Episcopacy to shew forth It's Evidence and to prove it's Title to be Ex Iure Divino or else to be ejected out of the Church I Causidically say in Defence of it That Episcopacy ought not under favour by leg all proceedings to be compelled thereto because Episcopacy hath possession in the Church of God And so hath had many hundred yeares Some for it say sixteene hundred yeares and upwards ever since Christianity was imbraced in the World And it's Adyersaries doe either acknowledge or cannot fairely deny it to be so for the space of thirteen or foureteene hundred yeares and not in a corner of the Church but universally in Christendome And in such a Case Possidenti conceditur without Prescription Possession is a good right and title a gainst all men saving him onely that can make a good and better title first to appeare And untill the Pretender doe make his Right and Title to appeare the Possessour should not be enforced either to prove or shew forth his Right and Title Let then the Consistoriall Presbytery both shew and prove that A standing Ecclesiasticall Court consisting of Presbyters and of twice so many Laikes to be annually elected to beare Rule to Governe Hooker Eccles. Polity preface page 5. and to be Iudges in the Church were by Christ or his Apostles ordained or established and this Consistoriall Power and it onely and no other should for ever beare away this Government Ecclesiasticall which proofe ought to be made not by Texts stretcht from the genuine sence or by words of equivecall and double sence or severall significations but by cleare and manifest Record of Scripture which I beleeve is a taske unperformable I am sure it wanteth that prosperous Successe and blessing which accompanies Divine Institutions according to that divine Axiome truly delivered by Gamaliel Act. 5.38 39. Si est ex hominibus hoc opus dissolvetur Sin ex Deo est non potest dissolvi what is of humane invention may perish or come to nothing what is of divne Ordination cannot perish though at some time and in some place be resisted and persecuted and so become clouded and eclipsed yet it will be resident somewhere or other and it will in time convenient be disclouded and become conspicuous and transplendent againe apply to the present Case The Blessing hath ever gone in an eminent and conspicuous manner with Episcopacie But Presbyterie Consistoriall is at the best supposed to have had buta little entrance in some narrow part of the Church once in the first hundred yeares and againe in this last hundred yeares but hath beene at an inter-regnum at a losse and vacation for many hundred years How can wee then judge your Presbytery to be of God and our Episcopacy to be of Antichrist Presbytery non surted it this be the Evidence on the behalfe of Consistoriall Presbytery as such it is as I conceive clearely then must it become non suite and Episcopacy must keepe it's Possession still amending it selfe or else be caused to amend what is amisse in it by personall defects or by bad Customes Num. 24 Episcopacies Title Although Episcopacy thus prevaile upon this Nonsuite yet nevert helesse ex abundante I will produce such evidence as I have found and collected for it out of divine Records to prove Episeopacy to be ex Iure divino assuring my selfe that others as well those of ablest parts as those whom it more concernes are provided of other evidence and also of a way to apply the same better than I can But for making good my undertaking I offer these three particulars to be considered concerning Episcopacy Num. 25 1. An office or power Ministeriall 2. An office or power meerely Episcopall 3. Exercise of jurisdiction Title of Honour and Dignity and competency of Revenewes First the office or power Ministeriall or Sacerdotall is Authority to preach the Gospell and to distribute and give the Sacraments this power ex Iure divino it is Christs owne Ordination as is agreed on both sides without Contradiction Wherein there is indeed a Parity in the Ministery in so much as such Ministeriall-acts done by an inferiour-Minister or Priest are as valid and effectuall as if the same were done by the highest Prelate in the Church Secondly the office or power meerely and truly Episcopall is to ordeine and to admit Ministers into the Clergie To suspend or punish such of the Priest-hood as become delinquent or neglect their Cure or charge to make use of the Keyes in binding and loosing by judiciall sentence out of and into the Assemblies of the Church both Clerkis and Laicks upon just and weighty causes and generally to governe the Churches for the prevention of the creeping in and growth of Heresie and Error for support and maintenance of Unity without Schisme or Division And for to Rule Governe and Command and to be ruled governed and to obey in such sort as Church affaires may be duly and rightly performed and done in the Churches whereof they are Superintendent Thirdly Exercise of jurisdiction bic non illic sic et non sic in this and not in that Dioces or province in this and not in that manner or other than is allowed prescribed and authorized Title of Honour and Dignity to be Lords and Piers of Parliament and to be endowed with faire Estates and Revenewes annexed as adjuncts unto Bishopricks in this Kingdome to wit to be Lords and Peers of Parliament and to possesse and enjoy Lands and Tenements of value correspondent which are called Temporalities c. These are ex gratiâ Principis et Reipublica So as of the first and the last there is no controversie or doubt as I take it And therefore the first being ex Iure divino may not be abolished out of the Church it being de esse of the essence of the Church and the last being ex Iure humano and de bene esse of accommodation may be corrected restrained and limited in such Moderation as shall by Superiours be found and adjudged most meet and convenient for the welfare of the Church and Common-weale of England Num. 26 But the Controversie is I thinke onely concerning the second particular Episcopacy not de jure humano whether it be de Iure divino or humano of Christs Institution Invention and if it be divine or of mans whether it was conferred upon all the then Clergie equally or to some conjunctim or divisim as Superiour over the rest I assume in the first place that this office is not de Iure humano Reasons of mans ordination for these two Reasons The one because this office was in the Church long before Emperours and Princes became Christians so as the Temporal power could not be the Parent or Founder of this office in the Church but when the Emperour Const intine became Christian he indeed advanced Bishops both with honours and Revenewes and so other good Emperours and Christian Kings
did encrease it more and more But this Episcapail office of Superintendency was long before any Advancoment of honour or Revenew was conferred by Princes on Bishopricks Yea long before the Bishops could enjoy any assurance of peace for life or member being generally Martyred and persecuted for the Gospels sake And the other Reason is because this office is Spirituall which necessarily requires a Divine hand and Power to be the Author Founder and Institutor of it and that must needs be Jesus Christ the mysticall head of the Church from whom all divine and spirituall gifts are derived unto his mysticall Body and each member thereof Without all doubt Christ had in himselfe this office and power of government Mar. 28.18.19.20 Maâ—ke 16.15 John 20.20 21 22 23. and of binding and loosing For the divine Text sayes All power in heaven and earth was given to him And out of his large Stocke of power he after his Resurrection did conferre some parcell of it unto those who should after his Ascension be Governours in the Church saying unto them that As his Father sent him so also he did send them giving them Command to goe unto all Nations and to teach what he had commanded and breathing into them the Holy Ghost gave them power to bind and loose Mat. 20.25 26 -7 28. Marke 10.42.43 44 45. Luke 22.25 Vos 26 27. Which gift of power and authority was not contrary nor repugnant unto his pleasure signified unto them formerly saying The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them but yee shall not dâ—e so which Prohibition Verum non it a erit inter vos or Vos autem non it a dominabimini yee shall not rule or domineere so or in such manner as heathen Princes used to doe was not an absolute Prohibition from use of all manner of Superiority among the Clergie but a Prohibition aliquo modo a qualified Prohibition not to Rule as heathen Princes used to doe tyrannically after their-owne wills with Stat pro ratione Voluntas their pleasure to be their Law for their owne ends not regarding the welfare of the people Will. Archbp. of Canterb conference wub M. Fisher S. 6 pa 5 et 247. Mar. 23 8 9 10.10.13 13.14.15 which prohibition aliquo modo or suomodo doth infer an allowance of ruling in the Church aliquo modo in a temperate charitable manner otherwise what shall be said to a Text containing a stricter Prohibition than this Text do's and that is where Christ forbids his Disciples to be called Masters with a strong reason for it because they were Omnes frat es all Brethren If a convenient exposition can be fittâ—d to this Text that Christ did therby for bid unto them ambition or Title â—t forbidding what himself assumed saying yee call me Masier and Lord and yee say well for so I am but was so farre from affecting of honourable Titles as he beares himselfe so lowly and humbly as that He washed their feet exhorting them to doe so likewise and the chiefest and greatest among them to be Servant tanto altior tanto submissior the more honourable in out ward condition the more humble in mind and in submissive deportment If this Text being literaliter of an absolute Tenor of Prohibition may receive a benigne interpretation much more may the Text Vos non ita dominsbimini being not an absolute but a qualified Prohibition may receive the like exposition that Christ did thereby for bid such ambitious and tyrannicall Government as was exercised by Pagan-Princes and allowed neverthelesse of ruling in the Church by Superiours upon Inferiours otherwise the Consistoriall Fresbyters therefore may neither rule or governe nor be so much as called Mastors but what need of seeking further for Proofe this our Text affords it sufficiently by our Saviours words of Maximus and minimus he that is greatest among you Luke 22.26 let him be least Qui major est in vobis fiat sicut minor maximus erit Minister not that he that in authority is made Superio should be pulled down by his Inferiours but still be Superiour in authority and also be humbled in himselfe Mar. 20.28 to minister unto Inferiours just as Christ being most Supreme came to minister as followeth there in the next verse Num. 28 This being cleered it remaines to be inquired to what part of the Clergi Christ did conferre this office of Governing giving of Orders and of Binding and loosing I say not to all the then present Clergy but to some as Superiours to exercise it upon others as Inferiours episcopaty ex jure divino For which purpose it is to be noted that Christ had a Clerâ—y of two sorts to wit the Apostles and Seventy Disciples the Apostles were first called made neerest unto him and in Communion with him the Seventy Disciples were called afterwards and sent out from Christ two by two to the Apostles and to the Seventy Disciples equall Commission and power was given Mar. 4.18 20 10 1 2 8. Marke 3.13 2 19. Luke 9.1 2 10 10.1 2 20. 1. To preach the Gospell 2. To administer Sacraments 3 To heale and cure diseases 4. To worke Miracles This office they all had in Parity and in Common among them but the office and power of Mission or ordination of others for the jadiciall use of the Keyes for binding loosing in the Church and of Governing in the Church to preserve the Doctrine of Faith order therein was conferred on the Apostles conjunctim et divisim joyntly severally to them Christ said As my Father sent me so I send you 10 1.4â—4 43 and 3 22 and 4 1 2. Commission corjunction et divisim to the end by power of that Mission they might send others as he had sent them Into them he breathed the Spirit of truth Accipite Spititum Sanctum for the establishing of sacred Doctrines and for prevention of heresies and errors in matters of Faith and to them were the Keyes of binding and loosing of Delinquents and Penitents out of and into the Church for offences unto the Church and for the absolute confirmation of them in this sacred office the Holy Spirit did according to Christs promise visibly descend on them at Pentecost Luke 24.49 Act. 1.4 Act 2.1.2.3.4 after Christs Ascension into heaven In all or any of which particulars the Seaventy Disciples for ought I read in Scripture had not any immediate participation or share and according to the Power and Authority of this office conferred on the Apostles joyntly and severally they did whiles they were all at Hierusalem convene and assemble together Act. 1.2.6.13.20.23.24.25.26 and elected Mathias to succeed Iud is in his Bishopricke whereof he was deprived by his Treason to his Master and by his Act of Felo de se And these Twelve Apostles at another Assembly did ordaine for their ease Seaven Deacons at a time Act. 6 1
2 7. laying Apostolicall hands on them and being afterwards met in Councill they made a Decrce or Canon for the present deportment of the Churches and according as the present number of the Apostles was either more or lesse so they executed the same power and authority by sewer in number Act. 8.14.17 for Peter and Iohn being come to Samaria they two onely executed the same office by Ordination of others with imposition of hands and with Prayer which makes it appeare that this Commission was committed to the Apostles Conjunction et divisim and it was necessary to be so seeing they were to be dispersed the one from the other for Conversion of the Nations of the world In so much as the same office which was executed Conjunction by all joyntly whiles they were together was shortly after onely executed by two of them but it must be reduced to one alone or else peradventure it will not satisfie though for my owne part this President of executing it by two is sufficient to make it appeare that this Commission and office was given Divisim to be executed by any one as well as by any two of the Twelve there being no expresse direction to authorize two more than any one but it being naturally included and so the Apostles rightly understood it it was sufficient Nam expressio eorum quae tacite insunt nibil operatur What is included need not be expressed Num. 29 But to make it full it shall God willing be here made apparent that both before the Apostles were severed and dispersed among the Gentiles and afterwards Execution by one Episcopally this Office and Commission was executed by one of the Apostles alone whilest the company of the Apostles were at Hierusalem it pleased God that Samaria received the word and there one Simon Magus seeing the holy Ghost was given by Imposition of hands by Peter and Iohn Hee would have purchased the Holy-Ghost with money whereupon Saint Peter alone making use of the Keyes Acts 8.18 9 20 21 binds Him with this Malediction That he had no part nor portion in that matter and his money perish with him And how fast it stucke to him both Scripture and Ecclesiasticall story doe relate And Ananias and Saphyra dissembling and lying were so bound by Saint Peters sole Act of binding as divine Iustice smiting at the Cue thereof both fell downe dead to the great amazement and wonder of the Spectators Acts 5.1.1010 wherein he exercised this Office of Binding And Saint Peter being come to Casarea at the request of Cornelius Hee commanded that Cornelius and the company should be baptized which was done accordingly by which Act Saint Peter did exercise his Office of Commanding Acts. 10 44 4S and obedience was yeelded upon his sole Câ—mmand and Saint Paul reasoning in the Synagagnes of the lowes and finding them to be opposers of his Dâ—ctrine and Blesphemers of Christ He sbooke his raiment and by the Power of the Keyes exercised by himself alone Acts 18.2.5.6 He did bind them to heare their blood upon their â—wne hâ—ads and so it afterwards succeeded accordingly And be having summoned at Milet us the Elders the Spirituall Governours and Superintendants of the Church saves Spiritus Sanctus so Act. 10.17.18 constituit Episcopos ye are by the Holy Ghost made Bishops And rebuking the Church of Corinth for their Sedition and Division He tels them He was a Master-builder whose Office is to direct how and in what manor the fabricke shall be framed and erected i Cor. â— 3.10 10. and to superview the worke and to command the workefolkes to do e their worke and to place and displace whom he thinkes good for the better ordering of the Businesse And then Saint Faul after some reprooses does give them warning 1 Cor. 4.14,15 which carryes in it the Sence of Authority telling them that though they had ten thousand Teachers yet hee was their Father which imports awe reverence and Power And for that cause Hee sent unto them Timothy Ib. ver. 17. which manifests Saint Paul to be Superiour Mittendo by the Act of Mission and Timothie to be Inferiour and under obedience cundo by Going And moreover Saint Paul reproving them about the Inecstuous person doth behave himselfe therein as their chiefe Bishop exercising this Office both of Government and Ruling and also of Iudgement Doome and censure by Power of the Keyes in binding and loosing For concerning that Offendour 1 Cor. 5. per totum hee sayes I have judged already and then He commands them That in their Assembly they should In the Name of Iesus Christ and Saint Pauls spirit to wit of binding Power Deliver him unto Satan by casting him out of the Communion of that Church for castigation of the flesh that the spirit might be saved And then Hee gives them command Not to associate themselves with Fornicatours covetous persons extortioners or Idolatours and this he did doe in the Spirit or Power of judging For à minore ad majus hee sayes They themselves did passe judgement on them within as for those without the Pale of the Church Hee sayes Hee judged not but leaves them to the judgement of God and then in the power of that Office of Iudging and Commanding Hee requires them to put from among themselves or excommunicate that wicked incestuous person Cor. 2.6 to 10. And as Saint Paul had by the power of the Keyes caused that incestuous person to be excommunicated So be afterwards absolves him saying I forgive him and willed the Corinthians to forgive him too and to restore him his punishment being sufficient and to confirme their love to him and so he tryed An in omunibus obedientes their obedience by it And those Corinthians having had suits in Law one against another in the Courts of Iustiâ—e among Pagans 1 Cor. 6.1 to 9. how does Saint Paul handle them for it even as a man of authority and awfull power Audet aliquis vestrum Dare any of you doe it And concerning the matter of Marriage and single life he gives Rules or Canons as a Supreme Governour To azoyd Fornication Let every man have his owne wife and every woman her owne husband the unmarried and widowes if they could not abstaine to marry And to the married He gave command let not the wife depart from her husband And putting them in mind of his Ordinances or Canons in these and other things Hee praise them for keeping his Ordinances and then He makes more Canons 1 Cor. 11.2 to 15. and 28.1 Cor. 14.34 39. lawes and Ecelesiasticall Ordinances for receiving the Communion in both kinds For uncovering Mens heads and covering woment heads in the Church And for silence to be kept by women in Church assemblies and all things to be done with Decency and Order And as concerning Collections for the Saints hee commands them that looke what Order he had given at