differ for in your Presbyterial Churches you admit into that number those who are not of the Clergy Many of your Presbyters being meer Lay men Of the Texts you hope to prove it I shall consider anon And here about these Ruling Elders I shall deliver my mind 1. Negatively 2. Positively 1. Negatively That Ruling Elders in the Church were never Laicks Presbyters we read of and Presbyteries in the Apostolical writings but none Lay. This negative will be proved as all other negatives are that is by the contrary affirmative These Ruling Elders were alwayes of the Clergy and consequently no Laicks for you know dâ—ae contrariae propositiones non possunt simul esse verae I shall therefore shew you what I have to say of Ruling Elders 2. Positively The Keys Christ gave to his Apostles and they to their Successours and with them so much power as was ordinarily of permanence and perpetuity in the Church which power consisted in four particulars the Dispensation of the Word the Admâ—nistration of the Sacraments Imposition of hands and guiding of the Keys With the three fiâ—st I hear not that Ruling Elders of the Laity undertake to meddle and if they shall lay claim to the last they must shew when and where any such donation was made over unto them otherwise I shall call it an usurpation The contrary is clear in the promise Tibi dabo claves and in the performance sicut misit me pater sic mitto vos quorum peccata remiseritis c. Let it be shewed that any Laick here had any Key any power made over unto him or that the Apostles ever made any designation of it to a Lay hand and you shall for me carry the cause Well then to whom did they assigne it That is clear to me in the Scriptures to the Bishops that they ordain'd I shall instance onely in two Timothy and Titus the one at Ephesus the other at Crete ordained by Saint Paul though if you would believe Anciâ—nt Records I could name you many more James the brother of our Lord Bishop of Jerusalem Mark at Alexandria Clemens at Rome Euodius at Aâ—tioch Polycarp at Smyrna Dionysius at Athens Caius at Theâ—olonica Archippus at Colossi Epaphroditus at Philippi Antipas at â—ergamus Crescens in Galatia Sosipater at Iconium Erastus in Macedon Silas at Corinth with others all which if there be any credit to be given to Oâ—d Râ—cords were set by the Apostles themselves to be the Ruling Elders of the Church But perhaps you 'll say these were chief in their own Churches respectively but they had their Presbyteries and Presbyters to govern with them Well be it so for in some it is evident it was so Yet it lies upon you to prove that those Presbyters were Lay-Elders for otherwise I shall presume to the contrary because I finde it othâ—rwise in the Churches of Ephesus and Crete where Timothy and Titus were Bâ—shops and in all the Churches where I read of a Presbytery That it was thus at Ephesus is beyond all exception For Timothy was there ordained by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4.14 I hope you will not say that Tâ—mothy was made the chief Pastour there by the imposition of any Lay-hands No man ever yet so interpreted that text as for the fathers they expound it of the Colledge of Presbyters which they say was of Prelates Heb. 7.7 Calv. Instit lib. 4. c. 6. 2 Tim. 1.6 because minor non ordinat majorem Calvin of the Office and that it was given by the laying on of Saint Pauls hands and he is resolve that Saint Paul alone did it because of that Exhortation Stir up the grace of God which is in thee by the laying on of my hands Take it in which sense you please here 's no place left at Ephesus for a Lay-Presbytery No nor yet in Crete for to that end was Titus left there to ordain Elders in every City and in the following words the Apostle tells what manner of persons they must be Tit. 1.5.7 who were to be ordain'd and what their office to be Bishops for a Bishop must be blamelesse these Elders then at Crete must be Bishops not then of the Laity And if you shall consider what these Elders were to do at Crete and Ephesus you will easily conceive that many of them fell not within a Lay-mans capacity If any man did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preach any other doctrine then that was sound the Ephesian Elder must prohibere 1 Tim. 1.4 2 Tim. 2.16 Tit. 1.9 if preach prophanely or babblingly he must cohibere restrain him At Crete the ordained Elder must have ability 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to convince the gain-sayers and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with force of Argument Tit. 1.10.13 For particulars if any preach otherwise than becomes him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his mouth must be stopped they must be reproved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken up short Tit. 2.15 with all authority Say in good sooth whether you conceive these to be the Works of a Lay-man I wish all Clergy-men were ad haec idonci But I fear few are Lastly the rod power of excommunication was in the hand of Saint Pauls Elders which I shall never yield to be in your Lay Elders But were the Word of God in this point indifferent which for ought I see is yet very resolute against them the general consent of all antiquity that never to your sense expounded Saint Pauls words nor never mention d one Lay-Presbyter to govern the Church is to me a strong rampire against all these new devices And here did I list I could presse you down with a whole load of fathers and Councils but I spare you for I fear you would cast them off with some scorn The Catalogue you shall have if you desire it For my part I shall close up this point with the words of a wise learned man Bilson's preface to the Government of the Church I like not to raise up that Discipline from the dead which hath lien so long if it ever liv'd in silence by your own confession which no father ever witnessed no Council ever favour'd no Church ever followed since the Apostles times till this our age I can be forward in things that be good but not so foolish as to think that the Church of Christ never knew what belong'd to the government of her self till now of late and that the Sonne of God hath been spoiled of half of his Kingdome as you use to speak by his own servants and citizens for these one thousand five hundred years without remorse or remembrance of any man that ever so great a wrong was offered him You must shew me your Lay-Presbytery in some Ancient Writer or else I shall avouch plainly your Consistory as you presse it is a Novelty And yet I shall adde one thing more by way of Apology for I would not be a stumbling block
And one part of their Offices in the Church was to Ordain This is manifest first in Timothy in the Church of Ephesus Acts 20. There were many Presbyters before Timothy was appointed their Bishop yet Saint Paul sent him of purpose to impose hands 1 Tim. 5.22 and say it was with the Presbytery yet it can never be proved that any of that Colledge was no more than a Professing Member You know how strongly all the Presbyterians pleade for the contrary and was this injunction onely personal and to end with Timothies life 1 Tim. 6.13 14 Not so neither For this charge he layes upon him in fearful words I charge thee in the fight of God who quickeneth all things and before Jesus Christ who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keep this Commandment without spot unrebukable till the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ 'T is agreed by all that Saint Paul in this Epistle especially sets an order for the Government of the Church 1 Tim. 5.22 among which that a Bishop lay not hands hastily upon any man is one This then was not Temporary but to last till the end of the world That they were to Ordaine is every whit as plaine in Titus for for that intent he was left in Crete Neither would the Church succeeding admit of any other but Bishops to that businesse for one thousand five hundred years Tit. 1.5 as I will prove unto you if you require it by unpregnable records Two evidences there are of it beyond exception First the condemning Aërius as an Heretique for opposing Episcopal power Secondly that if any one of an inferiour rank presumed to ordaine his act was reversed by the Church as unlawful and the ordained admitted no otherwise to the Communion than as a Lay-man As it befel Ischyras and those who were ordained by Maximus and another blind Bishop Athanas apol 2 Greg. Presb. in vita Nanz. Conc. Constant 2. cap. 4. Conc. Hisp 2. cap. 5. 7. and others in the Church story I beseech you now if you little regard the Fathers and Councils yet view the Scriptures with an unpartial eye and then if the Commission our Saviour gave his Apostles or the Apostles to their successors if the practice of the Apostles themselves or Apostolical men can any whit move consider whether the Presbyters or Ruling members ought to be of the professing members regular ordination Make it plaine that the power of the Keys is subjectivè formalitèr inhaesivè authoritativè in them and I yield you the whole cause Your sixth Proposition that their Office extent understanding by that the Ministry which Christ ordained in his Church must reach from Christs Ascention to the Creations dissolution I easily grant I shall therefore say nothing to that but come to examine your proofs out of Scripture And here I could have wished that you had applyed every text to that part of the Proposition you intended it For it had beene farre easier for me to have judged of the validity of it and more readily have shaped my answer whereas now I can but rove at it and therefore if I mistake you must thank your self The texts alleadged Acts 6.5 14.23 I suppose you referre these to the first part of the fifth proposition for election by Church-members and I have answered them already and shall therefore spare my labour The other if I be not mistaken are to prove your Teaching and Ruling Elders Rom. 12.7 8. 1 Cor. 12.8.28 Ephes 4.7.14 Rev. 4.6 5.6 19 4. But among these I finde not one text to prove your Presbyterial or Combinational Church nor your regular Ordination by professing members The Text then out of the Romans Corinthians Ephesians and the Revelations I am to examine and see how they will conclude what you intend Rom. 12.7 8. Or ministery let us wait on our ministery or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation he that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that sheweth mercy with chearfulnesse The words are Elliptical and therefore must be supplied from the former verses The Apostle being to deliver divers precepts first gives a signification of his power verse 3. Then he prescribes in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To every one God as he pleaseth gives a measure of his gifts and therefore no man ought to arrogate to himself more than he ought for this were absurd as if in the body one part should assume and usurp the faculties of another for to that purpose he makes use of that comparison of a natural body vers 4 5. As then the parts of the natural body have their proper endowments so also have the several members of Christs several graces bestowed on them by God and these gifts must be employed for the benefit of the whole and the parts he thus infers verse 6. Having then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely and graciously bestowed he shewes how we must bestow them And then he reckons up these gifts these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First prophesie Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministery 3. Ability to teach 4. A faculty to exhort or comfort 5. A heart and power to give 6 Wisdome to govern 7. Bowels of mercie These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those Gratuito's those talents we have received from our Lord and they must be laid out for his honour for our brethrens good This I conceive to be the prime intention of the Apostle in this place for he expressely names gifts and not men But because these gifts must upon necessity be exercised by men therefore he intimates on whom they are bestowed more peculiarly not all gifts to one man neither is one man by God sitted alwayes for all gifts One man he calls to be a Prophet and gives him a gift to foretel things to come or to interpret the Scriptures let him then interpret according to the Analogy of faith not adde nor diminish nor alter at his pleasure To another he hath given a gift to teach let him aptly and in easie plaine intelligible words explaine the will of God and teach them he ought To a third he hath given an admirable faculty to stir up and move another to the actions of piety or else to be a Barnabas a sonne of consolation in raising and comforting an afflicted and oppressed soul let him use this exhortation exhibit this comfort as occasion is required To a fourth God hath been graciou and gifted him with wealth and riches of these he is to impart a portion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ingenuously liberally freely simply without any doubting either in respect of persons or a regard to his own profit Upon another is bestowed a gift by which he s made a fit man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb 10.17 to be over others you know that God took of Moses spirit and put it on the seventy Elders and he that hath this gift must use it with diligence
that it is very probable that they were ordain'd at this meeting at Miletum except you judge that Saint John the Apostle setled them in those Churches before his banishment to Patmos for in those Churches they had the power when he wrote the Revelation Howbeâ—t it will serve my turn well enough if they were onely Pastours with a Presbytery for this will prove the government then of the Church to be Aristocratical 4. If we come to Rome there we finde Paul an Apostle and as all Church Records assure us Peter Bishop there needed none where they lived Rom. 16. Presbyters there were then many Junius Clemens Cleâ—us Andronicus Urbane Tripheus Perses Of these Cletus and Clemens were Bishops after the Apostles Martytdome and their Succesours so apparent that I need not recite them Euseb lib. 2. cap. 24. Hieron ad Evagr. Origen Ambrose 5. What should I speak that Mark was Bishop of Alexandria who died six years before Peter in whose Church there was a Presbytery of Titus appointed Bishop by Saint Paul and left to ordain in the Island Presbyters and to have jurisdiction Of Dionysius the Areopagite the first Bishop of Athens Of Archippus at Colosse Of Onesimus at Philippi Of Gaius at Thessalonica The Records were infinite that I could produce in this kinde You see I have not instanced in any but such who were Bishops viventibus videntibus approbantibus Apostolis that so the truth may be apparent I shall not therefore doubt to affirme that the government of the Apostolical Churches was by Bishops as such who had the chief power and that it was Aristocratical Neither can all the Arguments of the Presbyterians any whit enervate this for you see I grant and prove a Presbytery in these two onely lies the difference betwixt them and us First that they would have a Presbytery established by the Apostles without a Bishop which I shall never grant and I know they can never prove Secondly that the power of this Presbytery without a Bishop should be the most supreme in the Church and that to it without a Bishop the Keyes were delivered For this is it which I affirme that originally the whole power was in the Apostles and by them exercised where they setled no Bishop But to him where they fixed a Bishop they committed their power yet so that so long as they liv'd it was but in subordination and dependency on them for out of question they might have govern'd alone when therefore they gave any power to others it was onely delegated and they lost not any of their own in giving orders What therefore Bishops were to the Apostles that must needs all Presbyters ordain'd by the Bishops be to them voluntarily assumed they were in partem sollicitudinis reginimis and had their power by delegation to assist in acts deliberative and consiliary But by vertue of their order they had no jurisdiction in causes criminal For in the Scripture there is not any commission extant to meer Presbyters there is no institution of any power of Regiment in the Presbytery no constitution Apostolical that meer Presbyters should alone or without Bishops govern no example in Scripture of any censure inflicted by any meer Presbyters no specification of any power they had so to do But the contrary to this may well be collected because to Churches where Colledges of Presbyters were resident Bishops were sent by Apostolical ordination as Titus to Crete Timothy to Ephesus the seven Angels to the seven Churches with power of ordination excommunication and taking cognizance of causes and persons even of Presbyters themselves as is apparent in th Epistles to Timothy and Titus and in the Revelation And a more evident example cannot be given then in the Churches of Corinth and Thessalonica in both which were Presbyteries but as then no constituted Bishop In one of which was an incestuous person in the other disorderly persons why did not these Presbyters then cast them out It was for want of coercive power the Apostle as yet kept that power in his own hand and therefore adviseth the Thessalonians that if any man obey not his words 2 Thes 3.14 15 that they signifie that man by an Epistle to him they in the mean time should forbear his company and admonish but not count him as an enemy that is eject him by Church censure that they should leave to him in whose hand as yet the power was But at Corinth upon signification he gives order to the Presbytery to execute his sentence For I verily absent in body but present in spirit that is by my Apostolical power 1 Cor. 5.3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have already judged or determined the judgment you see was his the decretory sentence his as though I were present conce ning him that hath done this deed In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ when you are gathered together and my spirit that is my power with you with the power of our Lord Jesus â—hrist that is which power the Lo d Jesus Christ hath committed unto me that then you prono nce my sentence and deliver such a one to Satan This shewes clearly where the power was setled in the Apostle first In them secondly In him it was primative from him to them it was derivative All was to be done by his spirit And that this was so viz. that the Presbyters power was not absolute but dependent not prime but delegate there be two testimonies the one in Ignatius the other in Cyprian which seems to me to evince it Ignatius writes to his Church of Antiochia being then in prison in Rome and he gives his Presbyters there this advice that they rule the flock of Christ Ignat. ad Antioch untill God should declare who should be their Pastour His words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Presbyters were to feed or rule the flock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill God should shew and designe him qui principatum habiturus sit as Varlonius renders it who to be their chief Pastour Their government there was to last till then but when God had once designed him Cyprian Ep. 21. their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was at an end The other testimony is that in Cyprian in the case of Candida Numeria and Etecusa women that were accused to have fallen in the persecution and offered incense to Idols Of these the Presbyters in the exile of Cyprian the Bishop took the cognizance and were ready to passe a sentence upon them Cyprian interposeth and upon it causa audita perceperunt propositi eas tantisper sic esse to remain in the state they were Donec Episcopus constituatur untill the Bishop should be appointed Here again we see the verdict suspended till there were a Bishop intimating that the prime power of jurisdiction and censure was in him and that without him it might not be lawfully laid on Nor do I see what can be answered to these two fathers Hitherto
and heady animosities fall asunder and break into several fractions and subdivisions so that they by reciting a certain forme of words seem to meet as pieces of wood finely glued together which a little spittle or wet dissolves Then again it is uselesse to them who are bound already by a higher and more solemn Covenant for this is as it were to binde a man with wisps of straw that is already bound with chains of gold For every true and conscientious Christian knows and owns himself to have upon his conscience farre more strict and indissoluble ties not onely of nature and creation but of the Law and word of God yea and of Christian Covenant and Profession by his Baptismal vow besides that bond of the other Sacrament that I speak not of his vowes renewed by often promises in his prayers and repentant promises All which binds the consciences of all good Christians to all duties of piety and charity according to the relations wherein they stand to God and man farre more firmly than any external profession in a Church way can do An external I say for so it is and being meerly external it cannot ingredi rei essentiam make any man formally a Church member that which doth this is the call of God and not the profession of man And now having removed this rub out of my way I shall go on to give you a fourth argument for a National Church 4. That to whom the proper essential and inseparable notes of the Church belong is a Church but to a National Church these notes belong therefore a National Church is a Church The major is certain for it is nota proprii the minor I easily prove The essential notes of the Church as Junius hath excellently demonstrated against Bellarmine Jun. de Ecclesia cap. 16. Doctor Field of the Ch. lib. 2. cap. 2. Whites Orthodox cap. 3. Sect. 6. first the entire profession of these supernatural verities which God hath revealed in his Sonne Secondly the use of such holy Ceremonies and Sacraments as he hath instituted and appointed Thirdly an union and connexion of men in this profession and use of these Sacraments under lawful Pastours and guides appointed authorized and sanctified to direct and lead them in the happy wayes of eternal salvation Now do not these belong to a National Church is there not in it a profession of supernatural verities is not the Word of God publickly preached in it are not holy Rites and Sacraments administred according to Christs institution is there not a succession of lawful Guides and Pastours in it as I have elsewhere proved what then can hinder but there should be a National Church Whatsoever you can say against these notes I have so clearly as I conceive proved that I hold it superfluous to adde any more and therefore I come unto my third proof experience 3. Experience is that wisdome and knowledge of any thing that a man hath by the trial of particulars For when upon a sad examination he finds that so many Individuums agree in aliquo tertio he presently concludes that they all partake of the same nature Let us then take a view of several Churches and those most eminent at first and if it appear that those were National we may from hence easily inferre that the constitution of a Church may be National It is in all Church Histories most evident that as soon as the Gospel was first planted it spread from great Cities into the Neighbour Territories and adjacent Countries which Christians so converted though they exercised the acts of Religion in particular Congregations yet still continued in a fraternal subjection and filial submission to that Bishop and Presbytery which resided in the Mother City It is a foule mistake for men to conceive of the Church of Ephesus Smyrna Thyatyra c. of Corinth Antioch Jerusalem Rome c. as confined to that City whereas he who is acquainted with Histories profane and sacred must know that under these Cities were principalities and so the jurisdiction of that Church was extended to all Christians in that Territory Which to deny is to sleight all Records and to preferre his own single imagination before all antiquity Titus was Bishop of Crete an Island Timothy of Ephesus a Province Polycarp of Smyrna a Territory and what is true of these is as true of all the rest whence we may conclude that a Church may be National for if jurisdiction of one Bishop may extend over so great Cities as they were being then the chief of the world why not then to a Province why not to a Nation especially since by this way mutual peace truth and good order is best preserved This consideration caused the first small company of believers multiplyed from a Church in one family to a Church in many Congregations that could not meet together in one place yet as branches to continue still united to the root Christ Jesus and also to the main body and bulk of the Church by union to that part whence they descended and to which they related For reason taught them that they should be weaker and exposed to more danger if they should be disunited and rent from the body and quickly wither as boughs separated from the stock I need not minde you of that old Apologue of Menenius Agrippa that the head and feet quickly starved and windred away when they would not hear of any longer dependence upon the belly He that would be magnified for Simon Magus or magnus Simon the great and wise for his invention of rarities and Paradoxes in any art or science ought to furnish himself not with popular and specious but with solid and sound arguments if he intend to winne prudent and sober men to be of his judgment for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wise men will not be catch't with those sophisms with which it is easie to take the multitude After the flood there were but eight persons in the world they lived together in a family for some time and Noah as a Prince ruled them But they quickly encreased spread multiplyed grew into those Nations that now live and being dispersed over the earth they yet joyned in societies and for their mutual preservation thought it fit to be governed that way that we now behold Suppose now some great and wise Magus should in these words charme and bewitch the people Non sic fuit ab initio in Noahs dayes the ordering of the world was not as we see it now there were then no mighty Monarchs no surly Lords no Judges no Magistrates Who then spoke of National societies or civil confederations Oh 't was a brave world then when the government was domestical a golden age when no man ruled beyond his own doors but every one was a King at home Could we but contrive a way and live to see it so in our dayes 't would be no question a brave world again When Adam dugge and Eve span who was
they became a man of a Homogeneous and Inorganical an heterogeneous and organical body At first they were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people but this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power and authority in themselves for why else did they all this And if this be not an act of Democracy I must professe I understand not the name nor definition of the word I shall take it kindly that any man will informe my ignorance Yea but it may be said that now in organizato corpore this Democracy is at an end for now it is a well shaped creature it hath a head it hath eyes it hath hands and all other parts in a goodly symmetry though I could ask what kind of Church was that of Mr. Canns at Amsterdam which for a time had no Pastour that liv'd a long time without Officers or Eldership yet I spare you Not so neither Answer to the thirty two Questions pag. 48. pag. 44. for the people for ought I can see as they had authority in actu primo to elect and ordain so they have authority in actu secundo to depose and excommunicate their Pastour and Elders and so to reduce themselves to what they were in puris naturalibus from an heterogeneous body to make themselves homogeneous from an organiz'd body to make themselves inorganiz'd and either to remain so if they please or to choose again And for ought I conceive Cottons Keyes Mr. Cotton intends no other by his new-coyned and applauded distinction of power and authority and power of liberty for whatever authority he gives to the Eldership he makes it vain and frustaneous without the consent of the people and notwithstanding all the obedience and subjection he puts upon the people yet he gives to them such a power of liberty that their concurrence with the Eldership in every act of power is not onely necessary but authoritativè In a word if the people have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 authority of institution and destitution as your parties say if you should tell me a thousand times over I shall never beleeve otherwise but your Combinational Church is governed by a Democracy I hope I have proved sufficiently what I undertook and now I returne to my purpose for I leave the destructive part and come to build And here I shall lay that in the foundation which none but Papists for ought I perceive will deny That our Saviour Christ left the Church Militant in the hands of the Apostles and their Successours and an Aristocratical government which I shall illustrate unto you by an induction of particulars 1. The first constitute Christian Church we read of in the world Isa 2.3 was that of Jerusalem for the Law was to come out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem There the Apostles and Disciples first preached so that Eve was not more properly term'd the Mother of all living then this Church by Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. the Mother of all believing Churches From thence the Apostle being to depart for that they might execute our Saviors command to preach unto all Nations left the government of that Church unto James the brother of our Lord not the Apostle and ordained him then the first Bishop Euseb lib. 2.1 l. 1.19 Jerom Hegesip Ambr. Euseb 3.11 Hegesip 4.22 Jerom. in Isa 3. Ambr. in 1 Tim. Ignat. ad Trall Acts 21.18 Acts 15. Et post Martyrium Jacobi traditur saith Eusebius Apostolos commune concilium habuisse quem oporteret dignum successione Jacobi judicari omnesque uno concilio uno consensu Simeonem Cleophae filium decrevisse ut Episcopatus sedem susciperet And if I list I could give you in the Catalogue of the succeeding Bishops for the first six hundred years To him I doubt not but there was joyn'd a Presbytery which Jerome calls Senatus Ecclesiae some Collegium Presbyterorum Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he thus describes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they were those Elders present with James their Bishop to whom Saint Paul went in And if I shall name Judas and Silas for two of them I am partly assured that I am not mistaken because the Decree made by the Synod at Hierusalem was sent by them The government here then was Aristocratical 2. Acts 11.22 26 27 28. cap. 13.1 Origen in Luc. Hom. 6. Euseb 3. cap. 35 Ignat. ad Antiochen The next instance I shall give you for a constitute Church is at Antioch And in this City being the Metropolis of Syria Barnabas Paul and other Prophets and Teachers Simeon Lucius Manâ—en were sound and hither also Peter came Gal. 2.11 Of this Church Origen Jerome and Ignatius who best knew it for he conversed with the Apostles Socrat. lib. 6. cap. 8. make Saint Peter the first Bishop that Evodius succeeded is the testimony of Ignatius He saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignatius was the next himself from whom I can give you a clear succession to the terme I mention'd And those I mentioned Barnabas Simeon Lucius c. I shall not doubt to call the Presbytery of which almost in every Epistle Ignatius makes expresse mention as Counsellours Assistants and Co-assessours of the Bishop At Antioch then was an Aristocracy also 3. At Ephesus we meet again with a constituted Church where Timothy was made Bishop by Saint Paul The subscription of the second Epistle shews that he was the first Bishop there Euseb lib. 3. c. 4. and Eusebius who saw the Records of the Primitive Church affirmes the same That he was ordained by Saint Paul by the hands of the Presbytery Calvin conceives is beyond question Now if it be demandâ—d when Timothy was made Bishop it is most probable when Paul was at Miletum When the Apostles departed from any Church which they had planted in that then they appointed a Bishop For while they remain'd in or near the place there was no such need the Apostles supplying the wants of those Churches with their presence letters or messengers as the cause required But when they were finally to forgo those parts then they began to provide for the necessity and security of that Church by setling Episcopal power which in all probability was the reason that they so soon provided a Bishop for the Church of Jerusalem Saint Paul at this time was to take his leave of the Churches at Asia he saith it plainly in that Chapter Acts 20.25 that they should see his face no more most probable then it is that at this time he left Timothy to supply his place of Ephesus yea and that the six other Angels of the Churches were then by him ordain'd Think of these seven Angels of the Churches what you please I shall not doubt to esteem them single persons and Bishops and that upon stronger evidence then any can be brought to the contrary But that 's no discourse for this place I suppose
true in your sense yet one example will make no rule again a servant she might be and yet not such as you intend for if you will admit of Ignatius description of those servants and he was near the Apostles age and could best describe them I dare say you will not acknowledge your Deaconesses to be such his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Ep. ad Antioch But to yield to you all you can ask Aretius gives you a reason why they may be spared You advise that these places be compared with 1 Tim. 3.1 I suppose it should be the 11. And then Expositours will tell you that Saint Paul speaks not all of Deaconesses but of the wives of Deacons and other Church men enjoyning that they be grave Matrons no Slaunderers but sober faithful in all things Your last place Tit. 1.5 6. makes clearly against you for if Titus were left in Crete to ordain then the Combinational Church was not to elect and ordain Pastours Teachers c. Here I can finde no Canon for that Logicians observe that those arguments have little force in them that mutatis mutandis may be returned for they are but like Tennis balls that are banded from hand to hand and serve onely for sport Will you have but patience then while I return your discourse The first rise of rottening the Church being it's falling from a poor pure Apostolical Church which in its primitive constitution was made up of living stones c. was at that time when ceasing to elect and ordain Bishops Presbyters Evangelists Teachers Catechizers in conformity to the heavenly Canon 1 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4. Titus 1.5 6. Ephes 4.11 2 Tim. 4.5 Gal. 6.6 it was well content to admit accept of Approvers Ruling Elders Lecturers Itinerants by which wisdome of the flesh being no better then enmity against God in this last age of the world long after the Apostles dayes Christs spiritual house and growing as well as spiritual Temple was turned and transformed into a carnal and dead Congregation an Apostatizing Combinational Church No question the argument thus returned will displease and yet there is as much strength in this as in the other This may make us both wary how we make use of such Cothurni reasons that as buskins may be drawn on either leg That which in the last place you alledge is 4. The very beginning and breeding of which Parochial Church is seen to have been in the time of Polycarp and Irenaeus WHat 's this I read a Parish Church of that antiquity Parsons Vicars Wardens Over-seers of the poor then What these while Saint John might be for ought we know yet alive For Polycarp you confesse was his Disciple and in it you say true for thus Irenaeus witnesseth Polycarpus non solum ab Apostolis edoctus Iren. lib. 3. c. 3. conversatus cum multis ex eis qui Dominum nostrum viderunt sed etiam ab Apostolis in Asia in eâ quae est Smyrnis Ecclesia constitutus Episcopus This is greater antiquity for a Parish Church in that sense you intend then I or any body else could ever finde before That which deceived you as I am apt to beleeve is the translation by Hanmer who renders the words of the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna unto the Parishes throughout Pontus Euseb l. 4. c. 15. not understanding that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek word is often taken and most usually in the eldest of the Greek Writers for regiones suburbicariae the neighbouring habitations before there was any distinction of Parishes Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Laodicea were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in respect of secular jurisdiction so also in Ecclesiastical regiment when then the Smyrneans directed their letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they meant no other then those Churches which were under the Smyrnean jurisdiction But admit it were true in your sense what have you gained by it nay rather what have you not lost for to say your Combinational Church should fail in the Apostles or his Disciples time by the setting up of the Parochial will give such encouragement to the adverse party that they will not doubt to say That was well done which was then done especially when they cannot finde for sixteen hundred years any man that opened his mouth against it And the self-same answer will serve to your other instance of Irenaeus Of these two worthies you affirme that one of them was an Elder of the Church of Smyrna the other Pastour of Lyons And I pray why could you not as well have called them by other names I am sure your Authour Eusebius doth For of the last thus he saith Euseb l. 5. c. 5. that when Pothinus of the age of ninety years had ended his life Irenaeus succeeded him in the Bishoprick He was a Bishop then but if you take Pastour in that sense as it is almost taken in Church Records we agree But yet I must remember you that Lyons was a great City and somewhat more than a Parish as you mean As for Polycarp your Authour tells you that he was President of the Church of Smyrna and so Irenaeus calls him Episcopus ab Apostolis constitutus and under that title Ignatius writes to him Ignat. Epist ad Polycarp and in all probability he is that Angel of the Church of Smyrna to whom that Epistle was written Rev. 2. He was then capable of a higher title then of an ordinary Elder he had indeed in his Church many Elders even a whole Presbytery and therefore Ignatius gives this direction to those of Smyrna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Epist ad Smyrn In this elegant gradation you see he makes a distinction of Laicks Deacons Presbyters and a Bishop and therefore Polycarp was more than a common Presbyter to whom he perswades all the Presbyters to be in subjection And which is yet more which makes clearly against your Combinational Churches for you grant there were Parishes at Smyrna in the close of his Epistle to Polycarp he perswades them to continue in the unity of God and the Bishop his words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which unity had we remained we had not lived to see the Church so rent and overcome with so many Heresies as we behold and lament at this day I come to your third degree of corruption SECT V. The words of the Letter The third degree of the Presbyterial Churches degeneracy was its climbing up to the stile of a Provincial Church whose Pastour was not afrai'd nor asham'd to assume the name and office of an Arch-Bishop and Metropolitane leaving the servile and subservient titles of Prebende Surrogate and Vicar-general as termes good enough to the inferiour Officers his underlings Of which proud and prophane Pest-house that Austin who was sent from Gregory the last of the good Bishops and the first of the bad Popes of Rome is reputed and recorded to have
Analogy or rule of faith or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach any vaine things he might according to that direction that Saint Paul gives Timothy have his mouth quickly stopt For Discipline is the preservation and hedge of Doctrine and Discipline can never be well administred among them that have an equal power I pray tell me what was the reason that moved his Highnesse the Lord Protector to take upon him the government of this Common-wealth was it not because he foresaw that all would come to ruine in a parity of Governours which was the aime of those who fancied a fifth Monarchy This is the very reason that he himself assignes And say what you will to the contrary this is and will be the fate of the Church except in one Province there be one chief Could I give no other instances of it yet that which we have lived to see is enough This Calvin Bucer Zanchy in their testimonies before alledged foresaw Bezae responsio ad tractatum de ministrorum evang grad fol. 143. and therefore commended and allowed the ancient Primitive institution I shall onely adde the testimony of Beza and so shut up this point especially having said so much before about it when I spoke of Patriarchs Dicamus ergo Primatum illum ordinis per mutuae successionis vices for such the Presbyterians plead for ipsa tandem experientia compertum fuisse non satis virium nec ad ambitiosos pastores nec ad auditores quidem vanos alios vero adulatorio spiritu praeditos compescendos habuisse communicata viz. singulis pastoribus per vices hujus primatus dignitate Itaque quod singulorum secundum successionem commune fuit visum fuit ad unum eum quidem totius Presbyterii judicio delectum transferre quod certe repraehendi nec potest nec debet quum praesâ—rtim vetustus hic mos Presbyterum deligendi in Alexandrina celeberrima Ecclesia jam inde à Marco Evangelista esset observatus c. Yea but say you say 2. This man was not afraid nor ashamed to assume the Name and Office of an Arch-bishop and Metropolitan AND what fear or shame then should be in this assumption I see not The Office was very useful and the Name not so impious and profane as you imagine 1. His office was to call the rest of the Bishops of the Province to the Synods which were to be held twice every year Concil Antioch Can. 19. Conc. in Trullo cap. 8. Antiochenum Can. 9. Conc. African cap. 127. 28. Concil Sard. cap. 14. to appoint the place of their meeting when the Ordinations of Bishops were examined and determined and the deprivation and rejection of all such as were found unworthy of that honour and place was handled In the Synod he sate as President and things were so moderated that neither the rest might proceed to do any thing without consulting him nor he without them but was tyed in matters of difference to follow the major part when they assembled but once a year many causes that abide no delay were committed by them to the Metropolitan hearing the judgment To him then lay Appeales And yet his power was not absolute and arbitrary for he was to execute the decrees of the Synods onely and to judge according to the Canons And if he neglected his duty he was by the Canons lyable to Censure and punishment in a general Council And the Church story is a plentiful record that by Councils Metrapolitans have been punished censured deposed Now say truly what is there that in this Office or Order that should offend any discreet man 2. Oh but his name is profane and it is blasphemy to assume it and for this afterward you give in this reason because it is such a stile and title as is not communicable to any creature but is proper and peculiar to Christs own sacred person being that besides himself none can be safely said to be an Arch-bishop or chief Shepherd I shall first encounter your reason and invalidate it For first you impose upon me for Saint Peters word is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5.4 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly were it so yet it is but an argument à notatione nominis which of all Topick arguments is the weakest Thirdly if this reason were good then it would hold as well in all other names of Christ and it were profane and blasphemous for any man to bear any of them And yet I read there is not one of them except Immanuel which hath not been attributed to man Psal 105.15 Matt. 2.6 Heb. 2.17 Heb. 3.1 1 Pet. 2.25 Jesus is attributed to Joshua Hebr. 4.8 Christus to Kings and Patriarchs Nolite tangere Christos meos He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so are the praepositi Heb. 13.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet how many in the Gospel are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he the Apostle and High Priest of our profession and yet Saint Paul often calls himself an Apostle he by Saint Peter is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet under him the Ministers of the Church are often stiled Shepherds and Bishops There can be no strength then in this reason which is everted by so many examples it must needs be as much profaness and blasphemy for any creature to bear any of these appellations since they were the names of Christ as it can be for an Arch-Bishop to take that name if it had been his which it was not But it was no profanesse or blasphemy in them and therefore not in him But that the name may the lesse offend you call to minde the antiquity of it and what kinde of men have born it and yet the Church never held them for profane persons It is as old as are Metropolitans and they are as old as Metropolies or chief Cities where Christianity was planted Chrysostome sticks not to call Titus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and well he might who had seven Bishops under him Cypr. Epist 45. Edit Pammelii Cyprian was Arch-Bishop of Carthage a Martyr a great Arch-Bishop for he saith latè paâ—et nostra provincia habet Numidium Mauritaniam sibi cohaerentes Athanasius who stood against all the world for the truth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had all the world against him was Arch-Bishop of Alexandria What should I tell you that the first thirty two Bishops of Rome who were all Martyrs except one bear that name and that Chrysostome Epiphanius Basil Nazianzene Cyril c. were all called arch-Arch-Bishops And that you be not quite out of love with it that glorious Martyr of our Church Cranmer dyed Arch-bishop of Canterbury I can never be drawn to imagine that had there been profanesse and blasphemy in the name such glorious lights of the Church such pious good learned men such pillars of the Faith such Martyrs in defence of the
time being not taken as it is now with us strictly for one determinate Town as London Bristol c. but for a whole people which enjoyed the priviledges and immunities of that republick as in A hens Lacedaemon Corinth c. and is now at Florence Venice and divers other places A holy Temple you say it is and what of that must it therefore be of necessity a Combinational Church this would shrink your Combination to a small number nay to principium numeri to one alone if you presse the Metaphor too far for St. Paul asks every Christian Know you not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man defile the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.16.17 2 Cor. 6 16. him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are You see then out of this Metaphor you cannot conclude a Combination Yea and much lesse out of that which followeth a spiritual house For the house of God is taken for the whole Church nay a National Church Moses was faithful in all his house Heb. 3.2.5 and that I am sure was a National Church Again judgement shall begin at the house of God 1 Pet. 4.17 what shall judgement the judgment of afflictions begin at the Combinational Church only I have hitherto thought it the cup of which all that are of Christs houshold must taste for datum est vobis pati for our Saviours words must be verified Philip. 1.23 Joh. 16.33 In the world you shall have tribulation And to return to this very house of which the Apostle speaks that of the Ephesians over which Timothy was appointed the Bishop St. Paul writes his Epistles to him that in case he tarry long he might know how to behave himself in the house of God which is the Church of the living God which is the ground and pillar of the Truth St. Paul calls the Church indefinitely without addition 1 Tim. 3.15 either of National or Combinational the house of God and who can conceive that the Combinational as put case that of Swansea Ilston c. should be the pillar to hold out or the foundation to support the Truth This is somewhat worse then those of Rome who plead these words for their Church with more colour with more reason and yet we believe them not because they are but a particular Church and why then should we believe you Observe farther the absurdity that would follow upon your collection The Church of God is a house therefore it must be a Combinational Church Possibly it may fall out that a house may consist of two persons only Tota domus duo sunt an old man and an old woman and thus much you confesse when you bring your proof for it when two or three are gather'd together Now say that one of these two trespasse against his brother what will become of Dic Ecclesiae to whom shall the Plaintiff complain where be the witnesses he shall bring with him who shall be judge Do not then use to presse Metaphors too far for they will bring you into inextricable difficulties I shall therefore put you in mind of an old rule Kecker 1. Syst log part 1. c. 4. Similitudo seu parobola adaequetur principali scopo intentioni declarantis atque extra eam non extendatur To which had you had a regard you would never have brought these comparisons of a City a Temple a house to prove your Combinational Church Similitudes do very well in a Pulpit they are of excellent use to illustrate to amplifie a doctrin but they are of little use in the Schools because they prove nothing that is not true without them The position must be true in proper and plain words before it can have any truth at all in the improper and Tropical As for example it must be true that the Minister was not to be debarr'd of his just allowance and maintenance before St. Paul could prove it by that text out of Moses thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Co n. And so you must prove there is a Combinational Church before you produce these allusions to prove it Then indeed I shall give you leave to illustrate your position by them and descant as you please by these excellent Metaphors upon them but not till then For nulla Theologia symbolica est argumentativa and the reason is Chrys in Mat. hom 65. because omne simile est etiam dissimile Whence saith Chrysostome excellently In parabolis non oportet miniâ in singulis verbis curá angi sed cum quid per parabolam Dominus intendat dicimus inde utilitate sumptâ nihil ulterius anxiis cogitationibus investigandum And so as I have shew'd out of your Metaphors is nothing prov'd SECT III. The words of the Letter Of the Provincial Church and its haughty head the Arch-bishop THirdly did not Christs own mouth marvellously condemn the prevailing corruptions of the Provincial Church whereof the chief Prelate or Arch-bishop was the haughty and horrible head which was therefore so much the more absurd and bold head because of its base and blasphemous blindnesse in daring to take up and ascribe to its self such a stile and title as is not communicable to any creature but is proper and peculiar to Christs own sacred person being that besides himself none can be safely said to be an Arch-bishop or chief Shepherd if one of the Eminenst of the Apostles may be believed whose words imply no lesse 1 Pet. 5.4 When the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory Who was that Church Minister what was his name or where did he dwell who came once into a capacity to be accounted such a Superlative Counsellour or Comforter as was indued either with ability or authority as to confer a spiritual Crown on any one of the sincere Elders of a Church of Saints which is such a matter as a dying sonne of man should not dare to have much lesse to make any mention of without some measure of amazement in his very soul The Reply Two of your heads I have considered already and now out of your own shop you present me with three more for I never heard any one of them call'd heads before And the first of these is the Arch-bishop about whom you are pleased to open your purse and very liberally to bestow your benevolence presenting him unto me for a haughty a horrible an absurd and a bold head He is haughty that is puff'd up with pride horrible that a man cannot without some amazement approach absurd that acts against reason bold that will attempt any thing I will not deny that it is possible to meet with such an Arch-bishop but then blame the man fly not upon the Office Only before you be over hasty to do it look at home And perhaps you may find that true which hath been
provokes the appetite Reader it was the Authours purpose sometime to delight thee but most of all to edifie informe confirme thee which if it may be effected he hath his end For it is my hearty prayer that a period may be set to this wrangle and that we may all turn to the way of truth and peace Farewel W. N. A KEY to open the Debate about a Combinational Church and the power of the KEYES The first Part. THE chief point of the Controversie lies in this to know in whose hands the power of the Keys shall be or rather who shall be the Prime subject of the Keys Of this I finde three opinions Cotton Burton Goodwin Nye Assert the name Bayly p. 132. The first defended by the Independents or Combinationals A second defended by the Presbyterians and a third by the Prelates 1. The Combinational Churches are divided in this point for some seat power in the whole Congregation so soone as associated in Covenant even before they have any Officers Others after the Officers are chosen settle it in them alone A third even then conjunctim make the whole body the subject of the Keys Which of these or whether any of these is like to be true will appear if we consider these two or three things 1. That the Presbyters and Ruling-Elders cannot be the prime subject is apparent because that the Keys were seated in some before they were in them if you be constant to your own principles For how came they to be Elders and Rulers were they not created by the power of the Keys and who created them was it not they who did elect and ordaine The prime power then must be in the electors and ordaiâ—ers not in the elected and ordained whence it will follow inevitably that the Ruling Elders are not the prime subject of power for a power there is which precedes theirs 2. After Election and Ordination they viz. Ruling Elders cannot be so neither because it is your common Tenet that the Congregation may again upon displeasure resume the Key Depose Excommunicate cast out their own Elders which they could not do were they not the prime subject of the Keys and authority primarily in them 3. But if you shall say that conjunctim people and Elders together are the prime subject this cannot be neither Because before they are thus conjoyned the Electors and Ordainers had the true essence of a Church as you teach both for matter and forme though they had no Officer nor Elder and then must radically and originally be invested with this power in the first combination without any reflexion on this conjunction So that as they are an organical Church heightned by Rulers and Elders it makes them not the prime subject of the Keys for this you say they had before That the people divisim without the Elders and Rulers are not the prime subject of this authority I prove in this Tract demonstratively I onely here adde that the power of the Keys consists in binding loosing preaching administring Sacraments c. which till you can prove to be in the people originally I shall never yeeld the power to be originally in their hands The difficulties are so many and the subtleties so nice among you in this dispute that they have forced your finest heads Robinson Cotton Goodwin Norton to invent so many distinctions divisions subdivisions that a man must needs think himself in a maze that reads them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Schoolmen which you so much complaine of are exceeded by you And yet when all 's done by these you could never yet satisfie your own party and therefore expect not to settle others It shewes you are in a Labyrinth and would faine help your selves out by the small threads of these prettily invented distinctions In a word that there are very many knots and objections to which your Tenet is liable For you know that all distinctions were invented to give light to that which is very perplexed intricate dubious ambiguous and aeâ—uivocal 2. That this your assertion is mainly denied opposed battered and beat down by the Presbyterians I need not tell you or that they deny the the Congregation to be either conjunctim or divisim the prime subject of the Keys and settle it upon the Eldership primò immediate adaequatè Finalitèr objectivè they will grant you that the whole Church is the subject but autoritativè formalitèr they place it in the Guids or Presbyters without a Bishop And of this opinion Rutherford is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But he runs into the same inconvenience with your Rabbies For to make his thoughts good he hath so many nicities so many new-coined distinctions of power of the Church of I know not what that he is able to confound any Reader and indeed drives on the point till he becomes almost unintelligible Is not this think you a rare device in him and in yours to finde out a Truth and settle a conscience about Church-government 3. The Pâ—elates are opposite to both they deny the Congregation conjunctim or divisim to be the first subâ—ect of the Keys They deny the Presbyterian Eldership to be the prime subject of Church power And they place it under Christ in the Apostles and their successors and for this they plead our Saviours promise Matth. 16. and his donation John 20. They plead again the Apostolical practice extant in the Scriptures Acts 8.17 Acts 14.23 1 Tim. 4.14 1 Tim. 5.22 2 Tim. 1.6 Tit. 1.5 and again the perpetual practice of the Catholick Church ever since according to that of Jerome Decretuâ— est toto orâ—e ut unus è Presbyteris electus ceteris superponeretur which testimony I have at large afterwards cited and opened at full This is the state of the whole question and which of these is likelyest to be most true I shall leave it to the unbyassed Reader to judge after he hath read over this Treatise In nomine Domini October 29. 1656. ad honorem Iesu Christi ipsius Ecclesiae ad veritatis aram haec offero An answer to the Admonitory Letter The words are these SECT I. Reverend Sir THat the glorious God who is the giver of all grace as well as of every good and perfect gift would never be weary of conferring on you or of continuing in you or yet of encreasing by you those real and rich gifts and graces which he out of his good will and meere goodnesse was pleased to indue and adorne your precious soul withal for the due and daily use and exercise whereof his maine aime and uttermost end was his own service and your own solace to traine you up higher in holinesse and happinesse as I am hopefully perswaded in my very heart then most of your companions or acquaintance kindred or countrey and that at the least by the head and shoulders 1. An humble motion for you is one of those motions with
which I have frequently and unfainedly found my self moved and that as I trust from the highest heavens for to make unto the hearer of prayers and the granter of requests This motion is my humble motion for you Tbe Answer to the first Section AMong those different kind of prayers the Apostle mentions and enjoyns Intercession is one 1 Tim. 2.1 That therefore you are pleased to intercede for me at the throne of grace is an act of piety and charity and I heartily thank you for it and desire the continuance and I beseech the hearer of prayers and granter of requests to hear and grant to us both a clear understanding a ready will obedient affections to embrace the naked Truth as it shall be manifested unto us all partialities and sactions or inclination to any parties being set aside For thus much I may assure you that I am of a peaceable and docible disposition Peaceable and hate contention and wrangling well knowing that pruritus litigandi est scabies Ecclesiae Eccles 12.12 it cooles devotion and animates faction I verily beleeve he is the lesse Christian that knows best to wrangle There is no end of making many books especially of Controversie For of these there is no end either for cessation or profit None for cessation because the parties interessed either through self-love or pertinacy rarely are by the most forcible arguments drawn to retract what they have once maintained None for profit because the contenders are seldome bettered or made more religious would I might not say far worse more fierce and of alienated affections This needs no proof since it is too apparent in the encounters of all sides whether for Papistry Prelacy Presbytery Independency c. The Writers pens are for the most part steep'd in gall of which tart juice I promise you you shall not taste one drop it being so contrary to my nature whom the Dove that descended on our Saviour hath embued with mildnesse and a study of peace And as I am inclinable to peace so I am very docible also Wax is not easier to receive an impression than I am the seale of truth but then it must be made evident unto me either by plaine and expresse Scripture or else by some demonstration and deduction evidently drawn from thence for otherwise I must remaine where I was This because I finde not in your discourse my judgement is not upon it altered The words I finde in it many the arguments and proofs in it very few 'T is a pretty Narrative not any demonstration pardon me therefore if I yeild not The gifts and graces you take notice of in me I freely and openly acknowledge are farre short of your conceit they cannot swell me but humble me being laid together with my imperfections and were it not partiality in you you might behold them farre more eminent in many of my companions and acquaintance But your friendly minde hath presented me unto you as an object through a mist which makes it seeme farre bigger than indeed it is Yet your errour of love shall not make me beleeve I am a gyant when I am but a Pigmee and so rich in grace goodnesse holinesse as you intimate being conscious to my own defects However I am what I am 1 Cor. 15.10 and I hope his grace which is bestowed upon me is not in vaine My talent I received from him to him I acknowledge it and give thanks for it Ephes 4.12 and I shall endeavour to employ it to that end it was given for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ Hic labor hoc opus And it is my griefe that I am forced to wrap it up in a napkin and me thinks it should breed in them singultum cordis that have forc'd me to it But no more of this It follows in your Letter SECT II. The words of the Letter THat you would call to remembrance and also seriously consider and lay to heart what I in the judgment of rational charity am bound to conceive you cannot choose but know by what Christ did reveale to you and by what you did likewise receive from Christ namely how our God in covenant hath thought meet to constitute three several sorts of visible Churches and no more to be owned and acknowledged as his to be founded and found successively on earth from the beginning of the world to the end of the same Answer OF what you write in this paragraph in general I am not now to consider to wit what hath been the external government of Christs Church from the beginning to this day And how farre I agree with you will by and by come to be examined But in the meane time let me put you in minde that these words God hath thought meet to constitute three several sorts of visible Churches are improper For the Church of God before under after the Law was but one in essence and being so we beleeve One Holy Catholick Church the bonds of whose unity are extant Ephes 4.4 5 6 7. Let then the external government be what it will yet this cannot constitute three several sorts of visible Churches because distinction of species must proceed from internal principles not from extrinsecal accoutrements This then is not properly expressed But if you mean as I hope you do That the visible Church of God hath had a different kind of regiment and existence one from the beginning under the Patriarchs to Moses another from Moses to Christ and a third from Christ to the end of the world I assent to you And I suppose your meaning to be this by your words which thus follow Whereof the first was Oeconomical or Domestical the second the National or Judicial and the third was the Presbyterial or a Combinational Church Reply In the general I told you I assent to you but about the particulars I shal offer unto you some considerations especially about the first and the last 1. You say the two first viz. the Oeconomical and Judicial Church continued of a space of time alotted to each of them of two thousand years or near about Here you are not so exact in your Chronology as you ought for the first continued longer and the last fell short as Junius hath given us the accompt and other Chronologers dissent not much from him For the Oeconomical Church continued two thousand five hundred and ten years and the Judicial and National one thousand five hundred and two onely if you set the period at Christs ascension but if at the final overthrow of Jerusalem by Titus one thousand five hundred forty two For then it may be better supposed was the abolition of the Ceremonial Law when the Scepter was utterly departed from Judah and now your words will run smoothly on in this last and third kinde of Church Government every child of man that is an ingenuous child of God and a conformable member
Mystery there is an Indument and a stripping Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.27 which the ancient Church reduced to two words Credo Abrenuncio In the first there is the putting on of the Lord Jesus Christ For as many as are baptized have put on Christ First as Lord acknowledging no other Master whose voice to hear whose doctrine to rely upon but onely his Secondly as Jesus assuring themselves that there is no other Name given under heaven whereby they may be saved Thirdly As Christ as well their anointed King submitting themselves to his will giving their names in to fight under his banner and swearing themselves his subjects As also their anointed Priest resting in his one sacrifice as the onely sufficient in his sole intercession as the onely powerful Secondly In the Abrenuncio or stripping part they renounce and forsake the Devil Gal. 5.20 and all his works the pompes and vanities of the wicked world the sinful lusts of the flesh among which are all Heresies and Schismes 2. For the forme it is by our Saviour appointed in the name of the three persons of the indivisible Trinity and so it is performed neither of Cephas the sirnamed Rock nor of Paul a great Apostle Mat. 28.19 1 Cor. 1.13 The reason wherof you may read in my exposition of the Church Catechisme page 172 173. 3. For the end they which are baptized are thereby made the sonnes of God by Adoption and Grace invested with an inheritance everlasting Gal. 3.26 Rev. 1.5 Mal. 1.11 Rom. 12.1 Col. 3.5 made Priests to God to offer and slay To offer that mundâ—m oblationem pure offering or living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is their reasonable service viz. the cleane and unbloody sacrifice of prayers and thanksgiving and then to slay themselves mortifying their affections and lusts Yea but men may be minded of all this by a new Covenant and upon a second engagement made more watchful to keep their first vow Be it so for this also the Church had provided without this separating combination when she ordained that all baptized children when they could say their Catechism should be brought to the Bishop to be Confirmed which order were it in use and restored to its original purity the wrangle about the formality of a Church Covenant and collecting of members might be quieted and composed There being in Confirmation the substance of what is so much and so hotly contended for and that farre better grounded and bottomed than any new device can be as I shew you in my Catechisme page 6. Thirdly This Elogy you give to your Combinational Church that it is their opinion and practice quietly and cordially to subject their earthy erring and unruly wit to the heavenly infallible and uncontrolable will of Christ That so it should be I confesse and desire but how it is we see and feele ever since the Combination But what now is this but an opinion and onely commendable I thought it had been necessary de fide that it must be so and could not be otherwise For Opino is eutis vel non eâ—tis You shall have it in Amesius words Assensus ille qui praebetur veritati contingenti propter rationem pracipuè probabilem ab intellectu apprehensam Medulla 1. Thes de fidei divina unitate opinio vocatur The truth must be contingent and probable onely of which a man retaines an opinion it may be it may not be if no other reason can be produced for it but a Topical But that all men must subject their earthy will to the heavenly Will of Christ is so certain that it cannot be denyed by any good Christian Hereafter let it passe then for necessary and let it be a principle of faith which is more than opinion 2. But you go on and say This hath been the commendable practice of your Combinational Church But here you must give me leave to think for if I would say what I know I should fetch blood and perhaps pay for it too Your Combination was for the worship of God and that cultus naturalis institutus Amesius so divides it the principles of the first are faith hope charity the acts hearing of the Word and Prayer under which is an Oath Of the last Gods prescribed Will or his Word This is the Rule but what 's become of the practice I will not meddle with your faith which yet you know in many of your Combinational Churches is not sound nor in the Socinians nor Antimonians nor in the Brownists Familists nor the Anabaptists nor the Quakers nor the Singers These you le say are not of you but are gone out from you yet you cannot deny that these are Combinational Churches The practice then of all the Combinational Churches is not commendable in Gods worship in this respect Your hope may be great but I fear it may be presumption when the foundation of faith upon which it should be built is so uncertain and tottering As for the charity of your party in general I finde it dying rather â—uite dead charity teacheth a man to love his neighbour as himself charity to be just and to do to all men as he would all men do to him Amongst your Combinational Churches what 's become of this charity this justice Religiously observant a man may find divers of you of three of the Commandments of the first Table but of the third your practice shews you make little accompt and as for the second Table he who shall lay to heart your actions must needs conceive that you esteeme it but for a cypher I will no farther rake into this wound I wish you had not given me occaâ— on to do it when you affirmed that it was the commendable practice of your Combinational Church to subject their earthy erring and unruly will quietly and cordially to the heavenly infallible and uncontrolable will of Christ to which I finde their practice so contrary I pray presse me not for instances for I am resolved not to give theâ— you but if you are desirous to be satisfied of the opinions and practice of the Combinational Church I aime at be pleased to reade a book written by Robert Baily a Scot entitled A Disswasive from the Errours of the times Printed in London 1645. and published by Authority Where he makes a large Narrative of the opinions and practices of your Churches in New-England and whether he sayes true or no you can best judge because you were upon the place If true all is not gold that glisters 2 A Presbyterial Church THis is your other Epithet and I suppose you mean by it a Church to be governed by Presbyters The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is equivocal and therefore till it be distinguished nothing can be concluded from it 1. Presbyter in the Old Testament properly belongs to the Elders of the people either in a common notion or as members of the Sanhedrim not any body or persons peculiarly
Ecclesiastique Numb 11.16 Nay Godw. ant l. 5. c. 1. it is distinguished from it for in the Civil Consistory the Judges were called Elders in the spiritual priests Matth. 21.23 26.3 The chief Priests and Elders of the people are named as two distinct Consistories though Vossius Doctor Hammon Downham and Weames admit not this distinction 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament sometimes but rarely is taken in the same sense as in the Old But most commonly it is attributed to an Order of Ecclesiastiques whether in a higher or a lower Order and degree 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by the maintainers of the Congregational and Consistorial Church taken for a mixed company of Lay men and Ecclesiasticks to whose government they suppose the power of the Keys is committed and this they call the Presbyterial Church and if I am not deceived of this you speak in this place But against this I affirme that there never was any such Presbyterial Church before Calvin and to that purpose I here propose and hope to make good these Propositions against any opponent 1. That there must be government in the Church 2. That Christ instituted this government and Governours for it 3. That this government must be perpetual 4. That the Apostles were those Governours for the time and for perpetuity their Successors appointed by them 5. That their Successors were Bishops in Name and Office 6. That for the execution of this Office Christ gave to the Apostles the Keys and they to their Successors onely 7. That this power consisted in Ordination and Jurisdiction and therefore that they onely could ordaine and juridically proceed 8. That at first the Apostles and after the Bishops did both without a Presbytery 9. Yet that by the Apostles a Presbytery was instituted in some Churches who were Ecclesiastiques onely 10. That yet none of these Presbyters were Bishops but assistants onely being distinct from them 11. That this Presbytery without the Bishop could not use the Keys 12. That no Lay-man was of the Apostolical Presbytery nor no Lay-man after for 1500. years 13. That at first the people elected not any Church-Officer All these Propositions will require much time to be made good I shall now therefore omit the demonstration of them and go on to you fourth and fifth Proposition where I shall use some of them Proposition 4. Viz. That this prescribed Ministery must consist of Presbyters or Teaching and Ruling Elders THe subject of this Proposition is the prescribed Ministery and it hath two Attributes 1. The Presbyters 2. Teaching and Ruling Elders and both must be distinctly considered 1. The prescribed Ministery consists of Presbyters If by Presbyters you mean Presbyters in the second acception as it comprehends those of an higher and those of a subordinate degree this part of your proposition is most true and it shall be granted you But if you exclude the Bishop properly so called I absolutely deny it For the Apostles were Bishops Matthias elected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 1.20 There you have the Name and accordingly the Fathers of the Church called them Apostolos i. e. Episcopos Dominus Elegit Cyprian Epist 9. lib. 3. Cyprian They had the power of the Keys promised Matth. 16.19 Matth. 18.18 and actually estated on them John 20.23 In these texts you have the power which lay in jurisdiction and ordination In that was the office The Apostles were then in Name and Office Bishops This is performed in the second part I will give you a breviate of what I could say at large for the first Government of the Church I finde onely in Scripture mention of three Church-Officers Bishops Presbyters Deacons 1. The highest function which was Episcopal the Apostles reserved to themselves for some time and that for three reasons At first there were but few convicted Acts 14.27 1 Cor. 16. whence their labour was imployed in turning the first Key in opening the dore of faith that great and effectual dore and all the helps they could make either by Prophets Evangelists Coadjutors Pastors Doctors Planters Waterers to this purpose was little enough But none of these qua tales were Bishops 2. After the conversion of Jews and Gentiles yet in many Churches they yet setled not a Bishop first because a Presbyter fit for a Bishops office is not so easily found it is Saint Pauls rule that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan a Novice one newly come to the faith be not made a Bishop Secondly because while the Apostles remained in or near any place they reserved the power 1 Tim. 3.6 there being no need of Bishops The Apostles for that time supplying the wants of those Churches either with their presence letters or messengers as the cause required 3. And yet there is a third reason The Apostles suffered the Churches to make a trial what equality of many Governours would do but when they found the fruits thereof to be dissension and that every one would be master parity and plurality breeding dissension and confusion they committed the Church to one I shall set you down this in Hieromes words Hieron Com. in Epist ad Titum even in those very words which are produced against Bishops Idem est Presbyter quod Episcopus autequam diaboli instinctu studia in religione fierent diceretur in populis Ego sum Pauli ego Apollo ego Cephae communi Presbyterorum consilio Ecclesiae gubernabantur Post quam vero unusquisque eos quos baptizabat suos putabat esse non Christi in toâ—o orbe decretum est ut unus de Presbyteris electus superponeretur cateris ut Schismatum semina tollerentur Haec diximus ostendimâ—s eosdem fuisse Presbyteros Episcopos ut Episcopi noverint se magis consuetudine quam Dominicae dispositionis veritate Presbyteris esse majores in communi debere Ecclesiâ—m rege e. I have recited these words of Hierome at full because in them there be many thâ—ngs clearly for me and some other passages seemingly against me to which I will give light Note here then first the cause of the Bishops creation 1. The causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or occasion was factions and Schismes and the end that Schismes might be taken away so his words are cum diceretur ego Pauli c. ut schismata tollerentur Secondly The time when the Bishop was ordained old enough for it was in the Apostles dayes for then it was said ego Pauli ego Cephae c. 1 Cor. 1. a sufficient authority I suppose for the Bishops institution it must needs be granted Apostolical if it began then Thirdly this institution was Decretum and pray say who then could decree except the Apostles or durst decree without them Fourthly that this Decree was generally assented to for Decretum est toto orbe it must be then Apostolical and Oecumenical Fifthly now consider the words of the Decree ut unus de Presbyteris
electus superponeretur caeteris Rev. 2. 3. 1. It is Unus it is One not many that the care of the Church might especially belong to one Christ directs his message to the Angel individually of such or such a Church 2. He must be Electus of whom Hierome saith not of that more anon but I dare say considering the time of which Hierome speaks it was not without the consent of the Apostles if not by them 3. Note out of whom he was to be elected it was de Presbyteris and I shall prove unto you after that they were no Lay-men 4. Ut superponerentur caeteris He was to be super over the rest whether Clergy or Laity and that not onely in preheminence honour and dignity but in power of jurisdiction also for otherwise how could the end be obtained here aimed at how could Schisme be restrained and removed Thus far you see what makes for me and now I shall clear up what seemingly makes against me in this testimony 1. The fiâ—st words seeme against me For Hierome saith Idem est Presbyter quod Episcopus But he can meane no more than that the Bishop is sometimes called a Presbyter The Names then may be common that 's true but not the Office Now the Office consists in Ordination and Jurisdiction as I shall by and by make appear That Presbyter and Episcopus was Idem ordinatione and consequenly in Office Jerome could not meane except he should contradict himself Hieron ad Evagium Ordination he reserves to a Bishop and debarres a Presbyter from it Quid facit Episcopus quod Presbyter non faciat exceptâ ordinatione Mark the mood is potential He may not do it He may not meddle with Ordination for that sure belongs to the Bishop in his own judgment In this power then the Identity lies not 2. He must then meane in Jurisdiction and that this is his meaning is apparent by those words Communi Presbyterorum consilio Ecclesiae gubernabantur which your side catch at too as making for the present Ruling Presbytery as indeed at the first sight they may but throughly lookt into nothing at all I will shew you where the mistake lies First in the word Presbytery for yours apply it to the whole Presbytery Lay and Clergy whereas Hierom as is manifest speaks onely of the Ecclesiastique for it is of the Presbytery that was before or when those Schismes reigned Secondly he saith gubernabantur in imperfecto and when was that in the Apostles dayes for then in a Church that had a Presbytery without a Bishop put case at Corinth or had a Presbytery with a Bishop over them as at Jerusalem Antioch Alexandria Ephesus it is most true Communi Presbyterorum consilio gubernabantur the Presbyters were admitted in partem sâ—llicitudinis It cannot be denied that the Apostles ordaining these Presbyters had power in themselves and might have governed durante vita alone retaining the power when then they gave any power to others it was deligated for I hope they lost none of their power in giving Orders Whence it will follow that the Presbyters when admitted in some acts of Jurisdiction with the Apostles cannot challenge a right of governing affixed to their Order qua Presbyteri because they did assist in subordination and dependencie That the Apostles assumed these Presbyters in acts deliberative and consiliary to assist first at Jerusalem Acts 15. was a meer voluntary act from which example that it was derived to other Churches will not be denied and hence the last clause of Jeromes words will be most clear Noverint episcopi se magis consuetudine Ecclesiae quam Dominicae dispositionis veritate Presbyteris esse majores in communi debere Ecclesiam regere For by the Commission Sicut misit me Pater given to the Apostles and in them to their successors onely they could not challenge it It may well proceeding from the voluntary act of the Apostles be called an Apostolical Tradition and Ordinance but in strict termes Dominica it was not nor Dominicae dispositionis veritas according to Jerome 2. But if this sense of Jeromes words like you not I shall yet offer you another At first as I said the Presbyters by delegation from the Apostles with common advice and equal care guided the Church under the Apostles but after Bishops were appointed the whole care by little and little was derived to one and so at last by custome Presbyters were utterly excluded from all advice and counsel and Bishops onely intermedled with the regiment of the Church This indeed grew onely by continuance of time and not by any Ordinance of Christ or his Apostles this Jerome dislik'd and to that purpose he fixes his Noverint Episcopi c. And that this is likeliest to be Jeromes meaning in that place his following words shew Imitantes Moysen qui cum haberet in potestate solus praesse populo Israel 70. elegit cum quibus populum judicaret The Bishops then ought to do as Moses did What to have Governours equal No but when they might rule alone to joyne with them others in the fellowship of their power and honour as Moses did Moses did not abrogate his superiority above others but took seventy Elders into part of his charge So Jerome would have them And thus much the King was content to grant and restore as you may read in his book cap. 17. about the middle I saith he am not against the managing of this precedencie and authority in one man by the joynt councel and consent of many Presbyters I have offered to restore it c. You see of what Presbyters I am content the prescribed Ministery shall consist and what Presbytrry I shall allow you 2. Or Teaching and Ruling Elders HEre again your words are dark For if by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders you meane those in Orders I shall readily admit them to the Church ministry whether Teaching or Ruling But if you intend under these words to introduce into the Ministry either to teach or rule men that are not of the Clergy so you know we speak and so I must speak for distinction sake for else I cannot be understood in this question I absolutely deny it For there was never any Lay-man ex Officio admitted to teach ordinarily in Scripture called and sent he must be before he did undertake to preach So the Apostle intimates Rom. 10.15 How shall they preach except they be sent If any be gifted I shall allow him ex debito charitatis privately and charitably to make use of his talent to exhort to reprove to admonish but publikely to divide the Word of God and to teach I may not admit him For as a man must have inward endowments gifts and sufficiencie so he must have an outward calling before I shall call him a Teacher in the Church of God And I hear you are not against me in this 2. But about a Ruling Elder I fear you and I shall
to you in the least That I have made use of the common distinction Lay and Clergy and Presbyters or Elders of both sorts I have been forc'd to it because I could not otherwise speak intelligibly and distinctly enough in this point And that in this I speak in the language of the Ancientest of the fathers so speaks Clemens in that famous Epistle to the Corinthians so cryed up by antiquity and lately set forth by Master Patrick Young Clem. Rom. Ep. 1. ad Cor. Ignat. ad Philip. ad Magnes Just Martyr Apolog 2. prope finem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Justine Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Canons attributed to the Apostles Si quis Clericus abscindens seipsum c. Can. 22. Laicus seipsum abscindens c. Can. 23. Tertull. de prescript In exhortat ad castitatem Tertullian Hodie Presbyter cras Laicus and again nisi Laici observent per quae Presbyteri allegantur I should trouble you to reckon up infinite variety of other testimonies down-ward By these it sufficiently appears that these two termes Presbyters and Laicks were opposite termes so that Presby ers were not Lay-men nor Lay-men Presbyters they were mâ—mbra dividentia and 't is a Logick rule that membra dividentia must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so disjoynd that they never interfeer which will not be so if Presbyters and Lay-men may be affirm'd of the same person What should I tell you that if you approve not this distinction of the Primitive Church you may read it plainly in the Prophets so that it is not profane nor strange Isaiah 24.2 It shall be as with the people so with the Priest Hosea 4.9 There shall be like people like Priest And also Jeremy divides the Church into Prophet Jerom. ad Nepotiaâ— Priest and People cap. 23.34 and cap. 26.7 As for the Clergy-men Jerome shall give you the reason of the name propterea vocantur Clerici vel quia sunt de sorte Domini vel quia ipse Dominus sors i. e. pars Clericorum either they are the Lords portion to do service in the Church of Christ or that the Lord is their portion and part that is to live on such things that are dedicated to the Lord. And thus have I stopped two gappes with one bush Proposition 5. That these Presbyters Teaching and Ruling Elders must be of the Professing Members own voluntary Election and regular Ordination Of the Presbyters Teaching and Ruling Elders as you call them I have spoken hitherto Now of that which you require in them which are 1. That they be of the Professing Members voluntary Election 2. That they have their Ordination frnm them and that it be Regular In neither of which I can assent to you 1. Of Election of Presbyters and Ruling Elders THe Debate about Elections of Church-Ministers cannot be better determin'd than by the Scriptures let us look then how it was ab initio I finde three sorts of Election mention'd in the New Testament By the Spirit by lots by voices 1. By the Spirit speaking in his own person were Paul and Barnabas called from Antioch to preach to the Gentiles By the Spirit speaking in the Prophets Acts 13.2 1 Tim. 4.14 was Timothy design'd Neglect not the grace which was given thee by prophesie with imposition of the hands of the Presbytery And again 1 Tim. 1.18 This commandment I commit to thee according to the Prophesies that went before of thee that is by direction of the Holy Ghost and not by voices as Oecuminius Theodoret Chrysostome Throphylact expounds the place For this kind of Election was usual in the Apostles times the Spirit of God directing them on whom they should lay their hands By that Spirit were Peter and John directed on whom they should lay their hands at Samaria And so was Paul at Epheses when he laid the foundation of that Church so that he might truly say Take heed to the flock Act. 20. whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you over-seers For it was the Holy Ghosts doing to notifie unto Paul the persons that should receive imposition of hands and to poure out his wonderful blessings on them to make them meet Pastours and Prophets whereto he had chosen them Yea this dured some time after Pauls death as Eusebius reports Euseb lib. 3. cap 23. ex Clem. Alex. even in the time of John the Apostle for after his return out of Patmos to Ephesus being requested he went to the Churches adjoining some were appointing Bishops some were setting whole Churches in Order some were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. d. Supplying the Clergy with such men as were signified or marked out for that purpose by the Spirit Or if you read it as Hanmer translates it choosing by lot then this was done to avoid ambition and contention however it was of those who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the mix'd multitude chose not whom they pleased 2. For secondly by lot I graunt it might be done and then Saint John followed the pattern in the Election of Matthias to the Apostolate Act. 1. which is the sole example that can be given in Scripture in this kind And in this the people could have no voice if you will weigh the circumstances of the Text. For first the company that were then present were onely one hundred and twenty of which eleven were Apostles seventy two disciples Ver. 15.14 divers women with Mary the mother of Jesus now if you deduct eighty three and the women out of one hundred and twenty what a small remnant will there be of the people left to vote Secondly it is recorded indefinitely they appointed two not determinately expressing who they were Ver. 23. and so it might be the Apostles alone or the Apostles and disciples together for ought any man can say to the contrary Thirdly make what can be made of it yet here is no more than presentation which falls very short of Election for it is written they presented the two Fourthly they committed the Election to God Shew whether of the two thou hast chosen Ver. 24. and so it was reason for the place to which one of them was to be advanced Gal. 1.1 17 18 c. was an Apostles place and an Apostle might not be chosen by men but by God alone And here to remove a mistake I shall intreat you to observe this distinction that the name of an Apostle hath a double acception 1. In a strict sense for an eye-witnesse of our Saviours actions life death and one immediately chosen and sent by God and so there were no more but twelve Whence saith Peter Act. 1.20 21. of these men that have accompanied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us Must one be ordained to be a
place to the Romans are five different from these ministring exhorting teaching giving shewing mercy In all sixteen I hope you will not say there must be so many distinct Offices and functions in the Church For so it may happen that the offices may exceed the number of the officers and so every one must have more than two of them Robinsons Justif p. 107. p. 111. three at least or else the Church shall nor be supplied For put case that Robinsons words be true that a company consisting though but of two or three gathered by a Covenant made to walk in the wayes of God known unto them is a Church and so hath the whole power of Christ Answer to the 32. Quest p. 43 even the same right with two or three thousand Generally you know it is received among you that seven will make a full and perfect Congregation and that the association of these few thus separate by a Covenant is the essential forme of the Church Which if true then is it not possible to find so many distinct functions in the Church because in so small a number there cannot be found men for them Let it be then granted that the Apostle in this chapter speaks of diversities of gifts not of functions and the sense will be clear Apostles there were then in the Church and they had all these gifts in a greater measure than any other Prophets there were and Teachers and to these the Spirit divided the gifts as he pleased in what measure and to what persons he best liked to one to work miracles to another to heale to help and comfort to guide and governe to speak tongues to interpret tongues as might best serve to gather the Saints to plant the Church I must professe unto you that I have both now and heretofore looked into this text with as quick an eye as my weaknesse would give leave and could never yet finde it in any thing that made for your Ruling Elders No you perhaps will say do you not finde here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 governments Yes I do but will it thence follow that it must upon necessity be the government of the Lay-Ruling-Elders you dreame of Why might not the Apostles the Prophets the Teachers here mentioned by the Apostle be those Governours here intended for ought you know Of them the other gifts were verified and why not then this also They could work miracles they could heale they could help and comfort they could speak all languages and interpret tongues what should now hinder but they might by the same Spirit be endowed with the gift of government also Which if it fall out to be true as it indeed did yet the Apostles either by themselves or by those they placed in the Churches which they planted who were Bishops and onely Bishops exercised the jurisdiction you shall never be able to conclude out of this or any other place of Scripture that the Governours of the Churches were a distinct company from the Pastours which is I know that you drive at But to gratifie you a little I shall here willingly yield you more than I need That in the Apostolical Church and after till Constantines time there might be certain men chosen by common consent of the Church to judge of all civil debates that might arise betwixt man and man you perhaps would call these Governours I should rather call them Arbitratours because they had no coactive power to compel any Christian to stand to their Arbitration farther than they would binde themselves And in case that any were refractory and obstinate the Pastour might and did make use of the Church-Key and debarre him from the participation of Christian priviledges so that he was by them esteemed no better than a Heathen or Publican 1 Cor. 6.1 c. And now I will shew you the ground of my conjecture 't is out of Saint Pauls words Dare any of you having an action against another a Christian he means go to Law before the unjust and not before the Saints Paul did not debarre the Magistrates that were Infidels of their jurisdiction nor create new Judges or Governours for civil offences in the Church it was beyond his calling and commission to do either of them but when he perceived the Christians for private quarrels pursued each other before unbelievers to the great shame and scandal of Christian profession he saith Ver. 7. they were better to suffer losse to take wrong to be defrauded Ver. 4.5 But if this would not satisfie if yet there were who would be contentious then he wills them to choose if not the wisest yet the lest esteemed among them in the Church to arbitrate their causes rather than to expose themselves and their profession to the mocks and taunts of Heathen and Profane Judges These Arbitratours you may call Governours if you please but properly they were not so because they were chosen either by consent of the Litigants or else appointed as I am induc'd to opine by the choice of the Church for that purpose but they could not interpose themselves as Judges authoriz'd by Christ because he himself as Mediatour claimed no such power would use none Luke 12.24 You know his answer to the brother that moved him to divide the inheritance Man who made me a Judge or Divider among you Now grant that all this be true and that such Governours began betime and continued long in the Church even untill the Conversion of the Heathen Emperours Can you hence conclude that they must upon necessity continue still no such matter For the Civil power and the Sword is in the Magistrates hand and he is to take up all debates betwixt man and man of these then there is no use From these then to argue that there must be Lay Ruling Elders in the Church is a fallacy since the causes they were to dcide were other and their Authority by Church-right none at all A d such 't is probable may be found in the Scriptures and in the Church-story but never any other Ruling Elders invested with the power of the Keys except in Orders I have been long upon this place to the Corinths but it was because I would leave no scruple unsatisfied That I be not tedious of it I will adde no more but consider your next proof which you bring out of the Epistle to the Ephesians Ephesians Chap. 4. Verse 7. and Verse 14. Ver. 7. But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ver. 14. That we henceforth be no more children tossed too and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive Now here I must confesse it befel me which happens to them who search for gold-ore in the vaults of the earth they open the turfe dig delve labour long to effect their desire but at last
the primitive Church yet will never grant you that from thence the Church shall be denominated Presbyterial or that if it should vary from thence that therefore it had no more than the Sceleton fashion face of a true Church All these things should have been better cast up before you had been so positive The degeneration then you dream of is grounded upon a false supposition that there was at first such a Presbyterial or Combinational Church that was conjoyn'd in any Church-Covenant beside Baptisme that had the native power of the Keyes c. which you never shall be able to demonstrate The contrary to which Rutherford hath nervously prov'd more particularly in his seventh Chapter of his peaceable and temperate plea to whom I referre you The summe of whose discourse is that there were at Jerusalem Father f. cap. 7. Conclus 4. at Samaria at Ephesus at Rome at Galatia at Antioch Presbyteries which shall be granted but that these Presbyteries were not of one single Congregation From these then you can never prove that the following Church did degenerate because they were not The manner of this degeneration you make gradual and you give us in five steppes descending from the Parochial till it came to the oecumenical Romane as you call it But supposing a degeneration in the degrees you are mistaken for as I suppose the first should be last and the last first which will appear if we examine how the Church was govern'd from the Apostles times to this our unhappy age But first I will transcribe your whole discourse SECT II. The words of the Letter 1. THE first rise of the rottening of the Church was its falling from a pure poor Presbyterial Church which in respect of its primitive constitution was made up of living stones namely lively Members and laborious Ministers being firmly fastened and united to the Lord Jesus as their onely head by faith one to another by a fraternal Covenant of love according to the pattern that was proposed and prescribed in both Testaments Is 44.5 Jer. 50.5 Ezra 20.37 Zach. 11.7 10 14. 2 Cor. 8.5 Ephes 2.13 19 22. Col. 2.2 19. 1 Pet. 2.5 into an impure and unpolished parochial Church At that time when ceasing to elect and ordain a Teacher a Pastour a Ruler a Deacon and Diaconesse or a Widow in conformity to the heavenly Canon Rom. 12.7 and 15.4 and 16.1 compared with 1 Tim. 3.1 and Titus 1.5 6. it was well content to admit and accept of a Parson a Vicar a Warden an Over-seer of the poor and a Mid-wife By which wisdome of the flesh being no better then enmity against God within a short time after the dayes of the Apostles Christs spiritual house and growing as well as living Temple was turned and transformed into a carnal and dead Town or Apostatizing Parish The very beginning and breeding of which Parochial Church is seen to have been in the time of Polycarp and Irenaeus one of them being an Elder of the Church at Smyrna and a disciple of John the Evangelist and the other a Pastour at Lyons and a disciple of that Polycarp as any man may easily perceive that will peruse what is to be observed in Eusebius Ecclesiastical history 4. lib. c. 14.15 16. lib. 5. cap. 23.24 2. The second degree of the Combinational Churches corruptions was the Cathedral Churches generation which did presume to alter and to elevate the places and appellations of the Teacher Pastour Ruler and Deacon into those unscripture-like titles of Lord-Bishop Dean Chancellour and Arch-Deacon who ventur'd to usurp the power of excommunication against the Members and Ministers of many Congregations in their Synods and Councels contrary to what was practic'd in that Orthodoxe pattern Acts 15.24 which is laid down and left as well for the imitation as information of after-ages whose work it was by Scripture-proofs to confute soul subverting positions and to confirme Christian-doctrines without any manner of authority to censure any mans person being that that is the expresse priviledge of the Presbyterial Church 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 2 Thes 3.15 The babe-age of which usurpation is made mention of as newly appearing in the world by what was exercised by Alexander of Alexandria against Eusebius of Nicomedia as well as against Arius in the reigne of Constantius and Constance the sonnes of Constantine the Emperour as it is to be seen in Lib. 2. Socrat. Schol. c. 3. compared with the 32 cap. of 2 book Evagr. lib. 1. cap. 6. 3. The third degree of the Presbyterial Churches degeneracy was its climbing up to the stile of a Provincial Church whose Pastour was not afrai'd nor asham'd to assume the name and office of an Arch-Bishop and Metropolitane leaving the servile and subservient titles of Prebende Surrogate and Vicar-general as termes good enough to the inferiour Officers his underlings Of which proud and prophane Pest-house that Austin which was sent from Gregory the last of good Bishops and the first of evil Popes of Rome is reputed and recorded to have been the father and founder in this Land even then when he was stifly and stoutly oppos'd by the Monks of Bangor Anno Domini 596. and in the reign of King Ethelbert witnesse Fox Martyrol page 119. together with the rest of the Eng. Hist and Evangr lib. 2.8 4. The fourth famous degree of the Combinational Churches infamous defection was its notably naughty enlarging it self into a National Church when and whence without controversie arose that Jewish imitation and irregularly Religious observation of five frivolous and foundationlesse customes and traditions of which the first was of National times as the fifty yearly Festivals or holy working-dayes Cursed-Masse Candle-Masse c. The second was the National places as the Consecrated meeting houses Porches Chancels Church-yards The third was of National persons as the Universal Preachers Office-Priests Half-Priests and Diocesan Deacons The fourth was of National pious performances as stâ—nted Worship Quiristers singing of Psalmes with the Rubrique Postures And the fifth was of National payments or spiritual profits as offerings tithes and mortuaries the which faithlesse and fantastical fashions were the illegitimate off-spring of National Parliaments in this and the Neighbour-Nations Witnesse the publick Acts Statutes and other Ordinances in that behalf 5. The fifth and highest degree of Church-deformity is the oecumenical Church otherwise call'd Romane Catholique the which in the apprehension of I know not how many Kingdomes is the very best though in the judgment of Christ Jesus it is the very basest because the beastliest and the most blasphemous of all the bastard-Church constitutions that ever were till now Witnesse what is written Rev. 13.1 3 5 6. whose Pastor and other Presbyters the sinne-pardoning Pope Cardinals Abbots with others were owned and acknowledged for to be and that not a few if not of the summond Councels yet in several Synods in sundry Countries Insomuch that Churches abominable iniquities were so increas'd over their heads and their trayterous
and Minister and he and they became subject to the Pastour of the chief City This is evident to me Acts 8. in the conversion of Samaria Socrat. Schol. lib. 1. cap. 19. and in that story of Adesius and Frumentius that converted the Indians And now the whole viz. the City the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and these Villages Towns c. thus converted being under the regiment of this Bishop were call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Bishops Diocesse which was the Original of a Diocesan Church 4. But the charity of the first planters of Christianity staid not here they never thought they could bring fish enough into Christs net As they were fishers of men The Romane Provinces as I take it were under Augustus Casar 22. After Marius thus conquered Syria Germany Brittanny c. so they fished still to catch more untill they gain'd whole Provinces Now a province was a large territory conquer'd by the Romanes which they put under the government of a Proconsul or Propretor Such a tract being converted by the foresaid endeavours was put under the government of the foresaid Bishop â—nd so of a Diocesan his Church had the name of Provincial and because the City where he was resident was the Metropolis oâ— Mother-City to that whole Province and under that many lesse Cities with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Towns and Villages so that Prâ—vince being so large that it was not possible or not convenient for the Bishop of the first seat to over-see all as he ought theâ—efore prudence taught the Church to appoint Bishops in lesser Cities and to assigne them their Diocesses over which yet the Bishop of the chief Cities should have a supervision whom they call'd a Metropolitane after a Primate and in some Churches a Patriarch and all the subordinate Bishops under him Diocesan 5. And again if this Church consisted of Converts of a whole Nation in which there were divers Provinces as it fell out in Africk two and Spain three then the Church had the name of a National Church and there might be divers Metropolitans in it and more Primates of which yet one was chief and under these the foresaid Diocesan Bishops with their Clergy These are steppes in the judgment of reason by which the Church arriv'd to its emâ—nency and therefore if it decay and rot by degrees as you will have it the corruption must begin in the Cathedâ—al descâ—nd to Parochial and thence spread to the Diocesan Provincial and National and settle in the Oecumenical if such a local Church can be found Besides that great reason the propagation of the Gospel why the Church was at the first thus setled one was the exercise of government and the more convenient administration of the discipline thereof For being thus disposed the power of the Keys both in Ordination and Jurisdiction might be more easily and prudently turn'd The great Masters of Policy could never yet acquaint us with any more than three kinds of government Monarchy Aristocracy Democracy Monarchy when the supreme power is in one Aristocracy when it is in more but those the noblest the best the wisest the prudentest Democracy when the people have the power and rule which if it be in many of them they call Polyarchy if in a few onely they terme it Oligarchy The two first of these the learned teach us proceeds a jure divino gratiosâ— for our gracious God having all dominion and power in his hands is pleased out of meer grace to impart of it to one or some choice men that they may use his power and rule us for our good But the last they inform us proceeds a jure divinâ— vindicativo from an angry and revengeful God that puts such power in the hand of the many or few to make use of it for our punishment This is the worst of the three and if any man doubt of it let him call to minde the answer that Lycurgus gave to the Lacedemonian that importun'd him for an erection of a Democratical government in that Common-Wealth go saith he Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and do thou make a trial of that kinde of government in thine own family and if thou finde it advantageous to make thy servants Masters in thy family then renew this suit and I will hear it This is absurd in nature in policy In nature any body with two heads is monstrous and in policy a Ship govern'd by two Pilots or an Army sway'd by two Generals with an equal power hath not been reade of to have good successe To apply this to my purpose The Church of God is a society and then it must be govern'd one of these wayes Either by one or by the best oâ— the most If either of the first two wayes then it is a Deo propitio if the last a Deo irato for I could evidently prove to you if I list that Democracy is a consequent of Gods anger Now for the government of the Church there are who strain the pinne too high there are who let it down too low bewixt both lies the medium 1. Those of Rome that they may advance that man of sinne and make him an oecumenical Bishop contend hotly for a Monarchy The Bishop forsooth of Rome must be accounted the sole Monarch of the whole Church and be put into the definition of it so that no Pope no Church But we acknowledge no such Monarchy nor no such Monarch Christ Jesus alone is the sole head of this body as it comprehends the Church Militant and Triumphant Neither are Bellarmines arguments of any validity for Papal Monarchy In a Kingdome saith he is but one King but Christs Church is a Kingdome therefore There be in this syllogisme foure termes for Kingdome in the major is taken for an earthly Kingdome in the minor for a heavenly whence it will not follow that because in an earthly Kingdome there must be but one King or Monarch therefore in Christs heavenly Kâ—ngdome there must be but one also Then besides there is a great disparity betwixt earthly Kingdomes and the Church of Christ For the Church Militant remaining one is spread in many earthly Kingdomes and cannot well be ordered like one particular Kingdome and therefore it follows not though in one particular Kingdome there be many visible Judges and one supreme that in the Universal visible Church there must be one supreme To that his other popular Argument that Monarchical government is the best and therefore that undoubtedly which Christ instituted for his Church 't is sufficient to answer that a Monarchy is the best forme of government in one City or Country but it follows not it is best in respect of the whole world where the parts are so remote and the dispositions of men so various The Courtiers of Rome go too high Arist Ethic. lib. 8. c. 10. 2. On the contrary side all the Combinational Churches fall too low who plead stifly for the peoples
I have kept my self within the bounds of the Scriptures and out of them clearly demonstrated as I suppose that the first government of the Church was Aristocratical It was in the Apostles and the Bishops which they setled with their Presbyteries Now should I descend lower and shew the practice of the Church especially for the first three hundred years I should fill a volume here I could tell you of those famous Presbyteries of Alexandria in which Origen Clemens Alexandrinus Euseb lib. 6. Euseb l. 6. c. 43. Cypr. lib. 3. Ep. 6.10 14 17 18 19 21 22 24. Pantenus Hieroclas were the Presbyters of Rome in which under Cornelius and Stephen there were forty six Presbyters with many other Officers Of Carthage in which under Cyprian as appeares in many of his Epistles which he writ to them in his exile there were many Presbyters Of Smyrna Antioch Philippi Magnesia Trullis and Ephesus all whose Presbyteries are remembred by Ignatius in the Epistles he writ to those Churches This is so clear that it is written as it were with a Sunne beam and it were ignorance and impudence to deny it To which if those who so hotly contend for their Presbytery would adde but these two things which are as evident in Records as is the Presbytery it self First that none of these Presbyters were Lay-Elders and secondly that after the Apostles dayes there never was any Presbytery without a Bishop the contest were at an end One thing onely more I shall adde about these Presbyteries that they never were erected but in the greater Cities where the Patriarch Primate Metropolitane or Diocesan Bishop had their seats pardon me if I speak in the language of those Ancient times and therefore to distinguish them from the Presbyters dispersed in the lesse Villages and Towns Conc. Ancyr Can. 13. Can. Apollon Can. 37. they were call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Presbyters of the City or Metropolis and their institution was to help the Bishop in sacred actions and to advise him in all judicial and Ecclesiastical proceedings In ordination what they were to do 4. Concil Carthag cap. 3. is set out by the fourth Council of Carthage cap. 3. Presbyter cum ordinatur Episcopo eum benedicente manum super caput ejus tenete etiam omnis Presbyteri qui praesentes sunt manus suas juxta manum Episcopi super caput illius teneant 1. Concil Arel Can. 19. Apollon Canon Can 35. Concil Antioch Can. 9. A custome which was continued in our Church And for their jurisdiction that was limited by another Canon Presbyteri sine consensu Episcoporum nihil faciant The Ancyran Councel was before the Nicene and that of Arles under Constantine So ancient were these provisions about the Presbyters and their power But methinks it were worth enquiry how these Presbyteries that so long continued in the Church became in difuse for I will not say they were ever abolish'd in that I finde them in many Churches after the three hundredth year of Christ I shall deliver what I conceive to be most probable and I conjecture these to be the causes of it 1. Upon the general prevailing of Christianity Synods began to assemble and the Pastours of divers Churches in these meetings conferr'd and agreed upon such rules as they thought needful to be observed in all their Churches which they committed to the over-sight of the Bishops in their Diocesses and in case they were negligent the especial supervision and execution was laid upon the Metropolitane and if he were slack in doing what was enjoyn'd an appeal was permitted to the Patriarch This was the first occasion that gave Presbyteries leave to play by reason provincial Synods undertook the debating and resolving those doubts and ordered those difficulties which before troubled the Presbyteries And reason it was that the consultation and determination of Synods should be preferred before that of Presbyteries as Courts of greater Judgment higher power better experience and more indifferency 2. Another reason may be that when Emperours became Christian all those civil cases betwixt man and man which were to avoid the scandal that might arise by Law-suits among Christians if tryed under Heathen Judges debated and ended in these Presbyteries fell to be decided and adjudged in the Imperial Courts and men had reason to repair to that seat of justice which had a sword and power compulsory to force obstinatemen to do right to any injur'd party which the Church Court had not When the causes grew lesse the lesse respect was had to the Court and now the Presbytery having less to do weakned mouldred away by little and little of themselves 3. And yet I shall venture at a third reason Upon the great peace which the Church enjoy'd with the priviledges immunities and ample endowments granted by Christian Emperours Magnificent Temples and goodly fabriques were erected for the publick service of God some there were before but not so many nor yet so beautiful These commonly were built where the Bishops had their Seas and were therefore after call'd Cathedral Churches In them the Bishop at first with his Presbyters of the City made his residence and to his Court there kept the greater matters of the whole Diocesse or Province referr'd Found it was that in this Presbytery it was too easie a matter for the Bishop to bear so great a sway that matters were ended often as the man was by him friended The dignities in that Church were in his donation the dignified were his creatures were subject to him and many wayes might be displeased by him if he would seek revenge This being perceived brought a great neglect and contempt upon the Presbyters And the Bishop taking his advantage thereby made use of his power more than was fit And if you shall say that by this dore corruption entred into the Church I shall not deny it But then I shall rejoyn that it was not the institution not in that the Church became Cathedral Diocesan or Provincial not in that it was govern'd either by a Bishop a Metropolitane a Primate or a Patriarch with a Presbytery and so was Aristocratical but in that this just and regulated power was ill used It was not the constitution of the Church that was corrupt but the Church-men and then lay the load upon the right horse and fly not violently in the face of your Mother Cant. 6.4 For the constitution was holy good and wise God himself in the Canticles gives this testimony of his Church that she is terrible as an Army with Banners if an Army then she must be ordinata and the order in an Army is that there be a General a Major General Collonels Captains and Under-Officers Wisdome then taught the Church to order her self and yet she sate up no other orders then God had appointed viz. Bishops and Presbyters Deacons these onely she prudently marshall'd some she thought good to place in
more eminent degree Will you then ask me what are Metropolitans Primates Patriarchs I readily answer gradus in Episcopatu all set in the chief places of the Army for the safe guard of the whole and for the better advantage to fight against the enemy Yea but who set them there Prudence and 't is nere the more to be disliked for that it was prudentially done for I must tell you that prudence is to bear a great sway in Church-Discipline The substance it may not alter neither hath it but in the circumstantials it hath a power and if Saints Pauls rule be observed 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order all 's well What more decent among Church-governours then that some be superiours some subordinate how can order be better observed then making the Church like an Army Even among the twelve were there not chief Apostles They were all equal Apostolatu all equal in power yet some priority and precedency might be among them For Peter James and John are call'd Pâ—llars Gal. 2. Chrysost in loc Victor Antioch in Mar. cap. 9. Hieron ad Evagr Cyprian de simplicitate Praelatorum hi tres tanquam Coriphaei prÃmas inter Apostolos obtinebant Thus is it with their Successours the Bishops they are all pares potestate in the power he at Eugubium is as great as he at Rome he at Tanais equal with him of Alexandria for he is ejusdem meriti ejusdem sacerdotii that rule of Cyprian being undoubtedly true Episcopatus unus est cujus a singulis in solidum pars tenetur But yet for all this one Bishop may be set in a higher degree then another and one set over another and I shall make little doubt to make m words good out of the Scriptures for what was Titus and Timothy were they not more than ordinary Bishops Titus had the charge over the whole Isle of Crete Miraeus lib. 4. de Notitia Episc pag. 181. Chrysost Hâ—m 1. in Titum in which there were seven Bishops besides This was Pauls companion saith Chrysostome that was approved otherwise Paul would not have committed unto him all whole Island and the trial and judgment of so many Bishops To Timothy if we beleeve Theodoret and other Ancients was committed all Asia the lesse in which were questionlesse instituted by the Apostles many Bishops Of the last example there may be some scruple of the first there can be no doubt to any one that lists not to be contentious but the Ancient evident and constant course in the Primitive Church to admit of these degrees in Episcopacy and to have Primates and Metropolitanes for the calling and guiding of Synods in every Province is to me a pregnant proof that this order was either delivered or allowed by the Apostles and their Scholars oâ— found so needful in the first government of the Church that the whole Christian world till some of late fell from it ever since received and continued the same If you suppose it came from Rome you are much mistaken for it bore sway in all the Eastern Churches before the Romane Bishop was of any great note power or reputation or at least had any more precedency then any of the Eastern Patriarchs Socrates relates that the first Councel of Constantinople 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordain'd Patriarchs Socrat. lib. 5.8 may be the title was then given to those who were onely call'd Primates or Metropolitans before and bounds set to their jurisdictions which any man will judge that considerately reads that place in Socrates The truth is this The name of Patriarch I finde taken in a double sense largely or strictly Largely for a Primate of any Province that was under the chief Patriarch and so there are manâ— at this day Brexwoods enquiry of Religion and Languages as the Abannah the Patriarch of the Aethiopians or the Primate of Mosco who is the Patriarch of all Christians under the Muscovites Empire The Primates of Sic and Sebasha who are the Patriarchs of the Armenians The Primate of the Jacobites who hath his Patriarchal Church in the Monastery of Saphran near the City Merdin in Mesopotamiâ— The Primate of the Maronites who resides in Mount Libanuâ— The Patriarch of the Nestorians who hath his residence in Muzal or Mosal I could give in a list of many more of this kinde as well in Europe as in the Eastern Churches by which it appears that in a large sense the Prime Bishops set over one or more Provinces may be called Patriarchs Spalat lib. 3. c. 10. Sect. 43.44 And it is the judgment of a learned but unhappy man that were there more of this kinde erected in Europe who should have no dependence on Rome that it would be a ready way to restore peace and unity to the distracted Church and to shut out the confusion we groan under All which are under one or other of those Patriarchs of the Church as their jurisdictions were limited in the fiâ—st erection for that is the strict acception of the word 2. And three they were onely at first The fiâ—st at Rome the second at Alexandria the third at Antioch the first had the power in Europe and in the West the second in Africa and in the South the third in Asia and over the East Neither were their seats there placed as Baronius would perswade us because that the Apostles founded those Churches for were this reason good we should have more Patriarchates than these three there being more Churches planted by the Apostles than these neither were all the Churches they founded Patriarchates Hegesipp de excid Urb. Hieros lib. 3. c. 5. not Corinth not Ephesius not Philippi Smyrna the reason then is that which Hegesippus the younger hath given because these three Cities were the three Metropolies of the Empire and so the Church in the institution for the seats of their Patriarchs followed the secular power of the Roman Empire The dignity of the Cities gave them the dignity and priority of their Seas And it should seeme the erection of these three was very ancient in that when the Alexandrian Patriarch began to incroach upon his neighbours Concil Nic. can 6. the Nicene Council made this Decree Mos antiquus perduret in Aegypto Lybia Pentapoli ut Alexandrinus Episcopus horum omnium habeat potestatem quoniam quidem Episcopo Romano parilis mos est similitèr autem apud Antiochiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Canon it seemes even then 't was an old custome and the Council of Antioch in the like case though it names not the Churches Concil Antioch c. 9. yet provides to secure the rights 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secundum antiquam consuetudinem à patribus nostris constitutam And again upon the unjust claime of the Patriarchs of Antioch over the Bishops of Cyprus the Ephesine Council decreed ut singulis provinciis pura inviolata manerent quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes Conc. cap. 8. from the beginning upward they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to old prevailing custome You see I do not exspatiate beyond the bounds of the first three Oecumenical Councils all which confesse that these Metropolitans afterward Patriarchs were no late nor new device first authorized by the Council of Nice but their right and preheminence was even then an ancient usage and Canon of the Church even from the beginning Now if I may take liberty to conjecture I may strongly presume that the fathers of these three Councils had an eye to the constitution extant in the Apostolical Canons The Bishops of every Nation must know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefest the first Apost Can. can 35. the Primate and willeth him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as head among the Bishops of that Province who in the Africane Council is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These three were the three first and most ancient of the Patriarchs To whom the fi st Council of Constantinople erected that Bishop into a Patriarch and for the honour of that City being now called Nova Roma gave the Bishop the second place next after old Rome who remains a great Patriarch to this day and thus there became four As for the fifth it was of Jerusalem and it obtained the priviledge of a Patriarchate in the fifth general Council 1. Concil Constantinop can 5. G. Tyrius de bello sacro l. 14. c. 12. Nic. coue can 7 Thus the case stood Jerusalem being destroyed by Vespasian Caesarea was made the Metropolis and so is acknowledged in the Nicene Council and the Bishop Primate even to â—erusalem A great honour they are content should be yielded to the Jerusalem Bishop or Aeliae as he is there called according to the old custome yet manente metropolitanae civitatis propria dignitate meaning Caesarea In the Council of Chalcedon there was a trial past betwixt the Bishop of Antioch and Juvenal Bishop of Jerusalem about jurisdiction in which it was decreed that the Phaenicia's and Arabia should be given to the Patriarch of Antioch and all Palestina Concil Chalced. Act. 7. jure Metropolitico should be under Jerusalem and so Caesaria lost the Metropolitical right and Jerusalem was preferr'd which afterward in the fifth General Council as I said was advanc'd into the first Patriarchate And now if you shall aske me why I have so enlarged my self to discover the rise the antiquity the institution of these Patriarchs it was that you may see how the Church was govern'd at first There was no Monarchy in it no Democracy but an admirable Aristocracy it was like a well marshall'd army indeed it had the Primates after call'd Patriarchs as it were the Generals the Metropolitans as Major General the Bishops as Colonels The Bishops again with their Presbyteries as a Council of warre The Presbyters of the Câ—ty and Countrey as Captaines and under-officers the people as the souldiers under obedience but without command Never tell me this was a corruption for thus it was ab incunabulis Ecclesiae if credit may be given to all Church stories to Acts of Councils to Records to Fathers and thus it was not in one but in all Churches throughout the four quarters of the world And if you shall yet demand upon what ground of Scripture this Hierarchy was taken up Saint Paul shall informe you where he commands Let all things be done decently and in order Calvin being to set down the forme this very forme of government in the Primitive Church in the beginning premiseth these words Calvin instit cap. 8. Sect. 51 52 53 54. Tametsi multos Canones ediderunt illorum temporum Episcopi quibus plus viderentur exprimere quam sacris litterâ—s expressum erat ea tamen cautione totam suam oeconomiam composuerunt ad unicam illam Dei normam ut facilè videas nihil ferè in hac parte habuisse à Dei verbo alienum And again Sect. 54. Quod autem singulae provinciae unum habebant inter Episcopos Archiepiscopum quod item in Synodo Nicaena constituti sunt Patriarchae qui essent ordine dignitate Archiepiscopis superiores id ad disciplinae conservationem pertinebat By this means all inferiour Clergy were better kept in order informed in their duty contentions were composed which to use his words ex aequalitate nascerentur confusion was avoided dissentionum semina tollerentuâ— cum ad unum omnis sollicitude est delata which he hath out of Jerome Hieron ad Evagrium and if antiquity of the institution may satisfie Jerom derives it from the Evangelist Saint Mark. This form of Government the ancients call'd the Church Hierarchy and it is true that Calvin conceives the name improper but then I pray mark how with in four lines he shuts up his discourse Verum si omisso vocabulo rem intuemur reperiemuâ— veteres episcopos non aliam regendae Ecclesiae forman voluisse fingere ab ea quam dominus verbo suo praescripsit and he means that which I have set down Men are much mistaken Calvin Epist ad regem Polon pag. 140 141. edit Genev. an 1576. who conceive Calvin to have been an enemy to this ancient Church-government let them but reade his Epistle that he writes to the King of Poland about the Reformation of the Kingdome and they will tell me another tale for he there sets down to the King the order of the Primitive Church for a patterne where saith he there were Patriarchs and Primates and subordinate Bishops to tye the whole body together with the bond of concord And adviseth the King to establish Bishops in every Province and over them an Arch-Bishop and Primate of that Kingdome Calvin Instit lib. 4. c. 12. artic 6. and if the Popish Bishops were true Bishops he would allow them some authority not as much as they challenge but as much as he thinks would serve for the right governing of the Church Not so much as they challenge good reason for that for this would set up regnum in regno Independent for sooâ—h then they must be of any but the Pope which Princes have no reason to take well but if they shall be content to move within their proper Orbe of Church-government he is not against it Now with Calvin agrees that learned and judicious Zanchy his words are Non improbamus patres quod juxta variam tum verbi dispensandi tum regendae Ecclesiae rationem Zanch. de relig Christ cap. 25. Sect. 10 11. varios quoque ministrorum ordines multiplicarint quando iis liberum fuit sicut nobis quando constat id ab illis factum honestis de causis ad Ordinem ad Decorum ad aedificationem Ecclesia pro eo tempore pertinentibus And thus he begins the next paragraph Novimus enim Deum nostrum Deum esse Ordinis non confusionis Ecclesiam servari Ordine perdi
autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo de causâ non solum in Israele verum postea in Ecclesia ex Judeis gentibus collectâ multos etiam diversos ministrorum ordines instituit and about twenty lines after addes these words Hac sone ratione quae etiam de Episcopis imo de quatuor Patriarchis ante ipsum etiam Concilium Nicaenum creatis constituta suerunt excusari defendique posse sentimus And that this learned man may give more light and strength to what he delivers in these two paragraphs in his observations upon these paragraphs he inserts a very sober and clear discourse out of Master Bucer de disciplina Clericali which is very well worth your reading The summe of it is what I have already set down and Bucers conclusion is Quia omnino necesse est ut singuli Clerici suos habeant proprios custodes curatores instauranda est ut Episcoporum ita Archidiaconorum aliorumque omnium quibuscunque censentur nominibus quibus portio aliqua commissa est custodiendi gubernandique Cleri authoritas potestas sed vigilantia animadversio ne quis omnino in hoc ordine sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the close of Bucers discourse not onely reciting but praysing and commending the constitution and custome of the old Church in the various distribution of the Ecclesiastical functions and degrees I have many years since heard a wise man affirme that a little insight into Natural Philosophy is apt to make a man an Atheist as a litttle knowledge in Physick creates an Emperick a little sight in the Law a petty fogger for it prides men with the confidence of knowledge and makes them pragmatical whereas a deep search in any art humbles the man brings him to the sight of his own mistakes and makes him sensible that truth as Plato was wont to say lay in the bottome of a deep well and without labour and a long rope it was not to be fetcht from thence Was it not so with Aristotle with Plato c whereas others upon the slight search of nature became Atheistical the last of these by his depth of enquiry became to acknowledge the prime cause of all things to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very little differing from that ineffable name by which God was made known to Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin Martyr Paraenetic ad Hellenas Exod. 3.14 I am that I am And the other not being able to search why the Euripus should ebbe and flow seven times a day cryed out O eus entium This shews what a little skill in any science and what a profound knowledge will do The one will raise strange confidences and Chimeras in the brain the other will allay and settle them He who would be quieted and satisfied about Church-government I could advise him to search this point to the depth for otherwise he may be transported with strange fancies His little knowledge may swell him too much and make him over-confident to practise upon the Church and make experiences before he is throughly skilful Whereas if he will stay his pace and not venture and vent his drugges till he hath consulted the Ancients and seen what judgment his fore-fathers and those that liv'd nearest the Apostolical times gave of them I beleeve he will not be over-hasty to prescribe any new dose especially when he shall finde that the old was held safe and sufficient to preserve the health of the Church and to prevent incroaching diseases This course if you disdain and dislike you condemn the whole Church of Christ from the first encreasing and spreading thereof to this present age and preferre your own wisdome before all the Martyrs Confessours Fathers Princes Bishops that have lived dyed governed in the Church of God since the Apostles times How well the height of your conceits can endure to blemish and reproach so many religious and famous lights of Christendom I know not What all the old Fathers all the zealous first Reformers all blinde in comparison of your selves for my part I wish the Church of God in our dayes may have the grace for piety and prudence to follow their steps and not to make the world believe that all the servants of Christ before we liv'd favoured and furthered the pride of Anti-Christ till now in the fagge end of the world when the faith of most men and their love and charity are quench'd and decay'd some new lights arose to restore the Church to that perfection of discipline which the Apostles never mentioned the Ancient fathers and Councils never remembred the Universal Church of Christ before us never conceived nor our chief Reformers never imagined for they have as you have heard delineated and commended the old way of discipline But here befoâ—e I end my general answer I must remove one block which some have cast in my way For I have heard it objected that these Patriarchs were Independents which I confesse in some sense is true because one Patriarch was not to intermeddle in the jurisdiction of another the Canons of the Church having set out the extent of their Provinces and limited their power But this will make nothing for the present Independency of Combinational Churches for they had Churches many Metropolitan sees many Diocesses under their power and over-sight But these have but one single Congregation Those could call Synods through their whole Province and punish any Bishop or Church-man or other under them An Independent dependent Church can call no Synod nor punish nor reforme any member that is not of their own society or Combination Those were not so absolute neither but they were bound upon their elections to informe their fellow Patriarchs and by theit communicatory letters to give accompt of it and of their faith The Pastours of the Combinational Churches are not accomptable to any sister-Church Lastly put case as it sometimes fell out that Factions that Schismes that Heresies arose in their Patriarchates the Church was not left remedilesse for the Patriarch or Church being not able to quell compose or extirpate them a General Council was call'd to which they were all inferiour and to whose verdict they were bound to stand as is evident in the case of Nestorius Dioscorus c. who were depos'd by general Councils and their Heresies condemned and the like may be said of Arrius and Eutiches condemn'd in general Councils which shews that the general Council was the supreme judicature and that the Patriarchs had their dependence on it and so were not absolute Independents Now for the calling of these and other Councils they had their warrant and pattern from the Apostles Acts 15. who to redresse a contention then arose in the Church call'd that Synod to Jerusalem and composed it And indeed were there no other argument against Independent or Congregational Churches Rutherford peace plea. c. 7. Concl. 4. Bayly c. 10. as there be very many and very
strong as you may read in Rutherford and Bayly out of him yet this one drawn from this Apostolike Synod I suppose were unanswerable No Synod can impose Decrees upon any Combinational Church That 's your own Maxime But this Synod did impose her Decrees upon those Churches which you say were Combinational This proposition is evident in the Scripture Acts 15. and verse 22 and 35. Therefore now if this Church of Antioch were subject to the authority of Synods what Church might plead a freedome from the like subjection and consequently none is Independent Thus have I as it were in a Table presented you with the plain face of Truth and sent it you bare and naked as Truth should be If the visage seem old the better 't is as I intended it that hinders not but she may be comely venerable amiable for he that will reverence and love truth he must do it because she is an Ancient Matron For Quod primum verum sed enim in omnibus veritas imaginem aniccedit pâ—stremo similitudo sucoedit Tertull. Praes c. 29. cap. 31. Ex ipso ordine manifestatur id esse Dominicum verum quod sit prius tradijtum id autem extraneum falsum quod sit posteriùs immissum A rule which that learned father often inculcates but nowhere more clearly then in this fourth book against Marcion where he hath these words by aggravation Tertull. l. 4. adversus Marcion c. 5. In summa si constat id verius quod prius id prius quod est ab initio ab initio quod ab Apostolis pariter utique constabit id ab Apostolis traditum quod apud Ecclesias Apostolicas fuerit sacrosanctum which Chapter is worth your reading for there the learned man refers the Original of Bishops to the Apostles intimates their succession which in many Churches he doth more clearly in the thirty second Chapter of his prescriptions This prime Truth I have here represented with her Ancient Officers about her the Bishops with a Presbytery of which in wisdome she thought fit to raise some higher not in Office but in Degree ne quid detrimenti Ecclesia capiat And this advancement was no new device neither for we read of Metropolitans and Primates before the Nicene Council as I have prov'd after of Patriarchs Yet all this while the Church remain'd a pure Virgin Thebulis being the fiâ—st that corrupted the Church Hegesipp apud Euseb l. 4 c. 21. Tertull. because he could not be a Bishop as did afterwards Valentinus and Marcion upon the same occasion and I had almost said Tertullian himself This certainly shewes that the Office of a Bishop even then was no contemptible dignity For certainly the rejection of such men from the over-sight of a Congregational Church could never work such men to so great discontent Of such parties they were the chief even after they had failed of their expected hopes No question they were of Diotrephes minde John Epi. 3.10 they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they desired to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primates so old is that word in the Church to which because they could not be admitted they corrupted it with their doctrines Ambition is by Charron call'd the shirt of the soul Charron of wisdome being the first garment that it puts on and the last that it puts off for men while there be men will be of aspiring minds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even a beggar will strive to be chief of his company and a tradesman to be Master over those of his own profession this cannot nor ever will be avoided Such thoughts have alwayes tickled Church-men Now to satisfie this desire God hath appointed higher places in his Church and so they be desired in a fair way and to lawful ends it is commendable 1 Tim. 3.1 ver 31. Conc. Afric Chalced. Sardic Naz. in Athanasij vitâ This is a true saying saith the Apostle If a man desire the office of a Bishop he desires a good work and again in the same Chapter they that have used the office of a Deacon well purchase unto themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faire step to ascend to a higher degree as first to a Presbyter then to a Bishop And it is written of Athanasius that he ascended by all these steps till he became Patriarch of Alexandria then he was set upon the highest step and yet this advancement of his or any other cannot hinder the government of the Church for being Aristocratical but confirms it rather since in this eminence he was to guide the Church not according to his own pleasure but according to the prescribed Canons of Synods and Councils from which if he erred he was liable to answer to the supreme Court of an Oecumenical Assemblie I have you see laid the foundation of the Churches government in Aristocracy of which Monarchy and Democracy are the extremes If you can shew me any Church that hath deviated from the middle way I shall confesse it to be corrupt And for the first it is easie to instance viz. the Romane Church whose Patriarch affects a Monarchy and his Courtiers and learned Rabbies the Jesuites plead stifly for it But then you must not take that way you do to prove it for the erection of Cathedral Parochial Diocesan Provincial and National Churches through his Patriarchate will never do it Since these were from the beginning in other Patriarchates and in his too when no Monarchy was ever dream'd of or challeng'd That his challenge I acknowledge to be a corruption And if any Church shall affect Democracy I shall say it is corrupted also in that it observes not that Apostolical rule of government and discipline which was then used as I have demonstrated It is then a great mistake in you to make the Presbyterial or Combinational Church to be the sole pure and Apostolical Church and that all Churches that are fallen off from that government are corrupted This if you can confirme fairely and firmly by unanswerable arguments as you make shew of then you have reason to fasten your degeneration and corruption on Cathedrals Parishes Diocesses Provinces and Nations but if this can never be done as I am assured it cannot then I shall affirme that the casting the Church into Cathedrals Parishes c. was not errour since by that the discipline of the Church might be better administred and the Aristocratical government far advanced and furthered And so having express'd unto you my thoughts in the general I now come to examine what you lay to the Churches charge in particular in the discussion of which I hope you will give me leave to prosecute my own method and I shall begin with the Cathedral which you say was the second degree but I conceive it the first Of this your words are SECT III. The words of the Letter The second degree of the Combinational Churches corruption
was the Cathedral Churches generation which did presume to alter and elevate the places and appellations of the Teacher Pastour Ruler and Deacon unto those unscripture-like titles of Lord-Bishop Dean Chancellor Surrogate Arch-Deacon who ventur'd to usurp the power of excommunication against the Members and Ministers of many Congregations in their Synods and Councils contrary to what was practic'd in that Orthodoxe pattern Acts 15.24 which is laid down and left as well for the imitation as information of after-ages whose work it was by Scripture-proofs to confute soul subverting positions and to confirme Christian doctrines without using any manner of authority to censure any mans person being that that is the expresse priviledge of the Presbyterial Church 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 2 Thes 3.15 The babe-age of which usurpation is made mention of as newly appearing in the world by what was exercised by Alexander of Alexandria against Eusebius of Nicomedia as well as against Arius in the reigne of Constantius and Constance the sonnes of Constantine the Emperour as it is to be seen in Socrat. Schol. Lib. 1. c. 3. compared with the 32 cap. lib. 2. and Evagr. lib. 1. cap. 6. Reply That I may return you a full answer I must take asunder into propositions what you here deliver You say 1. The Combinational Churches corruption was the Cathedral Churches generation 2. The corruption was by changing the places and appellations of Teachers c. into the titles of Lord Bishop Dean Chancellour Arch-Deacon 3. That they ventured to usurp the power of excommunication in their Synods and Councils 4. That this was contrary to the Orthodox pattern Acts 15. 5. Authority to censure any mans person is the expresse priviledge of the Presbyterial Church 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 2 Thes 3.15 6. Alexander ab Alexandria began this against Arrius and Eusebius of Nicomedia so that it was an usurpation and a new age in the Church 1. Proposition That the Combinational Churches corruption was the Cathedral Churches generation IT is a rule in Philosophy Non entis non sunt accidentia that corruptio is mutatio entis ab esse ad non esse tale That which is corrupted then must have an entity for else it can never be corrupted Now your Combinational Church in the time you speak of was a non en◠there was no such thing and then it could not be corrupted nor any other Church rise from that corruption Which shall further appear if we shall distinguish of the terme Cathedral which I hinted at first for as among Logical notions there be termini primi and à primo orti so also it is in this the word Cathedral being taken in a primitive and in a derivative sense If you take it in the prime sense it denotes unto us those places or chief Cities where the Apostles for some time or Apostolical men by their appointment took up their residence for conversion of the people and reglement of the Church hence it is that we so often read of in the fathers Cathedra Jacobi which was at Jerusalem Cathedra Petri which was for seven years at Antioch after at Alexandria and last of all Cathedra Apostolorum Petri Pauli at Rome In those Churches where they staid for any long time and preach'd and planted Religion which were commonly the Metropolis of that Province or Country as Ephesus Corinth Philippi at their departure they left a Bishop with a Presbytery to govern and thence these Churches were call'd Ecclesiae Cathedrales This is the prime importance of the word But after as Christianity was extended and Bishops were seated and erected in divers Diocesses they began to build Churches in which at first the Bishop and the Presbyters did reside who were to over-see the Diocesse and because of their residence in this place the Church in imitation of the Apostles Chairs was call'd the Cathedral Church Neither was this Cathedral so new Euseb l. 2. c. 17. as most men suppose For I shall not stick to call the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Egypt mentioned by Eusebius out of Philo the Jew a Cathedral it will seem so to any man that shall advisedly read that Chapter for he writes of their government of them to whom the Ecclesiastical Liturgies are committed Of their Deaconships of the presidency of Bishops placed above all To which that of Palladius will give much light for he saith Palladius in Histor Lausiaca that in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there were eight Presbyters and that so long as the chief over them liv'd none of the rest might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here the Scriptures were read prayers continued Hymnes and Canticles in every kind of Meeter sung to God penances transacted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the old Sabbath and every Lords day I cannot conceive but this might be a Cathedral even in this last sense I shall instance in another which was old Euseb l. 3. c. 23. even in Saint John's time the Apostle He commended the young man to the chief of all the Bishops can any man think he was lesse than a Metropolitane the man prov'd deboist ran from the Church and became a thief At his return John demanded of the Bishop his charge the Bishop sobbing and sighing said he is dead dead to God for he is become wicked and pernicious and to be short a Thief for he keeps this Mountain over against this Church together with his associates 't is more then probable this was a Material Church for how else could the hill be over against it and presently it is said that the Apostle hastened out of the Church Now I judge it to be Cathedral because he that was the chief of the Bishops had his residence in it Let it be also considered what Eusebius writes in his tenth book Euseb l. 10. c. 2. cap. 2. that in the beginning of Constantines reign that the Temples were again from the foundations erected to an unmeasurable height and received greater beauty than ever they enjoy'd before their destruction They were then before and were but now again erected And we of all other have least reason to doubt of this since Joseph of Arimathea erected a Church at Glastenbury as the best of our Historians record Gildas Spilman Cambden and Spilman hath in picture given us the extent and fashion and materials of it After divers other Cathedral Churches were erected in this Island by King Lucius if there be any truth in our Records at Landaff at London at Chester c. as you may read in Ephraim Pagetts Christianography part 3. page 1 c. Now take the Cathedral in which of these acceptions you please your assertion cannot have any truth in it Not in the first for then you make the Apostles the authours of this corruption since they were the erectors of these Cathedrals not in the last because they were erected after the Apostolical patterne The plain truth is that the corruption of
labour in doctrine as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which often signifies to rule And then your third word Rulers will come under that notion also and so Teachers Pastours and Rulers will not denote three distinct sorts of Church Officers which I have some reason to think you aime at but one and the same man qualified both to teach and to rule At Geneva Calvin and Beza were made both Pastours and Readers of Divinity being men so able to discharge both and yet no man did say that they did not content themselves with their pastoral votation or alledge against them He that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation For as I have often told you and have proved Lay-Ruling Elders except you mean Arbitratours there were never any in the Primitive Church The last word you use is Deacon Hieron ad Evagrium Epiph. lib. 1. Tom. 1. de adventu Christi in carnem And under that name are properly comprehended those who by the first institution were onely mensarum viduarum Ministri who if we beleeve Epiphanius were chose out of the seventy of which two of them did preach Stephen and Philip they were more than Deacons they were Evangelists and so Philip is stiled But he that shall heedfully consider Saint Pauls precepts and the conditions required by him in those that should be Deacons would easily collect that their Office was not onely a charge to look to the poor but that they were to attend the sacred services and Assemblies and even to be a step to the Ministry of the word I shall therefore willingly admit of the distinction that there were in the Primitive Church two sorts of Deacons One of the first institution who were to have a care of the poor and of a second kinde deputed by the Church who were to attend on the Church give unto eve y one present of the sanctified bread and wine to command the people silence attention Concil Ancyr Can. 2. Cypr. lib. 3. Epist 9 â—ust Apol. 2. Ignat. ad Heronem and devotion all which may be collected out of the Council of Ancyra Cyprian Justin Martyr and Ignatius who mentions his own Deac Heron at Antioch and Stephen to be the Deacon to Saint James at Jerusalem Thus much it was necessary to premise before we joyn'd issue now you charge us with presumption in removing the Landmarks that we have altered the places and appellations by bringing in of new names unscripture-like titles So belike it is not lawful to use any titles of honour or command but such as are used in Scripture The Jewes then belike offended when they used these unscripture-like titles of Reschignim Tsadikim Chasidim and so after the captivity they divided the people The Reschagnim were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked the Tsadikim their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their just men the Chasidim their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their good and holy men And yet Saint Paul serves himself of this distinction for questionlesse he alludes to it Rom. 5.6 7. amplifying the great love of Christ dying for us Scarcely for a righteous man will one dye yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to dye the gradation is this Some peradventure would dye for one of the Chasidim the good men scarcely for one of the Tsadikim for the just or righteous men But for Reschagnim or ungodly none would dye In this then appeared the love of Christ that when we were Reschagnim ungodly sinners Christ dyed for us A man is a Ruler of an Army and he shall not call some Majors some Colonells some Centurions Pentacurions Decurions c. because these are unscripture-like titles Nomen is rei notamen invented it was to denote the thing neither do I know which way it is possible to understand and distinguish but by names vox being rei conceptuum signum and therefore must necessarily be admitted if we will not confound our selves in the understanding of things But now to the names you mention Lord-Bishop Dean Chancellour Surrogate Arch-Deacon The end of two of these I finde in Scripture Bishop and Deacon but you 'll say the syllables Lord and Arch are unscripture-like I must confesse that I finde not Lord before Bishop in the Scripture nor Arch before Deacon but this will not prove that we have altered the places and appellations for what place have we altered either of Bishops or Deacons by calling one Lord-Bishop or the other Arch-Deacon Still the place and office is the same for the lord-Lord-Bishop hath no other power than he had at first which is potestas clavium nor the Arch-Deacon any more than he had to be oculus Episcopi and see that all be well administred that concerns the poor and service of the Church To be offended with a title is to pick straws especially when the substance is observed For how have we alter'd the places when we have yet in our Church Bishops who are Pastours Teachers and besides these publick Professours of Divinity Doctours Catechizers whom Saint Paul saith Saint Ambrose meant by Teachers such as were in the Churches of Alexandria Clemens Pantonus Origen Hicroclas As for those other three appellations Dean Chancellour Surrogate no Scripture can be brought for them nor needs it it being lawful no question to give fit names to things though no text can be produced otherwise your parties were to seek who call him who is to preside in a Synod by the name of a Proloquutor and those that govern in your Combinational Churches Lay-Elders and are not these unscripture-like for I finde no such titles in the Scriptures As for the name of Deane it is ancient and it signifies no more than that Presbyter who was the chief in any Collegiate Church and was to have a care that the Statutes of the Church were observed being like the the Principal Warden or President of a College and you may as well be offended with any of these Appellations as with this with which yet it is evident many of your party are well pleased for they enjoy it and the honour and profits notwithstanding the names are not found in Scripture And should any man lay this objection against any of them I dare say he would answer him with a smile I am confident he would who being a prime man among you at this day enjoyeth a Deanery and doubtlesse hugs himself applaudÃt sibi ipsi domi Aha I am warme I have been at the fire That you like the name nere the worse it was fetcht from the Militia The Romane souldiers were when drawn to their winter quarters to lodge by companies and so many as lodged together being commonly ten were called Contubernales the chief over them was called Decenus or decurio Hadrian Junius being praeses manipuli dexinier en guerre Gall or the Corporal from the Italian word Caporale or Spanish Corporal We in Enlglish Corporal
and from hence it was borrowed and brought into the Church that the chief of the Capitulum should be called Decan which I think is Arch-Presbyter 3. I come now to your other two dislik'd Appellations Chancellours and Surrogates That the Bishop was at first the chief Judge in his Church I have before proved and then no dought he might appoint his subordinate Officials This being a confessed rule in the Law that when any cause is committed to any man he is also conceived to receive full authority in all matters belonging to that cause When the Emperours became Christian they judged it equal and pious to reserve some causes to be tried in the Christian Court in which they constituted the Bishop to be the Judge These causes were properly called Ecclesiastical such as were Blasphemy Apostacy Heresies Schismes Orders Admissions institution of Clerks Cooks Reports fol. 8. Rites of Matrimony Probates of Wills Divorces and such like To give audience to these the Bishop otherwise imployed could not alway be present and yet there was no reason that for his absence justice should not take its course And in some of these had he been present great skill in Civil Lawes is requisite that they be ended aright This gave occasion to the Bishop to appoint his Chancellour and Surrogate A Chancellour who had his name à Cancellis within which he was to sit a man brought up in the Civil Lawes and therefore fit to decide such causes that did depend upon those Lawes who being at first a meere Lay-man and therefore having no power of Exommunication therefore the Bishop thought fit to adjoyne a Surrogate to him that in case that high censure were to be passed this man being in Orders and therefore invested with power actu primo and by Commission with the Bishops power actu secundo sub Episcopo rogatus being demanded and an Officer under the Bishop Actu primo might pronounce the Sentence This was the original of their names and power Now prudential necessity first instituted them and prudence where Episcopal power is of force continues them If a Superiour shall be pleased to revoke some of these causes which were by him made of Ecclesiastical cognizance and cause the litigants to take their trial at Common or Civil Law Vide the book of Order of Excommunication in Scotl. Hist of Scot Amon 2. pag. 46. then in the Church I confesse there will be no use of the Chancellour And if the rest shall be tried by the Bishop and his Presbytery as they were at first neither will there need much a Surrogate But now if that rule of the Presbytery should prove to be true who do challenge cognisance of all causes whatsoever which are sins directly or by reduction then they have power if not to nullifie yet to give liberty to play all Courts and Judicatories besides their own and must bring in thither Sollicitours Atturneys Counsellours Procters c. which will be as un-Scripture-like names as Chancellours and Surrogates Cinod de off Eccl. Joannes Epis Citri in respon ad cabasil Naz. Testam 4. The fourth Appellation that offends you is the Arch-Deacon who was a very ancient officer in the Church and of great esteeme in the Greek Church Neither was he chosen to that place by the Patriarch but came to it by seniority the name then gave him no power but onely this prerogative to be chief of the Deacons of the Church as if you would say of the eldest standing In the Church of England he was more than a Deacon for he was a Presbyter and his office was to be present at all ordinations to enquire into the life the manners the abilities and sufficiency of him who was to be ordained and either to reject him if he saw occasion or to present him to the Bishop to be ordained to induct into any Benefice that man who was instituted by the Bishop to have the care of the houses of God were kept decent and in good repair lastly to take account of all who had to do with the poors money And this last was it which gave him the name of the chief Deacon Ambr. lib. 1. de off c. 41. Prudentius for when the charity of the Church was great and ample gifts were bestowed to the relief of the poorer Christians the Church stock was ample as appears by Lawrence the Martyr who was Deacon to Sixtus Bishop of Rome martyred under Valerian This being committed to the Deacons care that no fraud might be committed as it hapned too oft in money-matters the Church thought fit to set one of the Deacons over the rest who might call them to account as ours were to do the Church-wardens and Overseers of the poor to whom they gave the name of the Arch-Deacon Now speak impartially what harme was in all this What that may offend you Deacon cannot and Arch should not since you know it signifies no more but chief or prime as in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarch And that you may carry some affection or at least not a loathing to it I pray call to memory that a worthy Martyr of our Church John Philpot adjudged to the fire and burnt in Queen Maryes dayes Fox Martyrol An. 1553. primo Mariae resigned up his soul in the flames being then Arch-Deacon of Winchester And that with him Master Cheiny and Master Elmour that refused to subscribe to the doctrine of Transubstantiation in the Convocation-house were both Arch-Deacons 5. But now I return back again to that Appellation Lord-Bishop at which so many have stumbled and been scandalized that others before you have done it I have reason to attribute to envie an evil eye but in you I shal onely impute it to inconsideration Gen. 24. 1 Kings 18. 2 Kings 2. 2 Kings 4. 2 Kings 8. For you are mighty in the Scriptures and therefore might have known that the Hebrew Adoni or the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Latine Dominus which in the Spanish is Don in the French Sciur in English Sir is onely a name of civility courtesie respect reverence By this Rebecca calls Abrahams servant Drink my Lord. By this Obadiah the Prophet Art thou my Lord Elijah By this the children of the Prophets the inhabitants of Hiericho the Sunamite and Hazael the Prophet Elisha By this Mary the Gardner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord or Sir if thou have taken him hence with this civil respect the Greeks accost Philip John 20.15 John 12.21 1 Pet. 3.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sir we would see Jesus In all which places the word imports onely a courteous and respectful compellation And St. Peter commends the woman that shall with this name endear her husband proposing the example of Sarah that obeyed Abraham and call'd him Lord. To a Bishop double honour respect reverence is due for he is comprised under the name of father in the Commandment and whom we
such of your Pastours who have declin'd the name I list not to grate your eares with this harsh musick but lay your hand upon your heart and say whether the Masters of your Congregations be not the men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is my witnesse and you partly know that I never was guilty of the smoothing of any mans pride of favouring of any mans rigorous domineering Of honour I alwayes thought him most worthy who I saw did least affect it affectation of honour and desire of superiority I know our Saviour prohibits and on the contrary humility lowlinesse and meeknesse is that which he commands And yet I see no reason why it should grieve any godly minde to hear a Bishop call'd by that name with which Saint Peter will'd every woman to call her husband and Mary Magdalen call'd him who had but a spade in his hand They are not titles that can swell any man who hath not pride in his heart and that may leven as much and puffe up him that puffs at this title and bears other names as he that was once call'd Lord Bishop And so much of the titles you except against I come now to what you lay to their charge Proposition 3. Who ventured to usurp the power of excommunication in their Synods and Councils WHO is a Relative and it hath so many Antecedents that I know not whether you referre it to all the fore-going titles or to some in particular To all you should not for the Dean intermedled not with excommunications the Chancellour de facto did but should not so I grant you that was an usurpation and complain'd on and preach'd down by me as well as decryed by you The Surrogate and Arch-Deacon did but then it was not jure nativo but delegato for their commission they had from the Bishops I shall therefore more willingly conceive your thoughts reflect upon them and especially because you mention Synods and Councils which they alone at first had power to assemble But then to affirme that it was an usurped power in them to excommunicate in Synods and Councils seems to me a Paradox For I shall here ask whether the Bishops being not assembled in Synods or Councils had power to excommunicate or no If you say they had then it will seem strange that meeting in Synods and Councils they should lose this power This is as if you should say that Corporations meeting in Council should lose the power which every single Alderman had before he came thither or the people their rights and priviledges when assembled in Parliament which they had before Vis unita sortior and certainly what power any man hath to act singly and by himself when he meets with other Commissioners associated in that power he works more vigorously and his act is of the greater authority But if you shall say that the Bishops had no power of excommunication nor then nor before nor in Council nor out of it you plainly contradict the Scriptures which I shall evidence unto you by examining the Commission given the Apostles and their practice and what is true of the Apostles will be as true of the Bishops for I have before proved unto you they were their Successors and by them setled in some Churches And the ordinary power which was given to the Apostles was given to them for otherwise Christs promise cannot be verifyed behold I am with you signanter to the end of the world John 20. The Commission is extant As my Father sent me so send I you and then presently breathing on them he addes Receive the Holy Ghost Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted whose sinnes ye retain they are retained Cyril lib. 12. in Joan. cap. 55. Cyprian de unit Ecclesiae Epist 73. ad Julian which words are understood by all the Ancient Doctours of authority as though he said that with the same power and authority my Father sent me into the world to gather and govern my Church I do also send you that is with all spiritual power necessary to your office and charge Now I ask whether the Apostles must be assembled in Council or not when they were to execute this authority if you say they must then you grant the question for then the sentence of excommunication may be passed in a Synod or Council If you should say they could not then a single Apostle could not excommunicate which I yet never heard affirmed all granting that they were pares potestate except the Papist who will have all Episcopal power and authority originally invested in Saint Peter and from him derived to others But this I conceive you will not say neither when I finde St. Paul assuming this power to himself 2 Cor. 13.10 Therefore I write these things being absent lest being present I should use sharpnesse according to the power the Lord hath given me What can be more plain power given by the Lord to me a single Apostle and therefore he tells them that heretofore had sinned Ver. 2. and to all other that if he came again he would not spare spare to lay his rod upon them For in the first Epistle he proposeth such a thing to them and wills them to consider of it quid vult is what will you 1 Cor. 4.21 shall I come unto you with a rod or in love or in the Spirit of meeknesse as who should say choose which you will Compare this with 2 Cor. 10.4 8 9 10 11. verses and you will easily conclude that a single Apostle had authority enough to lay his rod upon a scandalous contumacious offender This for the power now to the practice According to this power Saint Paul exercised judgment and gave sentence in a certain grievous case of incest among the said Corinthians in these words I absent in body but present in spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath done this deed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together 1 Cor. 5.3 4 5 and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one to Satan Who I pray was it that censured this man was it not the Apostle himself If I understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ego judicavi it must be so And the same Apostle writing to his Scholar Timothy makes mention of another sentence by him pronounced against Hymenaeus and Alexander two seditious and heretical men whom saith he I have delivered ego tradidi 1 Tim. 1 2◠to Satan i. e. excommunicated and cut off from the Church of God that they may learn not to blaspheme What should I tell you that the learned draw the words of Saint Peter to Simon Magus to this purpose Acts 8.21 Thou hast no part nor lot in this matter That Diotrephes cast some out of the Church it was his fault but for this Saint John when he came Joh. Ep. 3.10 threatens to remember
his deeds i. e. as all Expositors agree by his Apostolical power to proceed against him From the Apostles I descend lower First to the Angels of the Churches who were commended for not bearing with them that were evil and for trying them who said they were Apostles Revel 2.2.6.20 1 Tim. 5.19 20 21 22. Tit. 3.10 but found upon tryal lyars and again blamed when they neglected their duties They were neither worthy of praise nor yet blame-worthy had they not had authority in their hands Timothy is commanded to do the like at Ephesus Titus at Crete Yea but perhaps it may be replyed these directions were not given to Timothy and Titus as single Bishops but as chief of a Presbytery well then the conclusion will hence easily follow that a Bishop with his Presbytery may excommunicate If so then I pray tell me what usurpation it can be for Bishops assembled in a Synod or Council to do the like They being chief cannot want that authority which the Presbytery hath and why then should they not use it From an inferiour to a superiour power the argument follows strongly The Justices may punish such or such a Malefactour much more the Judges but much more the Superiour that empowred them The reason is the same The Bishop with the Presbytery may cast a scandalous person out of the Church therefore much more the Bishops themselves assembled in Councils because among them there is a subordination And what a lesser power may do that a higher may which is empowred to that end Thus have I wrestled with your assertion and foil'd it I come next to grapple with your reason and if that prove to be weak your affirmation will fall of it self You say Proposition 4. That this was contrary to what was practised in the Orthodox pattern Acts 15.24 which was laid down and left as well for the imitation as information of after-ages FIrst I thank you that you grant this Synod to be a pattern for after-ages to imitate and be informed by For first then we have from this a sufficient authority to call Synods and Councils Secondly a pattern to imitate in making Decrees that it be by way of deliberation declaration and decision Act. 15. ver 7. For the acts of this Council which the Presbyters and brethren used were disputative or in genere deliberativo they disputed Saint Peters act was declarative and when there had been much disputing Verse 12. Ver. 19. Peter rose up and said c. and the like was that of Barnabas and Paul But Saint James his act was decisive wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I judge or give sentence Thirdly There ought to be a President in a Council who is to moderate the whole action and to pronounce the sentence Fourthly That the Synodical decrees materially and Ecclesiastically are obligatory Ver. 22.23 Acts 16.4 Acts 21.25 and tye the absent as this did the Churches of Syria Cilicia yea and all the Churches of the Gentiles who had no Commissioners in that Synod as well as those of Jerusalem and Antioch Fifthly that the chief man of a Council is that you say by Scripture-proof to confute soul-subverting positions and to confirme Christian doctrines as it was in this But this was not the sole end for another there was viz. to cast out of the Church Disturbers and Hereticks as I shall by and by make good unto you and so your position of usurpation in Bishops of the rod will not prove true But this you say was contrary to the orthodox pattern how so I pray if a contrariety then it must be opposite and I have never yet heard that subordinate ends come under any species of opposition A man bindes his son Prentice his end is that he learn and be skilful in his profession but yet he hath a farther reach which is that he may get a livelyhood the first he intends lesse principally the last chiefly and can a man say now that these two ends are contrary or thwart one the other when indeed they are but subservient the one to the other and the like is to be said of all intermediate ends For that rule of the Civilians is most true finis principalis non tollit accessorium to apply this the chief end of the Apostolical Synod was to confute false positions and establish the truth suppose now that they had there pronounced an Anathema against those Jewish Christians who would be still zealous for circumcision and the observation of Moses Law after the publication of their decree had this been contrary and opposite to their first and prime intent you cannot say it Neither is it then contrary when a company of Bishops meet in a Synod or Council to illustrate and hold forth the truth and condemn heresies that they passe also a censure upon the Hereticks I can finde no contrariety or opposition in this Yea but you 'll say here 's no pattern for it Neither is it necessary it sufficeth that here is a pattern set to compasse the chief end of all Councils as for the accessories they may be regulated by prudence A Prince calls a Parliament in it there be good Laws established for the peace of his Territories and not one delinquent punished or censured Must this particular Session be such an absolute pattern to all following Parliaments that shall onely make good Laws and never call to question or passe sentence upon any offender I hope you will not say so neither can you say it in this case For I find the Apostles singly as I have proved and out of Council to have done it and therefore I doubt not that if being in Council assembled they had done it it had been no errour Yea but this you 'll say could not be done For it follows Proposition 5. To censure any mans person is the expresse priviledge of the Presbyterial Church 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 2 Thes 3.15 PRiviledges and Prerogatives are tender things and it behoves those who stand for them to produce infallible Records lest it appear their claim be louder than their right A Corporation struggles hard for a priviledge fees a Lawyer to plead their Charter he picks out some weak words in it that may look that way at last the Judge tells him that he hath betrayed his Clients cause for the words in the Charter carry no such meaning The like I must say to you A priviledge you plead for your Corps the Presbyterial Church the evidence you give for it is out of Gods great Charter 1 Cor. 5. 2 Thes 3. Now if you had studied to betray your case you could not I believe have lighted upon two more weake evidences For doth Saint Paul assert a priviledge of the Presbyterial Church in that place of the Corinths where he makes himself the Judge where he passeth censure himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have decreed or judged he asketh not their consents he prayeth not their aid he referreth not
the matter to their liking I have saith he already determined afore he wrote and before they read that part of his Epistle And what to do to joyne with them to deliver this trespasser to Satan No saith he I have already decreed to deliver him By what means what by their power and priviledge not so but by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Then for ought we can finde in this place the Apostle though absent decreed to do the deed himself by the power of Christ and not by the consent and help of the Corinthians Certainly had this been a Priviledge of the Presbyterial Church Saint Paul would never have invaded it what an Apostle guilty of such presumption such usurpation Yea but the sentence was to be pronounced by them When ye are gathered together in my Spirit i. e. my power my authority then deliver True they were bound to do it but by what right their own or the Apostles by his certainly for it is In my spirit So all their power is delegate not native 't is derivative not primitive declarative not judiciary and consequently from this place no priviledge of the Presbyterial Church to censure any mans person can be deduced But rather the quite contrary in that the Apostle a single person judged and decreed without them I shall mind you what may well be concluded hence which is that the censure should not be past in a corner but in a full Assembly because the Apostle saith When ye are gathered together and if you shall complaine that it was otherwise I shall not stick to confesse that your complaint is just and I have and shall ever joyn with you in it But I shall adde what strength I can to your plea out of this chapter Some may say the authority was in the Presbyterial Church because the Apostle reprehends them verse 2. that they had not past censures on the peccant Ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned that he that hath done this deed may be taken from you That I may give light to this dark place A custome was used in the Church when any was to be excommunicated to joyn in mourning This duty the Corinthians had neglected and he reproves them for it they were puffed up in an opinion of their own deeper wisdome they joyned not in mourning they complained not to Christ or his Apostle that a Censure might passe on such a one This was their fault for a course they should have taken that such a one should be taken away But by whom that 's the question Not by them to be sure For Taken away from you implies that it is by the power of another not by their act for no man can take any thing from himself He may put it away not take it the expression had been veen very imperfect if this had been the meaning And so for you nothing can be included hence But again it may be objected verse 7. Purge ye out the old leaven And again verse 12. Do ye not judge these who are within where purging and judging is laid upon vos and is therefore a Church-priviledge I answer that vos is no way exclusive of the Apostles power but rather includes it for sure he may judge them that are within the Church and doth it verse 3. Vos then hath reference to this third verse Vos you gathered together in my Spirit do you purge out the old leaven do you judge those who are within You to whom the Keys are given you to whom I have delegated my power being of the Presbytery not the Layity do you judge and purge This is the clear intent of the Apostle and so hath been given by all ancient Interpreters Whence it will follow that a Presbyterial priviledge to excommunicate can have no footing in this chapter As for that other place 2 Thess 3.15 it gives no countenance at all to the Presbyterial Church for Censure For the Apostle gives order onely about a disorderly person that he might be signified to him by a letter that if occasion required he might be censured yea in expresse termes forbids them to Censure him Matth. 18.17 For he saith Count him not as an enemy that is as an Heathen for so the word enemy probably signifies Rom. 11.28 Ephes 2.16 I must confesse ingenuously unto you if I would pick out an argument against the Presbyterial priviledge to censure I would make choise of this place for to what purpose would the Apostle have this unruly man noted by a letter if they had power to proceed against him Now why nor they nor the Church of Corinth had not power without the Apostle to Censure I have given you an account before and need not here repeat it You see you must produce stronger evidence for your priviledge than hitherto you have done before I can yield it And I am confident that better you cannot bring forth Since the power of Censures must be necessarily in some hands I shall leave them in theirs that they have beene for sixteen hundred years Primarily in Bishops by commission and delegation in Presbyters and therefore much more in both assembled in Councils so that it cannot be any presumption or usurpation of power if in them they use their authority to censure any mans person of which you assign the time to be Anno Dom. 320. or thereabout when Proposition 6. Alexander Patriarch of Alexandria began this usurpation against Arius and Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia in the reigne of Constantius and Constance JF there were no more to be said for it yet this were Antiquity sufficient that it was used in the Church before the Nicene Council about 1300. years ago This would be thought on 2. Next I could wish that you were better versed in the Records of the Church the histories of those first times and acts and proceedings of Councils for then I am perswaded you would never have pointed out Constantines dayes for the babe-age of that usurpation for clear it is that there then was no more done but what was ordered to be done and was done before Read but the Apostolical Canons Apost Can. 3.6 7 8 12 29. and in most of them you shall meet with these phrases Si quis Episcopus Presbyter Diaconus Laicus c. be found guilty of such or such an offence deponatur excommunicetur dejiciatur eijciatur abjiciatur communione privetur damnetur ab Ecclesia penitus abscindatur Again in the Council of Ancyra order is taken that some be deprived of the Sacrament for three some for four Conc. Ancyr c. 4 6 8. some for five some for fifteen years some a longer time all which space they should be reckoned among the penitents Basil Can. 58.77 to which order those two Canons in Basil give great light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And again Can. 77. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zozomen lib. 7. cap. 17. For these were the four Classes of the Penitents
in the Primitive Church And it is evident that they charged the execution of these Canons upon the Bishops first because they had power that to those who by humility and teares and patience Zonaras in Explic Can. 12. Conc. Nic. Alcimus Epist 16. Conc. Nic. Can. 5. Conc. Antioch cap. 20. and alms-deeds did demonstrate their conversion to be sincere and unfeined to remit the severity of the Canon So Alcimus to Victorius the Bishop Authoritatis vestrae est errantium compunctione perspectâ severitatis ordinem temperare And secondly because they ordained that in every Province twice ever year there should be a Synod that all the Bishops of the Province meeting together might in common examine such questions as are occurrent in every place and particularly to enquire si forte aliqua indignatione aut contentione aut qualibet commotione sui Episcopi excommunicati quidam sint This was the Church Ordinance set before the time you speak of which clearly makes against you and now I shall shew you de facto what was done before that time too In Asia there was held sundry Synods about the time of the Emperour Commodus Euseb l. 5. c. 16 19. in which Montanus was excommunicated and his Heresie condemned Victor about the same time held a Synod at Rome and excommunicated all the Easterne Bishops about the celebration of Easter Euseb l. 6.23 24 25. which Act of his though unjust yet it shewes the judgment of those times that such a thing upon a just occasion he might do and that it was no usurpation in a Bishop with his Council to censure any mans person Again under the Emperour Decius there was a Synod gathered together at Rome of 60. Euseb l. 6. c. 43. Bishops besides many Ministers nd Deacons whither also there came many Pastours of other Provinces where by uniforme consent of all it was decreed that Novatus together with such as swelled and consented to his unnatural opinion repugnant to brotherly love should be excommuicated and banished the Church And the same was confirmed by another Synod held at Antioch by Elenus Firmilian Yheoctistus I passe by here the several Censures passed in the Synod held at Carthage upon the Lapsi and Thurificati as may be seen in very many Epistles of Cyprian To give light to this there is not any example more evident than the Synod of Antioch held about sixty years before the Council of Nice where Paulus Samosatenus the Bishop of Antioch was deposed and condemned for Heresie Euseb l. 7. c. 30 The Epistle then written by the Bishops Presbyters c. to Dionysius Bishop of Rome and Maximus Bishop of Alexandria c. is yet extant wherein they write thus Wherefore necessity constraining us so to do we excommunicated the sworn adversary of God viz. Paulus Samosatenus and placed Donneus in his roome c. Farther yet there was a Council of 320. Caranza Platina Tom. 1. Conc. apud Binnium Bishops called together at Sinuessa in Italy where Marcellinus Bishop of Rome was condemnatus anathematizatus accepit Maranatha And all these instances I am able to give you before that yo name so that there it cannot be true which you say that the babe-age of this usurpation is made mention of as newly appearing in the world by what was exercised by Alexander of Alexandria against Eusebius of Nicomedia as well as against Arius in the reign of Constantius and Constance c. In relation of which story you are not exact enough neither For I read not of any power that Alexander usurped over Eusebius nor any Censure he passed upon him he wrote indeed a letter to the brethren of the Churches that they should beware of Eusebius and his Arianisme because he was the patron and ringleader of the Apostates in his letter he sharply reproved him but he censured him not neither indeed could he because he belonged to the jurisdsction of another Patriarch But touching Arius and his adherents he summoned together a Council of many Bishops and deprived him and such as favoured his opinion Achillas Aeithales Carpomes a second Arius c. of the Priestly order And this he might do for they were under the jurisdiction of the Church of Alexandria But the Heresie being not so extinct and matters growing by the contenders to greater heat Constantine thought good to call the Nicene Council where the question was debated the Creed called the Nicene composed the clause of one substance ratified and the 318. Bishops except five subscribed unto it viz. Eusebius Theognis Maris Theonas Secundus These derided the clause Socrates lib. 1. cap. 8. and would not subscribe to the deposition of Arius For which cause the Council accursed Arius and all his adherents and forbade him Alexandria Moreover by the Emperours Edict Arius Eusebius Theognis were banished cap. 14. But Eusebius and Theognis recanted All this was done in the reigne of Constantine while he was alive it was that Alexander first then the Council proceeded against Arius and his adherents cap. 38. and under Constantine it was that that Arch-heretique came to that miserable end Yea and Alexander himself died also and Athanasius was chosen Bishop in his stead before Constantine died cap. 15. So that it cannot be possibly true which you say that Alexander of Alexandria did exercise or usurpe authority against Arius in the reigne of Constantius and Constance for while their father lived they were not Emperours Socrat. l. 2. c. 32 Well as you intimate and direct me I turne to the second book of Socrates cap. 82. but in the Gree. 40. and 41. chap. but there I finde no mention of Alexander nor Arius A Council at Seleucia we there read of called in Constantius's time and that there was hot disputes betwixt the Arians and the Orthodox but at last the Orthodox prevailed deposed Acacius the Arian and his complices and excommunicated divers others among which was Eusebius Socrates lib. ◠cap. 2. lib. 1. cap 23. 29. graec whether it was he of Nicomedia or no it appears not but in all probability it is the same man because after his recantation he relapsed to his Arianisme and was one of the persecutors of Athanasius However this makes against you for here we finde some Bishops deposed others excommunicated by a Council But this by the way In the last place you send me to Evagrius lib. 1. cap. 6. but to seek for what I know not for I pray look again and you shall not finde any thing of Alexander Arius Evagr. lib. 1. cap. 6. or Eusebius no nor their names in that chapter 't is wholly of another matter and nothing to your purpose and therefore I passe it by and set it for a cypher But were your opinion true that it were usurpation for Bishops assembled in a Council to censure any mans person consider I pray what an aspersion you lay upon the first four general
Councils who have been hitherto received with so much veneration by the whole Church of God For in every one of these we finde the Heresies and the Heretiques censured In that of Nice Arius and Arianisme in that of Constantinople Eunomius Arius Macedonius Photinus Apollinarius and their Heresies in that of Ephesus Nestorius and Nestorianisme in that of Chalcedâ—n Dioscorus Eutyches Caranza in his Council and Eutychianisme I verily beleeve these grave Fathers the flower then of the Christian world renowned for piety honoured for learning and integrity would never have ventured to have passed so dreadful a Censure upon any mans person had they not been verily perswaded that from the Word of God they had a sufficient warrant to authorize them unto it I shall shut up this point when I have told you that it seemes to me very unreasonable that a few met together as in a Congregational Church they cannot be many should have a priviledge to do that which the Catholique Church assembled in a general Council should not be able to do or if they did should be noted with the black Character of usurpation or presumption and so much of this I come next to that corruption which you say was brought upon your Combinational or Presbyterial Church by the Parochial Of which your words are these that follow SECT IV. The words of the Letter Mr. Matthews THE first rise of the rottening of the Church was its falling from the pure poor Presbyterial Church which in respect of its primitive constitution was composed made up of living stones namely lively Members and laborious Ministers being fastly and firmly knit unto the Lord Jesus as their only head by faith and one to the other by a fraternal Covenant of fervent love according to the pattern which was proposed prescribed in both Testaments Is 44.5 Jer. 50.5 Ezek. 20.37 Zach. 11.7 10 14. 2 Cor. 8.5 Ephes 2.13 19 22. Col. 2.2 19. 1 Pet. 2.5 into an impure unpolished parochial Church At that time when ceasing to elect or ordain a Teacher a Pastour a Ruler a Deacon or Diaconesse or Widow in conformity to the heavenly Canon Rom. 12.7 15.4 16.1 compared with 1 Tim. 3.1 and Titus 1.5 6. it was well content to admit and accept of a Parson a Vicar a Warden an Over-seer of the poor and a Mid-wife By which wisdome of the flesh being no better then enmity against God within a short time after the dayes of the Apostles Christs spiritual house as well growing and living Temple was turned and transformed into a carnal and dead Town or Apostatizing Parish The very beginning and breeding of which Parochial Church is seen to have been in the time of Polycarp and Irenaeus one of them being an Elder of the Church at Smyrna and a disciple of John the Evangelist and the other a Pastour at Lyons and a disciple of that Polycarp as any man may easily perceive that will peruse what is to be observed in Eusebius his Ecclesiastical history lib. 4. c. 14. 15. lib. 5. cap. 23. 24. The Reply That my answer may be the clearer to what you here propose I shall cast your words into this method For first I will consider of 1. The constitution and description you give us here of your Presbyterial Church and the proofs you bring for it out of both Testaments 2. Whether the rottening of this Church was the falling of it from a poor pure Presbyterial Church into an impure unpolish'd Parochial Church 3. Whether your assertion be true that when it ceased to elect or ordain either a Teacher a Pastour a Ruler a Deacon Deaconesse or Widow in conformity to the Canon Rom. 12.15 16. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1.5 but admitted of a Parson Vicar c. that then it was corrupted and became an Apostatizing Parish 4. Whether the beginning and breeding of this Apostacy and corruption began in Polycarps and Iraeneus dayes These four points being examined the weaknesse of your aspersion will very evidently appear And first to the first 1. You say That the Presbyterial Church in respect of its Primitive constitution was composed and made up of living stones namely lively members c. NOw here I must put you in minde of an old Proverb Cantherius in porta For you stumble in your first setting out and go about to impose upon me by a fallacy which if you will not grant I shall clearly deny your description for you discourse à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter I am confident you will not deny but your Presbytyrial Church is a part of Christs Militant Church visible with us on earth And that is compared to a Net in which be good and bad fish to a field in which are wheat and tares to a Barn-floor in which is Corn and Chaffe to a house in which are vessels of honour and dishonour Your visible Presbyterial Church for ought I know then must be like all other Churches have in it professours as well as true beleevers hypocrites as well as sincere worshippers which if you should deny I would ask you whether the Church Acts 2. or any that the Apostles planted were Presbyterial Churches or not If they were not there was never any if they were then there may be hypocrites and profane persons in them For in those we read of Ananias Sapphyra Simon Magus Hymineus Alexander Demas Diotrophes the Nicolaitans and those that said they were Apostles and were not How then was the Primitive Church composed and made up of none but living stones Here then lies the fallacy à dicto secundum quid The Church in respect of the Elect who to us are invisible that belong unto the mystical body of Christ is composed of living stones namely lively members c. and thus much those texts you produce very strongly prove But the Church as it is Militant and visible of which you must speak because you speak of a Presbyterial Church comprehends all sorts in it who though they be true real and univocal parts of the visible body yet they are but aequivocal parts of the mystical and to them your description belongs not To argue then from the part to the whole is a fallacy Some in the Presbyterial Church are living stones therefore the whole Presbyterial Church is in its Primitive constitution composed of these is fallacious We grant that it were earnestly to be wish'd and all lawful means would be diligently used both by Pastour and people to have all the members of a Church most holy and gracious But to say a Church hath no right constitution where all the members are not such is a foule errour For never yet was their any Church of such a constitution not the Domestical under the fathers not the Jewish or National under Moses not the Christian under the Apostles themselves and therefore assume not that to your Presbyterial Church which yet never was in any nor never shall be All Churches as visible
consist of heterogeneous parts and so doth yours which if it should marre the constitution of a Church it must needs marre yours as well as others For I hope you will not say that all yours are Saints more than by calling and so are all Christians even those at Corinth and all 1 Cor. 16.2 Cap. 1.12 13. cap. 5.1 cap. 6.15 cap. 11.21 cap. 15.35 cap. 8.12 13. among whom yet were schismatical and contentious persons envying and strife incest and incest tolerated going to Law with their brethren Harlotry coming to the Lords Table drunk a denying of a fundamental point of saith the resurrection little charity to the weak brother Now then if Corinth were a Presbyterial Church certainly in the Primitive constitution it was not composed of living stones onely c. To conclude to the constitution of a Church there can be but two things required the materiale and the formale the matter are a people gathered and united called by the Word to live in a divine policy under Christ their head The forme that unites them to him is as you say rightly faith and charity That they be truly and indeed united to him requisite it is that their faith be lively working by love But that they be united to the body the visible Church which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no more nor can be no more expected but that they make outwardly a profession of faith and fraternal love For whether either be true unfeigned and sincere or no we can never know and should we stay till those were manifest unto us it would be long enough before we should constitute our's or you your Church pray take this better into your consideration Now I proceed to that wh ch you more aime at viz. 2. That the rise of the rottening of the Church was its falling from a pure poor Presbyterial Church into an impure unpolished Parochial Church TO which I have this to say First that if this position be true then Amesius was mistaken Ames Med. l. 1. cap. 39. Sect. 22. who makes a Combinational Church all one with a Parochial He tells us there of a Church instituted by God and saith that it was not National Provincial nor Diocesan but Parochialis vel unius Congregationis cujus membra inter se combinantur ordinarie couveniunt in eodem loco ad publicum Religionis exercitium If you shall say that this kind of Parochial Church differs from ours at this day because it is combined in Covenant which ours is not I grant it but adde that such a Combination is not necessary For I know no other Covenant requisite but that in Baptisme to make a man a member of any Church as I formerly proved unto you Neither can you give any one instance of any such Covenant before your time was taken by any Parochial Church in Amesius sense Secondly I shall here again put you in minde of that I intimated at first about this word Parochia and give you farther light in it For Parochia hath a double acception eirher as it was at first Selden of tyths cap. 6. Sect. 3. or as it is used in our dayes At first the word Parochia denoted a whole Bishoprick which is but a greater Parish and signified no other than a Diocesse That in these there were Towns and Villages cannot be denyed for the proof of this we need but run over the names of Cities Towns c. of Judea mentioned in the Old and New Testament and all plantations will teach us that in processe of time it comes to be thus at first in greater Cities then in these Religion was planted Among these it cannot be well conceived that the whole hamlet was at once converted but it must be done by little and little till at last the whole Township received the faith Together then they met for the service of God and as the Jewes in their several Towns had to that purpose their Synagogues so Christians began to think of convenient places where they might meet to this purpose as you in New-England they built them Churches and so from meeting in private houses they met in these Where yet they entered not into a Combination to be an absolute and Independent Congregation but did depend on the chief Church where the Bishop was resident and this is evident by what I shall now say The Pastours of these Parishes were such as the Bishop appointed under him to have care of souls in them and those are they Conc. Neoces cap. 58. Conc. Antioch cap. 87. 89. whom the Old Greek Councils call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the Churches where they kept their cure the offerings of devout Christians were received All that was received in the Bishoprick was as a common treasury to be thus dispensed one part of it was allowed the maintenance of the Ministry another to the relief of the poor sick and strangers a third Conc. Antioch cap. 103 104. to the reparation of Churches the fourth part to the Bishop Thus it was many years before the Council of Nice that the Bishops Parochia extended far and that the whole was under his jurisdiction and consequently had not absolute power within themselves 2. But when the word Parish in that sense it is now used began it is not so easie to avouch yet for it we have these Records Damasus in pontific Euseb l. 2. c. 17. Epiphan Haeres 69. Euseb l. 6. c. 43. Evaristus who lived in Trajans time and succeeded Clemens divided Rome into seven Parishes assigning to every one a Presbyter And it may be easily collected out of Eusebius that it was thus at Alexandria and Epiphanius names many which bore these titles Theonae Serapionis Pierii Persiae Diseae Mendidii Amriani Baucalis c. For indeed necessity required it when the Christians grew to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Cornelius called the Christians and did implâ—re omnia Tertull. Apol. cap. 37. Then they were forced to divide Congregations and assigne several Presbyters to their cures yet in subordination to their Bishops as is evident in all Records of the Church This being so how is it possible that the rottening of the pure poor Presbyterial Church should be the rise of the Parochial when the Parochial in the first sense was the first Church that ever was in the world as I have before manifested In which sense it is that Cyril calls Saint James Cyril Catechis 16. primum hujus Parochiae meaning Jerusal Episcopum and in that signification it is very obvious to be read in the old Councils of both tongues as Filesacus hath observed you then argue ex non concessis For in the first sense the Parochial had the precedency and was older than your new device Your Combinational might corrupt and rotten it but that could never corrupt and rotten that which was not If you take it
in the last for Parishes as they after were restrained and are constituted at this day you must shew that your Church had the priority of them which you are never able to do else you cannot say that they corrupted it And indeed your allegation that follows is so weak that any man who reads and considers it will suspect that you have little to say for your cause 3. At that time this was when ceasing to elect and ordain either a Teacher a Pastour a Ruler a Deacon or Deaconesse or Widow in conformity to the heavenly Canon Rom. 12.7 15.4 16.1 compared with 1 Tim. 3.1 Titus 1.5.6 it was well content with a Parson a Vicar a Warden an Over-seer of the Poor and a Midwife THE time of this corruption you point out and set it to be when it ceased to elect and ordain a Teacher c. Here again you commit the same errour supposing I am bound to trust and beleeve you on your bare word Ceasing to do any thing presupposeth that there was a time when one might or did do it Now it behoveth you to shew the time when Parishes in general for particulars will make no rule and few very few are to be given did ever elect their Pastour I am sure to ordain him in antiquity you can produce not one example 'T is not possible since the Records of the Church are open and he that runnes may read them that at first the Teacher and Pastour sent to any Church was sent and there placed by the Bishop The instances are so many and the practice of the Church so universal that it were lost labour to produce them yet here I shall ask you onely one question if this were a corruption I wonder why by your pure Presbyterial Church it is retained why are men now elected approved sent and setled to be Parsons and Vicars in Parish Churches who you know are neither elected nor ordained by that Church over whom they are set Remove this beam out of your own eye before you see the mote in you brothers Well but what was the errour this that the Parish contented it self with a Parson and Vicar for a Pastour Teacher and Ruler as if the Parson and Vicar might not be all these might not feed teach and rule his flock what should hinder him for call him by what name you please his office and duty is the same and a Parson and Vicar is bound as much to feed teach and guide his flock as is your Pastour Teacher and Ruler and must answer the neglect of it as well as they this is to seek a knot in a rush Be pleased to translate Parson by a Latine word and you shall alwayes finde it rendred by Pastor or Rector Ecclesiae and how then is the man or his name changed and if the Latines may content themselves to be under the Pastor or Rector I see no reason but the English may as well be content with their Parson He because in case of necessary absence disability of body age or other casualties which may be when the Parish was of a very large extent assumed unto him a helper who because he was vices ejus supplere was called Vicarius this was the original of Vicars and that you look not so strangely at the name in the old Law the High Priest had his Sagan Casaubon Exerc 13. Num. 9. who in case of the High Priests pollution performed his office such was Zephaniah 2 Reg. 25.18 and nAnas unto Caiaphas the Chorepiscopi were of the same kind to the Bishops of old And the Protosincelli to the Patriarchs of Constantinople And in this there was no hurt that came in from Rome when by appropriations of the revenues of the Church to Abbies Monasteries Selden of tyths cap. 12. Sect. 1. c. perpetual Vicarages were erected But this was so late that no injury could be done to the Combinational Church by it since that was corrupted and gone when Parishes were erected many hundred years before and then there were none of these Vicars in rerum natura I see not then to what purpose this name is here inserted except to make up the tale and the same may be said of the Parson also for it is no ancient name A Deacon we retain though in another employment and probably in the very office that Timothy puts Vide sis Aretii loc Commun loc 66. de Diaconis and indeed instead of those that served Tables we have Wardens and Over-seers of the poor which at first was but a meer secular but charitable employment as was a Deaconesse and putting honest men into such an employment though under another name is no corruption of any Churches constitution for it marrs not the matter nor form of it How your Mid-wife comes in I must professe I am to seek for I never heard any man more look upon her as an officious and useful hand-maid of the Church then upon the Mid-wives of Egypt About these two last the Deacon and Deaconesse Aret. in Tim. 1.3 Aretius in his Commentary upon 1 Tim. 3. hath a very good observation that these were very necessary in the first planting of the Church and before there were Christian Magistrates but after that Kings became nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the people of God they took a care that the poor Christians should be relieved in another way than by the Church-stock There were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erected in Hospitals Almes-houses c. they were provided for then they made Lawes for a common-stock to be collected in every Parish for that purpose and appointed by Statutes Over-seers of the poor and other Officers We saith he therefore have not in our Churches such Deacons and Deaconesses as they had neither is it requisite we should have because the duty is so wisely ordered by the political Magistrate To this purpose that grave and wise Expositour But this you say should be done in conformity to the heavenly Canon and many texts you cite for it but I can finde no Canon at all in any of them for what you aime at Rom. 12.7 I read he that hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him wait upon it But I have told you it is of gifts the Apostle there speaks not of functions 2 Cor. 4.1 6.3 Rom. 11.13 or if of functions the words is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the doctrine of the Gospel is adorned with this title and the Ministers in what degree soever called passim Diaconi Col. 1.7 4.17 1.23.25 1 Cor. 3.5 2 Cor. 3.6 The next citation Rom. 15.4 passeth my reach for I see not how it can be drawn to say any thing to this purpose therefore I passe it by You urge Rom. 16.1 and that indeed speaks of Phaebe as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a servant of the Church of Cenchrea Be it so that una hirundo non facit ver were it
been the father and founder in this Land even then when he was stoutly and stifly oppos'd by the Monks of Bangor Anno Domini 596. and in the reign of King Ethelbert witnesse Fox his Martyrol page 119. together with the rest of our Eng. Hist and Evagr. lib. 2. c. 8. Reply Sect. 5. YOu so promiscuously use these termes Presbyterial and Combinational that I know not readily how to shape my answer for were I to deale with the Presbyterians I should reply one way but to you I must returne another answer You say here that the third degree of corruption was when it degenerated into the Provincial Church But this is not likely for when the Church became Cathedral and Parochial your Combinational Church vanished it was no more now what hath no existence cannot by degrees degenerate since degrees belong to qualities which have must have some subject to exist in Had you then said the Church by these degrees rottened it had been sense but to say that that which long before this was not did rot and degenerate is not intelligible But to omit this I shall now consider in what you place this Degeneration 1. This was when it climed to be stiled a Provincial Church 2. When the Pastour was not afraid nor ashamed to assume the name and office of Arch-bishop and Metropolitane 3. When he left the servile and subservient names or titles of Prebend Surrogate and Vicar-General to inferiour Officers 4. That of this proud and prophane Pest-house Austin sent from Gregory was the father and founder in this our Land This is the summe of what you deliver To which I returne you this answer with what brevity I can 1. The degeneration was when it climbed up to be a Provincial Church But what if this prove no Degeneration at all For every thing is said to degenerate when it is changrd to the worse whereas this change if there were any which I shall not easily grant you was into the better for by this the Church was better ordered and governed than it could be without it At first the Church was so small that an upper roome was able to containe it it enlarged in Cities then in Countries after into whole Provinces Governed it must be when small or great and governed it was by the Apostles while they lived and by those whom they appointed These Governours by them placed were seated in chief Cities as at Jerusalem Antioch Ephesus Corinth c. And because they had the Provinces allotted to them the Churches were called Provincial This I have shewed before clearly in Titus who was set over Crete But it may be said the Provinces were not then converted how then could such Governours be set over them This is not material For as the Apostles might rightly be called the Governours of the whole world because Christ committed all Nations to their charge though at first a small Congregation did obey them actually So that Governour that was placad in any Metropolis or chief City by them though actually he had in his communion and subjection some few yet he had in Charge the conversion of the whole Countrey and being converted they were under his government and he was called their Metropolitane That you startle not at the word I have told you before that it was very ancient to be found in the Apostolical Canons in the Nicene Antiochian Conc. Ephes edictum post adventum episc Cypri and Ephesine Councils the words of this last Council being these It seemeth good to this sacred and Oecumenical Council to reserve unto every Province untouched and undiminished the rights which they have had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the first beginning every Metropolitan having liberty according to the old custome to take the copy of our Acts for his security I know well what you will cast in my teeth that this was the wisdome of the flesh and the wisdome of the flesh is enmity with God But first consider that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a custome of old and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a custome from the beginning and the period of that may be for what we know to the contrary set in the Apostles Secondly I deny it absolutely to be the wisdome of the flesh For there is flesh that is unregenerate and the wisdome of that flesh is enmity with God for ambition that is a corrupt quality residing in it will prompt it to desire honour covetousnesse to aime at wealth selfe-love to promote and serve its lusts But there is flesh again that is regenerate and borne anew which is contented to be guided by Gods Spirit instructing a man to obey Gods will revealed in his Word and this is not enmity with God I shall never think that Grace outs any man of his reason it may perfect heighten enlighten it but darken or dimme it it can never do Whatsoever therefore a man shall do by the light of reason raised by Grace to this pitch I shall not call it the wisdome of the flesh nor be perswaded it is enmity against God The first Fathers of the Church were men very eminent for the graces and gifts of the Spirit men who were signal for illuminated reason Even reason taught them that there must needs be confusion where there was no order where there was equality there could be no order and therefore in an equality it was not possible the Church should continue They saw that there was in one family but one Master in one Army but one General in one ship but one Pilot in one Bee-hive but one King reason taught them that there must be and experience that there was sub supra in all Societies and therefore that it must be so in the Societies of Gods people Thus farre nature But Reason improved by Grace taught them again that God would not be served according to mans inventions and therefore they must look that though Reason suggested this or that yet nothing must be done that was contrary to Gods will revealed in his Word They here then cast about to finde if they could any thing contrary to what reason dictated now this appeared not but rather the contrary for they found it written Let all things be done decently and in order all to edification and that this was a precept for the regulating of the Church And upon it it was established 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the beginning to this day that in all Provinces there should be one chief Bishop which from the mother City was called a Metropolitan to whom all the other Bishops should be subject and who to him should be accomptable for what was done through the whole Province This then was not the wisdome of the flesh but the wisdome of God who would have all things done in order If any man did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach other things than he taught or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach any new things and not according to the
Truth would ever have owned it been once stiled by it And so you see that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. When he left the servile and subservient names of Prebend Surrogate Vicar General to inferiour Officers his underlings THese names or titles I never heard the Arch-Bishop or Metropolitane had therefore I know not how he could leave them Under him perhaps these were but for the Prebend he was no Officer The Bishop and his Colledge of Presbyters first lived together and were maintained out of a common stock or treasury of the Church the Bishop allotted to every one his salary monthly which in Tertullian is called stipes in Cyprian sportula Tertull. Apol. c. 39. 42. and it was an honourable stipend or portion as appears by the words of Cyprian when he would have Clemens and Aurelius who were Confessors admitted into the Colledge of Presbyters that they might be honoured with this stipend Sciatis nos honorem Presbyteris illis jam d signasse Cypr. Ep. 34. Edit Pammel 27. 36. ut iisdem sportutis cum Presbyteris honorentur and in another Epistle he calls these menstrae divisiones agreeing with his Master Tertullian who saith these stipes were given menstruâ die Thus it was at first but afterward when Cathedral Churches were built these Presbyters were called Prebends and their salary Praebenda Spalatens lib. 2. cap. 9. Sect. 6. not that they had a separate part or portion of that Church revenue to themselves as afterwards it was thought fit sed quod cuique ex communi illius Ecclesiae reditu alimenta praebebantur Now this was the Original of Prebends neither was he any more a Church Officer then as a Presbyter which if you take in the old sense you have no reason to carp at 2. As for the Surrogate I do not finde that ever any Arch-Bishop had such an Officer I suppose that you should aime at Conc. Ancyr Can. 13. Neoces 13. Antioch 10. Conc. Sardic cap. 6 Laodic cap. 56. Socrat. Schol. lib. 5. cap. 21. Possidon in vita Aug. Aug. Ep. 110. Naucler Vol. 2. Generat p. 667. is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Rural Bishops who were brought into the Church to supply the Bishops place in absence or sicknesse who because they abused their power were disliked and timely abrogated Or if not these yet the suffragan Bishops or Coadjutors for such then were as it appears in the Church Records Agelius the Novatian Bishop being ready to dye first imposed hands on Sisimius to succeed him but upon the request of the people made choice of Marcian then of Sisimius the story is worth your reading in Socrates Austin was also made the Suffragan to Valerius in Hippo and afterward Austin himself took for his Coadjutor Eradius Thus you may see a Coadjutor was allowed but such a one as should be onely a Presbyter while the Bishop lived and therefore long after the time of Augustine when Zachary Bishop of Rome associated another Bishop as a Coadjutor to Boniface the Bishop of Mentz he confessed it to be a thing forbidden by the Canons and worthy reprehension but that upon his importunity of special favour he had yielded so much unto him that he might have such a Coadjutor whom with the advice of his brethren he might appoint to succeed him when he should dye Now if you do aime at these there could be no great errour in the institution if the Bishop either when he was in remotis agendis as the Lawyers speak or disabled by infirmity or age he made choice of some worthy person to be his Coadjutor no otherwise then the High Priests among the Jewes did of their Saganim For I read not of any expresse text of holy writ that could or did warrant them to do it 3. Thirdly the last name that doth displease is the Vicar General but neither was he properly any Church Officer A Judge he was in the Arch-Bishops Court for such matters as were reserved by Princes to the Christian judicature to visit for the Metropolitane the whole Province and and so came into the place of them whom the Laodicean Council calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caranza translates the word Visitatores but Meursius Circitatores Lustratores quorum munus esset circumire per omnes universae regionis Ecclesias Laodic Conc. Can. 57. Meursii Lexico mixobarb Balsam in Can. 57. Conc. Laodiceni inquirere de illarum statu And of these Balsamâ—â— upon the Canon of the Laodicean Council hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Commission to this purpose I finde given by Henry the eighth to Thomas Cromwel after Earle of Essex that great instrument of expulsion of the Popes power out of England by which authority he visited all the Abbies and Monasteries of the Land and finding in them foul enormities opened them in Parliament the next year in which he sate with the title of Vicegerent or Custos spiritualitatum this power was not much unlike a Vicar General And were it safe to utter my thoughts I should not stick to put you in minde of those who have lately done the same work under other names For what else I pray were the Propagators of the Gospel what else the Commissioners for scandalous and ignorant Ministers what else the Committee men under whom I am sure the Clergy felt a sharp visitation yea and sharper then that of the Custos spiritualitatum for then the ejected had a competency of maintenance allowed them for their lives which by these is not done Lastly if I should call your Approvers Vicar Generals too I should not much erre for have they not the care of all the Churches Modesty retains me or else I could say that some of your Pastours of Congregational Churches have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and been Informers or Agents to the prejudice of many an honest and laborious Minister But you say these Officers were Underlings how otherwise could it be if they were Officers for Officers must be under they were subservient so they must be also for indicitur ministratio whosoever will be great among you Mat. 20.26 let him be your Minister To be under was humility to be subservient their duty but if among them any were servile so slavish as to be at the Arch-Bishops or Metropolitans beck and to drudge for his ends this was basenesse and if you note the men they shall not be defended but condemned by me as well as you But while I go along with you in the pursuit of these I finde my self in some danger for I finde a Pest-house nigh in which plaguey people are used to be put and to this those you mention are sent for their pride and profanesse and I wish that all who are infected with the same Leprosie were placed there with them for then 't is possible we might meet with Corah Dathan and Abiram there as well as Moses
and Aaron For is pride and prophanesse only in Prelates I shall speak a bold word and I know I can make it good that I can shew you many more Arch-Bishops and Metropolitans exemplar for humility and piety then you can exemplifie as notorious for pride and profanesse The birth of it in this land you intimate in these following words 4. Of which proud and profane Pest-house that Austin who was sent from Gregory the last of the good Bishops end the first of the bad Popes of Rome is reputed to be the father and founder in this our Land c. 1. OF Gregory I know what you bring is so common that it is in every mans mouth for as it is in M. Fox in the place you cite that of the number of all the first Bishops before him in the Primitive Church he was the basest and of all them that came after him he was the best Upon what ground the first part of this sentence was spoken I know not let them give accompt that said it For this is certain that he was a learned and pious father of the Church as his works testifie and the strongest battery out of the fathers we can make against the Popes claim and usurpation to his universal supremacy is fetch 't from him For he calls the title of universal supremacy by these appellations 1. Typum superbiae 2. Nomen novum 3. Vocabulum temerarium stultum 4. Superbum pempaticum 5. Jewel Cont. Hardingum Act. 4. Sect. 4. Perversum 6. Superstitiosum Profanum 7. Scelestum 8. Nomen erroris 9. Nomen singularitatis 10. Nomen vanitatis 11. Nomen hypocriseos 12. Nomen blasphemiae as Bishop Jewel hath taught me out of his Epistles Some men may perhaps esteem meanly of him for giving countenance to some then growing superstitions in the Romane Church but the commendation given him by two who lived near the same time is great The first is Isidore Arch-Bishop of Syvil who writes thus presently upon his death Gregorius Papa Romanae sedis Apostolicae Praesul Isidore de viris illustrib cap. 17 compunctione timoris Dei plenus humilitate summus tantóque per gratiam Spiritus sancti scientiae lumine praeditus ut non modo illi praesentium temporum quisquam sed in praeteritis quidem par fuit unquam Hildef de viris illustrib This is the testimony of Isidore which Hildefonsus Arch-Bishop of Toledo having cited not long after adds these words Ita virtutum omnium claruit perfectione ut exclusis omnium virorum comparationibus nihil illi simile demonstret antiquitas Vicit enim sanctitate Antonium eloquentia Cyprianum sepicutta Augustinum And though no question these praises of Gregory were hyperbolical yet they justifie the latter part of Mr. Foxes words that of all the Popes which came after him he was the best He that shall read his life in Paulus Diaconus will have just reason to have a charitable opinion of him that I say not his own writings yet extant proclaime him in the gate Before I come to his Legate Austin the Monk Juel Artic. 3. Sect. 24. necessary it is that I premise somewhat That Christianity was early planted in this our Island is evident by the testimonies of Tertullian Origen Chrysostome Theodoret which you may read in Juel Patric Junius Annot. in Ep. Clementis Dorotheus in Synopsi That Paul and Peter came hither and preached there are some Records some say Simo◠Zelotes some speak of Aristobulus but that which is generally received and for which there is good evidence is that Joseph of Arimathea sailing out of France with his son Joseph and ten others travailed through Britaine and preach'd the Gospel there Vide Ephraim Pagit part 3. pag. 1. 2 c. Baron Annal. Anno 35. to which purpose serves that testimony of Gildas Tempore ut scimus summo Tiberii Caesaris radios suos huic insulae primus indulget Christus and Cardinal Baronius sets down the year of Josephs comming hither out of an Ancient Manuscript of the Vatican viz. the nineteenth of Tiberius reigne and the 35 of our Lord. Some testimonies also there are for the improvement of it in the next Century but the light broke forth clearest under King Lucius about the year 180. who consulted Eleutherus the Bishop of Rome and from him received advice 'T is the honour of our Nation to have had the first Christian King of the world he was instructed in the faith by Elvan and Meduni Lib. Til. Bal. Script Britanniae Cent. 1. pag. 17. Bishop Godwin Dr. Pitsae and with these he sent his own Embassadours Fugatius and Damian qui quibusdam ritibus ac solenni Episcoporum dispositione eandem formarent Ecclesiam And he erected three Arch-Bishopricks one at London and record we have of the particular Bishops that governed in that Sea A second at York A third at Caerleon upon Vsk in which Dubritius and Saint David were arch-Arch-Bishops wirh others too long to name For four hundred years then and more that is from the conversion of King Lucius to Austins coming this was the state and government of the British Church but in the latter times much eclipsed by the incursion of the Scots and Picts and the tenth persecution under Dioclesian but more by the invasion and cruelty of the Saxons Beda lib. 3. cap. 6.21 22 24. c. when they were forced to retire and their Pastours with them into Wales and Cornwal The greater part of the Land being now again become Idolatrous and Heathenish this gave occasion unto Gregory to send Austin the Monk for their conversion which he effected in some part but the greatest part may not be attributed unto him since it is well known that Aidan converted the North parts Finan the East Saxons and the Mercians whose Coadjutors were Ceadda Colman c. These professed no subjection to the Church of Rome and deserve to be partakers of as much honour from our British Nation as Austin Him I shall easily grant you upon the credit of the Records to have been a proud undiscreet and cruel bloody Prelate Bale Fol. 35. Cent. 1. Bed lib. 2.2 but never that he was the father and founder of this proud and profane Pest-house as you called it in this Land I mean the government of the Church by Arch-Bishops and Bishops For it is evident that in King Lucius time they were instituted And before Augustins arrival Anno 522. at the Coronation of Arthur there was a great meeting of Lords Galfrid Monum lib 9. cap. 12. 13. Bale fol. 28. Princes and Bishops at Caerleon and that of the three arch-Arch-Bishops of Britaine at that time Dulritius Archipraesul Primas Arch-Bishop of Caerleon did the Office of the Church that day being the feast of Pentecost This Arch-Bishops seat was afterward by his Successor Saint David translated to Saint Davids which so continued till the Norman Conquest Bale Cent. 1. fol.
30. Bede lib. 2 c. 2. Galfr. Monum lib. 11. cap. 12. Godw. page 45. But the answer which the British Bishops gave to Austin being summoned to give him a meeting where by perswasions threats and all manner of means he endeavoured to draw the Britaine Bishops to an entire conformity to the Church of Rome is so clear an evidence that I cannot see how it can be evaded for the answer was short and peremptory that they might not submit themselves to him having an Arch-Bishop of their own c. And in a second meeting being offended with his pride Sir H. Spelman Conc. Britan An. 590. ex Manusc Saxon. Bed lib. 2. c. 2. Bale Cent. 1. fol. 35. Bede lib. 2. c. 2. because he would not rise to them at their coming into the Assembly they gain-said him in every thing for say they si modo nobis assurgere noluit quanto magis si ei subjici ceperimus nos pro nihilo contemnet This repulse occasioned the slaughter of the Monks of Bangor over whom Dinoth was the Caenobiarcha as Bale calls him who as it is supposed was that holy man in Bede that taught them how to discern whether he was sent of God to them or no. For saith he if he be a meek and an humble man it is an evident signe that he bears the yoke of Christ and offers the same to you but if he be stout and proud he is not of God you may be sure and his deportment was such as I said which alienated the Bishops minds and the Monks with them Our adversaries of Rome take it very ill that Austin should be thus accused of pride and cruelty and use all their wits in his excuse They would perswade us he was dead when this Massacre was committed but Bishop Juel hath evidently confuted their allegations and made it appear that in that Warre he was alive Juel defens Apolog quinta pars cap. 1. divisio prima and the instigator of it Had you then set the saddle upon the right horse and fixed those Epithites of proud and profane upon Austin you had some colour for it But to fasten it upon the whole order upon Arch-Bishops and Metropolitans for one mans sake is want of charity of which he was not the founder neither in this Land as I have proved to you Nor Fox nor any English Historians nor Evagrius say any such thing Evagrius could not for nor Gregory was Bishop of Rome nor Austin sent hither when he writ ended his History All that Fox or any other Historian can say is that Austin was the first Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and that shall readily be yielded you now when I hear how you can improve that concession to your advantage you shall receive an answer I could if I pleased anticipate your objections but I will not now do it because I hasten to what follows SECT VI. The words of the Letter THe fourth degree of the Combinational Churches infamous defection was its notably naughty enlarging it self into a National Church where and whence without controversie arose that Jewish imitation and irregularly Religious observation of five frivolo s and foundationlesse customes and traditions of which the first was of National times as the fifty yearly Festivals or holy working-dayes Cursed-Masse Candle-Masse c. The second was of National places as the Consecrated meeting houses Porches Chancels and Church-yards The third was of National persons as the Universal Preachers Office-Priests Half-Priests or Diocesan Deacons The fourth was of National pious performances as stinted Worship Quiristers singing of Psalmes with all the Rubrique Postures And the fifth was of National payments or spiritual profits as offerings tithes and mortuaries all which fruitlesse and fantastical fashions were the illegitimate legal off-spring of National Parliaments in this and in the Neighbor-Nations Witnesse the publick Acts Statutes and other Ordinances in that behalf The Reply SIr that affection which I have alwayes borne you as a friend and that duty which I owe you as a Christian moves me in plain words to tell you that the indulgence you bear to the Combinational Church hath in this Paragraph transported you beyond the bounds of moderation and truth For to omit your common Sophisme petitio principii which is the foulest in all Logick that there was at first a Combinational Church and that this did precede a National which is as if you should say the parts are before the whole when the contraty in nature hath hitherto been received for truth that omne totum sive universale sive integrale est prius partibus But to omit this you over-load your assertion with many unnecessary Epithets and those sometimes unapt whereas attributes are ornaments and where they are not decently affixed they become our speech no more than a fair gold lace doth a coarse garment or a rich jewel fastned to a straw hat Thirdly the five frivolous customes and traditions you reckon up are no proper accidents of the National Church but were common to the Provincial Cathedral and Parochial and so no distinct notes to know that the National Church was corrupted more than they should I yield them to be corruptions Lastly you say they were brought in by a Jewish imitation which if granted it would not at all help your cause as I will after make appear These are your undertakings in this Section and I shall not need to analyse it as I have done before because you have methodiz'd it to my hand for which I thank you The first thing then I shall prove unto you is that there is such a thing as a National Church and that it was before your Combinational so that it cannot be true which you affirme that the fourth degree of the Combinational Churches defection was its notably naughty enlarging it self into a National Church 1. That there is a National Church and that this was first is consonant to Scripture to reason to experience 1. FIrst it is very consonant to Scripture God after Adams fall made a Covenant with mankinde for salvation The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head The words of the Covenant were obscure and therefore God was pleased to adde light to them Gen. 3.15 Gen. 12.3 Gal. 3.8 in that promise he made to Abraham In thy seed i. e. Christ shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed That this promise was made to the Church is beyond all question and who were this Church but all Nations not to Abrahams seed after the flesh Rom. 4.13 9.8 but to Abrahams seed through the righteousnesse of faith was the promise made not to the Jewes but to the Gentiles also was the promise made and both go here under the name of Nations and what should hinder now but the Church into which both should be gathered should be called a National Church The argument is drawn à Denominatis Natio is Denominaus National denominativum Jewes and Gentiles Denominatum
specialissima whereas it is Locale genus such are other collective words exercitus Keckerm syst in fin c. de gen respubl which kind of genus being but Analogum must have under it species Analogas not such as are true as it is in true Entities but such as have an Analogy with them and fall into a Logical consideration under that similitude Say then that this word Church is totum universale then it must have partes subjectivas under it and so it hath for Ecclesia Britanica Belgica Genevensis Germanica Scotica c. are as it were so many Species where you may finde so many National Churches that do equally participate of the nature of the Genus and under them so many Individuums as there be particular Congregations in any of these Nations Neither doth Amesius Ames Loc. citato Sect. 18. who affirmes the Church to be a Species specialissima give any teason for it but that nullas habet species propriè dictas which is illogical for I told you that it was Genus analogum and will any Logician expect species propriè dictas it is sufficient for such a genus to have species impropriè dictas by comparison and resemblance onely to a true Genus and such the Church hath as I have proved and therefore there may be a National Church Thirdly that which is capable of the definition of the Church may be called a Church But a National Church is capable of the definition of a Church therefore there may be a National Church The major is out of question and needs no proof The minor I make good by setting down and applying the definition of the Church to it Amesius Ames lib. 1. cap. 31. 7. Junius de Ecclesia c. 2. Trelcat lib. 2. cap. de Ecclesia Ecclesia est caetus hominum vocatorum But his definition though it would serve my turn is a little too short Iunius hath more fully expressed it Ecclesia est caetus eorum quos Deus evocat è natura modulo naturali ipsorum per gratiam in dignitatem filiorum Dei ad ipsius gloriam Trelcatius gives us three definitions one after another First to the Church in common which is Ecclesia est caetus eorum quos Deus gratuita vocatione ad gratiae suae gloriae communionem evocat Matth. 11.29 And secondly that belongs to the visible Church Ecclesia visibilis est caetus eorum quos Deus externa vocatione seu praeditatione verbi Sacramentorum administratione evocat ad cultum gloriae suae Mat. 28.17 A third which belongs to the invisible Church which is Ecclesia invisibilis est caetus praedestinatorum qui vocatione efficaci salutari ex statu corruptionis in dignitatem adoptionis filiorum Dei evocantur Christo tanquam capiti adunâ—ntur non ad cultum tantum sed ad fructum gloriae Luke 1.33 All which definitions especially those of Junius and Trelcatius are full and artificial for Ecclesia is by all put in the predicament of relation and all relations are defined mentione subjecti relati correlati fundamenti Keck syst Log. cap. de Definit quod supplet locum causae efficientis Termini vel finis And in these last we meet with all these The relatum is vocans the correlatum is evocati the subject or materiale Men or more largely those who who have a capacity è natura modulo naturali ipsorum to be called which takes in Angels also The Formale or foundation of this Relation is that gracious call that God gives and the end is that they being adopted for his children may communicate in his worship grace and glory Now what one word is there in any one or all these definitions which are not as well applicable to a National Church Deut. 5.22 Exod. 16.1 as a Combinational Is this caetus kahal an Assembly a Gnedah a Congregation that is much more Doth this consist of men There are more in that Have those in this a Call a gracious call given them by God so have the other Are they adopted and brought into the state of sonnes so are they too I have nourished and brought up children Are these called to worship God to be partakers of grace and glory Isa 1.2 â— Cor. 6.18 So are all Nations whom the Lord our God doth call They then who partake fully of the nature and essence of a Church and to whom all the causes that constitute a Church may be attributed of whom the efficient matter forme end are verified without question are a Church but such is the National as I have declared I pray therefore let it have the name I know your exception lies against the formal cause for that gracious call of God will not satisfie you which hath contented all other judicious Divines before you But you assigne another viz. a Church-Covenant fancying that none can be truly members of Christs Church but who have combined and joyned themselves together in this League of Church-fellowship This say you is the chief essential part of a Church and the true formality of it Amesius teacheth us truly that Ecclesia is à Deo instituta If so let it be shewn where God instituted his Church under this condition produce the precept bring forth the command for it or else you shall never perswade me that this Institution is from God Nay I shall yet descend lower Demonstrate to me the practice of it or the patterne for it either in the Apostles age or any age after it till you arose and you shall carry the cause I know that the wisest among you is not able to shew me one example for it in all antiquity We cannot therefore choose but set upon it the character of Ionah's gourd that is filia noctis a daughter of a nights growth it sprung up so lately The farthest the pedegree can reach is either to the Montanists Novatians or Donatists those children of Separation and yet when all 's done it doth but resemble them neither since I read not that they and their parties were ever bandied together by a solemne Covenant They could think themselves a Church and indeed the sole Church without this formality They had their Bishops under whose jurisdiction all the several Congregations of their profession were And therefore I shall again repeat my words that no pattern for this in any age can be found and I adde to it no not among Hereticks and Schismaticks Secondly we shall give a poor accompt of former Churches and Christians if this Covenant-invention should be of such concernment to Christianity when it is not easie nor as I beleeve possible to finde a Church anciently so bound Farther yet this seems to me altogether uselesse and superfluous and that in two respects First it seems uselesse to them who are so bound for these new small bodies are so loosly tyed together by these sorry wit hs of mans invention that they quickly upon humour anger
2. c. 8. Marc. 1.39 Maimonides in Tebilla cap. 11. Sect. 1. and the Synagogues were like our Parish Churches of which there were in Jerusalem alone 480. and out of Jerusalem many Synagogues in Galilee Matth. 4.23 Synagogues at Damascus Acts 9.2 Synagogues at Salamis Acts 13.5 Synagogues at Antioch Acts 13.14 Yea their tradition is that whersoever ten men of Israel were there ought to be built a Synagogue and in these our Saviour preached The Church of Christ which began at Jerusalem and held that profession which had not the countenance and allowance of publick authority could not exercise some duties of Christian Religion but in private onely What they did as Jews they had accesse to the Temple and Synagogues what as Christians they were forced otherwhere to assemble themselves which at first must need be private Rooms and private houses And as God gave encrease to his Church they both there and abroad sought out not the fittest but the safest places And it was not long but they began to erect Oratories denominating these places from the principal part of Gods service Prayer to which how our Lord himself stood affected we may acknowledge by that where he calls his Church his house of prayer and such an one Tremellius findes Acts 16.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tremell in Acts 16.13 And the thirteenth And on the Sabbath day we went out of the City by a River side where prayer was wont to be made the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he reads it ubi conspiciebatur it should be ubi decernebatur domus orationis for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used sometimes not for the action but the house it self In qua te quaero Proseucha Juvenal And then if Tremellius version and note be true we have an early Oratory But be it as it will thus much may easily be granted which I have learned from a great Clerk Selden de decimis yet no great friend of the Church that it cannot be conceived how Christianity should be in any Nation if publickly and generally received much ancienter then Churches or some convenient houses or places in the nature of Churches appointed for the exercise of devotion And therefore in the Apostles time places they had to meet in upon the Lords day perchance at first made of private houses publick dedicated by the owners and accepted and set apart by the Apostles for that use In these publick services was solemnized a woman might not speak 1 Cor. 14.35 In these she was not to be uncovered a man not covered 1 Cor. 11. In these the Eucharist was administred Acts 20. In these the collect for the poor gathered 1 Cor. 16. Other houses they had to eat and drink in and a man that could not make that distinction did despise the Church of God 1 Cor. 11.22 And this place was some noted place otherwise Saint Paul could not have said as he doth 1 Cor. 14.23 If therefore the whole Church be come together into one place and all speak with tongues and there come in one that is unlearned or unbelievers will they not say that you are mad Soon after this we read of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kirks Dominica set apart to Gods service I mentioned three before the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Nitria in Aegypt the Church where Saint John with his Asiatick Bishops kept his Synod That built by Joseph of Arimathea at Glastenbury Theophilus house in Antioch was consecrated into a Church Clem. Recog lib. 10. Dion in Adriano The Centurists confesse Anno 193. that Severus the Emperour allowed the Christians a Church ad pium usum and before him Adrian had done the like I do not say that these were at first sumptuous the poverty of the Church and the envy that thence might be drawn upon Christians would not permit it But at length when it pleased God to raise up Kings and Emperours favouring sincerely the Christian faith that which the Church before either could not or durst not do was with all alacrity performed Basilicae were in all places erected no cost was spared nothing was thought too dear which was that way spent And their bounty this way was to this day spoken of with honour till the Anabaptists first cast in their exceptions against them and you after them shew your displeasure for some certain solemnities usual at the first erection of them At which you aime when you call these Consecrated meeting houses That there may be some Ceremonies blame-worthy in the consecration of them shall be confessed But yet notwithstanding these that they should be the worse for consecration this we deny For what is intended by consecration more then that we make them places of publick resort that we invest God himself with them that we sever them from common uses 1. It behoveth that the place where God is to be served be a publick place For leave but every man alone to serve God in a Parlour and it will never come to be what it was in the Primitive Christians who were all of one heart and one soul Men may conceive as they list but as experience teacheth men will never be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 busily and piously intent about the same thing till they meet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same place Division of places will not be long without division of minds which the ten Tribes were jealous of Josh 22. when they questioned their brethren for building their Altar Deut. 16.16 and God prevented by requiring the presence of all the males at that place three times a year that he should choose For by this meeting in a publick place the instillation of heretical and schismatical positions may be prevented But this is not all the razor of sharper tongues may be dulled who have given deep wounds and gashes to the reputation of the best Christians even then when they were forced to serve in Grots and Cells Tertull. Justin Epiph. Euseb and retired places The setting apart then of publick places hath both these benefits to attend it that it prevents heresies and scandals 2. By this the place is delivered from common hands and a surrender made of that right which the Owner of the ground might claim in it till this Ceremony that being once past the possession is severd from the free hold His own it was and he might have kept it now it is a Deodate Gods house not his his for no other purpose but to serve his God The Work-man might draw the line and plummet upon it and make it a house but it is the assignation of it to Religious duties that makes it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords house Good it were that some difference were put betwixt Gods dwelling place and our houses Now consecration is that which sets the note of difference by it there is a dedication and assignation given and livery and seizen taken And that you be not so
much offended hereafter with it I could put you in minde of the consecration of Solomons Temple 1. Reg. 8. but I know you will say that was Jewish though it be an exception of no moment I shall therefore bring to your remembrance an older example which hath nothing of the Ceremonial Law in it The first that erects a fabrick to Gods service is the Patriarch Jacob and very Ceremonious he was about it He takes the stone whereon he slept Gen. 28.20 21 22. makes it as it were the first stone of the building then pours oyle upon the top of it as the consecration calls it Bethel Gods house and endows it too vowing the tenth of all he had A place we have here separated to Gods use by a Religious Ceremony a Dedication a Consecration a Dotation and I doubt not but the equity of the Law which prevailed with him will also justifie us in the like case Under Severus Gordian Philippus Arabs Euseb l. 8.1 2. lib. 10.2 and Galienus the Christian ability growing greater and their liberty enlarged they built spacious Churches These the bloody Dioclesian threw down and good Constantine gave leave to reaedifie where no Ceremony was omitted that might honour such intents The Celebration of Dedications and Consecration of Oratories lately builded was the desired spectacle of those times to which Prince and people people and Clergy resorted and some with Orations some with Sermons and some with the sacrifices of prayer in an Assembly of the greatest part of the Bishops solemnized that happy day You may at your leisure read a whole Sermon extant in Eusebius directed to Paulinus Bishop of Tyre lib. 10. c. 4. by whose means that famous Temple in Phaenicia was builded and consecrated in a solemn manner The story accompts of the day of Consecration as of a wedding solemnity when the new erected Church as a Virgin was joyned fast in the bands of Matrimony by the Bishops prayers and office unto her Lord Christ I could adde to this that the same Constantine so often as he was forced into the Field in Arms to encounter his enemies carried along with him a Consecrated Tent which he set up and spread in the fashion of a Church in that place he did castrametari that in that with his Army he might offer his devotions to his God To Consecrate is no new word nor to be disliked for it signifies no more than to depute to a sacred use and dedicate and assign to God whether times persons things To draw to an end there ought to be among Christians scarce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any thing common or profane A kind of Consecration passeth upon all we have Our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our income is not profane that is consecrated by a Collection set apart for the Saints Our meat nor our drink are not profane things 1 Cor. 16. 1 Tim. 4.5 Mal. 3.8 ad 12. when they are Consecrated by the Word and Prayer Our goods are not then profane when Gods part is set aside Our selves our Children are Consecrated to God by Baptisme and so of profane become holy persons And shall the Church then in which we are to render our thanks for all these and to pray for a blessing upon these want its Consecration by the Word and Prayer for other Consecration we allow none It hath often put me into an astonishment to finde out the cause why you should dislike these places because Consecrated and at last I could finde no other except this that you would not be bound to put off your shooes nor to take heed to your feet when you entred into the house of God Exod. 3.5 Eccles 5.1 but left at liberty to use other homely familiar gestures If any guesse be right in this place I shall say little to it only remember you that the Publican who entred the Temple and stood afarre off and smote his breast thrived better than the Pharisee in his loftier garb for he went home to his house justified Luke 18.14 3. The third was of National persons as Universal Preachers Office-Priests Half-Priests or Diocesan Deacons TO this my answer shall be in brief that among the Jews I finde no Universal Preacher no Office-Priest no Half Priest no Diocesan Deacon and therefore these among us could not be taken up by imitation from the Jews Priests indeed they had but no more like ours than an apple is like a nut Similitudes in general make but a poor resemblance Men and mettals may be all one this way Secondly I reply that against Universal Preachers you of all others have least reason to take exception because you allow all that have gifts to be so Millers Mercers Thatchers Weavers Trunck-makers and who not for of such consist the greatest body of your Itinerants upon whom what name can you more aptly put than Universal Preachers since they are not confined to any one flock A Sermon preached by a Presbyt Anno 1589. pag. 27. 28. Concerning whom let me return you the words of one of your opinion whose name is to me unknown in a godly Sermon preached and printed Anno 1589. Alasse must we not look for the heavy hand of the Lord when we see many ignorant men not onely void of all skill in the Hehrew Greek and Latine Tongues in Logick Rhetorick and other Arts but also which I am ashamed to speak not acquainted with the true Doctrine of Repentance who are yet so bold so impudent and of so hard faces that they dare to extend and stretch out I will not say their gifts which they have not nor the shadow of a gift to take upon them the high Message of God to carry to his people the glad-tydings of salvation which Christ hath purchased for them with his precious blood Oh shamelesse impudency shall he take upon him to hold the Helme that is scarce worthy to labour at the Pump O damnable boldnesse O wretched covetousnesse That for an Annual stipend will undertake so sacred a work O foolish men that will commend them whom they ought to dispraise O miserable that lift up those to Moses Chair who ought rather to be thrust to the tail of the Plough What doth more dishonour God discredit the Gospel confirme the Adversaries of the Truth than this ignorance and boldnesse of your Universal Preachers For I beseech you tell me can the honour and praise of Gods Wisdome be commended by the folly and ignorance of his Minister Can the inestimable treasure and riches of a gracious Prince be seen in the beggarly nakedness of a base Embassadour Can the Adversaries of the grace of Christ by looking upon an Idol which hath nothing but a shew of that it is not be disswaded from the worship of Idols Can he bring men from Errour that knows not when he teacheth Truth Finally can the carnal minded Atheist be perswaded that Christ is the Redeemer of the World whose Ministers these be
These are the words of that Authour which I thought good to transcribe that you should not impute to me any Satyrical expressions let him who hath printed the passage answer for it Farther yet that I may a little allay your odiun and spleen to these Universal Preachers I pray tell me the meaning of those words of your New-Englands constitution delivered in these words Synod at Cambridge cap. 9. Sect. 6. Nor can constant residence at one Congregation be necessary for a Minister nor yet lawful if he be not a Minister to one Congregation onely but to the Church Universal because he may not attend to one part onely of the Church whereto he is a Minister but he is called to attend upon the whole flock I see that magna est veritas praevalebit that Truth when men are out of their heats shall have a fair testimony even from its enemies For what could be said more clearly by us for Universal Preachers than is here delivered And what is more consonant to our Saviours charge to Peter which Saint Paul ingeminates to the Pastours of Ephesus Feed the flock Joh. 21.15 16 17. Acts 20.28 over whom the Holy Ghost hath made you over-seers Every Minister is a Minister of Christ Jesus and ought to have a care of the whole Church though more particularly of that Congregation to which he is designed yet with this proviso that he remember that the whole is within his charge and that therefore he ought to promote the welfare of the Catholick so far forth as lies in his power 2. Office-Priests You delight in compounded words which the Greek elegantly but our language kindly bears not I must then take your compound asunder and aske you which of the words displease whether the Priests or their office The word Priest is derived some say from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then 't is the same with St. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence you derive your Ruling Elders and will you catch up the Office Etymolog magn and not own the Name But others more probably from the French word Prebstre in which the letter b is quiescent as all know that know the language and then I hope you will not so much scorne the name hereafter since that Prebstre is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word so often used in Scripture you say for a Lay-Elder we for a Priest yea for that very Priest you jear at the Office-Priest For what is an Office but that duty which every one is bound to do and shall a man be mocked for doing his Office The Office of him who is sometime by us called the Priest sometime the Minister sometimes by other names and yet all 's but one and the same man is to preach the word to administer the Sacraments to make prayers and supplications to give thanks and make intercessions for all men which when he performs he does his Office and for the doing you ought not to condemn him If you or any other in your place shall not conscientiously performe these Offices I shall say he is unworthy to carry the name of a Presbyter which is all one as if I call'd him Priest But make the most and worst you can of it I tell you that there was to remain a Priest-hood under the New Testament not that of Aaron but that of Melchizedech For Christ was to be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Heb. 10.10 Thom. part 3. 9. 48 art 3. Jewels reply Art 7. Sect. 9. Id. art 17. 14. Fulk in Matth. 26. Casaub exer 16. Sect. 43. Rom. 12.1 And an Analogy there is betwixt these two They had their bloody Sacrifices then and we have our Sacrifices now to offer For as Christ offer'd up himself once for all a full and all-sufficient Sacrifice for the sinne of the whole world so did he institute and command a Memory of this Sacrifice in a Sacrament even till his coming again For at and in the Eucharist we offer up unto God three Sacrifices One by the Minister only that 's the Commemorative Sacrifice of Christs death represented in bread broken and wine poured out Another by the Minister and people joyntly and that 's the Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for all the Benefits and Graces we receive by the blood of Christ The third by ever particular man for himself only and that 's the Sacrifice of every mans body and soul to serve God in both Then in this for ought I know to the contrary we all agree that though the propitiatory Sacrifice was made by Christ himself only yet that in the Eucharist there remains a sacrifice of Duty and a sacrifice of Praife and a sacrifice of Commemoration And therefore I see no reason but the name of Priest may be retain'd also who is to do the chiefest work in the offering of all these sacrifices 3. Half-Priests or Diocesan Deacons But you are not offended with the whole Priests only but with the half-priests also as you call them and you interpret your self by the Deacons whom in scorne you call Diocesan But I pray over what Diocesse were they ever set in what Diocesse imployed That the Bishop of the Diocesse ordained them and permitted them as Probationers sometimes to preach no otherwise than the Catechizers were allow'd in the Church of Alexandria or as Origen by the Bishops of Jerusalem and Caesarea this is certain Euseb lib. 6. c 20. but that they were Diocesan Deacons I never heard before I know what you drive at that the Deacons must only be viduarum mensarum Ministri as at first and must not meddle with the word But to this Mr. Hooker if you please to consult him will give you a full answer which is the same I formerly gave in its due place Hook Eccl pol. lib. 5. Sect. 78. Distribution of the Church stock and attendance on the divine service was the use for which the Deacons were first made but if the Church hath since extended their Ministery further then the circuit of their labour was first drawn we are not herein to think the order of Scripture violated except there appear some prohibition that had abridg'd the Church of that liberty Suppose we the office of teaching so repugnant to the Office of distributing that they cannot continue in one and the same person How was it with the Apostles before that Election How with the 70. out of which they were chosen It seems then that these duties are not so incompatible but they may be found in one man When the duties are such that they cannot be well discharg'd by one then it is good to make a division and substitute under officers as did Moses But when the same man is of ability to do what is laid upon him and to undergo somewhat more it can be no errour to lay a double Task upon him I proceed You say 4. The fourth was of National
the same song In these passage Revel 15.3 Bright in lec of holy Scripture we have set formes of prayer somewhere commended somewhere commanded somewhere used somewhere reiterated and all inspired by the holy Ghost and therefore certainly the use of them can be no quenching of the holy Spirit whom we finde to enflame our hearts in rehearsal of these sacred formes 3. And in the last place if we look upon the custome of Gods people find we shall that in all places and in all ages they have made use of publique set and sanctified forms of prayer Hâ—gesippus an ancient writer one that was near the Apostles times writes that St. James chosen Bishop of Jerusalem by the Apostles themselves for a forme of service or common prayer compos'd by him for that Church yet extant was call'd Jacobus Liturgus To omit Justin Martyr in whom I find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Common prayers and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prescribed prayers in Origen Just Mart. Apol 2. Orig. lib. 6. contr Cels Cypr. in Orat. dominicae Perk. resut of the real presence Fox Mart. fol. 1275. In Cyprian we find the Priest before prayer using this Preface Sâ—rsum corda and the people answering habemus ad Dominum which forme as Perkins confesses was used in all Liturges of the ancient Church This then was no rag of Rome but as Mr. Fox truly saith was borrowed from the Greek not the Latin Church Which is so true that the Centurists confesse that in the blessed Martyr Cyprians dayes without all doubt formulas quasdum precum habuerunt Be pleased to look in the latter end of my Catechisme where you shall finde the old Lyturgies cited to that purpose And as Christianity begun more and more to flourish so were the Fathers of the Church careful that the people should not be destitute of these excellent means to serve God the Bishops for their several Diocesses composing their Liturgies Basil for Cappodocia and those parts Chrysostome for Constantinople and the Greek Church under his jurisdiction Ambrose for Milan Gregory and Isidore for the Westerne Churches all which are extant to this day and out of these and some more ancient attributed to the Apostles themselves all the famous and known Churches of the world have composed their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we among the rest so that it was no vaine brag which Arch-bishop Cranmer made that if he might be admitted to call Peter Martyr and four or five more unto him he would make it appear that the same forme of worship which was set forth in the Book of Common Prayer had continued for substance even then one thousand five hundred years and give me leave to adde this to the honourable burial of it since it must be buried that before it was authorized and published in that beauty we lately saw it it went under the file fifteen times And by what men even by those who many of them sealed the truth of it with their blood in the fire It should seeme about those former times when those Liturgies were first published there were some so wedded to their own fancies that they preferred their own conceptions before the Churches Ordinances and yet they came not to that brain-sick-fancie as to bring into the Church extempore prayers Angry they were not with set formes but displeased because they might not make them And against these two famous Councels have provided Concil Laod. Ca. 18. Can. 159. Concil Mil. c. 12. Caranza legit comprobatae first that of Laodicea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad horam nonam vesperum celebretur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in Africa the Milevitan Councel more expressely Placuit ut preces orationes quae probatae fuerunt in Concilio ab omnibus celebrentur nec aliae omnino dicantur in Ecclesia nisi quae à prudentioribus tractatae vel compositae in Synodo fuerunt sufficiently divised considered or approved by the wiser men and allowed in a Synod and the reason which the Councel addes is most essectual ne forte aliquid contra fidem vel per ignorantiam vel per minus studium sit compositum Which is the very reason that Master Selden one of the last Assembly gives for the Jewish Liturgy from Ezra's time Seldens notes in Eutychium The Jews saith he about the end of the Babylonish Captivity had their ancient manners as well as language so depraved that without a Master they either were not able to pray as they ought or had not confidence to do it And therefore that for the future they might not recede either in the matter of their prayers through corruption or expression through ignorance from that forme of piety commanded by God this remedy was applyed by the men of the great Synagogue Ezra and his one hundred and twenty Colleagues out of which words Doctor Hammond makes this collection Ham. viero of the Direct Sect 15. That one special use and benefit of a set forme is not onely to provide for the ignorance but to be a hedge to the true Religion to keep out all mixtures and corruptions out of a Church To this purpose 't is no newes to tell you that all reformed Churches abroad have some forme of worship or other that Master Knox in Scotland composed a Liturgy for that Church That those zealous brethren who were so earnest for Reformation in Queen Elizabeths dayes Anno 1585. though they complained to the Lord Burleigh against the Church Common Prayer-book yet professed they were not against Liturgy and 't is evident they were not by the composing of two formes one year after another And here I cannot choose but put you in minde of a passage of Master Cartwright which I have seen in a little Manual of his in answer to one that charg'd him as an enemy to set formes To which his reply was that he was so farre from this conceit that if any were pleased to come to Coventry where he then did preach and hear his Lectures they should before and after his Sermons hear the same prayers used by him except that portion of Scripture upon which he insisted gave him occasion to adde some few words I shall shut up this point with the judgement and practice of Master Calvin Calvin epist ad Protect his judgement he hath fully declared in his Epistle to the Protectour then Quod ad formulam precum c. As for formes of Prayers and Ecclesiastical rites I very much approve that it be set or certain From which it may not be lawful for the Pastours in their function to depart that so there may be provision made for the simplicity and unskilfulnesse of some and that the consent of all the Churches among themselves may more certainly appear and lastly also that the extravagant levity of some who affect novelties may be prevented Thus he And his practice is evident The Liturgy by him composed for Geneva being yet extant I
observ'd That there hath been more haughtinesse horrour absurdity boldnesse found in some of your Pastours then you can exemplifie in any Arch-bishop If among you or us any Prelate were guilty of these foul enormities I excuse him not only object not these faults of particular persons till you be free But how do you prove your aspersion by a demonstrative reason no question It was say you in daring out of base and blasphemous blindnesse to take up and ascribe to its self such a stile and title as is not communicable to any creature c. To this I have given you your answer before and I list not to repeat it The rest of this Section I understand not well not your interrogation who is that Minister what was his name where doth he dwell c. To the Arch-Bishop sure they belong not for none that I know that was ever in that place did conceive himself in a capacity to be accounted such a superlative counsellour or comforter that was endued either with ability or authority as to conferre a spiritual Crown on any one of the sincere Elders of the Church Among us there never was nor never will be any such man if you can finde him in the society of your Combinationals you should do well to name him for to us he is a non ens These words therefore I passe by as I would the noise of a sounding brasse or a tinkling Cymbal that make a great disturbance in the eare but signifie just nothing The words of the Letter FOurthly was it not Christs own hand that did poure out a dreadful Vial of visible vengeance upon the Cathedral Church where the Lordly Diocesan was not so much the idle as the addle head which therefore under that notion was not venerable nor tolerable because of its direct and point-blank opposition unto divers and down-right peremptory prohibitions as Mat. 20.26 Ye know that the Lords of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them but with you it shall not be so c. 1 Pet. 5. Feed the flock of God which depends on you not as though you were Lords over Gods heritage Which Royal Laws do testifie all such lofty Lords and Lordlesse Out-Lawes to be such illegal and irregular livers as that their unhallowed dwellings appear to be long since destined and appointed for hedg-hoggs to house and harbour at yea for Iim and Ohim with the wild Satyrs to dance in and for Owles and Vultures to dungâ—on being afraid of none to drive them away thus verifying that terrible threat to be performed and fulfilled at length which was proph sied of old witnesse what is written Isa 13.19 c. The Reply We are ready to acknowledge more than you can say that Christs hand hath fallen heavy upon us that the vengeance is just visible Rev. 16.5 7. and with the Angel of the Waters at the pouring forth the third Vial we are ready to praise him saying Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shall be because thou hast judged thus and to eccho unto you those words from the other Angel out of the Sanctuary even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy judgments Verse 10.11 For whereas that Antichristian train under the Throne of the Beast blasphemed the God of heaven for their pains and for their sores and repented not of their works we under the Crosse blesse God and are heartily sorry for our misdoings For this is a true difference betwixt the servants of God and Vassals of Antichrist that under Gods severe hand the one blesseth Jer. 5.3 1 Tim. 3.13 Bernard in Cant. 26. Serm. the other blasphemeth the one rejoyceth the other rageth the one repents and amends the other goes on and growes worse and worse Stellae nocte splendent quae die non videntur And we have hope in this our sorrow and amendment that God may yet stay his hand and not make us drink the dregs of the Cup. For remember that this plague was poured out of a Vial which is a certain measure and more or lesse he can dispense of it Jonah 3.9 as he pleaseth Insult not then over us in our misery For who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not 2. But whereas you say this Vial was poured out on the Cathedral 't is true but you must prove that it was poured out upon it quatenus or because it was Cathedral or else your censure is uncharitable and rash For many enormities and misdemeanours there might be in the Cathedral which I excuse not that might cause God in his fierce wrath thus to proceed against her and yet she no way guilty quatenus Cathedral God punisheth his servant David the sword shall not depart from his house for the matter of Vriah but was this heavy judgment inflicted on him because he was King of Israel The punishment overtook him for his sin not for his regality his power was justifiable not his wickednesse and God shewed his anger against his sinne not his Crown The case is the same the Cathedral I grant was sinful and for that God proceeded against it but not in that Notion as Cathedral for that was justifiable as I have before proved unto you It is then a great shortnesse of discourse in you to conclude that as Cathedral it was punished which if you conclude not you conclude nothing since this vengeance proceeded against the sin of the Cathedral not the Church 3. Of this Cathedral you joy that the lordly Diocesan was not so much an idle as an addle head I little doubt but you pleased your self with this paranomasia as much as the Mathematician did with his Diagramme for the invention of which he offered to Jupiter a whole Hecatombe But what now were these qualities proper or common to the Diocesan if common then it is possible that the Pastour of a Combinational Church may be an idle and an addle head as well as the Diocesan because common accidents are communicable to subjects of divers kinds if proper then it must agree omni to every Diocesan and so every Diocesan an idle and an addle head Cranmer Ridly Latimer Hooper idle and addle heads Jewel Armagh Andrews Morton White Montague Bilson both the Abbots all those eminent and learned Bishops of our Church that have stood up in the gap and fought the battels of the Lord against that Goliah of Rome idle and addle heads Do you not blush at these obloquies by which you impute idlenesse to them who wore out their bodies in continual study and labour in defence of the Truth and addleness such as in a rotten egge to such whose names say you what you please will be venerable to posterity for their wisdome and constancy You usually call all yours painful Preachers and yet what is their pains more then that of the lungs since by your own principles they may not take
c. This is a holy watch-word and a wholesome warning and I desire it may be heedfully hearkned unto by such as are your Church Officers for then I doubt not but that they who have so much power and have such an influence on the multitude might be excellent instruments in this cure and quickly be able to bring back the multitude of Church hearers from those many above-named observations and aberrations into which they have been cunningly and in simplicity of heart drawn as those poor Israelites were to follow Absolon That it be speedily amended I wish with all my heart but say it be not but these poor simple souls seduced by and through Philosophy do not amend so timely as is desired my charity will not permit me to damne them eternally and that they shall partake of the judgment of those who worship the Beast that they shall drink of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation and that they shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb and that the smoke of their torment shall ascend for ever and ever as you threaten out of Revel 14.9 c. This is a harsh sentence and though it may affright and terrifie those who for doctrines teach the commandments of men and make the Word of God of none effect through their traditions which is a wilfull obstinate presumptuous sinne yet I have great reason to hope that those who have simply and ignorantly and weakly followed such Teachers may finde mercy especially if they shall call to God with David Who can understand his errours Cleanse thou me from my secret faults Psal 19.12 13. keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me Then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great offence But because this danger lies as you say in the observation of Traditions it will not be amisse to set down that about this point Dr. Whites Orthodox cap. 4. p. 3. Sect. 1.2 which may satisfie any sober man which because I am not able to do better then Dr. Frauncis White hath done I shall transcribe the Summe of what he delivers The word Tradition in general signifies any doctrin or observation deliver'd from one to another either by word or writing Acts 6.14 2 Thess 2.15 cap. 3.6 1 Cor. 15.3.4 The Protestants simply do not deny Tradition but first we distinguish of Traditions and then according to some acceptions of the name we admit thereof with a subordination to holy Scripture 1. First the Romanists maintain there be doctrinal Traditions or Traditions that contain Articles of Faith and substantial matters of divine worship and religion Decret prim 4. Sess Syn. Trident not found in the holy Scripture and that these are pari pietatis affectu ac reverentia sucipiendae ac venerandae with Scripture and to be believ'd no lesse then the prime Articles such are Purgatory Transubstantiation Invocation of Saints the Popes infallibility c. These and all other such Traditions containing new parts and additions to religion the Protestants simply condemn and renounce 2. But secondly the name of Tradition in the writings of the Primitive Doctours and Fathers is taken in three other senses First for external Rights and Ceremonies of decency order and outward profession of religion not found expressely in the holy Scripture but used as things adiaphorous being not of the substance of divine worship but only accessary as the sign of the Crosse and many of those you in your following words mention and these we say may be used or disused according to the Laws of every Church as they serve for aedification or otherwise Secondly The report of the Primitive Church concerning matter of fact and concerning the practice of the Apostles is another Tradition as that the Apostles did baptize infants that they admitted none to the Lords Supper but those who were of years to examine themselves that they ordain'd such and such in several Churches to be Bishops That that very Canon of Scripture which we now maintain was the Canon at that time with many other which can be best prov'd by Tradition And therefore we willingly admit of these Traditions also deliver'd unto us by the Histories and Records of the Church because such reports explicate the meaning or confirm the doctrin of the Scripture Thirdly The summe of Christian faith as the Creed and the explication of Christian doctrin in many principal parts thereof concerning the Trinity Incarnation descent of Christ into hell c. is oftentimes call'd Tradition being receiv'd from hand to hand as the Apostles lively teaching and such Tradition found unanimously in the Fathers we admit also because it gives light to the doctrine found in Scripture But in the admittance of these we require two Cautions 1. That the holy Scripture be the rule of all Traditions whatsoever thus far that they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up on examination conformable to the Scriptures and every way subservient to the same 2. That they have the Testimony of the primitive Church in the prime age thereof and descend to our days from the same by the stream of succession through ages following and were received as Apostolick in the Catholick Church The Question of Traditions being thus stated unto you easie it will be to answer to your two alleag'd Texts of Tradition Mark 7. Col. 2. For they make as much to your purpose as Ecce duo gladij doth to confirme the Popes claim to the Temporal and Spiritual power or Pasce oves to uphold his Supremacy Or God made two great lights to prove the Popes power to be above the Emperours as much as the Sun exceeds the Moon or that Parson who would undertake to prove the Parish must pave the Church and not he because it was written in the Prophet paveant illi ego non paveam For how doth that place of Mark 7.7.9 pertain to the spiritual historical or interpretative Traditions of the Christian Church It was of the Scribes and Pharisees of whom our Saviour there spoke and of their Traditions of washing of pots and cups and many such other like things of their Corban And in their washings they placed not decency and civility but made a matter of Religion of it and by their Corban they took away the duty of the fifth Commandment Look into the place you urge and tell me whether I say not truth and this it seems you saw and that made you skip over the 8. verse and never mention the 11. which if you had done and weigh'd you would not for shame have equall'd our Traditions with theirs or judged us as superstitious for observing our Traditions as they were for theirs We have a command for the institution of our Ceremonies let all be done decently in order and to edification we have good
and Pastour and your reason you here give and your practice also confirms me in it For your Teacher you say must dispense the word of knowledge and information to the judgment and the Pastour the word of wisdome and exhortation to the will and affections Pray tell me what should hinder that one and the same man may not teach and inform the judgment and make wise to salvation exhort and move the will and affections in the same houre Were it otherwise you your self preach by a wrong method who explain and apply who raise a Doctrine out of your Text by which you inform the understanding and then labour to apply it and make it useful to the will and affections of your Auditors Tye up your Teacher to these strict terms and he shall only study positive Divinity and your Pastour no Art more than Rhetorick especially that part that concerns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he must be his master in that before he shall work kindly upon the will and move the affections of men Ille movet dictis animos pectora mulcet Besides were these two Offices so necessary the Teacher should never stretch himself beyond his tether but stint and end when he hath given forth and proved his Doctrine and then your Pastour should enter take his Cue and begin upon what is taught But why do I trouble my self in battering this Trivial since among you it is not strictly observed for I dare say it let a Scrutiny be truly taken and it will be found that not in one among ten of your Combinational Churches a man shall meet with these two distinct Officers your Teacher and Pastour As for us we dislike them not and where conveniently they might be had and maintenance for them they were in use witnesse the Professours of Divinity in our Universities and the Publique Lectures and Readers in our Cathedrals but to binde every Parochial Church to this or else it must be defective in an integral part is more than ever you will be able to prove yea or any man else Next you insist upon your Ruler And whoever yet denied that Rulers were necessary in the Church yea and for that end though not the sole you name But none will content you except they be of your own election and ordination none except the Lay-Elders this also must be proved by you For you know we had and assigned others and upon better grounds then you will be ever able to disprove Your last Officers were Deacons and Widows whom you make to be Receivers of the weekly Contributions and dispensers of it to three uses In the Primitive Church such I grant you there were as is evident out of the Texts you alledge that to the last use they imployed the collected mony But that any of it was imployed to the two first uses either for the maintenance of the Table of the Lord or for the Tables of the Church Elders I put you to prove again And for this last I am perswaded it was not these being likely if ever there had been any as now among you of the richer and abler sort and therefore no reason their Tables should be furnished out of the poor mans box But if you will take Elders for the true Presbyters of the Church such who were to labour in the Word and Doctrine I shall easily grant you that they had their maintenance till there was other provision made for them out of these Collections and Contributions though not from the Deacons but the Bishops appointment These Deacons and Widows are not in our Church now and thereupon infer it wants of its integral parts No such matter for these Officers were but Temporary taken up according to exigence of those times for the necessity being over the Office was at end When once Christian Princes and charitable men provided by wholsome Laws away of relief for the poor and assigned Officers to that purpose where Hospitals Alms-houses Nosecomia c. were erected and endowed to that end there was no farther use of these Officers neither is the Church defective in an integral part though now it want them as I before shewed out of Aretius You have then taken a long day for obtaining mercy and settlement of peace to the Church if neither of these may be enjoyed untill it be reformed and refined in the essential and integral parts according to your fancy For what can she not have her Officers but of your appointment no Rulers except your Lay-Elders no Members but such visible Converts as you will be pleased to admit Lastly be bound to her duty by no Oath but by your explicite Covenant upon this you insist this you labour to prove to the purpose and as if you intended to convince any opponent you here heap Text upon Text out of Old and New Testament which I shall now consider how far they make to your purpose The first is out of Jerem. 50.5 They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Saint Peter teacheth us that unstable souls wrest the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech borrowed from those who put a man upon a rack which causeth the man to speak what he never meant And this is the fault of too too many who strain the Scriptures to a wrong sense Whereas they should first consult the Scriptures and make them the ground of their conclusions they first harbour a strong conceit of the conclusion and then seek out Scriptures to confirme it And this for the most part befalls not yours alone but all other wanderers from the Truth they blot their books and margents with variety of quotations out of Gods Word as if by the inspection only of their Copy this way they purposed to affright the unlearned Reader or Hearer into their opinion who being astonished with the fearful noise of the Chapter and Verse as the Frogs were upon the fall of the Log into the plash of water might presently stoop into a veneration of what is taught Here I meet with seven places alledged for your explicite Covenant but I adjure you as you will answer it at the great day whether you are fully perswaded in your soul and conscience that either the Prophets or Apostles had an eye to it when they wrote those words and what assurance you can give us that this must be the sense and no other For if you have not a certainty of faith in this behalf you do very ill to produce these Texts presse them upon tender consciences and to maintain a Rent a Schisme a Separation in the Church of Christ That which makes me and should you suspect your sense of these places is that having consulted with the best and wisest Expositours I have upon them I finde not one syllable that sounds to that you intend and collect from thence What Masters are
7. and the Lion shall eat straw like the Oxe 8. and the suckling Child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned Child shall put his hand to the Cockatrices den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain 9 for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Which that it may come to passe is the hearty prayer of him who is Yours Dâ—o Opt. Max. filio suo Jesu Christo Spiritus sancto sit laus gloria honor in saecula saeculorum Amen Janu. 15. 1656. Amphora caepit Institui currente rotâ nunc uiceus exit FINIS Books printed or sold by William Leak at the signe of the Crown in Fleet-street between the two Temple Gates YOrks Heraldry Fol. A Bible of a very fair large Roman Letter 4. Orlando Furioso fol. Perkins on the Laws of England Wilkinsons Office of Sheriffs 8. Parsons Law 8. Mirror of Justice 8. Topicks in the Laws of England 8. Delamans use of the Horizontal Quadrant Wilbeys second Set of Musick 3 4 5 and 6 parts 4. Corderius in English 8. Dr. Fulks Meteors with Observations 8. Malthus Artificial Fire-works Nyes Gunnery and Fire-works Cato Major with Annotations Mel Heliconium by Alex. Ross 8. Nosce te ipsum by Sir John Davis 8. Animadversions on Lillies Grammer 8. The History of Vienna and Paris 4. The History of Lazarillo de Toroms Hero and Leander by George Chapman and Chr stopher Marlow The Posing of the Accidence Guilliams Heraldry fol. Herberts Travels fol. Man become guilty by John Francis Senalt and Englished by Henry Earl of Monmouth Aula Lucis or the house of Light Christs Passion a Tragedy by the most learned Hugo Grotius Mathematical Recreations with the Horological Dyal by William Oughtred 8. The Garden of Eden or an accurate description of Flowers and Fruit now growing in England with particular Rules how to advance their nature and growth as well in seeds as herbs as the secret ordering of Trees and Plants by Sir Hugh Plat. Knight Solitary Devotions with man in glory by the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 12. Exercitatio Scholastica Book of Martyrs fol. Adams on Peter fol. Willet on Genesis and Exodus fol. The several opinions of sundry Antiquaries viz. Mr. Justice Dodrige Mr. Ager Francis Tate William Cambden and Joseph Holland touching the Antiquity Power and Proceeding of the High Court of Parliament in England The Idiot in four books first and second of Wisdome third of the Mind fourth of the experience of the ballance The Life and Raign of Hen. 8. by the Lord Herbert fol. France painted to the life in four books the second Edition Sken de significatione verborum 4. The Fort Royal of Holy Scripture by J. H. the third Edition 8. The summe of what is contained in the answer to the first part of the Admonitory Letter THe controversie about the subject of the Keys opened fol. 1. Sect. 1.2 3 4. The Authour studious of Truth and Peace fol. 3 4. The Admonitours distinction of three Visible Churches improper fol. 5. Some observations about the Domestical Church and some mistakes in the Admonitory rectifyed fol. 9. The alledged Texts examined fol. 10. Sect. 5. The words of the Admonitory drawn into Propositions and answered severally The Propositions out of the Letter these 1. That the Church of the last and longest constitution was a Presbyterial or Combinational Church this examined fol. 13. 2. That it is the opinion and practice of the Combinational Church to subject their earthy erring and unruly will to the heavenly infallible and uncontrolable will of Christ 'T is examined what truth may be in this assertion fol. 15. 3. That Christ peremptorily wills and enjoyns all Professourâ— to be indoctrinated and disciplined by the present Ministry This granted 4. That this prescribed Ministry must consist of Presbyters and Teaching and Ruling Elders This proposition fully examined and refuted fol. 18. 5. That these Presbyters Teaching and Ruling Elders must be of the Professing Members own voluntary Election and regular Ordination This also fully examined and refuted fol. 24. 6. That the Ministerial Office must reach from Christs ascension to the dissolution of all things This granted Sect. 6. An answer to all the Texts produced by the Admonitour as Rom. 12.7 8. fol. 31. 1 Cor. 12.28 fol. 33. Ephes 4.14 fol. 36. Revel 4.6 5.6 19.14 fol. 36 37. Sect. 7. A Paraenetical conclusion fol. 39. ad finem The Summe of the second part pag. 46. THe danger to assert the Church brought to a Sceleton Sect. 1. fol. 47. The corruption came not into the Church by such degrees as is supposed in the Admonitory Letter Sect. 2. The government of the Church proved to be Aristocratical 52. ad 59. A Presbytery with a Bishop the Apostles living 59 60. Of Patriarchs Primates Metropolitans Bishops 63. A little knowledge in some men an occasion of errour 66 67. Sect. 3. That the Combinational Churches corruption was not the Cathedâ—al Churches generation 71. Churches at first could not be Combinational 73. Of the names of Teacher Pastour Ruler lord-Lord-Bishop Dean Chancellour Surrogate Arch-Deacon 75. No usurpation for Bishops assembled in Synods and Councils to excommunicate offenders 81 82. This was not contrary to the Orthodox pattern Acts 15. 84. To censure any mans person not the priviledge of the Presbyterian Church 85 86. That Alexander of Alexandria began not this usurpation against Arrius 88 89. Sect. 4. That the Presbyterial Church in respect of its primitive constitution consisted not only of living stones 91. That the rise of the rottening of the Church was not its falling from a poor pure presbyterial Church into an impure unpolished parochial Church 92. Of a Parson Vicar Warden Over-seer of the Poor Widow Midwife 94. Of Polycarp and Iraeneus 97. Sect. 5. The original of the Provincial Church the Metropolitane that this was no degeneration nor wisdome of the flesh 99. The name office of the Arch-Bishop not profane and blasphemous but honorable 101. Of the subservient names Prebend Surrogate Vicar-General 102. Of Austin the Monks conversion of Britane and Pope Gregory 105 106. Of the conversion of Britane to Christianity ibid. Sect. 6. That there is a National Church and that this is consonant to Scripture reason experience 108. That the customes charged upon the National Church taken up by Jewish imitation is more than can be proved or if true yet not therefore to be rejected 116. The five instances examined 1. National times and feasts 120 ad 127. 2. National places as consecrated meeting houses c ibid. 3. National persons as universal Preachers Office-Priests c. 132. 4 National performances as stinted worship Choristers c. 135. 5. National payments as Offerings Tithes Mortuaries c. 146. Sect. 7. The charge is upon the Oecumenical or Romane Church which concerns not the Church of England and therefore let them answer it The Summe of the third
to practice what you declaime I must professe I understand nothing But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I conceive what you may answer but I will not now reply to it 2. The other part of your Proposition is that these Presbyters and Ruling Elders be of the Professing Members Regular Ordination THat the Presbyters and Ruling Elders in the sense above given of them have a Regular Ordination is necessary but that they shall have this Ordination from or by the Professing Members I cannot yield That Ordination is an act of the Keys I suppose is an axiome that will be granted on all hands For otherwise your Professing Members can have no right to Ordain who make their claim to it because they are subjectum clavium Rutherfords plea for Presbytery Sect. 6. But that they are not so Rutherford and Bâ—res demonstrate whence it will necessarily follow that they cannot ordain Presbyters and Ruling Elders Before he proves the minor he thus distinguisheth The power of the Keys is given to the Church of believers two wayes First As to the end and object and thus we acknowledge the Keys may be given to the whole Church because it is the object upon which the power of the Keys is to be exercised for what have we to do to judge those that are without and then it was the end why Christ gave the Keys 1 Cor. 5. he gave some to be Apostles c. for the perfecting of the Saints c. Secondly The Keys may be said to be given to them who are the subject Ephes 4. that is to such in whom the power doth rest to use them and who have authority to weild them and in this sense the beleevers in the whole body is not the formal subject of the Keys neither may they authoritatively use them And this is demonstratively thus prov'd For that which is primum proprium subjectum cum suo accident reciprocatur The attribute agrees to it primò Rutherford p. 12. per se adaequatè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as rationale or risibile agrees to man all these wayes so that a man onely is the first and adequate subject of reason or laughter and consequently every individual man reasonable and risible To apply this to my purpose if the body of any visible Congregation be the adequate and proper subject of the Keys the power must of right belong to every individual of that Congregation so that every one hath a power to use them women young men and all for quod competit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 competit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but such a power I dare say you will not put into women and childrens hands Then you must not make the whole Church the subject of the Keys but that some Professing Members have the keys in their hands and that these onely have power to ordain Now let us enquire who these Ordainers must be You say your Presbyters and if I mistake not ruling Elders We say Bishops Austin in Psal 22. or at least Bishops with their Presbytery As Augustine said excellently in another case so say I in this Fratres sumus quarè litigamus non intestatus mortuus est pater fecit testamentum mortuus est tamâ—iu contenditur de haereditate mortuorum quamdiu testamentum profetatur in publicum cum testamentum prolatum fuerit in publicum tacent omnes ut tabulae aperiantur recitentur judex intentus audit advocati silent praecones silentium faciunt universus populus suspensus est ut legantur verba mortui non sentientis in monumento Iâ—c sine sensu jacet in monumento valent verba ejus Sedet Christus in caelo contradicitur ejus testamento Aperi legamus fratres sumus quare contendimus pl cetur amicus noster non sine testamento nos dimisit pater And for this Will the search will not be long nor the trouble much 't is extant John 20.21 As my Father sent me so send I you and presently he enstates them in the power of the Keyes Whose sinnes you remit they are remitteâ— c. John 20.23 Matth. 28.20 And this power was to be perpetual to remain and continue till his second coming for these are his last words Lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world With them personally he could not be for the Apostles are dead this promise then must be made good to them and their Successours They then questionlesse had the Keyes which consisted in Jurisdiction and Ordâ—nation of which I am now to speak And out of our Fathers testament I shall shew you how they used it Act. 8.14 17. Peter and John were sent down by the Apostles from Jerusalem to Samaria to lay their hands on them that should receive the Holy Ghost Philip preach'd and baptizd but he could not give the graces of the Holy Ghost by imposition of hands to make fit Pastours and Teachers for the work of the Ministry The like we finde of Paul and Barnabas in the fore-cited place Acts 14.23 who visited the Churches where they had preached and supplyed them with Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wh re it were absurd to say that this was done by lifting up of the hands of the people since it was the work of Paul and Barnabas alone And by the way Act. 10.41 though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth sometimes signifie extensio manuum yet alwayes it doth not so for Acts 10.41 we thus read That God shewed Christ openly after he was raised not tâ— all the people but unto Witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordain'd by God and I could shew you that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a hundred places of the Greek fatheâ—s and Councils But to let this passe I go on 2 Tim. 1.6 Tit. 1.5 Timothy was ordain'd by Saint Paul 2 Tim. 1.6 and Titus by him left in Crete to Ordaâ—n and therefore Ordain'd himself For nihil dat quod non habet All these Ordinations we finde in the Scriptures by the Apostles themselves 2. Now if you shall demand by whom these Ordinations were perform'd afterwards I shall answer you by their successours Yea but who were they I answer that it being a matter of fact and story later than the Scripture can reach to it cannot be fully satisfied or answered from thence any further than the persons of Timothy and Titus Epaphroditus c. and the several Angels of the seven Churches who by all the Ancients are acknowledged to be single persons that had power over all other in those Churches but will in the full latitude through the universal Church in those times be made clear by the next and best evidences we have viz. From the consent of the Greek and Latine fathers who generally resolve that Bishops were those Successours So writes Clemens Ignatius Iraeneus Tertullian Cyprian Theodoret Hilary Chrysostome who not Whose Testimonies shall be produced with a wet finger