our Learning In the end of p. 17. and in 18. he lays to my charge that I distinguished not betwixt the extraordinary power which was properly Apostolical and that ordinary Pastoral Power which was eminently comprehended in the other The Authority and Government of the Church must have expired with the Apostles had not this Power been conveyed by their Delegation to their Successors by virtue whereof the ordinary Pastoral power viz. Power to Preach the Gospel Administer Sacraments Absolve Penitents c. was and is confer'd upon the Presbyters the extraordinary and Apostolic Power of Ordaining and Governing of Binding and Loosing being intirely reserved in the Bishop the Apostles Successors and this too of the ordinary Pasteral power is to use his own words eâ—inently comprehended in the Diocesan Bishops as it was in the Apostles Other distinction than this cannot be truly made as I suppose Then he maliciously mentions the Arch-bishop of Canterâ—ury what Christian temper or good manners he shews therein let the Reader judge For it is written Thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy People The Nature and Extent of the Episcopal Office being fuily stated answers what he saith in the bottom of his 18 p. He says Dr. Hammond tells us that all the Elders we read of in the Scripture were Bishops and that every particular Church had one of these This Gent. has this quality he never mentions the place where the thing may be sound in any Author he quotes which is not fair Dr. Hammond says indeed That the Bishops in every City were the Successors of the Apostles Dissert 3 c. 3. In his Anot. on Acts c. 11. b. and in his Tracts of the Power of the Keys Asian Bishops called Angels and Bishop and Elder terms equivalent which were written in Vindication of his Dissertations from the exceptions of the Assembly of Divines as they were called wherein he has by Scripture the Primitive Fathers and undeniable Arguments evinced to the silenceing of the Assemblers that the word Bishop in Scripture did always signifie a Prelate or a Diocesan Bishop and that the word Elder had the same signification so that if this Gent. will be concluded by the Author he has cited his pretentions to Parochial and Congregational Bishops are at an end P. 19. he says t is pritty to hear him say these two that is Timothy and Titus were ordained Bishops by the Apostles was there any Apostle concerned besides Paul in it Here lies the trick c. Whether they were Ordained by St. Paul alone or with others conjunct it was all one being I was only to prove that their being Ordained Bishops was by Apostolic power which being done thô by St. Paul alone is sufficient Nothing but prejudice and ill nature could see any thing of a Trick in this Then he puts the Question and how pray could Timothy and Titus succeed the Apostles in the See of Ephesus and Crete whilst the Apostles were living And then he is pleased in his 20 p. to Droll and scoff at 'em and then says to be the Apostles Successors the Apostles yet alive and in plenitude of Power is a very great Mystery so is all the Gospel then he closes making himself merry with the ignorance of a Vicar of Newport who by the way is said to have been a Nonconformist which in a matter so momentous carries too much levity for a Minister of the Gospel I said in my p. 3. this Apostolical Succession was begun in Timothy and Titus c. They could not have been said to be Successors of Apostolical power if the Apostle moved by the Holy Ghost had not whilst living confer'd it on them could the Apostle have Ordained them after he was dead The Apostle by Ordaining them in his life time secured the Succession to them and the Government too in the Apostles absence even whilest he was living so that it was not improperly said that this Apostolic power was begun in Timothy and Titus they being the first mentioned in Scripture who were invested with Episcopal power of Jurisdiction by Apostolical Ordination that this Succession of Bishops is as he scossingly calls it a very great Mystery is very true the Bishops being by virtue of this Succession as truly the Representatives of Christ Jesus as Ambassadors are of Kings In p. 20. he says I affirmed that no Presbyters had power to Ordain He desires me to try how I will reconcile this with Dr. Hammond who says these Presbyters were all Bishops 1 Tim. 4.14 or with Scripture it self that says even Timothy received the Gift by the laying on the Hands of the Presbitery I have try'd and find it easily reconciled with Dr. Hammond for his Judgment is that those Presbyters who joyn'd in that Ordination were Apostles which you may see in his Paraphrase on the above-mentioned Scripture and he refers to Note on Acts chap. 11. f. for his reasons Mere Presbyters a â—umea power to Ordain first found in the Church of Rome The first clear Instance of mere Presbyters assuming the power to Ordain is to be found in the Church of Rome as the learned Primate Bramhal tells us p. 164. and in p. 431. he saith We may justly ascribe the reviveing of the Aerian Heresy to the Dispensations of the Court of Rome who Licensed Ordinary Priests to Ordain and Confirm c. In p. 20. he further saith for propagation of Apostolical Succession c. I inform 'em that Linus by Apostolical Consecration Succeeded the Apostles in the See of Rome here is a double blunder again Linus succeeded whilst the Apostles were alive How else could he have Apostolical Consecration c. The best way to determin this is to observe the Rule which in great Wisdom our Law hath appointed for Jurors to bring in their Verdict according to their best Evidence The best Evidence in this Case are the writings of the Fathers who lived in the next Age among whom Irenaeus is accounted the most exact Notary of the Succession of Bishops to the Apostolic Sees L. 3. C. 3. he affirms that Linus was made Bishop by the Apostles and that he Succeeded St. Peter in the See of Rome and that next after him Cletus by some called Anen Cletus Succeeded in that See and with him ‖ Lib. 1. adv Her Sect. 6. Epiphanius agrees and with these diverse others now this is so far from being a blunder that it is a clear Manifestation of the great care the Apostles had of providing for the Succession in their life time which no man can object against much less profanely Ridicule as my Adversary does who will consider that otherwise the Succession must have failed and been extinct if neglected whil'st the Apostles lived In the 21 p. at the bottom he saith That my affirming that this line of Apostolic Succession of Bishops hath continued in all Ages to this present time Succession of Bishops from the Apostles without
Enemies that will not contribute their utmost to quench them Men who are not mad will go far for Water to quench those Flame which else would destroy their dwellings They will not contribute to quench them but these men need go no farther but do their duty and the flames are out To disobey the Orders of our Governors is to transgress a plain Law of God If these men have any thing imposed on them by our Governors that is sinful let them shew it and their Plea must be allow'd but they are forced to confess the Terms of Obedience impos'd are but indifferent things mere trifles Now for a man to disobey his Governors and have no other plea but this it is too mean to excuse him from the transgression of a known Law Obey them that have the Rule over you is the command of the holy Apostle Heb. 13.17 Nor can indiffernt things or what they acknowledg mere trifles be a pretence sufficient to bind the Conscience against an express Law of God for as if the blessed Apostle had foreseen these mens Plea he Commands Obedience to our Governors for Conscience sake Rom. 13.5 I hope by what is said it will be allowed by all impartial men and sound Christians that I may conclude without breach of Charity that the Dissenters in England are they who kindle the unhappy Flames about Church Government and Worship and that they are the great Enemies that will not contribute the least not so much as do their Duty to quench them and that notwithstanding all the Writing he talks of the fault of all our Divisions lies at their door He goes on The word Schism has been toss'd like a Tennis-ball from one side to another till by such motion those violent heats have been caused that have much endangered both our Church and State By this Rhetoric I suppose is meant the Opposition and Disputes made by these men against the established Church of England that by these means these men not only endangered but for some years involved both Church and State in Ruin and Desolation had I brought no arguments yet by sad experience is sufficiently proved He says Great endeavours have been used to fasten the Guilt upon such as impose unnecessary and suspected Terms of Communion and it has been is furâ—â—ly retorted upon those who comply not with those Terms Here the Terms of Communion are Vnnecessary and Suspected only but who are to â—e Judges of what things are necessary or what Vnnecessary they that bear Rule over us or they that owe Subjection Government always implies Subjection and how can bare suspicion discharge a man from the dury of Obedience This is certain that if a Father command his Son to do something which is in it self not Unlawful and if the Son tell his Father it is Vnnecessary and that he Suspects it to be so and if only for that Reason will not obey that Son is a Transgressor against the fifth Commandment and it s as certain that this is truly applicable to these men all their Expositers affirm that Obedience to their lawful Rulers Pastors is required by that Commandment But because the whole Controversie which these Dissenters have against our Church mainly depends on these two perticulars mentioned by this Gent. viz. Church Government and Worship it will be very necessary to lay down some irrefragable Instances to prove what was the Practice of the Church in respect of its Government in the times next after the Apostles Episcopacy the Government of the Church in the times next after the Apostles and this I do because by referring thereto I shall answer many passages which follow in this Gentlemans Book I begin with the Canon of the Apostles which I find thus Translated by a person of great worth both for Learning and Veracity Let not the Presbyters or Deacons do any thing without the Consent of the Bishop for he hath the people of the Lord intrusted to him and there shall one day be required of him an account of their Souls Here the Bishop has the Power of Governing the Presbyters and Deacons Of what Authority these Canons are Justellus has made evident in his account of the Code of the Universal Church Clemens Romanus who was an Adjutor of the Apostles and as Linus Succeeden St. Peter and Cletus Lanus so he Succeeded Cletus in the Bishopric of Rome where all others in Holy Orders were called Presbyters except Deacons only who speaking of the Apostles in his Ep. ad Corinth p. 57. saith That they foreseeing that there would be Contentions and Emulations about the Name or Dignity of Bishop or Episcopacy they set down a List or continuation of Successors that when any dyed such a certain person should Succeed him Ignatius Bishop of Antioch and Martyr who saw Jesus and liv'd in the Apostles age whose Authority many of later times Enemies to Episcopacy have opposed yet never could suppress the plainness of it In his Epistle to the Smyrneans he saith But avoid Divisions as the beginning of evils and be all of you observant of the Bishop as Jesus Christ was observant of the Father and observe the Presbyters as the Apostles and reverence the Deacons as the Command of God Let no man presume to do any thing in the Church without the Bishop And let that Eucharist only be accounted firm which is either performed by the Bishop himself or by his Licence And a little further He who honoreth the Bishop honoreth God but he who doth any thing without the Bishop's approbation performs a Service to Satan c. In his Epistle to the Ephesians Therefore pursuant to something before it becomes you every way to glorifie Jesus Christ who glorifies you that being perfected and knit up in the same Subjection and being of one mind and of one judgment you may all speak the same things and being Subject to the Bishop which Onesimus then was 〈…〉 Presbyters may be Sanctify'd in all things Again in the same Epistle As Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 who is our into uparable life did follow the judgment of the Father and the Bishops who are designed to the ends of the Earth follow the judgment of Jesus Christ therefore it is a comely thing for you to concur in the â—â—â—â—ment of the Bishop as also you do for your Presbyters most worthy of Praise and of God is so adapted to the Bishop as strings are fitted to the â—â—rp insomuch that Jesus Christ is Celebrated through your unanimity and agreement in Love And in the same Ep. Therefore let us endeavour to be in subjection to the Bishops that we may be Gods Subjects In his Epistle to the 〈◊〉 For I was accounted worthy to see Damâ—s your Divite â—â—â—â—op and the worthy Presbyters Bassuâ— and Apolliaâ—s and Sâ—tiâ—n the Deacon my Fellow-servant whom I would enjoy because 〈…〉 subject to the Bishop as to the Grace of God and to the Presbyters as to the Law of Jesus Christ
A little further he saith For some in â—eed there are who own the Bishop in name but do all things without him such men appear to me to â—e men of no good Conference because they hold Meetings not established by Commandment c. I could heap up many more Instances but that would be tedious I will therefore conclude with the Council of I aodicea Can. 55. which I find by an eminent Doctor in our Church thus Translated The Presbyters must do nothing without the Consent of the Bishop That the Authority I have brought to prove that the ancient Goverment of the Christian Church was by Bishops and that it was an Order Superior and had power of Jurisdiction over the Presbyters and Deacons should be undeniably and firmly receiv'd and Submitted to by all Christians I offer these Reasons 1 First It was this same Authority which gather'd all the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles and declar'd them to be the word of God the dictates of the Holy Ghost and all Christians have so receiv'd them and do hold them to be Canonical and use them and reverence them as such to this very day 2 It was by the same Authority that the first day of the week was Declared to be the Lords Day there being no Precept Commanding it in Scripture and all Christians have yeilded Obedience to it and do set apart that Day to Celebrate the Worship of God in a most Solemn manner as if Commanded by Holy Scripture 3 And lastly this Authority of the Ancient Fathers and first General Councils which affirm the Government of the Church to be Episcopacy is one great means by which the Pious and Learned Divines of our Church if this Gent. will give me leave to call 'em so have clearly evinced and discoverd the Innovations and Corruptions imposed by the Church of Rome on all in her Communion to be fictitious and no way agreeing with the practice of the Primitive Church Now if upon the Authority of the Primitive Fathers and Councils Obedience was universally given to acknowledge and receive the New Testament as the Word of God and the Lords day celebrated as if commanded by Divine Precept which is infallibly true Is it reasonable now to dispute their Writings and Decrees their practice and usage concerning the nature of the Government of the Church which they were fully assured was established by the Apostles themselves And now I return to wait upon this unknown Gentleman In his 2. p. he says Some have fancied the severe Execution of Penal Laws by Fines Imprisonment Exile c. would have put an end to that Separation c. but Experience hath convinced them of a quite contrary effect This Gent. will carry all before him if credited I could certainly procure a Certificate under some hundreds of Hands of very Honest and Good men in Chester that the Penal Laws when executed there had brought all the Presbyterians except a very small inconsiderable number to Conformity ay and one of the oldest and stoutest of them acknowledged to the Rector of the Parish he liv'd in that he viz. the Rector had so throughly satisfied him that he did not partake at the Eucharist out of fear of the Law but for the satisfaction of his Conscience and that he would continue to do so but no sooner came the Indulgence out but this old Puritan and pretended Convert set the Church at defiance and with many more of that Tribe returned to their Separation and thus it was said to be in most part of England it 's certain that had not that Indulgence come out in King Charles the Second's time which was procured by the Duke of York for some special Service designed by him for the Romish Church there had been but a few in Conventicles except Anabaptists and Quakers who are incorriâ—aâ—le and above all others hardned almost beyond hope and yet this Gent. so confidently affirms that the Penal I aâ—s by experience had a quite contrary Espect which is much more bold than true In his 2 pag. he says further Others have persâ—aded themselves when ever such enforcements were laid â—â—â—e the controverted Ceremonies would of course fall into Contempt for being by acknowledgment things purely indifferent c. without any native worth or strength they cannot be rationally supposed to stand any longer than they had those external props to bear them up And erâ—in they have not been altogether disapoâ—nted for they hear of five or six of the Clergy and those not of the me â—â—est sort that have châ—sen to quit their preserments 〈…〉 ease of their Consciences c. To he 〈…〉 he says some had I shall again oppose matter of Fact the 〈…〉 times of â—â—â—rpa son which 〈◊〉 â—ed more than Twelve years all which 〈…〉 â—afâ—rcâ—â—â—aâ—s were laid and and the external props were 〈◊〉 and yet even â—â—en the far greater 〈◊〉 of the best people 〈…〉 persevere in their Affection and Communion with the Church of 〈◊〉 man are the great care taken by the then Rulers the 〈…〉 Parliament as then call'd required that no person should have a 〈…〉 Book found in Custody upon pain of being Indicted and Fâ—â—â—d at the pleasure of the then Judges who were their implacable Enemies here the Enforcements were thought necessary on the other fide and the vast numbers of these who retain'd Communion with the Church notwithstanding the Enforcements to the contrary appear'd with hearts full of Joy and Gratitude upon the Restâ—â—ration As for the Five or Six of the Clerâ—â— who he says are gone from us and are none of the meanist I know not who he means had they been Eminent men we should have heard of 'em this is trifling or I can tell him of Dr. Dillinghâ—m Vice Chancellor Dr. Connant Rector of Exeter Colledge Vice Chancellor and Regis Protessor of Divinity and many more thô he perhaps is asham'd to name our Diserters of th' other party who Conform'd notwithstanding the Indulgence In p. 3. he saith That since neither Disputing nor Penal Laws have hitherto brought English Protestants to an exact Vniformity it is worth every honest mans Enquiry how under these different Modes of Worship all men may be induced to live quiet and peaceable lives c. The Apostles Rule is 1 Cor. 1 10. Now I beseech you Brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that 〈◊〉 all speak the same things and that there be no Divisions among you different Mâ—des of Worship are here forbidden and an exact Vniformity in the Church of Corinth requir'd and I hope that this Gent. will not deny that this Rule is in force in the Church of 〈◊〉 lanâ— and if this Gent. would press this Doctrin he needs not puzzle men with any farther Enâ—â—â—ry how they may be induc'd to live quiet and peaceable lives And I presume here to tell him that against such who will not live quiet and peaceable lives there are Penal Laws still in force And this answers his
and venom against our Clergy and serves only to shew what Spirit he is of In p. 13. he saith But though the Apostles did propagate the Gospel far and wiâ—ie yet that they did actually preach it to all Nations is a thing we never beard of before T. W. told us so and we must have better Evidence before we believe it This is a mere Cavil but he thinks he has sufficiently shewed my nakedness The Gospel preaced to all Nations I did not use the word Actually I said that according to our Saviors Command the Apostles did Preach the Gospel to all Nations I could tell him out of very good Authoritys the vast Countrys in the Roman Empire in which St. Paul did actually preach the Gospel and that St. James did so in the Regions of Palestine St. Mark in Alexandria and the Countries far about it St. John in Asia St. Andrew in Achaja St Thomas in India and of the other Apostles Propagating the Gospel in other Countrys ay and Ordained Bishops and Presbyters in 'em too But the Scripture saith There were dweling at Jerusalem Jews Acts 2 5. devout men out of every Nation under Heaven to these the Apostles preached the Gosple so in this respect what I said is true I had no great reason to fear that I had committed an unpardonable Crime and if upon the Evidence given in Scripture he will not believe it he is at his liberty He goes on Whither the Seaven Churches in Asia had Seaven Bishops Presiding over them neither more nor less is a thing that no way affects our present Controversy nor can any thing be concluded from thence in favor of our English Prelacy till the Pawer of these Bishops the extent of their Diocesses the Quality of their under Officers c. be proved the same with ours viz. or liable to the same exceptions c. I understand not this last Sentence or liable to the same exceptions unless he would make the Primitive Church liable to the same exceptions That there were seven Bishops is unquestionable unless he will not give Credit to St. John's Testimony that the extent of their Diocesses may in some measure be right estimated it will be necessary to consider what this Asia doth signifie which Dr. Hammond describes thus Asia here doth not signifie the fourth part in the Division of the World but in another Notion known to Geographers the Lydian or proconsular Asia thus the word is used Acts 19.26 where St. Paul is said to perswade much People not only at Ephesus but almost thrô all Asia now in this Asia as there were many Cities so there were some Metropoles Chief or Mother Cities to each of which the lesser adjacent were subordinate Of this sort the first was Ephesus saith Vlpian l. Observ D. de Off. Procons Such again was Thiatira saith Ptolemy l. Geog. 1st Cap. 2. Such was Phyladelphia of the Province of the Lydians Of the same Rank are Laodicea Sardis Smyrna and Parâ—amus affirmed by Pliny Nat. Hist l. 6. c. 29. as Cities wherein the Roman Proconsuls residing kept Courts for all the adjoyning Cities to resort to by which it appears that all the Seven Cities here named were Metropoles and accordingly under these Seven all other Christian Churches were contained And it is evident in Ignatius's time which was not long after that Magnesia and Trallys upon the Banks of Meander saith Stephanus Bizantius being consequently included in this Asia were Episcopal Churches or Cities Damas being Bishop of one and Polybius of the other and so subordinate to the Metropolitan of Ephesus After this the Doctor Translates out of Eâ—â—ebius part of which I here insert viz Who can recount the multitudes of Assemblies in every City Who can describe the Confluxes to the Oratories and the spacious Churches which they built from the foundations not contenting themselves with the ancient Edifices To these I will add but two more instances viz. Jerusalem and Rome That the Seaven Churches in Asia Each City in the Primitive times but one Bishop and the Churches in Jerusalem and Rome had each of them but one Bishop is the voice of all the Christian world except the small number of your mistaken perswasion and that each of these great and populous Cities contained very many Congregations nothing can be more evident and further that it was impossible that all the many Congregations in each City could be Administred unto by one Bishop without the assistance of Presbyters And now lay all this together English Prelacy the same with the Primitive and see if in favor of our English Prelacy every one is not forced to conclude That the Prelacy or Diocesan Bishops in England is an exact paralel to the Churches above mentioned Primitive Churches that nothing but Obstinacy Pride Interest can binde or hold my Adversary and his Bretheren any longer in that fond and groundless Opinion of Congregational or Parochial Episcopacy As for the Power wherwith our Prelates are invested it is from Heaven the Son of God to whom all Power in Heaven and Earth was committed Episcopacy of Divine Institution and perpetual Mat. 16. v. 19. Joh. 20. v. 23. Ibid. v. 21. Mat. 28. v. 20. first promised it to St. Peter and I will â—ive thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven afterwards he gave it actually to all the Aposties whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sins ye retain they are retained this is call'd the power of the Keys of binding and loosing the power of Ordaining and Governing is given in these words as my Father sent me even so senâ— I you And that this Power was to continue by Succession until the second coming of our Lord is manifest in these words and lo I am with you always even to the end of the World And accordingly this Power has descended by Succession from the Apostles to this present Age. Now here is Episcopacy both name and thing as you call it according to the Primitive Standard proved which you seem to desire and now be not offended nor angry that you are as you term it run down which is that your Erronious Opinion contrary to all Antiquity is so plainly discovered not as you say by a bare word only but by most firm and undeniable Testimony The under Officers you mention are own'd to be no other than of Prudential Institution for dispatch of business but are established by Law to whom therefore your Obedience is due I wonder you mention your Scotch Presbytery it can be for no other purpose than as a Rod shaken at us to beware of you Scotch Presbytery a Caution to us for they have sufficiently explained what is meant by Comprehention to wit the expultion of Episcopacy and have assur'd us that our Bishops and Clergy will meet with the same barbarous usage here if ever it come into your Power In p. 14. he modestly says he will not take
explain by shewing wherein this Communion doth more particularly consist In my p. 5. viz. in the same Articles of Faith The Communion of Saints in Faith I nam'd the Apostles Nicene and Atharasian Creeds which have been received and used in the Catholic Church from the times they were first published and appoint'd by the Authority of the Church the Creeds are Compendiums and brief Comprehensions of the Objects of our Christian Faith and do contain all things necessary to be believ'd every Article being a principle of the Christian Religion which every Christian is bound to profess and is the Test to distinguish between Heretics and sound Christians and now this profession and agreement of Christians in these Articles of Faith may be truly called the Communion of Saints in point of Faith But my Adversary is not very fond of these Creeds and why not in Scripture says he Why every one who truly believes the Scripture believes the Articles of Faith and every one who believe the Articles believe the Scripture He says They are but Human composition They were Composed by those to whom the Care and Authority of the Church was committed and every Article for the benefit of all even the meanest Christians being formed and Collected out of Sacred Scripture are of Divine Authority He says I shut out the Greek and other Eastern Churches This is but his own Conception for they agree with us in all Articles of Faith they do not indeed express the Article of the Holy Ghost in the very same words but they acknowledge that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father by the Son which differs not in sense and they Worship the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity so that in Articles of Faith we and they hold Communion Well! I perceive thô my Adversary relishes not and speaks with but indifferent Respect of the Creeds yet he says however he is so far in Communion with us so in this he will be no Schismatic or rather no Heretic The Communion 〈◊〉 Saints 〈◊〉 the Eucharist Another particular which I mentioned requir'd in this Communion is partaking all at the same Table which thô it be not individually yet Spiritually it is the same and being every where called the Lords Table could be no otherwise meant but that this Gent. will be very witty and take exceptions at every thing The Apostle calls it the Lords Table The Cup of Blessing which we bless 1 Cer. 10.21 v. 16. v. 17. is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ We being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread All true Christians partaking at the Lords Table are one Body in the Apostles Sense the bread not only signifieing the Body of Christ but the Unity of the partakers also and this is the Communion of Saints at the Lords Table Here says he we are with him still I wonder at his confidence he would say sure hâ—re we ought to be with them for they are not with us By comparing our Church with the Primitive Churches I have proved her to be a Church truly Catholic her Jurisdiction as truly Apostolical as they were from whence it follows as I have said that her Orders are to be equally obey'd her Unity and Peace as strictly maintained and what soever was Schism in any of them must be so in her To refuse Communicating with any of them at the Lords Table and to have set up another Table in opposition to any of them must in this Gentlemans judgment have been criminous Schism then of necessity it holds true against our Dissenters they refuse Communion with that Church which most certainly holds true Communion with the Universal Catholic Church and consequently with the Son of God who is the Head thereof and the Principle and proper Object of all Christian Communion Our Dissenters have set up a separate Table in opposition thereto rob'd her of her Members and broke her Unity all this being notoriously the breach of Christian Charity is in this Gent. and Mr. Hery's Sense too Schism which Mr. Hery calls an Arch-Rebel but not so properly as an Infamous Rebellion in Christs Kingdom and thus they are Schismatics in Separating from the Communion of Saints at the Lords Table What he talks here of deriving our Succession from the Church of Rome is already answered A third particular required in this Communion I affirmed to be Communion of Saints in the same Prayers the joyning all in the same holy Prayers and Supplications Intercessions and giving of thanks according to St. Paul's express Command To this he says I cannot mean that in those Dutys we must necessaryly use the very same words c. for then I exclude all the World but them of my own perswasion and a great many of them too I exhort therefore saith St. Paul that first of all Supplications Prayers 1. Tim. 2. v 1.2 Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all min for Kings and all that are in Authority c. Here is a sufficient ground from Holy Scripture for Liturgies or Forms of Prayers in the public Worship and Service of God and St. Paul gives his reason for it in his Ep. to the Romans that we might with one mind and one mouth Glorifie God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15. v. 6. According to this command Forms of Prayers or Liturgies were Composed early in the Catholic Churches and have been used ever since that there might be an Unity in their Supplications and Prayers and in their Thanksgivings and Praises that nothing should be omitted nor any thing more in our Petitions express'd but what our holy Religion requires that there should be no rudeness or undecency in words in which respects conceived and Extempore prayers are very liable to be faulty and in these they were all obliged to joyn where ever they came together for the public Worship and Service of God Herein they had Communion with God the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ who was in the midst of them Mat. 28. v. 20. and in whose name they were presented and with one another Uniting all in the same Prayers here is the Communion of Saints in holy Prayers It is true that the Respective Provincial or Diocesan Churches had not every one their set Forms of Prayers or Liturgies in the very same words every Bishop having power to Compose a Form for that Church of which he was Over-seer Yet they were the same for substance so that every Christian was obliged to Communicate not only with the Bishop or his Presbyters under whose Jurisdiction he lived but all Catholics coming to remote Churches did as bound by the Rules of Catholic Unity Communicate with their Fellow-Christians to what Church soever they came That in this the Church of England as in the former particulars holds Communion with the Primitive Catholic Church will appear Pream Quinto
that our Diocesan Bishops in the Church of England are invested with this Divine Authority by an uninterrupted Succession and so are made our Spirituaâ— Rulers by the same Divine Authority Now these Dissenters having this Divine Authority among 'em it follows by my Adversary's acknowledgment that the Dissenters in England want this Qualisication for Communion by which Communion must be understood the Communion of Saints In the same p. he says A single person taking upon him to Govern some Thousands of Congregations by such Rulers and Officers as our English Prelacy uses and this by the Nomination of the Civil Magistrate without the consent of the people or the Ministers within the Diocess is a Creature we find not in Scripture nor in Primitive times and therefore can be no Spiritual Governors of ours by Divine Right c. That the Jurisdiction of English Prelates is of Divine Right being proved this Creature as he scoffingly calls it which he says they can neither find in Scripture nor in Primitive times is evidently found in both and no other Creature that is no other Government of the Church can be found in either so that his objections against Congregations being numerous in a particular Diocess comes to nothing Their Rulers and Officers are mentioned before But it is worth Observation to see how the Regular Accession of a Bishop to his Diocess is maliciously called by him a single Person taking it upon himself as if it were mere Usurpation But that which he seems to be much Scandalized at is their Nomination by the Civil Majestrate without the consent of the people or the Ministers of the Diocese If it would not swell my papers too much I could give him very many Instances to prove that for many Ages the Nomination of Bishops hath been in the Right of Christian Emperors and Christian Kings and that it hath been so very Anciently in England and ther 's great reason it should be so for they were the Founders of Bishopricks who else then can of Right lay claim to the Patronage of presenting to them what confusion would be the result how endless the Feuds and Animositys in every Dioces were their Elections Tumultuary and Popular By the Presbyters of the Dioces they are Elected the Dean and Chapter in every Dioces being their Representatives and this is to prevent Animosities and Divisions among the Clergie in the Election of Bishops and the Clergie or any other Person as well without as within the Dioces have liberty to put in any Allegation they have against him and the Crime if proved Judicially invalidates the Election and all proceedings therein So that all their Quarrel in this is only against the Ancient Right of the Crown and the wisdom of the Clergie in preventing strife and contention That Diocesan Bishops are our Spiritual Rulers by Divine Authority being proved answers all he says in his 32 and ends in his 33 P. His words are these When this man or any one for him has made it appear that the Authority of a Diocesan Prelat Dean Lay Chancellor c. over all in the Diocess is as Sacred as that of Moses and Aaron we will not dare to dispute it for seare of Corah's doom c. I hope he will not take it amiss if we be not frighted out of our wits by such misapply'd passages c. The Dean Lay Chancellor c. are Prudential Officers and have not a Divine but a Legal thô humane Authority But the Authority of a Diocesan Prelate conferr'd by and derived from the Son of God must be as Sacred as that of Moses and Aaron for the Apostle St. Paul in his Epist to the Hebrews puts a far higher value and esteem upon the Evangelical than the Aaronical Priesthood then certainly to set up Congregations in defiance and combination against Evangelical Priesihood viz. Diocesan Prelacy is a Crime of as deep a Dy as that of Corah and his Congregation Now thô I have more Charity than to have these men frighted out of their wits yet I heartily wish that they may be frighted into a sence of their guilt and into a fear of disputing the Crime being of the same Complexion with that of Corah for althô God doth not now usually avenge himself against such proud and obstinate Offenders as he did to Corah by the imediate execution of his Judgments yet he hath reserved a Day wherein his wrath against all despisers of his Authority and all other unrighteousnesses of obstinate and impenitent Sinners will be revealed He says Such misapply'd pasages viz. as that of Corah they have often heard urged to back the Doâ—rin of Non-resistance and all those Principles of Slavery some men have bee endeavering to instil into our minds c. Be the consequences what ever they may happen to be the Doctrine of Non-resistance was the Doctrin of the Holy Apostles These are the words of St. Paul Let every Soul be Subject to the Higher Powers for there is no Power but of God the Powers that be are Ordained of God Whosoever therfore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist receive to themselvs Damnation Rom 13.12 These Precepts of the Apostle are to continue eternally and are unalterable irreversible by any human Authority whatsoever To the observation wherof and obedience wherunto all Christians are infallibly oblig'd Now thô this Gent. may be above my advice yet it will be his wisdom not to preach any Doctrin contrary to this Divine Precept not only because it is contradicted by the Court of Rome but because the Government will punish it as Seditious He says in Pa. 33. In what Bounds he will six the Primitive Church we know not certain it is a Century or Two made a considerable change in the seatures of the Goverment and Worship c. Let him and all his Fellow-Dissenters lay their heads together and if they will be so kind to themselves as to search the Histories of the Church and the writings of the Fathers concerning the Goverment and Worship in the Church and shew if they can any change in the Goverment and worship in the three first Ceuturies which until they perform my assertion stands firm As for the change of Government which he so confidently affirms barely upon his own Authority and Fancy is notoriously false for what the Government was then it has continued to be in all Catholic Churches to this day so as that therin there hath been no change at all But says he in Pa. 34. If we must take our measures by these Churches that are truly Primitive we fear not to put our selves to the Tryal c. Well! thô we have no Security that upon this Tryal they will stand to the Verdict yet let it be Tryed He says That our Congregations have this Agreement in Faith none will deny Dissenters agree not with the Primitive Church It is not the Agreement they have in their Congregations with
bottom of his 35 p. he says Ignatius charges the Bishop to take Coâ—â—nizance of every Member of his Church not excepting the very Servants and that it was the Custom then in every Congregation to receive the Sacrament every Lords day and that they never received it but from the Hand of the Bishop Hence he concludes that such Bishops must be the Pastors of single Congrezations and adds that this Argument has been copiously mannaged by Blundel Baxter Owen Clarkson and others This Gent. as in all other Quotations leaves me to find this I have met with the passage in St. Ignatius's Ep. to Polycarp Bishop of the Smyrmans where he saith Converse with all man by man as God shall enaâ—â—e thee he saith further Let nothing be done without thy Sentence c. A little farther he saith Let Congregations be gather'd more frequently and take the names of all Persons Let neither Men nor Maid Servants be despised by thee And in the same Ep. he saith Be mindful of the Bishop that God may be mindful of you I could give my Life for those persons who are Subject to the Bishop Presbyters and Deacons Let the Reader consider all the parts together and then Judge how reasonably Congregational Bishops can be hence inferr'd 1. It is evident that Polycarp was not Bishop of one Single Congregation only by these words call the Congregations together c. in the Plural Number 2. His Jurisdiction and Authority over the Congregations is manifest in these words Let nothing be done without thy Sentence 3. The Subjection 〈◊〉 to the Bishop from these Congragations contain'd in this Exhortation to them Be mindful of the Bishop that God may be mindful of you 4. The Distinction of the three Sacred Orders in the Church about which these men have made such a bussle in the world are plainly set down and overthrows all their pretentions to Congregational Bishops for saith he J could give my life for these persons who are Subject to the Bishop Pres yters and Deacons Here is a plurality of Congregations and a plurality of Presbyters and Deacons and but one Bishop From his not reading or concealing the most material parts in this Ep. wherein lye the true Sentiments of St. Ignatius how Triumphantly does he conclude for Congregational Bishops whereas the whole is altogether against it Then he glories in the copious management of this Argument by Blundel Baxter Owen Clarkson and others Alass all these have been judiciously Answered by Bramhal Hammond Morris Stillingfleet Dodwell c. In his 36. p. saith he It is observable in the passage cited out of Irenaeus the Presbyters are said to have their Succession from the Apostles and infers from thence that the Presbyters are the Apostles Successors as well as Bishops and must conseq ently have the same power How frequently in the writings of the Fathers and in Scripture are Bishops called Presbyters as that word signifies Seniority or Dignity and are not they sometimes called Deacons too but as it would be very absur'd to infer from hence an Equality of Bishops and Deacons so would it be unreasonable to conclude concerning Bishop and Presbyter That our Author is mistaken in St. Irenaeus's sense of the word Presbyter appears by the words immediately subjoyned which are these Qui cum Episcopatus Successione Charisma veritatis certum Secundum placitum Patris acceserâ—nt L. 4. C. 43. Who that is the Presbyters above mentioned with the Succession of Episcopacy have received the Infallible Gift of Truth according to the Will of the Father It is plain that no other can be here ment but those of the highest Order in the Church Bishops My Author p. 37. accuseth me that I designed not fair dealing with Mr. H-ry it was a great omission in me I therefore take his thô very sharp Rebuke very kindly Mr. H-ry in his 19 p. Parag. 6. very Orthodoxly saith Separation from Communion with those that we have joyned our selves to without a Cause give me leave to call it Separation for Separation sake without any regard had to any think amiss in the Church we Separate from or any thing better in that we joyn our selves to is Schism Then he proves the truth of this Proposition from his own description of Schism and then concludes When we quite cast off Communion with our Brethren out of Ambition Animosity to their persons affectation of Novelty and Singularity and the like Now our Author lest this truth so plainly set down by Mr. H-ry should carry too sharp an edge upon 'em in p. 37. brings in his Insinuation as he in vain supposeth to guard them from the stroke they must naturally receive from the applying of it to them For says he We all grant that for persons wilfully to with-draw themselves from such particular Churches as are framed according to Scripture Rules and impose no new and needless Terms is to act Schismatically because such wilfull Separation cannot be without the breach of Charity The difficulties which my Author which indeed are none at all would put lyes in Churches framed according to Scripture Rules c. It is Schism in Mr. H-ry's Judgment to Separate from a Church without any regard had to any thing amiss Let it be Examined if in our Church there be any thing amiss Are not all the Arcicles of saving Faith truly taught No just cause of Separation the Holy Sacraments duly Administred the Moral precepts and all the Rules of the Christian Religion plainly and constantly recommended unto us and prest upon us for our Excercise in the whole Course of our lives in the Sermons of our Clergy in all our Churches are not all things pertaining to a Godly Life and Salvation by our Church fully exhibited to us so as that no man can miscarry but by his own fault Here then sure can be nothing amâ—ss Can these men maintain and justifie then the truth of their Doctrine and separate themselves from us without pronounceing themselves Schismatics either their Doctrin is not true or these men are Schismatics in practice by their own shewing All the false and shiftless pretence they have is that the Church of England is not framed according to Scripture Rules and imposeth new and needless terms and therefore Separation from such a Church is no Schism That our Church is truly Apostolical and as truly framed as Jerusalem Antioch Alexandria and all other Primitive Churches according to Scripture Rules according to Christ Jesus's own Institution is fully proved in these papers So that that Objection is clearly Answered and is indeed vain and frivolous Now let his other as vain and frivolous Objection be considered viz. the Imposing new and needless Terms by which is I suppose meant Geremonies I must here crave leave to mention what I have before viz. the Love-â—cast the Holy kiss had no intrinsic vertue in them were no Essentials of Religion see his p. 2. mere Ceremonies and as this Gent. calls our