Sinners and pronounce Remission of Sins to all Penitent souls The fourth Testimony is in Matth. 28.20 and Iohn 14.16 the Argument I frame thus They with whom Christ promised to be always untill the end of the World Their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World But Christ promised to be with his Apostles alwayes untill the end of the World And therefore their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World Of necessity then Christ his promise here is not only made to his Apostles because they were not to continue until the end of the world but to their Successors in all the Ages and Generations to come for Iohn saith 14.16 That the Comforter would abide with them for ever that is to the end of the world and so with their successors aswell as themselves The fift Testimonie is in Matth. 5.14 the Argument is this They whom Christ appointed only to be the light of the World their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World But Christ appointed his Apostles to be the light of the World And therefore their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World Although the Apostles themselves may in some respect be called the light of the World because by their Ministery chiefly the World was first enlightned with the light of the Gospel yet in respect that this light might be in danger to go out there behoved others to succeed the Apostles in the ages to come to keep in this light and still to hold it out as a Lanthorne in the Ministery of the Word and the exercise of the other parts of that Spirituall and Heavenly Function that all men might see how to walke in that narrow way that leads to life eternall The fire in the Temple of Jerusalem which the Priests were daily to attend that it went not out was a Type and figure of this spirituall and heavenly fire of Grace which must be preserved by the Ministery and continuall attendance of the Apostles and their Successors The sixt Testimonie is in Matth. 10.40 and Luke 10.16 The argument is this Whomsoever all men are bound to heare and receive in Christs stead their calling was ordinary and to be continued untill the end of the World But to heare and receive the Apostles in Christs stead all men are bound And therefore the calling of the Apostles was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World By all men here we must not understand only all those men that lived in the Apostles times but all men in all Ages following and not genera singulorum neither but singula generum for as the Apostles were commanded to preach the Gospell to all and every man without exception so all and every man is bound to heare them and receive them now none could beare the Apostles but those that lived in their dayes and therefore necessarily our Saviour did understand the Apostles and their Successors in all Ages and Generations following for they that heare not the Successors of the Apostles heare not Christ and they that receive not them neither doe they receive Christ and they that heare them and receive them receive Christ The seventh testimonie is in Matth. 24.42 and Marke 13.35 The Argument is this They who are commanded by Watching and Prayer to attend the second comming of our Saviour their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World But the Apostles were commanded by Watching and Prayer to attend the second comming of our Saviour And therefore the Apostles calling was ordinarie and to continue untill the end of the World No man will say that our Saviour did mean here that the Apostles in their proper persons behoved to attend his second comming for Christ knew well enough that the Apostles were not to live untill that time but his meaning is that they and their Successors in all Ages and Generations to come and in generall all men in all Ages following should thus attend their Masters comming and therefore Christ saith Marke 13.37 What I say unto you I say unto all men watch so that our Saviour speaketh principally to the chiefe Governours of the Church who should still be going about their Masters businesse that when hee comes hee may finde them well employed so that I may unanswerably conclude by the cleer evidence of all these former Texts and many more then these registred in the Book of God That the calling of the Apostles was ordinary and to be continued untill the end of the world Now for further strengthening of this Doctrine I will use two Arguments which naturally flow from the former Doctrine By the first I prove That these Commandements set down in these texts of Scripture are not only given to the apostles By the second I prove affirmatively That these directions are given to the apostles and their Successors in all the following Generations The first Argument is this That which the Apostles were not able to do by themselves alone Christ would not command them to do it by themselves alone But the apostles were not able to keep these Cōmandements by themselves alone And therefore Christ would not command them to keep them by themselves alone I prove the Assumption because the Apostles could not live unto the end of the World and so it was impossible to them to keep these Commandements by themselves They might keep them during their own life but no longer all that they were able to doe was to commit them to other faithfull men to be propagated unto the end of the World and so my conclusion is good That these Commandements were not only given to the Apostles The second Argument is affirmative and proves That these Commandements were given to the apostles and their Successors in all ages and Generations to come That which Christ knew was only possible to the Apostles and their Successors Christ gave it in Commandement to the Apostles and their Successors But Christ knew that it was only possible to the Apostles and their Successors to keep these Commandements And therefore Christ gave these Commandements to the Apostles and their successors This argument is a plain demonstration à causa ad effectum the strength whereof none that will oppose me shall ever be able to evade for the cause why these Commandements are not only given to the Apostles but to them and their Successors is because Christ knew that onely they and their Successors were able to keep them Now to end this point I will here affirme That I am so confident of the strength of these Reasons that no Divine is able to answer or rebate the force of them their only Refugium must be this That inferiour Bishops or Presbyters are the Apostles Successours by which wee obtain at first That the calling of the Apostles is an ordinary calling not extraordinary which they before maintained but I shall prove by Gods
grace That inferiour Bishops cannot be the Apostles Successors first by Scripture and next by demonstrative Reasons Beside many other places of Scripture read but Acts 15.2.4.6.22.23 where yee shall finde Apostles and Elders cleerly distinguished I intreat you to see the places and I doubt not but ye shall receive satisfaction and farther I remember not that ever I heard any Divine affirme Elders and inferiour Bishops to be in rank and degree with the Apostles but that all Divines ancient and moderne accounted Elders to bee inferiour in degree to the Apostles but I will prove by three unanswerable Reasons That Presbyters did not succeed the Apostles My first Reason I will form thus They that were inferiour in degree to the apostles were not the apostles successors in that same order and degree But Presbyters were inferiour in degree to the apostles And therefore Presbyters were not the apostles successors in that same order and degree The Proposition I take for granted for I hope no man will deny it I prove the assumption first by the cōsent of all the divines that ever were in this World next by the cleer evidence of Scripture throughout all the book of God where the Apostles who were chiefe Bishops and Over-seers both of the Pastors and the people are cleerly distinguished from inferiour Bishops who only have the oversight of the people as is evident by the Apostle Paul his directions to the Elders of Ephesus Acts 20. My second Reason I will form thus If Elders be the Apostles Successors then that same power and authoritie necessary for the government of the Church is committed to them by the Apostles as amply as they themselves had it But that same power and authoritie necessary for the government of the Church is not committed unto Elders as amply as the Apostles themselves had it And therefore Elders are not the Successors of the Apostles If any man deny the Proposition I will aske him how it can be possible that Elders can be the Apostles Successors unlesse they succeed them in that same Power and Authoritie Truly it is beyond my capacitie to conceive and understand it I know they cannot succeed them in those things that are extraordinary but in their ordinary power and authoritie and that which is perpetually necessary for the Government of the Church of Christ under the Gospel they must succeed them and they be their successors I prove the Assumption Any one of the Apostles might ordaine Elders so Paul ordained twelve Elders at one time at Ephesus Acts 19. any one might ordain Bishops so Paul ordained Timothy and Titus Bishops of Ephesus and Creet for Timothy it is cleer 2 Tim. 1.6 any one of the Apostles might command Elders and Deacons to preach the Gospel any where as is evident throughout all Pauls Epistles and in the Acts of the Apostles and which I think no Divine will deny any one of them might prescribe Rules and Laws to inferiour Elders so did the Apostle Paul to the Elders of Ephesus Acts 20. to Archippus Col. 4.17 who by the declaration of all the Ancients was Bishop and so superiour to an Elder any one of Apostles might Command Rebuke Censure and correct Elders at their own pleasure as is most evident in Scriptures and in particular in Saint Paul his Epistles now those things no Elder can do by himself and therefore That some ordinary and necessary power which the Apostles had is not committed to inferiour Bishops but to Superiour Here it may be objected That by this Reason Bishops Superiour cannot be the Apostles Successors because they doe not exercise their power and authoritie without the concurrence of the inferiour Bishops they joyne with them in the Ordination of Ministers so they should also in the exercise of Jurisdiction Answer There is no warrant for this in the Scripture it is true wee read the Apostles tooke the concurrence of Ministers in decision of doubts and controversies and also in Ordination so Paul saith that Timothy was ordained by the Presbyterie but there was no direction from Christ for so doing it pleased the Apostles to take their concurrence which they needed not to have done and therefore they did sometimes exercise their Episcopall power by themselves alone as wee may see in the Acts of the Apostles and 2 Tim. 1.6 and many other places of Scripture and did very seldome crave the concurrence of Presbyters so that Bishops do not exercise their power without the concurrence of Presbyters it is not because they are commanded so to doe by Christ and his Apostles but their own voluntary yielding of their right and submitting of themselves to their own Ecclesiastick Laws and Canons of ancient Councels it is as cleer as the Sun That an Elder hath no power of Ordination or Jurisdiction granted to him in the Scriptures what he hath it is but by humane Ordination and hee hath not in any ways Supreame Power granted him by any ancient Councell This is most certaine That a Bishops Ordination is valid and good without a Presbyter and hath warrant from the example of the Apostles but a Presbyter to ordain without the command of a Bishop is not warranted by any example in Scripture nor the Canon of any ancient Councell and so my conclusion stands good That inferiour Bishops are not the Successors of the Apostles My third Reason is this They who were inferiour to those in dignitie and degree who were inferiour to the apostles in place and estimation were not the apostles Successors in all the parts of the Ministeriall Function But Presbyters were inferiour in dignitie and degree to those who were inferiour to the apostles in place and estimation And therefore Presbyters were not Successors to the Apostles in all the parts of the Ministeriall Function The Proposition I know will be granted I prove the assumption That Presbyters were inferiour in dignitie and degree to those who were inferiour to the Apostles in place and estimation Timothy and Titus were inferiour to the Apostles in place and estimation so were all the Evangelists as all Divines acknowledge and yet those were Superiour in dignitie and degree even in the judgment of those who oppose the doctrine delivered in this Treatise That Timothy and Titus were superiour to Presbyters I shall prove it by and by but I will use one Argument yet for the ordinary callings of Apostles and Evangelists and this it is briefly Either the callings of the Apostles and Evangelists were ordinary callings or else we have no ordinary Ministers of the Gospel by Christs institution But this were absurde to say that we had not ordinary Ministers of the Gospel by Christs institution And therefore it is as absurd to say that the callings of Apostles and Evangelists are not ordinary callings I desire all those who oppose this doctrine to loose this knot Now it remayneth to prove that the Bishops succeeded in place of the Apostles and in place of Evangelists inferiour Presbyters
and neither of things present nor by-past Thirdly the High Priest as he was chiefe Governour he could not be a type and figure of Christ because if there had been but two ranks of Church Governours one of them behoved to be chiefe and so still there should have been a chiefe Governour And lastly the order that was among Church Governours was not Ceremoniall but Morall and as necessary for the Government of the Christian Church as the Jewish for God is the God of Order now I am sure as well as he was then now nothing that was Morall was typicall and therefore Aaron was not a type and figure of Christ as hee was chiefe Governour of the Iews Now I will shew you in what respect hee was a type and figure of Christ First as the High Priest was one man he did typifie Christ as the one High Priest of our profession and therefore Christ would not commit the chief Government of the Church to one any more but to many in one and the same rank and order Next the High Priest his offering of one Sacrifice once in the yeere within the Veil was a Type of that only one propitiatorie Sacrifice once offered up for the sins of the quick and the dead by our Saviour Christ Thirdly the High Priest his once in the yeere only entring within the Veil was a type of our Saviour his once entring into Heaven to make intercession for us For these respects then AARON was a type and figure of Christ but no ways in relation to his Government for the Reasons before alleaged I have another Reason yet that moves mee to think that there can be no fewer then three Rankes of Church Governours now under the Gospel and it is this The number of Three is mysticall as is evident by many examples both in Scripture things above Nature Naturall things and Spirituall things In Supernaturall things wee see the truth of this assertion in the Divine Essence which subsists in the number of three Persons which is the mysterie of all mysteries in the Divine Essence also there are three Communicable properties Goodnesse Power and Wisdome to these three all the rest may be referred as Life Love Justice c. three incommunicable properties Simplicitie Eternitie Ubiquitie of These no creature is capable According to this similitude the faculties of the Soul were formed by God himselfe for the Soule hath three chiefe faculties Judgement Memory and Will yea the renewed minde consisteth of three Theologicall Vertues Faith Hope and Charitie which are the three dimensions of every Christian soule the bodily Substences of all creatures are composed of Three Longitude Latitude and Profunditie without the which the Creatures can have no Subsistence There are also three degrees of Life Vegetative Sensitive and Rationall and all these in analogie to the three Persons of the Godhead it were easie to shew you divers resemblances between them if it were necessary and to the purpose It was more then the light of Nature that taught Aristotle to esteeme the number of three to be the perfectest number of all numbers yea to be all in all Qui dicit tria saith hee dicit omnia qui dicit ter dicit omnifariam He that saith three saith all and he that saith thrice saith always But to come to the Scriptures saith not Iohn 1 John 5.7 8 that there are three things that beare witnesse in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one and that there are three things that beare witnesse on earth the Spirit the Water and the Bloud and these three agree in one Christ loved three Disciples above all the rest with whom he conversed most familiarly Peter James and Iohn to them he shewed himselfe in his glory at the Transfiguration and also in his greatest agonie and humiliation in the Garden of Gethsemanie Our Saviour fulfilled his Ministery in the space of three yeeres hee lay three days in the Grave three times appearred to the eleven after his Resurrection and many mo then these are to be found in the New Testament In the Old Testament you shall finde many numbers of three wherein some mysterie may be found wee read of three only that went to Heaven bodily Enoch Elias and Christ to teach us that salvation both in body and soule is obtained under all the three kinds of Church Government for God hath governed his Church three severall wayes since the Creation one way before the Law another way under the Law and a third way under the Gospell The Worship of God hath been also of three severall formes according to the severall ages of the World Three men saved in the floud of Noah of whom the World hath been replenished the second time Sem Ham and Japhet Three great Patriarchs out of whose loins the Church of God did spring Three great Sabbaths the seven dayes Sabbath the seven yeers Sabbath and the yeer of Jubilee Three great Feasts the Feast of Tabernacles Easter and Pentecost Three ranks of Church Governours the high Priest inferiour Priests and Levits and a number more so that I say if there be any number mysticall it is the number of Three wee have not so great reason to call Seven Mysticall as for Nine it is only thought Mysticall because it contains thrice three But here my opponents will reply That they keep this analogie of three for they also maintain three Degrees of Churchmen preaching Elders Lay-Elders and Deacons who are all Governours of the Church and preaching Elders the chiefe Governours I answer if preaching Elders be the chiefe Governours then according to the Replyers opinion who maintains that the High Priest was a Type and figure of Christ as he was chief Governour of the Church they must be cashiered for wee cannot have chiefe Governours now under the Gospel according to my opposites tenet and so it will follow we must have no publike Ministery at all nor no publike Government neither but private in every man his own Family or rather every man must doe according as hee is moved by the spirit I answer further that those three Orders are neither Christs nor his Apostles Ordinance for any evidence that I can see in Scripture no not so much as any shew or appearance As for Lay Elders I can not find them once named in all the Scripture although the Apostle Paul doth particularly make mention of all Church Governours under the Apostolicall Order in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus he particularly declares what preaching Elders and Deacons must be how they must be qualified before they enter into holy Orders but never one word of Lay Elders Deacons indeed he nominates but not Lay Deacons but such as must preach the Gospel and baptise at their Superiours direction and therefore the Apostle Paul requires that Deacons keep the mysterie of Faith in a pure conscience which cannot be required of Lay men such a measure of knowledge as is understood
by the mystery of Faith is not requisite in these to whom is only committed the over-sight of the poore More yet Lay Elders cannot answer to the Priests because the Priests sacrificed as well as the High Priest and there was no difference between them in regard of their office of sacrificing except that the High Priest was only appointed by God to offer sacrifice within the Veile once in the yeere for his owne sinnes and the sinnes of the people but the High Priest and the inferiour Priests agreed in these particulars They both burnt Incense and offered Sacrifice 1 Chron. 6.49 They both sounded the Trumpets Numbers 10 and they both slue the Sacrifices 2 Chron. 29.22 They both instructed the people Malachie 2.5 They both judged of Leprosie Leviticus 13.2 So that if Lay Elders will needs succeed in place of inferiour Priests and be the second degree of Church Governours they must preach and administer the Sacraments and so turn Pastors and Doctors and then the Preaching Elders must be Bishops for they must be a degree above them Now follows to shew you the truth of the last branch of the Assumption That three Ranks of Church Governours have governed the Church of God since the dayes of Christ and his Apostles but because it would take up much time and paper and might be wearisome to the Reader I referre him to the Writings of many learned Divines who have proved that point to the full I dare say wee may as well deny all the humane Histories that ever were written as deny the cleere evidence of so many Histories whereby Episcopall Government is defended and accounted by all the Ancients except Aerius who is enrolled among Heretikes by Augustine and Epiphanius for his pains for the first order of Church Government having alwayes two subordinate to it inferiour Bishops and Deacons But here I know it will bee said that I confound Apostles and the chiefe Bishops together and Evangelists and Inferiour Bishops whereas Apostles and Evangelists were extraordinary callings and ceased with themselves Ans Truly this mistake is the cause of all our dissenting one from another in this point for if wee did hold the callings of Apostles and Evangelists to be appointed by Christ to continue in the Christian Church for the Government thereof untill the end of the World as they are indeed this division that is amongst us had never beene And therefore I will endeavour by Gods grace to prove both by Reason and Scripture that these callings are ordinary and cannot without high sacriledge be cast out of Gods Church I will shew you then in what respects their calling was ordinarie and perpetually necessary for the Government of the Church and for what respects it is called extraordinary It is ordinary and perpetually necessary in regard of that power which Christ conferred upon them to preach the Word and Administer the Sacraments and also in regard of the power of Absolution and Excommunication Ordination and Jurisdiction spirituall which our Saviour also granted unto them as all men confesse and in regard of all those parts of the Episcopall Function to be continued untill the second comming of our Saviour and I think no man should denie this neither It is called extraordinary for these respects following First because they were extraordinarie persons not being of the Tribe of Levi who had only ordinary power in those days to be instruments of Gods publike Worship and to serve at the Altar Next because their gifts were extraordinary for Christ who was anointed with the oile of gladnesse above his fellows and had the spirit in super-abundance hee gave his Apostles an abundant measure of the spirit but to after-ages hee imparted only a certaine Sufficiencie Grace for Grace Thirdly the extent of their charge was extraordinary they were tyed to no setled Residence but the whole World was their Diocesse Go ye unto all the World saith our Saviour Fourthly The manner of their calling was extraordinary without Education Tryall or Ordination Fifthly they had the infallibilitie of the Spirit in matters of Faith they could not erre And lastly their calling was extraordinary quo ad ante â—ut not quo ad post even in respect of the ordinarie parts of the Ministeriall Function quo ad ante because the calling of Church-men in those dayes was to offer up Sacrifices unto God of Bullocks Rams and Lambs and other Creatures and to burne incense into him but so was not the calling of Apostles Their calling was to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments open the Gates of Heaven to the Penitent and shut them upon the impenitent c. and so I may say Their Calling in Analogie to the Priests calling under the Law is to offer up the Sacrifice of Prayer Prayse and Thanksgiving to God and to teach every man to present their bodies in a living holy and acceptable Sacrifice Quo ad post it was not extraordinarie because Christ established that government for the Christian Church in all Ages to come or else none at all for other wee see not but this is manifest yea our Saviour continued the Apostolicall and Episcopall calling in regard of the substance of it in the full latitude of Apostolicall Authoritie and all this I will prove after this manner and first If the callings of the High Priest Priests and Levits was not extraordinary quo ad post in the dayes of Moses then the callings of Apostles Evangelists and Deacons was not extraordinary quo ad post in the dayes of Christ But the first is true and therefore the second The reason of the connexion of the Proposition is this because those callings of Priests and Levits were newly established in the House of God and the Church was not so governed before and so although they were extraordinary quo ad ante in regard of the time by-past yet not in regard of the time to come so I thinke that these callings established by Christ for the Government of the Church under the Gospel although they were extraordinary in regard of the time past yet not in regard of the time to come more then the callings of the Priests and Levits under the Law For why shall these Governours instituted by Christ in the insancie of the Church cease to be of that Dignitie and Authoritie in after ages that they were of in the first Constitution more then those Governours which his Father appointed to rule the Church of the Iews at the first promulgation of the Law I would faine have my opposite to shew mee a reason for the one more then the other Truly those who took offence at the Superioritie of Church Governours under the Law might have alleaged that after the dayes of Moses and Aaron Churchmen were all to be of equall Authoritie because their calling was extraordinary in regard of the time past But I am confident that as God the Father appointed the one government to remain untill his sonnes comming in
the flesh so God the Son appointed the other to continue until his second comming to judgement and both to remaine in that same case for Dignitie and Authoritie wherein they were first established My second Argument is this If the callings of the Apostles c. cannot be called extraordinary quo ad post neither in regard of their extraordinary gifts nor extraordinary manner of calling nor the extent of their charge nor their infallibilitie of Spirit then it is not extraordinary at all in regard of the time to come But for none of these foresaid respects can their calling be called extraordinary in regard of the time to come And therefore it was not extraordinary in regard of the time to come I prove the Assumption and first that their calling cannot be called extraordinary in regard of their extraordinary gifts the gift of Prophecie and the gift of Miracles c. for then if it shall please God to bestow extraordinary gifts upon ordinary Ministers of the Gospel their calling should cease any longer to be ordinary which is absurd to say for it is evident in Scripture That ordinary Ministers both of the Law the Gospel have had extraordinary gifts as Samuel who was a Priest which was an ordinarie calling for although Samuel was not of the Tribe of Levi yet he was a Nazarite who might by Gods own appointment serve at the Altar and yet he had extraordinary gifts 1 Sam. 1.11 Zachary was a Priest and yet he had the gift of Prophecie Iohn 11.50 51. so the Apostle Iames saith That Elders in his time had the gift of Healing Iam. 5.14 15. and yet no man will say that the calling of an Elder was extraordinary other then are now so the calling of a King is an ordinary calling and yet David King of Israel was a Prophet as well as a King and in a word we read in ancient Histories That many Church-men have had extraordinary gifts and yet their callings were ordinarie and so I conclude that extraordinary gifts doe not make an extraordinary calling Next the extent of their charge doth not make their calling extraordinary because necessitie requireth that it should be so untill the time that the Gospel should be propagated to the ends of the earth so that if there be any Nation yet unconverted as without doubt there are too many the Governours of the Church are bound so far as they are able to labour their conversion to the faith of Jesus Christ for I thinke no man will say but that that charge given to the Apostles goe teach all Nations c. remayns still in force Thirdly as for the manner of their calling being without Education Triall and Ordination it makes it extraordinarie in regard of the time past but not in regard of the time to come for the High Priest and Priests under the Law the manner of their calling was extraordinary in regard of the time past and without both Triall and Education and yet notwithstanding their calling was Ordinary in regard of the time to come and to be continued in the Church untill Christ his comming in the flesh And lastly infallibilitie of Spirit which the Apostles had makes not their calling extraordinary for they behoved to be infallibly guided because they were to lay the foundation whereupon others were to Build they were to Plant others only to Water that which they had planted they were to establish the Faith which all ages to come are bound to professe and so it was most necessary that they should be infallibly guided by the Spirit Further Christs promise is not only to be with his Apostles but with them and their Successours untill the end of the World And loe I am with you saith hee untill c. Now I will prove by evidence of Scripture That the calling of the Apostles was an ordinary calling and to be continued untill the second comming of our Saviour with the same Power and Authoritie both for Ordination and Jurisdiction which they had themselves My first testimony is in Mat. 28.19 out of which I form this argument They that were commanded to teach and baptize all Nations untill the end of the World their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World But the Apostles were commanded to teach and baptise all Nations untill the end of the World And therefore their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World The reason of the Proposition is this because the Apostles were not other wayes able to keepe this Commandement but in their Successors in the Generations to come if it had pleased God by his Omnipotent Power to preserve them alive and keep them in health of bodie and strength of Minde for that end I thinke none would have been more able then they but it pleased him not to doe so and therefore it is most evident that this Commandement must bee kept in their Successours and consequently That the calling of the Apostles was ordinary in regard of the time to come My second Testimonie is in Marke 16.15 The Argument is this They who were commanded by Christ to preach the Gospel to every creature that is to all men without exception untill the end of the World their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World But the Apostles were commanded by Christ to preach the Gospel to all men without exception untill the end of the World And therefore their calling was ordinary and to continue untill the end of the World This Argument is of that same force with the former for if they to whom our Saviour gives this charge were to preach the Gospel to all and every man without exception then the Apostles being not able to doe it themselves were bound to deliver that commandement to faithful men and they again to others and so from age to age to be traduced as long as there is men upon earth to whom the Gospel must be preached and so still The calling of the Apostles must be ordinary and to be continued untill the end of the World The third Testimony is in Matthew 18.18 and John 20.23 The Argument is this They to whom our Saviour Christ gave the Keys of the Kingdome of Heaven their calling was ordinarie and to continue untill the end of the World But our Saviour Christ gave to his Apostles the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven And therefore their calling was ordinarie and to continue untill the end of the World This has ever beene constantly maintained That our Saviour Christ gave the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to the Apostles and their Successors to this end that as long as there were sinners upon earth the gates of Heaven might be opened to the Penitent and shut upon the impenitent so as long as there is a Sinner upon earth to repent or a penitent Sinner to be pardoned as long must there be men endued with Apostolicall power to preach Repentance to all
company of Presbyters Acts 8.14 and 11.22 and 15.6 7 8. to the 30. and 1 Cor. 5.3 4 5. Answer These things were done in the infancie of the Church before the Government was established and so can be no rule for after ages some will so answer I answer further there is not a word there that will confirme Presbyteriall government for none of the meetings spoken of in those places consist of persons having the like and equall authoritie but all that was done in them was done by Apostolicall power by the power of the Apostles they were convened together by the Apostles moderation those meetings were governed by their authoritie all things were concluded they had full and absolute power in their own hands although it pleased them to do nothing without the consent of their Brethren of an inferiour Order yee will find all that I have said true if yee will be pleased to see the places But most cleerly it appeareth 1 Cor. 5.3 4 5. where the Apostle by his power and authoritie coÌ„mandeth the Corinthian Ministers to excommunicate the incestuous person in an open assembly or rather to intimate that excommunication which he had already pronounced for thus he speaketh For I verily as absent in body but present in spirit have judged alreadie as though I were present concerning him that hath done this deed In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus I hope this meeting was enjoyned by the Apostle upon an extraordinary occasion nothing was done but by his speciall appointment Here is nothing to warrant the authority of Presbyteriall Government there seems something to be in the words for Parochiall If there had been Parishes and Lay-elders in those days and truly if I were not of that judgement That the Calling of the Apostles were an ordinary Calling and to be continued with the same latitude of power and authoritie in their Successors untill the end of the World I might easily be moved to approve of Parochiall Government but never of Presbyteriall and truly if the Callings of the Apostles and Evangelists be not acknowledged to be instituted by Christ for the perpetuall Government of Gods Church Parochiall Government is that which hath greatest shew of warrant in the Scriptures as for Presbyteriall it hath not so much as any shew at all in the whole book of God Now follows that I cleere the doubts and first I know it will be objected That by this doctrine I condemne all the Churches of Christ that are governed after that manner Ans I condemne not the Churches but the Government Some perhaps may reply That since I make Episcopal government to be Christs institution I charge them with a very grosse errour I answer Let them see to that I cannot call evill good nor good evill unlesse I make my selfe lyable to the curse pronounced neither will any thing excuse them except necessity for both Gods Law and mans Law doth dispence with it but because there is no necessitie let men beware for Ego liberavi animam meam Furthermore it will be alleaged That Timothy and Titus and the Bishops of old were not like our Bishops They had not that power and authoritie nor that Lordly Government that Bishops have now They were not Barons Lords Earles Princes in such kind as they are now They had not power over the bodies and estates of offenders as Bishops have now They might not punish with the Civill Sword as well as the Spirituall Ans In Episcopall Government there are two things The one is Spirituall and de jure divino by divine right The other is Civill and de dono humano of humane gift and by the donation of Kings and Princes That is their Civill Honour their Civill Power their Temporalities their Revenues as to be Barons in Parliament to judge in causes Temporall to inflict temporall punishment all these they have by the free gift of Kings and Princes and many Kings have been very liberall in this kind to Churchmen and not without warrant from God neither according to that of the Apostle The Elders that rule wel are worthy of double honour and in speciall they that labour in the Word Doctrine 1 Tim. 5. And why should any man be offended to see Honor given to Church-men May not Kings and Princes give honour to any subject they please or are not Churchmen capable of Civill Honour and Power now under the Gospell aswell as they were under the Law As to the first I think no man will deny but Kings and Princes may advance such of their Subjects as they please it is their speciall prerogative I make no question of it And truly I see no more reason that any man should make question of the other but that Churchmen are as capable of Civill Honour and Power now under the Gospel as they were under the Law it is forbidden in no part of the New Testament I am sure hath God forbidden Ministers to give their advice to Kings and Princes for the better correcting of Vice and Sin and for managing all things in the State so that God thereby may be the more glorified and the Kingdome of Jesus Christ advanced or hath God forbidden Princes to crave their advice It was well said of a Divive That it is well with the Church when godly Prophets hang as precious Earings at the Princes eares Erasmus said well in an Epistle to Iohn Alasco If we had moe Bishops like Ambrose we should have more Emperours like Theodosius But I would aske any man this question Have not Christian Kings as great need of the concurrent Counsell and Assistance of the Governours of the Church now as the Kings of Israel had under the Law and was there ever any religious King among the Iews who had not conâ—inually the High priest to second him in all his affaires was not Aaron next unto Moses was not Eleazar next unto Iosua Had not David Zador and Abiather continually in his company Was not Azariah next unto Salomon and did not Ioash that which was right in the sight of the Lord as long as Iehoida lived and was not Hilkia chief Counsellour to Iosia and Amaria chief Judge under Jehosaphat Truly I hold this for a sure ground That what ever was done under the Law not being commanded by God then it is as lawfull for us now under the Gospell to doe the same except it be forbidden us and wee need not doubt but it will be as well approved by God now as it was then But which is more yet If any thing be commanded by God under the Law which is not ceremoniall and typicall it is then much more lawfull I think for us to do now Did not the Lord himselfe command the people of
Israell Deut. 17. to go to the Priests and Levits and the Judge that shall be in those days and aske and they would shew them the sentence of judgement yea did not both these Offices to be Judge and Priest jump in one man many times before the Law we read that Melchizedec was both King and Priest Gen. 14. Heb. 7. and it is constantly believed also that the eldest Sons of the Patriarks were both Kings and Priests was not Eli both high Priest and Judge of the People for the space of 40. yeeres and Samuel for the space of thirty yeeres and it is well known that the Macabees after the captivity were Rulers both in Civill and Ecclesiasticall causes Truly I will say thus much If the civill places of Church-men be unlawfull now it is either because Princes now stand not in so much need of the counsell and advice of the Messengers of God as Princes did thē or God doth not inable now his Embassadors with such a measure of wisdome and understanding as hee did the Priests under the Law Truly to say the first were to derogate from the wisdome and religion of the Godly and religious Kings in those dayes and to say the second were to derogate from the providence favour and goodnesse of God most abundantly bestowed upon his servants under the Gospell There is but one place in all the new Testament that seemes to oppose the Doctrine I have delivered viz the words of our Saviour Mat. 20.25 The Lords of the Gentiles saith he have dominion over them and they that are great exercise Authority over them but it shall not bee so among you c. Ans The best interpreters both ancient and moderne understand the words so as is forbidden all greedie desire of governing and tyrannicall dominion and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to bear rule Tyranically according to the interpretation of most learned Divines but al sort of power is not forbidden here a paternall is not forbidden the truth of this will appeare to any man that will but take a strict view of the words for first ye see Christ forbids such domination as the Lords of the Gentiles exercised towards their inferiours and not that moderate and lawfull power exercised by Church-men under the Law for if Christ had meant of the Priestly jurisdiction he◠would have said out of all question I will not have degrees and ranks among you one above another as it is betweene the High Priest in feriour Priests and Levits no I will have you all of alike power and authority Again our Saviour saith that they that are great exercise authoritie over their subjects that is great and mighty men proud men they domineere over their inferiours and make slaves of them but saith our Saviour It must not be so among you yee must not domineere in that kinde but hee saith he that will be great among you let him be servant to the rest that is Let him so demean himself that yee may be defended maintained protected and cared for both in Soul and body so that in my judgement these words doe necessarily imply a Superiority and that not in dignity but in all Authority Power and Jurisdiction lawfull and laudable and therefore this text was never used by any Divine but against the tyrannicall power of the Church of Rome and the Popes usurped authority who takes upon him to depose Kings and translate Kingdomes and tyrannize over mens consciences Would to God that such doings might not also be laid to the charge of some others who pretend greater humility and loyalty Moreover we see in the New Testament that the Apostles did no◠denude themselves of all civill employment for the Scripture saith that many fold their Land and came and laid the monies downe at the Apostles feete whereof no doubt they had a speciall care that it was well employed and distributed according to every ones necessity s◠that it would seeme that the civill power of Churchmen is not altogether unlawfull truly in my judgement it is as unlawfull for a Minister to take the charge of a House and Family for it carrieth with it as great distraction yea more worldly incumbrances more troubles and turmoyles then to be a Counsellor of State And so I may reason If that charg which involves a man in infinit worldly cares troubles perplexities be no sin to a Minister to take upon him then far lesse is it a sinne to a Minister to take upon him a charge and employment which doth not involve him in any intricate or distracting cares and businesses as to be a Counsellor of State a Justice of Peace a Judge of Controversies between brother and brother Well Calvin and Beza both thought it not unlawfull to be chief Counsellors of Geneva that mirrour of Religion Learning S. Aug. many hundred yeers before them thought it not unlawfull neither yea not to be burdened with civill incumbrances heare what he saith and I will end with it I call the Lord Jesus to witnesse saith he upon my soul in whose name I boldly utter these words that touching my own commoditie I had much rather every day work something with my own hands as it is appointed in well governed Monasteries and to have the houres free to read and to pray and to doe some exercise in the holy Scriptures then to suffer the tumultuous perplexities of other mens causes touching Secular affaires either in determining them by judging or in cutting them off by intreaties To which molestations the Apostle tied us not by his own judgment but by his judgement who spake in him which troubles for all that himself did not undergo because his course Apostolicall had another respect which labour notwithstanding we endure with consolation in the Lord for the hope of eternall life that wee may bring forth fruit with patience for we are servants of the Church especially to the weak members how mean members soever we are in the same bodie I referre to the consideration of the learned and religious Reader the weight and authority of this Fathers Testimony Further if our Saviour Christ understands an equality of Church-men in these words It must be understood only to be among the Apostles whom our Saviour Christ would have all of the same rank and degree but they cannot be so understood as importing an equality betwixt them and the other 70. whom hee so manifestly distinguished from the 12. as I have told you before Lastly was not Christ himselfe superiour to the 12 and yet no man will say that Christ did transgresse that Commandement which he gave unto them Christ did exercise paternall authority over them and the same authority hee committed unto them over other inferiour Ministers yea and the same also they exercised over them for the which cause our Saviour Christ said to them He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me he committed to them his owne place in the chiefe government of the Church and gave chiefly unto them the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven he said not to the 70. whose sinnes yee remit shall be remitted and whose sinnes yee retain shall be retained but to the 12. They had all power granted them immediatly from Christ and they committed that power to others according to their own pleasure Now I say no more but these reasons have prevailed with mee to sway and settle my judgment in the points before discussed which I commend to the consideration of the judicious and imprejudicate reader for no reason can prevaile against prejudice and I pray God to enlighten the eys of our understanding and to remove all prejudices of flesh and bloud and of this deceitfull World that we may more and more perceive the hidden truths of Scriptures and Mysteries of the Kingdome of Heaven Amen Amen FINIS