in five senses 1. In an Army 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Officer or Captain of the host Numb 31.14 Judg. 9. 28. 2 Kings 11.15 2dly Among workmen the principal that were set over all others in the building of the Temple 2 Chron. 34.12 17. 3dly In the City the Ruler or Prince and especially of the Priests and Levites Nehem. 11. 9 10 14.22 4thly In the Ministry of the Temple Numb 3.32 Eleazar the son of Aaron who is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ruler of the Rulers of the Levites is stiled Numb 4.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop Eleazar or Overseer 5thly In the house of the Lord over which he that was set is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Kings 11.18 the Bishop over the house of the Lord. By all which it appears that agreeable to the notion of the word in the Old Testament it will also in the New denote prefecture or ruling power in the Church Come we then with the Catechist to the New Testament And first It is much that it should scape his notice that the office of the Apostles themselves the Apostolate which must needs be granted to include preheminence is call'd from this very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 1.20 a Bishoprick His Bishoprick let another take But secondly There needs no other conviction than what his own Instances will afford us where First He acknowledgeth that Bishops are the same that are elsewhere called Elders and makes that the ground of his argument which I shall now urge against him The name Bishop then apparently is not less fit to denote a preheminence than that of Elder because he owns them equally characteristical of the same persons Let us therefore consider somewhat more distinctly the account of that name and who are the persons pointed at by it in the New Testament The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Greeks See Dr. H. on Act. 12.30 and Phil. 1.1 is used both for Rulers and Old men and accordingly it is now in use among all nations Italians French Spaniards English to call their Rulers Seniors Mayors Aldermen c. which are literally the rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among the Hebrews the same is acknowledged that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 old men which with them that want degrees of comparison is all one with Elders and generally rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denoteth dignity and prefecture in the Old Testament So Eliezer the Steward of Abraham's house Gen. 15.2 who was placed over all his servants and goods is called Gen. 24.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Elder of his house and Ruler of all that he had So the Elders of Pharaoh's house and of all Egypt Gen. 50.7 are the Prefects and Administrators of the King's house and of all Egypt So the Elders of the Moabites are the Princes of Moab Numb 22.7 8. So when all dominion was founded in the priviledges that belonged to the first-born the Princes of the Families or Kindreds are call'd indifferently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarchs and Elders Such were the Elders of Israel Exod. 3.16 18. and 4.29 the heads or rulers of the families or kindreds ch 6.14 rulers of the congregation ch 16.22 who are again call'd the Elders of Israel ch 17.5 6. and 18.12 and Elders of the Tribes Deut. 31.28 And when Moses appointed Judges for lighter causes Exod. 18.22 who should have power over thousands and hundreds and fifties and tens i. e. first over so many families after over greater or lesser cities these were by them call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers and Judges and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers of the Synagogues and the like And so when the 70 Elders were taken in to assist Moses Numb 11.16 to whom the great Sanhedrim at Jerusalem succeeded it is evident that these were so call'd because they were Princes or Prefects or Rulers of the people before they were thus chosen by Moses And so the word Elder was not a denotation of one of the Sanhedrim any otherwise than as some of those that were in the Sanhedrim had formerly been Elders or Rulers of the people And accordingly of three sorts of men of which the Sanhedrim consisted but one is call'd Elders the other Scribes and Chief Priests By all which it appears how fitly this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders being made use of by the Apostles and Writers of the New Testament is affixed to the Governours of the Christian church the several Bishops of several Cities answerable to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers of thousands or Patriarchs which being first used among the Jews are in the christian church the ordinary title of Bishops And although this title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders hath been also extended to a second order in the Church yet in the Scripture-times it belonged principally if not alone to Bishops there being little or no evidence that any of that second order were then instituted though soon after before the writing of Ignatius Epistles there were such instituted in all Churches When the Gospel was first preached by the Apostles and but few converted they ordained in every City and Region no more but a Bishop and one or more Deacons to attend him And accordingly when St. Paul gives directions to Timothy for the ordaining of Church-officers he names Bishops and Deacons but no second order between them 1 Tim. 3. and so to Titus And thus the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Eldership that laid hands on Timothy and made him Bishop may well be resolved to be the Bishops or Apostolical men who with St. Paul consecrated him 1 Tim. 4.14 2 Tim. 1.6 Thus St. Peter calls himself Peter the Elder 1 Pet. 5.1 and St. John the Elder John 2 Joh. 1. 3 Joh. 1. and Ignatius ep ad Philad calls the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Presbyterie or Eldership of the Church Thus then though it be generally resolved that the word Bishop and Elder are equivalent in the Scripture yet is not this to be understood so that either and both of them signifies indifferently those whom we now call Presbyters but that they both signifie Bishops one setled in each Church by the Apostles So Act. 20. The Bishops there are not as the Catechist saith the Elders of the particular Church of Ephesus nor is there any such thing said of them verse 17. whereto he referrs us but rather of all Asia at least those that belonged to Ephesus as their Metropolis and therefore St. Paul tells them they had known how he had been with them all the time from the first day that he came into Asia verse 18. and St. Irenaeus saith l. 3. c. 14. In Mileto convocatis Episcopis Presbyteris ab Epheso proximis civitatibus The Bishops and Elders being assembled at Miletus from Ephesus and the next Cities And so in like manner
those whom he calls the many Bishops in one particular Church Philip. 1.1 are most probably the â—ishops of the Churches that belonged to Philippi the Metropolis for that Philippi was such is affirmed by S. Luke Act. 16.12 And so in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus quoted by the Catechist it is agreeable to the affirmations of the Antients as that there should be constituted â—ishops and Deacons in the several Churches as was before intimated so that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distinctly notes those Bishops and not those whom we now call Presbyters So that in all these places the word is fairly appliable to the single Prefects and Governours of the Churches whom we now call Bishops And then in the last place as a farther conviction that there is a preheminence included in this name of Bishop we may take notice that in three of those Scriptures Bishops are joyned with Deacons as the Catechist also notes and most undoubtedly these their Deacons were not of equal degree with them Deacons in the Christian Church are known to have been such as attended and waited on the Bishop and did what he appointed them But of these we are to discourse more afterwards Enough hath been said to shame the confidence of our Catechist We will leave names and consider of the thing it self and in that too he is no less peremptory Neither is there any mention Cat. p 122. in any place of Scripture of any such preheminence of one sort of these Church-officers or Ministers over another not in particular where the Officers of the Church are in an especial manner enumerated as 1 Cor. 12.28 Eph. 4.11 Rom. 12.5 6 7 8. Nor is there any mention of any special office that should be peculiar unto such Officers The distinct mention of Bishops and Deacons under them is a sufficient confutation unto this Add hereunto what is evident of Timothy and Titus What saith the Catechist unto them As for what is pleaded by some Cat. p. 123. from the example of Timothy and Titus it is said That when any persons can prove themselves to be Evangelists 1 Tim. 4.5 to be called unto their office by antecedent prophecie 1 Tim. 1.18 and to be sent by the Apostles and in an especial manner to be directed by them in some employment for a season which they are not ordinarily to attend unto Tit. 1.5 and 3.12 It will be granted that they have another duty and office committed unto them than those who are only Bishops or Elders in the Scripture Here the cause if we mark it well is fairly yielded Timothy and Titus are acknowledged to have had a preheminence of authority over other Ministers and that by the Apostles appointment Such authority then is not in it self Antichristian and no where mentioned or allowed of in Scripture As for the Salvo's here annexed they are familiarly enough pretended but very weakly if we look into them That Timothy was an Evangelist properly so called is not demonstrable from 1 Tim. 4.5 it should be 2 Tim. where St. Paul wills him only to do the work of an Evangelist and he might be with more evidence concluded a Deacon because in the same verse it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulfil thy Deaconship However supposing this allegation as the Catechist understands it 't is no where said in H. Scripture that the power of ordaining Bishops and Deacons and jurisdiction over Elders ordained which is ascribed unto Timothy did appertain to him under this qualification and quà Evangelist 't is certain it did not belong to him at all the office of an Evangelist as such being only to assist the Apostles in preaching the Gospel where it was not received Timothy's being granted then to have been an Evangelist See Dr Ham. Vindic. of his Dissertat p. 55. no ways prejudgeth his being also a Bishop in the sense as we urge it for What is an Evangelist but one commission'd by any of the Apostles to preach the Gospel to any City or People And what a Bishop but one commission'd by the like Apostle to preside in and govern by way of preheminence a Church already planted What hinders therefore but that he that hath been employed in the former capacity to plant may elsewhere or in the same place be appointed to govern and so the Evangelist be also a Bishop As St. Mark the Evangelist is recorded to have been after Bishop of Alexandria and St. Luke the Evangelist Bishop of Thebais in Egypt Again as to Timothy's being commanded to do the work of an Evangelist 't is answer'd Dr. Ham. dissert 3. cap 6 p. 16â— that he being by St. Paul made Bishop of Ephesus had all Asia commended to his care and so was the Bishop not only of those that did believe but that should believe and therefore had this charge incumbent on him not only to Govern the Churches of the faithful but to preach the Gospel also unto those that did not yet believe and that is most properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4.2 and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 5. This therefore is no argument against his Episcopal authority but rather that the office of an Evangelist as well as Deacon was comprehended under it However had the preheminence contended for belonged to Timothy as an Evangelist yet What was that to Titus who is no where insinuated to be such That Timothy was called to his office by antecedent prophesie 1 Tim. 1.18 bespeaks no real difference in the office it self between him and other Bishops relating only to his way of admission into that office And lastly That Titus was sent by the Apostles and in an especial manner directed by them in some employment for a season which he was not ordinarily to attend unto Titus 1.5 and 3.12 is in part without any reason supposed and as to the whole nothing to the purpose Without reason is it here presumed that Titus was employed for a season only in his Episcopacy and not ordinarily to attend to it The words of the Text speak no such thing but rather the contrary Tit. 1.5 For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou should'st set in order the things that are wanting or left undone as the margin hath it and ordain Elders in every City as I appointed thee And that he is wished to come to St. Paul at Nicopolis when he sent to him chap. 3.12 is not the least prejudice to his making his usual residence in Crete as much as the moveable state of the Church then increasing amidst persecutions would suffer But be it as the Catechist will that Titus his employment was for a time and season onely yet certainly for that time and season he was an instance of Episcopal preheminence and a longer and shorter continuance alter not the nature of the thing That he was sent and directed by the Apostles to this
employment or state of preheminencie is also a concession so farr from endammaging our cause that it furnisheth us with a plea of Apostolical warrant and authority for Prelatical Episcopacy But I will conclude this Chapter with a note from our observing Whitgift of these zealous contenders for equality in the Ministry Arch Bishop Whitgift defence of Answ to the Adm. Traâ—t 8. p. 299. Though they pretend saith he equality in words yet they mean it in others not in themselves for they would have him to be the best rewarded and most reverenced that hath the most and best gifts which every one of their chief Captains perswades himself to have So that in the end there would be as great a doe after their manner Which of them should be chief as ever there was betwixt the Bishop of Rome and other Bishops or betwixt Canterbury and York in times past In the mean time you may easily understand if you please that notwithstanding they themselves would be exempted from the jurisdiction of Arch-Bishop Lord Bishop c. yet do they challenge to themselves as great jurisdiction over their Parishes or congregrtions and as lofty dominion over Princes Nobles and all as ever the Pope did over the whole Church CHAP. VII Dr Hammond's account of Church-government Church-power originally in Christ and personally exercised by him on earth This power described by Christ negatively and affirmatively The Apostles Christ's successor's Their office not Temporary and to end with their persons proved from Christ's affirmation and promise and the histories of those times The assumption of Matthias to the Apostolacy The seven Deacons James the just made Bishop of Jerusalem and call'd an Apostle Timothy and Titus ordained by St. Paul with power themselves to ordain others They and other Bishops successors of the Apostles and therefore also call'd Apostles The Angels of the seven Churches of Asia Concordant testimonies out of Antiquitie The Council of Chalcedon Polycrates Irenaeus Tertullian The manner of succession cleared Commission required in all Church-officers from them that received it immediately from Heaven or their successors NOw for the Reader 's satisfaction in this matter of the Government of the Church I will subjoyn a clear relation extracted from the elaborate writings of our Learned See Dr. Hammond Letter of Resol uaere 5. Dissertat alibi and Judicious Hammond It cannot be denyed that Christ Jesus was sent down in our humane flesh to exercise in his own person and so to found an office of Government on Earth as it was prophesied of him Isa 9.6 Isa 9.6 and 61.1 61.1 That the Government should be upon his shoulder and that the Lord had anointed which the Chaldee Paraphrase generally renders by exalting him and as a preparative to that that the Spirit of the Lord was upon him to preach the Gospel c. Which Prophesie is acknowledged to be fulfilled in Christ St. Luke 4. 18. 21. St. Matt. 3. 16. That Spirit of God upon his being baptized by John immediately descending upon him Now what this office was is by Christ himself set down first negatively then affirmatively St. Luke 12. 14. St. John 18. 16. Negatively That he was not constituted a Judge of civil interests and that it was not a Kingdom of this world which he pretended to And so all pretension of right from him to interpose in or disturb civil governments or judicatures or to make any change in the Principalities of the world is utterly disclaimed in the foundation Affirmatively First in the general that he came to call sinners to repentance to save that which was lost to bring the spirits and souls of men into a regular compliance with the Laws of God to rule reign in mens hearts by faith And then in particular First To preach and reveal the Will of God Secondly To gather proselytes and admit them by Baptism into his Church the Society of those who profess the Faith of Christ Thirdly To confirm and farther build up and instruct those that are thus admitted 4. To remove those from the priviledges of that Society who walk unworthy of them by that means most probably to â—educe them Fifthly To receive these upon testification of their repentance into the embraces of his arms the communion of the Church again And lastly to communicate this power to others in what measure he thought expedient In all respects he is said to be sent into the world St. John 17.18 19 20 21 sent by his Father as Governours are said to be sent by the Supreme Ruler 1 St. Pet. 2. 14. St. Matt. 9. 6. 28 18. with Commission to that purpose to have power on earth to forgive sins to have all povver deliver'd unto him in Heaven and Earth and particularly St. John 13. 33. Heb. 3. 1. 13. 20. 1 St. Pet. 2. 25. to be the Teacher and Lord of his Church or Disciples our High-priest and Apostle the great shepheard of the sheep and so the only Pastor and Bishop of our souls What Christ had thus received from his Father by his Mission or Commission he exercised in his own person as long as he remained on the Earth preached the Gospel instituted Rites called and entertained Disciples by them received and baptized Proselytes or Believers commanded them and used their ministry their voluntary not constrained obedience designed some to certain offices and only for a time the Seventy as Harbingers in one journey of his to assist or be useful to him others he invested with a weightier and more lasting authority left them his successors on earth sent them as he was sent by his Father gave them the same Commission which he had received to be executed in the same manner by them and each of them after his departure as Joshua succeeded Moses in his Office and Power All which is in every branch of it clear from the express words of Scripture They that had this Commission from Him were in his life-time called Apostles that title denoting Proxies or Procurators which act in the name and stead of him whose Proxies they are according to the known rule of the Jews Apostolus cujusque est ut quisque Every ones Apostle is as himself to which our Saviour seems to referr St. Matt. 10.40 making himself his Father's Apostle or Proxie and the Twelve St John 17. 18 20 21. his But at his departing from the world then he solemnly instated his power on them and sealed their Commission to them as it had been sealed to him by his Father This also is very distinctly and particularly set down in H. Writ through the several branches of this power St John 5. 23. St. Matt. 19. 28. St. Luke 22. 30. 1 Cor. 6. 3. 2 Cor. 10. 6. St. Mat. 10. 6. St. John 20. 23. Isa 22. 22. Rev. 3. 7. St. Mat. 16. 19 St. Mat. 19 28. St. Luke 22. 30. St. Mat. 21. 42. Ephes 2. 20. St. John 5. 24. 17 18.
by the accordance and consent it hath with other greater Evidences now to follow To proceed then to the Histories of those times which are most competent to clear the matter of fact A first evidence of this sort is the Assumption of Matthias into the place of Judas the traditor and desertor Act. 1 Act. 1.20 22 25. who lost his office and soon after his life Wherein we see St. Peter upon the prophetical prediction of Judas's fate and the last branch of that his Bishoprick let another take concludes with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a necessity that one of those that had continued with them from the beginning and so was qualified for it should become with them a witness of the Resurrection and by the form of their Prayer for God's direction and revelation of his will which he had pitch'd on it is evident that taking his Bishoprick verse 20. is all one with taking the lot or portion of that Ministry and Apostleship verse 25. Soon after this it is apparent Act. 6. that the Apostles Act. 6. to make their burden more supportable did by imposition of hands create seven Deacons in Jerusalem which although it be not an example of their constituting successors to their whole Office yet is an evidence that they vvere able to communicate to others any part of that povver committed to them by Christ And then Why they might not in whole as well as in part communicate it unto others vvho might succeed to it after their departure from any place or finally out of the world as vvell as assist them being present by undergoing in their stead some part of it there is no imaginable reason to be rendred but on the contrary the example of Moses vvho first assumed the seventy to assist him and at that time God gave them of his Spirit and so part of his Power and after constituted Joshua to succeed him will be directly applicable to this matter Thirdly After and beside the instituting of this office on the Twelve it was the Will and Appointment of God Act. 13.2 that Saul and Barnabas should be assumed to it and that immediately after James the Apostle's death ch 12.2 in the same manner as Ephraim and Manasses supplied the place of Joseph when he dyed Fourthly By comparing some passages of Scripture with the plain assertions of antient Writers and Fathers of the Church it may be concluded that James the just that had the title of Brother of the Lord was constituted Bishop of Jerusalem being none of those twelve Apostles by Christ himself say some Theophyl in 1 Cor. 15.7 at his appearing to him after the Resurrection but as it is more generally resolved on by the Apostles which received their power from Christ and that in the 19th year of Tiberius i. e. the next year after the death of Christ saith Eusebius in his Chronicle Hence it is that this James though none of the twelve is called an Apostle Gal. 1.19 and perhaps Act. 15.6 and 22. and in the inscription of his Epistle he is entitled the Apostle James and accordingly Com. in Isai St. Hierom calls him the thirteenth Apostle which farther yields him a priority before Paul and Barnabas as being after him admitted to that dignity to whom he gives the right hand of fellowship Gal. 2.9 And being at Jerusalem his Episcopal See See Dr. H. Dissert 4. cap. 3. is there named before Peter and John two principal Apostles Fifthly Of St. Paul it is not only said by himself expresly that he had laid hands on Timothy and that thereby the gift of God 2 Tim. 1 6. 2 Tim. 4 1◠fitting him for the Episcopal function was given him but farther that he was by him left at Ephesus to exercise this Authority to command some which includes power to teach no other doctrine i. e. to suppress hereticks 2 Tim. 1. ◠And the same is as clear of Titus who is by him left in Crete Tit. 1.5 with power of regulating things not yet ordered in that Island and to ordain Elders in every Church which being two branches of Episcopal power it is by the Antients generally affirmed that he was instituted the Metropolitan or chief Bishop of that Island as Timothy at Ephesus the Metropolis of Asia and accordingly these two are stiled Apostles also as receiving the same power or Commission that Christ had given to the twelve Dissert 4. and to St. Paul which is observable likewise of divers others And accordingly 't is the general affirmation of Theodoret that those who now are called Bishops were called Apostles but in process of time they left the name of Apostles to those that were truly so sent immediately by Christ and imposed the name of Bishops on those others that had been antiently call'd Apostles Sixthly It farther appears that as Timothy and Titus were thus ordained by St. Paul so they had thereby also power to ordain others through all Churches in those Regions where they were placed and accordingly did actually ordain them And so the power given the Apostles was sure no temporary power but as from them derived to others so from those others farther communicated and all this by express testimonies of Scripture For that St. Paul should leave Titus in Crete on purpose to ordain Elders there and prescribe Timothy as well as him What sort of men and how qualified should be constituted Bishops and Deacons in the Churches and they should make no use of that power is not imaginable nor could be controverted though there were no other book in the world but the New Testament whereas the testimony of the following Church-writers is clear that in rete the one and in Asia the other had the ordaining first and then the judging of many Bishops and that as there so every where else the Bishops in their several Churches were the successors of the Apostles and therefore many of them call'd Apostles also as hath been already intimated St. Hierom St Hieron in Ps 45. is positive Pro patribus Apostolis filii Episcopi For the Fathers the Apostles are the Bishops their Sons And again Ep. ad Marcel Apudnos Apostolorum locum Episcopi tenent Bishops with us do hold the place of the Apostles and to the same effect sundry others which I list not here to recite Seventhly It is manifest by the Epistle of Christ to the seven Churches of the Proconsular Asia deliver'd by vision to St. John that there were at the date of that Epistle Rulers or Governours of each of those Churches to whom under the title of Angels the care of those Churches was committed That these were any of the twelve Apostles or others constituted from Heaven immediately neither is nor can be pretended by any It remains therefore that it must be a derived communicated power whether mediately or immediately from one or more of the Apostles that first preached the Gospel there which
admitted into any Ecclesiastical degree Distinct 70. See Whitgift Tract 4. p. 223. except he have something to live upon Ne dicatur Mendicat in plateis infaelix clericus as the Gloss in Gratian well interprets and not a law that every ordained Minister must have of necessity some particular Flock committed to his cure * Perceive they not how by this means they make it unlawful for the Church to employ men at all in converting Nations for if so be the Church may not lawfully admit to an Ecclesiastical function unless it tie the party admitted unto some particular Parish then surely a thankless labour it is whereby men seek the conversion of Infidels which know not Christ and therefore cannot be as yet divided into their special Congregations and Flocks Hâ—oker l. 5. p. 330. 3. That no Minister hath power to depute another for his Curat Vicar or Substitute because saith he the whole authority of Elders Pastors or Bishops is ministerial 1 Cor. 4.1 consisting in a power of acting upon a command of Christ they are bound in their own persons to the discharge of their duty and office without the least pretence of Authority to delegate another or others to act their part or do their duty which would be an effect of autocratical authority and not of obedience or ministry The authority of the Apostles was ministerial as well as that of others so much the Text quoted declares 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God and yet did they delegate others to part of their duty when they set apart the seven Deacons to ease them of their care in providing for the poor And a prime steward may depute certain officers under himself without the assuming of autocratical authority It no wayes follows because a Shepheard chargeth another with the oversight of his Flock for a time that therefore he makes himself Lord or Owner of the Sheep or because a Watchman tired himself deputes another in his room that he makes himself the Mayor of a Corporation or Prince of a Kingdom Ministerial authority is not wholly debarred the priviledge of deputation not but that every Minister is obliged to do his duty for the very performance of that duty of his to the universal Church of Christ the Kingdom wherein he is and sometimes his private concerns may engage him for a while from his particular cure and so make it necessary for him to use a delegate As when St. Paul sent for Timothy from his charge at Ephesus to Rome c. 4. That no Minister may exercise his power and office out of his own particular Church and Charge whereto he is chosen and ordained as having no Ministerial power but by and from the Election of that particular Church whereunto he stands in especial relation and whose choice cannot give ministerial power over any but themselves This I take to be the sense of the Catechist And if thus it be it will be impossible for any cure upon the greatest occasion of absence sickness or the like to be supplied For according to the Catechist First There is no Minister without his particular Church which he is obliged at the same time to attend unto And secondly None hath power and authority to officiate out of the Church wherein and whereto he was chosen And thirdly the communion of Churches gives no new power but only an exercise of what was before received 5. That no Minister may have relation to more Churches than one at the same time This is most directly contended for But methinks 1. So much being ascribed to the peoples call and choice by the Catechist this Election at least by more Churches should impower him to their oversight And 2. This the rather still where two particular Churches may be so small and nearly conjoyned as not to equal the greatness of some other single and particular charge Well but he hath determined it to be irregular and unwarrantable 1 Because it hath not warrant or president in the Scripture I instance in St. Paul his care of all the Churches and if that sound too high in Titus his charge of and relation to all the Churches of Crete and indeed answerably every Bishops cure of the particular Churches in his Diocess 2. 'T is destructive to the office and duty of a Pastor but this cannot be made good unless the Catechist can justifie his grand supporters of it 1. That the same duty is at the same time to be performed toward all Why may it not suffice if it be performed successively one hour suppose to the one Church and another unto the second c 2. That a Minister may not depute another to officiate for him Which hath been already considered Now what can be argued farther 3. from the nature of that relation which is between the Elders and the Church I understand not unless he can demonstrate that a Shepheard may not have two or three Flocks under his charge I will only here add a specimen of the vulgar rhetorick used among the Brethren of the Separation in these matters from the resemblances between a Pastor and his People with a Shepheard and his Flock a Watchman and a City and such like as I find it managed by cartwright the head of this faction and then the apt Reply made unto him by our Reverend Whitgift For those that preach T. C. to have a whole Diocess or Province or Realm to be their Flock or City to attend upon is contrary to the policy or good husbandry of all those that would have their City fafe or their Flock sound For Who are they that would appoint one for the watch of a thousand Towns or Cities whenas all they which love their safety would rather have for every Citie many Watchmen than for many cities one Or What is he that is so watchful and circumspect whose diligence and watchfulness one Citie assaulted with enemies will not wholly occupy and take up Or What is he whose sight is so sharp that he can see from one end of the Diocess or Province or Realm to the other end thereof Or What is he that will commit the keeping of twenty thousand sheep to one man that looketh for any good or encrease of them How shall all these hear his whistle how shall all know his voice when they cannot hear it how shall they acknowledge him when they cannot know him how shall they follow him when they cannot see him go before how shall he heal their diseases when he cannot possibly know them These are analogies drawn from the nature of those things which Ministers are likened unto and are for the most part used of the Holy Ghost expresly Now mark the Answer Whitgift Defence Tract 4. p. 220. 221. It is a great point of good husbandry and policie also to have beside the several Shepherd over several Flocks and sundry watchmen
boldness usual to men of his way remarqued His sixfold enumeration of Gospel-Institutions The first of them fixed upon viz. The calling gathering and setling of Churches with their officers as the seat and subject of all other solemn instituted worship Quaere How setled Churches are the subject of all instituted worship since Preaching of the word goes before them which the Catechist names for the fourth Gospel-Institution from pag. 97. to p. 100. Chap. 2. The Catechist's general doctrine of Churches proposed Proofs from the Catholick Church or the National Church of the Iews impertinent to his particular Churches The Catechist's texts for Christs institution and appointment of such particlar Churches as the foundation-ordinance of Gospel-worship examined St. Cyprian's comment upon those words Where two or three are gather'd together in my name I am with them Particular Churches acknowledged to have been intended and approved by Christ though not in the Catechist's sense nor by the cogency of his arguments The proper difference between the Iewish and Christian Church stated from pag. 100. to p. 109 Chap. 3. The qualification of his Church-members enquired into His opinion that none be admitted members of particular Churches but true believers real Saints persons regenerated converted vivified illuminated justified adopted elected declared The danger of this opinion intimated The Catechist set against himself and posed with his own arguments about it The word of God not the only means of conversion The solemn League and Covenant required by the Catechist to the formal constitution of particular Churches The several pretensions unto this as Christs institution examined and rejected The consent required to all other societies and pattern of the Iewish Church untruly and impertinently urged The chief reformations of the Iewish Church not by any voluntary covenants of the people but the authority of the supreme Rulers 2 Cor. 8.5 abused and misapplyed to the Macedonian's entrance into a Church state The way of the Church at Ierusalem glanced at The Baptismal covenant renewed at Confirmation conformable thereunto but will not serve the Catechist 's turn The weakness of other proofs offered from pag. 109. to p. 127. Chap. 4. A Scripture account given of the Christian Church Christ speaks of it as afterwards to be built The power of planting and building it to whom and when given The beginnings of this Church left by Christ The story of its first building by St. Peter Act. 2. Baptism upon Profession the door of entrance The practise after admission The Christian-Church defined Of Churches as many and Church as one The necessary qualification of Church-members The visible Church a communion of professors wherein are good and bad Saints and Hypocrites mixed together The Minister's unworthiness nulls not the officacy of Divine Ordinances the presence of evil members in Church-communion hurts not those who consent not to their sins and impieties from pag. 128. to p. 141. Chap. 5. Of the places we call Churches That all difference of place is not taken away in the New Testament St. John 4.20 21 22. examined The Temple at Jerusalem on some accounts Typical on others Moral David's resolutions of building the Temple grounded on a rational piety and both He and Solomon arguing the fitness of its Magnificence by argument of reason Scripture-precepts of reverence to God's house have no sign in them of being Ceremonial only Rationally therefore applyed by the Iews to their Synagogues The Centurions Synagogue a proof of his love to their Nation Christ and his Apostles constant in frequenting the Temple and Synagogues Probable it is that even in the time of the first Christians there were certain places peculiar for their serving God in Intimations thereof in Sacred Scripture Act. 11.26 A Local Church as early as the name Christians 1 Cor. 11.28 The house of God opposed to their private houses Mr. Mede's conjectures what that house was and farther proofs about it The general reason of appropriating certain places to Gods worship and service from pag. 141. to p. 155. Chap. 6. The necessity of Government in the Church intimated and that as to it 's formal constitution The Catechist's distinction of Church-officers extraordinary and ordinary without Scripture-proof Extraordinaries granted in the Apostles and yet not their office it self for a season only Arch-Bishop Whitgift at large of this distinction against T. C. The Catechist's enumeration of ordinary Officers How politickly Deacons there left out His great argument from a community of names to an equality among Ministers disabled The name Bishop not unfit to denote preheminence whether we consider the notation of it or the use of it in the Old Testament or in the New The same demonstrated for the name Elder wherewith the Catechist matcheth it and the several instances alledged by him to the contrary A Taste by the way of the Catechist's confidence Prelacy in Church government argued from the Scripture-instances of Deacons under Bishops and the examples of Timoth and Titus The Catechist's exceptions at the two last answered The enemies of superiority among Ministers mean it in others not themselves from pag. 155. to p. 177. Chap. 7. Dr. Hammond's account of Church-government Church power originally in Christ and personally exercised by him on earth This power described by Christ negatively and affirmatively The Apostles Christ's successor's Their office not Temporary and to end with their persons proved from Christ's affirmation and promise and the histories of those times The assumption of Matthias to the Apostolacy The seven Deacons Iames the just made Bishop of Ierusalem and call'd an Apostle Timothy and Titus ordained by St. Paul with power themselves to ordain others They and other Bishops successors of the Apostles and therefore also call'd Apostles The Angels of the seven Churches of Asia Concordant testimonies out of Antiquitie The Councel of Chalcedon Polycrates Irenaeus Tertullian The manner of succession cleared Commission required in all Church-officers from them that received it immediately from Heaven or their successors from pag. 178. to p. 195. Chap. 8. The Catechist's opinion of the indispensable necessity of Ministers being chosen by the people largely declared His two Scripture-instances examined Act. 6. Act. 14. The choice of the seven Deacons no rule for all Churches in the constitution of Officers The choice it self an occasional permission The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie to ordain by the election or suffrages of the community A tast of the Catechists Learning and Modesty Antiquity untruly referr'd to by him for the peoples right to chuse their Ministers His reasons strike as the Civil State no less than the Ecclesiastical that there must be no Rulers in either but by the people's choice There is no duty required of the people as to their Officers and Governours which makes this choice contended for necessary Arguments against Popular Elections as unconformable to the way of the Old Testament made by incompetent judges the occasion of divisions and fashions reflected on extreamly
was thus vested in those Angels in respect of which not only that honourable title of Angels is bestowed upon each of them by Christ himself the same that on the High-priest among the Jews Malach. 2.7 but they are also resembled to so many starrs held by Christ in his right hand Rev. 1.16 and 2.1 which is an infallible evidence that this dignity and power of theirs was approved and confirmed by Christ And to so clear a testimony of Scripture we may farther add the words of the Council of Chalcedon Concil Calced Act. 2. concerning the Church of Ephesus one of those seven that from Timothy to that time there had been 27 Bishops there to which it is consequent that either Timothy or some follower of his was this very Angel that Christ wrote to Ep. ad Victor apud Euseb Hist Eccles l. 5. c. 11. St. Iren. l 3. c. 3. And so Polycrates that was not long after St. John's time affirmeth himself to be the eighth Bishop of that City And so when Irenaeus affirms of Smyrna another of those seven Churches that Polycarp a Disciple of the Apostles was by them constituted Bishop of that City Tertull. de praeser c. 32. and when Tertullian saith of him that he was so constituted by St. John as Clemens was at Rome ordained by St. Peter 't is clear that the Apostles power was not determined in themselves Ibid. and of this Tertullians testimony is most distinct and universal that as in Smyrna and Rome perinde utique caetera Ecclesiae exhibent quos ab Apostolis in Episcopatum constitutos Apostolici seminis traduces habent The rest of the Churches in like manner exhibit those who being constituted Bishops by the Apostles were their successors spiritually begotten by them Adv. Marcion l. 4. c. 5. And again speaking of these Churches of Asia which were Johannis alumnae taken care of and fed by St. John he saith Ordo Episcoporum ad originem recensus in Johannem stabit authorem The order of Bishops being recounted to the beginning devolves to St. John the Apostle the first Author of it I forbear to add more lest what I designed for a short discourse only swell into a Volume Thus hath this controversie been sufficiently cleared by some remains in the Scriptures whereto the concordant testimonie of all antiquity most readily affords a suffrage And then as to the setling the Monarchy of the Jews the way set down in Scripture is this That God by a Prophet sent immediately from him designed first the person of Saul and after of David and after the succession or line of Dauid by Solomon and Rehoboam came down from Father to Son through all the Kings of Judah without any new revelation or mission of Prophets to anoint and constitute a new King when the former was deceased or rather as when God had first called Moses and by miracles sealed him a Commission from Heaven to be Ruler over the Jews and after taken of the Spirit that was upon him and put it upon the Elders to be his assistants for the succession to of either those offices there was no more used or thought needful but that Moses should lay his hands on Joshua and give him a charge Numb 27.19 20 21. and put some of his honour upon him and that the seventy thus created to their office should by imposition of hands admit others to the same dignity so for the setling Governours in the Church God first sent down his Son Jesus Christ to be personally the founder and head of it sent down his Spirit to demonstrate and constitute him so and after his departure this power being before his death instated on the Apostles the H. Ghost again descended on those Apostles and some the like prodigies from Heaven were used towards others for the setling them in their dignities But when that was done the wâ—ole business of a succession was provided for by a more easie and familiar course that those that were thus sent by the Apostles through imposition of their hands as they had been by Christ through the descent of his Spirit hovering over and resting on them and as Christ by his Father with the like solemnity should after the same manner communicate it to others fitly qualified for it Which that it was actually done in the several Churches as it cannot be expected to be recorded in the New Testament which can speak no farther than to those times of which it writes so to some mentions of it which are found there infinite suffrages are added from the following writers by whom it far more evidently appears that this power of the Church did not end in the Apostles persons but continued to their successors the Bishops in the several branches than by the Old Testament and other Jewish writings now extant it appears either that it was God's will that the Son should succeed the Father in the Kingdom of which yet there is no doubt when it was not countermanded by a Prophet sent from God or that in the Sanhedrim new men were received into the places of the deceased of which also there is yet no doubt made by any Having cleared the whole matter thus far there will be now no need to declare what powers they are which are thus conveyed to the Bishops or officers in the Church it being already manifest that the power of planting governing and continuing of the churches being first vested in Christ was from him derived to the Apostles and from the Apostles to the Bishops and so that the power of preaching baptizing teaching confirming consecrating the Sacrament of the Eucharist binding and loosing blessing in marriage visiting and praying over the sick and at last constituting others like themselves either in whole by communicating entirely their whole power to them or in part by giving them some limited powers for some certain offices were thus communicated Of which all that will be necessary to be added is only this which natural reason dictates to every one That no man ought to assume to himself any Office in any Society but he that is designed to it by him that hath the supreme power in it nor consequently in the church but he that is called as was Aaron i. e. hath received mission or commission from God which being not now pretended by any to be received immediately from Heaven there is but one way imaginable for any man to claim it viz. By receiving it from them who immediately have received it from Heaven And then the whole matter is devolved to a short issue That every one that thus runs is obliged to shew his commission by which he may appear to be sent and that being once produced to whatsoever acts that extends to those he will be allowed to be sufficiently authorized but to nothing else And vvhosoever will not stand to this award must not only cast off the Church of Christ from being his Mother and confess Christ
so far from being a favourer that he is a professed enemy to his pretences but withall must acknowledge himself to have given a precedent for all the unreasonable claims and violences and oppressions in the world which must all commence regular and just when it shall once be allowed that any power belongs to any which cannot justifie and doth not so much as plead the derivation from above A consideration very fit for our times and those especially who presume upon their own conceited gifts and qualifications without legitimate ordination to venture on the weightiest part of the Ministerial function CHAP. VIII The Catechist's opinion of the indispensable necessity of Ministers being chosen by the people largely declared His two Scripture-instances examined Act. 6. Act. 14. The choice of the seven Deacons no rule for all Churches in the constitution of Officers The choice it self an occasional permission The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie to ordain by the election or suffrages of the community A taste of the Catechist's Learning and Modesty Antiquity untruly referr'd to by him for the peoples right to chuse their Ministers His reasons strike at the Civil state no less than the Ecclesiastical that there must be no Rulers in either but by the peoples choice There is no duty required of the people as to their Officers and Governours which makes this choice contended for necessary Arguments against Popular Elections as un-conformable to the way of the Old Testament made by incompetent judges the occasion of divisions and factions reflected on extreamly by St. Paul's Prophesie 2 Tim. 4.3 4. leaving Ministers under too great a temptation to please and humour the people and very injurious and dangerous to the concernment of Christian Kings in the ordering of the publick Religion and Reformation Bishops Priests and Deacons of the Church of England made ordained and consecrated by the Vertual consent of the People THe fore-going Discourse makes it needless to bestow any farther reflections upon very much of what the Catechist next offers concerning the differences between those whom he calls extraordinary and ordinary Officers or Rulers in the Church Cat. p. 124 125. And as to the rest we shall have occasion to discover the falseness of his affirmations in that which follows That then which I fix upon is the fourth thing required by him to the due constitution of an ordinary Officer of the Church an Elder Pastor or Teacher Cat. p. 125. That he be called and chosen by the suffrage and consent of the Church And this he before assigned as the most characteristical difference of the ordinary Ruler from the extraordinary p. 124. That he is called by the suffrage choice and appointment of the Church it self And again he goes over it as a main foundation to be relyed upon ibid. That his authority is derived from Christ by the election and designation of the Church and therefore confined in the exercise to that Church wherein and whereby it is so derived And this among others is said to be indispensably necessary unto him that would be accounted to have taken that office upon him according to the mind of Christ p. 126. and plainly expressed in the Scripture Whereto I will annex all that he hath spoken in the explication of this particular Fourthly Cat. p. 131. 132 133. 134 135. Election by the suffrage and consent of the Church is required unto the calling of a Pastor or teacher so that without it formally or virtually given or obtained the call however otherwise carried on or solemnized is irregular and defective There are but two places in the New Testament where there is mention of the manner whereby any are called in an ordinary way unto any Ministry in the Church and in both of them there is mention of their election by the community of the Church and in both of them the Apostles themselves presided with a fulness of Church-power and yet would not deprive the Churches of that which was their liberty and priviledge The first of these is Act. 6. where all the Apostles together to give a rule unto the future proceeding of all Churches in the constitution of Officers amongst them do appoint the multitude of the Disciples or community of the Church to look out from among themselves or to choose the persons that were to be set apart thereon unto their office which they did accordingly verses 2 3 5. This was done when only Deacons were to be ordained in whom the interest and concernment of the Church is not to be compared with that which it hath in it's Pastors Teachers and Elders The same is mentioned again Act. 14.23 where Paul and Barnabas are said to ordain Elders in the Churches by their election and suffrage For the word there used will admit of no other sense however it be ambiguously express'd in our translation Neither can any instance be given of the use of that word applied unto the communication of any office or power to any person or persons in an assembly wherein it denoteth any other action but the suffrage of the multitude and this it doth constantly in all Writers of the Greek Tongue And hence it was that this right and priviledge of the Church in chusing of those who are to be set over them in the vvork of the Lord was a long time preserved inviolate in the primitive Churches as the Antients do abundantly testifie Yea the shew and appearance of it could never be utterly thrust out of the world but is still retained in those Churches which yet reject the thing it self And this institution of our Lord Jesus Christ by his Apostles is suited to the nature of the Church and of the authority that he hath appointed to abide therein for as we have shewed before persons become a Church by their own voluntary consent Christ makes his subjects willing not slaves His rule over them is by his Grace in their own wills and he will have them every way free in their obedience A Church-state is an estate of absolute liberty under Christ not for men to do what they will but for men to do their duty freely without compulsion Now nothing is more contrary to this liberty than to have their Guides Rulers and Overseers imposed on them without their consent Besides the body of the Church is obliged to discharge its duty towards Christ in every institution of his which herein they cannot if they have not their free consent in the choice of their Pastors or Elders but are considered as mute persons or brute creatures Neither is there any other ordinary way of communicating authority unto any in the Church but by the voluntary submission and subjection of the Church it self unto them For as all other imaginable ways may fail and have done so where they have been trusted unto so they are irrational and unscriptural as to their being a means of the delegation of any power whatever
contrary to the present state and inclines to liberty will usually chuse men according to their own fancies so that the Prince shall neither have quiet Government nor be able to preserve the peace of the Church nor yet to plant and defend that Religion and Worship of God which in his conscience he is perswaded to be most sincere and requisite Yea and his whole Kingdom shall be filled with swarms of different Sects which he is not aware of and hath no means of Remedy left against the mischievous consequences of but by maintaining of a standing Army for the suppressing of all emergent insolencies and rebellions Now to shut up this Chapter I call to mind that the Catechist hath said The calling of Pastors or Teachers must be by the election suffrage and consent of the Church formally or virtually given or obtained How far this virtual consent extends he should have done well to have taught his disciples for thus we are able to defend the people's virtual consent to the calling of those Ministers which yet they have not the choice of inasmuch as whatsoever is concluded and established by the several Estates of the Kingdom in Parliament is also done virtually by the consent of the people but such is the form and manner of making ordaining and consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons in the Church of England and therefore they are called by the virtual consent of all the people being made ordained and consecrated according to that form order and rule which the whole Realm in Parliament hath allowed of and appointed If any desire to see farther into this matter about the people's election of their Pastors he may find it handled at large in Arch-Bishop Whitgift's defence against Cartwright Tract 3. p. 156. to p. 216. CHAP. IX Imposition of hands in ordination limited by the Catechist to the Presbytery of that particular Church wherein the person is ordained The Scripture gives this power to Bishops Calvin's judgment of the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Two Questions resolved by the Catechist in the negative Qu. 1. Whether a person may be lawfully call'd to or employed in a part of the office or work of the Ministry only The Catechist's grounds examined and disabled Scripture-presidents instanced in the seven Deacons Christ's baptizing by his Disciples St. Paul's allegation as to himself The Catechist's own Pastors and Teachers divided in the parts of their office and his Ruling-Elders opposed to Preaching-Elders No repugnancy herein with the authority of the Ministry or relation between the Elders and the Church The exercise of gifts restrainable till there be right and authority given and after that too by the rules of prudence good order and edification The Church may lawfully admit to a part of the Ministry only and advance her Ministers by degrees Qu. 2. Whether a person may hold the relation or exercise the duty of a Minister to more Churches than one at the same time The Catechist's opinion set down at large with the reasons of it and then refuted under six propositions which are manifested to be asserted by him 1. That none can be a Gospel-minister unless first chosen by some particular Church 2. That none can be ordained a Minister but with relation to some particular Church as his cure and charge 3. That no Minister hath power to depute another for his Curat Vicar or Substitute 4. That no Minister may exercise his power or office out of that particular Church wherein and whereto he is ordained 5. That no Minister may have relation to more Churches than one at the same time Arch-Bishop Whitgift's Answer to T.C. about the Similitudes vulgarly used from a Shepherd and his Flock c. 6. The no Minister may remove from one Church or Charge to another without re-ordination Mr. Hooker's judgment for the avoiding confusion in such like questions as these moved by the Catechist THe fifth thing required by the Catechist to the due constitution of an Elder Pastor or Teacher of the Church is Cat. p. 125. 126. That he be solemnly set apart by Fasting and Prayer and imposition of hands unto his work and Ministry Acts 13.2 1 Tim. 5.22 1 Tim. 4.14 Which runs in the Explication thus pag 135. Fifthly Unto this Election succeeds the solemn setting apart of them that are chosen by the Church unto this work and ministry by fasting prayer and imposition of the hands of the Presbytery before constituted in the Church wherein any person is to be set apart Now the Exception I make to this is That in the Answer it self there is no mention made of the persons that are to lay on their hands In the ordination and in the explication it is limited and restrained 1. To the Presbytery in the modern notion of the word and 2dly To the Presbytery of that particular Church where the person is to be set apart The three places of Scripture referr'd unto in the Answer may afford us some better light in this matter Act. 13.2 3. which treats of the ordination of Barnabas and Saul referrs the imposition of hands to Simeon Lucius and Manaen Bishops of the Churches of Syria called in the Text Prophets and Doctors and Teachers some of them probably having the special gift of prophesie verse 1. 1 Tim. 5.22 referrs the laying on of hands to Timothy alone in the singular number to whom the Apostle there sends this command Lay hands suddenly on no man The third Text 1 Tim. 4.14 speaks of Timothie's own ordination where mention is made of the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Unto which yet it had been but good manners to have added a fourth 2 Tim. 16. speaking plainly of the same thing Stir up saith S. Paul to Timothy the gift that is in thee by the putting on of my hands I will not here insist on that difference which some observe in the original that the preposition in this latter Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denoting the chief instrumentality by the imposition of my hands but the preposition in the fore-going Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denoting a concomitancy only with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Chrys in loc 'T is possible that Presbytery in the former place may denote other Apostles or Bishops who assisted with St. Paul in this work as hath been intimated by the way before in chapter 6. And 't is also possible that it may signifie only the Office it self whereto Timothy was ordained called by that name as Calvin is known to interpret it His words are these which I will only annex and so leave this point †Quanquam incertum est An plures semper manus imposuerint necne Illud quidem in Dia conis Paulo Barnabà paucis quibusdam aliis factum fuisse constat Sed Paulus ipse alibi se non alios complures Timotheo manus imposuisse commemorat Admonco Te
for the regulation and preservation thereof This sixth Gospel-Institution might very well have been referr'd to the first and I shall content my self to have there shewed the weakness of the foundations here again built upon Only we may observe that by the Catechist's distribution of this power of discipline between Minister and People the Authority which he leaves in words wholly to the Elders See Ch. 10. is little more than a power of executing the Brotherhood's decrees to whom he saith the power of tryal judgment consent or dissent appertains a power yet without authority which looks very like a contradiction However he tells us VVomen are barr'd and excepted from this duty of the body of the Church and consequently these female-members of the Church perform not that obedience unto the Lord Christ which is required in the rest as to this Institution acting in compliance with their Guides and Rulers with the consent of the Brethren only without any previous rational consideration of their own and so if his reason hold are ruled without their knowledg and against their will and by a blind obedience which is not saith he in any thing acceptable unto Christ I admonish these good women therefore once more to stand up for their priviledges of Church-membership and refer them to what hath been already noted Chap. 12. But a word or two ere we part of the places of Scripture here referr'd to as a proof that this power of discipline is so far by Christ committed to the body of the Church the male-members 1. All that can be observed from Acts 15. is this that the Brethren consented unto what the Apostles and Elders determined and appointed verse 6. The Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this matter and therefore all that speak to the case are 1. Peter verse 7. 2. Barnabas and Paul verse 12. and then 3. James the Bishop of the place concludes with his sentence whereto they all agree 'T is expresly said of the Multitude verse 12. All the multitude kept silence As for the multitude gathered together at Antioch verse 30. needs must the Church be assembled since the Letter written was directed to be read unto them for their satisfaction But then that the multitude of the Brethren thought it their duty to meet together as fellow-tryers and judges of the difficult question about Mosaical Ceremonies is weakly inferr'd from Act. 21.22 See this place before quoted P. 1. Ch. 5. Where James the Bishop of Jerusalem tells Paul how much the multitude of Jewish converts were offended at his preaching down Circumcision and Non-conformity to their approved Customs and since it could not be but that they would hear of his presence there was a necessity to call them together that he might vindicate himself before them and remove the prejudice they had concerning him verse 22. What is it therefore The multitude must needs come together for they will hear that thou art come Nor is it likely that the devout women more zealous and forward usually than others Act. 13.50 were excluded from this multitude and then if the Catechist have observed right there is a must for them too as well as the Brethren they also have a Duty and concernment to look after the administration of Church-discipline 2. For 1 Cor. 5. Where saith the Catechist the multitude are blamed who applied not themselves to this duty The matter is the Excommunication of the incestuous Corinthian That which S. Paul chargeth upon them in general is That there was so notorious an offender among them as one that had married his Father's wife and they yet demean themselves so unconcernedly as if it had not been a crime deserving censure and reproach But then as to the judging part he takes that to himself verse 3. I verily as absent in body but present in spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath done this deed i. e. Though I am not present with you yet by virtue of that authority which belongs to me being sufficiently assured of the truth of the fact I have already pass'd sentence on him that hath thus offended He doth not expect their tryal and judgment and consent as the Catechist would order the matter but gives the doom without it commands them to see it inflicted ver 4.5 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gather'd together and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one to Satan i. e. That in a publick Assembly gather'd in the name of Christ in which you are to suppose me vertually present among you by authority of Christ committed to me and from me to you ye proceed to excommunicate him And then farther it is to be noted that this speech of St. Paul might have a prime reference to the Ministers of the Church of Corinth for his Epistle was written to the whole Church the Pastors as well as the Flock However there cannot be from hence inferr'd any thing but that the matter was to be done according to St. Paul's charge and command and by virtue of his authority in the presence of the whole congregation women no dobut as well as men or at most all the whole congregation for the freeing themselves from the scandal of allowing his wickedness appearing in some way of declarative suffrage and consent which consent of theirs entitles them by way of interpretation so far to have acted in this censure but no way intimates that the Apostle's excommunication had not been valid and efficacious without their consent Certainly the power of binding and loosing was never given by Christ to the promiscuous multitude nor do we ever read that he required their consent as necessary to the validity or efficacy of it And this is all I shall add of this matter Two or three short reflections more shall end this Chapter and Book together And First I take notice of a three-fold Directory * One more was observed before Chap. 10. prescribed by the Catechist for the exercise of Church-discipline a thing not becoming so profess'd a Champion of Christ's prescribing the very manner of his own Institutions The first Directory is for private admonition in four particulars Cat. p. 195. 196. Cat. p. 195. 196. Especially four things are to be diligently heeded 1. That the whole duty be so managed that the person offending may be convinced that it is done out of love to him and affectionate conscientious care over him that he may take no occasion thereby for the exasperation of his own spirit 2. That the persons admonishing others of their offence do make it appear that what they do is in obedience to an Institution of Christ and therein to preserve their own souls from sin as well as to benefit the offenders 3. That the admonition be grounded on a rule which alone gives it authority and efficacy 4. That there be a readiness manifested
by St. Paul's Prophesie 2 Tim. 4.3 4. leaving Ministers under too great a temptation to please and humour the people and very injurious and dangerous to the concernment of Christian Kings in the ordering of the publick Religion and Reformation Bishops Priests and Deacons of the Church of England made ordained and consecrated by the Vertual consent of the People from pag. 196. to p. 219. Chap. 9. Imposition of hands in Ordination limited by the Catechist to the Presbytery of that particular Church wherein the person is ordained The Scripture gives this power to Bishops Calvin's judgment of the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Two Questions resolved by the Catechist in the negative Qu. 1. Whether a person may be lawfully call'd to of employed in a part of the office or work of the Ministry only The Catechist's grounds examined and disabled Scripture-presidents instanced in the seven Deacons Christ's baptizing by his Disciples St. Paul's allegation as to himself The Catechist's own Pastors and Teachers divided in the parts of their office and his Ruling Elders opposed to Preaching-Elders No repugnancy herein with the authority of the Ministry or relation between the Elders and the Church The exercise of gifts restrainable till there be right and authority given and after that too by the rules of prudence good order and edification The Church may lawfully admit to a part of the ministry only and advance her Ministers by degrees Qu. 2. Whether a person may hold the relation or exercise the duty of a Minister to more Churches than one at the same time The Catechist's opinion set down at large with the reasons of it and then refuted under six propositions which are manifested to be asserted by him 1. That none can be a Gospel-minister unless first chosen by some particular Church 2. That none can be ordained a Minister but with relation to some particular Church at his cure and charge 3. That no Minister hath power to depute another for his Curat Vicar or Substitute 4. That no Minister may exercise his power or office out of that particular Church wherein and whereto he is ordained 5. That no Minister may have relation to more Churches than one at the same time Arch-Bishop Whitgift's Answer to T. C. about the Similitudes vulgarly used from a Shepherd and his Flock c. 6. That no Minister may remove from one Church or Charge to another without re-ordination Mr. Hooker's judgment for the avoiding confusion in such like questions as these moved by the Casechist from pag. 216. to p. 237. Chap. 10. The necessity of a rightful derivation of Church-authority from Christ usually suggested by the Catechist Of the Peoples consent required to the exercise of the Elders Authority and the Catechists Directory in case of their dissent and from thence how poor and weak a thing the power of Church-governours appears to be made by him What kind of obedience is allowed by those of the Separation as due to Ministers Dr. Jacksons of the necessity and nature of true obedience with the dtnger of the sin of Disobedience to their Pastors The Catichist's difference between Pastors Teachers considered with the fond grounds of the same from p. 237. to p. 246. Chap. 11. Of Ruling Elders The distinction of the Church into Clergy and Laity defended 1 S. Pet. 5.3 no proof that the whole Church is call'd Gods Clergy-Ministerial power a mark of separation That Lay-men among us have a principal rule in the Church and upon that account our objections against Lay-Elders unreasonable disproved The scarcity of persons fit for this ruling Eldership in every Church and the burthen of their maintenance acknowledged by some friends to the cause grear prejudices against them What kind of Elders or Seniors are countenanced by Antiquity The Jewish Elders joyned in the Sanhedrim and other assemblies with the Priests no pattern to be urged here An examination of the express Scriptures prerended to authorize these Officers Mr. Mede's excellent discourse upon 1 Tim. 5.17 Who are means 1. by Elders there Five expositions which do all exclude these Lay-Elders pleaded for in contra distinction to the civil Magistrate as well as Catechist's exceptions to some Branches of the Exposition given of these words answered The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not denote that ordinary labor which is incumbent upon all Pastors and Teachers as their constant duty Bishops may pertinently enough be meant by the Elders spoken of notwithstanding the Catechist's cavils The same qualifications absurdly required in the Ruling as in the Teaching Elder however their office be said to be so distinct from p. 246. to 273. Chap. 12. Of Deacons Stephen and Philip two of the seven Deacons did preach and baptize The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a large signification The Office of Deacons in the Christian Church to be gather'd not only from Acts 6. but other places The Catechist's rash censure of all Churches which confine not their office to the care of the poor The ordination of the first Deacons managed wholly by the Apostolick prudentials The circumstances of our state vastly different from the Churches then The change of the Levites when the Temple was built from their first office in attending on the Tabernacle a competent plea for our case 1 Cor. 16.2 considered The Catechist urgeth that occasional Precept as a binding Law to perpetuity and so in effect addeth to the Word of God A sort of She-officers Female-Elders Deaconesses and Widows in the Apostolick and Primitive Church forgotten by the Catechist in describing the pattern given in the Mount His unkindness in excluding that Sex from a share in Church-discipline noted and the good women admonished by what he hath said elswhere to look to their priviledge and duty as Church-members from pag. 273. to 285. Chap. 13. Of Prayer A Catalogue of Scripture-forms of Prayer out of the Old and New Testament The lawfulness of imposing them The Catechist's Arguments against the use of such Forms answered Publick Prayer is to provide for common not personal wants Among all gifts in Holy Scripture no gift of Ex-tempore-Prayer mentioned No injury to any Gift to be confined to a subserviency unto good Order The promise of the Spirit not rendred hereby needless or useless Abba Father at no odds with Our Father The gift of Prayer no more promised the Minister than People Part of our Ministry to be fulfilled is Officiating according to the Publick Liturgy-Prescribed Forms hinder not but tend rather to forward and promote Edification from pag. 285. to 300. Chap. 14. Of the Spirit Gift and Grace of Prayer The agency of the Holy Ghost necessary in order unto right Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in St. Iames what it signifies The gift of prayer soberly understood nothing else but a gift of Oratory owing its rise to former Premeditations Quick Parts a competent degree of modest Confidence and frequent Exercise What the Vulgar call a Special Gift
Paul's injunctions in order to the Decency of Divine Worship for the man's being uncovered and the woman covered in prayer and prophesying and This too as a mystical sign of moral duty the man's superiority and the woman's subjection The place deserves to be perused at large 1 Cor. 11.3 to 16. in the eleventh Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians from the third Verse to the sixteenth Verse but that would engage me into too long a discourse I will content my self therefore with the mention of the conclusion only of that matter which indeed alone may well supersede all other instances The Apostle having argued several wayes the decency of those particular rites that which he gives in the last place to silence all controversie about them is the custom of the Churches V. 16. But if any man seem to be contentious we have no such custom neither the churches of God He cuts off all farther disputation with these two axes as a learned man notes Apostolick institution Duabus securibus disputationes amputat Instituto Apostolico consuetudine ecclesiarum Quod per omnes Ecclesias receptum est disputando vel in controversiam vocare est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grot. in loc and the custom of the Churches and intimates withall that they deserve the brand of contentious persons who presume so far as to make a controversie or dispute of what is received by all the Churches If any will contend in matters circumstantial and appertaining to the outward order of Gods worship such as the Apostle was speaking of here is their right and proper answer laid down wherein if they rest not satisfied they are to be looked upon as contentious persons And I may well add the words of a most reverend person farther upon this very text See Bishop Andrews excellent Sermon on this Text. 'T is Serm. 13. of the Resurrection It was but early day then yet had they their customs even then At the writing of this Epistle it was not at the most thirty years from Christ's ascension If that were time enough to make a custom now after these twenty times thirty years and hundreds to spare shall it not be a custom now by much better right A custom is susceptible of more and less the farther it goeth the longer it runneth the more strength it gathereth the more gray hairs it getteth the more a venerable it is for indeed the more a custom it is This was the Golden Rule Ad quam forte Ecclesiam veneris ejus morem serva si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quenquam tibi Ego vero de hac sententia etiam atque etiam cogitans ita semper habui tanquam coelesti oraculo suscepetim St. Aug. Ep. 118. ad Januar. which St. Ambrose gave to St. Austin To keep the custom of every Church he came to in such matters for he instances in his own fasting on Saturday at Rome but not at Millain and St. Austin tells us that as often as he thought of this Rule which he did often he welcomed it no otherwise than as an heavenly oracle Now certainly that can be no Divine Principle which quite overthrows this Apostolick way of deciding all controversies about the points of ceremony and outward order in the Church as that manifestly doth which is under present consideration But I am not yet at an end of my particular induction CHAP. VI. III Of the Churches following the Apostles downward to this day 1 The Primitive Church wherein the instances are The observation of the great Festivals in memory of Christ's Birth Resurrection c. Standing at Prayer on all Lords days and every day between Easter and Whitsunday Fasting on Wednesday and Friday weekly and constantly before Easter The honourable and frequent use of the Cross receiving the Sacred Eucharist fasting 2 The Reformed Churches Their general Tenent of the power of National Churches to make laws in things neither commanded nor forbidden by God 3 The Independent Congregations wherein the instances are Singing David's Psalms translated by humane invention into rythm and meter and that too bare-headed wâ—ilst they hear the Sermon with the hat on Sprinkling Infants Taking the Communion sitting Their particular forms of Church-Covenant And the Catechist's Prudentials allowed of in Divine worship with his way of evading the obligation of some things granted by himself to have been commanded by Christ The mischievous consequences of this general principle of Non-conformity and Separation reflected on I Will instance Thirdly in the times following the Apostles the practise of all Reformed Churches yea the Independent Congregations not excepted and this Catechist's declaration in especial 1. For the Primitive Church following the Apostles I will only mention these Following The observation of the Great Festivals in remembrance of the Birth Resurrection and Ascension of our B. Saviour and the descent of the Holy Ghost The custom of Standing in Prayer on all Lords dayes and every day between Easter and Whitsunday in memory of Christ's resurrection Fasting upon Wednesday and Friday the dayes of our B. Saviour's Apprehension and Crucifixion and constantly before Easter the Lent-fast The frequent and honourable use of the ceremony or sign of the Cross And The Reverend receiving of the Sacred Eucharist fasting These are instances which cannot escape the notice of the Learned and particular testimonies and proofs from Antient VVriters are too many to be here produced Let the English Reader guess at the rest from what he may find demonstrated at large of the Custom of observing Easter in the Church by that admirable Prelate Bishop Andrews Serm. 13. of the Resurrection before recommended and for Christmas by Dr. Hammond Practical Catechism p. 203. c. 2. Next then for the practise of all Reformed Churches for to mention the Church of Rome would it is like be thought a prejudice unto the cause there need be produced nothing more than this general Tenent owned by them all That every National Christian Church hath power to make laws for her self in all such outward things as are not expresly either commanded or forbidden by the Word of God Which will be a matter of undoubted evidence to any that shall vouchsafe to examin their respective Confessions But if any desire particular instances he may find them collected to his hand in that useful Treatise published some few years since by Mr. Durel Minister of the French Church in the Savoy entituled A view of the Government and publick worship of God in the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas I pass on Thirdly To the Independent congregations and our Catechist's concessions by name For the Independent practice I observe Their singing of the Psalms of David translated by humane invention into Rythm and Meter and That too bare-headed whereas they hear the Sermon with the hat on Sprinkling of Infants at Baptism and receiving the H. Communion †See Part. 2. chap. 15. sitting And Their
inseparable from every institution of Gospel-worship to represent some grace of the New-covenant which these symbolical instructions do not I would gladly be resolved Whether brotherly love and charity be not some grace of the New-covenant or What special grace of the New-covenant is represented by singing one of the Gospel-institutions hereafter enumerated To draw now towards a conclusion of this argument I have so long insisted on Let it be consider'd of how mischievous a consequence the entertainment of this general principle must needs be That nothing may be used or allowed of in or about Gospel-worship vvhich is not commanded and instituted in the Word of God There can be no observance of those general rules That all things be done in order and decency and unto edification if there be no such power lodged in the Church as to determine those outward ceremonies and circumstantials which are no where specified by God himself for either none at all will be determined and so we shall be in danger of Atheism and profaneness or every one must determine and chuse for himself and so there being as many minds almost as men we shall unavoidably run into endless Schisms and confusions In truth the main question here is only this Since God is to have an orderly and decent service kept up in the world whether private discretion and conscience or publick authority is fittest to be trusted with the management of it and then In case that that the Governours of the Church backed with the laws of Christian Princes shall interpose in these matters left by God undetermined whether it be not a sin of unaccountable frowardness and disobedience to refuse the doing that when vve are commanded by authority which we might every one chuse to do our selves though we vvere not so commanded We are not in this Kingdom to learn what mischiefs and disorders may be reasonably expected from a principle we have already seen and experimented so dismal and destructive consequences of A short remembrance may here suffice from a judicious observer Bp Sanderson Praef. to his Sermons When this gap was once opened VVhat command have you in Scripture or what example for this or that Vnà Eurusque Notusque ruunt It vvas like the opening of Pandora's box or the Trojan horse as if all had been let loose Swarms of Sectaries of all sorts broke in and as the Frogs and Locusts in Egypt overspread the face of the land nor so only but as it often happeneth these young striplings soon out-stript their leaders and that upon their own ground for as these said to others What command or example have you for kneeling at the Communion for wearing a Surplice for Lord Bishops for a penn'd Liturgie for keeping holy dayes c. and there stop'd so these to them Where are your Lay-Presbyters your Classes c. to be found in Scripture Where your Steeple-houses your National Churches your Tythes and mortuaries your Infant-sprinklings nay your Meter-Psalms your two Sacraments your observing a weekly Sabbath for so far I find they are gone and how much farther I know not already and how much farther they will hereafter God alone knoweth for erranti nullus terminus being thus far out of their way they may vvander everlastingly It may be then a kindness vvhatever they think of it to stop if possible to turn them and let them see where they first mistook It is therefore the last office propounded in this general part of my discourse to take a vievv of those several places of Scripture used shall I say or abused by the Catechist to countenance this Leading-error vvhich I have declared the falseness of Unto that therefore I proceed CHAP. VII The common abuse of Holy Scripture by the Writers of this way An explication of certain places of Scripture brought in to countenance the fore-going Principle or some appendant to it under five heads Such texts 1 which referr us to the Word of God as our rule and commend unto us the perfection of it 2 Which use the negative argument of Gods not commanding a thing as a reproof and condemnation 3 VVhich forbid the adding to or taking from the VVord of Gods 4 VVhich prohibit the worshipping of God by the commands of men and will-worship 5 VVhich require faith of us in order to the pleasing of God and impute the guilt of sin to whatsoever is not of Faith AS there is nothing more usual so nothing more detestable in the Writers of this way than horribly to wrest and dally with God's holy oracles and quote the Scriptures lamely and perversly †M. Perâ—â—ns saith well upon the occasion of the Devils temptations unto Christ and alledging Scripture in them Gods Ministers must hereby be admonished to be careful in alledging any text of Scripture that the same be fit and pertinent for to wrest the same from the proper meaning of the H. Ghost to serve their ovvn conceit is the practise of Satan Which also may serve for a good advertisement to those that use to heap up manifold allegations of Scriptures In this affected multiplicity the abuse of Scripture can hardly be escaped Park Combat betvveen Christ and the Devil Vol. 3. p. 393. as the Devil did and commit the vice which they so often falsly challenge others with and for namely the adding unto or detracting from the Word of God saying the Lord hath spoken what he hath not or the Lord hath not spoken what he hath The plainest Scriptures are least of all minded and obscurer places gloss'd upon to patronize their private doctrines fancies and imaginations yea any faint allusion or emblance will serve for an express warrant The Garment spotted with the flesh hath been quoted against the Surplice Bowing the knee to Baal against kneeling at the Sacrament The mark of the beast against the Cross c. The margins of their books are commonly faced with a multitude of Scripture-quotations little or nothing really to the purpose but to make a fair shew and deceive the credulous and simple And so it is with our Catechist who to render the number of his quotations more formidable to the eye repeats the same oftentimes over again Some difficulty there will be in marshalling them into order but I will take what care I can to leave none out that cast but the least look or glance this way I shall therefore examin them under the following Heads 1. Those Scriptures which referr us to the VVord of God as our rule and commend unto us the perfection of it John 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Luke 16.19 it should be I suppose vers 29.31 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them If they hear not Moses and the Prophets
of another to her husband's bed when we forsake God for the cleaving to any other thing or person in his room when we deny God the worship he requires or give his worship to another Deut. 4.23 24. Make not any graven image nor the likeness of any thing that I have forbidden thee for the Lord thy God is a consuming fire even a jealous God For a close of this I will desire the Catechist's friends to peruse impartially an admirable Discourse of Bishop Andrews upon the occasion of this Commandment Bp Andr. Sermon on Act. 2.42 against the Worshipping of imaginations 11. Those Scriptures which are said to speak of the Apostacy of the Church prophetically Cat. p 81.82 set out under the name of fornication and whoredome and the innocency of those that kept themselves undefiled therewith Revel 14.4 5. These are they which are not defiled with women for they are virgins these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth these were redeemed from among men being the first-fruits unto God and unto the Lamb and in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God Revel 17.1 2 3 4 5. And there came one of the seven Angels which had the seven Vials and talked with me saying unto me Come hither I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great Whore that sitteth upon many waters with whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabiters of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast full of names of blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour and deck'd with gold and precious stone and pearls having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication and upon her forehead was a name written Mystery Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth and I saw the woman drunken with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus Rev. 18.4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues That nothing so properly answers to fornication and whoredome in the sense of Scripture as Idolatry doth I have intimated under the last head and might here produce many Texts of sacred Writ to that purpose Levit. 17.7 They shall no more offer their sacrifices unto Devils after whom they have gone a whoring Psalm 106.35 36 37 38 39. They were mingled among the heathen and learned their works and served their Idols Thus went they a whoring with their own inventions Jer. 2.20 27. Upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wandrest playing the harlot saying to a Stock thou art my father and to a Stone thou hast brought me forth c. to omit other places the case is so familiar Answerably now to this notion there is nothing bids so fair to the title of the Great Whore in the Revelations as Rome-heathen and nothing so like her fornication as her Idolatries I will not now enlarge upon the special inducements unto this belief It shall suffice here to transcribe a clear paraphrase upon the quotations mentioned See Dr. Ham. Notes on the places according to this supposal Revel 14. ch 4 5 Revel 14.4 5. ver are a description of the primitive Christians purity from the uncleanness of the Gnosticks These are as virgins not defiled with women they that have kept pure from all the heretical Gnostick corruptions of uncleanness c. and that hold out constant against all the terrors of persecution and so were rescued from the sins of that wicked age the pure primitive Christians those first-fruits to God and the Lamb that never fell off to any false Idolatrous or heretical practise but served God blameless Rev. 17.1 2 1 4 5. Revel 17.1 to 5. ver contains the Vision of Rome-heathen Another vision I saw to the same purpose one of those executioners of God's wrath came unto me saying I will shew thee vengeance that is ready to befall the Imperial dignity of Rome fitly entitled the Great whore Great in it self and who for their impieties against God their worshiping of many heathen gods directly own that title as an harlot is she that takes in many others instead of the one husband sitting i. e. ruling over many waters i. e. much people having many nations under her Dominion from the power and authority whereof many other Kingdoms have been confirmed and fortified in their Idolatrous courses and had their false worship propagated to them the whole Roman Empire running mad after her vile heathen practises And in this vision me-thoughts I was in a desart fit to represent the desolation to be express'd in the Vision and there I saw what he had promised me verse 1. a woman i. e. that great whore there mentioned the Imperial power of Rome-heathen seated on an Empire in a scarlet robe a great blasphemer against the true God and a forwarder of Idolatry and he had seven heads the City of Rome built on seven hills and ten horns i. e. so many other Kings that ruled over divers countries and were confederate with the Roman Emperour And this Roman power was in prosperity much sumptuousness was bestowed on their Idol-worship and all manner of abominable filthiness was committed therein which being so srequent and ackowledged in their secreter devotions are best described by the word Mystery a word the Greeks used for their uncleanest meetings and by Babylon which of old was famous for these and so destroyed and from hence came all the Idolatry of the other cities even from this Mother of Harlots a great persecutor of the Christians c. Rev. 18.40 ver is a warning unto Christians upon the destruction coming on this great heathen City to depart Another voice Rev. 18.40 me-thought I heard warning all Christians to come out of her that is first to abstain strictly from all communication with her sins contrary to what the looser sort of Christians then did and secondly to depart out of the city as the Emperour Honorius and Bishop Innocentius did to Ravenna at the time of Alaricus's siege And thirdly to flee to the Basilica or Christian Church at the time of the plundering or destroying Rome as the Christians did as the only way of rescuing them from that destruction Catech. p. 79. 80. Lastly Scripture instances of severity alledged against persons who by ignorance neglect or regardlesness have miscarried in not observing exactly God's will and appointment in and about his Worship This was the case saith the Catechist 1. Of Nadab and Abihâ— Levit. 10.1 2. Their fault vvas Offering strange fire which the Lord commanded not i. e. as we
and that together in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers They persevered in hearing the Apostles teach in observing the orders of their society and all mutual offices of charity in eating the Lord's Supper and praying together So that here we are sufficiently resolved about the Christian Church namely That it is a visible company of persons thus admitted and thus continuing being once admitted And this is the Church which was daily encreased afterwards and is to be preserved and encreased to the end of the world by the continued addition and accessions of other persons received into it upon the same terms by the same door of entrance and demeaning themselves being entred after the same manner Of these 3000 it is said they were added to the Apostles and Disciples left by Christ ver 41. And To this Church the Lord added daily such as should be saved verse 47. And this is the Church which our B. Saviour promised to set up and uphold for ever in the world and that the gates of Hell should not prevail against it St. Matth. 16.18 viz. The Society of professing penitents and believers baptized into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and communicating together in the Apostolical Doctrine Discipline Sacraments and Devotions Now this Society afterwards increasing by the great multitude of believers was of necessity to be sub-divided into certain particulars for the performing of joynt-service to God in an orderly communion as accordingly it was by the Apostles authority and direction And that is the ground why we sometimes read of Church in the singular number as of one and sometimes again of Churches as of many I will declare this matter somewhat more distinctly Sometimes we read of Churches as many They went through the Cities Act. 16.4 5. and deliver'd the decrees of the Apostles to be kept and so were the Churches established in the faith and increased in number daily Rom. 16 14. All the Churches of the Gentiles 1 Cor. 14 33. All the Churches of the Saints The brother 2 Cor. 8.18 19. whose praise is in the Gospel through all the Churches And Chosen of the Churches to travel with us I robbed other Churches ch 11.8 28. to do you service On me daily Act. 9.31 the care of all the Churches Gal. 1.21 22. The Churches throughout Judea Galilee and Samaria c. These Countries through the successful preaching of the Gospel had many particular Churches or congregations of the faithful united under some Minister or Bishop the lesser congregations under some inferiour minister And thus we read of a few believers convened together in the house of one single person as a Church Rom. 16.5 Greet Priscilla and Aquila likewise greet the Church in their house The Churches of Asia salute you 1 Cor. 16.19 Aquila and Priscilla salute you with the Church that is in their house Salute Nymphas Col. 4.15 and the Church in his house To Philemon Philem. 1. ver 2. our dearly beloved and fellow-labourer and to the Church in thy house This Church in their house was the baptized believers of the family with such other neighbour Christians as were admitted and received to joyn in Gods worship and service with them there Now many of these lesser congregations were united under a superiour Minister or Bishop For in and about great and populous cities there were many such little and particular Churches and yet we may observe that the Scripture speaks of such particulars as united together in one Church A pertinent instance we have in the Epistle to the Corinthians Let your women keep silence in the Churches 2 Cor. 14.34 saith St. Paul that is all the particular congregations belonging unto Corinth and yet the same Apostle dedicates this Epistle not to the Churches at Corinth in the plural 1 Cor. 1.1 but in the singular number To the Church of God which is at Corinth And thus in like manner we read of other great Cities though there were many particular and lesser Churches in them and the adjacent parts belonging to them yet are they mention'd still but as one Church So the Church of Jerusalem of Antioch of Caesarea of Ephesus of Laodicea of Smyrna c. The reason this already intimated All the particular Churches belonging to those great Cities were united under the care and circumspection of one superiour Minister or Bishop and were therefore accounted as one Church There were many particular or Parish-churches as we speak and yet all but one Diocess united under one Bishop The case is plain if we look but to the seven Churches of Asia in the Revelations They are numbred all of them according to their single Governours and Overseers according to their seven Angels though each of them was certainly subdivided into many particular Churches or Congregations Every congregation of the Saints with a Minister among them Cat. p. 117. without which it is not organically compleat that I may borrow the Catechist's phrase nor as he well calls it a Spiritual corporation attended with rule and government was a little Church and many of these doubtless there were belonging severally to Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Revel chap. 2.3 Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicea and yet are all these reckon'd but as seven Churches of Asia because of those seven Angels or Bishops presiding over them A collection then of several congregations every one of which may be called a Church is yet in the Scripture-propriety one Church by vertue of their subordination in government under one chief guide and ruler There are many lesser Churches which are but members of one greater Church And so in like manner many of those greater Churches united under single Bishops may be no more than members of one Provincial or National Church united under some common superiour for order sake whom we call Arch-Bishop and Metropolitan And there may be many Provincial and National churches which are yet but members of the universal church of Christ derived from the Apostles which however consisting of so many homogeneous parts and members call'd churches is yet but one Church because under one supreme governour and ruler namely Christ himself the Great Shepheard and Bishop of our Souls That whole body whereof he only is the Head Now the necessary badge of every member of Christ's visible Church or any particular Churches thereto appertaining is the profession of faith and obedience with Baptism in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost whether that profession be true and in reality or no God alone judgeth For the visible Church of Christ is a communion of professors wherein good and bad sincere and hypocrites are mingled together There was a Judas a Traitor and false Apostle among the twelve and there will be false disciples mixed with the true whilst this world stands Earth is no place for unmixed communions We are here in a
in that their persecuted estate and wilderness-condition they yet did as they were able set apart certain places as peculiar for their common meeting together to serve God in Intimations we find of this in Sacred Scripture as well as Ecclesiastical writings Acts 11.26 Acts 11.26 For an vvhole year they assembled themselves with the Church the Margin hath it more rightly in the Church and taught much people and the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch They assembled together constantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Ecclesiâ as both the Vulgar-Latin and Beza render it i. e. in the Church the place appointed for religious meetings and assemblies Here then we have a Local Church as early as the very name of Christians Again 1 Cor. 11.18 1 Cor. 11.18 20. When ye come together in the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the place of Religious Assemblies for so he afterwards adds When ye come together into one place and opposeth it unto their own houses verse 4. What have ye not houses to eat and drink in or despise ye the Church of God i. e. the house of God St. Austin is express for this sense Ecclesia dicitur Locus quo Ecclesia congregatur Hanc vocari etiam ipsam domum orationum idem Apostolus testis est ubi ait Nunquid domos non habetis ad manducandum bibendum Ecclesiam Dei contemnitis Quast super Levit. l. 3. c. 57. Hoc quotidianus loquendi usus obtinuit ut ad Ecclesiam prodire aut ad Ecclesiam confugere non dicatur nisi quod ad locum ipsum parietesque prodierit vel confugerit quibus Ecclesiae congregatio continetur id ibid. The place saith he wherein the Church is gathered together the Meeting-place in the Brethren's Dialect is call'd the Church even the house of prayers The Apostle counts their own houses the proper place for ordinary and common repasts and not the Church or house of God So therefore he speaks afterward If any man hunger let him eat at home And thus also Theophylact interprets the vvord Church in this place of the Apostle Nunquid domos videlicet Si aliis cibum communicare renuitis eur non domi vescimini Aut Ecclesiam Dei contemnitis Cum enim Dominicam coenam in privatam conver titis in Ecclesia scorsum edentes Loco ipsi inscrtis injuriam Theophylact in 1 Cor. 11.22 If saith he you you refuse to communicate meat unto others why eat you not at home for vvhen you convert the Lords Supper into a private meal eating apart in the Church you do injurie to the very place See Mr. Mede of Churches Now this Church of God as a Learned man conjectures was 't is likely Some capable and convenient room within the walls and dvvellings of some pious disciple dedicated by the religious bounty of the owner to the use of the Church and that usually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an upper Room such as the Latins call coenaculum being according to their manner of building as the most large and capacious of any other so likewise the most retired freest from disturbance and next to Heaven as having no room above it Such places we read more than once they made choice of Acts 10.9 St. Peter went up to the house-top to pray Such is thought to be the room wherein the Apostles and Disciples after our B. Saviour's Ascension assembled together daily for Prayer and Supplication and where being thus assembled the Holy Ghost came down upon them in cloven tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost and there goes a tradition in the Church that this was the room wherein our B. Saviour before his passion celebrated the Passover and instituted his Mystical Supper and the same place where on the day of his Resurrection he came and stood among his Disciples and appeared again unto them the Sunday after and the place where James the Brother of our Lord was created by the Apostles Bishop of Jerusalem where the seven Deacons were elected and ordained vvhere the Apostles and Elders of the Church had their first Council for deciding the question about the believing Gentiles circumcision and for certain as Learned Mr. Mede proceeds the place of this coenaculum was afterward enclosed with a goodly Church known by the name of the Church of Sion and 't is call'd by St. Cyril who was Bishop of the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The upper Church of the Apostles and if this saith he were so why may I not think that this coenaculum Sion was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that house whereof we read concerning the first Christian Society at Jerusalem Act. 2.46 That they continued daily in the Temple and breaking bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the house not as we read it house by house and eat their meat vvith gladness and singleness of heart The meaning being That when they had performed their devotions daily in the Temple at the accustomed times of prayer there they used to resort immediately to this Coenaculum and there having celebrated the mystical banquet of the H. Eucharist took their ordinary and necessary repast with gladness and singleness of heart Such a place an upper room 't is evident it was where the Disciples at Troas came together Act. 20.7 on the first day of the week to break bread where St. Paul preached unto them and whence Eutychius being overcome with sleep sitting in the window fell down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the third story Acts 28.22 And such a place seems that of the Churches assembly at Caesarea to which St. Paul vvent up descendit Casarcam ascendit in domum Christianorum i. e. Ecclesiam salutavit eos abit Antiochiam Lud. de Dien 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and saluted the Church The Etâ—iopic Translator so understood it as Lüd de Dieu observes thus rendring the words He vvent dovvn to Caesarea and vvent up into the house of the Christians i. e. the Church and saluted them and went to Antioch And to this same purpose of places appropriate to the first Christian's-Assemblies may be interpreted those peculiar characters given by the Apostle to some in his Salutations Salute Nymphas and the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col 4.15 at his house So To Philemon Philem. 1.2 our dearly beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to the Church in thy house So Rom. 16.3 5. Greet Prisscilla and Aquila likevvise the Church that is in their house And sending salutatitions from them to Corinth 1 Cor. 16.29 Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord with the Church that is in their house Where the Church at or in such and such a one's house may be rather understood of the congregation of Christians vvont to assemble there than of their ovvn particular families for othervvise vvhy should this be singularly mention'd in the Salutations of some and not of
others who are recorded to have Christian families as well as they Rom. 16.10 11 14 15. for so we find Aristobulus and Narcissus with their houshold saluted Asyncritus Phlegon Hermas Patrobas and the brethren which are with them Phïlologus and Julia Nereus and his Sister and Olympas and all the Saints which are with them And in another Epistle the houshold of Onesiphorus 2 Tim. 4.19 There seems therefore to be some singular thing in this singular appendix peculiarized to them before-mentioned and this probably to be it That in their houses they allotted and set apart a peculiar place for the Church to assemble in not altogether unlike some private Chappels which are yet in certain great men's Houses But I referr the Reader who desires farther satisfaction to our Learned Mede who hath collected undoubted testimonies of this same truth throughout the three first Centuries and so long before the time of Constantine the Great wherein Christianity began to flourish and to be adorned with more beautiful fabricks I will only intimate his general reason upon which the appropriation of certain places to God's publick worship and service leans and it is briefly this easily deducible from the Analogy of the Old Testament That as the Majesty of God is most sacred and incommunicable and his worship and service not be given unto any other so it is likewise a part of the honour vve owe to his sacred singular and incommunicable Eminency that the things wherewith he is served should not be promiscuous and common but appropriate and set apart to that very purpose But hitherto of Churches both persons and places so call'd The Catechist's method leads us next to consider Of Church-officers or Governours CHAP. VI. The necessity of Government in the Church intimated and that as to it 's formal constitution The Catechist's distinction of Church-officers extraordinary and ordinary without Scripture-proof Extraordinaries granted in the Apostles and yet not their office it self for a season onely Arch-Bishop Whitgift at large of this distinction against T. C. The Catechist's enumeration of ordinary Officers How politickly Deacons there left out His greâ—t argument from a community of names to an equality among Ministers disabled The name Bishop not unfit to denote preheminence whether we consider the notation of it or the use of it in the Old Testament or in the New The same demonstrated from the name Elder wherewith the Catechist matcheth it and the several instances alledged by him to the contrary A Taste by the way of the Catechist's confidence Prelacy in Church-government argued from the Scripture-instances of Deacons under Bishops and the examples of Timothy and Titus The Catechist's exceptions at the two last answered The enemies of superiority among Ministers mean it in others not themselves Q. SEing the Church is a Society Cat. p. 116. or spiritual Incorporation of persons under rule government or discipline declare who or what are the Rulers Governours or Officers therein under Jesus Christ Answ They have been of two sorts 1. Extraordinary appointed for a season only And 2. Ordinary to continue unto the end of the world Q. Who are the extraordinary Officers or Rulers or Ministers of the Church appointed to serve the Lord Jesus Christ therein for a season only Answ 1. The Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ with 2. the Evangelists and Prophets endowed with extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost associated with them and employed by them in their work of Ministry 1 Mat. 10 23. Act. 1.26 1 Cor. 1.28 Eph. 4.11 2 Luke 10.1 2 Tim. 4.5 Tit. 1.5 Act. 11.27 28. 21.9 10 11. 2 Cor. 1.1 The necessity of government it self in the Church is here well supposed in that the Church is call'd a Spiritual Incorporation of persons under Rule Government or Discipline This therefore in the explition is rightly said to be evident from the nature of the thing it self p. 117. as vvell as the testimonies of Scripture but then I skill not well to reconcile this with that vvhich follovvs That yet a Church may be formally constituted without rule and government His words are these p. 117. Neither doth this rule at all belong unto it meerly as materially considered in men yielding obedience unto the Call which is the foundation of the Church not absolutely as it is formally constituted a Church by the consent and agreement described but moreover it is required that it be organically compleat with Officers or Rulers 'T is the Catechist's unhappiness here to be over Metaphysical If the Church formally considered be such a spiritual Incorporation as he defines it certainly Rule Government and Discipline belongs unto it as such and the want of such principal organs or members as Rulers are must needs spoil its formality no less than the vvant of an head that of the humane body As to the distinction of Church officers into extraordinary and ordinary it ought to have been manifested out of the Holy Scriptures vvherein 't is most certain that vve read of Apostles and Evangelists and Prophets distinctly and by name but not a vvord that the chief and substantial part of their office and power vvas extraordinary and for a season only That there vvere some extraordinaries appertaining to them is not question'd but that evinceth not the office of Apostles and Evangelists to be such The Catechist himself tells us These persons vvere in an extraordinary manner endued vvith all that povver p. 119. vvhich aftervvards vvas to reside in the Churches themselves and moreover with that which was peculiarly needful unto the discharge and performance of that special duty and work that they vvere appointed unto At least then as to that power which was to reside in the Church for ever they vvere not extraordinary For that they vvere the first and so immediately sent by Christ seems a matter of order only that doth not bespeak them of another kind from those that followed and succeeded them I vvill here annex the words of Arch-Bishop Whitgift long since in his Defence against T. C. upon occasion of the like distinction with this of the Catechist's Arch Bishop Whitgift's defence of the Answ to the Admonition Tract 4. p. 217. Although saith he you cannot vvarrant by the Scriptures this distinction of ordinary and extraordinary ecclesiastical functions yet I think the Apostolical function was extraordinary in respect that it had for the time certain especial properties as to bear witness of the Resurrection of Christ and of his Ascension which they did see vvith their eyes also to plant and found Churches likewise to go through the whole world these I say were temporal and extraordinary and so was the Apostleship in this respect but yet ordinary in respect of their chief function which was to preach the Gospel and to govern the Churches which they had planted Likewise Evangelists have an ordinary function neither is there any cause why it should be call'd a temporal office but only in
respect of writing the Gospel for there is none that thinketh the office of preaching to be either extraordinary or temporal p. 118. As for Prophets if you mean in respect of the gift of telling things to come such as Agabus was then be they temporal but if you mean Prophets in respect of their dexterity and readiness of expounding Scriptures such as Simeon Lucius Manaen and Saul Act. 13.15 1 Cor. 14. likewise such as Judas and Silas and such as the Apostle St. Paul speaketh of 1 Cor. 14. I see no cause why the Calling should be extraordinary or the office and gift temporal except you have a liberty to make temporal and perpetual ordinary and extraordinary what you please But seeing you would have all things proved by Scripture I pray you prove this that you have said either of the Apostles Evangelists or Prophets by the Scripture seeing you teach that of them which seemeth to be contrary unto Scripture And when T. C. replyes This passeth all the Divinity that ever I read that there are now Apostles T. C. p. 41. Sect. 1. Evangelist and Prophets You shall assuredly do marvels if you prove that as you say you will if any deny it I deny it prove you it The Arch-Bishop answers thus Then have you not read much Divinity p. 229.230 for if it be true that the Apostle St. Paul in the fourth Chapter to the Ephesians doth make a perfect platform of a Church and a full rehearsal of the offices therein contained as you say he doth then can I not understand how you can make those offices rather temporal than the office of the Pastors and Doctors And forasmuch as you greatly contemn Authority and would have all things proved by Scripture let me hear one word of the same that doth but insinuate these offices to be temporal The place it self seemeth to import a continuance of these functions unto the coming of Christ for he saith Ephes 4. He therefore gave some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the work of the ministry c. until we all meet together in the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto à perfect man and unto the measure of the age and fulness of Christ I am perswaded that you cannot shew any like place which doth so plainly import the abrogating of them as this doth make for their continuance I have beside that place to the Ephesians the twelfth of the first to the Corinthians and the fourteenth where he speaketh of Prophets as of perpetual ministers in Christ's Church I know saith he that there were certain things in the Apostles which were proper unto themselves as their calling which was immediately from God p. 231. although Matthias was not immediately called by God as it appeareth Act. 1. neither can you prove by Scripture that Barnabas was so call'd but the contrary rather doth appear Acts 11. and yet he was an Apostle their commission to go into the whole world c. but to preach the Word of God in places where need requireth or to govern Churches already planted I see no cause why it should not be perpetual Likewise the office of Evangelist if it be taken for writing of the Gospel then it is ceased being fully perfected and accomplished but if it be taken for preaching the Gospel plainly and simply as Bullinger thinketh or generally Bull. in 4. ad Ephes Musc Tit. de Verb. minist in Loc. com for preaching the Gospel as Musculus supposeth in which sense also Paul said to Timothy 2. Tim. 4. Do the work of an Evangelist or for preaching more fervently or zealously than other as Bucer saith Bucer in 4. ad Ephes then I see no cause at all why it may not still remain in the Church Moreover Prophets if they be taken for such as have the gift of foreshewing things to come then be they not in all times of the Church but if they be such as St. Paul speaketh of 1 Cor. 14 such I say as have an especial gift in interpreting the Scriptures whether it be in expounding the mysteries thereof to be learned or in declaring the true sense thereof to the people I understand not why it is not as perpetual as the Pastor or Doctor Thus you see that I have both Scripture and Reason on my side and to the end that you perceive that I am not destitute of the consent also of Learned men in this matter I will set down the opinions of one or two Ambrose upon these words ad Eph. 4. Ambrose Et ipse dedit quosdam quidem Apostolos c. saith thus The Apostles are Bishops Prophets be interpreters of the Scriptures Although in the beginning there were Prophets as Agabus and the four Virgins Prophetesses as it is in the Acts of the Apostles yet now Interpreters be called Prophets Evangelists be Deacons as Philip for although they be no Priests yet may they preach the Gospel without a chair as both Stephen and Philip before-named Bucer Bucer upon the same same place saith that there be Evangelists now T. C. and you your self fol. 42. confess that Hus Jerome of Prague Luther Zuinglius c. were Evangelists Peter Martyr Peter Martyr in his Commentaries upon 12. to the Romans saith that the Apostle there describeth those functions and gifts which are at all times necessary for the Church and in that place the Apostle mentioneth prophesying Mr. Calvin Calvin in his Institut cap. 8. doth confess that God hath stirred up Apostles and Evangelists since that time of the Primitive Church and that he hath done so likewise even now in this time Mr. Bullinger Bullinger upon 4. Ephes saith that the words be confounded and that an Apostle is also call'd a Prophet a Doctor an Evangelist a Minister a Bishop and a Bishop an Evangelist and Prophet c. To be short It is thus written in the Confession of the Churches in Helvetia Confess Helvet The Ministers of the New Testament be call'd by sundry names for they are called Apostles Prophets Evangelists Bishops c. And speaking of Prophets it saith The Prophets in time past foreseeing things to come were call'd Seers who are expounders of the Scriptures also as some be even now a dayes Evangelists were writers of the History of the Gospel and preachers also of the glad tidings of Christ his Gospel as Paul bid Timothy do the work of an Evangelist c. So that to say there are in the Church Apostles Prophets and Evangelists in such sense as I have deelared is no strange Divinity to such as be Divines indeed But enough of this distinction 'till we again meet with it Let us hear the Catechist of Ordinary Officers Q. 23. Who are the ordinary Officers or Ministers of Christ in the Church Catec p. 12◠to be
alwayes continued therein Answ Those whom the Scripture calls Pastors and Teachers Bishops Elders and Guides Acts. 14.23 20.17 18. 1 Cor. 12.28 Eph. 4.11 Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.1 2. 5.17 Tit. 1.5 7. Heb. 13.7 17. 1 Pet. 5.1 It had been certainly pertinent to have added to this head of enumeration Deacons also of whom afterwards he is not unmindful Q. 32. Cat. p. 161. Is there no other ordinary office in the Church but only that of Elders Answ Yes of Deacons also But 't is possible there might be some policy in here concealing of them lest they should too palpably have confronted his beloved parity of Gospel-Ministers For thus he proceeds in the Explication Sometimes they are called Pastors and Teachers Ephes 4.11 1 Cor. 12.28 pag. 120. 121. Sometimes Bishops or Overseers Phil. 1.1 Act. 20.28 Tit. 1.5 Sometimes Elders 1 Pet. 5.1 1 Tim. 5.17 Act. 14.23 Act. 20.17 Sometimes Guides Heb 13.7 17. By all which names and sundry others whereby they are express'd the same sort order and degree of persons is intended nor is there any one of those names applyed or accommodated unto any but all the rest in like manner so that he who is a Pastor or Teacher is also a Bishop or Overseer a Presbyter or Elder a Guide or Ruler a Minister a servant of the Church for the Lord's sake Now had Deacons here been named they would not so plausibly have been referr'd to the same sort order and degree of persons it being a general belief that Deacons were certainly inferiour unto their Bishops Phil. 1.1 and such as St. Paul may seem evidently to place in a lower rank making them capable of rising to an higher degree by the good administration of their office 1 Tim. 3.13 And yet nevertheless if this argument from a community of names avail any thing these Deacons also may be advanced by it not only to an equality with their Bishops but with the Evangelists and Apostles themselves because that they are sometimes called by that name Acts 21.8 Philip the Evangelist was one of the seven Deacons and Timothy who is commanded to do the work of an Evangelist from whence 't is eagerly contended that he was an Evangelist is also bid by St. Paul to fulfil his Deaconship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4.5 Yea he is call'd by St. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's Deacon 1 Thes 3.2 Yea the Apostle St. Paul too as vvell as Apollos goes by that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Deacon which we English Minister 1 Cor. 3.5 By this argument in like manner he may confound his distinction of extraordinary and ordinary officers and equallize the later with the former because the Apostles are also call'd Elders 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Ep. of St. John v. 1. Yea and he might equal them all to Christ himself upon the same account because He in like manner is call'd an Apostle Heb. 3.1 and a Deacon or Minister Rom 15.8 So goodly and convincing an argument is this drawn from a community of names and Titles It were therefore more material and to the purpose to enquire if there be not such a thing plainly described in the New Testament as Prelacy in church-Government or some single persons in the Church set over other Ministers as to the exercise of certain powers both of Ordination and Jurisdiction But of this afterwards the Catechist being as likely to deny the thing as the name He proceeds Of all other names assigned to the Ministers of the Church Cat. p. 121. that of Bishop can least of all be thought to have designed any special order or degree of preheminence amongst them And again p. 121. No name could be fixed on with less probability to assert from it a special supream order or degree of men in the Ministry than this of Bishops How strangely hath the Christian world been mistaken for above these 1600 years to abuse the name Bishop as the title of Superiority in the Ministry if this man's observation be true But let us examin a little before we swallow If the name Bishop be so absurdly chosen to denote a degree of preheminence among Ministers it must be either upon the account of the notation of the name it self or the constant use and application of it in Holy Scripture As to the former the Catechist offers nothing and certain it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bishop or Overseer carrieth somewhat of Superiority along with it signifying one that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over others Take it in the Catechist's sense an Overseer or Bishop of the Flock then he hath certainly a preheminence Take it in the Churches sense for an overseer of particular overseers and we cannot deny the same This latter may be illustrated by an inspection into Darius his policy for the ruling of his Realm Dan. 6.1 2. It pleased Darius to set over the Kingdome an 120 Princes which should be over the whole Kingdom and over those three Presidents of whom Daniel was first that the Princes might give account to them The 120 Princes had a preheminence over their respective charges and the three Presidents set to oversee them no less a preheminence above those Princes Well but it may be the constant use of the name Bishop in the H. Scripture will justifie the Catechist in his confidence Some such thing indeed he seems to build on as his reason Cat. p. 121. 12◠For whereas it is but four times or in four places used in the New Testament as denoting any officers in the Church in each of them it is manifest that those expressed by the other names of Elders and Ministers are intended So Acts 20.28 the Bishops are the Elders of the particular Church of Ephesus ver 17. Phil. 1.1 There were many Bishops in that one Church who had onely Deacons joyned with them that is they were the Elders of it Tit. 1.8 The Bishops were the Elders to be ordained verse 5. which persons are also directly intended 1 Tim. 3.2 as is evident from the co-incidence of the directions given by the Apostle about them and the immediate adjoyning of Deacons unto them verse 8. He that would rightly understand the Original of the New Testament must also have an eye to the Greek translation of the Old whom the writers of the new do most frequently imitate Now in the Old Testament See Dr. Ham. Annot. 1. on Act. 1.20 the Hebrew word commonly rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and other derivatives of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 visitavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all which note a Prefect or Governour or any empowered by Commission to exercise any authority intrusted to him and as it is ordinarily rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so elsewhere also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all words of government or prefecture And 't is farther observable that where it is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is taken
20 21. As the Father gave judgment to the Son so the Son gave judgment to the Apostles As the Father gave the Son power on earth to remit sins so the Son gave the Apostles power to remit sins on earth also As the Father gave the Son the Keys of the house of David so the Son gave the Keys to the Apostles As the Father gave the Son to sit on his Throne so the Son gave the Apostles also to sit on twelve Thrones c. As the Father gave the Son to be the Foundation or corner-stone of his Church so the Son gave the Apostles to be the Foundations upon the Foundation And lastly As the Father sent the Son so the Son also sent the Apostles And hence it is that the Angel sent from Heaven to St. John who was one of this number calls himself the Fellow-servant of Him Rev. 19 20. and of those that have the testimony of Jesus i. e. of the Apostles adding this reason of it because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the testification of the Resurrection of Christ and the Christian Faith the Apostolical Office Acts 1.22 was the spirit of prophesie i. e. a succeeding of Christ in his great Prophetick office This power wherein the Apostles succeeded Christ being thus entirely conferr'd on each of them a several Throne for every one and being of so visible use not only for the first planting but propagating and conservation of the Church it cannot be imagined that it should be temporary and determine in the persons of those Twelve The necessity of order and rules both for the supply of those things which should be found wanting for the well-being and preservation of each Church Tit. 1.5 and also for the securing of the flock from the wolves Act. 20.29 the hereticks which it was fore-seen would so early infest them and the plantation and propagation of the Christian faith without any assistance of the Rulers among the Jews and the Emperours and Princes among other parts of the Heathen world nay when it was so opposed and persecuted by them is a competent collection of reasons to assure us That the power which Christ gave the Apostles who were but short-lived and should many of them be put to death by those persecutors was designed to endure longer than their time But Reason is not a commodious medium to inferr or conclude a matter of fact and therefore that must of necessity be done either 1. By affirmations and promises of Christ touching this matter or if those be not so clear as to convince the gain-sayers then 2. By supplying that want of light from the Histories and relations of those times by which it will as clearly appear as any thing in story can that the office of power in the Church bestowed by Christ on the Apostles was not to determine in their persons but to continue in their successors to future ages For the former of these we may discern somewhat perhaps from the passage in Christ's prayer to his Father where St. John 17. 18 20. having spoken of his Apostles whom he had sent as his Father sent him into the world verse 18. i. e. given them in designation Commissions for the Government of his Church and then to his prayer for them verse 17. that God would sanctifie them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in or for his truth i. e. consecrate them for the preaching of the Gospel as St. Chrysostome expounds it Adding farther verse 19. That for their sakes he sanctifies himself i. e. offers up himself a sacrifice for the consecrating of them that they also may be sanctified for the truth i. e. consecrated and set apart for this function and after his example venture their lives in their preaching God's Will as he hath done at length he concludes verse 20. but I pray not for these alone Which being in all reason to be interpreted of the same matter concerning which he had prayed for the Apostles before it follows that this Prayer of his for the consecrating of Officers in his Church is not confined to his Apostles alone which then attended him but the same prayer he offers up for those also that shall believe through their word i. e. for others that by these Apostles preaching should be brought to the Faith and as the event demonstrates ordained by them to be Bishops and Deacons in several Churches But then consider farther Christ's promise to his Apostles at his parting from them Behold St. Matt. 28.20 I am with you all the dayes untill the end of the world 'T is certain that this presence of Christ with them referrs to his Authority derived and assistance made over to them in order to the discharge of their office of gathering disciples baptizing and teaching verse 19. and as certain that the Apostles should not personally live to execute that office till the period there named the end of the world and then it is not imaginable how Christ's presence should be continued with them till the end of the world unless they be considered in complexo in conjunction with their posterity or successors in that office as the promises made to Abraham are performed to his posterity though not to his person to whom therefore this promised assistance belongs all the dayes i. e. for the whole term of this new age And this is the more demonstrative because this was said by Christ after his Resurrection immediately before his Ascending to Heaven which being the beginning of the last age of the world the Kingdom of Christ when all power was given unto him verse 18 It necessarily follows that what was to be continued till the consummation or conclusion of that age should last till the end of the world in the largest sense that those words can signifie And this may be supposed also to be meant by the promise of Christ Rev 1.26 27. Rev. 2. to those of the Church of Thyatira which should overcome and keep i. e. adhere constantly to the Faith in spight of all temptations verse 26. That he will give them power over the Nations as he received of his Father verse 27. Where in the very same manner that S. John 20. 21. Power is instated on the Apostles As my Father sendeth me so send I you sending and giving power being sent and receiving power being phrases of the same importance The like power is by Christ promised to be instated on these faithful Confessors afterward and that belonging to the planting and propagating of the Faith among the Gentiles bringing them in to repentance which is the breaking them to shivers there and ruling them with a rod of iron i. e. the Scepter of Christ's spiritual Kingdom his Gospel and Power and Pastoral authority committed to them But if this being by the prophetick stile wherein it is veiled somewhat obscure bring not that evidence with it which is expected let it pass for a conjecture which pretends only to be considerable
but a right whereby a man hath power to do that rightly and lawfully which before he could not do This Gifts will not give to any for if they did they would do it to all that have received them 2. That after power and authority received Gifts in their exercise are still to be restrained by the rules of prudence good order and edification so as to keep their subserviency to an higher end And thus the Apostle limits the exercise even of those extraordinary and miraculous gifts that were in his time in the Church 1 Cor. 14.26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. Lastly Whereas he saith That If he have not received such Gifts as compleatly to enable him to the discharge of the whole work of the Ministry in the Church it is not lawful for the Church to call him thereunto 'T is answered That the Church may lawfully admit a man to a part of the Ministry for which he is qualified though she admit him not unto the whole for which he is not qualified And where the person is compleatly qualified for the whole Ministry yet may the Church for order sake admit him to it by degrees making tryal of him first in lower offices and then advancing him to an higher rank And thus briefly of the first Quaery The second part of the Question is Q. 2. Ca◠p. 138. concerning the relation of the same person to more Churches than one at the same time and his undertaking to discharge the duty of his relation unto them as an Elder or Minister Whereto his Answer is short And this also is irregular and unwarrantable The general reasons are to to be fetch'd out of the general answer before prefixed 1. There is no president or warrant for this in Scriture 2. 'T is not consistent with the duty of the Ministry Nor 3. With the nature of the relation between the Elders and the Church Whereto in the Explication little new is added save an applying of them more particularly to the matter as consider'd under a two-fold qualification or distinction viz. a formal or virtual relation unto more Churches yet I will annex the whole Now a man may hold the relation of an Elder Pastor or Minister unto more Churches than one two wayes 1. Formally and directly by an equal formal interest in them undertaking the pastoral charge equally and alike of them being called alike to them and accepting of such a relation 2. Virtually when by virtue of his relation unto one Church he puts forth his power and authority in ministerial acts in or to wards another Cat. p. 138. 139 140 141. The first way is destructive both of the office and duty of a Pastor for as Elders are ordained in and unto the Churches respectively that they are to take care of Act. 14.23 Tit. 1.5 and their office or power consists in a relation to the Church that they are set over so they are commanded to attend unto the service of the Churches wherein and whereunto they are so ordained Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 1.2 and 5.2 and with all diligence care and watchfulness as those that must give an account Heb. 13.17 Which no man is able to do towards more Churches than one the same duty being at all times to be performed towards all And because the whole authority of the Elders Pastors or Bishops of Churches is ministerial 1 Cor. 4.1 consisting in a power of acting upon a command of Christ they are bound in their own persons to the discharge of their duty and office vvithout the least pretence of authority to delegate another or others to act their part or to do their duty which would be an effect of autocratical authority and not of obedience or ministry The latter way also of relation unto many Churches is unwarrantable For 1. It hath no warrant in the Scripture no law nor constitution of Christ or his Apostles can be produced to give it countenance but Elders were ordained to their own Churches and commanded to attend unto them 2. No rule is given unto any Elders how they should behave themselves in reference unto more Churches than one in the exercise of their ministerial power as there are rules given unto every one for the discharge of that duty in the Church whereunto he is related 3. There is no example to give it countenance recorded in the Scripture 4. The authority to be put forth hath no foundation 1 Not in the gifts they have received for ministerial power is not an absolute ability or faculty of doing what a man is able but a right c. 2 Not in their election for they are chosen in and by that Church whereunto they stand in especial relation whose choice cannot give ministerial power over any but themselves 3 Not in their setting apart by fasting prayer and imposition of hands for this is only unto that office work and power whereunto they are chosen They are not chosen for one end and set apart for another 4 Not from the communion of Churches for that gives no new power but only a due exercise of that which was before received Thus hath the Catechist resolved the second Quaery In the examination whereof I observe five or six propositions which here seem to be asserted contrary to truth and a brief reflection upon them will shake the principal foundations that the Catechist leans unto 1. That none can be a Gospel-minister unless he be first chosen by some particular Church Ordination being here said to be only a setting apart to that office and work and for that end whereunto they are chosen But this hath been before disproved 2. That none can be ordained a Minister but with relation unto some particular Church as his cure and charge for Ministerial power is here said to consist in a relation to the Church they are set over Now it will not be sufficient for the eviction of this that Paul and Barnabas are said to ordain Elders in every Church Act. 14 23. or that Titus is willed to ordain Elders in every City Tit. 1.5 which are the Scriptures referr'd unto but there must be some such Text alledged which saith No Ministers of the Word shall be appointed but unto a certain particular Church as their pastoral charge for there may be Elders ordained in and unto particular Churches as their especial cure and yet others also admitted to the Ministry which have no such determinate cure committed to them This was usual in the Apostles times and therefore may still be warrantably as vvell as profitably continued The Catechist should do well to shew what particucular Church Philip Epaphroditus Andronicus Junius and others were ordained unto The Canon indeed provideth that Ministers be not commonly ordained sine titulo without some title or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutely and at large as the Council of Chalcedon hath it Concil Chalced. cap. 6. Act. 15. but the meaning is a prudential provision that none none be
Catechist's Directory in case of their dissent and from thence how poor and weak a thing the power of church-governours appears to be made by him VVhat kind of obedience is allowed by those of the Separation as due to Ministers Dr. Jackson of the necessity and nature of true-obedience with the danger of the sin of Disobedience to their Pastors The Catechist's difference between Pastors and Teachers considered with the fond grounds of the same THe Duties of the Pastors and Teachers of the Church Cat. p. 141. 142. spoken to in the next Question are granted and I shall not therefore speak anything of them But In that which follows Q. 28. p. 143 144. concerning the authority of the Elders of the Church we meet First with very useful matter to be consider'd of 1. That all Church-power is originally vested in Jesus Christ p. 1â—4 145. the sole Head and Monarch thereof Matt. 28.18.2 That he doth communicate of this authority by way of trust to be exercised by them in his name unto persons by him appointed so much as is needful for the ordering and disposing of all things in his Churches unto the Blessed ends for which he hath instituted and appointed them For no man can have any power in his Church for any end whatever but by delegation from him What is not received from him is meer usurpation And whoever takes on himself the exercise of any rule or authority or power in the Church not granted unto them by him or not rightly derived from him is an oppressor a tâ—ief and a robber This necessarily follows upon the absolute investiture of all power in him alone c. This may well be referr'd by way of confirmation to what hath been said before chap 7. And let them look to themselves whoever they are that cannot derive their power from those whom Christ hath authorized to communicate it unto others to the end of the world the Apostles of Christ I mean and their successors the Bishops of the Christian Church 2. As to that which follows touching the consent of the Church required unto the authoritative acting of the Elders therein enough hath been already said till we see farther proof from Scripture or Reason that the authority communicated by Christ is ineffectual and to no purpose unless the people please Well but then What must the officers do in this case that the people consent not 'T is worth the while to hear him put the case and resolve it But if it be asked p. 149. 150. What then shall the Elders do in case the Church refuse to consent unto such acts as are indeed according to rule and warranted by the institution of Christ It is answered That they are 1. Diligently to instruct them from the Word in their Duty making known the mind of Christ unto them in the matter under consideration 2. To declare unto them the danger of their dissent in obstructing the edification of the body to the dishonour of the Lord Christ and their own spiritual disadvantage 3. To wait patiently for the concurrence of the grace of God with their Ministry in giving light and obedience unto the Church And 4. In case of the Churches continuance in any failure of Duty to seek for advice and counsel from the Elders and Brethren of other Churches So poor a thing is the authority derived from Christ according to this representation made of it that not one act can be put forth without their consent and liking who are to be under the discipline and will be alwayes enclined we may presume to favour themselves 'T is a pittiful power that is subjected to the peoples breath and that can only instruct and counsel and must wait patiently when that is done not extending to any act of punishment and censure where it is contemned But I need say no more than that this directory in the case supposed is framed by the Catechist without any Scripture-pattern or warrant â—aâ— p. 150. The 29th Question is of the Duty of the Church towards their Elders Pastors and Teachers And in the Answer Reverence and Obedience are well placed first But the truth is I see not much room left for any Obedience properly so called according to the Catechist's principles since the Pastor hath his authority by the peoples election and cannot exercise it without their consent so that in effect their obedience is unto themselves And then farther This obedience is thus limited by the Catechist To obey conscienciously in all things wherein they speak unto them in the name of the Lord that is in the Catechist's meaning in all things warranted by some Divine command or precept and evidently appearing so to be unto their consciences for this way all of the Separation go allowing of no obedience to authority in matters appertaining to Religion farther than they apprehend some Divine command and warrant to back it no obedience in the determination of matters indifferent or to them doubtful which are indeed the most proper matter of obedience But the Catechist having barely named this point I will not enlarge on it farther than to annex the words of a very Learned and pious man on this subject Sundry by profession Protestants in eagerness of opposition to the Papists See Dr. Jackson l. 2. c. 4. and 5. c. affirm that spiritual Pastors must then only be believed then only be obeyed when they give sentence according to the evident and express law of God made evident to the hearts and consciences of such as must believe and obey them And this in one word is to take away all authority of spiritual pastors and to deprive them of all obedience unto whom doubtless God by his written word hath given some special authority and right to exact some peculiar obedience of the flock Now if the Pastor be then only to be obeyed when he brings evident commission out of Scripture for those particulars unto which he demands belief or obedience What obedience do men perform unto him more than to any other man whomsoever for whosoever he be that can shew us the express undoubted command of God it must be obeyed of all but whilst it is thus obeyed it only not He that sheweth it unto us is obeyed And if this were all the obedience which I ow unto others I were no more bound to believe or obey any other man than he is bound to obey or believe me the Flock no more bound to obey their Pastors than the Pastors them Yet certainly God who hath set Kingdoms in order is not the Author of such confusion in the Spiritual regiment of his Church Some peculiar obedience is due unto Spiritual Governours unless we hold that when Christ ascended on high and led captivity captive his donation of spiritual authority was but a donation of bare titles without realities answering to them Conditional assent and cautionary obedience we may and must perform to our Spiritual Pastors
urged here An examination of the express Scriptures pretended to authorize these Officers Mr. Mede's excellent discourse upon 1 Tim. 5.17 Who are meant 1. by Elders there Five expositions which do all exclude these Lay-Elders pleaded for in contradistinction to the civil Magistrate as well as Teaching Prebyter 2. By double honour The Catechist's exceptions to some branches of the exposition given of these words answered The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not denote that ordinary labour which is incumbent upon all Pastors and Teachers as their constant duty Bishops may pertinently enough be meant by the Elders spoken of notwithstanding the catechist's cavils The same qualifications absurdly required in the Ruling as in the Teaching-Elder however their office be said to be so distinct Qu. 31. ARe there appointed any Elders in the Church Cat. p. 155. to p. 165. whose Office and Duty consists in Rule and Government only Answ Elders not called to teach ordinarily or administer the Sacraments but to assist and help in the Rule and Government of the Church are mentioned in the Scriture Rom. 12.8 1 Cor. 12.28 1 Tim. 5.17 To what purpose the word ordinarily is here added I apprehend not unless he will allow these Elders to preach extraordinarily and so rank them among the Officers that were for a season only p. 116. Explication This office of Ruling-Elders in the Church is much opposed by some and in especial by them who have least reason so to do For first they object against them that they are Lay-Elders when those with whom they have to do deny that distinction of the Church into the clergy and Laity For although they allow the distribution of it into Officers and the multitude of the Brethren yet they maintain that the whole Church is God's Clergy his lot and portion 1 Pet. 5.3 Again they affirm them to be Elders and therein not meerly of the members of the Church but Officers set apart unto their Office according unto Rule or the Appointment of Christ And if by Laity the people distinct from the Officers of the Church are to be understood the very term of a Lay-Elder implies a contradiction as designing one who is and is not a Church-officer Besides themselves do principally govern the Church by such whom they esteem Lay-men as not in holy Orders to whom the principal part of its rule at least in the execution of it is committed which renders their objection to this sort of Church-officers unreasonable See Mr. Theyre's Aeriâ—-mastix p. 132 133. c. First as to the distinction of the Church into the Clergy and Laity it certainly deserves to be better handled upon the account of it's antiquity and general usage amongst Ecclesiastical Writers nor is it fitting that so innocent and justifiable a custome of speaking be controlled by the fancies of a few private persons If the Catechist and his Brethren deny and disown this distinction we have not much reason to think the worse of it upon that score because we know they do so as to many other things which yet they ought to allow of and reverence and upon a little search probably we shall find this denial of theirs no better grounded than in other cases it appears to be The distinction it self is all one in effect with those correlates in the Old Testament so frequently used Priests and People Priests Isa 28.2 Neh. 8.1 2 3.5 6 7. and Levites and all the People The whole multitude that is not separated to any sacred function is called by way of distinction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The People or Laity But that which offends most is That persons separated from the multitude and taken into Holy Orders are call'd the Clergy whereas They maintain that the whole Church is God's Clergy his lot and portion 1 S. Pet. 5.3 1 St. Pet. 5.3 What they maintain is so far considerable as the ground upon which they maintain it is truly Scriptural To this Text therefore let us cast our eye We read the words Neither as being Lords over God's heritage but it is to be noted that the word God 's is not in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neque ut dominantes in Cleris So the Vulgar Latin And so Beza too Neque ut dominantes cleris Beza in loc Neither as Lording over the Cleri in the plural number Though he is bolder in his note than he durst make with the Text. Clerus sortem haereditatem Domini significat i. e. populum Christianum Now I demand Why must the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we English hot so properly in the singular number heritage be referr'd here to God immediately and not rather to the Priests or Bishops whom St. Peter is exhorting in the place not to abuse their power over their respective Charges i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Lots See Dr. li. in loc The word here may very well signifie the several Provinces over which each of the Governours spoken to in the plural number verse 1. were placed in like manner as Acts 1.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lot of Ministry and Apostleship is that charge or portion assigned by lot unto Matthias whither he was to go officiate and preach the Gospel That the whole Church then is God's Clergy cannot be maintain'd from this place for the Apostle doth not so much as name God 's Clergy but rather if we would read it most properly your lots or charges speaking to the Elders or Bishops Well but suppose we nevertheless that the community of the Church the people are â—hâ—re stiled God's Clergy his Lot and Portion What Argument were this against the using of the same phrase in a stricter application of it of those who are separated from the rest to God's service Or Why might they not upon the same score except against the distribution of the Old Testament into Priests and People because the people also are in some respects called a Royal Priesthood Exod. 19.6 1 St. Pet. 2.9 They themselves allow the substantial importance of the distinction when they distribute the church into Officers and the multitude of the Brethren We have indeed express'd in Scripture Act. 15.22 23. The Apostles and Elders with the whole Church And again The Apostles and Elders and Brethren but the word Officers is as much without Scripture-warrant as God's Clergy appropriated to all that are in Holy Orders and as for the thing signified this latter there no less truly than the former It may not be amiss to consider Clericus qui Christi servit Ecclesiae interpretetur primò Vocabulum suum nominis definitione prelatâ nitatur esse quod dicitur Si enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graeâ—è sers Latinè appellatur propterea vocantur Clerici vel quia de sorte sunt Domini vol quiâ— Dominus sors i. e. par Clericorum est St. Hieron Ep. ad Nepoâ—â—an what St. Hierom hath said of this word Let the
are express 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially those that labour in word and doctrine For the words expresly assign two sorts of Elders whereof some only attend unto rule others moreover labour in the word and Doctrine Neither doth that word as some would have it Labour in the Word intend any other labour but what is incumbent on all the Pastors and Teachers of their Church as their constant duty See Rom. 6.12 Act. 20.35 1 Thes 5.12 Now can we suppose that the Apostle would affirm them to be worthy of double honour whom comparing with others he notes as remiss and negligent in their work For it seems that others were more diligent in the discharge of that duty which was no less theirs if onely one sort of Elders be here intended The Scripture is not wont to commend such persons as worthy of double honour but rather to propose them as meet for double shame and punishment Jer. 48.10 1 Cor. 9.16 And they are unmindful of their own interest who would have Bishops that attend to the rule of the Church to be distinctly intended by the Elders that rule well seeing the Apostle expresly preferreth before and above them those that attend constantly to the word and doctrine I cannot give the Reader better satisfaction about this place than by abbreviating what our Learned Mr. Mede hath already offered concerning it in a most excellent discourse upon this Text. Mr. Mede on 1 Tim. 5.17 There are two things saith he in these words to be explicated 1. What is meant here by Elders And 2. What by this double honour due unto them For the first there is no question but the Priests or Ministers of the Gospel of Christ were contained under this name for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Presbyter is used for the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments in the Gospel whence cometh the Saxon word Priester and our now English word Priest And the Antient Fathers thought these only to be here meant and never dreamed of any others None of the Fathers which have commented upon this place neither Chrysostom Hierom Ambrose Theodoret Primasius Oecumenius or Theophylact as they had no such so ever thought of any such Lay-Elders to be here meant but as was said Priests only which administred the Word and Sacraments But How will you say then is this place to be understod which may seem as 't is alledged to intimate two sorts of Elders some that ruled onely others that laboured also in the the Word and Doctrine The Divines of our Church have given divers Expositions of these words none of which give place to any such new-found Elders I will relate four of the chief to which the rest are reducible The first is grounded upon the use of the participle in the Greek Tongue which is often wont to note the reason or condition of a thing and accordingly to be resolved by a causal or conditional conjunction Let the Elders or Presbyters that rule or govern their Flocks well be accounted worthy of double honour and that chiefly in respect and because of their labour in the Word and Doctrine And so this manner of speech will imply two duties but not two sorts or orders of Elders and that though this double honour be due unto them for both yet principally for the second their labour in the Word and Doctrine And this way goes St. Chrysostom and other Greek Writers A second Exposition is taken from the force and signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour but to labour with much travail and toil for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vexor laboribus molestiis premor and so properly signifies molestiam or fatigationem ex labore Thus the meaning will be Let the Elders that do benè praesidere govern and instruct their flock well be counted worthy of double honour especially such of them as take more than ordinary pains in the Word and Doctrine Or thus Let the Elders that discharge their Office well be c. especially by how much the more their painfulness and travel shall exceed in preaching the Word and Doctrine Thus have we seen two Expositions neither of them implying two sorts or Orders of Presbyters but only distinguishing several Offices or Duties of the same Order or implying a different merit in the discharge of them But if they will by no means be perswaded but that two sorts of Elders are here intimated Let it be so two other Expositions will yield them it but so as will not be for their turn for their Lay-Elders will be none of them The first is this That the Apostle should speak here of Priests and Deacons considering both as members of the Ecclesiastical consistory or Senate which consisted of both orders and in that respect might well include them both under the name of Elders it being a common notion in Scripture to call the Associates of a Court of Judicature by that name Senatus hath it's name à Senibus i. Senioribus of Eldership and is as much to say as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And according to this supposal the Apostle's words may have this construction Let the Elders which rule well whether Priests or Deacons be counted worthy of double honour but more especially the Priests who besides their Government labour also in the Word and Doctrine And 't is not improbable but the Apostle should make provision as well for the maintenance of Deacons as of Priests seeing he omits it not of Widows in the verse going next before this but unless he includes them under the name of Elders he makes no provision for them at all 2. There is another Exposition which allows also of two sorts of Elders to be here implyed but makes them both Priests namely that Presbyters or Priests in the Apostles time were of two sorts one of Residentiaries and such as were affixed to certain Churches and so did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praesidere Gregi Another of such as had no fixed station or charge over any certain place but travelled up and down to preach the Gospel where it was not or to confirm the Churches where it was preached already such as are elsewhere known by the names of Evangelists and Doctors or Prophets That these were those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoken of here by the Apostle That both these sorts of Presbyters were to be counted worthy of double honour as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as those that travelled up and down to preach the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but especially these latter because their pains were more than the others This is confirmed from the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Scripture signifies not only corporal labour as may appear in many places but seems to be used by St. Paul even in this
this comes to nothing and for any thing that yet appears to the contrary the Ruling and Teaching-Elders spoken of may be the same sort of persons and they too Bishops of the Christian Church What hath the Catechist to alledge against this They are unmindful of their own interest who would have Bishops that attend to the rule of the Church to be distinctly intended by the Elders that rule well seeing the Apostle expresly preferreth before and above them those that attend constantly to the Word and Doctrine Know then that Bishops are not said to be distinctly intended by the Elders only that rule well but both there intended and in what follows also they that labour in Word and Doctrine the Compare is made between Bishops or Ministers of the same rank and order and there are degrees of comparison certainly to be taken notice of as the Catechist might have remembred from his very Accidence there is a Positive comparative and Superlative Some therefore may do the office of a Bishop well and yet others may do it better and others in a most eminent degree both for their skill and industry in ruling and preaching And whoever do so ought to have the special encouragement of this double honour What now is this against the Episcopal Interest And by this time it may appear upon what sandy and deceitful foundations the Catechist and his brethren can rear a mighty Superstructure 'T is usual with them to speak big of proofs from express Scriptures but it hath been evidenced that none of the Texts serve their purpose But if Scripture fail the Catechist is resolved to Reason-out the point And besides Cat. p. 159. what is thus expresly spoken concerning the appointment of this sort of Elders in the Church their usefulness and the necessity of their work is evident How expresly their Divine appointment is spoken of in the Scriptures we have already seen and the necessity and usefulness of ruling well we can understand sufficiently who deny any usefulness or necessity of these novel officers and rulers who usurp unto themselves what appertained to Christian Kings and Bishops and such who are Authorized and Commissioned by and under them The Catechist therefore might have spared his sharp censure and reproof of Christian Churches for their neglect of these his Ruling-Elders But whereas in most Churches Cat. p. 160. there is little or no regard unto the personal holiness of the members of them is is no wonder that no account should be made of them who are Ordained by the Lord Christ to look after it and promote it This favours rank of I am holier than thou Isa 65.5 and he must give some better assurance of Christ's ordination in the case before his reproof will signifie any thing other than a proud and arrogant presumption One Note more and I dismiss this subject Cat. p460 The qualifications of these Elders with the way of their Call and setting apart unto their office being the same with those of the Teaching-Elders before insisted on need not to be here again repeated Nor indeed was there more need of repeating Ruling-Elders than their qualifications But if the offices of Ruling and Teaching-Elders are so distinct as we have been told they are the same qualifications one would think should not be required in both and I know not how the Catechist will answer himself in what he before urged against the engaging in a part of the office or work of the Ministry only Cat. p. 137. If the person so called or employed have received gifts fitting him for the whole work of the Ministry the exercise of them is not to be restrained by any consent or agreement seeing they are given for the edification of the Church to be traded withal 1 Cor. 12.7 The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall and this he which hath received such gifts is bound to attend unto and pursue 'T is a thousand to one but the Ruling-Elder in whom are required the same qualifications as in the Teaching-Elder do now and then by virtue of this reason stop up into the Teachers chair or Pulpit for the exercise of his gifts and so invade an Office which belongs not at all unto him CHAP. XII Of Deacons Stephen and Philip two of the seven Deacons did preach and baptize The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a large signification The Office of Deacons in the Christian Church to be gather'd not only from Acts 6. but other places The Catechist's rash censure of all Churches which confine not their office to the care of the poor The ordination of the first Deacons managed wholly by the Apostolick prudentials The circumstances of our state vastly different from the Churches then The change of the Levites when the Temple was built from their first office in attending on the Tabernacle a competent plea for our case 1 Cor. 16.2 considered The Catechist urgeth that occasional precept as a binding law to perpetuity and so in effect addeth to the word of God A sort of Shee-officers Female-Elders Deaconesses and Widows in the Apostolick and Primitive Church forgotten by the Catechist in describing the pattern given in the Mount His unkindness in excluding that Sexe from a share in Church-discipline noted and the good women admonished by what he hath said elsewhere to look to their priviledge and duty as Church-members Cat. p. 161 Quest 32. IS there no other Officer in the Church but only that of Elders Answ Yes of Deacons also Why these were before left out in the enumeration of the ordinary officers of the Church Catech p. 120. I cannot imagine unless as I have ‖ Chap 6. before also intimated to render the parity and equality of those officers the more colourable Quest 33. What are the Deacons of the Church Answ Approved men chosen by the Church to take care for the necessities of the poor belonging thereunto and other outward occasions of the whole Church by the collecting keeping and distribution of the Alms and other supplies of the Church set apart and commended to the grace of God therein by Prayer Act. 6.3 5 6. Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.8 9 10 11 12 13. It is not denied by any That the first seven Deacons chosen and ordained in the Church of Jerusalem were primarily appointed for the service of Tables the care of the poor to the ease of the Apostles who had more concerning-engagements of the Ministry to attend unto But then to make this the enclosure limitation and boundarie of the Office of Deacons is not from hence warranted inasmuch as we find their power afterward farther enlarged For of these seven Deacons we read not only Stephen Act. 6.5 8. but also Philip chap. 8. preaching the word of God to the conversion of the Samaritans whom also he then baptized Nor is it reasonable that where-ever we find the word Deacon as a name of Office to confine it to
observance of this Gospel-Institution for every one otherwise may have a particular Psalm and possibly a diverse tune and so many men as there be so many minds agreeing in nothing but an universal confusion somewhat like that described 1 Cor. 14.26 Now therefore let the Catechist and his brethren well consider of this matter and so I am content to pass on with him to the Fourth particular The preaching of the Word In his re-view of which this is the onely Question Cat. p. 176. 177. Q. 37. Is the constant work of Preaching the Gospel by the Elders of the Church necessary And to that he answers thus Answ It is so both on the part of the Elders or Ministers themselves of whom that duty is strictly required and who principally therein labour and watch for the good of the Flock and on the part of the Church for the furtherance of their faith and obedience by Instruction Reproof Exhortation and Consolation Matth. 24.45 46 47 48 49 50 51. Rom. 12.7 8. 1 Cor. 9.17 18. Ephes 4.12 13. 1 Tim. 4.15 16. and chap. 5.17 2 Tim. 2.24 25. and chap. 3.14 15 16 17. and chap. 4.2 That the Preaching of the Gospel is necessary both upon the account of the Minister's duty and in order to the Churches benefit for the furtherance of their faith and obedience will readily be granted But then it will be seasonable for us here to remember 1. That there is some difference between the words Preaching and Teaching strictly understood according to the propriety of their Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to preach St. Mark 16.15 St. Mark 16.15 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to evangelize Act. 5.42 Act. 5.42 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make Disciples St. Matt. 28.19 St Matt. 28.17 which peculiarly belongs to the first promulgation of the Gospel The latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to teach Act. 15.35 Act. 15.35 referrs to the instruction and confirmation of Disciples and Believers Our Saviour puts both together St. Matt. 28.19 S. Matth. 28.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make Disciples teaching them Where therefore the Apostles are said to do both to preach and teach Jesus Christ Act. 5.42 Act. 5.42.15 35. the meaning is that they taught those who were already converted and preached the faith of Christ also to those who were yet strangers to it Thus Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch teaching and preaching the Word of God Act. 15.35 St. Paul strived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to preach the Gospel where Christ had not been named and he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach in every Church Rom. 15.20 21. 1 Cor. 4.17 Rom. 15.20 21. 1 Cor. 4 17. And upon this is grounded the Apostle's difference between Evangelists or Preachers and Pastors and Teachers Ephes 4.11 Eph. 4.11 Evangelists were those that were sent forth to plant the Gospel Doctors or Pastors those that built upon this foundation whose work it was to strengthen and confirm believers and retain the gathered sheep within the fold of the Church This difference likewise may be observed between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Tim. 5.17 The former having respect to unbelievers out of the Church the latter to believers abiding in the Church Which difference premised there cannot be now the same degree of necessity for the preaching of the Word as there was before the Apostles had published it to the world and afterwards consigned it to writing And upon strict observation it will appear that Preaching in the Gospel-notion and under the most express command of Christ is the first promulgation of the Gospel to unbelievers and to this the Texts which leave the Apostles under the pain of God's heavy displeasure upon neglect do plainly refer Act. 4.19 20. 1 Cor. 9.16 2. Taking the word Preaching as it is now used for any declaration of the word and will of God there is difference to be made between preaching by inspiration so as Christ and his Apostles and those that were endued with extraordinary gifts of prophesying in the Apostles times preached who spake with tongues as the Sâ—â—rit gave them utterance and preaching by pains and industry as Timothy was exhorted to give attendance to reading and study and to shew himself a workman that needed not to be ashamed c. That frequency therefore of preaching cannot be rightfully expected from us which was used sometime by the Prophets and Apostles because they preached by inspiration vve by pains and industry and moreover since our preaching is not by immediate inspiration 't is fallible and subject to error as we our selves are and therefore ordinable by our Superiours and reducible to such Rules Orders and Directions as are found most to conduce to the promotion of Peace and Piety 3. There are divers wayes of preaching besides that of Sermons which yet are not vulgarly taken notice of There is 1. Preaching by reading of the Word of God This is preaching over again and proclaiming the Sermons of Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles to the world It cannot be denied but a man doth truly preach though he read his own Notes much less then is it to be denied that he preacheth who being authorized thereto reads those inspired Sermons to the people Thus saith St. James the Bishop of Jerusalem Act. 15.21 Act. 15 21. Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day The Church of God doth preach as a faithful witness making a mere relation of what God hath himself revealed by reading as well as in the notion of a careful expounder teacher and perswader thereof 2. There is preaching also by writing from whence the Writers of the Holy Gospel are call'd Evangelists i. e. Preachers of it And thus did they preach the Gospel to unbelievers and the Apostles also by writing of their Epistles did teach the Christian Church and thus Solomon's Writing call him a Preacher 3. There is preaching by a Proxie as well as one's own person Christ preached himself in his own person while he was on earth but after his Ascension he preached by Proxie so Christ came and preached peace to the Ephesians See the Preachers Guard and Guide By Dr. S. Ephes 2.17 Many therefore may preach in the true notion of the Word who yet do not preach in the vulgar notion of it which confines it to Sermonizing only But this briefly of the fourth Gospel-Institution reckon'd up by the Catechist Preaching of the VVord Cat. p. 83. The fifth follows viz. The Administration of the Sacraments of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. And this is dispatch'd by the Catechist in three short Questions and Answers Cat. p. 177. 178. Q. 38. Who are the proper Subjects of Baptism Answ Professing Believers if