before this received his condemnation from Trajan the Emperour at Antioch and was now carrying to Rome for his execution and that is all he hath gained by producing this testimony 14. And so you see I have no reason to make any further answer to what the Prefacer here justly addes concerning the unreasonablenesse and unchristiannesse of these expressions whether in these insertions published once under Ignatius his name or the like in the Constitutions fathered also upon Clemens I am as perfectly of his opinion concerning the impiety of them as he could wish and am thereby obliged to value our new Editions the more for freeing an innocent Martyr and his Reader from such Impostures 15. Onely I wonder that over and above all those that are by that Impostor appointed to obey the Bishop the Prefacer as if the other had been too wary should think fit to make a further insertion and to the Catalogue of the Bishop's subjects adde All Popes when the Greek cited by him hath onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he truly renders Priests in the words following What is this but to corrupt the sink to help the Garbidge to get a stronger savour to go beyond the Artificer at his own weapon to phansie a command to the Bishop to obey himself to Pope Clemens to be subject to Clemens the Pope If the supposititious Clemens had written at that rate he had certainly never imposed on any But I must not advise my Monitor else he should have rendred the Greek in plain English and spared that whether paraphrase or insertion All Popes 16. The last place produced out of the testimonies cited in the Dissertations is indeed to be found in Vossius's edition and the Medicean Copy of our Epistles And the producing of that from thence and mentioning it as produced by me is an evidence that the Prefacer knew the way if he had pleased to make use of it to have cited none but Genuine Testimonies For all such as far as the uncorrupted Copies would afford were by me set down to his hand But that method was not it seems for his turn the Reader could not have been so amuzed with a multitude of odious passages out of Ignatius if this as fairer so easier course had been taken 17. For this one place then where the genuine Ignatius bids them or rather exhorts Polycarâ— the Bishop to advise them to give heed to the Bishop that God may attend to them and adds my soul for theirs who obey the Bishop Presbyters and Deacons though I cannot wonder that in these daâ—es there are some who are not well qualified to say Amen to it yet being taken as it was meant by that holy man there is certainly nothing in it to be startled at or improbable to be written by the Saint Ignatius 'T is in the Epistle to Polycarp and it concerns the Church under him And at that time it appears the Gnostick haereticks were infusing their poyson there and their first artifice of insinuation was taking upon them to understand or know more than their Bishop or Teacher did though he the most famous Doctor of all Asia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Apostolike and Prophetike and illustrious Doctor saith the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna concerning him This is set downe in the words precedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a man assume and bâ—ast of his knowledge take upon him to know more than the Bishop by this you may know that he hath imbibed and suckt in that Gnostick poyson that makes him so swell presently And in opposition to these it is and upon perfect knowledge of their Bishop that he thus proceeds to exhort and conjure them to attend to their Bishop and not to such assuming Corehs and to doe it more effectually offers to jeopard his soul for theirs that they shall suffer no damage for so doing And supposing the Bishop to be in the right Orthodox and carefull to build them up in the truth and that the haereticks which advanced themselves above the Bishop design'd that which would be their ruin and perdition if they succeed in their attempt as it is certain that this must at this time in this matter be supposed what danger was Ignatius in by venturing his soul in this manner This certainly he might doe as far as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reacheth no more than this that he durst or would be content to venture it though his soul nay more than his life which he now more than ventured was not his own to dispose of Sect. 4. Of the three Orders in the Church Of the Order of Presbyters when it came in No mention of it in Clemens Romanus or Polycarpe but in Ignatius Lombard words of the two Orders The Popish Doctrine concerning Bishops Num. 1. FRom these premises thus layd and I suppose by this time removed out of the way from being occasion of stumbling to any he now proceeds to inferre his conclusion thus 2. Upon these and many more the like accounts doe the Epistles seem to me to be liâ—e the children that he Jews had by their strange wives Nâ—h â—3 who spake part the language of Ashdod and part the language of the Jews That there are in them many footsteps of a gracious spirit every way worthy of and bee ming the great and holy personage whose they are esteemed so there is evidently a mixture of the working of that worldly and carnal sâ—â— it which in his dayes was not so let loose as in after times For what is there in the Scripture what is in the genuine Epistle of Clemens that gives countenance to those descriptions of Episcopacy Bishops and the subjection to them that are in those Epistles as now 〈◊〉 have them so insisted on What Titles are given to Bishops What Soveraignty Power Rule Dominion is ascribed to them I â—here any thing of the like nature in the Writings of the Apostles In Clemens the Epistle of Poâ—ycarpus â— â—r any unquestionable legitimate off-spring of any of the first Worthies of Christianity Whence have they their â—hree Orders of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons upon the distinct observation of which so much weight is laid Is there any one word iota tittle or syllable in the whole Bâ—oâ— of God giving countenance to any such distinctions Eph 4. 11. We have Pastors and Teachers Rom. 12 7 8. Hâ—m that teacheth him that exhorteth him that ruleth and him that sheweth mâ—â—cy Phil. 1. 1. We have Bishops and Deacons and their Institutions with the order of it we have at large expressed 1 Tim. 3. 1 2. Bishops and Deacons without the interposition of any other Order whatsoever Deacons we have appointed Act. 7. and Elders Act. 14 23. those who are Bishops we find called Presbyters Tit. 1. 5 7. And those who are Presbyters we find called Bishops Act. 20. 28. So that Deacons we know and Bishops who are Presbyters or Presbyteâ—s who are Bishops we know
of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders for Bishops T it 1. 5 7. is by me acknowledged though not of Bishops for Presbyters which conceit is as largely elswhere confuted 8. And for the two large and expresse places here transcribed out of Clemens they had before been particularly produced by me and found perfectly to consent and accord with the notions which out of Scripture I had received and which by Epiphanius were vouched 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the profoundest Records And for Blondel's collection to the contrary I shall hope that to other men my answers will appear more than verbal and though I have here somewhat an unkind character given me of them viz. that they that approve them may one day think it needfull to distinguish between words and things yet I am not quite discouraged being competently assured that if he that said so had had any thing else to say any more than words to object against them he would not have been so reserved or sparing of his pains as to have denyed it place in his Animadversions 9. Lastly 'T is evident what he saith that I doe not deny Clement's owning but two sorts of Officers in a Church Bishops sometimes called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders and Deacons But it is as evident by my words what I mean by Clement's words that I mean as he doth viz. that at the Apostles first preaching and planting the Faith in Cities and Regions before any multitude of Believers came in they constituted in each City no more but a Bishop and one or more Deacons after the exemplar in Jerusalem where James the Lord's Brother soon after our Saviours ascension was constituted Bishop there and seven Deacons Act 6. to attend him but as yet no Presbyters of any middle order between them and him 10. This I have cleared concerning those first times out of Epiphanius and taken notice of the causes of it intimated both by Clemens and him 1. The paucity of fit men for that office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there were not found among them men fit to be constituted Presbyters and 2. The no need of any more at that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bishop in each City or Region served the turn onely he could not be without a Deacon which is the more manifest because the Bishops and Deacons which were then instituted were as in the former of these testimonies from Clemens appeares the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first fruits of their labours their first converts and the flock assigned them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that should afterwards believe 11. To this if the words of Lombard would agree as they will so far as here cited if only by Ecclesia Primitiva we understand the first age or infancie of the Church at the time of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first preaching of the Apostles then that testimony would by me be fully subscribed also meaning by the duos ordines the Bishops truly so called and by him styled Episcopos Presbyteros and Deacons concerning whom and whom onely 't is true praeceptum Apostoli nos habere that we have the precept of the Apostle viz. St. Paul in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus But the truth is Lombard's words belong to another matter a nicety that is gotten into their schools that Episcopacy and Presbyterie are not diversi ordines but diversi gradus not different orders but onely different degrees of the same one order of Sacerdotium or Priesthood upon a phansie that Sacerdo is so called from sacra do delivering or imparting holy things so faith he expresly Ideo autem etiam Presbyteri sacerdotes vocantur quia sacrum dant Presbyters are also called Priests because they give holy things In which matter as it is of little importance which way the question is decided as long as the superiority of Bishops over Presbyters is agreed on to be such as hath some Powers reserved to the one which are not common to the other so if Lombard's words should by any be thought farther extensible as founded in that opinion that first Presbyters ruled in common and that beside them there were none then but Deacons I must then think it as reasonable for me to be permitted to forsake Lombard in this as the Prefacer will deeme it for him to depart from him in other matters 12. For though it be here set down as an argument of the evidence and clear conviction and so of much more than of the bare truth of the position that Lombard himselfe confesseth it which I suppose is not an acknowledgement that all that Lombard saith is true but an insinuation that this of Bishops as maintained by me is for the matter a Popish Doctrine and yet is in this particular rejected and the contrary confest by Lombard an eminent Popish Doctor yet I must crave leave to interpose my exceptions to this way of arguing or concluding 13. 1. That neither I nor any true member of the Church of England owe or pay any observance to the bare dictates of Lombard or indeed farther than he hath reasons or proofs of Scripture or Antiquity to confirm them 14. 2. That in this point which must be waged by Testimonies there are none produced I shall adde producible by him out of Scripture to prove that ever there was a time when there were in the Church none but those two orders of Presbyters in our modern notion and Deacons I may without immoderate confidence assume that all that can be offer'd to this purpose are consider'd and answer'd in the Dissertations 15. 3. That the principal Testimonies of Antiquity on which in this matter some Papists build being some obscure words of St. Hierome the Presbyter which yet must be so understood as to be reconciled with his making the three orders to be of Apostolical tradition the result must be this that though they are mistaken in some circumstances yet they maintaine with us the more substantial truth that Bishops are instituted by the Apostles 16. So 't is elswhere made made evident of Panormitan who though he affirme that immediately after the death of Christ all the Presbyters in common ruled the Church yet postmâ—dum saith he ordinaverunt Apostoli ut â—rearentur Episcopi certa Sacramenta eis reservarent illa interdicendâ— simplicibus Presbyteris Within a while the Apostles ordained that Bishops should be created and reserved certain Sacraments to them Confirmation and Ordination and forbade them to be meddled with by simple Presbyters And accordingly it is also in the forecited place of Lombard in the beginning of that 24 Dist Presbyteri licet sint Sacerdotes tamen Pontificatus aepicem non habent sicut Episcopi quia ipsi nec chrismate frontem signant nec Paracletum dant quod solis deberi Episcopis lectio Actorum Apostolorum demonstrâ—t Presbyters though they be Priests yet have not that superior part of the Pontificate which the Bishops
have because they neither Confirm nor Ordain which that it belongs to the Bishop onely the reading of the acts of the Apostles demonstrates Where whatever his opinion was concerning that nicety of distinction betwixt Degree and Order it is evident that hee gives the superiority of degree to Bishops and reserves to them those two Powers and foundeth this in the Apostles times and practise 17. 4. That though this may seem at the first but a slight difference in these men from that which the Antients have more generally taught viz. that the Apostles first instituted Bishops and Deacons not simple Presbyters and Deacons as beside the plain words of Clemens and St. Paul the sense whereof may possibly be controverted the testimonie of Epiphanius and of the profoundest monuments of History irrefragably inforceth yet their interests for the magnifying of the Papacie upon the score of succession to St. Peter doe clearly discover themselves in this way of decision and so make Papists very incompetent witnesses in this matter 18. For upon this conceit that there was a time in the first plantation of the Gospel when the power of Bishops and Priests lay confused though afterward separated by the Apostles themselves the conclusion aimed at and when occasion requires deduced by them is evident that this later though Apostolical institution may be altered by the Poâ—e out of the supereminence of his power as he is the Vicar of CHRIST though they pretend not that he may lawfully attempt to overthrow the primarie and fundamental Sanction And so though Priesthood may not be taken out of the Church yet the tenure by which Bishops hold is not so firm but must stand wholly at the pleasure of the Pope 19. The defence of which conclusion being none of the Interests of the Cause which I assert I shall no farther be obliged to hearken to the premises as they are here but intimated by Lombard and frequently repeated and built upon by sundry of that party than they shall be able regularly to prove them Which being not here attempted but only the specious but fallacious argument proposed from the confession of Lombard himself whose confessions are no obligations to all other men I have no more occasion to inlarge on this particular 20. Which if it were seasonable I might easily doe in observing other particulars among the Popish Writers wherein they shew themselves far from passionate espousers of Episcopacy The Pope forsooth must be the fountain of all Ecclesiastical authority and all other Rivulets must runne in a weake streame and then also derive all they have from him And so much on occasion of this testimony from Lombard and much more than was necessary to have said if I had lookt no farther than his Testimony CHAP. IIII. Concerning the power of the People in appointing Bishops and Deacons and other Ecclesiastical affairs Sect. 1. Clement's words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 considered and vindicated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first Bishops designed particularly by God When this way of designation ceased Num. 1. UPon occasion of the former citation of some words out of Clemens the displeasure is for a while removed from Ignatius and another matter of discourse is sprung concerning the power of the people in appointing Bishops and Deacons to their office in those dayes To this we shall now attend as it follows in these words 2. It seemes moreover that those Bishops and Deacons in those dayes as was observed were appointed to the office by anâ— with the consent of the people or whole body of the Church no less doe those words import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Doctor indeed â—enders those words apâ—lâ—udenâ—â— aut congratulenâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and addes â—atis pro imperio uiâ—â—l â—ic dea ceptationâ— otius Ecclesiae 〈◊〉 qâ—â—â—p sâ—…os Diaconos ab Apostolis â—pâ—stoliâ—is viâ—… hoc lâ—co concludit Bâ—ondâ—â—lus quâ—si qui ex Deâ—jâ—ssu appâ—obatione constâ—…nâ—ur populi etiam acceptatione indigere putandi essent Dissent 4. 〈◊〉 7 8 〈◊〉 And who dares take that confidence upon him as to affirm any moâ—e whâ—â—â—g 〈◊〉 a Doctor hath denved Though the scope of the place the nature of the thing and first most common sense of the word here useâ— being willingly to consent as it is also used in the Scripture for the most part Acts 〈◊〉 1. 1 Cor. 7. 12. to a thing to be done or to the doing of it yet here it must bee taken to applaud or congratulate or what else our Doctor pleases because he will have it so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also must be viri Apostolici mâ—n with Apostolical power when they are only the choice men of the Church where such a Constitution of Officeâ—s is had that are intended because it is ouâ— Doctors purpose to have the words so rendred Ex jussu Dei approbatione is added as though any particular command or approbation of God were intimated for the constitution of the Bishops and Deacons mention'd beyond the institution of the Lord Jesus Christ that Elders should be ordained in every Church because this would seem to be exclusive wholly of the consent of the people as any way needfull or required to their Constitution which yet as it is practically false no such thing being mention'd by Clemens who recounteth the way and means whereby Officers were continued in the Church even after the decease of the Apostles and those first ordained by them to that holy employment so also it is argumentatively weak and unconcluding God appointed designed Saul to be King approving of his so being and yet he would have the people come together to choose him So also was it in the case of David Though the Apostles in the name and the authority of God appointed the Deacons of the Church at Jerusalem yet they would have the whole Church look out among themselves the men to be appointed And that the ordaining of the Elders was with the peoples Election Acts 14. 23. It will ere long be manifested that neither our Doctor nor any of his Associates have as yet disproved This poor thing the people being the peculiar people of Christ the heritage of God and holy Temple unto him c. will one day be found to be another manner of thing than many of our great Doctors have supposed But he informs us cap 4 sect 3. from that testimony which we cited before that the Apostles in the appointment of Bishops and Deacons for so the words expresly are are sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. saith he Revelationibus edoâ—toâ— esse quibus demùm baec dignitas commâ—â—icanda esset that is that they appointed those whom God revealed to them in an extraordinary manner to be so ordained and this is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And why â—oâ—â—he holy Ghost orders concerning the appointment of Deacons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3. 10. That those who are to be taken into office and power in the Church had
the Church at Corinth and through Achaia might be numerous both Paul and Peter having labour'd there succesfully yet for some tâ—me there were not any where so many but that the Bishop and his Deacon or Deacons might be sufficient for them 13. So likewise the being a Metropolis is no argument that there should be Presbyters by this time constituted there for supposing as I doe and my grounds have been largely set down that the Apostles conformed their models to the Governments and forms among the Nations where they came at their first planting the Faith in any region it must follow that the Church of Corinth as soon as it was formed into a Church with a Bishop over it was also a Metropolitan Church in relation to all other Cities of Greece which either then did or should after believe as Jerusalem was to all the Cities of Judea or as Philippi being a prime Citie or Metropolis of Macedonia and the first where Paul planted the Faith was straightway a Metropolitical Church how few or how many Christians there were in it it matters not 14. And therefore for his change of the scene from Corinth and Clement's to Philippi and St. Paul's Epistle it will bring him no advantage The case between them is exactly parallel There was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Province of Macedonia saith St. Luke of which Philippi was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Metropolis just as Corinth was of Achaia and this Citie being the first in that region wherein St. Paul planted the Faith it was certainly a Metropolitical Church and Epaphroditus was the Metropolitan of that Province the first day he was Bishop of it The truth of which is so evident that the jeere of the Metropolitical Infant might seasonably have been controverted into a more serious and decent expression there being no reason imaginable why if the Apostles did institute Metropolitical Churches as here is not one serious word of objection against all that hath been said to assert it those Churches should not at their first institution call it their infancie if you will be Metropolitical Churches For as to that of the whole countries being supposed to be converted and divided into Dioceses that is not consequent or necessary to my assertion for as Clement saith of the Biâ—hop and Deacon in each City at the first planting of the Faith that they were constituted in relation to them not onely which did but expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who should afterward believe so the Church and Bishop in the Metropolis when that was first converted might very well be Metropolitical in respect of the other Cities of that Province which should afterward receive the Faith 15. As we know when Augustin came first over into England and preacht the Faith and converted Christians first at Ethelbert's seat and the Metropolis of that Province he was by being made Bishop there made Metropolitan also That sure was Bede's meaning when he saith of it lib. 1 c. 27. Venit Arelas ab Archiepiscopo ejusdem civitatis Ethâ—rio Archiepiscopus Genâ—i Anglorum ordinatus est He came to Arles in France and by Etherius Archbishop of that Citie was ordained Archbishop to the Nation of the English and if as a learned Antiquarie thinkes Bede spake after the use of his own time and that the word Archiepiscopus was not in use here then at Augustine's coming hither yet for the substance of the thing wherein I make the instance and all that I contend from thence there can be no doubt but that he being at first made Bishop of the Metropolis was thereby made also Metropolitan 16. As for the divisions into Dioceses how little force that hath against all that I have said or thought in this businesse whether of Bishops or Metropolitans I have spoken enough to that in the Vindication to the London Ministers c. 1. sect 19. and to that I refer the Prefacer 17. And so still I am free enough from quarrelling with my self in the least or from being ingaged in any endlesse labour to reconcile the contradictions of my answers which as farre as my weak understanding can reach are perfectly at agreement with one another If the labour of shewing they are so prove fruitlesse I know to whom I am beholding for it even the Task-master whom I have undertaken to observe and in that guise of obedience shall now proceed briefly to answer every of his questions and I hope there cannot now need many words to doe it 18. To the first concerning the Institution of the second order that of Presbyters for the when I answer I know not the yeare but evidently before the writing of Ignatius's Epistles in Trajan's time and in all probability after the writing all the Bookes of Scripture and for ought I can discerne of Clement's Epistle as farre as concerns either Rome or Corinth 19. For the by whom and by what authority I answer I think they were first instituted by St. John in Asia before his death and shall adde to my reasons elswhere given for it this farther consideration that Ignatius in all his Epistles to the Churches of Asia Ephesus Smyrna Trallis Magnesia Philadelphia makes mention of them within few years after John's death though in his Epistle to the Romans he doth not And if this be so then also it appears by what authority viz. such as John's was Apostolical Or if this should not be firmly grounded as to the person of St. John yet the reason why they were not at first instituted as well as Deacons being but this because there was no need of them yet and the power given by the Apostles to the first Bishops being a plenarie power so far that they might communicate to others what was committed to them either in whole or in part and those accordingly in the force thereof constituting Presbyters in partem officii the authority still by which they were instituted will be Apostolical and so if as this Prefacer gives order they be let goe to the place from whence they came they will not be much hurt they are but remitted to the society of the Apostles and Apostolical persons by this 20. To the second concerning the meaning of my words Diss 2. c. 29 21. when I say that Hierom's words of Churches being governed by common consent of Presbyters are to be understood of the times of the Apostles and whether all those Presbyters were Bishops properly so called I answer that my meaning was that if Hierome be reconcileable to himself that must be his meaning that in the Apostles times the Churches were first governed by common consent of Presbyters and after in the Apostles times too upon the rising of Schismes a Bishop was every where set over them that according in Hierome's notion all those Presbyters were not Bishops but such as out of whom after one was chosen in every Church to be a Bishop 21. That this was the truth of the fact I no where
called them Apostolici He must therefore questionlesse mean the choice men of the People and then those choice men must be concluded to constitute Bishops and not onely to consent to their constituting as before he had set it And then I desire he will say positively that this was his meaning and that from any place of Scripture or ancient Writer he will shew me where any choice men of the people constituted Bishops after the departure of the Apostles 33. Secondly when he saith that the words ex iussu Dei approbatione by the appointment and approbation of God are added by me 't is not imaginable what he should meane by it Those words are evidently set by me as an argument that they could not want the approbation of the people because they were sufficiently furnished by the appointment and approbation of God as had appeared by the testimony of Clement set down in the page immediately precedent And what is produced by me as an argument to convince the unconcludeney of Blondel's collection can it be blamed in me as an insertion or addition either to Clement's or Blondel's words 34. And when he goes on reproaching this Edition with his as though any particular command or approbation of God were intimated for the constituting of the Bishops and Deacons mentioned I hope it hath sufficiently appeared that there was such command or appointment of God more than intimated by Clemens in that Epistle and the like exprest in Scripture in many parallel cases and this particularly a designation of the persons which were to be ordained and so somewhat beyond the general institution of the Lord Jesus which he speaks of I suppose he meanes the commission of the Apostle to Titus and the like that Elders should be ordained in every Church 35. Thirdly When he saith 't is argumentatively weak and unconcluding he must mean that this argument of mine is a weak and unconcluding argument I shall therefore repeat it again and put it formally into a syllogism They who had been constituted by the appointment and approbation of God cannot then be thought to want the acceptation of the people But the Bishops spoken of by Clement had been constituted by the appointment and approbation of God Therefore they cannot be thought to want the acceptation of the people What proposition can here be denyed I confess I see not 36. The Major hath it's evidence in its self for certainly that which is already done and done by God's appointment needs no other extrinsecal addition or accomplishment unlesse that also be ordained by God which in this case of the acceptation of the Bishop by the people no way appears and till it doth appear cannot be supposed or pretended by any to be thus needfull 37. And for the Minor it is the expresse affirmation of Clement that they that instituted them examined and approved them by the spirit and knowing by the Lord Christ having perfect foreknowledge of what should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constituted these Bishops and this is mention'd by Clement as an aggravation of their crime that rejected these that were thus constituted And then I hope the premises having strength the conclusion from them regularly inferr'd will not be denyed me 38. For as to the examples of Saul and David I am sure they prove nothing for if there were perfect truth in all which is here pretended which is more than from the circumstances of the stories I can affirm viz. that God who designed them Kings would have the People come together to choose them then from that act of God's will it was and from God's expressing it that the convening and election of the People was necessary and if God had not will'd it or not appointed it it had then as certainly not been necessary 39. Now let any such declaration of Gods will be shew'd that he would have the People convene and choose their Bishop and then I shall think my argument weak but otherwise I must not think it concluded so by these examples 40. So in the case of the Deacons Act. 6. the Apostles appointed the Disciples to seek out seven men from among them withall directing them how they should be qualified and reserving to themselves the intire power of constituting them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the office of Deacon And so nothing from that third instance can be inferr'd against us it being no way parallel to the case in Clement as already is visible For in the Acts the Disciples look out and choose v. 5. the persons and bring them to the Apostles v. 6. and the Apostles lay their hands on them in the remainder of that verse But in Clemens God designs the persons and so in the other Scripture instances and in that of Clemens Alexandrinus of the first Bishops of Asia ordained by St. John and the Apostles and their successors ordain and lay hands on them 41. As for that of Act. 14. â—3 that the ordaining of the Elders was with the Peoples election by the way it was even now by as well as with the consent of the People or indeed that any mention of the People is made there or so much as intimated by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that I can say is that it hath been disproved as far as any that I know of hath yet endeavoured to prove it i. e. all arguments that I have seen for it I have elswhere answered But what will ere long be manifested I am not able to forecast and so am not now to provide answers by divination 42. No more am I able to foresee what he saith will one day be found and yet I think it is very possible Neither he nor I may live to see that day when any thing shall be farther manifested in this matter than what the great Doctors already suppose The resolution of the question what right every one hath in these affairs being founded in plain matter of fact viz. what Christ or his Apostles instituted in the Church and that being already as visible to them that are conversant in Scripture and antient Records of the Church as it can well be imagined to be till either a new mine of such Records is sprung or men receive knowledge of story by Revelation Neither of which am I forward to expect in this age 43 In the next place for his objections against my interpreting of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gods extraordinary revealing whom he would have ordained they will soon vanish also For 1. the place of St. Paul concerning Timothies ordaining of Deacons and appointing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them be first tryed or examined 1. Tim. 3. 10. belongs nothing to this of the trying by the spirit Timothy might have ordinary meanes of trying and the whole discourse of St. Paul then setting down the qualifications of those that were to be ordained tends to that and then he had no need of extraordinary 44. And so
acknowledges contenders was sure to be no good argument when they against whom they are by him supposed to contend being the Bishops of Corinth those Bishops were say I constituted by the Apostles This was but a light circumstance yet that which I thought would be some farther prejudice to his argument when the words from whence he inferr'd his conclusion were supposed to be spoken by the contenders those again contenders against Bishops and those Bishops constituted by the very Apostles 20. And then for Clement 't is most certain whatsoever the Prefacer is pleased to affirm to the contrary that he expresly saith this of these Bishops whom they contended against and ejected that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constituted by the Apostles or after by other esteemed men some immediately both designed and ordain'd to the Office by the Apostles personally others designed and nominated or put upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the list of succession by the Apostles and as places were vacant actually ordaiâ—'d by the imposition of the hands of those esteemed or eminent men the successors of the Apostles such as were also themselves call'd Apostolical men by Blondel and by the antients Apostoli secundarii secundarie Apostles 21. This is most evident again by what was cleared in the last Section And so the Parenthesis had as little of Justice in it as the main period and might have been spared also if the Prefacer had so pleased 22. What follows after in this place It is the advice of the Church of Rome is for the most part true and I have suggested nothing against it nor am now a whit concerned in the contents of it and therefore though there be some infirme parts in it also and many more in the former words yet having vindicated my selfe I shall not trouble the Reader to pursue this matter any farther what he hath mistaken he may if he please rectifie by what hath been said and particularly informe himselfe of his doubts that they to whom the advise is given and on occasion of whom the sedition was raised are not they that were in danger of being derected from their office as at the beginning of this Section he thought it possible nâ—r consequently they as toward the end he saith which were already in office but they for whom the people contended to have them advanced to the Bishops seats they that were the occasion and the subject matter of the contention and as we may conclude from some passages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ring-leadâ—râ— of the sedition and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that laid the foundation of it 23. And that bring me to the second strange part of Blondels collection Communi Presbyteros consilio Ecclesiam rexisse eosdem nihil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attentâsse sed multitudinis dicto obedientes fuisse that the Presbyters by Common Councel ruled the Church and that the same Presbyters in the text of Clemens were obedient to the command or saying of the multitude But that certainly could not be hence concluded the persons into whose mouth Clemens put these words being not Presbyters nor Bishops neither but those whom the people would have Bishops and to that end raised this sedition and cast the true Bishops out of the Church And so they of whom this sage observation is made that they did nothing imperiously but depended on the commands of the multitude are but these unruly fellow-believers not really vested with any power in the Church onely one part of a seditious multitude exhorted by him to indeavour to pacifie another and to indeavour to rescue the legall Bishops from suffering in this tempest yea though the same popular tumult would have put them into their places others being resolved to shake the whole Church rather than they would misse of their designe of raising those that they thought fit to admire 24. And for any such words used or by Clemens advised to be used betwixt one part of this multitude and the other I still desire it may be considered whether it be possible that an argument can be regularly drawn from them on which to found the right or power of the people in ordering Ecclesiastical affaires when besides all that hath formerly been said 't is certaine the speech was made to that part of the people which were in open rebellion against their superiors and was onely a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mollifying plaster applyed to the part which was at that present most inflamed embrocation to allay the paroxysme 25. I might now joyne issue with the Prefacer and examine the truth of his positive affirmation that in this saying of Clemens there is that laid which is sufficiently destructive to the Episcopacie that I contend for and also of any such Presbyterie as shall undertake the disposing of things in the Church of God without the consent concurrent suffrage of the people or that the Episcopacie I contend for is wholly inconsistent with the power and liberty here granted to the people But there is not one syllable here produced for the defence of this affirmation And I thinke it competently appears by this time how farre that bare text of Clement is from founding it and therefore I have now nothing more to contend with my contrary affirmation that no such thing is yet concluded will certainly be true and fit to be confronted to and balanced with it and if I should farther improve it into this that nothing is conclusible I thinke having already seen the utmost that two such skilfull artificers Blondel and the Prefacer have beene able to produce toward it it would not be thought any grand insolence 26. One thing onely I cannot omit that when he speaks of the power of the people he calls it their concurrent suffrage once and after joynes them with the Presbyters in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commanding or ordeining in the affaires of the Church But I shall demand can any thing like that be drawn out of the place in Clement Is it not certaine that the multitude whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordinances he there speaks of had cast out their Bishops or Elders out of the Church and those that are to speak to them and joyne with them are not Presbyters but those whom they would have exalted to that office and raised their tumult about it And how then can the Presbyters in that place be supposed to joyne with the people in this ordeining 27. I shall not make my observations from hence but leave the Prefacer to examine himselfe with what justice he hath managed his replies to me or reproacht my answers to D. Blondel And so indeed as he saith It is a sad thing to consider the pittifull intanglements and snares c. And so much for this Section also The imployment is so dry to me and the profit to the Reader so thin from such kinde of debates that I should be glad it were the last of them
an Episcopacy to have been received by them of old as is now contended for are exceedingly remote from the way and manner of the expressions of those things used by the Divine Writers with them also that follow'd after both before as hath been manifested and some while after the dayes of Ignatius as might be farther clearly evidenced and are thrust into the series of the discourse with such an incoherent impertinency as proclaims an interpolation being some of them also very â—idiculâ—us and so foolishly hyperbolical that they fall very little short of Blasphemies yet there are expressions in all or most of them that will abundantly manifest that he who was their Author whoever he was never dreamt of any such fabrick of Church-Order as in after Ages was insensibly received Men who are fuâ—l of their own apprehensions begotten in them by such representations of things as either their desirable presence hath exhibited to their mind or any after prejudicate presumption hath possâ—st them with are apt upon the least appearance of any likenesse unto that Church they fancie to imagine that they see the face and all the lineaments thereof when upon due examination it will easily be discovered thaâ— there is not indeed the least resemblance between what they find in and what they bring to the Auâ—hors in and of whom they make their inquiry The Papists having hatched and own'd by severall degrees that monstrous figment of Transubstantiation to instance among many in that abhomination a folly destructive to what ever is in us as being living creatures Men or Christians or whatever by sense reason or Religion we are furnished withall offering violence to us in what we hear what we see with our eyes and look upon in what our hands doe handle and our palaâ—s taste breaking in upon our understandings with vagâ—anâ— flying formes self-subsisting accidents with as many expresse contradictions on sundry accounts as the nature of things is capable of relation unto attended with more grosse Idolatry than that of the poor naked Indians who fall down and worship a piece of red cloth or of those who first adore their Gods and then correct them doe yet upon the discovery of any expressions among the Antients seeming to favour them which they now make use of quite to another end and purposâ— than they did who first ventured upon thâ—m having minds filled with their own abhominations doe presently cry out and triumph as if they had found the whole fardel of the Mass in its perfect dress and their breaden God in the midst of it It is no otherwise in the case of Episcopacie men of these later Generations from what they saw in present being and that usefulnesse of it to all their desires and interests having entertain'd though's of love to it and delight in it searching Antiquity not to instruct them in the truth but to establish their prejudicate opinion received by Tradition from their Fathers and to confute them with whom they have to doe whatever expressions they find or can hear of that fall in as to the sound of words with what is now insisted upon instantly they câ—y out viâ—imus Io-Peanâ— what a simple Generation of Presbyters and Independents have we that are ignorant of all Antiquity or doe not undersâ—… what they reâ—d and look upon Hence if we will not believe that in Ignaâ—tus's dayes there were many Parish Churches with their single Prâ—… 〈◊〉 subordination to a Diocesan Bishop either immediately or by the into posed power of a Chore-episcopus and the like and â—hose Diocâ—â—ans agâ—…n in the preciâ—cts of Provinces laid in a due subjection to their Metropâ—â—itans who took care of them as they of their Parish Priests every Individual Church having no Officer but a Presbyter every Diocesan Church having no Presbyter but a Bishop and every Metropolitan Church having â—…her Presbyter nor Bishop properly related unto it as such but an Archbishop we are worse than Infidels Truly I cannot but wonder whether it doth not someâ—imes â—nter into these mens thoughts to apprehend now â—…prible they are in their proofs for the fathering of such an Ecclesiastical distribution of Governors and Government as undeniably iâ— quâ—d after the civil divisions and constructions of the times and places wherein it was introduced upon thâ—se holy persons whose souls never oâ—ce entred into the secrets thereof Thus fares it with our Doctor and his Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall oâ—elâ— crave leave to saâ— to him a Augustulus of Quintilius Varus upon the losse of the Legions in Germany under his command Quintui Vare redde â—…giâ—res Domine Doctor redde Ecclesias Give us the Churches of Christ such as they were in the dayes of the Apostles and down to Ignatius though before that time if Hegisippus may be believed somewhat dâ—…ureâ— and our contest about Church-Officers and Government will be never at an end than pâ—â—h â—â—s you will readily imagine Give us a Church all whose membeâ—s are holy called sanctified justâ—fied â—â—ving stones Temples for the Holy Ghost Saints Believers united to Christ the 〈◊〉 by the Spiâ—it that is given to them and dwelleth in them a Church whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that doth nothing by its membeâ—s apâ—… that appertains to Church â—â—de but when it is gathered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Church that being so gathered together in one place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acting in Church things in iâ—s whole body under the 〈◊〉 and residence of its Officers a Church walking in oâ—â—er and not as some who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom saith Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as calling the Bishops to the Assemblies yet doe all things without him the manner of some in our â—ayes 〈◊〉 supposeth not to â—eep thâ— Assemblies according to the command of Christ give us I â—â—y â—uch a Church and let us come to them when they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as the Churches in the dayes of Ignatius appeare to have been and are so rendred in the Quotations taken from his Epistles by the learned Doctor for the confirmation of Episcopacie and as I said before the contest of this present digression will quickly draw to an issue 3. The first thing here assumed is the evidence of some ill favoured tampering with Ignaetius's Epistles deduced from the difference between them and Clement ' s in their expression about Church-Order and Officers But indeed if there were any such thing I hope it will not be imputed to me who have been as carefull as is possible to get an emendate copie of these Epistles and having first contented my self with that which had past Vedelius's tryal at Geneva which one might hope would burn up all the stubble which could be gotten in there toward the founding of Episcopacie I have since fallen upon Copies much more purified than that clensed from almost all the drosse every passage which this Prefacer hath thought fit to accuse
principelium urbium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad quos provinciae integrae in iâ— multarum inferiorum â—…bium Ecclesiae earumque Epâ—scopi tanquam ad Archiâ—pâ—scopum aut Metropolitanum pertinebant The Doctor in this Chapter commences per saltum and taking it for granted that he hath proved Diâ—cesan Bishops sufficiently before though he hath scarce spoken any one word to that purpose in his whole book for to prove one superintending in a Church by the name of a Bishop others acting in some kinde of subordination to him by the name of Elders and Presbyters upon the account of what hath been offered concerning the state of the Churches in those dayes will no way reach to the maintenance of this presumption he sacrifices his paines to the Metropoliticall Archiâ—piscopall dignity which as we must suppose is so clearly founded in Scripture and Antiquity that they are as blind as Bars and Moles who cannot see the ground and foundation of it But first be it taken for granted that the Angels of the seven Churches are taken for the Governors of those Churches then that each Angell be an Individuall Bishop of the Church to which he did belong 2 be it also gâ—anted that they were Bishops of the most eminent Church or Churches in that province or Roman politicall distribution of those Countreys in the management of the government of them I say Bishops of such Churches not uâ—bium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Doctor termes them what aâ—…ce is maâ—e by all this to the Assertation of a Metropoliticall Archiepâ—…pacy I cannot as yet â—…isâ—…vâ—r That they were ordinary officers of Christs institution relâ—…ing in their office and ordinary discharge of it not oneâ—y to the particular Churches wherein they were placed but to many Churches also no lesse committed to their charge than these wherein they did reside the Officers Rulers Go â—…ors of which Churches depended on them not onely as to their advice and counsell but as to their power and jurisdiction holding their place and employment from them is some part of that which in this undertaking is incumbent on our Doctor to make good if he will not be supposed to prevaricate in the cause in hand 3. Being here called out anew to the maintaining of what I had said in the Dissert concerning Metropoliticall Churches and Bishops and having so lately been ingaged in the same taske by the exceptions of the London-Ministers and many objections which here in the processe of this discourse are lightly proposed being by them formerly made and accordingly answer accommodated to them and yet farther the maine thing which is here done being to set downe many Latine passages out of the Dissert and to deem them confuted by the bare recitall of them upon these grounds I doe not foresee that there will be any necessitâ— of making any large returnes to this last but not concisest part of his digressâ—on What had been returned to the London-Ministers the Reader will finde in that Vindication Cap. 1. Sect. 16 of which number by the fault of the â—…rinter â—e will meet with two Section and so on for the three subsequent Sections and to the Dissertationâ— themselves and that viâ—…ication of them I shall willingly referre this matter Yet shall I not oâ—…t to gather up whatsoever I shall here finde â—…ggested which was not there punctually spoken to and of that nature here are foure things in this Paragraph 4. First that in the 5. Ch. of Diss 4. I commence per saltum taking it for granted that I had proved Diocesan Bishops before though saith he I had scarce spoken one word to that purpose in my whole Booke To this I answer that as in the first Dissertation had answered one sort of objections against Episcopacy and in the whole second Diss asserted it out of Ignatius and Saint Hierome himselfe so in the third I had deduced it from Christ and the Apostles and I suppose laid those grounds and by all antiquity confirmed and by answer of Blondel's objections vindicated them so that they were competently fitted to beare that structure of Episcopacie which I had laid upon them and then having in the fourth Diss added to this the visible practice of this in the hands of single Governors whether the Apostles in their severaâ—l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or their successors the first Bishops called secundarie Apostles mentioned in the Scripture and yet more particularly in the Angels of the seven Churches which being acknowledged to be the Governors of those Churches were proved to be single Governors of them which was the onely thing in question betwixt Blondel and me I had some reason to hope that I might be allowed to have spoken some one word to that purpose in that Booke before I came to prove those Angels to have been Metropolitans which he knowes was not attempted tâ—ll all this of Episcopacie had been premised by me 5. The reason which he addâ—s in a parenthesis why he affirmes thus expresly that I had scarce spoken one word to prove a Diocesan Bishop in that Booke is the second thing I am to reply to For saith he to prove one superintending in a Church by the name of Bishop others acting in some kinde of subordination to him under the name of Elders and Presbyters will no way reach to the maintenance of this presumâ—tion 6. To which I answer that the question lying as there it did betwixt Blondel and me there can be no doubt but if I have evinced the power in every Church to have been in the hands of a single Bishop and either no college of Presbyters in that Church or else those Presbyters subordinate to the Bishop meaning by subordinate subject to his power and authority over them I have also evinced the cause against Blondel And this I may have leave to hope is there done till the contrary be made appeare and here being no offer of that but onely a mention of the account of what hath been offered by the Prefacer concerning the state of the Churches in those dayes 1. that account hath already been shewn to have no force in it 2. if it had it belongs not to the controversie as it lay betwixt me and Blondel but is as contrary to Blondelâ— pretensions as to mine and so still I cannot see how I fell under his Animadversion in this matter or how I commenced per saltum in doing what there I did as regularly as I could imagine 7. The third thing is that I call the Bishops of the most eminent Churches urbium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he will have called Bishops onely But of this there can be no Controversie the fitnesse and propriety of words being to be judged from the use of them and the case being cleare that a Metropolitan especially a Primate was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the antient Councels and Church-writings and from them and not from Scripture which useth no higher style for them than of
12. the other p. 13. of his Apology In p 12. thus Hic nos monet fideles etiam de Episcopatu sive Presbyterio contendentes non ab Episcopi singulares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nutu sed a multitudinis praeceptis pependisse Here Clement mindeth us that the faithfull even such as contend for the Bishoprick or office of Elder depend not on the pleasure of the Bishop the singular Bishop and who had the supreame power but on the precepts of the multitude In p. 13. thus Presbyteros nihil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attentâsse sed propter Christum communemque piae fraternitatis aedificationem multitudinis dicto audientes fuisse That the Elders attempted not to doe any thing by way of command or empire but for Christ's sake and for the common edification of the brethren they were obedient to the command of the multitude 14. In the first of these conclusions that which is very strange is that the believers should from Clement's words be concluded 1. not to have depended on the pleasure of their Bishop 2. to have depended on the precepts of the multitude Whereas 1. there is no one syllable of their not depending on the pleasure of their Bishops but special mention of the preserving their Bishops quietly in their seats as the end which with the peace of the Church was the onely thing they had in their view And 2. they no otherwise depended on the precepts of the multitude than as for the avoyding and quieting the Sedition they should voluntarily submit themselves which is far from concluding any due power in the multitude as my bribing a Plunderer to save my life is from inferring that he hath a lawfull power over it or my telling any man in an extremity I will doe whatsoever you bid me on condition you will be quiet and let my Master alone will conclude that man to have had any power over me before I had said it or that that power shall alwaies continue to have obligation on me afterwards Or to goe no farther than the Context in Clemens than the Kings being content to dye for the removing the Plague from the People can be a precedent and obligation to all Kings and Rulers not onely to doe the like in the like case but to acknowledge themselves universally to depend upon the commands of the people 15. By this already appears how free I am from being chargeable with those things of which the Prefacer accuses me As 1. that I foist in the solius into Blondel's discourse It is an ugly word but sure I am not guilty of it For doth not Blondel say non ab Episcopi nutu sed a multitudinis praeceptis that they depended not from the Bishops pleasure but from the multitudes precepts Is not the non sed not but here perfectly all one with solius onely Where there are but two parts the Governour or Governours as Blondel would have it in every Church and the People what is done by the power of the People and not by the power of the Governours must sure be done by the power of the people alone That which can be done but three wayes by the Prefacer or by me or conjunctim by both of us together if it be done by him and not done by me is it not done by him onely What possibility is there that I should deceive my self or any man else by thus concluding 16. This Prefacer I acknowledge seemes to set it otherwise than Blondel had done and so I suppose phansies it a joynt power of the orderly Gospel Presbytery and the People But then 1. I that was speaking to Blondel was not to â—e supposed to speak to this Prefacer who differs from Blondel And 2. that which is done by the Presbytery and People joyntly how can it be said to be done not by the Presbytery or to be done by or depend from the peoples command not from the Presbytery So that certainly I was capable of a more benign censure I might have been spared the accusation of sâ—isting or forgery in this matter 17. So likewise for his second charge that I Blondel's way of arguing making him take his argument from the faithfull tumultuating against the Bishops from the peoples seditiously rebelling against their Prince from words spoken to the people to represse their sedition whereas saith he there is not any thing of this nature urged in the least by Blondel this sure will vanish presently also For as to the first two branches 't is certain I no where thus recite Blondel's arguing My words he had just before set down truly if he would have câ—nstrued them right Quis sodes à fidelibus de Episcopatu contra Episcopos centendentibus quis à populo contrae Principem suum tumultus ciente argumenta duci posse existimavit Who I pray for the asserting the authority of the people would think arguments might be brought from the faithfull contending for authority against their Bishops from a people raising sedition against their Prince that is from any thing said or done by such men at such a time This is not from the faithfuls contending or the peoples rebelling as the Prefacer was pleased to misconstrue me but from the faithfull contending i. e who contended or as the parallel to that the people rebelling or who rebelled And I pray doth not Blondel fetch his argument in this place of Clement from thâ—se and none but these Are not his very words fideles de Episcopatis contendentes a multitudinis prâ—â—â—ptis rependisse that the faithfull contending or who contended for the Bishoprick depended on the commands of the multitude and doth he not draw his argument for the peoples power from them and which was the third thing from the words that they are by Clement bid use to the people to represse their sedition From whence I beseech him is Blondel's argument drawn if not from hence when from this one speech of theirs made for them by Clement it is that this whole argument is drawn 18. 'T is true indeed Blondel should not have affirmed of those whom he calls the Contenders that they depended on the commands of the people but that Clemens bid them that they should make that offer to them that in that particular they would But I who was confuting Blondel's argument was to take it as he set it not as it ought to have been set by him and so have done nothing criminous in so doing 19. There is yet a third charge in a parenthesis that the words appointed by the Apostles taken for the persons of those Bishops is thrust in by me and is against the expresse testimony of Clemens in this Epistle But certainly this is also a groundlesse accusation For as to Blondel's words or arguing they are not by me thrust into them but used as a circumstance of some force in my arguing against him to shew that his argument taken from what was said or done by those whom he
Contraremonstrant is but the old method of speaking all that is ill of those who differ from our opinions in any thing as the Dutch man in his rage calls his horse an Arminian because he doth not goe as hee would have him And this is all that can soberly be concluded from such suggestions that they are displeased and passionate that thus speak 14. As for the Annotations on Cassander c. and the consequent vindications of himself against Rivet those have with some colour been deemed more favourable toward Popery but yet I suppose will be capable of benigne interpretations if they be read with these few cautions or remembrances 15. 1. That they were designed to shew a way to peace whensoever mens minds on both sides should be piously affected to it Secondly that he did not hope for this temper in this age the humour on both sides being so turgent and extreamly contâ—…ary to it and the controversie debated on both sides by those qui aterna cupiunt esse dissidia saith he who desire to eternize and not compose contentions and therefore makes his appeal to posterity when this paroxisme shall be over Judicet â—qua posteritas ad quam maxime provoco 16. Thirdly That for the chief usurpations of the Paâ—acie he leaves it to Christian Princes to joyn together to vindicate their own rights and reduce the Pope ad Canones to that temper which the antient Canons allow and require of him aâ—d if that will not be done to reform every one within their own dominions 17. Fourthly That what he saith in favour of some Popish doctrines above what some other learned Protestants have said is not so much by way of assertion or justification of them as to shew what reasons they may justly be thought to proceed upon and so not to be so irrational or impious as they are ordinarily accounted and this onely in order to the peace of the Christian world that we may have as much charitie to others and not as high animosities live with all men as sweetly and amicably and peaceably and not as bitterly as is possible accounting the Wars and Seditions and Divisions and Rebellions that are raised and managed upon the account of Religion far greater and more scandalous unchristian evils than are the errors of some Romish doctrines especially as they are maintain'd by the more sober and moderate men among them Cassander Picherel c. 18. Fifthly What he saith in his Discussio of a conjunction of Protestants with those that adhere to the Bishop of Rome is no farther to be extended than his words extend it 1. That there is not any other visible way to the end there mention'd by him of acquiring or preserving universal unity 2. That this is to be done not crudely by returning to them as they are submitting our necks to our former yâ—ke but by taking away at once the division and the causes of it on which side soever adding onely in the third place that the bare Primacie of the Bishop of Rome secundùm Canones such as the antient Canons allow of which hath nothing of supreme universal power or authority in it is none of those causes nor consequently necessary to be excluded in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 citing that as the confession of that excellent person Phil. Melancthon 19. So that in effect that whole speech of his which is so solemnly vouched by Mr. Knot and lookt on so jealously by many of us is no more than this that such a Primacie of the Bishop of Rome as the antient Canons allow'd him were for so glorious an end as is the regaining the peace of Christendome very reasonably to be afforded him nay absolutely necessary to be yielded him whensoever any such Catholick union shall be attempted which as it had been the expresse opinion of Melancthon one of the first and wisest Reformers so it is far from any design of establishing the usurpations of the Papacie or any of their false doctrines attending them but onely designed as an expedient for the restoring the peace of the whole Christian world which every disciple of Christ is so passionately required to contend and pray for 20. So that in a word setting aside the prudential consideration and question as whether it were not a hopelesse designe that Grotius ingaged himself in expressing desires of an universal reconciliation when there was so little hope on either side that the extream parties would remit so much as to meet in the middle point to which also the expressing of his no hopes of it at this time and the making his appeal to more impartial posterity is a satisâ—…orie answer all that this very learned man was guilty of in this matter was but this his passionate desire of the unitie of the Church in the bands of peace and truth and a full dislike of all uncharitable distempers and impioâ—s doctrines whether those which he deemed destructive to the practice of all Christian virtue or which had a particularity of ill inâ—luence toward the undermining of Government and publick peace wheresoever he met with them 21. All which notwithstanding the temper of that learned man was known to be such as rendred him in a special manner a lover and admirer of the frame and moderation observed in our Church of England as it stood shaken but not cast down in his life time desiring earnestly to live himselfe in the Communion of it and to see it copied out by the rest of the world 22. And so much for this large digression which if it be no necessary return to the Prefacer may yet tend to the satisfaction of some others and to the vindicating the memory of that Learned man Sect. 3. Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Clemens How many Orders there were in Corinth at the writing this Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metropolitical Churches at the first Philippi a Metropolis at the first as Canterbury at Augustines first planting the Faith The Institution of Presbyters when by what authority St. Jerome's opinion The use of the word Presbyters in Scripture The Bishops task Num. 1. THE Prefacer now proceeds to take notice of a second answer of mine to the objection from the plurality of the Elders in Clement and this yields him also matter for many questions and great appearance of triumph It is managed in these words 2. But the Doctor hath yet another answer to this multiplication of Elders and he mention of them with Deacons with the eminent identity that is between them and Bishops through the whole Epistle the same persons being unquestionably intended in respect of the same office by both these appelations Now this second answer is founded up on the supposition of the former a goodly foundation namely that the Epistle under consideration was written and sent not to the Church of Corinth onely but to all the Churches of Achaia of which Corinth was the Metropolitane Now this second answer is that the
exprest my self to think but that this was the most commodious meaning to be affixt to Hierom's words ad Euagrium so as they might be reconcileable with the many other testimonies brought out of him which concluded it his opinion also that the three orders were of Apostolical institution But if I am now asked my sense expresly whether I thinke thus it was as Hierome I thinke conceived it I answer positively that I thinke Hierome was mistaken in that circumstance and that Clemens Romanus and the Records that Epiphanius citeth are much a more competent authority for the contrary that Bishops were first instituted whensoever any Apostle in his travaile planted a Church in any Citie and retein'd not the Government in his own hands Yet if by any Record it shall be made to appear that before any such Citie was left by the Apostle and so before any Bishop were instituted in it the Elders or as those may signifie the chief believers a name of age as well as of power were trusted by them for some short time of their absence as I mention'd it there sect 20. as a possible thing there will then be some ground of Hierom's mistake in that circumstance But this I confesse more than yet hath any way appear'd to me and therefore I am content to part with it as a phansie or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to help St. Hierome and not so much as a conjecture And so much for his Quaeries 22. As for his addition by way of Corollarie to his questions the answers to thâ— quâ—stions have already perfectly supersedeâ— it The three orders â—…ignatius have already appeared to be of Apostolical iâ—stituâ—… and the very frame of the first Churches though there was no need of the second of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the first plantation in every City And it will not be easie for any man which hath looked into antient writings to be perswaded the contrary It being the universal affirmation of all that speak of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignatius to St. Hierome and for many hundred years downward though there be some difference in some few circumstances St. Hierome thinking that Presbyters first ruled in common before the singular Bishop was brought in over them for the avoiding of Schismes that the three orders were all instituted in the Church by the Apostles appointment And if this be the sad mistake and prejudice from which he will shortly deliver us I may have leave to advise him the one method of attempting it that cheaper of setting Antiquitie aside in the delineation and not the more costly of professing to make his appeale to it as in this Preface he hath adventured to doe 23. One thing he here thinks farther necessarie for him to adde that the Scripture more frequently terms this second sort of men Elders and Presbyters than it doth Bishops wherein there be but these three misadventures 1. That this second sort of men are frequently mention'd in Scripture 2. That this second sort of men are sometimes call'd Bishops in Scripture 3. That they are frequently call'd Elders there No one of which he will ever be able to justifie Let him please to turn to the Vindication of the Dissert from the Exceptions of the London Ministers capâ— and if against what is there said or before in the Dissertations he thinke himselfe able to evince any one of these three propositions I shall willingly acknowledge my selfe his Disciple being also sure that unlesse both Bishops and Elders signifie nothing but Piesbyters in every place their signifying most frequently so is the giving the question the yielding the whole cause to the Prelatist 24. As for the taskes of the Bishops office and his performance of them I shall willingly grant him my suffrage let them discharge them and I beseeâ—h all who have any way hindred them at length to let and quietly permit them On condition he will doe this as cheerfully as I I shall never câ—ntend with him concerning the nature of theâ—â— task â—e it as he â—aith their attending their particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they are appointed the Bishop of Oxford over that Flâ—ck or portion to which he was and is a pâ—inted and so all others in like manner be it their preaching and administring the holy Ordinances of the Gospel in and to their own flock and whatsoever else of duty and râ—tiâ—e officii belongs to a rightly â—onstituted Bishop And let all that have disturbed this course so duly setled in this Church and in all the Churches of Christ since the Apostles planting them discern their error and return to that peace and unity of the Church from whence they have so causelesly and unexcusably departed and let none be so uncharitable as to surmise that he which thus exhorts them hath any other design in doing it than that which alone he professeth to have their timely and now if ever seasonable Reformation CHAP. VI. Of Testimonies in Ignatius deemed to favour the Congregational way Sect. 1. The Prefacer's pretensions avoyded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Hypothesis confutable from Ignatius The power of prejudice Of Popish Churches Chorepiscopi Metropoles Conformity of Ecclesiastick with Civil distributions The Ignatian Churches phansied by the Prefacer The Gnostick haeresie no deflowring of the purity of the Church The several branches of the phansied Model how well grounded in Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Catholick a National a Metropolitical a Diocesan Church in Ignatius Num. 1. BUT we are from Clemens once more brought down to Ignatius again and of the great prejudices and mistakes and unjust apprehensions which we Prelatists have had in reading and bringing testimonies from him we are now to be admonished in these words as followeth 2. To return then to our Ignatius even upon this consideration of the difference that is between the Epistles ascribed to him and the writings of one of the same time with him or not long before him as to their language and expression about Church-Order and Officers it is evident that there hath been ill favour'd tampering with them by them who thought to prevaile themselves of his authority for the asserting of that which never came into his mind As I intimated before I have not insisted on any of those things nor doe on them altogether with the like that may be added as a sufficient foundation for the total rejection of those Epistles which goe under the name of Ignatius There is in some of them a sweet and gracious spirit of Faith Love Holinesse Zeal for God becoming so excellent and holy a witnesse of Christ as he was evidently breathing and working Neither is there any need at all that for the defence of our Hypothesis concerning the non-institution of any Church-Officer whatsoever relating to more Churches in his office or any other Church than a single particular Congregation that we should so reject them For although many passages usually insisted on and carefully collected by D. H. for the proof of such
to inferre what I alone undertook to deduce from them that there were more than two Orders in the Church in Ignatius's time and so before Blondel's aera of 140. yeares as the testimonies from whence the Papists conclude their Transubstantiation and their whole fardel of the Masse are unable to inferre their desired conclusion I shall sit down in peace wholly unconcern'd in that large instance and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it or application to the men of these latter dayes in the matter of Episcopacie 11. Onely let me assure him that these later daies afford some men which have searcht Antiquity to instruct them in the truth taking the pains of that travail on purpose for that one end and after the Scripture have expected to fetch truth from that search rather than any other and have therefore begun their study of Divinity in that order and counted the ordinary course of setting out from the modern systemes to be very preposterous and if the Prefacer's own conscience should chance to tell him that he hath not exactly observed this method that he hath first espoused opinion and frames of Government and then searcht Antiquity to establish them or if it should not yet because it is as credible and easily suggested of him as by him of others and others consciences may and doe excuse them as perfectly as his can be pretended to excuse him I hope this will be a competent reply to that part of this Section also 12. For as to that which follows in the pursuit hereof of the Parish Churches in Ignatius's dayes of the Chorepiscopus c. of the Diocesan's subjection to the Metropolitanes c. from whence his necessary wonder ariseth whether it doth not enter into our hearts how contemptible we are in our proofs c. It may suffice to say that the Prefacer hath sure forgotten himself when he desired to perswade others that all these are the conclusions which I have made or any other Prelatist out of Ignatius's Epistles Certainly the asserting of the three orders all of them as Apostolical is the one thing which wee need deduce from thence and if that be granted us from that authority there is an end of the Prelatist's contention with Blondel 13. As for that of Parish Churches sure I have as yet concluded nothing from Ignatius concerning that subject nor ever exprest my self to think him worse than an Insidel that discern'd them not in these Epistles The first time I ever spake of them was very lately in answer to the London Ministers which the Prefacer having not yet seen may turne to it cap. 1. sect 19. And I shall now onely adde in relation to Ignatius that the form of Government there described being this one Bishop with his Presbytery i. e. College of Presbyters under him and one or more Deacons of a third rank ruling and administring in their several places and oâ—… the affairs of any one particular Church be it Trallis Magnâ—sia or the like together with the whole Territorie belonging to that Church of such a Citâ— or if it be a Mâ—…polis the 〈◊〉 adjoyning all this may very well be done and very easily imagined without any exact distribution into several congregations such as we now call Parishes as long as the Orders of the Bishops without whom saith he nothing was to be done were by all inferiours regularly observed And if as occasion seemed to require or expedience advise the Bishop either then or afterwards made more punctuall distributions of the believers committed to his charge and so appointing severall assemblies in the same City and in each village one placed also a Presbyter in every such assembly this I hope will not be styled any working of the mysterie of iniquitie which I see by and by mentioned but a regular acting of the Bishop according to that power which from the Apostles every such singularly instituted Governor was intrusted with in every Church 14. Next for the Chorepiscopi it is knowne how little I am concerned to justifie the deducing them from these Epistles I professe to believe there is not a word said of them there nay when Blondel was willing to deduce them from Clement's phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and out of him the London-Ministers I have refuted their deduction and shew'd that they came not into the Church so early And so for that also he might have omitted his wonderment now as reasonably as I was but lately rebuked for it 15. As for that of Metropolitan Churches or Bishops I doe not againe remember that Ignatius first gave me the modell for that frame Certainly I have produced other I hope competent evidences to conclude whatsoever I affirme of it and if some not obscure intimations out of Ignatius were observed to be given that way as when in the Epistle to the Romans he calls himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop of Syria and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pastor of the Church in Syria being at that time the known Bishop of Antioch one single City but that the Metropolis of Syria to which I may adde that in the Epistle to Polycarpe speaking of his successor he doth it in the like style 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that should be thought worthy of the dignity of going into Syria yet have not I 〈◊〉 those Dissertations laid the weight on them much lesse counted them worse than infidels that are not convinced by them though if I had that would not have rendred my proofs so admirably contemptible as 't is pretended 16. Lastly for the whole frame of Ecclesiastick Government being in his phrase laâ—quied after the civil divisions as I no where Father it on or deduce it from Ignatius whom now we have to deale with so if instead of his darker phrase of contempt the matter be set down in more significative intelligible words vâ—z That the Apostles in each Nation where they came to plant the Faith thought not fit to innovate unnecessarily in this matter of distributions already made whether in Judaea or the Gentile regions but planting a Church in a chief Citie and extending the Faith to the Region about it and to other adjacent inferior Cities annext the Regional-Church to the City-Church and preserved the subordination of inferior Citie-Churches to the chief Citie-Church i. e. to the Metropolis and this constantly when there was no considerable reason to advise any change if I say the matter be thus intelligibly and without the help of odious expressions represented I know not what appearance of exception can lie against it But of this also I have formerly and elswhere spoken sufficiently and here is nothing I am sure suggested to which any farther reply can be accommedated And therefore as yet I need adde no more of it 17. So that what follows of the redde Legiones and redde Ecclesias requiring me to restore the Churches of Christ as they were in the Apostles dayes c. was sure very
and faithfull in the discharge of their duâ—y for saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though they were unblameable both in their conversation and Ministry yet they removed them from their office To reprove this evil to convince them of the sinfulnesse of it to reduce them to 〈◊〉 right understanding of their duty and order walâ—…ing in the feâ—lowâ—hip of the Gospel what course doth he proceed in what arguments doth he use He minâ—s them of one God one Châ—â—st one Bâ—dâ— one Faith tels them that wicked men alone use such wayes and practices bids them read the Epistle of Paul formerly written to them upon â—ccâ—sion of another division and to be subject to their own Eldeâ—s and all of them leave off contending quietly doing the things which the people oâ— the body of the Church commanded Now had this person wâ—iâ—ing on this occasion using all soâ—ts of arguments artificial oâ— inâ—râ—â—ficial 〈◊〉 his purpose been baptised into the opinion and esteem of a single Episcopal â—uperintendent whose exultation seems to be the design of much which is said in the Epistles of Ignatius in the sense wherein his words are usually taken would yet never once so much as bid them be subject to the Bishop that resemblance oâ— God the Father supplying the place of Chrrst nor oâ—… them hâ—wâ—…erâ—ibâ—e a thing it was to disobey him nor pawâ—d his soul â—or theirs that should submit to him that all thâ—â— obeyed him wâ—r safe all that disobeyed him were rebellious cuâ—sed and separated â—…m Gâ—d What Apology 〈◊〉 be made for the weaknesse and ignoraâ—ce of that Holy Mâ—…yr if we shâ—ll supposâ— him to have had apprehensions like those in there Epistles of â—hâ—â— sacred order for omitting those all-conqâ—eâ—ing â—eâ—sons which they would have supplyed him withâ—ll to his purpose in hanâ— and pâ—â—ching on arguments every wâ—y lesse usefull and câ—gent But I say I shall not insist on any such things as these but onelâ— 4. I say there is not in any of the Doctor 's Ex eâ—pâ—a from those Epistles not in any passage in 〈◊〉 any mention or the least intimation of any Church wherunto aâ—y Bishop was related but such an one as whose members met altogeâ—her in one place and with thâ—iâ— Bishop dispâ—sed and ordered the 〈◊〉 of the Church Such was that whereunto the hâ—lâ— Martyr was relaâ—ed such were those neighbouâ—ing Churches that sent Bishops and Eâ—…s to that Church And when the Doctor proves the contrary â—rit mâ—hâ—…magnâ—â— Apollo From the Churches and their statâ— and constitution is the state and condition of their Officers and their â—â—lation to them â—…en Let that be manifested to be such from the appointment of Jesus Christ to his Apostles or de facto in thâ— dâ—yes â—f Ignatius oâ—… beâ—ore the contempeâ—aâ—ion oâ— Ecclesiastical â—ffâ—iâ—es occasionaâ—â—y or by châ—…ce to the civil constitution of Cities â—nd Provinces in these dayes as woul◠〈◊〉 possibly câ—uld beare a 〈…〉 Diocesan Metropoliticaâ— Hierarchiâ— and this controversie will be at an end When this is by any attempted to be demonstrated I desire iâ— may not be wiâ—h sucâ—â—â—ntences as that uâ—ged by our Doctor from Epist ad Ephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The expression in it concerning Christ being unsound unscriptural concerning Bishops unintelligible or ridiculous 3. How unwilling the writer of this Preface therein to shew the judgement of Antiquity concerning Perseverance hath been to goe out of that his way the large Animadversions which he hath afforded Episcopacie Ignatius and me will sufficiently demonstrate As it is the sooner he shall now return to his rode againe the more tolerably easie it will be for the Reader and me and therefore I shall endeavour to make as much haste as he and neither take any notice of what hath been said in the Dissertations for proof of Episcopacie but yield that if it appear that there were none but particular Independent Congregations in Ignatius's time I have then produced no testimony from him by which the Prefacer may be concluded though as far as concerns Blondel who went upon distant hypotheses all that I said may have been in full force against them 4. His second consideration concerning the degenerating of Christs institutions concerning Church Administrations in the management of succeeding Churches and the principle of that degeneration the working of the mysterie of iniquity and the occasion of that again the accommodation of Ecclesiastical affairs to the civil distributions which is in effect that the Apostles erecting Mother-Churches in chief Cities where they first preacht as at Jerusalem to all Judaea Antioch to all Syria c. was a special occasion of and advantage to the working of the mysterie of iniquitie is that which in the several degrees of it might yield large discourse the mysterie of iniquity in St. Paul being remote enough from this and distributions of Churches such as were most commodious far enough from having either iniquity or mysterie in them But I shall readily transcribe his patterne as he hath not neither shall I infist on it 5. The third on which he will not insist much farther was competently insisted on before in comparing Clement's two orders in the Church and the like in St. Paul with Ignatius's three But the design of returning to it again was to offer one argument more which had not formerly been made use of and I must not let that fall to the ground It is this that if the Bishop had been in that esteem in Clement ' s time in which these Epistles set him out as the resemblance of God the Father he would certainly have bid them be subject to him and used that as an argument to compose the sedition of which he wrote unto them 6. But 1. it is certain that negative arguments prove nothing there might be Bishops in Clement's dayes and the power due to them as great as that which would intitle them to the image of God the Father and yet the sedition being raised against the Bishops themselves and the question being not concerning the Order but the Persons who should be advanced to it the mention of the dignitie of the Order or of the due subjection to it might be no proper way of appeasing that sedition nor as such chosen to be made use of by Clement 7. Secondly We know that next the obligations to peace c. the first and principal argument used by Clemens was the institution of these their Bishops by the Apostles and the dignity of that Order being such that the Apostles foresaw the contentions that would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the dignity or name of it he tels them that the Apostles had made a list of successors in each Church presuming and not needing more particularly to tell them that this was an high aggravation of their crime in throwing those out whom God had thus particularly set over them And I know not that Ignatius would or could upon his hypotheses have argued stronger to his purpose 8.
To the Church of God dwelling in Syria which is in Aâ—tioch now if thiâ— be so I shall confesse it is possible we may bâ— in more errors than one and that we much wâ—nt the learned Doctors assistance for oâ—r information the words themselves as they are used by the worshipâ—ull writer of that Epistle will scaâ—ce furnish us with this learned and raâ—e notion they are at length 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foâ— so he â—iâ—st opens his mouth with a lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wâ—at is here more expressed than that thâ— lâ—tter passage is â—estâ—â—ctâ—ve of what went beâ—ore was spoken of its â—esidence iâ— Syâ—iâ— wiâ—â— reference to the name of Christian fiâ—st given to the Dâ—sciples in thâ—… place I know not and therefore it is most certaine that the Apostles in stâ—…uted Metrâ—politan Archbishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. The large transcripts of the Latine sections being the foundation of his whole insuing discourses it is a litle necessary they should be made intelligible to all to whom the confutation of them is addrest This I shall be content to doe foâ— him and the plaine English is this 4. According to the image of the civil government among the Jewes and the like againe in their Temple foremention'd the Apostles appeare to have disposed of Churches every where and in all their plantations to have constituted a subordination and dependance of the Churches in the inferâ—…r Cities to those in the Chief or Metropoles An example of thâ—â— we have in the story of the Acts concerning Syria and Ciâ—â—cia and the severall Cities thereof in relation to Aâ—tioch tâ—â— Metropolis For when the question Act. 15. 2. was referred and brought to Jerusalem from the Church peculiarly of Antioch â—ap 14. 26. and 15 3. and the decree of the Councel returned to them by whom the question was proposed i. e. to the Church of Antioch ver 22. yet in the Epistle in which that decree was contained we finde the brethren through Syria and Cilâ—cia i. e. all the Christians of that Province to be expressâ—d and joyned with those of Antioch ver 23. And after when that Decretal Epistle was delivered to the Church of Antiâ—ch ver 30. Paul and Sylas went over Syria and Cilicia ver 41 42. and as they went they delivered to every City the Decrees of the Councel c. 16. 4. which is an evidence that the Churches of those Cities related either immediately to Antioch or as Antioch it self did to Jerusalem and were in subordination to it as to the principal Metropolis of so wide a Provincâ— according to that of Philo that Ierusalem was in his time the Metropolis not of Judea alone but of many other regions in respect of the Colonies which is sent out of the Jewes that dwelt in theâ—… naming Syria Cilicia divers others 5. What is here said may be divided into two branches one concerning the Cities of Syria as relating to Antioch the other concerning Antioch it selfe and other Cities relating to Jerusalem The latter is mentioned incidentally the former is it which was proposed for the example to testifie the Apostles distributions and the plaine story of the Acts seemed to me to manifest it fully that the Churches of the inferior Cities of Syria c. related to Antioch as to the Metropolis And the matter also being farther cleare by all Ecclesiastick writers which make Antioch the Metropolis of Syria I gave a tast thereof out of Ignatius's Epistle to the Romanes who being the known Bishop of Antioch setled there by the Apostles calls himself Pastor as elsewhere Bishop of the Church in Syria And so the Antient writer of the Epistle to the Antiochians under Ignatius's name but none of those which we receive from Polycarps collection hath these words in his inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Church of God which is at Antioch lying together in Syria making Syria to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Province of which Antioch was the Metropolis 6. The same is after manifested of other chief Citâ—es Rome Alexandria Gortyna in Crete and the seven Churches of Asia and the plain words of the three Councels forementioned which devolve the whole businesse oâ— the rights of Metropoles to their first plantations And of all these there is not one word replyed save onely what concernes Rome and Alexandria To those two we shall come in the next Section But in this I am to consider what he hath to object to the severaâ— proofes concerning the Church of Antioch being as I conceive it manifest a Metropoliticall Church in the Apostles times 7. And first it seems I must define what I meane by this dependence and subordination of inferiour Churches to their Metropolis And I shall doe it in my owne words not in his for they are very obscure 1. I meane by inferiour Churches the severall Churches in the severall lesser Cities with the region adjoyning administred and governed each of them by the Bishop of each such lesser City-Church and his officers under him 2. By the Metropolis I meane the Church of the chiefe City of that Region or Province and such say I was the Church of Antioch in respect of Syria 3. By the subordination and dependence of the inferiour to the Metropolis I meane not any inferiority of order and dignity nor a dependence onely as to counsel and advice and mutual Communion but an inferiority of powâ—r in many things which the Apostles left not to the Bishops of the inferiour Cities but reserved to the Metropolitanes To this purpose the 34th Apostolick Canon is cleare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishops of every Nation must know their Primate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Zonaras and account him as the head of them and the powers that thus belong to him are knowne in the antient Councels by the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privileges and praeeminencieâ— which are proper to such and for which even immemorial and Apostolical tradition and custome is vouched by them Such as receiving accusations against and appeales from inferiour Bishops ordeining of them as Tituâ— is appointed to doe through Crete and as the sixth Canon of Nice saith that he that is made Bishop without the Metropolitan shall not be deemed a Bishop For this I againe referre the Reader to the Discourse of Schismâ— pag. 60. c. and there to that ninth Canon of the Councel of Anâ—ioch the same in effect with the 34th Apostolical â—anon forementioned where the Bishops of inferiour Cities are interdicted doing without the Metropolitan any thing which is there styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. as is there explain'd where in more Churches than one are concerned equally The Bishops power extending to the administration of affaires in his owne Diocesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever belongs to his Diocesse say both those Canons but things of a more forraigne nature which belong not to the particular Bishop ratione officii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉