and contrary to the Scriptures which plentifully proves the preheminence of Bishops For though there were many Presbyters in Ephesus and Crete yet f 1 Tim. 1.3 lb. 5.19 Tit. 1.5 Saint Paul left Timothie at Ephesus and Titus at Crete to ordaine Presbyters to command them not to teach any other doctrine or if they did to put them to silence as also to examine witnesses and receive accusations And forasmuch as the end and use of their office was perpetuall therefore the function and office it selfe must likewise be perpetuall Which proveth that it was given to them as they were Bishops not as they were Evangelists Moreover the calling of Bishops is approved by the mouth of Christ himselfe when he adorned the seven Prelates of the seven Churches with the honourable title of Starres and Angells If they be Angells then are they Messengers of the Lord of Hosts If they be his Messengers then are they sent from him and their vocation by him authorised But what is their charge g Revel 2.9.14 15 20. to try false Apostles and not to suffer the doctrine of Balaam nor the doctrine of the Nicolaitans nor to permit the woman Iesabell to teach and seduce the people or to make them commit fornication and eat meate sacrificed to Idolls That is both to oversee the doctrine and discipline of the Church If this be their charge then in this God hath given them authority to amend what is amisse which authority is not given to many but to one Angell in every one Church of the seven Churches Why should that one be charged above the rest if he had not pastorall power besides the rest And he is called the Angell of the Church not of the people nor of the Presbyters but of the whole Church If he be the Angell of the whole Church then he hath pastorall authority over the whole Church and is armed with spirituall power to governe the same and to reforme abuses both in the Ministers and in the people Wherefore the opinion of Aërius concerning these Angells as contrary to the word of God is it selfe contrary unto it and in this sense justly censured for an Heresy Now let us see whether it can be imputed to Luther and Calvin It is confessed by h Tom. 4. Disp 9. q. 1. p. 2. sect 9. Gregory de Valentiâ that except the Anabaptists all the sectaries so it pleaseth him to stile the Protestants admit three degrees of Ministers to wit Bishops whom they call Superintendents Presbyters and Deacons Therefore by the testimony of your owne Iesuit they cannot be Aërïans And surely it is famously knowne to the world to be so in the reformed Churches of Denmarke Suevia and high Germany as also in Saxonie even at Wittenberge where Luther florished Concerning which thus writeth Iacobus Heerbrandus sometimes Divinity Reader at Tubinge i Heerbrand Loc. Com. de ministerio Ecclesiae pag. 699. Truly there ought to be degrees amongst the Ministers as with us in the Dutchey of Wittenberge there are Subdeacons Deacons Pastors speciall Superintendents and over them generall Superintendents How can they disallow the preheminence of Bishops seeing their Superintendents are nothing else but Bishops For when the name Bishop was growne odious by reason of abuses in the Popish Prelates they retaining the dignity it selfe changed the word Bishop into Superintendent which is equivalent in signification PHILOD If they allow the state of Bishops why then did they banish their Catholick Bishops ORTHOD. They banished the Popish Bishops not because they were Bishops but because they were Popish For first such as sought reformation intreated them to redresse abuses which they utterly refused Then the Magistrates were told that it was their duty to reforme the Church by the example of the godly Kings of Iudah which sundry of them did yet so that the Bishops might have kept their places if they would have favoured the Gospell of Christ as may appeare by the authors of the Augustane Confession k De Eccles Potestat The Bishops say they might easily retaine the obedience due unto them if they urged us not to keep those traditions which wee cannot keep with a good conscience And againe l Apolog. Confessionis Augustanae ad artic 14. de ordine Ecclesiastico We have often protested that wee doe heartily approve the Ecclesiasticall policy and degrees in the Church and so much as lieth in us doe desire to preserve them We doe not mislike the authority of Bishops so they would not compell us to doe against Gods commandements And againe m Ibid. Furthermore we doe protest and we would have it recorded that we would willingly preserve the Ecclesiasticall and Canonicall policy if the Bishops would cease to tyrannize over our Churches This our mind or desire shall excuse us with all posterity both before God and all Nations that it may not be imputed unto us that the authority of Bishops is overthrowne by us To the same effect speaketh George Prince Anhalt n Princeps Anhalt in Cōcion super Matth. 7. de falsis prophetis in Praefatione tit de Ordinations Would to God that as they carry the name and titles of Bishops so they would shew themselves to be Bishops of the Church would to God that as the book of Gospells is delivered them and laid upon their shoulders in their Ordination so they would teach doctrine according thereunto and would faithfully governe their Churches thereby O how willingly and with what joy of heart would we receive them for our Bishops and reverence them obey them and yeeld unto them their due jurisdiction and ordination I passe by other Colloquies at o Colloquium Wormaciense tit de personis Ecclesiasticis tit de abusibus Ecclesiarum emendandis Wormes and p Acta Colloq Ratisbon à Buceto edita tit de Ecclesiae hierarchico ordine paragr 7. Ratisbone wherein the degrees of Bishops Archbishops and Patriarchs are commended as profitable to preserve the unity of the Church Concerning which Melancthon writeth thus to Camerarius q Melancth ep ad Camerarium an 1530. By what right or Law may we dissolve the Ecclesiasticall policy if the Bishops will grant us that which in reason they ought to grant and though it were lawfull for us so to doe yet surely it were not expedient Luther was ever of this opinion And that they meane unfainedly as they speake may appeare by their dealing with Michael Sidonius r Historia Confess Augustanae per Chytraeum Whom they thrust out of his Bishoprick because of his Popery yet afterwards when he imbraced the Gospell advanced him againe to that Ecclesiasticall office So farre were those whom you call Lutherans from being Aërians PHILOD BVt what say you to Geneva those Cities that imbrace the Genevian Discipline ORTHOD. Their opinions are apparent by Calvine and Beza The judgement of Calvine is the same with the Augustane Confession to which he
subscribed and is likewise declared ſ Calvin ad Sadolet de Necessitate Reformandae Ecclesiae sub sin in his Epistle to Cardinall Sadolet where he protesteth that if the Bishops would so rule as to submit themselves to Christ then if their shall be any that shall not submit themselves to that Hierarchie reverently and with the greatest obedience that may be there is no kind of Anathema whereof they are not worthy Likewise in his Institutions t Id. Instltut lib. 4. cap. 4. §. 4. Quòd autem singulae Provinciae c. That every Province had one Arch-bishop amongst their Bishops and moreover that Patriarchs were appointed in the Nicene Councell which were superiour to Arch-bishops in order and dignity that belongeth to the preservation of Discipline And in his Epistles to Arch-Bishop Cranmer and the Bishop of London he giveth them most reverent and honourable titles PHILOD Doth not Beza in many places speak bitterly against Bishops ORTHOD. But he expoundeth himselfe that he meant the Popish Bishops only For having spoken against their tyranny he maketh this exception u Bez. de divers gradib minist contr Sarav cap. 21. §. 2. Neque tamen c. Yet we doe not therefore accuse all Bishops and Arch-bishops for what arrogancy were that Nay so as they doe imitate the examples of the old Bishops and indeavour as much as they can to reforme the house of God so miserably deformed according to the rule of Gods word why may we not acknowledge all of them now so called Arch-bishops and Bishops obay them and honour them with all reverence So farre are we from that which some object against us most falsely and impudently as though we took upon us to prescribe to any Church in any place our examples to be followed like unto those unwise men who account well of nothing but of that which they doe themselves And concerning the Bishops of England he saith thus x Id. ibid. cap. 18. §. 3. Quòd si nunc c. But if now the reformed Churches of England doe stand under propped with the authority of Bishops and Arch-bishops as it hapned to that Church in our memory that it had more of that sort not only famous Martyrs of God but also most excellent Pastors and Doctors fruatur sanèistâ singulari Dei beneficentiâ quae utinam illi sit perpetua let her truely injoy this singular blessing of God which I wish may be perpetuall unto her By this you may see how farre these learned Divines did differ from Aërians For Aërius condemned the state of Bishops as contrary to the Scriptures these men commend it and pray that it may be perpetuall PHIL. HOwsoever you may put some nice difference between them and the Aërians you cannot maintaine their Ordination For what power is in a Presbyter to ordaine When Coluthus a Presbyter of Alexandria presumed to ordaine Presbyters and among the rest one Ischyras all his Ordinations were revised and made voyde by the a Epist Synod Alexandr in Apol. 2. Athanas Councell of Alexandria as witnesseth Athanasius Likewise when a certaine Bishop of Spaine imposing hands upon two to make them Deacons and upon a third to make him a Presbyter and being not able to read by reason of his sore eyes caused a Presbyter standing by to give the blessing that is to pronounce the words of Ordination though the Ordainer by reason of death escaped the censure yet the parties so ordained were deposed by the b Concil Hispalens II. cap. 5. Distinct 23. c. 14. Quorund Clericor second Councell of Hispalis If Luther were weyghed in this ballance the ordained should be deposed the ordainer censured and the ordinations voyded ORTHOD. It is one thing to be voyd according to the strictnesse of the Canon and another to bee simply voyd in the nature of the thing If a Bishop ordaine another mans Cleark it was pronounced voyd by the famous c Conc. Nicaen Can. 16. Councell of Nice Ordinations without Title were decreed to bee voyd by the great d Conc. Chalced can 6. Councell of Chalcedon The ordination of a Bishop without the consent of a Metropolitane was made voyd by the e Concil Braccar 2. c. 3. Dist 65. c. 2. Non debet c. 3. Episcopus non est Councell of Braccar Yet in all those according to your owne doctrine the Power is given the Character imprinted and consequently there is no nullity in the nature of the thing How then are they voyd in respect of Execution for Disciplines sake untill it please the Church otherwise to dispose PHILOD Then the ordinations of Luther are voyde if not in the nature of the thing yet at least in respect of Execution So that his ofspring either have no orders or they must surcease as though they had none For there is the same reason of him and Coluthus ORTHOD. Not so For it was well said of one of your Popes f Iohann VIII epist ad Anselm Lemovic 30. q. 1. Ad limina Inculpabile judicandum quod intulit necessitas That which necessity occasioned is not to be blamed Whereby you may learn that extraordinary causes of necessity are not to bee measured by ordinary rules Neither is Luther to bee paralleld with Coluthus or the Spanish Priest whose violations of the Canon were meerely voluntary Pope g Felix IV. epist 1. Vid. Gratian. 2. qu. 7. cap. Mutationes Scias item de Consecrat dist 1. cap. Sicut Felix may informe you Aliter tractandam necessitatis rationem aliter voluntatis PHILOD Was it not a case of necessity when the Bishop was blinde and could not read the words ORTHOD. No. for if hee had them not in his memory hee might have pronounced them after another or as now the Councell of Trent hath provided in the like cases he might have procured them to bee ordained by some other Bishops But Luthers case was indeed a case of necessity as hereafter shall be proved PHILOD If a Presbyter as he is a Presbyter were endued with intrinsecall power and ability to ordaine and were restrained from the execution of it only by the Church for Disciplines sake then peradventure his Ordinations might bee tolerable in case of invincible necessity But neither hath a Presbyter such power neither was this a case of necessity ORTHOD. FOr the better discussing the former point let me crave your resolution in this question to wit By what power a Bishop is intrinsecally enabled to give orders PHILOD All the power of a Bishop is either of Iurisdiction or of Order Now we hold that though the Pope take from him his Iurisdiction he may notwithstanding give orders if he will And albeit he sin in giving them yet they are true orders which proveth invincibly that the collation of orders is not from Iurisdiction But from what order not from the order of Priesthood alone for then every Presbyter should have power to give orders which
meane the ordinance of God in this sense also it may be said to be Iure divino For it is an ordinance of the Apostles whereunto they were directed by Gods spirit even by the spirit of Prophecy and consequently the ordinance of God But if by Iure divino you understand a Law and commandement of God binding all Christian Churches universally perpetually unchangeably and with such absolute necessity that no other forme of regiment may in any case be admitted in this sense neither may we grant it nor yet can you prove it to be Iure divino PHILOD Whence commeth it then to be so generally received through the Christian World ORTHOD. The Apostles in their life time ordained many Bishops and left a faire patterne to posterity The Church following the commodiousnesse thereof imbraced it in all ages through the Christian World PHILOD If the wings of Presbyters were tied by the Church following therein the patterne of the Apostles who were directed by the spirit of God what authority had Luther to untie them ORTHOD. It was not voluntarie in him but a case of necessity PHILOD Neither was there any necessity neither can necessity authorise a man in a matter of this nature ORTHOD. I will prove both and in the first place consider the force of Necessity The Scripture declareth when the Priests were too few and not able to slay all the burnt offerings their brethren the Devites did help them till they had ended the work and untill other Priests were sanctified 2. Chron. 29.34 35. By which it appeareth that the Levites did help the Priests in case of necessity if not to offer yet at least to pull off the skinnes which pertained to the Priests office as witnesseth Nicolaus de Lyra saying t Lyran. in 2. Chron. c. 29. in c. 35. consimiliter Abulensis in 2. Chron. cap. 4. q. 13. Although the pulling off of skinnes belonged to the office of the Priests yet the Levites might in this helpe the Priests in necessity for many things were lawfull by reason of necessity which otherwise were not lawfull If of necessity then by proportion a Deacon may so farre intermeddle with the Presbyters office In which case of necessity a Presbyter commeth nearer to a Bishop then a Deacon to a Presbyter which are of diverse Orders ANd is not this your owne doctrine Doe not you teach that Confirmation of the baptized is proper to a Bishop proceeding from the Episcopall Character as well as Ordination and yet may be communicated to a Presbyter in case of necessity Concerning the first the Councell of Trent hath thus decreed u Concil Trident Sess 23. Can. 7. If any man shall say that Bishops are not superiour to Priests that they have not power to confirme and ordaine or that the power which they have is common to them with the Priests let him be accursed And Bellarmine saith that x Bellarm. de sacram confirmat c. 12. §. 16. ad argum 4. the Episcopall Character whether it be another from the Presbyteriall or the same more extended is an absolute perfect and independent power to confer the Sacraments of Confirmation and Order Concerning the second Bellarmine in his book of the Sacrament of Confirmation proveth at large that y Id. de sacram confirm cap. 12. sect 3. Extraordinariâ potestate possunt sect 15. extruordinariâ concessione possunt lib. de Clericis c. 15. §. 29. Confirmare baptisatos possunt Presbyteri ex dispensatione Presbyters may confirme by the Popes dispensation And whereas in his book of the Sacrament of Order he had let a word fall which might seeme to sound to the contrary he explaineth himselfe in his Recognitions in this manner z Id. in Recognit pag. 89. Whereas I said that only Bishops may confirme and ordaine and if inferiours attempt to doe those things they could effect nothing by ordinary powen my meaning was not to deny that which elsewhere I had affirmed that a Presbyter might confirme by Apostolicall dispensation PHILOD Very true for this he hath proved by many testimonies and among the rest by the Councell of Trent which therefore calleth a Bishop an ordinary Minister of Confirmation to insinuate that it may be performed by a Presbyter by extraordinary power ORTHOD. Then by Bellarmines own reason when Pope Eugenius in his decree for the Councell of Flerence affirmed that the ordinary minister of Ordination was a Bishop thereby insinuated that extraordinarily it might be done by a Presbyter PHILOD To confirme is an act of Order and this order is also in a Presbyter at least inchoate and imperfect Wherefore unlesse it be perfected by dispensation a Presbyter effecteth nothing by confirming but if it be perfected jam ex ipso suo charactere confirmabit he shall confirme by vertue of his owne Character ORTHOD. If the Character thus perfected enable him to performe the act of Confirmation why not of Ordination For the doctrine of your Church is that they both are proper to a Bishop both derived from the same Character both received at the same instant from the same persons in the same manner and by the same words and that the effect of both is to imprint a character and to give the holy Ghost Wherefore seeing you grant the power of Confirming is communicable to Presbyters you have no reason to deny them the like power of Ordaining YOur own learned men hold that not only a Presbyter but also a Lay-man may confirme by the Popes delegation Vid. Praepositum in Decret cap. Per. venit dist 95. The author of the Glosse saith Dicunt quidam c. Some say that the Pope may delegate this even to a Lay-man because he hath the fulnesse of power Videtur saith * Rosellus de potestate Imperatoris Papae part 4 c. 16. Rosellus quòd confirmatus c. It seemeth that a man confirmed though he be a Lay-man and not in orders seeing he hath received a Character by his Confirmation may give Character to another by the Popes mandate because a Lay man may handle even spirituall things by the Popes mandate especially because it was not specially appointed by Christ that only Bishops should confirme And that the most reverend Cardinall of Saba seemeth to hold this opinion Moreover Compostella and Sylvester are of mind that the Pope may commit these things even to a Lay man Hitherto Rosellus But if you hold this to be a private opinion yet by Bellarmine and sundry others of your owne side it is yeelded that a Presbyter is capable of this commission So the Author of the Glosse Vid. Gloss ad ca. Manus de Consecrat dist 5. verbo Irritum Panormitan ad ca. Quanto extra de Consuetud num 8. Dico quòd Papa potest hoc delegare simplici Sacerdoti non Laico sicut credo sic ex tali delegatione adminiculo habiti sacramenti potest conferre quicquid habet imò quilibet
of Maerspurge very often professed and promised And againe this inconvenience that Presbyters should ordaine might be prevented if the parties to be ordained were not compelled to promise the upholding of evident abuses for unlesse that were required at their hands they would willingly receave ordination from Bishops which now they are constrained by a certaine necessity both to seeke and receave from other Ministers And as they could not obtaine ordination from your Popish Churches so neither by the same reason from the Greeke Church For b Bellarm. lib. de notis Ecclesiae cap. 8. §. 22. Bellarmine denyeth it to be a Church because they were lawfully convicted in three full Councells at Lateran Lions and Florence of heresy and especially of the heresy about the proceeding of the Holy Ghost which to be a manifest heresy saith he both the Lutherans and the Calvinists doe confesse Wherefore seeing no Church will give orders but only to such persons as approve and embrace their doctrine therefore they could not with a safe conscience seeke to the Greeke Church whose doctrine they justly misliked Being thus excluded from the Greeke and the Latin from the East and the West what should be done It was the duty of Magistrates whose hearts the Lord had touched not to suffer false Prophets but to drive them away like wolves and to plant godly Preachers in their places But whence should they have them The Popish Priestes converted were like a few clusters in a great vintage or a few mariners in a great ship wherefore either there must be a new supply or the ship of Christ must be endangered And there was but one way for this supply to wit by Ordination Now the Bishops were so farre from yeelding it in any tolerable manner that they persecuted such as sought the reformation and branded them with schisme and heresy Wherefore it must either be devolved unto Presbyters or the Church of God must suffer most lamentable ruine and desolation And was not this a case of necessity I will conclude this point with a memorable saying of Waldensis worthy to be written in letters of gold c Vbi ista duo concurrunt in communitate Ecclesia scilicèt extrema non ulteriùs differendo necessitas ordinarii pastoris aut praesidis ad succurrendum desperata facultas quaerendus est extraordinarius pater priusquà m Christi Domini fabrica dissolvatur Thom. Waldens Doctrinal fidei tom 1. lib. 2. cap. 80. §. 2. When these two things doe meet in the state of the Church to wit extream necessity admitting no delay the hopelesse want of ability to yeeld releefe in the ordinary Pastor or guide we must seeke an extraordinary Father before the fabrick of the Lord Iesus be dissolved PHILOD SVppose that ordination might be devolved to Presbyters in case of necessity yet the necessity ceasing such extraordinary courses should likewise cease Why then doe they continue their former practise why doe they not now seeke to receave their orders from Protestant Bishops ORTHOD. The Churches of Germany need not to seek to forraine Bishops because they have Superintendents or Bishops among themselves And as for other places which embrace the discipline of Geneva they also have Bishops in effect for two things of all other are most proper to Bishops 1. Singularity in succeeding because though there be many Presbyters in a Church yet above the rest there is one Starre one Angell of whose unity depends the unity of the Church and therefore when he dieth another must succeed in the like singularity 2. Superiority in ordaining because ever since the Apostles times these Starres and Angells have been invested with the power of ordination which they might performe without Presbyters but Presbyters might not regularly performe without them Now in these reformed Churches the President of each Presbytery is their Starre or Angell indued with both properties Concerning the first Beza saith d Bez. de divers gradib mmistr contr Sarav cap. 23. §. 25. Essentiale fuit in eo de quo hîc agimus quòd ex Dei ordinatione perpetuâ necesse fuit est erit ut in Presbyterio quispiam loco dignitate primus actioni gubernandae praesit cum eo quod ipsi divinitùs attributum est jure This was essentiall in the matter we have in hand that by Gods perpetuall ordinance it hath been is and shall bee needfull that some one in the Presbytery which is first both in place and dignity should have the preheminence in ruling of every action with that right which is given him from God Therefore concerning the second whereas the Presbytery consisteth partly of Ministers partly of Lay-men their Lay-presbyters are wholly excluded from Ordination for e Non liquidò constat an quum aliquis consecrandas erat minister omnes soliti fuerunt manum imponere ejas capiti an unus duntaxat loco nomine omnium Imò huc magis inclinat conjectura unum tantùm fuisse qui manut imponeret Calvin in 2. Tim. 1.6 Hoe postremò habendum est non universam multitudinem manus imposuisse suis ministris sed solos Pastores Id. in Institut l. b. 4. cap. 3. §. 16. Calvin teacheth that in the Apostolick times only Pastors imposed hands neither is it lawfull for every Pastor in the Presbytery to execute this office but it is reserved to him who is first both in place and dignity having preheminence in every action and consequently in Ordination Wherefore though that he doe it not by his sole authority but with common consent neither hath the name of a Bishop or such ample titles annexed as godly Princes have thought fit for the honour of the place because these things are not sutable with popular estates delighting in equality yet he hath the substance of the office it selfe which he exerciseth not in one only particular parish but in the City Suburbs and the territories thereof containing sundry Parishes as for example at Geneva XXIIII or there about Wherefore seeing a Bishop and a Presbyter doe not differ in order but only in preheminence and jurisdiction as your selves acknowledge and seeing Calvin and Beza had the order of Priesthood which is the highest order in the Church of God and were lawfully chosen the one after the other to a place of eminency and indued with jurisdiction derived unto them from the whole Church wherein they lived you cannot with reason deny them the substance of the Episcopall office And wherein soever their Discipline is defective we wish them even in the bowels of Christ Iesus by all possible meanes to redresse and reforme it and to conforme themselves to the ancient custome of the Church of Christ which hath continued from the Apostles time that so they may remove all opinion of singularity and stop the mouth of malice it selfe Thus much concerning the Ministers of other reformed Churches wherein if you will not believe us disputing for the lawfulnesse of their calling yet you must give us leave to believe God himselfe from heaven approving their ministery by powring downe a blessing upon their labours Blesse them still O Lord and blesse us and make all our Ministery faithfull fruitfull and effectuall to the comfort of our own Consciences the advancing of thy Kingdome the joy of thy little flock and to the recalling of those lost sheepe which as yet wander in the wildernesse of the Church of Rome or elsewhere that so it may be powerfull by thy Spirit to the salvation of many thousand soules AMEN FINIS
the authority which is deferred unto those whom they call chuse and ordaine by particular imposition of hands of other more ancient Seniors to be their Seniors is the very same which the Bishops in ancient time had over other Ministers as may appeare to the full by a Description thereof and of all the ordinances of that Church which are put forth in a Book printed Anno 1633. with this title Ratio Disciplinae Ordinisque Ecclesiastici in Vnitate Fratrum Bohemorum Whereunto I desire to remitte those who would know particulars THE ADDITION OF FRANCIS MASON unto his Defence of the Ministery of the Church of England wherein the Ordination of the Ministers of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas is maintained by him against the ROMANISTS PHILODOX THough somewhat may be said for the Ministers of England yet for Luther and Calvin and their Disciples you can bring no shew nor shaddow of probability ORTHODOX That point is without the circle of our present subject which concerneth only the Ministery of England PHILOD I perceive you are afraid and would fayne fly the field indeed I cannot blame you it is a dangerous point Latet anguis in herbâ ORTHOD. The handling of a question of this nature requireth the particular knowledge of the estate of those Churches with the occurrences and occasions out of which their proceedings and actions did grow and that according to the severall circumstances of time persons and places appearing by Records In which respect I would willingly referre this point to the learned men living in the same Churches which are best acquainted with the particulars of their owne estate Notwithstanding least you should insult and triumph over our Brethren I am content to skirmish a little with you using for my chiefest target your owne testimonies as Iudas Macchabeus protected Israel with the sword of Apollonius 1. Maccab. 3.12 But the trumpets have already sounded to the encounter behold we enter the field expecting your fiery darts against the host of Israel PHIL. VNtill Protestants shew the lawfull vocation of their first head and spring Martin Luther they all being derived of him may be counted amongst the Acephali those ancient Heretiques even as the branch of an honourable house being stained the whole posterity after remaineth spotted ORTHOD. Are all the Pretestants derived from Martin Luther you know the contrary in the Churches of England Scotland Helvetia France and Flanders Neither can any of the Protestants be counted Acephali For those blaspheinous Heretiques opposing themselves against the Councell of Chalcedon maintained this damnable Heresy a Niceph. lib. 18. cap. 45. that there is but one nature in Christ whereas all wee doe most stedfastly beleive and stedfastly professe that Christ is God truly and Man perfectly one person inseparably and yet two natures distinctly God truly against the Arrians condemned in the first generall Councell Man perfectly against the Apolinarians condemned in the second generall Councell One person inseparably against the Nestorians condemned in the third generall Councell Two natures distinctly against the Eutychians condemned in the fourth generall Councell From which Heresies and all other the Protestants may be justified to be cleare and much clearer then your selves PHILOD THe Acephali were so called according to b Isid Origin lib. 8. cap. 5. Isidor because there could be found no head nor authour from whence they did spring Such are the Protestants therefore they may be all called Acephali ORTHOD. You said even now that our first head and spring was Martin Luther If you have found our head how can you call us Acephali PHILOD But who was Luthers head or whence did he spring he was a body without a head and a river without a spring ORTHOD. Did you not resemble him to a branch of an honourable house therefore if we may beleive you this branch hath a roote this body a head and this river a spring PHILOD Indeed he did spring frō the Church of Rome as he was a Priest but he was never Bishop and yet he tooke upon him to ordaine Ministers as though he had beene a Bishop Wherefore if you will grant that all ministeriall power must of necessity be derived from a Bishop as from a head then seeing Luther was no Bishop he was no head so all his ofspring are Acephali But if you deny this preheminence of Bishops then flying Scylla you fall into Charybdis and shunning the name of Acephali you become Aerians ORTHOD. Or rather if ministeriall power may be derived from a Presbyter in case of necessity then are they not Acephali if they acknowledge the preheminence of Bishops then are they not Aërians PHIL. VVHat was the heresy of the Aërians c Ad Quodvult Deum Haeres 53. S. Austen declareth how Aērius being prevented of a Bishoprick for griefe thereof falling from the Church became an Arrian and broached new opinions One whereof was that there ought to be no difference betweene a Bishop and a Priest And doe not almost all the Lut herans and Calvinists teach the same For wherein doth a Bishop excell a Presbyter so much as in his Order and what is so proper to the excellent order as the power of Ordination Wherefore seeing they communicate this to a Presbyter they take away in effect all difference and so concurre with the Aërians ORTHOD. For the dispelling of this cloud let us first consider this Heresy and then examine this odious imputation This heresy consisted not in this that a Bishop and a Presbyter are of one order nor in this that a Presbyter in some causes may ordaine which points sundry of your selves doe maintaine as hereafter shall be declared following herein as they were verily perswaded Saint Ierome and others of the ancient Fathers who are very farre from being Aërians But what it was and wherein it consisteth we may learne of Epiphanius and Austen d Epiph. haeres 75. §. 3. Epiphanius describeth it in this manner What is said Aërius a Bishop to a Priest the one differeth nothing from the other For there is one order one honour and one dignity The Bishop imposeth hands so doth also the Priest The Bishop baptizeth so doth likewise the Priest The Bishop is a disposer of divine worship and the Priest is likewise The Bishop sitteth in the throne the Priest sitteth also By e Aug. ad Quod vult Deum haer 53. Austen thus Dicebant Presbyterum ab Episcopo nullâ differentiâ debere discerni i. The Aërians said that a Bishop ought to be distinguished from a Priest by no difference What meant Aerius when he said there ought to be no difference He could not meane that there ought to be none by the lawes of the Church for it is evident that they put a difference Therefore his meaning was that by the word of God there ought to be no difference So he controuled the preheminence of Bishops as contrary to the Scripture Wherein his owne position was false
Certain Briefe TREATISES WRITTEN BY DIVERSE LEARNED MEN concerning the ancient and Moderne government of the CHURCH Wherein Both the Primitive Institution of EPISCOPACIE IS MAINTAINED AND THE LAWFULNESSE OF THE Ordination of the Protestant MINISTERS beyond the Seas likewise defended The particulars whereof are set downe in the leafe following IOB 8.8 9. Enquire I pray thee of the former age and prepare thy selfe to the search of their Fathers For we are but of yesterday and know nothing OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD Printer to the Vniversity Anno Dom. 1641. THE SEVERALL TREATISES touching Church-government gathered here together are these I. A Discovery of the causes of the continuance of these Contentions concerning Church-government by RICHARD HOOKER Pag. 1. II. A summary view of the Government both of the Old and New Testament by LANCELOT ANDREWES late Bishop of Winchester Wherein whatsoever is included within these markes hath been added to supply the imperfection of the written copy Pag. 7. III. The Originall of Bishops and Metropolitans briefly laid downe by MARTIN BUCER IOHN RAINOLDES and IAMES Arch-bishop of Armagh Pag. 45. IV. A Geographicall and Historicall disquisition touching the Lydian or Proconsular Asia and the seven Metropoliticall Churches contained therein by the said Arch-bishop of Armagh Pag. 76. V. A Declaration of the Patriarchicall Government of the ancient Church by EDWARD BREREWOOD Pag. 96. VI. A briefe Declaration of the severall formes of Government received in the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas by IOHN DUREE Pag. 123. VII The lawfulnesse of the Ordination of the Ministers of those Churches maintained against the Romanists by FRANCIS MASON A SVMMARIE VIEW OF THE GOVERNMENT BOTH OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT WHEREBY The Episcopall Government of Christs Church is vindicated Out Of the rude Draughts of LANCELOT ANDREWES late Bishop of Winchester Whereunto is prefixed as a Preamble to the whole a Discovery of the Causes of the continuance of these Contentions touching Church-government out of the fragments of RICHARD HOOKER OXFORD Printed by LEON LICHFIELD Anno Dom. 1641. The causes of the continuance of these Contentions concerning Church-Government COntention ariseth either through errour in mens judgements or else disorder in their affections When contention doth grow by errour in judgement it ceaseth not till men by instruction come to see wherein they erre and what it is that did deceive them Without this there is neither policy nor punishment that can establish peace in the Church The Moscovian Emperour being weary of the infinite strifes and contentions amongst Preachers and by their occasion amongst others forbad preaching utterly throughout all his Dominions and in stead there of commanded certain Sermons of the Greeke and Latine Fathers to bee translated and them to be read in publique assemblies without adding a word of their owne thereunto upon paine of death Hee thought by this politique devise to bring them to agreement or at least to cover their disagreement But so bad a policy was on fit salve for so great a soare We may think perhaps that punishment would have beene more effectuall to that purpose For neither did Solomon speak without book in saying that when folly Prov. 22.15 is bound up in the heart of a child the rod of correction must drive it out and experience doth shew that when errour hath once disquieted the minds of men and made them restlesse if they doe not feare they will terrify Neither hath it repented the Church at any time to have used the rod in moderate severity for the speedier reclaiming of men from error and the reuniting such as by schisme have sundred themselves But we find by triall that as being taught and not terrified they shut their eares against the word of truth and sooth themselves in that wherewith custome or sinister persuasion hath inured them so contrariwise if they be terrifyed and not taught their punishment doth not commonly worke their amendment As Moses therefore so likewise Aaron as Zerubabel so Iehoshua as the Prince which hath laboured by the Scepter of righteousnesse and sword of justice to end strife so the Prophets which with the booke and doctrine of salvation have soundly and wisely endeavoured to instruct the ignorant in those litigious points wherewith the Church is now troubled whether by preaching as Apolloes among the Iewes or by disputing as Paul at Athens or by writing as the learned in their severall times and ages heretofore or by conferring in Synods and Councells as Peter Iames and others at Ierusalem or by any the like allowable and laudable meanes 2. Cor. 8.18 their praise is worthily in the Gospell and their portion in that promise which God hath made by his Prophets Dan. 12.3 They that turne many unto righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for ever and ever I say whosoever have soundly and wisely endeavoured by those meanes to reclaime the ignorant from their errour and to make peace Want of sound proceeding in Church controversies hath made many more stiffe in errour now then before Want of wise and discreet dealing hath much hindred the peace of the Church It may bee thought and is that Arius had never raised those tempestuous stormes which we read he did if Alexander the first that withstood the Arrians heresy had born himselfe with greater moderation and been lesse eager in so good a cause Sulpitius Severus doth note as much in the dealings of Idacius against the favourers of Priscillian when that heresy was but green and new sprung up For by overmuch vehemency against Iactantius and his mates a sparke was made a flame insomuch that thereby the seditious waxed rather more fierce then lesse troublesome In matters of so great moment whereupon the peace or disturbance of the Church is knowne to depend if there were in us that reverend care which should be it is not possible wee should either speak at any time without feare or ever write but with a trembling hand Doe they consider whereabout they goe or what it is they have in hand who taking upon them the causes of God deale only or chiefly against the persons of men We cannot altogether excuse our selves in this respect whose home controversies and debates at this day although I trust they be as the strife of Paul with Barnabas and not with Elymas yet because there is a truth which on the one side being unknown hath caused contention I doe wish it had pleased Almighty God that in sifting it out those offences had not grown which I had rather bewaile with secret teares then publick speech Neverthelesse as some sort of people is reported to have bred a detestation of drunkennesse in their children by presenting the deformity thereof in servants so it may come to passe I wish it might that we beholding more foule deformity in the face and countenance of a common adversary shall be induced to correct some smaller blemishes in our owne Yee are not ignorant of the Demaunds Motives Censures
Ancient Fathers seem to be of minde that the same Forme should serve both So thinketh S. Cyprian l. 3. ep 9. ad Rogatianum So S. Hierom ep 85. ad Evagrium Traditiones Apostolicae sumptae sunt de Veteri Testamento ad Nepotianum de vitâ Clericorum So St Leo. Ita veteris Testamenti sacramenta distinxit ut quaedam ex iis sicut erant condita Evangelicae eruditioni profutura decerperet ut quae dudùm fuerant consuetudines Iudaicae fierent observantiae Christianae So Rabanus de Institutione Clericorum l. 1. c. 6. They ground this their opinion upon that they see 1. That the Synagogue is called a Type or shadow and the Church the very image of the thing Heb. 10.1 2. That God himselfe saith of the Christian Church under the Gentiles that he will take of the Gentiles and make them Priests and Levits to himselfe Esai 66.21 there calling our Presbyters and Deacons by those Legall names 3. That there is an agreement in the Numbers XII Num. 1.16 and Luk. 9.1 LXX Num. 11.16 Luk 10.1 Names Angel Malach. 2.7 and Revel 1.10 And their often enterchange and indifferent using of Priest or Presbyter Levite or Deacon sheweth they presumed a correspence agreement between them Thus then Aaron should be answerable unto Christ Eleazar should be answerable unto Archbishop Princes of Priests should be answerable unto Bishops Priests should be answerable unto Presbyters Princes of Levits should be answerable unto Archdeacons Levits should be answerable unto Deacons Nethinims should be answerable unto Clerks and Sextons THE FORME OF CHURCH-GOVERNMENT in the New Testament and first in the dayes of our Saviour CHRIST I. THe whole ministery of the New Testament was at the first invested in Christ alone He is termed our Apostle Hebr. 3.1 Prophet Deut. 18.15 Act. 3.22 Evangelist Esai 41.27 Bishop 1. Pet. 2.25 Doctor Mat. 23.10 Diaconus Rom. 15.8 II. When the Harvest was great Matth. 9.38 that his personall presence could not attend all he took unto him XII Apostles as the XII Patriarchs or XII * Exod. 15.27 Num. 33.9 Fountaines as S. Ierom or the XII Princes of the Tribes Num. 1. Gathering his Disciples Matth. 10.1 Choosing out of them Luk. 6.13 Whom he would Mark 3.13 Called them to him Luk. 6.13 Made them Mark 3.13 Named them Apostles Luk. 6.13 These he began to send Mark 6.7 Gave them in charge Mat. 10.1 and 11.1 To preach the Gospell Luk. 9.2 To Heal. Matth. 10.1 Luk. 9.2 To cast out Devills Matth. 10.1 Gave them power Mat. 10.1 Luk. 9.2 To take maintenance Matth. 10.10 To shake of the dust for a witnesse Matth. 10.14 So he sent them Matth. 10.5 Luk. 9.1 They went and preached Luk. 9.6 They returned and made relation what they had done Mark 6.30 taught Mark 6.30 III. After this when the Harvest grew Iogreat as that the XII sufficed not all Luk. 10.1 2. hee took unto him other LXX as the 70. Palme-trees Num. 33.9 the Fathers of Families Gen. 46. the Elders Num. 11 These he Declared Luk. 10.1 Sent by two and two into every City and place whither he himselfe would come Ib. Gave them power as to the Apost les to Take maintenance Luk. 10.7 Shake off the dust Luk. 10.11 Heale the sick Luk. 10.9 Preach Luk. 10.9 Tread upon Serpents and Scorpions and over all the power of the Enemy Luk. 10.19 These two Orders as me thinketh S. Paul Ephes 3.5 doth comprehend under the name of Apostles and Prophets by the LXX understanding Prophets as usually next to the Apostles he placeth Prophets ever 1. Cor. 12.28 Ephes 4.11 None of the Fathers ever doubted that these two were two severall Orders or Sorts nor that the Apostles were superiour to the LXX It appeareth also that the Apostles had in them power to forbid to preach Luk. 9.49 and that Matthias was exalted from the other Order to the Apostleship This was then the Order while Christ was upon the Earth I. Christ himselfe II. The XII whose successours were Bishops III. The LXX whose successours were Priests IV. The faithfull people or Disciples of whom 500. and more are mentioned in 1. Corinth 15.6 and CXX in Act. 1.15 The forme of go vernment used in the time of the APOSTLES Albeit Christ saith the people were as Sheep without a Shepheard Matth. 9.38 yet he tearmeth his Apostles Haruest men not Shepheards For while he was in person on Earth himselfe only was the Shepheard and they but Arietes gregis But at his departure he maketh them Shepheards Iohn 21.15 as they likewise at theirs 1. Pet. 5.2 Act. 20.28 Of the APOSTLES themselves and first of their Name Shelicha which is the Syrian name was the title of certaine Legats or Commissioners sent from the High Priest to visit the Iewes and their Synagogues which were dispersed in other Countries with authority to redrese things amisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Greekes were Officers of great credit as by Herodotus and Demosthenes appeareth Secondly of their Forme what it is Not to have been with Christ all his time Acts 1.21 So were others moe Not to be sent immediately of Christ Gal. 1.1 So were the LXX Luk. 10. Not to be limited to no one place Matth. 28.19 So were others Luk. 24.33 50. And S. Iames went no whither Not to be inspired of God so that they did not erre So were Marke and Luke Not to plant Churches So did Philip the Evangelist Act. 8. 5. Not to work signes and miracles So did Stephen Acts 6.8 and Philip. Acts 8.6 But over and above these and with these that eminent Authority or Iurisdiction which they had over all not only joyntly together but every one by himselfe I. Of imposing hands in Ordination Acts 6.6 Confirmatiō Act 8.17 18. II. Of Commanding the word of the Bench. Acts 4.18 and 5.28 1. Thess 4.11.2 Thess 3.6 12. Philem. 8. Coloss 4.10 1. Cor. 14.37 2. Peter 3.2 Titus 1.5.1 Cor. 7.6 17. and 11.34 16.1 III. Of Countermanding Luke 9.49 Acts 15.24 1. Tim. 2.12 IV. Of Censuring 1. Cor. 4.21.2 Cor. 13.10 Gal. 5.12 1. Tim. 1.20 1. Cor. 5.5 11. 2. Thess 3.14 Matth. 16.19 with 18.18 and Iohn 20.23 In this power it is that the Bishops succeed the Apostles Irenaelig lib. 3. tap 3. Tertull. de Praelig script Cyprian ad Florent 3.9 Epiphan Haeres 27. Romaefuerunt fuerunt primi Petrus Paulus Apostoli ijdem ac Episcopi Chrysost in Act. 3. Iacobus Episcopus Hierosolymitanus Hieronym epist. 85. 54. ad Marcellam de scriptorib Ecclesiast in Petro Iacobo Ambros in 1. Corinth 11. de Angelis in Ephes 4. Apostolis Angeli sunt OF DEACONS AT the beginning the whole weight of the Churches affayres lay upon the Apostles The distribution as well of the Sacrament Act. 2.42 as of the Oblations Act. 4.35 The Ordination Acts 6.6 The Government Acts 5.3 But upon occasion of the Greeks complaint whose widowes were not duly regarded in the dayly ministration
Brerewood OXFORD Printed by LEON LICHFIELD Anno Dom. 1641. THE JUDGEMENT OF M. BUCER touching the Originall of BISHOPS And METROPOLITANS BY the perpetuall observation of the Churches M. Bucer de Regno Christi ad R. Edvardum VI. lib. 2. cap. 12. inter scripta ejusdem Anglicana pag. 67. even from the Apostles themselves we doe see that it seemed good to the holy Ghost that among the Presbyters to whom the ordering of the Churches was chiefly committed some one should be appointed to have a singular charge of the Churches and the whole sacred Ministery who by that care and sollicitude had a presidency over all the rest For which cause the name of of Bishop was peculiarly attributed unto these chiefe governours of Churches although they ought to decree nothing without the counsell of the rest of the Presbyters who themselves also by reason of this common administration of the Churches have the name of Bishops in the Scriptures given unto them So we may see Idem de Animarum curâ officioque Pastor Eccles ibid. pag. 280. Act. 20.28 that by the ordinance of the holy Ghost the care of soules and the pastorall office ought to be imposed upon all the Presbyters of the Church in common And from hence S. Hierome did rightly collect that the Presbyters and Bishops office and charge was one and the same Hierome indeed writeth this withall that in the beginning of the Church those Presbyters tooke care of the Church and governed it by common counsell and that then at length one of the Presbyters was set over the rest and peculiarly called a Bishop when sects and heresies began to arise in the Church and every one laboured to advance his owne sect But it is not credible that this was so observed long nor in all Churches neither For as we have cleare testimonies out of the Fathers that were more ancient then Hierome in all the chiefe Churches from the Apostles times thus it was observed that the Episcopall office indeed was imposed upon all the Presbyters yet so notwithstanding that alwaies even in the times of the Apostles themselves one of the Presbyters was chosen and ordained to be a guide of this office and as it were a Prelate who went before all the rest and had the care of soules and administred the Episcopall office chiefly and in the highest degree Hence also our Lord Idem de vi usu S. ministerii explicat Cantabrigiae ann 1550. ibid. pag. 581. 582. when he would have his to be conjoyned and cohere one with another as members doe in the body he subjecteth every one of his unto others by whom as by members of a more ample and large power and efficacy hee might bee preserved moved and directed The same doth the holy Ghost command Eph. 5.21 Submit your selves one to another in the feare of God The holy Fathers therefore of old considering these things appointed such an order in the Clergy that all the rest of that rank should bee kept and governed by the singular care of the Presbytery and that among the Presbyters the Bishop as the Consul among the Senators of the Common-wealth should take upon him the chiefe care and custody as of the whole Church so specially of the whole order of the Clergy Such Bishops did they ordaine in all more populous Churches and to each of those Churches they commended those others that were more neare unto them in the smaller townes or villages And to that purpose would have each of the Presbyters and overseers of those Churches whom they called Chorepiscopi to be obedient to the Bishop and Presbytery that was next unto them whom those other prime Bishops did upon all occasions call together with the rest of their Clergy and informed them in the skill and diligence which was to bee used in the discharge of their function Now seeing it was Gods will that all his servants should mutually embrace and take care each of other as farre and wide as their ability could reach unto all Christians being but one body the holy Fathers did ordaine that the Bishops of every Province for all the nations subject to the Romans were now distributed into Provinces should meet together with the Presbyters and Deacons as oft as the need of the Churches did so require but constantly twice in the yeare that they might enquire touching Christs doctrine and discipline how it was administred and maintained in every Church and where they did find any thing faulty they might correct it but such things as they did find were right they might confirme and further And that these Synods might bee administred rightly and in due order they would have the Metropolitans take the charge both of congregating and moderating them to wit the Bishops of every Metropolis for so was the chiefe city of every Province called wherein was the Court of the supreme President And to this end they imposed upon these Metropolitan Bishops a kind of charge and care of all the Churches within their Province that if they did understand any thing were not rightly ordained or done either by the ministers of the Churches or by the people they might admonish them thereof in time and if by their admonitions they could not amend it they might call together a Synod of the Bishops to correct it The Judgement of DOCTOR RAINOLDES touching the same VVHen a Act. 14.23 Elders were ordained by the Apostles in every Church b Tit. 1.5 through every City D. Rainold Conference with Hart in the end of the 3. and beginning of the 5. division c Act. 20.28 to * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to doe the duty of a Pastor to it feed the flock of Christ whereof the holy Ghost had made them Overseers they to the intent they might the better doe it by common counsell and consent did use to assemble themselves and meet together In the which meetings for the more orderly handling and concluding of things pertaining to their charge they chose one amongst them to be the President of their company and Moderatour of their actions As in the Church of Ephesus though it had d Acts 20.17 sundry Elders and Pastors to guide it yet amongst those sundry was there one chiefe whom our Saviour calleth e Rev. 2 1. the Angell of the Church and writeth that to him which by him the rest should know And this is he whom afterward in the Primitive Church the Fathers called Bishop For as the name of Ministers f 1. Cor. 4.1 common to all them who serve Christ in * Luk. 12.42 the stewardship of the mysteries of God that is in preaching of the Gospell is now by the custome of our English speech restrained to Elders who are under a Bishop g 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.7 Act. 20.28 so the name of Bishop common to all Elders and Pastors of the Church was then by the usuall language of the Fathers
doe not find to suite with our owne humours the safest way will be to consult with Christ himself herein and heare what he delivereth in the cause These things saith he that hath the seven starres Revel III. 1. He owneth then we see these starres whatsoever they be and the mystery of them he thus further openeth unto his beloved Disciple The seven starres which thou sawest in my right hand are the Angels of the seven Churches Revel I. 20. From which words a learned man very much devoted to the now so highly admired Discipline deduceth this conclusion n Quanta igitur dignitas verorum Pastorum qui tum stellae sunt non in alio firmamento quà m in dextrâ Chrisli fixae tum Angeli Tho. Brightman in Apocalyps 1.20 How great therefore is the dignity of true Pastours who are both STARRES fixed in no other firmament then in the right hand of Christ and ANGELS He had considered well that in the Church of Ephesus one of the seven here pointed at there were many o Act. 20.17 28. PRESBYTERS whom the holy Ghost had made BISHOPS or Overseers over all that flock to feed the Church of God which he had purchased with his owne bloud And withall he saw that by admitting one Angell there above the rest all as well p Iudg. 2.1 Hagg. 1.13 Matth. 11.18 extraordinary Prophets as q Malach. 2.7 ordinary Pastours being in their owne severall stations accounted Angels or Messengers of the Lord of Hosts hee should be forced also to acknowledge the eminency of one Bishop above the other Bishops that name being in those dayes r Philip. 1.1 1. Tim. 1.2 Tit. 1.5 7. common unto all the Presbyters and to yield withall that such a one was to be esteemed as a starre fixed in no other firmament then in the right hand of Christ. To salve this therefore all the starres in every Church must bee presupposed to bee of one magnitude and though those starres which typified these Angels are said to be but seven yet the Angels themselves must be maintained to be farre more in number and in fine where our Saviour saith ſ Revel z. 1. unto the Angell of the Church of Ephesus write it must by no meanes be admitted that t Nec uni alicut Angelo mittuntur sed toti ut ita dicam Collegio Pastorum quiomnes hâc communi voce comprchenduntur Non enim un us erat Angelus Ephesi sed plures nec inter istos aliquls Princeos Brigheman in Apolyps 2 1. any one Angell should bee meant hereby but the whole Colledge of Pastors rather And all upon pretence of a poore shew of some shallow reasons that there was not one Angell of Ephesus but many and among them not any Principall Which wreasting of the plaine words of our Saviour is so extreame violent that M. Beza though every way as zealously affected to the advancement of the new Discipline as was the other could by no meanes digest it but ingenuously acknowledgeth the meaning of our Lords direction to have been this u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quem nimirùn opertuit inprimis de his rebus admoneri ac per cum caereros Collegas toranque ade◠Ecclesiam Bez. in Apocalyps 2.1 To the Angell that is to the President as whom it behooved specially to be admonished touching those matters and by him both the rest of his colleagues and the whole Church likewise And that there was then a standing President over the rest of the Pastors of Ephesus he the very same as learned x Conference with Hart c. 8 divis 3. Doctor Rainoldes addeth with him whom afterward the Fathers called Bishop may further be made manifest not only by the succession of the first Bishops of that Church but also by the cleare testimony of Ignatius who within no greater compasse of time then twelve yeares afterwards distinguisheth the singular and constant President thereof from the rest of the number of the Presbyters by appropriating the name of Bishop unto him As for the former we finde it openly declared in the generall Councell of Chalvedon by Leontius Bishop of Magnesia that y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Chalcedon Act. 11. from Timothie so from the daies of the Apostles there had been a continued succession of seven and twentie Bishops all of them ordained in Ephesau Of which number the Angell of the Church of Ephesus mentioned in the Revelation must needs be one whether it were Timothie himselfe as z Vid. Perer. in Apocalyps cap. 2. disp 2. Alcasar Prooem in cap. 2. 3. Apocal. notar 1. Petr. Halloix Notat in vit Polycarp c. 7. some conceive or one of his next Successours as others rather doe imagine For that Timothie had been sometime a Notandum est ex boc loco Timotheum in Ephesino Presbyterio tum fuisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. antistite ut vocat Iustinus Bez. Annotat. in 1. Tim. 5.19 Qui politiae causâ reliquis fratribus in coetu praeerat quem Justinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocat peculiariter dici Episcopus coepit Id. in Philip. 1.1 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the appellation that Iustin Martyr giveth unto him whom other of the Fathers doe peculiarly terme a Bishop or Antistes or President of the Ephesine Presbytery is confessed by Beza himselfe and that he was ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians we doe not only read in the subscription of the second Epistle to Timothie and the Ecclesiasticall History of b Euseb Hist lib. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eusebius but also in two ancient Treatises concerning the Martyrdome of Timothie the one namelesse in the Library of c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phot. Bicliot num 2.5 4. Photius the other bearing the name of d Polycrat de Martyrio Timothei inter Vitas Sanctorum edit Lovanil anno 1485. Polycrates even of that Polycrates who was not onely himselfe Bishop of this Church of Ephesus but borne also within six or seven and thirty yeares after S. Iohn wrote the fore-named Epistle unto the Angell of that Church as it appeareth by the yeares he was of when he wrote that Epistle unto Victor Bishop of Rome wherein he maketh mention of e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polycrat Epist ad Victorem apud Euseb l. 5. Hist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seven kinsmen of his who had beene Bishops he himselfe being the eight I come now to the testimony of Ignatius whom f Theodoret. in Dialogo 1. sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret and g Felix III. in Epist ad Zenonem Imp. recitat in V. Synodo Constantinopol Act. 1. tomo 2. Concilior pag. 220 edit Binii anno 1606 Felix Bishop of Rome and h Iohan Malela Antiochinus Chronic. lib. 10 M.S. Iohn the Chronographer of Antioch report to have been ordained Bishop of Antioch by S.
both see the Apostles and conferred with them unto h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Eleutherius who when Irenaeus wrote had the charge of that Bishoprick in the twelfth place after the Apostles Concerning whom and the integrity which then continued in each other succession from the Apostles dayes Hegesippus who at the same time published his History of the Church saith thus i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hegesip apud Euseb lib. 4. hist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soter succeeded Anicetus and after him was Eleutherius Now in every succession and in every City all things so stand as the Law and the Prophets and our Lord doe preach When this k Cum Elcutherius vir sanctus Pontificatui Romanae Ecclesiae praeesset misit ad eum Lucius Britanncrum Rex epistolam obsecrans ut per ejus mandatum Christianus efficeretur Et mox essectum piae poslulationis consecutus est su sceptamque fidem Britanni usque in tempora Diocletiani Principis inviolatam integramque quietâ pace servabant Bed hist ecclesiast Anglor lib 1. cap. 4. Eleutherius as our Bede relateth was Bishop of the Church of Rome Lucius King of the Brittaines sent an Epistle to him desiring that by his meanes he might be made Christian. Who presently obtained the effect of his pious request and the Brittaines kept the faith then received sound and undefiled in quiet peace untill the times of Dioclesian the Emperour By whose bloudy persecution the faith and discipline of our Brittish Churches was not yet so quite extinguished but that within ten yeares after and eleven before the first generall Councell of Nice three of our Bishops were present and subscribed unto the Councell of Arles l Tom. 1. Concilior Gall i.e. à Sirmondo edit pag 9. Eborius of Yorke Restitutus of London and Adelsius of Colchester called there Colonia Londinensium The first root of whose succession we must fetch beyond Elentherius and as high as S. Peter himselfe if it be true that he m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metaphrast Commentar de Petro Paulo ad diem 29. lunii constituted Churches here and ordained Bishops Presbyters and Deacons in them as Symeon Metaphrastes relateth out of some part of n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Eusebius as it seemeth that is not come unto our hands But to returne unto the Angels of the seven Churches mentioned in the Revelation of S. Iohn by what hath been said it is apparent that seven singular Bishops who were the constant Presidents over those Churches are pointed at under that name For other sure they could not be if all of them were cast into one mould and were of the same quality with Polycarpus the then Angell of the Church in Smyrna who without all question was such if any credit may bee given herein unto those that saw him and were well acquainted with him And as Tertullian in expresse termes affirmeth him to have been placed there by S. Iohn himselfe in the testimony before alledged out of his o Tertull. Praescript c. 32. Similiter Hieronymus in Catal. script Ecclesiast cap. 17. in Polycarpo Nicepherus lib. 3. Hist Ecclesiast cap. 2. Prescriptions so doth he else-where from the order of the succeeding Bishops not obscurely intimate that the rest of that number were to be referred unto the same descent p Habemus Ioannis alumnas Ecclesias Nam etsi Apocalypsim ejus Marcion respuit ordo tamen Episcoporum ad originem recensus in Ioannem stabit auctorem Sic caeterarum generositas recognoscitur Tertulsian a lvers Marcion lib. 4. c. 5. We have saith he the Churches that were bred by Iohn For although Marcion doe reiect his Revelation yet the order of the Bishops reckoned up unto their originall will stand for Iohn to bee their Founder Neither doth the ancient Writer of the Martyrdome of Timothy mentioned by Photius meane any other by those seven Bishops whose assistance he saith S. Iohn did use after his returne from Patmos in the government of the Metropolis of the Ephesians For q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phot. Bibliothec. num 254. being revoked from his exile saith he by the sentence of Nerva he betook himselfe to the Metropolis of Ephesus and being assisted with the presence of SEVEN Bishops he tooke upon him the government of the Metropolis of the Ephesians and continued preaching the word of piety untill the Empire of Trajan That he remained with the Ephesians and the rest of the brethren of Asia untill the dayes of Trajan and that during the time of his abode with them he published his Gospell is sufficiently witnessed by r Irenae advers heraes lib 2 cap. 39. item lib. 3. c. 1. 3. Irenaeus That upon his returne from the Iland after the death of Domitian hee applyed himselfe to the government of the Churches of Asia is confirmed likewise both by ſ Euseb lib. 3. hist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieronym in Catal. scrip Ecclesiast cap. 9. Eusebius and by t Hierom who further addeth that u Id. ibid. Praefar in Evangel Matthaei at the earnest intreaty of the Bishops of Asia he wrote there his Gospell And that he himselfe also being free from his banishment did ordaine Bishops in diverse Churches is clearely testified by Clement of Alexandria who lived in the next age after and delivereth it as a certaine truth which he had received from those who went before him and could not be farre from the time wherein the thing it selfe was acted x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alexandrin in lib. de divite salvando qui falso Origenis nomine habeture editus ad calcem tomi 3. Commentariorum Michaelis Ghislerii Euseb hist lib. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When S. Iohn saith hee Domitian the Tyrant being dead removed from the Iland of Patmos unto Ephesus by the intreaty of some he went also unto the neighbouring nations in some places constituting Bishops in others founding whole Churches Among these neighbouring Churches was that of Hierapolis which had Papias placed y Euseb lib. 3 hist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieron Catal. script Ecclesiast cap. 18. Chronic. ad ann Trajin◠2. Bishop therein That this man was z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Irenae advers haetes lib. 5. cap. 33. a hearer of S. Iohn and a companion of Polycarpus is testified by his owne Schollar a Irenaeus vir Apostolicorum temporum Papiae auditcris Evangelistae Iohannis discipulus Episcopus eccle sia Lugdunen sis Hieronym epist 29. ad Theodoram Irenaeus and that he conversed with b Hi sunt Presbyteri Apostolorum discipuli quorum Irenaeus lib. 5. cap. 36. meminit the disciples of the Apostles and of Christ also he himself doth thus declare in the Proëme of the five bookes which he intituled A declaration of the words of the Lord. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita enim ex Graecis MSS. vetere
heresy or schisme were growne more wide and dangerous by the congregation of Councels either Provinciall by the Metropolitan or Patriarchall by the Patriarch or Primate or Generall by the Emperour according to the severall necessities of the Church The second Question To what Patriarch was the Church and Bishop of Carthage subject To Alexandria or Rome Answere TO neither of both But he himselfe was Primate and consequently had Patriarchicall jurisdiction in all the provinces there were VI. of them of the Diocese of Afrique for of the XIII Dioceses of the Empire before mentioned that of Afrique was one So that all the Region of Afrique excepting the most Aesterly part of it called Mauritania Tingitana for that Province belonged to the jurisdiction or Diocese of Spaine as it is in Notitiâ Provinciarum and the Easterly part beyond the greater Syrtis for that belonged to the jurisdiction of Egypt all the rest of Afrique I say was subject to Carthage as their chiefe Primate Chiefe Primate I must tearme him speaking now of Afrique because as before I observed the Africans usually called all their Metropolitans Primates contrary to the custome of the rest of Christendome But yet as I said the principall power of Primate in Afrique belonged to the Arch-Bishop of Carthage alone Novell 131. cap. 1. For Iustinian doth plainly give him the same jurisdiction and prerogative in the Diocese of Afrique that he did to the Bishop of Iustiniana prima in the Diocese of Dacia that is to say as you shall understand by mine answer to your last Question of an absolute Primate Which assignement or donation of Iustinians notwithstanding you must not conceive to be the first erecting of it to that dignity but the restoring of it when as by the service of Belisarius he had recovered it with Afrique out of the Vandales hands who had held the dominion and possession of it many yeares to the state of Primacy wherein it had been before they surprised it Stephan de Vrbib in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leo. 9. Epist 4. Salvian lib. 7. de gubernatione Dei Stephanus Byzantius also I remember calleth it the Metropolis of Afrique and Leo the IX a Pope acknowledgeth it to have been the Metropolis of all Afrique and that which Salvianus writeth of it in the 7. book importeth no lesse But above all the erecting of it by Iustinian into a Praetorian Praefecture doth most evidently assure it assigning it not a Lievetenant Vicarium as it had before it came into the Vandales hands when it was under the jurisdiction of the Praefectus Praetorij Italiae but as I said à Praefectus Praetorio Cod. lib. 1. tit 27. de offic Praefect Praetor Africx leg 1. as it is in the Code and annexing to his jurisdiction two Provinces more then anciently pertained to it For even the principall Cities of Dioceses wherein the Vicarij kept residence were cities of Primacies much rather therefore those that were the seats of the Praefecti Praetorio whose places the Vicarij did but supply Now for your first doubt of Lybia in the Nicene Canon attributed to the Patriarch of Alexandia you must understand that it is there taken properly for that region of Afrique which retained peculiarly the name of Lybia of which you may read in S. Hierome in his Questions on Genesis where he entreateth of the progeny of Noahs sonnes The situation of it Prosem lib. 4. Geograph in initio in tab 3 Africae Procop lib. 6 Aedificior you may find in Ptolemy to bee that region of Afrique that lyeth next to Egypt and for the amplitude Procopius may direct you that it anciently contained all that was betwixt Egypt and Cyrenaica Yet true it is that the name of Lybia in a generall acception contained all the regions of Afrique and the very like was the fortune of the name Africa it selfe which properly signifying the region about Carthage yet became common to all the Countries from Spaine to Egypt And may we not observe the same in the names of the other grand Regions of the Continent Asia and Europe for Europa properly was but one of the Provinces of Thrace whereof Heraclea was the Metropolis and Asia properly taken but one of the Provinces of Anatolia whereof the Metropolis was Ephesus And that the name of Lybia in the Nicene Canon is to be taken in this peculiar sense the Canon it selfe will enforce not only because it is ordered in the Canon in such sort as indeed the Countries lye betwixt Egypt Pentapolis Pentapolis is the same that is otherwise termed Cyrenaica but much more effectually for the former reason perhaps is but light because it had been vaine to have added Pentapolis after Lybia if they had meant by Lybia all the great Region of Afrique whereof Pentapolis was but a small part As for the point of Appeales certaine it is that the last appeales of the Clergy in any Diocese were regularly to be made to the Patriarch of that Diocese and that from the sentence of the Patriarch was no appeale as it is evident by the Constitutions of Iustinian Novell 123. cap. 22. Cod. lib. 1. Tit. 4. leg 29. both in the Novells and in the Code in the title de Episcopali Audientiâ L. Sancimus But you must understand that those whom Iustinian calls the Patriarches of the Diocese were not only the five Patriarchs for in Iustinians time there were so many commonly termed by that Name but as I before noted the Primates of the Dioceses who had Patriarchichall jurisdiction For Iustinian in the place of the Code now alleadged acknowledgeth the order of appealing there set downe from the Bishop to the Metropolitane and from him to the Patriarch of the Diocese to have been an old decree And that very decree we find in the Councell of Chalcedon Concil Chalced Act. 15. can 9. Bellar. l. 2. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 22. but not under the name of Patriarch of the Diocese but of Primate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Diocese for as for Bellarmin's interpreting the Bishop of Rome to be the Exarch of the Diocese in that Canon mentioned although he follow * Nicol I. in epist ad Michael Imp. a Pope therein it is by his leave but an unskilfull shift and bewrayeth in him some ignorance of the ancient Ordination and government of the Church And with these Constitutions of the Empire and of the Church those decrees of the Councels of Melevis and of Afrique which you alleadge Concil M levit can 22. Concil African cap. 105. doe perfectly agree for by them are forbidden if you mark them well not onely Trans-marine Appeales meaning those to Rome although in the Milevitan Canon there be a speciall clause to exclude them because the Bishop of Rome had specially claimed that priviledge but all forraine Appeales any whether out of Afrique so that by these Canons the Bishop of Alexandria was no lesse excluded then the
the old Canon of Sardica for liberty of Appeales to the Romane Bishops no Provinces being by the Canon excepted or think that the Bishop of Iustiniana prima was subject to him because at the first erection of that primacy by Iustinian he was perhaps consecrated by Vigilius Bishop of Rome But as this act was performed by the appointment of the Emperour so that Canon of Sardica so much stood on seemeth by the later and greater Councell of Chalcedon againe to be revoked and the order of Appealing otherwise restrained as you may read in the ninth Canon of that Councell And thus confessing my ignorance of the reasons of other mens irregular actions I end having wearied my selfe and dulled my pen perhaps to trouble you more then to satisfy you Yet this latter was my purpose and to take the trouble my selfe for your satisfaction Howsoever it fall out I doubt not but you will accept what is well written for my good wils sake to pleasure you who am not wont to write discourses of this kind to many men and pardon the imperfections and errors which may perhaps escape me because it was my intention to write the truth whereof I have no where wittingly failed and because my little leasure and little learning would not allow me on the suddaine to doe better FINIS THE VALIDITY OF THE ORDINATION Of the MINISERS of the REFORMED CHVRCHES BEYOND THE SEAS MAINtained against the Romanists BY FRANCIS MASON With A briefe Declaration premised thereunto of the severall Formes of Government received in those CHURCHES By IOHN DUREE OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD Anno Dom. 1641. The severall formes of Gouernment received in the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas IN the Church of Sweden the Government is committed to one Arch-Bishop and seven Bishops whom formerly the King now the Regents of the kingdome doe appoint Yet some kind and forme of Election used by the Clergy doth goe along with that appointment The Bishops as Bishops have voyce in Parliament and with them so many of the inferiour Clergy as are from every Socken that is the name of a certaine number of Parishes deputed to appeare in Parliament together with such husbandmen as are usually sent thither in the name of a Socken The Bishops authority over the rest of the Clergy is to direct and order aswell in as out of publick meetings all Ecclesiasticall assayres according to the received constitutions of the Church And as they use not without counsell and knowledge of their Consistorialls to doe any thing of moment so if they think it expedient they may call a Synode of their Diocese and therein make such particular Constitutions as they shall think fit for their owne edification Their meanes and maintenance is answerable in some proportion to the place wherein they are set above others and so are by all respected and honoured as Fathers of the Church In Denmarck their authority is not so great yet they keep the name and place of Bishops and have maintenance somewhat answerable to their place They are appointed by the King for the ordering of Ecclesiasticall affayres with the consent of their Brethren in Confistory as Directours of Meetings and out of Meetings as peculiar Inspectors over the Church to receive complaints and provide that scandals may be taken out of the way In other Lutherane Churches as in Holstein Pomeren Mekelenburgh Brunswick Luneburgh Bremen Oldenburg East Friesland Hessen Saxony and all the upper part of Germany where Lutheranes beare rule as also in most of the great Imperiall Cities the Government of the Church belongeth to Superintendents who are called and put in place by the Princes in their owne Dominions and by the Magistrates in the great Cities They have a Priority over the rest of the Ministery and commonly in the Dominions of Princes there is an Ecclesiasticall Consistory made up of Clergy men and Counsellours of the state to oversee and direct the Superintendents in things which may be expedient To which Consistory also the Decision of hard matters incident when strife ariseth doth belong In the Diocese of Bremen the Arch-Bishop his Chancellour Court doth direct order all things in the name of his Highnesse But in Brunswick and Luneburgh besides the Generall Consistory and the particular Superintendents which are ordinarily amongst all the rest of the Lutheranes there bee others who are named Generales and Generalissimi Superintendentes whereof the former is subordinate unto the latter and both unto the Supreme Ecclesiasticall Consistory whereof the Generalissimus Superintendens and such others as the Prince doth appoint are members All these Superintendents are in place during life and are allowed maintenance in some proportion answerable to their priority of place above others In the Reformed Churches heretofore in the Palatinate the Government was administred by those whom they called Inspectores and Praepositi whose power was the same with that of the particular Superintendents amongst the Lutherans And above these Inspectores was the Ecclesiasticall Consistory made up of three Clergy men and three Counsellours of state with their President These the Prince named and to them in his name the ordering of all matters did belong In like manner in the Wetteraw in Hessen and in Anhalt they have still their Praepositos and Superintendentes with the same power and forme of Government which is already mentioned Now in Holland although their Presbyteriall or as they call it their Classicall Meetings are very frequent videlicèt every month and their Classicall Synodes every yeare yet they have of late found a necessity of erecting some officers to whom a more universall charge is committed then others have These they call Deputatos Synodi and are only temporary for some few yeares with a limited power These Deputies of the Synode have their peculiar Meetings by themselves upon severall incident occasions but chiefly at the time of every Provinciall Synode wherein they consult before hand how matters ought to be laid and proposed unto the Assemblies and then in the Meeting they have a peculiar place by themselves where they sit and concerning every thing which is to bee determined the Praeses of the Synode doth require of them first that they should open the matter unto the Assembly and declare their judgements of it before it be put to the Votes of the Multitude In Geneva and Helvetia the Eldest Ministers have the place before others and for the most part that authority and respect which in other Churches the Superintendents receive by speciall order and constitution these have by custome and tacite consent of their Brethren although at particular occasions of Meetings they chuse severall Presidents of the action The like is also in France where the Ministery of Paris party by reason of the Eminency of the place partly by reason of the guifts and endowments of the men ordinarily appointed to that place doth beare a great sway before all others But in Transylvania Polonia and Bohemia
position is condemned by the a Sess 23. Can. 7. Councell of Trent not from the Episcopall considered alone and apart from the Priest-hood for the Bishoprick without the Priest-hood saith b Bellarm. de Sacram. Ordinis cap. 5. §. 16. Bellarmine is so farre from being a superiour order that in very deed it is nothing but a meere figment in the mind Wherefore I will anwere your question with these words in Gregory de Valentiâ c Gregor de Valentiâ to 4. d. 9. q. 1. p. 4. resp ad arg 1. Episcopum non per solam potestatem quam in Episcopali ordine accepit sed per illam simul per Sacerdotalem potestatem ordinare Sacerdotem A Bishop ordaineth Priests not by the power only which he received when hee was ordained Bishop but by his Episcopall Presbyteriall power joyned together which is agreeable to Bellarmine saying d Bellarm. de Sacram. ord cap. 5. §. 13. The entire Episcopall ordination ariseth from a double ordination and the entire and perfect Episcopall character which is an absolute perfect and independent power of conferring the sacraments of Confirmation and Order is not one simple quality but a thing composed of a double Character ORTHOD. THen you referre it only to the Sacrament and Character of order wherefore if it can bee proved out of your owne writers that every Presbyter hath as much as a Bishop of the Sacrament and Character of order you must confesse that every Presbyter hath intrinsecall power to give orders But this shall be proved by a world of witnesses all affirming in effect that which is added in Episcopall Consecration whereby a Bishop is distinguished from a Presbyter is neither Sacrament of order nor imprinteth a Character To begin with the Schoolemen The Master of the Sentences saith e 4. Sent. dist 24. Cumque omnes spirituales sint c. Whereas all the seven orders are spirituall and sacred yet the Canons thinke that two only are called sacred orders by an excellency to wit the order of Deaconship and Priesthood because the Primitive Church so farre as we can reade had only these two and of these only wee have the Apostles precept For the Apostles ordained Bishops and Presbyters in every City we read also that Levits hee meaneth Deacons were ordained by the Apostles Thus hee affirmeth that the Primitive Church in the Apostles time had Bishops Priests and Deacons yet acknowledgeth but two sacred orders the Deaconship and the Priesthood And whereas he saith Ordo Episcoporum est quadripartitus the order of Bishops is branched into fowre parts it is certaine he taketh the word Order largely and improperly which may appeare because a little before he excludeth the Episcopall function from being an Order in these plaine and expresse termes Sunt alia quaedam non ordinum sed dignitatum vel officiorum nomina dignitatis simul officii nomen est Episcopus There be also other names not of Orders but of Dignities and offices yea a Bishop is a name both of Dignity and Office Bonaventure f 4. Sent. dist 24. q. 3. a. 2. Episcopatus desicit ab ordine c. The Episcopall function commeth short of an order because order is a seale that is a Character because a seale doth signify a Character and this Character is not imprinted in the Episcopall function a signe whereof is this that a Bishop cannot be consecrated unlesse he be a Priest and so of it selfe it doth not imprint a Character Moreover it faileth from being an Order because there is not given any new power but only the power of binding and loosing is inlarged And Episcopatus includit necessariò ordinem perfectissimum scilicèt Sacerdotium illi super addit eminentiam The Episcopall function includeth necessarily the most perfect order to wit the Priesthood and addeth unto it eminency Thomas Aquinas saith g Supplement 3 part q. 40. art 5. Ordo potest accipi dupliciter c. Order may be taken two wayes one way as it is a Sacrament and so as it is said before every order is ordered to the Sacrament of the Eucharist whereupon seeing a Bishop hath no more superiour power then a Priest in this respect the Bishoply function shall not be an order Order may be considered another way in that it is a certaine office in respect of certaine sacred actions and so seeing a Bishop hath power in Hierarchichall actions above a Priest in respect of the body Mysticall the Bishoply function shall be an Order Durandus h In 4. sent dist 24. q. 6. Dicendum est quòd Episcopatus seu ordinatio Episcopalis est Ordo Sacramentum non quidem praecisè distinctum à sacerdotio simplici sed ut est unum sacramentum cum ipso sicut perfectum imperfectum i. e. It is to be said that the Bishoply function or the Episcopall ordination is an order and a sacrament not truely and precisely distinct from the simple Priesthood but as it is one sacrament with the Priesthood even as perfect and imperfect Dominicus Soto i De Iustit Iure l. 10. q. 1. art 2. 4. sent dist 24. q. 2. art 3. Episcopatus non est sacramentum Ordinis est tamen Ordo hoc est Dignitas gradus altior sacerdotio cui eminentiora officia sunt annexa i. e. The Bishopship is not a sacrament of Order and yet it is an order that is a higher dignity and degree them Priesthood to which certaine eminent offices are annexed Richardus k In 4. sent dist 24. art 5. q. 2. Ordo dupliciter potest accipi uno modo pro gradu potestatis ordinatae mediatè vel immediatè ad consecrationem corporis vel sanguinis Christi alio modo pro quolibet gradu potestatis respectu quarumlibet actionum sacrarum Primo modo Ordo est sacramentum sic Episcopatus non est ordo c. i.e. Order may be taken two waies one way for the degree of an ordinate power mediatly or immediatly to the consecration of the body or blood of Christ another way for any degree of power in respect of certaine sacred actions In the first sense Order is a sacrament and so Episcopatus is not an order and before Non sunt nisi septem ordines in Ecclesiâ quod non esset verum si Episcopatus esset ordo i. e. There are but seven orders in the Church which would not be true if Episcopatus were an Order Aureolus doth argue l In 4. d. 24. q. 1. art 2. by proving that the Episcopall function is not another order distinct frō the Priesthood because then this order should be either superiour then a Priest or inferiour But it is neither so nor so Therefore it is no way an order The Minor is proved Because it is apparent that it cannot be an inferiour order because that which is inferiour is first taken and is presupposed to the superiour order But
Episcopall consecration is not presupposed to the Priestly ordination but rather the contrary And that it is not a superiour order is plaine because it hath no superiour act as it is distinguished against Priesthood which is apparent because the act of a Bishop as he differeth from Priesthood is to ordaine and the act of a Priest as he differeth from a Bishop is to make the body of Christ which is a better and more worthy act then to ordaine Peradventure it will be said that the Episcopall degree is worthier because it includes the Priestly order and besides this addeth somewhat else which is proper to it selfe and both these together are more worthy then the one by it selfe But it is otherwise because the Bishoply function is not here compared to the Priesthood in respect of that which they both include but precisely in respect of that whereby one differeth from another Therefore though the Episcopall function may be called an Order yet not distinct from the Priesthood because it is not referred to any act superiour to the act of Priesthood nor inferiour nor equall Hitherto Aureolus I need produce no more Shcoolemen upon the Master of the Sentences because m Navar. in Manuali c. 22. num 18. Navarrus saith there are only seven Orders according to the common opinion of Divines affirming that the first tonsure and the Bishoply function are not Orders but Offices Neither is this only a common but the more common opinion as witnesseth n In scrutinio Sacerdotali Tract 2. de Ordine Fabius Incarnatus Communior opinio est quod prima tonsura Ordo Episcopalis non sunt ordines i.e. It is the more common opinion that the first tonsure and Episcopall order are not Orders Where note by the way that phrase of speech The Episcopall Order is not an Order an Order and not an Order signifying that though men speaking vulgarly doe improperly call it an Order yet in his judgement to speake exactly it is not an Order PHILOD Surely the Canonists doe hold it an Order ORTHOD. First not all the Canonists for whereas o Dist 93. cap. Legimus Gratian brought in Saint Ierom word for word affirming that a Bishop and a Priest are the same the author of the Glosse hath these words Some say that in the first primitive Church the office of Bishops and Presbyters was common and the names were common but in the second primitive Church both names and offices began to be distinguished And againe A third sort say this advancing was made in respect of name and in respect of administration and in respect of certaine ministeries which belong only to the Episcopall office And the same author himselfe is of this opinion saying Before this advancing these names Bishops and Presbyters were altogether of the same signification and the administration was common because Churches were governed by the common advise of Presbyters And againe This advancing was made for a remedy against schisme as it is here said by Saint Ierom. That one should have the preheminence in regard of the name the administration and certaine sacraments which now are appropriated unto Bishops We must understand that when they distinguish the primitive Church into first and second they begin the first at the Ascension of Christ extending it to the time when the Apostles began to single out one Presbyter in every city and gave him preheminence above the rest In which time the office of Bishops and Presbyters is said to be common because those offices which are now appropriated unto Bishops were then in their judgement performed by Presbyters And those which hold that the office and administration were altogether common must needs hold them to be one order for an absolute identity of offices doth argue an absolute identity of order Secondly those Canonists which make nine orders doe not differ from the Schoolemen as witnesseth Bellarmine p Bellar. l. de Clericis cap. 11. sect ult In re non est dissensio There is no difference in the thing it selfe For the Divines doe only consider orders in relation to sacrifice in which respect a Bishop and a Presbyter are not distinguished but the Canonists consider them as they make an Hierarchy and therefore they rightly distinguish a Bishop from a Presbyter Wherefore howsoever they call it an order in respect of regiment yet they neither think it to be a Sacrament of Order nor to imprint a Character TO these we may adde a cloud of witnesses q Apud Binium Concil Tom. 4. Henry Kalteisen in his answere to the second article of the Bohemians in the Councell of Basill saith It is apparent that from the beginning of the legall Priesthood untill now there was alwaies a distinction of a Bishop from a Priest although they were after reckoned by the same name for their affinity which they have in authority because a Bishop excelleth a Priest only in jurisdiction or in the dignity of jurisdiction If only in the dignity of jurisdiction then not in order according to the judgement of Kalteisen who was a Dominican Frier and Professor of Divinity in the University of Collen and one of the Inquisitors against Heretiques whose Oration was lately set out by Henricus Canisius Professor of the sacred Canons at Ingolstad and inserted into the body of the Councells by Binius Tostatus r Tostat in Exod. 29. q. 18. p. 144. Sic est in consecrationibus c. So is it in the consecration of Bishops or of the Pope in which there is not imprinted a character seeing they are not orders but dignities or degrees of Ecclesiasticall preeminence And againe Non dicitur potestas Episcopalis character neque vocamus propriè Episcopatum Ordinem neque etiam sacramentum The Episcopall power is not called a character neither doe we call the Episcopall function properly an Order nor a Sacrament Armachanus ſ Armachan Summ. ad quaestion Armenorum l. 11. cap. 2.3 4 5 6. Episcopus in hujusmodi c. A Bishop in such things hath no more in respect of his order then every simple Priest although the Church hath appointed that such things should be executed only by those men whom we call Bishops And againe Est etiam alia ratio c. There is also an other manifest reason because from the time of distinction of Churches and Parishes no 〈◊〉 man can law fully execute such things but only in those places in which he hath power of government which because simple Priests have not they cannot exercise the acts of it lawfully nor other sacramentall acts unlesse this be specially committed unto them by them which have authority in those places Which restraint of Priestly power was not in the Primitive Church This seemeth to me to be according to the holy Scripture Gerson t Gers de septem Sacramentis Supra Sacerdotium non est ordo superior imò nec Episcopatus nec Archie-piscopatus i. Above Priesthood
Clericus hoc facere potest qui verò non habet non potest conferre I say that the Pope may delegate this to a simple Priest and not to a Lay-man as I suppose and by the Popes delegation and help of the Sacrament which he hath he may conferre whatsoever he hath and therefore holy orders yea every Clerke can doe this thing but he that hath it not cannot conferre And Rosellus Volunt Doctores Rosell ut suprà quòd Papa potest committere cuilibet Clerico ut conferat quae habet ipse ut si est Presbyter possit ordinare Presbyterum diaconus diaconum ex mandato Papae i. The Doctors are of opinion that the Pope may commit to any Clerke that he may conferre these things which he himselfe hath as if he be a presbyter he may ordaine a Presbyter if he be a Deacon he may make a Deacon at the Popes commandement And againe Ego teneo quod Papa possit demandare Presbytero quòd conferat omnes sacros ordines in hoc sto cum sententiâ Canonistarum i. I hold that the Pope may give commission to Presbyters to conferre all sacred orders and in this I stand with the opinion of the Canonists MOreover you hold the presence of three Bishops See the first book cap. 3. as a substantiall point in Episcopall Consecration and thereupon urge a Nullitie against the reformed Churches accounting it an institution of the Apostles which they made the Lord so appointing Ibid. cap. 7. Yet you allow of Pope Pelagius the first who was consecrated only by two Bishops and one Presbyter Yea it is an usuall thing in your Church for one Bishop with two Abbats to consecrate a Bishop by the Popes dispensation If these things may be done by the dispensation of a Pope much rather by the over-ruling command of invincible Necessity For put case all Bishops in the World were dead should Ordination cease for ever Or if it should continue by whom should it be performed PHILOD If this should happen then I would say with Armachanus Armachan Summ. contra Armen lib. 11. cap. 7. ut suprà §. 11. ubi cap. 7. reponend pro 2.3.4.5.6 Videtur quòd si omnes Episcopi essent defuncti sacerdotes minores possent Episcopos ordinare i. It seemeth that if all Bishops were dead the lesser Priests might ordaine Bishops ORTHOD. But what if all the Bishops in the World were infected with Heresy and would ordaine none but those which would approve their Heresics were it not the like case PHILOD These are curious Questions and impossibilities for the Church of God shall alwaies be splendent and glorious having Pastors conspicuous as the starres and lights of the World ORTHOD. The Sunne and Moone are glorious and great lights and yet they may be not only clouded but eclipsed Where was this splendor in the daies of Elias at the passion of Christ or when the world did wonder to see it self become Arrian But if these cases seeme impossibilities I will propound one which is very possible Suppose a Spanish Armado transporting men and women and among them one Priest for the further plantation of the West Indies being long tossed with tempestuous winds should at length suffer shipwrack upon a strange Coast of an unknown Island yet so that most of the People by the providence of God escape and come safely to the land Now they are in another World their ship is sunke their tackling gone they are void of all means and hope of returne The Priest he instructeth them baptiseth their Children and perform th other Priestly offices still expecting if any ship should arrive or approach to that Coast Thus many years passing their hopes faile their hearts faint their aged Priest is even at deaths doore now tell mee what shall he doe must he leave his congregation without a guide the sheepe of Christ without a sheapheard Alas this were the plaine path-way to Paganisme Or shall he not rather make choice of some most eminent among them for knowledge and vertue and by fasting prayer and imposition of hands set them a part for the Priests office PHILOD I am loath to answere Vtopian cases yet of this I am well assured that holy Church teacheth according to the Councell of Florence that it is lawfull for a Lay-man or Woman Infidell or Pagan to baptise in case of necessity least the people should perish ORTHOD. Was not the right of Baptizing given by Christs own Commission to the Apostles and their Successors that is according to your own interpretation only to such as are in holy Orders yet you allow it to Lay-men which have not the character of Order and to women which are not capable thereof Now consider advisedly with your selfe if a Presbyter come not neerer to a Bishop seeing they are both one order then a Pagan to a Presbyter And with what face can you affirme that a Pagan may give that character which he hath not and deny that a Presbyter may give that which he hath If you say that Baptisme is simply necessary by the ordinance of God as a meanes of salvation I may not digresse to handle that point only this I say that as your Church maketh Baptisme necessary in respect of every particular man so it maketh Orders simply necessary in respect of the whole Church teaching that without the sacrament of Order there can be no Church and without a Church no Salvation Wherefore as you avouch that a Lay-man may baptize least the people should perish so by the same reason you must avouch that the Spanish Priest might ordaine least the Church should perish PHILOD IF it should be admitted in this imaginary case of the Spanish Priest what is that to Luther Why should he presume to doe it when there was such store of Bishops Or why should any man be so new fangled as to receive it other waies then in former ages ORTHOD. We must consider the difference of times For during the sway of Popery men being blinded with the darknesse thereof did ignorantly undertake a corrupt calling which notwithstanding the corruption did give them authority to preach the truth though as yet it was not revealed unto them But when the light had begun to shine and to discover amongst other Popish impurities the abhomination of your sacrificing Priesthood they whose eyes were opened to see the same could not with a good Conscience receive imposition of hands from your Bishops because they would ordaine none but in a Popish manner to a Popish Priesthood and that with an oath to maintaine the Pope and his abuses For otherwise neither Luther would have ordained nor learned men receaved ordination from him or from any others but only from Bishops Which thing saith a Georg. Princeps Anhaltin Concion super Matth. 7. Prince Anhalt wee alwaies and M. Luther of most godly memory both in words and in writings yea and in publicke sermons in the Cathedrall Church