is changed unto a Limited and Confined Inspection of Bishops Tho the Contexture of his Reasoning renders him in this inconsistent with himself Christs Care and Promise are abundantly verified in the Establishment of such a Government and Officers in His Church as are suted to her Edification and Preservation in all times and places I cannot but further remark the Dr's changing the Term of Apostolick Office which he holds to be transmitted to Successors into that of Episcopal Power as if these were all one But this is such a confusion of Names and Things as cannot be admitted But proceed we The Question the Dr. will needs have to be a Matter of Fact to be decided by Testimony Whom the Apostles appointed Successors is Matter of Fact simplely considered But this Matter of Fact must have a Divine Testimony to clear it it being a Divine Fact to call it so of Christs Infallible Divinely Inspired Apostles in the management of the Trust committed to them in founding and modelling the Gospel Churches And consequently in enquiring into this Point we must take our Measures both from their Doctrine and Practice if we acknowledge the Apostles had no Soveraign independent but Subordinat Subaltern Power Authorized and prescribed by their great Master whose Doctrine and Measures prescribed in his Holy Testament we must therefore look unto So that when the Dr. asserts There can be no decisive proof of this but by Testimonie He should have called it Divine Testimonie for an Human Testimony can here have no place when the Question is anent the Apostles Doctrine and Practice in point of Church Government And therefore what the Dr. adds viz That the Testimony alledged by him and the Episcopalians is so much the stronger upon the Ground of the Reception thereof Discovers his bad Design of leaving out the Qualification of Divine in the Testimony to which he appeals And likewayes his absurd alledging that a Divine Testimony is strengthened by an Human as influencing a stronger Prâ—of in eodem genere Causae That the Church knew no other Government than Prelacy for fourteen hundred Years as the Doctor is bold to assert shall be admitted when he shall exhibit the full Accounts and Records of these 1400 Years asserting so much To proceed To prove that the Apostles Rectoral Power was by them transmitted immediatly to single Successors the Dr. tells us ibid. that he will first view the Holy Scriptures then Ecclesiastical Records First view I say only and properly view in order to this proof For 1. our Faith of this is a Divine Faith which therefore cannot be founded upon an human Testimony else it were but an human Credulity 2. Ecclesiastick Records cannot be an infallible Comment upon the Sense of these Scriptures wherein this Testimony is contained And this upon several weighty Grounds which I have elsewhere exhibit Since this were 1. To set up an higher Tribunal than the Scriptures 2. Ye exclud an examination of the Human Testimony by the Scriptures 3. To make the Churches practice the infallible Rule to direct our perswasion and practice in reference to every Scripture Truth and Duty therein held out Besides that neither this Dr nor any for him will ever exhibit Authentick Records of the Churches Universal Practice since the Apostles many of the Ancients having written nothing at all many of their Writings also being lost many going under their Name being Counterfeit and supposititious And that none of these did in this Matter contradict thâ— Writers whom the Dr. alledges in this Point but did accord in judgment and practice with what he supposes them to hold in Point of Episcopacy is a proof which lyes upon the Doctor as the affirmer before his Argument can be admitted as valid and his Testimonies be supposed harmonious and this he will no doubt perform ad calendas Graecas Who knows not that the prime Historian Eusebius with many others do acknowledge that the shattered and maimed Records of the First Ages after the Apostles which are in this Point most considerable are most uncertain and dark as to Matter of Fact And do therefore exhibit but a Lame and imperfect Testimony in this Matter My work and scope then is to examin the Dr's Pleadings from a Divine Testimony which I shall fully perform CHAP IV The Dr's Proof of the Divine Right of the Hierarchical Bishop drawn from the pretended Episcopacy of Timothy and Titus and the Seven Asian Angels Examined HEre we find the Doctor Tracing the Steps of his Fellows but giving their Notions and Arguments pitifully Insipide and nothing Recocted In the first place saith he P. 106 107. we find Timothy set over Ephesus by Paul when he went unto Macedonia Which place he compares with Act. 20.3 4. 1 Tim. 1.3 I besought thee to abide at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia that thou mightest charge some that they Teach no other Doctrine That Timothy thereafter waited upon Paul to yield Assistance in the Service of Religion he tells us cannot infer he was disingaged upon Occasional Iourneys from that Episcopal Inspection particularly committed to him in the Church of Ephesus by Paul Here is such a Proof as he might have seen long since Baffled and Disproved 1. All that hold Timothies Office as Evangelist to be extraordinary and to have expired with that of Apostles and this do the Body of Protestant Divines hold as is above evinced will consequently deny his Episcopal Instalment over Ephesus And put the Dr. to prove that his Evangelistick Office here expresly enjoyned him was First an ordinary Office to be continued Secondly Formally and properly Episcopal or such as did import a sole and singular Authority Paramount to all the ordinary Officers Authority in that Church and Exclusive thereof And what Answer to these Demands and Proof of these Suppositions is in the premised Argument let all Men judge 2. Had the Dr. been serious in this Debate he might have found that Presbyterians have exhibite from Scripture Timothieâ— continual transient Imployments through the Churches both before and after this supposed Instalmentâ— Ius Divinum Minist Angli Smect with diverse others have made this evident 3. The Dr. did well to exhibit the supposed Scripture Charter of Timothies pretended Instalment I besought thee to abide at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia that thou mightest Charge some that they Teach no other Doctrine c. Which the Presbyterians have long since told him is a clear Proof of the contrary since there was no need of such Importunity if Paul had Committed the Episcopal Charge over Ephesus to him For thus he might have laid as Dreadful a Charge upon him to abide at Ephesus as he doth afterward to Preach the Gospel 2 Tim. 4.1.2 They have told him that the Words specifie an Occasional Imployment and are not Words of Instalment to any â—ixt Office or Bishoprick over that Church and do clearly insinuat and point at an Intendment to Call him away again As accordingly both he
Sense the whole Church by joynt Determination had simul semel made this Alteration it is evident that he charges the Error upon the Church as a Recess from the Divine Path but not at all upon the Divine Appointment it self which he diligently distinguishes from and sets in Opposition to this Custom and Practice of the Church So that the absurd Reflection upon the Apostles Government and the Wisdom of our Saviour the Dr. may see to be lodged nearer home viz. not only upon these who first brought in this Human Prostasie especially such as Scrued it up to an Hierarchical Primacy which is so cross to the Apostolick Parity but also and in a singular manner to be chargeable upon these who uphold it after its many Evils are discovered Ierom asserts only the Matter of Fact viz. That this Imparity was brought in for Remedy of Schism but leaves the chargâ— of Reflecting upon the Apostolick Government upon the Authors of this Innovation And upon the Promotters thereof it must still ly The Dr. alledges That Iorom approves of this as a Wise aâ—d Prudent Action An odd Approbation indeed To approvâ— a Custom or Action as Wise and Prudent which he holds to be opposit to the Divine Appointment For his proof viz. That Ierom asserts the Safety of the Church to depend upon the Authority of the High Priest or Bishop to whom if Supreme Authority be not given there would be as many Schisms as Priests As the Dr. has pointed us to none of Ieroms Writings for Proof of this so as we have cleared above Ierom and the Ancients in such Allusive Expressions intend nothing else but a Distinction of Offices in the Gospel Ministry and to assert the Authority thereof Blond Sect. 3. P. 135. shews out of diverse Councils their expressing the Gospel Ministry under the Character of Priests and Levites And I dare referr it to this Dr or any Man of Sense if a grosser Contradiction or Non-sense could ever fall into any Mans Thought than to hold the Necessity of an Hierarchical Bishop with Supreme Authority and yet the Necessity of a Divine Appointment to the contrary That which the Dr. calls the Unavoidable Consequence of Jerom 's Hypothesis viz. That the Church had gone to Ruine if a Wiser Form of Government than that of Apostles had not been taken up to supply its Defect We have made appear to be a very easily avoided Consequence and by no Twist of Reason to be deducible from Ierom's Hypothesis and that the Dr in drawing such a Consequence has in stead of Ierom involved himself in absurd Deductions He calls this Testimony of Jerom the only considerable Objection against the Universal Conformity of the Primitive Church to Episcopal Government And therein discovers his small and slender Reading in this Controversie since he might have seen in Blondel Salmasius and many others many more considerable Objections And this one we have found so very considerable that it hath quit baffled and born down the Dr's mean and inconsiderable Answers But to proceed In the close of this Section P. 421. the Dr. flies high in these his supposed victorious Answers to Jerom's Testimony telling us that the Apostolick Superiority of Bishops being handed down by Testimonies from Age to Age it s as unreasonable to reject the same as the Canon of the Scriptures thence derived The Dr. here discovers what Spirit he is of I had alwise thought that the Divine Impression of the Scripture Canon the intrinsick infallible evidences of a Divine inspiration had been the great ground of the Churches reception not its being handed down to us from former generations or the First receivers And that our Divines had alwise distinguished the Church and former Generations Testimony and recommendation from the innate Essential evidences of its Divine Authority as to the Ground of our Faith and reception But however I shall tell him that he should have exhibited as full and Divine proof and unanimous recommendation of all the Churches for his hierarchical Prelacy as there is for the Scripture Canon before he had offered such an high flown notion Before I part with the Dr. upon this head I must needs tho I have a little before touched it take notice of two pieces of signal unsoundnness and unfair dealing in this Matter of Jerom's Testimony First That in all his Animadversions and muster of Episcopal strength against it he doth not in the least take notice of Jeroms Scripture proofs of the parity of Bishop and Presbyter in correspondence to our Sense and Pleading Upon Philip 1.1 He argues That many Bishops are saluted by Paul in that Church and that it could not have many of the Diocesian stamp That therefore the Apostle speaks indifferently of Bishops and Presbyters as one and the same That Act. 20. Paul called the Elders of Ephesus Bishops set up by the Holy Ghost and that therefore he owned the Elders of that one City as Bishops That in the Epistle to the Hebrews the care of the Churches is divided among many obey them that have the Rule over you for they watch for your Souls That Peter called so from the firmness of his Faith exhorts thus the Elders the Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder and Witness of the sufferings of Christ Feed the Flock of God which is among you not by constraint but willingly c. These things I write saith Ierom to shew that among the Ancients Bishops and Presbyters were one and the same and that by little and little the care was devolved upon one Now what says the Dr. to these his Arguings upon the Apostles Doctrin If they are not found why doth he not discover his mistake If they hold good the Dr's exceptions evanish unto Wind. As for instance That Ierom is too late a Witness that he is a Witness in his own Cause that he talks otherwise when not byassed with partiality c. For if these Reasonings be sound his Witness is both a most early and Divine Witness and in the cause of God and Truth And whatever other Testimony he may be supposed to give this Divine Testimony ought to be preferred wherein there can be no partiality unless the Dr. will impute partiality to the Divine Oracles and the Decision of the Holy GOD of Truth in this Point This also answers the Drs quible about a Decree Apostolick as the Ground of the Change of Government and that Ierom could mean no such thing since none can be so brutish as to impute to the Apostles a contradictory Decree to their own Doctrin As also that other exception of his evanishes upon this Ground Viz. That no such Decree of the Church was Recorded And that therefore there was none such For say it was either a Decree or gradual Custom if cross to the Apostolick Doctrin it ought to be rejected Thus also appears the Folly of his last exception That he imputes to the Apostolick
cut off the Dr's third Argument which he prosecutes P. 424 425 c. that nothing needs be further added as there might be with Advantage if a particular Examen were made of his Citations The Folly of his first Headless Testimony appears in that it makes the Apostle Iohn to assume a new Archiepiscopal Chair or Primacy over the Asian Churches The Sottishness of which Conceit and the Contrariety thereof to the Scripture Account of the Apostolick Office is evident to any of common Sense since the Apostles by vertue of their Office which extended to all Churches planted and to be planted were Ministers thereof in actu exercito and yet this Apostle must be assisted with seven Bishops forsooth to support his new Archiepiscopal Chair over that Province The Citation speaks of a Province in general which the Dr. will needs have to be that of Ephesus and the seven Angels must be these seven Bishops by whom he governed that Province Again the Angel is called by Augustin the Praepositus or President therefore he was an Hierarchical President as the Dr. has shapen out What Consequence is this As to what He adds out of Ignatius and Irenaeus in reference to Polycarp's Episcopacy over Smyrna from Eusebius Lib. 4. Cap. 15. and Polycrates's Episcopacy over Ephesus Lib. 5. Cap. 24. we have spoken to it already and to the Credit to be given to these supposed Epistles as likeways to Eusebius's History Besides that in Eusebius Lib. 5. Cap. 23. Irenaeus calls Anycetus Pius Heginus Telesphorus Xistus Presbyters of the Church of Rome Presbyteri illi qui te praecesserunt We also did shew that he thus expresses himself further Nec Polycarpus Anyceto suasit ut servaret qui sibi Presbyterorum quibus successerat consuetudinem servandam esse diceret We have also already made appear that Polycarp his supposed Bishop disownes the Office and Doctrin imputed to him by the Dr since Writing to the Philippians he ownes only Bishops and Deacons as the two Orders of Ministry and perswades the Philippians to be subject to their Presbyters and Deacons as to God and Christ. To which we may add that Bishop Bilson himself acknowledges Perpet Gov. P. 158 159. that Elders at first did govern by common Counsel For what he adds of Eusebius's Testimonies anent the existent Bishops in several of these Churches when Iohn wrote to them it is abundantly removed by what is said above in reference to the Sense and Acceptation of the Term Bishop by Ancient Writers as likewise by that which we have often observed of Eusebius himself The Dr. adds a Passage of Paraeus which we shall take notice of he tells us that Paraeus proves out of Aretas Caesariensis that Antipas the Faithful Martyr mentioned Rev. 2.13 was Bishop of Patmos immediatly before the Angel of that Church to whom Iohn wrote and that that Angel was one Gaius who as he proves out of Clement succeeded to Antipas in the Episcopal Chair Paraeus says indeed that these of Pergamus had cruelly slain Antipas but adds quis fuerat ex Historia parum constat that there is no Light from History who he was He adds Aretas Pastorem ejus Ecclesiae fuisse sensit sub Domitiano fortem fidei assertorem c. that Aretas thinks he was Pastor of that Church and under Domitian a Strenuous Asserter of the Faith and Burnt in a Brazen Bull. He adds that he to whom our Lord wrote might be tempted to lay aside his Office for fear of the like Punishment c. But what the Dr. adds of an Episcopal Chair and of his Name Paraeus says nothing neither doth he ascribe to Antipas any other Office than that of Pastor seeming to take these Churches for Congregational And if the Office to which the Angel succeeded was that of a Pastor only where is our Dr's Episcopal Chair which he here assigns him Besides Paraeus affirms the History to give no certain sound touching the Office and Character of Antipas Neither doth he mention any thing of Clement The Authors of the second part of Annot. under the Name of Pool do affirm That no Ecclesiastick History makes mention of Antipas and that he seems to have been a Person of obscure Note And that no History giving Account of him has inclined some to think this Epistle is wholly Prophetical and that Antipas signifies all such as oppose the Pope as if it were the same with Antipapa The Dr's Conclusion upon the whole of this his discourse and Argument from the Seven Asian Angels is That it being apparent that there were Bishops presiding in each of these Churches when Iohn wrote consequently they had the Government of these Churches committed to them since he Writes to them as Governours and Overseers of these Respective Churches So that they being Bishops our Saviour in these Epithets allows and approves of the Episcopal Order But by what is above replyed it is evident that nothing which the Dr. has adduced amounts to prove the existence of any such Bishops as he has shapen out in one or all of these Churches And therefore our Lords writing to these Angels gives not the least shaddow of allowance or approbation of that Episcopal order which he asserts And so to the Dr's Summ of all as he expresses it viz That the Episcopal form is of Divine Right upon Ground of our Saviours Institution Seconded by the Practice of the Apostles and conformity of the Primitive Churches and our Lords express approbation We may confidently repone from what is above replyed that it is evident that the high-flown Hierarchy he pleads for has no Foundation either in our Lords Institution or the Practice of the Apostles is noways Authorised by the Conformity of the Primitive Church or our Saviours Approbation in his Epistles to the Asian Churches but as opposit to all these is by the Churches of Christ to be rejected and disowned CHAP. V. The Dr's Scripture Proofs of a Four-fold Ministrie or Prerogative of a Bishop as Superior to a Pastor in Point of Government considered THE First Prerogative of the Bishop as contradistinct from a Presbyter is with the Dr. to make Laws and Canons which is the Essence of Government and supposes a Legislative Power else faith he Christs Wisdom is impeached if he left a Governed Society without a Legislative Power I need not stand to tell the Dr That by consent of Protestant Divines the Churches Power is not properly Nomothetick Architectonick Legislative but Ministerial and declarative of Christs Institution in reference to Ordinances the Doctrin Worship Disciplin and Government of his House The Dr. proves this Authority P. 433.434 from the Apostles Power Act. 15. Determining the Controversie anent Circumcision And says That in their Decree they exercise a Legislative Power laying upon the Churches to abstain from what was not prohibited by any standing Law of Christianity That as the Apostles and Primitive Bishops made Laws by common consent for the
to all their Successors the Bishops in this Apostolick extent For he affirms that this Power of the Apostles is perpetual and necessary in the Church and that the Bishops are their proper Successors therein And here the Dr. would do well to inform us of what Character and Mould in Point of Power these Bishops are whom he owns to succeed to this Apostolick Office For that de facto there is a great variety in the extent of their Power he will not deny Whether doth he hold that every ordinary Bishop is such a Successor or the Arch Bishop or only Primats If every Bishop does thus succeed which the Series of his Arguing seems to import then I would know how a Bishop with a derived subaltern subordinat Power limit to a certain and may be not a very great Precinct or district can be said to succeed the Apostles in a Supreme Iurisdiction over all Believers and Ecclesiasticks Let him make Sense of this if he can If he say that the Bishops Succession relates to their Power within their own district Then 1. They no more succeed the Apostles in the Power by him described than Successors to a Sheriff in a Kingdom can be said to succeed to the Regal Throne 2. If he once break square thus and infringe his own Rule his measures and description he must consequently acknowledge that a Government in the smallest precinct yea even of a Pastor over his Flock is eaten us a Succesion to the Apostles If he say the Pastor has no Rule over Ecclesiasticks and consequently no Apostolick Succession in his Sense I Answer neither has the Bishops over all Ecclesiasticks which is also his Sense and description of the Apostolick Succession If he own that only Arch Bishops are such Successors Then 1. How comes he to owne the Bishops in universum as succeeding the Apostles in a Rectoral Power 2. Since the Bishops can give Rules to subordinat Ecclesiasticks Preach if their Lordships please give Rules of Disciplin hear complaints decide Controversies c. wherein he makes this Apostolick Succession to consist how can he deny even to Diocesan Bishops this Succession 3. Suppose but one Diocesan Church in a Countrey gathered the Dr. will not deny an Apostolick Succession and Government there according to his Pattern and Principles But to proceed if the Dr. hold that only the great Arch Bishops or Metrapolitans have this Supremacy and Apostolick Succession I would know upon what ground he can defend this in his Principles I know none except that of the extent of their Power be alledged But here the Dr. is still at odds with himself For the Apostolick Power which he holds to be Succeeded unto and Permanent extended to all Churches to all Ecclesiasticks and Believers And besides suppose an Oecumenick Council Assembled the Dr. will not assert that he has an Authority paramount to it by his Office and that there may not be a greater Metropolitan than he existent whose Power may be paramount to his in the Council or otherwise Thus we see how our Dr. in his Phantastick Description of the Apostolat and Pleadings for the Bishops Succession thereunto has involved himself and is Rolling Sisiphus Stone which still returns upon him and renews his Labour But in the next place the Dr. P. 97.98 tells us That extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost Power of Miracles Languages other Spiritual Furniture were temporary extrinsick advantages necessary for first forming the Christian Church and when this Fabrick is erected Scaffoldings are removed But I should think if the Apostolick work and necessary duties required these extraordinary Gifts as necessary advantages and furniture for the same then they were intrinsick not extrinsick to the Office it self Which I will prove to the Dr by a paralel Argument the Topick whereof he must needs owne To be apt to Teach to have Spiritual knowledge and the Gift of utterance in a competent Measure prudence a competent knowledge of the Scriptures and Languages thereof he will acknowledg are needful for the Pastoral work of Feeding by the word and Doctrin Therefore say I they are essential and intrinsick to the Pastoral Office For 1. Else there were no need of a previous trial of these Gifts in order to admission to that Office And 2. God conjoins the call to the Office with the Gifts for it and the one in an ordinary way must be made Appear by the other I hope the Dr and I are agreed as to the Soundness of this Reasoning Now let me subsum upon this Conclusion In like manner the Apostolick Office required these works or duties whereunto were necessarly annexed the forementioned Gifts and Eurniture for the fame 1. They were to teach all Nations this they could not do without the Gift of Tongues wherefore on the day of Penticost they were thus sealled Yea were Commanded to stay and wait at Ierusalem for this Seal 2. Another piece of their work was to Confirm their Doctrin by Miracles then new and unknown thus to seal their Commission to an Infidel world as also to the Iews as Moses and Aaron were to Pharaoh and Israel before whom the Signs were shown of the Rod and Leprous hand This Work required the Gift of Miracles 3. They were to form the Christian Church and lay the ground plott of its Government and deliver the Rules and plat-form of its Doctrine and Worship This required an infallible directive Power and Authority in reference to all the Ordinances and Officers thereof 4. Their Work and Office required an immediat Relation in actu secundo to all Churches so that they were while alive solely such Officers thereof Hence their very Office being of this Nature and supposing the Christian Church a forming erecting it is certain that taken in a proper formal Sense with these its Ingredients iâ— is the Scaffolding which is removed when this Fabrick is erected since now no Mortal can pretend to such a Mission Commission and Authority Further The Command Go teach all Nations he must hold still vigent as essentially included in the Apostolick Office for he distinguishes this part of their Permanent Power from their extraordinary expired Priviledges P. 96. so that he must needs acknowledge that this requiring the Gift of Tongues it was essential thereunto Again he holds there is a Supreme Power of Government constant and transmitted to the Church And this Supreme Power necessarly requires 1. Infallibility in all the Methods and Measures of Government For that upon the ground of such a Supremacy the Apostles had an Infallibility in all their Measures and Ordinances of Government delivered to the Churches the Dr. will not deny 2. He cannot deny this necessary Consequence That therefore they were priviledged with unaccountableness and uncontrolable Power And this in his Principles he must needs hold to be transmitted For if Supremacy and Infallibility will not infer these two surely nothing will And the Dr. will not say that Supremacy over all Church
his peculiar Charge So that whatever be the particular individual Limits of the Charge which is left to the Churches Prudence to assign yet the persons having such a Limited Charge as is above discribed flows from the Nature of the ordinary Ministry and the State and Case of the Church when the extraordinary Office of Apostolat is expired And to Convince the Dr. of this and of the Folly of this Lax Assertion that Confinement to a particular See proceeds not from the Nature of the Priesthood I would put to him this Querie Whether the Assigning unto one Bishop an Uâ—niversal Inspection and Primacy over the Catholick Church would be any impeachment of the Nature of his Priest-hood or Ministry Assigned to him by Gâ—d yea or not If not then who sees not that he owns the Lawfulness and Divine Warrands of a Papal Primacy especialy if the Church should Corroborat this by an Universal Constitution If he say that this extension were contrary to the Nature of the Priest-hood Then he Contradicts himself in Asserting that the Priest-hood of its own Nature requires no Confinment as he calls it and in Calling it so he Insinuats some sort of Violence offered to the Nature of this Ministry Besides these Constitutions he mentions Confining Bishops to a certain Charge are either cross or Correspondent to the Nature and ends of a Gospel-Ministry expressed in Scripture If cross thereunto then sure they are not Lawful unless he will say God gives the Church Authority to enact Constitutions cross to his Revealed Will and consequently paramount to his own Rules and Authority Which whether it be greater nonsense or Blasphemy is hard to determin If they be Correspondent to the Nature and ends of a Gospel Ministry how can he deny that such a Confinment or Constitutions proceed from the Nature thereof His Reason added viz. That the Apostles ordained Bishops for the Spiritual Service of such as should believe is as void of Sense or connection as any can be For so are all Pastors the true Scripture Bishops ordained by Apostles But will he be bold to say or if he say will not all Men of Sense hiss him That the Apostles ordained all and every Bishop or Minister for the actual immediat Service of all Believers of the Catholick Church as their proper peculiar Work and Charge This he must either say or his Reason is nought Nay will he not thus contradict himself in affirming his Secondary Apostles as he calls them to differ in Extension of Power from the first Apostles P. 105. We are told That the Apostles committed their Rectoral Power over subordinat Ecclesiasticks to particular persons succeeding in their Room in particular Churches Another piece of Repeated nonsense The Apostles by their Office had an Universal immediat Inspection over all Ecclesiasticks or Church Officers of the Catholick Church as himself describs their Office Yet this their proper formal Office thus described by him he will needs have them to devolve upon particular persons fixed to particular Churches as good Sense as to say the King Commits his Regal Primacy and Rectoral Power over his Kingdom when dying or leaving it unto the Man whom he hath enstalled in the Office of a Sheriff But the Dr. tells us that he will now propose the true State of the Controversy I am sorry a Doctor has disputed so long upon a Question and has yet the State of the Controversy to propose Common Ingenuity and Rules of Dispute would have prompted him in the first place to propose the true State of the Question and explain the Terms thereof But these Rules are too Pedantick for our Dr. who is more inclined to Pamphleting Harrangues than Systematick Divinitie Well what State of the Question offers he Thus it is Whether the Apostles committed their Apostolick Authority they exercised in particular Churches to such single persons duelie and regularlie chosen Or to a Colledge of Presbyters acting in administration of Ecclesiastick Affairs in a perfect Paritie and Equalitie I shall be glad to admit this State of the Question when one Exception is offered by way of Caution Viz That as we grant an Ordinary Authority which the Apostles exercised in particular Churches contained in their Office Eminenter which they transmitted to Successors So we deny that the Authority which they transmitted to these ordinary succeeding Officers was an Authority properly and formally Apostolical or such in a formal Sense as themselves exercised And this I have made appear to be the Harmonious Sense and Judgement of sound Divines who distinguish the expired Apostolick Office and Authority from that ordinary Power and Authority which they transmitted to Successors What next We are told ibid. That the Scripture-confusion of Names might I presume to prescribe a better Term to such a Master of Language as our Dr. I should rather to evite an apparent Reflection on the Holy Ghosts Language call it Community or Homonymie will not prove Community of Offices when persons are undenyablie distinguished with regard to their Authoritie If we forget this mighty Caution of our warry Dr. we must not blame him if an unwearied Repetition will help us The Dr. will have this fixed that we fight not in the dark The Presbyterians do hold this as fixed as he What next P. 105.106 The LORD promised a perpetual Duration of the Apostolick Office not in their personal but Spiritual Capacitie he loving his Church as much after as before his withdrawing If then they conveyed their Episcopal Power to single persons in all particular Churches and not to a Colledge of Presbyters acting in a Paritie and Equalitie then the Divine Right of Episcopal Government is clearlie Estabilished But 1. How often will this Man cant over his Petitio Principii and take that for the Ground and Topick of his Argument which is in the Question Yea and in the Question by his own Confession viz That the Apostolick Office is perpetual permanent and succeeded unto in a proper formal Sense What strange may I call it Impertinency or Inadvertancy is this Since himself asserts that we deny such a perpetual Office of Apostolat and he opposes above his definition anent their permanent perpetual Office unto Presbyterians assertion of the contrary and their Definition asserting the Apostles Transitorie Function 2. His Proof from Christs promise and constant care of the Church is in the Sense of all Protestants unsound and foolish and he is therein inconsistent with himself For in their Sense yea and by his own Confession there are many expired Prerogatives of Apostles yea Gifts of Officers in the first Apostolick Church which notwithstanding impeaches not either that promise of Christs constant Care of his Church or his constant Love thereunto And therefore it reflects neither upon the one nor the other that this formal Office of Apostolat consisting of such expired Prerogatives is ceased Nay himself confesses that without Impeachment of either of these the Apostles Extensive universal Power
Apostolick Warrand as knowing that the contrary Practice and Principles of almost the whole Body of Reformed Churches and Divines do in this Point contradict him He therefore pretends to Abstract from this supposed Necessity and the Grounds thereof and to plead only for the Lawfulness of the Order Yet least he should seem too Cool a Pleader he presents some things which he calls Positive Grounds of Episcopacy Whereof the First in Summ is That Christ hath appointed in his Church an Official Power which we call Episcopal paramount unto and above any Power that can be Exercised by a single Presbyter alone Which Power of Ordination and Iurisdiction is acknowledged utrinque Lawful in it self the only Difference is that Presbyterians hold it to be Seated in a Colledge of Presbyters and the Episcopalians hold it to be Concentred in one Person yet to be Exercised by Presbyters Concurrence and Consent So that the Difference of this Diffused Episcopacy in the Presbytrie and Contracted in a single Bishop to be managed with Consent of Presbyters is like that between mâ—nus aperta and manus clausa Ans. The Surveyer doth but here Shufflle and Obscure the true State of this Question betwixt Episcopalians and Presbyterians Which is this viz. Upon our Supposal of that Authority and Government ascribed in Scripture to Pastors or Presbyters and their Essential Interest therein how an Officer who is pretended to be Distinct from them and Superior unto them and Enhancing and Concentring all their Power in himself can be consistent with the Scripture Prescriptions in point of Government The Surveyer should have known that the Scripture doth not only appoint the Official Power but its proper Subject So that the Removing it from its proper Basis and Subject is a palpable Impeachment of these Institutions in point of Government And therefore if by our Lords Warrand this Official Power is Diffused in a Colledge of Pastors or Presbyters the Concentring it in the person of one Prelat must needs be an arrant Usurpation in Men yea and if possible in Angels Next the Surveyer Narroweth and Disguiseth the Bishops Power he pleads for And that several ways 1. He overleaps his Arrogated Power of Order whereof he is the proper and primary Subject in the Diocess wherein Pastors Act but as his Deputs 2. His Civil Acclaimed Power 3. He seems to Tye the Exercise of it to the Consent and Concurrence of Presbyters wherein he dissembles the Nature of their Arrogated Jurisdictional Power For if he did mean a Concurrence and Consent which is Decisive Besides that he in this contradicts himself in Concentring this Power in the Prelat since frustra est potentia quae non potest reduci in actum he durst not affirm that the Official Power of the Prelat then existent by Law and whom he pleaded for was of this Nature For according to the Law establishing Prelacy they were to Exercise their Power with Advice only and of such of the Clergy only as they should find they themselves being Judges of known Loyaltie and Prudence Again should the Surveyer say this Advice was only Consultive not Decisive he did but Mock and Prevaricat in adding this Limitation of Presbyters Consent and Concurrence and in pretending thus to put some Limitations on the Prelats sole Exercise of his Power as if it did not swallow up and exclude the Official Authority of Presbyters and Pastors in Government In a Word as it is certain that the Diversifying of the Subject diversifieth the Species and Kinds of Government which is evident in that of Monarchy Democracy Aristocracy c. So in the point of Church Government depending upon Divine and positive Institution It is easie to discover such a vast Variation upon this Ground as might have covered this Surveyer with Blushes and which baffles his Notion with his own Similitude of the manus aperta clausa For he will not deny the Lawfulness of an OEcomenick or General Council in a Just Representative of all Christian Churches having an Authority diffused in all the Members which respects the whole Churches Now here is the manus aperta and in his Sense the manus clausa or the Monopolizing and Concentring this Authority in one person doth no whit impeach the Lawfulness of the Power it self Then advance the manus clausa an OEcumenick Bishop or Supreme Head over all the Church having all this Authority Monopolized in him which was before diffused in the General Council And here it may be demanded whether this Pleader or such as he did owne such an Officer as Lawful or not If such an Officer be owned as Lawful then farewel the Protestant Profession and the Doctrine of all Reformed Churches against a Papal Supremacy Universal OEcumenick Bishop If such an Officer be held unlawful then this Notion and Argument is quit baffled and excluded which asserted the Lawfulness both of the Diffused and Contracted Official Power For here the one Power is owned as warranded of GOD and instituted in its Nature and Exercise The other is disowned as contrary to His Institution What the Surveyer adds upon this Head touching a Lawful Demanour towards Powers that are usurped and entertaining fellowship with a Ministerial Church though called by an usurping Bishop hath been sufficiently answered by the Apologist and Others and the Difference so clearly stated betwixt the Condition of a Church wherein Prelats are obtruded upon the standing Church Judicatories in which Case Ministers are to keep their places and contend against them and such a State and Condition of a Church wherein the Government is razed and the Foundation of it laid upon a Princes arrogated Supremacy over the same and Prelats Authority as his Administrators in the Government thereof and withall in the Concurrence a formal and direct acknowledgment of both the one and the other being required as the Condition of Ministerial Communion that nothing needs here be further added The Next Ground the Surveyer adduceth is That Ministers Union and Association of themselves and setting over them one single Person to Moderat and Govern the Actions of the Meeting is Juris Divini and that by our own Confession Ans. The Surveyer durst not make his Application here or had he done so the absurdity of the Consequence from this Moderator or President to the Prelat he pleaded for would have palpably appeared and his Inconsistency with himself For 1. He saith that Associat Ministers set over themselves this Moderator and this he holds to be Iuris Divini and GODs Will And if so then sure it is neither Iuris Divini nor GODs Will that this Moderator should be obtruded upon them by an Extraneous Power without the least shadow of their Consent as he could not but know the Prelats he pleaded for were obtruded upon this Church 2. If it be GODs Will that this President be set over Meetings of Ministers to govern the Actions of the Meeting and preserve Due Order then it is not His
Will that this Moderator or President should have their whole Authority Concentred in him as this Surveyâ—r pleads and so as to smallow up their whole decisive Suffrage and render them mere Cyphers This he cannot but acknowledge to exceed far the mere governing the Actions of the Meeting and preserving of Order Which is the proper Work of a Moderator I might add that the admitting it is GODs Will that Ministers set over their Associat Meetings one single person to Moderat will not so much as infer that he should moderat ad vitam Since 1. This will bring under the burden of whatever abuse of his Power he may be guilty of and exclude all Help and Redress 2. This will deny the Judicatory or Meeting the Advantage and Use of these governing Gifts and Graces that may be supposed in other Members And sure the Surveyer could not but acknowledge this contrary to the Divine Law since the Gifts and Graces of every Minister are given by GOD for the Advantage of His Church and to be improven accordingly The Ministration of the Spirit saith the Apostle is given to every one to profit withal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Metaphor taken as some do judge from Bees bringing all to the common Hive Thus we see that unless the Surveyer degrade the Bishops to mere Moderators this Reason is utterly remote from and absolutely short of reaching any other Conclusion The Third Ground is That it is Juris Divini by way of Approbation that the Churches in their Ministerial Combinations for Government should have one over them who hath a singular Power for prevention of Schism and Disorder and such a Power as what is Right or Wrong in the Church may be imputed to him as is manifest from the Epistles directed to the Angels of the Churches Rev. 2.3 whom Beza Cartwright Reynolds c. hold to be single persons Ans. It is not clearly discernible what strength is in this Reason beyond the former since it still runs upon the Ius Divinum and necessity of a President in Church Meetings in order to this as its native and great End viz the Prevention of Schism and Disorder And if this be the Rule and Measure of such a Presidency the Surveyer had been hard put to it to prove that this doth necessarly infer and require that it be such as swallows up the whole decisive Power and Authority of Pastors in Government And that Disorder and Schism cannot be otherwise prevented by a President than thus Authorized and that reserving to Pastors their decisive Authority and Power cannot as well reach this End 2. For what the Surveyer adds That the Power of the President must be such as what is Right or amiss may be imputed to him as using his Power Well or Badly As it may have a terrible Sound in the Ears of the Hierarchical Prelat who hath an Authority and Power extended not only to all the Pastors of the Diocess but the whole Body of the People therein as this Surveyer owns P. 194. Since he hath thus a Work and Office of such a Nature as is impossible to be managed Besides that the Charge of all the evils within the Diocess lyeth necessarly upon him So likewise it is more than this Surveyer could prove that what was well or amiss in the Asian Churches is chiefly imputed to one Person For 1. It is not enough to say that some Authors though acknowledged Godly and Learned do hold them to be single persons but the Grounds hinc inde of those who hold them to be such and of those who understand the Word Angel in a Collective Sense must be weighed in the Ballances of the Sanctuary 2. Beza's Judgment is that the Proestos or President is first advertised that by him all the rest of the Colledge and also the whole Church might have notice made to them of that which concerned them all And further that not so much as the Office of a Perpetual President can be hence inferred as that which he holds to be the Foundation of the Tyranical Oligarchy whose Head is the Antichristian Beast 3. Granting a Presidency for prevention of Schism and disorder over these Churches the Question still is to be discussed what Presidency it was And that it could not be of the Surveyers Supposed Episcopal mould is evident and by thâ— Presbyterian Writers made good from several Grounds As that 1. It cannot be made good that any directions in these Epistles respecting Government diversifie one Pastor from another or suppose his Iurisdiction over the rest 2. That without fastning a contradiction upon the Scripture Account of the Presbyter or Pastors Office this cannot be admitted Pastors having the Name and thing of Rulers Governours and Bishops attributed unto them yea and the Episcopal Power being found committed to the Pastors of Ephesus the first of the Churches here addressed in Pauls last farewell to them Act. 20. And none will deny that the whole Churches were settled in an Uniform Mould of Government That the Collective Sense of the word Angel is most sutable to the Scope of these Epistles and paralel Scriptures is above made good and needs not be here repeated The Surveyer alledges P. 193. That if single persons had not been intended they would have been compared by the Spirit of God not to single Stars but Constellations Thus this critical Master of Language will needs Teach the Spirit of God how to express himself But since he acknowledges that these Churches tho made up of several Congregations do upon the Ground of an Unity in Government come under the denomination of one Candlestick why may not also the Pastors and Ministers because of a combination in Government come under the Denomination of single Stars Besides that these Stars or Angels are as is above made good sometimes addressed plurally and thus upon the matter held out as Constellations He adds That we may as well extend the seven Candlesticks beyond the Seven Churches as the Angel beyond a single Person But the Spirit of GOD calling these Candlesticks the Seven Churches and the Stars generally the Angels of the Churches not the Seven Angels sufficiently discovers the impertinent folly of this Objection But says the Surveyer ibid. by this Collective Sense of the Word Angel we will take in the Ruling Elders as Messengers of the Lord of Hosts or else assert that these Churches had none Ans. The Divine warrand of the Ruling Elder is made good upon clear Scripture grounds and if he have a share and Interest in Church Government the Surveyer could give no reason why he might not in so far come under this Denomination as a Church Officer supposing that our Lord addresseth in these Epistles both Church Officers and Members For what he adds of Blondels Sense of the Authority of these Angels P. 6. of his Preface It is evident to any that reads it That he ascribs the Power of Presidents only unto them and holds that the Proestotes
or Presidents acknowledged alwise the Power of the Colledge of Presbyters to be above their own and were subject to the Injunctions of the Meetings as well as any other Member The Fourth Ground which the Surveyer layeth down P. 194. is this That as there are ordinances merely Divine so also mixed Ordinances which have a Divine ground and with all adjoyned thereunto a positive human Institution such as Calvin holds geniculation in prayer to be The Episcopal Power being in it self Lawful the Subjecting of it in one person in a certain Circuit is most suitable for preserving Unity supposing the Person to be of greater worth and consequently recommended by the light of Nature and in so far by the word of GOD and further warranded by a Lawful Church Constitution Ans. This ground easily appears foolish and unsound when we consider that not only the Power it self is of Gods appointment and institution but likewise the Subject thereof and and Officers Cloathed with the Power so that whatever Authority the Church may be supposed to have for regulating the Exercise according to the general Rules of the word and of Christian prudence yet no Church under Heaven hath Authority to lift up the March-stones which God hath set and impeach his Institutions in Point of Government Which Guilt is certainly Contracted either 1. In setting up a New Officer Cloathed with such Authority as he hath not allowed such as we have made appear the Prelat to be both in Respect of his acclaimed Civil and Ecclesiastick Authority 2. In Robbing the Pastor of that Authority allowed by the great Masters Appointment and Institution which as we have made appear doth in its Essence respect an Interest both in the Power of Order and Jurisdiction As for Calvin he is found in that place to speak nothing of the Nature of this Geniculation or what may give light touching the Nature of those mixed Ordinances Besides that the Surveyers Reason here adduced from the Light of Nature appears to Confound the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and without Respect to the Gospel Rules of Government to found a Claim thereunto merely upon the greater Worth and Ability A Principle which will also brangle the Civil Government And in a word this Principle of Monopolizing the Power in one Person in a certain Circuit for this end of Preserving Unity will tower up this singularity of Government in one person over the Bishops the Arch-Bishops till the Hierarchy resolve in a Papacy at last Proceed we to the Surveyers Fifth Ground ibid. resolving in a Partition of Three or Four Particulars to infer a direct positive Institution for the Superiority of one Church Officer of a certain Circuit over others Whereof the First is That Iesus Christ from his Received plenitude of Church Power from his Father to be made use of till the Elect be gathered in sent his Apostles with plenitude of Power for all Church Offices necessary for Edifying and Preserving the same as Power to Preach administer Sacraments preserve the Church in order by Godly Disciplin for which he Cites Joh. 20.21 As my Father hath sent me even so send I you c. Ans. As it is acknowledged that the Apostles were sent forth for the Great end of laying the Foundation of the Gospel Churches and Establishing the Ordinances and Offices thereof so that whatever Officers they are found to have Instituted and Authorized for the Churches preservation and Purity of Order ought to be received with all due Reverence so it is evident that their Office was in this Respect Extraordinary and that they were Distinguished from all other Officers by their immediat Call their immediat Instructions from Christ inâ—allibility in Doctrin a greater Amplitude of Power c. Hence we have made appear there was no Shadow of a Prelatical Power in their Office the exercise thereof since none of the Apostles were set over any fixed Diocess but had an immediat Relation to the whole Church they exercised their Ministry sometimes joyntly and promiscuously in the same place they Ordained no Inferior Officers alone without the Concurrence of other Officers where they might be had nor Challenged as Prelats a sole Power of Jurisdiction over the Churches c. The Second Subservient ground which the Surveyer P. 195 adduces is That the Apostles had Successors to themselves in that plenitude of Ordinary Church Power for that Power was not to Cease till the end of the World according to the Promise Matth. 28.20 I am with you alway to the end of the World meaning with them and their Successors Ans. That the Apostles had Successors that derived down an Ordinary Church Power in reference to the Preaching of the Word the Administration of the Sacraments and such a Governing Power and the exercise thereof as is necessary for the Churches Edification and Preservation in all times is easily admitted And this ordinary Church Power we maintain with the Body of all Protestant Divines to be derived down by the Pastor the proper Successor of the Apostles in this Work as hath been above cleared And this is most Properly that plenitude of Power which was to continue to the end For this Surveyer in this Discriminating term of Ordinary Church Power seems to exclude any Succession of Church Officers to the Apostles in eundem gradum and properly The Surveyer tells us in the Third place That there are three probable Pretenders to this Succession of Apostles Viz Single Presbyters in the Modern Notion Colledges of Presbyters in a full Equality of Power Or some single Persons having Superiority of Power over ordinary Presbyters The Pretensions of the People or of any other to the Church Government He tells us he doth pass as Irrational And so do we Only I must here say That as what a single Presbyter may do in extraordinary Cases in Point of Jurisdiction is not here the Question And that therefore his three Pretenders may be Justly reduced to two So in his confident Rejection of all other Pretenders as Irrational he should have been aware of touching the Kings Crown and more consistently defended his Erastian Supremacy in Church Government Since in the last Edition of our Scots Hierarchy he was Owned and Established as the chief Officer and Head of this Church The Surveyer will have this Question of the Matter of Fact upon which the Jus depends to be determined by Historical Narrations of the Acts of the Apostles and the first and surest Light Church History can afford in the Churches purest Times I have made appear that this Question of a Divine Fact must be decided by the Scripture Light allenarly and by Consequence not from the Acts of the Apostles Solely excluding what further Light in this Matter is to be had from their Instructions in Point of Church Government contained in their Epistles and likewayes from other places of the New Testament So that whatever Practice of the Church the History
Commission or Grant Now none can pretend to any Grant or Commission from Him but what is in the Scriptures Which is especially evident and further convincingly clear both from the Perfection of His Word and Testament hereanent And likewise from this that the Church Government in the whole of it must needs be acknowledged to be founded upon a Divine and positive Institution Secondly Our LORD did thus actually exercise His Kingly Power and derived the same to Church Officers thus he gave the Pâ—wer to Bind and Loose and the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to his Apostles promised His Presence with them and their Successors to the End And this for the Edification and Building up of His Church till her Warfare is accomplished Matth. 16.18.19 with Matth. 18.19.20 Ioh. 21.23 Matth. 28.18.19 20. 2 Cor. 8.13 Eph. 4.11.12 Finally When this Fundamental Truth of our LORD' 's political Headship and Influences accordingly in the Government of the Church and the Perfection of His Holy Testament in reference to the Laws Ordinances and Officers thereof is denyed the Foundations of a Christian Church are removed the Rules Limits and Boundaries in reference to the Duties both of Church Officers and Members so annihilate as the Church becomes a Chaos of all Confusion and arbitrary Disorder whatsomever or at least the Leaden and Versatile Rule of Worldly Wisdom being made her Measures of Ordinances and Government a Door is opened for Inundations of all Errors and Superstitions and for the most wicked Usurpations and Disorders in point of Government that the wicked Mind of Man by the influence of Satan can invent FINIS The CONTENTS PART I. CHAP I. Dr. Scot's stating of the Question and his Argument taken from the Institution of of our Saviour Examined Pag. 1. CHAP. II. His Argument from the Practice of the Apostles Examined P. 11. CHAP. III. His Argument taken from an alledged punctual Confâ—rmity of the Primitive Church to Christs Institution and the Apostolick Practice in Point of Episcopacy Considered Pag. 35. CHAP. IV. His Argument Examined taken from our Saviours alledged Allowance and Approbation of Episcopal Government in his Epistles to the Seven Asian Churches Pag. 69. CHAP. V. The Dr's Scripture proofs of a Four â—old Ministry or Prerogative of a Bp. as Superior to a Pastor in Point of Government Considered Pag. 85. PART II. CHAP. I. Dr. Monro's unsound and Impertinent Reflections upon our first Reformers as to Church Government exposed Together with his unsound and Popish Method in his Answer to the Argument against Episcopacy from Matth. 20.25 And with the Paralel Texts Pag. 1. CHAP. II. A Confutation of what he Offers in Answer to our Argument for Parity of Pastors taken from the Official Identity of Bishop and Presbyter in Scripture Pag. 31. CHAP. III. The Dr's absurd description of the Apostolick Function in opposition to Protestant Divines exposed His Assertion about the Succession of Hierarchical Bishops to Apostles in a proper formal Sense His Opinion Loaded with gross and palpable Absurdities Pag. 85 CHAP. IV. His proof of the Divine Right of the Hierarchical Bp. from the pretended Episcopacy of Tim. ct Tit. the 7 Asian Angels examined P. 119. PART III. CHAP. I. A Consideration of the Scripture Grounds upon which the Surveyer pleads for the Lawfulness of the Episcopal Office Pag. 1. CHAP. II. His Answers offered to the Scriptures pleaded by Presbyterians Examined viz. Mat. 20.25 26. with the Paralels Mark 10 42. Luk. 22.25 Mat. 18.17 Act. 20.17 28. Tit. 1.5 7. 1 Pet. 5.1 2. The unsoundness and inconsistency of his Glosses made appear Pag. 13. CHAP. III. Some more of his Exceptions and Answers examined viz. to 1 Cor. 5. Eph. 4.11 To which the Paralels 1 Cor. 12.28 Rom. 12.6 7 8. are to be joyned to Philip. 1.1 And to 1. Tim. 4.14 His unsoundness and inconsistency therein further made appear Pag. 38. CHAP. IV. Wherein is considered his Answer to our Charge against the Diocesan Prelat as a New Officer different from those Instituted by our Lord and standing in opposition to the New Testament Church Government and this upon the Ground of the Perfection of the Scripture Records hereanent and our Lords Faithfulness in the ful Institution of the Officers and Government of his Church Pag. 65. See page 388 389 390 391. See pag. 392. p. 392. Differ of the time pag. 14. See p. 394. pag. 394.395 P. 397 P. 398 ibid. P. 400. ibid. P. 401. P. 401. sub finem P. 403. P. 404. P. 402 403. P. 404. Ibid. P. 406.407.408 P. 407. ibid. P. 408. P. 408.409.410.411 P. 409. P. 409. ibid. P. 398.399.400 c. p. 410. P. 410.411 P. 411 P. 412 Ibid. P. 412.413 Prop. 7. Pag. 123.124.125 P. 413. P. 414. ibid. P. 414.415 Ibid. ibid. ibid. P. 415.416 ibid. ibid. ibid. ibid. P. 417. ibid. ibid. ibid. P. 417.418 ibid. P. 418 419. ibid. ibid. ibid. ibid. P. 419 420. ibid. ibid. ibid. P. 421. ibid. P. 422. ibid. P. 423. P. 422. ibid. ibid. P. 424. P. 426. P. 426. P. 427. P. 433. ibid. ibid. ibid. P. 435. P. 435.436 P. 436.437.438 P. 438. ibid. ibid. ibid. P. 439.440.441 P. 442 P. 428. P. 442.443 P. 443. P. 443. ibid. P. 444. P. 444 445. P. 445. P. 445. P. 446. ibid. P 447 ibid. P. 446. P. 447. ibid. ibid. a 1. Cor. 5. b Act. 20. c 1 Tim. 4.14 2 Tim. 1.6 d Philip. 1. 1. Tit. 1.6.7 e 2 Cor. 1.24 f 1. Cor. 4.1
ad huc Carthagini prerogativam illam Presbyterorum Diaconorum primitivae Ecclesiae qua communi totius Presbyterii i. e. Presbyterorum Diaconorum collegii consilio administrabantur omnia ab Episcopis Citing thereafter Ignatius's Epistle to the Trallians wherein he enjoins Subjection to the Pastors or Presbyters as to the Apostle of Christ. And least the Dr. alledge this imports no more than a Consultive Power Cyprian Ep. 18. having mentioned what was written by Lucian in name of the Confessors which they desired to be communicat to the Presbyters and as he expresses it per me collegis omnibus innotescere to be by him made known to his Collegue-Presbyters he adds quae res cum omnium nostrum concilium Sententiam spectat praejudicare ego soli mihi rem communem vindicare non audeo Thereafter he shews that having sent Letters of Copies to many Collegues he had an acquiescing Answer in this his purpose To which we may add what is above touched of Cyprians Judgment in receiving the Lapsed Ep. 12. and several other places that the Pastors or Presbyters had a necessary interest therein doth by necessary consequence inferr that they had the same interest in the Sentence as in the Absolution As for the 38 Epistle which the Dr. Cites I find nothing in it that will conclud what he asserts having perused that Epistle That which he seems to take hold of is that expression of Cyprian accipiat sententiam quam prior dixit ut abstentum se a nobis sciat upon which Passage the Annotator upon Cyprian doubts whether he means Excommunication properly and strictly so called or not or rather that which we term the Lesser of a Suspension from Ordinances for some little time quo elapso saith he Presbyterium de Contumacia vel Paenitentia eorundum judicabat c. Moreover speaking of Felicissimus he says to the Presbyters cum post haec omnia nec vestra autoritate presentia fractus c. clearly pointing at the Authoritative Interposing of the Pastors in this Matter And that he does not mean the stricter Excommunication seems by this probable that speaking of several Delations of his Crimes which the Delators had offered to prove he adds quae omnia tunc cognoscemus quando in unâ—m cum Collegis pluribus permittente Deo convenerimus which speaks his reserving a further Censure to a more full Enquiry into the Cause yea and this Enquiry he will not undertake but with the Authoritative Concurrence of Presbyters called by him his Collegues And in the Matter of Augendus his Corresponding Guilt with this Felicissimus he says sciat se in Ecclesia nobiscum non esse Communicaturum and Sententiam ferat si ultra cum co perseveraverit i. e. upon Supposition of his continued Contumacy Wherein it is evident that no Sentence is passed upon this Person as the Dr. alledges and that in the Censuring of both Cyprian supposes a necessary Interest of the Pastors or Presbyters And the ensuing Epistle pointing out the actual Censuring of these two with several others not mentioned in the preceeding Epistle confirms what we have said The Dr. will needs have the fifth Canon of the first Council of Nice to suppose a Power of Excommunication to be solely in the Person of the Bishop But besides that the Words he cites are remote from proving it the Presence of Presbyters being therein presupposed it is evident by several Testimonies of Ancient Fathers as well as by that Act of the fourth Council of Carthage mentioned that Presbyters did Authoritatively concur in Ordination and Censures for which see Smectym Sect. 8. and Ruffin Hist. Lib. 10. See Council Antioch Canon 10. Council Ancyr Canon 13. And determined against this sole Usurped Authority of the Bishop either in Censuring Presbyters or in Judging the Conversation and Crimes of Church Members or in Excommunication or Receiving Penitents We have also heard that the fourth Council of Carthage Canon 23. condemns the Bishops Decision unless fortified by the Sentence of the Clergy This is so evident that the Dr. is forc'd to clap his Wings closer and Correct himself adding That afterward to prevent Abuses in the fourth Council of Carthage it was Decreed that the Bishop should hear no Mans Cause but in Presence of the Clergy and that his Sentence should be void unless Confirmed by their Presence Well then to Correct Abuses issuing from his supposed Canon of Nice here is by his own Confession a Counter-canon Decreeing the contrary And where is now his bold Assertion of the Universal Practice of the Church founded upon a Divine Institution which Patronizes this supposed Power of the Hierarchical Bishop And if we may ply the Dr with his own Weapon and Argument and present to him a Dish of his own Preparing how doth he here make a Divine Institution Comprobat by the Churches Universal Practice a Seminary of such Abuses as this Council found necessary to remove Likewise how doth this Council by its Censure Lash the supposed Practice of Cyprian and puts among the fore-mentioned Abuses to be necessarly removed Ay but says the Dr The Sentence in this Case was the Bishops not the Clergies I Answer if they were sine quibus non in the Sentence by what Shadow of Ground can he assert that it was solely the Bishops And we heard above Cyprian in Express Contradiction to the Dr Assert that not the Concurrence only but the Sentence is properly the Clergies as well as his Moreover if a Paralel Argument in Point of Ordination which the Dr. also doth appropriat to the Bishop may be Judged valid in this Case as no doubt it is we have made appear from Canon 2. of the Fourth Council of Carthage that they Decree in this Case that omnes Presbyteri presentes manus suas Iuxta manus Episcopi super caput teneant cum Presbyter ordinatur And the Dr. cannot deny that ex natura rei and in the Scripture Sense Imposition of Hands in this Action of Ordination is Authoritative not Consentient only and supposes the Actors to have this Badge of the Ordaining Power I mean it in a Ministerial Sense as it is competent to all Church Officers We have also told him that Dr. Forbes as Learned an Episcopalian as our Dr. in his Iraen lib. 2. Cap. 11. holds that Non tantum duntaxat ut consentientes ad consensum enim sufficiunt suffragia plebs etiam consentit nec tamen est ejus manum imponere sed tanquam ordinantes seu ordinem conferentes ex potestate ordinandi divinitus accepta gratiam ordinato hoc adhibito ritu apprecantes That not only as Consenting which is proper to the Vulgar who cannot Impose Hands but as Ordaining or Conferring Orders and by a Divine Authority they do in this Action or Rite pray for Grace to the Ordained Which contrary Testimony of our Scottish Episcopalian not only in Point of Fact contradicts the Dr but from
this Rite of Imposing of Hands concludes upon solid Grounds Presbyters Authoritative Concurrence in Ordination So that comparing our Dr's Concession with Dr. Forbes his Sense in Point of Ordination and with what we have evinced of Presbyters Authoritative Concurrence in Government in the Sense of the Primitive Church the Dr's Pleadings for the Prelates sole Interest therein is sufficiently overturned yea and the Inconsistency thereof with it self discovered For what he adds of Cyprian his Asserting that a Bishop of his Metropolitick Church might pro Episcopatus vigore Cathedrae autoritate have Chastised a Deacon without Appealing to the Synod The Dr. has pointed us to no particular place of Cyprian where this is found And upon Supposition of what is clearly supposible in Cyprians time anent the Presbytrie their Deference and Entrusting the Execution of some Censures to the President-Bishop who had then obtained such a Minut-Matter as the Chastising of a Deacon might well fall within the Compass of the then Bishops Deputed Authority which will abundantly Salve this Expression from Wounding Pastors or Presbyters Essential Interest in Censures and Government Besides that Cyprian owning so clearly Presbyters Essential Interest both in Ordination and Censures in the above-mentioned Epistles viz. 33.58.75 compared with 12. and 46. doth clearly evince he owned no such sole Authority of the Prelat as the Dr. alledges Which is correspondent to the Testimony cited of Tert. Apol. advers Gentes cap. 39. Ambrose Epistola ad Siagrium Considering further the Smallness of the Charge of Prelats in the first Rise of the Episcopus Praeses who had their Charge confined oft to little Dorps or Villages and that the Pronunciation or Execution of Censures or Sentences was in a Deference to the then Bishops appropriat unto them by the Presbytrie who still retained an Essential Interest in Cognoscing upon the Cause The forementioned fifth Canon of the Council of Nice which mentions the Separation from Communion by Bishops of the Province and by the Bishop from the Congregation and the Convention of Bishops of the Province for Cognoscing upon the Cause if Dubious doth no Whit favour the Dr's Conclusion of a Spiritual Iurisdiction wholly Seated in the Bishops the Radical Authority being still in the Presbyters or Consistorial Meetings of Pastors The fourth Peculiar of the Bishop as distinct from a Presbyter the Dr. tells us is To Confirm the Baptized which after their Instruction in Christian Faith was always performed by Prayer and Laying on of Hands upon which the Party Confirmed received the Gift of the Holy Ghost Tho upon the first Institution of this Imposition extraordinary Gifts followed as of Tongues c. Yet saith he it was not therefore intended as an extraordinary Ministry to cease with those extraordinary Gifts no more than Preaching attended with those extraordinary Miraculous Operations The Function it self cannot cease no more than that of Preaching Because the extraordinary Gifts and Effects are gone and Christ promising a continual Communication of the Spirit to his Church he must be supposed to continue it by this Ministry of Prayer and Imposition of Hands and the ordinary Operations the same way that extraordinary were Hence the Apostle puts the Laying on of Hands in the same Class with Baptism Heb. 6.1 2. and makes it one of the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ Therefore it must be intended for a standing Ministry in the Church Ans. I shall easily grant to the Dr that in the beginning of the Gospel and in the first Apostolical Times of the Christian Church there were sometimes extraordinary Effects and Efficacy of Gifts attending the standing Offices and Functions which are to be continued in the Church and the Duties of Prayer and Preaching As also that we have in Scripture Exemplified the Gifts of the Spirit attending the Imposition of Hands As likewise that there is an ordinary Communication of the Spirits Gifts and Graces in and by Christs Instituted Ordinances But all this is far remote from the Point in Question and reaching the Dr's Assertion and Conclusion viz. That Christ hath Institute Confirmation of the Baptized after Instruction by Imposition of the Hands of a Bishop as his sole Prerogative and in the Capacity of an Officer superior to a Pastor in Order to the Persons further Confirmation in the Faith Any with half an Eye may discover that this has no imaginable Connection with what the Dr. here offers As for that Text Heb. 6. it hath no Shadow of a Proof of what he brings it for It s true there has been several Comments given of that Clause of Imposition of Hands but none of them favours the Dr's Fancy and imagined Sense Some have taken it to be meant of a Ceremony adjoyned to Baptism it self for a Sign of Blessing and Consecration to God Some have taken it saith Diodat for Laying Hands on such Catechumeni as had been Baptized for Confirmation of their Faith or as a Badge of Renewing their Covenant in Order to Partaking of the Lords Supper See Pool 2. Vol. on the place Certain it is the Laying on of Hands was either for Healing Diseases Mark 6.5 Luke 4.4 Act. 28.8 Or Communication of Blessings Matth. 19.13 15. Or Communication of the Gifts of the Spirit to such as were separat to Gods Service in the Church Act. 6.6 and 17.6 and 13.3 So 19.5 6. Hence some under this Expression take in all the Spirits Gifts whereby we are Renewed Increased Strengthned and Built up to Life Eternal See Pool Annot. The Belgick Divines understand it of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost in the Primitive Church imparted to Believers in general Act. 8.16 17. And especially in the Institution of Ministers in the Church 1 Tim. 4.14 Where this Laying on of Hands is attribute to the Presbytrie Dr. Owen takes this Clause of Imposing Hands to import a Description of Persons to be instructed in the other Fundamental Principles but to be no Principle it self He also holds that in those days it did commonly accompany or immediatly follow Baptism Act. 8.14 15 16. and 19.6 Withal he shews that when Baptized Children gave an Account of their Faith and Repentance which others had done before they were Baptized they were admitted to the Communion of the Church the Elders thereof Laying their Hands on them in Token of their Acceptation and Praying for their Confirmation in the Faith An Account of this Matter given also by many of the Learned He distinguishes a fourfold Imposition of Hands The 1. Peculiar to our Lord in Way of Authoritative Benediction as when he owned little Children to belong to his Covenant he laid his Hands on them Mark 10.16 The 2 d. In Healing of Diseases Miraculously Luke 4.4 Mark 16.18 The 3 d. In Setting apart to the Work and Office of the Ministry 1 Tim. 4.14 5.22 The 4 th In Collation of Supernatural Gifts of the Holy Ghost Act. 8.17 and 19.6 Now that none of all these comes home to
his Methods in Pleading and he will not doubt of their diligent Searching the Original Text and that they knew of these Manuscripts as well as Dr. Hammond and he yet do render the Text with the Conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Current of all the Greek Copies It s strange that the Dr. hath the Confidence upon the Supposition of one Copy or of two at most reading the Text without the Conjunction to assert that the most Ancient Manuscripts do thus read it as if these two deserved that Character and might stand good against the whole Body of all the Greek Copies wherein this Particle is found yea the whole Body of all Translators as hath been Instanced unto him by Presbyterian Writers We have above made appear that the Text cannot be consonantly read Read to the scope or contexture without the Conjunction since after that our Lord in vers 23. gives this general warning I will give unto every one of you according to yâ—ur Works c. He adds but unto you and unto the rest in Thyatira viz you Ministers and the People in that Church contradistinct from others c. The Dr will needs have the words we insist on applicable to those mentioned in the latter end of the 23 verse and not properly to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira And this is his Answer even upon the supposition of our Reading with the conjunction which he is forced to acknowledge is the common Reading and thus discovers his folly in opposing two suppâ—sed Copies to it His Reason is that they are the other Churches of Asia which because mentioned in the Speech directed to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira the immediat transition from him to them is natural and easie and all the Churches shall know viz the Churches of Asia shall know that I am He which searcheth the Reins and hearts v. 24. But unto you i. e. saith the Dr. the Churches of Asia c. Thus he scor's out and expungeth the adversative particle But in 24 verse clearly limiting the you here and distinguishing it from the more extensive you in verse 23. I hope the Dr saw no Copies reading the Text without the adversative particle But The Dr. says because the Particle they in v. 23 is understood of all the Churches of Asia in the Speech directed to Thyatira the Transition from him to them is easie and natural all the Churches of Asia shall know c. But unto you i. e. the Churches of Asia c. If this be not an offering violence to the Text nothing ever was For after that our Lord hath added a general appendant motive v. 23. that by this stroak on Iezebel all the Churches shall know viz the Asian Churches that he is a searcher of the Reins and Hearts c. He returns to an express Application and Address of the Speech to Thyatira 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First in general by the discriminating But or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly in an express mention of Thyatira And that we may not mistake it for a general partition of the Churches of Asia unto those of Thyatira and others as the Dr. dreams he expresly in terminis thus restricts the phrase and address to that particular Church to you and the rest in Thyatira not to you in all Asia The Dr will not deny that in this clause the you and the rest are distinguished and within distinct Limits and Marches but so cannot those of Thyatira be distinguished from the Churches of Asia whereof they are a part For what he adds of Beza's Acknowledgment of the Angel to be a Praeses we have already made appear how insignificant this is to bear the weight of his conclusion of a Prelatical Presidency here supposed since he owns him only as a Moderator or Praeses of the Meeting by the Dr's acknowledgement But the Dr. tells us he makes him in a ridiculous manner a Weekly or Monthly Modâ—rator This Charge of the Dr's is ridiculous Beza only pleading against the fixed Moderator which with him is the Episcopus humanus without mentioning any such Limits of time as the Dr. Imputes unto him The Dr. will needs remove the Objection taken from the Angels not being called Bishops to which he returns That neither Baptism nor the Sacrament of the Lords Supper are called Sacraments though we express the Scripture Sense of these Institutions when so terming them But by his favour this Objection is not so inconsiderable as he imagins nor his Answer so considerable for if the Apostles Scope was to point out the Nature and Office of the Diocesan Bishop whom the Dr. distinguishes from inferior Officers and owns him as distinguished by this term Bishop which he knows to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in terminis a Scripture term and epithet such as is not the word Sacrament it should seem this discriminating term should here have been made use of rather than a more general Term aplicable to all Pastors And in a word when he shall make the Divine institution of the Diocesan Bishop appear in Scripture then his Paralel answer with reference to Terms of Trinity and Sacraments expressing what is revealed in Scripture though not in Scripture Terms shall be admitted as valid But till then must make up the Number of the rest of the Dr's gratis supposita and beggings of the Question The Dr. will needs have the whole Question to be determined by the Ancients affirmation of a Prelatical Succession to Apostles And next by their insisting on this Succession in their Disputes with Hereticks And in the Third place by the resolution of this doubt whether we may safely Lean on their Authority and Tradition in an affair of this Consequence What Credit is to be given to the Ancients in this Poinâ— and what strength is in the Argument drawn from their supposed Testimony in reference to our perswasion of the Divine Right of Prelacy is above fully cleared And our scope being to trace only the Dr. in his pretended Scripiure-proofs we leave him sufficiently exposed in this Point of Antiquity by those who have fully examined him and traced his human Proofs on these heads Wishing him a Sounder heart and more sincere diligence in this Controversy FINIS A REVIEW and EXAMINATION OF THE Scripture-Grounds UPON WHICH The AUTHOR of the Survey of Naphtali Supposed to be Mr. Andrew Honyman Bishop of Orkney Pleads for the LAWFULNESS of the Episcopal Office Where the Arguments of the IV. Chap. of his II. PART are Discussed CHAP I A Consideration of the Scripture Grounds upon which the Surveyer pleads for the Lawfulness of the Episcopal Office TO Examin with as Succinct Perspicuity as we can the Surveyers Scripture Pleadings for Episcopacy in this 4 th Chap. It is in the first place to be noticed how that he was afraid to set his Foot upon such Slippery Ground as to plead directly for the Necessity of Prelacy upon a Divine or