or absent Much less that Classes and other Assemblies are the stated Church-Government which all must obey And are the Presbyterians of any of the three forementioned Opinions § 5. I ever held a necessity of manifold dependance of all Christians and Churches As all depend on Christ as their Head so do all the People on the Pastors as their authorized Guides whom they must not Rule but be Ruled by 1 Thes 5. 12 13. Heb. 13. 17 24. And all these Churches depend on each other for Communion and Mutual Help as many Corporations in one Kingdom And frequent Synods well used are greatly helpful to these ends And the Command of doing as much as we can in Love and Concord doth bind all the particular persons to concur with the Synods in all things that tend to the Peace and Edification of the Church or are not against it And more than so if the general Visitors or Bishops that take care of many Churches do by God's Word direct instruct reprove admonish the particular Bishops and Churches they ought with reverence to hear them and obey them And if Independents really are for all this why do these Accusers represent them odiously as if it were no such matter but they were meerly for Church-Democracy Either you are not to believed in what you say of them or of me § 6. I know we have men that say that on pretence of acknowledging all this Episcopacy I put down all because I take from them the power of the Sword and leave all to despise them if they please Ans This indeed is the power that under the name of Episcopacy now too many mean Bishop Bilson knew no Power but Magistrates by the Sword and Ministers by the Word But why name I one man It is the common Opinion of Protestants and most sober Papists that Bishops as such have no power of force on Body or Purse But we deny not the forcing Power of the Magistrate 3. But we heartily wish that they would keep it in their own hands and never use it to force unwilling men into the Church or to Church-Communion high Priviledges which no unwilling person hath any right to This is my Independency CHAP. X. Of his Accusation That I make the Bishops the Authors of all Heresies and Schisms as distinct from Presbyters Monks and People § 1. THis also runs throughout his Book and must such Books be answered or believed I never denyed the guilt and concurrence of others with them I only say That as Bishops were the Chief so they had the chief hand as far as I can yet learn in Heresies and Schisms since they came to their height of Power and specially in those grand Heresies and Schisms which have broken and keep the Churches in those great Sects and Parties which in East and West it consisteth of to this day I never doubted or denyed but that 1. The Heresies that were raised before the Church had any Patriarchs or the turgent sort of Bishops were certainly raised without them 2. And afterward sometime a Presbyter began a Heresie 3. And the Bishops were but as the Generals of the Army in all the Church Civil Wars But I never denyed but the Prelatical Priests Monks and multitude were their obsequiâ—us Army § 2. Mr. M. saith That those Bishops that were Hereticks were mostly such or inclined to it before Answ 1. Was there then a good Succession of Ordination when the World groaned to find it self Arian Were all these Arians before their Consecration Answ 2. Were they not all Prelatical Presbyters that aspired to be Bishops and so as they say had a Pope or Bishop in their bellies I never thought that Prelatical Priests that studied Preserment and longed to be Bishops had no hand in Heresies nor Schisms no more than that the Roman Clergy are innocent herein and the fault is in the Pope alone What a deal then of this man's Book is lost and worse on such suppositions CHAP. XI Of his confident Accusation that I mention all the faults of the Bishops and none of their Goodness or Good Deeds § 1. THis also is a chief part of the Warp or Stamen of his Book In his Preface he saith This History of Bishops is nothing else but an Account of all the faults that Bishops have committed in the several Ages of the Church without Any Mention of their Good Actions of their Piety and Severity of their Lives of their Zeal for the Faith c. Answ 1. Whether this Fundamental Accusation be true or false let the Reader who loveth Truth see 1. In the very first Chapt. from § 41. to the end 2. Through all the Book where I oft praise good Bishops good Councels and good Canons and good Books and Deeds 3. In the two last Chapters of the Book written purposely to hinder an ill use of the Bishops faults In the first Chapter Very many of the Bishops themselves were humble holâ— faithful men that grieved for the miscarriages of the rest Though such excellent persons as Gregory of Neocaesarea Greg. Nazianz. Greg. Nyssen Basil Chrysostom Augustine Hillary Prosper Fulgentius c. were not very common no doubt but there were many that wrote not Books nor came so much into the notice of the World but avoided contentions and factious stirs that quietly and honestly conducted the Flocks in the waies of Piety Love and Justice And some of them as St. Martin separated from the Councils and Communion of the prevailing turbulent sort of the Prelates to signifie the disowning of their sins Of the Antients before the world crowded into the Church I never made question Such as Clemens Polycarp Ignatius Irenaeus and the rest How oft I have praised holy Cyprian and the African Bishops and Councils he sometime confesseth What I say of Atticus Proclus and other peaceable Bishops you may see p. 17. and very oft Yea of the Bishops of many Sects much of the Albigenses c. p. 17 18. Yea of the good that was done by the very worldly sort p. 18 19 20. Yea of the Papists Bishops that were pious p. 20. § 46. And § 47. I vindicate the excellency of the Sacred Office And § 53 58 59 60. I plead for Episcopacy it self in the justifiable species of it § 2. But perhaps he will say that at least I say more of their faults than their 〈◊〉 I answer of such good Bishops as Cyprian Basil Greg. Nazianzen Chrysostom Augustin Hillary Martin c. I speak of their virtues and nothing at all that I remember of their faults Of such as Theophilus and Cyril Alexandri and Epiphanius c. I speak of their virtues and some of their faults as the scripture doth of many good mens Of the more ambitious turbulent sort I speak only or mostly of their faults For I profess not to write a History of their lives but to inform the ignorant what Spirit it is that brought in Church tyranny and divisions I denyed
THE TRUE HISTORY OF COUNCILS Enlarged and Defended Against the Deceits of a pretended Vindicator of the Primitive-Church but indeed of the Tympanite Tyranny of some Prelates many hundred years after Christ With a Detection of the false History of Edward Lord Bishop of Corke and Rosse in Ireland And a Specimen of the way by which this Generation confuteth their Adversaries in several Instances And a Preface abbreviating much of Ludolphus's History of Habassia Written to shew their dangerous Errour who think that a general Council or Colledge of Bishops is a supream Governour of all the Christian World with power of Universal Legislation Judgment and Execution and that Christs Laws without their Universal Laws are not sufficient for the Churches Unity and Concord By RICHARD BAXTER a Lover of Truth Love and Peace and a Hater of Lying Malignity and Persecution To which is added by another Hand a Defence of a Book Entituled No Evidence for Diocesan Churches Wherein what is further produced out of Scripture and ancient Authors for Diocesan Churches is discussed London Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers Chappel 1682. To the Pious and Peaceable Protestant-Conforming Ministers who are against our Subjection to a Foreign Jurisdiction The notice of the Reason of this Book with a Breviate of Ludolphus's Habassian History Reverend Brethren WHen after the effects of our calamitous divisions the rejoycing Nation supposed they had been united in our King newly restored by a General and Army which had been fighting against him invited strengthned by the City many others an Act of Oblivion seemed to have prepared for future amity some little thought that men were about going further from each other than they were before But the Malady was evident to such of us as were called to attempt a Cure and neither the Causes nor the Prognosticks hard to be known A certain and cheap Remedy was obvious but no Pleas no Petitions could get men to accept it The Symptomes then threatned far worse than yet hath come to pass God being more merciful to us than mistaken men We were then judged criminal for foreseeing and foretelling what Fruit the Seed then sown would bring forth And since then the Sowers say the Foretellers are the cause of all We quickly saw that instead of hoping for any Concord and healing of the Bones which then were broken it would become our Care and too hard work to endeavour to prevent a greater breach Though we thought Two Thousand such Ministers as were silenced would be mist when others thought it a blessing to be rid of them we then feared and some hoped that no small number more would follow them It was not you that cast such out nor is it you that wish the continuance and increase of the Causes We agree with you in all points of the Christian Reformed Religion and concerning the evil of all the sins which we fear by Conforming to commit though we agree not of the meaning of those Oaths Promises Professions and Practices which are the matter feared We live in unfeigned Love and Communion with those that love Truth Holiness and Peace notwithstanding such differences as these God hath not laid our Salvation or Communion upon our agreeing about the meaning of every word or Sentence in the Bible much less on our agreeing of the sense of every word in all the Laws and Canons of men Two things we earnestly request of you for the sake of the Christian Religion this trembling Nation and your own and others Souls 1. That you will in your Parish Relations seriously use your best endeavours to promote true Godliness and Brotherly Love and to heal the sad Divisions of the Churches We believe that it must be much by the Parochial Ministers and Assemblies that Piety and Protestant Verity must be kept up And what we may not do we pray that you may do it who are allowed 2. That you will join with us against all Foreign Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical or Civil The Party which we dread I have given you some account of in my Reply to Mr. Dodwell By their Fruits you may know them 1. They are such as labour to make our Breaches wider by rendring those that they dissent from odious which commonly is by false accusations They call out for Execution by the Sword against those that dare not do as they do and cry Go on abate nothing they are factious Schismaticks rebellious They might easily have learnt this Language without staying long in the Universities and without all the Brimstone Books that teach it them An invisible Tutor can soon teach it them without Book He that hateth his Brother is a murtherer and hath not eternal Life abiding in him 2. They are for an universal humane Government with power of Legislation and Judgment over the whole Christian World How to call it they are not yet agreed whether Aristocratical or Monarchical or mixt Some of them say that it is in the Collegium Episcoporum governing per Literas formatas for fear lest if they say It is in Councils they should presently be confuted by the copious Evidence which we produce against them And yet they may well think that men will ask them When did all the Bishops on Earth make Laws for all the Christian World or pass Sentences on Offenders without ever meeting together And how came they to know each others minds and which way the major Vote went And what and where are those Laws which we must all be governed by which neither God nor Councils made The Canons were all made by Councils If you say that I describe men so mad as that I must be thought to wrong them I now only ask you whether our Case be not dismal when such men as you call mad have power to bring us and keep us in our ` Divisions or to do much towards it without much contradiction But others who know that such palpable darkness will not serve their cause do openly say that it is General Councils which are the Legislative and judging Governours to the whole Church on Earth as one Political Body For they know that we have no other Laws besides Gods and theirs pretended to be made for all the World But when the Cases opened by me in the Second part of my Key for Catholicks and else where do silence them this Fort also is deserted by them Even Albert. Pighius hath rendred it ridiculous 1. If this be the specifying or unifying Head or summa Potestas of the Universal Church then it is not monarchical but Aristocratical 2. Then the Church is no Church when for hundreds of Years there are no General Councils an essential part being wanting And they that own but the 4 or 6 first General Councils make the Church no Church or to have been without its essentiating Government these Thousand Years And by what proof besides their incredible Word
Presbyterians in England But they were dead and few even of the few Nonconforming Ministers succeeded them in the Study of that point But saith he Were they none of them in the house Ans Yes one or did they protest against the proceedings of the Episcopal and Erastians Ans That one went with them And Non entis non sunt accidentia But saith he Can Mr. B. believe or think any one else so weak as to be imposed on in a matter so notorious that it was a Parliament of Episcopals and Erastians and not Presbyterians that began the war Ans Thus youngmen that know not whom they talk of can controle the most publick matter of fact by their conjectures Go ask the worthy Master of the Rolls Sir Harbottle Grimston whose Speeches were then printed Ask Sir Joh. Maynard His Majesties Sergeant at Law who was one of them or any other of them yet living Ask them whether they knew themselves and their companions better than you who it seems knew them not But saith he Were they Episcopals that voted down Episcopacy Root and Branch before the war begun Ans 1. Have you proved that they did so 2. Do you think that acontradiction 1. They had got a belief that Bishop Laud had got such men into the Seats as were for a Syncretism with the Papists described by Heylin and against the Subjects Property and Liberty And it was the Men and not the Office that offended them 2. But because they were willing of the favour of the Scots and those Londoners who were against the Bishops they pleased them by voting down the present frame intending to set up a moderate Episcopacy in its stead Yea long after this when many Learned Divines in the Assembly declared themselves for Episcopacy but not for Deans Chancellors c. They altered the Covenant so as to describe the present frame only And when the House of Lords took the Covenant Mr. Coleman an Erastian gave it them openly declaring that it was not meer Episcopacy that this Covenant renounced but only the English described Complicate form And could they have had such Bishops as Abbot and the old Church of England they had never gone thus far 3. And they thought not Episcopacy itself so necessary though if moderate the best sort of Governments as to hazard all for it which they thought had been in danger Even in 1640 July 17. They Voted a Diocesan in every County with Twelve Divines to Govern But saith he Were they Episcopals that Petitioned the King at York for Reformation in Discipline and Worship then i. e. for abolishing Episcopacy and Common-Prayer Answ 1. Reforming is not Abolishing 2. I answered that as to the last When they feared that the Old House would fall on their heads they were for pulling of it down and building a New one after such a Model as Bishop Usher after gave and the Germane Swedish and Danish Churches have which they called the Primitive Episcopacy But before they could do it they needed the Scots help who brought in the Covenant which they chose rather than to fall into the hands of those of whom they had such thoughts and fears as I need not now describe Prin's History of Laud's Tryal describeth them I would ask this confident Historian whose senses tell him what Religion men were of contrary to their daily practice of communicating in the parish-Parish-Churches conformably whether the Longest Parliament of all which made the Acts of Uniformity the Corporation and Vestry Acts the Two Actâ— against Conventicles the Militia Act c. were Presbyterian or Episcopal Verily if these were Presbyterians I am none nor ever will be We shall then have a strange definition of a Presbyterian such as will take in Bishop Sheldon Bishop Morley Bishop Gunning and such others If not did not the fear of Popery make that very Parliament begin to look so sowrely on the Clergy as produced that which I need not tell you of And did not most of the same men meet in the next Parliament after and look yet more suspiciously on the Clergy And the next yet more And doth it follow that they were not Episcopal but Presbyterian But some men are confident against the Sun-light and the most notorious Publick Evidence But I must confess that such have shaken my belief of the meer Moral Evidence of most History and left me only certain of that which hath Evidence which is truly Natural in the Natural Impossibility of Conspiracy in a Lie There were men heretofore that would swear that man was a Puritane who would not swear and drink with them and would pray in their Families and read the Scriptures on the Lord's Day while others were dancing And the word Puritane is now vulgarly changed into Presbyterian by the Clergies Conduct And there are some Clergy-men that will say a man is a Presbyterian who reproves them for Drunkenness and Swearing and other Crimes specially if he would not have Nonconformists ruined and laid in Gaol with Rogues In this sense I deny not but Lords Commons and Army had many Puritanes or Presbyterians among them who yet never knew what Presbytery was But saith Mr. M. Were they Episcopal who pray the King at Oxford to abolish A. Bishops and Bishops c. that entred into a Solemn League and Covenant against Episcopacy and for Reforming the Church after the Presbyterian Platform and set up Presbytery by so many Ordinances Answ Distingue tempora is none of this Historians Principles How long after the War begun was this Petition at Oxford this Covenant and these Ordinances He proveth them Presbyterians at first when they knew not what it was because they were for Presbytery a year or two after Negatur Sequela The Scots taught afterwards the Assembly and them that which they never knew before 2. And all these Petitions Ordinances shewed not what they preferred as best but what they preferred before expected ruine The Issue proved this and Heylin confesseth it and saith They never set up Presbytery in any one place which yet is not true though they did not force it 3. Do you not know now living those Episcopal Conformists who refuse no part of your Conformity and are much against Presbytery who since the Discovery of the Papists Plot are so much afraid of Popery and so confident that too many of the Clergy are prepared for it that a little more would turn them from you though they love Presbytery as little as they love your selves In a word The Old Clergy and the Parliament Men agreed The New Clergy in Bishop Laud's time distasted them the Scots Presbyterians helping them in their straits partly turned some of them and partly imposed on them unpleasing conditions But saith he The Erastians and Independents were at first inconsiderable and acted joyntly with the Presbyterians c. Answ Thus is History delivered to the deluded World Neither Independency nor Presbytery were understood by many till the War was
in Christian Love and Peace and we offer them as unquestionable security for our Peaceableness Loyalty and Orthodoxness as the said Oaths Promises or Professions can be 6. They tell us Nothing is to be abated us and we must cease preaching the Rule must not be altered we will do more harm in the Church than out Projects for Moderation most distract the Church There is no Concord or Liberty to be expected but by our total obedience to the Bishops It is obeying the Church yea the Universal Church of Bishops that is the only way to Concord 7. To confute this Supposition which is the root of our Calamities I transcribe out of History and the Acts of Councils how great a hand in the Schisms and Heresies and Confusions of Christians those Bishops have had who have swelled up above the primitive species by vast Diocesses Wealth and claim of Government over other Churches and Bishops and that it is notorious that this Grandeur and exorbitant power of Bishops singly or in Councils hath been so far from keeping the Church from Schisms that it hath been one of the greatest causes of the Schisms of most Ages since such a sort of Prelacy sprung up and that Popery came not up in a day but rose from that Juniority to its present Maturity This was my work § 13. He truly tells you that the Original of all mischiefs is the Lusts that war in our Members and not this or that Order of Men. When the World had a good Pope if God would bless that Order of men some think he might do more good than any other man But he hath toucht the Core of the Churches Malady Verily the grand Strife is between the Flesh and Spirit the seed of the Serpent and of the Woman And if Patriarchs and Diocesans were but as much set on the promoting of a holy and heavenly Life as those Ministers are whom they silence and imprison they might do much good though the largeness of their Diocess render them uncapable of performing the 40th part of a true Bishops Work No doubt but Bishop Hall and Potter and Usher c. did much good by such preaching writing and good living as others use that are no Bishops But will fire burn without fewel And will it not burn if combustible fewel be contiguous Do not the Lusts that war in our Members live upon that food which we are forbidden to provide Do you think that the Lust of the Flesh doth not more desire Riches than Poverty Honour than a low Estate Domination over others to have our Will on all than humble Subjection Where the Carkass is there will the Eagles be gathered Do not you your self say that the Bishops and Church grew more corrupt after the third Century Do you believe that when a Bishops Power was made equal to a great Lords or more and all his Pomp and Riches answerable that the Lust of the Flesh would not more greedily desire it than it would desire a meer mediocrity Or that a worldly proud man would not seek more for Lordship and Greatness than a Synesius and such others as you say fled from it If the poor retired Monks were as bad as you make them what wonder if great Lordly Bishops were much worse Will not the fire of Lust grow greater as the fewel is greater I am satisfied that Riches and Power well used may greatly serve the Interest of Religion But two things must be considered 1. That the greatest Power and Wealth being far more desired by carnal Worldlings that is by bad men than by mortified heavenly minded men the more men desire them the more eagerly they will seek them by Friends Flattery or any means and therefore the liker they are to attain them except when the choosers are some resolved godly men And so which way can a Succession of the worst men be avoided But a mediocrity that doth not to the Flesh overweigh the labours and difficulties of the sacred Office will encourage the good and not much tempt the bad Or if good men will be never so bountiful to pious uses their bounty and Church-Lands may better maintain Labourers enough for the work than be made a snare to one 2. And that Power which depopulateth and destroys its end is unlawful in its very state as well as in its use The Power of one man to be sole Physician to the City and to have none but Apothecaries under him or of one man to be the only School-Master in the County and have none but Ushers under him is rather to be called Destruction than Power It is Bishops casting out Power that I am against that is the necessary Power of the Keys in the Parish Ministers or putting down necessary Bishops and also a Power to silence Christs faithful Ministers and deprive Souls of the necessary means by imposing things needless in themselves and sinful in the receiver that after his best search believes them such Seeing then that we are agreed that it is the Lust that warreth in men that is the corrupter of the Church let but the face of the whole Romane Clergy these 1000 Years at least tell us whether it be not the swelling of the Power and Wealth of Bishops that hath caused so long a Succession of a worldly lustful tyranical Clergy § 14. And he truly saith p. 306. that the generality of men when they have gained Wealth and Honour are commonly willing to secure the enjoyment of those Possessions by letting things run in their ordinary course The Spanish Proverb is The World is a Carryon and they are Dogs that love it and they will snarle at any that would take it from them and if it lie in the Ditch Dogs rather than Men will gather about it and its pitty such men should by such a Bait be tempted into the sacred Chair And he truly adds that Repulse and Disappointment will end such mens Patience For really as the man is such are his desires It is not only turgent Prelacy but a Prelatical Spirit that troublerh the Church And If Novatianus or Arius would fain be a Prelate it is in his heart and no wonder if he be a Schismatick Trahit sua quemque voluptas Appetite is the Spring of Action All the Popes Clergy are much of his mind for they participate of his worldly Interest and depend on him and therefore participate of the Papal Spirit The Interest of the General and Army are conjunct § 15. And its true that he saith that the Bishops Interest obligeth him to maintain Peace and Unity And so no doubt from that sense of Interest it is endeavoured in Italy Spain France Germany c. when a strong man armed keeps his house the things which he possesseth are in Peace But whether therefore the People did ill that forsook the Bishops and followed Luther or are all bound to cleave to the Bishops Unity is the doubt § 16. Whether it be true p. 310 that
and finding that I and such others are accused as being disobedient to them and for not swearing and covenanting never to endeavour any alteration of their present Church-Government and all excommunicate by the Canon that say there is any thing in it even from the Archdeacon downward to the rest in Office repugnant to the Word of God I took it at last to be my duty to give the Reasons of my dissent in a full Treatise of Episcopacy And because I perceived young men and strangers to former times deceived by the general noise How Antient and Universal Episcopacy hath been as if all that is called Episcopacy were but one and the same thing or as if we were against the Primitive Episcopacy therefore I suddenly and too hastily for want of time bestowed a few weeks in summing up the Heads of the History of Bishops and Councils out of a few Historians which were most common next at hand and of most credit with those whose faults I opened That it might be truly known How much the tumified degenerate sort of Prelacy had caused the Divisions and Calamities of the Church § 21. For this Mr. Morrice as fame saith and many more are so greatly offended with me and say of me herein what they do And on pretence of Vindicating the Primitive Church which untruly implyeth that I who vindicated it against corrupters did oppose it he defendeth the corruptions and sinful miscarriages and diseases of the Prelates And this he doth 1. By striving to make me contemptible as unlearned as if that would excuse the sins which I rehearse and lament He findeth in one place through my haste and heedlesness a word of Theodoret misplaced and the word Calami translated Quills which he thinks should be Reeds and one or two more such as if he prevaricated and had a design to extol the Book which he finds no more and greater fault in than he really hath done And he proveth it likely that I never saw the Histories that stood by me near twenty years because the Printer put a Comma between Marquardus and Freherus I think there are a dozen Comma's misplaced in my whole Book when he himself saith of his own Book The faults that have escaped are almost infinite But of these things more anon 2. He loudly and frequently chargeth me with malicious falsifying History and when he cometh to the proof I have shewed you who the falsifier is 3. The great thing I am accused of is making the Bishops more the causes of Heresie Schism and Violence than they were And of that I have said nothing but what I think I have fully proved And let the Reader judge by this following Catalogue Domineeâ—ing Pride hath been the chief cause of Heresies and Schisms especially working in the Clergy to tumid Prelacy and Tyranny I. I before noted how the Apostles began to strive who should be greatest till the effusion of the Spirit after Christs rebukes had cured them And what tiranny Diotrephes used through love of Preheminence II. If the doubtful stories of Simon Magus be true his tumor was more than Papal And Epiphanius makes Menander Saturnilus Basilides to be but his Off-spring The Original of the Nicolaitans and Gnosticks who Epiphanius saith had ensnared himself once is utterly uncertain Carpocras Cerinthus Ebion Valentinus Secundus Ptolomaeus were all but Birds of the same Gnosticks Nest a crazed sort of men that mingled Christianity Platonism and Magical Imaginations and what they were themselves is not known Such was Marcus Colarbasus Heracleon the Ophitae the Cainites the Sethians Cerdo Marcion was a Bishop's Son cast out for vice and Lucian Apelles and Severus his Off-spring the Heads of their little Sects whether Bishops or not is unknown What kind of Hereticks Tertullian Tatianus and Origen were and how many faults as soul Lactantius and many not numbered with Hereticks have is well known And among all these in those early daies till there were Popes and Diocesans such as now in the world none such could be Hereticks III. Many Councils contended about the time of Easter and Victor with one part of Bishops excommunicated Polycrates and the Arian Bishops while as Socrates and Sozomen tell us the Churches that left it indifferent had peace IV. A Council of the best Bishops at Carthage decreed Rebaptizing V. A Council of the Bishops of Cappadocia Cilicia Galatia c at Iconium for Rebaptizing those Baptized by Hereticks And Stephen Bishop of Rome excommunicated them all VI. A Council at Synadis and divers others decreed the same Rebaptizing VII Divers more African Councils of good Bishops with Cyprian decree the same whom Stephen Bishop of Rome condemneth VIII Divers Bishops are said to be Sabellian Hereticks IX Paulus Samosatenus Bishop of Antioch was a Heretick X. The Council of Bishops at Cirta in Numidia under Secundus Mr. M. calls worse than I do XI A Carthage Council of 70 Bishops An. 306. set up the Donatists Schism striving for the preheminence who should be Bishop of Carthage XII An. 308. Another Donatists Council had 270 Bishops Many more Councils they had XIII The first General Council at Nice we honour and assent to its Creed But thank Constantine for burning all their Libels and keeping peace by his presence and speech XIV The Schism made by Meletius and Peter Bishops is well known XV. The Heresie of Arius a Presbyter that would have been a Prelate quickly infected Eusebius Nicomed If not Eusebius Caesariensis and divers other Bishops XVI Epiphanius saith that Audius was driven to his Heresie by being long abused beaten and at last excommunicated for reproving the Bishops and Priests for their Covetousness Luxury and other sins And so he became a Bishop himself XVII Eusebius Nicom made Bishop of Constantinople whom you tell us Valesius thinks was no Heretick hired a Whore at Antioch to father her Child on Eustathius the Bishop there and got more Bishops to depose him and the Emperour to banish him XVIII A Council of Bishops at Tyre unjustly condemn and persecute Athanasius XIX Three Bishops saith Mr. M. overcome with too much Wine and persuasion ordained Novatian falsly Bishop of Rome before this aforementioned XX. A Council at Jerusalem An. 335. tryed and approved Arius Faith and restored him XXI A Council at Constantinople condemned Marcellus Ancyranus and Athanasius and justified Arius XXII A Council of near 100 Bishops at Antioch 36 being Arians deposed Athanasius XXIII Another Council at Antioch make a new Creed without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 XXIV A Council of 376 Bishops at Sardica decree Appeals to Rome which Augustin and the African Bishops were against XXV The Semi-Arian Bishops went to Philippopolis and condemned such as the other at Sardica had absolved but cast out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as not scriptural and cast dreadful accusations on Athanasius Paulus C. P. and Marcellus XXVI An. 350. A Council at Milan received Ursacius and Valens Arians XXVII Stephen an Arian Bishop hired a
fact yea the most publick of the persons place and time which our senses have given us notice of that we must believe them with as great difficulty as we must believe Transubstantiation even in opposition to all our senses and experience And whether those men be fit Vindicaters of the Bishops and Councils above a Thousand years ago which are blamed by the Historians of their own Age and by their own Confessions and by their most servent Defenders who notoriously misreport the persons and actions of their own Place and Age I think it is not hard to judge I will instance in Twenty particulars of publick notice for those against particular persons even my self are not to be numbred I. It is now commonly taken for true that the present Nonconformists who gave in their Desires for Concord 1660. are of the same Judgment as those called Nonconformists heretofore and whatever can be raked up out of Christ Goodman Knox Kilby or is reported by Bancroft is partly chargeable on them when as their proposed Desires yet shew the world that they never made any motion against many things by those aforesaid scrupled in Doctrine Worship and Ceremony And it is commonly supposed by them that the present Conformity is but the same as the Old and the Case no harder to us And this notwithstanding all the still visible Acts and Alterations and Additions which attest the contrary to all the world II. In most of their Invectives the present Nonconformists are argued against as if they had been in the Civil War against the King or had been guilty of it more than the Conformists And that War is made a Reason of their Silencing whereas so few of them had any hand in it that I have many times told them that if they will Silence none but those that they can prove guilty of any War or Rebellion or Sedition the rest of us will give them a thousand Thanks though we suffer our selves Few of the present Nonconformists were then in the Ministry and of those few that were few now living meddled with War III. They are so confident that the Parliament and Army that began the War in England were Nonconformists yea Presbyterians and not of the Church of England that Mr. Hinkley here Mr. Morrice make a renouncing of their Senses or Understandings necessary to the believing of it And yet they might as well tell us that they were all Turks or Papists Are not a Parliament and an Army things publick enough to be known in the same Age When we name to them the Chief Lords and Commons and Chief Commanders yet and lately living who are known still to live in their own Communion and when we challenge them to name Three Presbyterians that were then in the House of Lords or the House of Commons or many that were at first Commanders in the Army and we name them the Men that then Commanded who were commonly known to be Conformists of the Church of England And if they will not believe their present practice and profession they may yet go to them and be satisfied from their own mouths what were their former Principles I have told them of a most credible Member of that Parliament yet living who hath ost profest to me that he knew but one Presbyterian in the House of Commons when the war began and I have named that one man to them to try if they can name another I expect not that they should believe me or such other concerning those whom we knew But they may believe the men themselves yet living their most familiar Friends Yea the Records of many foregoing Parliaments with Laua's Life written by Dr. Heylin fully sheweth them that the difference arose 1. About the fear of Popery and Arminianism as they thought tending towards it 2. About Property Loan-mony Knight-mony and after Ship-mony c. 3. About Imprisonment of members and other Gentlemen And these were still the quarrel But saith Mr. M. How then shall we believe our senses Ans See Reader whether his most confident Errours about past things be any wonder He is not so sure of what he saith of the old Prelates or the Nestorians Eutychians c. as he is that he must believe his Senses And his very senses tell him that a Parliament even Lords Commons and an Army many of whom are yet living were of another opinion in Religion than ever they were then acquainted with and which was known to very few in England till afterward And this contrary to their Profession and practice and the senses of their acquaintance Lords are Persons of so publick notice that they may easily yet be informed of the living and the dead In the Army the Chief Commanders were the E. of Essex the E. of Bedford yet living Sir John Merrick the E. of Peterborough Dolbiere the E. of Stamford the Lord Hastings E. of Huntington the Lord Rochford E. of Dover the Lord Fielding E. of Denbigh the Lord Mandevile E. of Manchester the Lord Roberts now Earl of Radnor and President of his Majesties Council the Lord St. Johns killed at Keimâ—n Fight Only the Lord Say and Lord Brook were known Independents and whether the Lord Wharton yet living was then for Bishops or against them I know not but all the rest were of the Church of England And so were the other Collonels Sir Henry Cholmley the late Lord Hollis Col. Will. Bampfield Col. Tho. Grantham Col. Tho. Ballard C. Sir William Fair fax Col. Charles Essex Col. Lord Willoughby of Parham Col. Sir Will. Waller Col. Edwin Sandys Cap. Lord Grey of Grooby and I think then Sir Will. Constable and Col. Hampden What mind Sir Will. Balfoore was of I know not But I know his Country man Col. Brown was too far from a Puritane But saith Mr. M. 1. It 's well the Bishops had no share in it Ans Let Heylin tell you what hand the difference between A. Bishop Abbats Church of England and Laud's then little Party had in the preparations 2. And was the A. Bishop of York no Bishop who afterward was a Commander for the Parliament But saith he I pray where were the Presbyterians when the Parliament took up Arms Were they not then in being Ans An excellent Historian that maintaineth Parliament and Army were such as he knows not whether they were then in being Yes Sir they were in Holland and France and Geneva and Scotland and in England there was one John Ball and one Mr. Langley and a few more such old Nonconformists that never were in Arms and old John Dod and one Mr. Geree that was against the war and dyed for grief of the Kings death But among those called Puritans few knew what Presbytery was till the Scots afterward brought it in Much less did Lords Commons and Army know it In your sense Sir they were not then in being and therefore could not fight It appears by Bancroft and others that there had been once
take all you have do not say you hâ—rt us much less you wrong us take not on you to know or feel when you are hurt else we will have an Action of railing against you § 8. That wâ—iâ—h followeth I answered before But after he finds a notable piece of my ignorance The Pope inviting the King of Denmark to conquer a Province of Hereticks I know not who they were unless they were the Waldenses Well guest saith Mr. M. Waldo was in 1160 80 Years after Ans This will serve for men willing to be deceived It was the Persons and Religion and not the name that I spoke of Doth not he know that Rainerius himself saith that those Persons called Albigenses Waldenses and other such names professed that their way of Religion was Apostolical and they derived it down from Silvesters that is Constantines time If I did not guess well I wrong no Bishops by iâ— and I confessed my Ignorance that I knew not whom the Pope meant And why did not this callent Historian tell us who they were § 9. Next he hath met with my Ignorance for saying Vienna near France which is in the Borders of France Aâ—s 1. Is that any slander of Bishops or Councils 2 Truly I had many a time read in Councils that Vienna was in France and had not forgot it if Ferrarius and Chenu had not also told it me And whether it was the fault of the Printer or of my Hand or my Memory that put near for in I leave it freely to his Judgment for I remember it not And if the manner of Binnius naming it made me call Ordo Prophetarum in Gelasius a Book it 's no wrong to Episcopacy CHAP. XVII His Censure of my Design and Church-Principles considered § 1. AS to this his first Chapter I have before shewed how falsly he reporteth my design He saith he never saw any thing which more reflecteth on Religion Lucian and Julian have left nothing haâ—f so scandalous in all their Libels against Christians as this Church-History has raked up Here is nothing to be seen in his Book but the Avarice Ignorance Mistakes and furious Contentions of the Governours of the Church Ans How false that is the Reader may see in all the beginning the two Chapters in the end and much in the midst which are written contrarily to obviate such false thoughts 2. Is the ascendent sort of Prelates that were growing up to maturity till Gregory the Seventh's daies the whole Church of God Are there no other Christians Is all that is written against the Pope and such Ascendents written against Christianity Did Christ speak against Christianity when he reproved them for striving who should be greatest or Peter when he counselled them as 1 Pet. 5. And Paul when he said I have no man like minded for they all seek their own things and not the things that are Jesus Christ's Or when he said Demas hath forsaken me c Or John when he said Diotrephes loved to have the preheminence Or all those Councils of Bishops which condemned each other far deeplier than I judge any of them What have I said of Fact or Canons which Binnius and their other Flatterers say not Was it not there extant to the sight of all And that I Recorded not all their Virtues 1. The History of Councils saith little of them 2. Must no man shew the hurt of Drunkenness Gluttony c. and so of Ambition and Church-corruption unless he will write so Voluminous a History as to contain also all the good done by all the persons whom he blameth I have oft said that I wondered that instead of so greedy gathering up all the scraps of Councils the Papists did not burn them all as they have done many better Books which made against them § 2. I was about to answer all his first Chapter but I find it so useless a work that I shall ease my self and the Reader of that labour 1. He takes on him to answer a Piece of a Disputation written about 23 years ago whereas I have lately written a Treatise of Episcopacy with fuller proof of the same things which he nameth and takes on him to answer some part of it and answers not Till he or some other shew me the mistakes of that let them talk on for me in their little Velitations 2. Most that is considerable which he saith is answered already in that Book As his fiction that Unum Alt are in Ignatius signifieth not an ordinary Communion Table c. And much more out of Ignatius and many more is added which he saith nothing to 3. I have before shewed that he goeth on false Suppositions that I am only for a Bishop of a single Congregation or against all and many such when yet he himself confesseth the contrary yea derideth me for making Twelve sorts of Bishops and being for such as no Party is like to be pleased with 4 The contradictions and mistakes are so many as would tire the Reader to peruse an answer to them And when he hath all done with the numbring of Churches over-passing the full proof of the Primitive Form of them which I gave as before he confesseth that even his great esteemed Jesuite Valesius believes that the City Church was but One even in Alexandria and in Dionysius ' s time p. 64. And while p. 65. he makes Petavius and Valesius so much to differ as to gather their contrary Opinions from the same words and consequently one of them at least understood them not I that profess my self not comparable to either of them specially Petavius in such things am taken for a falsifier if I misunderstand a word that concerneth not the matter of the History This therefore being not about Church-History so much as against my Opinion of the Antient Government when he hath answered the foresaid Treatise of Episcopacy if I live not some one may reply if he deal no better than in this CHAP. XVIII Of his Second Chapter § 1. PAg. 78. He would have men believe that it is Discipline against real Heresie that I find so much fault with and ascribe all mischief to Answ Utterly contrary to my most open Profession It is only making those things to seem Heresie that are none either Truth or meer difference of words or small mistakes or curing Heresies by rash Anathema's without necessary precedent means of Conviction or by Banishment or Blood § 2. Is this it that you defend the Church for and we oppose it for When we would have none in our Churches whom we know not and that have not personally if at Age profest understandingly their Faith And what is the Discipline that you exercise on Hereticks It 's enough that you know them not and so never trouble them Your Talk and Pamphlets truly complain what swarms of Hobbists Sadduces Infidels Atheists are among us Do they not all live in the Parishes and Diocesses Doth the Bishop know them Are any of
is principally the Papists from Infancy to Hildebrands Maturity against whom I write § 21. He next comes to the Novatians as my Favourite sect And Favourite may signifie to the Reader a truth or a Falshood 1. Doth not every Christian Favour them that have lesser Errours more than them that have greater 2. Do I not as oft as he profess my great dislike of every sect as a sect 3. Do I not disclaim this Novatian sect and their opinion and own the Contrary 4. It seems he taketh me to be too Favourable to some Bishops and their followers The question is but who they be that must be favoured I may come to be taken for a Novatian by such men as well as Socrates and Sozomen § 22. Here wiâ—hout railing he bedawbs Novatus and Novatian to the purpose with horrid Crimes a Pharisaical Saint Perjured and what not But what Were they not Episcopal Yes he doubts it not It was for to be a Bishop that Novatian wrought his Villanies what if I had thus bedawbed the Episcopal But yet the very word Puritan is of use to him This saith he of Novatus was the tender Conscience of the author of the Ancient sect of the Puritanes Can you tell who the man aimeth at Is it Nonconformists Novatus Novatian were Prelatists and never scrupled more Ceremonies than our Prelates impose Who then can it be but men that in general though Episcopal do profess Tenderness of Conscience And there I leave them without the application § 23. But this Defender of Surgent Prelacy sticks not to disgrace those whom he seemeth to defend It was three of the Catholick Bishops that Consecrated Novatian and without railing he calls them Three plain ignorant Bishops These good men suspecting no trick and overcome with his good entertainment with too much Wine and perswasions were forced at last to lay their hands on him and Consecrate him Bishop 1. Ignorant Bishops 2. Overcome with too much Wine and entertainment 3. And with perswasion 4. To do such an Act as to Consecrate so bad a Bishop that in such a city as Rome and that without the Churches choice or Consent How much worse have I said of Bishops But yet they were good men But if they had been Nonconformists what names had been bad enough for them No doubt if they had been sequestred and cast out for their too much wine and such ordination how odiously might the agents have been described as enemies to the Church and Persecutors of good men § 24. Yet further this New Bishop engageth men to him by Oaths enough to strike a horror in the minds of the Reader saith he See what a man may do for a Bishoprick It reminds me of many good Canons that forbid Bishops swearing their Clergy to them And of our Et Caetera Oath in 1640 never to Consent to any alteration to say nothing of our times and the old Oath of Canonical obedience It strikes horror into mens minds now that we scruple these § 25. He maketh the Novatian doctrine blasphemous without railing and me too Favourable in representing it As to that I suppose he is not ignorant how great a Controversie it is what they held even among the greatest Antiquaries and Enemies of Schism and Heresie And I use in accusations to meet with most truth in the most Favourable interpretations And here I will tell our Historian that while I take leave to dissent from his accusation it shall be but by the authority of those whom I judge as well acquainted with Church Writers and Customes as any that ever Mr. M. or any of his Masters read not excepting more knowing men than Valesius The first is D. Petavius in Epiphan de Cath. Where first he tells us that no less nor later men than most of the ancient Fathers and Specially the Greeks mistook Novatus and Novatian for one or thought the sect had a single Author naming Euseb Theodoret Epiphan Nazian Ambrose Austin Philastrius yea and Socrates Yet half as great a mistake in me would have been scorned 2. Against Epiph. and Theodoret he saith Non ea Novatiani Opinio fuit eos qui gravioris peccati noxam contraherent ab omni spe consequendae salutis excludi Nam illos ad capessendam poenitentiam hortari solebant Et ut Divinam clementiam lachâ—ymis ac sordibus elicerent identidem admonebant Sed hoc unum negabant ad Ecclesiae fidelium Communionem recipi amplius oportere Neque penes Ecclesiam reconciliandi jus ullum ac potestatem esse Quippe unicam illam peccatorum indulgentiam in illius arbitrio versari quae per Baptismum obtinetur which he proveth out of Socrates Ambrose And he saith that they were not counted Hereticks for wronging the lapsed by denying them Communion but for wronging the Church Power by denying the Power of the Keyes for their Restitution Like enough The other shall be that excellent Bishop Albaspineus Observ lib. 2. Observ 20 21. p. mihi 130 131. Advertant Novatianorum errorem non in eo positum quod dicerent neque lapsum neque excommunicatum in morte à peccatis liberandum sed haereticos ideo habitos quod opinarentur Deum ipsum Ecclesiae neque remittendorum neque retinendorum peccatorum capitalium potestatem copiamque fecisse Atque haec in eo fuit viguitque eorum haeresis qui quanquam illud consequeretur ex-eorum falsa Opinione ut absolutionem non largirentur tamen hoc eorum factum non haeresis nomine afficiendum erat neque ad haeresin accedebat ob aliam causam quam quod à fonte illo quasi capite haresin olente dimanârat eo maxime quod Novatiani crederent id Ecclesiae a Deo non fuisse praestitum concessum quae causa sola fuit cur praxis illa ceâ— disciplinae Novatianorum ratio haeresis nomen notionemque non effugeret The Clergy felt their own Interest and the Novatians denied their Power to retain as well as forgive capital Crimes and thought their Keyes extended not so far And that the Case of the lapsed was it that they began with Epiphanius himself and others agree And Observ 19. he shews that Novatianus did this against his former Judgment in Envy and Faction against the Bishop because he mist of being Bishop himself A Bishoprick was it that provoked him to deny this Pardoning Power in Bishops And Albaspineus hath in many antecedent Observations shewed how little if any thing at all the Novatians differed else from the Antient Church in the strictness of their Communion and avoiding sinners So that he thus begins his fifth Observation Incredibilia prope sunt quae his capitibus dicturi sumus sed tamen ita vera certa quae cujusque animam summam in admirationem rapiant Ecclesiam primis temporibus nulla vel levissima labe inquinatam fuisse quin ita illibatam intactamque ut omni ratione curâ solicitudine prospexerit filii ut sui
it But we are mistaken No doubt men can write learned Volumes to defend any of these and if one do but say They please not God men may be found that can say I believe in my Conscience that you are mistaken and speak unpeaceably God is pleased with it all Sure the day of Judgment will be much to justifie God himself who is thus slandered as the Friend of every mans Sin What wonder is it if there be numerous Religions in the World when every selfish man maketh a God and a Religion of his own fitted to his Interest and Mind But when all men center onely in one God and bring their Minds to his and not conceitedly his to theirs we may yet be One. And if we could make men know that God is not for them and accepteth not of a Sacrifice of Innocent Blood however men think that they do him good Service yet they would not have this known It 's long since unhumbled Sinners turned Church-Confession into Auricular If Saul do say at last I have sinned he would yet be honoured before the People But the time is near when those that honour God he will honour and those that despise him shall be lightly esteemed Few men living can easier bear with others for different forms and Ceremonies than I but I take not the silencing and ruining of 2000 Ministers for Ceremonies were that the worst of it to be a Ceremony § 6. Pag. 69. You say We are not all of one mind yet A sad word from a Bishop Do you think that any two Men on Earth are of one mind in all things Were those agreed whom Paul persuadeth Rom. 14. to receive each other but not to doubtful Disputations and not to judge or despise each other much less to silence imprison and destroy We are agreed in all that is constitutive of Christianity and agreed that all Christians should love others as themselves and do as they would be done by I confess if you have such eminent Self-denial as to be willing if ever you differ from the publick Impositions about the lawfulness of any one thing to be not only cast out of your Lordship and Bishoprick but to be silenced imprisoned and destroyed I cannot accuse you of Partiality but of Errour I have known too many Conformists who needed no Bishop to silence them they never preached But that will not justifie their desires that others be silenced I have oft enough told you in how many things the Conformists are disagreed I now say the Bishops themselves are not agreed of the very Species of the Church of England To say nothing of their disagreement of the Constitutive national Head or Governour they are not agreed whether it be only a part of an universal humane political Church subject to an universal humane supream Power who hath the right of Legislation and judgment over them or whether it be a compleat national Church of it self a part only of the universal as Headed by Christ but not as by Man or as humane Politie having no foreign Governour Monarchical or Aristocratical Pope or Council Overdoing is illdoing and undoing He that would make such a Law of Concord as that none shall live out of Prison who are not of the same Age Complexion Appetite and Opinion would depose the King by leaving him no Subjects The Inquisition is set up in Love of Unity But we know that we shall differ while we know but in part Only the perfect World hath perfect Concord I greatly rejoice in that Concord which is among all that truly love God They love one another and agree in all that is necessary to Salvation The Church of the Conformists is all agreed for Crossing and the Surplice and for the Imposed Oaths Professions and Covenants Oh that all our Parishioners who plead for the Church were agreed that the Gospel is true and that Christ is not a Deceiver and that Man dyeth not as Dogs but hath a Life of future Retribution § 7. P. 69. Asking Were not almost all the Westminster Assembly Episcopal Conformable men when they came thither He can say No not in their hearts as appeared by their fruits And he cites some words of the sense of the Parliament Jun. 12. 1643. Ans 1. See here a Bishop that knew the hearts of hundreds of men whom he never saw to be contrary to their Profession and constant Practice 2. And he can prove by their reporting the Parliaments words what was these Ministers own Judgment 3. And he can prove by those words in Jun. 1643. what was their Judgment a Year or two before and is sure that the Scots Arguments did not change them 4. And he can prove that those are no Episcopal Conformists who are for the ancient Episcopacy only described by Bishop Usher and take the English frame to be only lawful but not unalterable or best And if really he do take him to be no Episcopal Conformist who is for enduring any way but their own it is he and not I that gave them so bad a Character It is he and not I that intimateth that those moderate Conformists who had rather Church-Government were reformed than such Confusion made by silencing and hunting Christians are at the Heart no Episcopal Conformists Their Hearts I confess much differ from the Silencers and Hunters § 8. He maketh me a false Historian for fixing the War on the Erastian Party in Parliament Ans Did I lay it only on the Erastians Have I not undeniably proved that the War here began between two Episcopal Parties Of which one part were of A. Bp. Abbots Mr. Hookers and the generality of the Bishops and Parliaments mind and the other of Bp. Lauds Sibthorps Maynwarings Heylins A. Bp. Bromhalls c. mind And the first sort some of them thought Episcopacy Jure Divino but the English Frame not unreformable And the other sort thought it was but Jure humano and these were called by some Erastians Let him give me leave to produce my Historical proofs even to single men by name that the English War began between these two Parties and I defie all his false Contradiction Only supposing 1. That I speak not of the King nor of the War in Ireland or Scotland 2. That I grant that the Nonconformists were most for the Parliament and the Papists most against them But when I have said so much to Mr. Hinkley already to prove this did this Lord Bishop think to be believed without confuting it § 9. But it transcendeth all bounds of Historical credibility that he answereth this by saying He and all his Abettors must know the Catalogues of that Parliament and that Assembly are still in our hands the Copies of their Speeches and Journals of their Votes c. Ans They are so to the Shame of such Historians You have many of them in Whitlocks Memorials I knew so great a number my self of the Parliament Assembly and Army as makes me pitty the