to the Elders as the Elders it belongs and Elders and Bishops are one and the same Adde here what is observed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Bishop is never mentioned in the New Testament as belonging to a perpetuall Church officer but the actions therein required belong to any teaching Presbyter are not those peculiar actions challenged to the Bishops 7. Argument from this last testimony and 2 John 1 3 John 1. There is no perpetual office in the Church above that which the Apostles hold in common with the perpetual officers labouring in the word and doctrine and according to which they stile themselves but that is the office of Presbyters as is cleare in these testimonies All these Arguments we have here in Ierome's discourse and thus by him made use of let us adde the 8. Argument The office of Pastor or Teacher is an office of the highest denomination after the Apostles and Evangelists have ceased Ephes 4.11 1. To feed and to teach are higher acts then to rule in way of Discipline 1 Tim. 5.17 2. These are the only Ministers of the word given of Christ to the Church in all ages for perfecting the Saints for the work of the Ministry for edifying the body of Christ verse 12. But every Minister of the word is by his office a Pastor or Teacher Object But Bishops above Presbyters may be Pastors above Pastors and Teachers above Teachers Answ 1. Those acts and the power for them whereby they challenge superiority cannot make them above because they are of inferiour nature to the acts of feeding and teaching belonging to every Minister of the word 2. All officers of one denomination whether above them or below them are equall in power and office the Apostles and Evangelists above them equall among themselves the Deacons below them equall among themselves and what hint is there that these middle officers should among themselves be divided into extremes Thus from Scripture Jerome now goes on to shew the equality of Bishops and Presbyters as to their office by divine institution partly by preventing an objection partly by a famous instance in the Church of Alexandria the objection he prevents in these words But that afterwards one was chosen who should be preferred before the rest it was done for the remedy of schisme least every one drawing the Church of Christ to himselfe should break it in pieces The Summe is this in the Apostles times there was no difference the Scripture holds them forth equall this difference was made afterwards occasioned by schisme for the healing whereof the Church thought it expedient to take this course but no ground in Scripture for this inequality and this he expresseth yet more clearly in his Commentary upon Tit. 1.5 comparing the fifth and seventh v. together thus he speaks Let us diligently attend the Apostles words saying that thou mayest appoint Presbyters in every city as I had appointed thee who shewing what kind of Presbyter ought to be ordained in his following discourse thus he inferrs for it behoves a Bishop to be blamelesse as the steward of God a Presbyter then is the very same with a Bishop saith he and before that by the instinct of the devill divisions were made in religion and they said among the People I am of Paul I am of Apollo but I am of Cephas the Churches were governed by the Common Councell of the Presbyters these Presbyters not joyned to the Bishop as one above them as it is here plaine but all the Presbyters equall among themselves joyning in this Common-Counsell the Father goes on but after that every one thought those whom he baptized his owne not Christs it was decreed in the whole world that one chosen from among the Presbyters should be set above the rest to whom all the care of the Church should belong and the seeds of schisme should be taken away 1. Here we see that this custome came in long after the Apostles times generally Object Nay the Apostle ordered it thus in his time for it is said here when one said I am of Paul another I am of Apollo c. Then was this course taken but it was in the Church of Corinth in the Apostles time that so they said Answ That forme of words Jerome here useth aptly to expresse the manner of Schisme but doth not point at that time as if the Apostle had then taken this course as is manifest 1. When he had proved the equality of Bishops and Presbyters from Epistles written after the Epistle to the Corinthians he yet saith afterwards this course was taken 2. He doth not say when the Corinthians said thus but when they said thus among the people it was decreed not in Corinth but in the whole world 2. And as it was after the Apostles times so that it had no ground in their writings he goes on to shew by some of the same Scriptures formerly used in this Epistle to Evagrius which Scriptures he further in this place insists upon Some man may think saith he that this is not the sentence of the Scripture but my owne that a Bishop and a Presbyter are one and that one is the name of age the other of office or duty let him read the words of the Apostle Phil. 1.1 Philippi is of Macedonia and certainly in one city there could not be many Bishops as they are called but because they called the same Bishops at that time whom they called also Presbyters therefore the Apostle spake indifferently of Bishops as of Presbyters Yet this may seeme doubtfull to some men except it be confirmed by another testimony Acts 20.17 28. Mark this diligently saith he how he calling the Presbyters of one city of Ephesus afterwards cals the same Bishops If any man will receive that Epistle which is written to the Hebrews in Pauls name there also the care of the Church is equally divided among many forasmuch as he writes to the people Obey them that rule over you c. Heb. 13.17 and Peter who from the firmenesse of his faith received his name in his Epistle speaks saying the Elders that are among you I who am likewise your fellow Elder c. 1 Pe. 5.1.2 These things I have therefore spoken that we might shew that amongst the Ancient Bishops and Presbyters were the same but by little and little that the miseries of dissention may be plucked up all the care was laid upon one Therefore as the Presbyters know that they are by the custome of the Church subject to him that is set over them so let the Bishops know that they rather by custome then the truth of the Lords order are greater then Presbyters and that they ought to governe the Church in Commune imitating Moses who when he had it in his Power alone to rule the People of Israel chose seventy with whom he would judge the People Hitherto Jerome upon Tit. 1.1 whose discourse is so plain and cleare that the very reading it over
or Ministers or refusing the unworthy which thing we see also to descend from divine authority that the Bishop or Minister be chosen the people being present in the sight of all and be approved worthy and fit by publicke judgement and testimony as in Numb 20.26 27 28. adde Levit 8.3 c. God commands the Priest to be 〈◊〉 before the whole Assembly that is he teacheth and sheweth that Ordination of Priests ought not to be but with the joynt knowledge of the people assisting the people being present either that the crimes of the evil may be discovered or that the merits of the good may be declared and it may be a just and lawfull Ordination which hath been examined by the suffrage and judgement of all he still goes on which thing afterwards is observed according to divine Precepts in the Acts of the Apostles when Peter speaks to the People about ordaining a Bishop in the place of Judas Acts 1.15 Cyprian he understands those one hundred and twenty names the people of the Church and makes use of this place for the peoples Election he addes and we take notice the Apostles observed this that not only in the Ordination of Priests that is Bishops or Ministers but of Deacons also Acts 6.2 3. which verily was therefore so diligently and warily done the whole people being called together lest some unworthy should have crept in c. he addes that it is most diligently to be kept from divine tradition and Apostolicall observation which among them and almost throughout all the Provinces is observed that for the right celebrating Ordinations all the next Bishops of the same Province meet with that people to whom the Ruler is to be ordained and the Bishop being chosen the people being present c. which we find observed by you saith he in the Ordination of Sabinus that the office of a Bishop was conferred upon him by the suffrage of the whole brotherhood and the Bishops who were present Epist 68. This testimony is cleare and full for many things worthy our observation 1. That Ordination was after Election 2. That the people have right of chusing the highest officers in the Church 3. That they have the greatest power of chusing or refusing 4. That they have right and it is their duty to separate themselves from such as having been placed over them prove wicked 5. That all this is by divine authority 6. That they have the same right to chuse all Church-officers 7. That this is the way to keep out the unworthy whence we may conclude the people owned for true matter of the Church then were an understanding and holy people Pamelius in his Annotations upon the place though no great friend to the peoples power here yet proves the presence and suffrage of the people for some ages after in Africa Augustines Successors so chosen the same practice in Greece in Chrysostomes times in Spaine in France in Rome and this custome to have continued till Gregorie the first nay till the times of Charles and Lewis Emperours the like testimony from the first times of all immediately succeeding the Apostles Clemens Romanus the same who is mentioned Phil. 4.3 writing an Epistle to the Corinthians and taxing a great schisme among them casting off some of their faithfull ministers he tels them it is an unjust thing to remove them from their publick ministry who had been placed by the Apostles or after them by excellent men the whole Church consenting or it seeming good to the whole Church c. 2. For the Testimonies of our Reformers it is well known to be the doctrine of the reformed Churches generally I shal give an instance or two Calvin upon that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 14.23 they two saith he viz. Paul and Barnabas created the Elders but the whole multitude as it was the custome of the Grecians in their Elections declared with their hands lifted up whom they would have So the Romane Historians speak many times the Consuls who held the Assemblies created new Magistrates for no other reason but because they received the votes and moderated the people in their choice Institu l. 4. c. 3. Sect. 15. Againe Paul and Barnabas are said to chuse the Elders do they this as a duty proper to them nay rather they permit the matter to the votes of all therefore in ordaining Pastors the choice of the people was free but least any thing should be done tumultuously Paul and Barnabas have the leading plaes or rule them as Moderatours and so ought the decree of the Councell of Laodicea to be understood which forbids the choyce to be left to the people Calv. in Acts 14.23 Beza upon the same place this word translated ordained but signifying as formerly we heard to chuse by hands lifted up ariseth saith he from the custome of the Grecians who gave in their votes and suffrages with their hands stretched out And the force of this word is to be observed he still goes on that we may know Paul and Barnabas did nothing of their owne pleasure nor exercised any Tyranny in the Church Then maintaining his owne calling and the calling of the rest of the Reformers to their ministry First he denies that Ordination or Consecration by Imposition of hands to be lawfull which is used among the Papists upon a double ground 1. Because there was no lawfull choyce before it 2. Because the Ordainers among them deserve excommunication and in these two cases Ordination is void by the Canons they boast of Secondly he layes down the certaine notes of their call his owne with the other ministers of the Reformation that they were approved of both for life and doctrine by the lawfull Testimony of their Churches that they were by them chosen and lastly with calling upon the name of God confirmed in their ministery Bucer The Holy Ghost requires that they who are ordained to the Holy ministery be first tryed and proved and so farre as is possible approved to all in the Church and this he argues from the unfruitfulnes of the ministry otherwise adds wisely and not according to humane wisedome only but divine did Leo Bishop of Rome write that no reason would admit that he that should take care of the Church should not be both proved desired by that very Church which Paul considering viz. how much it made for the fruit of his ministry labours so earnestly to preserve his love and esteem among the Corinthians and to restore the same among the Galatians Bucer of the lawful Ordination of Ministers p. 242. Furthermore great care is to be had of this that those ministers may be given to the Churches whom they may love esteem and honour and that this may be brought to passe no man at all is to be admitted to the sacred ministeries of the Church who is not before religiously tryed and approved to the whole Church where he ought to administer p. 243. p. 244. In this tryall of
Magistrate take order for it or not whether he allow it or oppose it We shall here premise two conclusions to prevent mistake 1. The civill magistrate is not to allow any exercise of Church-power in his dominions which either is or by him is conceived to be contrary to the rule of Scripture and so displeasing to God 2. In case the Church proceed according to Scripture-rule and is by the Civill magistrate opposed or persecuted she must not defend her selfe by armes but suffer in a way of well-doing This premised now to the Proof of the Consectary 1. The Church as the Church is entrusted with the power of discipline a great Gospell-Ordinance in the exercise whereof consists a great Part of the administration of the Mediators Kingdome as we have seen in the second instruction formerly and this power intrinsecally in her independently upon the civil magistrate therefore it behoves her as she would be found faithfull in that great trust committed to her to exercise it To the Church of beleevers not yet furnishedwith officers in any Congregation it belongs to chuse and settle officers taking in what due help of the neighbour Ministers Congreg ations may be had To the Church ministeriall in her Congregations furnished with Officers it belongs to exercise discipline as occasion shall bee The same right that believers have to joyne together in congregations for duties of solemne worship the same right have they for the duties of discipline the same right that they have to chuse Elders for labouring in the word and doctrine the same have they for chusing Elders that shall rule them the same Commission that enjoynes the Pastors and Teachers to preach and administer the Sacraments enjoynes them likewise to dispense discipline but according to the method of the Gospel 2. The Church when in her purest state for the first 300 years durst no more neglect that ordinance of discipline then any other Gospel-ordinance though cruelly persecuted by the civill powers here that conclusion is of use The relation and authority of Magistracy is one c. 3. If that may be laid aside the Sacraments must because partaking in them are acts of highest Church-fellowship and the Lord allowes not under severe penalty upon the whole congregation the retaining of scandalous sinners in Church-fellowship who yet cannot be cast out but by the exercise of Discipline 4. The civill Magistrate must not be allowed power to abridge Christ of the compleat administration of his visible Kingdome but if the Church so depend upon him for the exercise of Discipline as without his allowance she hath no right thereto then is this Power allowed the Magistrate 5. The civill Magistrate hath a power cumulative for the Churches good therefore he is promised her as a blessing Kings shall be thy nursing fathers not privative of her good then should he be no blessing to her but if in his power it be to deprive her of the power of Discipline and the exercise of it he hath a power privative of her greatest good her purity that which all the peace she can have by his meanes can never recompence nay this must needs deprive her of her peace too as making way for all wickednesse in a short time to overgrow her and so exposing her to the wrath of God There is yet another scruple sticks with some and that is Episcopacy They who account that Government to be according to Scripture know not how to indeavour Reformation any other way To remove this 1. Supposing such an Episcopacy as we finde to have had place in the Church about two hundred years suppose sooner after Christ to be according to Scripture 1. Yet the frame of our Prelacy made up of civill Lawyers and their retinue downwards hath no countenance therefrom but must owne the Papacy as the root whence it sprang 2. Their administration was intolerably wicked 1. Highly sacrilegious taking out of the hands both of Ministers and Christians that power which Christ hath given to them and commanded them to use in the exercise of discipline 2. Notoriously prophane besides their whole course abetting prophanenesse and strengthening the hands of the wicked every where a memorable monument hereof we have in the Book of Liberty of their procuring and enjoyning for the most abominable and ridiculous not without palpable straines of Paganisme Prophanation of the Lords day another the many most scandalous and vile of the sons of men by them ordained Ministers and highly preferred 3. Grossely superstitious witnesse the Ceremonies new and old so zealously by them contended for as if all religion had been in that will-worship 4. Plainly idolatrous memorable here their Altar-worship 5. Egregiously persecuting the voice of bloud speaks here aloud from Gaoles from Pillories even the bloud of the sincere and godly Party generally up and down this Kingdome Ministers and Christians continually under the lash of these taske-masters Memorable here the many precious servants of God now in new England forced by their tyranny into those remote wildernesses 6. Openly rebellious shaking with both hands all true foundations of civill Governement under pretence of Prerogative lawlesse ones endeavouring the same boundlesse tyranny in the State Civill that they themselves exercised in the Church Memorable here that Proclamation of their procuring and enjoyning so highly abetting and stirring up to rebellion set forth against the Scots raised up by the hand of heaven to stand for the right of civill Governement as became true Patriots and free Subjects 3. Suitable to their frame and administration was their admission so farre from comming in at the true doore by Christ appointed for entrance into Church office and accordingly by the Primitive Bishops made use of to wit the Peoples Election that they scorned to owne this door but other back-doors did they not so much come in as break in at stiffely avouching this disorder of theirs 4 It is the right and duty of the Church to separate from sinful Church-rulers as formerly we have seen both from Scripture and antiquity how great a necessity was there then of separating from this whole tribe whose foundation frame administration was so Apocryphall and Anti-christian Supposing then Episcopacy distinct from Presbytery to be according to rule yet was our Prelacy so little of kinred to the ancient Episcopacy and so contrary to the rule as either it must not stand or the Churches must not stand that we may then come to that we must first leave this 2. Come to it in the true way which is the free choyce of the people and Ministers That this may be done the people fit matter of the Church must first be form'd into Congregations As for that which would here further be required upon this supposition Imposition of hands by Bishops in this case of so great Apostacy as hath prevail'd the necessity would sufficiently plead excuse As suppose a people cald out of Babylon if imposition of hands by Popish Bishops might be