the tithes Gods portion for their maintenance and God now gives this rule that the b 1. Cor. 9.11 ministry sowing spirituall things should reape of the carnall things sowed by the Laity And in what proportion rather should that be then in that which was of old Gods portion namely a tenth part of the encrease of the ground and cattle And if we upon good ground of the equity of the Law give God and imploy in sacred duties every seventh day of our whole time as before was done in the Patriarchs time and under the Law hath not likewise our Church now well ordained that the Ecclesiastical estate should have the tithe of the increase of the earth and cattell as was done in the Patriarchs time and in the times under the Law The equity of both is alike Besides the generall Rule of mens bounty or duty in this kind shewing their thankfull acknowledgement to God was to make the extent thereof according c Deut. 16.17 Lev. 5.7 11. 14.21 Neh. 5.8 Acts 11.29 1. Cor. 16.2 2. Cor 8.12 to their ability and according to Gods blessing on their labours as God hath prospered their estate And what can bee more sutable thereunto then to render unto God a tenth ever in use untill Christs time when by Heathen tyranny it was interrupted For thus it will come to passe that each man shall have nine parts for his owne use and Ecclesiasticall persons receive a tenth and so partake in a fit proportion with the Laity in yeares of plenty and scarcity and condole in affliction or rejoyce in Gods bounty together with the Laity In the first times of the world the Kingly and Priestly offices were conjoyned in one person and must needs make him of more authority and require and move the people in their own hearts to shew the more reverentiall observance in civill and sacred duties But afterward when the burden and charge was become very great too heavy for one person to undergoe God appointed Mosem custodem utriusque tabulae to take the speciall charge of civill matters and Aaron of the Priestly calling And afterward untill Christs time the Priests tooke care of the sacred performances and were usually assistant unto the chiefe Rulers and Kings as Eleazer to Josua in dividing Canaan Zadock to Solomon in building the Temple Jehoiadah a preserver and instructor of Joash Jehosuah in commission with Zorobabel at the returne from Babel And as the chiefe Fathers and Princes of the severall Tribes assisted the King in civill matters so the Priests and Levites were subordinate to the high Priest in Ecclesiasticall businesses and he and they subject to the King so now when the Kingdomes and occasions of Christian Princes are much increased they have made use of Nobles being men of eminent parts for civill affaires and of Ecclestasiicall men being conspicuous for vertue religion prudence and learning in Ecclesiasticall performances And as the d Deut. 17.9.2 Chro. 19.6 8. Priests and Levites were in joynt commission with Judges for the judgement and cause of the Lord whose the Judgement is so have such Ecclesiasticall men as above been joyned in Judgement with prudent Lay-men in Courts where Christian Lawes subordinate to Gods Law and guided in many things by humane reason and by custome of the Nations well settled have bin the Rule determining controversies Furthermore As the Jews had one solemn place for Gods worship and service namely the Temple in Jerusalem where every day sacrifice was made and holy rites performed and prayers and praises offered up to God and had also many Synagogues in their Land for prayer and expounding the word so have not our forefathers under the Gospel being partakers of a better Covenant and enjoying better promises then they of old well shewed their thankfulnesse to God by building large and goodly Churches for prayer and praising God thrice every day and for frequent preaching in the great Cities of this Land and yet built in the lesse townes and villages ordinary and smaller Churches and Chappels for prayer and preaching at due times Where God affords more meanes he requires more duty according to mens ability so in regard that the great Cities have beene more able to build furnish and maintain Gods Churches and service they may seem religiously in this but to have done their duty Yet the equity of this will not extend so farre as Rome doth stretch it arrogating to her selfe a superintendency over all the world and desiring that all Churches on the earth should vaile to her and depend and be regulated by her as all Canaans Synagogues and Ecclesiasticall persons received their direction from Jerusalem For first in the time of the Law there was such a multiplicity of rites and ceremonies and performances that had not God made the King his Counfell and the chiefe Ecclesiasticall persons in Jerusalem to regulate all parts of the Land of Canaan unity and concord in all points could never have bin observed but in the Christian Church and in the worship and service of God therein Christ ordained few and easie Sacraments a plainer and more familiar doctrine of faith and practise so that it is very possible to keepe peace and unity and for Churches in Lands farre remote one from another to be of one accord and mind if they will rest in the simplicity of the Gospel much more for all the greater Churches in our Land to agree one with another in all performances and chief doctrines and necessary truths because they have the same plain direction from sacred Scripture and one King Parliament to regulate them Secondly whereas God foretold that many a Rev. 17.13 14 15 c. Kings should give power and authority to a tyrannous Beast and should submit themselves to the great City which then raigned and ever since desired to domineer over the Kings of the earth and yet should afterward when the Lamb of God Christ had overcome them re-assume to themselves their own power given them by Christ and should hate that great City called by the Spirit of God The Whore and make her desolate and naked This is in great part already come to passe and Kings and Queens have become nursing fathers and mothers to the Church and rightly hold and maintaine that they have supreme power in their owne Kingdoms next and immediately under Christ the head of the Church and are as independent of any forraine person whatsoever as David and Solomon in their times and therefore that they neither ought nor may be subordinate to the Roman Church which is now manifestly proved to have left her first love and to be The Whore whom the Kings of the earth should ruinate But to returne to the observances of old In the Law from which an equity being deduced is still of use in the Christian Church wee observe that there were in those times * This word is often answerable to the Hebrew for the courses of the
Rabbi is Teacher and usuall Joh. 1.38 Paul a father to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 4.15 Barnabas and Silas leaders Act. 15.22 terms and therefore doth not absolutely deny them but their use in the Pharisaicall humour which was to love them and to be proud of them that their party might overtop the Sadduces so faction here as in many other kinds is chief cause of the mischief 2. They which have these titles must acknowledge their Deputation from God and these terms due properly and indeed to him but lent to them for saith Christ ye have one Rabbi Father Doctor in heaven those in earth are but subordinate to him they must not require to be heard in their owne names but in Christs Thus saith the Lord must be their plea. 3. They must not do as the Kings of the earth the heathen Roman Lords then most in the Jews eye who 1. neither d Pilate said Knowest thou not that I have power c. ruled nor taught according to Gods Law but by humane reason and Laws of their own in many things very corrupt 2. they minded an earthly Empire e They would have no King but Caesar to rule all over the whole world and domineered therein over the Kings of the earth 3. promoted their f Who can war with the beast Apoc. 13 4. Soveraignty by the sword and violent means 4. made all their acquirements serve to the getting of g Who is like unto the beast ibid. same and glory to themselves 5. became gracious h See Luk. 3.1 Lords to their instruments and rewarded them with worldly honours and preferments and minded not at all the doing of their soules good and the obtaining a better life after this which are the maine ayme of Christs Deputies for ruling and teaching So then these obliquities being avoyded the titles of a Patriarch an Archbuilder an Archbishop are in themselves lawfull being moderatly managed for the service and good of Gods people God deales in like manner with kings for though he himself be The King of kings and the Lord of lords yet is Nebuchadnezzar by the Spirit of God stiled A King of kings And if so then a Christian King as Gods Deputy and having more then one Kingdome subject to him may be termed a King of kings and may substitute under him Viceroyes Nobles and Judges as helpers to bear the burden of governement under him as well as Archbuilders and Bishops for sacred matters Yet the practice of the Pope of Rome is not at all warranted or countenanced hereby but rather hence it may be argued that hee sins most highly 1. Because being an ecclesiasticall man he claimeth the secular and civill power also and would have both swords whereas every soule is bidden to be subject to the higher power and if every soule then both Pauls and Peters and much more the Popes 2. The Popes sins that being an ecclesiasticall person he claims superiority over Kings and Princes in all the world this extent of Soveraignty is Christs prerogative only 3. That hee too little esteemeth Gods Law and too highly advanceth his owne Constitutions and Canons and Doctrines many of them needlesse or false or contrary to Gods Lawes But his pride is abundantly manifest therefore I say no more Whereas his Orators plead in his behalf that he is as far above the Emperor or any King in dignity as the Sun before the Moon Heaven before the Earth and spirituall things before temporall and in regard that matters concerning the soul are of more esteem then matters of the body he is above all Kings States in the world I answer In these things they grosly flatter him and deceive themselves for God knowing the condition of humane nature to be frail and the necessities incident to our bodies very many appointed six dayes in speciall for provision for the body and but one in speciall for his service and the instruction of our souls and yet the soul is of far greater dignity and worth then the body And manifest it is that God set Moses David and Solomon in place above Aaron Abiathar and Zadock for though well and happy being is more excellent in it self then meer being yet seeing the care of being is in order progresse before well being and in the way necessary thereunto for man must have a being else he cannot have a well being therefore God hath given the first and chief place to the King that 1. We may live and enjoy a quiet and peaceable life and not one become a prey to another 2. Lead this life in all godlinesse and honesty by the Kings care who provides for both these by subordinate civill and ecclesiasticall persons And for this cause it was and is that though the duties of the Sabbath and service of God are more excellent in themselves then our food and care of our bodies yet God will have mercy rather then sacrifice and dispenseth with sacred duties for the saving of mens lives and necessary cure of diseases But on the other side some object The terme Bishop is attributed to a Presbyter Tit. 1.5 7. and elsewhere So that every Presbyter or Minister may bee truly called a Bishop and if so then why should there be an imparity maintained in this calling I answer The word Bishop in its owne nature signifieth an Overseer or Superintendent in any kinde as Pakid in Hebrew So God is The great Bishop of all Job 20.29 1 Pet. 2.25 * Euseb in vit Constant l. 4. Constantine termes himselfe Episcopon in one kind his ecclesiasticall chief Rulers in another Heathen Authors stile God Episcopon of all good and bad actions and give the title also to civill Magistrates In the like acception the 70. Interpreters use it 2 Kin. 11.15 and elsewhere It is also given to ecclesiasticall Officers as to Eleazar who though he was under Aaron yet was Captain of the Captains over the Levites Numb 4.16 So 't is to the Priests in office under Jehojadah 2 King 11.18 In the new Testament the 11. Apostles had the same Episcopen Bishoprick from which Judas fell and into which Matthias was chosen Act. 1.20 In the Church of Ephesus those which bee called Presbyters or Elders that is Ministers as by custome now wee call them are likewise called Bishops or Overseers over their flocks Now though the same terme be given to all these yet the matter it selfe and the very different degrees of the persons to whom it is given admit not a parity in any wise The like is evident in other termes Christ is Sar a Isa 9.6 Prince of peace and Michael the great Sar b Dan. 12.1 Prince The Kings of Persia and Grecia are each of them called Sar This very word is attributed to the c 1 Sam. 12.9 Captain of an army To the d 2 Chr. 18.25 Ruler of a City To the chief e 1 Chr. 27.22 Rulers of the Tribes To the f
God was much enlarged The Church is now and ever was a Body consisting of severall members some in this a 1 Cor. 12. Body are eyes some hands some feet c. some b Luk. 22.26 are greater and chiefe some lesse in the Kingdome of Christ The lesse have a lesse service or charge the greater and chiefe are or should bee of greater service and imployment for the good of the whole and so they are indeed though it may seeme otherwise A prudent and considerate man will not judge the belly in the Roman Apologue to bee idler then the other parts nor the Master of the Ship sitting at the Sterne a lesse actor for the welfare of the passengers then they which tug at the oares or hoyse or strike saile As the hand and foot are content with their owne offices so should each member in the Church but yet there is a difference in some regard for one of inferiour place in the Church may desire the improvement of his talent and abilities may desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as was said above As Saint Paul approves this so the practice of the primitive times shew it then to have beene usuall Matthias of a Disciple was made an Apostle Philip of a Deacon became an Evangelist Furthermore concerning the performance of these Ecclesiasticall offices Saint Paul speaking of and particularly reckoning up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the diversities of Gods gifts sheweth a more excellent way to use them namely That whatsoever gift of God in this kinde any one hath hee should above all make use of Christian love without which tongues prophesie knowledge faith and all other gifts and graces are nothing and with which Christian love if any ones heart bee truly enflamed hee will apply himselfe to doe good in the Church in whatsoever kinde hee can as Pastor as Deacon as a fellow-workman as a Presbyter as an helper c. yea doe any usefull service in the Church as God gives ability and occasion is offered So Saint John being an Apostle did as a Prophet write the Revelation and as an Evangelist also his Gospel a divine supplement to the three other Gospels and then his Epistles Paul sent forth to preach did sometimes baptise performed the part of a Deacon and Evangelist yea became all things to all men But how may it appeare that any one as a Bishop had many Presbyters and Deacons under him or had a Diocesse or a large circuit of a country to be overseen by him Answer Wee may observe that the Apostles in regard of thepaucity of labourers in the great harvest of God had large as I may call them Diocesses and that each of them settled Presbyters in many Cities as we conceive by that which we read of some of them It is also manifest that there were many Presbyters at once in a Act. 20. Ephesus Acts 20. in Jerusalem Act. 11.30 in Antioch Act. 13.1 b Act. 11.30 at Caesarea there were at one time Philip the Evangelist Paul c Act. 13.1 and the companions of his travels Agabus and Luke These would not have stayed there but that there was worke for more then one of them Seeing professours of Christianity much increased and the Apostles endevoured to hold them in the true faith and still to convert more Proselites it necessarily followeth that they would not see them want any needfull supply of Teachers and Instructors but sent their Ministers and helpers to any Church as any present occasion required and that they call'd them back as they found necessary and expedient for any other place And seeing some Cities were large and had many a Act. 13.5 Synagogues which the Apostles made use of and so probably such as were by them sent or left there to preach it was requisite that they should have more then one Presbyter for the same over which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angell of the Church was left When the rest of the twelve Apostles were dead and Saint John onely left alive but aged he not able to visit some remote Churches in his own person by writing to the seven Churches of Asia informed every one who had an eare in any Church whatsoever to heare their duties These Angels might according to the example of Titus left by Paul in Creet ordaine Presbyters in every of their Cities They might also try those who said * Rev. 3.9 Rev. 2.2 they were Jewes that is Christians and might examine them who pretended to be Apostles and were found lyars Had not these seven Churches more then one Teacher entertained in them no stranger would have fained * Say he was an Apostle a mission unto any of them and if the Angell of a Church exercised his power to examine and reject false pretenders we see thereby what his authority was for he who could do thus by a stranger might doe as much by a Presbyter bred up in his owne Church As for Diocesses the thing is ancient For the great Cities of old had some Pagi or villages neer adjoyned and subordinate to them Hence we read of a Jos 15. Gilead Ekron c. and their villages of Jerusalem b Ezek. 16. and her daughters Of this there is no need to doubt because it is usuall in all Countries whatsoever as being a thing for many reasons expedient and therefore wee may well grant that Ephesus Smyrna Philadelphia c. had some villages depending on them and subject to them and that therein some free men of the chiefe Cities did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inhabit And thus the thing is ancient how late soever some affirme the name to be Men also have used of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dwell together for mutuall defence and comfort one of another so that the thing here also is ancient and was fitted of old for the name of Christian Parishes Suppose there were such adjacent villages to the great Cities and that the retired persons and shepheards there harkned as soon or sooner to the Gospel then the richer and greater Citizens who were cumbred with worldly imployments burdened with the weight of honourable places because also the shepheards of Bethlehem and Joseph of Arimathea and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coasts neer adjoyning to the more noble Cities were often more attentive to the Gospel then the great men in Jerusalem and other large Cities suppose all this yet how will it appeare that these Angels or chief Overseers of the Churches had such large revenues as some Bishops in these our dayes Answer To this an answer is easily made No man can expect that a river should have so great a stream at or neer the spring head as it hath after many miles running 'T is not possible that a Lords or Knights house in New-England should be as well built furnished and attended as a Lords or Knights house usually in Old-England The Angels and Presbyters of the primitive times found stronger