powers contradicted And certainly all such disuse began with a few and proceeded further we are allowed then to disuse such things § 12. It would grieve a man that loves the Church to hear the name of the Church abused by many dark though confident disputers when they are pleading for their Ceremonies and Holy dayes and laying about them with the names of Schismaticks against all that will not do as they do O say they These men will separate from the Catholick Church and how then can they be the Children of the Church And 1. Which is it that is called by them the Catholick Church Little do I know nor am able to conjecture Did the Catholick Church make the English Common-Prayer Book what were the then Bishops in England that consented in that work the whole Church of Christ on earth God forbid Or did ever any General Council authorize it I think not And if they would tell us what General Council commanded Christmas Day or Kneeling at the Sacrament c they would do us a pleasure but I think they will not § 13. And 2. What if these things had all been commanded by a General Council May not a man disuse them without separating from the Church I think as good as you are you do some things your selves that God himself hath forbidden you to do and yet will be loth to be therefore taken for men that separate either from the Church or God And when you read the Books of Heathen Philosophers when you adore not toward the East or when you pray receive the Sacrament Kneeling on the Lords Dayes would you be taken to separate from the Catholick Church for crossing its ancient customs or Canons But these perverse and factious reasonings we must hear to the dishonour of Christianity and Reason it self and that from men that scorn the supposed meanness of others yea and see poor souls seduced into separation by such empty words And this is one of the present judgements on this land CHAP. X. Prop. 10. If it be not our Lawfull Governours that command us but usurpers we are not formally bound to obey them though the things be lawfull which they command § 1. WE may be bound by some other Obligation perhaps to do the thing which they command us but we are not formally though sometime Materially bound to obey them For it is not formally obedience unless it be done eo nomine because commanded or for the Authority of the Commander If the Pope or any usurper should command me to pray or to give alms I will do it but not because he commandeth me but because God commandeth me and therefore I will not obey him but God But if a Parent or Magistrate or Pastor command it me I will do it both because it is commanded me by God and them and so I will obey both God and them If an usurper command me to do a thing in it self indifferent I will not do it because he commandeth it but yet if accidentally it become my duty by conducing to anothers good or avoiding their offence or hurt or any other accident I will use it for these ends though not for his command § 2. The Pope 1. As the Vice-christ or universall Head is an usurper and therefore hath no authority to command me or any man in that relation the smallest Ceremony 2. The Pope as Patriarch of the West is an humane creature and not of Divine institution and was indeed a sinfull institution from the first of his creation but if it had been otherwise yet since is that Patriarchship become unwarrantable since he hath forfeited it and the world hath found the mischiefs of it So that no man is therefore bound to use one lawfull Ceremony because the Pope as Patriarch of the West commandeth it 3. If this were not so yet Brittain and Ireland were from the beginning none of his Patriarchate nor did at Nice consent to it and therefore have the less appearance of any obligation § 3. The Authority of General Councils cannot be pretended as obliging men in Conscience to the English Ceremonies 1. Because indeed General Councils are not a superiour Power for proper Government of the Church having authority to command particular Bishops or Synods as their subjects but they are only necessary for Union and Communion of Churches and mutual assistance thereby and so their Canons bind but by virtue of the General commands that require us to maintain the Unity and Communion of the Churches § 4. And 2. If it were otherwise there is few if any of these Ceremonies that are commanded by any true General Council They that can prove any such thing let them do it but till we see it we will not be forward to believe it Yea 3. Some of them General Councils have made Canons against as I before shewed in the Case of Kneeling at the Sacrament on the Lords dayes And therefore the neglecters of our Ceremonies sin not against a General Council § 5. The Common plea is that we are bound to use these Ceremonies in obedience to the Church of England and that we are not true sons of this Church if we refuse it But what is it that is called by them The Church of England In a Political sense I know no such thing as a Church of England or of any Nation on earth that is There is no one Society united in any one Ecclesiastical Soveraign that can truly be called the Church of England or of any other Nation The whole Catholick Church is One as united in Christ the Head And every particular Chuâ—ch associated for personal Communion in Gods Worshâ—p is one being a part of the Catholick Church and united in and individuated by their relation to their several Pastors But a National Church under one chief Ecclesiastick Government I find no mention of in Scripture but contrarily the Churches of Judaea Galatia c. or any other Countrey where there were many are alway mentioned in the Plural number and never called one Church § 6. Yet will we quarrel with no men about meer names or words If by a National Church â— be meant any of these following we acknowledge that there is such a thing 1. If all the particular Churches in a Nation do Associate for Communion and mutuall assistance and so use to meet by their officers in one National Assembly I confess the Association usefull if not necessary and the Assemblies to be maintained and for unity sake obeyed in things lawfull And though Scripture call not such National Associations by the name of a Church in the singular number yet we shall leave men to their Liberty in such names If all the Schoolmasters in England should hold General Assemblies to agree what Books to read in their Schools c. if any man would therefore call all the Schools in England in the singular number by the name of the School of England I would not differ with him for a
intimations of Scripture and the discord of these reporters among themselves Only it is certain that nature it self would so restrain them that as they could be but in one place at once so they could not be in perpetual motion and prudence would keep them longest in those places where most work was to be done And therefore Pauls three years abode at Ephesus and the neighbouring parts of Asia did not make him the fixed Diocesan Bishop of Ephesus And what I say of the Apostles I say also of many such Itinerant unfixed Ministers which were their helpers as Silas Apollo Barnabas Titus Timothy c. For though Timothy be called by some Anâ—ients the first Bishop of Ephesus and Titus of Crete yet it is apparent they were no such fixed Ministers that undertook a Diocess durantâ— vita as their proper charge which were then called Bâ—shops but they were â—tinerant helpers of the Apostles in gathering planting and first ordering of Churches And therefore Titus was left in a whole Nation or large Island to place Bishops or Elders in each City and set things in order and this but till Paul come and not to be himself their fixed Bishop and Timothy is proved by Scripture to have been unsetled and itinerant as a helper of Paul after that he is by some supposed to be fixed at Ephesus I will not needlesly actum agere let any man that is unsatisfied of this read impartially Mr. Prins unbishoping of Timothy and Titus and note there the Itinerary of Timothy from Scripture Texts If therefore our Bishops would have been of the Apostles and their General helpers race they should have gone up and down to gather and plant Churches and then go up and down to visit those which they have planted or if they live where all are Enchurched already they should go up and down to preach to the rudâ—r sort of them and by the power of the word to subdue men further to Christ anâ— to see that all Ministers where they come do their duty reproving and admonishing those that neglect it but not forbidding them to do it as a thing belonging only to them And by Spiritual weapons and authority should they have driven Ministers to this duty and not by meer secular force of which more anon 2. And as for the fixed Bishops of Apostolical Institution our English Prelacy are not like them For the fixed Bishops established by the Apostles were only Overseers of one particular Church But the English Prelates were the Overseers of many particular Churches Therefore the English Prelates were not the same with the old Bishops of the Apostles institution The course that the Prelates take to elude this argument is by giving us a false definition of a particular Church That we may not therefore have any unprofitable strife about words I shall signifie my own meaning By a Particular Church I mean an Associated or combined company of Christians for Communion in Publick Worship and Furtherance of each other in the way to heaven under the Guidance of Christs Church Officers one Elder or more such as are undivided or Churches of the first order commonly called Ecclesiae Primae as to existence and which contain not divers Political Churches in them A family I mean not for that 's not a Political Church having no Pastor An accidental company of Christians I mean not For those are no Association and so no Political Church Nor do I mean a National or Diocesane or Classical Church or any the like which are composed of many particular Churches of the first order conjunct It is not of Necessity that they alway or most usually meet in one Congregation because its possible they may want a capacious convenient room and its possible they may be under persecution so that they may be forced to meet secretly in small companies or there may be some aged weak people or children that cannot travail to the chief place of Meeting and so may have some Chappels of ease or smaller meeting But still it must be a number neither so big nor so small as to be uncapable of the ends of Association which enter the definition how ever weaknâ—ss age or other accidents may hinder some members from that full usefullness as to the main end whith other members have So that they which are so many or live at such a distance as to be uncapable of the ends are not such a Church nor are capable of so being For the number will alter the species In a word it cannot I think be proved that in the Primitive times there was any one fixed Bishop that Governed and Oversaw any more then one such particular political Church as was not composed of divers lesser political Churches nor that their Churches which any fixed Bishop oversaw were more then could hold Communion in Worship in one publick place for so many of them as could ordinarily hear at once for all the families cannot usually come at once they were not greater then some of our English Parishes are nor usually the tenth part so great I have been informed by the judicious inhabitants that there are fourscore thousand in Giles Cripple-gate Parish in London and about fifty thousand in Stepney and fourty thousand in Sepulchres There cannot any Church in Scripture be found that was greater nor neer so great as one of these Parishes No not the Church at Ierusalem it self of which so much is said No not if you admit all the number of moveable Converts and Sojournours to have been of that particular Church which yet cannot be proved to have been so I know Bishop Downam doth with great indignation Dispute that Diocesses were beâ—ore Parishes and that it was more then one Congregation that was contained in those Diocesses We will not contend about the name Diocess and Parish which by the Ancients were sometime used promiscuously for the same thing But as to the thing signified by them I say that what ever you call it a Diocess or a Parish there were not near so many souls as in some English Parishes nor take one with another their Churches commonly were no more Numerous then our Parishes nor so numerous A Diocess then and a Parish were the same thing and both the same as our particular Churches now are that is the Ecclesiae primae or Soceities of Christians combined under Church-Rulers for holy Communion in Worship and Discipline And there were no otherwise many Congregations in one Church then as our Chapples of ease or a few meeting in a private house because of rainy weather are many Congregations in one Parish The foresaid Learned and Godly though angry Bishop Downame saith Def. li. 2. cap. 1. page 6. that Indeed at the very first Conversion of Cities the whole Number of the people converted being some not much greater then the Number of the Presbyters placed among them were able to make but a small Congregation Call that Church then a Diocess or a Parish I
Sect. 9. 2. A Minister is an officer of Christ and therefore receiveth his Authority from him and can have none but what he thus recieves And therefore 1. He hath no Soveraignty or Lordship over the Church for that is the perogative of Christ. 2. He hath no degree of underived Power and therefore must prove his Power and produce his Commission before he can expect the Church to acknowledge it 3. He hath no Power to work against Christ or to destroy the souls of men or to do evil Though he hath a Power by which occasionally he may be advantaged to evil yet hath he no Authority to do it For Christ giveth no man power to sin nor to do any thing against himself 4. He deriveth not his authority from man though by man as an instrument or occasion he may The People give him not his Power The Magistrate gives it not The Ordainers Bishops or Presbyters give it not any further then as I shall shew anon by signifying the will of Christ that indeed giveth it and by investing men in it by solemn delivery The Choosers may nominate the person that shall receive it and the Magistrate may encourage him to accept it and the Ordainers may Approve him and Invest him in it but it is Christ only that gives the Power as from himself As in Marriage the persons consent and the Magistrate alloweth it as Valid at his bar and the Minister blesseth them and declareth Gods consent But yet the Power that the Husband hath over the wife is only from God as the conferring cause and all that the rest do is but to prepare and dispose the person to Receive it save only that consequently the consent of God is declared by the Minister Of which more anon when we speak of Ordination Sect. 10. 3. A Minister is a man separated or set a part to the work of the Gospel For he is to make a calling of it and not to do it on the by Common men may do somewhat that Ministers do even in preaching the Gospel but they are not separated or set apart to it and so entrusted with it nor make a Calling or Course of employment of it Ministers therefore are Holy persons in an eminent sort because they have a two-fold Sanctification 1. They are as all other Christians sanctified to God by Christ through the spirit which so devoteth them to him and brings them so neer him and calls them to such holy honourable service that the whole Church is called a Royall Priesthood a Holy Nation c. to offer spiritual sacrifice to God And Christ hath made them Kings and Priests to God But 2. They are moreover devoted and sanctified to God not only by this separation from the world but by a separation from the rest of the Church to stand neerer to God and be employed in his most eminent service I mention not mans Ordination in the Definition because it is not essential to the Ministry nor of Absolute Necessity to its being of which anon But that they be set apart by the will of Christ and sanctified to him is of Necessity Sect 11. 4. These Ministers have a double subject to work upon or object about which their Ministry is Employed The first is The world as that matter out of which a Church is to be raised The second is Believers called out of the world These Believers are Either Only Converted and not invested in a Church state or such as are both Converted and Invested These later are either such as are not yet gathered into a particular Church or such as are For all these are the objects of our office Sect. 12. 5. Accordingly the first part of the Ministerial office is to Preach the Gospel to unbelievers and ungodly ones for their Conversion This therefore is not as some have imagined a common work any more then preaching to the Church Occasionally ex Charitate only another man may do it But ex Officio as a work that we are separated and set a part to and entrusted with so only Ministers may do it No man hath the Power of Office but he that hath the Duty or Obligation to make it the trade or business of his life to preach the Gospel though bodily matters may come in on the by Sect. 13. 6. Hence it appears that a man is in order of Nature a Preacher of the Gospel in General before he be the Pastor of a particular flock though in time they often go together that is when a man is ordained to such a particular flock Sect. 14. 7. And hence it follows that a man may be ordained sine Titulo or without a particular charge where the Converting preparatory work is first to be done Sect. 15. 8. And hence it appeareth that a Minister is first in order related to the unbelieving world as the object of his first work before he be related to the Church existent either Catholick or particular And that he is under Christ first a Spiritual Father to beget children unto God from the unbelieving world and then a Governour of them If others have already converted them to our hands and saved us that part of our work yet that overthroweth not the order of the parts and works of our office though it hinder the execution of the first part it being done to our hands by others in that office Sect. 16. 9. The second part of the Ministers work is about Believers meerly converted together with their Children whom they yet have power to Dedicate to God And that is to Invest them in the Rights of a Christian by Baptism in solemn Covenanting with God the Father Son and Holy Spirit And these are the next Material objects of our Office Many of the Ancients Tertullian by name and the Council of Eliberis thought that in case of Necessity a Lay-man though not a Woman may Baptize If that be granted yet must not men therefore pretend a Necessity where there is none But I am satisfied 1. That Baptism by a a private man is not eo nomine a Nullity nor to be done again 2. And yet that it is not only a part of the Ministers work to Baptize and approve them that are to be Baptized ex officio but that it is one of the greatest and highest actions of his office Even an eminent exercise of the Keyes of the Kingdom letting men into the Church of Christ it being a principal part of their Trust and power to judge who is meet to be admitted to the Priviledges and fellowship of the Saints Sect. 17. 10. The third part of the Ministers work is about the Baptized that are only entred into the universal Church for many such there are or else the unbaptized that are Discipled where the former work and this are done at once And that is to congregate the Disciples into particular Churches for Holy Communion in Gods Worship c. They must do part of this
the Magistrates persecution No means can be justly pleaded against the end and least of all a bare ceremony For it is no Means when it destroyeth the end § 10. On this account it is that it hath alwaies by wise men been reckoned a tyrannical unreasonable thing to impose all the same ceremonies and circumstances upon all places as upon some and it hath been judged necessary that every Church have their liberty to â—iffer in such indifferent things and that it hath been taken for a wise mans duty to conform his practice in such indifferent circumstances to the several Churches with which he shall have communion as Ambrose professeth he would do and would have others do the same § 11. If any think as too many do that such a diversity of circumstances is a disorder and confusion and not to be endured I shall further tell these men anon that their opinion for an hypocritical unity and uniformity is the true bane of Christian unity and uniformity and that which hath brought the confusion and bloody wars into the Christian world and that our eyes have seen and our ears have heard of And it were as wise an objection for them if they should charge us in Britanie with Confusion and drive us to a separation or division because the Scots wear blew caps and the English hats or because some English wear white hats and some black and so of other circumstances § 12. Did I live in France or other Popish Countries or had lived in England at the abolition of Popery I should have thought it my duty in many indifferent circumstances to accommodate my self to the good of those with whom I did converse which yet in another Countrey or at another time when those things were as offensive as then they were esteemed I durst not have so done And therefore our Common Prayer-Book it self with its Ceremonies might be then commendable in many particulars which now are reformable And so in Ethiopia Greece or Spain those things would be very laudable that are now in England deservedly vituperable And several Ceremonies in the primitive times had such occasions and concomitants that made them tolerable that now seem less tolerable The case is not the same though the Materials be the same CHAP. VIII Prop. 8. Those orders may be profitable for the Peace of the Churches in one Nation that are not necessary to the Peace of the Churches in many Nations § 1. I mention this 1. Because the Romanists are so peremptory for the Necessity of their ceremonies through all the world as if the unity peace or well being of the Church at least did hang on these And yet sometimes they could dispence with the different rites of the Greeks if they could but have got them under their power by it § 2. Also 2. Because the Protestants called Lutherans stick so rigidly on their ceremonies as Private Confession Exorcism Images Vestments c. as if these had been necessary to the unity of the Churches And the Pacifiers find a difficulty in reconciling the Churches of several nations because these expect an uniformity in ceremonies § 3. And so necessary doth it seem in the judgement of some deluded souls that all Churches be one in a visible Policy and uniformity of Rites that upon this very account they forsake the Protestant Churches and turn Papists As if Christ were not a sufficient Head and Center for Catholick union and his Laws and waies sufficient for our terms of uniformity unless we are all of a mind and practice in every custome or variable circumstance that God hath left indifferent § 4. I need no other Instance then 1. what Grotius hath given of himself in his Discuss Apologet. Rivet who professeth that he turned off upon that account because the Protestants had no such unity And 2. What he said before of others by whom he took no warning but did imitate them in his Epist. to Mr. Dury cited by Mr. Barksdale in his Memorials of Grotius life where he saith Many do every day forsake the Protestants and joyn with the Romanists for no other Reason but because they are not one Body but distracted parties separated Congregations having every one a peculiar Communion and 〈◊〉 And they that will turn Papists on such an inducement deserve to take what they gâ—t by their folly § 5. Did not these men know that the Church hath alwaies allowed diversity of Rites Did not the Churches differ till the Nâ—cene Council about Easter day and one half went one way and another half the other way and yet Polycarp and the Bâ—shop of Rome held communion for all their differences and Ireneus pleads this against Victors temerity in excommunicating the Asian Churches Dâ—d they not know that the Greek and Armenian and Romane Churches differ in many Rites that yet may be parts of the Catholick Church notwithstanding such differences Yea the Romanists themselves would have allowed the Greeks and Abassines and other Churches a difference of ceremonies and customes so they could but have subjugated them to the Pope § 6. Yea more the several orders of Fryars and other Religious men among the Papists themselves are allowed their differences in Rites and Ceremonies and the exercise of this allowed Difference doth make no great breach among them because they have the liberty for this variety from one Pope in whom they are all united What abundance of observations do the Iesuites Franciscans Dominicans Benedictines Carthâ—sians and others differ in And must men needs turn Papists because of the different Rites of Protestants when they must find more variety among them that they turn to The matter 's well amended with them when among us one countrey useth three or four Ceremonies which others do disuse and among the Papists one order of Fryars useth twice as many different from the rest yea in habit and diet and other observances they many waies differ What hypocrisie is this to judge this tolerable yea laudable in them and much less so intolerable in us as that it must remove them from our Communion § 7. And how sad a case is it that the Reconciliation between the Lutherans and other Protestants should in any measure stick at such Ceremonies what if one countrey will have Images to adorn their Temples and will have exorcism and other Ceremonies which others do disallow and desire to be freed from may we not yet give each other the right hand of fellowship and take each other for the Churches of Christ and maintain brotherly Charity and such a correspondency as may conduce to our mutual preservation and edification § 8. Yea in the sâ—me Nation why may not several congregations have the liberty of differing in a few indifferent ceremonies If one part think them lawfull and the other think that God forbids them must we be forced to go against our Consciences for a thing of no necessity If we profess ouâ— Resolution to live peceably with them that
of a Government which is committed to a Lay Chancellor doth willfully draw this fearful Guilt upon himself Argum. 7. THat Episcopacy which is the product of Proud Ambiâ—ion and Arrogancy contrary to the express command of Christ is not to be restored for Order or Peace But such is the late English Prelacy therefore c. The Major is undoubted The Minor is proved thus Were it not for pâ—oud Ambition men would not strive to have the doing of more work then an hundred times as many are able to do and the answering before God for as many souls But the English Prelates did strive to have the work and account of many hundreds therefore c. The Minor is proved and known by experience And the Major is proved thus 1. From the common aversness that all men have to labour excessive oppressing labour and that spiritual too 2. From the self-love that is naturally in all No man can naturally and rationally desire that which would tire him oppress him and finally damn him without great repentance and the speciall mercy of God unless by the power of some lust that draweth him to it 3. And common prudence wiâ—l teach men not to thrust themselves into impossible undertakings If we see a man desirous to have the Rule of a whole County under the Prince and that there should be no Justice of Peace or other Magistrate to Rule there but he though he know that he must answer it upon his life if the County be noâ— well Ruled as to the punishing of all the known drunkards swearâ—rs adulterers c. in the County may not any man see that Ambition makes this man in a manner besides himself oâ— eâ—se he would never set so light by his own life as certainly and willfully to cast it away by undertaking a work which he knoweth many men are unable to perform And Ambition it must needs be because Honour and Preheminency is the bait and thing contended for and there is noâ—hing else to do it And how expresly doâ—â— Christ forbid this to his Apostles telling them With you it shâ—ll not be so but he that will be the greatest shall be the servant of all Luke 22.26 As the old Rimer hath it Christus dixit quodam loâ—o Vos non sic nec dixit jâ—co dixit suiâ— ergo isti Cujus sunt non certè Christi Speaking of the Prelates I own not the Censure but â— own Christs prohibition Certainly the Honour is but the appendix for the work sake and the work is the first thing and the main of the office And I would know whether they would strive thus for the work and the terrible account without the honour and worldly gain Nay do they not destroy the work whâ—le they quarrel for the doing of it for the honor sake If it were the Churches good and the work that they so much minded they would contend that so many should have the doing of it as are necessary thereto and not that none should do it but they He that would turn all the labourers out of the Harvest saving himself in all this County that he may maintain his own priviledge I should think doth not much mind the good of the owner or the well doing of the work or his own safety if he were to answer for all upon his life Argum. 8. THat Episcopacy which so far gratifieth lazy Miâ—isters as to ease them of the most pâ—inful troublesom and hazardous part of their work is not to be restored for order or unity but such was the late English Prelacy therefore c. The Major is undoubted The Minor is before proved as to the work it self And as to the quality and consequents experience putteth it past all doubt that the work of Government and Oversight is incomparably more troublesom then the preaching of a Sermon Baptizing administring the Lords Supper and praying with them When we come to touch men by personal reproof and make that publike and that for disgraceful sins and suspend or excommunicate them if they be obstinate usually we do not only turn their hearts against us but they rage against us and could even be revenged on us with the cruellest revenge We find that all the Preaching in the world doth not so much exasperate and enrage men as this Discipline I can Preach the most cutting and convincing truths in as close a manner as I am able to notorious wicked livers and they will bear it patiently and say it was a good Sermon and some of them say that they care not for hearing a man that will not tell them of their sins And yet call them to an open confession of these sins in the Congregation or proceed to censure them and they will rage against us as if we were their mortal enemies The Bishops let all these men almost alone and therefore never exasperated them and so now they rage the more against us and love the Bishops the better because they were never so troubled by them And here I cannot but note how groundless that accusation is of some Prelatical men against the Conscionable adversaries of their way when they say the Presbyters would fain have the Reins of Government in their own hand which may be true of the unconscionable that know not what it is that they undertake but for others it is all one as to say They would fain have all the trouble hatred and danger to themselves These Objecters shew their own minds and what it is that they look at most themselves and therefore think others do so its dear bought honour that is purchased at such rates of labour and danger I here solemnly profess for my own part that if I know my heart I am so far from thinking it a desirable thing to Rule much less to Rule a Diocess that if I might so far gratifie my carnal desires and were not under the bond of Gods Commands and so were it not for fear of sinning and wronging mens souls that are committed to my charge I would give if I had it many thousand pounds that I might but Preach Pray Read Baptize administer the Lords Supper though I did more then I do in them and be wholly freed from the care and trouble of oversight and government of this one Congregation which is further required O how quiet would my mind be were I but sure that God required none of this at my hands nor would call me to any account for the neglect of it And that this is not my case only but the common case to find Discipline so troublesom is apparent in this that the whole body of the Nation for the generality have contended against it these many years and in almost every Congregation in England the greater part do either separate from the Ministers and forbear the Lords Supper or some way oppose it and withdraw that they may avoid it And most of the Ministers in England even godly men do much if not