greater and a less And though you be brethren yet there is a first-born who rules over his brethren Yea this they themselves admit who most dispute against it when they constitute a Yearly Moderator over the Presbyters For although their Annual Officer hath no warrant from Antiquity yet in that they make a President over the Elders they acknowledge a necessity of precedency and order For were they all equal all would command and none would obey Every man would rule and no man would be ruled Every man would contemn and be contemned by every man No respect would be had by one to the vertue and merit of another So that from this jarring dis-harmony and discord there must needs follow a dissolution of the Common-weal and the greatest equality would molder away into the greatest confusion and inequality as Plaâ—o reasons in his 6th de Legibus Hence it appears that there are different Orders and due subordination of them in the Church and among the Ministers of it 3. Wherein do the Parties differ I Will not name all the Controversies between the Episcopael men and Presbyterians lest while I go about to make up the gap I make it wider I shall name those wherein principally the Parties differ and they are either concerning the Essence of Eviscopacy or what is annexed thereunto The Controversie between the Episcopal men and men of Presbyterian perswasion concerning the Essence of Episcopacy is either whether it be all one with Presbytery or if it appear not so to be whether it be taken away by the Covenant Touching the former the Presbyterians affirm that a Bishop and a Presbyter are one and the same And for proof they bring divers Scriptures as Acts 20. Tit. 1. where the same who are Presbyters are called Bishops And Phil. 1. where the Apostle salutes the Bishops and Deacons where by Bishops Presbyters must be understood otherwise this inconvenience would follow that theâ—e should be many Bishops of one Sea These Scriptures are brought by Hierom and Aerius was of the same judgement The Episcopals answer to these Scriptures affirming That the word Episcopus is equivocally attributed to the two superior Orders of Ministers And that an Argument founded upon an ambiguous term cannot be solid and firm And for Aerius Epiphanius hath sufficiently answered his Cavils and put him among the Hereticks And since Hierom upon the same ground defends the same erroneous Tenent if Aerius were an Heretick Hierom herein cannot be Orthodox The Stories of both evidently prove that Aerius magnified Presbytery because he could not be a Bishop Hierom because he would not And although the Presbyterians foundation be so weak yet almost all the Reformed Churches are built upon it against the practise of all the Christian Churches in all Ages from the Apostles times downward Zanchy a Learned man no way engaged in this controversie saith thus Quid certius ex Historiis c. what is more certain out of Histories out of Councils and out of all the Fathers Writings than that those Orders Bishops and Presbyters have been constituted and received in the Church by the common consent of the whole Christian Commonwealth But the Opposition against Episcopacy is of greater Antiquity than it 's commonly conceived For whereas most what it s referred unto the time of Aerius we finde exception against that name soon after the Apostles times as appears by that excellent Epistle of Clemens to the Corinthians which Cyril Patriarch of Constantinople sent in the Year 1632 to King Charl's of blessed memory bound up with a Copy of the LXX as an acceptable Present by way of thankfulness to his then Maâ—esty for enlargement and favor which by his Letters he obtained for the Christians of the Grand Signour That Epistle was publickly read in the Church in divers places saith St. Hierom in Catal. Script Eccles A very rare Monument of Antiquity which this latter Age owes to that glorious Kings mercy This Clemens is mentioned by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians chap. 4.3 Whom Ignatius in his Epistle ad Trallenses calls a Deacon to St. Peter whose disciple he was saith Origen contemporary to Peter and Paul saith Epiphanius who was Bishop of Rome and Martyr after the Apostles saith Ruffinus Others also of the Greek and Latine Fathers make honorable mention of him as Justin Martyr Irenaeus Clemens Alexandrinus Eusebius Basil Athanasius Optatus Milvirtanus Augustine Eucherius and others cited by that Learned Gentleman Master Patrick Yong who published this and another Epistle of Clemens ad Corinthus printed at Oxford Anno 1633. The first Epistle is genuine and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 undoubtedly true as appears by Testimonies taken out of it by the forementioned Fathers This by divine providence most seasonably was brought to light after it had lien hid so many hundred years and if it had bin thankfully received from the good hand of God it might have prevented that Bellum Episcopale which broke out seven years after this Epistle was published In like manner the good God forewarned the whole Nation by a book found and ript out of the Maw of a Cod-fish in Cambridge-market on Mid-summer Eve 1626. a few days before the Commencement It bare Title A preparation to the Cross unto which two other Treatises of divine argument were joyned in the same volume written by John Frith who suffered as a Martyr in Queen Maries days this volume was published by Doctor Goad under the name of Vox piscis or The Bookfish So seasonably was the Epistle of Clemens set forth and upon an Argument importing a like state of things to that unhappy time of 1640. and to these present times The Church of Corinth was factious as appears by St. Pauls Epistle to them 1 Cor. 3.4 Which yet afterwards returned to their former sobriety moderation and piety as Clemens testifies And among their Commendations he mindes them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ye walked in the Laws of God being subject to your Leaders and giving due honor to the Presbâ—ters or Elders among you And afterward he exhorts them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us reverence those who are â—ver us let us honor our Elders c. Whom does Clemens here understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Bishops After whom he names the Presbyters or Elders as a distinct order and degree under the Bishop And to make it appear that the degrees of Bishop Presbyter and Deacon answer to the like Order in the Jews Hierarchy as hath been shewn page 53. Clemens transfers the same degrees Ecclesiastical among the Jews to the Christian Ecclesiastical Policy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. To the chief Priest is attributed his proper ministeries To the Priests are ordered their proper place On the Levites are imposed their proper services The Laik is bound by Laical precepts Let every one of you brethren in his own order and station give thanks to God with a
also we must maintain peace such as they are capable of a mixt kinde of peace temper'd with that which they call nor lis but urgiun a friendly and loving strife and contention that they may be thorough-lovely and capable of entire and thorough peace As for the first kinde of Peace with good and Godly men it may be easily preserved and maintained because there is the same best ground of Love and from hence a mutual affection and reciprocal compliance and sweet harmony of souls and spirits intimately maintained on both sides whether the parties so agreeing be otherwise personally known or unknown unto us near unto us or further off from us Yet peace peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near Esa 57.19 as in a musical instrument the greater and less strings though far off one from the other yet have an harmonical agreement and are consonant one with the other whether in Diapason or Disdiapason the distance hinders not the agreement And the reason is Quae conveniunt in uno tertio inter se quoque conveniunt They which agree in one third agree also among themselves Now the God of Love and Peace is the God of all the world and therefore the people of God being every where dispersed in every Nation all the world over agreeing in God and working all their works in God agree also among themselves And this is that peace which all good men desire to advance with all men O that the Lord would enlarge all our hearts to the enterrainment of so large so general so necessary so truly a Christian Peace 2. Who the Parties are who are at difference THe parties at disterence have some things common among themselves And it is a sad thing to name it They are both by profession Ministers of the Gospel of Peace whose common Office it is to be Ambassadors of Peace These are the Parties at difference The Apostle describes them according to their common Function That they are Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 Howbeit though the parties at difference have one common Name and Office and are both called Ministers of the Gospel of Peace and Stewards of the Divine mysteries yet are they distinguished one from another in place and dignity And so there are three degrees of Ministers Bishops Presbyters and Deacons It is not my business or principal intention to decide the Questions whether a Bishop and a Presbyter be one and the same or whether a Bishop a Presbyter and a Deacon be distinct Orders and Degrees or whether a Bishop be of Divine Ordination or onely Ecclesiastical Constitution These and other Questions emergent have been judiciously handled by divers Learned men of the Church of England as Doctor Field Mr. Hooker Hadrian Saravia and others howbeit I shall not wholly decline the Controversies as I meet with them but shew my judgement and the ground of it Thus much we may generally observe that although every one of these Names importeth a proper and distinct Function yet is every one of them equivocally taken in Scripture as the name Bishop Acts 20.28 Presbyter 1 Pet. 5.1 Deacon 2 Cor. 3.6 besides other places I shall speak of them as they import their proper and distinct Function As to the first of these the Bishops The Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcopatus Episcopacy or Bishoprick is an Office which imports inspection and oversight of others An Office of great care and labor pains and industry He who desires it desires a good work 1 Tim. 3.1 This Office of Episcopacy or Inspection proceeds from proficiency and growth according to the increase of God in the obedient man as I shall shew more anon The Bishops Office is the same with the Apostles and is distinctly so named as one and the same with the Apostleship Acts 1.20 Let another take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Bishoprick And he who desires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bishoprick c. Nor is there any doubt but the Office under that name is by Apostolical tradition being so universal in all Churches where the Gospel was preached which therefore must be of Divine Institution unless we should think that the Apostles delivered any thing to the Church without Divine Authority And because there may be greater degrees of proficiency and growth according to the increase of God As also because there may be need even to the Overseers themselves of one or more who may oversee them qui custodiat ipsos Custodes as David though a Prophet yet had he his Seer besides the Bishops themselves there have been Archbishops and Overseers of the Bishops themselves Such degrees of Proficiency and Orders there were or at least the ground of them among the Apostles themselves So St. Paul saith he was not behinde the very chiefest Apostles 2 Cor. 11.5 such therefore there were And these were Pillars to support the Church Gal. 1. And of how great extent St. Peters Diocese was I know not but St. Pauls was as Oecumunical and universal as large as the Church it self For so he tells us That the care of all the Churches came upon him daily 2 Cor. 11.28 Nor is the like testimony to confirm St. Peters universal Archiepiscopacy as this is And therefore if St. Peter were an Archbishop and Primate of the Church St. Paul was an Archbishop and Primate of all the Churches and the exercise of that Function proves him to be an Archbishop for since Timothy and Titus must be Bishops who ordained Elders surely St. Paul must be an Archbishop who ordained Timothy and Titus Bishops Next to the Bishops are the Presbyters in order and degree though according to the time of institution and ordination the Deacons were made before them as appears Acts 6. compared with Acts 14.23 Presbyter is so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies old or an old man yea honorable in regard of old age which is or ought to be grave and venerable and experienced in many things whence persons so qualified are honorable Ezra 6.8 Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Presbyter hath his name which may be Englished Elder We may describe such an one according to his Office a Minister of the Church who teacheth the Word of God and administreth the Sacraments according to Acts 14.23 1 Tim. 5.17.19 Titus 1.5 James 5.14 A Presbyter considered according to his proper degree and rank is inferior to a Bishop because a Bishop is President and Overseer of the Presbyters For although every Bishop be a Presbyter yet every Presbyter is not a Bishop Thus every Bishop is a Minister as hath been before shewn but every Minister is not a Bishop which he observed not who therefore proves that Timothy was no Bishop because St. Paul calls him a Minister 1 Tim. 4.6 There is yet a third Ministry which hath properly that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deaconship and indeed there is little left of this Office
they who are in such a condition have a more explicit knowledge of God the Father Son and Spirit and other Articles of the Faith the Nicene Creed is added And because prayer is to be accompanied with alms-giving certain sentences are then propounded stirring us up thereunto And so that Service concludes with a prayer for the whole state of Christs Church c. The like reason there is of Evening-prayer The explication of these and other particular services would require a just Tractate Against this form of prayer the Presbyters except For why should any form of prayer be imposed upon the people of God Or if any why so long Why that which is clogg'd with so many repetitions Why not a prayer more spiritual Must one and the same fit all ages of the Church Why are Godly men thereby hindred from the exercise of their gifts Why must they use such a form of prayer as is taken out of the Mass-book Yea why are many Canonical Scriptures left out of the Kalendar and Apocryphal placed in the room Episcopal men alleadge for themselves that there is no Church in the world no not that which the Presbyters account the best reformed but it hath a form of prayer Because not onely they who are grown up in religion but the young ones also who are not able to pray of themselves may thereby be instructed and taught how to pray such were Johns disciples and such were Christs whom therefore they both taught to pray But if exception be against a form because a form every conceived prayer is a form unto those who hear it which is well to be considered by them who except against a form of prayer because a form But if a form of prayer be needful they ask why so long a form of prayer Why hath it so many repetitions It 's true the Liturgy hath repetitions in it Yet are not all repetitions vain or Heathenish such as our Lord forbiddeth nor for that end but to express the fervency and ardour of affection And therefore we read many iterations of the same petition or thanksgiving which will amount to the same exception used by David as else where so especially Psalm 136. For his mercy endures for ever twenty six times used in that one psalm Yea and our Lord himself is said in his prayer to have used the same words But although this blame were justly laid upon the Common-prayer yet do not many of them who except against it much mend the matter in their conceived prayers wherein they use most what many repetitions especially when they are at a loss and know not what else to say which is not seldom And as for length of prayer The whole Liturgy Litany and all is not so long as many of their conceived prayers And if their prayers be so long surely it is their own fault if all that time they do not exercise their gifts What they say of spiritual prayers are there any more spiritual in all the Latine or Greek Liturgies How much less in these mens conceived prayers And if there bâ— some of all Dispensations in all Ages of the Church why may not this form of prayer composed as I have shewn fit all Ages of the Church Nor do Episcopal men deny but that many of the Church-prayers are extant in the Mass-book And is it not for the credit of the Roman Missal that so excellent prayers are found in it What though all the Epistles and Gospels or the most of them may be read in that Book Are they therefore one jote the worse Or is the Scripture any whit the less true because it hath been cited by the father of lies Feign the Mass as abominable as any man can make it will any reasonable man refuse what is unquestionably good because it hath been ill used May not the Sun shine upon a dunghil and yet loose nothing of its purity It is true that some Canonical Scriptures are omitted in the Kalendar and Apocryphal set in their place as the two Books of Chronicles the Book of Canticles the latter part of Ezekiels prophesie much of the Revelation and some others And why not For although all Scriptures were written for our edifying yet all Scriptures do not edifie alike As for those Canonical omitted the Episcopal man dares appeal to the Presbyter whether Adam Seth Enosh and the rest of the Genealogy edifie so much as the Scripture Canonical or Apocryphal appointed to be read in place of it Yea whether the History of Judith may not edifie as well as the History of Jael Yea why he though with much study he hath hardly attained to the true meaning of the latter chapter of Ezekiel and the Book of Canticles and the Revelation yet should desire that the same Scriptures should be propounded to the understanding of the rude multitude ex tempore and hope that thereby they should be edified The Learned Jews were not thought to envy the people the Holy Scriptures when they forbade the novices the reading of the three first chapters of Genesis and some other Scriptures lest they should frame ill interpretations of them Many other exceptions are taken by the Presbyterians and others against the Book of Common-prayer which are so frivolous that its apparent their Palmarium their main Reason against it is Stat pro ratione voluntas They would not have it But the Presbyterians take great exceptions against the Forms of Godliness expressed in Ceremonies in Gesture as Bowing Standing Kneeling enjoyned at the performance of divers parts of the Divine Service with which the Church of God should not be burthened Concerning such Ceremonies Episcopal men say That a reason may be given of them according to the different parts of the Service where they are commanded to be used Divers of Episcopal perswasion have written particularly of these and therefore I refer the Reader to them for satisfaction I shall onely adde a Rule out of Ticonius cited by St. Austin When any thing in Scripture is prescribed to be done without the circumstances when where how c. it should be done which yet cannot be done without such circumstances that duty to be done must be circumstantiated out of the word elswhere mentioned or according to the ancient custom of the Church As when the Apostle saith Preach the word yet adds not when or where or how a due circumstance of place and maner may be taken from the practice of Ezra Nehem. 8.4 or of Solomon 2 Chr. 6.13 where the word turn'd a Scaffold signifies rather a Pulpit So when our Lord saith Baptize all Nations And touching that other Sacrament Do this as often as ye do it in remembrance of me The mode or way of administring and receiving these Sacraments is no where commanded and therefore it s left to be directed by the Fathers of the Church But whereas Forms of Godliness are either in gesture or vesture 1. In vesture as the Surplice At this some take most
ante conquiescant quam ipsi rerum potiantur Irrisores turbulenti factiosi disputaces ingrati arrogantes supra quam dici aut credi potest hostes Catholicorum juratissimi quique non tantum ipsi nihil conferunt ad repellendam imminentem Christianorum cervicibus Turcarum vim sed etiam motis intestinis dissidiis bellisque impediuâ—t alios Reges id conantes quin opes viresque ipsorum à communi hoste aversas in mutuam Christianoâ—um perniciem concitant Atque hoc ipsis est reformare Ecclesiam I shall leave this upon your spirits sadly to be thought upon and speak a word unto my Brethren of Episcopal perswasion I know many of you beloved Brethren and I believe here are far many more in this and our neighbor Nation of Ireland eminent in wisdom and piety men of profound learning sober grave just prudent c. who have been refined and purified in the furnace of humiliation and are come forth as vessels of honor fit for their Masters use These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persons who hae far transcended the envy of their persecuters And having been turned into strange Countreys have declar'd evidently what difference there is between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one unlearned and learned Unto these I say onely Macti estote proceed and shine forth as lights of the Church To you I speak who have been Sufferers also but if report not onely of your enemies but even of your friends also wrong you not some of you have not improved your sufferings to the advantage of your own souls or the Church of God so that you cannot truly and experimentally say It is good for us that we have been afflicted Are not many of you returned the very same men you were onely worse as being more heightned with pride more embittered with envy more enflamed with wrath more enlarged with desire of revenge Atqui cum peccata carnalia plus habeant infamiae spiritualia plus de natura peccati quod sanctus Gregorius ait Ut fama vestrae parcam Latine vos pacciis alloquar Aiunt è vobis esse at spero eos admodum paucos esse qui ventri nimium indulgent mutuo se poculis provecant invitant se plusculum c. An non hoc idem ipsum vitium est quod pientissimus Rex haud feret in eajulo haud feret in tressi agasone Anidem ipsum tulerit in Ministro Dei An non etiam vos illi feciales qui contra haec flagitia moresque vitioses prudentissimi Regis inimicitias indicitis Qua fronte utcunque caperata inhibetis illud quod vita licentiori comprobatis Pudet haec opprobria vobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli Are ye they who are come out of that great tribulation Rev. 7.14 should not then your garments be made white in the blood of the Lamb Should not you be planted in the likeness of his death and so be made also like unto him in his pure innocent and spotless life and resurrection So should you be fit to say in way of thankfulness with that Heavenly Quire Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen This is an heaventy Doxology when the heavenly life speaks it Otherwise an unholy debaucht and vicious life is the greatest ingratitude especially in a Priest For what honor what glory can be to God what profit is it unto you or to the Church of God that holy hands have been laid upon you and that you be made Priests if by a sinful life you dishonor â—od and that holy function and render your selves unfit for the discharge of it Flatter not your selves not please your selves in that honorable name of Priests and that thereby you have power to binde and loose so that whose sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are retained Do you consider what that worthy name imports Is not a Priest such an one as is growen up unto the old age of Christ Ephes 4. And dare you in your nonage while yet you are subject to the sins incident unto the spiritual child-hood and before you are so strong as to overcome the evil one dare you assume to your selves the power of binding and loosing even while you your selves are bound with the chaines of your own sins Can you think that such great works as are binding and loosing are annexed to your persons or to the due qualifications of the Priesthood and such as ought to be in you There is no doubt but as the Priest under the law had skill to put difference between holy and unholy and clean and unclean which he could not do if he drank wine or strong drink before he went into the Tabernacle of the congregation Lev. 10. so neither can the Gospel Priest discern between holy and unholy righteousness and unrighteousness pure and unpure so as to bind or loose if he be drunk with wine wherein is excess or drunk and not with wine Esay 29.9 as with the spirit of opinion O my beloved brethren the Gospel Priest must well understand the nature of sin and corruption and temptation unto sin and the devices of Satan and meanes and ways how to escape them He is the spiritual man who judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 Who knowes the mind of the Lord Rom. 11.34 Who hath the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. ult Such a Priest is able and fit to binde and loose as having received the spirit of God and been endued with power from above Otherwise its great boldness and presumption for any man to assume such power unto himself And what my Brethren emboldens you here unto Because you say you are made Priests And therefore you presume to take the Apostles authority for your patern to whom the Lord Jesus said Those sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are retained John 20.23 O when shall we deal sincerely and impartially with the holy Scriptures How often do men cite the divine testimonies as the devil alledged part of Psalm 91.11 12. to our Saviour Math. 4.6 Where he leaves out what was most necessary to be understood And in this case of great moment men do the very same For where our Lord saith whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. he premiseth those words Receive the Holy Chost And then immediately follow chose other whose sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose sins ye retain they are retained They therefore who have received the Holy Spirit of God are the fit men for the discharge of the Gospel-Priesthood Wherefore my Brethren boast not of your power but rather pray unto the Lord for his Holy Spirit whereby you may be impowered For our Heavenly Father will not fail to give his Holy Spirit unto those his children who ask him Luke 11.13 and are obedient