no Model of a Gospel Ministry nor proof of our Authority or obligation as instituted from the Instituted Ministry of the Mosaical Church Because the Law of Moses is abrogate and indeed did never bind the Gentiles as I have fullier proved in my Treat of the Lords day Nor is it safe to argue from parity of reason that we must now be or do as they did in point of pure institution while we so little know the total reason of God's institutions and when he himself hath taken them down and set up new ones we must not then plead our Reason against the alterations which God himself hath made 7. Therefore though Christ be now the Head and Fountain of Power both to Magistrates and Ministers yet he did not institute a new Office of Magistracy but add new Laws for them to rule by as part of their Rule of Government Because their Office was so much founded in Nature and so much of their work lay in ruling mankind according to their common Natural Law But a Ministry he did institute a-new as to the species and great essentials of the Office 8. Christ changing both the Instituted Mosaical Law and Priesthood did begin himself in his own person as the Great Prophet High Priest and King of his Church to exercise his Office in the Jewish Nation 9. Being not to continue corporally on earth nor his bodily presence being ubiquitary he designed that the Holy Ghost should be his Agent internally to carry on his work in the World And he appointed the Sacred Office of the Ministry that meet men might be his Agents externally in the Teaching and Governing of his Redeemed ones in a holy order and in conducting them in holy worship in a Ministerial subordination to his Prophetical Regal and Priestly Office 10. As he himself did Officiate among the Jews so he first placed this Ministerial Power in twelve chosen men and seventy Assistants with some relation to the twelve Tribes and seventy Elders of Israel to whom he sent them 11. During the time of Christ's abode among them in the flesh they were but as Pupils and Learners while they were Teachers and their Abilities Commissions Office and Work and so their success were all yet imperfect They were not yet authorized openly and commonly so much as to declare Christ to be the Messiah and Saviour but only to prepare men for that belief Because those works were not yet done which must be the Evidences of their Doctrine and the Instruments of mens Conviction viz. Christ's Death Resurrection Ascension and his sending the miraculous gift of the Holy Ghost 12. When Christ was risen before his Ascension he perfected their Commission both as to their Work and Province but appointed them to stay till the descent of the Holy Ghost upon them as the sealing and full delivery of it giving them full ability for their work before they set themselves about the solemn performance of it 13. Their Commission and Office was 1. to Teach men and make them Christians or Christ's Disciples 2. and then to Baptize them into the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and so to take them into his Covenant and Church and 3. to Teach them as Covenanted and en-Churched persons to observe all his commands The first part of their work was to be exercised unlimitedly on all the World as far as they were able The second part on the new Converted Believers and their infant seed And the third part on the Baptized that were adult And he added the promise of his presence with them to the end 14. As he now enlarged their Commission to All the World as the object of the first part of their Office so he added one Paul by a voice from Heaven unto the number of the Apostles who was especially made an Apostle to the Gentiles to shew the rest that they were no more confined to the twelve Tribes of Israel 15. Because these Apostles were entrusted not only with a common Preaching of the Gospel but as Founders of the Churches to be the eye and ear witnesses of the life miracles resurrection and doctrine of Christ and to acquaint men certainly with the Laws of Christ therefore he promised them the extraordinary gift of the Holy Ghost to lead them infallibly into all truth and to bring all things to their remembrance which he had taught and given them in Charge and so to enable them to perform all their Commission which he gave them accordingly and so made them the Foundations of his Church and the infallible deliverers of his Will to the World by their preaching and practice first and afterwards by their Writings 16. Therefore since their miraculous reception of the Spirit all their Doctrines Writings and Establishments which were done in the Execution of their Commission are ascribed to the Holy Ghost It was the Holy Ghost that â—ndited the Sacred Scriptures and it was the Holy Ghost that settled the Churches and that wrought the Miracles and that bare witness of Christ and the Christian verity For the Apostles spake not of themselves but as the Holy Ghost inspired them 17. As others in that time were employed as their assistants in propagating the Christian Faith so had they also the same spirit though in several measures and gifts And so far as they had that spirit he was the seal of their doctrine But because it was the Apostles that had the promise of Infallibility we have greater assurance of the Infallibility of their writings than of others It being their approbation which is much of our assurance that the writings of their Assistants were infallible and the testimony which they give of the persons that wrote them viz. Mark and Luke 18. These Apostles with their many Assistants Prophets and Evangelists did by preaching holiness and miracles the effects of Divine Wisdome Goodness and Power convert multitudes and baptize them and did not only thus gather them into the Catholick Church to Christ but also settled them in a holy Order in particular Churches for personal communion among themselves in holy worship and holy living And they made such regular Church-communion a duty to all that could obtain it 19. By the authority of Christ and the Holy Ghost they ordained others to the sacred Office of the Ministry The same office with their own as to the common works of Preaching and Teaching the Gospel Worshiping and Guiding the Churches by holy Discipline which are the common essentials of the sacred Ministry But not the same in respect of their extraordinary endowments and works before described as eye and ear witnesses infallibly delivering the will of Christ 20. Though in the Nature of the Office all Christs Ministers have the Power before mentioned 1. to convert men to the Faith by preaching 2. to take them into the holy Covenant and Church by Baptism 3. to teach worship and rule in particular Churches or 1. to gather Churches by preaching and
Chancellors did only these accidental works or Lay Elder either and meddled not with the sacred power of the Keys we should not be so quarrelsome as to condemn their undertaking unless it were for the abuse 47. We doubt not but in a Church that hath many Pastors those that are young and weak should much submit to the elder and more able and be as far ruled by them as the difference of age experience and abilities without a difference of Office doth require 48. And we doubt not but where Temples and Church-maintenance are at the dispose of Patrons People or Magistrates they may give them to some one Pastor as the present possessor so that no other shall have part but by his concession And this difference there is between the Parson and his Curates in our Parishes and an accidental superiority and inferiority thereby without a difference of Office 49. If Magistrates or Councils or Custome should in each particular Church that hath many Pastors give one a Governing that is a negative voice among the rest in the management of the affairs of that Church so that the rest should not go against him or without him as Archbishops now are over Bishops and Archpresbyters were formerly over Presbyters and Archdeacons over Deacons and Presidents over Colleges and Courts of Justice without claiming a distinct Office though the sad experience of Mens inclination to Church-tyranny make us doubtful whether we should wish for such an inequality yet would we not unpeaceably disturb or quarrel with such an Order when it is settled Our Parish Order aforesaid being indeed but such 50. Whether God himself hath appointed another sort of Bishops who may be better called Archbishops as Successors of the Apostles in the Ruling part of their Office and whether these have not a Power above particular Church Pastors in Ordinations and in the oversight of the Pastors themselves and in the Care of many Churches I have long ago confessed is a Case of too much difficulty for me to determine On the one side though the Apostles have no Successors in the extraordinary and temporary part of their Office yet Church-government being an ordinary and permanent part as doctrine is I can hardly think that when we find one Form of Church-government instituted by Christ himself and continuing till the end of that Age that we should presume to say that this Form then ceased and another must succeed it without good proof What we find enacted and setled must stand till we can prove it abrogate And unless it were a thing which in the nature of it were temporary it seemeth a harsh imputation of mutability to feign Christ to set up a Church-government which should be in force but for an hundred years And on the other side it puzleth me 1. to find it so hard to prove that the Apostles themselves did indeed exercise any Office power over other Pastors which one may not do towards another over and above that which accrewed to them from the meer extraordinary advantage of their gifts and Apostolical proper work 2. And to find it so obscure whether they settled any as their Successors in that superiority of power which they had 51. But being in such doubt and being uncertain whether such Arch-Bishops or Apostolical Successors in the points of Ordination and oversight of many Churches be of Divine right or not I resolve not to contend against any such Order nor to disobey any just commands of such nor to reproach the custome of the Churches 52. And though I know that Pastors should not unnecessarily be diverted by any aliene works yet if it please the Magistrate to commit some of his power of Church-government by the Sword about things extrinsick to the Pastoral Office into the hands of some Ministers as his Officers and if he call them Bishops and command us to obey them and if he make them Barons and endow them with Lordships and great revenues though I see the great peril to the Church from hence by reason of mens pride and worldliness yet will I not reproach this Order nor deny any just obedience to any such Officers of the King 53. If any acknowledging the Pastors of each Church to have the whole Pastoral Office and power of the Keys of that Church which he overseeth shall yet affirm that the aforesaid superiour General Bishops or Arch-Bishops have a superiour power of the Keys and therefore shall have the decision of controversies that arise in particular Churches between the Pastors and the People and that appeals may be made by the people to them and that they may visit the particular Churches at their pleasure and have power to censure the particular Bishops or Pastors when they deserve it or to Ordain Ministers remove them and depose them as there is just cause by bare sentence and the peoples consent and all this jure divino as Successors to the Apostles in their Government or to such Archbishops or General Bishops as Timothy and Titus I shall not contend against any of this for the reasons aforesaid being uncertain of the thing in question But if I must be put to subscribe that I believe all this to be true as if it were an Article of my Faith the same uncertainty would forbid me 54. And here I must take occasion to say that I take unnecessary Subscriptions Declarations Promises and Oaths to be one of the chiefest of the Devil's Engines to divide Christ's Churches and to fish out those Ministers that make conscience of perjury and lying and to turn them out of the work of Christ and to leave in those that do not when Conscience can find but any shifting pretence And how fit such are for the Sacred Ministry and whose servants really they are and how they are like to do Christ's work and what a Case the Churches will be in that have such and what the effects will be with the common people and how the lovers of Godliness will resent all this and what else will follow hereupon I leave to the Reader that hath the brains of a man or ever opened his eyes to mark what is done abroad in the World or that ever read with observation the things that in other Ages have befallen the Churches or that knoweth what relation light hath to darkness good to evil and Christ to Belial I think that the Articles of our Faith and the matters of our practice are so to be distinguished as that there is a necessity of Believing the former and therefore we may be called to profess that we do Believe them And for the other the Agenda we must be called to Do them and if they be plain and necessary duties of our Religion being to be Believed to be Duties before we do them we may sometime be put to profess that Belief But duties of humane imposition or of doubtful nature may be done as things lawful by thousands of peaceable men that cannot say or
as we desire If any more be necessary he granteth it us § 11. where having feigned and not proved that the people of all the Province of Macedonia were said by Paul to be at Philippi he confesseth that then every City had a Bishop and none of those that we now call Presbyters And it is more this Bastard sort of Presbyters Office that we deny than the Bishops And granting this he grants us all even that then there was no such half Officers nor Bishops that had the rule of any Presbyters which he further proveth § 19 20 21. And by the way § 16 17. he giveth us two more Observations 1. That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gave precedency to some Churches Where I would learn whether the Holy Ghost still observed the order in converting men to begin at the highest Metropolis and descend by order to the lowest and so to the Villages Or whether our Doctor do not here contradict what he said before of the Apostles every where disposing of the Churches according to the Civil Metropolitical Order I doubt his memory here failed him 2. Philippi and Thessalonica being both in Macedonia and these Epistles being each written to all the Province we hence learn that the Epistle to the Thessalonians and that to the Philippians were written to the same men Whether each Epistle Rev. 2. 3. to the seven Churches of Asia was written to all Asia and so all the faults charged on all that are charged on any one I leave to your arbitrary belief For none of these are proved whatever proof is boasted of Cap. 11. he further gratifieth us in expounding 1 Tim. 3. in the same manner One Bishop with Deacons then serving for a whole Diocess that is for one Assembly not having such a thing as a half Presbyter subject to any Bishop Cap. 12. he is as liberal in expounding Tit. 1. By Elders in every City is meant a single Bishop that had no half Presbyter under him and whose Diocess had but one Assembly We are not so unreasonable as to quarrel with this liberality Cap. 13. And about Heb. 13. we are as much gratified in the Exposition of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which more afterwards And Cap. 14 and 15. he saith the same of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastors and Teachers that they both are meant of none but Bishops And that Presbyters now adays are permitted and tyed to teach the people and instruct them from the Scriptures this apparently arose hence that Bishops in ordaining Presbyters gave them that power but not to be exercised till licensed by the Bishops Letters Of this detestable Opinion worse than the Italians in the Council of Trent that would have derived the Episcopal Power from the Pope I have said somewhat before and intend more in due place The Bishops do only ministerially give them possession Christ is the only Instituter of the Office by himself and his Spirit in his Apostles Can the Bishops any more chuse to deliver this possession by Ordination than to preach the Gospel Could they have made Presbyters that had no power to teach the people Is the Bishops liberality the original of the Office How much then is Christ beholden to Bishops that when a thousand Parishes are in some one of their Diocesses they will give leave to any Presbyter to teach any of the people and that when eighteen hundred of us were silenced in one day Aug. 24. 1662. that all the rest were not served so too Cap. 16. he exerciseth the same naked affirming Authority of the words Ministers of the word Luke 1. 2. and Stewards all are but Bishops And he asketh whether ever man heard of more Stewards than one in one house or of several bearers of one Key And he foresaw that we would tell him that Gods Catholick Church is one House of God and that at least all the Apostles were Stewards and Key-Bearers in that one Church and that by his Doctrine none but one of them should be Steward of Gods Mysteries or have the Keys And therefore he saith that Though the Apostles are called Stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. that is to be reckoned as pertaining to the many divided Families that is the many particular Churches distinct parts of the Universal Church which the Apostâ—â—s divided among themselves Answ Unless his etiam here be a self-contradicting cheat it will hence follow 1. That the Apostles are not Stewards of Gods Mysteries in gathering Churches but only to the Churches gathered 2. That in Baptizing and giving the Holy Ghost to such as yet entered not into a Particular Church they exâ—ercised not any of their said Stewardship or Power 3. That thay have no Power of the Keyes at all over any that are not Members of a Particular Church such as the Eunuch Act. 8. And many Merchants Embassadors Travellers and many thousands that want Pastors or opportunity or hearts yea and all Christians in the first Instant as meerly Baptized Persons seeing Baptisme entereth them only into the Universal Church and not into any particular as such 4. And that till the Apostles gathered particular Churches and distributed them they had no Stewardship nor use at least of the Keyes And what if it can never be provedthat ever the Apostles distributed the universal Church into Apostolical Provinces but only pro re nata distributed themselves in the World were they never Stewards then nor Key-bearers Verily if I believed such a distribution of the World into twelve or more Provinces by them I should question the power that altered that Constitution and set us up but four or five Patriarches And were the same Apostles no Stewards or Key-bearers out of their feigned several Provinces If we must be cilenced unless we subscribe to the Dictates of such self conceited Confident men who shall ever Preach that is not born under the same Planet with them Cap. 17. he proceedeth still to maintain our Cause that even in Justin Martyrs writings and others of that Age by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are meant the Bishops of the several Churches who had not one Presbyter under them but Deacons only and therefore had but single Congregations but did themselves alone with the Deacon perform all the publick Offices in the Church And that no equal Presbyter was placed with them offendeth us no more than that our Parish Ministers now are presented and instituted alone yea and have power to take Curates under them as their helpers Cap. 18. He proveth truly that the Names Sacerdos and Sacerdotium are usually by old Writers spoken of sole Bishops and Episcopacy By which we are the more confirmed in our Opinion that he that is not Episcopus gregis a Bishop over the Flock is not Sacerdos true Pastor but hath only a limb of the Ministerial Office being a thing of presumptuous Prelates institution Cap. 19. He surther strengtheneth us by
and as he that will know the nature and difference of fruits or animals must stay till they are come to their full growth and ripeness and not take them green and young so he that will judge either of Schism or of Church-tyranny Lust do 2. And whether the Quakers Ranters Familists and Munster monsters be not Schismaticks ripe and at full growth and therefore a young Schismatick is not â—o tell us what Schism is but should himself see what he will be when he is ripe And so whether Popery be not the Diocesane Prelacy full grown and ripe and whether they should not therefore see what they would come to if that which withoâ—deth in the several Kingdoms were taken out of the way as the Pope hath removed it in the Empire If the Diocesans Metropolitanes Patriarks and Pope as to his Primacy in the Empire did not all stand on the same humane foundation then are they not the things that I am speaking of Obj. But the late and present Schismes in England shew that it is the adversaries of Prelacy that are the causes Ans Very true for Prelacy maketh it self adversaries and so maketh some of the Schismaticks There are two sort of Schismatickâ— some Prelatists as the Papists the Novatians the Donatists and most of the old Schismaticks were and some Anti-prelatists And there are two sorts of Anti prelatists Some Catholick being for the Primitive Episcopacy and some Schismaticks And these last the Prelates make and then complain of them It is their state and practice hereafter described that driveth men to distast them and so precipitateth the injudicious into the Contrary extreme It is Prelacy that maketh almost all the Sects that be in England at this day When they see how the Spiritual Keys are secularly used by Laymen in their Courts when they see what Ministers and how many hundred of them are silenced and what Fellows in many places are set up in their stead they think they can never fly far enough from such Prelates To tell the world It is Schismaticks that we silence and they are obedient and Orthodox persons that we set up may signifie something in another land or age but it doth but increase the disaffâ—ction of those that are upon the place and know what kind of men the Prelates commend and who they discommend and silence A very Child when he is eating his â—pple will not cast it away because a Prelate saith it is a Crab nor when he tasteth a Crab will he eate it if a Prelate Swear it is a sweat apple Though he that doth but look on them may possibly believe him I believe they that thought that Prelacy was the only cure of our Schismes do know by this time by experience that by that time the Prelates had again ruled but seven years there were seven and seven against them for one that was so before And we that dwell among them do take those that dislike their course and waies to be the Generality of the most Religious and sober people of the land alwaies excepting the King and Parliament and those that must be still excepted CHAP. XIV The true Original of the warrantable Episcopacy in particular Churches was the notorious disparity of abilities in the Pastors And the original of that tyrannical Prelacy into which it did degenerate was the worldly Spirit in the Pastors and people which with the world came by prosperity into the Church Quaere Whether the thing cease not where the reason of it ceaseth GOd doth not carry on his work upon mens Souls by names and empty titles but by such real demonstrating evidences of his Power Wisdome and Goodness as are apt to work on the Reason of man And therefore he that would make his Apostles the Foundations or chief Pillars and Instruments in and of his Churches would accordingly endow them with proportionable abilities that in the Miracu'ous demonstrations of Power and the convincing demonstrations of Wisdome and the amiable holy demonstrations of goodness they might as far excelothers as they did in authority And nature it self teaceth us to difference men in our esteem and affection as they really differ in worth and loveliness And this Law of Nature is the Primary Law of God And the holy Scriptures plainly second it telling us oft of the diversity of Gods gifts in his Servants which all make for concord but not for equality of esteem and that there are greater and lesser in the Kingdom of God and that Gods gifts in all men must be honoured Math. 12. 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. Heb. 5. 10. 11. 12. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. And God that would have his various gifts variously esteemed did in all ages himself diversifie his Servants gifts All were not Apostles nor all Prophets nor all Evangelists And after their daies all the Ministers or Elders of the Churches were not men of Learning nor of so full acquaintance with the sacred Doctrine nor so grave prudent staied holy charitable or peaceable as some were usually when miraculous gifts did cease and very few Philosophers or men of learning turned Christians Any man may know that had not been told it by Church History that their Elders or Pastors were such as the better sort of our unlearned Christians are who can pray well and worship God sincerely and read the Scripture and in a plain familiar manner can teach the Catechistical points and perswade to duty and reprove vice But as for Sermons in a methodical accurate way as now used and defending the truth and opposing Heresies and stopping the mouths of gainsayers they must needs be far below the Learned But yet here and there a Philosopher was converted and of those that had no such Learning then called secular and the Learning of the Gentiles some few were far better Learned than others in the sacred Scriptures and the customes and Learning of the Jews And it was long before the Christians had Schools and Academies of their own That this was so appeareth 1. In the reason of the thing For no effect can exceed the total cause Therefore they that had not the inspirations prophetical or miraculous guists nor Academies and Schools of secular Learning nor so much as Riches and leisure but Poverty and persecution and worldly trouble and labour were not like to have more Learning than the holy Scriptures taught them 2. And this appeareth by the forecited Canons of Counsels which forbad Pastors ever almost three hundred years after Christ to read the Gentiles books By which the former custome of the Church may easily be perceived And also by abundance of reproaches which are cast upon some Hereticks in the Ancients writings for being too much skilled in Logick and other of the Gentiles Learning 3. And it appeareth by the parity of writers of the second and third Centuries 4. And also by the paucity of famous Divines that are mentioned in the Histories of those times 5. And above all by the
mean time they observe not the peoples mindes and lives much lesse do they reforme them Nor do they take care how the people grow in the knowledge of God the faith of Christ and in true Godliness They apply not themselves to the study of the Scriptures nor perswade the people to read them in their houses they neither take care of the poor and strangers nor visit the sick as little caring how and with what faith they depart And thus they discharge their Ministry neither faithfully prudently nor profitably It is indeed of great moment that they bring not strange Doctrine into the Church but teach the Scripture Doâ—â—rine and that they use not superstitious rites but are not content with simple administration of the Sacraments according to the custome of the Primitive Church But in this they are to be blamed that they do things right and profitable not from the hearts but sleightly as on the by and what is accordingly to be else done by a faithful Minister they wholly neglect While they thus Minister they do not indeed bring Errour and superstitions into the Churches as in the foregoing ages was done But in the mean time inclining to the other extreme they take the course which by degrees will bring the people into that indifferency in Religions which is the most pestilent and to drink in Epicurism the waster and extniguisher of all religion Wherefore I beseech them in the Lord that they fully performe and discharge their Ministry and not thus by the halves Thus far he describeth our ordinary better sort of the Clergie but not our Bishops And Pa. 431. They that labour more to keep up the authority of Bishops than to save the people when they cannot convince the Ministers called by the Magistrate of error do raise a question about their calling being themselves neither lawfully chosen nor called saying what Suffragane ordained you minister what Bishop called you to the office As the Priests by Christ They questioned not his work which they could find no fault with but his power so these where they cannot by Gods word defend their own errours and abuses nor disprove our true doctrine they fly to the Episcopal power and authority as if they did passess any such umblamable and lawful power when they neither discharge the office nor have the power of true Bishops wherefore let no true sincere Minister of Christ regard the barking of these men but as content with the testimony of his Conscience and his calling to teach by the Lawful Magistrate go on in the Lords work with alacrity of spirit Here he addeth the manner of their calling at Bern by the election of the Pastors and confirmation of the Magistrates and reception of the people that you may know what he meaneth by the Magistrates Call And p. 436. having told us that Christianity falleth where the election and Pastoral care of the Ministry falleth he addeth But now they that endeavour to put out the light of truth boast much of the power of Bishops Arch-Bishops Metropolitanes Patriarcks and the Roman Pope where if you urge them to it they are not able to prove by any truth of divine institution that so much as this first ministerial power of Ministring in the Church is in those Bishops Arch-bishops Metropolitanes Patriarcks or Pope that is in these Church Lords Satrapes Let them prove that these are true Ministers of Christ I strive not about Episcopacy simply in it self whether it be to be numbred with Christs true Ministers But the controversie is whether such Bishops as our age too patiently tolerateth are to be numbred with Christs true Ministers It is greatly to be feared lest in the day of judgment they will hear that dreadful word from God Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not I have added more of Musculus then directly concerneth the point now in hand because I would take him all together And because the Helvetians are not accounted Presbyterians I add Bullinger Decad. 5. Serm. 3. p. mihi 377. 378. and Serm. 4. p. 383. Where he sheweth that Diocesan Bishops have not the sole power of ordination that Presbyters and Bishops were the same and had the same work and the horrid abuses that came into the Church by the degenerating of Episcopacy And Decad. 5. Serm 10. p. 491. that in latter Ages Prelates and Bishops snatching by tyranny that power of excommunication to themselves which before was used by the Pastors in Synods in common and sacrilegiously using it against the first institution had tarned a wholesome medicine into deadly poyson and made it abaminable to good and bad But I may not recite all Wagundus was no Presbyterian being superintendent of Magdeburgh first and after of Wismaria and after of Jene and after Bishop Pomeraniensis nor yet Math. Iudex yet go they the same way as may be seen Sytagm p. 1049. de excom p. 1114. de Eccles p. 1135. de Minist Should I cite all that is said by those that never were called Presbyterians about the degeneration of Episcopacy the largeness of their charge the ruine of discipline by their tyranny ambition and grasping wealth and titles when they neither will nor can perform the work I mean by Luther Melancton Illyricus Chytraeus Tzegedine Bucer Zuinglius Oecolampadius Gryneus Aretius Gualther Pet. Martyr Paraeus Chenmitius Pelargus c. I should but over-weary the Readers patience I only add that if the Churches of France Belgia Geneva and the rest of the Presbyterians and the Churches of Transilvania Hungary and formerly Poland that were Orthodox and Bobemia Brandenburgh Saxony the Palatinate c. that set up another sort of Episcopacy had found that the old or English species would have done the Ministerial works it is not credible that they would all have rejected it III. The third part of that experience which I alledge is the Bishops own 1. This is signified by their confessions before named Ar. Bishop Ushers reasons for the ancient use of Episcopacy with their Presbyters who shall be acknowledged true Church Governours over their flocks is fetcht from the need of so many to the work And Mr. Stanley Gower late of Dorchester was wont to profess being long intimate with him that he professed to him that he took a Bishop to be but primus Presbyterorum of the same order and every Presbyter a Governour of the flock And when he asked him why then he would be a Primate as he was he told him that he took it not for any part of his office as instituted by Christ but for a Collateral Dignity which the King was pleased to bestow on him for the more advantageous discharge of his Spiritual Office What Bishop Jewels opinion was to the like purpose is plain enough in his works Bishop Reignolds that now is professed to me his opinion to be the same when he took the Bishoprick and when he saw Dr. Stillingfliets book that no form of Church Government is
forbear pronouncing of all Traytors Murderers Adulterers Perjured Atheists c. that never profest Repentance at their Burial that God hath of his mercy taken to himself the soul of this our dear brother except the unbaptized c. aforesaid And note 1. that the Parish Priest hath no power to do these things either by himself or in conjunction with the Bishop or any other 2. And that there is not one Suffragan Bishop or Chorepiscopus in England under the 26 Bishops to do any part of their work in these 97025 Parishes CHAP. III. Our Judgment of the History of the Antient Church-Government and of the rise of the Diocesan Prelacy I Shall anon shew more fully that there are two things especially in which we think the very Species of our Diocesan Prelacy to be altered from the antient Episcopacy One is in the Extent of their Office as to their subject Charge a Bishop infimae speciei of the lowest species having then but One Church and now a Bishop infimae speciei having many hundred Churches made into one or nullified to make One 2. In the Work of their Office which was then purely Spiritual or Pastoral and is now mixt of Magistratical and Ministerial exercised by mixed Officers in Courts much like to Civil Judicatures The History of their rise I suppose is this 1. Christ made a difference among his Ministers himself while he chose twelve to be Apostles and special Witnesses oâ— his Doctrine Life and Resurrection and Ascension and to be the Founders of his Church and the Publishers of his Gospel abroad the World 2. As these Apostles preached the Gospel themselves and planted Churches so did many others as their helpers partly the seventy sent by Christ and partly called by the Apostles themselves And all these exercised indefinitely a preparing Ministry before particular Churches were gathered abroad the World and afterwards went on in gathering and calling more 3. Besides this preparing unfixed Ministration the same Apostles also placed by the peoples consent particular fixed Ministers over all the several Churches which they gathered 4. These fixed Ministers as such they named indifferently Bishops Elders Pastors and Teachers Whereas those of the same Office in general yet unfixed are called either by the General name of Christ's Ministers or Stewards of his Mysteries And in regard of their special works some were called Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists 5. These Apostles though unfixed and having an Indefinite charge yet went not all one way but as God's Spirit and prudence guided them they dispersed themselves into several parts of the World 6. But as they did many of them first stay long at Jerusalem so afterward in planting and setling Churches they sometimes stayed several months or years in one place and then went to another And so did the Evangelists or Indefinite Assistants whom they sent forth on the same work 7. While they stayed in these newly planted Churches they were themselves the chief Guides of the People And also of their fixed Bishops 8. This abode in settling the particular Churches and their particular Bishops or Elders occasioned Historians afterward to call both Apostles and Evangelists such as Timothy Titus Silas Silvanus Luke Apollo c. the Bishops of those Churches though they were not such as the fixed Bishops were who undertook a special Charge and care of one particular Church alone or above all other Churches 9. On this account the same Apostle is said to be the first Bishop of many Churches as Peter of Antioch and Rome Paul of Corinth Ephesus Philippi c. When indeed the Apostles were the particular fixed Bishops of no Churches but the Bishops equally of many as a sort of unfixed Episcopacy is included in Apostleship 10. On this account also it is that Timothy is said to be Bishop of Ephesus because he was left there for a time to settle that and other Churches of Asia near it as an Assistant of the Apostles And so Titus is called the Bishop of Crete because he staid in that Island which was said to have an hundred Cities on this work which belonged not to a particular Bishop but to the more indefinite Ministry 11. How many such fixed Bishops Elders Pastors or Teachers each particular Church must have the Apostles never determined by a Law But did de facto settle them according to the number of souls and store of qualified persons In some Churches it is possible there might be but one with Deacons In others it is evident that there were many as at Jerusalem Corinth c. 12. The particular Churches which were the charge of these fixed Bishops or Elders were Societies of Christians conjoyned for Personal Communion in God's Worship and mutual assistance in holy living And though for want of convenient room or liberty they did not always meet all in the same place yet were they ordinarily no more than could meet in one place when they had liberty and never more than could hold personal Communion if not at once yet at several times in publick worship As it is now in those places where one part of the Family goeth to Church one part of the day and another on the other part And those by-Meetings which any had that came not constantly to the publick Assemblies were but as our House-Meetings or Chapel-Meetings but never as another Church Nor were their Churches more numerous than our Parishes nor near so great 13. At the first they had no Consecrated nor Separated places for their Church-Meetings but Houses or Fields as necessity and opportunity directed them But as soon as they could even nature taught them to observe the same appointed and stated places for such Assemblies Which as soon as the Churches had peace and settlement they appropriated to those sacred uses only though they had not yet the shape or name of Temples 14. Though the Pastors of the Church were all of one Office now called Order being all subordinate Ministers of Christ in the Prophetical Priestly and Regal parts of his Office in the Power and Duty of Teaching Worshiping and Government yet was the disparity of Age Grace and Guifts to be observed among them and the younger Pastors as well as people owed a meet reverence and submission to the Elder and the weaker to the stronger who had notoriously more of God's Grace and Guifts So that in a Church where there were many Pastors it was not unlawful nor unnecessary to acknowledge this disparity and for the younger and weaker to submit much to the judgment of the elder and more able 15. While they kept only to the exercise of the meer Pastoral work of Teaching and Worshiping and that Government which belongeth hereunto they had little temptation comparatively to strive for a preeminence in Rule or for a Negative Voice But aliene or accidental work did further that as followeth 16. The Apostles did reprove those Worldly contentious and uncharitable Christians who went to Law before
might dissemble to escape Persecution themselves and greater Persecutions were near and not the Gnosticks nor Jews but Nero beheaded Paul and the Jews themselves were banished Rome 5. And that Simon Magus was indeed so famous a Fellow as to be taken for the supream God when Church Writers speak so uncertainly of his conflicts with Peter as of a doubtful story and the evidence is so obscure and the Roman Histories say so little of him He might as well have thought the Apostle would have made all that ado about James Naylor if he had been then alive 6. And that there were not many other Hereticks as well as the Gnosticks that troubled the Churches if Epiphanius knew how to name them and describe them rightly or Irenaeus before him or John in Rev. 2. and 3. before them 7. And that Simon Magus and his Heresie was a Mystery of Iniquity not revealed when Paul wrote the second Epistle to the Thessalonians 8. And that many had not then followed him and fallen away to Heresie 9. Or that by the Apostasie that must first come is meant the Apostles separation from the Jews and Moses's Law As if he had said we will first separate and that shall bring persecution on you but till we do that it is with-held 10. Or that the said separation was not done by degrees some before this and some after 11. Or that the difference between the Jews persecution of the Christians before the Apostles Apostasie and after it was indeed so great as to be the Crisis of the Antichrists Revelation 12. And that poor Simon should be the Man that sitteth in the Temple of God and opposed and exalted himself above all that is called God when as the Scripture never once nameth him after his deprecation of the Apostles curse or threatning though Nicolaitanes are named and Alexander Hymenaeus and Philetus named and other Adversaries and all the terrible things foretold which are here supposed to be done by Simon and his Doctrine What were all the Sacred Writers afraid to name him when they recited all the Evils that he must do and are supposed to make it a great part of all the Epistles and the History in Acts 15. and when he had been so sharply rebuked and humbled before Act. 8. 13. That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that with-holdeth till he be taken out of the way is not meant of any person power or state but the aforesaid separation of the Apostles 14. That verse 8. that the breath of Christ's own mouth signifieth St. Peter's words that cast down Simon when he fell and hurt him and that the brightness of his coming or the appearing of his own presence is nothing but the foresaid Destruction of Jerusalem 15. And so many of the Gnosticks and Hereticks that troubled all the Churches of Asia and other Countries were got together into Jerusalem as that they might be said to be consumed and destroyed there who so long after troubled the Churches 16. And when I can believe that the Revelation is made up of such a sence and that most or much of it was fulfilled before it was revealed and written and all the rest fulfilled long ago about Constantine's days except one Parenthesis or a few Verses in the 20th Chapter And that the Resurrection and Thousand Years reign of the Martyrs is that 1000 Years from Constantine's beginning in which the Bishops had Wealth and Honour and sate on Thrones and judged the People in Courts as our Lay-Chancellors now do and that this Glory Wealth and Grandure of Prelates is the Churches Resurrection Glory and Felicity And that these happy thousand Years continued 700 Years after the rising of Mahomet and included those 8th 9th 10th and 11th Ages which Erasmus and all learned men even Bellarmine himself so dolefully bewail And that when Boys and Whores and Sorcerers and Murderers and Hereticks and Schismaticks ruled the Church they were happy that had a part in this first Resurrection to all this Glory yea that these are Holy too Rev. 20. 6. And that the second death shall have no power on them that is while they are drowning the true Churches of Christ in the Floods of all abomination and bringing in all corruption and laying the grounds of all division subduing Kings and murdering Christians by thousands till the Year 1300. Blessed and holy and happy are they because though they persecute the Godly they are free from being persecuted themselves which is the second death Yea that the Church was freed from persecution in the Ages when the poor Waldenses and Albigenses were murdered in greater numbers than ever the Heathens murdered the Christians heretofore When I can believe abundance of such things as these I will believe Dr. Hammond's first Dissertation His second Dissertation which is to vindicate the Epistles of Ignatius I little regard as not concerning me I leave it to Dr. Pierson who they say is about it to answer Dallaeus his numerous Arguments against him with Dionysius For my part I wish Dr. Pierson may prevail For there is no Witness among all the Ancients whom I more trust to at least ad hominem as a plain undoubted destroyer of our Prelacy than Ignatius who is the confidence of the Prelatical Champions I am possest with admiration as much at their glorying in Ignatius as the Patron of Diocesans who is so much against them as I am at their glorying in Rich. Hooker as a Defender of Monarchy and the Prelates Loyalty Of Ignatiuâ— I shall say more anon His third Dâ—â—â—ert about Scripture passages more concerneth us Cap. 1. which tells us of Christs Episcopacy concerneth not our Cause Cap. 2. Whether the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Regeneration be the New Church State and the Apostles Episcopal Thrones be there meant as setled in several Provinces which cannot be proved ever to have been is little to our business Nor yet whether he will prove that it is not Prelacy but Secular Coactive power and gâ—andure that is denyed to the Apostles and that it was those that grudged at the Precedency desired for James and John which Christ intended to reprehend because it was not an injurious Secular power but a labour that was to be in the Prelates of the Church It sufficeth me that so much is here confessed And it cannot be denied For that Precedency and Power which Christ alloweth in the Rulers of the Nations is it which he denyeth to his Disciples But it is not Tyranny proud Domination and Oppression but just Secular Government which he alloweth in the Rulers of the Nations Ergo it is this and not the former which he denyeth to his Disciples And let all the Prelates here remember that the Qâ—estion Whether they be Above their Brethren by Dr. H's Confession is Whether they may take more care and pains for Mens Salvation When one of us poor Ministers were not able night and day to Catechise instruct and oversee a Congregation of
done or Power to maintain it To make Laws and seâ— up Churches Officers and Orders this year and to take them down and set up new ones a few years after seemeth levity and mutability in man And therefore must not without cause and proof be ascribed to God And the rather because that Moses Laws had stood so long and the taking down of them was a scandal very hardly born And if the Apostles that did it should set up by the Spirit others in their stead to continue but till they died this would be more strange and increase the offence 6. There was no sufficient change of the Reason of the thing Therefore there was no sufficient reason to change the thing it self if Prelates had had Authority to do it If you say That in Scripture times there were not worthy men enow to make Subpresbyters and Bishops both of I answer It is notoriously false by what Scripture speaketh 1. Of the large pourings out of the Spirit in those times 2. Of the many Prophets Teachers Interpreters and other inspired speakers which were then in one Congregation Act. 13. 1 2. And 1 Cor. 14. Insomuch that at Corinth Paul was put to limit them in the number of speakers and the exercise of their gifts 2. And it 's known by history and the great paucity of Writers in the next age that when those miraculous gifts abated there was a greater paucity of fit Teachers proportionably to the number of Churches than before 3. And who can prove that if there had been more men the Apostles would have made a new Order of Presbyters and not only more of the same Order 2. Obj. But the Churches grew greater after than before Answ 1. Where was there three Churches in the whole world for 300 years so numerous as the Church at Jerusalem is said to have been in Scripture 2. If the Churches were more numerous why might they not have been distributed into more particular Churches 3. Or how prove you that Presbyters should not rather have been increased in the number of the same Order than a new Order invented 4. This contradicts the former objection For if that Churches were so small and few before it 's like there might have been the more gifted persons spared to have made two Orders in a Church 5. And what if in Constantine's days the Churches grew yet greater than they did in the second or third age compared to the Apostles will it follow that still more new Orders may be devised as Subpriests were 7. There are worser reasons of the change too visible And therefore it is not to be imputed to a secret unproved mental intention of the Apostles In Christs own time even the Apostles themselves strove who should be the greatest False Apostles afterward troubled Paul by striving for a superiority of reputation Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence Sect-masters rose up in the Apostles days Acts 20. 30. Of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Some caused Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which they had learned Rom. 16. 17. In Clem. Rom. time the Church of Corinth was contending about Episcopacy and superiority even Lay-men aspiring to the chair Peter seemeth to foresee what Pastors would do when he forewarneth them not to Lord it over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. Victor quickly practised the contrary when he Excommunicated the Asian Bishops See Grotius his complaint of the early and ancient pride contention and tyranny of the Bishops De Imper. sum Pot. p. 360 361. Novatian with Novatus quickly shewed this spirit if they be not wronged at Rome and Carthage and so did Felicissimus and his partners against Cyprian What stirrs were there for many ages between the Cecilians and the Donatists What horrid work was there at the Concil Ephes 1. And Concil Chalcedon Concil Eph. 2. between the contending Bishops on each side The reading of the Acts would make a Christians face to blush What strife between Anthymius and Basil for a larger Diocese What work against Nazianzen to cast him out of Constantinople What sad exclamations maketh he against Synods and against these Names and Titles of preeminence and higher seats wishing the Church had never known them And yet he was angry with his friend Basil for placing him in so small a Bishoprick as Sosunis What abundance of Epistles doth Isidore Pelusiota write to Eusebius the Bishop and Sosimus and the other wicked Priests detecting and reproving their malignity drunkenness and horrid wickedness And how sharply doth he lament that a faithful Ministry is degenerate into carnal formal Tyranny and that the Bishops adorned the Temples under the name of the Church while they maligned and persecuted the Godly who are the Church indeed How lamentable a description doth Sulpit. Severus give of the whole Synods of Bishops that followed Ithacius and Idacius And in particular of Ithacius himself as a fellow that made no conscience of what he said And what did Martin think of them who avoided all their Communions to the death and would never come to any of their Synods Especially because by stirring up the Magistrate against the Priscillianists they had taught the vulgar fury to abuse and reproach any man that did but read and pray and fast and live strictly as if he were to be suspected of Priscillianism which Hooker himself complaineth of Pref. And Ambrose also did avoid them What bloody work did Cyril and his party make at Alexandria What a man was Theophilus after him What work made he against Chrysostom What a Character doth Socrates give of him What insolence and furious zeal did Epiphanius shew in the same cause in thrusting himself into the Church of Chrysostom to stir up his hearers to forsake him Hierom had a finger in the same cause His quarrels with Johan Hierosol with Ruffinus his abusive bitterness against Vigilantius c. are well known The multitudes of Canons for preserving the grandeur of Patriarchs and Metropolitanes and Prelates on one side and for keeping small Cities without Bishops ne vilescat nomen Episcopi and for restraining Pride self-exaltation enlargement of Diocese encroachment on each other on the other side do all shew the diseases that needed such a Cure or that had such a vent In a word the Bishops never ceased contending partly for their several opinions and errours and partly for preeminence and rule till they had brought it to that pass as we see it at this day between Rome and Constantinople and the most of the Christian world From all which it is most apparent that Pride and Contention were cured but in part in the Pastors of the Churches And that the remaining part was so strong and operative as maketh it too credible that there were ill causes enow for enlarging of Dioceses and getting many Churches into one mans power and setting up a new Order of half-subpresbyters And that the event of