with the Neighbour Ministers in Essex And I have had Letters from many of that way with whom I Correspond full of Christian Love and Piety and hatred of calumny and separations But verily I must tell you that when we find any of you in your writings and Sermons making it your work to vilifie the Ministry and with the Quakers to make them odious to the people and making your jeers and railing and uncharitableness the life of your Sermons we cannot but suspect that you are Popish Emissaries while we find you in their work or else that you are Malignant Enemies and of the sâ—â—pentine brood whose heads shall shortly be bruised by the Lord. 4. And if it be the disuse of your Common Prayer that you separate from us for I would know of you whâ—ther you would have denyed Communion with all that lived before it had a being If this be your Religion I may ask you where was your Religion before Luther before King Edwards daies If you say in the Mass book and what else can you say I ask you then where was it before the Mass book had a being Would you have denyed Communion to the Apostles and all the Primitive Church for some hundreds of years that never used your Book of Common Prayer will you still make things indifferent necessary 2. One word to those of you that follow Grotius I have shewed that he professeth himself a Papist even in that Discussion which M r Pierce so magnifieth as excellent I hear Mr. Thorndike and others defend him and some think I injure him by calling him a Papist Wonderful what will not be a Controversie among learned men Are we faln among such that deny him to be a Papist that professeth expresly to be satisfied if evil manners be but corrected and school-school-opinions not imposed which are contrary to Tradition and all Councils and that professeth to own the Creed and Council of Trent and all the Popish Councils whatsoever and the Mistriship of Rome and the Catholick Mastership of the Pope governing the Catholick Church according to these Councils What is a Papist if this be none I refer you to my Evidence in the Discovery of the Grotian Religion and the first Chap. of the second Part of my Catholick Key replying to Mr. Pierce Confute it rationally if you can I shall now only desire you when you have read Rivet to read a Book called Grotius Papizans and to hearken to the testimony of an honest learned Senator of Paris that admired Grotius and tells you what he is from his own mouth and that is Claud. Sarravius who saith in his Epistol pag. 52 53. ad Gronov. De ejus libro libello postremis interrogatus respondit plane Milleterio Consona Romanam fidem esse veram sinceram solosqâ—e Clericorum mores degeneres schismati dedisse locum adferebatque plura in hanc sententiam Quid dicam Merito quod falso olim Paulo Agrippa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deploro veris lachrymis tantam jacturam Here you have a credible witness that from his own mouth reporteth it that our Reformation was to Grotius a schism and nothing but the ill manners of the Clergy gave us the opportunity And pag. 190. Epist. ad Salmas Vis ergo me exerte dicere quid sentiam de postremo Grotii libro an omnia mihi in eo probentur Rem rogas non magnam nec adeo difficilem quemque expedire promptum est Tantum abest ut omnia probem ut vix aliquid in eo reperiam cui sine conditione calculum apponam meum Verissime dixit ille qui primus dixit Grotium Papizare Vix tamen in isto scripto aliquid legi quod mirarer quodve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occurreret Nunquid enim omnes istiusmodi ejusdem authoris lucubrationes erga Papistarum errores perpetuam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erga Jesuitas amorem erga nos plus quam Vatinianum odium produnt clamant In Voto quod ejus nomen praeferebat an veritus est haec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profiteri Had none of you owned Grotius his Popery I would never have charged it on you But when Grotius himself glorieth of his adherents in England and so many of you plainly defend him and profess your owning of those books and those doctrines in which his Popery is contained if ever Popery were known in the world I must then crave your pardon if I think somewhat the worse of Popery because they that hold it are ashamed of it For I abhor that Religion which a man hath cause to be ashamed of and will not save him from being a loser by it that owneth it and standeth to it to the last And I think that man hath no Religion who hath none which he will openly profess and stand to I have at this time but these few requests to make to you which I beseech you to answer without partiality 1. That you will seriously consider whether it be truly Catholick to unchurch us and so many Churches of Christ as are of our mind as your partakers do Because Catholicism is your pretense consider whether you be not further from it then most people in the world 2. Because I conceive this Book is not suited to your great objections I desire your perusal of another that comes out with it called A Key for Catholicks especially the second Part and if you cannot answer them take heed how you continue Papists 3. While you hold us for no Ministers or Churches or Capable of your Communion it is in vain for us to hope for Communion with you but we desire that you will consider of those terms of a more distant sort of Communion which there I have propounded in the End of the first and second Part and deny us not that much 4. At least we beseech you that while you are Papists you will deal openly and no worse with us then sober Papists that speak according to their Consciences use to do Do not let it as the Lord Falkland speaks be in the Power of so much per annum nor of your factious interest to keep you from professing your selves to be what you are and do not make the Protestant name a meer cloak to secure you in the opposing of the Protestant Cause and follow not the example of Spalatensis and the Counsel of Campian and Parsons in feigning a sort of Doctrinal Puritans and railing at Protestants under that name Deal with us but as sober Papists do and we shall take it thankfully How highly doth Bodin a Learned Papist extol the Presbyterian Discipline at Genevah from its effects when among many of you it hath as odious titles as if it were some blasphemous damning thing What sober Papist would talk as Mr. Pierce doth p. 30. of the great abomination of the Presbyterian Directory and not be able to name one thing in it that is abominable Is it a great
mistake Prop. 11. He that disobeyeth the Word of God in the mouth of a Minister or Church governor committeth a double sin in comparison of him that disobeyeth the same word in the mouth of a private man for bsides the sin which he first committeth he breaketh also the fifth Commandment and despiseth Christ in his Messenger As a man that shall refuse to worship God to use his name reverently c. when a private man telleth him that it is his duty doth sin by that refusal but if he refuse it when his own Father or Mother or Minister command him he also breaks the fifth Commandment besides the rest Ministerial Authority therefore doth aggravate the sins of persons that are disobedient Prop. 12. Yet for all this one private man that evinceth out of Scripture a sin or a duty contrary to the doctrine or commands of our Guides must be regarded in that before them and the evidence and divine verity which he bringeth must not be refused because Church Governors are against it Otherwise we should make Gods Officers to be greater then himself and the Promulgators and Preachers of his Law to have power to null or frustrate the known Law which they should proclaim and that the means is to be preferred before the end and when it destroyes the end and so ceaseth it self to be a means which are things not to be imagined Prop. 13. Yet is it a great sin for any men lightly and rashly to suspect their Teachers and Rulers and much more Councils or the whole Church and too easily to credit the singular opinions of any private man or dissenting Pastor But we should be very suspicious of the private man rather and of the singular man and therefore should search well and see good reason for it before we credit them though we may not refuse any truth which they shall bring Prop. â—4 The uses of Synods or Councils is not directly to be superiour Governours of particular Pastors and Churches but it is Directly 1. For the Information and Edification of the Pastorâ— themselves by the collation of their reasons and mutual advice 2. For the Vnion and Communion of the said Pastors and of the particular Churches by them that they may agree in one and go hand in hand to do Gods work and so may avoid the crossing and hindering of each other and one may not receive those to communion without satisfaction who are excommunicated by others and so that by this concord of Pastors they may be strengthened to a more successfull performance of their duties But then these Direct ends of Synods being presupposed Indidirectly they may truly be said to be for Government Because God in general having commanded us to carry on his work as much as we can in Unity and Peace and it being the proper work of Councils to agree upon wayes of Unity it followeth that for Unity sake it becomes our duty to submit to their just Agreements and so that the forming of such Agreements or Canons is consequently or Indirectly a part of Government though Directly it is but for Unity and Concord Pastors in Synods have the same power over their people as they have out and therefore what Canons they make justly for the Government of the people as Pastors are Directly acts of Government but as Assembled Pastors and also as to the Canons by which they bind each other they act but by consent or contract in order to concord and communion and not by a superiour Ruling power So that Synods as Synods are Directly only Gratiâ Vnitatis Communionis and not Gratia Regiminis but Indirectly and by consequence from the first use they are after a sort Regimental To conclude this about the Nature of Church-Government in the two former similitudes it is somewhat apparent For Christ calls himself the Physitian that comes to heal diseased souls and his Church is also a School and his people are all Schollars or Disciples and Ministers his Ushers or under-Schoolmasters Now the Physitian may prescribe to his Patient the times the quantities of taking Medicines and what diet to use and what exercise in order to his health and also Physitians may make a Colledge and frequently meet for mutual Edification and Agree what Patients to meddle with and what not and that they will not receive those Patients that run from one to another to their own hurt and that they will use none but such and such approved Medicaments with divers the like circumstances But yet no Physitian can either compell men to be their Patients nor compell them any otherwise then by perswasion to take their Medicines when they are their Patients nor can they corporally punish them for any disobedience to their directions But this they may do they may tell them first that if they will not be ruled they shall be without the Physitians help and then their desease will certainly kill them or endanger them and if the Patient continue so disobedient as to frustrate the means of cure the Physitian may give him over and be his Physitian no more and this is the Power of a Church Guide and this is his way of punishing Only he may further acquaint them with a Divine Commission then a Physician can do to his Patient at least gradually and so press obedience more effectually on their consciences So a Schoolmaster may make orders for the right circumstantiating of matters in his School supposing one Grammer enjoyned by superiour Authority and he may order what Authors shall be read and at what hours and how much at a time and dispose of the seats and orders of his Schollars But yet if he be a Teacher of the Adult according to our case he cannot corporally punish those that either refuse to be his Schollars or to learn of him or obey him but the utmost that he can do is to put some disgrace upon them while they abide in his School and at last to shut them out And then all the Schoolmasters in the Countrey may well agree upon one Method of Teaching and that they will not receive those without satisfaction into one School who are for obstinacy and abuse cast out of another But such Agreements or Meetings to that end do not make either one Physitian or Schoolmaster to be the Governour of the rest or above another nor yet to have the charge of all the Schollars or Patients of all the rest so is it in the case of Ecclesiastical Assemblies HAving said this much concerning the Nature of Church-Power and Government I come to the second thing promised which is to enumerate the several sorts of Bishops that are to fall under our consideration that so we may next consider which of them are to be allowed of And here I suppose none will expect that I shew them all these sorts distinctly existent it is enough that I manifest them to be in themselves truly different 1. And first the name Bishop may be given
are against the great undoubted Truths of Christ from infecting others and own all that hold the Necessary Truths in Godliness and Charity you will please both God and most good men And if you hold your personall Communion with those that are of your own judgement in lesser differences this will not lose you the affections of the godly though of a few factious persons it may as long as you are a tender Father to them all though you Communicate but with some The Godly Emperours that supprest the Arrians and many Heresies maintained the Novatians in the Liberty of their Churches and were beloved both by the Novatians and the Orohodox But if you couâ—â— be the happy instrument of taking away the Divisions of the Godly that there might be no such thing as Parties or Separations known among them though diversity of opinions there will be and if you could give all the Ministers of the Nation a pattern of such union of the tolerable dissenting parties in your own Pastors with whom you shall Communicate this would be the way to lift you highest in the Esteem and Love of all your people and make them see that you were appointed of God to be a Healer and Restorer and to glory in you and bless God for you as the instrument of our chiefest peace And O what a precedent and preparative it would be for the Healing of all the Protestant Churches through the world And certainly your Highness hath a fair opportunity for this happy work You enter in a season when we are tired with contention and sensible of our loss and danger and tenderer then formerly of one another and the most angry parties are much asswaged and there is not so much reproach and bitterness among the Godly as lately there hath been A Spirit of Peace and Healing is lately risen in the hearts of many thousands in the Land and Ministers that differed do lovingly associate and most do feel the smart of our Divisions and are so prepared for a perfecter closure that they wait but for some Leading hand I am certain that there are Healing Principles before us and a temperament is obvious to judicious charitable men upon which we might accord And though some are too rough to lie in any building yet moderate men are to be found of every party that deserveth your encouragement whom you may use as a precedent to the rest and instruments to promote this work It is you that have those great advantages that can facilitate that which to others were impossible and from you it is expected In this Book and one of Confirmation which I lately published I confidently affirm is contained much of that Reforming Reconciling Truth which must heal us if ever we be healed And though the study of such matters require much time yet seeing God commandeth Princes that the Book of his Law depart not out of their mouthes but that they meditate in it day and night that they may do according to it Iosh. 1.8 I may suppose that they will be willing also to meditate on such Books as help them to understand it I should have been as ready as another to censure such an address as this as guilty of presumptuous boldness but that I consider what is the work of my Calling and what it is to be faithfull to the Eternall God and am conscious of fidelity to your Highness in my boldness and know that these are necessary Truths and that to the Counsellors of Peace is joy Prov. 12.20 and have no interest in this world that I regard in comparison of the Churches happiness My earnest Prayers for your Highness shall be that your own soul being first subjected and devoted wholly unto God you may Rule us as one that is Ruled by him and never know any Interest but his and that which is subservient to him and may escape that stumbling stone on which the Princes of the earth do commonly dash themselves in pieces even by espousing an Interest contrary to Christs and so growing jealous of his holy waies and falling out with them and that God would endue your Highness with that heavenly Wisdom that is first Pure and then Peaceable Jam. 3.17 and you may escape the flattering suggestions of the Wisdom of the flesh and serious Piety may be the first part of your Policy that so the Eternall God may be engaged in the Protection of your Dominions and You That you may alwaies remember that you are Christs and your Peoples and not your Own and that the diligent promoting of GODLYNESS and CONCORD may be the study and resolved work of your Life This is the way and only this let flesh and blood say what it will to make you truly Great and Happy God is the Center and Common Interest of all his servants Keep close to him and they will all keep close to you There is no other Common Interest nor any thing that the Godly do so highly value If they see that it is indeed for God they can bear any thing or do any thing for they are wholly devoted to him alone The more of God appeareth on you and the more you promote his Interest in the world the highlyer will you be advanced and the dearer will you be to all that Love him And even with the ungodly multitude that Piety is honoured in Princes that is despised in their neighbours and the hand of God is plainly demonstrated in their surviving Honour the names of Pious Princes being Great when the Greatest leave a name that is vile even in the mouthes of common worldly men who are ready to keep a Holy-day for a Saint when he is dead though they hate or will not imitate the living Your Zeal for God will kindle in your subjects a Zeal for you The moâ—e your Life and Government is Divine the more Divine will you appear and therefore the more Amiable and Honourable to the Good and Reverend to the evil Parliaments will Love and Honour you and abhor the motions that tend to a division or your just displeasure Ministers will heartily Pray for you and Praise the Lord for his mercies by you and teach all the people to Love and Honour and Obey you The people will rejoyce in you and you will be Loved or Feared of all Such happiness attendeth serious Piety when impiety selfishness and neglect of Christ is the shame and ruine of Prince and People I crave your Highness pardon of this boldness and your favourable acceptance of the tendered service of A faithfull subject to your Highness as you are an Officer of the Universall King Richard Baxter A PREFACE to those of the Nobility Gentry and Commons of this Land that adhere to PRELACY Honourable Worshipful and Beloved Country-men IT being much for your sakes that I have published the following Disputations it behoveth me here to address my self to you in a few preparatory words What distance there hath long been and still continueth
valid 6. The Old Episcopal Divines thought it lawful to joyn in actual Communion with the Pastors and Churches that were not Prelatical But the New ones separate from their communion and teach the people to do so supposing Sacramental administrations to be there performed by men that are no Ministers and have no authority 7. The Old Episcopal Divines thought it meet to suspend silence imprison or undo those Godly Divines that did not bow towards the Altar or publish to their People Declarations or Instructions for Dancing on the Lords Day or that did preach twice a day But many of the New ones practically told us that this was their judgement Of these differences I have given you some proof hereafter and would do here in the express words of the Authors on both sides were it not that I should be needlesly tedious and that I should unnecessarily offend the particular Divines of the New party who are among us by reciting their words More of the differences I pass by I. And now I would know of those of you that follow the Ancient Episcopal Divines what hindereth you from a charitable peaceable Communion with those Orthodox Ministers now in England that some of you stand at a distance from Doctrinal differences at least requiring such a distance you cannot pretend B p Hall tels you in his Peace-maker after cited that there is none between you and the Forrein Presbyterian Churches And as for the matter of Episcopacy if you will insist upon the late English Frame as necessary viz. That there be but One Bishop over many hundred Churches and that he have the sole power of Excommunication and that he rule by a Layâ—Chancellor c. and be a Lord and seconded with a forcing power c. then you will forsake the Iudgement of your Leaders For they will tell you that some of these are but separable appurtenances some of them corruptions and blemishes and some not Necessary What need we any more ado You see in the published Iudgements of B p Hall B p Usher D r Holdsworth Forbes and others after cited that they would have all Presbyters to be Governors of the Churches one of them having a stated Presidency or Moderatorship and this will content them And are we not then agreed I am confident most of the Ministers in England would be content to yield you this But what if there be some that are not of your mind concerning the stated Presidency which you desire will you therefore uncharitably refuse communion with them so would not your Leaders In this therefore you will forsake them and forsake many holy Churches of Christ and forsake charity and Christ himself that teacheth you another lesson Will it not content you that you have freedom your selves to do that which seemeth best in your own eyes unless all others be of your opinion But perhaps you will say that you have not Liberty your selves to practise according to this your judgement To which I answer 1. Your Brethren of the Ministery have not the power of the Sword and therefore do neither deny you Liberty nor can give it you It is the Magistrates work And will you separate from us for other mens doings For that you have no rational pretence If you know of any that perswade Magistrates to restrain your Liberty that 's nothing to others Censure none but those that you know to be guilty 2. I never knew that you were deprived of the Liberty of exercising such an Episcopacy as the forementioned Bishops do desire I do not believe you could be hindered and we that are your neighbours never hear of it I know not of either Law or Execution against you If you think that the clause in the Covenant or the Ordinance against Prelacy or the late Advice that excepts Prelacy from Liberty are any restraint to you I think you are much mistaken It is only the late frame of Prelacy as it stood by Law exercised by Archbishops Bishops Deans Chancellors c. and that by force upon dissenters that is taken down You have not Liberty to force any by corporal punishment to your obedience But you have full Liberty for ought that ever I heard to exercise the meer Episcopacy desired by Hall Usher and such like on all that are of your judgement and will submit to it That we may hold constant Assemblies of Pastors we find by experience And in these Assemblies if you will choose one for your stated President who will hinder you No one I am confident Tell us whoever suffered for so doing or was prohibited or any way hindered from it by any force Nay more if you will give this President a Negative vote in Ordination and Iurisdiction who will hinder you yea who can If twenty Ministers shall resolve that they will never Ordain or Excommunicate any without the consent yea or Command if you must have it so of such a man whom they take for their President who can or will compell them to the contrary And all the People that are of your mind have Liberty to joyn themselves with such Pastors on such terms and submit themselves to you if they will But you will say that this is no setting up of Episcopacy while every one that is unwilling to obey us may refuse it I answer This is all that the Nature of Episcopacy requireth And this is all that the Church saw practised even Rome it self for above three hundred years after Christ. And is not that now tolerable for your Communion with us which served then for the Communion of all the Churches on earth Is the Primitive pattern of purity and simplicity become so vile in your eyes as to be inconsistent with Christian Communion Let not such principles be heard from your mouths or seen in your practises Whether the Magistrate ought to compell us all to be of your mind or way I will not now meddle with but if he will not will you therefore separate from your Brethren Or will you not exercise the Primitive Episcopacy on Consenters because you have not the sword to force Dissenters And are you denied your Liberty because you are not backed by the Sword This concerneth other mens Liberties and not yours You have the Liberty of Episcopal Government though not of smiting others with the Magistrates Sword and as much Liberty for ought I know as Presbyterians or Independents have though not so much countenance And how comes it to pass that the other modes of Government are commonly exercised upon meer Liberty and yours is not Is it because you have no confidence in any Arm but flesh If your Episcopal Power be of Divine appointment why may you not trust to a Divine assistance as well as others that you think are not of God If it can do nothing without the Sword let the Sword do all without it and retain its proper honour If it can do less on voluntary Subjects then other ways of Church-government can
do say so and confess it most infirm and give place to them But if yours have most Authority from Christ and spiritual force upon the Conscience exercise it and let us see it by experience or else expect not that any should believe you or take you to be resolute servants of Christ and true to your Ministry But perhaps you will say that you cannot have Communion with us because we are schismaticks For so much B p Usher himself doth seem to charge us with To which I answer 1. B p Usher chargeth none with Schism but those that cast off Bishops to whom they had sworn obedience But if I may judge of other Counties by this there are so few of those that they can afford you no pretence of scruple against the Communion of our Assemblies I know not to my remembrance of one Minister in this County liable to this charge but most never swore to them and the rest had no hand in their exclusion 2. Whoever among us did either swear to or disobey such Bishops as Bishop Usher there assureth us were the Bishops of the antient Churches If they set up another intolerable sort in stead of the Bishops which he himself requireth judge whether it were a greater sin to swear to them or to disobey them 3. And the schism which he mentioneth is not such in his own judgement as makes men uncaple of your Communion This pretence therefore is frivolous Especially considering that most of us have no Prelates that so much as claim a Government over us In this County since B p Prideaux died who was one of the ancient moderate sort we know of none that ever made a pretence to the place And are we schismaticks for not obeying a Bishop when we have none And surely none can justly lay a claim to such a superiority even according to the ancient Canons unless he be first chosen by our selves yea and the people as a Reverend Bishop I hope yet living of the ancient sort hath told you Morton Apolog. Cathol Part. 1. cap. 85. p. 257. Bellarmine himself confessing that ut Clerus populus Episcopumeligeret hic modus fuit in usu tempore Chrysostomi Ambrosii Augustini Leonis Gregorii Bellarm. l. 1. de Clericis cap. 9. And other of our Bishops say the same I conclude therefore that we are not only of one faith and Church wâ—th you but differ so little in our opinions about lower things that you can thence have no pretence for an alienation And therefore with those of you that are godly and peaceable I take it for granted that we are actually agreed But if any will sacrifice the Churches Peace their Charity their souls to their parties or passions and discontents I leave them to God and to the reading of other kind of Books that tend to change an unrenewed mind II. And to those of you that follow the newer strain of Prelatical Divines I shall adventure a few words how small soever the probability is of their success And 1. To those of you that are not departed from the Communion of all Protestants nor gone with Grotius over to the Romanists I beseech you as before the Lord proceed not in your bitterness uncharitableness or separation from your Brethren nor your hindering the work of God in their ministration till you are able to produce such solid grounds for what you do as you dare stand to at last before the Iudgement-seat of Christ. 1. Some of you charge us with no less then Heresie as following Aerius in the rejecting of Bishops or equalizing Presbyters with them and can you hold communion with Hereticks I answer 1. All is not heresie that every angry man hath called so no not of the venerable Ancients Do you indeed take your Dignity and preheminence to be an Article of our Faith Why then was it never in the Creed 2. Many among us are for Episcopacy that are not for your sort of Prelacy It is that species that our Controversie is about 3. I shall answer you in the words of our Reverend Morton a Prelate though not of the New strain Apolog. Cathol Par. 1. cap. 33. pag. 96 97. who answereth the Papists that use against us the same objection Non de differentia omni sed de differentia Ordinis seu Potestate Ordinandi NB quaestio est instituenda Adversar Aerius haereticus ordinis differentiam negabat esse jure divino idem Protestantes Resp. Quod idem forte sanctus Hieronymus nec aliud Patres alii asseverarunt hoc scholae vestrae Doctor primarius non ita pridem facile largiebatur Mich. Medina lib. 1. de sac orig affirmat non modo S. Hieronymum idem in hoc cum Aerianis haereticis sensisse verum etiam Ambrosium Augustinum Sedulium Primasium Chrysostomum Theodoretum Oecumenium Theophylactum Bellarm. lib. 4. de Eccles. milit c. 9. Ita inquit Valent. Jesuit Tom. 4. disp 9. qu. 1. punct 2. isti viri alioqui sanctissimi orthodoxi At inquit id ibid. non est tolerabilis haec responsio Probabo vero hoc non modo ferendum sed etiam omnibus aliis responsis praeferendum esse Advocatus Erasmus Annot. in 1 Tim. 4. Antiquitas inter Praesbyterum Episcopum nihil intererat ut testatur Hieronymus Sed post propter schisma à multis delectus est Episcopus quotquot Presbyteri totidem erant Episcopi Tua Erasme apud Jesuitas sordet authoritas but not with you that I write to Advocat Alphonsus à Castro advers haeres tit Episcop Hieronymus in ea opinione fuit ut crederet Episcopum Presbyterum ejusdem esse ordinis authoritatis Ecce etiam alterum Bellarm. lib. 1. de Rom. Pontif. c. 8. Videtur REVERA Hieronymus in ea opinione fuisse An ille solus Anselmus Sedulius opinionem suam ad Hieronymi sententiam accommodarunt Quam eandem sententiam Medina vester Patribus pariter omnibus tribuit Quid ex his inquies ostendam si cognovissent Patres hanc in Aereo haeresin damnatam esse tantum abest ut ei errori verbis suffragari viderentur ut potius in contrarium errorem abriperentur si non cognoverunt hanc opinionem in Aereo damnatam cur vos eam hoc nomine in Protestantibus damnandam esse contenditis Cassander lib. consult art 14. An Episcopatus inter Ordines Ecclesiasticos ponendus sit inter Theologos Canonistas non convenit convenit autem inter OMNES in Apostolorum aetate inter Episcopos Presbyteros NULLUM DISCRIMEN fuisse sed postmodum Schismatis evitandi Causa Episcopum Presbyteris fuisse praepositum cui Chirotonia id est Ordinandi potestas concessa est If you will not keep company with Reverend Morton I pray you go not beyond these Moderate Papists 2. But you say that at least we are Schismaticks and you must not hold Communion with schism And how are we proved Schismaticks Why 1. Because we have cast off Bishops 2.
nor to be proved by them I will not believe them no more then I would have believed Papius and all his Millenary followers that pretended Tradition from Saint John nor any more then I would have believed the Asians or Romans that pretended different times for Easter as a Tradition Apostolical binding the whole Church 5. If it were proved that de facto the Apostles did thus or thus dispose of a circumstance of Government or Worship which yet is undetermined in Scripture I take it not for a sufficient proof that they intended that Fact for an Universal Law or that they meant to bind all the Churches in all ages to do the like no more then Christ intended at the Institution of his Supper to tie all ages to do it after Supper in an upper room but with twelve and sitting c. 6. Yea if I had found a Direction or Command from the Apostles as Prudential determiners of a Circumstance pro tempore loco only as of the kiss of love hair covering eating things strangled and blood c. I take it not for a proof that this is an universal standing Law One or two of these exceptions wil shake off the proofs that some count strong for the universal obligation of the Church to Diocesans or Metropolitans Sect. 11. That the Apostles had Episcopal Power I mean such in each Church where they came as the fixed Bishops had I doubt not And because they founded Churches according to the success of their labors and setled them and if they could again visited them therefore I blame not the Ancients for calling them the Bishops of those Churches But that each man of them was really a fixed Metropolitan or Patriarch or had his proper Diocess in which he was Governor in chief and into which no other Apostle might come as an equal Governor without his leave this and such like is as well proved by silence as by all that I have read for it of Reason or History that is the Testimonies of the Ancients I find them sometime claiming a special interest in the Children that they have begotten by their Ministry But doubtless when Paul Barnabas or Silas went together some might be converted by one and some by another within the same Diocess or City If any man shall convince me that any great stress doth lie upon this questioÌ„ I shal be willing to give him more of my reasons for what I say Sect. 12. And as to them that confidently teach that the Apostles suited the Ecclesiastical Government to the Politick and that as by a Law for the Church universally to obey All the confutation at present that I will trouble them with shall be to tell them that I never saw any thing like a proof of it to my understanding among all the words that are brought to that purpose and to tell them 1. That if Paul chose Ephesus Corinth and other the most populous places to preach in it was but a prudential circumstantiating of his work according to that General Law of doing all to Edification and not an obligation on all the Pastors or Preachers of the Gospel to do the same where the case is not the same 2. And if Paul having converted many in these Cities do there plant Churches and no other can be proved in Scripture times it follows not that we may plant no Churches but in Cities 3. And if the greatest Cities had then the most numerous Churches and the most eminent Pastors fitted to them and therefore are named with some note of excellency above the rest it followeth not that the rest about them were under them by subjection 4. Yea if the Bishops of the chief Cities for order sake were to call Provincial Assemblies and the meetings to be in their Cities and they were to be the Presidents of the rest in Synods with such like circumstantial difference it followeth not that they were proper Governours of the rest and the rest to obey them in the Government of their proper charges Nor that they had power to place and displace them 5. Much less will it prove that these Metropolitans taking the name of Diocesans might put down all the Bishops of two hundred Churches under them and set up none but Presbyters in order distinct from Bishops over the flocks besides themselves and so the Archbishops having extinguished all the first Order of Bishops of single Churches to take the sole Government of so many Churches even people as well as Presbyters into their own hands 6. And I do not think that they can prove that the Apostles did institute as many sorts of Church-Government then as there were of civil â—olicy in the world All the world had not the Roman form of Government Nor had lesser Cities the same dependence upon greater in all other Countryes 7. Was it in one degree of subordination of Officers only or in all that the Apostles suited the Ecclesiasticall Government to the Civil If in One how is it proved that they intended it in that one and not in the rest If in all then we must have many degrees of Officers more then yet we have Inferiors very many and Superiors some of all conscience too high then we must have some to answer the Correctors the Consular Presidents and the Vicars and Lieutenants the Pro-consuls and Prefects and the Emperor himself Even one to be Vniversal in the Empire that 's yet some Limit to the Pope and will hazzard the removing of the Supremacy to Constantinople by the Rule that the Apostles are supposed to go by And great variety must there be in the several Diocesses of the Empire which Blondell hath punctually described de primatu in Eccles. pag. 511. to 519. shewing the causes of the inequality of Bishopricks and Churches 8. According to this Opinion the form of Church must alter as oft as Emperours will change their Policy or Wars shall change them And upon every change of the Priviledges of a City the Churches Preheminence must change and so we shall be in a mutable frame Which if Basil and Anthymius had understood might have quicklier decided their controversie Yea according to this opinion Princes may quite take down Metropolitans at pleasure by equalling the priviledges of their Cities The best is then that it is in the power of our Civil Governours to dissolve our obligation to Metropolitans yea and to all Bishops too if Cities must be their only residence as I have shewed Sect. 13. As for them that pretend humane Laws for their form of Government that is the decrees of General Councils I answer 1. I disown and deny all humane Laws as obligatory to the Church Vniversal It is the prerogative of God yea the greatest point of the exercise of his Soraignty to be the Law-giver to his Vniversal Church There can be no Vniversal Laws without an Vniversal Law-giver and there is no Vniversal Law-giver under Christ in the world 2. And for General
Presbyters and then the Government of the Church will be such as you blame Ans. It is the thing I plead for that every Church may have such Bishops as they had in the Apostles days and not meer new devised Presbyters that are of another Office and Order Sect. 23. Object Bishops had Deacons to attend them in the Scripture times though not Presbyters therefore it follows not that Bishops had then but One Congregation Answ. Yes beyond doubt For Deacons could not and did not perform the Pastoral part in the whole publick worship of any stated Churches They did not preach as Deacons and pray and praise God in the publick Assemblies and administer the Sacraments It 's not affirmed by them that are against us therefore there were no more Churches then Bishops Sect. 24. Object But what doth your Arguing make against the other Episcopal Divines that are not of the opinion that there were no meer Presbyters in Scripture times Answ. 1. Other Arguments here are as much against them though this be not if they maintain that sort of Episcopacy which I oppose 2. They also confess the smalness of Churches in Scripture times as I have shewed out of Bishop Downam and that is it that I plead for Sect. 25. Object But if you would have all reduced to the state that de facto the Church Government was in in Scripture times you would have as but one Church to a Bishop so but One Bishop to a Church as Dr. H. Dissert 4 c. 19 20 21 22. hath proved copiously that is that Scripture mentioneth no assistant Presbyters with the Bishop and would that please you that think a single Congregation should have a Presbyterie You should rather as he teacheth you c. 21. p. 237. be thankful to Ignatius and acknowledge the dignity of your Office ab â—o primario defensore astrui propugnari Answ. As we make no doubt from plain Scripture to prove and have proved it that single Churches had then many Presbyters some of them at least So having the greatest part of Fathers and Episcopal Divines of our mind herein even Epiphanius himself we need not be very solicitous about the point of Testimony oâ— Authority 2. We had rather of the two have but one Pastor to a Congregation then one to a hundred or two hundred Congregations having a Presbyter under him in each authorized only to a part of the work 3. Either the distinct Office of the Presbyters is of Divine Institution to be continued in the Church or not If not Bishops or some body it seems may put down the Office If it be then it seems all Gods Vniversal standing Laws even for the species of Church Officers are not contained in Scripture And if not in Scripture where then If in the Fathers 1. How shall we know which are they and worthy of that name and honor 2. And what shall we do to reconcile their contradictions 3. And what number of them must go to be the true witnesses of a Divine Law 4. And by what note may we know what points so to receive from them and what not But if it be from Councils that we must have the rest of the Laws of God not contained in the Scripture 1. Is it from all or some only If from all what a case are we in as obliged to receive Contradictions and Heresies If from some only which are they and how known and why they rather then the rest Why not the second of Ephesus as well as the first at Constantinople But this I shall not now further prosecute unless I were dealing with the Papists to whom have said more of it in another writing 4. Ignatius his Presbyters were not men of another Office nor yet set over many Churches that had all but one Bishop But they were all in the same Churches with the Bishop and of the same Office only subject to his moderation or presidency for Vnity and Order sake and this we strive not against if limited by the general Rules of Scripture Sect. 26. Object Those that you have to deal with say not that There were no Presbyters in the Apostles days but only that in the Apostles writings the word Bishops always signifies Bishops and the word Elders either never or but rarely Presbyters But it is possible for them to be in the time of those writings that are not mentioned in those writings and the Apostles times were larger then their writings as you are told Vind. against the Lond. Minist p. 106. Ans. 1. The words I cited from Annot. in Act. 11. faithfully which you may peruse which say that there is no evidence that in Scripture times any of the second Order were instituted So that it is not Scripture writings only but Scripture times that 's spoken of And 2. If there be no evidence of it the Church cannot believe it or affirm it for it judgeth not of unrevealed things and therefore to us it is no Institution that hath no evidence 3. The Apostles were all dead save John before the end of Scripture times So that they must be instituted by John only And John dyed the next year after Scripture times as the chief Chronologers judge For as he wrote his Apocalypse about the 14 th year of Domitian so his Gospel the year before Trajan and dyed the next year being after the commoner reckoning An. D. 98. and some think more And what likelihood or proof at least that John did institute them the year that he dyed when the same men tell us of his excursion into Asia to plant Elders bâ—fore that year it 's like 4. And if they were not instituted in Scripture time then no testimony from Antiquity câ—n prove them then instituted But indeed if we had such testimony and nothing of it in the Scripture it self we should take it as little to our purpose For 5. doth Antâ—quity say that the Institution was Divine of Universal obligation to the Church or only that it was but a prudential limitation of the exercise of the same Office the like I demand of other like Testimonies in case of Diocesses Metropolitans c. If only the later it binds us not but proveth only the licet and not the oportet at least as to all the Church And then every Countrey that finds cause may set up another kind of government â—ut if it be the former that is asserted as from antiquity then the Scripture containeth not all Gods Vniversal Laws Which who ever affirmeth must go to Fathers or Councils instead of Scripture to day and to the infallibility of the Pope or a Prophetical Inspiration to morrow and next Sect. 27. Once more to them that yet will maintain that the Apostles modelled the Ecclesiastical form to the Civil and that as a Law to the whole Church we take it as their Concession that then we ow no more obedience to the Archbishop of Canterbury then to the Civil Magistrate of Canterbury and especially
sort with theirs for ours is of the first sort and if theirs be of the same we are both agreed And that the Lord Jesus Christ should settle one kind of Government de facto during Scripture time and change it for ever after is most improbable 1. Because it intimateth levity or mutability in a Law-giver so suddenly to change his Laws and form of Government either something that he is supposed not to have foreseen or some imperfection is intimated as the cause Or if they say that it was the change of the state of the body Governed viz. the Church I answer 2. There was no change of the state of the Church to necessitate a change of the kind of Officers and Government for as I shall shew anon there was need of more Elders then one in Scripture times and the increase of the Church might require an increase of Officers for Number but not for Kind There was as much need of assisting Presbyters as of Deacons I may well conclude therefore that he that will affirm a Change of the Government so suddenly must be sure to prove it and the rather because this is the Bishops own great and most considerable Argument on the other side when they pâ—ead that the Apostles themselves were Rulers of Presbyters therefore Rulers over Presbyters and many Churches should continue as Gods Ordinance many on the other side answer them though so do not I that this Ordinance was temporary during the Apostles times who had no Successors in Goveâ—nment to whâ—ch the Prelates reply that it s not â—â—agiâ—abâ—e that Christ should settle one sort of Church-Governmeâ—t for the first age and another ever after abolishing that first so soon and thaâ— they who affirm this must prove it For my part I am overcome by this Argument to allow all that the Apostolical pattern can prove laying aside that which depended on their extraordinary gifts and priviledges but then I see no reason but they should acknowledâ—e the â—oâ—ce of their own Mediâ—m and conclude it s not imâ—ginable that if God setâ—led â—ixed Bishops only over particular Congregations without any such order as subject Preâ—byters in the first age he should change this and set up subject Presbyters and many Churches under one man for ever after If they say that this is not a change of the speâ—ies but a growing up of the Church from Infancy to Maturity I answer It is a plain change of the Species of Government when one Congregation is turned into Many and when a new order of Officers viz. subject Presbyters without power of Ordination or Jurisdiction is introduced and the Bishops made Governours of Pastors that before were but Governours of the People this is plainly a new Species Else I say again let them not blame us for being against the right Species 3. The third Reaâ—on is this They that affirm a change not of the Governours but also of the very nature or kind of a particular Governed or Political Church from what it was in Scripture times do affirm a thing so improbable as is 〈◊〉 without very clear proof to be credited But such are they that affirm that Congregational Bishops were turned to Diocesan therefore c. The Church that was the object of the Government of a fixed Bishop in Scripture times was A competent Number of persons in Covenant with Christ or of Christians co-habiting by the appâ—intment of Christ and their mutual expressed consent united or associated under Christs Ministerial Teachers and Guides for the right worshipping of God in publick and the Edification of the Body in Knowledge and Holiness and the maintaining of obedience to Christ among them for the strength beauty and safety of the whole and each part and thereby the Pleasing and Glorifying God the Redeemer and Creator Iâ— would be too long rather then difficult to stand to prove all the parts of this Definition of the first particular Political Church That part which most concerneth our present purpose is the Ends which in Relations must enter the Definition which in one word is The Communion of Saints personally as Associated Churches consisting of many particular Churches are for the Communion of Saints by officers and Delegates And therefore this communion of Saints is put in our Creed next to the Catholick Church as the end of the combination I shall have occasion to prove this by particular Texts of Scripture anon A Diocesan Church is not capable of these Ends. What personal communion can they have that know not nor see not one aonther that live not together nor worship God together There is no more personal communion of Saints among most of the people of this Diocess then is between us and the inhabitants of France or Germany For we know not so much as the names or faces of each other nor ever come together to any holy uses So that to turn a Congregation into a Diocesan Church is to change the very subject of Government Obj. This is meer independency to make a single Congregation the subject of the Government Answ. 1. I am not deterred from any truth by Names I have formerly said that its my opinion that the truth about Church-Government is parcelled out into the hands of each party Episcopal Presbyterian Independents and Erastian And in this point in Question the Independents are most right Yet I do dot affirm nor I think they that this one Congregation may not accidentally be necessitated to meet in several places at once either in case of persecution or the age and weakness of some members or the smalness of the room But I say only that the Church should contain no more then can hold communion when they have opportunity of place and liberty and should not have either several settled Societies or Congregations nor more in one such Society then may consist with the Ends. And that these Assemblies are bound to Associate with other Assemblies and hold communion with them by the mediation of their Officers this as I make no doubt of so I think the Congregational will confess And whereas the common evasion is by distinguishing between a Worshipping Church and a Governed Chuch I desire them to give us any Scripture proof that a Worshipping Church and a Governed Church were not all one supposing that we speak of a settled society or combination I find no such distinction of Churches in Scripture A family I know may perform some worship and accordingly have some Government And an occasional meeting of Christians without any Minister may perform some Worship without Government among them But where was there ever a Society that ordinarily assembled for publick worship such as was performed by the Churches on the Lords dayes and held communion ordinarily in worship and yet had not a Governing Pastor of their own Without a Presbyter they could have no Sacraments and other publike Worship And where was there ever a Presbyter that was not a Chuâ—ch Governour
Certainly if subject Presbyters were not till after Scripture times nor any settled Worshipping Church without a Presbyter unless the people preached and administred the Sacraments then there could be no Worshipping Church that had not their own proper Governour nor any such Governour fixed that had more Churches then one Reason 4. The contrary opinion feigneth the Apostles to have allotted to each Bishop a space of ground for his Diocess and to have measured Churches by such spaces and not by the number of souls But this is unproved absurd 1. Unproved For there is no place in Scripture that giveth the Bishop charge of all that space of ground or of all the Christians that shall be in that space during his time Indeed they placed a Bishop in each City when there was but a Church in each City But they never said there shall be but one Church in a City or but one Bishop in a City much less in all the Country region 2. And its absurd For it s the number of souls that a Church must be measured by and not a space of ground so they do but co-habite For if in the same space of Ground there should be twenty or an hundred times as many Christians it would make the number so great as would be uncapable of personal communion and of obtaining Church Ends. If a Schoolmaster have a School in the chief City or Town of this County and there come as many from many miles compass as one School can hold and there be no more there so long all that space may belong to his School not for the space sake but the number of Schollars For if there be afterward an hundred times as many in that space to be taught they must set up more Schools and it were no wise part in the old Schoolmaster to maintain that all that Country pertaineâ—h to his School because that it was so when there were fewer So that to measure our the matter of Churches by space of ground and not by number of souls is plainly against the Reason of the Relation Reason 5. The opposed opinion doth imply that God more regardeth Cities then Country Villages or that Churches are to be measured according to the number and greatness of Cities rather then according to the number of souls For they suppose that every City should have a Bishop if there be but twenty or fourty or an hundred Christians in it but if there be five hundâ—ed Country Parishes that have some of them many thousand souls in them these shall have no Bishops of their own but be all ruled by the Bishop of the City Now how unreasonable this is methinks should not be hard to discern For 1. What is a City to God any more then a Village that for it he should make so partial an institution Doth he regard Rome any more then Eugubium or Alexandria more then Tanis for their worldly splendor or priviledges No doubtless it is for the multitude of inhabitants And if so its manifest that an equal number of inhabitants elsewhere should have the same kind of Government 2. Is it probable that God would have twenty thousand or an hundred thousand people in a Diocess and in some a Million to have but one Church-Ruler and yet would have every small congregation in a City to have one though there be none else under him What proportion is there in this way of Government that an hundred or fifty men shall have as many Governours as a Million as if ten thousand or an hundred thousand Schollars ouâ— of a City shall have no more Rulers then an hundred in a 〈◊〉 and all because one part are in a City and the other not Or a Physitian shall have but an hundred Patients to look to in a City and if there be a Million in that City and Country he shall also upon pain of Gods everlasting wrath undertake the care of them all Let them that strive for such a charge look to it I profess I admire at them what they think 1. Of the needs of men souls 2. Of the terrours of Gods wrath 3. And of their own sufficiency for such a work Were it my case if I know my own heâ—rt at all I should fear that this were but to strive to damn thousands and to be damned with them by undertaking on that penalty to be their Physitian under Christ when I am sure I cannot look to the hundreth man of them and I had rather strive to be a gally-slave to the Turks or to be preferred to rid Chaâ—els or the basest office all my dayes Reason 6. According to the opposâ—d opinion it is in the power of a King to make Bishops to be either Congregational or Diocesan to make a Bishâ—p to haâ—e a Million of souls or a whole Nation in charge or to have but aâ— few For if a King will but dissolve the Priviledge and title and make that no City whâ—ch was a City though he diminish not the number of souls and if he will do thus by all the Cities save one in his dominion then must there be but one Bishop in his dominion And if he will but make every countrey Town that hath four or five hundred or a thousand inhabitants to be incorporate and honour it with the title and priviledges of a City thâ—n shall they have a Bishop Moreover thus every Prince may de jure banish Episcopacy out of his Dominions without diminishing the number of Christians if he do but defranchise the Cities and be of the mind as I have heard some men have been that Cities are against the Princes interest by strengthening the people and advantaging them to rebellions Also if there be any Indian Nations so barbarous as to have no Cities though they were converted yet must they have no Bishops Also it would be in the Princes power de jure to depose any of those Bishops that the Apâ—stles or their Successors are supposed to set up For the Râ—man Emperour might have proclaimed Antioch Alexandria or any of the rest to be no Cities and then they must have no longer have had any Bishops And what Bishâ—ps shall Antioch have at this day Now how absurd all this is I need not manifest that whole Contreâ—eâ— shâ—ll have no Government for want of 〈◊〉 that Kings shall so alter Church Officers at their pleâ—sure â—hen they intend it not meerly by altering the Civil Priviledgâ—s of their people that a King may make one Diocess to become an hundred and an hundred become one by such means And yet all this doth undenâ—ably follow if the Law be that every City and only every City shall be a Bishops Sea where there are Christians to be governed Reason 7. There is no sufficient Reason given why subject Pâ—â—sâ—byters should not have been set up in the Scripture times as well as after if it had been the Apostles intent that such should be instituted The Necessity pretended was
as his judgement that the Scotch Ministers then to be Consecrated Bishops were not to be reordained because the Ordination of Presbyters was valid Sect. 5. These Novel Prelatical persons then that so far dissent frrom the whole stream of the Ancient Bishops and their adherents have little reason to expect that we should regard their judgement above the judgement of the English Clergy and the judgement of all the Reformed Churches If they can give us such Reasons as should conquer our modestie and perswade us to condemn the judgement of the Plelates and Clergy of England all other Churches of the Protestants and adhere to a few new men of yesterday that dare scarcely open the face of their own opinions we shall bow to their Reasons when we discern them But they must not expect that their Authority shall so far prevail Sect. 6. And indeed I think the most of this cause is carried on in the dark What Books have they written to prove our Ordination Null and by what Scripture Reasons do they prove it The task lieth on them to prove this Nullity if they would be Regarded in their reproaches of the Churches of Christ. And they are not of such excessive Modesty and backwardness to divulge their accusations but sure we might by this time have expected more then one volume from them to have proved us No Ministers and Churchess if they could have done it And till they do it their whsperings are not to be credited Sect. 7. Argument 2. If that sort of Prelacy that was exercised in England was not necessary it self yea if it were sinfull and tended to the subversion or exceeding hurt of the Churches then is there no Necessity of Ordination by such a Prelacy But the Antecedent is true therefore so is the consequent The Antecedent hath been proved at large in the foregoing Disputation Such a Prelacy as consisteth in the undertaking of an impossible task even for one man tâ— be the only Governour of all the souls in many hundred Parishes exercising it also by Lay men and in the needful parts not exercising it all all a Prelacy not chosen by the Presbyters whom they Govern yea suspending or degrading â—he Presbyters of all those Churches as to the governing part of theâ—â— office and guilty of the rest of the evils before mentioned is not only it self unnecessary but sinful and a disease of the Church which all good men should do the best they can to cure And therefore the effects of this disease can be no more Necessary to our Ministry then the burâ—ing of a feaver or swelling of a Tympany is necessary to the body Sect. 8. No Bishops are Necessary but such as were in Scriture times But there were none such as the late English Bishops in Scripture times Therefore the English Bishopâ— are not necessary He that denyeth the Major must go further in denying the sufficiency of Scripture then I find the Papists ordinarily to do For they will be loth to affirm that any office is of Necessity to the Being of the Church or of Presbyters that is not to be found in Scripture or that was not then in Being Therefore so far we are secure Sect. 9. And for the Minor I prove it thus If the English Bishops were â—either such as the unfixed General Ministers nor such as the fixed Bishops of particular Churches then were they not such as were in Scripture times But they were neither such as the unfixed General Ministers nor such as the fixed Bishops of particular Churches therefore c. Sect. 10. Besâ—des these two sorts of Ministers there are no more in the New Testament And these aâ—e diversified but by the exercise of their office so far as they were ordinary Ministers to continue The unfixed Ministers whether Apostles Evangelâ—sts or Prophets were â—uch as had no special charge of any one Church as their Diocess but were to do their best for the Church in general and follow the direction and call of the Holy Ghost for the exercising of their Ministry But it s known to all that our Engsish Bishops were not such They were no ambulatory itinerant Preachers they went not about to plant Churches and confirm and direct such as they had planted but were fixed to a City and had every one their Diocess which was their proper charge but Oh how they discharged their undertaking Sect. 11. Object The Apostles might agree among them selves to divide their Provinces and did accordingly James being Bishop of Jerusalem Peter of Rome c. Answ. No doubt but common reason would teach them when they were sent to preach the Gospel to all the world to disperse themselves and not be preaching all in a place to the disadvantage of their work But 1. It s one thing to travail several ways and so divide themselves as itinerants and another thing to divide the Churches among them as their several Diocesses to whâ—ch they should be fixed Which they never did for ought is proved 2. And its one thiâ—g prudently to disperse themselves for their labour anâ— another thing to claim a special power over a Circuit or Diocess as their charge excluding a like charge and power of others So far as any man Apostle or other was the Father of souls by their conversion they owned him a special honour and love which the Apostles themselves did sometimes claim But this was nothing to a peculiar Diocess or Province For in the same City a Ierusalem some might be converted by one Apostle and some by another And if a Presbyter convert them I think the adversaries will not therefore make them his Dâ—ocess not give him there an Episcopal Power much less above Apostles in that place Nor was this the Rule that Diocesses could be bounded by as now they are taken Sect. 12. Nor do we find in Scripture the least intimation that the Apostles were fixed Diocesan Bishops but much to the contrary 1. In that it was not consistent with the General charge and work that Christ had laid upon them to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature How would this stand with fixing in a peculiar Diocess Sect. 13. And 2. We find them answering their Commission in their practice going abroad and preaching and planting Churches and sometimes visiâ—ing them in their passage but not sâ—tling on them as their Diocesses but going further if they had opportunity to do the like for other places Yea they planted Bishops in the several Cities and Churches which they had gathered to Christ. Though Paul staid three years at Ephesus and other adjacent parts of Asia yet did not all that abode prove it his peculiar Diocess And yes its hard to find again so long an abode of Paul or any Apostle in one place Elders that were Bishops we find at Ephesus Acts 20. and some say Timothy was their Bishop and some say Iohn the Apostle was their Bishop but its clear that it was
prove It hath been usual for Princes to decase bad Priests and heretical or contentious Bishops and to correct disorders and restrain usurpations of Prelates among themselves And if any such thing be now done by our present Governours I know not any thing of that necessity in the English Species of Prelacy as will warrant us to dâ—sobey them Sect. 8. And it is a thing that is inconsistent with the Peace and Unity of these Churches Which is another reason For 1. We have seen the ill effects of it which I am not willing to open to the worst 2. And the multitude of the most conscientious people are against it 3. And the generality of the most conscionable faithful Ministers are against it So that it could not be restored without the apparent ruine of these Churches 4. And a Learned Reverend Assembly of Divines chosen out of the several Counties by a Parliament were against it 5. And many Parliaments have been against it 5. And the generality of their adherents in the two Nations that then lived in their Power have taken a Solemn Covenant against it Not against all Episcopacy but against the English sort of Prelacie So that it cannot be restored without incomparably much more hurt then the continuance of it would have done good and without setting all these Churches on a flame So far is it now from being a likely means of Unity or Peace among us Sect. 9. And if yet they plead the obligation of the ancient Laws which is most insisted on by many I must by way of just excuse remember them of one thing which its like they do not forget that if those Laws are still in force to oblige us to seek Ordination from the Prelates and to Authorize the Prelates to Ordain notwithstanding the Laws of later Powers that have repealed them then it must needs follow that those later Powers are taken for no Powers and consequently that the same Laws do oblige the Prelates to put the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy as to some other Power upon the Oâ—dained before they lay hands upon them and oblige the Ordained to take those Oaths as well as to be so Ordained For if they be yet of force in one they are of 〈◊〉 in both And so no man can be Ordained by you 〈…〉 guilty of that which the present Lawes make 〈…〉 forfeiting his life which I know nothing in the 〈…〉 him to do 〈…〉 think I may conclude that it is your own judgement that men should rather forbear your Ordination then hazard their lives or violate the present Laws because when a Declaration or Order came forth not long ago prohibiting men of your perswasion that had been sequestred to Preach or Administer Sacraments the generality of you presently obeyed it and some wrote for the forbearance that they practised And if an Ordained man should obey the present power by forbearing to preach and administer Sacraments or may forbear these to escape a temporal danger much more may men do so about your sort of Ordination Sect. 11. Moreover 4. We shall be guilty of a fixed Schism among the Refoâ—â—ed Churchâ—s and of making the healing of our breaches impossible if by our compliance we own your dividing Principle that No other are true Ministers or Churches but such as have your Manner of Ordination For by this Rule all the Ministers in these and other Protestant Nations must be degraded or taken for no Ministers and all the Churches for no true Churches though perhaps they may be confessed Christian Communities Nor the Ordinances and administrations true And do you think these are likely terms for Peace Will they ever be yielded to by so many Churches Or is it a desirable thing Should Rome be so much gratified And our Churches ruined and the souls of millions cast away and sacrificed to your opinions or Peace While your Prelacy pretended to no more but to be the best sort of Government and your Church to be the best of Churches we could submit to you in all things that were not flatly sinful But when you will be the only Churches and unchurch all others even the most flourishing Churches for knowledge and holiness and when you must be the only Ministers and others must be none unless they will be Ordained by you this is enough to put a sober man to a stand whether he shall not be guilty of notorious schism by complying with so schismatical a principle if he subject himself voluntarily to a Prelacy that hath such principles and pretences and to an Ordination that is administred on these grounds and terms This was not the ground nor these the principles of the former English Prelates and therefore we were more capable of subjection to them or Communion with them We could have lived in their Communion and in the Communion of the rest of the Protestant Churches that have no Prelacy But if by innovation you have made such a change as that we must separate from all the Reformed Churches and Ministers that have not your kind of Ordination if we will be your subjects or be Ordained by you according to your grounds its time for us to look about us that we escape that separation and schism that you would lead us into and engage us in by your way of Ordination Sect. 12. Among your selves there are many that affirm that if the Pope would have been content with his old Patriarchal Power and principium unitatis or primacy of Order and wave his last four hundred years determinations or at least not obtrude them on other Churches as Bishop Bromhall speaks they could have held communion with him that now cannot If Rome would have been content to be a Member of the Catholick Church though pretendedly the noblest they could have owned it But when it will be The Catholick Church and separate it self from all the rest unchurching all that are not subject to them and united in their Government they then drive us further from Communion with them Imitate them not in any degree in this Notorious schiâ—m and separation Be contented to be Ministers and Churches and tell not Christ he hath none but you and such as you and tell not Satan that the Kingdom of Christ is thus cut short to the honour or rejoycing of his adversary Sect. 13. It was not so ridiculous as sad to me to read in Mr. T. Ps. Self-revenger against Mr. Barlee pag. 37. and Ordination called a Notorious Comoe Tragedie equally sad and ridiculous which he and others lately acted in Daintry Church intituled by the Actors An Ordination of Ministers but by many of the Spectators An Ordination of Lay-Preachers to be Lay-preachers still and without repentance for ever uncapable of the Priesthood by being Ordained by such Priests as were uncapable of Ordaining Thus Mr. P. Sect. 14. And it seems he was of the same judgement whoever he was that would have abused Bishop Vsher by giving out that he told him that as
great reluctancy obey my Conscience in the performance of this task but my intent is if it be the will of God to give success so far to these endeavours 1. To humble them for their great and hainous sin and save them from it 2. And to save the Church from the divisions and disturbances that is already caused by them and their opinion 3. However to discharge my Conscience and tell them plainly what frightneth me from their way Sect. 2. And 1. It seems to me upon the grounds before expressed that those men that would Nullifie all the Protestant Ministry Churches and administrations that have not Prelates are guilty of schism and are plain Separatists They depart from truly Catholick principles That man hath not the just Principles and Spirit of a Catholick that can on such a pretence as this degrade or nullifie so many Learned Godly Ministers and unchurch so many excellent Churches of Christ they make a plain Schism and separate from us on as weak grounds as the ancient Separatists did whom yet they account an odious generation And the writings of Paget Ball Bradshaw Hildersham Bernard and the rest that defend our Ministry and Churches against the old Separatists will serve in the main to defend them against these new ones which therefore I refer the Reader to peruse Many of the same Arguments are as forcible against this adversary Sect. 3. 2. And by this means they condemn themselves that have spoken so much against the Separatists calling them Brownists Schismaticks and the like and now take up the cause in the name that in them they so condemned Will they turn Schismaticks that have spoken against Schismaticks so much Sect. 4. 3. By this means also they exceedingly wrong the Lord Jesus Christ by seeking to rob him of his inheritance by telling him that his Churches are none of his Churches and his Ministers are none of his Ministers and his Ordinances are not his Ordinances indeed Let them first prove that Christ hath renounced these Ministers or unchurched or denied these Churches or given them a bill of divorce and then let them speak their pleasure But till then they were best take heed what they do lest they have not the thanks from Christ which they expect Sect. 5. 4. They go against the plain commands of Christ and examples of his servants Christ himself bid concerning such as cast out Devils in his name but followed him not Forbid him not for there is no man that shall do a Miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me for he that is not against us is on our part Mark 9.37 38 39. He liked not their humour that would have the substance of so good a work forbidden for want of a due circumstance mode or accident He commandeth us to Pray the Lord of the Harvest to send Labourers into his Harvest because the Harvest is great and the Labourers are few And these men would have multitudes of Labourers thrust out in the Necessity of the Churches Paul rejoyced that Christ was Preached even by them that did it in strife and envy thinking to add affliction to his bonds But these men would silence them that preach in sincere compassion of mens souls Moses would not forbid Edlad and Medad prophecying but wisht that all the Lords people were Prophets While men do good and not harm or more good then harm in the Church I should see very good grounds yea and Necessity for it before I should silence them or be guilty of silencing them Sect. 6. 5. They manifest a great deal of selfishness and pride that dare thus consent to the injury of Christ and the Church and souls of men because they may not bear that Rule which is according to their principles and spirits Self-denial would do much to cure this Sect. 7. 6. And yet they do as self-seekers commonly do even seek after misery and destruction to themselves While they look its like at the honour and forget the work they plead for such a load and burden as is enough to break the backs of many even for the doing of a work that is so far beyond their strength that its a meer impossiblity How can one man do the works which Scripture layeth on a Bishop for a hundred or two hundred Churches and for thousands that he never sees or hears of Sect. 8. 7. And above all I admire how the heart of a considerate Christian can be guilty of so great cruelty to the souls of men as these men would be if they had their will in the practice of their principles What if all the Churches that have no Prelates were unchurched the Ministers cast out as no true Ministers or the people all prevailed with to forsake them what would be done for the thousands of the poor ignorant careless souls that are among us when all that all of us can do is too little what would be done if so many and such were laid aside How many thousands were like to be damned for want of the means that according to the ordinary way of God might have procured their conversion and Salvation Sect. 9. If they say that others as good as they should possess the places I answer they speak not to men of another world but to their neighbours that well know that there are few to be had of tolerable worth to possess one place of very many if all that they oppose were cast out or forsaken Do we not know who and what men they are that you have to supply the room with Sect. 10. If they say that more obedient men would soon spring up or many of these would change their minds if they were forced to it I answer 1. So many would be unchanged as would be a greater loss to the Church if it were deprived of them then ever Prelacy was like to repair 2. And what should become of poor souls the while your young ones are a training up 3. And in all ages after the Church must lose all those that should dissent from your opinion Sect. 11. If you say that It is not your desire to silence all these Preachers that you disown I answer How can that stand with your doctrine or your practice Your Doctrine is that they are Lay-men and no true Ministers nor to be heard and submitted to as Ministers nor Sacraments to be received from them And would you not have them then cast out 2. Your practice is to disswade the people especially the Gentry that are neer you to separate and disown them accordingly and it is done in many places And would you not cast them out whom you would have forsaken Sect. 12. If you say It is your desire that they should forsake their error and obey you and so be continued and not cast out I answer 1. But that is not in your power to accomplish nor have you reason to expect it They are willing to know the mind of God as well as
you and perhaps search as diligently and pray as hard as you and yet they think that its you that are in the wrong you see that for many years the Reformed Churches have continued in this mind And it appears that if they will not turn to your opinion you would have them all cast out or forsaken Christ shall have no servants nor the Church any Pastors that will not be in this of your Opinion Sect. 13. 8. Hereby also you would run into the guilt of a more grievous persecution when you have read so much in Scripture against persecutors and when you have heard of and seen the judgements of God let out upon them It is an easie matter for any Persecutor to call him that he would cast out a Schismatick or Heretick but it is not so easie to answer him that hath said He that offendeth one of these little ones it were better for him c. God will not take up with fair pretences or false accusations against his servants to justifie your persecution Sect. 14. 9. Yea you would involve the people of the Land and of other Nations in the guilt of your persecution drawing them to joyn with you in casting out the faithful labourers from the Vineyard of the Lord. This is the good you would do the people to involve their Souls into so deplorable a state of guilt Sect. 15. If you say It is you that are persecuted as I read some of you do I answer 1. If it be so you are the more unexcusable before God and man that even under your persecution will cherish defend and propagate such a doctrine of persecution as strikes at no less then the necks of all the Reformed Ministers and Churches that are not Prelatical at one blow 2. For my part I have oft protested against any that shall hinder an able Godly Minister from the service of Christ and the Church if he be but one that is likely to do more good then harm But I never took it to be persecution to cast out Drunkards scandalous negligent insufficient men where better may be had to supply the place no more then it is persecution to suppress an abusive Alehouse or restrain a thief from making thievery his trade 3. The present Governors do profess their readiness to approve and encourage in the Ministry any Godly able diligent mâ—n that will but live peaceably towards the Commonwealth And I am acquainted with none as far as I remember of this quality that have not liberty to preach and exercise the Ministerial Office 4. But if you think you are persecuted because you may not Rule your Brethren and persecute others and take upon you the sole Government of all the Churches in a County or more we had rather bear your accusations then poor souls should bear the pains of Hell by your neglect and persecution if you are persecuted when your hands are held from striking what are your Brethren that cannot by your good will have leave laboriously to serve God in a low estate as the servants of all and the Lords of none Sect. 16. 10 By this means also you shew your selves impenitent in regard of all the former persecutions that some of you and your predecessors have been guilty of Abundance of most Learned Godly men have been silenced suspended and some of them persecuted to banishment and some to death The world hath had too few such men for exemplary abilities diligence and holiness as Hildersham Bradshaw Bayâ— Nicols Brightman Dod Ball Paget Hering Langley Parker Sandford Cartwright Bates Ames Rogers and abundance more that some suffered unto death and some were silenced some imprisoned c. for not conforming to the Ceremonies besides Eliot Hooker Cotton Norton Cobbet Davenant Parker Noyes and all the rest that were driven to New England and besides Ward and all that were driven into Holland and besides the thousands of private Christians that were driven away with them And besides all the later more extensive persecution of such as were called Conformable Puritans for not reading the Book for dauncing on the Lords day and for not ceasing to preach Lectures or on the Evening of the Lords day and such like All this I call to your mind as the sin that should be lamented and heavily lamented and not be owned and drawn or continued on your own heads by impenitencie and how do you repent that would do the like and take your selves to be persecuted if your hands are tyed that you may not do it For my own part I must profess I had rather be a Gally-slave or Chimney-sweeper yea or the basest vermine than be a Bishop with all this guilt upon my soul to continue how light soever many make of it and how impenitently soever they justifie themselves Sect. 17. 11. Yea more after all the warnings you have had in the waies and ends of your predecessors it seems that you would yet incomparably outstrip the most of them in persecution if you had your way For few of them did attempt or make any motion for degrading or denying most of the Protestant Ministers in Europe or such a number as in England and Scotland are not Ordained by Prelates and to unchurch all their Churches This is far higher then these before you Sect. 18. 12. And take heed lest continuing in such a sin after both prohibitions and judgements you should be found fighters against God If those that despise the Ministers of Christ despise Christ himself what shall we think of them that do it themselves and teach men so to do and have pleasure in them that do it It s fearful to draw near that forlorn Condition of the Jews 1 Thes. 2.15 16. and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins alway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost Sect. 19. 13. It is apparent that your doctrine and practice tendeth to let in the old ejected rabble of drunken ignorant ungodly persons into the Ministrie And what can be more odious to the most Holy God! For if once you cast out all those that have not Prelatical Ordination or all that are against it especially after a former Ordination you must take in such as these and with Ieroboam make Priests of the vilest of the people or else the places must be vacant for we know that there are not able godly men to be had of your mind to supply the vacant places Sect. 20. 14. Your doctrine doth tend to harden malignant wicked men in their enmitie against a faithful Ministrie and we see this unhappy success of it by experience Our doctrine is so much against the inclination and interest of the flesh and men are by corrupted nature at such an enmity to God and all that is truly Spiritual and Holy that we have as many enemies as hearers till Grace do
either restrain or change them But when they have such an irritation and encouragement as this and that from men that would be reputed as Godly as the best then no wonder if they are hardened in their malignity When we would instruct them and mind them of their everlasting state and help to prepare them for their latter end they are told by Learned men that we are no Ministers but Lay-men and Schismaticks and that it is their sin to own us or receive the Ordinances of Christ from us as Ministers and so the poor people turn their backs on us and on the Assemblies and Ordinances of God and being taught by wise and learned men to disown us and despise us they follow their drunkenness and worldliness and ungodlyness with greater security and with less remorse for now they have a defensative against the galling doctrine of those precise Preachers that would not let them alone in their sin they were wont to be disturbed at least by Sermons and sometime they purposed to return and were in the way of Grace and in some hope but now they are taught by Learned Godly Divines to keep out of hearing they can go on and sin in peace Sect. 21. 15. By this means also you rob God of his publike worship People are taught to turn their backs on it you teach them that it is better that God have no publike Ministerial worship at all in Prayer Praises Sacraments c. then that he should have it from any but Prelatical Ministers O sacred doctrine And if you had your wills for the silencing or ejecting of all that are not Ordained by Prelates how many hundred Church-doors must be shut up in the Christian world or worse Sect. 22. 16. By this means all Impiety would be cherished and let loose When once the mouths of Ministers were stopped the mouth of the swearer and curser and railer and scorner at Godliness would be open and so would be the mouth of the drunkard and glutton If all that can be done be so much too little as experience tells us what a case would the Nations be in and how would iniquity abound if Ministers were cast out Sect. 23. 17. Yea it might endanger the Churches by the introduction of Infidelity or Heathenism it self For nothing is more natural as it were to corrupted man and if once the Ministry be taken down and they have none or those that are next to none Infidelity and Atheism will soon spring up And it will be a more dangerous sort of Infidelity then is among many of the open Infidels because it would be palliated with the name of Christianity and leave men further from conviction then some that never heard of Christ. Sect. 24. 18. And it is a temptation to Infidelity and Contempt of the Church and Ministrie when men shall â—ee that one party of Christians doth thus unchurch another They will think that they may boldly say that of us which we say of the another one party unchurcheth all the Papists these that we are now speaking to do unchurch all the Protestant Churches that are not Prelatical The Papists unchurch all but themselves and so among them they leave Christ but a very small part of his inheritance Sect. 25. 19. Yea I fear that by Consequence and too near and plaâ—n a Consequence they dissolve the Catholike Church it self And if it be so let them judge whether their doctrine subvert not Christianitie I use no violence for the inference If want of Prelatical Ordination do Null the Protestant Ministrie and Churches then it must needs follow that far greater defects and more against the vitals of the Church will do as much to unchurch the Romanists the Greeks Armenians Syrians Ethiopians Egyptians c. But alas how easie is it to prove that all these have far greater defects then the Presbyterian Protestant Churches and so the whole must fall together Sect. 26. 20. By all these means they joyn with the Quakers and Seekers and Drunkards in opposing the same Ministrie that they oppose You are no true Ministers of Iesus Christ say the Quakers Seekers and other Sects so also say these that now we are speaking of and if they preach their doctrine and side with them against the servants of Christ let them be afraid lest they partake of their Spirit and Reward Sect. 27. 21. Their doctrine and practice tendeth to grieve the hearts of the most experienced gracious souls Should all the Ministers be cast out that are not Prelatical and the places supplyed as they mâ—st be in their stead with such as can be had O what a day would it be to honest humble souls that were wont to delight themselves in the publike worship of God and to find instruction and admonition and consolation sutable to their necessities If now they should have all turned to what the Doctrine of these men portends their souls would be as in a Wilderness and famine would consume them and they would lament as David in his banishment and the Jews in their captivity to think of the daies that once they saw Sect. 28. 22. And doth it not imply a great deal of unholiness and enmitie to Reformation when men dare thus boldly unchurch the most of the Reformed Churches and pass such desperate nullifying censures on the most holy able painful Ministers of the Gospel O how many of them are studying and watching and praying for their people day and night and teaching them publickly and from house to house and that sometimes with tears willing to spend and be spent fo their Salvation not seeking theirs but them and when they have done all they are reproached as no Ministers of Christ and the people taught to disown them and forsake them Is this a sign of a son of God that is tender of his honour and interest or of a Holy Gracious soul Sect. 29. 23. At least by this means the hands of Ministers are weakned in their work and their difficulties increased and their hearts grieved because of their peoples misery O if they could have but a free unprejudiced hearing with poor sinners some good might be done But they will not hear us nor come neer us or speak to us Especially when they are taught to forsake us by such men I would not be the man that should thus add burden and grief to the faithful Ministers of Christ upon such an account for all the Bishopricks on earth Sect. 30. 24 They also distract the minds of Christians when they hear men thus degrading and unchurching one another so that weak persons are perplexed and know not what to think nor what Church or Religion to be of yea it is well if many be not tempted hereby to be of no Religion at all when they hear them condemning one another Sect. 31. 25. These shew too much formality and Ceremoniousness when they so much prefer their own opinon about a circumstance Ceremony or Mode before the very being
Answ. That this is utterly untrue I thus demonstrate 1. When the Covenant was presented to the Assembly with the bare name of Prelacy joyned to Popery many Grave and Reverend Divines desired that the word Prelacy might be explained because it was not all Episcopacy that they were against And thereupon the following Concatenation in the parenthesis was given by way of explication in these words that is Church-government by Arch-bishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-deacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy By which it appeareth that it was only the English Hierarchy or frame that was Covenanted against and that which was then existent that was taken down § 44. 2. When the house of Lords took the Covenant Mr. Thomas Coleman that gave it them did so explain it and profess that it was not their intent to Covenant against all Episcopacy and upon this explication it was taken and certainly the Parliament were most capable of giving us the due sense of it because it was they that did impose it § 45. 3. And it could not be all Episcopacy that was excluded because a Parochial Episcopacy was at the same time used and approved commonly here in England § 46. 4. And in Scotland they had used the help of Visitors for the Reformation of their Churches committing the care of a County or large Circuit to some one man which was as high a sort of Episcopacy at least as any I am pleading for Besides that they had Moderators in all their Synods which were temporary Bishops § 47. 5. Also the chief Divines of the late Assembly at Westminster that recommended the Covenant to the Nations have professed their own judgements for such a Moderate Episcopacy as I am here defending and therefore they never intended the exclusion of this by the Covenant § 48. Object 2. By this we shall seem mutable while we take down Episcopacy one year and set it up again the next Answ. We desire not the setting up of that which we have taken down and therefore it is no mutability § 49. Object 3. But this will prepare for the restauration of the old Episcopacy By such degrees it invaded the Church at first and if we let in the preparatory degree the rest in time is like to follow all that we can do is little enough to keep it out § 50. Answ. 1. If we had no other work to do we would do this as violently as you desire but we have the contrary extream to take heed of and avoid and the Churches Peace if it may be to procure 2. As we must not take down the Ministry lest it prepare men for Episcopacy so neither must we be against any profitable exercise of the Ministry or desirable Order among them for fear of introducing Prelacy 3. Nor is there any such danger of it as is pretended as long as the Magistrate puts not the sword into their hands and no man can be subjected to them but by his own Consent what need we fear their encroachments on our liberties 4. It is not in your power to hinder the Species of Episcopacy that is pleaded for from being introduced but only to with-hold your own consent and hinder peace and unity For any Minister that will can esteem another his superiour and be ruled by him and do nothing without his consent These are the actions of his own free-will 5. As long as you are free from violence if you find an evil or danger you may draw back § 51. Object 4. Have we not smarted by them late enough already shall we so soon be turning back to Aegypt Answ. That which you have smarted by we desire you not to turn back to but that which is Apostolical pure and profitable to the Church and that 's not Aegypt § 52. Object 5. You do all this for Peace with Episcopal Divines and where is there any of them that is worthy so studious a Pacification Do they not commonly own their former impieties and persecutions 〈◊〉 they not meer formalists and enemies to practical Godliness Would they not ruine the Church and do as they have done if they had power Hath God brought them down for their own wickedness and shall we set them up again § 53. Anâ—w 1. All are not such as you describe Many of them are godly able men that desire and endeavour the good of the Church 2. If there were none in this age worthy of our communion yet if we will have a lasting peace we must extend the terms of it so far as to comprehend all that are fit for Communion And such we may easily know there will be of this opinion throughout all ages 3. And most of the Churches in the world being already for a higher Prelacy then this we should agree with them as far as well we may § 54. Object 6. But the â—arliament have enacted in the settlement of the Civil Government that Popery and Prelacy shall not be tolerated Answ. That is the English Prelacy excluded by the Covenant and that as it would be exercised by violence and forced upon dissenters It s known what Prelacy was in England and they cannot rationally be interpreted to speak against any but what was among us and taken notice of under that name You see the same Power allow a Parochial Episcopacy and also Approvers of all that are admitted to publick preaching and you see they allow an Itinerant Ministry in Wales and they join Magistrates and Ministers for the ejecting of the insufficient Minister and they never forbad or hindered a stated Presidency or any thing that I have pleaded for yea they continued a Moderator of the Assembly at Westminster for many years even to his death And what fuller evidence would you have that it is not any such Episcopacy whose liberty they exclude under the name of Prelacy Only they would not have the Hierarchy by Law-Chancellors to govern the Church and that by force of the secular power annexed unto theirs and so they deny them Liberty to deprive all other men of their liberty But this is nothing to the mattâ—r in hand § 55. To conclude let it be noted in answer to all other objections that the Presidency or preheminence pleaded for doth enable no man to do harm but only give themselves advantage to do good They can hinder no man from preaching or praying or holy living or improving his abilities to the good of the Church Nor can they Govern any man further then they have his own Consent All which being well considered I may conclude that this much may be granted in order to the healing and Reforming of the Churches CHAP. VI. The sum of the foregoing Propositions and the Consistency of them with the Principles of each party and so their aptitude to Reconcile § 1. THE summ of all that I have propounded is that though we cannot we may not embrace the Government by Prelacy as lately
as some of our Parishes and such other Churches are but for the may be and not for the must be And therefore if they be peaceable this will make no breach § 12. 2. That Parochial Churches and Associations have fixed Presidents is nothing contrary to any of their Principles as far as I am able to discern them § 13. 3. That Pastors may be lawfully appointed to visit and help the Country and the neighbour Churches and exhort them to their duty and give the Magistrate information of their state is a thing that none can justly blame any more then preaching a Lecture among them Nor do I know any party that is against it of these four § 14. And 4. That there may be more General Ministers to gather and take care of many Churches I think none of them will deny Sure the â—tinerant Ministers in Wales will not Nor yet that these may have their Provinces distinguished If I could imagine which of all these sorts would be denied I would more fully prove it yea and prove it consistent with the Principles of each party but till then its vain § 15. The only point that I remember like to be questioned is the consenting to forbear Ordination in several Presbyteries till the President be one except in case of Necâ—ssity And nothing is here questionable that I observe but only Whether it be consistent with the Principles of the Congregational party seing they would have all Ordination to be by the Elders of their own Church and where there are none that it be done by the people without Elders To which I answer 1. That we here grant them that a Congregational Presbyterie with their President may ordain an Elder for that Congregation 2. The Moderate Congregational men do grant us that the Elders or Pastors of other Churches may lawfully be called to assist them in Ordination though they think it be not necessary It is not therefore against their Principles to do so For sure they may do a Lawful thing especially when the Churches Peace doth lie so much upon it as here it doth § 16. I conclude therefore that here are healing Principles brought to your hands if you have but healing inclinations to receive them Here is a sufficient remedy for our Divisions upon the account of Church-government if you have but hearts to entertain them and apply them But if some on one side will adhere to all their former excesses and abuses and continue impenitent unchurching the best of the Protestant Churches that are not Prelatical while they unchurch not the Church of Rome And if others on the other side will stifly refuse to yield in things that cannot be denied to be lawfull yea and convenient for the Churches and set more by all their own conceits then by the Peace of Brethren and consequently the prosperity of the Church we must leave the care of all to God and content our selves that we have done our duty CHAP. VII Some instances to prove that moderate men will agree upon the foregoing terms § 1. LEST any think that it is a hopeless work that I have motioned and the parties will not agree upon these terms I shall shall next prove to you that the godly and moderate of each party are agreed already at least the Episcopal and Presbyterians and I think the rest and that its in Practice more then Principles that we disagree § 2. I. I will begin with the Episcopal Divines of whom there ate two parties differing much more from one another then the one of them doth from the Presbyterians The ancient Bishops and the moderate of late did maintain the Validity of Ordination by Presbyters and own the Reformed Churches that had other supposing their Episcopacy usefull to the perfection or well being of a Church but not necessary to the being of it And this sort of men who also agree with us in doctrine we could quickly be reconciled with But of late years there are many Episcopal Divines sprung up that embracing the Doctrine called Arminianism do withal deny the Being of the Ministry and Churches that want Prelatical ordination and with these there is no hope of concord because they will have it on no other terms then renouncing our Churches and Ministry and being again ordained by them and thus coming wholly over to them These separate from us and pretend that our Churches have no true Worship wonderous audacity and our Ministers are no true Ministers and call the Church into private houses as D. Hide expresly in his Christ and his Church in the beginning of the Preface and many others Of whom I spoke before § 3. That the ancient English Bishops that hold to the doctrine of the Church of England and are peaceable men are easily agreed with us I first prove from the example of Reverend Bishop Hall In his Peace-maker he hath these words Pag. 46 47 48 49. The Divisions of the Church are either General betwixt our Church and the other Reformed or special with those within the bosome of our own Church both which require several considerations For the former blessed be God there is no difference in any essential matter betwixt the Church of England and her Sisters of the Reformation We accord in every point of Christian Doctrine without least the variation N B. Their publike Confessions and ours are sufficient convictions to the world of our full and absolute agreement the only difference is in the form of outward administration Wherein also we are so far agreed as that we all profess this form not to be essential to the being of a Church N. B. though much importing the well or better being of it according to our several apprehensions thereof and that we do all retain a reverent and loving opinion of each other in our own several wayes not seeing any reason why so poor a diversity should work any alienation of affection in us one towards another But withall nothing hinders but that we may come yet closer to one another if both may resolve to meet in that Primitive Government whereby it is meet we should both be regulated universally agreed on by all antiquity wherein all things were ordered and transacted by the Consent of the Presbyterie moderated by one constant President thereof the Primacy and perpetual practice whereof no man can doubt of that hath but seen the writings of Clemens and Ignatius and hath gone along with the History of those primitive times We may well rest in the judgement of Mr. John Camero the Learnedst Divine be it spoke without envy that the Church of Scotland hath afforded in this last age Nullus est dubitandi locus c. There is no doubt at all saith he but that Timothy was chosen by the Colledge of the Presbyters to be the President of them and that not without some authority over the rest but yet such as have the due bounds and limits And that this was a leading case and
voice which I would have none forced to Because they are too long to put into this section I will adjoyn that part of his Letter that concerns this subject prefixing one that went next before it against the selling of the Church lands that the Bishops may see how little such men as he consented to it or liked it and may take heed of charging them with Sacriledge § 20. Lastly the Erastians are known to be for Episcopacy it self so be it it come in by the power of the Magistrate And that nothing proposed crosseth the Principles of the Congregationall men I have shewed before But whether really we shall have their consent to a Peace upon these proposed terms I know not because their writings that I have seen do not meddle with the point save only one Congregational man Mr. Giles Firmin hath newly written for this very thing in his Treatise of Schism against Dr. Owen page 66 67 68. I desire you to read the words to save me the labour of transcribing them In which he giveth us to understand that some of the Moderate Congregational Party will joyn with us in a Reconciliation on these terms Whether many or all will do so I know not Let their practise shew whether they will be the first or the last in the Healing of our Divisions But if they refuse we will not for that refuse to Love them as Brethren and study to perform our duty towards them as knowing that we suffer much more when we come short of our duty and love to others then when they come short of their duty and love to us Mr. Richard Vines his Letters before mentioned as a Testimony that the Presbyterian Ministers are not against a fixed President or that Episcopacy which Bishop Hall c. would have been satisfied with Reverend Friend I Received your two last and as for a Schoolmaster I shall do the best I can to propound one to you c. As for your Question about Sacriledge I am very near you in present opinion The point was never stated nor debated in the Isle of Wight I did for my part decline the dispute for I could not maintain the cause as on the Parliaments side and because both I and others were unwilling it was never brought to any open debate The Commissioners did argue it with the King but they went upon grounds of Law and Policy and it was only about Bishops Lands for they then averred the continuance of D. and Chapiters Lands to the use of the Church Some deny that there is any sin of Sacriledge under the Gospel and if there be any they agree not in the definition Some hold an alienation of Church goods in case of Necessity and then make the Necessity what and as extensive as they please The most are of opinion that whiles the Church lies so unprovided for the donations are not alienable sine Sacrilegio If there were a surplusage above the competent maintenance it were another matter It s cleer enough that the Dâ—nors wills are frustrated and that their General intention and the General use viz. the maintenance of Gods worship and Ministers should stand though the particular use might be superstitious I cited in my last Sermon before the Parliament unprinted a place touching Sacriledge out of Mr. Hildersham on Psal. 51. It did not please You may find the words in his book by the Index If his description of it be true then you will still be of your own mind I dare encourage no purchasers but do desire to have some more of your thoughts about it and I shall return you mine as I do my thanks for your excellent and worthily esteemed Treatise which you vouchsafed to prefix my name before Sir I have no more time or paper but to subscribe my self Your truly loving Friend R. Vines London July 20. Sir THough I should have desired to have understood your thoughts about the point of Sacriledge that so I might have formed up my thoughts into some better order and cleerer issue then I did in my laâ—t yet to shew unto you how much I value this correspondence with you I am willing to make some return to your last And first touching the Schoolmaster intended c. The Accomodation you speak of is a great and a good work for the gaining into the work such useful parts and interests as might very much heal the discord and unite the strength of men to oppose destructive ways and in my opinion more feasible with those men then any other if they be moderate and godly for we differ with them rather about some pinacles of the Temple then the foundation er abbuttresses thereof I would not have much time spâ—ut in a formula of doctrine or worship for we are not much distaxt in them and happily no more then with one another But I would have the agreement attempted in that very thing which chiefly made the division and that is Government heal that breach and heal all there begin and therein labour all you can What influence this may have upon others I know not in this exulceration of mens minds but the work speaks it self gâ—od and your reasons for the attempting of it are very considerable For the Assembly you know they can meddle with just nothing but what is sent uâ—to them by Parliament or one house thereof as the order saith and for that reason never took upon them to intermedle therein What they do in such a thing must be done as private persons and not as in the capacity of Assembly men except it come to them recommended by the Parliament The great business is to find a temperament in ordination and government in both which the exclusion or admittance of Presbyters dicis causa for a shadow was not regular and no doubt the Presbyters ought and may both teach and govern as men that must give account of souls For that you say of every particular Church having many Presbyters it hath been considered in our Assembly and the Scripture speaks fair for it but then the Church and City was of one extent no Parishes or bounds assigned out to particular men as now but the Ministers preacht in circuitu or in common and stood in relation to the Churches as to one Church though meeting haplâ— in divers houses or places as is still the manner of some Cities in the Low Couâ—tries If you will follow this model you must lay the City all into one Church particular and the Villages half a dozen of them into a Church which is a business here in England of vast design and consequence And as for that you say of a Bishop over many Presbyters not over many Churches I believe no such Bishops will please our men but the notion as you conceive it hath been and is the opinion of learned men Grotius in his commentary on the Acts in divers places and particularly Cap. 17. saith that as in every particular Synagogue many
that can be contented with a Liberty of using it themselves if they may not have all others compelled to do as they do and go to God with the words that they have formed for them or that are best in their esteem They must be all Schismaticks that will not use their form and the Churches Peace must be laid upon it and no man must be thought meet to preach or pray that will not be of their opinion but the ablest Pastors of the Church must be silenced and cast by if they will not use the Common-Prayer The sinfulness of this practice shall be manifested in the next dispute more fully to which I reserve the most of my reasons against it In the mean time let these few be well considered 1. It is a certain way to the Division of the Church when men will lay its Unity or Peace on that which will not bear it they are the most desperate disturbers and dividers of it If one form of Prayer or Preaching had been necessary to the Churches Unity or Peace Christ or his Apostles might as easily have composed it as they did other necessaries Nay experience tells us that it is not held necessary by men themselves For the Romanists use one or more forms and the Grecians another and the Ethiopians another and so of other Churches In the Bibliotheca Patrum how many Liturgies have they given us And if no one of all these is necessary to all Churches then not to any one Church further then accidents and mens impositions make it necessary And no man should make that necessary that is not some way necessary before It is easie to know that either the Form as such or somewhat in the Form is like to be scrupled by some even godly able men and so it will prove an engine of division The Church hath been brought to that torn divided condition that it is in by this arrogancy of domineering imposers that must lay its Peace on their unnecessary devices and will not let us have unity in Christ and his Institutions and peace upon his terms 2. By this means the people will be involved in the guilt of bitter contending and hating all that conform not to their way and uncharitably reproaching them as schismaticks and consequently of disliking the very doctrine that they preach or hold and the way they take and thus if uncharitableness and all this sin the off-spring of it be the way to Hell then you may see what a notable service they do to Satan and how they ensnare and undo mens souls that make such forms of common Necessity to the Unity or Peace of the Church 3. By this means they will involve themselves and the Magistrate in the guilt of persecution For no better will it prove even in many cases where the refusers scruples are unjust 4. By this means they will hinder the Edification of the Church What if a Minister have a Congregation that suppose upon mistakes do scruple these forms and by prejudice or weakness are hindered from serving God with cheerfullness and profit where they are used must we be bound to deny them that mode of worship which their weakness doth require and to force them to that which will not down with them Must a Physitian be bound to give all his Patients one kind of dyet What if it be wholesome Will you say If that will not down with him he shall have none let him die This is contrary to the end of our office we are commanded to do all to Edification which this doth contradict 5. It is contrary to the Office Power and Trust of the particular Pastors of the Church to be thus compelled in variable things As it is the office of a Physitian to judge what dyet and physick to prescribe his Patients and to vary it as persons do vary in their tempers and diseases and to vary it with the same persons as their condition changeth and requireth it and as it would be foolish Tyranny against the very office of the Physitian to restrain him from this exercise of his prudence by a Law and to tye him to give one kind of food or physick to all so is it in our present case What is a Pastor but the guide of a Congregation in the worship of God c. And if Magistrates and Bishops take this work out of their hands by their unnecessary prescriptions they so far prohibite him to do the work of a Pastor What a grief is it to a Minister that being in the place and knowing the people is the most competent Judge what is fit for them to be constrained by men that know not the state of his flock to cross their Edification and to be forbidden to use his prudence and due power for their spiritual good 6. And what a sinful arrogant usurpation is this for any man to be guilty of It is Christ that hath given his Ministers their Power and that for Edification and who is he that may presume to take it from them If they are unworthy to be Ministers let them not be Ordained or let them be degraded or deposed But if they must be Ministers let them do the work of Ministers lest as he that despiseth them despiseth Christ so he that restraineth them from their duty and depriveth them of the exercise of their power unjustly be found one that would arrogate an authority over Christ. 7. And what intolerable Pride is this for a few Bishops to think so highly of themselves and so basely of their more â—udicious Brethren as if no man must speak to God but in their words These forms of Prayer are conceived and invented by some body Aâ—d why should the Coâ—ceiver think so highly of his own understanding as if he were fit to teach a whole Nation what they must daily say to God and why should he think so unworthily of all oâ—hers in comparison of himself as if none but he and his Companions in this usurpation knew how to pray or utter their minds but by his dictates or prescriptions Is this Humility 8. Moreover this Imposition of forms as before described doth discover too much Cruelty to the Church when they had rather Ministers were cast aside and the people left in darkness then Ministers should teach them and worship God with them that will not tye themselves to the very words that they devise for them What abundance of ignorant drunken Readers and other Ministers were suffered in England while the learned godly painful Ministers were cast out and silenced or persecuted because they would not conform to all the forms and ceremonies imposed by the Bishops And so how many thousand souls may we think are gone to Hell through the ignorance or ungodliness of their Guides as if their damnation were more desirable then their salvation by the teaching of Ministers that dare not use the Common Prayer Book and Ceremonies I know they will say that such Schismatical Preachers