maintaining that the word Presbyter in the places of the New Testament cited by him doth mean only a Bishop that is a Pastor of one only Congregation that had no Presbyter under him but Deacons and that no mention is made by the Apostles of other Presbyters § 6. And he gratifieth us with Epiphanius his Reasons § 4. because as yet there was not a multitude of Believers And that the Elders that Paul speaketh to Timothy of ordaining and rebuking and those that were worthy of double honour were only Bishops that had no subject Presbyters Whether they were set over the Churches as Moses was over Israel with a design that they should make subordinate Officers under them I shall enquire in due place Cap. 20. He goeth over most of the other Texts in the New Testament that mention Elders shewing that they mean such Bishops and that even at Hierusalem the Elders Acts 15. were not our new half Priests but the Bishops of all the Churches of Judaea and so of others here again repeated by him But it sticketh with me that these Bishops having no subject Presbyters are found so oft in the Metropolitane City and so oft in travel and so oft many hundred Miles from home that I doubt it was but a few Churches in the world that kept the Lords day and assembled for publick Worship or had any Sacraments frequently but lived as the Atheists and impious contemners of Church-Communion now do or else that with the Fanaticks we must hold that Lay-men or Deacons did play the Priests in all Church Offices Cap. 21. He vindicateth that one remaining Text Jam. 5. 14. which mentioneth Presbyters visiting the sick as meant only of Bishops and not of mungrel Priests And so being secured that these were never found in the Scripture times and consequently no Bishop except Archbishops that had more worshipping Churches than one we must look who presumed to institute another Office And here § 3. he perswadeth us to be so civil to Ignatius as thankfully to acknowledge him the first Patron of our Office-dignity intimating that there is no earlier proof of the invention of this mungrel Office than the Epistles of Ignatius Cap. 22. He tells us that the word Presbyter is also taken for Bishops by Polycarp Papias Irenaeus Tertullian and Clemens Alexand. so that our cause will be carried beyond Scripture times But again finding so many Bishops with Polycarp I doubt he maketh Bishops too unwearied Travellers and too great non-Residents and Gods Publick Worship too often interrupted by their absence Cap. 23 24 25 26. He speaketh of Deacons the word and Office which we have now no business with but to note that cap. 26. § 8. he is again at Epiphanius allowing a single Bishop without Presbyters but not without Deacons because he cannot be a Bishop without Deacons which I believe not nor do our Prelates but without subject Presbyters he may better than with them And § 10. he excellently argueth from the Epistle to Timothy that seeing Paul instructeth him in all things belonging to the Church of God 1 Tim. 3. 15. and yet never mentioneth these Medioxumos Presbyteros mungrel or middle Priests it is plain that the reason is because none such were instituted when the Apostle wrote To which I add nor afterward by the Apostles as far as can be proved and therefore never should have been Cap. 27. He speaketh of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1. and 2. and 1 Tim. 5. shewing that these Women were in Orders Of which I have no mind to contend so that by the Name it be not inferred that they are she-Bishops and that they argue not as a Preacher did since we were silenced I can name the Man and place from St. John's Epistle to the Elect Lady to prove that there were Lord-Bishops in the Apostles daies viz. an Elect Lady supposeth an Elect Lord But there are no Elect Lords but Elect Lord-Bishops Ergo We have not yet seen all Dr. Hammond's confutation of our Diocesan Prelacie In his fifth Dissertation we have more Cap. 1. He speaketh of Clemens Rom. and whereas we think that the confusion among Historians came partly from the little notice that came down from those times of such particulars and partly from the identity of the Office of Linus Cletus and Clemens being all Bishops at once of a great Church the Half-Presbyters being not yet ordained he gratifyeth us by proving that not only at Rome but also in Antioch Ephesus Corinth and Jerusalem there were more Churches than one with their several Bishops Even one of the Jews and one of the Gentiles how the local Diocese were then divided is hard to tell and where it was that one Apostle had Power of the Keys and where not I shall improve this Concession in due place Cap. 2. Of Clements Epistle he first takes notice of the Inscription to the Church of God dwelling or sojourning at Corinth The same Phrase as Philip. ◠1 2. And by this Church he proveth by confident affirming that all the Churches of Achaia are meant And that the same is to be said of Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians he unresistibly proveth by saying that Quisquis eas vel leviter degustaverit tuo scilicet gustu hoc omnino pronunciandum esse nobiscum statuet Nec igitur de hac Clementis ambigi poterit And so all that Controversie is ended But though without Scripture proof imagination might handsomely feign that the many Churches of Achaia are called singularly the Church of Corinth as one because of the Unity of the Metropolitane yet 1. I would have heard somewhat like reason for and some instances of the use of such a speech as this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church of God dwelling or sojourning at Rome to the Church of God dwelling or sojourning at Corinth And why and where and by what good writers all Achaia is called Corinth or all Macedonia Philippi or all the Cities about it indeed as the County of Worcester the County of York of Warwick c. are usual Titles so may the Church of York Worcester Warwick be in the Diocesans sense But whoever said of all the County or Diocess To the County Diocess dwelling at York Worcester Warwick As if all the Countrey and Towns belonging to that Circuit were called Warwick c. 2. Doth not his own proof evidently confute him 2 Cor. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth with all the Saints which are in all Achaia Are the last words Tautological doth with signifie no addition at all If by the Church which is at Corinth be meant all the Churches and Christians in Achaia what sense is there in the addition of with all the Saints which are in Achaia O what kind of proof will satisfie some Learned Men 3. Was it all the Churches of Achaia that the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5. dwelt with and that are chidden for suffering him
than one or two Churches 6. And what was the cause of this one or two like to touch the Bishops of the other Churches And what Cognisance was all Achaia like to have of the cause of one or two distant persons so as for them to rise up against their own Bishops 7. If it was not all nor many Pastors that were thus turned out as Clemens words import why should all Achaia be called seditious and blamed for it 8. Doth not the common Law of Charity and Justice forbid us to extend those words of reproof to a whole Province which cannot be proved to extend farther than to a single Church and principally toucht but one or two 9. I have before proved that Paul by the Saints at Corinth meaneth but one Church Therefore it 's like that Clemens doth so too 10. The Bishops and Deacons that Clemens speaketh of were set up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum consensu totius Ecclesiae or as the Dr. will needs have it applaudente aut congratulante tota Ecclesia indeed with the good liking Pleasure or Approbation of the whole Church And shall we be perswaded that all the Cities and Countrey of Achaia were that whole Church which approved or consented to these particular Pastors that were put out Or that had Cognisance of them or acquaintance with them 11. He expresly saith pag. 62. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Church of Corinth for the sake of one or two moved Sedition against the Presbyters And why doth he never say it was the Church of Achaia 12. p. 63. He supposeth the Person Emulating to be a Believer of power in explaining Doctrine wise in judging of Speeches c. And would have the concern'd Person say p. 69. If the Sedition be for me and the Contention and Schisms I will remove I will be gone wither you will and will do what the People pre-determine of or command only let the Flock of Christ with the Presbyters set over them live in peace And is it like that the Flock that this Person must say so to was all Achaia 13. And p. 73. He requireth those that begun the Sedition to be obediently Subject to the Presbyters and not to their Bishop onely And is it like to be the Bishops of other Churches through all Achaia that this one or two is required to Obey and be in Subjection to I have given my Reasons to prove that these Presbyters were in the One Church of Corinth Compare his if you can find them to the contrary and Judge Impartially as you see cause Cap. 8. Hath nothing that concerneth us but the recitall of his grand Concession lest we should think that in Clemens days the great Bishop of Corinth or any in Achaia had any more Church-assemblies than one to whom he could do all the Pastoral Offices himself he thus concludeth § 9. Indeed mention is found only of Bishops with Deacons constituted in each City sometimes under the Title of Bishops sometimes of Presbyters there being no token or foot-step at all appearing of such as we now call Presbyters c. To which I wholly agree though not that there was but one Presbyter in Corinth Cap. 9. He is offended much with Blondel for reproaching Hermas and yet using his Testimony As if a Hereticks or an Infidels Testimony might not be used in point of History And § 14. he again cometh to his supposition of Bishops without Subject Presbyters as if it served his turn more than ours Cap. 10. About Pius words hath nothing that I find the cause concerned in Cap. 11. Is of little moment to us both parties have little that is cogent but velitations about dubious words Cap. 12. Is but about the sense of the word applyed to Ireneuâ— which Dr. H. taketh here and by many after to mean a Bishop and wonders that Blondel pleadeth for a parity of order from a common Name But it is not so much without reason as he maketh it For if Bishops and Presbyters were in the first times called by one Name and the highest Person in the Church then was ordinarily known by the name Presbyter and the appropriating of Bishop to one sort and Presbyter to another came afterwards in by such insensible degrees that no man can tell when it was it sounds very probable that it was the true Episcopal Power or the same Office and Order that was first commonly possessed by them to whom the name was Common And so much of Dr. Hammond's Dissertations wherein I must desire the Reader to note 1. That I meddle not with other mens Causes nor particularly with the question Whether one man in each Church had of old a guiding superiority over the rest of the Presbyters Nor yet whether the Apostles had such successors in the General care of many Churches such as Visiters or Arch-Bishops but only 1. Whether every Presbyter were not Essentially a Bishop or Governour of the Flock having the power of Keys as they call it in foro interiore exteriore both for resolving Consciences and for Church-order 2. Whether every particular Church which ordinarily communicated together in the Lords Supper and had unum Altare had not one or more such Bishops 3. Whether it was not a sinful corrupting change to bring in another Species of Presbyters and so to depose all the particular Churches and Bishops and set up a Dioâ—esane Bishop inâ—â—â—is ordinis with half Churches and half-Priests under him in their stead 2. And note That as it concerned me not to speak to all that the Doctor hath said so I have carefully chosen out all that I thought pertinent and of a seeming weight as to the cause which I mannage and have past by nothing in the whole Book which I thought an understanding Reader needeth an answer to There is yet the same Authors Vindication of his Dissertations to be considered But I find nothing new in them to be answered by me nor that I am concerned for the Cause in hand any further than to give you these few Observations 1. That again p. 5. he saith That by observing the paucity of Believers in many Cities in the first Plantations which made it unnecessary that there should by the Apostles be ordained any more than a Bishop and Deacon one or more in each City and that this was accordingly done by them at the first is approved by the most undenyable ancient Records 2. That p. 7. he again well averreth that the Jewish and Gentile Congregations occasioned several Churches and Bishops in the same Cities And p. 14. 15. That Timothy was placed by Paul Bishop of the Gentiles at Ephesus and S. John and another after him Bishop of the Jews Pag. 16. He thinketh that Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus or Angel when Rev. 2. was wrote Pag. 17. From Epiphanius he reckoneth above 50 years from the Revelation of John Rev. 2. to the writing of Ignatius's Epistles By which we may Calculate the time when the
men should not be forced to take a Gift which Love and willingness is the condition of men use not to say Love me or I will hang thee or imprison thee This seemeth to make a new way of Preaching which Christ never made 4. Christs terms are self-denial Cross-bearing and forsaking all and following him for the hopes of heaven But this seemeth a new and contrary Gospel as if Christ had said He that will be my disciple rather than be imprisoned or die shall be saved or received Christ saith He that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple Luk. 14. 33. This way saith He that will come to the Church-communion rather than forsake all shall be my disciple Christ saith He that loveth any thing even his life more than me cannot be my disciple This way saith He that loveth life credit wealth liberty so well as that he will rather receive the Sacrament than lose it shall be my disciple Christ saith except ye repent ye shall all perish This forceth a Minister to absolve a wicked man as if he should not perish if he will but rather say I repent than lose his liberty and estate God saith He that loveth the World the love of the Father is not in him This way saith Do but Love the world so well as to say and do any thing to keep it and then Pastor and people shall number thee with the Lovers of the Father God saith The carnal mind is enmity to God and is not subject to his Law nor can be This way saith If thy carnal mind make thee say or do any thing to save thy liberty or money thou art an obedient Son of the Church and of God And is not this to set up a new Gospel Gal. 1. 7. 8. 5. And this way compelleth men to lie and play the Hypocrites when we may discerne it is so Mr. Capel of Tempt would perswade us that a lie thus differeth from most other sins that it is so evil in it self as that it cannot in the very act be lawful When a man against all perswasion saith or sheweth you that he doth not believe in Christ or doth not repent to say to that man Say thou believest or Repentest or thou shalt be confiscate and lie in jaile is plainly to say Lie or suffer I deny not but that in some cases a man may be examined when it is foreknown that he will lie But it s one thing to force him to examination and answer and another to force him to that particular answer 6. It is a compelling men to pretend to that which we cannot compel them to that is to have a Right to so great a benefit as Absolution and Church Communion Force giveth no man Right to the Benefit and their force should not compel him falsly to pretend a Right 7. It confoundeth the Church and the world Whilest every man is made a member of the Church that had but rather tell a lie and take bread and wine than be undone what wicked man on earth will not do the same unless he be so Consciencious that mistake and Conscience hindereth him Is there any Infidel Heathen Atheist Murderer Traytor or Sensualist in the world that will not do it What should hinder him that believeth there is no God to do thus rather than be undone Is it so hard a word to say in a Chancellours Court I repent and deride and curse them when he is gone out or is a bit of Bread and a Sup of Wine so hard for a Glutton or Drunkard to get down as that any of them would rather lie in jaile 1. So that by this course the Church and the Infidel world are made equal and no man can prove that any Mabometan Congregation is not as good as to the persons as such a Christian Congregation For what Mabometan would not say and do this rather then be undone unless he be a Consciencious one who is not so bad as those Christians that have no Conscience 2. And by this meanes no conjecture can be made of the real members of the Church Thousands may be driven in at the doors but we have no means to perceive whither any of them indeed be Christians 8. And hereby the Church and the Christian Religion are greatly dishonoured while this odious stigma is made the marke of a visible member One that had rather say he is a Christian and repenteth than lie in a jaile Is this a laudable description 9. And hereby Mabometans Jews and Heathens are hardened in their Infidelity and reproach of Christ while Christians are such as these 10. It putteth every consciencious Minister into a snare and troubleth his Conscienceâ— or turneth him out when he must put the Sacrament into the very hand of every man that had rather take it than be imprisoned and must read the Absolution of every one that had rather say I repent than be undone 11. It hindereth the comfort of the faithful in Church Communion to know that this is the measure and Character of these with whom they must hold that Communion which is called the Communion of Saints 12. It destroyeth Church unity and Love For every visible member of the Church being a seeming Saint should be loved with the special Love which belongeth to Saints by us who are not Searchers of the heart But who that is not out of his wits can by any obedience to the Church be brought to Love all those as seeming Saints who will choose a Sacrament before a jaile He that cannot believe them such cannot Love them as such 13. It will strengthen them that Separate from us as no Church and make it not so easy to prove that we have any Church as else it would be when they should argue Where there is no credible Profession of Faith and repentance there is no true Church But c. Ergo. The Major is undenyable The Minor indeed is not true because many do Voluntarily profess and shew their Voluntariness other waies But no thanks to them that teach the accusers thus to argue When the Laws of Profession are Profess or lie in jayle there is no credible Voluntary Profession But c. The Major they prove Non esse non apparere here are equipollent But under such a law no voluntariness and Credibility is apparent Ergo And I know but this answer to the Minor it is apparent otherwise though not by that forced profession because multitudes daily shew that they approve of what they do 14. Force tendeth rather to hinder mens Repentance and Love to the Church For Fear breadeth Hatred or at least Hurt doth Kindness breedeth Love God winneth our Love by mercy And we are so to win the Love of others Give a man but a box on the ear or slander or wrong him and try whether it will make him Love you to say Love Christ and the Christian or I will undo thee and lay thee in jaile is
of the first rank afore-described must govern it statedly as present by himself and not absent by others Chap. 12. The just opening and understanding of the true nature of the Pastoral Office and Church Government would end these Controversies about Prelacy Chap. 13. That there is no need of such as our Diocesâ—nes for the Unity or the Government of the particular Ministers nor for the silencing of the unworthy Chap. 14. The true original of the warrantable sort of Episcopacy in particular Churches was the notorious disparity of abilities in the Pastors And tho original of that tyrannical Prelacy into which it did degenerate was the worldly Spirit in the Pastors and people which with the World came by prosperity into the Church Quaere Whether the thing cease not when the Reason of it ceaseth PART II. Chap. 1. THe clearing of the State of the Question Chap. 2. The first Argument against the aforedescribed Diocesanes that their form quantum in se destroyeth the particular Church form of Gods institution and setteth up a humane form in its stead Chap. 3. That the Primitive Episcopal Churches of the Holy Ghosts Institution were but such Congregations as I before described Proved by Scripture Chap. 4. The same proved by the Concessions of the most learned Defenders of Prelacy Chap. 5. The same proved by the full Testimony of Antiquity Chap. 6. The same further confirmed by the Ancients Chap. 7. More proof of the aforesaid Ancient Church limits from the Ancient Customs Chap. 8. That the Diocesanes cause the Error of the Separatists who avoid our Churches as false in their Constitution and would disable us to confute them Chap. 9. The second Argument from the deposition of the Primitive species of Bishops and the erecting of a humane inconsiâ—tent species in their stead A specifi k difference proved Chap. 10. Whether any form of Church Government be instituted by God as necessary or all be left to humane prudence and choice Chap. 11. Argument third from the destruction of the Order of Presbyters of divine Institution and the invention of a new Order of half Sub-presbyters in their stead Chap. 12. That God instituted such Presbyters as had the foresaid power of the Keyes in doctrine worship and discipline and no other proved by the Scriptures Chap. 13. The same confirmed by the Ancients Chap. 14. And by the Confessions of the greatest and learnedest Prelatists Chap. 15. Whether this Government belonging to the Presbyters be in foro Ecclesiastico exteriore or only in foro Conscientiae vel interiore Chap. 16. That the English Diocesane Government doth change this Office of a Presbyter of God's institution quantum in se into another of humane invention The difference opened Twenty instances of taking away the Presbyters power from them Chap. 17. That the great change of Government hitherto described the making of a new species of Churches Bishops and Presbyters and deposing the old was sinfully done and not according to the intent of the Apostles Chap. 18. Argument fourth from the impossibility of their performance of the Episcopal Office in a Diocesane Church And the certain exclusion and destruction of the perticular Church Government while one man only will undertake a work too great for many hundreds when their work is further opened in perticulars Chap 19. The same impossibility proved by experience 1. Of the ancient Church 2. Of the Foreign Churches 3. Of the Church of England 4. Of our selves Chap. 20. Objections against Parish discipline answered The need of it proved Chap. 21. The Magistrates sword 1. Is neither the strength of Church discipline 2. Nor will serve instead of it 3. Nor should be too much used to second and enforce it The mischeifs of enforcing men to Sacramental Communion opened in twenty instances Chap. 22. An Answer to the Objections 1. No Bishop no King 2. Of the Rebellions and Seditions of them that have been against Bishops Chah 23. Certain brief consectaries Chap. 24. Some Testinonies of Prelatists themselves of the late state of the Church of England its Bishops and Clergy lest we be thought to wrong them in our description of them and their fruits Chap. 25. The Ordination lately exercised by the Presbyters in England when the Bishops were put down by the Parliament is valid and Re ordination not to be required jure divino as supposing it null A TREATISE OF EPISCOPACY Confuting by SCRIPTURE REASON And the CHURCHES TESTIMONY That sort of Diocesan Churches Prelacy and Government which casteth out the Primitive Church-species Episcopacy Ministry and Discipline and confoundeth the Christian world by Corruption Usurpation Schismes and Persecution Meditated 1640 when the c. Oath was imposed Written 1671 and cast by Published 1680 by the Call of Mr. H. Dodwel and the Importunity of our Superiors who demand the Reasons of our Nonconformity The designe of this book is not to weaken the Church of England its Government Riches Honour or Unity But to strengthen and secure it 1. By the concord of all true Protestants who can never unite in the present Impositions 2. And by the necessary reformation of Parish-Churches and those abuses which else will in all ages keep up a succession of Nonconformists As an Account why we dare not Covenant by Oath or Subscription never to endeavour any amending alteration of the Church Government by lawful meanes as Subjects nor make our selves the justifying vouchers for all the unknown persons in the Kingdom who vowed and swore it that none of them are obliged to such lawful endeavour by their vow By RICHARD BAXTER a Catholick Christian for love concord and peace of all true Christians and obedience to all lawful commands of Rulers but made called and used as a Nonconformist London Printed for Nevil Simmons at the three Cocks at the West end of Saint Pauls and Thomas Simmons at the Prince's Armes in Ludgate-street MDCLXXXI These Books following are printed for and sold by Nevil Simmons at the three Golden Cocks at the west end of St. Pauls A Christian Directory or sum of practical Theology and cases of Conscience directing Christians how to use their Knowledge and Faith how to improve all helps and meanes and to performe all duties how to overcome temptations and to escape or mortifie every sin in four parts 1. Christian Ethicks or private Duties 2. Christian Oeconomicks or Family Duties 3. Christian Ecclesiasticks or Church Duties 4. Christian Politicks or Duties to Our selves and Neighbours in Folio Catholick Theology Plain Pure Peaceable for Pacification in three Books 1. Pacifying Principles c. 2. Pacifying Praxis c. 3. Pacifying Disputations c. in Folio The Life of Faith in three Parts The first Sermon preached before his Majesty c. The Second Instructions for confirming believers in the Christian faith The third directions how to live by faith or how to exercise it in all occasions in Quarto Naked Popery or the naked Falshood of a book called the Catholick naked Truth
alterable policy And 2. That this Opinion rose as early as he pretendeth 3. And that these Ancients were not deceived â—â—t our English Bishops rather Bilson Jewel c. who took Patriarchs and Metropolitanes as such for Creatures of Humane Original While Ignatius his being Bishop of a Church in Syria shall prove him the Bishop of all Syria and the Church of God dwelling in Syria in Antiochia shall be equivalent with the Church in Antiochia governing all Syria I shall not undertake to hinder such men from proving any thing that they would have believed His Cap. 6. of the promiscuous use of the Names of Bishop and Presbyter and Cap. 7. that prepareth the stating of the Controversie need no answer but to say that we deny not but where a single Presbyter was he had himself the power of Governing that Church but where there were many though all had the full Office severally they were bound to use it in Concord And whether one amongst them shall have a precedency or guidance of the rest we think as Dr. Stillingfleet hath proved to be a matter alterable by humane prudence according to the various condition of the Churches And if any take both such Bishops and Archbishops to be Jure Divine with Dr. Hammond it will be somewhat to his Cause but nothing to ours Cap. 8. he openeth his conceit which in time I shall shew doth yield us the whole Cause that every place of Scripture which mentioneth Bishops or Presbyters meaneth Diocesan supereminent Bishops only And first he proveth it of the Elders Bishops of Ephesus Acts 20. because the whole flock is meant of all Asia Fully proved because Irenaeus said as he thought that the Bishops were convocate from Ephesus and the nearest Cities But 1. Irenaeus saith not Bishops only but Bishops and Presbyters conjoining them as two sorts and not Bishops or Presbyters as the Doctor doth 2. The nearest Cities and all Asia we take not for words of the same importance 3. We take not your bare word for the validity of the Consequence that because the Bishops of several Cities were there therefore it is all Asia that is singularly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Flock and not each Bishops Flock respectively q. d. Each of you look to your several Flock 4. We think if you calculate the time Acts 20 and 21. and consider Paul's haste Acts 20. 16. that few impartial men will believe that Paul's Messengers that were wont to go on foot did so quickly go all over Asia and so quickly get together all the Bishops of Asia to Miletum unless they all resided at Ephesus as our English Bishops do at London and Governed their unknown people by a Lay-Chancellour 5. And Irenaeus ibid. p. 312. saith Et omnia hujusmodi per solum Lucam cognovimus we know all such things by Luke alone pretending no other Tradition And if it be in Luke it is yet to be thence proved 6. But he pleadeth our Cause too strongly by supposing that each City then had a Bishop without any subject half Presbyter and so that no such Office was yet made Cap. 9. Of Timothy's Episcopacy concerneth not our Cause Though I hope that neither he nor his Church were so bad as the Angel or Church in Rev. 2. is described And it 's easier to answer the strength of Dr. Hammond than for him to answer the Evidence brought by Prin in his Vnbishoping Timothy and Titus to shew the itinerant life and Ministry of Timothy contrary to the life of a fixed Bishop And if non-residency have such Patrons and Timothy have taught men to leave their Churches year after year and play the Pastor many hundred Miles distant it will make us dream that non-residence is a duty And if all these years Timothy's Metropolitan Church at Ephesus had no ordained Presbyter but Passengers that fell in I blame them not or wonder not at least that they lost their first love for it 's like they seldom had any Church Assemblies to Communicate and Worship God together Cap. 10. Cometh to the case of Philippi Phil. 1. 1 2. And 1. § 3. he saith It is manifest that Epaphroditus Bishop of Philippi was at Rome with Paul when he wrote this Epistle and he supposeth that there were yet no Presbyters but Bishops And so when Paul wrote to all the Saints which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons he meant to those that are not at Philippi where there was no Bishop but in other Cities of Macedonia that had every one a Prelate without ever a Presbyter under him With some this expounding may go for modest if not true Two probable Arguments I object against his improbable Expositions of this Text and that Acts 20. before mentioned 1. Where did he ever read that all the Province of Macedonia was called Philippi and the Saints said to dwell at Philippi that dwelt all over Macedonia 2. Where did he ever read in Scripture many Episcopal Churches under one Metropolitan called One Church in the singular Number as in Acts 20. 28. or One Flock either 3. Will any knowing man deny that he contradicteth not only Hierom and Theodoret but the common Exposition of the Fathers by this his odd Opinion And is it not gross partiality for the same man that can so easily cast off the judgment of almost all the Ancients at once to lay so much of the whole stress of his Diocesan and Metropolitan Cause upon the Fathers assertions yea doubtful reports and to take it for so immodest a thing in others to deny belief to them in such uncertain matters But he setteth Epiphanius his words against Aerius against them all Even that Epiphanius who ordained in the Bishop of Jerusalem's Diocess to his displeasure and that combined with that Theophilus Alexand. of whom Socrates writeth such horrid and unchristian practices to root out Chrysostom and raise a flame in the Church of Constantinople who liker a mad man than a sober Bishop came from Cyprus not only into the City but the Church where Chrysostom used to officiate to inflame his people and declame against and censure their Bishop to whom he was an inferiour and that parted with him in a wrathful Prognostick and dyed by the way home And yet even this one man saith nothing to his advantage but that the Apostles placed Bishops only with Deacons in some Churches that had not fit men to make Presbyters of which we not only grant but doubt whether ever they made any but Bishops though in great Cities there were many of them And § 8 9 10. when it seemed to serve his turn he yet further gratifieth us by granting yea maintaining that one Congregation had not two Bishops yet nothing hindreth but that in the same City there might sometimes be two distinct Assemblies converted by two Apostles perhaps of distinct dialects and rites and these governed by distinct Bishops with a divided or distinct Clergie which is almost as much
only Church of the same Species with a Diocese If they say that it is because one man is not capable of doing the work of a Bishop for so many Countreys I Answer Per se he cannot do it for the hundredth part of a Diocese Per alios he may do it for all Europe It is but appointing some who shall appoint others who shall appoint others and so to the end of the chapter to do it There is but one Abuna in Abassia to Ordain though numerous Bishops who have not the Generative faculty which Epiphanius makes to be the difference between a Bishop and a Presbyter that the one begets Fathers and the other but Sons Their Countrey was converted by an Eunuch It would be a notable dispute whether all the rest be true Bishops or not I think Yea the Prelatists must think Nay And yet Brierwood saith that Abassia after all its great diminutions is as big as Italy France Spain and Germany And doth not the Pope govern per alios yet far more and pretend to govern the whole Christian World while he sendeth one to Goa another to Mexico and Oviedo to Abassia would they but have received him Obj. But he hath other Bishops under him therefore he is not ejusdem speciei as a Diocese Answ But the Abuna hath no Ordainers under him And the Bishop hath Chancellors Deans Arch-deacons Surrogates Officials and sometimes in the days of old had Suffragans too under him Quest Was a Diocese then One Church or two And what if a Patriarch or Pope put down all Bishops under him and exercise his power only by other sorts of officers They that can demise grant let what parts they please of their own office may devise enow And seeing it would not alter the species what if it should please the King and Parliament to put down all the Bishops of England save One I hope the Bishops would not take that to be against the Canon of 1640. nor against the Oxford Oath of never endeavouring to Consent or Alter the Church Covernment if it could have been past to be taken by the Parliament Because the species is not altered And they tell us Nonconformists to draw us to Swear that they mean but the species I make no doubt but at the rates of our present Ordinations One Bishop or Abuna with Chaplains enow may Ordain Priests enow and too many of all conscience for all the Kings Dominions and may silence preachers enow and may set up Chancellors Surrogates and Arch-deacons enow to do the present work And it 's pity that the land should be troubled with so many when one would serve I confess I would either have more or fewer had I my wish And as for my Minor proposition let him that thinketh it wanteth proof when he hath considered what is beforesaid and how personal present Communion in all Gods Church-worship differeth from the Communion of associated Congregations by messengers c. think so still if he be able so egregiously to err But I must not so leave our Prelatists I know that it is the common trick of Sophisters when they cannot make good an ill cause to carry it into the dark or start a new controversie and then they are safe A Papist will wheel about into the wilderness or thickets of Church history and ask you what names you can give of your Religion in all Ages that one proposition of your Syllogism may contain much of a Horse load or a Cart load of Books and then I trow he hath done his work if women be the judges And others use to carry the question a rebus ad verba And so it is in the case in hand But it is not the name of a SPECIES that shall serve your turn We know how hard it is in Physicks to determine what it is that specifieth and much more in Morals Politicks and other Relatives But Let the Logical notion of a species lie at your mercy It shall suffice us that you may not make so great a change of the Church-orders and Government of Gods institution as to turn a thousand or hundred Churches into one and to deprive all Parishes or Churches Consociate for presential Communion of the priviledge of having a Bishop of their own to Teach Worship and Govern them presentially and per se As if all the Arch-bishops in the Ronan Empire had put down all the Bishops and called themselves the Bishops of the Churches Of which more anon CHAP. X. Whether any form of Church Government be instituted by God as necessary or all left to humane prudence Obj. BUt Doctor Stillingfleet hath invincibly proved that God hath made no one form of Church Government necessary but left the choice to humane prudence Answ I. If so Why should we all swear to this one form that we will never endeavour to alter it or as the caetera Oath never consent to the alteration of it when we know not but the King may alter it or command us to endeavour it Must there be such swearing to the perpetuating an alterable unnecessary thing II. The word Form signifieth either the essentials of Church policy or the Integrals or accidents which Christ himself hath setled Or else it signifieth only some mutable accidents or modes which God hath left to humane prudence Of the first we deny mans power to change them Of the later we grant it 1. It is undeniably of Divine institution that there be ordinary publick Assemblies for Gods solemn worship and the peoples edification 2. And that Ministers of that office which Christ hath instituted be the officiating Guides in these Assemblies 3. And that Cohabiting Christians be the ordinary stated bodies of these assemblies and not live loosely to go every day as they please from Church to Church but ordinarily when they can be setled members of some one Church To which cohabitation or vicinity is one dispositio materiae 4. And that each of these Churches have their proper fixed Pastors and should not take up with unfixed various passing Ministers unless in cases of necessary unsetledness 5. And that these setled Pastors should live among the People and watch over them personally and know them and be known of them in doctrine and ensample as to the main body of the flock 6. That these Relations and Communion be by mutual consent of the Pastors and the body of the flock 7. That these mutual Relations of Gods appointment and their own consent do constitute them a spiritual society of Divine institution 8. That this Communion must be as our Creed calleth it a Communion of Saints that is of men professing Christianity and Holiness and seeming such And must extend to a free Communication to each other for the supply of corporal necessities And to a mutual assistance of each other in holy living 9 That therefore there must be some to discern and judge whether the persons that would enter this Society and