among them that unchurch our Churches and degrade our Ministers and perswade all people to fly from them as a plague and try their doctrine their spirits their publick worship their private devotion and their whole conversation and when thou hast done come into our Assemblieâ— and spare not if thou be impartial to observe our imperfections judge of our Order and Discipline and Worship together with our Doctrine and our lives and when thou hast done unâ—church us if thou darest and if thou canst We justifie not our selves or our wayes from blemishes but if thou be but heartily a friend to the Bridegroom offer us then if thou darest a bill of divorce or rob him if thou darest of so considerable a portion of his inheritance Surely if thou be his friend thou canst hardly find in thy heart to deliver up so much of his Kingdom to his Enemy and to set the name of the Devil on his doors and say This is the house of Satan and not of Christ. If thou have received but what I have done though alas too little in those Societies and tasted in those Ordinances but that which I have tasted thou wouldst abhor to reproach them and cut them off from the portion of the Lord. Remember it is not Episcopacy nor the old conformity that I am here opposing My judgement of those Causes I have given in the foregoing and following disputation But it is only the New Prelatical Recusants or Separatists that draw their followers from our Churches as no Churches and our Ordinances of Worship as none or worse then none and call them into private houses as the meetest places for their acceptable worship Who would have thought that ever that generation should have come to this that so lately hated the name of separation and called those private meetings Conventicles which were held but in due subordâ—nation to Church meetings and not in opposition to them as theirs are Who would have thought that those that seemed to disown Recusancy and persecuted Separatists should have come to this Yea that those that under Catholick pretences can so far extend their charity to the Papists have yet so little for none of the meanest of their Brethren and for so many Reformed Protestant Churches Yea that they should presume even to censure ut out of the Catholick Church and consequently out of heaven it self I have after here given thee an instance in one Dr. Hide who brandeth the very front of his Book with these Schismatical uncharitable stâ—gmata The sensless Queres of one Dr. Swadling and others run in the same channel or sink If these men be Christians indeed me thinks they should understand that as great that I say not greater blemishes may be found on all the rest of the Churches as those for which the Reformed are by them unchurched and consequently they will deliver up All to Satan and Christ must be deposed And how much doth this come short of Infidelity At least me thinks their hearts should tremble least they hear at last In not loving theâ—e you loved not me in despising and reproaching these you despised and reproached me And yet these men are the greatest pretenders next the Romanists to Catholicisme Vnity and Peace Strange Catholicks that cut off so great and excellent a part of the Catholick Church And a sad kind of Vnity and Peace which all must be banished from that cannot unite in their Prelacy though the Episcopacy which I plead for in the next Disputation they can own The summ of their offer is that if all the Ministers not Ordained by Prelates will confess themselves to be meer Lay-men and no Ministers of Christ and will be Ordained again by them and if the Churches will confess themselves No Churches and receive the essence of Churches from them and the Sacrament and Churh Assemblies to be Null invalid or unlawfull till managed only by Prelatical Ministerâ— then they will have Peace and Communion with us and not till then And indeed must we buy your Communion so deer As the Anabaptists do by us in the point of Baptism so do these Recusants in the point of Ordination You must be Baptized saith one party for your Infant Baptism wat none You must be Ordained saith the other sort for your Ordination by Presbyters was none The upshot is We must be all of their Opinions and parties before we can have their Communion or to be reputed by them the Ministers and Churches of Christ. And on such kind of terms as these we may have Vnity with any Sect. If really we be not as hearty friends to Order and Discipline in the Church as they we shall give them leave to take it for our shame and glory in it as their honour But the question is not whether we must have Church-Order but whether it must be theirs and none but theirs Nor whether we must have Discipline but whether it must be only theirs Nay with me I must profess the question is on the other side whether we must needs have a Name and shew of Discipline that 's next to none or else be no Churches or no Ministers of Christ The main reason that turneth my heart against the English Prelacy is because it did destroy Church Discipline and almost destroy the Church for want of it or by the abuse of it and because it is as then exercised inconsistent with true Discipline The question is not whether we must have Bishops and Episcopal Ordination We all yield to that without contradiction But the doubt is about their Species of Episcopacy Whether we must needs have Ordination by a Bishop that is the sole Governour over an hundred or two hundred or very many particular Churches or whether the Bishops of single Churches may not suffice at least as to the Being of our office I plead not my own cause but the Churches For I was ordained long ago by a Bâ—shop of their own with Presbyters But I do not therefore take my self to be disengaged from Christianity or Catholâ—cism and bound to lay by the Love which I owe to all Christs members or to deny the Communion of the Churches which is both my Duty and I am sure an unvaluable Mercy And I must say that I have seen more of the Ancient Discipline exercised of late without a Prelate in some Parish Church in England than ever I saw or heard of exercised by the Bishops in a thousand such Churches all my dayes And it is not Names that are Essential to the Church nor that will satisfie our expectations We are for Bishops in every Church And for Order sake we would have one to be the chief We dislike those that disobey them in lawful things as well as you But let them have a flock that is capable of their personal Government and then we shall be ready to rebuke all those that separate from them when we can say as Cyprian Epist. 69. ad Pupian Omnis Ecclesiae populus
Sect. 9. 2. A Minister is an officer of Christ and therefore receiveth his Authority from him and can have none but what he thus recieves And therefore 1. He hath no Soveraignty or Lordship over the Church for that is the perogative of Christ. 2. He hath no degree of underived Power and therefore must prove his Power and produce his Commission before he can expect the Church to acknowledge it 3. He hath no Power to work against Christ or to destroy the souls of men or to do evil Though he hath a Power by which occasionally he may be advantaged to evil yet hath he no Authority to do it For Christ giveth no man power to sin nor to do any thing against himself 4. He deriveth not his authority from man though by man as an instrument or occasion he may The People give him not his Power The Magistrate gives it not The Ordainers Bishops or Presbyters give it not any further then as I shall shew anon by signifying the will of Christ that indeed giveth it and by investing men in it by solemn delivery The Choosers may nominate the person that shall receive it and the Magistrate may encourage him to accept it and the Ordainers may Approve him and Invest him in it but it is Christ only that gives the Power as from himself As in Marriage the persons consent and the Magistrate alloweth it as Valid at his bar and the Minister blesseth them and declareth Gods consent But yet the Power that the Husband hath over the wife is only from God as the conferring cause and all that the rest do is but to prepare and dispose the person to Receive it save only that consequently the consent of God is declared by the Minister Of which more anon when we speak of Ordination Sect. 10. 3. A Minister is a man separated or set a part to the work of the Gospel For he is to make a calling of it and not to do it on the by Common men may do somewhat that Ministers do even in preaching the Gospel but they are not separated or set apart to it and so entrusted with it nor make a Calling or Course of employment of it Ministers therefore are Holy persons in an eminent sort because they have a two-fold Sanctification 1. They are as all other Christians sanctified to God by Christ through the spirit which so devoteth them to him and brings them so neer him and calls them to such holy honourable service that the whole Church is called a Royall Priesthood a Holy Nation c. to offer spiritual sacrifice to God And Christ hath made them Kings and Priests to God But 2. They are moreover devoted and sanctified to God not only by this separation from the world but by a separation from the rest of the Church to stand neerer to God and be employed in his most eminent service I mention not mans Ordination in the Definition because it is not essential to the Ministry nor of Absolute Necessity to its being of which anon But that they be set apart by the will of Christ and sanctified to him is of Necessity Sect 11. 4. These Ministers have a double subject to work upon or object about which their Ministry is Employed The first is The world as that matter out of which a Church is to be raised The second is Believers called out of the world These Believers are Either Only Converted and not invested in a Church state or such as are both Converted and Invested These later are either such as are not yet gathered into a particular Church or such as are For all these are the objects of our office Sect. 12. 5. Accordingly the first part of the Ministerial office is to Preach the Gospel to unbelievers and ungodly ones for their Conversion This therefore is not as some have imagined a common work any more then preaching to the Church Occasionally ex Charitate only another man may do it But ex Officio as a work that we are separated and set a part to and entrusted with so only Ministers may do it No man hath the Power of Office but he that hath the Duty or Obligation to make it the trade or business of his life to preach the Gospel though bodily matters may come in on the by Sect. 13. 6. Hence it appears that a man is in order of Nature a Preacher of the Gospel in General before he be the Pastor of a particular flock though in time they often go together that is when a man is ordained to such a particular flock Sect. 14. 7. And hence it follows that a man may be ordained sine Titulo or without a particular charge where the Converting preparatory work is first to be done Sect. 15. 8. And hence it appeareth that a Minister is first in order related to the unbelieving world as the object of his first work before he be related to the Church existent either Catholick or particular And that he is under Christ first a Spiritual Father to beget children unto God from the unbelieving world and then a Governour of them If others have already converted them to our hands and saved us that part of our work yet that overthroweth not the order of the parts and works of our office though it hinder the execution of the first part it being done to our hands by others in that office Sect. 16. 9. The second part of the Ministers work is about Believers meerly converted together with their Children whom they yet have power to Dedicate to God And that is to Invest them in the Rights of a Christian by Baptism in solemn Covenanting with God the Father Son and Holy Spirit And these are the next Material objects of our Office Many of the Ancients Tertullian by name and the Council of Eliberis thought that in case of Necessity a Lay-man though not a Woman may Baptize If that be granted yet must not men therefore pretend a Necessity where there is none But I am satisfied 1. That Baptism by a a private man is not eo nomine a Nullity nor to be done again 2. And yet that it is not only a part of the Ministers work to Baptize and approve them that are to be Baptized ex officio but that it is one of the greatest and highest actions of his office Even an eminent exercise of the Keyes of the Kingdom letting men into the Church of Christ it being a principal part of their Trust and power to judge who is meet to be admitted to the Priviledges and fellowship of the Saints Sect. 17. 10. The third part of the Ministers work is about the Baptized that are only entred into the universal Church for many such there are or else the unbaptized that are Discipled where the former work and this are done at once And that is to congregate the Disciples into particular Churches for Holy Communion in Gods Worship c. They must do part of this
But 2. If such an Office can be proved I despair of seeing it proved from Scripture that they have authority to Ordain 3. And how can they have Authority when most of them have not Ability And I think it is supposed that they have not Ability to Preach in them that deny them Authority and if they want Ability to Preach it s two to one but they want Ability to Try and Approve of Preachers 4. And how come they to have Power to Ordain others that are not Ordained themselves but are admitted upon bare Election 5. And this course would prostitute the Churches to unworthy men as aforesaid Sect. 45. And 4. It is not a contemptible Consideration that the chief Pastor of every particular Church hath ever since the second Century at least been Ordained by the Pastors of other Churches And how it was before we have but very defective Evidence except so much as is left us in the Holy Scriptures of which we have spoke before Sect 46. And 5. The Church of Christ is a Chain of many links a Society united in Christ the Head consisting as a Republike of many Corporations or as an Acâ—demy of many Colledges and a greater Union and Communion is requisite among them then among the parts of any other Society in the world And therefore seeing it is the duty of Neighbour Pastors and Churches according to their Capacity to hold Communion with that particular Church and its Pastors it seems reasonable that they have some antecedent Cognisance and Approbation of the persons that they are to hold Communion with Sect. 47. And 6. It is considerable also that whoever is according to Christs institution Ordained a Minister of a particular Church is withall if not before Ordained a Minister simply that is one that may as a separated Messenger of Christ both preach for the Conversion of those without and gather Churches where there are none and pro tempore do the Office of a Minister to any part of the Catholike Church where he cometh and hath a Call And therefore as he is simply a Minister and the Unconverted world or the Universal Church are the Objects of his Ministry the Pastors or Members of that particular Church where he is settled have no more to do in Ordaining him then any other As a Corporation may choose their own Physitian Schoolmaster c. but cannot do any more then other men in Licensing a man to be in general a Physitian Schoolmaster c. So may a Church choose who shall be their Teacher but not who shall be simply a Teacher or Minister of Christ any more then an other Church may do that 's further from him Sect. 48. And 7. It is also considerable that it is the safest and most satisfactory way to the Church and to the Minister himself to have the Approbation of many And it may leave more scruple concerning our Call when one or two or a particular Church only do Approve us Sect. 49. And 8. It is granted in their writings by those that are for Ordination by a particular Church only that the Concurrence of more is Lawful and if Lawful I leave it to Consideration whether all the forementioned accidents make it not so far convenient as to be ordinarily a plain duty and to be preferred where it may be had Sect. 50. Yet do I not plead for Ordination by Neighbour Pastoâ—â— as from a Governing Authority over that particular Church but as from an interest in the Church Universal and all its Officers within their reach and from an interest of Communion with Neighbour Churches Sect. 51. And it is observable in Scripture that the Itinerant Ministers that were fixed and appropriated to no particular Church for continuance such as the Apostles and Evangelists were and Titus Timothy and such others had a Principal hand in the work of Ordination whereever they came It was they that Ordained Elders in every City in every Church Sect. 52. Prop. 3. If any shall cull out two or three or more of the weakest injudicious facile Ministers and procure them to Ordain him his course is irregular and his call unsatisfactory though the formal part be obtained to the full For it is not for meer formality but to satsfie the person called and the Church and to secure the Ministry and sacred works and souls of men from injury by Usurpers that God hath appointed the way of Ordination And therefore it is fraud and not obedience for any man so to use it as to cheat himsef and the Church with a formality and frustrate the Ordinance and miss its ends Sect. 53. Prop. 4. If any man avoiding the Orthodox and Unanimous Ministry shall apply himself for Ordination to some divided schismatical or heretical persons that will Approve him and Ordain him when the others would reject him this also as the former is fraud and self-deceit and not obedience upon the last mentioned grounds It is the basest treacherous kind of sinning to turn Gods Ordinances against himself and to sin under the shelter and pretence of an institution By using the means in opposition to its end they make it no means and use it not as a means at all Though Pastors must Ordain yet is it not all kind of Pastors Ordination that should satisfie an honest meaning man but that which hath the qualifications suited to the Rule and end Sect. 54. In such cases of unjust entrance if the People sinfully comply and the man have possession it may be the duty of some particular persons that cannot help it having done their own parts in disowning it to submit and not therefore to separate from the Church except in desperate extraordinary cases not now to be enumerated And all the administrations of such a man shall be not only Valid to the innocent but without any scruple of conscience may be used and received with expectation of a promised blessing Sect. 55. But yet quoad debitum it is the Churches duty except in Cases of Necessity to disown such intruders and to suspect and suspend obedience to those that indirectly enter by a few ignorant or schismatical Ordainers refusing the tryal of the unanimous abler Orthodox Ministry till they have either perswaded the man to procure their Approbation or have themselves sought the Judgement of the said United Ministers concerning him And seeing all the Churches of Christ should be linkt and jointed together and hold communion and correspondency according to their capacities the Members of a particular Church are bound in reason and to those ends to advise in such suspicious cases with neighbour Churches and not to receive a Pastor that comes in by way of Discord or that neglecteth or refuseth the concordant way For he that entreth in a divisive way is like to govern them accordingly and still to shun the Communion of the Brethren Sect. 56. This Cyprian fully shews in the fore-mentioned Ep. 68. p 201. perswading the people to shun the
but to use it But when it s our own words that we compose our own imposed forms in the people are left more uncertain of the soundness For the maker is the Interpreter Object But the Church hath antient venerable foâ—ms already and who may presume to alter them Answ. 1. Hath it any that are more Ancient or more venerable then the Scripture undoubtedly it hath not nor any but must stoop to Scripture 2. All that is in the words of Scripture we are contented be continued at least 3. If it were lawful for the first devisers or compilers of these Forms to make a new Liturgy when the Church had so many before then is it lawful for others to do the like And if the compilers of the first of those Liturgies might make a new one in their own words why may not others make a new one in the Scripture words that will be new only as to the connexion of Sentences 4. The Church of Rome that is most for their forms have yet so often innovated that they have no reason to condemn it in others Prop. 8. THough it be safest and most venerable in Scripture words yet is not this of so great necessity but that we may lawfully use a Liturgy that is not thus taken out of Scripture As long as the matter is agreeable to Scripture it is more for Conveniency then necessity that the words be thence as is easily proved 1. In our Preaching we judge it lawfull to speak words that are not in the Scripture therefore by parity of reason we may do so in Prayer 2. In our extemporaâ—â— Prayers we judge it lawfull to use our own words that are 〈…〉 out of Scripture therefore we 〈…〉 〈…〉 strange to Scripture language that 〈…〉 Phrases may be more edifying to 〈…〉 4. Words are but to express our minds If therefore our words are congruous expressions of sound and well ordered conceptions they are not only lawful but convenient And therefore it is not warrantable for any man to quarrel with expressions because they are not Scriptural nor to scruple the use of Liturgies because the forms are not in the words of Scripture Prop. 9. THE matter of a common Liturgy in which we expect any general Concord should not be any doubtfull or unnecessary things 1. It should impose no doubtfull or unnecessary ceremonies of which I shall speak by it self in the next Disputation 2. It should not restrain men needlesly in things indifferent by determining of mutable circumstances as time place gesture vestures words c. Of which also in the next 3. It should not make those things to be of general indispensable immutable necessity that are but sometimes necessary or meet but Pastors should have their Liberty to vary them as there is occasion 4. Much less should any thing Materially dubious and uncertain be put in For God will be worshipped in knowledge and faith And as is said before the Church will be divided and the Consciences of men ensnared by laying so much on unnecessary things And therefore though such imposers pretend to a perfecter Unity and Concord then in a few Generals or Necessaries can be had yet they will find they miss their mark Prop. 10. HVmane Forms of publick prayer or other worship excepting the fore-excepted Necessary cases as Psalms c. should not be constantly used by Ministers that have their liberty and are able to pray without them Nor should any be ordinarily admitted into the Ministry except in the great necessities of the Church that are not able to pray without such forms In this Proposition are these considerable points implyed and expressed 1. That it is not unfit to have forms by the common Agreement of the Pastors to be used when its meet as is before and after expressed There are few Nations in the world so well provided for with able Ministers but that some places must be supplied with men that have need of forms of Prayer if not of Preaching composed by others And therefore it is fittest that such should have Forms that are Agreed on by all And therefore I doubt not but when we came newly out of Popery and had not a full supply of preachers it was a wise and lawfull course to compose a common form of Prayer For 1. It will be the surest way to keep out unsoundness and abusive passages when nothing is allowed as a publick form but what hath obtained the common consent 2. It will be the way of fullest concord when forms are necessary there is more of Concord in it to have one â—that is approved sound then to have as many as men please 3 The Churches may the better know whom to hold communion with in Prayer though the Pastors may be unable to pray without forms when they know the substance of their Prayers 4. The Magistrate may the better do his duty and be responsible for the service that is offered to God even by the weakest Pastors and see that Gods name be not abused It is therefore desirable that a Common Liturgy be extant 2. And for the use of it let these Rules contained in the Proposition be observed 1. â—et no man be ordained a Minister that is not able to Pray without a Form in such a manner as is not dishonourable to the worship of God unless the Necessity of the Churches shall require it All friends of the Church will agree to this that the Church have the ablest Pastors that can be got 2. But because it is not to be hoped for that all the Churches can be thus supplied at least in haste if the Orâ—â—iners or Approvers shall appoint any to the work in Wales or other necessitous places that are not able competently to administer Sacraments c. without a Form of Prayer let them tye such to use the Form Agreed on 3. If they approve only of such as are able to do it without a form but yet so weakly some of them as is less to the Churches Edification then the form would be let such be advised sometimes to use the Form and sometime to forbear it till they are more able 4. And that it may be no dishonour to the publick Form that it is used only by the weak let the Ablest Ministers sometime use it but with these cautions 1. Let them not be compelled to it against their judgements but perswaded 2. Let not the ablest use it so frequently as the weak unless their own judgement require it Let the weaker use it ofter and the Abler more seldom 5. Let neither of them that can competently worship God without it use it Constantly but sometime use it and sometime forbear it And this is the main point that I intend in this Proposition and therefore shall now briefly give my Reasons for Reas. 1. The constant use of forms and so of Ceremonies and any Indifferent things doth potently tend to perswade the people that they are matters of Necessity and
circumstance so severely as with an excommunication or a denying them the communion of the Church in the Lords supper In such a case my first duty is to tell the Magistrate that such a Law is sinfully cruel and destructive to the Churches peace If that will not prevail with him to repeal or suspend such an unrighteous law my next duty is yet to perswade the people to obey him for we suppose the gesture or ceremony commanded now to be lawfull But if I can neither prevail with the Magistrate to forbear his imposition nor with the people to obey him my next duty is to forbear the execution of his unrighteous penalty I dare not be his executioner in excluding all Christs servants from his house or holy Communion that dare not do every circumstantial action that is imposed on them For the penalty is flat contrary to the Commands of Christ. Yet would I not resist the Magistrate but lay down my office if the Churches necessity did not forbid me to lay it down but if it did I would do my office and suffer what the Magistrate should inflict upon me § 6. And indeed I might else be obliged by a Magistrate to excommunicate or deny Communion to all Christians within my reach For all Christians are imperfect and there is not one but is liable to error in a greater matter then a gesture or circumstance such as we have now before us no nor one but doth actually err in as great a matter and therefore one as well as another on this account may be cast out But Christ would not have this dealing in his Church § 7. How tender are his own expressions his practise and his laws towards those that are infirm He came to preach the Gospel to the poor and heal the broken-hearted and lay upon them an easier yoak and lighter burden He will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking flâ—x he carryeth the Lambs in his arms and gently driveth those with young The little ones that believe in him must not be offended It were better for him 〈◊〉 offendeth one of them by injurious persecution that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were cast into the sea Him that is weak even in in the Faith we must receive and therefore must not cast him out that doubteth of a ceremony And they that are strong must bear with the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves but every one to please his neighbour for his good to edification No man should put a stumbling block or occasion to fall in his brothers way If we grieve our brother by our meats or other indifferent things we walk uncharitably we must not for such things destroy them that are the work of God and for whom Christ died It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine or any thing whereby he stumbleth or is offended or is made weak He that doubteth is condemned if he eat because he eateth not of faith And we must not be too forward in damning men for a morsel of bread or a garment or a gesture § 8. Moreover the Ministry hath a certain end to which all our administrations are Means even the saving of our flock and the Pleasing of God thereby And if Magistrates will commands us to order but a lawful Circumstance so as shall not only cross but destroy these ends we must as soon leave our Mâ—nstry as obey him Our Power is given us to Edification and not to Destruction Not only those things that of themselves destroy but those that are like to be the occasions of such an event through the infirmity of the people must be by us avoided To command us a way of Mâ—nistration that shall though but accidentally damn men and that unnecessarily is to destroy our office by destroying the end which is mens salvation If men will destroy themselves by the only means of salvation Christ and the Gospel this will not excuse us from preaching that Gospel but if men will destroy themselves by a Ceremony or unnecessary circumstance I will take it out of their way if I can It is a Lawfull thing for all sick people in England to eat of one paâ—ticular dish of meat as well as on others But if the Law-givers command that all Physicians shall give no man Physick that will not be tyed only to such or such a dish I would not be a Physician if I must obey that command what if my Patient have a weak stomack and cannot eat of that dish or be peevish and will not must I therefore be guilty of his death by denying him my necessary help because the Magistrate forbiddeth me He may as well forbid us all to visit the sick or relieve the poor or cloath the naked if he can but find the least infirmity that they are guilty of And I think that Christ will not take it for an excuse in judgement if any man say Lord I would have relieved them cloathed them healed them but that the Magistrate forbad me and I thought it the part of a seditious rebell not to obey my governors Yet I should much less desire to be in that Ministers case whose labours are necessary to the Church that had no better an excuse for his denying to preach the Gospel or to admit the servants of Christ to holy Communion then that the Magistrate forbade him Our Ministration is a work of Charity to be exercised upon voluntary receivers And if a Magistrate have power to forbid us to preach or grant the Sacraments and Communion of the Church to any that wear not black or blew or white or red or that kneel not at the Sacrament or such like then may he as well or much better forbid us to give alms to any that wear not a horn on their backs and an iron ring about their arms as Bedlamâ— do No Magistrate can dispence with Charity especially in so great a case as mens salvation no more then the Pope can dispence with Oaths and Covenants § 9. We have therefore the use of our Reason left us to weigh the tendency of a Magistrates commands even where the act commanded is in it self indifferent For the Magistrates Power and the Ministers are from one Fountain and are but Means to one and the same end And neither of them hath any power to destroy that end And therefore if by accident through the weakness of my flock the observation of a trivial circumstance would undo them I would not use it no not in obedience to the Magistrate but would resolve with Paul never to eat flesh while I live rather then to offend or destroy my brother But if I find by the weighing of all accidents that my obedience will do no such hurt to the Church and Souls of men but as much good as my not obeying then in such indifferent cases I would readily obey But otherwise I would appeal to God and bear
5.1 2 3. The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind neither as being Lords over Gods Heritage but as ensamples to the flock See Dr. Hammond expounding it as spoken to Bishops q. d. The Bishops of your several Churches I exhort take care of your several Churches and govern them not as secular Rulers by force NB but as Pastors do their sheep by calling and going before them that so they may follow of their own accord Heb. 13.7 Remember them that have the Rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God Dr. Hammond Paraphr Set before your eyes the Bishops and Governors that have been in your Church and preached the Gospel to you O all you Inhabitants of Yorkshire Lincolnshire Norfolk Suffolk Essex Middlesex Kent Worcestershire c. how many of your Parishes did ever hear a Bishop preach the Gospel to them Vers. 17. Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account D. H. Obey those that are set to Rule you in your several Churches the Bishops whose whole care is spent among you as being to give account of your proficiency in the Gospel O dreadful account for him that must give it for so many thousands whose faces he never saw and whose names he never heard much less did ever speak a word to them 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine see Dr. H. expounding it of Bishops 1 Thes. 5.12 And we beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake Dr. H. Pay all due respects to the Bishops of your several Churches Tell us ye Parishes of England what labours have Bishops bestowed among you or how many of you have they admonished and which of them are you hence obliged to honour for their works sake and is it them or is it the Presbyters I mention none of this as blaming Bishops for negligence but as blaming them that will plead for and undertake an impossible task and after all with an hardened forehead will defend it with violence and separation from dissenters when so many ages have told the world to their faces that the undertaken task was never done 3. It is the work of Bishops to confirm the Baptized and is now made peculiar to them D. H. on Heb. 13. a. To teach exhort confirm and impose hands were all the Bishops office in that place And if so then the examining all the persons in a Diocess till they have just satisfaction that they are fit to be confirmed and the actuall Confirmation of them all will be a considerable task of it self 4. It is the Bishops work to exercise Discipline in the Church by admonishing the unruly and disorderly and hearing the case when the Church is told of those that have continued impenitent and openly to rebuke them and to cast them out by Excommunication if they remain impenitent and unreformed Dr. H. on Tit. 3.10 It is thy office and duty toward such an one first to admonish him once or twice and if that will not work upon him or reduce him then to set a mark upon him to inflict the censures on him and to appoint all men to break off familiar converse with him And O what abundance of work is this in the several parts even in one Parish much more in a Diocess see Dr. H. on Mat. 18.17 18. 5. It is the Bishops work to take the principal care of the poor and their stock or the contributions for them which contributions were made at every Assembly See Dr. H. on 1 Cor. 12.28 e. The supream trust and charge was reserved to the Apostles and Bishops of the Church So in the 41. Canon of the Apostles A Bishop must have the care of the monies so that by his Power all be dispensed to the poor by the Presbyters and Deacons and we command that he have in his Power the goods of the Church So Iustin Martyr Apol. 2. That which is gathered is deposited with the Prefect or Bishop and he helps relieves the Orphans and Widdows and becomes the Curator or Guardian to all absolutely NB that are in want So Ignatius to Polycarp After the Lord thou shalt be the Curator of the Widdows And Polycarp himself speaking of the Elders or Bishops They visit and take care of all that are sick not neglecting the Widdow the Orphan or the poor So Dr. H. read him further Remember this all you that are for our English Prelacy See that the Bishop be at once in every Parish in his Diocess to receive the contributions Or see that you put all into his hands and custody see that he take care of all the poor and widdows and orphans in all your Country and that all their monies be disbursed by him or his special appointment and be the common Overseer of the poor for his Diocess And when you and he have tryed this one seven years come then and tell us whether he will be any longer a Prelate or you will any longer be for Prelacy In the mean time judge in your Consciences by these passages of Antiquity cited by D. H. whether the antient Bishops had one Congregation or many score or hundred to be their Pastoral charge 6. Also it is a part of the Bishops work to visit the sick and pray with them and for them Iam. 5.14 Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him see Dr. H. that by Elders is meant the Bishops e. Because there is no Evidence whereby these inferiour Presbyters may appear to have been brought into the Churâ—h so early and because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural doth no way conclude that there were more of these Elders then one in each particular Church any more then that the sick man was bound to call for more then one and because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders of the Church was both in the Scripture stile and in the first writers the title of Bishops and lastly because the visiting of the sick is anciently mentioned as one branch of the Office of Bishops therefore it may very reasonably be resolved that the Bishops of the Church one in each particular Church but many in the Universal are here meant so far Dr. H. Remember all you that are all for Prelacy to send for the Bishop when you are sick every person in the Diocess according to this express command And if he would do his work by a Deputy remember that in all that Diocess which was the Bishops charge in the Scripture-times
4. So great is the difference between men and men times and times that forms may be a duty to some men and at some times and a sin to other men and at other times p. 368. Prop. 5. The Ministers and Churches that earnestly desire it should not by the Magistrate be absolutely and generally prohibited the use of a convenient stinted Liturgy p. 372. Prop. 6. To prescribe a form of prayer preaching or other service where is no necessity of it and to lay a Necessity on it as to the thing it self or the Churches peace c. and to punish silence suspend excommunicate or reproach as Schismaticks the able godly peaceable Ministers or People that justly or unjustly dare not use it is so great a sin that no godly Ministers should desire or attempt it nor any godly Magistrate suffer it p. 373. Prop. 7. The safest way of composing a stinted Liturgy is to take it all or as much as may be for words as well as matter out of the holy Scripture p. 378. Prop. 8. Yet is it lawful to use a Liturgy that is not so taken out of Scripture as to words p. 380. Prop. 9. The matter of a Liturgy in which the Concord of many is expected must not be doubtful or unnecessary things ibid. Prop. 10. Humane forms of publick prayer or other worship excepting the fore-excepted necessary cases as Psalms c. should not be constantly used by Ministers that have liberty and are able to pray without them Nor should any ordinarily be admitted into the Ministry except in great Necessities of the Church that are not able to pray without such forms p. 381. Objections on both sides p. 386. The summ of this Dispute p. 392. DISPUTATION 5. Qu. WHether humane Ceremonies be Necessary or Profitable to the Church p. 395. Chap. 1. Distinctions and Propositions in order to the decision ibid. Chap. 2. Ceremonies forbidden or which man hath not power to institute are not to be imposed as profitable or lawful p. 399. which those be Instances of all our commonly controverted Ceremonies considered p. 409. Chap. 3. In such unlawful impositions it is an aggravation of the sin if Ceremonies are pretended to be Divine p. 425. Chap. 4. If things unlawful are commanded as indifferent or things indifferent as necessary they are sinfully imposed and the more because of such pretenses p. 427. Chap. 5. A lawful and convenient thing is sinfully imposed when it is imposed on a greater penalty then the nature and use of it doth require or then the common good will bear p. 429. Chap. 6. It is not lawful to make any thing the subjects duty by a Command that is meerly indifferent antecedently both in it self and as cloathed with its accidents p 433. Chap. 7. Some things may be lawfully and profitably commanded at one Time and Place and to one sort of People that may not at or to another no nor be obeyed if commanded p. 439. Chap 8. Those orders may be profitable for the peace of the Churches in one Nation that are not necessary to the peace of the Churches of many Nations p. 445. Chap. 9. There is no meer Humane Vniversal Soveraign Civil or Ecclestastical over the whole Church and therefore none to make Laws obligatory to the whole p. 448. Chap. 10. If it be not our Lawful Governors that command us but usurpers we are not formally bound to obey them though the things be lawful which they command p. 452. Chap. 11. The Commands of lawful Governors about lawful Ceremonies must be understood and obeyed with such exceptions as do secure the End and not to the subverting of it p. 458. Chap. 12. It may be very sinful to command some Ceremonies when yet it may be the subjects duty to use them when they are commanded p. 460. Chap. 13. The Constant use of things indifferent should not be commanded ordinarily see the exceptions but they should be sometimes used sometimes not p. 464. Chap. 14. Thirty Reasons against the imposing of our late Controverted Mystical Ceremonies as Crossing Surplice c. p. 467. Chap. 15. Reasons perswading to Obedience in Lawful things p. 483. ERRATA PAge 10. l. 4. r. had not been by themselves p. 24. l. 23. for Philetas r. Alexander p. 30. l. penult for Perfect r. President p. 33. l. 34 35. r. the 2000th or 3000th person p. 37. l. 34. for it r. is p. 41. l. 9. r. Presbyterie p. 72. l. ult for that r. the. p. 77. l. 24. r. occasioning p. 78. l. 16. r. had in it p. 81. l. 1. blot out any l. 28. for at all r. all l. 29. blot out the. p. 87. l. 17. for had r. have Marg. l. 5. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 88. l. 17. for Prelacy r. Policarpe l. 37. for there that r. that there p. 89. l. 2. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 93. l. 3. r. he was and l. 34. for ad r. at p. 94. l. 29. r. we well p. 95. Marg. l. 31. r. Blondel and l. 33. for yet r. and. p. 96. l. 9. r. Churches p. 97. l. 5. for Scholarum r. Scotorum p. 100. Marg. l. 13. for no r. on p 104. l. 8. for I mean r. I wave p. 106. l. 4. for that r. the. Disp. 2. Pref. p. 117. l. 16. for pass r. pasâ— p. 118 l. 30. blot out and. p. 121. l. 14. r. Bishop p. 124. l. 17. r. Iansenius p. 137. l. 5. r. Members p. 139. l. 5. for men r. run p. 157. l. 3. 4. r. pleasure Pastors l. 34. r. and. p. 160. l. 2. r. will p. 163. l. 11. for Proctors r. Doctors p 166. l. 14. r. sin in the. p. 169. l. 6. blot out upon p. 181. l. 26. r. owed p. 182. l. 11. r. And yet p. 18â— l. ult for as r. at p. 184. l. 3. for Art 11. r. Act. 11. p. 191. l. 29. for he r. the l. 37. for decase r. depose p. 194. l. 29. for and r. c. p. 199. l. 13. for Art 11. r. Act. 11. p. 219. l. 1. r. Arrianus p. 229. l. 32. for three and four r. third fourth p. 241. l. 22. for name r. main p. 245. l. 14. for Davenant r. Davenport p. 253. l. 18. blot out do p. 265. l. 12. blot out to p. 277. l. 2. r. one the. l 12. r. works p. 291. l. 18. for the r. that p. 316. l. 16. r. as their p. 317. l. 23. for Overseers r. Others p. 328. l. 21. r. Bâ—hmenists p. 339. l. 16. r. had no other p. 340. l. 9. r. the least p. 367. l. 9. r. add to p. 372. l. 21. for hâ— r. the. p. 409. l. 34. r. but what was p. 420. l. 16. r. of the Will p. 421. l. 26. for them r. than p. 430. l. 28. r. Law An Advertisement to prevent misunderstanding MY exceeding scarcity of time constraining me to write these Papers in much haste and allowing me but a cursory perusal of
them when written and the like after the printing for the collecting the Errata of the Press I find by this hasty review and by some observation of mens readiness to misunderstand me that it is necessary to speak a little more about the following particulars that I may be understood by such as are willing to understand me and the mistakes of others I shall easily bear Sect. 1. Pag. 89. There is somewhat that requireth correction of the pen and somewhat that requireth explication In translating that passage of Ignatius Unus panis qui pro omnibus fractus est must be written next effusus est before unus Calix And for the following objection though it was made by a discreet person yet I know no ground for it unless Is. Vossius his Edition leave out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I have not now at hand but is likelyest I know not of any Greek copy that leaves it out Indeed Bishop Ushers Latine doth and the Vulgar Latine leaves out the translation of the next words before it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which saith Bishop Usher Ex interpretatione hac excidisse videantur And noting the corruption of the Vulgar Translation in this very place I there premised to my Answer that it might occasion a change in the Text that it hath done so in many places I think is easie to prove but that it hath done so here there is no probability if any Greek Copy be as is objected and the Reasons of my conjecture of the possibility are so little for a probability that as I express them not so I think them not worth the expressing but rather bid you take that as non dictum Though of the general I find Bishop Usher himself saying both of his Latine Version Ex eâ solâ integritati suae restitui posse Ignatium polliceri non ausim and of the first Greek Edition Hanc reliqui sequuti sunt editores non ex Graco aliquo codice alio sed partim ex ingenio partim ex vetere Vulgato Latino Interprete non paucis in locis eandem corrigentes Epist. ad Lect. ante Annot. pag. 26. Dissert Sect. 2. I must intreat the Reader to observe that my drift in this writing is not so much to oppose any form of Government meerly as contrary to the Institution or Apostolical Rule as to plead against that which I take to be destructive to the Ends of Government Not that I desire not a careful adhering to the sacred Rule but 1. Because I suppose that many circumstantials of Discipline undetermined in the Word are feigned by some to be substanstantial necessary things and that many matters are indifferent that some lay the Peace if not the being of the Church upon 2. Because I so far hate contention that if any Government contrary to my Iudgement were set up that did not apparently in the nature of it wrong the Church I would silently live under it in peace and quietness and accordingly would be now loth to enter a quarrel with any Writers that differ from us in tolerable things But if I know that their judgement reduced to practice is like to be the undoing of many souls and to cast Discipline almost wholly out of the Church I think it better to displease them then let them undo the Church without contradiction The best is the serious Christians of this age have experience to help them to understand the case and I suppose my Disputation to be unto them as if I Disputed before a man that is restored from want or banishment or sickness whether he should be reduced to the Condition from which he is restored Sect. 3. Some passages here will occasion the Question as p. 5. Whether and how far Church Government is jure Divino But of this in the main I am agreed with them that I dispute To speak further my own judgement is 1. That the Spirit of God hath established all the Officers and worship-Ordinances of his Church and that no new Church-office or Ordinance of worship as to the substance may be instituted by man 2. But that there are many Circumstantials about the Exercise of those Offices and Ordinances that are not determined particularly by a Law but are left to humane prudence to determine of by the General directions of the Law And so I suppose that Bishops and Presbyters are but one Office of Gods institution but in the exercise of this Office if one for order be made a Moderator or President of the rest or by agreement upon a disparity of parts or interest do unequally divide their work between them in the exercise it is a thing that may be done and is fit where the Edification of the Church requireth it but not a thing that always must be done nor is of it self a Duty but a thing indifferent The following Case therefore I hence resolve Sect. 4. Quest. Whether the Order of subject Presbyters might lawfully be created by Bishops or any humane Power and whether the Order of Bishops might lawfully be created for the avoiding of Schism by the consent of Presbyters or Metropolitans by Bishops Answ. If you understand by the word Order a distinct Office none may create any of these but God But if by Subject Presbyters be meant only men of the same Office with Bishops that do for the Churches benefit subject themselves to the direction or Presidency of another upon some disparity in their gifts or the like in the exercise of that Office I suppose that this is a thing that by Consent may be lawfully done And so I verily believe that betimes in the Church it was done of which anon So if by Bishops be meant no distinct Office but one of the Presbyters chosen from among the rest to exercise his Ministery in some eminency above the rest by reason of his greater Gifts or for Peace and Order I doubt not but it is a thing that consent may do And accordingly the Canon Law defines a Bishop that he is Unus è Presbyteris c. So if by a Metropolitan be not meant another Office but one in the same Office by reason of the advantage of his Seat chosen to some acts of Order for the common benefit I doubt not but it may be done but every such Indifferent thing is not to be made Necessary statedly and universally to the Church Sect. 5. When I do in these Papers plead that the Order of Subject Presbyters was not instituted in Scripture times and consequently that it is not of Divine Institution I mean as aforesaid that as a distinct Office or Species of Church ministers as to the Power from God it is not of Divine Institution nor a lawful Institution of man but that among men in the same Office some might Prudentially be chosen to an eminency of degree as to the exercise and that according to the difference of their advantages there might be a disparity in the use of their
London sure is exempted from his superiority And I yet know not that any Civil Magistrate of Canterbury or York or London or Worcester hath any government in this Countrie except the Soveraign Rulers at Westminster be meant And I hope our Itinerant course of Iudges will prove the right to the Objectors of Itinerant Apostolical Overseers of the Churches for settlement at least Sect. 28. Object But Parishes being not divided till long after the Apostles days there might be then no ordinary Assemblies but in the City and yet the whole Territory adjacent be the Diocess Answ. Were there in the Territories persons enough to make many Assemblies or only so few as might travel to and joyn with the City Assembly If the latter it 's it that I assert as usual in the first age at least If the former then either all those in the Territories met for publick Worship and Communion or not If not they sinned against the Law of God that obliged them thereto as well as Citizens If they did then they must have either Bishop or Presbyter with them for the due performance of that worship Sect. 29. If any think all these stragling objections and advertisements here unseasonable I render him this true account of them This first Disputation was prepared only for our ordinarily Monthly Exercises here and so written long ago before the London Ministers Book or the Answer to it and the rest that have followed and therefore could not take notice of much that hath since passed and withal was not intended for publick view But when I saw sâ— many of the Gentry and Commonalty withdraw from the publick worship and the ignorant and prophane had learnt to refel their Pastors Instructions by calling him a Lay-man and saw how the new separation threatned the perdition of multitudes of the people especially was awakened by the Calls of Ministers in other Countries that were far more troubled with them then we I thought meet to prefix this to the Second Disputation which was it that was desired of me and therefore to take notice of those things so late Sect. 30. And the common experience tells you that it is not a few that go the way that lately was singular even among the Episcopal to which I may add the Testimony in Vindic. against the London Ministers p. 104. And though I might truly say that for those more minute considerations or conjectures wherein this Doctor differs from some others he hath the suffrages of many of the Learnedst men of this Church at this day and as far as he knows of all that embrace the same cause with him c. Sect. 31. And this at least I may expect from the Reader that if he think we argue weakly he will confess that we argue not for worldly greatness but go against our carnal interest We contend against Bishopricks of the English mode as desiring no such Wealth or Honour Some of us have as good opportunities to have a part in that kind of Greatness if it were again introduced as they But I am not able alone for a Parish charge and am loth to have more on my hands and my accounts which is I suppose the mind of my Brethren also Sect. 32. One more Advertisement I owe the Reader that this being written so long since I was made confident by Bishop Usher de Primordiis Eccl. Brit. that Ireland was the Ancient Scotia where Palladius c. planted the Gospel which pag. 97. I have signified But I should wrong Scotland if I should not tell thee that I have received such Arguments to the contrary since then from the Right Honourable and my highly valued friend the Earl of Lawderdail that I am forced to suspend my judgement in that point till I have leisure better to study the point being yet unable to answer the said arguments Whether it be Necessary or Profitable to the right order or the Peace of the Churches of England that we restore the extruded Episcopacy IN this Question here are these three things supposed 1. That there are yet particular Churches of Christ in England and therefore those that conclude that there hath been no Church among us since the Diocesan Bishops were laid by are none oâ— them that we are now disputing with and indeed we think so gross a conceit unworthy of a Confutation 2. It is supposed that both the right Order and the Peace of these Churches are matters highly to be valued 3. And also that its our duty for the obtaining of it to do that which is necessary or profitable thereto But the doubt is Whether the Episcopacy in question be necessary or profitable thereto For the decision whereof I shall briefly tell you my Judgement in these propositions whereof the two first are but preparatory Proposition 1. A Peace with the Divines of the Episcopal judgement is much to be desired and earnestly to be endeavoured Prop. 2. A certain Episcopacy may be yielded to for the Peace if not for the right order of the Church Prop. 3. The Diocesan Episcopacy which was lately in England and is now laid by may not lawfully be re-assumed or re-admitted as a means for the right Order or Peace of the Church 1. For the first of these I think it easie to prove that we ought to seek an Agreement in the Episcopal controversie with those that differ from us in that point For 1. They are brethren of the same faith with us whom we are bound to love and honour and therefore to use all just means for peace with them If we must as much as in us lyeth if possible live peaceably with all men Rom. 12.18 much more with Brethren of the same family and profession 2. They are very many and the far greatest though not the purest part of the Church is of their mind All the Greek Church and the Ethiopian Church and the Jacobites Armenians and all other parties without the verge of the Reformation from Popery here in the West that ever I read or heard of are all of that way besides all the Romane Church And though I know that much ignorance and imperfection if not superstition and fouler errors may be justly charged on the Greek Ethiopian c. Churches as well as on Rome though not Popery it self yet I think there is scarce a good Christian that is not unwilling to cast off so great a part of the Church of Christ as these are Indeed he that dares so far despise all the Churches of Christ on earth except these few that are happily reformed as to think that it is no duty of ours to seek unity and peace with them by all just means I think is no meet person for us to dispute with It is the hainous sin of Rome to despise and unchurch Greeks Ethiopians and all save themselves which I hope Protestants will never imitate who have justly condemned them so deeply for it Let the Donatists shut up the Church of Christ
and Government is to be found wholly in the written word of God called the holy Scriptures This we are agreed on against the Papists who would supply the supposed defects of Scripture by their unwritten Traditions which they call the other part of Gods word Church Canons and Laws of men may determine of some modes and circumstances for the better execution of the Laws of God by the People whom they are over but they cannot make new Church Ordinances or Governments nor convey a Power which God the fountain of Power did not ordain and convey nor can they give what they themselves had not The Church-office and Authority therefore that is not proved from the Holy Scripture is to be taken as the fruit of humane arrogancy and presumption Yet I deny not but that we may find much in Antiquity in Fathers and Councils about matters of fact to help us to understand some Scriptures and so to discern the matter of right Prop. 3. The Scripture doth not Contradict but suppose and confirm the light of Nature nor doth it impose upon any man Natural impossibilities nor constitute offices which cannot be executed or which would destroy that end to which they are supposed to be Constituted Prop. 4. Ecclesiastical Authority comprehendeth not the power of the sword nor any power of using violence to mens bodies or laying mulcts or confiscations on their estates The Ecclesiastical Power which Christ ordained was exercised for the first three hundred years without any touching of mens bodies or purses before there were any Christian Princes Prop. 5. Magistrates are not eo nomine obliged to punish men because they are Excommunicated whether upon every just Excommunication they should punish I will not now dispute but they are bound to know that their penalties be deserved before they inflict them and therefore must themselves take Cognisance of the Cause and as rational agents understand before they act and not blindly follow the Judgements of the Bishops as if they were but as Executioners where the Bishops are Judges Prop. 6. The Power of the highest Church-governours is but an Authority of Directing in the way to salvation It is but Directive but then there is no room for the common Objection that then it is no greater then any other man may perform for it is one thing to Direct Occasionally from Charity and another thing to Direct by Authority in a standing office as purposely appointed hereunto The Power of Church-Governors is but of the same nature as is the Power of a Physitian over his Patients or of a School-master over his Schollers supposing he had not the power of the rod or actual force but such a power as the Professors of Philosophy or other sciences had in their several schools upon the adult nor all so great neither because the Laws by which we must rule are made to our hands as to the substantials Hence therefore it is plain that as we can bind or force no man to believe us or to understand the truth and to be Christians but by the power of demonstrated Evidence and by the light which we let in through Gods grace into their Consciences so neither can we cause any to execute our sentences against offenders further than by light we convince them that it is their duty so that if all the Bishops or Presbyteries in the land should judge such or such an opinion to be heresie and should Excommunicate those that own it as hereticks in this case if the Church do believe as the Pastors believe they will consent and avoid the Excommunicate person but if they take it to be Gods truth which the Pastors call heresie they will not take themselves bound by that sentence to avoid him nor will the Offender himself any further be sensible of a penalty in the sentence then he shall be convinced that he hath erred and if the Church avoid him he will justifie himself and judge that they do it wrongfully and will glory in his suffering so that it is on the Conscience that Church-Governors can work and no otherwise on the outward man but mediante Conscientiâ Prop. 7. The ground of this is partly because no Church Governors can bind any man contrary to Gods word Clave errante ita apparente if the people know that he erreth they are not to obey him against God Yet in the bare inconvenient determination of some Circumstantials by which the duty is not destroyed but less conveniently performed the people are bound to obey their Governors because it is not against Gods determination and because he erreth but in an undetermined point of which God appointed him to be the orderly determiner But if God have once determined no mans contrary determination can oblige nor yet if they go beyond the sphere of their own work and determine of an aliene subject which God did never commit to their determination else a Minister or Bishop might oblige every Taylor how to cut his garment and every Shoâ—-maker how to cut his shoe so that they should sin if they did disobey which is ridiculous to imagine and if they go about to introduce new stated Ordinances or Symbols in the Church which they have nothing to do with or in any other work shall assume to themselves a power which God never gave them it doth no more oblige then in the former case Prop. 8. Another reason of the sixth Proposition is because The People have a Iudgement of discerning whether the Governors do go according to Gods word or not else they should be led blindfold and be obliged by God to go against Gods word whensoever their Governors shall go against it It is not bruits or Infants but rational men that we must rule Prop. 9. The three things which Church power doth consist in are in conformity to the three parts of Christs own office 1. About matter of Faith 2. About matter of Worship 3. About matter of Practice in other cases 1. Church-Governors about Doctrine or Matters of Faith are the Peoples Teachers but cannot oblige them to Err or to believe any thing against God nor make that to be truth or error that is not so beâ—ore 2. In matter of Worship Church-guides are as Gods Priests and are to go before the people and stand between God and them and present their prayers and prayses to God and administer his holy mysteries and bless them in his name 3. The Commanding Power of Pastors is in two things 1. In Commanding them in the name of Christ to obey the Laws which he hath made them already And this is the principal 2. To give them new Directions of our own which as is said 1. Must not be against Gods Directions 2. Nor about any matter which is not the object of our own office but is without the verge of it 3. But it is only in the making of under laws for the better execution of the laws of Christ and those
under-laws must be only the Determination of Ciâ—cumstances about Gods service which Scripture hath made necessary in genere but left to the Governors determination in specie and they are such as are alâ—erable in several ages countries c. so that it had been unfit for Christ to have determined them in his word because his word is an uâ—iversal Law for all ages and countries and these Circumstances will not bear an universal determination else why could not Christ have done it nay how is his Law perfect else that doth omit it For example God hath commanded us to read the word preach hear sing which must necessarily be done in some time place gesture number of words c. But he hath not commanded us on what day of the week our Lecture shall be or at what hour of the day nor what Chapter I shall read nor how many at once nor what Text I shall preach on nor what Psalm I shall sing nor in what words I shall pray whether imposed by others or not whether with a book or foreconceâ—ved form or not nor whether I shall read with spectacles or without or whether I shall discern how the time pâ—sseth by an hour-glass or by the clock or by conjecture without them These therefore and other such like must humane Prudence determine of But with these Cautions 1. These are mostly matters that require a various determination in several places according to the great variety of Circumstances and therefore it is for the most part fitter for the particular Pastor of that Church who is upon the place and seeth the case to determine them pro re nata then for Synods or distant Prelates to do it by general Laws or Canons binding all 2. Though upon a small misdetermination of such a Circumstance the people must obey yet if it be so grosly misdetermined as to destroy the duty it self Circumstantiated or to be notoriously against the end which it is pretended for then they are not to obey it As if a Pastor would appoint the People to hear in the night only or at such unseasonable times that they cannot come or in many the like cases Note also thaâ— it is one thing to prescribe these matters in a direct Regimental Respect and that belongeth to him upon the Place and its another thing to prescribe them for common Vnion or Conâ—ord among many Churches and that belongs to a Synod of which aâ—on And it is most certain by sad experience that scarce any thing hath broken the uniâ—y and peace of the Church more than unnecessary determinations pretended to be for its â—nity and peace Could men have been content to have made Gods Laws the center and touchstone of the Churches Unity all had been well but when they must make Canons for this Vesture and that Gesture and the other Ceremony and determine in what words all men shall pray and how many words he shall say or how long he shall be and so make standing Laws upon mutable circumstances and this without any necessity at all but meerly to domineer as if they had been themselves ordained and entrusted with Gods worship and mens souls such sottish Presbyters that know not how to speak or do any thing but as it is prescribed them nor how to carry themselves soberly or reverendly without being obliged which way to bow and when and how oft with the like Unnecessary things made Necessary have destroyed the Churches Peace and so blind are the Authors of it that yet they will not see their errour though the cries and groans and blood of the Churches have proclaimed it so long The Church Historie of these one thousand and three hundred years at least doth tell us that it is the Church Governours by their too much business and overdoing in such wayes even by too bold and busie determinations about doctrines or Ceremonies that have broken all in peices and caused that confusion dissention and seemingly remediless divisions in the Church Prop. 10. In cases which are beyond the present understanding of the people they are bound as Learners to submit to the judgement of their Guides If they see no sufficient cause either in the mattâ—r to cause them to suspect that their Teachers are mistaken or in their Teachers to cause them to suspect them to be seducers they owe them â—o much credit and respect as their Guides as to believe them fide humanà or to suppose that they are likelier to be in the righâ— then themselves and therefore in matters of Doctrine not to contradict them but to submit to learn of them till by learning they come to that ripeness of understanding as to be capable of discerning the errors of their Guides and so to contradict them groundedly if indeed they err so also iâ— the order of variable â—ircumstantials about the service of God though the people ought not to obey their Governours if under thaâ— pretence they should command them things sinful yet when they are not able to see any certain evil in the thing commanded nor so strong a probability of evil as should cause them to suspend obedience while they take better advice in such a case it is their Duty to obey the guides of the Church For they are certain that they are commanded to obey them that rule over them and watch for their souls Heb. 13.17 but they are not certain that in such a case it is an evil that is prescribed by them nor is it supposed to be much probable therefore a certain evil of disobedience must be avoided before an uncertain and improbable evil This the very office of Church Governours doth plainly import Object Then if the Minister mistake all the people that understand not the grounds of the matter must err for company Answ. If by Must you speak of their Duty I deny the consequence For their Duty is to be men of understanding and to see the truth in its own evidence and so not to err But if by Must you only express a Necessity of Infirmity which they have sinfully contracted themselves then I yield all but I say that it is a greater sin to disobey their guides without known reason and consequently never to obey them in any case beyond the present knowledge of the people then it is to follow them fide humana in such mistakes as we have no sufficient means at present to discover For the former will overthrow almost all Ministration and Church-government Obj. Then it is no sin for an Ignorant man to Err with his Teacher for company Answ. I deny that Consequence for it is his sin to be an Ignorant man and consequently to have any Error But supposing him already Ignorant by his own sinfulness and that the Ministers of the Gospel come to heal it we may well say that it is his greater sin to disbelieve and disobey them without apparent cause then to mistake with them where he is not able to discern the
by another that could not have any power to Rule him without that consent of his own and voluntary Condescension 5. As for the fifth sort that is The standing President of a Classis having no Negative voice I should easily consent to them for order and Peace for they are no distinct Office nor assâ—me any Government over the Presbyters And the Presbyterian Churches do commonly use a President or Moderator pro tempore And doubtless if it be lawful for a Month it may be lawful for a year or twenty years or quam diu se bene gâ—sserit and how many years had we one Moderator of our Assemblies of Divines at Westminster and might have had him so many years more if death had not cut him off And usually God doth not so change his gifts but that the same man who is the fittest this month or year is most likely also to be the fittest the next 6. And for the sixth sort viz. A President of a Classes having a Negative voice I confess I had rather be without him and his power is not agreeable to my Judgement as a thing instituted by God or fittest in it self But yet I should give way to it for the Peace of the Church and if it might heal that great breach that is between us and the Epâ—scopal Brethren and the many Churches that hold of that way but with these Cautions and Limitations 1. That they shall have no Negative in any thing that is already a duty or a sin for an Angel from heaven cannot dispense with Gods Law This I doubt not will be yielded 2. That none be forced to acknowledge this Negative vote in them but that they take it from those of the Presbyters that will freely give or acknowledge it For its a known thing that all Church-power doth work only on the Conscience and therefore only prevail by procuring Consent and cannot compell 3. Nor would I ever yield that any part of the Presbyters dissenting should be taken as Schismaticks and cast out of Communion or that it should be made the matter of such a breach This is it that hath broken the Church that Bishops have thrust their Rule on men whether they would or not and have taken their Negative voice at least if not their sole Jurisdiction to be so necessary as if there could be no Church without it or no man were to be endured that did not acknowledge it but he that denyeth their disputable Power must be excommunicated with them that blaspheme God himself And as the Pope will have the acknowledgement of his Power to be inseparable from a member of the Catholike Church and cast out all that deny it so such Bishops take the acknowledgement of their Jurisdiction to be as inseparable from a member of a particular Church and consequently as they suppose of the universal and so to deny them shall cut men off as if they denyed Christ. This savoureth not of the humility that Christ taught his followers 4. Nor would I have any forced to declare whether they only submit for Peace or consent in approbation nor whether they take the Bishops Negative vote to be by Divine Institution and so Necessary or by the Presbyters voluntary consent contract as having power in several cases to suspend the exercise of their own just authority when the suspension of it tendeth to a publike Good No duty is at all times a duty If a man be to be ordained by a Presbytery it is not a flat duty to do it at that time when the President is absent except in case of flat necessity why may not the rest of the Presbyters then if they see it conducible to the good of the Church resolve never to ordain except in case of such Necessity but when the President is there and is one therein which is indeed to permit his exercise of a Negative vote without professing it to be his right by any Institution It is lawful to ordain when the President is present it is lawful out of cases of Necessity to forbear when he is absent according therefore to the Presbyterian principles we may resolve to give him de facto a Negative voice that is not to ordain without him but in Necessity and according to the Episcopal principles we must thus do for this point of Ordination is the chief thing they stand on Now if this be all the difference why should not our May be yield to their Must be if the Peace of the Church be found to lye upon it But 5. I would have this Caution too that the Magistrate should not annex his sword to the Bishops censure without very clear reason but let him make the best of his pure spiritual Authority that he can we should have kept peace with Bishops better if they had not come armed and if the Magistrates had not become their Executioners 7. As to the seventh sort viz. A President of a Province fixed without any Negative voice I should easily admit of him not only for Peace but as orderly and convenient that there might be some one to give notice of all Assemblies and the Decrees to each member and for many other mattters of order this is practised in the Province of London pro tempore and in the other Presbyterian Churches And as I said before in the like case I see not why it may not be lawful to have a President quam diu se bene gesserit as well for a moneth or a year or seven years as in our late Assembly two successively were more as I remember so that this kind of Diocesan or Provincial Bishop I think may well be yielded to for the Churches Order and Peace 8. As to the eighth sort of Bishops viz. The Diocesan who assumeth the sole Government of many Parish Churches both Presbyters and People as ten or twelve or twenty or more as they used to do even a whole Diocess I take them to be intolerable and destructive to the Peace and happiness of the Church and therefore not to be admitted under pretence of Order or Peace if we can hinder them But of these we must speak more when we come to the main Question 9. As for the ninth sort of Bishops viz. A Diocesan Ruling all the Presbyâ—ers but leaving the Presbyters to Rule the People and consequently taking to himself the sole or chief Power of Ordination but leaving Censures and Absolution to them except in case of Appeal to himself I must needs say that this sort of Episcopacy is very ancient and hath been for many ages of very common reception through a great part of the Church but I must also say that I can see as yet no Divine institution of such a Bishop taken for a fixed limited officer and not the same that we shall mention in the eleventh place But how far mens voluntary submission to such and consent to be ruled by them may authorize them I have no mind to dispute
Churches must remain polluted and ungoverned through the unavoidable absence of those twelve or thirteen men The Apostles therefore did admonish Pastors to do their duties and when themselves were present had power to do the like and to censure Pastors or people that offended but they did not take on them the full Government of any Church nor keep a Negative vote in the Government Prop. 15. It seems utterly untrue that Christ did deliver the Keyes only to the twelve Apostles as such and so only to their Successors and not the seventy Disciples or any Presbyters For 1. The seventy also were General unfixed Officers and not like fixed Presbyters or Bishops and therefore having a larger Commission must have equal power 2. The Apostles were not single Bishops as now they are differenced from others but they were such as had more extensive Commissions then those now called Arch Bishops or Patriarchs If therefore the Keyes were given them as Apostles or General Officers then they were never given to Bishops For Bishops as fixed Bishops of this or that Diocess are not Successors of the Apostles who were Geneâ—al unfixed Officers 3. It is granted commonly by Papists and Protestants that Presbyters have the power of the Keyes though many of them think that they are limited to exercise them under the Bishops and by their Direction and Consent of which many School-men have wrote at large 4. The Key of Excommunication is but a Ministerial Authoritative Declaration that such or such a known Offendor is to be avoided and to charge the Church to avoid Communion with him and him to avoid or keep away from the Priviledges of the Church and this a meer Presbyter may do he may authoritatively Declare such a man to be one that is to be avoided and charge the Church and him to do accordingly The like I may say of Absolution if they belong to every authorized Pastor Preacher and Church guide as such then not to a Bishop only but to a Presbyter also And that these Keyes belong to more then the Apostles and their Successors is plain in that these are insufficient Naturally to use them to their Ends. An Apostle in Antioch cannot look to the censuring of all persons that are to be Censured at Athens Paris London c. so that the most of the work would be totally neglected if only they and their supposed Successors had the doing of it I conclude therefore that the Keyes belong not only to Apostles and their Successors in that General Office no nor only to Diocesan Bishops for then Presbyters could not so much as exercise them with the Bishops in Consistory which themselves of late allow Prop. 16. The Apostles were fallible in many matters of fact and consequently in the Decisions that depended thereupon as also in the Prudential determination of the time and season and other Cirumstances of known duties And thence it was that Paul and Barnabas so disagreed even to a parting where one of them was certainly in the wrong And hence Peter withdrew from the uncircumcision and misled Barnabas and others into the same dissimulation so far that he was to be blamed and withstood Gal. 2. Prop. 17. In such Cases of misleading an Apostle was not to be follownd no more is any Church-Governor now but it is lawful and needful to dissent and withstand them to the face and to blame them when they are to be blamed for the Churches safety as Paul did by Peter Galatians 2.1 Prop. 18. In this Case the Apostles that by Office were of equal Authority yet were unequal when the Reasons and Evidence of Gods mind which they produced was unequal so that a Presbyter or Bishop that produceth better Reasons is to be obeyed before another that produceth less Reason or that Erreth And the Bishop of another Church that produceth better Evidence of Gods mind is to be obeyed before the proper Bishop of that same Church that produceth weaker and worse Evidence Yea a private man that produceth Gods Word is to be obeyed before Bishops and Councils that go against it or without it in that case where the word bindeth us so that in all cases where Scripture is to determine he that bringeth the best Scripture proof is the chief Ruler that is ought chiefly to prevail Though in the determination of meer Circumstances of duty which Scripture determineth not but hath left to Church-Guides to determine pro re natâ it may be otherwise so that the Apostles power in determining matters of faith was not as Church-Governors but as men that could produce the surest Evidence Prop. 19. It is not easie to manifest whether every Presbyter in prima instantia be not an Officer to the Church Universal before he be affixed to a particular Church and whether he may not go up and down over the world to exercise that office where ever he hath admittance And if so what then could an Apostle have done by vertue of his meer office without the advantage of his extraordinary abilities and priviledges which the Presbyter may not do May an Apostle charge the people where he comes to avoid this or that seducer or heretick so may any Preacher that shall come among them and that by authority May an Apostle Excommunicate the very Pastor of the place and deprive him why what is that but to perswade the people and Authoritatively require them to avoid and withdraw from such a Pastor if the Cause be manifest And so may any Pastor or Preacher that comes among them For if as Cyprian saith it chiefly belong to the people even of themselves to reject and withdraw from such a Pastor then a Preacher may by Authority perswade and require them to do their own duty Yet I shall acknowledge that though both may do the same duty and both by Authority yet possibly not both by equal Authority but an Apostle Majore authoritate and so may lay a stronger obligation on men to the same duty but the rest I determine not but leave to enquiry Prop. 20. In making Laws or Canons to bind the Church which are now laid down in Scripture the Apostles acted as Apostles that is as men extraordinarily Commissioned illuminated and enabled infallibly to deliver Gods will to the world And therefore herein they have no Successors In Conclusion therefore seeing that matters of meer Order and Decency depending on Circumstances sometime rationally mutable sometime yearly daily hourly mutable are not to be determined Vniversally alike to all the Church nor to all a Nation nor by those that are at too great a distance but by the present Pastor who is to manage the work and being intrusted therewith is the fittest Judge of such variable Circumstances and seeing for standing Ordinances that equally belong to all ages and places Gods word is perfect and sufficient without the Bishops Canons and seeing that Scripture is a perfect Law of God and Rule of Christian faith and seeing that
was the primitive Government corrupted while men measured their charge by the circuit of Ground thinking they might retain the old compass when they had multiplied converts and therefore should have multiplyed Churches and Bishops To all this I add these observations 1. That the very Nature of Church Government tels us that a Governour must be present upon the place and see to the execution For God hath made us the Laws already and Synods must in way of Vnion determine of the most advantagious circumstances for the perfoâ—ming of the duties which God imposeth And particular Bishops are to guide their particular Congregations in Gods Worship and in order thereto Their guidance is but a subservient means to that worship And therefore they must Rule the Church as a Captain doth his Company in fight or a Physitian his Patient or a Schoolmaster his School by his own presence and not at many miles distance by a Surrogate 2. The doctrine which makes the first particular Political Church to consist of many stated Worshipping Churches like our Parishes doth set on the saddle if not also hold the stirrup for a Diocesan Bishop to get up to head those prepared bodies 3. Seeing the Presbyterians do confess that it is not Necessary but lawful for a particular Political Church to consist of many Worshipping Churches and say It may consist only of one Common Reason and experience will then direct us to conclude that its best ordinarily take up with that one seeing people that know one another and live within the reach of each other for common converse and ordinarily meet and join in the same publick Worship are most capable of the ends of Church Policy and a Pastor capable of guiding such better then other Parishes that he knows not 4. He that makes the Pastor of one Parish the Ruler of the rest adjoining doth lay upon him much more duty then sitting in a Presbyterie to vote in censures For those censures are a small part of Church Government comparatively else most Congregations in England have little or no Government for they have little or none of these Censures Yea indeed true Church Guidance or Government contains a great part if not most of the Pastoral work which a man would be loth to undertake over too many distant unknown Congregations Though he may well undertake in Synods to promote Unity and to do the best he can for the whole Church of Christ. If therefore those of the Congregational way were as neer us in other things as in this before insisted on especially if they would renounce that great mistake of the Peoples having the Power of the Keys or Government and take up for them with a Iudicium Discretionis and just liberty we need not stand at so great a distance And lastly If Ministers of the Gospel would tenderly weigh the greatness of their work and charge and the dreadfulness of their account the worth of souls the power and prevalency of sin the rage of all the Churches enemies and the multitudes of them they would sooner tremble to think of the difficulties in Governing or guiding one Congregation in the way to heaven than grasp at more and think themselves able to be the guides of many and draw such a heavy burden on themselves and prepare for such a reckoning Lest they be offended with my words I will say the like in the words of Chrysostom or whoever else was the Author of the Imperfect work on Matth 20. Hom. 35. pag. mihi 901. Si haec ergo ita se habent secularem quidem primatum desiderare et si ratio non est vel causa est quia etsi justum non est vel utile est Primatum autem Ecclesiasticum concupiscere neque ratio est neque causa quia neque justum est neque utile Quis enim sapiens ultro se subjicere festinat servituti labori dolori quod majus est periculo tali ut det rationem pro omni Ecclesia apud justum judicem nisi forte qui non credit Iudicium Dei nec timet uti abutens primatu suo Ecclesiastico seculariter convertat â—um in Secularem Sed ne forte qui talis est in appetendo primatum profectum pietatis pie praetendat dico Nunquid qui in ordine prior est jam meritis est melior And of the Ministerial honours he saith ibid. Dâ—niq ipsi honores in Christo in prima quidem facie videntur honores revera autem non sunt honores diversi sed sunt diversa Ministeria ut puta honor oculi videtur quia illuminat Corpus Sed ipse honor illuminandi non est ei honor sed Ministerium ejus So much to prove the Proposition that the late English Episcopacy is not to be restored under any pretence of Order or Peace Wherein I have purposely forborn the mention of its Abuses and doleful consequents because they may suppose that Abuse to be separable from the thing Consequents of that which is already Proved TO save the debating of many great Controversies that break the peace and destroy or diminish the Charity of many I may abbreviate the work by giving you some of the true sequels of what hath been sufficiently proved Cons. I. The taking down of the English Episcopacy was as to the thing so far from being evil and deserving the Accusations that some lay upon it that it was a matter of Necessity to the Reformation and well being of the Churches of Christ in these Nations It was no worse a work in it self considered then the curing of a grievous disease is to the sick and the supply of the necessities of the poor in their indigence What guilt lieth upon that man that would have all the sick to perish for fear of injuring one Physitian that had undertaken the sole care of all the County or that would have all the County to have but one Schoolmaster Or an hundred Ships to have but one Pilot and consequently to perish How much greater is their guilt that would have had the forementioned Episcopacy continued to the hazzard of many thousand souls and the abasement and ejection of holy Discipline the pollution of the Churches and the hardening of the wicked and the dishonour of God I mention not this to provoke any to dishonour them but to provoke the persons themselves to Repentance And I intreat them to consider how sad a thing it is that without any great inducement they should draw such a mountain of guilt upon their souls The Bishops had the temptation of Honour and Riches but what honour or gain have you to seduce you to choose a share with other men in their sin and punishment I meddle not here with the Manner of demolishing Episcopacy but with the Matter because I would not mix other Controversies with this But I am confident those men that usually own the late Episcopacy and revile them that demolisht it shall one
themselves in Execution But he leads them the way by Teaching them their duty and provoking them to it and directing them in the execution and oft-times offering himself or another to be their Teacher and Leading them in the Execution So that it belongeth to his office to gather a Church or a member to a Church Sect. 18. 11. Hence is the doubt resolved Whether the Pastor or Church be first in order of time or Nature I answer The Minister as a Minister to Convert and Baptize and gather Churches is before a Church gathered in order of Nature and of time But the Pastor of that particalar Church as such and the Church it self whose Pastor he is are as other Relations together and at once as Father and Son Husband and Wife c. As nature first makes the Nobler parts as the Heart and Brain and Liver and then by them as instruments formeth the rest And as the Philosopher or Schoolmaster openeth his School and takes in Schollars and as the Captain hath first his Commission to gather Soldiers But when the Bodies are formed then when the Captain or Schoolmaster dieth another is chosen in his stead So is it in this case of Pastors Sect. 19. 12. Hence also is the great controversie easily determined Whether a particular Church or the universal be first in order and be the Ecclesia Prima To which I answer 1. The Question is not de ordine dignitatis nor which is finally the Ministers chief End For so it is past controversie that the Universal Church is first 2. As to order of existence the universal Church is considered either as consisting of Christians as Christians converted and Baptized or further as consisting of Regular Ordered Assemblies or particular Churches For all Christianâ— are not members of particular Churches and they that are are yet considerable distinctly as meer Christians and as Church-members of particular Churches And so its clear that men are Christians in order of Nature and frequently of time before they are member of particular Churches and therefore in thâ—s reâ—pect the universal Church that is in its essence is before a particular Church But yet there must be One particular Church before there can be many And the Individual Churches are before the Association or Connection of these individuals And therefore though in its essence and the existence of that essence the universal Church be before a particular Church that is men are Christians before they are particular Church-members yet in its Order and the existence of that Order it cannot be said so nor yet can it fitly be said that thus the Particular is before the universall For the first particular Church and the universal Church were all one when the Gospel extended as yet no further And it was simul semel an ordered universal and particular Church but yet not quâ— universal But now all the Vniversal Church is not Ordered at all into particular Churches and therefore all the Church universal cannot be brought thus into the Question But for all those parts of the universal Church that are thus Congregate which should be all that have opportunity they are considerable either as distinct Congregations independent and so they are all in order of nature together supposing them existent Or else as Connexed and Assoâ—iated foâ— Communion of Churches or otherwise related to each other And thus many Churches are after the Individuals â—he single Church is the Ecclesia prima as to all Church forms of Order and Associations are but Ecclesiae ortae arising from a combination oâ— relation or Communion of many of these Sect. 20. The fourth part of the Ministerial work is about particular Churches Congregate as we are Pastors of them And in this they subserve Christ in all the parts of his office 1. Under his Prophetical office they are to Teach the Churches to observe all things whatsoever he hath commanded them deliver open to them that Holy doctrine which they have received from the Apostles that sealed it by Miracles and delivered it to the Church And as in Christs name to perswade and exhort men to duty opening to them the benefit and the danger of neglect 2. Under Christs Priestly office they are to stand between God and the People and to enquire of God for them and speak to God on their behalf and in their name and to receive their Publick Oblations to God and to offer up the sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving on their behalf and to celebrate the Commemoration of the sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross and in his name to deliever his Body and Blood and Sealed Covenant and benefits to the Church 3. Under his Kingly office a Paternal Kingdom they are to Proclaim his Laws and Command obedience in his Name and to Rule or Govern all the flock as Overseers of it and to reprove admonish censure and cast out the obstinately impenitent and confirm the weak and approve of Professions and Confessions of Penitents and to Absolve them by delivering them pardon of their sin in the name of Christ. Sect. 21. 14. This work must be done for the ends mentioned in the Definition To his own Safety Comfort and Reward it is necessary that those Ends be sincerely intended For the comfort and Satisfaction of the Church and the validity of the Ordinances Sacraments especially to their spiritual benefit it is necessary that these ends be professed to be intended by him and that they be really intended by themselves Sect. 22. 15. By this the Popish case may be resolved Whether the Intention of the Priest be necessary to the Validity and success of Sacraments The reality of the Priests Intention is not necessary to the Validity of them to the people For then no ordinance performed by an hypocrite were Valid nor could any man know when they are Valid and when not But that they may be such administrations as he may comfortably answer for to God his sincere Intention is Necessary And that they be such as the People are bound to submit to it is necessary that he profess a sincere Intention For if he purposely Baptize a man ludicrously in professed jest or scorn or not with a seeming intent of true Baptizing it is to be taken as a Nullity and the thing to be done again And that the ordinances may be blessed and effectual to the Receiver upon Promise from God it is necessary that the Receiver have a true intent of receiving them to the ends that God hath appointed them Thus and no further is Intention necessary to the validity of the Ordinance and to the success The particular ends I shall not further speak of as having been longer already then I intended on the Definition Sect. 23. But the principal thing that I would desire you to observe in order to the decision of our controversie hence is that the Ministry is first considerable as a Work and Service and that the Power is but
Ministration But of this gift the Church is the subject He giveth Pastors to his Church 2. But in conjunction with the Churches Mercies the Minister himself also partakes of mercy It is a double Benefit to him to be both receptive with them of the blessing of the Gospel and to be instrumentall for them in the conveyance and to be so much exercised in so sweet and honourable though flesh-displeasing and endangering work As in giving Alms the giver is the double receiver and in all works for God the greatest Duties are the greatest Benefits so is it here And thus the making of a Minister is a Donation or act of bounty to himself Christ giveth to us the Office of the Ministry as he giveth us in that office to the Church As a Commanders place in an Army is a place of Trust and Honour and Reward and so the matter of a gift though the work be to fight and venture life Sect. 5. The Duty of the Minister is caused by an Obligation and that is the part of a Precept of Christ And thus Christs command to us to do his work doth make Ministers Sect. 6. From the work which the Ministers are to perform and the command of Obedience laid upon the people ariseth their duty in submission to him and Reception of his Ministerial work And in Relation to them that are to obey him his office is a superiour Teaching Ruling Power and so is to be caused by Commission from Christ as the fountain of Power that is to command both Pastor and People Sect. 7. So that the Ministry consisting of Duty Benefit and Power or Authority it is caused by Preceptive Obligation by Liberal Donation and by Commission But the last is but compounded of the two first or a result from them The Command of God to Paul e. g. to Preach and do the other works of the Ministry doth of it self give him Authority to do them And Gods command to the People to hear and submit doth concur to make it a Power as to them And the Nature and ends of the work commanded are such as prove it a Benefit to the Church and consequentially to the Minister himself So that all is comprehended in the very imposition of the Duty By commanding us to preach the word we are Authoâ—ized to do it and by Doing it we are a Benefit to the Church by bringing them the Gospel and its Benefits Sect. 8. Our Principal work therefore is to find out on whom Christ imposeth the Duties of Church Ministration And by what signs of his will the person himself and the Church may be assured that it is the Will of Christ that this man shall undertake the doing of these works Sect. 9. And therefore let us more distinctly enquire 1. What is to be signified in order to a Ministers Call and 2. How Christ doth signifie his will about the several parts and so we shall see what is left for Ordination to do when we see what is already done or undone Sect. 10. 1. It must be determined or signified that A Ministry there must be 2. And what their Work and Power shall be 3. And what the Peoples Relation and duty toward them shall be 4. What men shall be Ministers and how qualified 5. And how it shall be discerned by themselves and others which are the men that Christ intends Sect. 11. Now let us consider 1 What Christ hath done already in Scripture 2. And what he doth by Providence towards the determination of these things And 1. In the Scripture he hath already determined of these things or signified that it is his Will 1. That there be a standing Ministry in the Church to the end of the world 2. That their work shall be to preach the Gospel Baptize Congregate Churches Govern them adâ—inister the Eucharist c. as afore-mentioned 3. He hath left them Rules or Canons for the directing them in all things of constant universal necessity in the performance of these works 4. He hath described the persons whom he will have thus employed both by the Qualifications necessary to their Being and to the Well-being of their Ministration 5. He hath made it the Duty of such qualified persons to desire the work and to seek it in case of need to the Church 6. He hath made it the Duty of the people to desire such Pastors and to seek for such and choose them or consent to the choice 7. He hath made it the Duty of the present Overseers of the Church to Call such to the work and Approve them and Invest them in the office which three acts 〈◊〉 are called Ordination but specially the last 8. He hath made iâ— the Duty of Magistrates to encourage and protect them and in some cases to command them to the work and set them in the office by their Authority All these particulars are determined of already in the Laws of Christ and none of them left to the power of men Sect. 12. The ordainers therefore have nothing to do to judge 1. Whether the Gospel shall be preached or no whether Churches shall be Congregate or no whether they shall be taught or governed or no and Sacraments administred or no 2. Nor whether there shall be a Ministry or no Ministry 3. Nor how far as to the Matter of their work and power their office shall extend and of what Species it shall be 4. Nor whether the Scripture shall be their constant universal Canon 5. Nor whether such qualified persons as God hath described are only to be admitted or not 6. Nor whether it shall be the duty of such qualified persons to seek the office or the Duty of the People to seek and choose such or of Pastors to ordain such or of Magistrates to promote such and put them on None of this is the Ordainers work Sect. 13. If therefore any man on what pretence soever shall either determine that the Gospel shall not be preached nor the Disciples Baptized the Baptized Congregated the Congregations governed the Sacraments administred c. or that there shall be no Ministers to do those works or if any man Determine that which will infer any of these or if he pretend to a Power of suspending or excluding them by his Non-approbation or not-authorizing them he is no more to be obeyed and regarded in any of this Usurpation then I were if I should make a Law that no King shall reign but by my nomination approbation or Coronation And if any man under pretence of Ordaining do set up a man that wants the Qualifications which Christ hath made necessary to the Being of the Ministry his Ordination is Null as being without Power and against that Will of Christ that only can give Power And so of the rest of the particulars forementioned Where the Law hath already determined they have nothing to do but obey it And though the miscarriages of a man in his own calling do not alwaies nullifie his
in the Gospel is that The work shall be done the Gospel shall be preached Churches gathered and governed Sacraments administred and that the Precept de ordine is but secundary and subservienâ— to this And if at any time alterations should make Ordination impossible it will not follow that the duty Ordered ceaseth to be duty or the precept to oblige Sect. 24. The Scriptures name not the man that shall be a Pastor yet when it hath described him it commandeth the Described person duely to seek admittance and commandeth the People ordainers and Magistrates to Choose and Appoint these men to the Ministerial work Now these Precepts contain in each of them two distinct determinations of Christ. The first is that such men be Ministers The second is that they offer themselves to the office and that they be Accepted and Ordained For the first is implyed in the latter If the Soveraign Power make a Law that there shall be Physicians licensed by a Colledge of Physitians to Practice in this Common-wealth and describe the persons that shall be licensed This plainly first concludeth that such persons shall be Physitians and but secondarily de ordine that thus they shall be licensed so that if the Colledge should License a company of utterly insufficient men and murderers that seek mens death or should refuse to License the persons qualified according to Law they may themselves be punished and the qualified persons may act as Authorized by that Law which â—indeth quoad materiam and is by the Colledge and not not by them frustrate quoad ordiâ—em So is it in this case in hand Sect. 25. Hence it appeareth that Ordination is one means conjunct with divers others for the Designation of right Qualified persons described in the Law of Christ for the reception and exercise of the Ministerial office And that the ends of it are 1. To take care that the office fail not and therefore to call out fit men to accept it if modesty or impediments hinder them from offering themselves or the people from nominating them 2. To Judge in all ordinary cases of the fitness of persons to the office and whether they are such as Scripture describeth and calls out 3. And to solemnize their Admittance by such an investiture as when Possession of a House is given by a Ministerial tradition of a Key or Possession of Land by Ministerial delivery of a twig and a turf or as a Souldier is listed a King Crowned Marriage Solemnized after consent and Title in order to a more solemn obligation and plenary possession such is our Ordination Sect. 26. Hence it appeareth that as the Ordainers are not appointed to Judge whether the Church shall have Ordinances and Ministers or not no more then to judge whether we shall have a Christ and heaven or not but who shall be the man so it is not to the Being of the Ministry simply and in all Cases that Ordination is necessary but to the safe being and order of admittance that the Church be not damnified by intruders Sect. 27. Ordination therefore is Gods orderly and ordinary means of a Regular admittance and to be sought and used where it may be had as the solemnizing of Marriage And it is a sin to neglect it wilfully and so it is usually necessary necessitate Praecepti Necessitate medii ad ordinem bene esse But it is not of absolute Necessity Necessitate medii ad esse Ministerii or to the Validity or Success of our office and Ministrations to the Church nor in cases of necessity when it cannot be had is it necessary necessitate praecepti neither This is the plain truth Sect. 28. There are great and weighty Reasons of Christs committing Ordination to Pastors 1. Because they are most Able to judge of mens fitness when the People may be ignorant of it 2. Because they are men doubly Devoted to the Church and work of God themselves and 〈◊〉 may be supposed regularly to have the greatest 〈◊〉 and most impartial respect to the Church and cause of God 3. And they must regularly be supposed to be men of greatest piety and and holiness or else they are not well chosen 4. And they being fewer are fitter to keep Unity when the people are usually divided in their choice 5. And if every man should enter the Ministry of himself that will judge himself fit and can but get a people to accept him most certainly the worst would be oft forwardest to men before they are sent and for want of humility would think themselves fittest the common case of the Proud and Ignorant and the People would be too commonly poisoned by heretical smooth-tongue'd men or more commonly 〈◊〉 please and undoe themselves by choosing them that have most interest in them by friends or acquaintance and them that will most please and humour them and instead of being their Teachers and Rulers would be taught and ruled by them and do as they would have them Order is of great moment to preserve the very being of the Societies ordered and to attain their well-being God is not the God of Confusion but of Order which in all the Churches must be maintained No man therefore should neglect Ordination without necessity And these that so neglect it should be disowned by the Churches unless they shew sufficient cause CHAP. III. Ordination is not of Necessity to the being of the Ministry Sect. 1. HAving shewed what the Ministry is and what Ordination is and how the work is imposed on us and the Power conferred I may now come up to the point undertaken to shew the sin of them that Nullifie all our Ministers calling and administrations except of such as are ordained by the English Prelates And for the fuller performance of this task I shall do it in these parts 1. I shall shew that Ordination it self by man is not of Necessity to the being of a Minister 2. I shall shew that much less is an uninterrupted succession of Regular Ordination such as either Scripture or Church Canons count valid of Necessity to the being of Church or Ministry 3. I shall shew that much less is an Ordination by such as our English Bishops necessary to the Being of the Ministry 4. I shall shew that yet much less is an Ordination by such Bishops rebus sic stantibus as now things go of necessity to the being of the Ministry 5. I shall shew that without all these pretences of necessity for a Presbyterian Ordination the present way of Ordination by this other Reformed Churches is agreeable to the Holy Scripture and the custome of the Ancient Church and the postulata of our chief opposers 6. I shall then shew the greatness of their sin that would Nullifie our Ministry and administrations 7. And yet I shall shew the greatness of their sin that oppose or wilfully neglect Ordination 8. And lastly I shall return to my former subject and shew yet how far I could wish the
if Pastor must cease when Ordination ceaseth For though wâ—thout Pastors there may be communities of Christians which are parts of the universal Church yet there can be no Organized Political Churches For 1. Such Churches consist essentially of the Directing or Ruling Part and the Ruled Part as a Republick doth 2. Such Churches are Christian Associatioâ—s for Communion in such Church Ordinances which without a Pastor cannot ordinarily at least be administred And therefore without a Pastor the Society is not capable of the End and therefore not of the form or name though it be a Church in the fore-granted sence Nay indeed if any should upon necessity do the Ministerial work to the Church and say he did it as a Private man it were indeed but to become a Minister pro tempore under the name of a private man If Paul had not his Power to destruction but to Edification neither have Prelates And therefore the Acts are null by which they would destroy the Church Their Power of Ordering it such as they have occasionally enableth them to disorder it that is If they miss in their own work we may submit but they have no authority to destroy it or do any thing that plainly conduceth thereunto Sect. 29. The ceasing of Ordination in any place will not either disoblige the people from Gods publick Worship Word Prayer Praise Sacraments Neither will it destroy their Right to the Ordinances of God in Church communion But this it should do if it should exclude a Ministry therefore c. The Major is proved 1. In that the Precept for such Publick worship is before the precept for the right ordering of it He that commandeth the Order supposeth the thing ordered 2. The precept for publick worshâ—p is much in the Law of Nature and therefore indispensable and it is about the great and Necessary duties that the honour of Gods add saving of men and preservation of the Church lieth on It is a standing Law to be observed till the coming of Christ. And the Rights of the Church in the excellent Benefits of Publick Ordinances and Church order is better founded then to depend on the Will of ungodly Prelates If Prince and Parliament faâ—l and all the Governours turn enemies to a Common-wealth it hath the means of Preservation of it self from ruine lest in its own hands or if the Common-wealth be destroyed the Community hath the Power of self-preservation and of forming a Common-wealth again to that end The life and being of States specially of mens eternal happiness is not to hang upon so slender a peg as the corrupt will of a few Superiours and the mutable modes and circumstances of Government nor a Necessary End to be wholly laid upon an uncertain and oft unnecessary means The children lose not their Right to Food and Rayment nor are to be suffered to famish when ever the Steward falls out with them or falls asleep or loseth the Keyes Another servant should rather break open the doors and more thanks he shall have of the Father of the family then if he had let them perish for fear of transgressing the bounds of his calling If incest that capital disorder in procreation were no incest no crime but a duty to the Sons and daughters of Adam in case of Necessity because Order is for the End and thing ordered then much more is a disordered preservation of the Church and saving of souls and serving of God a duty and indeed at that time no disorder at all Sect. 30. 7. Moreover if the failing of Ordination should deprive the world of the preaching of the word or the Churches of the great and necessary benefits of Church Ordinances and Communion then one man yea thousands should suffer and that in the greatest matters for the sin and wilfulness of others and must lie down under such suffering lest he should disorderly redress it But the consequent is against all Justice and Reason Therefore the Antecedent is so to Sect. 31. In a word it is so horrid a conclusion against Nature aâ—d the Gospel and Christian sence that the honour of God the fâ—uits of Redemption the being of the Church the salvation or comfort of mens souls must all be at the Prelates mercy that a considerate Christian cannot when he is himself believe it that it should be in the power of heretical malicious or idle Prelates to deny God his honour and Christ the fruit of all his sufferings aâ—d Saints their Comforts and sinners their salvation and this when the remedie is before us and that it is the will of God that all these evils should be chosen before the evil of an unordained Ministry this is an utterly incredible thing Sect. 32. Argument 2. Another Argument may be this If there may be all things essential to the Ministry without humane Ordination then this Ordination is not of Necessity to its Essence But the Antecedent is true therefore so is the consequent That there be a people qualified to receive a Pastor and persons qualified to be made Pastors and that God hath already determined in his Law that Pastors there shall be and how they shall be qualified is past all dispute So that nothing remains to be done by man Ordainers Magistrates or People but to determine who is the man that Christ describeth in his Law and would have to be the Pastors of such a flock or a Minister of the Gospel and then to solemnize his entrance by an Investiture And now I shall prove that a man may be a Minister without the Ordainers part in these Sect. 33. If the will of Christ may be known without Ordination that this man should be the Pastor of such a People or a Minister of the Gospel then may a man be a Minister without Ordination But the will of Christ may be known c. ergo Sect. 34. Nothing needs proof but the Antecedent For it is but the signification of the will of Christ that conferreth the Power and imposeth the Duty And that his will is sometime signified concerning the individual person without Ordination is apparent hence 1. The Description of such as Christ would have to preach the Gospel is very plain in his holy Canons in the Scripture 2. His Gifts are frequently so eminent in several persons as may remove all just occasion of doubting both from the persons themselves and others 3. Their suitableness to a People by interest acquaintance c. may be as notable 4. The Peoples common and strong affection to them and theirs to the People may be added to all these 5. There may be no Competitor at all or none regardable or comparable and so no controversie 6 The Necessities of the People may be so great and visible that he and they may see that they are in danger of being undone and the Church in danger of a very great loss or hurt if he deny to be their Pastor 7. The Magistrate also may call and command him
Christian without Baptism and have Christ and pardon and Justification and eternal life without it then may a man be a true Minister without Ordination For no man can reasonably plead that Ordination is more necessary to a Minister then Baptism to a Christian. Even the Papists that make a Sacrament of it and ascribe to it an indelible Character must needs set it somewhat lower then Baptism Baptizing is commonly called our Christening as that in some sort makes us Christians And yet for all that the true use of Baptism is but to solemnize the Marriage between Christ and us and to Invest and inaugurate them in a state of Christianity solemnly that were indeed Christians before And the Papists themselves confess that when a man first repenteth and believeth with a faith formata Charitate he is pardoned and in a State of Salvation before Baptism and shall be saved upon the meer Votum Baptismi if in case of Necessity he die without it Though the partial Proctors will damn the infants for want of Baptism that never refused it when they save the parents that have â—ut the desire No doubt but Constantine and many other that upon mistake deferred their Baptism were nevertheless Christians and judged so by the Church both then and now And yet to neglect it wilfully were no smal sin So if in our case men want Ordination they may be really Ministers and their Ministrations Valid but it is their very great sin if their wilfull neglect be the cause that they are not Ordained Sect. 46. As Baptism is the open badge of a Christian so Ordination is the open badge of a Minister and therefore though a man may be a Christian before God without Baptism yet Ordinarily he is not a Christian before the Church without Baptism till he have by some equivalent Profession given them satisfaction And therefore if I knew men to be utterly unbaptized I would not at first have Communion with them as Christians But if they could manifest to me that Necessity forbad them or if it were any mistake and scruple of their consciences that hindered them from the outwaâ—d Ordinance and they had without that Ordinance made as publick and bold a profession of Christianity and satisfactorily declared themselves to be Christians by other means I would then own them as Christians though with a disowning and reprehension of their error Even so would I do by a Minister I would not own him as a Minister unordained unless he either shewed a Necessity that was the Cause or else if it were his weakness and mistake did manifest by his abilities and fidelity and the consent and acceptance of the Church that he were truly called And if he did so I would own him though with a disowning and reproof of his mistake and omission of so great a duty Sect. 47. 5. There is not a word of God to be found that makes Ordination of absolute Necessity to the being of the Minâ—stry therefore it is not so to be esteemed The examples of Scripture shew it to the regular way and therefore Ordinarily a duty but they shew not that there is no other way Sect. 48. Object It is sufficient that no other way is revealed and therefore till you find another in Scripture this must be taken for the only way Answ. 1. Scripture is the Rule of our Right performance of all duties We cannot imagine that in the Rule there should be the least defect and therefore no precept or imitable pattern of sin in the smallest matter is there to be found And yet it followeth not that every sin doth Nullifie a Calling because there is no Scripture warrant for that sin All that will follow is that no other way is innocent or warrantable and that only when Necessity doth not warrant it 2. I have shewed already that there are other wayes warranted in some cases in the Scripture And I shall shew anon that as great omissions nullifie not the office Sect. 49. Object But how shall they preach unless they be sent saith Paul Rom. 10. Answ. But the question is Whether no man be sent that have not humane Ordination The text doth not affirm this Let that be Godâ— Ordinary way but yet it followeth not there is no other If God send them however they may preach as Edesius Frumentius Origen and others did of old Sect. 50. Argument 3. He that hath the Talents of Ministerial Abilities is bound to improve them to the service of his Master and best advantage of the Church But such are many that cannot have Ordination ergo Concerning the Major note that I say not that every man that is able is bound to be a Minister much less to enter upon the sacred function without Ordination For 1. Some men that have Abilities may want liberty and opportunity to exercise them 2. Others that have Ministerial Abilities may also have Abilities for Magisâ—racy Physick Law c. and may live in a Country where the exercise of the later is more Necessary and useful to the good of men and the service of God then the exercise of the Ministry would be For these men to be Ministers that either want opportunity or may do God greater service other waies is not to improve their Talents to their Masters chiefest service But still the general obligation holds to improve our Talents to the best advantage and do good to as many as we can and work while it is day And therefore 1. Such a man is bound if he be not otherwise called out first to offer his service to the Church and seek Ordination And if he cannot have it upon just seeking in case of Necessity he is to exercise his Talents without it lest he be used as the wicked slothful servant that hid his Talent Mat. 25. Sect. 51. If this were not so it would follow that the Gifts of God must be in vain and the Church suffer the loss of them at the pleasure of Ordainers and that the fixed universal Law that so severely bindeth all men as good Stewards to improve their Masters stock their Time abilities interest opportunities might be dispensed with at the Pleasure of Ordainers And that God hath bound us to seek in vain for Admittance to the exercise of the Talents that he hath endowed us with and that even in the Necessities of the Church Which are not things to be granted Sect. 52. Object By this doctrine you will induce disorder into the Church if all that are able must be Ministers when they are denyed Ordination For then they will be the Iudges of their own Abilities and every brain-sick proud Opinionist will think that there is a Necessity of his Preaching and so we shall have confusion and Ordination will be made contemptible by Pretences of Necessity Sect. 53. Answ. 1. God will not have the Necessities of mens souls neglected nor allow us to let men go quietly to damnation nor have his Churches ruined for fear of
not so much as a ground to conjecture at any probability Sect. 20. But he saith that we may know that some Pastors at least are true or else God had forsaken his Church Aâ—sw But what the better are we for this if we know not which they are that are the true Pastors nor cannot possibly come to know it Sect 21. But he saith that Quod Christi locum tenent quod debemus illiâ— obedientiam may be known and thereupon he saith thaâ— Certe sumus certitudiâ—â— infallibili quod isti quos videmus sine veri Episcopi Pastores nostri Nam ad hoc non râ—quiritur nec fides nec Character Ordinis nec legitima Electio sed solum ut habeantur pro talibus ab Ecclesia From all this you may note 1. That they are veri Episcopi Pastores nostri that were never ordained if they are but reputed such by the Church 2. That we may know this by infallible Certainty 3. And that we owe them obedience as such So that as to the Church they are true Pastors without Ordination and consequenâ—ly to the Church a succession is unnecessary Sect. 22. Yet of such Usurpers he saith Eos quidem non esse in se veros Episcopos tamen donec pro talibus habentur ab Ecclesia deberi illis obedientiam cum conscientia etiam erroâ—â—a obliget So that they are not veri Episcopi in se and yet they are veri Episcopi Pastores nostri if Bellarmine say true And the words have some truth in them understood according to the distinction which I before gave Chap. 1. Sect. 5 6. He hath no such Call as will save himself from the penalty oâ— usurpation if he knowingly be an usurper but he hath such a Call as shall oblige the Church to obey him as their Bishop or Pastor Sect. 23 But his reason Cum conscientia etiam erronea obliget is a deceit and neither the only nor the chieâ— reason noâ— any reason Not the only nor chief reason because the obligation ariseth from God and that is the greatest Not any reason 1. Because indeed it is not an Erroneous Conscience that tells many people that their usurping Bishops or Pastors are to be obeyed as true Ministers For as it is terminated on the Pastors act or state it is no act of Conscience at all and therefore no error of conscience For conscience is the knowledge of our own affairs And as it is terminated on our own Duty of obeying them it is not Erroneous but right For it is the will of God that for order sake we obey both Magistrates and Pastors that are setled in Possâ—ssion if they rule us according to the Laws of Christ at least if we do not know the Nullity oâ— their call 2. And its false that an Erroneous Conscience bindeth that is makes us a Duty For at the same instant it is it self â— sin and we are bound to depose it and change 〈◊〉 and renounce the eâ—ror It doth but intangle a man in a Necessity of sinning till it be laid by But it is God only that can make our duty and cause such an obligation Sect. 24. From the adversaries Concessions then an uninterrupted succession or present true Ordination is not of Necessity to the being of the Ministry Church or Ordinances quoad Ecclesiam for the Church is bound to obey the usurpers and that as long as they are taken for true Pastors Which is as much as most Churches will desire in the case Sect. 25. And the consequence is easily proved For where God obligeth his Churches to the obedience of Pastors though usurpers and to the use of Ordinances and their Ministration there will he bless the Ministry and those Ordinances to the innocents that are not guilty of his usurpation and that obey God herein And consequently the Ordinances shall not be Nullities to them God would never set his servants upon the use of a means which is but a Nullity nor will he command them to a duty which he will blast to them when he hath done without their fault It s none of the Churches fault that the Bishop or Pastor is an usurper whâ—le they cannot know it and that any of his Predecessors were usurpers since the Apostles dayes And therefore where God imposeth duty on the Church and prescribeth means as Baptism Prayer the Lords Supper Church-Government c. it is certain that he will not blast it but bless it to 〈◊〉 obedient nor punish the Church so for the secret sin of I know not who committed I know not where nor when perhaps a thousand years ago Sect. 26. Argument 6. As other actions of usurpers are not Nullities to the innocent Church so neither is their Ordinanation and consequently those that are Ordained by usurpers may be true Ministers If their Baptizing Preaching Praises Consecration and administration of the Eucharist binding and loosing be not Nullities it follows undenyably on the same account that their Ordinations are not Nullities and consequently that they are true Ministers whom they ordain and succession of a more regular Ordination is not of Necessity to the Ministry Church or Ordinances Sect. 27. Argument 7. If such uninterrupted succession be not Necessary to be Known then is it not Necessary to the Being of the Ministry or Validity of Ordinances administred But such a succession is not Necessary to be known therefore The Consequence of the Major is plain because the Being or Nullity of Office and administrations had never been treated off by God to men nor had it been revealed or a thing regardable but that we may know it Nor doth it otherwise attain its ends And that it is not necessary to be known I further prove Sect. 28. If this succession must be known then either to the Pastor or to the Church or both but none of these therefore 1. If it must be known only to the Pastor then it is not Necessary as to the Church And yet it is not Necessary to be known to the Pastor himself neither For as is shewed its impossible for him to know it so much as by a Moral Certainty His Predecessors and their Ordinations were strange to him 2. Not to the Church For it is not possible for them to know it Nor likely that they should know as much as the true Ordination of their present Pastor according to the Prelatical way when it is done so far out of their sight Sect. 29. If the foresaid uninterrupted succession be necessary to the being of our Ministry or Churches or Ordinances then is it incumbent on all that will prove the truth of their Ministery Churches or Ordinances to prove the said succession But that is not true for then none as is aforesaid could prove any of them Either it is meet that we be able to Prove the truth of our Ministry Churches and administrations or not If not then why do the adversaries call us to it If yea then no man
true Churches or have true Ministers But the Consequent is false therefore so is the Antecedent Of this I shall say more anon Sect. 33. If none of the Protestants Churches that have not such Bishops are true Churches and have not a true Ministry then neither Roman Greek Armenian Aethiopian c. or almost any through the world are true Churches For they are defective in some greater matters and chargeable with greater errors then these But the Consequent is false therefore so is the Antecedent He that denyeth all these to be true Churches denyeth the Catholick Church And he that denyeth the Catholick Church is next to the denying of Christ. Sect. 34. Having thus proved that there is no necessity of Ordination by such as the English Prelates I have withall proved that men are not therefore ever the less Ministers because they have not their Ordination nor our Churches or Ordinances ever the more to be disowned Sect. 35. Yet where there is no other Ordination to be had it may be a duty to submit to theirs Not as they are Episcopi exortes as even Grotius calls them or of this species but as they are Pastors of the Church notwithstanding such superfluities and usurpations Sect. 36. It is not the duty therefore but the sin of any man that was Ordained by such Prelates to a lawful office to disclaim and renounce that Ordination as some do For it is not every irregularity that nullifieth it There may be many modal circumstantials or accidental miscarriages that may not Null the the substance of the Ordination it self Sect. 37. Yet it must be concluded that we may not be wilfully guilty of any sin in the modes or accidents But that may be a sin in the Ordainer which the Ordained may not be guilty of as doing nothing that signifieth an approbation of it but perhaps disowning it Sect. 38. If we have been guilty of submitting to a corrupt ordination as to the accidents we must disown and repent of the sinfull mode and accidents though not of the Ordination it self in substance As we must bewail the errours and infirmities of our preaching prayer and other holy duties without renouncing the duty it self which is of God and to be owned Sect. 39. As to the Question of some Whether a man may be twice Ordained in case he suspect his first Ordination I answer 1. You must distinguish between a General Ordination to the office of the Ministry and a special Ordination to a particular Church As the licensing of a Physitian and the setling him over a City or Hospital The first may be done but once in case it be truely done but the second may be done as oft as we remove to particular Churches Though yet both may be done at once at our first Ordination they are still two things Even as Baptizing a man into Member-ship of the universal Church and taking him into a particular Church It s not like that the separation and Imposition of hands on Paul and Barnabas Act. 13.2 3. was to their first Apostleship Sect. 40. If a man have weighty reasons to doubt of his first Ordination his safest way is to renew it as is usuall in Baptim with a Si non Baptizatus es Baptizo te If thou be not Ordained I Ordain thee This can have no danger in such a case CHAP. VI. Ordination at this time by English Prelates especially is unnecessary Sect. 1. BEsides what is said against the Necessity of such Prelatical Ordination in it self I conceive that more may be said against it as things now stand from several accidental reasons which make it not only unnecessary but sinful to the most Sect. 2 As 1. The Obligation that was upon us from the Law of the Land is taken off which with the Prelates themselves is no small argument when it was for them So that we are no further now obliged then they can prove us so from Scripâ—uâ—e Evidence and how little that is I have shewed before The English Prelâ—cy is taken down by the Law of the Land we are left at Liberty â—rom humane Obligations at least Sect. 3. If any man say that it is an unlawful power that hath made those Laws by which Prelaâ—ical Government is taken down I aâ—swer 1. It is such a Power as they obey themselves and therefore they may permit others to obey it They hold their estateâ— and lives under it and are protected and ruled by it and profeâ—s submission and obedience for the generality of them And when another Species of Government was up that commanded 〈◊〉 to â—ake an engagement to be true to the Government as 〈◊〉 without a King and House of Lords when our 〈◊〉 refused that Engagement as unlawful the generality of the contrary minded took it even all that I was acquainted with that were put upon it So that I may take it for granted that they judge the power which they obey themselves to be obeyed by others Sect. 4. And 2. I would be glad to hear from them any regardable proof that those that Governed when Paul wrote the 13th Chapter to the Romans had any better Title to their Government Let them review their own late writings on that subject and they may have arguments enough that are Valid ad hominem at least Sect. 5. The Laws of the Land do make the Acts even of an Usurper Valid while he is in possession and make it treason to them that do against him that which is treason if it were against a lawfull Prince and therefore if we granted them what they here affirm it would be no advantage to their cause Subjects must look at the present Governours with peaceable subjection For if they be left to try their Princes titles and suspend obedience upon their single opinions you know what will follow Sect. 6. And 3. It will be hard to prove that many a Prince that hath ruled in England had a better Title It s known that many of their Titles were naught And yet their Lawes are Valid still or were so to Posterity And how can they convey a better title to their Heirs then they had themselves If you say that the Consent of the People gave them a better I must return that if that will serve the people in Parliaments more then one and in their real subjection have consented to this But this is a subject that requireth much more to be said of it or nothing at all and therefore I shall take up here with this little which he present cause makes necessary Sect. 7. And I may add a further Reason that we are not only disobliged by the Laws from former Prelacy but we are obliged against it The Rulers have deposed and forbidden it And in lawful things it is a duty to obey our Governours And that the demolishing of the Prelacy is a lawful thing in it self considered For I meddle not with the manner at this time I have said enough before to
more have Ministers Ordained by Presbyters a lawfull call to their Ministry But the Prelates say that they had a lawfull Call to their Prelacy therefore c. The reason of the Consequence which only will be denyed is 1. Because the Presbyters are Ordained to an Office that is of Christs Institution but the Prelates are Consecrated to an Office that is not of Christs Institution but against it and against the light of Nature in taking on them the impossible Government of an hundred or many hundred Churches as was shewed in the former Disputation 2. Because the Prelates hold an uninterrupted Succession of Legitimate Ordination necessary to the Being of their Prelacie I mean such as now we dispute against hold this but so do not the Presbyters The said dissenting Prelates are still upon their Nâ—mo dat quod non habet which therefore we may urge upon them And 1. They cannot prove an uninterrupted Succession themselves on whom it is incumbent according to their principles if they will prove their Call 2. We can prove that they are the successors of such as claimed all their Power from the Roman Vicechrist and professed to receive it from him and hold it of him as the Catholick Head and so that their Ordination comes from a seat that hath had many interruptions and so had no power of Ordination by their Rule For when the succession was so oft and long interrupted Nemo dat quod non habet and therefore all that followed must be usurpers and no Popes and those that received their Offices from them must be no Officers But the Presbyters that Ordain will give a better proof of their Call then this Sect. 61. Argument 19. Where the Office is of Gods Institution and the persons are endued with Ministerial abilitities and are Orderly and duly designed and separated to the Office of the sacred Ministry there are true Ministers and Valid administrations But all these are found in the Reformed Churches that have Ordination without Prelates therefore c. The Major is undenyable as containing a sufficient enumeration of all things necessary to the Being of the Ministry Sect. 62. The Minor is proved by parts 1. That the Offiâ—e of a Presbyter is of divine institution is confessed by most And I suppose those that deny it to be of Scripture insâ—iâ—ution will yet have it to be Divine But if they deny that yet it sufficeth us that it is the same officer that they call a Bishop and we a Presbyter that is the chief Pastor of a particular Church Sect. 63. 2. And that the persons are duly or competenly qualified for the Ministry nothing but Ignorance Faction and Malicâ— that ever I heard of do deny Supposing the humane frailties that make us all insufficient gradually for these things The Ignorant that know not what the Ministerial qualifications are do judge as carnal interest leadeth them The Factious rail at all that be not of their mind Grotius thought the opinions of the Calvinists made them unfit materials for the Catholick Edifice that by his Pacification he was about to frame So do most other Sects reject those as unworthy that suit not with their minds And malice whether â—nâ—mated by Heresie Prophaness or Carnal interest will easily find faults and unweariedly slander and reproach But besides such I meet with none that dare deny the competent abilities of these Ministers Sect. 64. And 3. That the persons are Orderly and duly separated to the work of the Ministry is thus proved Where there is a separation to the Ministry by mutual Consent of the person and the flock and by the Magistrates authority and by the Approbation and Investiture of the fittest Ecclesiastical officers that are to be had there is an orderly and due separation to the Ministry But all this is to be found in the Ordination used in England and other Reformed Churches without Prelates therefore c. This proves not only the Validity of their Ordination but the full Regularity Sect. 65. God himself as hath been shewed doth by his Law appoint the Office of the Ministry imposing the duty upon the person that shall be called and giving him his power by that Law And then there is nothing to be done but to detertermine of the person that is to receive this power and solemnly to put him in Possession by Investiture Now the principal part of the former work is done also by God himself by his Qualifying the person with his eminent Gifts and giving him opportunities and advantages for the Work So that the people and Odainers have no more to do but to find out the man that God hath thus qualified and to elect approve and invest him and usually he is easily found out as a candle in the night So that the two great acts by which God maketh Ministers is his Instituting Law that makes the office and his Spiritual and Naturall Endowments given to the person which the Church is but to find out and call into use and exercise And therefore we may still truly say that the Holy Ghost maketh Pastors or Overseers of the Church as well as formerly he did Act. 20.28 because he giveth them their Gifts though not such Miraculous Gifts as some then had By his common Gifts of Knowledge and Utterance and his special Gifts of Grace it is the spirit that still makes Ministers and still Christ giveth Pastors to the Church Sect. 66. It is therefore to be noted that Eph. 4.6 7 8 11 the way of Christs giving officers to his Church is said to be by giving Gifts to men and the diversity of Offices is founded in the diversity of the Measure of Grace or these Gifts To every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Therefore he saith Ascending on high he led captivity 〈◊〉 and gave Gifts to men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Tâ—â—chers So that giving Gifts and giving Apostles Prophets c. are here made the same work of God Not that 〈…〉 and Approbation of these gifts is hereby made unnecessary but 〈◊〉 this is Gods principal act by which â—e giveth Pastors and Teachers to the Church and by which the Officers aâ—e distinguished For the Church is to discern and submit to those that are thus gifted and to follow the Spirit and not either contraâ—ict or lead him When God hath thus gifted men the main wâ—rk is done for making them Ministers iâ— withall he give tâ—em opportunities and advantages for the work and it is the Churches Duty â—o Own and Approve these Gifts of God and to do their parts to introduce the person And if the Ordainers refuse this in case of Necessity the gifted person is bound to improve his Gifts without them I say in case of Necessity using the best Order that is left Sect. 67. This being premised I come to the Argument § 64. And the
choose a certain person to be her Husband and the Minister or Magistrate solemnize their Marriage without any mention of such Governing Power the Power doth nevertheless belong to the man because God hath specified by his Law the Power of that Relation and the man is Lawfully put in the Relation that by the Law of God hath such a Power so is it in the case in hand Sect. 107. But yet 2. I add that the Prelates and the Laws of England gave to Presbyters a Power of Ordination For in all their Ordinations the Presbyters were to lay on hands with the Prelate and did in all Ordinations that I have seen And if they actually imposed hands and so Ordained it was an actual profession to all that they were supposed to have the power of Ordination which they exercised Sect. 108. Obj. But they had no Power given them to do it without a Prelate Answ. 1. By Christ they had 2. You may as well say that Bishops have no Power to Ordain because they were not ordinarily at least to do it without the Presbyters Sect. 109. Obj. Saith the foresaid Learned Author Dissert Praemonit sect 10.11 Vnum illud lubens interrogarem an Hieronymus dum hic esset Presbyteratu secundario fungeretur partiariâ tantum indutus potestate praesente sed spreto insuper habito Episcopo Diaconum aut Presbyterum ordinare aut Presbytero uni aut alteri adjunctus recte potuerit si affirmetur dicatur sodes qua demum ratione ab eo dictum sit Episcopum sola ordinatione ergo ordinatione à Presbytero disterminatum esse sin negetur quomodo igitur Presbytero Anglicano cui nullam quae non Hieronymo potestatem c. Answ. 1. This is none of our case in England we Ordain not praesente sed spreto Episcopo but most Countreyes know of no Bishop that they have but Presbyters 2. Hierom might have Ordained with his fellow-presbyters according to the Laws of Christ but not according to the Ecclesiastical Canons that then obtained or bore sway 3. Hierom plainly tells you that it is by Ecclesiastical appointment for the prevention of schisme that Bishops were set up so far as to have this power more then Presbyters in the point of Ordination 4. The English Presbyters are Parochial Bishops and have an Office of Christs making and not of the Prelates and are not under those Ecclesiastical Canons that restrained Hierom from the exercise of this power And therefore whereas it is added by this Learned Author Quid huic dilemmati reponi aut opponi possit fateor equidem me non adeo Lynceum esse ut perspiciam he may see that he could scarce have set us an easier task then to answer his dilemma Sect. 110. The second and their principal objection is that We have no precept or example in the Church for Presbyters Ordaining without Prelates therefore it is not to be done Answ. 1. I told you before how Bishop Vsher told me he answered this Objection to King Charlâ— viz. from the example of the Church of Alexandria where Presbyters made Bishops which is more Sect. 111. But 2. I answer you haue no example in Scripture or long after that ever Prelates of the English sort did ordain nor any precept for it nor was such a Prelacy then known as is proved and therefore their Ordination hath less warrant then that by Pretbyters Sect. 112. And 3. I have told you before of Scripture warrant for Ordination by a Presbyterie and also by the Teachers and other Officers of a single Church as was the Church of Antioch Prove that there was any Bishop Sect. 113. Lastly it is confessed by the Dissenters that such Presbyters or Bishops as are mentioned Act. 20. Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1 c. had power of Ordination But according to the judgement of most of the Fathers that ever I saw or heard of that interpret those texts it is Presbyters that are meant in all or some of those texts It is granted us also by the Dissenters that the chief or sole Pastors of single Churches in Scripture-times did ordain and had the power of Ordination But the Presbyters of England and other Protestant Churches are the chief or sole Pastors of single Churches therefore c. Sect. 114. Object 3. But the English Presbyters have broak their Oaths of Canoical obedience and therefore at least are schismatical Answ. 1. Many never took any such oath to my knowledge For my part I did not 2. The particular persons that are guilty must be accused and neither must they be judged before they speak for themselves nor yet must others be condemned for their sakes In these parts there is not one Presbyter I think of ten who differs from the Prelates about Ordination that ever took that oath And therefore it is few that can be called Schismaticks on that account Yea 3. And those few that did take that Oath have few of them that I know of done any thing against the Prelates Sect. 115. Object 4. The English Presbyters have pull'd down the Prelates and rebelled against them and therefore at least are guilty of Schism Answ. 1. The guilty must be named and heard their case is nothing to the rest It is not one often I think perhaps of twenty that can be proved guilty 2. It was not the Scripture Bishops that they Covenanted against or opposed but only the irregular English Prelacy before described And the endeavour of reforming this corrupted Preâ—acy and reducing it to the Primitive frame is in it self no schism Sect. 116. Object 5. Ignatius commandeth them to obey the Bishops and do nothing without them Answ. 1. Ignatius also commandeth them to obey the Presbyters as the Apostles of Christ and to do nothing without them 2. The Bishops that Ignatius mentioneth were such as our Parish Bishops or Presbyters are that have a Presbyterie to assist them They were the chief Pastors of a single Church as is before proved out of Ignatius and not the Pastors of hundreds of Churches Sect. 117. I shall trouble the Reader with no more of their objections seeing by what is said already he may be furnished to answer them all but I shall now leave it to his impartial sober consideration whether I have not proved the truth of our Ministry and of the Reformed Churches and the Validity of our administrations and of our Ordination it self CHAP. VIII The greatness of their sin that are now labouring to perswade the People of the Nullity of our Ministry Churches and administrations Sect. 1. HAving laid so fair a ground for my application I think it my duty to take the freedom to tell those Reverend persons that oppose us in this point the Reasons why I dare not joyn with them and the guilt that I am perswaded they heap upon their own souls Wherein I protest it is not mine intent to make them odious or cast disgrace upon them for I do with
Ministry is not alike necessary in all times and places but with great variety it is exceeding necessary in some Countreys and not in others but useful in some degree in most as I conceive § 36. If the Question be whether such a Ministry be useful in these Dominions or not I have answered before that in some darker and necessitous parts where ignorance doth reign and Ministers or able ones at least are scarce there such aâ— exercise of the Ministry is necessary but in other parts it is not of such necessity yet much work there may be for such or for those in the next Chapter mentioned in most Countreys of them therefore I shall next speak CHAP. II. Of fixed Pastors that also participate in the work of the unfixed § 1. IT is not only the unfixed Ministers that may lawfully do the fore-described work but the fixed Pastors of particular Churches may take their part of it and ordinarily should do somewhat toward it though not so much as they that are wholly in it § 2. I shall here shew you 1. What such may do 2. On what terms 3. And then I shall prove it And 1. They may as Ministers of Christ go abroad to preach where there are many ignorant or ungodly people in order to their Conversion 2. They may help to Congregate Believers into holy Societies where it is not already done 3. They may Ordain them Elders in such Churches as they Congregate 4. They may oft enquire after the welfare of the Neighbour Churches and go among them and visit them and strengthen them and admonish the Pastors to do their duties 5. They may instruct and teach the Pastors in publike exercises 6. They may exercise any acts of Worship or Discipline upon the people of any particular Church which giveth them a due invitation thereto 7. They may publikely declare that they will avoid Communion with an impious or heretical Church or Pastor § 3. But 2. As to the mode or terms it should be thus performed 1. No Pastor of a single Church must leave his flock a day or hour without such necessary business as may prove his Call to do so We must not feign a Call when we have none or pretend necessities He that knows his obligations to his particular charge and the work that is there to be done methinks should not dare to be stepping aside unless he be sure it is to a greater work § 4. And 2. No Pastor of a Church should be busie to play the Bishop in another mans Diocess nor suspect or disparage the parts or labours of the proper Pastor of that Church till the sufferings or dangers of the Church do evidently warrant him and call him to assist them § 5. 3. No Minister of Christ should be so proud as to overvalue his own parts and thereupon obtrude himself where there is no need of him though there might be need of others upon a conceit that he is fitter then other men to afford assistance to his Brethren When the case is really so he may judge it so especially when his Colleagues or fellow Ministers judge so too and desire him to the work but Pride must not send out Ministers § 6. 4. A Minister that hath divers fellow Presbyters at home to teach and guide that Church in his absence may better go out on assisting works then other men And so may he that hath help that while from Neighbour Presbyters or that hath such a charge as may bâ—ar his absence for that time without any great or considerable loss § 7. 5. And a man that is commanded out by the Magistrate who may make him a Visiter of the Churches near him may lawfully obey when it would not have been fit to have done it without such a command or some equivalent motive § 8. 6. A man that is earnestly invited by Neighbour-Ministers or Churches that call out to him Come and help us may have comfort in his undertaking if he see a probability of doing greater good then if he denyed them and if they give him satisfactory reasons of their Call § 9. 7. Men of extraordinary abilities should make them as communicative and useful to all as possibly they can and may not so easily keep their retirements as the Weak may do § 10. 8. And lastly No man should upon any of these pretences usurp a Lordship over his Brethren nor take on him to be the stated Pastor of Pastors or of many Churches as his special Charge It is one thing to do the common work of Ministers abroad by seeking mens Conversion and the planting of Churches or else to afford assistance to many Churches for their preservation establishment or increase and it s another thing to take charge of these Pastors and Churches as the proper Bishop or Overseer of them The former may be done but I know no warrant for the later § 11. That fixed Ministers may do all these forementioned works with the aforesaid Cautions I shall briefly prove 1. By some general Reasons speaking to the whole and 2. By going over the particulars distinctly and giving some reason for each part § 12. And 1. It is certain that a Minister doth not cease to be a Minister in general nor to be an Officer authorized to seek the Discipling of them without and Congregating them by his becoming the Pastor of a particular Church therefore he may still do the common works of the Ministry where he hath a Call as well as his Pastoral special work to them that he hath taken special care of As the Physitian of an Hospital or City may take care also of other persons and cure them so he neglect not his charge § 13. 2. A Minister doth not lay by his Relation or Obligations to the unconverted world nor to the Catholike Church when he affixeth himself to a special charge And therefore he may do the work of his Relations and Obligations as aforesaid Yea those works in some respects should be preferred because there is more of Christs interest in the Universal Church or in many Churches then in one and that work in which the most of our ultimate End is attained is the greatest work that in which God is most honoured the Church most edified and most honour and advantage brought to the Gospel and cause of Christ should be preferred But ordinarily these are more promoted by the Communication of our help to many as aforesaid then by confining it to one particular Church The commonest good is the best § 14. 3. Oft-times the Necessity of such Communicative labours is so apparently great that it would be unmercifulness to the Churches or souls of men to neglect them As in case of Reforming and setling Churches upon which Luther Melanchthon Chytraeus Bugenhagius Pomeranus Calvin and others were so oft imployed As also in case of resisting some destructive heresies In which case one able Disputant and prudent adviser and person that hath interest in the
people may do good to thousands even to many Countries and more then multitudeâ— of others could do And God doth not set up such lights to put under a bushell nor warrant any man to hide his talents nor doth he bestow extraordinary gifts for ordinary sevice only but would have them used to the utmost advantage of his cause and for the greatest good of souls § 15. 4. And it is not the taking up of another calling or Species of Ministerial Office For the Ministry is one office distinct from that inferiour sort of Ministry of Deacons and containeth the power and obligation of doing all this when we have particular Cals It is but the exercise of the same office which we had before We do but lay out our selves more in some parts or acts of that office then more retired Pastors do § 16. And 5. It belongeth to the Magistrates to take care of the Church and the right exercise of the gifts of their subject Ministers and therefore if they command one man more labour then another even the Planting or Visiting of Churches it is our Duty to obey them § 17. More particularly 1. That a fixed Pastor may preach abroad among the unconverted I hope none will deny It was the ancient custom of the fixed Bishops besides the feeding of their flocks to labour the Conversion of all the Countries about them that were unconverted The example of Gregory of Neâ—cesarea may suffice who found but seventeen Christians in the City but converted not only all that City except seventeen but also most of the Countries about and planted Churches and ordained them Bishops And so have abundance others done to the increase of the Church § 18. And 2. That fixed Bishops may congregate new Churches where there are none of such as they or others do convert is in the foresaid constant practice of the Pastors of the ancient Churches put past doubt But so as that they ought not to Congregate those Churches to themselves and make themselves the Bishops or Archbishops of them when they have a special charge already but only settle them under Bishops of their own And this is but by directing them in their duties and trying the person and investing him that is to be their Pastor Whether one or more must do this work I have spoken already in the former Disputation § 19. 3. And that such as thus convert a people or Congregate them may according to the fore-mentioned Rules Ordain them Pastors by the peoples suffrages or Consent is also sufficiently proved in that foregoing disputation and therefore may be here past by § 20. 4. And that such may take care of all the Churches within their reach so far as to do them what good they can is plain in the Lâ—w of Nature that requireth it and in the general commands of the Gospel seconding the Law of Nature while we have time we must do good to all men Especially to the houshold of faith And its plain in the Nature of the Catholick Church and of its members and in the nature of the work of Grace upon the soul. We are taught of God to love one another and the End of the Catholick Society is as of all Societies the common good and the Glory of God and the Nature of true members is to have the same care one for another that so there may be no schism in the body and that they all suffer and rejoice with one another in their hurts and in their welfare 1 Cor. 12.25 26. It is therefore lawfull for Pastors to improve their talents upon these common grounds § 21. 5. That such settled Pastors may Teach or Preach to one another is a thing not doubted of among us For we commonly practice it at Lectures and other meetings of Ministers as formerly was usual at visitations and Convocations And if it be lawful to teach Ministers then also to do those lesser things before and after mentioned Yet do we not preach to one another as Rulers over our Brethren but as Ministers of Christ and Helpers of them in the work of grace As when one Physitian healeth another he doth it as a Physitian helping and advising a Brother in necessity but when he cureth one of his Hospital he doth it as a Physitian performing his trust to one of his charge So when a Pastor preacheth to Pastors he doth it not as a private man but as a Pastor obliged to help his Brethren But when he preacheth to his People he doth it as one that hath the charge of their souls and is their guide to life everlasting § 22. 6. And that Pastors may exercise acts of Discipline and administer the Sacraments to other Congregations upon a sufficient Call is evident from what is said already If they may Preach to the Pastors themselves they may help to Rule the flock For as is said they cease not their Relation to the Church of Christ in general by being engaged to one Church in particular If general Ministers such as Apostles Evangelists c. might administer the Sacraments where they came in Churches that were not any of their special charge above others then may other Ministers of Christ do it upon a sufficient Invitation though the Congregation be none of their special charge And in so doing they act not as private men nor yet as the stated Pastors of that flock but as Pastors Assistant to the stated Pastors and Ruling pro tempore the people under them in that Assisting way Even as a Physitian helpeth another in his Hospital when he is desired and the neither as a Private Ordinary man nor as Superiour to the Physitian of the Hospital nor as the stated Physitian of it himself but as the temporary assistant Physitian of it Or as a Schoolmaster helpeth another in his School for a few dayes in Necessity as his temporary assistant § 23. 7. And upon the same grounds it will follow that one Church or Pastor on just occasion may avoid Communion with another and declare that they so resolve to do and this without usurping any Jurisdiction over them it being not the casting out or Excommunicating of a member of our charge as the Rulers of that Church but the obeying of a plain command of the Holy Ghost which requireth us to Avoid such and have no company or Communion with them and with such no not to eat And therefore it is a fond Argumentation of the Papists that would conclude their Pope to be Head and Governour as far as they find he ever did excommunicate § 24. He that doubteth of any of this must not first enquire Whether a Minister have so much Power but first Whether he may be obliged to so much work and suffering as his duty And then he shall find that if there were no special examples or commands yet the general commands which require us to do good while we have time to all to be the servants of all and seek
for half a year or a year or seven year then is it lawfull to choose and fix such a President for life on supposition still of a continued fitness But it is lawful to choose such a one for a year or seven year therefore also for life § 7. The Antecedent is granted by the Presbyterian Congregational and Erastian party which are all that I have now to do with For all these consented that D. Twiss should be President of the Synod at Westminster which was till his death or else was like to have been till the end And so another after him And ordinarily the Provinces and Presbyteries choose a President till the next Assembly And I remember not that ever I heard any man speak against this course § 8. And then the Consequence is clear from the parity of Reasons For 1. Seven years in contracts is valued equal with the duration of a mans life 2. And no man can give a Reason to prove it Lawfull to have a President seven years or a quarter of a year that will not prove it Lawfull in it self to have a President during life And Accidents must be weighed on both sides before you can prove it Accidentally evil And if it be but so it may be one time good if by accident it be another time bad The weightiest accident must preponderate § 9. 3. Order is a thing lawful in Church Assemblies and Affairs the staâ—ed Presidency of one is a stated Order in Church Assemblies therefore it is lawful that all things be done in Order is commanded 1 Cor. 14.40 And therefore in general Order is a duty which is more then to be Lawful And though the particular wayes of Order may yet be comparatively indifferent yet are they Lawful 〈◊〉 the Genus is necessary § 10. And that this Presidency is a point of Church Order is apparent in the nature and use of the thing and also in that it is commonly acknowledged a matter of Order in all other societies or Assemblies though but for the low and common affairs of the world in a Jury you will confess that Order requireth that there be a Foreman and in a Colledge that there be a Master and that an Hospital a School and all Societies have so much Order at least as this if not much more And why is not that to be accounted Order in the Church that is so in all other societies § 11. 4 That which maketh to the Unity of the Churches or Pastors and is not forbidden by Christ is both lawful and desirable But such is a stated Presidency therefore c. The Major is grounded 1. On nature it self that tells us how much of the strength and beauty and safety of the Church and of all societies doth consist in Unity The Minor is apparent in the Nature of the thing 1. That Presidency makes for Unity is confest by all the Churches that use it to that end 2. And the continuance of the same makes somewhat more for Unity then a change would do there being some danger of division in the new elections besides other and greater inconveniences § 12. 5. The person that is most fit Consideratis Considâ—randis should be chosen President But one and the same person ordinarily is most fit durante vita therefore one and the same person should be continued President God doth not use to change his gifts at every monethly or quarterly Sessions of a Classis or Provincial Synod Either the President chosen was the fittest at the time of his choice or not if he were not he was ill chosen if he were so then its like he is so still at least for a long time And a mans ability is so great and considerable a qualification for every imployment that it must be a very great accident on the other side that must allow us to choose a man that is less able A change cannot be made in most places without the injury of the Assembly and of their work The worthiest person therefore may lawfully be continued for the work sake § 13. 6. That way is lawful that conduceth to the Reconciliation of dissenting and contending Brethren supposing it not forbidden by God But such is the way of a stated Presidency durante vitâ therefore c. Though the Major be past doubt yet to make it more clear consider that it is 1. A Learned party as to many of them with whom this Reconciliation is desired and therefore the more desirable 2. That it is a numerous party even the most of the Catholike Church by far All the Greek Church the Armenian Syrian Abassine and all others that I hear of except the Reformed are for Prelacy and among the Reformed England and Ireland had a Prelacy and Denmark Sweden part of Germany Transilvania have a superintendency as high as I am pleading for at least And certainly a Reconciliation and as near a Union as well may be had with so great a part of the Church of Christ is a thing not to be despised nor will not be by considerate moderate men § 14. And it is very considerable with me that it is the future and not only the present Peace of the Churches that we shall thus procure For it is easie to see that Episcopacy is neither such an upstart thing nor defended by such contemptible reasons as that the Controversie is like to die with this age undoubtedly there will be a Learned and Godly party for it while the world endureth unless God make by Illumination or Revelation some wonderful change on the Sons of men that I think few men do expect And certainly we should do the best we can to prevent a perpetual dissention in the Church Were there not one Prelatical man now alive it were easie to foresee there would soon be more § 15. Yeâ— do I not move that any thing forbidden by God should be used as a means for Peace or Reconciliation with men It is not to set up any Tyranny in the Church nor to introduce any new Office that Christ hath not planted it is but the orderly disposal of the Officers and affairs of Christ which is pleaded for § 16. Object But some will say your Minor yet is to be denyed for this is not a way to Reconciliation A stated Presidency will not please the Prelates that have been used to the sole Iurisdiction of a whole County and to sole Ordination Answ. 1. We know that the moderate will consent 2. And some further accommodation shall be offered anon which may satisfie all that will shew themselves the Sons of Peace 3. If we do our duty the guilt will no longer lie on us but on the refusers of Peace but till then its as well on us as on them § 17. 7. That which is lawfully practised already by a Concurrence of judgements may lawfully be agreed on But the Presidency or more of one man in the Assemblies of Ministers is in most places practised and
Bishops of a Diocess and contend for it so eagerly § 19. And 2. I further answer you We will leave you not a rag of this Objection to cover your nakedness For if any Pastors or Parish Bishops be more ignorant then others and unfit to Teach and Rule their flocks without the assistance teaching or direction of more able meâ— we all agree that its the duty of such men to Learn while they are Teachers and to be Ruled while they are Rulers by them that are wiser For as is said a Parity in regard of office doth not deny a disparity of gifts and partâ—â— And we constantly hold that of men that are equal in regard of office the younger and more ignorant should learn of the aged that are more able and wise and be Ruled by their advice as far as their insufficiency makes it necessary And will not this suffice § 20. And 3. If this suffice not consider that Associated Pastors are linked together and do nothing in any weighty matters of common concernment or of private wherein they need advice without the help and directions of the rest And a young man may govern a Parish by the advice of a Presbyterie and also of Associated able Pastors as well as such Bishops as we have had have governed a Diocess § 21. And yet 4. If all this suffice not be it known to you that we endeavour to have the best that can be got for every Parish and Novices we will have none except in case of meer necessity And we have an act for rejecting all the insufficient as well as the scandalous and negligent and any of you may be heard that will charge any among us with insufficiency Sure I am we are cleansing the Church of the insufficient and scandalous that the Prelates brought in as fast a we can if any prove like them that since are introduced we desire that they may speed no better What side soever they be on we desire able faithfull men and desire the ejection of the insufficient and unfaithfull And youth doth not alway prove insufficiency Witness Timothy whose youth was not to be despised At what age Origen and many more of old began is commonly known Vigelius was Bishop at twenty years of age the Tridentine Bishop We will promise you that we will have none so young to be Parish Presbyters as Rome hath had some Popes and Cardinals and Archbishops and Bishops Nor shall any such ignorant insufficient men I hope be admitted as were commonly admitted by the Prelates § 22. Object 5. But the Apostles and Evangelists had a larger circuit then a Parish and therefore so should their Successors have Answ. I grant you that they had a larger circuit and that herein and in their ordinary work they have successors And we consent that you shall be their Successors Gird up your loins and travail about as far as you please and preach the Gospel to as many as will receive you and sure the Apostles forced none and convert as many souls as you can and direct them when you have done in the way of Church-communion and do all the good that you can in the world and try whether we will hinder you Have you not liberty to do as the Apostles did Be ye servants of all and seek to save all and take on you thus the care of all the Churches and see who will forbid such an Episcopacy as this § 23. Object 6. But it seems you would have none compelled to obey the Bishops but they only that are willing should do it and so men shall have liberty of conscience and anarchy and parity and confusion will be brought into the Church Answ. 1. I would have none have liberty for any certain impiety or sin And yet I would have no sin punished beyond the measure of its deserts And I would not have preachers made no Preachers unless the Church may spare them because their judgements are against Diocesan Bishops and therefore I would have none silenced or susspended for this 2. And what is it that you would have that 's better Would you have men forced to acknowledge and submit to your Episcopacy And how Small penalties will not change mens judgements nor consciences Silencing or death would deprive the Church of their labours and so we must lose our Teachers lest they disobey the Bishops If this be your cure it disgraceth your cause We desire not Prelacy at so dear a rate It s a sad order that destroyes the duty ordered § 24. Object But this is to take down all Church-Government if all shall have what Government they list Answ. 1. Was there no Church-Government before the dayes of Constantine the Emperour 2. Do you pretend to antiquity and fly from the Antient Government as none You shall have the same means as all the Bishops of the Church had for above three hundred years to bring men to your obedience and is that nothing with you Why is it commonly maintained by us all that the Primitive state was that purest state which after times should strive to imitate if yet it was so defective as you imagine 3. And why have you still pretended to such a power and excellent usefulness in the Prelatical Government if now you confess that it is but anarchy and as bad as nothing without the inforcement of the Magistrate What Magistrate forceth men to obey the Presbyteries now in England Scotland or many other places 4. Yet it is our desire that the Magistrate will do his duty and maintain order in the Church and hinder disorders and all known sin but so as not to put his sword into the hand or use it at the pleasure of every party that would be lifted up Let him prudently countenance that way of Government that tendeth most to the good of the Churches under his care but not so as to persecute silence or cast out all such as are for a different form in case where difference is tolerable 5. And in good sadness is it not more prudent for the Magistrate to keep the sword in his own hands if really it be the sword that must do the work If Episcopal Government can do so little without the compulsion of the Magistrate so that all the honour of the good effects belongeth to the sword truly I think it prudence in him to do his part himself and leave Bishops to their part that so he may have the honour that it seems belongs unto his office and the Bishop may not go away with it nor the Presbyterie neither Let the secular Bishop have the honour of all that Order and unity that ariseth from compulsion and good reason when he must have the labour and run the hazzard if he do it amiss and let the Ecclesiastical Bishops have the honour of all that order and unity that ariseth from their management of the spiritual sword and Keyes 6. And lastly I answer that this is not the subject that you
and we have to dispute of It is Ecclesiastical Government by Ministers and not secular by Magistrates that is our controversie It is of the Power left by Christ to Pastors and not to Princes § 25. Object But at least those should be excommunicated that deny obedience to their Bishops that is a Power that is left in the Bishops themselves whether the Magistrate consent or not Answ. 1. Excommunication is a sentence that should fall on none but for such gross and hainous sin if not also obstinacy and impenitency in them as is mentioned in Scripture Using it in cases of controversie and tolerable differences is but a tearing and dividing the Church 2. We take it not for our duty to excommunicate you because you are for Diocesan Prelacy therefore you should not take it for yours to excommunicate others because they are against it For 3. If your species of Episcopacy be such as I have proved it you have more need to repent and amend and ask forgiveness of God and men then to excommunicate them that are not of your opinion and for your sin 4. But if you take this to be your duty who hath hindered you from it these twelve years You had liberty for ought I know to have discharged your consciences and to have excommunicated us all 5. But you might so easily see what was like to come of it that it is no wonder that you forbore If such a Ministry and such a people as are now your adherents whose description I forbear should execute your sentence and cast us and our adherents out of their communion what contempt would it bring upon you in England The Ale-houses would be shut up for the most part against uâ— But that and the rest would be easily born I think this is not your way § 26. Object 7. But what need you form us a new sort of Episcopacy were we not well enough before Why did you pull down that which was well planted and now pretend to commend a better to us We were well if you had let us alone § 27. Answ. 1. But We were not well because you would not let us alone The Ministers that were silenced and imprisoned and banished and the thousands of people that were fain to follow them and all those that were undone by your prosecutions in England were not well But this is a small matter The ignorant Congregations that had ignorant and drunken guides where Piety was scorned as Puritanism and impiety made a thing of nothing and where Satan was so commonly served the many hundred Congregations in England that never knew what true Discipline meant nor never saw in all their lives a drunkard oppressor railer blasphemer either cast out or penitently confess his sin before the Church all these were not well though you were well 2. Whether we were well before I have shewed in my first Disputation and thither I refer you 3. And whether we have brought in a new Episcopacy or only cast out a new one and desire to bring in the Old we are content to put it to an equal tryall We all concurr in offering you this motion Let the oldest stand and the newest be cast out § 28. Object 8. Iudge now by the effects The Episcopacy which you blame did keep up Order and Vnity in the Church It kept under those weeds of heresie and error that since sprung up We had then no Quakers nor Seekers nor such other Sects as now abound This swarm of Errors shews which Government is best § 29. Answ. This is a gross fallacy à non causa pro causa to which I return you my answer in these seven considerations 1. You tell us of the good that you think you did but you tell us not of the hurt I hope I love Divisions or Heresies as little as ever a Bishop in England and yet I must profess that I had rather an hundred times have things continue as they are with all our swarms of heresies then to be restored to their ancient pass Our loss iâ— as great as Iosephs in being removed from the Prison to Pharaohs ungodly family I mean in spirituals of seculars anon I know not of an Anabaptist Separatist Quaker or any other Sectary in the Town that I live in for all this noise unless you will take a few Infidels for Sectaries or a few ignorant Papists or those of your own way But on the other side I hope there are many hundreds that truly fear God that formerly were drowned in ignorance and ungodliness The families that were wont to curse and swear and rail at Godliness do now worship God and set up holy instructions and cast out sin and this is our change And in some measure I have reason to believe that it is so in other places also § 30. 2. The Errors of the times are many of them your own and therefore you exclaim against your selves It is of your own selves that men arise that write against Original sin and for Liberty of Prophecying which is more then Liberty of Believing and for a kind of Limbus Patrum and Infantum and for humane Satisfactions for sin to God and for the Primacy of the Pope and that all our Protestant Churches are no Churches or Ministers no Ministers that have not Prelatical Ordination yea and a Succession of it with many the like to say nothing of other Pelagian weeds It doth not therefore become you to reproach us with our swarms of Errors while you introduce them § 31. 3. There were Heresies and Sects even in the dayes of Prelacy Had you not then the Familists the Grundleâ—onians such as Hacket and Coppinger and Arthington and the Anabaptists and Separatists and Antinomians and Papists and such like besides the contentions between the Arminians and Antiarminians and the contentions raised by Episcopacy it self and the Ceremonies that it upheld Who were they that rose up against the Bishops and pulled them down if there were Unity under them as you pretend § 32. 4. The truth is it was the Magistrate and not Episcopacy that kept that Unity and Peace among us which we had and that kept under Heresies so much as they were kept under Take not therefore the Magistrates honour to your selves Who would have attended your Courts or submitted to your censures had it not been for fear of the Secular power I think but few You know the Hereticks themselves obeyed you not for Conscience sake Nor would they have regarded your Excommunication if the Magistrate would have let them alone If it was the spiritual sword in your hands that kept out Heresies why did you not keep them out since as well as then You have the same power from Christ now as ever you had And I hope the fears of persecution will not hinder you from your duty especially when you can name so few that have suffered for exercising Church-discipline by Episcopal power at least this was no hinderance a
exercised here in England how confidently soever some appropriate the title of the Church of England to the adherents of that frame yet would we not have the Church ungoverned nor worse governed nor will we refuse for peace such a kind of Episcpacy as is tolerable in the Church And there are four sorts of Exercise of the Ministry which if you please you may call Episcopacy which we shall not refuse when it may conduce to Peace § 2. I. We shall consent that the Ancient Parochial Episcopacy be restored that is that in every Parish that hath a particular Church there may be a Pastor or Bishop setled to govern it according to the word of God And that he may be the chief among the Presbyters of that Church if there be any And may assume fit men to be assisting Presbyters to him if there be such to be had If not he may be content with Deacons And these Parochial Bishops are most antient and have the Power of Ordination § 3. Yet do we not so tye a Church to a Parish but that in places where the ignorance infidelity or impiety of the people or the smalness of the Parishes is such as that there are not fit persons enough in a Parish to make a convenient particular Church it may be fit for two or three or four in necessity Neighbour Parishes to joyn together and to be formed into one particular Church The several Ministers keeping their stations for the teaching of the rest as Catechumens but joyning as one Presbyterie for Governing of that one particular Church that is Congregate among them And having one President without whom nothing should be done in matters left to humane determination Yet so that the Presbyters be not forced to this but do it freely § 4. II. We shall consent that these Parish Churches be Associate and that in every Market Town or such convenient places as shall be agreed on there may be frequent meetings of the Pastors for Communion and Correspondency and that one among them be their standing Moderator durante vita or their President for so I would call him rather then Bishop though we would leave men to use what name they please And to him should be committed the Communicating of times and places of meeting and other businesses and Correspondencies And the Moderating of the debates and disputations § 5. And for my part I would consent for peace that de facto no Ordination be made in either of the foresaid Presbyteries without the President but in cases of Necessity so be it 1. That none be compelled to own any other Principle of this Practice then a Love of Peace and none be compelled to profess that he holdeth the President to have de jure a Negative voice yea that all have liberty to write down on what other Principles they thus yeild that the Practice only may suffice for Peace § 6. III. We shall consent also that one in a Deanry or Hundred or other convenient space may by the Magistrate be chosen a Visitor of the Churches and Countrey about him having Power only to take notice of the state of things and gravely to admonish the Pastors where they are negligent and exhort the people and provoke them to Holiness Reformation and Unity only by perswasions from the Word of God Which is no more then any Minister may do that hath opportunity only we desire the Magistrate to design a particular person to do it requiring Ministers and people to give him the meeting because that which is every mans work is not so well done as that which is specially committed to some And we desire that he may acquaint the Magistrate how things are § 7. And to avoid the inconveniences of dividing these works we are desirous that these two last may meet in one man and so he that is chosen by the Pastors the President of their Association may be chosen his Visitor by the Magistrate and do both which may be done by one in every Market-town which is truly a City in the antient sense and the circumjacent Villages Yet this we cannot make a standing Rule that one man do both because the Pastors must choose their President and the Magistrate his Visitor and its possible they may not alwayes concur But if the Magistrate will not choose such a Visitor the Pastors may But then they can compel none to meet him or hear him § 8. IV. Besides these three or two whether you will before mentioned we shall consent that there be a general sort of Ministers such as the Apostles Evangelists and others in those times were that shall have no special charge but go up and down to preach the Gospel and gather Churches where there are none and contribute the best assistance of their Abilities Interest and Authority for the reforming confirming and right ordering of Churches And if by the Magistrates Command or Ministers consent there be one of these assigned to each County and so their Provinces prudentially distinguished and limited we shall not dissent Yet we would have such but where there is need § 9. V. Besides these four sorts of Bishops we are all agreed on two sorts more 1. The Episcopi gregis or Pastors of every Congregation whether they have any assistant Presbyters or no or being themselves but such assistant Presbyters 2. The Magistrate who is a secular Bishop or a Governor of the Church by force And we desire the Magistrate to be a nursing Father to the Church and do his duty and to keep the sword in his own hand and for forcible deposing Ministers or any punishment on body or estate we desire no Bishops nor other Ministers may be authorized thereto But if Pastors exclude an unworthy Pastor from their Communion let the Magistrate only deprive him forcibly of his place and maintenance if he see cause When the Council of Antioch had deposed Paulus Samosatenus he would not go out of the house And all the Bishops in the Council could not force him out but were fain to procure the Heathen Emperor Aurelian to do it It lyeth as a blot on Cyril of Alexandria that he was the first man that arrogated and exercised there a secular Coercive Power under the name of a Bishop of the Church § 10. There is enough in this much to satisfie any moderate honest men for Church-government and for the healing of our Divisions thereabout And there is nothing in this that is inconsistent with the Principles of the moderare of any Party § 11. 1. That a Church organized called by some Ecclesia prima should be no greater then I have mentioned is not contradictory to the Principles of the Episcopall Presbyterians Congregationall or Erastian Indeed the two first say that it may be bigger but none of them say It must be bigger The Presbyterians instances of the Church of Ierusalem which sâ—rued to the highest cannot be proved neer half so great
as some of our Parishes and such other Churches are but for the may be and not for the must be And therefore if they be peaceable this will make no breach § 12. 2. That Parochial Churches and Associations have fixed Presidents is nothing contrary to any of their Principles as far as I am able to discern them § 13. 3. That Pastors may be lawfully appointed to visit and help the Country and the neighbour Churches and exhort them to their duty and give the Magistrate information of their state is a thing that none can justly blame any more then preaching a Lecture among them Nor do I know any party that is against it of these four § 14. And 4. That there may be more General Ministers to gather and take care of many Churches I think none of them will deny Sure the â—tinerant Ministers in Wales will not Nor yet that these may have their Provinces distinguished If I could imagine which of all these sorts would be denied I would more fully prove it yea and prove it consistent with the Principles of each party but till then its vain § 15. The only point that I remember like to be questioned is the consenting to forbear Ordination in several Presbyteries till the President be one except in case of Necâ—ssity And nothing is here questionable that I observe but only Whether it be consistent with the Principles of the Congregational party seing they would have all Ordination to be by the Elders of their own Church and where there are none that it be done by the people without Elders To which I answer 1. That we here grant them that a Congregational Presbyterie with their President may ordain an Elder for that Congregation 2. The Moderate Congregational men do grant us that the Elders or Pastors of other Churches may lawfully be called to assist them in Ordination though they think it be not necessary It is not therefore against their Principles to do so For sure they may do a Lawful thing especially when the Churches Peace doth lie so much upon it as here it doth § 16. I conclude therefore that here are healing Principles brought to your hands if you have but healing inclinations to receive them Here is a sufficient remedy for our Divisions upon the account of Church-government if you have but hearts to entertain them and apply them But if some on one side will adhere to all their former excesses and abuses and continue impenitent unchurching the best of the Protestant Churches that are not Prelatical while they unchurch not the Church of Rome And if others on the other side will stifly refuse to yield in things that cannot be denied to be lawfull yea and convenient for the Churches and set more by all their own conceits then by the Peace of Brethren and consequently the prosperity of the Church we must leave the care of all to God and content our selves that we have done our duty CHAP. VII Some instances to prove that moderate men will agree upon the foregoing terms § 1. LEST any think that it is a hopeless work that I have motioned and the parties will not agree upon these terms I shall shall next prove to you that the godly and moderate of each party are agreed already at least the Episcopal and Presbyterians and I think the rest and that its in Practice more then Principles that we disagree § 2. I. I will begin with the Episcopal Divines of whom there ate two parties differing much more from one another then the one of them doth from the Presbyterians The ancient Bishops and the moderate of late did maintain the Validity of Ordination by Presbyters and own the Reformed Churches that had other supposing their Episcopacy usefull to the perfection or well being of a Church but not necessary to the being of it And this sort of men who also agree with us in doctrine we could quickly be reconciled with But of late years there are many Episcopal Divines sprung up that embracing the Doctrine called Arminianism do withal deny the Being of the Ministry and Churches that want Prelatical ordination and with these there is no hope of concord because they will have it on no other terms then renouncing our Churches and Ministry and being again ordained by them and thus coming wholly over to them These separate from us and pretend that our Churches have no true Worship wonderous audacity and our Ministers are no true Ministers and call the Church into private houses as D. Hide expresly in his Christ and his Church in the beginning of the Preface and many others Of whom I spoke before § 3. That the ancient English Bishops that hold to the doctrine of the Church of England and are peaceable men are easily agreed with us I first prove from the example of Reverend Bishop Hall In his Peace-maker he hath these words Pag. 46 47 48 49. The Divisions of the Church are either General betwixt our Church and the other Reformed or special with those within the bosome of our own Church both which require several considerations For the former blessed be God there is no difference in any essential matter betwixt the Church of England and her Sisters of the Reformation We accord in every point of Christian Doctrine without least the variation N B. Their publike Confessions and ours are sufficient convictions to the world of our full and absolute agreement the only difference is in the form of outward administration Wherein also we are so far agreed as that we all profess this form not to be essential to the being of a Church N. B. though much importing the well or better being of it according to our several apprehensions thereof and that we do all retain a reverent and loving opinion of each other in our own several wayes not seeing any reason why so poor a diversity should work any alienation of affection in us one towards another But withall nothing hinders but that we may come yet closer to one another if both may resolve to meet in that Primitive Government whereby it is meet we should both be regulated universally agreed on by all antiquity wherein all things were ordered and transacted by the Consent of the Presbyterie moderated by one constant President thereof the Primacy and perpetual practice whereof no man can doubt of that hath but seen the writings of Clemens and Ignatius and hath gone along with the History of those primitive times We may well rest in the judgement of Mr. John Camero the Learnedst Divine be it spoke without envy that the Church of Scotland hath afforded in this last age Nullus est dubitandi locus c. There is no doubt at all saith he but that Timothy was chosen by the Colledge of the Presbyters to be the President of them and that not without some authority over the rest but yet such as have the due bounds and limits And that this was a leading case and
you misunderstand this Proposition 1. The Peace of the whole Church must be in our eye before the peace of a part and of a great and more considerable part rather then of a smaller caeteris paribus 2. It is supposed that besides the simple lawfulness of the thing there be also no other accidental inconveniencies on the other side that will follow the use of a form that is of sufficient moment to weigh down the argument from the Churches Peace For when a thing is only good or evil I mean necessary or sinfull by Accident and not in it self we must consider which side hath the most weighty accidents and accordingly must choose or refuse it 3. It is not the fullfilling of the humours of every unreasonable expectant or every proud Magisterial usurper that is the Peace of the Church that now we speak of If a few proud men will hold no Peace with us unless we will serve God in their unnecessary forms as if none had wit enough but they to know in what words the Churches should serve God and all must speak but what they teach them it is not the humoring of these Proud usurpers that is the Peace thus to be bought 4. We must look to the future as well as the present Peace of the Churches And therefore if any will hold no Peace with us now unless we will own some formal Engine that is like to make hereafter more division then unity in the Churches by laying the Unity or Peace of the Church on things that will not bear it and making thiâ—gs necessary that are not necessary nor to be made so in such cases it is not our duty to betray the geneneral or future Peace of the Church for our private or present Peace 5. The desireableness of this Peace of the Church which we must seek must be much judged of by its tendency to the promoâ—ing of holiness the saving of mens souls the furthering of the Gospel and prosperity of the Church in spiritual respects For a Peace that undermineth and betrayeth these is not desireable The means is to be valued by its tendency to the attainment of the End 6. There is need therefore of very great prudence to compare things with things for a man to know how to carry himself in such cases For imprudent oversights or laying greatest stress on smallest things and slighting greater will make men live in constant sin by abusing things indifferent But still the Proposition holds good with these cautions that forms and such like indifferent things are to be used or disused much with respect to the Churches Peace Prop. 4. SO great is the difference between men and men times and times that forms may be a duty to some men and at some times and a sin to other men and at other times As to private men in their families it may be one mans duty to use a form or book and another mans sin so is it with Ministers also in the Assemblies Three distinctions among others are obvious in which this is manifest 1. Some Ministers are better able to perform Gods publick worship except in the fore-excepted cases without a form and some are better able to do it by a form 2. Some Ministers have a People that are scrupulous of using forms and some have people that scruple the disusing them and some have both sorts mixt 3. Some Churches live under Magistrates that command a form or with Churches that unanimously agree on a form and others live in times and places where there is no such commands or Agreements And according to these differences it may be one mans duty and anothers sin to use some forms 1. Gods work should be done in the most edifying manner Where Ministers are able to perform the publick prayers of the Church in the most profitable manner without a form there it is their duty to disuse a form unless some other greater accident preponderate Still remember that for Psalms and other fore-excepted parts I take it for granted that ordinarily a form is necessary But our main question now is of Praying and Preaching and that especially with respect to one standing form that is not usually varied in Prayer and an imposed form or composed by others in Preaching It should be the ordinary case of the Church that Ministers should be able to do these without a constant form of words to the peoples greater edification But yet it is not alway so And where it is not it is better for Ministers to use a form then to do worse and dishonour the work of God and wrong the Church by their erroneous or over-rude defective management I know the great objection will be that such men are not fit to be Ministers and that its better to have none But this is sooner said then proved I am far from desiring any man to undervalue the precious mercy of an able Ministry and from wishing for formalities and reading Pastors instead of the learned able guides that we here enjoy I hope I should do or suffer as much as another to prevent so great a Calamity as an ignorant unable or negligent Ministry But yet I am fully satisfied of it that its better for the Church to have Readers then none 1. Consider that there have been some very Learned able Divines Doctors of Divinity that by age or other decay of Memory or natural impediments disabling them from extemporate performances cannot do any thing in the worship of Gâ—d without the help of Notes or books or at least without preparation for expressions when yet upon preparation and by convenient helps they excell many extemporate men 2. The Necessities of the Church may require an allowance or toleration of such as have not ability to compose extemporate Prayers or Sermons no nor to prepare such upon deliberation neither but meerly read the Sermons and Prayers composed by others I know some will not believe that such should be Ministers But they would have them only read as private men rather then the people should have nothing For they think that a man that cannot preach or pray is no more capable of being a Minister then a man that cannot command an Army is capable of being a Commander c. But 1. Let such brethren consider that there may be all abilities essentially requisite to a Pastor without the ability of praying or preaching without a form Though still I pray God to save us from a Necessity of such A man that can Teach men the substance of the Christian Religion and administer the Sacraments and Oversee and Govern the flock hath as much ability as is necessary to the Being of a Pastor But those may have all this that cannot fitly preach or Pray without a form They may be godly men able in conference to instruct the people in the substance of Religion and to read the Scriptures and the Holy writings of godly men and to administer Sacraments and prudently and diligently
guide the people And by the same rule as you will conclude it better that e. g. Wales Ireland c. have private men to read good books rather then none lest they turn heathens I may also conclude that it is better for them to have Churches and Pastors of this weaker sort then to have none and leave their children unbaptized and live without the Sacraments and Church-Communion and Government 2. Consider I beseech you which moves me more then any thing else the state of the Christian world In Aethiopia Syria Armenia Russia Grecia and abundance of other Churches of Christ â—here are very few Preachers but meer Readers And can any man think that it is best for all these Churches to be without Ministers and Sacraments rather then to have such O that God would give them better But till then I shall pray that he will continue these among them rather then leave them destitute I know many godly judicious men of able parts for conference that yet are unable to compose a Sermon though if they could it were a form that yet I am confident by Reading such Practical Books as are now extant and by prudent oversight might be tolerable Pastors for many a Congregation in Wales that now have none 2. In a time and place where no obligation by Magistrates Commands or Churches Agreements is laid upon us for the use of forms I am fully perswaded we should make no more use of them then Necessity compelleth us to do But the thing being lawfull the Command of a Magistrate or the agreement of the Churches may go far in moving us And indeed must prevail with us unless in cases where there are weightier Accidents to weigh down on the other side For obedience and Agreement or Concord in Lawfull things is our duty where we have not some greater reason to forbid it There is much difference between men that are left at liberty and men that are bound by lawfull Governours Yea though they do not well in commanding yet may we be bound to obey when the matter is such as belongeth to their jurisdiction and not forbidden by God 3. A man is also much to regard the minds of his people not out of man-pleasing disposition but in order to their good Prudence will tell us which way is likest to attain our Ends. Food is to be fitted to mens tempers and stomacks and Physick to their diseases If a Church be so weak that they cannot bear the disuse of forms and others so weak that they cannot bear the use of them the Pastor must fit his practice to their Edification till he can bring them to a wiser judgement that so they may receive that which indeed is most fit to edifie them Prudence must guide us in the circumstantials of worship which are left to our Determination that we may vary them as the condition of our flock requireth to their good of which more anon Prop. 5. THE Ministers and Churches that earnestly desire it should not by the Magistrate be absolutely and generally prohibited the use of a convenient stinted Liturgy Note here that I speak not of the desires of any inconsiderable persons contrary to the desires of that whole Church If a few ignorant or wilfull people should be eager for a form when the Pastor is able and willing to manage the work of God without it and the Congregation professeth that it hindereth their Edification by what accident soever I am not now questioning it is fit that those unreasonable persons should be denyed their desires in that Church rather then the whole Congregation Also if the Magistrate should perceive that a whole Congregation or many or the Pastors themselves are eager for some one particular form out of a corrupt humour and in any ill design to the disturbance of the Churches Peace or that they will needs have an unlawfull Form that for matter is erroneous or for manner absurd or apt to breed unreverence or hinder Edification the Magistrate should prohibite this Yet so that Prudence and Moderation measure out his penalties in such a sort as that he Churches Edification be not hindered by his over-rigorous correcting mens distempers But out of these and such like Cases when it is meer weakness that causeth Pastors or people to be set upon a lawfull form The Magistrate ought not to prohibite them by such restraints as shall deprive them of the liberty of worshipping God or hinder their Edification The Reasons of this Proposition are these 1. Because the thing being Lawfull no Power should causelesly restrain men from the use of Lawfull things God having left men to their Liberty none should without great reason deprive them of it 2. The Magistrate should not hinder the Peoples Edification in the manner of Gods worship But in many places a stinted Liturgy is most for the peoples Edification Therefore c. Whether it be the Ministers weakness or the peoples that makes it most usefull to them yet when the Magistrate cannot cure that weakness he must bear with them It was the weakness of Nicodemus that made him he could not bear the day-light in coming to Christ yea and such a weakness as shewed or was joyned with an unregenerate state and yet Christ would rather teach him privately then not at all 3. Where Consciences are scrupulous and think it a sin to worship publikely without a form though it be their error yet the Governors are not to drive them away from it because then they will not publikely Worship God at all And no worship is worse then a lawful form of worship 4. A Minister that is for the Necessity of a form though erroneously may be in other respects so usefull to the Church that he should not be laid by and lost to the Church for such a thing as this 5. The use of some forms as aforesaid being necessary and of other forms not only lawfull but of almost common reception through all the Churches on earth Governors should be very cautelous in denying men liberty in that which almost all the Churches have Liberty in and more even that which is their constant use Prop. 6. TO prescribe a Form of Prayer Preaching or other service where is no Necessity of it and to lay a Necessity on it as to the thing it self or the Churches Peace c. and to punish silence suspend exâ—ommunicate or reproach as Schismaticks the able godly peaceable Ministers or People that justly or unjustly dare not use it is so great a sin that no Godly Ministers should desire or attempt it nor any godly Magistrate suffer it This was the great sin of the late Magistrates and Prelates in England and it is the main difference between their party and others at this day The Magistrate doth not forbid men using a form or Liturgy though they forbid one particular Liturgy more strictly then I could wish But there is a very few of these men that I know of
do more hurt by breaking the Churches peace then they do good by converting souls But who was it that laid these snares in their way Who laid the Churches peace upon your inventions Had not the Church a sure Rule and an happy order and unity and peace before your Common prayer Book or Ceremonies were born Why must the Church have no peace but upon such terms Who made this Necessity that all men must be taken for intolerable schismaticks that dare not stint themselves in the publick worship by your impositions Will you not be confounded before God when these Questions must be answered The Church might have kept both Peace and her Pastors if you had let all alone as the Apostles left it and had not turned the forms of your Devotions to be a snare for others 9. And it is great unmercifulness to the Souls of particular men when you will drive them into such snares and câ—mpell them to go against their consciences in indifferent things what ever is not of faith is sin And whether they believe it good or bad you will compell them to practise all that you impose Have you not Consciences your selves Do you not know what it is for a man to be driven against his Conscience If not you are no Christians and then no wonder if you want the Charity and compassion of Christians and so easily for nothing abuse and injure the Christian cause 10. And in thus doing you deal unjustly and do not as you would be done by You would have Liberty your selves now to use a Liturgy And why should not others have Liberty to disuse it Either you take it for a thing Necessary in it self or for Indifferent If as Necessary then you are so much the more arrogant and injurious to the Churches and your usurpation is the more intolerable and you do much to Justifie them that deprive you of your own liberty For I know no Liberty that you should have to make universal Laws for the Church or to make new duties by your own meer wills or turn Indifferent things into Necessary and so to multiply our work and burden and danger and to silence suspend or excommunicate all that dare not submit to your usurped Dominion But if you take it for a thing in it self Indifferent whether we pray in a Form of prescribed words or not then as we are content that you have your Liberty on one part you have as just cause to allow us our liberty on the other and to do as you would be done by 11. And by these Impositions you set up a New Office or Power in the Church Consisting of a New Legislation and a Government of the Church by such new humane Laws We know no Law-giver but 1. Christ as to universal Laws of standing necessity to the Churches in the matters of Salvation And 2. Magistrates to make by-laws under Christ for a just determination of those mutable circumstances that ought to be determined by humane Prudence and 3. The Ministers or Pastors of particular Churches to direct and guide the people as there is cause As for Bishops or Councils we know of no Legislative Power that they have over their Brethren though Agreements they may make which may be obligatory 1. by consent as other contracts 2. and in order to unity where the case requireth such Agreements But to set up a New sort of Jurisdiction in the Church by Legislation to make Forms and Ceremonies obligatory and by Executions to punish Pastors that will not practise them is a dangerous device 12. Lastly by this means you will harden the Papists that by their Inventions and Impositions have divided the Church and been guilty of so much usurpation and tyrannie For how can we condemn that in them that is practised by our selves And though in number of Inventions and Impositions they exceed yet it is not well to concur with them in the kind of unnecessary Impositions and so far to Justifie them in their injury to the Church If none of these or other Reasons will alloy the Imperious distemper of the Proud but they must needs by a usurped Legislation be making Indifferent things become necessary to others and domineer over mens Consciences and the Church of God we must leave them to him that being the Lord and Lawgiver of the Church is Jealous of his Prerogative and abhorreth Idols and will not give his glory to another and that delighteth to pull down the Proud and humble them that exalt themselves But yet how far an Agreement or voluntary Consent of the Churches is desirable as to a Liturgy I shall shew more anon Prop. 7. THE safest way of composing a stinted Liturgie is to take it all or as much as may be for words as well as matter out of the Holy Scriptures Reas. 1. This way is least lyable to scruple because all are satisfied of the infallible Truth of Scripture and the fitness of its expressions that are not like to be satisfied with mans And it is a laudable disposition in the Creature to prefer the words of God before all other and therefore not to be discouraged in any Reas. 2. This way tends most to the peace of the Church All will unite in the words of God that will not unite in the forms and words of men If they understand not a word of God yet knowing it to be true they will not quarrel with it but submit But if they understand not the words of men they will be ready to suspect them and so to quarrel with them and so the Churches peace will be broken Besides the judgements of men being fallible many will suspect that its possible there may be some error in their forms though we see them not and God should be worshiped in the surest way Reas. 3. There is no other words that may be preferred before the words of God or stand in Competition with them and therefore me thinks this should easily be decided Object But the Scripture hath not forms enough for all the Churches uses Answ. It hath matter and words for such Forms Without any additions save only terms of Connection the sentences of holy Scripture may suffice the Church for all its uses as to forms Object But men may speak untruths in Scripture words if they will and by misplacing and misapplying them may make them speak what was never meant in them Answ. But 1. When they use no expository terms of their own but meerly recite the words of Scripture the perverting them will not be so easie or common And 2. When they have placed them how they please the people are left at liberty 〈…〉 to the sence they have in the 〈…〉 to what mens misplacing 〈…〉 put upon them when we professedly make our forms out of Gods word we do as it were tell the people that they must give each sentence its proper interpretation as it s meant in Scripture because we pretend not to change it
the greatest seriousness of devotion we must expect that most should do accordingly For we see that Ministers are men and too many are carryed as well as others with the stream of temptation But those Prayers and other duties that depend upon their parts require preparation or at least some present care and diligence for the awakening of their hearts and excitation of their faculties Reas. 4. But the principal danger of a constant use of prescribed forms is lest it should let in an unworthy Ministry into the Church For though I had rather have as weak Ministers as I before described then none yet it will be very dangerous when such are tolerated because of Necessity lest the negligeâ—ce of Ordainers and Approvers will take advantage of this and pretend necessity where there is none or hearken to them that come with such pretences and so undo the Church by an ignorant insufficient Ministry so hard is it for men to avoid one extream without running into another Now the utter prohibition of stinted forms will prevent this but not without an evil on the other side And therefore to avoid the evils on both sides me thinks it would be best to let such forms be used but unconstantly unless by men that will lie under the dishonour of being able to do no better And that dishonor will hinder men from resting in them and the frequent exercise of other mens gifts will awaken them to their duty and the necessity of it will as well keep out insufficient men as if there were no form at all For an insufficient man can no more perform the work once a day without a form then twice a day I shall add no more Reasons because they that write against forms of Prayer though they run too far have said enough of the inconveniences The motion that I make being for a voluntary and an unconstant use of them I must expect to meet with objections on both sides which I shall briefly answer Object 1. Those that are utterly against forms will say that I am opening under pretence of Peace and Liberty a way to let in an unlawfull worship and a lazy insufficient Ministry To which I answ 1. For them that take all forms to be unlawfull I think them fitter for compassion then disputes and judge their reason to be as low as the Quakers that cry down the use of hour-glasses and sermon-notes and preaching on a Text of Scripture 2. And for the rest of the objection it s answered before The use of a Liturgy in the way described will not more Countenance a lazy insufficient ministry nor hurt the Church then if there were none Object 2. But what need is there of it Are we not well without it why would you disturb our peace to please the adversaries Answ. 1. We are not without a Liturgy as shall be further shewed and therefore you cannot say we are well without it 2. Some yong weak Ministers we must speak the truth do wrong both Baptism and the Lords Supper by many miscarriages for want of further helps 3. Wales and many parts of England must be supplyed with Forms or be without whâ—ch is worse 4. The Consciences of many of those that you call adversaries and I call Brethren must be indulged with the liberty of a convenient form or else we shall not walk charitably On the othâ—â—side it will be objected by them that would have all men forced to the constant uâ—e of forms 1. that If we have not forms men may vent what they please in prayer some raile in prayer and some vent error and some rebellion c. Answ. 1. This Argument makes against all Prayer of Ministers but what is prescribed For if you force them to a form and yet give them leave with their Sermons to use also either extemporate or formed Prayers of their own they may as well vent rebellion heresie or malice in them as if they had no Liturgy at all And if you would have Ministers use no prayer but what they read out of the imposed books for fear of these inconveniences you will shew your selves enemies to the Church and cure an inconvenience with a mischief 2. And if men were forbidden all prayer but by the Book yet it is more easie to vent error or malice in a Sermon So that unless you tie them also to forbear preaching save out of an imposed book you are never the better And if you would do so you are sorry helpers of the Church 3. You have a better remedy then these at hand Put no such Insufficient men or Hereticks into the Ministry that will so abuse prayer or if they be crept in put them out again and put better in their places that will not abuse it If some Physitians kill men by ignorance or malice will you tie them all to go by a Book and give but one medicine or will you not rather cast out the unworthy and licence only abler men Object 2. But how can I Ioyn with a Minister in prayer If I know not before hand what he will say when for ought I know he may pray blasphemy or heresie Answ. 1. By this objection you take it to be unlawful to joyn with any prayers at all whether publick or private but what you know before And so it seems you think all prayer but what 's by the book unfit for any but a solitary person And if this be your mind that your Book-Prayers must needs shut out all others blame not men so much to shut out your Book when you so far provoke them 2. According to this Objection you must not send for the Minister to pray with you when you are sick or in trouble unless he tye himself to your Book And why then may not another do it as well as he or at least the sillyest man that can read as well as the most able 3. It is the work of the Minister to be the peoples mouth in prayer to God and therefore if he fail in the manner of his own work it is his sin and not yours and you may no more refuse for that to joyn with him then subjects may refuse to obey the soveraign power because of some miscarriages yea or to fight for them and defend them 4. Your presence signifieth not your consent to all that you hear from a Minister And your Heart is not to follow him in evil but in good and therefore seeing you are at liberty what cause of scruple have you 5. It is supposed that no man is ordinarily admitted or tolerated in the Ministry that will so abuse prayer that men may not lawfully joyn with them If they are such cast them out If you cannot cast them out if they are Hereticks or Blasphemers come not neer them But if â—â—ey are men fit for to be tolerated in the Ministry you have reason to trust them so far in their office as not to expect Heresies or Blasphemies
the Magistrates persecution No means can be justly pleaded against the end and least of all a bare ceremony For it is no Means when it destroyeth the end § 10. On this account it is that it hath alwaies by wise men been reckoned a tyrannical unreasonable thing to impose all the same ceremonies and circumstances upon all places as upon some and it hath been judged necessary that every Church have their liberty to â—iffer in such indifferent things and that it hath been taken for a wise mans duty to conform his practice in such indifferent circumstances to the several Churches with which he shall have communion as Ambrose professeth he would do and would have others do the same § 11. If any think as too many do that such a diversity of circumstances is a disorder and confusion and not to be endured I shall further tell these men anon that their opinion for an hypocritical unity and uniformity is the true bane of Christian unity and uniformity and that which hath brought the confusion and bloody wars into the Christian world and that our eyes have seen and our ears have heard of And it were as wise an objection for them if they should charge us in Britanie with Confusion and drive us to a separation or division because the Scots wear blew caps and the English hats or because some English wear white hats and some black and so of other circumstances § 12. Did I live in France or other Popish Countries or had lived in England at the abolition of Popery I should have thought it my duty in many indifferent circumstances to accommodate my self to the good of those with whom I did converse which yet in another Countrey or at another time when those things were as offensive as then they were esteemed I durst not have so done And therefore our Common Prayer-Book it self with its Ceremonies might be then commendable in many particulars which now are reformable And so in Ethiopia Greece or Spain those things would be very laudable that are now in England deservedly vituperable And several Ceremonies in the primitive times had such occasions and concomitants that made them tolerable that now seem less tolerable The case is not the same though the Materials be the same CHAP. VIII Prop. 8. Those orders may be profitable for the Peace of the Churches in one Nation that are not necessary to the Peace of the Churches in many Nations § 1. I mention this 1. Because the Romanists are so peremptory for the Necessity of their ceremonies through all the world as if the unity peace or well being of the Church at least did hang on these And yet sometimes they could dispence with the different rites of the Greeks if they could but have got them under their power by it § 2. Also 2. Because the Protestants called Lutherans stick so rigidly on their ceremonies as Private Confession Exorcism Images Vestments c. as if these had been necessary to the unity of the Churches And the Pacifiers find a difficulty in reconciling the Churches of several nations because these expect an uniformity in ceremonies § 3. And so necessary doth it seem in the judgement of some deluded souls that all Churches be one in a visible Policy and uniformity of Rites that upon this very account they forsake the Protestant Churches and turn Papists As if Christ were not a sufficient Head and Center for Catholick union and his Laws and waies sufficient for our terms of uniformity unless we are all of a mind and practice in every custome or variable circumstance that God hath left indifferent § 4. I need no other Instance then 1. what Grotius hath given of himself in his Discuss Apologet. Rivet who professeth that he turned off upon that account because the Protestants had no such unity And 2. What he said before of others by whom he took no warning but did imitate them in his Epist. to Mr. Dury cited by Mr. Barksdale in his Memorials of Grotius life where he saith Many do every day forsake the Protestants and joyn with the Romanists for no other Reason but because they are not one Body but distracted parties separated Congregations having every one a peculiar Communion and 〈◊〉 And they that will turn Papists on such an inducement deserve to take what they gâ—t by their folly § 5. Did not these men know that the Church hath alwaies allowed diversity of Rites Did not the Churches differ till the Nâ—cene Council about Easter day and one half went one way and another half the other way and yet Polycarp and the Bâ—shop of Rome held communion for all their differences and Ireneus pleads this against Victors temerity in excommunicating the Asian Churches Dâ—d they not know that the Greek and Armenian and Romane Churches differ in many Rites that yet may be parts of the Catholick Church notwithstanding such differences Yea the Romanists themselves would have allowed the Greeks and Abassines and other Churches a difference of ceremonies and customes so they could but have subjugated them to the Pope § 6. Yea more the several orders of Fryars and other Religious men among the Papists themselves are allowed their differences in Rites and Ceremonies and the exercise of this allowed Difference doth make no great breach among them because they have the liberty for this variety from one Pope in whom they are all united What abundance of observations do the Iesuites Franciscans Dominicans Benedictines Carthâ—sians and others differ in And must men needs turn Papists because of the different Rites of Protestants when they must find more variety among them that they turn to The matter 's well amended with them when among us one countrey useth three or four Ceremonies which others do disuse and among the Papists one order of Fryars useth twice as many different from the rest yea in habit and diet and other observances they many waies differ What hypocrisie is this to judge this tolerable yea laudable in them and much less so intolerable in us as that it must remove them from our Communion § 7. And how sad a case is it that the Reconciliation between the Lutherans and other Protestants should in any measure stick at such Ceremonies what if one countrey will have Images to adorn their Temples and will have exorcism and other Ceremonies which others do disallow and desire to be freed from may we not yet give each other the right hand of fellowship and take each other for the Churches of Christ and maintain brotherly Charity and such a correspondency as may conduce to our mutual preservation and edification § 8. Yea in the sâ—me Nation why may not several congregations have the liberty of differing in a few indifferent ceremonies If one part think them lawfull and the other think that God forbids them must we be forced to go against our Consciences for a thing of no necessity If we profess ouâ— Resolution to live peceably with them that
but only by such an accident as being over-weighed by another accident shall cease to make them unlawfull For instance If the Pastor appoint a more imperfect version of the Psalms to be sung in the Church as is commonly done in England the obeying of him in the use of this will not bring so much hurt to the Church as the disobeying on that account would do For besides the sin of disobedience it self the Church would be in a confusion if they forsake his conduct that preserves the union and some will be for this and some for that and so the worship it self will be overthrown But if the Pastor would command a version so corrupt as would overthrow the duty it self or be as bad as non-performance the Church is then to seek redress and not obey him So if he command a Time inconvenient but tolerable as to meet at sun rising or sun setting it were better obey then dissolve the Church if we cannot be otherwise relieved But if he appoint a Time that 's intolerably unfit as at midnight I would not obey except in sâ—ch necessity as leaves to that time or none the same I spoke before of other circumstances § 8. On the other side if Magistrates or Pastors shall think their Imposition lawfull because the people may lawfully obey them they are as much mistaken Even many of those Divines that wrote for conformity to the late Ceremonies did take it to be 〈◊〉 sin of those that imposed them as they were imposed and would have written as much against the Imposition if they 〈◊〉 but had liberty I mâ—an such writers as Mr. Sprint Mr. Paybody Dr. Iohn Burgess who told the King of Pollio's glasses that were broken by Caesar that no more anger and danger of mens lives should follow and would have had him so to have used our Ceremonies So Zanchy that judged the Ceremonies such as might lawfully be used did write to the Queen to take them down and not leave them as snares to cast out the Ministers and at the same time he wrote to the Ministers to use them in case the Queen would not be perswaded to forbear the imposing and urging of them § 9. If I be bouâ—d to obey a Governour if he set me to pick straws or to hunt a feather it followeth not that he may lawfully command it I have heard many pleading for Ceremonies say that if the Magistrate commanded them and would not otherwise permit them to preach the Gospel they would preach in a fools Coat and a fools Cap with a feather rather then forbear But I do not think that any of them would justifie that Ruler that would make such a Law that no man should preach or celebrate the Sacraments but in a fools Coat and Cap such might expect to be judged by Christ as the scorners of him and his Ordinances CHAP. XIII Prop. 13. The Constant use of things indifferent should not be ordinarily commanded but they should be sometimes used and sometimes disused § 1. I WILL say but little of this because I have opened it before in the Disputation about Liturgies The Reasons of it are plain 1. Indifferent things should be used as indifferent things and therefore with some indifferency § 2. And 2. The people else will be brought to think them Necessary if they be constantly used and custome will grow to a Law And no contradicting this by doctrine will serve turn to rectifie the mistake For we cannot be alway nor oft preaching on such things And if we were yet practice is much more observed by them then doctrine which commonly they understand not or forget § 3. And 3. Hereupon their minds will receive a false impression about the nature of their Religion and they will be brought to worship they know not how and to set a high value on that which is not to be valued and consequently it will kindle a false zeal in their affections and corrupt all their devotions § 4. And 4. It will make them disobedient against Magistrates or Pastors that would take them off from their false apprehensions and misguided practices and if they live in a place where the Governours are against their customs they will disobey them on pretence of duty to God and think that they do him service in it § 5. Yea 5. They will be uncharitably censorious against their Brethren that are not of their mind and â—ooâ— on them as men that are self-conceited or irreligious as the Papists do by all that do no entertain every opinion which they 〈◊〉 with the Articles of their faith and every practice which they place their Religion in § 6. We see all this by sad experience among our selves The imposers of our Ceremonies and the maintainers of them did still profess that they were no parts â—ut Accidents of worshâ—p and they pleaded for them but as things indifferent And yet now the Magistrate and their lawfull acknowledged Pastors would bring the people in some of these Ceremonies to change their customs they will not do it in many places but make conscience as they profess of Gestures and forms and Dâ—yes and such like as if they had been of Divine Institution If they be things Indifferent why may not they disuse an Holy day one year as they use it another or disuse a form of Prayer one day as they use it another or recieve the Lords Supper one time sitting as they do another time kneeling But this they will not endure to yield to so that you see that constant uninterrupted use hath made custome a Law with them and given the Lie to the Doctrine of the Bishops themselves that called them but indifferent things and caused the people to place Gods worship in them § 7. And on the other side a constant purposed disuse of convenient Modes and Circumstances of worship may draw people to think them things unlawfull and to rise up against them as innovations and strange things when they are imposed § 8. Yet here we must distinguish of indâ—fferent things Some are so convenient that we cannot frequently vary but with great inconveniency and wrong to the Church as a due hour for Assembling and a convenient place and the best Translations and versions of the Psalms the fittest Utensils for worship c. In all these cases it were giddiness to vary frequently and without need and yet worse to tie men up from varying when they find need Other things are of ordinary inconvenience which therefore ordinarily should be disused though in some cases of necessity they must be allowed Other things depend upon the will of men and there is no great difference in point of convenience between the using and disusing them but what the will of man doth cause as in our vestures our gestures in some of the Ordinances as in hearing singing Psalms and in abundance of Ceremonies or Circumstances this is the case These are they that I say should be used but unconstantly §
Thanksgiving Scripture is a Directory and out of it we shall be glad of any direction that you will gather for us Would you have forms of Words for Prayer and Praise Scripture hath given you many the Lords Prayer the Psalms and many more And if you think you can do better you have liberty to do it your selves And is not that enough God hath left it indifferent to us whether we use a stinted form or not If you be not wiser then God do you leave it indifferent also Would you have a stated day for Gospel-worship in Commemoration of the work of our Redemption Christ and his Apostles have taught you to observe one even the Lords day to these Ends. Would you have exciting mystical instituted signs Christ hath appointed you Baptism and the Lords Supper which signifie the very substance of the Gospel Can your signs do more Or is a greater number more desirable Why may not a few of Christs institution full and clear that have a promise of his blessing serve turn without the additions of mens froathy wits Use the Lords Supper ofter and with more preparation and you will need no Sacramental Riâ—es of your own If Christs signs will not do it in vain do you hope for it from the devises of men Gods Ordinances have no blemishes and wants that need your patches Do that which Scripture hath cut out for you and I warrant you you 'l find no want of such additions The making of the Law and Rule of Worship is Gods work the obeying it is yours It s a course most perverse when you fail and deal falsly in your own work to fall upon Gods work and take on you to mend that Do your own well in obeying and judge not the Law and trouble not the Church with your additions § 35. Yet still remember that we allow both Magistrates and Pastors to see to the execution of Gods laws and to determine of Circumstances in order thereto that are necessary in genere But it is only 1. Such Mystical signs as in genere are not commanded us and left to mans determination that I speak of 2. And also the needless determination of circumstances and making Laws for such things as should be left to the prudence of every Pastor to be varyed as occasion requireth CHAP. XV. Reasons for Obedience in Lawfull things § 1. LEST men that are apt to run from one extream into another should make an ill use of that which I have before written I shall here annex some Reasons to perswade men to just obedience and preserve them from any sinfull nonconformity to the commands of their Governours and the evill effects that are like to follow thereupon § 2. But first I will lay together some Propositions for decision of the Controversie How far we are bound to obey mens precepts about Religion Especially in case we doubt of the lawfulness of obeying them and so cannot obey them in faith § 3. Briefly 1. We must obey both Magistrates and Pastors in all things lawfull which belong to their offices to command 2. It belongs not to their office to make God a new worship But to command the Mode and Circumstances of worship belongeth to their office for guiding them wherein God hath given them generall rules 3. We must not take the Lawfull commands of our Governours to be unlawfull 4. If we do through weakness or perversness take Lawfull things to be unlawfull that will not excuse us in our disobedience Our error is our sin and one sin will not excuse another sin Even as on the other side if we judge things unlawfull to be lawfull that will not excuse us for our disobedience to God in obeying men 5. As I have before shewed many things that are miscommanded must be obeyed 6. As an erroneous judgement will not excuse us from Obedience to our Governours so much less will a doubtfulness excuse us 7. As such a doubting erring judgement cannot obey in plenary faith so much less can he disobey in faith For it is a known Command of God that we obey them that have the Rule over us but they have no word of God against the act of obedience now in question It is their own erring judgement that intangleth them in a necessity of sinning till it be changed 7. In doubtfull cases it is our duty to use Gods means for our information and one means is to consult with our Teachers and hear their words with teachableness and meekness 8. If upon advising with them we reâ—ain in doubt about the lawfulness of some Circumstance of order if it be such as may be dispensed with they should dispense with us if it may not be dispensed with without a greater injury to the Church or cause of God then our dispensation will countervail then is it our duty to obey our Teachers notwithstanding such doubts For it being their office to Teach us it must be our duty to believe them with a humane faith in cases where we have no Evidences to the contrary And the Duty of Obeying them being certain and the sinfulness of the thing commanded being uncertain and unknown and only suspected we must go on the surer side 9. Yet must we in great and doubtfull cases not take up with the suspected judgement of a single Pastor but apply our selves to the unanimous Pastors of other Churches 10. Christians should not be over-busie in prying into the work of their Governours not too forward to suspect their determinations But when they know that it is their Rulers work to guide them by determining of due Circumstances of worship they should without causeless scruples readily obey till they see just reason to stop them in their obedience They must not go out of their own places to search into the Actions of another mans office to trouble themselves without any cause § 4. And now I intreat all humble Christians readâ—â—y to obey both Magistrates and Pastors in all Lawfull things and to consider to that end of these Reasons following Reas. 1. If you will not obey in Lawfull things you deny authority or overthow Government it self which is a great ordinance of God established in the fifth commandment with promise And as that commandment respecting societies and common good is greater then the following commands as they respect the private good of our neighbours or are but particular Means to that Publick good whose foundation is laid in the fifth commandment so accordingly the sin against this fifth commandment must be greater then that against the rest § 5. Reas. 2. In disobeying the lawfull commands of our superiors we disobey Christ who ruleth by them as his officers Even as the disobeying a Justice of Peace or Judge is a disobeying of the soveraign Power yea in some cases when their sentence is unjust Some of the ancient Doctors thought that the fifth commandment was the last of the first Table of the Decalogue and that the Honouring of Governors is
part of our Honour to God they being mentioned there as his officers with whom he himself is honoured or dishonoured obeyed or disobeyed For it is Gods Authority that the Magistrate Parent and Pastor is endued with and empowred by to rule those that are put under them § 6. Reas. 3. What confusion will be brought into the Church if Pastors be not obeyed in things lawfull For instance If the Pastors appoint the Congregation to Assemble at one hour and the people will scruple the time and say it is unlawfull and so will choose some of them one time and some another what disorder will here be and worse if the Pastors appoint a Place of worship and any of the people scruple obeying them and will come to another place what confusion will here be People are many and the Pastors are few and therefore there may be some unity if the people be Ruled by the Pastors but there can be none if the Pastors must be ruled by the people for the people will not agree among themselves and therefore if we obey one part of them we must disobey and displease the rest And their ignorance makes them unfit to rule § 7. Reas. 4. Moreover disobedience in matters of Circumstance will exclude and overthrow the substance of the worship it self God commandeth us to pray If one part of the Church will not joyn with a stinted form of Prayer and the other part will not joyn without it both parties cannot be pleased and so one part must cast off Prayer it self or separate from the rest God commandeth the reading and preaching and hearing of the Scripture and the singing of Psalms but he hath left it to man to make or choose the best Translation of Scripture or version of the Psalms Now if the Pastor appoint one version and Translation and the Church joyn in the use of it if any members will scruple joyning in this Translation or version they must needs forbear the whole duty of Hearing the Scripture and singing Psalms in that Congregation If they pretend a scruple against the appointed time or Place of worship they will thereby cast off the worship it self For if they avoid our Time or Place they cannot meet with us nor worship with us § 8. Reas. 5. And when they are thus carryed to separate from the Congregation upon such grounds as these they will be no where fixt but may be still subdividing and separating from one another till they are resolved into individuals and have left no such thing as a Church among them For they can have no assurance or probability that some of themselves will not dissent from the rest in one Circumstance or other as they did from their Pastors and the Church that they were of before § 9. Reas. 6. By this means the wicked that are disobedient to their Teachers and reject the worship of God it self will be hardened in their sin and taught by professors to defend their ungodliness For the very same course that you take will serve their turns They need not deny any Duty in the substance but deny the circumstance and so put off the substance of the Duty If a wicked man will not hear the word preached he may say I am not against preaching but I am unsatisfied of the lawfulness of your Time or Place I am in judgement against coming to your Steeple-house or against the Lords Day And so he shall never hear though he say he is for hearing If a wicked man will not be personally instructed or admonished or be accountable to the Church or Pastors for any scandals of his life nor submit to any discipline he may say I am for discipline I know it is my duty to be instructed but I am not satisfied that I am bound to come to you when you send for me or to appear at such a place as you appoint the word of God nameth no time or place and you shall not deprive me of my liberty If a wicked man would not hear or read the Scripture or sing Psalms he may say that he is for the duty but he is only against this and that Translation and version And so while every version is excepted against the duty is as much evaded as if it were denied it self By this device it is that the Rebellion of unruly people is defended They run to the circumstances of the duty and ask Where are they bound to come to a Minister or to be examined by him in order to a baptism or Lords supper or to speak their consent to be Church members or to subscribe to a Profession or to read an English Bible or to hear in a Steeple-house with many such like Thus also it is that they put off family prayer and ask Where are they bound to pray in their family Morning and Evening and so keep no constancy in family prayer at all under pretence of denying only the circumstances § 10. Reas. 7. By this disobedience in things lawfull the members of the Church will be involved in contentions and so engaged in bitter uncharitableness and censures and persecutions and reproaches of one another which scandalous courses will nourish vice dishonour God rejoyce the enemies grieve the Godly that are peaceable and judicious and wound the consciences of the contenders We see the beginning of such fires are small but whither they tend and what will be the end of them we see not § 11. Reas. 8. By these means also Migistrates will be provoked to take men of tender consciences for factious unruly and unreasonable men and to turn their enemies and use violence against them to the great injury of the Church when they see them so self-conceited and refusing obedience in lawfull circumstances § 12. Reas. 9. By this means also the conversion and establishment of souls will be much hindred and people possessed with prejudice against the Church and ordinances when they take us to be but humerous people and see us in such contentions among our selves To my knowledge our late difference about some such lesser things hath turned off or hindered abundance of people from liking the holy doctrine and life which we profess § 13. Reas. 10. It will seem to the wisest to savour of no small measure of Pride when people on the account of lawfull circumstances dare set themselves against their Govenors and Teachers and quarrel with the ordinances of God and with the Churches Humble men would sooner suspect themselves and quarrel with their own distempers and submit to those that are wiser then themselves and that are set over them for their guidance by the Lord. There may more dangerous Pride be manifested in these matters then in Apparel and such lower trifles § 14. Reas. 11. Consider also what yielding in things lawfull the Scripture recommendeth to us How far yielded Pa. when he circumcised Timothy Act. 16.3 And when he took the men and purified himself with them in the Temple to signifie
no the fifth day of the week the Baptized were to say over their Belief to the Bishop or the Presbyters And it was not such Diocesses as ours that this work could be thâ—â— done for * As many of them d◠〈◊〉 when they hold it in terms of which see what I have said in the Preface to the Reformâ—â— Pastor And even in this while they confess that Pastors are Rulers and the People must obey according to the express words of the text Heb. 13.17 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Thes. 5.12 c. They grant us what we plead for Cons. 1. Cons. 2. Cons. 3. Cons. 4. Cons. 5. Cons. 6. Cons. 7. Cons. 8. Cons. 9. Cons. 10 * Dispute of Right to Sacraments Rom. 1.1 2. 1 Pet. 2.5.9 Rom. 1.6 Mat. 28.20 Heb. 2.3 4 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Jam 5.14 Acts 2.41 42. 4.35 1 Cor. 11.23 Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 10.16 Acts 20.28 2 Cor. 5.11 1 Tim. 5.17 20 22 24. 2 Cor. 2.10 Mat. 18.18 Of this Voctius hath written at large de desperata causa Papatus to which I refer the Reader Fit autem missio aut per Deum mediante c. aut per Deum mediante superiorum authoritate c. Fit rursus nonnunquam ipsa necessitatis lege quando non aliter posset fidei seu morum veritas inviolata servari Ubi verum est illud Pasce fame morientem si non Pavisti Occidisti Voetius Luke 2.34 1 Pet. 2. â— 7 8. Of this I desire the Reader to peruse what is written by Voctius de desperata Causa Papatus l. 2. Sect. 2. c. 21. passim Arg. 3. 〈…〉 c. Read their words * Mr. T. P. calls himself Rector of Brington Cyprian Ep. 28. p 64. ad Clerum de Gaio Desiderasâ—is ut de Philumeno Fortunato â—ypodiaconis Favorino acoluthore sâ—ribam cui rei non potui me solum judicem dire cum multi adhuc de clero absentes sint nec locum suum vel sero repetendum putaverint haec singulorum tractanda sit limanda plenius ratio non tantum cum collegis meis sed cum plebe ipsa universa How big was the Diocess then and how much the Bishop ruled alone may be hence conjectured and whether Presbyters had any hand in ruling Why doth Ignatius and Tertullian command them to be subject to the Presbyters as to the Apostles of Christ if they had not the Key of Government Alphonsus à Castro doth maintain that Hâ—eroms opinion was indeed the same that from his plain and frequent expressions we averr it to be and rebuketh them that pretend the contrary Hector Boethius before cited saith Scoâ— Histor. l. 7. fol. 128. b. that Ante Palladium Populi suffragâ—is ex Monachis Culdaâ—is pontifices assumerentur No Bishop then ordained them but Presbyters And Balaeus Centur. 14. c. 6. saith Habebant antea Scoti suos Episcopos ac Ministros ex verbi Divini Ministerio plebium suffragiis electos prouâ— Asianorum more fieri apud Britanaos videbant ☜ Cyrian Epist. 11. Plebi Contra Episcopatum meum immo contra suffragium vestrum Dei judicium c. * This is not the way of our Prelates Ordination And thâ—s shewâ—th that the Churches in 〈◊〉 â—ays were not Diocesan consisting oâ— many particular Churches else all the people could not have been present beholders and consenters at the Ordination of the Bishops †Still this shews that the Churches of Bishops were then no greater then that all might be personally present and fore-acquainted with his life Yea that it was the pâ—â—ples duty noâ— only to elect but to reject there 's more then Cyprian affirm Euseâ—â—us Hâ—st Eccl. l. 5. c. 18. out of Apolâ—onus telleth us that Alexander a Mâ—ntanâ—st being a thief the Congregation of which he was Pastor so that was his Diocess would not admit him 〈…〉 11. 〈◊〉 Secundum 〈…〉 〈◊〉 de 〈…〉 Constâ—ntinâ— in his 〈◊〉 to the 〈…〉 tells them that in the election of their Bishops all men should freely deliver their opinion and the general suffrage of all should be equally considered becausâ— Ecâ—lesiastical Honours should be obtained and conferred wâ—â—â—out 〈◊〉 and diâ—cord 〈…〉 3 〈◊〉 Even those Protestant Churches that have Superintendents are unchurched by them too for want of a true Ordination For their Superintendents were commonly ordained by meer Presbyters or settled only by the Princes power So in Denmark when their seven Bishops were deposed seven Presbyters were Ordained Superintendents by Iohan. Bugenhagius Pomeranus a Presbyter of Wittenberge in the Presence of the King and Senate at the chief Church in Haffnia See Vit. Bugenhagii in Melch. Adâ—m vit Germ. Theolog. page 315. * The Jesuits and Fryars do not take the Generals or Governors of their Orders to be men of another Order though they have a Power of Ruling and that Tyrannically ☜ It s more then Dr. H. H. speaks of the Primitive Bishops that had no Presbyters under them but one or more Deacons 1. Parochial Bishops 2. The stated Presidents of Associated Pastors 3. A Visitâ—r of the neighbour Churches and Countrâ—y These two to be in one man 4. General unfixed Ministers * So Constantiâ—e calls himself a Bishop Euseb. vit Coâ—st l. 4. c 24. And he made his Court a Church and assembling the people did use to take the holy Scriture and deliver Divine contemplations out of it or else he would read the Common-Prayers to the whole Congregation cap. 17. And it is plain that it was Constantine that kept the Churches in Unity and Peace when the Bishops else would have broken them to peices And the Emperours frequently took down and set up Bishops at their pleasure especially in the Patriarchial Seats as Rome Constantinople Antioch Alexandria ☞ * And Mr. Burroughs Irenicoâ— Dr. Holdsworth Dr. Forbs Gataker The London Pâ—â—â—ince Beza Calvin See also Dan. Colonius in his Disputat ex Iâ—stâ—tut Calv. l. 4. Dâ—sp 2. §. 18.24 ☞ Argum. 2. Argum. 3. Argum. 4. Argum. 5. Argum. 6. Argum. 7. Argum. 8. Prop. 2. Prop. 3. Prop. 4. ☜ Prop. 5. Prop. 6. Prop. 7. Prop. 8. prop. 9. Prop. 10 Object 1. Object 2. Object 1. â—â—ject 2. Object 3. Object 4. Object 5. Object 6. Object 7. Object 8. Object 9. Object 10. The summ Besides sâ—â—ms of Catechisms * In point of Lawfulness For Conveniency is according to several accidents * The Provincial Consil. Agath Can. 14. is the first that I remember mentioning them * The Pope 〈…〉 King 〈…〉 that 〈◊〉 cannot be done without tumult or 〈◊〉 Dâ—â—ila p. 1362. an 1595. So that when he feareth losing by it himself the good man makes conscience of murdering them that he will câ—ll hereticks but at another time 30000. to be murdered in France in a few daies Dâ—â—ila saith 40000. was a blessed work And therefore when I said before that in case of Necessity I would rather Kneel then not communicate yet I now add that I would for all that rather be imprisoned or otherwise persecuted then cast out of the Churches Communion all that dare not kneel or conform in such a circumstance And yet this were Ministers then commanded on great penalties to do ☜ Luke 4.18 Matth. 11.28 Matth. 12.20 Isa. 42.2 3. 40.11 Mat. 18.6 Luke 17 2. Rom. 14.1 15.1 2. 14.13 15 20 21 23. * See my writing of Grotius Râ—ligion
was no Grotian or he was a Papist Again I profess that it is far from the desire of my soul to raise so much as the least suspicion on any that own not the Doctrine and Design of Grotius Disclaim it and we are satisfied Dr. Heylin was taken for as hot an antipuritan as most in England and yet in a moderate Letter to me he disclaimeth Grotianism which I mention partly lest any by my naming him on another occasion in that Book misconceive me to have accused him of this and principally to discourage the defenders of Grotius when such men as Dr. Heylin and Dr. Steward are against them The CONTENTS DISPUATION 1. WHether it be Necessary or Profitable to the right Order or the Peace of the Churches of England that we restore the extruded Episcopacy Neg. Peace with Episcopal Divines to be sought pag. 2 3. The Nature of Church-Government opened pag. 5. to 14. Twelve sorts of Bishops to be distinguished pag. 14 15. Which of these may be admitted for Peace pag. 16. Vnfixed General Ministers to do the Ordinary part of the Apostles work are to be continued proved pag. 21 22. What Power Apostles had over other Ministers p. 23 to 30. The Authors Concessions for Episcopacy pag. 30 31. Arguments against the English Prelacy 1. It destroyeth Government and its end pag. 32. 2. It gratifieth Satan and wicked men pag. 36. 3. It unavoidably causeth divisions pag. 37. 4. It suspendeth or degradeth all the Presbyters pag. 38. 5. It maketh Lay men Church-governors 6. And oppresseth the Bishops with guilt pag. 44. 7. It is the product of pride pag. 45. 8. It gratifieth lazy Ministers pag. 46. 9. It is not of Gods Institution pag. 48. 10. 〈◊〉 is contrary to Gods word pag 51. 11. It is unsafe as never used in Scripture times How fully the supposition is granted us pag. 58 59. Many Reasons proving that the Apostles who de facto are confessed by Dr. H. to have setled no subject Presbyters in Scripture times but one Bishop over one stated Congregation intended not the changing of this Order afterwards pag 63. to 74 c. More Arguments that Diocesan Bishops are no Scripture-Bishops pag 75. They are contrary to the Iewish and Apostolical Government pag. 76 77. Proved by two Arguments more pag. 83 84. The Confession of Episcopal writers pag. 85 86. Against Diocesan Bishops of many Churches the Testimony of Clemens Romanus p. 87. with Grotius's exposition pag 88. Of Polycarps and Ignatius who is full against them pag. 88. Of Iustin Martyr and Gregory Neocaesaâ—iensis pag. 92 93. Tertullian pag. 93 94. Of Clemens Alexandr and from the late division of Parishes pag. 96. Ninius testimony cited by Mr. Thorndike of 365. Bishopricks planted by Patrick in Ireland pag. 96 97. More cited by Usher pag. 97. The Testimonies of Councils pag. 98. to 103. Many weighty Consequents of the proved point pag. 103. DISPUTATION 2. THose who Nullifie our present Ministry and Churches which have not the Prelatical Ordination and teach the people to do the like do incur the guilt of grievous sin A Preface to the Dissenters pag. 109. One Letter of a Minister of another County that openeth the Necessity of this Disputation pag. 127. Chap. 1. A Minister of Christ defined pag. 130. Whether special Grace be Necessary to the being of a Minister pag. 130 131. What Qualifications are Necessary pag. 132. Ministers Christs Officers pag. 133. Must be separated to the work pag. 134. Who are the true objects of the Ministry pag. 134 c. Whether the Pastors or Church be first p. 136. Whether a particular Church or the Vniversal be first ibid. The Pastors work in a particular Church p. 137. How far Intention is Necessary to the Validity of an administration p. 138. A Call to exercise after a Call to Office p. 139. Chap. 2. Of the Nature and Ends of Ordination shewing what it is that is the Ordainers work and what not p. 141. Chap. 3. Humane Ordination not of Constant Necessity to the Being of the Ministry fully proved p. 150. Chap. 4. An uninterrupted Succession of Regular Ordination is not of Necessity p. 168. proved Chap. 5. Ordination by such as the English Prelates not Necessary to the Being of the Ministry proved p. 178. Objections Answered Chap 6. Ordination especially at this time by English Prelates is unnecessary p. 190. Chap. 7. The Ordination used now in England and in other â—rotestant Churches is valid and agreeable to Scripture and the practice of the antient Church p. 198. fully proved and so our Ministry vindicated by twenty Arguments Chap. 8. The greatness of their sin that are now labouring to perswade the people of the Nullity of our Ministry Churches and Administrations Manifested in forty aggravations p. 240. Chap. 9. The sinfulness of despising or neglecting Ordination p. 252. The distinct power of Pastors People and Magistrates to our Call p. 253. Approbation of Pastors must be sought p. 258. What Pastors should be sought to for Ordination p. 266. DISPUTATION 3. AN Episcopacy desirable for the Reformation Preservation and Peace of the Churches p. 274. Chap. 1. Of General unfixed Bishops or Ministers p. 275. Chap. 2. Of fixed Pastors that also participate in the work of the unfixed p. 286. Chap. 3. It is lawful for the several Associations of Pastors to choose one man to be their President durante vita if he continue fit p. 297. What power shall such have p. 301. Chap. 4. It is lawful for the Presbyters of a particular Church to have a fixed President for life p. 307. Chap. 5. Objections against the forementioned Presidency answered p. 316. Chap. 6. The summ of the foregoing Propositions and the Consistency of them with the principles of each party and so their aptitude to reconcile p. 335. Chap 7. Some Instances proving that moderate men will agree upon the forementioned terms p. 339. Bishop Hâ—lls full Consent p. 340 341. Dr. Hide of the new party stigmatizeth his book with the brand of irrational Separatism and Recusancy p. 342 343. Bishop Usheâ—s full Consent to us p. 344. with Dr. Holdâ—worths and Dr. Forbs The Presbyterians Consent to the same terms Mr. Gaâ—akers Mr. Gerees the London Province Beza's Calvins Mr. Rich. Vines in two Letters Bishops can have no other power over Pastors of other Churches then the Synods have p. 347 348. Presbyterians for a Church of one Congregation p. 348. The Polonian Protestants Government p. 353. DISPUTATION 4. WHether a stinted Liturgy or Form of worship be a desirable means for the peace of these Churches Proposition 1. A stinted Liturgy is in it self lawful p. 359. Prop. 2. A stinted Liturgy in some parts of publick holy service is ordinarily necessary p. 365. Prop. 3. In those parts of publick worship where a form is not of ordinary necessity but only Lawful yet may it not only be submitted to but desired when the peace of the Church doth accidentally require it p. 367. Prop.
doubt Prop. 2. It is as certain that common prudence required them to make a convenient distribution of the work and not go all one way and leave other places that while without the Gospel But some to go one way and some another as most conduced to the conversion of all the world Prop. 3. It is certain that the Apostles were not armed with the sword nor had a compulsive coercive power by secular force but that their Government was only forcible on the Conscience and therefore only on the Conscientious so far as they were such unless as we may call mens actual exclusion by the Church and their desertion and misery the effect of Government Prop. 4. It is most certain that they who had the extraordinary priviledge of being eye-witnesses of Christs Miracles and Life and ear-witnesses of his Doctrine and had the extraordinary power of working Miracles for a Confirmation of their Doctrine must needs have greater Authority in mens Consciences then other men upon that very account if there were no other So that even their Gifts and Priviledges may be and doubtless were one ground at least of that higher degree of Authority which they had above others For in such a Rational perswasive Authority which worketh only on the Conscience the case is much different from the secular power of Magistrates For in the former even Gifts may be a ground of a greater measure of Power in binding mens minds And here is the greatest part of the difficulty that riseth in our way to hinder us from improving the example of the Apostles in that it is so hard to discern how much of their power over other Presbyters or Bishops was from their supereminency of Office and Imperial Authority and how much was meerly from the excellency of their Gifts and Priviledges Prop. 5. It s certain that the Magistrates did not then second the Apostles in the Government of the Church but rather hinder them by persecution The excommunicate were not punished therefore by the secular power but rather men were enticed to forsake the Church for the saving of their lives so that worldly prosperity attended those without and adversity those within which further shewes that the force of Apostolical Government was on the Conscience and it was not corrupted by an aliene kind of force Prop. 6. Yet had the Apostles a power of Miraculous Castigation of the very bodies of the Offenders at least sometimes which Peter exercised upon Ananiaâ— and Sapphyra and Paul upon Eâ—â—mas and some think upon Hymenaeus and Philetas and those other that were said to be delivered up to Satan certainly Paul had in readiness to revenge all disobedience 2 Cor. 10.6 which its like extendeth somewhat farther than to meer censures But it s most certain that the Apostle used noâ— this power oâ— hurting mens bodies ordinarily but sparingly as they did other Miracles perhaps not according to their own wills but the Holy Ghosts So that this did not corrupt their Government neither and destroy the Spirituality of it Yet this makes it somewhat more difficult to us to improve the Apostles example because we know not how much of their power upon mens Consciences might be from such penal Miracles Prop. 7. The Apostles had power to Ordain and send others to the work of the Ministry But this only by the consent of the ordained and of the people before they could be compleat fixed Pâ—stors for they forced not any to go or any people to entertain them And it seemeth they did not Ordain singly but many together Acts 14.23 Timothy had his Gift by the laying on of Pauls hands and of the hands of the Presbyterie 1 Tim. 4.14 and 2 Tim. 1.6 Prop. 8. It seems that each Apostle did exercise a Government over the Churches which were once planted but this was principally in order to well setling and confirming them Prop. 9. No one Apostle did appropriate a Diocess to himself and say Here I am sole Governor or am chief Governor nor did they or could they forbid any others to Govern in their Diocess though as is said they did agree to distribute their work to the publike advantage and not to be all in one place at once but yet successively they might Prop. 10. Nay it s certain that they were so far from being the sole Bishops of such or such a Diocess that they had usually some more unfixed general Officers with them Paul and Barnabas went together at first and after the Division Barnabas and Mark Paul and Silas and sometimes Timothy and sometime Epaphroditus and sometime others went together afterward And others as well as Iames were usually at Ierusalem and all these had a general power where they came And it cannot be proved that Iames was Ruler of Peter Paul and the rest when they were at Ierusalem nor that he had any higher power then they Prop. 11. Yet it seems that the several Apostles did most look after those same Churches which themselves had been the instruments of gathering and that some addition of respect was due to those that had been spiritual Fathers to them above the rest 1 Cor. 4.15 Prop. 12. It was therefore by the General Commission of Apostleship that they Governed particular Churches pro tempore while they were among or neer them and not by any special Commission or Office of being the Diocesan or Metropolitane of this or that place 1. It was below them and a diminution of their honor to be so affixed and take the charge of any particular Churches 2. We find not that ever they did it 3. If they had then all the disorders and ungovernedness of those Churches would be imputable to them and therefore they must be still with them as fixed Bishops are seeing they cannot govern them at such a distance as makeâ— them uncapable 4. When Peter drew Barnabas and many more to dissimulation and almost to betray the liberties of the Gentiles Paul doth not say This is my Diocess and I must be the Ruler here nor doth Peter plead this against him when Paul and Barnabas fell out whether Mark should be taken with them or not neither of them did plead a Ruling Authority nor say This is my Diocess or I am the superior Ruler but they produced their reasons and when they could not agree concerning the validity of each others reasons they separated and took their several companions and waies Prop 13. It was not only the Apostles but multitudes more that were such general unfixed Ministers as the seventy Barnabas Silas Epaphroditus Timothy and many others And all these also had a Power of Preaching and Ruling where they came Prop. 14. None of these General Officers did take away the Government from the fixed Presbyters of particular Churches nor kept a Negative vote in their own hands in matters of Government for if no fixed Bishop or Presbyter could excommunicate any member of his Church without an Apostle then almost all