to be Bishops of Cities and from thence an Episcopal Line of Succession is drawn not only from their Times but from their Persons Answ That Apostles were Bishops of any Ciây or Diocess is false because they were not limited to any certain place as all Diocesan Bishops are and therefore it implyes a Contradiction that they were limited and not limited But if any shall say it will make no Contradiction to be limited in one Respect and unlimited in another Râspect that is the Apostles Charge might be limâted as they were Bishops but unlimited as theâ were Apostles Answ This Distinction leaveâ the Difficulty untouched and is but a begging â the Question to suppose they had any limiteâ Charge as Bishops which can never be proveâ by Scripture Reason or Antiquity For 2. No Man had Power to restrict their Chargâ whom Christ had left free 3. As no other Men had Power to alter or makâ narrower Limits to the Apostolick Charge so neâther had they Power themselves to alter theiâ own Commission by being bound as Pastors â Bishops of a particular Charge For thereby theâ should be disabled to discharge the general Coâmission of Preaching and Planting Churchâ through the World 4. This were a degrading of the Apostolicâ Office to reduce it to the Office of a Bishop or Pâstor therefore ignominious to the Apostles bâsides the confounding of these two most distinâ Offices of Apostle and Pastor by all which it is aâ parent that a Bishop over Presbyters hath no claiâ to that Office by Succession to Apostles and tâ maxime holdeth sure Apostolo in quantum est Apâstolus non succeditur All the rest of the Sacred Roll of Church-Oâficers shall be easily dispatched For Prophets who are twice enrolled next to the Apostles will sustain no Debate whether Propheâying be taken more strictly for predicting things âo come or more largely for opening the Mysteâies of Religion or expounding the Scriptures For in the first sence Bishops are so Modest as not âo claim it Though some had that extraordinaây Gift in the Apostles times In the second sence ât importeth no Authority over other Ministers and therefore can do them no service The next are Evangelists but nothing can deâcend from that Office for the Office of Bishops because it 's agreed on all Hands that Evangeâists were the Apostles Adjuvants travelling from âlace to place on Gospel-Service without any fixâd residence either in Parish or Diocess and thereâore no claim is made to that for it would deprive âhem of a fixed Diocess As for Teachers since teaching of it self implyâth no Authority over other Teachers it can yeild âo Argument for Episcopal Authority whither ây these Teachers be understood such Doctors of âivinity as are set a-part for instructing and preâaring others for the Ministerial Calling or for âxplaining of Scriptures neither of them can ârove Authority over others of the same Office âd therefore is not pleaded As for Pastors we acknowledge these to be the âdinary established Ministers of the Gospel unto whom the Charge of Feeding the Flock is coâmitted and these in Scripture are called Bishoâ or Presbyters all of them by the Gospel-Chartâ under one Commission for equal Authority and Power in the Church as hereafter GOD willing shaâ plainly appear As for Governments and these who Rule whâ come in among the last of the Roll they are dâstinct Officers in the Church being neithâ Teachers nor Pastors but such as Rule as is âvident 1 Tim. 5. 17. where they are said to â worthy of double Honour specially such as Lâbour in Word and Doctrine here are Elders tâ Rule who do not teach and therefore Bishops caâ not make this Officer their Claim because a Bâshop must be apt to teach and if he only Rule anâ do not Teach Some will be sure to call him Ruling-Elder which he is not fond of As for Ministring and Exhorting they are tâ low for a Bishops Character and therefore nâ pleaded By all this Pains taken in searching for a Bâshop Superior to Presbyters the candide Readâ will perceive that we do not willfully blind foâ our selves but are willing to search the Scripturâ and be determined by them but in all these Scâptures where Church-Officers are particularly â numerated there is no such Church-Officer to âound as Bishop over other Ministers of the Gâpel either in express Words or by any true Consequence from them and therefore we cannot âubject to the said office as an Institution of Christ A second Reason shall be taken from the Words âf our Saviour Luke 2â 24. And there was also a âtrife among them which of them should be accounted âe Greatest and He said unto them the Kings of the Gentils exercise Lordship over them and they that exâcise Authority upon them are called Benefactors but âe shall not be so but he that is Greatest among you let âm be as the Younger and he that is Chief as he that âoth Serve The paralel place is Matth. 20. 25. and by âese Scriptures Christ Dischargeth Prelacy aâong his Servants or that one of them should be âreater than another Therefore We cannot conâorm to it For clearing of this that Christ hath ârohibited one of his Ministers to be Greater than âother Consider first that the Apostles tho' generally âodly Men yet by reason of remaining Corrupâon did too much affect Preheminence which âised Heat and Strife among them a Disease not âsily câred 2 Christ perceiving this proud Debate rebukâh it by shewing it shall not be with them as with âreat Men of this World in their exercise of âordship and Authority for none of them shall be âreatest or Chief 3. It cannot be said without Violence to tââ Text that Christ doth only reprove the affectiâ of Greatness tho' that be reproved yet it is nâ all that is reproved for Superiority it self or oâ of them to be Greater than another is discharge Christ's Words are it shall not be so the Thing self is forbidden besides the Love of it he shâ not be Greatest whither he Love it or not Thâ maketh it evident to be a meer perverting of tâ Text contrary to our Saviours express Wordâ when Men say that nothing is here discharged bâ the Love of Greatness for Christ doth not say tâ Kings of the Gentiles Love to exercise Authoritâ but it shall not be so among you but they do eâercise Authority and it shall not be so among yoâ 4. Nor can it be said that only Tyrannical Dâmination is forbidden by these Scriptures becaââ the word here is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifieth laâfull Authority and commonly taken in that seâ so Matth. 8. 9. I am a Man under Authority the same word so also it 's made use of to signiâ Christs own Power John 17. 2. Thou hast given Hâ Power over all Flesh so that the same Authorâ that is lawfull among others yet shall not be uâped by any of his Servants over one another 5. Whatever might be the
unwarrantable âpectations of Christs Disciples hoping he wâ erect a Temporal Kingdom and thereby Plâ of Trust and Honour might fall to their shaâ âis Attendants Yet their Master gave them no round to expect such Worldly Honour shewing âhem that His Kingdom was not of this World and âhat they might expect to be Hated Despised and âersecuted for his Names Sake And therefore âhe Instructions given them by these Scriptures âoncerning Superiority relateth to the lowly âtate they were in and might expect for the future âs his Servants And not to a State of Worldly Granâur which He did not promise them nor did they âfterwards Possess but as it was grasped without âis Commission And this is manifestly confirmâd by our Saviours following Words verse 27. but â am among you as he that serveth in which Words ây his own Example as one that serveth among âhem he rebuketh Dominion and Superiority over âne another This Example immediatly followâg the Prohibition of one of them to be Greater âan another is most remarkable that tho' himâelf had absolute Dominion over them as their âORD yet to have this engraven upon the hearts âf all his Servants in his Gospel-Kingdom that âone of them should usurp Authority over anoâer he condescendeth upon this over coming Exâmple of serving as a perswasive against their Deâate who should be Greatest 6. This Superiority being prohibited among âe Apostles who were all of one Order The same âuperiority is thereby forbidden all Ministers of the Gospel who are by Divine Institution of oâ and the same Order And therefore Scriptural-Bâshops Presbyters being of one the same Oâder and under equal Commission by Divine Insâtution are under the same Prohibition of Superâority over one another For it were ignorant Iâpudence to say that the Apostles might not usuâ Authority over one another but Bishops or Pâstors may do it By these Scriptures then we have our greâ Law-Givers Determination and Verdict passed â that unhappy Plea of Greatness among Churcâ Men which should end the Dispute being a moâ solide Argument against Prelacy in the Gospeâ Church and no reason to pass from it on that uâ just Pretence as if nothing were forbidden bâ love of Greatness the which Opinion contradicâeth the very words of the Text. A third Reason why we cannot approve of a Bâshops Jurisdiction and Superiority over othâ Gospel-Pastors is because by the Gospel-Chartâ all Gospel-Ministers have parity of Ministeriaâ Power committed to them and therefore none them have a Right to Jurisdiction over anothâ besides many other Scriptures this our Assertiâ shall be proved by Acts 20. 17 28. by this Scâpture these things are clear First That these who are called Presbyters Elders verse 17. are called Overseers or Bishoâ verse 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made âou Overseers to feed the Church of GOD which He hath purchased with his own Blood It hath pleased GOD to make this Truth so plain that Bishops and Presbyters are one that it hath stopt the mouths of the greatest Gain-sayers Papists and all who are not Antiscripturists being convinced by its undenyable Evidence it must âhen be Presumption to excogitate a Difference âetween those whom the Holy Ghost hath âade one and so great a Difference that some of them shall be subordinate to the Jurisdiction of ânother this is to be Wise above what is written ând who should be obliged in the Matters of God âo subject to that Wisdom that cometh not from âbove 2. By this Scripture it 's evident that the Comâission given is to feed the Flock that is to Lead Guide and Govern the Flock with Pastoral Powâr for without this Pastoral Authority they could âot Discharge the Trust committed to them the âastors part being not only to take care that the âlock have good wholsom Food But to keep âem in Order to preserve them from Straying â bring again that which was driven away and to âeek that which was Lost For if the Flock be not âttended defended from Injuries and so ordered â to be kept from Straying they are as if they had no Shepherd which we may see at length âzek 34. from verse 2 d. to verse 7th the People thâ are as if they had no Pastor if their Pastor have â Power to Govern them or neglect his Officeâ GOD will require his Flock at the Pastor's hanâ and yet he is not capable of giving an account if â be deprived of Power to Govern them We maâ see this farther confirmed By that which is wriâten to the Hebrews Cap. 13. and verse 17. the Mânisters who Watch for the Souls of the People aâ allowed Ministerial Ruling over them and thâ People obliged to submit because these who watâ for their Souls must give an Account If it be said that none Watch for the Souls â the People but a Bishop over a vast number â Parishes then these People are forced into Misâry it being impossible for one Man to Watch âver all their Souls Again if it be said that other Ministers undeâ him Watch for the Souls of the People then thesâ Ministers who Watch have by the Scripture Power to Rule as these who must give an Account anâ to deprive them of that Power which Christ haâ committed to them can be no less then Sacrâledge Will a Bishop assuming the sole Power â Government to himself say in earnest that he wiâ stand up for all the Ministers that are under hiâ and take their Accounts off their Hands and Aâswer to GOD for them all will he indeed taâ such a Burden upon him Or if he would what Minister dares trust him with it For if the Men âe Ministers of the Gospel themselves they shall âever be clear before GOD by anothers underâking for them because themselves were Personâlly entrusted with the feeding and therefore the âoverning of the Flock For Thirdly By the above-mentioned Scripture we ând all Gospel-Pastors equally interressed in the Commission no imparity of Ministerial Power âor any colour for it in the Text Bishops and âres byters being not only under one Name but ânder one and the same Commission Who then âath Authority to make some of them subordinat â another Who are made equal by Divine Instiâtion if Men would be concluded by plain Scriâture this should put an End to the whole Disâute Fourthly We are the more obliged to take this âext as the Revelation of GOD's Will for the paâty of Gospel-Ministers that none of them âould have Superiority over another because the âne when these words were spoken was an opârtune Season to have discovered imparity if the âoly Ghost had allowed it Because first the Aâstle did call these Ministers together to give âem Directions as Ministers of the Gospel 2. âe was now to take Leave of them so as to see their âces no more And it was of great Importance for the Church of GOD in future Ages to know if
âeing he was to Ordain Elders in the plural numâer in every City and by the Scripture these Elâers are Bishops then mo Bishops then one was â be in every City which is contrare to the Episâopal Constitution 4. If it be said that Titus âas Archbishop or Metropolitan Answ This âcketh nothing but Proof which no where can âe had For the primitive Gospel-Church knew âo such thing as either a Diocesan Bishop Archâishop or Metropolitan long after the Death of âimothy and Titus there being no certain Rule âor modeling of Diocesses until the Reign of Conâantine the Great at which time the Church did âollow the Civil Government as to Diocesses this âishop Stilling-fleet maketh out in his Irenic page â76 377. 5. There is nothing to be found in âe Scriptures to countenance this Assertion that âitus was Archbishop of Crete all that can be said is âat he was sent to Crete upon a piece of special serâice for the Church which made him no more Biâop there then when he staid some time in other âlaces Aquinas run into the same Mistake as âo Dalmatia for because Titus went to Dalmatia âherefore he calls him the Bishop of Dalmatia 6. âf it be said that the least that Bishops can Gain from Titus being left to Ordain Elders is that âshops have sole Power of Ordination seing Tâ alone ordained Answ This is but to begâ Question for we deny that Titus was a Bishâ let that first be proved And 2. That he ordaâed as a Bishop And 3. That he ordained aloâ For his ordaining of Elders makes him no Bishoâ no more then the Apostle Pauls ordaining maâ him a Bishop they ordained as Extraordinaâ Officers in the Church making way for Bishoâ or Pastors and though Titus was invested wiâ extraordinary Power above any Bishop or Pastoâ yet that it self will not prove that he ordained sâ paratim without Presbyters Because he was Ordain Elders in the same manner that was the âstablished Way of the Church in conjunction wiâ Presbyters as the Apostle Paul did lay his hanâ on Timothy conjunctim with the Presbytry thâ is joyntly with a Presbytry Object 2. The Epistles to the seven Church of Asia are directed to the Bishops of these Chuâches because each of them is directed to one siâgle Person called the Angel of the Church Answ That these Epistles are directed to tâ Bishops of these Churches in the Scripture seâ we easily acknowledge but then no advantaâ to the Episcopal Cause is gained For if these Aâgels be Bishops and Bishops the same with Prâbyters then ye are just where you were not liâ âd one step higher than a preaching Presbyter or âospel-Pastor 2. Whereas the Angel is spoken unto in the sinâlar number you have no advantage by this either âr you shall find one and the same Angel spoken â in the plural number As to the Angel of the âhurch of Smyrna Rev. 2. 10 The Devil shal cast âme of you into Prison the Speech is directed unâ the Angel yet the plural number is used ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to âew that it 's not one single Person only that is deâted by the Name of Angel so also to the Angel âf the Church of Thyatira but unto you I say ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã âere the Angel is expresly spoken unto in the pluâl number So that any Argument from the âame Angel utterly faileth you For though an âgel be named in the singular number yet that by âe Name Angel is understood a collective Body â Ministers is evident otherwise let any Man ânder a Reason why the Angel is spoken to in the âural number as mo than one And hereby we âve solid ground to think that the Angel is spoân to in the plural number purposly to obviat or ârrect the Misapprehensions of any who would âink that a Bishop over Presbyters is understood â the Word Angel Object 3 But the Government of the Church â Bishops having Authority Jurisdiction over âesbyters is so Antient that we cannot judge it â any lower Derivation then from the Apostles albeit we have it not by express Scripture Answ 1. If you have such a Government the Church by due consequence from any Scriptuâ of the New Testament We are ready to yeâ Subjection albeit ye cannot Prove it by exprâ Scriptures ye shall not be so hard put to it â for you only to Affirm and Assert it Apostoliâ without any Proof cannot convince Mens Judgâments and satisfie their Conscience in a matter so great Importance Your selves being Judge if you have Proof for it make it appear Bishâ Laud and some other Bishops with him said oâ publickly if Prelacy were not the Apostolick Gâvernment they would forth with throw away thâ Rotchets But they kept them as long as thâ could and the Proof went no further upon whiâ Mr. Pryne did challenge them for breach of Pâmise VVhy do ye not stop all our Mouths âproving your Assertion and so satisfie a great Bâdy of Protestants at Home and Abroad Who giâ Reasons from Scripture contrare to your Asserâon And to say it must be Apostolick because its Antiquity is little less then to say we will haâ it from them whither they will or not their Dâctrine and Practice refuse and yet it must be âtorted from them 2. We have made it appear already that the âpostles did prescribe another Form of Governmenâ be managed by the Ministers of the Gospel in â âty of Ministerial Power and how to impose uâon our own Reason and Belief that by some inâisible Prescription they have contradicted all âis were hard measure should we or can we âject what they have Recorded by Inspiration of âe Holy Ghost and betake our selves to some fanâed Tradition Could this be a safe Way for our âonsciences Or could we Answer to GOD for â Your selves being Judges 3. If the Antiquity of Prelacy be at last its only âea and strongest Defence Cyprian will soon Anâer for us that Antiquity without Verity is but mouldy ârror and as Sir Francis Bacon termed it a Cypher âithout a Figure 2. If this Plea should hold Good then there â a Door opened for the most Antient Errors âherewith the Church was infested even in the Aâostles times and such as soon after endangered âe renting of her Bowels 3. And however Antient Prelacy be found yet may and doth suffice us that it hath no Institution â the Gospel-Church by Christ or his Apostles ând therefore can claim no better than Humane Appointment for which Appointment no Commisân was granted to the Church Object All that is Alledged by you against Eâiscopacy is but your own late Sentiments For âe Antient Fathers who understood the State of âe Primitive Church better than you do generally bear Testimony that Bishops have been in all Agâ of the Gospel-Church Answ We are of the same mind with Augâstin who being urged with the Authority of âprian answered That what he spoke according to â Scriptures he would
willingly accept but when he spâ without them with his good leave he would dissent â well knew that the best of sinfull Men were Fâlible and no Man to be followed further then â was a follower of Christ 2. When it 's said that the Fathers do generalâ assert Episcopacy was in the Church it will nâ thence follow that they asserted it should be the Church it 's one thing to affirm that in thâ and the other place there were Bishops over Preâbyters but another thing to affirm there was Dâvine Institution for such Prelacy there 's vast diffârence between the two and where this is not aâverted the Testimonies of the Fathers are bâ wrested and perverted as if they all approved Prelacy because they make mention of Bishop For 3. We shall find the choise of the Fathers âclaring that from the beginning it was not so aâ that the Difference between Bishop and Presbâter came in to the Church by Custom but by â Divine Appointment That the Church in â primitive times after the Apostles was governâ and should be governed by the common Couâ âf Presbyters and therefore we are willing they âpear and speak for themselves knowing they and up for us more than for you Palycarp Epist ad Philip. perswadeth the Peoâe to Obey their Presbyters as Christ We are not âncerned in his manner of Expression if it appear âyperbolick this being sufficient to us that his âxhortation is to obey Presbyters in the Lord but ât Bishops over Presbyters Ignatius Epist ad Trallens requireth the People subject to the Presbytry calling it Gods Court. Ireneus lib. 4. cap. 44. it becometh you to be Oâdiânt to Presbyters who have their succession from the âpostles And in his Epistle to Victor called Bishop of âome he hath these Words The Presbyters of Rome whom you have succeeded This Epistle and this âententence in it is quoted by Euseb lib. 5. cap. 23. âhereby it 's evident that all the Bishops of Rome the second Century were but Presbyters in Ireâus his Judgement Tertull. Apolog. cap. 30. calleth Presbyters preâents of the Churches Praesident probati quique Senioâ Theophylact. in Philip. 1. affirms that whiles the âpostles lived the Names of Bishops and Presbyters âere not distinguished Chrysostom commenting on the same Scripture âclareth himself to be of the same mind Jerom is more plain then pleasant insisting length in the Probation of his known Assertiâ that Bishops over Presbyters are not by Diviâ Institution for which he quoteth many Texts aâ Commenting on the first cap. to Titus saith a Prâbyter is the same with a Bishop and before that Faâons did arise in Religion by the instinct of the Devil â Churches were governed by the common Council of Prâbyters It 's strange that this Discourse of Jeroâ escaped an index expurgatorius confidering hâ Bellarmin and others fret when ever it 's mentioâed it 's so plain and full against the Divine Rigâ of Prelacy That some of them spare not to saâ the Good Old Father erred But he goeth onâ his Epistle to Euagr. and saith let Bishops know thâ it 's rather by Custom then by the Lords Appointmâ that Bishops are above Presbyters Ambrose on Eph. 4. saith that Bishops were set âbove Presbyters by a Council But giveth no accouâ of the time and place of that Council Howevâ that same which he saith sufficeth because suppâsing it were enacted by a Council then the preâtion was but by Humane Authority August Epist 19. confesseth that it was but by present Custom of the Church that Bishops were greâer than Presbyters Gregor Naz. orat 28. wisheth the utter Abolâon of Prelacy calling it a Tyrannical Government Theodoret. commenting on Phil. 1. saith tâ these Bishops mentioned in the Text were Presbyters Oecumenius commenting on the same text deâlareth himself of the same mind Chrysostom commenting on Hebrews saith âat Heb. 13. 17. made always his Soul to tremble âhen he thought on it and Homil. 34. page 602. falâth a wondring if a Bishop can be saved any of them âpeciallie whoâare greedy of so great a Charge Hom. â page 627. he calleth them miserable Wretches who âesire it for saith he thou must give an account of all âhom thou Rulest these are the words of Chrysoâom Basil de Spir. Sancto saith that by Ambition to overnall all Church Government came to nothing Many mo ' might be added but we suppose ye âill think these too many speaking at this Rate It should also be observed that Bishops of old âmmonly had no greater Charge then they could âersonally oversee So Euseb lib. 10. cap. 4. saith expresly that a Bishop âd no greater Charge then he could take personal notice their Souls And lib. 6. cap. 29. saith that an 236. the faithfull in Rome did meet together in one place chuse another Bishop in Place of Anterus Cyprian lib. 2. epist 5. When a Bishop was to Chosen the whole Body of the People were called toâher that he might be Elected before all their eyes and the suffrage of the whole Fraternity Here are two âings to be Noted that the Body of the People Elected their own Bishop next that the People whom the Bishop was to take Charge could meâ together in one place One Bishop had common â but one Altar or Communion Table so that oâ Bishop now after the New Model taketh a greaâer Charge than would have well served twenâ yea fourty in former times Primat Vsher in his Relig. of Irish saith that Pâtrick Planted in Ireland 365. Churches and as mâny Bishops and that afterward in Malachias tiâ the Bishops were more multiplied Let that numbâ be compared with the present number of Bishoâ in Ireland And then let the Reader Judge wâ hath the greatest regard to Antiquity or who tâ Bishops are that are most capable to Dischargeâ Pastoral-Duty to the Flock whether few aboâ twenty in a Nation or many hundreds And if â will not regard the account given by Mr. Clerks and others though convincingly demonstratâ that many Bishops lived so near to one anotheâ and their Sees so contiguous that their Charâ could not exceed the Bounds of an ordinary Parisâ and that many of them were Bishops of Villagâ yet ye will take notice of your Friend Mr. Fulâ who saith that Bishops of Old were set too thick for â to grow Lydda Jamina and Joppa being Episcopâ Towns and all of them within 3 or 4 Miles of othâ For Bishops had then their Sees in Poor Contemptiâ Villages And that none may think he speaketh random Sozom. confirmeth the same that Villages âad their Bishops lib. 7. cap. 19. Object But the Church upon mature Delibeâation found it expedient to invest some with âower and Authority over many others for preâenting or healing of Divisions and keeping all in Unity and good Order Answ The most knowing and moderat of the âpiscopal Perswasion take Sanctuary here and âresume no higher alledging the Church was âonstrained to it for compescing turbulent Huâors and
all People we knoâ Dissenters in this Diocess do most need sucâ help the weakest of them being often accoâed with Questions more proper for studied Dâvines than poor Countrey-People and if thâ Answers of these poor People do not relish ââ shall have it published that the Dissenters here are a most ignorant People insulted over and exposed to Contempt Therefore we thought it necessary in our Circumstances because of our Love to the Truth and to the Weakest ââ these who adhere to it to afford what Heââ we could Acknowledging that this presââ Undertaking might have been performed ââ greater Advantage by some abler Pen which iâ hoped will yet be done but whatever weaknes appear in this little Tractat shall not be imputable to many but to some of those to whom the Authors Admonition was Directed and therebâ concerned to exoner their Conscience by making it appear that neither trifling Scruplâ Peevishness nor perverse Obstinacy but meer ây that our Consciences cannot be stretched to âhe Latitude that others take in the VVorship of GOD hath procured the following Resoâution to the Authors Query If it be displeasing to him it 's that which we could not prevent but himself might have prevented it by permitting us to Live in Peace without such Queries For he could not but foresee our Answer would be conformed to our own Principles and Practice though we have no Pleasure in provocking him or any other being desirous to live Quiet and Peaceable in the Land giving thanks to GOD the Author of all Good and to his Majesties Clemency under whose happy Government we enjoy Protection and to whom we owe most entire Acknowledgements of Gratitude which we are desirous to testifie on all Occasions and at this present are confident that when many are found Guilty of these execrable Conspiracies to take away his Precious Life there shall not one of our Principles be stained with Disloyalty but all in a cheerfull readiness for his Majesties Preservation and Service There is one thing more that the Reader is desired to Notice that notwithstanding the Exceptions hereafter mentioned stand in the Way of our Communion with the Establisht Church yet we doubt not but many of that Communioâ are Godly Persons and are known to be of suâ a Christian-Conversation that we could free partake with them in Gospel-Ordinances pâviding we could obtain it without danger of Siâning nor do we take it on us to Judge theâ for following their own Judgement only â cannot see with their Eyes nor they with ouâ but must wait untill GOD reveal it to them wâ are otherwise minded Perswading our Selâ that the Sober and Judicious of another Persâsion whom we Love and Honour in the LORâ will not Condemn but rather approve of oâ Ingenuity in allowing Men to know the weigâ of these Reasons that binds Us up from tâ Communion which otherwise we would Coâ for the Churches Peace This ingenuous Apology is neither for Ostentation nor Irritation but a necessary Vindication of our Practice unto which we are pressed IN laying open Our Exceptions we shall begin with that which is the Root of all these Eclesiastick-Impositious whereby our Consciences are Burdened and our Selves âhrust out from Communion with You in the âublick Worship of GOD Our Ministers and âheir Ministry is Rejected if they Subscribe not âo this Article Cannon 36. viz. That the Book of Common Prayer and of Ordering of Bishops Priests ând Deacons containeth nothing in it contrary to the âord of GOD and that it may Lawfully so be used ând that he Himself will use the Form in the said Book ârescribed in publick Prayer and Administration âf the Sacraments and none other Here is a plain and full Extrusion of all Miniâers who are not for Bishops over Presbyters for âhe Canon mentioneth only such Bishops or will âse any other Form in Prayer than the Service âook to this Form of Service the People must âlso subject for no other Church-Communion is allowed them but where these are Consented uâ to But this our Consciences being Directed bâ the Word of GOD cannot Comply with coâplaining of it as a most heavy Imposition And this Jurisdiction of Bishops over Presbyters is the Ground of our first Exception and thâ because the Office of a Bishop having Authoriâ over other Ministers of the Gospel is not founâ in the Scriptures and therefore wanteth Diviâ Institution And if such a Bishops Commission â not found there then We are not obliged to suâject to him as an Officer in the House of GOD Such therefore as will stand on no lower Grounâ for Prelacy in the Church than Scriptural-Authârity are obliged to make it appear And We dâsire no more but direct us to any Scriptures whâ this Commission is granted if this could be doâ ye would not only save us a Labour of proving Negative but should also find us as comformabâ in Point of Subjection as any of your own Coâmunion but after frequent and according â our Measure serious reading the Book of GOD We could never yet observe a Bishop set ovâ Presbyters but We frequently find that a Bishoâ Presbyter are one office as hereafter shal appeaâ Reason 1. If Christ had instituted the Offiâ of a Prelate or Bishop over Presbyters then tâ said Office would be mentioned in some of theâ Scriptures which designedly giveth an accountâ all Church-Officers in the Gospel-Church But in none of these Scriptures is there any mention of a Prelate or Bishop over Presbyters Therefore Christ hath not instituted the said Office For the first Proposition that if there were Institution for such an Officer he would be mentioned in these Scriptures is evident because the Apostle setteth himself to shew what Offices Christ had set in his Church both Extraordinary and Ordinary And who dare say that the Apostle failed in the Enumeration being inspired by the Holy Ghost and how can it be imagined that so eminent a Church-Officer making so great a Figure in the Church could be omitted was it not of great Importance for the Church of GOD in all succeeding Generations to know if there was One appointed to have Authority over many other Ministers without whose placet they should âeither have Power to Ordain other Ministers âor Govern their Flocks If Christ had instituted such an Officer would he not have given some ântimation of Him That other Ministers might âave known it was their Duty conscientiously to Obey Him But we have no where any such Intiâation from Christ or any of his Apostles but the contrary as shall appear And that a Bishop over Presbyters is invisible ây any of these Scriptures where Church-Officers are purposely enumerated the Reader shall havâ them in ready and full view 1 Cor. 12. 28. And GOD hath set some in thâ Church first Apostles secondary Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles then Gifts of Healinâ Helps Governments Diversities of Tongues Rom. 12. 6. Having then Gifts differing accordinâ to the Grace
to â cramental Obligation already and no Man hath Aâthority to impose another Obligation in tâ same Complex sacramental Action These are some of the Reasons that it's hopâ will justifie our not Complying with the Sign the Cross in Baptism and may satisfie those of ânother Perswasion that we do not indulge peeviâ Scruples against it but are over-awed with tâ Word of GOD not daring to add to it or off any Worship which He hath not commanded Our 5th Exception is your peremptory requiâing the Re-Ordination of our Ministers otherwiâ by your Laws they shall be no Ministers amoâ you nor to any others so far as your Power câ reach And this we judge a rejecting of us altogâther and a manifest Injury to the Church of GOâ for first our Ministers of the Presbyterian Perswâsion are Elected and Ordained according to tâ Rules of Scripture the People Electing a Presbâtry Ordaining It were good if you were able â say as much for your selves 2. As our Ministers Ordination is Scripturaâ it is the same Ordination approved and practisâ by the Reformed Churches Abroad allowing â Bishops Superior to Presbyters as appears âainly by their Confessions of Faith of which âu may now take a taste The French Confession Art 30. We Believe that the True Church ought to be Goverâd by that Regiment or Discipline which Our Lord âsus Christ hath Established viz. That there be in it âastors Elders aend Deacons We Believe that all true âastors in whatsoever Place they be placed have the âme and equal Authority among themselves given unâ them under Jesus Christ the only Head The Confession of Belgia Art 31. In whatsoever Place of the World the Ministers of âe Word of GOD do keep they have all of them the âme and equal Power and Authority being all of âem equally the Ministers of Christ the only univerâl Head and Bishop of the Church The latter Confession of Helvetia The Power that is given to the Ministers of the âhurch is the same and alike in all in the beginning âe Bishops or Elders did with a common Consent and âabour Govern the Church no Man lifted up himâlf above another These and the like Confessions of other Reformed Churches are the publick Standard aâ Authentique Testimony of their Judgement Aâ therefore the privat Sentiments of a few late Fâreign Divines writing in Favour of another Gâvernment of the Church whether by Mis-infâmation or declining from their own professâ Principles are not to be valued Though soâ are now at great Pains to scrape together if not procure Epistles from Forreigners approving Episcopal Government and so to impose on tâ credulous a belief that the Churches Abroad aâ of the same Mind But the publick Records these Churches are a permanent Testimony agaiâ them so that it 's evident the Government of the Churches being by Ministers in parity of powâ there can be no Episcopal ordination among theâ 3. If Ordination performed by Ministers in pârity of Power be not valide but Null and Voiâ for the want of Prelacy then their Ministeriâ Administrations are also null void as perforâed by non habentibus Potestatem and if so then thâ great Body of Protestants have neither lawfâ Pastors to Feed them nor due Administration Sacraments nor are so much as professed Chrisâans wanting Baptism the publick Badge of Châstianity For if Ministers be not lawfully Authârized and Ordained they cannot warrantably Baâtize in the Name of the Father Son and Hoâ Ghost it being a Profanation of that Ordinanâ fâr any others to Administer it Let us then make Supposition that a baptized Member of the Reârmed Churches Abroad should seriously enâuire at any of you whether he were Lawfully âaptized or not for you give him Occasion to âoubt whether such a Minister had Authority to âaptize him what would be your Answer if you ây he was not lawfully baptized because the Miâister wanted Episcopal-Ordination then you âake your selves Schismaticks of the highest âorm Unchurching so many True Churches of âhrist And if you say he was lawfully Baptized âen the Minister who baptized him was lawfully ârdained and if he was lawfully Ordained by Miâisters in parity of Power Abroad why then are âot Ministers lawfully Ordained at Home being Ordained in the same manner without Episcopal Ordination And if lawfully Ordained why is Reârdination required If you will please patiently to âeflect on your own Way as to the Point of Reârdination it will be hard to make one part of it âonsist with another for if ye own the Gospel-Adâinistrations of Ministers Ordained without a Bishop you are thereby engaged to own their Orâination as valide And that you do acquiesce in âheir Gospel Administrations as valid is manifest for instance if one baptized by a Presbyter who âever had Episcopal-Ordination shall come to âe a Member of your Communion you require no Re-baptising and if ye have other Pre-requiâ for Confirmation ye will confirm and admit â to the Lords Supper and if afterward he sâripen farther and be qualified for Church-âders you will make a Minister of him this aâ many other Instances are sufficient to Prove yâ convinced and satisfied that the Gospel-Admiâstrations of such Ministers are Valide before GOâ and Man Let the Reader then Judge how congruous it is for you to require their Re-orânation after upon the matter you have acknoâledged the validity of their Ordination already 4. We humbly offer it to Consideration tâ a Bishop over Presbyters not being by Divine stitution hath no greater Power in Ordinatiâ than any other Gospel-Minister because all tâ Power he hath by Commission is as a Presbyter Scriptural Bishop and as such all such have qual Ministerial Power granted by the Gospâ Charter as hath been abundantly evinced alrâdy and therefore Ordination is as valide withâ a Bishop as with him if a Presbytry Ordaiâ Which is the Scripture Patern And many Instâces might be given of the Ordination of Miâsters without a Bishop Gelas in act Concil Nicâ Asserteth that Presbyters Ordain though the Bishoâ not present and Ambrose on the Ephes saith the saâ and your own Bishop Stilling fleet in his Iren. pâ 380. 381. affordeth you plenty of such Instanâ where Ordination of Ministers was performed âithout a Bishop And though the Kingdom of âotland did early receive the Christian Faith yet âe find by Johanes Major de gestis Scot. lib. 2. âp 2. That there was no Episcopal Ordination in that âurch before An. 430. and that they were instructed âe Episcopis So Fordon Scot. Chron. lib. 3. cap. 8. ânte Palladij adventum habebant Scoti fidei Doctores Sacramentorum Ministratores Presbyteros solumâodo vel Monachos ritum sequentes Eclesiae primitivae âeir Teachers and such as administred the Sacraâents were only Presbyters or Monks following âe Custom of the primitive Church Having now discovered some of the strongest âross-bars that are laid in our Way obstructing âr Communion in Worship with the established âhurch We shal come
that is given to us whither Prophecy let â Prophecy according to the proportion of Faith or Minâstry let us wait on our Ministry or he that Teacheâ on Teaching or he that Exhorteth on Exhortation â that Giveth let him do it with Simplicity he that Ruâeth with Diligence he that sheweth Mercy with Cheeâfulness Ephes 4. 11. And he gave some Apostles anâ some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pâstors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints fâ the Work of the Ministry for the Edifieing of the Bâdy of Christ As for any other Scriptures alledged to favour thâ Episcopal Cause they shall be considered in theiâ due place But these Scriptures now mentioneâ are the places that all Church-Officers do ordinarily betake themselves unto who are willing tâ have their Commission and Title tryed by thâ Word of GOD because by them we are particulaâly instructed Who they are whom GOD hath sâ in his Church and in what order as first secondârily c. now let the Reader demonstrate a Bishoâ over Presbyters by any of these Scriptures and âe shall not want reverence let him appear and âell us plainly where he fixeth his claim for he will âot for Truth and Modesties sake challenge all âhese Offices and Gifts to be his and some of them âeing now out of his reach and ceased as Miâacles Gifts of Healing and Diversities of Tongues ât's agreed that all these may be laid aside from âhis Debate as Extraordinary Some of the Offiâes mentioned are too low for a Bishop being the âowest Set of Church Officers as Deacons under âhe Denomination of Helps giving with Simplicity ând Cheerfulness neither will these be concerned ân this Debate We shall come then to the Highest and First in âhe Roll the Apostles being set down first and Biâhops now the First and Highest in the Church âere some of them fix their Claim as Successors âo the Apostles and plead it with all earnestness âut no successe for lack of Arguments and the âeight of Arguments against it and that VVe be âot amused with big and ambiguous Words not ânderstood We crave that Justice of those who âaintain this Apostolick succession to let us know âhat they understand by it if it be that Prelats ââ the Gospel-Church have succeded to the intire âffice of Apostles or 2d if they have fucceded unâo the Doctrine of the Apostles or 3d. unto such âospel-Administrations performed by the Apostles as were necessary to continue in the Gospâ Church as Preaching administration of Sacrameâ Discipline c. or 4th if by Apostolick Succâsion they understand Apostolick Institution Tâ is such as have Commission from Christs Apostlâ to Feed his Flock If the first of these be affirmed that Bishops âver Presbyters succeed to the Apostles intire Offâ Then First we have many moe Apostles than eâ Christ did Institute for all Diocesan Bishops mâ be Apostles 2. Then they have all immediat Commissiâ from Christ as all the Apostles had For we mâ see that when one Apostle was wanting the Detâmination who should fill his Room the immeâat Decision thereof was left to GOD by Lots â Acts 1. When Mathias was appointed to take pâ of the Apostleship from which Judas fell by Traâgression This manner of Election our Bishops wâ not pretend 3. If Bishops Succeed to the very Office aâ Commission of Apostles then they are infallible Doctrine and may write Canonick Scriptuâ which their modesty will not challenge 4. If Bishops succeed the Apostles Office thâ shall all lose their Diocesses for the Apostles â no Diocess but the wide World they had no liâted Bounds but the Bishop is restricted by Lâ limited Bounds for as Diocesan his Power extenâeth no further then the circumscribed Diocess âhereof he is Bishop Secondly If it be said that Apostolick Successiâ is by succeeding to their Doctrine then all Gosâel-Ministers have the same claim for they also reach the same Doctrine feeding the Flock with âe same sincere Milk of the Word So that eâery faithfull Gospel-Pastor preaching sound Doârine neither Corrupting Diminishing nor Adâing to the Word of GOD may put in his Claim âr this Kind of Succession And that with greatâ confidence than such as make Additions of doârinal significative Ceremonies of their own Inâention For the third manner of Succession to these Goâel-Administrations which were to continue in the âurch tho' performed by the Apostles Consider â First That all Gospel-Ministers partake equalâ of that manner of Succession As they are Paârs entrusted by Christ with the feeding of his âock Let the Maintainers of imparity among âospel-Ministers shew a Difference or what Miâsterial Acts are reserved to some and denied to âhers 2. These Gospel-Administrations now to be âerformed by the ordinary Pastors of the Church âke not their Original Authority from the Apoâolick Office but from Christs Commission and Precepts to the Pastors of his Church to perfoâ these Ministerial Acts the Pastor being a distiâ Officer in the House of GOD dependeth not â the Apostolick Office nor is there any need for â Because the Pastor hath his Commission distiâ from the Office of an Apostle though the mattâ of their Administrations in some things coincidâ yet that maketh not the two distinct Offices coiâcide the Pastors Office being entire by it self the Gospel Charter Fourthly If by Apostolick Succession be meaâ only Apostolick Institution that is that these aâ the Apostles Successors whom the Apostles dâ Institute and Appoint to be the Pastors of tâ Church This manner of Succession we acknoâledge to be most firm and therefore whosoevâ can instruct their Office in the Church to be Apostolick Institution have the true Right aâ Title and therefore shall now most willingly joâ Issues for its Trial knowing that Bishops ovâ Presbyters were never instituted by the Apostlâ as shall hereafter appear Object Some Bishops can draw the line of âpiscopal Succession from the Apostles days unâ this day Answ A line of Episcopal Succession that is the Succession of Diocesan Bishops for its Bishoâ of that new Cut Model who are concern'd this Debate such a Line of Succession can no Mâ draw from the Apostles Times The Reason is obâious because there were no Diocesses and thereâore no Diocesan Bishops long after the Apostles âimes For the first three Centuries the Church was under Heathnish Persecutors incapable of aây Diocess for a Bishop and therefore Euseb commonly calleth the Bishop a Bishop of a Parish the Church knew not what a Diocess was before Conâtantin appeared and then began to follow the Mode of the Civil Government 2. Tho' a Line of Succession could be drawn from the Apostles Times that is of Scriptural Bishops having no greater Charge then they could personally oversee Yet as this maketh nothing for Diocesan-Bishops so it proveth nothing of Apostolick Succession because a Succession from the Apostles Times can never prove a Succession to the Apostolick Office the one cannot infer the other Object Some Apostles came
was the Will of GOD that such an Officer as a âshop over Presbyters should be in the House â GOD that they might obey him in the LORâ 3. The Apostle in the following Words giveâ Warning that after his Departure grievous Wolvâ shall enter in among them not sparing the Flock aâ verse 30. of their own selves shall Men arise speaâing perverse things to draw away Disciples after theâ Yet for all this Danger he giveth no Direction set up a Bishop over other Ministers for presâving the Flock nor any Intimation that it wâ the Will of GOD to provide such a Remedy aâterwards But requireth the Pastors to Watch aâ commendeth them to GOD and the Word of hâ Grace which was able to Build them up wheâ by we may see they are remitted to the word for Dârection in what concerneth his Church and nâ to invent without the Word a Remedy of theâ own devising 4. From the same Scripture â are also instructed that the instituted Pastors â the Church are to feed and take heed unto all â Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath maâ them Overseers And therefore Gospel-Ministeâ are to have no greater Charge than such as thâ may perform all the Duties belonging to a Pastoâ to all the Flock And if any Minister assumâ greater Charge than he can perform these Duâ unto then it is not that Charge that the Holy Ghâ hath committed to him If it be said that the Bishop feedeth the Flock â his Substituts such as he is pleased to appoint Answ But quo jure by what Right or Authoâty can he substitute another to do that which he âth assumed for his own Work and personal Perârmance it was a doubt that the learned Sir Franâ Bacon said he could never be resolved of how a Man that had a Trust committed to him for his perânal Faithfulness could delegate that Trust to another âd if a Bishop say he never engaged to Feed so âany then it may be justly replyed he was never âastor to so many Why then should he presume âe Title and Name of their Pastor When he ââweth it simply impossible for him to Teach âd Feed them or the twentieth part of them acârding to the Duty of a Pastor It 's also to be observed that as by this and maâ other Texts the Ministers of the Gospel have âual Pastoral Authority de jure so we find in the âriptures that de facto they are placed in Possessiâ of this Ministerial-Power and exercise it with âvine Approbation For Presbyters ordain Miâsters as 1 Tim. 4. 14. and are therein approved â the Apostle Timothy being charged not to neâct the Gift he had thereby received 2. A Comânity of Presbyters exert their Power in Church âscipline and are required by the Apostle so to â 1 Cor. 5. 4. and 5. verses This Sentence was âicted by many not by one assuming the sole Power of Jurisdiction to himself which is câsonant to our Saviours Doctrine Matth. 18. 1â who requireth the offended Brother to tell â Church not a single Person if Christ had coâmitted the Power of Discipline to One than â Complaint of the offended Brother should hâ been to that One for to whom should he Coâplain but to such as had Power to do him Justiâ and remove the Offence But we see Christ's âpointment is not to make Application to One â to the Church Therefore it 's no Institution Christ that authoritative Church-Power be loâed in one Person So also we find that Presbyters are Constituâ Members of that famous Juridical Synod at Jeâsalem Acts 15. the Apostles and Elders came to âther to consider the Matter in which Assemâ there is not one found to Over-rule the Rest â assuming a negative Voice Though some presâ had more just Authority in the Church than â now on Earth can pretend to yet all had fâ liberty to speak their Judgement and all carâ by Suffrages and that which was concluded plâed the Apostles and Elders and is published in â Name of the Apostles and Elders whereby it's parent that in the Apostles time Presbyters â in the actual exercise of Church-Government âtherwise the Decrees of the Synod had never â published in their Name We shall not at prâ multiply Arguments but let these three be duely ânsidered 1. That the Office of a Prelate canât be found in the Roll of Church-Officers 2. ârists Discharging his Ministers to be one of âem Greater than another And 3. The Diâe Institution of parity among Ministers Object Timothy and Titus are called Bishops in â Bibles therefore Bishops are by Divine Instiâtion Answ All Gospel Pastors are Bishops accorâg to the Word of GOD and therefore tho' âey were Bishops which cannot be granted ât the Episcopal Cause gaineth nothing because âshops above Presbyters are never found in our âbles 2. These Postscripts to the 2d Epistle to Tiâthy and the Epistle to Titus are not Canonick âripture but added several Ages after the Canon Scripture was closed and after the Church beân to degenerat which is irrefragably evinced Mr Pryn in his Unbishoping of Timothy and âus and is acknowledged both by Papists and âers that the most antient Copies have no such âstscripts and therefore our Bibles have these âstscripts still at some distance from the rest of âse Epistles But the Difference is not altogeâer so observable now as formerly when these âstscripts were purposely Printed in very smal âaracters to make the Difference discernable by all who read them 3 Timothy is expresly âled an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4. 5. and therefore coâ not be a Bishop neither in Scripture sence aâ Pastor to a particular Flock whom he might pâsonally oversee nor in the Prelatical sence as a âocesan Bishop because an Evangelist was noââmited to any particular bounds as hath been cleâed already And to say that Timothy was Bishâ of Ephesus is against reason for Timothy was pâsent with the Apostle Paul when he commitâ the Charge of the Flock to the Presbyters in coâmon but no mention of Timothy as their Bishopâ whom the Charge had chiefly belonged if he hâ been the only Bishop of Ephesus As for Titus he was employed in the like Gâpel-Service from one place to another as Timâ was But it 's said Tit. 15. That he was left in Cretâ ordain Elders in every City therefore he had Episâpal Jurisdiction Answ 1. Timothy and Titus were both exâordinary Officers in the Church as appears â their constant Travels from place to place thâ Work being to erect Churches and plant Bishâ or Presbyters in these Churches but not to Bishops of them themselves their Power beâ greater than ordinary Bishops or Pastors as is â served by Chrysostom on Eph. 4 that their Work â to plant Churches and Bishops or Elders to be theiââdinary Pastors 2. Seing Titus was to ordain Elâers in every City of Crete then where was his own âiocess For it cannot be supposed that he did ârdain himself Bishop of one of these Cities 3.