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A85410
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The controversie between episcopacy and presbytery stated and discussed, by way of letters, at the desire of a person of quality and learning. / By J. Gailhard, A.M. & D.
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Gailhard, J. (Jean)
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1660
(1660)
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Wing G119; Thomason E1083_3; ESTC R202264
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41,795
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51
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James his â—â—th had been one of the chief causes that brought â—â—ch heavy judgements 〈…〉 Bâ— as to this point of oaths Hon urable Sir I refer you to my 〈◊〉 upon the third Commandeâ—ent a Coâ—â—â— heâ—â— of I now â—nd you inâ—losed which with thâ—â— will I fear 〈…〉 have 〈…〉 from Honourable Sir Your c. G. Juâ—â— â—4 1â—â—0 The fourth Letter Honourable Sir I Conâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 to you not â—â—t of conceit in 〈◊〉 of any 〈◊〉 â—â—intâ—ent anâ— youâ— Commands or to require the hoâ— iâ— yâ—â— laâ— upon â—e in things aboâ—â— which you might have a 〈…〉 from many â—ore â—apable to give it then 〈…〉 effect oâ— that absolâ—â—â— obedience I have swâ—â— to your commands and that conâ—â—â—mmit I have promised to yâ—â— pleaâ—â—e 〈◊〉 whereâ—â— I will endeavoâ— at this time to lay open the 〈◊〉 conâ—â—oversie between Pâ—â—â—â—â—â—ans as they aâ—e 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 salen The sonneâ— do with and maintain the Church â—â—ght to be ruled by Elders whence they have the name of Presbyteâ—â—â—â— for you kn w that Pâ—â—â—â—â— â—n Greek signifieth an â—lder and first there ought to be Congâ—â—â—â—â—â— Elders in every Parish for it bâ—â—ng granted that theâ—e ought to be an order in the Church it must be that which is grounded upon Scriptures if now these Elders ought to be secular men as it will be proved hereafter They are sometimes called Lay-Elders which expression we will make use of because it is the common expression for they are chosen from the Layitie of the people for in pretence to the Ecclesiastical Office they are not lay men Truly besides divine institutions there is a great advantage cometh this way in union these persons that are Elders having influence upon others of the Parish may by their example and perswasion bring people into submission of order and holinesse of life for Elder must be persons of an excellent knowledge and of unblameable life And secondly hence discipline will be observ'd for these persons here being from amongst the people and changed from time to time their censure and judgement shall the more willingly be submitted unto the sentence of many is more considerable then that of few and thereby the hatred cast upon a Minister in the execution of discipline and the suspicion of his being partial may be washed away besides that it is easier to bribe one then many before these within their Parish the breach of Gods Law in Religion as prophanesse and neglect of Ordinances so the breach of Charitie in quarrels divisions scandals ought to be judged as our blessed Saviour saith Matth. 18. If thy brother hath offended thee and will not be reconciled in the prisoner of few till if the Church that is the Rulers of the Church to wit the Elders For first this cannot be understood of the Minister alone of the Church who indeed may be called the Angel of the Church Secondly This is not understood of every individual person of the Church this would introduce a strange confusion if all were to be judges which cannot be because of the incapacity and other unqualifications of persons as of women children and some men therefore it must be done by the Ministers and Representatives of the Church to wit Elders as you will see hereafter But as sometime such is the quality of the persons and nature of businesses as they cannot be decided in the Parish there may be an appeal to the Classis of those parts that is a certain number of Presbyters select for that division over which there ought to be a Moderator choâ—en by Plurality of Voyces and this only pre tempore Now this Classis is subordinate to the Synod of that County or Province which is the convention of all the classes of that County over the which shall also be a Moderator and this only pro tempore as Saint James was in Jerusalem Acts 15. by Plurality of Voyces and this provincial Synod shall be subordinate to the National whâ—â—e thâ—â— of high 〈◊〉 decided to the which two or more Mâ—â—â—e is and Prâ—â—â—â—â—â— oâ— every shire aâ—â— to be â—ent This may be callâ—d onâ—e a year the Provincial once every haâ—â— year the Claâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 every month is ther◠〈◊〉 caâ—e and the consâ—â—ty oâ— congregation 〈◊〉 bâ—â—twâ—â—ne every Loâ—de â—ry eve y forth night The Pâ—â—nate of Lâ—â—nd â—ave his â—â—gement 〈…〉 as Doctor Bernard doth testifie and certainly 〈◊〉 of Goâ—â—â—n none hath pâ—â—ved so happy as 〈◊〉 in Fâ—ance Scotland parts of Germany and other places wheâ—e it is strictly observed tâ—â—te hath been no schismâ—◠〈◊〉 of wickednesses committed howsoever not unâ—â—nished â—oâ— hereby they may presently be reâ—â—ained if incuâ—â—â— spâ—â—d out of the Church I might shew the happiness of the Reformed Churches in France under it considering their condition for they are Subjects to a Popish King but I have matter enough bâ—â—â—des this Aâ—â—â—e I prove thâ—â— to be of a divine Institution I will endeavour to proâ—â—â—gâ—te Eâ—â—jâ—â—pâ—â—r which being done it will be nâ— haâ—d matter to acteâ—s Prâ—â—â—â—ery But first Presbyters â—â—anâ— do allow of Bishops provided they be reduced to their former purity that is to be a Minister and not above a Minister of an â—weâ—eet or superintendent 〈◊〉 this is the 〈◊〉 sâ—â—nication of the â—oâ—â—â—â— its oâ—â—â—â—nal Now to be to Overices oâ—â—â— hâ—â— flock is pertaining to every Minister Acts 20 28. to you see every Minister is a Bishop 1 â—â—w 3. But Bâ—â—hops by way of it 〈◊〉 authority primaâ—y or dependency of one Minister from aâ—â—bet is in no 〈◊〉 grounded â—â—on Sâ—â—â—tures but it is Tyrannical by â—â—rpation and of humane invention as to the case of Aâ—â—â— Bishop they must confess it as they do to be instituted of men Supremacy therefore in Church is very dangerous it is a temptation to pâ—â—de and occasion of ambition which men are naturally prone unto 〈◊〉 Saint John had lived in these our dayes 〈◊〉 many Dâ—â—repheâ—â— wâ—â—â— he have diâ—covered whom he condemneth in his three Epistles 〈◊〉 he loveth to have the preeminenâ—e and sure I am we 〈◊〉 have a better Pattern for the Role of the Châ—â—ch then the school of Christ where he was so far from allowing of it that he reproved them when they had disputed who should be the 〈◊〉 he such Câ—â—iâ—â— that will be the greatest shall be the leâ—â—t where be makes an opposition between the Government of Church and State The King of the Nations exercise lordship â—ver them and those that are 〈◊〉 use authority â—ver them but amongst you it shall not be so he that will be the greatest let him be your servant Matth. 20.25 Why shall we so much condemn in the Pope that which they approve in others Shall one and the same thing evil of it self pride and usurpation be a crime in the Bishops of Rome and a vertue in the Bishops of England an Arch Bishop here that hath the precedencie of some of the Kings sonnes is he not an Image of that of Italy true it is it is not in
such a Degree howsoever it is in the nature of it they ever aspiâ—ing from one place to a higher preferment let one of these Bishops come to Church in a Coach and six Horses with a gallant attendance and be called my Lord here my Lord there Will Christ own him for his servant Is this his Lesson Be humble and lowly as he was even in washing his Disciples feet Will not the Lord Christ say Hast thou left all to follow me Canst thou serve the world and me too This is indeed the posture of a man drunken with the pleasures of this world more then of those meek and humble Apostles of Christ What difference to see a Minister of Christ in a very low condition and a Bishop professing himself to be a minister in the plenty of all worldly enjoyments but they will say this is the liberalitie of Princes yet let them know that they cannot serve the world and Christ and therefore they should not ask it as some do but rather refuse these great earthlie things account them but loss and dung and say to them who profer these temporal favours I must not be so cumbred with the things of this world like Martha but with Mary I must take the good part for all these riches honours and pleasures are but snares to entrap them For as you will hear in the case of Popes so it may be in this Popes at first were no more then other Bishops but because Rome was the seat of the Empire therefore Christians ever placed in it persons eminent for Pietie and Learning who because of their great parts and abilities received a more then ordinary respect This being a great bait to ambitious persons such as their successors they began to look upon it as a thing due to their Office no consideration had to the person or parts and thereupon they began to usurp so the Pope having gotten to be the head those that adhered to him in forraign parts assumed much to themselves because of the adoration which in times of darknesse was granted to the Beast No Protestant can deny but that this in Poperie deserved Reformation as many Popish great and learned men did acknowledge Why then God sending puritie of Doctrine by the conversion of this Nation to the truth of the Gospel was not there a Reformation of this exceeding power derived as streames from that ambitious Antichrist but no eveâ— have seen Reformation wrought by degrees therefore a great 〈◊〉 and opportunitie is afforded to his Majestie in removing that whereby the servants of Christ are in these dayes so different from those in times paâ—tâ— as if there were a new Gospel brought from Heaven Thâ—t desire of Supremacy doth argue a spirit much different from that of Saint Paul 〈◊〉 saying to the Corinthians 2 Epist 1. To state you 〈◊〉 are not yet â—â—me to you as if this had been too high for a servant of Christ he presently addeth not for that we have dominion over your faith yet it is that which some undertake by laâ—â—â— as necessary upon 〈◊〉 those things that are indifferent so that I must account these Ceremonies to be good becoming and edifying not because I believe it but because they tell it to be so in pressing it upon me even when my conscience perswadeth me it is not so And further if we look on that place the scope will shew us that the Apostle doth not mean by having dominion over their saith to have power over things to be believed for it would have been in vain to have expressed such a thing since the same Apostle telâ— in another place there is one Faith and one Lord as I may say by joyning them together one Lord of that saith besides those whom he 〈◊〉 write to know this fundamental point that no man hath poâ—â— over our faith and that Saint Paul was too humble to have had any such meaning when he saith for to snare them he came not but this I take to have been spâ—ken upon the account of the incestuous of the toleration of whom be dâ—â—h complain 1 Cor. 5. Wherefore becau â— they had been neglectâ—â—â— in the administâ—ation of censure aâ—â—in such a man he would not â—â—me leâ—â—â— he had been forced to reâ—â—ove them for their neglect Not saith he that I hâ—â—â—â—dren 〈…〉 you but like a brother I â—â—ght to rebuke you even as he 〈…〉 Peter upon a different â—â—â—â—tion Gal. 2. So the senâ—e of this 〈◊〉 Faith will be this as to force y u tâ— a thing against youâ— eâ—â—ent oâ— which you believe ought not to be done that is to censure or exâ—â—mmunicate the incestâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 approve of hâ—â— by not calling of him to an account whence these two â—reat truths are afforded us First Saint Paul confesseth to have no power over their Faith that is their profession for to it is often taken in Scriptures in the discharge of Ecclesiastica Discipline the execution of which he cannot force upon them But the second truth is this That the Discipline of the Church is and ought to be administred by the Church and therefore the Bishop or Minister cannot do it but by the Church this case here is clear of of the incestuous for the Discipline was not committed to any single person but to the Corinthians to the Church as he calls them that is at Corinth 1 Cor. 1. it is not to the Minister alone but to the Church whence it is visible that the Church was to take course where they thought fit about such a man wherefore the Church hath power to chuse so ne Representatives for every one cannot be a judge in it in whose hands is the administration of Church-discipline as here we see it used in Parliaments every free-born English man hath right to complain of grievances and to indite any one that hath injured him yet it is not fit that every particular man should go up to be a Parliament man and a Judge of affairs but they have Representatives to do it In the Church these Representatives can be no others but Elders That this is in the power of the Church it is clear out of Acts 14.23 Paul and Barnabas ordaining Elders not whom they pleased but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the votes and suffrages of the people whose maxime it was accoâ—ding to the custom of the Greeks to give their votes by lifting up of handâ— and in the câ—se of choosing Deacons the twelve left it to the power of the Church Acts 6. Titus being left in Câ—â—es to ordain Elders preaching or Ruling it is to be understood this ordination was to be made by the consent of the Church for it is not probable that Saint Paul would â—ive that liberty to Titus which he assumed not to himself to elect Elders without the consent of the Church and in all this there was no Primacy for there was not a Bishop of a Bishop or a Prâ—sbyter of a Presbyter to make use