end of the World Of which and of the correspondence of both Testaments S. Hierom speaks thus That we may see Apostolical Traditions to be taken out of the Old Testament look what Aaron and his Sons and the Levites were in the Temple the same let the Bishops Priests and Deacons challenge in the Church And We know Bishops and Priests to be what were Aaron and his Sons And S. Cyprian calleth Bishops the Apostles Successors All Bishops are the Apostles Successors saith S. Hierom. And as so do we finde the Apostles name place and work to have been by the Apostles given to these their Successors II. As to the Name The very name of Apostle is so given to Epaphroditus Bishop of the Philippians as Bullinger calls him him doth S. Paul call their Apostle Philip. 2. 25. so is it in the Original whereas in our English it would be enquired how well it is rendred Messenger For S. Ambrose on those words He Epaphroditus is by the Apostles made their Apostle And S. Hierome writing on those words My Fellow Souldier and your Apostle Fellow Souldier saith he by reason of his honor because he also had received the Office of being an Apostle among them Again By those chosen by our Lord were others ordained Apostles as appears in that to the Philippians Phil. 2. 25. Epaphroditus your Apostle so S. Hierom. Coment in Gal. 1. 19. But that name Apostle was not intended for a lasting name as Theodoret observeth In time past they called the same men Presbyters and Bishops and they who are now called Bishops they named Apostles but in process of time they left the name Apostle to them properly called Apostles and the name of Bishop they gave to them who had been Apostles Apostle was their name and even that name of Bishop now more fixed is what they had from the Apostles from whom they derive their Office that of Bishop was the Apostles own name of Office So Judas numbred with the Apostles and obtaining part of the same Ministry with them the Apostleship that his Apostleship is called his Office so we read it but by the LXX it is rendred his Bishoprick let another take his Office or Bishoprick which word Bishoprick is is used by the Apostle S. Peter citing that in Psalm 109. 8. according to the LXX and what is there called by the name of Bishoprick is after called Apostleship The Apostles were Bishops which are the words of S. Ambrose in Ephes. 4. 11. 2 Cor. 12. 28. And that name of Bishop was derived to the Apostles from those from whom under the Old Testament they derive if I may so say I mean these Chief Priests called in our English Overseers but by the LXX Bishops Overseers and Bishops are the same the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers so in our English but in the Greek Bishops which the Apostles name Bishop is thus given you see to their Successors Bishops to this day Thus as Christ the High Priest hath the Name of Apostle Heb. 3. 1. and Bishop 1 Pet. 2. 25. and as they sent by him his Apostles were so also called so are in like manner they who are by the Apostles substituted as you have seen II. And as the Apostolick name so the same work also as Teaching Ordering Ordaining c. is by the Apostles committed to their Successors for this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every city as I had appointed thee saith the Apostle here to Titus his Successor The same work being in all others in like place and trust in the Church for ever III. And for carrying on that great work and name had these the Apostles Succssors the Apostles place and degree also in the Church in being above others and to be accordingly respected and esteemed Among us saith S. Hierome Bishops have the place of the Apostles which his Expression Among us sheweth how Bishops were esteemed among Oxthodox Christians other than was among Hereticks such as Montanus and his followers against whom he there writes blaming them for so depressing and vilifying that sacred and high Order as they did And what is among us chief and first speaking of Bishops that is saith he last with them with Montanus and his Faction with them Bishops are in the third and last place So S. Hierome on whom I fix rather then on many other to that purpose he being understood by the contrary side not to have been of the best friends to Bishops yet in this is the priviledge and preheminence of Bishops by him acknowledged asserted and even you see contended for Thus was it in S. Hieromes time 400 years after Christ it having been so continued to his days from the times of the Apostles so also after S. Hieromes time through all ages of the Church until that Schism raised about 126 years since in Geneva An. 1541 a year to us in the next Century 1641. on the same account fataâ— whereby we find this Sacred Hierarchy trampled on by inferioâ— Elders by whom although the name of Bishop would be forgotten yet is the place power and work of Bishops by them notwithstanding ambitiously sought after sacrilegiously usurped to themselves alone appropriated affirming all spoken of Bishops to be intended onely of Elders and making Elders and Bishops the same without difference of degree or preheminence in any kind Some Community there is indeed between Bishops and Elders yet so as that even in that there appears sufficient to preserve to Bishops their Being Work and Dignity distinct and above those who would themselves have all without sharing Let this be considered distinctly in that community which is by these Elders challenged with Bishops both in Name and Work by which they conclude Bishop and Elders the same and themselves all As to the names of Bishops and Elders promiscuously used for that are these places of Scripture among others by them insultingly insisted on particularly Acts 20. 28. where the Elders of the Church of Ephesus v. 17. are v. 28 called Overseers or Bishops so in the Greek Also Phil. 1. 1. the Apostle saluteth the Saints at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons See say they Bishops plurally many of them in the same City therefore intended of Elders not Bishops and that there also Bishops and Deacons onely are named not Elders Elders notwithstanding being intended therefore concluding that in that of Bishops Elders are understood and not Bishops And even this Text also Tit. 1. 5 7. is by them urged to that purpose where are Elders in every City v. 5. and those Elders v. 5. called Bishops v. 7. 1. Therefore say they to be meant of Elders properly and not of Bishops on all concluding that Elders and Bishops so promiscuonsly vsed are therefore the same and not distinguished and therefore no
had been so ordered by the Apostles see it by the Church received and after continued throughout all ages from the beginning whereby what might seem doubtful in the first Institution may be cleared by observing what was of that understood and after practised by the Church accordingly The Church is the pillar and ground of truth and what grounding on the Scripture the Church in all ages hath held from the beginning that we may rely upon for truth And how did the Church understand the Apostles appointing Bishops and Elders in the Church for its Government Did they not understand it of Bishops distinct from Elders and Superior to them Did they ever understand it of Elders without Bishops or of Elders ruling in chief much less of lay-Lay-Elders of which is nothing to be found any where in Scripture or Antiquity Let the constant practise of the Church throushhout all ages be Judge in that how the Apostles were therein understood In which I shall use the words of Judicious Mr. Hooker Very strange it is saith he that such a Discipline as ye Elders speak of should be taught by Christ and his Apostles in the word of God and no Church have found it out nor received it till this present time contrariwise the Government against which ye bend your selves be observed every where throughout all generations and ages of the Christian world no Church ever perceiving the word of God to be against it adding We require you to finde out but one Church upon the face of the whole earth that hath been ordered by your discipline or hath not been ordered by ours that is to say by Episcopal Regiment Sithence the time that the blessed Apostles were 〈◊〉 conversant This was Mr. Hookers challenge to that side in this case and that many years since which hath never been to this day answered onely by the sword and so was it indeed put home to us perilously Antiquity is not to be despised but that to be advised with and submitted to in such cases Enquire of the former Age and prepare thy self to the search of their fathers for we are but of yesterday and know nothing shall not they teach thee and tell thee and utter words out of their hearts said Bildad to Job 8. 8. 9. 10. So the Lord directs by the Prophet thus saith the Lord stand ye in the way and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your Soules but they said we will not walke therein which is even what these say in this refusing any such tryall in this dispute well knowing themselves cast in it But in matters of antiquitie to denye the credit of Antiquitie in what is not contradicted by Scripture discovers One addicted to Noveltie and singularity rather then to truth Let therefore our Church Levellers se to this who in such their Schisme teare and rend the seamless garments of the Church and as a generation of Vipers eat out and through the bowels of their Mother disturbing Church unity and peace drawing into factions and filling all with confusions Herein let them see themselves in their forefathers for such there were of old under both Testaments Se some under the old Testament setting themselves even against what God himself had expresly ordered concerning the high Priest-hood in Aron There Corah of the tribe of Levy raised a partie and faction of 250 Princes of the Assembly against Moses and Aron having the confidence thus to tell them yee take too much upon you seing all the congregation are holy every one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift you your selves above the congregation of the Lord but Moses returns it to them again yee take too much upon you yee Sons of Levy seemeth it but a small thing unto you that the Lord God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel to bring you near unto himself to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Lord to stand before the congregation to Minister unto them And he hath brought thee neer unto him and all thy brethren the Sons of Levi with thee and seek ye the Priest-hood also so was it then 2. And such Corahs we find under the new Testament also of whom the Apostle S. Jude speaks with a woe woe to them for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam and perished in the gainsaying of Core Where se them ranked with three notoriously wicked Cain and Balaam and Corab with Cain for blood with Balaam for Covetousness and with Corah for faction Cain the accursed murderer of his brother righteous Abel so was he the first persecuter of the Church Balaam called on to curss the people of God and Corah a factious schismatique to Corahs schisme are they moved by Balaams Covetousnesss and ambition and to that going on in the way of Cain in blood and cruelty And for that see woe and destruction begining with woe Judgment denounced and ending with destruction Judgment executed perishing in the gainsaying of Core Core or Corah of all that faction is alone mentioned others being but his followers in that wicked cause his destruction being also more remarkable whether as to those with him in that rebellion or as to those other two notoriously wicked Balaam and Cain whose ends were not as of others Corah and his followers perishing not by an ordinary Judgment like other men the earth opening its mouth and swallowing up them and theirs alive in sight of all the people By the dreadfulness of the Judgment let the hainousness of the sin be estimated 3. And such have been our Corah◠also authors of our late confusions and evills in Church and State By whom hath been in the Church and Inlet and overflowing of blasphemies and of monstrous and pernicious doctrines horrible to be mentioned and not in very confutations to be remembred as if hell it self had broken loose The title of a book in which many of those abhominations are Collected And no wonder it should be so Church order and Government having been as it was cast off and trampled on While that stood all was well withus the face of our Church was comely and truth and peace secured and the enemies to both error and schisme not daring to shew themselves among us The Church is here Militant So is it described terrible as an army with banners with banner i. e. in order So it is by the LXX rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An army under its banners is in order and in that order is both beauty and terror and in that security Church security and Church beauty is in order thou art beautifull O my love as Tirza comely as Ierusalem terrible as an army with banners Cant. 6. 4. how pleasant is an army ranged under its banners so the Church under its colours leaders and officers
Imprimatur Mich. Dublin Canc. A SERMON Preached at the Consecration OF The Right Reverend Father in God AMBROSE Lord Bishop of KILDARE IN Christ-Church Dublin June 29. 1667. BY The Right Reverend Father in God HENRY Lord Bishop of MEATH DUBLIN Printed by John Crook Printer to the King 's most Excellent Majestie and are to be sold by Samuel Dancer in Castle-street 1667. To the Most Honourable JAMES Duke Marquess and Earl of Ormond Earl of Ossory and Brecknock Viscount Thurles Lord Baron of Arklow and Lanthony Lord of the Regalities and Liberties of the County of Tipperary Chancellor of the Universitie of Dublin Lord Lieutenant General and General Governour of His MAJESTIES Kingdom of Ireland Lord Lieutenant of the County of Somerset the City and County of Bristol and the Cities of Bath and Wells one of the Lords of His MAJESTIES Most Honourable Privy Councils of His MAJESTIES Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland Lord Steward of His MAJESTIES Household Gentleman of His MAJESTIES Bed-chamber and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter His GRACE My LORD WHat of Ecclesiastical Government in the Christian Church hath passed our fore-fathers unquestioned more than One thousand five hundred years from the Apostles downward that is become the unhappy Dispute of this last Age both as to Pen and Sword This had its Rise at Geneva Anno 1541. the people having thence tumultuously expelled their Bishop and being thereby without Government and to seek for the way toward it thereupon did Calvin put himself on them finding in that a fit introduction to greatness and by his prudence and learning in both which he excelled became he there an Oracle and his will a law Of that made he use in meditating forming and proposing a Model of Church-government it being desired of him by the people which he well ordered to his ends and interests intermixing Church and Lay-Elders those fixed these yearly elected appointing a double number of the Laity to what was of the other That is six Ministers and twelve others chosen out of their three Councils of State viz. Six out of their Council of two hundred and four out of that of sixty and two out of the twenty five wherein for pleasing the people the advantage of major Votes was given them in decisions and in that most of power in them seemingly placed whereas indeed all was thereby in himself and in his Church-Elders principally well judging that the fewer being learned leading and lasting might easily influence and overbear a greater number not so reaching and changing whose election also might be by the other so ordered as to serve a Church-interest And least on consideration this might be over-soon apprehended and avoided Therefore had Calvin undertaking that form of Government desired of him first politickly obliged that people by Oath to receive and submit to what should be so proposed Provided it were agreeable to Gods Word and to the approbation of such of the Reformed Churches as should be thought fit to be therein consulted And accordingly did he carefully hold in that to Scripture-names and words knowing that this could not but sound well howsoever and that it might take with the less discerning and would certainly pass with those whose interest it was to be so satisfied In which he fixed principally on the name of Elders a Scripture-name of which much is spoken in both Testaments but in the New Testament sounding toward the frame of Government in the Christian Church yet in the New Testament was found the word Bishop also and this as considerable for Church government as could be pretended to in that other of Elders and yet must not notwithstanding the name of Bishop be in this new Model mentioned for the Name would mind the injurious casting off of their Bishop and the Thing stood in the way to other grandeures therefore with the person must the name of Bishop be shut out also But how may that be without force and wrong to Scripture where of the Name and Office of Bishops is mention frequent and honourable As to that the expedient is readie and easie It is but ordering the Text to the gloss and framing such an Interpretation for that Scripture-name Bishop that thenceforth although never till then by Bishops Elders be understood so as whatsoever is in the New Testament said of Bishops should be of Elders onely that Bishops and Elders be as the same not distinguished in office or work But such avoiding of express Scriptures by private constructions could not satisfie all therefore what is short in that is to be supplied otherwise that is by the sense and approbation of other Reformed Churches and to that is this new Law-giver put unexpectedly by a reluctancy found in the people they beginning to resent the design and desiring if possible to get off and loose from that in which they now saw but too late themselves intangled And whereas their late obligation of an Oath could not but stick close it behoved to seek their libertie some other way and no other way appeared so ready as that part of the mentioned proviso the sense of other Churches in the case by which was hope for evading it being observed that no other Church was then so modelled in Government and therefore was it hoped they might be inclined not to favour this being new and strange This the people now press and to four of the Helvetian Cities and Churches is by them addressed with which Calvin closeth readily that being what he expected and for what he was prepared and of which he had already assurance For all that having been foreseen he had before underhand by Letters dealt with the principals of those Churches that they would not fail to declare for that form of Government in which he had so laboured for Geneva saying That Religion and piety and the welfare of that Church and people depended on it Whereby when that business was by all parties laid before those Churches the Answer was readie which was That they had heard of those Consistorial Laws which they acknowledged for godly Ordinances and drawing towards the prescript of Gods Word therefore did they think it good for the Church of Geneva not to change the same but rather to keep as they were Thus is Calvins Work done and setled and the people brought to a succumbency onely it remained That whereas it had been by those compromising Churches more warily delivered concerning those Laws of Government that they were godly Ordinances which might seem a lean expression and that they did draw toward the prescript of Gods Word which was short and diminishing therefore was something to be declared more absolute and positive in the case And seeing it was not to be expected from other Churches it was thus therefore otherwise ordered and as effectually First that this Discipline be cried up as it was industriously for ancient Apostolical and wholly Scriptural and so above all other forms
preheminence in Bishops over Elders These are the Allegations and inferences in this which are to be examined But the promiscuous using of those two names of Bishops and Elders the principal ground of these reasonings is far from such conclusions that because Elders are called Bishops or Bishops Elders both therefore to be the same without priority or subordination whereas on the contrary we find usually in Scripture the names of one degree given to another without confounding them as the same or in that abating any way the dignity of the higher See this in the name of Deacons a name from ministring and that an order lowest in our Ministration yet is that given to higher Orders So of Timothy Bishop of Ephesus saith S. Paul If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Deacon we render it Minister so speaks the Apostle of himself I Paulam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister Col. 1. 23 the whole Apostleship is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Deaconship or Ministry and even Jesus Christ himself the great High Priest is called a Deacon Jesus Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister of the Circumcision or ministring to those of the Circumcision But because our English readings in this and in the Original are diverse therefore not so clear to every apprehension let this therefore be considered in that other of Elder where it is more plain In that we finde the Apostle S. John terming himself an Elder more than once the Elder to the elect Lady and the Elder to the well beloved Gaius So S. Peter of himself The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder You see in that the Apostles called Elders yet doth not that conclude Apostles and Elders to be the same For how oft do we read of Apostles and Elders as distinct Nor doth it conclude Apostles and Elders to be equal because Apostles are Elders but this it shews That all Apostles are Elders not all Elders Apostles and that notwithstanding that community of names they still are distinguished in Degree and Dignity So is it as to Bishops and Elders in like manner the name of Elders is given to Bishops and of Bishops to Elders both are true For in the Bishop saith S. Ambrose are all Orders because he is the first Priest that is the Prince of the Priests Again of a Bishop and Presbyter there is one Order for either of them as a Priest but the Bishop is the first so that every Bishop is a Presbyter but not every Presbyter a Bishop So S. Ambrose Thus all Bishops are granted to be Elders and some Elders are Bishops but all Elders are not Bishops They who say they are must prove it before they can conclude any thing to purpose Nor will that do it which they alledge out of Acts 20. where the Elders of the Church of Ephesus v. 17. are termed Overseers or Bishops v. 28. for those Elders were indeed Bishops if not all yet some of them and to those some for all is there spoken as Bishops This appears in that Ephesus was a See Metropolitical comprehending Asia the less a large Jurisdiction So in the sixth general Council of Constantinople Theodorus Bishop of Ephesus thus subscribes Theodorus by the mercy of God bishop and Primate of Ephesus the Metropolis of the Asian Province or Diocess Also of Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus Eusebius saith that he was Ruler or chief of the Bishops of Asia and that by his Authority he did assemble a Provincial Synod to discuss the question about Easter and that he did write a Synodical Letter to Victor Bishop of Rome Euseb. l. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we find also in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or distribution of Churches by Leo the Emperor that Ephesus was a Metropolis having 36 Suffragane Bishops and so is Ephesus to be understood in Acts 20. as Metropolical and that meeting of Elders or Bishops there as Provincial For it is there called not the Churches but the Church of Ephesus Metropolitically yet Elders plurally implying more than of one Church And as in a Provincial meeting of the Bishops of Asia together with other Elders both usually conveening on such occasions might the Apostle call those Elders litterally Bishops Irenaeus saith as much that Bishops and Presbyters were there convocated from Ephesus and other adjoyning Cities c. And Acts 20. 28. The Holy Ghost hath saith the Apostle made you Bishops so in the Original or Overseers so in our rendring If therefore the Holy Ghost had made them Bishops and the Apostle call them so accordingly we may then acquiesce in it rather than to mince the matter according to peâ—verse glossings it being to so great a prejudice as the disturbance of the peace of the Church so precious In this have we to answer what is alfo objected out of Phil. 1. 1. the Apostle saâ—nting the Saints at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons wherein the Authors of the larger Annotations on the Bibâ—e busie themselves exceedingly in proving out of the second Council of Nice and by Cornelius Bishop of Rome there cited that there should be but one Bishop in one City thence concluding in favour of those times that there being many Bishops in Philippi therefore were not they Bishops but Elders But all this is grounded on a supposition that Philippi is restrained to that City of Macedonia so called whereas Philippi was a Metropolis in Macedonia and we read of the Churches of Macedonia and of the brethren in all Macedonia And why may not Philippi a Metropolis include its Province and this Epistle to the Philippians be to that Church at large where many Bishops were to be saluted without those narrow inferences in confining Philippi to a City within its walls and the Bishops and Deacons at Philippi to those onely in that City inhabiting As to that farther objected from that Text Phil. 1. 1. of Bishops and Deacons onely named and that Elders being intended therefore by Bishops say they Elders are to be understood and not Bishops But how follows that For 1. May not Elders be as well included in and with that of Deacons You have seen the name of Deacon to have been sufficiently comprehensive of more and greater than they 2. Or if Elders be supposed to be included in that of Bishops Let that suffice and satisfie without excluding Bishops For shall Elders included and not named exclude Bishops which are expresly named 3. Or if Presbyters be there signified in those many Bishops yet was there one chief Bishop over all which was Epaphroditus their Apostle Phil. 2. 25. Of which Theodoret he calleth him Apostle to whom the charge of them was committed Wherefore saith he it is manifest that they who in the beginning of the Epistle were called Bishops were under him they having the