the truth is ye can give us no President for the Presbyteriall Government in any one Orthodoxe Church for 1500 yeers after our Saviours ascension All this while the wisedom of God it seemes was breeding this truth and stayed for you and such as you are to be her midwives Her pangs were long and doubtful but now Juno Lucina hath done her part and the stripâ—ing reckons fourescore yeers and that but in Cantons in some odde corners of the world Truth it is he was creeping in here about seventy yeers since but banished he was as dangerous to the Crowne But now he is returned in a fresh suite and hath got the hand both of King and Bishops yea he hath put the Peeres shroadly to it even those that complyed with him 10. It may be for all this you will replie that these are but the opinions of a few particular men What say you to that memorable convention at Auspurg where met all or most of the learned that endeavoured the Reformation These were at least the whole Reformation representative and Melancton gives them that very title in his Apologie Wherein he tels us that ALL THE REFORMATION did often professe in their meetings at Auspurg that they desired exceedingly to preserve that Ecclesiasticall Policie which was settled by the Cannons of the Church as also to continue those very Degrees in the Church which were agreed upon by humane authority These pious men desired not the subversion but the Reformation both of Church and Church-men Yea by Protestation they cleer themselves to all porsterity that it was neither their intent nor fault to overthow the Order or authority of Bishops Melancthon therefore in behalf of all his brethren acknowledgeth that Bishops have both potestatem ordinis potestatem Jurisdictionis power of Order and power of Juridiction And I beleeve that these men had seriously considred of their Protestation 11. But what is this that he calls power of Order Surely a power to do that which Presbyters could not do that is a power at least to ordain Ministers For herein by Calvins confession was the difference between a Presbyter and a Bishop properly so called in the opinion of the ancients that a Bishop hath power to ordain but not a Presbyter Indeed the resolution of the ancient Church is this Presbyterorum ordo non est potens generare patres the whole Order of Presbyters is not able to beget Fathers that is Presbyters for the Church but Bishops are able The Order therefore of Bishops and Presbyters is not one and the same Hence it follows that there is a necessity of continuing Bishops in the Church if so we desire Presbyters since without a Bishop no Presbyter and without a Presbyter at least no Lords Supper 12 Besides your grand Champion Walo Messalinus acknowledgeth that from the time that those Orders and degrees were distinguished and that a Bishop became greater then a Presbyter ORDINATION COULD NOT BE COMMON TO THEM BOTH But those Orders and degrees were from the beginning distinguished by our Saviour though not by these specificall titles Observe I beseech you In the first place he names the Twelve those of the higher Order Apostles and after this those of the lower Order the Seventy are called Diciples as I conceive 3. Luk 10. 22. Or else in the four Evangelists they are distinguished from his other Diciples by number onely and not by title In the other writings of the New Testament they are distinguished into Apostles and Presbyteres or Bishops The Apostles are of two sorts either such as were immediately ordained by Christ or such as were ordained by those Apostles The former are called the Apostles of Christ or the holy Apostles and sometimes the chief Apostles The other are styled Apostoli vestri and Apostoli Ecclesiarum your Apostles and the Apostles of the Churches because they had set Cities and a certaine people committed to their charge The twelve were ordained by our Saviour while in the flesh he was conversant here on earth But S. Matthias and S. Paul after his ascension were called to be Apostles by Jesus Christ and God the Father These did ordain but not the Seventy not Presbyters or such as in Scripture text are called Bishops S. Paul and S. Barnahas were Apostles those we finde ordaining Presbyters Act 14. 23. And S. Paul professeth that he ordained Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 6. 13. Let us now descend to those Apostles who were ordained by Christs Apostles Such were S. Iames Appollos Epaphroditus Timothy and Titus None of these were immediately ordained by Christ and yet they are called Apostles The three former plainly in Scripture as is heretofore evidenced the latter by your good friend Salmasius That Timothy Titus did ordain is too plain to be denyed and for Epaphroditus we have an acknowledgement likewise from Salmasius 14. These Offices were necessarily to be continued in the Church for Christ gave them for the gathering together of the Saints for the work of the Ministery and for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all grow up unto a perfect man Which is now but in fieri in polishing not perfected neither will it be till the second comming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ For the Church is the body of Christ which will have her imperfections and blemishes till she be made fully compleat in the Kingdom of glory Our Saviour therefore saith Behold I am with you alwaies even unto the end of the world which could not be spoken of their persons but of their Office as is confessed by the London Ministers Since their persons were shortly to leave this world but their Office is to continue till heaven and earth passe away When therefore S. Paul had lively described the true Government of the Church and instructed Timothy the Bishop of Ephesus how he ought to behave himself in the Church he charged him in the sight of God and before Jesus Christ that he keep these commands without spot and unrebukeable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ But this he could not do in his own person which was shortly to depart Calvin therefore readily acknowledgeth that these things were written not so much for Timothy s as for other mens directions that were to come after him since herein as Beza observes many particulars belong to the daily Office of a Pastor These things then must be daily and duely done as occasion requires But diverse of these ought and might be done by Timothy onely and by such as were of his ranke but by no other needs therefore must this Order be continued for the edifying and perfecting of the body of Christ This Office then being quotidâ—aâ—um munus an Office of daily use must of necessitie be continued in the Church 15. But what Office was this that Timothy and Titus did
Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof And yet the root of Episcopacy is our B. Saviour Who is called the Bishop of our soules from him it takes his rise from him it receives life it springs up and is watered with the dew of his heavenly blessing 4. We know that he from whom a familie springs is called the root of that familie That our Saviour is the root of Episcopacy that from him it received being and life is evident in the Apostles strictly so called who had their Orders immediately from Christ as is evident S. Mat 10. S. Luk 9. S. Iâ— 20. 21. c. To them he gave power to ordain Apostles in Gratis accepistis gratis date S. Mat. 10. 8. so S. Ambrose so S. Jerome so Gennadius Patriarch of Constantinople with seventy and three Bishops more in a full Synod Our Saviours words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Greekes understands thus A gift ye have received give ye this gift This Commission he renewed unto them after his Resurrection in these words As my Father sent me so send I you So S. Hilarie so S. Cyril and other with them upon the strength of this commission Christs Apostles ordeined some other to be Apostles conferring upon them the same honour and power which they themselves had received from Christ This is evident in S Iames Bishop of Hierusalem in Epaphroditus Bishop of Philippi and in Apollos Bishop of Corinth These are called Apostles in Scripture S. Iames Gal. 1. 19. Epaphroditus Phil. 2. 25. Apollos 1 Cor. 4. 9. And these are confessed to be Apostoli ab ipsis Ap stolis ordinati Apostles oâ—dained by the Apostles Even by S. Jerome Calvin and your mighty champion Walo Melsalinus 5. Apostles they were at that time called but afterwards that title upon just occasion was taken from them and the name of Bâ—shop was setled upon them and their successors in Office So Theodoret. The same persons were sometimes called both Presbiters and Bishops but those who are now named BISHOPS were then called APOSTLES But in processe of time the title of APOSTLE was reserved to those who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 APOSTLES properly and tâ—uly so called And the name of BISHOP became appropriated to those who were lately called APOSTLES Hence is it that Timothy and Titus are called Bishops and Apostles Bishops in the postscripts of those Epistles which were written to them by S. Paul but Apostles by Ignatius Theodoret and many other 6. Bishops they were at that time called when Episcopacy was distinguished from the Presbyteriall Order But Apostles they were named when a Bishop and a Presbyter were one and the same These were Apostâ—es not onely by name but in office and power and governed Churches and their Presbyter-Bishops by the same right and with the same authority that the cheife and prime Apostles swaied them with And as they governed so they and they onely ordained Presâ—yters 7. From hence we argue thus They that have the same name and office with the true Apostles are of the same order with the true Apostles Buâ— Bishop Timothy and Bishop Titus and Bishop Epaphroditus have the same name and office with the true Apostles They are therefore of the same order with the true Apostles The major is Smectymnuus his Proposition and not to be doubted of The minor or second Proposition shall be justified by Salmasius who in severall passages acknowledgeth this name and office and power in Epaphroditus Bishop of Philippi Take this for all Epaphroditus Pauâ—o dicitur Apostolus Philippensium quia ad Philippenses eum miser at ad Ecclesiam eorum confirmandam constituendos in eâ Presbyteros Episcopos That the name of Apostle was usually given to Timothy and Titus I have already manifested That the Apostâ—licall power was in each of them is evident by those Epistles which S. Paul wrote unto them and more briefly in these words to Titus For this cause left I thee in Creete that thou shouldest SET IN ORDER oâ— redresse WHAT IS WANTING or a misse and ORDAIN PRESBYTERS in every City as I have appointed thee Herein is both Jurisdiction and Ordination allowed him and the maine power of the Apostolicall Order consists in Jurisdiction and Ordination Herein the Bishops and onely Bishops succeed them 8. Since then the Apostleship and Episcopacy are one the same Office he that is the root and author of the one is the root and author of the other But Christ is the root and author of the Apostleship he is therefore the root and author of Episcopacy In Covenanting then to take away Episcopacy root and branch you have done no lesse then Covenanted to take away Jesus Christ who gave the Apâ—stles and u ordeined them in the Church Indeed ye have taken the ready way to root him out oâ— our hearts soules For ye have absolutely stripped the Church of the three Creeds the ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer with the Epistles and Gospels wherein was daily mention made of our B. God and Saviour as also of his power pleasure and mercy And what I pray you is become of the Lords Supper which we are commanded to administer and receive in remembrance of our B. Saviour And unlesse we eat his flesh and drink his blood in that holy Sacrament we have no life abiding in us Many Parishes in this Kingdom have been utterly deprived of this heavenly Supper even since their lawfull Parsons or Vicars have been imprisoned or sequestred by your instigation So farewell roâ—t and branch and fruit as much as in you lieth And now I hope the Kings Oath is cleerly discharged of sin and your Covenant sufficiently proved to be the bond of iniquity 9. But how comes it to passe that if root and branch must up yet by your Ordinance some branches of that root may be preserved For it is resolved that Ordination performed by a BISHOP being a Presbyter jâ—yned with other Presbyters is for substance vaâ—id and not to be disclaimedâ—y any that have received it And most probable it is that you are a branch or sucker of that root For Presbyters so ordained shall he admitted to a charge without any new ordination Is not this a flat contradiction some branches lopped off and some spared is this according to your solemne league and Covenant Indeed had they taken all branches away which spring from that root there had hardly been a man of any learning left And is not that Clerke who hath been ordeined by a Bishop a wise man to sware to root himselfe up if not here yet out of the land of the living For he that is not a member of the Church militant can never be a Saint in the Church triumphant CHAP. III. whether Prelacy in the Church of England were an usurpation 1. THe Question proposed is of Episcopacy the
injoyned him to denounce Both Regall and Priestly power are the gift of God they cannot therefore but be good But the abuse of this power to other ends then God gave it is the viciousnesse of man and therefore bad Solomon made just use of this power when he despoiled Abiathar the High Priest not onely of his priviledges but also of his office and of all that belonged to his office The reason is because Abiathar for his treason deserved this and an heavier doom And I presume it was no usurpation in St. Paul when he delivered Hymeneus unto Satan that he might learn not to blaspheme nor yet when he anathematized and accursed those Preachers that taught otherwise then they had received If then our Bishops have made use of this power in silencing or depriving hereticall schismaticall or seditious Preachers they have done no more then they ought to do This therefore is no usurpation but a just use of that power which with their Orders was conferr'd upon them for this end and purpose 7. I have done with your Major now to your Minor But this Prelacy did as it stood in England What did it why it despoiled Christs â—fficers the good Presbyters that preached up the Scottish discipline and doctrine of their priviledges indulged and duty injâ—yned them by the Word of God If they deserved this censure it was no despoiling but a just deprivation If they deserved it not let it be proved I am sure Courts and Committees have been long enough open to receive large informations and easie proofs against them And I am as sure that our Saviour never indulged any such priviledge to his Apostles or any other of his â—fficers as to vent heresie schisme or sedition If any Bishâ—p be faultie I plead not for him I justifie Episcopacy not the Bishop Judas was bad cut his Episcopacy good Judas offended but not his office Judas was cut off not his Episcopacy the office is continued and a good man must be put into it So St. Peter And let another take HIS BISHOPPRICK So the Spirit of Prophecie Prelacy therefore is not in fault but the Prelate And it is as false a speech to say Prelacy despoils any as to say Judicature wrongs any Since we know that Judicature is blamelesse when the Judge is criminous And as improper a speech it is to say that a man is despoiled of his duty I may be forbidden my duty but not spoiled of it because I am bound to discharge it though forbidden if unlawfully forbidden 8. But what are these priviledges and duties whereof they are said to be despoiled The particulars are these Power to rule and to preach in their own congregations and this power they are indued with â—y Christs warrant Power to Rule and by Christs warrant sound high and raise attention And this they have as well as much as power to preach if we may beleeve you As if they had ruledome as you call it from Christ himself If this be doubted of you give us Scripture for it and that in foure severall texts The first is this If any cannot rule his own house how shall he take care for the Church Here is care to be taken for the Church but no rule given to a Presbyter in the Church unlesse you allow him as much power to rule in his Parish as he hath in his own house To which assertion no man I conceive will subscribe It is required indeed if any Lay-man desire to be a presbyter-Presbyter-Bishop that before he be ordained he be known to be such a one that could rule his own house well But what is this to prove that by Christs warrant in Scripture a Presbyter is indued with power to rule in his eongregation Alas this government as your learned brethren confesse is but domesticall in private families not Ecclesiasticall in the publick congregation In like manner Deacons must be such as rule their houses and children well And yet ye allow them no ruledome in the Church but set Lay-Ruling Elders to over-top them No warrant here for this Presbyteriall ruling power what may come hereafter shall be examined 9. The next proof is from the same Epistle the words are these I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect Angels that THOV OBSERVE THESE THINGS without preferring one before another and do nothing partially This is something were it to the purpose Here is a large authoritie given to Timothy in this Chapter and a charge in this verse that he be carefull to discharge his office with integritie But what is this to the point in question Alas you are clean mistaken in your mark It rests upon you to prove that this power in Scripture is given to a Presbyter-Bishop whereas it is here given to an Apostle-Bishop who is clean of another an higher order If I should justifie that a Sergeant at Law hath power to hear and determine Suits in Westminster-Hall because the Justices of the Kings Bench and Common Pleâ—â— have such a Commission you would think I were beside the cushion and so are you 10. In the third place you produce a text of the same Apostle to the Hebrews where-in he commands his brethren to obey those that have the over-sight of them and to submit themselves unâ—o them No question but they ought to do so But who are these Praepositi these Rulers here mentioned Are they Presbyters onely Presbyters are not mentioned here and it is impossible to prove that Presbyters onely are intended here unlesse they be the onely Church-governors It is rather to be beleeved that all Church-governors or else the chief Governors were here intended That he speaks of Presbyters I deny not but that he speaks of Presbyters onely I utterly deny When you can prove that onely Presbyters watch for the souls of the people and that they onely must give an account for those souls then shall I readily acknowledge that the Apostle speaks only of Presbyters in this place 11. If the Kings Majestie should command his Souldiers to obey their Commanders could any man imagine that he spake of the Lieutenants and Captains onely No wise man can have this imagination but this must reach to Majors and Collonels and all other in authority Thus when the Lord commands his people to obey those Governors that watch for their souls he means not onely Deacons and Presbyters but Bishops also For as in an Army there are Captains over souldiers and Commanders over Captains so in the Church which is aciâ—s ordinata a well-ordered Army there are Praepositi populo Praepositi Presbyteris Spirituall Governors of the people and some set over both people and Presbâ—ters Such were the Apostâ—â—s in Scripture and such their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their copartners in labour and successors in office whom we now call Bishops Such were Timothy and Titus who
had not onely the power of Ordination but of Jurisdiction also that is they had authoritie not onely to set in order what was amisse in the Church and to reform the Laitie but to 1. convent 2. silence and 3. excommunicate the Clergie even Deacons and Presbyters if they deserved it 12. For convention in the first place observe that S. Paul acknowledgeth in Bishop Timothy power to receive an accusation against a Presbyter or Elder and upon proofe to rebuke him Which could not be done without conventing him 2ly That the power to silence preaching Presbyters was in Bishop Timothy these words manifest Thou maiest command some that they teach no other doctrine And as for Bishop Titus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it be hoves him to stop the mouths of the disobedient and deceitfull as also to stay foolish questions and contentions And if this will not serve then must they proceed to higher censures even to excommunication For doth not S. Paul command Timothy to withdraw himself from those that teach unwholsome Doctrine And what this means let Beza speake Gravissime damnatos extra Ecclesiam ejicit he casts forâ—h these as condemned men out of the Church For as S. Cyprian speaks They that are not in communion with the Bishop are out of the Church Timothy then being Bishop of that Church and withdrawing his communion from them they were no longer members of the Church This power we see was in the Apostle Bishops but no man can shew that ever it was in the Presbyter Bishops Par enim in parem non habet potestatem it is a sure rule that no man hath power over his equall while his equall 13. The last place is reserved for the first in Scripture which you have kept for your reserve to help at a dead lift and this it is We beseech you brethren that ye know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you A great friend of the Presbytery tels us that this is the same with that which the Apostle speaks in another Epistle that those Presbyters are worthy of double honour who labour in the word and doctrine So then in his judgement this rule you so much boast of is but your labouring in the word and doctrine And surely he hath two able men that back him very well viz. Theâ—dâ—ret and Caâ—vin Theodoret tels us that when S. Pau saith Quâ—praesunt thâ—se thâ—t are over you in the Lord it is all one as if he haâ— said they that â—ffâ—â— up prayers and supplicaâ—ions for yâ—u And Caâ—vin thuâ— Qu DOCENDO rite fideliter GUâ—ERNANT who by TEACHING orderly and faithfully GOVERN the people And elâ—ewhere he expounds this kind of Gâ—verning by boris salutaribus consiliis popuâ—o praeire by guiding the peâ—ple with good and wholesome counsell The Preifis rule then consists in 1 Prayer for Gods people in 2 Admonishing 3 Instâ—ucting and 4 Advising them as also in 5 conveying to them those heavenly blessings by the Sacraments which in an ordinary way they could not otherwiâ—e obtain This is all the rule that I can find belonging to Presbyters And this was ever allowed you in your own Congregations while ye behaved your selves as the Ministers of Christ in all meeknesse and sobriety dividing the Word of God aright and while ye kept within the ruâ—e of faith 14. Thus your ruledome my fellow Presbyters is come to no great matter by these texts Shew me one place of Scripture that allowes Presbyters to excommunicate or absolve of their own authority and I shall be of your mind and justifie that ye have susteined much wrong If ye have been suspended from officiating or silenced ye may thank your unbridled tongues which have been so lavish in venting unsound and seditious doctrine The Bishop in these cases hath but discharged that dutie which is required of him by Gods Word 1 Tim. 6. 3. 5. 2. Tim. 3. 5. Tit. 1. 11. Tit. 3. 9. And it is no more then the Presbytery chalengeth to it selfe in those places where it hath gained authoâ—iâ—y 15. That ye were excluded from all society in Rule is that which troubles you Society pretends equâ—litie and Rule is that which ye affect So ye may be made Bishops or Bâ—shops fellowes equall with them in rule and authority all shâ—ll be well but till then we must expect no pâ—ace if ye can hinder it Hâ—d your leading Church-men beâ—n made Bishâ—ps or Deanes the Kâ—ngs oath had been most just and unalterable yea unquestionâ—ble Some mens mouths have been stopt so heretofâ—re the more the pitie And ye have gaped after such morsels What the benefit hath been is sufficiently discerned and ambitious male-contents shall no more I hope be tempted in this manner to continue among us when they are neither with us nor of us But I pray you what Society in Rule can you chalenge with the Bishops when by Scripture ye are made subject to them We know your pride Ye would faine be hail-fellows with your Governours both Ecclesiasticall and Civill Faine would ye have the raines in your own hands with Phaeton though it were with the same issue But how shall they learn to govern that know not how to obey All Baristers are not qualified to be Judges 16. But there is another thing which troubles you marvelously that you deem to be much more prejudiciall to the dignity and liberty of the Ministery namely to be subjected to a lay Chancelour And yet how many lay Chancelours have you subjected us to To the whole Parliament that 's plaine and yet not so much as one Presbyter among them And to every Committee-man both in Citie and Countrie Whose busie Apparators are all persons disaffected to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England And all this is for the dignity and liberty of the Ministery according to your new Magna Charta Thus much to manifest that ye are deeply plunged in those crimes which you boldly charge upon others But this is no new no strange thing For this hath been generally observed when your great Masters blemish our most gracious Soveraigne with any foule or illegall surmise they usually act it themselves Dominisimiles such Masters and such Chaplaines Par autem erat ut vel quod accusant non facerent vel quod facerent non accusarent But it were meet that either they should not do what they blame or not blame what they do 17. And now I beseech you which is most prejudicall to be subject to one lay Chancelour in a Diocese or to those great lay Courts of Lords and Commons and others at Westminster to so many lay Committees in the City to so many in every Countie Without whom ye are not able to subsist nor to abide in your Congregations if these men take but the least offence against you And how can the Gentrie and Comminaltie of this Kingdome
Preists ought to be had among Christians Witnesse that Evangelicall Prophet whose words are these Ye shall be named THE PREISTS OF THE LORD as they are at this day Men shall call you the Ministers of our God Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles and ye shall be EXALTED WITH THEIR GLORY This is one the other shall be from that royall Psalmist In stead of thy Fathers thou shalt have children whom thou mayest make PRINCES in all Lands Do not you go about to make the Word of God a lye while you endeavour to dis-inherit the Clergie of these privileges and honors But God shall be true he shall be justified in his sayings and every man shall be a liar Behold how these prophecies were fulfilled under the Gospēl When our Saviour sent forth his Apostles and Disciples to preach the Gospel and to dispense his heavenly mysteries he daines them with this honour to rank them for usage with himself He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that receiveth you receiveth me To intimate to all Christians that they ought to use his messengers as they would Christ in his own person For whether well or ill he will take it as done to himself Hence is it that the Galathians received S. Paul as an Angel of God even AS CHRIST JESUS Yea they were ready to pull out their own eyes to do him a pleasure And when this Apostle came to Melita he and those that attended him were courteously entertained honoured they were with many honors and enriched with gifts by the Prince of that Island and his people 18. Some it may be may conceive that these were but personall honors and that they belong to them onely whom Christ immediately ordained But the Scripture will teach us a better lesson For doth not our Saviour say He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me Now we know that our Saviour sendeth not onely by himself but by those also to whom he hath given power to send and ordain Thus by S. Paul he sent Timothy and Titus and we find S. Barnabas with S. Paul ordaining Presbyters in all Churches where they came This therefore is a generall rule those Governors who labour in the Word and Doctrine whether they be ordained by Christ or his Apostles or any other to whom this authoritie is duely given are WORTHY OF DOUBLE HONOR that is saith Primasius both in love and place Thus Titus by the Corinthians was received with fear and trembling and memorable obedience They honoured him as Theodoret speaks as their Father and reverenced him as their spirituall Governor These honors are due not so much in respect of personall worth as in regard of the office which they bear This appears by S. Paul who willeth the Philippins not onely to receive Epaphroditus their Apostle or Bishop with all gladnesse but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he chargeth them to hold SUCH AS HE WAS in honour and reputation All must be thus honoured but those most that are most worthy 19. Constantine the first Emperor that ever was christen'd had learned this lesson he therefore did reverence the Bishops ad imaginem quandam divinae praesentiae as if he had some resemblance of God before his eyes He kissed those Bishops skars that had suffered for Christs most holy Name He entertained divers of them at his own table and at their departure he bestowed upon them many goodly gifts Upon Bishops he conferr'd very many privileges and the highest Honors he had to bestowe He ordained that those Canons which were agreed upon by the Bishops and had received his Royall approbation should be of more sacred authority then any Law or sentence that should passe from his highest Judges and that none of his Princes should dare to infringe them To conclude he commanded the Governors of his severall Provinces to give reverence and honour to Bishops threatning no lesse then death to such as should revile or abuse them What reverence and esteem Bishops were of with his severall sons though differing in Religion the Church History manifests for these and all other privileges were inviolably preserved to the Church till that Apostata Julian ware the Crown But those pious and orthodox Emperors that succeeded him raised up the Church and made good her former privileges 20. The reason why good Princes were so carefull of the Church and Churchmen was because they were confident with Great Constantine that God gave a blessing to their affairs for the Bishops sakes And those two wise Emperors Leo and Constantine professe with Justinian that the peace and felicitie of their people as well for body as soul depend upon the harmonious consent of the Imperiall and Episcopall functions Mark that In Scripture the Prophets and servants of God are called the charet of Israel and the horsemen thereof because by their prayers they did more prosper their Countrey then by force of arms Yea by them God blessed his people These were the Church-priviledges and these the opinions the most Christian Princes had of Church-men And you cannot say that any of these Emperors had any dependance upon the Pope or any compliance with him But we are fallen into those times wherein it is accounted losse to bestowe cost upon Christ pietie to rifle the Church and good service to God to murder his Apostles and Priests Indeed what ever is good and commendable is now with the round brotherhood cried out upon as Popish By this time I hope it appears that these immunities which belong to the Church arise not from the errour of the times as you suppose but from the tenure of Scripture That 's the tenure we hold by CHAP. XII Whether to sit and vote in Parliament be incongruous to the calling of Bishops 1. SOmething an hard theme to treat upon and unpleasing to the times And yet I must say something to it lest I seem to desert the cause to blame our Predecessors of indiscretion and to acknowledge that weaknesse in our Bishops which the wisest of this Kingdom know to be far from them What Not contented to strip us of our rights lands and priviledges but you must twit us with the losse of the Bishops Votes as if they were neither fit to sit or vote in the House of Peers That this hath been done cannot be denied but how justly I shall not question for the honour I bear to my Soveraign Yet thus much is evident to every single eye that we have had many even and conscionable Parliaments wherein Bishops have voted what kinde of Parliament we have had without them some will make bold to speak hereafter But a word in private Were they not thrust out lest the King should have too many faithfull Counsellors in the House Were they not removed to make way for these civill broils The Incendiaries knew full well that those
provided for Shall she not in their absence be layed open to the subtill foxes and mercilesse bores to wast and distroy her Yea by this means she is already distroyed So pious Justice Jenkins The incongruitie then is not to the Bishops calling but to the covetousnesse of bores and foxes 13. Another incongruity will follow upon this The whole Parliament is one corporate body consisting of the HEAD AND THE THREE ESTATES If one of the Estates be wanting it cannot be called a whole but an imperfect a maimed Parliament But the Bishops are one of the three Estates Suppose them to be the more feeble and lesse honourable Estate or Member yet this very Member is necessary and the body is but lame without it Take heed then that the excluding of Bishops be not incongruous to the Parliament I see not how it can be incongruous to the Prelates to suffer wrong since for this purpose they are called But it is incongruous to the Parliament to be without them since without them it is not a whole but an imperfect Parliament For I have read that Bishops were in all Parliaments and voted in them since we had any Yea that great Master of the Law justifies that every Bishop ought ex debito justiciae of due justice to be summoned by Writ to every Parliament that is holden But if they leave out the Bishops they begin with injustice and lay but an ill foundation for so great a Court of Justice And where injustice beares the sway there is little Justice to be hoped for So they are incongruous in the first stone or foundation of a Parliament 14. There is a Statute that no Act of Parliament be passed by any Soveraign of this Realm or any other authority what soever without the advice assent of the three Estates of the Kingdome viz. of the 1 Lords spirituall 2 temporall the 3 Commons of this Realme And all those are solemnly cursed by the whole Parliament that shall at any time endeavour to alter this Act or to make any Statute otherwise then by the consent of all these or the Major part of them This as the learned in the Law report is upon record in the Parliament Roles 15. And what comfort I beseech you can his Majestie have to call a Parliament without Bishops since he cannot assure himself of Gods assistance without them Cenwalch King of the West-Saxons was sensible that his Province was destitute of Gods protection while it was without a Bishop Indeed a good Bishop is with Gregory Metropolitan of Cesarea not onely the beautie of the Church and a fortresse to his flock but he is the safety of his Country It was the religious conceit of our country men heretofore that both King and Kingdome have by the Church a solid â— sure foundation for their subsistence And it was the usuall saying of King Iames No Bishop no King In Scripture the Preists are called the Charets and horsemen of Israel because by their prayers the Country prospered more then by force of armes And the Greek Fathers observe that the Bishop is therefore to pray for all because he is the Common Father of all be they good or bad 16. And as he can have little spirituall comfort without Bishops so without them he can have no temporall releife no Subsidies granted for his own supplies or for the defence of the Kingdome I am sure none have been granted him at Westminster since the expulsion of the Bishops Thus have you moulded up such a Parliament as was never known in this Realme since these great Councels of State were first assembled For though the Bishops were by his Majestie summoned according to justice yet were they afterwards turned out at the instigation of a strong tumultuous faction not suffered to vote in matters that concerned either Church or State Thus ye are become like the Princes of Judah that remove the bounds That is as the Genevians interpret ye have turned upside down all politicall order and all manner of Religion Therefore upon those that have done so the Lord will powre out his wrath like water which will surely overwhelm them as it did those desperate sinners in the deluge Thus I have manifested that it is not incongruous to the calling of Bishops to sit and vote in Parliament but to exclude them is incongruous to the being of a Parliament to the weale of the King and safety of the Kingdom 17. And yet as if what-you had delivered were ex tripode as sure as Gospel from barring their votes you deduce an argument for taking away their Jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall If one be abolished why may not the other be removed As if because my cassocke is taken from me I must necessarily be stripped out of my gowne 'T is true if this be also done I must bear it patiently but my patience doth not justifie their action that do me the injurie Neither doth the former fact justifie the latter truly no more then Davids follie with Bathsheba can countenance the murder of Vriah The question is not de factâ— but de jure not what is done but whether it be justly done If the fact may justifie a right then may we maintaine robbing upon Salisbury Plain because it hath been done there more then once A wonder it is you had not framed your argument thus who knows not that the Parliament caused the Arch Bishop of Canterbury to be beheaded And then why may they not hang the rest of the Bishops if their lives prove inconvenient and prejudiciall to the Church But with Julian the Apostata ye had rather slay the Preisthood then the Preists 17. Indeed the removall of their Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction is no more against the Oath then the abolition of their Votes Both alike in respect of the Oath but if we consider the severall authorities from whence they are derived we shall find a difference because the most part of their Jurisdiction is the grant of God but their Voting among the Peers is by the favour of Princes grounded upon the right of Nature and that civill interest which every free denizon ought to have in some measure in disposing of his own and assenting to new Laws But suppose Princes may revoke their own favours can they without perill to their soules cut off that entaile which God hath settled upon his Church I beleeve no. But you will onely remove it not abolish it And removed it may be from Dorchester to Lincolne from Crediton to Exiter But the removall of Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction from Bishops to Presbyters is utterly unlawfull since without sinne we may not alter the Ordinance of God who settled this Jurisdiction upon Bishops onely and not upon Presbyters as is demonstrated in the next Chapter CHAP. XIII Certaine light and scandalous passages concerning Prince and Preist tenderly touched 1. THere 's a great cry
that this word which we here translate devoted or dedicated signifiâ—s properly destroyed quia destructio imminet usurpanâ—il us illa because destruction hangs over their heads that usurp them Jos 7. 1. c. We translate this word accuesed and â— cuâ—se fell upon Achan openly for medling with the accursed or devoted silver and gold and a costly garment God made Aâ—â—maâ— example of his justice to all posterity that so the dreadfull end of him and all his might strike a terrour into the hearts of all covetous persons that they medle not with that which is dedicated to the Lord. 5. Achans fault was that he clancularily stole it and dissembled and put it among his own stuffe But what you do shall be in publike enacted by Parliament and they shall not be seized to private or civill interest Your purpose is to have them diverted or settled upon your selves and your fellow Presbyters who are no private or civill persons Oh no you are the men by whom the work of the Ministery is cheifly performed And yet I cannot but observe that here is a diversion and what is diverted runs not in the right channel it is enforced another way But this you say will not be to ruine but to rectifie the devotion of former ages and turn pompe into use and impediments into helps There needs no proofe for this Ipse dixit Mr. Geree hath delivered this in the Pulpit It is enough so it come from him who is so well skilled in devotion and able to rectifie former ages But I am none of your credulous followers my faith is not pinned to your sleeve Indeed to deale plainly with you I am of another mind and suppose I have good reason for it 6. That revenues were very anciently settled upon the Church can be no new thing to them that are skilled in Councels Fathers and Church History But who were these lands settled upon To whose trust were these committed That Constantine settled revenues upon the Bishops is too too evident to be denyed That the Bishops had houses and lands long before Constantines time is manifest by the Councell of Angur Can. 15. As also by that of Paulus Samosatenus whom the Emperor Aurelian ejected out of the Episcopall house after he had been deprived of his Bishoprick of Antioch by a Councell of Bishops In S. Cyprians time and writings we read that the Church was endowed with means A little higher we may go in our own country we find King Lucius in the yeer of grace 187. settling possessions upon the Church 7. Neither were these means very small as some conceive S. Austine was a Gentleman well desended and had a faire estate left him And yet he professeth that the possessions of his Bishoprick of Hippo were twenty times more then the lands of his inheritance And yet his was none of the richest Bishoppricks in Africk Such was the devotion of former áges 8. Of these revenues the Bishops had the profits they did uti frui rebus Ecclesiae as S. Austin speaks tanquam possessores Domini they were Gods trustees and yet as possessors and Lords they disposed of the Church goods At his See the government of the lands and oblations belonged to him but to some of his Clergie he committed the charge both of the one and of the other But so that once a yeer at least he had an account from them as from his Stewards At his charge as it were the Presbyters and other Clerks of that Church were fed and clad Indeed the lands and goods of the Church were so at the Bishops disposing that the Steward might not distribute any of them as he thought meet but as the Bishop directed him This was not onely by custome but by Canon that the Bishop have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power to dispose the goods of the Church upon the needie And if it happened that any of the lands were alienated or sold in the vacancie it was in the succeeding Bishops power to ratifie or make void the sale 9. Neither did the Bishops innovate any thing therein they followed the steps of the prime and Apostolick Church as is to be seen Apost Can. 41. and in the Acts. There we read that the Christians who were so charitably minded sold their lands or houses and layed the prices thereof not at the Disciples not at the Presbyters but at the Apostles feet After this indeed the Disciples choose out men of honest report full of the holy Ghost and of wisdom that might dispose of these legacies to such as were to be relieved by the Church Stock But this they did not of their own heads but at the Apostles directions who reserved this power to themselves The text justifies it Whom we may appoint over this businesse So the Apostles Hence is it that S. Paul commanded Timothy Bishop of Ephesus to take care that the Presbyters be well provided for Let the Presbyters that rule well be counted worthy of double honor of double maintenance And to what purpose was this charge to Timothy unlesse he were to provide for the Presbyters of his Church I am certain that it is most consonant to common sense Nature and Scripture that parents provide for their children and not children for the parents And is it not reason that he who sets the Presbyters on work should pay them their wages But Bishop Timothy was to set them on work Those things that thou hast heard or learned of me the same commit thou to faithfull men who shall be ABLE TO TEACH others And charge them that they teach no other doctrine then this But if they do what then withdraw thy self from them That is eat not with them let them not come to thy table allow them no maintenance What counsell the Apostles gave others without question they observed themselves But S. Paul commands that we eat not with open and notorious sinners and S. John that we receive not deceitfull Preachers into our houses The same rule then they observed themselves For in those times the Bishop and his Presbyters did usually live in the same house and eat at the same table In those times the Bishops provided for the Presbyters but our start up Presbytery will so provide that the Bishops shall have just nothing left them to relieve their own wants all must be for Mr. Presbyter 10. And why so Because there are many defective Parishes in England which want suffiâ—ient maintenance to supply their Parochiall Pastors with But from whence comes this defect or want of maintenance Surely not from the Bishops not from their greedinesse and wretchlesnesse but from that detestable sacriledge as Beza and you call it which was by Parliament acted and ratified under the reign of King Henry VIII At the dissolution of Abbeys the Appropriations of Tithes were taken into
the Nobility and Clergie and a multitude of his leige people And shall not all these oblige him so much the more to be tender of this Oath Zanchius tels us that it is a more grievous sin to offend against a publick solemne oath then against one made in private What may we then think of an oath taken with such high Solemnity 8. This Oath was voluntarily freely taken without compulsion or perswasion so no excuse that way Indeed it was taken in truth in judgement and in righteousnesse In truth his sacred Majesty resolving truly to keep it In Judgement judiciously upon mature deliberation and in righteousnesse intending that every branch of this Oath should be justly and righteously observed in all his Courts of Justice How then can he infringe this Oath 9. He made this promissâ—ry Oath to a great body of this His Kingdome the whole Clergie of this Land and those not the meanest of his Subjects And not onely so but to holy Church his mother and to God the Father of us all How can he then disclaime this Oath which so obligeth his conscience before God that â—ad he bound himself by such a tye to high-way robbers or to his professed â—nemies he had been bound by the Law both of Nations and Christianity strictly to haue observed it without fraud or coven Talke not of a dispensation Nor life nor death nor principalities nor powers whether civill or spirituall can possibly discharge him of this oath no more then they can me of my oath of Allegiance And yet it is a point of your Religion to perswade to perjurie as if it would ease your consciences to have millions concurre with you in the same perfidiousnesse and end 10. Is perjurie a sin or no sin If it be a sin and an heinous sin how then can I commit this great wickednesse and sin against God Is it no sin If you be of that mind speake out shew your self in your true colours What Religion are you of I know not well little use hath your conscience made of Religion in this case Your eye is wholly upon the Parliament and the present necessity those members have wrought our good King and this whole Nation Necessity hath so far prevailed with you as rather to be forsworne then to forgo your present maintenance But our most gracious Soveraigne whom God ever blesse hath wholly fixed his heart upon God and his Word wherein we are charged not to sweare falsely by the name of the Lord no nor to forsweare our selves but to performe our oaths unto the Lord. Marke though the oath be made to the servant it must be performed unto the Lord because the caution is given to the servant in the Lords behalfe yea upon the Lords credit for by his name and upon his book we sweare to do it And if we do it not the Lord will not hold us guiltlesse Minus dicitur plus intelligitur by this one word much may be understood For the Lord will come against us in Judgement and call us to an account for our oaths Oaths therefore must be avoided lest we fall into condemnation For perjurie is a foule a dangerous a damnable sin Odious it is to God because it defiles his most holy name For this very sinne the land mournes I beseech God it become not disolate Sure I am a curse will enter into his house that sweareth falsely it will settle there till it have consumed the timber and stones thereof Or as the wise man hath it his house shall be full of calamities and the plague shall never depart from it Let Zedekiah be our evidence He took the Oath of Allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar but slighted it and rebelled against that his Soveraign Lord who had so highly honoured him and trusted him with a Kingdom But what became of him The Caldees came besieged Jerusalem conquer'd it took Zedekiah prisoner and slew his sons before his eyes This done they put out his eyes and in fetters carried him captive to Babylon Here was an end of the Kings of that Land descended from the Tribe of Judah Are not here the timber and stones of his house his strong men and the sons of his loins utterly consumed 11. Think not to excuse your selves or any other by some later Covenant this will not serve the turn Was the first sworn in truth and judgement and righteousnesse or was it not Doth it truly and justly agree with the Word of God at least not contradict it If so thou art bound in justice to observe it lest judgement fall upon thee For this is a true rule if Zanchius mis-guide us not Posteriores promissiones etiam juramento firmatae nihil de prioribus detrahere aut imminuere possunt Later aths cannot possibly make the former of no or lesse validitie Why then do you perswade the King to break his oath He that enticeth a man to perjurie under pretence of pietie and Religion what doth he else but affirm that some perjuries are lawfull Which is as much to say as some sins are lawfull Which is naught else but to conclude that some things are just which are unjust I appeal to men of understanding whether this proposition savours of pietie or discretion Think not then to ensnare prudent and conscientious men with such frivolous and senslesse pretences which favour strongly of absurditie if not of Atheisme CHAP. VIII Whether the King may desert Episcopacy without perjury 1. GIve me leave to passe over a few pages and to take that into consideration which follows next in reason though not according to your method We are now fallen upon a strange question too high to be proposed by any Subject But you have enforced me to make that a question which is harsh to loyall ears lest I may seem to avoid your subtill and sawcie cavils as unanswerable For do not you say that your second Antâ—gonist plainly â—ffiâ—ms that the King cannot desert Episcopacy without flat perjury His words are far more mannerly but I am bound to trace your steps and shall with Gods assistance manifest that His Majestie without violation to his Oath and to Religion may not desert Episcopacy and leave it naked to the subtill fox or the mercilesse swine 2. First according to your own confession his sacred Majestie hath sworn to almighty God in his holy place before a solemn Assembly to protect the Bishops and their priviledges to his power as every GOOD KING in his Kingdom IN RIGHT OUGHT to protect and defend the Bishops and Churches under their Government 1. Good Kings protect Bishops and good they are in doing so there is no evill then in protecting Bishops 2. They ought to do it it is therefore their duty and to fail of this their duty when they may choose is sin 3. In right they ought to do it they do wrong therefore if they do it not
This right is grounded upon Scripture for God saith Erunt Reges nutritii tui Kings shall be nursing Fathers and Queens shall be nursing Mothers to the Church Who then dares say they ought not or shall not 3. Besides what is done in right is injurious to no man since jus and injuria right and wrong cannot consist in the same action under the same consideration And yet no right is done but it is displeasing to the adverse partie God did right in protecting Moses and Aaron against Korah and his confederates He did right in destroying those factious and rebellious persons and yet this was displeasing to all the congregation of the children of Israel And shall God or the King forbear to do right because the multitude murmure at it This be far from the Lord and his Vicegerent A Judge is sworn to do right If then he do not right to the utmost of his understanding he is perjured And the more eminent a man is in place the greater the sin You know to whom it was said Because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the childe that is born unto thee shall surely dye And of Jerâ—boam it was said z Go tell him thus saith thâ— Lord God of Israel For as much as I exâ—â—ted the frâ—m â—mâ—â—g the people and made thee Prince over my people Israel and yet thâ—â— hast done evill above all that were before thee and hast casâ— me behind thy 〈…〉 Therefore behold I will bring evill upon the house of Jeroboam c. 4. Secondly the King hath sworn to be the Protectâ—r and Defender of the Churches under his Government and this you will confesse the King ought to do But the King doth not protect the Church unlesse he protect the Bishops since without Bishops the Church must needs crumble away and come to nothing The Bishop is the ministeriall Spouse of the Church how then can the Church be protected if her husband be taken from her or stripped of his means Just as our wives are maintained with the fift part Fed with an Ordinance with words but where 's the fift part which of our wives have had that justly payed them 5. The Bishop is under Christ the Father of the Church Destroy the Father and how shall the Children be provided for Nay who shall beget children of the Church when she is void of an Husband And the Bishop is the onely Husband of the Church take â—way the Bishop and the Church is a Widow if you will beleeve the Councell of Chalcedon I have heretofore manifested that none but a Bishop can ordain either Priest or Deacon And Zanchius determines that the Church may not want Ministers who are to administer these externall things the Word and Sacraments Remove the Ministers that have this power derived unto them from Christ and the Sacraments must fail and consequently the Church For what is the Church but a Congregation of Christians wherein the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly administred ACCORDING TO CHRISTS ORDINANCE But according to Christs Ordinance none may administer the Word and Sacraments but Bishops Priests and Deacons Take these away and what becomes of the Sacraments Take away Baptisme and according to Gods ordinary and revealed way we cannot become Christians we cannot be born anew of water and of the holy Ghost And when we are become Christians take away that food of life the Lords Supper and we must needs famish for unlesse we eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood in that blessed Sacrament we have no life in us Hence is that of Calvin The light and heat of the Sun meat and drink are not so necessary for the cherishing and sustaining this present life as the APOSTOLICALL and Pâ—storall OFFICE is for the PRESERVATION OF THE CHURCH on earth If then it be proved that Bishops properly and strictly so called be of the same office and order with the Apostles then have we Calvins acknowledgement that the Church cannot subsist without Bishops 6. Indeed it cannot if we beleeve S. Cyprian for he saith that we ought to know Episcopum in Ecclesia esse ECCLESIAM IN EPISCOPO that the Bishop is in the Church and the CHURCH IN THE BISHOP it stands and fals with him What then becomes of that Church where there is no Bishop Si qui cum Episcopo non sint in Ecclesia non esse We must also know saith that blessed Martyr that they which are not with the Bishop are out of the Church Thus the Bishop is in the Church causaliter causally but the Church in the Bishop virtually The fountain is in the brook causally and the brook in the fountain virtually because from the fountain the Rives derives his being from thence it is derived and fed Damne up the fountain or divert his course and what becomes of the river Thus is it between the Bishop and the Church Hence I infer that the matter of the Oath is lawfull I conclude therefore with the Author of the Review that His Majestie is bound in Religion and conscience to protect the Bishops with their Churches and priviledges Unlesse it be so that you can bring him a new Christ who will ordain another way to heaven 7. But say you it is a ground laid down by this Author that no oath is obligatory beyond the intention of it That is according to the common plain and literall meaning thereof otherwise we know no intention of an oath We must therefore look back to the intention of the first framers thereof as also to the good and securitie of those to whom and for whose sake it is takâ—n n. That the intention of this oath and the framers thereof is against a tyramous invasion on the rights of the Clergie as also to protect them against violence no question at all is to be made and you do well to acknowledge it So far then the King is to protect them to the utmost of his power And hitherto by the assistance of God he hath done it and my trusâ— is in Jesus Christ that he will strengthen our good King to live and dye in this pious and Princely resolution 8. This Oath is to the Clergie the King then must have an eye upon them and their intention who so humbly begge his protection and to whom he makes this oath Expectationem enim eorum quibus juratur quisquis decipit non potest esse non perjurus For he that deceives their expectation to whom he swears cannot but be perjured This S. Austin proves at large in the preceding Epistle wherein he wonders that any man should be of such an opinion as to conceive that a man might incur certain perjurie to avoid uncertain danger losse or death It is a rule therfore in the Canon Law Quacunque arte verborum