PRESBYTERS such as now are SUBJECT TO BISHOPS This he confesseth to be the common opinion of the Greeke Fathers and surely they were as well skilled in Scriptures and Church History as any Elders in your divine Assembly 28. The reason why the Church of God so universally alter'd this Title of Apostle into Bishop is given by Theodoret and this it is b Theodoret. in 1. Tim. 3.1 That the name APOSTLE might be reserved to those who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 APOSTLES verily and indeed to those that were ordained by Christ himselfe Well the end of this appropriation was that the Church might settle and continue that necessary distinction betweene the Apostles ordained by Christ the Apostles ordained by man and Presbyters 29. If this distinction had not been setled in time how should we have been able to know an Apostle properly so called from an Apostle improperly so called What a strange confusion would have overspread the face of the Church if Epaphroditus Timothy and Titus had still been called Apostles c Ib. as Theodoret justifies they were in the Primitive times If all of that Order had reteined the same Title how should we have been able to distinguish Saint Peter from Peter the Apostle of Alexandria St Paul from Paul the Apostle of Antioch and St John from John of Hierusalem Thus we should have had not onely d 2. Cor. 11.13 false Apostles but Hereticall and Atheisticall Apostles which would have brought that Holy and Reverend name into contempt How should we have knowne by whom the Canonicall Epistles had been written For the Titles runne thus The Epistle of Paul the Apostle The Epistle of Peter the Apostle of John the Apostle c. So then if this distinction had not been provided corruption upon corruption must have followed for Epistles have been written by more Pauls then one and those Pauls Apostles too 30. The distinction then was necessary and though the Title were alterd the Order was not nor yet the Office The Fathers conceived not that they offer'd the least affront or derogation to St James in calling him Bishop whom the Scripture had honoured with the Title of Apostle If they had deemed so either they would not have given him that appellation or they would never have called his Episcopacy e Rusin histi l. 2. c. 1. Primatûs gloriam the glory of the Primacie and f Euseb hist l. 2. c. 1. an honour of no meane esteeme Neither had Timothy and Titus the lesse honour or power because they were called Bishops What the Apostles could doe which was of ordinary Jurisdiction and power and necessary for the preservation of the Church that could they Walo Messalinus shewes much ingenuity in this acknowledgement g Walo Messal p. 62. EPISCOPI SUMMUM in Ecclesiastico ordine GRADUM obtinent ut olim tennere qui APOSTOLI vocabantur BISHOPS hold the CHIEFE DEGREE in the Ecclesiasticall order as heretofore they did who were called APOSTLES But Apostles and Presbyters were never reckoned to be of the same Order The distinction is plaine Act. 15.6.23 Where it is said that h Act. 15.6 The Apostles and Presbyters came together to consider of this matter And i Ib. v. 23. The Apostles and Presbyters send greeting This is readily acknowledged by St Hierome and Walo Messalinus as is manifested § 71. 31. Agreed upon it is that Apostles and Presbyters are not the same if then Bishops properly and strictly so called be of the same Order with the Apostles it followes necessarily that our Bishops and Presbyters are not of one and the same Order or Function Neither hath corrupt custome but Scripture it selfe made this distinction The second Proposition That the Title of Bishop hath been by him by this one assumed as in other things so in the matter of Ordination 32. FIrst appropriated and ascribed and then assumed Not first assumed and then appropriated If then any fault be fall it must upon the times wherein that custome prevailed or upon the Persons that ascribed this Title to that one not upon the Bishops for they assumed it not it was first appropriated to them by your owne confession But it was appropriated and ascribed unto them in corrupt times truly no lesse then 1600 yeares since and assumed or rather retained to this day And lawfull it is for me to assume as you please to speak that what ever it be which hath k See §. 23 24. c. upon so just grounds been appropriated to me as this Title was to the Order Apostolike For it was done either by the Apostles themselves or by their Orthodox Schollers How can yee say then that l Ordin p. 2. it was not meet 33. But before I passe further I cannot but take notice that you who have so highly cryed out upon Et Caetera have slipt into the same error for In other things is neither better nor worse but a plaine c. which ought to have been avoided by such wise men as have condemned it with so much detestation Secondly you say in the matter of Ordination Herein had you consulted with your Assembly men certainly you would have strook out matter for the Greeke and our Reformed Churches use no matter or element in Ordination We use a Forme of words and Imposition of hands onely such Learned men cannot but know this Matter was either ignorantly or superfluously put in 34. But why hath the Title of Bishop been assumed in Ordination Does the Title Ordaine Is that sufficiem a Phrase not easily construed it needs a Commentary from some of your Divines In the mean time I shall guesse at your meaning which I conceive to be this He to whom custome hath appropriated the title of Bishop hath assumed Ordination to himselfe This being your meaning I shall make bold to say that this assertion is not true 35. The Bishops assumed not they took not this power of Ordination to themselves it was conferr'd upon them with their Orders It is so innate so inherent to that Order which we now call Episcopacy that no other Order may Ordaine Not Deacons so you say not Presbyters so m Epiphan haer 75. Epiphanius and n Hieron ad Evagr. Ep. 85. S. Hierom and with them all Antiquitie In the New Testament this power is only given to the Apostles or Bishops strictly so called and executed by them only It was given to the Apostles in o S. Mat. 10.8 Gratis accepistis gratis date freely ye have received freely give so p Ambros de dignit Sacerdot cap. 5. S. Ambrose so q Hieron in loc S. Hierome so r Apud Balsam p. 1085. Gennadius Patriarke of Constantinople with the whole Synod of his Patriarchate to Bishop Titus Tit. 1.5 to Bishop Timothy 1. Tim. 5.22 and to Bishop Epaphroditus by Walo Messalinus confession p. 58. 36. Practised it was only by Apostles or Bishops properly so called in Scripture
deberipraecipue EPISCOPORUM DOCTRINAE ET INDUSTRIAE I know saith he that the Reformation of the Church of England and the subversion of Popery next after God and the Soveraignes of this Kingdome are chiefly due to the LEARNING AND INDUSTRY OF THEIR BISHOPS 10. Let other men be of what opinion they please ye are resolved downe they shall p Ordin Iune 12. 1643. p. 1. For the setling therefore of a NEW GOVERNMENT and for the vindicating and clearing of the Doctrine of the Church of England from all false calumnies and aspersions it is thought fit and necessary to call an Assembly of Learned Godly and Judicious Divines to consult and advise with q Ib. p. 2. The first of these is Algernon Earle of Northumberland and with him nine Lords and twenty Knights and Burgesses After these come in the rest of the Learned Divines called Ministers 11. And that ye may be sure to have the whole worke goe forward according to your owne hearts desire you order very warily and discreetly that r Ib. p. 4. such other Person and Persons as shall be nominated and appointed by both Houses of Parliament shall meet and assemble for the purposes before mentioned And if you like them not you will aire them and Å¿ Ib. from time to time remove them from place to place And if that will not qualifie their heat and pull down their stubborne stomacks then t Ib. shall they be dissolved in such manner as by both Houses of Parliament shall be directed Complaine no longer that Trent was no free Councell declame not against their shifts and devices your selves have outstripped them for never men made surer worke 12. Well meet they shall and that they may answer the expectation of Men and Angells u Ib. the said Persons being at least of the number of Forty shall have power and authority To doe what even to conferre and Treat amongst themselves of such matters and things touching and concerning the Liturgie Discipline and Government of the Church of England A large Commission indeed 13. Observe I pray you Forty of these may conferre and Treat Forty whereof there are Ten Lords Twenty Members of the House of Commons and to these they may adde such other Persons for number and affection as it shall please both Houses to nominate and appoint So there may be Ten Divines or no Divines in the Assembly as it shall please the Houses And yet it shall be called an Assembly of Divines because ye have Voted them to be so But they must no further * Ib. p. 5. advise or deliver their opinions then shall be required by both or either of the Houses Neither may they meddle with these or any other things but x Ib. as they shall be proposed unto them by one or both Houses But how if the Houses will not propose Then must these be mute Neither may they y Ib. divulge by Printing Writing or otherwise their opinions and advices without the consent of both or either House of Parliament What are these then but Iourney-men to the Houses z Ib. If any difference in opinion arise among these Divines it is to be represented to one or both of the Houses and from thence they shall receive such directions as shall be requisite The Houses then are to moderate and determine the Assembly onely to Treat and Advise Thus I have briefly presented unto you the full Power and Authority of the Assembly 14. Well advised it seemes they have and an Ordinance for Ordination you have given us but you tell us not that this Ordinance is framed according to their advice but according to the Directory for Ordination and Rules for Examination therein expressed These words caused me heretofore to dream of a more full Directory But I see by your Directory for publicke Prayers that we are like to have no other a Ord. p. 15. till the Twelve Moneths be over for so long this Ordinance stands in force and no longer So say you and so say I by Gods grace Thus farre I have gone with your Title Page and now I shall make bold with the frame of your Ordinance and see upon what Foundation it is setled 15. The old Crambe is layed for the Corner stone But if this totter and faile farewell frame the Directory and Ordinance are at an end they will hardly hold out the Twelve Moneths they were provided for And they end October the second next ensuing You follow your grand Champion Mounseir Smectymnuns and by him you are misled He saies that b Smect Answ p. 21. 26. the word Presbyter and the word Bishop doe in the Scriptures signifie one and the same Function and c Ord. p. 1. you justifie it As if the difference were about a bare Title or Word and not about an Order or Function of the highest moment in spiritualls Which failing the two other Orders and both the Sacraments will suddenly sinke As shall with Gods blessing be fully manifested when it shall please him to afford us a Presse and Paper 16. In the meane space I could tell you of the Bishop of Norwich and some others that have often foiled your Champion and send you to review their Workes But I shall not boast of other mens strength nor relye upon their Weapons though they be keene enough for that purpose I shall joyne with you upon a shorter issue Briefly then thus 17. I yeeld it to be true setting by the Postscripts to Timothy and Titus that the word Presbyter and the word Bishop doe in Scripture intend and signifie one and the same Function And yet these your inferences are most false namely first that d Ib. the Title of Bishop hath been by corrupt custome appropriated to one 2. That e Ib. p. 2. this Title hath been by him assumed as in other things so in Ordination 3. That f Ib. this Ordination is performed by him the Bishop being a Presbyter 4. That g Ib. Presbyters so ordained may ordaine other Presbyters 5. That h Ib. Ordination by preaching Presbyters is an Ordinance of Christ These are your owne Propositions and with these by Gods grace I shall deale severally as they lye in your owne words The first Proposition The Title of Bishop hath been by corrupt custome appropriated to one 18. THis Proposition is false it was no corrupt custome but uncorrupt discretion that appropriated the Title of Bishop to one in every severall Diocesse It was done by those who detested corruption with a perfect hatred But this Title was not so appropriated to one as to his person that might be layed downe at the yeares end as the Title of Major in a Corporation but it was appropriated to his Office or Order and not given him till he were of a severall Order from Presbyter which Order and Title can never be layed aside or taken from him 19. Give me leave therefore to tell
you that the state of the question is mistaken by too many For it is not whether the word Bishop and the word Presbyter doe in Scriptures signifie one and the same Function not yet whether a Bishop and a Presbyter be of one and the same Order in Scripture But the question rightly stated is this Whether there be an Order in Scripture distinct from the Order of Presbyter and Superiour to that Order 20. To quarrell about names and words had not wont to be the custome of the Church of Christ for plaine it is that we speak not alwaies as the Scripture speakes The Scripture calls i Sacramentum hoc magnum eâ—â— So S. Hierom reads Eph. 5.32 Matrimony a Sacrament if we beleive S Hierom the Latine Fathers from whom we borrow the word Sacrament and yet we call it not so The Scripture never calls Baptisme or the Lords Supper a Sacrament and yet we call them both so and custome hath appropriated that name to them and yet no corrupt custome I hope The reason is because we define a Sacrament to be an outward and visible signe of an inward and spirituall grace given unto us ordained by Christ himselfe 〈◊〉 … ron in 〈…〉 7. as a meanes whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof Now Baptisme and the Lords Supper make good this definition which Matrimouy doth not 21. Neither doth the same word in Scripture signifie alwares the same Office and Order no not in the same place and verse If question be made whether there were but one High-Priest at one time in the Iewish Church we answer positively but one That is but one strictly and properly so called And yet we find many High-Priests at the same time S. Mar. 14.1 S. Luc. 22.2 S. Ioh. 11.47 But we say not that all these were High-Priests strictly and properly so called not Pontifices simpliciter but secundum quid in respect of their brethren who were under their charge And these are called the chiefe or principall Fathers of the Priests 1. Chron. 24.6 31. 22. Not in the same place and verse For S. Mat. 26.3 we find many High-Priests and one High-Priest Many High-Priests assemble together unto the Palace of Caiphas the High Priest k S. Mat. 26.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet but one of these was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly the High-Priest l Heb. 9.7 no other but he but that one might go into the Sancta Sanctorum the holyest of all m Num. 8. â— Lyra in Num. 8.5 None of them but he onely could Ordaine or Consecrate a Priest and n 1. Chron. 24.18 none of them but he had jurisdiction over all the Sonnes of Levi. 23. Thus we finde one Bishop and many Bishops in Asia and Creet Titus is the Bishop of Creet and yet in that Citty there were many Bishops For he that is called a Presbyter v. 5. is called a Bishop v. 7. Thus was it in Asia But the title of Bishop even in those times was appropriated to Timothy and Titus as is evident in the Postscripts to those Epistles wherein the former is called Bishop of the Asians and Titus Bishop of the Cretians These are they that were truly and properly named Bishops of those Churches In Scripture we find them termed so it cannot be denyed Beza is my witnesse who met with no Manuscript without these Postscripts And I hope Beza is no abettor of corruptions in Scripture 24. Timothy and Titus were ordained by St Paul and by him for ought any man can say they were called Bishops I am certaine they are called so by the Spirit of God or Beza hath abused us And these that are thus called so in those places were for their time the only Bishops of those Churches These had Iurisdiction spirituall over all Persons in those severall Churches not only over Lay-men and Deacons but over the Presbyter-Bishops also even to convent censure silence and to cast them out of the Church These Bishops also had the right and power of Ordination which the Presbyter Bishops never had 25. What were they in those times distinguished only by right and power and not by titles No such matter Those whom we now call Bishops were at the first named Apostles But those whom we now call Presbyters or Priests were then indifferently stiled Bishops or Presbyters If I prove not this I deserve blame but if I shall make this Assertion good I shall doe the truth and you service and I hope yee will doe the truth and your selves that honour as to lay the censure where the fault is even upon those that have misled you 26. My first witnesse shall be Theodoret who certifies us that o Theodorer in Philip. 1.1 while St Pauls Epistles were writing the same Persons were called both Presbyters and Bishops but those who are now named BISHOPS were then called APOSTLES But in processe of time the Title of APOSTLE was left to those who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 APOSTLES properly and truly so called And the name of BISHOP was appropriated to those who heretofore were called APOSTLES With Theodoret accords St Hierome who testifies that p Hieron in Gal. 1.19 The Apostles ordained Apostles Calvin saith as much upon 1. Cor. 4.9 So here are more Apostles then twelve or thirteene 27. Would you know who are the Apostles that these speake of The Scriptures tell us of q Gal. 1.19 St James of r Philip. 2.25 Epaphroditus an Å¿ 1. Cor. 49. Apollo who in their severall places are expresly galled Apostles Witnesse the Greeke Text the originall Lancuage of those Epistles And St Hierome justifies that t Hieron Câ—tal c. 4. this St James was Bishop of Hierusalem but none of the Twelve as too many ignorantly conceive but u Hieron in Es 17. decimus tertius Apostolorum the thirteenth Apostle None of those that were immediatly ordained by Christ himselfe he was * Hieron in Catal. c. 4. ab ipsis Apostolis ordainatus ordained by the Apostles suddenly after our Saviours Passion x Theodoret. in Phil 2 25. Epaphroditus likewise was Bishop of Philippi and y Hieron in Tit. 3. â—3 Apollo Bishop of Corinth Apostles in Scripture Language but Bishops in the Church Language None of these were ordained by our Saviour but by his Apostles yet z Walo Messal p. 43.44.244 these were of the same Order and Power with their Ordainers and clearly of a different Order from Presbyters You shall heare what your deare friend Wale Messalinus speakes a Apostolorum tempore Apostolos ipsos veros juisse Ecclesiarum Episcopos Episcopos autem qui tunc fic nominabaÌ„tur in Presbyterorum ordine stetisse quales nunc Episcopis subditi sunt Walo Messal p. 355. In the time of the Apostles the APOSTLES themselves were the TRUE BISHOPS of those Churches But they who in those times were called BISHOPS were of the same Order with