be pruned and disciplined by repentance Now it is an invincible sign that that branch is yet knit to the body because its livelihood is repaired by pruning not grafting again and this according to the Analogy betwixt a natural body and its members and the Church and her members Secondly Draw the proportion from a Politick body a Corporation Suppose a Corporation with this fundamentall clause in its Statutes that whosoever is once admitted though he may be thrust out of it for such and such offences though he thrust himself out yet if he return again making satisfaction although not of equality yet such acknowledgement as being ordained by Law shall be accepted this man shall be admitted into his former community of the priviledges of that Corporation This man by being once admitted loseth not this union untill he come unto that condition of never laying hold of the priviledges of that Charter he keeps his union though he enjoys not the communion of that Corporation This is the state of this apostatizing man and by the Laws of God granted by all he is upon these terms admitted again whether he thrust himself out of the communion or be thrust out Thus this man in Answer to the former Argument is at the same time in the state of a man that is damned having put himself out of Noahs Ark the Church in which alone is salvation and without repentance and untill repentance which is commonly called Secunda post naufragium tabula he is in that state of damnation and yet if he lay hold on that planck after his shipwrack he shall be saved and hath title to a room in that Ship a place in that Corporation and this is the union I labour for and that which sufficeth to answer mine own Argument and Hookers the same member is at the same time a member of Christs mysticall body and in the state of damnation a member though not lively but only living and in the state of dead men and without repentance must be in that state for ever yet by his Baptism hath a foundation for that to work upon thus to my self then to Mr. Hooker This man who is baptized is still by that Covenant in the Church Tanquam pars in toto though not tanquam locatum in loco he is a member in the first act though he by his sins and opposition neither may nor can use any priviledge of a member in the second act to receive blessings from or with them like a dead branch dead to the second act though alive in the union he hath not lost his membership by these acts but only communion in the second SECT VI. Another Argument answered ANother Argument I can frame somewhat like this former out of Scripture First from Rom. 8. 1. as it is urged after by such who draw Conclusions from curtalled Scripture There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus These Apostates who are baptized by your Doctrine should be in Christ therefore there should be no condemnation to them which is impossible to be for if there be none to them then there is none to any This Argument may be blown away by the very air and breath of the following words rather than need any Answer for the following words are who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit But to such who are in Christ by Baptism and in their lives are far from him their condemnation is more abundantly just and their very Baptism by which they Covenanted to serve God will arise in judgement against them Again it may be Objected John 10. That Christs sheep hear his voice and follow him these run away from him therefore not his sheep It may be Answered His sheep who are in his fold do hear his voice so long as they keep in that blessed communion but when they leave that and go into the wilderness with the stray sheep then they listen not to it nor follow him but go from him as is in the parable of the lost sheep Luke 11. But yet it is evident that sheep belonged to his flock by the shepherds search after him and that it was called his sheep though a stray one and gone cleâ—n from the fold and communion with the rest of the flock so that it owed obedience to his voice and to his steps to follow him though it ran from him and this is all I require a bond of duty the obligation of a Covenant not the force of any violent Tye. SECT VII Rom. 8. 17. Answered IT may be Objected once again that the baptized are by that made the Sons of God and if Sons then Heirs as St. Paul disputes the Case Rom. 8. 17. But these Apostates cannot be accounted Heirs of Heaven therefore they lose their filiation and their Sonship by such wickedness and so may all those other consequences of the Adoption of that Covenant This Question is fully handled by our Saviour Luke 15. in the Story of the prodigall Son there is no Apostate can do more than that dissolute young man did but only perseverance and yet when he returned was not begot anew that cannot be but admitted into his former estate of a Son Take it therefore logically by way of Answer He that is a Son quatenus as a Son he is by that title an Heir but yet he may so dispose of himself like the Prodigall like Esau that he may aliene and sell his Birthright and in that state he is not Heir though a Son So that a Son non ponenti obicem if he alien not his Birthright in himself is an Heir but if he do he hath no Inheritance though an Heir he loseth his Birthright But how then may one say is St. Pauls saying true If a Son then an Heir Thus because by being a Son he hath a title to the reversion of his Fathers estate but he may aliene it which he could not do unless he had title to it And yet we may say that although he is by his Adoption the right Heir yet he is by his lewdness disinherited So that as the prodigall Son so long as he lived in that dissolute and prodigall estate received no favour from his Father nor any relief from his estate yet when he returned he was restored to all again So it is with a Christian a baptized Christian once adopted the Son of God hath Heaven so entayled that he cannot aliene it without a power of revocation which power it then acted when with true repentance and humiliation he shall prostrate himself before the Throne of grace for mercy when he shall with the prodigall Son have a sence of his misery by living in that dissolute condition and longing after the blessings of his Fathers house shall creep to him confessing his sins and begging his favour with a Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee c. This is the state of every baptized man who by that is adopted a Son of
beings as Seals transient it may be further doubted how Seals can be forms This I urge though not a Book-Objection as indeed I do not find the Question disputed in the School under this Notion but only which started it self in my thoughts whilest I was writing and indeed may do so with others for I am unwilling to let any thing pass which may disturb a Readers assenting and therefore in Answer to this Objection do say that although the Seal be gone yet its image its likeness when it is gone remains in the Wax which is as valid to all its intentions as it self and is the Seal effective in its morall existence to all those morall effects which it produceth so it is in Baptism there is that the School calls the Character which remains after the act of Baptism is gone and is powerfull to all its effects I did avoid to speak of this intricate business hoping I might have escaped it but since I cannot do thus undertake it now and define it thus CHAP. XIII What the Character left in Baptism is and this Character defined THe Character or Relict of Baptism by which a Christian is constituted a member of the Catholick Church is a spiritual power by which the baptized man is interessed with right both to receive and do what belongs to a member of Christs Church First It is a power Powers are either active or passive active to do as fire to burn passive to suffer or receive as wood hath a passive power to receive the ignifying nature of fire which gold hath not This relict of Baptism doth both these both enable a man to demand and receive Confirmation to joyn with the Christian Congregation in devoâ—ions and prayers to demand and receive absolution the Communion with all other things which a Christian man doth in his severall duties and occasions But we must here distinguish betwixt natural powers and moral the first are faculties in man by which he is enabled by that internall principle to act what the power directs him to and no man obtains any such but by a reall change and alteration in himself to some absolute quality as a power to walk to speak or the like that he had not before But in moral powers as the right to an Estate or to an Office these may come to a man without any such alteration As the father dyes the son is immediately invested with the power of his fathers Estate and yet the son is the same in all absolute things hath no such change in himself Again a man is chose a Generall a King he hâ—â—h in himself no such change no such alteration but is the same he was before in all absolute things In moral powers we are not to expect an alteration in the party who receives them to any absolute reality so that although in a baptized person who receives these mighty powers we can discover no alteration yet these powers are in him by the force of this moral form which enables him to act or receive such or such things Next let us consider that it is a spiritual power that Attribute is given it in regard of its object and end because the power aims at spirituall blessings and is conversant about spirituall means to obtain this end for as it is called morall because it considers not naturall actions but such as concern a mans manners his doing well or ill in relation to God and that Christian Community in which he lives so it is spirituall in respect of the spirituall conversation it hath with God and those men of whose society it is And now we seeing the genus in this definition let us examine the difference a power by which he is interessed with right here is apparent that which was implyed before that it is not a naturall but a morall power naturall powers enable a man to do as the power to move to speak but the morall power gives him not ability but authority and right to move or speak thus or now he hath interest and right to do it to receive and do this power is both active and passive as before what belongs to a member of Christs Church This gives him interest in no civill right nor Office in the Church but only a right as a member that is such a right as by Christs Laws appertain to him If a sinner in such a degree he is shut out of the Communion if a penitent he may require absolution and by his being baptized he is made capable of these which otherwise before and without Baptism he was not SECT II In what Predicament this Character is THus this Definition being explained there is a great Question what manner of thing in what Predicament this relict power is For my part without disparagement of my great Master in Philosophy Aristotle I think that these spiritual theological powers need not be tugged into any of his Predicaments nor was he to be blamed as insufficient in his number because he being acquainted only with naturall things found out names for them in his Ten but being ignorant of spirituall must of necessity leave them â—nd such as studied them to shift for their room elsewhere and we might therefore with more ease invent another for them than be forced with unjust violence to hale them to these which were only provided for naturall things But yet because those old names would better please a Reader I will keep my self to them And first I opine that this relict is of a relative nature in its proper being for it is that interest which a man hath as before in Christ as his head and the rest of the Church as his fellow-members which is a relation for pars totum part and the whole are relates so are head and member in such bodies as have heads and in this consists the nature of this relict and therein are seated all the interests and powers which a baptized man hath Aquinas with that great Army of learned men who follow his colours sight against this Conclusion vehemently with many Arguments seemingly powerfull the nature of which consisting of such matter as is not usuall in English Authors it may chance not be unpleasing to him who reads this to study a little that Christian Philosophy which will be opened in this discourse and I am confident it will by drawing aside such curtains as are interposed give admittance to such light as will illustrate the business in hand to any easie sight and therefore I undertake them The first Argument urged by Cabrera for I will take them where I find them strongest maintained Cabrera in 3. Quest. 63. Art 2. Disp. 1. Sect. 3. Conclus 3. thus argues There is no motion to a bare relation ad relationem per se is his phrase for this he produceth Aristotle 5. Phys. Text. 10. for saith he all change is to an absolute form but there is a motion to this Character as he and the
Action I Come therefore to his second Argument which is clean contrary to that before for as he said Motion could not be terminated in relation so now he saith Relation cannot be the principlâ— of any reall action or passion but this relict or Character of Baptism is the principle of those receivings of those blessings before spoken of therefore it cannot be a relation To this I answer His Major hath no foundation to build upon Look upon all moral relations as I have before shewed yea upon moral powers in natural relations as you may see a Father is no sooner a Father but presently out of that Fatherhood ariseth that moral power to have dominion over his Son and that duty of providing for him so likewise from the relation of Mayoralty ariseth that power of governing and ruling in the Corporation So that although perhaps naturall relations are not principles of naturall actions nor do they give men naturall powers as by being a Father a man neither eats nor drinks nor sleeps the better yet relations are principles of morall actions and passions and give their morall powers interests and duties which immediately result out of those relations and of this nature is this they are morall endowments spiritually morall as before explained to act or receive the blessings appertaining to such members SECT V. One Relation may be the foundation of another A Third reason of his is That one relation cannot be the foundation of another this is by some confirmed That if it could be founded in another there would be relation upon relation infinitely This is absolutely false likewise as well as the other Major To prove this the instances of Scotus and his followers are such as abide dispute I will avoid that and make it as clear as day Two sheets of paper have the same writings or if you will but black spots in them these two sheets have a similitude or likeness in them then take two sheets of parchment and let them have the same writings or spots in them there the first relation is the foundation immediately of the second similitude as relations yet clearer Fatherhood in Thomas is a relation so is Fatherhood in Peter from hence results a likeness betwixt these two Thomas and Peter which is founded only upon the former relation of Fatherhood It is in vain for men to say that similitude is only in qualities for whether it be equality in quantities or identity in substance or convenience in any other Predicament a relation results from one as well as the other So then although this relict of Baptism be a relation yet it may found and support be the subjectum quo the immediate subject by reason of which other relations are in the substance Now that which was urged for confirmation that then relations might be multiplyed infinitely is of no force for there is as we see in the former instances a fixation that there must be a bound beyond which it cannot go nor is the Argument of more force in relations then because there is a cause of a cause therefore there should be infinite causes for we know there must be one fixed SECT VI. Where is the Foundation of this Character I Leave Cabrera and come to Didacus Nuguewin 8. Quest. 63. Art 2. Difficult 2. who enquireth If this Character be a relation â— where is its foundation that must be either natural or supernatural natural it cannot be because it is spiritual and supernatural it cannot be because it self is the first spiritual thing in man now every relation must have some absolute thing to found it on This Argument I do not find obsorved by any of the School of Scotus and therefore must say somewhat to it which to me seems not yet delivered in the School in this Conclusion I say therefore that it is one thing to speak of the foundation of a relation another thing to speak of the terminus or subject or correlate as thus the subject of a Fatherhood is the man who is the Father the correlate is his Son the foundation is his power of getting a Son or his act in that permanent being in which it remains So in two white sheets of paper the relate or subject is the white sheet the correlate to which it is referred is the other white sheet the foundation is the whiteness Thus it is in all these relations which are natural because their relations arise from within their foundation must be internall but in morall relations whose originall is from abroad there the foundation of this relation must be abroad as thus What is the foundation of this mans Mayoralty but either the Charter by which it is supported or else the will of the Supream or both or whatsoever from without gave him that being of that relation Now therefore in this case I say the foundation of this relation this relict which is the membership of Christ is the will of God who hath thus constituted a baptized man a member of his Church and this is a supernatural thing and that which alone can endow a man with this membership this he doth by his sacred Word which hath confirmed this to us SECT VII Another Argument answered THere is one little Argument more which is That the disposition to every form is reducible to that â—aâ—k and series of things in which the form it disposeth to is but this Character is a disposition to Gods graces which are reduced to qualities therefore The Major again is false most eminently false so that the contrary is almost 〈◊〉 see it so heat is a disposition to â—â—re cold to water yet they are substâ—nces these accidents most differing relations are dispositions to many great actions of piety in Parents of duty in Clergy-men of governing well in Magistrates of obedience in all their Subjects yet these things of divers natures I conclude then resolutely that this relict of Baptism is a relation Now next in a relation would be enquired whether real or rational whether a real relation or that of reason only CHAP. XIV Whether the Relict be a reall Relation or of Reason DVrâ—ndâ—â— in 4. Dist. 4. Quest. 1. prope finem stands alone against all the Schools of Thomas and Scotus and Ocham and whosoever his opinion is that this Character is only Ens Rationis I cannot approve of his Reasons nor altogether of his Conclusion yet do think him unconfuted by all that I have seen and I have looked over fourty I think at least The principall Arguments which are urged against him are Authorities first out of the Florentine Councill in that Decree of union which indeed might rather be called the Decree of Eugenius the 4th but howsoever that Decree hath no more but that these three Sacraments Baptism Confirmation and Orders imprint an indelible Character which is a Sign all which may be allowed Ens Rationis Secondly out of the Councill of Trent Sess. 7. Cap. de Sacr. Caâ— 9. which saith no
Service without Compulsion and since he was to leave the World himself he took Order with his Servants to Act as if he were present and Negotiate the great Work of Salvation of Souls by a Delegate power from him Therefore in the 16th of St. Mark v. 14. you may observe that he appeared to the Eleven that is to the Eleven Apostles for one of them Judas had apostatized and had hanged himself and in the 15th verse he gave them Commission Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creà ture that is to every Creature that is Capable of it c. there was their Commission The same Story is thought by many to be a little more fully described by St. John Chap. 20. 21. after he had appeared to them as before he said Peace be unto you as my Father sent me so send I you and then he breathed on them the Holy Ghost Mark this phrase As my Father sent me It is a particular phrase not used elsewhere and therefore intimates some extraordinary matter God had sent many men before but never any besides Christ with the fulnesse of Authority as it is described Mat. 28. 18. All power is given me in Heaven and Earth All power was never given to any before I send you therefore with all power as my Father sent me So the power then of Giving powers to others which was never given before but to my self and therefore in that place of St. Matthew before cited in the last verse too I am with you to the end of the World with you teaching baptizing giving Orders to others for that is mightily enforced out of the word Sicut as my Father sent me and indeed else he could not be with them in their persons to the end of the World but in their Succession by which means he might well be said to be with them to the Worlds end Having now touched upon these places I will Collect this here was in the 28 of Matthew vers 19. Baptism Instituted Matter and Form In the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost which we read not prescribed before we see the Officers appointed these Eleven in their personal bodies or succession wee see their Diocesse enlarged preach to all Nations and as preaching so baptizing as large they go together we see the Subjects of their Sermons enlarged before Christs Death When they had to do with the Jews only it was the Kingdom of God is at hand Now it is to observe all things that I have commanded you So that then we see first before our Saviours Death two sorts of Officers Apostles Disples their Office at the first limited to preaching and that to the Israelites that they did baptize we are assured but not in what Form nor by what Commission untill after our Saviours Death then we have seen the Holy Communion Instituted just before his Death in Matter and Form and Commissioners appointed to Celebrate it to wit the Apostles we see after his Death a full and Absolute Commission granted to these persons to whom the Communion was committed to do all things Baptise preach celebrate forgive Sins to choose and send forth others and for ought I can collect in this Story the whole Ministerial power invested in them But because something may be objected against this which hath been delivered which I take to be the foundation of what shall follow I will clear those objections which seem most troublesom to me and so proceed to shew how the Apostles managed this Stewardship committed to them SECT II. Whether the power of preaching was given only to the Apostles FIrst It may be questioned whether the power of preaching was given to the Apostles and them only To understand this we must look back and remember that the Seventy likewise were sent but that was to the Israelites only their Commission extended no farther before our Saviours Death and after his Death we find no Commission given but to the Apostles and what Authority they or any else could have to preach the Gospel it must be from them let no man trouble this or any other part of my discourse with that frivolous Objection which is often intruded into these Controversies We read not that these or these men that these Presbyters received new Commissions from the Apostles and yet find them preaching for Answer once for many other times in which it may be needfull it was impossible that the Acts or Epistles could keep a Register of all that were ordained by the Apostles or Bishops in their Age it is enough for us to know that all power for these things was given to the Apostles and we may reasonably think that of these 70. which were chosen by our Saviour such as proved worthy should be Commissioned by the Apostles and such as were unworthy as some were should be suspended ab Officio but for these particular Registers and how and when each man was is not apparent nor to be expected Well then now it seems the Apostles had all the power of preaching none others being sent in this Embassy to the World but themselves But could none else preach not gifted men Consider these men never any so Extraordinarily gifted as these were yet see as I observed they preached not without an outward Calling by Christ nor then untill he sent them Again it is observable that by his outward Word he directed their Doctrine to the Jews that they should preach the Kingdom of God was at hand and to the Gentiles Mat. 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have Commanded you So then Christ had given them Command before what they should preach I do not find no not in these yet any inspired Sermon but upon Direction and although these men had no doubt the most immediate Call that ever any had and the most extraordinary Gifts in the most extraordinary way yet for to enable them for their preaching they had Conversation with Christ which doth the most resemble the most Industrious life of Studious Scholars which in Books Converse with God as possibly a thing can do so that in that time in the time of our Saviours Life and untill his Ascention we can find no place for inward Calling without an outward nor an outward execution without means to enable them for this great Ministry of preaching but throughout a most Methodical Course SECT III. Whether these and these only were Commissioned for Baptism THE next thing to be looked upon is Whether these and these onely had the power of baptizing No doubt we may say of this that they had the Duty only none other obliged to either but they and when I have named the Duty I think I may justly adde the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The right and Authority will go along for it seems to be a branch and a main one of that Great Commission Mat. 28. and without doubt a great piece of the Power of
secondarily Christ is the Chief Corner Stone the Spiritual Rock 1 Cor. 10. 4. and then there was no more sâ—id to him that St. Paul expounds of them all Ephes. 2. 20. and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Corner Stone to them all the Apostles were secondary foundations and Rocks as well as he were that place to be understood to call him a Rock Nor can there be any stronger foundation affirmed of him either in person or Succession than of the rest Mat. 28. I will be with you to the end of the World that is assisting them in executing their Duty For the second place Mat. 16. 19. I will give thee the Keyes of Heaven it is but a promise and he performed it to him and the rest John 20. 22. For the Third Feed my Sheep it is a poor Argument drawn from a meer Simile of pastorizing but let it be what it can there can be no more in it but preach baptize give the Communion give Orders govern the Church all which are involved in those two places insisted upon before and therefore I desist from further discourse of them and supposing that the Apostles had equal Authority to minister Divine Mysteries to the whole World with St. Peter we will now come and enquire whether any other men had any such Commission given them by Christ or not SECT VI. How it is to be understood that the Power of the Keyes is given to the Church THe Chief place if not the only which I have observed in the Gospel pretended to be wrested to any such Intent is Mat. 18. 17. If he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church Thence it is by some enforced that the Church is made the Judge in Ecclesiastiâ—al Discipline and by the Church they will understand others besides the Apostles To apprehend which conceive with me First that this was one of those things which our Saviour delivered for a Rule to govern the Church and Christian men by not at that present but afterwards when Church Discipline was setled for as yet there was no such Thing as any Discipline setled but like a Commonwealth in the â—raming by degrees Laws projected yeâ— Contrived and enacted which might take their rise and force afterwards when established It is a poor Conceit methinks of Beza on this place who would have it understood of the Jewish Synagogue since he himself Confesseth that the word Church is no where else used for the Synagogue nor indeed can it be and why it should be forced to that meaning here I see no reason and therefore the true understanding of it must be taken from those setled Laws which our Saviour made after his Death of which I have discoursed Now that this Law could not extend to any other men but these Apostles who had all the powers given them as I have explained will appear first First because it seems to be a Juridical way of proceedings and it is impossible that the multitude should have Juridical Discretion to make a man as an Heathen or a Publican being many of them illiterate men and we should conâ—ine the limits of Christian men and Religion in much too narrow bounds to say it belong only to the learned or men enabled for such or so high a work But there must be Officers in a Church to hear and judge of such a Cause which Officers we understood by the Church and although this Censure ought to be done in publick in the face of the Church or the Court where such Matters are discussed yet it is not necessary nor can have a face of reason with it that every one of the Church should be there present or they who are present should have the Nature of Judges only such Men as are Officers enabled to act in this power then if Officers these men who hâ—d the power given them in the 20th of St. John are these which are here in the 18th verse said to bind and loose So that then I can see nothing that can hinder us from agreeing that after our Saviours Death all Ecclesiastical power was seated in the Apostles how they understand it we shall Consider in the future Discourse by their Actions set down to us which must be our next undertaking SECT VII The Apostles Authority and Management of it NOW we see the Eleven inthroned in the Chair of Ecclesiastical power They and they only having Interest in it but yet they had only power the right and Authority they received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vertue and qualities enabling them to execute this power according to the Extent throughout the world afterwards when the power of Tongues was given them Acts 2. 4. and you may find this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used for this virtue Acts the 1. v. 8. where it is promised so that they had all Power and Authority before but this Faculty of Tongues they had not untill then and this will be of little use in our Discourse being a Gift of no constant Succession in the Church but only those Authorities of Administring the Sacraments of Preaching of Giving Orders of Governing these will always be necessary in the Church and therefore must be insisted upon For this therefore the first thing we find them Acting in this kind was to settle their own Society and Compleat the Number of Twelve and this you may find recorded in the 1. of the Acts v. 13. where we may observe first that they referred the Election of this Apostle to God by â—asting Lotts they Chose two Barsabas and Mathias and referred it to Divine Election the reasons of which guessed at by Divines rather than demonstrated I omit But now there are Twelve Apostles Bishops for if Judas was a Bishop by being an Apostle as he is termed vers 20. the rest likewise were or Twelve Deacons or Ministers for that phrase is affirmed of Judas in regard of his Apostleship vers 25. SECT VIII What Additions were made to the Apostles BUT yet we must not leave them but examine Whether there were any Addition made to these Apostles and what that was To understand this We may find St. Paul in abundance of places called an Apostle instead of many take this one Instance Galat. 1 1. Paul an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ An Apostle not of men not by man that is who received my Apostleship not from the Authority given to men as before when Christ sent his Apostles as his Father sent him with power to give these powers John 20. As my Father sent me so send I you not then of men that is from this Authority given to them nor by man that is by any Ministerial Act of mans He received his Baptism by the Ministery of man as you may find Acts 9. 18. But his Apostleship he received of God and by God as the other Apostles did by the immediate
sense for the Genus of three Officers but another for his Office Well let us examine it this is the general Nature saith he to a sort of Ministring Officers which come after he faith so what proof none but his own Authority and then ask him where it hath that restrained sense to these three Officers he cannot shew it in Scripture nor Beza nor Tolet nor any other St Chrysostom upon the place saith it signifies all Ministration even Apostleship and Oecumenius with Theophylact is to the same sense and Anselm something like it sive habentes Ministerium sicut Diaconuâ— ut ministremus sacris Altaribus vel Ministerium ut terrena alimenta Sanctis ministremus Now consider the meaning If you have received the Gift of Ministry in what kind soever use iâ— as a Member of that body think not so highly of your self to be too good for that Office which God hath enabled you for but serve in it I go on Concerning Teaching and Exhortation Or he that teacheth on teaching Here now the Authors before mentioned will make this a Species of Prophesy but this and Exhortation are not Species's of Prophesy but Parts Endowments Qualities for there can be no Prophet without these powers and acts nor can they be severed the same man that teacheth a Doctrine in that exhorts to a Duty suppose it the most speculative in the World the Doctrine of the Trinity he that teacheth when he teacheth it exhorts to the Adoration of each person and so for Exhortation no man can exhort but upon Grounds of Doctrine he exhorts foolishly else therfore they cannot be distinct Offices but parts or Gifts in the same Office for one Preacher may have a greater power in Logick to prove his Doctrine or Conclusion and another in Rhetorick to perswade the practise and these diverse abilities and Gifts bestowed upon those men by the Grace of God and therefore in these as in the other have you the whole Gift of Prophecy use it as a Member not thinking too high but use it for the good of your brother who is your fellow Member so likewise the Spirit is given in measure one excells in one piece another in another do all like fellow Members but no one word that these are distinct Offices as that of the hand or the eye or the ear that piece was not parallel'd nor is exemplified And therefore these Sentences cannot be enforced for two Offices but two Qualities of the same Office which may and must be in him who is a Prophet but because they may according to their Eminency well be severed one may have one eminently and not the other and likewise because they cannot be both actuated at the same instant therefore directions are given either to the diverse persons or to the same man of his several seasons to do both these SECT VII His Deacon enforced hence Confuted NOW we come to that which he makes a Deacon He who giveth in Simplicity he who distributeth he reads it But why he and Beza should do so since they pretend nothing out of the Original to force it but their own Conceit only of making this a Species of the Minister or Deacon before spoken of and all Antiquity both Greek and Latine Fathers reading it otherwise and no one that I can find putting in one word to this purpose is a strange Conceit I cannot Conceive why unlesse it be a too much love of their own newly hatch'd Opinion But see what weight Mr. Hookers Opinion hath By this is meant a Deacon what word shews it he saith it is but a Species of that Deacon before spoken of and if that Deacon which was before mentioned be the name then the two other Species must be Deacons as well as he which he will deny as you shall see hereafter then that this is a distinct Office of a Deacon that is was an Office spoken of no man can prove but a pious duty which God gives men gifts to do for others good and therefore no word of distinction here but without all question a Prophet may do this a Minister or Deacon a Doctor or Exhorter yea it will be a good Argument in Exhortation to do as I have done my self I should go on with the next but I reserve that for another time and the rather stayed so long upon this because in part I shall stop two Gaps with one Bush but I will leap to the last which is He who shews mercy let him do it with chearfulness What is meant by He that sheweth mercy WHat a deal of doo Beza and he and Lapide the Jesuit have to make an Office of this They make it to be the Widdow He Masters of Hospitals when Antiquity insists chiefly upon the Inward Act of Mercy which is larger than giving Mercy is in forgiving as well as giving and the like but what one word is there all this way of distinction of Offices not one but of Gifts which like members of the same body must with lowlinesse of mind be used to the good of our fellow Members Now I having shewed what appears to me to be the meaning of the Text and although by this his sense is already Confuted yet in a Logical manner I will now undertake it again SECT VIII The first Confutation of his Conclusion out of this Text. THat Sense must not be wrung out of the Text which the Text in nothing invites to But his sense is such Ergo His sense is That by this that distributes is meant an Office designed by the Church to dispose the State and Treasure of the Church c. and so pag. 33. But pag. 9. he saith Those several meaning these Offices expressed in this Text are set forth by way of opposition and contradistinct one to another and therefore cannot be subordinate and meet in one subject where they should be both formally acted A strange kind of discourse to deceive men with as it seems to me by great words for first the parts in the Text he makes subordinate to wit teaching and exhorting to Prophesy secondly distributing ruling having mercy to Ministry And again these things which are subordinate are in the same subject as Animal and Corpus are in Homine But that they are not opposed or distinct or any way inconsistent will appear presently To prove my Minor then First whereas he saith this phrase he that distributes doth signifie an Office I can deny the words and say they are not found in that place Secondly I say that those words there do not signifie an Office no more than those about them but a Gift as it is called by the Apostle Where he saith it is that Office called Deacon he himself disproves it since it is distinct and inconsistent with the Minister or Deacon which is both one Thirdly whereas he saith it is an Office to dispose the State and Treasure of the Church Is there the least mention made of Church or Treasure of it
a Presbyter and see what peculiar Interest he hath in it distinct from other men First then without Question such a preaching as is Occasional by private Conference or in publike Assemblies when in publick Opportunity is offered to manifest the Glory of God or Convert or Confirm by Conference any soul to or in the Christian Religion or Godlinesse of living which indeed is a great part of Christianity when upon occasions of Discourse or otherwise Opportunities shall be granted to any man he may if he have abilities so Conferre as to perswade men to a newnesse of life and this is preaching in its latitude it is preaching the Gospel of Christ and each man that hath abilities ought to do it but each man is not bound to have abilities a private mans strength is chiefly discerned in holding fast the Word of Truth that so he be not carryed away with the wind of Doctrine he hath other Offices which are his Duties and in which he ought to expend his Studies and Endeavours but to have abilities or to endeavour to have some Abilities for this purpose is the Duty and Office of a Presbyter It is the Duty of the Shepherd to take care of his Masters sheep but it is a comely Charity in every Servant though he be not the Shepherd when he finds his Masters sheep run astray or ready to starve to throw them a lock of Hay or call them back to the fold Nay it is his Duty out of Charity though not out of Office but to take upon him the Office when he is not Authorized to it would be Intrusion and it would bring a great Confusion into the Church as it would into a great Family where every man or every man that would might take upon him the Manage of any Office he would St. Paul therefore saith of such How shall he preach unlesse he be sent that is how shall he take upon him the Office of doing it unlesse he be authorized for it let us then Consider who is authorized SECT XVIII Who is authorized to Preach THat this Authority must be joyned to every Presbyter that hath power to administer the Sacraments preaching must be taken in a large sense for reading Homilies for reading the Scriptures in known languages for it is not possible to find men of Abilities to do the other in such a Nation as ours is and yet it is necessary that they should have these Sacraments because by them men receive the Covenants of God concerning their Souls which to teach and incourage us to is the chief Duty of preaching and this is done I am perswaded more securely by the other way projected before but then if we will have men preach nothing but what they make themselves there had need be a mighty ability for a Weekly Preacher to do that and such indeed as cannot be expected from every Presbyter that may be fit for the other and therefore that way of penning their own Sermons is not nor can be exacted from every Presbyter And to preach Sermons not penned although upon urgency there hath been or may be such a Thing yet it is nothing but laziness and supine negligence and undervaluing of that great Work by those to do it Constantly and not worthy the thought of Christians But whether Presbyters alone may do this is a Question started in this Age but was disputed long since by learned men and how determined I will set down with mine observations upon it The Story is thus Origen a man most eminent for learning of any man in that Age both for humanity and Divinity and indeed such as may not only be accounted so for that Age in which he lived but deserved to be placed in the first rank of Scholars both of his own or any other Age when he lived at Cesarea by Authority given him from the Bishops of Palestine interpreted the Scriptures publikely in the Church when he was not a Presbyter nor that we know of had received any degree in Ecclesiastick Office Demetrius the Bishop of Alexandria who envyed the deserved glory of Origen and that honour which rather as a debt was paid to than given him for his Excellency in Preaching inveighs bitterly against him and having little else to be offended with him for saith it was an unheardâ—of thing that a Layman should preach and writes to the Bishops of Palestine about it They patronage that excellent Work of their own and gave him Instance in three or four that they knew of and no doubt say they there were more which had been licensed by Bishops to do so and did preach even before them I could have wished that the dispute had been larger set down that so the Arguments from Scripture or reason might have been set down for our Instruction but for defence of him who it is pity did not write his own Apology If any man object St. Pauls How can he preach unlesse he be sent I shall answer he was sent and by that power that had Authority to send that was the Bishops in that Province in which he lived who had authority to delegate as Apostles of which I shall treat hereafter by our Saviours Charter As my Father sent me so send I you to send others not with a plenipotency but as they saw expedient with divided powers to baptize and no more to administer the Sacraments and no more and why not preach and no more this way of preaching penning and contriving Orations to the people requires great abilities inherent acquired by mighty industry and pains and when men are found so Gifted and enabled although they think themselves not worthy to take a Pastoral Charge upon them or to administer the Sacraments yet when they find abilities for this and their Bishop think fit why should they not preach but not without the Bishop he is the Supream Pastor he may if he find an Inferiour fit for that place give him Authority to feed or fold or drive his Flock and no more and he that is authorized by the Supream Pastor may do it and others who without his leave undertake to do it are Intruders but he being so authorized doth it orderly lawfully thus did Origen who had he lived in our Age could have discoursed much more powerfully to this Theam and I can guesse that this may satisfie most of that which many in our Age object concerning their Gifts If they are Gifted let their Gifts be examined and if he the Bishop find them to be such as can enable them for such a Work let them be licensed otherwise not CHAP. XIX His Argument answered I Have been over tedious in this Discourse Here you may discern the vanity of his Argument from that Text if preaching be taken in that late sense as I have expounded it I deny that there are any Presbyters which are not Teachers If Preachers be taken in this strict sense for such as preach Studied Orations I say that there are many
seated in the Apostles and none else from those words As my Father sent me so send I you and therefore they had power to settle Offices for the Church as they pleased and there is no Office which had not its foundation from them so that although this question be often handled under these Terms whether Bishops be a distinct Order Jure Divino yet they that hold it Affirmatively must defend it with this phrase Apostolico Divino Apostolical by such a Divine Right not as if Christ immediately instituted it for he instituted none but the Apostles as we read of for the whole World but by such a Divine Right as Christ gave his Apostles power to Institute and they did institute Thirdly Let us Conceive that although perhaps there can be found no Law or Decree by either one or more Apostles which shall in expresse Terms say that by the Authority given us we do erect and institute such an Office for such Registers as I have said we have not yet when it shall appear to be the Apostles practice to ordain such Officers so qualified we may be Confident it was not without Authority for men of such Exemplar obedience and humility even to death would not in their practice act without Law and Authority Fourthly That where any place of Scripture that directs our Practice shall abide a double Interpretation because Quisque abundat sensu suo there the doctrine and practice of such men who were Apostolical conversed and lived with those Apostles themselves must needs be the best Glosse upon such a Text because as it is reasonable to think that they should best understand the Apostles meaning for when Laws are newly made their sense likewise how they should be understood is fresh in mens apprehension but Laws antiquated or grown old must be intrusted to the letter so likewise it is most reasonable to think that they could not write or do amisse in these publike Acts or Writings without Controll and therefore certainly it must needs be the best Comment when the Text abides a doubtful Interpretation to shew that the Apostles disciples which Conversed with them did so understand them Fifthly That the preheminence that I place in a Bishop over a Presbyter consists in these two things The power of giving these Orders which a bare Presbyter hath not and secondly The power of Jurisdiction over such as are only Presbyters of the lower rank These Truths being granted as they must without impudence I addresse my self to the Question wherein I can Complain for lack of mine Adversaries books for such as write for the Opinion I professe I care for none the Scriptures and Antient Fathers which I have by me serve my turn but I have their Hooker and I shall I think in reâ—utation of his Arguments discusse most of that matter which is necessary to this Question if I find any thing unhandled which is necessary to this Question I shall treat of it afterwards SECT V. Mr. Hooker undertaken in this Controversie FOR their Hooker he undertakes this Controversie Part 2. Chap. 1. pag. 22. in which he wastes that Page and the 23d upon a bitter invective distinction of a three-fold Bishop Divine Humane and Sathanical and his description of them which I let alone as impertinent â—roth and Fury of a man that is angry not charitable and as one inquisitive after truth disputing but Page 24. he comes to some sober dispute and to bring reasons against this Vsurped Order as he calls it which I undertake at this present His â—irst reason is as he saith the expresse Testimony of Scripture than which nothing can be more pregnant Titus 1. 5. 7. he only Ciphers out the place I will put down the words For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest set in order the things which are wanting and Ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee then verse 7. For a Bishop c. Now saith he the Apostle having enjoyned his Scholar to Appoint Elders in every City and how they must be qualified he adds â—he reason of his Advice For a Bishop c. Where the Dispute of the Apostle shews not only the Community of the Name but likewise the Identity of the Thing signified thereby otherwise his Argument had not only been a false reason but false in form having four Terms but in truth had not reasoned at all for it had been ready to reply here is a Gap as if the Copy had been imperfect but may easily be made up thus a Bishop is another thing from Presbyter SECT VI. His expressions very unhandsome I Will examine this Discourse and see how partial his expressions are to trouble the Truth First he disparageth Titus with although a true yet a diminishing Term He calls him St. Pauls Scholar only St. Paul in the 4th verse calls him his Son yea his own Son after the Common Faith and the Postscript or Direction is to Titus ordained the first Bishop of the Cretians Secondly He diminisheth likewise that phrase which is of great force to this purpose that is the phrase to ordain Elders he saith to appoint Elders Thus when they Cipher Scripture for the most part Scripture is abused and the heedlesse Reader swallowes in a Misconstruction before he is aware thus having examined his misrepeating the Story in things of importance we will sift his Arguments SECT VII His Argument examined THE force of it is this that there a Bishop and Elder are one thing as well as name I grant it for this dispute but let us see what will result out of it no more but this that in the Apostolical Age this name of Bishop and Presbyter was used for one Office the name Apostle was that which was used for the Superiour Dignity which as I shewed before out of Theodoret when I treated of the Name Apostle that in their Time many were called Apostles which were none of the Twelve but afterwards to avoid Confusion and an Indistinction betwixt the Original Apostles and the Derivative for such as were made by men the Church used this name of Bishops and reserved the Name of Apostle to those men who were so Constituted by our Saviour and that one who was made by Election of Lott into Judas his place So we find diverse phrases not used to such purpose in the New Testament yet prevailed with the Succeeders of the Apostles in such a manner as they gained a Constant use among Ecclesiastical Writers such is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the Grecians and Sacerdos amongst the Latines words not used for any Order in the Church of Christ any where in the New Testament and yet amongst the Ancients are used for the whole Order of Priesthood as it includes Bishops and sometimes for Bishops alone but as they are the superiour Order in that sort of men and in the latter Age are solely appropriated by the use of Writers to that Order which the Scriptures and the
should elect a Worthy man to be Priest not elect a Worthy Priest to a Benefice of which St. Cyprian seems to speak and which is his Aym for his other Quotations they are of such men as are of little use with me or with any their Adversaries and therefore I trouble not my self to examine them SECT VII His Argument from the Election of Deacons Acts 6. examined AT the last he urgeth Page 41 Acts 6. About the Election of the Deacons that were chosen first by the people and after Ordained by the Apostles I set down mine opinion of that Act before never dreaming then of this Design which it is aymed at here but what I said then will serve my Turn now First that Election was Occasional and therefore cannot be drawn to a President but when there is the like Occasion 2dly It was to such an Office which might easily fall under the Cognizance of the people to wit the Caring for the poor and they might better discern the sufficiency of men for such a purpose than the Apostles themselves First then we see here falls to the Ground that if the people had this liberty in an under Officer there was much greater reason they should have it in an Officer of higher degree in whom they had greater Interest and by whose administration they were to receive greater good This follows not for this Office was of such a Thing as they might best know the Integrity of those men with whom they Conversed but the other of an higher nature they could not be Judges of so well and therefore there is a diverse Case the people may be fit to choose a Collector for the Poor a Tithing-man but can they be fit to choose a Judge And indeed it favours of an high presumption which his delight in this Conceit transports him with when he saith as he doth in that page That the liberty of the Apostles in ordaining was not so great as the peoples in choosing when the Apostles had all Divine Authority from Christ solely delegated to them and the Apostles did not only ordain these men but their very Office it self I may adde to this that the people in this inferiour office did not authoritativè of themselves choose these but by particular direction and command from the Apostles I have answered as I conceive all that he speaks concerning his first Question Whether Ordination or Election be first He Conceives it not much material and therefore concludes the proof of this will appear in the Explication of the other particulars which he undertakes and I will follow him SECT VIII Whether Ordination gives all the Essentials to an Officer HIS Second Question is Whether Ordination gives all the Essentials to an Officer In handling of which he examines two things First how farr the Essentials of the Ministry or Minister may be given by Man If they may be given and Conveyed by man by what means men may be said to do this whether by Ordination or any other Appointment of Christs How their Ministerial Offices may be given by men COncerning the first of these he makes his first Conclusion thus There is a Causal virtue put forth in a Subordinate way by some under Christ to bring the formality or specifical being of an Ecclesiastical Office to a person or party that is Called thereunto or stands possessed thereof Alas what mighty words are these and how easily might the businesse of this Proposition have been expressed to the Capacity of any Reader if he had said there is some power under Christ to Constitute Ecclesiastical Officers there is no need of such high and difficult Terms of Causal virtue Formality or Ecclesiastical being which do amuse a weak Capacity and no way satisfie an Intelligent The Drift of his Conclusion is to prove that there is an outward Call necessary to a Minister which he saith is by none denyed but by Anabaptists and Familists which folly and madnesse labours as he saith with the loathsomnesse of it self so he contemns them but truly they are now grown a Considerable Enemy but I let them passe to answer for themselves which I am considenâ— they cannot justly and indeed I grant this whole Conclusion and let alone his proofs of it But yet because he placeth a necessity upon it as surely is Truâ—h I would ask whether the necessity be not required out of the part of such as are to receive the Pastor or Elder and I am sure he must yield it for there is no reason Men should receive such a Pâ—stor who is not lawfully called to use his own phrase but then why doth he despise the Bishops Seal and Parchment in a Box as he speaks page 40. when there can be none other Evidence to the people of his Call but this And again because this is a◠〈…〉 a Causal virtue which he useth I shall adde something 〈◊〉 Explication of it which he hath omitted there is a physical Cause and a Moral Cause This word Cause at the first reading sounds like a Physical Operation and although in his second Conclusion he addes this Term Instrument or means yet that is not to be allowed in a physical notion for these powers in men have no physical influx into these Effects no not as Instruments for as the Philosophers speak an Instrument hath its particular work in the Effect so a knife or axe which be both Instruments have their several wayes of Operation though used by the same hand and do their work according to their particular and proper dispositions but now these Agents have no Influence on the Subject but only as moral Instruments as a hand and feal have no physical Nature to pay a Debt but only a moral force which is granted it by the Law of the Realm and from thence it hath this moral force not a physical Of this nature I conceive this power granted to men to give Orders and it is founded upon that great Commission As my Father sent me so send I you with that Authority to grant powers to other men so that the powers the Authority granted by them are Confirmed by God they having a moral Causality to do such Things which God will Confirm but they working not so much as Instrumentally any physical Effect Thus the Conclusion being explained I grant it but in his handling of it many things deserve Censure for although he bragg at the Top of the 44th Page that he will lend such help to the weakest Reader that he may lay his finger upon the several Things yet indeed he is mightily perplexed and intricate which I passe and granting his Conclusion will not disturb his manner of handling it only repeate what he saith at the bottom of the 45 page whoever in a Compleat way hath received this outward Call he is then a Compleat and true Officer and may act any part of his Office though not inwardly graced or fitted worthy of such a place or Work by God this
Argument is If Ordiâ—ation give the Essentials to an Officer before Election there may be a Pastor without people an Officer sine Titulo as they use to speak and a Pastor should be made a Pastor at large the rest is nothing but an Application to Mr. Rutherford's Simile of a Ring which concerns not us But this Argument of his invites me to speak of a pastoral Ordination which will perhaps give farther Illustration to the whole body of this Discourse A Pastor and a â—lock are relatives and do mutually se ponere tollere where one is the other must be where one is not the other cannot be Now then to be made a Pastor will require to have a flock this shall be presupposed and again every Pastor hath not all Pastoral Offices I can well suppose a mighty great flock which requires many Shepherds but one Chief above the rest he hath all Pastoral offices folds feeds drives to field prescribes pâ—stures medicines and doth all this by the Supream Pastoral power that is granted him either by his own hands or by the ministry of those Inferiours which are under him but they have partial Authorities only to feed or â—old or catch or drive as their several shares are dâ—signed the second part of the Division of the Pastoral Charge these men must grant who divide their Governours into several Offices Pastors Teachers Rulers which have their several Duties assigned them and it is most unreasonable for them to deny the first That one should have Superiority over the rest since as reason would direct without some body to over-look and attend them they would easily entrench upon one anothers duties or neglecting their own invite those others to put their hands to their work and what this reason directs that I think I have shewed the Scripture likewise Crowns with its approbation Now the first sort of Pastors are those we term Bishops the second Presbyters the flock they are to feed is the Church of Christ when they are admitted Pastors and so ordained according to their several Duties That which Hooker page 61. brings out of one Mr. Best as if St. Austin or some General Councel had dâ—creed it is absolutely to be denyed namely that an Apostle differeth from a Pastor that the Apostle is a Pastor throughout the whole Christian World but the Pastor is tyed to a certain Congregation out of which he is not to exercise Pastoral Acts. This I deny if he affirm it by Divine Right but if by Ecclesiastical Authority only which hath designed particular Bishops and Presbyters to particular places I shall yield much of it For the first part concerning the Apostles know that their Commission was universal as it is set down Mat. 28. 19. Go teach all Nations c. and John 20 As my Father sent me c. and we must conceive this to be divisim not conjunctim only every one had all this power not all only nor as Bellarmine would have Lib. 2. De Romano Pontifice Cap. 12. St. Peter only and the rest from him for we see the Commission granted to all but yet we must know that their Authority was habitu or potentia only in every one it was not actâ— in any they might Episcopize Apostolize in any place of the World They did Episcopize Apostolize only where they were râ—sident Just as I have Conceived if Adam had lived in his Integrity every man had had an habituâ—l and potential royalty over all the Creatures in the world yet he would have exercised that Royalty only where he lived yet he might have Travelled any where and have justly enjoyed any part of the World although actually he could possesse but his Share Now this was the Jurisdiction of every Apostle in all the whole Catholick Church habitually not actually as the Church of Rome would have their Apostolical Man as they call him the Pope and all this was necessary for them as Apostles which is men sent for the propagation of the Gospel to the planting and confirming of Churches other powers they had of Languages of Miracles which were necessary to the first plantation but no longer and therefore they were not peculiar to them but others had them besides as likewise that mighty power of being Inspired to write Scripture which did not appear in all of them and some others besides them had that power as St. Luke and Marke and some think St. James to be the Bishop of Jerusalem who writ that Epistle But now of those which were the Apostles it is evident that these Gifts were not Apostolical as belonging so to them as Apostles and it will appear in the other Cause That the Bishops succeeded them in every thing that was Apostolical although not in these extraordinary Endowments for the Apostolical power of planting setling Churches of propagating the Gospel throughout the whole World and enlarging the Kingdom of Christ must remain for ever and therefore though the manner of doing it by such Signs and Wonders be not communicated yet the Office must and therefore he who is a Bishop or Presbyter by divine right is such throughout the whole Word to this purpose you may observe in that famous place of Acts 20. 28. so much and so often canvased by them who handle these Controversies in other points but not thought on in this you may observe that St. Paul speaking to divers Presbyters or Bishops which you will he saith Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers or Bishops to feed the Church of God which he purchased with his own blood Observe here that he spake to many and diverse Bishops or Presbyters I stand not upon thâ—t now he spâ—ke to them in the plural Number but when he speaks of the flock they were to pastorize over he puts it in the singular Number now if the Holy Ghoâ— had made them Bishops of particular Congregations only it must have been the flock every one his several but being all made Pastors of the Catholick Church he names it one flock and so likewise to feed or Sheperdizâ— over not the Churches but the Church of Christ which indeed were no way congruous if the Holy Ghost had made them Officers of particular Churches and confined them there but making them Officers of the Vniversal Church which Christ had purchased with his blood and all Officers of that it is rightly put in the singular number flock and Church This likewise the Holy Ghost intimates every where describing the Church to us by the name of a â—ield a Vineyard a City and multitudes of such Expressions which as much as this of a flock intimate the unity of that Body which is his Church his â—lock over which these are Pastors in their several wayes not only their little Congregations Now the wisdom of the Church finding that although the potential and habitual power is universal yet the actual cannot be exercised further
Jesus seeing their faith said to the sick of the palsie Sâ—n thy sins be forgiven thee Observe they were divers persons whose fâ—ith he saw and but one to whom he spake and because some avoid it and say that within this word their is involved his who was sick his faith as well as theirs who carried him although this will appear a forced explication to them who consider the Text yet let it be granted I hope they will noâ— say his faith alone then theirs co-operated with him in the work then they could operate themselves for no second causes do cooperate one with another but when each hath the power then they had force of themselves towards the procuring of this blessing Consider then the blessing Son thy sins are forgiven thee what this was appears by the Dispute which followed the Scribes said He spake blasphemy none can forgive sins but God and our Saviour proved immediately that he was God in the 21. verse by saying to the sick of the palsie arise take up thy bed and walk and did the miracle so that it appears evidently first that faith precedes to induce Baptism before men can come to God that the coming of Infants is by others feet that the faith pre-required in Children is other mens faith for as it is with all supernatuâ—all works there is a passive faith in the object necessary to make it capable of that miracle without which miracles in the course of Gods ordinary doing them are not wrought and with which all things are possible both for our selves or those which belong to us and this faith in a Father is powerfull for his Son in a Master for his Servant So is it in Bâ—ptism faith is necessary to this great work of Adoption but faith of others in Children is only necessary and this is excellently exprest in the practice of the Civil Law which whether it received its rise from this or Circumcision or that the same principles which direct one are evident in the other I dispute not but it is some comfort even in Religion to see it illustrated by the wayes of prudent nature and the universall Axiomes of it This then is so illustrated although Adoption requrie the consent of both parties yet personally that is only done in such as are sui juris grown to such years as they are masters of themselvs and their own actions but such as are of such weak years as they are governed and under parents they can be and are adopted by their parents to another an adopting Father and their Covenants for the behalf and in the name of the Child both oblige the Child to filiall duties towards his new Father and likewise the Father to a fatherly care of the Son both in life by protecting him and in death by estating him in his Inheritance Thus did God with the Children of the Jewes at Circumcision that act by the Parents made the Child a debtor to that law and God to his Covenant of mercy to him So here is the hand of God accepting this act of Parents for their Children in Nature in the Law and in all footsteps of Gods Government the same discipline is observed I will conclude somewhat like that passage in Petrus Claniacensis a man famous for learning and piety as any of that Age in the Treatise of his against the Petro-brusians whose Opinions agreed in the point with our Anabaptists You see multitudes of men in Scripture had a faith prevalent for others and those but single persons or a few men that carried the Paralytick shall not the faith of the world of the whole Church be effectuall to these Infants A Father begs for his Son a Master for his Servant shall not Christian Parents yea the Christian Church be heard in prayer for these Infants God hath Covenanted Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you John 16. 22. Ask say Divines constantly faithfully for good things according to Gods will non ponenti Obicem either for himself or others who do not stop by self-wickedness the power of prayers can then the constant prayers of the Church with that unshaken faith of hers be denyed its efficacy in a thing so pleasing to God to such persons who actually can put no hinderance to the power and efficacy of that prayer These things in Christian men canot be denyed and therefore in brief to the Argument Faith in all introduceth this Covenant in Baptism and moves the receiver to be adopted to God and therefore observe that the Apostle as he verse 26. Ye are all the Children of God by faith so in the 27th verse he brings a reason For as many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ. The reason why they are the Children of God by faith is because that such as have this faith are moved to be baptized and they put on Christ. The faith of him who is master of his own actions makes him be baptized the faith of him who is master of his Childs actions causeth him to bring his Child to this Adoption and yet methinks it hath not only power concerning this blessing before the act of Adoption to bring men to it but even in it to accept it for although there were all the affection in the world to it before yet if faith fail in the Act that man would hold from accepting such a Covenant whereby he had no confidence to be blessed but this faith doth only make him Covenant but it self is not the Covenant Thus I suppose I have spoken abundantly to Mr. Hookers second Argument and to such Objections which I have thought upon as most opposing this Doctrine I have delivered and although I could frame many more of this nature yet what is said to these will serve the turn for them likewise and therefore I let them pass SECT X. Mr. Hookers third Argument answered THomas Hookers third Argument page 54. is thus framed This Tenent doth necessarily evidence the Church of Rome to be a true Church which is thus gathered Where all the members are true members there the Church is a true Church But all the members in all the Congregations of Rome are true members Ergo. This Minor he proves because they are baptized I would first know what is the harm if we allow the Church of Rome to be a true Church true in the essentials of a Church though sick and full of corrupt Doctrines I have shewed and it is most true that many men be in a Church yea in the Catholick Church and not be saved and perhaps there may be an whole Church such as Mr. Hooker would have and scarce a man of them saved without the same means as many in the Church of Rome are saved by And therefore by the way I adde that the Church of Rome is not only a Church but a saving Church such as I doubt not but multitudes are saved in for they have not only a Doctrine
his Councels come to be Decrees in this Epistle there is not one word like a Decree but onely an Advice to him nothing like a Commission as Vasques and divers others phrase it for then it should be mandamus or concedimus potestatem we Command or grant you power nor of dispensation as Cardinall Bellarmine and others for then it should be in that language we dispence with you or non obstante notwithstanding any Law to the contrary but here is no such thing but sometimes he saith fraternibus vestra your brotherhood knows this or that and the like and here shews him the reason why he should come by more Bishops to assist him although I think he was deceived in his supposals for there were Bishops in Brittain at that time howsoever that reason was good to authorize Austin at that time and the like may be good for any man in the like Condition for this triplicity of Bishops to Consecrate cannot be necessary to Consecration according to any Divine Constitution but onely Ecclesiastical which cannot be understood to exact impossibilities or else to make a particular Church to lose all the benefit of Episcopall Government But then consider the language of all these men and see how inconsistent it is with their first principles that there must be three Bishops by Divine right to the Consecration of a Bishop can the Pope dispence with what is due by Divine authority or can he grant a Commission to act against Divine Laws I hope they will not say so unless they will set themselves against all that is called God and make an earthly god above our Father which is in â—eaven then let us consider how it was possible that Christian Religion could have been planted unless the power essentially had been in one Bishop to Consecrate when Timothy Titus and St. John who you will that went about with the power of Tongues into unknown Countreys to plant Religion and God blessing their industry the Churches increased learned Men were Converted fit to make Bishops of Can you think that these Itinerants would suffer them like Austin here in England to send to Rome for advice in such a matter or much less for a Commission or dispensation to use their Language it is not imaginable nay when a Church is in persecution I know a little what belongs to that can they send to many Bishops in the same Province to send their votes in writing or without that there can be no Consecration It cannot be I conclude thus although in a setled Church there is a great decency in practiseing according to that Rule of having three Bishops at a Consecration yet in these Cases it is not necessary and it may be validly acted by one alone and no Commission or dispensation is necessary And now Reader having walked through this intricacy I cannot think my self nor the Reader satisfied untill I have applied another Question which is what is it which so enables a Consecration that we may say when that is done this man is a Bishop CHAP. XII In which is discoursed what is essentially to the constitution of a Bishop THe Question introduced To understand which that I may write distinctly take this for a Praecognitum that since the power was given to the Apostles in these words As my Father sent me so send I you Therefore when this power is given by Apostles and Apostolicall men then this dignity is conferr'd upon Men But again because that it is necessary for the Church of Christians not onely that they have the power but that this power should be so administred as that other men who are to receive blessings from it should be able to take notice for else how is it possible to repair to the wells head unless they can know where it is that there is such a blessing bestowed upon them therefore this power must be given by some such means as are visible and that men may discern when it is granted for if it should be given by the Apostles without any outward sign onely with a vehitie a kind of secret grant it must be most uncertain to other men because each man may pretend to it and there is no confuting but by some outward sign which being proper to this Action may be an infallible assurance that then and not till then it is given and here will be required a diligent and curious inquest there are divers things pretended to which are not right and they being severed we may then safely pitch upon what is the truth to do which let us first consider that Adâ—m Tanner in his fourth Tome of Scholasticall Divinity upon the third of Thomas and the supplement Disp. 7. Quest. 2. Dubio 4. handling the doubt what is the matter and form of a Priest and Bishop at the last page 1900. he names as a Concessum and things to be supposed eight Actions at the consecration of a Bishop he quotes the Romane Pontificall for it I will not set them down the writing them is too much paines but what hath grown in reputation amongst Scholars I shall examine But yet I must make another pause SECT II. A discourse of Petrus Arcadius illustrated and applied THere is a learned man one Petrus Arcadius who hath writ a Book with a most pious title which is of the concord betwixt the occidentall Church or the Latine and orientall under which headâ— he reduceth the African and sometimes the Rutherian in the administration of the Sacraments which controvercy he hath very industriously and happily handled in very many things in particular in this business having handled before the form used in both Churches at the ordination title 6. de Sacramento ordinis cap. 4. he comes to reconcile them and doth it upon this foundâ—tion I am now handling that is that they agree in the essentialls that is the Doctrine of all the three Churches and the difference is onely in Accidentalls this saith he may be done first by saying our Saviour did so institute this Sacrament that the Consecration of Ministers should be by certain words and outward signs by which it should sufficiently appear to what part of Ministry they were ordained but he left it to the arbitrement of the Church what these signs and words must be this he illustrates by the Councell of Trent wherein Sâ—ssion 23. Canon 3. the Councell decrees the thing that holy ordination should be made with signs and words but determines not what so that it excludes not the Graecian or African Ordination Again he illustrates this by Marriage most rightly for they make Matrimony a Sacrament as well as ordination there the word of God establisheth for men how they should live in holy wedlock but never determines what shall be the manner with what words or signs they shall be married but leaves that to the determination of every Church yea Common-wealth thus you may perceive his Conclusion how strengthned I will set down my Judgements and reasons
to act since after his departure to the end of the world It is necessary therefore for us to think that such things as are delivered by them are Divine for although Canons of Councels general or particular are excellent Guides for the establishing Peace and Unity in the Church and so may require obedience from their Subjects yet because they are but men without an annexed infallibility without doubt they may vary in their practice and Discipline and their Dictates being introduced upon occasions may be altered and therefore cannot add essentials to any thing for the essences of things are always certain and necessary This is my Major Now to search what is Apostolical in this business we must examine the Scriptures where first we find our Saviour authorizing his Apostles As my Father sent me so send I you to give power to others We find him using no Ceremony but breâ—thing upon them gave them the Holy Ghost and truly that Breathing was most significative of that blessing he bestowed upon them but from thence we find not the Apostles using that Ceremony for they being enabled with this plenarty of power to give others that blessing they only gave it and for a sign that they did establish it laid their hands upon them so that as we conceive these two places 1 Tim. 1. 6. by the laying on of my hands or the 1 Tim. 4. 14. with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery to be Ordination so likewise we shall find this Ceremony taken for the whole 〈◊〉 or Ordâ—nation Tim. 5. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man Now then without doubt if any outward Act must be essential to this Heavenly work this only being Apostolical must be esteemed most essential and there I think it most proper for men to conceive that this is the only Ceremony essentially necessary if any be to the performance of that duty for the power originally being given to the Apostles nakedly and absolutely without any qualification or mode in what manner they should use it to others we are to receive the manner at their acting it for our best Rule and guidance which is only in Scripture delivered to be imposition of Hands Thus much for that which the Doctors of the Church of Rome called the material part in the essence of Consecration and we may truly term the outward sign Let us now examine that which they call the form and we may term the words which express it the words which our Saviour used John 20. 22. are Receive ye the Holy Ghost these words expresly are used in the Roman Consecration and Ordination but in the Graecian the words are varied but the sence reserved not giving this blessing in the Imperative-mood which is much stood upon by many Schoolmen and Casuists but in a more humble stile The Grace of God Creates or Promotes thee to this Dignity of a Bishop or Priest or Deacon where we find the truth more largly expounded though materially the same for certainly the Grace of God is that which impowers men with these authorities are given and men are only Instrumental but that they are and therefore there is added how this is given by the suffrage of the Bishops which denotes them instrumental for the African Church you may discern in the Canon of Carthage before cited that the Consecration is expressed in a Language of such extent as may be applied to them both which is uno fundente benedictionem one of them pouring out the benediction or blessing but implying strongly the sence such as is proper for this work to Confirm which all the present Bishops lay on their hands and this universally so consented unto as agreeing to the Holy Scripture that although in the heat of disputation I find men sometimes over peremptorily asserting their own opinions yet I do not find that either Church did refuse such as were Consecrated in either although in wayes and modes differing from their own so that I may justly say that the whole Catholick Church Concenters in this Conclusion that when words importing the blessing are Delivered by a Consecrating Bishop and those words are sealed by imposition of Hands then these holy Orders are effectually given I shall then need to do little more in this Point than to answer such objections which are commonly made against it or I can apprehend proper to be opposed to it SECT II. The first Objection against the Truth answered THe first is common in the School made against the pontiâ—ical in this point because that in all that part of the Pontiâ—ical it is said only Receive ye the Holy Ghost and that Language is the same in the Ordination of Priests as likewise the Imposition of Hands so that by this no man can know what Order is given in the Church of Rome it is answered that the design which they are about will shew it whether to one or to the other Order and again the manner of the Imposition of Hands in the Consecration of a Bishop divers Bishops Impose Hands in the Ordination of a Priest one Bishop only with some Presbyters in the Ordination of a Deacon the Bishop alone but in our Church that scruple is clearly taken away by a great Prudence where at the Ordination of a Priest the Consecrating words are Receive the Holy Ghost for the office and work of a Priest and at the Consecration of a Bishop the words are Receive the Holy Ghost for the office and work of a Bishop in the Church of God where wee see that universal cause of all Spiritual blessings I mean the Holy Ghost applied to that particular duty in which at that time he works and therefore the Consecration is free from that Exception SECT III. Another Objection drawn from the Councel of Carthage answered ANother Ojection may be that the Councel of Carthage before cited mentions the laying on the Book by two Bishops upon the head and shoulders of the Bishop to be Consecrated and therefore that is necessary I answer that I much reverence that Councel in which was St. Augustine and divers other Bâ—shops famous for learning and piety in their Generations but yet as I have said before this was never practiced any remarkable time as sundry Doctors in the Church of Rome observe and again it is impossible to be essential because not Apostolical and that because the Holy Bible and that highest part of it the New Testament was not writ when Bishops and Priests were Ordained it is therefore worth our marking that there is a difference in the decrees of Councels concerning Doctrine and Discipline or Ceremonies of the Church in a point of Doctrine they shew in what sence they understand such and such a Conclusion but in the other they set down what is to be practiced to preserve Orders and decency in those Churches where they have to do and indeed there can be no more required of obedience than in quiet and setled times in which
Canons of this Councel because there was an ill use made thereof against two eminent Fathers of the Church St. Athanasius and St. John Chrysostome who suffered much trouble and persecution upon the pretence of the IV. and XII Canons thereof from their Adversaries and were sentenced by them before they well heard But in particular concerning the Canon of this Councel about the power of the Chori-Episcopi it is well observed by Estius ubi supra that the words thereof are very intricate and perplexed as we shall now declare in the Chapter following CHAP. XV. The Argument to prove these Chori-Episcopi and their power to Ordain Presbyters examined I Think the likelyest man in the world to expound this Canon is Balsamon who was Patriarch of that Church and although he lived a good while after this Councel yet the sence and meaning of the decrees of his own Church is likelyer to be preserved by him and them in that Church than in any other places and men which lived further remote Therefore in his Comment upon the Canon and those particular words upon which the whole foâ—ce of this Argumentis built Illud autem sine Episcopo qui est in Urbe non accipitur pro eo quod est sine ejus mandato sed pro eo quod est sine ejus Ordinatione seu Consecratione et si enim fuerit Chori-Episcopo mandatum ut Praesbyterum ordinet hoc fecerit irrita erit Ordinatio quia non sit data Praesbyteris ordinandi potestas than which words nothing can be more clear to shew that these Chori-Episcopi here spoken of could not Ordain so now in answer to this Argument of Doctor Forbes drawn from the tenth Canon of the Antiochian Councel it is not of any force because the Councel is of none being made by Heretiques in a wicked Schism conspiring against that ever to be honour'd person Athanasius and urged to the destruction of that incomparable person John Chrysostome Secondly granting it to be of force yet by the best expositor in the world for that Councel Balsamon expounds the dubious language of that Canon against Doctor Forbes now then the business of Pope Damasus his decree falls of it self which introduceth a new work for me SECT II. Pope Damasus his decree examined THis Epistle in Crabbs Edition of the Councels is the fourth but in Binius the fifth Epistle of Damasus and it is sufficiently Pontifical it destroys all Chori-Episcopi and saith that they were prohibited as well by that Seat of Rome as by all the Bishops in the world this he saith there and we must take his word for it only for I find no such thing upon record before or after as will appear when I treat of the nature of them but he inveighs justly agaisnt the Laziness of Bishops which saith he brought them into like Nurces to suckle their children for them whilest they the Bishops might enjoy their ease and pleasure To conclude the whole drift of that Epistle is to prove that these Country Bishops are but Presbyters and therefore have no power to Ordain Priests and Doctor Forbes saith clean contrary that although they were but Presbyters yet by that accursed Councel of Antioch they might Ordain Priests The words of that Canon Damasus mentions although he do not name the Councels and truly these words seemed to me to be of great force quamquam impositionem Episcoporum perceperint where he observes the Plural number imposition of Hands of Bishops many in the Plural number of which more hereafter now if they did I know not what can hinder them by any Canon from a remote power to Ordain which may be acted by only leave from the Bishop himself but this is enough for the business of the decree of Damasus it seems he was angry with them and disputes against them and condemns them but as Doctor Forbes well observes this decree of his was but little or not at all obey'd either because this was no true but a counterfeit Epistle or whether these decrees of Popes extra Cathedram were not valid I know not but do know this that it was not observed so here we see a wicked Councel condemned by a Pope and that Pope neglected by all men afterwards what he urgeth out of Isidore Hispalensis is of no consideration but only to mark that the Popes decree was not observed in his time for Isidore there which is Lib. 2. de Ecclesiasticis officiis Cap. 6. sets down only the bare words of the two Councels of Neocaesarea and this of Antioch that of Neocaesarea only compares the Chori-Episcopi to the Disciples this of Antioch will prove a most perplexed decree in its self and such which may probably be objected against Doctor Forbes as well as expounded for him for that out of Neocaesarea which compares the Chori-Episcopi to the seventy Disciples Damasus shews that they Ordained but only the Apostles and Isidore hath not one word of discourse concerning this office as he uses to have concerning all others but only sets down the words of the Canons so that it remains for all him just as it was which is most intricate Damasus seems to conceive that the Records of this Canon did allow them with leave of the Bishop to Ordain Deacons and Priests and that the Laziness of Bishops connived at it for which reason he condemns them not the fault only but for the faults sake the very office this office we find continued in Isidores time after him in the Church and in late times as I shall shew so that as the Pope thought the Canon of that Councel not obliging so the Christian world thought his decrees invalid wherefore I might well lay them both aside SECT III. This Canon Reviewed BUt I will examine the Canon to see if it have any necessary construction that way There are two principal things which are disputeable in this Canon first whether these Chori-Episcopi might give Orders to Presbyters with leave of the Bishop of the City whereto they appertain secondly whether any of them were Bishops by Episcopal Ordination in both which we may find the Canon so perplexed as it will be hard to collect a clear conclusion of it For the first it is urged by Doctor Forbes that the words of the Canon in all Editions of which he quotes three make for him the first is of Dionysius Exigâ—us a grave Author and he urgeth his words truly Nec Praesbyterum nec Diaconum audeant Ordinare praeter Civitatis Episcopum speaking of Chori-Episcopi they should not Ordain a Priest or Deacon praeter besides the Bishop of the City to whom he with his possession is subject Is not this rightly termed by Estius a perplexed Canon then next take the Edition of Gentianus Hervetus which reads it absque Vrbis Episcopo he must not Ordain these without the Bishop of the City this I take to be in his Edition of Balsamon for so it is there and then why Balsaman