are plain in Act. 20.28 Take heed therefore to your selves and to the whole flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you over-seers Or more near the Greek Take heed therefore to your selves and feed the whole flock in which the Holy Ghost hath put you Bishops In that particular Church of Ephesus there were several Bishops or as they are called in the 17 vers Elders which are the same for Peter though an Apostle calls himself an Elder so in the Church of Philippi there were several Bishops as well as Deacous 1 Pet. 5.7 Phil. 1.1 Then to appoint or set up one Bishop over divers Congregations as over three or four hundred nay some over a hundred Parishes is to do contrary to what the Spirit of the Lord hath done Therefore 't is unlawful That order which is contrary to the order which the Apostles set up in the Churches of the Gentiles is unlawful Argum. 3. But the order of Lordly or Diocesan-Bishops is contrary to that order which the Apostles set up in the Churches of the Gentiles _____ Therefore unlawful The Proposition will not be denied for what the Apostles received from Christ they set up in the Churches 1 Cor. 11.23 14.3.7 Act. 15.29 16.4 The Assumption I prove thus The order that the Apostles set up in the Churches of the Gentiles was Bishops or Elders which were of equal power and authority as is shewed before and will more fully be afterward in every Church Act. 14.23 Tit. 1.5 7. But Diocesan order is to set up one Bishop over many Churches which order is contrary to the order set up by the Apostles and so consequentially unlawful They that walk contrary to the Rules of the Apostles walk contrary to the Lord himself 1 Cor. 11.1 Ephes 5.1.2 Thes 3.9 and they that walk contrary to the Lord the Lord will walk contrary to them Lev. 26.21 41. That Office and Authority which makes a man utterly uncapable of performing the duties belonging properly to his Function is unlawful Argum. 4. But Lordly or Diocesan power makes a man utterly uncapable of performing the duties belonging to his Function Therefore Lordly or Diocesan Power is unlawful The Major none but such as are willing to shun performing their Duties will deny The Minor is proved by considering what the Duties are which belong to the Function of Bishops to wit to know their stocks watch over them feed and comfort them to resolve their doubts visit them and administer the Lords Supper often unto them c. Prov. 27.23 1 Thes 5.12 13. Heb. 13.7 17. Act. 20.28 2 Cor. 1.4 James 5.14 1 Cor. 11.23 26. and how any Diocesan-Bishops whose power extends in some Diocesses over several Counties can possibly do this let any judge That which doth necessarily introduce the Popes power over the Churches of Christ Argum. 5. is unlawful But the office of Lord-Bishops or Diocesan-Bishops doth necessarily introduce the Popes power over the Churches of Christ Therefore the office of Lord-Bishops and Diocesan-Bishops is unlawful None but Papists will oppose the first The second I prove thus They that have their Ordination from the Pope and so consequently their Ministry for Ordinatio apud Episcopos est causa sine qua non c. for a man though never so well qualified is not accounted by them a Minister without it do introduce the Popes power over the Churches of Christ But Diocesan or Lord-Bishops have their Ordination from the Pope Ergo. I prove they have their Ordination from the Pope They that have their Ordination from the Archbishop have their Ordination from the Pope as holy Crunmer confessed they had and as one lately made Bishop Mr. Nichols formerly Minister in Carmarthen in South-Wales now as they say Bishop of Glocester acknowledged before many witnesses in a conference with mee in Carmarthen for which some of his own friends blamed him For if the Archbishop hath not his Ordination from the Pope then he hath none at all and so is no Minister at all and so hath no power to ordain other Bishops nor they any other Ministers for Nemo dat quod in se non habet So that it is easie to derive the Pedigree of our Diocesan-Bishops And the learned Papists who are well versed in this Genealogy know their descent perfectly that the Bishops and themselves have but one Grand-father whoever their Grand-mother or Mother is Obj. But if it be objected That one Bishop hath power to ordain another and so they need not have dependance upon the Pope for their Ordination Ans I answer If one Bishop ordain another either hee ordains him as another ordinary Minister or Priest as they say or as a Bishop If as another ordinary Minister then a Bishop is not of another or higher Order than the ordinary Minister is of but they are Equal in degree and then par in parens non habet imperium And this will not satisfie the Bishops If he ordained him first as a Minister and afterwards as a Bishop he hath had two Ordinations for which there is no Rule in Scripture Obj. But the Archbishop doth but consecrate and confirm the Bishop Ans Suppose that were a distinct thing from Ordination which cannot be proved from the Word of God yet who shall consecrate the Archbishop either it must be his Inferiour Equal or Superiour surely it will not be admitted that his Inferiour should do it for by that Rule and Reason ordinary Ministers which they call Priests and account to be of a lower rank than Bishops may ordain Bishops An Equal cannot do it because that the Archbishop of Canterbury hath no Fellow unless the Archbishop of York then of necessity there must be application to a Superiour and there is no such that assumes any Authority to administer Ecclesiastical Ordinances except the Pope himself So that by close pursuit you may finde where these Foxes are or will be kennell'd Let us therefore with the Church pray Take us or as it is in the Hebrew gnalu for us the little Foxes that spoil the Vines for our Vines have tender Grapes Cant. 2.15 That Order and Office which hath many unscriptural Inferiour Officers depending thereon Argum. 6. and are as branches thereof is unlawful But the Order and Office of Diocesan and Lord-Bishops hath many unscriptural Officers depending thereon and are branches thereof Therefore it is unlawful The former is proved 2 Chron. 13.9 Ezek. 43.3 Act. 23.3 when Paul said to Ananias the High Priest Thou whited wall c. doubtless he looked upon him to be irregular in the Office as the corruption was grown among the Jews to have a Sagan answerable thereto sure are Suffragans and when he said I wist not that he was the High Priest he spake it Ironically and 't is as if he had said I knew him not to be an High Priest but I looked upon him as one that doth usurp the place Surely Paul knew the
member of Christ a childe of God and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven and again Wee are thereby made the children of grace What clearer proof can be desired to prove that the Sacrament doth confer grace than this See the Catech. If every childe be made so in Baptism then sure every one that is baptized must be saved or else they may fall from a state of grace but neither of these are true Act. 8.13 20 21. 1 Pet. 3.21 John 4.14 and 10. 27 28. 51. That the God-fathers and God-mothers give the childe his name whereas the Parents should doe it Gen. 39.33 34. Luk. 1.60 63. 1 Sam. 1.20 52. The childe being asked How many Sacraments the answer is Two as generally necessary to Salvation wherein is implied that two are necessary and more than two may be though two may suffice 53. In private communion it is said Private Baptism First let the lawful Minister call upon God for his grace and say the Lords Prayer if time will suffer Mark here how the Minister either is in such haste or the childe in such danger that they may not have time to say the Lords Prayer 54. After the confirmation Confirmation the Rubrick saith None shall be admitted to the Lords Supper but those that are confirmed There is no such prohibition in Scripture and if it were what should the greatest number of people in most Parishes do who are not visited nor confirmed by the Bishops at all Simile This is as if a Master should forbid his servants meat till he comes to cut it and he comes not perhaps in seven years if at all 55. The Bishop saith Wee have laid our hands when he himself onely hath done it mark how ambitious the Bishop is of speaking in a Kingly stile 56. In the Catechism the Ministers exhortation to the childe is called a Question and the Lords Prayer an Answer 57. Matrimony called frequently Holy Though it be true that in opposition to Uncleanness and Whoredome it may be called Holy yet it may be suspected lest hereby a compliance with the Papists who make this one of their seven Sacraments is intended 57. It is said further That as many as be coupled together otherwise than Gods Word doth allow 1 Cor. 6.7 Mat. 19.9 Cha. 5. 32 c. Matriages are to bee in the Lord 1 Cor. 7.39 that is after the Will of the Lord Eph. 6.1 1 Cor. 6.17 Mat. 19.9 5.32 are not joyned together by God neither is the Matrimony lawful In what sense the Matrimony is unlawful or to what end those words are mentioned is very doubtful It is true there may be divers things in Marriage unwarrantable by the Word of God as for a Beleever to marry an Unbeleever or true Christians to marry Idolaters or for Children to marry without Parents consent c. But yet Marriages are appointed as Christ saith by God and when once made there is no ground of divorce except adultery 58. Tying Marriage to the Minister and so making it holy which in it self is bat Civil and Natural and did belong rather to the Civil Magistrate than to the Minister to perform Ruth 4.11 12.13 59. The using of the Ring in Marriage which in it self may be indifferent yet making it essential to Marriage it ceaseth to be indifferent 60. The man in Marriage promiseth to the woman that with his body he will worship her Luk. 14.10 Though there be civil worship yet it is due from an Inferiour to a Superiour and not from a Superiour to an Inferiour or Equal Matrimony as the woman is 61. There is one Prayer to bee omitted by the Minister where the woman is past childe-bearing Sure they are very skilful Parsons Vicars and Curates that can judge what women are past childe-bearing but no great matter for they bear neither less nor more for their praying or not praying for them 62. The new married persons the same day of their marriage must receive the Communion They that will understand Rule or Reason for this practice must go to Rome at least And how shall those married persons have the Sacrament that the Curate marries under a Hedge or in a Wood or in a blinde Ale-house as 't is too common in some Countries 63. It is that the Marriage-Ring is a token and pledge of the Covenant made in Marriage and that Marriage doth signifie the mystical union between Christ and his Church for the first it is needless and for the other it is utterly false if it be understood of all Marriages It is true the union between Adam and Eve did signifie the mystical union between Christ and his Church 64. In the Visitation of the sick Visit of the sick the Minister saith That Christ hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners which truly repent and beleeve 1. Sure if hee hath given power to his Church yet hee hath not given power to any Parson no nor Pope to say what he doth adventure there to say I absolve thee from all thy sins 2. The power that Christ hath left in his Church to absolve is to be exercised in restoring and receiving the Members that were before cast out for sin upon their repentance 2 Cor. 2. 6 7 8 9. Gal. 6.1 Matth. 18.18 1 Cor. 5.5 65. To give the Communion when a man is sick at home and in the time of Plague and upon special request of the diseased person The Minister onely may communicate with him Private Communion Such a Communion is not warranted by the word of God and to administer it thus cannot but be Popish both in the end and manner By this also the Minister is ty'd to go to the Houses where the Plague is and to communicate alone with him This is contrary to the Scripture 1 Cor. 10. 11. and the Nature of a Communion yea to the Rule given in the end of publick Communion 66. Appointing singing at Burials At Burials Which is contrary to the Rule prescribed by the Apostle James 5.13 67. To say of every one buried This our dear brother here departed They have a large Faith that can beleeve that all they bury are such I would advise such to bury none of the Sectaries or Fanaticks lest at their burial they confess what in their life-time they did deny viz. to account them Brethren 68. Reading and praying over the dead without any command or example in Scripture 69. Churching of women Churching of women applying Psal 121. to the Woman which is meant of the Church of God 70. The woman must offer an accustomed offering Is not this to bring them back to the Law of Moses Lev. 12. And are not these such as lead silly women away according to that Scripture 2 Tim. 3.6 For they viz. the Parsons Vicars and Curates creep into houses yea into womens chambers often to Church them as they call it Is not this a private Conventicle 71.
That in the Primitive Church there was a godly Disscipline Commination Those Judgements denounced in Deut. 27. was not part of the publick worship to bee performed by the Priests but onely done upon Mount Ebal by six of the Tribes onely and therefore no example for Gospel-daies that at the beginning of Lent such Persons as were notorious sinners were put to open Penance c. Are not these words as Honey and Wine to the Papists to grant them at once Lent and Penance and their Church to be the Primitive Church Sed ab Origine non fuit ita 72. That Discipline is much to be wished Is not to wish Penance to wish Popery for the Papists in the places where we read repent they translate do penance so after denouncing the Judgement they say Let us seek to bring forth fruits worthy of penance which is otherwise The word Penance is in several other places and more truly rendred in Mat. 3.8 Repent or change your mind as the word Metanoeite signifies 73. In the Prayer appointed to be said at the point of death mark not prayed the Common-Prayer-Book teaches the poor people that are ignorant to pray in Latine In manus tuas commendo spiritum meum and again Domine Jesu accipe spiritum meum this is not to pray with understanding as the Apostle speaks but to assure the Papists 1. Cor. 14. that the person deceased died with their faith in his heart as well as their language in his mouth Many other things might be objected against as the misapplying of divers Scriptures as Mat. 4. is applied to the Lenten fasts and Rev. 14.1 5. concerning the 44000 that are sealed is applied to the children that Herod caused to be slain c. so there are Untruths in it as in the Calender That nothing is ordained to be read but the very pure Word of God and that all the Ceremonies pertain to edification c. Likewise somewhat that is good in the Book stablished by King Edward the sixth is left out viz. From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable Enormities good Lord deliver us It is also worthy observation that above twenty years ago some godly Preachers that did refuse to read and that did also preach against the present Book of Common-Prayer both in London and in divers Counties were acquitted from their Inditements because the Act that enjoy us the Book of Common-Prayer under paenalty commands that very Book and no other stablished by Edward the sixth with one sentence added in the Administration of the Sacrament and a sentence altered in the Letany but this is not altered but quite raz'd out And by that very act whoever reads this present Book of Common-Prayer should for the first fault forfeit half his yearly Ecclesiastical Revenue which if all the Readers of Common-Prayer were forced to do their zeal for that Idol would soon cool Arguments to prove that Lord-Bishops or Diocesan-Bishops c. and their Authority are contrary to the Word of God and so consequently unlawful And the chiefest Objections for Diocesan-Bishops answered Also a Discovery of the great Disparity between Scriptural Apostolical Congregational particularly Timothy and Titus Bishops and Diocesan-Bishops THat which is absolutely forbidden by Christ and his Apostle viz. Peter is unlawful Argum. 1. But for any Ministers extraordinary or ordinary to exercise Lorship or be Lords over one another or the Heritage or Church of God is absolutely forbidden both by Christ and his Apostle viz. Peter Therefore for any to be such or to exercise such power is utterly unlawful The Major or first Proposition none can deny But that which Christ and his Apostle do forbid is utterly unlawful The Minor is clearly and strongly proved out of Mat. 20.25 Luk. 22.25 1 Pet. 5.1 3. The words in Matthew are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Jesus called them unto him and said Ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise Dominion or as it is in the Greek there and in Luke exercise Lordship over them But it shall not be so among you or as Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But ye shall not be so Observe here to whom of whom and upon what occasion Christ spoke these words He spake these words to the ten Apostles or Disciples v. 24. concerning James and John and the occasion was the indignation of the other ten against their two Brethren Where note 1. That they were all Christians Brethren Judas excepted Preachers and Apostles 2. That those that were offended were ten to two 3. The ten had some seeming ground to exercise Authority over the two A good Caution to Peters Successor Mark 10.35 for the two began to seek pre-eminence over them first yea of Peter and Andrew that were called before them to be Apostles in desiring that they might sit the one on Christs right hand and the other on his left in his Kingdome and yet mark how Christ allays that evil proud and Prelatical Spirit that was beginning to rise in them he beats it down with both hands urging three strong Arguments to disswade them from this Lordliness First saith he The Princes of the Gentiles do exercise dominion over them not that Christ doth allow Princes and great men to exercise power over his Ministers and people to persecute them and 't is as if Christ had said Princes and not Preachers should exercise Lordship and the great ones among the Gentiles to wit sinners and not the good ones among the Saints claim and exercise this Lordly-power and they and you will have enough A seasonable Consideration The best way to make Preachers good is to keep them low and from medling with Lordly power and too much indignation and persecution from these and therefore be not of a high and Lordly spirit over one another Secondly saith he Whosoever would be greatest and chiefest among them should be their Ministers and Servants v. 26 27. Thirdly He gives them his own example of humility towards them Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister Likewise that place be fore cited in Peter better known than observed by the Clergy is most pat and like Davids stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knocking this Goliah Episcopacy in the fore-head Neither saith he being Lords over Gods Heritage or not as though ye were Lords of the Heritages Thus much for the first Argument Argum. 2. That which is directly contrary to what the Spirit of God hath appointed must needs be unlawful But for one Bishop to be over divers or many particular Churches is directly contrary to what the Spirit of God hath appointed Ergo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for one Bishop to bee over divers particular Churches is unlawful The Major is larior sole clearer than the Sun and needs no proof The Minor I prove thus The Holy Ghost hath appointed several Bishops in one particular Church The words
High Priest and his power well enough but he spake to him as Diogenes said to Alexander the Great I do not know Alexander the King but I know Alexander the Tyrant The Minor or latter that the Diocesan and Lord-Bishops have many unscriptural inferiour Officers as Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons Commissaries Chancellors Canons Residents Prebendaries Peticanons c. such a rabble-rout that some who have searched the Nest affirm that there are from the bottom to the top from the Van to the Rear thirty eight distinct Officers that is thirty above what Christ hath put in his Church So having done with these Syllogistical Arguments I will now lay down a few more plain Reasons against Diocesan Lord-Bishops and their Power Because there is no difference made in the Scripture between Bishops and other Gospel-Ministers Argum. 7. called Elders See Act. 20.17 and 28. Mat. 6.37 Col. 1.23 Phil. 1.1 Tit. 1.5 6 7. Note that where the Church-Officers are mentioned in Scripture the Bishops are never named as a distinct Order from the Elders but onely from the Deacons Rom. 12.6 7 8. Ephes 4.11 12. Obj. Yea there is mention made of Helps and Governments 1 Cor. 12.28 Ans Though he speaks of Helps and Governments yet it is in the fifth or sixth place after Apostles Prophets Teachers c. and not in the first nor second rank So that if any can spy out Episcopacy here I am sure they can neither in this place nor elsewhere in Scripture finde Lord-Bishop neither in name nor power nor in that Rank and Order they place themselves no though you thus reckon First the Pope secondly the Cardinal thirdly the Archbishop fourthly the Diocesan-Bishop there you finde them in their proper place but not in the Scripture 2. It is said Aquila and Urbane nay Priscilla a woman were Helpers of Paul in Christ Jesus Rom. 16.3 9. and yet they were no Bishops It were to be wished that the Bishops were as good Helpers as they were and as like Timothy whom they would have to bee a Bishop bee ready to carry a poor painful persecuted Preachers Cloak Books c. as he did Pauls And thus they would obey the commands of Christ who said Whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister and Whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant Mat. 20.26 27. I suppose all know who would be greatest and chiefest among the Ministers but do any know which of them will be content to learn this Lesson of Christ for such a Bishop would we give our voice nay I am contented that the Bishops should have the chiefest care of so many as they have converted or fed This granted it is supposed their power will not be too great Because they are created by men viz. by the Kings or Princes Argum. 8. in whose Dominions they are and I may say to them as the Boy said to the Doctor That God made his Fathers Ox a Bull but his Father made him an Ox God made them men but the King made them Bishops See Cook De Jure Regis Ecclesiastico Because they depend upon man Argum. 9. which the true Ministers of Christ never did Episcopacy is a Noune Adrective that cannot stand by it self but it must be supported by the hand of the chief Magistrate And they shelter themselves under that Maxime of theirs No Bishop no King And the Bishops say No Ceremonie no Bishop whether this be not to lay a weak foundation to Regal Authority let any judge The Proverb would be truer No King no Bishop for the King may very well subsist without them Simile but they like Colewerts close to the Vine draw the fatness of the earth from it to themselves Or like the Ivy to the Oak Simile sheltring it self under its arms and boughs but in the mean time keeping much of the vertue of the Sun from the Tree A tenth Reason to prove Diocesan Bishops to be unlawful Argum. 10. is because they do imitate the Priests of the Law so much in respect of their different degrees order c. as Archbishops answering the High Priests the Presbyters the other Priests and the Deacons the Levites and the Chorister and Cantors the Jewish Singers so their Organs and other Instrument They have also their Pauls answerable to the Temple their Garments Girdle Mytre c. like those which the Priests did use Exod. 28.4 5 6. also their Tables Altars Sacrifices Oblations Purifications of Women and their Holy-days Feasts with many such things answering to the Jewish Feasts Heb. 9.7 8 9. but this is to set up the Legal Priest-hood again that was weak and those things which were but shadows and continued onely till the time of Reformation And is not this to do altogether as bad as the Jewish Teachers did Gal. 3.4 who indeavoured to bring back the Disciples who had begun in the Spirit to end in the flesh Obj. But how can they be Jewish and yet Popish Ans Very well for the Pope and Papists are in a manner Imitators of the Jews onely they borrow some Heathenish Customes and create some of their own for outward advantage And doubtless it was the aim and indeavour of some of the late Bishops as might easily be seen by their Writings and works that they intended to unite England to Rome and what some of the present ones may do being Birds of the same feather when their wings grow longer Time which is the discoverer of things will shew Because Lordly and Diocesan power is more than the Apostles of Christ did exercise either joyntly or apart Argum. 13. For they imposed no Canons or Decrees except the pure Scriptures the true Rule and Standard upon any of the Churches no though a whole Synod of them were gathered together to make such but delivered and left them to the Churches with this Recommendation If you keep your selves ye shall do well Act. 15.29 Likewise Paul an Apostle and Timothy a Bishop if you will have him so would not exercise Dominion over the Faith of the Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lordship 2 Cor. 1.1 compared with 24. Lastly It will evidently appear that the Lordly Diocesan-Bishops and their power are unwarrantable and unscriptural if we compare them with the Bishops mentioned in Scripture and particularly with Timothy and Titus who are urged by them for Authority and Example Timothy and Titus were 1. Begotten again and converted by the Gospel 1 Tim. 1.1 Titus 1.4 2. True Disciples and Servants of Jesus Christ Act. 16. Phil. 1.1 3. Men of good report Act. 16.2 2 Cor. 8.6 4. Inwardly and really affected to the people of God 2 Cor. 7.15 Titus 1.8 as Brethren Col. 1.1 5. Well acquainted with the Scriptures and the Word of God and having a gift to prophecy 2 Tim. 3.15 and 1 Tim. 4.14 6. Doubtless chosen by the suffrages or voices of Church-members as the manner was in chusing
Officers Acts. 6.3 and 14.22 7. Ordained solemnly by fasting and prayer either by the Apostles Presbyters or Elders of the same Church or Churches they were of Act. 6.6 and 13.3 1 Tim. 4.14 8. Itinerant Preachers going from Country to Country to preach the Gospel Act. 17.14 1 Thes 1.3 9. Diligent Labourers in the Work of Christ and his Gospel called Pauls work-fellows Rom. 6.21 1 Cor. 16.10 10. Naturally careful of the things of Christ and of the welfare of Christians Phil. 1.19 2 Cor. 8.16 11. Attendants and Ministers to the Apostles Act. 18.5 and 19.22 Gal. 2.1 2 Tim. 4.10 but not their Chaplains 12. Messengers of the Churches of Christ going from one Church to another and carrying contribution to the poor Saints 2 Cor. 8.23 and 2 Cor. 8.6 13. Much refreshed in and among the Saints and Churches of Christ 2 Cor. 7.14 14. Persecuted imprisoned and in bondage for professing preaching and practising the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ Heb. 13.17 Col. 4.10 15. Such as did ordain Bishops or Elders in the Churches of Christ according to the appointment of the Apostles Tit. 1.5 16. Doubtless blameless vigilant sober of good behaviour c. 1 Tim. 3.23 Tit. 1.2 1 Tim. 3.2 Timothy and Titus as appears in Scripture 1. Were not chosen to their Office by Dean and Chapter 2. Were not created by any earthly Kings or Princes 3. Were not consecrated and confirmed by any Arch-bishop or Pope 4. Did not call themselves neither were they called Lords Though these men call themselves so as Dr. Godwyn c. whereas Christ forbids his Apostles to be called Masters Mat. 23.8 10. See James 3.1 5. Did not swear Canonical Obedience to any Archbishop 6. Did not require any that they did ordain to swear Canonical obedience to them 7. Did not ask the Ministers they ordained at their Ordination Will you reverently obey the Ordinary and other chief Ministers unto whom the Government and Charge is committed over you c. 8. When they did ordain other Ministers they did not say to them Recipe Sanctum Spiritum Receive the Holy Ghost and Take thou Authority to preach the Word of God 9. Tendred no Book of Articles Canons or Common-Prayer-Books to these they ordained nor required any to swear to such things 10. Did not lay hands upon any to ordain them before they were elected much less ordain or license any to be meer Readers 11. Did not intermeddle with Civil and Secular Affairs they were neither honourable in Parliaments nor Councils nor Worshipful Justices in the Countries 12. Had no Stately Palaces Bishops Lands or thousands to maintain them yearly 13. Had no High-Commission-Courts Court of Audience Prerogative-Court Court of Faculties c. nor power to convene people at their pleasures before them 14. Had no such Officers under them as Deans Archdeacons Prebends Chancellours Commissaries Advocates Proctors Pursevants Apparitors c. 15. Used no such Oaths as the Oath ex Officio to examine a man against himself or the Etcaetera Oath to swear to what should be added and put in afterwards by them 16. Did not impose penance fines imprisonment c. upon people at their pleasure 17. Did not wear Scarlet Gowns Mytres Laun-sleeves c. 18. Did not sell Livings for money nor give them as Dowries or Portions with their Daughters or Kinswomen to Ministers 19. Did not silence any of the Ministers of the Gospel under the notion of Puritans and Factious persons but if they silenced any it was by Scriptures and sound Arguments as Titus was commanded Tit. 1. 20. They did not present Ministers as the Bishops used to do for preaching without license or in a Coat or Cloak or godly people for going out of their own Parishes to hear Sermons or for meeting in private to read the Scriptures repeat Sermons pray c. or for not standing at the Creed not bowing at the Name of Jesus for wearing ones hat at Sermon-time for not observing Popish-Holy-days c. 21. Did not cause any of the Beleevers to be fined imprisoned stigmatized and to have their ears cut off c. or banished under the notion of Sectaries or Schismatical persons 22. Did not require the sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction like Demetrius 23. Did not neglect to preach the Gospel or think it enough to appoint others under or for them to do it Did not make Preachers Physicians School-Masters Clerks Midwives c. buy and often renew their licences c. 24. Were not given to Wine or greedy of filthy lucre not soon angry brawlers self-will'd proud contentious and ill Examples in their Families or Country 25. Did not remove from one Diocess to another for greater preferment 26. Had not under them dumb lazy prophane Popish Priests and Parsons that have not onely pluralities of Livings but pluralities of Offices belonging to their Hierarchy Having thus laid down the Reasons against Archbishops and Diocesan Lord Bishops and likewise having shewed you the difference between these Worldly Monsters and true Gospel-Bishops it will in the last place be necessary to answer some of the main Objections and they are not many as I apprehend that can be made nor any but may be easily and soon answered though mens wanton and worldly wit self-interest and sinful sophistry would imagine more than are real Obj. But were there not Bishops in the daies of the Apostles Was not Timothy Bishop of Ephesus and Titus Bishop of Crete Ans There is no Scripture that proves either of them to be Bishops at all much less Bishops of those places Obj. What Doth not Paul in his superscription or subscription direct his Epistle to them as such 2 Tim. 4. end Tit. 3. end Ans First the superscriptions or subscriptions in the end of all Pauls Epistles seem and are judged by many learned to be added by men since and were not written by Paul And it is evident that some of those superscriptions are contradictory to the very Epistles to which they are suffixed As the 1 Epist to the Corinth by comparing the subscription with Act. 19 9 22. with 1 Cor. 16.8 Secondly It is very probable that those particular subscriptions to Timothy and Titus were not written by Paul For 1. Timothy and Titus were Evangelists 2 Tim. 4.5 2 Cor. 8.23 that is men not ty'd to one place or Church but sometimes accompanied the Apostles in their Journies from Country to Country and assisted them in the work of the Gospel by preaching visiting and helping to settle Officers and good Order in the Churches as appears Act. 17.14 19.22 1 Thes 3.12 2 Cor. 2.12 Gal. 2.1 2 Cor. 5.6 1 Tim. 1.3 Tit. 1 5. and as more fully and particularly appears in the positive part of the parallel to wit what Timothy and Titus were between them and Diocesan-Bishops 2. It is clear that in Ephesus which was but one Church in one City Act. 18.19 Rev. 2.1 there were divers Bishops Act. 20 17. compared with vers
28. Bishops so it is in the Greek See Reas first And if there were divers Bishops there how could Timothy be a single Bishop there And if those Bishops were chosen and ordained in Ephesus whilst Timothy was attending upon Paul in his Journies and Voyages how could he be the first Bishop there as the subscription saith that he was ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians 3. If Titus were Bishop of Crete Crete called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a hundred Cities as the subscription saith he must be Archbishop For 1. Crete had a hundred Cities in it if we may credit divers Historians and Expositors 2. He ordained Bishops or Elders which is the same as was shewed before and that was one of the main ends why Paul left him in Crete Tit. 1.5 compared with vers 7. And why Titus should be Bishop of many Cities and that Timothy who was his equal at least in most or all regards and that had that commendation from Paul himself That he had no man like-minded c. and Timothy Bishop but of one City or Church Phil. 2.20 as Ephesus was let the next Synod of Bishops resolve and determine if they can ☜ Obj. But in the Epistle directed to the seven Churches of Asia there is mention onely of one Angel Ans 1. It hath been shewed already that in one of those seven Churches viz. Ephesus there were divers Bishops and so in the Church of Thyatira The Holy Ghost writes to you and the rest in Thyatira which were more than one cap. 2.24 2. Many good Angels termed one as in Psal 34.7 91.11 2 King 6.16 17. 19.35 So one Priest or Prophet is put for many Isa 3.2 Jer. 6.18 19. Ezek. 7.26 Hos 4.6 One Angel is here taken for divers shewing that all the Officers in the Congregation were entire and one 3. If there were but one Bishop in those Churches then the order in those Churches and in other Churches would not be the same as was shewed before Phil. 1.1 Act. 14.23 20.28 But 4. Lastly suppose it be granted that there was but one Bishop in every one of those particular Churches and that their power did extend no further as there is no ground to beleeve it did than in their particular Churches then they were not Diocesans Obj. The Government of Bishops is antient of fifteen hundred years standing therefore lawful Ans 1. The Devil and Antichrist may make that Plea as well as they John 8.44 2 Thes 2.4 1 John 4.3 2. See the differences clearly and fully shewn in Smethy Annuus They that read the History of the Church written by Eusebius Sympson c. will easily discern the differences between the Bishops of the three first Centuries and our Diocesan-Bishops The controversie is not about the â—â—me as is acknowledged by all but about the power of Bishops 3. Mea entiquetas Christus est August Consuetudo sine veritate est vetustas erroris If the word of God be a perfect Rule as it is what need we go any further Bring your Episcopal Metal to this Touch-stone and if it will hold here we will honour it with its Gray hairs and receive and reverence it as the right Heir If not we must say with Gerhard Antiquity without truth is but a cypher 1 Thes 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them Is qui praeest si praeter voluntatem Dei vel praeter quod in sanctis Scripturis evidenter praecipitur vel dicit aliquid vel imperat tanquam falsus aut sacrilegus habeatur Can. Law FINIS