A DISCOURSE SHEWING Who they are that are now Qualify'd to Administer Baptism and the Lord's-Supper Wherein the Cause of EPISCOPACY Is briefly Treated By the Author OF A DISCOURSE Proving the Divine Institution of Water-Baptism No Man taketh this Honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 LONDON Printed for C. Brome at the Gun at West-end of St. Paul's W. Keble white at the Swan in St. Paul's Church-Yard and H. Hindmarsh at the Golden-Ball over-against the Royal Exchange Cornhill 1698. THE PREFACE THIS Discourse was Promis'd in that which I formerly Publish'd proving the Divine Institution of Water-Baptism And was intended to have been Annex'd to that but some Delays prevented it I can give no good Reason why it has stay'd thus long having made but little Addition to what was then done But other things Interven'd and as it is usual in Delays the first in Design proves the last in Fact The Subject of this has led me directly upon the larger Theme of Episcopacy which having been so Elaboratly and so Often treated of I intend not in this to Branch out into so wide a Field but in a short compendious Method to lay before the Quakers and others of our Dissenters from Episcopacy the Heart of the Cause so far particularly as it concerns our present Subject the Right of Admimistring the Sacraments of Christ And to avoid the length of Quotations when brought into the Discourse and Dilated upon I have at the end Annex'd a small Index of Quotations out of the Primitive Fathers and Councils of the first 450 Years after Christ to which the Reader may Recur as ther is occasion And having them all in one view may consider them more Intirely and Remember them the better I have Translated them for the sake of the English Reader but have put the Originals in another Column to justifie the Translation and for their sakes who may not have the Books at hand The CONTENTS SECT I. The Necessity of an Outward Commission to the Ministers of the Gospel The Case is Stated as to those Quakers for whose satisfaction this is Intended Page 1 I. Of Personal Qualifications requisite in the Administrators of the Sacraments Page 2 II. Of the Sacerdotal Qualification of an Outward Commission as was given to Christ by God III. By Christ to the Apostles c. IV. By the Apostles to others V. Those others Impower'd to give it to others after them SECT II. The Deduction of this Commission is continu'd in the Succession of Bishops and not of Presbyters I. Either way it operates against the Quakers Page 3 II. The Continuance of every Society is Deduc'd in the Succession of the Chief Governours of the Society not of the Inferior Officers Page 4 III. This shewn in Matter of Fact as to the Church and the Succession of Bishops from the Apostles times to our Days particularly here in England IV. The Presbyterian Plea consider'd that Bishopricks were but single Parishes and consequently that every Presbyter was a Bishop and their vain Logo-machy upon the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Page 5 V. Argu'd from the Type of the Levitical Priesthood which shewn to be the Method of Christ the Apostles and Primitive Fathers Page 7 VI. Whence the Case of Korah and the Presbyterians shewn to be the same And the Episcopal Supremacy as Plainly and Fully Established as was that of Aaron and his Successors Page 8 VII No Succession of Presbyters can be shewn from the Apostles Page 9 VIII The Pretence of Extraordinary Gifts no Ground or Excuse for making of a Schism Page 11 SECT III. Objection from the Times of Popery in this Kingdom as if that did Un-church and consequently break the Succession of our Bishops I. This shewn to be a Popish Argument Page 17 II. That Idolatry does not Un-church Prov'd 1. Because a Christian may be an Idolater Page 18 2. From the Type of the Church under the Law Page 19 III. Episcopacy the most opposite to Popery ibid. IV. Male-Administration does Forfeit but not Vacate a Commission till it be Re-call'd Page 21 V. Defects in Succession no Bar to the Possessors where ther are none who Claim a Better Right Page 23 SECT IV. The Assurance and Consent in the Episcopal Communion beyond that of any other I. The Episcopal Communion of much greater Extent and more Universal than all those who oppose it Page 24 II. And than the Church of Rome if join'd with them ib. III. The Dissenters from Episcopacy do all Deny the Ordination or Call of each other Page 25 IV. If the Quakers receive Baptism from any of these Dissenters they have no Reason to expect the same Allowances as may be given to those of their own Communions V. The Episcopal Ordinations and consequently their Right to Baptize is own'd by both Papists and Prerbyterians SECT V. The Personal Sanctity of the Administrator of the Sacraments tho' highly Requisit on his Part yet not of Necessity as to the Receivers to convey to them the Benefits of the Sacraments Because I. The Vertue comes not from the Minister but from God alone Page 26 II. For this Cause among others Christ chose Judas to be an Apostle Page 27 III. God's Power is Magnify'd in the Meaness of His Instruments IV. St. Paul Rejoyc'd at the Preaching of Evil Men Page 28 V. This confirm'd by dayly Experience VI. The Argument stronger as to the Sacraments Page 29 VII The Fatal Consequences of making the Personal Holiness of the Administrator Necessary towards the Efficacy of the Sacraments 1. It takes away all Assurance in our Receiving of the Sacraments 2. It renders the Commands of Christ of none Effect Page 30 3. It is contrary to the tenure of God's former Institutions and puts us in a more uncertain Condition than they were under the Law 4. It was the Ancient Error of the Donatists and Borders upon Popery VIII As great Sanctity to be found in the Clergy of the Church of England as among any of our Dissenters Page 32 IX Ther is at least a Doubt in Receiving Baptism from any of our Dissenters Which in this case is a Sin Therefore security is only to be had in the Episcopal Communion X. The Advantage of the Church of England by Her being the Established Constitution ever since the Reformation XI That therefore nothing can excuse Schism from Her but Her Enjoyning something as a Condition of Communion that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures which cannot be shewn Page 33 XII Therefore to Receive Baptlsm from the Church of England is the greatest security which the Quakers can have of Receiving it from Proper Hands XIII An Answer to the Objection That Baptism has not such Visible Effects amongst us as the Quakers wou'd desire Page 34 The Supplement I. Some Authorities for Episcopacy as Distinct from and Superior to Presbytery taken out of the Fathers and Councils in the first 450 Years after
Christ Page 35 II. That the whole Reformation even Calvin Beza and those of their Communion were zealous Asserters of Episcopacy Page 58 A DISCOURSE Shewing who they are that are now qualify'd to Administer BAPTISM and the LORD's SUPPER SECT I. The Necessity of an Outward Commission to the Ministers of the Gospel SOme Quakers having perus'd my Discourse of Baptism think the Quaker Arguments against it sufficiently Answered And they have but one Difficulty remaining that is who they are among the various Pretenders that are duly Qualify'd to Administer it And if satisfaction can be given to them herein they promise a perfect Compliance to that Holy Institution The Chief thing they seem to stand upon is the Personal Holyness of the Administrator thinking that the spiritual Effects of Baptism cannot be convey'd by the means of an Unsanctify'd Instrument But yet they Confess that there is something else Necessary besides the Personal Holiness of the Administrator Otherwise they wou'd think themselves as much Qualify'd to Administer it as any others because I presume they suppose themselves to have as great a Measure of the Spirit as other Men. This Requisit which they want is that of Lawful Ordination But the Presbyterians Independents and Baptists do pretend to this Therefore their Title to it is to be Examin'd And that we may proceed the more clearly in this Matter with Respect still to that Difficulty upon which the Quakers lay the stress we will Inquire concerning those Qualifications which are Requisit in any Person that shall take upon him to Administer the Sacraments of Christ's Institution And These Qualifications are of two sorts Personal or Sacerdotal I. Personal The Holiness of the Administrator And though this is a great Qualification to Fit and Prepare a Man for such an Holy Administration yet this Alone does not sufficiently Qualifie any Man to take upon him such an Administration II. But there is moreover requir'd 2ly A Sacerdotal Qualification that is an Outward Commission to Authorize a Man to execute any Sacerdotal or Ministerial Act of Religion For This Honour no Man taketh unto himself but he that is called of God Heb. v. 4. as was Aaron so also Christ glorify'd not himself to be made an High-Priest But he that said unto him thou art my Son Thou art a Priest c. Accordingly we find that Christ did not take upon Him the Office of a Preacher till after that Outward Commission given to Him by a Voice from Heaven at His Baptism for it is written Matth. iv 17. From that time Jesus began to Preach Then He Began and He was then about Thirty Years of Age Luke iii. 23. Now no Man can doubt of Christ's Qualifications before that time as to Holiness Sufficiency and all Personal Endowments And if all these were not sufficient to Christ Himself without an Outward Commission what other Man can pretend to it upon the Account of any Personal Excellencies in Himself without an outward Commission III. And as Christ was outwardly Commissionated by His Father so did not He leave it to His Disciples every ones Opinion of his own sufficiency to thrust himself into the Vineyard but Chose Twelve Apostles by Name and after them Seventy others of an Inferior Order whom He sent to Preach IV. And as Christ gave outward Commissions while He was upon the Earth Act. xiv 23. so we find that His Apostles did Proceed in the same Method after His Ascension They ordained them Elders in every Church V. But had they who were thus Ordained by the Apostles Power to Ordain others Yes Tit. 1.5 1 Tim. v 22. For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest Ordain Elders in every City Lay hands suddenly on no Man c. St. Clement in his first Epistle to the Corinthians writing concerning the Schism which was then risen up amongst them says Parag. 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Apostles fore-knowing there wou'd be Contests concerning the Episcopal Name or Office did themselves appoint the Persons And not only so lest that might be said to be of force only during their time But that they afterwards established an Order how when those whom they had Ordained shou'd Die others fit and approved Men shou'd succeed them in their Ministry Par. 43. that they who were intrusted with this Work by God in Christ did Constitute these Officers But this Matter depends not upon the Testimony of him or many more that might be produced It is such a Publick Matter of Fact That I might as well go about to quote particular Authors to prove that there were Emperors in Rome as that the Ministers of the Church of Christ were Ordained to succeed one another and that they did so succeed SECT II. The Deduction of this Commission is continu'd in the Succession of Bishops and not of Presbyters BUT here is a Dispute whether this Succession was preserv'd in the Order of Bishops or Presbyters or whether both are not the same I. Answ 1. This is the Contest betwixt the Presbyterians and us But either way it operates against the Quakers who allow of no Succession deriv'd by outward Ordination II. Answ 2. But because the Design of this Discourse is to shew the Succession from the Apostles I answer that this Succession is preserv'd and deriv'd only in the Bishops As the continuance of any Society is deduc'd in the Succession of the Chief Governors of the Society not of the Inferior Officers Thus in Kingdoms we reckon by the Succession of the Kings not of Sheriffs or Constables and in Corporations by the Succession of the Mayors or other Chief Officers not of the Inferiour Bailiffs or Serjeants So the Succession of the Churches is Computed in the Succession of the Bishops who are the Chief Governours of the Churches and not of Presbyters who are but Inferiour Officers under the Bishops III. And in this the Matter of Fact is as Clear and Evident as the Succession of any Kings or Corporations in the World To begin with the Apostles we find not only that they Constituted Timothy Bishop of Ephesus and Titus of Crete as in the Subscriptions of St. Paul's Epistles to them But in Eusebius and other Ecclesiastical Historians you have the Bishops Nam'd who were Constituted by the Apostles themselves over the then famous Churches of Jerusalem Antioch Rome and Alexandria and many other Churches and the Succession of them down all along St. Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna was Disciple to St. John the Apostle and St. Irenaeus who was Disciple to St. Polycarp was Constituted Bishop of Lyons in France I mention this because it is so near us for in all other Churches throughout the whole World where ever Christianity was Planted Episcopacy was every where Establish'd without one Exception as is Evident from all their Records And so it was with us in England whither it is generally suppos'd and with very good Grounds that St. Paul first brought the
Christian Faith Clemens Romanus in his First Epist to the Corinthians Paragr 5. Says that St. Paul went Preaching the Gospel to the farthest bounds of the West 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which Term Britain was then Understood And Theodoret expresly Names the Britains among the Nations Converted by the Apostles To. 4. serm 9. p. 610. And Eusebius in his Evangelical Demonstration l. 3. c. 7. p. 113. Names likewise the Britains as then Converted But whether St. Paul or as some Conjecture Joseph of Arimathea or any other Apostolical Person was the first who Preached Christ in England it matters not as to our Present Purpose who Enquire only concerning Episcopacy And it is Certain by all our Histories that as far up as they give us any Account of Christianity in this Island they tell us likewise of Bishops and the Succession of this Church of England has been Deduc'd in the Succession of Bishops and not of Presbyters And particularly in the Diocess of London which was the first Archi-Episcopal See before Augustin the Monk came hither after which it was Establish'd in Canterbury And the Saxon Writers have Transmitted the Succession of their Bishops in Canterbury Rochester London c. And in Countries so Remote and Barbarous as Island it self we find the same care taken Ara or Aras an Islandish Priest Surnam'd Hinfrode the Leurned who flourish'd in the Eleventh Century and was 25 Years Old when Christianity was brought thither in his Book of that Country written in Islandish has Transmitted to Posterity not only the Succession but the Genealogies of the Bishops of Skalholt and Hola the two Episcopal Sees of Island as they Succeeded one another in his Time I mention this of Island to show that Episcopacy has Extended it self Equally with Christianity which was carry'd by it into the Remotest Corners of the Earth upon which account the Bishops of Skalholt and Hola and their Succession are as Remarkable Proofs of Episcopacy tho' not so Famous as the Bishops of Canterbury and London IV. If the Presbyterians will say because they have nothing left to say that all London for Example was but one Parish and that the Presbyter of every other Parish was as much a Bishop as the Bishop of London because the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop and Presbyter are sometimes us'd in the same â—eâ—… They may as well prove that Christ was but a Deacon because He is so call'd Rom. xv 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we rightly â—raâ—â— are a Minister And Bishop signifies an Overseer and Presbyter an Ancient Man or Elder Man whence our Term of Aldermâ—n And this is as good a Foundation to Prove that the Apostles were Aldermen in the City acceptation of the Word or that our Aldermen are all Bishops and Apostles as to Prove that Presbyters and Bishops are all one from the Childish Gingle of the Words It wou'd be the same thing if one shou'd undertake to Confront all Antiquity and Prove against all the Histories that the Emperors of Rome were no more than Generals of Armies and that every Roman General was Emperor of Rome because he cou'd find the word Imperator sometimes apply'd to the General of an Army Or as if a Common-wealth-man shou'd get up and say that our former Kings were no more than our Dukes are now because the Stile of Grace which is now given to Dukes was then given to Kings And suppose that any one were put under the Pennance of Answering to such Ridiculous Arguments what Method wou'd he take but to shew that the Emperors of Rome and former Kings of England had Generals of Armies and Dukes under them and Exercis'd Authority over them Therefore when we find it given in Charge to Timothy the first Bishop of Ephesus how he was to Proceed against his Presbyters when they Transgressed to Sit in Judgment upon them Examine Witnesses against them and pass Censures upon them it is a most Impertinent Logoâ—…chy to argue from the Etymology of the Words that notwithstanding of all this a Bishop and a Presbyter are the same thing Therefore that one Text 1 Tim. v. 19. is sufficient to silence this Pitiful Clamour of the Presbyterians our English reads it against an Elder which is the Literal Translation of the word Presbyter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against a Presbyter receive not an Accusation but before two or three Witnesses and them that sin Rebuke before all that others also may fear Now upon the Presbyterian Hypothesis we must say that Timothy had no Authority or Jurisdiction over that Presbyter against whom he had Power to Receive Accusations Examine Witnesses and pass Censures upon him And that such a Presbyter had the same Authority over Timothy which is so Extravagant and against Common Sense that I will not stay longer to Confute it and think this enough to have said concerning the Presbyterian Argument from the Etymology of the words Bishop and Presbyter And this likewise Confutes their other Pretence which I have mention'd that the Ancient Bishopricks were only Single and Independent Congregations or Parishes This is a Topick they have taken up but of late being Beaten from all their other Holds and Launched by Mr. David Clarkson in a Book which he Entitules Primitive Episcopacy which has given occasion to an Excellent Answer by Dr. Hen. Maurice call'd A Defence of Diocesan Episcopacy Printed 1691. which I suppose has ended that Controversie and hindred the World from being more troubl'd upon that Head And their other little Shift and as Groundless that the Primitive Bishops were no other than their Moderators advanced more lately by Gilb. Rule late Moderator of the General Assembly in Scotland has been as Learnedly and with great Clearness of Reason Confuted by the Worthy J. S. in his Principles of the Cyprianick Age Printed 1695. But as I said that Text 1 Tim. v. 19. has made all these Pretences wholly useless to the Presbyterians For supposing their most Notorious false supposition as if the Bishopricks of Jerusalem Rome Alexandria or London consisted but of one single Congregation and that such Bishops had no Presbyters under them but that all Presbyters were Equally Bishops I say supposing this then it must follow from what we Read of Timothy that one Bishop or Presbyter had Jurisdicton over other Bishops or Presbyters which will Destroy the Presbyterian Claim of Parity as much as their Confession to the Truth and plain Matter of Fact that Bishops had Presbyters under their Jurisdiction and that they were Distinct Orders Notwithstanding that a Bishop may be call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Deacon or Minister of Christ and likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Elder or Grave Man which is a Term of Magistracy and Dignity and not ty'd to Age. And a Presbyter may likewise in a sound Sense be call'd a Bishop that is an Overseer or Shepherd which he truly is over his Particular Flock without denying at all
to the People And apply to this what I have before shewn in the words of St. Clement whose Name is written in the Book of Life That the Evangelical Priesthood is as surely fixed in the Bishops of the Church and its Succession continu'd in those Ordain'd by them as the Levitical Priesthood was confirm'd by the Budding of Aaron's Rod and to be continu'd in that Tribe III. And here let our Korahites of several sizes take a view of the Heinousness of their Schism and let them not think their Crime to be nothing because they have been taught with their Nurses Milk to have the utmost abhorrence to the very Name of a Bishop tho' they cou'd not tell why Let them rather consider seriously the misfortune of their Education which shou'd make them Strangers to all the rest of the Christian World but themselves in a Corner and to all the former Ages of Christianity They have been told that Episcopacy is Popery because the Papists have Bishops So have they Presbyters too that is Parish Priests They have the Creed likewise and the Holy Scriptures and all these must be Popish if this be a good Argument But are they willing to be undeceived Then they must know that Episcopacy has none so great an Enemy as the Papacy which wou'd Engross the whole Episcopal Power into the single See of Rome by making all other Bishops absolutly dependent upon that which only they call the Apostolical Chair And no longer since than the Council of Trent the Pope endeavor'd with all his Interest to have Episcopacy except only that of the Bishop of Rome to be declar'd not to be Jure Divino By which no other Bishops cou'd claim any other Power but what they had from Him But that Council was not so quite Degenerated as to suffer this to pass And the Jesuits and Others who Disputed there on the Pope's part us'd those same Arguments against the Divine Right of Episcopacy which from them and the Popish Canonists and Schoolmen have been lick'd up by the Presbyterians and others of our Dissenters They are the same Arguments which are us'd by Pope and Presbyter against Episcopacy When the Pope cou'd not carry his Cause against Episcopacy in the Council of Trent he took another Method and that was to set up a vast Number of Presbyterian Priests that is the Regulars whom he Exempted from the Jurisdiction of their respective Bishops and fram'd them into a Method and Discipline of their own accountable only to Superiors of his and their own contriving which is exactly the Presbyterian Model These Usurpations upon the Episcopal Authority made the Famous Archbishop of Spalato quit his great Preferments in the Church of Rome and Travel into England in the Reign of King James I. to seek for a more Primitive and Independent Episcopacy Himself in his Consilium Profectionis gives these same Reasons for it And that this shameful Depression and Prostitution of Episcopacy in the Church of Rome was the cause of his leaving her He observ'd truly that the further we search upward in Antiquity there is still more to be found of the Episcopal and less of the Papal Eminency St. Ignatius is full in every line almost of the high Authority of the Bishop next and immediately under Christ as all the other Writers in those Primitive Times But there is a profound silence in them all of that Supremacy in the Bishop of Rome which is now claim'd over all the other Bishops of the Catholick Church Which cou'd not be if it had been then known in the World This had been a short and effectual Method whereby St. Paul or St. Clement might have quieted the great Schism of the Corinthians against which they both wrote in their Epistles to them to bid them refer their Differences to the Infallible Judge of Contreversy the Supreme Pastor at Rome But not a word like this Especially considering that St. Peter was one for whom some of these Corinthians strove 1 Cor. i. 12. against those who preferred others before Him The Usurp'd Supremacy of the later Bishops of Rome over their Fellow-Bishops has been as Fatal to Episcopacy as the Rebellion of our yet later Presbyters against their Respective Bishops And indeed whoever wou'd write the true History of Presbyterianism must begin at Rome and not at Geneva So very Groundless as well as Malicious is that popular Clamour of Episcopacy having any Relation to Popery They are so utterly Irreconcilable that it is impossible they can stand together For that moment that Episcopacy were Restor'd to its Primitive Independency the Papacy that is that Supremacy which does now distinguish it must ipso facto cease But enough of this for I must not digress into various Subjects I have shewn in Answer to the Objection of the Ages of Popery in this Kingdom that all those Errors even Idolatry it self does not Un-church nor break Succession And 2dly I have Exemplifi'd this from the Parallel of the Jewish Church under the Law Then applying of this to our Case I have vindicared Episcopacy from the Imputation of Popery I will now go on to further Reasons why the Succession of our present Bishops is not hurt by that Deluge of Popery which once cover'd the face of this Land IV. The end of all Government as well in the Church as State is to preserve Peace Unity and Order and this cannot be done if the Male-administration of the Officers in the Government did Vacat their Commission without its being Re-call'd by those who gave such Commission to them For then 1st Every Man must be Judge when such a Commission is Vacated and then no Man is bound to obey longer then he pleases 2dly One may say it is Vacated another not whence perpetual Contention must arise A Man may Forfeit his Commission that is do those things which give just Cause to his Superiors to take it from him But it is not actually Vacated till it be actually Recall'd by those who have lawful Power to take it from him Otherwise their cou'd be no Peace nor Certainty in the World either in Publick or in Private affairs No Family cou'd subsist No Man enjoy an Estate No Society whatever cou'd keep together And the Church being an Outward Society as shewn in the Discourse of Water Baptism must consequently subsist by those Laws which are indispensible to every Society Sect. iii. â— 1. And tho' Idolatry does justly Forfeit the Commission of any Church in this sense that God's Promises to Her being Conditional He may justly take her Commission from her and Remove her Candlestick Now tho' her Commission be thus Forfeitable yet it still Continues and is not actually Pacated till God shall please actually to Recall it or take it away For no Commission is Void till it be so Declar'd Thus tho' the Jews did often fall into Idolatry yet as before has been said God did bear long with them and did not Un-church them tho'
from and Superior to Presbyters before the Vaudois in Piedmont the Hugonots in France the Calvinists in Geneva and the Presbyterians thence Transplanted in this last Age into Holland Scotland and England V. If it shou'd be retorted that neither is the Church of England without Opposers for that the Church of Rome opposes Her as do likewise our Dissenters Ans None of them do oppose Her in the Point we are now upon that is the Validity of Episcopal Ordination which the Church of Rome does own and the Presbyterians dare not deny it because they wou'd thereby overthrow all their own Ordinations for the Presbyters who Reformed as they call it from Bishops receiv'd their Ordination from Bishops And therefore tho' the Episcopal Principles do Invalidate the Ordination by Presbyters yet the Presbyterian Principles do not Invalidate the Ordination by Bishops So that the Validity of Episcopal Ordination stands safe on all sides even by the Confession of those who are Enemies to the Episcopal Order and in this the Bishops have no opposers Whereas on the other hand the Validity of the Presbyterian Ordinations is own'd by none but themselves and they have all the rest of the World as opposite to them Therefore to state the Case the most Impartially to receive Baptism from these Dissenters is at least a hazard of many Thousands to One as many as all the rest of Christianity are more than they But to receive it from the Bishops or Episcopal Clergy has no hazard at all as to its Validity even as own'd by the Presbyterians themselves SECT V. The Personal Sanctity of the Administrator of the Sacraments tho' highly Requisite on his Part yet not of Necessity as to the Receivers to Convey to them the Benefits of the Sacraments I. THE only Objection of those Quakers who are otherwise convinc'd of the Obligation of the Sacraments is the Necessity they think ther is of great Personal Holiness in the Administrators without which they cannot see how the Spiritual Effects of the Sacraments can be convey'd But I wou'd beseech them to consider how by this instead of referring the Glory to God and lessening the Performance of Man which I charitably presume and I am confident as to some of whom I speak that it is their true and sincere Intention but instead of that I do in great Good will invite them to reflect whither their well-intended Zeal has turn'd the Point of this Question even to over-magnifie Man and transfer the Glory of God unto His weak Instrument as if any the least Part of the Divine Vertue which God has annexed to His Sacraments did proceed from His Minister If this be not the meaning as sure it is not why so much stress laid upon the Sanctity of the Ministers Act. iii. 12. as if thro' their power or holiness the Holy Ghost was given II. To obviate this pretence our Saviour Christ chose a Devil John vi 70. to be one of His Apostles and he was sent to Baptize and work Miracles as well as the rest And those whom Judas did Baptize were no doubt as well Baptized and did partake of the Communication of the Spirit according to their Preparation for it as much as any who were Baptized by the other Apostles unless you will say that Christ sent him to Baptize who had no Authority to Baptize and that none shou'd receive Benefit by his Baptism which wou'd be to Cheat and Delude the People and is a great Blasphemy against Christ and a distrust of His Power as if it were Limited by the poor Instrument He pleases to make use off whereas III. His Greatness is often most Magnify'd in the meaness of the Instruments by which He works Thus He destroy'd Egypt by Frogs and Lice and the Philistines by Emerods and Mice and sent His Armies of Flies and Hornets to dispossess the Canaanites Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies Psal viii 2. that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger i.e. That the Enemies of God might be confounded when they saw His great Power Exerted by such weak and contemptible Instruments The Walls of Jericho the Type of Spiritual wickedness were thrown down by the blast of seven Rams Horns when blown by the Priests whom He had commanded And He rebuked the Iniquity of Balaam by the mouth of an Ass to shew that no Instruments are Ineffectual in His Hands and made use of the mouth of Balaam to Prophesie of Christ. For this cause says St. Barnabas in his Catholick Epistle c. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did Christ choose Men who were Exceeding great Sinners to be His Apostles to shew the Greatness of His Power and Grace and put the Inestimable Treasure of His Gospel into Earthen Vessels that the Praise might be to God and not to Men. IV. St. Paul rejoyced in Christ being Preached Ihil i. 16. tho' not sincerely by those who did it because God can bring Good out of Evil and by wicked Instruments Propagate His Gospel turning their malice even of the Devil himself to the furtherance of the Faith Otherwise the Apostle cou'd have no cause to Rejoyce in the Preaching of wicked Men if none cou'd receive benefit by it And he plainly supposes 1 Cor. ix 27. That a Man may save others by his Preaching and yet himself be a cast-away V. And so far as we can know or judge any thing we see daily Experience of this That God has touched Mens Hearts upon hearing the Truth spoken tho' by Men who were great Hypocrites and very Wicked And what reason can be given to the contrary Truth is Truth whoever speaks it And if my Heart be prepared the good Seed receives no evil Tincture of the Hand that sowed it And who can Limit God that His Grace may not go along with me in this I have heard some of the now separate Quakers confess that they have formerly felt very sensible Operations of the Spirit upon the Preaching of some of those whom they have since Detected of gross Errors and Hypocrisies and they now think it strange But this were enough to convince them that the wind bloweth where it listeth otherwise they must condemn themselves and confess that in all that time they had no true Participation of the Spirit of God but that what they mistook for it was a meer Delusion Or else confess that by the Truths which were spoken by these Ministers of Satan for they speak some Truths God might work a good Effect upon the Hearts of some Well-dispos'd tho' then Ignorant and much Deluded People If not so we must judge very severely of all those who live in Idolatrous or Schismatical Countries ther were great Prophets and good Men among the Ten Tribes And if the Words nay Miracles of Christ did render the Hearts of many yet more obdurate Matth. xii from v. 22. to v. 32. even to sin against the Holy
they had justly Forfeited And these wicked Husband men who slew those whom the Lord sent for the Fruits of His Vineyard yet continu'd still to be the Husband-men of the Vineyard till their Lord did Dispossess them and gave their Vineyard unto others And natural Reason does enforce this If a Steward abuse his Trust and oppresses the Tenants yet are they still oblig'd to pay their Rent to him and his Discharges are sufficient to them against their Landlord till he shall Supersede such a Steward If a Captain wrong and cheat his Soldiers yet are they oblig'd to remain under his Command till the King who gave him his Commission or those to whom he has Committed such an Authority shall Cashier him And thus it is in the Sacerdotal Commission Abuses in it do not take it away till God or those to whom He has Committed such an Authority shall Suspend Deprive or Degrade as the Fact Requires such a Bishop or a Priest And there is this higher Consideration in the Sacerdotal Commission than in those of Civil Societies That it being immediately from God as none therefore can take this Honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron so can none take it way but he that is as Expresly and Outwardly called thereunto as Aaron was to be a Priest For this wou'd be to Usurp upon God's immediate Prerogative which is to Constitute His own Priests Upon this Foundation I argue V. As the necessity of Government and the general Commands in Scripture of Obedience to Government do require our Submission to the Government in being where there is no Competition concerning the Titles or any that Claims a better Right than the Possessor So where a Church once Establish'd by God tho' suffering many Interruptions does continue Her Governors ought to be acknowledg'd where ther is no better Claim set up against them This was the Reason why our Saviour and His Apostles did without scruple acknowledge the High-Priest and Sanbedrin of the Jews in their time tho' from the days of the Maccabees ther had been great Irruptions and Breaches in the due Succession of their Priests and before Christ came and all His time the Romans as Conquerors dispos'd of the Priesthood as they pleas'd and made it Annual and Arbitrary which God had appointed Hereditary and Unmovable But ther was then no Competition The Jews did submit to it because they were under the subjection of the Romans and cou'd have no other No High-Priest claimed against him in Possession but all submitted to him And our Saviour did confirm His Authority and of the Sanhedrin or Inferior Priests with him Matth. xxiii 2. saying the Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses's seat All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and de And St. Paul own'd the Authority of the High-Priest Act. xxiii 5. Many Objections might have been rais'd against the Deduction of their Succession from Moses But ther being none who claim'd any better Right than they had therefore their Right was Uncontroverted and by our Saviour's Authority was Confirm'd Now suppose some Interruptions had been in the Succession or Corruptions in the Doctrine and Worship of our English Bishops in former Ages yet as in the Case of the Scribes and Pharisees that cou'd have no Effect to Invalidate their Commission and Authority at the present SECT IV. The Assurance and Consent in the Episcopal Communion beyond that of any other I. THE whole Christian World as it always has been so at this Present it is Episcopal except a few Dissenters who in less than Two Hundred years last past have arisen like a Wart upon the Face of the Western Church For little more Proportion do our Dissenters here the Hugonots in France the Presbyterians in Holland Geneva and thereabouts bear to the whole Body of the Latin Church which is all Episcopal But if you compare them with the Catholick Church all over the World which is all Episcopal they will not appear so big as a Mole II. If our Dissenters think it much that the Church of Rome shou'd be reckon'd in the List against them we will be content to leave them out Nay more if we shou'd give them all those Churches which own the Supremacy of Rome to be joyn'd with them as they are the nearest to them it will be so far from casting the Ballance on their side that the other Episcopal Churches will by far out-number them both Let us then to these Dissenters against Episcopacy add the Churches of Italy and Spain entire with the Popish Part of Germany France Poland and Hungary I think they have no more to reckon upon against these we produce the vast Empire of Russia which is greater in Extent than all these Popish Countries before nam'd England Scotland Denmark Sweden and all the Lutheran Churches in Germany which will out-number both the Papists and Presbyterians before-mention'd And this comparison is only made as to the Latin Church But then we have all the rest of the Christian World wholly on the Episcopal side against both the Supremacy of Rome and Parity of the Presbyterians The whole Greek Church the Armenians Georgians Mingrelians Jacobites the Christians of St. Thomas and St. John in the East-Indies and other Oriental Churches Then in Africa the Cophties in Egypt and great Empire of the Abyssins in Aethiopia These all are Episcopal and never own'd the Supremacy of Rome And over reckon out of sight all that disown Episcopacy and all that own the Supremacy of Rome with them III. Let me add that among our Dissenters every Class of them does Condemn all the rest the Presbyterian Damns the Quaker the Quaker Damns him Independent Baptist c. All Damn one another and Each denys the others Ordination or Call So that the Ordination of every one of them is disown'd by all the rest and all of them together by the whole Christian World And if their Ordinations are not Valid then they have no more Authority to administer the Sacraments than any other Lay-men and consequently ther can be no security in Receiving Baptism from any of them IV. What allowances God will make to those who think their Ordination to be good enough and that they are true Ministers of the Gospel and as such do receive the Sacraments from them I will not determine But they have no reason to expect the like allowances who are warned of it before-hand and will notwithstanding venture upon it before these Dissenters have fully and clearly acquit themselves of so Great and Universal a Charge laid against them such an one as must make the whole Christian World wrong if they be in the Right Not only the present Christian Churches but all the Ages of Christianity since Christ Of which the Dissenters are desir'd to produce any one in any Part of the World that were not Episcopal any one Constituted Church upon the Face of the Earth that was not Govern'd by Bishops distinct