PALAEMON OR The Grand Reconciler Composing the great Difference and Disputes about Church-Government AND Discovering the Primitive Government of Churches built upon the Word of God and the practice of the Apostles Compiled by one who labours for the Peace of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. Conc. Nic. JEREM. 6.16 Aske for the old way which is the good way Anno MDCXLVI THE PREFACE To all true-hearted Christians and good Subjects who desire a blessed Conjuncture of Truth and Peace and an happy Reformation in the State and Church AS Sufferers may complaine and Sorrowers speake so we Divines who are Seers ought not to be silent when we discover a Quick-sand of errour or any rocks of sin at which a soul may dash to its eternall perdition There is a Coward in the field who is like the Wise-mans foole his heart is at his mouth and he knowes not what he does professe forgetting even that he weares a Sword for his defence There is likewise a Coward in his faith who is like a foole that seemes wise for his mouth is in his heart and he dares not professe what he knowes not remembring that God hath committed to him the publication of his Word at which the men of this world take offence and had rather be fed with pleasing truths to their destruction then heare of true Doctrine which crosses them in their pride and ambition I am perswaded this ensuing Treatise will offend those who being of Aerius his spirit oppose moderated Episcopacie for no other end but that they themselves might Lord it over Gods heritage with a Tyrannicall Insolencie The Character which Chrysostome fastens upon some proud Heretiques in his time Hom. 8. in Gen. will fit with such mens arrogant conditions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They pretend Piety and Moderation but if they were throughly sifted and their thoughts ript up we should finde a Lions heart under a Sheeps skinne That which they doe but pretend is our totall aime and that is Moderation a Vertue so admired by that Secretarie of a French King that being commanded by his Soveraigne to set downe in writing the best word that he ever met with in all his reading he writ in a sheet of paper the French word which is sutable with our English Moderation It is for want of this that men as Chrysostome speaks runne headlong into precipices of Schismes and Divisions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Gen. It is for want of this that to repaire an accident the substance is destroyed as when instead of paring a mans nailes one should cut off his head It is for want of this that a Calling found and built upon the Scriptures allowed of by all Councels and for 1500. yeers settled without gain-saying in all Reformed Churches should now be cryed downe as illegitimate and spurious and all for the defect of some Persons Let us then have no Generalls because some have beene found tardie in the execution of their Commissions Let us have no more Captaines because some have been faulty in the discharge of their duties No more Judges because some have perverted the Lawes by their false glosses I speake this with griefe Considering what a shame it will be to our Nation when it shall be reported in After-Ages that instead of taking off the mosse and scraping off the mould that adhered to the fabrick of our Churches admired government the whole building was destroyed and another set up greater in bulk and not consisting with Monarchy the liberty of the Subject such is a Presbyterie Which I could prove and which Idol I would court and labour to set up if I were an Aerian i.e. ambitious if I desired 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristoph in Nub. to ride upon the neckes of the Gentry and the shoulders of my Parishioners being thus mounted I should be shot at with envy and hatred which would be a meanes to hinder the passage of the Gospel and choke the seed of the Word which takes root in those hearts only that are garnished with love and liking to their Ministers Againe when I consider with sorrow and teares the sad distempers the many Schismes and Heresies under which the Church now labours with shame and scorne from its enemies I must needs submit to the judgement of a wise man who concludes of an impossibility to settle these disorders to suppresse the daring boldnesse of Anabaptists and other Schismatickes unlesse there be set over the Presbyters in every Province grave and wise Overseers i.e. Bishops to restraine by their authority grounded upon the Law such mens bold attempts who flye even at the Crowne and sow the seeds of errours in the mindes of poore Christians who swallow all doctrines if ushered with a seeming authority from the Scriptures And sorasmuch as every Sect will be busie in tempting others after it and so make a fatall rupture in the body and teare the Church in pieces by their multiplied divisions no better way is conceived to prevent these fearfull mischiefes and to re-establish Unity both in Doctrine and Worship in the Church then to invest one with power who not medling with temporall affaires shall with the advice and consent of a few grave Presbyters assisting him in his monethly Visitation strangle Schisme in the Cradle nip it in the bud and see that all inferiour Ministers discharge their functions both in Doctrine and Life The last of which as the Chancellor of Paris once said is the best Oratour to perswade Gerson and the best Comment upon the Word and therefore it is most necessary that every Minister be reformed himselfe if he means to instruct others in the way to heaven and happinesse Episcopacy moderated promises this reformation in the Church It was that whereby Crathilinth King of Scotland who succeeded Donald setled the Gospel of Christ in his Kingdome with the extirpation of idolatry which the Druides those idolatrous Priests had set up in those parts The godly Ministers by whose ayd and assistance the King did this were termed Colidei or Culdees Veteres Scotorum Episcopiâ—e Monasteriis electi cum ad huc non honor is lucri sed sanctitatis doctrinae certamen inter eos esset c. Buch. hist who as Buchanan himselfe asserts chose out of themselves eminent men in piety and knowledge to oversee the rest and to keepe them to the performance of their ministeriall offices with a discreet carriage of each one towards another in their severall Societies those Overseers Buchanan calls Episcopos Bishops not Superintendants In a word Episcopacy thus moderated will be by Gods blessing a meanes to reduce things and persons to that purity which God expects of us and which once acquired the Sword shall turne againe into the scabard our Wars will cease I know that middle counsels ever displeased both parties that were at ods and variance Hist c. 1. p. 437. a proofe hereof we have in Pope Pius rather
is cleare as appeares by that place of Tertull. de Cor. Mil. c. 3. Eucharistiae Sacramentum nec de aliorum manu quam Praesidentium sumimus The like we finde in S. Cyprian Ep. 62. By all which it is manifest that both orders had common Names in regard of the community of their office and charge As for the forme it selfe of this Church-consistory the mixt Government of Bishops and Presbyters it relates to a patterne in the Synagogue of the Jewes for it resembles their publike Court of Justice which they called the Sanedrin a great part whereof were Priests and Levites and had the hearing of all sorts of causes We have S. Ierome for our Advocate to confirme this resemblance between the Bishops and Presbyters and that high Court of the Jewes He in his Comment upon Titus speaking of Bishops conjoyned with Presbyters sayes thus Imitantur Moysen qui cum haberet in potestate sua praeesse populo Israeletico septunginta elegit cum quibus populum judicavit Vid. R. Moses in Halacoth Sanedrin c. 1. But when Moses was dead a President was chosen over and above the seventy whom they called the Nasi who from age to age supplyed Moses place and such as the Nasi was over the Seventy is a Bishop over the Presbyters i. e. chiefe both in Dignity and Office of which there are two parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rule the Church i. e. to keep those that be under him in obedience to good Lawes and to performe divine service to Pray and Preach and to administer the Sacraments SECT VI. NOw because there be some who draw this comparison into consequence labouring to prove that the Presbyteries ought to consist part of Elders of the people and part of Church Ministers as the Sanedrin was made up of Priests Levites and Laikes They must know that the Sanedrin consisted of the chiefe of the People as well as Priests and Levites because the chiefe causes of the Commonwealth as well as of Religion passed through their hands and were referred to their judgements The Church in all temporall matters is subject to the Lawes and authority of the Commonwealth But in those things which concerne the Soule can we imagine that our Lord did leave her to the charge of any but to those who are trusted with the Keyes of his House who are spirituall men set apart and appointed for the cure of soules But to prove that the Presbyteries then in use consisted of none but Ministers of the Church it will not be amisse first to cleare that Text in Timothie 1 Tim. 5.17 which they urge who labour to maintaine that Lay persons were in the Apostles times admitted into Presbyteries Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially those that labour in the Word and Doctrine These words carry at the first sound an appearance of two sorts of Elders the one of which they would have Preachers the other onely Rulers 1 Pet. 5.2 But we must answer this Objection first by an undeniable assertion taken out of St. Peters exhortation to his Presbyters and out of St. Pauls charge to the Presbyters of Ephesus Act. 20. Act. 20.28 Both their exhortations imply thus much That the Presbyters duty did consist in this to feed the Flocke of Christ and to oversee it We assert therefore that their office was both to govern and to teach both which are plainly intimated in those qualities which the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.2 5. ascribes as proper to Bishops i. e. as Mr. Th. acknowledges to Presbyters Both too are contained in that very passage which is alledged to evince the necessity of Lay-Elders for those Elders that rule well are such as labour in the Word and Doctrine Secondly to the objection we answer thus That in that place the Apostle intended only to difference the Presbyters by the execution of their functions and not to make any difference in the functions themselves Reade Mr. Mede his exposition upon that Text of 1 Tim. 5.17 Vid. Medes Diatr For the function and office was one and the same belonging to one and the same Ecclesiastique person his office was to rule and teach this latter was rightly accounted the most eminent point of that Function he that took speciall paines in this which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implyes and withall did rule well was worthy of double honour in the judgement of St. Paul and this in the judgement of the most learned Interpreters is conceived to be the meaning of the Text. Againe what if we should not deny Eph. 4.4 c. Rom. 12.6 1 Cor. 12.28 but confesse what is evident and cleare by many Texts that the Holy Ghost distributed in that infancy of the Church many personall gifts and speciall endowments on severall persons to be employed in the edification of particular Assemblies amongst which gifts this of ruling might be one which the Holy Ghost might bestow on some to assist the Presbyters in their government Although this be granted to have been in the time of the Apostles yet if any man should now presume to draw their example into imitation I would ask him this question What commission he or any man has to turne temporary indowments into perpetuall places I am sure he has none What might be expedient in the Apostles dayes may not be thought convenient in ours And if we should endeavour to doe now what then was done I feare the world would be turned upside downe and all things brought to confusion But to conclude this grand Controversie betweene England and Geneva Mr. Th. who comes not short of any in the skill of Antiquity assures us that we shall never finde in any ancient Author the least mention of Lay-Elders in the government of the Church in that manner as is practised by the Genevists The contrary he proves out of Tertullian Pag. 106.108 and out of the Commentaries under St. Ambrose his name upon Titus by which it is manifest that the Elders then in use were Doctores such as were employed in the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments SECT VII THis great doubt being I suppose cleared and it being sufficiently proved that Lay-Elders have no right to the ordering of Church affaires or medling with spirituall things which concerne the good and welfare of mens soules Mr. Th. proceeds to discover out of the most ancient Authors what were the bounds of the office of Bishop and Presbyter and in what cases the Bishop had the preeminence He tells us that the office of Divine Service i. e. of Teaching or Preaching and administring the Sacraments were wont to be reserved to the Bishop in honour of his place and eminency of it i. e. when he came into any Church the Presbyter ever gave way to him to preach This is witnessed by Just Martyr who relates in plaine termes that the Sermon used to be made and the
Mr. Th. is most observable and waighty He advises in the first place that with all circumspection and providence great care be used in ordering the choice of them His meaning is that if the people in the primitive Church had an interesse or share in giving consent to those who were to be ordained Presbyters much more must we think it very just and fit that the votes of the Presbyters and consent of the people should now precede and concur in the designing of such persons under whom and with whom they are to guide and be guided in spirituall affaires such persons are Bishops who should be men most holy in their life and most eminent for learning Most happy would this Nation be if all our Prelates were such and if that prescribed method were duly observed in the choice such would there alwayes or for the most part be who should fit at the Helme of this poore distracted Church now like to that Ship in which Peter was tossed and ready to sink for want of good Pilots SECT X. LAst of all because this Apostolicall government by Bishops and Presbyters is chiefly exercised in Ordination Penance a question may arise Whether it belongs to the Bishop alone without his Presbyters to censure the offences whether in doctrine or manners of those persons who have received holy orders Mr. Th. clearing first that place in 1 Tim. 5.19 20. answers the question Against an Elder receive not an accusation but under 2. or 3. witnesses c. That without all doubt it was the practice of the primitive times for the Bishop with his Presbyters to take the examination of offending Ministers whom being convicted of their offence by the mouth i. e. the asseveration of 2. or 3. witnesses he in the presence of his Presbyters did rebuke before all in the sight and hearing of the congregation that others thereby might be strucken with feare to offend God and his people by their scandalous conversation If this course had been taken formerly with Ministers and Deacons it might have so pleased God that the Church should not now have layen bleeding and gasping in this fatall ruine Neither would there have beene given to our enemies so just an occasion of relating sad truths in Gath and Askelon Thus following the method of that most learned Gentleman I have cast his larger Modell into a lesser frame that the cmmon people may hereby be better instructed and advised not to thinke of destroying Bishops but rather labour and wish for the restoring of their Presbyteries which forme of government being set downe and delivered in the holy Scriptures is commended and countenanced by the agreement of historicall Truth and primitive practice as of the Apostles and other succeeding ages And seeing that the Bishops succeeded the Apostles in place and function I cannot but wonder that those should endeavour to destroy them those who are Sons of the Apostles Faith and Doctrine S. Hierom of all Church Writers least favorable to the Order of Bishops is neverthelesse most large in acknowledging that without it the peace of particular Churches could not be preserved In witnesse whereof we may appeale to those many and happy dayes which our Church since the Reformation by means of it hath enjoyed without such ruptures and factions which have happened in a neighbouring Church whose people were alwayes observed to be of all others most daring in matters of Religion to innovate opinions and break the bonds of peace by which the good and welfare of Church and State is promoted To re-establish which blessed peace after which we groane in our prayers with panting desires it could be wished that wee might see the Heads of our Church the Bishops stand as Mr. Th. expresses it well in their right places being set over Bodies or Colledges of Presbyteries which should consist of men conforme to the Church both in Doctrine and Discipline To the want of which government although some have attributed those many inconvenciences wherewith the Church is cumbred yet most of the Clergy-men that are versed in the affaires of the Church wishing its prosperity and peace doe acknowledge and confesse with a protestation against it That there is one in conveniency now setled in the Church which has done much mischiefe and cannot be redressed without a publique Act of Parliament It is the committing of Jurisdiction at large even that which by the power of the Keyes received from Christ is proper and essentiall to the Church to Lay persons as Chancellors and Commissaries c. who may still retaine that office and ranke they hold in regard of those other points of Jurisdiction in charitable causes annexed by the favour of Princes and Lawes of Commonwealths to the Church As the probat of Wils c. which is fittest to judge and determine in such cases yet may be nonplust sometimes for want of knowledge in the Civill Law and therefore may and must have need of such assistants who if they moved onely in the lower Sphere of the Law and medled not with that Primum mobile the great wheele of the Church the discipline of penance but did leave the execution of this to the Bishop and Presbyters If this were once amended and officers duly censured by the B ps their Presbyters openly in the Church or in any publike place of Justice And besides the exercise of this discipline if they enjoined their joint pains parts in the tryall examination of persons who come for Ordination providing that none be ordained but those who are either Assistants of and are presented to Cures according to our Lawes if this were faithfully done and Ministers without connivence censured who should offend either in life or doctrine then should we see Righteousnesse run downe like a streame in our streets and Peace would flourish within our wals and Plenty in our palaces This is my daily prayer and it is the desire of all good Christians Da pacem Domine in diebus nostris Give peace in our time O Lord. O pray for the peace of Jerusalem FINIS Kinde Reader The Authors of this Book being by multiplicity of imployments detained from meeting together to revise the whole before the impression was finished the Errata swell to a greater number then may stand with the credit of the Book but if thou pleasest before the reading of it with thy pen to correct these ensuing we hope it will tend the more to thy satisfaction PAge 1. line 5. 1 Joh. 5.22 read Joh. 5.22 p. 5. l. 26. blot out is p. 6. l. 22. in some Copies comparing r. conforming p. 52. l. 19. three r. two and l. 20. blot out these words 3. It is an exercised power p. 73. l. 6. in margin potentissima r. potissima p. 75. l. 7. serve r. swear p. 82. l. 3. conventies r. conventions and l. 34. essentiall r. severall p. 84. l. 14. subject r. directly and properly subordinate p. 85. l. 33. essentiall r. severall p. 87. l 4. seeing r. preaching p. 95. l. 36 37. blot out those words God hath not given us the spirit of feare but of power Tit. 1.7 p. 96. l. 25. 1 Cor. 19. r. 1 Cor. 14. p. 103. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 111. l. 1. to 5. blot out the sentence from supposing to the period and l. 10. perfect r. profest p. 111. l. 7. because in no. r. but a. p. 115. l. 5. blot out joyntly p. 118. l. 3. blot out these words 3. He that sheweth mercy i. e. such as were to entertain strangers relieve the sick c. ver 8. p. 121. l. 10. blot out yet p. 123. l. 34. blot out well p. 169. l. 11. 1 Cor. 4.21 r. 1 Cor. 4.20 p. 172. l. 17. blot out of the Church p. 195. l. 5. a multitude r. multitudes p. 214. l. 28. blot out greater and l. 29. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Other literall faults will be pardoned of course