bottom of his 35 p. he says Ignatius charges the Bishop to take Coâ—â—nizance of every Member of his Church not excepting the very Servants and that it was the Custom then in every Congregation to receive the Sacrament every Lords day and that they never received it but from the Hand of the Bishop Hence he concludes that such Bishops must be the Pastors of single Congrezations and adds that this Argument has been copiously mannaged by Blundel Baxter Owen Clarkson and others This Gent. as in all other Quotations leaves me to find this I have met with the passage in St. Ignatius's Ep. to Polycarp Bishop of the Smyrmans where he saith Converse with all man by man as God shall enaâ—â—e thee he saith further Let nothing be done without thy Sentence c. A little farther he saith Let Congregations be gather'd more frequently and take the names of all Persons Let neither Men nor Maid Servants be despised by thee And in the same Ep. he saith Be mindful of the Bishop that God may be mindful of you I could give my Life for those persons who are Subject to the Bishop Presbyters and Deacons Let the Reader consider all the parts together and then Judge how reasonably Congregational Bishops can be hence inferr'd 1. It is evident that Polycarp was not Bishop of one Single Congregation only by these words call the Congregations together c. in the Plural Number 2. His Jurisdiction and Authority over the Congregations is manifest in these words Let nothing be done without thy Sentence 3. The Subjection 〈◊〉 to the Bishop from these Congragations contain'd in this Exhortation to them Be mindful of the Bishop that God may be mindful of you 4. The Distinction of the three Sacred Orders in the Church about which these men have made such a bussle in the world are plainly set down and overthrows all their pretentions to Congregational Bishops for saith he J could give my life for these persons who are Subject to the Bishop Pres yters and Deacons Here is a plurality of Congregations and a plurality of Presbyters and Deacons and but one Bishop From his not reading or concealing the most material parts in this Ep. wherein lye the true Sentiments of St. Ignatius how Triumphantly does he conclude for Congregational Bishops whereas the whole is altogether against it Then he glories in the copious management of this Argument by Blundel Baxter Owen Clarkson and others Alass all these have been judiciously Answered by Bramhal Hammond Morris Stillingfleet Dodwell c. In his 36. p. saith he It is observable in the passage cited out of Irenaeus the Presbyters are said to have their Succession from the Apostles and infers from thence that the Presbyters are the Apostles Successors as well as Bishops and must conseq ently have the same power How frequently in the writings of the Fathers and in Scripture are Bishops called Presbyters as that word signifies Seniority or Dignity and are not they sometimes called Deacons too but as it would be very absur'd to infer from hence an Equality of Bishops and Deacons so would it be unreasonable to conclude concerning Bishop and Presbyter That our Author is mistaken in St. Irenaeus's sense of the word Presbyter appears by the words immediately subjoyned which are these Qui cum Episcopatus Successione Charisma veritatis certum Secundum placitum Patris acceserâ—nt L. 4. C. 43. Who that is the Presbyters above mentioned with the Succession of Episcopacy have received the Infallible Gift of Truth according to the Will of the Father It is plain that no other can be here ment but those of the highest Order in the Church Bishops My Author p. 37. accuseth me that I designed not fair dealing with Mr. H-ry it was a great omission in me I therefore take his thô very sharp Rebuke very kindly Mr. H-ry in his 19 p. Parag. 6. very Orthodoxly saith Separation from Communion with those that we have joyned our selves to without a Cause give me leave to call it Separation for Separation sake without any regard had to any think amiss in the Church we Separate from or any thing better in that we joyn our selves to is Schism Then he proves the truth of this Proposition from his own description of Schism and then concludes When we quite cast off Communion with our Brethren out of Ambition Animosity to their persons affectation of Novelty and Singularity and the like Now our Author lest this truth so plainly set down by Mr. H-ry should carry too sharp an edge upon 'em in p. 37. brings in his Insinuation as he in vain supposeth to guard them from the stroke they must naturally receive from the applying of it to them For says he We all grant that for persons wilfully to with-draw themselves from such particular Churches as are framed according to Scripture Rules and impose no new and needless Terms is to act Schismatically because such wilfull Separation cannot be without the breach of Charity The difficulties which my Author which indeed are none at all would put lyes in Churches framed according to Scripture Rules c. It is Schism in Mr. H-ry's Judgment to Separate from a Church without any regard had to any thing amiss Let it be Examined if in our Church there be any thing amiss Are not all the Arcicles of saving Faith truly taught No just cause of Separation the Holy Sacraments duly Administred the Moral precepts and all the Rules of the Christian Religion plainly and constantly recommended unto us and prest upon us for our Excercise in the whole Course of our lives in the Sermons of our Clergy in all our Churches are not all things pertaining to a Godly Life and Salvation by our Church fully exhibited to us so as that no man can miscarry but by his own fault Here then sure can be nothing amâ—ss Can these men maintain and justifie then the truth of their Doctrine and separate themselves from us without pronounceing themselves Schismatics either their Doctrin is not true or these men are Schismatics in practice by their own shewing All the false and shiftless pretence they have is that the Church of England is not framed according to Scripture Rules and imposeth new and needless terms and therefore Separation from such a Church is no Schism That our Church is truly Apostolical and as truly framed as Jerusalem Antioch Alexandria and all other Primitive Churches according to Scripture Rules according to Christ Jesus's own Institution is fully proved in these papers So that that Objection is clearly Answered and is indeed vain and frivolous Now let his other as vain and frivolous Objection be considered viz. the Imposing new and needless Terms by which is I suppose meant Geremonies I must here crave leave to mention what I have before viz. the Love-â—cast the Holy kiss had no intrinsic vertue in them were no Essentials of Religion see his p. 2. mere Ceremonies and as this Gent. calls our
Majestic than in our Churches The truth of this will best appear from their practice None of their Addresses to K. James the second were presented 'till the Composure and Form thereof was deliberated and well weighed by more than One by the whole Classis of a County The Preacher saith Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy Mouth and let not thine Heart be hasty to utter any thing before God c. But they in their Conventicles Address the Majesty of Heaven they rush upon and approach his presence with the rash and Sudden thoughts of one single person with a Prayer newly Coined but whether Sterling true according to Standard being never tryed is uncertain for the people know it not nor the Orator till it be out they shew'd more Fear and Reverence to an earthly King than they dayly do to God Almighty Is this Rational Is this Grave In their Conventicles at the reading the Holy Scriptures among which the Psalms consisting of the highest strains of Devotion they Sit or Loll and are covered is this Grave and Majestic When the Minister as they call him offer up his rash and unconsider'd Prayers to God the People are in confused and irreverend postures as if there were some unconcern'd and trivial thing in hand is this Grave and Majestical He who Administers in their Divine Worship as they call it has no other Habit than what is due to and becomes a Tradesman or any other Layic in the Congregation and indeed therein they are very modest the Minister for the most part having no more claim to Priestly Garments than his Auditors is this Grave and Majestic The truth is these men are so humorsome that what is Rational they condemn as Senceless what is Grave and Majestical they condemn for Superstition and on the contrary what is Rude Irreverend and Foppish they esteem as Rational Grave and Majestical By this time it is very evident that the Dissenters in England do Separate from a Church wherein there is to use Mr. H-ry's words not any thing amiss i. e. not any thing that can give any just occasion to Separate from her and that the Communion for I cannot call it a Church or Society they joyn themselves to is so far from being better that in many Respects which I have mentioned it is so much worse that its an absurdity to compare them The Inference then drawn by Mr. H-ry from his own Proposition is clearly against them Mr. H-ry p. 19. that their Separation from our Church is clearly for Separation sake and is necessarily an Vncharitable Alienation of Affection and is consequently Schismatical Having also considered my Authors Notion of Schism to wit p. 37. for persons wilfully to with-draw themselves from such particular Churches as are framed according to Scripture Rules and impose no new or needless Terms is to act Schismatically because such wilful Separation when no cause is given cannot be without breach of Charity with our fellow-Christians which is the Scripture Notion of Schism Having shewed that our Church is truly framed according to Scripture Rules and that she imposeth neither New nor needless Terms this Inference of his is necessarily against them too viz. That the wilfull with-drawing of these men from such a particular Church as our Church is is to act Schismatically c. If any thing would prevail upon the Oâ—â—â—inacy of these men here is conviction from their own Reasoning 〈…〉 fair dealing with Mr. H-ry at this time will make an Attoneâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—â—â—mer Omission and allay my Adversaries bitter thoughts against me In my 〈◊〉 paper p. 7. I instanced the Authoritys of Ienatius Irenâ—us â—â—â—â—ian and A 〈…〉 who were all Bishops and Mattyrs and agree Tâ—â—â— for 〈◊〉 to disâ—â—ey then Bishops and Presbyters appointed set ever them and to Sâ—parate 〈◊〉 them oâ— to set up distinct Conventicles is 〈…〉 Is not by this understood diâ—â—râ—ty or Separation of Comâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 is not this properly Scâ—â—sm Yet for this my assirmation he does in his 45 p. peremptorily charge me and consequently those Pious Maâ—yrs with giving St. Paul the Lye It St. Paul condemn'd the Corinthians for admiring and barely preâ—â—â—â—ing one Minister before another of Schism shall that far greater and blacker Crime the fâ—â—saking and Separating from them â—o which the 〈◊〉 were not then arrived be excluded from Schism Shall a cut in the Arm be truly call'd Schism or Schissure and shall not the lopping off and Separating the Arm from the Body which is the Dissenters Case be accounted so Wherein do I give St. Paul the lye This Gent. is a topping Accuser The rest of his Book contains chiefly Bitter Invectives and Scurrilous Reflections at his bitter reviling of me I wonder not But stand amaz'd at his hardyness and indeed horrid and gross Impiety with so much Venom and Malice to take into Royal Sepulchers and render our Four Protestant Monarchs Infamous see his p. 61. of K. Charles the 2d he saith not to be paralell'd in Story I Q. Elizabeth's Reign our Church was again Reform'd all the Innovations and Superstitions which by a long series of time the Church of Rome had introduced into the Church and Consecrated with the Title of the Did Religion abolished the inestimable Blessing of the truly Ancient Cathoâ—e Religion revived and established this Religious Queen and all those pious Prelates to whom under God the praise of all that Glorious work was due escape noâ— his malice but in one breath blackens and defames them all these are his words in p. 75. That great Princess had sâ—â—â—thing of the Sire in her and there wanted not Prelatic breath to blow the Spark into a Flame The Universal Fame this Great Princess had for Wisdom and Piety the Turbuâ—en Humor and Insolent behaviour of the Dissenters towards Her you have an account of in Bish Barnet's Aâ—râ—dgment c. the 4th Book p. 381. Now notwithstanding that this man saith in his 2d p. that Penal Laws had a quite contrary effect and in his 3d p. that they have not hitherto brought Protestants to an exact Uniformity this Queen in the year 1592 made Penal Laws which being Vigorously Executed contrary to his maxims had the good effects and proper ends for which they were made supprest the Ring-leaders and put an end to their Conventicles and brought so many of them to Conformity that during Her reign afterwards she had no more disturbances from them and this I suppose to be the chief incentive of this Male-contents displeasure against this Great and Matchless Princess In his 56 p. concerning K. James the first he saith For when King 〈…〉 Englands Throne the Prelatic Party dreading least the Paâ—â—tans 〈…〉 great a share in his Favours upon the account of his Edâ—â—tion 〈…〉 the Scottish Nobility and Ministry might have upon hi◠〈…〉 Studies to creat a prejudice against them and fâ—â—ing no 〈…〉 take with him as the extending of his Authority and enlarging 〈◊〉 Pâ—rogative c.
A little further he saith For some in â—eed there are who own the Bishop in name but do all things without him such men appear to me to â—e men of no good Conference because they hold Meetings not established by Commandment c. I could heap up many more Instances but that would be tedious I will therefore conclude with the Council of I aodicea Can. 55. which I find by an eminent Doctor in our Church thus Translated The Presbyters must do nothing without the Consent of the Bishop That the Authority I have brought to prove that the ancient Goverment of the Christian Church was by Bishops and that it was an Order Superior and had power of Jurisdiction over the Presbyters and Deacons should be undeniably and firmly receiv'd and Submitted to by all Christians I offer these Reasons 1 First It was this same Authority which gather'd all the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles and declar'd them to be the word of God the dictates of the Holy Ghost and all Christians have so receiv'd them and do hold them to be Canonical and use them and reverence them as such to this very day 2 It was by the same Authority that the first day of the week was Declared to be the Lords Day there being no Precept Commanding it in Scripture and all Christians have yeilded Obedience to it and do set apart that Day to Celebrate the Worship of God in a most Solemn manner as if Commanded by Holy Scripture 3 And lastly this Authority of the Ancient Fathers and first General Councils which affirm the Government of the Church to be Episcopacy is one great means by which the Pious and Learned Divines of our Church if this Gent. will give me leave to call 'em so have clearly evinced and discoverd the Innovations and Corruptions imposed by the Church of Rome on all in her Communion to be fictitious and no way agreeing with the practice of the Primitive Church Now if upon the Authority of the Primitive Fathers and Councils Obedience was universally given to acknowledge and receive the New Testament as the Word of God and the Lords day celebrated as if commanded by Divine Precept which is infallibly true Is it reasonable now to dispute their Writings and Decrees their practice and usage concerning the nature of the Government of the Church which they were fully assured was established by the Apostles themselves And now I return to wait upon this unknown Gentleman In his 2. p. he says Some have fancied the severe Execution of Penal Laws by Fines Imprisonment Exile c. would have put an end to that Separation c. but Experience hath convinced them of a quite contrary effect This Gent. will carry all before him if credited I could certainly procure a Certificate under some hundreds of Hands of very Honest and Good men in Chester that the Penal Laws when executed there had brought all the Presbyterians except a very small inconsiderable number to Conformity ay and one of the oldest and stoutest of them acknowledged to the Rector of the Parish he liv'd in that he viz. the Rector had so throughly satisfied him that he did not partake at the Eucharist out of fear of the Law but for the satisfaction of his Conscience and that he would continue to do so but no sooner came the Indulgence out but this old Puritan and pretended Convert set the Church at defiance and with many more of that Tribe returned to their Separation and thus it was said to be in most part of England it 's certain that had not that Indulgence come out in King Charles the Second's time which was procured by the Duke of York for some special Service designed by him for the Romish Church there had been but a few in Conventicles except Anabaptists and Quakers who are incorriâ—aâ—le and above all others hardned almost beyond hope and yet this Gent. so confidently affirms that the Penal I aâ—s by experience had a quite contrary Espect which is much more bold than true In his 2 pag. he says further Others have persâ—aded themselves when ever such enforcements were laid â—â—â—e the controverted Ceremonies would of course fall into Contempt for being by acknowledgment things purely indifferent c. without any native worth or strength they cannot be rationally supposed to stand any longer than they had those external props to bear them up And erâ—in they have not been altogether disapoâ—nted for they hear of five or six of the Clergy and those not of the me â—â—est sort that have châ—sen to quit their preserments 〈…〉 ease of their Consciences c. To he 〈…〉 he says some had I shall again oppose matter of Fact the 〈…〉 times of â—â—â—rpa son which 〈◊〉 â—ed more than Twelve years all which 〈…〉 â—afâ—rcâ—â—â—aâ—s were laid and and the external props were 〈◊〉 and yet even â—â—en the far greater 〈◊〉 of the best people 〈…〉 persevere in their Affection and Communion with the Church of 〈◊〉 man are the great care taken by the then Rulers the 〈…〉 Parliament as then call'd required that no person should have a 〈…〉 Book found in Custody upon pain of being Indicted and Fâ—â—â—d at the pleasure of the then Judges who were their implacable Enemies here the Enforcements were thought necessary on the other fide and the vast numbers of these who retain'd Communion with the Church notwithstanding the Enforcements to the contrary appear'd with hearts full of Joy and Gratitude upon the Restâ—â—ration As for the Five or Six of the Clerâ—â— who he says are gone from us and are none of the meanist I know not who he means had they been Eminent men we should have heard of 'em this is trifling or I can tell him of Dr. Dillinghâ—m Vice Chancellor Dr. Connant Rector of Exeter Colledge Vice Chancellor and Regis Protessor of Divinity and many more thô he perhaps is asham'd to name our Diserters of th' other party who Conform'd notwithstanding the Indulgence In p. 3. he saith That since neither Disputing nor Penal Laws have hitherto brought English Protestants to an exact Vniformity it is worth every honest mans Enquiry how under these different Modes of Worship all men may be induced to live quiet and peaceable lives c. The Apostles Rule is 1 Cor. 1 10. Now I beseech you Brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that 〈◊〉 all speak the same things and that there be no Divisions among you different Mâ—des of Worship are here forbidden and an exact Vniformity in the Church of Corinth requir'd and I hope that this Gent. will not deny that this Rule is in force in the Church of 〈◊〉 lanâ— and if this Gent. would press this Doctrin he needs not puzzle men with any farther Enâ—â—â—ry how they may be induc'd to live quiet and peaceable lives And I presume here to tell him that against such who will not live quiet and peaceable lives there are Penal Laws still in force And this answers his
Government of men and must certa â—â—â—be the truest Touch stone of Sin and Duty c. He says further this is a hopeful begining of Controversy to decline the Sufficiency and Propriety of Scripture as the Standard of good or evil But will this man assigne a better Yes the IXth Article of the Apostles Creed I Believe the Holy Catholic Church the Communion of Saints c. and concludes a happy Omen when the first Paragraph contains a plain affront both to Scripture and common Sense Sr. the holy Scriptures is the great Law for the Government of men and is certainly the truest Touch stone of Sin and Duty But Sr. whoever he be Scripture ought not to be Interpreted contrary to an Article of Faith that expounds Hâ—â—y Scripture in contradiction or not consonant to an Article of Faith his exposition cannot be true and I am assured so by that Article of Faith it contradicts or agrees not with As for example the Socinians have with so much cunning and plausibility expounded even those texts of Scripture which are express for the Divinity of our Blessed Savior in favour of their Heresy that they have staggar'd and perverted many persons of considerable understanding but when the Article of Faith is consider'd viz. And I Believe in one Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God God of God very God of very God being of one Substance with the Father c. every Christian is infalliably assured that the Exposition of the Sacred Scripture made by the Sâ—inians are false because it is in contradiction to an Article of Faith So when I saw Mr. H ry had expounded the holy Apostl's Precept I beseech you Bretheren c. 1 Cor. 1.10 that there be no Divisions among you c. and other Texts of Scripture in favor of your Separat Communion to acquit that from the guilt of Schism I was firmly assured that his Expositions were false because they clash'd and agreed not with that IXth Article of Faith I Believe the Haly Catholic Church the Communion of Saints a Separate Communion being altogether inconsistent with that Article of Faith I therfore recomended that Article of Faith as a better and more easie way for him to find out the true nature of Schism than his so unskilful expounding Scripture which the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1 20 is not of any Priâ—aâ—e Interpretation Sr. I know not who nor what you are but I must tell you that to affirm that an Article of Faith is a plain affront to Scripture is the nearest to the language of an Heretic that I have met with In p. 10 he saith I â—ffer to their Consideration the Origination or first Existence of the Catholic Church and that I said it was before the day of Pentecost but he says how long before that day I tell 'em not and then he takes an occasion to let us know that he has read of the Babilonish Captivity I did set down the Text Acts 1.15 The number of the Names together were about an hundred and twenty which was sufficient to denote the time and he owns that he knows my meaning but to exercise his abundant wit he says here is a Discovery worthy of its Author no body can think that I mention'd it as the Discoverer but as necessarily previous to what follow'd But he says had God no Churcheâ— then among the Jews must they be Excommunicated too for what cause pray and then reproachfully answers Not for want of Ceremonies or a Pontiff I hope Then he says the man told us in his Preface the Angels in Heaven were the most Glorious Members of the Church How must we lay these things together were the Angels Originated at the day of Pentecost Had they their first Existence then Or did the Members of the Body Exist before the Body Let the Citizen or any other of his Cabalâ— solve these Riddles and he shall be my great Apollo That God had a Church from the beginning of the World Church not call'd Catholic before the day of Pentecost Psal 2.8 Eph. 2.14 that the Angels in Heaven were from their Existence Members of it being Created for that end anâ— that â—he Church of the Jews was Gods peculiar Church are all infallibly true but untill the Promise was fulfilled Desire of me and I shall give thee the â—â—eathen for thine Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for thy Possession Untill the middle Wall of the Partition was broken down which was not ' til the Church was changed from Judaism to Christianity the Title Catholic was never nor could properly be attributed to the Church now unless this Gent. will shew that the Church was call'd Catholic before the Day of Pentecost I mentioned all these Riddles and Philosophical questions are of no more worth and value than his great promise to make me his great Apollo In p. 11. he questions not that the Apostles and Disciples were the Church nor the power Christ gave the Apostles to Preach the Gospel to all the World and says that I well observe Christ's Commission and Charge that in every Natian they that believed might be Baptiz'd and made Members of the Church but says he how well they have observed their Commission who refuse to admit of Church Members upon their profession of Faith unless they will also comply with some significant Rites of their own that are alien to Scripture Rules c. and then in his 12 p. he says its plain from this mans Confession that to be a Disciple or Believer would make a man a Member of the Church in Apostolical times c. It is true that Faith is the necessary Qualification of a mans admission to Baptism and that persons are thereby made visible Members of the Church Members of the Church to observe the Peace Vnity in the Church but this is but the Initiation or beginning of Christianity Obedience to Spiritual Rulers and Governors being in this always suppos'd and impâ—y'd to Faith and Baptism must be added a strict Observation of the Order Peace and Unity of that holy Society into which they are admitted by those Qualifications above mention'd and this is most strictly enjoyned by the Holy Jesus the Prince of Peace and God of Order in the words mentioned in the beginning of this paper and divers other Texts in Scripture As for calling them Rites and Ceremonies of their own that are alien to Scripture Rules what ever tends to Order and the Beauty of Uniformity in the Church is in the Power and Wisdom of the Apostles Successors the Bishops to impose thô not express'd in Scripture there are no express terms in Scripture for Infant Baptism nor for Women to pertake at the Eucharist yet allowed and required by the Authority of the Church and submitted unto from the Primitive times by all Christians except Anabaptists who deny the former And this fully answers his following Paragraph which he closeth with much bitterness
upon him to contradict those Learned men who think the Angels mentioned in the Revel by St. John were Bishops he having granted this is all my desire and therefore all his witty Animadversions which follow are not worth my answering It would be but needless Repetition to say any thing to his following Paragraph in his 14. p. having fully answered it before In his p. 15. he says What do I mean in saying in these Multiplyed Churches there was no Variation and then very disingenuously changes my word for a word very different in signification and asks Was there no variety at all in any Circumstance of Worship and says the contrary may be prov'd even in the Apostles times and instances that which he calls a Scuffle Acts 15. betwixt the believing Jews and Gentiles about Jewish Ceremonies Here were no such different Circumstances as to divide their Communion therein there was no Variation their Unity was preserved the Jewish Ceremonies which the Converted Jews would have imposed on the Christian Gentiles were no Circumstances in the Christian Worship the Council at Jerasalem thought therefore necessary to forbid those Impositions now in this very Case the necessity of Apostolic Jurisdiction doth appear that by a decisive and definitive Sentence of Ecclesiastical Authority it may not be in the power of private Christians to impose their different Sentiments upon one another and that there may be no Variation nor breach of Unity in the public Worship of God So that this Instance is not at all for his purpose He says if I mean there was no variation from Scripture Rules tho we are afraid that will scarce hold yet we wish it had been so still By Scripture Rules here he certainly means the New Testament if this Gent. had any regard to Ecclesiastical Antiquity he would never have talked of Scripture that is New Tâ—â—â—ment Rules before they were written He says We have a Notion of Vnity lâ—yed down in my p. 2. in which we freely concur with him these are my words for he has not transcribed them fairly They are all one with that Church first mentioned at Jerusalem and which he omits all one with one another being all United into one Spiritual Society or Body under one Head Christ Jesus c. and which he has omitted too and are in all things the sune with that first Church United in one Baptism and one Faith and all partakers at the same Eucharist c. That says he is the same for substance for in that they all agreed in the Primitive times in the same Circumstances such a Vnity we hold and doubt not but in our Congregations this Vnity may be found And so he runs on in his 16. p. and endeavours to perswade all men just like the Donatists that these Dissenters are more truly Catholic than we That the Power delegated by our blessed Saviour to his Apostles was to be confer'd upon their Successors is certainly implyed in the promise Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you alway even to the end of the world The Church of England truly Apostolical That the Church of England was Planted either by some of the Apostles or some of their Successors and that the Succession of Bishops has continued in this Church from that first propagation by as strong proofs as human Authority is capable of viz. by Records and Histories may appear and consequently that the Church of England is as truly an Apostolic and Catholic Church as Jerusalem Alexandria Antioch and those other Churches which were of the first Planting Her Orders then are to be equally obeved Her Unity and Peace as strictly mantained and whatsoever amounted to Schism in any of them must be so in her your Uniting then in a Communion Separate from this Church bears no similitude with Primitive Unity being contrary to their Practice And being that in your Congregations the Divine Authority is wanting there can be no such Unity found among you as Primitive Unity He Says the Eucharist was the same for Substance in the Primitive Congregations and that they all agreed in the same Circumstances It is very true for no difference would be allow'd Christians then durst not entertain so wicked and uncharitable a thought as that of setting up a Separate Congregation as you do They devoted themselves to the Command of their master to have Peace one with another Mark 9.50 Heb. 13.17 They for Conscience sake observ'd the Command of the Apostle Obey them that have the Rule over you If you would tread in their steps you would as Relgiously observe the Unity and Peace of the Established Church wherein you live in all Circumstances as they did All his next Paragraph Pa. 17. is the same in different Phrases He says the description I have given of Church Vnity ruins my whole Book and Cause an hasty Sentence for says he if this be the true proper Vnity of Churches then there may be true Church-Vnity without the Vniting of many particular Churches Ministers and People into one Diocesan Church under the Jurisdiction of a Prelate and his Officers c. Then he is not much against the conveniency of Parochial-Precincts but says according to my Definition it is not De essentia Vnitatis It is plain all that he drives at here is that there may be true Church Unity without Episcopacy I have answer'd this before by shewing that all Presbyters with their Particular Congregations that is Ministers and People now resolved into Parochial Churches within the Dioceses of the Respective Cities were United under the Jurisdiction of the Respective Bishop of each City So that the Vniting of many particular Churches Ministers People into one Diocesan Church under the jurisdiction of a Prelate is true Church Vnity as used in Primitive times by which it appears that this Gent. Doctrine viz. 1 Cor. 11.16 that there may be true Church Vnity without Episcopacy is a mere Innovation there being no such custom in the Churches of God as the Apostle speaks As for their Officers they have the Sanction of our Laws to Authorize them an Authority far greater than can be shewed for Lay Elders Officers subserviant to the Minister of every Congregation and thô generally ignorant and many of them cannot write their Names yet are made judges of their fellow Christians sufficiency in faith a novelty created by Calvin and how reasonable let the impartial judge He says so a man may plead to the jurisdiction of a Diocessan Prelate may step over Parish bounds c. So did Korah and his Congregation against Moses and Aaron Nam 16.2 10. their Controversie being the very same with yours against the Church they were for leveling the Priest-hood so are you they were for setting up a new model'd Congregation so are you God shewed his displeasure against their Pride and Disobedience by a most terrible destruction and the Apostle saith Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written aforetimes were written for
thence that who ever Exercised any Ministerial Office out of this Line of Succession and had not Episcopal Ordination No true Ordination out of the line of Succession could be no other than a Lay Impostor and a Schismatic then I inferred further and consequently all Societies of Christians who with-draw themselves from the Government of their Bishops who are the Apostles Successors and from Communicating with those Presbyters lawfully set over them by Episcopal Ordination and Institution and frame themselves into any other sort of Government are guilty of Schism such Societies are Schismatics and cut themselves off from the Catholic Church but can in no sort properly be call'd Churches and therefore I understand not his Logic in this viz. If by Schism Men and Societies are cut off from the Vniversal Church therefore Schismatical Churches are no Churches ‖ The Donatists were such Churches they are thô Schismatical whilst they retain the Apostolical Succession they retain also the power and Authority of Ordination Preaching the Gospel and Administring the Sacraments and so retain the name of a Church * Dissenters no right to the Succession But what are our Dissenters concerned herein They disclaim the Succession and deny any power or Virtue to be derived from it and therefore have no Commission to preach the Gospel or Administer Sacraments c. and consequently no right to the name of a Church but by the word Societies they would have Churches understood that thereby their Unlawful Assemblies might pass under that Title I must here put one question to these Dissenters many of the Clergy of the Romish Church have embraced Communion with the Reformed Churches I desire to know whether Re-ordination in this case was ever required the answer must be in the Negative their Ordination being derived from the Apostles Successors in vain then is this Gentleman's attempt to Un-church the Church of England as in his p. 25. for that our Bishops have derived their Consecration from the Church of Rome it being the Judgement of all Reformed Divines that formal Schism cannot invalidate the power of Regular and formal Ordination In p. 26. he says I would Exclude all the Reformed Churches beyond Sea that have not those Governors c. by those Governors I suppose he means Diocesan Bishops To this I answer That many very Learned and Pious persons among them have declared their longing desires for the Episcopacy but living in Popish Dominions cannot have any but those of the Romish Communion Others there be that approve of it yet live in Republic Governments and they will by no means admit of Episcopacy in that Regiment invincible necessity is upon these and therefore in Charity cannot be charged with Schism being in their desires Catholic but as for those who with you and your Brethren in England deny its Authority and obstinately refuse Subjection to it they with you are notorious Schismatics and can in no wise be excused As for that fanciful supposition of a Company of Christians cast upon a remote Island which he talks of in p. 26. or if all the Pastors in a Country should be put to death c. He cannot bring one instance of either and if it should so happen all the Lay-men and mere Presbyters in the World cannot make one Evangelical Priest cannot impower them to Preach the Gospel not Consecrate Sacraments c. but what can be expected from Invincible necessity They have a God to pray to whose mercies are infinite who will fulfil the desires of them that fear him and will hear their cry Psal 114. v. 19. In his 27 p. he saith But if we assent to the Whimsie of a constant Succession as if power were conveyed like water in a Conduit after a Phisical manner by contact passing through the Fingers ends of the Prelate into the noddle of the person Ordain'd c. A Whimsie I take it signifies some Phantastic Device or the Creature of an unstable or unsettled brain which being applyed or imputed to Prelates who bear the Authority of Christ deriving it Originally from him can be no less I think than Blasphemy for our blessed Savior saith to his Apostles and in them to their Successors He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luke 18. v. 16. no man that has not arrived to the highth of wickedness and given himself over to a reprobate mind would thus revile the Ambassadors of God he can be no better than a filthy Dreamer who thus despiseth Dominion and speaks evil of Dignities Jude v. 8. How wantonly does this man sport himself in holy things and by vilifieing and contemning the Evangelical holy Priest-hood make void and a kicshaw as much as in him lyeth of our holy Religion exposing and prostituting it to the contempt and scorn of Infidels and Atheists What he mentions in p. 28. viz. The Leud Extravagant Caresses that have happened between the ambitious Princes and astiring Church-men concerns us not for he cannot name any such aspiring Church-men that have been in England since the Reformation and thô he could the order being of Divine Institution cannot be dissolved for any mans miscarriage if by this he means any thing of the Church of Rome we abjure her Jurisdiction over us Dr. Sancroft Arch-bishop of Canterbury with six other Bishops in their Address to K. James declared against the Vsurping of any absolute Empire over the Civil and Religious Rights of men and this was done so publickly that it is more than probable the fame of it is gone thrô the World so that this Insinuation of his is a mere malicious calumny In my p. 4. I proved that to love as Christians in Scripture sence is to love as members of Christ and that this obliges Christians to preserve the Body i. e. the Church from Rents and Schisms which says he we never deny He implicitly confesseth that they ought to preserve the Church from Rents and Schisms and yet shamefully denys it in practice every day I have so fully spoken of this before that I need say no more in this place And here again are the Ceremonies objected which thô I have proved to be no sufficient ground for their Separation yet for further satisfaction I will here Recommend the Reasons given by the Convocation why the Ceremonies were retained They are affix'd before the Book of Common Prayer and are important enough to satisfie the Conscience of any sober Consciencious Christian In p. 29. he says for our further Conviction we are told the Communion of Saints is one External visible Communion in the Christian Church which is so far from explaining the thing that it makes it much darker what I said above had reference to the Christian Church when it was first called Catholic And was not the Communion of the Church then One and ought it not to be so still and was not the Union External and Visible but I did a little after
one another that can make them Catholics but Agreement with the Primitive Catholic Church In the truly Primitive Church all true Christians did make a formal Profession of Faith by distinctly repeating the Creeds with an audible voice as we do in our Churches at this day which practice seems to be intimated in St. Paul's Injuction to Timothy Hold fast the Form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me c. 2 Tim. 1. v. 13. What ever the Faith of these Separate Congregations may be is unknown to us the formal profession of Faith which was constantly used by the Primitive Christians as the badge of Christianity being in the Congregations of our Dissenters laid aside Now that they in this respect agree with the truly Primitive Church must be denied He says I have not proved that they differ from the Catholic Church in the Essentials or integral parts of Gods Worship or in any considerable Circumstance 2. In the truly Primitive Churches they held strict Communion with their Bishops who were the Apostles Successors and the Presbyters set over them by Episcopal Ordination and Institution not only in Essential but in all Circumstances in the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church also as in the having all things Common to this they yielded Conformity The Love Feasts and the Holy-kiss mere Ceremonies no Essentials of Worship yet enjoyned by the Apostles as significative of the ardent Love and Christian Charity which Christians had for one another and continued for some time after the Apostles days till thrô Corruption grown to be Scandal and then thô Instituted by the Apostles were abolished by the Authority of the Church Now our Dissenters denying all Communion with our Bishops who are the Apostles Successors and the Presbyters set over us by Episcopal Ordination and Institution this together with their Usurping the Priestly Office without Episcopal Ordination sufficiently demonstrates that our Dissenters differ from the Primitive Catholie Church in Essential and considerable Circumstances without any further trial In p. 34. he further saith And that this Divine Worship and Service is Visible and External this Gent. is but too sensible and t is a very great Eye-sore to such as he that it is so much more visible than formerly it hath been That it is visible is true but that it is Separate and out of the visible Catholic Church is as true He is pleased to call it Divine Worship and Service which it cannot be I suppose but only in respect of the Object when they have a lawful Spiritual Authority that is Episcopal Ordination and Institution without which there can be no true Ministry which I have prov'd and consequently no true Ordinances it may be called Divine Worship and Service but till then let they who are best able to judge say what kind of Worship and Service it is 〈◊〉 Sâ— lenatius will resolve him in his Ep to the Sâ—â—rn He saith 〈…〉 That its being more viâ—ble than formerly is a great â—ye â—â—re to such aâ— I am is a mistake I have known it more visible than now it is when all the Churches in the Kingdom were Usurped into the possession of the Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists c. those were evil days to see the Noble debased the base and the vile made Rulers over us Religion the pretence of Rebellion the Church buried in Disgrace and Calumny call'd the Scariet Whore c. He was admired for the Hâ—liâ—â— man the greatest Saint who was most improved in the Art of Revâ—â—ing and Speaking evil of Dignities the quitting Communion with a truly Catnoâ—â—c Church the taking of a Rebellious Covenant see his p. 54. or human Composure with significant Ceremonies submitting to Lay Elders a Novelty not formerly known in the Christian Church these with many other Miseries and Calamities endured in those days were great 〈…〉 to me and such as I am But we have learned by the Doctrin which our Church Teacheth Acquiescence and Submission to the Legislative Power a Lesson which out Dissenters could never yet put in practice Tâ—â—y have granted you a Toleration and we are so far from envying it that we Acquiess and submit so as to me and such as I am it is no otherwise an â—â—eâ—oâ—e than in Christian Charity to pity your mistakes and heartily wish that in your practice you would be more conformable to the Gospel of Peace and that there be Peace in the end In his last Parag. p. 34. he says my asserting the Succession of Bishops from the Aposiles c. is inconsistent with other parts of my loâ—k and savâ— he supposeth he hath sufficiently made it manâ—â—â— and in p. 35. he calls my affirmations in my former paper Crude and Coâ—â—â—â— apprehension he is so kind as to plead my capacity to excuse me for my Blunders as he calls 'em but says it will by no means lesseâ— the fault my Oâ—â—â—ious and Confident iâ—â—â—â—râ—â—enâ—y in meddleing with things I so little understand This is but Condemning me by the lump and being past his skill to shew such â—â—â—â—sistency in my Book it is false and those which he calls my Blunders I have proved to be undeniable Truths all the ill is that what ever these men speak or write be it ever so repreachful or false their Disciples believe and swallow it for truth But with Impartial men Railing will never pass for Conviction nor morose uncharitable Censures for true Judgment nor can the Imperious Language he so liberally bestows upon me add one mite to their Cause nor one mite lessen that esteem how undeserved soever I have among many good men but I have learned to forgive him should be offend Seventy times seven Having made the Episcopacy Established in the Church of England appear to be an exact paralel with the Catholic Churches in the Primitive times what I mentioned of the Fathers in my p. 7. holds good against my Adversary by his own Allowance as you may see in his p. 35. at the bottom his words are these We are no way concerned iâ— the Citation of the Fathers â—roâ—â—ht in against us till he has proved that Episcopacy then was the same thing it is mâ—â— and that the Terms of Communion we scruple were ever impesed 〈◊〉 them The former part that the Episcopacy in our Church is the same as it was then is proved That the having all things common the Love-feasts and the Holy-kiss mere Ceremonies no Essentials in Religion yet were Terms of Communion in the Apostles time being very plain That the Ceremonies appointed by our Church tho they are not specifically the same which this man seems to insist upon yet being in Nature the same with those above mentioned and being enjoyn'd by the same power and Authority derivatively which the Apostles had this Gent. or any other ought no more to scruple the Terms of Communion imposed by our Church than the Primitive Christians did scruple the Terms of Commanion imposedâ—â— the Apostles In the
Ceremonies without any native worth or strength yet were made Terms of Communion in the Apostles days and continued for some time after The Ceremonies in our Church are of the same Nature only have so much worth and strength that they beat the pleasant fruit of Decency and Order they are falsly called New being Customs of great Antiquity in the Church and being enjoyned by the same power derivatively which the Apostles had by my Adversatys good leave cease to be needless It necessarily follows that all persons within the Jurisâ—iction of the English Church have the same Obligation to submit to her Terms of Communion as the Christians had to submit to the Terms o. Communion with the Apostles Seeing then that there 's nothing amiss in our Church i. e. not any thing that can give any just occasion to separate from her Communion Seeing too that She is a Church framed according to Scripture Rules and that her Terms of Communion are neither New nor Needless the Conclusion necessarily follows that whoever they be within her Jurisdiction that Separate from her Communion do Separate for Separation sake and have no other Motives thereunto than those in â—atâ— Vices of the mind mentioned by Mr. Hery viz Ambition Animosity c. to close this These men are Notorious Schismaticks from their own Principles thereby give themselves the Title of Arch-Rebels in Christs Kingdom I will tâ—â— this Question upon the Dissenters and Examin what account they can give or their being a Church framed according to Scripture Rules and whether all they impose as Terms of Communion be by express Rules in Scripture That Church cannot be framed according to Scripture Rules where the Priestly Office is exerciâ—ed without the Divine Mission my Author may as trâ—â—l â— affirm in respect of his â—atural Generation that be is an immediate Son of Adam as what be in his 31 p. affirms of Ordination viz. that their Spiritual Governâ—rs i.e. their Pastors derive their Authority from Christ which by the words subâ—oyned must be immediately from Christ for he says it is mere proper than to speak of deriving it from the Apoâ—lâ—â— c. No Commission was ever known to come immediately from Heaven without some extraordinary Testimony to evince the Truth of it The immediate Mission which these men pretend to requires an extraordinary Testimony or no man in his right Wits can believe or assent to its Authority or esteem it for any thing but mere Delusion or Usurpation The Cretian Church must be allowed to be framed according to Scripture â—â—les I keep to this Gentlemans term in that Church St. Paul appointed Titus to Ordain Elders in every City none in the Scriptural Churches as this Gent Phrases it was to enter upon the Pastoral or Priestly Office without Episcopal Ordination Our blessed Saviour saith Jâ—â— 10.1 Verily I say unto you he that entreth not by the door into the Sheep sold but climbeth some other way the same is a Thies and a Robber Not entring in at the Door signifies entring without that Authority which the Author of our Religion hath Ordained in his Church without this Mission i. e. Episcopal Ordination no man hath Authority to Preach the Gospel administer Sacraments or exercise any thing appropriate to the Priestly Office unless these men can manifest that they have this Mission they are so far from being a Scriptural Church that our blessed Saviour pronounceth them to be Thieves and Robbers By this account of the Frame of their Church supposing but not granting it to be a Church it appears to have no Foundation of a Scriptural Church but on the contrary is Condemned in the Hâ—ly Scripture Let it now be examined whether All they impose as Terms of Communion be by express Rules in Scripture 1. First Then I desire they 'l inform us where did our blessed Saviour or his Apostles appoint the first day of the Week for Celebration of the Public Worship 2. What precept have they in Scripture for choosing a Text as is now used to Preach upon or the erection of a Pulpit 3. What Divine Command have your Brethren for the Form of Public Penance the Stool of Repentance imposed by the Kirk of Scotland and the Presbyterians in England These are I suppose Terms of Communion with you I am not disputing against the Practice of these things but hence it appears how unreasonable and false that Principle you so much contend for is to wit that nothing is to be done about the Worship and Service of God without Rules and express Command in the Holy Scripture But I farther demand of you 4. What Divine Warrant or where in Scripture did your Predecessors find those three significant Ceremonies imposed without the Regal Authority at the taking the Solemn League and Covenant which you at this day justifie First the Takers must be uncovered 2ly they must stand up 3ly The right hand must be lifted up bare all these Ceremonies in this Religious Solemnity signifying the Submission and Assent of the parties to that Rebellious Covenant were Instituted by the Presbyterians In his 37 p. he says We desire the Rules of the Gospel may be carefully looked into and a model of Government and Worship taken from thence such as may be likely to answer the great ends of Church Societies c. Here 's our Government and Worship supposed to be inconsistent with the Rules of the Gospel thence a necessity of Reformation and who can deny so fair an Offer The Model these good men will set up shall be a Model for Church Government and Worship not like our Vnscriptural Church but taken from the Rules of the Gospel But here it s demanded 5. What Rule or Command is there in all the Sacred Scriptures for private and Unauthorized persons such as these men are under pretence of Reformation to supplant a Catholic Church truly Reformed in Government and Worship to primitive purity as I have shewed and established by all the Authority that can be had on Earth from God or Man Conceited men Think ye that those Pious Martyrs who Reformed our Church inspected not the Rules of the Gospel as carefully and Conscienciously as you and are not the â—reat ends of Church Society answered viz. the Christian Faith truly professed and maintained the Holy Sacraments duly administred and such an Unity and Christian Charity observed and practiced according to the Rules of the Gospel in our Church as exactly and amply as in any Church on this side Heaven His next words in p. 38. are That nothing may be imposed but what is either expressly commanded or has a natural and proper tendency to promote that which is so c. This is Answered before He saith farther Then would the Worship and Service of God appear like itself Rational Grave and Majestical becoming reasonable Creatures c. Here are all men to be perswaded that the Worship and Service in their Conventicles is eminently more Rational Grave and