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A55778
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A Parallel between Episcopacy & Presbytery, or, The Church of England vindicated from all the false and uncharitable reports and suggestions of either papist or Presbyterian
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1680
(1680)
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Wing P334; ESTC R28149
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7,728
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6
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his Subjects but by permission and authority from him and that according to just Laws and Rules made by Sovereign Authority for the manner of external Ministration thereof So that when the Episcopal Power cometh to the holding of Courts and calling Assemblies it wholly depends upon the Sovereign Power without whose assent signified by his Writ they cannot Assemble for the making of Canons and Constitutions nor publish and put in use any of them being made But Presbyterians take upon them to set up their Discipline in any Kingdom therein agreeing with the Jesuit maugre all opposition It is true for external Peace sake they hold it fit to crave leave first and beg the assistance of the Civil Power but if denied will proceed without it Assembling together and making their own Laws without Regulations from the Civil Power for the manner and form of exercising their Discipline allowing only the Prince Potestatem Cumulativam as they speak a power to add more strength and vigour not privativam to interpose or hinder their Assemblies or Decrees But with their good leave all the Presbyterian Divines in England cannot justifie unless at the beginning some extraordinary Miracle had been shewn from Heaven in favour and confirmation of their Religion the making any Prince's Subjects Proselytes without the leave and consent of their Prince much less the setling it in a Christian Commonwealth to the utter abrogation of a Religion pure and agreeable to the word of God by force of Arms and effusion of Christian Blood contrary to the true sense and meaning of the Gospel of Peace Now that Episcopacy is of Apostolical Institution is a Truth that hath been made good in all Ages That for 1500 years continuance of Christianity there is no example of the Church governed otherwise An Argument sufficient to suspect Novelties in opposition unto it That it hath been approved of by most of the Protestant-Divines beyond Seas who are rather induced by necessity to the practice of Presbytery there wanting means to maintain or abilities lawfully to compass Episcopal Government than wills and desires to enjoy the same Advantages Presbytery cannot pretend to Indeed Presbytery gave out at first that their perswasion came the nearest to the word of God that they were opprest for professing Christ purely that the Church of England like a Tall Cedar by continual droppings prejudiced and kept back the growth of this under-Shrub that they only humbly desired a free Toleration of their Religion from the Civil Magistrate c. which made a great many good and well-meaning Men not only neglect and connive at but even cherish and think well of it till having by its own subtilty and simplicity of others contracted sufficient warmth and power It like the Countrymans Snake began to rear its head and hiss disputing possession with the Landlord even to the danger of his Life for the dispute between his Majesty of Ever Blessed Memory and the Two Houses was not which Government came nearest to the word of God but Quis Regnabit where the Supream Power in Causes Ecclesiastical and Civil shall practically remain for the future either in Prince or People for though his late Majesty yielded to the settling of the Presbyterian Government for three years in a Legal manner as flowing from the power of the Crown yet this will not satisfie they would have totaliter totum Crown and all or else the Sword should decide it Now I would fain ask any reasonable Man How they could be so severely dealt with and opprest by the Church of England as they would have the people believe if in the space of less than fourscore years surely Ill Weeds grow apace this little party could be able to ruine so flourishing a Kingdom When was it that they had not publick Meeting-Houses in this Kingdom were the severest of our Laws since or before the King came in ever able to hinder them from a free exercise of their Religion And what was the Fruits of their Blessed Reformation a Term the people has been so much abused and cheated with when the Presbyterian Government was practised in opposition to the Episcopal but pulling down of May-poles destruction of senseless Crosses Reformation of Tavern-Signs by fantastical Cringers pictured instead of Angels breaking ignorant painted Glass windows removing the Communion Table Locally changing the Font laying aside Surplices and using Cloaks so that the Presbyter himself was in habit a Lay-Elder introducing a Directory instead of the Common Prayer and a Catechism the Issue of six years labour which ever since King Edward the sixth's daies you might have furnished your selves with in a smaller print and at an easier rate disentituling St. Paul and St. Peter whether out of familiarity or that a Live Dog is better than a Dead Lyon to cry up the Saints fo St. Antholins and Aldermanbury and lastly intermixing Lay-men with the Clergy for managing fo Ecclesiastical Affairs these were the most material alterations Now can any Man imagine that such Toys and Indifferences as these could provoke Men to desire a change in Government by an unnatural War were these things sufficient grounds for a thorough Reformation in church and State were they substantial enough to counterpoise Hypocrisie Perjury Oppression and Blood But 't is objected and has been a great inducement to some well-meaning Men to think well of their Government that they are zealous supporters of the Peoples Liberties and suppressors of wicked actions as Swearing Drinking Breaking of the Sabbath c. To which I answer in general That nothing can be more desired either for the suppressing or punishing of all sinful Words Deeds and viciously guilty persons or conducing to the Liberty of the Subject than what was established and confirmed by Act of Parliament before ever they exposed their Grand Remonstrance of Dec. 1641 to the view of the world Besides it allarming the Nation at first upon idle grounds with fear of Court-Endeavours to impair their privileges when no such endeavours really were or any thoughts bending that way and afterwards as power came into their hands subverting the antient Laws and Liberties of the Nation and abrogating its established Religion is maintaining the peoples privileges I grant 'em to be the only Men and as for the strict observance of the Laws relating to manners under the Presbyterian Government more than Episcopal it hapned from policy and State-conveniency out of necessity rather than from any good will they bore either to God or his Worship as is evident from the bottom of their black designs and had not they amused the people with the gilded nothing of Reformation and charm'd their Eyes with these outward shows of Sanctity while they were changing their Religion and antient Laws such publick Impostors no question had been as publickly removed from the Stage of this World by the rage of the common people Then against this objection put into the other Scale the publick Hypocrisie Perjury and Rebellion of those times and I believe no sober Man will admire either the goodness or felicity of the Presbyterian Government and to give 'em their old distinction back again I grant they were pretty godly ones distributive divisim but desperately wicked collective conjunctim i take 'em by Retail and they were so many seeming Saints but in the Lump a pack of most abominable wicked Wretches Besides Let 'em remember after they had demolished that almost impregnable Bulwark of Christianity the Church of England how suddenly the Enemy took in their lesser works and smaller fortifications what variety of Opinions then swarm'd in England Was not God himself dishonoured his Church unfrequented Did not Schism and Prophaneness every where abound and Heresies of all sorts even to the denying of the Divinity of Christ the holy Scriptures and immortality of the Soul and Religion it self consists in Tongue-Discourse demure Looks and preciseness of Habit Therefore if Popery is so odious to 'em as they pretend if there is any truth sense and meaning in what they say if they have any Bowels of Compassion for their poor Country If Presbytery and Loyalty be not inconsistent Let 'em for good manners sake since the difference in Religion is so small between us be advised by their Governours and accept of his Majesties Choice who no question is as earnest for his Salvation as the best Presbyterian of 'em all laying aside in this great time of danger animosities and unseasonable disputes which only make the Gap wider and hold us in play whilst the Enemy enters and submit themselves like honest Men to the Doctrine of the Church of England as it is expressed in the Thirty nine Articles being grounded on a sure Foundation the Holy Scriptures which are only able to make us wise unto Salvation leaving all other our fears and jealousies to the wisdome of his Majesty and his Council whose Honour and Interest is unseparably united with that of this Kingdom Perused May 29. 1680.
Liberties of the Subject and that he in the mean time poor Gentleman was careless even of his own preservation By these and such like Tricks and Artifices they ruin'd this flourishing Monarchy and by such signs and Symptoms as these if we would prevent a relapse we may guess at the return of this fatal Distemper from which Good Lord deliver us Now that our deceived Country-men may see how they have been abused into a belief of enjoying I know not what happiness under the Term of Reformation in Church generally called Presbytery I have here inserted a short Parallel of both Governments taken out of the Writings of a learned and conscientious Divine of this Nation The Parallel of Episcopacy and Presbytery Episcopacy in it self considered is a Prelacy or Superiority of one above all the Presbyters within such a Precinct or Diocess which one is apointed to have care of all the Churches within that compass and furnished with power and authority for ordination and jurisdiction that authority not being arbitrary but bounded by Laws and administred or exercised with advice and assistance of certain choise Presbyters to the intent that all Churches or Congregations under him may be provided of able Pastors and that both these inferiour Pastors and People may perform the duties required of them Presbytery is such a form of Church-Government as is administred by Preaching and Lay-Elders joyntly with equal voice and power in the several judicatures of their Parochial Sessions of their Classical or greater Consistories of their Provincial Synods and National Assemblies 1. Under Episcopal there is in every Parish a preaching Minister with Church-Wardens and in some Deacons or Curates by these Offenders are noted and admonished and the offences presented to the Ecclesiastical Courts or Consistories where they may be heard and censured the Minister having power in some cases of notorious scandal to restrain from the communion until the offence may be heard and judged in the Court and the party so offending by the censure of the Church brought to give publick satisfaction Vnder the Presbyterian Government there is in every Parish a Minister with a Competent Number of Lay-Elders and Deacons according to the largeness of the Parish these make the Parochial Session and have power to censure scandalous Livers Contentious Persons and the like to enjoyn publick penance and impose upon the penitent before he be received into the Church a Fine to be employed on pious Vses 2. Under Episcopal in every Diocess there are several Divisions the lesser and the greater these being called Deanaries those Arch-Deaconries in those the Arch-Presbyters in these the Arch-Deacons have power to call the Parochial Ministers together to enquire of Doctrine and manners and see to the redressing of smaller Abuses In the Mother-City is the Bishop's Residing with his Presbyters having the power of ordination of judging and determining of all matter of Doctrine or Scandal reserved to his Hearing by his Arch-Deacons and of rejudging what was judg'd amiss by them This he doth either in his Consistory which he holdeth in his City assisted by his Presbyters or in his Visitations going through his Diocess and causing his Clergy personally to appear or in his Diocesan Synod which is made up of the City-Presbyters Dean and Chapter the Arch-Deacons and other choise Presbyters under the Presidency of the Bishop Vnder the Presbyterian in every County there are also several Divisions or Classes containing such a Number of Parochial Ministers who have their set Meetings for conference and in the City or more eminent Town is the great Presbyterian Consistory commonly called the Presbytery made up of all the Parochial Ministers within its Precincts and of Lay-Elders from each Parish one in this is the power of Ordination of censuring Crimes of the higher strain with the greater Excommunication of hearing Appeals from the Parochial Sessions and rejudging what was there judged amiss 3. Under Episcopal Government are held Provincial Synods consisting of all the Bishops Deans Arch-Deacons and of certain choise Presbyters from every Diocess within the Province These have power to order all matters concerning the whole Province to hear appeals from every Diocess to rejudge what was done amiss that could not be well determined in a Diocesan Synod Vnder the Presbyterian also are held Provincial Synods made up of Commissioners that is certain preaching and Lay-Elders from every individual Presbytery or Presbyterian Consistory within the Province These judge and determine matters pertaining to the whole Province also difficult Cases that could not well be determined within the Presbytery They receive Appeals also from the Presbyters and examine what was there thought to be done amiss 4. Under Episcopal Government are also held National Councils consisting of the like Members as do the Provincial these are of great Authority they examine and judge any thing done amiss in any Province they consider and determine matters of Doctrine and Discipline in order to the whole National Church Vnder the Presbyterian likewise are held National Assemblies consisting of Commissioners from all the Presbytery in the Kingdom each of them sending two preaching and one Lay-Elder also from every Burrough one and he a Lay-Man and from every Vniversity one and for the most part a Lay-Man too In these is the Supream and Final Determination of all complaints and controversies and unto the Decrees that issue thence all must obey under pain of Excommunication Now by this you may perceive that they both agree in ipso Regimine Ecclesiastico In the Government it self considered as it referreth to the Church that is all Members therein that are to be governed though not in the manner number or qualification of the Persons governing both parties confessing that the power of Ordination and of Judicature so far forth as the Keys left by Christ in his Church do extend is of divine institution and that this power must be exercised or administred in his Church by some so that I say the difference is whether the exercise or ministration of that power be restrained to certain choise Men or indifferently left to all Presbyters and all their assisting Lay-Elders Therefore the next question will be Which of these two Governments have the more effectual means to procure the end of Church-Government the Preservation of Truth and Peace and the suppression of Heresie and Schism I answer Episcopal for 't is strange That Lay-men from whose Education no Knowledge beyond their Trades and such like Affairs can be expected should be as fit Instruments for such kind of Employments as Grave and Learned Scholars whose only Business is to tread the Path of all Arts both Humane and Divine So that these Lay-men will be lookt upon in the Presbytery but as so many Cyphers Quorum potius numerantur suffragia quam argumenta ponderantur as was once said of the Papal Consistory Again Bishops assume not the exercise of any power within any Prince's Dominions or use it over