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
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
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
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-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
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
a whole Church what every single man of you does and thinks he may do and be blamelesse But to return 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this case we are about is very inconsiderately objected for that in the institution of holy-dayes there is very much light given from the heavenly Lamp 1. Ratio legis Mosaicae the equity of Gods Law that enjoynes a thankful remembrance now as well as then for it is unconceivable that a Jew should have a command upon him to be joyful and glad-hearted when the day came that God had done him a good turn and that a Christian had a dispensation to be unthankful and to receive blessings with a heavy dull soul This Amesius saw and therefore saith Festi dies anniversarii novilunia Ames lib. 2. Medull cap. 15. Sect. 16. similes institutiones quae merè Ceremoniales fuerunt aequitatem istam generalem in se etiam continent adhuc nos docent quosdam accommodos dies cultui publico assignari debere 2. Exempla piorum The Worthies in old time performed some Religious duties without a special warrant Abraham payes his tyths Jacob consecrates his Bethel David prayes seven times a day intends to build a Temple to God The Rechabits refrain wine Mary breaks her box and freely bestows her oyntment Precept then was none for any of these particulars performed they were upon common prudence guided by a general rule and yet I dare say of all these as our Saviour did of the last they did a good work a work acceptable in Gods eye How farre is will-worship from such services that being meerly a fiction a fancy of mans brain taken up without any foundation at all in the Word of God either by precept or pattern or the equity of any Law The Characters thereof are vain 2. Erroneous 3. Repugnant to the will of God Now I wonder what vanity errour or impiety can be affixed to the Church in the institution of holy-dayes The object of our worship then is the ever-living God and so no vain worship The form of worship the same as at other times and so no more erroneous then at other times 'T is not the time then but the form that must be faulty if at all 3. But that it is not so the whole is conformable to those general rules and Canons of the Holy Ghost delivered for the external circumstances of Gods worship as I shall prove it after and so not repugnant Yea but say our good Mother the Church may be quit from will-worship yet she and her sonnes may be charged with superstition For this is an old relique of the Jew But who told you that to observe these Feasts was to bring back Moses from the dead what of Judaisme is in them The dayes are not the same the cause of observation is not the same the service in them not the same they are neither materially nor formally the same why then should you cast the old Synagogue in our teeth I know not any thing they participate with the Jews except it be because they are Feasts And in the same respect you may call them Heathenish also if you please for they had their several Feasts their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meursius Graecia feriata c. as you may read in Meursius his Graecia feriata no lesse then we have our Feasts and if general resemblances be strong arguments you may prove an Identity of any thing But here those of your opinion put us in minde of that of Saint Paul who reproves the new planted Churches of Galatia and Colossi for Judaizing in observing of dayes months and years and part of a holy-day But had these diligent Textuaries more diligently plowed with the Apostles Heifer Gal. 4. Coloss 2.15 they might have better guessed at his riddle It was never Saint Pauls intent to decry Christian Festivals his purpose is to beat down the Jewish opinion not the day The new converted Proselytes conceived they must keep their old Sabbath and the ancient Feasts as afore when Moses Law was in force expecting justification by the observation of those legal Ceremonies Thus to keep any Feast is to bring Moses back from the dead and what Christian is there that keeps a holy-day upon this motive this were indeed to use Tertullians phrase planè Galaticari his words are Galaticamur planè Tertull. advers Psych cap. 14. si Judaicarum Ceremoniarum si legali um solemnitatum observantes sumus For these were buried with Christ Quod si nova conditio jam nova solemnia esse debebunt aut si omnem in totum devotionem temporum dierum mensium crasit Apostolus cur Pascha celebramus annuo circulo in mense primo cur quinquaginta exinde diebus in omni exultatione decurrimus Out of which words we may easily collect these Conclusions 1. That Christians being in a new condition must have new Feasts 2. That they even then 180 years after Christ kept their Pasch and Pentecost 3. That they kept not these upon the Jewish ground Id planè Galaticari 4. That notwithstanding the Apostles text their Festivals they had and therefore it never was the Apostles Intention to abolish them mark his words Si omnem in totum devotionem temporum dierum m nsium erasit Apostolus cur celebramus Pascha c. Upon which words lies the strength of his argument It is then a fallacy to argue from the Jewish Feasts to the Christian and to urge that Text to the abolition of ours which Saint Paul prest to the evacuation of theirs betwixt which there is not any Analogy For as Athanasius said of Judaical Baptisme so I may say of all their holy-dayes now Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The superstition then is on your side not on ours not on ours who observe them not out of a superstitious and Jewish opinion but on yours who prohibit them and will not have them observed For in things indifferent it is certainly as criminous and superstitious to place piety in the negative as in the affirmative in abstaining scrupulously from Ceremonies as in using them over scrupulously These are the men who have alwayes in their mouths touch not taste not handle not being false Apostles Col. 2.21 Thomas Estius in locum who have a shew of wisdome but not true being placed in superstition which shapes and affects a Religion and worship out of their own brains To close this point this we say and we colour not to say it that these Festivals are dayes hallowed consecrated and set apart to the performance of holy duties Holy they are in use not in vertue holy by application meerly for there is not any holinesse either of inhesion or infusion more in them than in any other dayes Let not then this flower of our time suffer by an Ostracisme nor fancy nor imitation nor superstition nor
cheated out of their native rights and inheritantes as they must if you deny a National Church for that power is in vain which hath no subject to work upon on the Church National it cannot because in your opinion it is not on the Combinational it may nor because that is absolute and to be order'd and disciplin'd by its own Elders non datur tertium and so the supremacy which all Superiours challenge is frustrated To this the British King did never yield nor would and I beleeve his Highnesse will be as little perswaded by you For this you make him lesse victorious and more vincible but you cast up your accompt too soon for had you said for the male administration of his supreme power this had fallen upon him that might have carried some colour of sense with it which will also happen to any that shall not use it as they ought but to affirme that the claim to the power and exercise of that power was the cause of his fall is rash false inconsiderate dangerous But you go on and endeavour to make it good by two reasons Mr. Matthews The Admonitory Letter 1. Partly because the head not only of a very Uncanonical but also of a very unspiritual corporation BY Corporation I conceive you mean the body of Professors within this Land or at least the Clergy upon whom you bestow these two Epithites that they were very uncanonical very unspiritual How can you be ever able to make good this charge Had you said seemingly only such it might have been passed over but that they were verè truly such is a high part of presumption in you for peremptorily to prononounce such a sentence belongs to a higher judicature The judgement is Gods alone But to remit unto you that slip of your pen Why I pray uncanonical Those are uncanonical who reject and throw aside the Canon either in judgement or practice Why unspiritual Those are unspiritual who have not received the Spirit neither of which you can with a good conscience more affirme of this corporation then of your own 1. For what other Canon can you name for Christians then the books of Canonical Scriptures Gal. 6.16 Phil. 3.16 2 Cor. 10.13 which appellation was taken up after St. Paul who thrice calls the Scripture the Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet more plainly he saith we stretch not our selves beyond our measure meaning the doctrin of the Gospel but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the measure of the rule or Canon which God hath distributed to us And Chemnitius hath observ'd that the word is derived from the Hebrew word Chan Chemnitius Exam. Concil Trid. part 1. de script Can. which signifies that perpendicular line which Masons use in building by which the exorbitancy or evennesse of their work is prov'd And the Metaphor is very apt For the Church is the house of the living God the builder is God the Ministers of the Word the Architects that then their work go evenly and conformably on they had need of a Canon or a rule by which the Architects examine their work lest the building should just too far outward or lean too much inward and so deviate from the just order and proportion For the proof of this the Master Builder hath left to his under workmen his line and level which is the Canon of the Scriptures the doctrin of the Prophets and Apostles whatsoever agrees to this rule is right and sound and Apostolick what is not every way conformable to it but either in excesse or defect swerves from it that is supposititious adulterine erroneous And now I pray hath not this Corporation you mention professed to the world that they receive the books of the Canonical Scriptures and only those books for their rule and Canon do they not confesse that they fully comprehend all things that are needful for our help that they are the sure and infallible rule whereby may be tryed whether the Church do swerve or erre and whereunto all Ecclesiastical doctrin ought to be call'd to account and that against these Scriptures neither Law The English Confession art 10. nor Ordinance nor any custome ought to be heard no though Paul himself or an Angel from heaven should teach the contrary How unadvised then and inconsiderate is this Epithite of yours by which you brand us for an Uncanonical Corporation who stick so close to the Canon and have and do maintain it against the Church of Rome who would with it as if it were imperfect obtrude another Canon upon us God give you repentance for this your uncharitable Censure and make you as Canonical as we are In doctrine I am sure as for the practice we have both too much to answer The Lord have mercy upon us miserable sinners 2. Now you thought it not enough to put us out of the Canon except you deprived us of the Spirit also We are in your judgement an unspiritual corporation What Sirs have you such a Monopoly of the Spirit that none can partake of it except he be a member of one of your corporation Pray shew your Charter produce your Grant that the Spirit would not descend upon any nor impart his gifts and graces to any except he were within your Church Covenant For if that be not the sole impediment I see no colour why you should call us unspiritual The graces of the Spirit are by all Divines reduced to two heads either they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one peculiarly call'd Graces the other more properly stiled Gifts The Graces are media salutis immediata such by which the good will of God shapes the heart within freely justifies a sinner by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse wonderfully converts a heart of stone into a heart of flesh clears the conscience towards God and settles a welcome peace These are gratiae gratum facientes are bestow'd upon all Gods Saints The Gifts are media mediorum which it pleaseth the wisdome of God to use as fit means to perfect in all his those former gifts of grace such as are gifts of prophesie eloquence utterance knowledge of tongues depth of learning wisdome in government functions and ability to discharge these functions c. And now consider which of these endowments whether gifts or graces of the Spirit hath not been as eminent and evident in our National corporation as ever it was or ever will be in your Combinational I cannot therefore with any patience heare that you should call us unspiritual and you had you had any of the meeknesse of the Dove in you would not have done it since you know that those who have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his and that you cut us off from Christ can you think that we can take it patiently There was lesse charity in this word then when you writ it I believe you were aware of
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
of the City of God are the dispensations of the Word the Administration of the Sacraments Imposition of hands the application of the Power of the Keys with all the other accessories and circumstantials to these Were your words true then no Sermon must be begun or ended no prayer begun or ended and the like is to be said of all the rest nothing of them or about them begun transacted or ended but by their advice and decision Of which there is not one syllable that I beleeve and therefore for such a claim it behoved you to produce a very fair and clear Charter for else all those that bear no good will to your Discipline and Combination will endite you for incroachment and usurpation of anothers right Which aspersion you will never be able to get off by telling us barely on your word this is the Elders power Nor by affirming The words of the Letter THat the Reformed Church should have all her Elders for to stand and sit together in the face and full view of the whole Assembly The Reply I cannot think what you aime at here except at that place which in the Ancient Church was appointed for the Presbytery to sit together in For they had a place enclosed from all the Laity where the Lords Table was set the Bishops Chair and Presbyters seats being round about it This place Sozomen calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrary with us the Chancel which divided the Bishops and Presbyters from the people Cyprian would have this granted to Numidicus Sozomen lib. 7. cap. 24. Cypr. Ep. 35. Pammel editionis Concil Laod. Caâ— 56. Theod. l. 5. c. 18. Numidicus Presbyter ascribatur Presbyterorum Carthaginensium numero nobiscum sedeat in Clâ—ro The Councel of Laodicea calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason it was somewhat higher than the rest of the Church the Canon Law Presbyterium Into this place when Theodosius the Emperour would have entred to have received the Communion Saint Ambrose then busied at divine service sent him word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These places were in the Sacraries of the Church to be entred by those who were in orders only where they sate together with the Bishop there was not any place then for Lay-Elders And therefore si quid tale forsan vestras pervenerat aures you see it makes nothing at all for you till you will admit your Lay-Elders to be of the Clergy which I know you abhor I proceed to your proofs The words of the Letter ANd by so much the more seeing they are so plainly warranted and so punctually prescribed as they be to waite and to walk according to the patterne prescribed in the Mount witnesse Exod. 25.40 Acts 7.44 Heb. 8.5 The Reply Et cui non hic dictus Hylas there being not any one who pleads for change of Ecclesiastical Discipline or that hath been discontent with any custome or Ceremony of the Church who hath not made this Axiome the head Theoreme of their discourse and when well it might have gone a mile with them they have anger'd it forcing it to go twain The Anabaptist to prove his Antipaedobaptisme hath often in his mouth these words and every new light this Oggannition all must be done according to the pattern in the Mount and that we may take the more notice of it as a firme argument for your Elders seats and proceedings you have cited here three Scriptures one upon the neck of another for it all which as Joseph said of Pharaohs dreams are but one The occasion of these words are in Exodus 25. When God gave order to Moses for the erecting of the Tabernacle about which God left him not to his own choice but commanded him to frame it according to the pattern shewed him in the Mount This Tabernacle and order Saint Stephen mentions Acts 7. But Saint Paul Heb. 8.5 opens the mystery and applies it to wit that the Tabernacle of Moses was but a shadow and exemplar of heavenly things or of that Tabernacle which Christ had set up for his in heaven Here then are to be considered three distinct things the body it self the reality or truth of this shadow and that is the true Tabernacle of the Saints in heaven The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or type of it that was presented for a pattern to Moses in the Mount and the exemplar or picture or copy of it fair drawn by Moses in the Tabernacle which he is commanded to frame according to the pattern presented to his eyes when God was pleased to call him up to him into the Mountain which things he also after did Now I wonder what you or any body else can for your purpose collect from hence Moses was commanded to make the Tabernacle according to the pattern in the Mount therefore the Lay-Elders are plainly warranted and punctually prescribed to stand and sit together in the face and full view of the Assembly A strange thing it is that out of a particular pattern you should frame a general rule For before you shall be ever able to bring this rule home to your purpose prove you must that it was thus prescribed in the Mount which I know will be a very hard task Besides suppose you extend the rule further as I know you do to beat down that which you ordinarily call will-worship and the inventions of men Yet so it will not come home neither in that the Apostle applies it not to any such purpose but only what was done in the Mount was a shadow of things to come the Tabernacle on earth a representation of our being with God in heaven And to stretch it further is to deal by it as the Cobler doth with his leather that tugs it so far with his teeth till it crack again Farther yet if in that sense you intend it this Text had laid an injunction upon any it had certainly tyed up the Jewes the pattern in the Mount must certainly have restrained them from adding any thing even the least in the external worship of God which yet it did not For in the Church of the Jews it must be granted that the appointment of the houre for daily sacrifices the building of Synagogues throughout the Land to hear the Word of God and pray in when they came not up to Jerusalem the erecting of Pulpits and Chairs to teach in the order of Burials and Rites of Marriage the Musical Instruments invented by David the Ordinance for Priests to serve in their courses with others of the like nature being matters appertaining to the Church yet had not their pattern from the Mount nor are any way prescribed in the Law but were by the Churches discretion instituted and continued What shall we then think they did hereby adde to the Law and so displease God by what they did none yet so hardly perswaded of them the Truth is that Rule and Canon-Law which is written in all mens hearts and Saint Pauls reduced into
part pag. 149. A Preamble AN ingenuous confession of our just provocation of Gods anger and a justification of his proceeding against us but that Papists and Sectaries alledge non causam pro causâ and the Authour hopes that upon our repentance and amendment God may return and have mercy on us 150. ad 153. Sect. 1. Of the vile and virulent head the Pope ibid. Sect. 2. Of the British King called in the Admonitory the violent head of this National Church 155 156. That this National Church was not next in naughtiness to the Romane ibid. That the British King was no violent head since in his Dominions he was the supreme Governour And every Superiour is in Church-matters Supreme by occasion of which the supremacy of all Superiours is vindicated 156. ad 161. The Reasons of the Admonitour to prove the British King a violent head proved to be very weak 161. ad 168. Sect. 3. Of the Provincial Church and its haughty horrible head as the Admonitour is pleased to call him the Arch-Bishop 170. Of the Cathedral Church and its head the Lordly Diocesan blamed by the Admonitour to be an idle and addle head 172. The vial of Gods wrath poured on the Cathedral justly but not quatenus Cathedral ibid. Of his Epithites idle and addle ibid. The title lordly Diocesan examined 173. The Prophesie of Isaiah 13.19 ill applyed 74. Of the Parochial Church and its head the oâ—de and eldest evil head as he is called in the Admonitory 175. ad 178. The Combinational Church a tradition of men ibid. What is to be thought of traditions 180. ad 182. Sect. 7. Of divers other things jeer'd at in the Admonitory as 183. 1. Communion book praying 185. 2. Homily book preaching 186. 3. Canon book swearing 187. 4. Covering or uncovering the head in time of divine service 187. 5. Of outward calling to be Over-seers in a cleansed Combinational Church 189. 6. Of reading the Scripture in Churches 190. 191 192. 7. Of Romish Rites imputed to us 194. 8. Of humane constitutions imputed to us such as are ibid. 1. Matrimonial Banes 195. 2. Marriage Rings ibid. 3. The signe of the Crosse 196. 4. White Surplice ibid. 5. Quiristers singing answered before part 2. 142. 6. Funeral Sermons 197. 7. Idol-sureties of God-fathers and God-mothers 198. The question discussed whether Baptisme may be applyed to the infants of profane Christian parents 202. ad 205. As also whether such whom our strait-laced men are pleased to call ignorant and scandalous livers may be admitted to the Lords Supper 205. ad 212. Of the Pue called in the Admonitory Monarchical and the Ministerial Pulpit 212. ad 215. A strange priviledge attributed to the Combinational Elders viz. That the Elders must stand and sit together in the face and full view of the whole Assembly 217. An answer to the recapitulation of the whole Letter 224. In the constitution of a Church how far all parties are agreed in what they disagree both in matter and form and integral parts 224. ad 225. That the texts alledged being well examined prove not the Covenant required by a Combinational Church 227. ad 236. A fault on all hands for misalledging the text We make no promise of eternal life to profane persons The conclusion wholly Apologetical 238 c. Place these Tables before fol. 1. Callis learned Readings on the Stat. 21. Hen. 8. Chapter 5. of Sewers The Rights of the People concerning Impositions stated in a learned Argument by a late eminent Judge of this Nation An exact Abridgment of the Records in the Tower of London from the Raign of K. Edward the second to K. Richard the third of all the Parliaments holden in each Kings Raign and the several Acts in every Parliament by Sir Rob. Cotton Kt. and Baronet PLAYES Philaster The Hollander The Merchant of Venice The strange discovery Maids Tragedy King and no King Othellâ— the Moor of Venice The grateful servant The Wedding FINIS
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