if_o he_o will_v but_o have_v apply_v to_o the_o case_n of_o the_o christian_a church_n it_o will_v have_v prevent_v the_o pain_n of_o all_o his_o ensue_a discourse_n for_o that_o be_v a_o society_n of_o itself_o as_o found_v upon_o divine_a right_n and_o power_n of_o govern_v itself_o be_v necessary_a to_o society_n what_o can_v be_v more_o evident_a from_o the_o nature_n of_o thing_n themselves_o than_o that_o the_o church_n must_v be_v endue_v with_o such_o a_o power_n so_o that_o once_o suppose_v society_n that_o alone_o infer_v government_n and_o all_o the_o act_n of_o it_o and_o to_o this_o purpose_n our_o author_n observe_v out_o of_o the_o jewish_a doctor_n if_o their_o authority_n be_v to_o any_o purpose_n that_o whereas_o there_o be_v six_o law_n give_v by_o god_n to_o our_o first_o parent_n to_o oblige_v all_o mankind_n the_o last_o be_v de_fw-la judiciis_fw-la for_o as_o much_o as_o without_o that_o all_o the_o rest_n will_v have_v be_v ineffectual_a thus_o whereas_o idolatry_n and_o blasphemy_n which_o refer_v only_o to_o the_o worship_n of_o god_n be_v forbid_v by_o the_o two_o first_o they_o can_v never_o have_v have_v the_o force_n of_o law_n among_o mankind_n unless_o some_o person_n be_v endue_v with_o a_o power_n of_o judge_v of_o the_o nature_n of_o those_o crime_n and_o inflict_a punishment_n in_o pursuance_n of_o their_o sentence_n which_o he_o style_v not_o only_o the_o soul_n of_o government_n but_o the_o noble_a faculty_n of_o that_o soul_n and_o the_o noble_a act_n of_o that_o faculty_n and_o therefore_o when_o our_o author_n dispute_v whether_o the_o christian_a excommunication_n be_v take_v from_o the_o jew_n or_o the_o heathen_a and_o leave_v the_o case_n doubtful_a in_o that_o it_o be_v in_o use_n among_o most_o nation_n civil_a and_o barbarous_a as_o well_o as_o the_o jew_n as_o he_o prove_v by_o a_o vast_a collection_n out_o of_o the_o record_n of_o the_o greek_n the_o roman_n arabian_n german_n gaul_n britan_n and_o other_o 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second_o that_o excommunication_n be_v take_v up_o in_o the_o time_n of_o the_o captivity_n mere_o to_o supply_v the_o want_n of_o the_o civil_a sword_n it_o be_v as_o clear_v a_o instance_n as_o can_v have_v be_v produce_v of_o the_o necessity_n of_o this_o or_o the_o like_a punishment_n in_o all_o society_n where_o there_o be_v no_o other_o coercive_a power_n but_o here_o by_o the_o way_n though_o i_o do_v not_o doubt_v that_o this_o punishment_n be_v then_o first_o make_v use_v of_o upon_o this_o ground_n yet_o i_o must_v confess_v that_o i_o be_o not_o satisfy_v of_o the_o account_n that_o our_o author_n and_o other_o learned_a man_n give_v of_o it_o out_o of_o the_o talmudical_a writer_n for_o beside_o that_o they_o all_o writ_n when_o their_o nation_n be_v debauch_v with_o misnical_a and_o talmudical_a fable_n than_o which_o it_o be_v hard_o to_o invent_v any_o thing_n more_o absurd_a and_o silly_a they_o who_o be_v in_o comparison_n but_o very_o modern_a writer_n have_v no_o other_o mean_n of_o know_v what_o be_v do_v from_o the_o time_n of_o the_o captivity_n but_o from_o the_o write_n of_o the_o prophet_n and_o the_o history_n of_o those_o time_n and_o therefore_o their_o report_n can_v have_v no_o authority_n but_o as_o justify_v by_o those_o ancient_a record_n and_o whereas_o mr._n selden_n tell_v we_o for_o the_o reputation_n of_o his_o own_o learning_n si_fw-mi cui_fw-la 1â—_n hic_fw-la dubium_fw-la forsan_fw-la occuâ—rat_fw-la utrum_fw-la corpori_fw-la &_o scriptoribus_fw-la talmuaiâ—is_fw-la hujusmodi_fw-la in_o rebus_fw-la quatenus_fw-la historicae_fw-la sunt_fw-la id_fw-la est_fw-la quatenus_fw-la in_o eye_n pro_fw-la jure_fw-la qualicunque_fw-la ebreis_n veteribus_fw-la recognito_o atque_fw-la usitato_fw-la traâ—untur_fw-la fides_fw-la sit_fw-la habenda_fw-la eo_fw-la scilicet_fw-la quod_fw-la corpus_fw-la illud_fw-la quo_fw-la jam_fw-la habetur_fw-la contextum_fw-la scriptoresque_fw-la illi_fw-la caeteri_fw-la saeculorum_fw-la sunt_fw-la templi_fw-la urbisque_fw-la excidio_fw-la recentiorum_fw-la be_v for_o san_fw-it etiam_fw-la dubitabit_fw-la de_fw-la justiniani_n seu_fw-la triboniani_n fide_fw-la dum_fw-la modestini_fw-la papiniani_n florentini_fw-la alpheni_fw-la proculi_fw-la celsi_fw-la ejusmodi_fw-la aliorum_fw-la qui_fw-la trecentis_fw-la aut_fw-la circiter_fw-la sunt_fw-la justiniano_n annis_fw-la vetustiores_fw-la sententias_fw-la atque_fw-la scita_fw-la juris_fw-la alibi_fw-la non_fw-la reperta_fw-la he_o may_v have_v observe_v that_o these_o two_o case_n be_v vast_o different_a for_o there_o be_v certain_a record_n and_o report_n of_o those_o famous_a lawyer_n which_o be_v convey_v by_o write_v from_o age_n to_o age_n as_o be_v the_o write_n of_o other_o author_n whereas_o there_o be_v no_o footstep_n of_o any_o monument_n for_o the_o rabinical_a fable_n and_o as_o they_o have_v no_o ancient_a authority_n so_o they_o discover_v themselves_o by_o their_o own_o foolishness_n to_o have_v be_v the_o invention_n of_o a_o very_a barbarous_a and_o degenerate_a age._n so_o that_o our_o author_n if_o he_o will_v have_v find_v a_o parallel_a
to_o provoke_v they_o and_o with_o this_o honest_a resolution_n i_o now_o proceed_v to_o vindicate_v one_o of_o the_o most_o evident_a but_o most_o injure_a truth_n in_o the_o world_n and_o in_o it_o i_o shall_v be_v much_o brief_a than_o at_o first_o i_o intend_v for_o when_o we_o have_v lop_v off_o all_o that_o be_v not_o direct_o pertinent_a to_o the_o enquiry_n as_o we_o shall_v reduce_v the_o debate_n to_o a_o narrow_a compass_n so_o may_v we_o easy_o bring_v it_o to_o a_o speedy_a issue_n and_o therefore_o i_o shall_v purposely_o pass_v over_o all_o those_o thing_n that_o relate_v only_o to_o the_o occasional_a exercise_n and_o outward_a administration_n of_o church-authority_n and_o particular_o that_o wide_a argument_n of_o dispute_n whether_o the_o distribution_n of_o province_n and_o diocese_n be_v through_o the_o roman_a empire_n frame_v by_o the_o division_n of_o the_o civil_a government_n for_o whether_o it_o be_v or_o be_v not_o that_o concern_v not_o the_o question_n 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themselves_o so_o that_o if_o we_o can_v prove_v the_o preeminence_n and_o superiority_n of_o one_o order_n above_o all_o other_o in_o the_o government_n of_o the_o church_n from_o the_o begin_n of_o it_o we_o shall_v thereby_o make_v good_a all_o that_o be_v essential_a to_o that_o power_n and_o authority_n that_o we_o challenge_v as_o proper_a only_o to_o the_o episcopal_a order_n and_o office_n and_o this_o we_o doubt_v not_o but_o to_o perform_v with_o clear_a and_o demonstrative_a evidence_n from_o these_o three_o topic_n i._o of_o our_o saviour_n own_o express_a institution_n ii_o the_o practice_n of_o the_o apostle_n in_o conformity_n to_o it_o iii_o the_o practice_n of_o the_o primitive_a church_n in_o the_o age_n next_o and_o immediate_o after_o the_o apostle_n and_o first_o as_o to_o our_o saviour_n institution_n it_o be_v manifest_a that_o he_o found_v his_o church_n in_o a_o imparity_n of_o ecclesiastical_a officer_n in_o that_o he_o do_v by_o his_o own_o immediate_a appointment_n authorize_v and_o set_v apart_o two_o distinct_a order_n of_o man_n for_o ecclesiastical_a ministry_n the_o twelve_o apostle_n and_o the_o seventy_o disciple_n who_o office_n if_o it_o be_v the_o same_o to_o what_o purpose_n be_v they_o distinguish_v and_o why_o when_o a_o place_n be_v vacant_a in_o the_o apostolate_a must_v one_o be_v substitute_v by_o divine_a designation_n to_o complete_a the_o number_n why_o shall_v not_o one_o of_o the_o seventy_o without_o any_o further_a election_n have_v serve_v the_o turn_n see_v he_o be_v qualify_v with_o a_o identity_n of_o office_n and_o order_n nay_o to_o what_o purpose_n shall_v they_o be_v reckon_v apart_o under_o different_a name_n and_o in_o different_a rank_n if_o there_o be_v no_o difference_n intend_v in_o their_o employment_n and_o commission_n and_o why_o be_v they_o not_o all_o comprehend_v in_o one_o number_n and_o range_v in_o one_o catalogue_n if_o the_o twelve_o be_v nothing_o more_o than_o the_o seventy_o and_o the_o seventy_o nothing_o less_o than_o the_o twelve_o to_o what_o purpose_n do_v we_o hear_v so_o oft_o of_o the_o twelve_o and_o the_o seventy_o or_o of_o the_o seventy_o two_o for_o of_o that_o the_o learned_a dispute_n and_o not_o rather_o of_o the_o eighty_o two_o or_o eighty_o four_o for_o do_v we_o think_v that_o our_o saviour_n will_v distinguish_v the_o officer_n of_o his_o kingdom_n by_o mere_a word_n and_o empty_a title_n and_o yet_o the_o apostleship_n can_v be_v nothing_o more_o if_o it_o carry_v in_o it_o no_o superiority_n of_o office_n above_o the_o seventy_o some_o inequality_n we_o must_v discover_v and_o that_o intend_v too_o by_o our_o bless_a saviour_n himself_o else_o shall_v we_o never_o be_v able_a to_o give_v ourselves_o any_o imaginable_a account_n of_o their_o institution_n and_o now_o what_o clear_a evidence_n can_v any_o man_n demand_n for_o a_o divine_a right_n of_o superiority_n and_o subordination_n of_o church_n officer_n than_o our_o saviour_n own_o express_a and_o particular_a institution_n yes_o say_v they_o but_o the_o inequality_n between_o the_o twelve_o apostle_n and_o the_o seventy_o disciple_n consist_v in_o a_o superiority_n of_o order_n and_o office_n not_o of_o power_n and_o jurisdiction_n very_o good_a this_o grant_v all_o that_o we_o can_v desire_v or_o demand_v to_o prove_v the_o supreme_a authority_n of_o the_o supreme_a order_n because_o every_o superior_a ecclesiastical_a order_n as_o such_o be_v authoritative_a and_o therefore_o a_o eminency_n of_o order_n must_v not_o only_o infer_v but_o include_v a_o superiority_n of_o power_n see_v the_o order_n itself_o as_o such_o if_o it_o be_v any_o thing_n be_v the_o proper_a and_o immediate_a seat_n of_o authority_n and_o all_o the_o jurisdiction_n of_o the_o bishop_n whatsoever_o it_o be_v be_v claim_v and_o exercise_v by_o virtue_n of_o his_o order_n so_o that_o if_o the_o apostle_n be_v the_o high_a order_n of_o ecclesiastic_n they_o be_v for_o that_o reason_n alone_o though_o there_o be_v no_o other_o the_o high_a judicature_n and_o in_o the_o same_o degree_n of_o proportion_n that_o they_o be_v advance_v above_o other_o in_o dignity_n of_o title_n they_o be_v so_o in_o supremacy_n of_o power_n because_o their_o dignity_n as_o such_o be_v nothing_o else_z but_o so_o much_o power_n in_o the_o church_n of_o god_n divest_v they_o of_o that_o and_o they_o immediate_o return_v to_o the_o condition_n of_o ordinary_a and_o unconsecrated_a man_n and_o the_o apostle_n themselves_o be_v no_o more_o than_o all_o other_o common_a believer_n but_o by_o virtue_n of_o their_o commission_n to_o rule_v and_o govern_v the_o church_n reverse_v that_o and_o they_o be_v degrade_v from_o their_o order_n as_o well_o as_o strip_v of_o their_o jurisdiction_n so_o lamentable_o do_v these_o learned_a man_n entangle_v themselves_o by_o distinguish_v so_o vain_o in_o this_o case_n between_o a_o superiority_n of_o order_n and_o power_n when_o the_o one_o be_v not_o only_o the_o very_a ground_n and_o foundation_n but_o to_o speak_v in_o the_o language_n of_o the_o schoolman_n from_o who_o these_o metaphysical_a nothing_o be_v take_v the_o very_a formality_n of_o the_o other_o and_o the_o apostolical_a power_n be_v formal_o and_o as_o such_o the_o very_a same_o with_o the_o apostolical_a office_n so_o little_a real_a difference_n be_v there_o in_o this_o distinction_n that_o it_o be_v not_o possible_a to_o frame_v one_o in_o notion_n and_o conception_n but_o whoever_o pretend_v to_o conceive_v one_o must_v of_o necessity_n conceive_v both_o or_o conceive_v nothing_o and_o therefore_o i_o will_v very_o fain_o know_v wherein_o consist_v this_o superiority_n of_o order_n and_o dignity_n without_o any_o superiority_n of_o power_n for_o what_o do_v man_n mean_v by_o power_n but_o a_o right_a to_o govern_v and_o what_o by_o order_n but_o a_o superiority_n of_o some_o as_o ruler_n and_o a_o subordination_n of_o other_o as_o rule_v what_o then_o be_v the_o difference_n between_o a_o inequality_n of_o order_n and_o power_n when_o they_o both_o equal_o signify_v superiority_n and_o subjection_n
and_o therefore_o in_o answer_n to_o it_o i_o will_v at_o present_v only_o return_v these_o few_o brief_a consideration_n each_o whereof_o will_v be_v enough_o to_o satisfy_v man_n if_o they_o will_v be_v reasonable_a and_o altogether_o more_o than_o enough_o to_o silence_v they_o if_o they_o will_v not_o the_o first_o ill_a consequence_n then_o of_o this_o opinion_n be_v only_o this_o that_o it_o charge_v our_o saviour_n and_o his_o apostle_n of_o not_o make_v sufficient_a provision_n for_o the_o last_a peace_n and_o settlement_n of_o the_o church_n so_o that_o have_v not_o after-age_n supply_v their_o defect_n in_o such_o thing_n as_o be_v absolute_o necessary_a to_o the_o government_n of_o it_o there_o have_v be_v no_o remedy_n for_o cure_v or_o avoid_v eternal_a schism_n and_o division_n for_o according_a to_o this_o account_n of_o the_o original_a of_o the_o episcopal_a superiority_n all_o the_o world_n be_v by_o sad_a experience_n convince_v of_o its_o great_a necessity_n for_o 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abolish_v and_o a_o new_a form_n of_o government_n set_v up_o but_o that_o be_v find_v inconvenient_a it_o be_v think_v good_a and_o agree_v upon_o in_o all_o church_n to_o lay_v that_o aside_o and_o restore_v the_o old_a apostolical_a superiority_n these_o be_v very_o hard_a conceit_n especial_o when_o they_o can_v so_o much_o as_o pretend_v to_o give_v we_o any_o the_o least_o probable_a account_n where_o and_o when_o and_o by_o who_o this_o be_v do_v and_o this_o be_v pretty_a modest_a to_o bear_v up_o so_o confident_o against_o all_o the_o current_n of_o antiquity_n without_o so_o much_o as_o any_o pretence_n of_o ground_n or_o evidence_n to_o rely_v upon_o but_o so_o it_o happen_v once_o upon_o a_o time_n in_o which_o toto_fw-la orb_n decretum_fw-la est_fw-la though_o when_o that_o time_n be_v we_o have_v no_o more_o certain_a knowledge_n than_o we_o have_v in_o what_o degree_n of_o latitude_n this_o totus_fw-la orbis_n lie_v perhaps_o it_o be_v as_o blondel_n will_v have_v it_o 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in_o which_o all_o mankind_n conspire_v