Peter to have beene Bishop of Rome and to have continued Bishop there for divers yeares yet Marsilius Patavinus Carolus Molinaeus with sundry other late Protestant writers both forraigne and domestique affirme and substantially proove by Scripture and reasons that Peter was never at Rome nor yet Bishop thereof As therefore their bare authorities are no sufficient argument to proove Peter Bishop of Rome so neither are they sufficient to evince Timothy Bishop of Ephesus Thirdly These Fathers affirme not Timothy to be sole Bishop of Ephesus or to be Diocaesan Bishop or such a Bishop as is superior to a Presbyter in Jurisdiction or degree the thing which ought to be prooved and if they affirmed any such thing yet seeing the fore-alleadged Scriptures contradict it in a most apparant maner they are not to be credited against the Scriptures testimony Fourthly The Fathers terme him Bishop of Ephesus not because hee was any sole Diocaesan domineering Bishopthere as the objections pretend but because hee was left by Paul to teach and instruct them for a space till hee returned from Macedonia and to order that Church together with the other Bishops and Elders thereof and being one of the eminentest Pastors of that Church next after Paul who planted it the Fathers terme him the Bishop of Ephesus in that sence onely as they stiled Peter Bishop of Rome and Antioch Iames Bishop of Ierusalem Marke Bishop of Alexandria and the like not that they were Bishops properly so called or such as ours are now but onely in a large and generall appellation because they first preached the Gospell to such Churches to no other purpose but to proove a perpetuall succession of Presbyters and doctrine in those particular Churches from the Apostles time till theirs naming the eminentest Minister for parts and gifts in each Church the Bishop of that Church all which appeares by Irenaeus Tertullian and others who call them Bishops onely for this purpose to derive a Succession of Ministers and doctrine from the Apostles Hee that would receive a larger answer to this objection let him read Gersonius Bucerus de Gubernatione Ecclesiae p. 518. to 524. 436. to 441. 498. usque 500. 538. 539. which will give him ample satisfaction Obj. 7. If any finally object that Paul desired Timothy to abide still at Ephesus when hee went into Macedonia 1 Tim. 1. 3. and that the Greeke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a constant residence or abiding in one place Therefore Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus which if it be a solid Argument prooves many of our Court Nonresident Prelates and Ministers to be no Bishops because they reside and abide not muchlesse preach and keepe hospitality on their Bishoprickes rather then Timothy to be Diocaesan Bishop of Ephesus Answ 1. To this I answer first that the argument is a grosse inconsequent For Timothy might abide thus at Ephesus as an Euangelist as an Elder as Paules assistant or substitute onely as an ordinary Minister not as a Bishop his abiding therefore at Ephesus is insufficient to constitute him a Diocaesan Bishop of that Sec. Secondly Paul and Titus ordained Elders in every Church to abide and continue with their flockes Acts. 14 23. Tit. 1 5 7. yet the Opposites deny these Elders to be Diocaesan Bishops Thirdly Every ordinary Minister is to reside and abide upon his Cure Rom. 12 7 8. 1 Cor. 7 20. Ier. 23 1 5. If this argument therefore where solid every Minister should be a Diocaesan Bishop Fourthly Paul left Aquila and Priscilla at Ephesus to abide there Will it therefore follow that they where Diocaesan Bishops of the Ephesians If not then the argument is invalid Answ 2. Secondly I answer That Timothy was to abide at Ephesus onely for a season till Paules returne out of Macedonia and no longer 1 Tim. 3. 14 15 c. 4 13 14. after which hee went with Paul from Macedonia into Asia
are present shall lay their hands upon his head by the Bishops hand This Canon is incorporated by Gratian into the body of the Canon Law and hath been practised and put in ure in all ages since till now The very Glosse on Gratian yea and the Rhemists too assuring us that when a Preist is ordained all the Preists standing by doe lay their hands upon him neither is there any other forme of ordaining Ministers prescribed in the Canon Law or Councels but this alone which all Churches have observed and yet retaine Since therefore no Bishop may or ought of himselfe alone to ordaine Ministers without the assent and concurrence of the Clergy people and others there present as Gratian Illyricus and Gersome Bucerus proove at large and since all Ministers present ought joyne with the Bishop in the imposition of hands in all ordinations of Ministers and haue ever usually done it in all ages and Churches how this Prerogative of ordination should be peculiar to Bishops who may not doe it without Ministers concurrrence no more then Ministers without theirs I cannot yet conjecture True it is that the Councell of Ancyra about the yeare of our Lord 308. Can. 3. ordained That Chorall Bishops should not ordaine Presbyters or Deacons nor yet Presbyters of the Citty in another Parish but when the Bishop should permit them by his Letters And the Councell of Antioch under Pope Iulius Canon 10. decrees that Chorall Bishops should not ordaine Ministers and Deacons without the Bishops privity From whence I observe First That before these Councells restrained the power of Chorall Bishops and Presbyters that they did and might lawfully ordaine Ministers and Deacons without the Bishops privity or assent Secondly That by his assent and licence both the one and the other without the Bishops presence might lawfully ordaine Ministers and Deacons These Councels therefore plainly resolve that there is an inhaerent right and power of ordination in Presbyters and Chorall Bishops as they are Ministers and that with the Bishops consent and license they may lawfully execute it and conferre Orders therefore the right and power of ordination is not invested onely in Bishops as they are Bishops for then none else could ordaine but they alone The forged Constitutions of the Apostles fathered on Pope Clement prescribe That Presbyters and Deacons may not ordaine other Preists and Deacons but Bishops onely And the Councell of Hispalis or Spaw about the yeare 6 7. Canon 5. 7. out of Pope Leo Epist. 86. decrees that Presbyters and Chorall Bishops which are all one should not presume to ordaine Preistes or Deacons or to consecrate Altars or Churches For in holy writ by Gods Commaund Moses onely erected the Altar in the Tabernacle of the Lord hee onely annointed it because hee was the High Preist of God as it is written Moses and Aaron among his Preists Therefore that which was commaunded onely to the cheife Preists to doe of whom Moses and Aaron were a Type Presbyters who carry the figure of the sonnes of Aaron may not presume to enchroach upon For although they have in most things a common dispensation of Mysteries with Bishops yet they must know that some things are notwithstanding prohibited them by the authority of the old Law some things BY NEW ECCLESIASTICALL RVLES or CANONS as the CONSECRATION OF PRESBYTERS DEACONS and virgins as also the Constitution benediction or unction of the Altar Verily it is not lawfull for them to consecrate Churches or Altars not to give the Holy Ghost the comforter by imposition of hands to the faithfull who are to be baptized or to those who are converted from heresie nor to made Chrisme nor to signe the fore-head of those that are baptized with Chrisme nor yet publikely to reconcile any penitent person in the Masse nor to send formed Epistles to any All these things are unlawfull to Presbyters or Chorall Bishops because they have not Pontificatus apicem the highest degree of the High Preist-hood which by the AVTHORITY OF THE CANONS is commaunded to be due onely to Bishops that by this the distinction of the Degrees and the Hight of the dignity of the High Preist might be demonstrated Neither shall it be lawfull for the Presbyters to enter into the Baptistery before the Bishops presence not to baptize or signe an infant the Bishop being present nor to reconcile penitents without the Bishops commaund nor to consecrate the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ hee being present nor in his presence to teach or blesse or salute the people no nor yet to exhort them all which things are knowne to be prohibited by the See Apostolicke These two last authorities are the cheife that the Papists Jesuites and our Prelates insist on to Proove that the power of ordination belongs onely to Bishops not to Presbyters But to remove these twoo obstacles consider First that there is not a word in either of these two Constitutions that the power of ordination belongs onely to Bishops by divine right and institution or that Presbyters by Gods Law have no power to ordaine Ministers and Deacons the thing onely in question Secondly That the Councell expresly resolves that the power and right of ordination is prohibited Presbyters and appropriated onely to Bishops not by any Law of God or ancient Constitutions of the Apostles or those who immediately succeeded them but onely by some Ecclesiasticall Canons and Constitutions then newly made and by the authority onely of the See of Rome which cannot deprive Ministers of that power of ordination which the Scripture and God himselfe hath given them Thirdly That before these late Canons and Constitutions Presbyters might lawfully ordaine Ministers and Deacons Fourthly That the cheife reason why the power of ordination was taken from Ministers and thus monopolized to Bishops even by their owne Constitutions wherein they have ever favoured themselves was onely to advance the power authority dignity ambition and pride of the Pope and Prelates and to distinguish them in degree and order from ordinary Ministers which of right are and otherwise would be their equalls both in Jurisdiction power and degree Fiftly That they bring not one syllable out of the new Testament to proove that the power of ordination belongs onely to Bishops not to Ministers which they would have certainly done had there beene any text to warrant it but that all they alleadge is out of the old Testament to wit that Moses onely consecrated the Tabernacle and the Altar Ergo none but Bishops must consecrate Ministers Altars Churches A learned argument ergo none but Kings and temporall Magistrates no not Bishops themselves may doe it had beene a better consequent For Moses was no Preist muchlesse a Bishop the High Preist which was Aarons office not his there being but one High Preist at once and hee a type of our High Preist Christ but a civill Magigistrate yet God commaund
him to consecrate Aaron with his Sonnes the Tabernacle and Altar and after him King Salomon not the High Preist consecrated the Temple Altar Court and all the furniture of the Temple and Altar So that if these examples proove any thing it is but this That the power of ordination of consecrating Bishops Ministers Churches Altars c. appertaines not to Archbishops Bishops Popes Preistes Ministers but to the cheife temporall Magistrates But admit that Moses were a Preist and an High Preist and that the power of consecrating Preistes Temples Altars appertained to him in that regard yet this is no argument to proove that the right and power of ordination should belong to Bishops onely and that for these three reasons First because the Aaronicall Preisthood was utterly extinct and abolished by Christ as meerely typicall and ceremoniall and so al â—he appurtenances thereunto belonging Secondly Because the High Preist was no Emblem type or resemblance of Bishops which are many changeable mortall but onely of Christ our true High Preist who is but one and remaines an High Preist forever without succession or change So that this allusion prooves the power of ordaining Ministers to belong originally to none but Christ our High Preist cheife Shepheard and Bishop of our soules as the Scripture expresly resolves and ministerially secondarily to every Minister of Christ as his Embassador instrument and Vicegerent Thirdly Because the office and power of the High Preists and Bishops are different distinct yea incompatible one with the other and the maner of ordination of Ministers and Deacons under the Law different from that under the Gospell as the Scriptures and all Authors joyntly witnes the one of them therefore can be no solid or convincing argument to make good the authority Iurisdiction or practise of other So that this Councell and Constitution makes nothing at all against the divine right and Title of Presbyters to ordaine or for the Bishops sole Monopoly of imposition of hands by any divine charter from Christ or the Holy Ghost Finally Neither of these Councells or Constitutions simply debarre Ministers from the imposition of hands on others together with the Bishop which they ever practised and were authorized to doe both by God himselfe and the fourth Councell of Carthage Can. 3. But from laying on hands and ordaining Ministers of themselves alone without the Bishop who cannot ordaine or lay hands on any Ministers by vertue of these constitutions without them Since therfore the Bishop of himselfe alone cannot impose hands on any Minister without their assistance or consent nor they without the Bishops it is apparant that the right of ordination is not wholly and originally vested in the Bishop by any divine or humane right but in both The Councell of Aquisgran or Aken under Ludovicus Pius An. 816. c. 8. out of Isidor Hispalensis De Ecclesiasticis Officiis l. 2. c. 7. determines thus The dispensation of the Mysteries of God are committed to Presbyters as they are to Bishops for they are over the Church of Christ and are consorts with Bishops in the confection of the body and blood of Christ and likewise also in the instruction of the people and in the office of preaching and onely the ordination and Consecration of Clerkes is reserved to the High Preist or Bishop because of his authority lest the discipline of the Church challenged or exercised by many should dissolve concord and engender scandals For Paul the Apostle cals Elders and Preists by the name of Bishops Tit. 1. 5. 7. Acts. 20. 28. Phil. 1. 1. 1. Tim. 3. D. Rabanus Maurus De Instit Clericorum l. 1. c. 6. writes thus That Presbyters allthough they be Preistes yet they have not attained the top or Highest degree of Preisthood because they cannot signe the fore-head with Chrisme nor give the Holy Ghost neither can they ordaine Clerkes in sacred orders which is reserved to Bishops for unity and concords sake The Epistle de 7. Gradibus Ecclesiae in the neinth Tome of Ieromes workes avers in expresse tearmes that the ordination of Clerkes and consecration of Virgins was reserved onely to the High-Preist or Bishop for his greater honor And Tertullian de Baptismo c. 17. writes that the High Preist who is the Bishop hath the right of giving Baptisme after him Presbyters and Deacons yet not without the Bishops authority for the honor of the Church By all which it is evident that Bishops have not the sole executive power of ordination by any divine right or institution of which there is not one syllable either in these or other Councels or Fathers but onely by Canons and humane Constitutions made by Bishops themselves to advance their owne honor power and dignity yet notwithstanding the right of ordination remaines still in Ministers and belongs to Bishops onely as they are Ministers by divine right not as they are Bishops as is evident by the 9. Chapter of the same Councell of Aken taken out of Isidor De Eccles Officiis l. 2. c. 6. where writing of Bishops ordination by imposition of hands and the originall thereof they use this expression which H. Rabanus Maurus likewise hath But that Bishops are ordained by imposition of handes A PRAECESSORIBVS DEI SACERDOTIBVS by the Preistes of God their predecessors is an ancient constitution For the holy Patriarke Isaac laying his handes upon the head of Iacob blessed him and Iacob in like maner gave a benediction to his sonnes c. Where the Councell and Fathers both affirme that even Bishops themselves are ordained by Priestes or Presbyters not Bishops their predecessors therefore the right and power of ordaining Ministers and Bishops too belongs to Presbyters as well as Bishops and to Bishops onely as Presbyters not Bishops and so can no wayes advance them in Iurisdiction order or degree above Ministers The Popish Councell of Trent Sessio 23. De Sacramento ordinis c. 4. determines that Bishops are superior to Presbyters and that they can conferre the Sacrament of Confirmation ordaine Ministers of the Church and doe many other things which those inferior order have no power to doe And Can. 7. De Sacramento Ordinis If any shall say that Bishops are not superior to Preistes or that they have not the power of ordination or confirmation or that this power which they have is common to them with Presbyters or that the orders conferred by them without the consent or calling of the secular power are voyd let him be Anathema Loe here this Councell appropriates the power of ordination onely to Bishops by denying it to be common to them with Ministers and in this regard makes Bishops superior in degree to Ministers yet not by any divine right or institution of which there is not one word but onely by humane and Canonicall as the History of the Councell of Trent and Chemnitius well observe For in the same Session de
of such who had Apostolicall authority or of Bishops and not of the bare Presbyters because say they Presbyters to wit according to the practise of their though not of former times could not ordaine a Bishop but onely Apostles or Bishops yet none of them so much as once asffirme that they cannot by the Law of God ordaine Deacons ordinary Ministers or that they ought by Gods Law and divine institution to be ordained onely by Bishops yea Theophilact on that text writes thus Behold a wonderfull thing See how much the imposition SACERDOTALIVM MANVVM of Sacerdotall or Preists hands can doe A cleare demonstration that Preists as well as Bishops and Bishops onely as they are Preists not Bishops have power of laying on hands And Theodoret thus glosseth the text here hee cals those the Presbytery who had attained Apostolicall grace For saith hee divine Scripture hath called those who were honored in Israell Elders The Fathers therefore confessing that Presbyters and Elders might and did in some cases and places ordaine and consecrate Ministers without the Bishop and likewise joyne with the Bishop in all places in the imposition of hands grant that the right of ordination and imposing hands belongeth to them by the word of God as well as to Bishops the rather because this is the constant doctrine of the Fathers that Bishops and Presbyters by Gods Law and institution are both one and the same and so continued till long after the Apostles times Therefore their power of ordination the same with theirs Neither doe the Papists dissent from this Aquinas writes That the imposition of hands belongs onely to those who are the Ministers of Christ which was double one which was made by Deacons the other by Ministers and because hee adds not the third by Bishops hee plainly intimates that the ordination made by Ministers and Bishops is one and the same and that Bishops ordaine onely as Bishops not as Ministers Caâ—etan on that text saith That Paul relates that the imposition of hands S ACERDOTALIS OFFICII is a part of the Sacerdotall or Preists office not the Bishops and Faber in 1. Tim. 4. 14. writes that Presbyters did use to lay their hands on the heads of those who were to be ordained purged or made compleate Ministers powring forth holy prayers I know indeed that Aquinas and other Schoolemen hold that it belongs onely to Bishops to conferre holy orders yet hee and Durandus grant that this is not by vertue of any divine right orinstitution but onely by humane Constitutions and Canons by reason of the more excellent power and Jurisdiction that the Bishop hath over and above Ministers and for order sake yea they both affirme that Presbyters doe and ought to joyne with the Bishop in the imposition of hands in the ordination of Ministers The Rhemists in their annotations on the 1. Tim. 4. 14. confesse that when a Preist is ordained the rest of the Preists and Elders present doe together with the Bishop even at this day among them and have anciently used heretofore to lay hands on those that are to be ordained citing the fourth Councell of Carthage Can. 3. for proofe thereof And the Canonists with some Schoolemen grant that Preists and Ministers by the Popes dispensation and License may without a Bishops concurrents ordaine Deacons and Ministers but a meere Layman or one that is no Minister cannot doe it A cleare proofe that the imposition of hands appertained to Presbyters as well as Bishops and that the power of ordination rests more in the Ministers person then in the Popes grant or License else why might not a Lay man as well as a Minister grant Orders by vertue of the Popes License or why should Ministers joyne with Bishops in the imposition of hands But to passe from these to the reformed Churches beyond the Seas We know that most of them have no Bishops that all their Ministers and Deacons are ordained by the Common election of the people and Magistrates and imposition of the Senate or Colledge of Ministers hands yet none of our Prelates have beene so impudently shamelesse as to deny their ordination and Ministers to be lawfull or their practise to be dissonant from the Scriptures or them to be true Churches What their writers have determined concerning the power of ordination incident to Ministers as well as Bishops and to Bishops onely as Ministers and servants to the Church not Lords these ensuing passages will declare Ioannes Lukawitz in his Confession of the â—aborites against Rokenzana c. 13. of the Sacrament of order writes thus They confesse that the conferring of Orders onely by Bishops and that they have more effectuall authority of his nature then other Ministers is not from any faith or authority of the Scriptures Sed ex consuetudine habetur Ecclesiae but from the Custome of the Church This being the constant doctrine of the Waldenses and Toborites that the power of giving orders and imposing handes belonged to Presbyters as well as Bishops and that Bishops and Ministers by Gods Law where both one and no Bishop greater then any Presbyter in honor or Iurisdiction Melanchton writes That if Bishops and Ordinaries are enemies of the Church or will not give orders yet the Churches retaine their right For wheresoever there is a Church there is a right of administring the Gospell wherefore there is a necessity that the Church should retaine the right of calling electing and ordaining Ministers And this right is a guift given to the Church which no humane authority can take from the Church as Paul witnesseth in the fourth of the Ephesians where hee saith When hee ascended upon High hee gave guifts unto men and hee reckons Doctors and Pastors among the proper guifts of the Church and adds that such are given for the Worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ where therefore there is a true Church there must needs be a right of Electing and ordaining Ministers One thing hath made a difference of Bishops and Pastors to wit ordination because it is instituted that one Bishop might ordaine in many Churches but seeing that by Gods Law there are not divers degrees of a Bishop and Pastor it is evident that an ordination made by a Pastorin his Church is ratified by Gods Law Marsilius Patavinus in his Defensoris Pacis pars 2. 〈◊〉 15. 17. affirmes that the power of ordaining Ministers belongs not to Preists and Bishops but to the Magistrates and people where hee is to be a Minister That every Preist by divine authority may conferre all Sacraments and give orders as well as any Bishop and that every Preists hath power to ordaine and promote any beleever that is willing to the Preisthood hee preparing him Ministerially but God simply and immediately impressing the Sacerdotall power or character the originall property of ordaining Ministers being onely in Christ the head of the Church
Hyperius thus seconds him The imposition of hands in the election of a Bishop or Deacon to approove the person to the multitude or people was made by THE ELDERS in whom this authority rested whence it is here added with the laying on of hands by the authority of the Preisthood or as it is more significantly and plainely expressed in the Greeke with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery which signifieth the whole Congregation of Elders And they agreed that hee who was elected by the Consent of many should be commended and approoved as a fitt person by this externall signe Which is thus backed by Hemingius The imposition of the hands of the Presbytery is the right of ordination which the SENATE or Eldership of the Church or other Ministers of the Gospell did administer Pezelius thus jumpes in Iudgement with them Heretofore the authority of ordination was granted to Bishops at least by a humane institution yet so that the suffrages of the Church might not be excluded from the Election of Ministers and that the other Presbyters should be present at the examination and lay their hands together on him that was to be ordained For so Gratian Can. Presbyter Distinct. 23. when a Presbyter is ordained the Bishop blessing him and holding his hand upon his head all the Presbyters likewese that are present shall hold their hands upon his head close to the Bishops hands which tended to this purpose that the Presbyters likewise might retaine the right of conscerating or ordaining to themselves and that so they might manifest that what ever the Bishop should doe that hee did it not in his owne name alone but in the name of all Musculuâ— Harpes on the same string thus It must plainely be confessed that the Ministers of Christ heretofore were elected the people being present and consenting and they were ordained and confirmed OF THE ELDERS by the laying on of hands This forme of electing Ministers is Apostolicall and lawfull which hee there prooves at large The Noble Mornay Lord of Tlessis sings the same tune in these wordes These things being thus prooved we adde that the right of laying on of hands and ordaining Ministers is in the power of the Presbyters And this verily concerning the Apostles dayes is more apparent then that it can be so much as doubted of For saith Paul to Timothy Neglect not the gift that is in thee by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery that is of the Presbyters or Elders Moreover Timothy himselfe ordained Elders and since a Bishop and a Presbyter are names of one and the same function if the Bishops challenge this right to themselves from the Scriptures the Presbyters also may doe the same but if they deny it to Presbyters in this very thing they aâ—rogate this right to themselves And verily this was a good forme of argument in the Church in Ancient times Hee can baptise hee can consecrate and administer the Sacrament of the Lords body which are the greater an more honourable Actions because Sacraments of undoubted truth of Highest note and use Therefore hee may lay on hands which is lesse Now in ordaining Elders the Bishop laying his hands on the head of those that were to be ordained the rest of the Elders likewise did lay on their hands as appeares out of many places of the Decrees The Centurie writers informe us That in the Apostles time the Apostles did not assume to themselves the power of electing and ordaining Elders and Deacons but they had the suffrage and consent of the whole Church and that they and the other Ministers of the Church with them did ordaine and lay hands on them which they proove by Acts. 6. and 13. and 14. and 19. and 1. Tim. 4. 14. And in the 2. and third Century following c. 6. they affirme that Bishops and Ministers were thus elected and ordained the Elders as well as the Bishops laying their hands on them The Confession of Saxonie c. 12. resolves expresly that it belongs to the Ministers of the word to ordaine Ministers lawfully elected and called The Synod of Petrocomia Artic. 6. in Poland decreed That no Patron should receive or admit any Minister to teach in his Church unlesse hee were lawfully ordained and sent by the Superintendents and the Elders and had a good and certaine testimoniall from them and the Synod of Wlodislania Artic. 8. and 12. determines thus The ordination and mission of Ministers into certaine places to worke in the Lords vineyard is committed to the Superintendents and to the Ministers and Elders their Colleagues not to Bishops Georgius Major in his Enar in Philip. 1. 1. writes thus That there is no difference betweene a Bishop and a Presbyter Paul witnesseth in the 1. Tim. 4. 14. where hee saith Neglect not the grace that is in thee c. by the laying on the hands of the Presbytery that is of the Order or Colleadge of the Presbyters by which it is shewed that Timothy was called and ordained to his Episcopall function by the Presbyters Therefore at that time PRESBYTERS HAD THE RIGHT OF ORDINATION as well as Bishops neither was there any difference betweene them To these I might adde Master John Calvin Piscator Marlorat and most other Protestant Commentators on the 1. Tim. 4. 14. Zanchius Destatu peccati Legal in quartum Praeceptum Chemnitius Loc. Com. pars 3. De Eccles c. 4. and Examen Concilij Tridentini pars 2. De Sacram. Ordinis pag. 224. 225. c. where hee prooves at large that the election and vocation of Ministers belongs to the whole Church to the people as well as the Clergy that the imposition of hands belongs to Presbyters as well as Bishops Wherefore the Apostle sâ—ith 1. Tim. 4. 14. that Timothy had a grace and a guift by the imposition of hands neither saith hee onely of my hands but hee addes also of the Presbytery that there should be thought no difference whether any one were ordained either by the Apostles or by the Elders Aâ—tonius Sadeel Respons ad Repetita Turriani Sophism pars 2. Locus 12. Beza de diversis Ministrorum Gradibus Iunius Contr. 5. l. c. 3. n. 3. Chamierus Paustratia Cathol Tom. 2. de Oecum Pontif. c. 6. with sundry other writers of the reformed Churches who averre and proove against the Papists and Iesuites that the power of election and ordination of Ministers by the word of God belonges to the whole Church and Congregation and the imposition of hands to Ministers Elders and Presbyters as well as to Bishops and to Bishops onely as they are Ministers But hee that hath handeled and prooved this most largely and fully of all others is Gersonius Bucerus de Gubernatione Ecclesiae being an answer to Bishop Downhams Sermon of Bishops p. 261. 262. 283. 287. 292. 294. 299. 310. 318. to 367. 464. 465. 493. 498. 499. 524. 618. where this point is so learnedly and substantially
soly belong to the Bishops seeing the rest of the Elders were wont to lay on their hands likewise or the Bishop in the name of the rest So that the Elders were not excluded Doctor Feild in his 5. Booke of the Church c. 27. is of the same opinion where hee prooves out of Durandus and other Papists that the power of consecration and order is not greater in Bishops then in any other Ministers that the power of ordination was reserved to Bishops not by any divine but humane Constitutions onely rather for to honor the Bishops preistly place then for that it might not be done by any other and for the avoyding of confusion and schisme in the Church Concluding that in cases of necessity as when Bishops are extinguished by death or fallen into haeresie or obstinately refuse to ordaine men to preach the Word and Gospell of Christ sincerely and the like then Ministers onely may ordaine other Ministers without any Bishops assistance And Master Cartwright in his Confutation of the Rhemâ—sh Testament on the 1. Tim. 1. 14. Sect. 18. and on Tit. 1. Sect. 2. prâ—oves both by the Rhemists owne practise and Confession by the 4. Councell of Carthage cited by them and the History of Eradius his ordination who succeeded Augustine to which sixe Elders as well as two Bishops were called and by the text of Timothy itselfe that the imposition of hands belongs to Elders as well as Bishops which hee manifests to be one and the same by divine institution Finally acute and learned Doctor Ames in his Bellarminus Enervatus Tom. 2. l. 3. c. 2. of the vocation and ordination of Ministers Sect. 4. c. De Ordinatione Concludes thus against Bellarmine who affirmes that the ordination vocation and election of Bishops and other Ministers of the Church belongeth onely to Bishops First That it cannot belong Iure Divino to Popish Bishops superior to Presbyters in degree because they themselves are onely vel juris vel injuriae humanae of humane right or rather injurie not of divine institution Secondly That the very act of ordination belongs to divine Bishops that is to Presbyters in a Church well ordered Thirdly That as to the right force and vertue which it hath in constituting the Minister of the Church it alwayes appertaines to the whole Church as the celebration of Matrimony receives all its force and vertue from the consent of the parties married Fourthly That in corrupted and collapsed State of the Church the Ministery and Order failing the very act of ordination so farre forth as it is necessary to the constitution of a Minister may in such a case be lawfully executed by the people Fiftly That the Act of ordination is attributed to Presbyters 1. Tim. 4. 14. And that the Apostles themselves did not ordaine ordinary Ministers but by the concurrence and consent of the people Acts. 14. 23. Sixtly That in the primitive Church which was governed by the common Counsell of the Presbyters before there were any Bishops the very first Bishops were not ordained by Bishops which then were not but by Ministers Seaventhly That all the Councels Degrees and Testimonies of Fathers objected to the contrary proove nothing else but that the Act and Right of Ordination partly by Custome and partly by humane Decrees was given to the cheife Presbyter or Bishop after the Apostles time not belonging to them by any divine right Eightly That the imposition of hands is not absolutely necessary to the essence of a Pastor no more then a Coronation to the essence of a King or the celebration of a mariage to the essence of a mariage Ninthly That the power of Ordination according to the Schoolemen and Canonists is not an Act of Iurisdiction but of simple office which Presbyters may performe without any Commaund or Iurisdiction Tenthly That the Papists themselves teach that baptisme conferred by any Christian though a lay man or woman is good by reason of the necessity of it that a simple Presbyter by the common consent of the Popish Doctors may administer the Sacrament of Confirmation or conferre any of the greater Orders and that all the Pontificians teach with unanimous consent that a Bishop once consecrated although hee be a Simoniack Heretick excommunicate person or the like may yet firmely ordaine others Therefore a fortiori Godly Presbyters or the people and Church of Christ may lawfully conferre orders without the helpe or concurrence of a Bishop Which authority of his ought not to be slighted as Schismaticall or Erronious it being consonant to the Doctrine both of our owne and other Protestant writers Churches and this booke of his printed by Authority in the university of Oxford no longer since then Anno 1629. It is evident then by this whole cloud of witnesses to omit others that the power and right of ordination and imposition of hands which sayth Gratian is nothing else but a prayer over a man and as Aquinas writes signifieth onely the conferring of grace which is given by Christ and not that Ministers not Bishops who are here but Ministers give this grace and so as proper for Ministers as Bishops both by divine and humane right and practise belongs to Presbyters and ordinary Ministers as well as Bishops therefore Bishops cannot be paramount Presbyters and ordinary Ministers in order and Iurisdiction in this regard neither will this power of ordination proove Timothy or Titus Bishops as they now vainely surmise Hence therefore I retort the objection in this maner against the opposites That power or authority which is common by divine right and institution to Ministers and Presbyters as well as Bishops can neither proove Timothy or Titus to be Bishops or Bishops to be superior to Presbyters or Ministers in Jurisdiction order dignity or degree Iure divino or humano But the power of authority of ordaining Presbyters Ministers and Deacons is such as the premises undeniably evidence Therefore it can neither proove Timothy or Titus to be Bishops nor Bishops to be superior to Presbyters or Ministers in Iurisdiction order dignity or degree Iure divino or humano Sixtly S. Paul in the 1. Tim. 3. and Titus 1. 6. c. makes a particular enumeration and recitall both of the qualifications and offices of a Bishop But among all these hee speakes not a word concerning the power of act of ordination neither doth hee make it a part of a Bishops qualification or duty to be apt and able discreetly to conferre orders as hee doth particularly require hee should be apt to teach How therefore this should be a cheife property or principall quality of a Bishop I cannot yet conjecture since the Scripture makes it none but rather a property an act of the Presbytery 1. Tim. 4. 14. Acts. 13. 3. 4. I shall desire Bishops therefore to produce some divine Charter or other for this pretended Monopoliâ—e of ordination which they would ingrosse unto themselves alone perchance to make the more advantage by it
as well temporall and civill as Ecclesiasticall and all these their offices stiled in Greeke a Bishopricke since every Pastor Watchman Presbyter Minister Rector and Curate who takes care of watcheth feedeth overlooketh instructeth or keepeth the flock and people committed to his charge is even in the Scriptures Language called a Bishop and said to act to doe the office of a Bishop since those who out of charity love or freindship goe to visit others who are either sicke poore Fatherlesse or otherwise distressed and God himselfe when hee comes to punish or shew mercy unto others are in the Greeke and Scripture phrase said to visit and play the Bishops as appeareth by the forecited Scriptures and by Acts. 15. 36. Where Paul said to Barnabas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate Let us goe againe and visit our Brethren in every City where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they doe From which text the Rhemists would make Bishops ordinary visitation to be Jure Divino but this was no Lordly Episcopall visitation such as our Bishops now keepe for we read of no visitation Articles oathes fees or presentmens in it neither were Paul and Barnabas Bishops but it was a meere visitation of love as one freind visits another not of Jurisdiction as the last words And see how they doe together with the Councell of Laodicea Can. 57. expound it and verse 14. Symon hath declared how God 〈◊〉 at the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name And Acts. 7. 23. When Moses was full 40. yeares old it came into his heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to visit his brethren the children of Israell and since these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to visit oversee or play the Bishop imply no Lordship Soveraingty Dominion Jurisdiction or Lordly Episcopall authority in them at least no such as our Bishops now claime and exercise but rather an Act of humility charity Service and inferiority to the persons visited as is evident by Mathew 25. 3. 6. 43. Acts. 7. 23. c. 15. 36. Iam. 1. 27. Heb. 2. 6. 1. Pet. 5. 2. 3. 5. It hence unanswerably followes that Bishops Episcopall Lordly visitations are not Iure Divino and that other Ministers are as much Visitors and may visit as well as they that every Presbyter Minister Curate who doth faithfully discharge his duty is as much as truly as properly a Bishop both in the Scriptures language and in Gods account as any Diocaesan Bishop or Prelate whatsoever That those Bishops who merge themselves in pleasures idlenesse or secular affaires and doe not diligently faithfully intirely give themselves to preach Gods word instruct and teach the people visit the Fatherlesse imprisoned sicke poore widdowes and flockes committed to them which few of our Prelates now deine to doe are in truth in Gods in Christs account and in the Scriptures language no Bishops at all what ever they pretend that the word Bishop is not a title of Dominion Soveraingty Jurisdiction Glory Power Preheminency Pompe State Authority and Commaund as our Bishops who now presume to monopolize it to themselves alone though common 〈…〉 God 's word and ancient writers to every Minister pretend but of humility office service labor care circumspection watchfulnesse meeknesse tender-heartednesse charity familiarity and brotherly kindnes which most Prelates have now quite shaken off The Fathers stiling therefore of Timothy Bishop of Ephesus or Titus Bishop of Crete or Bishops will neither proove them to be Diocaesan or sole Bishops of those Churches or that they had a superiority or Iurisdiction as they were Bishops over all other Ministers or Presbyters in those Churches or that Archbishops or Bishops are Iure Divino superior to or different in order or degree from Presbyters who have the selfesame Commission or authority given them by Christ as they and so have equall authority with them and are as much Bishops every way by Gods Law as they even as every High Commissioner of the Quorum is as much an High Commissioner as the Archbishop of Canterbury or Yorke and hath as much authority as an High Commissioner as they since they have all the selfesame Commission which gives no greater power to one of them then the other but the same to both Indeed had Christ given a different Commission to his Apostles and the seaventy Disciples or to Timothy and Titus then to other Elders and Bishops of the Churches of Ephesus and Crete or to Bishops then hee hath given to Presbyters and Ministers there might have beene some ground to have prooved the 12. Apostles Timothy Tytus and Bishops greater in Iurisdiction power authority and degree then the 70. Disciples Presbyters and other Ministers by divine institution But since it is apparant by the Scriptures that the 12. Apostles and 70. Disciples what ever some men have rashly determined to the contrary had but one and the selfe-same commission given unto them by Christ that Timothy Titus Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates have no other no larger Patent Commission or authority granted unto them by Christ then Presbyters and ordinary Ministers as the booke of Ordination manifests where the same words are used the same commission given from God to Ministers at the ordination of every Minister as there is to Bishops at the consecration of any Archbishop or Bishop since they are all joyned together in one and the selfesame divine Charter and all claime by one and the selfesame grant as is evident by Math. 28. 19. 20. Marke 6. 15 16. Iohn 20. 22. 23. Acts. 1. 8. c. 10. 47. c. 20. 17. 28. Col. 4. 17. 1. Tim. 3. 1. to 7. c. 4. 12. 13. c. 5. 17. 18. 20. 21. 22. c. 6. 11. 12. 17. 18. 19. 20. 2. Tim. 2. 14. 15. 16. c. 4. 1. to 16. Tit. 1. 5. to 14. c. 2. 1. to 15. c. 3. 1. 2. 8. 9. 10. 1. Pet. 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 2. Pet. 1. 12. 13. 1. Cor. 1. 12. 13. 17. c. 3. 4. 5. to 11. 21. 22. c. 4. 1. 6. 7. 17. c. 9. 16. 17. c. 13. 29. 30. 31. 32. Ephes 4. 11. 12. with other Scriptures it is most apparant and undeniable that by Gods word and institution they are all equall both in point of office power Iurisdiction and authority not one of them greater higher or superior then the other having the selfe-same divine ordination commission office and charge Finally Eusebius records onely that Timothy IS REPORTED to be the First Bishop of Ephesus and Titus of the Churches in Crete So that all the Fathers Authorities who follow Eusebius are grounded onely upon this bare report not upon any certainty therfore not to be granted or relyed on The rather because there have beene anciently in Crete no lesse then 4. Archbishops and 21. Bishops Suffâ—â—aganes now it is very improbable that Paul would
have been inserted p. 123. l. 27. after mistake not I shall close up this concerning the power and right of Ordination with these ensuing Authorities and memorable examples Anno Dom. 1389. the Lollards Wiclifs-disciples as Walsingham records winning very many to their Sect grow so audacious that their Presbiters like Bishops created and ordayned new Presbiters affirming that every Priest had received as much power to binde and loose and to minister other Ecclesiasticall things as the Pope himselfe giveth or could give This power of Ordination they exercised in the Diocesse of Salisbury And those who were ordayned by them thinking all things to be lawfull to them presumed to celebrate Masses and feared not to handle Divine things and administer the Sacraments This wickednes writes he was discovered by a certaine man Ordayned a Minister by them to the Bishop of Salisbury at his Mannor of Sunnyng By which it is apparent that the Lollards and Wiclenists the Prctestants of that age beleeved that the power of Ordination belonged as much to Presbiters by Gods Law as to Bishops that one of them might as well as lawfully ordayne Ministers as the other and that as they might lawfully preach the Gospell without the Bishops licence first prescribed by the forged Statute of 2. H 5. c. 15. made onely by the Bishops without the commons consent to suppresse the preaching of the Gospell so likewise ordayne Ministers without it and that Ministers ordayned onely by Presbyters without a Bishops privity or assistance were lawfull Ministers and might lawfully with a good conscience discharge all Ministeriall Offices This being not onely their received Doctrine but their practise too I find moreover that b Janruay 20. 1542. Nicholas Amsdorffius a noble and learned unmaried man was ordayned Bishop of Newbury by Martin Luther Doctor Nicholas Medler pastor of Newbury George Spalatine of Aldenburge and Wolffgaugus Steinius of Lucopeira joyning with him in the imposition of hands Which Ordination Luâ—her afterwards publikely maintained to be lawfull in a printed Treatise Loe here wee have Presbiters not onely ordayning a Presbiter but a Bishop If therefore the Prelates Paradox be true That hee that ordayens is greater in Jursdiction and degree then he that is ordayned It will hence inevitably follow that these Presbiters and those who ordayned the first Bishops were greater in Iurisdiction degree and order then Bishops And then farewell their pretended Hierarchie Anno Dom. 1537. Christian the 3 King of Denmarke removed and suppressed by a publique Edict all the Bishops of his Kingdome for their intollerable Treasons and rebellions abolishing their Lordly Bishopricks as contrary to our Saviours institution the meanes that made them idle proud ambicious unpreaching Prelates and sedicious treacherous Rebells to their Princes and instead of the 7. Bishops of Denmarke he instituted 7. Superintendents to exercise the Office of Bishops give Orders to others and execute all ecclesiasticall affayres which 7. Superintendents August 26. 1537. received their Ordination from John Bugenbagius a Protestant Minister in the Cathedrall of Hafnia in the presence of the King and Senate of Denmarke Loe here all Bishops casheired as false rebellious Ttaytors to their Soveraigne as they have ever beene in all States and ages there having beene more notorious Traytors Rebells and Conspirators of Bishops then of all other rankes of men in the world as I am able to make good as contrary to Divine institution and so not Jure Divins as they now boast and Superintendents ordayned by a meere Presbiter in their steed to conferre Orders unto others in all the Danish Churches In the beginning of reformation in Germany and other places Luther and other Ministers usually ordayned Deacons and Ministers and set out Bookes of the manner of Ordination without any Bishops assistance Which power of Ordination and imposition of hands hath ever since beene practised by Ministers in all reformed Churches which have abandoned Bishops Such as ours are and make themselves as contrary to GODS Word Patrick Adamson Archbishop of Saint Andrewes in Scotland in his Recantation publiquely made in the Synode of Fiffe Aprill 8. 1591. confesseth That the office of a Diocesan Bishop Omni authoritate verbi Dei destituitur et solopolitico hominum commento fundatur is destitute of all authority from Gods Word and onely founded in the politick figment of men out of which the Primacy of the Pope or Antichrist hath sprung and that it is worthily to be condemned because the assembly of the Presbitery penes quem est Iurisdictio et Inspectio tum in Visitationibus tum in Ordinationibus which hath the Jurisdiction and inspection both in Visitations and in Ordinations will performe all these things with greater authority piety and zeale then any Bishop whatsoever Whosecare is for the most partintent not upon God or his function but the World which he especially serves A fatall blow to our Prelates Hierarchie For if Lord Bishops be not Jure Divino and have no foundation in the Word of GOD then the power of Ordination beloÌ„gs not to them Iure Divino as they are Lord Bishops neither can do or ought they to conferre Orders as they are Bishops but onely as they are Ministers And if so as is most certaine then this power of Ordination belongs not at all to Bishops as they are Bishops but onely as they are Ministers and every Minister as hee is a Minister hath as much divine right and authority to give Orders as any Bishop whatsoever the true reason Why anciently among the Papists as Durandus confesseth now too as the Rhemists witnesse and even in our owne English Church among us at this day Ministers ought to joyne with the Bishop in the imposition of hands Neither can our Bishops ordayne any one a Minister unlesse Three or Foure Ministers at least joyne with him in the Ordination and laying on of hands This being an apparent truth I shall hence from the Bishops owne principles prove Presbiters Superior and greater then Bishops in jurisdiction dignity and degree Those say they to whom the power of Ordination belongs by divine right are greater in jurisdiction dignity and degree then those who have not this power and the Ordayner is higher superior in all these then the Ordayned But the power of Ordination belongs Iure Divine onely to Presbyters as Presbyters not to Lord Bishops and to Lord Bishops themselves not as Bishops but Presbyters and Bishops when they ordayne in a lawfull manner doe it onely as Presbiters not as Bishops Therefore Presbiters are superiour to Bishops in jurisdiction order and degree and Bishops themselves farre greater in all these as they are Presbiters an office of Divine invention then as they are Lordly Prelates or Diocesan Bishops a meere humane institution Thus are our great Lord Bishops who vaunt of the weakenes of Puritan principles Whereas their Episcopall are farre more feeble and absurd wounded to death with their owne
argument that he was in truth no Bishop but rather an Euangelist as hee is expresly stiled 2. Tim. 4 5. Doe the worke of an Euangelist 2. Secondly Because he was S. Paules Associate Copartner Brother and fellow-helper in his Apostolicall function whence he often stiles him his Brother his fellow-worker and conjoynes him with him in the Prologue the inscription of most of his Epistles which are written in both their names witnes 2. Cor. 1 1 c. 4 17. 2. Cor. 1 1 19. Col. 1 1 1. Thes 1 1 c. 3 2. 2. Thes 1 1. Phil. 1 1 c. 2 19. Rom. 16 21. Heb. 13 23. Timothy therefore being a Copartner with S. Paul in his Apostle-ship or Apostolicall function superior in degree to the Episcopall office as is apparant by Ephes 4. 11. 1. Cor. 12. 18. and the generall consent of all men it is not probable that hee would devest himselfe of his Apostolicall Iurisdiction to become an inferior Bishop or relinquish a Superior to take up an inferior degree Who ever saw of late any Archbishop or Bishop to deny himselfe of his Archiepiscopall or Episcopall preeminency to be made a poore Country Vicar or Curate And can we then conjecture that Timothy would relinquish his Apostleship for an Ephesian Bishop-pricke or else hold it by way of Commendam with his Apostleship Commendams being not of such antiquity and a meere late Popish innovation or descend from an Evangelist-ship to a Bishop-ricke 3. Thirdly because Timothy was ever either accompanying S. Paul in his Travels or bonds as his fellow-helper minister and assistant or else sent by him from one Church to another as his Messenger Delegate or College to establish comfort and instruct them being never long resident in any one fixed place or Church as all Bishops were We read Acts 16 1 usque 12. That Timothy came first of all to Paul when hee was at Derbe and Listra Paul then taking him to goe forth with him and that they went both together through the Churches of Phrygia Galatia Asia Mysia and at last came to Philippy where hee abode with Paul and from thence wrote the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians as the Postscript manifests In which Epistle hee writes thus unto them 1 Cor. 16 10. Now if Timotheus come see that hee may be with you without feare for he worketh the worke of the Lord as I also doe And c. 4 17. For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus who is my beloved Sonne and faithfull in the Lord who shall bring you into remembrance of my wayes which be in Christ as I teach everywhere in every Church By which it is apparant that Timothy was sent by Paul from Philippi to Corinth after this Epistle to instruct them Where he continuing a while repaired againe to Paul to Philippi and there joynes with Paul in the second Epistle to the Corinthians written in both their names 2. Cor. 1. 1. informing them in the 19. verse That the Sonne of God Jesus Christ who was preached among them by us even by me Sylvanus and Timotheus was not yea and nay but in him was yea By which it is evident that Timothy had before this second Epistle written preached Iesus Christ among the Corinthians by Pauls appointment After which Paul remooving from Philippy Timothy accompanied him to Thessalonica and B 〈…〉 a where hee abode till Paul came to Athens from whence hee sent a commaund to Timothy to Berea to come to him with all speed to Athens where hee stayed for him Acts. 17 13 14 15 16. Which he did accordingly joyning with Paul in the first and second Epistle to the Thessalonians written from Athens in both their names 1. Thess 1. 1. 2. Thes 1. 1. yea whiles Paul stayed at Athens hee sent Timothy from thence to the Thessalonians to establish and comfort them concerning their faith that they should not be mooved by their afflictions where he continuing for a space came from them againe to Paul to Athens bringing him good tidings of their faith and charity 1. Thes 3 1. to 7. After this hee remooveth with Paul to Corinth from thence being sent into Macedonia hee came againe to Paul unto Corinth Acts. 18 5 from whence Paul writing his Epistle to the Romans remembers the salutation of Timotheus his Worke-fellow to the Romans among others Rom. 16 11. After this Paul remooving to Ephesus sent Timotheus Erastus two of them who there ministred unto him into Macedonia himselfe staying in Asia for a season Acts. 19 20. From whence Paul afterwards passed into Macedonia Grece then returning into Asia Timotheus others accompanied him and going before taried for him at Troas Acts 20 4 5. Whether Paul sent for the Elders and Bishops of the Church of Ephesus giving them a strict and severe charge to take heed to themselves and to all the flocke over which the holy Ghost had made them Bishops to feed the Church of God which he had purchased with his owne blood v. 17. 28. c. A taske fitter for Timothy to enjoyne them had he beene their Diocaesan then Paul and a charge more meet for Timothy to receive then they had he then beene Bishop of the See of Ephesus who being so neare Ephesus should have accompanied these Elders of his Church to Ephesus when Paul dismissed them rather then have left his flocke at randome after so strict a charge to feed them But yet though the Elders went backe to their Cures from Miletus Timothy did not so for from thence hee accompanied Paul to Jerusalem Acts. 21 15 16 17. and from thence to Rome For the Epistle to the Colossians written from Rome is penned in both their names Col. 1 1. and the Epistle to the Hebrewees as the Postscript testifieth was written to the Hebrewes from Italy by Timothy where Timothy was for a while imprisoned and then set at liberty Heb. 13. 23. After which Paul writes his Epistle to the Philipptans from Rome where hee was in bondes at which time Timothy was present with him joyning in this Epistle Philip. 1. 1. informing the Philippians that hee trusted to send Timotheus shortly unto them that hee also might be of good comfort when he should know their estate Philip 2 19. whether Timothy being sent by him as is most probable Paul wrote his second Epistle to him at his second appearing before Nero charging him to doe his diligence to come shortly to him before winter 2. Tim. 4 9 21. he being then not at Ephesus but at Troas or Philippi as is apparant by 2. Tim. 4 12 13. and Philip. 2 19. Timothy therefore thus ever accompanying Paul in his Travels and Bondes and traveling from one Church to another by his appointment and mission never keeping any fixed residence in any one place much lesse at Ephesus could not be Bishop or Presbyter of any particular Church the Apostles instituting no non-resident Bishops or Elders but such onely as
so no Diocaesan Bishop as our Prelates and their flatterers vainely pretend Timothy therefore being neither a Bishop nor first sole or any Bishop of Ephesus or of any other place or if a Bishop no Diocaesan Bishop but of one Church and congregation onely as these premises evidence all our Prelates inferences drawne from his example to proove their Episcopall Authority and Jurisdiction Iure Divino which for the most part hang upon his Episcopall rochet onely fall quite to ground and their Episcopall Authority together with it I now proceed to the next Question wherein I shall likewise discusse whether the power of ordination belongs onely to Bishops not to Presbyters And whether this Paradoxe of the Prelates be true that ordainers are greater in Iurisdiction and degree then those that are ordained to wit Whether Titus were ever Bishop or Archbishop of Crete What ever the common bruite and Error of these or former times conceive under correction I perswade my selfe that Titus was no Bishop nor Archbishop of Crete and that for these ensuing reasons First because the Scripture never stiles him a Bishop nor S. Paul who often stiles him his partner and fellow-helper concerning the Corinthians not Cretians the Messenger of the Churches not Bishop and the glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8 23 6 16. his Sonne Titus 1 6 his brother 2. Cor. 7. 6 13 14. never Bishop as some would make him Secondly Because his cheifest imployment was to the Church of Corinth after that hee had been left by Paul in Creet as Paules partner and fellow-helper in that Church 2. Cor. 2. 13. c. 7. 6. 13. c. 8. 6. 16. 23. c. 12 18. Thirdly Because hee was Paules companion attendant partner fellow-helper Messenger fixed to no setled place of residence as Bishops were 2. Cor. 2. 13. c. 7. 6. 13. c. 8. 6. 16. 23. c. 12. 18. Gal. 2 1. 3. 2. Tim. 4. 10. sent by him from Rome long after his being in Crete into Dalmatia 2. Tim. 4. 10. Fourthly Because Paul writes expresly to him Tit. 1. 5. not that hee ordained him Archbishop or Bishop of Crete but that hee left him in Creet for a season for this cause that hee should sett in order the things that were wanting and ordaine Elders in every Citty as hee had appointed him Therefore was hee there onely as Paules Vicar generall Commissary or substitute to order those things in such sort as hee had appointed him which Paul could not dispatch whiles hee was residing not as the Archbishop or Lord Bishop of Creet to order all things there by his owne Episcopall Jurisdiction and authority as hee listed himselfe Fifthly Hee expresly charged him to come to him diligently to Nicopolis when hee should sent Arthemas or Tychicus to him for there hee intended to winter Tit. 3. 12. By which it is evident that his stay in Creet by Paules appointement was very short not above halfe a yeare if so much after which wee never read hee returned thither though we finde hee was sent to Corinth and Dalmatia that hee went up to Hierusalem with Paul and came to him during his imprisonment at Rome Gal. 2. 1. 3. 2. Cor. 2. 13. c. 7. 13. 14. c. 8. 6 16. 23. c. 12. 8. 2. Tim. 4. 10. His short abode therefore in Creet without returning thither prooves him to be no Bishop Sixtly Paul chargeth him to bring Zenas the Lawyer and and Apollos diligently on their way that nothing might be wanting to them Tit. 3. 13. Now it is very unlikely that an Arch-bishop or Bishop of Creete wherein were 90. walled Cities would stoope so low as to waite thus upon Lawyer as Zenas or a Disciple as Apollos was unlesse hee were far more Humble then any Archbishops or Prelates in these our times who are commonly so insolently proud as to disdaine all familiar conversations with Lawyers or Ministers Seaventhly Paul left Titus Bishop of no one Citty in Creete and hee expresly enjoynes him to ordaine not one but many Elders in the plurall number in every Citty of Creete Tit. 1. 5. 7. where there were no lesse then 90. walled Citties in Homerus time which Elders were no other but Bishops and so tearmed by him v. 7. For a BISHOP must be blamelesse c. as Hierom. Chrysostome Ambrose Theodoret Sedulius Primasius Remigius Beda Raubanus Maurus Bruno Theophilact Oecumenius Anselme Lyra Hugo Cardinalis Aquinas with other moderne Commentators on this text accord If then Paul gives expresse directions to Titus to ordaine many Elders and Bishops in every Citty of Creete constituting him a Bishop in none of them that we read of an apparant argument that hee was no Bishop there because hee had there no Bishops See at all and was no sole Bishop of any one Citty it is not probable that hee constituted him sole Archbishop or Bishop of all Creet which had anciently no lesse then 4. Archbishops and 21. Bishops in it it being the Apostles practise to place many Bishops and Elders in one Church but never one Bishop or Archbishop over many Churches Phil. 1. 1. Acts. 20. 28. Hence Athanasius Chrysostome Oecumenius and Theophilact on Titus 1. 5. 7. write thus Here hee will have Bishops to be understood for Presbyters or Ministers as we have elsewhere often said neither verily would hee have the charge of the whole Iland to be permitted or granted to one man but that every one should have his owne proper cure charge allotted him for hee knew that the labour paines would be the lighter and that the people would be governed with greater diligence if that the Doctor or teacher should not be distracted with the government of many Churches but should onely give himselfe to the government of one and study to compose and adorne it with his maners So also Peter Lombard Alphonsus de Castro Doctor Barnes and others on and from this text determine Eightly All generally accord that Archbishops yea Metropolitanes BISHOPS themselves are not of divine or Apo stolicall but Papall and humane Constitution witnesse Pope Nicolas apud Gratianum Distinct 22. c. 1. Omnes sive Patriarchae cujuslibet apicem sive Metropolis primatus aut Episcopatuum Cathedras vel Ecclesiarum sive cujuscunque ordinis dignitatem INSTITVIT ROMANA ECCLESIA Which Pope Anacletus in his 3. Epist. c. 3. doth likewise averre and Pope Lucinus and Clement in Gratian Distinct 80. affirme as much informing us that Archbishops and Primates are the Successors of the Hathenish Arch-Flamens and to be placed onely in those Citties where the Arch-Flamens had their Sees with which Peter Lombard accords lib. 4. Distinct. 24. Hence our Historians record of King Lucius the first Christian Prince of this our Realme that hee instituted 3. Archbishoprickes and 25. Bishop-rickes and Bishops in stead of the 3. Arch-Flamens and 25. Flamens changing their Sees into Bishoprickes and Archbishop-rickes by which it is evident that Archbishops Patriarkes and Metropolitans
instituted onely at first by severall Councells and Princes are no divine or Apostolicall but onely a humane institution This all the Archbishops Bishops and Clergy of England in their institution of a Christian man dedicated to King Henry the 8. fol. 59. 60. resolve in these tearmes IT IS OVT OF ALL DOVBT that there is no mention made neither in Scripture neither in the writings of any authenticall Doctor or Auctor of the Church being within the time of the Apostles that Christ did ever make or institute any distinction or difference to be in the preeminence of power order or Jurisdiction betweene the Apostles themselves or between the Bishops themselves but that they WERE ALL EQVALL IN POWER AVTHORITY AND IVRISDICTION And that there is now and since the time of the Apostles any such diversity or difference among the Bishops IT WAS DEVISED BY THE ANCIENT FATHERS of the primitive Church for the conservation of good order and unity of the Catholike Church and that either by the consent and authority or else at least BY THE PERMISSION AND SVFFRANCE OF THE PRINCES AND CIVILL POWERS for the time ruling For the sayd Fathers considering the great and infinite multitude of Christian men so largely increased through the world and taking examples of the old Testament thought it expedient to make an order of Degrees to be among Bishops and spirituall governours of the Church and so ordained some to be Patriarkes some to be Metropolitans some to be Archbishops some to be Bishops and to them did limit severally not onely their certaine Diocesse and Provinces wherein they should exercise their power and not exceed the same but also certaine bounds and limits of their Jurisdiction and power c. The same is averred by learned Bishop Hooper in his Exposition upon the 23. Psalme fol. 40. who sayth that Archbishops were first ordained in Constantines time yea Archbishop Whitgift himselfe confesseth as much that Archbishops are neither of divine or Apostolicall but humane institution since the Apostles times And Patricke Adamson Archbishop of S. Andrewes in Scotland in his publike recantation in the Synode of Fiffe in Scotland Anno 1591. professed sincerely ex animo that Bishops and Ministers by Gods word were all equall and the very same That the Hierarchy and superiority of Bishops over other Ministers NVLLO NITITVR VERBI DEI FVNDAMENTO had no foundation at all in the word of God but was a meere humane Institution long after the Apostles times from whence the Antichristian Papacis of the Bishop of Rome hath both its rise and progresse and that for 500. yeares last past it hath beene the cheifest instrument of persecuting and suppressing the truth and Saints of God in all Countries and Kingdomes as all Histories manifest Thus this Archbishop in his Palinody disclaiming not onely Archbishops but ever Diocaesan Bishops to be of divine but onely of humane institution long after the Apostles giving over his Archbishopricke thereupon and living a poore dejected life This being then granted on all hands it is cleare that Titus could not be Bishop of all Creete for then hee should be an Archbishop having divers Bishops under him those Elders which hee placed in every Citty of Creete being no other but Bishops Tit. 1. 7. as all acknowledge and Arch-bishops were not instituted till after the Apostles and Titus dayes For these reasons I conceive that Titus was not Bishop of Creete having no Episcopall or Archiepiscopall See there appointed to him which learned Gersonius Bucerus hath at large manifested to such who will take paines to peruse him Obj. 1. If any object 1. that the Postscript of the Epistle to Titus stiles him Titus ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians Ergo hee was Bishop or Archbishop of Creete Answ 1. I answer 1. that as this and all other Postscripts are no part of the Scripture or Epistles as Mr. Perkins workes proove at large but an addition of some private person since as is evident by the words themselves in the preterimperfect tense and third person IT WAS WRITTEN TO TITVS c. therefore no convincing authority so this clause ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians is no part of the Postscript but a late appendix to it not found in any of the Coppies of this Epistle which the Fathers follow in their Commentaries in few or no ancient Greeke Latine or English Coppies and Translations of this Epistle in few or no Testaments or late Commentators And had Titus been Bishop of Creete it is like Paul would have given him this Title in the Epistle where hee stiles him Titus his owne Sonne after the Common faith c. 1. v. 4. as well as in the Postscript which in truth is none of his but some others Perchance Oecumenius his addition the first that mentions it 1050. yeares after Christi since hee speakes of Bishops by name in that Epistle Tit. 1. 7. But of this see more in the answere to the Postscript of Timothy Secondly I answer that this Postscript is directly false for it saith that this Epistle was written from Nicopolls of Macedonia Now it is cleare by the 12. verse of the third chapter of this very Epistle that Paul was not at Nicopolis when hee writ it but at some other place for hee writes thus to Titus when I shall send Artemas unto thee or Tychicus be diligent â—ocome unto me to Nicopolis for THERE not here I have intended to winter Now had Paul then been at Nicopolis hee would have written thus for here not there I have intended to winter there being ever spoken of a place from which we are absent here only of a place present The Postscripâ— therfore being false as Mr. Perkins workes hence conclude can be no part of Canonicall scripture nor Epistle none of Paules penning but a meere ignorant Appendix of some scribe or comentator of after times and so no solid proofe to manifest Titus Bishop or Archbishop of Creete not at Nicopolis when this Epistle was written Obj. 2. If they secondly object that Paul left Titus in Creete to set in order the things that were wanting Tit. 1. 5. Ergo hee was a Bishop Answ 2. I answere that this is a meere inconsequent and I may argue in the like nature Our Archbishops and Bishops especially those who turne Courtiers Counsellers of State and Nonresidents leave their Archdeacons Chauncellers Commissaries Vicars generall and Officialls to visit order correct their Dioces and to set in order those Ceremonies Altars Images and Church ornaments which were well wanting now too much abounding in them Ergo Archdeacons Chauncellers Vicars generall and Officials are Archbishops and Bishops of those Dioces The King sends his Indges Commissioners and under Officers to some Counties or Citties to sett Causes Counties people Armes Forts Citties in good order and to see defects in these supplied Ergo Iudges Commissioners and Officers are Kings Churchwardens ought
Reformatione Can. 7. 8. it enjoynes that according to the ancient Canons when Ministers or Deacons are to be ordained that the Bishop calling to him the Preistes and other prudent men skilfull of the divine Law and exercised in Ecclesiasticall constitutions should diligently enquire and examine before them the stocke person age institution maners doctrine and faith of those that were to be ordained and that those orders should be publikely conferred and celebrated in the Cathedrall Church the Canons of the Church being called to and present at it or if in any other place or Church of the Diocesse Praesenti Clero Loci the Clergy of the place being present Pope Anacletus and the Canon Law having long before that time ordained That Preists and Deacons should be ordained by their owne Bishop Ita ut Cives Alij SACERDOTES assensum praebent So as the Citizens and other Preistes assented thereunto which they usually did and ought to doe as Gratian with others proove at large So that though this Councell and the other Canons and Constitutions debarre Presbyters and Ministers from the act and exercise of ordination which yet they ever use and practise as assistants to the Bishops who can ordaine none but by their assent since they ought to joyne with them in the imposition of hands yet they deprive them not of their inherent right nor yet of the exercise of it as assistants to the Bishop which they have ever used I passe now from these Councels and Constitutions to the Fathers who jumpe in judgment with them It is true that S. Hierome Epiphanius * Isidor Hispalensis Ambrose Augustine Leo and ‡ others affirme that Bishops onely in their time did use to ordaine Ministers and Deacons and that Presbyters might doe all things that Bishops did except the conferring of Orders and some other trifling toyes as consecrating of Altars Churches virgins Chrisme c. not warranted by Gods word yet none of them determine that the right and power of ordination belongs onely to Bishops by divine institution and appointment that Presbyters have no right at all by the word of God to conferre Orders or that they might not doe it in any case but they expresly averre the contrary For as they did joyne with the Bishop in the imposition of hands as appeares by the third Canon of the fourth Councell of Carthage forecited so in S. Ambrose his time in Egypt if the Bishop were absent the Presbyters use to consigne and conferre Orders as this Father testifieth and S. Augustine records That in Alexandria and throughout all Aegypt if the Bishop were wanting the Presbyter did consecrate and give orders Hence Aërius as Epiphanius reports his words reasoned in this maner What is a Bishop to a Presbyter one differs nothing from the other it is one order saith hee one honor and one dignity Imponit manus Episcopus ITA ETIAM PRESBYTER The Bishop imposeth his hands or ordaines Ministers so likewise doth the Presbyter The Bishop baptizeth so also doth the Presbyter The Bishop sitts in a throne so also doth the Presbyter And hee alleadged that the Apostle saith to a Bishop Neglect not the gift that is in thee which thou hast received by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Epiphanius there denieth not directly that Presbyters then did use to ordaine but demaunds how it is possible for a Presbyter to ordaine not having imposition of hands in the election of Ministers or to say that hee is equall with a Bishop A false and miserable shift since all Histories Fathers Authors Councels testifie that in that age Presbyters had alwayes their voyces in the Elelection yea their hands in the ordination of Ministers and Deacons S. Hierome in his Commentary on Zeph. c. 2. Tom. 5. p. 218. D. writes exprefly SACERDOTES and that Preists and Presbyters who give baptisme and imprecate the Lords advent to the Eucharist make also the oyle of Chrisme MANVS IMPONVNT impose hands instruct the catechumeny LEVIT AS ET ALIOS CONSTITVVNT SACERDOTES ordaine Levites and other Preists Therefore Presbyters in S. Hieronymus time ordained Ministers Deacons and layd on hands as well as Bishops Yea Anastatius in the life of Pope Pelagius the first recordes that this Pope An. Christi 555. for want of three Bishops to ordaine him was ordained Pope by John Bishop of Perusia and Bonus Bishop of Florence and Andreas Presbyter de Hostia and Andrew Elder or Minister of Hostia which Luitprandius de Vitis Pontificum p. 84. and Albo Floriacensis in his life p. 140. likewise testifie Loe here a Presbyter or ordinary Minister ordaining not onely another Elder but a Bishop yea a Pope and supplying the place of a Bishop the generall Councell of Nice Can. 4. the first Councell of Arelat Can. 21. the second Councell of Carthage Can. 12. the third Councell of Carthage Can. â—9 the Councell of Aphricke Can. 16. the Councell of Rhegium An. 472 the Councell of Arausica Can. 21. the Councell of Chalcedon Act. 13. p. 187. with sundry Popes Decrees ordaining that no man shall be consecrated a Bishop but by three Bishops at least and that a consecration made onely by two Bishops shall be voyd and so this Pope no lawfully ordained Pope rules this Presbyter supplyed the place of a Bishop in his consecration and his Ordination good and valid by the Law of God though invalid and a meere nullity by the Canons An. 1390. about Wicklifs time there arose in England certaine bold Clerkes who affirmed that it was lawfull for them to make new Presbyters and Clerkes and conferre orders like Bishops teaching likewise that they were endued with the same power in Ecclesiasticall affaires as Bishops were whereupon they layd hands on many and ordained divers Ministers who affirmed likewise that they had equall and the selfesame Ecclesiasticall power with Bishops which was the constant Doctrine of Wicklife and the Waldensis which Doctrine of theirs was true but their practise discommended yet the Ministers thus ordained by them their ordination held lawfull by Gods Law yea and their ordination of others in those times in darknesse and persecution when no Wickilvists Lollards or other orthodox professors of the Gospel could be admitted into orders by the Bishops of that age unlesse they would subscribe to their Popish assertions as some of our Prelates now will admit none to receive orders unlesse they will first subscribe to such private positions and Ceremonies as are directly contrary to the established Doctrine and discipline of the Church of England by meanes whereof many godly men are kept from the Ministery And though Chrysostome Primasius Theodoret Ambrose Rabanus Maurus Oecumenius Theophilact Haymo with some others interpret that of the 1. Tim. 4. 14. By the Laying on of the hands of che Presbytery to be meant either of Paul himselfe or of the Senate of the Apostles or
prooved by Scripture reason and Authors of all sorts that none which read these passages of his can ever hereafter call this into question more Having runne thus long abroade I now in the last place returne to our owne Church and writers The Booke of ordination of Ministers ratified by two severall Acts of Parliament namely 3. Ed. 6. c. 12. and 8. Eliz. c. 1. and subscribed to by all our Prelates and Ministers by vertue of the 36. Canon as containing nothing in it contrary to the word of God expresly orders that when Ministers are ordained ALL THE MINISTERS PRESENT AT THE ORDINATION SHALL LAY THEIR HANDS TOGETHER WITH THE BISHOP ON THOSE THAT ARE TO BE ORDAINED And the 35. Can. made in Convocation by the Bishops and Clergy An. 1603. prescribes that the Bishop before hee admit any person to holy Orders shall diligently examine him in the presence of those Ministers that shall ASSIST HIM AT THE IMPOSITION OF HANDS And if the said Bishop have any lawfull impediment hee shall cause the sayd Ministers carefully to examine every such person so to be ordered Provided that they who shall assist the Bishop in examining AND LAYING ON OF HANDS shall be of his Cathedrall Church if they may be conveniently had or other sufficient preachers of the same Diocesse to the number of three at the least And according to this Booke of Ordination and Canon when ever any Ministers are ordained all the Ministers there present joyne with and assist the Bishop in layng on of hands on every one that is ordained So that both by the established Doctrine and practise of the Church of England the power of laying on hands and right of ordination is common to every of our Ministers as well as to our Bishops who as they cannot ordaine or lay hands on any without the Bishop so the Bishop can ordaine or lay hands on no Ministers without them so that the power and right of ordination rests equally in them both With what face or shadowe then of truth our Prelates now can or dare to Monopolize this priviledge to themselves alone against this Booke of Ordination their owne Canons subscriptions yea their owne and their Predecessors common practise to the contrary which perchance their overgreat imployments in temporall businesses secular state affaires have caused them wholly to forgett at least not to consider let the indifferent judge But to passe from them to some of our learned writers Alcuvinus De Divinis Officiis c. 37. writes that Bishops Presbyters and Deacons were anciently and in his time too elected by the Clergy and people and that they were present at their Ordination and consenting to it That the Bishops consecration in his dayes used in the Church of Rome wherein two Bishops held the Gospell or New Testament over the head of the Bishop consecrated and a third uttered the blessing after which the other Bishops present layde their hands on his head was but a Novelty not found in the old or new Testament nor in the Roman tradition And then heâ— prooves out of Hieroms Epistle to Evagrius and his Commentary on the first to Titus that the ancient consecration of Bishops was nothing else but their election and inthronization by the Elders who chose out one of their company for a Bishop and placed him in a higher seat then the rest and called him a Bishop without further Ceremony just as an Army makes a Generall or as if the Deacons should choose one from among them and call him an Archdeacon having no other consecration but such as the other Deacons had being advaunced above others onely by the Election of his fellow-brethren without other solemnity By which it is plaine that in the primitive Church Presbyters did not onely ordaine Presbyters and Deacons before there were any Bishops elected and instituted but likewise that after Bishops were instituted they ordained and consecrated Bishops as well as Elders and Deacons and that the sole ordination and consecration of Bishops in the Primitive and purest times was nothing but the Presbyters bare election and inthronization of them without more solemnity So that the other Rites and Ceremonies now used are but Novelties Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury on the 1. Tim. 4. 14. expounds these words with the laying on of hands of the Presbytery in this maner Hee cals that the laying on of hands which was made in his ordination which imposition of hands was in the Presbytery because that by this imposition of hands hee received an Eldership that is a Bishopricke For a Bishop is oftentimes called a Presbyter by the Apostle and a Presbyter a Bishop which in his Commentary on the third Chapter on Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 1. 5. 7. hee prooves to be but one and the same in the Apostles time and in the Primitive Church So that by his resolution the imposition of hands and power of ordaining Elders and Bishops belongs to Presbyters as well as to Bishops Our English Apostle John Wickliffe and his Coaetanean Richard Fitzralphe otherwise called Richardus Armachanus Arch-bishop and Primate of Ardmagh in Ireland if we beleeve either their owne writings or Thomas Walden who recites their opinions arguments and takes a great deale of paines though in vaine to refute them affirmed and taught First that in the defect of Bishops any one that was but a meere Preist was sufficient to administer any Sacrament or Sacramentals whatsoever either found in Scripture or added since Secondly That one who was but a meere Preist might ordaine another and that hee who was ordained onely by a simple Preist ought not to doubt of his Presbytership or to be ordained againe so as hee rightly performed his clericall office because the ordination comes from God who supplies all defects Thirdly That meere Preists may ordaine Preists Deacons and Bishops too even as the inferior Preists among the Jewes did ordaine and consecrate the High Preist as Bishops consecrate Archbishops and the Cardinals the Pope Fourthly That the power of order is equall and the same in Bishops and Preists and that by their very ordination they have power given them by Christ to administer all Sacraments alike therefore to conferre orders and confirme children which is the lesse as well as to baptise administer the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and preach the Gospell which is the greater Fiftly That Christ sitting in heaven hath given the power of consecrating and ordaining Preists and Deacons of Confirmation and all other things which Bishops now challenge to themselves to just Presbyters and that these things were but of late times even above 300. yeares after Christ reserved and appropriated to Bishops onely by their owne Canons and Constitutions to increase their Caesarian Pompe and pride And Waldensis himselfe who undertakes to refute these propositions saith expresly That no man hitherto â—ath denied that God in an urgent case of necessity gave the power of ordination to any one that is
but a meere Preist to wit in the want or defect of Bishops All the Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons and Clergy of England in their Booke intituled The institution of a Christian man subscribed with all their hands and dedicated to King Henry the 8. An. 1537. Chapter of Orders and King Henry the 8. himselfe in his Booke stiled A necessary â—rudition for any Christian man set out by authority of the Statute of 32. H. 8. c. 26. approoved by the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Netherhowse of Parliament prefaced with the Kings owne Royall Epistle and published by his speciall commaund in the yeare 1543. in the chapter of Orders expresly resolve that â—reists and Bishops by Gods Law are one and the same and that the power of ordination and excommunication belongs equally to them both Learned Martin Bucer in his Booke of recalling and bringing into use againe the lawfull ordination of Ministers and of the office of Pastors in his Scripta Anglicana written here in England p. 254. 255. 259. 291. 292. 293. and on Math. 16. layes downe these Conclusions First That the power of ordination rests principally and originally in Christ himselfe Prince of Pastors Secondly That this power is secondarily and derivately in the whole Church whose consent is requisite in the election and ordination of Ministers Thirdly That the actuall power of Ordination and imposition of hands belongs as well to Presbyters as to Bishops that they ought to joyne with the Bishop in the laying on hands and that Timothy was ordained by the Presbyters Fourthly That Bishops and Ministers have the power of imposition of hands in them onely instrumentally not originally as servants to the whole Congregation Fifâ—ly That the examination and ordination of Ministers ought to be made publikely in the Church where they are elected to be Ministers before all the Congregation All which he prooves by sundry Scriptures and Histories Peter Martyr his coaetaman Regius professor in the â—niversity of Oxford in the dayes of King Edward the 6. in his Commentary upon the 2. Kings 2. 23. and in his Common places printed at London Cum Privilegio An. 1576. Class 4. Loc. 1. Sect. 23. p. 849. writes thus The Papists cannot object grievous sinnes against the Ministers of the Gospell but they oppose onely some slight that I say not ridiculous thinge they say that our Pastors have no imposition of hands and thence they indeavour to conclude that they are not to be reputed just Governours of the Church and that the Congregations which are taught and governed by them are no true Churches but Convenâ—â—cles of revâ—lters And this they say as if the imposition of hands were so necessary that without it there can be no ministry in the Church when notwithstanding Moses consecrated Aaron his Brother and his Children offering divers kindes of Sacrifices on which no man formerly had layd on hands Likâ—wâ—se Iohn the Baptist brought in a new right of Baptisme and administred it to the Iewes when as yet no hands had beene layd upon him and hee himselfe had beene baptised of no man Paul also called by Christ in his journey did not presently goe to the Apostles that they might lay hands upon him but hee taught in Arabia for 3. yeares space and ministred to the Churches before that hee went up to the Apostles his Antecessors as himselfe witnesseth in his Epistle to the Galathians We reject not the imposition of hands but retaine it in many Churches which if we receive not from their Bishops we are not to be blamed for it for they would not confâ—rre it on us unlesse wee would depart from sound Doctrine and likewise bind our selves by Oâ—th to the Roman Antichrist In which words hee resolves First That the imposition of hands is no such essentiall part of a Ministers ordination but that it may be omitted and that those who are elected and lawfully called to the Ministery by the suffrage of the whole Church and people are Ministers lawfully called and ordained without this Ceremony Secondly That the imposition of hands belongs to Ministers as well as Bishops and that those who are ordained Ministers in the reformed Churches where they have no Bishops onely by the laying on of hands of other Ministers are lawfully ordained Thirdly That this position that the power of ordination belongs onely to Bishops that those are no true Ministers who are ordained without a Bishop is but a vaine ridiculous Popish Cavill Our Prelates therefore should be ashamed to ground both their owne and Titus his Episcopall Hierarchie upon it Learned Doctor Whitaker writing against Bellarmine saith that this text of the 1. Tim. 4. 14. makes very much against the adversaries For from this place wee understand that Timâ—thy receiveth imposition of hands from the Elders who at that time governed the Church by a common Councell and against Duraeus hee argues thus Luther Zwinglius Oecolampadius Bucer and others were Presbyters and Presbyters by Gods Law are the same with Bishops therefore they might lawfully ordaine other Presâ—yters Doctor Fulke in his Confutation of the Rhemâ—sh Testament Annot. on Tit. 1. Sect. 2. and Doctor Willet in his Synopsis Papismi the 5. generall Controversie quaest 3. part 2. write thus Although in the Scripture a Bishop and an Elder is of one order and authority in preaching the word c. yet in government by ancient use of speech hee is onely called a Bishop which is in the Scripture called cheife in governement to whom the ordination or consecration by imposition of hands was allwayes principally committed Not that imposition of hands belongeth onely to him for the rest of the Elders that were present at ordination did lay on their hands or else the Bishop did lay on his hands in the name of the rest We differ from the Papists in this They affirme that not principally and cheifly but solely and wholly the right of consecrating and giving Orders appertaineth unto Bishops But concerning the power of giving Orders we say that though it were cheifly in the Apostles yet the Pastors and Elders together with them layd on their hands Acts. 13. 3. 4. and as S. Paul speaketh of his laying on of hands 2. Tim. 1. 6. so hee maketh mention of imposition of hands by the Eldership 1. Tim. 4. 14. And the Rhemists on that place mislike not the practise of their Church that their Preists doe lay on their hands together with the Bishop upon his head that is to be ordained What else doth this signifie but that they have some interest in ordaining together with the Bishop The 4. Councell of Carthage Can. 3. Decrees thus Let all the Preists that are present hold their hands next to the Bishops hand upon the head of him that is to be ordained Againe Can. 14. of the same Councell The Bishop must not give orders but in the presence and assembly of the Clergy By this then it is manifest that imposition of hands doth not wholly and
it being a sweet and pleasant gaine as some handle it now before they lay any further Title thereunto even as they are Diocaesan Bishops Seaventhly I must informe our Bishops for their learning that An. 31. H. 8. in the Patent Rolls part 4. King Henry the 8. granted a Patent to all the Archbishops and Bishops of England to endble them to consecrate Churches Chapples and Churchyards by vertue of his speciall Patents and Commissions under his great Seale first obtained without which they could not doe it and that all the Bishops in King Edward the 6. time had speciall clauses in their Letters Patents authorizing them to ordaine and constitute Ministers and Deacons as Bishop Ponets Bishop Scoryes Bishop Coverdales Patents 5. Edw. 6. pars 1. 2. with others in his Raigne testifie at large Neither doe or can our Archbishops or Bps at this day consecrate any Bishop or Arch-bishop unlesse they have the Kings owne Letters Patents authorizing and commaunding them to doe it as the Patents directed to them uponevery Bishops consecration and experience witnesse It seemes therefore that their power to consecrate Churches Chapples Churchyards Ministers and Bishops belongs not to them as they are Bishops and that it is meerly humane not divine since they claime and execute it onely by vertue of the Kings Letters Patents therefore it cannot advance them above Pres byters by any divine right Eightly All accord that in cases of necessity when or where Bishops are wanting or when there are none but Simontacall or Hereticall Bishops who refuse to ordaine such as are Orthodoxe or will not subscribe to their heresies there Presbyters and ordinary Ministers may lawfully conferre orders confirme and doe other Acts which Bishops usually ingrosse to themselves so Ambrose Augustine Richardus Armachanus Wicliffe Thomas Waldensis Feild Ames with others in their forequoted places and generally all divines resolve without dispute Yea that learned Morney Lord of Plessis in his Booke De Ecclesia c. 11. Amesius with sundry others affirme that the people alone in case of necessity where there are no Bishops nor Ministers may lawfully elect and ordaine Ministers as well as baptise and preach both which Papists and Protestants affirme that Laymen may lawfully doe in cases of necessity the right of ordination and election of Ministers being originally in the whole Church and people Ministerially onely in Bishops and Ministers as servants to the Congregation and the imposition of hands no essentiall but a ceremoniall part of ordination which may be sufficiently made without it as Angelus de Clavasio Peter Martyr and others both Papists and Protestants affirme But when Paul left Titus in Crete to set in order the things that were wanting and to ordaine Elders in every City there where present no other Bishops or Elders to ordaine Ministers as is likely but Titus onely for we read of none else but Titus then in Creeâ—e which was then but newly converted to the faith and hee is enjoyned to ordaine Elders in every City which prooves there were none there before for what need then of any yea of many others to be newly ordained and that in every City Titus his example of ordination therefore in this exigent and necessity in a Church then newly planted is no argument to proove him a Diocaesan Bishop since other ordinary Ministers might ordaine in such a case as all acknowledge yea and the people too without either Minister or Bishop to assist them Ninthly I answer that it is most evident that Titus did not ordaine Elders in every City by vertue of any Episcopall inherent Iurisdiction of his owne but as Paules Substitute who appointed him to doe it and prescribed him what maner of persons hee should ordaine Tit. 1. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. This therefore cannot proove Titus to be a Bishop or that the sole right of ordination is appropriated unto Bishops as Bishops but rather the contrary Lastly Admit that the power of ordaining Pres byters belonged only to Bishops Iure Divino yet is no good consequent Ergo they are superior to Presbyters in order and degree Iure Divino since the conferring of orders an act of service of Ministry onely not of Authority and no more then an externall complement or Ceremony is farre inferior to the authority of preaching baptising consecrating and administring the Sacrament which every Minister may doe as well as a Bishop The Bishops and Ministers in the primitive Church had many of them the gift of tongues of prophecy of healing and working miracles which some Bishops then and all now want yet these extraordinary endowments made them not superior in Iurisdiction order or degree to those Bishops who then wanted those gifts or to ours now who take farre more state upon them then those Bishops did Many Bishops there are and have beene that could not at least would not preach though Bellarmine himselfe yea the Councell of Trent and all men acknowledge that it is the cheifest and most honourable part of their Episcopall function as making them Christs Ambassadors Are they then inferior in order dignity power and degree to Bishops yea to Ministers Vicars and poore Curates who are both able and willing to preach That which makes any man superior in order Iurisdiction or dignity to his equall must be an authority superior to that which his equall hath not the accession of any inferior dignity or power The making of an Earle a Knight or Country-Iustice addes nothing to his former honour in point of superiority or precedency If a Bishop be presented to an ordinary benefice prebendary or Deanery as some are and have beene by way of Commendam it accumulates nought to his Episcopall authority being inferior to the power of the Keyes preaching and administring the Sacraments which every enjoyes Iure divino as absolutely as any Archbishop or Bishop can no wayes advaunce Bishops in Iurisdiction or degree above Pres byters and ordinary Ministers no more then the Bishop of Durham his being a Count Palatine with his large temporall jurisdiction farre exceeding that of all our Archbishops and Bishops advaunceth him in order or degree above them all So that this grand objection to proove Titus a Bishop yea a Bishop superior in Jurisdiction order and degree to Ministers is both false and idle Obj. 4. If any object that it is a received maxime in the Schooles that hee which ordaines is greater then hee who is ordained and that the Apostle saith that the lesser is blessed of the greater Therefore Titus and so likewise Bishops who ordaine Ministers in point of Jurisdiction order dignity and degree Answ 1. I answer First that this objection takes that for granted which I formerly refuted and evidenced to be a falsehood to wit that the power of ordination belongs onely to Bishops not to Presbyters and so is build on a false sandy foundation Secondly I answer that this proposition
hee that ordaineth or consecrateth Ministers is greater in Iurisdiction power order or degree then the parties consecrated and ordained is a notorious dotage and untruth broached at first by Epiphanius to confute Aërius his orthodox opinion of the parity of Bishops and Presbyters and since that taken up at second hand by Bellarmine and other Iesuites the Councell of Trent Bishop Downham with other Patriots of the Popes and Prelates Monarchy and last of all like Coleworts twice sodde usurped by all our Prelates in their high Commission at Lambeth in their Censure of Doctor Bastwicke who laid the whole weight and burthen of their Episcopall superiority and precedency over other Ministers upon this rotten counterfeit Pillar unable any wayes to support it as these ensuing demonstrations will evidence at large bejond all contradiction For first of all we know that Cardinals and Bishops at this day as the people and Clergy yea the Emperor heretofore doe elect and consecrate the Pope yet they are not greater in order dignity power or Iurisdiction then the Pope but inferior and hee farre superior to them in all these We read that Metropolitanes Patriarkes Primates and Archbishops are created consecrated and installed by ordinary Bishops as the Arch-bishops of Canterburry and Yorke have oftentimes beene by the Bishops of London Rochester Winchester Salisbury and the like yet are they not greater in dignity power authority place or order then they but subordinate and subject to them whom they thus ordaine in every of these We know by dayly experience that one Bishop consecrates and ordaines another and hee a second and that second a third yet all of them are of equall power and Iurisdiction not different or distinct in order or degree and sometimes the last of the three in respect of his Bishopricke takes precedency of the rest that ordained him as the Bishops of London Durham and Winchester doe here with us and other Bishops the like in forraigne parts So some Ministers joyne with the Bishop in the ordination and laying of hands on others yet one of them is not superior in Iurisdiction order or degree to the other Now were this our Prelates objected Paradoxe true the Cardinals should be greater in order power and degree then the Popes the Bishops then Patriarkes Metropolitanes Primates and Archbishops one Bishop one Minister then another yea there should be so many different degrees among Bishops and Ministers as there are successive subordinate ordinations which is both false and absurd S. Hierom in his Epistle to Evagrius and on Titus 1. with Alcuvinus De Divinis Officiis c. 37. affirme that in the primitive Church Bishops were both Elected and consecrated by Presbyters and the Scripture is expresse that both Paul and Timothy were ordained by the Presbytery Acts 13. 3. 4. 1. Tim. 4. 14. If the Bishops reason then be orthodoxe it followes inevitably that in the Apostles times and the primitive Church Pres byters were superior in Iurisdiction order and Degree to Bishops yea to Paul and Timothy the one an Apostle the other an Euangelist and not Bishops Lords paramount over them as they now pretend and then farewell their Hierarchy which they so much contend for The Archbishop of Canterbury who stood much upon this argument at Doctor Bastwicks Censure both crowned our Soveraigne Lord King Charles and baptised his sonne Prince Charles will hee therefore conclude that hee is greater in power authority place and Iurisdiction then they The Archbishops of Canterbury have usually crowned and baptized the Kings of England and the Archbishops of Rheemes the Kings of France will they therefore inferre Ergo they are greater in power dignity and authority then they as the Popes argue that they are greater then the Emperors because the Bishops of Rome have usually crowned the Emperors Are the Princes Electors in Germany greater then the Emperors or of Poland Bohemia and Sweden greater then their Kings because they elect and create them Emperors and Kings Are the Lord Major of London and Yorke or the Major of other Citties inferior to the Commons or the Lord Chauncellors of our Vniversities of Oxford and Cambridge lesse honorable potent and inferior to the Doctors Procters and Masters of Arts or the heades or Masters of the Colleadges and Halls in them subordinate or lesse worshipfull or eminent then the fellowes because they are elected constituted and created by them to be such Are the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Parliament not so good as those freeholders Cittizens and Burgesses who elect them or the Masters of Companies inferior to those that choose them If not as all must grant how is this maxime true that hee who constitutes ordaines or consecrates another is greater then the parties constituted ordained or consecrated and that in Iurisdiction place order and degree Our Popish Preists are not afraid to proclaime that in their consecration of the Sacrament they create their very Creator and make no lesse then Christ himselfe are they therefore greater and higher in order and degree then Christ the great and onely High Preist the * Cheife Shepheard and Bishop of our Soules whose Vicar and Substitute the Pope himselfe doth but claime to be Certainly if this their Popish proposition be true they must needs be one order and degree Higher in point of Preisthood then Christ himselfe who must then lose his titles of High Preist and cheife Shepheard because every Masse-Preist will be paramount him in that hee not onely consecrates but creates him too We read in Scripture that Kings Preists and Prophets were usually annointed and consecrated to be such with oyle was therefore the oyle that consecrated them greater or better then they Are the font and water better then the children baptized in or with them The Diadems better then Kings because they crowne them or the very hands of Bishops and Ministers worthier then Ministers ordained by them If not then are not Bishops greater then the Ministers which they ordaine or consecrate since both are but instruments Servants not prime originall agents Lords or Supreme absolute actors in these severall consecrations and actions If we cast our eyes either upon nature or policy we finde this proposition of our Prelates a meere â—alsehood In nature we â—ee that a man begets a man an horse an horse an asse an asse a dogge a dogge c. equall one to the other in nature quality species and degree the sonne being as much a man as the Father the colt as much an horse as the steed that begott him In Civill or Politique Constitutions wee see the like In our Vniversities Doctors and Professors of Divinity Phisicke Law Musicke create other Doctors of the same Professions equall to themselves and as much Doctors in these arts as they one Doctor in each of these being as much and no more a Doctor then another save onely in point of time or antiquity
without due examination or making Ministers without a title as many now doe for which the Canons prescribe they shall be suspended from giving Orders for two yeares space are inferior in order and degree to Bishops who may execute this power and ordaine and so one Bishop shall be superior in order and degree to another Bishop which none ever yet affirmed yea all our Bishops being prohibited and disabled by their owne Canons to ordaine Ministers or Deacons at any time but onely at the 4. solemne times appointed and that in the presence of the Deane Archdeaâ—on or two Prebends at the least or of 4. other grave Persons being Masters of Art at least and allowed for publike Preachers it will hereupon follow that Bishops onely at these 4. times of the yeare are greater in dignity and degree then Ministers because they may then ordaine but not at other seasons when they have no power or authority to conferre orders upon any being restrained by the Canon All which being layd together discovers the weakennes the absurdity of this our Prelates Theory on which they build both their owne Titus his hierarchy which now fall quite to ruine with this their sandy foundation which I have here 〈◊〉 ever dissipated subverted if I mistake not Obj. 5. If any finally object that the Fathers stile Titus the first Bishop of Crete and Timothy of Ephesus therefore they were Diocaesan Bishops and superior in Jurisdiction and degree to other Ministers and so by consequence are other Diocaesan Bishops as well as they Answ 1. I answer First that neither S. Paul nor S. Luke who lived in their times and knew them farre better then any Fathers or writers since ever so much as once terme or stile them Bishops much lesse the first or sole Diocaesan Bishops of Crete or Ephesus which no doubt they would have done had they beene in truth Diocaesan Bishops there and the name the office of a Bishop so honorable and sublime above that of Ministers even Iure Divino as our Prelates and their flatterers now pretend Their testimonies therefore who stile them onely Ministers or Euangelists never Bishops is to be preferred before all Fathers and writers who stile them Bishops being neither acquainted with their persons or functions nor living in their age Secondly No Father ever stiles them or either of them a Diocaesan or sole Bishop of Crete or Ephesus the thing which ought to be prooved but Bishops onely as they stiled other Ministers the name the office of Bishops and Presbyters being but one and the same and promiscuously used in the Apostles times all Presbyters being then called Bishops and all Bishops Presbyters as is evident by Acts. 14. 23. c. 20. 17. 28. Phil. 1. 1. 1. Pet. 5. 1. 2. 3. Tit. 1. 5. 7. 1. Tim. 3. 1. 2. 3. 2. Iohn 1. 3. Iohn 1. Philemon 9. with all ancient all moderne Commentators on these texts Whence the Translators of our last authorized English Bible affixe these Contents to Titus 1. 6. to 10. which treates of the quality of Bishops How they that are to be chosen MINISTERS ought to be qualified And the Booke of ordination of Ministers confirmed by two severall Acts of Parliament prescribes the 1. Tim. c. 3. Acts 20. and Titus 〈◊〉 to be read both at the ordination of Ministers and Consecration of Bishops and so intimates yea interpretes that Bishops and Ministers in the Scriptures language are both one in name and office and were so reputed in the Primitive Church Thirdly The Fathers use the word Elders and Bishops promiscuously calling Elders Bishops and Bishops Elders Hence Papias the Auditor of S. John and companion of Polycarpus writes thus in the Preface of his bookes It shall not seeme grievous untome if that I compile in writing and commit to memory the things which I learned of the Elders If any came in place which was a follower of the Apostles forthwith demaunded the words of the Elders what Andrew what Peter what Philip what Thomas or Iames or John or Mathew or any other of the Lords Disciples what Ariston and the Elder John Disciples of the Lord had sayd Here hee stiles not onely Bishops but even Apostles Elders Polycarpus his companion and Coaetanian writes thus in his Epistle to the Philippians Be ye subject to Presbyters and Deacons as to God let the Presbyters be simple and mercifull in all things Now those whom hee here stiles Presbyâ—ers S. Paul expresly termes Bishops Philip. 1. 1. Justine Martyr in his second Apology used neither the name Bishop nor Elder but termes the Minister onely Hee who is sett over the Brithren Hee who holds the first place in reference to the Deacon who held the second place not to any Elders of an inferior order to him And least any one should dreame that Iustine Martyr here speakes of a Bishop Tertullian who lived neere about that time or within few yeares in his Apology writes thus Praesident nobis probati quique Seniores c. Approoved Elders not Bishops are sett over us having obtained this honor not with any price but by a good testimony Whence it is evident that in his age every Christian Congregation had divers Elders not one Diocaesan Bishop over it to feede and rule it according to the practise of the Apostles times Acts. 14. 23. c. 20. 17. 28 c. 21. 18. Philip. 1. 1. 1. Tim. 5. 17. Tit. 1. 5. Iames 5. 14. 1. Pet. 5. 1. 2. Hence learned Apollinarius cals the Bishops and Elders of the Church of Ancyra in Galatia Presbyters And Clemens Alexandrinus relating the Story of the young man delivered by S. Iohn to a Bishop to traine up in the feare of God twice together cals him interchaingably both a Bishop and an Elder as Meridith Hamner a Bishop Englisheth it So Ireneus one of the ancientest of all the Fathers stiles Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna That holy and Apostolike Elder yea hee termes the Bishops of Rome themselves Elders They saith hee that were Elders before Soter of the Church which now thou governest I meane Anacletus Pius Hyginus Thelesphorus and Xystus neither did so observe it themselves neither left they any such commaundement unto posterity And the same Father Adversus Haereses l. 3. c. 2. l. 4. c. 43. 44. oftentimes stiles Bishops Elders and Elders Bishops making Presbyters equall to Bishops in all respects and Successors to the Apostles as well as much as they So Dionysius Alexandrinus in his Epistle to Xystus Bishop of Rome about the yeare of Christ 240. writes thus There was a certaine Brother reputed to be of our Church and Faith very aged priusquam ego etiam creatus Episcopus and created a BISHOP before I was and as I thinke before blessed Heraclas was made a Bishop Where hee expresly termes this party who was but a Minister or Presbyter onely in that Church A BISHOP and saith hee was created a
Ipswitch a reverend ancient conformable Minister whom hee hath suspended vpon no lawfull occasion to blott out this sacred Sentence of Scripture most proper for that Church and place it stonds in painted on this Church-wall over against the Pulpit which Scripture I wonder any Bishop or Minister can thinke off and yet forbeare to preach or put downe preaching For necessity is layd upon me yea Woe is me if I preach not the Gospell An insolency an impiety that no age can parallell Certainly he that would command this Scripture thus to be rased out of the Church-wall would as gladly obliterate and rend it out of the Church-Bible too and have neither preaching preachers and I feare neither reading nor readers of the Gospell nor yet the Gospell it selfe in being were it in his power utterly to suppresse them as this Prelate hath made a large beginning and progresse for this purpose This notable late fact of his makes me the lesse to wonder at the most insolent exploict of Henry Dade the Archbishop of Canterburies Surrogate for Ipswitch who about September last past solemnely excommunicated the Churchwardens of S. Maries of the Tower in that Towne in the Archbishops name I hope without his privity for not blotting out upon his commaund this Sentence of Scripture written on that Churches-wall over the place where hee keepes his spitefull I should say spirituall Court which Scripture is recorded by two Prophets and three Euangelists and most proper for the Church by our Saviours owne resolution It is written my house shall be called an house of prayer to all people but yee have made it a denne of theives Which excommunication hee is so farre fro disavowing or being ashamed off that hee not onely refuseth to absolve the Churchwardens but also hath most audaciously pleaded it in barre of an information brought against him by Ferdinando Adams one of the Church-wardens in the Court of Starre-Chamber for which presumption alone were hee guilty of and there charged with no other crimes as hee is with other foule ones against his Maiesty and the whole State severall extortions on the subiects that Court most iustly may and I presume will deeply fine and censure him for daring to grant out and plead such an impious execrable excommunication in any Court of Iustice to the very shame and obloquie of our Religion Church State and insufferable scandall of that great Arch-Prelate in whose name and colour of authority it is granted who should doe well for his owne justification to the world to hang up such a Surrogate for a president to all others and such a Suffragan Bishop too who beare such spleen to these holy parcells of Scripture as to rase them out of the Church it selfe though set vp by the expresse command of the Homilies of repairing and keeping cleane Churches and of the Right vse of the Church which recite and prescribe these latter text as most proper for it the Canons 1571. p. 19. 1603. Canon 82. And here I cannot but stand amazed at these proceedings For the Surrogate will not endure the Church neither to be or called an house of prayer but his Courthouse causing this Scripture to be actually dashed out of the Church and the other will not suffer it to be or reputed an house of preaching neither of them will admit these two textes of Scripture to appeare therein no not on the bare wall where they are no hinderance which intimate and declare it to be both an house of prayer and preaching too And if the Church must now be neither an Oratory nor an Auditory neither an house of prayer nor preaching though our Homilies and Postillers define it to be both I know not what they will make of it but what they begin to make their Church-houses in many places a direct denne of theives as our Saviour termes it or else an house of piping minstressie dauncing and revelling they having made the Lordsday sacred Sabbath such a day already justifying both in their visitation Articles and printed Bookes That dancing piping Morrisses Wakes Ales Sports and Bacchanals are meet exercises for this holy day and so no place fitter for them then the Church appointed principally for the dueties and publike exercises of the Sabbath day to the strict entire sanctification whereof by religious dueties our Prelates are such enemies that they not onely silence suspend and excommunicate such godly Ministers who out of conscience dare not joyne with them in encouraging their people to prophane it and punish those for Conventiclers who after divine prayer and Sermons ended meet together to repeat their Ministers Sermon read chapters sing Psalmes conferre or pray together as they are taught by S. Chrysostomes and Bishop Iewels doctrine but one of them D. Peirce the now Bishop of Bath and Wels by name enioyned the Church-wardens of Batcombe in Mr. Barnards Parish in Somersetshire vnder paine of excommunication to expunge this Scripture anciently painted on their Church-wall quite out of the Church Isa 58. 13. If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy way and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honorable and shalt honour him not doing thine owne wayes not finding thine owne pleasure not speaking thine owne words Then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord c. stiling it a Iewish place of Scripture not fit to stand or be suffred in the Church and by the same reason not sufferable in the Bible for the correcting whereof our Prelates may doe well to joyne with the Papists in making an Index ex purgatorius as they intend and giue out publikely they intend to doe on all ancient English Writers which Scripture the Church-wardens refusing to blot out the Bishop like an Heroïcall Prelate râ—de thither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a plaisterer to see it wiped out himselfe such hideous Monsters of impiety blasphemy and irreligion that I say not Atheisme are this last generation of our holy domineering Prelates growen who must now for ever cease to affirme or boast their Episcopall Supremacy Authority and Iurisdiction to be Jure divino since by vertue thereof they thus presumptuously take upon them a straine beyond the Papists to blot Jus divinum the very Law of God and Gospell too out of the house of God it selfe And can wee then wonder at those immoderate droughts those watry seasons those devouring spredding Pests and Plagues with other publike and personall judgements of God which wee have lately felt and suffred and are like to tast of in a sharper maner when such monstrous impieties as these thus plublikely breake forth without either shame or reprehension in those who stile themselves the Pillars being in truth the Caterpillars and holy Fathers in verity the unholy step fathers of our Church from whom prophanesse is gone out and spread over all the Land Certainly if wee consider onely the
his but theirs and hee if hee should chance to chalenge and resume them as his owne might not henceforth owne or claime them to be his they have litle reason now to attempt and his Majesty farre lesse to suffer and so having neither God nor the King divine nor humaine Right to support them they must as the proverbe is between two stooles the arse goes to the ground now at last in the middest of their usurped greatnes fall flat upon the ground and this their fall q proove very great because they now of late are growen so not being content with the office of a Bishop but they must be also Kings temporall Lords and cheife state officers against Christs expresse commaund and Gods owne Law to sway both Church and state at pleasure so they may ingrosse into their sacred hands the sole rule and government of the world having great possessions and being great Lords also as they are Prelates and yet doing nothing therefore at all in point of preaching fecding and instructing the people committed to their spirituall charge but onely playing the part of a Bishop as a Christmas game-player doth of a King and as a Poppet which springeth up and downe and cryeth Peepe Peepe and goeth his way as Doctor Barnes writes wittily of the Bishops of his age Which swelling greatnesse 〈◊〉 ambition of theirs as it will make their downefall the greater so the speedier being a sure prognosticke of their approaching ruine as the greatnesse of any unnaturall swelling in the body is of its present ensuing rupture u Pride ever going before destruction and a lofty spirit before a fall and they usually dogging them at the heeles because God himselfe resisteth the proud but then most of all when they are at the highest according to that of the Psalmist Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like drosse which assoone as ever it hath gotten up to the top of the pot and elevated it selfe above the 〈◊〉 mettle is then scummed off and cast away Towards which their desired speedy downfall if these my unworthy labours shall through Gods blessing on and thy prayers for them contribute any assistance for the ease releife or comfort of Gods poore people who are every where most wrongfully without yea against all Law and reason oppressed and cast out of their benefices freeholds possessions imprisoned fined excommunicated silenced suspended vilified crushed and troden under feet by their intolerable tyrannie might and unbounded extravagant power I shall neither repent me of the penning nor thou thy selfe of the reading of it wherefore here humbly prostrating it to thy impartiall Censure and commending it to the blessing of that omnipotent God who to shew the infinitenes of his wisedome and power doth oft times choose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise the weake things of the world to confound the things that are mighty and base things of the world and things that are despised yea and things that are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence I shall take my leave of thee till some further occasion Farewell and pray for me To the Right Reverend Fathers in God William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury And Richard Lord Archbishop of Yorkes Primates and Metropolitanes of all England MY Lords I have sundry times heard both of you joyntly and severally protesting even in open Court not onely in the High-Commission but in Dr. Laytons and two other cases since Starchamber too whether seriously or vauntingly onely let the event determine That if you could not proove your Episcopall Iurisdiction and function which you now claime and exercise over other Ministers and your selves as you are Bishops to be superior in power dignity and degree to other Ministers Iure Divino a doctrine which Patricke Adamson Archbishop of S. Andrewes in Scotland publikely recanted in the Synod of Fiffe Anno 1591. as directly repugnant to and having no foundation at all in the word of God you would forthwith cast away your Rochets of your backes lay downe your Bishoprickes at his Majesties feet and not continue Bishops on ehower longer What your Lordships have so oft averred and publikely promised before many witnesses I hope bonâ fide because judicially in full Court upon goodadvise not rashly on some sodaine fitt of choler I shall make bold to challenge you to make good without more delay either by giving a solid satisfactorie speedy answere to this short Treatise consisting onely of 2. Questions which you may devide between you and so speedily reply to if your great secular occasions not your praying and frequent preaching which are onely truly Epicopall though you deeme them overmeane imployment for Arch-bishops interrupt you not which manifests all that Jus Divinum which hitherto both or either your Lordships have pretended for your Episcopalities to be but a meere absurd ridiculous faction having not the least shadow of Scripture to support it or in case you either cannot or faile to give such an Answer to it in convenient time by pulling off your Rochets and resingning up your Archbishoprikes which without all question are but a meere humaine and no divine Institution as I have evidenced into his Majesties hands from whom you dare not deny you onely and wholly received them with all your Episcopall Jurisdiction and Authority thereunto annexed whereby you difference your selves from or advance your selves above your Fellow-Ministers as their supreme Lords unlesse you will split your selves against the hard rocke of a Praemunire and the Statutes of 26. H. 8. c. 1. 31. H. 8. c. 9. 10. 37. H. c. 17. 1. Ed. 6. c. 2. 1. Eliz. c. 1. 5. Eliz. c. 1. 8. Eliz. c. 1. which Acts as they will informe your Lordships notwithstanding all your former vaunts and brags of divine right That the Archbishops Bishops Arch-deacons and other Ecclesiasticall persons of this Realme HAVE NO MANER OF IVRISDICTION ECCLESIASTICALL BVT BY VNDER AND FROM THE KINGS ROYALL MAJESTY to whom by holy Scripture ALL AVTHORITY AND POWER IS WHOLY GIVEN to heare and determine all maner causes Ecclesiasticall and to correct vice and sinne whatsoever and to all such persons as his Majesty shall appoint thereunto That all authority and Iurisdiction spirituall and temporall is derived and deducted from the Kings Majesty as supreme head of the Church and Realme of England and so justly acknowledged by the Cleargy thereof That all Courts Ecclesiasticall within the Realme were then and now ought to be though they are not kept by no other power or authority either forraigne or within the Realme but by the authority of his most excellent Majesty onely and that by vertue of some speciall commission or letters Patents under his Majesties great Seale and in his name and right alone That all power of Visitation of the Ecclesiasticall State and Persons much more then of our Vniversities
to Troas Acts. 20. 4 5. and from thence to Italy Philippi and Rome Heb. 13 23. Phil. 1 1 c. 2. 19. Col. 1 1. 2 Tim. 4. 9 13. hee being never resident at Ephesus for ought appeares in Scripture or authentique story after Paules returne out of Macedonia His abode therefore at Ephesus being but for so short a time and hee so great a Nonresident from it afterward cannot possibly argue him to be a Diocaesan Bishop of that Church Answ 3. Thirdly Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abide is oft applyed in Scripture to a short abode for a day or two or some little space as well as to a perpetuall fixed residence as Math. 15 32. Marke 8. 2. So it is in the objected text where it is put only in opposition to Paules journey into Macedonia in respect whereof Timothy continuing at Ephesus till his returne might be truely said to abide there though after his returne hee remooved thence to other Churches as Gersonius Bucerus De Gubernatione Ecclesiae p 502. to 518 observes Answ 4. Fourthly Paul did not injoyne but beseech Timothy to abide at Ephesus therefore his residence there was but arbitrary at his owne pleasure not coactive not injoyned by vertue of any Episcopall office this Text therefore cannot proove Timothy to be Bishop of Ephesus no more then his stay at Corinth and other places whether Paul sent him proove him to be Bishop of those Churches Answ 5. Finally Admit Timothy to be both the first and sole Bishop of Ephesus which is false yet this makes nothing for but against our Hierarchicall and Diocaesan Bishops for Ephesus was but one City one Parish one Church one flocke and Congregation as is evident by Acts. 20. 17 28 29 c. 18 24 25 26 c. 19 1. to 18 Ephes 1 1 c. 4 4 16 c. 6 21 22 23. 1 Tim. 1 3 c. 5 17 to 23. Rev. 1 20 c. 2. 1. So that the argument from this example is but this Timothy was onely Bishop of one City Parish Church Flock and Congregation not of many Therefore all Bishops ought to be so too as well as hee Obj. If any object that the City of Ephesus was a Dioces for it had many Elders therefore many Parishes and severall Congregations Acts. 20 17 28. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Answ 1. I answer that the argument followes not For first in the Apostles times and in the primitive Church every particular Church and Congregation had many Elders Ministers and Deaâ—ons in it who did joyntly teach and instruct it and likewise governe and order it by their common Counsell and consent as is evident by Acts 1. 14. to 26. c. 2. 1. to 47. c. 3. 1. c. 4. 3. 8. 9. 20. 21. 23 31. to 37. c. 5. 18. to 33. 42. c. 6. 1. to 9. c. 11. 29. 30. c. 14. 23. c. 15. 2. to 23. 25 32. c. 20. 17. to 30. c. 21. 18. Phil. 1. 1. 1. Tim. 5. 4. to 14. c. 5. 17 Tit. 1. 5. 7. Jam. 5. 14. 1. Cor. 14. 23. to 33. Ignatius Epist 5. 6 8. 9. 10. 11. 13. 14. Policarpus Epist. ad Philippenses Irenaeus contra Haeres l. 3. c. 2. l. 4. c. 43 44. Tertull. Adversus Gentes Apolog. c. 39. Hieronymus Sedulius Chrysostomus Primasius Remigius Haymo Kabanus Maurus Oecumenius Theophylact Anselmus Petrus Lombardus and sundry others in their Commentaries and expositions upon Philip. 1. 1. 1. Tit. 5. Acts. 15. and 20. 17. 28. The fourth Councell of Carthage Can. 22. 23. 24. 25. The Councell of A 〈…〉 en under Ludovicus Pius Can. 8. 10. 11. The 12. Councell of Toledo Can. 4. and all writers generally accord Secondly wee at this day have many Prebends Canons and Ministers in every Cathedrall and Collegiate Church yea in every Colledge in our Vniversities and elsewhere yet but one Church and Congregation Thirdly We have in many other Churches in the Country where the Parishes are large and there are divers Chappels of ease many Curates and Ministers yet but one Church one Parish not a Dioces neither is the cheife Minister either a Bishop or Diocaesan though hee have diverse Curates and Ministers under him to assist him in his Ministery yea in many places where there is but one Church no such Chappels of ease and the Parish great we have severall Ministers Lecturers and Curates in some 4 or 5 in most 2 or 3 yet no Dioces no Bishopricke Neither is this a Novelty but an ancient constitution not onely instituded by the Apostles and continued ever since but likewise enjoyned by the Councell of Oxford under Stephan Langhton Archbishop of Canterbury in the yeare of our Lord 12 22. which decreed that in all Parish Churches where the Parish is great there should be 2 or 3 Presbyters at the least according to the greatnes of the Parish and the value of the Benefice least that one onely Minister being sicke or otherwise debilitated Ecclesiasticall Benefits which God forbid should be either withdrawne or denied to the Parishioners that were sicke or willing to be present at divine offices The multitude or plurality therfore of the Elders in the Church of Ephesus is no argument at all to proove that is was a Dioces or that Timothy was a Diocaesan Bishop because hee had Ministers and Curates under him for then our Deacons Archdeacons and Pluralists who have many livings Chappels and so many Curates and Ministers under them should be Diocaesan Bishops too by this reason Secondly I answer that admit there were divers Churches and Congregations in Ephesus which is very improbable the greatest part of the Citizens being Idolaters and the Citty itselfe a worshipper of the great Goddesse Diana and of the Image which fell downe from Jupiter Acts. 19 21. to 41. yet it can not be prooved that Timothy was cheife Bishop and Superintendent over all these Churches but onely of one of them as every Minister and Bishop of England is a Minister and Bishop of the Church of England but not a Minister and Bishop in and over all the Curches of England but in and over his owne Parish Church and Dioces onely For Paul himselfe who planted that Church and resided in it for three yeares space during which time it is like there was no Diocaesan Bishop of it but himselfe expresly cals the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Bishops and Overseers of that Church and that by the Holy Ghostes owne institution and thereupon exhorts them to take heed to all the flocke and to feed and rule that Church of God which hee had purchased with his owne blood Acts. 20. 28. 1. Tim. 5. 17. Since therefore every one of these Elders by the Holy Ghostes institution and Paules resolution was no other but a Bishop over his owne flocke if severall both to instruct and rule it it is certaine that Timothy if hee were a Bishop of Ephesus and there were many Churches there was onely Bishop of one of them not of all and
by the Canons of 1571. and 1603. to sett in order and provide such bookes ornaments and necessaries as are wanting in Parish Churches and see them well repaired Ergo Churchwardens are Bishops For Titus was here left to sett in order the things that were wanting AS PAVL HAD APPOINTED HIM and no other wise Tit. 1. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. hee did all by his direction and authority not his owne There is nothing therefore in this of ordering things that were wanting in the Church of Creete which savours of Episcopall Iurisdiction And I may better argue hence Titus did nothing at all in Creet but by Paules speciall appointment and Cōmission Ergo hee was no Bishop or if a Bishop Ergo Bishops should order nothing in their Bishoprikes nor keepe any visitations but by speciall direction Commission from the Apostles King or State authorizing them Then the Objectors conclude Ergo hee was a Bishop and Bishops Archbishops yea Archdeacons too without any speciall commission from the Apostles King and State may make and institute what orders constitutions Articles and Ceremonies they please as now they doe in their illegall Courts and visitations kept in their owne names without any Patent from the King Obj. 3. If any object in the third place That Titus was lest to ordaine Elders in every Citty in Creete Tit. 1. 5. Ergo hee was a Bishop because none have power to ordaine Elders but Bishops since none ordained Elders in Creete but Titus who was a Bishop Answ 3. I answer first that this is as bad a consequence as the former and a meere circular argumentation For first they will needs proove Titus a Bishop because hee ordained Elders and none but Bishops can ordaine Elders and then next they proove that none but Bishops can ordaine because Titus foresooth was a Bishop and hee onely did ordaine Elders in Creete A meere Circle and Petitio Principij yet this is the Logicke of our great Rabbi Prelates Secondly I answer that this proposition whereon they ground themselves and their Prelacy that none have any right Ture divino to ordaine Elders or Ministers but Bishops and that quatenus Bishops too which they must adde or else their argument is unsound is a notorious falsehood and meere sandy foundation For first not to remember how Moses a Civill Magistrate consecrated Aaron and his sonnes by Gods owne appointement Levit. 8. 5. to 32. Exod. 29. 9. 35. First The Apostles themselves were ordained Apostles and consecrated Ministers by Christ himselfe Matth. 28. 19. 20. Marke 16. 15. 16. Iohn 20. 22. 23. 24. Acts. 1. 4. 5. Rom. 1. 5. 2. Cor. 3. 6. To whom the power of ordination principally appertaines Ephes 4. 11. 12. 1. Cor. 12. 28. Acts. 20. 28. 1. Pet. 1. 4. Secondly The Apostles and Euangelists ordained Elders in every Church Acts. 14. 23. c. 19. 1. 6. 7. c. 7. 6. yet they were properly no Bishops as all learned men acknowledge Thirdly The Disciples inferior to the Apostles and Euangelists as the objectors teach ordained Ministers and Elders too though they were no such Bishops as the objectors mean Acts. 14. 1. 2. 3. c. 9. 10. to 22. Fourthly Presbyters and ordinary Ministers ordainea Elders and Ministers yea Timothy himselfe was made a Minister by the imposition of the handes of the Presbytery 1. Tim. 4. 14. Thus did they in the primitive Church this doe they still in our owne Church as the booke of ordination it selfe confirmed by two Acts of Parliament the 35. Canon and experience witnesse this doe they in all the reformed Churches now which should have no lawfull Ministers and so no true Church if the power of ordination were Jure divino appropriated onely to Bishops and not common with them unto other Ministers Fiftly Patriarkes Metropolitanes Archbishops and Chorall Bishops neither of which are properly Bishops in the objectors sence ordaine Ministers If then all these have ordained Elders and Ministers though no Bishops by sufficient divine Authority as the objectors cannot deny of the 4. first and dare not contradict it in the last then it is most false that the power of ordination Jure divino belongs onely to Bishops as Bishops in the objectors sence for then none of those 5. being not properly such Bishops could lawfully have ordained Ministers or Presbyters as they did and doe Thirdly There is no one syllable in the Scripture to proove that the power of ordination belongs onely to Bishops quatenus Bishops neither is there any one example to warrant it We read of Apostles Euangelists Disciples Presbyters that layd hands on others to ordaine them Ministers but of Bishops I mean distinct from Presbyters we read not a word to this purpose how then can this be true that the power of ordination belongs onely to Bishops quatenus Bishops Jure divino Fourthly We read not a word to this purpose in Scripture of any Bishops distinct from or superior in order degree and dignity to Presbyters if therefore such Bishops themselves be not Jure divino the power of ordination cannot belong to them Jure divino the rather because we read of no man whom the Scripture cals a Bishop ordaining Ministers Admit there were such Bishops Jure divino yet that the power of ordination belongs to them Jure Divino quatenus such Bishops is most false but onely quatenus they are Ministers For it appertained to the Apostles to the Euangelists to Disciples and Presbyters Iure divino though no such Bishops and the objectors will acknowledge that it belongs to Popes Patriarkes Metropolitans and Archbishops though they neither were nor are properly such Bishops and are no divine but meere humane institutions therefore it must appertaine unto them onely as they are Ministers in which respect they all accord and are not differenced one from another not quatenus Bishops for then the Apostles Euangelists Disciples Presbyters Popes Patriarkes Metropolitanes and Arch-bishops being not properly such Bishops could not lawfully ordaine The power therefore of ordination belonging to the Apostles Euangelists Disciples Presbyters and others as well as to Bishops not to Bishops onely or to them as Bishops but as Ministers it being a meere Ministeriall act inferior to preaching administring the Sacrament and baptizing as all acknowledge it can be no good evidence to proove Titus a Bishop Now because this power of ordination which our Prelates would Monopolize unto themselves is the maine pillar whereon they now suspend their Episcopall Jurisdiction over ther Ministers I shall produce some humane authorities to proove the right the power of ordination and imposition of hands to be by Gods Law common to Presbyters as well as to Bishops I shall beginne with Councells The 4. Councell of Carthage Can. 3. about the yeare of our Lord 418. prescribes this forme of ordination of Ministers When a Minister is ordained the Bishop blessing him and holding his hand upon his head all the Presbyters or Ministers likewise that
institute Titus Archbishop or Superintendent generall of all Crete it being so large a circuit having so many Archbishops and Bishops Sees within it and hee so little resident in so often absent from it as I have manifested in the premises From all which I presume I may safely conclude this second question against the common received Errour that Titus was never Bishop or Archbishop of Crete what ever our Prelates and their favourites have written to the contrary And so Timothy being neither a Diocaesan Bishop of Ephesus nor Titus of Creet the pretended Hierarchy of our Prelates Iure divino built onely upon the sandy foundation of these two supposed Bishops Bishoprickes must needs now fall to ruine and they being now lifted up so High aboue their fellow Brethren their fall must certainly proove very great They have long since many of them forsaken God the teaching of his word the chiefe part of their spirituall functions banded themselues against his truth Ministers people and the preaching of his Gospel which they suppresse and put downe in all places yea such is their desperate impiety that whereas in all former times of Plages and Pestilence yea in 1. Iacobi and Caroli there hath beene by publike authority a speciall day of fasting prayer preaching and humiliation appointed every weeke especially in infected places to divert Gods heavy judgements as the chiefe antidote against all Plages and judgements prescribed by God himselfe yet now they are growen such open fighters against God Religion the spirituall the temporall good and safety of the people that to prevent the plague as they pretend but in truth to increase it more and to suppresse preaching piety and religion they begin to put downe all weekeday Lectures and Lords day sermons in the afternoone as if Gods publike ordinances and service the best remedie against were a meanes to increase and spread not stay the plague yea they debarre Ministers from using any prayers at all after their sermons or any other prayer before them then what the 55. Canon prescribes in which there is not a word of prayer against the plague drought famine sword or pestilence By meanes whereof inhibiting Ministers thus to reproove the people for their sinnes which provoke Gods wrath and judgements at this present so to bring them to repentance for them by their preaching or to pray against the plague and other judgements of God which now lie hard upon the Kingdome which these sinnes have occasioned and hindring that publike weekely fasting preaching prayer which God by his judgements now calls for at our hands they have made not onely the Kingdome but themselves especially ripe for ruine And being now for these their atheisticall godles practises their enmity to God his truth his faithfull Ministers and people their Lordlines tyranny pride oppression wordlines prophanes and irreligion fallen under the very execration of God himselfe and the curses of his people who day and night crie for vengeance against them as Gods sworne and most professed open enemies and having no divine foundation prop or pillar now left where with to support their tottering thrones and Miters needs muâ—â— they shortly like that High Preist Ely fall from their high-towring seates backward and so breake their neckes to the ioy of all Gods people whom they now by their persecutions and innovations so much oppresse Even so let all thine enemies perish O Lord but let them that love thee be as the sunne when it goeth forth in his might A POST-SCRIPT OUR famous Martyr Iohn Purvey in King Henry the fourth his raigne delivered this Position touching the preaching of the Gospel That whosoever receiveth or taketh upon him the office of a Preist or of a Bishop and dischargeth not the same by the example of his godly conversation and faithfull preaching of the Gospel is a theife excommunicated of God and of holy Church And further that if the Curates preach not the word of God they shal be damned and if they know not how to preach they ought to resigne their livings as Pope Celestine the fifth Adelbartus the second Bishop of Prague Daniel the 6. and Firthstane the 23. Bishop of Winchester John the 5. and Thurstan the 28. Archbishop of Yorke Thomas Spofford the 56. Bishop of Hareford besides sundry others before-cited resigned their Bishoprickes So that those Prelates which preach not the Gospell of Christ although they could excuse themselves from the doing of any other euill are dead in themselves are Antichrists and Satans transfigured into Angels of light night theives manquellers by daylight and betrayers of Christ his people What then shall wee thinke or judge of many of our present Lordly swaying English Prelates some of which never preached since they were made Bishops others not once in a dozen yeares others but once in a yeare or two that not in their Diocesse to their people where many of them never yet preached but at Court few of them above once a quarter or once a moneth at most Where as S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Chrysostome Cyrill of Ierusalem with other Bishops heretofore and Bishop Hooper and Bishop Ridley in King Edward the 6. dayes preached once or twice every day of the weeke without faile or intermission Yea what shall wee say of those Bishops who now everywhere put downe Lectures and preaching both on weekedayes and Lordsdayes to suspending silencing excommunicating imprisoning depriving the most powerfull painfull faithfull Godly Ministers in all their Diocesse for no offence either in life or doctrine for no violation of any Ceremonies by Law established but meerely for not subscribing to their late Popish innovations illegall injunctions and commaunds warranted by no Law of God or man the sole pretended cause yet in truth out of their desperate hatred to the sincere frequent powerfull preaching and Preachers of Gods word which seemes to condemne their idle secular Lordly vitious lives and practises to the progresse power and growth of our Religion and salvation of the peoples soules Nay what shall we iudge of that proud insolent Regulus and imperious Prelate Mathew Wren Bishop of Norwich who hath not onely put down many famous worthy preachers and all Lectures throughout his Diocesse both on the weekedayes Lordsday Evenings yea and in the morning too in many places and silenced divers Ministers of cheifest note for not conforming to his strangâ—novell Magisteriall innovations and late visitation Articles printed and published like an absolute Monarch King and Pope in his owne name by his owne authority alone in affront of his Majesties Lawes and ‡ Declarations for which hee hath incurred a Praemunire but likewise very freshly since his late coming to Ipswitch where he hath silenced 7 Preachers and hath no Sermon at all oft times on the Lordsday in his owne Parish Church commaunded the Sexton of one Mr. Scots Church in