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A55574 Common-prayer-book no divine service, or, XXVIII reasons against forming and imposing any humane liturgies or Common-prayer-books, and the main objections to the contrary, answered also, the English Common-prayer-book anatomized, likewise twelve arguments against diocesan and lord-bishops, with the main objections answered, and the great disparity between them, and Timothy and Titus, shewed / by Vavasor Powell. Powell, Vavasor, 1617-1670. 1661 (1661) Wing P3084; ESTC R40660 35,918 54

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High Priest and his power well enough but he spake to him as Diogenes said to Alexander the Great I do not know Alexander the King but I know Alexander the Tyrant The Minor or latter that the Diocesan and Lord-Bishops have many unscriptural inferiour Officers as Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons Commissaries Chancellors Canons Residents Prebendaries Peticanons c. such a rabble-rout that some who have searched the Nest affirm that there are from the bottom to the top from the Van to the Rear thirty eight distinct Officers that is thirty above what Christ hath put in his Church So having done with these Syllogistical Arguments I will now lay down a few more plain Reasons against Diocesan Lord-Bishops and their Power Because there is no difference made in the Scripture between Bishops and other Gospel-Ministers Argum. 7. called Elders See Act. 20.17 and 28. Mat. 6.37 Col. 1.23 Phil. 1.1 Tit. 1.5 6 7. Note that where the Church-Officers are mentioned in Scripture the Bishops are never named as a distinct Order from the Elders but onely from the Deacons Rom. 12.6 7 8. Ephes 4.11 12. Obj. Yea there is mention made of Helps and Governments 1 Cor. 12.28 Ans Though he speaks of Helps and Governments yet it is in the fifth or sixth place after Apostles Prophets Teachers c. and not in the first nor second rank So that if any can spy out Episcopacy here I am sure they can neither in this place nor elsewhere in Scripture finde lord-Lord-Bishop neither in name nor power nor in that Rank and Order they place themselves no though you thus reckon First the Pope secondly the Cardinal thirdly the Archbishop fourthly the diocesan-Diocesan-Bishop there you finde them in their proper place but not in the Scripture 2. It is said Aquila and Urbane nay Priscilla a woman were Helpers of Paul in Christ Jesus Rom. 16.3 9. and yet they were no Bishops It were to be wished that the Bishops were as good Helpers as they were and as like Timothy whom they would have to bee a Bishop bee ready to carry a poor painful persecuted Preachers Cloak Books c. as he did Pauls And thus they would obey the commands of Christ who said Whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister and Whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant Mat. 20.26 27. I suppose all know who would be greatest and chiefest among the Ministers but do any know which of them will be content to learn this Lesson of Christ for such a Bishop would we give our voice nay I am contented that the Bishops should have the chiefest care of so many as they have converted or fed This granted it is supposed their power will not be too great Because they are created by men viz. by the Kings or Princes Argum. 8. in whose Dominions they are and I may say to them as the Boy said to the Doctor That God made his Fathers Ox a Bull but his Father made him an Ox God made them men but the King made them Bishops See Cook De Jure Regis Ecclesiastico Because they depend upon man Argum. 9. which the true Ministers of Christ never did Episcopacy is a Noune Adrective that cannot stand by it self but it must be supported by the hand of the chief Magistrate And they shelter themselves under that Maxime of theirs No Bishop no King And the Bishops say No Ceremonie no Bishop whether this be not to lay a weak foundation to Regal Authority let any judge The Proverb would be truer No King no Bishop for the King may very well subsist without them Simile but they like Colewerts close to the Vine draw the fatness of the earth from it to themselves Or like the Ivy to the Oak Simile sheltring it self under its arms and boughs but in the mean time keeping much of the vertue of the Sun from the Tree A tenth Reason to prove Diocesan Bishops to be unlawful Argum. 10. is because they do imitate the Priests of the Law so much in respect of their different degrees order c. as Archbishops answering the High Priests the Presbyters the other Priests and the Deacons the Levites and the Chorister and Cantors the Jewish Singers so their Organs and other Instrument They have also their Pauls answerable to the Temple their Garments Girdle Mytre c. like those which the Priests did use Exod. 28.4 5 6. also their Tables Altars Sacrifices Oblations Purifications of Women and their Holy-days Feasts with many such things answering to the Jewish Feasts Heb. 9.7 8 9. but this is to set up the Legal Priest-hood again that was weak and those things which were but shadows and continued onely till the time of Reformation And is not this to do altogether as bad as the Jewish Teachers did Gal. 3.4 who indeavoured to bring back the Disciples who had begun in the Spirit to end in the flesh Obj. But how can they be Jewish and yet Popish Ans Very well for the Pope and Papists are in a manner Imitators of the Jews onely they borrow some Heathenish Customes and create some of their own for outward advantage And doubtless it was the aim and indeavour of some of the late Bishops as might easily be seen by their Writings and works that they intended to unite England to Rome and what some of the present ones may do being Birds of the same feather when their wings grow longer Time which is the discoverer of things will shew Because Lordly and Diocesan power is more than the Apostles of Christ did exercise either joyntly or apart Argum. 13. For they imposed no Canons or Decrees except the pure Scriptures the true Rule and Standard upon any of the Churches no though a whole Synod of them were gathered together to make such but delivered and left them to the Churches with this Recommendation If you keep your selves ye shall do well Act. 15.29 Likewise Paul an Apostle and Timothy a Bishop if you will have him so would not exercise Dominion over the Faith of the Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lordship 2 Cor. 1.1 compared with 24. Lastly It will evidently appear that the Lordly Diocesan-Bishops and their power are unwarrantable and unscriptural if we compare them with the Bishops mentioned in Scripture and particularly with Timothy and Titus who are urged by them for Authority and Example Timothy and Titus were 1. Begotten again and converted by the Gospel 1 Tim. 1.1 Titus 1.4 2. True Disciples and Servants of Jesus Christ Act. 16. Phil. 1.1 3. Men of good report Act. 16.2 2 Cor. 8.6 4. Inwardly and really affected to the people of God 2 Cor. 7.15 Titus 1.8 as Brethren Col. 1.1 5. Well acquainted with the Scriptures and the Word of God and having a gift to prophecy 2 Tim. 3.15 and 1 Tim. 4.14 6. Doubtless chosen by the suffrages or voices of Church-members as the manner was in chusing
are plain in Act. 20.28 Take heed therefore to your selves and to the whole flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you over-seers Or more near the Greek Take heed therefore to your selves and feed the whole flock in which the Holy Ghost hath put you Bishops In that particular Church of Ephesus there were several Bishops or as they are called in the 17 vers Elders which are the same for Peter though an Apostle calls himself an Elder so in the Church of Philippi there were several Bishops as well as Deacous 1 Pet. 5.7 Phil. 1.1 Then to appoint or set up one Bishop over divers Congregations as over three or four hundred nay some over a hundred Parishes is to do contrary to what the Spirit of the Lord hath done Therefore 't is unlawful That order which is contrary to the order which the Apostles set up in the Churches of the Gentiles is unlawful Argum. 3. But the order of Lordly or diocesan-Diocesan-Bishops is contrary to that order which the Apostles set up in the Churches of the Gentiles _____ Therefore unlawful The Proposition will not be denied for what the Apostles received from Christ they set up in the Churches 1 Cor. 11.23 14.3.7 Act. 15.29 16.4 The Assumption I prove thus The order that the Apostles set up in the Churches of the Gentiles was Bishops or Elders which were of equal power and authority as is shewed before and will more fully be afterward in every Church Act. 14.23 Tit. 1.5 7. But Diocesan order is to set up one Bishop over many Churches which order is contrary to the order set up by the Apostles and so consequentially unlawful They that walk contrary to the Rules of the Apostles walk contrary to the Lord himself 1 Cor. 11.1 Ephes 5.1.2 Thes 3.9 and they that walk contrary to the Lord the Lord will walk contrary to them Lev. 26.21 41. That Office and Authority which makes a man utterly uncapable of performing the duties belonging properly to his Function is unlawful Argum. 4. But Lordly or Diocesan power makes a man utterly uncapable of performing the duties belonging to his Function Therefore Lordly or Diocesan Power is unlawful The Major none but such as are willing to shun performing their Duties will deny The Minor is proved by considering what the Duties are which belong to the Function of Bishops to wit to know their stocks watch over them feed and comfort them to resolve their doubts visit them and administer the Lords Supper often unto them c. Prov. 27.23 1 Thes 5.12 13. Heb. 13.7 17. Act. 20.28 2 Cor. 1.4 James 5.14 1 Cor. 11.23 26. and how any Diocesan-Bishops whose power extends in some Diocesses over several Counties can possibly do this let any judge That which doth necessarily introduce the Popes power over the Churches of Christ Argum. 5. is unlawful But the office of Lord-Bishops or Diocesan-Bishops doth necessarily introduce the Popes power over the Churches of Christ Therefore the office of Lord-Bishops and Diocesan-Bishops is unlawful None but Papists will oppose the first The second I prove thus They that have their Ordination from the Pope and so consequently their Ministry for Ordinatio apud Episcopos est causa sine qua non c. for a man though never so well qualified is not accounted by them a Minister without it do introduce the Popes power over the Churches of Christ But Diocesan or Lord-Bishops have their Ordination from the Pope Ergo. I prove they have their Ordination from the Pope They that have their Ordination from the Archbishop have their Ordination from the Pope as holy Crunmer confessed they had and as one lately made Bishop Mr. Nichols formerly Minister in Carmarthen in South-Wales now as they say Bishop of Glocester acknowledged before many witnesses in a conference with mee in Carmarthen for which some of his own friends blamed him For if the Archbishop hath not his Ordination from the Pope then he hath none at all and so is no Minister at all and so hath no power to ordain other Bishops nor they any other Ministers for Nemo dat quod in se non habet So that it is easie to derive the Pedigree of our Diocesan-Bishops And the learned Papists who are well versed in this Genealogy know their descent perfectly that the Bishops and themselves have but one Grand-father whoever their Grand-mother or Mother is Obj. But if it be objected That one Bishop hath power to ordain another and so they need not have dependance upon the Pope for their Ordination Ans I answer If one Bishop ordain another either hee ordains him as another ordinary Minister or Priest as they say or as a Bishop If as another ordinary Minister then a Bishop is not of another or higher Order than the ordinary Minister is of but they are Equal in degree and then par in parens non habet imperium And this will not satisfie the Bishops If he ordained him first as a Minister and afterwards as a Bishop he hath had two Ordinations for which there is no Rule in Scripture Obj. But the Archbishop doth but consecrate and confirm the Bishop Ans Suppose that were a distinct thing from Ordination which cannot be proved from the Word of God yet who shall consecrate the Archbishop either it must be his Inferiour Equal or Superiour surely it will not be admitted that his Inferiour should do it for by that Rule and Reason ordinary Ministers which they call Priests and account to be of a lower rank than Bishops may ordain Bishops An Equal cannot do it because that the Archbishop of Canterbury hath no Fellow unless the Archbishop of York then of necessity there must be application to a Superiour and there is no such that assumes any Authority to administer Ecclesiastical Ordinances except the Pope himself So that by close pursuit you may finde where these Foxes are or will be kennell'd Let us therefore with the Church pray Take us or as it is in the Hebrew gnalu for us the little Foxes that spoil the Vines for our Vines have tender Grapes Cant. 2.15 That Order and Office which hath many unscriptural Inferiour Officers depending thereon Argum. 6. and are as branches thereof is unlawful But the Order and Office of Diocesan and Lord-Bishops hath many unscriptural Officers depending thereon and are branches thereof Therefore it is unlawful The former is proved 2 Chron. 13.9 Ezek. 43.3 Act. 23.3 when Paul said to Ananias the High Priest Thou whited wall c. doubtless he looked upon him to be irregular in the Office as the corruption was grown among the Jews to have a Sagan answerable thereto sure are Suffragans and when he said I wist not that he was the High Priest he spake it Ironically and 't is as if he had said I knew him not to be an High Priest but I looked upon him as one that doth usurp the place Surely Paul knew the
Officers Acts. 6.3 and 14.22 7. Ordained solemnly by fasting and prayer either by the Apostles Presbyters or Elders of the same Church or Churches they were of Act. 6.6 and 13.3 1 Tim. 4.14 8. Itinerant Preachers going from Country to Country to preach the Gospel Act. 17.14 1 Thes 1.3 9. Diligent Labourers in the Work of Christ and his Gospel called Pauls work-fellows Rom. 6.21 1 Cor. 16.10 10. Naturally careful of the things of Christ and of the welfare of Christians Phil. 1.19 2 Cor. 8.16 11. Attendants and Ministers to the Apostles Act. 18.5 and 19.22 Gal. 2.1 2 Tim. 4.10 but not their Chaplains 12. Messengers of the Churches of Christ going from one Church to another and carrying contribution to the poor Saints 2 Cor. 8.23 and 2 Cor. 8.6 13. Much refreshed in and among the Saints and Churches of Christ 2 Cor. 7.14 14. Persecuted imprisoned and in bondage for professing preaching and practising the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ Heb. 13.17 Col. 4.10 15. Such as did ordain Bishops or Elders in the Churches of Christ according to the appointment of the Apostles Tit. 1.5 16. Doubtless blameless vigilant sober of good behaviour c. 1 Tim. 3.23 Tit. 1.2 1 Tim. 3.2 Timothy and Titus as appears in Scripture 1. Were not chosen to their Office by Dean and Chapter 2. Were not created by any earthly Kings or Princes 3. Were not consecrated and confirmed by any Arch-bishop or Pope 4. Did not call themselves neither were they called Lords Though these men call themselves so as Dr. Godwyn c. whereas Christ forbids his Apostles to be called Masters Mat. 23.8 10. See James 3.1 5. Did not swear Canonical Obedience to any Archbishop 6. Did not require any that they did ordain to swear Canonical obedience to them 7. Did not ask the Ministers they ordained at their Ordination Will you reverently obey the Ordinary and other chief Ministers unto whom the Government and Charge is committed over you c. 8. When they did ordain other Ministers they did not say to them Recipe Sanctum Spiritum Receive the Holy Ghost and Take thou Authority to preach the Word of God 9. Tendred no Book of Articles Canons or Common-Prayer-Books to these they ordained nor required any to swear to such things 10. Did not lay hands upon any to ordain them before they were elected much less ordain or license any to be meer Readers 11. Did not intermeddle with Civil and Secular Affairs they were neither honourable in Parliaments nor Councils nor Worshipful Justices in the Countries 12. Had no Stately Palaces Bishops Lands or thousands to maintain them yearly 13. Had no High-Commission-Courts Court of Audience Prerogative-Court Court of Faculties c. nor power to convene people at their pleasures before them 14. Had no such Officers under them as Deans Archdeacons Prebends Chancellours Commissaries Advocates Proctors Pursevants Apparitors c. 15. Used no such Oaths as the Oath ex Officio to examine a man against himself or the Etcaetera Oath to swear to what should be added and put in afterwards by them 16. Did not impose penance fines imprisonment c. upon people at their pleasure 17. Did not wear Scarlet Gowns Mytres Laun-sleeves c. 18. Did not sell Livings for money nor give them as Dowries or Portions with their Daughters or Kinswomen to Ministers 19. Did not silence any of the Ministers of the Gospel under the notion of Puritans and Factious persons but if they silenced any it was by Scriptures and sound Arguments as Titus was commanded Tit. 1. 20. They did not present Ministers as the Bishops used to do for preaching without license or in a Coat or Cloak or godly people for going out of their own Parishes to hear Sermons or for meeting in private to read the Scriptures repeat Sermons pray c. or for not standing at the Creed not bowing at the Name of Jesus for wearing ones hat at Sermon-time for not observing Popish-Holy-days c. 21. Did not cause any of the Beleevers to be fined imprisoned stigmatized and to have their ears cut off c. or banished under the notion of Sectaries or Schismatical persons 22. Did not require the sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction like Demetrius 23. Did not neglect to preach the Gospel or think it enough to appoint others under or for them to do it Did not make Preachers Physicians School-Masters Clerks Midwives c. buy and often renew their licences c. 24. Were not given to Wine or greedy of filthy lucre not soon angry brawlers self-will'd proud contentious and ill Examples in their Families or Country 25. Did not remove from one Diocess to another for greater preferment 26. Had not under them dumb lazy prophane Popish Priests and Parsons that have not onely pluralities of Livings but pluralities of Offices belonging to their Hierarchy Having thus laid down the Reasons against Archbishops and Diocesan Lord Bishops and likewise having shewed you the difference between these Worldly Monsters and true Gospel-Bishops it will in the last place be necessary to answer some of the main Objections and they are not many as I apprehend that can be made nor any but may be easily and soon answered though mens wanton and worldly wit self-interest and sinful sophistry would imagine more than are real Obj. But were there not Bishops in the daies of the Apostles Was not Timothy Bishop of Ephesus and Titus Bishop of Crete Ans There is no Scripture that proves either of them to be Bishops at all much less Bishops of those places Obj. What Doth not Paul in his superscription or subscription direct his Epistle to them as such 2 Tim. 4. end Tit. 3. end Ans First the superscriptions or subscriptions in the end of all Pauls Epistles seem and are judged by many learned to be added by men since and were not written by Paul And it is evident that some of those superscriptions are contradictory to the very Epistles to which they are suffixed As the 1 Epist to the Corinth by comparing the subscription with Act. 19 9 22. with 1 Cor. 16.8 Secondly It is very probable that those particular subscriptions to Timothy and Titus were not written by Paul For 1. Timothy and Titus were Evangelists 2 Tim. 4.5 2 Cor. 8.23 that is men not ty'd to one place or Church but sometimes accompanied the Apostles in their Journies from Country to Country and assisted them in the work of the Gospel by preaching visiting and helping to settle Officers and good Order in the Churches as appears Act. 17.14 19.22 1 Thes 3.12 2 Cor. 2.12 Gal. 2.1 2 Cor. 5.6 1 Tim. 1.3 Tit. 1 5. and as more fully and particularly appears in the positive part of the parallel to wit what Timothy and Titus were between them and Diocesan-Bishops 2. It is clear that in Ephesus which was but one Church in one City Act. 18.19 Rev. 2.1 there were divers Bishops Act. 20 17. compared with vers