hath the power of Ordination committed to him Tit. 1.5 Titus had the same power in Crete To set in order the things that were wanting and to ordain Elders in every City for many Cities were under his inspection and many Teachers in those Cities but none of them had such a power as is committed to Titus These things are so evident that the Power of Bishops is not denyed them only it is said They were extraordinary persons and it did belong to them as Evangelists But first It cannot be proved that Titus was such a one and 't is a very weak proof to say that Timothy was such because he is bid to do the work of an Evangelist But it is acknowledged that the power and authority which Timothy had he was to commit to others 2 Tim. 2.2 Jus Divinum p. 160. that there might be a perpetual succession of government and the London Divines do there add That Apostolical Examples for the good of the Church and which have a perpetual reason and equity in them have the force of a Rule and by force of this Rule we infer that as St. Paul saw it necessary to derive a power from himself to Timothy over the Presbyters at Ephesus Timothy might and did propagate it to others successively for the well-governing the Church of God The truth of all this is acknowledged That there was a chief Governour appointed by the Apostles we will not contend for the name whether Evangelist or Prime Presbyter or Superintendent but Bishop is the name which the Church hath always used to have authority over the Presbyters and that this authority was to be continued in the Church by succession So Calvin Vnus aliquis authoritate consilio praefuit On Tit. 1.5 and he doubts not to call such an one a Bishop Instit. l. 4. c. 3. Jus Divinum Oct. 3. p. 11. Archippus says he was Bishop of the Colossians Then our Assembly grants that the Primus Presbyter had authority during his life And Videlius assures us of the name as well as the power for saith he in the days of Clemens Romanus the distinction of Bishop and Presbyter was in use The Presbyterians in their Papers to the King in the Isle of Wight grant that not long after the Apostles times Bishops in superiority to Presbyters are reported to be in the Church of God by Writers of those times and the Writers of those times knew what others had said before them None of the Ancients ever mentioning any other Government nor complaining of alteration of that which was established by the Apostles which had it been any other but that of Episcâ—pacy those Martyrs that laid down their lives for the truth would not so tamely have parted with the Government of the Church as not to open their mouths in behalf of that which was the chief Instrument of its peace Can any man conceive That the world was framed by the casual Concourse of Atoms is as probable That all the Governours of the Church should conspire to alter that Form which they received immediately from the Apostles and that presently after their decease Vincentius Lyrinensis tells us this was the practise of those primitive times that by how much any one was reputed more religious than another by so much the more readily he did oppose all Innovations To conclude we may suppose the dignity and power of the Bishop was not determined by the Apostles in every particular yet the Apostles determining that Government in general as most conducing to the unity and peace of the Church other particular circumstances which the exigence of after-times should require were under the power of the Church to appoint them for the unity of the Church being the end for which government was appointed the means that are conducing thereunto being agreed on by the rulers of the Church are as necessary in their kinds as the Laws appointed by Magistrates for the good of the Commonwealth And on this ground it was that Schismaticks have been so severely punished in all ages and their sin compared to the most abominable vices even to Idolatry Sacriledg Parricide Dr. Hammond of Schism for indeed it produceth all these Avoid divisions saith Ignatius as the beginning of all evils All this is Calvin's own sense Whereas it pleased not God to prescribe particularly what we ought to follow as to his outward Worship and Ceremonies by reason that he foresaw such things would depend on the condition of the times and that the same Form would not agree with all ages therefore we ought to consult the general rules which he gave us for the settling of such things as belong to decency and order as the exigency of the Church shall require and in such cases he pronounceth them Schismaticks which raise factions and tumults to the dividing of the Church which saith he cannot subsist but by the rules of its Governours These concessions are good arguments ad homines But the universal practise of the Church by all its members in every age and in all the parts of the world is an argument beyond all contradiction All the doubt is what was practised by the Church immediately after the Apostles age for of after-times there is no doubt and as little of the first age after the Apostles if we will be convinced by as clear evidences as can be produced for the proof of any History Quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus id verâ— Catholicum or matter of fact Ignatius was contemporary with St. John conversant with some of the Apostles one that saw Christ after his Resurrection he wrote seven Epistles which are mentioned by Polycarpe his contemporary by Irenaeus Origen Eusebius and others and he crowned all his works with Martyrdom for Christ The Copies of his Epistles which were set forth by Vossius from the Library of Laurentius Medices are by Biondel congratulated as a great treasury to the Church Now nothing is more clear throughout his Writings than the Superiority of Bishops to Presbyters this made the Presbyterians so industrious to prove that they were spurious Epistles knowing that their cause would stand or fall with them and is nothing yet how sacred soever could stand in their way they deal as barbarously with his works as the Romans did wiâ—h his person accuse him for a deceiver and then condemn him to the beasts But God who in all ages of the Church hath taken advantage by the venting of errors to vindicate the truth more clearly hath by the labours of the learned Vossius and Dr. Hammond and Dr. Pearson Epist ad Magn. Epist ad Trall put a gag into the mouths of all gainsayers he says Nothing ought to be done in the Church without the Bishop And they are men of an ill Conscience that assemble without him Clemens Romanus is another Apostolical person he was St. Pauls fellow-labourer Phil. 4.3 his Epistle to the Corinthians
2 Cor. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that walk in craftiness and can make quidlibet ex quolibet our inventions a rack whereon to wrest and torture the Scripture until it speak our own sense but as of sincerity as of God as in the sight of God speak we in Christ It is nothing but a soul stomach and a vitiated palate that makes some men to disrelish wholesome food could we lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness all wrath and bitterness â—am 1.21 all hypocrisie and prejudice all pride and vain-glory and receive with meekness the sincere Milk of the Word we might have it from the Breasts of our Mother that hath born and nourished us hitherto more plentifully than from all those pretenders who like the Harlot in the history of Solomon seek to divide and Murther the Children that are not their own â— King 3.25 What can the Leaders of a people that cause them to err and separate from a true Church where all things necessary to Salvation may be had plead in their excuse If they say Animus Schismaticus in Ecclesiâ Catholicâ they preach the same Doctrine as we St. Cprian answers that men may be guilty of Schism and Division that remain in the same Faith Nobiscum estis in Baptismo in Symbolo in Spiritu autem unitatis in vinculo pacis in ipsa Ecclesia Catholica non estis The mark of Schism is not set on them that oppose the Doctrine of the Church but that make divisions in and cause separation from the Church Rom. 16.17 1 Cor. 3.4 5. How severely doth St. Paul chide the Corinthians not for following false Teachers but for making factions for true ones I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Christ Christ himself must not be pleaded in opposition to the Ordinances and Unity of the Church Phil. 1.16 this were to preach Christ out of envy When men begin to blow the Trumpet to Division and cry Every to his Tents they do ipso facto proclaim We have no Portion or Communion with the Church Dum conventicula sibi constituunt teritatis caput atque originem reliquerunt S. Cyprian Which is the second particular wherein the Communion of our Church with Christ and his Apostles is maintained i.e. in Government for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Society or Assembly Civil or Ecclesiastical 〈◊〉 Body corporate in which is superiority and subordination and which is governed by certain Laws and Customs Penalties and Priviledges proper to it self and when this order is observed in all Societies it is strange if that which makes up the Body of Christ should be a Monster the Apostle assures us to the contrary God is not the Author of Confusion 1 Cor. 14.33 but of Peace as in all the Churches of the Saints which the Apostle alledgeth especially to prove that there is superiority and subordination even among the Prophets i.e. the Ministers of the New Testament v. 33. The spirit of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets when therefore we read of fellowship with the Apostles we may not understand it of a confused parity either between the Ministers of Christ and his people as the Socinians and Anabaptists or of the Ministers of Christ among themselves as the Presbyterians imagine for we may both see and hear that the contrary hath been from the beginning Our Saviour appointed other seventy Luk. 20.1 Eph. 4.10 which were not of the same rank with the Apostles And when he ascended he gave divers offices to continue in his Church and therefore Christ did not only commission his Disciples To feed and govern his Church in their own persons Joh. 20.21 but by their Successors As the Father sent me so send I you that you may send others And lâ— I am with you to the end of the world Mat. 28.28 not in their persons but in their successors And it will be a very difficult work for some Pastors to prove such a succession But not to digress We read that while the Church of Christ was yet a little Flock Act. 15.6 1 Tim. 3.10 there were Apostles Elders and Deacons when that Flock increased and the planting and confirming of Churches abroad called them from their immediate superintendency they found out fit persons to whom they derived their own ordinary authority viz. For Ordination and Jurisdiction for the government of such Churches as they had planted St. James had his successors at Jerusalem St. Mark at Alexandria St. Peter and St. Paul the one being the Apostle of the Jews that believed the other of the Gentiles Eusebius l. 3. c. 23. had their successors at Rome St. Paul being to go into Macedonia left Timothy at Ephesus and Titus at Crete to succeed him in the Government of those Churches The Apostle had laboured about the space of three years to settle the Church of Ephesus Act. 20.17.28 for he had planted Elders there he visited them and gave them a charge to take heed to themselves and to their flocks over which the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers Episcopi gregis these were thought sufficient as long as the Apostle could be near them but when the Flock multiplied and the Apostle knew he should see these Elders no more Episcopus Presbyterorum gregis he devolved his charge to Timothy Surely he did not make two supream officers in that Church nor if the government of the Elders had been according to his mind would he have given Timothy so large a Commission Charge some 1 Tim. 1.2 that they preach no other Doctrine 1. Here is an inspection into the Doctrine of the Elders Par in parem non habet imperium who were their present Teachers and what were his charge worth if he had not a Jurisdiction over them 2. Timothy was to direct and order the publick Prayers of the Church ch 2. 1. for in v. 18. of ch 1. This charge I commit unto thee What is that charge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first of all That Prayers be made How made By the ex-tempore conceptions of every private Presbyter That is no making of Prayers in the Apostles sense for then Timothy could have no hand in the making of them whereas he was to provide that the Prayers that were used in the Church might be such as might stand with the publick necessities of all men with the welfare of their Governours and their own reputation and peace when none of their adversaries should find any just cause to accuse their solemn Devotions Again 3. Timothy is directed how to receive accusations against an Elder 1 Tim. 5.19 and the power of receiving accusations implies a power to judg and determine of them Herein saith Epiphanius the Apostles shews Quis sit Presbyter Haer. 75. quis Episcopus cum dicit Timotheo Presbyterum ne objurges And 4. v. 20. He
be a Member of Christ which the good Emperor Theodosius preferred above his being Head of the Empire For if there be a Heaven upon Earth it must needs consist as our eternal happiness hereafter in a Communion with God and his Son Jesus Christ and to this the Text guides even to Mount Sion Heb 12.22 and to the City of the Living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the General Assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judg of all and to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant To confirm you in this Society is the end of all our preaching and your hearing for when our Saviour ascended up on high he gave some Apostles Eph. 4.11 14. some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers that we should be no more Children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine but for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ This our Apostle intimates to be the end of all the Scriptures but more especially of the Text That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye may have fellowship with us c. Church-Communion is my present Subject concerning which I observe these three parts in the Text. I. The ground and foundation of Apostolical Communion That which we have seen and heard II. Wherein this Communion consists from the divers notions of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture That ye may have fellowship with us i.e. the Apostles III. The excellency of this Communion And truly our fellowship is with the Father c. That I may the better fix your meditations on my discourse and that upon the Text I shall give you the Substance of both in this short Argument That Church which holds Communion with Christ and his Apostles in Doctrine Omnis Doctrina quae cum Ecclesiis Apostolicis Matricibus Originalibus fidei conspirat veritati deputanda Tertul. de praescript Government and Worship is a true Member of Christs Church in which Salvation may be had But the Church of England holds Communion with Christ and his Apostles in Doctrine Government and Worship Therefore the Church of England is is a true Member of Christs Church in which salvation may be had My first Proposition I shall prove from Act. 2.42 where it is recorded of the Primitive Christians That they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers and it follows v. 47. The Lord added daily to the Church such as should be saved whence I observe 1. That by reason of this Communion they are expresly denominated the Church Plebs sacerdoti adunata as Saint Cyprian 2. And that to this Church Salvation is appropriated God daily added to the Church such as should be saved The Proposition being sufficiently proved I shall for the greater perspicuity prove the Assumption gradually according to the parts into which I divided the Text And shew 1. That the Church of England holds Communion with Christ and his Apostles in Doctrine Anno 1660. Those dissenting Ministers that presented to the Parliament their Reasons for Reformation of the publick Doctrine c. did assure us in the first words that it was far from their thoughts to oppose or disparage orthodox Doctrine a well composed Liturgy Rites for decency and order Ordination of Ministers Apostolical Episcopacy and due Rules of Discipline I wish that as we have heard the voice of Jacob so we had not felt the hands of Esau for though the truth of all that they desired hath been proved by many Worthies in our Israel yet as St. Chrysostome says though we bring the Sun-beams in our hands men will not be perswaded there doth not want light to convince but they resist the Spirit of Truth that should convert them Pray we therefore That he who promised the holy Spirit to them that ask it Luk. 11.13 would pour down such plentiful measures and operations of it into the hearts of this people that as we all profess his holy Name so we may agree together in the truth of his holy Word and live in unity and godly love And so I begin with the first part of the Text viz. The ground and foundation of Apostolical Communion which is the Doctrine delivered in the Scriptures of the New Testament wherein the Church of England doth hold Communion with Christ and his Apostles The things of which the Apostles were eye and ear-witnesses from the beginning of the Gospel that word of life 1 Joh. 1.1 that was spoken by the wisdom of God attested by a voice from Heaven accompanied by the power of God in such variety of Miracles is the only infallible foundation of our Faith and Communion beside which we in vain expect any other either guide or ground Luk. 16.31 Non opus est revelatione post Evangelium Tort. of equal certainty for as our Saviour determined concerning Moses and the Prophets the same may be said of Christ and his Apostles If we believe not them neither will we be perswaded thought one should come from the dead Yet is it no disparagement to our preaching or your hearing that we cannot preface our Sermons as the Apostles did That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you seeing our Saviour hath pronounced them blessed Joh. 20.29 with an Emphasis that have not seen and yet have believed The spirit of perversness did not dye with Pharaoh and the Jews of old There have been little less than Miracles wrought in our generation but if as our Saviour intimates there should be Miracles indeed done in the midst of us there are a sort of Pharisaical persons that would oppose still I shall therefore take it as granted that we do believe those things which Christ and his Apostles have declared unto us in the books of the New Testament In iis quae apertè in SS posita sunt inveniuntur omnia quae continent fidem moresque vivendi S. August de Doct. Christ. 2.9 2 Pet. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Chrys in 2 Thes Hom. 3. and that in them we have the will of God declared unto us concerning all such things as are necessary to our Salvation that they are a most certain and safe rule of Faith able to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished to every good work 2 Tim. 2.13 And whereas it may be objected from St. Peter that in them are some things hard to be understood I answer that the things that are necessary to be known are but few and those are obvious to ordinary capacities and such as are obscure and difficult are not necessary or if there be some difficulties that may be thought necessary to be explained then as Diamonds are best formed by Diamonds
so the Scriptures is best expounded by Scripture 'T is St. Pauls rule Ro. 12.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him that prophesieth i.e. interpreteth the Scripture prophesie according to the proportion of Faith Now the Analogy of Faith is observed when those truths which are evident and undoubted like the first Principles in other Sciences be made the rule for resolving of what is less evident Institution of a Christian man Bishop Jewels Apology and the Scripture is what is less evident and the Scripture is â—â—st seen as the Sun by its own light Yet because there is no truth so clear but some unhappy men may perplex and controvert it in case the wisdom of God in the Scripture be not thought sufficient to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men the Church of England declared at the beginning of the Reformation her readiness to submit to the decrees of the four first * Council of Nice consisting of 318 Bishops Of Constinople 150. Of Ephesus 200. Of Calcedon 630. The universal practise of the primitive Church is the most authentic interpreter of Scripture K.C. his Papers to Hender General Councels and the judgment of the Fathers of the four first Centuries And doubtless they who were neerest to the lights of the world could best discern their Doctrines many of whom could say of the Apostle as they of Christ That which we have seen and heard from their own mouths and writings declare we unto you Nevertheless we give not the Councils a power to make new Articles of Faith but only to explain and inforce the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures which is all that those primitive Councels did pretend to which power is indeed very requisite for the unity of the Church because there never was Heretick or Schismatick but did alledg the Scriptures in defence of his opinions Artic. 6. Oâ—â— Church therefore declares First Concerning the holy Scriptures viz. All the Books of the Old and New Testament which are now commonly received by us that they contain all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not read in them nor can be proved out of them is not required of any one to be believed as an Article of Faith or to be thought necessary to Salvation Artic. 20 Secondly Concerning the Authority of the Church That it may not institute any thing that is contrary to the written Word of God nor may so expound one place of Scripture that it be made to contradict another and that it obtrude nothing else to be believed as necessary to Salvation Artic. 21 Thirdly As to the Authority of Councils it declares That whatever they decree as necessary to Salvation hath neither strength nor authority unless it may be shewn that it is taken out of the Word of God Thus far I make no doubt but we are agreed There is yet another Summary of Christian Faith wherein we hold Communion with the Apostles viz. The Apostles Creed of the Original whereof I think fit to give you this brief account Our Saviour injoined his Apostles to go and disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son Mat. 28.19 20. and of the Holy Ghost and to teach them to observe all things that he should command them Now the Apostles baptizing for the most part such as were of years of discretion did teach them also i.e. did catechize and instruct them in the mysteries of that Faith into which they were baptized Thus we find them teaching that Jesus was the Christ that he was God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 that he died for our Sins and rose again for our Justification that he ascended to Heaven and that he shall come again to judg both the quick and dead 2 Tim. 4.1 1 Joh. 5.7 so likewise the Trinity of Persons in the unity of the Godhead Of this Faith it was required that they which were of discretion should make profession before their admission to Baptism This was that good Profession which Timothy made before many witnesses yea 1 Tim. 6.12 and Titus whom St. Paul calls his own Son according to the common Faith is supposed by Bishop Davenant to have made the like Profession See Bishop Davenant's Opinion p. 16. And Calvin on Heb. 6.2 asks the question what is Baptismal Doctrine but that of Faith in God of Repentance and of Judgment So that the Apostles having planted many Churches before the Scriptures were written and being shortly after the day of Pentecost according to their commission to depart into several Countries they did then Tradunâ— majorâ— nostri c. Ruffirius in Syâ—bol as the Ancients affirm sum up the Articles of Christian Faith and left them as a depositum in all the Churches which they had planted to be the standard of incorrupt Doctrine by which young and old should be instructed Of this we have memorials in most of their Epistles which all know were not written till after the plantation of those Churches to whom they were written Thus St. Paul mentioneth Rom. 6.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3.10 11. the Form of Doctrine delivered to the Church at Rome The Foundation laid by him in the Church of Corinth The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the measure of the Rule which he used in preaching of the Gospel which by an Emphasis he calls * Gal. 6.16 Eph. 2.20 1 Tim. 6.20 2 Tim. 1.13 Tit. 1.4 2 Pet. 2.21 Jude v. 3. the Canon commended to the Galatians And to the Ephesians the Foundation And to the Philippians the same Rule i. e the one immutable Rule as Tertullian calls the Creed the Depositum or Form of sound words the common Faith which places with others like them many ancient and modern Divines do understand of the Apostles Creed And 't is observed that the most primitive Fathers mentioning the Rule of Faith do mean generally the Apostles Creed for if they had a Rule of Faith before the Canon of the Scriptures was sealed which was not till St. Johns death what can we suppose to have been that Rule beside the Apostles Creed St. Ignatius gives us the Substance of it in three of his Epistles commending the constancy of those Churches in the unalterable Faith Irenaeus says Ad Smyrn Philip. Thrall The Church that is planted throughout the whole World did receive from the Apostles and their Disciples that Faith which is in One God the Father Almighty Tertullian tells us De velandis Virg. contra Prax. of â—â—tres tractatores that had commented on it before himself The very use of Catechising which is from the Apostles days doth evince that there were grounds of Christian Religion by which they were to be instructed And in one word whereas the Niceue and Athanasian Creeds are but expositions of the Apostles in those Articles that were opposed in their days we may conclude that it was more ancient than they I