contrary that needeth a Reply Cap. 5. he would prove the Angels to be Archbishops which if done would not touch our Cause who meddle not with Archbishops but onely prove that the full Pastoral or Episcopal Office or power of the Keys as over the Flock should be found in every particular Church that hath unum Altaere To prove Metropolitans again he tells us how that in Provinces we find Churches mentioned in the Plural number and in Cities onely a Church singularly not perceiving how hereby he overthrows his Cause when he can never prove that in Scripture many particular Churches are called A Church Diocesane or Metropolitan as united in one Bishop as our Diooesane and Metropolitan Churches now are Nay indeed though the Society be specified by the Government yet the Name sticketh in their teeth here in England and they seldom use the Title of the Church of Canterbury and York for the whole Province and they use to say the Diocese of Lincoln London Winchester Worcester Coventry and Litchfield c. rather than the Church of Lincoln London Coventry and Litchfield c. lest the Hearers would so hardly he seduced from the proper sense of the word Church as not to understand them His Proofs of the Civil or Jewish distinction of Metropolitans § 4 5 c. let them mind that think it pertinent But § 9. we have a great word that It may be proved by many examples that after this Image the Apostles took care every where to dispose of the Churches and constituted a subordination and dependence of the lesser on the more eminent Cities in all their Plantations Answ This is to some purpose if it be made good The first Instance is Acts 14. 26. 16. 4. and 15. 2 3 22 23 30. Not a word else out of Scripture And what 's here Why Paul and Barnabas are sent to Jerusalem from Antioch to the Apostles and Elders about the Question and were brought on their way by the Church and passed thorow Phenice and Samaria Chosen men are sent to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas Judas and Silas with Letters from the Apostles Elders and Brethren even to the Brethren of the Gentiles in Antioch Syria and Cilicia And when they came to Antioch they delivered the Letters and Paul and Timothy as they went thorow the Cities delivered them the Decrees to keep that were ordained by the Apostles and Elders that were at Jerusalem Doth not the Reader wonder where is the Proof And wonder he may for me unless this be it The Apostles and Elders were at Jerusalem when they wrote this Letter and thence sent it to Antioch Syria and Cilicia Ergo They established the Bishop of Jerusalem to be the Governour and Metropolitan of Antioch Syria and Cilicia The Apostle Paul went from Antioch to other Cities and delivered them these Decrees Ergo Antioch is the governing Metropolis of those Cities I think the major Propositions are Every City from which Apostles send their Letters to other Cities and every City from which an Apostle carrieth such Letters or Decrees to other Cities is by those Apostles made the Governing Metropolis of those other Cities What dull Heads are the Puritans to question such a Proposition as this But it is not given to all Men to be wise And we ignorant Persons are left in doubt Q. 1. Whether the Universal Headship or Papacy of the Bishop of Jerusalem be not of Apostolical Institution and that more than by one Apostle even by all of them that were then at Jerusalem Q. 2. Whether the Apostles did not this as they did other parts of Church-settlement by the Spirit of God and so whether it be not jure Divino yea by a more eminent Authority than the Scriptures which were written by parts by several single Men some Apostles and some Evangelists when this is said to be done by all together Q. 3. Whether Christ's Life Death Resurrection Ascension and sending the Apostles thence into all the World and not into the Roman Empire onely do not incomparably more evidently make Jerusalem the Universal Metropolis of the Earth and so set it above Rome which is but the Metropolis of one Empire Q. 4. Whether then an Universal Head of the Church or Vicar of Christ be not jure Divino and so a Jerusalem Papacy be not essential to the true Church and Religion Q. 5. Whether then all the Emperours Bishops and Churches that did set up Rome Alexandria Antioch and Constantinople above Jerusalem were not Traytors against the Universal Sovereign of the Church and guilty of Usurpation and gross Schism Q. 6. To what parpose this Sovereignty was given to Jerusalem which was never possess'd and exercised Q. 7. Whether Peter's being at Rome could alter this Church-Constitution and one Apostle could undo what all together had done Q. 8. Whether the Apostles carried this Metropolitical Prerogative with them from place to place where-ever they came And whether it did belong to the Men or the Place And whether to the Place whence they first set out or to every place where they came or to the place where they dyed Judge what is the proof of any of these Q. 9. When they were scattered which of their Seats was the Metropolitan to the rest or were they all equal Q. 10. If the Power followed the Civil Power of the Metropolitane Rulers whether Caesar did not more in constituting the Church-Order and giving power comparatively to the Metropolitanes than Christ and his Apostles Q. 11. Whether it was not in Caesar's power to unmake all the Church Metropolitans and Bishops at his pleasure by dissolving the Priviledges and Charters of Cities Q. 12. If it please any King or be the Custom of any Kingdom as it is in many parts of America that the Kingdom have no Cities or Metropolis whether it must have any Churches Bishops or Metropolitane Q. 13. Whether when Paul wrote his Letters from Corinth to Rome he thereby made the Bishop of Corinth the Governour of the Bishop and Diocess of Rome And whether little Cenchrea was over them also because Phoebe carried the Letter And did his writing from Philippi to Corinth subject Corinth to the Bishop of Philippi And did his writing from Rome to Galatia Ephesus Philippi the Colossians and from Athens to the Thessalonians and from Laodicea and Rome to Timothy and from Nicopolis to Titus and John's writing from Patmos to the Asian Metropolitanes produce the same effect Q. 14. If Paul's carrying the Letters from Antioch to other Cities proved Antioch the Governour of the rest whether when he returned from the other to Antioch again he made not the other the Governours of Antioch I am ashamed to prosecute this Fiction any further His following Citations from the Fathers I think unworthy of an Answer till it be proved 1. That these Fathers took the Metropolitane Order as such to be of Apostolical Institution and not in complyance with the Roman Government by meer humane
Stewards ruling many hundred Families of which more anon 3. Another part of the Bishops work in those times was to Baptize For it was part of the Apostles work Matth. 28. 19 20. And how great a work that was to try the peoples due preparations and to see that they did understandingly and seriously what they did I desire no other proof than the great care taken in all the ancient Churches of this business which brought up the Custom of baptizing but twice a year Object The Apostles baptized three thousand at once Answ The Jews were supposed to be bred up in the knowledge of other parts of Religion and wanted only the knowledge of the true Messiah and his Salvation which might be taught them in a shorter time than the Gentiles could be taught the whole substance of Religion that knew but little Therefore as soon as the Jews were convinced of the true Messiah and the righteousness of Faith and consented to the Covenant they might be baptized 2. The extraordinary effusions of the Spirit in that time did make a shorter preparation sufficient At least Baptizing must be an addition to the Bishops work 4. As the Apostles laid hands on Believers to convey the Holy Ghost so the Prelatists think that the Bishops then Confirmed Believers with Imposition of hands saith Doctor Hammond on Heb. 13. a. To teach exhort confirm and impose hands all which were the Bishops office in that place And O what a work it is to know the persons of many hundred Parishes to be capable of Confirmation and so to confirm them of which more afterward 5. I need not prove that the Bishops then were the Masters of the Assemblies and called them appointing time and place as the Rulers of the Synagogues did which sheweth that they were present with the Church Assemblies 6. The Bishops administred the Lords Supper as all confess and therefore must have some Pastoral notice of the fitness of all the Church to receive it which intimateth sufficiently the extent of the Church 7. They went before the Assemblies usually in performance of the publick worship They prayed with them and praised God And Doctor Hammond thinks that in all this in Scripture times they had not so much as a Presbyter to assist them 8. They admonished the unruly and disorderly and received Accusations and openly reproved and excommunicated the Impenitent And O how great a work is it to deal with one Soul aright as must be done before it cometh to Excommunication Much more with all in a Parish Much more in many hundred Parishes 9. It is confessed that it was the Bishops work to absolve the penitent publickly And then he must judge of their Repentance and then he must try it And for how many thousand can a Bishop do this with the rest 10. The Bishop did dismiss the Congregation with a Benediction as is maintained by those that we dispute with and therefore must be present in it 11. They were to visit and pray with the sick and all the sick to send for them to that end Jam. 4. 14. If any be sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him saith Doctor Hammond Because there is no evidence whereby these inferior Presbyters may appear to have been brought into the Church so early And because the visiting of the sick is anciently mentioned as one branch of the office of Bishops therefore it may very reasonably be resolved that the Bishops of the Church one in each particular Church but many in the universal are here meant Though I am far from believing him that the sick person is bid to send but for one when the term is plural or that he must send for many out of other Churches I will take his concession that this was the Bishops work 12. Lastly They were to take care of the poor and of the Contributions and Church stock saith Doctor Hammond on 1 Cor 12. 28. The supreme trust and charge was reserved to the Apostles and Bishops of the Church So in the 41st Canon of the Apostles the Bishop must have the care of the moneys so that by his power all â—e dispensed to the poor by the Presbyters and Deacons and we command that â—e have in his power the Church Goods So Justin Martyr Apol. 2. That which is gathered is doeposited by the Praefect or Bishop and he helpeth or relieveth the Orphans and Widows and becometh the Curator and Guardian of all absolutely that be in want So Ignatius to Polycarp After the Lord thou shalt be the Curator of the Widows And Polycarp himself speaking of the Elders or Bishops They visit and take care of all that are sick not neglecting the Widows the Orphans and the Poor So far Doctor Hammond So that by this time it is easie to see how great the ancient Churches were yea and how great they were to be continued when all this is the Bishops Office and Work We are willing that they have Diocesses as big as they can do this work in even with a Consessus of assisting Presbyters There is no one of all these twelve alone that a Bishop can do for a Diocess of many score or hundred Churches How much less all these set together Nay what one considerable Parish would not find a Bishop with divers assistants work enough in all these kinds if it be faithfully done As for the doing of it per se aut per alium I have so far confuted it before as that I may be bold to tell them now that they may also receive the reward in se aut in alio And if he that will not work should not eat quaere whether they should eat per alium I add If all this as Doctor Hammond maintaineth was made by the Spirit in the Apostles the Bishops work if they may make new Church-Officers to commit part of their work to there may be twelve sorts of Officers made by them for these twelve parts of their work And then we shall better understand them Whatever is the work of a Bishop as a Presbyter every Presbyter may and must do according to his ability and opportunity But whatever belongeth to a Bishop as a Bishop cannot be done by another either Lay-man or Presbyter Therefore let us have but Bishops enough to do it or else confess that it is no necessary work So great a trust as the Gospel and mens souls which Christ hath committed to Bishops may not be cast upon others without his consent that did commit it to them But they can shew no consent of Christ to make new Officers to do their work by Timothy was to commit the same to others which he had received 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also And who knoweth not that if a Tutor commit his work statedly to another he maketh
men should not be forced to take a Gift which Love and willingness is the condition of men use not to say Love me or I will hang thee or imprison thee This seemeth to make a new way of Preaching which Christ never made 4. Christs terms are self-denial Cross-bearing and forsaking all and following him for the hopes of heaven But this seemeth a new and contrary Gospel as if Christ had said He that will be my disciple rather than be imprisoned or die shall be saved or received Christ saith He that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple Luk. 14. 33. This way saith He that will come to the Church-communion rather than forsake all shall be my disciple Christ saith He that loveth any thing even his life more than me cannot be my disciple This way saith He that loveth life credit wealth liberty so well as that he will rather receive the Sacrament than lose it shall be my disciple Christ saith except ye repent ye shall all perish This forceth a Minister to absolve a wicked man as if he should not perish if he will but rather say I repent than lose his liberty and estate God saith He that loveth the World the love of the Father is not in him This way saith Do but Love the world so well as to say and do any thing to keep it and then Pastor and people shall number thee with the Lovers of the Father God saith The carnal mind is enmity to God and is not subject to his Law nor can be This way saith If thy carnal mind make thee say or do any thing to save thy liberty or money thou art an obedient Son of the Church and of God And is not this to set up a new Gospel Gal. 1. 7. 8. 5. And this way compelleth men to lie and play the Hypocrites when we may discerne it is so Mr. Capel of Tempt would perswade us that a lie thus differeth from most other sins that it is so evil in it self as that it cannot in the very act be lawful When a man against all perswasion saith or sheweth you that he doth not believe in Christ or doth not repent to say to that man Say thou believest or Repentest or thou shalt be confiscate and lie in jaile is plainly to say Lie or suffer I deny not but that in some cases a man may be examined when it is foreknown that he will lie But it s one thing to force him to examination and answer and another to force him to that particular answer 6. It is a compelling men to pretend to that which we cannot compel them to that is to have a Right to so great a benefit as Absolution and Church Communion Force giveth no man Right to the Benefit and their force should not compel him falsly to pretend a Right 7. It confoundeth the Church and the world Whilest every man is made a member of the Church that had but rather tell a lie and take bread and wine than be undone what wicked man on earth will not do the same unless he be so Consciencious that mistake and Conscience hindereth him Is there any Infidel Heathen Atheist Murderer Traytor or Sensualist in the world that will not do it What should hinder him that believeth there is no God to do thus rather than be undone Is it so hard a word to say in a Chancellours Court I repent and deride and curse them when he is gone out or is a bit of Bread and a Sup of Wine so hard for a Glutton or Drunkard to get down as that any of them would rather lie in jaile 1. So that by this course the Church and the Infidel world are made equal and no man can prove that any Mabometan Congregation is not as good as to the persons as such a Christian Congregation For what Mabometan would not say and do this rather then be undone unless he be a Consciencious one who is not so bad as those Christians that have no Conscience 2. And by this meanes no conjecture can be made of the real members of the Church Thousands may be driven in at the doors but we have no means to perceive whither any of them indeed be Christians 8. And hereby the Church and the Christian Religion are greatly dishonoured while this odious stigma is made the marke of a visible member One that had rather say he is a Christian and repenteth than lie in a jaile Is this a laudable description 9. And hereby Mabometans Jews and Heathens are hardened in their Infidelity and reproach of Christ while Christians are such as these 10. It putteth every consciencious Minister into a snare and troubleth his Conscienceâ— or turneth him out when he must put the Sacrament into the very hand of every man that had rather take it than be imprisoned and must read the Absolution of every one that had rather say I repent than be undone 11. It hindereth the comfort of the faithful in Church Communion to know that this is the measure and Character of these with whom they must hold that Communion which is called the Communion of Saints 12. It destroyeth Church unity and Love For every visible member of the Church being a seeming Saint should be loved with the special Love which belongeth to Saints by us who are not Searchers of the heart But who that is not out of his wits can by any obedience to the Church be brought to Love all those as seeming Saints who will choose a Sacrament before a jaile He that cannot believe them such cannot Love them as such 13. It will strengthen them that Separate from us as no Church and make it not so easy to prove that we have any Church as else it would be when they should argue Where there is no credible Profession of Faith and repentance there is no true Church But c. Ergo. The Major is undenyable The Minor indeed is not true because many do Voluntarily profess and shew their Voluntariness other waies But no thanks to them that teach the accusers thus to argue When the Laws of Profession are Profess or lie in jayle there is no credible Voluntary Profession But c. The Major they prove Non esse non apparere here are equipollent But under such a law no voluntariness and Credibility is apparent Ergo And I know but this answer to the Minor it is apparent otherwise though not by that forced profession because multitudes daily shew that they approve of what they do 14. Force tendeth rather to hinder mens Repentance and Love to the Church For Fear breadeth Hatred or at least Hurt doth Kindness breedeth Love God winneth our Love by mercy And we are so to win the Love of others Give a man but a box on the ear or slander or wrong him and try whether it will make him Love you to say Love Christ and the Christian or I will undo thee and lay thee in jaile is
Heathen Judges And the thing shewed so little of the Christian Spirit of Love and was also of so ill consequence by scandals and dissentions that it was worthy to be reproved especially in Christians that were persecuted by those Magistrates Therefore almost all the differences of Christians were necessarily decided by Arbitration And none were thought so fit to be the Arbitrators as the Elders or Pastors of the Churches By which it came to pass that where Churches were great and the ceasing of persecution which came but as storms that passed away did restore that peace which cherished dissentions the work of the Elders in these Arbitrations was not small especially as added to their greater proper Office-work 17. At the same time many Heresies arose which occasioned Divisions in the Churches and sometimes among the Officers themselves 18. And the Ministers being though holy yet imperfect as well as other Christians the remnants of self-conceitedness and pride occasioned also the trouble of the Churches For when the Apostles themselves while Christ was with them strove who should be the Greatest and have the highest place it is no wonder if they did so afterward who had not so great a measure of Grace as they 19. Besides all this when the Apostolical Virtues ceased there were few Philosophers or Learned men that turned Christians and few that had excellent Gifts of Oratory fit to be Teachers of the Churches And the most of the Elders were good men but of inferiour parts Like the better sort of our unlearned godly Christians By which means it came to pass that some one of the Clergy in every Church when there were many having so much Knowledge and Oratory as to overtop the rest he was ordinarily more esteemed than the rest 20. By these four means conjunct it quickly came to pass that in every Church that had many Elders some one was chosen by the rest and by the people to be the chief and to have some special power of Church affairs And 1. In cases of frequent Arbitration there seemed a kind of necessity that some One be Umpire For if half go one way and half the other there can be no end 2. And in case of Heresies and different Opinions in Religion if One had not in each Church some deciding over-ruling power or Negative Voice it is no wonder if Divisions were the hardlier prevented and the Churches Unity hardly kept 3. And especially when some One was really wiser and abler than the rest it was thought but suitable to Nature that he rather ruled the juniors and weaker sort than that their Votes should rule him or rule without him 4. And when all men have too much self-love and Pride which enclineth them to desire pre-eminence and maketh them judge too high of themselves it was thought safer for all the Clergy and People to judge who among them was really the best and wisest man than to leave every man to be judge of himself and of the rest For so it was too likely that every man would think himself the wisest Therefore one was chosen as supposed by others even by the whole Church as the fittest man to have a deciding and overseeing power among the rest to avoid contention which their own strife about pre-eminence would cause 21. And there was a fifth cause which was not much less than any of the rest which was that often through the scarcity of fit persons One man was first settled over a new-gathered Church before any others could be had to joyn with him And therefore he being there first alone and that in sole power it was thought unfit that any that came after him should come in without his consent or Ordination because he was the sole Governour so that 1. because they came after him 2. and that by his Will if not Ordination it must needs follow that he would usually have the pre-eminence As it is now among us where the Rector of the Parish where there are divers Chapels chusing his Curates who are usually his Juniors he is constantly of greater power than they and ruleth them accidentally though his Office be the same as theirs 22. As by these means one Pastor got a pre-eminence of esteem and power above the rest so in a short time he got the title of Episcopus Bishop to be appropriated to himself alone leaving the name of Elders and Pastors and Priests unto the rest in common with himself For he was now become the prime Overseer of the whole Church both people and Elders 23. Our own experience sheweth us how it came to pass that the people themselves not only consented to all this but also desired and promoted it especially then when the effects of Clergy-ambition had not fully appeared to the World For even now when a great Parish can get one Learned able Pastor they say we will allow you so much but your Curates must take less And they will not endure that the young and weak Curates have either equal maintenance or equal honour or power over them as the chief Pastor of the Parish hath so that the people themselves are against an equality of power where there is not an equality of worth 24. Though we cannot prove that this fixed Episcopacy was either set up by the Apostles or countenanced by them nor yet that it was begun and in being in their days yet it could not be long after their days that it begun And if Hierome mistake not it began at Alexandria some years before the death of St. John the Apostle 25. All this while the Bishop was not supposed to be of a distinct Office or species of Ministry now called An Order but only an Overseer and chief of persons in the same Office with him being in common with the rest Episcopus plebis and extraordinarily Episcopus Cleri vel Episcoporum seu Presbyterorum As one of the Monks is made Abbot in a Monastery or as one Justice among many is of the Quorum or one Judge on the Bench is the chief Justice Or as the President in an Academick College 26. The chief thing in which a special power was given to the Bishops above their fellow Presbyters was in Ordination that none should be Ordained without them It being a matter of exceeding great consequence to the Churches what Ministers were set over them and therefore put chiefly in the power of these chosen men And the next part of their power was in having the chief disposal of all Church affairs as our Parish Pastors have now among their Curates so that nothing was to be done in the Church without and against their consent and pleasure 27. This Episcopacy did so universally obtain that I remember not to have read of any sort of Christians Orthodox or Heretical Catholick or Schismatical who ever refused it or spake against it till Aerius's time And even he spake not against it as flatly unlawful but as unnecessary as far as I can
and entered Italy after that Ambrose had stopt him a while Theophilus Alexandr sendeth an Agent Presbyter with two Letters and a rich present one to Maximus and one to Theodosius ordering him to stay the issue of the Fight and give the Present with his Letter to him that proved the Conqueror But a Servant stole the Letters from the Priest and opened the whole business and caused the Priest to fly and hide himself 50. These contentions of the Bishops and corruption of manners so distasted the more Religious sort of the people that it occasioned the multiplying of separating Heresies and greatly encreased and confirmed others especially the Donatists and Novations because men thought them to be of better lives than the Orthodox 51. Yea by their very abuse of good and holy men they drove even the Orthodox often to separated Societies as thinking so bad Prelates unfit to be communicated with As in Constantinople their abuse ejection and banishment of Chrysostome caused great numbers of his faithful people to forsake the Church and meet only in separated Conventicles And though they differed in no point of Doctrine Worship or Discipline from the rest all that they could do by tyranny and threats would never bring them again to the Church but they were called Joannites and assembled by themselves till Atticus by wise and honest means first began the reconciliatiâ—â— by the publick inserting of Chrysostome's name among their honoured Bishops in the daily Liturgy of the Church and Proclus after wisely perfected it by fetching the bones of Chrysostome with honour from the place of his banishment into the Church But Theodoret Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 36. ascribeth it to that good Emperour Theodosius Junior It 's like a good Bishop and he consented For saith Socrates c. 40. Proclus behaved himself fairly towards all men perswading himself that it was far easier for him by fair means to allure men to the Church than by force to compel them to the Faith 52. The multitudes of Schismes and horrid enormities in the Church of Rome the grand corruption of Religion by them the shameful divisions between the Greek and Western Churches began so long ago and continued to this day with much more such evidence do tell the World that is willing to see what all this tended to as it's perfection 53. And having thus shewed how the Bishops of the Flock came to be Bishops of Bishops and how they grew from the Pastoral Office to a pompous denomination mostly secular and how the Bishops of single Churches did grow to be the Bishops of multitudes of Churches turned into one Diocesan Church of another species we shall leave it to those that are wise and impartial to judge whether a true Reformation must retrieve them and what Age and state of the Church must be our pattern to which we should endeavour to return and in what point it is that it is meet or possible for Christians unanimously to fix between the Apostolical institution and the height of Popery And what satisfying proof any man can give that in a line of 1500 Years that it is the right point that he hath chosen CHAP. IV. The Judgement of those Nonconformists now silenced who 1660. addressed themselves to King Charles the Second for Concord in the matter of Church-Government what they then offered and what those of the Authors mind now hold as to the Right of what is before Historically related AS I have delivered our Judgment about the History of Prelacy so shall I next freely and truly express my own Judgment and those that have concurred with me about the right of Church-Government it self supposing those 100 Propos ad Lud. Molinaeum which I have published about the Nature of Church-power and the extent of the Magistrates power in Church-matters For Truth hath great advantage when it appeareth 1. compact and entire 2. and in the open light Since the writing of this our judgment is more fully published in the Nonconformists first and second Plea for Peace Prop. 1. Since the Fall of Man as God hath given a Saviour to the World by whom he hath made a new Covenant with or for Mankind so hath he delivered all things into the Redeemer's hands and given him all power in Heaven and Earth making him the Administrator General and Head over all things to the Church 2. Some things are under Christ as Utensils viz Inanimates and Braites some are under him as meer enemies subdued as Devils some are under him as generally Redeemed and subjects de jure or quoad obligationem to be Ruled and used upon terms of Mercy And so are all Mankind in general till the day of life and grace is past some are under him as Visible Consenters and Professed subjects so are the Baptized and visible professors of Christianity And some are under him as sincere Heart-Covenanters Justified and Sanctified and to be Glorified by him 3. As Nature it self is now delivered up to Christ and the Law of Nature is now part of his Law and the Instrument of his Government both for the common good and order of the Redeemed World and also as sanctified to the special good and order of his Church Even so is the Office of Magistracy now under him and derived from him and dependant on him in both these forementioned respects Notwithstanding all the vain arguments which Mr. Brown a Scotch Divine Cont. Velthusium hath written to the contrary which need no confutation to an intelligent Reader 4. But the Office of the Sacred Ministry is much of Grace and Institution and less of Natural original than Magistracy For though it be of Natural obligation that one man teach another and that there be some fitter persons than the multitude to instruct the people and guide them in Gods Worship Yet that in specie there should be Preachers of the Gospel and Administrators of this instituted worship and Church-discipline this is it self of Christs Institution as the Doctrine worship and discipline which are their Office-work are of his Institution 5. And though a great part of a Christian Magistrates work be also Instituted viz. to promote Christs Instituted Doctrine Worship and Discipline yet so much also of his work is natural as that he may be called a Magistrate though he be not a Christian Magistrate while he executeth Gods Laws of Nature for the common good But he is at least less fitly called a Minister or Priest of God who shall only teach the Law of Nature and guide an Assembly in meer Natural Worship omitting all that is by Institution Or if any think otherwise it being but de nomine at least this is certain that the Christian or Evangelical Ministry is by Institution 6. Therefore though so far as the Mosaical Magistracy was founded in Nature or in any Revelation expounding the Law of Nature we may under the Gospel fetch proofs thence for the Christian Magistrates Authority and Obligation Yet can we fetch
swear that they are duties or may be done as of humane obligation by those that cannot say they are of Divine obligation 55. We hold that the first Churches that did divolve all arbitrations of differences among Christians upon the Pastors did that which brought no great present inconvenience when the People were but few and the Pastors had sufficient leisure but that which prepared for the degenerating of the Ministry and the Churches lamentable corruption And therefore that they should have foreseen this and done as St. Paul directed them and referred matters to any fit wise man among them And when they saw the mischief they should have quickly reformed it as Silvanus Bishop of Troas aforementioned did And that if there were Lay Elders in any of the ancient Churches as one passage in Origen and one in Ambrose and this of Silvanus in Socrates have made some think they were truly Lay and appointed only to such Arbitrations as these and such other Animadversions over the rest as Lay-men may do A help that I once tryed and found to be very great 56. We hold that when Constantine gave the Clergy the sole Power of Judging the Causes Civil and Criminal of all the Christians he shewed more ignorant zeal than true discretion and did let in a pestilence into the Church and that instead of that he should have only left Arbitrations to mans free choice and have set up a Christian or Righteous Magistracy to whom both Bishops and all other Christians should submit 57. We hold that when Christians so multiplyed as that they grew uncapable of Personal Communion at one Altar it was the duty of them and the Bishops to have ordered them into new Churches whcih should every one have had its proper Bishop or plenary Pastoral Office among them and not to have kept them all still in the name of one particular Church infimi ordinis when they were uncapable of the nature and end 58. We hold that it was sinfully done to make a new Office or Order of subject Presbyters that had not the Governing power of their perticular Churches neither alone nor conjunct but had only the power to Teach and Worship the Government being reserved only to the Bishop of another called a Mother Church 59. But we believe that this came not in till many hundred Years after Christ and that but by slow degrees and that after subordinate Churches and Altars were invented and set up yet the Pastors under the name of Presbyters had much of the Governing power of the Keys though with and under the Bishop of the Mother Church 60. The deposing of all the first rank or Order of Bishops which were before over each particular Church the making of a new Office of half Presbyters the making of Churches of a new species as being under a new sort of Officers the making Archbishops who should have many Churches and Bishops under them to become the Bishops of the lowest rank having none under them but above all these the making of the Pastoral work especially discipline become utterly impossible by putting that into one mans hand that cannot be done but by many or many hundred these and such like are the things that we can neither swear to nor approve 61. We hold that though the Magistrate may shape his part of the Church Government variously according to the Interest of the common good yet that the Spiritual or Pastoral part should not have been molded into the shape of the Civil Imperial Government And that so doing did give the Papacy that countenance which is the ground of its usurpation 62. For we hold that the essential constitution of the Pastoral Office and its work and the essential constitution of the Church Universal and of Individual or particular Churches are all of Divine unalterable Institution And that all Laws of Christ for such Constitution and for Administration are unalterable by man Though we hold that Circumstancials and Accidentals are alterable as being not setled by any Divine determination As e. g. how many Ministers shall be in each Church which of them shall be more regarded than the rest as being of greater wisdom how ost and when and where they shall assemble with many the like 63. We hold that as all Christians ordinarily should have personal Communion in particular Churches so those Churches and their Bishops should hold such Communion as is needful to their strength and concord and the common good 64. This Communion of Churches is to be held internally by Concord in the same Faith and Love and Religion and externally by the same profession and instrumentally 1. by Messengers and Letters and 2. by Delegates and Synods when there is need which as is said for Time Place Numbers Provinces Orders are left to humane Prudence 65. If any that divide the Country into Provinces will settle Synods accordingly and settle over them Presidents for the ordering of their proceedings and will give power to one above others to call such Synods and will call these Provinces or Nations or Empires by the name of Provincial National or Imperial Churches and the Bishops so exalted by the name of Metropolitans Primates Patriarchs c. We contend not against this as unlawful in it self though we easily see the accidental danger being taught it by long and sad experience so be it 1. that none of these be pretended to be of Divine Institution but of humane determination 2. and that they meddle with nothing but such accidentals as are left to humane prudence 3. and that they equal not their humane Association with the Christian Worshiping Churches which are of Christ's Institution 4. and that much less they do not oppress their brethren and tyrannize nor deprive the particular Pastors and Churches of their proper priviledges and work But alas when were these Rules observed by humane Churches 66. The Canons of such Synods or Councils of Bishops may be made Laws indeed by the Civil power and they are if just obligatory to the people by virtue of the Pastoral Authority of the Bishops But as to the particular Bishops they are only Agreements and no proper Laws the Major Vote of Bishops being not proper Governours of the rest and bind only by virtue of Christ's General Laws for Love and Concord 67. The Pastoral power is not at all Coactive by secular force on body or estate but only Nunciative and perswasive commanding in Christ's name as authorized by him and executed no otherwise than by a Ministerial word and by with-holding our own acts of Administration and denying our Communion to offenders Nor did the Apostles themselves pretend to any other than this power of the Word for the Keys are exercised but thus excepting what they did by Miracle And if Bishops would go no further they would work on none but Voluntiers and their usurpations might be the more easily born 67. And indeed we are fully perswaded that none but Voluntiers are â—it for the
definitely to signifie these Churches Congregate into a Synod or Consistory But I believe his word of neither place One is Mat. 18. 17. Tell the Church c. If I say that tell the Church signifieth tell the Society containing Pastors and Christians though it is the Pastors that you must immediately speak to and the offender must hear I give as good proof of my exposition as he doth of his If I speak to a man and hear a man though it be only his ears that hear me and his tongue that speaketh to me yet by the word man I mean not only ears and tongue If the King send a Command to a Corporation to expel a seditious member though the Mayor or Aldermen only do it Authoritatively and the People but executively yet the word Corporation doth not therefore signifie the Officers only The other Text is Act. 15. 22. But I will not believe him that the whole Church signifieth the Synod only For though they only decreed it I think the rest consented and approved it and are meant in the word the whole Church I grant him that Rom. 16. 1. the word signifieth the Church of a Village or Town But he will never prove that it is not meant of a Church of the same Species as City Churches were And as to the House or Family Churches which he mentioneth Rom. 16. 5. 1 Cor. 16. 19. Col. 4. 15. Phil. 2. Dr. Hammond expoundeth Col. 4 15. of the Church that did meet in his house and so some do all the rest But that we stand not for nor doth it concern us But when he addeth a multitude of Texts as using the word Church indefinitely not defining the place Society of a Nation or City quantity c. most of the instances brought are of Churches definite as to place and of the same Species as the Apostles Instituted though when the Church of such a place is said to do a thing it 's no determination what number of the members did it His first instance is Acts 4. 31. and next Acts 15. 3 9 c. The Churches had rest through all Judaea and Gallile and Samaria Acts 15. 3. Speaks of the Church of Antioch which v. 27. it 's said they gathered together v. 4. mentioneth the Church at Jerusalem v. 11. mentioneth the Churches of Syria and Cilicia Acts 18. 22. Speaketh of the Church at Caesarea Rom. 16. 16. Speaks of the Churches where Paul lately travelled v. 23. Gaius was the Host of a definite whole Church at Corinth And when 1 Cor. 4. 17. he speaketh of his teaching in every Church it is an Universal enunciation but of Churches of a certain or definite species and so of the rest Then p. 5. he telleth us what is truly and properly a Church on Earth and saith Every company of men professing the true faith of Christ is both truly a Church and a true Church Ans. Yes As Canis caelestis is truly a Dog and a true Dog but not properly but equivocally A Church in its most famous signification is a Society constituted of the Pastor and Flock as a School of the Schoolmaster and Schollars And an accidental meeting of Christians in a Market or Ship is no more properly called a Church than School-boys meeting in such places are a School No nor occasionally praying together neither So p. 5. He concludeth that the Christian People of one City and Country adjoyning whether Province or Diocess are one Church yea of any Nation or part of the World not because under one Spiritual Government or Priest-hood but because one People or Commonwealth ruled by the same Laws professing the same Religion All this is de nomine only But are we not likely to dispute well when we never agree of the Subject or terms of the Question We have no mind to contend about Names Let him call the World or a Corporation or Kingdom or Ecclesiam Malignantium by the name of a Church if he will so that we first agree what Church we dispute of We talk not of any accidental meeting or Community but a Society before defined constituted of the pars gubernans and pars subdita And of this sort we know of Divine Institution an Universal Church Headed by Christ and particular Churches headed under him by their Bishops or Pastors A Church without a Head in Fair Ship or Temple we talk not of Nor yet of a Church that hath but an Accidental Extrinsick and not an Essential Constitutive Head to them as they are Churches of Christ's Institution Whether it be the Emperour of Germany or of Constantinople Mahometan Christian Papist or Protestant we believe that every Soveraign is so the Head that is the Ruler of the Church that is of the Christians in his Dominions We denominate â formâ Bishop Downame may denominate whence he please à materiâ or ab accidente c. and say They are one Church that are under one Prince Law of one Religion Do with your Equivocals what you will But forget not that it is a Pastoral particular Church of the Holy Ghost's Institution that we Dispute about Otherwise I deny not Diocesan or Patriarchal Churches nor deny that the Papal Kingdom is a Church of a certain species right or wrong And forget not his Concession p. 6. and we need no more Indeed at the very first conversion of Cities the whole number of the People converted being sometimes not much greater than the number of the Presbyters placed among them were able to make but a small Congregation But those Churches were in Constituting they were not fully Constituted till their number being increased they had their Bishop or Pastor their Presbyters and Deacons without which Ignatius saith there was no Church c. Of wâ—â—â—h after He next Cap. 1. laboureth much to prove that the words Ecclesia Paraecia and Diocaesis of old were of the sâ—â—e signification About words we have no mind to strive But all the proofs that he brings of the extent of a Church to more than one Congregation or Altar are fetcht from later times when indeed Churches were transformed into Societies much different from those before them He citeth Concil Carth. 2. c. 5. 3. 42 43 c. that places that had no Bishops before should not receive Bishops without the consent of the Bishop whom they were before under Indeed by these Canons we see much of the state of the Church in those times and partly how the Case was altered Every Church had a Bishop of its own Those Churches were almost all first planted in Cities The multitudes were Heathens but the City Christians with those in the Country near them were enow to make a Church or Congregation In time so many were Converted in the Country Villages that they were allowed Assemblies like our Chappels at home And some of them had Country Bishops set over them And in many places greater Towns which they then called Cities were anew converted The Presbyters
As the heavenly Angels are the Guardians of the Churches so these Stars are those Angels in whose Person I speak to the Churches themselves that are signified by the Candlesticks Or As the Angels are the Guardians of the Churches so by that title I signifie the whole Ministry that guide them and by the Candlesticks the Churches and I write to the whole For as every Message begins with To the Angel so it endeth with To the Churches Obj. The Bishop was to deliver it to the Churches Ans This is precarious 1. The Apostle wrote it that both Pastors and People might immediately read it and did not intrust it as an unwritten tradition to one to be delivered to the rest 2. All the Pastors were to deliver or teach it to the People and not one Bishop only This therefore is no cogent Argument 10. As for the Disputers for Episcopacy at the Isle of Wight with King Charles they manage Saravia's Argument fetcht from the Continuance of the Ordinary part of the Apostles Office as he did before them and many others so well that for my part I cannot confute them but remain in doubt and therefore have nothing to say against them But that 's nothing to our Case whether every particular Organized Church should have a Bishop or the full Pastoral Office in it 11. As to Joh. Forbes his Irenic he maintaineth but such an Episcopacy as we offered to his Majesty in Bishop Usher's Reduction He pleadeth for such a Bishop as is the Moderator of a Presbytery p. 242 243. and as must be subject to censure himself p. 145. and that shall do nothing of weight without the Presbyteries consent p. 145. and as is still bound to the Work of a Presbyters Office p. 146. And that an Orthodox Church that hath no Bishop or Moderator hath but a certain Oeconomical defect but is still a true Church and hath the power that other Churches have that have Bishops p. 158. And that jure divino Presbyters have the Power of Ordaining as well as of Preaching and Baptizing though they must use it under the Bishops inspection in those places that have Bishops page 164. And he is more full for the Power of Presbyters Ordaining and the validity of it than any man that I now remember 12. The two Books of the Bohemian Government of the Waldensian Churches Written by Lascitius and Commenius contain that very Form of Government which I think the soundest of any that I have yet seen 13. The Learned and Judicious Grotius before he turned to Cassander's and Erasmus's temperament in Religion in his book de Imper. sum pot circa sacra in almost all things speaketh the same which I approve and plead for though he be for some Episcopacy 1. As to the Pastoral power it self in whomsoever he affirmeth it to be but Nuntiative Declarative Suasory and per consensum and not any Imperium Like the power of a Physitian a Counsellor and an Embassadour Chap. 4. But then by Imperium he meaneth that which is coactive by the Sword And he acknowledgeth the power of the Ministry by the Word upon Consenters to be of Divine Institution so that they sin against God who do reject it And if the Pastors of the Church did meddle with no other power we should the sooner be agreed For my part I take the very power of the Keys to be no other than a power of applying God's Word to the Consciences of the Penitent and Impenitent and the Church and a power of judging who is fit or unfit for Church-communion according to God's Word which judgment we can no otherwise execute but by the same Word and by forbearing or exercising our own Ministerial actions to the person As a Physitian may refuse to Medicate the unruly In chap. 6. He speaketh justly of the Princes power as in the former And so he doth chap. 7. of the use and power of Synods or Councils Chap. 8. He well vindicateth the Magistrate and denyeth to the Church or Bishops the Legislative power circa sacra and sheweth that Canons are not proper Laws Chap. 9. He sheweth the Jurisdiction properly so called belongeth to the Magistrate and not to the Pastors as such Though of old they might be also Magistrates He sheweth that the use of the Keys is called Jurisdiction but by the same figure by which Preaching is called Legislation which is true as to the Declaration who is bound or loose in foro caeli but Pastors more properly judge who is to be taken into Church-communion or excluded The prescript of Penance he saith is no Jurisdiction but as the Councel of a Physitian or Lawyer or Philosopher That the denying of the Sacraments is not properly Jurisdiction he thus excellently explaineth p. 229. As he that Baptizeth or as the old custome was puts the Eucharist into ones mouth or hand doth exercise an act of Ministry and not of Jurisdiction so also he that abstaineth from the same acts For the reason of the visible signs and of the audible is the same By what right therefore a Pastor denounceth by-words to one that is manifestly flagitious that he is an utter alien to the Grace of God by the same right also he doth not Baptize him because it is the sign of remission of sin or if he be Baptized giveth him not the Eucharist as being the sign of Communion with Christ For the sign is not to be given to him that the thing signified doth not agree to nor are pearls to be given to swine But as the Deacon was wont to cry in the Church Holy things are for the Holy Yea it were not only against Truth but against charity to make him partaksr of the Lords Supper who discerneth not the Lords Body but eateth and drinketh judgment to himself In these things while the Pastor doth only suspend his own act and doth not exercise any Dominion over the acts of others it is apparent that this belongeth to the vse of Liberty and not to the exercise of Jurisdiction Such like is the case of a Physician refusing to give an Hydropick water when he desireth it or in a grave person who resuseth to salute a profligate fellow and in those that avoid the company of the Leprous Only it must be remembred that this avoidance is by a Society governed therein by an Officer of Divine Institution Next he proceeds to the Churches duty and sheweth 1. That as Cyprian saith The Laity that is obedient to God's commands ought to separate themselves from a sinful Pastor or Prelate that is that is grosly bad 2. That they ought to avoid familiarity with scandalous Christians As a Schollar may forsake a bad Teacher and as an honest Man may leave the friendship of the flagitious As for the names of Deposition and Excommunication he saith That we must interpret the name by the thing and not the thing by the name And that the Church deposeth a Pastor when
power 10. That this vain separating Power of Order and Jurisdiction is the whole Foundation of Popery § 7. p. 36. passiâ—â— 37 c. 21. He frequently calleth that the Essential power in which Bishops and Presbyters are equal and so taketh the rest but for Accidental 12. He thus describeth the Bishops power of Jurisdiction c. 3. p. 39. § 13. About those things which are constituted in the Church only by Humane Ecclesiastical Right there is in the Church true Jurisdiction not necessarily depending on the Sacred Order it self if there be any at all separate from Order Such as Licensing a Bishop to Ordain in anothers Diocess c. For these acts are not Actus Sacri neque spirituales neque attingunt directè quicquam supernaturale sed sunt merè temporales circa rem externam temporalem qua est mera applicatio c. These are not Sacred nor Spiritual nor touch any thing directly that is Supernatural but are meerly Temporal and about an External and Temporal matter Et his solis verum est c. So that it is most evident that as God hath left to Humane Prudence the Ordering of some Modes and Circumstances of Worship and Discipline and Church Order and by his General Laws so Spalatensis thought that all the Bishops proper Jurisdiction lay in these things which were of Humane Right and that all things of divine appointment were equally belonging to the Presbyters Where again I desire it may be observed 1. That Magistrates may determine of such things and so make void or needless such an Episcopacy 2. That it is most certain that many things of External Order belong to a Presbyter to determine as to one that is the Conducter of the Sacred Assemblies As what Text to preach on what Method to use what Chapter to read where and at what hour the People shall meet how long they shall stay what Tune to sing a Psalm in and abundance of the like So that even that Jurisdiction which he excepeth to the Bishop is common to him with the Presbyter that officiateth And all that can be pretended is that it belongeth to him to determine such Circumstances as equally belong to many Churches which yet Synods of Presbyters may do as effectually for Concord 3. That indeed there is no true Ecclesiastical act which tendeth not to Internal Spiritual effects Publick Admonitions and Confessions as well as private are for the humbling of the Sinner and the exercise of Repentance and Excommunications and Absolutions in publick are not only nor chiefly for the external Order of the Church but for the preserving of the peoples souls from sin and for the warning of others and for the preserving in their minds a due esteem of the holiness of our Religion and the necessity of holiness in us and to convince those without that God's Laws and Ways and People are more holy than those of the World This is a clear and certain truth and therefore according to Spalatensis Presbyters must in publick as well as private Admonitions and Absolutions and Excommunications have equal power with Bishops except as to the ordering of the Circumstantials of it Which though he sometime seem to reserve for the Bishop yet to do him right when he doth so he â—â—th that it is a mixt power As it is the exercise of the Keys it is Essential to the Sacred Office common to both but as it is a prudential determination of Circumstances according to Humane Right directly and principally for outward and not for inward effects it is the Bishops Jurisdiction So that really he maketh the Bishop as such to be but the Master of Order and Ceremonies where the Magistrate doth not do it himself and where it belongeth not to the Officiating Pastor as such His cap. 4. is to prove that the power for Internal Effects of Grace in the Church by External acts is exercised only Ministerially by Ministers as such Instanced cap 5. in Baptisme cap. 6. in the Lords Supper cap. 7. in Confessions and Penance and cap. 9. in that Fxcommunication which is the exercise of the Keys for he mistaketh in excluding Baptism from the Keys which indeed is the first use for intromission Cap. 12. He again purposely sheweth who are the Ministers of each Ordinance And first again Vindicateth his Uniting of Order and proper Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical as before § 4. p. 465. He confidently saith that to him it is a most certain thing that the power of Order is of the Word Sacrament and Keys and that it is plena tota integra fully totally intirely in every Bishop and lawful Prosbyter § 22. p. 472. He saith that Confirmation is neither a true Sacrament but a part of the Ceremonies of Baptism nor is it at all of Divine but of humane Ecclesiastical Institution nor doth it suppose any special power given by God to him that administreth it for any special supernatural effect But the Church for honour reserveth this Ceremony to the Bishop And § 24. He saith And why are Bishops so rigid that they will not permit to their Parish Ministers the Faculty of Confirming specially when they themselves come very seldome into those Parishes to visit And verily those Bishops which have large Diocesses of Christians in the Turkish Dominions as my Arch-Bishoprick of Spalato ought if this Ceremony were of any great account to give their Parish Ministers there living free power of Confirming Yea if the Bishops deny it them the Parish Ministers may and ought to exercise this Ceremony by their own Authority And here I will tell Posterity that if we could have but got our Prelates c. to have Confirmed to us but one Word which the King granted us pre tempore only in his Declar. of Eccles Affairs viz. that Confirmation as a solemn Transition from Infant Church-State into the Adult should be but by the Ministers CONSENT as knowing his People better than the Bishop that never before saw them or heard of them or examined them it had healed one of the greatest of our Breaches But our Concord was not thought worth this little price Though there is not in all the places that ever I lived in one Person of an hundred if five hundred that I can hear of that ever was Confirmed or ever sought it or regarded it And yet their Rubrick saith that we must not give the Lords Supper to any that are not Confirmed or ready for it Yet have we no power to require of any Man a Proof or Certificate of his Confirmation nor can we know whether he be Confirmed or not Nor can we refuse any at the Lords Table that refuseth to be examined by us whether he be ready to be Confirmed save Infants And in that 12. chap. § 25 26 27. p. 473. Spalatensis again sheweth that the Power of the Keys for binding and loosing belongeth to Bishops and Presbyters as Ministers And though he reserve the Publick use of
may end a Church by Wood and stone though the Country still have never so many Christians and when the City is gone the Church is gone 10. Yea it will be in the power of every king even of Heathens whether Christ shall have any Church or Bishop in his kingdoms or not Because he can un-city or dispriviledge all the Cities in his kingdom at his pleasure and consequently unchurch all the Churches 11. And by their way Christ hath setled as various Church forms as there be forms of Government in the world For all Dominions are not divided into Provinces under Prisidents c as the Roman Empire was In many Countries the Metropolis hath no superiority over the other City or the Country and so that will be of divine institution in one Country which will be a sin in others 12. Yea by this Rule many vast Countries must have no Bishops or Churches at all because they have no Cities as is known among the Americans and others must have but one Church and Bishop in a whole Country of many hundred Miles 13. And by their Rule all the Bishops of England are unbishoped and their Diocesan Churches are unchurched For 1. Some of them in Wales and Man have no Cities now called such 2. Others of them have many Cities not only Coventry and Lichfield Bath and Wells now called Cities but abundance of Corporations really Cities 3. And the Cities in England Scotland and Ireland have no Civil Government over all the Countries Corporations Villages of the Diocefe at all nor are they Seats of Presidents or Lieutenants that have such Rule so that our Dioceses are not modelled to the form of the Civil Government What subjection doth Hartfordshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire c. owe to the Town of Lincolne 14. By their model it is not Bishops and Metropolitans alone that are of divine right For if the Church Government must be modelled to the Civill the Imperial Churches must have had Officers to answer all the Proconsuls and Presects the Lieutenants the Vicars the Consular Presidents the Corrâ—ctors c. For who can prove that one sort or two oaly must by imitated and not others 15. They must by their rule set up in England an inconsistent or self destroying form For in many if not most Counties our Lord Lieutenants Deputy Lieutenants and Sherifs and most Justices dwell in Countrey mannors and Villages and not in Cities And so either Cities must not be the Seats of Bishops and Churches or else the Seat of Civil Government must not be the Seat of the Ecclesiastical If they say that Assizes and Sessions are kept in the County Towns I answer 1. So Church assemblies called Synods or Councils may be held in them and yet not be the Bishops Seat For they are not the Judges or Justices Seat because of Assizes and quarterly Sessions 2. The observation is not universally true Yea no Assizes or Sessions at all are therefore held in any Town because it is the County Town but because it is the convenientest place for meeting The choice of which is left to the Judges and Justices who sometimes choose the County-Town and sometimes another as they please As Bridgnorth in Shropshire Aleshury not Buckingham ordinarily in Buckinghamshire and so of others 3. And thâ—se County Towns are few of them either Cities or Bishops Seats As Buckingham Hartford Bedford Cambridge Huntington Warwick Darby Nottingham Sherwsbury Ipswich Colchester Lancaster Flint Denbigh Montgomery Merioneth Radnor Cardigan Carnarvon Pembrook Carmarthen Breeknock and divers others 16. This model of theirs is in most parts of the world or many quite contrary to the Interest of the Church and therefore forbidden by God in Nature and Scripture by that rule Let the end be preferred and the means which best serve it Let all things be done to edification For in most of the world the Rulers are enemies to Christianity and disposed to persecute the Pastors of the Church therefore they will least endure Ecclesiastical Courts and Bishops in their Imperial Cities and under their noses as we say Obj. The Romans did endure it Ans For all the ten persecutions the Romans gave ordinarily more liberty of Religion than most of the world doth at this day Bishops and Pastors are glad to keep out of the way of Infidel and Heathen Rulers And I think verily our most Zealous English Prelates would be loath if they had their language to go set up a Church and Bishops seat at Madrid Vienna Jngolsted yea at Florence Milan Ravenna Venice Lisbone Warsaw c. And if they must needs be in those Countries they would rather chose a more private and less offensive seat 17. I think that few Churches or Bishops in the world except the Italian if they are of the opinion now opposed by me The Greek Church is not For though for honor sake they retain the name of the ancient Seats yet they ordinarily dwell in Countrey Villages And so doth the Patriarck of Antioch himself often or at least Antioch is now no City of which he hath the name And Socrates and after him other Historians tell us that of old this practise varied as a thing indifferent in several Countries according to their several customes which had no Law of God for them and therefore were not accounted necessary 18. Our English Bishops have been for the most part of another mind till Dr. Hammond and others turned this way of late Not only Jeâ—el Bilson and many others have asserted that Patriarks Metropolitans and Primates and such like are of human right and mutable but few if any were found heretofore to contradict them And at this day many Bishops ordinarily dwell in their Country houses As the Bishop of Lincolne did at Bugden the Bishop of Coventree and Lichfield formerly at Eccleshall Castle the Bishop of Chester now at Wigan and so of others And I think that is the Bishops Seat where usually his dwelling is and not where a Lay-Chancellor keepes a Court or where a Dean and Chapter dwell who are no Bishops 19. There have as Dr. Hammond hath well proved been of old several Churches in one City one of Jews and one of Gentiles with their several Bishops and Clergy Therefore one City with its territories is not jure Divino the measure or boundaries of one only Church 20. If the Church Government must be modelled to the Civil then in every Monarchie or Empire there must be one Universal Pastor to rule all the rest as there is one King And in every Aristocracy there must be a Synod of Prelates in Church Supremacy and in every Democracy who or what But then the Papacy will be proved not only lawful but of Divine institution as the Head or Church Soveraign of the Roman Empire though not of all the world at Rome first and at Constantinople after And indeed I know no word of reason that can be given to draw an impartial man of Judgment to doubt
not give the Pastor an evidence in the Court of Reason acceptable to signifie a voluntary Repentance or consent and therefore what ever possibly may be known to God he is not to be taken into the Church For we must judge by evidence and that is by such free profession of Repentance as Christ hath taught us to expect and therefore we can only Judge that person to be one that had rather say he repenteth than be imprisoned but not as one that indeed repenteth or desireth Church Communion as such and for true ends Obj. But if he be in the Church though without Repentance he may there he brought to Repentance afterward Ans Possibilities are no Rule for us to go by in such cases so you may say if one be Baptized before he profess to believe or repent he may be brought to it after by hearing in the Church But this is but to make Lawes for the Church instead of Christs when we have cast out his Lawes and to confound the world and the Church by our foolish adverse reason He that is in the Church notoriously against or without his will stands there but as a testimony of the Bishops perfidiousness And he that will not come in by any reasoning or intreating without the violence of the Sword is in all process of humane Judgments to be esteemed unwilling The ancient Churches would indeed importune men to Baptism but they never baptized any at age that did not intreat to be baptized and voluntarily make profession of faith and repentance And Papists and Protestants commonly affirm that none should be constrained to be baptized or to make profession of Christianity But the Papists come after and tell us that vet when one is baptized he may be compelled by force to all his duty and so may be constrained to stay in the Church or to return if he forsake it Their Reasons are 1. Because now he is obliged by his own consent 2. Because he hath put himself under the Government of the Church and therefore must be Governed by it Ans But 1. to consent to be a Christian Ruled by Christ and to consent to be constrained by force to continue this consent are two things Prove the latter if you can to be included in our Baptism Contrarily as we freely and not forcedly consent it is supposed that we are accordingly to continue it as we began it 2. And to put our selves under the Government of the Church is not to put our selves under the sword the Church punishment reacheth no further then excomunication and where a man is fully excomunicated he is cast out of the Church again and when he is out of it he is not under its Government Indeed he is under the Magistrates Government But if that will prove that he may be punished for not repenting and returning to the Church when Excomunicate it will prove too that he might be punished before Baptism for not repenting and being baptized For though there be some aggravations of his sin that Apostatizeth to it yet that differeth the case but as to the degree It is for the quality of the crime itself that the Magistrate is to punish as Murder Theft Adultery Blasphemy c. Whether it be in the unbaptized or baptized or excomunicate But it is for Impenitency only in some crime that the Church doth excommunicate And if the Magistrate must imprison or kill men properly for Impeniâ—encie it must be as it aggravateth the crime itself and it may be as well the unbaptized as the baptized for he is the Governour of both It is therefore a meer fiction of Papists Church Tyrants that there is such a difference between the unbaptized and the excommunicate as that the first must not have Church priviledges till they disire them and the later may have them if they be but commpelled to keep them or return to them by the sword And so schismaticaly different are they from the Catholick Church for many hundered years after Christ as directly to contradict them For all the Canons as well as the History tell us that all the antient Churches when they had excommunicated a sinner would not receive him till he had penitently begged readmission Yea they used to cast down themselves on the earth as even great Theodostus did before Ambrose when but suspended and to beg pardon and readmission with tears nay for great faults this was not received till many months or years continued penitence shewed their desires to be sincere and now Prelates must have a Blasphemer or a common Drunkard compelled by the sword to say that he repenteth that he may the next day have the honour and priviledge of a Christian Communicant whether he will or not O kind-natured-cruell-kind-natured-cruell-Church And when Gyriâ— of Alexandria began to use the sword and when the Circumcellian Donatists tempted Augistine to change his opinion about using force in matters of Religion yea and when Ithacius and his partakers offended Martin and Ambrose by stirring up Maximuâ— against the Priscillianists none of all this was to force these Hereticks by the sword to Communicate in the Church before they had showed a voluntary repentance nor to make them Church members against their wills even that Ithacius whom Hooker himself acknowledgeth so bad was not so foolish But only they would have forced them from thier own waies and punished them as seduâ—eis of the people and as disturbers of the Churches purity and peace Though yet it is too evident that the pride and passion of the Prelates that were orthodox did quickly and sterely flame out to the constagration of the Churches when they found that the Christian Emperours were ready to serve their passions with the sword It is then past denial that all the power of Bishops or any Pastors is but the â—â—â—â—dgement of the word of God upon the Conferences of men that believe them and voluntarily receive that word only with this advantage that they do not this as private men but as Officers appointed so to mannage this word And therefore he that disobeyeth the word of God truly delivered and applied by them committeth a double sin one as he disobeyeth Gods word as such in the matter in hand and the other as he disobeyeth that particular word of God which commandeth him to hear and obey his Pastors But if men will so sin we have nothing but that word of God which they despise to cure them by For instance 1. In our admonitions and reproofs of the greatest sinners we can do no more but shew them Gods Law which they have broken and which threatneth damnation to them and to perswade them by Scripture arguments to repent that they may escape 2. In excommunication it self we have nothing to do but to shew them the same word and shew them how God hath threatned to punish them and to shew them and the Church that word which commandeth us to have no Communion with them but to avoid them
made against the belief of an obligation by this Vow One is made for a change in Corporations requiring a Declaration by all in any place of Trust that there is no obligation on me or any other person from the said Oath Vow or Covenant even absolutely no obligation at all without exception of the clauses that are for the Protestant Religion for Repentance of our sins against Popery Heresie Schism Prophaneness c. The Act of Uniformity imposeth it on all Ministers c. to declare or subscribe that there is no obligation from that Vow on me or any other person to endeavour at any time any alteration of Government in the Church The Vestry Act imposeth the like on all Vestry men and so of others 4. All Ministers swear to obey the Bishops in liâ—â—tis honestis which is called the Oath of Canonical Obedience 5. And last of all an Act past at Oxford by which we are to be banished five miles from all Cities and Corporations and all places where we have preached and imprisoned six months in the Common Jail if we come nearer any of them except on the Road till we have taken an Oath that we will not at any time endeavour an alteration of the Government of the Church which plainly importeth as much objectively as the Et caetera Oath of 1640 Though not endeavouring be somewhat less than not consenting And so black a Character is put upon the Non-conformists with a some of them in the beginning of the said Act that all Reason Religion and Humanity obligeth us for the satisfaction of our Rulers for the vindication of our selves and for the just information of posterity plainly and truly to lay open our Case even those reasons for which we forbear that Conformity and by so doing incurr all this besides the greater loss of our Ministerial Liberty to labour for the saving of the peoples souls and the edifying of the Church of God What is said in the beginning may sufficiently inform the Reader 1. That it is not every man's Cause that is called a Non-conformist no nor a Presbyterian or Independant that I here maintain 2. That I am not writing a Justification of the Covenant 1. As to the Act of Imposing 2. Or of taking it 3. Nor as to the obligation of it to any thing unlawful Leaving such matters as alien to my work 3. And that I am not so rash as to assert that it obligeth any man to endeavour in his place and calling any change of our Church Government no not of a Lay-Chancellor's use of the Keys whatever I think Because it is made a matter of so grievous penalty by an Act. All that I have to do is to enquire whether the Diocesane Prelacy as now stated be so lawful that we may take all these Oaths and Subscriptions to it and so necessary that the King and Parliament have no power to change it or make an alteration if they please and we endeavour it by obeying them if they should command us And I go upon such Principles as Doctor Burges Master Gataker and many others in the Assembly that were ready to protest that they were not against the Primitive Episcopacy no nor a moderate one that did not in all things reach it I will rather be guilty of Repetition than of leaving the rash or heedless under a pretext for their mistake or calumny My own judgment is as followeth 1. That every particular Church consisting of as full a number as can associate for true personal Communion in Worship and holy living should be guided by as many Pastors or Elders of the same Office as the number of souls and the work requireth 2. That it is lawful if not usually laudable and fit if these Presbyters consent that one among them who is wiser and fitter than the rest be statedly their Guide Director or Moderator in the matters of Doctrine Worship and Discipline in that Church for order and concord and for the peoples sakes and their own And especially that in Ordinations they do nothing without him 3. That these particular Churches with their Bishop and Presbytery are Independant so far that no other Bishop or Church hath a Divine Right to Govern them saving what is anon to be said of General Pastors or Visiiters and the power of each Minister in the Universal Church as he is called 4. That as to the Communion of several Churches among themselves these particular Churches are not Independent but must hold Concord and Correspondency by Letters Messengers or Synods as there shall be cause 5. That in these Synods it is lawful and orderly oftentimes to make some one the Moderator or Guide of their debates And that either pro tempore or quamdiu sit maxime idoneus or durante vita as true Prudence shall discern it to be most conducible to the end 6. That where the Churches Good and the calling of the Infidel World requireth it there should be itinerant Ministers like the old Evangelists Silas Apollo Timothy Titus c. to preach the Gospel and gather Churches and help their Pastors And if such be not necessary in any place yet the fixed Pastors should when there is cause be itinerant and help to convert the Infidels and Hereticks and do both the general and particular work 7. That the judgment of Antiquity moving me much but more the Argument from the necessity that the same form of Government be continued in its ordinary parts which Christ at first setled in the Apostles and is not proved repealed do move me to incline to think that the Apostles must have such Successors as general Planters and Overseers of many Churches And who should before all particular Bishops have a chief hand in the ordaining of particular Bishops and Pastors and removing them as the Churches good requireth As the Seniors have in the Bohemian Waldenses Government And though I am yet in doubt my self whether such general Ministers or Arch-bishops be jure divino of Christs institution I do not deny it or contend against it And though I would not assert or swear to their right I would obey them 8. That all this Church-power is to be exercised only by Gods word managed by convincing Reason Love and good Example and that no Bishops or Arch-bishops have any power of Corporal Coaction Nor should give Church Communion to any but Voluntary Consenters nor should mix and corrupt the exercise of the Keys with unseasonable interpositions of the Sword even in the Magistrates own hand 9. But yet that the King and Magistrates are the Rulers by the Sword over all Pastors and their Flocks to see that all men do their duties and to regulate them by Laws about holy things subserviently to the Kingdom and Laws of Christ and in consistence with the preservation of the Office of the Ministry and real liberties of the Flocks 10. And therefore though we think Churchmen usually very unfit for any Magistratical Power yet we
Bishops and distinct from Cathedrals that they could not be there buried before they were built and in Being which saith Selden began in England seven hundred years after Christ here one and there one as a Patron erected it Selden of Tythes pag. 267. Yea in seven hundred he findeth but one of Earl Puch in Beda and in Anno 800. divers appropriate to Crowland and so after And it was the Character of a Parish Church to have Baptisterium Sepulturam pag. 262. So that before a Bishop's Church however called had but one place that had Baptisterium Sepulturam Yea long after that Parishes had very few Members in most places so long was it e'er the People were brought to Christianity And they were then as our Bishops make them now not proper Churches but Chappels of Ease Selden ibid. pag. 267. tells you that Ralph Nevil Bishop of Chichester and Chancellor of England requested of the King that the Church of Saint Peter in Chichester might be pulled down and laid to another Parish because it was poor having but two Parishioners Sure it was never built for two Persons But it 's like many were Heathens Or if not so then in the Years 700 and 800 they were so Though Master Thomas Jones hath well proved that the Brittish Churches were far extended before Gregory sent Austine and that our Bishops and Religion are derived from them Even at Tours in France in the days of Saint Martin notwithstanding all his Miracles the Christians were not so many as the Heathens at least till one publick Miracle towards his later time convinced some CHAP. VI. The same further confirmed by the Ancients I. EUsebius Demonstrat Evangel pag. 138. saith When he considered the Power of Christ's Word how it perswaded innumerable Congregations of Men and by those Ignoble and Rustick Disciples of Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 numerosissimae Ecclesiae were constituted not in certain unknown and obscure places but erected in the most famous Cities Rome Alexandria and Antioch through all Egypt and Lycia through Europe and Asia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Villages and Countries or Regions and all sorts of Nations By this it appeareth that Villages had Churches then II. Though of later date consider the History of Patrick's Plantation of Churches in Ireland who is said himself in his own time to have three hundred sixty five Churches and as many Bishops and three thousand Presbyters as Ninius reporteth Not only Thorndike taketh notice of this but a better Author Usher de Eccles Brit. Primord pa. 950. And Selden in his Comment on Eutychius Origines Alex. pag. 86. from Antoninus and Vincentius thus mentioneth it Certe tantum in orbe terrarum tunc temporis Episcoporum segetem mirari forsan desinet quisquis crediderit quod de B. Patricio Hibernensi Antoninus Vincentius tradunt Eum scilicet solum Ecclesias fundasse 365. totidemque Episcopos ordinasse praeter Presbyterorum 3000. Qua de re consulas plura apud praestantissimum virum Jacobum Usserium c. So that here was to every Church a Bishop and near ten Presbyters No Man will doubt but the Bishops themselves were taken out of the better sort of the Laity and the Presbyters of the second sort and all below many private Christians now among us And were there three hundred sixty five Cities think you in Ireland Yea or Corporations either It 's easie to conjecture what Churches these were III. All History Fathers and Councils consent that every City was to have a Bishop and Presbytery to govern and teach the Christians of that City and the Country people near it which is but a Parish or Presbyterian Church For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth in the old common use any big Town yea little Towns that were distinct from Country Farms and scattering Villages so that all our Corporations and Market Towns are Oppida and such Cities as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified Therefore even by this Rule we should have a Bishop to every such Town 1. Crete was called Hecatompolis as having an hundred Cities as Homer saith it had And what kind of Cities were those Which were to have an hundred Churches and Bishops in a small Island 2. Theocritus Idyl 13. de laudibus Ptolem. vers 82. saith that he had under his Government thirty three thousand three hundred and thirty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cities And if so they must be as small as our Boroughs if not some Villages certainly he had not above twice the number of Cities eminently so called that Stephanus Byzantinus could find in the whole World in his Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. He that will peruse and compare the Texts in the New Testament that use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above sixscore times and see Grotius on Luk. 7. 11. c. shall soon see that the word is there used for such Towns as I am mentioning if not less IV. Sozomen lib. 5. cap. 3. tells us that Majuma which was Navale Gazae being as part of its Suburbs or the adjoyning part but twenty Stadia distant was because it had many Christians honoured by Constantine with the name of a City and had a Bishop of their own And Julian in malice took from them the honour of being a City but they kept their Bishop for all that It had the same Magistrate with Gaza and the same Military Governors and the same Republick but was diversified only by their Church-State For saith he each had their own Bishop and their own Clergy and the Altars belonging to each Bishoprick were distinct And therefore afterward the Bishop of Gaza laboured to subject the Clergy of Majuma to himself saying that it was unmeet that one City should have two Bishops But a Council called for that purpose did confirm the Church-Right of Majuma V. Gregory Neocaesariensis called Thaumaturgus was by force made Bishop of that City where all the Christians were but seventeen at his Ordination such was the Bishop's Church And when he had preached and done Miracles there till his Persecution there is no mention of any Presbyter he had with him but of his Deacon Musonius that fled with him Though when he died he left but seventeen unconverted And when he had converted some at Comana a small Town near him he did not set a Presbyter over it and make it part of his own Diocess but appointed Alexander the Collier to be their Bishop and that over a Church who were no more than met and debated the Case of his Election and Reception See Greg. Nyssen in Orat. in Greg. Thaumat Basil de Spirit Sancto cap. 19. Breviar Roman die 15 Novemb. Menolog Graec. VI. Concil Nic. Oecum 1. Can. 13. decreeth that every one that before death desireth the Sacrament was to have it from the Bishop One Ed. in Crab saith Generaliter omni cuilibet in exitu posito poscenti sibi Communionis gratiam tribui Episcopus
only Church of the same Species with a Diocese If they say that it is because one man is not capable of doing the work of a Bishop for so many Countreys I Answer Per se he cannot do it for the hundredth part of a Diocese Per alios he may do it for all Europe It is but appointing some who shall appoint others who shall appoint others and so to the end of the chapter to do it There is but one Abuna in Abassia to Ordain though numerous Bishops who have not the Generative faculty which Epiphanius makes to be the difference between a Bishop and a Presbyter that the one begets Fathers and the other but Sons Their Countrey was converted by an Eunuch It would be a notable dispute whether all the rest be true Bishops or not I think Yea the Prelatists must think Nay And yet Brierwood saith that Abassia after all its great diminutions is as big as Italy France Spain and Germany And doth not the Pope govern per alios yet far more and pretend to govern the whole Christian World while he sendeth one to Goa another to Mexico and Oviedo to Abassia would they but have received him Obj. But he hath other Bishops under him therefore he is not ejusdem speciei as a Diocese Answ But the Abuna hath no Ordainers under him And the Bishop hath Chancellors Deans Arch-deacons Surrogates Officials and sometimes in the days of old had Suffragans too under him Quest Was a Diocese then One Church or two And what if a Patriarch or Pope put down all Bishops under him and exercise his power only by other sorts of officers They that can demise grant let what parts they please of their own office may devise enow And seeing it would not alter the species what if it should please the King and Parliament to put down all the Bishops of England save One I hope the Bishops would not take that to be against the Canon of 1640. nor against the Oxford Oath of never endeavouring to Consent or Alter the Church Covernment if it could have been past to be taken by the Parliament Because the species is not altered And they tell us Nonconformists to draw us to Swear that they mean but the species I make no doubt but at the rates of our present Ordinations One Bishop or Abuna with Chaplains enow may Ordain Priests enow and too many of all conscience for all the Kings Dominions and may silence preachers enow and may set up Chancellors Surrogates and Arch-deacons enow to do the present work And it 's pity that the land should be troubled with so many when one would serve I confess I would either have more or fewer had I my wish And as for my Minor proposition let him that thinketh it wanteth proof when he hath considered what is beforesaid and how personal present Communion in all Gods Church-worship differeth from the Communion of associated Congregations by messengers c. think so still if he be able so egregiously to err But I must not so leave our Prelatists I know that it is the common trick of Sophisters when they cannot make good an ill cause to carry it into the dark or start a new controversie and then they are safe A Papist will wheel about into the wilderness or thickets of Church history and ask you what names you can give of your Religion in all Ages that one proposition of your Syllogism may contain much of a Horse load or a Cart load of Books and then I trow he hath done his work if women be the judges And others use to carry the question a rebus ad verba And so it is in the case in hand But it is not the name of a SPECIES that shall serve your turn We know how hard it is in Physicks to determine what it is that specifieth and much more in Morals Politicks and other Relatives But Let the Logical notion of a species lie at your mercy It shall suffice us that you may not make so great a change of the Church-orders and Government of Gods institution as to turn a thousand or hundred Churches into one and to deprive all Parishes or Churches Consociate for presential Communion of the priviledge of having a Bishop of their own to Teach Worship and Govern them presentially and per se As if all the Arch-bishops in the Ronan Empire had put down all the Bishops and called themselves the Bishops of the Churches Of which more anon CHAP. X. Whether any form of Church Government be instituted by God as necessary or all left to humane prudence Obj. BUt Doctor Stillingfleet hath invincibly proved that God hath made no one form of Church Government necessary but left the choice to humane prudence Answ I. If so Why should we all swear to this one form that we will never endeavour to alter it or as the caetera Oath never consent to the alteration of it when we know not but the King may alter it or command us to endeavour it Must there be such swearing to the perpetuating an alterable unnecessary thing II. The word Form signifieth either the essentials of Church policy or the Integrals or accidents which Christ himself hath setled Or else it signifieth only some mutable accidents or modes which God hath left to humane prudence Of the first we deny mans power to change them Of the later we grant it 1. It is undeniably of Divine institution that there be ordinary publick Assemblies for Gods solemn worship and the peoples edification 2. And that Ministers of that office which Christ hath instituted be the officiating Guides in these Assemblies 3. And that Cohabiting Christians be the ordinary stated bodies of these assemblies and not live loosely to go every day as they please from Church to Church but ordinarily when they can be setled members of some one Church To which cohabitation or vicinity is one dispositio materiae 4. And that each of these Churches have their proper fixed Pastors and should not take up with unfixed various passing Ministers unless in cases of necessary unsetledness 5. And that these setled Pastors should live among the People and watch over them personally and know them and be known of them in doctrine and ensample as to the main body of the flock 6. That these Relations and Communion be by mutual consent of the Pastors and the body of the flock 7. That these mutual Relations of Gods appointment and their own consent do constitute them a spiritual society of Divine institution 8. That this Communion must be as our Creed calleth it a Communion of Saints that is of men professing Christianity and Holiness and seeming such And must extend to a free Communication to each other for the supply of corporal necessities And to a mutual assistance of each other in holy living 9 That therefore there must be some to discern and judge whether the persons that would enter this Society and
change in their Church Orders Either it was part of the Apostolical Commission and work to settle Church Offices and orders for Government or not as to the species if Christ had not before done it or to settle it by revealing what Christ did command them either from Christ's mouth or the Spirits inspiration to â—â—tle the Catholick Church as Moses did the Jewish If it were none of their Commissioned Office work then it was none of John's And then it is done so as may be yet undone But if it were John's work it was Theirs And if theirs why did they not perform it Even while they had that promise Matth. 15. 20 21. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name c. And If two of you agree of a thing c. If you say that there was no need till they were all dead I answer It is a Fiction The greatest numerous Church at Jerusalem had more need of more than One to officiate among them and so had Ephesus Antioch Coritnb c. than most Churches else had in St. John's days And were all the Apostles so negligent and forgetful 2. What proof is there that St. John did make this change It is either by Scripture that it is proved or by History 1. Not by Scripture For 1. No Scripture mentioneth S. John's doing it 2. Dr. Hammond and his followers confess that it was not done as can be proved in Scripture times And Chronologers suppose that there was but a year or two between his death and the end of Scripture times that is the writing of his Apocalypse And is it probable that he began so great a Change the last year of his life 2. And History maketh no mention of it at all For I am ashamed to answer their nonconcluding reason from St. John's bringing a young prodigal to a Presbyter to be educated or his Ordaining Presbyters when it is no more than is said of the other Apostles Let them give us if they can any Satisfactory proof that S. John alone a year or two ere he died made this new species of Presbyters and Churches that we may believe it to be of God But blind presumptions we dare not trust 3. None of the Ancient Churches Councils or Doctors that ever I could find did ever hold that Subpresbyters were instituted by St. John alone and these changes made by him How then shall we think that men of yesterday can tell us without them and better than they and contrary to them the history of those times 4. By as good a course as this what humane corruption may not be defended and Scripture supposed insufficient to notifie Gods Church-institutions to us When there is nothing said in Scripture for them the Papists or others may say that S. John made this or that Change when all the rest were dead But why must we believe them 5. And the Church hath rejected this plea already long ago When Papias pleaded that he had the Millenary Doctrine from St. John himself and when the Eastern Churches pretended his Authority for their time of Easters observation here was incomparably a fairer shew of St. John's Authority than is produced by Dr. H. in the present case And yet both were over-ruled by the Consent of the Churches II. And that it cannot be proved to be the Apostles intentions that their establishment herein should be but temporary and left to the will of man to change I have largely proved in my Disput 1. of Church Government long ago I now only say 1. That which the Apostles did in execution of a Commission of Christ for which he promised and gave them his infallible Spirit was the work of Christ himself and the Spirit and not to be changed but by an Authority equal to that which did it But such was the setling of the species of Churches and Elders Ergo c. The Commission is before recited from Scripture and so is the promise and gift of the Spirit to perform it 2. Where there is full proof of a Divine Institution by the Apostles and no proof of a purpose that men should afterward change it or that this institution should be but for a time and then cease there that Institution is to be supposed to stand in force and the repeal cessation or allowed mutation to befeigned But there is full proof of a Divine institution by the Apostles that Preesbyters with the power of Government were placed over single Churches and no other saith Dr. H. And there is no proof brought us at all of either Repeal Cessation or Allowance for mutation Ergo c. They confess de facto all that we desire viz. 1. That there was then none but single Churches or Congregations under one Bishop 2. That there were no Subpresbyters Let them now prove the Allowance of a Change 3. That supposition is not to be granted which leaveth nothing sure in the Christian Churches and Religion But such is the supposition of a change of the Apostles Orders in these points Ergo. If the after times may change these Orders who can prove that they may not change all things else of supernatural institution As the Lords day Baptism the Lords Supper the Bible the Ministry yet remaining c. And if so nothing is sure Object Christ himself instituted these and therefore they may not be changed Answ 1. It was not Christ himself that wrote the Scripture but his servants by his Spirit 2. Christ himself did that mediately which his Apostles did by his Mandate and Spirit Matth. 28. 20. The Spirit was given them to bring all things to their remembrance which he had spoken to them And to cause them to Teach the Churches all things which Christ had commanded them And as Christ made the Sin against the Holy Ghost to be greater than that which was but directly against his humanity and as he promised his Disciples that by that Spirit they should do greater works than his so that which his Spirit in them did establish was of no less authority than if Christ had personally established it 4. By this rule the Prelates themselves may be yet taken down by as good authority as the Apostles other settlement was changed For if it was done by Humane Authority there is yet as great Humane power to make that further change Wherever they place it in Kings Bishops or Councils they may yet put down Bishops by as good authority as they put down what the Apostles set up and may set up more new orders still by as good authority as they set up these half-presbyters And so the Church shall change as the Moon 5. That which is accounted a reproach to all Governours is not without proof to be imputed to God and his inspired Apostles But to make oft and sudden changes of Government is accounted a reproach to all Governours Ergo For it is supposed that they wanted either foresight and wisdom to know what was to be
mean time they observe not the peoples mindes and lives much lesse do they reforme them Nor do they take care how the people grow in the knowledge of God the faith of Christ and in true Godliness They apply not themselves to the study of the Scriptures nor perswade the people to read them in their houses they neither take care of the poor and strangers nor visit the sick as little caring how and with what faith they depart And thus they discharge their Ministry neither faithfully prudently nor profitably It is indeed of great moment that they bring not strange Doctrine into the Church but teach the Scripture Doâ—â—rine and that they use not superstitious rites but are not content with simple administration of the Sacraments according to the custome of the Primitive Church But in this they are to be blamed that they do things right and profitable not from the hearts but sleightly as on the by and what is accordingly to be else done by a faithful Minister they wholly neglect While they thus Minister they do not indeed bring Errour and superstitions into the Churches as in the foregoing ages was done But in the mean time inclining to the other extreme they take the course which by degrees will bring the people into that indifferency in Religions which is the most pestilent and to drink in Epicurism the waster and extniguisher of all religion Wherefore I beseech them in the Lord that they fully performe and discharge their Ministry and not thus by the halves Thus far he describeth our ordinary better sort of the Clergie but not our Bishops And Pa. 431. They that labour more to keep up the authority of Bishops than to save the people when they cannot convince the Ministers called by the Magistrate of error do raise a question about their calling being themselves neither lawfully chosen nor called saying what Suffragane ordained you minister what Bishop called you to the office As the Priests by Christ They questioned not his work which they could find no fault with but his power so these where they cannot by Gods word defend their own errours and abuses nor disprove our true doctrine they fly to the Episcopal power and authority as if they did passess any such umblamable and lawful power when they neither discharge the office nor have the power of true Bishops wherefore let no true sincere Minister of Christ regard the barking of these men but as content with the testimony of his Conscience and his calling to teach by the Lawful Magistrate go on in the Lords work with alacrity of spirit Here he addeth the manner of their calling at Bern by the election of the Pastors and confirmation of the Magistrates and reception of the people that you may know what he meaneth by the Magistrates Call And p. 436. having told us that Christianity falleth where the election and Pastoral care of the Ministry falleth he addeth But now they that endeavour to put out the light of truth boast much of the power of Bishops Arch-Bishops Metropolitanes Patriarcks and the Roman Pope where if you urge them to it they are not able to prove by any truth of divine institution that so much as this first ministerial power of Ministring in the Church is in those Bishops Arch-bishops Metropolitanes Patriarcks or Pope that is in these Church Lords Satrapes Let them prove that these are true Ministers of Christ I strive not about Episcopacy simply in it self whether it be to be numbred with Christs true Ministers But the controversie is whether such Bishops as our age too patiently tolerateth are to be numbred with Christs true Ministers It is greatly to be feared lest in the day of judgment they will hear that dreadful word from God Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not I have added more of Musculus then directly concerneth the point now in hand because I would take him all together And because the Helvetians are not accounted Presbyterians I add Bullinger Decad. 5. Serm. 3. p. mihi 377. 378. and Serm. 4. p. 383. Where he sheweth that Diocesan Bishops have not the sole power of ordination that Presbyters and Bishops were the same and had the same work and the horrid abuses that came into the Church by the degenerating of Episcopacy And Decad. 5. Serm 10. p. 491. that in latter Ages Prelates and Bishops snatching by tyranny that power of excommunication to themselves which before was used by the Pastors in Synods in common and sacrilegiously using it against the first institution had tarned a wholesome medicine into deadly poyson and made it abaminable to good and bad But I may not recite all Wagundus was no Presbyterian being superintendent of Magdeburgh first and after of Wismaria and after of Jene and after Bishop Pomeraniensis nor yet Math. Iudex yet go they the same way as may be seen Sytagm p. 1049. de excom p. 1114. de Eccles p. 1135. de Minist Should I cite all that is said by those that never were called Presbyterians about the degeneration of Episcopacy the largeness of their charge the ruine of discipline by their tyranny ambition and grasping wealth and titles when they neither will nor can perform the work I mean by Luther Melancton Illyricus Chytraeus Tzegedine Bucer Zuinglius Oecolampadius Gryneus Aretius Gualther Pet. Martyr Paraeus Chenmitius Pelargus c. I should but over-weary the Readers patience I only add that if the Churches of France Belgia Geneva and the rest of the Presbyterians and the Churches of Transilvania Hungary and formerly Poland that were Orthodox and Bobemia Brandenburgh Saxony the Palatinate c. that set up another sort of Episcopacy had found that the old or English species would have done the Ministerial works it is not credible that they would all have rejected it III. The third part of that experience which I alledge is the Bishops own 1. This is signified by their confessions before named Ar. Bishop Ushers reasons for the ancient use of Episcopacy with their Presbyters who shall be acknowledged true Church Governours over their flocks is fetcht from the need of so many to the work And Mr. Stanley Gower late of Dorchester was wont to profess being long intimate with him that he professed to him that he took a Bishop to be but primus Presbyterorum of the same order and every Presbyter a Governour of the flock And when he asked him why then he would be a Primate as he was he told him that he took it not for any part of his office as instituted by Christ but for a Collateral Dignity which the King was pleased to bestow on him for the more advantageous discharge of his Spiritual Office What Bishop Jewels opinion was to the like purpose is plain enough in his works Bishop Reignolds that now is professed to me his opinion to be the same when he took the Bishoprick and when he saw Dr. Stillingfliets book that no form of Church Government is
the way to make him hate them 15. And the Office of the Pastors is such as that truth and Goodness are the wares which they expose to sinners choice and Light and Love are the effects which Spirits Word and Ministry are appointed to produce And by Light and Love they must be wrought Therefore no Minister â—oth his work or doth any good to some if by Light and Love and holy Life he help not the people to the same And therefore the adjunction of Jayles and confiscations is so contrary to his Office and designe as obscureth or destroyeth it Though Enemies may be restrained and peace kept by force 16. True discipline cannot be exercised this way not only as it s lost in the confusion of powers as a little wine in Wormwood juice but because the Number and quality of the Church members will make it impossible Enemies and rebellious carnal minds are not subject nor can be to the Lawes of Christ you may affright them to a Sacrament but one of them will make a Minister such work who will but call them to credible repentance for their crimes and will renew those crimes so oft till he be excommunicated and will so hate those that excommunicate as will tell you what can be done when all such are forced unwillingly into the Church Of this I have spoke at large in my Book of Confirmation 17. It tendeth greatly to harden the sinners in the Church in their impenitence to their damnation when they shall see that let one swear and curse and be drunk every day in the week if he will but say I repent rather than lie in Jayl he shall be absolved by the Chancellour in the Bishops came and have a sealed pardon delivered him in the Sacrament by the Minister who knoweth his wicked life How easie a way to Heaven which leadeth to Hell do such good-natured cruel Churches make men Obj. The Minister is to refuse the scandalous Ans Not when he is absolved by the Chancellour Obj. But if he sin again he may refuse him again Ans How far that is true I shewed before But not when he is absolved again And he may be absolved toties quoties if he had but rather say I repent than lie in Jayle 18. Let but the ancient Canons be perused and how contrary to them will this course appear The ancient Churches would admit none to absolution and communion after divers greater crimes till they had waited as is aforesaid in begging and tears and that for so long a term and with such penitential expressions as satisfied the Church of the truth of their repentance It would be tedious to recite the Canons How great a part of Cyprians Epistles to the Churches of Carthage and Rome are on this subject reprehending the Confessors and Presbyters for taking lapsed persons into Church Communion before they had fulfilled their penitential course And what a reproach do they cast upon all these Bishops Churches and discipline who say That sinners must be taken into Communion if they will prefer it before a Jayle Though they love a Wherehouse an Ale-house a Play-house a Gaming house yea a Swine-Stie better than the Church yet if they do not love a Jayle with beggery better they shall be received 19. Even when Christian Emperours had advanced Prelates and given them though not the sword yet the aid of it in the Magistrates hand to second them they never used it to force any to the Communion of the Church but only to defend them and to repress their adversaries Yea when Prelates themselves began to use the sword or to desire the Magistrates to serve them by it it was not at all to force men to say They Repent and so to be absolved and communicate But only to keep hereticks from their own assemblings and from publishing their own doctrines or maintaining them or from being Pastors of the Churches And yet now men will force them to be Absolved and communicate And how great mischiefs did even so much use of the sword in matters of Religion as was the punishment of Hereticks then being though they were not forced into the Church Socrates brandeth Cyril of Alexandriae for the first Prelate that used the sword and what work did he make with it He invaded a kind of secular Magistracy He set himself against the Governour Orestes and under his shadow those bloody murthers were committed on the Jewes who also â—illed many of the Christians The Monks of Mount Nystra rose to the number of 500 and assaulted the civil Governour and wounded him and Amonius who did it was put to death by Orestes and Cyril made a Martyr of him till being ashamed of it he suffered his memorial to be abolished And when Hypatia a most excellent woman of the Heathens was famous for her publick teaching of Phylosophy Peter one of Cyrils Readers became the head of a party of that Church who watched the woman and dragg'd her out of a Coach into a Church stript her of her cloaths and tore her flesh with sharp shells till they killed her and then tore her members in peices and carried them to a place called Cynaron and burned them for which we read of no punishment executed Socrat. lib. 7. c. 13. 14 15. And it was this S. Cyril who deprived the Novatians of their Churches and took away all the Secret treasure of them and spoiled the Bishop Theopompus of all his fortunes Socrat. l. 7. c 7. What his Nephew and Successor Theophilus was and did you have heard before and shall hear more anon What the ancient Christians thought of using the sword against Hereticks though they compelled them not to the Church and Sacrament any man that readeth their Writings may see viz. Tertullian Arnobius Laâ—tantius and abundance more And the case of S. Martin towards Ithacius and Idacius I have oft enough repeated Only I cannot but note the impudency of Bellarmine who de Scriptor Eccles de Idacio falsly making Idacius to be the same with Ithacius when he was but one of his associates doth tell us that Idacius fell under the reprehension and punishment of the Bishops in eo reprehensus punitus ab Episcopis fuit quod Priscillianum apud seculares accusaverit occidi curaverit whereas Sulpitius Severus telleth us that all the Bishops of the Synod joyned with them and one S. Martyn and one French Bishop more disowned and refused them and Martin would have no Communion with them to the death save that once at the Emperours perswasion he Communicated with them to save a prisoners life which was given him on that condition and yet was chastised by an Angel even for that And Ambrose at Milan also disowned them as you may read in his life and when the deed was done the Christians spake ill of Ithacius and Idacius for taking that new and bloody way which before the Churches commonly disowned but they pretended that they did not cause this
God would have them But when they see the Wilderness called the Garden of God and the wicked not only tolerated in the Church but forced into it by the Sword and so the Church to contain the world and to be as vicious as Infidels what ever men should do I dare confidently prophecy what they will do All the Prelates in the world no nor all the godly that preach will never prevent it but every age will bring forth new divisions and the stricter sort will be still flying from such Churches as these to worship God in purer societies And if you are angry with the Scriptures and with the Papists keep them from their knowledge you must do so also by the Creed Lords Prayer and ten Commandments or else the very Article of the Communion of Saints and the praying Thy Name be hallowed thy Kingdome come thy Will be done in earth as it is heaven with the precepts of Holiness and Righteousness will have the same kind of operation Obj. But in the Church of Rome there is unity and concord and no Sects and therefore that sheweth us what the sword may do Ans 1. But the Church of Rome is it self but a fraction divided from the rest of the Church Do they not differ sufficiently from the Greeks Armenians Abassines c. Did they not drive from them Germany Belgia and the rest of the Protestants Yea even by their cruelty so far was cruelty from preventing it The Anabaptists and many other Sects may be at one among themselves and yet not at one with any others 2. Are you willing of a concord in your Churches upon the same terms as the Church of Rome hath it What with the same ignorance and ungodliness Locking up the Scriptures in Latin Prayers and Masses and a Catholick Tyrant or Usurper and all this procured by the blood of so many hundred thousands and kept up by the same Love-killing means would you indeed have such a concord Et cum solitudinem facitis pacem vocabitis as Tertullian speaketh 3. But indeed the Church of Rome hath one other means for concord which you want and that is various houses and orders of Monasticks Ignorance and prophaness will serve for the concord of the worst but there will be still some who believe and forethink of a life to come and therefore will be religious and for these when they cannot have communion with the wicked this politickly holy Church hath provided this expedient every one that will be Religiouser than the rest hath a hive or society to fliâ— to at their choice and may betake themselves to that which is most strict or most suited to their own conceits And if you would make Independant Churches to be like such Monasteries where the Religiouser sort may have Communion with one another you may do much to prevent a further breach Object II. But the sword will prevail with the most In the changes of â— Religion in England and else where the People have alwayes changed with the he King Answ 1. Men may seemingly leave an ill way with the King Because they are wicked that walk in it and therefore can say any thing But men will not so easily leave a good way when a King shall leave it Because they that are in a good way are often Good men and true to God and hold Truth and Goodness faster than bad Men hold Error and Evil. 2. Indeed this is the way to have a Church onely of perfidious wicked Men who will turn to any thing with their tongues because they will not turn to God with their hearts And to have no true Christian left among you for such fear not them that can kill the body onely in comparison of him that can damn the Soul Luke 12. 4. 3. Do not France and all the Churches and Our selves at this day fully shew you the falseness of this Objection CHAP. XXII An Answer to the Objections 1. No Bishops no King 2. And of the Rebellions and Seditions of those that have been against Bishops I Come not for your own sake to meddle with such matters as these but you put a necessity on us by making us odious by such pretences 1. To the first I answer 1. Were not all the very Heathen Emperors heretofore and are not all the Heathen Kings still Kings and as great as others without Bishops And may not Christian Kings much more 2. If the Presbyterians had said no Presbyters no King you would have taken it for treasonable as if they had threatned that the King shall not be King unless they may have their way and shall not the King be King unless you may be Bishops 3. What is in the nature of the thing to warrant this assertion Presbyterians own every text and Article for Monarchy as the Prelatists do even as ever any Christian Council or Confession asserted as far as we can learn They plead no other divine right for their offices than our Prelates do And save what some of them have held by the Magistrates own gift they pretend to no power over any mans body or purse Many of them and the Independants meddle no further than their own Congregations What is in all this against Kings That an Aristocratical Church Government may not live quietly under Monarchy or a Monarchial Church Government under Aristocracy is an asserted fiction without all proof Otherwise by the same reason you would perswade Venice Holland and all such Governments that Prelacy may not be endured under them 4. But what if it were all as true as it is false What is it to those Nonconformists that craved Bishop Ushers Episcopacy The question is but whether a humble Bishop in a Parish or Market Town without any Lordship or great revenews or interest in the sword may not live as safely and obediently under Kings as our Lord Bishops Yea in very deed most of the Independant Churches themselves have a kind of Episcopacy whether they own the name or not For usually one single Pastor hath as much as a Negative voice in the management of all disciplinary affairs II. But the answer to the second will fuller answer this 1. Do you not know that where Prelacy is at the highest there Kings and Emperours have been at the lowest Do you not know how the Papal Prelacy at the present usurpeth one part of their Government and is ready to take away the other when they can when ever Kings displease them Can any thing be said to hide this by him that readeth but the two forenamed Councils Later Rom. sub Gregor 7. Did Prelacy preserve those Emperors of the East that suffered by it Doth it now preserve the Emperour of Moscovy where the Patriarks interest is pretended in the rebellion Did it preserve Frederick and the two Henries of Germany or Henry 3. and 4th of France Did it preserve the Kings of England Will. 2. Hen. 2. and 3. John c. from their wars and troubles
Did it preserve the Kingdome of Navar to the right Lord What should I say more of this after the copious instances of H. Fowlis and after that volume of W. Prin. of the English Prelates Treasons Read it and judge 2. What people more peaceable and obedient to their superiors for instance than the Helvetian Ministers have been who yet have no such thing as Bishops 3. Dr. Pet. Moulin Junior one of your selves in his answer to Philanax Angl. hath said enough to confute most of the Calumnies against the Reformed Churches in this point 4. Who knoweth not that even in the ancient Churches and that when Episcopacy was thriving apace yea and by and among the Bishops themselves yea some that were good men and are now Sainted yet tumults seditions rebellions and contentions troubled the Churches and the Emperours and Magistrates as frequently as of later times which I mention not to abate the honour of those better Christians but 1. To shew you that all this was done under Prelacy and therefore it was not want of Prelacy or aversness to it that is to be taken for the cause 2. That these distempers were found in the best times and among the purest Churches and therefore are not to be now thought strange or taken for a mark of a bad religion I will not repeate what I said but even now of the horrid tumults and blood shed at Alexandria their cruel Murdering of Hypatia and the insurrection and sedition even of the Holy Monks and Saint Cyrils Sainting of the executed actor of violence on the Governour What work his Predecessor Saint Theophilus made against Saint Chrysostome how Epiphanius acted his part how Saint Hierome was of their party how even the Orthodox Bishops in several Synods opposed and deposed those two excellent Bishops of Constantinople Gregory Theol. and Chrysostome hath been said before Even at the Election of Chrysostome Theophilus went about by all means to discredit him and to preferr to the place one Isidore a Priest of his own Church And that you may know how Loyalty prevailed against the owning of Tyrants when they got the better you shall further hear why Theophilus set so much by this Isidore because he undertook for him a perillous piece of service saith Socrates li. 6. c. 2. viz When the Emporour Theodâ—sius waged War with Maximus the Tyrant Theophilus sent Presents directed to the Emperour with two Letters one to Theodosius and one to Maximus charging Isidorus to present him that got the better with the gift and one of the Letters Isidore being careful of his business went diligently about this feat got him to Rome and hearkeneth after the Victory But his fetch was not long ere it was found out for his Reader that accompanyed him stole away his Letters Whereupon Isidore being afraid to be taken with the manner took his heeles in all hast to Alexandria This was it that made Theophilus labour so carnestly for Isidore But all that were of the Emperours Court preferred John to the Bishopprick And afterwards when as many charged Theophilus with heynous crimes and presented to the Bishops then present libells and Articles against him some for this thing and some for that Eutropius one of the Emporours Chamber having gotten the Articles and Inditements shewed them to Theophilus bad him choose whether he would Create John Bishop or stand at the Barr and answer to the Crimes that were laid to his charge Theophilus was so afraid with this that presently he consented to the installing of John What would have been said of one of us now if we had not only complyed with a victorious Tyrant but also so jugled with presents and double Letters before hand I did my self disowne Oliver Cromwel openly to his death and yet because after twelve years possession of the Usurpers I did but Dedicate two Bookes to his Son Richard whom I never saw nor heard from only to encourage him to befriend truth and unity against Papists and Sectaries who then threatened all and this when the Royalists themselves gave out that he was Really for the restoration of the King this is made the odious Crime in me as a thing deserving greatest Infamy Do I need to recite how great Leo himself and other Roman and Italian Bishops owned the Barbarian Conquerours No wonder than if they too early took Theodoricus for their King set over them by God who was a better man than the rest and had at last a better Tittle Saith Socrates further li. 6. c. 7. When the Common-wealth of the Roman Empire was tossed with these troublesome stormes of Rebellion such as were promoted to the reverend function of Priest hood were at distraction among themselves to the great slander of Christian Religion Then was one set against the other the original of which pestilent Schism came from Egypt and the occasion was as followeth There was a question broached a little before whether God were a body made after the likeness and forme of man Or whether he were without body and void of all Corporal shape Hereof there arose sundry contertions and quarrels While some affirmed this and others that Some of the rudest and unlearned sort of Religious men thought that God was Corporeal and of the forme and figure of man But the greater part condemned them with their Heretical opinion affirming that God had no bodily substance or shape Of which opinion was Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria so that in the hearing of the whole Congregation he inveighed bitterly against the Contrary The worshippers of Egypt understanding this left their Religious houses came to Alexandria flocked about Theophilus condemned him for a wicked person and sought to bereave him of his Life Theophilus being made privy to their Conspiracy was wonderful pensive devised how he might scape their hands and save his life As soon as he came into their presence he saluted them Courteously and said thus to them When I fasten mine eyes on you methinks I see the lively face of God With these words the rash heat of the unruly Monkes was delayed and they said If that be true that thou sayest that the Countenance of God is no otherwise than ours accurse then the works of Oregen For divers of his books do impugne our opinion But if thou refuse to do this assure thy self to receive at our hands the punishment due to the impious and open Enemies of God Nay saith Theoph. I will do that which seemeth good in your eyes Thus you see what the Monks were But will you see what Theophilus was It followeth The Religious houses in Egypt were overseen of four worthy men Bretheren Dioscorus Ammonius Eusebius and Eutburmus Their great fame and excellency made Theophilus force them out of their beloved solitude and make Dioscorus a Bishop and two other to live with himself At last their Consciences were pricked perceiving that the Bishop was set upon heaping and hoarding of mony and that all their labour
and work upon them 4. That it maketh the Discipline or Government instituted by Christ in the very matter of it to become impossible and impracticable and so excludeth it under pretence that they are the only persons impowred for it and they set up a kind of secular Courts and Government in its stead and so are practically Erastians I shall conclude all with these Consectaries which follow what is already proved Cons. 1. Such Diocesane principles greatly strengthen the Brownists cause who deny us to have any Church or Ministry of divine institution as is before shewed And as for them that say No form of Church Government is of divine institution Ans 1. It is well that they are forced to except both the universal and the particular Churches and expound this only of Associations of Churches 2. It is well that yet they confess that the office of Pastors is of Divine institution who are made Church Governours by Christ 3. But it is scant well that yet they subscribe to the book of Ordination which asserteth the Divine right of three distinct orders if they do not believe it 4. And these also too much gratifie the Brownist who affirmeth that we have no Churches of Divine institution and thinketh that it is no fault to separate but from a Church of humane invention Cons 2. To say that no man High or Low is bound in his place and calling to endeavour a Reformation of such a Church-Government and so to justifie the neglecters and opposers of all such Reformation is to draw upon a mans self the guilt of so much pollution and of the ruin of such a multitude of souls as should make that Conscience smart and tremble which is not seared and past all feeling Cons 3. To swear or subscribe or say and declare that though millions should swear to endeavour such a reformation in their places and callings by lawful means there is no obligation lieth on any one of them from that Vow or Oath So to endeavour it is The Lord have Mercy on that Land City or Soul that is guilty of it Cons 4. All carnal interest and all carnal reason is on the Diocesanes side and all the lusts of the heart of man and consequently all the Devil can do Therefore while carnal Christians make a Religion of their lusts and interest and pride and covetousness and idleness are more predominant than the fear of God and the love of souls no wonder if the Diocesane cause prevail with such Cons 5. A truly sanctified heart knoweth the nature and worth of Grace and the nature and weight of the Pastoral Office and is devoted to God and the good of souls and contemneth the ease and pleasures of the flesh and the riches and the honours of this World and is the best argument in the World against such Diocesane Prelacy and must at least be weakened before it can subscribe never to endeavour to amend it Cons 6. No wonder if the most serious zealous practical sort of Christians are ordinarily against such Diocesanes Prelacy when it hath the described effects and that those among themselves Cons 7. No wonder if the principal work of such Diocesanes be to silence faithful preachers and persecute zealous Christians where they had espoused a cause so contrary to the interest of Godliness that all these are unreconcilable thereto Speak not of any other Prelacy Cons 8. Take but from such Prelacy the plumes which it hath stolen from Magistrates and Presbyters and it will be a naked thing and simply a name Cons 9. If Magistrates were not the Prelates Executioners or seconded them not by writs de excommunicato capiendo c. such Prelacy would give up as dead or aweary of it self Cons 10. The ill Mixtures of force and secular power corrupteth Church Discipline and depriveth it of its proper nature use and force maketh it another thing or undiscernable Cons 11. Though in cases of necessity civil Rulers may trust Church men with part of their power about religion it is far better out of necessity that they keep if wholly to themselves And let them thunder their excommunications without any power of the Sword Cons 12. Such Bishops and Arch-Bishops as overthrow not the Churches officers and discipline of Christ must be submitted to by all peaceable men though we cannot prove them as such to be of Divine institution CHAP. XXIV Some testimonies of Prelatists of the late state of the Church of England lest we be supposed partial in our description of it 1. FOr the true understanding of the late state of the Church of England the Reader may find some light in the Lord Falklands Parliament Speeches and Sir Edward Dearings and in Heylins own History of the Sabbath with Pocklingtons Sunday no Sabbath and the Bishop of Lincolnes book of the Holy Table name and things and Dr. Heylens answer to him And the same Heylins History of Arch-Bishop Laud and from Mr. Thornedicks four last bookes II. To what common scorne all serious Godliness was brought by the rabble through the abuse of the name Puritane used by the Prelatists to make odious the Nonconformists is after shewed out of Bishop Downame and Mr. Robert Bolton who is large and frequent in it III. Bishop Halls Confession of the corruptions in the Church Governours and Government in his Modest offer and Peacemaker and his disclaiming those that deny it I have cited elsewhere IV. Williams Arch-Bishop of Yorke Morton Bishop of Durham with many other Episcopal Divines of greatest name and worth did assemble in Westminister and collected a Catalogue of things needing reformation in Discipline and worship which are to be seen in print V. A Prelatical Divine in a Treat called Englands faithful Reprover and Monitor thus speaketh to his prelates and Pastor pag. 60 61. c. And now with what depth of sorrow ought we to recount your past errours partly through neglect of duty partly through abuse of power were the faithful in your trust did ye diligently instruct the ignorant severely punish the disobedient Endeavour to reclaime those that walked disorderly and contrary to the Gospel That ye were violently bent against Action and Schisme against singularity and Non-conformity all confess a few excepted who thought nothing too much yea nothing enough in this kind how opposite soever to Christian mildness prudence and Conscience But in the mean time by reason of your Connivence or Supineness in the Episcopal office Ignorance and Superstition every where misled the people and caused them to wander in darkness not knowing whither they went Profaness like a rank pernicious weed overspread the field and Vineyard of the Lord And the prophane and vicious lives of those who stood up in defence of your Government occasionally gave increase and added strength to the opposite factious party who alledged this as one main ground of their separation from the Church that those who adhered to it were for the most part
In that they commonly profess to receive and hold the Ordainers office and power from the Pope The very office it selfe say the Italians being from him And the application and communication of it to the individual subject being from him say the Spaniards and French also But the Pope as such hath no power to make Bishops at all which I prove 1. Because the very office of a Pope as such is not of Christ yea is against Christ and his prerogative and Law and abhorred by him viz. An universal visible Vicar or Head of the Church on earth 2. Because on their own principles the Pope can have no power for want of uninterrupted succession of true Ordination nothing being more plain in Church History scarce than that such succession is long ago nulled by oft interruptions as I have proved elsewhere and as is by many Protestants proved 3. Because the Work that they ordain their Priest to is Idolatry even Bread worship besides Man worship and Image worship 4. Because all their Priests are in the Trent Oath sworn to this Idolatry and sworn to renounce all their Senses to that end and to renounce the Scripture sufficiency and to own the Papal Treasonable usurpation which all are contrary to the Office of Christs Ministers Yet are those that ordained at Rome received by our Prelates when they turn to us without reordination and their Orders are not taken by them to be null which I dispute not now Much less are the late Protestant English Ordinations null II. The Viciousness of such other Prelates Ordinations is proved by all that is said against their Calling it self before And further 1. Those Prelates that are chosen by Magistrates and not by other Bishops or the Presbyters of their Diocess or People what stale hypocritical pretext soever there may be of the contrary are by the Canons of the Universal Church no Prelates But such are those in question Ergo The Major to omit many other Canons I prove from Concil Nic. 2. Can. 3. in Bin To. 2. p. â—93 Omnem electionem quae fit a Magistratibus Episcopi vel Presbyteri vel Diaconi irritam manere ex Canone dicente si quis Episcopus secularibus Magistratibus usus per eos Ecclesiam obtinuerit deponatur segregetur emnes qui cum eâ— communicant Oportet enim eum qui est promovendus ad Episcopatum ab Episcopis eligi quemadmodum a sanctis Patribus Niceae decretum est in Can. qui dicet Episcopum oportet maxime quidem ab omnibus qui sunt in provincia constitui c. Argument IV. Orders conferred by such as are in orders and have the Power of Order equal with the highest Bishops is valid But the Orders lately conferred in England and Scotland by those called Presbyters were conferred by such as were in Orders and had the power of Order equal with the highest Bishop Ergo The Orders lately conferred in England and Scotland by those called Presbyters was valid As to the Major I remember Arch-Bish Usher told me himself that it was the argument by which he indeavoured to satisfie K. Charles I. 1. That Ordinis est ordinare a man that is in orders as to the sacred Priesthood may caeteris paribus confer Orders it being like Generation or univocal causation 2. That Hierom tells us the Alexandrian Presbyters did more for they made their Bishops And at this day among the Papists men of inferiour Order must with them ordain or consecrate or make their Pope And Bishops make Arch-Bishops How much more may men of the same Order confer what they have that is the Power of the Priesthood or Presbyterate As Abbots who are no Bishops have frequently done 2. And for the Minor Bishop Carleton hath these words in his Treatise of Jurisdiction pag. 7. The Power of Order by all Writers that I could see even of the Church of Rome is understood to be immediately from Christ given to all Bishops and Priests alike by their consecration wherein the Pope hath no priviledge above others Thus teaches Bonavent in 4. sent d. 17. q. 1. August Triumph li de potest Eccles qu. 1. a. 1. Joh. Gerson li. de pot Eccles Consid 1. Cardinal Cusau li. de conced Cathol 2. cap. 13. Cardinal Contarenus Tract de Eccles potest Pontif. Bellarm. lib. 4. de Rom. Pontif. cap. 22. In the Canons of Elfrick ad Wolfin Episc in Spelman p. 576. l. 17 Having shewed that there are seven Orders 1. Ostiarius 2. Lector 3. Exorcista 4. Acolythus 5. Subdiaconus 6. Diaconus 7. Presbyter though the Bishop for Unity sake have the priviledge of Ordination and Inspection yet he is there declared to be but of one and the same 7th Order with the Presbyter Haud pluris interest inter Missalem Presbyterum Episcopum quam quod Episcopus constitutus sit ad ordinationes conferendas ad visitandum seu inspiciendum curandumque ea quae ad Deum pertinent quod nimiae crederetur multitudini si omnis Presbyter hoc idem faceret Ambo siquidem unum tenent eundemque Ordinem quamvis dignior sit illa parâ— Episcopi This being the Doctrine of the Church of England even in the times of Popery we have little reason with the Preface to the book of Ordination to say that it is manifest in Gods word that they are distinct orders For as it is added Can. 18. Non est alius ordo constitutus in Ecclesiasticis ministriis humane and all taken in praeter memoratos septem istos c. Dion Petavius Theolog. Dâ—gmat To. 4. par 2. Tomi 3. Append. c. 2. p. 677 Alterum est quod nunquam iterare illam ordinationem licet ut cum ab haeresi ad Catholicam Ecclesiam revertuntur qui vere ordinati eis denuâ— manus impenitur And what ordination is valid among the Papists see in Johnsons answer to my Questions FINIS POSTCRIPT Promiscucus additions to the Chapter 4. of part second out of Mr. Gilbert Burnets bocke called The Vindication of the Church of Scotland c. PAg. 304. 305. Let me here send you to the Masters of Jewish Learning particularly to the eminently learned Dr. Lightfoot who will inform you that in every Synagogue there was one peculiarly charged with the worship called the Bishop of the Congregation the Angel of the Church or the Minister of the Synagogue And besides him there were three who had the Civil judicature who judged also about the receiving of proselites the imposition of hands c. And there were other three who gathered and distributed the almes Now the Christian Religion taking place as the Gospel was planted in Cities where it was chiefly Preached these formes and orders were reteined both names and things Pag. 306. These Presbyters were as the Bishops Children educated and formed by him being in all they did directed by him and accountable to him and were as Probationers for the Bishoprick one of them being alwaies chosen to succeed in the seat