gather from Epiphanius And after him all sorts and Sects of Christians still owned it Even the Donatists and Novatians who had their Bishops as well as others 28. In Scripture times we read not of any meer fixed Bishops of particular Churches who Ordained either Bishops or Presbyters but only Apostles and their unfixed Assistants who had an equal charge of many Churches Not that the Office of the Indefinite unfixed Ministry was not the same with the Office of the fixed Bishops in specie For both had power to do all the Ministerial work as they had a call and opportunity to exercise it But because it being the employment of the Indefinite or unfixed Ministers to Gather and plant Churches before they could be Governed the Ordination of Elders over them was part of the planting of them and so fell to their lot as part of their constituting work 29. How it came to pass that the Itinerant or Indefinite exercise of the Ministry for planting Churches so quickly almost ceased after the Apostles days is a matter worthy to be enquired after For whereas some think that de jure obligatione it ceased with the Apostles as being their proper work that cannot be true 1. Because many others were employed in the same work in the Apostles days 2. Because it is Christ's own description of that Ministry to whom he promiseth his presence to the end of the Age or World Mat. 28. 19 20. 3. Because to this day there is still lamentable necessity of such Five parts in six of the World being yet Infidels 30. It is most probable that this service abated and withered gradually by the sloth and selfishness of Pastors And that it was the purpose of the Apostles that the fixed Bishops should do their part of both these works that is Both to preach for the Converting of all the Infidel Countries near them and also Govern their particular Churches yet not but that some others might be deputed to the Gathering of Churches alone And then these Bishops finding so much work at home and finding that the Itinerant work among Infidels was very difficult by reason of Labour Danger and their want of Apostolical gifts hereupon they spared themselves and too much neglected the Itinerant work Yet I must confess that such Evangelists did not yet wholly cease Eusebius Hist lib. 5. cap. 9. saith Pantaenus is said to have shewed such a willing mind towards the publishing of the Doctrine of Christ that he became a Preacher of the Gospel to the Eastern Gentiles and was sent as far as India For there were I say there were then many Evangelists prepared for this purpose to promote and plant the Heavenly Word with Godly Zeal after the manner of the Apostles 31. It was the ordinary custome of the Apostles to preach and plant Churches first in Cities and not in Country Villages Because in Cities there were 1. the greatest number of Auditors and 2. the greatest number of Converts And so there only were found a sufficient number to constitute a Church Not that this was done through any preeminence of the City or ignobility of Villages but for the competent numbers sake And had there been persons enow for a Church in Villages they would have placed Churches and Pastors there also as at Cenchrea it seems they did 32. When there was a Church of Christians in the City and a few Converts in the Country Villages that joyned with them they all made up but one full Assembly or Church fit for personal Communion for a long time after the Apostles days the main body of the people being still Infidels so that the Christian Churches stood among the Infidels as thin as the Churches of the Anabaptists Separatists and Independants did among us here in England in the days when they had greatest Liberty and countenance 33. Though at first the Bishops being men of the same Office with the other Presbyters were not to do a work distinct and of any other kind than the Presbyters might do but only Lead them and Preside among them in the same work as their Conductors as I said before of a chief Justice c. Yet afterward the Bishop for the honour of his calling appropriating certain actions to himself alone the Presbyters not exercising those acts in time the not exercising them seemed to signifie a want of Office or power to exercise them and so subject Presbyters who were never made by the Apostles that can be proved nor by their command were like a distinct Order or Species of Church-Officers and grew from syn-syn-Presbyters or assessours of the same Office in specie to be as much subjects to the Bishops as the Deacons were to the Presbyters 34. All this while the Bishop with his fellow Elders and Deacons dwelt together in the same City and often in the same House and met in the same Church the Bishop sitting in the midst on a higher seat and the Presbyters on each hand him in a semi-circle and the Deacons standing And the Presbyters Preaching and otherwise officiating as the Bishop appointed who ruled the action And the Converts of the Villages came to this City Church as Members of it and joyned with the rest In the days of the Author of the Epistles ascribed to Ignatius every Church had but One Altar and One Bishop with his Fellow Elders and Deacons as the note of its Unity or Individuation For so many people as had personal Communion at One Altar with the Bishop or Elders were the constitutive parts of the Churches 35. Thus it continued also in the days of Justin Tertullian and Cyprian no Bishop having more than one Church or Altar without any other formed self-communicating Church under him but only Oratories in City or Country 36. The first that brake this Order were Alexandria and Rome where Converts soon multiplyed to a greater number than could meet in one place or Communicate at one Altar wherefore sub-assemblies with their particular Presbyters were there first formed who Communicated distinctly by themselves Though there is no proof that they Communicated there in the Sacrament of a long time after that they met for Preaching and Prayer Yet even in Rome and Alexandria the only places that had more than one stated Assembly for 200 years or more there were not so many Christians then as in the Parish that I now live in See more of my Proof in the beginning of my Church History abridged whos 's first and second Chapters belogn specially to this Treatise and therefore I must refer the Reader to them 37. Even in Epiphanius time about 370 years after Christ it is noted by him as a singularity in Alexandria that they had distinct Assemblies besides the Bishops whereupon Petavius himself largely giveth us notice that in those days except in a few very great Cities there was but one Church-assembly in a Bishops charge 38. After that in Cities or Country Villages the Converts multiplyed into more
have as to the kind of power 2. How their Office must degenerate from purely spiritual into secular or mixt 3. And how numerous their Flocks and large their Provinces would soon be And here you must note these things 1. That the Bishop of every Church was made Judge of these causes not alone by himself but with his Presbyters or Clergy who judged with him 2. That yet this power was not then taken to be any essential or integral part at all of the Pastoral Office but an Accidental work which Lay-men might do as well as Pastors and that it was committed to the Bishop only as the best able for Arbitration because of his abilities and interest and that as a matter of meer convenience and also for the honour of his place 3. That therefore this Judging power for ending strife and differences might be alienated from the Clergy and done by Lay-men where there was cause 4. And that the Bishop had so much more power than the Presbyters that he could commit it from them to Lay-men All this that one instance of Silvanus in Socrates lib. 7. cap. 37. and in Hanmer cap. 36. whose words were thus Silvanus also no less expressed in his other acts and dealings the good motion of his Godly mind For when he perceived that the Clergy respected nothing but gain in deciding the Controversies of their Clients O woful Clergy he thenceforth suffered none of the Clergy to be judge but took the supplications and requests of suiters and appointed One of the Laity whom for certain he knew to be a just and godly man and gave him the hearing of their causes and so ended quietly all contentions and quarrels And the likeliest way it was You see here 1. that when Princes will needs make the Clergy Magistrates to honour them the wise and good men of the Clergy will return such power to the Laity as usually fitter for it 2. And that it is no wonder that when Law-business is cast upon the Clergy if they grow worse than Lawyers in covetousness and injustice 3. And yet this was not a making Lay-men to be Chancellors that had the power of the Keys For Silvanus did only appoint Lay-men to do Lay-mens work to arbitrate differences but not to excommunicate nor to judge men to excommunication as they do now 4. And this was not a making of Ecclesiastical Elders that were not Pastors and therefore it is no countenance for such but it was a prudent casting back that work on the Laity which good Emperours had in imprudent piety cast upon the Clergy that each might do his proper work 5. But this was but one good Bishop that was so wise and honest and therefore it proved no general reformation This Judicial power went so far and took up so much of the Clergies time that the Synod Taraconens was after this put to Decree Can. 4. that the Clergy should not judge Causes on the Lords day and Can. 10. that no Bishop or Clergy-man should take rewards or bribes for Judgments And the Canons so deterred Christians from seeking Justice from the Civil Judicatures that they had few but Heathens to be Judges of Yea the Christians thought so hardly of the Judges themselves for punishing men by the Sword when the Bishops even for murder it self did punish them but with Penance that they doubted sometime whether those Christians that exercised Magistracy or Civil Judgment after Baptisme were not therefore to be taken for sinners as is visible in Innocent 1. his Epist to Epist 3. to Exuper Tholesan cap. 3. in Crab. Tom. 1. p. 459. And before in Silvester's Concil Rom. apud Crab Vol. 1. p. 280. Can. 16. it is Decreed Nemo Clericus vel Diaconus aut Presbyter propter causam suam quamlibet intret in curia quum omnis curia à cruore dicitur immolatio simulachrorum est Quod siquis Clericus in curiam introicrit anathema suscipiat nunquam rediens ad matrem Ecclesiam A Communione autem non privatur propter tempus turbidum And Constantine is said to be a Subscriber with 284 Bishops 45 Presbyters and 5 Deacons And in former Counc sub Silvest Nullum Clericum ante judicem stare licet I know that Duarenus and Grotius describe not the Bishops power as so large as the Canonists do But Duarenus confesseth that Theodosius made a Law that lites omnes controversiae forenses ad judicium Ecclesiae remitterentur si alter uter litigatorum id postularet That all strifes and controversies forensick should be remitted to the judgment of the Church if either of the contenders required it And that Charles the Great renewed and confirmed the same Law Duar. lib. 1. p. 8. And Grotius de Imper. sum pol. p. 236. saith This Jurisdiction by consent the Bishops received from Constantine with so great power that it was not lawful further to handle any business which the Bishops sentence had decided that is saith he remotâ appellatione And he there sheweth that three sorts of Jurisdiction were by the Emperours given to the Bishops 1. Jure ordinario and so they judged of all matters of Religion and which the Canons reached which went very far in heinous crimes 2. Ex consensu pâ—rtium when the parties chose the Bishop for their Judge Vid. Concil Chalced. c. 9. 3. Ex delegatione which yet went further And even to the Jews such kind of power had been granted But of this whole matter of the Rise of such Prelacy their Courts and power Pardre Paulus hath spoken so well and truly in his Histor Concil Trident. pag. 330 331 c. that I would intreat the Reader to turn to it and peruse it as that which plainly speaketh our judgment of the History now in question Read also his History of Benefices 43. The countenance of the Emperour with these honours and immunities having brought the World into the Church or filled the Churches with Carnal temporizers the numbers were now so great that quickly the great Cities had many Parish Churches and the Country Villages about had some so that now about 400 or 500 Years after Christ most Bishops of great Cities had more Churches than one even several sub Assemblies and Altars as dependant on their Mother Church 44. Yet were their Diocesses which at first were called Parishes somewhat bounded by the Canon and Edicts which decreed that every City where there were Christians enow to make a Church should have a Bishop of their own and that no Bishop except two who bordered one on Scithia a rude unconverted Countrey and the other on the like case of which more in due place 45. And then every oppidum or populous Town like our Market-Towns and Corporations was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a City and not only a few among many that have that name by priviledge as it is in England now So that even at this height of Prelacy about 500 600 or 700 Years after Christ they
Soveraign but Christ 79. By all this it is evident that we grant all these following disparities in the Church 1. The disparity of Age standing and Gifts among Ministers of the same Order 2. A kind of paternal priority where one was the Teacher Educater or Ordainer of the other 3. An accidental disparity when one only by the Patron or Magistrate hath the sole possession of the Maintenance and power of the Temple 4. We will not unpeaceably contend against the guiding power or negative Vote of One Bishop in a particular Church over the rest of the Pastors of the same Office Nor do we take such a power to make a distinct Office 5. We do not strive against the Presidency of one in Synods as Moderator No though it were durante vitâ which Bishop Hall thought would serve to heal us 6. We do not deny Obedience to any Bishop who is Commissioned by the King to exercise as a Church-Magistrate his part of the Church-Government 7. Much less do we strive against the Power of Kings and Lawful Magistrates Circa Sacra of which Grotius hath excellently written de Imper. But we take the Magistrate to be the necessary and only Ruler by the Sword to keep Peace and Order among Church men as well as among men of all other Professions 8. Yea I do not contend against the Divine Right of General Bishops or Archbishops such as Timothy and Titus nor will deny Obedience to them who take care as Visitors of Many Churches which have every one their proper Bishop one or more with true plenary Pastoral power of the Keys to guide the people of their charge 9. We refuse not to receive Ordination from such General Bishops 10. Nor do we refuse to be responsible to them when we are accused of any male Administration or to admit of Appeals from us to them 80. By all which it appeareth 1. How falsly we are charged to be against all Episcopacy 2. And how falsly and deceitfully all those Writers state the Case and plead against us that only plead for a Congregational or Parochial Episcopacy or any of this which we grant and how they cheat their Readers who make them believe that our Controversie is whether there should be any Episcopacy and not what kind of Episcopacy it should be 3. What friends they will prove to the Church that will rather do all that is done against it than endure those that grant all this which we do grant them 81. That I am not singular in all this I prove in that it was only Archbishop Usher's Reduction of Episcopacy to the Primitive state which the Nonconformists malitiously called Presbyterians did offer to his Majesty and the Bishops 1660. as the means of our Concord and which was rejected Yea that they thankfully accepted though not totally approved that higher Model expressed in his Majesties Declaration about Ecclesiastical Affairs And now I suppose I have given Strangers and Posterity a truer Description of the Judgment of the present Nonconformists than malicious turbulent ambitious Persons use to give of them or than the extreams and freaks of a few Sectaries would allow men to receive CHAP. V. Concerning the Writers of this Controversie With a Summary Answer to the Chief that write against the Cause which I defend I Have not been altogether negligent to read the Controversies on this Subject nor I hope partial in Reading them If I have it hath been because I had rather have found Conformity to the Prelacy to be lawful for then I had not above nine years been silenced and denied not only all Church maintenance but leave to preach Christ's Gospel nor had I been exposed as I have been to so much wrath and malice expressed in so many scurrilous lying invectives and libells besides other ways Even when I doubted of the use of the transient Image of the Cross I was of opinion that Prelacy was lawful and so was likely to continue if the Prelates would have given me leave But in 1640 they put a New Oath upon us Never to Consent to the Alteration of the present frame of Prelacy as under Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons c. and that it ought so to stand And I thought it was then time when I was put to such a solemn Oath to search more throughly into all the matter before I sware And in searching I found in general that almost all Writers for Episcopacy either confound Diocesan Prelacy such as ours with the Episcopacy of a single Church or at least all their proof extendeth to no more than I have here granted When they offer us the definition of a Bishop which few of them do it is such as neither supposeth any more Churches than one to be his Charge nor any Presbyters under him at all but only a Power of Ordaining Presbyters and ruling them when he hath them whether in one Church or more And I find that they are so far from proving that ever the Apostles appointed a distinct Office of Presbyters which had not the power of the Keys over the People in foro interiore exteriore as they call them but had only power to Teach and Worship under Bishops as a superior Office or Order as that they prove not any such to have ever been under the Apostles themselves and some of themselves do plainly deny it Nor do they prove that long after the Presbyters were any more subject to the Bishops than the Deacons are now to the Archdeacon or the Bishops to the Archbishop who are of the same Order So that whoever else they speak to they say nothing to me and seem not to know where the Controversie lyeth viz. 1. Whether a Bishop of the lowest rank being no Archbishop or having no Bishops under him over many Churches or Societies of Christians stated under their proper Pastors or Presbyters for ordinary personal Communion in all God's publick Worship be of Divine or Lawful Humane Institution 2. Whether an Order or Office of Presbyters that have not the power of the Keys even in foro exteriore be of Divine or Lawful Humane Institution whom for brevity I shall hereafter call half-half-Presbyters So that the Question is not whether one Man was after sometime called peculiarly the Bishop and in the same Church sate over Presbyters of the same Office as Archpresbyters or as Archdeacons over Deacons or Archbishops over Bishops Nor yet whether there were or should be a General sort of Bishops or Archbishops over the Bishops of particular Churches But whether any stated Body of Worshiping Christians as afore described like our Parish Churches that have unum altare should be without a Bishop of their own or without a Pastor that hath the threefold power before described of Leading the People in Doctrine Worship and Discipline called the power of the Keys And whether he be a true Presbyter or Minister of Christ that wants this power And whether they that depose the Parish Ministers of
Presbyter and so must be of a distinct Order from the Bishops that give him his second power And who giveth them theirs And if you rise to a Patriarch or Pope what Superiour of another Order giveth them their second Power 2. That institution or fixing a man before Ordained to a particular Flock doth not make him of another Order or Office nor is a new Ordination nor is he as oft Ordained and made of another Office as he changeth his Flock or receiveth a new License from the Bishop or the King from whom I had rather have it 3. That the People as well as the Bishop if not much more do give the Minister this opportunity for the exercise of his Office as the Patient chooseth his Physician And yet it is my Opinion that this will not prove that the People are his Governours much less that they give him a new Order or Office And of old the People chose their Bishops themselves It will be as much honour for you Learnedly to prove that there were no Kings in the World till Bishops made them as to confute D. Blondels Historical proof of the Peoples ancient choice of their Bishops 2. And as to a General License I will thank the King for it yea or any man that hath power to hinder me that he will give me leave to Preach and Exercise my Office But I do not think that every man that doth not hinder me when he can doth give me power And if a Bishop be so extraordinary good as not to silence nor hinder a Minister from Preaching Christ I do not think that this man is an Usurper in Preaching the Gospel for want of a License or second Power Nor yet in exercising the rest of his Office where he and the People do consent These things seem plain to us and they that whether by Learning or the Love of Riches and Honour and Domination are made wiser than we may suffer such Fools gladly while themselves are in re vel spe Rich Honourable and wise 3. And what is Ordination but a General Investiture in the power of performing the Ministerial Office And why may not the General Power or License be given at once as at twice I think Take thou Authority to Preach the Word of God and Administer the Holy Sacraments and the Discipline of the Church when thou art thereto lawfully called that is hast opportunity and fit Objects is a General License And a Man may presently Exercise this Office on Consenters Unless the sence be Take thee power when it shall be given thee 3. But if it be a Particular License that is here meant by the grant of second power I confess that there is somewhat considerable in it and that in old time the Bishop and his Clergy living together and meeting in the same Church the Presbyters like our Parish Curates now were in all the Worship of the day and in their privater Ministry to the People to be ruled by the Bishop and to Modifie and Circumstantiate all as he directed them And so may it be again But sure a Minister is not to travel an hundred miles to the Bishop to know whether he shall visit this sick man or give the Sacrament to the other and to know what Chapter he shall read and such like If it be not a General License that is meant it must needs suppose the Bishops presence 9. And seeing the Bishops may License a Presbyter to use the Keys the opening of this will help our understandings about the nature of the Bishops Office There is no act of Jurisdiction which they do not Ordinarily commit to others The sentence of Excommunication and Absolution is ordinarily decreed by a Lay-Chancellor And Spalatensis saith that Episcopal Jurisdiction may be done by a Lay Delegate The same sentence is Pronounced in Court by a Lay-Man or a meer Presbyter The same sentence is published in the Church by a Presbyter or Deacon And a Prince may give a License to exercise the Ministry to which we were Ordained I enquire then 1. Whether the granting of this Episcopal Power be a making that Man a Bishop that it 's granted to If so a Bishop a Presbyter and a Chancellor are all of one Office when thus impowred If not so then a Lay-man or one of another Office may have power to do the Work of the Bishops Office And what is the Office tell me if you can beside Authority and Obligation to do the Work A Lay-man and Presbyter may by the Bishop be Authorized and Obliged to do the Work of a Bishop and this ordinarily as an Office For so they do Ergo a Chancellor and a Presbyter may be made really a Bishop and yet in their esteem remain a Lay-man and a Presbyter still And is not that a Lay Office which a Lay-man may be Commissioned to do If a Lay-man were but Commissioned to do the Work of a Presbyter to Teach a Church ordinarily to Administer the Sacraments and to Excommunicate and Absolve in foro internae poenitentialis either it would make the Man a Presbyter or it would be a Nullity And if it be not so with the Bishops Office what is the Reason Is it not because it is not of Divine Specification and Institution but Humane and therefore mutable or such as Men may parcel out and commit to Lay-men by pieces as they please So much to Dr. Hammond's Appropriation of the Power of the Keys in that Treatise As to his Annotations I shall have occasion to recite them hereafter among those that give up the Diocesan Cause as opposed by us and therefore shall here pass them by His Dissertations against Blondel have a Premonition about Ordination which though most confident I shall manifest when I come to the point of Ordination to be most weak and indeed have done it before his death in my Disput of Ordin His first Preliminary Dissertation of Antichrist of the Mystery of Iniquity and of Diotrephes I will not be so needlesly tedious as to meddle with any further then to say that I will believe Dr. Hammond here and in his Annot. on 2 Thes 2. when I am fallen into so deep a sleep as to dream 1. That the famous Coming of Christ and our gathering together to him which is a great Article of the Christian Faith is but Titus his Destruction of Jerusalem and that the reward promised to all that love his appearing is meant to all that love the said Destruction of Jerusalem 2. And that this Destruction was not to be called nigh or at hand which fell out so few Years after 3. And that the Gentiles of remote Countries were so shaken in mind and moved about a Question of a few Years distance of the Destruction of the Jews more than about Christ's coming to the Common Judgment 4. And that the Gnosticks were indeed such terrible Persecutors of the Church who were dispersed Subjects when their Doctrine was but that they
now to his Arguments 1. Paul planted Paul onely was their Father What then Ergo Paul onely was their Bishop I deny the Consequence and may long wait for a syllable of proof Contrarily Paul onely was not their Apostle Ergo Paul onely was not their Bishop For every Apostle you say hath Episcopal Power included in the Apostolical and none of them ceased to have Apostolical Power where-ever they came though they were many together as at Jerusalem Ergo None of them ceased to have Episcopal Power The conceit of Conversion and Paternity entituling to sole Episcopacy I shall confute by it self anon 2. But Paul judged the incestuous person and speaketh of coming with the rod. And what followeth Ergo None but Paul might do the same in that Diocess I deny the Consequence Any other Apostle might do the same Where is your Proof And if all this were granted it is nothing against the Cause that we maintain And next let us inquire whether this Church had no Bishops or Presbyters but Paul As here is not a word of proof on their side so I prove the contrary 1. Because the Apostles ordained Elders or Bishops in every Church and City Acts 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. Therefore the Church of Corinth had such 2. If they had not Presbyters or Bishops they could hold no ordinary Christian Church-Assemblies for all Gods publick Worship e. g. They could not communicate in the Lords Supper for Lay-men may not be the Ministers of it nor the ordinary Guides and Teachers of a Worshipping Church But they did hold such ordinary Assemblies communicating in the Lords Supper And to say that they had onely Pastors that were itinerant in transitu as they came one after another that way is to speak without book and against it and to make them differ from all other Churches without proof 3. 1 Cor. 14. doth plainly end that Controversie with 1 Cor. 11. when they had so many Prophets and Teachers and gifted Persons in their Assemblies that Paul is put to restrain and regulate their Publick Exercises directing them to speak but one or two and the rest to judge and this rather by the way of edifying plainness than by Tongues c. And c. 11. they had enow to be the ordinary Ministers of the Sacraments And cb 5. they had Instructions for Church-Discipline both as to the incestuous man and for all the scandalous for the time to come and are chidden for not using it before And who but the Separatists do hold that the power of the Keys for the exercise of this Discipline is in the Peoples hands Therefore most certainly they had a Clergy And if all this go not for proof against a bare Affirmation of the contrary we can prove nothing 4. And 1 Cor. 4. 15. I scarce think that Paul would have had occasion to say Though you have ten thousand instructers if they had not had qualified Persons enow to afford them one or two for Presbyters Cap. 2. proving no more of any one Apostles fixed Episcopacy he cometh to their secondary Bishops or Apostles And whereas we judge that Apostles and Evangelists and the Apostles Assistants were unfixed Ministers appropriating no Churches or Diocesses to themselves in point of Power but planting setling and confirming Churches in an itinerant way and distributing their Provinces onely arbitrarily and changeably and as the Spirit guided them at the present time of their work and that Bishops and Elders were such Pastors as these Church-gatherers fixed in a stated relation to particular Churches so that an Apostle was a Bishop eminenter but not formaliter and that a Bishop as such was no Apostle in the eminent sense but was also an itinerant Preacher limitedly because while he oversaw his Flock he was also to endeavour the conversion of others as far as his opportunity allowed him I say this being our judgment this learned Doctor supposeth Apostles as such to be Bishops and the fixed Bishops as such to be second Apostles And I so avoid contending about Names even where it is of some importance to the Matter that I will not waste my time upon it till it be necessary In § 1. he telleth us that these second Apostles were made partakers of the same Jurisdiction and Name with the first and either planted and ruled Churches or ruled such as others had planted Answ 1. We doubt not but the Apostles had indefinite itinerant Assistants and definite fixed Bishops placed by them as aforesaid But the indefinite and the definite must not be confounded 2. And were not Luke Mark Timothy and other itinerant Evangelists as such of the Clergy and such Assistants or secondary Apostles Exclude them and you can prove none but the fixed Bishops But if they were why did you before deny Evangelists Dissert 3. cap. 6. the power of the Keys and make them meer converting Preachers below Doctors and Pastors and the same with Deacons whereas Paul Ephes 4. 11. doth place them before Pastors and Teachers But avoiding the Controversie de nomine call them what you will we believe that these itinerant Assistants of the Apostles were of that One sacred Office commonly called the Priesthood or Ministry though not yet fixed and that the assigning them to particular Churches did not make them of a new Order but onely give them a new object and opportunity to exercise the Power which they had before and that Philip and other Deacons were not Evangelists meerly as Deacons which term denoteth a fixed Office in one Church but by a further Call And that you never did prove that ever the Scripture knew one Presbyter that had not the power of the Keys as Bishops have yea you confess your self the contrary All therefore that followeth in that Chapter and your Book of James the Just and Mark and others having Episcopal power is nothing against us The thing that we put you to prove is that ever the Apostles ordained such an Officer as a Presbyter that hath not Episcopal Power and Obligation too as to his Flock that is the Power of governing that Church according to God's Word And I would learn if I could whether all the Apostles which staid long at Jerusalem while James is supposed to be their Bishop were not Bishops also with him Whether they ceased to be Apostles to the People there Or whether they were Apostles and not Bishops And whether they lost any of their Power by making James Bishop And whether one Church then had not many Bishops at once And if they made James greater than themselves Whether according to your Premonition they did not give a Power or Honour which they had not which you think unanswerable in our Case Cap. 4. come in the Angels of the Churches Rev. 1 2 3. of which though the matter be little to our Cause I have said enough before why I prefer the Exposition of Ticoniui which Augustine seemeth to favour And I find nothing here to the
Stewards ruling many hundred Families of which more anon 3. Another part of the Bishops work in those times was to Baptize For it was part of the Apostles work Matth. 28. 19 20. And how great a work that was to try the peoples due preparations and to see that they did understandingly and seriously what they did I desire no other proof than the great care taken in all the ancient Churches of this business which brought up the Custom of baptizing but twice a year Object The Apostles baptized three thousand at once Answ The Jews were supposed to be bred up in the knowledge of other parts of Religion and wanted only the knowledge of the true Messiah and his Salvation which might be taught them in a shorter time than the Gentiles could be taught the whole substance of Religion that knew but little Therefore as soon as the Jews were convinced of the true Messiah and the righteousness of Faith and consented to the Covenant they might be baptized 2. The extraordinary effusions of the Spirit in that time did make a shorter preparation sufficient At least Baptizing must be an addition to the Bishops work 4. As the Apostles laid hands on Believers to convey the Holy Ghost so the Prelatists think that the Bishops then Confirmed Believers with Imposition of hands saith Doctor Hammond on Heb. 13. a. To teach exhort confirm and impose hands all which were the Bishops office in that place And O what a work it is to know the persons of many hundred Parishes to be capable of Confirmation and so to confirm them of which more afterward 5. I need not prove that the Bishops then were the Masters of the Assemblies and called them appointing time and place as the Rulers of the Synagogues did which sheweth that they were present with the Church Assemblies 6. The Bishops administred the Lords Supper as all confess and therefore must have some Pastoral notice of the fitness of all the Church to receive it which intimateth sufficiently the extent of the Church 7. They went before the Assemblies usually in performance of the publick worship They prayed with them and praised God And Doctor Hammond thinks that in all this in Scripture times they had not so much as a Presbyter to assist them 8. They admonished the unruly and disorderly and received Accusations and openly reproved and excommunicated the Impenitent And O how great a work is it to deal with one Soul aright as must be done before it cometh to Excommunication Much more with all in a Parish Much more in many hundred Parishes 9. It is confessed that it was the Bishops work to absolve the penitent publickly And then he must judge of their Repentance and then he must try it And for how many thousand can a Bishop do this with the rest 10. The Bishop did dismiss the Congregation with a Benediction as is maintained by those that we dispute with and therefore must be present in it 11. They were to visit and pray with the sick and all the sick to send for them to that end Jam. 4. 14. If any be sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him saith Doctor Hammond Because there is no evidence whereby these inferior Presbyters may appear to have been brought into the Church so early And because the visiting of the sick is anciently mentioned as one branch of the office of Bishops therefore it may very reasonably be resolved that the Bishops of the Church one in each particular Church but many in the universal are here meant Though I am far from believing him that the sick person is bid to send but for one when the term is plural or that he must send for many out of other Churches I will take his concession that this was the Bishops work 12. Lastly They were to take care of the poor and of the Contributions and Church stock saith Doctor Hammond on 1 Cor 12. 28. The supreme trust and charge was reserved to the Apostles and Bishops of the Church So in the 41st Canon of the Apostles the Bishop must have the care of the moneys so that by his power all â—e dispensed to the poor by the Presbyters and Deacons and we command that â—e have in his power the Church Goods So Justin Martyr Apol. 2. That which is gathered is doeposited by the Praefect or Bishop and he helpeth or relieveth the Orphans and Widows and becometh the Curator and Guardian of all absolutely that be in want So Ignatius to Polycarp After the Lord thou shalt be the Curator of the Widows And Polycarp himself speaking of the Elders or Bishops They visit and take care of all that are sick not neglecting the Widows the Orphans and the Poor So far Doctor Hammond So that by this time it is easie to see how great the ancient Churches were yea and how great they were to be continued when all this is the Bishops Office and Work We are willing that they have Diocesses as big as they can do this work in even with a Consessus of assisting Presbyters There is no one of all these twelve alone that a Bishop can do for a Diocess of many score or hundred Churches How much less all these set together Nay what one considerable Parish would not find a Bishop with divers assistants work enough in all these kinds if it be faithfully done As for the doing of it per se aut per alium I have so far confuted it before as that I may be bold to tell them now that they may also receive the reward in se aut in alio And if he that will not work should not eat quaere whether they should eat per alium I add If all this as Doctor Hammond maintaineth was made by the Spirit in the Apostles the Bishops work if they may make new Church-Officers to commit part of their work to there may be twelve sorts of Officers made by them for these twelve parts of their work And then we shall better understand them Whatever is the work of a Bishop as a Presbyter every Presbyter may and must do according to his ability and opportunity But whatever belongeth to a Bishop as a Bishop cannot be done by another either Lay-man or Presbyter Therefore let us have but Bishops enough to do it or else confess that it is no necessary work So great a trust as the Gospel and mens souls which Christ hath committed to Bishops may not be cast upon others without his consent that did commit it to them But they can shew no consent of Christ to make new Officers to do their work by Timothy was to commit the same to others which he had received 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also And who knoweth not that if a Tutor commit his work statedly to another he maketh
knowledge of the Presbyters and Deacons that are about him who cannot but know what are the Church Goods c. Here 1. The Church contained only the souls that were congregated in it and not many Congregations 2. All the Church Goods were known to the Presbyters and Deacons so that the Bishop did dispose of them while he lived but could alienate none at his death which sheweth that it was but one Church or Congregation where the Bishop and Presbyters joyned in the Ministry Cap. 25. hath the same Evidence The Bishop dispenseth all the Goods and Lands of the Church to all that need but must not appropriate them to his Kindred c. but use them by the consent of his Presbyters and Deacons XX. Concil Carthag 4. cap. 14. The Bishop's dwelling was to be near the Church But if he had many Churches they would have told which Can. 17. The Bishop was to exercise the care of Government of Widows Orphans and Strangers by his Arch-Presbyter and Arch-Deacon which sheweth that they had not many Churches where each appropriate Presbyter and Deacons did it Can. 22. The Peoples consent and testimony was necessary to every Clerk ordained which sheweth how large the Churches or People were Can. 35. The Bishop is ordered to sit above the Presbyters in the Church and in their Consess but at home to know himself to be their Colleague which sheweth that they were all belonging to one Church and not to many far from each other XXI Concil Laodic Presbyters must not go into the Church or Sacrarium as the other Ed. before the Bishop nor sit in the Seats but must go in with the Bishop or sit in lower Seats till he comes Which sheweth that they were all in one Church And if there had been many Churches distant where there were no Bishops but Presbyters only it 's like that Case would have been excepted as well as is the Case of the Bishop's Sickness and Peregrination See Binnius three Versions To. 1. pag. 292. and Crab's two Vol. 1. pag. 310. Can. 28. Forbidding the Agapae or Church Feasts to be made in the Church implieth that other Houses could contain the Church Members And Can. 58. Forbidding Oblationes fieri vel celebrari in domibus ab Episcopis vel Presbyteris doth shew that till they built Chappels there was but one Congregation in a City which was where the Bishop was XXII Decretum Innocent 1. P. Rom. in Crab Vol. 1. pag. 453. Dicit De consignandis infantibus manifestum est non ab alio quam ab Episcopis fieri licere Nam Presbyteri licet sint Sacerdotes Pontificatus tamen apicem non habent c. And for how many one Bishop can do this with all his other work also you may judge XXIII To look back Concil Carthag 2. Can 3. decreeth Chrismatis confectio puellarum consecratio a Presbyteris non fiant Vel reconciliare quenquam in publica missa Presbytero non licere Crab. pag. 424. But this being an ordinary publick work this supposeth the Bishop still present in every Church to do it and to have a Church no more numerous than he could do it for whereas if Discipline were but moderately exercised according to the ancient Canons there could not be fewer than many hundreds in a day for the Bishop either to excommunicate or absolve in this Diocess where I live Leg. Albaspin Not. pag. 268. And the fourth Can. fortifieth this by this exception Si quisquam in periculo fuerit constitutus se reconciliari divinis altaribus petierit si Episcopus absens fuerit debet utique Presbyter consulere Episcopum sic periclitantem cum praecepto reconciliare Where note that reconciliari altaribus is the Phrase for being reconciled to the Churches And that no Presbyter might do it but in case of the persons danger the Bishops absence and with the Bishops Command Which still sheweth that the Bishop was usually present And as Albaspineus noteth a Presbyter might not do it for a dying Man till he had consulted the Bishop and told him all the case and had his Command Which supposeth him near for the man may be dead before our Ministers can ride to the Bishop and have his Commission and supposeth the Church to be but small XXIV To make short and leave no place for doubting I will joyn several Canons which decree that No Man shall be a Clerk to two Churches nor an Abbot to two Monasteries nor a Bishop to two Cities or Churches So Concil Oecumen Nic. 2. Can. 15. in Bin. pag. 394. Clericus ab hoc deinceps tempore in duabus Ecclesiis non collocetur Ab ipsa enim domini voce audivimus non posse quenquam duobus dominis servire And Concil Chalcedon Can. 10. juxta Dionys Non licet Clericum conscribi in duabus simul Ecclesiis And though then the Can. 17. sheweth that there were Singularum Ecclesiarum Rusticae Parochiae vel possessiones yet these were but like our Chappels and not called Churches but only the Bishop's Church And if the Secular Power made any place a City it was thereupon to follow the Secular Order So of Abbots Concil Venet. Can. 8. in Crab pag. 948. no one was to have two Monasteries Vid. Concil Agath Can. 38. And Photius Balsamon Nomocan Tit. 1. cap. 20. pag. 21. Ne in una Provincia duo Metropolitani aut in una Civitate duo Episcopi aut in duabus Civitatibus unus Clericus Neque in duabus Civitatibus quis potest esse Episcopus Excepting only even then Episcopum Tomensem Ille enim reliquarum Ecclesiarum Scythiae curam gerit Because the Christians were few and from under the Roman Power Et Leontopolis Isauriae sub Episcopo Isauropolis est He addeth Porro 35 Const tit 3. l. 1. Cod. c. 3. c. ait Eum qui quamcunque veterem aut recens conditam civitatem proprii Episcopatus jure aliove privilegio privat tametsi Principis permissu id faciat infamia notat mulctatque bonis constitutio ac simul inceptum irritum facit So that no City new or old might be deprived of its Privilege of having a Bishop Now seeing Corporations and Market Towns are in the old sense Cities and seeing Parish Churches such as ours are true Churches as Communities how many Cities and how many hundred Churches have many Bishops now He addeth Can. 15. â—onc 7. and saith Si non permittitur cuiquam in duabus Ecclesiis Clericum fieri multo magis praesul duo Monasteria non moderabitur Quemadmodum neque unum caput duo corpora Therefore by parity of reason much less should one Church-man or Bishop be the head of many hundred or a thousand Bodies without any subordinate Head or Bishop under him Why may not an Abbot as well rule a thousand Monasteries per alios non Abbates as a Bishop a thousand Churches per alios non Episcopâ—s More Testimonies of Councils added to the former Chap.
c. 12. where he reciteth the same Epistle that Socrates doth But I would pretend to no more certainty than is evident II. Pius Episcop Roman in Biblioth Pat. Tom. 3. p. 15. Epist Justo Episcopo inquit Presbyteri Diaconi non ut Majorem sed ut Ministrum Christi te observent salutat te senatus paâ—per Christi apud Romam constitutus saluta omne Collegium fratrum qui tecum sunt in Domino And epist prima eidem Justo he reckoneth Timotby and Mark with the Presbyters educated by the Apostles Now if they were of the Senate the Colledge and the same name Presbyters as Bishops had we have no reason to think that they had not the power of the keys III. Tertullian de poenit to cast himself down at the feet of the Presbyters which implyeth that they had the power of the keys for Absolution And those whom he calleth Seniores Apolog. managed the Discipline and that not in a Chancellors Court but in the same Congregations where and when they Assembled for publick worship If any will say that Bishops are here included I will not deny it But if they will say that when he nameth the Seniors and Presbyters without distinction that he excludeth all save the Bishop alone I shall not believe that Tertullian speaketh so un-intelligibly Unless they will follow Dr. Hammond and believe as I do not that there was yet but One Presbyter who was the Bishop in a Church or in most Churches which de facto would be for us IV. The Testimonies of Clem. Roman Ignat. Justin Martyr may be gathered out of the words forecited Hierom's Testimony in this case is so plain and full and trite in every writing Epist ad Evagr. passim making them the Apostles Successors and the same with the Bishops except only in ordination that I will not trouble you with reciting it V. Cyprian neither would nor could govern his Church without the concurrence of the Presbyters before cited De Gaia desiderastis ut de Philumeno Fortunato hypodiaconis Favorino acolutho rescribam cui rei non potui me solum judicem dare cum multi adhuc de Clero absentes sint nec locum suum vel sero repetendum putaverint haec singulorum tractanda sit limanda plenius ratio non tantum cum collegis meis sed cum plebe ipsa universa Epist 36. edit Goulart He sheweth that it is the Clergies duty to take care of the widows the sick the poor the strangers he the Bishop was then absent So also Ep. 37. And Epist 10. he reprehendeth the Presbyters for reconciling and absolving the Lapsed overhastily and with neglect and contempt of the Bishop but not as if the work were not their office work to do Nay he giveth us this full plain testimony that even in this publick Absolution in foro exteriore the true custom of the Church was for the Bishop and his Presbyters together to impose hands on the penitent and so absolve them receive them and give them the Sacrament Pag. 30. saith he Nam cum in minoribus peccatis agant peccatores poenitentiam justo tempore secundum disciplinae ordinem ad exomologesin veniant per impositionem manus Episcopi Cleri jus Communionis accipiant Nunc crudo tempore persecutione adhuc perseverante nondum restituta Ecclesiae ipsius pace ad Communicationem admittuntur offertur nomen eorum nondum poenitentia acta nondum exomologesi facta nondum manu e. s ab Episcopo Clero imposita Eucharistia illis datur Epist 5. p. 15. He writeth to the Clergy in his absence to do the work of Discipline even their own part and his and as no man doubteth but they did the whole work in the publick assembly when he was absent so long time so that you may see what kind of Chappel meetings they had it being the custome for encouragement of sufferers to go to the Confessors and visit them and there celebrate the Sacrament he perswadeth them that the people may not go crowding by great companies at once lest it stir up envy and they be denied entrance it's like they were in Prison and lose all while they are insatiable to get more But that one Presbyter and one Deacon go one day and another another day by turns because the Change of persons and vicissitude of meeters would break the envy and all should be done in meekness and humility But the words I insist on are Peto vos pro fide religione vestra fungamini illic Vestris partibus meis ut nihil vel ad disciplinam vel ad diligentiam desit And if the whole work of Discipline be such as is partly their own part and partly what they may do in the Bishops absence in his stead it is within the power of their function For a Lay-man or a Deacon cannot do all the Presbyters work in his absence And Epist 6. p. 17. Having exhorted the sufferers or confessors not to grow proud by it and lamented that some after sufferings grew insolent and were a shame to the Church he addeth Nec a Diaconis aut Presbyteris regi posse Shewing that even the Government of the Confessors belonged to them both in their places And of himself he saith to his Presbyters Solus rescribere nihil potui quando a primordio Episcopatus mei statuerim nihil sine consilio vestro sive Consensu Plebis meae privata sententia gerere sed cum venero in Commune tractabimus As to them that say This was only Cyprians arbitrary condescension I answer 1. He saith Non potui And 2. he elsewhere speaketh of it as due 3. It agreeth with the Canons and customes of those times 4. Cyprian pleadeth so much for the Bishops prerogative that we have little reason to think him both so submissive and imprudent as to bring up ill customes and teach the Ministers and people to expect that as their part which belonged not to them and so to corrupt the Church And in the Ep. 11. p. 32. again he saith Ante exomologesin gravissimi extremi delicti factam ante manum ab Episcopo Clero in poenitentem impositam offerre lapsis pacem Eucharistiam dare id est sanctum Domini corpus profanare audeant The same he hath again Ep. 12. p. 37. with an examinabuntur singula praesentibus judicantibus vobis that is the people to shew how great the Church was Afterward Ep. 14. he directeth the Presbyters to absolve those by Imposition of hands themselves without him that are infirm and in danger but that the rest must be publickly reconciled in the Church praesente stantium plebe To recite all of this nature in Cyprian would be too long VI. I will add next a General Testimony viz. the constant custome of all Churches even Rome it self where the Presbyters have Governed without a Bishop in the intervals when
shall there tell him whom to Baptize where there is no Bishop And the power of Baptizing is the first and greatest Key of the Church even the Key of admission And they that do among us deny a Presbyter the power of judging whom to Baptize and give the Lords Supper to do not give it to the Bishop who knoweth not of the persons But the Directive part they commit to a Convocation of Bishops and Presbyters and the Judicial partly to the Priest and partly to a Lay-Chancellor X. Epiphanius Haeres 75. saith The Apostles did not set all in full order at once And at first there was need of Presbyters and Deacons by whom both Ecclesiastical affairs may be administred Therefore where no man was found worthy of Episcopacy in that place no Bishop was set By which it appeareth that he thought that for some time some Churches were Governed without Bishops And if so it there belonged to the Presbyters office to govern Whereto we may add the opinion of many Episcopal men who think that during the Apostles times they were the only Bishops in most Churches themselves And if so Then in their long and frequent absence the Presbyters must be the governours XI That many Councils have had Presbyters yea many of them is past doubt Look but in the Councils subscriptions and you will see it A Synod of some Bishops and more Presbyters and Deacons gathered at Rome decreed the Excommunication of Novatianus and his adherents Euseb lib. 6. c. 43. Noetus was convented judged expelled by the Session of Presbyters Epiphan Haeres 47. c. 1. See a great number of instances of Councils held by Bishops with their Presbyters in Blondel de Episc sect 3. p. 202. Yea one was held at Rome praesidentibus cum Joanne 12 Presbyteris An. 964. vid. Blond p. 203 206 207. Yea they had places and votes in General Councils Not only ut aliorum procuratores as Victor and Vincentius in Nic. 1. but as the Pastors of their Churches and in their proper right I need not urge Selden's Arabick Catalogue in Eutych Alex. where there were two persons for divers particular places or Zonaras who saith There were Priests Deacons and Monks nor Athanasius a Deacon's presence Evenof late the Council of Basil is a sufficient proof XII The foresaid Canons of Carthage which are so full are inserted into the body of the Canon Law and in the Canons of Egbert Archbishop of York as Bishop Usher and others have observed XXIII Hierom's Communi Presbyterorum Concilio Ecclesiae gubernabantur seconded by Chrysostome and other Fathers is a trite but evident testimony XIV That Presbyters had the Power of Excommunications see fully proved by Calderwood Altar Damasc p. 273. XV. Basil's Anaphora Bibl. Pat. Tom. 6. p. 22. maketh every Church to have Archpresbyters Presbyters and Deacons making the Bishop to be but the Archpresbyter CHAP. XIV The Confessions of the greatest and Learnedest Prelatists 1. THe Church of England doth publickly notifie her judgment that Church Government Discipline and the power of the Keys is not a thing aliene from or above the Order of the Presbyters but belongeth to their office 1. In that they allow Presbyters to be members of Convocations and that as chosen by the Presbyters And whereas it is said that the Lower house of Convocation are but Advisers to the Upper I answer All together have but an advising power to the King and Parliament But in that sort of power the lower house hath its part as experience sheweth 2. There are many exempt Jurisdictions in England as the Kings Chappel The Deanry of Windsor and Wolverhampton Bridgenorth where six Parishes are governed by a Court held by a Presbyter and many more which shew that it is consistent with the Presbyters office 3. The Archdeacons who are no Bishops exercise some Government And so do their Officials under them The Objection from Deputation is answered 4. The Surrogates of the Bishops whether Vicar General Principal Official or Commissaries are allowed a certain part of government 5. They that give Lay-Chancellors the power of Judicial Excommunication and Absolution cannot think a Presbyter uncapable of it 6. A Presbyter proforma oft passeth the sentence of Excommunication and Absolution in the Chancellors Court when he hath judged it 7. A Presbyter in the Church must publish that Excommunication and Absolution 8. By allowing Presbyters to baptize and to deliver the Lords Supper and to keep some back for that time and to admit them again if they openly profess to repent and amend their naughty lives and to absolve the sick they intimate that the Power of the Keys belongeth to them though they contradict themselves otherwise by denying it them 9. And in Ordination the Presbyter is required to exercise discipline And the words of Act. 20. 28. were formerly used to them Take heed to your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers or Bishops to feed or Rule the Church of God Whence Bishop Usher gathereth that the Churches sence was that the Presbyters had a joynt power with the Bishop in Church Government And though lately Anno 1662. this be altered and those words left out yet it is not any such new change that can disprove this to have been the meaning of them that made the book of Ordination and that used it II. Archbishop Cranmer with the rest of the Commissioners appointed by King Edward the Sixth for the Reformation of Ecclesiastical Laws decreed the administring Discipline in every Parish by the Minister and certain Elders Labouring and intending by all means to bring in the ancient discipline Vid. Reform Leg. Eccles tit de Divinis Officiis cap. 10. And our Liturgy wisheth this Godly Discipline restored and substituteth the Curses till it can be done And the same Cranmer was the first of 46 who in the time of King Henry the Eighth affirmed in a book called The Bishops Book to be seen in Fox's Martyrology that the difference of Bishops was a device of the ancient Fathers and not mentioned in Scripture And of the opinion of Cranmer with others in this point his own papers published by Dr. Stillingfleet Irenic p. 390 391 c. are so full a proof that no more is needful III. Dr. Richard Cosins in his Tables sheweth how Church Discipline is partly exercised by Presbyters and by the Kings Commission may be much more And it is not aliene to their office IV. Hooker Eccles Pol. lib. 5. pleadeth against the Divine settlement of one form of Government And lib. 7. Sect. 7. p. 17 18. he sheweth at large that the Bishops with their Presbyters as a Consess governed the Churches And that in this respect It is most certain truth that the Churches Cathedral and the Bishops of them are as glasses wherein the face and very countenance of Apostolical antiquity remaineth yet to be seen notwithstanding the alterations which tract of time and course of the world hath
unum nomine Vivilo quem nos ante tempus ordinavimus Presbyteros vero quos ibidem reperisti si incogniti fuerint viri illi à quibus sunt ordinati dubium est eos Episcopos fuisse an non qui eos ordinaverunt si bonae actionis cathoâ—ici viri sunt ipsi Presbyteri in ministerio Christi omnemque legem sanctam â—docti apti ab Episcopo suo benedictionem Presbyteratus suscipiant consâ—â—râ—ntur siâ— ministerio sacro fungantur 11. Of old it was the Custom of the Church that Presbyters joyn with the Bishops in Ordination Concil Carth. c. 3. All the Presbyters present must impose their hands on the head of the Presbyter to be ordained with the Bishop Which fully sheweth that it is an act belonging to their Office and therefore not null when done by them alone in certain cases and that it was but for order sake that they were not to do it without a Bishop who was then the Ruler of the Presbyters in that and other Actions And its worth noting That ib. Can. 4. The Bishop alone without any Presbyters was to lay hands on a Deacon though not on a Presbyter Because he was ordained non ad sacerdotium sed ad ministerium not to the Priesthood but to a Ministery or service which plainly intimateth what Arch-Bishop Usher said to me that Ad Ordinem pertinet ordinare quamvis ad Gradum Episcopalem ordinationes regere The Priesthood containeth a power to ordain Priests but the Episcopal Jurisdiction as such sufficeth to ordain a Deacon Or that the Bishop ordaineth Presbyters as he is a Presbyter his Prelacy giving him the government of the action but he ordaineth Deacons as a Ruler only Arg. II. Ordination by Bishops such as were in Scripture time is valid and lawful But the Ordinations in England now questioned were performed by Bishops such as were in Scripture times Ergo the late ordinations in England now questionedare valid and lawful The Major speaking de nomine officio is granted by all The Minor I prove thus 1. The Ordinations in England now questioned were many or most performed by the cheif particular Pastors of City Churches together with their Colleagues or fellow Presbyters that had Presbyters under them But the Cheif particular Pastors of City Churches having Presbyters under them were such Bishops as were in Scripture times Ergo the Ordinations in England now questioned were performed by Bishops such as were in Scripture times I must first here explain what I mean by a particular Pastor as in an Army or Navy a General Officer that taketh up the General care of all is distinct from the inferiour particular Captains that take a particular care of every Souldier or person under their command so in the Church in Scripture times there were 1. General Officers that took care of many Churches viz. a general care And 2. perticular Bishops and Presbyters that were fixed in every City or perticular Church that took a perticular care of every Soul in that Church It is only these last that I speak of that were Bishops infimi gradûs not such as the Apostles and Evangelists but such as are mentioned Acts 14. 23. and Acts 20. 28. Tit. 1. 5. c. Now for the Major it is notoriously known 1. That ordinarily some of our Ordainers were City Pastors 2. That they had Presbyters under them viz. one or more Curates that administred there with them or in Oratorics called Chappels in the Parish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Oppidum and our Boroughs and Towns Corporate are such Cities as are signified by that word And there are few of these but have more Presbyters than one of whom one is the Cheif and the rest ruled by him Besides that one was oft-times President of the Assembly chosen by the rest For instance if I had ever medled in Ordainings as I did not 1. I was my self a Pastor of a Church in a City or Burough 2. I had two or three Presbyters with me that were ruled by me so that I was statedly their Chief I was statedly chosen by the neighbourhood associated Pastors to be their Moderatour which was such a power as made Bishops at Alexandria before the Nicene Council Now that such were Bishops such as were in Scripture-times I prove 1. By the Confession of the Opponents Doctor Hammond and his followers maintain that there were no subject Presbyters instituted in Scripture times and consequently that a Bishop was but the single Pastour of a single ongregation having not so much as one Presbyter under him but one or more Deacons which granteth us more than now I plead for and that afterwards when Believers were encreased he assumed Presbyters in partem curae So that our Bishops which I plead for are of the stature of those after Scripture times in the Doctors sence Defacto this is granted 2. The Bishops in Scripture times were ordained in every City and in every Church Tit. 1 5. and Acts 13. 23. So are ours They had the particular Episcopacy over-sight rule and teaching of all the Flock committed to them Acts 20. 28. and if the Angel of the Church of Ephesus were one cheif he was but one of these and over these in the same Church and charge And so have our Parochial Pastours these very words Acts 20. 28. being read and applyed to them in their ordination They had the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven committed to them and so have ours If it be said that these are but things common to the Bishop with the Presbyter 1. What then is proper to a Bishop To say Ordination is but to beg the question And Ordination it self is not proper in the sense of our own Church that requireth that Ordination be performed as well by the laying on of the hands of the Presbyters as of the Bishop 2. They use themselves to make the governing or superiority over many Presbyters to be proper to a Bishop 3. Those to whom the description of Bishops in Scripture belongeth are truly and properly Bishops But the Description of Bishops in Scripture agreeth at least to the chief particular Pastors of City Churches having Presbyters under them Ergo such are truly and properly Bishops The Minor which only needeth proof is proved by an induction of the several Texts containing such descriptions as Acts 20. and 13. 23. 1 Tim. 3. and 5. 17. Tit. 1. 5. c. 1 Thes 5. 12. Hebr. 13. 7. 17 24. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. and the rest 4. If our Parochial Churches or at least our City Churches those in each Town Corporate and Borough be true Churches then the cheif particular Pastors of them are true Bishops but they are true Churches Ergo. Still note 1. That I speak of Churches as governed Societies in sensu Politico and not as a Company of private Christians 2. That I speak only of particular Pastors or Bishops infimi gradus and not of Arch-Bishops and
Bishop and his Chancellor and other Officers are over us all The Magistrates Civil Governmeut of the Church I shall not meddle with as having no exceptions against it The Sacerdotal or Spiritual Power called the Power of the Keys determineth who shall be Members of the Church and partake of its Communion and exerciseth other acts of Spiritual Discipline of which more anon This power is said to be in Archbishops and Bishops in foro ecclesiae publico vel exteriore though also in the Governed Presbyters in foro privato interiore as they may privately comfort a penitent person and declare God's promise of the pardon of his sin The Archbishops have it in eminency As also the power of confirming the Election of the Bishops of their Provinces and the power of Consecrating Bishops with two others and the power of Convocating Provincial Synods upon the Kings Prescript and of moderating in them The power of receiving Appeals and of Visiting the whole Provinces yea to receive Appeals from the lower Judges omiting the middle ones and to exercise Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in any vacant Diocess under them They have power of Dispensation in all Causes not judged contrary to Gods word wherever the Pope had power and where the Pope had not power if the King or Council permit it them They may dispense with the Eating of flesh on Fasting-days with Marrying without previous publication with divers irregularities and sometime may abolish simoniacum ambitum They may grant Commendams and Dispence with Non-residence and with the keeping of divers Churches called Benefices in several Cases and with a Sons succeeding his Father and with Lay-mens possessing the Church-maintenance called Prebends The Bishops who take place in Parliament of other Barons as the Archbishops do of Dukes are all chosen really by the King who nominateth in a Writ to the Dean and Chapter the man whom they must chuse who pro forma do chuse him never contradicting the Kings Nomination Their proper Office consisteth in the powers of Order and of Jurisdiction as they distinguish them Their power of Order is threefold 1. To Ordain Priests and Deacons 2. To Consecrate Churches and Burying places 3. To Confirm Children after Baptism when they can speak and say the Creed Lords Prayer and Decalogue and others that were not Confirmed in their Childhood Besides that they may be Privy-Counsellors Lord-Keepers of the Great Seal Lord Treasurers Embassadours c. Their ordinary Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction extendeth 1. to the Interdiction of Divine Offices 2. to publick Admonitions and Penances 3. to suspension from the Sacrament and from ingress into the Church and 4. to Excommunication and Absolution and 5. to Anathematisms And as to Ministers 1. They may Sequester Benefices 2. They may Suspend ab officio beneficio and forbid them to Preach or Pray Or grant License to such as shall be tolerated to Preach 3. They may deprive 4. And depose Ministers by sentence verbal and degradation actually This Church Jurisdiction of Bishops is distinguished into Voluntary and Contentious The Voluntary extendeth to abundance of things granted them by Statute and by Common Law which I pass by That which they claim both by Municipal Law and Ecclesiastical is 1. The probate of the Testaments of the dead 2. The granting Administration of Goods to the next of Kin 3. Keeping the bona caduca where none claimeth the Inheritance 4. To receive Reasons of Administring and to be Judges of them 5. To confer Benefices or Institute such as others present 6. To grant Induction to the Instituted 7. To receive the Fruits of vacant Benefices 8. To allow the Vicar a fit proportion 9. To grant Letters Dimissory or Testimonial 10. To Visit their Diocess once in three years In which Triennial Visitation they usually go to one Town in a County and never see the face of the people in the many score or hundred Churches about them and thither they summon the Ministers and the Church-Wardens and Sides-men Where one Minister preacheth and then the Ministers must dine with the Bishop and in Court he or his Officer giveth a Book of Printed Articles containing a multitude of particulars which the Church-warden must swear to present by where because of the quality of them some Church-Wardens refuse and others because of the number some saying it is unlawful to undo their Ministers and Neighbours by such Presentments as for omitting a Ceremony for preaching or keeping a Fast in private c. and some saying it is impossible to keep the Oath and some saying that if they do it they shall be hated of their Neighbours Whereupon those that refuse are prosecuted to punishment And the rest take the Oath and Articles but not one of many doth present accordingly though the Canon enquires after the perjured And many that fear perjury or persecution themselves do hire some poor man to be Church-Warden in their stead that will venture upon all I must intreat the Reader to peruse some of their Books of Articles especially such as Bishop Mountagues and Bishop Wrens to see what was then enquired after Dr. Zouch de Jud. Eccless p. 37. § 1. Part. 3. saith Ad judices quod attinet statuto ordinatum quod personae conjugatae dummodo Doctores Juris Civilis fuerint qui ad officium Cancellarii Vicarii Generalis Officialis vel Commissarii à Majestate Regia Archiapiscopo Episcopo Archidiacono aut alio quocunque potestatem habente deputati sunt omnem Jurisdictionem Ecclesiasticam exercere quam libet censuram sive coercitionem â—rrogare possint This Jurisdiction of Bishops is exercised either Universally by a Vicar General usually a Lay-man or qarticularly by a Commissary And when he please the Bishop may do it himself The other part of their Jurisdiction is called Contentious And here the Bishop may himself judge in some Cases but in the ordinary course of Jurisdiction a Civil Lawyer called his Chancellor is the Judge This Chancellor is and must be a Lay-man which even Bishop Goodman of Gloucester Myst Rel. Epist I have it and can produce it at this time under the Kings own Hand and Seal wherein he forbids that any Church-man or Priest in Holy Orders be a Chancellor and this was the occasion of all the corruption of the Spiritual Courts For Chancellors live only on the Fees of the Court and for them to dismiss a Cause it was to lose so much blood See further in him a Papist Bishop of a Protestant Diocess complaineth in Print that he could not get Reformed This Chancellor keepeth an Ordinary Court in the form of a Civil Court where are Advocates for Council and Proctors for pleading Certain men called Apparitors whose name is commonly a scorn among the people do from abroad the Country bring them in Accusations and Summon the persons accused besides those that by Plaintiffs are accused Here are judged Causes about Church Materials and Causes Criminal which he that
Heathen Judges And the thing shewed so little of the Christian Spirit of Love and was also of so ill consequence by scandals and dissentions that it was worthy to be reproved especially in Christians that were persecuted by those Magistrates Therefore almost all the differences of Christians were necessarily decided by Arbitration And none were thought so fit to be the Arbitrators as the Elders or Pastors of the Churches By which it came to pass that where Churches were great and the ceasing of persecution which came but as storms that passed away did restore that peace which cherished dissentions the work of the Elders in these Arbitrations was not small especially as added to their greater proper Office-work 17. At the same time many Heresies arose which occasioned Divisions in the Churches and sometimes among the Officers themselves 18. And the Ministers being though holy yet imperfect as well as other Christians the remnants of self-conceitedness and pride occasioned also the trouble of the Churches For when the Apostles themselves while Christ was with them strove who should be the Greatest and have the highest place it is no wonder if they did so afterward who had not so great a measure of Grace as they 19. Besides all this when the Apostolical Virtues ceased there were few Philosophers or Learned men that turned Christians and few that had excellent Gifts of Oratory fit to be Teachers of the Churches And the most of the Elders were good men but of inferiour parts Like the better sort of our unlearned godly Christians By which means it came to pass that some one of the Clergy in every Church when there were many having so much Knowledge and Oratory as to overtop the rest he was ordinarily more esteemed than the rest 20. By these four means conjunct it quickly came to pass that in every Church that had many Elders some one was chosen by the rest and by the people to be the chief and to have some special power of Church affairs And 1. In cases of frequent Arbitration there seemed a kind of necessity that some One be Umpire For if half go one way and half the other there can be no end 2. And in case of Heresies and different Opinions in Religion if One had not in each Church some deciding over-ruling power or Negative Voice it is no wonder if Divisions were the hardlier prevented and the Churches Unity hardly kept 3. And especially when some One was really wiser and abler than the rest it was thought but suitable to Nature that he rather ruled the juniors and weaker sort than that their Votes should rule him or rule without him 4. And when all men have too much self-love and Pride which enclineth them to desire pre-eminence and maketh them judge too high of themselves it was thought safer for all the Clergy and People to judge who among them was really the best and wisest man than to leave every man to be judge of himself and of the rest For so it was too likely that every man would think himself the wisest Therefore one was chosen as supposed by others even by the whole Church as the fittest man to have a deciding and overseeing power among the rest to avoid contention which their own strife about pre-eminence would cause 21. And there was a fifth cause which was not much less than any of the rest which was that often through the scarcity of fit persons One man was first settled over a new-gathered Church before any others could be had to joyn with him And therefore he being there first alone and that in sole power it was thought unfit that any that came after him should come in without his consent or Ordination because he was the sole Governour so that 1. because they came after him 2. and that by his Will if not Ordination it must needs follow that he would usually have the pre-eminence As it is now among us where the Rector of the Parish where there are divers Chapels chusing his Curates who are usually his Juniors he is constantly of greater power than they and ruleth them accidentally though his Office be the same as theirs 22. As by these means one Pastor got a pre-eminence of esteem and power above the rest so in a short time he got the title of Episcopus Bishop to be appropriated to himself alone leaving the name of Elders and Pastors and Priests unto the rest in common with himself For he was now become the prime Overseer of the whole Church both people and Elders 23. Our own experience sheweth us how it came to pass that the people themselves not only consented to all this but also desired and promoted it especially then when the effects of Clergy-ambition had not fully appeared to the World For even now when a great Parish can get one Learned able Pastor they say we will allow you so much but your Curates must take less And they will not endure that the young and weak Curates have either equal maintenance or equal honour or power over them as the chief Pastor of the Parish hath so that the people themselves are against an equality of power where there is not an equality of worth 24. Though we cannot prove that this fixed Episcopacy was either set up by the Apostles or countenanced by them nor yet that it was begun and in being in their days yet it could not be long after their days that it begun And if Hierome mistake not it began at Alexandria some years before the death of St. John the Apostle 25. All this while the Bishop was not supposed to be of a distinct Office or species of Ministry now called An Order but only an Overseer and chief of persons in the same Office with him being in common with the rest Episcopus plebis and extraordinarily Episcopus Cleri vel Episcoporum seu Presbyterorum As one of the Monks is made Abbot in a Monastery or as one Justice among many is of the Quorum or one Judge on the Bench is the chief Justice Or as the President in an Academick College 26. The chief thing in which a special power was given to the Bishops above their fellow Presbyters was in Ordination that none should be Ordained without them It being a matter of exceeding great consequence to the Churches what Ministers were set over them and therefore put chiefly in the power of these chosen men And the next part of their power was in having the chief disposal of all Church affairs as our Parish Pastors have now among their Curates so that nothing was to be done in the Church without and against their consent and pleasure 27. This Episcopacy did so universally obtain that I remember not to have read of any sort of Christians Orthodox or Heretical Catholick or Schismatical who ever refused it or spake against it till Aerius's time And even he spake not against it as flatly unlawful but as unnecessary as far as I can
swear that they are duties or may be done as of humane obligation by those that cannot say they are of Divine obligation 55. We hold that the first Churches that did divolve all arbitrations of differences among Christians upon the Pastors did that which brought no great present inconvenience when the People were but few and the Pastors had sufficient leisure but that which prepared for the degenerating of the Ministry and the Churches lamentable corruption And therefore that they should have foreseen this and done as St. Paul directed them and referred matters to any fit wise man among them And when they saw the mischief they should have quickly reformed it as Silvanus Bishop of Troas aforementioned did And that if there were Lay Elders in any of the ancient Churches as one passage in Origen and one in Ambrose and this of Silvanus in Socrates have made some think they were truly Lay and appointed only to such Arbitrations as these and such other Animadversions over the rest as Lay-men may do A help that I once tryed and found to be very great 56. We hold that when Constantine gave the Clergy the sole Power of Judging the Causes Civil and Criminal of all the Christians he shewed more ignorant zeal than true discretion and did let in a pestilence into the Church and that instead of that he should have only left Arbitrations to mans free choice and have set up a Christian or Righteous Magistracy to whom both Bishops and all other Christians should submit 57. We hold that when Christians so multiplyed as that they grew uncapable of Personal Communion at one Altar it was the duty of them and the Bishops to have ordered them into new Churches whcih should every one have had its proper Bishop or plenary Pastoral Office among them and not to have kept them all still in the name of one particular Church infimi ordinis when they were uncapable of the nature and end 58. We hold that it was sinfully done to make a new Office or Order of subject Presbyters that had not the Governing power of their perticular Churches neither alone nor conjunct but had only the power to Teach and Worship the Government being reserved only to the Bishop of another called a Mother Church 59. But we believe that this came not in till many hundred Years after Christ and that but by slow degrees and that after subordinate Churches and Altars were invented and set up yet the Pastors under the name of Presbyters had much of the Governing power of the Keys though with and under the Bishop of the Mother Church 60. The deposing of all the first rank or Order of Bishops which were before over each particular Church the making of a new Office of half Presbyters the making of Churches of a new species as being under a new sort of Officers the making Archbishops who should have many Churches and Bishops under them to become the Bishops of the lowest rank having none under them but above all these the making of the Pastoral work especially discipline become utterly impossible by putting that into one mans hand that cannot be done but by many or many hundred these and such like are the things that we can neither swear to nor approve 61. We hold that though the Magistrate may shape his part of the Church Government variously according to the Interest of the common good yet that the Spiritual or Pastoral part should not have been molded into the shape of the Civil Imperial Government And that so doing did give the Papacy that countenance which is the ground of its usurpation 62. For we hold that the essential constitution of the Pastoral Office and its work and the essential constitution of the Church Universal and of Individual or particular Churches are all of Divine unalterable Institution And that all Laws of Christ for such Constitution and for Administration are unalterable by man Though we hold that Circumstancials and Accidentals are alterable as being not setled by any Divine determination As e. g. how many Ministers shall be in each Church which of them shall be more regarded than the rest as being of greater wisdom how ost and when and where they shall assemble with many the like 63. We hold that as all Christians ordinarily should have personal Communion in particular Churches so those Churches and their Bishops should hold such Communion as is needful to their strength and concord and the common good 64. This Communion of Churches is to be held internally by Concord in the same Faith and Love and Religion and externally by the same profession and instrumentally 1. by Messengers and Letters and 2. by Delegates and Synods when there is need which as is said for Time Place Numbers Provinces Orders are left to humane Prudence 65. If any that divide the Country into Provinces will settle Synods accordingly and settle over them Presidents for the ordering of their proceedings and will give power to one above others to call such Synods and will call these Provinces or Nations or Empires by the name of Provincial National or Imperial Churches and the Bishops so exalted by the name of Metropolitans Primates Patriarchs c. We contend not against this as unlawful in it self though we easily see the accidental danger being taught it by long and sad experience so be it 1. that none of these be pretended to be of Divine Institution but of humane determination 2. and that they meddle with nothing but such accidentals as are left to humane prudence 3. and that they equal not their humane Association with the Christian Worshiping Churches which are of Christ's Institution 4. and that much less they do not oppress their brethren and tyrannize nor deprive the particular Pastors and Churches of their proper priviledges and work But alas when were these Rules observed by humane Churches 66. The Canons of such Synods or Councils of Bishops may be made Laws indeed by the Civil power and they are if just obligatory to the people by virtue of the Pastoral Authority of the Bishops But as to the particular Bishops they are only Agreements and no proper Laws the Major Vote of Bishops being not proper Governours of the rest and bind only by virtue of Christ's General Laws for Love and Concord 67. The Pastoral power is not at all Coactive by secular force on body or estate but only Nunciative and perswasive commanding in Christ's name as authorized by him and executed no otherwise than by a Ministerial word and by with-holding our own acts of Administration and denying our Communion to offenders Nor did the Apostles themselves pretend to any other than this power of the Word for the Keys are exercised but thus excepting what they did by Miracle And if Bishops would go no further they would work on none but Voluntiers and their usurpations might be the more easily born 67. And indeed we are fully perswaded that none but Voluntiers are â—it for the
great priviledge of Church-Communion and that giving it to the unwilling that had but rather endure it than a Prison is a great profanation of it and a cheat to poor souls and a horrid corrupting of Christ's Churches and Ordinances 68. If wilful Church-corruptions have made any places uncapable of a present conformity to Christ's Institutions their incapacity must not become the measure and rule of our Reformation But a true Conformity to the Institution must be intended and endeavoured though all cannot come up to it at the first 69. We do not hold that every Corruption in Number or Officers or Order nullifieth a Church or maketh all Communion with it unlawful as long as the essential constitution doth remain Yea though my own judgment is that every Church in Town or Country should have a Bishop yet if they would but set up one Bishop with his assistant Presbyters in every Corporation and Great Town with the neighbour Villages according to the antient practise from the middle of the third Century for many following so that true discipline might but be made possible to them that had a heart to practice it I should greatly rejoyce in such a Reformation much more if every Parish Pastor were restored to all the parts of his Office though he exercised all under the Government of Bishops 70. We hold the Parish Churches of England that have true Ministers that are not utterly uncapable through Ignorance Heresie Insufficiency or Wickedness to be true Churches of Christ But that is because we hold the particular Ministers to be true Bishops Episcopos Gregis etsi non Episcoporum and to have the power of the Keys over all their Flocks And that is because we hold that it is not in our Bishops power to deprive them of it though they would And because we hold that when Christ hath instituted and described the Office of a Pastor or Presbyter and the Ordainers ordain a man to that Office their power shall be judged of by Christs institution and not by the Ordainers will though he mistake or would maim and change it by his wrong description And that the Ordainer is but a Ministerial Invester delivering possession according to his Masters will and not his own And as long as Christ giveth to Pastors the power of the Keys and they themselves consent to receive and use them especially if the People also consent to the exercise of them it is not the Bishops will or words that can nullifie this power And if this Answer were not good I confess I were not able to Answer a Brownist who saith that we have no true Publick Churches of God's Institution Diocesan Churches being but Humane if they had Bishops in each Church under them and being sinful when they have none and Parochial Churches being Humane or null as having no Bishops of their own nor Pastors of Christ's Institution but half Pastors and therefore being but part of a Diocesan Church But all this is sufficiently answered by our foresaid Reasons which no high Prelatist can soundly answer 71. I do hold that those Parish Assemblies that have no Ministers but such as are uncapable either through notorious Ignorance or Heresie or utter Insufficiency as to the Essentials of their Office or by disclaiming themselves any Essential part of the Pastoral Office or by notorious Preaching against Godliness and opposing the Churches necessary good are indeed no true Churches of Christ but only are Analogically or Equivocally so called As you may call a Community of Christians that have no Pastor or Church which is no Organized or Political Society 72. But yet I think it not simply unlawful to joyn at any time with such an Assembly For I may joyn with a Christian Family or occasional Assembly though not as with a Church 73. We hold that all the Christians in the World in particular Churches or out do make up one Catholick or Universal Church which is Mystical and Invisible in that 1. the Faith of Mens minds is Invisible 2. and Christ is Invisible to us Mortals now he is in Heaven But it is also Visible 1. In respect of the Members and their outward Baptism and Profession 2. and because that Christ the Head was once Visible on Earth and is still Visible in Heaven to the Glorified part as the King is to his Courtiers when the rest of the Kingdom seeth him not and will Visibly appear again to all 74. We hold that this Universal Church is One in Christ alone and that it hath no other King or Head That he hath Instituted no Vicarious Head either Pope or General Council Nor is any mortal man or men capable of such an Office 75. We hold therefore that the Roman Pope and General Councils if they claim such an Headship is an Usurper of part of Christ's Prerogative which having usurped he hath used against Christ and his interest against the Soveraignty of Princes and against the true Unity Concord Peace and Holiness of the Churches 76. And we hold that it was the modelling of the Church to the Policy of the Roman Empire which gave the Pope the advantage for this usurpation And that the Roman Catholick Papal Church is a meeâ— Humane Form and an Imperial Church as much as the Archbishop of Canterbury as Superiour to the rest of England is of Man and that Body so united is a National Church And that the General Councils were never truly General as to all the Churches in the World but only as to the Roman Imperial Church None considerable ever coming to such Councils but those that were or had been in the Roman Empire or some very few that closely bordered on them Nor had the Roman Emperour who usually called or gave his Warrant for such Councils or Governed them any power over the Clergy of all the rest of the Christian World in Ethiopia the outer Armenia Persia India c. Nor did the Imperial Pope then exercise any power over them And we are perswaded that the power of the Patriarchs of Alexandria Antioch Jerusalem Constantinople and of the Metropolitaâ—â— Primates c. stood on the same foundation with the Primacy of the Pope and that one is no more of Divine right than the other But that the Papacy is the far more wicked Usurpation as pretending to more of Christ's Prerogative 77. We hold therefore that the Roman Church as such that is as pretending to be the Church-Catholick Headed by an Usurping Universal Bishop is no true Church of Christ but a Humane and traiterous Usurpation and conspiracy therefore by Protestants called Antichristian Though those that are true Christians among them are Parts of Christ's Catholick Church and those that are true Pastors among them may be the Guides of true particular Churches 78. We hold therefore that no Power on Earth Popes Council or Prince hath power to make Universal Laws to bind the whole Church of Christ on Earth because there is no Universal Head or
this power do not degrade the Presbyters nullifie the Churches under them and depose the ancient sort of Episcopacy quantum in se and set up another Humane sort of Churches called Diocesan and of Archbishops turned into Bishops infimi gradus in their stead together with a new Species of half-Presbyters 1. How far Whitgift's Disputations against Cartwright are guilty of this overlooking the true Question I leave to the Reader Only I must say for him that when his Adversarie standeth most upon the denial of all superior Episcopacy it was his part to prove what was denied And I need say no more than that Whitgift oft professeth as Dr. Stillingfleet hath collected out of him that God hath in Scripture prescribed no one sort of Church-Government And therefore not the Prelatical 2. I do not expect that ever this Controversie should be handled by two more judicious Adversaries than Saravia and Beza were And as Beza protesteth against a Parity and pleadeth for a Prostasie desireth that which he calleth Divine Episcopacy tolerating and submitting to that which he calleth Humane Episcopacy and flatly opposing only that which he calleth Satanical Episcopacy So Saravia professeth p. 1 2. p. Defens 4 5. that the General nature of the Evangelical Ministry common both to Bishops and Presbyters containeth these three things 1. The Preaching of the Gospel 2. The Communication of the Sacraments 3. The Authority of Church-Government And only pleadeth that in this last the Power of Bishops and Presbyters is not equal but the Bishops power is principal in Government Which granteth the main Question which we Nonconformist now contend for And I confes that Saravia's Writings were the first and chief that brought me to suspect that the Apostles have Successors in the point of Government as being but an ordinary and durable part of their Office which Argument he hath better managed than any man else that I have seen And p. 12. ib. He granteth that the 70 Disciples were not under the Government of the 12 Apostles He granteth that chosen Seniors of the Laity may be great Assistants in the Government Yea Def. 1. 8. p. 83. He saith that in the absence of Paul and his Assistants the Churches of Crete were wholly ruled till Titus Ordained them Pastors by such Elders A senioribus quos ratio natura in quavis Societate dat non Ordinatio quales sunt natu majores quotquot aliqua virtute in populo excellunt quibus deferre natura omnes gentes docuit quibus addo eos quos tunc temporis passim dona Sp. sancti venia excitabant sed nulli loco alligabant And no wonder for he affirmeth that in times of publick corruption of Doctrine any man that is learned and able and fit must propugne and defend the truth as he hath ability and opportunity or else be judged for hiding his talents as the unprofitable servant pag. 23. cap. 2. Yet doth he most improbably imagine that Rome and Corinth had no proper Pastors when Paul wrote his Epistles to them When as Paul had dwelt a year and half at Corinth when it was the practice of the Apostles to Ordain Elders in every Church and when among the Corinthians there were so many Prophets Instructers Speakers of Languages Interpreters c. that Paul is fain to regulate and restrain them in their Church-meetings that they might not over-do and hinder one another And yet were these People without any proper Pastor Without a Prelate it's like they were Yea when Paul directeth them to deliver the incestuous man to Satan and to exercise Church-discipline upon others that were scandalous doth not this intimate that they had among them such as were impowred to do it If only transiently and occasionally they could Worship God publickly and deliver Sacraments and Govern the Church but transiently and rarely How did they spend the Lords days when those transient guides were absent Did the major part of the people who Saravia thinketh were to exercise the foresaid Discipline also Consecrate and Administer the Sacrament or publickly pray and worship God without a Pastor Were they every Lords day to deposit their Collections and have no Pastors and so no Church-Assemblies Had they so many Sects and false Teachers to trouble them and yet no Pastors When Clem. Rom. so shortly after writeth so much to reconcile the Pastors and People that disagreed And when Paul tells the Romans and Corinthians what Officers God setteth in the Church is it like there was none fixed among them And I must note how great a charge he layeth on the Bishops when Resp ad N. p. 10. Art 12. He saith that the Bishop is aequè imo magis proprius singularum Ecclesiarum sua Dioceseos Pastor illis qui ibi praesunt resident utpote ad quem cura praecipua illorum locorum pertineat The Bishop hath more Charge or Care of all the Parishes in his Diocess than the present Pastors have O dreadful undertaking Ad quem prima praecipua Cura omnium incumbet ita ut ipse suum agnoscit gregem singulis quibus manus imponit c. How many hundred thousand individuals then hath the Bishop of London this particular Charge of whose names he never heard and whose faces he never saw Oportet enim Episcopum omnes quantum fieri potest qui ipsius curae commissi sunt nosse The Bishop must know all his Flock if possible And must he have a Flock then which he cannot possibly know nor never saw one of a hundred or thousand of them with any particular knowledge at least And Cont. quaest Resp Beza p. 103. He approveth of Zanchy's judgment that Ceremonies and things indifferent be left free and the Churches free in them And Defens p. 286. He saith Primum Episcoporum omnium Presbyterorum unum esse Ordinem Constituo I maintain that there is one Order of all Bishops and Presbyters Therefore they cannot differ but Gradu as a Deacon and Archdeacon And again ib. p. 286. Ministerii autem Evangelici unitas probatur ab horum unitate ut ita loquar identitate Eandem enim veritatis doctrinam omnes Orthodoxi docent eadem Sacramenta Ministrant eandem censuram exercent tantum Provinciarum est inaequalitas graduum diversitas The Unity of the Gospel Ministry is proved from the Unity or as I may say Identity of these All that are Orthodox teach the same true Doctrine Administer the same Sacraments exercise the same Censures Only there is an inequality of Provinces and a diversity of degrees Thus the most Learned and rational Defender of Prelacy giveth away their Cause 3. Bishop Bilson a most Learned and judicious man also saith more for Episcopacy than any of our late Writers and in my judgment saith more against the Office of Ecclesiastical Elders distinct from Pastors than can be answered But to our two main Questions before-mentioned of a Bishop over
many Churches without Bishops under him and of half-Presbyters how little he saith the Reader will soon see yea how much on our side 4. As for Hooker till his 7th Book came lately out we had nothing in him considerable of this subject And in that Book it self so little to the purpose as to our foresaid two Controversies as is next to nothing nor worthy a Reply In his § 2. p. 4. He attempts that which few do to give us the definition of a Bishop which is A Bishop is a Minister of God unto whom with permanent continuance there is given not only power of Administring the Word and Sacraments which power other Presbyters have but also a further power to Ordain Ecclesiastical persons and a power of Chiefty in Government over Presbyters as well as Lay men a power to be by way of Jurisdiction a Pastor even to Pastors themselves And then he distinguisheth of Bishops at large or indefinite and Bishops with restraint and saith he meaneth the later And so you have what must be expected from Mr. Hooker for the information of you what Episcopacy he pleads for Where it is obvious how fraudulently through oversight or partiality I know not he dealeth For whereas he durst put no more into the definition of Episcopacy about Jurisdiction but a power of Chiefty in Government over Presbyters as well as Lay-men yet would not tell us whether Government of Lay-men under the Bishop belong to the Presbyters or not His words seem plainly to imply it what use else is there for his Chiefly and as well as Lay-men And yet twice over he would name nothing but Teaching and Sacraments which belong to the Pastor as a Pastor in general leaving it as a thing which he would neither affirm nor deny whether Pastors Governed their Flocks Yet all that Decantate Book turneth on the Hinges of this lame Definition which hath other defects which I pass by And without this we cannot know what Subject he disputeth of Whereas Saravia well noted and acknowledged three Essential parts of the Ministry in General Mr. Hooker who leaveth out one of them and yet durst not deny it should have told us whether he include it or not seeing it is the matter of most of our difference and we take him for no Pastor or Presbyter that is without the power of Government nor that to be a true Church in sensu politico that hath no other Pastor 2. And when as one part of his Adversaries deny not at least the Lawfulness of one Bishops superiority in a single Church as far as his description speaketh but only in many Churches no nor one Archbishops power over many Churches that have their own Bishops but only his power to depose all the Bishops of particular Churches and turn them all into one Diocesan Church his Definition visibly reacheth to no other sort of Bishops but such as we oppose not and so he saith nothing at all against us to any purpose through all his Book For where after he confidently tells us that the extent of his Jurisdiction alters not the Species it is but barely said and by his leave I shall fully prove the contrary anon And pag. 4. l. 7. He confesseth that de facto Many things are in the state of Bishops which the times have changed Many a Parsonage at this day is larger than some ancient Bishopricks were It 's well confest And I shall try among other things whether the Name of a Bishoprick will make a Parsonage and a Diocess to be ejusdem speciei and whether magnitude do not make a specifick difference between the Sea and a Rivulet or a glass of water or between a Ship and a Nut-shel And whereas page 6. He undertaketh to prove a Coercive Power in Bishops either he speaketh according to the common use of men or not If not he would not be understood Qui non vâ—lt intelligi debet negligi If he do then by Coercive he must mean by Outward force upon the body which is false and is proper to the Magistrate Parents or Masters and is disclaimed by all sober Protestant Divines yea by Papists as not at all belonging to the Pastoral Office Though we easily grant that Pastors may Coercere by nord and so may Presbyters sure yet no otherwise but by word For Excommunication and Degradation as far as belongs to them are but words and an after forbearing of their own acts of Communion But this is not the common use of the word Coercive as applyed to Government by way of distinction How much wiselier doth the more Learned and judicious Bishop Bilson still distinguish by the Power of the Word as differing from the Magistrates Coercive or by the Sword Yet note that page 8. § 5. l. 7. He is brought to acknowledge that All Churches by the Apostles erected received from them the same Faith the same Sacraments the same Form of publick Regiment The Form of Regiment by them established at first was that the Laity be subject to a College of Ecclesiastical persons which were in every such City appointed for that purpose These in their writings they term sometime Presbyters and sometime Bishops To take one Church out of a number for a pattern what the rest were the Presbyters of Ephesus as it is in the History of their departure from the Apostle Paul at Miletum are said to have wept abundantly all which speech doth shew them to have been many And by the Apostles exhortation it may appear that they had not each his several Flock to feed but were in common appointed to feed that one Flock the Church of Ephesus for which cause the phrase of his speech is this Attendite gregi Look to all that one Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops These persons Ecclesiastical being termed then Presbyters and Bishops both c. And page 9. he saith The outward being of a Church consisteth in the having of a Bishop Then the Brownists must carry it that our Parishes are no true Churches but parts of a Church because they have no Bishop Only a Diocesan Church hath a Bishop Therefore only a Diocesan is a true Church which anon shall be proved to be but Humane And page 12. He thus expoundeth Hierome as holding Episcopacy alterable The Church hath power by Universal consent upon urgent cause to take it away if thereunto she be constrained through the proud tyrannical and unreformable dealing of her Bishop Wherefore lest Bishops forget themselves as if none on earth had authority to touch their states let them continually bear in mind that it is rather the force of custome than any such true heavenly law can be shewed by the evidence whereof it may of a truth appear that the Lord himself hath appointed Presbyters for ever to be under the Regiment of Bishops in what sort soever they behave themselves Let this consideration be a bridle to them Let it
teach them not to disdain the advice of their Presbyters but to use their Authority with so much the greater humility and moderation as a Sword which the Church hath power to take from them This is Mr. Hooker And page 14. He confesseth that according to the Custom of England and a Council at Carthage Presbyters may impose hands in Ordination with the Bishop though not without him So that by this they have the the power of Ordination to though he have a Negative Voice in it And indeed if all Ordination must be done by one of a Superiour Order who shall Ordain Bishops or Archbishops or Patriarchs or the Pope And page 18. He saith Most certain truth it is that Churches Cathedral and the Bishops of them are as glasses wherein the face and countenance of Apostolical antiquity remaineth even as yet to be seen Which is it that we also affirm every City or Church having a Bishop and Presbytery of their own And whereas page 19. He saith If we prove that Bishops have lawfully of old ruled over other Ministers it is enough how few soever those Ministers have been how small soever the circuit of place which hath contained them If this be so we grant you enough when we grant Parochial Bishops But no where doth he more palpably yield our Cause than page 21 22. where to Cartwright's Objection that the Bishop that Cyprian speaketh of is nothing else but such as we call Pastor or as the common name is Parsons and his Church whereof he is Bishop is neither Diocess nor Province but a Congregation which met together in one place to be taught by one man He hath no better answer to this than to tell us that If it were true it is impertinent and that it is not true because Cyprian had many Presbyters under him so as they might have every day change for performance of their duty And he never once attempteth to prove that Cyprian had more Churches yea or Assemblies than One but only that he was over the Presbyters in one Church or Assembly and as an Archbishop was over Bishops The same thing which I submit to but nothing against the things that I assert against him A Parson may have divers Curates under him and not divers Churches much loss a thousand that have no other Bishop And whereas page 33. It is objected that many things are innovated in our Discipline as imposing Ministers on the People without their consent Bishops Excommunicating alone Imprisoning c. His answer is that the Church may change her customes And on that ground alloweth the Ordination of Presbyters alone because the Church can give them power For he goeth in Church-matters as he doth in point of Civil Government on his false supposition that all Power is Originally in the whole Body saying page 37. The whole Church visible being the true Original subject of all power it hath not ordinarily allowed any other than Bishops alone to Ordain Howbeit as the ordinary course is ordinarily in all things to be observed so it may be in some cases not unnecessary that we decline from the ordinary ways What is more contrary than Saravia Tract de Obedient and Hooker in their Principles of Government From hence also page 38. He inferreth the no necessity of continued Succession of Bishops in every effectual Ordination And it is very observable which he granteth for it cannot be denied The Power of Orders I may lawfully receive without the asking consent of any multitude but the power I cannot exercise upon any certain People against their wills And page 38. He cannot deny but the ancient use was for the Bishops to excommunicate with the College of his Assistant Presbyters but he taunteth Beza for thinking that this may not be changed These are the men that build upon Antiquity and the Custom of the Universal Church And page 69. when the Canons for Bishops spare course of living are objected he saith that those Canons were made when Bishops lived of the same Purse which served as well for a number of others as for them and yet all at their disposing Intimating the old Course when every Church had its Bishop and inferiour Clergy But Innovation is lawful for our Prelacy And now he that can find any thing in Hooker against the points which I defend or for that Prelacy which I oppose any more worth the answering than this that I have recited let him rejoyce in the perfection of his eye-sight And if thus much be worthy to be confuted or such as this let them do it that have nothing else to do So ridiculous is the Challenge of one that glorieth to write a Book with the same Title of Ecoles Policy who insultingly provoketh us to write a full Confutation of Hooker who saith so little to the main point in Controversie our Diocesan Form of Prelacy and writeth his whole Book in a tedious Preaching stile where you may read many leaves for so much Argumentation as one Syllogism may contain that I think I might as wisely have challenged himself to conâ—â—ue Mr. Fâ—x's Book of Martyrs or Baronius his Annals almost or at least may say as Dr. John Burges doth of Mr. Parker another sort of Parker his Book of the Cross which Dr. Ames saith was never answered that if any will reduce that gawdy Treatise into Argument it being indeed almost all made up of the fruits of Reading History Sentences c. of purpose to confute them that said the Nonconformists were no Schollars he should quickly have an Answer to it So if any will reduce all that is in Mr. Hooker's 8 Books in tedious Discourses into Syllogism which is against what I maintain I believe it will not all fill up one half or quarter of a page and it shall God-willing be soon answered In the mean time the popular Principles of his First and Eighth Book subverting all true Government I have already confuted elsewhere in my Christian Directory 5. Bishop Downame hath said much more to the main Points in the defence of his Consecration Sermon and as much as I can expect to find in any But 1. as to the mode he is so contrary to Hooker that being a very expert Logician he wasteth so much of his Book about the Forms of Arguments and Answers that he obscureth the matter by it and ensnareth those Readers who do not carefully distinguish between Matter and Words and between the force of the reason and the form of a Syllogism And he so adorneth or defileth his Style with taunts insulting scorns and contemptuous reproaches that it is more sutable to the Scold sat Billings-gate than so learned and godly a Divine and occasioneth his Adversaries to say You have here a taste of the Prelatical Spirit 2. As to the matter of his first Book I am of his mind against meer ruling Elders He and Bilson have evinced what they hold in that But as to the points in which
we differ he indeed saith much to little purpose and finally giveth away his Cause or as he merrily telleth his Adversary pag. 62. l. 3. 6. 47. he useth it as Sir Christopher Blunt's head was used after his apprension first healed and then cut off For 1. in his lib. 3. Where he speaketh of the power of Ordination he not only confesseth that it is in Presbyters with the Bishops and that the Bishops have but a superiority of power therein but is angry with his Adversary for supposing the contrary saying ch 3. p. 68. But where good Sir do I say they must have the sole power in Ordination which you have so oft objected and now again repeat make you no conscience of publishing untruths Cannot Bishops be superiour to other Ministers in the power of Ordination and Jurisdiction which is the thing which I maintain unless they have the sole power so p. 64 c. Therefore he granteth that extraordinarily in case of necessity Presbyters may Ordain that is without a Bishop page 69. and page 108. he giveth this reason for the validity of their Ordination Because Imposition of hands in Confirmation of the Baptized and Reconciliation of Penitents were reserved to Bishops as well as Ordination and yet in the absence of Bishops may be done by Presbyters And that the Papists themselves grant that the Pope may license a Presbyter to Ordain Presbyters If therefore saith he by the Popes license a Presbyter may Ordain Presbyters much better may a Company of Presbyters to whom in the want of a Bishop the Charge of the Church is divolved be authorized thereto by necessity And if all this be so no doubt but the Power of Ordination is in Presbyters as such though they are not to exercise it alone nor without or against the Bishop And so formerly they were not to Preach or Baptize nor Congregate the Church without him For why cannot a Lay-man Ordain with the Bishop but because he hath no such authority And Cap. 5. as to the power of Jurisdiction he saith the same p. 110. 111. I deny not Presbyters which have charge of souls to have Jurisdiction both severally in their Parishes and jointly in Provincial Synods And I have confessed before that Presbyters have with and under the Bishops exercised some Jurisdiction I grant that Godly Bishops before they had the countenance and assistance of Christian Magistracy and direction of Christian Laws used in all matters of moment to consult with their Clergy This was practised by Cyprian Ambrose also in 1 Tim. 5. 1. teacheth that there was a time when nothing was done without the advice of the Presbyters which therefore by Ignatius are called the Counsellors and Co-assessors of the Bishops Which course if it were used still as it would ease the Bishops burden very much so would it nothing detract from their superiority in Governing And page 115. The thing which I was to prove if it had been needful was that whereas Presbyters did Govern each one the People of a Parish and that privately the Bishop Governeth the People of the whole Diocess and that publickly So that both Ordination and Jurisdiction belong to the Presbyters Office though in the exercise of it they must be governed themselves Is not this the very sum of Archbishop Usher's Model of Primitive Episcopacy which we offered his Majesty and the Bishops at first for Concord and the Bishops would not once take it into their Consideration nor so much as vouchsafe to talk of it or bring it under any deliberation When alas we poor undertrodden Persons not only desired to be low our selves but yielded to submit to all their heights their Lordships Parliament dignities grandure and to let them alone with their real sole Ordination and Jurisdiction over us poor Presbyters and to have taken as much care of the People as they would so we could but have obtained any tolerable degree of Government to be setled in each particular Church either in all the Presbyters or in one Bishop and not have had all the particular Churches deprived of Bishops and all the Pastoral Jurisdiction But our great Controversie is handled by Bishop Downame in his second Book wherein he laboureth to prove that the Bishops Church or rather Charge was not a Parish but a Diocess And first page 4. he giveth us a scheme of the Scripture acception of the word Church as preparatory to his design In which there are many Texts cited not only without any shew of proof that they speak of what he affirmeth them to speak but contrary to the plain scope of the places And he tells us that the word Church is used in Scripture for the Church Militant Congregated in an Universal or Occumenical Synod And offereth us not one Text for instance which he doth though injuriously for all the rest Nor is there any that so speaketh He tells us that the word is used particularly to signifie the Church of a Nation in the singular number but could name no such place as to any Church since Christ but only the Jewish Church Acts 7. 38. And he saith it is used to signifie particularly and definitely the Church of a Nation in the plural number And is not this a strange kind of Allegation The Scripture speaketh of the Churches in a Nation Therefore it useth the word for the Church of a Nation in the plural number Is one Church and many all one with him Would he have applauded that man that would have said that such an Author useth the word College for the College of an University in the plural number because he named the College in an University and this to prove that an University is one College Had it not been better said The New Testament never useth the word Church for all the Churches in one Nation since Christ definitely but ever calleth them plurally Churches Therefore to call them all One National Church is not to imitate the Scripture His first Instance is Rom. 6. 4. All the Churches of the Gentiles A sad proof of a National Church What Nation is it that the word Gentiles signifieth No doubt the Gentile Churches were in Gentile Nations But that doth not prove that the Christians in any Nation are ever called in Scripture since the Jews Nation One Church but Churches His next instance is 1 Cor. 16. 1. The Churches of Galatia And the rest are all such v. 19. 2 Cor. 8. 1. Gal. 1. 2. 22. The Churches of Asia Macedonia Judaea But I hope he intended no more than to tell you that the Christians of several Nations are never called a Church but Churches as having any sort of Union than National He giveth many instances when the word Church is used definitely to signifie the Church of a City and Country adjoyning But to prove it used to signifie several Churches in City and Country adjoyning but one only Two Texts he alledgeth to prove that the word Church is used
that were abroad among these new Converts or scatered Christians made them know that every Church should have a Bishop and that they might choose one of their own And few Presbyters being then Learned able men in Comparison of the Bishops by this advantage of presence among them many raw and schismatical Presbyters crept into the Peoples affections and perswaded them to choose them for their Bishops when they were chosen and ordained they encroached on the rest of the old Bishops Diocess and also refused to come to the Synods lest their failings should be known pretending that they must stay with their own People Now the Bishops that complained of this did not alledge 1. That no Bishop should be made but in a City 2. Nor that when Christians multiplyed they must not multiply Bishops accordingly but all be under their first Bishop only 3. Nor that a new Congregation had not as good right to have and chuse a Bishop of their own as the first City Congregation had But only to keep ignorant Schismatical Presbyters from deceiving the People for their own exaltation and from hindering Synodical Concord they Decreed that none in their Diocesses should have Bishops without the first Bishops consent And that being so Consecrated they should frequent Synods and should be Bishops only of that People that first chose them and not encroach on the rest of the Diocess And whereas he hence gathereth that the Country Churches ever from the beginning belonged to the City Bishops There were no such things as Appendant Country Churches from the beginning of the City Churches But it 's true that from the beginning of the Country Peoples Conversion when they were not enow to make Churches themselves they belonged to the City Churches as Members Even as now the Anabaptists and Independent Churches consist of the People of Market-Towns and the adjoyning Country Associated into one Assembly After that the Country Meetings were but as Oratories or Chappels And when they came to be enow to make dinstinct Churches of some good Bishops had the Wit and Grace to help them to Chorepiscopi Bishops of their own but most did choose rather to enlarge their own Possessions or Powers and set Subject Presbyters only over the People And that these new Bishopricks must be by the old Bishops consent is apparently a point of Order to avoid inconveniences if not of Usurpation For what power had the old Bishop to keep any Church of Christ without a Bishop of their own when it was for there good That he hath some countenance from Leo for the New Church-Form without Bishops I wonder not when Leo was one of the hottest that betimes maintained the Roman Primacy if not Universal Soveraignty And as the Care against placing Bishops in small places ne vilescat nomen Episcopi came in late so 1. It intimateth that it was otherwise done at least by some before 2. And it is but the Prelatical grandure which Constantine had pufft up which is then alledged as the Reason of this Restraint His Argument is That which was judged unlawful by the Canons of approved Councils and Decrees of Godly Bishops was never lawfully regularly and ordinarily practised But c. I deny the Major Kneeling at Prayer or Sacrament on the Lords day the Marriage of Priests the Reading of the Heathens Writings and abundance such-like were forbidden by such approved Councils especially a multitude of things depending on the new Imperial shape of the Churches which are now lawful and were lawful and ordinarily practised before Paul Kneeled and Prayed on the Lord's day Acts 20. c. Therefore the placing of Bishops in Country Parishes was not unlawful before because the Councils of Bishops afterward forbad it nor was it ever unlawful by Gods Law Methinks a Bishop that subscribeth to the 39 Articles of the Church of England which mentioneth General Councils erring even in matters of Faith should never have asserted that they cannot erre in matter of Government nor retract and alter that which was well practised before them His next Argument is this If there were any Parish Bishops then they were the Chorepiscopi But the Chorepiscopi were not such Ans 1. I deny the Major There were then many City Bishops that were but Parish Bishops or had but one Church as shall be further proved 2. Yet as to a great number it is granted that their Diocesses had many Churches at the time of Concil Eliber Sardic c. which he mentioneth But it followeth not that therefore it was so with any in the time of Ignatius or with many in Cyprian's time 3. If it were all granted de facto it will not follow that de jure it was well done and that the old Form was not sinfully changed 4. The Chorepiscopi themselves might have many Congregations under them like our Chapels and yet be Parish Bishops And it 's most probable that at first they had no more than one of our Country Parishes though afterwards they had many Churches under them as City Bishops had His next Argument is Churches endued with Power Ecclesiastical sufficient for the Government of themselves having also a Bishop and Presbytery had the power of Ordination But Country Parishes had not the Power of Ordination Ergo c. Ans 1. Government is Inferiour or Superiour They might have sufficient Inferiour power of Government though they had none of the Superiour power such as belongeth to Archbishops to whom Appeals were made As a Corporation that hath a Mayor and Assistants hath sufficient Inferiour power but not Regal nor such as Judges Lord Lieutenants c. have And if it were proved as some hold that only General or unfixed Ministers like the Apostles and Evangelists or Archbishops that were over many Churches had the power of Ordination and not the Inferiour Bishops of single Churches it would not follow that these Inferiour Bishops had not the power of Governing their own Churches with assisting Presbyters And if he will prove for us that every fixed Bishop hath the power of Ordination who hath but the Inferiour power of Governing his single Church by Admonitions Excommunications and Absolutions he will but do our work for us 2. I deny his Minor Propos If by Country Parishes he mean the Bishops of Country Parishes they had the Power of Ordination And all that he saith against it is only to prove that de facto they had not the Exercise of it in the times he mentioneth and that de jure humano it was not allowed them by Canons But 3. We grant so much of the Conclusion as that de facto few Country Parishes had a Bishop and Presbytery Because there were but few Country Parishes in the World till the third Century that were really Christian Churches or fixed Societies of Christians that had ordinary Church-communion together in the Sacrament or had an Altar But our Case is About single Churches now called Parish Churches and not about Country
Churches For they might be but single Parish Churches though they were in Cities only and the Country Members joyned with them in the Cities And his own Confession is page 35. that besides Rome and Alexandria that had many Churches in the City there is not the like evidence for multitude of Parishes in other Cities imediately after the Apostles times I suppose by his Citations he meaneth till the third Century And if this be granted us of all the great Cities of the World that they cannot be proved to have many Churches we have no great reason to look for many in the Country Villages His next Argument is Churches containing within their Circuit not only Cities with their Suburbs but also whole Countries subject to them were Diocesses But the Churches subject to the ancient Bishops in the Primitive Church contained c. Therefore they were Diocesses Ans Either this is his Description of a Diocess or we have none from him that I can find And let who will Dispute about the Names of Diocess and Parish for I will not And if by a Diocess he meaneth a Church consisting of all the Christians in City and Country associated for Personal holy Communion having One Altar and One Bishop this is that which we call a single Church or some a Parish-Church and if he call it a Diocess he may please himself But if he mean that in these Cities and whole Countries were several such Churches that had each an Altar and were fixed Societies for personal holy Communion not having any proper Bishop of their own but one Bishop in Common with whose Cathedral Church they did not and could not Communicate through Number or distance I deny his Minor proposed in this sense as to the two first Centuries though not as to the following Ages But if by Cities Suburbs and whole Countries subject he mean all the unconverted Infidels of that space for doubtless he calls not the soil or place the Church I deny the very subject There were no such Churches Infidels and Heathens make not Churches Though Hereticks made somewhat like them sicut vespa faciunt â—avos as Tertullian speaketh If the Diocesan Churches Disputed for be Churches of Pagans and Infidels we know no such things But if he mean that all the Heathens in that Circuit are the Bishops Charge in order to Conversion I answer 1. That maketh them no parts of the Church Therefore the Church is of never the larger extent for the soil or Infidel Inhabitants 2. The Apostles and other General Preachers like the Jesuits in the Indies may divide their Labourers by Provinces for the Peoples Convetsion before there be any Churches at all 3. This distribution is a meer prudential Ordering of an accident or circumstance and therefore not the Divine Institution of a Church Form or Species 4. Neither Scripture nor prudence so distributeth Circuits or Provinces to Preachers in order to conversion of Infidels as that other Preachers may not come and Preach there as freely as one that claimeth it as his Province For 1. Christ sent out his Apostles by two and two at first 2. Paul had Barnabas or some other Evangelist or General Preacher usually with him And Peter and Paul are both said to be at Rome at Antioch and other places And many Apostles were long together at Jerusalem even many years after Christ's Resurrection Christ that bid them go into all the World never commanded that one should not come where another was nor have power to Preach to Infidels in that Diocess And what is the Episcopal power over Infidels which is claimed It is not a power to Ordain or to Excommunicate them It can be no other than a power to Preach to them and Baptize them when converted And this is confessed to belong to Presbyters If the Bishops would divide the World into Diocesses and be the only Preachers in those Diocesses it would be no wonder if the World be unconverted It is not Bishops that are sent by the Papists themselves to convert the Indians But perhaps you may say that the Bishops rule those Presbyters that do it I answer 1. It 's an imperfect kind of Government which a Bishop in England can exercise over Presbyters that daily Preach as Mr. Eliat his helpers to the Natives in a Wilderness many thousand Miles from them 2. But if they do rule the Preachers that maketh not the Soil nor the Heathens to be any parts of their Church but the Preachers only Therefore a Diocess with them and a Church must be different things His first Reason therefore page 36. from the Circuit is vain His second page 37. that the City Bishops had a right from the beginning over many Churches that had no other Bishops and did not after usurp it he proveth not at all For the words of Men three or four hundred years after Christ alledging ancient custome are no proof When the 25 Can. Trull cited by himself maketh thirty years possession enough against all that would question their Title And abundance of things had Custome and Antiquity alledged for them so long after that were known Innovations His third Reason is from the Chorepiscopi as the Bishops suffragan which sheweth no more but that the City Bishops whether justly or by usurpation were at last really Archbishops or Rulers of Bishops But of this before His fourth Reason from Succession will be good when he that affirmeth that no Church was governed by the Parish Discipline hath proved that all many yea or any Bishops from the Apostles days had many Churches under them that had no Bishops of their own Till then he saith nothing As to his instance of the Scythians having but one Bishop the Reason was because it was but little of their Country at first that were made Christians or that were at all in the Roman Empire So that the Bishop was setled at Tomis in the borders of the Empire in the Maritine part of the Euxine Sea that thence he might have an influence on the rest of the Scythians over whom the Romans had no power and where there were many Cities indeed but few Christians as may be seen in Theodoret Tripart Nicephor and many others Of his other three or four instances I shall after speak Chap. 3. lib. 2. He pretends to prove that the seven Asian Churches were Diocesan and not Parochial and never defineth a Diocess and Parish which is lost labour His first Argument is Churches whose Circuit contained Cities and Countries adjoining were Diocesses But c. This is before answered Our Question is Whether they were as our Diocesan Churches such as had in these Cities and Countries many Altars and Churches without Bishops under them Trees and Houses and Fields and Heathen People make not Churches nor yet scattered Christians that were Members only of the City Church His proof of the Minor is 1. These Churches comprized all the Churches of Asia Ans If he mean that all the rest
of the Churches of Asia had no Bishops but Parish Presbyters under these seven Bishops he should prove it and confute Dr. Hammond that is so contrary to him had he then lived Till then we take it as a contemptible incredible assertion that Asia had but seven Bishops and yet a multitude of Churches If he mean only that these seven were Archbishops his impertinency is too palbable Particularly he saith The Church of Ephesus Smyrna c. Contained a great City and the Country belonging to it c. Ans We talk of Churches under Churches and he talketh only of Cities and Countries Again I say Let him take his Diocess of Infidels Houses and Ground we know no such Churches Page 46. He saith Cenchrea was subject to the Church of Corinth and never had a Bishop of their own But not a syllable of proof It is not a Family Church which we speak of therefore he need not here have mentioned that But a Church associated for ordinary Communion in God's publick worship which cannot be celebrated without a Pastor Let him prove that Cenchrea was such a Church and yet had no Bishop In § 6. p. 49. He would prove that the Circuit of a Church was in the Intention of the Apostles or first Founders the same from the beginning befor◠the division of Churches as after Which I shall in due place disprove His reasons are 1. Because the whole Church since the Apostles days hath so understood the intention of the Apostles Ans 1. This is not proved 2. I shall anone prove the contrary that the Apostles had no intention that Churches should be defined by the limits of the place and Country nor did they themselves ever appoint any such bounds to any one Church and say so far it shall extend Nor did they ever take any but Christians in any Circuits for Members of the Church And I shall prove that all Churches were but such as I described single Churches with their Bishops at the first and that some Villages had Bishops four or five hundred years after And his own Reason that Churches followed the Civil Form proveth the mutability of their bounds seeing the Civil Forms were mutable His next Reason is because that division of Churches which was 300 or 400 Years after Christ with their Limits and Circuits were ordinarily the same which had been from the beginning as divers Councils testifie Ans Those Councils mean no more than that it had been an old or setled Custome as many Learned men have proved And if they could be proved to mean that from the Apostolical plantations the bounds of all the Diocess were set I marvel that any man could believe them But they say no such thing as were it not tedious to the Reader an examination of each particular would shew Else no new Churches and Bishops must be setled in the World but those that the Apostles converted in any Cities between or near them For the unconverted Cities in the inter-spaces were as much those Bishops Diocesses as the Villages of equal distance And then the making of new Cities would have made one a Bishop of many Cities contrary to the Canons His third Reason is that the Distribution of the Churches usually followed the division of the Common wealth Ans 1. If so as is said they must be various and mutable All the World was not divided just as the Roman Empire was And the Imperial divisions had great changes 2. I think it lost labour to dispute with him that holdeth this assimilating the Church to the Civil Form was of Divine Apostolical Institution If any can think so let him give us his proof that the Church Constitution must vary as Monarchical Aristocratical and Democratical States do As Empires and free Cities do And that from the King to the Constable we must have a correspondent Officer And that the Papacy as Capital in the Roman Empire was of Gods Institution And that an Emperour King or popular State may change the Form of the Churches as oft as they may the Form of their subordinate Governments Are not these small Reasons to prove that when the Apostles planted Bishops in all single Churches they intended that those Bishops should be the sole Bishops of many hundred Churches when they should be raised in the Circuit of ground which now is called their Diocesses But more of this in due place But next he appealeth to mens consciences Whether it be not unlikely that there was but one Congregation belonging to these famous Cities towards the end of the Apostles days Of which more afterward In Chap. 4. p. 69. He argueth The Presbyteries ordained by the Apostles were appointed for Diocesses and not to Parishes Therefore the Churches endued with the power of Ecclesiastical Government were not Parishes but Diocesses Ans Our Question is Whether they were single Churches as before defined or only One Diocesan Church made up of many such single Churches 1. If by Presbyteries be meant many Presbyters a College or Consessus I deny the Consequence because every Church that had Government had not such a Presbytery But one Bishop or Pastor did serve for some of the lesser Churches and yet that one had Governing power 2. I deny the Major It was single Churches that had then many Elders set over them 3. Reader it seemeth to me no small disparagement to the Diocesan Cause that the grand Patrons of it so extreamly differ among themselves Dr. Hammond holdeth that in all the Scripture times no one Church had any Presbyters at all save only one single Bishop This Bishop Downame seemeth to hold that every Governed Church had a Presbytery And no one and every one extreamly differ Yet either of them would have censure him that had gain-sayed them His proof of the Antecedent is this They who were appointed to whole Cities and Countries to labour so far as they were able the conversion of all that belonged to God were appointed to Diocesses not to Parishes But c. Ans Is not here frustration instead of edification to the Reader for want of defining a Diocess and a Parish I thought we had talkt of a Diocesan Church and here is a Diocess described which may be a single Church or no Church at all as the Bishop pleaseth Here is not so much as any Christians much less Congregations of them mentioned as the Bishops Flock But many an Apostle Evangelist and Converting Preacher hath been set over Cities and Countries to labour mens Conversion as far as they were able before they had converted any or at least enow to make a Church and after that before they had converted more than one Assembly The Jesuits in the Indies thus laboured in several Provinces before they were Bishops of those Provinces or called them Provincial Churches But now we perceive what he meaneth by a Diocess even a space of Ground containing Inhabitants to be converted if we can I will shorten my Answer to the
As the heavenly Angels are the Guardians of the Churches so these Stars are those Angels in whose Person I speak to the Churches themselves that are signified by the Candlesticks Or As the Angels are the Guardians of the Churches so by that title I signifie the whole Ministry that guide them and by the Candlesticks the Churches and I write to the whole For as every Message begins with To the Angel so it endeth with To the Churches Obj. The Bishop was to deliver it to the Churches Ans This is precarious 1. The Apostle wrote it that both Pastors and People might immediately read it and did not intrust it as an unwritten tradition to one to be delivered to the rest 2. All the Pastors were to deliver or teach it to the People and not one Bishop only This therefore is no cogent Argument 10. As for the Disputers for Episcopacy at the Isle of Wight with King Charles they manage Saravia's Argument fetcht from the Continuance of the Ordinary part of the Apostles Office as he did before them and many others so well that for my part I cannot confute them but remain in doubt and therefore have nothing to say against them But that 's nothing to our Case whether every particular Organized Church should have a Bishop or the full Pastoral Office in it 11. As to Joh. Forbes his Irenic he maintaineth but such an Episcopacy as we offered to his Majesty in Bishop Usher's Reduction He pleadeth for such a Bishop as is the Moderator of a Presbytery p. 242 243. and as must be subject to censure himself p. 145. and that shall do nothing of weight without the Presbyteries consent p. 145. and as is still bound to the Work of a Presbyters Office p. 146. And that an Orthodox Church that hath no Bishop or Moderator hath but a certain Oeconomical defect but is still a true Church and hath the power that other Churches have that have Bishops p. 158. And that jure divino Presbyters have the Power of Ordaining as well as of Preaching and Baptizing though they must use it under the Bishops inspection in those places that have Bishops page 164. And he is more full for the Power of Presbyters Ordaining and the validity of it than any man that I now remember 12. The two Books of the Bohemian Government of the Waldensian Churches Written by Lascitius and Commenius contain that very Form of Government which I think the soundest of any that I have yet seen 13. The Learned and Judicious Grotius before he turned to Cassander's and Erasmus's temperament in Religion in his book de Imper. sum pot circa sacra in almost all things speaketh the same which I approve and plead for though he be for some Episcopacy 1. As to the Pastoral power it self in whomsoever he affirmeth it to be but Nuntiative Declarative Suasory and per consensum and not any Imperium Like the power of a Physitian a Counsellor and an Embassadour Chap. 4. But then by Imperium he meaneth that which is coactive by the Sword And he acknowledgeth the power of the Ministry by the Word upon Consenters to be of Divine Institution so that they sin against God who do reject it And if the Pastors of the Church did meddle with no other power we should the sooner be agreed For my part I take the very power of the Keys to be no other than a power of applying God's Word to the Consciences of the Penitent and Impenitent and the Church and a power of judging who is fit or unfit for Church-communion according to God's Word which judgment we can no otherwise execute but by the same Word and by forbearing or exercising our own Ministerial actions to the person As a Physitian may refuse to Medicate the unruly In chap. 6. He speaketh justly of the Princes power as in the former And so he doth chap. 7. of the use and power of Synods or Councils Chap. 8. He well vindicateth the Magistrate and denyeth to the Church or Bishops the Legislative power circa sacra and sheweth that Canons are not proper Laws Chap. 9. He sheweth the Jurisdiction properly so called belongeth to the Magistrate and not to the Pastors as such Though of old they might be also Magistrates He sheweth that the use of the Keys is called Jurisdiction but by the same figure by which Preaching is called Legislation which is true as to the Declaration who is bound or loose in foro caeli but Pastors more properly judge who is to be taken into Church-communion or excluded The prescript of Penance he saith is no Jurisdiction but as the Councel of a Physitian or Lawyer or Philosopher That the denying of the Sacraments is not properly Jurisdiction he thus excellently explaineth p. 229. As he that Baptizeth or as the old custome was puts the Eucharist into ones mouth or hand doth exercise an act of Ministry and not of Jurisdiction so also he that abstaineth from the same acts For the reason of the visible signs and of the audible is the same By what right therefore a Pastor denounceth by-words to one that is manifestly flagitious that he is an utter alien to the Grace of God by the same right also he doth not Baptize him because it is the sign of remission of sin or if he be Baptized giveth him not the Eucharist as being the sign of Communion with Christ For the sign is not to be given to him that the thing signified doth not agree to nor are pearls to be given to swine But as the Deacon was wont to cry in the Church Holy things are for the Holy Yea it were not only against Truth but against charity to make him partaksr of the Lords Supper who discerneth not the Lords Body but eateth and drinketh judgment to himself In these things while the Pastor doth only suspend his own act and doth not exercise any Dominion over the acts of others it is apparent that this belongeth to the vse of Liberty and not to the exercise of Jurisdiction Such like is the case of a Physician refusing to give an Hydropick water when he desireth it or in a grave person who resuseth to salute a profligate fellow and in those that avoid the company of the Leprous Only it must be remembred that this avoidance is by a Society governed therein by an Officer of Divine Institution Next he proceeds to the Churches duty and sheweth 1. That as Cyprian saith The Laity that is obedient to God's commands ought to separate themselves from a sinful Pastor or Prelate that is that is grosly bad 2. That they ought to avoid familiarity with scandalous Christians As a Schollar may forsake a bad Teacher and as an honest Man may leave the friendship of the flagitious As for the names of Deposition and Excommunication he saith That we must interpret the name by the thing and not the thing by the name And that the Church deposeth a Pastor when
they forsake him or refuse to use him and Excommunicateth a man when they avoid his communion and declare him unmeet for communion In all which the Church useth her own right but taketh not away another mans Then for the Canonical Enquiries after faults and impositions of Penence or delays of absolution he sheweth that both the Canons and Judgments by them being but prudential Determinations of Modes and Circumstances bound none but Consenters without the Magistrates Law except as the Law of Nature bound them to avoid offences He should add and as obedience in general is due to Church-guides of Christ's appointment And how the Magistrate may constrain the Pastors to their duty Chap. 10. He sheweth that there are two perpetual Functions in the Church Presbyters and Deacons I call them Presbyters saith he with all the Ancient Church who feed the Church with the Preaching of the Word the Sacraments and the Keys which by Divine Right are individual or inseparable Note that And § 27. He saith It is doubtful whether Pastors where no Bishops are and so are under none though over none are to be numbered with Bishops or meer Presbyters § 31. His counsel for the choice of Pastors is that as in Justinian's time none be forced on the People against their wills and yet a power reserv'd in the chief Rulers to rescind such elections as are made to the destruction of Church or Commonwealth Chap. 11. § 10. He sheweth that Bishops are not by Divine precept And § 1. That therefore the different Government of the Churches that have Bishops or that have none should be no hindrance to Unity And § 10 11. That some Cities had no Bishops and some more than one And that not only in the Apostles â—ays but after one City had several Bishops in iâ—â—tation of the jews who to every Synagogue had an Archisynagogus Page 357. He sheweth that there have been at Rome and elsewhere long vacancies of the Bishops See in which the Presbyters Governed the Church without a Bishop And saith that all the Ancients do confess that there is no act so proper to a Bishop but a Presbyter may do it except the right of Ordination Yet sheweth p. 358. that Presbyters ordained with Bishops and expoundeth the Canon thus that Presbyters should Ordain none contemning the Bishop And p. 359. He sheweth that where there is no Bishop Presbyters may Ordain as Altisiodorensis saith among the Schoolmen And questioneth again whether the Presbyters that have no Bishops over them be not rather Bishops than meer Presbyters citing Ambrose's words He that had no one above him was a Bishop what would he have said of our City and Corporation Pastors that have divers Chapels and Curates under them Or of our Presidents of Synods or such as the Pastor of the first Town that ever I was Preacher in Bridgnorth in Shropshire who had six Parishes in an exempt Jurisdiction four or five of them great ones and kept Court as ordinary like the Bishops being under none but the Archbishop And § 12. He sheweth that there was great cause for many Churches to lay by Episcopacy for a time And p. 360. he saith Certainly Christ gave the Keys to be exercised by the same men to whom he gave the power of Preaching and Baptizing That which God hath joyned let no man separate But then how should Satan have used the Churches as he hath done And he sheweth of meer ruling Elders as he had done of Bishops that they are not necessary but are lawful and that it may be proved from Scripture that they are not displeasing to God and that formerly the Laity joyned in Councils Only he puts these Cautions which I consent to 1. That they be not set up as by God's command 2. That they meddle no otherwise with the Pastoral Office or Excommunication than by way of Counsel 3. That none be chosen that are unfit 4. That they use no coactive power but what is given them by the Soveraign 5. That they know their power to be mutable as being not by Gods command but from man And Chap. 11. § 8. He delivereth his opinion of the Original of Episcopacy that it was not fetcht from the Temple pattern so much as from the Synagogues where as he said before every Synagogue had a chief Ruler 14. As for J. D. and many other lesser Writers Sir Thomas Aston c. who say but half the same with those forementioned it is not worth your time and labour to read any more Animadversions on them 15. But the great Learned M. Ant. de Dominis Spalatensis deserveth a more distinct consideration who in his very learned Books De Repub. Eccles doth copiously handle all the matter of Church-Government But let us consider what it is that he maintaineth In his lib. 5. c. 1. he maintaineth that the whole proper Ecclesiastical Power is meerly Spiritual In cap. 2. that no Power with true Prefecture Jurisdiction Coaction and Domination belongeth to the Church In c. 3. he sheweth that an improper Jurisdiction belongs to it Where he overthroweth the old Schoolmens Description of Power of Jurisdiction and sheweth also the vanity of the common distinction of Power of Order and of Jurisdiction and maintaineth 1. that Power of Jurisdiction followeth ab Ordine as Light from the Sun 2. That all the Power of the Keys which is exercised for Internal effects although about External Matters of Worship or Government belongeth directly to the Potestas Ordinis 3. That the Power of Jurisdiction as distinct from Order and reserved to the Bishops is but the power about the Ordering of External things which is used Principally and Directly for an External Effect that is Church order § 5. p. 35. 4. That it is foolish to separate power of Order from any power of Jurisdiction whatsoever that is properly Ecclesiastical it being wholly Spiritual 5. The Episcopal Jurisdiction not properly Ecclesiastical he maketh to consist in ordering Rites and Ceremonies and Circumstances and Temporals about the Church and about such Modal Determinations about particular persons and actions as are matters of humane prudence which have only a General Rule in Nature or Scripture 6. By which though he hold Episcopacy Jure Divino that it is but such things that he supposeth proper to the Bishop which the Magistrate may determine and make Laws for as Grotius and others prove at last and himself after and as Sir Roger Twisden hath Historically proved to have been used by the Kings of England Histor Def. Cap. 5. 7. That all Ecclesiastical power whatsoever is fully and perfectly conjunct with Order page 36. 8. That this plenitude of power is totally and equally in all Bishops and Presbyters lawfully Ordained and that it is a meer vanity to distinguish in such power of Order Plenitudinem potestatis a parte solicitudinis 9. That this equal power of the Bishop and Presbyter floweth from Ordination and is the Essential Ordinary Ministerial
power 10. That this vain separating Power of Order and Jurisdiction is the whole Foundation of Popery § 7. p. 36. passiâ—â— 37 c. 21. He frequently calleth that the Essential power in which Bishops and Presbyters are equal and so taketh the rest but for Accidental 12. He thus describeth the Bishops power of Jurisdiction c. 3. p. 39. § 13. About those things which are constituted in the Church only by Humane Ecclesiastical Right there is in the Church true Jurisdiction not necessarily depending on the Sacred Order it self if there be any at all separate from Order Such as Licensing a Bishop to Ordain in anothers Diocess c. For these acts are not Actus Sacri neque spirituales neque attingunt directè quicquam supernaturale sed sunt merè temporales circa rem externam temporalem qua est mera applicatio c. These are not Sacred nor Spiritual nor touch any thing directly that is Supernatural but are meerly Temporal and about an External and Temporal matter Et his solis verum est c. So that it is most evident that as God hath left to Humane Prudence the Ordering of some Modes and Circumstances of Worship and Discipline and Church Order and by his General Laws so Spalatensis thought that all the Bishops proper Jurisdiction lay in these things which were of Humane Right and that all things of divine appointment were equally belonging to the Presbyters Where again I desire it may be observed 1. That Magistrates may determine of such things and so make void or needless such an Episcopacy 2. That it is most certain that many things of External Order belong to a Presbyter to determine as to one that is the Conducter of the Sacred Assemblies As what Text to preach on what Method to use what Chapter to read where and at what hour the People shall meet how long they shall stay what Tune to sing a Psalm in and abundance of the like So that even that Jurisdiction which he excepeth to the Bishop is common to him with the Presbyter that officiateth And all that can be pretended is that it belongeth to him to determine such Circumstances as equally belong to many Churches which yet Synods of Presbyters may do as effectually for Concord 3. That indeed there is no true Ecclesiastical act which tendeth not to Internal Spiritual effects Publick Admonitions and Confessions as well as private are for the humbling of the Sinner and the exercise of Repentance and Excommunications and Absolutions in publick are not only nor chiefly for the external Order of the Church but for the preserving of the peoples souls from sin and for the warning of others and for the preserving in their minds a due esteem of the holiness of our Religion and the necessity of holiness in us and to convince those without that God's Laws and Ways and People are more holy than those of the World This is a clear and certain truth and therefore according to Spalatensis Presbyters must in publick as well as private Admonitions and Absolutions and Excommunications have equal power with Bishops except as to the ordering of the Circumstantials of it Which though he sometime seem to reserve for the Bishop yet to do him right when he doth so he â—â—th that it is a mixt power As it is the exercise of the Keys it is Essential to the Sacred Office common to both but as it is a prudential determination of Circumstances according to Humane Right directly and principally for outward and not for inward effects it is the Bishops Jurisdiction So that really he maketh the Bishop as such to be but the Master of Order and Ceremonies where the Magistrate doth not do it himself and where it belongeth not to the Officiating Pastor as such His cap. 4. is to prove that the power for Internal Effects of Grace in the Church by External acts is exercised only Ministerially by Ministers as such Instanced cap 5. in Baptisme cap. 6. in the Lords Supper cap. 7. in Confessions and Penance and cap. 9. in that Fxcommunication which is the exercise of the Keys for he mistaketh in excluding Baptism from the Keys which indeed is the first use for intromission Cap. 12. He again purposely sheweth who are the Ministers of each Ordinance And first again Vindicateth his Uniting of Order and proper Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical as before § 4. p. 465. He confidently saith that to him it is a most certain thing that the power of Order is of the Word Sacrament and Keys and that it is plena tota integra fully totally intirely in every Bishop and lawful Prosbyter § 22. p. 472. He saith that Confirmation is neither a true Sacrament but a part of the Ceremonies of Baptism nor is it at all of Divine but of humane Ecclesiastical Institution nor doth it suppose any special power given by God to him that administreth it for any special supernatural effect But the Church for honour reserveth this Ceremony to the Bishop And § 24. He saith And why are Bishops so rigid that they will not permit to their Parish Ministers the Faculty of Confirming specially when they themselves come very seldome into those Parishes to visit And verily those Bishops which have large Diocesses of Christians in the Turkish Dominions as my Arch-Bishoprick of Spalato ought if this Ceremony were of any great account to give their Parish Ministers there living free power of Confirming Yea if the Bishops deny it them the Parish Ministers may and ought to exercise this Ceremony by their own Authority And here I will tell Posterity that if we could have but got our Prelates c. to have Confirmed to us but one Word which the King granted us pre tempore only in his Declar. of Eccles Affairs viz. that Confirmation as a solemn Transition from Infant Church-State into the Adult should be but by the Ministers CONSENT as knowing his People better than the Bishop that never before saw them or heard of them or examined them it had healed one of the greatest of our Breaches But our Concord was not thought worth this little price Though there is not in all the places that ever I lived in one Person of an hundred if five hundred that I can hear of that ever was Confirmed or ever sought it or regarded it And yet their Rubrick saith that we must not give the Lords Supper to any that are not Confirmed or ready for it Yet have we no power to require of any Man a Proof or Certificate of his Confirmation nor can we know whether he be Confirmed or not Nor can we refuse any at the Lords Table that refuseth to be examined by us whether he be ready to be Confirmed save Infants And in that 12. chap. § 25 26 27. p. 473. Spalatensis again sheweth that the Power of the Keys for binding and loosing belongeth to Bishops and Presbyters as Ministers And though he reserve the Publick use of
them to the Bishop he saith that he may commit it to a Presbyter For it is Mixt and hath partly the External Jurisdiction which the Bishop received by his proper Episcopal Ordination and partly yea much rather or more the Internal by the Keys which they have by virtue of their Presbyterial Ordination in equality with the Presbyters The External because it is External may therefore be delegated to another even a Lay-man which is it which the Parliament of Scotland have lately declared to be in the King And doth not all this shew what Episcopacy is Even a Magistrates Office Circa Sacra vindicated by Grotius and others But saith he they cannot delegate the inward power which is properly of the Keys because this dependeth of the Sacred Presbyterial Order both in fieri in esse in conservari operari For the Presbyterial Order hath always the Keys annexed For when any is Ordained Presbyter the Keys are given him and Jurisdiction with Orders by Divine Right And § 28. p. 474. Seeing the Apostles gave the Keys equally to all Bishops and Presbyters No man can by Divine Right reserve part of the Keys to himself alone and leave another part to others Moreover in lib. 2. c. 3. § 61. p. 210. He sheweth that Clement Linus and Anacletus were all Bishops in Rome at once Lib. 2. c. 9. § 1. p. 282. He sheweth that Bishops and Presbyters are wholly equal in all Essentials which belong to the Ecclesiastical Ministries to be exercised towards the People And that even in Government the rest of the Presbyters without excepting any in every Church make one College of which the Bishop is the Head all Ordained to the same Cure and Government of Souls So this Diocess hath between a thousand and two thousand Ministers living some of them an hundred or sixscore Miles distance to make a College to the Bishop that is usually at London How the Bishop is bound to Govern with them see him § 4. And § 5. To be plainly understood he saith We Bishops therefore must all remember that All the Presbyters are our Brethren and Collegues in the Ministry not our Servants or Slaves and that by Divine Right they have no less power in feeding the people of God than we have And if we exercise any External ampler Jurisdiction over them not properly Ecclesiastical it is not of our own power but delegated from the Magistrates power as I shall prove lib. 6. and 10. Yet plainer § 8 9. p. 285. These Parish Presbyters have by Divine Right full Power in the Ministry of Christ and in these Parishes are the Ordinary Ministers but under the Bishop For the Bishop alone hath a General Ecclesiastical Government to settle Ministers in their Diocess But being applyed to the Government of their Church they have the ordinary power but Presbyterial in that Church By positive Right only Bishops are deputed to certain Seats Yet Presbyters have so this Ordinary power that they cannot by Humane Ecclâ—siastical Right reduce it into Act till applyed by the Bishop in his Diocess And c. 9. § 11. p. 286. â— 13. p. 287. He sheweth that in Vacancies or the Bishops Absence the Clergy of Presbyters have the whole Episcopal power of Government And p. 288 289. He laboureth to prove that one Church had many Bishops and that it is but Ecclesiastical Law or Custome that one Church should have but one Bishop And § 15. That if the Canons prohibited not a Bishop might make all his Parish Presbyters full Bishops as § 16. in the Ministerial Essentials towards the Faithful they are by Divine Right equals Vid. § 20. page 291. This is enough to say of Spalatensis save that all that he saith for Bishops against us is so little a part of what is said by the rest that it can require no new Answer And if this great Moderator who returned to Rome though for a miserable imprisonment and end because we are not yet near enough to Antiquity or rather being flattered into covetous and ambitious hopes be able to prove no greater a difference between Bishops and Presbyters we need not think that any other is like to do it 16. The last great Learned Sober Defender of Episcopacy and the last that I need to mention here is Doctor Hammond who in his Annotations and his Treat of the Keys and especially his Dissertations against Blondel and his Defence of them against the London Ministers hath said much in this Cause But his way is new save that he followeth Petavius in the main supposition He forsaketh almost all the Fathers and almost all the Patrons of Episcopacy of later times who have written for it in the Exposition of all the Texts of Scripture which mention the Elders and Bishops of Churches in those times supposing that they all speak of Bishops only In his Treat of the Keys he maintaineth that the power of them was given to the Apostles onely by Christ and to Bishops as their Successors by the Apostles But I take it for undeniable truth that the Bishops and Elders settled in every Church by the Apostles in their own time had this power and I need not expect a contradiction in it And how fitly those are called the Apostles Successors whom they set over the Churches in their own time even from the beginning that they settled Churches and with whom they continued in the same Churches many Months or Years as Paul in Asia I leave to others to judge But the Question is not whether Bishops have the power of the Keys but whether all Presbyters have it not also And 1. He sheweth that according to the Canons the Presbyters might do nothing in this or in other Acts of Ministration without the Bishop 2. That our English Ordainers though they say Receive the Holy Ghost whose sins you do remit it shall be remitted c. Do not give the Presbyters all the Power of binding and loosing but so much as the Bishops or the Governours are presumed to have thought sit to impart to them which he saith is 1. The declaring in the Church the absolution of penitents after the Confession 2. The absolving them by way of prayer before the Sacrament 3. And by Baptismal washing and 4. Upon Confession to the sick and in private Conference and Confession c. Which yet he saith Is by Christs Authority committed to the Presbyters 3. He saith All this will not extend to the absolving from the bond of excommunication or proportionably to such power of binding any further at most thau to confer the first power of it which if it be then given doth yet remain as the other Power of Preaching and administring the Sacraments bound and restrained from being exercised till they be further loosed by the donation of a Second Power Ans But 1. Either he was not able or not willing to tell us whether this Power be given the Presbyters or not For he avoideth it by
saying at most and if it be given If not able his ability must be plainly deficient as to the decision of our main controversie of the difference between Bishops and Presbyters which dependeth on it If unwilling he was unwilling to give us any solid satisfactory decision of this Case 2. Being his Neighbour I wrote in his Life time a Confutation of that Assertion that the ordained received their Office and Power properly from the Ordainer as the neerest Efficient of it in my Disput of Ordination in my Disput of Church-Government and I proved that the Power or Office is immediately from Christ and that the Ordainers do but design the Person that shall receive it and Ministerially deliver him possession by an investing Sign 3. Either the Office of a Presbyter is of Divine Institution or of Humane Either fixed by the Holy Ghost in the Apostles immutably or made and alterable by the Bishops If the Office be of Divine institution and fixed for the Churches constant use whether by Christ immediately or by the Holy Ghost in the Apostles than it is not in the Bishops Power to Altar it And so whatever the Ordainers please to give them is none of the measure of their Power As the Arch-Bishop may Crown or anoint the King and yet not give him what Power he please Or rather as it is of Divine appointment that the Husband should be the Governour of the Wife And she that chooseth him and he that Marrieth them cannot alter it nor do they give him his measure of Power as they please but suppose him endowed with that by God and do only choose the Person that shall receive it and Ministerially invest him in the Possession of it And if the Priest that marrieth them should by any words Contradict or limit this institution of God it were a Nullity and invalid If he do but say I pronounce you Husband and Wife He therefore pronounceth the man to have that Power of a Husband which God hath given him though he vainly say after you shall have but so much or so much of it And so it is in present Case If God have made the Ministerial Office he hath made it something constituted of its essential parts And if so what man hath Power to alter it But if it be humane yea and made by the Bishops then I confess they may alter it or destroy it And if a Presbyter have what power the Ordainers please to give him every Ordainer may alter the Office and make a new Species of Church Ministers at his pleasure Prove that and our dispute is at an end But Papists Greeks and Protestants are agreed against it 4. If Presbyters receive that which he calleth the first Power which he would not deny though he would not grant it is all that at present I am pleading for it And it isall that in their ordination they receive as he saith as to the Word and Sacraments If then the Office of a Presbyter continue the same Power of the Keys as to Excommunication and Absolution as it doth of administring the Word and Sacraments at present I rest satisfied with this In which Learned Spalatensis and those that go with him cannot be confuted For this proveth that their Divinely-instituted Office Essentially containeth this Power of the Keys though to be exercised under the inspection of a Superiour 5. And if this Inspection would prove that they have not the Power or that their Office or Order is therefore distinct it will also prove that Bishops have not the Power of the Keys because they exercise it under the Inspection of Metropolitans arch-Arch-Bishops Primates or Patriarchs And also that they are of a distinct Order from all these And that a Physition hath no Power to Guide or Govern his voluntary Patients in order to Cure and that he is off a distinct Office from the Colledge and President because he is under their inspection And are not all Bishops under the Government of the King as well as Physitions and other Subjects And have they no Power of the Keys because he ruleth them And as a Presbyter might do nothing without the Bishop so no one Bishop could do any thing without other Bishops For he had no Episcopal Power till they ordained him And as to after Government or that which he calleth the grant of a Second Power 6. Is it any thing but Humane License to Exercise the Power of Office of Divine institution before received And is not the Magistrates License as necessary to the Bishop and the Presbyter too as the Bishops is to the Presbyter 7. And I take it for undenied among Christians that humane Power of Government extendeth but to the Ordering and not the Nulling of a Function instituted by God It is not referred to King or Bishop whether there shall be a Preaching or none Sacraments or none Church discipline and exercise of the Keys or none no more than whether there shall be a Scripture and Divine Law a Christ a Heaven and whether men shall be good or bad saved or damned But only by whom and when and how this Divine Function shall be so exercised as may best attain the end as to those circumstances not determined of by God and not contradicting Gods Institutions Therefore if the Bishops say that the Preachers of the Gospel shall be silenced perhaps by hundreds or thousands while the necessity of the Peoples Souls is undeniable their Authority in this should hinder no man from going to Preach further than their violence hindreth And so by his own Rule it must be as to Discipline if Discipline be a Work belonging to a Presbyter And as Spalatensis saith of Confirmation the Presbyter should do it though the Bishop rorbid him 8. The Second Power which the Presbyter must receive from the Prelate for Teaching Worshipping and Governing the Plock is either 1. For the exercise of it in General to any fit persons or else for the limitation of him to such a particular Flock 2. And it is either a General License or power at once given to do all his Work or to do this of Government whenever there is cause or else it is a particular License for each particular act 1. We deny not but that as a Physician Licensed to practice is not thereby made the Physician of this or that Person Hospital or City but have a particular Call for such an Exercise or Application of his skill So an Ordained Minister of Christ hath no prepared Object on which to Exercise a Pastoral Office but by a particular Call to such a Flock But however you Censure our simplicity for it we are resolved to believe till you say more against it 1. That the same may be said of a Bishop too and therefore by your Argument when this Bishop is fixed in a particular Flock he receiveth a second power as you call it and so without it hath not the power of the Keys any more than the
two or three thousand Souls without much help or many sad unavoidable Omissions the Qâ—estion shall be whether the Bishop may not undertake to Teach and oversee many hundreds or a thousand Parishes and Catechise Pray with and Exhort a thousand times more than any Parish Minister doth or is able to do And to do all this without ever coming into those Parishes or ever seeing the Faces or hearing the names of one of a multitude of the People or ever speaking one word to them but summoning thâ—m by Apparitors to a Lay-Chancellors Court to be Excommunicated first and after imprisoned while they live if they do not what the Chancellor bids them O what is mans understanding when a Carnal interest hath there clothed it self with a Sacred name Cap. 3. He telleth us of the Power of the Keys commited to the Apostles and by them to the Bishops as their Successors But whether all the Bishops Ordained by them and living with them and some dying before them it 's like were their Successors and whether all true Pastors were not such Bishops as had the Power of the Keys and whether by those Keys be meant the Government of the Flocks or also of the Governors themselves and of what extent the Churches under each Bishop was and to what end and use are the things in Question which he here saith nothing to Cap. 4. He proveth by strong affirmation that the Apostles were by Christ's last Commission Mat. 28. 19 20. to be the Bishops of their several assigned certain Provinces But confidence goeth not for proof with us He tells us of the name of Episcopacy Acts 1. 29. We never questioned whether the Apostles had the Oversight of the Church but we hold 1. That the World was the first Object of their Office from whence they were to gather Churches 2. That the Place Course or Circuit of their Travels and Ministry was not of any Divine Institution but left to their prudent choice by the Common Rules of Nature doing all things in Order and to Edifying and sometime directed in their motions by the present inspiration of the Holy-Ghost 3. That more than one Apostle was oft in the same Cities and Countries none claiming it as his peculiar Province nor denying the right of others to be there And where one was this Year another was the next 4. That when an Apostle planted a Church in any City and settled Bishops over the People they themselves were called by many of the Ancients the first Bishops of those Cities in which sence one Man had many Bishopricks 5. That the Apostles were Itinerant unfixed Bishops and not fixed Bishops such as they themselves confined to any one limited Church or Province Nor can it be proved out of all Antiquity that any one of all the Apostles was confined to any one limited Province much less what that Province was but only that their Ability Opportunity Time and Prudence limited every Man and directed him as the End required 6. And that if the Apostles had fixed themselves in particular limited Provinces they had disobeyed their Commission which was to go Preach the Gospel to all the World And no Man did ever yet so dote as to pretend that they divided the whole World into twelve Provinces and there fixed themselves And such twelve Provinces as they had been capable of overseeing would have been but a little of the World And it was but a little part comparatively that they Preacht the Gospel to Most Kingdoms of the World they never saw And those which they came into were so great and many that they Preached but to a few of the People Yet this was not their culpable Omission because they were limited by Natural Impotency and so by Impossibilities of doing more But had it been by a Voluntary setling themselves in twelve Provinces to the neglect of all the rest the Case had been otherwise But whilst they did their best for the whole World themselves and Ordained others to do the rest they performed their Office There needeth no more to be said as to those Ancients that name the Apostles Bishops Nor is their Episcopacy if proved any thing to our Case as shall be manifested Cap. 5. He thought he had proved that Power in the Church is given by the Apostles to the Bishops only Whereas with Spalatensis and most Christians we hold it given to Christ's Ministers as such and therefore to them all though in an Eminency the Apostles only had it And 1. Whereas he denyeth the Power of the 70 because they were not Apostles but Disciples We Answer 1. That Evangelists and other Ministers that were not Apostles had the Power of the Keys 2. That to deny that the 70 were at least Temporary Apostles limited to the Jews and had the power of Preaching and working Miracles would be to deny the letter of the Text. And the Apostles themselves could not Govern Churches till they were gathered 2. And yet if neither they nor John Baptist in Baptizing did exercise any power of the Keys which he can never prove it is nothing to our Case 3. When will he prove that the Evangelists and the Itinerant Assistants of the Apostles had not the power of the Keys When themselves commonly say that the higher Orders contain the powers of the lower And are the Bishops higher than the Evangelists 4. Nay when will he prove that ever any Presbyter was Ordained by the Apostles or by any others as they appointed without the power of the Keys It would weary one that loveth not confusion and lost lalabour to read long Discourses of the Power of the Keys or Government which distinguish not the Government of the Laity or Flocks from the Government of the Ministers themselves and that abuse the Church by feigning an Office of Presbyters that are not Presbyters and proving that Church-Governors are not Church-Governors For what is the Office of the Presbyter or Pastor essentially but a Stated Power and obligation to Teach and Govern the People and Worship as their mouth and guide Cap. 6. He seemeth by denying the Evangelists the power of the Keys and of Church-teaching and making them meer Preachers to the Insidels to favour the Independants Opinion who think the Laymen sent forth are to do that work But 1. Mat. 28. 19 20. Christ maketh such Officers as must Preach and Baptize and gather Churches among the Infidels before they govern them to be them that he will be with to the end of the World And the same men had the Power of teaching the Churches when they were gathered as is there expressed 2. Call them by what name you will such Itenirants were usual in the Apostles daies as Silas Apollo and many more 3. It was not the twelve Apostles only that Converted the World but such other Ministers that were called thus to labour by them or by the Spirit immediately Joseph of Arimathea is said by many to have preached here and in other
Countries 4. What man will dream that when these went abroad the World to convert men they were the fixed Bishops of particular Churches first which they thus forsook 5. Who will believe that Joseph Silas Apollo Luke Mark Nathaniel Philip or any other when they had converted any City or Countrey had no power after to teach them as a Church or give them the Lords Supper no nor to Baptize them first nor to ordain them Bishops and settle them in order but must either have an Apostle or a City Bishop to come thither after them to do it Such Fancies are obtruded on the Church because the one Ministerial or Priestly Office is first dismembred and then new Officers feigned to be made up of the several Limbs Cap. 7. As he rob'd the Evangelists of the Power of the Keys he would now rob all the meer Presbyters of it and all without shew of Scripture proof from such words of Canons or Ancients as say the Presbyters shall do nothing without the Bishops 1. As if the Presbyters were no Rulers of the Flocks because the Bishops are Rulers of the Presbyters As if a Judge or a Justice were no Governour because he is under the King 2. O Cruel Bishops that will undertake to do that for the Souls of many hundred Parishes which many hundred Ministers are too little for that the Souls of men and their own together may be damn'd by the Omission of it If the power of the Keys be appointed for mens Salvation they perfidiously betray them that thrust out the many hundreds that should do it pretending that it belongeth to one man among the many hundred that cannot do it But of the Bishops great undertaking I must say more anon Cap. 8. Of the Chorepiscopi there is little that concerneth us saving that he cometh near to grant us all that we desire while that § 15 he saith that Learned men believe that in the Church of one Region of old there was but one Altar so that lgnatius rightly conjoyneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all Schismaticks were said to set up Altar against Altar As Cypr. de Unit. Eccle. Ep. 40. 72 73 This is the sum of all that we plead for And § 29. he mentioneth the Chorepiscopis as immitating the 70 when yet he had denied the 70 to have the power of the Keys which he supposeth the Chorepiscopi to have under the Bishops Of Clemens words in due place Cap. 9. About the sence of a Canon variously read And Cap. 10. Whether Eutychius Alexandrinus erred in one thing and therefore were not to be believed in another are little pertinent to our business In his 4th Dissert the Cap. 1. is but Proem but Cap. 2. he tells us that the Apostles as Bishops Governed the Churches which they had planted without the mediation of a Colledge of Presbyters all ways and he bringeth not a word to prove it but 1 Cor. 3. 6. You have not many Fathers in Christ I have begotten you by the Gospel c. 4. 15 16. I have planted and c. 9. 19 21. I will come to you will ye that I come with the Rod and c. 5 3 4. I as absent in Body but present in Spirit have judged This is all And will not the impartial Reader wonder at humane frailty how easily men believe what they would have to be true and what an evident Nothing will go for undenyable proof Let the Reader Note 1. That the question is not whether an Apostle after that he had planted a Church remain still an Apostle to them as well as others and have the Apostolical eminency of Power which is greater than any meer Bishop had 2. But first Whether the Apostles had any fixed Provinces or Cities undertaken as their special charge in which no other Apostle had Apostolical Power And 2. Whether there were not fixed Bishops setled by them in all the Churches which they planted 3. And whether it was not so in the Church of Corinth ' in particular Yea whether they had not more Bishops or Presbyters than one For by Unius which here he applyeth to Paul he meaneth Unicus Paul only or else he abuseth his Reader and himself And 1. He that will follow Paul in his Travels will find that he went the same way that some other Apostles went viz. John and Peter and therefore that they must have the same Diocesses or have their Diocesses notably intermixt John was in Asia as well as Paul and no man can prove that he was the Second Bishop of Ephesus or Asia as Paul's successor only when he was dead Nor will the Romans be willing to grant that Peter was Bishop of no more at Rome but the Jews only as this Dr. elsewhere intimateth lest that prove not that the Gentile Church of Rome was founded by Peter but by Paul alone 2. What proof hath he that besides Peter and John there were not many other Apostles per vices in the same Cities where Paul had been And that when they did come thither they had not Apostolical Power there 3. Doth not the Text expresly say that Paul and Barnabas long travelled together And doth it any where intimate that Paul was the Governour of Barnabas or the sole Bishop of the Churches planted by them both together Sure the people that would have worshipped Barnabas as Jupiter and Paul but as Mercury did see no Sign of such a Prelacy in Paul And the Apostles seem so to have ordered the matter by going by Couples as Christ sometimes sent two and two before him as if they had done it purposely to prevent these Monarchical conceits Peter and John were together at the healing of the Criple and the successful preaching that followed thereupon Sometime Paul and Barnabas are together sometime Paul and Silas and Barnabas and Mark Paul and Sosthenes are the inscribed Names who send the first Epistle to the Corinthians and Paul and Timothy the second And in the Text alledged it is said One saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo and c. 1. 12. Every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas And Paul baptized none of them save Crispus and Gaius and the houshold of Stephanus By which it appeareth that Peter was among them as well as Paul and if Peter had been only the Bishop of the Jews here also Apollos would not have been brought in as a third in a way of equality And the Controversie would have been otherwise decided by Paul by telling the Jews that Peter was their sole Bishop and the Gentiles that Paul was theirs and all of them that Apollos was but their Subject But he goeth quite another way to work preferring none nor dividing Dioceses but levelling Ministers as being but the helpers of their Faith And though they had Apostolical preeminence above Apollos yet Peter and Paul are not said to have a proper Episcopacy over him And
as we desire If any more be necessary he granteth it us § 11. where having feigned and not proved that the people of all the Province of Macedonia were said by Paul to be at Philippi he confesseth that then every City had a Bishop and none of those that we now call Presbyters And it is more this Bastard sort of Presbyters Office that we deny than the Bishops And granting this he grants us all even that then there was no such half Officers nor Bishops that had the rule of any Presbyters which he further proveth § 19 20 21. And by the way § 16 17. he giveth us two more Observations 1. That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gave precedency to some Churches Where I would learn whether the Holy Ghost still observed the order in converting men to begin at the highest Metropolis and descend by order to the lowest and so to the Villages Or whether our Doctor do not here contradict what he said before of the Apostles every where disposing of the Churches according to the Civil Metropolitical Order I doubt his memory here failed him 2. Philippi and Thessalonica being both in Macedonia and these Epistles being each written to all the Province we hence learn that the Epistle to the Thessalonians and that to the Philippians were written to the same men Whether each Epistle Rev. 2. 3. to the seven Churches of Asia was written to all Asia and so all the faults charged on all that are charged on any one I leave to your arbitrary belief For none of these are proved whatever proof is boasted of Cap. 11. he further gratifieth us in expounding 1 Tim. 3. in the same manner One Bishop with Deacons then serving for a whole Diocess that is for one Assembly not having such a thing as a half Presbyter subject to any Bishop Cap. 12. he is as liberal in expounding Tit. 1. By Elders in every City is meant a single Bishop that had no half Presbyter under him and whose Diocess had but one Assembly We are not so unreasonable as to quarrel with this liberality Cap. 13. And about Heb. 13. we are as much gratified in the Exposition of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which more afterwards And Cap. 14 and 15. he saith the same of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastors and Teachers that they both are meant of none but Bishops And that Presbyters now adays are permitted and tyed to teach the people and instruct them from the Scriptures this apparently arose hence that Bishops in ordaining Presbyters gave them that power but not to be exercised till licensed by the Bishops Letters Of this detestable Opinion worse than the Italians in the Council of Trent that would have derived the Episcopal Power from the Pope I have said somewhat before and intend more in due place The Bishops do only ministerially give them possession Christ is the only Instituter of the Office by himself and his Spirit in his Apostles Can the Bishops any more chuse to deliver this possession by Ordination than to preach the Gospel Could they have made Presbyters that had no power to teach the people Is the Bishops liberality the original of the Office How much then is Christ beholden to Bishops that when a thousand Parishes are in some one of their Diocesses they will give leave to any Presbyter to teach any of the people and that when eighteen hundred of us were silenced in one day Aug. 24. 1662. that all the rest were not served so too Cap. 16. he exerciseth the same naked affirming Authority of the words Ministers of the word Luke 1. 2. and Stewards all are but Bishops And he asketh whether ever man heard of more Stewards than one in one house or of several bearers of one Key And he foresaw that we would tell him that Gods Catholick Church is one House of God and that at least all the Apostles were Stewards and Key-Bearers in that one Church and that by his Doctrine none but one of them should be Steward of Gods Mysteries or have the Keys And therefore he saith that Though the Apostles are called Stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. that is to be reckoned as pertaining to the many divided Families that is the many particular Churches distinct parts of the Universal Church which the Apostâ—â—s divided among themselves Answ Unless his etiam here be a self-contradicting cheat it will hence follow 1. That the Apostles are not Stewards of Gods Mysteries in gathering Churches but only to the Churches gathered 2. That in Baptizing and giving the Holy Ghost to such as yet entered not into a Particular Church they exâ—ercised not any of their said Stewardship or Power 3. That thay have no Power of the Keyes at all over any that are not Members of a Particular Church such as the Eunuch Act. 8. And many Merchants Embassadors Travellers and many thousands that want Pastors or opportunity or hearts yea and all Christians in the first Instant as meerly Baptized Persons seeing Baptisme entereth them only into the Universal Church and not into any particular as such 4. And that till the Apostles gathered particular Churches and distributed them they had no Stewardship nor use at least of the Keyes And what if it can never be provedthat ever the Apostles distributed the universal Church into Apostolical Provinces but only pro re nata distributed themselves in the World were they never Stewards then nor Key-bearers Verily if I believed such a distribution of the World into twelve or more Provinces by them I should question the power that altered that Constitution and set us up but four or five Patriarches And were the same Apostles no Stewards or Key-bearers out of their feigned several Provinces If we must be cilenced unless we subscribe to the Dictates of such self conceited Confident men who shall ever Preach that is not born under the same Planet with them Cap. 17. he proceedeth still to maintain our Cause that even in Justin Martyrs writings and others of that Age by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are meant the Bishops of the several Churches who had not one Presbyter under them but Deacons only and therefore had but single Congregations but did themselves alone with the Deacon perform all the publick Offices in the Church And that no equal Presbyter was placed with them offendeth us no more than that our Parish Ministers now are presented and instituted alone yea and have power to take Curates under them as their helpers Cap. 18. He proveth truly that the Names Sacerdos and Sacerdotium are usually by old Writers spoken of sole Bishops and Episcopacy By which we are the more confirmed in our Opinion that he that is not Episcopus gregis a Bishop over the Flock is not Sacerdos true Pastor but hath only a limb of the Ministerial Office being a thing of presumptuous Prelates institution Cap. 19. He surther strengtheneth us by
grant that it is not proper to the Bishops Office to Judge Excommunicate or Absolve but only to Rule the Action by giving another power to do it Ans 1. If so then nothing but Commissioning others is the proper work of the Episcopal order and then any Presbyter may in foro interno vel externo ordinarily exercise the whole power of the Keys upon the flocks he may Excommunicate and absolve publikly as an act common to his Office with the Bishops if it Please the Bishop to give him Power which he may do without making him a Bishop And if so I enquire whether God be not the maker of the Presbyters office and not the Bishop and whether God only describing it give not all the power by way of Law Charter or Institution and the Bishop give it not only by way of ministerial solemnization and investiture and if so whether he that is duely called to the Pastoral office which God only made and discribed wust not in season do the works of that office whether men commission him or not or whether at least he any more need the Bishops commission for Church Government Excommunication and Absolution than for Preaching and Celebrating the Lords supper seeing both are now thus confessed acts common to the order of the Presbyter and the Bishop I think all this is past contradiction And I ask then whether that all giving of power to another be proper to the Bishops order If yea than a Minister cannot give his Clerk power to chuse the Psalm or tune c. If not then may not a Bishop if he please also give power to the Presbyters to ordaine and to give other men power For if it be his proper work only to give power to others to do all the sacred acts of office he may give others power to ordain and if so then Ordination will be like Preaching Sacraments and Discipline which are none of them proper to the Bishops order And is not Church discipline the exercise of the power of the keys If then the power of the keys may be exercised by the Presbyters when ever the Bishops please it seems it is common to them with him as well as Sacraments and therefore belongeth not to a Bishop as a Bishop but as a Presbyter And if in my dispute of ordination I have fully proved that the power of the Ministry is given by Christ so far immediatly as that it passeth not through the hands of Electors or Ordainers to the receiver but is given by the meer Instrumentality of the Law or institution and that the Electors and Ordainers do no more than determine of the qualified person that receives it and publickly invest him or ministerially solemnize his Possession as the Burgesses chuse and the Steward or Recorder investeth the Major of a Corparation whose power floweth immediatly from the Charter granted by the King then all this controversie is at an end and I doubt not but that 's fully proved And if commanding another to do an office work be all that is proper to the Bishop I ask whether any thing there be proper to him and so whether we must have such an office For may not the King command the Minister to do all the work which belongeth to his function may he not appoint Magistrates and make Law to command it may he not punish those that do it not Is he not custos utriusque tabulae and must he not corect mal-administration in ministers and drive them to do their duty No doubt he may Obj. But he doth not ordaine Ministers though he command them to do their duty when ordained Ans 1. Our present question is not about Ordination but commanding men to Govern the Church by Discipline or fully to Rule by the Keys the people of a particular Church If this so far belong to the Presbyters office that he may do it by the Bishops Licence let him that can tell me why he may not do it by the Kings Licence and then as they were wont to say of old exceptâ ordinatione nothing but ordination only is proper to the Bishops office And that this is not proper neither 1. This objection it self doth intimate seeing the Bishop may give another Power to ordaine and then why may not the King 2. Many of the Schoolmen and the Papists themselves confess that the Pope say some or Prelates say others may impower an Abbot or Presbyter to ordaine of which see that unanswerable book of Voetius de desperata causa Papatus against Jansenius for Presbyters ordination 3. And our Church of England causeth Presbyters to impose hands with the Bishops and Bishop Downam aforecited is angry with his answerer for supposing that he pleaded for sole power of ordination in the Bishop when he spake but for a chief power And if nothing but a chief power in ordaining be proper to a Bishop why then are the Churches so confounded and beggered and altered by a contrary practice And why is a new office of Bishops set up in the world whose work is to hinder the Ministers of Christ from their officwork under pretence of a power of Licensing them to it when God licenceth them to the work when he calleth them to that office which essenti ally consisteth in a power and Obligation to do it when they have opportunity Moreover my Lord Bacon in his considerations as hath well manifested if impartiall wise men could have bin heard that the office of a Bishop is a function consisting in the exercise of personall skill or abilities and therefore must be done by him that hath them and not committed to another as the office of a Judg or Lawyer of a Phisitian of a Tutor c. no man chooseth a Tutor or Phisitian meerly to send another to him for his Tutor or Phisitian but â—â— do the work himself It is not like the place of a King whose right dependeth not on his parts or skill because he may Govern by others that are able And Grotius who one would think by their respect to him should have been regarded by them truly saith de Imperio sum potest Pag. 290 Nam illud Quod quis per alium facit per se facere videtur ad eas tantum pertinet actiones quarum causa efficiens proxima a jure indefinita est that is For this saying That whose a man doth by another he seemeth to do by himself belongeth only to those actions which neerest efficient cause is not defined by the Law But sure when God made the Pastoral office he meant that the persons called to it should do the work and not only appoint other men to do it And I would know whether the work of a Presbyter as to consecrae and celebrate the Sacrament c may be done per alium by one that is no Presbyter If not as all say not then I ask whether the Bishops work or the Presbyters be the more sacred If the Presbyters
and according to that word to declare them Impenitency openly Characterizing them to be persons unmeet for Christian Communion and such as till they repent are under the wrath of God and must expect his dreadful judgment and to command the Church in Christs name to withdraw from the Impenitent person and to have no Communion with him And all this is but the application of Gods word to his Conscience and the Churches If his seared Conscience deride it all we can do no more If he will forcibly intrude into the Communion of the Church against their wills it is like ones breaking into my house the Magistrate must restrain him as a violater of the peace as well as of the Churches liberties If the Magistrate will not the Church most remove from him If they cannot they must pronounce him morally absent as a forcible intruder and none of their Communion If the Church will not obey the Pastors sentence he hath no instrument but the same word to bring them to it Now all this being past denial let us come more particularly to enquire in all this what part there is essential to a Bishops office as such 1. Is it the making of Church Lawes or Canons About what 1. Either these Canons are but the Commanding of that which Gods Law made a duty before or of somewhat newly made a duty by themselves 2. Either they are Lawes or Commands to the Laity only or to the Presbyters or to the particular Bishops or all 1. If they do but urge the performing of some duty already made such by God in Scripture or Nature who ever doubted but Presbyters may do that even to teach and charge the people from God to obey his Laws And note that God daily maketh new duties by the Law of nature even providentially altering the Nature of things And so he maketh this or that to become Decent and Orderly and so a duty And maketh it my duty to speak this or that word to this or that person or to do this or that particular good work Even by varying occasions accidents and circumstances of things 2. But if these Canons make new duties which God hath not made 1. If it be to the Laity the Presbyters may do the like for they are Guides also of the Laity unless they are forbidden by a superior power If it be only to the Presbyters that will not reach our present case as shall be further shewed afterward 3. If it be to the Bishops themselves they cannot be Laws but meer agreements because one Bishop is not the proper Governour of another nor many of one nor the present in Council of the absent as such And here by the way it is worthy to be noted how much the Diocesanes contradict themselves in this claim of Government They say that they are of a distinct order and office from meer Presbyters because they have power to Govern them And yet they make 1. A Council of Bishops to have as high a governing power over particular Bishops of the same order 2. And an Arch-Bishop to be the Governour of Bishops 3. And a Primate or Patriarch to be the Governour of Arch-Bishops and yet not to be of a distinct Order or office but only of a distinct degree in the accidentals of the same order If Government prove a distinct Order or Office in one it will do so in the other And why may not the Magistrate make all the same Canons who ruleth them all But let us consider what these Canons may be 1. The Bishops make Canons how often Synods or Councils shall be held and when and where and when they shall be dissolved But 1. May not the King do the same And can that be proper to Bishops which the King may do Yea which all Emperours have formerly used 2. And is not this Cannon made to rule Bishops themselves who is it but Bishops or so much as them that you think should be called unto Councils And are the Bishops in Council of another order than themselves out of Council Need we an office of Bishops to rule Bishops of the same office 2. Canons are made about Temples Buildings Tithes Glebes Bells Pulpits Seats Tables Cups Fonts and other utensils And 1. who doubteth but the Magistrate may do all this yea that it belongeth to him to regulate such things as these 2. And who knoweth not that even Bishops are under these Canons also who are of the same order 3. And that Presbyters even in England are members of these Synods and so make Canons to rule the Bishops Ergo they are of a superior order to Bishops by your reasoning 3. Canons are made for the regulating of Ministers attire in the Church and out and for officiating garments as surplices c. And of these I say the same as of the former The King may do the same as Bishops may do and Bishops themselves are bound by them and Presbyters make them which three things prove that it is not the proper work of Bishops as a distinct order from meer Presbyters 4. Canons are made for worship Geâ—ures in what gesture to pray to receive the Sacrament to use the Creed c. And the same three answers serve to this also as to the case in hand 5. Canons are made for Holidaies publick Fasts and Thanksgivings and Lecture daies And the same three considerations fall in here 6. Canons are made for the ordering officers fees and such like in Bishops Courts And here all the same three things fall in 1. The King may do it 2. It is Bishops that are ruled 3. Presbyters also make the Canons therefore it is not jure divino the proper work of a distinct Order 7. Canons are made for the choice of what Translation of the Bible shall be used in all the Churches and what version or meetre of the singing Psalmes And of this also the three former things hold true 8. Canons are made to impose a Liturgie in what words Ministers shall speak to God and to the people And 1. This also the King may do and doth 2. And it obligeth Bishops 3. And Presbyters make it 9. Canons are made against Schismaticks new Discipline and constitutions non-subscribers unlicensed Preachers for the book of Articles of ordination for Catechizing Preaching Marrying Burying Christing and such like In all which each of the said three answers hold 10. Canons are made to keep Parents from open covenanting to God for their Children in Baptism that they shall not be urged to be present that God-fathers do that office and not they As also that none be baptized without the transient Image of a Cross and such like whether this be well or ill done the three former answers all hold in this 11. All the Canons that are for the restraint of sin as neglect of Church worship prophaning of it and other abuses have the same censure 12. The circumstantiating Canons how oft Bishops shall confirm and whom they shall
2. The 2d Reason that ordination is an Act of Superiority 1. Is granted because the person to be ordained is yet no Minister of Christ and therefore is Inferior to the Presbyters that ordain him till he have received his office 2. But that afterward the ordainer must be of an higher order as well as greater antiquity in office than him that is ordained by him I deny For than Bishops could not ordain Bishops nor Arch-Bishops ordain Arch-Bishops and who shall ordain the Patriarcks or if you be for him the Pope Have they all superiours to do it 3. The third Reason from History I shall confute in due place only here retorting it thus In Scripture times no fixed Diocesan ever did ordain therefore none such should now ordain 2. But next let us distinguish 1. Between ordaining to the Ministry in the Universal Church without affixing to a particular Charge and the fixing of a Pastor in that particular Church And 2. Between ordaining a Bishop or Plenary Pastor and a half Pastor called now a Presbyter 1. As Baptism as such doth joyn a man to no particular Church but only to the Universal but yet they that have opportunity should secondarily by a faither act of consent also joyn themselves to the particular Church where they live but if they live where they have no such opportunity they must do it after as soon as such opportunity cometh Even so ordination to the sacred Ministry as such doth fix a man to no particular Church but make him a Minister of Christ to the world for mens convertion and to the Universal Church for Christians edification as he shall have any particular opportunity for exercise which the Church of England expresseth by the words when thou shalt be thereunto Lawfully called meaning a call ad exercitium to the exercise of the office received But yet where there are not many unchurched Infidels to be converted but all profess Christianity it is not fit such shall be ordained sine titulo as they speak lest it occasion irregularity and poverty in the Clergy but be at once affixed to a particular Church which fixed Ministers are in Scripture usually called Bishops Presbyters and Pastors with relation to their particular flock or Church besides their primary relation to the World and to the universal Church from which the extraordinary Officers were called Apostles and Evangelists and the ordinary ones Ministers of Christ in general Though I deny not but even the unfixed may be called Bishops Elders and Pastors as being virtually such and in an Office which wanteth nothing but a particular Call to that fixation and exercise Now 1. To call a Minister already made such to a particular Church and so to make a Bishop or Pastor or Presbyter of him doth not necesarily require a Diocesan For 1. The people that are at liberty may do it and ordinarily have done as Blondel hath fully proved And in our times if a free people only choose a man already ordained and take him for their Pastor no man taketh this for a nullity no not the Prelatists themselves 2. And a Pastor Magistrate or Prince may do it without a Bishop as none deny 3. And a Minister may frequently on just occasion be removed from place to place and needeth not a Bishop for every change at least as to the being of his office 2. And as to the first ordination of a Minister as such if there must be a Diocesan to do it this is gathered either from the nature of the thing or from divine institution 1. As to the nature of the thing it sheweth no such necessity but rather contradicteth it for 1. As to Efficiency if a Bishop or Arch-Bishop or Primate or Patriark may be made without the agency of any one of a higher order then so may a Presbyter For the reason is the same 2. And as to the object 1. The first object of the sacred Ministry as such is the Infidel world to whom they are to Preach the Gospel and offer Christ and Salvation and beseech them in Christs stead to be reconciled to God to call them from darkness to light and the power of Satan unto God And to think that none but Apostles should do this and that all the world must be left to the Devil when the Apostles were dead is an unchristian thought To those that must do this Christ promised his presence to the end of the world Now. 1. The Infidel world is no more under the power of a Diocesan than of a Presbyter If it be it is either 1. As he is a Prelate 2. Or as a Diocesan 1. Not as a Prelate in general For if the world be the object of the Ministers office it can be no more of the Prelates as such 2. Not as a Diocesan For the Infidel world Egypt Tartary Japan China Persia c. is no part of any Bishops Diocese 2. And as to the work of a Preacher to the Infidels it is the very fame whether it be done by a Bishop or a Presbyter There is nothing to do for them but preach and baptize and neither of those is a work proper to a Bishop If it be said that it is not because of the object or the work are proper to a Bishop but because the sending forth a man for that work is proper to him I answer that when I have proved past contradiction that he fendeth a man to do as high a work as he could there do himself and to the very same it sheweth that ex natura rei there needeth no higher order than the Ministers to send him No more than there needeth a higher progenitor than a man to beget a man 2. And as his office is related to the Church-Universal all the same argumentation will hold good For the Church-Universal is the object of the Ministers office as well as of the Prelates and no more than his own Diocese is the special charge of a Diocesan as such and the work to which the Minister is ordained in general to the whole Church can no otherwise be proved less than the Prelates unless by proving a Divine institution which they will grant 2. And as for a Divine institution as to the ordaining power I will say but this much which may take with cordate men till I come to speak more largely of the point 1. That Doctor Hammond and as far as he knew all that owned the same cause with him doth grant that the Apostles nor any other in Scripture times did not so much as institute the office of a Presbyter as distinct from a Bishop much less ever ordain any one to such an office And that in all their Instructions to Timothy and Titus about ordination of Bishops or elders and Deacons they have not a syllable about any ordination or qualification of such subject Presbyters but only about ordaining Bishops Therefore if Bishops be the successors of the Apostles in ordination they cannot do
more than they did nor ordain any other Presbyters than Bishops 2. That if Bishops were the Institutors of Presbyters as distinct from them by a Power of parcelling out their office to others than Bishops yet have power to make more sorts of sacred Ministers by subdivision of their power They may make one office only to Preach and another only to baptize and another only to pray and another only to administer the Lords Supper and another to Excommunicate and why not another to ordaine and so ordination shall not be proper to a Bishop And so a Chancellor that hath the parcel of excommunicating and absolveing is as true a Clergy man and of as high original as a Presbyter 3. But that which Dr. Hammond betaketh himself to at last in his Answer to the London Ministers is as miserable a shift as ever a poor cause was reduced to that had never stood if it had not been more beholden to the Sword than to such foundations he durst not say that the Presbyters office is not of Divine institution And yet it was not instituted in Scripture times But it was instituted in Saint Johns time by him a lone after the writing of his Gospel which according to Jerome was about a year or two before he dyed and the Revelation which according to Jrenaeus li. 5. was about four or five years before he dyed And so all the Bishops power of ordaining subject Presbyters dependeth 1. On one Apostles Institution 2. Not proved at all by Scripture 3. But only by Church-History which hath not a syllable of such a thing as that Saint John did institute the Presbyters office â—â—â— And this is feigned to be done by Saint John many years after Peter and Paul are said to be Bishops of Rome and James of Jerusalem and Peter of Antioch and Mark of Alexandria Yea about thirty two years after Mark was put to death according to Eusebius see then what proof the Doctor giveth us that even at Rome and Alexandria all that time there was no Bishop over Presbyters nor any that ever ordained a Presbyter that was not a Bishop 3. But suppose the Divine institution be proved of Bishops ordination of subject Presbyters let these three things more be noted 1. That at least we have brought it to the Ancients measure that excepta sola ordinatione except only ordination here is no work for to make a Bishops office of but what a Presbyter may do 2. That in this ordination they themselves acknowledg that the Presbyters may joyn even in imposing hands which is the note of Superiority the lesser being blessed by the greater and so Presbyters also by Epiphanius's leave do generare patres And Bishops have not the sole power of ordination but the chief 3. And whether a chief power in investing men in the Ministerial office do make a distinct order or office de nomine let them contend that please dere if this wereall we were agreed For my part I had rather that Bishops had not only a chief power as moderators But even a Negative voice in ordination yea and in Removals and fixing of Ministers than not For in so weighty a business two Locks and Keyes to keep out bad men are surer than one And the poor silenced Nonconformists have yielded to much more than this But yet there remaineth one part of the Diocesans work to be considered viz The judging of Heresie and Schism and the silencing suspending and degrading of Ministers that deserve it The Question is whether this be not proper to the Prelates office And here no man can wish us to swallow the terms of the questions whole without distinguishing as if they signifyed but one thing 1. As judging is 1. Either private by discerning ones own duty which belongeth to every private man 2. Or publick for the deciding of a controversieâ— and this as 1. Civil 2. Or properly Ecclesiastical so in several manners and to several ends Private men Magistrates and Pastors may judge of Heresie c. 2. And as for suspending silencing and degrading either 1. It signifieth some Correction by the Sword or force and that undoubtedly belongeth only to the Magistrate and to no private man nor Clergy man at all as such 2. A Private man and much more a Congregation may and must refuse a notorious Intolerable Minister whether Insufficient Heretical or wicked and Malignant they must withdraw from him and not take him for their guide and Pastor nor trust their Souls upon his care and conduct If Cyprian had never said Plebs maximum habet potestatem vel sacerdotes dignos eligendi vel indignos necesandâ— the Law of nature saith enough as it doth warrant a man to refuse an unskilful or malicious murdering Physician And Scripture requireth every man to take heed of false Teachers and deceivers and from such to turne away 3. To silence a false Teacher by Argument by word or writeing belongeth to every man that is called to contend earnestly for the faith and to answer a fool according to his folly 4. To perswade him by Argument to give over Preaching or to reform his errours 1. A private man may do it privately 2. Any Minister of Christ may do it both ex charitate ex officio authoritate as a Minister of Christ in his name For as a Physician doth medicate another Physician not as another man but as a Physician and a judge doth judge the cause of another Judge not as a private man but as a Judge so a Minister of Christ doth Preach to a Minister and perswade him not as a private man but as a Minister not as his superiour but as a Messenger of Christ who is his Soveraigne 5. Yea to Command such a man ex authoritate Nuâ—â—ii vel Ministri by Ministerial authority in the name of Christ to forsake his Heresie and wickedness or to forbear the Sacred Ministry belongeth to Ministers of the same office For if a Minister Preach or speak to another Minister as a Minister himself and in Christs name then no doubt but he may command in Christs name which is but by Ministerial office to publish the Commands of Christ No doubt but he may say to another Minister I Counsel yea Command you in the name of Christ by vertue of my office and his word to forbear Adultery Theft Blasphemy Heresie or else to forbear the Sacred Ministry Yea he may say thus with due reverence to a Bishop so that for a silencing by Reason or force or by Ministerial authority and command as from Christ there is no need of the office of a Diocesan 6. The question therefore is whether we must have a Bishop to silence men by bare Authority without convincing effectual argument satisfying his Conscience or else by a distinct Superior Authority more powerful than the Ministers And 1. Seing the Diocesan as such hath not the Sword it is certain that he silenceth no further than he prevaileth
abilities and to manage Gods work in each assembly more skillfully and guide the Church more prudently and defend the truth more powerfully than common unlearned Presbyters could do Now let it be for the present granted that for such reasons Episcopacy in each Church was justly setled and call it an order or a degree as you please It will be a difficult question what shall be judged of those that have the same place and Title without the same Qualifications and precedencie of parts Because the Reason of his power faileth If one be chosen Bishop to keep out Hetesie and he prove a Heretick and the Presbyters Orthodox whatis his power to that end If one be chosen Bishop to keep out Schisin and he prove a Schisinatick or Sect-Master and the rest concordant what is his power If one be made Bishop to teach the people better than the Presbytres and to teach the Presbyters themselves and to defend truth and Godliness and he prove more ignorant than the Presbyters and Preach not to the thousandth or hundredth part of his Diocese once in all his life nor to any at all past once in many weeks or months or years and if he do but silence the Ministers that are abler and farr more pious than himself what power hath he as a Bishop to those ends Sure I am that dispositio materâ—e is necessary as sine qua noâ— ad receptionem formae If one be made a Schoolmaster that cannot reach the Scholars half so much as they know already but hath need to learne of them and yet will neither learne of them nor suffer them to learne without him I know not well how farr he is their Schoolmaster indeed If one be made a Physician that knoweth not half so much as I do I should be loth for Order sake to venture my life upon his trust Nor yet to venture my own life and others in a Ship that had an ignorant Pilote when the Mariners had more skill but must not use it Orders and Office that are appointed for the work 's sake essentially suppose ability for that work And without the necessary qualifications they are but the Carkasses or images of the office but of this before Therefore it is that the Christian flocks could never yet be cured by all the aâ—t or tyranny that could be used of the esteem of real Wisdome and Godlinesâ— and preferring it before an empty title or a pompous shew and from setting less by Ignorance and Impiety venerably named and arrayed then by self evidencing worth nor from valuing a Shepherd that daily feedeth them from a Wolfe in Sheeps cloathing that hathe Fangs and bloody jawes and fleeceth and devoureth the flock with the Shepherds And hence we may say that God himself useth to give Bishops to the Church whether men will or not while he giveth them such as Jerome Luther Melanâ—â—horn Bucer Calvin Zanchius c Who had Episcopal ability and really did that which Bishops were first appointed for while the Bishops would have hindered them and sought their blood They taught the people they bred up young Ministers they kept out Heresies and Schismes they guided the churches by the light of Sacred truth and by the power of Reason and Love And who than was the Bishop who is the real Architect he that buildeth the house or he that hath the title and doth nothing unless it be hindering the builders To this already said I add but two more intimations which I desire the sober impartial Reader to consider 1. Writing is but a mode of Preaching And of the two it is worse to have inept Sermons in Publick Assemblies and so Gods worke and worship dishonoured than to have inept bookes in private And no doubt the Pastors oversight extends to publick and private Now while the meer worth of bookes without any Authority commendeth them to the world though sometimes with some few giddy Pamphlets are accepted yet that is but for a fit and ordinarily the Book-sellers sufficiently restrain all that are not of worth because they cannot sell them But if a Bishop must impose on all the people what bookes they must read in many Kingdoms it will be for the Pope and Masse in others for Exorcism and Consubstantion c. 2. Is not order for the the thing ordered Episcopacy is for the Churches benefit by the Bishops eminent gifts and parts But if the Bishop be of lower parts than the Pastors and an Envious Malignant hinderer of their work Quere Whether the order being humane cease not ubi cessat subjecti dispositio relatio ad finem when the end and the pesons capacity cease II. But how the world by the countenance of Emperours was invited to come in t the Church How worldly wealth power and honour did indue them How Bishopricks were made baites for the proud and tyrannical and Covetous How such then sought them and so the worldly Spirit had the rule and altered Episcopacy I shewed in the History before THE Second Part. Having in the former Part laid down those Grounds on which the Applicatory Part is to be built and subverted the foundations of that Diocesane frame which we judge unlawful I shall now proceed to give you the Application in the particular Reasons of our judgment from the Evils which we suppose this frame to be guilty of CHAP. I. The clearing of the state of the Question THE occasion of our dispute or rather Apology is known in England 1. Every man that is ordained Deacon or Presbyter or licensed a Schoolmaster must subscribe to the Books of Articles Liturgy and Ordination as Ex animo that there is nothing in them contrary to the Word of God And by the late Act of Uniformity that he doth assent and consent to all things conteined in and prescribed by the said books as since altered we think for the worse 2. In the year 1640 the Convocation formed printed and imposed a new Oath in these words after others Nor will I ever give my consent to alter the Government of this Church by Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans Arch-Deacons c. as it stands now established and as by right it ought to stand 3. After this the Parliament in the Wars imposed a Vow and Covenant on the Ministers and People contrary to this called the Et caetrea Oath which Vow contained a clause to endeavour the exâ—â—rpation of this Prelacy In the Westminster Assembly before it passed many Learned Divines declared that they would not take it as against Prelacy unexplained lest it should seem to be against all Episcopacy which was not their judgment they being for the primitive Episcopacy To satisfie these men that else had protested against it and the Assembly been divided the Scots and some others being against all the additional Titles of Deans Chapters c. were put in as a description of the peculiar English frame of Prelacy which they all agreed against Since His Majesty's Restoration there are many Acts
that other a Tutor And so if a Physician commit his work statedly to another or a Pilot or the Master of a Family he maketh the other a Physician a Pilot a Master And so if a Bishop or Presbyter commit his work statedly to another he maketh that other a Bishop or Presbyter And then that Bishop or Presbyter so made is himself obliged as well as empowred and the work that he doth is his own work and not his that delivered him his Commission So that this doing these twelve parts of a Bishops work per alium is a meer mockery unless they speak unfitly and mean the making of all those to be Bishops as they are or else by perfidious usurpation casting their trust and work on others For if they could prove that God himself had instituted the Species of Sub-presbyters it would be to do their own work and not another mans My next proof of the limitation of Churches in Scripture times is that Deacons and Bishops were distinct Officers appointed to the same Churches The Church which the Deacon was related to was the very same and of the same extent with the Church which the Bishop was related to as is plain in all Texts where they are described Act. 6. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 7. c. But it is most clear that no Deacon then had the charge of many hundred Churches or more than one such as I have described Therefore neither had the Bishop of that Church They that have now extended the Office of the Deacons further and have alienated them from their first works of attending at the Sacred Tables and taking care of the Poor cannot deny but that this was at least a great part of their work in the Scripture times and some Ages after at least when Jerome ad Evagr. described the Offices of the Presbyters and Deacons And was any man then made a Deacon to a Diocess or to many hundred Churches or to more than one Did he attend the Tables of many Churches each Lords day at the same time If you say that there were many Deacons and some were in one Church and some in another it is true that is They were in several Assemblies which were every one a true Church and they were oft many in one Assembly But there was no one that was related to Many stated Church Assemblies nor to a Church of a lesser size or magnitude than the Bishop was 5. And that there was no Church then without a Bishop one or more is evident from Act. 14. 23. They ordained them Elders in every Church compared with other Texts that call them Bishops And Doctor Hammond sheweth that these Elders were Bishops And indeed it was not a Church in a proper political sense that had no Bishops formally or eminently No more than there can be a Kingdom without a King a School without a School-master or a family without a Master Object They are called Churches Act. 14. 23. before they had ordained Elders Answ 1. It is not certain from the Text for the name might be given from their state in fieri or which they were now entring into 2. If it were so it is certain that the appellation was equivocal as it is usual to distinguish the Kingdom from the King the School from the School-master the Family from the Master but not in the strict political sense of the words for that comprehendeth both 3. The truth is they were true political Churches before For they had temporary unfixed Bishops even the Apostles and Evangelists that converted them and officiated among them Otherwise they could have held no Sacred Assemblies for holy Communion and the Lords Supper as having none to administer it The fixing of peculiar Bishops did not make them first Churches but made them setled Churches in such an order as God would establish 6. Lastly The setling of Churches with Bishops in every City Tit. 1. 5. doth shew of what magnitude the Churches were in the Scripture times For 1. It is known that small Towns in Judea were called Cities 2. And that Creete which was called Hecatompolis as having an hundred Cities must needs then have small ones and near together 3. And it is a confessed thing that the number of Converts was not then so great as to make City Churches so numerous near as our Parishes are And if the consideration of all this together will not convince any that the Churches that had Bishops in Scripture times consisted not of many stated Assemblies as afore described but of one only and were not bigger than our Parishes let such enjoy their error still CHAP. IV. The same proved by the Concession of the most Learned Defenders of Diocesane Prelacy THough the Scripture Evidence be most satisfactory in it self yet in controversie it much easeth the mind that doubteth to find the Cause fully and expresly granted by those that most learnedly defend those consequents which it overthrows And if I do not bring plain Concessions here I will not deprecate the Readers indignation 1. Among all Christians the Papists are the highest Prelatists And among all Papists the Jesuits and among all the Jesuits Petavius who hath written against Salmasius c. on this Subject Petavius Dissert Ecclesiast de Episcop dignit jurisd p. 22. concludeth his first Chapter in which he had cited the chiefest of the Fathers Hactenus igitur ex antiquorum authoritate conficitur primis temporibus Presbyterorum Episcoporum non tantum appellationes sed etiam ordines in easdem concurrisse personas iidem ut essent utrique i. e. Hitherto it is proved by the Authority of the Ancients that in the first times not only the Names but the Orders of Presbyters and Bishops did concurr into the same persons so that both were the same men And if so I shall shew the consequents anon And pag. 23. He thus beginneth his third Chapter as opening the only necessary way to avoid the Scripture Arguments against Episcopacy Si quis amnia illa scripturae loca diligenter expendat id necessario consequens ex illis esse statuet eos ipsos qui ibi Presbyteri vocantur plus aliquid quam simplices fuisse presbyteros cujusmodi hodieque sunt nec dubitabit quin Episcopi fuerint iidem non vocabulo tantum sed re etiam potestate i. e. If any one will diligently weigh all those places of Scripture he will conclude that this is the necessary consequent of them that those that are there called Presbyters were somewhat more than simple Presbyters and such as now they are and he will not doubt but the same men were Bishops not only in name but in deed and in power Pag. 24. Existimo Presbyteros vel omnes vel eorum plerosque sic ordinatos esse ut Episcopi pariter ac presbyteri gradum obtinerent I think that either all or most of the Presbyters were so ordained as that they obtained both the degree of Bishop and
King will make every Market Town a City it shall have a Bishop And if he will make but one or two cities in a Kingdom there shall be but one or two Bishops And if he will make one City Regent to others that Bishop shall be so Thus Rome Constantinople c. came by their Superiority But Hierome telleth us the contrary that the Bishop of Tanais or any small City like our least Corporations was of equal Church-Dignity with Rome or the greatest 24. The same Council Can. 78. repeateth that All the Illuminate that is Baptized must learn the Creed and every Friday say it to the Bishop and Presbyters I hope they did not go every Friday such a Journey as Lincoln York or Norwich Diocess no nor the least in England would have put them to nor that the Bishop heard as many thousands every Friday as some of ours by that Canon should have heard 25. Anno 693. at a Toletane Council King Egica writeth a Sermon for them and therein tells them that Every Parish that hath twelve Families must have their proper Governor not a Curate that is no Governor But if it be less it must be part of another's Charge 26. Anno 756. Pipin called a Council in France whos 's Can. 1. is that Every City must have a Bishop And as is beforesaid every Corporate Town was a City 27. In the Epitome of the old Canons sent by Pope Adrian to Carolus Magnus published by Canisius the eighth Antioch Canon is Country Presbyters may not give Canonical Epistles but the Chorepiscopi By which it appeareth that the Chorepiscopi were Bishops as Petavius proveth in Epiphan Arrius And Can. 14 15. That No Bishop be above three Weeks in another City nor above two Weeks from his own Church Which intimateth that he had one single Church And Can. 19. That when a place wants a Bishop he that held them must not proudly hold them to himself and hinder them from one else he must lose that which he hath 28. The same Canons say Can. 94. If a Bishop six Months after Admonition of other Bishops neglect to make Catholicks of the people belonging to his Seat any other shall obtain them that shall deliver them from their Heresie So that 1. The Churches were not so big but that there might be divers in one Town 2. And converting the People is a better Title than Parish Bounds 29. It is there also decreed That no Bishop ordain or judge in another's Parish else it shall be void And they forbid Foreign Judgments because it is unmeet that he should be judged by Strangers who ought to have Judges of the same Province chosen by himself But our Diocesanes are Strangers to almost all the People and are not chosen by them See the rest Also another is that every Election of Bishops made by Magistrates be void yea all that use the Secular Magistrate to get a Church must be deposed and separated and all that joyn with him Also if any exact Money or for affection of his own drive any from the Ministry or segregate any of his Clergy or shut the Temple 30. A Council at Chalone under Carol. Magn. the Can. 15. condemneth Arch-Deacons that exercise Domination over Parish-Presbyters and take Fees of them as matter of Tyranny and not of Order and Rectitude And Can. 13. saith It is reported of some Brethren Bishops that they force them whom they are about to ordain to swear that they are worthy and will not do contrary to the Canons and will be obedient to the Bishop that ordaineth them and to the Church in which they are ordained Which Oath because it is very dangerous we all agree shall be forbidden By which it appeareth that 1. The Dioceses were not yet so large as to need such subordinate Governors as ours have Nor 2. Were Oaths of Canonical Obedience to the Bishop and Church yet thought lawful but forbidden as dangerous 31. A Council at Aquisgrane under Ludov. Pius wrote an excellent Treatise gathered out of the Fathers to teach Bishops the true nature of their Office which hath much to my present use but too long to be recited 32. Upon Ebbos Flight that deposed Lud. Pius the Arch-Bishoprick of Rhemes was void ten Years and ruled by two Presbyters Fulk and Hotho who were not then uncapable of governing the Flock but it is not like that they governed Neighbour Bishops 33. Canisius tells us of a Concilium Regiaticinum and Can. 6. is That the Arch-Presbyter examine every Master of a Family personally and take account of their Families and Lives and receive their Confessions And Can. 7. That a Presbyter in the absence of the Bishop may reconcile a Penitent by his Command c. Which shew that yet Dioceses were not at the largest 34. A Council at Papia Anno 855. order yet That the Clergy and People chuse the Bishops and yet that the Laity on pretence of their electing power trample not on the arch-Arch-Presbyter and that Great Men's Chappels empty not Churches 35. Yea Pope Nicholas Tit. 8. c. 1. decreeth that no Bishops be ordained but by the Election or Consent of the Clergy and People When they became uncapable of the ancient Order yet they kept up the words of the old Canons 36. This is intimated in the old Canons repeated at a Roman Council Anno 868. That if Bishops excommunicate any wrongfully or for light Causes and not restore them the Neighbour Bishops shall take such to their Communion till the next Synod Which was the Bishop of the next Parish or Corporation and not one that dwelt in another County out of reach And Can. 72. Because the Bishops hindred by other business cannot go to all the Sick the Presbyters or any Christians may anoint them How big was the Diocess when this Canon was first made Who would give his business rather than Distance and Numbers and Impossibility as the reason why the Bishop of London Lincoln Norwich c. visit not all the Sick in their Dioceses 37. Anno 869 till 879. was held a Council called General at Constantinople The Can. 8. is Whereas it is reported that not only the Heretical and Usurpers but some Orthodox Patriarchs also for their own security have made men subscribe that is to be true to them the Synod judgeth that it shall be so no more save only that Men when they are made Bishops be required as usual to declare the soundness of their Faith He that violateth this Sanction let him be deprived of his Honour But these later instances only shew the Relicts of Primitive Purity and Simplicity more evidently proved in the three first Centuries 38. And he that will read the ancient Records of the Customs of Burying will thence perceive the extent of Churches Doctor Tillesly after cited affirmeth pag. 179. against Selden that The Right of Burial place did first belong to the Cathedral Churches And Parish Churches began so lately as now understood having no
suos omnes coetus vehit Her Coach is their Church and which way soever she goeth she carrieth all her Congregations with her Ambros de Offic. To. 4. c. 1. sheweth that teaching his Church is the Bishop's Office And de initiandis c. 2. p. 163. To. 4. he saith to the baptized person Vidisti illic in Sacrario Levitam vidisti Sacerdotem vidisti summum Sacerdotem In which he intimateth that the Bishop as the Chief Priest was present in the Church with his Presbyters at Baptizings Which sheweth that they had not a multitude of Churches without Bishops And de Sacram. l. 1. c. 1. how the Bishop himself must touch with Oyl the Nostrils of all that were baptized with other Ceremonies after mentioned sheweth that he was usually present at every Baptism And de Sacram. l. 3. c. 1. he giveth the reason why he did wash the Feet of all that were baptized and the Church of Rome did not Vide ne forte propter multitudinem declinarit Perhaps they decline it because of the multitude But all the Diocess of Milan as a Bishoprick not as an Arch-Bishoprick had no such multitudes but that besides all his other work Ambrose could have time to wash the feet of every one that was baptized And cap. 3. Ecclesiae contuitu consideratione te ipse commenda The Church was present then And to shew by his work what his Church was he celebrated the Sacrament daily Accipe quotidie quod quotidie tibi prosit sic vive ut quotidie merearis accipere Qui non meretur quotidie accipere non meretur post annum accipere And how he discharged all this you may perceive de Dignit Sacerdot cap. 3. Episcopus non aliud nisi Episcopalia opera designat ut ex bono opere magis quam professione noscatur plus meritis esse Episcopum quam quod nomine vocitetur Quia sicut nihil esse diximus Episcopo excellentius sic nihil est miserabilius si de sancta vita Episcopus periclitetur si Sacerdos in crimine teneatur He thought not as too many now do that the Name and Seat of Bishop or Priest can do more to hallow Persecutions Worldliness and other Crimes than the Crimes can do to unhallow the Bishop or Priest And lib. 5. To. 4. pag. 180. having mentioned The Husband of one Wife he addeth Si vero ad altiorem sensum conscendimus inhibet duas usurpare Ecclesias A Bishop must no more have two Churches than a Husband have two Wives But some Bishops imitate Solomon's Lust rather than his Wisdom and will have above a thousand Churches as Wives or Concubines Adding Qui stipendiis tantum contentus Ecclesiae suae penitus non ambiat quae novit esse superflua Covetousness hath enlarged Dioceses And cap. 5. Cum dominatur populis anima servit Daemoni When he Lords it over the people his own Soul is a Slave to the Devil And cap. 6. pag. 18. Nam quid aliud interpretatur Episcopus nisi superinspector Maxime cum solio editiore in Ecclesia resideat ut ita cunctos respiciat ut cunctorum oculi in ipsum respiciant So that it is from the oversight of one Congregation where he sits among and above the Presbyters that he is called a Bishop and not from Churches which he overseeth indeed but seeth not and might well be said to be an Overseer in our vulgar sense as it signifies one that overlooketh or observeth not were he as many now And of so small a place as Forum Cornelii instead of committing it to a subject Presbyter he saith Epist 63. p. 111. ad Constant Arausicorum Episcopum Commendo tibi fili Ecclesiam quae est ad forum Cornelii quo cam de proximo invisas frequentius donec ei ordinetur Episcopus And pag. 117. Ad Eccles Vercellens post obitum Eusebii Epist he writeth to them thus to chuse another Quanto magis ubi plena est in nomine domini Congregatio ubi Universorum Postulatio congruit dubitare vos nequaquam oportet ibi dominum Jesum voluntatis authorem petitionis arbitrum fore ordinationis praesulem vel largitorem gratiae So that this famous Church was no greater than that all the people could meet and agree in the Choice or Postulation of a Bishop So To. 4. de Poenitent l. 5. c. 15. Tota Ecclesia suscipit onus peccatoris cui compatiendum fletu oratione dolore est By which it seems that all the Church that is so great a part as might be called all was used to be present each meeting when Penitents lamented their sin And in To. 3. p. 183. in 1 Cor. 11. he saith that the Angels before whom the Women in the Church must be veiled are the Bishops as God's Vicars which intimateth that ordinarily every Church-Assembly was to have a Bishop present And ibid. Hoc notat qui sic in Ecclesiam conveniebant ut munera sua offerentes advenientibus Presbyteris quia adhuc rectores Ecclesiis non omnibus locis fuerant constituti c. And p. 161. in Rom. 1. 2. Propterea Ecclesiae scribit quia adhuc singulis Ecclesiis Rectores non erant instituti By which you may conjecture what he thought of the magnitude of Churches then Tom. 3. p. 89. He so far acknowledgeth the People to have elected him that he calleth them on that account his Parents who in other respects were his Children in Luk. 18. Vos mihi estis Parentes qui Sacerdotium tulistis Vos inquam Filii vel Parentes Filii singuli Universi Parentes Like Hooker's Singulis Major Universis Minor Where you see that the whole Church and not a thousandth part did chuse him Bishop And To. 3. p. 180. in 1 Cor. 14. Verum est quia in Ecclesia that is in every Church Unus est Episcopus not in hundreds of Churches For he saith ibid. in 1 Cor. 12. Et quia ab uno Deo Patre sunt omnia singulos Episcopos singulis Ecclesiis praeesse decrevit He decreed that there should be to every Church a several Bishop When I cite all this of the state of that famous Church of Milan where the Emperor himself did oft reside and which presumed to differ in Customs from Rome I leave you to gather how it was before Christian Emperors and in all the ordinary Churches XIX Augustine was chosen by the people and brought to the Bishop to be ordained Vit. cap. 4. And cap. 5. Valerius the Bishop gave him power to preach before him contrary to the use of the African Churches but according to the custom of the Eastern Churches Which sheweth that Augustine while Presbyter and so other Presbyters ordinarily was in the same Congregation with the Bishop and not in another And upon this other Churches took up the same custom And cap. 21. it 's said In Ordinandis Sacerdotibus Clericis Consensum majorem Christianorum consuetudinem Ecclesiae sequendam esse
other Churches I have before cited a Canon which gave leave to Presbyters to preach in the countrey villages intimating it was rare heretofore 2. Filesacus saith ibid. p. 562 563. Sed ut quod res est libere eloquar illo aevo anteriore cum Parochiae vox vulgo etiam pro Dioecesi usurpatur that is for all the Bishops Charge credo Presbyteros Parochianos dictos fuisse non aliter ac siquis Dioecesanos pronunciaret hoc est In hac Parochia seu Dioecesi ordinatos titulatos But surely whilst Presbyters rarely preached there were either Churches that had no preaching which cannot be proved or else few Assemblies that had not Bishops Obj. But then you make Lay Elders of the Presbyters Ans They were the abler sort of Christians ordained to the same Ministerial or Sacerdotal Office as all true Ministers are But few of them being Learned men and able to make long Sermons were imployed only as the Bishops assistants as elders are among the Presbyterians who if they would but ordain those Elders and let them have power over the word and Sacraments though only to exercise it under the Bishops or chief Pastors guidance when there was cause they would come nearest to the ancient use XXIII And it seemeth to me an evidence that the Churches then were usually but as narrow as I assert that the Presbyters were to abide with the Bishop and attend him in his City Church For if you suppose them able to Teach or guide a flock themselves as some were such as Augustine Macarius Ephrem Syrus Tertullian c. it is scarce credible to me that the Bishop would suffer such worthy persons to sit among his Auditors when there were many countrey congregations that needed their help For that the Church was so supplied with Preachers as that besides all these Presbyters in the Bishops Church there were enow for all the rest of the countrey Parishes as now is contrary to all the intimations of Church-History And therefore when we read of so many Presbyters with the Bishop before we read of many or scarce any elsewhere surely there were no people that needed them XXIV And yet though great Cities had many with the Bishop I may add that the paucity of Presbyters under the generality of Bishops sheweth that their Dioceses then were but like Parish Churches with their Chappels Or else Aurelius and the other Bishops in the Carthage Council needed not have been in doubt whether those Bishops that had but one or two Presbyters should have one taken from them to make a Bishop of which was yet affirmatively decreed because there may be more found fit to make Presbyters of where it 's hard to find any fit to be Bishops I will speak it in the words of the learned Bishop Bilsons Perpet Govern c. 13. p. 256. In greater Churches they had great numbers of Presbyters In smaller they had often two somewhere one and sometimes none And yet for all this defect of Presbyters the Bishops then did not refrain to impose hands without them The number of Presbyters in many places were two in a Church as Ambrose writeth on 1 Tim. 3. sometimes but one In the third Council Carthag when it was agreed that the Primate of that City might take the Presbyters of every Diocese and Ordain them Bishops for such places as desired them though the Bishop under whom the Presbyter before lived were unwilling to spare him Posthumianus a Bishop demanded what if a Bishop have but one only Presbyter must that one be taken from him Aurelius the Bishop of Carthage answered One Bishop may Ordain many Presbyters but a Presbyter fit for a Bishoprick is not easily found wherefore if a man have but one only Presbyter and fit for the room of a Bishop he ought to yield that one to be Ordained Posthumianus replied Then if another Bishop have a number of Clerks that others store should relieve him Aurelius answered Surely as you helped another Church so he that hath many Clerks shall be driven to spare you one of them to be ordained by you A Diocese such as is intimated here we do not strive against XXIV Another evidence is that when ever we read of persecution turning the Christians out of their Churches you ever find them gathered into one Congregation when they could have leisure and place to meet in and usually a Bishop with them unless he were banished imprisoned or martyred and then some Presbyter supplied the place or unless they were scattered into many little parcels And you find no talk of the persecution of multitudes of Countrey Presbyters afar off but of the Bishop with his City Presbyters and Church To which add that it was One Church still which rejected obtruded Bishops and refused to obey the Emperour who imposed them All this is manifest in Gregory Neocaesar his flight with Musonius and the state of his Church In the Case of Basil and of Lucius the obtruded Bishop at Alexandria and in the Case of Antioch before described and of Rome it self It 's tedious to cite numerous testimonies in a well known case If Alexandria was in such a case or near it I hope you will doubt of no other Churches And that with this you may see what Conventicles the Christians kept when the Emperours forbad them and how resolutely the Bishops preached when the Emperours silenced them I will recite the words of Baronius himself and in him of Dionysius Alexandr apud Euseb lib. 7. c. 10. c. 17. and Cyprian ep 5. c. in Baron ad an 57. p. 542. that those who cry out against Preaching and Conventicles when they are but strong enough to drive others out of the Temples may better understand themselves Siquando c. If at any time so vehement a persecution did arise that the Christians by the Emperours edicts were utterly excluded from the Churches and assemblies notwithstanding little regarding such things they forbore not to come together in One in holy assemblies whithersoever there was opportunity This Dionys Alexand. Bishop witnesseth writing to Germanus when he mentioneth the Edicts of Valerian forbidding the Assemblies But we by Gods assistance have not abstained from our accustomed Assemblies celebrated among our selves Yea I my self did drive on certain brethren to keep the assemblies diligently as if I had converst among them And he writeth the same also to Hierax when he was banished When we were persecuted by all and put to death we celebrated the Feast with joyful minds and any place appointed us for several sorts of sufferings as the woods the desert solitudes the tossed ships the common Innes the horrid prison did seem fit to us in which we might keep our solemn Assemblies with the greatest joy That they held their Assemblies and offered sacrifice usually when it was permitted them in the prisons Cyprian witnesseth But the Acts of the holy Martyrs do fullier signifie it especially those most faithful
Prelacy to be so made And were they Christians or no Christians that made the Diocesane Form If Christians were they orderly Christians or rebellious If orderly how happened it that they were of no Church themselves when the Apostles setled so much of Church Form and Order as I have before named If rebellious they were a dishonourable original of Diocesanes And if the Church Form be not of Divine institution then the Church it self is not For forma dat nomen esse And so the cause is given up to the Brownists by these Learned moderate men so far as that there is no Church in England of Divine institution Were it not that when in general they have said that no Church Form of Government is so Divine they again so far unsay it as to confess the Parith Churches or Congregations with their Pastors to be of Divine institution and of continued necessity All that is to be said by and for them is this That the Apostles were the makers of the English or Diocesane Form but not of that only but of the Presbyterian and Independent also and so made no one necessary but left all indifferent Or that they made one of these Forms as mutable allowing men to change it Answ But 1. I have proved what they made Let them prove that they made any other of a different sort not subordinate or supraordinate if they can 2. And let them prove the mutability of that which they made and their power to change it which they assert Till one of these is proved we are or should be in possession of that which was certainly first made I am bold to conclude this argument with the speech of a bold but a wise and holy man Joh. Chrysostome de Sacerdotio lib. 3. pag. mihi 48. cap. 15. And when some Bishops have obtained that prefecture of a Province not belonging to them and others of one FAR GREATER THAN THEIR OWN proper STRENGTH CAN BEAR THEY CERTAINLY BRING TO PASS THAT THE CHURCH OF GOD SEEMETH NOTHING TO DIFFER FROM AN EURIPUS or a confused turbulent changeling thing pag. 49. AND DO NOT THESE THINGS DESERVE GODS THUNDERBOLT A THOUSAND TIMES ARE THEY NOT WORTHY TO BE PUNISHED WITH THE FIRE OF HELL NOT THAT hell WHICH THE HOLY SCRIPTURES THREATEN TO US BUT EVEN OF ONE THAT IS FAR MORE GRIEVOUS Forgive the words my Lords They are not mine but Chrysostome's or if you will not forgive the citing of them I will bear it as he did the like Only I will abate you in my prognostication or sentence that far sorer hell fire than the Scripture threameth supposing this will be sharp enough even for the most dispersing silencing persecuting Prelate and imputing those words to honest Chrysostome's vehement Oratory And I 'le tell you what went next before these words And they do not only take in the unworthy into the Priesthood but they cast out the worthy For as if they had agreed both ways to spoil the Church of God and the first cause were not enough to kindle the wrath of God they add the second or worse to the former For I judge it equally pestilent to drive out the Profitable and to take in the unprofitable which certainly they do that the flock of Christ may from no part either find consolation or be able to take breath O what would this man have said had he lived now in England CHAP. XI Argument 3. From the destruction of the order of Presbyters of Divine Institution and the Invention of a new order of Sub-half-Presbyters in their stead ARGUMENT III. THe office of Presbyters instituted by the Holy Ghost containeth an Obligation and Authority to Guide by Doctrine Worship and Discipline the flocks committed to their care But the office of a Diocesane being one only Bishop over many score or hundred Congregations is destructive of that office of Presbyters which containeth an obligation and authority to Guide by Doctrine Worship and Discipline or the exercise of the Church keys the flocks committed to their care Therefore the office of such a Diocesane is destructive of the office of Presbyters instituted by the Holy Ghost The Major is thus proved by the Enumeration of the Acts which contain the general office and by the proof of the General power extending to those Acts viz. 1. They that had the Authority and Obligation to exercise the Church keys in the Scripture sence had the authority and obligation to Guide their flocks by Doctrine Worship and Discipline But the Presbyters of the Holy Ghosts institution had the authority and obligation to exercise the Church keys in the Scripture sence Ergo they had authority and obligation to Guide their flocks by Doctrine Worship and Discipline 2. Again The office which contained an Authority and Obligation to Teach Exhort Rebuke publickly and privately to judge of persons baptizable and to baptize them to Pray Praise God and administer the Lords Supper to the Church and to judge of them that are to receive it to watch over them privately and publickly to Excommunicate the obstinately impenitent and absolve the penitent doth contain authority and obligation to Guide that flock by Doctrine Worship and Discipline But such is the Office of Presbyters as instituted by the Holy Ghost Ergo c. Here note 1. That I am not now medling with the Questions Whether such Presbyters hold this power in subordination to any superiour Bishops nor whether there lie any appeal from them to a higher power in the Church 2. Nor am I now questioning Whether in Scripture sence Bishops and Presbyters are all one in Name or thing 3. But that which I maintain is 1. That there is no proof in Scripture that God ever instituted any order of Presbyters which had not the forementioned power of the keys 2. And that God did institute such an Order of Presbyters as had that power de nomine de re And 3. That the Diocesane Office destroyeth such and setteth up others in their stead What God instituted I will prove 1. Out of the Scripture records 2. Out of the History of the Church which long retained them in some degree CHAP. XII That God instituted such Presbyters as had the foresaid power of the Keys in Doctrine Worship and Discipline and no other proved by the Sacred Scriptures THat God instituted such Presbyters and no other I shall prove by the enumeration and perusal of all the Texts of Scripture which mention them viz. as instituted in the New Testament and now in force Act. 14. 23. When they had Ordained them Elders in every Church Compared with Tit. 1. 5. That thou shouldest Ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee 7. For a Bishop must be blameless as the steward of God And his power is described v. 11 13. Ch. 2. 1 7 15. and 3. 10. intimate it Compare this with 1 Tim. 3. 1 2 5 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be
after one Bishops death another was not chosen As before the choice of Fabian's successor you may see by the Epistles of the Roman Clergy to Cyprian Marcion was expelled by the Roman Presbytes sede vacante Epiphan Haeres 42. And if they had the power over one another more over the flock And I need bring no particular proofs of this For when Bishops have been banished imprisoned dead and the seat vacant a year yea divers years together as it hath been at Rome was the Church no Church all that time Had it no Government Was there no power of the Keys Was the Church laid common to all This instance is so full as nothing can be said against it but that it was in Case of Necessity But that only proveth that it is the Presbyters office work though out of a case of necessity they must do it with the Bishop and not without him But a Lay-man may not do a Presbyters proper work on such a pretence However the Church by this practice hath declared it's judgment in the case VII Concil Carthag 4. Can. 23. is Ut Episcopus nullius causam audiat absque praesentia Clericorum suorum Alioquin irrita erit sententia Episcopi nisi Clericorum praesentia confirmetur If it be said that here is no mention of their Consent but of their Presence only I answer It is a presence necessary to the Confirmation of the Bishops sentence and the presence of Dissenters would rather infirm the sentence more than their absence than confirm it And the conjunct Canons shew that it is Consent that is meant For Can. 32. it 's said Irrita erit donatio Episcoporum vel venditio vel commutatio rei Ecclesiasticae absque conniventia subscriptione Clericorum where such a Connivence is meant as is joyned with subscription And if subscription of the Presbyters was necessary in these cases no less than Consent is meant in the other Which is yet more apparent by those following Canons which forbid the Bishop to Ordain without his Clergy or to accuse any of them but by proof in a Synod or to suffer a Presbyter to stand while he sitteth And the Canons that place the Bishop in consessu Presbyterorum and set him in the midst of them in the same seat in the Church and call him their Colleague The Canons which make the Presbyters Governours of the Rural Churches and make the Deacons servants to them of which the number is too great to be now recited Even here Can. 22. it 's said Episcopus sine Concilio Clerioorum suorum Clericos non ordinet Ita ut Civium assensum conniventiam testimonium quaerat And if not sine concilio * then not contra consilium And if the consent of the Laity be necessary sure the Clergies is so too Can. 29. Episcopus si Clerico vel Laico crimen imposuerit deducatur ad probationem in Synodum Can. 30. Caveant Judices Ecclesiae ne absente eo cujus causa ventilatur sententiam proferant quia irrita erit imo causam in Synodo profacto dabunt And if a Bishop must not so much as accuse but in a Synod on proof much lefs might he be judge alone Can. 33. appointeth that Bishops or Presbyters shall be invited to preach and consecrate the Oblation when they come into strange Churches So for there was no difference Can. 34. Ut Episcopus in quolibet loco sedens stare Presbyterum non patiatur 35. Ut Episcopus in Ecclesia in consessu Presbyterorum sublimior sedeat Intra domum vero Collegam Presbyterorum se esse cognoscat Can. 36. Presbyteri qui per Dioeceses Ecclesias regunt c. Can 37. Diaconus ita se Presbyteri ut Episcopi ministrum esse cognoscat vid. Can. 38 39 40. Yea even in Ordination it is said Can. 2. Presbyterquum Ordinatur Episcopo eum benedicente manum super ejus tenente etiam omnes Presbyteri qui praesentes sunt manus suas juxta manum Episcopi super Caput illius teneant Et Can. 3. Diaconus quum ordinatur solus Episcopus qui eum benedicit manus super caput illius ponat quia non ad Sacerdotium sed ad ministerium consecratur So that Priesthood was to be conferred by the hands of Priests and the Bishop's alone was not enough But Deacons might be Ordained by a Bishop without Presbyters What need I tire the Reader with other Councils testimonies when this though called Provincial having 214 Bishops and among them Aurelius Augustine c. is no less valuable than any General Council in the volumes of the Councils VIII In the Arabick Canons of the Concil Nic. 1. which I cite not for their justification but as testifying the matter of fact in the times of which they were written whensoever it was it 's said Can. 47. After one Bishop is forbid to absolve him that another hath Excommunicated Eadem Lex erit de Sacerdote id est Ut nullus Sacerdos solvat aut liget quem alius Sacerdos solverit aut ligaverit quamdiu ille qui solvit aut ligavit vixerit Post mortem vero successor ejus solvet quem mortuus ligavit sed debet Episcopus praeesse huic negotio Neque convenit ut Episcopus aut Archiepiscopus solvat aut liget eum qui digne a Sacerdote solutus aut ligatus fuit quamdiu ille qui solvit aut ligavit vixerit Here you see the Priest may bind and loose and that in foro Ecclesiastico yea so fast that no Bishop or Archbishop may loose or bind contrarily during his life Then Presbyters had the Keys And Can 57. according to other Canons cited before they say The Arch-Presbyter in the Bishops absence shall be honoured as the Bishop because he is in his place and let him be the Head of the Priests who are under his power in the Church with all that the Archdeacon is over And if one Presbyter may Rule the rest as a Bishop the Government of the flock is not above their Order or place If it be said that he doth it as the Bishops Deputy it is answered oft enough before Spiritual Power or Pastoral is deputable to none but such as are of the same Order which is not properly a deputation IX Presbyters had power to Baptize and to celebrate the Lords Supper Therefore they had power to judge who were Baptizable and who were capable of the Lords Supper For 1. Else they would not do it as Christs Ministers but as the executioners of anothers judgment And if so they may give both Sacraments to Turks and Infidels if they be bid And then indeed the Priest is not the Baptizer or Consecrater Morally but the Bishop doth it by the Priest All which are false And a Presbyter may preach and Baptize in any Infidel Kingdom where no Bishop hath any Diocese and this as an ordinary case in Turky Tartary China Japan c. And what Bishop
brought And much he hath elsewhere which granteth that the Presbyters are Church governours though not in equality with the Bishops V. Dr. Field lib. 5. c. 27. shewing how the Apostles first limiting and fixing of Pastors to particular Churches was a giving them Jurisdiction saith this assigning to men having the power of order the persons to whom they were to minister holy things and of whom they were to take the care and the subjecting of such persons to them gave them the power of Jurisdiction which they had not before And As another of my Rank cannot have that Jurisdiction within my Church as I have but if he will have any thing to do there he must be inferiour in degree to me so we read in the Revelation of the Angel of the Church of Ephesus c. So that with him a Bishop is but one of the Presbyters of the same Rank having the first charge of the Church as every Incumbent in respect to his Curates and so above his Curates in Degree And As the Presbyters may do nothing without the Bishop so he may do nothing in matters of greatest moment without their presence and advice Conc. Carthag 4. c. 23. It is therefore most false that Bellarmine saith that Presbyters have no power of Jurisdiction For it is most clear and evident that in all Provincial Synods Presbyters did sit give voices and subscribe as well as Bishops And the Bishops that were present in General Councils bringing the resolution and consent of the provincial Synods of those Churches from whence they came in which Synods Presbyters had their voices they had a kind of consent to the decrees of General Councils also and nothing was passed in them without their concurrence And Chap. 49. The Papists think that this is the peculiar right of Bishops But they are clearly refuted by the universal practice of the whole Church from the beginning For in all Provincial and National Synods Presbyters did ever give voice and subscribe in the very same sort that Bishops did whether they were assembled to make Canons of Discipline to hear Causes or to define doubtful points of doctrine And that they did not anciently sit and give decisive voices in General Councils the reason was not because they have no interest in such deliberations and resolutions but because seeing all cannot meet in Councils that have interest in such business â—but some must be deputed for and authorized by the rest it was thought fit that the Bishops So here are Bishops authorized by Presbyters as their Deputies in the greatest affairs in General Councils He proceedeth to prove this by instances Concil Later sub Innoc. 3. c. VI. Even Archbishop Whitgift maintaineth as Doctor Stillingfleet hath collected Iren. pag. 394. that No kind of Government is expressed in the word or can necessarily be concluded thence No form of Church Government is by the Scriptures commanded to the Church of God or prescribed And Doctor Stillingfleet there citeth many testimonies to prove this the judgment of the Church of England And if so it must be only men and not God who make any difference between a Presbyter and a Bishop in the point of Jurisdiction VII Bishop Bilson Perpet Govern p. 16. c. 391. saith The Synod of Antioch which deposed Paulus Samosat as Eusebius sheweth lib. 7. c. 38. in Concil Eliber about the time of the first Nicene Council sate Bishops and Presbyters even 36. In the second Concil Arelat About the same time subscribed twelve Presbyters besides Deacons So in Concil Rom. sub Hilario Gregor where 34 Presbyters subscribed after 22 Bishops And in the first sub Symmach where after 72 Bishops subscribed 67 Presbyters So in the third fifth and sixth under the same Symmachus Felix had a council of 43 Bishops and 74 Presbyters The Concil Antisiod c 7. saith Let all the Presbyters being called come to the Synod in the City Concil Tolet. 4. c. 3. saith Let the Bishops assembled go to the Church together and sit according to the time of their Ordination After all the Bishops are entred and set let the Presbyters be called and the Bishops sitting in a compass let the Presbyters sit behind them and the Deacons stand before them Even in the General Council at Lateran sub Innoc. 3. were 482 Bishops and 800 Abbots and Priors conventual saith Platina Thus Bilson and more VIII To the same purpose writeth the Greatest Defender of Prelacy Bishop Downam Def. lib. 1. c. 2. sect 11. pag. 43 44. and the places before cited out of him professing that the Bishop hath but a chief and not sole jurisdiction IX Bishop Ushers judgment is fully opened in his Model which we offered to the King and Bishops in vain and which he owned to me with his own mouth X. Because the citing of mens words is tedious I add that All those whom I cited Christ Concord p. 57 c. to shew that they judge the Presbyters Ordination may be lawful and valid do much more thereby infer that they are not void of a Governing power over their own flocks viz. 1. Dr. Field lib. 3. c. 32. 2. Bishop Downam Def. lib. 3. c. 4. p. 108. 3. Bishop Jewel Def. of Apol. Part 2. p. 131. 4. Saravia De divers Min. Grad cap. p. 10 11. 5. Bishop Alley Poor mans Libr. Prelect 3. 6. p. 95 96. 6. Bishop Pilkington 7. Bishop Bridges 8. Bishop Bilson Of Subject p. 540 541 542 233 234 c. 9. Alex. Nowel 10. Grotius de imper 11. Mr. Chisenhall 12. Lord Digby then a Protestant 13. Bishop Davenant Determ Q. 42. p. 191 192. 14. Bishop Prideaux cont de Disciplin Eccles p. 249. 15. Bishop Andrews 16. Chillingworth To which I add 17. Bishop Bramhall in his Answer to Mileterius's Epistle to the King 18. Dr. Steward's Answer to Fountains Letter 19. Dr. Fern. 20. Mason at large 21. Bishop Morton Apolog. XI Spalatensis is large to prove the power of the Keys to belong in common to Presbyters as such I cited the words before Lib. 5. c. 9. n. 2. c. 2. n. 48 c. XII Even Gropperus the Papist pleadeth in the Council of Trent for the restoring of Synods of Presbyters instead of Officials the thing so much detested in England as that all we undergo must rather be endured yet saith Gropperus Restore the Synodals which are not subject to so great corruption removing those Officers by whom the world is so much scandalized because it is not possible that Germany should endure them The Spaniards and Dutch men willingly heard this but not the rest Hist p. 334. lib. 4. XIII The opinion of Paulus himself the author of that History is so fully and excellently laid down of the Original of the Bishops grandeur and of the manner of introducing the Ecclesiastical Courts by the occasion of Pacifications Arbitrations and Constantines Edict as that I intreat the Reader to turn to and peruse p. 330 331
that the Presbyters office which was instituted by God and used by the ancient Churches contained an obligation and Authority not only to Teach and Worship but also the rest of the Power of the Keys to Rule the Churches committed to their care not by the sword or force but by a pastoral perswasive power judging who is to be taken in and put out and what persons are fit objects for the respective exercises of their own Ministerial acts which was the thing I was engaged to make good CHAP. XV. Whether this Government belonging to the office of Presbyters be in foro Ecclesiae exteriore or only in foro Conscientiae interiore THe last shift that some Prelatists have is to distinguish between the forum internum Conscientiae poenitentiale and the forum externum Ecclesiasticum and to tell us that indeed Presbyters have the Power of the Keys in private or in the first sense but not in Publick or in the second Answ 1. Note that the question is not whether they have the sole power or the chief power or with what limitations it is fit for them to exercise it nor what appeals there should be from them But whether the power of the Keys be part of their office 2. That the question is not of the power of Governing the Church by the sword which belongeth to the King and is Extrinsick to the Pastoral office and to the being of the Church As protecting the Church punishing Church-offenders corporally c. For this is proper to the Magistrate and belongeth neither to Bishops nor Presbyters as such We claim no part with the Prelates in any such secular Government as their Courts use except when they come to Excommunication and Absolution At least no coercive power at all 3. All the question is of the power of the Keys of Admission Conduct and Exclusion of judging who shall have Sacraments and Church-Communion with our assemblies that is Who shall be pronounced fit or unfit for it by our selves And that this belongeth to Presbyters in foro publico Ecclesiae I prove 1. Because they are Publick officers or Pastors over that Church and therefore their power of the Keys is a publick Church power else they had none of the Keys as Pastors of that Church at all For the Keys are to Let in and put out They are the Church Keys and he that hath power only to speak secretly to a single person doth not thereby take in to the Church or put any out nor Guide them publickly A man that is a Minister at least may convince satisfie comfort any mans conscience in secret of what Church soever he be even as he is a member of the Universal Church But he that is a publick Officer and Governour of the Church may publickly Govern the Church But a Presbyter is a publick officer and Governour Ergo. 2. The rest of his office may be publickly performed Coram Ecclesia and not in secret only He may Preach to the Church Pray with the Church Praise God with them Give them the Sacrament Therefore by parity of Reason he may publickly exercise discipline unless any by-accident pro tempore forbid it 3. Else he must be made a meer Instrument of another and not a rational free Agent and Minister of Christ Yea perhaps more like to an Asse who may carry Bread and Wine to the Church or like a Parrot that may say what he is bid than a man who hath a discerning judgment what he is to do I must publickly baptize and publickly preach and pray and publickly give the Lords Body and Bloud And if I must be no Judge my self to whom I must do this then 1. Either I may and must do it to any one without offending God to whom the Bishop bids me do it And if so I may Excommunicate the faithful and curse Gods children and absolve the most notoriously wicked if the Bishop bid me And how come they to have more power than King Balak had over Balaam or than a Christian Emperour had over Chrysostom He that saith to the wicked Thou art righteous Nations shall curse him people shall abhor him Prov. 24. 24. Wo to them that call evil good and good evil But what if the Bishop bid them If I may not preach lies or heresies if the Bishop bid me then I may not lyingly curse the faithful nor bless the wicked if he bid me If I may not forbear preaching the Gospel meerly for the will of man when God calleth me to it much less may I speak slanders yea and lie in the name of God when men bid me The French Priest did wiselier than so that being bid from the Pope to Curse and Excommunicate the Emperour said I know not who it is that is in the right and who is in the wrong but I do Excommunicate him that is in the wrong whoever he be 2. Or else it will follow that I am bound to sin and damn my soul thereby whenever the Bishop will command me which is a contradiction 3. Or else it will follow that I am a beast that am not to judge or know what I do and therefore my acts are neither sin nor duty 4. If he have not the Keys to use publickly in foro Ecclesiae he hath no power of Excommunication and Restitution at all For to Excommunicater is publickly to notifie to the Church that this person is none of them nor to be communicated with and to charge them to avoid his company 5. The Bishops themselves put the Presbyters to proclaim or read the Excommunication and if this be any Ministerial or Pastoral act certainly it is in foro Ecclesiae 6. Most of the Acts before named as their concessions as to be in the Convocation c. are acts in foro publico 7. The full proofs before brought from Antiquity of Presbyters sitting in Councils Judging Excommunicating c. are of publick not private exercise of the Keys 8. They are the same Keys or Office power which Christ hath committed to the Pastors even the Guidance of his Church to feed his lambs And ubi Lex non distinguit non est distinguendum Where doth Christ or Scripture say You shall use the Keys of Church-power privately but not in the Church or publickly 9. All this striving against Power in the Ministers of Christ is but striving against their duty work and the ends and benefits of it He that hath no Power for publick discipline hath no obligation to use it and so he is to neglect it And this is it that the Devil would have to keep a thousand or many hundred Pastors in a Diocese from doing the publick work of Discipline And as if he could confine Preaching to Diocesans only And I verily believe they are better of the two at Preaching than at Discipline he knoweth that it is but few souls of many thousands that would be taught Even so when he can confine Church discipline to the Diocesanes
and as his instrument that he doth not in the distinct person of a Presbyter He that payeth money or delivereth possession in his Masters name doth it not in his own So that if really they mean as they say that quoad personam legalem quamvis non naturalem it be the Bishop that doth Teach and Officiate per alios then no Presbyter is indeed endued with any power of Teaching Officiating or Ruling in the person of a Presbyter but only to be the Servant and Instrument of the Diocesane 2. No Presbyter hath power to judge whom he shall Baptize or whom to refuse but is to Baptize all without any exception that have Godfathers and Godmothers who will but say the words in the book The Canon 78. is No Minister shall refuse or delay to Christen any Child according to the book of Common prayer that is brought to the Church to him upon Sundays or Holidays to be Christened Else suspended three months from his Ministry Yea that is it that pays for all So Can. 79. he is bound to do in houses in case of danger Yet Can. 29. No Parent shall be urged to be PRESENT nor be admitted to answer as Godfather for his own child Now the Liturgy requireth not any Godfather to Adopt the Child and take it for his own Nor doth it allow us to refuse the Children of Turks Jews or Heathens And if these Godfathers be known Atheists Turks Jews or Heathens or the filthiest Adulterers or wicked persons if they did ever in their lives receive the Sacrament and will say as the Book bids them the Priest cannot refuse the Child But if the godliest Parent can get none to be such Godfathers or Godmothers his Child must not be Baptized I told the Bishops my self that I had a notorious Infidel boasted that he would bring his Child to be baptized and say the words of the book and see who durst refuse it And I was answered that if the Child had Godfathers there was no scruple but I should Baptize him But when I ask what if these Infidels professedly such be the Godfathers and say before-hand I will say those words and refuse me if you dare they have nothing to say that common reason should regard Now he that is but sent to Baptize those even all whomsoever that others bid him baptize and hath no more discerning or judging power of the persons capacity than a Lay-man hath is in this no Presbyter but a Prelates messenger or servant 3. They have no power to instruct admonish or reprove in secret or publick or in their own houses any one Ignorant Heretical Infidel Atheistical or scandalous wicked man that will but refuse to speak with them or to hear them And yet he must give this person the Sacrament at least till he prove that by him which his refusal to speak to him maketh impossible to be publickly proved If I have great reason by some private occasional speech or report to believe that many of the Parish know no more of Christ than Pagans do or that they among their own companions who will not accuse them profess Atheism Infidelity or Heresie or if after scandalous fames I would admonish them to repent If they refuse to speak with me or suffer me not to come and speak to them I have no remedy but must still continue them in the Communion of the Church Obj. You would not have such men forced your self Answ But I would not be forced then my self to give him the Sacrament of Communion as his Pastor who refuseth to speak with me or to hear me as his Pastor but would have power to refuse that Pastoral administration to him that refuseth the rest 4. They have no power to judge of the fitness of any one for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in point of knowledge faith or Covenanting with God nor whether he understand what the Sacrament is any more than an Infidel or ideot so be it the Bishop do but confirm him in his childhood or he will say that he is ready to be confirmed Indeed all are required to send their children to be Catechised But 1. few Ministers use it 2. few persons in a parish come 3. If they refuse we cannot prevent their further communicating 4. It is but to say over the words of that Catechism which they are called to which experience tells us children will do like Parrots without understanding what they say And we must not ask them any other questions It is true also that they who are confirmed by the Bishop should bring a Certificate from the Minister that they can say the Creed Lords prayer Commandments c. But they may choose and not one of many doth it I went my self at thirteen years of age or fourteen to the worthy Bishop Morton with the rest of the School-boyes without any Certificate and without any examination he hastily said as he passed on three or four lines of a prayer over us when I knew not what he said And after this no Minister can refuse any one at age the Sacrament The Rubrick saith They should openly own their Baptism c. But few do it and none can be refused for not doing it And so the transition from the number of Infant members into the number of the adult is made without the Ministers Consent Though the Kings Declaration once yielded to the contrary And Communicants croud upon him in utter ignorance because they were Baptized in Infancy Nay few in a Parish not one of many hundred of my acquaintance is ever confirmed by the Bishop at all so much as ceremoniously or regard it 5. They have no power to choose what Chapter they will read to the Church in publick though a word before the Homilies lib. 2. seemed once to allow it them But every day in the year even week-days and Holidays they are tyed up to the Chapters imposed on them though Bell and the Dragon Judith Susanna Tobit and other Apocryphal writings be appointed for Lessons even about 106 Chapters of the Apocrypha in two months And though any scandal or other occasion in his Church would direct him to choose some other subject for the peoples good 6. He hath no power to choose what words to use in his publick prayers to God no not to use any that are not written for him to read out of the book And though custom hath so used Ministers to pray without book in the pulpit yet this is but connived at because it cannot easily be remedied One of them wrote a book against it as answering that part of our Savoy Reply 1660 Dr. Heylin hath largely laboured to prove that it is contrary to the Canon which indeed doth seem express against it And that 's not all However their Consciences digest it all the Conformists in England do subscribe as ex animo a covenant or promise that they will use the form in the said book prescribed in publick prayer and
it is not actual confirmation which they think necessary But a Desire of Confirmation by the imposition of the Diocesanes hands is made a thing necessary to Christian Church Communion 12. As it is before said that he hath no power to judge who shall be Confirmed and admitted into the Rank of Communicating members so he hath no power at all effectually to keep away the grossest offenders or to forbear his own actual putting the Sacrament into their hands For though the Canon seem to favour his power and the Rubrick say somewhat the same way yet it is to be noted 1. That whereas the Rubrick alloweth him to advertise the scandalous not to come to the Sacrament yet it is only the contentious that have injured others and are not reconciled whom he is plainly enabled to refuse 2. Among those that he may advertise not to come the grosly ignorant who know not what Christ or the Sacrament is the Atheist Infidel and Heretick are not numbred at all but an open and notorious evil liver or that hath done wrong to his neighbours 3. And if he be never so wicked yet unless also The Congregation be thereby offended the Curate cannot hinder him or so much as advertise him not to come And so if only a few Godly persons be offended they are not the Congregation or if the Minor part be offended they are not the Congregation And how shall the Minister know whether the Major part be offended For he hath no power to ask them much less to put it to the Vote And the Major part will never come to him nor be accusers And if the Major part which is no wonder be themselves so Ignorant Heretical or ungodly as not to be offended but rather to take the Sinners part then the Curate must give them all the Sacrament and hath no remedy 4. And he that must not live in Taverns Alehouses Play-houses or other places of wickedness specially if he live as Chrysostome did who never did so much as eat with any one in his own house may have most of his Communicants to be abominable and flagitious before it will be Notorious to him for as is said He hath no power to call any to witness any thing that are unwilling And few will be willing to enrage their neighbours when they foreknow that it will do more hurt than good 5. And if he do refuse any one he is bound to become an Informer and to give an account of the same to the Ordinary within fouteen days at the farthest Whenas 1. Perhaps he may dwell many score miles off 2. And have his studies and all other business on his hands 3. And must then bring his proofs when he is not enabled to examine any witness nor take proof of that which to all others is notorious 4. It is a great doubt whether the Sinner have not his remedy at Law against him to his undoing if he lay not by all his other business to prosecute the proof to the utmost And if he do lay by the rest of his work that while the Bishop may undoe him or suspend him 5. By this means he shall more exasperate the Sinners by prosecuting them to such a Court as the Prelates and harden them against all profiting by his Ministry than if by his Pastoral office he had himself first lovingly convinced them and suspended them only till they repent 6. When he hath all done if the sinner pay his fees and say He repenteth the Chancellor is to Absolve him And so the Curate doth only to his own vexation and the Sinners hurt deny him the Sacrament but once And if the wrath or scorns of the Sinner shew that he was far from true Repentance the Curate cannot deny him the Sacrament the next day nor ever after till he not only again commit the same sin Adultery Perjury Drunkenness c. but till it be again notorious and he will be again at the same trouble in the prosecution 7. And there are few great Parishes in England where there are no Swearers Drunkards Railers Fighters Fornicators Adulterers and such like enow to hold a Curate work through the whole year to prosecute them though he lay by almost all his other work so that by this way if he keep such from the Sacrament he must keep all away by ceasing his Ministerial work 8. The Curate cannot refuse him till he hath called and advertised him whereas the person may refuse to come to him at least by pretending business and other excuses All these things make this which seemeth his most considerable power to be in effect but next to none 13. The Curate hath no power when any person is obstinate and impenitent in the most notorious scandal or heresie or endeavoureth to pervert others to admonish him before all that others may beware nor to call him openly to Repentance 14. Nor hath he any power to judge who shall be Excommunicated as impenitent be the crime never so heinous or notorious no not so much as to concur in this power with any Bishop Chancellor or Presbyters any more than any Lay-man hath He can but Accuse them and so may an Apparitor or Church-warden or Read the Bishops or Chancellors Excommunication as he doth the Kings Proclamations or as the Clerk doth other writings 15. He hath no power to absolve publickly any person Excommunicated no more than a Lay man but as aforesaid to read the Absolution 16. He hath no power to forbear his own act of Reading an Excommunication against the faithfullest and most religious persons in his Parish whom it shall please the Bishop or Chancellor to Excommunicate that is usually a Nonconformist or a Churchwarden who dare not swear to their large books of Articles to persecute the Nonconformists c. or one that appeareth not at their Courts or a poor man that doth not pay their fees c. The poor Curate must read the Curse against them 17. He hath no power himself to forbear the open Reading of an Absolution of the most impenitent wicked man whom it shall please the Chancellor to absolve And how easily that is procured for any man that is but Rich and Conformable is well known 18. The Curate hath no power so much as to Baptize the holiest believer or the Child of such as do but fear lest it be a Sin to use the Transient Image of the Cross as a humane symbol of Christianity and an engaging dedicating sign that he will not be ashamed to profess the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against the Devil the world and the flesh and to continue Christs faithful servant and souldier to his lifes end If the person to be baptized were a Turk or a Jew who both hate Idolatry and should be so scandalized at this Transient Image and humane Symbol as that they would rather never be Christians or be Baptized than receive it yet must the poor Priest let
them go without Christianity rather than Baptize them without this Image of a Cross unless he will be suspended from preaching Christs Gospel to the ignorant that they may be saved But if he will bear that he may do what he will that so poor souls may be the losers 19. If the commonest whore or wicked woman come to be Churched as they call it after child-bearing the Priest must use all the Office of thanksgiving without first expecting her repentance as if she were the chastest person And must give her the Sacrament 20. To conclude no Priest as such till Licensed hath power to take upon them to expound in his own Cure or elsewhere and therefore not to his family or any one of his ignorant neighbours any Scripture or matter or Doctrine But shall only study to Read plainly and aptly without glossing or adding the Homilies c. Are these Authorized Priests that may not so much as tell a Child the meaning of his Catechism or any Article of the Faith No though an ignorant person ask him The Priests lips should preserve knowledge and the Law should be enquired of at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts But an English Priest may not expound any Matter Scripture or Doctrine but barely Read till the Bishop License him Obj. If they be not able it will do more harm than good Answ Will the righteous God be always mocked and suffer men to make merchandice of Souls and to vilifie them and set them at cheaper rates than they would do a goose a pig or a dog Is this a fit answer for those that are their Ordainers under whose examination and hands all men enter into the Ministery Will they say that they can get no better What not when they have made so many Canonical Engines to keep out better What not when such as Cartwright Hildersham Amesius Parker Dod Ball c. are cast out as unworthy When so many hundred were silenced in Queen Elizabeth and King James's days and Eighteen Hundred of us now When the Bishops have got so many Laws to hinder us from Preaching in publick and private and to banish us five miles from all Cities Corporations and places where we have preached When none but their sworn Curates Subscribers Declarers c. may preach yet can they get no better Will they keep up a Ministry whom they will themselves so ignominiously stigmatize as to tell the world that none of them all as Presbyters may be endured to expound any Scripture Doctrine or Matter but barely to Read Yea as if they would disswade them from all Learning of Humanity or Divinity as needless or hurtful things they say he shall only study to Read plainly and aptly So that he that studieth for any more than to Read doth break the Canons of the Prelatical Church Also a Priest as such hath no power to judge what Garments he shall wear nor of what colour at home or abroad He hath no power to judge in what house he may instruct or pray with any of his flock nor when so much as with his Church in publick or with any sick or afflicted neighbour in private to Fast and Pray But they are all straitly forbidden to preach or administer the Sacraments except to the sick in private houses To preach or officiate in any room save a Consecrated Chappel even in a Noblemans house To keep publick or private fasts To give the Sacrament to any that are not of their own Parish at least if they go from their own Priest because he never studied more than to Read They have not power to admit any other how Learned and Holy soever to preach in their Churches as Presbyters without Licence All these shew their Priestly power Obj. But a Surrogate may Excommunicate Answ 1. That is but ludicrous pro forma 2. Or else it is but their self-condemnations while they allow one Presbyter of a thousand to do that which all the rest are forbidden The same I say of Arch-deacons and peculiar Ordinaries Object They make Canons in Convocations and choose Convocation Priests Answ 1. It is but two Priests of many hundred that are in a Convocation And what 's that to all the rest 2. Choosing is not a Governing act Where the people choose Kings and Parliament men it proveth not that they have any Government themselves The Laity ever formerly chose their Bishops and yet were no Bishops nor Church Rulers 3. It is in the Bishops power to frustrate their choice For when they have chosen four he may put by two of them In this great Convocation which hath new moulded our Liturgy which hath formed the Engines that have done what is done the great and famous City of London had not one chosen Clerk in the Convocation No wonder then if they Conform not as not being bound by their own Consent For when they chose Mr. Calamy and my self the Bishop refused us both which I am so far from mentioning in discontent that I take it to have been a greater Mercy than I can well express 4. I take not Canon-making to be any considerable part of the Pastoral Office If two of many hundred have power to please the Plural Number of Prelates Deans and other Dignitaries whom they cannot over-vote by serving them against the Church and their Brethren doth that prove that Presbyters as such have the Governing power of their flocks I am not striving for a power of Ruling one another much less of Excommunicating Kings and Magistrates nor a power of making Laws or Ruling Neighbour Churches But only a power of Guiding their own flocks and judging of their own actions Yea and that not as Ungoverned or without Appeals But as Ruled by Magistrates consociated for Concord with other Pastors and Ruling Volunteers And if Archbishops also Rule them by Gods Laws we shall submit CHAP. XVII That the great change of Government hitherto described the making of new species of Churches a new Episcopacy and a new sort of half-sub-presbyters with the Deposition of the old was sinfully done and not according to the intent of the Apostles THere are two pretences and no more that I know of made to justifie all this foredescribed change The first is by Dr. Hammond when he was hard put to it at last in answer to the London Ministers which is That Subpresbyters were Ordained in Saint John's time and therefore by him The second is ordinary that though de facto the Apostles setled but single Pastors without Sub-presbyters at least over single Churches or Assemblies yet this was not done with an Obligatory purpose for the so fixing of it But only de facto pro tempore as a State of immaturity with a purpose and intent that it should grow up to the change of this at maturity I. To the first Pretence I answer 1. What probability is there that one Apostle when all the rest were dead should make so great a
mean time they observe not the peoples mindes and lives much lesse do they reforme them Nor do they take care how the people grow in the knowledge of God the faith of Christ and in true Godliness They apply not themselves to the study of the Scriptures nor perswade the people to read them in their houses they neither take care of the poor and strangers nor visit the sick as little caring how and with what faith they depart And thus they discharge their Ministry neither faithfully prudently nor profitably It is indeed of great moment that they bring not strange Doctrine into the Church but teach the Scripture Doâ—â—rine and that they use not superstitious rites but are not content with simple administration of the Sacraments according to the custome of the Primitive Church But in this they are to be blamed that they do things right and profitable not from the hearts but sleightly as on the by and what is accordingly to be else done by a faithful Minister they wholly neglect While they thus Minister they do not indeed bring Errour and superstitions into the Churches as in the foregoing ages was done But in the mean time inclining to the other extreme they take the course which by degrees will bring the people into that indifferency in Religions which is the most pestilent and to drink in Epicurism the waster and extniguisher of all religion Wherefore I beseech them in the Lord that they fully performe and discharge their Ministry and not thus by the halves Thus far he describeth our ordinary better sort of the Clergie but not our Bishops And Pa. 431. They that labour more to keep up the authority of Bishops than to save the people when they cannot convince the Ministers called by the Magistrate of error do raise a question about their calling being themselves neither lawfully chosen nor called saying what Suffragane ordained you minister what Bishop called you to the office As the Priests by Christ They questioned not his work which they could find no fault with but his power so these where they cannot by Gods word defend their own errours and abuses nor disprove our true doctrine they fly to the Episcopal power and authority as if they did passess any such umblamable and lawful power when they neither discharge the office nor have the power of true Bishops wherefore let no true sincere Minister of Christ regard the barking of these men but as content with the testimony of his Conscience and his calling to teach by the Lawful Magistrate go on in the Lords work with alacrity of spirit Here he addeth the manner of their calling at Bern by the election of the Pastors and confirmation of the Magistrates and reception of the people that you may know what he meaneth by the Magistrates Call And p. 436. having told us that Christianity falleth where the election and Pastoral care of the Ministry falleth he addeth But now they that endeavour to put out the light of truth boast much of the power of Bishops arch-Arch-Bishops Metropolitanes Patriarcks and the Roman Pope where if you urge them to it they are not able to prove by any truth of divine institution that so much as this first ministerial power of Ministring in the Church is in those Bishops Arch-bishops Metropolitanes Patriarcks or Pope that is in these Church Lords Satrapes Let them prove that these are true Ministers of Christ I strive not about Episcopacy simply in it self whether it be to be numbred with Christs true Ministers But the controversie is whether such Bishops as our age too patiently tolerateth are to be numbred with Christs true Ministers It is greatly to be feared lest in the day of judgment they will hear that dreadful word from God Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not I have added more of Musculus then directly concerneth the point now in hand because I would take him all together And because the Helvetians are not accounted Presbyterians I add Bullinger Decad. 5. Serm. 3. p. mihi 377. 378. and Serm. 4. p. 383. Where he sheweth that Diocesan Bishops have not the sole power of ordination that Presbyters and Bishops were the same and had the same work and the horrid abuses that came into the Church by the degenerating of Episcopacy And Decad. 5. Serm 10. p. 491. that in latter Ages Prelates and Bishops snatching by tyranny that power of excommunication to themselves which before was used by the Pastors in Synods in common and sacrilegiously using it against the first institution had tarned a wholesome medicine into deadly poyson and made it abaminable to good and bad But I may not recite all Wagundus was no Presbyterian being superintendent of Magdeburgh first and after of Wismaria and after of Jene and after Bishop Pomeraniensis nor yet Math. Iudex yet go they the same way as may be seen Sytagm p. 1049. de excom p. 1114. de Eccles p. 1135. de Minist Should I cite all that is said by those that never were called Presbyterians about the degeneration of Episcopacy the largeness of their charge the ruine of discipline by their tyranny ambition and grasping wealth and titles when they neither will nor can perform the work I mean by Luther Melancton Illyricus Chytraeus Tzegedine Bucer Zuinglius Oecolampadius Gryneus Aretius Gualther Pet. Martyr Paraeus Chenmitius Pelargus c. I should but over-weary the Readers patience I only add that if the Churches of France Belgia Geneva and the rest of the Presbyterians and the Churches of Transilvania Hungary and formerly Poland that were Orthodox and Bobemia Brandenburgh Saxony the Palatinate c. that set up another sort of Episcopacy had found that the old or English species would have done the Ministerial works it is not credible that they would all have rejected it III. The third part of that experience which I alledge is the Bishops own 1. This is signified by their confessions before named Ar. Bishop Ushers reasons for the ancient use of Episcopacy with their Presbyters who shall be acknowledged true Church Governours over their flocks is fetcht from the need of so many to the work And Mr. Stanley Gower late of Dorchester was wont to profess being long intimate with him that he professed to him that he took a Bishop to be but primus Presbyterorum of the same order and every Presbyter a Governour of the flock And when he asked him why then he would be a Primate as he was he told him that he took it not for any part of his office as instituted by Christ but for a Collateral Dignity which the King was pleased to bestow on him for the more advantageous discharge of his Spiritual Office What Bishop Jewels opinion was to the like purpose is plain enough in his works Bishop Reignolds that now is professed to me his opinion to be the same when he took the Bishoprick and when he saw Dr. Stillingfliets book that no form of Church Government is
parts requisite thereunto or had not as yet attained to maturity of years being not much past their nonage as we have known some of them to be or in all respects undeserving persons And yet men of age and experience eminent for learning and piety must stand unveiled before such as these to receive directions and commands from them to whom they were able and fit to give the same who through the just judgment of the Almighty have since been as much and more scorned than they do now scorn others every way their superiour but in place Here he citeth such like words also even from Bishop Andrews Gonc ad Cler. with his prediction of the fall of their order for their vicious lives So p. 6. To this specious design an open way seemed to be made by the great profaness and vicious living of the opposite party who while they were zealous for conformity to the ordinances of men and thought a main part of Christian duty to depend upon the observation of them did allow themselves carnal liberty inviolating the precepts and commandements of God And this they did as from the inbred corruption which is common to all men so likewise from a private spirit of opposition against the adversaries of their cause And p. 10 11. Speaking of advantages against the Bishops and their party saith he This perchance was not the meanest that they might thus check and shame the open prophaness gross impiety irreligion and sin of their professed adversaries The which to speak truth was so eminent oft times and notorious in many of them as might startle a meer natural Conscience to hear or behold it and cause therein an abhorrence from their courses so opposite as well to right reason as sanctifying grace much more in a mind inlightened though with the smallest ray of Evangelical truth For what could be more strange or hateful to men in whom was any spark remaining of common grace or moral virtue and who were not wholly possessed with Atheism and carried on with fullest bent to libertinism and ungodly practice than to hear those that professed themselves the followers of Christ scoffing at the purest acts of his worship blaspheming or prophaning his holy name by causless Oaths fearful imprecations direful execrations and such like speeches not to be expressed again without horror and amazement And not only so but glorying likewise in this their abominable wickedness and in other of like damnable nature in lasciviousness lusts excess of wine and strong drinks revellings wherein they thought it strange that others ran not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of them How much did this their apparent and overdaring impudence in sin commend and grace the seeming Saint-like conversation of their adversaries of some of them we cannot without manifest breach of charity judge of them otherwise than that they were simple harmless well meaning men who being offended and not without cause at the corruption of the times and scandalous lives of many in the sacred office of the Ministry And indeed their strict conformity in other respects to the precepts of the Gospel with their constancy in suffering for the defence of their cause did argue as much to moderate men and not possessed with prejudicate hatred of their opinion and persons For such as these could never be induced to entertain a good conceit of them no not in the least measure but judged their best actions to be counterfeit and false and thought their greatest suffering to proceed from pride and contumacy of spirit Now as it comes to pass between those that extreamly hate one another that they endeavour as much as in them lieth to be unlike each other in manner of life so it fared in this case And p. 27. 28. The slack hand of ecclesiastical discipline was another cause of the general ignorance and prophaness of these times which reached no further for the most part to the inferior Clergy how peccant soever otherwise than in disconformity to Episcopal orders Provincial or Synodical Constitutions touching external government Neither did it call people to a due account if any of their proficiency in the knowledge of Christ Jesus or censure them for non-proficiency therein yea scarcely for gross and scandalous crimes if they were persons known to be well affected to the present Government And of the change since in 1653 when Bishops were down he saith p. 29. I can speak it on my own knowledge that a Town of good note in the Western parts of the land not far distant from the Sea heretofore famed for all manner of riot and disorder by this course of late years hath been reduced to that order and discipline that it is a rare matter to see a man there at any time distempered with wine and strong drink or to hear a rash Oath proceed from any mans mouth no not when there is most frequent concourse of people thither from all the neighbouring parts Such changes through Gods mercy were not rare till Prelacy returned Reader I cite the words of this author so tediously because many would perswade those that knew not those times that none of this was true on either side And because the Author was a very high Prelatist writing openly against their adversaries 1653. VI. Dr. Gauden after Bishop of Worcester Hiera spist pag. 287. saith I neither approve or excuse the personal faults of any particular Bishops as to the exercise of their power and authority which ought not in weighty matters to be mannaged without the presence Council and suffrages of the Presbyters such as are fit for that assistance The want of this S. Ambrose S. Hierome and all sober men * justly reprove as unsafe for the Bishops and Presbyters and the whole Church For in multitude of Counsellors is safety and honor I am sure much good they might all have done as many of them did whom these touchy times were not worthy of And p 262. 263. They have taught me to esteem the ancient and Catholick Government of Godly Bishops as Moderators and Presidents among the Presbyters in any Diocess or Precincts in its just measure and constitution for power paternal duty exercised such as was in the persecuting purest and primitive times Just such we offered them in Bishop Ushers Model p. 263 I confess after the example of the best times and judgment of the most learned in all Churches I alwayes wished such moderation on all sides that a Primitive Episcopacy which imported the authority of one grave and worthy person chosen by the consent and assisted by the presence Counsel and suffrages of many Presbyters might have been restored or preserved in this Church And this not out of any factious design but for those weighty reasons which prevail with me Add to this what he saith in Hookers life of the late Bishops and remember that this man was one of the Keenest Writers against the adversaries of the Bishops in his
the rest They have freedome from warfare and immunity of all things Being excited by so great rewards many flock to this discipline of their own accord and many are sent by their parents and kindred They are reported to learn there abundance of Verses Therefore some continue at learning twenty years And they think it not lawful to commit them to writeing for in other publick matters and private accounts for the most part they use the Greek Letters It seemeth to me that they do this for two causes because they would not have their discipline or learning made common or brought to the Vulgar nor those that learn it neglect their memories by trusting to writings which befalls the most who by the help of writings remit both their diligence in learning and their memory This especially they perswade that souls die not but after death pass from some to others And by this they think that men are chiefly excited to virtue neglecting the fear of death Many things also they dispute and deliver to youth about the Stars and their motion of the magnitude of the world and of the earth of the nature of things of the force and power of the immortal Gods So far Caesar which I repeated as offering it to consideration whether the foresaid Prelacy for Grandure be not liker to these Druides than to christs Ministers who must be the servants of all And yet whether they are not far more negligent in the exercise of discipline And whether this Discipline which shameth sin by thus distinguishing the Godly and upright from the ungodly and wicked be not of the very light of nature and round much in Brittain before Christianity and therefore should not be hated and banished by Christian Bishops who pretend that their office is instituted for that very use and end CHAP. XXV The Ordination lately exercised by the Presbyteries in England is valid Ergo Reordination unnecessary THat valid ordination is not to be repeated is agreed on by Protestants and Papists It is one of the ancient Canons called the Apostles Can. 67. Siquis Episcopus aut Presbyter aut Diaconus secundam ab aliquo ordinationem acceperit deponitor tam ipse quam qui ipsum ordinaverit Arg. 1. The way of Ordination which was valid in the Primitive Church is valid now But the way of Ordination by meer Presbyters was valid in the Primitive Church Ergo it is valid now The Major needs no proof at least to the point in hand The Minor I prove 1. From Hieromes frequently cited words in his Epistle to Evagrius where he tells us that the Presbyters of Alexandria from the daies of Mark till Heraclas and Dionysius made or ordained their own Bishops Having shewed that Bishops and Presbyters were of one office he addeth Qwa autem postea unus elecius est qui caeteris praeponeretur in schismatis remedium factum est ne unusquisque ad se trabens Christi ecclesiam rumperet Nam Alexandria à Marco Evangelista usque ad Heraclam Dionysium Episcopos Presbyteri semper unum exse electum in excelsori gradu collecatum Episcopum nominabant Quomodo si exercitus Imperater in faciat aut Diaconieligunt exse quem industrium noverint Archidiaconum vocent Where note 1. That Hierome undertaking to shew how Bishops were made at Alexandria mentioneth no other making of them but this by the Presbyters 2. That Presbyters made Bishops is brought by Hierome as an Argument to prove the Identity first and nearness after of their power 3. That he ascribeth to the Presbyters the Election the placing of him in a higher degree and the naming of him a Bishop 4. And that he distinguisheth the Presbyters making of a Bishop thus anciently from that which followed Heraclas and Dionysius which was by episcopal ordination or consecration Which observations are sufficient to answer all their objections that will perswade men that Hierome speaketh but of Election 2. This testimony is seconded by a more full one of Eutychius Patriark of Alexandria who out of the Records and Tradition of that Church in his Arabick Originalls thereof saith as followeth according to Seldens Translation in his Commentary pag. 29. 30. Constituit item Marâ—us â—â—â—â—geliâ—ta duodecem Presbyteros cum Hanania qui nempe manerent cum Patriarcha adeò ut cum vacaret Pratriarchâ—tus eligerent unum è duodecim Presbyteris cujus capiti reliqui undecim manus imponerent eumque benedicerent Patriarcham â—um crearent dein virum aliquem nisi quem eligerent eumque Presbyterum secum constituerint loco ejus qui sic facâ—us est Patriarcha uâ— iâ—à semper extarent duodecim Neque desâ—it Alexandriae institutum hoc de Presbyteris ut scilicet Patriarchas crearentur Presbyteris duodecim usque ad tempora Alexandri Patriarchae Alexandrini qui fuit ex numero illo 318. Is autem vetuit ne deinceps Patriarcham Presbyteri crearent decrevit ut mortuo Patriarchâ convenirâ—nt Episcopi qui Patriarcham ordinarent Decrevit item ut vacante Patriarchatu Eligerent sive ex quacunque regione sive ex duodecim illis Presbyteris sive aliis ut res ferebat virum aliquem eximium eumque Patriarcham crearent atque ità evanuit institutum illud antiquius quo creari solitus a Presbyteris Patriarcha successit in locum ejus decretum de Patriarchâ ab Episcopis creando Here you see in the most full expressions that the Presbyters Election imposition of hands and Benediction created their Bishop or Patriark and also chose and made or ordained another Presbyter in his roome and so ordained both Presbyters and Bishops 3. The Tradition or History of Scotland telleth us that their Churches were long governed by Presbyters without Bishops and therefore had no ordination but by Presbyters Hector Boâ—thius Histor Scot. li. 7. fol. 128. 6 Ante Palladium populi suffragiis ex Monacâ—is Culdaeis Pontifices assumerentur John Major de gestis Scotorum li. 2. cap. 2. Saith prioribus illis temporibus per sacerdotes monachos sine Episcopis Scoti in fide eruditi sunt Jahan Foâ—donus makes this the custome of the Primitive Church Scotichr li. 3. cap. 8. Ante Palladii adventum habebant Scoti fidei Doctores ac Sacramentorum Ministratores Presbyteros solummodo vel Monachos ritum sequentes Ecclesiae primitivae Which Bishop usher reciting de primordiis Eccles Brit. p 798. 799. 800. Saith Quod postremum ab iis accepâ—ssevidetur qui dixerunt ut Johan Semeca in glossa decreti Dist 93. cap. Legimu quod in prima primitiva Ecclesia commune erat officium Episcoporum sacerdotâ—m nomina erant communia officium commune sed in secunda primitiva câ—perunt distingui nomina officia So Balaeus Script Brit. Cent. 14. cap. 6. All which assure us that then only Presbyters could ordaine where there were no other the same we may say of the Gothick Churches according to Philostorgius Eclog. li.
2. c. 5. That were for seventy years after their conversion without a Bishop Vlphilas being the first 4. Columbanus was no Bishop but a Presbyter and Monk nor his Successours that yet Ruled even the Bishops as Beda noteth Hist. li 3. c. 4. 5. Hâ—here solet ipsa Insula Rectorem semper Abbatem Presbyterum cujus jure omnis provincia ipsi etiam Episcopi ordine inusitatâ— debeant esse subjecti juxta exemplum primi Doctoris illius Columbani qui non Episcopus sed Presbyter extitit Monachus And these Presbyters did not only ordaine as being the only Church Governours but they sent Preachers into England and ordained Bishops for England at King Oswalds request as Beda at large relateth Eccles Hist l. 3. c. 3. 5. 17. 21. 24 25. The Abbot and other Presbyters of the Island Hy sent Aydan ipsum esse dignum Episcopatu ipsum ad erudiendos incredulos indoctos mitti debere decernunt Sicque illum ordinantes ad praedicandum miserunt c. Successit vero ei in Episcopatu Finan ipse illo ab Hy Scotorum insula ac monasterio destinatus c. 17. cap. 25. Aydano Episcopo de hac vita sublato Finan pro illo gradum Episcopatus a Scotis ordinatus missus acceperat c. So cap â—4 c. You will find that the English had a Succession of Bishops by the Scotish Presbyters ordination And there is no mention in Beda of any dislike or scruple of the lawfulness of this course Segenius a Presbyter was Abbot of Hy cap. 5. when this was done And cap. 4. it appears that this was their ordinary custome though in respect to the Churches that were in the Empire it be said to be more inusitato that Presbyters did Govern Bishops but none questioned the validity of their ordinations And the Council at Herudford subjecteth Bishops in obedience to their Abbots And the first reformers or Protestants here called Lollords and Wicklifists held and practised ordination by mere Presbyters as Walsingham reports Hist Angl. An. 1â— 89. and so did Luther and the Protestants of other Nations as Pomeranus ordination in Denmark shews and Chytraeus Saxon Chron lib. 14. 15. 16. 17. 5. Leo Mag. Epist 92. cited by Gratian being consulted a rustico Narbonensi de Presbytero vel Diacono qui se Episcopos mentiti sunt de his quos ipsi clericos ordinârâ—nt answered Nulla ratio sâ—vit ut inter Episcopos habeantur qui nec a clericis sunt electi nec a plebibus expetiti c. yet thus resolveth of their ordination Siqui autèm Clerici ab ipsis Pseudo Episcopis in eis Ecclesus ordinati sunt quae ad proprios Episcopos pertinebant ordinatio eorum cum consensu judicio presidentium facta est potest â—ata haberi ita ut in ipsis Ecclesus perseverunt So that the mere consent of the proper Bishops can make valid such Presbyters ordination 6. Fâ—licissimus was ordained Deacon by Novatus one of Cyprians Presbyters Schismatically yet was not his ordination made Null by Cyprian but he was deposed for Mal-administration See Blondel p. 312. 113. 7. Firmilian in 75 Epist apud Cyprian Saith Necessariò apud nos fit ut per singulos annos seniores praepositi in unum conveniamus ad disponenda quae curae nostrae commissa sunt ut si quae graviora sunt communi consilio dirigantur This shews that communi consilio importeth a consenting Governing Power c. Omnis potestas gratia in Ecclesus constituta ubi praesident majores natu qui baptizandi manum imponeâ—â—â— ordinandi possidâ—nt Potestatem If any say It is only Bishops that Formilian speakes of I answer 1. He had a little before used the word Seniores the same in sense with Majores natu here as distinct from Praepositi to signifie either all Pastors in general or Presbyters in special 2. When he speakes of Majores natu in general they that will limit it to Bishops must prove it so limited and not barely affirme it 3. The conjunct acts of the office disprove that It was the same men that had the power of baptizing 8. The great Council of Nice the most reverend Authority next to the holy Scripture decreed thus concerning the Presbyters ordained by Melitius at Alexandria and in Egypt Hi autem qui Dei gratiâ nostris precibus adjuti ad nullum Schisma deflexisse comperti sint sed se intra Catholicae Apostolicae Ecclesiae fines ab erroris labe vacuos continuerint authoritatem habeant tum ministros ordinandi tum eos que clero digni fuerint nominandi tum denique omnia ex lege instituto Ecclesiastico libere exequendi If any say that the meaning is that these Presbyters shall ordain and Govern with the Bishops but not withoutthem I am of his mind that this must needs be the meaning of these words or else they could not be consonant with the Church Canons But this sheweth that ordination belongeth to the Presbyters office and consequently that it is no nullity though an irregulrity as to the Canons when it is done by them alone Socrat. lib. 5. 6. cap. 6. 9. It is the title of the twelfth Canon Concil An cyrani Quod non oportet Chorepiscopos ordinare nisi in agris villulis Now either these Chorepiscopi were of the order of Bishops or not If they were then it further appeareth how small the Churches were in the beginning that had Bishops even such as had but Vnum Altare as Ignatius saith when even in the Countrey Villages they had Bishops as well as in Cities notwithstanding that the Christians were but thinly scattered among the Heathens But if they were not Bishops then it is apparent that Presbyters did then ordain without Bishops and their ordination was valid And the Vafrities of the Prelates is disingenious in this that when they are pleading for Diocesan Churches as containing many fixed Congregations then they eagerly plead that the Chorepiscopi were of the order of Presbyters But when they plead against Presbyters ordination they would prove them Bishops Read Can. 10. Concilii Antiocheni 10. Even in the daies of ignorance and Roman Usurpation Bonifacius Mogunt alias Wilfred Epist 130 Auct Bib. Pat. To 2. p. 105. tells Pope Zachary as his answer intimateth that in Gente Boiariorum there was but one Bishop and that was one Vivilo which the Pope had ordained and that all the Prebyters that were ordained among them as far as could be sound were not ordained by Bishops though that ignorant usurping Pope requireth as it seemeth that they be reordained unless Benedictionem ordinationis should signifie only the blessing or confirmation of their former ordination which is not like For he saith Quia indicasti perrexisse te ad gentem Boiariorum inâ—enisse eos extra ordinem ecclesiasticum viventes dum Episcopos non habebant in Provincia nisi
In that they commonly profess to receive and hold the Ordainers office and power from the Pope The very office it selfe say the Italians being from him And the application and communication of it to the individual subject being from him say the Spaniards and French also But the Pope as such hath no power to make Bishops at all which I prove 1. Because the very office of a Pope as such is not of Christ yea is against Christ and his prerogative and Law and abhorred by him viz. An universal visible Vicar or Head of the Church on earth 2. Because on their own principles the Pope can have no power for want of uninterrupted succession of true Ordination nothing being more plain in Church History scarce than that such succession is long ago nulled by oft interruptions as I have proved elsewhere and as is by many Protestants proved 3. Because the Work that they ordain their Priest to is Idolatry even Bread worship besides Man worship and Image worship 4. Because all their Priests are in the Trent Oath sworn to this Idolatry and sworn to renounce all their Senses to that end and to renounce the Scripture sufficiency and to own the Papal Treasonable usurpation which all are contrary to the Office of Christs Ministers Yet are those that ordained at Rome received by our Prelates when they turn to us without reordination and their Orders are not taken by them to be null which I dispute not now Much less are the late Protestant English Ordinations null II. The Viciousness of such other Prelates Ordinations is proved by all that is said against their Calling it self before And further 1. Those Prelates that are chosen by Magistrates and not by other Bishops or the Presbyters of their Diocess or People what stale hypocritical pretext soever there may be of the contrary are by the Canons of the Universal Church no Prelates But such are those in question Ergo The Major to omit many other Canons I prove from Concil Nic. 2. Can. 3. in Bin To. 2. p. â—93 Omnem electionem quae fit a Magistratibus Episcopi vel Presbyteri vel Diaconi irritam manere ex Canone dicente si quis Episcopus secularibus Magistratibus usus per eos Ecclesiam obtinuerit deponatur segregetur emnes qui cum eâ— communicant Oportet enim eum qui est promovendus ad Episcopatum ab Episcopis eligi quemadmodum a sanctis Patribus Niceae decretum est in Can. qui dicet Episcopum oportet maxime quidem ab omnibus qui sunt in provincia constitui c. Argument IV. Orders conferred by such as are in orders and have the Power of Order equal with the highest Bishops is valid But the Orders lately conferred in England and Scotland by those called Presbyters were conferred by such as were in Orders and had the power of Order equal with the highest Bishop Ergo The Orders lately conferred in England and Scotland by those called Presbyters was valid As to the Major I remember Arch-Bish Usher told me himself that it was the argument by which he indeavoured to satisfie K. Charles I. 1. That Ordinis est ordinare a man that is in orders as to the sacred Priesthood may caeteris paribus confer Orders it being like Generation or univocal causation 2. That Hierom tells us the Alexandrian Presbyters did more for they made their Bishops And at this day among the Papists men of inferiour Order must with them ordain or consecrate or make their Pope And Bishops make arch-Arch-Bishops How much more may men of the same Order confer what they have that is the Power of the Priesthood or Presbyterate As Abbots who are no Bishops have frequently done 2. And for the Minor Bishop Carleton hath these words in his Treatise of Jurisdiction pag. 7. The Power of Order by all Writers that I could see even of the Church of Rome is understood to be immediately from Christ given to all Bishops and Priests alike by their consecration wherein the Pope hath no priviledge above others Thus teaches Bonavent in 4. sent d. 17. q. 1. August Triumph li de potest Eccles qu. 1. a. 1. Joh. Gerson li. de pot Eccles Consid 1. Cardinal Cusau li. de conced Cathol 2. cap. 13. Cardinal Contarenus Tract de Eccles potest Pontif. Bellarm. lib. 4. de Rom. Pontif. cap. 22. In the Canons of Elfrick ad Wolfin Episc in Spelman p. 576. l. 17 Having shewed that there are seven Orders 1. Ostiarius 2. Lector 3. Exorcista 4. Acolythus 5. Subdiaconus 6. Diaconus 7. Presbyter though the Bishop for Unity sake have the priviledge of Ordination and Inspection yet he is there declared to be but of one and the same 7th Order with the Presbyter Haud pluris interest inter Missalem Presbyterum Episcopum quam quod Episcopus constitutus sit ad ordinationes conferendas ad visitandum seu inspiciendum curandumque ea quae ad Deum pertinent quod nimiae crederetur multitudini si omnis Presbyter hoc idem faceret Ambo siquidem unum tenent eundemque Ordinem quamvis dignior sit illa parâ— Episcopi This being the Doctrine of the Church of England even in the times of Popery we have little reason with the Preface to the book of Ordination to say that it is manifest in Gods word that they are distinct orders For as it is added Can. 18. Non est alius ordo constitutus in Ecclesiasticis ministriis humane and all taken in praeter memoratos septem istos c. Dion Petavius Theolog. Dâ—gmat To. 4. par 2. Tomi 3. Append. c. 2. p. 677 Alterum est quod nunquam iterare illam ordinationem licet ut cum ab haeresi ad Catholicam Ecclesiam revertuntur qui vere ordinati eis denuâ— manus impenitur And what ordination is valid among the Papists see in Johnsons answer to my Questions FINIS POSTCRIPT Promiscucus additions to the Chapter 4. of part second out of Mr. Gilbert Burnets bocke called The Vindication of the Church of Scotland c. PAg. 304. 305. Let me here send you to the Masters of Jewish Learning particularly to the eminently learned Dr. Lightfoot who will inform you that in every Synagogue there was one peculiarly charged with the worship called the Bishop of the Congregation the Angel of the Church or the Minister of the Synagogue And besides him there were three who had the Civil judicature who judged also about the receiving of proselites the imposition of hands c. And there were other three who gathered and distributed the almes Now the Christian Religion taking place as the Gospel was planted in Cities where it was chiefly Preached these formes and orders were reteined both names and things Pag. 306. These Presbyters were as the Bishops Children educated and formed by him being in all they did directed by him and accountable to him and were as Probationers for the Bishoprick one of them being alwaies chosen to succeed in the seat
when vacant by the Bishops death Now all these lived together as in a little Colledge thus the Churches were planted and the Gospel disseminated through the world But at first every Bishop had but one Parish yet afterwards when the numbers of the Christians increased that they could not conveniently meet in one place and when through the violence of persecution they durst not assemble in great multitudes the Bishops divided their charges in lesser Parishes and gave assignments to the Presbyters of particular flocks which was done first in Rome in the begining of the 2d Century And things continued thus in a Parochial Government till toward the end of the 2d Century the Bishop being chiefly intrusted with the cure of Souls a share whereof was also committed to the Presbyters who were subject to him and particularly to be ordained by him nor could any ordination be without the Bishop who in ordaining was to carry along with him the concurrence of the Presbyters as in every other act of Ecclesiastical jurisdiction Pag. 308. 309. Corruptions broke in upon Church Officers especially after the 4th Centurie that the Empire became Christian Which as it brought much riches and splendor on Church employments so it let in great Swarmes of corrupt men on the Christian Assemblies And then the Election to Church offices which was formerly in the hands of the people was taken from them by reason of the tumults and disonders that were in these Elections which some time ended in blood and occasioned much Faction and Schism And Anâ—bitus became now such an universal sin among Churchmen that c. Pag. 310. I do not alledge a Bishop to be a distinct office from a Presbyter but a different degree in the same office c. Pag. 320. As for the sole power of ordination and Jurisdiction none among us claime it but willingly allow the Presbyters a concurence in both these Pag. 322. That whole frame of Metropolitans and Patriarks was taken from the division of the Roman Empire which made but one great National Church Pag. 331. I acknowledged Bishop and Presbyter to be one and the same office and so plead for no new office bearer in the Church The first branch of their power is their authority to publish the Gospell to manage the worship and dispence the Sacraments And this is all that is of Divine right in the Ministry in which Bishops and Presbyters are equal sharers but besides this the Church claimeth a power of Jurisdiction of making rules for discipline and applying and executing the same All which is indeed suitable to the common laws of societies and the general rules of Scripture but hath no positive warrant from any Scripture precept And all these Constitutions of Churches into Synods and the Canons of discipline taking their rise from the divisions of the world into the several provinces and beginning in the 2d and beginning of the 3d. Century do clearly shew they can be derived from no Divine original and so were a to their particular forme but of humane constitution Therefore as to the managment of this Jurisdiction it is in the Churches power to cast it into what mould she will But we ought to be much more determined by the Laws of the land In things necessary to be done by Divine precept since no power on earth can Council the authority of a Divine Law the Churches restraints are not to be considered Pag. 335. I acknowledge that without Scripture warrant no new offices may be instituted Pag. 337. I am not to annul these ordinations that pass by Presbyters where no Bishop can be had And this layes no claime to a new office but only to a higher degree of inspection in the same office whereby the exercise of some acts of jurisdiction are restrained to such a Method And this may be done either by the Churches free consent or by the Kings authority Pag. 348. In Augustines time it appears from the journal of a conference he had with the Donatists that there were about 500 Bishopricks in a small tract of ground Pag. 30. Observe the Bishops were to be ordained in the presence of the people where every one might propose his exceptions yet the popular Elections were not wholly taken away and at least the peoples consent was asked Pag. 41. Vossâ—is from all the manuscripts of Damasus his lives of the Popes shewes that S. Peter ordained both Linus and Gletus Bishops of Rome and after some enquiry into the matter he concludes that at first there were three Bishops in Rome at once Linus Cletus and Aneneletus in the next succession he placeth Cletus Anencltus and Clemens Pag. 48. Among the Jewes where ever there were an hundred and twenty of them together they did erect a Synagoguge Pag. 49. At a conference which Augustine and the Bishops of that Province had with the Donatists there were of Bishops 286 present and 120 absent and 60 Sees vacant And there were 279 of the Donatists Bishops Pag. 51. The Gothick Churches are said to be planted 70 years before Ulphilas their first Bishop came to them Pag. 50 He she weth the like of the Scots By the streine of Ignatius Epistles especially that to Smyrna it would appear that there was but one Church at least but one place where there was one Altar and Communion in each of these Parishes which was the Bishops whole charge Pag. 56. The enlarging of the Diocesses hath wholly altered the figure of Primitive Episcopacy That the Bishops were chosen by the people and by the Clergy and people and at last not obtruded without the peoples consent Father Paul Saript de Beneficiis oft tells you and I have fully proved by many Canons in my abstract of Church-history of Councils FINIS * Where Dr. Allestree was bred His next Neighbor a Cosins Tab. 3. b Cosins Tab. 4. c Cosins Tab. 5. d Cos Tab. 6. e Cos Tab. 2. f Cos Tab. 8. g Cos Tab. 2. Tab. 8. h Cos ibid. i Cos ibid. k Cos Tab. 2. l Act of Uniform That Parish Priests have no Governing power see Dr. Zouch as also that the King is the Ecclesiastical Supream m Cos Tab. 13. n Cos Tab. 11. Acts 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. ☞ Vid. Epist 2. Edict Anacleti de forma provinciali Metrapol c. Turrian pro Epist decr c. 24. De novitate hujus formae leg Blondel cont Decr. p. 1. 27. who giveth full testimony of it cont Anaclet Ep. 2. 41. Leg. Vitaâ— Ambros per Baron August li. de opera Monecheâ—â—â—n Invit Ambros per Baron Vit. Ambros per Baron Socrat l. 3. c. 15. Theodoret Eccles Hist l. 1. cap. 10. Leg. Valentiniani Valentus Legem seu Literas in Theodoreti Eccl. Hist l. 4. c. 7. Hestor Andaeanorum c. 9. Messalianorum c. 10. cum interpretatione D. Hookeri li. 7. p. 66. de Audio Euseb l. 8. c. 1. Dr. Hanmer's Translat p. 144 145. Socrat. l. 2. c. 3. Id. ib.
Pastor must be as bad 2. And as to his appeal to the discipline of the Ancients I leave the Reader to the deceit of this mans arguings 1. If he cannot find it fully proved in this Book that the Churches of the ancient Bishops were not so big as our greatest Parishes as to the number of Souls much less as our Diocesses 2. And if in my abstruct of Church-History of Bishops and Counsels I have not fully proved that Discipline was neglected corrupted or overthrown dy degrees as Bishops-Churches overswelled When we read such doleful complaints in History Fathers Counsels and their Canons of the corruption of the Churches is this the true use to be made of all that we must be like them and not blame them lest we open the nakedness of our Fathers 3. And if men can make themselves willingly so blind as by a story that the Fathers did such things among People and circumstances which we know not to renounce common experience that it is not now any where done nor can possibly be done If men can be so ignorant what our Parishes and Diocesses are and what a Bishop and Chancellor do and can do Let such err for I am unable to cure them any more than if they were confident that my Lord Major can Govern all the Families of London as their Masters by stewards without Family-Masters or that one Physitian or one Tutor could serve instead of many for the City Indeed they that have as low an esteem of true Discipline as Mr. D. in his Letter seems to have may easily believe that a few men may do it And those Papists that can let the Church be the sink of common uncleanness and a Nursery of Ignorance Vice and Prophaneness so they may but keep up their Wealth and Ease and Honour by crying up Order Government and Unity may accordingly believe that no more knowledge Piety or Discipline is a duty than serveth the ends of their worldly Dominion I must again give notice to the Reader that whereas the Common Objections of the greatness of Bishops Churches in the second Centurie are fetcht from the instances of Rome and Alexandria I have answered even those two in the beginning of my Breviate of Church-History to which I must refer you and not again repeat it here I know that poor ingnorant Persons must expect such a shameful Cant of old reproach as this to cheat them into the hatred of Christs Church order and Government into a love of Clergie bondage a scornful smile shall tell them Mr. Baxter would have as many Bishops as Parishes and a Pope in every Parish when men think one in a Diocess too much When every ignorant or rash Priest shall be the Master of all the Parish and you have no remedy against his Tyranny what a brave reformation will this be And such a deceitful scorn will serve to delude the ignorant and ungodly But if they truly understood the case they would see the shame of this deriding objection 1. A Pope is a Monarch or Governour of the world and a Diocesan of a multitude of Parishes And sure he usurpeth not so much who will be but the Church-guide of one A man is abler to guide one School Colledge Hospital or Family than a hundred or thousand without any true Master of a Family School Colledge c. under him 2. Why is not this foolish scorne used against these foresaid relations also Why say they not every Master maketh himself a Pope or Bishop to his own house and every School-Master to his School whereas one Master over a thousand would do better with bare Teaching Ushers that had no Government 3. Let it be remembred that we would have no Parish Pastor to have any forceing power by Fines Mulcts Imprisonments c. But only to prevaile so farr as his management of Divine authority on mens Consciences can prevail And we would not have Magistrates punish men meerly because they stand excommunicate or because they tell not the Clergy that they repent True excommunication is a heavy punishment fitted to its proper use and not to be corrupted by the force of the Sword but to operate by it self And valeat quantum valere potest He that despiseth it will not say he is enslaved by it But is this all that the Bishops desire 4. We would have no man become the Pastor of a Church without the peoples consent if not choice no more than a Physician should be forced on the sick And as the Servant that consenteth to be a Servant consenteth to his Masters Authority and he that consenteth to a Physician consenteth to be ruled by him for his health and neither take this for a slavery So he that consenteth to a Pastor consenteth to his Pastoral conduct And if he think it to his injury he may choose 5. And yet we believe that the Magistrate may constrein Atheists Infidels and such as refuse all proper Church Communion to hear Gods word Preached and make all the Parish allow the Teacher his tythes and maintenance due by Law But he may force no man to Receive the great gift of the Body and Blood of Christ or a pardon delivered and sealed by Baptism or the Eucharist and to be a member of the Church as such against his will For none but desirous consenters are capable of the gifts so that the same Minister may be the common Teacher of all the Parish and yet the Church-Pastor only of fit consenters And when Sacraments are free and no Minister constrained to deliver them against his Conscience nor any unwilling man to receive them who is by this enslaved 6. And if a Church-Pastor do displease the Church and the main body of them withdraw their consent we would not have any man continue their Pastor while they consent not but disclaim him Though in case of need the Rulers may continue him in his Benefice as the publick Preacher if the people be grosly and obstinately culpable in refusing him 7. And we would have that Parish Pastor to have no power to hinder any other Minister from giving any one the Sacrament whom he denyeth it to or that refuseth it from him Though he that for a common cause is cast out of our Church should not be received by others till he repenteth yet that holds not in all private causes between the particular Pastor and him nor in case of unjust excommunication And other Ministers must judge of their own actions whom to receive and an injuring Minister may not hinder any other nor the injured person from communicating elsewhere 8. And we would have Parish Churches be as large as personal communion doth require or allow and every Church to have divers Ministers and if one be chief or Bishop and the rest assistants and if three or four small Parishes make one such communicating Church we resist not 9. And we desire frequent meeting or Synods of neighbour Pastors and that there every single
Pastor be ready to give an account of his Ministry and to answer any thing that shall be alledged against him And that the vote of the Synod obligeth all against unnecessary singularity 10. We refuse not that one in every such Synod be the moderator and if as of old every City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Corporation had a Bishop so if but every Corporation or market Town or every circuit that hath as many Communicanâ—â— as can know one another by neighbourhood and some conversation and sometimes assembling like a great Parish with many Chappels had but so much power as is essential to a true particular Pastor and Church yea or but the power that a free Tutor Philosopher or Physician hath to manage his office by his skill and not as an Apothecary or meer executor of a strangers dictates we should quietly submit 11. And as we refuse not such Bishops even durante vita capacitate in every Church or City that is Corporation so if it please either the King or the Churches by his permission to give one grave and able man a general care of many Churches as even the Scots superintendents had at their reformation as Spotswood of Lothian c. not by violence to silence and oppress but by meer Pastoral power and only such as the Apostles themselves used to instruct junior Pastors to reprove admonish c. we resist not And so if Godly Diocesans will become Arch-bishops only of this sort and promote oâ—r work instead of hindering it we shall submit though we cannot Swear approbation it being a thing that Christian Ministers may doubt of and no Article of our Creed 12. And if the King do cumulate wealth and honour on them and give them their place in Parliaments to keep the Clergy from contempt yea or trust any of them under him as Magistrates with the Sword whether we like it or not we shall peaceably submit and obey them as Magistrates 13. And if for order sake these Diocesans should have a negative voice unless in cases of forfeiture or necessity in the ordination of Ministers to the Church universal not taking away the power of particular Churches to choose or at least freely consent or dissent as to the fixing of Pastors over themselves we would submit to all this for common peace Specially if the Magistrate only choose men to Benefices and Magistracies and none had the Pastoral power of the Keyes but by the Election of the Clergy and the peoples consent which was the judgment and practice of the universal Church from the beginning of Episcopacy till of late 14. And lastly we hold the Magistrate the only Governour by the Sword as well of Pastors as of Physicians and all others And though he may not take the work of our proper calling out of our hands no more than the Physicians yet he may by justice and discretion punish us for male-administration and drive us to our duty though not hinder us from it And we consent to do all under his Government Judge now whether we set up Popes or Tyrants By all this it is apparent that it is none of the designe of this Treatise to overthrow or weaken the Church of England but to strengthen and secure it against all its notorious dangers 1. By reforming those things which else undoubtedly will cause a succession of dissenters in all generations though all we the present Nonconformists are quickly like to be past troubling them or being troubled by them even of themselves many will turne upon the same reasons which have convinced us 2. By uniting all Protestants and turning their odious wrath and contentions into a reverence of their Pastors and into mutual Love and help This Treatise being hastened in three presses since Mr. Dodwel sent me his Letter that required it I have not time to gather the Printers Errata but must leave them to the discretion of the Reader Only for English Prelacy before the first Chapter and in many other places should be The described Prelacy I will end with the two following Testimonies One ad rem the other ad hominem The Lord pity his Ship that is endangered by the Pilots October 14. 1680 Richard Baxter Justin Martyr's Apolog. We had rather die for the confession of one Faith then either lie or deceive them that examine us Otherwise we might readily use that Common saying my Tongue is sworn my mind is unsworn vid. Rob. Abbot old way p. 51. Thorndike of forbearance of Penalties It is to no purpose to talk of reformation in the Church unto regular Government without restoring the Liberty of choosing Bishops and the Priviledge of Injoying them to the Synods Clergy and people of each Diocess So evident is the right of Synods Clergy and people in the making of this of whom they consist and by whom they are to be governed that I need make no other reason of the neglect of Episcopacy than the neglect of it THE CONTENTS PART I. Chap. 1. THe Reasons of this Writing Chap. 2. The English Diocesane Prelacy and Church Government truly described that it may be known what it is which we dissent from Chap. 3. Our judgement if the History of the ancient Church Government and of the rise of the Diocesane Prelacy Chap. 4. The judgement of those Non Conformists now silenced who 1660 addressed themselves to King Charles II. for the matter in Church-Government What they then offered and what those of the Authers mind now hold as to the Right of what is before but Historically related Chap. 5. Concerning the several Writers on this Controversie wherein there are sufficient animadversions on some and sufficient Confutations of the Cheif who have written for the Prelacy which we dissent from As 1. Whitgift 2. Faravia 3. Bilson 4. Hooker 5. Bishop Downams Defence 6. Bishop Hall 7. Petavius 8. Bish Andrews 9 Bish Usher in some passages 10. Of the Dispute at the Isle of Wight 11. John Forbes 12. The two Books of the Bohemian Discipline consented to 13. Grotius applauded 14. J. D. 15. M A. de Dom. Spalatensis considered and much of him approved 16. Doctor Hammond answered viz. his Annotations his Dissertat against Blondel c. who have written against Prelacy Chap. 6. It is not pleasing to God that Cities only should have Bishops and Churches with the Territories Chap. 7. The Definition and Reasons of a Diocesan Church considered and confuted Chap. 8. Whether the Infidel Territories or Citizens are part of a Diocesane Church Chap. 9. Whether converting a Diocess give right to their Converter to be their Bishop and Ruler Chap. 10. That a particular Church of the first or lowest order must consist of neighbour Christians associated for personal Communion in local presence in holy worship and Conversation and not of Strangers so remote as have only an internal heart Communion or an external Communion by the Mediation of others Chap. 11. That a Bishop or Pastor of a Particular Church
of the first rank afore-described must govern it statedly as present by himself and not absent by others Chap. 12. The just opening and understanding of the true nature of the Pastoral Office and Church Government would end these Controversies about Prelacy Chap. 13. That there is no need of such as our Diocesâ—nes for the Unity or the Government of the particular Ministers nor for the silencing of the unworthy Chap. 14. The true original of the warrantable sort of Episcopacy in particular Churches was the notorious disparity of abilities in the Pastors And tho original of that tyrannical Prelacy into which it did degenerate was the worldly Spirit in the Pastors and people which with the World came by prosperity into the Church Quaere Whether the thing cease not when the Reason of it ceaseth PART II. Chap. 1. THe clearing of the State of the Question Chap. 2. The first Argument against the aforedescribed Diocesanes that their form quantum in se destroyeth the particular Church form of Gods institution and setteth up a humane form in its stead Chap. 3. That the Primitive Episcopal Churches of the Holy Ghosts Institution were but such Congregations as I before described Proved by Scripture Chap. 4. The same proved by the Concessions of the most learned Defenders of Prelacy Chap. 5. The same proved by the full Testimony of Antiquity Chap. 6. The same further confirmed by the Ancients Chap. 7. More proof of the aforesaid Ancient Church limits from the Ancient Customs Chap. 8. That the Diocesanes cause the Error of the Separatists who avoid our Churches as false in their Constitution and would disable us to confute them Chap. 9. The second Argument from the deposition of the Primitive species of Bishops and the erecting of a humane inconsiâ—tent species in their stead A specifi k difference proved Chap. 10. Whether any form of Church Government be instituted by God as necessary or all be left to humane prudence and choice Chap. 11. Argument third from the destruction of the Order of Presbyters of divine Institution and the invention of a new Order of half Sub-presbyters in their stead Chap. 12. That God instituted such Presbyters as had the foresaid power of the Keyes in doctrine worship and discipline and no other proved by the Scriptures Chap. 13. The same confirmed by the Ancients Chap. 14. And by the Confessions of the greatest and learnedest Prelatists Chap. 15. Whether this Government belonging to the Presbyters be in foro Ecclesiastico exteriore or only in foro Conscientiae vel interiore Chap. 16. That the English Diocesane Government doth change this Office of a Presbyter of God's institution quantum in se into another of humane invention The difference opened Twenty instances of taking away the Presbyters power from them Chap. 17. That the great change of Government hitherto described the making of a new species of Churches Bishops and Presbyters and deposing the old was sinfully done and not according to the intent of the Apostles Chap. 18. Argument fourth from the impossibility of their performance of the Episcopal Office in a Diocesane Church And the certain exclusion and destruction of the perticular Church Government while one man only will undertake a work too great for many hundreds when their work is further opened in perticulars Chap 19. The same impossibility proved by experience 1. Of the ancient Church 2. Of the Foreign Churches 3. Of the Church of England 4. Of our selves Chap. 20. Objections against Parish discipline answered The need of it proved Chap. 21. The Magistrates sword 1. Is neither the strength of Church discipline 2. Nor will serve instead of it 3. Nor should be too much used to second and enforce it The mischeifs of enforcing men to Sacramental Communion opened in twenty instances Chap. 22. An Answer to the Objections 1. No Bishop no King 2. Of the Rebellions and Seditions of them that have been against Bishops Chah 23. Certain brief consectaries Chap. 24. Some Testinonies of Prelatists themselves of the late state of the Church of England its Bishops and Clergy lest we be thought to wrong them in our description of them and their fruits Chap. 25. The Ordination lately exercised by the Presbyters in England when the Bishops were put down by the Parliament is valid and Re ordination not to be required jure divino as supposing it null A TREATISE OF EPISCOPACY Confuting by SCRIPTURE REASON And the CHURCHES TESTIMONY That sort of Diocesan Churches Prelacy and Government which casteth out the Primitive Church-species Episcopacy Ministry and Discipline and confoundeth the Christian world by Corruption Usurpation Schismes and Persecution Meditated 1640 when the c. Oath was imposed Written 1671 and cast by Published 1680 by the Call of Mr. H. Dodwel and the Importunity of our Superiors who demand the Reasons of our Nonconformity The designe of this book is not to weaken the Church of England its Government Riches Honour or Unity But to strengthen and secure it 1. By the concord of all true Protestants who can never unite in the present Impositions 2. And by the necessary reformation of Parish-Churches and those abuses which else will in all ages keep up a succession of Nonconformists As an Account why we dare not Covenant by Oath or Subscription never to endeavour any amending alteration of the Church Government by lawful meanes as Subjects nor make our selves the justifying vouchers for all the unknown persons in the Kingdom who vowed and swore it that none of them are obliged to such lawful endeavour by their vow By RICHARD BAXTER a Catholick Christian for love concord and peace of all true Christians and obedience to all lawful commands of Rulers but made called and used as a Nonconformist London Printed for Nevil Simmons at the three Cocks at the West end of Saint Pauls and Thomas Simmons at the Prince's Armes in Ludgate-street MDCLXXXI These Books following are printed for and sold by Nevil Simmons at the three Golden Cocks at the west end of St. Pauls A Christian Directory or sum of practical Theology and cases of Conscience directing Christians how to use their Knowledge and Faith how to improve all helps and meanes and to performe all duties how to overcome temptations and to escape or mortifie every sin in four parts 1. Christian Ethicks or private Duties 2. Christian Oeconomicks or Family Duties 3. Christian Ecclesiasticks or Church Duties 4. Christian Politicks or Duties to Our selves and Neighbours in Folio Catholick Theology Plain Pure Peaceable for Pacification in three Books 1. Pacifying Principles c. 2. Pacifying Praxis c. 3. Pacifying Disputations c. in Folio The Life of Faith in three Parts The first Sermon preached before his Majesty c. The Second Instructions for confirming believers in the Christian faith The third directions how to live by faith or how to exercise it in all occasions in Quarto Naked Popery or the naked Falshood of a book called the Catholick naked Truth
readeth the whole Book of Canons and the Visitation Articles may see they being too many for me to recite Besides a multitude of Cases about Marriages to be contracted dissolved separation and Testaments and the Goods of Intestate persons Priests Deacons and Lay-men are judged in these Courts The final constraining penalty is Excommunication or before that Suspension and other degrees of Church punishment before mentioned as belonging to the Bishop The supposed offenders are no otherwise dealt with to bring them to true Repentance than as in Civil Courts by other Lay-Judges They that appear not and they that pay not the Fees of the Court and Officers are Excommunicate and they that obey not the Orders of the Court. In Excommunications and Absolutions the Lay-Chancellor is Judg but he writeth the Decree in the Bishops name And at least sometimes pro formâ some Priest or other is procured to be present no Bishop to utter the Sentence which the Lay Judge Decreeth This Sentence is sent by the Chancellor to the Minister of the Parish where the offender liveth who must publish it in the Church openly as the Cryer doth the Kings Proclamation But if it be the Minister himself that is Excommunicated another Minister readeth it The whole process of their Judicial Tryals Sentences and Executions you may see in Cosin's Tab. 9. 10. Besides the Chancellor's Courts called the Bishops the Archdeacons have certain inferiour Courts where they enquire after faults and return the great ones to the Bishops Courts And they Induct or give possession of Benefices As for the Parish Priests or Ministers ordinary Parishes have but one to each but Great Parishes cannot be served as they call it without a Curate and each Chapel hath a Curate but all under One that hath the sole possession of the Benefice whether he be Parson or Vicar These Priests are Ordained by the Bishop some one two or three Presbyters if present also imposing hands They are chosen to the Church and Benefice by the Patron who presents them to the Bishop who giveth them Institution for Title and Induction for possession When he is Ordained Instituted and Inducted he must not Preach to his People till he hath got a License from the Bishop of that Diocess no though he were before Licensed in another Diocess Nor must he Preach or Officiate or have any Benefice or Church till he have subscribed and done as is expressed in the Act of Uniformity And he must declare his Assent and Consent to all things contained in and prescribed by three Books the Liturgy the Book of Ordination and the Articles And he must swear obedience to his Bishop His Office is when after Licensed to Preach to Read the Scriptures and the Apocrypha and many Acts of Parliament and Homilies to read the Liturgy or Prayers To give notice of Holy-days and Fasting-days To Baptize all Children without exception that are offered him by Godfathers and Godmothers the Parents not Covenanting for them but others To Marry persons To Church Women after Child bearing To hear Children in Church say the Catechism that is in the Liturgy but many have been forbidden by the Bishops to expound it or tell the Children the meaning of the words which they say by rote To celebrate and give the Sacrament to the Parishioners To visit the Sick and absolve them if they say they repent To bury the Dead affirming of them all that God in mercy hath taken their souls as our dear brethren to himself excepting only 1. Those that die unbaptized though Children of Princes or godly Parents 2. Those that are Excommunicate usually such as durst not Conform to them 3. And those that kill themselves though in a Frensie To use the Cross Surplice and other Ceremonies of the Church And to joyn with the Church-Wardens if they please in presenting such to the Bishops Courts as break their Laws And if he deny any notorious offender the Sacrament he must become his Accuser before the Chancellour or Bishops Court This is the Office of a Parish Priest Where you must note 1. in general that he hath no Judicial Administration in the Church They ordinarily say that he hath no Jurisdiction but meer Priestly Orders As if they knew not that Priestly Order is nothing but the Sacred Office and that that Office is the Power of the Keys or essentially containeth the Power of Guiding the Flock in Teaching Worship and Discipline under Christ the Chief Prophet Priest and King Civil Jurisdiction over the Church is the Kings and Spiritual is part of the Priestly Office or Order as to the subject people to be governed 2. Particularly note 1. that the Minister hath in England no power to Judge whom to Baptize and whom not but must Baptize all that are offered though the Children of Jews Infidels Turks Apostates 2. That he hath no power to hinder the admission of any so baptized into the state of adult Members by the Bishops Confirmation For though it be said Children shall bring his Certificate that they can say the Catechism yet 1. those Children may go without it and do ordinarily When I was confirmed my self none was required nor did I ever see any given 2. And if it were the poor Children seldom understand any thing that they say or much 3. There is not one of multitudes in our Churches that ever sought or minded such Confirmation because of its abuse 3. That he hath no power to hinder any confirmed or adult persons from the Sacraments on the account of the grossest ignorance or infidelity when multitudes among us know not what the Sacrament is nor know the essentials of the Christian Faith 4. He hath no power to convent any open offender before him to call him to repentance They may chuse to come to him or to open their doors to him or speak to him if he come to them 5. He hath no power to call them to Repentance openly before the Church or pray by name for their Repentance or admonish them 6. He hath no power to judge any person to be Excommunicate 7. Nor to absolve any that is penitent after Excommunication But only to read the Lay-Chancellours sentences sent him in the Bishops name 8. He hath no power to forbear giving the Lords Supper to any one how notorious an offender soever unless he will prosecute him at the Bishops Court nor then but for once So that if he pay his Fees and be Absolved there though the Minister know him to be never so bad he must give the Sacrament the next time And the prosecution is so odious and fruitless that I never knew any do it except against the Nonconformists 9. He that seeth never so great signs of Impenitency in any man that is sick or will but say that he is sick hath no power to deny him private Absolution and the Sacrament if he do but say I Repent 10. He hath no power to
than could meet in one Assembly and had allowance to Communicate in their sub-assemblies yet were they appointed on certain great and solemn Festivals to Communicate all with the Bishops at the chief City Church which sheweth that the sub-assemblies then were few and small 39. Thus was the Apostles Order by degrees subverted and whereas they settled distinct Churches with their distinct Bishops no Bishop having two Churches under him that had not also their proper Bishop now One Church was made of many without many Bishops sub-Presbyters first in the same Church being introduced at last sub-Churches also were set up And when they should have done as we do with Bees let every new Swarm have a new Hive and should have multiplyed Bishops and Churches homogeneal as sufficient numbers of Converts came in instead of this the City Bishops kept all under them as if they had been still one Church yet not as Archbishops that have Bishops under them and kept their sub-Presbyters as their Curates to officiate in the several Churches that had all no Bishops but One. 40. The causes of this were apparently most of the same which are mentioned before for the making of sub-Presbyters Especially 1. The selfishness of the Bishops who were loth to let go any of the people from under their superiority Because it was more honour to rule many than one single Congregation and he was a greater man that had many sub-Presbyters and whole Assemblies at his command than he that had not And also many afforded greater maintenance than a few And 2. the same Reasons that made men at first set up one Presbyter as Bishop over the rest to avoid Divisions and to determine Arbitrations did now seem strong to them for the keeping up the Authority of the City Bishop over the sub-Assemblies round about them 3. And Cities only having been possessed of Bishops for many Years if not Ages before there were Christians enow to make up Country Churches both the Bishops and the City Inhabitants easily overlooking the Reason of it took this for their Prerogative and did plead Prescription As if Schools being planted only in Cities first the Cities and Schoolmasters should thence plead that none must be setled in Country Villages but what are ruled by the City School-Masters And thus the Cities being far the strongest and the Interest of the Citizens and Bishops in point of honour being conjunct and none being capable of a Country charge but such as the City Bishops at first Ordained to it because then there were no other Bishops without resistance it came to pass that both Churches and Presbyters were subjected to the City Bishops 4. And it greatly advanced this design that the Churches which were planted in the Roman Empire did seek to participate of all secular honour that belonged to the place of their Residence And as Dr. Hammond hath largely opened though not well justified did form themselves according to the Model of the Civil Government so that those Cities that had the Presidents or chief Civil Rulers and Judicatures in them did plead a right of having also the chief Bishops and Ecclesiastical Judicatures And thus not only Cities ruled the Country Villages but in time the distinct powers and pre-eminences of Archbishops Metropolitans Primates Patriarchs and the Roman chief Patriarch or Pope came up And the Pagan Common-wealth and Christian Church within the Roman Empire and the neighbouring parts that were influenced by them had a great resemblance 41. But that which most notably set up this exsort swelling and degenerate Prelacy was the mistaken zeal of Constantine together with his Policy and the ambition of Christians and Bishops that were gratified by it For 1. As Constantine perceived that it was the Christians that were his surest strength and when the Heathen Soldiers turned from one Emperour to another as they were tempted he knew that if he only did own the Christians they would unanimously own him and be constant to him so also his Judgment and Zeal for Christianity did concur with his Interest and Policy And as all the Secular and Military Rulers depended on him for honour and power throughout the Roman world he thought it not seemly to give the chief Christians who were the Bishops less honour than he did to the Heathens and to common men Nor did he think meet to deny to the Christian Churches such priviledges as might somewhat set them higher than his other subjects 2. And the Bishops and Christians coming from under long scorn and contempt and coming newly from under the cruel Persecution of Dioclesian and affrighted anew by Maxentius and Licenius they were not only glad to be now honoured and advanced but greatly lifted up with such a sudden wonderous change as to be brought from scorn and cruel torments to be set up above all others As we should have been had we been in their case and it 's like should no more have feared the ill consequents of too much exaltation than they did 3. And the Christian people thought that the exaltation of their Bishops was the honour and exaltation of their Religion it self as well as of their persons 42. Whereas as is aforesaid the Christians had commonly stated the power of Arbitrating all their Civil differences in the Bishop alone when the Apostle intimated that any Wise man among them as such was fit for that business it grew presently to be accounted a heynous crime or scandal for any Christians to go to Law before the Civil Magistrate And Constantine finding them in possession of this custom did by his Edict confirm it and enlarge it decreeing that all Bishops should be Judges of all the Christians causes by consent and that no Civil Judge or Magistrate should compel any Christian to his bar Insomuch that in Theodosius his days when one of Ambrose his Presbyters had a cause to be tryed he denyed himself to be a Christian that he might have it decided by the Civil Magistrate that was Christian also So that even Christian Magistrates might not judge unwilling Christians but the Bishops only Yet had not the Bishops then the power of the Sword but decided all as Arbitrators and enforced their Sentences with rigorous penances and Church-censures By which means 1. many the more turned Christians without the Faith and Holiness of Christians that they might both partake of the Christians honour and immunities and specially that they might be free from corporal penalties for their crimes And who would not do so if it were now our case 2. And by this means the rigorous penalties of the Church by penances were the more easily submitted to as being more easie than corporal pains and mulcts And when thus by the Laws and countenance of so great an Emperour the Bishops were made the Judges of all that were Christians at present and all that would turn Christians that desired it it is easie to understand 1. what a Lordship they must needs
were but as if every Corporation or Market-Town in England had a Bishop who ruled also the adjacent Villages For though when they began to swell it was once decreed by one Council that Villages and every small City should not have a Bishop lest the Name of a Bishop should grow vile or cheap yet this was but with this addition those Villages or small Cities where there was not a sufficient number of Christians whereas Gregory at Neocesarea thought seventeen a sufficient number to have a Bishop And the Canons that every City should have a Bishop remained still in force 45. Yet was it for about 440 Years so far from these great Bishops to usurp the Sword or any coercive or coactive power on mens Bodies or Estates that they unanimously held that the Magistrate himself was not to punish mens Bodies for Heresie or a false Religion Till at last the bloody violence of the Circumcellian Donatists did cause Augustine in this to change his mind and think them meet for the Magistrates coercion 46. When Bishops grew carnal and ungodly and more regarded the keeping up their Power Parties and Opinions than Charity they beganto distrust the Spiritual Weapons of their warfare and instead of true vigilancy against errours and confutation of them by clear reason and a holy life they fled to the Rulers to do it by the Sword But though Ithacius and Idacius with their Synod of Bishops excited Maximus to take this course against the Priscilianists yet not only St. Martyn did therefore to the death avoid their Synods and Communion and petitioned the Emperour for the Hereticks peace but even St. Ambrose also at Milan would have no Communion with those Bishops that had done this thing 47. About the Year 430 or after Cyril at Alexandria did lead the way and actually used the Sword against the Lives Estates and Liberties of Offenders An example which others quickly followed And easily did he step from the great Judicial Power before described to a forcing power the preparations being so great and the Emperour so ready to exalt them and the people of Alexandria so turbulent and inclined by pride and passion to such ways 48. As the Prelacy thus swelled so the Churches grew suddenly more corrupted with all manner of Vice The Bishops began with sorrow to confess unto the Hereticks that the greater number in the Churches were naught When they should chuse their Bishops they could seldom agree but frequently instead of holy peaceable Votes did turn to Devilish rage and blood-shed and covered the Streets and Church-floors with the Carkasses of the slain especially in the Case of Damasus and others at Rome and oft at Alexandria and Constantinople Frequently they fell into fewds and fought it out and murdered people by multitudes Even the strict holy Monks of the Egyptian Desarts were as forward as others to fighting blood-shed and sedition Even in their ignorance for such a paultry and sottish an Opinion as that of the Anthropomorphites as that God hath the shape and parts of a man so that they forced that deceitful treacherous Bishop Theophilus Alexandr to flatter them and curse the Books of Origen not for his errours but for the opposite truth and to take on him to hold as they did When God tryed them with a Julian who did persecute them very little they reproached him to his face and tryed his patience as well as he did theirs The Antiochians scornfully bid him shave his Beard and make Halters of it In a word when Constantine had brought the World into the Church the Church grew quickly too like the World 49. But it was not the people only but the Pastors both Prelates and Presbyters that grew licentious wicked proud contentious turbulent and the shame of their Order and Profession and the great disturbers and dividers of the Churches except here and there an Ambrose an Augustine a Chrysostome a Basil a Gregory an Atticus a Proclus and a few such that so shined among a darkened degenerate Clergy as to be singled out for Saints Abundance got these great and tempting Prelacies by Simony and more by making friends to Courtiers And not a few by Carnal compliances with the people what abundance of most sharp Epistles did Isidore Pelusiota write to Eusebius the Bishop and to Sosimus Martianus Eustathius c. of all their horrible wicked lives and yet could never procure their Reformation What abundance of Epistles did he write against them to other Bishops and yet could not procure their correction or removal What a sad character doth Sulpitius Severus give of the Bishops that prosecuted the Priscilianists and in particular of their Leader Ithacius of his own knowledge What abundance of Prelates are shamefully stigmatized by Socrates Sozomen Theodoret Euagrius c When a Rebel rose up against his Prince and got but the stronger party and possession how quickly did they flatter him and own him I find but one Bishop besides St. Martin in all France and that part of Germany that disowned Maximus that murdered Gratian The rest applauded him for their own ends Nor in that part of Italy I find not any besides Ambrose and one Hyginus that disowned him Not that I think it my part to condemn all the holy Bishops who professed subjection to Usurpers in possession Even holy Ambrose could write to the odious Tyrant Eugenius Clementissimo Imperatori Eugenio concluding Nam cum privato detulerim corde intimo quomodo non deferrem Imperatori When I honoured thee a private man from the bottom of my heart how can I but honour thee being Emperour And how far have the Roman Bishops gone in this even to Phocas and such as he When good Gregory Nazianz. was chosen and settled Bishop of Constantinople and loved and honoured by a good Emperour yet was he rejected though he easily yielded even by the Synod of Bishops in the arrogancy of their minds because that he came not in by them With what pride what falshood what turbulency did Theophilus Alexand. carry on all his business with the Monks and for the deposing of Chrysostome And how arrogantly and turbulently did Epiphanius joyn with him and even Hierome make himself partaker And how easily did he get a Synod even where Chrysostome lived to second them such lamentable instances are more easie than pleasant to be cited And that Episcopacy which was set up to prevent Heresie and Divisions did afford the Heads of most of the Heresies and Divisions that befell the Churches How few of all the Heresies mentioned by Epiphanius after that Prelacy was in force were not Headed and carried on by Prelates And when the Arian Heresie sprung up by a Presbyter the Prelates so numerously received it that they seemed to be the far greater part if not the main body of the Imperial Church Witness the perverting of many Emperours the many Councils at Sirmium Ariminum c. And the many new Creeds which Socrates and Hilary
so shamefully enumerate and declaim against So that it was said that the World groaned to find it self turned Arian And their fewds and inhumane contentions were so many and odious that it is a shame to read them Multitudes of Cities had Bishops set up against Bishops and some Cities had more than two or three The people reviling and hating each other and sometime fighting tumultuously unto blood for their several Prelates The Christian World was made as a Cockpit and Christian Religion made a scorn by the Contentions of the Bishops Constantines wisdom conscience and interest engaged him to use all his skil his kindness and his power to reconcile them And if he had not done what he did how unspeakably wretched would their odious contentions have rendered them And yet he professeth his heart almost broken by their dissensions and while he chid them bitterly and exhorted them kindly he could not prevail His Sons that succeeded him laboured to unite the Bishops though in different ways and could not do it Jovianus the little time he reigned declared his hatred of their contentions and how much he loved a peaceable man but that did not cure them even when they came new from under a Julian I will look no lower to the more degenerate Prelacy but recite the doleful words of Eusebius even of those that were not at the worst and came but newly from under the persecutions of former Emperours when they had but a little prosperity immediately before Dioclesians persecution they are thus described How great and what manner of glory and liberty the doctrine of piety due to Almighty God preached in the World by Christ hath obtained before the persecution of our time among all mortal men both Grecians and Barbarians it requireth more labour to declare c. The clemency of the Emperours when Heathen towards the Christians was so increased to whom also they committed the Government of the Gentiles And for the great favour they bare to our Doctrine they granted liberty and security to the Professors of Christianity What shall I say of them that in the very Palace of the Emperours and in the presence of Princes lived most familiarly which esteemed of their Ministers so highly that they granted them in their presence freely to deal in matters of Religion both by word and deed together with their wives and children and servants And thus one might then have seen the Bishops of all Churches in great reverence and favour among all sorts of men and with all Magistrates Who can worthily describe those innumerable heaps and flocking multitudes throughout all Cities and famous Assemblies frequenting the places dedicated to prayer Because of which circumstances they not contented with the old and ancient buildings which could not receive them have throughout all Cities builded them from the Foundation wide and ample Churches These things thus prevailed in process of time and daily increased far and nigh so that no malice could intercept no spiteful fiend bewitch no wight with cunning at all hinder it as long as the Divine and heavenly hand of God upheld and visited his People whom as yet he worthily accepted But after that our affairs through too much liberty ease and security degenerated from the Natural rule of piety and after that one pursued another with open contumely and hatred and when that we impugned our selves by no other than our selves with the armour of spite and sharp spears of approbrious words so that Bishops against Bishops and People against People raised sedition last of all when that cursed hypocrisie and dissimulation had swam even to the brim of malice The heavy hand of Gods high judgment after his wonted manner whilest as yet the Ecclesiastical Societies assembled themselves nevertheless began softly by little and little to visit us so that the persecution that was raised against us took first his Original from the Brethren that were under Banner in the Camp When as we were touched with no sense thereof nor went about so pacific God we heaped sin upon sin thinking like careless Epicures that God neither cared nor would visit our sins And they which seemed our Shepherds Laying aside the rule of piety practised contention and schism among themselves and whilst they aggravated these things that is contentious threatnings mutual hatred and enmity and every one proceeded in Ambition much like Tyranny it self then I say then did the Lord make the daughter of Zion obscure and overthrew from above the glory of Israel c. c. 2. We saw with our eyes the Oratories thrown down to the ground the foundations digged up the holy Scriptures burned to ashes in the open Market-place and the Pastors of the Churches some shamefully hid themselves Yet is it not our drift to describe the bitter calamities of these men which at length they suffered nor to record their dissension and insolency practised among themselves before the persecution c. Note that all this was before Arius his Heresie even before Dioclesians cruelties but not before the beginning of Church-Tyranny and ambition as is said But after this alas how much greater were their enormities and dissentions when their Tyranny was much encreased It would grieve any sober Christian to read how the Christian World hath been tossed up and down and the people distracted and Princes disturbed and dethroned and Heresies fomented and horrid Persecutions and bloodshed caused by the pride and contentiousness of Prelates And most of all this in prosecution of that Controversie which Christ decided so long ago viz. Who should be greatest It was not Religion saith Socrates l. 5. c. 22. that the two Arian Sects of Marinus and Agapius was about but Primacy They strove which of them should be the chief wherefore many Clergy-men under the jurisdiction of these Bishops perceiving the ambition the rancour and malice of these proud Prelates forsook them c. Macedonius at Constantinople was so Tyrannical that as he came in by cruelty so he caused more by presumptuous removal of the bones of Constantine to another Church that he might pull down that and this without Constantius the Emperours knowledge where the people in Factions fought it out till the Church and Streets were full of Carkasses and streams of blood saith Socrates The same man set four Companies of Souldiers on the Novations in Paphlagonia till he enraged the people with Clubs and Bills to kill them all And he was so Tyrannical in forcing Conformity that he not only forced men to the Sacrament but gagged their mouths and popt it in Nor was this only the vice of the Heterodox but the Orthodox as is aforesaid And as the French and German Bishops aforesaid did against the Priscillinaists so for their own interest against one another they flattered and restlesly instigated the Civil power even Uusurpers to execute their Wills and favoured that power that most favoured them When the foresaid Maximus had killed Gratian and reigned in France
Chancellors did only these accidental works or Lay Elder either and meddled not with the sacred power of the Keys we should not be so quarrelsome as to condemn their undertaking unless it were for the abuse 47. We doubt not but in a Church that hath many Pastors those that are young and weak should much submit to the elder and more able and be as far ruled by them as the difference of age experience and abilities without a difference of Office doth require 48. And we doubt not but where Temples and Church-maintenance are at the dispose of Patrons People or Magistrates they may give them to some one Pastor as the present possessor so that no other shall have part but by his concession And this difference there is between the Parson and his Curates in our Parishes and an accidental superiority and inferiority thereby without a difference of Office 49. If Magistrates or Councils or Custome should in each particular Church that hath many Pastors give one a Governing that is a negative voice among the rest in the management of the affairs of that Church so that the rest should not go against him or without him as Archbishops now are over Bishops and Archpresbyters were formerly over Presbyters and Archdeacons over Deacons and Presidents over Colleges and Courts of Justice without claiming a distinct Office though the sad experience of Mens inclination to Church-tyranny make us doubtful whether we should wish for such an inequality yet would we not unpeaceably disturb or quarrel with such an Order when it is settled Our Parish Order aforesaid being indeed but such 50. Whether God himself hath appointed another sort of Bishops who may be better called Archbishops as Successors of the Apostles in the Ruling part of their Office and whether these have not a Power above particular Church Pastors in Ordinations and in the oversight of the Pastors themselves and in the Care of many Churches I have long ago confessed is a Case of too much difficulty for me to determine On the one side though the Apostles have no Successors in the extraordinary and temporary part of their Office yet Church-government being an ordinary and permanent part as doctrine is I can hardly think that when we find one Form of Church-government instituted by Christ himself and continuing till the end of that Age that we should presume to say that this Form then ceased and another must succeed it without good proof What we find enacted and setled must stand till we can prove it abrogate And unless it were a thing which in the nature of it were temporary it seemeth a harsh imputation of mutability to feign Christ to set up a Church-government which should be in force but for an hundred years And on the other side it puzleth me 1. to find it so hard to prove that the Apostles themselves did indeed exercise any Office power over other Pastors which one may not do towards another over and above that which accrewed to them from the meer extraordinary advantage of their gifts and Apostolical proper work 2. And to find it so obscure whether they settled any as their Successors in that superiority of power which they had 51. But being in such doubt and being uncertain whether such Arch-Bishops or Apostolical Successors in the points of Ordination and oversight of many Churches be of Divine right or not I resolve not to contend against any such Order nor to disobey any just commands of such nor to reproach the custome of the Churches 52. And though I know that Pastors should not unnecessarily be diverted by any aliene works yet if it please the Magistrate to commit some of his power of Church-government by the Sword about things extrinsick to the Pastoral Office into the hands of some Ministers as his Officers and if he call them Bishops and command us to obey them and if he make them Barons and endow them with Lordships and great revenues though I see the great peril to the Church from hence by reason of mens pride and worldliness yet will I not reproach this Order nor deny any just obedience to any such Officers of the King 53. If any acknowledging the Pastors of each Church to have the whole Pastoral Office and power of the Keys of that Church which he overseeth shall yet affirm that the aforesaid superiour General Bishops or arch-Arch-Bishops have a superiour power of the Keys and therefore shall have the decision of controversies that arise in particular Churches between the Pastors and the People and that appeals may be made by the people to them and that they may visit the particular Churches at their pleasure and have power to censure the particular Bishops or Pastors when they deserve it or to Ordain Ministers remove them and depose them as there is just cause by bare sentence and the peoples consent and all this jure divino as Successors to the Apostles in their Government or to such Archbishops or General Bishops as Timothy and Titus I shall not contend against any of this for the reasons aforesaid being uncertain of the thing in question But if I must be put to subscribe that I believe all this to be true as if it were an Article of my Faith the same uncertainty would forbid me 54. And here I must take occasion to say that I take unnecessary Subscriptions Declarations Promises and Oaths to be one of the chiefest of the Devil's Engines to divide Christ's Churches and to fish out those Ministers that make conscience of perjury and lying and to turn them out of the work of Christ and to leave in those that do not when Conscience can find but any shifting pretence And how fit such are for the Sacred Ministry and whose servants really they are and how they are like to do Christ's work and what a Case the Churches will be in that have such and what the effects will be with the common people and how the lovers of Godliness will resent all this and what else will follow hereupon I leave to the Reader that hath the brains of a man or ever opened his eyes to mark what is done abroad in the World or that ever read with observation the things that in other Ages have befallen the Churches or that knoweth what relation light hath to darkness good to evil and Christ to Belial I think that the Articles of our Faith and the matters of our practice are so to be distinguished as that there is a necessity of Believing the former and therefore we may be called to profess that we do Believe them And for the other the Agenda we must be called to Do them and if they be plain and necessary duties of our Religion being to be Believed to be Duties before we do them we may sometime be put to profess that Belief But duties of humane imposition or of doubtful nature may be done as things lawful by thousands of peaceable men that cannot say or
rest of his Reasonings for such Diocesan Churches I will put a few Questions more pertinent than his Queries p. 67. about the state of such Diocesan Churches Q. 1. Whether the Apostles were not by this description Bishops of all the World as their Diocesses And whether therefore it follow that there were no Bishops under them in particular Churches Q. 2. Whether Apostles and Evangelists did not go from City to City sometime staying some Months or Years at one and then passing to another And whether this made all the interjacent Countries their Diocesses changing their Bishops as oft as they thus changed their Habitations Q. 3. Whether more than one such Apostle or Evangelist were not both at once and successively in the same place to labour the conversion of all they could And whether therefore there were many Bishops to a Diocess Q. 4. Where we shall find the proof that the Apostles or Evangelists set the bounds of Diocesses And whether this description of his own do make Diocesses bounded by circuit or space of Ground or by the Abilities of the Bishop to endeavour conversion Q. 5. When the Apostles forbad any other to labour mens conversion in their Cities or Countries where they or others had been before them And did not one plant and another water and usually more than one at once Q. 6. Whether Mat. 28. 19 20. Discipling or Preaching to convert men and then baptizing them be not the way of gathering Churches and therefore proveth that before conversion they are no Churches and are not Christians only members of the Church And are those Diocesan Churches that are no Churches Q. 7. If one be setled in a single Congregation in the City with a purpose to endeavour the conversion of the Country is not a Diocesan Church there the same as a single Congregation though the Diocess be larger Q. 8. If when Congregations multiplyed Bishops were not multiplyed but one would keep many Churches under himself alone doth it prove that this was well done because it was done and that God consented to this change His next Reason is because Churches were not then divided into Parishes Which in due place I shall prove to be a sufficient Reason against him Churches were Societies constituted of Pastors and their Christian Congregations as afore defined And his inference is vain that Presbyteries were not settled in Parishes because the Churches were not yet divided into Parishes For they were Parishes that is single Churches without dividing The space of Ground called Parishes was not then marked out Nor was a Diocesan Church like ours that hath no subordinate Bishops divided into Parishes for there were no such Diocesan Churches to be so divided But the Universal Church and the Apostolical Provinces were made up or constituted of Parishes I mean of particular Churches as greater numbers are of unites and as Villages are of Houses But to say that Churches were not divided into Parishes in the sence in question is all one as to say Churches were not divided into Churches Our Controversie is like this Whether all the Families in the Town should have but One common Master And he that affirmeth it should argue thus Masters were not at first appointed to Families but to Villages For Villages were not at first divided into Families when there were none but single Houses erected True but Families were Families before there were Villages to be divided As Villages were not made before Houses and then divided into Houses nor Cities before Streets and afterwards divided into Streets nor Kingdoms before Cities and Corporations and then divided into Corporations or inferiour Societies Nor Academies before Colleges and then divided into Colleges so neither were Provincial or Diocesan Churches made before single Churches and after divided into them but were made by the coalition of many single Churches which should not have been changed for that use in specie by altering the species of their Pastors and depriving them of their Proper Bishops In his 5th Chap. He pretendeth to confute the Asseâ—tion that for the first 200 years the City Churches were but single Congregations Here we use to except only Alexandria and Rome in all the World And we confidently extend the time to 150 years and very probably to 200 and moreover say that till the fourth Century most or very many Churches were no other if not long after in many Kingdoms All his talk p. 80. against shallow giddy Heads that see no further than their Nose end because it was denied that Pastors were set in single Congregations to convert also the Infidels about I have nothing to do with For I assert that as all Ministers are bound to endeavour the conversion of such if they have opportunity not wanting power so those are most bound to it that have best opportunity which is the Neighbour Bishops But till men are converted they are no parts of the Church no nor of that particular Church eo nomine because converted by that Bishop as shall be proved without some further consent and ground The rest about the largeness of the Church of Jerusalem c. shall be considered in due place In his Chap. 6. p. 104. I desire it may be noted that he saith I do not deny but that at the first and namely in the time of the Apostle Paul the most of the Churches so soon after their conversion did not each of them exceed the proportion of a populous Congregation And p. 114. that Metropolitans he thinks were intended by the Apostles or at least suadente naturâ necessitate flagitante as Beza saith And I suppose a Diocesan Church will find no better ground than a Metropolitan viz. Humane Prudence or I think intended In chap. 7. He pretendeth to prove that in the Apostles times Parishes began to be distinguished under one only Bishop c. But what 's the proof Rome and Alexandria are all the Instances But 1. his proof that Evaristus divided Parishes about An. 100 is worth nothing as having no sufficient evidence but fabulous reports 2. He allegeth Eusebius l. 2. â— 15. saying of St. Mark that he is said first to have constituted the Churches of Alexandria But this is no proof 1. Because Eusebius's following words out of Philo do make it most probable that by the Churches of Alexandria he meant the Churches in and about Alexandria which proveth not many in the City it self 2. If he had planted many Churches in the City it is no proof that he varied from the practice of the other Apostles who as Act. 14. 23. placed Elders that is saith Dr. Hammond Bishops in every Church Or that the Elders of each Church had not the true Pastoral or Episcopal power of Governing the Flock which is all that we plead for And if it had been proved that Mark had been over them it followeth not that he was not over them as an Archbishop but as a meer Bishop only 3. Grotius and Dr.
Hammond think they prove that Rome and other great Cities then had more Bishops than one by reason of the peoples diversity in Languages c. As Peter of the Circumcision and Paul of the Uncircumcision 4. Eusebius mentioneth not this as a certainty but with an it's said which is the usual note of his uncertain reports of which he hath not a few as is commonly confessed 5. Dr. Hammond is so far from believing this that many Parishes were committed so early to Presbyters under one Bishop that he thinketh there is no proof that any such Presbyters were in being in the Scripture times And though we confess that Alexandria and Rome had divers Churches in them long before other places there is no proof or probability that it was so in the Apostles days And l. 3. c. 4. Eusebius expresly saith But how many and what sincere followers have governed the Churches planted by the Apostles it cannot be affirmed but so far as may be gathered from the words of Paul And c. 19. he mentioneth in the singular number the Church not the Churches of Rome Antioch and Jerusalem And l. 4. c. 11. he saith Celadion succeeded Mark in the Church of Alexandria But he saith l. 5. c. 9. that Julianus was chosen Bishop over the Churches of Alexandria And c. 22. Demetrius came in his place And l. 6. c. 1. Demetrius took upon him the oversight of the Congregations there And c. 35. Dionysius received the Bishoprick of ruling the Churches in or about Alexandria c. Ans 1. So long after it is not denied but that Alexandria had more Assemblies than one 2. Yet it is most likely that by the Churches in and about Alexandria Eusebius meant the Churches under the Archbishop of Alexandria which had Bishops of their own 3. Before they had a Temple there might be several lesser Meetings in the City which were but as our Chapels or the Independants Meeting in several Houses at once when yet the Church was but one because they were associated for Personal Communion 4. When the Parishes were divided to several Presbyters yet then each Presbyter had the true Episcopal Office as to the People though not the Name and though they were under a superiour Bishop that is they had the whole Office of a Presbyter or Pastor to Govern the People as well as Teach them and Worship with them And so there was then no Parish like ours which is but part of a Diocesan Church and no Church of it self as the Bishops Form it because it hath but a half Pastor 5. And is not the case of all other Churches in the World that to this time were but single Churches more considerable than the case of Rome and Alexandria which differed from all the rest Obj. But all the rest did the same as soon as they had People enow to make many Churches Ans 1. I have told you Grotius and Dr. Hammond think that there were more Bishops than one in a City for some time 2. This multiplication was not till long after in the third Century and with most in the fourth when it was no wonder that the Church fell into the Imperial Form And when they did so the Roman Primacy arose with the rest 3. Yet even then the Presbyters were Episcopi gregis and had the true full Pastoral power as to their Flocks as aforesaid So that there were no Bishops that yet deposed the Presbyters as now Page 125. He saith Neither was this a thing peculiar to the Bishops of Alexandria but common to others Ignatius was Bishop not only of Antioch but of Syria Irenaeus the Bishop of Lyons was Bishop of the Churches in France c. Ans 1. This openeth the former case These were not Diocesanes deposing all the Episcopos gregis and become sole Bishops but Archbishops that had under them Bishops in each particular Church Yet note that it is the French Synod of Bishops which Euseb ib. l. 5. c. 23. Iren. is said to oversee as it 's said ibid. that Palmas did so among the Bishops of Pontus in their Synod and that Victor was President in the Bishops Synod at Rome and Theophilus of Caesarea and Narcissus of Jerusalem in the Palestine Synod Which is nothing to our case It is further said that Optatus saith that in Rome were 40 Churches and that Theodoret had 800. Ans 1. It is granted that in Optatus's days Rome had 40 which is nothing to our case in hand 2. In those 40 so late there were no half Presbyters but as this Doctor confesseth they had not only a joynt power in Governing the Flocks but in Ordination too 3. I confess Theodoret's case seemeth strange and though of late date is so incredible as contrary to the case of other Churches that I do the rather for that clause believe that Epistle to Leo to be a forgery or corrupted at least And besides this Reason I have these also for it 1. Because he himself saith that Cyrus where he was Bishop was but two days journey from Antioch Hist Sanct. Patr. de Juliano And he that knoweth how great the Diocess of Antioch was will not easily believe that a Town within two days journey to Monks that went on foot was like to have eight hundred Churches in it at that time 2. And we know out of whose shop Theodoret's Epistles come Nicephorus saith he read above 500 of his Epistles Baronius saith there is a Book in the Vaticane containing 150 of them Metius translated these into Latine But saith Rivet Crit. Sacr. l. 4. c. 21. p. 455. the Reader must remember that they have been kept all this while in the Adversaries Cabinets and by them are brought into light and into Latine so that they have no authority further than other History confirmeth them 3 Especially seeing Leontius de Sectis saith as Baronius confesseth that Hereticks fained Epistles in Theodoret's name And Bellarmine de script Eccl. mentioneth one that hath his name in Concil Ephes that neither Theodoret nor any Christian is to be charged with 4. And that this one Epistle to Leo should be cull'd out of all the rest to be alone Printed after Theodoret's Works sheweth the design and what credit is to be given to it 5. And I shall anon cite much out of Theodoret himself to shew the improbability that Diocesses had then so many Churches And so much as a just confutation of Bishop Downame not as referring to other men with whom he dealt but to the cause which we have in hand And that I answer not the whole Book is because I know of no more in it than what I have culled out which needeth an answer as to the cause which I defend Of which I make the judicious Reader Judge 6. Bishop Hall's Defence of Episcopacy meddleth so little with the point now in Question that I have no need to say any thing to it more than is already said And he granteth all that I desire 7.
As for Petavius I need not confute him for he granteth me most as to matter of Fact that I desire as I shall after further shew His Fundamental Assertion is That the two Offices of Bishops and Presbyters were both placed in the same person in the Apostles days at which Salmasius justly laugheth For what is that but to say that then there was no such person as a Subject Presbyter much less as our half-Presbyters And Salmasius justly congratulateth his concession that solo confensu hominum vitandi schismatis gratia unus enumero Episcoporum eorundemque Presbyterorum electus est qui praeesset caeteris Quod nemo dici prohibet Nam etsi Episcopalis ordo jure divino introductus est non eodem tamen illo jure decretum est ut unus in singulis civitatibus Ecclesiis esset Episcopus sed Ecclesiae authoritate conciliorumque sanctionibus viz. It was only by Mans consent and for the avoiding of Schism that one was chosen out of the number of Bishops who also were Presbyters to be above the rest This saying none forbiddeth For though the Episcopal Order was introduced by Divine Right yet was it not by the same right decreed that One should be a Bishop in each City and Church but by the authority of the Church and the sanctions of Councils Of this sober Jesuit more anon 8. The Learned Bishop Andrews in his Epistles to Pet. Molinaeus hath said somewhat but in his Scheme Printed at Oxford 1641. before the Treatises for Episcopacy much more But as to his Description of the Jewish Form we dare not thence gather that Christians may imitate them while we know that the cessation of the Jewish Policy and Law is so largely pleaded for by Paul and that Christ is the perfect Lawgiver to his Church and that we must not add or alter on pretence of supposed parity of reason And as to his Reasons for Diocesanes from the New Testament though the well ordering of them make them very taking yet when examined they are no other but what we have found and answered in others 9. The truly Learned Reverend and Godly Primate Usher in the same forementioned Collection of Treatises hath one of the Original of Bishops and Metropolitans and another of the Proconsular Asia But 1. The utmost which he pleadeth for is no more than we acquiesce in as that it was his Model or Reduction published since by Dr. Bernard which we humbly offered to his Majesty as the means of our common concord And he hath himself told me his Judgment that Bishops and Presbyters differ not as two Orders but in Degree And that Ordinis est Ordinare or that he that hath the Order hath intrinsical power to Ordain though he is regularly to do it under the Bishops oversight And therefore it is not invalid and null but only irregular or schismatical when it is done disobediently against the Bishop and so may be disabled in foro exteriore which Dr. Bernard also hath published of him and Dr. Mason in the same Treatise fullier proveth And he took Presbyters to be Governours of the Flocks and the Synods of Bishops to be but for Concord and not to have a proper Governing power over the particular Bishops as he hath himself expressed to me Him therefore that is for us we need not confute And yet I must confess that the great Argument which he and Bishop Andrews and Saravia and all others use from the title of Angel given to the Bishops Rev. 2. and 3. did never seem of any weight to me nor moved my understanding that way at all Believing that Tyconius his old Exposition mentioned by Austin is liker to be true and that indeed it is neither one Prelate nor all the Clergy but the whole Churches that is meant by the Angel of the Churches For the Prophecy coming by Vision the word Angel is mentioned in the Vision phrase and oft in that book is by all confessed to signifie collective Bodies and more than single Individuals As Usher de Babilone himself holdeth that by the false Prophet in the singular number is meant the Roman Clergy It would be more tedious than necessary to recite the instances in that Book I therefore who because of its obscurity am apt to be distrustful of almost all Arguments that are fetcht from the dark Prophecies of Daniel or the Revelations am little satisfied with this from the name Angel And who can believe them that say Timothy was then the Bishop of Ephesus and so excellent a person as that none was like minded as described by Paul and yet that Christ had this against him that he had lost his first love and must remember from whence he is fallen and repent and do his first works or be rejected Rev. 2. 4 5. And in a word that the Apostles who placed holy persons in the Ministry had set such over those eminent Churches as were neither hot nor cold and had the rest of the faults that are mentioned by Christ And the whole style of the Text doth easily prove this Exposition against theirs Rev. 2. 2 4 7. As the praises and dispraises there seem to referr to the whole Church so v. 7. what can be more express than Hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches And v. 10. Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation ten days be thou faithful c. And again v. 11. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches which is repeated and spoken to every one of the seven v. 14 15. It is liker to be the whole Society than the Bishop that is reproved for having false Teachers and Hereticks among them and are called quickly to repent And v. 20. that suffered the Woman Jezebel to teach For the Bishops could not hinder false Teachers but by Excommunicating them and disswading the People from hearing them But the People could have done more even refused to hear them V. 23. And all the Churches shall know seemeth to intimate that this was written to the Church V. 24. Unto you I say and to the rest in Thyatira as many as have not this Doctrine and have not known the depth of Satan c. Was this spoken to the Bishop only Chap. 3. v. 1. Was it the Bishop of Sardis only that had a name to live and was dead and that was warned to be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die whose works were not perfect before God that must remember how he had received and heard that had a few Names in Sardis c. And so of the rest Obj. But it is said Chap. 1. v. 20. The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches Ans And what can a man gather hence to satisfie himself in this point whether the sense be
alterable policy And 2. That this Opinion rose as early as he pretendeth 3. And that these Ancients were not deceived â—â—t our English Bishops rather Bilson Jewel c. who took Patriarchs and Metropolitanes as such for Creatures of Humane Original While Ignatius his being Bishop of a Church in Syria shall prove him the Bishop of all Syria and the Church of God dwelling in Syria in Antiochia shall be equivalent with the Church in Antiochia governing all Syria I shall not undertake to hinder such men from proving any thing that they would have believed His Cap. 6. of the promiscuous use of the Names of Bishop and Presbyter and Cap. 7. that prepareth the stating of the Controversie need no answer but to say that we deny not but where a single Presbyter was he had himself the power of Governing that Church but where there were many though all had the full Office severally they were bound to use it in Concord And whether one amongst them shall have a precedency or guidance of the rest we think as Dr. Stillingfleet hath proved to be a matter alterable by humane prudence according to the various condition of the Churches And if any take both such Bishops and Archbishops to be Jure Divine with Dr. Hammond it will be somewhat to his Cause but nothing to ours Cap. 8. he openeth his conceit which in time I shall shew doth yield us the whole Cause that every place of Scripture which mentioneth Bishops or Presbyters meaneth Diocesan supereminent Bishops only And first he proveth it of the Elders Bishops of Ephesus Acts 20. because the whole flock is meant of all Asia Fully proved because Irenaeus said as he thought that the Bishops were convocate from Ephesus and the nearest Cities But 1. Irenaeus saith not Bishops only but Bishops and Presbyters conjoining them as two sorts and not Bishops or Presbyters as the Doctor doth 2. The nearest Cities and all Asia we take not for words of the same importance 3. We take not your bare word for the validity of the Consequence that because the Bishops of several Cities were there therefore it is all Asia that is singularly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Flock and not each Bishops Flock respectively q. d. Each of you look to your several Flock 4. We think if you calculate the time Acts 20 and 21. and consider Paul's haste Acts 20. 16. that few impartial men will believe that Paul's Messengers that were wont to go on foot did so quickly go all over Asia and so quickly get together all the Bishops of Asia to Miletum unless they all resided at Ephesus as our English Bishops do at London and Governed their unknown people by a Lay-Chancellour 5. And Irenaeus ibid. p. 312. saith Et omnia hujusmodi per solum Lucam cognovimus we know all such things by Luke alone pretending no other Tradition And if it be in Luke it is yet to be thence proved 6. But he pleadeth our Cause too strongly by supposing that each City then had a Bishop without any subject half Presbyter and so that no such Office was yet made Cap. 9. Of Timothy's Episcopacy concerneth not our Cause Though I hope that neither he nor his Church were so bad as the Angel or Church in Rev. 2. is described And it 's easier to answer the strength of Dr. Hammond than for him to answer the Evidence brought by Prin in his Vnbishoping Timothy and Titus to shew the itinerant life and Ministry of Timothy contrary to the life of a fixed Bishop And if non-residency have such Patrons and Timothy have taught men to leave their Churches year after year and play the Pastor many hundred Miles distant it will make us dream that non-residence is a duty And if all these years Timothy's Metropolitan Church at Ephesus had no ordained Presbyter but Passengers that fell in I blame them not or wonder not at least that they lost their first love for it 's like they seldom had any Church Assemblies to Communicate and Worship God together Cap. 10. Cometh to the case of Philippi Phil. 1. 1 2. And 1. § 3. he saith It is manifest that Epaphroditus Bishop of Philippi was at Rome with Paul when he wrote this Epistle and he supposeth that there were yet no Presbyters but Bishops And so when Paul wrote to all the Saints which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons he meant to those that are not at Philippi where there was no Bishop but in other Cities of Macedonia that had every one a Prelate without ever a Presbyter under him With some this expounding may go for modest if not true Two probable Arguments I object against his improbable Expositions of this Text and that Acts 20. before mentioned 1. Where did he ever read that all the Province of Macedonia was called Philippi and the Saints said to dwell at Philippi that dwelt all over Macedonia 2. Where did he ever read in Scripture many Episcopal Churches under one Metropolitan called One Church in the singular Number as in Acts 20. 28. or One Flock either 3. Will any knowing man deny that he contradicteth not only Hierom and Theodoret but the common Exposition of the Fathers by this his odd Opinion And is it not gross partiality for the same man that can so easily cast off the judgment of almost all the Ancients at once to lay so much of the whole stress of his Diocesan and Metropolitan Cause upon the Fathers assertions yea doubtful reports and to take it for so immodest a thing in others to deny belief to them in such uncertain matters But he setteth Epiphanius his words against Aerius against them all Even that Epiphanius who ordained in the Bishop of Jerusalem's Diocess to his displeasure and that combined with that Theophilus Alexand. of whom Socrates writeth such horrid and unchristian practices to root out Chrysostom and raise a flame in the Church of Constantinople who liker a mad man than a sober Bishop came from Cyprus not only into the City but the Church where Chrysostom used to officiate to inflame his people and declame against and censure their Bishop to whom he was an inferiour and that parted with him in a wrathful Prognostick and dyed by the way home And yet even this one man saith nothing to his advantage but that the Apostles placed Bishops only with Deacons in some Churches that had not fit men to make Presbyters of which we not only grant but doubt whether ever they made any but Bishops though in great Cities there were many of them And § 8 9 10. when it seemed to serve his turn he yet further gratifieth us by granting yea maintaining that one Congregation had not two Bishops yet nothing hindreth but that in the same City there might sometimes be two distinct Assemblies converted by two Apostles perhaps of distinct dialects and rites and these governed by distinct Bishops with a divided or distinct Clergie which is almost as much
maintaining that the word Presbyter in the places of the New Testament cited by him doth mean only a Bishop that is a Pastor of one only Congregation that had no Presbyter under him but Deacons and that no mention is made by the Apostles of other Presbyters § 6. And he gratifieth us with Epiphanius his Reasons § 4. because as yet there was not a multitude of Believers And that the Elders that Paul speaketh to Timothy of ordaining and rebuking and those that were worthy of double honour were only Bishops that had no subject Presbyters Whether they were set over the Churches as Moses was over Israel with a design that they should make subordinate Officers under them I shall enquire in due place Cap. 20. He goeth over most of the other Texts in the New Testament that mention Elders shewing that they mean such Bishops and that even at Hierusalem the Elders Acts 15. were not our new half Priests but the Bishops of all the Churches of Judaea and so of others here again repeated by him But it sticketh with me that these Bishops having no subject Presbyters are found so oft in the Metropolitane City and so oft in travel and so oft many hundred Miles from home that I doubt it was but a few Churches in the world that kept the Lords day and assembled for publick Worship or had any Sacraments frequently but lived as the Atheists and impious contemners of Church-Communion now do or else that with the Fanaticks we must hold that Lay-men or Deacons did play the Priests in all Church Offices Cap. 21. He vindicateth that one remaining Text Jam. 5. 14. which mentioneth Presbyters visiting the sick as meant only of Bishops and not of mungrel Priests And so being secured that these were never found in the Scripture times and consequently no Bishop except Archbishops that had more worshipping Churches than one we must look who presumed to institute another Office And here § 3. he perswadeth us to be so civil to Ignatius as thankfully to acknowledge him the first Patron of our Office-dignity intimating that there is no earlier proof of the invention of this mungrel Office than the Epistles of Ignatius Cap. 22. He tells us that the word Presbyter is also taken for Bishops by Polycarp Papias Irenaeus Tertullian and Clemens Alexand. so that our cause will be carried beyond Scripture times But again finding so many Bishops with Polycarp I doubt he maketh Bishops too unwearied Travellers and too great non-Residents and Gods Publick Worship too often interrupted by their absence Cap. 23 24 25 26. He speaketh of Deacons the word and Office which we have now no business with but to note that cap. 26. § 8. he is again at Epiphanius allowing a single Bishop without Presbyters but not without Deacons because he cannot be a Bishop without Deacons which I believe not nor do our Prelates but without subject Presbyters he may better than with them And § 10. he excellently argueth from the Epistle to Timothy that seeing Paul instructeth him in all things belonging to the Church of God 1 Tim. 3. 15. and yet never mentioneth these Medioxumos Presbyteros mungrel or middle Priests it is plain that the reason is because none such were instituted when the Apostle wrote To which I add nor afterward by the Apostles as far as can be proved and therefore never should have been Cap. 27. He speaketh of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1. and 2. and 1 Tim. 5. shewing that these Women were in Orders Of which I have no mind to contend so that by the Name it be not inferred that they are she-Bishops and that they argue not as a Preacher did since we were silenced I can name the Man and place from St. John's Epistle to the Elect Lady to prove that there were Lord-Bishops in the Apostles daies viz. an Elect Lady supposeth an Elect Lord But there are no Elect Lords but Elect Lord-Bishops Ergo We have not yet seen all Dr. Hammond's confutation of our Diocesan Prelacie In his fifth Dissertation we have more Cap. 1. He speaketh of Clemens Rom. and whereas we think that the confusion among Historians came partly from the little notice that came down from those times of such particulars and partly from the identity of the Office of Linus Cletus and Clemens being all Bishops at once of a great Church the Half-Presbyters being not yet ordained he gratifyeth us by proving that not only at Rome but also in Antioch Ephesus Corinth and Jerusalem there were more Churches than one with their several Bishops Even one of the Jews and one of the Gentiles how the local Diocese were then divided is hard to tell and where it was that one Apostle had Power of the Keys and where not I shall improve this Concession in due place Cap. 2. Of Clements Epistle he first takes notice of the Inscription to the Church of God dwelling or sojourning at Corinth The same Phrase as Philip. ◠1 2. And by this Church he proveth by confident affirming that all the Churches of Achaia are meant And that the same is to be said of Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians he unresistibly proveth by saying that Quisquis eas vel leviter degustaverit tuo scilicet gustu hoc omnino pronunciandum esse nobiscum statuet Nec igitur de hac Clementis ambigi poterit And so all that Controversie is ended But though without Scripture proof imagination might handsomely feign that the many Churches of Achaia are called singularly the Church of Corinth as one because of the Unity of the Metropolitane yet 1. I would have heard somewhat like reason for and some instances of the use of such a speech as this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church of God dwelling or sojourning at Rome to the Church of God dwelling or sojourning at Corinth And why and where and by what good writers all Achaia is called Corinth or all Macedonia Philippi or all the Cities about it indeed as the County of Worcester the County of York of Warwick c. are usual Titles so may the Church of York Worcester Warwick be in the Diocesans sense But whoever said of all the County or Diocess To the County Diocess dwelling at York Worcester Warwick As if all the Countrey and Towns belonging to that Circuit were called Warwick c. 2. Doth not his own proof evidently confute him 2 Cor. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth with all the Saints which are in all Achaia Are the last words Tautological doth with signifie no addition at all If by the Church which is at Corinth be meant all the Churches and Christians in Achaia what sense is there in the addition of with all the Saints which are in Achaia O what kind of proof will satisfie some Learned Men 3. Was it all the Churches of Achaia that the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5. dwelt with and that are chidden for suffering him
in their Communion and that are directed when they meet together to cast him out and not to eat with him 4. Would it not be Calumny according to all rational Laws to accuse all the Churches of Achaia of all those Crimes which the Church at Corinth is accused of without a better proof than this 5. Was it all the Churches of Achaia which 1 Cor. 14. are said to meet all in one place and to have so many Prophets and Interpreters in that one Assembly I am not at leisure to say more of this But who denieth that the same Epistle which was directed first to the Corinthians was secondarily directed to the rest of Achia and to be Communicated to them And yet not the Churches of Achaia be all said to be or dwell at Corinth When 2 Cor. 11. 10. Paul speaketh of the Regions of Achaia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith that sheweth that the matter belonged to the whole Church of Achaia But how long have they all been challenged to name one Text of Scripture that speaketh singularly of the Church of a Province or Countrey consisting of many particular Churches Yet addeth he In re manifesta non pluribus opus est Cap. 3. He only mentioneth the occasion of Clements Epistle where without any Proof he extendeth the Sedition then raised by them to the disturbance of the Civil Government and Peace And if he had proved as he endeavoureth that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant the Civil Rulers which is utterly uncertain yet the commendation of their Obedience formerly to the Civil Power as part of the Character of their orderliness and peaceableness doth not prove that Rebellion against them was part of their following disorder Cap. 4. Is to tell us 1. That Clemens puts Obedience to Rulers and due honouring of Presbyters as a Law of God which is not to be doubted of 2. That Bishops were sent by the Apostles as the Apostles by Christ but were joyned only with Deacons to attend them Mark here Reader that he doth not only acknowledge that de facto the Order of Mungrel or Half-Priests was not yet Existent but also that none such were sent by the Apostles and so not Instituted and that Clemens himself taketh notice of no such even in his times But how the Dr. will prove that no great Churches and particularly this of Corinth had but one Bishop you shall see with little satisfaction 3. He noteth that these Bishops thus sent were constituted every where Ecclesias nondum natas sed ad partum bonis Dei auspâ—cus festinantes brachiis atque ulnis suis susceptum administratum to receive in their Arms and Arms the Churches not yet born but by Gods Blessing hastning to the Birth whereas of his own Head he had before said that the Bishops were sent by the Apostles when Clement saith no such thing but only that they were Constituted sending being the word used of Itenerant Preachers gathering and visiting Churches and Constituting with Ordaining the usual word of Bishops and Presbyters who as such are fixed to particular Churches so now he more boldly forgeteth that Bishops were yea every where to receive Churches that were yet no Churches Where he contradicteth both Scripture and common use of the word Bishop and abuseth Clement 1. Let any Man that can shew us thatin the New Testament the word Bishop is ever used of any Pastor that was not related to a Church and as signifying that Relation and that Bishop and Flock are yet as much Relatives as King and Kingdom 2 Let him shew that can that the word was used otherwise by Christians for many a hundred years after Christ Though I grant that Ministers in general were and may be ordained sine titulo to Preach and gather Churches and help others yet never Bishops the word signifying an Over-seer of the Flock or Church to which he is related 3. If it were certain that the futurity of believing mentioned by Clemens had relation to the Constitution of Bishops and not to the Apostles Preaching only yet Clemens saith not that there were yet no Believers or no Churches where they were constituted Bishops Where there were but a few Believers the Apostles placed Bishops and Deacons over those few who should receive others into the same Society till it was full and no further who should after believe It is an abuse of Clemens to say it was to Churches yet not born when he hath no such word As if it could not be for future Believers unless at present there were no Believers And it is an abuse of him to seign him to assert that the Apostles did every where as soon as they had once Converted one Man presently make that new Baptized Novice a Bishop before they Converted any more saving perhaps one or two to be his Deacons Or that they used to make Deacons or Bishops either to Churches future that were yet no Churches When as the Scripture telleth the contrary most expresly that the Church at Jerusalem was before the Deacons Act. 7. That they ordained Elders in every Church Act. 14. 23. and not in no Church as he implyeth And Tit. 1. 5. every City is equivalent to every Church for it was not in every Infidel City that had no Christians Which beyond all modest contradiction is proved by the Rules given to Timothy and Titus for the Ordination of Bishops and Deacons Who were to be approved chosen persons that had ruled their own Houses well not Novices apt to teach well reported of those without which supposeth some to be within Tim. 3. 14 15. These things I write unto thee that thou mayest know how to behave thy self in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God a Pillar and Basis of the truth The first that were converted did not always prove the fittest to be Bishops perhaps they might be Women or weakly guiâ—ted To feign that the Apostles did that every where which none can prove that ever they did once to make a Bishop and Deacons of the two or three first Novice-converts before there were any more Converted and to make Bishops and Deacons before there were any Christians to constitute Churches meerly for future Churches this is not Clemens act whoever else will own it 4. Lastly he noteth here that this was done by the Revelation of the Spirit whereby they examined and tryed who was worthy of that Dignity And 1. What use for examination who was worthy where there was no other to stand in Competition and where the first Convert still was taken Election is è multis And if he be compelled to grant that there were more Christians over whom the Bishop was set it is a Contradiction to say that a Bishop and his Flock though small is no Church 2. It is hard to believe that the multitude of ignorant Lads and wicked Men that are now set over Churches are Constituted by this Apostolical choice and
than one or two Churches 6. And what was the cause of this one or two like to touch the Bishops of the other Churches And what Cognisance was all Achaia like to have of the cause of one or two distant persons so as for them to rise up against their own Bishops 7. If it was not all nor many Pastors that were thus turned out as Clemens words import why should all Achaia be called seditious and blamed for it 8. Doth not the common Law of Charity and Justice forbid us to extend those words of reproof to a whole Province which cannot be proved to extend farther than to a single Church and principally toucht but one or two 9. I have before proved that Paul by the Saints at Corinth meaneth but one Church Therefore it 's like that Clemens doth so too 10. The Bishops and Deacons that Clemens speaketh of were set up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum consensu totius Ecclesiae or as the Dr. will needs have it applaudente aut congratulante tota Ecclesia indeed with the good liking Pleasure or Approbation of the whole Church And shall we be perswaded that all the Cities and Countrey of Achaia were that whole Church which approved or consented to these particular Pastors that were put out Or that had Cognisance of them or acquaintance with them 11. He expresly saith pag. 62. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Church of Corinth for the sake of one or two moved Sedition against the Presbyters And why doth he never say it was the Church of Achaia 12. p. 63. He supposeth the Person Emulating to be a Believer of power in explaining Doctrine wise in judging of Speeches c. And would have the concern'd Person say p. 69. If the Sedition be for me and the Contention and Schisms I will remove I will be gone wither you will and will do what the People pre-determine of or command only let the Flock of Christ with the Presbyters set over them live in peace And is it like that the Flock that this Person must say so to was all Achaia 13. And p. 73. He requireth those that begun the Sedition to be obediently Subject to the Presbyters and not to their Bishop onely And is it like to be the Bishops of other Churches through all Achaia that this one or two is required to Obey and be in Subjection to I have given my Reasons to prove that these Presbyters were in the One Church of Corinth Compare his if you can find them to the contrary and Judge Impartially as you see cause Cap. 8. Hath nothing that concerneth us but the recitall of his grand Concession lest we should think that in Clemens days the great Bishop of Corinth or any in Achaia had any more Church-assemblies than one to whom he could do all the Pastoral Offices himself he thus concludeth § 9. Indeed mention is found only of Bishops with Deacons constituted in each City sometimes under the Title of Bishops sometimes of Presbyters there being no token or foot-step at all appearing of such as we now call Presbyters c. To which I wholly agree though not that there was but one Presbyter in Corinth Cap. 9. He is offended much with Blondel for reproaching Hermas and yet using his Testimony As if a Hereticks or an Infidels Testimony might not be used in point of History And § 14. he again cometh to his supposition of Bishops without Subject Presbyters as if it served his turn more than ours Cap. 10. About Pius words hath nothing that I find the cause concerned in Cap. 11. Is of little moment to us both parties have little that is cogent but velitations about dubious words Cap. 12. Is but about the sense of the word applyed to Ireneuâ— which Dr. H. taketh here and by many after to mean a Bishop and wonders that Blondel pleadeth for a parity of order from a common Name But it is not so much without reason as he maketh it For if Bishops and Presbyters were in the first times called by one Name and the highest Person in the Church then was ordinarily known by the name Presbyter and the appropriating of Bishop to one sort and Presbyter to another came afterwards in by such insensible degrees that no man can tell when it was it sounds very probable that it was the true Episcopal Power or the same Office and Order that was first commonly possessed by them to whom the name was Common And so much of Dr. Hammond's Dissertations wherein I must desire the Reader to note 1. That I meddle not with other mens Causes nor particularly with the question Whether one man in each Church had of old a guiding superiority over the rest of the Presbyters Nor yet whether the Apostles had such successors in the General care of many Churches such as Visiters or arch-Arch-Bishops but only 1. Whether every Presbyter were not Essentially a Bishop or Governour of the Flock having the power of Keys as they call it in foro interiore exteriore both for resolving Consciences and for Church-order 2. Whether every particular Church which ordinarily communicated together in the Lords Supper and had unum Altare had not one or more such Bishops 3. Whether it was not a sinful corrupting change to bring in another Species of Presbyters and so to depose all the particular Churches and Bishops and set up a Dioâ—esane Bishop inâ—â—â—is ordinis with half Churches and half-Priests under him in their stead 2. And note That as it concerned me not to speak to all that the Doctor hath said so I have carefully chosen out all that I thought pertinent and of a seeming weight as to the cause which I mannage and have past by nothing in the whole Book which I thought an understanding Reader needeth an answer to There is yet the same Authors Vindication of his Dissertations to be considered But I find nothing new in them to be answered by me nor that I am concerned for the Cause in hand any further than to give you these few Observations 1. That again p. 5. he saith That by observing the paucity of Believers in many Cities in the first Plantations which made it unnecessary that there should by the Apostles be ordained any more than a Bishop and Deacon one or more in each City and that this was accordingly done by them at the first is approved by the most undenyable ancient Records 2. That p. 7. he again well averreth that the Jewish and Gentile Congregations occasioned several Churches and Bishops in the same Cities And p. 14. 15. That Timothy was placed by Paul Bishop of the Gentiles at Ephesus and S. John and another after him Bishop of the Jews Pag. 16. He thinketh that Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus or Angel when Rev. 2. was wrote Pag. 17. From Epiphanius he reckoneth above 50 years from the Revelation of John Rev. 2. to the writing of Ignatius's Epistles By which we may Calculate the time when the
for Chronology and History A few leaves of whose over-large Collections Dr. Hammond hath Answered as you have heard and given his reason for going no further because Blond extendeth the Ministerial Parity but to 140. But to us it is not so inconsiderable to see by what degres the Prelacy rose and to see it proved so copiously that even in after Ages the species extent and of Churches and the Order or Species of Presbyters were not altered notwithstanding accidental alterations And therefore I shall undertake to bring proofenough of what I now plead for from times much lower than 140 such as I think the impartal will rest satisfied in though interest and preconceived Idea's are seldom satisfied or conqueredly a Confutation CHAP. VI. That it is not of Gods institution nor is pleasing to him that there be no Churches and Bishops but in Cities or that a City with its territories or Country adjacent be the bounds of each Church SOme late most esteemed defenders of Diocesanes especially Dr. Hammond lay so great a stress upon the supposition that the Apostles setled the Churches in the Metropolitane and Diocesane order and that they did partly in imitation of the Jewish policy and partly as a thing necessary by the nature of the thing that even in Heathen Kingdomes when Churches are gathered in any Cities they must have a difference of Church power over each other as they find the Cities to have a civil power as you heard before from Dr. H. that I think it meet here breifly to prove 1. That it was not of the Apostles purpose to have Churches and Bishops placed only in Cities and not in Villages 2. Nor that Church power should thus follow the civil 3. Nor that a City with its territories should be the measure of the habitation of each Churches members The licet in some cases I deny not but the oportet is the question yea and the licet in other cases The two first are proved together by these reasons following 1. Christ himself our grand examplar did not only preach and convert Christians in Cities but in Country villages where he held assemblies and preacht and prayed yea in mountains and in Ships And though he planted no particular Churches with fixed Bishops there yet that was because he did so no where He performed all offices in the Country which he did in the Cities except that which was appropriated to Jerusalem by the Law and the institution of his last supper which could be done but in one place 2. There is no Law of God direct or indirect which maketh it a duty to settle Churches and Bishops in Cities only and forbiddeth the setling them in Country villages This is most evident to him that will search the Scripture and but try the pretended proofs of the late Prelatists for the vanity of their pretensions will easily appear They have not so fair a pretense in the New Testament for asserting such a Law as the Pop hath for his supermacy in Peter feed my sheep And where there is no Law there is no obligation on us unto duty and no sin in omission If they say that the Apostles did plant Churches only in Cities comprehending their territories I answer 1. They prove that they planted them in Cities but the silence of the Scriptures proveth not the Negative that they planted none in Villages 2. Nor have they a word of proof that each Church contained all Christians in the Cities with all the interjacent Villages 3. Much less that they must contain all such when all the Countries were converted and the Christians were enow for many Churches 4. Nor can they ever prove that the Apostles planting Churches only in Cities was intended as a Law to restrain men from planting them any where else Any more than their not converting the Villages or the generality of the Cities will prove that they must not be converted by any other Or than that their setting up no Christian Magistrates or converting no Princes will prove that there must be no such thing Whoever extended the obligation of Apostolical example to such Negatives as to do nothing which they did not 5. The reason is most apparent why they preached first in Cities because there is no such fishing as in the Sea They had there the frequentest fullest audirories And so they planted their first Churches there because they had most converts there And it is known that Judea a barren mountainous Coutrey of it self had been so harressed with Wars that there was little safety and quiet expected in Countrey Villages and the Roman Empire had been free from the same plague by such short intervals that as many people as could got into the Cities for all that know by experience what War is do know the misery of poor Country people who are at every wicked Soldiers mercy It was therefore among poor scattered labourers a hard thing to get a considerable auditory which maketh Mr. Eliots and his helpers work go on so heavily among the scattered Americans who have no Cities or great Towns because they can rarely speak to any considerable numbers Now to gather from hence either that Villages must have no Churches or no Bishops is an impiety next to a concluding that they must not be assembled taught or worship God 3. The reasons are vain and null which are pretended for such a modelling of Churches to the form of the civil Government and thus confining them to Cities For 1. There is no need that one Bishop be the Governour of another at all 2. And therefore no need that the Bishop of a Metropolis govern the Bishop of a lesser City or he the Bishop of a Village 1. God hath not given one Bishop power over another as meer Bishops As Cyprian saith in his Carth. Council none of us are Bishops of Bishops but Colleagues Dr. Hammond himself saith that the Bishops are the Apostles Successors and the Apostles were equal in power and Independent Annot. in 1 Tim. 3. c. p 732. Jesus Christ dispensing them all the particular Churches of the whole world by himself and administring them severally not by any one Oeconomus but by the several Bishops as inferiour heads of unity to the severalbodies so constituted by the several Apostles in their plantations each of them having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a several distinct commission from Christ immediately and subordinate to none but the supreme donor or plenipotentiary Indeed if it be not Bishops but Archbishops or Bishops of Bishops which are the Apostles Successors in order over the Bishops as they are supposed to be over the Priests then such an order of arch-Arch-Bishops is of divine right But not as Metropolitanes or for the Cities sake but as general Officers to take care of many Churches succeeding the Apostles 2. And that Apostolical succession is not the foundation of the Metropolitan or City power is plain 1. Because if the Bishop or Arch-Bishop be the immediate successors of
particular Church ordinances of Christs is a true Bishop But every true particular Church should have such a Pastor Therefore they should have a Bishop By the Church ordinances I mean 1. Teaching 2. Ministerial Worship in Prayer Praise and Sacraments 3. Discipline secret and publick in that Church And let them remember that they that instead of proof do but crudely affirme that Cities only may be Bishops Seats do but beg the question But because he that puts us hardest to it Downame doth lay so much on these two differences of a Diocesan Church from a Parochial 1. That a Diocese conteineth the City and territories though at first it have but one Congregation 2. That converting the rest of the City and territories giveth the Bishop a right to Govern them all I will further distinctly consider of both these CHAP. VIII Whether the Infidel Territories or Citizens do make part of a Diocesane Church 1. WE distinguish between a Diocese and a Diocesane Church 1. The word Diocese first was of civil signification and so we have nothing to do with it 2. It may signifie a Country of Infidels whom a Minister of Christ endeavoureth to convert And so it is no Church of it self nor no part of a Church if a Church be in it as is past all question And so we deny not but that 1. Every Minister should convert as many Infidels as he can 2. That he that is resident on the place as Pastor of a Cohabiting Church hath better opportunity than a stranger usually to convert the neighbour infidels And therefore hath more obligation to endeavour it because men must divide and order their work as their opportunities do invite and guide them 3. But yet that God set no man his Ministerial Charge by the measure of ground And therefore that if such a City-Bishop have a smaller number of Infidels in his territories than will take up his time and labour besides the care of his Church he ought not to confine his labour to them nor neglect other territories that need his help but may must and should go further in his endeavours as Augustine and other later Bishops among the Saxons notwithstanding the neighbourhood of the Brittains and as Wilfred alias Boniface among the Germans c. And if any other Minister come among the Infidels in the Territories of a City that hath a Church while they have need of such help the Bishop were a beast if he should forbid him on pretense that it is his Diocess where another hath nothing to do But as unoccupied Countries belong to any occupant so an Infidel Country belongeth to any preacher that hath opportunity to convert them And if a Diocesane prohibit such preaching he is to be neglected or reprehended but not obeyed Yet I deny not but prudence may direct preachers as it would do occupants in the aforesaid case to distribute their labours so as one may not hinder but help another But that is not a Law of propriety otherwise than as mutual consent obligeth And it is but the determination of circumstances and that not about any part of a Church and therefore nothing to the constitution of a Church And as is shewed as Christ sent his Disciples out by two and two so the Apostles oft went two together or an Apostle and an Evangelist which shewed that no one claimed the Diocess But still were it otherwise Infidels are not of the Church CHAP. IX Whether converting a Diocese give right to the Converter to be their Bishop or Governour 1 WE deny not but that Converts owe a peculiar love and respect to those as their fathers in Christ which did convert them which Paul claimeth of the Corinthians 2. And we deny not but caeteris paribus that man being as fit a man as others and his abode being nearer and his Church being not full but capable of them this advantage should encline his converts to choose him rather than another for their Pastor But yet converting them as such giveth him not a right to govern them as their Pastor nor necessitateth them to choose him As I prove 1. Because a Lay man as Frumentius and Edesius and Origen c. may convert men who are not Pastors to them or any 2. Because Conversion and Baptism as such is but mens admission into the Universal Church as in the Eunuchs case Act. 8. is manifest and not into any particular Church It uniteth them to Christ but not to any particular Pastor For they Baptize not into their own name 3. Because when two or three go together as Paul and Barnabas Silas Timothy Luke c. it is to be supposed that one converteth not all but one some and another some and therefore if converting gave right there must be many Bishops and Churches in a place 4. Because when a Church is settled a strange preacher that cometh after yea one that hath a charge elsewhere may convert many neighbours that were not Converted and yet it will not follow that he must come and set up another Church there for that nor that they must remove their dwelling to follow him 5. Because a man may and abundance of excellent preachers have done it convert many souls in many Countries where they go at great distances from each other But he cannot be the Bishop of so many people or Churches so far dispersed 6. Because it would make it uncertain who it is that hath any where the Episcopal power For Conversion is 1. a secret work known only to the person converted 2. And it is an obscure and usually a gradual work not done at once but by such degrees that the convert seldome knoweth himself who it was that converted him Though he may know that one mans ministry so far convinced him and another so far and so on It will be hard to say just when it came to a conversion And if you say it is he that perswaded him to be baptized that may be a lay man or long after his Conversion Princes in some Countries force or perswade thousands to be baptized If you say that it is he that Baptized him than Paul should be Pastor but to few of the Corinthians who thanked God that he baptized none of them but Stephanus houshold Gaius and Crispus as being not sent to baptize but to preach the Gospel 7. Because else many persons should be necessitated to choose a bad or very weak man if not a heretick for their Bishop when they may have far better and ablermen For it hath been known that a bad Minister and a heretical Minister much more a very weak Minister hath converted men But God doth not allow such converts therefore to cast their Souls under the danger and disadvantage of such a ones Ministry or oversights when much fitter may be had 8. Because both nature and Scripture example direct men to another course that is 1. To be members of the Church where they are cohabitants if there
Able also to admonish one another so Col. 3. 16. Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns But more of this in the 2d part 5. Lastly it is their part to admonish a brother that offendeth and if he hear not to take two or three witnesses and if he hear not to tell the Church Matth. 18. 15. of which see Dr. Hammonds Annot. and of the Keys But all this requireth personal knowledge and propinquity Obj. It is not necessary to the being of Church members that every one that is a Church member know them many in London know not their next Neighbours Ans I Speak not 1. Of the Act but of the Power or Capacity and the Relation with its end 2. I speak not of every member but of so great a part as denominateth the Church 1. As a Pastor who by sickness or other impediment preacheth not of a long time may yet be a Pastor because he hath 1. The Power 2. And a Relation whose end is the Instructing of the Flock 3. And he intendeth the exercise as soon as the impediment is removed or if lazyness or any culpable neglect be the cause that altereth not the natuâ—e of the office but proveth him faulty So a member that is 1. Capable 2. Related to the end may be a member though neglect or impediments keep them from the exercise of much of that which they otherwise may do He that dwelleth in the Neighborhood may do all these Offices to another if he will when opportunity calleth for it and therefore may be so obliged to it But so cannot he that dwelleth out of reach Citizens or members of Corporations are in a capacity for officesbelonging to the society though some may neglect them and others want opportunity to do them but one out of reach is uncapable of the duty and therefore uncapable of the Relation which is made up of obligation to that duty when there is cause The Relation is essentially a Power and obligation to the Duty And the Dispositio materiâ— is necessary to the reception of the forme He therefore that is not in a capable means by cohabitation is not materia disposita and can neither have Power nor obligation to the dutyes of a Church member towards the rest and so cannot have the Relative form or be indeed a member And therefore all that write judiciously of the definition of a particular Church do make Propinquity or Cohabitation to be the Dispositio materiae sine qua non From which they are called Parishioners They are not a Church because a Parish but they are therefore the materia disposita as to this part of the capacity extrinsick Christianity being it that maketh them intrinsecally fit materials 2. And I deny not but some few members may be several waies uncapable naturally of the ordinary offices of members Some by infancy some by distraction some by sickness some by the restraint of Parents Masters or Husbands and some by a retired disposition c. And some Churches may be so sinfully over-great as that the number hindereth many of the members from a capacity of the ordinary duty of the relation which is the case of some great Parishes in London But either this is the case of the greater part and main body of the Society or bâ—t of a few If but of a few it may prove it a disordered Church but it cannot prove it no Church no more than a few Hereticks can denominate the Church Heretical or a few mad or leprous persons can denominate it mad or leprous or than the family of Noah David Christ was denominated from a Cham an Absolom a Judas But if it be the main body though in intrinsick qualifications the Church may be denominated from the better part sometimes and not from the greater yet in extrinsick qualifications it is now to be denominated a Church only from the Pastor and that number who are capable of the relation as being the two constitutive parts and all the rest are none of the Church And if there be no such body united to the Pastor for true Church ends and capable of them it is no Church Obj. But it is enough to make one Church if they be all united in one Bishop or Governour though their distance make them uncapable of knowing one another and doing what you have described Ans It is enough indeed to make a Church of another species such as I before named either the Catholick Church through out the world or a Church composed of many particular Churches if it may be called a Church Because their Communion is not to be Local or present nor to the ends of a particular Church but only intrinsical in Faith and Love and extrinsical by Delegates or Mediators But this is not enough to the being of a Church of the first order which now we speak of which should have a Bishop of their own and is not composed of many united Churches For else the Church of a Patriark or a Primate or an Arch-Bishop or Metropolitane should be a Church of the first order and have no Church or Bishop under it For such a Church is united in one Governour To say nothing of the Papal Church which yet pretendeth not to depose all Bishops Therefore the unity of the Governour will not suffice of it self to make one Primary Church though it may make one Compounded or General Church conteining many Churches and Bishops 2. And the nature of the thing telleth us that as the People have their Duties and Priviledges as well as the Pastors so the people must be united among themselves by some common Relation conteining Power of and Obligation to that duty and capacity of that priviledge Which is past all doubt among knowing men Therefore an uncapable body cannot be made one Primary Church by the unity of a Prelate 3. But as we distinguish of a Church single and compounded of many particular and General Primary and Secondary all which termes I use to be clearly understood so do we also of Bishops or Pastors which are particular Bishops of one Church or General Bishops of many Churches Of the first sort we confess all that is said positively that is that one such Bishop maketh one Church Because the very nature of his office as shall be after shewed doth suppose a capable society It being his office in presence personally to conduct them which a General distant Bishop cannot do so that indeed one Present Pastor or more of a flock by Christianity and Uicinity capable and by consent united with him and one another for presential Communion in publick worship and holy conversation are the constitutive parts by which a Primary Church is essentiated and must be defined Obj. But even the Presbyterians say that many worshiping congregations may make up one Governed Church though each congregation have ordinary Communion in the Sacrament c. among themselves distinct from the rest because they may be all united
livers But men that more fear to sin against God who can cast both soul and body into Hell than to lie in prison perhaps it is such Ministers as now are silenced for not saying subscribing or swearing as they are bid or it is some Church-Wardens who fear that they should be guilty of Persecution or Perjury which in their opinion are neither of them things indifferent if they should take the Oaths with the Articles that sometimes are offered them Or perhaps it is some one for not receiving the Sacrament either when a troubled Conscience maketh them fear lest they should eat and drink damnation to themselves or from a Minister or with a Church which they think the Scripture commandeth them to avoid whether such be in the right or in the wrong no wonder if they refuse to repent though they suffer when they fear a greater suffering from God Obj But the Minister of the place though he excommunicates none may seek to bring the sinner to repentance and may satisfie the Church of the justness of the excommunication Ans 1. In the nature of the thing they go together and are the work of the same persons And therefore Tertullian assureth us that in his time Discipline was exercised in the Church-meeting when they had been worshipping God 2. Who is either so fit or so obliged to satisfie the Church of the Act as he that doth it and hath examined all the Cause A parish Minister cannot bring any unwilling person to come over to speak with him not that we would have him have a forcing power but he cannot do his own Ministerial part which is to refuse to be the Pastor of such a man as refuseth to speak with him at all or to take him for his Pastor nor to forbear himself to give him the Sacrament so that he that neither heard the examination of the Cause by the Chancellor nor perhaps can have any speech with the person or at least with the Accuser or any of the Witnesses is very unfit to justifie another mans act and to satisfie the Church that it is well done much less to exhort the offender to repent who to him perhaps if he vouchsafe to speak to him will justifie his own cause when he cannot call witnesses to convince him And to speak to that which is our common case we have few persons excommunicated that ever I saw or knew of in forty years time save only the Conscientious persons beforementioned And when the parish Minister oft taketh them for the godliest persons in his Parish and the Bishop or Chancellor excommunicates them as Impenitent schismaticks how shall such a parish Minister justifie that and satisfie the person or people of the justice of it which he himself lamenteth as a hainous sin which tendeth to the dissipation of his flock But I come nearer to enquire into this officiating per alium by which an absent Bishop is supposed to do his office in the several Parishes of his Diocese 1. That alius or Official is either a Layman or a Clergyman 2. If a Clergyman he is either one of the same Order with the Bishop or another 3. Either it is the meer accidentals of his sacred function which he committeth to another or the proper Acts of it 4. Either it is pro hac vice in some case of necessity or it is as by an ordinary stated Official 1. If it be a Layman and the work be but Accidental or Extrinsick to the sacred function I grant that he may do it But for such works we need no Bishop For what a Layman may do when he bids him he may do when the King or his Magistrates bids him This is not the thing in question But if it be a proper Pastoral Act this Layman that doth it either receiveth from the Bishop power and obligation to do it or not If not he cannot do it as his Official If he do then he is a Pastor or Bishop himself and is Ordained and so no Layman For I provoke any dissenter living to tell me wherein the sacred office or any other lieth but in a Power or Authority and an Obligation to do the proper works of that office so that undeniably here is a contradiction And if any were of opinion that pro tempore in a case of necessity a Layman might do any Ministerial sacred act as Preach Baptize Consecrate the Sacrament of Christs body and blood excommunicate absolve c. 1. I answer if that were true if would but prove that those Acts are not proper to the sacred function in such a case of necessity as single Acts but only as ordinarily and statedly done by one separated to them 2. And therefore this would not at all concern our case which is not about extroardinary Acts in cases of necessity but about an ordinary stated course by Courts Chancellors and Officials 2. But if the Agent or Official were not a Lay Chancellor but a Clergyman if he be of the same Order with the Bishop than I grant all for it granteth me all even that every Church should have an ordinarily present Bishop But if he be supposed to be but of an inferior Order then I proceed as before either the Bishop giveth him power and obligation to do the proper work of the Bishop or not If not he is not hereby enabled to do it If yea then he hath thereby made him a Bishop For to be a Bishop is nothing else than to have Authority and Obligation to do the proper work of a Bishop But if it be but an Accidental or a common work which another may do it is not that in question nor do we need the Office of a Bishop for it Moreover either the Bishop pro hic nunc was himself obliged to do that Act which he committeth to another or not he but the other was by office obliged to do it If he himself was obliged to do it he sinned in not doing it If he were not it was not truly his act or part of his office work nor did he do it by another but that other did only his own work for which not the Bishop but he shall have the reward Obj. But doth not he that sendeth his servant to pay a debt himself in Law-sense pay it per alium what another doth as his Instrument reputatively he doth himself Ans I grant it because it is none of the debtors proper work nor is he at all obliged to it to bring the money and deliver it himself but to cause it to be delivered Therefore in sending it he doth all that he is obliged to do and when another is his instrument it is supposed that he is not obliged himself to do that which his instrument doth but only to cause the doing of it by himself or an Instrument as he please so that stil this is nothing to the case of a work that is proper to the Bishops Office Obj. But we therefore
then his Office is more sacred If the Bishops or both alike then that Bishops work may no more be done per alium then the Presbyters Moreover I know no Bishops but would willingly be more Respected and Honoured than the Presbyters and if they desire it should be only by way of fear they neither think or wish like Ministers of Christ nor like sober men But if by way of love who knoweth not what advantage the present Pastor hath above the absent caeteris paribus to get the peoples love and Paul would have it to be so 1 Thes 5. 12 13. It is those that Labour among them and admonish them whom they must esteem highly in Love not for their titles and dignities but for their work sake And who knoweth not that he that Loveth a man for Preaching the word of salvation to him is likelier to come to him whose doctrine daily edifieth him and comforteth him than to him whom one of a hundred of his Diocese never heard a Sermon or a good word from in all their lives If it be for the work sake that they must or will be Loved is not he liker to be most Loved who is still with them and prayeth and praiseth God with them and comforteth and confirmeth them and resolveth their doubts and quieteth their troubled Consciences and visiteth them in sickness and taketh care of the poor and visiteth them from house to house than he that once or never came among them and is unknnown And if the people be Rebellious and wicked it is the present Pastor who shall be most hated and opposed which if it be for Christ is a good and comfortable thing and hath a special promise Mat. 5 10. 11 12. And that Pastor who is most beloved of the good people and most hated by the bad is he that will do most good for mens salvation and will have most comfort in his Soul and at last the greatest reward from God and that is caeteris paribus the present Pastor And it were worth the noting if blind men would see that this is our great reason of the common calamities of the Churches that when the best of the people love their present faithfull Pastors and the worst hate them most and love best the Absent Bishops that trouble them as they do the dead Saints for whom they keep holy â—â—ajes these wicked people fly to the Bishop and seek to make the present Pastors suspected or odious to him as Schismaticks or such as are against the Bishops mind and honour and because these Villains Love the absent Bishop better then the present Pastors therefore the Bishop that knoweth them not but by hearsay taketh such for the honestest men in the Parish and so taketh their words against the Ministers and to the utmost of my experience I speak it ordinarily that Minister shall pass with the Bishop for a Schismatick a Puritan a seditious Fellow or a stark knave let him be more Learned than Hierom more industrious than Augustin more holy than Macarius or at least as suspected of these crimes whom the flattering malignant will so represent to him especially if he be a sensual Gentleman that cannot endure to have his lusts and licentiousnes reproved or controlled by a Minister of Christ And when these lies and slanders have encouraged the ungodly accusers by their successe while they engage the Bishop against the present Pastors and cause him to turn their troubler hinderer or persecutor then is the Prelate and the Pastor become as enemies whose interests are grown inconsistent and then they come to have their several Parties and the debauched take one side and the sober and religious the other and what followeth upon this he is mad in this age who is ignorant after so great experience But I shall add more of this subject in the Chapter following CHAP. XII The just opening and understanding of the true nature of the Pastoral office and Church Government would end these controversies about Episcopacy THe name of Church Government so far deceiveth undistinguishing gross crinconsiderate wits as that they take the controversie to be but whether we shall have order or anarchie Church Government or none As if neither the Magistrates Government of the Sword were any thing nor yet the Pastors Government by the word But I would fain know of these men what more it is that they would have and what is the Church Government which they so much contend for 1. Is it an Universal Legislation It is high and damnable Treason against Christ for any mortal men to claime it Universal Legislation is the prerogative of the Universal King There is no Universal King but Christ who else is Governour of all the world or all the Churches in the world And Christ hath in nature and Scripture given the world already an Universal Law If he hath done it well take not on you to amend it If you say he hath done it ill either take not on you to be Christians or else call your self the Christ that is Anti-Christ if you will take Christs place and take upon you to amend his work If you dream of an Universal Pope or General Council as having this power you will but make true Anti-Christs of them and foolishly confound a humane constitution with a Divine and the Roman Empire with all the world For you are ignorant in Church History if you see not plainly that Popes Patriarks and Primates stand all on the same foundation And that both they and Councils falsly called General were but Imperial or confined to one Princes Dominion called or ruled usually by the Emperours who had no power in other Princes Territories No Councils conteining any considerable members but such as were in that one Empire or formerly had been of it and so kept the custome which then they had received except that the Romans placed one Bishop on the borders of Scythia or Tartary and one on the borders of Persia in hope that he might have influence further into the Countries and rarely one or two such might be at a Council called General so that certainly there is no Universal Law-giver or Judge but Christ This therefore is not the Church Government of Bishops which men contend for 2. What is it then is it an Universal Exposition of the Scripture or of Christs Laws why an exposition truly Universal is for Regulation as the Law it self And none ever had such power even in civil Government but the Law-givers themselves Else the Expositor of the Lawes should be King and not the maker seeing it is his sence that the subject must be ruled by But if it be a particular decisive exposition which you meane such as a Judge in deciding particular controversies I shall say more to that anon 3. If it be any Coactive or Coercive power of Church Government that you meant by mulcts or Corporal penalties no Bishops as such have any thing to do with it not only
Bilson but the generality of the Prelatists disclaime it and confess that it belongeth only to the King and Magistrates and that they receive it from the King if ever they exercise any sâ—â—h 4. What is it then is it to be the Kings Ecclesiastical Council to prepare such Canons as he shall enact Of Canons I shall say more anon But though Pastors may be the fittest to Council Kings yet that giveth them no power nor doth aptitude make an office nor is the King tyed to them but may advise whith whom he please And experienced present Pastors are usually fitter to give advice in the matters of Religion than they And even Civil impartial Noblemen have usually proved wiser sobâ—rer and more peaceable and happy Church Councellours than the interessed partial Clergy I am not of Erastus mind that all Church Government belongeth to the Magistrates I have lately published my judgment of that matter in certain Propositions to Ludov. Molinaeus But I grant to him and all sober impartial Divines do grant that all forceing Government by the Sword belongeth to Magistrates and Parents only and not to any Bishops as such It followeth therefore that no Bishops power extendeth to any other effect but only to work on the Consciences of Volunteers unless as the Magistrates or Parents may constraine them by penalties to submit to it Suppose therefore a while that the Magistrates force were withdrawn from your discipline and left it to itself you would then know better by experience wherein its strength consisted That man would then Rule the people most who did most effectually convince their reason aud prevaile with Conscience and further nothing would be done Are not our Bishops well aware of this Do they not themselves confess how little their Government would signifie above the Government of present Presbyters unless they could give clear convincing Reasons to the people which absent strangers are unlike to do What do you think your peculiar power would signifie in one year above a Presbyrers if the Magistrate left all at liberty in their Church obedience to their Pastors would not the present Pastors carry almost all with the best and soberest of the flocks Especially where Bishops make it their office to forbid the Pastors to do theirs and to keep them from Preaching the word of life Their holding fast the secular conjunct power and using it so much doth shew what they trust to they say themselves what would the Keys signifie without the Sword and the Pishops Government prevail where none are punished for despising it if the Bishop excommunicate a faithfull Preacher neither he nor his flock will much regardit but goe on in the service of the Lord. And perhaps some will excommunicate the Bishop and be even with him O! that the Magistrates would a few Years try what the Keys can do in England of themselves and valeant quantum valere possunt Not that I would wish him to leave off his own duty to punish sin but let it not be mixed with Church Offices so as that all that shall be imputed to the Bishops Keys which is effected only by the Magistrates Sword I deny not but the Magistrate may moderately drive men to hear Gods word and to do the immediate duties of their places But not to profess that they are Christians when they are not or that they consent to Church Communion when they do not Nor to take those Privileges which belong not to them No man hath right to Church Communion who had rather be excommunicated then repent of sin Therefore if Gods word and an excommunication will not bring him to profess Repentance he should not be either Rackt or Imprisoned to force him to say he doth repent when it is certain that he doth not indeed repent who will not profess it by easier means Nor hath that man right to absolutiaon and Church Communion who only prefereth it before a Goale The effects of the Church Keyes are talked of but are indeed unknown where secular force doth deterr men into lyeing professions of repentance and drive unwilling persons in to the Communion of the Church No unwilling person should have the Seal of pardon put into his hands Obj. But we cannot say they are unwilling who consent though moved by the penalty of the Law and Sword Ans Yes he is to be called unwilling who hath not the willingness which Christ maketh necessary He that is not willing to have Church Communion for it self and for Christ and his salvation is not willing of it at all indeed nor in Gods account For it is only freedome from a Prison that he is willing of and of Church Communion as a means to that and not as a means to the end that God appointed it As he that consenteth to be Baptized only to heal the Kings evil or to save his life is not to be Baptized nor taken for a Christian nor is it Baptism indeed but touching only which he consenteth to so is it in this case Obj. But how know you but them in hath righter ends together with these punishment brings many a man to reason and true repentance Ans You suppose your selves that the word and Keys will not prevail with him of themselves and therefore it is that you desire force your own Consciences tell you that it is but to avoid punishment that you suppose him to profess repentance Otherwise when your threats have brought him to repentance try what is the cause by remitting the penalty on his body and after freely leaving him to himself Obj. But some are like Children that will hear reason when their stubbornness is taken down Therefore it may also have better motives for ought you know Ans 1. Men that are dealt with in the matters of Salvation are not to be thus used as Fools and Children about common things but as men that must live and die as they choose 2. And God hath left us no such means to bring men into a right Choice in things of this nature Otherwise you might set Infidels on the Rack till they consent to be Baptized or send them to Prison and then say how know you but this as the Rod doth Children hath brought them to their witts But the Church of Christ never took this course nor never thus understood his will 3. The case is plain to men that will understand When God hath made mens free consent the Condition of their Salvation and the Profession of a free consent to be the Condition of Church Communion and what wise man would have lower that will not make the Church a swine stie It followeth that the Pastors must have the evidence of such a Profession of free and voluntary consent or else they must not receive such persons Now such a one that hath been long tried by the word and by the penalty of Excomunication it self and refuseth to profess Repentance but only professeth it when no other means will escape a Prison doth
Many a time I have tried it and could never satisfie my Conscience without more frequent long and earnest exhortation and prayer with it than ever I knew Chancelor or Bishop use to fourty delinquents set together The present Pastor hath opportunity to do this But the Chancelor or Diocesane hath not I never heard of any such means used in their Courts that was of such a nature as true Pastoral exhortations are to melt a sinners heart into repentance But of this before 2. Another case of perticular judgment is what sinner in his sicknness before death is fit for Absolution Here they cannot make the Bishop Judge who is many a mile off nor can they tell how to deny it to be without the office of the Parish Pastor and therefore they allow him to be the Absolver and yet lest he be the Judge they bind him to Absolve all that require it and do but say they repent which must needs be a pernicious deceiving course to impenitent souls when it is known that nothing is more ordinary with many in sickness and in health than to say I repent of some one gross disgraceful sin and live in others worse without any profession of repentance and die so at last And must I absolve him from that sin which he repenteth of without the rest or from all because he repenteth of one yea commonly men have a Confession which is like a Profession of their sin and a Repentance which declareth it self to be Impenitence it self some stoutly some stupidly saying I comfess I am a swearer and a drunkard a whoremonger but you Precisians are as bad and worse for you are but hypocrites I repent of my sins daily and aske God mercy though I commit them daily and I doubt not of forgiveness for all are sinners and if one of these say also on his sick bed he repenteth without any signs of serious contrition or change of heart we must Absolve him But yet though we are not free in this it is no Diocesanes proper work and therefore requireth not their office 3. Another Judgment of individuals necessary is who is to be baptized at least of persons at age in Infidell Countries or such as ours where many thousand Anapabtists Children are unbaptized till they come to age The question is not what shall be the Law and Rule whether Scripture or Canon but who shall judge whether the person be capable according to the rule Doubtless every one hath not faith The profession that entitleth to baptisme must be 1. Of the whole essence of our part of the Covenant faith consent and future obedience 2. With tolerable understanding of what they say 3. With seeming seriousness 4. With seeming Voluntariness and fixed resolution Now how can a Diocesan judge of this that is not within many miles of the place nor never saw the person in his life It hath ever been confessed to be part of the Baptizers work though under the Government of Magistrates and in the Church the present Bishop is not denyed a negative vote or a guiding judgment in the affair 4. The very fame throughout is to be said of judging what individual persons in a Parish are grown up to a capacity of the Lords Supper whither it be done in confirmation or at any other time certainly they must renew their baptismal Covenant and moreover understand the sense of the Sacrament c. But shall the Diocesan that never seeth one of an hundred of his Diocese judge of every one of these I will stay no longer on such instances I think we need no more III. If the cases of Testaments Administrations Licenses to marry judgement of cases of divorce dispensations and such like be pretended as the proper works of Bishops I think I need not stay to confute them while it is known that so much as is not every Pastors work in it belongeth to the Magisirate and is done among us by his Commission and that usually by Laymen IV. We have therefore the Government of the Ministers themselves to speak of next which consisteth 1. In ordination 2. Instituting and inducting 3. Licensing 4. Suspending ejecting silencing and degrading 1. And ordination being that great and notable work which anciently was taken to be all that was proper to the Bishop by many of the Fathers as well as Hierome this above all must be well considered And 1. Let us consider of the Reasons for it and 2. Of the different cases 1. The reasons given for appropriating ordination to Diocesans or Bishops are these 1. Because no man can give that which he hath not 2. Because it is an act of superiority 3. Because none but Bishops ever did it in Scripture times or since without the Churches condemnation 1. The first of these reasons Dr. Hammond Praemon Dissert is earnest in urging To which I say 1. It is granted that no man giveth that which be hath not But Presbyters have the office of Presbyters therefore by your supposition they may give it Obj. But saith he Presbyters had never a power given by the ordainers to ordain Ans I deny it and prove the contrary whatever the ordainers mean 1. Those who in their ordination had an Office Power or Keys of Christs making conteining the power of ordination delivered to them Ministerially had the power of ordination delivered to them Ministerially But all true Pastors or Presbyters ordained in England had an Office Power or Kâ—yâ—s of Christs making conteining the power of ordination delivered to them Ministerially Ergo they had the power of ordination so delivered Nothing needs proof but the Minor And 1. That Christ and not the Bishops made the true Pastoral Office or Keyes is past doubt among sober Christians 2. And that it was the ordainers meaning to deliver them no new humane office but that which Christ by his Spirit and Apostles at least made instituted and described I will stand to the ordainers own profession 3. And if so I think they will confess that if they did mistake and think that the office conteined not what it conteined indeed their mistake will not disable the ordained Minister no more than the Errour of a Recorder or Steward who thinketh when he giveth the Mayor his Oath that his office hath lesser power than it hath But Gods making and not mans meaning must determine of the power 4. Therefore all the question is whether God put the power of ordination into the Pastoral office Of which now I will say but this that Dr. Hammond confesseth that there was no Pastor ordained in Scripture times that had not the power of ordination And I shall after prove that no other should be introduced since by men 2. And farther the Church of England appointeth Ministers to impose hands with the Diocesan in ordination Therefore they take not ordination but only a Superiority in ordination to be proper to their office As Bishop Downame and other of them also openly hold and profess
called Of which sort were abundance of Christians towards each others Bishops in former ages and such are the Papists now towards you So that neither Papist nor Protestant that I ever knew silenced by you doth forbear upon Conscience of this your pretended authority at all And what a silencing power is that which scarce any man would be ever silenced by You cannot choose but know this to be true 2. And really should Magistrates themselves be so servile to you as to silence all Ministers by the Sword whom a Prelate judgeth to be silent while he knoweth not whether it be deservedly or not God forbid that Protestants like the Popes sheald make Kings to be their Executioners or hangmen A meer Executioner indeed is not bound to know or examine whether the sentence was just or not though in most cases to forbear if it be notoriously unjust but what a King or Magistrate doth he must do as a publick Judge and therefore must hear the cause himself and try whether he be really guilty or not and not only whether a Bishop judged him so Else Magistrates will either be involved in the bloody sin of persecution as oÌ„ft as a Prelate will but command them and so must be damned and help to damn others when Prelates please Or else it is no sin for a Magistrate to silence all the holyest Ministers of Christ to the damnation of thousands of ignorant untaught Souls so be it the Prelates do but bid him and he keep himself unacquainted with the cause And next they must obey the Counsel at Laterane sub Inoc. 3. And exterminate all subjects out of their Dominions though it be all that are there and must burn Holy-Christians to ashes because the Pope or Prelates bid them 3. I need not make also a particular application of this case to the people When they know nothing but wise and sound and holy in the Doctrine or life of their Pastors and God bids them know such as labour among them and are over them in the Lord and highly esteem them in Love for their work sake they will hardly be so debauched as to violate this command of God as oft as a Diocesan will but say I know some Heresie or Crime by your Teacher which you do not and therefore he must Preach no more and you must no more use his ministry Were I one of these people I would be bold to ask the Diocesan Sir what is the Heresie or Crime that he is guilty of If he refuse to tell me I would slight him as a Tyrant General Counsels told the people of the Heresies for which they did despose their Pastors If he told me what it was I would try it by Gods word If I were unable I would seek help If the Diocesan silenced my Teacher and ten neighbour Bishops wiser than he did tell me that it was for Truth and Duty and that the Heresie was the Bishops I would hear my Teacher and believe the other Bishops before him without taking them to be of a higher order The objections against this and what is before said shall be answered in the next Chapter You see when it is but opened how the Diocesans power vanisheth into the air CHAP. XIII That there is no need of such as our Diocesans for the Unity or the Government of the particular Ministers nor for the silencing of the unworthy IT stuck much in the minds of the Ancient Doctors and Christians that Episcopacy was necessary to avoid Schism and discord among the Ministers and the people and that it was introduced for that reason And I am so averse to singularity in Religion that I will not be he that shall gainsay it A double yea a treble Episcopacy though I cannot prove instituted of Christ yet will I not contradict because one sort I cannot disprove and the other two I take to be but a prudential humane determination of the Circomstances of one and the same sacred Ministerial office-worke 1. That which I cannot disprove as to a Divine Institution is a General Ministry over many Churches like the Scors Visiters at their Reformation who as Successors to the Apostles and Evangelists in the durable parts of their office were by a conjunction of Scripture evidence and Divine authority of office to perswade Pasâ—ors and people to their several duties and to have a chief hand in ordaining and removing Ministers 2. That which I will not contradict antiquity in is a Bishop in every particular Church to be as the chief Presbyter like the chief Justice on the bench or one of the Quorum as our Parish Ministers now are in respect to all their Curates of the Chappels under them 3. And I would not deny but at all Ministerial Synods one man may be Moderator either pro tempore or for continuance as there is cause These two last are but Prudential circumstances as Doctor Stiling fleet hath proved And in all these I like the Discipline of the Waldenses Bâ—â—emian and Polonian Churches But no Government of the Presbyters no concord no keeping out of Heresie requireth such as our Diocesans 1. Who put down all the Bishops of the particular Churches under them 2. And pretending Spiritual Power Govern by the force of the Magistrates Sword 3. And obtrude themselves on the people and Pastors without their consent and against their wills being by multitudes taken for the enemies of the Church 4. And visibly before the world introducing so many bad Ministers and silencing so many faithful ones as in this age they have done Without them we have all these means of concord following 1. We have a clear description of the duty of Ministers and people in Gods word 2. We have Ministers to Preach up all these duties by Office 3. The people are taught by Scripture what Ministers to choose 4. We find it natural to the people to before Learned and godly Ministers though many of them be bad themselves And though it be not so with them all yet the sober part do usually perswade the rest So that in London and else where those Parishes where the people choose had usually far worthier Pastors than the rest especially than those in the Bishops presentation 5. The people are obliged by God to marke those Ministers that cause division and contention and avoid them 6. The Ministers are bound to give notice to the people of false teachers and Schismaticks and to command them to avoid them And themselves to renounce Communion with them after the first and second admonition 7. These Ministers may have correspondence by Synods to keep up concord by agreement among themselves So we have over all a Christian King and Magistracy who are the rightful Governours of the Clergy as well as of all other subjects and may constrain the negligent to their duty and restrain the Heretical Schismatical and wicked from their sin And may not all this do much to keep up Concord 2. What our Diocesans really
made against the belief of an obligation by this Vow One is made for a change in Corporations requiring a Declaration by all in any place of Trust that there is no obligation on me or any other person from the said Oath Vow or Covenant even absolutely no obligation at all without exception of the clauses that are for the Protestant Religion for Repentance of our sins against Popery Heresie Schism Prophaneness c. The Act of Uniformity imposeth it on all Ministers c. to declare or subscribe that there is no obligation from that Vow on me or any other person to endeavour at any time any alteration of Government in the Church The Vestry Act imposeth the like on all Vestry men and so of others 4. All Ministers swear to obey the Bishops in liâ—â—tis honestis which is called the Oath of Canonical Obedience 5. And last of all an Act past at Oxford by which we are to be banished five miles from all Cities and Corporations and all places where we have preached and imprisoned six months in the Common Jail if we come nearer any of them except on the Road till we have taken an Oath that we will not at any time endeavour an alteration of the Government of the Church which plainly importeth as much objectively as the Et caetera Oath of 1640 Though not endeavouring be somewhat less than not consenting And so black a Character is put upon the Non-conformists with a some of them in the beginning of the said Act that all Reason Religion and Humanity obligeth us for the satisfaction of our Rulers for the vindication of our selves and for the just information of posterity plainly and truly to lay open our Case even those reasons for which we forbear that Conformity and by so doing incurr all this besides the greater loss of our Ministerial Liberty to labour for the saving of the peoples souls and the edifying of the Church of God What is said in the beginning may sufficiently inform the Reader 1. That it is not every man's Cause that is called a Non-conformist no nor a Presbyterian or Independant that I here maintain 2. That I am not writing a Justification of the Covenant 1. As to the Act of Imposing 2. Or of taking it 3. Nor as to the obligation of it to any thing unlawful Leaving such matters as alien to my work 3. And that I am not so rash as to assert that it obligeth any man to endeavour in his place and calling any change of our Church Government no not of a Lay-Chancellor's use of the Keys whatever I think Because it is made a matter of so grievous penalty by an Act. All that I have to do is to enquire whether the Diocesane Prelacy as now stated be so lawful that we may take all these Oaths and Subscriptions to it and so necessary that the King and Parliament have no power to change it or make an alteration if they please and we endeavour it by obeying them if they should command us And I go upon such Principles as Doctor Burges Master Gataker and many others in the Assembly that were ready to protest that they were not against the Primitive Episcopacy no nor a moderate one that did not in all things reach it I will rather be guilty of Repetition than of leaving the rash or heedless under a pretext for their mistake or calumny My own judgment is as followeth 1. That every particular Church consisting of as full a number as can associate for true personal Communion in Worship and holy living should be guided by as many Pastors or Elders of the same Office as the number of souls and the work requireth 2. That it is lawful if not usually laudable and fit if these Presbyters consent that one among them who is wiser and fitter than the rest be statedly their Guide Director or Moderator in the matters of Doctrine Worship and Discipline in that Church for order and concord and for the peoples sakes and their own And especially that in Ordinations they do nothing without him 3. That these particular Churches with their Bishop and Presbytery are Independant so far that no other Bishop or Church hath a Divine Right to Govern them saving what is anon to be said of General Pastors or Visiiters and the power of each Minister in the Universal Church as he is called 4. That as to the Communion of several Churches among themselves these particular Churches are not Independent but must hold Concord and Correspondency by Letters Messengers or Synods as there shall be cause 5. That in these Synods it is lawful and orderly oftentimes to make some one the Moderator or Guide of their debates And that either pro tempore or quamdiu sit maxime idoneus or durante vita as true Prudence shall discern it to be most conducible to the end 6. That where the Churches Good and the calling of the Infidel World requireth it there should be itinerant Ministers like the old Evangelists Silas Apollo Timothy Titus c. to preach the Gospel and gather Churches and help their Pastors And if such be not necessary in any place yet the fixed Pastors should when there is cause be itinerant and help to convert the Infidels and Hereticks and do both the general and particular work 7. That the judgment of Antiquity moving me much but more the Argument from the necessity that the same form of Government be continued in its ordinary parts which Christ at first setled in the Apostles and is not proved repealed do move me to incline to think that the Apostles must have such Successors as general Planters and Overseers of many Churches And who should before all particular Bishops have a chief hand in the ordaining of particular Bishops and Pastors and removing them as the Churches good requireth As the Seniors have in the Bohemian Waldenses Government And though I am yet in doubt my self whether such general Ministers or Arch-bishops be jure divino of Christs institution I do not deny it or contend against it And though I would not assert or swear to their right I would obey them 8. That all this Church-power is to be exercised only by Gods word managed by convincing Reason Love and good Example and that no Bishops or Arch-bishops have any power of Corporal Coaction Nor should give Church Communion to any but Voluntary Consenters nor should mix and corrupt the exercise of the Keys with unseasonable interpositions of the Sword even in the Magistrates own hand 9. But yet that the King and Magistrates are the Rulers by the Sword over all Pastors and their Flocks to see that all men do their duties and to regulate them by Laws about holy things subserviently to the Kingdom and Laws of Christ and in consistence with the preservation of the Office of the Ministry and real liberties of the Flocks 10. And therefore though we think Churchmen usually very unfit for any Magistratical Power yet we
Christians in the Countries were most like For there also were Bishops or rather Chorepiscopi rural Bishops placed of old which some Latine interpretations of the Canons call the Vicars of the Bishops but others far more rightly than they the Country or Village Bishops of which more after So that you see in Petavius opinion even when Epiphanius wrote the ordinary Cities of the World had but one Assembly in each City and Suburbs And only some extraordinary Cities of which only Alexandria could be named by Epiphanius and Rome also by Petavius and no more by any other Author had divers setled Titles under their several Presbyters And even those Titles in those two Cities were but Chappels like our Parish Chappels received consecrated Bread from the Bishops Church lest they should think that they were a distinct body of themselves Yea and that the Villages that had Assemblies had their proper Bishops And so I dismiss Petavius with thanks for his free Concession 2. My next Witness is Bishop Downame the strongest that hath written against Parish Bishops for Diocesanes who lib. 1. cap. 1. before recited saith Indeed at the very first Conversion of Cities the whole number of the people converted being somewhere not much greater than the number of Presbyters placed among them were able to make but a small Congregation And cap. 6. pag. 104. At the first and namely the time of the Apostle Paul the most of the Churches so soon after their Conversion did not each of them exceed the proportion of a populous Congregation Though this reach not so low as Petavius Concession it is as much as I need to the present business 3. My third Witness shall be that learned moderate man Mr. Joseph Mede who in his discourse of Churches pag. 48 49 50. saith Nay more than this it should seem that in those first times before Diocesses were divided into those lesser and subordinate Churches which we now call Parishes and Presbyters assigned to them they had not only one Altar to a Church or Dominicum but one Altar to a Church taking Church for the Company or Corporation of the faithful united under one Bishop or Paster and that was in the City or place where the Bishop had his See and Residence Like as the Jews had but one Altar and Temple for the whole Nation united under one High Priest And yet as the Jews had their Synagogues so perhaps might they have more Oratories than one though their Altar were but one there namely where the Bishop was Die solis saith Justin Martyr omnium qui vel in oppidis vel ruâ—i degunt in eundem locum Conventus fit Namely as he there tells us to celebrate and participate the holy Eucharist Why was this but because they had not many places to celebrate it in And unless this were so whence came it else that a Schismatical Bishop was said Constituere or collocare aliud altare And that a Bishop and an Altar are made correlatives See St. Cyprian Epist 40 72 73. de unit Eccles c. So that Mr. Mede granteth that every Church that had a Bishop had no more people than communicated at one Altar To which purpose he goeth on further to Ignatius Testimony of which anon 4. Bishop Bilson's Testimony Perp. Gov. cap. 13. pag. 256. See afterward 5. Grotius is large in his endeavours to prove that not only every City had a Bishop but also every stated Assembly of which there were divers in one and the same City and that the Government was not suited to the Temple way but to the Synagogues and as every Synagogue had its chief Ruler of which there were many in a City so had every Church in a City its Bishop and that only the Church of Alexandria had the custom of having but one Bishop in the whole City Thus he de Imper. Sum. Pot. p. 355 356 357. And in his Annot. in 1 Tim. 5. 17. Sed notandum est una urbe sicut plures Synagogas ita plures fuisse Ecclesias id est conventus Christianorum cuique Ecclesiae fuisse suum praesidem qui populum alloqueretur Presbyteros ordinaret Alexandriae tantum eum fuisse morem ut unus esset in tota urbe praeses qui ad docendum Presbyteros Per urbem distribueret docet nos Sozomenus l. 1. c. 14. Epiphanius c. Thus Grotius thought that of old every stated Assembly had a Bishop that had power of Ordination I confess I interpret not Zozomen nor Epiphanius as Grotius doth nor believe I that he can bring us frequent proof of two Churches with Bishops in one City much less many unless in Doctor Hammond's instance before and after mentioned But the rest I accept 6. I may take it for a full Concession from Bishop Jeremy Tailor which is before cited though in few words Praef. Treat of Repent I am sure we cannot give account of souls of which we have no notice And I am sure a full Parish is as many as a more able and diligent man than ever I was can take such notice of as to do the Pastors Office to them 7. But the last and greatest Champion for Diocesanes is Doctor Hammond his Concessions are mentioned before but now are purposely to be cited But remember still that we are yet speaking but of the matter of Fact In his Annot. in Act. 11. 30. he saith Although this Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders have been also extended to a second Order in the Church and now is only in use for them under the name of Presbyters yet in the Scripture times it belonged principally if not alone to Bishops there being no evidence that any of the second order were then instituted though soon after before the writing of Ignatius Epistles there were such instituted in all Churches Though so suddain a change be unlikely I pass it by In his Dissert p. 208 209 211. cap. 10. sect 19 20 21. 11. sect 2. c. he saith Prius non usquequaque verum esse quod pro concesso sumitur in una civitate non fuisse plures Episcopos Quamvis enim in una Ecclesia aut coetu plures simul Episcopi nunquam fuerint nihil tamen obstare quin in eadem civitate duo aliquando disterminati coetus fuerint a duobus Apostolis ad fidem adducti c. as I have before more largely cited him Yea Dissert Epist Sect. 30 31. he will have the question stated only of a Bishop in singulari Ecclesia in singulari coetu The controversie is not Quibus demum nominibus cogniti fuerint Ecclesiarum rectores sed an ad unum in singulari Ecclesia an ad plures potestas ista devenerit Nos ad unum singularem praefectum quem ex famosiore Ecclesiae usu Episcopum vulgo dicimus potestatem istam in singulari coetu ex Christi Apostolorum institutione nunquam non pertinuisse
one of our Parishes And let the Bishops take as big a Church as they will do all this for and spare not 5. And the Deacons bringing the consecrated Bread and Wine to the absent in token of Communion with the same Church and Bishop sheweth that there were not under him many other absent Congregations that had no other Bishop of their own Nor did the Deacon carry it to such Congregations through the Diocess In a word here is a full description of a Congregational Church and Bishop Saith Master Mede before cited of these words As the Jews had their Synagogues so perhaps might they have more Oratories than one though their Altar were but one there namely where the Bishop was Die solis omnes c. here he cites these words Namely as he there tells us to celebrate and participate of the Holy Eucharist Why was this but because they had not many places to celebrate in V. Tertullian is as plain and full Apol. c. 39. Corpus sumus de conscientia religionis disciplinae unitate spei foedere Coimus in Coetum Congregationem ut ad Deum quasi manu facta precationibus ambiamus orantes Cogimur ad divinarum literarum commemorationem Certe fidem sanctis vocibus pascimus spem erigimus fiduciam figimus disciplinam praeceptorum nihilominus inculcationibus densamus Ibidem etiam exhortationes castigationes censura divina Nam judicatur magno cum pondere ut apud certos de Dei conspectu summumque futuri judicii praejudicium est siquis ita deliquerit ut a Communicatione orationis Conventus omnis Sancti Commercii relegatur Praesident probati quique Seniores c. And de Corona Milit. cap. 3. Eucharistiae Sacramentum in tempore victus omnibus mandatum a domino etiam antelucanis coetibus nec de aliorum manu quam praesidentium sumimus And further Aquam adituri itidem sed aliquando prius in Ecclesia sub antistitis manu contestamur nos renunciare Diabolo pompae angelis ejus In all these words and many more such in Tertullian it is evident 1. That then a Church was a Congregation met for holy Worship and not many hundred Congregations making one Church primae ordinis 2. That this Church had ordinarily a Bishop present not present in one Congregation and many hundred without 3. That the Bishop baptized and took the Confessions of the Baptized and performed the ordinary Worship and administred the Lords Supper Doctor Hammond himself maintaineth that it is the Bishop that Tertullian speaketh of 4. That Discipline was exercised in those Church Assemblies and therefore the Bishop was present 5. They took the Sacrament from none but the Bishops hand save that the Deacon distributed it as from him which proveth that the Bishop was present when ever the Sacrament was administred 6. They had these Assemblies every Lords day All which set together plainly sheweth that then every Church had a present Bishop ordinarily and was no more than one Congregation met for such Communion as is described VI. And even in Cyprian's time the alteration was not great Epist 68. Edit Goulart p. 201. he saith Propter quod plebs obsequens praeceptis dominicis Deum metuens c. i. e. For which cause the people that are obedient to the Lords Commands and fear God ought to separate themselves from a sinful Prelate or Bishop and not to be present at the Sacrifices of a Sacrilegious Priest seeing they have the greatest power either of chusing worthy Priests or of refusing the unworthy which very thing we see coming down by Divine Authority that the Priest the people being present be chosen or appointed before the eyes of all and by the publick judgment and testimony be approved worthy and fit And so going on to prove the Divine Right hereof he addeth which was before done so diligently and cautelously the people being all called together lest any unworthy person should creep into the Ministry of the Altar or the place of Priesthood For that the Unworthy are sometimes ordained not according to the Will of God but according to the presumption of Man and that these things are displeasing to God which come not of legitimate and just Ordination God himself doth manifest by the Prophet Osee saying They made themselves a King but not by me And therefore it is diligently to be observed and held of Divine Tradition and Apostolical Observation which with us also and almost all the Provinces is held that for the right celebrating of Ordinations all the next Bishops of the same Province do come together to that people over whom the Bishop or Prelate is set and that the Bishop be appointed them or assigned the people being present who fullyest know the life of every one and have throughly seen the act of every ones Conversation which also we saw done with you in the Ordination of Sabinus our Colleague that the Office of a Bishop was given or delivered him and hands imposed on him in the place of Basilides by the suffrage of the whole Fraternity and by the judgment of the Bishops that had met together and had sent you Letters concerning him And before Sect. 4. Deus instruit c. God instructeth and sheweth that the Ordinations of Priests that is Bishops ought not to be done but under the Conscience that is present sight and consent of the assisting people that the Laity being present either the crimes of the bad may be detected or the merits of the good predicated and that Ordination be just and legitimate which was examined by the suffrage and judgment of all The Case is so plain in Cyprian that Pamelius himself is forced thus to confess Non negamus veterem Electionis Episcoporum ritum quo plebe praesente immo suffragiis plebis eligi solent Nam in Africa illum observatum constat ex electione Eradii successoris D. Augustini de quo extat Epistola ejus 120. In Graecia aetate Chrysostomi ex lib. 3. de Sacerdot In Hispaniis ex hoc Cypriani loco Isidor lib. de Officiis In Galliis ex Epist Celestini p. 2. Romae exiis quae supra diximus Epist ad Antoniam Ubique etiam alibi ex Epist Leonis 87. Et perdurasse eam consuetudinem ad Gregor 1. usque ex ejus Epistolis Immo ad tempora usquâ— Caroli Ludovici Imperat. ex 1. lib. Capitulorum eorundem satis constat Verum Plebi sola suffragia concessa non electio quae per subscriptionem fieri solet Hoc enim potissimum tunc agebatur ut invito plebi non daretur Episcopus From hence now the quantity of their Churches may easily be gathered 1. The people must be present 2. And this must be All the people the whole Laity of the Church 3. They give their testimony of the life of the ordained 4. They are supposed all to know his conversation 5. This is the
and one Bishop XIII In a Roman Council sub Silvest it 's said Ab omni Ecclesia eligatur consecrandus Episcopus nullo de membris Ecclesiae intercedente omni Ecclesia conveniente nulli Episcopo liceat sine cuncta Ecclesia a novissimo gradu usque ad primum ordinare Neophytum Silvester Papa dixit A nobis incipientes moderamine lenitatis judicare commonemus ut nulli Episcopo liceat quemlibet gradum Clerici ordinare aut consecrare nisi cum omni adunata Ecclesia si placet dixerunt Episcopi placet What can be more fully said Let the Bishop to be ordained be chosen by all the Church no one of the Members of the Church being wanting and all the Church meeting together Let it be lawful for no Bishop without the whole Church to ordain Not to ordain or consecrate any degree of Clergy-Man but with the whole Church together in one And how great then were the Churches when even at Rome and all about it The whole Church united and every member could meet together at every Ordination and Consecration I scarce know how a testimony can be plainer XIV The Concil Sardic which first began to befriend the Grandeur of the Roman Bishop was it that first forbad Bishops to be ordained in small Villages yet note that even there it was not absolutely forbidden to all Villages but only to such Villages and small Cities where one Presbyter was enough But they allowed a Bishop to the Cities Quae Episcopos habuerunt siqua tam populosa est Civitas vel Locus mark Locus as distinct from Civitas qui mereatur habere Episcopum So that if there were but people enough for more than one Presbyter they allowed them a Bishop And Can. 14. It is decreed that As no Lay-man must be above three Weeks from Church so no Bishop from his own Church at another place Whereas if a Bishop have many Churches or many hundred or a thousand he could be but at one in a Year or two or three or more if he did nothing but travel from parish to Parish Only in the next Canon those that have Farms or Lands in the Country are dispensed with for three Weeks to be absent from their own Churches so they go to another XV. In the Epistle of the 1. Concil Nic. ad Eccles Aegypt in Crab. pag. 262. T. 1. Presbyters were to be made Solummodo sivideantur digni populus eos elegerit condecernente simul designante maxime Alexandriae Civitatis Episcopo Still the people that had the choice were no more than could meet to chuse And even in the Arabick Canons ascribed to this Council by some of late it 's said Can. 72. Sic Episcopi Sacerdotes si Civitates suas Altaria propter alia majora relinquerent male facerent which shews that each City even then had but one Altar or Meeting for Sacramental Communion though when these were written there were other Churches in Villages that had Altars And in Pisan Can. 57. Archi-presbyter in absentia Episcopi honoretur tanquam Episcopus quia est loco ejus sit caput Sacerdotum qui sub potestate ejus sunt in Ecclesia The Bishop then was but such a Head of Priests in the same Church as an Arch-Presbyter might be in his absence And Cap. 9. The Vote of the whole Diocess without the Arch-bishop shall not serve to chuse a Bishop though all gathered together XVI The Concil Vasense granted leave for Presbyters to preach and Deacons to read Homilies in Country Parishes which sheweth both that Bishops were the ordinary Preachers to their whole Flocks before and that these Parishes were yet but new and perhaps but Chappels that yet had not Altars and the Lord's Supper XVII Binnius in Concil Ephes 1. To. 2. cap. 20. saith Dalmatius told the Emperor that there were six thousand Bishops under the Metropolitan sent to the Council that were against Nestorius And there was a great number on the other side with Johan Antiochen who cast out Cyril and Memnon How great think you were these Bishops Dioceses XVIII Concil Carth. 3. cap. 39. 40. in Crab some would have had many twelve Bishops at each Bishop's Ordination but Aurelius desired it might be but three because Crebro pene per diem Dominicum ordinationes habemus they had Ordinations almost every Lord's day and Tripoli had but five Bishops How big were these Dioceses where the Bishops could meet almost every Lord's day for Ordinations and five under Tripoly was an exceeding small number And cap. 40. If a Bishop were accused at his Ordination the Cause was to be tried In eadem plebe cui ordinandus est And surely it was not to be in many hundred Congregations at once or per vices XIX Concil Antioch before this Can. 5. pag. 321. in Crab Siquis Presbyter aut Diaconus Episcopum proprium contemnens se ab Ecclesia segregaverit seorsum colligens Altare constituit vel in secunda edit privatim apud se collectis populis Altare erigere ausus fuerit c. This sheweth 1. That the Presbyters then joyned with the Bishop in the same Church 2. And that then each Church had but one Altar and to erect another Altar elsewhere was to set up another Church Can. 8. Presbyteri qui sunt in agris Canonicas Epistolas dare non possunt Chorepiscopi autem dare possunt This sheweth that then the Country Villages had Chorepiscopos with Presbyters Can. 10 Qui in vicis vel possissionibus Chorepiscopi nominantur quamvis manus impositionem Episcoporum perceperint ut Episcopi consecrati sint tamen Sanctae Synodo placuit ut modum proprium recognoscant ut gubernent sibi subjectas Ecclesias earumque moderamine curaque contenti sint This sheweth that then the Churches in Villages had their Bishops though under the City Bishops Can. 16. A Bishop that put himself into a vacant Church without the consent of a perfect Council where must be the Metropolitane must be cast out etsi cunctus populus quem diripuit eum habere delegerit which sheweth that the whole people were no more than could meet to chuse him Can. 17 18 21. imply the same Episcopus ab alia Parochia non migret ad aliam nec sponte sua insiliens nec vi coactus a populo nec ab Episcopis necessitate compulsus Maneat autem in Ecclesia quam primitus adeo sortitus est A Church and a Parish are here the same and no greater than that the people could be the compellers which implieth their concurrence which could not be in a Diocess of many hundred Churches but in one only Can. 23. The Goods of the Church are faithfully to be kept which also are to be dispensed by the Judgment and Power of the Bishop to whom is committed the people and the souls that are congregated in the Church and it 's manifest what things belong to the Church with the
5. UPon the Review finding some considerable Evidences from Councils before omitted some shall be here added 1. The Roman Clergy called a Council at Rome Bin. pag. 158. c. saith that in the Interregnum they had the charge of the Universal Church and Cyprian wrote to them as the Governors of the Church of Rome when they had been a year or two without a Bishop And their Actions were not null 2. A Carthage Council with Cyprian condemn even a dead man called Victor because by his Will he left one Faustinus a Presbyter the Guardian of his Sons and so called him off his Sacred Work to mind Secular things Did this favour of Bishop's Secular Power Magistracy or Domination 3. How came the Carthage Councils to have so many hundreds in so narrow a room or space of Land but that every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corporation or big Town had a Bishop Anno 308. at a Carthage Council the very Donatists had two hundred and seventy Bishops And at Arles two hundred Bishops heard the Donatists Cause 4. The Laodicean Council decreed Can. 46. that the Baptized should learn the Creed and on Friday repeat it to the Bishops or Presbyters which implieth that a Bishop was present with every Church And Cap. 57. It is ordained that thenceforth Bishops should not be ordained in small Villages and Hamlets but Visiters should be appointed them But such Bishops as had heretofore been there ordained should do nothing without the Conscience of the City Bishop Which implieth 1. That every big Town had a Bishop 2. And Villages before 5. Epiphanius Haer. 68. pag. 717. c. saith That Peter separated from Meletius in the same room and as Meletius went to the Mines he made new Bishops and gathered new Churches so that in several Cities there were two Bishops and Churches Which implieth that they were Congregations for Personal Communion 6. The Nicene Council cap. 8. alloweth Rural Bishops then in use whom Petavius proveth to have been true Bishops 7. Greg. Nazianz. pag. 528. c. sheweth how Churches were enlarged and changed when the strife began between Mea Tua Antiqua Nova Nobilior Ignobilior Multitudine Opulentior aut Tenuior 8. After Lucifer Calaritanus ordained Paulinus Antioch had long two Bishops half being his Flock and half cleaving to Meletius 9. Nazianzen had in the great City of Constantinople but one of the small Churches the Arians having the greater till Theodosius gave him the greater And those Hearers he was Bishop over 10. A Council at Capua ordered that both the Bishops Flocks in Antioch under Evagrius and Flavian should live together in Love and Peace 11. Many Cities tolerated Novatian Bishops and Churches among them and oft many other Dissenters Which sheweth that but part of the City were one Church 12. The Council at Carthage called the last by Binius decreed that Reconciliation of Penitents as well as Chrisme and consecrating Virgins is to be done only by the Bishops except in great necessity For how many Parishes can a Bishop do all this and all the rest of his Office And when Christians were multiplied they that desired a Bishop where was none before might have one But else aliud Altare is again forbidden to be set up 13. Another Carthage Council decreeth Can. 15. That the Bishop have but vile or cheap Houshold-stuff and a poor Table and Diet and seek Authority or Dignity by his Faith and desert of Life Can. 19. That he contend not for transitory things though provoked Can. 23. That he hear no Cause but in the presence of his Presbyters else it shall be void that is sentenced without them unless confirmed by their presence Note this being a constant work required a constant presence and it is not a selected Chapter of Presbyters that is named And must those of many hundred Parishes dwell in the City or travel thither for daily Causes of Offenders c. Can. 28 30. Bishops unjust Sentence void and Judgment against the absent 14. A Council at Agathum Can. 3. saith If Bishops wrongfully excommunicate one any other Bishop shall receive him Which implieth that the wronged person lived within reach of a Neighbour Bishop's Parish For it doth not bind him to remove his Dwelling And leave to go daily twenty or forty Miles to Church is a small kindness And I have already cited Can. 63. If any Citizens on the great Solemnities Easter the Lord's Nativity or Whitsuntide shall neglect to meet where the Bishops are seeing they are set in the Cities for Benediction and Communion let them for three Years be deprived of the Communion of the Church So that even when Churches were enlarged yet you see how great a part of them met in one place 15. Divers Canons give the Bishop a third or fourth part of all the Church Profits And if those Churches had been as big as our Dioceses it would have been too much of all Conscience 16. A Synod at Carpentoracte decreed that the Bishop of the City shall not take all the Country Parish Maintenance to himself Which implieth as the former that his Country Parish was small 17. A Council at Orleance Anno 540. decree Can. 3. about ordaining a Bishop that Qui praeponendus est omnibus ab omnibus eligatur The Dioceses yet were not so large but that All met to chuse 18. So Concil Byzazen saith it must be By the Election of all 19. Another at Orleance Anno 545. saith No Citizen must celebrate Easter out of the City because they must keep the principal Festivities in the presence of the Bishop where the holy Assembly must be kept But if any have a necessity to go abroad let him ask leave of the Bishop Here is but one City Assembly and Individuals must be known to the Bishop and ask his leave to go abroad And Can. 5. saith A Bishop must be ordained in his own Church which he is to oversee Which implieth that he had but one Church and Country Chappels 20. Another Orleance Council hath the like deposing all Bishops that come not in by common consent And requiring them both in their Cities and Territories to relieve the Poor from the Church-House Let us have such Dioceses as the Bishop can do this for and we consent 21. A Synod at Paris Can. 8. says Let no Man be ordained a Bishop against the Will of the Citizens nor any but whom the Election of the People and Clerks shall seek with plenary Will None shall be put in by the Command of the Prince c. 22. King Clodoveus called a Synod at Cabilone which Can. 10. decreeth That all Ordination of Bishops be null that was otherwise made than by the Election of the Comprovincials the Clerks and the Citizens 23. The Const Trul. Can. 38. sheweth how the unhappy changes were made decreeing That whatever alteration the Imperial Power shall make on any City the Ecclesiastical Order shall follow it And so if the
arbitrabatur And cap. 25. Cum ipso semper Clerici una etiam domo mensa sumptibusque communibus alebantur vestiebantur Yea he ordered just how many Cups in a day his Clergy-men with him should drink and if any sware an Oath he lost one of his Cups Through God's Mercy sober Godly Ministers now need no such Law By this it evidently appeareth that the Church which he and his Presbyters ruled was not many hundred but one Congregation or City-Church There being no mention of any Country Presbyters that he had elsewhere as far as I remember And when Augustine was dying the People with one consent accepted of his choice of Eradius to be his Successor Epist 110. pag. 195. To recite all that is in Austin's Works intimating these Church-limits would be tedious XX Epiphanius's Testimony I have before mentioned as produced by Petavius that there were few Cities if any besides Alexandria in those Countries that had more than one Congregation and particularly none of his own And Doctor Hammond trusteth to him and Irenaeus to prove that the Apostles setled single Bishops in single Congregations in many places without any Sub-Presbyters XXI Socrates l. 5. c. 21. saith The Church of Antioch in Syria is situate contrary to other Churches for the Altar stands not to the East but to the West Which Speech implieth that besides Chappels if any there was but one Church that was notable in Antioch while he calleth it The Church at Antioch without distinction from any other there XXII Socrates l. 7. c. 3. tells us a notable story of Theodosius Bishop of Synada who went to Constantinople for Power to persecute Agapetus the Macedonian Bishop in that City But while he was absent Agapetus turned Orthodox and his Church and the Orthodox Church joyned together and made Agapetus Bishop and excluded Theodosius who made his Complaint of it to Atticus the Patriarch of Constantinople a wise and peaceable Man who desired Theodosius to live quietly in private because it was for the Churches good May such causes oft have such decisions and Lordly troublesome Prelates such success By which story you may guess how many Congregations both Parties made in Synada XXIII Socrates l. 7. c. 26. tells us that Sisinnius was chosen Bishop of Constantinople by the Laity against the Clergy And cap. 28. Sisinnius sent Proclus to be Bishop of Cyziâ—um but the People chose Dalmatius and refused him And this custom of the People's Choice must needs rise at first from hence that the whole Church being but one Congregation was present For what Right can any one Church in a Diocess have to chuse a Bishop for all the rest any more than the many hundred that are far off and uncapable to chuse XXIV Sozomen's Testimony even so late is very observable lib. 7. cap. 15. who mentioning the differences of the East and West about Easter and inferring that the Churches should not break Communion for such Customs saith Frivolum enim merito quidem judicarunt consuetudinis gratia a se mutuo segregari eos qui in praecipuis Religionis capitibus consentirent Neque enim easdem traditiones per omnia similes in omnibus Ecclesiis quamvis inter se consentientes reperire posses And he instanceth in this Etenim per Scythiam cum sint Civitates multae unum dâ—ntaxat hae omnes Episcopum habent I told you the reason of this Rarity before Apud alias vero nationes reperias ubi Pagis Episcopi ordinantur Sicut apud Arabes Cyprios ego comperi He speaketh of his own knowledge No wonder then if Epiphanius be to be interpreted as Petavius doth when in Cyprus not only the Cities had but one Church but also the Villages had Bishops To these he addeth the Novatians and the Phrygian Montanists And let none think their instances inconsiderable For the Montanists were for high Prelacy even for Patriarchs as in Tertullian appeareth And the Novatians were for Bishops and had many very Godly Bishops and were tolerated by the Emperors even in Constantinople as good People and Orthodox in the Faith And Novatus was martyred in Valerian's Persecution as Socrates l. 4. c. 23. saith XXV Even Clemens Roman or whoever he was that wrote in his name Epist 3. sheweth that Teaching the People is the Bishop's Office and concludeth in Crab p. 45. Audire Episcopum attentius oportet ab ipso suscipere doctrinam fidei Monita autem vitae a Presbyteris inquire a Diaconis vero ordinem Disciplinae By which Partition of Offices it is evident that the Bishop only and not the Presbyters then used to preach to the Church and that the Presbyters though ejusdem ordinis and not Lay-Elders used to instruct the People personally and give them Monita vitae and that they were all in one Church together and not in several distant Churches XXVI Paul himself telleth us that Cenchrea had a Church and the Scripture saith They ordained Elders in every Church And though Downame without any proof obtrude upon us that it was under the Bishop of Corinth and had a Presbyter of his to teach them yet of what Authority soever in other respects the Constitutions called Clements or the Apostles be they are of more than his in this where lib. 7. cap. 46. in that old Liturgy Lucius is said to be Bishop of Cenchrea ordained by the Apostles XXVII Gennadius de viris illustr l. 1. c. 10. saith that Asclepius was Vici non grandis Episcopus Bishop of a Village not great XXVIII Saith Cartwright Four or five of the Towns which were Seats of the Bishops of the Concil Carthag which Cyprian mentioneth are so inconsiderable that they are not found in the Geographical Tables XXIX And faith Altare Damascen p. 294. Oppidum trium Tabernarum Velitris vicinum was a Bishop's Seat for all the nearness and smallness of the Towns And Gregor lib. 2. Epist 35. laid the Relicts of the wasted Church to the Bishoprick of Veliterno Castrum Lumanum had a Bishop till Gregory joyned it to Benevatus Bishop of Micenas and so had many Castra ordinarily Remigius did appoint a Bishop within his own Diocess when he found that the number of persons needed it Viz. apud Laudunum clavatum Castrum suae Dioeceseos Of Spiridion the Bishop of Trimithantis I spake before XXX Theoph. Alexand. Epist Pasch 3. in Bibl. Pat. To. 3. concludeth thus Pro defunctis Episcopis in locis singulorum constituti In urbe Nichio pro Theopempto Theodosius In Terenuthide Aisinthius In oppido Geras pro Eudaemone Pirozus In Achaeis pro Apolline Musaeus In Athrivide pro Isidoro Athanasius In Cleopatride Offellus In Oppido Lato pro Timotheo Apelles And the nearness and smallness of some of these sheweth the Dioceses small The same Theoph. Alex. saith Epist Canon Can. 6. De iis qui ordinandi sunt haec erit forma ut quicquid est Sacerdotalis ordinis consentiat eligat tunc Episcopus examinet
now may do to meet by parcels in several Houses sometimes in a danger yet their ordinary Meetings when they were free was all together in one place And Unum Altare was the note of their Individuation with Unus Episcopus when Bishops grew in fashion in the eminent sense 2. That the first that broke this Order and had divers Assemblies and Altars under one Bishop were Alexandria and Rome and no other Church can be proved to have done so for about three hundred Years after Christ or near nor most Churches till four hundred yea five hundred Years after 3. That when they departed from this Church temperament they proceeded by these degrees 1. They set up some Oratories or Chappels as are in our Parishes which had only Prayers and Teachings without an Altar Oblations or Sacraments in the City Suburbs or Country Villages near the People coming for Sacramental Communion to the Bishop's Church 2. Afterward these Chappels were turned into Communicating Churches But so as that at first the Bishop's Presbyters who lived sometimes in the same House with him and always near him in the same City and were his Colleagues did preach and officiate to them indifferently that is he whom the Bishop sent and after that a particular Presbyter was assigned to teach a particular Congregation yet so as that more of the Bishop's Presbyters commonly had no such Congregations but the most of them still attended the Bishop in his Church and sate with him on each hand in a high raised Seat and whilst he did usually preach and administer the Sacrament they did but attend him and do nothing or but some by assisting Acts as Lay-Elders do in the Presbyterian Churches principally employed in personal oversight and in joyning in Government with the Bishop And those same Presbyters who had Congregations joyned with the rest in their Weekly Work and made up the Consessus or College of Presbyters 3. And next that and in some places at the same time Communicating Congregations were gathered in the Country Villages so far off the City as that it was found meet to leave a Presbyter Resident among them but under the Government of the City Bishop and Presbytery of whom he was one when he came among them And all this while the Churches were but like our greater Parishes which have divers Chappels where there is liberty of Communicating 4. After this when the Countries were more converted there were more Country Parish-Congregations set up till they attained the form of a Presbyterian Church differing only in the Bishop that is a certain number of the Neighbour Country Parishes in one Consistory but with a Bishop did govern all these Parishes as one Church that is It was many Worshipping Churches as sis eight or ten or twelve joyning to make up one governed Church But at the same time many Pastors and People being convinced of the Church-form which they had before been under and of their own necessity and privileges did require the same Order among themselves as was in City Churches and so had their proper Bishops who were called Chorepiscopi or Country Bishops But these Country-Bishops living among the poorer and smaller number of Christians had not so many Presbyters to attend them as the City-Bishops had So that some Country Congregations had Bishops and some had none And the Churches being chiefly governed by the Synods who met for obliging Concord to avoid Divisions these Synods being made up of the City-Bishops at first they there carried it by Vote to make all the Country-Bishops under them and responsible to them Which they the rather and the easilier consented to because many obscure and unworthy Fellows did insinuate into the esteem of the Country-Christians who had no Bishops near them to advise them better and so became the Corrupters of Doctrine and the Masters of Sects and Heresies By this time one part of the Country Churches had Bishops of their own and the other had none but only Presbyters under the City-Bishops and Presbytery But yet it was but few Neighbour-Parishes like our Market-Towns and the Villages between them that were thus under the City-Bishop For every such Town was then called a City in the larger sense as it signifieth Oppidum and most such Towns had City-privileges too which was no more than to be Corporations and not to have a Nominal Eminency as now some small places have above greater as Bath rather than Plimouth Ipswich Shrewsbury c. Next to this the Emperors being Christians and desiring without force to draw all the People from Heathenism to Christianity they thought it the best way to advance the Christians in worldly respects which ever win on common minds And so they endued the Churches and Bishops with such Honours and Powers heretofore described as were like to the Honour and Power of the Civil Governors in their kind And the Bishops being thus lifted up did first enlarge their own Dioceses as far as they could and advance their Power and the World came unchanged into the Church both in Cities and Villages where the Christians were before so few that many think the Heathens were called Pagani in distinction from the Citizens who were Christian And then the Bishops put down the Chorepiscopi as presuming too much to imitate their Power And next to that lest every Corporation or Market-Town having a Bishop their Dioceses should not be great enough and ne vilesceret nomen Episcopi lest a Bishop's Name should not be honoured enough but become cheap by reason of the number and of the smallness of his Church they first ordered that no such small Cities or other places as had People enough for but one Presbyter should have a Bishop and afterward by degrees put down many smaller Bishops Churches and joyned them to their own And so proceeded by the advantage of Civil Alterations on Cities Names and Privileges to bring themselves to the state that they are in wherein one Bishop infimi ordinis that is no Arch-Bishop hath many hundred or above a thousand Churches and multitudes of Cities called now but Corporations Burroughs or Market-Towns I have repeated so much of the History lest the Reader forget what it is that I am proving and that he may note that if I prove now that in later Ages they kept but the Vestigia or Reliques of the former to prove how it was before their times and if I prove but a Church of Presbyterian Magnitude to have so long continued it sufficeth against that which we now call a Diocess And that we do not play with Names nor by a Diocesane Church mean the same thing with a Parochial or Presbyterian but we mean such as our Dioceses now are where a Bishop alone with a Lay-Chancellor's Court or with some small help of an Arch-Deacon Surrogate or Dean and Chapter without all the Parish-Ministers besides doth rule a multitude of distant Congregations who have no proper Bishop under him And now I proceed I.
may add as to the former Evidences To. 5. Serm. 52. pag. 705. when he had shewed that in the Church there must be no division he expoundeth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui seipsum ab hoc conventu sejunxerit So that the Assembly was the Church and not a thousandth part of the Church only See more of the Churches feasting together in Baronius ad an 57. pag. ed. Plant. 543. to spare me more labour about this VI. Another Evidence of the Limits of the ancient Churches is that which I oft mentioned in the particular Testimonies that every where all the People either chose or expresly consented to their Bishops and they were ordained over them in their sight And this no more could do than could meet in one place and one part of a Church hath no more right to it than all the rest The Consequence is evident And for them that say that it was only the Parishioners of the Cathedral Church that voted I answer Now Cathedrals have no Parishes and heretofore the Cathedral Parish was the whole Church The Testimonies fully prove that it was All the Church or People that were the Bishop's Flock And for some hundreds of Years there were no Parishes in his Diocess but one and therefore no such distinction Pamelius's heap of Testimonies and many more for the matter of fact I have already cited And however some talk now to justifie the contrary course of our times it is so clear and full in Antiquity that the People chose their Bishops at first principally and after secondarily after the Clergy having a Negative Voice with them and their Consent and Testimony ever necessary even for eight hundred Years at least that it would be a needless thing to cite any more Testimonies of it to any versed in the Ancients Papists and Protestants are agreed de facto that so it was See Cyprian lib. 4. Epist 2. of Cornelius lib. 1. Epist 2. of Sabinus and lib. 1. Epist 4. Euseb Hist lib. 6. cap. 29. tells us that Fabian by the People was chosen to succeed Anterus And Cyprian saith it was Traditione Apostolica vid. Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 14. lib. 2. cap. 6. lib. 7. cap. 35. Sozomen lib. 6. cap. 24. lib. 8. cap. 2. of Chrysostom lib. 6. cap. 13. vid. Augustin Epist 110. Theodoret Hist lib. 1. cap. 9. in Epist Concil Nicaeni ad Alexandr The Bloodshed at the Choice of Damasus was one of the first occasions of laying by that custom at Rome And yet though they met not so tumultuously they must consent Leo's Testimony I gave you before with many more Theodor. lib. 5. cap. 9. of Nectarius sheweth that Bishops were then chosen Plebe praesente universa fraternitate as Cyprian speaketh of Sabinus So the Concil Parisien even an 559. But for more plentiful proof of this see M. A. Spalatens de Rep. Eccles lib. 1. cap. 22. n. 10. lib 6. cap. 7. lib. 3. cap. 3 n. 12. c. Blondel de Jure plebis more copiously and de Epis Presbyt Bilson perpet Govern cap. 15. lib. of Christian Subjection oft And it is to be noted that when the People's Confusion had made them seem uncapable any longer to chuse 1. This was long of the Prelates themselves who by that time had so far enlarged their Churches that the People were neither capable of doing their ancient Work and Duty nor yet of being ruled by the Clergy aright 2. And when the People were restrained from the Choice by Meetings and Vote the Magistrates in their stead did undertake the Power 3. And when it fell out of the People's hands into Great Mens the Proud and Covetous who could best seek and make Friends did get the Bishopricks whereupon the Churches were presently changed corrupted and undone 4. And the sense of this moved the few good Bishops that were left to make Canons against this Power and Choice of Princes and great Men decreeing that all Bishops obtruded by them on the Churches should be as none but be avoided and all avoided that did not avoid them And the Roman and Patriarchal party cunningly joyned with these honest Reformers to get the Choice out of the Magistrate's hands that they might get it into their own and so Christ's Church was abused among ambitious Usurpers The Decrees against Magistrates Choice of Bishops you may see Can. Apost 31. Decret 17. q. 7. c. siquis Episc Sept. Synod c. 3. Decret 16. q. 7. Oct. Synod c. 12. Act. 1. c. 22. Decret 16. q. 7. Nicol. 1. Epist 10. Epist 64. with more which you may find cited by Spalatens lib. 6. cap. 7. pag. 675 676 677. And it is to be noted that though still the Clergy had a Negative or first Choice yet when they procured Charles the Great who was to rise by the Papal help to resign and renounce the Magistrates Election he restored the Church to its Ancient Liberties as far as enlarged Dioceses and ambitious Clergy-men would permit it His words are these Sacrorum Canonum non ignari ut in Dei nomine Sancta Ecclesia suo liberius potiretur honore assensum ordini Ecclesiastico praebuimus ut scilicet Episcopi per Electionem CLERI POPULI secundum statuta Canonum de PROPRIA DIOECESI remota personarum munerum acceptione ob vitae meritum sapientiae donum eligantur ut exemplo verbis sibi subjectis usquequaque prodesse valeant Vid. Baron To. 11. n. 26. Decret Dist 63. c Sacrorum Where note that 1. he includeth the People of the whole Diocess 2. And doth this as according to the sacred Canons So that for Men to dream that only the Parishioners of a Cathedral Church which had no proper Parish or the Citizens only were to chuse is to feign that which is contrary to notorious Evidence of Law and Fact as well as of the reason of the thing For where all are the Bishops Flock and chuse as his Flock there all the Flock must chuse and a parcel can claim no privilege above all the rest VII The next Evidence is this In the first Age it is very fairly proved by Doctor Hammond that there were by the Apostles more Bishops and Churches than one in many Cities themselves And if one City had more than one Church and Bishop then much more many distant places in Towns and Countries That one City had more than one he sheweth by the distinction of Jews and Gentiles Churches As Peter was appointed chiefly for the Jews and Paul chiefly for the Gentiles so he sheweth it very probable that at Rome Antioch and other places they had several Churches And thus he reconcileth the great differences about Linus Clemens and Cletus or Anacletus And especially on this reason that they had not the same Language And indeed when in great Cities there are Christians of divers Languages it is necessary that they be of divers Congregations
and educating young men for the Ministery there being then no Universities to do it That the Schools were under his care you may see proved in Filesacus 22. The Consecrating of devoted Virgins to say nothing of Altars and other utensils 23. The oversight of the Monasteries 24. The writing of Canonical Epistles as they called them to Great men to other Churches c. 25. The granting of Communicatory Letters I have named all that come suddenly to my memory but it 's like not all And how many Parishes how many hundred thousand souls can one man do all this for think you I will not tire you with citing out of Isidore Gregory Ambrose Chrysost c. the strict Charges terribly laid on Bishops but only now recite the Preachers words whose Oration Eusebius giveth us at the dedication of a new Church Histor Eccl. l. 10. c. 4. It is Paulinus Bishop of Tyre In which he tells them that it is the work of Bishops Intimae animarum vestrarum theoriae videre introspicere ubi experientia temporis prolixitate unumquemque vestrum exacte inquisivit studioque cura cunctos vos honestate doctrina quae secundum pietatem est instruit It was then thought a Bishops duty to be intimately acquainted with the minds of his flock and exactly enquire after every one of them even menservants and maidservants by name saith Ignatius as cited before All this was then the Bishops work Almost all this except the Ceremonies Dr. Hammond proveth industriously belonged to the Bishop Let him faithfully do it all and let his Diocese then be as big as he please I might have added Concil Arelat 1. c. 16. that people are to be absolved in the same place where they were Excommunicated which intimateth it must be only in the Bishops Church And in Synod Hybernic Patricii in Spelman p. 52. All that was more than necessary to a poor man that had a Collection was to be laid on the Bishops Altar which implyeth that each Church had one Bishop and one Altar And c. 21. non in Ecclesiam ut ibi examinetur causa And c. 25 26 27. no Clergy-man but the Bishop to dispose of Church offerings Clericus Episcopi in Plebe novus ingressor baptizare offerre non licet c. with much more which intimateth what Churches were of old But so much shall suffice for proof of the Minor of the first Argument that our Diocesane Form 1. taketh down the Church Form of Gods Institution and the primitive Churches possession 2. And setteth up a humane form in its stead yea one only Church instead of a thousand or many hundred And therefore I add CHAP. VIII That the Diocesans cause the errour of the Separatists who avoid our Churches as false in their Constitution and would utterly disable us to confute them WHen the Brownists say that our Churches are no true Churches they do not mean that they are not Societies of mens devising but that they are not Societies of Gods Instituting And this they prove upon the principles of the Diocesans thus If your Churches be of Gods Institution de specie it is either the Parish Churches or the Diocesane Churches that are so But neither the Parish-Churches nor the Diocesane Ergo. 1. That the Parish Churches are not such they prove because by the Diocesans own confession they are no Churches at all except equivocally so called It is one of their own principles and we grant it that Episcopus Plebs Constitute a Church as a King and Subjects constitute a Kingdom and as a Schoolmaster and Scholars make a School and as a Master and houshold make a Family And that ubi est Episcopus as Cyprian saith ibi est Ecclesia which is nothing but Plebs pastori adunata And that a people without a Bishop truly so called are but a Church equivocally as Scholars without a Master are a School or as a company of Christians in a ship or house accidentally met and praying together are a Church c. And as Dr. Field before cited saith None but a Bishop hath a Church all others are but his assistants or as commonly called his Curates Therefore when a Prelatist pleadeth that our Parish Churches are true Churches either of Gods or mans institution they do forsake the principles of their party as now maintained or they contradict themselves or they play with equivocations and ambiguities II. And that a Diocesane Church which is one composed of the carcases of multitude of mortified Churches is not jure divino having said so much to prove my self I will not stay to tell you how easily the Separatists may prove it So that for my part as much as I have written and done against them I profess I am not able to confute them on the Diocesane grounds but would be one of them if I had no better Quest How then must they be confuted Ans. Thus or not at all by me A Presbyters office is not to be judged of by the Bishops will or description but by God's the institutor As if the King describe the Lord Mayors office in his Charter If the Recorder or whoever giveth him his oath and installeth him shall misdescribe the office and limit it and say falsly you have no power to do this or that This will not at all diminish his power as long as it is the Charter that they profess to go by He shall have the power which the King giveth and not which the investing Minister describeth If a Parson presented to a Benefice shall be told by the Bishop at his institution the Tithes or Glebe are but half yours this shall not diminish his Title to the whole So when God hath described the Ministers office it shall be what God saith it is and not what the Ordainer saith it is And God maketh the Pastors of each particular body of fixed Communicants united as aforesaid to be really a Bishop or at least the chief of these Pastors or the sole Pastor And therefore the Church to be truly and univocally a Church of Divine institution Though it were never so much granted that Archbishops were over them as the Apostles were overthose Acts 14. 23. And then when the Parish Churches are once proved true Churches whether the Diocesane be so or not is nothing to our controversie with the Separatists But for my part I cannot confute the lawfulness of a Diocese as consisting of many particular Churches with their Bishops as I can a Diocese which hath put them all down CHAP. IX The second Argument from the Deposition of the primitive species of Bishops and the erecting of a humane inconsistent species in their stead A specifick difference proved ARGUMENT II. A Humane inconsistent species of Bishops erected instead of the Divinely-instituted species thereby deposed is unlawful But such is the Diocesan species now opposed Ergo. I have hitherto charged it with the changing of the Church Form Now of the
only Church of the same Species with a Diocese If they say that it is because one man is not capable of doing the work of a Bishop for so many Countreys I Answer Per se he cannot do it for the hundredth part of a Diocese Per alios he may do it for all Europe It is but appointing some who shall appoint others who shall appoint others and so to the end of the chapter to do it There is but one Abuna in Abassia to Ordain though numerous Bishops who have not the Generative faculty which Epiphanius makes to be the difference between a Bishop and a Presbyter that the one begets Fathers and the other but Sons Their Countrey was converted by an Eunuch It would be a notable dispute whether all the rest be true Bishops or not I think Yea the Prelatists must think Nay And yet Brierwood saith that Abassia after all its great diminutions is as big as Italy France Spain and Germany And doth not the Pope govern per alios yet far more and pretend to govern the whole Christian World while he sendeth one to Goa another to Mexico and Oviedo to Abassia would they but have received him Obj. But he hath other Bishops under him therefore he is not ejusdem speciei as a Diocese Answ But the Abuna hath no Ordainers under him And the Bishop hath Chancellors Deans Arch-deacons Surrogates Officials and sometimes in the days of old had Suffragans too under him Quest Was a Diocese then One Church or two And what if a Patriarch or Pope put down all Bishops under him and exercise his power only by other sorts of officers They that can demise grant let what parts they please of their own office may devise enow And seeing it would not alter the species what if it should please the King and Parliament to put down all the Bishops of England save One I hope the Bishops would not take that to be against the Canon of 1640. nor against the Oxford Oath of never endeavouring to Consent or Alter the Church Covernment if it could have been past to be taken by the Parliament Because the species is not altered And they tell us Nonconformists to draw us to Swear that they mean but the species I make no doubt but at the rates of our present Ordinations One Bishop or Abuna with Chaplains enow may Ordain Priests enow and too many of all conscience for all the Kings Dominions and may silence preachers enow and may set up Chancellors Surrogates and Arch-deacons enow to do the present work And it 's pity that the land should be troubled with so many when one would serve I confess I would either have more or fewer had I my wish And as for my Minor proposition let him that thinketh it wanteth proof when he hath considered what is beforesaid and how personal present Communion in all Gods Church-worship differeth from the Communion of associated Congregations by messengers c. think so still if he be able so egregiously to err But I must not so leave our Prelatists I know that it is the common trick of Sophisters when they cannot make good an ill cause to carry it into the dark or start a new controversie and then they are safe A Papist will wheel about into the wilderness or thickets of Church history and ask you what names you can give of your Religion in all Ages that one proposition of your Syllogism may contain much of a Horse load or a Cart load of Books and then I trow he hath done his work if women be the judges And others use to carry the question a rebus ad verba And so it is in the case in hand But it is not the name of a SPECIES that shall serve your turn We know how hard it is in Physicks to determine what it is that specifieth and much more in Morals Politicks and other Relatives But Let the Logical notion of a species lie at your mercy It shall suffice us that you may not make so great a change of the Church-orders and Government of Gods institution as to turn a thousand or hundred Churches into one and to deprive all Parishes or Churches Consociate for presential Communion of the priviledge of having a Bishop of their own to Teach Worship and Govern them presentially and per se As if all the Arch-bishops in the Ronan Empire had put down all the Bishops and called themselves the Bishops of the Churches Of which more anon CHAP. X. Whether any form of Church Government be instituted by God as necessary or all left to humane prudence Obj. BUt Doctor Stillingfleet hath invincibly proved that God hath made no one form of Church Government necessary but left the choice to humane prudence Answ I. If so Why should we all swear to this one form that we will never endeavour to alter it or as the caetera Oath never consent to the alteration of it when we know not but the King may alter it or command us to endeavour it Must there be such swearing to the perpetuating an alterable unnecessary thing II. The word Form signifieth either the essentials of Church policy or the Integrals or accidents which Christ himself hath setled Or else it signifieth only some mutable accidents or modes which God hath left to humane prudence Of the first we deny mans power to change them Of the later we grant it 1. It is undeniably of Divine institution that there be ordinary publick Assemblies for Gods solemn worship and the peoples edification 2. And that Ministers of that office which Christ hath instituted be the officiating Guides in these Assemblies 3. And that Cohabiting Christians be the ordinary stated bodies of these assemblies and not live loosely to go every day as they please from Church to Church but ordinarily when they can be setled members of some one Church To which cohabitation or vicinity is one dispositio materiae 4. And that each of these Churches have their proper fixed Pastors and should not take up with unfixed various passing Ministers unless in cases of necessary unsetledness 5. And that these setled Pastors should live among the People and watch over them personally and know them and be known of them in doctrine and ensample as to the main body of the flock 6. That these Relations and Communion be by mutual consent of the Pastors and the body of the flock 7. That these mutual Relations of Gods appointment and their own consent do constitute them a spiritual society of Divine institution 8. That this Communion must be as our Creed calleth it a Communion of Saints that is of men professing Christianity and Holiness and seeming such And must extend to a free Communication to each other for the supply of corporal necessities And to a mutual assistance of each other in holy living 9 That therefore there must be some to discern and judge whether the persons that would enter this Society and
Communion be Professed seeming Christians and Saints or not And whether they revolt by Heresie or wicked lives from their profession And whether they be impenitent in these revoltings And therefore having opportunity by presence or nearness to know them and the witnesses must judge of the credibility or reports or accusations And must admonish the offenders and seek by all possible conviction and exhortation with patience to draw them to Repentance And if no perswasion will prevail to refuse to admit them to the Communion of the Church and to deliver them the Sacrament of Communion and to tell them openly of their sin and danger and pronounce them lyable to Gods wrath till they do repent and to charge the Church to avoid Communion with them 10. It is the particular Pastors of those Churches to whose office all this belongeth 11. If that Church have more Pastors than one they must do all this work in concord and not divide nor thwart each other So that as many Physicians undertake one Patient as each one singly of the same office and yet must do all by agreement unless some one see that the rest would kill the patient so it is in this case 12. All these particular Churches must in their vicinities and capacities live in Concord and hold such a correspondency and Communion of Churches for mutual strength and edification as tendeth to the common good of all The means of which are Messengers Letters and Synods as there is occasion All these twelve particulars I doubt not but so judicious and worthy a man as Dr. Stillingfleet will easily concede And indeed the summe of them is granted in his book And then whether you will call this a Form of Government or not how little care I for the meer name 13. I may add this much more that All these Congregations are under the extrinsick Government of the Magistrate as Physicians are And he only can rule them by the sword and force But then we will agree with Dr. Stillingfleet or any man that God hath left all these things following without a particular determination to be determined according to his General Laws 1. Whether this Parochial or Congregational Church shall always meet in one and the same place or in case of persecution or want of room or by reason of the Age Weakness and distance of some Members may have several houses or Chappels of ease where some parcels may sometimes meet who yet at least per vices may have personal present Communion with the rest 2. Whether a Church shall be great or small that is of what number it shall consist supposing that it be not so great or so small as to be inconsistent with the end 3. How many Pastors each Church shall have 4. Whether among many One shall be a Chief and upon supposition of his preeminence in Parts Grace Age and Experience shall voluntarily be so far submitted to by the rest as may give him a Negative voice 5. Whether such officers of many Churches shall consociate so as to joyn in Classes or Synods stated for number time and place And whether their meetings shall be constant or occasional pro re nata 6. Whether One in these meetings shall be a stated Moderator or only pro tempore and shall have a Negative voice or not in the circumstantials of their Synodical work 7. Whether certain Agreements called Canons shall be made voluntarily to bind up the several Members of the Synods to one and the same way in undetermined circumstances of their callings or as an agreement and secondary obligation to their certain duties 8. Whether these Associations or Synods shall by their Delegates constitute other provincial or larger associations for the same Ends Who those Delegates shall be Whether one in those larger Synods also shall have such a Negative as aforesaid All these and such like we grant to be undetermined And if they will call only such Humane modes and circumstances by the name of Forms of Government we quarrel not de nomine but de re do grant that such kind of Forms or Formalities are not particularly determined of in Gods word 9. And besides all these whether successors of the Apostles in the ordinary part of their work as A. Bishops or General Ministers having the care of many inferiour Bishops and Churches be not Lawful yea of Divine right or whether they be unlawful is a question which all Nonconformists are not agreed on among themselves so great is the difficulty of it But for my own part being unsatisfied in it I never presumed to meddle in any Ordinations lest it should belong to Apostolical A. Bishops only and I resolved to submit herein to the order of the Church wherever I should live III. But if you hold that Dr. Stillingfleet Bishop Reynolds and all those Conformists who say that no Church Form is jure divino necessario do extend this as expresly they do to the Diocesane Form Let it be observed 1. That we plead for no more than we have proved and they will confess I think to be jure divino 2. And that we plead against swearing and subscribing to nothing but what they themselves say is not of Gods institution 3. That the proper Prelatists affirm it to be of Divine Institution or else they will renounce it 4. That the preface of the book of Ordination to which we must subscribe or declare Assent and Consent doth make this Episcopacy to be a distinct Order from Presbyters as a thing certain by Gods word This therefore I wonder how they can subscribe to who say no Form is jure divino I am sure they perswade us not to subscribe it while they disprove it And I would have leave to debate the Case of the Church of England a little with these Humanists and to ask them If no Church Form be of Gods making 1. Why may not the King and Parliament put it down as aforesaid 2. But specially who made the Form of the Church of England which we must swear to If another Church then that other was not of the same Form otherwise that Form was made before which is a contradiction If it was of another Form I ask what it was and who made the Form of that other Church which made this Church Form and so to the Original If Bishops or Synods made it still they were parts of a Church or of no Church If of no Church what Bishops were those and by what power did they make new Church Forms that were of none themselves If an Emperor or King first made them either he was himself a member of a Church or of no Church If of a Church what form had that Church And why should not that first form stand And who made that form and so ad originem If he was of no Church how came he by power to make Church forms that was of none himself Nemo dat quod non habet It 's no honour to
332 333. XIV Filesacus a Learned Papist copiously proveth from Councils that Presbyters were called the Rectors of the Churches pag. 560. And more than so that they were called Hierarchici and Prelates and had place in Councils especially Provincial p. 576 577 578. Pag. 574. he citeth Concil Aquisgr saying Presbyteri qui praesunt Ecclesiis de omnibus hominibus qui ad eorum Ecclesiam pertinent per omnia curam gerant Pag. 576. he proveth they were called Prelates abundantly Pag. 577. Episcoporum instar suam habebant plebem regendam XV. Mr. H. Thorndike is so large in defending the Presbyters Governing power and that as grounded on the power of Congregating in his Form of Primit Gov. and Right of Church c. that it would be tedious to recite his words Pag. 98. he saith The power of the Keys belongeth to the Presbyters and is convertible with the power of celebrating the Eucharist and that 's the Reason why it belongeth to them Nothing could be spoken plainer to our use And p. 128. The power of the Keys that is The whole power of the Church whereof that power is the root and source is common to Bishops and Presbyters And Right of Ch. p. 126 129 130 131. he saith much more to confirm this by testimonies and instances of antiquity XVI The great Jo. Gerson is cited to your hand by the same Filesacus as shewing that Curates were Hierarchical Quia eadem opera Hierarchica eis incumbunt quae Episcopis And more out of Gerson de Concil Evangel de stat Ecclesiastic tit de statu Curatorum consid 1. 4 c. XVII I will end all in the fullest testimony for these times His Majesties Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs before the passing of which it was examined by his Majesty and the Lord Chancellor before Dukes Lords Bishops Doctors of their party and many of us also that are now silenced and after all two great Bishops with Bishop Reynolds and Mr. Calamy appointed by the King to joyn with two Lords to see that it were worded according to the Kings expressed sense And it saith p. 11 c. Because the Dioceses especially some of them are thought to be of too large extent we will appoint such a number of Suffragan Bishops in every Diocese as shall be sufficient for the due performance of their work 3. No Bishop shall Ordain or exercise any part of jurisdiction which appertaineth to the censures of the Church without the advice and assistance of the Presbyters And no Chancellors Commissaries or Officials as such shall exercise any act of Spiritual Jurisdiction in these cases viz. Excommunication Absolution c. As to Excommunication our will and pleasure is that no Chancellor Commissary or Official Decree any Sentence of Excommunication or Absolution Nor shall the Archdeacon exercise any Jurisdiction without the advice and assistance of six Ministers of his Archdeaconry whereof three to be nominated by the Bishop and three by the election of the major part of the Presbyters within the Archdeaconry 4. To the end the Dean and Chapters may the better be fitted to afford counsel and assistance to the Bishops both in Ordination and other offices mentioned before c. Moreover an equal number to those of the Chapter of the most learned pious and discreet Presbyters of the same Diocese annually chosen by the major Vote of all the Presbyters of that Diocese present at the Election shall be always advising and assisting together with those of the Chapter in all Ordinations and every part of Jurisdiction which appertains to the censure of the Church and at all other solemn and important actions in the exercise of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction wherein any of the Ministery are concerned And our Will is that the great work of Ordination be constantly and solemnly performed by the Bishop and his aforesaid Presbytery 5. We will take care that confirmation be rightly and solemnly performed by the information and with the consent of the Minister of the place Who shall admit none to the Lords Supper till they have made a credible profession of their faith and promised obedience c. Besides the Suffragans and their Presbytery every Rural Dean together with three or four Ministers of that Deanry chosen by the major part of all the Ministers within the same shall meet once in every month to receive such complaints as shall be presented to them by the Ministers and Church-wardens of the respective parishes and also to compose all such differences between party and party as shall be referred to them by way of Arbitration and to convince offenders and reform all such things as they find amiss by their Pastoral Reproofs and Admonitions if they may be so reformed And such matters as they cannot by this Pastoral and perswasive way compose and reform are by them to be prepared for and presented to the Bishop At which meeting any other Ministers of the Deanry may if they please be present and assist Moreover the Rural Dean and his Assistants are in their respective divisions to see that the children and younger sort be carefully instructed by the respective Ministers c. See the rest This was the judgment of his Majesty c. 1660. And on these terms we were ready to have Conformed and United with the Prelatists so far as to go in the peaceable performance of our Offices But that very Parliament who gave his Majesty thanks for this his Declaration did lay it by so that it was never done but other Laws established which we feel Obj. You do but obtrude on us your own opinions For when you had drawn up most of those words his Majesty was fain to seem for the present to grant them you for the quieting of you Answ 1. If we did offer such things let the world judge what we sought by them 2. There is most of that about Rural Deanries put in I suppose by the Bishops consent who were to word it after it went from us and after the King had done with it on October 22. 1660. 3. Whoever motioned or desired it by this it appeareth that his Majesty and those that counselled him did not then think the work of Jurisdiction Excommunication Absolution no nor Ordination to be aliene to or above the office of the Presbyter And if that be no part of his Pastoral work they would not have appointed it him Yet finally let the Reader note that though my proofs have reached as high as the power of Canon-making Jurisdiction Court-excommunications and Ordination Yet it is no more than the power of Pastoral Guidance of our particular Parish Churches and not to be forced to administer all holy things Sacraments Absolutions c. contrary to our consciences at other mens will who know not our people and not to those that we know to be utterly Ignorant Infidels Scandalous and Impenitent that I am here pleading for I conclude therefore boldly after all this proof
he knoweth how little of it will be done And who will use his wit learning and zeal to plead his cause and his parts and office thus to serve his designs and gratifie him who considereth what it is to be a Bishop a Christian or a man CHAP. XVI That the English Diocesane Government doth change this office of a Presbyter of Gods institution into another quantum in se of humane invention I Come now to prove the Minor proposition of my Argument That the Diocesane Government deposeth the Office of Presbyters which God hath instituted as much as in them lieth By which limitation I mean that if we would judge of the Power and Obligation of Presbyters as the Prelatical constitution de facto doth describe it and not as God describeth it contrarily we must take it for another thing For the proof of this it must 1. be considered what is Essential to the office and 2. How somewhat Essential is taken from them I. And 1. we grant as before that no Action whatsoever as performed at the present or for some excepted season is Essential to the Pastoral office A man ceaseth not to be a Preacher or Pastor as soon as the Sermon is done and he is out of the Church When a man is asleep or in a journey he endeth not his office Nor yet when he is interrupted by business sickness or persecution Yea if he were so sick as to be sure never to exercise his office more he keepeth the Title with respect to what he hath already done 2. Yet Exercise as Intended and as the Relative end or Terminus of the Obligation and Authority is Essential to the Office For when it is a Relation which we question and that consisteth in Obligation and Authority there is no doubt but it is ad aliquid and is specified by the Action or Exercise to which men are Obliged and Authorized As a Judge a Souldier a Physician are And it being a Calling which we speak of and that durante vita capacitate it must be such Action as is intended to be Ordinary and Constant He that Consenteth not to do the work of a Minister and that for more than a trial or a present occasion and is not Obliged and Authorized to that work at least statedly as his intended ordinary course of life is no Minister of Christ which Paul well expresseth by that phrase Rom. 1. 1. Separated to the Gospel of God 3. As God in creating man made him in his own Image so did Christ in making Church Pastors Therefore he saith As my Father sent me so send I you And he that receiveth you receiveth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and him that sent me Luke 10. 16. And they are Embassadours to beseech men in his name and stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. And Christ himself is called the Angel of the Covenant and the Apostle and high Priest of our Profession and the Great Prophet and the Bishop of our Souls and the good Shepherd and the great Shepherd or Pastor of the flock and the Minister of the Circumcision And he was a Preacher of the same word of life as we are And he administred the same Sacrament of Communion as we do Now as the Office of Christ had these three Essential parts viz. to be the Teacher the High Priest and the Ruler of the Church so hath not only the Apostles but every true Pastor in his place as is proved this threefold subserviency to Christ 1. They will confess themselves that He is no true Pastor who hath not Authority and Obligation which set together are called a Commission to be a Teacher of the Church For though some men may be so weak as that they can Teach but by Reading Catechizing Conference or very short defective immethodical Sermons And though where a Church hath Many the Ablest may be the usual publick Preachers and the rest be but his assistants Yet I never found any proof of Elders that were not Teachers by office as well as Rulers and had not Commission to Teach the flock according to their abilities and might not Preach as the need of the Church required it however the weaker may give place to the abler in the exercise of his office Because his office is an Obligation and Authority to exercise his Gifts as they are for the Churches greatest edification 2. And it will be confessed that he is no Minister or Pastor who is not Commissioned by Christ to be the Churches Guide in publick Worship in Prayer praise and Sacrament of Communion However where there are many all cannot officiate at once 3. Therefore all the doubt remaineth whether the power of the Keys for Church Covernment such as belongeth to Pastors be not as Essential as the rest I say the Commission the Authority and the Obligation though violence may much hinder the exercise And this I have proved before and must not stay to repeat it Only 1. God doth not distinguish when he giveth them the Keys and office Therefore we must not distinguish 2. The very signification of the words Keys Pastor Presbyter Overseer Steward c. do not only import this Guiding Ruling power but notably signifie it as most think more notably than the Worshipping part of their office 3. Dr. Hammond and all of his mind confess that in Scripture these words are applyed to no one person or office that had not the Governing as well as the Teaching and Worshipping power 4. The truth is the Teaching and Ruling and Worshipping power are inseparably twisted together Ruling is done not by the sword here but in a Teaching way by the Word As a Physician may 1. read a Lecture of health to his Patients 2. and give every one particular directions for his own cure and this last is called Governing them So when the same Pastor who Teacheth all generally by Sermons doth make his applications to mens persons and cases particularly it is Governing the Church as when a man is impenitent he doth Excommunicate him only by teaching him and the Church that such persons as are so impenitent are under the wrath of God and uncapable of Church Communion and therefore requiring the Church as from Christ to avoid that person and declaring him to be under the wrath of God till he repent and requiring him to forbear Communion with the Church And so in other acts of Government And as in Worshipping the Pastor delivereth the Sacrament of Communion so it must belong to him to Give it or Deny it 5. And indeed the ancient Churches had usually more Pastors than Assemblies by which means every Presbyter could not daily preach and officiate But yet they were so constant Assistants in the Government as hath occasioned so many to think that it was mere Ruling Elders who joyned with the Bishops in those times And Paul himself saying 1 Tim. 5. 17. The Elders that rule well are worthy of double
honour especially they that labour in the word and doctrine doth plainly imply that there were fewer who were thus Labourers in the word and doctrine than that Ruled well For indeed the following practices of the Churches expoundeth this Text when the Churches having few Learned or able Speakers he that could speak or preach best did preach ordinarily and was made Chief or Bishop and the rest helped him in Government and other offices and taught the people more privately and preached seldomer when the Bishop bid them and there was need Being yet of the same office Obj. Why then may they not now be forbidden publick Government in foro Ecclesiae exteriore Answ 1. Our question is not chiefly what part of the exercise of their proper office may be restrained on just occasion But what it is which truly belongeth to their office 2. It is one thing to forbid it them pro tempore and another statedly for this changeth the Office 3. It is one thing to forbid a man Preaching Praying or Exercise of Discipline in a Church where there are many and all cannot speak at once and his restraint is for the better doing of the work and the avoiding of confusion And another thing to forbid a single Pastor of a Parish Church with all his Curates to do it when there is no other there nor near the place that knoweth the people to do it but it must be undone 4. And indeed the case of Discipline in this differeth from Preaching and officiating in Worship Two men cannot do the later at once in the same Congregation without confusion and hinderance of Edification But ten men or twenty may consult and consent to the acts of Discipline So that by Reason Scripture and Antiquity it is clear that if any one part were more essential to the Presbyters office than the rest it would be the Authority and Obligation to Rule the flock by the word of God and exercise the Church Keys of Discipline II. Now that this power is here taken from them notwithstanding all the forecited Concessions or Confessions that it is due to them I prove I. I might premise that Ubi non est idem fundamentum non est eadem relatio At c. There is not the same foundation therefore not the same Relation For 1. Here is not the same Election no nor Consent I opened this before Though all Antiquity gave the Church the Election of her own Pastors yet we make not that necessary to the being of the office or relation to them So there be but Consent But we take Consent of the Church to be necessary to any mans Pastoral Relation to that Church though not to the Ministery in general as unfixed For seeing it is not possible to Exercise the office without the peoples Consent it cannot be assumed as over them without their Consent Because that which cannot be Exercised should not be undertaken to be exercised But with us commonly the Patron chooseth and the Bishop approveth instituteth and giveth him induction and so he is fully setled in title and possession in their way without any of the peoples knowledge or consent Obj. You choose Parliament men who make these laws and your Ancestours consented to Patrons power Therefore you consent Answ This seemeth a jest but that the business and execution make it a serious matter to us 1. It cannot be proved that all the Churches or people gave the Patrons that power 2. We never intended to consent that Parliaments should do what they list and dispose of our Souls or of that which is necessary to the saving of our Souls 3. Else you may as well say that we consent to be Baptized and to receive the Sacraments because the Parliament whom we chose consenteth to it And so we may baptize Infidels because their great grandfathers consented that all their posterity should be Christians And you need no discipline to keep men from the Sacrament if Noah consented that all his posterity should fear God and serve him and so be saved Many men are jested out of their saith and salvation but none are thus jested into it Sin is a mockery but so is not piety 4. Our forefathers had no power to represent us by such consenting If they could oblige us to Duty by their Authority they cannot be our substitutes for the performance of duty any more than for the possession of the reward 5. What God himself hath laid upon the Person or existent Church they cannot commit to another if they would themselves because the obligation was personal and they have not Gods consent for the transmutation We cannot serve God by proxy nor be happy by proxy Obj. But how unfit are the common people to choose their Pastors They are ignorant and partial and tumultuous Do the children beget their own father or the sheep choose their own shepherd Answ 1. No but wives choose their own husbands and Patients choose their own Physicians and Clients their own Advocates and servants their own masters c. Similitudes run not on four feet If all the Church of Christ besides the Prelates and their Curates be as brutish as sheep and as silly as infants in comparison of them then they have talkt reason in their similitude Else 2. Is it not notorious in England that no Congregations have had more Learned and holy Pastors than where the People have had their choice I desire London but to consider it nay they know it by great experience what men hath Aldermanbury had Mr. Calamy Dr. Stoughton Dr. Taylor and so before What men hath Blackfryers had Mr. Gibbons Dr. Gouge and many formerly So also Antholins Lincolns-Inn Greys-Inn the Temple c. But the truth is that is an excellent person to us who is an odious or contemptible person to the high Prelatists If he will preach as Heylin writeth and make the people believe that Presbyterians are Rebels and Disciplinarians are seditious brainsick fellows and strict living is hypocrisie and praying without book and much preaching is Fanaticism and that none are worthy to preach the Gospel who will not swear to be true to this Prelatical interest that drunkenness in a Conformable man is a tolerable infirmity and their ignorantest nonsence is fitter to save souls or Edifie the Church than the labours of a Learned Holy Nonconformist that Calvin was a Rogue and Cartwright Amesius and all such as they discontented factious Schismaticks unworthy to preach or to be endured This is a son of the Church and an excellent person with the men in question But it is the man that Learnedly and Judiciously openeth the word of life that closely and skilfully and seriously applyeth it that is an example of Holiness Sobriety Love Meekness Humility and Patience to the flock who spareth no labour or cost or suffering for the saving of mens souls who is for the wisdom which is first pure and then peaceable c. This is the Pastor that is excellent
in our eyes And of such I have oft wondred that the common people should usually choose far better than the Prelates do But the truth is Wisdom and Goodness have their witnesses even in the consciences of natural men which Faction Pride and Fleshly interest doth bribe or silence and cannot endure 3. But what 's all this to us We plead not now for the necessity of the peoples Elections but only for their consent If the Patrons as now or the Clergy as formerly be the Nominators or Electors yet should the peoples consent be acknowledged necessary in the second place 4. For who is fitter to choose or refuse or consent at least than he whose everlasting interest lieth at the stake It is their own soul that must be saved or damned And in good sadness do these Diocesans love the souls of all the people better than they love their own Do you make them believe this by not seeing one of a thousand or many hundred of your flock once in all the time of your lives Doth the silencing of so many Ministers shew it Christ will have all men at age in Covenanting Baptism and the Lords Supper to be Chusers or Refusers for themselves because as Clem. Alexandr Strom. 1. saith they have free will and it is themselves that must have the gain or loss that must be in heaven or hell for ever What if a Prelate a Parliament a Patron or a forefather chuse Masspriests or Hereticks for us must we accept the choice Is this our bewaring of false prophets and of the leaven of the Pharisees and our trying all things and letting no man deceive us c. 5. But how unfit is this objection for a Prelates mouth or pen Are you the Church Governours Is all this contention that you may have the Keys alone without the parish Ministers And is this the fruit of all your Government that the common Church members are so mad so bad so untractable that they are not fit to be free Consenters to them that are to Teach and Guide them to salvation Who then is this Church Ruine and Abomination long of but your selves who have and only will have the Keys Have you not fine Churches and members that are not fit to choose no nor consent to their own Guides Why do you not take care that the Churches by discipline may be better constituted As none should be Pastors who are not fit for the duty of Pastors so none should be members who are not fit for the duty of members It 's excellent Government inded to keep such in the Church as are unfit to be there and then fetch an argument from their unfitness for their neglect of their duty and your depriving them of their power As if you should choose none but ideots or most such to be Jury men and then argue thence that they are unfit for so great a trust and so the people must lose their liberties 6. There are among the ignoranter sort of the people usually divers sober and good men and the rest use much to hearken to them Obj. But what if the people will not consent to any but a Heretick or intolerable person Answ 1. The former answers serve to this You do fairly to keep such people in the Church But as the Foreigner wondered in Henry the Eighth's days to see at once some hanged for being Papists and some burnt for being Protestants and cried out Dii boni quomodo gentes hic vivunt So it is such another case to see at once the same Prelates forcing the unwilling into the Church and to the Sacrament as if this would or could save them if their Church be salvation in despight of them even on pain of undoing and perpetual imprisonment And yet Excommunicating and casting out those that are willing to stay in As if Consent were a mark of an aliene and a reprobate and unwillingness the mark of worthiness 2. Such as you here describe are not fit to be members of a Church If they will not Consent to Church priviledges and duties they should be without the doors And you may force them to hear Teaching whether they are willing or not But you cannot make them Godly nor bring them to heaven nor give them right to Church Communion and Sacraments whether they will or not So much of Election and Consent 2. Moreover the Ordination differeth from that of Gods institution For Presbyters are now Ordained commonly neither by Archbishops Bishops or Presbyters of Christs institution in their way 1. The Bishops themselves profess that they Ordain not as Presbyters For they say such have no power of Ordination 2. They are not Bishops of Christs institution as is before proved but of another species which half themselves confess to be but humane 3. They are not Archbishops because they have no Bishops under them And so having not their power of Ordination as Officers of Gods making they have no power from him to Ordain Obj. By these two last differences you seem to give up the Cause to the Separatists Answ The Prelatists do so but so do not we 1. Because whether the Prelates will or not the people ex post facto do Consent to every worthy Pastor 2. Because we judge of Parish Ministers as God describeth them and therefore as true Bishops and consequently take the Prelates for a kind of Archbishops whatever they call themselves 3. And there is no honest Minister but hath the Consent of some neighbour Ministers and of the People And though imposition of hands be a laudable Ceremony yet it is not that but mutual Consent of themselves and the Pastors and People in which their external call consisteth as is before said II. The different Correlates and Termini make different Relations The Churches which the ancient Presbyters were related to were true entire Churches however their work might be parcelled among the members But according to the Prelates platform each Presbyter hath his charge over no Church of Christ at all but only over a hundredth six hundredth or thousandth part of a Church having no more to do with all the rest than if they were of another Diocese III. But I come to the point intended That they take from the Presbyter his essential Obligation and Authority appeareth 1. In general they commonly affirm that the Governing power belongeth not to them and that they are but the Bishops Curates By which they mean not only that the Bishops rule them but they say that the Bishop doth Teach all his Diocese per alios even by these his Curates And accordingly they have lately blotted out of their Litany Bishops Pastors and Ministers of the Church and have substituted Bishops Priests and Deacons lest the Priests should be supposed Pastors But they altered not the Collect for all Bishops and Curates And they have put out of the Office for Ordination of Priests Act. 20. 28. Now what a Presbyter doth in the person of the Bishop
administration of the Sacraments and no other Canon 36. Mark No other And the Bishops that endure this are forced to say that these Pulpit prayers are not the Churches prayers but our own But yet they are Publick prayers and therefore I doubt a breach of the Canon-Covenant 7. A Presbyter as such hath no power to preach the Gospel The words of his Ordination do but give him power to preach when he shall be lawfully called yea his Presentation Institution Induction and possession of a Pastoral Charge do not all make up this Lawful call nor may he preach one Sermon after all this till he have a particular Licensing Instrument from the Bishop So that he preacheth not meerly as a Presbyter nor as a possessed Incumbent but as Licensed by the Bishop 8. When he visiteth the sick he hath no Power left him to judge Whether the person be penitent and fit to be Absolved or not But if the wickedest liver will but say or swear that he repenteth of Swearing of Adultery of Perjury though such expressions or circumstances be such as plainly tell a present Minister that he hath nothing like to a serious repentance yet must this Minister be forced even in Absolute words to Absolve him from all his sins When a Popish Confessor would require more I do not in all this lay the fault that this Minister hath not power to keep away any of these persons from Baptism Confirmation the Lords Table Absolution c. but only that he hath no Power to forbear his own action and application and leave them to others that are satisfied to do it Nor not so much as to delay till he give a reason of his doubt to his Lord Bishop 9. When he buryeth the dead he hath no power to judge so far as to the performing or restraining of his own act whether the deceased person must needs be declared and pronounced blessed Three sorts of persons he must deny Christian burial to 1. Those that die unbaptized though they be the Children of the holiest Parents 2. Those that kill themselves though they be the faithfullest persons of godly and blameless lives who do it in melancholy deliration a phrenzy feaver or distraction 3. All that are Excommunicate though by a Lay Chancellor for not paying their fees or though it be because they durst not take the Sacrament from the hands of an ignorant ungodly drunken Priest to whose ministery neither they nor other of the Parish did ever consent or that it be the Learnedest Godly Divine that is excommunicate for dissenting from the Prelatists But all others without any exception that are brought to Church they must bury with a publick Declaration that they are saints viz. That God in mercy hath taken to himself the soul of this our dear brother And without Holiness no man shall see God So great difference in Holiness there is between the Holy Church of Rome and ours that they Canonize one Saint in an age by the Pope and we as many as are buryed by the Priest Though it was the most notorious Thief or Murderer or the most notorious Atheist or Infidel or Heretick who either writeth or preacheth or disputeth that there is no God or no life to come or useth in his ordinary talk to mock at Christ as a deceiver and to scorn the Scriptures as nonsence and contradiction or though it be a Jew who professeth enmity to Christ Much more if it be a common blasphemer perjured person adulterer drunkard a scorner at a godly life c. who never professed repentance but despised the Minister and his counsel to the last breath yet if he be brought to the Church for buryal the Priest must pronounce him saved in the aforesaid words so be it he be not Excommunicate of which sort of late there are too great numbers risen up in so much that the sober Prelatists themselves cry out of the growth and peril of Atheism Infidelity and most horrid filthiness and profaneness The words of the Canon are Can 68. No Minister shall refuse or delay to bury any corps that is brought to the Church or Churchyard convenient warning being given thereof before in such manner and form as is prescribed in the book of Common Prayer And if he shall refuse except the party deceased were denounced Excommunicated Excommunicatione majori for some grievous and notorious crime and no man able to testifie of his repentance he shall be suspended by the Bishop of the Diocese from his Ministry by the space of three months But the New Rubrick in the Liturgy saith The office ensuing is not to be used for any that die unbaptized or Excommunicate or have laid violent hands on themselves The Office saith Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the Soul of our dear brother here departed c. And We give thee hearty thanks that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful world And yet as self-contradicters and condemners if any man do but say of one that hath been openly against the Prelates or Conformity that he was a godly honest man much more one that was against the King and especially a downright Traitor who so lived and died impenitently they take it for a heinous crime as in the latter case they well may do And yet except those whose quarters they set up upon the gates or deny Christian burial to by the Magistrate the poor Priest must pronounce them all at the Grave to be the Bishops dear brethren and saved as aforesaid 10. They have no Power to give the Sacrament of Communion with Christ and his Church to any the most Learned holy Christian who dare not receive the Sacrament kneeling for fear of bread-worship in appearance c. which though I think is unwarrantably scrupled yet hath so much of Universality and Antiquity as maketh it ill beseeming those same men who cry up the Church Councils Customes and Antiquity to cast out of Communion those that conform to all these for so doing For who knoweth not by Can. 20. of Concil Nic. 1. and the consent of Antiquity that they took it for a custome and tradition and Canon of the Universal Church that none should at all adore God kneeling on any Lords day in the year nor on any week-day between Easter and Whitsunday 11. They have no power to forbear denying the Sacrament of Communion to any how faithful and holy soever who is against the Diocesanes Confirmation and is unwilling that those whom he taketh to be no true Bishops should use that which he taketh as used by them to be no true Ordinance of God but a taking of his name in vain or if on any other account he be unwilling of it For the new Rubrick is There shall none be admitted to the holy Communion until such time as he be Confirmed or be ready and desirous to be Confirmed So that
me all nations baptizing them And Dr. H. thinketh that no Presbyter but Bishops baptized in Scripture time because there were then no other existent And it is too evident in Antiquity by what I before cited that no child or aged person was usually baptized without a Bishop when Bishops came up at least they used to anoint their nostrils c. with holy oyl And doubtless they that Baptized or admitted to baptism did examine them of their faith and resolutions before they took them into the Covenant and Vow of God And how many hundreds in a year can the Bishop do this for besides all his other work 6. It is by the English Canons and Rubrick the Bishops duty to confirm all that were baptized many think it is meant in Heb. 6. 1 2. Our Bishops take it for a proper part of their work And they that must confirm them according to our Liturgy must know their understanding and receive their profession of their faith and standing to their Baptismal Covenant which requireth some time and labour with each one for him that will not make a mockery of it Look into the Bills of London which tell you how many are born every week and thence conjecture how many hundreds in a year the Bishop hath in that Diocese to Confirm and consequently in other Dioceses proportionably Or if that will not inform you try over England where you come how many are though but cursorily as a hasty ceremony confirmedat all Whether it be one of many hundreds And set this to the rest of the Bishops work 7. It is the Bishops work to defend the truth against gainsayers to confute and stop the mouths of Hereticks and contradicters and confirm the troubled and wavering minded in the faith not by fire and sword nor by a quick prohibition of others to preach but by sober conferences and weight of evidence and by Epistles as Paul did when they are not at hand yea even to other Churches and as one that is gentle to all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. And shall the Bishop do this for many hundred Churches While he is defending the poor flock against Papists Quakers Arrians Socinians Infidels alas how numerous are the deceivers at Newark or Gainsborough or Boston what shall they all do between that and Barnet or the remotest part of Buckinghamshire II. The second part of the Bishops office is to be the peoples Priestly guides in Gods worship principally in the publick Assemblies and oft in private viz. 1. To confess the peoples sins and their own To be their own and the Churches mouth in prayer thanksgiving and the praises of the Lord. And in how many hundred Congregations at once will they do this 2. To consecrate and distribute the Sacrament of Communion and consequently to discern who are fit for it And in how many Churches at once will he do this 3. To bless the Congregation at the end of every meeting All these I have before proved that the ancient Bishops did and Dr. Hammond saith No other in Scripture times And what Ubiquitary shall do this 4. And in private it is the Bishop that must visit the sick that must be sent for by them all and must pray with them As Dr. H. at large proveth Annot. in Jam. 5. I have told you before how well and for how many he is able to do this in one of our Dioceses If that serve not turn I pray you if you are foreigners ask English men what number it is of sick men in a Diocese that are visited and prayed with by the Bishop Compare them with the Bills of Mortality in London and judge proportionably of the rest whether he visit one of many thousands of such as die to say nothing of all the sick that do recover 5. And it is the Bishops work to receive all the offerings first-fruits tythes and other maintenance of the Church as the Canons before cited say And see Dr. H. on Act. 2. c. and Act. 4. 33 34 35 c. 6. It was the Bishops work to take care of all the Poor Orphans Widows Strangers as the Canons cited shew And Dr. H. on 1 Cor. 12. 28. c. saith The supreme trust aâ—d charge was reserved to the Apostles and Bishops of the Church So in Can. 41. Apost A Bishop must have the care of the moneys so that by his power all be dispensed to the poor c. where he citeth Just Mart. and Polycarp for a particular care I have before told you that if the poor of every parish be not relieved till the Bishop take notice of them few of the poor in England would be any more for Bishops than for famine nakedness and death III. But the principal thing which I reckon impossible and is and must be destroyed by Diocesanes is the Government of all the particular Churches or Parishes in the Dioâ—â—se Where note 1. That I speak not of the Magistrates Government 2. Noâ— of that General Inspection by which an Archbishop or General Pastor overseeth the inferiour Bishops with their flocks as a general Officer doth the Regiments and Troops in his Army which have Colonels and Captains of their own But I speak of the particular Church Government of the Bishops of single Churches like that of Captains over their own troops or rather Schoolmasters in their several Schools And I the rather mention this because Bishops making it more proper to themselves than Teaching or Worship must hold were they consistent with themselves that they can less delegate it to others The exercise of the Keys are 1. For entrance by Baptism 2. By confirmation rightly understood as in a peculiar Treatise I have opened it 3. By Reproof Consolation Excommunication and Absolution of particular persons which I am now to speak of Where distinctly note I. What the work is Materially II. In what manner it must be done III. On how great a number of persons I. 1. To receive accusations and informations of all the great and perilous heresies crimes and scandals in the Diocese 2. To judge of the credibility of the witnesses hardly done by a stranger and of the validity of their proofs For Councils themselves have petitioned the Emperours that ungodly persons might not be witnesses who make so small a matter of other sins as that they may be supposed to make but little of false witnessing Else an Atheist or Infidel or man of no conscience as he never need to miss of Church preferment for want of conforming to mens wills so he may be master of the â—ame liberty and lives of all honest men at his pleasure and govern them that govern Church and State Therefore Bishops themselves must difference between witnesses And to say I know an honest man that knoweth an honest man that saith they are honest men is a poor
with six or seven in a day if he did nothing else shall before he can examine their cases have thousands more of their and others to examine So that nothing of this nature can be more notorious than that our controversie with the Bishops is but such as these Whether the Lord Mayor alone shall not only oversee all the Families in the City but be the Only Governour of them so that Husbands Parents and Masters shall only teach and exhort their families but the Lord Mayor alone shall rule them as to their daily works their speeches and their lives Or whether the City and the whole Diocese shall have but one Schoolmaster who shall be the sole governour of all the Schools in all those hundred parishes 20 or 40 or 100 miles distant and the Schools shall have under him only Curate Ushers who shall only teach the boyes as far as they are willing to learn and for all their untractableness disobedience absence and faults shall present their names to a Chancellors Court set up by the sole ruling Schoolmaster Or whether all the Colledges in the University shall have no Governour but the Vicechancellor and the rest be but Tutors to the Voluntiers Or whether all the Patients in a Diocese shall have but one Physician to govern the Patient by prescripts and under him only Apothecaries to carry about his medicines and directions Indeed if it were the Physicians work to play the Soldier and cut all their throats it might be done in a short time But healing requireth more ado And if it were the Bishops or Chancellors work to do no more than to read an accusation and say Do you Repent and as some do because they must be thrice admonished to say at once I admonish you I admonish you I admonish you I excommunicate you or to do as the Pope doth Interdict whole Kingdoms at once as Herod killed all the children in hope that he should meet with Christ among them then a few hands might do the work But whether it be possible to exercise the discipline of Christ in their Diocesan way on one of a thousand let the impartial judge As also whether that Church be fitlier said to be governed or ungoverned where one of a thousand is governed indeed whenas it is the body of the people and not one of a thousand that is called the Church CHAP. XIX The same Impossibilty proved by Experience THey say Experience is the teacher of fools But O how well were it for the Churches of Christ if their Reverend Bishops who think themselves only meet to govern them had but learnt by it these 1300 years at least The Experience which I offer you is 1. That of the ancient Churches what work the enlargement of their Diocesses and growing great by the greatness of their charge made quickly by the destruction of true discipline abundance of forecited testimonies shew To which what sad complaints might I add out of Socrates Chrysostome Isidore Pelusiata and many others which made Gregory Nazianz Orat. 1. Say so much of the difficulty of a Bishops work and to depose himself when contentious men were ready to depose him and to wish so earnestly that there had never been greatness and Priority and difference of Seats as Upper and Lower among the Pastors of the Churches being tired with their contentions pride and envy even of the Orthodox themselves who instead of doing the work contended for power and preeminence I cited some of Chrysostomes sayings before de sacerdot l 3 c. 16. 17. where he sheweth the greatness of a Bishops work and p. 57. So p. 58. Nisi quotidie Episcopus omnium domos circumierit in hac parte vel eas superans quibus nullum aliud studium est quam in foro versandi deambulandique hinc omnino offensiones infinitae emergent Neque enim ij soli qui aegrotant sed qui sani sunt invisi se volunt Id quod non religionis ac pietatis sed honoris dignitatisque potius nomine plurimi sibi vendicant Ac si quem forte contigerit ex ditioribus potentioribusque Christianis ecclesiae usu lucroque communi ita urgenti ab Episcope frequentius invisi hic protinus Episcopus palpatoris atque adulatoris notam sibi inurit Chrysostome speaketh like a man that knew by experience what a Pastors work is And if our Bishops must go to every house how many years pilgrimage would it be to go but once through all their Dioceses Bernard saith Epist 82. Cum praesideant urbibus valde populosis coetus ut itadicam patrias propriae Diocaeses ambitu circumcludant occasione inventâ â—â— quacunque veteri privilegio satagunt ut vicinas sibi subdant civitates quatenus duae quibus vix due Praesules sufficiebant sub uno redigantur antistite And the doleful lapse of discipline hereupon all History witnesseth Which made Erasmus say Eccles lib. 1. Quantum negotiâ— credimus esse cum praeter vicos paâ—os viginti frequentes amplae civitates such as our big Market Towns uni parent antistiti Et multorum praesulum ditio tam late patet ut siquam maxime forent expediti omnibus mundanis negotiis non possent tamen in omnibus oppidis Concionari quum bodie una civitas quamplures requirit Ecclesiastes How much less will one perform all the rest of the Bishops work Saith Musculus Loc. Commun de Minist p. mihi 438. Quare viderint Episcopi c. Let Bishops look to it who when they cannot or do not rightly Minister to one Church extend their power not to some few Churches but to whole Provinces Let them read Chrysostome on Tit 1. Per civitates in every City c. These things made Luther say advers falsò nominatum ordinem Episcop To. 2. p. 310. Perinde habet c. It is with these wicked ungodly Bishops all one as if the Devil himself should mitred and ringed sit in the chair and himself rule the people And Bishop Hooker in 8 precep saith Et certe si jam vigeret antiquus ille ergae populum amor If they had the ancient Love to the people they would themselves confess that there is more work in one City than the best men can easily do They know well enough that the Primitive Church had no such Bishops till the time of Silvester the first I cite this ex Altar Damascen having not the Book at hand Filesacus tells us ex Concil Triburiensi c. 26. Relata est coram sancta Synodo quaeremonia plebium eo quod sint quidam Episcopi nolentes ad predicandum vel ad confirmandum suas per annum paraecias circuire de Orig. Paraec p. 537. What would they have done if they had been in our times See Isidore Pelus Ep. 246. l. 2. p 236. teaching Bishop Eusebius and Theodosius what a Church is who had so far lost the true Episcopacy as to take walls for men and to abuse and scorn
the true Church or godly people while the Walls were adorned as if Christ had come from Heaven more for Walls than Souls c. of which before In a word nothing is more evident than that true Discipline was shut out at the times and in the degrees as Diocesses were enlarged and that in Aâ—rick and other places where the Churches or Diocesses were more small and numerous discipline was best preserved II. The second sort of experience is that of almost all the Reformed Churches who have found the Pastoral work and Discipline particularly to be so great as that less than all the Parish Ministers concurring could not perform it 1. Those Churches which with Calvin set up Presbytery exclude no Pastor from the Governing part but took in Elders of the people to help them because experience had told them that all the Ministers were too few what then would one Bishop and Chancellour or Vicar have been able to do 2. The Lutherans who set up superintendants commonly so set them over the Pastors as not to take away the true Pastoral power of governing their particular flocks as finding by experience that the old way of Prelacy would not do it And usually they join Magistrates with them as they also in the Palatinate did And it is such an oderate supriority which is exercised in Hungary Transilvania and in Poland till the Papists rooted them out thence 3. The Helvetian Divines exercise a certain measure of power in keeping the unfit from the Sacrament but not what they judge to be the Churches duty because the Magistrate never would consent That the Pastors are for it as needful to the right ordering of the Churches you may see in Polani Syntag. at large and in most of their Divines of Basil Bern Zurich c. I will now only cite the honest hearty words of Musculus above 100 years ago because he was a man most clear and candid and that did mancipate his judgment neither to Luther Calvin nor any party as such but took liberty to differ from them all as in the points of Redemption perseverance c. At Bern in his Loci Commun ed. 1567. p. 421 He proveth Bishops and Presbyters and Doctors and Pastors to be all one And p. 422. that in the Apostolick Primitive Church they governed the Church in common being subject to no head or president But after the Apostles daies as Hierome saith to avoid schism but as he thinketh more out of a desire of Majority one got the name and presidency of a Bishop But saith he whether this counsel did profit the Church or not by which such Bishops were introduced as Hierome saith by custome rather than by truth of divine disposition to be above the Presbyters it hath been better manifested to after ages than when this custome was first brought in which we must thank for all the insolency wealth and tyranny of the Principal and Equestral Bishops yea for the corruption of all the Churches which if Hierome had seen undoubtedly he would have known that it was the devise not of the Spirit of God to take away schisms as was pretended but of Satan himself to lay waste and destroy the ancient Ministers for feeding the Lords flock whereby it might come to pass that the Church might have not true Pastors Doctors Presbyters and Bishops but under the masks of those names idle-bellies and magnisick Princes who will not only not themselves feed the people of God with sound Apostolick Doctrine but also take care by most wicked violence that it be done by no one else By this devise of Satan it is brought to pass that instead of Bishops the Churches have potent Lords and Princes for the most chosen out of the order of Nobles and great men who being upheld by their own and their kindreds power may domineer over the flock of God as they list And p. 423. The office appointed to the Bishops that came after the Apostles times was to preach to the people to adminster the sacred things to prescribe repentance to take the care of the clergy and the people both in City and Country to ordain to visit to take care that the goods of the Church be rightly kept and dispensed and to take the patronage of Church-matters with Princes And if the Bishops had but staid here it had been better with the Church Or if the Prelates and Pastors of our times would return to these Canonical Rules there might be hope that the Eccleasiastical State and order might possibly be reformed and the controversies of these times might be ended by the word of God Hence it is plain that the office of true Presbyters and Bishops in the Church of Christ is to feed the Lords flock with sound Doctrine and to be truly Pastors and Teachers But now the false Bishops pretend a Pastoral Cure when going to the Assembly-Offices they are as they take it Episcopally cloathed They put on a white stole longer than ordinary with a girdle not such as John Baptist wore c. The maskd Pastor thus dressed doth not feed the flock of God but performeth the Church service in such a gesture Ceremony and dralect that all the matters of the Church may be nothing else than certaine vaine and pompous shewes so that if one of the Apostles were there he would never so much as dreame that this were the Episcopal feeding of the Lords flock Thus the Bishop doing once or twice a year doth Suffciently performe his Office what ever he do the rest of the time The ordination of Ministers and other things accounted Ecclesiastical he committeth partly to his suffiragane and partly to his Vicar or Chancellor The office of Teaching he committeth to some Doctor or Monk so sworne as that he shall not dare to speake a word or hisse besides what is prescribed him in the formes of Lawes Thus far I confess he speakes of the Popish Bishops But who would believe he meant not ours that had seen them And how little do they differ Well you shall next hear him speak of Protestant Bishops Pag. 425 Let us now come to other Ministers Pastors and Bishops divers from these who do nothing in the Church of Christ but Preach and teach They have certaine daies of the weeke on which they Preach And that is well They Preach only out of the holy Scriptures And that well too But this is not well that very many of them speak formally and coldly and not from the heart so that what Seneca somewhere saith agreeth to them Animum non faciunt quia animum non habent They make not men hearty or serious because they are not so themselves And that of the Roman Orator thou wouldst never talk thus if thou speakest from the heart Nor do they accommodate the word of God to the Hearers by pertinent and profitable distribution but they think they have well performed their office if they have any how spoken out the hour In the
Severities than we do 4. It is needful by Precept and Divine Canon as may be seen Lev. 19. 17. Matth. 18. 15 16 17 18. 1 Cor. 5. Tit. 1. 13. and 2. 15. and 3. 10. 1 Tim. 3. 5. 15. and 5. 19 20 21 22 24. 2 Tim. 3. 5. and 4. 2. 2 Thes 3 6 14. 5. It is needful to the honour of God our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier that he may be declared Holy in the Holyness of his Church and not by our allowed wickedness be represented as an unholy friend to sin 6. It is needful to the Churches honour that it be not as a very stie and sink of wickedness as the Infidel World 7. It is needful to the Churches beauty safety and felicity that God may delight in it and not forsake it as he hath done most of the East nor make them miserable by his judgments 8. It is needful to the Honour of Holiness it self which will be vilified if we difference not the precious from the vile 9. It is needful to the Conviction and Conversion of Mahometans and other Infidels and Heathens who now are kept in their Infidelity by seeing that Christians as are bad or worse than themselves and would be more drawn to Christ if the holy Lives of Christians and holy State of Churches did invite them 10. It is needful to the comfortable Communion of Saints as it is professed by us in our Creed 11. It is needful to prevent the infection of the Church and the increase of sin seeing a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump and he that toucheth pitch will be defiled by it 12. It is needful to encourage and strengthen the Faithful when they see by this praejudicium futuri judicii as Tertullian calleth it the difference that God himself will make 13. It is an Essential part of the Pastoral Office to have the Power of Discipline And what is the Power for but the Work yea Power and Obligation are essential to his Office 14. It is needful to the Holy Administration of Sacraments and other parts of Divine Worship that Holy things be not given to Dogs 15. It is needful to convince the ordinary careless sinners among us that seeing a difference put between the good and bad they may not think that preaching is but idle talk and falshood and that they are as safe as others 16. It is needful to keep the better people from offending God by their familiarity and communion with the notoriously wicked 17. It is needful to break the Serpents head that in Christs Church the Devils works may be renounced and cast out and sin be publickly made a shame as the Devil out of the Church endeavoureth to do by Truth and Holiness 18. It is needful to the ease and peace of Magistrates that they may not he overwhelmed with the cares troubles dangers that come by multitudes of Wicked Men but the Pastors labours with the voluntary may prevent much of the Magistrates trouble with the involuntary 19. It is needful to the safety of Commonwealths and Kingdomes that they be not poysoned by wickedness and so exposed to the judgment of God 20. And lastly it is needful to the scandalous Sinners themselves that they may not be suffered to die and perish in their sin but have all possible means used to bring them to repentance that they may be saved Consider whether all these Reasons prove not Discipline to be needful Object II. But till Constantines time there was no Christian Magistrate which made it then needful But since the case is not the same Answ 1. Down then with Bishops now if their work be needless But why then were they set so much higher and had so much more power since the dayes of Constantine then before 2. Are you wiser than all the Councils Nice Ephes Chalced. Constance c. which have ever since made Canons for Discipline 3. Again try whether none of the foregoing reasons be still in force 4. Read Galaspies Aarons Rod which fully proveth the continued need of discipline Object III. But discipline is not to be useâ— on all that deserve it but only one now and then one to be a terror to the rest You are for too much strictness rigidness and severity Ans 1. I am not for half the rigidness and severity of the Ancient Bishops and Churches who made the penitents waite at the Church doors and cast down themselves with cryes and tears to beg absolution and re-admission and in many cases to waite thus many years together and in some till their death bed I am for accepting the first credible profession of Repentance I am for gentle exhorting them and praying for them long before we cast them out I am not for troubling any for small faults Nor for bringing any mans secret sins to light or making them more publick than he maketh them himself I am not for imposing such penances as the Papists do And is a strictness short of theirs intolerable to you that pretend to be more holy than they Yea more I am not for the use of discipline at all where it is notorious to true reason that its like to do more harme than good And is all this too much strictness But I am not for keeping it out and then making such pretences nor for causing the inconveniences and then pleading them against the duty 2. The Scripture and Canons do not bid you reprove or suspend or reject one blasphemer or drunkard of many but all that are such And do you say that God and Councils dissembled and bid us do that which they would not have us do 3. To censure one of a hundred or a thousand yea or twenty offenders will be no terror or warning to the rest who will look to scape that which falleth on so few 4. When one of so many only is censured the Church will be still under most of the forementioned danger and defilement and this much will not reach the End 5. Partiality is an odious Character of injustice and should not be found in civil judges much less in the Churches of Christ And it will but harden and enrage those persons whom you deal with when you enable them to say you censure me and let many others alone in the same sin Is this your Church justice or rather malice to me Obj. IV. You confess your self that it is so hard to use discipline in one Parish that most Ministers did neglect it when the Bishops were out And why blame you the Bishops then for neglecting it Ans 1. We were to deal with the Parishes in that defiled and unruly state as the Bishops left them And all great works must have time to be done in And at last the reformation prospered apace till they pull'd it down 2. We were to make use of such Ministers as the Bishops left us and of young men who were newly come from the Universities And men cannot get wisdom interest experience and resolution in a
Bishops have been Arch-hereticks and the cause of tumults and dissensions The very reading over the acts of the General Councils especialy Eph. 1. and 2. Calced is tremendous It was to be a Bishop that Maximus made so pestilent a stir at Constantinople and Alexandria against Gregory Theolog. Yea they tell us themselves that it was because he could not be a Bishop that Aerius spake against Bishops so pestilent a thing hath the desire of such Bishopricks been Theodotus the Bishop would not so much as joyn in Prayer with Basil morning or evening because he had but communicated with Bishop Eustathius upon his fair professions Basil Epist 43. Admir ad Terentium Comit. The contention between such excellent persons as Eusebius Caesar while Bishop and Basil while Presbyter was very sad and scandalous The contention between Basil and Euthemius about the extent of their Diocess was no less The People of Caesarea would have torn in peices Eusebius the President the Emperors own Unkle for Basils sake if he had not hindred them The Church of Neo-Caesarea wrangled with Basil for his Psalmodie and even avoided him as if he had been an Heretick see Basils Epist ad mer. 4. to Julian what language he there ufeth to the Emperour Not that I judge him but wish you to judge equally of the actions of those times and ours See Basil Ep. 82. Theodor. l. 5 c. 19. The Antiochians for a Tax under Theodosius the great did tumultuate and kill the Magistrates and destroyed the Statue of Placilla the good Empress In the West good Ambrose at Milan was not silenced as we are but by an Orthodox Emperour desired and commanded to deliver the Arrians possession but of one Church and he refused to do it and to forsake that Church or Temple or deliver the Vessels till they should be taken by force Vit. Ambros per Baron p. 6. whereas we all left our Churches at a word Nay though he would not resist the Emperour he would rather die than deliver up the Church When he was celebrating Gods Worship he was fain to break off to rescue an Arrian Priest out of the hands of the Orthodox people who had laid hold on him For which multitudes were laid in prison and Irons and accused of Sedition and great Calamity followed to the Church and this from Valentinian an Orthodox Emperour Ambrose saith when he refused to deliver up the Temple Eâ—qua sunt Divina Imperatoriae potestati non esse subjecta If Baronius say true but mine I shall yield to him But we hold that even Temples as well as Bishops though dedicated to God are under the Civil power of the Empour When Ambrose was desired but to quiet the people he answered It is in my power not to stir them up but it is God that must quiet them So great was his interest in the people that the Emperour said he was a Tyrant and that the people would deliver himself bound to him if Ambrose did but bid them Yet had Ambrose been the man that had gone on his Embassie to Maximus and kept him from coming into Italy in pursute of Valentinian which made Ambrose say Non hoc Maximum dicere quod Tyranus go sum Valentiniani qui se meae legationis objectum queritur ad Italiam non potuisse pervenire And because the late revolutions in England are made by some Prelates the pretence for the silencing of the 1800 Ministers of whom one of ten never medled with Warrs being fallen again on this case of Maximus let it be noted how like he was to Cromwel saving that it was not the Sectaries but the Bishops that he studyed to please and rise by When Gratian the Emperour befriended the Priscillianists Maximus to please the Bishops persecuted them to the death When Valantinian by Justina the Empresse meanes did persecute or trouble Ambrose for refusing to deliver a Church to the Arrians and also other Orthodox Bishops as well as Ambrose Maximus gave to Ambrose and the Bishops the Honour of keeping him out of Italy and letting Valentinian scape Yea wrote his Letters to Valentinian for the Orthodox Bishops telling him how grievous a thing it is to persecute the Ministers of God and when under his father they went for faithful Ministers Quae tanta mutatio ut qui antea sacerdotes nunc sacrilegi judicantur Iisdem certe praeceptis Iisdem Sacramentis dilatis Eadem fide credunt qua antea crediderunt An put at Venerabilis mihi serenitas tua conceptam semel in animis religionem quam Deus ipse constituit posse evelli And proceedeth to shew what disorders and contentions must needs follow when there be a shew of persecuting Christians and Ministers Upon this message of Maximus Valentinian being afraid of him the persecution ceased and Ambrose must be sent again on the Embassage to Maximus to stop him But when as the Bishops of France and Germany owned him and Ambrose would not communicate with those Bishops no more than Martin saith he cum videret me abstinere ab Episcopis qui communicabant ei vel qui aliquos devios licet a side that is the Prescillianists ad necem petebant jussit me sine mora regredi See here that Ambrose as well as Martin separated from the Communion of the multitude of Bishops for owning Maximus and for seeking to the Magistrate to draw his sword against the Priscillianists whom Sulp. Severus calleth Gnosticks When as many among us have by words and writing provoked Rulers to draw the sword against us that differ in no one point of doctrine from the Articles of the English Church And the said Maximus and the Bishops did so close that only one Hyginus a Bishop is mentioned and Theognostus besides Ambrose and Martin that rejected Maximus and refused Communion with the Synod and Bishops and was banished also for so doing By which you may see 1. That Bishops can comply with usurpers that will be for them as much as Presbyters 2. And that all is not unwarrantable separation or schism which Bishops call so when these three shall separate from so many And saith Baron in vita Ambros Maximus ut Tyranni nomen vitaret perinde atque fidei Catholicae tuendae causa bellum illud suscepisset in hereticos pugnam convertit Catholicos sacerdotes quibus valuit honoribus officiis est prosecutus p. 24. Maximus raiseth that war for the Orthodox Bishops to save them from the persecution of their lawful Prince and sets himself to do them all the honor he could and to pull down the hereticks And these were the Halcionian daies which Ambrose himself declareth and magnifieth even when Maximus had supprest the Arrians En tempus acceptabile quo non hiemalibus perfidiae caligantis pruinas annus riget nec altis nivis c. ibid. Reader was not that time more strange than ours that Ambrose must be so loyal as to save his Prince and Country from a usurper and yet
General Pastors And therefore it they say It is not the Presbyters but the Diocesane that is the cheif Pastor of your Parish Church I answer there is none above the Resident or incumbent Presbyters that take the particular charge and oversight The Bishop takes but the general charge as a general Officer in an Army If they do indeed take the particular Pastoral charge of every Soul which belongs to the Bishops infimi gradus then woe to that man that voluntary takes such a charge upon him and hath such a charge to answer for before the Lord. If they say that the Presbyters have the particular charge for teaching and Sacraments but the Bishops for ruling I answer 1. It is Government that we are speaking of if they are Bishops infimi gradus then there are no Bishops or Governours under them And if so then it is they that must perform and answer for Government of every particular Soul And then woe to them 2. Governing and teaching are acts of the same Office by Christs institution as appears in 1 Tim. 5 17. Acts 20. 28. c. And indeed they are much the same thing For Government in our Church sense is nothing but the explication of Gods Word and the application of it to particular Cases And this is Teaching Let them that would divide prove that Christ hath allowed a division If one man would be the general Schoolmaster of a whole Diocess only to oversee the particular School-masters and give them rules we might bear with them But if he will say to all the particular Schoolmasters you are but to teach and I only must govern all your Scholars when governing them is necessarily the act of him that is upon the place conjunct with teaching this man would need no words for the manifestation of the vanity of his ambition The same I may say of the Masters of every Science whose government is such as our Church Government is not Imperial but Doctoral yea of the Army or the Navy where the government is most imperial Now for the Argument 1. The consequence of the Major is undeniable because every such Society is essentially constituted of the Ruling and Ruled parts as every Common-wealth of the pars imperans and the pars subdita So every organized Church of the Pastor and the Flock 2. And for the Minor if they denyed both our Parish Churches and our City Churches that is those in Towns Corporate to be true Churches they then confess the shame and open the ulcer and leprosic of their way of governing that to build up one Diocesane Church which is not of Christs institution but destructive of his institution they destroy and pull down five hundred or a thousand Parish Churches and many City Churches If they will also feign a specifique difference of Churches as they do of Pastors and say that Parish Churches are Ecclesiae dociae but Diocesan Churches are only Ecclesiae gubernatae of which the Parish Churches are but parts I answer 1. The Scripture knoweth no such distinction of stated Churches All stated Churches for worship are to be governed Churches and the government is but guidance and therefore to be by them that are their Guides 2. I have before proved that every worshipping Church that had unum altare was to have a Bishop or Government by Presbyters at least Arg. III. That Ordination which is much better than the ordination of the Church of Rome or of any Diocesane Bishops of the same sort with theirs is valid The Ordination now questioned by some in England is much better then the Ordination of the Church of Rome or of any Diocesane Bishops of the same sort with theirs Ergo the Ordination now questioned by some in England is valid The Major will not be denied by those which we plead with because they hold the Ordination of the Church of Rome to be valid and their Priests not to be re-ordained The Minor I prove If the Ordination that hath no Reason of its validity alledged but that it is not done by Diocesane Bishops be much better than the Ordination of such as derive their power from a meer Usurper of Headship over the universal Church whose succession hath been oft interrupted and of such as profess themselves Pastors of a false Church as having a Head and form of divine Institution and that ordain into that false Church and cause the ordained to swear to be obedient to the Pope to swear to false Doctrine as Articles of Faith and ordain him to the Office of making a peice of Bread to be accounted no Bread but the Body of Christ which being Bread still is to be worshipped as God by himself and others to pass by the rest than the Ordination now questioned in England is much better than the Ordination of the Church of Rome But the Antecedent is true Ergo so is the consequent And for the other part of the Minor I further prove it If the Office and government of the Romish Bishops and of any Diocesanes of the same sort with them be destructive of that form of Episcopacy and Church Government which was instituted by Christ and used in the Primitive Church then the Ordination now questioned by some in England is much better than that which is done by such Diocesanes But the Office and Covernment of the Romish Bishops and of any Diocesanes of the same sort with them is destructive of that form of Episcopacy and Church Government which was instituted by Christ and used in the Primitive Church Ergo The Ordination now questioned by some in England is much better than that which is done by such Diocesanes The Reason of the consequence is because the Ordination of Presbyters now in question is not destructive of the Episcopacy and Government instituted by Christ and used in the Primitive Church Or if it were that 's the worst that can be said of it And therefore if other Ordination may be valid notwithstanding that fault so may it N. B. 1. I here suppose the Reader to understand what that Ordination is now questioned in England viz. Such as we affirm to be by Bishops not only as Presbyters as such are called Bishops but as the cheif Presbyters of particular Churches especially City Churches having Curates under them and also as the Presidents of Synods are called Bishops 2. Note that all I say hereafter about Diocesanes is to be understood only of those Bishops of a Diocess of many hundred or score Churches which are infimi gradus having no Bishops under them who are only Priests who are denied to have any proper Church Government And not at all of those Diocesane Bishops who are Arch-Bishops having many Bishops under them or under whom each Parish Pastor is Episcopus Gregis having the true Church Government of his particular Flock And thus because the Major is of great moment I shall handle it the more largely The Viciousnes of the Romish Ordinations appeareth thus 1.
and entered Italy after that Ambrose had stopt him a while Theophilus Alexandr sendeth an Agent Presbyter with two Letters and a rich present one to Maximus and one to Theodosius ordering him to stay the issue of the Fight and give the Present with his Letter to him that proved the Conqueror But a Servant stole the Letters from the Priest and opened the whole business and caused the Priest to fly and hide himself 50. These contentions of the Bishops and corruption of manners so distasted the more Religious sort of the people that it occasioned the multiplying of separating Heresies and greatly encreased and confirmed others especially the Donatists and Novations because men thought them to be of better lives than the Orthodox 51. Yea by their very abuse of good and holy men they drove even the Orthodox often to separated Societies as thinking so bad Prelates unfit to be communicated with As in Constantinople their abuse ejection and banishment of Chrysostome caused great numbers of his faithful people to forsake the Church and meet only in separated Conventicles And though they differed in no point of Doctrine Worship or Discipline from the rest all that they could do by tyranny and threats would never bring them again to the Church but they were called Joannites and assembled by themselves till Atticus by wise and honest means first began the reconciliatiâ—â— by the publick inserting of Chrysostome's name among their honoured Bishops in the daily Liturgy of the Church and Proclus after wisely perfected it by fetching the bones of Chrysostome with honour from the place of his banishment into the Church But Theodoret Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 36. ascribeth it to that good Emperour Theodosius Junior It 's like a good Bishop and he consented For saith Socrates c. 40. Proclus behaved himself fairly towards all men perswading himself that it was far easier for him by fair means to allure men to the Church than by force to compel them to the Faith 52. The multitudes of Schismes and horrid enormities in the Church of Rome the grand corruption of Religion by them the shameful divisions between the Greek and Western Churches began so long ago and continued to this day with much more such evidence do tell the World that is willing to see what all this tended to as it's perfection 53. And having thus shewed how the Bishops of the Flock came to be Bishops of Bishops and how they grew from the Pastoral Office to a pompous denomination mostly secular and how the Bishops of single Churches did grow to be the Bishops of multitudes of Churches turned into one Diocesan Church of another species we shall leave it to those that are wise and impartial to judge whether a true Reformation must retrieve them and what Age and state of the Church must be our pattern to which we should endeavour to return and in what point it is that it is meet or possible for Christians unanimously to fix between the Apostolical institution and the height of Popery And what satisfying proof any man can give that in a line of 1500 Years that it is the right point that he hath chosen CHAP. IV. The Judgement of those Nonconformists now silenced who 1660. addressed themselves to King Charles the Second for Concord in the matter of Church-Government what they then offered and what those of the Authors mind now hold as to the Right of what is before Historically related AS I have delivered our Judgment about the History of Prelacy so shall I next freely and truly express my own Judgment and those that have concurred with me about the right of Church-Government it self supposing those 100 Propos ad Lud. Molinaeum which I have published about the Nature of Church-power and the extent of the Magistrates power in Church-matters For Truth hath great advantage when it appeareth 1. compact and entire 2. and in the open light Since the writing of this our judgment is more fully published in the Nonconformists first and second Plea for Peace Prop. 1. Since the Fall of Man as God hath given a Saviour to the World by whom he hath made a new Covenant with or for Mankind so hath he delivered all things into the Redeemer's hands and given him all power in Heaven and Earth making him the Administrator General and Head over all things to the Church 2. Some things are under Christ as Utensils viz Inanimates and Braites some are under him as meer enemies subdued as Devils some are under him as generally Redeemed and subjects de jure or quoad obligationem to be Ruled and used upon terms of Mercy And so are all Mankind in general till the day of life and grace is past some are under him as Visible Consenters and Professed subjects so are the Baptized and visible professors of Christianity And some are under him as sincere Heart-Covenanters Justified and Sanctified and to be Glorified by him 3. As Nature it self is now delivered up to Christ and the Law of Nature is now part of his Law and the Instrument of his Government both for the common good and order of the Redeemed World and also as sanctified to the special good and order of his Church Even so is the Office of Magistracy now under him and derived from him and dependant on him in both these forementioned respects Notwithstanding all the vain arguments which Mr. Brown a Scotch Divine Cont. Velthusium hath written to the contrary which need no confutation to an intelligent Reader 4. But the Office of the Sacred Ministry is much of Grace and Institution and less of Natural original than Magistracy For though it be of Natural obligation that one man teach another and that there be some fitter persons than the multitude to instruct the people and guide them in Gods Worship Yet that in specie there should be Preachers of the Gospel and Administrators of this instituted worship and Church-discipline this is it self of Christs Institution as the Doctrine worship and discipline which are their Office-work are of his Institution 5. And though a great part of a Christian Magistrates work be also Instituted viz. to promote Christs Instituted Doctrine Worship and Discipline yet so much also of his work is natural as that he may be called a Magistrate though he be not a Christian Magistrate while he executeth Gods Laws of Nature for the common good But he is at least less fitly called a Minister or Priest of God who shall only teach the Law of Nature and guide an Assembly in meer Natural Worship omitting all that is by Institution Or if any think otherwise it being but de nomine at least this is certain that the Christian or Evangelical Ministry is by Institution 6. Therefore though so far as the Mosaical Magistracy was founded in Nature or in any Revelation expounding the Law of Nature we may under the Gospel fetch proofs thence for the Christian Magistrates Authority and Obligation Yet can we fetch