were Christians Therefore during the time of persecution there was especiall need of those men such an one was S. Laurence the broild Martyr at Rome by the Heathen Persecutors But when the Magistrate changed and by good lawes provided for the Ministers Maintenance and the releife of the poore then was there no need at all of this office no more than there is of Widowes who were likewise then in use but now are ceased in all Churches albeit there be rules for their election in the Scriptures as there is for Deacons 1 Tim. 5.9 10. And therefore this is no perpetuall Office Your Helpers the last office that you reckon up can helpe you but little They are but once named in the Scriptures as I take it 2 Cor. 12.28 and there not called Helpers but Helpings Opitulationes But if by Metonimy that be all one yet cannot they be severall from the former and perpetuall for if they helped per Dona sanationum by gift of healing then they are ceased or if by distribution then were they Widowes or Deacons and no severall Offices And thus of your five Officers the three first are but one Office of the Minister and the two later Temporary so farre are you short of your five distinct and perpetuall Offices The second part of your Interrogatory is concerning the Ecclesiasticall State of Archbishops Bishops Deanes Sub-deanes c. In this enumeration you study to be exact and to reckon up every thread by which curious diligence you have thrust in a number that are no Ecclesiasticall Callings at all and againe reckoned up some who are rather yours than ours Stipendiaries Vagrant-Preachers House-Priests and the like But to answer to that which is materiall in your Catalogue I say that in the new Testament is founded a Ministery which may differ in their Degrees and may differ in their Maintenance to which two places may be referred all the Titles here set downe which are Ecclesiasticall For the first though the Ministery it selfe be one yet may it admit divers degrees In the old Testament Aaron and his succession was above the other Priests and the Priests above the Levites Among the Prophets some ruled as Samuel some obeyed as the Children of the Prophets and the morall hereof of Ruling and Obeying is not Ceremoniall In the New Testament Christ made some Apostles as the Twelve some Disciples as the seaventy two And the Apostle S. Paul teacheth us that Christ his Church must be like a Naturall Body wherein some are Eyes some Hands some Feet The Degrees that I meane are Bishops Priests and Deacons For Priests or Elders you can make no question they are in terminis frequent in the Text. For Deacons no doubt those seaven Act. 6. did with the other charge assume also the Ministery from the Apostles Ordination For first they had the imposition of the Apostles hands with prayer Secondly Stephen one of them preached and did miracles Thirdly Philip preached and that which is Ministeriall baptized Fourthly the Apostle willeth that the Deacons hold Mysterium fidei the mystery of faith 1 Tim. 3.9 which signifieth the substance of the Gospel preached in S. Pauls manner of speaking Fifthly the Apostle adds that he that dischargeth his Deaconship well getteth to himselfe a good degree And what can be more reasonable than that there should be an orderly Initiation or Probatiorship into the Ministery Elisha held water to Elias his hands before he was Prophet in his stead The Apostles were witnesses of Christs Temptations before they were sent S. Paul had Barnabas and S. Iohn had Mark for their Minister Act. 13.5 even to the work Such were those Brethren or some of them that went with S. Peter to Cornelius to whom he commanded that they should be baptized Act. 10. Such attended on S. Paul to Corinth and baptized for he himselfe baptized but one household 1 Cor. 1. these you scornefully terme halfe-Priests For the superiority of Bishops not only the Apostles had it but they also whom they constituted Bishops as Timothy at Ephesus and Titus in Creet to redresse things amisse and to ordaine Ministers Yea still this Authority was propagated and continued in the Churches Apoc. 1. and 3. to the Angel of the Churches There were many Elders or Ministers in every Church Antipas Nicholas and those who hated and preached against his doctrine yet one is the Angel there still As more largely it appeareth at Ephesus where surely was more than one that were Ministers yet but one Angel Yea S. Paul alloweth Timothy a Court Ecclesiasticall viz. to receive accusations and examine Witnesses for thus he saith 1 Tim. 5.19 Receive no accusation against an Elder under two or three witnesses The like to Titus 3.19 Avoyd an heritique out of the Church after once or twice solemne admonition Now then can you deny to Superiours and Governours their necessary Deputies servants and substitutes nay these are necessary even to the meanest though they be no Ecclesiasticall persons nor have to do in the Ministery For you know the Gibeonites served for some necessary use in the Tabernacle to draw water and to cleave wood Jos 9.23 But if any of these play Gehazi it is Elisha's charge to mark him with Leaprosie All antiquity speaks of these three degrees of the Ministery the Canons called the Apostles the Antient Fathers and the best Councells doe declare and justifie them The other part the inequality of Maintenance is a sequell of the former for greater degree requires greater supportance And the Scripture sayes the same thing S. Paul 1 Cor. 9.7 resembles the Ministers Maintenance to the stipend of Warfare where every man hath wages according to his place And verse 13. to those that wrought about the Altar where some had prerogative above the rest Yea the same Apostle doth tell Timothy so much 1 Tim. 5.17 The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour Where he meaneth by double honour larger Maintenance as besides the consent of the best Interpreters the Apostle himselfe explaines it to be meant of Maintenance bringing the same place which before 1 Cor. 9. hee cited for the Ministers Maintenance out of Moses saying Thou shalt not muzzle the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne. And which Christ to the same purpose proverbially used in the Gospell namely the Labourer is worthy of his hire All which is plaine that double honour is interpreted double Maintenance by the Illative for the Scripture saith Thus then you may see that our Ecclesiasticall State in diversity of Degrees and Maintenance is more consonant to Gods word than your device of sundry names without persons or Perpetuities The third Demand Whether the calling and entrance into these Ecclesiasticall Offices last aforesaid their Administration and Maintenance now had and retained in the Church of England bee the manner of Calling Administration and Maintenance which Christ hath appointed for the Offices of his Church above named Answer IN this Third you demand whether
AN ANSWER TO THE NEW MOTIONS OR A serious and briefe Discussion of certaine MOTIONS now in question MOLLIA CVM DVRIS LONDON Printed for Robert Bostook 1641. AN ANSWER TO THE New Motions The first Demand Whether the Lord Iesus Christ hath by his last Will and Testament given unto and set in his Church sufficient Ordinary Offices with their Calling Works and Maintenance for the Administration of his holy things and for the sufficient ordinary instruction guidance and service of his Church unto the end of the World or no Answer I Had rather have answered your Reasons than these your bare Interrogatories yet because you have so proposed them I thought good thus briefly to runne over them hoping that if you have the spirit of humility you will submit to the truth To this first therefore I answer That the Lord Iesus Christ hath in his New Testament instituted perpetuall Offices in his Church and all their Callings workes and Maintenance that is The substance of all these is there appointed perpetuall but the appendant Circumstances are variable as time and persons in the Churches judgement may best require For the Tree doth stand when the leaves doe change and a man is the same though his apparrell be varied These outward fashions are so variable that herein Nationall Churches may differ one from another yea the Apostles altered divers such things themselves For first They distributed the goods of the Church to the poore and when land was sold the money was brought to their feet and they distributed to every man according to his necessity Act. 4.35 Yet afterwards upon occasion it fell out that they layd this charge from themselves upon Deacons Act. 6. For so the poore bee cared for it is not so materiall by whom it is done Againe They instituted the Love-feasts to be used with the Lords Supper Act. 2.46 Yet S. Paul did againe abrogate them at Corinth 1 Cor. 11. And for that which is in the beginning of that Chapter that women shall come and pray in publick is perpetuall but that they should come vailed which the Apostle there urgeth as then fitting is now no where thought necessary Now then the substance of Calling Offices Works and Maintenance of the Ministry remaining the outward manner of these things may vary so that according to the Apostles rule All things be done decently and in order The second Demand Whether the Offices of Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons and Helpers be those very Offices appointed by Christ in his Testament as aforesaid Or Whether the present Ecclesiasticall Offices of Archbishops Bishops Deanes Sub-deanes Prebendaries Chancellours Priests Deacons or halfe-Priests Archdeacons Commissaries Officialls Registers Proctors Apparitors Parsons Vicars Curats Stipendiaries Vagrant-Preachers Chaplaines or House-Priests Canons Petty Canons Chanters Quoristers Organists Church-wardens Sides-men and the rest now had in these Cathedrall and Parochiall Assemblies be those Offices appointed by Christ in his Testament or not Answer IT being granted That Christ hath instituted perpetuall Offices then you aske whether your five-fold Orders of Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons and Helpers or our Archbishops Bishops Deanes c. be those For yours first I say that Pastors and Teachers are indeed instituted by Christ in his Church perpetuall but they are no more yours than ours we have them as well as you for to teach and feed the flock is the work of our Ministers and the end of their Calling Herein you differ from us that you make a necessary and perpetuall difference of these two as though they were distinct Offices whereas the Apostle Epes 4. reckons them onely as Gifts hee hath given gifts unto men and couples those two together not dis-junctively as the rest Some Pastors and Teachers One Minister may and ought to doe both these Exhort and Teach as is used in our Church And the practice of the Apostles was so as appeares in all their Sermons written in the Acts. Indeed where the Auditory doth onely require instruction there exhorting may be omitted as use the Divinity Lectures in Schooles and such an one was Origen But otherwise the same Minister is to doe both by the very Apostles practice And were it not to make up your Ruling-Presbytery with variety you your selves would have no more And for your third Office of Elders if rightly understood it was founded in the Scriptures but not as you take it for you make it a third degree and office from the former and that it should signifie a Lay-Governour who should not meddle with the Word or Sacraments but onely sit among the Pastors and Doctors to Govern Such an one hath no foundation in the Word of God But rightly understood it hath and is the name of a Minister of Iesus Christ in the New Testament For he is called a Pastor and Teacher for the duties of his Ministery and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his dignitie in the Church We translate it Elders for difference sake because in English Aaron and his Stock are translated Priests Otherwise Priest is the fittest Translation for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the very letters which Latine Italian French and others have imitated Shew us now then any where Lay-Priests founded in the New Testament as we can shew your Presbyters Priests Elders call them what you will for they all speak the same order being every where taken for the Ministers of the Word Act. 10. Such Priests or Elders S. Paul sent for and telleth them of their charge which the Holy Ghost had set them to to feed the slock such he teacheth Titus to ordaine Chap. 2. and calleth them there also by another name Such doth S. Peter admonish 1. Pet. 5.1 The Prosbyters or Elders amongst you I exhort which am a Co-Presbyter c. We may not make so many Offices of the Ministers as he hath severall Names for then shall wee make more than you have or would make seeing he is named not onely Pastor Doctor Elder or Priest but also Bishop Overseer Steward Messenger Embassador Deacon and such like Thus hitherto you have not found three distinct Offices of Pastor Doctor Eldor but three Names of one and the same Office which is the Minister of the Word For Deacons their office of distributing to the poore is not so necessary for all times for which only use you would have them perpetuall for as much as they were wanting in the time of Christ for then Iudas one of the twelve bare the bagge and gave to the poore Afterwards the Apostles themselves did this when those that sold their lands for the poores releife brought it to their feet and they distributed as every one had need Acts 4.35 But when the labours of preaching and the multitude of poore encreased the Apostles laid that care upon seaven chosen men Act. 6. So did they also ordaine in other Churches for yet the Magistrate was enemy to the faith and would not either help the Minister or succour the poore because they
our Calling into the Ministery c. bee those which Christ appointed It is easie to demand much you should rather have shewed your particular dislikes But I answer that they are Our Calling hath that Ordination which the Apostles used and S. Paul appointed Timothy and Titus to use viz. by the imposition of the Bishops hands and of the other Ministers that are present at that action for they also lay on their hands juxta manum Episcopi by the Bishops hand according to the antient Canons And before this we have the election and approbation of the people or of the cheife of them whereby wee are commended to the Bishop as you may know by the Law of Patrons and of Iustices and of Neighbour-Ministers whose commendations are necessary before any be made Minister or admitted to any place in the Church For our Administration it is of Gods Word and of the two holy Sacraments and of publick Prayer all which the Minister ought to doe Other Administration have we none unlesse you meane Marrying and Burying which perhaps you mislike that the Minister should doe them but why I know not For Marrying God himselfe first acted it and brought Eve to Adam Gen. 2. And Christ said after of all Marriages Quos Deus conjunxit c. Those whom God hath joyned together c. Who then fitter to doe this in the place of God and in his name than he that is his Messenger and in his stead For Buriall it is the field and Seminary of the Resurrection and who fitter for sowing than hee that is Gods Sower And for our Maintenance it is by Tithes better than yours by Almes for it was so before the Law and under the Law and under the Gospel as soone as the Magistrate was Christian And your Almes onely used in time of Persecution when no better could be had For where the Ministery shall have no Maintenance but what must bee at the mercy of his Auditory how apt is hee to smooth humour and subscribe to such and wave their darling and pleasing sinnes in whose power it is to deny him sustenance were there no other reason for the independency of his Maintenance The fourth Demand Whether the Sacraments being Seales of righteousnesse which is by Faith may bee administred to any other than to the faithfull and their seed or in any other manner and ministery than is prescribed by Iesus Christ And whether they be not otherwise administred in the Cathedrall and Parochiall Assemblies at this day in England or no Answer THe Sacraments the Seales of righteousnesse are onely to bee given to the faithfull and to their seed or to such as seeme to be faithfull as Iudas Simon Magus Demas and such like and to no other are they given in the Church of England for if any bee profane un-holy or notoriously wicked the Minister is by Law to repell them Neither are they given with us in any other Ministery than Christ hath appointed unlesse you you meane the Baptizing by Midwives which in our Church is not approved nor now any where practised Neither are they given in any other manner unlesse you meane hereby externall and variable circumstances as kneeling at the Eucharist and such like as I thinke you doe And then I answer you to receive it kneeling is most fitting and decent seeing it is an Action of more humility and devotion than standing or sitting is At the first they received it sitting or rather lying and leaning for Saint Iohn then leaned on Iesus breast as their manner was then to eat But this is no more perpetuall or necessary than to receive it at night or after Supper for these were then used according to the present occasion Even as many circumstances were used in the Passeover at the first institution in Aegypt which should not bee perpetuall as the sprinkling the doore with blood their not going out of their houses that night their eating of it standing with loynes girt and staves in their hands all which as mutable ceased in the land of promise The fifth Demand Whether the Booke of Common-Prayer with the Feasts Fasts and Holy-daies stinted Prayers and Lyturgie prescribed therein and used in these Assemblies be the true worship of God commanded in his word or the device and invention of man for Gods worship and service or no Answer YOu aske whether the Book of Common-Prayer be Gods worship or the Invention of man It was thus composed by men godly and learned men and many of them Martyrs of Christ The doctrine thereof is according to Gods Word a book as fit and full of edification in the Prayers and Administration of Sacraments as possibly can be devised or made The things that you here dislike in it are Feasts Fasts and Holy-dayes stinted Prayers and Lyturgie In our Feasts and Holy-dayes first observe that wee have none to Legend Saints but Christ his Apostles the blessed Virgin and Saint Iohn Baptist Secondly that wee worship no Saints in those dayes but praise God for them who made them profitable to his Church Thirdly it is lawfull for the Church to appoint such dayes to glorifie God in For in time of the Macchabees the Church appointed an Anniversary Feast of Dedication of the Altar after they had rid the Temple from Antiochus his profanation 1. Mac. 4.59 And our Saviour Christ himselfe observed it Iohn 10.11 Fourthly that the observation of such times is very ancient and generall for in the first Generall Councell of Nice there was great question about the day whereon Easter should bee kept but not a man either in the Latine or Greek Church but then thought it meet to be kept so farre was the Church then from your nicety In the Prayers and Lyturgie you here finde no other fault but that they are stinted and set Prayers for you would have no Book at all nor any forme of celebrating Holy things nor any set Prayers but all voluntary at every Pastors discretion If this fancy should take place not onely every Minister would vary from himselfe but one would agree with another like Germans Lips Nothing is more needfull in holy things than conformity so the forme be good But to speak onely of stinted and set Prayers which fault you find First in the Temple the booke of Psalmes was their Psalter or set Prayers for they were appointed to bee used continually and are set to certaine orders of Priests and to certaine times and instruments for daily use as the Hebrew Inscriptions of all the Psalmes doe testifie Secondly the Priests had a solemn set forme of Prayer which they used when they solemnly blessed the people the words are prescribed Num. 6.23 24 25. The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord c. Thirdly they had a set forme of Prayer in the wildernesse which they used when the Tabernacle removed Exurgat Deus Let God arise c. And another when the Tabernacle was pitched Let God returne c. Num. 10.35 Fourthly