Meletiâ—ns were Schismaticks and 〈◊〉 thâ—se 〈◊〉 by Meletius were receiv'd into places where othâ—â—… 〈…〉 though the Paulianists and 〈◊〉 were to be re-baptiz'd 〈◊〉 ordain'd by the 19th Canon of the Council of Nice 〈…〉 those ordain'd by the Novaâ—â—â—…ns * 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid c. 8. when reconcil'd to the Church were to continue in the same Station which they enjoy'd before except Catholick were in pâ—ssession by the 8th Caâ—â—… of the very same Council From which Instances it is plain Tâ—â—â—… according 〈◊〉 the Sence of those Fathers though Schismatical 〈…〉 â—â—â—…ieties were out of the Church yet it did not whâ—â—…Y dâ—vâ—st 'em 〈◊〉 their Character so as to make 'em no longer the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cal Power as this Vindicator would insinuate Nay the severest Enemies to Heretical Ordinationâ— never went so far as our Aâ—â—â—or as appears from what they declare in a â—â—â—â—â—…lel Case viz. that of Baptism St. Cyprian himself owns the practice in his days to admit reconciled Hereticks Vid. Cypr. ad Quinteâ—… Steph. ap Cyp. ad Pomp. cp 74. Crescent ap Conc. Carthag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ap Eus H. E. l. 7. c. 7. Ec. His l. 1. c. 9. Apos c. 67. Con. Nic. Can. 19. c. Ap. Cypr. Ed. Ox. Ep. LXXV Novatus à Thâ—…umagade ap Con. Carth. as Penitents only with Imposition of Hands if at first they were Baptiz'd by the Orthodox Clergy And so Heraclas of Alexandria took care that such persons should renounce their Heresies not at all requiring 'em to be Rebaptiz'd And in like manner Miletius retain'd his Character tho debarr'd the exercise of his Function by the Decree of the Nicene Council as appears by their Synodical Epistle in Socrates So that here the case of Baptism and Ordination run parallel neither being made void by meer Heresie or Schism and accordingly we find them put together in several Ancient Canons and in Firmilianus's Epistle to St. Cyprian c. 'T is true the case was otherwise with those Baptized or Ordained by Hereticks or Schismaticks they were to be Reordain'd and Rebaptiz'd according to the Sentiments of those African Fathers How consistently with their own practice let others judge for if Hereticks or Schismaticks did retain their Character while they were out of the Church as those Fathers seem to allow I can see no reason why it should be totally out of their Power to confer the like upon other Persons for if it be said that they lost their Character by departing from the Church how they could obtain it again without a new Ordination is past my understanding And therefore why Miletius himself should retain his Character Socr. ubi sup and yet those Ordain'd by him be confirmed or setled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if by those words is really meant a Second Ordination I must learn from others Vid. Iren. adv Haer. l. 1. c. 18. As for the grosser Hereticks that lived before the time of St. Cyprian and whose several manners of Baptizing were so Monstrous and Wicked I cannot wonder if the Ancients thought fit to Baptize them over again Their former Baptism wanting the necessary words and being Consequently void in the very performance and therefore when Tertullian and other Fathers reject their Baptism I am of opinion it makes little for St. Cyprians Cause So that notwithstanding the Testimonies produced by a Learned Author â—…aun Ep. 15. Agrippinus might be the first introducer of that Practice as Vincentius Lirinensis testifies Vincen. Lirin Com. c. 9. p. 21. Edit Cantab. 1687. Ap. Cyp. ut Supra Vid. Cyp. ipsum in Ep. ad Juâ—…aian And this I am the rather induc'd to believe be cause Pope Stephen then condemn'd it as a Novel Custom and Firmilianus and other Africans seem to own at least could not deny that it was so as appears by the Answer they made to that Objection So that by the most constant usage of the Church in those first Ages the Baptism of Hereticks was not to be admitted in gross neither was it Universally to be rejected upon St. Cyprians Principles there being a difference to be made betwixt those Hereticks who did not really Baptize at all and those that did And so you find both the first and second Councils of Arles admit such as were Baptiz'd in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost 1. Con. Arcl. c. 8. 2. Con. Arcl. c. 16. 17. Optat. 1. 4. and Rebaptising only those that did not believe in the Trinity nor Consequently use the Essential Form and so Optatus declares Quodcunque in Trinitate factum est bene factum est The like distinction I reckon is to be made concerning Ordinations viz. Those who derived their Orders only from Hereticks and Consequently never had any Succession from the Church were justly to be reputed as Unordain'd but those Ordain'd by Hereticks who had their Ordination originally from the Church and did not omit any thing necessary to the conferring of Orders had no occasion for Reordination And to let pass the distinction betwixt the Novatians and Cataphrygae made by the Nicene Fathers Optatus and St. Austin have both of 'em settled the point in their Controversy with the Donatists (a) Vinc. Lirin c. 11. p. 26. Ed. Cant. 1687 who pretended the Authority of the African Council for Rebaptizing the Catholicks Thus (b) In hoc Sacramento Baptismatis Celebrando tres esse Species Constat c. Optat. l. 5. p. 143. Edit Com. 1599. Optatus in Celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism there are three kinds of things which you can neither increase nor diminish nor pretermit The 1st is the Trinity The 2d in him that Believes The 3d. in him that does the Office but they are not all to be esteem'd of equal moment For I look upon two of 'em to be necessary and one as if it were necessary The Trinity obtains the principal place the Faith of him that Believes comes next after this and the Person of him that Ministers is nigh but cannot be of the same Authority The two former remain always unalterable and fixt for the Trinity is always the same and the Faith in several Persons is but one both always retain their proper Efficacy but the Person of him that Ministers is known that it cannot be equal to the two former sorts for this reason because it alone appears to be alterable c. And (c) Ibid. p. 141 142. a little before he acquaints us with the practice of the Church at that time As oft as any one Baptized by you i. e. the Donatists desires to come over to us we receive him according to the Example of our Master with all simplicity for far be it from us that we should call him back again to the Font who is already washed far be it from us that we should repeat that which is to be done but once or double that which is but one for so it is written by the
many other Apostolical Churches were the same The Churches of Rome and Corinth and most others were made out of Jews and Gentiles who had the same different apprehensions about Jewish Ceremonies as well as that at Jerusalem And therefore the difference was not betwixt Church and Church but betwixt the Members of the same Churches who were left at liberty by the Apostolical Synod except in three things And for that Reason the Gentile Dissenters cannot possibly be the Patrons of ours unless the Vindicator can shew that the Jewish Ceremonies were impos'd as ours are by some Christian Church If he can prove that Rules were given and Matters of Decence impos'd and that any Christians in that Age refus'd to submit to 'em let him name 'em as the Precedents of his Cause and Party I dare say That every Churchman will allow 'em to be so In the next Paragraph he is fond of the Notion which he quarrell'd with in the last so inconstant are those people that know not what they would have It fits the Independents as exactly as if it had been made for 'em for they hold a Vnity for Substance tho not for Circumstances they are united to all true Churches tho for condemning Bishops who are doubtless the principal and most necessary Members they partake of the same Table tho they set up Altar against Altar they are the same with us in the External Worship and Service of God tho in Covenant against us and they refuse to communicate with us either in Sacraments or Prayers They are all united to the Head tho not into one Body either among themselves or with others For that part of Unity I observe the Gent. passes over and with a great deal of Reason it being hard to find several Members united into One Body and yet still remaining all independent That wherein they differ from others is according to the Apostolical Mode That wherein others differ from them is nothing but Innovation Otherwise they are the same with all true Churches if you will believe this Gent. To all which I shall only apply and argue in the plain words of St. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us 1 John 2 1â—… Touching the Continuance of the Church he agrees with us p. 17. Only about the Authority of the Apostles he is pleas'd to fall out not apprehending how any Man can succeed the Apostles in their Apostolical Power If he means the Authority they had in the Church i. e. over the Presbyters and other Members we affirm Bishops to be their Succ ssors it being not reasonable to suppose that any Branch of Auth rity given by our Saviour to his Apostles died with them for if their Authority over the Presbyters expir'd with their Persons why should that over the People continue after 'em unless the Gentleman will suppose which I suppose he will not that the Laity are the only persons that need the Regulation of Superiours All Multitudes must have Governours and the common Presbyters are certainly oo Numerou a Populace to be all independent Let 'em submit therefore to Bishops their Successors as they did to the Apostles themselves especially till such times as you can find a Text to prove That the Apostles Commission was only a Patent for Life it being a Matter of such Consequence in the Vniversal Church that few will believe you upon your own bare Word As the Authority of the Apostles was Vniversal and extended to the whole World and was the same in all Churches p. 18. so Bishops do succeed them in the same Authority And if it were not for those Humane Agreements which the Vindicator cannot disallow the Government Ecclesiastical must be so exercised And I could wish the Gentleman would be pleas'd to consider whether a Bishop is not as truly a Bishop and a Presbyter as much a Presbyter in any other Man's Diocess or Parish as he is in his own Is he suspended or deprived when he 's out of his own bounds If not I hope he may be a Minister like the Apostles all the World over And yet the exercise of his Ministry confin'd within certain limits Nor do's this Notion give the Pope any greater power in England than it do's the Archbishop of Canterbury at Rome which is none at all On the contrary if Ordinary Pastors are Pastors only within their own Precincts Mr. H. and his Vindicator tho Ordain'd can be none because they exercise their pretended Ministry in other Mens Parishes He will not dispute the Episcopal Jurisdiction of Timothy and Titus but he tells us it signifies nothing till the nature and extent of that Office be first determin'd out of Scripture p. 18. As if the Epistles to Timothy and Titus were no Scripture We find Timothy appointed by St. Paul to examine the Qualifications of such as were to be Ordain'd to lay hands suddenly on no Man to receive Accusations and proceed judicially and to rebuke before all even Elders themselves if there were occasion Titus was to ordain Elders in every City to set things in order to rebuke with all authority to admonish and reject heretics And this power of Ordination and Jurisdiction wherewith Timothy and Titus were invested is what the Bishops have all along exercised and do still challenge at this day and therefore we justify the present Episcopal Authority by these two Scripture-Instances And as the Congregational Invention allows of no such Officers the most Ordinary Pastors call 'em Bishops or Presbyters or what you will being all independent without ever a Timothy or Titus to supervise and govern 'em by the same Scripture it stands condemn'd and is plainly contrary to the Apostolical Pattern And if the Office of Timothy and Titus was itinerant by reason of their frequent Removes from place to place as the Gent. supposes p. 19. our Bishops are extreamly like 'em in that particular their Office being always very itinerant in their Episcopal Visitations But this is an idle Fancy which he probably learn'd from Mr. Baxter an idle one I call it for if the Office of Timothy and Titus was really itinerant they were certainly out of their Office while they staid at home the one in Ephesus and the other in Crete tho doing that very business for which the Apostles plac'd 'em there which how well it agrees with Scripture and common Sence let every discerning Reader judge If none besides St. Paul were concern'd in the Ordination of Timothy and Titus Sed quod ab uno Apostolo gestum est id ab omnibus simul Apostolis gestum esse dicitur ob Collegium Consortium Apostolatus Vales Annot. in Philosâ—…org H. E. l. 3. c. 15. Sub imperatore Claudio loco duorum unicus Praefectus Praetorio Constitutus
Apostle saying there is one God one Christ one Faith one Baptism And St. Austin confirms the same thing 1st of all distinguishing aliud est non habere aliud pernitiose habere aliud salubriter habere Aug. l. 2. Cont. Ep. Parmen and then telling us concerning those that are separated from the Unity of the Church that there is now no question but that they both have and may confer both Orders and Baptism Sed pernitiose habent pernicioseque dant quia extra Vinculum pacis sunt and the same Father asserts the same Doctrine a little before in two cases First If any of the Schismatical Clergy be reconciled to the Church tho it seems expedient to allow them the exercise of their former Function yet are they not to be Reordained c. and Secondly If on the contrary the Church judges it not convenient to allow them any Ministration Vid. Tim. Proâ—… C. P. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ap Coteler Ec. Gr. Mon. T. 3. p. 420. E. Niceph. C.P. Epist Canonic Ibid. p. 459 c. Mason Brâ—…mhal Burnets Vind. p. 60. yet their Ordination is not hereby made void but continues with them still c. To this I might add the practice of the Greek Church in former Ages and the opinion of the Romanists at this day who altho they are as little friends to those they call Schismaticks as any People in the World yet the most Learned of them declare that no Man indeed ought to receive Orders from either Hereticks or Schismaticks and that both he that gives and he that receives them sin greivously yet where Hereticks or Schismaticks that Ordain were truely Ordained themselves and the Ordinations made by them according to the Forms of the Church such Ordinations are valid and Hereticks or Schismaticks so Ordained need no new Ordination but only to be reconciled And this we find alledged by Protestants against those Popish Enemies who sometime have urged the very same Argument against our first Bishops which this Vindicator makes use of now I wish this were the only instance wherein the Papists and Dissenters are agreed against us And now let the Gentleman take his Answer to this difficult question Whether Schismaticks can Ordain It being generally given in the Affirmitive if we may be allowed to believe as most People do the deriving of our Orders through a Schismatical Church can be no prejudice to the line of Succession And yet all those Persons who have thus determined concerning the validity of Schismatical Ordinations think Schismaticks out of the Church as much as T. W. Perhaps our Author expected to Triumph in this Concession and that made him call so earnestly for an Answer to this Question Supposing that if Ordinations made by Schismaticks are granted to be valid our present Non-conformists may find a place among the Clergy when ever Mr. Baxter and can obtain a Comprehension without a new Ordination but this we deny For although Schism do's not invalidate any mans Orders when they are really given yet this will be no plea for those who never were Ordained which must needs be the case of many of you who deny the Order of Bishops For we believe with St. Jerome that the Power of Ordaining belongs only to the Bishop and your Ordinations made by Presbyters are all Void and Null and till you can prove the contrary we take you for no more but a parcel of Lay-intruders into those Holy Functions to which you have no right those of you only excepted who have been Episcopally Ordain'd And those who have enquir'd more nicely into your Mission are apt to suspect that many of your first Apostles from whom several of you in all probability do derive your Orders never were Ordain'd and how to distinguish those from others at this day we cannot tell And this is an Observation which I suppose the Vindicator had never met with or else he would scarce have been so confidâ—…nt as to tell us p. 26. that they are in the Line still And yet it is hard to say whether he was not aware of some such thing or else what should make him so earnest as to lose so many Pages aga nst this Line of Succession which if it would do him no good would certainly do him no harm Methinks it is at least a Matter of Reputation to succeed the Apostles and therefore I can see no Reason why this Vindicator should take such pains to oppose it unless being conscious to himself that his Party has no pretence to it he would if it lay in his power make it void or needless to prevent others insisting upon it who he knows can make out a better Claim It has been the common practice of many others besides this Gent. to lay aside those Notions which their Circumstances would not bear and to find out New Devices with which they would more easily quadrate And therefore we cannot wonder that he looks upon Ordination to be no more but a Publick Approbation of Ministerial Abilities by competent Judges p. 26. Most of this Man's Party have no other Ordination and perhaps many of 'em not that Otherwise we know the Saints are as tenacious of Priviledges as other Men. And therefore if they could make any tolerable pretence to the Line of Succession they would magnifie it to the full as much as we do But why only a Publick Approbation of Miniseterial Abilities Does the Publick Approbation of a Man's Abilities invest him in his Office Will a Testimonial from the Inns of Court make a Man a Judge or from the Vniversities a Minister without any Commission from the King or Ordination from the Bishop or any body else But this is such a way of making Clergy-men as never was heard of before And indeed our Author himself puts in Two other Circumstances in the next page viz. That he be chosen by the rest and set apart by the most competent Judges which amounts to a great deal more than only a Publick Approbation And these Judges he supposes may be Lay-men in certain Cases of Necessity As in case that a Company of Lay-men be cast upon an Island or remain in same Countrey when their Pastors are all kill'd or turn'd Hereticks But in the first place I must put him in mind That as no Man is to meddle with the Sacred Offices except he he called of God no Man to preach except he be sent so no Man is to call or send as from God but he that is Authorized by him for that purpose Our blessed Saviour himself when he gave Commission to his Apostles recites his own All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go therefore c. Mat. 28.18 19. As my Father sent me so send I you John 20.21 And We hope our Dissenting Brethren when they go about to Ordain will not disdain to follow his Example In all Ages of the Church the calling or sending of persons to the Work of the Ministry
Apostle's authority and order 1 Cor. 5.3 4 5. to be delivered unto Satan by being excommunicated out of the Church for the destruction of the flesh that Satan having him in his power might torment his body with diseases and pains For such a power as this the Apostles had whereby they were more especially enabled to convict Heretics of Imposture who pretending to Miracles as well as the Apostles it was not easy for the common People to see which were in the right unless something extraordinary appeared on the one side more than the other And in this case nothing could be so proper as that power of inflicting punishments upon the very persons of the Wonder-workers They might equal the Apostles themselves in their pretences to Inspirations to Mystery and Knowledge Their Tricks and Conjurations might perhaps seem as strange to the common People as any true Miracles But when the Apostles inflicted miraculous punishments and yet they could neither save nor avenge themselves by all their power it would be plain enough to every one who it was that acted by the power of God and consequently which side were in the right and which Cheats and Impostors Thus St. Paul threatens the elated Gnostics to know their power 1 Cor. 4.19 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power i. e. it will not be so easy for you to judge by disputations c. who are the orthodox members of God's Church as by these more evident demonstrations of power which make the case plain to every man And yet the Apostle was always tender how he used those rigorous methods this power being given for edification and not for destruction 2 Cor. 13.10 it was only to be exerted upon the most notorious and incorrigible Offenders And this is the reason why we meet with so few instances of it and why the Apostle leaves it to their choice how he should deal with them What will ye shall I come unto you with a rod or in love and in the spirit of meekness 1 Cor. 4.21 And this power seems to be appropriate to the Apostles and their Successors the Bishops of that early Age For why else does the Apostle in the case of the incestuous Corinthian affirm himself to be present in spirit at the meeting of the inferior Ministers of the Church When ye are gathered together 1 Cor. 5.3 4 5. What matter whether the Apostle were present any way or not if his presence were no way necessary why should his spirit with the power of Christ be so emphatically mentioned ver 4. if the Assembly had that power of Christ so as to do it without him perhaps one reason might be because the Corinthian was a Doctor And we find the same authority over persons of that degree appropriated to the succeeding Bishops So Timothy might bestow the marks of Honour and likewise receive Accusations against an Elder and rebuke them that sinned before all so as to terrify others 1 Tim. 5.17 19 20. Titus was to rebuke sharply the Gnostic Prophets those who bore the like character in the Christian Church to that of Epimenides among the Heathen i. e. were Priests and Diviners to stop their mouths which was surely to silence them Tit. 1.11 12 13. So that the Apostles and Bishops who succeeded them in Authority had power to silence the schismatical Teachers which is all we contend for But neither they nor we are for silencing those Ministers that being duly ordain'd are sound and orthodox according to Mr. H's Supposition and whether he and his Vindicator belong to the former or the latter sort we are willing at any time to stand a fair Tryal As for his instance of Apollos it will do him but little service if Antiquity is to be credited which makes this very Apollos the first Bishop of Corinth and it is to be noted that there were Teachers and Ministers before and therefore if Apollos was the first Bishop he was of another Order And their boasted Father St. Jerome expresly tells us that upon this very Schism of the Corinthians * Hiâ—…ron in Comment ad Tiâ—…um In toto orbe decretum est ut unus de Presbyteris electus superponeretur caeteris ad quem omnis ecclesiae cura pertineret Schismatum semina tollerentur Not that there was no Episcopal Authority before this time it was lodged in the Apostles till now and this was the first time they communicated it to any other person With the like ingenuity Mr. H. expounds the second place in this Epistle where he finds the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 telling us First That it could not be meant of breach of Communion because they all came together into one place v. 20. Secondly That the Schisms were Quarrels and Contentions about some little things relating to the circumstances of public worship Thirdly That the quarrel seems to be obout the time of beginning their worship in every of which conjectures Mr. H. is grosly mistaken and seems not to have understood St. Paul's meaning as will appear if we consider First That altho it is true as I noted before that Schismatics did not as yet hold any separate Conventicles yet there was a most notorious breach of communion even at the Communion-Table and their miscarriages were so great and of such a kind as were scarcely reconcileable with the nature of a Sacramental Feast Insomuch that the Apostle tells 'em v. 20. When ye come together into one place This is not to eat the Lord's Supper and the reason was because they did not communicate one with another For in eating every one taketh before other his own Supper and one is hungry and another is drunken i. e. The rich who contributed more plentifully to the common feast did not suffer the poor to be sharers with them but snatcht up their own oblation and eat and drank it themselves So that those who by reason of their poverty brought little or nothing went away hungry and ashamed v. 21 22. Now this was so much a breach of communion that according to this practice there was really no communion at all The rich lookt upon what they brought as their own Supper to which no man else had any right and for this reason were so hasty to eat it up themselves that the poor had nothing So that while one party had nothing to eat and the rest ate every man his own without communicating one with another there was so great a violation of the designed communion that really they made it no communion at all And yet I can find no quarrels or contentions among them The rich who fed so plentifully had no reason to quarrel for they had their full share even to excess And altho the poor had really a just cause of complaint yet perhaps because they brought nothing they thought it not seemly to mutiny All the Apostle mentions concerning their behaviour is that they were hungry v. 21. and as
of the Law So that every duty you can name is included in it and every sin a violation of it The Thief breaks Charity when he picks his Neighbour's Pocket The Murderer when he cuts his Throat The Traytor when he conspires against his Prince And the Schismatic who makes Broils and Factions in the Church But still if any one should ask you Pray Sir What is Treason and you should answer Vncharitableness What is Murder Vncharitableness What is Theft Vncharitableness What is Schism Vncharitableness I believe no man would take you for a Conjurer in Logic any more than in Divinity And yet this is all that Mr. M. H. has done towards furnishing the world with a New Notion of Schism and to acquire to himself the glorious Titles of Modest and Ingenious which the Vindicator so liberally bestows upon him pag. 3. which how well he deserves let the Reader judge and upon these doughty premisses he founds his Description of Schism which ought I suppose to have been a definition that being much more proper for a Man of Art and much more suitable to his design of giving you the true nature or formalis ratio which are things a little too nice to be regularly inferred from every bungling Description And having thus far enquired into Mr. H's Account let us now return to the Vindicator I fancy they are both of a Family and therefore let us see whether he may not put in a better claim to the aforesaid Titles He acquits Mr. H. pag. 4. from being Author of the Reply fearing lest he should have a share in the credit of it of which there was no great danger for every body at first sight was willing to discharge Mr. H. it being not easy to imagine that he that could be the Author of such a Book as that of Schism should ever be able to make any tolerable Vindication In the next page he condemns T. W. for preferring Churchmen before Dissenters i.e. his Friends before his Enemies To this I shall only answer That it is natural to all Mankind and his own usual practice and therefore I may as well blame the Vindicator upon the same score especially for so partially preferring Mr. H. before Dr. Hammond p. 49. He boasts pag. 6. how early he and his Party were aware of the Advances of Popish designs I would fain know where their Eyes were during the whole Reign of King James II. and the Toleration of King Charles when according to the sense of all wise Men the Popish Agents were most industrious In all the glare of Gospel-light these Gentlemen could see no danger but rather did all they could to shelter and hide the design from other observing Protestants Dr. W. * Vox Cler. p. 10. had 100 l. for writing a Book to that purpose Lobb and Owen were in Fee with King James Several of the principal Nonconformists assisted in the management of the Jesuitical Intrigue Many of their present Patrons were the Men pitcht upon at Court to compleat our Ruine by repealing the Penal Laws and Tests and thereby letting Papists into the Parliament and their Priests into our Churches No Man among them opened his mouth against the common Foe or endeavoured to fortify his Conventicle against Popish delusions And in the whole Catalogue * Vid. Catalogue of all the Discourses published against Popery during the Reign of K. James II. p. 33. printed at Lond. A. D. 1689. of Authors that appeared during that Reign in the defence of our Religion there were but Two Nonconformists in all England who had the Honesty and Courage to set Pen to Paper in those Controversies So that altho' these Gentlemen can be aware of Popery as soon as any People living perhaps when the greatest danger is what themselves invent yet as the wise man observes A Gift blindeth the Eyes Sprinkle a little Money among their Leaders and give a Toleration to the rest that the Subjects may be paying in the Countrey while the King pays them at London they are all easy and well satisfied while they are all getting money so that do what you will they apprehend no danger I appeal to the Memory of all England whether this be not the Case I appeal to your own Consceences wishing that you may repent and beg pardon For I must tell you further and perhaps it will be a kindness to let you know it that however successful you may seem to your selves in preserving your Reputatton among the less discerning Mob yet the more sober and thinking People are very much scandaliz'd at these Practices and sometimes do not stick to say That your zeal against Popery is all counterfeit your design only to get uppermost and that you can either rail against the Papists or join with them whether way soever does best fit your purpose of ruining the Church Nay some uncharitable People go further and say That since you join'd with Popery against the Church more than ever you did with the Church against Popery they are afraid lest if that Religion should prevail which God forbid you would be a great deal better Conformists than you are now He is again angry with T.W. for mentioning those great Men who have written in defence of the Church pag. 6. and endeavours to oppose him with another Catalogue of baffled Names Reynolds Cartwright Blondel Amies Daille c. People that have been so fully answer'd and confuted by Mr. Hooker Dr. Hammond Bishop Pearson Mr. Dodwell and others that if the power of Reason could ever prevail against Interest and Prejudice a Man would think there needed no further Arguings with these Gentlemen whether this be so or not we are willing to refer with him to the judgment of all disinterested persons if the Vindicator will but tell us where we may have a Councel of those who are truly such For to me the whole Christian world seems to be concerned in these Controversies Those who have a Liturgy and Ceremonies or Bishops as well as we and those that would have all these if their circumstances were so happy are certainly for us And as for that smaller Party who are for none of these and are most of them confined within our King's Dominions they are all biassed and interessed against us so that in rejecting the judgment of every interessed Party methinks the Gentleman learnedly appeals to no body at all Only perhaps the Turks Jews and Heathens in his Opinion may be proper Judges who I confess are not much interess'd in the quarrels among Christians And yet taking in all Mankind which must surely comprehend those that lived in former Ages as well as the present and I am sure they do not appear to be the Patrons or Friends of his Schism the Jews must condemn him upon the same Principles as they did the Samaritans the Turks and Persians laid too much stress upon the business of Succession and the most rever'd Laws of the noblest body of Heathens that
Tartary or as T. W. advis'd them the grand Signior if he pleases if the sanctity of the Preachers the Spirituality and simplicity of Doctrine and Worship after the Congregational way If zeal against Ceremonies without adoring any sort of Religion will do the business We shall soon see whether the Independent or the Jesuit are more successful for there lies the controversie the Divines of the Church of England are no way concern'd having not been much accustomed to travel upon that errand It seems he never heard that the Apostles did actually preach the Gospel to all nations neither do I believe they did to all Countries and to every person in every Nation But if he will give us leave to expound it of some persons out of all Nations which I suppose was all that T. W. meant and the thing is true for St. Peter we read preach'd Acts 2. and his Congregation consisted of people in all probability out of every nation under heaven Acts 2.5 That the primitive Bishops had the power of ordination and government whereby their authority did exceed that of meer Presbyters and that the Churches of several Presbyters were united under the government and care of one Bishop has been sufficiently evinc'd by divers learned Pens particularly that of Ephesus one of the famous Seven in Asia has been again and again prov'd to be so govern'd And this is all that we need to contend for but if nothing less will satisfie him than having every Diocese acred that he may know exactly the extent which he so briskly calls for p. 13. let him be at the charge of it himself we for our parts are well contented with less ado unless it were to more purpose The primitive Dioceses being never suppos'd to be all equal but some greater and some less as well as the modern Neither is it necessary to shew that their modes of worship were exactly the same with ours the Vindicator himself assures us that they did not agree among themselves about the circumstances of worship and then how can he expect that they should all agree with us That they us'd and impos'd things of the same nature with what he calls our modes and that our Governors are warranted in doing the like by their example and Authority is all we need to shew and that has been done often enough already by divers hands We confess that Bishop and Angel are not convertible terms and yet suppose St. John had said Angels of each Church in the plural number instead of Angel in the Singular I would know how any man could prove Episcopacy from those texts And surely where an Argument may be made from the number in which a word is us'd he is not far amiss that should say such a thing is plain from that word He triumphs in the next paragraph p. 14.15 as if he had found the Independent notion in one of T. W's assertions Nay he cannot see how there should be a multiplication or plurality of Churches till the increase of believers according to the Episcopal model If the Gentleman will be pleased to put on his spectacles I will endeavour to shew him how Suppose then that one parcel of converts were made at Jerusalem another at Corinth another at Ephesus another at Antioch and another at Rome and a Bishop and Presbyters constituted over each particular Church I desire him to consider whether this will not be the thing which T. W. spoke of viz. A multiplication or plurality of Churches by the increase of believers without any necessity of supposing that Churches must multiply like Bees only by sending out a Colony when the Hive is too full And suppose a Colony were sent out under the conduct of a Presbyter and he still under the government of the same or another Bishop I suppose this would do the business without any great service to the Congregational way But why did not the Vindicator give us some Scriptue-instances of this famous notion For if a Colony must needs be sent out under independent Officers when ever believers grow too numerous for one Assembly it may surely be proved that some time or other it was so And therefore I must call upon Mr. Vindicator for matter of fact which unless he can produce and I am pretty sure he cannot he must not expect that much credit should be given to him It being a little too much for him to impose his notions upon us as if they were all according to Scripture and yet not one Text to be found for them I would fain know how many Congregations there were in the Church of Jerusalem when the believers increased to so vast a number in so short a time Three thousand you meet with converted Acts 2.41 More daily added v. 47. Five thousand you find mentioned Acts 4.4 Multitudes both of men and women added c. 5.14 And yet still the word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith c. 6.7 Now I desire him to give me his Answer to these following Queries Whether all this number of Believers did make one Congregation or more Whether or no they were under the Government of only one Bishop Whether each of them was known to his Bishop and to one another Whether they could not be Members of the same Church till they were all personally acquainted Did they all ordinarily meet in one place to worship God And if so where was it Were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so capacious Or did the Jews lend the Temple for an ordinary Meeting-place to the Christians How the Preacher could be heard by all this Multitude at once Whether the vigor and strength of his Lungs or the thinness of Jerusalem air did enable and qualifie him for that loud Performance Or whether he had the Conqueror's Engine or Sir Samuel Morland's Speaking Trumpet Or a peculiar sort of voice like Mr. Baxters Friend who preach'd to a Congregation of ten thousand men so that they could all hear him and yet his voice was none of the loudest I desire his information in these particulars that we may see whether it be likely that the Church of Jerusalem did increase and multiply in the Congregational way but we hope he will not stir a syllable from the sacred Text that being no way proper for a man that receives nothing but express Scripture In the next Paragraph he falls foul upon one of his own blunders And because T. W. affirms that all other Churches were one with that of Jerusalem all united in one body under one head Christ Jesus thinks he confounds him mightily by proving a variety in circumstances of worship as if to say that those Churches were united in one body and that all Members agreed in every circumstance of worship were the same thing and he that confutes the latter confutes the former also He might have consider'd that even in that variety
this Case the Line would be right enough and all that can be said is That there was One Vsurper in the Line of Jurisdiction who never was within the Line of Order and consequently could make no intercision in it And perhaps to prevent any Irregularity in the Succession of that Order the Apostles gave the Example and the Church enjoyn'd That a Bishop should be ordain'd by Three at least Apâ—…st c. 1. Con. Nican c. 4. Con. Areâ—… c. 21. Con. Laodic c. 12. Con. Paris 1. c. 6 c. and likewise that he should be Constituted with the Approbation of his Metropolitan and Com-Provincials which practices were certainly a very great security to the Right Succession it being not very likely That all the Bishops of a Province should be so extreamly careless to suffer an irregular Ordination and the Persons concern'd to Consecrate all void of that Character which they pretended to bestow After all That ever any Abbot that was no Bishop did ordain Bishops I do utterly deny Adamnanuâ—… in his Life of Columba Adamn Vit. Col. Vsh Primorâ—… makes mention of a Bishop in the Abby of Hy and that there was always one residing there is confirmed by Bishop Vsher out of the Vlsleâ—… Annals And perhaps the Bishop of Dâ—…nkeld as the Learned Bishop of St. Asaph conjectures joyn'd in the Consecration of Bishop Aldan Finan Bp. of St. Asaph of â—…h Gov. p. 102. and Colman had the like Ordination But Tuda the next in Succession was ordain'd a Bishop among the South Scots in Ireland So that should we allow his Instance true viz. That Aâ—…dan Finan and Colman were ordained by the Abbot yet that Succession at Lindisfarn in all likelihood fail'd in Colman and the Line of Order was right in Tuda and consequently his Marginal Instance is nothing to the purpose an Instance that has been frequently urg'd by the Nonconformists against Episcopacy and as often confuted from the most Authentick History of those Times by divers Learned Men Vind. C. E. cap. 9. Vind. Ignat. par 1. c. 10. Orig. Brit. Ch. Gov. c. 5. Barbos Past p. 2. All. 3. Num. 3.4 c. Maur. de Alz. de Prac. Episc Dig. p. 2. c. 5. Num. 6 7 8 9. Aquin. Sup. q. 38. ar 1. Res ad ter Vid. Victor in Sum. Num. 216. Sect. de Sac. Ord. Non facile credeâ—…em Victor in sum Num. 237. quem seq Vivald in Candel aureo p. 1. tit de Sacram. Ordin Num. 17. In fine asserenti se vidisse quandam Bullam Papae concedentem facultatem sacerdoti conferendi Diac. Sub. Diac. Barbos Past p. 2. Al. 3. N. 4. Ap. c. 67. Nicaen c. 19. Con. C. P. c. 4 Bishop Bramhâ—…ll Bishop Pearson the present Bishop of Worcester and St. Asaph and Mr. Dodwell have so fully Answer'd this business of Hy that a Man would wonder at the Confidence of this Gent. that he should still hope to impose the same Mistake upon the World Nor does the Church of Rome allow that an Abbot who is no Bishop should Consecrate a Bishop They are so far from allowing it that their Canonists generally declare that the Pope himself cannot impower any Presbyter to Ordain so much as a Deacon An Abbot who has Jus Mitrae Bacuâ—… a Cardinal or an Ordinary Presbyter by Commission from the Pope may confer the lesser Orders but not the greater or those which are called Sacred viz. those of Bishop Priest and Deacon nay even as to the lesser Thomas Aquinas Joh. Major and Paludanus Affirm that it is safer to receive the Order of Sub-Deacon from another than from such a priviledged Presbyter And altho Anguianus and some few more are of opinion that the Pope might Impower a Presbyter to confer the Higer Orders yet it never was the allowed practice of that Church And I challenge him to produce so much as one instance of any Abb t that was no Bishop who ever Consecrated a Bishop As for Sub-Deacons and such people who are sometimes Ordainâ—…d by Abbots the Gentileman knows well enough we have no occasion for 'em in England and therefore the Succession of our Bishops may be just and regular notwithstanding this first Case As to the Second viz. Whether this line of Ordina ion may be continued in a Schismatical Church We Answer 1st That such was the care of the Primitive Church so great a regard they had to a right Succâ—…ssion that they who thought the Ordination of certain Hereticks void such as the Paâ—…lianists and Montanists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. decreed 'em to be Ordained by a Catholick Bishop And it is likewise determin'd by the first Council of Constantinople concerning the Ordinations made by Maximus Cymicus that they are all null they neither allowing him to be a Bishop not those Ordained by him to enjoy any Function among the Clergy And in the Roman Church Bâ—â—n Tâ—m 9. p. 2â—4 Pâ—â—tin dâ— Vâ— Pont. p. 22.4 Contra â—â—ephanum III. alâ—s IV. Mabill in Ordiâ— Rom. Com. p. cxix particularly those ordain'd by Constantine the Lay-Invader of the Papal Chair were by a Council under Stephen the Third or Fourth to return to their former Orders unless they were in great Esteem with the People and in that Case they were to be re-ordain'd by the Church and for fear of laying the Foundations of a future Schism it was further decreed That none of 'em should be promoted to any higher degrees By these and many other Instances it is plain what Care the Church has taken to re-ordain or utterly silence those whose Orders they thought void And lest any such persons should creep into strange places and there invade that Office to which they had no Right No Man either of the Clergy or Laity Ap. 〈◊〉 12. con 〈◊〉 30 con 〈◊〉 c. 33. 〈…〉 C. 〈◊〉 c. 7. con 〈◊〉 c. 12. con Elizbeâ—â— c. 51. was to hold Communion with 'em under pain of incurring the Ecclesiastical Censures No Clergy Man was to go abroad without Commendatory Letters no bishop to be ordain'd without the Knowledge and Consent of his Metropolitan and the Neighbouring Bishops No Heretick to be admitted into Orders and if ordain'd to be depos'd No Man to ordain in another's Province By which and seveâ—â—l other Canons it became extreamly difficult for any such Hereticks or Schismaticks whose Orders they thought void to make any considerable intercision in the Line of Succession But I can see no Reason why the Line of Ordination may not pass through a Schismatical Church For although by Schism People are out of the Church and while they continue so cannot enjoy the benefit either of Ordination or Sacraments yet to say That â—â—â—h are absolutely destroy'd and nullify'd so that a â—â—â—â—…matick lâ—â—â— the Characters and can neither be a Christian 〈…〉 i. e. not the Subject of Apostolical Power 'till he be 〈◊〉 â—â—â— baptiz'd and ordain'd is an Assertion beyond all that I câ—â—â—…d ever yet meet with The
has still been the business of a select Order of Men Neither is it to be alter'd now except our Author can shew us a Text of Scripture whereby Laymen are impower'd to Ordain the Clergy or some Scripture Instance to justifie that Practice And if this cannot be done I should be loth to be one of those Laymen though never so discreet and knowing that shouâ—…d presume to appoint Embassadors for Almighty God without his Order Neither can I see any Reason why a Man may not as well be a Minister of Jesus Christ without any Mission at all as by the Mission of those persons who never were sent themselves As to the Three Cases wherein ou Author supposes that such Lay-Ordinations became Necessary we have no Instances before us in Ecclesiastical History of that kind nor any particular direction in Scripture to do as he thinks we may And therefore we cannot tell what Method God Almighty would take in such Cases whether he would revive the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and call persons to the Ministry after an extraordinary manner that hereby the Authority might again appear to be derived from himself rather than accept of such unauthorized Ministers as are only propounded by the People Nor is it so easie to guide our selves by Arguments drawn from seeming Necessity in cases where there is no such Necessity at all For instance Suppose that a Company of Christian Women were cast upon an Island whether would one of them of the best Qualifications chosen by the rest and approv'd and set apart by the most competent Judges among 'em to administer in Holy Ordinances to them be a true Minister of Jesus Christ and a Lay Person no longer Here is the same Necessity which our Author supposes And if the Case holds as to the Men I can see no Reason why the Women whose Salvation is as Necessary should be rejected But if a well-qualified Sister should happen to win the Hearts of the most competent Judges in Mr. H's Congregation she must according to our Author's Argument be a truâ—… Clergywoman at their next Election Suppose that the Sacred Scriptures should be totally destroy'd or so corrupted by Hereticks that it were impossible to learn out of 'em the great Christian Trutâ—…s would not Papists upon this Supposal cry up the Use of Vnwritten Tradition and the great Necessity of an Infallible Judge Would not the Socinian argue stiffly for Natural Religion which might be practis'd well enough after all that loss And why should not the Quaker put in for a share and prefer the Conduct of Inward Light which may easily survive the Written Word And yet what Orthodox Believer would abate his Reverence for Scripture upon the Inferences of such People No more will it become us to admit Lay-Ordinations up n that of our Author from this Supposal of Necessity As wise Men as he would have concluded another way Not that Laymen are to Ordain Ministers but that where Ministers aâ—…e wanting People may either minister to themselves or communicate without Symbols or forbear till such times as Ministers can be had Why may not Almighty God as well dispense with some One of these things as with a Lay-Ordination And therefore when so many other Courses may be taken I would know by what Logick this Vindicator can prove That Lay Ordinations become Necessary And if not Necessary all his Argument is at an end whereby he would make 'em lawful I believe there never was any Case of Absolute Necessity for Lay-Ordinations but if possibly such should happen as the Gentleman mentions I am apt to believe that Bishops and Ministers duly ordain'd might be had from other Countries And if not methinks it would be reasonable and fit that we should first see what God would do in such Cases before we presume to do any thing of our selves for which we have no Scripture Warrant In the nighest Cases to his those of the Abyssines c. 't is plain the Persons concern'd were of a quite contrary Opinion to that of our Author The Abyssines did not think their want of Ordinances did impower 'em to Ordain Clergymen but were contented to be without those which are to be dispens'd by Priests till such times as Frumentius return'd from Alexandria who was there made a Bishop by Athanasius and his Colleagues in Council And yet they serv'd God in the best manner that Laymen could do They had their Conventicula Meeting-houses as Ruffinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oratories or places for Prayer as Socrates Buffin H.B. l. 1. c. 1â—… Soc. H. E. l. 1. c. 19. Sunt enim Conventicula loca privata inquibus collectae fiunt ab illis distinguuntur Ecclesiae quae sunt publici juris c. Vales Annot. in Sec. l. 1. c. 19. but not to be call'd Churches as Valesius distinguishes They Catechiz'd but did not Preach They pray'd but had no Sacraments that we read of And when Frumentius came back like an Apostle of the Country he was Endowed with the Power of Working Miracles as the most Authentick Evidence both of his Doctrin and Mission Nâ—…w if those Christians had been of this Author's Opinion it might have sav'd Frumentius the Fatigue of so long a Journy for the Christian Merchants at Auxumae might have Chosen and Approv'd and set him apart and without ever troubling Athanasius he had been a true Minister of Jesus Christ sufficiently Authoriz'd to the Work Vindic. p. 27. and a Lay Person no longer And if Oswald King of Northumbria had but understood the Nature of Ordination like this learned Gentleman he needed not have sent to the Abbot of Hy for Bishops he and his Privy Council or others of his Christian Subjects might have ordain'd enough For probably there were not only Christians but Presbyters in Northumbria at that time Twelve Thousand being baptiz'd according to Nennius and Paulinus their Archbishop Nen. H. Prit c. 65. Vid. chronic sanct cru Edin ad an 627. Angl Sac. Tom. 1. Hist de Success Ep. Dunelm ib. p. 691. with the Assistaâ—…ce of Edwin their King having spent six years in planting and setling Christianity there and but two years betwixt his going off and Bishop Aidan's coming thither And unless the Gent. can shew the contrary viz. That none of the former Converts were then remaining or if they were that none of 'em were better qualified none more competent Judges than the rest but all alike It is plain by their practice that they were not of his Opinion When ever a new People were Converted to the Faith great care was always taken to have a Lawful Ministry among 'em both Bishops and Presbyters duly Ordain'd Ruffin H. E. l. 1. c. 10. For this Reason the Iberians dispatch'd an Embassy to Constantine desiring that Priâ—…sts might be sent ' em Soz. H. E. l. 6. c. 38. And when the Saracens were Converted Mavia their Queen desires that Moses a Saracen might be the Bishop
talk of Lewd and Extravagan Caresses between Ambitious Princes and Aspiring Churchmen Vind. p. 28. while those of his own Party are extant and may be seen Though it should be granted That Ceremonies have no Moral Goodness in them as he says is acknowledged p 28. yet Decency has which we think will not easily be preserv'd without them and that it is fit they should be chosen and impos'd by the Authority and Wisdom of Superiours For if otherwise Religious Offices were to be perform'd according to the Opinion and Will of every Rude and Phantastical Person we see by the Practice of Conventicles where that Liberty is taken how awkardly they would be manag'd to the great Scandal and Offence of the more Ingenious and Sober People Nor is it easilie to be imagined That God Almighty should be better pleas'd with the Rudeness of their Worship than with the Decency of ours Especially considering That besides the Practice of the Church in all Ages we have the Injunction of the Apostle That all things be done decently and are to Worship God with our Bodies as well as with our Souls which are God's As to the Ceremonies of our Church in particular they are so few and easie that he must certainly be a Man of more than ordinary Peevishness or less than ordinary Sence that can take 'em for Incumbrances upon the Worship of God The Vindicator himself upon Second Thoughts will not under pretence of Spirituality Vind. p. 38. reject the Natural Decorum of an Action in the Worship of God which I am very glad to hear And if he will but do One Thing more viz. allow the Bishops and Clergy in Convocation to be fitter Judges of that Decorum than every mean and half-witted Pastor there would be very little more requir'd from him I am confident when this is done that people will be better reconcil'd to our Ceremonies than to suffer themselves to be Excommunicated and Damn'd for not complying with them as the Vindicator talks page 28. In the mean time if any Man be so stiff and peevish or malicious against the Church as to deprave her Ceremonies and so far despises her Jurisdiction and Government that he will not vouchssafe an Appearance to the most Legal Summons nor yield to the most Reasonable and Just Monitions in that Case she does pursue our Saviour's Rule He that neglects to hear the Church we think ought to be reckon'd as an Heathen Man and a Publican or in the Language of the UNITED MINISTERS When all due Means for the reducing him prove ineffectual Heads of Agreement Tit. 3. Sect. 4. he having hereby cut himself off from the Church's Communion the Church may justly esteem and declare it self discharg'd of any further Inspection over him And in this practice the mildest Protestant Churches agree with us Eccles Dis of the Reform Churches of France transl into Eng. 1642. The Reformed Churches of France having us'd a Coercive Power over their inferiour Members Those that should stir up Strife or Contention to disâ—…oyn or break the Vnion of their Church concerning some Point of their Doctrine or Discipline or about the Method Matter or Stile of the Catechism though of Humane Composition or the Administration of the Sacraments Publick Prayers c. shall be censur'd as Rebellious Persons And in case they will not renounce their Errors then they are to be cut off from the Church If the Pastor or Elder do it he shall presently be suspended from his Charge and Imployment and be proceeded against at the next Ecclesiastical Synod If he teaches False Doctrine and persists after Admonition If he is not obedient to the Admonition of the Consistory or Convicted of Heresie Schism or Rebellion against Ecclesiastical Order he is to be depos'd If he thrusts himself into the Ministry where there is pure preaching already and will not deâ—…it when warn'd of it he is to be quite cut off and proceeded against as the Synod shall think fit And the same Course is to be taken with all his Followers And at the End of that Book we are told That this Order and Discipline had been resolv'd and concluded on by no less than Twenty Seven National Synods from 1559 to 1637 c. Now if these Reformed Churches of France were not to be Censur'd as Uncharitable for the Establishment and Exercise of this Discipline I know no Reason why ours should lie under that imputation In the next Paragraph he finds fault with T. W's Notion of of the Communion of Saints but gives none of his own whether for fear lest he should mistake or lest his own Party should be condemn'd by it I shall not now enquire It is certainly a nice Point for Separatists to manage It being hard for those that neither Pray with nor receive the Sacraments nor live under the Government of any Church to Demonstrate plainly how they hold Communion with all as this Vindicator confidently pretends However though he could establish nothing himself yet that he may do something towards finding fault with T. W. he proceeds to examine his aggregate description of the Communion of Saints which he tells you consists of these things First A firm belief of all the Articles of Faith contain'd in the Apostolical Nicene and Athanasian Creeds Now this mightily offends him 1st Because it was not said in Scripture as if he that believes those Creeds did not believe Scripture Those Creeds tho of human composition Symbolum Apost exigi coepit ubi variae Haereses in Ecclesiam irruperant Voss de tribus Symb. Dis 1. c. 14. yet are according to Scripture and contain the Faith into which Christians are Baptized They are the Symbola wherein the Orthodox of all Countreys agree and whereby they have distinguished themselves in several Ages from those Hereticks which did not assent to them The two former have been generally received and admitted into the Liturgies of the Eastern and Western Churches and therefore it is strange how the Vindicator can suppose that the Greek and other Eastern Churches are shut out by this condition of Communion 'T is true in the Article of the Procession they objected against the Latins the addition of Filioque in the Nicene or Constantinopolitan Creed and perhaps not untruly considering that in the old Ordo Romanus published by Hittorpius wherein that Creed is ordered to be used in both Languages these words tho in the Latine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui ex patre filioque procedit qui cum patre filio simul adoratur Hittorp Ord. Rom. de Div. Offic. p. 39. Ed. Col. 1568. Vide Voss de tribus 9. symbol Diss 3 c. 20. c. yet are omitted in the Greek But nevertheless they us'd the Creed and from them it came Originally into the Latine Church And as to that which we receive under the Name of Athanasius those among the Greeks who thought it to be his had always a very great veneration
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Vid. Dodw. in Irenae Dis 1. Sect. XVII and that there were no Subordinate Presbyters to do the same thing by the Bishops Order in other Congregations within his Diocess And that there were more Congregations than one under the Bishop of Smyrna is evident from that Passâ—…ge of Ignatius in his Epistle to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ig. ad Smyrn Let no man perform any of those things which belong to Publick Assemblies without the Bishop That Eucharist is to be thought valid which is either under him or at least which he allowed What had he to do to allow the Eucharist in Congregations Independent upon him and to talk of giving allowance to himself in his own is to great a Blunder for Ignatius to be charged with So that all the distinction here made is betwixt a Congregation under the Bishop viz. that where he was Personally present and another Congregation Assembled by his permission and allowance and must consequently imply that in the Church of Smyrna there were several Congregations under one Bishop what relates to Servants is nothing to this purpose in Ignatius whatever it was in our Authors Head Nor is the Second Alligation more regular or just than the former Antistitis manu in Tertullian for thence it came Originally by way of Mr. Baxter to our Author referring not to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Aquam adituri ibidem sed aliquanto prius in Ecclesia sub Antistitâ—… manu contestamur nos Renunciare Diaibolo c. Eucharistiae Sacramentum in Tempore victus Omnibus mandatum a Domino etiam antelucanis Caetizbus nec de Aliorum manu quam praesidentium sumimus Tert. De Cor. Milit. c. 3. but to the Form of Renouncing the Devil c. which was preparatory to Baptism and the persons to be Baptized did it sub Antistitis manu for ex as this Man quotes it would have made it Non-sence Tertullian does indeed speak of the Lords Supper not to be Received nisi de Praesidentium manu But this will do our Author no Service The word Praesidentium including the Bench of Presbyters as well as the Bishop in Cathedra Vid. Pears Vind. Ignat. p. 2. c. 13. Assert 2. Dod. in Iren. Dis 1. Sect. VII Nor will the Passage out of Irenaeus which he so hastily misapplies if fully cited and understood afford any advantage to his cause Presbyters in that Father oftentimes denoting the Age rather than the Office of those Persons meant by it as divers Learned Men have already observed And in that Sence not only Presbyters but likewise Bishops Deacons and Laymen might be comprehended under that Title And accordingly Irenaeus distinguishes by divers Characters telling them what sort of Elders they were to hearken to Qua propter eis qui in Eccles sunt Pres obaudire oportet hiis qui Successionem habent ab Apostolis sicut ostendimus qui cum Episc Successione charisma veritatis Certum secundum placitum Patris acceperunt Iren. l. 4. c. 4 3. Iren. l. 4. c. 43 viz. First Eis qui in Ecclesia sunt those who are within the Pale of the Church Secondly Hiis qui Successionem habent ab Apostolis c. those who had the Succession from the Apostles and who together with the Succession in their Episcopal Charge did receive the sure Gift of Truth according to the Will of the Father Whence it is plain that Irenaeus in this place means Bishops only when he talks of the Apostles Successors And therefore our Authors Inference in behalf of Presbyters having their Succession from the Apostles as well as Bishops is out of Doors Irenaeus reckons up the Bishops of Rome in order as they Succeeded to Eleutherius then Bishop who was the Twelfth from the Apostles concluding Hac Ordinaâ—…ione Successione c. by this Ordination and Succession that Tradition which is in the Church from the Apostlâ—…s and the Preaching of the Truth is handed down to us From which it is plain that Succession in their days was more than bare Conformity to the Apostles Model in Government and Worship For they Succeedded the Apostles First In Power and Authority So Irenaeus quibus etiam ipsas Ecclesias Committebant quos Successores relinquebant suum ipsorum Locum Magisterii tradentes Secondly In Place So Linus was constituted the Successor of St. Peter and St. Paul at Rome and Irenaeus tells us further that they made him Bishop And therefore if his Successors afterwards mentioned kept up to the Apostles Model they must likewise derive their Office as he did from Persons invested wâ—…th the same Character and Consequently as Linus was Ordained by the Apostles who had that Episcopal Authority in themselves which they conferred upon him So the rest down to Eleutherius must be Ordained by Bishops And if so let our Author consider with himself whether his Notion or ours is nearer in all Points to the sense of those Times When I consider how nice and strict this Gentleman was in the Notion of Succession P. 19. 20 that he could not allow Two Bishops to Succeed One Apostle nor One to Succeed Two I cannot but wonder that in the Writing of 16 Pages his Head should grow so loose as to make it no more than Conformity to the Apostles Model in Government and Worship Surely if this be the truest Sence as the Gentleman affirms One Bishop may Succeed Two Apostles or One Apostle be Succeeded by Twenty Bishops without any such absurdity or Blunder as our Author cries out against in the fore-quoted Pages We all grant that for Persons wilfully to withdraw themselves from such particular Churches as are framed according to Scripture Rules and impose no new or needless Terms is to Act Schismatically because such willfull Separation when nâ—… cause is giuen cannot be without breach of Charity with our fellow Christians Page 37. Yes it may through the prejudices of Education or for want of understanding People may take that to be New which is very Old and that which is very Decent and Fit to be Imposed to be altogether Needless and withdraw themselves from particular Churches fram'd according to Scripture Rules when purely out of mistake they think them otherwise They may be led by Interest or won over by perswasion to a new Communion and yet have no hard thoughts of that Church or its Members which they left I cannot believe that every Dissenter at his first going off from the Church of England does immediately hate us I find several of 'em very Kind aâ—…d Affable Persons And yet if our Author has granted Right all their Charity though a very good and commendable thing cannot excuse 'em from the Guilt of acting schismatically And because our Author has granted this I shall grant likewise That Schism is frequently the Effect of Uncharitableness which perhaps was all that honest Mr. H. meant when he call d it formalis ratio People