primam sequentiam ad augustissimam illius subvehamur lucem idem ibid. cap. 2. Rudis ex seipso non statim continenter hanc cupiet vero sensim ac per gradus ad priora semper digniora atque ad excellentiora conscendit sicque perfectus ad supremum illum tandem divinumque ordinem gradu proficiente subvehetur Clem. Alex. Lib. 3. Pedag. Multa per aenigmata multa per parabolas quoque possunt prodesse iis qui in ea incidunt sed non est meum inquit paedagogus hac docere sed magistro ad sancta verba exponenda opus habemus ad quem nobis eundum est jam quidem tempus est mihi cessandi à paedogogia vobis autem audiendi Magistrum cum is autem vos acceperit in bona disciplina eductos edocebit eloquia 1. Hence it is clear one Ministery ended in the other and fitted for the other and none taught the others Doctrine 2. Here Magistrum is put for Pastorem he taught the Doctrine of Milk in his Paedagogus which was the Teachers office is clear Tertul. de Resurrect carniss Num homo interior hic utique renovari habebit per suggestum spiritus proficiens fide disciplina die ac die non illic id est non post resurrectionem ubi non utique die ac die renovare habemus sed semel ad summum 1. He shews the renovation of the inward man spoken of is to be in this life 2. That it is to be day by day 3. It is by a proficiency in Faith 4. This proficiency of Faith must have with it also a proficiency in Discipline day by day ministred to it that it may grow in Faith accordingly Clem. Alex. Lib. 7. illustrates this by a sweet Simile Atque à deo usque ad nos ipsos alii sub alios sunt collocati quomodo ergo vel minima pars ferri unà monetur spiritu lapidis magnetis extensa per multos annulos ferreos ita etiam qui sunt virtute praediti Domino spiritu attracti cum prima mansione conjunguntur deinceps autem alii usque ad postremam This seventh Book I suppose was written to perfect men and signifieth that some are placed in the first Order others of the second even to our selves of the third Mansion therefore as a small piece of Iron moved by the spirit of a Load-stone drawn through many small Iron Rings so also they that are indued with vertue are drawn by the Lords Spirit when they are joyned in the first Mansion then to the other unto the third and last Mansion A clearer proof of the practice of the Church I suppose cannot be brought by which the Church-Government is to be exercised amongst us and before this be done it is unpossible that the Saints should thrive by any means ministred unto them in that confused way of Antichristian Discipline amongst us at present Dionysius Areop cap. 6. p. prima the whole Chapter shews this These three Ministeries and their several operations are in an imperfect maner according to the imperfect estate of the Church thus touched by Tertul. de Corona Alia est conditio c. ut illorum quos Johannes admittebat ad lavacrum ut centurionum fidelissimorum quos Christus probat quos Petrus Catechizat In this there is a threefold act given to these three which are to be exercised by the Ministery to every Christian Catechizing Baptizing and the approbation of the Evangelist in Baptizing Hence Ignatius Ep. to Philadelp That none should be Baptized without the approbation of the Bishop Non licet sine Episcopo baptizare In the same Epistle he divides the threefold Society thus Sine ipsis ecclesia electa non est the Evangelist Neque Collectio Sanctorum the Pastors Neque Congregatio Sancta the Doctors Society And to this purpose it is that the Apostles call in the Gospel those ministred in the Gospel with them Fellow-laborers co-workers and helpers in the Gospel the one Catechizing the people without the other admitting them into the Church by Baptism another exhorting and exercising their gifts to fit them for that Ministery perfected them Cyp. Ep. 10. lib. 3. A primordio Episcopatus mei statuerim sine consilio vestro id est Compresbyterorum sine consensu plebis meâ privatim sententiâ gerere nihil Dionysius cap. 2. Eccles Hierarch Deinde Sacros omnes gradus sibi cooperentur c. Cypr. lib. 1. Ep. 4. calls Felix and Sabinus Coepiscopi and after Quod factum videmus in Sabini Collegae nostri ordinatione the word Collega is the same with Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and though it is thought that those Coepiscopi a word fit for the whole Church Ministery were Bishops of diverse Societies especially reading in other of his Epistles where he is said to have many Colleagues which may be corruptions inserted by the Papists Thus we see what corruptions are in Ignatius Epistles multitudes of officers and offices inserted that were never thought on and so in Cyprians much more Lib. 3. Ep. 9. he speaks of his own Colleagues and Rogations also It is my opinion That no Book extant is more corrupted then Cyprians of his time for the Church was strangely corrupted he yet in many things retains some Principles of the true Church and wrote more clearly of them then others of his time though I confess after the Two hundred years the face of the Church was so changed as that it was not to be known about which time he lived and it is plain he retained the Apostles term which few after him do and it were strange if he did no more but that Here I suppose it will not be unnecessary to set down an Answer usually made by many to those enquire the Reason Why the Churches are not constituted as they were in the Apostles rnd immediately after they say The Church was then in its Infancy which was the onely grand ground of Apostacy at the first of men from the truth as if the first form in the Gospel were not the best and the patern for future times as Moses patern in the Mount for him Ambrose on Ephes 4. At ubi autem omnia loca circumplexa est ecclesia Conventicula sunt constituta rectores caetera officia in ecclesiis sunt ordinata ut nullus de clero auderet qui ordinatus non esset praesumere officium quod sciret non sibi creditum vel concessum caepit alia ordine providentia gubernari ecclesia More then this need not be said to prove the practice of the then Church and how then of the after Churches and the Churches for some time before upon this Atheistical Antichristian ground to be in the form totally subverted so that the form of Church-Government then and for some time before cannot be brought to prove or warrant any now the true form of the Gospel being destroyed nor was it scarce known which was
indeed the hiding of the Church no wonder if it be a hidden thing to us he saith in this place Omnes docebant omnes baptizabant he saith They observed not the time nor fasted before Baptism nor had Peter any Deacons at Cornelius house to Baptize as if the Deacons office was onely to Baptize he not minding that some of the seven may be with him and Baptize in all which he corruptly quarrels with the Apostles practice as if they had found a better form to serve God by then that of the Gospel which the Bishops of the times preceeding did correct and like the carnal Gentiles seeking to be wise became fools and like the foolish woman in the Proverbs pull'd down the House of God with both their hands and worse then she set up a Cage for unclean birds of their own predicted by Zech. 5.8 9. But of this in its place Ignatius Ep. to Policarpus He writing to Policarpus mentions the Presbytery and saith Vnà laborate inter vos unà certate unà currite c. ut dispensatores assessores ministri Dei. In the word Dispencers the admission of members to Ordinances is signified in Assessors their Government in general intended in Ministers their teaching 8. The Church was governed by these three conjunctly in Ecclesiastical things Ignatius to Trallis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is necessary whatever ye do ye go about nothing that is of Ecclesiastical publike concernment without the Bishop but also that ye submit to the Presbytery as to the Apostles of Jesus Christ In these is the Church true Presbytery onely and alone in these the Synod and Colledge of Ministery is existent and in none other Other Authority is Antichristian and tends to oppression of the Saints Tertull. in the forecited place de Exhortatione Castitatis Honor per ordinis consessum sanctificatus adeò ubi non est ecclesiastici ordinis consessus Offers Tinguis Sacerdos c. before he saith these have Ecclesiae aucthoritas the Church authority This is Consessus Ecclesiaestici ordinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and any other Ecclesiastical convent then this Juridical is not according to the Primitive Church and Gospel-frame this was the true Presbytery and all other then these are spurious and false To this well agreeth that of Mat. 18.19 that if two of you agree on earth c. The Church while it was according to the Gospel institution governed by these three it was called The pillar and ground of Truth but when that fell and Ministers of other Societies ruled then came the corruption of the Church the Lord not approving of them as is well observed in the Preface of the Bibles written To the Reader printed in King James's days yet for all that the learned knew That certain worthy men have been brought to untimely death for no other fault but for seeking to reduce their countrey-men to good order and discipline and that in some Common-weals it was made a capital crime once to motion the making of a new Law for the abrogating of an old though the same were most pernicious and that certain which would be accounted pillars of the State and paterns of vertue and prudence could not be brought for a long time to give way to good letters and refined speech but bare themselves as averse from them as from Rocks and boxes of Poyson And he was no babe viz. Greg. Theol. but a great Cler. that gave forth and in writing to posterity in passion peradventure That he had not seen any profit to come by any Synod or Meeting of the Clergy but rather the contrary By saying it was in passion was a good plaister for such a dangerous sore He shews what the Councels before him he living about 380. did and indeed God ordained That not many together but seven men of several ages signified by the seven Angels are onely to restore the faln Church Hieron 1 Cap. ad Titum saith When Presbyters governed Ecclesiae cura aequaliter inter plures dividebatur To this may be applyed that of Egisippus cited by Eusebius Vnà cum Apostolis suscepit Ecclesiam administrandam frater Domini Jacobus qui justus ab omnibus cognominatus This was understood of Peter and John Gal. 2.9 and not of all the Apostles Paul and Barnabas ministred to the Gentiles James the less was slain before he took this Government by Herod So that it is without question here is onely meant the three Apostles who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Peter calls himself 1 Pet. 6.1 according to the form of Government in the other Gospel Churches they being not differing one from another in form of Government Jerusalem being the patern or mother Church This Book is said to contain Apostolical Traditions but is lost and a counterfeit left in its place Nicephor Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 26. 9. As the Ministers so the People were distinguished Anthanasius cites Theognostus in his Tract de verbis Evang. Matthei cap. 2. ver 31. quicunque dixerit c. Qui semel atque iterum terminos praetergressus ost minus feret supplicii qui vero tertio contempserit nullam veniam consequi potest Here by the bounds of the Church I understand the threefold Societies of the Saints under the third whereof if any contemned there was no pardon Athanasius primum secundum terminos appellat Catechesin hoc est initiationem de patre filio tertium vero qui est in consummatione mysteriorum sermone qui traditur in communicatione spiritus This shews the Government was much hid in Athanasius time he saith Catechizing was initiation which was not but in Baptism under the Doctors Ministery was initiation and not under the Catechists Ministery And then he saith In Catechizing were to be understood the two first bounds which was but one part of Ministery and that not of the Church neither without doubt Theognostus alludes to that of the Apostle Heb. 6.4 5 6. He is more clear in that which followeth Verum ex his nequaquam aliquis dicere poterit quod doctrina spiritus excellentior sit doctrina filii sed filius sese dimittat ad imbecillitatem imperfectorum spiritus autem signaculum est eorum qui perfecti sunt proinde non irremissibilis incondonabilis est blasphemia in spiritum quòd spiritus major est filio sed quod imperfectis detur venia iis vero qui gustaverunt coeleste donum quique perfecti sunt nulla relinquatur ad veniam excusatio aut paenae excusatio 1. Here are three bounds expressed of the Church 2. In these the Saints are divided according to their gifts in one the imperfect the other the perfect 3. In Athansius time these bounds were destroyed 4. He alludes these three Mansions to the Trinity making that the ground of them as the other before Dionisius distinguisheth them by these names Rudes illuminati perfecti Simil. Herm. 9. Omnos enim infantes honorati
in the world if we may give any credit to our owne histories which I take to be the first time of preaching of the Gospel here or at least to take a place in the Kingdome what ever men say of Paul Simon Zelotes Joseph of Aramathea preaching here which they may do and not constitute a Church here for the Apostles constituted not alwaies Churches where ever they came and preached the Gospel Moreover Hyreneus who lived Anno 170. in France in his lib. 1. cap. 3. adversus Heres mentions the Churches that were known then to be in the world but not a word of Britain Et neque in Germaniis fundatae Ecclesiae aliter credunt aut aliter tradunt neque in Hispaniis neque in Celtis neque in Egypto neque in Libya neque in Oriente neque hae quae in medio mundo sunt constitutae Sure if in his time had been any Church in England he should have knowne of it and would not have past it by in his enumeration of Churches 2. Lucius according to Harrisons Cronology whom Holinshed fellowes saith he began his Raigne 165. who did send to Rome Elvan and Meduin to Eleutherius the Bishop to send Ministers to instruct the people of this Land and baptize them who did send Eugatianus and Damianus who baptized the King with all his Family and People and therewith removed the worshipping of Idolls and false gods and taught the right means and way to worship the true God there were saith he in the bounds of Britain 28. Flamins and three Archflamins which were as Bishops and Archbishops or Superintendants of the Pagan or the gentile Religion in whose place they being removed were instituted 28. Bishops and three Archbishops of the Christian Religion one of the which Archbishops held his Sea at London to whom was subject Cornwall and all the middle part of England to Humber another of their Seas was at York to whom was subject the North part of Britain from Humber to the end of Scotland the third Archflamins Sea was at Carleon Arwiske in Clamorganshire to whom was subject all Wales He saith further this Kingdome was the first that openly that is indeed that did universally nationally received the Gospel Holinshed Lif. Lucius An Ancient Author I have by me saith one Pagan and Elybain were sent from Rome by Eleutherius who baptized the people untill all the Land was baptized going from Towne to Towne baptizing men more he saith King Lucius made two Archbishops and many Bishops Fox out of Monumetensis and others relates the same in his story of the Church Eleutherius as Platin saith lived about 171. Epistolam accepit à Lucio Rege Britanno c. Inibi erant pontifices 25. quos Flamines vocabant 1. That this is right Romish work contrary to the primitive practice none will deny I think 2. This was the first Nation that became a Nationall Church 3. It was made so under a Satanicall Government 4. From this it went unto other Lands and other then this was never in this Kingdome if there had been any Church or Ministry hear Lucius would never have sent to Rome to have some thence to baptize him 1. Ep. Clement Rom. Though corrupt yet is it Ancient In illis verò civitatibus in quibus olim apud Ethnicos Archiflamines eorum atque primi legis Doctores erant Episcoporum Primates poni vel PatrÃarchas ordinavit qui reliquorum Episcoporum judicia majora negotia quoties necesse foret in fide agitarent secundum Dei voluntatem sicut constituerunt sancti Apostoli ita ut nè quis injustè periclitaretur definirent Hence we may see the ground of Government of Archbishops and Bishops whence taken and how and when it did begin to be even within two years of the truth it selfe and no wonder our Nation continued so long under it that Bishops have pleaded the antiquity of their government Three things confirme this story 1. That Gregory who did send Austin into this Kingdome appointed that the Sea of York should have the same extent it had under Sampson the first Archbishop in Lucius time which succeeded the Archflamine whose Jurisdiction was all Scotland and part of England All the Bishops of Scotland since that time have fetched their consecration thence and swear Canonicall obedience to that Sea untill the year 1466. when as George Nevil was Bishop in whose time the Scots Bishops cast off their Canonicall obedience on this ground that in respect of the many and bloody warres between the two Nations the Metroplitan of York could bear no fatherly affection to his sons of Scotland 2. It is said that the Bishop of Meneva or Davids to which that of Caerleon was removed had seven suffragan Bishops under him at the coming of Austin unto the Land who gave him a meeting to compose differences between them being about an 600. 3. Rome was to be the Mother of Harlots she was the cause of this Idolatry before as Heathenish Rome for Onuphrius saith in Heathenish Rome were three Archflamins called Dialis Martialis Quirinalis He mentions only 15. more the rest it's like of them their memory perished with them For Flora that Romish Harlot being of those flamins mentioned of Onuphrius was as the remains prove of her Festivall among us of our 28. and came from Rome It came hereby to be the mother of Idolatry as it was Antichristian Rome the Jewes joyned Mosaycal Ceremonies and the Gospell the Gentiles Gentile Superstitions and the Gospell together 1. Cor. 10.20.21 Again in that Tertull. about the year 200. saith the Britains are subject to the true Christ but he saith not in the true way of Christ 1. Applic. That after the 200. year of Christ there is no proving the true Gospell Government from the practice of the then Churches they being fallen into a strange apostacy from the Gospell institution 2. As they fell somwhat from the practice so the corruptions added of the Papists to them make them abundantly the more uselesse to the Church Of the thrid Century were Origen An. 230. Cyprian An 240. Cornelius Rom. 250. Origen I suppose to be the first corrupted the order of Ordination in the Church taking it not from the People and Presbytery in which he ministred but from other Bishops of other Churches Pro hoc autem adversum eum inhumanus livor accenderit and the Bishops ordained the justification of their fact plead only Quod in praedicatione verbi satis clarè effloruerat Euseb l. 6. cap. 17. It appeares in that Zebenus the Bishop was so much offended at it 1. It was not according to the Gospell 2. It was not practised in the Churches 3. The Bishops then did not plead that it was proper to their function only and not to Presbyters as now This will more clearly appeare in that of Hieron ad Evagrium Alexandria à Marco ad Heraclam Dionysium Episcopos Presbyteri semper unum ex se electum in excelfiori