Christians especially in the greater Cities so multiplied that they must needs be divided into many Congregations and those Congregations must necessarily have many Presbyters and those many Presbyters in the absence of the Apostles began to emulate each other and to make parties for their own advantage then as St. Ierome truly notes began the manifest and constant distinction betwixt the Office of Bishops and Presbyters to be both known and observed For now the Apostles by the direction of the Spirit of God found it requisite a d necessary for the avoyding of schisme and disorder that some eminent persons should every where be lifted up above the rest and ordained to succeed them in the ouer-seeing and ordering both the Church and their many Presbyters under them who by an eminence were called their Bishops Or as the word signifies Supervisors and Governours So as the Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3.7 they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as the Offices so the names of Bishop and Deacon were of Apostolicall foundation These Bishops therefore were the men whom they furnished with their own ordinary power as Church-governors for this purpose Now the offi◠es grew fully distinct even in the Apostles daies and under their own hands although sometimes the names after the former use were confounded All the question then shortly is whether the Apostles of Christ ordained Episcopacie thus stated and thus fixedly-qualified with Imparitie and Iurisdiction For if we take a Bishop for a parochiall Pastor and a Presbyter for a Lay-elder as too many misconstrue the terms it were no lesse then madnesse to doubt of this Superioritie but we take Episcopacie in the proper and fore-defined sence and Presbyterie according to the only true and ancient meaning of the Primitive Church viz for that which we call now Priesthood the other is a meerly new and uncouth devise neither came ever within the Ken of antiquitie As for the further subdivision of this quarrell whether Episcopacy must be accounted a distinct Order or but a severall degree in the same Order there is heer no need for the present to enter into the discussion of it Especially since I observe that the wiser sort of our opposites are indifferent to both so that whichsoever you take may be granted them to be but Iuris humani And I cannot but wonder at the toughnesse of those other opposites which stand so highly upon this difference to have it meerly but a degree In the mean while never considering that those among the Pontificiall Divines which in this point are the greatest Patrons of this their fancy go all upon the ground of the Masse according to which they regulate and conforme their opinions therein First making all Ecclesiasticall power to have reference to the body of Christ Bellarm. de sacram Ord n. l. 1. c. 9. as Bellarmine fully then every Priest being able with them to make his Maker what possible power can be imagined say they to be above that The Presbyter therefore consecrating as well as the Bishop the Order in their conceit upon this ground can be but one So then these doughty Champions among us do indeed but plead for Baal whiles they would be taken for the only pullers of him down But for our selves taking order in that sense in which our Oracle of learning Bishop Andrewes Winton Epist ad Molin 1. ci es it out of the School qua potestas est ad actum specialem there can be no reason to deny Episcopacy to be a distinct order since the greatest detractors from it have granted the power of Ordination of Priests Deacons and of Imposition of hands for Confirmation to Bishops only They are Chamiers owne words Camer de Oe cumen Pontif. l. 10. c. 5. Accipere Episcopum novam potestatem Jurisdictionem non iverim inficias I cannot denie that a Bishop as such receiveth a new power and jurisdiction Moreover in the Church of England every Bishop receives a new Ordination by way of Eminence commonly called his Consecration which cannot be a void-Act I trow and must needs give more then a degree and why should that great and ancient Councell define it to be no lesse than sacriledge to put down a Bishop into the place of a Presbyter if it were only an abatement of a degree but howsoever this be yet if it shall appear that there was by Apostolicall Ordination such a fixed imparity and constant Iurisdiction amongst those who were intrusted with the teaching and governing Gods people that is of Bishops above the other Clergie as I have spoken we have what we contend for which whiles I see doubted I cannot but wonder with what eies men read St. Paul in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus Surely in my understanding the Apostle speaks so home to the point that if he were now to give direction to an English Bishop how to demean himselfe in his place he could not speak more fully to the execution of this sacred Office For I demand what it is that is stood upon but these two particulars the especiall power of Ordination and power of the ruling and censuring of Presbyters and if these two be not clear in the charge of the Apostle to those two Bishops one of Crete the other of Ephesus I shall yield the cause and confesse to want my senses §. 5. The clear Testimonies of Scripture especially those out of the Epistles to Timothy and Titus urged NOw because this is the main point that is stood upon and some wayward opposites are ready to except at all proofs but Scripture I shall take leave briefly to scan those pregnant Testimonies which I finde in those two Apostolicall Epistles and first Timothy is charged 1 Tim. 1.3 to charge the preachers of Ephesus that they teach no other Doctrine than was prescribed That they do not give heed to Fables and Genealogies If Timothy were an equall Presbyter with the rest those Teachers were as good as he what then had he to do to charge Teachers Or what would those Teachers care for his charge How equally apt would they be to charge him to keep within his own compasse and to meddle with his own matters It is only for Superiors to charge and inferiors to obey Secondly this charge S. Paul commits to Timothy to oversee and controll the unmeet and unseasonable doctrines of the Ephesian false teachers 1 Tim. 1.12 according to the prophecies which went before of him and that in opposing himselfe to their erroneous opinions he might war a good warfare This controlment cannot be incident into an equality In this charge therefore both given and executed however it pleased our Tileno-mastix in a scurrilous manner to jeer us upon the like occasion with a profecto erit pessimus Dominus Episcopus Paulus that S. Paul was an ill Lord Bishop I may truly say that both St. Paul and Timothy his disciple doth as truly Lord it heer in their
Alexandria took upon him ordain Presbyters for this he was convented in the generall Councell before Hosius and other Bishops and with deserved checks remanded to keep within his own Tether and a Nullity pronounced of those his misordained Ischiras who pretended to be one of those his mis-made Presbyters was in his Administration of the blessed Sacrament whiles he had the holy Cup in his hand violently opposed and that upon the instigation of Athanasius by Macarius He complains there of a sacrilegious assault about an hundred Bishops are assembled in Aegypt Ischiras himself is convented his Ordination examined and he found to be no Presbyter because only ordained by a Presbyter he is sent away without remedy with a devestitute from his pretended Orders and together with all his fellows turned down to the Laick form Quo pacto igitur Presbyter Ischiras aut quo tandem authore constitutus Athanas apolog 2. Perpet govetâ—â—â— c 13. The equity of the sact is so clear saith this Apologist for Athanasius that no man ever thought it could be doubted of An history as our learned Bishop well observes so much the more considerable for that it carries in it the universall consent of the whole Primitive Church whose abridgement that holy Councell was which was after repeated and seconded by the Synode of Alexandria Much of the same kinde is that commonly noted story of the Councell of Civill A Bishop who had sore eyes Concil Hispalen 2 c. â—5 being to ordain Priests and Deacons laid his hands on them but caused his Chaplain a Presbyter that stood by to supply his eyes by reading the words of their Ordination and Benediction The Councell questioned the fact censured it of bold presumption and usurpation and would have censur'd the man if his death had not prevented them and concluded Tales merito c. Those men are worthy to be discarded because they were wrongfully made What need I presse the history of Musaeus and Eutichianus whose Ordinations were also in this manner rescinded and nullified by the Councell of Sardica Or that of the great Councell of Constantinople concerning Maximus or out of Sozomon the proceedings against Elpidius Eustathius Basilius Eleusius for their mis-ordination of Presbyters this peculiar act was a thing so universally both granted to and practised by Bishops that in vain shall we search through all antiquity for an instance of any regular performance to the contrary Neither can the opposites hope to finde shelter under that noted text of St. Pauls to Timothy 1 Tim. 4 14. Calvin Instit lib. 4. cap. 3. Neglect not the gift that is in the c. by the imposition of hands of the Presbytery when Calvin himself interprets the place not of the men but of the office following herein Jerome and Anselme Haimo Lyra and others referring it to the gift not to the hands whose reason also is more strong than his authority For if Timothy were ordained by a Presbytery then by more than one but St. Paul in another place saith that his hands and no other were imposed on Timothy And if more hands were required to this service it had been as easie for the Apostles to have encharged it upon the Presbytery as upon Timothy Little did Calvin think of the double Presbytery of Tileno-mastix Paracl c. 5 when he gave this interpretation of St. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if either the Apostles then or the Bishops since have had other hands laid upon the ordained together with theirs as the rule and practise of the Church of England is yet fain would I see where ever it can be read that Presbyteâ—s without a Bishop in a regular course imposed hands for Ordination §. 16. Power of Jurisdiction appropriated to the Bishops from the first THus for Ordination the case is plain I speak it confidently it is more plaine if more may be for power of Jurisdiction It is for a Timothy or Titus Bishops to receive accusations against Presbyters or to reject them not for one Presbyter against another It is the charge laid upon Presbyters by more than one ancient Councell or single Father to do nothing at all without the consent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Bishop We have heard it from holy Ignatius and from the Apostolike Canons we may hear it when we please from the holy Martyr St. Cyprian Conc. Carthag Câ—nc Gangr Conc. Antioch from the 2 Councell of Carthage from the Councell of Gangra from the Councel of Antioch yea let me say Those ancient restrictions were such as if they should be now urged upon our inferiour Clergie they would be cried down for in tollerably Tyrannicall It was in the Bishops power to raise the Clergie from one degree to another neither might they refuse his designations They might not remove from one Diocese to another wiâ—hout his consent which is still laudably continued in that the testimony of the Ordinary still is required or if they did the Bishop had power to recall them They might not so much as travell from one Diocese to another without his Reverendae much lesse might they fixe there or if they did the act was reversible by the Diocesan for the particulars whereof I referre my Reader to our learned Doctor Downham Defence 2 part Ch. 5. who is very large in this subject As for matter of censure wherein the proof of Jurisidiction mainly consisteth how particularly was this ever managed by Episcopall power and that not only in case of Excommunication of Laicks which hath wont of old to be therefore called Mucro Episcopi for as for that giddy conceit of the whole Churches interposition and act Vivald Câ—â— dâ—labr in these Sentences which our Tileno-mastix stands upon it is long since cried down not by Calvin only but even by our late Separatists amongst whom this case hath been throughly Sifted but even of Correction Excommunication deposition of Clerks Conc. Agath c 1. de contumac Clericis Conc. Agath c. 2. de Episcopis qui pro minimis causis excommunicant Conc. Sardiâ— c. 16. de clericorum excommunicatione Conc Ephes 6.5 Conc. Chalc. c. 23. Conc. Antioch c 4. Cypr. l. Ep. 9. Deacons and Presbyters Correction so the Councell of Agatha Excommunication so the Councell of Sardica the Councell of Ephesus the Councell of Chalcedon Deposition so the Councell of Antioch So Arrius was deposed by Bishop Alexander Eutyches by his Diocesan So the holy Martyr Cyprian in that famous Epistle to R gatianus tells him That he being a Bishop and abused by his Deacon might by the vigour of Episcopacy and Authority of his chair proceed in censure of such Contumacy and advises if the offender hold on to exercise upon him potestatim honoris the power of his honour and either to depose or excommunicate him And yet who dares say that our blessed Martyr was proudly Tyrannicall and not holily zealous in observation of lawfull discipline And lastly for it were easie
ordained without him what need was there of this charge to be laid on Timothy Be there then what Elders soever their hands without a Timothy will not serve his without theirs might To his own if at any time he joyned theirs what else do all Bishops of England This concerning Timothy We come next to Titus and his charge from St. Paul Titus 1. ◠to set in order the things that were left yet undone in the large Isle of Crete or as is now called Candia A populous Island and stored with no lesse than an hundred Cities whence it had the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to ordain Elders or Presbyters in every of those Cities as he had been appointed by the Apostle Lo the whole Diocese of Crete is committed to his oversight Not some one parish in it And what must he do Two things are injoined him To ordain Ministers and to correct disorders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To correct as Beza turnes it not amisse or as Erasmus pergas corrigere with an intimation of his former service that way where that the extent of the work may be noted Eccles 1.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew comprehends both things amisse and things wanting So as the businesse of Titus was as of a good Bishop both to rectifie and reform those things which were offensive and by new orders made to supply those matters which were yet defective As for the Ordination it was not of some one Presbyter that wanted to make up the number but it was universall throughout that whole Island 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per civitates or as we in every City even through the whole hundred and not one Presbyter in each but as the occasion might be many in every one The Diocese was large the Clergie numerous §. 6. Some elusions of these Scriptures met with and answered THe elusion of some not mean Opponents have devised that these acts were injoined to Titus as by way of Societie and partnership with the Presbytery so as that he should join with them in these duties of correction and Ordination is so palpable and quite against the hair that I cannot think the authours of it can beleeve themselves Had the Apostle so meant he could as easilie have expressed it and have directed his charge to more Titus alone is singled out now if it were in the power of every Presbyter to doe those things without him what needed this weight to have been laid on his shoulders alone And if the charge were that he must urge and procure it to be done By what authoritie And if he had authority either without or above them it is that we strive for And now I beseech you what doth any Bishop of England challenge more as Essentiall to his place than power of Ordination and power of correction of disorders Titus 1.11 Secondly It is also the charge given to Titus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stop the mouthes of those false teachers who broach doctrines they ought not for filthy lucres sake and to passe sharpe censures upon them what can do this but Episcopall authority Tit. 3 10 Thirdly Again it is the charge upon Titus A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject So then it is to Titus it belongs to proceed against erroneous teachers to judge of heresie to give formall admonitions to the heretick to cast him out of the Church upon his Obstinacy Can any man suppose it to be for a meer Presbyter to make such a judiciall processe against hereticks or to eject them out of the Church would not they have return'd it upon him with scorne and derision Or what is spirituall Iurisdiction if power to do this be not To summe up all therefore it is no other than our present Episcopall power that by the blessed Apostle is committed to Timothy and Titus and that with so cleare Evidence that for my part I do not more fully beleeve there were such men than they had such power and these warrants to execute it It is a poor shift of some That Timothy and Titus were Evangelists and therefore persons extraordinary and not in this behalfe capable of succession For what ever they were in their personall qualifications yet here they stood for Bishops and received as Church-governors these charges which were to be ordinary and perpetuall to all that should succeed in Ecclesiasticall administration As for the title How will it appeare they were Evangelists For Titus there is no colour For Timothy it is true St. Paul charges him to do the worke of an Evangelist What of that That might imply as well that he was not indeed in that particular office which yet Saint Paul would have him supply howsoever Scot. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 1. c. 5. and no doubt he did so So he did the worke of the Lord as St Paul did and yet not an Apostle He that jeeres this answer might know that the implication of the word is as large for both who knowes not the promiscuous use of these termes As well may they say he was a Doctor because he is bidden to teach and yet these Offices are challenged for distinct Or a Deacon because he is charged with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is it to do the work of an Evangelist but to preach the Evangelium pacis the Gospel of peace which he might he must do as a Bishop and what propriety is there of these injoined workes to an Evangelist as he was an Evangelist What can they shew it was his office to ordain or to censure nay rather how should those works which are constant and ordinarie and so consequentlie derivable to all successions to the end of the world be imposed upon a meer extraordinarie agent neither is there any opposition at all in these terms they might be Evangelists whiles they were in their journey attending on the Apostles and preaching abroad they might be and were Bishops when they were setled upon the charge of some Territorie or province But saith our Tileno-mastix Four yeers after Saint Paul had given this charge of Episcopacie to Timothy there was an equalitie of Presbyters at Ephesus they were all convented and no news of Timothy as their Bishop poorly when the Sun shines what use is there of the Stars when Saint Paul was present Act. 20. his greater light extinguishes the lesse what need any mention of Timothy Or why may not I take upon me to affirme a more likely that Saint Paul who had associated Timothy with him in six severall Epistles would also call him as his Assessor in this his last Exhortation to his Presbyters Neither can wee be flouted out of that Construction of the late learned Bishops Barlow and Buckeride of In quo vos spiritus sanctus constituit Episcopos that these Elders were indeed Bishops such as whereof Timothy was one such as
Tertullian Quod ab Apostolis non damnatur imo defenditur hoc erit judicium proprietatis That which is not condemned by the Apostles yea defended rather may well be judged for their own and then he would have found how strong this plea of Tertullian is against himselfe For where ever can he show Episcopacy condemned by the Apostle yea how clearly do we show it not allowed only but enjoyned finding therefore Episcopall imparity so countenanced by the written word we have good reason to call in all antiquity and the universall Church succeeding the Apostles as the voice of the Spouse to second her glorious husband Had there been any sensible gapp of time betwixt the dayes of the Apostles and the Ordination of Bishops in the Christian Church we might have had some reason to suspect this Institution to have been meerly humane but now since it shall appeare that this worke of erecting Episcopacy passed both under the eies and hands of those sacred Ambassadors of Christ who lived to see their Episcopall successors planted in the severall regions of the world what reason can any man pretend that this institution should be any other then Apostolicall had it been otherwise they lived to have Countermanded it How plain is that of St. Ambrose Paul saw Iames at Ierusalem because he was made Bishop of that place by the Apostles and to the same effect St. Austin contra Cresiâ—n 1. 2. St. Ierome the only Author amongst the ancients who is wont with any colour to be alleadged against the right of Episcopacy yet himself confesseth that Bishops began in Alexandria from Mark the Evangelist who died sixe yeers before St. Peter or St. Paul Thirty five yeers before St. James the Apostle Forty five yeers before Simon Cleophas who succeeded St. Iames in the Bishoprick of Ierusalem being the kinsman of our Saviour 〈◊〉 l. 3. c. 11. as Eusebius Brother to Joseph as Egesippus The same author can tell us that in the very times of the Apostles Ignatius was Bishop of Antioch indeed of Syria Sicut Smyrnaeorum ecclesia habens Policarpum ab Joanne conlocatum Tert. de praesc Policarpus of Smyrna Timothy of Ephesus Titus of Crete or Candia That Papias St. Iohns Auditor soon after was made Bishop of Hierapolis Quadratus a disciple of the Apostles Bishop of Athens after Publius his martyred predecessor And can we think these men were made Bishops without the knowledge and consent of the Apostles then living or with it without it we cannot say except we will disparage both the Apostles care and power And withall the holinesse of these their successors who were knowne to be Apostolicall men disciples of Christ Companions of the Apostles and lastly blessed Martyrs if with it we have our desire what shall I need to instance Our learned Bilson hath cleared this point beyond all contradiction In whom you may please to see out of Eusebius Egesippus Socrates Ierom Perpet goverm of the Ch. ch 13. Epiphanius others as exact a pedegree of all the holy Bishops of the Primitive Church succeeding each other in the foure Apostolicall Sees untill the time of the Nicene Councell as our Godwin or Mason can give us of our Bishops of England or a Speed or Stow of our English Kings There you shall finde from Iames the Lords brother who as Ierom himselfe expresly sate as Bishop in the Church of Ierusalem to Macarius who sate in the Nicene Councell 40. Bishops punctually named From St. Peter who governed the Church of Antioch and was succeeded by Evodius and he by Ignatius twenty seven In the See of Rome thirty seven In the See of Alexandria from Marke the Evangelist twenty three A Catalogue which cannot be questioned without too much injurious incredulity nor denied without an unreasonable boldnesse The same course was held in all other Churches neither may wee thinke these varied from the rest but rather as Prime Sees were patternes to the more obscure For the other saith Eusebius Euseb l. 3. c. 37. it is not possible by name to rehearse them all that were Pastours imployed in the first successions of the Church-government after the Apostles Neither indeed needeth it the wariest buyers by one handful judge of the whole sack and this truth is so cleer that the most judicious late Divines have not stuck to acknowledge so much as we have desired §. 9 The testimony and assent of Bucer and some famous French Divines BY the perpetuall observation of the Church even from the Apostles themselves saith Bucer we see it seemed good to the holy Ghost that among the Presbyters to whom the charge of the Church is specially committed one should have the singular Charge of the Churches and in that Charge and Care governed others for which cause the name of Bishops was attributed to these chiefe Governours of the Church Thus he in full accord with us And Chamier when he had first granted that statim post Apostolorum excessum immediately after the decease of the Apostles began the difference between a Bishop and Presbyter Cham. de membris Eccles milâ— t. l. 4. c. 1. straight as correcting himselfe addes Quid Res ipsa caepit tempore Apostolorum vel potius ab ipsis profecta est The thing it selfe began in the very time of the Apostles yea proceeded from them Thus hee although withall hee affirmes this difference not to have been Essentiall but Accidentall A distinction in this respect unproperly perhaps applied by him but otherwise Nulla est EsseÌ„tialis distinctio inter Episcopos Presbyteros respectu ministeriâ— idem enim utrisque est Apostoli tamen erant primarii a Christo ministri instituti qu bus non aliis Ecclesiae suae fundationem regimen commisit Spalat de Rep. Eccl. 1. 2. c. 3. Spalatensis justly both yelds and makes in a right and sure sense For certainly in the proper works of their ministeriall function in preaching and administring the Word and Sacraments they differ not or only differ in some accident but yet in those points which concerne Ordination and the administration of government then the difference is reall and palpable and that as we shall soon see not without a fixed Iurisdiction To the same purpose my reverend and ancient friend Moulin in one of his Epistles to the renowned Bishop of Winchester Molin Epi. ad Winton Ep. 3. Statim post c. Soon after the Apostles time saith he or rather in their owne time as the Ecclesiasticall story witnesseth It was constituted That in one Citie one Presbyter should have preeminence over his Colleagues who was called a Bishop Et hanc regiminis formam omnes ubique Ecclesiae receperunt and this form of government all Churches every where receive I do willingly take the word of these two famous professors of the French Church The one sayes Constitutum est It was constituted in the time of the Apostles the other that it proceeded from
to be tedious in particularities the ancient Canon of Apostles 32 to this purpose is recited and ratified by two Councels Concil Antioch 1. c. 9. the one of Antioch the other of Chalcedon and there applauded by the acclamation of a just rule and the rule of the Fathers And now say reader what is Superiority and Jurisdiction over all Subordinates if this be not If any Bishop of this Island have challenged and usurped more than the written word of God seconded by the ancient Canons of the Primitive Church and holy Fathers thereof do allow let him bear his own burden but certainly if the holy Synode of England should at any time be required to publish any Canon for the determining the Latitude of Episcopall power and the due exercise thereof they could hardly devise to expresse it in more full tearms than the ancient Councell of Antioch hath done Concil Antioch sub Iulio c. 9. Unusquisque Episcopus habeat suae paroechiae potestatem c. Let every Bishop saith it have authority of his own See both to governe it according to the fear of God which is before his eyes and to have a provident care of the whole Countrey which is under his City as also to ordain Presbyters and Deacons and to governe all things with Judgement Upon all this which hath been said I wonder how the Opposers of Episcopacy can read these so plain proofs of the Judgement and practise of the ancient Church of God and not be ashamed of their palpable innovation Hitherto we have clearly deduced the superiority of Bishops above the other Clergie and the power of their Jurisdiction from Christ and his Apostles and conveyed it through the constant practise of the Primitive Church since which time no adversary doubteth of it §. 17. Exceptions against our Episcopacy answered and particularly of the dissimilitude of our Bishops from the Primitive especially in their pomp and perpetuity BUt two main exceptions are taken at our Episcopacy wherein it is pretended there is an utter dissimilitude betwixt the anciently acknowledged superiority and ours The one is perpetuity the other Lordlinesse In both which regards Parker according to his loud languaâ—e sayes there is as much likenesse betwixt the English Episcopacy and the ancient as betwixt light and darknesse For both these briefly That there is and must needs be a superiority of some Pastors aboue others Beza himself cannot deny who makes the 7 Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither indeed can there be any government without it Bez in Apoc 2.1 but this presidence saith he is not perpetuall but only for the time and vicissitudinary Vidâ— Bez. Saraviam in resp ad triplicatum Episcopatum De gradibus Minist c. 23. There can be no Church without a Ministery Those Ministers are divided into Presbyteries Those Presbyters must have an head that head is to over-rule the body for his turne And this saith he is that Regency which was in the Primitive times and is now renewed in some Churches wherein the president takes his chair moderates the assembly hath Majority of rule during his presidency and is for the present â—efut of Mr. Dâ—â—â— ham the governour of his brethren the action ended and his course finished returnes to his old forme with a sumus ergo pares And was this the inequality of the Church-governours in the Primitive times Was this the forme of the Regiment and Presidency of the Primitive Bishops Blessed God! Where was this monster of opinion formed Who ever read or heard of such a course of Administration from the beginning of Gods Church upon earth untill this present age And yet these men the better to guilde their upstart fancies to the eyes of the vulgar dare thus confidently obtrude it upon the Primitive times Did not James Ignatius Polycarpus and all those noted Successors in their severall charges live and die Bishops there Do not all the Subscriptions of Councels all histories that ever were in the Church testifie so much was there ever any Writer but any one that hath given intimation but bare intimation of any such shifting of Church-governours for that mistaken allegation of St. Ambrose is justly hissed out of all Countenance Did ever the man fall into any kinde of mention that once practis'd it And shall grave Divines give themselves liberty to dream of such strange Chimaericall devices and then meerly to get glory to themselves and strength to their own fancieâ— so boldly obtrude them upon Gods Church for good Law and as highly tending to Gods glory If we do not finde among the ancient so direct contradictions to this conceit we must impute it to this that they did not suppose so impossible a fancy could have fallen into any wise heads Câ—â—r l. 4. Epist 2. Yet that of blessed Cyprian is clear enough where a Bishop is once lawfully ordained whosoever would now moreover be made a Bishop in that See it is necessary that he should be forthwith put out of the Church and that he have not the Churches Ordination who doth not hold the Unity of the Church Vid supra Epist Clementis ad Corinthios c. And soon after Forasmuch as after the first Bishop viz. during his life there cannot be a second whosoever after that one who ought to be alone is made he is not a second but none at all Thus he But what need I urge this when the very word of Ordination strikes it dead For what Ordination to that their In-and-out Office have these succeeding and Momentary Presidents And what Bishop was ever in the Church without Ordination So as I must have leave to wonder at this uncouth Novelty and to say that I cannot tell how to resemble it better than to that old abusive sport which was cryed down in the Councell of Salisbury called Ep. tus puor practised also in the Popish times here in England Binius Anno 1274. Episcopatus puerorum upon St. Clements night and on St. Nicholas wherein boys and youths dressed up after the manner of Episcopall habits took upon them to act the Bishops sacred actions and after the pastime ended disroabed themselves and returned to their wonted trade Both these I confidently say are the meer mockeries of Episcopacie and if that other sport pleased but children and fools it is a wonder how this could please wise men As for the state and Lordlinesse which is usually objected to our Episcopacy it is indeed a common eye-sore to our envious detractors This is it that fills the world with Clamour and Pamphlets with spightfull invectives Quis furor O Cives As for the title first alas how poor a quarrell it is Certainly if there were that true piety and those gracious dispositions in the hearts of men professing the Gospell towards Gods Ambassadors and Agents which there ought to be they would not they could not grudge them any styles of Eminence their very feet would be beautifull
Episcopall power as those Bishops which they have abdicated 1 Tim. 3.8.9.10 Thirdly Timothy must prove and examine the Deacons whether they be blamelesse or not Whether they be so qualifyed as is by him prescribed and if they be found such must allow them to use the office of a Deacon and upon the good and holy use of it promote them to an higher degree How should this be done without a fixed Superiority of power Or what other than this doth an English Bishop 1 Tim. 3.15 Fourthly Timothy is encharged with these things in the absence of St. Paul that if he should tarry long he might know how to behave himself in the house of God which is the Church of the living God That is how to carry himself not in the Pulpit only but in Church government in admitting the Officers of the Ephesian Church This could not be meant of the duties of a meer Presbyter for what hath such an one to doe with the charges and Offices of his Equals par in parem c. Besides that house of God which is the Church wherin his behaving is so required is not some one private Congregation such an one were not fit for that style of the Pillar and ground of Truth but that famous Diocesan Church of Ephesus yea of Asia rather wherin there was the use of the variety of all those offices prescribed Neither may we think that Timothy was before after so much attendance of the blessed Apostle in his journeys ignorant of what might concerne him as an ordinary Minister it was therefore a more publique and generall charge which was now imposed upon him he therefore that knew how to behave himself in a particular Congregation must now know what carriage is fit for him as a Diocesan Fifthly Timothy must put the brethren that is 1 Tim. 4 6. the Presbyters in remembrance of the foreâ—old dangers of the last times and must oppose the false doctrine there specified with this charge Command and teach He must teach then himself he must command others to teach them Had he been only a simple Presbyter he might command and go without Now hee must command If our Lords Bishops do so much what do they more Sixthly 1 Tim. 5.1 Timothy is encharged with censures and prescribed how he must manage them towards old and yong Rebuke not an Elder roughly c. He is also to give charge conâ—erning the choyce carriage and maintenance of these widowes which must be provided for by the Church he hath power to admit some and to refuse others and to take order the Church be not charged unduely which a single Presbyter alone is not allowed to do even where their own Presbytery is on foot Seventhly Timothy must care and see that the Elders 1 Tim. 5.17 or Presbyters who are painfull in their callings be respectfully used and liberally maintained what is this to an ordinary Presbyter that hath no power of disposing any maintenance If every Presbyter had and no body over them to moderate it at what a passe would the quiet of the Church be Who would not repute himselfe to be most painfull if himselfe might be judge No it was the Bishops work that A thing that the Bishops once might well do when all the Presbyters were and so were all at first as of the Bishops family all the tiths and means of the Church comming in to him and he dispencing among the Priests and other Church-officers to every one his portion Now indeed as by the distinction of Parishes and since that by other events things are falne it is that which our Bishops indeed may endeavour and pray for but sure I am it is more than they can hope to do till God himselfe be pleased to amend it Eighthly 1 Tim. 5.19 Timothy was charged not to receive an accusation against an Elder or Presbyter but before two or three witnesses So then Timothy by his place might receive accusations against Presbyters How could he do so if he were but their equall Our Northerne paraclesis can tell us parium neutrum alteri subordinatur and paria non sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scot. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 1. c. 4. that fellowes cannot be subordinate witnesses must bee called before him in cases of such accusation How can this be without a Iurisdiction And when he findes a Presbyter manifestly faulty he may he must rebuke him before all that others also may fear Epiphan haere 75. That of Epiphanius is upon good ground therefore The Divine speech of the Apostle teacheth who is a Bishop and who a Presbyter in saying to Timothy Rebuke not an Elder c. How could a Bishop rebuke a Presbyter if he had no power over a Presbyter Thus he The evidence is so clear Camer in 1 Tim. 4. that Cameron himselfe cannot but confesse Nullus est dubitandi locus c. There can be no doubt saith he but that Timothy was elected by the Colledge of Elders to governe the Colledge of the Elders and that not w thout some authority but such as had meet limits Thus must thus might Timothy do even to Presbyters what could a Bishop of England do more And thus Cameron Though I cannot approve of his election by the Colledge that conceit is his own but the authoritie is yielded 1 Tim. 5.21 Ninthly Timothy is charged before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels to observe all these things without preferring one Presbyter before an other and doing nothing by partiality plainly therefore Timothy was in such place and authority as was capable of giving favour or using rigor to Presbyters what more can be said of ours 1 Tim. 5.22 Tenthly Timothy is charged to lay hands suddenly on no man he had therfore power of the imposition of hands On whom should he lay his hands for Ordination but on Presbyters and Deacons therefore he above Presbyters The lesse saith the Apostle to the Hebrews is blessed of the better Hâ—br 7.7 He laid hands then Yes but not alone say our Opposites My demand then is But why then should this charge be particularly directed to Timothy and not to more The Presbytery some construe to have laid hands on the ordained but the Presbytery so constituted as we shall hereafter declare but a meer Presbyter or many Presbyters as of his or their owne power never An Apostle did so to Timothy himselfe and Timothy as being a Bishop might do it but who or where ever any lesse than he Neither doth the Apostle say lend not thine hand to be laid on with others but appropriates it as his own act whereas then our Antitilenus tells us the question is not whether this charge were given to Timothy but whether to Timothy alone me thinks he might easily have answered himselfe Doth St Paul in this act joyne any with him were there not Elders good store at Ephesus before Could they have