and all possible means of Historical belief or faith among men For which the wisdom and providence of the Creator hath afforded to mankinde no other ordinary ground or inducement but onely that of a charitable and rational perswasion which we have That neither the most nor to be sure the best ablest and worthiest men in all Ages and these in several places would conspire in a lie or give testimony to a falshood contrary to their own consciences and the evidence of things as to matter of fact whereof themselves and their forefathers were eye-witnesses beyond any possibility of ignorance or mistake Nor can any thing be alleged or supposed as matter of self-interest or partiality there being in the first Three hundred years no temptation of secular profit or honor to blinde or corrupt their judgment and testimony whereby they should not either fully and clearly see what was judged and acted in the Church or that any thing should so bribe their tongues and pens as not to give a true record and faithful report to posterity Since many of them sealed their love to the truth and charity to mankinde by their blood in Martyrdom At the same rate of obstinate disbelieving and supercilious denying whatever is delivered by writing or tradition to after Ages men may foolishly and madly question the works of every Author the facts and records of all former times Ubi charismata domini posita sunt ibi discere oportet veritatem apud quos est ea quae ab Apostolis successio id quod est sanum irreprobabile sermonie â—â—nstat Iren. l. 4. c. 45. Edant origines Ecclesiaâ—um suarum evolvant ordinem Episcoporum suorum ita per successiones ab initio decurrentium ut primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis vel Apostolicis viris habuerit autoreÌ„ antecessoâ—em Tert. de prae ad Hae. c. 32. left us in History Christians may doubt of their Baptism in their Infancy yea and question their own Natural Fathers and Mothers refusing to own or pay any duty and obedience to them since of these they can have no other assurance than what is told them by others as also of all their forefathers and predecessors from whom these Sceptical Infidels are certainly descended although they never saw them and possibly they enjoy the benefit of their forefathers labors and estates to this day which from those is derived in an orderly succession to these their ungrateful successors Nor is indeed the Series and Genealogy of Natural Parents more necessary and certain in reason that they have been and are gone before us however their several names and successions may be unknown from Noah or from Adam than is the constant and uninterrupted succession of Spiritual Fathers and Predecessors in the Ministry of the Church derived by the holy Apostles from Jesus Christ the second Adam the Everlasting Father of a better Generation Of which there are besides the apparent present succession in this Church of England and all other Churches-Christian now in all the World which lately had or still have a peculiar order of Bishops and Presbyters as holy Ministers in the Church so clear and constant and undeniable Histories from those that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all men or writers the most worthy to be believed for their love to God their zeal for the truth their charity to all men but especially for their care of the houshold of Faith the Church of Christ Non fides ex peâ—sonis sed personae ex fide sunt probandae Ter. lib. de prae ad Haer. c. 3. Cum Episcopatus successione Charisma veritatis certum accipiunt Iren. l. 4. c. 43. Catholici â—â—verint se cum Eeclesia doctores recipere non cum Doctoribus Ecclesiae fidem deserere debere Vinc. Lirin c. 23. Haeretici sunt posteriores Episcopis quibus Apostoli tradiderunt Ecclesias Irenae l. 5. Audivi à quodam Presbytero qui audierat ab his qui Apostolos videraâ—t Irenae l. 4. c. 45. Eph. 4.11 1 Cor. 12.28 Wherein however it be most true that a bare descent or succession of persons following each other in time and place be not sufficient to carry on the being and honor of a true Church Christian which title is not entailed to any place or any race of people unless withal there be a succession in Christian Doctrine and Institutions according to the Scripture yet it is as true that the custody and tradition of the Scriptures the succession of true doctrine believed in the Church and divine Institutions celebrated never have been nor ever can possibly be in Christs ordinary way to his Church carried on to after generations but only by such a personall succession of Bishops Pastors and Ministers in the Church such as were in the beginning of the Goâ—pell appointed by Christ and ever since hath been orderly and constantly derived from one to another agreeable to the divine constitution Nor are Câ—ristians to expect or presume of daily miracles speciall revelations or Angelick missions to carry on Christian Religion but humbly to content themselves with that once setled Ministry and holy order which God by Jesus Christ hath given to the Church after which example some are still duly tryed ordained set apart and sanctified to this office the dispensation of the Gospell and those mysteries which goe with it Indeed I cannot but esteem as all good wise 2. The esteem to be had of the Catholick custom in the Church Vincent Lyr. Quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus tenetur Ecclesiis id demum Catholicum cap. 3. Pro magno teste vetustas Creditur acceptam parce movere fidem Claudian Ratio veritas consuetudini praeponenda sunt sed si consuetudini veritas suffragatur nihil oportet firmius retineri Aust l. 4. cont Donat. de Bapt. c. 4. In his de quibus nihil certi statuit Scriptura divina mos populi Dei instituta majorum pro lege tenenda sunt si nec fidei nec bonis moribus sint contratia Aust ad Casulan Traditiones Ecclesiasticae quae fidei non officiunt ita observandae ut à majoribus tradita â— nec aliorum consuetudo aliorum contrario more subvertenda Jeron ad Lucian Si nulla Scriptura determinavit certe consuetudo roboravit quae sine dubio de Apost traditione manavit Tertul. de cor M. Sanctae Ecclesiae sacerdotes Catholicae veritatis haeredes Apostolica decreta definita sectante maluerunt se ipsos quà m vetustae universitatis fidem prodere Vinc. Lyrin c. 8. Si quid hodie per totum orbem frequentat ecclesia hoc quin ita faciendum sit disputare insolentissimae st insanâ—ae August ep 118. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bas M. Cont. Aâ—ium Sabel c. Otherways 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. de Apollâ—nario Post sacrarum Scripturarum canonicam autoritatem Ecclesiae Catholicae consensus tantum apud mâ—
16.18 Eph. 2.20 Heb 6.2 in the order of Christs Church which are diligently to attend humbly to obey Heb. 13.17 thankfully to own respect love esteem and honor 1 Cor. 9.11 1 Thes 5.12 13. liberally to requite the doctrine and labors of the true and faithful Ministers 1 Tim. 5.17 who are thus over them in the Lord in a right way and succession of Ministeriall Office divinely instituted and constantly derived authority In the perpetuating of which to so many centuries of years since Christs Ascension by lawfull and uninterrupted succession in his Church the power and providence of God is not less remarkably seen than in the preservation of the Scriptures amidst all persecution confusions and variations of humane affairs Also the love and care of Christ to his Church the fidelity of his promise is evident being no less made true to the Ministry than to the whole Church to be with them to the end of the world and by the Ministry that is made good to the whole Church that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the foundations of the Church which are laid upon the writings and by the labours of the Prophets and Apostles and after them still layed and preserved by able faithfull and ordeined Ministers The consecrating or ordeyning of whom by the Imposition or laying on of hands in a continued succession for the good of the Church is reckoned by the holy Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews among the principles and foundations of Christian Religion joyned with doctrines of Faith Repentance Baptism Resurrection and eternal judgement for other meaning of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imposition of hands I find not by Scripture practise or the Church afterward so clear and constant as this in Ordination to an holy Ministry Nor can Confirmation be rightly done to the Baptised and Catechised but by those who are ordeined That to deny the Ordination and due succession of Ministers by which to carry on the work of Christ in his Church or to seek to overthrow it in any Church is all one as if men should deny those grand and fundamentall points of Faith Repentance Resurrection and judgement to have been taught by Christ or Baptism to have been instituted that to overthrow and abolish the constant Ministry and Office in the Church can be the design of none but those who care not to turn Infidels and to live in all Atheistical profaness If then there be any force or authority from Scriptures as the Oracles of God to prove by precept institution or example the religious necessity of any peculiar duties or holy Offices and divine Ministrations by which men are made Christians and distinguished as the Church of Christ from the world if the Preaching the word of life the teaching of the histories the opening of the mysteries the urging the precepts the denouncing of the terrors the offering the promises the celebrating the Sacraments the binding to wrath and shutting up to condemnation all unbelievers and impenitents the loosing of penitents and opening Heaven to them by the knowledge of Law or Gospell if these or any other holy ministrations be necessary not to the well-being only but the very being of a Church Christian Sure there there is as I have shewed no less strength pregnancy and concurrent Scripture clearness to convince and confirm the peculiar office divine power and function of the Evangelicall Ministry Without which all those ministrations must needs have ceased long agoe as to any notion or conscience among men of holy divine and Christian that is the appointments institutions messages or orders of Jesus Christ which could never carry any such marks of divine credit and authority meerly from vulgar credulity and forwardness of reception or from generall common talk and tradition among men if there had been no peculiar men appointed by God in his name and by his Commission to hold forth to the world this great salvation to convince or convert or leave men without excuse As there can be no valid message autoritative Embassie credible assignment or conveyance of truth promise command duty comfort bounty or love to others where there is only a generall fame and unauthorised report without any speciall Messenger Embassador Assigner and Conveyer to the authority of whose speech and actions or conveyances not any mans own forwardness nor others easiâ—ess and credulity doth suffice but some peculiar characters Seals and evidences by letters of credence or other sure and known tokens of a truly assigned and really derived authority do give ground to believe or power to validate what any man so performeth not in his own name or for his own interests but to an others who principally employs him and who only can make good what he so far promiseth or declareth or sealeth as he hath commission and authority from another so to do No man that speaks or negotiates in anothers name especially in matters of great consequence of as high a nature as life and death can expect to be believed by wise and serious men and that they should accordingly order both their affections and all their affairs unless they saw the marks of infallible authority far beyond the confidence of a trivial talker and a bad orator In this point then of a peculiar office and function of the Ministry Evangelical which is divinely instituted in which some men are solemnly invested by which all Religion is confirmed and preserved to the Church We have not onely full measure from Christ himself and heaped up by Apostolical precept and example evidently set forth in the Scriptures and pressed down by after Histories of the Church in a constant succession but it is also running over by those necessary accumulations which all right reason order and prudence do liberally suggest both in the Theory and the Practick 8. The peculiar Office of the Ministry confirmed by Reason For first no man by any natural capacity or acquired ability as a reasonable Creature is bound in conscience to be a Minister of the Gospel and holy Mysteries to others for then all men and women too ought to be such or else they sin Secondly Nor yet by any civil and politick capacity as living in any Society or City can any man be obliged to direct and guide others in the things of God since that relation invests no man in any civil power office or authority until the supreme fountain of civil power calls him to the place and endues him with such power much less can it put any into an authority which is divine spiritual and supernatural to act as in Gods and Christs name and to higher ends than humane 3. Nor thirdly doth any rel gious common capacity as a believer or a Christian or as endued with gifts and graces furnish any one with Ministerial power and lay that duty on him for then every Christian great and small yong and old man and woman 1 Cor. 12.25 29. Are all Apostles are
the only Scriptures the Church had which St. Peter calls the more sure word of Prophecy by which it might appear to the Church more clearly that the crucified Jesus was the Christ the promised prefigured and prophecyed Messias so establishing the tradition and history of the new Testament which concerned the Nativity life miracles sufferings death resurrection ascension c. of Christ by the places of the old wherein oft times an Auditor among them might have that further light revealed to him as to the fuller sense of any place which another was handling and this but occasionally not as a constant habit only at present it was beyond his naturall abilities or endowments acquired by studies c. Nor was this then an extraordinary gift for the confirming and establishing of the new planted Church or Christians in the faith ever used as it ought but with great order all gravity charity humility and peace among those that were truly so enabled And when any vain pretenders came up to abuse it the Apostle requires that there be a due tryall and subjection of these spirits of the Prophets to the Prophets who might wisely discern between true and false between holy wise and excellent inspirations which were pertinent interpretations or apt clearings of Scriptures and those weak impudent and impertinent ostentations which were either very false and foolish or vulgar and ordinary Which Secondly is the most 2. Of right interpreting and applying Scriptures 2 Cor. 2.17 that our Antiministeriall adversaries who affect the name of Prophets commonly amount too while they handle the Scriptures most what with very unwashen hands so brokenly corruptly rudely rashly and perversely as makes them not any way extraordinary Prophets but ordinary proclamers of their own ignorance shame and impudence who think they may take liberty in nothing more than in abusing and wresting the holy Scriptures which are sufficient to make any man of God perfect both in gifts and graces in abilities and in humility And which should not be handled either privatly or publikely but with great humility care diligence exactness and conscience Since 2 Pet. 1.20 2 Pet. 3.16 as they were not of private and humane invention so nor are they of private interpretation after every mans sudden unstable and unlearned fancy Who rashly singles out texts of Scripture here and there as they do a Deer out of a Herd and runs them down till they fall at the foot of his fancy or opinion torturing and racking the places till they speak to his mind and sense Thus often times the Church of Christ hath seen men of proud and corrupt minds as they say Toads of good Eggs hatch Cockatrices from some places of Scripture ravished from their fellows Omnia adversus veritatem de ipsa veritate constructa sunt operantibus aemulationem istam spiritibus erroris Tertul. Apol. c. 47. Dominici eloquii fures violatores Aust De Donatistis Retract l. 21. Falsa interpretatio Scripturae est nervus Satanici regni Hilar. and wrested from the main scope and context bring forth most hereticall and monstrous productions contrary to those truths which are most clearly set forth in the whole tenour or Analogy of the Scriptures as their great design and main intent Such those of old were against the divinity and humanity of Christ Against the holy Trinity Against the grace of God and of late against the Law the Souls Immortality good works both the Sacraments all holy duties as forms Against any resurrection and judgment to come against the very being of any Catholick Church against the Scriptures themselves And so now against any Succession or peculiar order of ordeined authoritative Ministers to hold forth the Gospell of Christ and true Religion to the world So the Maniches from Eph. 2.2 By nature you are the Children of wrath argued Nature of man to be Evill And from a principle of darkness and sin coeternall with the good God Aust Retract l. 15. Apollinaris and Eutiches argued from the word was made flesh That Christ had not two distinct natures but only one the flesh turned into God So Arrius against the Divinity Nestorius against the Unity of the person of Christ The Anthropomorphites urged Scripture for those humane shapes which they grosly imagined to be in God as in Man because God speaking to man speaks as man not as he is in himself but as he is most conceivable by us In none of all which errors those Patrons of them any more than these for liberty of opining and of prophecying as they list will seem to want either reason or Scripture which sometime they will call a dead letter yea and killing too Affirming that both it and the Ministry too are needless that all are taught of God by a quickning Spirit and a Speciall unction c. The same men can prophesy too if you let them alone against all civill property and common equity and honesty 1 Cor. 3.22.23 2 Cor. 4.15 Rom. 13.8 Joh. 6.27 out of that place All things are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods Against borrowing or at least paying any pecuniary debts by Ow no man any thing but love Against all honest labour and diligence by Labour not for the meat that perisheth Take no thought for to morrow Mat. 6.25 1 Pet. 3.3 Tit. 1.15 Mat. 23.9 Against all modesty and decency in cloaths by that not of putting on of apparell Against all restraints of Laws and bounds of holiness in any thing by that to the pure all things are pure All things are lawfull for me 1 Cor. 6.12 Against all duty to Parents subjection to Masters and Magistrates 1 Pet. 2.9 by call no man Father or Lord 〈◊〉 be not ye the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 by being Gods freemen for you are a royall Priest-hood ergo no peculiar Ministry whereas that was said to the Jews first who had a peculiar Priest-hood by which the whole Nation was blessed and honoured of God Exod. 19.5 Thus the devill and his seducing instruments never want their lectures quotations and common placeâ— out of the Scriptures When pride poverty and liberty once meet together to prophecy as they list what mad work do they make with Scriptures Religion conscience and all order and Laws of Church or civill societies As those false Prophets in Germany not long ago did and others after in England designed to have done Munter and Phifer Hacket and Arthington making the holy Scripture which is the pure fountain of life the very sink and receptacle of all heady opinions and sordid practises When as the Holy Scriptures Purissimum veritatis sontem in puridissimam errorum sentinam vertunt haeretici Jeron S. Scripturae locis multi abutuntur ut si quis medicinalibus ferramentis se graviter vexet quae non ad vulner anduÌ„ sed ad sananduÌ„ sunt instituta Aust Ep. 141. Sensus Scripturae expetit â—ertae imerpretationis gubernaculum
by us and all parts of it made Nehustan in stead of cleansing repayring and reforming which is not a novelty of nvention but a sober restitution of all things in Religion to the primitive mode and pattern which is authorised and ordained by Christ Who did no more himself as to the outward restoring of Religion and worship of God Chalenging Gods right to his own House of prayer when covetousness had made it a den of theeves The priesthood of old failed not by reason of the immoralities of the Priests among the Jews nor did the Didacticall or Teaching authority cease from Moses his Chair and succession because the Scribes and Pharisees who were men of corrupt doctrine and hypocriticall manners sate therein and taught the Traditions and inventions of men mixt with the commands of God No more did or doth the Evangelicall Ministry and Sacraments cease by reason of any Papall arrogatings or other human additions Inordinatio aliqua non invalidam reddit ordinationem vitio â—elicto rem ad legitimum modum revocarunt Alsted sâ—ppl Gerar. de Reform Luther owned no other call or Ordination as a Minister but that which he had as he was made a Presbyter in the Romish communion Gerard. de Ministerio pag. 70. Ab Episcopo suo ordinatus Lutherus anno 1507. Nec aliam quaesivit ordinationem Gerard 147. Multum d ssert inter causam culpam inter statum excessum Tert. l. 2. adv Marc. Non negandum est bonum quod remansit propter malum quod praecessit Aust Ep. 48. Therefore the wisdome and piety of the learned and godly Reformers of these Western Churches especially here in England contented themselves with casting out what ever corrupt doctrines impure mixtures vain customes and superstitious fancies the Papall vanitie and novelty had built upon those divine and antient foundations of Christian religion which were layd by the Apostles and Primitive master-builders all over the world Whose Canon the Scriptures together with sound Doctrine holy Ministry comly Government Sacramentall seals and other Christian duties of prayer fasting c. they restored with all gravity moderation and exactness with due regard both to the clear sense of Scriptures and the Catholick practise of Churches Conforming of all things either to the express Precepts and Institutions of the word of God or to those generall directions which allow liberty of Prudence and difference in matters Circumstantiall in all which the Primitive Church had gone before them Herein they were not so weak and heady as to be scandalized with and insolently to reject all things that the Papall or Romish party had both received and retained in religious uses from former and better times either as Christians or Bishops or prudent men for so they had very sillily deprived themselves and all the Reformed Churches of all those Scriptures Sacraments holy duties Order rites and good customs which the Pope and Romish party had so long used not as Popes by any Antichristian policy power and pride but as they were Christians having received them in a due succession at first though after much depraved from those holy Predecessors which had been Martyrs and Confessors in that famous antient Roman Church No judicious Protestant or truly reformed Christian 2 How far necessary and safe to be separated from the Romanists Ad quamcunque Ecclesiam veneritis ejus morem servate si pati scandalum aut facere nolitis Aug. Ep. 86. responsum B. Ambrosii whose conscience is guided by Science and his reforming zeal tempered with true charity either doth or ought to recede farther from Communion with the Roman Church than he sees that hath receded from the rule of Christ and the Apostolicall Precepts or binding examples expressed in the Scriptures so far as concerns the true faith in its Doctrines Seals and fruits of good works In matters of extern and prudentiall order every Church hath the same liberty which the Roman had to use or refuse such ceremonials as they thought fit and to these every good Christian may conform In many things we necessarily have communion with the Pope and Papists as in the nature and reason of men In some things we safely may as in rules and practises politick civill just and charitable as Governours either Secular or Ecclesiastical In many things we ought in conscience and religion to have communion with them so far as they profess the truths of Christian religion and hold any fundamentals of faith And however they do by mis-interpretation of Scriptures or any Antichristian additionals of false doctrines of impious or superstitious practises seem to us rather to overthrow or bury the good foundations than rightly and orderly to build upon them for which superstructures and fallacious consequences we recede from them and dispute with them yet we do not renounce all they hold or do in common with us as Christians In the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.27 Whosoever shall eat this Bread 28. So let him eat of that bread Sâ—let res quae significat ejus res nomine quam significat nuncupari hinc dictum est Petra erat Christus Aust Q. 57. in Levit For instance it being not now a place to dispute them We cannot own as the Catholick sense of Christ of the Scriptures or the Primitive fathers that sense which they in later times have given of the words in the Sacramental Consecration of the Lords Supper by which they raise that strange doctrine of Transubstantiation unknown to the first Fathers And which seems to us 1. contrary to the way of Gods providence both in naturall and in religious things which changeth not the substances and natures of things but the relation and use of them from naturall and common to mysticall and holy 2. Contrary also to the usuall sense of all Scripture phrases and expressions of the like nature where things are mystically related by religious institution and so mutually denominâ—ted without essentiall changes 3. Contrary to the common principles of right reason 4. And contrary to the testimony of four senses sight taste smelling and hearing which are the proper organes by whose experience and verdict of things sensible we judge in reason what their nature is 5. Contrary also to the way and end that Christ proposed to strengthem a Christian receivers faith which is not done by what is more obscure and harder to be believed than the whole mysterie of the Gospell as recorded to us in the Scripture There being nothing less imaginable than that Christ gave his Disciples his own very body each man to eat him whole and entire and so ever after when he was then at table with them and is now by an Article of faith believed to be as man in heaven These and the like strange fancies of men which draw after them many great absurdities and contradictions both in sense and reason and the nature of things being no way advantageous to the religious use end and comfort of the
also of that holy Spirit of truth and Ministeriall power which Christ gave to the Apostles and they to their chief successors the Bishops by whose learned piety and industry such mighty works have been done in all ages and in all parts of the Church and in none more I think than in this Church of England chiefly since the Reformation of Religion whereto godly and learned Bishops contributed the greatest humane assistance by their preaching writing living and dying as became holy Martyrs Can. 6. Concil Nicaeni I am vehemently for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 antient and holy customs of the Catholick Church 8. Primitive Customs how far alterable in the Churches Polity Consuetudo major non est veritate aut tatione Cyp. Ep. 73. Valeat consuetudo ubi non praevalet Scriptura aut ratio Reg. Jur. Praesracti est ingenii contra omnem consuetudinem disputare morosi nimis pertinaciter adhaerere so far as they may be fitted to the state and stature of any Christian societies Not that I think all things of external Polity discipline and government by which Christians stand tyed in relations publique to one another were at first so at once prescribed or perfected by Christ or the B. Apostles as might not admit after addition variations or completions in any Church or Congregation Christian according to those dictates of reason and generall rules of Prudence which are left to the liberty of Churches by which so to preserve particular Churches as not to offend the generall rules of order and charity which bind them by conformity in the main to take care of the Catholick Communion We are not I think tyed so strictly to all the precise paterns of primitive and Apostolicall practise which might well vary in the severall states conditions and dimensions of the Church I read no command for Presbyters to choose a Bishop or President among them and in so not doing they are defective not as to the Precepts of Scripture 1 Cor. 11.16 If any man lâ—st to be contentious we have no such Custom nor the Churches of Christ In his rebus de quibus nihil certi statuit Scriptura mos populi dei vel instituta majorum pro lege tenenda sunt Aug. Ep. 89. ad Cal. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Or. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Or. 37. but to the rules of right reason and the imitation of usefull example in primitive times Nor do I find any Precept to one or more Presbyters to ordein others after them who yet ought to take care both of their own being rightly Ordeined and of after succession according to that patern Analogy and proportion of holy order and government which was at first wisely observed by the Apostles and the after Ministers of the Church either as Bishops or Presbyters The same Coat would not serve Christ a man grown which did fit him a Child or Youth Only it is neither safe comely nor comfortable for any Christians wantonly and without great and urging reasons next dore to necessity to recede from or to cast off the antient and most imitable Catholick customs of the Church which truly is seldom done upon conscientious and reall necessities pressing but most what upon factious humours and for secular designs carried on under the colour of Church alterations For how ever the alteration may at present please some mens activity and humour whose turn it serves yet it cannot but infinitely scandalise grieve and oppress far more and better Christians who are of the old yet good way Hence many wee see are at a loss now in England how to justifie their past religion shaken by changes as if they had had no true Ministry nor holy Ministrations and Sacraments hitherto while some mens zeal without knowledge cries down Bishops and that whole government with the Ministry for Antichristian others are extremely unsatisfied and solicitous for the future succession Not seeing any ground for any Presbyters in this Church so to challenge to themselves a sole divine power of Ordination and Jurisdiction without any President Bishops which was the antient way in England ever since we were Christians as in all other Churches And it is most sure that neither power of Ordination nor Jurisdiction was ever conferred by Bishops on any Presbyters here either verbally or intentionally as without and against Bishops Nor did the Laws or Canons ever so mean or speak Nor was it I believe in any of the Presbyters own thoughts that they received any such power to Ordein other Presbyters without a Bishop when they were Ordeined Ministers And sure though acts of state and civil Magistracy may regulate the exercise yet they cannot confer the holy power and order of a Presbyter or Bishop on any man which flows from a spiritual head even Jesus Christ as I have proved and not from any temporall Authority Ordinances of Parliament can hardly with justice or honour batter or dismount the Canons of generall Councils the Catholick laws or constant Customes of the Church If it be supposed that the two Houses of Parliament lately did but restore and the Presbyters resume that power of Ordination which was only due to them as such and deteined by Bishops usurpation from them Boâ—a consuetudo velut vinum generosum vetustate valescit Tert. It is very strange they should never here nor elsewhere have made claim to it for 1600. years in no ages past till these last broken factious tumultuary and military times If it were their right only in common with and subordinate to Bishops they needed not then to complain for they did or might have enjoyed as much joynt power as was for their conveniency and the Churches peace The eminent power at least for Order sake was even by their consents lawfully placed in and exercised by the Bishops The levity and ambition of ingrossing all to themselves without and against Bishops hath almost lost all power both of Bishops and Presbyters too since Presbytery alone is but as Pipe-staves full of cracks warpings and unevenness which will not easily hold the strong liquor of power and government unless they be well hooped about and handsomly kept in order by venerable and fatherly Episcopacy which carried a greater face of majesty and had those ampler and more august proportions which ought to be in government beyond what can be hoped for or in reason expected from the parity and puerility of Presbyters in common many of whom have more need to be governed than they are any way fit to bear any great weight of government on their shoulders however they may discharge some works of the Ministry very well 9. Calm mediations between Episcopacy and Presbytery As it hath never yet been shewen any where so it is least to be hoped for now in England that any better fruits should arise from Presbyterie thus beheaded cropped and curtayled of its crown Episcopacy which it might not stil have as formerly it
pretend amendment before God Studiis in umbra educatis Sen. Want of experience in worldly affairs which is hardly gained within mens Study wals oftentimes prompts warm spirited men first easily to approve then passionately to desire afterwards weakly and unproportionably to agitate Consilia callida inhonesta prima fronte laeta tractatu dura eventu tristia Tacit. those precipitant counsels and specious designes which oft prove to the shame and ruine of themselves and their seduced party Indeed few Ministers of more pragmatick heads and popular parts but think themselves fit to be and take it ill if they be not Counsellours of State Members of Synods or moderators and determiners of all affaires both Ecclesiasticall and Civill hardly acquiescing in any thing as well setled either in Church or State wherein regard is not had to their judgement party and perswasion of which they are alwayes so very well perswaded that when they cry most down others as Churchmen from having any foot or hand in any civill businesses themselves can presently step in over head and ears so far implunged in State troubles and secular commotions that they hardly ever get out of them with honour and safety or with inward peace and comfort Nor can they easily lick off that bloud which may lye upon them when they have no weapon left them but their tongues The truth is no men are more violently and superstitiously devoted to their own fancies and opinions than some Ministers are none more unfeigned Idolaters of those little Idols which their owne or others imaginations have figured and which they would fain set up as Gods both in Church and State To these they preach it necessary that all Christians should bow down that without this mark of conformity to their way none should either buy or sell Rev. 13.17 And when they have once so far flattered themselves in their own well meaning projects that they proclaim God and Christ to be engaged on their side then they conclude that Hee can by no means be so wanting to his own glory as not to give all speedy and effectuall assistances to all their purposes and designes which are verbally as much to his honour as they would be really to their own advantages if they should prevail and succeed If they be defeated both God and all good Christians of a different minde from them are prone to fall under their hard censures and if they doe not charge him foolishly yet they doe blame their brethren and betters for want of zeal to Christ and to what they list to call his cause Such great counsails are oft agitated in the small conclaves of Clergy men And what they blame in Cardinals abroad or Bishops at home themselves are eager to practise even beyond Richelieu himself For they lay designes not for one Church or Nation but for the whole world Isa 55.8 Iob. 16.2 Forgetting that Gods thoughts are not as mans who may be never more mistaken than when they think they doe God very good service even by killing of others Nor are indeed the thoughts of the wisest and most learned Ministers or the humblest Christians such as those mens pragmatick projects are who by easie perswasions and popular presumptions do so much slight all ancient wayes and Catholick customes of the Churches of Christ which are the great seales of Religion both evidencing and confirming those holy orders and institutions which were appointed by Christ and his Apostles Pretending to follow some new Scripture rules and patterns in things of extern order and discipline which can never by any sound interpretation of the places alledged be supposed or proved to be either diverse from or contrary to the universall way and use of the primitive Churches who without doubt were as carefull to act in their outward order and government of the Church according to Apostolicall patterns and traditionall institutions which were first the rule of the Churches practise as they were faithfull to preserve the Canon of the Scriptures which were after written and to deliver them without variation or corruption to posterity But specious novelties in Religion or Church forms once formed in some mens heads are prone to move their hearts with very quick excitations and zealous resolutions Soon after like salt-rhewms they descend and fall upon their lungs provoking them to continuall coughs so that they cannot be silent or suppresse their desires of new things in Church and State Then they are violently carried on to the spreading of their opinion and way to others who are easily made drunk with any new wine At length they run giddily and rashly to some rude precipice where if they go on they are destroyed if they retreat it is not without shame from others and regret in themselves Together with after jealousies of State brought upon their whole function or that faction at least it being a case sufficiently known that most men are so much self-flatterers and self-lovers that they are impatient of any defeats ready to study and watch oportunities of revenge when they see the children of their brains which soon become the darlings of their devotion to prove meer abortions or to be violently dashed in pieces when indeed they never had the due formations of Scripture nor conceptions of Reason nor productions of Prudence Hence in Politicks many times sharp examples have chastened severely the preposterous machinations and motions even of Churchmen and Ministers when they forsake the ancient refuges of Christians and Ministers especially which were preaching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. prayers and tears and betake themselves to swords and helmets to plots and conspiracies If those Ministers of hotter spirits doe not yet others do finde themselves sufficiently taught that wiser temper and modest behaviour which becomes Ecclesiasticks in all civill relations and affaires especially if they carry any face of change and novelty or have the least lineament of factious non-conformities to the established laws and customes in Church or State wise men have sufficiently seen those miseries obscurities and disgraces which as black shadowes have attended even Churchmen in that shame and those defeats by which God hath quenched the rash heats and over boylings of their fancies hopes and activities 3. 3. Some Ministers errors not imputable to all Therefore my answer to the main of this Calumny is by way of humble request to all excellent Christians that the jealousies which some Ministers weaknesse rashnesse or folly may have occasioned may not reflect upon the whole function of the Ministry nor the sins and errours of any mens persons be imputed to their profession as if it were among the principles of all Ministers never to rest quiet from civill combustions till they have their wils That Ministers may have many failings is not denyed if you would have them wholly without fault you must have none of humane race and kinde Not onely Gods exactnesse but sober
traduces Episcopi Tert. de Praes c. 32. anno 300. Cornelius Bishop of Rome sayes the Church committed to his charge had 46 Preâ—byters and â—ught to have but one Bishop Euseb hist l. 6. c. 22. Vidimus nos Policarpum in prima nostra aetate qui ab Apostolis non solum edoctus sed ab Apostolis in Asia in ea quae est Smyrnis Ecclesis institutus est Episcopus Irenaeus l. 3. c. 3. So in many places he testifies Lib. 4. ca. 43. 45. Omnes haeretici posteriores sunt Episcopis quibus Apostoli tradiderunt Ecclesias l. 5. c. 20. Cyprian Ep. 67. Adulteram Cathedram collocare aut alium Episcopum facire contra Apostolicae institutionis â—â—tatem necfas est nec licet The Generall Council of Chalcedon reckons 27. Bishops in Ephesus from Timothy Can. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Con Cholced Diotrephes a factious Presbyter is branded by Saint John for not enduring the preheminence of that Apostle 3 Joh. 9. Quod universalis tenuit Eccleâ—â— nec Conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi Autoritate Apostolica traditum Rectissimè crediâ—â—r Aust de Baptis l. 4. c. 24. None among the Antients was against the Order and Presidency of Bishops but Aerius who was wholly an Arian and upon envy and hatred against Euâ—athius who was preferred before him in the Episcopall place which he sought he urged Parity against Prelacy contrary to the good order and peace of the Chu ch See St. Austin Haeres c. 59. Epist hae 69 to the Venerable piety and wisdome of all Antiquity which alwayes had President Bishops in all setled and compleated Churches together with the Colleges or Fraternities of Presbyters yea 't is very likely that before there were many Presbyters in one City so as to make up a Presbytery the Bishop and Deacons were all that officiated among those few Christians which the Apostles left in that City who afterward increasing to many Congregations had so many Presbyters Ordeined placed and governed by the Eminency of his vertue and authority who was Bishop there or Pastor before them as in time so some in speciall Authority and Office by Apostolicall appointment And certainly in things that are not so clearly and punctually set down in express commands of Scripture a sober and modest regard ought to be had in matters of externall polity and Church society to the patern of Primitive times Agnitio vera est Apâ—stolâ—rum dâ—ctâ—ina â—t antiquiâ—s Ecclesiae status in uâ—iverso mundo secundum successiones Episcoporum quibus illi eam quae in unoquâ—que loco est Ecclesiâ—m tradiderunt Iren. l. 4. c. 63. Cyprâ—an l 4. â— p. 9. Omnes praeposiâ—i Apostolis vicaria ordinatione succedunt Edant origines Ecclesia um suarum evelvant ordinem Episcoporum suorum ita per successiones ab initio decurrentium ut primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis vel Apostolicis viris habuerit autorem antecessorem Tertul. de prae ad Hae. c. 32. So contra Marcion l. 4. Ordo Episcoporum ad originem recensus in Johannem stabit autorem Con. Nic. calls the precedency of the Bishop of Jerusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An antient custom and tradition Can. 7. It is not to be beleived that in Tertul. times any mistake in the Church could be Catholick living 200. after Christ When he tels us Cathed ae Apostol rum adhuc suis locis praesidentur apud quas ipsae authentica eorum liâ—eâ—ae recitantur ibid. c. 34. Epiphan Haer. 75. Sayes its next to Haeresy to abâ—ogate the holy order instituted by the Apostles and used by all the Churches it brings â—n Schism scandalls and conâ—usions Toto oâ—be decretum Jero à Marco Evangelista Presbyteri unum ex se electum in excisâ—â—ri gâ—adu collocatum Episcopum nominabant Id. Ep. ad Evag. Theod. in 1 Tim. 3. Eosdem olim vocabâ—nt Presâ—â—teros et Episcopos eos autem qui nunc vocantur Episcopi nominabant Apostolos ut Epaphrum Titum Timotheum prâ—cedente autem tempore Apostolatus nomen reliquerunt iis qui proprie erant Apostoli Dâ—mâ—n Episcopatus vero nomen imposuerunt iis qui olim asâ—labantur Apostoli Ecclesia non potest esse sâ—nâ— Episcopis nec esse possunt Ministri nec fideles Bellar. de Eccles which could not follow so soon and so universaâ—ly any way but from Apostolicall precept or direction from which the Catholick Church could not suddainly erre in all places being so far in those times from any passion or temptation either of covetousness or ambition which had then no fewell from the savour of Princes and as little sparks of ambition in the hearts of those holy men who were in all the great and Mother Churches both ever owned and reverenced in antiquity as Bishops in a priority of place and presidency of authority both by the humble Presbyters and all the rest of the faithfull people It is not among the things comely or praise worthy Phil. 4.8 Either in charity modesty humility or equity for us in after and worse times to cast upon all those holy Primitive Christians and famous Churches either the suspition of a generall Apostacy by a wilfull neglect or universally falling away from that Apostolicall way or a running cross to it Neither may we think that all Churches did lightly and imprudently abuse that occasionall liberty which might be left them in prudence whereby further to establish what might seem the best for order and peace as to the matter of Government wherein if the Churches were free to choose it is strange they all agreed in this one way of Episcopall Government All over the Christian world till these later times It becomes us rather to be jealous of our own weak and wanton passions and to return rather from our later transports popular wandrings to the neerest conformities with those first and best times who universally had Bishops either because they were so divinely commanded or in holy wisdom they chose that way as best so far as there was left a Christian liberty of prudence to those who were by the Apostles set as Pastors and Rulers over the severall Churches and however the name at first was common to all Church Ministers Apostles and Presbyters to be called Bishops yet afterward when the Apostles were deceased their successors in the eminency of place among the Presbyters were called peculiarly Bishops Secondly So the Augustane CoÌ„fession So Luther oft Camerarius in vitaâ— Philippi Maximè optandum est t EpiscoporuÌ„ magna sit autoritas Melancton Epist 〈◊〉 Lutherum ad Bellaium Ep. Par. Bucer de animarum cura A temporibus ApostoloruÌ„ Episcopus à Presbyteris electus iisque impositus quemadmodum Jacobus Hierosolymitanus Et de disciplina clericali Episcopalem potestatem restituendam optat Calvin Inst l. 4. c. 4. S. 2. Calvin Epist ad Sadoletum Instit l. 14. c. 4. S. 2. Calv. de neces ref Ecc. Nullo
Matth. 20.22 but of bloud Are we ashamed of Christs wounds and thorns and reeds or of Saint Pauls chains or Saint Peters prison Euseb l. 4. c. 15. or Ignatius his beasts or Polycarps torments from whose body in the flames a sweet odour dispersed to the spectators Doe we abhor to live as Cyprian did first banished then martyred Or as great Athanasius sixe years in a well without the light of the Sun forsaken of friends and every where hunted by enemies Or as Chrysostome Ruffin l. 1. Eccles hist c. 14. whose eloquent and learned courage exempted him not from much trouble and banishment Martyres ad Coeli januam poenarum gradibus ascendentes de equule is catastis scalas sibi fecerunt Salv. l. 3. Gub. where he dyed You will want comforts if you want trials and afflictions Saint John had his glorious revelation in his exile Those will be but probations and increases of your graces and gifts too which may be rusty with much ease and warped by the various turnings wherewith many Ministers think to shift off persecution and to grinde with every winde * Theodorus juvenis tristior ab equuleo depositus inter cruciatus cantabat Ruffin hist l. 1. c. 30. If you be indeed conscious to your selves of any fraud and falsity of any sinister and unsincere way by which your predecessours and you after them have either attained or maintained your Ministry and function in this Church if you know any thing unreasonable unscripturall uncomely immorall irreligious or superstitious in the way or work in the means manner or end of your Ministry if you are guilty of any thing different from or contrary to the rule and way of Christ his Churches good his Fathers glory dangerous to your own or others mens soules In Gods name repent of your sin betimes recant your learned folly renounce your ancient standing Doe this as most worthy of you heartily ingenuously publiquely that by the foyle of your shame the lustre of Gods glory may be more set off Gratifie at length not now your enemies but your friends because your Monitors and reformers the Papists Socinians Separatists Brownistâ— Anabaptists c. with what they have so long and so earnestly desired to such an impatience as you see now threatens to cudgell you to a recantation of your Ministry if you will not doe it by fair meanes and plausible allurements O how joyfull and welcome news will it be at home and abroad to hear that you as Ministers of the Church of England have not onely helped to put down Bishops and abolish Episcopacy but you have to perfect your repentance and to cumulate the courtesie abjured your Office renounced your standing abdicated your calling prostrated your Ministry at the feet of any that list to kick at it or tread upon it Calcaâ—e me saelem insipidum Euseb and upon you too as Ecebelians as unsavory salt that is good for nothing unlesse it be new boyled in an Independent Gauldron over a Socinian Furnace with a popular fire O hasten to remove your selves from that rock of ages the Catholick ordination and succession on which the Church and Ministry hath so long stood in all places as a City on a hill both in peace and persecutions and levell your selves to those smoother quick-sands which would fain levell you to themselves You will never be able to suffer what threatens you as Ministers of the old standing and way with chearfulnesse and comfort where your constancy is but pertinacy as it is unlesse you have solid grounds sound mindes and sincere hearts if you have any scruples or thornes in your feet your motions must needs be painfull tedious and uncomely When you are converted help to redeem us the remnant of your poore seduced brethren from our errors and mistakes from our mists of ignorance our chaines of darknesse from our Catholick customes from our Ecclesiasticall Canons from our historicall testimonies from that holy succession that Apostolicall practise that Scripture foundation that divine institution by all which we fancy our selves both solidly built and strongly supported And this we have done in the simplicity of our souls both we and our Forefathers for many generations not onely since the last reformed century but for a thousand and half a thousand yeares before even ever since the Christian Religion hath beene planted propagated and continued by such consecrated Bishops and such ordained Ministers in all the world If you have found nothing of God goe along with your Ministry either in your own breasts or your peoples hearts or your Predecessors labours if you are justly unsatisfied in that Ordination and succession by which not only the Ministeriall authority but all Christian priviledges and rites have been derived to you in this Church if you never found it confirmed to you by Gods blessing on your owne or others Ministry in your way if you doe indeed finde a brighter light a warmer heat and a sweeter influence from those new Parelii which of late have appeared in our sky Parelii are the seeming or mock-sunnes which sometime appear with the true Sun as there did two here in England an 1640. as rivals in brightnesse to our old Sun in number exceeding it yea now threatning to eclipse it and utterly expell it out of its ancient orb and sphear if you really judge that you have cause to * Rom. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. blaspheme or to speak evill of those seemingly holy and reputedly excellent Bishops and Ministers of this Church as if they had hitherto to been lyars for God deceivers for Christ done evill that good might come thereby if you judge that you have cause to reproach traduce and despise all those Christians whose profession full of order humilitie and holinesse hath been the crown and glory of this Church and the Ministrie of it as if they had beene silly soules whom Ministers smooth tongues had onely deceived If you can or dare to reprobate all those both godly Pastors and people to annull their Ministry to overthrow their Faith to wash off their baptism to cast out their Sacraments to despise their Sermons to laugh at their prayers to cancell their writings to detest their examples to vilifie their graces as fancifull hypocriticall spurious supposititious superstitious imaginary unauthoritative antichristian If you finde in your consciences good grounds for this boldnesse of censure and consequently for a separation profanation and abnegation of your former way both as Ministers and as Christians for renounce one and you must needs begin both If you had no true Ministers then you were no true Christians and if no true Christians you could be no true Ministers if so follow by all meanes with speed your later and diviner dictates please your selves in your happy inconstancy hasten to disabuse the people of this Nation whom so many holy seducers the Bishops and Ministers of old have abused O undeceive the miserable