maintaining that the word Presbyter in the places of the New Testament cited by him doth mean only a Bishop that is a Pastor of one only Congregation that had no Presbyter under him but Deacons and that no mention is made by the Apostles of other Presbyters § 6. And he gratifieth us with Epiphanius his Reasons § 4. because as yet there was not a multitude of Believers And that the Elders that Paul speaketh to Timothy of ordaining and rebuking and those that were worthy of double honour were only Bishops that had no subject Presbyters Whether they were set over the Churches as Moses was over Israel with a design that they should make subordinate Officers under them I shall enquire in due place Cap. 20. He goeth over most of the other Texts in the New Testament that mention Elders shewing that they mean such Bishops and that even at Hierusalem the Elders Acts 15. were not our new half Priests but the Bishops of all the Churches of Judaea and so of others here again repeated by him But it sticketh with me that these Bishops having no subject Presbyters are found so oft in the Metropolitane City and so oft in travel and so oft many hundred Miles from home that I doubt it was but a few Churches in the world that kept the Lords day and assembled for publick Worship or had any Sacraments frequently but lived as the Atheists and impious contemners of Church-Communion now do or else that with the Fanaticks we must hold that Lay-men or Deacons did play the Priests in all Church Offices Cap. 21. He vindicateth that one remaining Text Jam. 5. 14. which mentioneth Presbyters visiting the sick as meant only of Bishops and not of mungrel Priests And so being secured that these were never found in the Scripture times and consequently no Bishop except Archbishops that had more worshipping Churches than one we must look who presumed to institute another Office And here § 3. he perswadeth us to be so civil to Ignatius as thankfully to acknowledge him the first Patron of our Office-dignity intimating that there is no earlier proof of the invention of this mungrel Office than the Epistles of Ignatius Cap. 22. He tells us that the word Presbyter is also taken for Bishops by Polycarp Papias Irenaeus Tertullian and Clemens Alexand. so that our cause will be carried beyond Scripture times But again finding so many Bishops with Polycarp I doubt he maketh Bishops too unwearied Travellers and too great non-Residents and Gods Publick Worship too often interrupted by their absence Cap. 23 24 25 26. He speaketh of Deacons the word and Office which we have now no business with but to note that cap. 26. § 8. he is again at Epiphanius allowing a single Bishop without Presbyters but not without Deacons because he cannot be a Bishop without Deacons which I believe not nor do our Prelates but without subject Presbyters he may better than with them And § 10. he excellently argueth from the Epistle to Timothy that seeing Paul instructeth him in all things belonging to the Church of God 1 Tim. 3. 15. and yet never mentioneth these Medioxumos Presbyteros mungrel or middle Priests it is plain that the reason is because none such were instituted when the Apostle wrote To which I add nor afterward by the Apostles as far as can be proved and therefore never should have been Cap. 27. He speaketh of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1. and 2. and 1 Tim. 5. shewing that these Women were in Orders Of which I have no mind to contend so that by the Name it be not inferred that they are she-Bishops and that they argue not as a Preacher did since we were silenced I can name the Man and place from St. John's Epistle to the Elect Lady to prove that there were Lord-Bishops in the Apostles daies viz. an Elect Lady supposeth an Elect Lord But there are no Elect Lords but Elect Lord-Bishops Ergo We have not yet seen all Dr. Hammond's confutation of our Diocesan Prelacie In his fifth Dissertation we have more Cap. 1. He speaketh of Clemens Rom. and whereas we think that the confusion among Historians came partly from the little notice that came down from those times of such particulars and partly from the identity of the Office of Linus Cletus and Clemens being all Bishops at once of a great Church the Half-Presbyters being not yet ordained he gratifyeth us by proving that not only at Rome but also in Antioch Ephesus Corinth and Jerusalem there were more Churches than one with their several Bishops Even one of the Jews and one of the Gentiles how the local Diocese were then divided is hard to tell and where it was that one Apostle had Power of the Keys and where not I shall improve this Concession in due place Cap. 2. Of Clements Epistle he first takes notice of the Inscription to the Church of God dwelling or sojourning at Corinth The same Phrase as Philip. ◠1 2. And by this Church he proveth by confident affirming that all the Churches of Achaia are meant And that the same is to be said of Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians he unresistibly proveth by saying that Quisquis eas vel leviter degustaverit tuo scilicet gustu hoc omnino pronunciandum esse nobiscum statuet Nec igitur de hac Clementis ambigi poterit And so all that Controversie is ended But though without Scripture proof imagination might handsomely feign that the many Churches of Achaia are called singularly the Church of Corinth as one because of the Unity of the Metropolitane yet 1. I would have heard somewhat like reason for and some instances of the use of such a speech as this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church of God dwelling or sojourning at Rome to the Church of God dwelling or sojourning at Corinth And why and where and by what good writers all Achaia is called Corinth or all Macedonia Philippi or all the Cities about it indeed as the County of Worcester the County of York of Warwick c. are usual Titles so may the Church of York Worcester Warwick be in the Diocesans sense But whoever said of all the County or Diocess To the County Diocess dwelling at York Worcester Warwick As if all the Countrey and Towns belonging to that Circuit were called Warwick c. 2. Doth not his own proof evidently confute him 2 Cor. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth with all the Saints which are in all Achaia Are the last words Tautological doth with signifie no addition at all If by the Church which is at Corinth be meant all the Churches and Christians in Achaia what sense is there in the addition of with all the Saints which are in Achaia O what kind of proof will satisfie some Learned Men 3. Was it all the Churches of Achaia that the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5. dwelt with and that are chidden for suffering him
forbear pronouncing of all Traytors Murderers Adulterers Perjured Atheists c. that never profest Repentance at their Burial that God hath of his mercy taken to himself the soul of this our dear brother except the unbaptized c. aforesaid And note 1. that the Parish Priest hath no power to do these things either by himself or in conjunction with the Bishop or any other 2. And that there is not one Suffragan Bishop or Chorepiscopus in England under the 26 Bishops to do any part of their work in these 97025 Parishes CHAP. III. Our Judgment of the History of the Antient Church-Government and of the rise of the Diocesan Prelacy I Shall anon shew more fully that there are two things especially in which we think the very Species of our Diocesan Prelacy to be altered from the antient Episcopacy One is in the Extent of their Office as to their subject Charge a Bishop infimae speciei of the lowest species having then but One Church and now a Bishop infimae speciei having many hundred Churches made into one or nullified to make One 2. In the Work of their Office which was then purely Spiritual or Pastoral and is now mixt of Magistratical and Ministerial exercised by mixed Officers in Courts much like to Civil Judicatures The History of their rise I suppose is this 1. Christ made a difference among his Ministers himself while he chose twelve to be Apostles and special Witnesses oâ— his Doctrine Life and Resurrection and Ascension and to be the Founders of his Church and the Publishers of his Gospel abroad the World 2. As these Apostles preached the Gospel themselves and planted Churches so did many others as their helpers partly the seventy sent by Christ and partly called by the Apostles themselves And all these exercised indefinitely a preparing Ministry before particular Churches were gathered abroad the World and afterwards went on in gathering and calling more 3. Besides this preparing unfixed Ministration the same Apostles also placed by the peoples consent particular fixed Ministers over all the several Churches which they gathered 4. These fixed Ministers as such they named indifferently Bishops Elders Pastors and Teachers Whereas those of the same Office in general yet unfixed are called either by the General name of Christ's Ministers or Stewards of his Mysteries And in regard of their special works some were called Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists 5. These Apostles though unfixed and having an Indefinite charge yet went not all one way but as God's Spirit and prudence guided them they dispersed themselves into several parts of the World 6. But as they did many of them first stay long at Jerusalem so afterward in planting and setling Churches they sometimes stayed several months or years in one place and then went to another And so did the Evangelists or Indefinite Assistants whom they sent forth on the same work 7. While they stayed in these newly planted Churches they were themselves the chief Guides of the People And also of their fixed Bishops 8. This abode in settling the particular Churches and their particular Bishops or Elders occasioned Historians afterward to call both Apostles and Evangelists such as Timothy Titus Silas Silvanus Luke Apollo c. the Bishops of those Churches though they were not such as the fixed Bishops were who undertook a special Charge and care of one particular Church alone or above all other Churches 9. On this account the same Apostle is said to be the first Bishop of many Churches as Peter of Antioch and Rome Paul of Corinth Ephesus Philippi c. When indeed the Apostles were the particular fixed Bishops of no Churches but the Bishops equally of many as a sort of unfixed Episcopacy is included in Apostleship 10. On this account also it is that Timothy is said to be Bishop of Ephesus because he was left there for a time to settle that and other Churches of Asia near it as an Assistant of the Apostles And so Titus is called the Bishop of Crete because he staid in that Island which was said to have an hundred Cities on this work which belonged not to a particular Bishop but to the more indefinite Ministry 11. How many such fixed Bishops Elders Pastors or Teachers each particular Church must have the Apostles never determined by a Law But did de facto settle them according to the number of souls and store of qualified persons In some Churches it is possible there might be but one with Deacons In others it is evident that there were many as at Jerusalem Corinth c. 12. The particular Churches which were the charge of these fixed Bishops or Elders were Societies of Christians conjoyned for Personal Communion in God's Worship and mutual assistance in holy living And though for want of convenient room or liberty they did not always meet all in the same place yet were they ordinarily no more than could meet in one place when they had liberty and never more than could hold personal Communion if not at once yet at several times in publick worship As it is now in those places where one part of the Family goeth to Church one part of the day and another on the other part And those by-Meetings which any had that came not constantly to the publick Assemblies were but as our House-Meetings or Chapel-Meetings but never as another Church Nor were their Churches more numerous than our Parishes nor near so great 13. At the first they had no Consecrated nor Separated places for their Church-Meetings but Houses or Fields as necessity and opportunity directed them But as soon as they could even nature taught them to observe the same appointed and stated places for such Assemblies Which as soon as the Churches had peace and settlement they appropriated to those sacred uses only though they had not yet the shape or name of Temples 14. Though the Pastors of the Church were all of one Office now called Order being all subordinate Ministers of Christ in the Prophetical Priestly and Regal parts of his Office in the Power and Duty of Teaching Worshiping and Government yet was the disparity of Age Grace and Guifts to be observed among them and the younger Pastors as well as people owed a meet reverence and submission to the Elder and the weaker to the stronger who had notoriously more of God's Grace and Guifts So that in a Church where there were many Pastors it was not unlawful nor unnecessary to acknowledge this disparity and for the younger and weaker to submit much to the judgment of the elder and more able 15. While they kept only to the exercise of the meer Pastoral work of Teaching and Worshiping and that Government which belongeth hereunto they had little temptation comparatively to strive for a preeminence in Rule or for a Negative Voice But aliene or accidental work did further that as followeth 16. The Apostles did reprove those Worldly contentious and uncharitable Christians who went to Law before
this power do not degrade the Presbyters nullifie the Churches under them and depose the ancient sort of Episcopacy quantum in se and set up another Humane sort of Churches called Diocesan and of Archbishops turned into Bishops infimi gradus in their stead together with a new Species of half-Presbyters 1. How far Whitgift's Disputations against Cartwright are guilty of this overlooking the true Question I leave to the Reader Only I must say for him that when his Adversarie standeth most upon the denial of all superior Episcopacy it was his part to prove what was denied And I need say no more than that Whitgift oft professeth as Dr. Stillingfleet hath collected out of him that God hath in Scripture prescribed no one sort of Church-Government And therefore not the Prelatical 2. I do not expect that ever this Controversie should be handled by two more judicious Adversaries than Saravia and Beza were And as Beza protesteth against a Parity and pleadeth for a Prostasie desireth that which he calleth Divine Episcopacy tolerating and submitting to that which he calleth Humane Episcopacy and flatly opposing only that which he calleth Satanical Episcopacy So Saravia professeth p. 1 2. p. Defens 4 5. that the General nature of the Evangelical Ministry common both to Bishops and Presbyters containeth these three things 1. The Preaching of the Gospel 2. The Communication of the Sacraments 3. The Authority of Church-Government And only pleadeth that in this last the Power of Bishops and Presbyters is not equal but the Bishops power is principal in Government Which granteth the main Question which we Nonconformist now contend for And I confes that Saravia's Writings were the first and chief that brought me to suspect that the Apostles have Successors in the point of Government as being but an ordinary and durable part of their Office which Argument he hath better managed than any man else that I have seen And p. 12. ib. He granteth that the 70 Disciples were not under the Government of the 12 Apostles He granteth that chosen Seniors of the Laity may be great Assistants in the Government Yea Def. 1. 8. p. 83. He saith that in the absence of Paul and his Assistants the Churches of Crete were wholly ruled till Titus Ordained them Pastors by such Elders A senioribus quos ratio natura in quavis Societate dat non Ordinatio quales sunt natu majores quotquot aliqua virtute in populo excellunt quibus deferre natura omnes gentes docuit quibus addo eos quos tunc temporis passim dona Sp. sancti venia excitabant sed nulli loco alligabant And no wonder for he affirmeth that in times of publick corruption of Doctrine any man that is learned and able and fit must propugne and defend the truth as he hath ability and opportunity or else be judged for hiding his talents as the unprofitable servant pag. 23. cap. 2. Yet doth he most improbably imagine that Rome and Corinth had no proper Pastors when Paul wrote his Epistles to them When as Paul had dwelt a year and half at Corinth when it was the practice of the Apostles to Ordain Elders in every Church and when among the Corinthians there were so many Prophets Instructers Speakers of Languages Interpreters c. that Paul is fain to regulate and restrain them in their Church-meetings that they might not over-do and hinder one another And yet were these People without any proper Pastor Without a Prelate it's like they were Yea when Paul directeth them to deliver the incestuous man to Satan and to exercise Church-discipline upon others that were scandalous doth not this intimate that they had among them such as were impowred to do it If only transiently and occasionally they could Worship God publickly and deliver Sacraments and Govern the Church but transiently and rarely How did they spend the Lords days when those transient guides were absent Did the major part of the people who Saravia thinketh were to exercise the foresaid Discipline also Consecrate and Administer the Sacrament or publickly pray and worship God without a Pastor Were they every Lords day to deposit their Collections and have no Pastors and so no Church-Assemblies Had they so many Sects and false Teachers to trouble them and yet no Pastors When Clem. Rom. so shortly after writeth so much to reconcile the Pastors and People that disagreed And when Paul tells the Romans and Corinthians what Officers God setteth in the Church is it like there was none fixed among them And I must note how great a charge he layeth on the Bishops when Resp ad N. p. 10. Art 12. He saith that the Bishop is aequè imo magis proprius singularum Ecclesiarum sua Dioceseos Pastor illis qui ibi praesunt resident utpote ad quem cura praecipua illorum locorum pertineat The Bishop hath more Charge or Care of all the Parishes in his Diocess than the present Pastors have O dreadful undertaking Ad quem prima praecipua Cura omnium incumbet ita ut ipse suum agnoscit gregem singulis quibus manus imponit c. How many hundred thousand individuals then hath the Bishop of London this particular Charge of whose names he never heard and whose faces he never saw Oportet enim Episcopum omnes quantum fieri potest qui ipsius curae commissi sunt nosse The Bishop must know all his Flock if possible And must he have a Flock then which he cannot possibly know nor never saw one of a hundred or thousand of them with any particular knowledge at least And Cont. quaest Resp Beza p. 103. He approveth of Zanchy's judgment that Ceremonies and things indifferent be left free and the Churches free in them And Defens p. 286. He saith Primum Episcoporum omnium Presbyterorum unum esse Ordinem Constituo I maintain that there is one Order of all Bishops and Presbyters Therefore they cannot differ but Gradu as a Deacon and Archdeacon And again ib. p. 286. Ministerii autem Evangelici unitas probatur ab horum unitate ut ita loquar identitate Eandem enim veritatis doctrinam omnes Orthodoxi docent eadem Sacramenta Ministrant eandem censuram exercent tantum Provinciarum est inaequalitas graduum diversitas The Unity of the Gospel Ministry is proved from the Unity or as I may say Identity of these All that are Orthodox teach the same true Doctrine Administer the same Sacraments exercise the same Censures Only there is an inequality of Provinces and a diversity of degrees Thus the most Learned and rational Defender of Prelacy giveth away their Cause 3. Bishop Bilson a most Learned and judicious man also saith more for Episcopacy than any of our late Writers and in my judgment saith more against the Office of Ecclesiastical Elders distinct from Pastors than can be answered But to our two main Questions before-mentioned of a Bishop over
contrary that needeth a Reply Cap. 5. he would prove the Angels to be Archbishops which if done would not touch our Cause who meddle not with Archbishops but onely prove that the full Pastoral or Episcopal Office or power of the Keys as over the Flock should be found in every particular Church that hath unum Altaere To prove Metropolitans again he tells us how that in Provinces we find Churches mentioned in the Plural number and in Cities onely a Church singularly not perceiving how hereby he overthrows his Cause when he can never prove that in Scripture many particular Churches are called A Church Diocesane or Metropolitan as united in one Bishop as our Diooesane and Metropolitan Churches now are Nay indeed though the Society be specified by the Government yet the Name sticketh in their teeth here in England and they seldom use the Title of the Church of Canterbury and York for the whole Province and they use to say the Diocese of Lincoln London Winchester Worcester Coventry and Litchfield c. rather than the Church of Lincoln London Coventry and Litchfield c. lest the Hearers would so hardly he seduced from the proper sense of the word Church as not to understand them His Proofs of the Civil or Jewish distinction of Metropolitans § 4 5 c. let them mind that think it pertinent But § 9. we have a great word that It may be proved by many examples that after this Image the Apostles took care every where to dispose of the Churches and constituted a subordination and dependence of the lesser on the more eminent Cities in all their Plantations Answ This is to some purpose if it be made good The first Instance is Acts 14. 26. 16. 4. and 15. 2 3 22 23 30. Not a word else out of Scripture And what 's here Why Paul and Barnabas are sent to Jerusalem from Antioch to the Apostles and Elders about the Question and were brought on their way by the Church and passed thorow Phenice and Samaria Chosen men are sent to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas Judas and Silas with Letters from the Apostles Elders and Brethren even to the Brethren of the Gentiles in Antioch Syria and Cilicia And when they came to Antioch they delivered the Letters and Paul and Timothy as they went thorow the Cities delivered them the Decrees to keep that were ordained by the Apostles and Elders that were at Jerusalem Doth not the Reader wonder where is the Proof And wonder he may for me unless this be it The Apostles and Elders were at Jerusalem when they wrote this Letter and thence sent it to Antioch Syria and Cilicia Ergo They established the Bishop of Jerusalem to be the Governour and Metropolitan of Antioch Syria and Cilicia The Apostle Paul went from Antioch to other Cities and delivered them these Decrees Ergo Antioch is the governing Metropolis of those Cities I think the major Propositions are Every City from which Apostles send their Letters to other Cities and every City from which an Apostle carrieth such Letters or Decrees to other Cities is by those Apostles made the Governing Metropolis of those other Cities What dull Heads are the Puritans to question such a Proposition as this But it is not given to all Men to be wise And we ignorant Persons are left in doubt Q. 1. Whether the Universal Headship or Papacy of the Bishop of Jerusalem be not of Apostolical Institution and that more than by one Apostle even by all of them that were then at Jerusalem Q. 2. Whether the Apostles did not this as they did other parts of Church-settlement by the Spirit of God and so whether it be not jure Divino yea by a more eminent Authority than the Scriptures which were written by parts by several single Men some Apostles and some Evangelists when this is said to be done by all together Q. 3. Whether Christ's Life Death Resurrection Ascension and sending the Apostles thence into all the World and not into the Roman Empire onely do not incomparably more evidently make Jerusalem the Universal Metropolis of the Earth and so set it above Rome which is but the Metropolis of one Empire Q. 4. Whether then an Universal Head of the Church or Vicar of Christ be not jure Divino and so a Jerusalem Papacy be not essential to the true Church and Religion Q. 5. Whether then all the Emperours Bishops and Churches that did set up Rome Alexandria Antioch and Constantinople above Jerusalem were not Traytors against the Universal Sovereign of the Church and guilty of Usurpation and gross Schism Q. 6. To what parpose this Sovereignty was given to Jerusalem which was never possess'd and exercised Q. 7. Whether Peter's being at Rome could alter this Church-Constitution and one Apostle could undo what all together had done Q. 8. Whether the Apostles carried this Metropolitical Prerogative with them from place to place where-ever they came And whether it did belong to the Men or the Place And whether to the Place whence they first set out or to every place where they came or to the place where they dyed Judge what is the proof of any of these Q. 9. When they were scattered which of their Seats was the Metropolitan to the rest or were they all equal Q. 10. If the Power followed the Civil Power of the Metropolitane Rulers whether Caesar did not more in constituting the Church-Order and giving power comparatively to the Metropolitanes than Christ and his Apostles Q. 11. Whether it was not in Caesar's power to unmake all the Church Metropolitans and Bishops at his pleasure by dissolving the Priviledges and Charters of Cities Q. 12. If it please any King or be the Custom of any Kingdom as it is in many parts of America that the Kingdom have no Cities or Metropolis whether it must have any Churches Bishops or Metropolitane Q. 13. Whether when Paul wrote his Letters from Corinth to Rome he thereby made the Bishop of Corinth the Governour of the Bishop and Diocess of Rome And whether little Cenchrea was over them also because Phoebe carried the Letter And did his writing from Philippi to Corinth subject Corinth to the Bishop of Philippi And did his writing from Rome to Galatia Ephesus Philippi the Colossians and from Athens to the Thessalonians and from Laodicea and Rome to Timothy and from Nicopolis to Titus and John's writing from Patmos to the Asian Metropolitanes produce the same effect Q. 14. If Paul's carrying the Letters from Antioch to other Cities proved Antioch the Governour of the rest whether when he returned from the other to Antioch again he made not the other the Governours of Antioch I am ashamed to prosecute this Fiction any further His following Citations from the Fathers I think unworthy of an Answer till it be proved 1. That these Fathers took the Metropolitane Order as such to be of Apostolical Institution and not in complyance with the Roman Government by meer humane
in their Communion and that are directed when they meet together to cast him out and not to eat with him 4. Would it not be Calumny according to all rational Laws to accuse all the Churches of Achaia of all those Crimes which the Church at Corinth is accused of without a better proof than this 5. Was it all the Churches of Achaia which 1 Cor. 14. are said to meet all in one place and to have so many Prophets and Interpreters in that one Assembly I am not at leisure to say more of this But who denieth that the same Epistle which was directed first to the Corinthians was secondarily directed to the rest of Achia and to be Communicated to them And yet not the Churches of Achaia be all said to be or dwell at Corinth When 2 Cor. 11. 10. Paul speaketh of the Regions of Achaia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith that sheweth that the matter belonged to the whole Church of Achaia But how long have they all been challenged to name one Text of Scripture that speaketh singularly of the Church of a Province or Countrey consisting of many particular Churches Yet addeth he In re manifesta non pluribus opus est Cap. 3. He only mentioneth the occasion of Clements Epistle where without any Proof he extendeth the Sedition then raised by them to the disturbance of the Civil Government and Peace And if he had proved as he endeavoureth that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant the Civil Rulers which is utterly uncertain yet the commendation of their Obedience formerly to the Civil Power as part of the Character of their orderliness and peaceableness doth not prove that Rebellion against them was part of their following disorder Cap. 4. Is to tell us 1. That Clemens puts Obedience to Rulers and due honouring of Presbyters as a Law of God which is not to be doubted of 2. That Bishops were sent by the Apostles as the Apostles by Christ but were joyned only with Deacons to attend them Mark here Reader that he doth not only acknowledge that de facto the Order of Mungrel or Half-Priests was not yet Existent but also that none such were sent by the Apostles and so not Instituted and that Clemens himself taketh notice of no such even in his times But how the Dr. will prove that no great Churches and particularly this of Corinth had but one Bishop you shall see with little satisfaction 3. He noteth that these Bishops thus sent were constituted every where Ecclesias nondum natas sed ad partum bonis Dei auspâ—cus festinantes brachiis atque ulnis suis susceptum administratum to receive in their Arms and Arms the Churches not yet born but by Gods Blessing hastning to the Birth whereas of his own Head he had before said that the Bishops were sent by the Apostles when Clement saith no such thing but only that they were Constituted sending being the word used of Itenerant Preachers gathering and visiting Churches and Constituting with Ordaining the usual word of Bishops and Presbyters who as such are fixed to particular Churches so now he more boldly forgeteth that Bishops were yea every where to receive Churches that were yet no Churches Where he contradicteth both Scripture and common use of the word Bishop and abuseth Clement 1. Let any Man that can shew us thatin the New Testament the word Bishop is ever used of any Pastor that was not related to a Church and as signifying that Relation and that Bishop and Flock are yet as much Relatives as King and Kingdom 2 Let him shew that can that the word was used otherwise by Christians for many a hundred years after Christ Though I grant that Ministers in general were and may be ordained sine titulo to Preach and gather Churches and help others yet never Bishops the word signifying an Over-seer of the Flock or Church to which he is related 3. If it were certain that the futurity of believing mentioned by Clemens had relation to the Constitution of Bishops and not to the Apostles Preaching only yet Clemens saith not that there were yet no Believers or no Churches where they were constituted Bishops Where there were but a few Believers the Apostles placed Bishops and Deacons over those few who should receive others into the same Society till it was full and no further who should after believe It is an abuse of Clemens to say it was to Churches yet not born when he hath no such word As if it could not be for future Believers unless at present there were no Believers And it is an abuse of him to seign him to assert that the Apostles did every where as soon as they had once Converted one Man presently make that new Baptized Novice a Bishop before they Converted any more saving perhaps one or two to be his Deacons Or that they used to make Deacons or Bishops either to Churches future that were yet no Churches When as the Scripture telleth the contrary most expresly that the Church at Jerusalem was before the Deacons Act. 7. That they ordained Elders in every Church Act. 14. 23. and not in no Church as he implyeth And Tit. 1. 5. every City is equivalent to every Church for it was not in every Infidel City that had no Christians Which beyond all modest contradiction is proved by the Rules given to Timothy and Titus for the Ordination of Bishops and Deacons Who were to be approved chosen persons that had ruled their own Houses well not Novices apt to teach well reported of those without which supposeth some to be within Tim. 3. 14 15. These things I write unto thee that thou mayest know how to behave thy self in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God a Pillar and Basis of the truth The first that were converted did not always prove the fittest to be Bishops perhaps they might be Women or weakly guiâ—ted To feign that the Apostles did that every where which none can prove that ever they did once to make a Bishop and Deacons of the two or three first Novice-converts before there were any more Converted and to make Bishops and Deacons before there were any Christians to constitute Churches meerly for future Churches this is not Clemens act whoever else will own it 4. Lastly he noteth here that this was done by the Revelation of the Spirit whereby they examined and tryed who was worthy of that Dignity And 1. What use for examination who was worthy where there was no other to stand in Competition and where the first Convert still was taken Election is è multis And if he be compelled to grant that there were more Christians over whom the Bishop was set it is a Contradiction to say that a Bishop and his Flock though small is no Church 2. It is hard to believe that the multitude of ignorant Lads and wicked Men that are now set over Churches are Constituted by this Apostolical choice and
than one or two Churches 6. And what was the cause of this one or two like to touch the Bishops of the other Churches And what Cognisance was all Achaia like to have of the cause of one or two distant persons so as for them to rise up against their own Bishops 7. If it was not all nor many Pastors that were thus turned out as Clemens words import why should all Achaia be called seditious and blamed for it 8. Doth not the common Law of Charity and Justice forbid us to extend those words of reproof to a whole Province which cannot be proved to extend farther than to a single Church and principally toucht but one or two 9. I have before proved that Paul by the Saints at Corinth meaneth but one Church Therefore it 's like that Clemens doth so too 10. The Bishops and Deacons that Clemens speaketh of were set up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum consensu totius Ecclesiae or as the Dr. will needs have it applaudente aut congratulante tota Ecclesia indeed with the good liking Pleasure or Approbation of the whole Church And shall we be perswaded that all the Cities and Countrey of Achaia were that whole Church which approved or consented to these particular Pastors that were put out Or that had Cognisance of them or acquaintance with them 11. He expresly saith pag. 62. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Church of Corinth for the sake of one or two moved Sedition against the Presbyters And why doth he never say it was the Church of Achaia 12. p. 63. He supposeth the Person Emulating to be a Believer of power in explaining Doctrine wise in judging of Speeches c. And would have the concern'd Person say p. 69. If the Sedition be for me and the Contention and Schisms I will remove I will be gone wither you will and will do what the People pre-determine of or command only let the Flock of Christ with the Presbyters set over them live in peace And is it like that the Flock that this Person must say so to was all Achaia 13. And p. 73. He requireth those that begun the Sedition to be obediently Subject to the Presbyters and not to their Bishop onely And is it like to be the Bishops of other Churches through all Achaia that this one or two is required to Obey and be in Subjection to I have given my Reasons to prove that these Presbyters were in the One Church of Corinth Compare his if you can find them to the contrary and Judge Impartially as you see cause Cap. 8. Hath nothing that concerneth us but the recitall of his grand Concession lest we should think that in Clemens days the great Bishop of Corinth or any in Achaia had any more Church-assemblies than one to whom he could do all the Pastoral Offices himself he thus concludeth § 9. Indeed mention is found only of Bishops with Deacons constituted in each City sometimes under the Title of Bishops sometimes of Presbyters there being no token or foot-step at all appearing of such as we now call Presbyters c. To which I wholly agree though not that there was but one Presbyter in Corinth Cap. 9. He is offended much with Blondel for reproaching Hermas and yet using his Testimony As if a Hereticks or an Infidels Testimony might not be used in point of History And § 14. he again cometh to his supposition of Bishops without Subject Presbyters as if it served his turn more than ours Cap. 10. About Pius words hath nothing that I find the cause concerned in Cap. 11. Is of little moment to us both parties have little that is cogent but velitations about dubious words Cap. 12. Is but about the sense of the word applyed to Ireneuâ— which Dr. H. taketh here and by many after to mean a Bishop and wonders that Blondel pleadeth for a parity of order from a common Name But it is not so much without reason as he maketh it For if Bishops and Presbyters were in the first times called by one Name and the highest Person in the Church then was ordinarily known by the name Presbyter and the appropriating of Bishop to one sort and Presbyter to another came afterwards in by such insensible degrees that no man can tell when it was it sounds very probable that it was the true Episcopal Power or the same Office and Order that was first commonly possessed by them to whom the name was Common And so much of Dr. Hammond's Dissertations wherein I must desire the Reader to note 1. That I meddle not with other mens Causes nor particularly with the question Whether one man in each Church had of old a guiding superiority over the rest of the Presbyters Nor yet whether the Apostles had such successors in the General care of many Churches such as Visiters or Arch-Bishops but only 1. Whether every Presbyter were not Essentially a Bishop or Governour of the Flock having the power of Keys as they call it in foro interiore exteriore both for resolving Consciences and for Church-order 2. Whether every particular Church which ordinarily communicated together in the Lords Supper and had unum Altare had not one or more such Bishops 3. Whether it was not a sinful corrupting change to bring in another Species of Presbyters and so to depose all the particular Churches and Bishops and set up a Dioâ—esane Bishop inâ—â—â—is ordinis with half Churches and half-Priests under him in their stead 2. And note That as it concerned me not to speak to all that the Doctor hath said so I have carefully chosen out all that I thought pertinent and of a seeming weight as to the cause which I mannage and have past by nothing in the whole Book which I thought an understanding Reader needeth an answer to There is yet the same Authors Vindication of his Dissertations to be considered But I find nothing new in them to be answered by me nor that I am concerned for the Cause in hand any further than to give you these few Observations 1. That again p. 5. he saith That by observing the paucity of Believers in many Cities in the first Plantations which made it unnecessary that there should by the Apostles be ordained any more than a Bishop and Deacon one or more in each City and that this was accordingly done by them at the first is approved by the most undenyable ancient Records 2. That p. 7. he again well averreth that the Jewish and Gentile Congregations occasioned several Churches and Bishops in the same Cities And p. 14. 15. That Timothy was placed by Paul Bishop of the Gentiles at Ephesus and S. John and another after him Bishop of the Jews Pag. 16. He thinketh that Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus or Angel when Rev. 2. was wrote Pag. 17. From Epiphanius he reckoneth above 50 years from the Revelation of John Rev. 2. to the writing of Ignatius's Epistles By which we may Calculate the time when the
Office and not in the individual acts the Bishops As Eve was a Rib of Adam materially but when she was a woman she was no part of Adam nor her acts like his acts and so of all woman-kind thereafter Qu. 2. Whether the Bishop any other way commit the work or Office to him than by calling him to an Office which God himself had made or instituted and Ministerially investing him in it as a Servant that hath no land of his own may be sent by his Master to invest another in some Land which he hath given him by a Legal Solemn delivery of possession or as a Steward may send such Reapers into his Masters field as his Master did before exactly describe to him Christ being the only maker of the Office and punctual describer of it and the Bishop people and Magistrates altogether doing no more but choose the Person described as fit and deliver him possession of the place But if he thought that the Bishop himself doth make the Presbyters Office by parting his own and so giving him as much as he thinketh fit I shall shame this Opinion in due place Pag. 132. and in his Dissert he would make us believe that Polycarp's Epistle and so Clement's to the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were to be interpreted extensively as relating to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Church in the Parish that is the Diocess of Corinth or Province of Achaia And so he distoâ—teth Phil. 1. â— and other places but in all his Citations giveth us not a word of proof that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to dwell in the Circuit or extent of a Diocess and not simply to soâ—â—uru or dwell As if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as if the first notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were a Diocess or a City with its Territories As Pat Young saith on Clement's Epist p. 1. cum idem sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—t videre est statim in initio libri Ruth alibi apud 70 which he further proveth yea and by an old Inscription of an Altar brought from Delos c. see the place And we took it to be agreed on that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its strict sense is but habito tanquam peregrinus advena sum and in its usual larger sense juxta habito accolo sum prâ—ximus vicinus accola And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but incolatus vicinia habitatio propinqua a place of cohabitation or a neighbourhood As we still take cohabitation to be a necessary qualification or dispositio materiae of a Church-member of the same particular Church contrary to the Diocesan state where the Members never see each other nor hear of their Names And though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in process of time as Bishops enlarged their Diocess or Church came to signifie a whole Country or Circuit as large as a Diocess did yet no man can prove that it was so from the beginning of the Churches or signified any determined space of ground beyond the habitation of the members of one Worshipping Church or Congregation Even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to build in the same Diocese but neaâ— or in the same Neighbourhood and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to set ones dwelling in the same Diocess but vicinity That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also in its strictest signification is but inquilinus a sojourner and in its largest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cohabitant but in boâ—n signifieth a Neighbour and not strangers dwelling out of the notice of each other through a Diocess is so fully shewed out of many Authors by the Basil Lexicon published by Henr. Petr. 1568 that I need not add to it And the Authors of that Lexicon suppose that the third the Church signification is primarily but from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut accola that Paraeci huic dicuntur qui fanum aliquod accolnit not that dwell near a thousand or many hundred several Churches unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curia viciniae conventus not many hundred Conventions accolâ—rum coitio congregatio hoc parochiam dicunt absurde Much more would they call the newer Notion of a Diocess-Parish like ours absurd In Heb. 11. 9. and Luk. 24. 18. Act 7. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 17. Act. 13. 17. Act. 7. 29. Eph. 2. 19. which are all the places in the new Testament where these words are used that I know of the Dr. himself in his Annotations doth not once pretend that the word is used in his Province sense And is not Clemens and Polycarp liker to use the word in the Scripture sense than in this aliene sense that since came into the Church We must therefore take leave till better proof of the contrary to expound Clemens Polycarp and Ignatius meerly by sojourning and cohabiting in such a vicinity as Personal and Congregational Communion required But his only seeming proof is again because Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians was to the Province of Achaia To which again I answer that Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians was to be communicated to all Achaia and after to all the World but that maketh not Corinth and Achaia nor the Church at Corinth and the Churches of all Achaia to be the same Nay Paul expresly distinguisheth them by the Conjunction as aforesaid else his words were Tautological if by To the Church of Cod which is at Corinth with all the Saints which are in all Achaia he had meant To the Church of God which is in all Achaia with the Saints that are in all Achaia And I had thought all Achaia had been more than a Parish even as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was used Ecclesiastically in those times in the opinion of the Diocesane Divines themselves And so much of Dr. Hammond and all that have written for our Prelacy The Opposers of Prelacy To name the Authors that write on the other side or some of them is enough Viz. 1. Beza 2. Cartwright 3. Jacob against Downame 4. Didoclane alias Ca'derwood's Altare Damascenum 5. Learned Parker de Polit. Ecclesiast not so florid as his Treat of the Cross but more nervous 6. Holy and Learned Paul Baine Perkin's Successor his Diocesan's Tryal short and nervous in Syllogisms 7. Salmasius in 2 Books Apparat. ad primat P. Walo Messalinus 8. Before him Gersom Bucer dissert de Gubern Ecclesiae against Downame large and learned 9. Jer. Burroughs in 2 or 3 sheets Argumentatively 10. Prins unbishoping of Timothy and Titus 11. Dr. Bastwick's Flagellum Pontificis Episcoporum Latialium oratorical 12. And such are Miltons 13. Smectymnuus that is Steph. Marshal Edw. Calamy Tho. Young Mat. Newcomen and Will. Spurstow And a defence of it 14. The Lond. Ministers Jus Divinum Presb. Minist 15. The Isle of Wight Papers 16. Dav. Blondel that wonder of the world
particular Church ordinances of Christs is a true Bishop But every true particular Church should have such a Pastor Therefore they should have a Bishop By the Church ordinances I mean 1. Teaching 2. Ministerial Worship in Prayer Praise and Sacraments 3. Discipline secret and publick in that Church And let them remember that they that instead of proof do but crudely affirme that Cities only may be Bishops Seats do but beg the question But because he that puts us hardest to it Downame doth lay so much on these two differences of a Diocesan Church from a Parochial 1. That a Diocese conteineth the City and territories though at first it have but one Congregation 2. That converting the rest of the City and territories giveth the Bishop a right to Govern them all I will further distinctly consider of both these CHAP. VIII Whether the Infidel Territories or Citizens do make part of a Diocesane Church 1. WE distinguish between a Diocese and a Diocesane Church 1. The word Diocese first was of civil signification and so we have nothing to do with it 2. It may signifie a Country of Infidels whom a Minister of Christ endeavoureth to convert And so it is no Church of it self nor no part of a Church if a Church be in it as is past all question And so we deny not but that 1. Every Minister should convert as many Infidels as he can 2. That he that is resident on the place as Pastor of a Cohabiting Church hath better opportunity than a stranger usually to convert the neighbour infidels And therefore hath more obligation to endeavour it because men must divide and order their work as their opportunities do invite and guide them 3. But yet that God set no man his Ministerial Charge by the measure of ground And therefore that if such a City-Bishop have a smaller number of Infidels in his territories than will take up his time and labour besides the care of his Church he ought not to confine his labour to them nor neglect other territories that need his help but may must and should go further in his endeavours as Augustine and other later Bishops among the Saxons notwithstanding the neighbourhood of the Brittains and as Wilfred alias Boniface among the Germans c. And if any other Minister come among the Infidels in the Territories of a City that hath a Church while they have need of such help the Bishop were a beast if he should forbid him on pretense that it is his Diocess where another hath nothing to do But as unoccupied Countries belong to any occupant so an Infidel Country belongeth to any preacher that hath opportunity to convert them And if a Diocesane prohibit such preaching he is to be neglected or reprehended but not obeyed Yet I deny not but prudence may direct preachers as it would do occupants in the aforesaid case to distribute their labours so as one may not hinder but help another But that is not a Law of propriety otherwise than as mutual consent obligeth And it is but the determination of circumstances and that not about any part of a Church and therefore nothing to the constitution of a Church And as is shewed as Christ sent his Disciples out by two and two so the Apostles oft went two together or an Apostle and an Evangelist which shewed that no one claimed the Diocess But still were it otherwise Infidels are not of the Church CHAP. IX Whether converting a Diocese give right to the Converter to be their Bishop or Governour 1 WE deny not but that Converts owe a peculiar love and respect to those as their fathers in Christ which did convert them which Paul claimeth of the Corinthians 2. And we deny not but caeteris paribus that man being as fit a man as others and his abode being nearer and his Church being not full but capable of them this advantage should encline his converts to choose him rather than another for their Pastor But yet converting them as such giveth him not a right to govern them as their Pastor nor necessitateth them to choose him As I prove 1. Because a Lay man as Frumentius and Edesius and Origen c. may convert men who are not Pastors to them or any 2. Because Conversion and Baptism as such is but mens admission into the Universal Church as in the Eunuchs case Act. 8. is manifest and not into any particular Church It uniteth them to Christ but not to any particular Pastor For they Baptize not into their own name 3. Because when two or three go together as Paul and Barnabas Silas Timothy Luke c. it is to be supposed that one converteth not all but one some and another some and therefore if converting gave right there must be many Bishops and Churches in a place 4. Because when a Church is settled a strange preacher that cometh after yea one that hath a charge elsewhere may convert many neighbours that were not Converted and yet it will not follow that he must come and set up another Church there for that nor that they must remove their dwelling to follow him 5. Because a man may and abundance of excellent preachers have done it convert many souls in many Countries where they go at great distances from each other But he cannot be the Bishop of so many people or Churches so far dispersed 6. Because it would make it uncertain who it is that hath any where the Episcopal power For Conversion is 1. a secret work known only to the person converted 2. And it is an obscure and usually a gradual work not done at once but by such degrees that the convert seldome knoweth himself who it was that converted him Though he may know that one mans ministry so far convinced him and another so far and so on It will be hard to say just when it came to a conversion And if you say it is he that perswaded him to be baptized that may be a lay man or long after his Conversion Princes in some Countries force or perswade thousands to be baptized If you say that it is he that Baptized him than Paul should be Pastor but to few of the Corinthians who thanked God that he baptized none of them but Stephanus houshold Gaius and Crispus as being not sent to baptize but to preach the Gospel 7. Because else many persons should be necessitated to choose a bad or very weak man if not a heretick for their Bishop when they may have far better and ablermen For it hath been known that a bad Minister and a heretical Minister much more a very weak Minister hath converted men But God doth not allow such converts therefore to cast their Souls under the danger and disadvantage of such a ones Ministry or oversights when much fitter may be had 8. Because both nature and Scripture example direct men to another course that is 1. To be members of the Church where they are cohabitants if there
me all nations baptizing them And Dr. H. thinketh that no Presbyter but Bishops baptized in Scripture time because there were then no other existent And it is too evident in Antiquity by what I before cited that no child or aged person was usually baptized without a Bishop when Bishops came up at least they used to anoint their nostrils c. with holy oyl And doubtless they that Baptized or admitted to baptism did examine them of their faith and resolutions before they took them into the Covenant and Vow of God And how many hundreds in a year can the Bishop do this for besides all his other work 6. It is by the English Canons and Rubrick the Bishops duty to confirm all that were baptized many think it is meant in Heb. 6. 1 2. Our Bishops take it for a proper part of their work And they that must confirm them according to our Liturgy must know their understanding and receive their profession of their faith and standing to their Baptismal Covenant which requireth some time and labour with each one for him that will not make a mockery of it Look into the Bills of London which tell you how many are born every week and thence conjecture how many hundreds in a year the Bishop hath in that Diocese to Confirm and consequently in other Dioceses proportionably Or if that will not inform you try over England where you come how many are though but cursorily as a hasty ceremony confirmedat all Whether it be one of many hundreds And set this to the rest of the Bishops work 7. It is the Bishops work to defend the truth against gainsayers to confute and stop the mouths of Hereticks and contradicters and confirm the troubled and wavering minded in the faith not by fire and sword nor by a quick prohibition of others to preach but by sober conferences and weight of evidence and by Epistles as Paul did when they are not at hand yea even to other Churches and as one that is gentle to all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. And shall the Bishop do this for many hundred Churches While he is defending the poor flock against Papists Quakers Arrians Socinians Infidels alas how numerous are the deceivers at Newark or Gainsborough or Boston what shall they all do between that and Barnet or the remotest part of Buckinghamshire II. The second part of the Bishops office is to be the peoples Priestly guides in Gods worship principally in the publick Assemblies and oft in private viz. 1. To confess the peoples sins and their own To be their own and the Churches mouth in prayer thanksgiving and the praises of the Lord. And in how many hundred Congregations at once will they do this 2. To consecrate and distribute the Sacrament of Communion and consequently to discern who are fit for it And in how many Churches at once will he do this 3. To bless the Congregation at the end of every meeting All these I have before proved that the ancient Bishops did and Dr. Hammond saith No other in Scripture times And what Ubiquitary shall do this 4. And in private it is the Bishop that must visit the sick that must be sent for by them all and must pray with them As Dr. H. at large proveth Annot. in Jam. 5. I have told you before how well and for how many he is able to do this in one of our Dioceses If that serve not turn I pray you if you are foreigners ask English men what number it is of sick men in a Diocese that are visited and prayed with by the Bishop Compare them with the Bills of Mortality in London and judge proportionably of the rest whether he visit one of many thousands of such as die to say nothing of all the sick that do recover 5. And it is the Bishops work to receive all the offerings first-fruits tythes and other maintenance of the Church as the Canons before cited say And see Dr. H. on Act. 2. c. and Act. 4. 33 34 35 c. 6. It was the Bishops work to take care of all the Poor Orphans Widows Strangers as the Canons cited shew And Dr. H. on 1 Cor. 12. 28. c. saith The supreme trust aâ—d charge was reserved to the Apostles and Bishops of the Church So in Can. 41. Apost A Bishop must have the care of the moneys so that by his power all be dispensed to the poor c. where he citeth Just Mart. and Polycarp for a particular care I have before told you that if the poor of every parish be not relieved till the Bishop take notice of them few of the poor in England would be any more for Bishops than for famine nakedness and death III. But the principal thing which I reckon impossible and is and must be destroyed by Diocesanes is the Government of all the particular Churches or Parishes in the Dioâ—â—se Where note 1. That I speak not of the Magistrates Government 2. Noâ— of that General Inspection by which an Archbishop or General Pastor overseeth the inferiour Bishops with their flocks as a general Officer doth the Regiments and Troops in his Army which have Colonels and Captains of their own But I speak of the particular Church Government of the Bishops of single Churches like that of Captains over their own troops or rather Schoolmasters in their several Schools And I the rather mention this because Bishops making it more proper to themselves than Teaching or Worship must hold were they consistent with themselves that they can less delegate it to others The exercise of the Keys are 1. For entrance by Baptism 2. By confirmation rightly understood as in a peculiar Treatise I have opened it 3. By Reproof Consolation Excommunication and Absolution of particular persons which I am now to speak of Where distinctly note I. What the work is Materially II. In what manner it must be done III. On how great a number of persons I. 1. To receive accusations and informations of all the great and perilous heresies crimes and scandals in the Diocese 2. To judge of the credibility of the witnesses hardly done by a stranger and of the validity of their proofs For Councils themselves have petitioned the Emperours that ungodly persons might not be witnesses who make so small a matter of other sins as that they may be supposed to make but little of false witnessing Else an Atheist or Infidel or man of no conscience as he never need to miss of Church preferment for want of conforming to mens wills so he may be master of the â—ame liberty and lives of all honest men at his pleasure and govern them that govern Church and State Therefore Bishops themselves must difference between witnesses And to say I know an honest man that knoweth an honest man that saith they are honest men is a poor
gather from Epiphanius And after him all sorts and Sects of Christians still owned it Even the Donatists and Novatians who had their Bishops as well as others 28. In Scripture times we read not of any meer fixed Bishops of particular Churches who Ordained either Bishops or Presbyters but only Apostles and their unfixed Assistants who had an equal charge of many Churches Not that the Office of the Indefinite unfixed Ministry was not the same with the Office of the fixed Bishops in specie For both had power to do all the Ministerial work as they had a call and opportunity to exercise it But because it being the employment of the Indefinite or unfixed Ministers to Gather and plant Churches before they could be Governed the Ordination of Elders over them was part of the planting of them and so fell to their lot as part of their constituting work 29. How it came to pass that the Itinerant or Indefinite exercise of the Ministry for planting Churches so quickly almost ceased after the Apostles days is a matter worthy to be enquired after For whereas some think that de jure obligatione it ceased with the Apostles as being their proper work that cannot be true 1. Because many others were employed in the same work in the Apostles days 2. Because it is Christ's own description of that Ministry to whom he promiseth his presence to the end of the Age or World Mat. 28. 19 20. 3. Because to this day there is still lamentable necessity of such Five parts in six of the World being yet Infidels 30. It is most probable that this service abated and withered gradually by the sloth and selfishness of Pastors And that it was the purpose of the Apostles that the fixed Bishops should do their part of both these works that is Both to preach for the Converting of all the Infidel Countries near them and also Govern their particular Churches yet not but that some others might be deputed to the Gathering of Churches alone And then these Bishops finding so much work at home and finding that the Itinerant work among Infidels was very difficult by reason of Labour Danger and their want of Apostolical gifts hereupon they spared themselves and too much neglected the Itinerant work Yet I must confess that such Evangelists did not yet wholly cease Eusebius Hist lib. 5. cap. 9. saith Pantaenus is said to have shewed such a willing mind towards the publishing of the Doctrine of Christ that he became a Preacher of the Gospel to the Eastern Gentiles and was sent as far as India For there were I say there were then many Evangelists prepared for this purpose to promote and plant the Heavenly Word with Godly Zeal after the manner of the Apostles 31. It was the ordinary custome of the Apostles to preach and plant Churches first in Cities and not in Country Villages Because in Cities there were 1. the greatest number of Auditors and 2. the greatest number of Converts And so there only were found a sufficient number to constitute a Church Not that this was done through any preeminence of the City or ignobility of Villages but for the competent numbers sake And had there been persons enow for a Church in Villages they would have placed Churches and Pastors there also as at Cenchrea it seems they did 32. When there was a Church of Christians in the City and a few Converts in the Country Villages that joyned with them they all made up but one full Assembly or Church fit for personal Communion for a long time after the Apostles days the main body of the people being still Infidels so that the Christian Churches stood among the Infidels as thin as the Churches of the Anabaptists Separatists and Independants did among us here in England in the days when they had greatest Liberty and countenance 33. Though at first the Bishops being men of the same Office with the other Presbyters were not to do a work distinct and of any other kind than the Presbyters might do but only Lead them and Preside among them in the same work as their Conductors as I said before of a chief Justice c. Yet afterward the Bishop for the honour of his calling appropriating certain actions to himself alone the Presbyters not exercising those acts in time the not exercising them seemed to signifie a want of Office or power to exercise them and so subject Presbyters who were never made by the Apostles that can be proved nor by their command were like a distinct Order or Species of Church-Officers and grew from syn-Presbyters or assessours of the same Office in specie to be as much subjects to the Bishops as the Deacons were to the Presbyters 34. All this while the Bishop with his fellow Elders and Deacons dwelt together in the same City and often in the same House and met in the same Church the Bishop sitting in the midst on a higher seat and the Presbyters on each hand him in a semi-circle and the Deacons standing And the Presbyters Preaching and otherwise officiating as the Bishop appointed who ruled the action And the Converts of the Villages came to this City Church as Members of it and joyned with the rest In the days of the Author of the Epistles ascribed to Ignatius every Church had but One Altar and One Bishop with his Fellow Elders and Deacons as the note of its Unity or Individuation For so many people as had personal Communion at One Altar with the Bishop or Elders were the constitutive parts of the Churches 35. Thus it continued also in the days of Justin Tertullian and Cyprian no Bishop having more than one Church or Altar without any other formed self-communicating Church under him but only Oratories in City or Country 36. The first that brake this Order were Alexandria and Rome where Converts soon multiplyed to a greater number than could meet in one place or Communicate at one Altar wherefore sub-assemblies with their particular Presbyters were there first formed who Communicated distinctly by themselves Though there is no proof that they Communicated there in the Sacrament of a long time after that they met for Preaching and Prayer Yet even in Rome and Alexandria the only places that had more than one stated Assembly for 200 years or more there were not so many Christians then as in the Parish that I now live in See more of my Proof in the beginning of my Church History abridged whos 's first and second Chapters belogn specially to this Treatise and therefore I must refer the Reader to them 37. Even in Epiphanius time about 370 years after Christ it is noted by him as a singularity in Alexandria that they had distinct Assemblies besides the Bishops whereupon Petavius himself largely giveth us notice that in those days except in a few very great Cities there was but one Church-assembly in a Bishops charge 38. After that in Cities or Country Villages the Converts multiplyed into more
Soveraign but Christ 79. By all this it is evident that we grant all these following disparities in the Church 1. The disparity of Age standing and Gifts among Ministers of the same Order 2. A kind of paternal priority where one was the Teacher Educater or Ordainer of the other 3. An accidental disparity when one only by the Patron or Magistrate hath the sole possession of the Maintenance and power of the Temple 4. We will not unpeaceably contend against the guiding power or negative Vote of One Bishop in a particular Church over the rest of the Pastors of the same Office Nor do we take such a power to make a distinct Office 5. We do not strive against the Presidency of one in Synods as Moderator No though it were durante vitâ which Bishop Hall thought would serve to heal us 6. We do not deny Obedience to any Bishop who is Commissioned by the King to exercise as a Church-Magistrate his part of the Church-Government 7. Much less do we strive against the Power of Kings and Lawful Magistrates Circa Sacra of which Grotius hath excellently written de Imper. But we take the Magistrate to be the necessary and only Ruler by the Sword to keep Peace and Order among Church men as well as among men of all other Professions 8. Yea I do not contend against the Divine Right of General Bishops or Archbishops such as Timothy and Titus nor will deny Obedience to them who take care as Visitors of Many Churches which have every one their proper Bishop one or more with true plenary Pastoral power of the Keys to guide the people of their charge 9. We refuse not to receive Ordination from such General Bishops 10. Nor do we refuse to be responsible to them when we are accused of any male Administration or to admit of Appeals from us to them 80. By all which it appeareth 1. How falsly we are charged to be against all Episcopacy 2. And how falsly and deceitfully all those Writers state the Case and plead against us that only plead for a Congregational or Parochial Episcopacy or any of this which we grant and how they cheat their Readers who make them believe that our Controversie is whether there should be any Episcopacy and not what kind of Episcopacy it should be 3. What friends they will prove to the Church that will rather do all that is done against it than endure those that grant all this which we do grant them 81. That I am not singular in all this I prove in that it was only Archbishop Usher's Reduction of Episcopacy to the Primitive state which the Nonconformists malitiously called Presbyterians did offer to his Majesty and the Bishops 1660. as the means of our Concord and which was rejected Yea that they thankfully accepted though not totally approved that higher Model expressed in his Majesties Declaration about Ecclesiastical Affairs And now I suppose I have given Strangers and Posterity a truer Description of the Judgment of the present Nonconformists than malicious turbulent ambitious Persons use to give of them or than the extreams and freaks of a few Sectaries would allow men to receive CHAP. V. Concerning the Writers of this Controversie With a Summary Answer to the Chief that write against the Cause which I defend I Have not been altogether negligent to read the Controversies on this Subject nor I hope partial in Reading them If I have it hath been because I had rather have found Conformity to the Prelacy to be lawful for then I had not above nine years been silenced and denied not only all Church maintenance but leave to preach Christ's Gospel nor had I been exposed as I have been to so much wrath and malice expressed in so many scurrilous lying invectives and libells besides other ways Even when I doubted of the use of the transient Image of the Cross I was of opinion that Prelacy was lawful and so was likely to continue if the Prelates would have given me leave But in 1640 they put a New Oath upon us Never to Consent to the Alteration of the present frame of Prelacy as under Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons c. and that it ought so to stand And I thought it was then time when I was put to such a solemn Oath to search more throughly into all the matter before I sware And in searching I found in general that almost all Writers for Episcopacy either confound Diocesan Prelacy such as ours with the Episcopacy of a single Church or at least all their proof extendeth to no more than I have here granted When they offer us the definition of a Bishop which few of them do it is such as neither supposeth any more Churches than one to be his Charge nor any Presbyters under him at all but only a Power of Ordaining Presbyters and ruling them when he hath them whether in one Church or more And I find that they are so far from proving that ever the Apostles appointed a distinct Office of Presbyters which had not the power of the Keys over the People in foro interiore exteriore as they call them but had only power to Teach and Worship under Bishops as a superior Office or Order as that they prove not any such to have ever been under the Apostles themselves and some of themselves do plainly deny it Nor do they prove that long after the Presbyters were any more subject to the Bishops than the Deacons are now to the Archdeacon or the Bishops to the Archbishop who are of the same Order So that whoever else they speak to they say nothing to me and seem not to know where the Controversie lyeth viz. 1. Whether a Bishop of the lowest rank being no Archbishop or having no Bishops under him over many Churches or Societies of Christians stated under their proper Pastors or Presbyters for ordinary personal Communion in all God's publick Worship be of Divine or Lawful Humane Institution 2. Whether an Order or Office of Presbyters that have not the power of the Keys even in foro exteriore be of Divine or Lawful Humane Institution whom for brevity I shall hereafter call half-Presbyters So that the Question is not whether one Man was after sometime called peculiarly the Bishop and in the same Church sate over Presbyters of the same Office as Archpresbyters or as Archdeacons over Deacons or Archbishops over Bishops Nor yet whether there were or should be a General sort of Bishops or Archbishops over the Bishops of particular Churches But whether any stated Body of Worshiping Christians as afore described like our Parish Churches that have unum altare should be without a Bishop of their own or without a Pastor that hath the threefold power before described of Leading the People in Doctrine Worship and Discipline called the power of the Keys And whether he be a true Presbyter or Minister of Christ that wants this power And whether they that depose the Parish Ministers of
Hammond think they prove that Rome and other great Cities then had more Bishops than one by reason of the peoples diversity in Languages c. As Peter of the Circumcision and Paul of the Uncircumcision 4. Eusebius mentioneth not this as a certainty but with an it's said which is the usual note of his uncertain reports of which he hath not a few as is commonly confessed 5. Dr. Hammond is so far from believing this that many Parishes were committed so early to Presbyters under one Bishop that he thinketh there is no proof that any such Presbyters were in being in the Scripture times And though we confess that Alexandria and Rome had divers Churches in them long before other places there is no proof or probability that it was so in the Apostles days And l. 3. c. 4. Eusebius expresly saith But how many and what sincere followers have governed the Churches planted by the Apostles it cannot be affirmed but so far as may be gathered from the words of Paul And c. 19. he mentioneth in the singular number the Church not the Churches of Rome Antioch and Jerusalem And l. 4. c. 11. he saith Celadion succeeded Mark in the Church of Alexandria But he saith l. 5. c. 9. that Julianus was chosen Bishop over the Churches of Alexandria And c. 22. Demetrius came in his place And l. 6. c. 1. Demetrius took upon him the oversight of the Congregations there And c. 35. Dionysius received the Bishoprick of ruling the Churches in or about Alexandria c. Ans 1. So long after it is not denied but that Alexandria had more Assemblies than one 2. Yet it is most likely that by the Churches in and about Alexandria Eusebius meant the Churches under the Archbishop of Alexandria which had Bishops of their own 3. Before they had a Temple there might be several lesser Meetings in the City which were but as our Chapels or the Independants Meeting in several Houses at once when yet the Church was but one because they were associated for Personal Communion 4. When the Parishes were divided to several Presbyters yet then each Presbyter had the true Episcopal Office as to the People though not the Name and though they were under a superiour Bishop that is they had the whole Office of a Presbyter or Pastor to Govern the People as well as Teach them and Worship with them And so there was then no Parish like ours which is but part of a Diocesan Church and no Church of it self as the Bishops Form it because it hath but a half Pastor 5. And is not the case of all other Churches in the World that to this time were but single Churches more considerable than the case of Rome and Alexandria which differed from all the rest Obj. But all the rest did the same as soon as they had People enow to make many Churches Ans 1. I have told you Grotius and Dr. Hammond think that there were more Bishops than one in a City for some time 2. This multiplication was not till long after in the third Century and with most in the fourth when it was no wonder that the Church fell into the Imperial Form And when they did so the Roman Primacy arose with the rest 3. Yet even then the Presbyters were Episcopi gregis and had the true full Pastoral power as to their Flocks as aforesaid So that there were no Bishops that yet deposed the Presbyters as now Page 125. He saith Neither was this a thing peculiar to the Bishops of Alexandria but common to others Ignatius was Bishop not only of Antioch but of Syria Irenaeus the Bishop of Lyons was Bishop of the Churches in France c. Ans 1. This openeth the former case These were not Diocesanes deposing all the Episcopos gregis and become sole Bishops but Archbishops that had under them Bishops in each particular Church Yet note that it is the French Synod of Bishops which Euseb ib. l. 5. c. 23. Iren. is said to oversee as it 's said ibid. that Palmas did so among the Bishops of Pontus in their Synod and that Victor was President in the Bishops Synod at Rome and Theophilus of Caesarea and Narcissus of Jerusalem in the Palestine Synod Which is nothing to our case It is further said that Optatus saith that in Rome were 40 Churches and that Theodoret had 800. Ans 1. It is granted that in Optatus's days Rome had 40 which is nothing to our case in hand 2. In those 40 so late there were no half Presbyters but as this Doctor confesseth they had not only a joynt power in Governing the Flocks but in Ordination too 3. I confess Theodoret's case seemeth strange and though of late date is so incredible as contrary to the case of other Churches that I do the rather for that clause believe that Epistle to Leo to be a forgery or corrupted at least And besides this Reason I have these also for it 1. Because he himself saith that Cyrus where he was Bishop was but two days journey from Antioch Hist Sanct. Patr. de Juliano And he that knoweth how great the Diocess of Antioch was will not easily believe that a Town within two days journey to Monks that went on foot was like to have eight hundred Churches in it at that time 2. And we know out of whose shop Theodoret's Epistles come Nicephorus saith he read above 500 of his Epistles Baronius saith there is a Book in the Vaticane containing 150 of them Metius translated these into Latine But saith Rivet Crit. Sacr. l. 4. c. 21. p. 455. the Reader must remember that they have been kept all this while in the Adversaries Cabinets and by them are brought into light and into Latine so that they have no authority further than other History confirmeth them 3 Especially seeing Leontius de Sectis saith as Baronius confesseth that Hereticks fained Epistles in Theodoret's name And Bellarmine de script Eccl. mentioneth one that hath his name in Concil Ephes that neither Theodoret nor any Christian is to be charged with 4. And that this one Epistle to Leo should be cull'd out of all the rest to be alone Printed after Theodoret's Works sheweth the design and what credit is to be given to it 5. And I shall anon cite much out of Theodoret himself to shew the improbability that Diocesses had then so many Churches And so much as a just confutation of Bishop Downame not as referring to other men with whom he dealt but to the cause which we have in hand And that I answer not the whole Book is because I know of no more in it than what I have culled out which needeth an answer as to the cause which I defend Of which I make the judicious Reader Judge 6. Bishop Hall's Defence of Episcopacy meddleth so little with the point now in Question that I have no need to say any thing to it more than is already said And he granteth all that I desire 7.
now to his Arguments 1. Paul planted Paul onely was their Father What then Ergo Paul onely was their Bishop I deny the Consequence and may long wait for a syllable of proof Contrarily Paul onely was not their Apostle Ergo Paul onely was not their Bishop For every Apostle you say hath Episcopal Power included in the Apostolical and none of them ceased to have Apostolical Power where-ever they came though they were many together as at Jerusalem Ergo None of them ceased to have Episcopal Power The conceit of Conversion and Paternity entituling to sole Episcopacy I shall confute by it self anon 2. But Paul judged the incestuous person and speaketh of coming with the rod. And what followeth Ergo None but Paul might do the same in that Diocess I deny the Consequence Any other Apostle might do the same Where is your Proof And if all this were granted it is nothing against the Cause that we maintain And next let us inquire whether this Church had no Bishops or Presbyters but Paul As here is not a word of proof on their side so I prove the contrary 1. Because the Apostles ordained Elders or Bishops in every Church and City Acts 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. Therefore the Church of Corinth had such 2. If they had not Presbyters or Bishops they could hold no ordinary Christian Church-Assemblies for all Gods publick Worship e. g. They could not communicate in the Lords Supper for Lay-men may not be the Ministers of it nor the ordinary Guides and Teachers of a Worshipping Church But they did hold such ordinary Assemblies communicating in the Lords Supper And to say that they had onely Pastors that were itinerant in transitu as they came one after another that way is to speak without book and against it and to make them differ from all other Churches without proof 3. 1 Cor. 14. doth plainly end that Controversie with 1 Cor. 11. when they had so many Prophets and Teachers and gifted Persons in their Assemblies that Paul is put to restrain and regulate their Publick Exercises directing them to speak but one or two and the rest to judge and this rather by the way of edifying plainness than by Tongues c. And c. 11. they had enow to be the ordinary Ministers of the Sacraments And cb 5. they had Instructions for Church-Discipline both as to the incestuous man and for all the scandalous for the time to come and are chidden for not using it before And who but the Separatists do hold that the power of the Keys for the exercise of this Discipline is in the Peoples hands Therefore most certainly they had a Clergy And if all this go not for proof against a bare Affirmation of the contrary we can prove nothing 4. And 1 Cor. 4. 15. I scarce think that Paul would have had occasion to say Though you have ten thousand instructers if they had not had qualified Persons enow to afford them one or two for Presbyters Cap. 2. proving no more of any one Apostles fixed Episcopacy he cometh to their secondary Bishops or Apostles And whereas we judge that Apostles and Evangelists and the Apostles Assistants were unfixed Ministers appropriating no Churches or Diocesses to themselves in point of Power but planting setling and confirming Churches in an itinerant way and distributing their Provinces onely arbitrarily and changeably and as the Spirit guided them at the present time of their work and that Bishops and Elders were such Pastors as these Church-gatherers fixed in a stated relation to particular Churches so that an Apostle was a Bishop eminenter but not formaliter and that a Bishop as such was no Apostle in the eminent sense but was also an itinerant Preacher limitedly because while he oversaw his Flock he was also to endeavour the conversion of others as far as his opportunity allowed him I say this being our judgment this learned Doctor supposeth Apostles as such to be Bishops and the fixed Bishops as such to be second Apostles And I so avoid contending about Names even where it is of some importance to the Matter that I will not waste my time upon it till it be necessary In § 1. he telleth us that these second Apostles were made partakers of the same Jurisdiction and Name with the first and either planted and ruled Churches or ruled such as others had planted Answ 1. We doubt not but the Apostles had indefinite itinerant Assistants and definite fixed Bishops placed by them as aforesaid But the indefinite and the definite must not be confounded 2. And were not Luke Mark Timothy and other itinerant Evangelists as such of the Clergy and such Assistants or secondary Apostles Exclude them and you can prove none but the fixed Bishops But if they were why did you before deny Evangelists Dissert 3. cap. 6. the power of the Keys and make them meer converting Preachers below Doctors and Pastors and the same with Deacons whereas Paul Ephes 4. 11. doth place them before Pastors and Teachers But avoiding the Controversie de nomine call them what you will we believe that these itinerant Assistants of the Apostles were of that One sacred Office commonly called the Priesthood or Ministry though not yet fixed and that the assigning them to particular Churches did not make them of a new Order but onely give them a new object and opportunity to exercise the Power which they had before and that Philip and other Deacons were not Evangelists meerly as Deacons which term denoteth a fixed Office in one Church but by a further Call And that you never did prove that ever the Scripture knew one Presbyter that had not the power of the Keys as Bishops have yea you confess your self the contrary All therefore that followeth in that Chapter and your Book of James the Just and Mark and others having Episcopal power is nothing against us The thing that we put you to prove is that ever the Apostles ordained such an Officer as a Presbyter that hath not Episcopal Power and Obligation too as to his Flock that is the Power of governing that Church according to God's Word And I would learn if I could whether all the Apostles which staid long at Jerusalem while James is supposed to be their Bishop were not Bishops also with him Whether they ceased to be Apostles to the People there Or whether they were Apostles and not Bishops And whether they lost any of their Power by making James Bishop And whether one Church then had not many Bishops at once And if they made James greater than themselves Whether according to your Premonition they did not give a Power or Honour which they had not which you think unanswerable in our Case Cap. 4. come in the Angels of the Churches Rev. 1 2 3. of which though the matter be little to our Cause I have said enough before why I prefer the Exposition of Ticoniui which Augustine seemeth to favour And I find nothing here to the
alterable policy And 2. That this Opinion rose as early as he pretendeth 3. And that these Ancients were not deceived â—â—t our English Bishops rather Bilson Jewel c. who took Patriarchs and Metropolitanes as such for Creatures of Humane Original While Ignatius his being Bishop of a Church in Syria shall prove him the Bishop of all Syria and the Church of God dwelling in Syria in Antiochia shall be equivalent with the Church in Antiochia governing all Syria I shall not undertake to hinder such men from proving any thing that they would have believed His Cap. 6. of the promiscuous use of the Names of Bishop and Presbyter and Cap. 7. that prepareth the stating of the Controversie need no answer but to say that we deny not but where a single Presbyter was he had himself the power of Governing that Church but where there were many though all had the full Office severally they were bound to use it in Concord And whether one amongst them shall have a precedency or guidance of the rest we think as Dr. Stillingfleet hath proved to be a matter alterable by humane prudence according to the various condition of the Churches And if any take both such Bishops and Archbishops to be Jure Divine with Dr. Hammond it will be somewhat to his Cause but nothing to ours Cap. 8. he openeth his conceit which in time I shall shew doth yield us the whole Cause that every place of Scripture which mentioneth Bishops or Presbyters meaneth Diocesan supereminent Bishops only And first he proveth it of the Elders Bishops of Ephesus Acts 20. because the whole flock is meant of all Asia Fully proved because Irenaeus said as he thought that the Bishops were convocate from Ephesus and the nearest Cities But 1. Irenaeus saith not Bishops only but Bishops and Presbyters conjoining them as two sorts and not Bishops or Presbyters as the Doctor doth 2. The nearest Cities and all Asia we take not for words of the same importance 3. We take not your bare word for the validity of the Consequence that because the Bishops of several Cities were there therefore it is all Asia that is singularly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Flock and not each Bishops Flock respectively q. d. Each of you look to your several Flock 4. We think if you calculate the time Acts 20 and 21. and consider Paul's haste Acts 20. 16. that few impartial men will believe that Paul's Messengers that were wont to go on foot did so quickly go all over Asia and so quickly get together all the Bishops of Asia to Miletum unless they all resided at Ephesus as our English Bishops do at London and Governed their unknown people by a Lay-Chancellour 5. And Irenaeus ibid. p. 312. saith Et omnia hujusmodi per solum Lucam cognovimus we know all such things by Luke alone pretending no other Tradition And if it be in Luke it is yet to be thence proved 6. But he pleadeth our Cause too strongly by supposing that each City then had a Bishop without any subject half Presbyter and so that no such Office was yet made Cap. 9. Of Timothy's Episcopacy concerneth not our Cause Though I hope that neither he nor his Church were so bad as the Angel or Church in Rev. 2. is described And it 's easier to answer the strength of Dr. Hammond than for him to answer the Evidence brought by Prin in his Vnbishoping Timothy and Titus to shew the itinerant life and Ministry of Timothy contrary to the life of a fixed Bishop And if non-residency have such Patrons and Timothy have taught men to leave their Churches year after year and play the Pastor many hundred Miles distant it will make us dream that non-residence is a duty And if all these years Timothy's Metropolitan Church at Ephesus had no ordained Presbyter but Passengers that fell in I blame them not or wonder not at least that they lost their first love for it 's like they seldom had any Church Assemblies to Communicate and Worship God together Cap. 10. Cometh to the case of Philippi Phil. 1. 1 2. And 1. § 3. he saith It is manifest that Epaphroditus Bishop of Philippi was at Rome with Paul when he wrote this Epistle and he supposeth that there were yet no Presbyters but Bishops And so when Paul wrote to all the Saints which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons he meant to those that are not at Philippi where there was no Bishop but in other Cities of Macedonia that had every one a Prelate without ever a Presbyter under him With some this expounding may go for modest if not true Two probable Arguments I object against his improbable Expositions of this Text and that Acts 20. before mentioned 1. Where did he ever read that all the Province of Macedonia was called Philippi and the Saints said to dwell at Philippi that dwelt all over Macedonia 2. Where did he ever read in Scripture many Episcopal Churches under one Metropolitan called One Church in the singular Number as in Acts 20. 28. or One Flock either 3. Will any knowing man deny that he contradicteth not only Hierom and Theodoret but the common Exposition of the Fathers by this his odd Opinion And is it not gross partiality for the same man that can so easily cast off the judgment of almost all the Ancients at once to lay so much of the whole stress of his Diocesan and Metropolitan Cause upon the Fathers assertions yea doubtful reports and to take it for so immodest a thing in others to deny belief to them in such uncertain matters But he setteth Epiphanius his words against Aerius against them all Even that Epiphanius who ordained in the Bishop of Jerusalem's Diocess to his displeasure and that combined with that Theophilus Alexand. of whom Socrates writeth such horrid and unchristian practices to root out Chrysostom and raise a flame in the Church of Constantinople who liker a mad man than a sober Bishop came from Cyprus not only into the City but the Church where Chrysostom used to officiate to inflame his people and declame against and censure their Bishop to whom he was an inferiour and that parted with him in a wrathful Prognostick and dyed by the way home And yet even this one man saith nothing to his advantage but that the Apostles placed Bishops only with Deacons in some Churches that had not fit men to make Presbyters of which we not only grant but doubt whether ever they made any but Bishops though in great Cities there were many of them And § 8 9 10. when it seemed to serve his turn he yet further gratifieth us by granting yea maintaining that one Congregation had not two Bishops yet nothing hindreth but that in the same City there might sometimes be two distinct Assemblies converted by two Apostles perhaps of distinct dialects and rites and these governed by distinct Bishops with a divided or distinct Clergie which is almost as much
as we desire If any more be necessary he granteth it us § 11. where having feigned and not proved that the people of all the Province of Macedonia were said by Paul to be at Philippi he confesseth that then every City had a Bishop and none of those that we now call Presbyters And it is more this Bastard sort of Presbyters Office that we deny than the Bishops And granting this he grants us all even that then there was no such half Officers nor Bishops that had the rule of any Presbyters which he further proveth § 19 20 21. And by the way § 16 17. he giveth us two more Observations 1. That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gave precedency to some Churches Where I would learn whether the Holy Ghost still observed the order in converting men to begin at the highest Metropolis and descend by order to the lowest and so to the Villages Or whether our Doctor do not here contradict what he said before of the Apostles every where disposing of the Churches according to the Civil Metropolitical Order I doubt his memory here failed him 2. Philippi and Thessalonica being both in Macedonia and these Epistles being each written to all the Province we hence learn that the Epistle to the Thessalonians and that to the Philippians were written to the same men Whether each Epistle Rev. 2. 3. to the seven Churches of Asia was written to all Asia and so all the faults charged on all that are charged on any one I leave to your arbitrary belief For none of these are proved whatever proof is boasted of Cap. 11. he further gratifieth us in expounding 1 Tim. 3. in the same manner One Bishop with Deacons then serving for a whole Diocess that is for one Assembly not having such a thing as a half Presbyter subject to any Bishop Cap. 12. he is as liberal in expounding Tit. 1. By Elders in every City is meant a single Bishop that had no half Presbyter under him and whose Diocess had but one Assembly We are not so unreasonable as to quarrel with this liberality Cap. 13. And about Heb. 13. we are as much gratified in the Exposition of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which more afterwards And Cap. 14 and 15. he saith the same of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastors and Teachers that they both are meant of none but Bishops And that Presbyters now adays are permitted and tyed to teach the people and instruct them from the Scriptures this apparently arose hence that Bishops in ordaining Presbyters gave them that power but not to be exercised till licensed by the Bishops Letters Of this detestable Opinion worse than the Italians in the Council of Trent that would have derived the Episcopal Power from the Pope I have said somewhat before and intend more in due place The Bishops do only ministerially give them possession Christ is the only Instituter of the Office by himself and his Spirit in his Apostles Can the Bishops any more chuse to deliver this possession by Ordination than to preach the Gospel Could they have made Presbyters that had no power to teach the people Is the Bishops liberality the original of the Office How much then is Christ beholden to Bishops that when a thousand Parishes are in some one of their Diocesses they will give leave to any Presbyter to teach any of the people and that when eighteen hundred of us were silenced in one day Aug. 24. 1662. that all the rest were not served so too Cap. 16. he exerciseth the same naked affirming Authority of the words Ministers of the word Luke 1. 2. and Stewards all are but Bishops And he asketh whether ever man heard of more Stewards than one in one house or of several bearers of one Key And he foresaw that we would tell him that Gods Catholick Church is one House of God and that at least all the Apostles were Stewards and Key-Bearers in that one Church and that by his Doctrine none but one of them should be Steward of Gods Mysteries or have the Keys And therefore he saith that Though the Apostles are called Stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. that is to be reckoned as pertaining to the many divided Families that is the many particular Churches distinct parts of the Universal Church which the Apostâ—â—s divided among themselves Answ Unless his etiam here be a self-contradicting cheat it will hence follow 1. That the Apostles are not Stewards of Gods Mysteries in gathering Churches but only to the Churches gathered 2. That in Baptizing and giving the Holy Ghost to such as yet entered not into a Particular Church they exâ—ercised not any of their said Stewardship or Power 3. That thay have no Power of the Keyes at all over any that are not Members of a Particular Church such as the Eunuch Act. 8. And many Merchants Embassadors Travellers and many thousands that want Pastors or opportunity or hearts yea and all Christians in the first Instant as meerly Baptized Persons seeing Baptisme entereth them only into the Universal Church and not into any particular as such 4. And that till the Apostles gathered particular Churches and distributed them they had no Stewardship nor use at least of the Keyes And what if it can never be provedthat ever the Apostles distributed the universal Church into Apostolical Provinces but only pro re nata distributed themselves in the World were they never Stewards then nor Key-bearers Verily if I believed such a distribution of the World into twelve or more Provinces by them I should question the power that altered that Constitution and set us up but four or five Patriarches And were the same Apostles no Stewards or Key-bearers out of their feigned several Provinces If we must be cilenced unless we subscribe to the Dictates of such self conceited Confident men who shall ever Preach that is not born under the same Planet with them Cap. 17. he proceedeth still to maintain our Cause that even in Justin Martyrs writings and others of that Age by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are meant the Bishops of the several Churches who had not one Presbyter under them but Deacons only and therefore had but single Congregations but did themselves alone with the Deacon perform all the publick Offices in the Church And that no equal Presbyter was placed with them offendeth us no more than that our Parish Ministers now are presented and instituted alone yea and have power to take Curates under them as their helpers Cap. 18. He proveth truly that the Names Sacerdos and Sacerdotium are usually by old Writers spoken of sole Bishops and Episcopacy By which we are the more confirmed in our Opinion that he that is not Episcopus gregis a Bishop over the Flock is not Sacerdos true Pastor but hath only a limb of the Ministerial Office being a thing of presumptuous Prelates institution Cap. 19. He surther strengtheneth us by
made against the belief of an obligation by this Vow One is made for a change in Corporations requiring a Declaration by all in any place of Trust that there is no obligation on me or any other person from the said Oath Vow or Covenant even absolutely no obligation at all without exception of the clauses that are for the Protestant Religion for Repentance of our sins against Popery Heresie Schism Prophaneness c. The Act of Uniformity imposeth it on all Ministers c. to declare or subscribe that there is no obligation from that Vow on me or any other person to endeavour at any time any alteration of Government in the Church The Vestry Act imposeth the like on all Vestry men and so of others 4. All Ministers swear to obey the Bishops in liâ—â—tis honestis which is called the Oath of Canonical Obedience 5. And last of all an Act past at Oxford by which we are to be banished five miles from all Cities and Corporations and all places where we have preached and imprisoned six months in the Common Jail if we come nearer any of them except on the Road till we have taken an Oath that we will not at any time endeavour an alteration of the Government of the Church which plainly importeth as much objectively as the Et caetera Oath of 1640 Though not endeavouring be somewhat less than not consenting And so black a Character is put upon the Non-conformists with a some of them in the beginning of the said Act that all Reason Religion and Humanity obligeth us for the satisfaction of our Rulers for the vindication of our selves and for the just information of posterity plainly and truly to lay open our Case even those reasons for which we forbear that Conformity and by so doing incurr all this besides the greater loss of our Ministerial Liberty to labour for the saving of the peoples souls and the edifying of the Church of God What is said in the beginning may sufficiently inform the Reader 1. That it is not every man's Cause that is called a Non-conformist no nor a Presbyterian or Independant that I here maintain 2. That I am not writing a Justification of the Covenant 1. As to the Act of Imposing 2. Or of taking it 3. Nor as to the obligation of it to any thing unlawful Leaving such matters as alien to my work 3. And that I am not so rash as to assert that it obligeth any man to endeavour in his place and calling any change of our Church Government no not of a Lay-Chancellor's use of the Keys whatever I think Because it is made a matter of so grievous penalty by an Act. All that I have to do is to enquire whether the Diocesane Prelacy as now stated be so lawful that we may take all these Oaths and Subscriptions to it and so necessary that the King and Parliament have no power to change it or make an alteration if they please and we endeavour it by obeying them if they should command us And I go upon such Principles as Doctor Burges Master Gataker and many others in the Assembly that were ready to protest that they were not against the Primitive Episcopacy no nor a moderate one that did not in all things reach it I will rather be guilty of Repetition than of leaving the rash or heedless under a pretext for their mistake or calumny My own judgment is as followeth 1. That every particular Church consisting of as full a number as can associate for true personal Communion in Worship and holy living should be guided by as many Pastors or Elders of the same Office as the number of souls and the work requireth 2. That it is lawful if not usually laudable and fit if these Presbyters consent that one among them who is wiser and fitter than the rest be statedly their Guide Director or Moderator in the matters of Doctrine Worship and Discipline in that Church for order and concord and for the peoples sakes and their own And especially that in Ordinations they do nothing without him 3. That these particular Churches with their Bishop and Presbytery are Independant so far that no other Bishop or Church hath a Divine Right to Govern them saving what is anon to be said of General Pastors or Visiiters and the power of each Minister in the Universal Church as he is called 4. That as to the Communion of several Churches among themselves these particular Churches are not Independent but must hold Concord and Correspondency by Letters Messengers or Synods as there shall be cause 5. That in these Synods it is lawful and orderly oftentimes to make some one the Moderator or Guide of their debates And that either pro tempore or quamdiu sit maxime idoneus or durante vita as true Prudence shall discern it to be most conducible to the end 6. That where the Churches Good and the calling of the Infidel World requireth it there should be itinerant Ministers like the old Evangelists Silas Apollo Timothy Titus c. to preach the Gospel and gather Churches and help their Pastors And if such be not necessary in any place yet the fixed Pastors should when there is cause be itinerant and help to convert the Infidels and Hereticks and do both the general and particular work 7. That the judgment of Antiquity moving me much but more the Argument from the necessity that the same form of Government be continued in its ordinary parts which Christ at first setled in the Apostles and is not proved repealed do move me to incline to think that the Apostles must have such Successors as general Planters and Overseers of many Churches And who should before all particular Bishops have a chief hand in the ordaining of particular Bishops and Pastors and removing them as the Churches good requireth As the Seniors have in the Bohemian Waldenses Government And though I am yet in doubt my self whether such general Ministers or Arch-bishops be jure divino of Christs institution I do not deny it or contend against it And though I would not assert or swear to their right I would obey them 8. That all this Church-power is to be exercised only by Gods word managed by convincing Reason Love and good Example and that no Bishops or Arch-bishops have any power of Corporal Coaction Nor should give Church Communion to any but Voluntary Consenters nor should mix and corrupt the exercise of the Keys with unseasonable interpositions of the Sword even in the Magistrates own hand 9. But yet that the King and Magistrates are the Rulers by the Sword over all Pastors and their Flocks to see that all men do their duties and to regulate them by Laws about holy things subserviently to the Kingdom and Laws of Christ and in consistence with the preservation of the Office of the Ministry and real liberties of the Flocks 10. And therefore though we think Churchmen usually very unfit for any Magistratical Power yet we
in one place and speak with tongues what can be more expresly spoken to shew that it is not only a part of the Church but the whole which cometh together into one place So Vers 24. If there be no Interpreter let him keep silence in the Church So Vers 34. For God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace as in all the Churches of the Saints So Vers 14. Let your women keep silence in the Church for it is a shame for women to speak in the Church So Act. 11. 26. A whole year they assembled themselves with the Church and taught much people Act. 14. 27. When they were come and had gathered the Church together they rehearsed all that God had done by them Act. 15. 3. And they were brought on their way by the Church which must signifie such a number as might be called the Church when part was but for the whole at least Act. 2. 1. They were all with one accord in one place which it's like was all the Church with the Apostles Vers 44. 46. And all that believed were together And they continuing daily with one accord in the Temple c. Act. 4. 31 32. And the place was shaken where they were assembled together And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul Act. 5. 12. And they were all with one accord in Solomon ' s Porch and of the rest durst no man joyn himself to them If any here say that so many thousands could not be of one Assembly I have answered it before 1. I have preached as was supposed to ten thousand at once 2. Some of our Parishes that have but one Church are thirty thousand some forty thousand some fifty thousand 3. There were strangers at Jerusalem from all parts 4. The next Verse saith There came also a multitude out of the Cities round about unto Jerusalem 5. The multitude were not yet perfectly embodied and were quickly scattered Col. 4. 16. When this Epistle is read among you cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans c. It is not to the Church for then you might have said that so it may be if the Church consisted of many Assemblies But it is in the Church which intimateth that the Church was but one Assembly And so that of Colosse answerably All these Texts and others such plainly tell us whether a Church there was one Assembly or many hundred 3. This is made yet much more evident by the Scriptures description of a Bishops work even such as the Apostles then appointed over every Church 1. They were to be the ordinary publick present teachers of all the Flock which they did oversee 1 Thess 5. 12 13. Know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and esteem them highly in love for their work sake Those then that were over every Church were present with the Church and laboured among them which they could not do in one of our Diocesses saving as a man may be said to labour among a Kingdom or the World because they labour in it Heb. 13. 8 17 24. Remember them which have the rule over you which have spoken to you the word of God Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account So that a Church was no bigger than the Bishops could speak the word of God to and could watch for their souls But I never saw the face of the Bishop of the Diocess where I live and know but very few men in his Diocess that ever did see him 2. And this care was to extend to the particular persons of the Flocks Act. 20. 20 28 31. I taught you publickly and from house to house Take heed to your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops to fâ—ed or rule the Church of God c. Remembor that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears 1 Pet. 1. 2. 3. The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder feed the Flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint c. that is saith Doctor Hammond The Bishops of your several Churches I exhort take care of your several Churches and govern them not as Secular Rulers by force but as Pastors do their Sheep by calling and going before them that so they may follow of their own accord See also Doctor Hammond's Annot. on Heb. 13. 7 17. 1 Thess 5. 12 13. And saith Doctor Jeremy Taylor of Repent Praef. I am sure we cannot give account of souls of which we have no notice O terrible word to the undertakers of so many hundred Churches and so many thousand or ten thousand souls which they never knew This made Ignatius à s after cited say that The Bishop must look after or take account of each person as much as Servants and Maids Object But there may be more in a Parish than a Minister can know Answ If a Parish may be too large for a Bishops work how little reason have they to make a Church and take the Pastoral Care of many hundred Parishes 2. We must judge by the ordinary common case In a Parish a Minister may know every one except it be some few strangers or retired persons or except it be a Parish or Church of too great a swelling bigness But in a Diocess of many hundred Churches it is not one of a hundred that the Bishop will ever know 3. I know by experience what may be done whatever slothful persons say I had a Parish of about three of four thousand souls A Market Town with twenty Villages and except three or four Families that refused to come to me whom yet I knew by other means I knew not only the persons but the measures of all or almost all their understandings in the Town and my assistants in the Villages knew the rest by personal conference each family coming to us by turns 4. And where a Church is too large for one there may be and must be assistant Ministers and that may be done by many which cannot be done by one alone Object So may a Bishop and his Presbyters in a Diocess Answ In a Diocess of many Churches the Presbyters only know the people and do the Ministerial Office for them except in some one or few Churches where the Bishop dwells and sometimes preacheth But in the same Church all the Ministers preach to the same persons ordinarily per vices and they all know them and all watch over them though they assist each other in particular offices for them There is much difference between a School-master and his assistants in the same School and one School-master only with several Ushers in many hundred Schools As there is between a Master Mistriss and Steward ruling the same Family and one Master with
Christians in the Countries were most like For there also were Bishops or rather Chorepiscopi rural Bishops placed of old which some Latine interpretations of the Canons call the Vicars of the Bishops but others far more rightly than they the Country or Village Bishops of which more after So that you see in Petavius opinion even when Epiphanius wrote the ordinary Cities of the World had but one Assembly in each City and Suburbs And only some extraordinary Cities of which only Alexandria could be named by Epiphanius and Rome also by Petavius and no more by any other Author had divers setled Titles under their several Presbyters And even those Titles in those two Cities were but Chappels like our Parish Chappels received consecrated Bread from the Bishops Church lest they should think that they were a distinct body of themselves Yea and that the Villages that had Assemblies had their proper Bishops And so I dismiss Petavius with thanks for his free Concession 2. My next Witness is Bishop Downame the strongest that hath written against Parish Bishops for Diocesanes who lib. 1. cap. 1. before recited saith Indeed at the very first Conversion of Cities the whole number of the people converted being somewhere not much greater than the number of Presbyters placed among them were able to make but a small Congregation And cap. 6. pag. 104. At the first and namely the time of the Apostle Paul the most of the Churches so soon after their Conversion did not each of them exceed the proportion of a populous Congregation Though this reach not so low as Petavius Concession it is as much as I need to the present business 3. My third Witness shall be that learned moderate man Mr. Joseph Mede who in his discourse of Churches pag. 48 49 50. saith Nay more than this it should seem that in those first times before Diocesses were divided into those lesser and subordinate Churches which we now call Parishes and Presbyters assigned to them they had not only one Altar to a Church or Dominicum but one Altar to a Church taking Church for the Company or Corporation of the faithful united under one Bishop or Paster and that was in the City or place where the Bishop had his See and Residence Like as the Jews had but one Altar and Temple for the whole Nation united under one High Priest And yet as the Jews had their Synagogues so perhaps might they have more Oratories than one though their Altar were but one there namely where the Bishop was Die solis saith Justin Martyr omnium qui vel in oppidis vel ruâ—i degunt in eundem locum Conventus fit Namely as he there tells us to celebrate and participate the holy Eucharist Why was this but because they had not many places to celebrate it in And unless this were so whence came it else that a Schismatical Bishop was said Constituere or collocare aliud altare And that a Bishop and an Altar are made correlatives See St. Cyprian Epist 40 72 73. de unit Eccles c. So that Mr. Mede granteth that every Church that had a Bishop had no more people than communicated at one Altar To which purpose he goeth on further to Ignatius Testimony of which anon 4. Bishop Bilson's Testimony Perp. Gov. cap. 13. pag. 256. See afterward 5. Grotius is large in his endeavours to prove that not only every City had a Bishop but also every stated Assembly of which there were divers in one and the same City and that the Government was not suited to the Temple way but to the Synagogues and as every Synagogue had its chief Ruler of which there were many in a City so had every Church in a City its Bishop and that only the Church of Alexandria had the custom of having but one Bishop in the whole City Thus he de Imper. Sum. Pot. p. 355 356 357. And in his Annot. in 1 Tim. 5. 17. Sed notandum est una urbe sicut plures Synagogas ita plures fuisse Ecclesias id est conventus Christianorum cuique Ecclesiae fuisse suum praesidem qui populum alloqueretur Presbyteros ordinaret Alexandriae tantum eum fuisse morem ut unus esset in tota urbe praeses qui ad docendum Presbyteros Per urbem distribueret docet nos Sozomenus l. 1. c. 14. Epiphanius c. Thus Grotius thought that of old every stated Assembly had a Bishop that had power of Ordination I confess I interpret not Zozomen nor Epiphanius as Grotius doth nor believe I that he can bring us frequent proof of two Churches with Bishops in one City much less many unless in Doctor Hammond's instance before and after mentioned But the rest I accept 6. I may take it for a full Concession from Bishop Jeremy Tailor which is before cited though in few words Praef. Treat of Repent I am sure we cannot give account of souls of which we have no notice And I am sure a full Parish is as many as a more able and diligent man than ever I was can take such notice of as to do the Pastors Office to them 7. But the last and greatest Champion for Diocesanes is Doctor Hammond his Concessions are mentioned before but now are purposely to be cited But remember still that we are yet speaking but of the matter of Fact In his Annot. in Act. 11. 30. he saith Although this Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders have been also extended to a second Order in the Church and now is only in use for them under the name of Presbyters yet in the Scripture times it belonged principally if not alone to Bishops there being no evidence that any of the second order were then instituted though soon after before the writing of Ignatius Epistles there were such instituted in all Churches Though so suddain a change be unlikely I pass it by In his Dissert p. 208 209 211. cap. 10. sect 19 20 21. 11. sect 2. c. he saith Prius non usquequaque verum esse quod pro concesso sumitur in una civitate non fuisse plures Episcopos Quamvis enim in una Ecclesia aut coetu plures simul Episcopi nunquam fuerint nihil tamen obstare quin in eadem civitate duo aliquando disterminati coetus fuerint a duobus Apostolis ad fidem adducti c. as I have before more largely cited him Yea Dissert Epist Sect. 30 31. he will have the question stated only of a Bishop in singulari Ecclesia in singulari coetu The controversie is not Quibus demum nominibus cogniti fuerint Ecclesiarum rectores sed an ad unum in singulari Ecclesia an ad plures potestas ista devenerit Nos ad unum singularem praefectum quem ex famosiore Ecclesiae usu Episcopum vulgo dicimus potestatem istam in singulari coetu ex Christi Apostolorum institutione nunquam non pertinuisse
shall by the people be appointed only let the Sheep-fold of Christ live in peace with the Presbyters appointed over it By which words it is evident that it was such a particular Ovile or Church where the Will of the people might be declared as a matter that bore much sway But who can think that this is spoken of many Congregations where the peoples Will could not easily be signified 6. And it is farther manifest in that it was but for the sake of one or two that the Church of Corinth moved this sedition against the Presbyters called also Bishops pag. 62. Now how many Congregations that Church consisted of where the interest of one or two was either so far concerned or so powerful it is easie to conjecture set all these together and judge impartially I add though out of season that it was none of the Apostles meaning that those whom they made Bishops of such single Churches without a subject Order of Presbyters should make such an Order of subject Presbyters and make themselves the Bishops of a Diocesane Church without any Bishops under them For pag. 57. he saith And our Apostles by our Lord Jesus Christ knew that contention would arise about the name of Episcopacy and for this cause being endued with perfect fore-knowledge they appointed them aforesaid and left the Courses or Orders of After-Ministers and Offices described that other approved men might succeed in the place of the deceased and might execute their Offices So that it was the same places and the same Offices which those ordained by the Apostles had in which others must succeed them which therefore were described by the Apostles and not into others To confirm my Exposition of Clemens note that Grotius himself Epist 182. ad Bignon giveth this as a reason to prove this Epistle of Clemens to be genuine Quod nusquam meminit exortis illius Episcoporum authoritatis quae Ecclesiae consuctudine post Marci mortem Alexandriae atque eo exemplo alibi introduci coepit sed plane ut Paulus Apostolus ostendit Ecclesias communi Presbyterorum qui iidem omnes Episcopi consilio fuisse gubernatas that is Because he no where maketh mention of that excelling authority of Bishops which began to be intrduoced at Alexandria by the custom of the Church after the death of Mark and in other places by that example But he plainly sheweth as the Apostle Paul doth that the Churches were governed by the Common Council of Presbyters who were also Bishops Note also as aforesaid that Doctor Hammond in Dissert granteth as to matter of fact that Clemens speaketh but of the Bishops of single Congregations whom he also calleth Presbyters there being no other in the Church of Corinth II. My next Witness is Pius Bishop of Rome in Epist Justo Episcopo in Biblioth Patr. Tom. 3. pag. 15. mentioning only Bishops and Deacons of which Doctor Hammond making the same Concession still granteth that hitherto Bishops had but single Churches Of this more anon III. My next and greatest Witness is Ignatius in whom to my admiration the Diocesanes so much confide as that quasi pro aris focis they contend for the authority of his Epistles I am as loth to lose him as they are therefore I will not meddle in Blondel's controversie against whom they say Doctor Pierson is now writing In his Epistle to the Philadelphians he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is to every Church one Altar and one Bishop with the Presbytery and the Deacons my fellow servants I am not able to devise apter words to express my sense in He saith not this of some one Church but of all nor yet as of an accident proper to those times of the Churches minority but as of the Notes of every Churches Individuation or Haecceity as they speak The Unity of the Church is characterised by One Altar and One Bishop with the Presbytery and Deacons If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were out it would not alter the sense being plainly implied Bishop Downame's Exposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it signified Christ is so forced and contrary to the evidence of the Text that his own party quite forsake him in it and he needeth no confutation For who ever before dreamed that the Unity or Individuation of each particular Church consisted in having one Christ who is the common Head of all Churches One Christ to every Church and one Bishop would signifie that every Church must have one several Christ as well as one several Bishop Nor is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so used by the Ancients except when the Context sheweth that they speak by allusion of Christ Master Mede's plain and certain Exposition and Collection I gave you before the same with ours As for them that say that many Congregations might per vices come to one Altar to communicate I answer 1. Let them make Churches as big as can thus communicate and spare not though there be necessary Chappels or Oratories besides 2. But remember that every Church used to worship God publickly and to communicate at least every Lords day and that there was but One Altar to each Church and therefore but one Communicating Congregation Doctor Stillingfleet in his Schismatical Sermon is for my Exposition Object It is meant of one Species of Altars and not one Individual Answ Then it is meant also of one Species of Bishops in each Church and not of one Individual Object The practice of the Churches after sheweth that they took it not for a sin or Schism to have several Altars in a Church Answ I talk of nothing but matter of fact it was the note of One Church when those Epistles were written whether the Author was mistaken de jure or whether after Ages grew wiser or rather had fewer Bishops and more Altars for the sake of Carnal Interest I judge not The same Author Epist ad Smyrn saith Ubi utique apparet Episcopus ibi multitudo sit quemadmodum utique ubi est Christus Jesus illic Catholica Ecclesia as Usher's Lat. Trans or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnis exercitus coelestis And the Context sheweth that this multitudo or plebs is the Church which the Bishop overseeth Therefore ubi Episcopus ibi Ecclesia fuit and so every Church had a present Bishop So in Epist ad Magnes he bids them All unitedly or as one run together to one Temple of God as to one Altar to one Jesus Christ So that every Church had one Temple and one Altar to which as a note of their Union in Christ the whole Church must unanimously come So in Epist ad Trull he saith Et Episcopus typum Dei Patris omnium gerit Presbyteri vero sunt consessus quidam conjunctus Apostolorum coetus sine his Ecclesia Electa non est Nulla sine his Sanctorum Congregatio nulla Sanctorum Collectio Et postea Quid vero aliud Sacerdotium est vel Presbyterium quam sacer
probable sense For 1. If by the Altar they say is meant One Christ 2. or one Species of Altars these are before confuted and are palpably false He that is in another part of the World may come to an Altar of the same species which is nothing to the unity of a particular Church here spoken of 3. If they say It is called one Altar because under one Bishop this maketh not many to be one no more than many Temples And if tropically it were so meant it would be but a vain repetition One Bishop being mentioned besides And it is an Altar which the Bishop with his Presbytery is supposed to be present at which cannot be All in a Diocess called One. Partiality can give no other probable sense Object 1. One Church it is known had many Altars Answ Not then no nor long after except at Rome and Alexandria and then they were but as parts of Chappels and not of Churches Object 2. It is said also There is one Body of Christ and one Cup which cannot be meant literally Answ It is well called One agreeably to our present sence For 1. It is one and the same Bread though not one piece which is there present consecrated and divided to them all and one Cup or present quantity of Wine which is there distributed among them 2. And it is One body and blood or sacrificed Christ which is in every Church represented and offered by One Bishop at one Altar This doth but confirm our Exposition But what can be so plain as to convince the prejudiced and unwilling 2. Pag. 45. he willeth `` the Church to send a Deacon to Antioch as other neighbour Churches sent Bishops and some Presbyters and Deacons And can any man think that a Diocess met to chuse a Deacon to go on a visit or that it was a Diocesane Bishop that was sent by a Diocess yea that all these neighbour Churches that sent them were so many Diocesses VI. The next is the Epistle ad Trallesios Where he saith of the Bishop that came to him That he saw all the multitude in him that is the Assembly And as before he bids them Do nothing without the Bishop and be subject to the Presbytery and that as to the Counsel of God and Conjunction of Apostles adding For without these the Church is not called what can be plainer to shew that it was a Church that had a present Bishop and Council of Presbyters conjunct without whom the Church was not lawfully called together So that every Church had such 2. And pag. 50. he saith again Not inflated but being inseparable from God Jesus Christ and the Bishop and the Orders of the Apostles that is the Confess of Presbyters He that is within the Altar is clean and he that is without the Altar is not clean that is he that doth any thing in the Church without the Bishop Presbytery and Deacon is not clean in Conscience which plainly sheweth that every Church-Assembly had a guiding Bishop Presbytery and ministring Deacon 3. Pag. 52. he saith I salute you from Smyrna with the Churches of God which are present with me He had not then the presence of many Diocesses nor were Bishops alone used then to be called Churches Therefore they were Church-Assemblies which he visited and were with him and about him 4. Again he repeateth Be subject to the Bishop and Presbytery and love one another with an inseparable heart Which hath the sense aforesaid VII In the Epistle to the Romans the words of the Church presiding in locho chori Romanorum is much spoken of already by many The Epistles ascribed to him have much of the like kind as Epist ad Tarsenses pag. 80. Ad Antiochenos pag. 86 87 88. The Epist ad Heroum Diaconum calleth the Presbyters of Antioch Bishops who baptize sacrifice and impose hands So Epist ad Philippenses pag. 112. If after all this evidence from Ignatius any will wrangle let him wrangle what words can be plain enough for such And what a blind or blinding practice is it which too many Writers for Prelacy have used to pretend Ignatius to be for them who is so much and plain against them And to toss about the name of a Bishop and Presbytery as if all that was said for a Parochial Bishop and Presbytery that is in a Church associated for personal presential Communion were spoken for such a Diocesane Prelacy as putteth down and destroyeth all such Churches Bishops and Presbyteries And what falshood is it to perswade the World that we are against Episcopacy because we would have every Church to have a Bishop and would not have all the Churches in England except Diocesane to be unchurched and turned into Chappels or Oratories When yet we refuse not to submit to more general Overseers of many Churches to see that the Pastors do their duty and counsel and exhort them to it whether appointed hereto by the Magistrate or the consent and choice of many Churches IV. Justin Martyr's Testimony is trite but most plain and not to be evaded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Postea fratrum praeposito panis poculum offertur Postquam praepositus gratias egit totusque populus fausta omnia acclamavit qui inter nos Diaconi vocantur dant unicuique partem panis calicis diluti super quos facta est gratiarum actio atque etiam deferre sinunt absentibus Die solis urbanorum ac rusticanorum coetus fiunt ubi Apostolorum prophetarumque literae quoad fieri potest praeleguntur Cessantâ— Lectore Praepositus verba facit adhortatoria Posthaec consurgunt omnes preces offâ—rimus quibus finitis profertur panis vinum aqua Tum praepofitus quantum potest preces offert gratiarum actiones Plebs vero Amen accinâ—t Inde consecrata distribuuntur singulis absentibus mittuntur per Diaconos Ditiores si libeat pro sua quisque voluntate conferunt Collecta deponuntur apud praepositum Is subvenit pupillis viduis propter morbum aliamve necessitatem egentibus vinctis quoque peregrinis in summa curator fit omnium inopum Thus Justin Apolog. 2. Where he describeth the Church State and Worship which we desire as plainly as we can speak our selves Note here 1. That whether the Country-men and Citizens had several Churches or met in one City Church it sheweth that they were but single Congregations For every Church had a present Bishop For Doctor Hammond maintaineth that by the Praepositus here is meant the Bishop and so do others of them 2. This Bishop performed the Offices of the day every Lord's day praying preaching and administring the Lord's Supper c. 3. All the Alms of the Church was committed to the Bishop at present and therefore he had not many hundred or any other Churches under him where Presbyters did all receive the Alms. 4. He was the common Curator of all the Poor Orphans Sick c. which could not be for more than
King will make every Market Town a City it shall have a Bishop And if he will make but one or two cities in a Kingdom there shall be but one or two Bishops And if he will make one City Regent to others that Bishop shall be so Thus Rome Constantinople c. came by their Superiority But Hierome telleth us the contrary that the Bishop of Tanais or any small City like our least Corporations was of equal Church-Dignity with Rome or the greatest 24. The same Council Can. 78. repeateth that All the Illuminate that is Baptized must learn the Creed and every Friday say it to the Bishop and Presbyters I hope they did not go every Friday such a Journey as Lincoln York or Norwich Diocess no nor the least in England would have put them to nor that the Bishop heard as many thousands every Friday as some of ours by that Canon should have heard 25. Anno 693. at a Toletane Council King Egica writeth a Sermon for them and therein tells them that Every Parish that hath twelve Families must have their proper Governor not a Curate that is no Governor But if it be less it must be part of another's Charge 26. Anno 756. Pipin called a Council in France whos 's Can. 1. is that Every City must have a Bishop And as is beforesaid every Corporate Town was a City 27. In the Epitome of the old Canons sent by Pope Adrian to Carolus Magnus published by Canisius the eighth Antioch Canon is Country Presbyters may not give Canonical Epistles but the Chorepiscopi By which it appeareth that the Chorepiscopi were Bishops as Petavius proveth in Epiphan Arrius And Can. 14 15. That No Bishop be above three Weeks in another City nor above two Weeks from his own Church Which intimateth that he had one single Church And Can. 19. That when a place wants a Bishop he that held them must not proudly hold them to himself and hinder them from one else he must lose that which he hath 28. The same Canons say Can. 94. If a Bishop six Months after Admonition of other Bishops neglect to make Catholicks of the people belonging to his Seat any other shall obtain them that shall deliver them from their Heresie So that 1. The Churches were not so big but that there might be divers in one Town 2. And converting the People is a better Title than Parish Bounds 29. It is there also decreed That no Bishop ordain or judge in another's Parish else it shall be void And they forbid Foreign Judgments because it is unmeet that he should be judged by Strangers who ought to have Judges of the same Province chosen by himself But our Diocesanes are Strangers to almost all the People and are not chosen by them See the rest Also another is that every Election of Bishops made by Magistrates be void yea all that use the Secular Magistrate to get a Church must be deposed and separated and all that joyn with him Also if any exact Money or for affection of his own drive any from the Ministry or segregate any of his Clergy or shut the Temple 30. A Council at Chalone under Carol. Magn. the Can. 15. condemneth Arch-Deacons that exercise Domination over Parish-Presbyters and take Fees of them as matter of Tyranny and not of Order and Rectitude And Can. 13. saith It is reported of some Brethren Bishops that they force them whom they are about to ordain to swear that they are worthy and will not do contrary to the Canons and will be obedient to the Bishop that ordaineth them and to the Church in which they are ordained Which Oath because it is very dangerous we all agree shall be forbidden By which it appeareth that 1. The Dioceses were not yet so large as to need such subordinate Governors as ours have Nor 2. Were Oaths of Canonical Obedience to the Bishop and Church yet thought lawful but forbidden as dangerous 31. A Council at Aquisgrane under Ludov. Pius wrote an excellent Treatise gathered out of the Fathers to teach Bishops the true nature of their Office which hath much to my present use but too long to be recited 32. Upon Ebbos Flight that deposed Lud. Pius the Arch-Bishoprick of Rhemes was void ten Years and ruled by two Presbyters Fulk and Hotho who were not then uncapable of governing the Flock but it is not like that they governed Neighbour Bishops 33. Canisius tells us of a Concilium Regiaticinum and Can. 6. is That the Arch-Presbyter examine every Master of a Family personally and take account of their Families and Lives and receive their Confessions And Can. 7. That a Presbyter in the absence of the Bishop may reconcile a Penitent by his Command c. Which shew that yet Dioceses were not at the largest 34. A Council at Papia Anno 855. order yet That the Clergy and People chuse the Bishops and yet that the Laity on pretence of their electing power trample not on the Arch-Presbyter and that Great Men's Chappels empty not Churches 35. Yea Pope Nicholas Tit. 8. c. 1. decreeth that no Bishops be ordained but by the Election or Consent of the Clergy and People When they became uncapable of the ancient Order yet they kept up the words of the old Canons 36. This is intimated in the old Canons repeated at a Roman Council Anno 868. That if Bishops excommunicate any wrongfully or for light Causes and not restore them the Neighbour Bishops shall take such to their Communion till the next Synod Which was the Bishop of the next Parish or Corporation and not one that dwelt in another County out of reach And Can. 72. Because the Bishops hindred by other business cannot go to all the Sick the Presbyters or any Christians may anoint them How big was the Diocess when this Canon was first made Who would give his business rather than Distance and Numbers and Impossibility as the reason why the Bishop of London Lincoln Norwich c. visit not all the Sick in their Dioceses 37. Anno 869 till 879. was held a Council called General at Constantinople The Can. 8. is Whereas it is reported that not only the Heretical and Usurpers but some Orthodox Patriarchs also for their own security have made men subscribe that is to be true to them the Synod judgeth that it shall be so no more save only that Men when they are made Bishops be required as usual to declare the soundness of their Faith He that violateth this Sanction let him be deprived of his Honour But these later instances only shew the Relicts of Primitive Purity and Simplicity more evidently proved in the three first Centuries 38. And he that will read the ancient Records of the Customs of Burying will thence perceive the extent of Churches Doctor Tillesly after cited affirmeth pag. 179. against Selden that The Right of Burial place did first belong to the Cathedral Churches And Parish Churches began so lately as now understood having no
and educating young men for the Ministery there being then no Universities to do it That the Schools were under his care you may see proved in Filesacus 22. The Consecrating of devoted Virgins to say nothing of Altars and other utensils 23. The oversight of the Monasteries 24. The writing of Canonical Epistles as they called them to Great men to other Churches c. 25. The granting of Communicatory Letters I have named all that come suddenly to my memory but it 's like not all And how many Parishes how many hundred thousand souls can one man do all this for think you I will not tire you with citing out of Isidore Gregory Ambrose Chrysost c. the strict Charges terribly laid on Bishops but only now recite the Preachers words whose Oration Eusebius giveth us at the dedication of a new Church Histor Eccl. l. 10. c. 4. It is Paulinus Bishop of Tyre In which he tells them that it is the work of Bishops Intimae animarum vestrarum theoriae videre introspicere ubi experientia temporis prolixitate unumquemque vestrum exacte inquisivit studioque cura cunctos vos honestate doctrina quae secundum pietatem est instruit It was then thought a Bishops duty to be intimately acquainted with the minds of his flock and exactly enquire after every one of them even menservants and maidservants by name saith Ignatius as cited before All this was then the Bishops work Almost all this except the Ceremonies Dr. Hammond proveth industriously belonged to the Bishop Let him faithfully do it all and let his Diocese then be as big as he please I might have added Concil Arelat 1. c. 16. that people are to be absolved in the same place where they were Excommunicated which intimateth it must be only in the Bishops Church And in Synod Hybernic Patricii in Spelman p. 52. All that was more than necessary to a poor man that had a Collection was to be laid on the Bishops Altar which implyeth that each Church had one Bishop and one Altar And c. 21. non in Ecclesiam ut ibi examinetur causa And c. 25 26 27. no Clergy-man but the Bishop to dispose of Church offerings Clericus Episcopi in Plebe novus ingressor baptizare offerre non licet c. with much more which intimateth what Churches were of old But so much shall suffice for proof of the Minor of the first Argument that our Diocesane Form 1. taketh down the Church Form of Gods Institution and the primitive Churches possession 2. And setteth up a humane form in its stead yea one only Church instead of a thousand or many hundred And therefore I add CHAP. VIII That the Diocesans cause the errour of the Separatists who avoid our Churches as false in their Constitution and would utterly disable us to confute them WHen the Brownists say that our Churches are no true Churches they do not mean that they are not Societies of mens devising but that they are not Societies of Gods Instituting And this they prove upon the principles of the Diocesans thus If your Churches be of Gods Institution de specie it is either the Parish Churches or the Diocesane Churches that are so But neither the Parish-Churches nor the Diocesane Ergo. 1. That the Parish Churches are not such they prove because by the Diocesans own confession they are no Churches at all except equivocally so called It is one of their own principles and we grant it that Episcopus Plebs Constitute a Church as a King and Subjects constitute a Kingdom and as a Schoolmaster and Scholars make a School and as a Master and houshold make a Family And that ubi est Episcopus as Cyprian saith ibi est Ecclesia which is nothing but Plebs pastori adunata And that a people without a Bishop truly so called are but a Church equivocally as Scholars without a Master are a School or as a company of Christians in a ship or house accidentally met and praying together are a Church c. And as Dr. Field before cited saith None but a Bishop hath a Church all others are but his assistants or as commonly called his Curates Therefore when a Prelatist pleadeth that our Parish Churches are true Churches either of Gods or mans institution they do forsake the principles of their party as now maintained or they contradict themselves or they play with equivocations and ambiguities II. And that a Diocesane Church which is one composed of the carcases of multitude of mortified Churches is not jure divino having said so much to prove my self I will not stay to tell you how easily the Separatists may prove it So that for my part as much as I have written and done against them I profess I am not able to confute them on the Diocesane grounds but would be one of them if I had no better Quest How then must they be confuted Ans. Thus or not at all by me A Presbyters office is not to be judged of by the Bishops will or description but by God's the institutor As if the King describe the Lord Mayors office in his Charter If the Recorder or whoever giveth him his oath and installeth him shall misdescribe the office and limit it and say falsly you have no power to do this or that This will not at all diminish his power as long as it is the Charter that they profess to go by He shall have the power which the King giveth and not which the investing Minister describeth If a Parson presented to a Benefice shall be told by the Bishop at his institution the Tithes or Glebe are but half yours this shall not diminish his Title to the whole So when God hath described the Ministers office it shall be what God saith it is and not what the Ordainer saith it is And God maketh the Pastors of each particular body of fixed Communicants united as aforesaid to be really a Bishop or at least the chief of these Pastors or the sole Pastor And therefore the Church to be truly and univocally a Church of Divine institution Though it were never so much granted that Archbishops were over them as the Apostles were overthose Acts 14. 23. And then when the Parish Churches are once proved true Churches whether the Diocesane be so or not is nothing to our controversie with the Separatists But for my part I cannot confute the lawfulness of a Diocese as consisting of many particular Churches with their Bishops as I can a Diocese which hath put them all down CHAP. IX The second Argument from the Deposition of the primitive species of Bishops and the erecting of a humane inconsistent species in their stead A specifick difference proved ARGUMENT II. A Humane inconsistent species of Bishops erected instead of the Divinely-instituted species thereby deposed is unlawful But such is the Diocesan species now opposed Ergo. I have hitherto charged it with the changing of the Church Form Now of the
counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine compared with 1 Cor. 9. 14. Gal. 6. 6. which shew that preaching the Gospel was their work as well as Ruling the Churches under them as 1 Cor. 12. 28. Eph. 4. 11 12. Rom. 12. 7 8. intimate Acts 20. 17 28. He sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church Take heed to your selves and to all the flocks over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers or Bishops to feed or rule the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud v. 31. Therefore watch c. v. 35. So labouring ye ought to support the weak Acts 11. 30. They sent it to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Soul Acts 15. 2. 6. 22 23. To the Apostles and Elders And the Apostles and Elders came together to consider Then pleased it the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church The Apostles Elders and Brethren send greeting See v. 25 28. Acts. 6. 4. The decrees which were ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jerusalem Acts 2â— 18. The day following Paul went in with us unto James and all the Elders were present 1 â—im 4. 14. Neglect not the gift which is in thee which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Pet. 5. 1. The Elders which are among you â—exhort who also am an Elder Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight or Episcopacy thereof not by constraint but willingly Neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock And when the chief Shepherd shall appear 2 Joh. 1. The Elder to the Elect Lady Whether those Texts 1 Tim. 5. 1. Rebuke not an Elder v. 19. Receive not an accusation against an Elder speak of an Elder by Office or by Age is uncertain if it be by Office the other Texts describe them Jam. 5. 14. Is any man sick Let him call for the Elders of the Church All these Texts shew that every Church had Elders by the institution of the Holy Ghost That they were the Teachers Worshippers Rulers and were among the people present with their flock personally doing their Offices c. And the Scripture mentioneth no other that I can find And of this I have Dr. Hammonds full confession Annotat. in Act. 11. dissert before cited with all those whom he mentioneth of his party and mind And as for them of the contrary opinion they tell us that in Scripture times the Names Presbyter Bishop were common And that the word Bishops sometimes signified all the Presbyters the Bishops as Presbyters and the Subpresbyters as in Phil. 1. 1 2. And that the word Presbyters sometimes signifieth the Bishops only and sometime both conjunctly But they are none of them able to give us any one instance with proof of a Text which speaketh of Subject Presbyters I mean subject in Order or degree to Bishops of the single Churches and not subject to the Apostles and General officers And while we prove that God appointed such entire Presbyters as are here described and they cannot prove against Dr. Hammond or us that any one text speaketh of a lower order or rank I think we need no other Scripture evidence CHAP. XIII The same confirmed by the Ancients AS for Humane testimony the heap is so great brought in by Dav. Blondel that I have the less mind to say any more of it But shall only besides all that is said before on the by recite a few of those testimones which most convinced my own understanding in the reading of them in the Authors themselves leaving others to take what they see best out of Blondels store I. I know that somewhat may be said against what I shall first cite but I think not of sufficient force I begin with it though not first in time because first in Authority The 1. Concil Nicaen in their Epistle to the Church of Alexand. and all the Churches of Egypt Libya and Pentapolis thus decree concerning those that were Ordained by Meletius as Socrat. lib. 1. c. 6. translated by Grynaeus Hi autem qui Dei gratia vestris precibus adjuti ad nullum schisma deflexisse comperti sunt sed intra Catholicae Apostolicae Ecclesiae fines ab erroris labe vacuos se continuerint authoritatem habeant tum Ministros ordinandi tum eos qui clero digni fuerint nominandi tum denique omnia ex lege instituto Ecclesiastico libere exequendi Now ordaining Ministers and nominating men for the Clergy are acts which if any shew Presbyters to be Rulers in the Church Obj. 1. Perhaps it is Bishops ordained by Meletius that are here spoken of or Bishops with the Presbyters respectively Answ There is no more in the Text but this They decreed further touching such as were entred into holy Orders by his laying on of hands that they after confirmation with more mystical laying on of hands should be admitted into the fellowship of the Church with this condition that they should enjoy their dignity and degree of Ministry yet that they be inferiour to all the Pastors throughout every province and Church Moreover that they have no authority to elect the Ministers approved by their censures no not so much as to nominate them which are to execute the Ecclesiastical functions nor to intermeddle with any thing touching them that are within Alexanders jurisdiction without the consent of the Bishop of the Catholick Church And then they add as afore that those that fell not into Schism as they did shall have authority to Consecrate Ministers and nominate such as shall be thought worthy of the Clergy Now that it is Presbyters and not Bishops that are here spoken of appeareth 1. In that it is without any note of eminency said to be such as were entred into Holy Orders 2. In that it is such as so entred by the Laying on of Meletius's hands Wherereas a Bishop must be ordained by the hands of three Bishops And the Schism of one of the three would not have frustrated the Ordination if the other two stood firm in the Catholick Union 3. Because it is the priviledge of Presbyters that is denyed them Though they be not degraded they are to be below all other Pastors in every Church which cannot be that they shall be Bishops below all Presbyters 4. Because the consent of the Bishop of the Catholick Church where they shall come is necessary to their officiating But if it could have been proved that Bishops had been here included yet while Presbyters also are included it will not invalidate the testimony But indeed here is no such proof I confess that Nicephorus a less credible Author seemeth to apply it to Bishops Ordained by Meletius But no such thing can be gathered out of Sozomen either Tripart lib. 1. c. 18. where he describeth Meletius and his party or Tripart lib. 2.
the way to make him hate them 15. And the Office of the Pastors is such as that truth and Goodness are the wares which they expose to sinners choice and Light and Love are the effects which Spirits Word and Ministry are appointed to produce And by Light and Love they must be wrought Therefore no Minister â—oth his work or doth any good to some if by Light and Love and holy Life he help not the people to the same And therefore the adjunction of Jayles and confiscations is so contrary to his Office and designe as obscureth or destroyeth it Though Enemies may be restrained and peace kept by force 16. True discipline cannot be exercised this way not only as it s lost in the confusion of powers as a little wine in Wormwood juice but because the Number and quality of the Church members will make it impossible Enemies and rebellious carnal minds are not subject nor can be to the Lawes of Christ you may affright them to a Sacrament but one of them will make a Minister such work who will but call them to credible repentance for their crimes and will renew those crimes so oft till he be excommunicated and will so hate those that excommunicate as will tell you what can be done when all such are forced unwillingly into the Church Of this I have spoke at large in my Book of Confirmation 17. It tendeth greatly to harden the sinners in the Church in their impenitence to their damnation when they shall see that let one swear and curse and be drunk every day in the week if he will but say I repent rather than lie in Jayl he shall be absolved by the Chancellour in the Bishops came and have a sealed pardon delivered him in the Sacrament by the Minister who knoweth his wicked life How easie a way to Heaven which leadeth to Hell do such good-natured cruel Churches make men Obj. The Minister is to refuse the scandalous Ans Not when he is absolved by the Chancellour Obj. But if he sin again he may refuse him again Ans How far that is true I shewed before But not when he is absolved again And he may be absolved toties quoties if he had but rather say I repent than lie in Jayle 18. Let but the ancient Canons be perused and how contrary to them will this course appear The ancient Churches would admit none to absolution and communion after divers greater crimes till they had waited as is aforesaid in begging and tears and that for so long a term and with such penitential expressions as satisfied the Church of the truth of their repentance It would be tedious to recite the Canons How great a part of Cyprians Epistles to the Churches of Carthage and Rome are on this subject reprehending the Confessors and Presbyters for taking lapsed persons into Church Communion before they had fulfilled their penitential course And what a reproach do they cast upon all these Bishops Churches and discipline who say That sinners must be taken into Communion if they will prefer it before a Jayle Though they love a Wherehouse an Ale-house a Play-house a Gaming house yea a Swine-Stie better than the Church yet if they do not love a Jayle with beggery better they shall be received 19. Even when Christian Emperours had advanced Prelates and given them though not the sword yet the aid of it in the Magistrates hand to second them they never used it to force any to the Communion of the Church but only to defend them and to repress their adversaries Yea when Prelates themselves began to use the sword or to desire the Magistrates to serve them by it it was not at all to force men to say They Repent and so to be absolved and communicate But only to keep hereticks from their own assemblings and from publishing their own doctrines or maintaining them or from being Pastors of the Churches And yet now men will force them to be Absolved and communicate And how great mischiefs did even so much use of the sword in matters of Religion as was the punishment of Hereticks then being though they were not forced into the Church Socrates brandeth Cyril of Alexandriae for the first Prelate that used the sword and what work did he make with it He invaded a kind of secular Magistracy He set himself against the Governour Orestes and under his shadow those bloody murthers were committed on the Jewes who also â—illed many of the Christians The Monks of Mount Nystra rose to the number of 500 and assaulted the civil Governour and wounded him and Amonius who did it was put to death by Orestes and Cyril made a Martyr of him till being ashamed of it he suffered his memorial to be abolished And when Hypatia a most excellent woman of the Heathens was famous for her publick teaching of Phylosophy Peter one of Cyrils Readers became the head of a party of that Church who watched the woman and dragg'd her out of a Coach into a Church stript her of her cloaths and tore her flesh with sharp shells till they killed her and then tore her members in peices and carried them to a place called Cynaron and burned them for which we read of no punishment executed Socrat. lib. 7. c. 13. 14 15. And it was this S. Cyril who deprived the Novatians of their Churches and took away all the Secret treasure of them and spoiled the Bishop Theopompus of all his fortunes Socrat. l. 7. c 7. What his Nephew and Successor Theophilus was and did you have heard before and shall hear more anon What the ancient Christians thought of using the sword against Hereticks though they compelled them not to the Church and Sacrament any man that readeth their Writings may see viz. Tertullian Arnobius Laâ—tantius and abundance more And the case of S. Martin towards Ithacius and Idacius I have oft enough repeated Only I cannot but note the impudency of Bellarmine who de Scriptor Eccles de Idacio falsly making Idacius to be the same with Ithacius when he was but one of his associates doth tell us that Idacius fell under the reprehension and punishment of the Bishops in eo reprehensus punitus ab Episcopis fuit quod Priscillianum apud seculares accusaverit occidi curaverit whereas Sulpitius Severus telleth us that all the Bishops of the Synod joyned with them and one S. Martyn and one French Bishop more disowned and refused them and Martin would have no Communion with them to the death save that once at the Emperours perswasion he Communicated with them to save a prisoners life which was given him on that condition and yet was chastised by an Angel even for that And Ambrose at Milan also disowned them as you may read in his life and when the deed was done the Christians spake ill of Ithacius and Idacius for taking that new and bloody way which before the Churches commonly disowned but they pretended that they did not cause this
time And that though he was made a Bishop and great when the King was restored yet he was the only Bishop of them all that in our conference at the Savoy did desire and endeavour by such concessions to have reconciled us altogether VII I must not tire the Reader with more such long citations I next wish him to see Mr. Alesburies Treatise of confession p. 21. 24 28 104 105 169. Where he describeth the ancient discipline and sheweth from our own Prelates that it is every particular member of the flock that the Pastor should personally know and counsel And see how far we are from this VIII But none of these speak of the times that we are now fallen into It can hardly be expected that any of their own party should yet dare to speak against them yet in private talk how common is it But because it will be too tedious to recite the words I desire the Reason to peruse a Book called Icabod or the five groans of the Church which in sharpness and high charges upon the Prelates since their return exceedeth all that are before cited And that you may know that he is sufficiently Episcopal one of his accusations of them is for accepting so many into the Church now that were lately against conformity I know the man who is said to be the Author and know him to be conformable to this time and in possession of a benefice in the Church IX Let the Reader remember that the division between the Conformists and Non-conformists began at Frankford in Queen Maries days and that Dr. Ri. Coxe was the man than began this stir against the English Church there by his forcible obtruding the Common-Prayer book on them and that long led that party And let him read in Cassander his 20th Epistle where he will find that the said Dr. Coxe when he was made Bishop of Ely in Queen Elizabeths time wrote to Cassander for directions about setting up Cruciâ—â—xes or crosses in the Churches and Cassander instructeth him in what shape the Cross is to be made And his Prec Eccles gave us some of our Collects X. Yea when the Popish Prelacy is described it is so like to ours that when Dr. Bastwick and others wrote against the Italian Bishops ours take it as spoken of them Hear Bishop Jewl Serm. on Mat. 9. 37. 38 But the labourers are few I say not there are but few Cardinals few Bishops few Priests that should be preachers few Archbishops few Chancellors few Deans few Prebendaries few Vicars few Parish priests few Monks few Fryers For the number of these is almost infinite And p 198. And what shall I speak of Bishops Their cloven Mitre signifieth perfect knowledge of the old and new Testament Their Crosiar staff signifieth diligence in attending the flock of Christ Their purple boots and sandals signifie that they should ever be booted and ready to go abroad through thick and thin to teach the Gospel But alas in what kind of things do they bear themselves as Bishops These mystical titles and shews are not enough to fetch in the Lords harvest They are garments more meet for Players than for good labourers whatsoever apparel they have on unless they will fall to work Christ will not know them for Labourers Pag. 144. The Christians in old time when they lived under Tyrants and were daily put to most shameful deaths and were hated and despised of all the world yet never lacked Ministers to instruct them It is therefore most lamentable that Christians living under a Christian Prince in the peace and liberty of the Gospel should lack Learned Ministers to teach them and instruct them in the word of God This is the greatest plague that God doth send on any people To which I add on the by that if any say we would labour if the Bishops would give us leave Though the charge against them thus intimated is grievous and it were better for that man that offendeth one of Christs little ones much more that hindereth multitudes from their duty in seeking mens salvation that a Mill-stone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the depths of the Sea yet that this will not excuse men from the preaching of the Gospel to the utmost of their power see Bishop Bilson himself Asserting viz. that silenced Ministers should not therefore give over preaching in his Christian subject XI Yea read but Caesars description of the Heathen Druides and tell us whether their Character agree not better with the Prelacy which hath prevailed in the Churches these seven hundred years at least than Christs Character in the Scripture save onely that it is Christianty which they profess Caesar Comment lib. 6. p. 72 In omni Gallia c. In all France there are two sorts of men in some number and honour for the common people are accounted almost but as servants which of themselves dare do nothing nor are used in any consultations most of then being pressed with debts or the greatness of tributes or the injuries of the more powerful do give themselves in servitude to the nobles who have all that power over them as Lords over their servants And of these two sorts one are Druides the other Knights The former are interested in Divine affaires they procure publick and private sacrifices they interpret Religions To these flock abundance of young men for discipline and they are with them in great honour For they determine of almost all controversies private and publick And if any crime be committed if murder be done if there be any controversies of inheritanc or bounds these men determine them and do award rewards and punishments If any private person or the people stand not to their award or decree they forbid them the sacrifices This is with them the most grievous punishment Those that are thus interdicted are accounted in the number of the ungodly and wicked All men depart from them and fly from their presence and their speech lest they get any hurt by the contagion nor is any Right or Law afforded them when they seek it nor any honour done them And over all these Druides there is one in chief who hath the highest authority among them When he is dead if any one of the rest excel in worthiness he succeedeth But if there be many equal he is chosen by the suff age of the Druides And sometimes they contend for the principality by Arms. At a certain time of the year in the borders of the Carnuli Chartres which is counted the middle of all France they have a Consess or Convocation in a consecrated place Hither come all that have controversies from all parts and obey their judgments and decrees It is thought that this Discipline was found in Brittain and there translated into France And now they that more diligently would know that business for the most part go thither to learn it The Druides use not to go to the Wars nor do they pay tribute with
when vacant by the Bishops death Now all these lived together as in a little Colledge thus the Churches were planted and the Gospel disseminated through the world But at first every Bishop had but one Parish yet afterwards when the numbers of the Christians increased that they could not conveniently meet in one place and when through the violence of persecution they durst not assemble in great multitudes the Bishops divided their charges in lesser Parishes and gave assignments to the Presbyters of particular flocks which was done first in Rome in the begining of the 2d Century And things continued thus in a Parochial Government till toward the end of the 2d Century the Bishop being chiefly intrusted with the cure of Souls a share whereof was also committed to the Presbyters who were subject to him and particularly to be ordained by him nor could any ordination be without the Bishop who in ordaining was to carry along with him the concurrence of the Presbyters as in every other act of Ecclesiastical jurisdiction Pag. 308. 309. Corruptions broke in upon Church Officers especially after the 4th Centurie that the Empire became Christian Which as it brought much riches and splendor on Church employments so it let in great Swarmes of corrupt men on the Christian Assemblies And then the Election to Church offices which was formerly in the hands of the people was taken from them by reason of the tumults and disonders that were in these Elections which some time ended in blood and occasioned much Faction and Schism And Anâ—bitus became now such an universal sin among Churchmen that c. Pag. 310. I do not alledge a Bishop to be a distinct office from a Presbyter but a different degree in the same office c. Pag. 320. As for the sole power of ordination and Jurisdiction none among us claime it but willingly allow the Presbyters a concurence in both these Pag. 322. That whole frame of Metropolitans and Patriarks was taken from the division of the Roman Empire which made but one great National Church Pag. 331. I acknowledged Bishop and Presbyter to be one and the same office and so plead for no new office bearer in the Church The first branch of their power is their authority to publish the Gospell to manage the worship and dispence the Sacraments And this is all that is of Divine right in the Ministry in which Bishops and Presbyters are equal sharers but besides this the Church claimeth a power of Jurisdiction of making rules for discipline and applying and executing the same All which is indeed suitable to the common laws of societies and the general rules of Scripture but hath no positive warrant from any Scripture precept And all these Constitutions of Churches into Synods and the Canons of discipline taking their rise from the divisions of the world into the several provinces and beginning in the 2d and beginning of the 3d. Century do clearly shew they can be derived from no Divine original and so were a to their particular forme but of humane constitution Therefore as to the managment of this Jurisdiction it is in the Churches power to cast it into what mould she will But we ought to be much more determined by the Laws of the land In things necessary to be done by Divine precept since no power on earth can Council the authority of a Divine Law the Churches restraints are not to be considered Pag. 335. I acknowledge that without Scripture warrant no new offices may be instituted Pag. 337. I am not to annul these ordinations that pass by Presbyters where no Bishop can be had And this layes no claime to a new office but only to a higher degree of inspection in the same office whereby the exercise of some acts of jurisdiction are restrained to such a Method And this may be done either by the Churches free consent or by the Kings authority Pag. 348. In Augustines time it appears from the journal of a conference he had with the Donatists that there were about 500 Bishopricks in a small tract of ground Pag. 30. Observe the Bishops were to be ordained in the presence of the people where every one might propose his exceptions yet the popular Elections were not wholly taken away and at least the peoples consent was asked Pag. 41. Vossâ—is from all the manuscripts of Damasus his lives of the Popes shewes that S. Peter ordained both Linus and Gletus Bishops of Rome and after some enquiry into the matter he concludes that at first there were three Bishops in Rome at once Linus Cletus and Aneneletus in the next succession he placeth Cletus Anencltus and Clemens Pag. 48. Among the Jewes where ever there were an hundred and twenty of them together they did erect a Synagoguge Pag. 49. At a conference which Augustine and the Bishops of that Province had with the Donatists there were of Bishops 286 present and 120 absent and 60 Sees vacant And there were 279 of the Donatists Bishops Pag. 51. The Gothick Churches are said to be planted 70 years before Ulphilas their first Bishop came to them Pag. 50 He she weth the like of the Scots By the streine of Ignatius Epistles especially that to Smyrna it would appear that there was but one Church at least but one place where there was one Altar and Communion in each of these Parishes which was the Bishops whole charge Pag. 56. The enlarging of the Diocesses hath wholly altered the figure of Primitive Episcopacy That the Bishops were chosen by the people and by the Clergy and people and at last not obtruded without the peoples consent Father Paul Saript de Beneficiis oft tells you and I have fully proved by many Canons in my abstract of Church-history of Councils FINIS * Where Dr. Allestree was bred His next Neighbor a Cosins Tab. 3. b Cosins Tab. 4. c Cosins Tab. 5. d Cos Tab. 6. e Cos Tab. 2. f Cos Tab. 8. g Cos Tab. 2. Tab. 8. h Cos ibid. i Cos ibid. k Cos Tab. 2. l Act of Uniform That Parish Priests have no Governing power see Dr. Zouch as also that the King is the Ecclesiastical Supream m Cos Tab. 13. n Cos Tab. 11. Acts 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. ☞ Vid. Epist 2. Edict Anacleti de forma provinciali Metrapol c. Turrian pro Epist decr c. 24. De novitate hujus formae leg Blondel cont Decr. p. 1. 27. who giveth full testimony of it cont Anaclet Ep. 2. 41. Leg. Vitaâ— Ambros per Baron August li. de opera Monecheâ—â—â—n Invit Ambros per Baron Vit. Ambros per Baron Socrat l. 3. c. 15. Theodoret Eccles Hist l. 1. cap. 10. Leg. Valentiniani Valentus Legem seu Literas in Theodoreti Eccl. Hist l. 4. c. 7. Hestor Andaeanorum c. 9. Messalianorum c. 10. cum interpretatione D. Hookeri li. 7. p. 66. de Audio Euseb l. 8. c. 1. Dr. Hanmer's Translat p. 144 145. Socrat. l. 2. c. 3. Id. ib.