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B02463 A modest apology occasioned by the importunity of the Bishop of Derrie, who presseth for an answer to a query, stated by himself, in his second admonition: concerning joyning in the publick worship established by law. In answer to the query, the pondering of some weighty exceptions is first desired: and then such a resolution is given to the query, as the word of God, and thereby the safety of our consciences will allow. / By a minister of the gospel, at the desire of some Presbyterian dissenters. Craghead, Robert.; King, William, 1650-1729. 1696 (1696) Wing C6794; ESTC R171586 54,814 122

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all People we kno● Dissenters in this Diocess do most need suc● help the weakest of them being often acco●ed with Questions more proper for studied D●vines than poor Countrey-People and if th● Answers of these poor People do not relish ●● shall have it published that the Dissenters here are a most ignorant People insulted over and exposed to Contempt Therefore we thought it necessary in our Circumstances because of our Love to the Truth and to the Weakest ●● these who adhere to it to afford what He●● we could Acknowledging that this pres●● Undertaking might have been performed ●● greater Advantage by some abler Pen which i● hoped will yet be done but whatever weaknes appear in this little Tractat shall not be imputable to many but to some of those to whom the Authors Admonition was Directed and thereb● concerned to exoner their Conscience by making it appear that neither trifling Scrupl● Peevishness nor perverse Obstinacy but meer ●y that our Consciences cannot be stretched to ●he Latitude that others take in the VVorship of GOD hath procured the following Reso●ution to the Authors Query If it be displeasing to him it 's that which we could not prevent but himself might have prevented it by permitting us to Live in Peace without such Queries For he could not but foresee our Answer would be conformed to our own Principles and Practice though we have no Pleasure in provocking him or any other being desirous to live Quiet and Peaceable in the Land giving thanks to GOD the Author of all Good and to his Majesties Clemency under whose happy Government we enjoy Protection and to whom we owe most entire Acknowledgements of Gratitude which we are desirous to testifie on all Occasions and at this present are confident that when many are found Guilty of these execrable Conspiracies to take away his Precious Life there shall not one of our Principles be stained with Disloyalty but all in a cheerfull readiness for his Majesties Preservation and Service There is one thing more that the Reader is desired to Notice that notwithstanding the Exceptions hereafter mentioned stand in the Way of our Communion with the Establisht Church yet we doubt not but many of that Communio● are Godly Persons and are known to be of su● a Christian-Conversation that we could free partake with them in Gospel-Ordinances p●viding we could obtain it without danger of Si●ning nor do we take it on us to Judge the● for following their own Judgement only ● cannot see with their Eyes nor they with ou● but must wait untill GOD reveal it to them w● are otherwise minded Perswading our Sel● that the Sober and Judicious of another Pers●sion whom we Love and Honour in the LOR● will not Condemn but rather approve of o● Ingenuity in allowing Men to know the weig● of these Reasons that binds Us up from t● Communion which otherwise we would Co● for the Churches Peace This ingenuous Apology is neither for Ostentation nor Irritation but a necessary Vindication of our Practice unto which we are pressed IN laying open Our Exceptions we shall begin with that which is the Root of all these Eclesiastick-Impositious whereby our Consciences are Burdened and our Selves ●hrust out from Communion with You in the ●ublick Worship of GOD Our Ministers and ●heir Ministry is Rejected if they Subscribe not ●o this Article Cannon 36. viz. That the Book of Common Prayer and of Ordering of Bishops Priests ●nd Deacons containeth nothing in it contrary to the ●ord of GOD and that it may Lawfully so be used ●nd that he Himself will use the Form in the said Book ●rescribed in publick Prayer and Administration ●f the Sacraments and none other Here is a plain and full Extrusion of all Mini●ers who are not for Bishops over Presbyters for ●he Canon mentioneth only such Bishops or will ●se any other Form in Prayer than the Service ●ook to this Form of Service the People must ●lso subject for no other Church-Communion is allowed them but where these are Consented u● to But this our Consciences being Directed b● the Word of GOD cannot Comply with co●plaining of it as a most heavy Imposition And this Jurisdiction of Bishops over Presbyters is the Ground of our first Exception and th● because the Office of a Bishop having Authori● over other Ministers of the Gospel is not foun● in the Scriptures and therefore wanteth Divi● Institution And if such a Bishops Commission ● not found there then We are not obliged to su●ject to him as an Officer in the House of GOD Such therefore as will stand on no lower Groun● for Prelacy in the Church than Scriptural-Auth●rity are obliged to make it appear And We d●sire no more but direct us to any Scriptures wh● this Commission is granted if this could be do● ye would not only save us a Labour of proving Negative but should also find us as comformab● in Point of Subjection as any of your own Co●munion but after frequent and according ● our Measure serious reading the Book of GOD We could never yet observe a Bishop set ov● Presbyters but We frequently find that a Bisho● Presbyter are one office as hereafter shal appea● Reason 1. If Christ had instituted the Offi● of a Prelate or Bishop over Presbyters then t● said Office would be mentioned in some of the● Scriptures which designedly giveth an account● all Church-Officers in the Gospel-Church But in none of these Scriptures is there any mention of a Prelate or Bishop over Presbyters Therefore Christ hath not instituted the said Office For the first Proposition that if there were Institution for such an Officer he would be mentioned in these Scriptures is evident because the Apostle setteth himself to shew what Offices Christ had set in his Church both Extraordinary and Ordinary And who dare say that the Apostle failed in the Enumeration being inspired by the Holy Ghost and how can it be imagined that so eminent a Church-Officer making so great a Figure in the Church could be omitted was it not of great Importance for the Church of GOD in all succeeding Generations to know if there was One appointed to have Authority over many other Ministers without whose placet they should ●either have Power to Ordain other Ministers ●or Govern their Flocks If Christ had instituted such an Officer would he not have given some ●ntimation of Him That other Ministers might ●ave known it was their Duty conscientiously to Obey Him But we have no where any such Inti●ation from Christ or any of his Apostles but the contrary as shall appear And that a Bishop over Presbyters is invisible ●y any of these Scriptures where Church-Officers are purposely enumerated the Reader shall hav● them in ready and full view 1 Cor. 12. 28. And GOD hath set some in th● Church first Apostles secondary Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles then Gifts of Healin● Helps Governments Diversities of Tongues Rom. 12. 6. Having then Gifts differing accordin● to the Grace
obtaining peace to her self 2. Tho' this be the strongest Effort and most ●lausible Argument that the Episcopal Cause can ●aim Yet when pondered in the Ballance of the ●anctuary it 's found light because first Christ did ●re know all the Trials Temptations and Events ●at should befall his Church yet he saw it not fit ● prescribe any such Remedy who is faithfull in ●l his House the Government is upon his Shoul●rs and the House is his own if any Man ac●se him for omitting so necessary a Mean as is ●retended for the good of his Church let him ●onsider how he will give an account when he is ●dged by the same Lord of his House for his ●re and faithfulness hath fully appeared already ● setting so many Officers in his House as he ●ought necessary And therefore if an Oecume●k Council were assembled more full than ever yet appeared in the Christian World they cou● not jure set another Officer in the House of Go● to Command and bear Rule over these Office● whom Christ hath entrusted to Feed his Floc● though Dr. Stilling fleet now Bishop once scepti● as to any particular Form of Church-Gover●ment hath taken much pains in his Irenic to pe●swade the World that it 's left to Humane Pr●dence whither the Church be Governed by B●shops over Presbyters or by Ministers in pari● of Power And strenuously opposeth the Divi● Right of Prelacy yet since he ascended and fi●ed in that Orb himself tempora mutantur nos m●tamur in illis Presbyters are now so contemptib● in his Eye that if his new Labours and Argumen● can prevail they shall not so much as be tollera●ed to Labour in their Masters Vineyard Aureus heu fragilem confregit malleus urna● That his Book is so answered that many dou● his Confidence to give it a Reply but leaving hi● from whom better things were expected 3. Consider that if Bishops be set over Presb●ters for Preservation of Unity in the Church th● some new Order must be set over these Bishops f● they may fall out by the Way as well as other B●thren as they often do and these who are set ●ver them may likeways fall into Divisions for i● rare to see Promotion make Men more Lowly a● Meek Archbishops and Metropolitans ha● been scandalously divided by their own Pride to ●e height of Excommunicating one another ●nd when all these fail so that Unity is not obtain●d whether shall Men go next if not to a principi●m unitatis caput Eclesiae to whom all must sub●ect And thus it was indeed that the Pope ascen●ed his Throne and as many have observed and ●e Groaning Church under that Tyrranny yet ●ndeth the Remedy proved worse than the Dis●ase this manner of Cure to elevate some Mini●ers above the Station that Christ had placed ●em in and Robbing other Ministers of their ●e Right Could never have good Fruit nor ●d ever Men ground to expect GODS blessing ●on such an unwarrantable and audacious Pre●mption Object Presbyters do voluntarly Elect and set ● Bishops to have Authority and Jurisdiction o●er themselves and therefore though they be now ●eprived of Jurisdiction they have no Cause to ●omplain for violenti non fit injuria blame themsves Ans 1. If Presbyters chused and made Bishops ●er themselves as we grant is said to be done at ●exandria then Presbyters had all that Power ● Jurisdiction at first intrinsecally in themselves ●r they could not give that to others which was ●t their own and this of it self is yeelding the ●use when it is acknowledged that Presbyters had the Original ministerial-Ministerial-Power by CHRIS● Commission 2. It was not in the Power of Presbyters to ●lienate that Power which Christ had conferred ●pon them for id possumus quod Jure possum● Christ having bestowed upon them full Pasto● Authority by what Warrant could they give t● away to another or any part of it For it was g●en to be exerted by themselves in their Person Service according to their Masters Directions their Master had thought fit to lodge that Po● in the Hands of others he would have bestow it himself but never left it to their Option to S● or Give away his Gifts and so disable themsel● for the Trust and Service he committed to th● besides that it is inaccountable Ungratitude ● Contempt of their Master to throw away ● Commission and let others Dispose of it as t● please And whoever have done so we are thereby obliged to the like Practice 3. If this be the deed of Conveyance whereby ●shops over Presbyters have obtain'd a Right ● Title to sole Jurisdiction in the Church then t● cannot say they have this Right and Title f● Christ It 's a Gift of the Presbyters but not a ● of Christ And a very dishonest Gift Dishono●ble both to the Giver and Receiver Yet there are many Reasons to perswade the inadvertent succumbing of some Presby● ●ve great Occasion for the rising of Prelacy pau●tim by Degrees For first Some Ministers being seated in Places of Emi●ncy in the World specially Great Cities in con●rmity to the Civil Government and Jurisdiction ● these Places the Ministers of these Places had ●o early some Titles of Honour not common to ● other Ministers 2. And if they were eminent ●r Abilities and Prudence or of long standing in ●e Ministry When other Ministers and they ●d meet together for the Affairs of the Church ●mmonly such Men were Chosen to preside for ●e orderly Management of their Judicatories as ●olocutors or Moderators Which cannot be ●nting without Confusion yet he who did Pre●e had no power of Jurisdiction over the rest it re●aining in their Power to choose another for that ●rvice as they should see it expedient But 3. his sometimes falling into the hands of ambiti●s Men made interest not only for their conuance but for their farther Promotion usurp● upon other Ministers who were more meanly ●ated untill they had wrested Power out of their ●ands and did appropriate all Jurisdiction to ●emselves the other Ministers sinfully succum●ng under this Usurpation untill there was no ●trieving of what they had Lost Our 2d Exception is your Liturgy which after ●rious Perusal we cannot approve not that we are against a general Directory for decent Order Gospel-Administrations that each part of W●ship have its due place This we acknowledge be necessary And therefore all the Reform● Churches have provided themselves with su● Directories But that which we cannot comp● with is such a Form of Divine Service or Worsh● as is Composed by a few and peremptorily i●posed on others so as that Form of Worship s● be used and no other Our Reasons are First no Liturgy or stinted Form of Worsh● was either Composed Used or Imposed by t● Apostles or any Gospel-Ministers in the first ●ges of the Church If any Affirm there were su● Forms it 's their part to make them appear whi● hath never yet been done but by a manifest F●gery of the Apostle James
to ● cramental Obligation already and no Man hath A●thority to impose another Obligation in t● same Complex sacramental Action These are some of the Reasons that it's hop● will justifie our not Complying with the Sign the Cross in Baptism and may satisfie those of ●nother Perswasion that we do not indulge peevi● Scruples against it but are over-awed with t● Word of GOD not daring to add to it or off any Worship which He hath not commanded Our 5th Exception is your peremptory requi●ing the Re-Ordination of our Ministers otherwi● by your Laws they shall be no Ministers amo● you nor to any others so far as your Power c● reach And this we judge a rejecting of us altog●ther and a manifest Injury to the Church of GO● for first our Ministers of the Presbyterian Persw●sion are Elected and Ordained according to t● Rules of Scripture the People Electing a Presb●try Ordaining It were good if you were able ● say as much for your selves 2. As our Ministers Ordination is Scriptura● it is the same Ordination approved and practis● by the Reformed Churches Abroad allowing ● Bishops Superior to Presbyters as appears ●ainly by their Confessions of Faith of which ●u may now take a taste The French Confession Art 30. We Believe that the True Church ought to be Gover●d by that Regiment or Discipline which Our Lord ●sus Christ hath Established viz. That there be in it ●astors Elders aend Deacons We Believe that all true ●astors in whatsoever Place they be placed have the ●me and equal Authority among themselves given un● them under Jesus Christ the only Head The Confession of Belgia Art 31. In whatsoever Place of the World the Ministers of ●e Word of GOD do keep they have all of them the ●me and equal Power and Authority being all of ●em equally the Ministers of Christ the only univer●l Head and Bishop of the Church The latter Confession of Helvetia The Power that is given to the Ministers of the ●hurch is the same and alike in all in the beginning ●e Bishops or Elders did with a common Consent and ●abour Govern the Church no Man lifted up him●lf above another These and the like Confessions of other Reformed Churches are the publick Standard a● Authentique Testimony of their Judgement A● therefore the privat Sentiments of a few late F●reign Divines writing in Favour of another G●vernment of the Church whether by Mis-inf●mation or declining from their own profess● Principles are not to be valued Though so● are now at great Pains to scrape together if not procure Epistles from Forreigners approving Episcopal Government and so to impose on t● credulous a belief that the Churches Abroad a● of the same Mind But the publick Records these Churches are a permanent Testimony agai● them so that it 's evident the Government of the Churches being by Ministers in parity of pow● there can be no Episcopal ordination among the● 3. If Ordination performed by Ministers in p●rity of Power be not valide but Null and Voi● for the want of Prelacy then their Ministeri● Administrations are also null void as perfor●ed by non habentibus Potestatem and if so then th● great Body of Protestants have neither lawf● Pastors to Feed them nor due Administration Sacraments nor are so much as professed Chris●ans wanting Baptism the publick Badge of Ch●stianity For if Ministers be not lawfully Auth●rized and Ordained they cannot warrantably Ba●tize in the Name of the Father Son and Ho● Ghost it being a Profanation of that Ordinan● f●r any others to Administer it Let us then make Supposition that a baptized Member of the Re●rmed Churches Abroad should seriously en●uire at any of you whether he were Lawfully ●aptized or not for you give him Occasion to ●oubt whether such a Minister had Authority to ●aptize him what would be your Answer if you ●y he was not lawfully baptized because the Mi●ister wanted Episcopal-Ordination then you ●ake your selves Schismaticks of the highest ●orm Unchurching so many True Churches of ●hrist And if you say he was lawfully Baptized ●en the Minister who baptized him was lawfully ●rdained and if he was lawfully Ordained by Mi●isters in parity of Power Abroad why then are ●ot Ministers lawfully Ordained at Home being Ordained in the same manner without Episcopal Ordination And if lawfully Ordained why is Re●rdination required If you will please patiently to ●eflect on your own Way as to the Point of Re●rdination it will be hard to make one part of it ●onsist with another for if ye own the Gospel-Ad●inistrations of Ministers Ordained without a Bishop you are thereby engaged to own their Or●ination as valide And that you do acquiesce in ●heir Gospel Administrations as valid is manifest for instance if one baptized by a Presbyter who ●ever had Episcopal-Ordination shall come to ●e a Member of your Communion you require no Re-baptising and if ye have other Pre-requi● for Confirmation ye will confirm and admit ● to the Lords Supper and if afterward he s●ripen farther and be qualified for Church-●ders you will make a Minister of him this a● many other Instances are sufficient to Prove y● convinced and satisfied that the Gospel-Admi●strations of such Ministers are Valide before GO● and Man Let the Reader then Judge how congruous it is for you to require their Re-or●nation after upon the matter you have ackno●ledged the validity of their Ordination already 4. We humbly offer it to Consideration t● a Bishop over Presbyters not being by Divine stitution hath no greater Power in Ordinati● than any other Gospel-Minister because all t● Power he hath by Commission is as a Presbyter Scriptural Bishop and as such all such have qual Ministerial Power granted by the Gosp● Charter as hath been abundantly evinced alr●dy and therefore Ordination is as valide with● a Bishop as with him if a Presbytry Ordai● Which is the Scripture Patern And many Inst●ces might be given of the Ordination of Mi●sters without a Bishop Gelas in act Concil Nic● Asserteth that Presbyters Ordain though the Bisho● not present and Ambrose on the Ephes saith the sa● and your own Bishop Stilling fleet in his Iren. p● 380. 381. affordeth you plenty of such Instan● where Ordination of Ministers was performed ●ithout a Bishop And though the Kingdom of ●otland did early receive the Christian Faith yet ●e find by Johanes Major de gestis Scot. lib. 2. ●p 2. That there was no Episcopal Ordination in that ●urch before An. 430. and that they were instructed ●e Episcopis So Fordon Scot. Chron. lib. 3. cap. 8. ●nte Palladij adventum habebant Scoti fidei Doctores Sacramentorum Ministratores Presbyteros solum●odo vel Monachos ritum sequentes Eclesiae primitivae ●eir Teachers and such as administred the Sacra●ents were only Presbyters or Monks following ●e Custom of the primitive Church Having now discovered some of the strongest ●ross-bars that are laid in our Way obstructing ●r Communion in Worship with the established ●hurch We shal come
to be Bishops of Cities and from thence an Episcopal Line of Succession is drawn not only from their Times but from their Persons Answ That Apostles were Bishops of any Ci●y or Diocess is false because they were not limited to any certain place as all Diocesan Bishops are and therefore it implyes a Contradiction that they were limited and not limited But if any shall say it will make no Contradiction to be limited in one Respect and unlimited in another R●spect that is the Apostles Charge might be lim●ted as they were Bishops but unlimited as the● were Apostles Answ This Distinction leave● the Difficulty untouched and is but a begging ● the Question to suppose they had any limite● Charge as Bishops which can never be prove● by Scripture Reason or Antiquity For 2. No Man had Power to restrict their Charg● whom Christ had left free 3. As no other Men had Power to alter or mak● narrower Limits to the Apostolick Charge so ne●ther had they Power themselves to alter thei● own Commission by being bound as Pastors ● Bishops of a particular Charge For thereby the● should be disabled to discharge the general Co●mission of Preaching and Planting Church● through the World 4. This were a degrading of the Apostolic● Office to reduce it to the Office of a Bishop or P●stor therefore ignominious to the Apostles b●sides the confounding of these two most distin● Offices of Apostle and Pastor by all which it is a● parent that a Bishop over Presbyters hath no clai● to that Office by Succession to Apostles and t● maxime holdeth sure Apostolo in quantum est Ap●stolus non succeditur All the rest of the Sacred Roll of Church-O●ficers shall be easily dispatched For Prophets who are twice enrolled next to the Apostles will sustain no Debate whether Prophe●ying be taken more strictly for predicting things ●o come or more largely for opening the Myste●ies of Religion or expounding the Scriptures For in the first sence Bishops are so Modest as not ●o claim it Though some had that extraordina●y Gift in the Apostles times In the second sence ●t importeth no Authority over other Ministers and therefore can do them no service The next are Evangelists but nothing can de●cend from that Office for the Office of Bishops because it 's agreed on all Hands that Evange●ists were the Apostles Adjuvants travelling from ●lace to place on Gospel-Service without any fix●d residence either in Parish or Diocess and there●ore no claim is made to that for it would deprive ●hem of a fixed Diocess As for Teachers since teaching of it self imply●th no Authority over other Teachers it can yeild ●o Argument for Episcopal Authority whither ●y these Teachers be understood such Doctors of ●ivinity as are set a-part for instructing and pre●aring others for the Ministerial Calling or for ●xplaining of Scriptures neither of them can ●rove Authority over others of the same Office ●d therefore is not pleaded As for Pastors we acknowledge these to be the ●dinary established Ministers of the Gospel unto whom the Charge of Feeding the Flock is co●mitted and these in Scripture are called Bisho● or Presbyters all of them by the Gospel-Chart● under one Commission for equal Authority and Power in the Church as hereafter GOD willing sha● plainly appear As for Governments and these who Rule wh● come in among the last of the Roll they are d●stinct Officers in the Church being neith● Teachers nor Pastors but such as Rule as is ●vident 1 Tim. 5. 17. where they are said to ● worthy of double Honour specially such as L●bour in Word and Doctrine here are Elders t● Rule who do not teach and therefore Bishops ca● not make this Officer their Claim because a B●shop must be apt to teach and if he only Rule an● do not Teach Some will be sure to call him Ruling-Elder which he is not fond of As for Ministring and Exhorting they are t● low for a Bishops Character and therefore n● pleaded By all this Pains taken in searching for a B●shop Superior to Presbyters the candide Read● will perceive that we do not willfully blind fo● our selves but are willing to search the Scriptur● and be determined by them but in all these Sc●ptures where Church-Officers are particularly ● numerated there is no such Church-Officer to ●ound as Bishop over other Ministers of the G●pel either in express Words or by any true Consequence from them and therefore we cannot ●ubject to the said office as an Institution of Christ A second Reason shall be taken from the Words ●f our Saviour Luke 2● 24. And there was also a ●trife among them which of them should be accounted ●e Greatest and He said unto them the Kings of the Gentils exercise Lordship over them and they that ex●cise Authority upon them are called Benefactors but ●e shall not be so but he that is Greatest among you let ●m be as the Younger and he that is Chief as he that ●oth Serve The paralel place is Matth. 20. 25. and by ●ese Scriptures Christ Dischargeth Prelacy a●ong his Servants or that one of them should be ●reater than another Therefore We cannot con●orm to it For clearing of this that Christ hath ●rohibited one of his Ministers to be Greater than ●other Consider first that the Apostles tho' generally ●odly Men yet by reason of remaining Corrup●on did too much affect Preheminence which ●ised Heat and Strife among them a Disease not ●sily c●red 2 Christ perceiving this proud Debate rebuk●h it by shewing it shall not be with them as with ●reat Men of this World in their exercise of ●ordship and Authority for none of them shall be ●reatest or Chief 3. It cannot be said without Violence to t●● Text that Christ doth only reprove the affecti● of Greatness tho' that be reproved yet it is n● all that is reproved for Superiority it self or o● of them to be Greater than another is discharge Christ's Words are it shall not be so the Thing self is forbidden besides the Love of it he sh● not be Greatest whither he Love it or not Th● maketh it evident to be a meer perverting of t● Text contrary to our Saviours express Word● when Men say that nothing is here discharged b● the Love of Greatness for Christ doth not say t● Kings of the Gentiles Love to exercise Authorit● but it shall not be so among you but they do e●ercise Authority and it shall not be so among yo● 4. Nor can it be said that only Tyrannical D●mination is forbidden by these Scriptures beca●● the word here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth la●full Authority and commonly taken in that se● so Matth. 8. 9. I am a Man under Authority the same word so also it 's made use of to signi● Christs own Power John 17. 2. Thou hast given H● Power over all Flesh so that the same Author● that is lawfull among others yet shall not be u●ped by any of his Servants over one another 5. Whatever might be the
was the Will of GOD that such an Officer as a ●shop over Presbyters should be in the House ● GOD that they might obey him in the LOR● 3. The Apostle in the following Words give● Warning that after his Departure grievous Wolv● shall enter in among them not sparing the Flock a● verse 30. of their own selves shall Men arise spea●ing perverse things to draw away Disciples after the● Yet for all this Danger he giveth no Direction set up a Bishop over other Ministers for pres●ving the Flock nor any Intimation that it w● the Will of GOD to provide such a Remedy a●terwards But requireth the Pastors to Watch a● commendeth them to GOD and the Word of h● Grace which was able to Build them up whe● by we may see they are remitted to the word for D●rection in what concerneth his Church and n● to invent without the Word a Remedy of the● own devising 4. From the same Scripture ● are also instructed that the instituted Pastors ● the Church are to feed and take heed unto all ● Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath ma● them Overseers And therefore Gospel-Ministe● are to have no greater Charge than such as th● may perform all the Duties belonging to a Pasto● to all the Flock And if any Minister assum● greater Charge than he can perform these Du● unto then it is not that Charge that the Holy Gh● hath committed to him If it be said that the Bishop feedeth the Flock ● his Substituts such as he is pleased to appoint Answ But quo jure by what Right or Autho●ty can he substitute another to do that which he ●th assumed for his own Work and personal Per●rmance it was a doubt that the learned Sir Fran● Bacon said he could never be resolved of how a Man that had a Trust committed to him for his per●nal Faithfulness could delegate that Trust to another ●d if a Bishop say he never engaged to Feed so ●any then it may be justly replyed he was never ●astor to so many Why then should he presume ●e Title and Name of their Pastor When he ●●weth it simply impossible for him to Teach ●d Feed them or the twentieth part of them ac●rding to the Duty of a Pastor It 's also to be observed that as by this and ma● other Texts the Ministers of the Gospel have ●ual Pastoral Authority de jure so we find in the ●riptures that de facto they are placed in Possessi● of this ministerial-Ministerial-Power and exercise it with ●vine Approbation For Presbyters ordain Mi●sters as 1 Tim. 4. 14. and are therein approved ● the Apostle Timothy being charged not to ne●ct the Gift he had thereby received 2. A Com●nity of Presbyters exert their Power in Church ●scipline and are required by the Apostle so to ● 1 Cor. 5. 4. and 5. verses This Sentence was ●icted by many not by one assuming the sole Power of Jurisdiction to himself which is c●sonant to our Saviours Doctrine Matth. 18. 1● who requireth the offended Brother to tell ● Church not a single Person if Christ had co●mitted the Power of Discipline to One than ● Complaint of the offended Brother should h● been to that One for to whom should he Co●plain but to such as had Power to do him Justi● and remove the Offence But we see Christ's ●pointment is not to make Application to One ● to the Church Therefore it 's no Institution Christ that authoritative church-Church-Power be lo●ed in one Person So also we find that Presbyters are Constitu● Members of that famous Juridical Synod at Je●salem Acts 15. the Apostles and Elders came to ●ther to consider the Matter in which Assem● there is not one found to Over-rule the Rest ● assuming a negative Voice Though some pres● had more just Authority in the Church than ● now on Earth can pretend to yet all had f● liberty to speak their Judgement and all car● by Suffrages and that which was concluded pl●ed the Apostles and Elders and is published in ● Name of the Apostles and Elders whereby it's parent that in the Apostles time Presbyters ● in the actual exercise of Church-Government ●therwise the Decrees of the Synod had never ● published in their Name We shall not at pr● multiply Arguments but let these three be duely ●nsidered 1. That the Office of a Prelate can●t be found in the Roll of Church-Officers 2. ●rists Discharging his Ministers to be one of ●em Greater than another And 3. The Di●e Institution of parity among Ministers Object Timothy and Titus are called Bishops in ● Bibles therefore Bishops are by Divine Insti●tion Answ All Gospel Pastors are Bishops accor●g to the Word of GOD and therefore tho' ●ey were Bishops which cannot be granted ●t the Episcopal Cause gaineth nothing because ●shops above Presbyters are never found in our ●bles 2. These Postscripts to the 2d Epistle to Ti●thy and the Epistle to Titus are not Canonick ●ripture but added several Ages after the Canon Scripture was closed and after the Church be●n to degenerat which is irrefragably evinced Mr Pryn in his Unbishoping of Timothy and ●us and is acknowledged both by Papists and ●ers that the most antient Copies have no such ●stscripts and therefore our Bibles have these ●stscripts still at some distance from the rest of ●se Epistles But the Difference is not altoge●er so observable now as formerly when these ●stscripts were purposely Printed in very smal ●aracters to make the Difference discernable by all who read them 3 Timothy is expresly ●led an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4. 5. and therefore co● not be a Bishop neither in Scripture sence a● Pastor to a particular Flock whom he might p●sonally oversee nor in the Prelatical sence as a ●ocesan Bishop because an Evangelist was no●●mited to any particular bounds as hath been cle●ed already And to say that Timothy was Bish● of Ephesus is against reason for Timothy was p●sent with the Apostle Paul when he commit● the Charge of the Flock to the Presbyters in co●mon but no mention of Timothy as their Bishop● whom the Charge had chiefly belonged if he h● been the only Bishop of Ephesus As for Titus he was employed in the like G●pel-Service from one place to another as Tim● was But it 's said Tit. 15. That he was left in Cret● ordain Elders in every City therefore he had Epis●pal Jurisdiction Answ 1. Timothy and Titus were both ex●ordinary Officers in the Church as appears ● their constant Travels from place to place th● Work being to erect Churches and plant Bish● or Presbyters in these Churches but not to Bishops of them themselves their Power be● greater than ordinary Bishops or Pastors as is ● served by Chrysostom on Eph. 4 that their Work ● to plant Churches and Bishops or Elders to be thei●●dinary Pastors 2. Seing Titus was to ordain El●ers in every City of Crete then where was his own ●iocess For it cannot be supposed that he did ●rdain himself Bishop of one of these Cities 3.
●eing he was to Ordain Elders in the plural num●er in every City and by the Scripture these El●ers are Bishops then mo Bishops then one was ● be in every City which is contrare to the Epis●opal Constitution 4. If it be said that Titus ●as Archbishop or Metropolitan Answ This ●cketh nothing but Proof which no where can ●e had For the primitive Gospel-Church knew ●o such thing as either a Diocesan Bishop Arch●ishop or Metropolitan long after the Death of ●imothy and Titus there being no certain Rule ●or modeling of Diocesses until the Reign of Con●antine the Great at which time the Church did ●ollow the Civil Government as to Diocesses this ●ishop Stilling-fleet maketh out in his Irenic page ●76 377. 5. There is nothing to be found in ●e Scriptures to countenance this Assertion that ●itus was Archbishop of Crete all that can be said is ●at he was sent to Crete upon a piece of special ser●ice for the Church which made him no more Bi●op there then when he staid some time in other ●laces Aquinas run into the same Mistake as ●o Dalmatia for because Titus went to Dalmatia ●herefore he calls him the Bishop of Dalmatia 6. ●f it be said that the least that Bishops can Gain from Titus being left to Ordain Elders is that ●shops have sole Power of Ordination seing T● alone ordained Answ This is but to beg● Question for we deny that Titus was a Bish● let that first be proved And 2. That he orda●ed as a Bishop And 3. That he ordained alo● For his ordaining of Elders makes him no Bisho● no more then the Apostle Pauls ordaining ma● him a Bishop they ordained as Extraordina● Officers in the Church making way for Bisho● or Pastors and though Titus was invested wi● extraordinary Power above any Bishop or Pasto● yet that it self will not prove that he ordained s● paratim without Presbyters Because he was Ordain Elders in the same manner that was the ●stablished Way of the Church in conjunction wi● Presbyters as the Apostle Paul did lay his han● on Timothy conjunctim with the Presbytry th● is joyntly with a Presbytry Object 2. The Epistles to the seven Church of Asia are directed to the Bishops of these Chu●ches because each of them is directed to one si●gle Person called the Angel of the Church Answ That these Epistles are directed to t● Bishops of these Churches in the Scripture se● we easily acknowledge but then no advanta● to the Episcopal Cause is gained For if these A●gels be Bishops and Bishops the same with Pr●byters then ye are just where you were not li● ●d one step higher than a preaching Presbyter or ●ospel-Pastor 2. Whereas the Angel is spoken unto in the sin●lar number you have no advantage by this either ●r you shall find one and the same Angel spoken ● in the plural number As to the Angel of the ●hurch of Smyrna Rev. 2. 10 The Devil shal cast ●me of you into Prison the Speech is directed un● the Angel yet the plural number is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ●ew that it 's not one single Person only that is de●ted by the Name of Angel so also to the Angel ●f the Church of Thyatira but unto you I say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●ere the Angel is expresly spoken unto in the plu●l number So that any Argument from the ●ame Angel utterly faileth you For though an ●gel be named in the singular number yet that by ●e Name Angel is understood a collective Body ● Ministers is evident otherwise let any Man ●nder a Reason why the Angel is spoken to in the ●ural number as mo than one And hereby we ●ve solid ground to think that the Angel is spo●n to in the plural number purposly to obviat or ●rrect the Misapprehensions of any who would ●ink that a Bishop over Presbyters is understood ● the Word Angel Object 3 But the Government of the Church ● Bishops having Authority Jurisdiction over ●esbyters is so Antient that we cannot judge it ● any lower Derivation then from the Apostles albeit we have it not by express Scripture Answ 1. If you have such a Government the Church by due consequence from any Scriptu● of the New Testament We are ready to ye● Subjection albeit ye cannot Prove it by expr● Scriptures ye shall not be so hard put to it ● for you only to Affirm and Assert it Apostoli● without any Proof cannot convince Mens Judg●ments and satisfie their Conscience in a matter so great Importance Your selves being Judge if you have Proof for it make it appear Bish● Laud and some other Bishops with him said o● publickly if Prelacy were not the Apostolick G●vernment they would forth with throw away th● Rotchets But they kept them as long as th● could and the Proof went no further upon whi● Mr. Pryne did challenge them for breach of P●mise VVhy do ye not stop all our Mouths ●proving your Assertion and so satisfie a great B●dy of Protestants at Home and Abroad Who gi● Reasons from Scripture contrare to your Asser●on And to say it must be Apostolick because its Antiquity is little less then to say we will ha● it from them whither they will or not their D●ctrine and Practice refuse and yet it must be ●torted from them 2. We have made it appear already that the ●postles did prescribe another Form of Governmen● be managed by the Ministers of the Gospel in ● ●ty of Ministerial Power and how to impose u●on our own Reason and Belief that by some in●isible Prescription they have contradicted all ●is were hard measure should we or can we ●ject what they have Recorded by Inspiration of ●e Holy Ghost and betake our selves to some fan●ed Tradition Could this be a safe Way for our ●onsciences Or could we Answer to GOD for ● Your selves being Judges 3. If the Antiquity of Prelacy be at last its only ●ea and strongest Defence Cyprian will soon An●er for us that Antiquity without Verity is but mouldy ●rror and as Sir Francis Bacon termed it a Cypher ●ithout a Figure 2. If this Plea should hold Good then there ● a Door opened for the most Antient Errors ●herewith the Church was infested even in the A●ostles times and such as soon after endangered ●e renting of her Bowels 3. And however Antient Prelacy be found yet may and doth suffice us that it hath no Institution ● the Gospel-Church by Christ or his Apostles ●nd therefore can claim no better than Humane Appointment for which Appointment no Commis●n was granted to the Church Object All that is Alledged by you against E●iscopacy is but your own late Sentiments For ●e Antient Fathers who understood the State of ●e Primitive Church better than you do generally bear Testimony that Bishops have been in all Ag● of the Gospel-Church Answ We are of the same mind with Aug●stin who being urged with the Authority of ●prian answered That what he spoke according to ● Scriptures he would
unwarrantable ●pectations of Christs Disciples hoping he w● erect a Temporal Kingdom and thereby Pl● of Trust and Honour might fall to their sha● ●is Attendants Yet their Master gave them no round to expect such Worldly Honour shewing ●hem that His Kingdom was not of this World and ●hat they might expect to be Hated Despised and ●ersecuted for his Names Sake And therefore ●he Instructions given them by these Scriptures ●oncerning Superiority relateth to the lowly ●tate they were in and might expect for the future ●s his Servants And not to a State of Worldly Gran●ur which He did not promise them nor did they ●fterwards Possess but as it was grasped without ●is Commission And this is manifestly confirm●d by our Saviours following Words verse 27. but ● am among you as he that serveth in which Words ●y his own Example as one that serveth among ●hem he rebuketh Dominion and Superiority over ●ne another This Example immediatly follow●g the Prohibition of one of them to be Greater ●an another is most remarkable that tho' him●elf had absolute Dominion over them as their ●ORD yet to have this engraven upon the hearts ●f all his Servants in his Gospel-Kingdom that ●one of them should usurp Authority over ano●er he condescendeth upon this over coming Ex●mple of serving as a perswasive against their De●ate who should be Greatest 6. This Superiority being prohibited among ●e Apostles who were all of one Order The same ●uperiority is thereby forbidden all Ministers of the Gospel who are by Divine Institution of o● and the same Order And therefore Scriptural-B●shops Presbyters being of one the same O●der and under equal Commission by Divine Ins●tution are under the same Prohibition of Super●ority over one another For it were ignorant I●pudence to say that the Apostles might not usu● Authority over one another but Bishops or P●stors may do it By these Scriptures then we have our gre● Law-Givers Determination and Verdict passed ● that unhappy Plea of Greatness among Churc● Men which should end the Dispute being a mo● solide Argument against Prelacy in the Gospe● Church and no reason to pass from it on that u● just Pretence as if nothing were forbidden b● love of Greatness the which Opinion contradic●eth the very words of the Text. A third Reason why we cannot approve of a B●shops Jurisdiction and Superiority over oth● Gospel-Pastors is because by the Gospel-Chart● all Gospel-Ministers have parity of Ministeria● Power committed to them and therefore none them have a Right to Jurisdiction over anoth● besides many other Scriptures this our Asserti● shall be proved by Acts 20. 17 28. by this Sc●pture these things are clear First That these who are called Presbyters Elders verse 17. are called Overseers or Bisho● verse 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made ●ou Overseers to feed the Church of GOD which He hath purchased with his own Blood It hath pleased GOD to make this Truth so plain that Bishops and Presbyters are one that it hath stopt the mouths of the greatest Gain-sayers Papists and all who are not Antiscripturists being convinced by its undenyable Evidence it must ●hen be Presumption to excogitate a Difference ●etween those whom the Holy Ghost hath ●ade one and so great a Difference that some of them shall be subordinate to the Jurisdiction of ●nother this is to be Wise above what is written ●nd who should be obliged in the Matters of God ●o subject to that Wisdom that cometh not from ●bove 2. By this Scripture it 's evident that the Com●ission given is to feed the Flock that is to Lead Guide and Govern the Flock with Pastoral Pow●r for without this Pastoral Authority they could ●ot Discharge the Trust committed to them the ●astors part being not only to take care that the ●lock have good wholsom Food But to keep ●em in Order to preserve them from Straying ● bring again that which was driven away and to ●eek that which was Lost For if the Flock be not ●ttended defended from Injuries and so ordered ● to be kept from Straying they are as if they had no Shepherd which we may see at length ●zek 34. from verse 2 d. to verse 7th the People th● are as if they had no Pastor if their Pastor have ● Power to Govern them or neglect his Office● GOD will require his Flock at the Pastor's han● and yet he is not capable of giving an account if ● be deprived of Power to Govern them We ma● see this farther confirmed By that which is wri●ten to the Hebrews Cap. 13. and verse 17. the M●nisters who Watch for the Souls of the People a● allowed Ministerial Ruling over them and th● People obliged to submit because these who wat● for their Souls must give an Account If it be said that none Watch for the Souls ● the People but a Bishop over a vast number ● Parishes then these People are forced into Mis●ry it being impossible for one Man to Watch ●ver all their Souls Again if it be said that other Ministers unde● him Watch for the Souls of the People then thes● Ministers who Watch have by the Scripture Power to Rule as these who must give an Account an● to deprive them of that Power which Christ ha● committed to them can be no less then Sacr●ledge Will a Bishop assuming the sole Power ● Government to himself say in earnest that he wi● stand up for all the Ministers that are under hi● and take their Accounts off their Hands and A●swer to GOD for them all will he indeed ta● such a Burden upon him Or if he would what Minister dares trust him with it For if the Men ●e Ministers of the Gospel themselves they shall ●ever be clear before GOD by anothers under●king for them because themselves were Person●lly entrusted with the feeding and therefore the ●overning of the Flock For Thirdly By the above-mentioned Scripture we ●nd all Gospel-Pastors equally interressed in the Commission no imparity of Ministerial Power ●or any colour for it in the Text Bishops and ●res byters being not only under one Name but ●nder one and the same Commission Who then ●ath Authority to make some of them subordinat ● another Who are made equal by Divine Insti●tion if Men would be concluded by plain Scri●ture this should put an End to the whole Dis●ute Fourthly We are the more obliged to take this ●ext as the Revelation of GOD's Will for the pa●ty of Gospel-Ministers that none of them ●ould have Superiority over another because the ●ne when these words were spoken was an op●rtune Season to have discovered imparity if the ●oly Ghost had allowed it Because first the A●stle did call these Ministers together to give ●em Directions as Ministers of the Gospel 2. ●e was now to take Leave of them so as to see their ●ces no more And it was of great Importance for the Church of GOD in future Ages to know if
to Which is the th● Thing to be considered Our Reasons are First The Law of God is Perfect unto which ● must not add Deut. 4. 2. It pleaseth God to give ● Perfect Rule for our Worship as to the Object ●dorable and the Acts of Worship He requireth pleasing to Himself and the very Manner of ●orship acceptable to Him And whatsoever ●eaketh not according to this Law we are oblig● to Reject as having no Light in it Isaiah 8. 20. ●d therefore finding nothing in the Laws of ●OD for such Worship as is imposed by the Sign ● the Cross we cannot Comply with it 2ly We find in the Scriptures the LORD de●aring his Indignation against all Worship that is ●t commanded by Himself Jer. 7. 31. And they ●ve Built the High-Places of Tophet c. which I ●mmanded them not neither came it into my Heart So ●r 19. 5. The same Guilt is charged in like man●er because the LORD Commanded it not nor spake ● nor came it into his Mind It will be no Evasi● for any Man to say that the Evils mentioned ● these Scriptures were Gross and Abominable I●olatries because whatever Displeasure GOD ●d against these Execrable Inhumanities and I●olatries Yet it pleaseth Him to Declare that ●is not Commanding should have been sufficient to ● deter them from all such Practices What can ●e more plain then that GOD maketh that the ●ery Reason why there should have been no such ●orship because He did not Command it And ●is is written for our Instruction to make us ab●ain not only from all Worship contrary to the ●ord of GOD but that also which is besides or without the Word of GOD And sheweth it t● Dangerous unsound Divinity that if Men do● Act or Worship contrary to the Word of GO● therefore they are in the way of GOD appr●ed of Him 3ly That Worship without Institution is ● lawfull is clear by that plain and full Warn● given by Christ himself Matth. 15. 9 In vai● they Worship Me teaching for Doctrines the C●mandments of Men Where we may see that all s● Worship as hath nothing for its Authority but ● Commandments of Men is Vain and theref● will not be accepted of GOD This Script● hath so much Light and Brightness coming fo● from Him who is the Light of the World and ● so plainly against the Inventions of Men in ● Worship of GOD that some having no other ● to Defend themselves give no other Answer ● that this Scripture is the common Cant of D●senters But is that an Answer that Men dare g● an Account of to GOD What a poor Shift ● this be found when Men shall be Judged for ●truding what Worship they please upon the H● Majesty of GOD. And from this same Scripture We are yet f●ther instructed that Vain Worship beareth ● Name of Worship not that it is accepted Worsh● but presumed by such as offer it Which a● maketh Null the Evasion of these who know● th●ir Religious Ceremonies have no Authority ● the Commandments of Men Therefore do ● call them Worship sometimes saying they are ● substantial Worship sometimes not tmmediat ●rship sometimes not proper Worship as Men in ●ubt what to call them and afraid to give them ●wfull a Name as Worship yet being obtruded GOD as Worship they bear that Denominati● 4. The Evidence of this doth yet farther ap●r if we consider that the most ample Commis● given to Gospel-Ministers is to Teach the ●servation of whatsoever Christ himself hath ●mmanded Matth. 28. 20. Teaching them to ob●e all Things whatsoever I have commanded you ●e Ministers are instructed to Adhere to their ●sters Commands neither imperiously to Im●se Commands of their own upon the Conscien● of Christians nor the Commands of other ●en Their Commission for Doctrine Worship ●scipline Government and Practice exten●g no further than Obedience to the Commands Christ Which doth also farther confirm that ●s not sufficient that what we pretend as Ser●e to Him be not against his Commands but ●t all Christs Worship and Service must have ●e Authority of his own Commands Whereby ● manifest that no Minister hath Power to Re●re much less under Penalties to command the Performance of such Service and Acts of Wor● as their Master hath no where required and w● he urgeth such Obedience he Acteth with Commission and not as the Servant of Christ therefore every Minister of Christ should b● readiness to satisfie the Consciences of the Pe● of GOD that what he Imposeth must be Permed because his Master hath Commanded We speak not now of common Circumstances due Decency and Order which are not esse● to Worship These are not the Debate nor sho● be scrupled providing there be not an over-s●ching of Decency and Order and thereby ● Acts of Worship Introduced and Imposed which Case we are not oblig'd to blind obedie● And it 's very remarkable that on these Ter● Teaching to Observe whatsoever CHRIST ● commanded He promiseth to be with his Serv● to the End of the World As therefore Minis● would expect Divine Assistance and Countena● they must closly Adhere unto and be Limite● his Commission in his own Service Judic● Melancthon lamented that Men understood n● greatness of that Sun to forge Worship without a ●mand of GOD And who can Love GOD an● Honour but lament the same For if we D● his being LORD of his own Worship we g● far in denying Him to be our LORD and La●ver or that He is concern'd how He be Wor● ●d which is no better Having declared himself ● a special manner Jealous as to his Worship ●arned and Pious Augustin Epist 119. Com●ineth bitterly not only against the growing ●ber of Ceremonies in his time but against the ●ture of them that they were quasi observationes ●cramenti servilia Onera resecandae that they ●re observed as Sacraments slavish Burdens and to ● cut off Yet these Ceremonies of Mens Invention ●e so pleasing to corrupt Nature and begun in his ●e to be so Countenanced that he saith ibid. Liberi● improbare non audeo I dare not more freely reprove ●m speaking as a Man oppressed with Grief for ●e Additions made and Corruptions in the ●orship of GOD and declared his Desire that Men would content themselves with that which the ●ipture requireth in the Service of GOD. A 2d Reason Why we except against the Use the Sign of the Cross is because it 's made a●her Dedication of the same Persons already De●ated to GOD in Baptism and therefore casteth ● Imputation of insufficiency on the instituted De●cation performed in Baptism For if baptismal ●edication were not presumed to be imperfect ●y is there another Dedication immediatly ad●d to the first For Clearing and Vindicating this Exception ●m being a groundless Scruple let it be conside●d That it 's Agreed on all Hands in the Sacrament of Baptism the Persons baptized are D●cated to GOD This the Author acknowledg● Appendix to his 2d Admonition page 16. I ●