Iew he would have been zealous to have proved his Sabbath before Moses could he have made good his proof and that these words seem to be spoken by way of anticipation to continue the history like that of the Saints rising at our Saviours death Saint Mat. 27. 52. which yet was not so till after his resurrection for Christ was to be the first that should rise from the dead Act. 26. 23. The reason of the name Sabbath depends upon the creation of which God repented soon after as saith Moses it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart Gen. 6. 6. when as the reason of the name Lords day depends upon the Redemption of which he cannot repent For Christ rising again from the dead now dieth not death from henceforth hath no power upon him for in that he died he died but once to put away sin but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Rom. 6. 9 10. And as Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more so neither can this Festival die which is consecrated to the memory of his resurrection but as long as the first day of the week shall last so long it must be our Lords day and not our own As is the mercy immortal so is the duty that recordeth it and as is the duty so is the day on which it is recorded As is the Lord himself so is his day as much as a day can be the same yesterday and to day and for ever The same in all ages and successions of the Church Not changeable now by the Authority of his present Catholick Church because that hath a power for edification not for destruction 1 Cor. 10. 8. and in this change the Church that is now would but pull down what the Church when it was under the master-builders hands did set up Not changeable by the Authority of Angeis for they in so doing would in effect preach another Gospel another Christ delivered for our offences and risen again for our Iustification and so being themselves under Saint Pauls anathema Gal. 1. 9. I dare further say and I hope it is no presumption sure it is intended with reverence not changeable by Christ himself according to his power of excellency whereby he is head of the Church and founder of all Christian Institutions because though the change be Metaphysically possible that is in its own nature for that all daies are alike in themselves as to Gods worship yet it is not morrally possible that is in the end and reason of the change because Christ cannot rise again from the dead and consequently there cannot be another day as a memorial of his resurrection More daies then this may be set apart for the honour of Christ by the example and from the reason or end of this for the duty is of extent large enough to employ many daies and God having consecrated time to his own service hath made it lawful or rather necessary for the Church to do so too and we find the Jews did ordain the feasts of Purim and Dedication without any peculiar precept from the text and yet are justified for so doing But this day must be set apart by the example of Christ himself who made it his free-will-offering to God by making on it the first ordination of the ministers of his Gospel Other daies are authorized by vertue of this but this day is authorized by vertue of Christ who chose it for the day whereon to ordain his Apostles the Teachers and Governors of his Church and also to give unto them the power of ordaining others So that both the circumstances of time and person the day and the Ministers of Gods publick worshp have no less then the chief corner stone for their foundation For they both are grounded upon the practise of Christ on the day of his resurrection though builded upon the practise and precepts of his Apostles So we read John 20. 19. The same day at evening being the first day of the week came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you the same day at evening the evening follows the morning in the Christian but went before it in the Iewish account of daies The evening and the morning made the first Sabbath but the morning and the evening made the first Lords day what other reason can we give of the change but because the Lord rose from death in the morning Being the first day of the week Why is the first day of the week so punctually named Surely not to tell the Apostles what day it was but to tell us that should be after them that we might know the very day on which Christ had purchased for and bestowed on his Church such unvaluable mercies and so know it as to keep it as it followeth ver 21. Theu said Jesus unto them again Peace be unto you Now it is more then an ordinary salutation it is certainly a most solemn benediction Peace be unto you as my Father hath sent me even so send I you and when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them receive ye the Holy Ghost We have here the practise and example of Christ for solemnizing the day of his resurrection and for the ordaining of his Ministers We have his example for the observation of the Lords day which as he made holy by his own rising so he kept holy by his blessing and ordaining the Apostles on it And we have his example for the ordination of the Lords Ministers and there is little reason why we should easily and much less slightly pass by the former since we are sure that the latter is to continue till the worlds end for this is the full meaning of the words As my Father sent me and endued me with the Holy Ghost or with spiritual authority to be the teacher and governor of his universal Church So I send you and endue you with the Holy Ghost or with spiritual authority and power to be teachers and governors of the Church after me And as the Father sent me with power and authority of sending others and of giving them the Holy Ghost or my spiritual power So do I send you with the power of sending others and giving unto them the Holy Ghost or this spiritual authority and power of sending others still after them even to the worlds end This is the full meaning of those words and therefore the antient Fathers particularly Saint Cyprian and Firmilian did rightly apply this Text to prove by it the authority of the Church in their daies and we may as rightly alledge it now to justifie the same authority For the Bishops are obliged by this Text to ordain a succession of Ministers even to the worlds end One must be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection saith Saint Peter Acts 1. 22. If God say One must be ordained it is not for
to confess his belief and therefore so hath the Faith as that also he hath both the righteousness and the salvation For not being guilty of hypocrisie in confessing his faith whereby to lose the righteousness he will not be guilty of Apostacy in falling away from his confession whereby to lose the salvation SECT VI. The having the Spirit and language of the Son further explained by three questions 1. How Abba father is called the language of the Son and whether Saint Mark borrowed not that expression from Saint Paul 2. Who it is that cryes Abba Father or prayes by the Spirit whether he that hath most cordial affections or he that hath most voluble effusions 3. Whether the spirit may be in the heart believing whilst t is not in the mouth crying Abba Father or whether the Spirit of adoption once truly had be not retained to the end SAint Paul saying to the Galatians and because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. hath joyned three eminent priviledges of the Saints altogether in few words And because ye are sons there 's their first priviledge that of enemies they are made servants of servants they are made sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts there 's their second priviledge that being made Sons they have the Spirit of his Son whereby we cry Abba Father there 's their third priviledge that having the Spirit of his Son they have also the language of his Son But it may not unfitly be demanded how Abba Father is called the language of the Son I answer because Christ himself used it in his prayer to the Father and he said Abba Father all things are possible unto thee Mar. 14. 36. And the Spirit of Christ teacheth us to use it as appears Rom. 8. 15. Ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father and Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father And it is to be observed that this kind of expression is never at all used in the Old Testament as if it had been reserved of purpose for our Saviour Christ and but thrice used in the new Testament in the places forecited as if it could not rightly be used but only by some few very good Christians who having entirely devoted themselves to all dutifulness and obedience can hope for a greater portion of love and kindness from God then other men as if he were more a Father to them then to others For so would Syrus interpres have us understand the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abba Pater mi O Father my Father Father of all in general but my Father in particular which is doubtless the application of a true and lively faith and cannot belong unto those who have not applied themselves to this Father as most dutiful and obedient children But why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abba Father the one is Syriack the other in Greek was our blessed Saviour at so much leasure in his agony as to look after variety of languages in his prayer That 's not to be supposed but t is most probable that our Saviour used only the Syriake word Abba when he prayed because he commonly used that language and he doubled that word to express the zeal and earnestness of his affection in his prayer So Grotius duplex autem vox posita est affectus testandi causâ simile illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 1. There is a double word set down to shew the strength of his affection as Revel 1. 7. Even so Amen This may happily be a reason of the duplication but t is not a reason of the variety that doubt still remains why Abba Father in two several languages I answer happily to teach us that Christ and the good Christian do call upon God with one and the same Spirit and therefore Saint Mark agreeth with Saint Paul in the use of one and the same expression For though Saint Mark writ his Gospel from Saint Peter yet t is probable he borrowed this emphatical expression from Saint Paul since it is undeniable that Saint Paul had written his Epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians in which two he useth this Abba Father long before Saint Mark published his Gospel For Saint Chrysostome in the argument or Hypothesis before the Epistle to the Romans wherein he takes great pains to shew in what order Saint Pauls Epistles were written and that by observations collected out of the Epistles themselves plainly saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It seems to me that the Epistle to the Galatians was writ before the Epistle to the Romans and t is past all doubt that the Epistle to the Romans was writ long before Saint Paul was carried prisoner to Rome but the Gospel of Saint Mark was writ af-after that as may be gathered out of Epiphanius his words in Haer Alog. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next after S. Mathew comes S. Mark who following S. Peter to Rome was there permitted to write his Gospel But Saint Peter came not to Rome till after Saint Pauls first answer under Nero unless you will comprize him amongst those of whom Saint Paul complains 2 Tim. 4. 16. At my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsooke me I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge That Saint Peter came soon enough to Rome to die there with Saint Paul for the Gospel of Christ we may not doubt since all antiquity asserteth it But that he sate there as Bishop 25. years sc from the second year of Claudius to the 13. year of Nero in which he was put to death seems an unreasonable assertion for if he were then Bishop of Rome when Saint Paul was brought to his first answer before Nero he did plainly forsake Saint Paul and t is more just to say he had rather forsake his Bishoprick nay indeed his life And this being laid for a ground that Saint Peter did not forsake Saint Paul at his first answer it must needs follow that he came not to Rome till after it and by consequent Saint Mark writ not his Gospel till after Saint Pauls first answer that is long after Saint Paul had writ his two Epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians So that Saint Marks Abba Father may not improbably seem to have been derived from Saint Pauls Abba Father and that for this reason to assure us that good Christians have the same Father that Christ had and call upon God with the very same spirit that he did nay in the very same words as having their prayers both exemplified and sanctified through his intercession For as some Protestant Divines are willing to believe that the Baptism of John and of Christ were both one because else we now say they should not be baptized with the same baptism wherewith Christ was baptized and we
words of Leo relate to the Capitula or constitutions of Charles the great and Lodowick his son which Lotharius had commanded to be observed throughout all Italy And when it had been buzzed by some to the Emperour that the Pope disliked those constitutions he was very zealous to clear and to purge himself from that suspition by this Epistle De qua re Leo hac se Epistola videtur purgare voluisse And indeed the words of the Epistle shew a very fierce zeal for though he charge not himself with an Oath yet he plainly chargeth them with a lye that either had or should report so to the Emperour si fortasse quilibet aliter vobis dixerit vel dicturus fuerit sciaâ—is eum pro certo mendacem And yet this is not all For as Pope Leo in this Epistle made a solemn protestation of his own obedience to the Emperours Laws so in another after this cited by Gratian in the thirteenth Chapter of this same tenth Distinction he made an humble supplication that others might also be compelled to obey them Vestram flagitaneus clementiam c. For which though some late Canonists may perchance say he had too little spirit to be a good Pope yet we cannot deny but in this Tenent he had too much Truth to be a bad Divine For Christ took not from Kings their trust that he might give it unto Church-men no more then God took from Moses that he might give to Aaron And consequently Christian Kings are still obliged to discharge this Trust in their own dominions as belonging to them by the Law of nature and therefore not impaired but confirmed by the Law of grace since it is the work of grace to consummate and perfect nature not to overthrow it For the Moral Law given to the Jews by Moses was the same that had before been given by God himself to Adam only it was written again in Tables of stone because by our sin we had much defaced that writing which had been engraven in the tables of our hearts So then what is commanded by Moses in the fifth Commandment was before commanded by God in the Law of nature that is to say that all Fathers whether natural or spiritual or civil should be entrusted with and have power over their own children in subordination to though not in opposition against the commands of the Eternal Father And this right of Princes doth Pope Leo himself acknowledge in giving them the title of Pontifices High Priests which had been assumed by themselves before in their edicts and accordingly saith the gloss imperatores olim Pontifices appellabantur Which he proveth by the Authority of Isidâ—re in these express words cited afterwards dist 21. c. 1. Aâ—tea autem qui Regeserant Pontifices erant nam majorum haec erat consuetudo ut Rex esset etiam Sacerdos Pontifex unde Romani Imperatores Pontifices dicebantur Hence it is that among the titles of Aurelius the Romane Emperour this is one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Summus sacerdos Maximus Euseb l. 4. Eccles histor cap. 13. Which is a good proof that by the Law of Nations the authority of Religion was judged to be in the Prince though the administration of it was in the Priest nor was this an erroneous conceit of the Heathens for God himself would have the ceremonies of Religion to be instituted and established by Moses who was a civil Magistrate not by Aaron who was a Priest though they were executed only by Aaron After Moses Joshua removed the Ark gave the charge of Religion and renewed the Covenant betwixt God and the people And after him David and Solomon Josiah and Ezechiah did by their authority as Kings order and reform Religion overthrow Idolatry and superstition so that we may justly and truly infer that Princes had that Trust of Christian Religion before they themselves were Christians to understand it and still have it though they are never so bad Christians to abuse it T is one thing what they are by their deeds another thing what they are by their duties for by their duties they are preservers of Gods truth and peace though by their deeds they often prove the persecutors of his truth and the disturbers of his peace God made them preservers though they too too often make themselves Persecutors of his Church Thus Basilius the Emperour publickly assumeth to himself this Trust in the eighth general Council cited in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Divine and merciful providence having put into my hands the helm of the universal ship That is of the Church wherein as in Noahs Ark all those are gathered who are saved from perishing A large claim and yet not one of all the Council opens his mouth against it Nay they all plainly give their suffrages for it in the ninth Action when they solemnly make this profession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We well know O Emperour that there are under your power arch-Arch-Bishops and Bishops and Abbates and Clergie-men and Monks and that you are the Governour of them all This was accounted no bad Divinity almost nine hundred years after Christ for this Council was held in the year eight hundred and seventy both by Greek and Latine Churches the Popes Legates then present not dissenting from the rest nay the Pope himself giving his actual and publick assent to this Tenent at this day in that at his consecration he solemnly professeth to Saint Peter and his Church I could rather wish it were to God but it is to Saint Peter Profiteor tibi Beate Petre sanctaeque tuae Ecclesiae That he doth receive and will keep this eight as well as the other seven general Councils and promising to himself that Saint Peter will be gracious to him at the last day when I desire God only to be gracious to me as he did carefully observe this his profession Eris autem mihi in illa terribili die haec conanti diligenter servare curanti propitius This profession of the Pope at his inauguration is set down at large by Binius in his notes upon this Council so that t is scarce out of use in the Church of Rome at this day to make it whatever it is to keep it And yet t is much that a profession so solemnly made should be slightly kept for surely those words Deo tibi sciens me redditurum de omnibus quae profiteor districtam in divino judicio rationem Knowing I shall give a strict account to God and to you at the day of Judgement of all that I now profess though we leave out the Tibi in the case are such words as may well make a Pagan Foelix tremble to hear them much more a Christian Bishop tremble to speak them and both Pagans and Christians tremble to break them Nor may any Divine think or teach this Doctrine of Supremacy to be a matter of indifferency for to deny it to be the Kings
Domino crucifixo mortuo discipulis fugientibus de resurrectione desperantibus in illâ solâ tota fides remansit Because the Disciples being fled and despairing of the Resurrection when they saw their master was dead the whole Christian faith remained in the blessed Virgin alone specially that day wherein Christ himself lay in the grave that was the Sabbath day or Saturday as if he had been captivated under death The foundation is unsound and so is the superstruction But we are sure whatever the Disciples frailty was in our Saviours Passion yet their zeal and constancy were both very eminent after his resurrection For then they attended diligently and constantly upon their master till they saw him taken up from them and they lost nothing by their diligent and their constant attendance For his Valediction was a Benediction as he left them he blessed them A good example for us how we ought to leave this world though never so injurious to us never so oppressive of us for a Benediction is the only true Christian Valediction and there is no ascending into heaven without that They who part and go away hence in discontents and grudgings which are but secret curses of the heart against God or man can scarce go to heaven by Christs assistance because they desire not to go thither after his example But let their names be enrolled in the records of eternity who notwithstanding all the provocations and insolencies of unjust and unrighteous men have died with more patience and contentedness then we dare live Sure even they also did see Christ in his Ascention though so many hundred years after it or they could not so exactly have followed his pattern But whatever we may think or say of them sure we cannot deny but some others did see it full as many hundred years before as Moses Deut. 33. 26. Ascensor coeli auxiliator tuus He that ascendeth the heavens iâ— thy helper for not only Saint Hierom but also Jarchi so expounds those words And David Psal 47. 7. Ascendit Deus in jubilatione God is ascended with a shout Nay many more it seems did see this Ascention together with him upon whom he calls earnestly to glorifie God for it Psalm 68. 4. O sing unto God and sing praises unto his name magnifie him that rideth upon the heavens as it were upon an horse what could the Apostles say more when they saw our Saviour triumphantly sitting upon the cloud and so ascending up Praise him in his name yea and rejoyce before him Concerning which places the Angelical Doctor hath thus determined Quòd autoritates illae propheticè dicuntur de Deo secundum quod erat incarnandus 3. p. qu 57. art 2. ad 1m Those authorities were spoken prophetically of God the Son in respect to his Incarnation And a more truly Angelical Doctor did in effect so determine long before him and that was Saint Paul when he applyed those words of Psalm 68. 18. Thou art gone up on high thou hast led captivity captive c. directly and expresly to the ascension of our Saviour Christ Thus were there many witnesses of our blessed Saviours Ascension long before it come to pass and therefore certainly that truth and consquently the rest tending to it may not want its witnesses to the worlds end This is clearly evidenced from Saint Pauls words who saith that when he ascended he gave gifts unto men that there should be a succession of witnesses to testifie of him till his coming again for this is the effect of those words Eph. 4. 11 12. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ The meaning is that the testimony of his Truth should not expire with the first witnesses of it but should continue by a succession of other witnesses to the worlds end even as long as there should be a Church to be edified or Saints to be perfected or the work of the Ministry to be performed Let these men consider whether they come not near denying Christs Ascension who do in effect deny the Apostles proof it He proves that Christ was ascended because he had established a Ministry they say there is no no need of a Ministry they were as good say That Christ is not ascended Again others there are that will have a Ministry but yet set up new officers in it or with it for the edifying of the body of Christ which Christ himself never instituted at his ascension and reject those which were of his own undoubted institution These men ought not to obtrude upon the Church any office as of Christs erecting that is not comprehended among those in this Text since they cannot shew us another Ascension much less ought they to disturb some of those which Christ himself then erected and his Church hath ever since acknowledged and retained unless they will be thought disturbers of this Article of their Christian faith He ascended into heaven For that institution cannot be only for a time which hath a reason that continues for ever And such is the reason here given by Saint Paul for instituting these Church-officers to wit The perfecting of the Saints the work of the Ministry and the edifying of the body of Christ A reason which is to hold till the end of the world and therefore doubtless so also must the Institution But we may â—ot stray away from our Mount Gerizim on which not the Sons of men but the eternal Son of God hath blessed us to follow after those whose delight is to be upon Mount Ebal to revile and to curse their Brethren nay their Mother the Church Let us then fix our eyes and our hearts upon our blessed Saviour for though one cloud received him out of his Disciples sight whiles he was ascending yet not all the clouds nor the whole body of heaven was able to keep Saint Stephen from seeing him after he was ascended for so we read Acts 7. 55. But he being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God what he did then see with the eye of flesh we may still see with the eye of faith especially if with him we suffer couragiously and contentedly and not only so but also thankfully for Jesus sake we shall with him likewise see Jesus standing on the right hand of God Behold I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God v. 56. Adstantem ad dexteram Dei i. e. Paratum ad me confirmandum in veritatis confessione recipiendum ad sese saith Beza I see him standing that is ready to confirm me in the confession of his truth and as ready to receive me for confessing it And he borrowed this his gloss from Saint Gregory in his Sermon upon the Ascension
affections whiles we cry Abba Father But is the spirit therefore gone when the voice is gone or is the Holy Ghost no longer in our hearts then Abba Father is in our mouths For that must be our third Quere Whether the spirit may be in the heart believing while t is not in the mouth crying Abba Father as when Saint Peter who doubtless had the Spirit of God was so far from saying Abba Father that he denied the Son nay forswore him as if a simple denial had not been enough unless it had been seconded with oaths and curses which is our unhappy progress of Saviour-denial instead of self-denial I answer for Saint Peter that either the spirit was not quite gone from him or else soon returned unto him which appears by the speediness and by the entireness of his repentance in that he wept suddenly and he wept bitterly for he had a peculiar prayer and promise of Christ that his faith should not fail I answer for others of Gods adopted children as my late reverend and learned Diocesan taught me out of Saint Ambrose Deus nunquam rescindit donum Adoptionis God never cuts off his entaile if once adopted ever adopted and out of Biel Eos 〈…〉 qui à salute excidunt numquam fuisse filios dei per adoptionem All those who at last fall away from their salvation were never the children of God by adoption Bishop Davenant in his third determination or rather as Saint John taught them all three If they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us 1 John 2. 19. But withal I must distinguish betwixt adoption and the state of adoption betwixt salvation and the state of salvation for there is salus status salutis salvation and the state of salvation as there is peccatum status peccati sin and the state of sin And the state of either is such as it is in relation to us and to our reception of it In actionibus humanis dicitur negotium aliquem statum habere secundum ordinem propriae dispositionis cum quadam immobilitate seu quiete 22ae 183. 1. in humane actions the state of a business shews the immoveableness of its disposition so the state of sin is a kind of immoveableness in sin and the state of Adoption is a kind of immoveableness in adoption But yet we men are not alike immoveable in both states because the state of sin is wholly of our own making and therefore may get some stability from us But the state of grace is wholly of our receiving not of our making and therefore loseth of its stability as also of its perfection from the mutable and sinfull condition of our persons Hence it is that though to be in sin is much less then to be in the state of sin yet to be in Adoption and Salvation is much more then to be in the state of either For though we can add to our own misery yet we can only diminish from Gods mercy For Adoption and Salvation are much greater in Gods giving then in our receiving and consequently the Adoption is greater then the state of Adoption and the salvation then the state of salvation according to the old rule Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis whatsoever is received follows more the nature and condition of the receiver then of the giver And hence it is that even the adopted Sons of God have by fearfull failings and fallings made disputable for a time the state of their salvation though their salvation hath by Gods infinite goodness been made indisputable For there i◠no being at the same time in two contrary states that is to say in the state of sin and in the state of Grace and sure we are that t is no other then madness for any man to be in the hope who is not in the state of Salvation So that though we may truly say the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the habit remains when the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the act is gone or cessant yet we may as truly say That Gods Elect are not saved only by habits and therefore the acts of grace if they have been expelled must necessarily return again either to keep or to put them in the state of salvation either to retain them in it or to restore them to it before they can be actually saved And in this sense may we expound Saint James his question What doth it profit my Brethren though a man say He hath faith and have not works can faith save him James 2. 14. As if he had said It is not the sleepy habit but the vigorous act of faith and of all other graces that brings a man to salvation And by this means we shall reconcile Saint James his works and Saint Pauls faith in the Doctrine of Justification For Saint James affirming that we are justified by works doth include faith in those works and Saint Paul affirming we are justified by faith doth include works in that faith both of them understanding a faith working by love Gal. 5. 6. though Saint James comprehend the faith in the works as the cause in the effect Saint Paul comprehend the works in the faith as the effect in the cause And Saint James as justly urgeth the necessity of works against hypocrites who deceived themselves with a vain pretence of faith in Christ and so did not look after the righteousness of works as Saint Paul urged the necessity of faith against the Pharisees who trusting to the righteousness of the Law did not at all look after the righteousness of Christ Both Saint James and Saint Paul will have us justified by Christs righteousness for no other righteousness can acquit and absolve us before God only they differently express the instrumental cause of our Justification which is faith working by love for whereas that faith hath a twofold act actum confidendi obediendi An act of believing and an act of working Saint Paul rather insists upon the act of believing because he had to deal with Pharisaical Jews who rejected the Gospel and thought they could live according to the rule of the Law But Saint James rather insists upon the act of working because he had to deal with Hypocritical Christians who abused the Gospel of Christ to lawless licentiousness of living And therefore in Saint James his Divinity it is as great an absurdity to suppose true faith without its proper act of working and consequently by the rule of analogie to suppose the habit of righteousness without the exercise of righteousness as to suppose true faith and righteousness without salvation For the act of working being as essential to a justifying faith as the act of believing He that will go about to separate true faith from working may as well go about to separate it from believing and as well make faith no faith as make it no working faith But how this faith sheweth its work in those who are carried away with any
oppose them in their praying and preaching in his name And accordingly we find when they would needs oppose them such an answer returned as could not but make them condemn themselves for that opposition Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God judge ye Act. 4. 19. And this Answer was given by the Apostles that it might serve as a Ruled case for their Successors to the worlds end whom God hath constituted his Trustees for his publick worship That his name may be rightly invocated and adored his word rightly preached his Sacraments rightly and duly administred and who are bound to lose not only their livelyhoods but also their lives rather then to forsake or betray their Trust And if they are bound thus to stick to the Truth then surely the people are bound to stick to them that they may all be one sheep-fold under one shepherd and as it were one Diocess under one and the same Bishop of their souls Saint Paul did not think his authority confined with his Person when being a prisoner at Rome he did write to Philemon at Coloss calling upon him for the effectual communication of his faith ver 6. and telling him that he was to be Ministred unto in the bonds of the Gospel ver 13. and requiring him to put some wrongs and losses upon his account ver 18. and all upon this ground Thou owest unto me even thine own self besides ver 19. Is not the Church to us what Saint Paul was to Philemon Since by her Ministry God hath called us to the knowledge of his Truth and to Faith in his Son or can we indeed owe even our own selves to her and not be bound to pay our best acknowledgements by effectually communicating in her devotions diligently ministring to her necessities patiently suffering in her losses readily obeying her commands constantly persisting in her Doctrine and continually praying for her deliverance If we deny these acknowledgements to that Church to the which we owe them all because we do own even our own selves besides shall we not shew our selves untrue in denying our debt as well as unjust in denying our duty For a true Christian Church cannot lose her right of obliging us to her communion because she is in Bonds with Saint Paul or in persecution with the other Apostles since it is evident that the precept of Heb. 13. 17. Obedite praepositis vestris Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls c. was given to the people when the Apostles were all grievously persecuted and was carefully observed during the unhappy time of the ten first Persecutions And the reason as we may guess was this that the Church required the peoples communion upon no other terms then Christ himself had required it So that to break communion with the Church had been then to break communion with Christ and this appears from that profession of faith which was made by the Fifth General Council the second of Constantinople in the third collation as it is set forth by Binius in these words Confitemur fidem tenere praedicare ab initio donatam à magno Deo Salvatore nostro Jesu Christo Sanctis Apostolis ab illis in universo mundo praedicatam quam Sancti Patres confessi sunt explanaverunt Sanctis Ecclesiis tradiderunt maxime qui in Sanctis quatuor Synodis convenerunt quos per omnia in omnibus sequimur c. We profess our selves to hold and preach that faith which was at first given from God and our Saviour Jesus Christ to the holy Apostles and by them preached in all the world which faith the holy fathers did confess and explain and deliver to the Churches most especially those who met in the four first general Councils whom we exactly follow in all things And again Et omnia quae à praedictis Sanctis quatuor Conciliis sicut praedictum est pro una eademque fide definita sunt suscipimus omnes condemnatos praedictis Sanctis quatuor conciliis tanquam condemnatos anathematizatos habemus una cum aliis haereâ—icis And we receive all those Definitions or Determinations concerning the Christian Faith which have been delivered by the four first general Councils and all that were condemned and accursed by them we condemn and accurse as we do all other Hereticks If this confession was Catholick in that general Council how is it since that time Schismatical in us And if they were Catholicks who cleaved to the Apostles Creed and to the Creeds of the four first Councils which had none of those additional Articles that have since made the breach in Christs Church and are like to continue it to the worlds end if they themselves continue so long for there will be still many consciencious men who cannot take that for Christian Doctrine which they find not in the Word of Christ nor that for Christian practice which they find rejected by his Word I say if they were Catholicks who cleaved to the Apostles Creed and to the explanations thereof the Creeds of the four first Councils which are accordingly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expositions of the Faith sc of that faith in the Apostles Creed why are not we Catholicks too who profess and maintain the same Faith And if we be Catholicks how are they not Hereticks who willfully oppose our Doctrine how are they not Schismaticks who maliciously recede from our communion And surely it will be hard to prove that the Primitive Christians did for the first six hundred years after Christ reject any men much less Churches from their communion as Hereticks who did make profession of the Catholick Faith according to the Creeds delivered by the four first Councils That moderation professed by Saint Cyprian in the third Council of Carthage was followed by the Catholick Church long after his time Superest ut de hac ipsare quid singuli sentiamus proferamus neminem judicantes aut à jure communionis aliquem si diversum senserit amoventes It remains that we declare our opinions concerning this business but so as to condemn none for being of a contrary opinion nor for that reason thrusting him out of our Christian communion The cause they met about was the rebaptizing of those who had been baptized by Hereticks wherein though the Catholick Church hath rejected their Determination yet it hath alwayes followed their moderation suffering particular Churches in those Doctrines which did not immediately corrupt the faith to continue in their different opinions or different expressions and yet to be of one and the same Christian communion And this appears from the first Nicene Council which denounceth Anathema only against the Arrians who denyed the Divinity of Christ being contented to establish the Canons about Ecclesiastical order and government with lesser punishments in so much that Athanasius plainly saith Patres Nicenos
and consequently the ground of true faith in Christ Nor can we think of the common People so generally withdrawing themselves from the Arrian Bishops in those dayes for not giving glory to God rightly according to the form of this Hymne but we must needs censure the dulness and deadness of this our Age wherein men care not with what Ministers they assemble in publike worship though they see them not only forsake but also revile all the Symbols of true Christian Faith and worship and all the badges of true Christian communion such as are the Lords most holy Prayer the Apostles Creed and this Hymn of glorification for though men may have so much Charity as to pass by that Sacrilegious Tenent which professeth Bishops and Presbyters both one that they may be equally contemned I call it a Sacrilegious Tenent because I find it so called by the Catholick Church twice in the Council of Chalcedon once in the fift Action in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcopum in gradum Presbyteri redigere Sacrilegium est to bring back a Bishop to the degree of a Presbyter is Sacriledge and again in the fifteenth Action wherein are the Canons of that Council in the 29th Canon in the very same words only that insteed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring back they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcopum in Presbyteri gradum reducere est Sacrilegium to bring down a Bishop to the degeee of a Presbyter is Sacriledge I say though men may have so much charity as to pass by that Sacrilegious Tenent which professeth Bishops and Presbyters both one that they may be equally contemned yet they should not have so little faith as to communicate in that Sacrilegious worship which cares not to profess God the Father Son and Holy-Ghost to be but one that they may be equally glorified And surely Saint Basil taking so much pains to clear himself concerning the right use of the Gloria Patri doth sufficiently condemn all our late Divines who in such Antitrinitarian and therefore Antichristian times as these are willfully contemn or carelesly neglect the constant and publike use of that most Christian Hymne For it is most certain he that hath not a right belief of the Trinity cannot have a right belief of Christ and therefore he that will not openly profess his belief of the Trinity cannot justly claim and consequently not reasonably expect the communion of those who desire and deserve â—e accounted Orthodox Christians And it is observable that those formes of the communicatory letters which are mentioned by Gratian in his seventy third Distinct and before him by Jno and Berchardus do still retain the footsteps of this Truth that all Christian Communion was antiently grounded on the Profession of Faith in the Holy Trinity and in this respect we may say that membranas occupare non debet was an unreasonable censure in him that glossed the case of that distinction for the insertion of those Greek elements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the initials of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth in effect assure us that the ancient Bishops did neither give nor send their communicatory letters to any that did not openly profess their belief in Father Son and Holy Ghost for as concerning that phansie in the Canonist Petri quoque Apostoli prima litera i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assumatur that P must also be added to signifie Peter it sufficiently confuteth it self in that it supposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stand alone for the Holy-Ghost contrary to the nature and use of the Greek tongue and leaveth out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not robbing Peter to pay Paul but robbing the Holy-Ghost to pay Peter And yet we may add further to its confutation that it is as easie for those who resolve to make Saint Peter their author for every thing they say or do to bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to turn Patres into Petrus and we find that hath been done in the very Pontifical it self where the Bishops Oath was at first to observe Regulas Sanctorum Patrum the rules of the Holy Fathers But these words come afterwards to be changed into Regalia Sancti Petri The Royalties of Saint Peter but without doubt the Greeks meant nothing else by those initial Elements save only Father Son and Holy-Ghost if at least they had any set Form of communicatory letters among them which sure is not now easie to be met withal although Baronius hath assured that the form of those letters was instituted and Binius hath further assured that it was extant in the 18th canon of the first Council of Nice In concilio Nicaeno forma quaedum eiusmodi literarum c. 18. ne fraus irreperet est instituta non autem recens res ipsa est introducta saith Baronius An. 142. n. 6. Harum literarum formula à Niceno Concilio praescripta extat can 18. istius Concilii saith Binius in notis in Epist 1. Sixti Papae 1. yet he may chance lose his labour that shall look for that form not onlâ— in that Canon but also in any other of the Greek Councils or in the Commentaries of Zonaras Balsamon upon them But what ever was the form of their communicatory letters which by the Latines might be called Formatae for they acknowledge a form of them such a one as it is sure we are this was the ground of their communion that their Baptism their Belief their worship was all in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost They kept themselves entire in their Religion and that made them keep themselves entire in their communion They did earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Jude 3. they did not labour to deliver a new Faith So that their contending for the faith kept them from other contentions as now our contentions do indeed keep us from the faith They laboured to serve their Saviour not to serve themselves of him we labour to serve our selves whiles we pretend to serve our Saviour they followed the advice of Christs Apostle Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4. 3. We follow the insolency and outrage of Christs enemies saying Let us break their bonds asunder and casts away their cords from us Psal 2. 3. Kimchi saith these were the words of the Philistins against Israel the Church of God But the Apostles say in effect they were the words of Herod and Pontius Pilate against Christ the Son of God Acts 4. 27. Let us take heed of saying such words as these against the Church of God for fear we come in time to say them against the Son of God For what are the bonds of Christ but Religion which hath its name from binding and Communion which hath its work to
have an universal Trust Nay the Text bids us say the quite contrary for Saint Paul thus writeth to Titus For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting or that are yet left undone and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee Tit. 1. 5. He limits Titus his commission and much more the rest of the Ministers that were under him to that people only which was in Crete and leaves him not to take the particular care of any other People or Nation they were to have other Trustees appointed for them Again The same Saint Paul writeth thus to Timothy I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other Doctrine 1 Tim. 1. 3. Where it is as plain that Saint Timothies Trust was confined only to the people of the Church of Ephesus and that he was Gods chiefest Trustee though he was not Gods only Trustee for that people because the same Saint Paul saith to all the Presbyters of the same Church Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Acts 20. 28. where it is evident whose Trustees they were for he saith The Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers or Bishops and what was their trust for he saith Take heed to your selves and to all the Flock to feed the Church of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so to feed as t is also to govern or to guide for so doth a shepheard his sheep Pascere saith Beza to feed Regere saith the Vulgar Latine to govern the word requires both and accordingly their trust is not only to feed their Flocks but also to govern them Here is a commission not only for Doctrine but also for Discipline and this commission is given only to the Presbyters or Doctors of the Church of Ephesus He sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church ver 17. If you ask what Elders T is plain by their office what they were even such as were to answer for the blood of those who perished in their sins if they did not teach repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ For so the Apostle argues for himself I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you ver 20. I testified Repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ ver 21. I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God ver 25. Wherefore I take you to record this day That I am pure from the blood of all men ver 26. He alludes without doubt to those words of Ezekiel Because thou hast not given him warning he shall die in his sin but his blood will I require at thine hand Ezek. 3. 20. So that Saint Paul gave this commission only to such Elders as were to succeed him in his office of preaching and governing or in the Ministry which he had received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God ver 24. Thâ—se Elders he appointed his Successors in the Church of Ephesus when he was now quite to be taken from thence and by the same appointment hath established the succession of the Ministry in all other Churches For as the Apostles observing the first day of the week for the publick worship of Christ hath made it necessary for all Christian Churches to observe the same day for their publick worship to the worlds End so their appointing the Ministers as their Successors for the discharge of that publick worship hath much more laid upon all Churches the necessity of a successive Ministry yet Saint Paul looks upon the succession of Persons without a succession of Doctrine as a poor evidence and a poorer priviledge of a Christian Church because he saith Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them v. 30. In that he saith Of your own selves shall men arise he plainly sheweth they should have a succession of Persons but in that he saith speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them he as plainly sheweth they should in that succession of persons not have a succession of Doctrine T is a miserable condition when men shall put asunder those two which God hath joyned together but if we will needs phansie for God forbid we make or fear much more that we should suffer for the division better it were for the succession to be divided from the Ministry then for the Ministry to be divided from the Doctrine For the Ministry is necessary for the Doctrine but the Doctrine is necessary for it self And those Churches which most pretend an uninterrupted and an undoubted succession in their Ministry yet would be loth to be no surer of their Doctrine then they are of their Ministry For all the world cannot make them have more then a Moral certainty of the succession of their Ministers whereas they cannot be good Christians if they have not a Theological certainty of the succession of their Doctrine for he that believes the truth not knowing it to be true and to have proceeded from the God of truth is not formally but only materially a true Believer and leaves himself in a capacity if he doth not put himself into a disposition to believe a lye For by the same reason that he can bestow his Faith upon an uncertainty He may also bestow it upon a Falsity SECT II. The trust and nature of the Catholick Church best gathered from particular Churches the first part of their Trust is concerning the Word of God HE that would not miss or lose his way to the Sea had best follow the conduct of some particular River and he that would not be mistaken in his judgement concerning the Catholick Church were best guide himself by the consideration and the observation of particular Churches Vniversalia priora sunt particularibus ordine naturae Particularia Vniversalibus â—rdine Doctrinae Universals are before particulars in the order of nature but particulars are before universals in the order of Doctrine wherefore we must first enquire into the nature of particular Churches if we would fully understand the nature of the Catholick or universal Church For as Universals have no subsistence in themselves but only in their Individuals so neither hath the universal Church any actual subsistence but only in particular Churches And as we rightly understand an universal by abstracting it from the conditions and imperfections of the individiuals and taking only the perfections of the same So shall we rightly understand the Catholick Church by abstracting it from the imperfections of particular Churches and imputing to it only their excellencies and perfections Thus though I see lameness in one man blindness in another perversness in a third ignorance in a fourth and falseness in all yet I consider
man in general neither as lame nor as blind nor as perverse nor as ignorant nor as false but an excellent creature made to know and enjoy his maker So though I see many defects and imperfections in particular Churches for in many things we offend all men and Churches too yet I consider the Catholick Church or the Church in general neither as defective nor as imperfect but as the body and Spouse of Christ holy and undefiled without spot called to the knowledge of God here in this world and to the enjoyment of him hereafter in the world to come And if all men would look more upon the perfections then upon the defects of the Churches wherein they live if they would rather look upon what Christ hath made them then what they have made themselves the world would be more given to devotion then now it is to disputes and would be more filled with Religion then it is now with faction For Christ is so well preached in every true Christian Church notwithstanding the great corruptions and divisions of Christendom that if he were but half so well practised we should most of us soon become very good Christians And truly we can scarce give a better reason why State policy and self-interest hath not generally corrupted the principles as it hath the Practise of Christians but only that those who sit in Moses his chair think themselves concerned in Moses his Trust which was this Thou shalt speak all that I command thee Exod. 7. 2. Hence it is they commonly speak as they ought though they seldom do as they speak their tongues are sanctified though not their lives they remain holy and innocent in their Functions though not in their Actions circumcised in their lips though uncircumcised in their hearts Their Persons unregenerated but their calling such as worketh regeneration Therefore said Truth himself concerning them Mat. 23. 3. All whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do for they speak with Moses but do not ye after their works for they say and do not they act with Jannes and Jambres They speak they teach according to their Trust but they act they do according to their lusts it being much easier to talk by Rule then to walk by it God often giving to his Ministers the grace of â—â—iâ—ication for his names sake that they may preserve his Truth when yet he denyeth them the grace of Regeneration for their own sakes because they will not obey his truth Gratia gratis data may be given to the calling when Gratia gratum faciens is denyed to the Person we find that God threatneth the wicked Priests saying I will curse your Blessings Mal. 2. 2. What is their Blessing but their calling and how is that cursed but when it is blessed to all men save only to themselves When the Ministers shall be like so many statues in a doubtful Road directing the travellers in the right way but themselves not moving therein at all The comparison is not much amiss For as it is not from the substance of the statue but from its office or employment that men are directed by it so is it also in the Ministers t is not from their persons but from their calling that they are so highly qualified as to be our guides to heaven And as men can make a stock so much more God can make a man discharge the office of a faithful guide And as the rottenness of the statue hinders not the soundness of its directions so a Minister that hath a false and a rotten heart may have a true and a sound mouth And as the traveller thanks not the statue for his good directions but those that set it there so we are not to thank such a Minister for his good directions but God that set him over us For if the efficacity and operation of a good Instrument be ascribed to the efficient cause then much more of a bad instrument And if such holy Apostles as Saint Peter and Saint John rebuked the amazed Jews after this manner Why look ye so earnestly on us as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk Act. 3. 12. then we may be sure that when words of power or of truth proceed from the mouth of a wicked Caiaphas That he spake not this of himself but being High Priest that year he prophesied John 11. 51. And as Caiaphas though he was not a true man yet he was a true Prophet because in that respect he was Gods Trustee for the propagation of that truth which he then prophesied So is it still with many Christian Ministers and Churches as they are Gods Trustees for preserving and propagating the saving truths of the Gospel so they are enabled by his Spirit to discharge that Trust in so much that we may take it for granted that God hath entrusted them because we cannot deny but God hath enabled them For if he had not given them a Trust why should he either give them Authority to undertake it or ability to perform it Therefore since we cannot deny the Authority nor the Ability we may not deny the Trust And indeed the Trust is too palpable to be denyed by any that will not shut his eyes against the truth lest he should see it or that will not open his mouth against the truth that he may oppose it for so saith Saint Paul 1 Cor. 9. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dispensatio mihi credita est I am entrusted with a dispensation sc of the Holy Gospel And t is evident he spake not this in regard of his person that the Trust should die with himself but in regard of his Calling to shew the same trust was to remain with his Successors for ever And if we will look upon all his Epistles we may there see accordingly that he hath derived this Trust to particular Churches after him that is to those Bishops and Presbyters that were set over the people For as the Epistles that were sent to the seven Churches of Asia were directed and sent to the Angels that is to the Bishops and Ministers of those Churches and not to the common people Apoc. 2. 3. So was it in all Saint Pauls Epistles they were sent not to the people but to the Ministers that were set over them God entrusting them with his saving Truth whom he had entrusted to bring others to salvation nor are we beholding to the Citizens of Rome or to the Burgers of Corinth but to the Ministry of both those Churches and of other Churches since them that we now enjoy the true Copies of Saint Pauls Epistles the like is to be said concerning all the other parts of the New Testament For as the Books of the Old Testament were known to have come from God because they were deposited in the Ark and committed to the custody of the Priests whence Damascene saith concerning the Wisdom of Solomon and of the son of Sirach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the Ministery which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the Grace of God v. 24. as if he had said I did not at first either invade or falsifie this Trust that I should now betray it or forsake it for I received it of the Lord Jesus he put me in this course I must follow his Directions He made me his Minister I must obey his commands It is my course I must run it on directly not turning aside either to the right hand or to the left that I may consult with flesh and blood but looking only to my journies end It is my Ministry I must perform it as I am enjoined not seeking to please my self and much less any other but only my Master Nor need we ask the Eunuchs question I pray thee of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himself or of some other man Acts 8. 34. For Saint Paul in the same place gives the answer to this question in that he alledgeth his own example not as Personal but as Doctrinal making this inference upon it Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over the which the Holy-Ghost hath made you oversers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood v. 28. He gives them 4. reasons why they should be as carefull in their Trust as he had been in his 1. That they had the charge of the flock and were to answer for those that should go astray Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock 2. That they have this charge imposed on them by the Spirit of God Over which the Holy-Ghost hath made you Overseers 3. That this charge neerly concerned the Church of God which he owned for his own peculiar To feed the Church of God 4. That this charge neerly concerned the Son of God and might not be neglected without the inexpiable guilt of profaning and contemning his blood which was the only price of our souls and the only expiation of our sins which he hath purchased with his own blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Chrysost see how many necessities are here joyned together you have your Ordination or Commission from the spirit of God there 's one necessity you are entrusted with the Church of God there 's another necessity you are entrusted with the blood of God there 's a third necessity This is the necessity that St. Paul thought was laid upon him of preaching the Gospel when he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Necessitas enim mihi incumbit for necessity is laid upon me 1 Cor. 9. 16. and the same necessity hath he laid upon all his Successors in the Ministry to the worlds end as plainly appears in his charge to Timothy his chiefest Successor in this Trust at Ephesus to whom he saith I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keep this Commandment without spot unrebukable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ which charge it was impossible for Timothy to perform by himself because he was to die long before the coming of Christ it must therefore be performed by his successors who are to continue till Christs coming that they may perform it as Saint Ambrose glosseth upon the place non solicitus à cura Timothei tam circumspectus est sed propter successores eius This charge was given thus circumspectly in this strict manner to Timothy not that S. Paul doubted of him but that all the world might see it was not given to him alone but also to all his successors And so much concerning the Trust that was given by God to the particular Church of Ephesus whereof Timothy was the Bishop or the chiefest Trustee whence Oecumenius tells us upon those words of S. Paul to him I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus 1 Tim. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here he made him Bishop of the Church of Ephesus He that is Saint Paul but as the instrument of the Holy Ghost for so Saint Paul himself had told us before That the Holy Ghost had made him Bishop of that Church and all his fellow Presbyters in some sort Bishops with him Over which the holy-Ghost hath made you overseers some were overseers of the flock but he also of the shepherds themselves and the commission is accordingly Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock every Presbyter was a Bishop or an overseer in regard of the flock but he was also Bishop or Overseer in regard of the Presbyters in the regard of the Ministery and not only of the People this is Oecumenius his gloss upon the fourth of the Ephesians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those who were entrusted with whole Churches he peculiarly calleth Bishops such as was Timothy and Titus And doubtless such Trustees as these were more especially interested in that admonition concerning the Wolves or the false Pastors v. 30. 31. for therefore said he they shall arise that those to whom he said it should suppress them when they did arise But however they were all in common Gods Trustees for that place and people though not all equally entrusted God the Father entrusted them with his flock God the Son entrusted them with his blood God the Holy-Ghost entrusted them with his Truth Go now you that despise the Ministers whom God hath set over you but take this advice along with you Take heed you despise not at once God the Father Son and Holy-Ghost Goe now you that invade the office of the Ministers whom God hath not made overseers of his flock nor entrusted with his word or with his people yet you will needs be feeding his Church but take this advice before you go take heed he say not to you at the last day Who hath required this at your hands Isai 1. 12. for sure he will charge you with a profanation because he hath not charged you with a Trust look not upon that office as profitable and glorious which God will have looked upon as terrible and dangerous no less dangerous if undertaken without his commission then if forsaken against it The like is to be averred concerning the Trust of the particular Church of Creet The people of which Island Saint Paul plainly commended to Titus and his fellow Presbyters as himself hath professed For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City Tit. 1. 5. Why was he to ordain more Bishops but because the Trust was too great for one Bishop So saith Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he would not that such a great Island should be committed one Bishop but that every City should have her own Pastor or Bishop For by Elders or Presbyters he meaneth Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Chrysostome He would that every particular Bishop should have his
particular charge that so the burden might be the less but the care might be the greater the Ministers might have the lesser trouble but the people might have the greater benefit from whence it may be collected that the Bishops were Gods principal Trustees and that the inferior Ministers were only taken into part of their Trust And this is suitable with that saying of Theodorete recited by Oecumenius in the argument of the Epistle to Timothy That though Saint Paul had other Scholars or Disciples as Silas and Luke yet he writ Epistles only to Timothy and Titus because he had then entrusted them two with several Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the others he yet detained with himself And it is Conradus Vorstius his observation that Saint Paul makes it his business in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus to draw the exact picture of a true Christian Bishop and that he useth singular skill and industry in elaborating that draught Et sane in his Epistolis ac nominatim in illa priore ad Timotheum singularis quaedam Apostoli industria solicitudo elucet quippe collegam ac filium suum subinde studiose obsecrantis imo obtestantis per omnia sacra adiurantis nunc blandis promissionibus allicientis nunc minaciter territantis nunc suo nunc Christi exemplo provocantis ut modis omnibus tostatum faciat quà m sit ardua res inculpatum agere Episcopum quantaque pernicies humanae vitae sit parum sincerus Dominici gregis Custos Vorst Arg. Ep. ad Tim. Sometimes he earnestly entreateth Timothy for his own sake sometimes he humbly beseecheth him for Gods sake sometimes he adjureth sometimes he promiseth sometimes he threatneth sometimes he perswadeth and even provoketh him by his own and by Christs example that so he might testifie to all the world how great was the charge which a Bishop had from God to be faithfull in his vocation and that if he proved unfaithfull how great was the mischief he might do unto Gods Church And Oecumenius gathereth as much meerly from those three words used by Saint Paul in his benediction to Titus Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus-Christ our Saviour Tit. 1. 3. for saith he Saint Paul very fitly wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace to Titus being the Teacher and Governour of that Church for unless he was resolved to steer by these he was sure to endanger the sinking of the ship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God have mercy upon those covetous ambitious and contentious Ministers whose covetousness ambition and contentiousness hath made them expell Grace Mercy and Peace that they might pull down Gods and set up their own Government How can it be hoped that such men should approve themselves Gratious Mercifull or peaceable Governours For how can covetousness consist with Grace Ambition with Mercy Contention with Peace and how miserable are those people like to be who are like to be governed without Grace Mercy and Peace Thus I have shewed the Trust of the two particular Churches of Ephesus and of Crete whose first governours immediately after the Apostles are nominated licensed and instructed by the Text and these two are precedents sufficient for all particular Churches to the worlds end happily more sufficient precedents then are left in all the new Testament concerning any other external adjunct of Religion For if all Scripture be profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to all good Works 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. then surely much more that the Church of God may be perfect For if Saint Pauls proof be undeniable that because God took care of an Oxe he much more took care of a Minister 1 Cor. 9. 10. then can we not deny but the proof is as undeniable that because he took care of one particular minister he much more took care of all Ministers if he were so carefull to instruct one man of God as Timothy or Titus then much more was he carefull to instruct all the men of God that is to say his whole Church which is doubtless accordingly to be guided by these Instructions unless we can prove that since that time she hath received any other or that God hath repented of these and is willing to let his word as we are to let our Oaths grow out of date And indeed what can we desire to know concerning Gods Trustees in behalf of our souls which we may not easily know from either of these two Epistles For we know that God the Father hath said All souls are mine Ezek. 18. 4. and therefore we are sure that none can claim and consequently none should take the care of any soul but by commission from him This commission he immediately gave to his only Son with a promise that it should conduce to the Salvation of those souls which should hear his voice I am the good shephard my sheep hear my voice and I give unto them eternal life saith Christ John 10. 14 27 29. but this was by power given him from his Father as t is said All power is given unto me Mat. 28. and therefore when he was not yet pleased to own or at least not to exercise this power he said to the mother of Zebedees children It is not mine to give Mat. 20. 23. But however the promise concerning this power is no where so clearly signified as in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus so we find 2 Tim. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus He derives his own commission for taking the care of souls from Christ Christs commission from God Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God And he shews the end of that commission was the salvation of those souls According to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus Again Tit. 1. 1 2. Paul a Servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ there 's the proof of his commission in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began there ' s the end of his commission God promised eternal life before the world began to whom could he promise it but to his Son coaeternal with himself and for whom did he promise it but for those who should be his hearkening to him believing in him relying on him and supported by him This was the comfortable end of Saint Pauls commission and therefore we have great reason to look after the sure proof of it And that we find particularly in these Epistles First as it was given from Christ to him and Secondly as it was to be derived from him to others even to the worlds end For although there is great Truth in that rule Delegatus non potest Delegare He that hath a Trust or power himself only by Delegation cannot orderly delegate the same to another and greater
not justly be condemned by another Church much less opposed or deserted by her own state For that such a Church is without doubt Gods Trustee and hath not been faulty in the discharge of her Trust and may not be hindred or molested in dischaging it SECT VIII The Trust of particular Churches is immediately from God himself both in regard of the Magistrate and of the Minister That Trust much stood upon in the Primitive times and ought to be so still because it is founded on the holy Scriptures And that this Doctrine concerning the Trust of particular Churches doth not canton or disjoynt the Catholick Church T IS no hard matter to prove That particular Churches are Gods immediate Trustees though they have but a limited Trust For else will follow the greatest absurdity that can be imagined and much greater that may be granted viz. That God hath left the blood of his Son the dictates of his Spirit the honour of his name exposed to all the contempts and prophanations and corruptions of perverse and ignorant and wicked men if he hath not entrusted them all with some such persons who are bound to see them neither prophaned nor contemned nor corrupted And who were those his Trustees at first but only his Apostles and who have they been ever since but their Successors Bishops and Ministers Take heed unto the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers Acts 20. 28. O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy Trust 1 Tim. 6. 20. The Minister whether Bishop or Priest is immediately intrusted with the care of souls and with those truths and administrations which directly concern the soul For the civil Magistrate though he be Christian yet is not capable of discharging the spiritual part of this Trust being not called of God as was Aaron to do the office of a Priest though he be called of God as was Moses to have power and dominion over Priests For in that he is governour of the State he is also governour of the Church which is in and within the State and in that he is governour of the Church he must needs have his share in the Trust of the Church concerning Religion as far as Religion is liable to the government of the State sc to be ordered protected and defended by it For as God at first used the extraordinary power of miracles to maintain his word and Sacraments and to strike the opposers and profaners of them either with death or with other corporal punishments as S. Paul saith of the Corinthians For this cause many are weakly and sick among you and many sleep 1 Cor. 11. 30. sc because of your profaning the blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ So in process of time he was pleased to use the ordinary power of the Civil Magistrate for the same purposes never leaving himself without witness having given a directive and spiritual power to the Ministery a coactive and external power to the Magistracy for the suppressing of wickedness and vice and for the promoting of true Religion and Virtue Therefore both Magistracy and Ministery have the immediate Trust of Religion and God hath commanded both to assist hath allowed neither to oppose the other in the execution of his Trust Both are obliged to see there be a right exercise of Religion the one to perform it the other to countenance and protect it And both have their Trust immediately from God and this is that which I call the Trust of particular Churches nor is it to be imagined That if God had given the Trust of all Churches to some general Vicar of his who derived his power immediately from him and was to derive the same to others but that he would have given some notice of this universal Trustee that others might not invade this Trust without his leave much less manage it without his Authority yet this he was willing to plead for who said Petrus Paulo dedit licentiam praedicandi Gl. in Grat. Dist 11. cap. 11. that Saint Peter gave Saint Paul a licence to preach and that Authoritate Domini by Gods own command who said Acts 13. Sepatate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereto I have called them He will needs bring Saint Peter from Jerusalem to Antioch of purpose to lay his hands on Saint Paul though the Holy-Ghost reckons up these particular men who were bid do that work and reckons not Saint Peter among them nay though Saint Paul himself plainly tels us that he had Preached full three years before he once saw Saint Peter Gal. 1. 17 18. and then was fain to go up to Jerusalem not to Antioch to see him and only to see him not to receive commission or Instruction from him So Saint Chrysostome upon the words Gal. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He wanted Peter for nothing but being equal in honour with him that I may say no more now yet he went up to him as to his Superiour and his Ancient And he tell us this of purpose saith he that we should not think the ensuing reprehension proceeded either out of hatred or envy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is plain he loved the man and respected him more then any other of the Apostles for he saith Other of the Apostles saw I none Yet he did but go to see him not to learn of him much less to receive spiritual power from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I did but see him I did not learn of him saith the same Saint Chrysostome And indeed it is scarce imaginable that Saint Paul was rapt up into the third Heaven the proper dwelling place of God to hear unspeakable words to be Tongue-tied on earth by any man so as not to be able to preach without his License Nay on the contrary it is clearly evident from the Holy Scriptures and from all Antiquity that not only Saint Paul but also all the other Apostles did Preach the Gospel found Churches ordain Bishops excommunicate offenders without any delegation from Saint Peter only by their own immediate Authority And it is also evident that they all derived their Authority to their several Churches after them and that those several Churches did very much insist upon that authority which they could not lawfully have done had it not been derived to them by the Apostles Thus Saint Cyprian pleads for his Church of Carthage Ne quisquam se Episcopum Episcoporum constituat aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem collegas suos adigat quando habeat omnis Episcopus pro licentia libertatis potestatis suae arbitrium proprium tanquam judicari ab alio non possit quà m nec ipse possit alterum judicare Neither let any man make himself a Bishop of Bishops nor by his tyrannical threats seek to compell his collegues to be his Vassals since every Bishop hath his own native liberty and power to determine for himself as one that may neither Iudge his fellow-fellow-Bishop
communion Thus doth Saint Paul briefly but pithily define a Christian Church 1 Thes 1. 1. To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ We cannot imagine the Thessalonians were in God before they were with God so that the one presupposeth the other and we may hence collect this definition of a true Christian Church that it is a company of men Ministers and People though here Saint Paul chiefly write to the Ministers calling them the Church as appears in that he chargeth them to read this Epistle to all the Holy brethren cap. 5. v. 27. which sheweth that he sent it only to the Ministers I say that a true Christian Church is a company of Men Ministers and People who are with the God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ by their Religion nay more who are in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ by their communion And all the men in the world who are thus with and in God the Father and God the Son by the power of God the Holy Ghost do make up the whole present Christian or Catholick Church They may be several Churches in their Denominations and Jurisdictions They are but one Church in their Religion and in their spiritual communion Thus faith the same Saint Paul Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular 1 Cor. 12. 27. that is ye Christians of all Nations are the mystical body of Christ aud ye Christians of Corinth of this or that Nation are members in particular of that body and members in particular one of another as all together make up that body or as all particular Churches make up the Catholick Church SECT IX What Trust is given to other particular Churches in the Holy Scriptures is also given to our particular Church of England from God the Father Son and Holy-Ghost That our Church is accordingly bound to magnifie her Trust and therefore we bound not to vilifie it And that it is both Rational and Religious to maintain the Trust and Authority of our own particular Church IF he be justly reproached for dishonesty who doth not carefully discharge his Trust which he hath received from man how much more they who do not carefully discharge their Trust which they have received from God And this is the case of Ministers above all other men who have received such a Trust from God as all the power of the world could not give them and all the malice of the world cannot deny them Indeed it is the case of every particular Minister much more of the whole Ministry or of a whole Church which is more eminently Gods Trustee and hath a much greater Trust then either the arrogancy of any one can challenge or the ability of any one can discharge And therefore if the spirit of God give that charge to one particular Archippus Take heed to the Ministery which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it Col. 4. 17. much more doth it give the same charge to the whole Church of Colosse which had in a more ample manner and for a more general end received the same Ministery And though the Church of Colosse it self was soon after swallowed up with an Earth-quake in the dayes of Nero as saith Orosius yet not so the Instructions nor the authority given to it they must remain till the worlds end Take heed to the Ministery which thou hast received in the Lord is not to be swallowed up by the cleaving and dividing of the earth no more then it is to be revoked or recalled by any voice from heaven And so was it also with the Church of Ephesus as appears from Saint Pauls charge to the first Bishop of that Church I give thee charge in the sight of God and before Christ Jesus that thou keep this commandment without spot unrebukeable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 6 13 14. In that he chargeth him to keep the commandments he had received concerning Religion without spot unrebukeable he sheweth the Churches trust in that he addeth to his charge untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ he sheweth that Trust is to continue till the worlds end For in this case we must alwayes remember those words of our Saviour Mar. 13. 37. And what I say unto you I say unto all Watch For what Saint Paul said to the first Bishop of Ephesus he said to all Bishops that ever should be after him as well as to all that were then with him For the Apostolical Epistles though in their inscriptions or Title they concerned some special Churches yet in their Instructions and use they concerned all Churches as plainly appears from Saint Pauls own words Col. 4. 16. And when this Epistle is read amongst you cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that yee likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea So that what Instruction or Authority or charge was given to one Church was given to all Churches in that one And consequently we may thus argue by way of Induction The Trust of Religion was given by God to the Church of Rome and of Corinth and of Galatia and of Ephesus and of Philippi and of Colosse and of Thessalonica therefore the same trust is given by God to our own Church of England and indeed to all the several particular Churches in the Christian world For if each particular Bishop and Presbyter have his Trust originally from the Holy-Ghost though derived by the hands of men Then much more have all the Bishops and Presbyters their Trust from the Holy Ghost Hence that expression in the first Council of Bishops Act. 15. 28. It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and to us Which hath in some sort been followed by other Councils since Particularly the sixth which confirming the five oecumenical before doth it in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This our holy and Oecumenical Synod hath by inspiration from God confirmed those former Councils Which is in effect as much as if they had said It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us to confirm them Concil Constant 3. Act. 17. Graece sed 18. Latine A sufficient proof that the Apostles spake not those words for themselves alone but also for the Church after them which was thereby authorized as to act by the power so to act in the name of the Holy-Ghost And if any shall be so refractory as to say otherwise he may look upon another place not only as a confirmation of this truth but also as a confutation of his own refractoriness Acts 7. 51. Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost For whosoever is stiff-necked and will not hear nor obey the word of truth though in the mouth of a weak and sinful man sent from God to speak it doth make himself guilty of this detestable and damnable resistance even of resisting the Holy Ghost For
those Presbyters of the Church of Ephesus were as much ordained and appointed by men as any can be of any Church till the worlds ends supposing they be rightly ordained to whom yet the Apostle saith Take heed unto all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers Act. 20. 28. For the ordination of Ministers though it is by man yet is it not of men but of God even as also is the Gospel which they are ordained to preach so that to resist them and their Doctrine is not to resist men but God so said he who first ordained Ministers of the Gospel and still assisteth them in their ministrations He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luk. 10. 16. How shall any man go on this errand without Gods sending when the eternal word himself would not preach till he was sent How shall any man despise those whom the Word hath sent and not despise the Word that sent them and the Father that sent the Word And how shall any man despise the Father and the Son and not grieve the Holy Spirit who proceedeth from them So impossible is it for any to despise the Church which God hath set over him and not sin against God the Father Son and Holy Ghost For the argument is à minori ad majus if it be dangerous to despise one much more to despise all if to undervalue a Disciple much more an Apostle For as the Apostles had a greater trust then the 70. Disciples so hath every National Church which is as it were the grand Apostle of its Nation a greater trust then any particular Bishop or Presbyter of the same and the Church now hath that trust as the Apostles first had it from God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Saint Paul saith of himself but doubtless he saith it for more then himself that he was an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God that is of God the Father 1 Tim. 1. 1. Saint Luke saith of him that t was God the Son even Jesus our blessed Saviour who called him to be an Apostle who said unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and who said of him He is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel Acts 9. 4 15. The same Saint Luke saith in another place that he was called to the Function of the Apostleship by the commandment of God the Holy Ghost Act. 13. 2. The Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereto I have called them Which variety of expression doth not only verifie that common axiome of Divinity Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa The works of the blessed Trinity in regard of any external product are indivisible so that what is externally done by one person is done by all But it doth also testifie the great trust which was laid upon every one of the Apostles in that he received his commission from God the Father Son and Holy Ghost And as this trust hath since been and still is derived to the Church so it hath been and is derived by the same glorious and blessed Trinity Whereby we see the large Exposition that is to be given to those words he that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10. 16. for it is all one as if it had been said he heareth God he heareth the Son of God he heareth the Spirit of God Wherefore supposing that this national Church wherein we live is as Gods Apostle to this Nation no sectary can justly pretend to God or Christ no Enthusiast can justly pretend to the Spirit of God and Christ why he should not hearken to the dictates and follow the directions of this Church which God and Christ and the Spirit of God and Christ hath set over him I find in the antient Calenders on the twenty sixth of May this Title Augustini Anglorum Apostoli The feast of Saint Augustine the Apostle of the English He was looked upon as one that had planted the Christian Faith amongst us and was therefore in the judgement of the Latine Church esteemed and called our Apostle I will not dispute the ground but only admit the Title for if one single Priest or Bishop was not unfitly called the Apostle of our Nation Then much more may a whole company of Bishops and Presbyters be so called and ought to be so esteemed who have more generally propagated more firmly established and more carefully preserved amongst us the true Christian Faith It is Saint Pauls own argument to the Corinthians If I be not an Apostle unto others yet doubtless I am to you for the seal of mine Apostleship are ye in the Lord 1 Cor. 9. 2. As if he had said no Embassadour can more justifie his trust and his authority by his Princes seal annexed to his Credential letters then I can justifie my Apostleship towards you in that by my preaching you have been converted to the Lord and are confirmed in him what Saint Paul was to the Corinthians in bringing them to the knowledge and to the communion of Christ to the knowledge of Christ by preaching the word to the communion of Christ by administring the Sacraments that our Church hath been and still is to us And therefore what Saint Paul said to the Crinthians that our Church may justly say to us Since these things were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10. 11. If I be not an Apostle unto others yet doubtless I am to you For the seal of mine Apostleship are ye in the Lord Though others may pretend they have some cause to doubt the trust and the authority of our Church as if she had not a true succession of Ministers which in truth is but a meer pretence or rather a cavil as the learned Mason hath sufficiently demonstrated and should be least objected by them who will have the whole Church depend upon the Pope and cannot deny that they have had many and long lived Anti-popes to disturb their succession yet sure we our selves can neither have cause nor pretence to doubt it since we cannot reasonably deny but our Church hath a true succession of Doctrine so that for us who have not only the speculative but also the practical the experimental knowledge of the Gospel unless we have been grosly wanting to our selves and impiously wanting to our Saviour for us I say to doubt of our Church is little other then to doubt of our Religion as if that either had not come from Christ or could not bring us to Christ and keep us with him For there can be no doubt of the Embassadours authority if there be no doubt of his Princes seal and if we our selves be not the seal of our Churches Apostleship in the Lord the fault is meerly our own t is because we would not
nor be Judged by him Where we may safely enough admit of Baronius his own gloss An. 258. nu 42. out of Saint Augustine and yet not enervate the Validity of the Text Opinor inquit utique in his questionibus quae nondum eliquantissima perspectione discussa sunt id sc concessum esse I suppose they had such power and liberty only in those questions as were not yet fully discussed or determined And again Liberum faciebat quaerendi arbitrium ut examinata veritas penderetur Saint Cyprian therefore allowed them this liberty and power in common That the Truth might be the better discovered amongst them Take either or both Glosses t is evident that neither Saint Cyprian nor Saint Augustine did think That God had shut up all Truth in one Bishops breast or put all power into one Bishops hand But that the several Bishops of several Churches had by the blessing of God both ability to discern the Truth and Authority to publish and to establish it And this was the deliberate determination of the whole Council of Carthage in the year four hundred eighty five to which not only two hundered and thirty Affrican Bishops subscribed but also three Legates from the Bishop of Rome Faustinus Philippus and Asellus in these numerical words Prudentissime justissimeque Niceni Patres providerunt quaecunque negotia in suis locis ubi â—rta essent finienda nec unicuique Provinciae gratiam spiritus sancti defuturam quâ aequitas à Christi Sacerdotibus prudenter videatur constantissime teneatur The Nicene fathers did most judiciously and most justly provide that all controversies should be ended where they were begun For that the Grace of the Holy Ghost would be wanting to no Christian province whereby the Ministers of Christ belonging to that same Province should be enabled beth wisely to see what was just and equall and constantly to hold and to maintain it This Canon saith Goldastus was subscribed by three of the Popes own Legates but sure we are it was subscribed by all the Africane Bishops then present and sent in a letter to Pope Celestine which letter is inserted by Binius as the 105. Chapter of the Africane Council under Boniface and Celestine Tom. 1. Concil par 1. p. 757. edit Colon. Accordingly the same Council in 92. Canon constituteth and ordaineth That a Presbyter or Deacon being aggrieved by his own Bshop should appeal to the neighbouring Bishops or to the Primate or to an Africane Council but by no means to any Bishop out of their own Territories Ad transmarina autem qui putaverit appellandum à nullo intra Africam in communionem suscipiatur But if any shall appeal to countries abroad or beyond the Seas for his redress let no Bishop in Africa admit him to his communion The most reasonable Canon that could be made if particular Churches had their authority immediately from God to appoint those who were aggrieved their remedy at home But if not the most unreasonable to deny them to seek for remedy abroad Surely if we examine the Text we shall find very much spoken in the behalf of particular Churches For even our Saviour Christ himself appointed each particular Church to be judge of every person that lived within its Jurisdiction If thy brother shall trespass against thee tell it unto the Church Mat. 18. 15 17. What Church but that wherein thy brother liveth with thee not another Church wherein he liveth not for then our Saviour would certainly have named that other Church which since he hath not done we must understand this injured man 's own Church or else leave the peace of Christians under very great difficulties and greater uncertainties to this proof taken out of the first let us add another out of the last book of the new Testament Our blessed Saviour sends to the seven Churches which are in Asia Rev. 1. 11 and blames the Angels of them all severally for the several misdemeanors which he had seen in them which plainly shews that those several Angels had their several Trusts and as plainly proves that the doctrine concerning the Trust of particular Churches doth in no wise canton or dismember or disunite the Catholick Church for it is of Christs own teaching who is the head and may not be thought to canton or dismember or disunite his own body Saint Paul likewise sent seven several Epistles to seven several particular Christian Churches as to the Church of Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi Colosse and Thessalonica allowing and confirming the particular authority and Trust of those several particular Churches and yet by no means dividing or disjointing the Catholick Church Whence we may justly infer that what Trust God at first gave to the particular Church of Rome Corinth Galatia and the rest the same he still giveth to other particular Churches and yet without the least division or disunion of this Catholick Church They were all several particular Churches in regard of their trust and jurisdiction they were all but one Catholick Church in regard of their Faith communion neither of them was opposed against the other in that they were accounted as so many several Churches neither of them was advanced above the other that they should all be united into one Church As it was said of the Church of Rome That your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world Rom. 1. 8. so it was likewise said of the Church of Thessalonica In every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad 1 Thes 1. 8. So that this argument can give no more Supremacy to the one Church then to the other and since there cannot possibly be two supreams this Text is very ill urged to prove the Church of Romes supremacy For ought then that can be gathered from these Epistles all the seven Churches were equally Gods Trustees and by consequent all others as well as they not one of them entruâ—ed above the rest and much less with the rest Each to give an account both to God and men for it self not one for All Nay Saint Paul hath taught us a reproof which may justly be used against any particular Church that will needs make it self too authentical above other Churches in that he saith to the Corinthians What came the word of God out from you or came it unto you only 1 Cor. 14. 36. Were you the first founders of the Christian Religion or are you the only Partakers of it was all Religion from you or is there no Religion but with you unless you can make good either one or both of these you may not take upon you to be the only Masters in Gods Israel but must allow others also to be taught of God to have their Religion from him and to have their Communion with him and what is that else but to be a true Christian Church to be called out of the world to Christ the Son of God by Religion to abide and dwell with him by