HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE A DISCOVRSE OPENING THE NATVRE OF THAT EPISCOPACIE WHICH IS EXERCISED IN ENGLAND Wherein With all Humility are represented some Considerations tending to the much-desired Peace and long expected Reformation of This our Mother Church By the Right Honourable ROBERT LORD BROOKE LONDON Printed by R. C for Samuel Cartwright and are to be sold at the signe of the Hand and Bible in Ducke-Lane 1641. TO THE MOST NOBLE LORDS WITH THE HONORABLE KNIGHTS CITIZENS AND BURGESSES Now assembled in PARLIAMENT IN Epistles Dedicatory sometimes men render an account to the world by what Principles they were Led to such a worke Sometimes they maintaine and strengthen what they have done by New Arguments Sometimes ad captandam Benevolentiam they present their whole Designe in a briefe Epitomy that so they may invite the Reader But I shall doe None of These The first I need not For if the Ten Kings must hate the Whore Eate her flesh and Burne her with her fire Will not every good Christian offer himselfe a ready Servant to This Worke a Willing Souldier under this Standard The Second I cannot without questioning my owne Diligence or which is worse my Readers Gentlenesse Either of which every Writer carefully shunneth The third I will not left I be injurious to my selfe For Humane Nature is ever Novorum avida and the Soule of vast comprehension the Booke therefore would seeme but Crambe bis cocta to All that read the Epistle and but create a nausea to Those that had already gathered all by viewing the Breviate If it be the Glory of a King's Daughter to be clothed in Needle-worke surely This poore Birth will need more then Fig-leaves to make it Beautifull When it is Cloathed with its Best Robes It will not be worthy to appeare in so Great a Presence How much lesse then when presented only in a bare and naked Sceleton The Worke then of These Lines is to lay prostrate at Your Feet most Noble Lords and Gentlemen the Retirements of Your Humble Servant in the Last Recesse If you shall aske mee how I dare take the boldnesse to interrupt Your more serious Thoughts with These Things of Little Worth All I shall plead for my selfe is but This the bow must be sometimes unbent and if then This Pamphlet may be called for it is all I aspire to For Your Protection and Your Patronage not Your Trouble is My Request Of which being no whit Doubtfull with all Humility commending This to Your Noble Favour Your selves and Counsels to the Almighty I crave leâ—ve for ever to remaine Your most obliged and devoted Servant ROBERT BROOKE The CONTENTS of the Sections and Chapters in the following Discourse SECT I. CHAP. I. THe Subject Stated Not a Bishops Name but Office Opposed nor Office in generall but Such Such a Bishop repugâ—nt to State-Policie Antiquity Scripture The Method proâ—unded for the first Section containing Arguments drawne â—â—om State-Policie fol. 1. Chap. II. Of Our Bishops Birth how unsuitable to his Office how Hurtfull to Himselfe and Others How incongruous â— State-Policie 3 III. A Bishops Breeding not fit for his Calling against Rules of Policie Some Objections answered 5 IV. Of Our Bishops Election whether suitable to State-Policie Of his Office Principles or Maximes by which hee governeth and Practice according to Those Principles 11 V. Of the Nature of Indifference what it is and in what iâ— hâ—th place whether in Re or onely in Appearance to our Understandings 19 VI. Where the Power of Indifferent Things seemes to be fixed whether in the Church or not or if in the Church How farre Of the Churches Deciding Commanding Power Of Doubts and how we must deport our selves under Doubts 30 VII Of the Consequents to a Bishops Office His Relations Vpward and Dependances Of his Vote in Parliament Relations Downward How repugnant to State Policie 35 VIII What Good our Bishops can do to the State is examined whether they have beene or can be friends to Monarchy or Civill Government 42 IX How suitable such Episcopacie can be to Monarchy is farther considered Whether the Best forme of Church Government be Monarchicall Whether other Formes may not well stand with Civill Monarchy How Church and State Goverment differ and agree 48 X. Who it is that opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God Who is properly a Papist and what is Popery Why the Pope is most properly Antichrist How such Episcopacy differs or agrees with Popery 53 SECTION II. Considereth how Consonant such Episcopacy is either to sound Antiquity or Scripture Chap. I. Some Antiquities produced by a late most Learned and Reverend Patron of Episcopacie are discussed 65 II. Our Bishops Election Delegation c. Examined by Antiquity 69 III. Of Ordination whether proper onely to Bishops or equally committed to all Presbyters discussed by Ancient Authorities 72 IV. Of the Name and Office of a Bishop in Scripture How little or how much the Scripture makes for or against Bishops Diverse Texts are discussed 75 V. What forme of Church Government seemes most consonant to Scripture Whether Monarchicall Aristocraticall or Democraticall 81 VI. Of the consequemts that may possibly follow the change of Church Government Of the great danger of Schismes Sects and Heresies Of One new Sect to come in the Last Dayes Whether Bishops can keepe the Church from Schismes Sects c. What is or who are the Cause of most Schismes among us 86 VII The danger of Schismes and Sects more fully discuss'd the Nature and Danger of Anabaptisme Separatisme and Unlicensed Preaching The conclusion with an affectionate desire of peace and union 98 ERRATA PAge 4. line 24. Affection for Affectation p. 19. l. 2. Indifferent for indifference p. 26. l. 35. at one any time for at any one time p. 5. l. â—0 Ioy for Ivy. p. 56. l. 11. may be the more for may be more p. 88. l. 2. of all Civill c. for of all Civill c. p. 94. l. 32. Orders for Orders from Rome p. 98. l. 7. dele now A DISCOVRSE OPENING THE NATVRE OF THAT EPISCOPACY WHICH IS EXERCISED IN ENGLAND Wherein with all humility are represented some Considerations tending to the much-desired Peace and long expected Reformation of this our Mother Church CHAP. I. IAyme not at Words but Things not loving to fight with Shadowes It is not the Looke much lesse the Name of a Bishop that I feare or quarrell with it is his Nature his Office that displeaseth me Nor yet his Nature or Office in Generall but Such and so cloathed or rather veyled with such and such adjuncts For to me the Word Bishop-signifies either one that is to Preach Administer the Sacraments Exhort Reprove Convince Excommunicate c. not only in some one distinct Congregation his owne Parish but in many severall Congregations crowded up together in one strange and for long unknowne word a Diocesse Or one who hath to all this added not onely the
twenty severall times in the New Testament And you shall find the Apostles honouring This Name so much that one of them stiles himselfe an Elder but none calls himselfe a Bishop Indeed Iudas is so called Who as it were Prophetically behaved himselfe so that his Arch-Bishoprick was given to another I doubt not but the Spirit fore-saw this Word would bee quickly mounted high enough so that it brands Iudas first with This stile Of much more â—ajesty is the Word Presbyter which signifies Senior Under the Law Youth was bound to pay Tribute to Gray haires and Senatus of old was so stiled à Senioribus Whereas Episcopus signifies nothing but an Overseer And such indeed Bishops have beene for many yeares Perhaps the Name of Bishop is sometimes though rarely used that the wilfully blinde might stumble But the Name Presbyter very frequent that Those who love Truth and Light might still see such a Glympse that might Enlighten them in the midst of Egyptian darknesse from which I doubt not but God will deliver all Christendom in due time I can finde as little also for the Office of a Bishop as for his Name in Scripture yea much lesse I can finde our Saviour rebuking his Disciples striving for precedency saying Hee that will bee first shall bee last I can finde St. Peter saying Lord it not over the flock of Christ And St. Iohn branding Diotrephes with seeking the Preheminence But where shall wee finde the usurped Office of our Bishops in all the Scripture Can they finde it by a multiplying glasse where ever they see the Name of Bishop though but in a Postscript of St. Pauls Epistles Whither I see many of them fly for their owne Name I must confesse I have found some Praescripts of Davids Psalmes and other Texts to bee now part of Scripture but never yet found any Postscript of such Authority I dare not therefore give it unto These Which first were never that I could learn received by the Church for Authentick Scripture nor ever fully joyned to the Scripture but by some distinctive note till our Bishops times Yea some Antient Copies have them not at all as one very old Greek Copy in Oxford Library if I be not mis-informed Againe These Postscripts have many Improbabilities and some repugnancies as many Learned men observe As That of the first to Timothy From Laodicea the cheifest City of Phrygia Pacatiana Which sure was never so subscribed by St. Paul who would not have spoken of a First Epistle when as yet there was no Second nor appearance of any Againe the Epithet Pacatiana came from Pacatianus a Roman Deputy 300. yeares after St. Paul wrote The Epistle to Titus is thus subscribed or rather superscribed To Titus ordained the first Bishop of Creet from Nicapolis of Macedonia but it should have beene added Whither St. Paul meant to come after the Epistle but was not there at his writing as appeares very probably from the third of the same Epistle verse 12. But what meanes that Phrase Bishop of the Church in Creet was there but one Church in all Creet This sounds not like the Scripture stile which alwayes expresseth Nationall Congregations by Churches in the Plurall But it may very well be Titus was Bishop or Pastor but of one Church in Creet so that wee shall not need to contend about This. Our Adversaries themselves yeeld there cannot bee much urged from these Subscriptions Baronius Serrarius and the Rhemists will ingenuously confesse so much and Bishop Whitgift also against Mr. Cartwright â—he Postscripts failing where will they shew either Name or Office of a Bishop as now it is used I know their strong Fort Tit. 1.5 For this cause I left thee in Creet that thou shouldest set in Order the things that are Wanting and Ordain Elders in every City c. Here they think the Power of a Bishop is set forth at large But what if so Will they bee content to bee limited to This Power if so wee shall the sooner agree I think no man ever thought Good Titus had a Commission heere to draw the Civill Sword or so much as to strike with his Church Keyes Let us a little examine This Commission Which seemâ— but a Briefe of a large Patent which Saint Paul had given him before If we first examine the Date of This Commission wee shall finde it before any Church Government was setled and so an Extraordinary Case not fit perhaps not lawfull to be produced as a constant president Extraordinary Cases of Necessity breake through the Ceremoniall yea Morall Law too The Shew Bread may refresh fainting David Cain and Abel may marry their owne sisters to propagate the World Samuel may be a Priest though not of Aarons House as was shewed before And why then may not an Extraordinary way be taken in the first setling of Church Government where there is yet none setled Any man might now in the conversion of the Americans or Chinois give direction how to admit Members elect Pastors exercise the keyes c. This Titus did and no more But secondly in what manner his Commission was I know not and nothing can be proved from hence till that be agreed upon It is as probable he did it but instructivè exhortativè and not imperativè Timothy received his gift by imposition of Presbyteriall hands If an extraordinary gift was conveyed in an ordinary way Why might not an ordinary calling and affaires of an ordinary nature be managed by an extraordinary man be carried forth in an extraordinary way The contrary is not proved and so This must till then be Ineffectuall to them But thirdly and lastly I beseech you consider by what power he did it by the power of an Evangelist There are two sorts of them 1. Who write 2. Who proclaime the Gospell in an extraordinary way as coadjuters and messengers to the Apostles in this great worke Of this last sort certainly he was A Bishop he was not for our adversaries doe all agree that it is the duty of a Bishop curae sue incumbere to watch over his charge now this he did not for if Creet was his Charge which in no way neither by Scripture nor Antiquity is proved he did not attend it for we finde him continually journeying up and downe he leaveth Creet and commeth to Ephesus from thence he is sent to Corâ—nth after that into Macedonia from Macedonia he is returned to the Corinthians Neither is it to be found in History that he ever returned to Creet Thus if I mistake not the Text is lesse advantageous than the Postscript Some thinke to finde Episcopacy established in that example of Saint Iohn writing to the Angels of the seven Churches But this is Argumentum longè petitum Because Paul endorseth the Letter of a Corporation or an Assembly to the most eminent man in the Congregation Therefore He shall have sole Jurisdiction therefore the Maior shall have sole power without the Aldermen est par ratio
sweete way by the power of the Spirit not by force If I erre in This I shall upon better reason recant In the interim hoping that the clearnesse of my thoughts shal with the candid Reader receive gentle interpretation I shall freely declare my opinion in This point Christ as I shall more fully prove hereafter hath cleerly unfolded to us the Two main things of Church affaires 1 The Doctrine 2 The Discipline of his Church Who will come in this case to adde or diminish any thing I appeale to any Ingenuous Reader of what Religion soever he be yea of what sect in any Religion Whether any power ought to force a Church in matter of Doctrine I conceive what is True Doctrine the Scripture â—ust judge and none but the Scripture but what a Câ—â—â—ch will take for True Doctrine lyes only in That Câ—uâ—ch Will Rome admit us to expound to them this place Hoc est corpus meum shall wee admit Rome's exposition Will either of us admit force There is certainly but one Truth but what shall be taken by the Church for Truth the Church must jâ—dge If you descend to Discipline will not the Case 〈◊〉 be the same In Discipline consider three things 1 Admission of members 2 Excommunication 3 Officers to execute these and other Ordinances Whether you will Baptize children and so â—y administring to them the Sacrament of Initiation admit them members of the Church Whether you will admit all for Church members that barely professe though they be open drunkards and very ignorant persons Whether you will have Pastors Teachers and Elders as your superiours in this worke or Bishops Archbishops Primates c. who shall judge but the Church So long as the Church in her Church Tenets intermedleth not with State matters under the notion of Religion I suppose the Civill power is not to interpose It is most true if the Church will broach with the Anabaptists that they will have no Governours nor Government This is a point not of Divinity but Policie and here the Scepter must set a rule or with the Adamites if there be any such allow Communion of wives This takes away property The sword must divide this quarrell or with the Papists that it is lawfull to kill Kings that faith is not to be kept with Heritiques I conceive in all these and cases of the like nature the decision lyeth in the Magistrate for These tenets overthrow either Civill Government or civill converse The Church must not goe out of her bounds But if the Question be how you will expound such a Scripture what Gesture you will use in such an ordinance what man is fit to be excommunicated what deserveth excommunication what is Idolatry what is wil-worship what superstition what is the punishment of those crimes who shall judge but the Church The Prince hath granted to such a Body by Charter such priviledges such offices who can interpose but the power instituting Christ hath given us a platforme of Church government with the offices and officers who may here intermedle but Christ himselfe It is most true when the Church findeth any refractary and thereupon doth excommunicate him he fals into the hands of the Civill Magistrate if he continue pertinacious and not before When Parliaments do consider matters of Religion they do it to deliver the Church from some who would impose upon her who would take the keyes from her that by the help of these keyes they may wrest the Scepter out of the hand of Soveraignty which God forbid And whilst Parliaments labour thus for the Church dealing no further in the affaires of the Church than by Scripture they may certainly they do well but if they once exceed their bounds the issue will be Confusion insted of Reformation Church and State government differ as much as the Sexes Yet as there may betweene These be an happy union Both keeping their bounds whilst the Husband hath the supremacie So may there be between the Church and State a sweete harmony The State having Committed to it the custody of the 10. commandments and yet the Church preserving to her selfe Her rights If the Church swallow up the State as it is in Popery Episcopacy the issue will be slavish grosse superstition and stockish Idolatry If the State overtop the Church there will be ignorance and atheisme But give to God that which is Gods and to Caesar that which is iâ— Caesars and both Church and State will fare the better Thus under favour both by reason and president it is cleere that any Church policie besides Episcopacie though onely one by right ought may stand with Monarchy CHAP. X. WHen I say Any Church Government may stand with Monarchy or other State Policie I desire to be understood of any Church Government Well regulated Which as I cannot conceive of our Episcopacie so I must againe publiquely protest that I verily believe This kind of Episcopacy is destructive not onely to Good Monarchy but all other State Policie whatsoever I meane not now to runne over so much as the Headâ— of my former discourse Every particle of which is to represent how uncongruous and incompatible to True policie of State Our Bishops Place Calling and Office is as now it stands establisht in this Kingdome If any man shall yet dissent from mee in this Cause I shall now onely intreat him to view one place of Scripture which yet perhaps at first glance may seeme to make but little for my purpose but it is an old Maxime among Interpreters Non est haerendum in Cortice Let us therefore a little examine the Text and if I be not in the Right I will gladly learne of any that can better informe me The Place I meane is that which of old in the Primitive Church was wont to be more perused and examined than I thinke it is now or hath beene of late and I cannot much wonder sith I see all men view the Sea and well consider it at distance from the top of a Cliffe or Rocke but when they are once fallen into it they shut their eyes winke and care to see as little as â—ay be of it while they have so much round about them I must not detaine you too long without left you think my Porch longer and bigger than my House It is That of the Apostle to the Thessalonians 2. Epist. 2. Chap. 3. and 4. Verses specially those words Who opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or is worshipped For the understanding of this place we must premise This That it must not be taken as spoken of One single person but a Compages of many either existing together or else succeeding one another yet agreeing together in This Great Apostasie the maine thing here spoken of And in This I have but few Adversaries None I â—hinke but some few of the Romish faction that maintaine the grand Deceiver False Prophet or Apostate â—â—or so I â—â—ther call him than
say they when men with unhallowed hands will touch the Arke and with unsanctified eyes pry into these mysteries and so These men making the Scripture a Rule in appearance do in truth Monopolize all to themselves This is just and flat Popery In the last place The Manner which God hath prescribed is that every thing be done in decencie and in order with what singlenesse and plainnesse may be without any addition of mens inventions The Pope carrieth on his Jurisdiction with pompe and much outward glory They have coÌ„missions Injunctions Charters Seales Secretaries Clarkes and 1000 other inventions to grind the face of the poore Episcopacie hath its Courts Summons Clarkes Seales with other Ceremonies of the like nature Christs rule is that Ministers of equall ranke shall all have equall power Apostles indeed were above Evangelists and Evangelists above Pastors and Teachers but one Apostle was not above another nor one Pastor did not superintend another The Pope hath Priest Bishop Archbishop Primate Patriarch Cardinall Pope and Episcopacie hath Ministers now called Priests Deacons Bishops Archbishops Primates c. The Scripture commandeth Preaching in season and out of season but with the Pope and our Bishops All preaching is now out of Season I am sure out of fashion in themselves and cryed downe in others for with them Ignorance is the mother of Devotion The Scripture alloweth but two Sacraments the Pope addeth five and our Bishops are ambiguous Two onely they say are generally Necessary to salvation which may clearly intimate that there are More than Two though perhaps not absolutely Necessary to Salvation or though necesary yet not Generally necessary to all men in all times states and conditions whatsoever and so much the Papists yeeld of Their five Sacraments nay of fixe of their seven For onely Baptisme they say is absolutely and generally necessary to salvation the Eucharist even with them is not Necessary to Infants much lesse Matrimony Orders Confirmation Penance Vâ—ction In what do our Bishops then differ from Papists in This How do they differ in Baptisme Both Pope and Bishops hold it necessary absolutely necessary to salvation Yea the most Moderate of Both maintaine a generall Baptismall Grace Equally confer'd to all partakers of that Sacrament Indeed Our Bishops doe not openly use Salt and Spittle but yet they retaine the Crosse perhaps much worse and beginne to Claime spirituall alliances as the Papists doe In the Lords Supper the Pope makes rather than findes an Hostia an Altar a Priest and This Priest must offer for the sinnes of the Quick and Dead Our Bishops must have Priests Altars a Sacrifice Corporals and what not that Papists have to say nothing of their Times and Gestures which sure the Scripture never so determined much lesse excluded any that could not yeeld to such and such circumstances which none ever thought could be more than Indifferent In all Ordinances the Scripture now speakes of no other Holinesse then That which is Spirituall Rationall the Holinesse of the whole man The Pope hath found out new Holinesse which he puts on Places Times Vestments Bels Tapers Water Wafers Copes Basons Pots and Cups with other Vtensles And doe not our Bishops so also What meanes such rigid pressing of Holy dayes Bare heads in Churches Holy Surplices What meane they else by their Holy Chalices Holy Knives Holy Patents Holy Vtensles all which may be so sanctified by a devout Priest tâ—at they may become profitable to the Soules of those that use them How then doe our Bishops differ from Papists in administring Sacraments Manner of all Ordinances And is there any Greater Difference in Admission of Members and Excommunication This last being the last and Greatest Censure of the Church by both Bishops and Pope is made not onely most Common as the humour moves them but also most Ridiculous being the usuall appendix of one groat short in our Reckonings with our Lord Bishops Register Proctor or Apparitor I would not be mistaken here I bring not in These Things of Doctrine or Discipline as if by agreeing in One or Many of These I might convince Bishops and Papists or the Pope were all one The maine thing I drive at in all this is the Originall fountaine from whence All These spring and all the bankes that keepe in These Rivulets That vertue and power which moves and actuates all these in their proper Channels And This is Papall For what ever the Pope doth of his owne head by his owne Power Dictating to his Vassals as Head of the Church This is truly Papall and such is the Power by which They usurpe so much over mens persons and consciences in injoyning and pressing such or such Doctrine or Discipline So that a Bishops wearing a Surplice Cope Miter using the Crosse Bowing to the Altar and many such Things though they may be Errors yet All These or One of these makes him not a Pope a Popeling or properly Antichristian But Receiving These from the Popes Dictates doing them because he commands acknowledging his power in commanding This makes a Papist and Commanding them Pressing them on Others in such Despoticall power makes a true Pope a Reall Antichrist Nor may Our Bishops Evade by This which I easily see will be answered that though indeed they doe these things and command these Things yet they neither doe them from the Popes Command nor Command them in the Popes Power Though I should grant This which yet many wise men will not grant for Our Bishops first Power came from the Pope and of late also We have found letters advice commands Dictates from the Pope to some of our Bishops and that in Matters of greatest Consequence both for Church and State But grant all They say yet they may be Antichristian and so such in Re as the Pope is though not literally Romanists Except they doe or command in the Power of Rome This I shall be bold to affirme and maintaine till I see better Reason that He whoever he be that Commands the least title of Doctrine or discipline meerely Ex imperio Voluntatis in his owne Power and Authority without Licence or Warrant from Scripture or Right Reason where the Scripture hath beene silent though the Thing he so commands should happen to be good in it selfe Yet He in his so Commanding is not onely Tyrannicall but Antichristian properly Antichristian Encroaching on the Royall Office of Christ which is truly High Treason against God and most properly Antichristianisme I care not whether we call him a Pope Papist Romanist or any other name I call him Antichrist and if you will call Antichrist by the name of Pope I call such an Imperious Commander among us though he have no shadow of Dependance on Rome or Romish Pope an English Pope I meane an English Antichrist I neede not spend much time in shewing by what meanes Either the Pope or Our Bishops beganne and continued to be so Antichristian Du Plessis and Others have sav'd
Advantages Sure we may conclude there is somewhat that stings within Latet Anguis in Herba These Good men doubtlesse found a Sting and they would not kick against Pricks When Saint Paul a Great Philosopher bids us beware lest we be entangled with Philosophy When Solomon who had tasted all the dainty Cates Nature could provide or dresse cries out All is Vanity All is Vanity When Bishops themselves who have fully enjoyed all the sweetnesse a Bishops Honour can afford shall pause and cry It is Enough It is Enough Non iterum bibam veneunm as once Dioclesian of his Empire Sure there must bee something worth reflecting on a faire warning for our Present or Future Bishops O you Judges of the Earth why will you not bee wise O you Senators for such our Bishops are why will you not learne Wisdome God forbid that of You should be said what the Spirit speaketh of some Why should they be smitten They rebell more and more Why should they be reproved They will still doe follishly Yet but for a little while For I am Confident yet within few Yeares if not Months if not Dayes the God of Peace and Truth will deliver his Church of This heavie yoke from which with the Letany Give me leave to conclude Good Lord deliver us SECTION II. CHAP. I. HAving cleerly proved how uncompatible Our Episcopacy is to Civill Government in State Policy let us now consider whether It may shelter it selfe under the Mysterious Covert of Antiquity I could heartily wish that in matters which receive their being from Scripture so immediately as Church Discipline doth wee might make the Scripture which is a sufficient rule our sole guide our sole moderator But as Heretickes in the day of Judgement shall cry to the mountaines to cover them so Heresies now also fly to the craggy rocks of remotest times and in such darke corners hope to shelter themselves Thither also wee will follow them quo fata trahunt we will advance Not doubting but to unkennell those little Foxes hoping even with Goliah's sword to lay Goliah in the dust and bring the five uncircumcised Princes of the Caenaanites to their just censure before the King or Captaines of the Israelites There is a most Reverend man famous for learning especially for that learning which is not open to every eye hath taken upon him the defence of This Cause I shall therefore in few words present to Him my thoughts upon those His determinations Concluding with Philip of Macedon that if I can but win the chiefe City the whole Countrey is gained Then I shall see whether Those things which are pressed by others be not altogether ineffectuall to determine the point which they dispute And so I shall leave the decision of This to the judgement and opinion of the learned Before I consider that Treatise in the parts of it give me leave to say that which is most true and I hope will satisfie all men If every word of that his booke were true yet it is little to the point For the Question is not Whether there have been Bishops ever since Christs time but Whâ—ther these have had power over their brethren or Whether one Bishop hath had Jurisdiction over another And this Question is double First Whether they have had any superintendence one above another Secondly Whether this hath beene mixt with that Lordlinesse which now is used forcing obedience by the edge of the Sword where the Keyes can give no entrance And of this in the whole booke there is not the least hint ne gry quidem Though this also were not enough for our Question which is not only of their Lordly power in Ecclesiasticis but also in Civilibus In the first Querie we shall quickly joyne issue agreeing with our Antagonists that there have beene Bishops viz. Ministers of the Gospel who have had a Scripture power in matter of Government over particular flocks but the other wee doe absolutely and confidently deny First He endeavoureth to prove the succession of seaven and twenty Bishops in the seat of Timothy and this hee essayeth by one single not to say simple witnesse a certaine man named Leontius whose writings have not delivered him famous to us for learning nor his exemplary holinesse mentioned by others famous for piâ—ty Truly a man of greater authority than he as Papias Ignatius Polycarpus who almost all knew the Apostles shall not bee of credit sufficient to sway my faith in this point Not but that they were most worthy men but because all Antiquity hath passed the refining pot of the Index expurgatorius I shall consider well before I subscribe And shall I then give credit to an unknowne Author in those things that were acted almost five hundred yeares before his birth Let the world judge whether it bee equall Neither is this Author quoted from witnesse of his owne but out of a Councell Now how Councells have beene abused those who have ever had place or note in great Assemblies can too well tell where there is almost no Order drawn up but after a serious review reducing the mistakes of the Clerks to the sense of those who did frame the Order which might else come forth most disorderly By what I have already said That other testimony brought from a fatherlesse Treatise of Timothy's Martyrdome cited only by Photius a learned man who lived seven or eight centuries after Christ will be of no weight for Photius doth but say he read it Hear-say in matter of judicature is no good testimony and reports in matter of opinion at the second hand are good to amuse those who defie venerable Antiquity but will never edifie those who desire to bottome their resolutions upon sound Reason The testimonies of Faelix Iohn of Antioch and Theodore are not of age sufficient to bee registred among the Ancients or to be valued because they are old I confesse I set a greater value upon Ignatius and Irenaeus who affirm Polycarpus was made Bishop of Smyrna by St. Iohn but this must not be of undeniable authority For of Ignatius I shall affirme this that All those who are any whit learned in Antiquity know that five of his Epistles are spurious and how unmingled those are which wee allow to be his wee doe not know who look upon Antiquity at such a distance But allow it to bee true that Onesimus was Bishop of Ephesus Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna c. This may be true but evinceth in no measure the Question in dispute Which is not of a Bishop in generall but such a Bishop The Authority of Tertullian also is of the same credit Hee tels us that Polycarpus was placed by St. Iohn at Smyrna and at Rome Clement by St. Peter This no body will dispute though I am not bound to beleeve it But where is the stresse of this Argument In the last place that of Clement Alexandrinus is as much questioned as all the rest But allow it to bee true that
When Paul writes to the Church of the Thessalonians 1 Thes. 5. v. 27. commanding That Epistle to be read to all the holy Brethren the Church of the Thessalonians should have Jurisdiction over other Churches which truely I doe not thinke to be a strong Argumentation Secondly the Word is taken collectively for the Assembly and charge of Ministers and not for One as appeareth evidently Revel 2. v. 24. He saith speaking to the Angel To you and to the rest in Thyatira he puts the Angel in the plurall number which hee would not have done had he written to a single Bishop Thirdly these Epistles are written to the whole Church for the threats and promises are read to them and the Epiphonema of every Epistle is this he that hath an eare let him heare what is spoken to the Churches But yet if this superscription could give any advantage to the Angel it would but extend to his owne congregation The Laodicean Angel hath no influence upon the Philadelphian or the Smyrnite and if that be not proved nothing is gained in the point of Episcopacy except it could be proved that these Angels had in their care many congregations under these particular Churches which never hath nor ever will appeare I hope it is manifest to all men that they cannot establish Episcopacy by Scripture Secondly there is much in Scripture against them For the word Elder and Bishop is all one Tit. 1. ver 7. For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Elders in every City as I had appinted thee for a Bishop must be blamelesse as the Steward of God First he sheweth Titus what manner of man an Elder must be viz Blamelesse and now proveth it because a Bishop must be blamelesse As if I should write to Thomas to live soberly because a Man must be sober it necessarily followeth that Thomas is a man So that Phil. 1. he writes to the Bishops and Deacons at Philippi Is it probable that a little Towne in Macedonia should have many Bishops when one Bishop must have many Cities in his Dioces Those Who translated the Bible foresaw This And therefore Acts 20. They have translated the word Episcopus an Over-seer Yet in other places they translate it Bishop And the Jesuites say Piae fraudes sunt licitae The carriage of the Apostles in severall places is remarkable when they come to a City as Acts 20. They send for the Elders of the Church never thinking of a Bishop he is so inconsiderable a man These places I hope make cleerely against them So now I will endeavour to shew what the Scripture holdeth forth for Church Government SECT II. CHAP. V. IN this search you will agree that the Government is fixed there where you shall see setled the plenary and absolute power of Election of Officers Decision of controversies and Excommunication of those that transgresse This you will find ministerially in the Officers But initiativè virtualiter conclusivè in the People The Officers are called Overseers Rulers and Elders c. Some of these are to preach and administer the Sacraments others to watch over mens manners others to serve Tables and looke to the poore All these are chosen by the People but whensoever by their industry any delinquency is discovered the whole matter is brought to the Church and there the people and Elders doe passe their definitive sentence Examine but where election of Officers decision of controversies excommunication of members are recorded and you shall have them all in the Church not representative but in the whole Church consisting of Officers and other members As first for election Acts 1.15 Peter speaketh to the People and telleth them they must choose one in Iudas his place and ver 23. It is said They appointed Two It is true the lot divided which of them two should be the man a course in the like case not unlawfull to us at this day But the reducing of it to Two was the act of the Church though Peter was amongst them So afterwards Timothy received his Evangelicall gift by the Imposition of Presbyteriall hands which Presbyters were in this worke the servants of one present Congregation Secondly Decision of Controversies either in cases of Conscience or in point of manners In cases of Conscience when Paul and Barnabas had no small difference about Circumcision they sent to Jerusalem where the Apostles Elders and Brethren meeting together joyntly returned that answer which you finde Acts 15 23.24.2◠Some would presse this place this act of the Apostles further and give to every Synod a Commanding Power because it is said Act. 15.28 It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay no further burden upon you Therefore they say a Synod hath a commanding and burdening Power But I cannot consent to that for then the major part of the Churches in Europe Africa Prester Iohns Country might meet and command all the Churches of Christ which God forbid in what they pleased and that jure divino for God when hee giveth a rule to his Church hee speaketh to the whole Church of Christ and not to any particular Congregation I only presse it thus farre That the People were joyned even with the Apostles in that Great Synod The Commanding power of the Synod lay in this that the Apostles speak the minde of the Holy Ghost But such authority is not left in us and therefore no such Obligation upon others Truly if there were such a power left us I should with much scurple resist any act of such Government whereof I could make a good construction For many times the power Commanding is more dangerous than the thing Commanded but there is no such power Neither as I said before doe I presse it with such a designe In cases of Civill converse Mat. 18.17 Wee must make our addresses to the Church and hee that will not heare the Church must be as a Publican In that place the greatest dispute will be What is meant by the Church for some will say Here is meant the Church representativè either in more as the Presbytery or in one as the Bishop and not the Church at large But I would labour to evince the contrary Weigh either the Context or the generall signification of the word Church and I hope the true sense will be manifest For Let us see how Church is taken in the Scripture It is used sometimes figurativè and sometimes properly Figurativè as when a particular house is called a Church As the Church in his house Rom. 16.5 Secondly When by Synecdoche the head is put for the whole as Christ is called the Church 1 Cor. 12.12 Thirdly Collectivè When all the Churches of Christ are called the Church 1 Cor. 10.32 It is used perhaps under some other figures but it will bee long to quote them all Secondly It is used Properly in two phrases First When the Congregation is
called the Church as the Church at Ephesus Corinth c. Secondly When the Congregations are called Churches as the Churches of Galatia and of Iadea Thus it is used Properly Thus Figuratively but no where Representativè scil the Ministers the Presbyters or the Bishops or all these for the Church You shall finde these and the Church contradistinct as To the Saints the Bishops and the Deacons 1 Phil. 1.1 To the Church and the Elders Act. 15.4 I conceive wee are bound to take a word in that sense which is currant in Scripture except that sense cleerely crosse the scope and spirit of the text You shall meet with that word 48. times in the New Testament and no where signifying that which wee call the Representative Church Very often for the Saints themselves As 1 Cor. 1. vers 15.2 Cor. 1. vers 1. 1 Thes. 1. vers 1. Why should we not then take it in the same sense Are not wee then bound to expound the word Church in some of those significations which are frequent in Scripture and not in that sense which is so far from being found in the text that a Contradistinct phrase is as I said before â—ather used Againe From the text and context that will appeare to be the meaning of the Spirit and no other The text is Mat. 18. vers 17. If hee shall neglect to heare Them tell the Church but if hee neglect to heare the Church let him bee to thee as a heathen man and a Publican The context is in the 15. and 16. verses If thy brother shall trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone If hee shall beare thee then hast thou gained thy brother but if hee will not heare thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established In the context and the text there are three things to bee examined before the true sense can bee found out First Who are meant in that Gradation in the 15 16 17. v. Secondly Who is meant by Them v. 17. if hee will not heare Them Thirdly What is meant by Publicans and sinners First Who is meant in that Gradation In the first place is meant the Party in the second is meant the Elders or the Bishops the Officers of the Church If you say They are not there understood yet I am confident you will not I am sure you cannot say they are there excluded If then the Spirit pointed at them with the other members of the Church or them solely It would be an unnecessary thing to bring him afterwards to them againe as to the Representative Church Secondly By Thee v. 17. is not meant only the Party but every Christian every Church member to whomsoever the newes of such a miscarriage shall come Else this will bee a meanes to nourish particular parties sidings which the Scripture doth exceedingly shun If by Gods Law hee should bee a Publican to one of the Church and not another If hee be so to every member of the Church this will bee a hard case That if a Bishop or an Elder one two or more shall passe the bitter sentence of Excommunication hee must be so to mee also though I know nothing of it But some will say that must be done before the Church To which I answer The word saith no such matter And thus those who mis-expound the Scripture must eck out the Scripture to make good their own imagination But secondly Why should it be complained of before the Church if the deciding power be in the Officers Frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora But thirdly and lastly If you will have the whole Church heare it seemeth to mee against all reason in the world that the party deputed should have power the party deputing being present The Steward of a Court Leet or Court Baron is annihilated if the Lord bee there All Officers vaile bonnet when the party giving them power is present Why are Parliaments the representative body of the Kingdome but because the Plough cannot stand but because no plaâ—e can containe the whole body But if all the people could meet in Campo Martio should Those who now are but servants then bee more than servants surely the whole Church being present foure or five by Gods Law shall not rule all seeing Gods Law never appoints any standing Laws against the rules of nature In the third place wee must enquire after the sense of Heathen and Publican sc. the most odious of men Is it possible that any Christian shall bee to any Christian the most odious of men for the sentence of a Judge which hee never heard neither hath right to heare Thus if you will bee bound either by text or context or the common acceptation of the word in the Scripture by Church must bee understood the whole Congregation Againe for excommunication of members 1 Cor. 5.13 S. Paul commandeth Them sc. the whole Church to put away that wicked person and to deliver up such a one to Satan 2 Cor. 2. They restore him They forgive him Thus we see every where That in election of Officers in decision of Controversies in cases of Conscience in Excommunication the whole Church disposeth everything not the Bishops not the Presbyters alone I doe not observe the Church hath power in other things but in these and in all these in election of Officers in decision of controversies and excommunication of delinquents the whole power is in the Church I conceive then I have cleerely and briefly proved these three things 1 That there is little in Scripture for Episcopacy much lesse for such an Episcopacy as Ours 2 Something against them 3 Another Government cleerely delineated SECT II. CHAP. VI. IT being as I conceive it is cleered both from State-policy Antiquity and Scripture how incompatible Civill Government and such Episcopacy are I hope we shall never hereafter be choaked with that Proverbe No Bishop no King I doe most willingly pay very great reverence to a saying delivered to us by many successions from the wisedome of our forefathers But I shall ever crave leave to question that Maxime which may justly seeme to me the birth either of Ignorance or ends Antiquity must have no more authority than what it can maintaine by reason frequent impostures of this nature command us to be circumspect did not our predecessors hold the torrid zone inhabitabilem aestu till Noahs Dove Columbus discoverd Land the world was confined in the Arke of Europe Africa and Asia In Divinity where an error is of most dangerous consequence we have beene too credulous how many hundred yeares did our fore fathers swallow this pleasant bait We must believe as the Church believeth And since the light of Reformation was not particular assurance of our Salvation delivered us as an exact definition of our faith We have ventured our bodies as well as our soules upon these sands
I aske how long shall he be a Probationer how many yeares months weekes Though he preach ten good Sermons no man tan tell but in the next he meanes to broach an Heresie But alas These poore men see not how weake all This is For Is it not easie for three or foure men or a Bishops Chaplain to commend a man be he Scholler or Groom or Butler or what he will let the Bishop without seeing or smelling This man give him his blessing blindfold and seale him a Licence What hurt is in all This For if This man preach well the Church will get good if ill cannot the Bishop as soone pull him downe as he set him up They answer Suppose he may which is hard to suppose since Orders once given leave an Indelible Character why may not ten or twenty men Good men in a Congregation as well set up a man and try how hee will prove For if Well it is Well he will do good If ill These ten or twenty men can as easily pull him downe againe as set him up Not so For the Bishop is still a very wise discreete Good Holy man and being entrusted by the Church will have a speciall care even more than an hundred others to set up a good man or else pull him quickly downe againe To This they yet answer The Bishop cannot tell how or what he preacheth when he hath set him up except hee can be present in all places at least many at Once to â—eare all young preachers that he Liceuseth and therefore though he would pull him downe yet he cannot because he cannot be still present to heare him Though he come once twice ten times yet the Preacher may hold in all his Herise till he see the Bishop absent and sometimes he must be absent But may not the Congregation then goe and complaine to the Bishop if their Preacher do amisse and upon complaint the Bishop will may and must suppresse that error If he doe not they say They are still where they were But if he do Censure This Preacher on the complaint of the Congregation Either he sees they complaine unjustly and then He doth injustice in censuring-upon an unjust complaint or else he must yeeld they complaine justly and then he also grants that This Congregation hath wisedome enough to judge whether a man preach well or ill and if so why may not the Congregation censure him for ill preaching without complaint to one Bishop Sed frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauâ—iora And so I leave This and come to another great Question that is wont still to be propounded to These poore Non Licensed Preachers It is This why if indeed they be fit or seeme fit or do but thinke themselves fit to be Ministers why then do they not enter into Orders or at least present themselves shewing their desire to be in Holy Orders if indeed they may be found fit for the Ministery as they thinke themselves Why do they halt betweene Two either let them serve the Church wholly and so be in Orders or else let them forbeare and not meddle with dispensing of Holy Ordinances This seemed to mee a very serious Question and therefore I much desired to heare their Answers Some of them say they know not yet whether they be worthy or fit to take on them Those Greater Offices which follow Orders onely they desire they may have leave as Probationers to exercise or keepe Acts before the Church 'till the Church shall approve of them and call them out judging them faithfull for higher imployment or generally to dispense all the Ordinances In the meane time They meddle onely with such Ordinances as they conceive not proper to Church Officers onely but in some sort common to all Christians yea to all men as was said before Others say they would gladly with all their Hearts be consecrated to God and wholly give themselves up to his service and worship in the Ministery but they are afraid to take Orders as Orders are now conferred in This State And yet in the meane time they dare not abstaine from Preaching where they have opportunity and a Willing Auditory lest they should detaine the Truth God hath revealed to them and should be guilty of hiding their Talent in a Napkin For they thinke they may do many Things belonging though not proper to a Minister though they be not nor can be as things now stand in holy Orders Their Instance is David who was a King and of the Tribe of Iudah and so could be neither Priest nor Levite yet they find King David often Preaching else they understand not the meaning of Those Phrases O come hither and I will shew you what God hath done for my poore soule and the like If these men in This be serious and do not pretend Conscience where it is some other Principle that acts them to some low end I cannot but much pity them that if they be fit they neither may be licensed nor yet preach without License But let us see why they dare not enter into Orders and so be Licensed Ministers They answer that they have not so much against Orders conferr'd by our Church or the manner of conferring them though under some Bishops This hath beene very strange and not warrantable either by Law of God or man they conceive as they have in their judgment and consciences against the Power conferring them For they doubt not to affirme that He who ever he be that taketh on himselfe power which the Scripture hath not given him to appoint dictate or command any one Thing either in Doctrine or Discipline though the Thing it selfe might possibly be good yet He that so dictates is Antichristian encroaching on the Regall Office of Christ and so a Traytor in Religion Now they dare not touch That which how Good soever in it selfe yet comes in Power and Vertue of an Antichristian Traytor Yea though such an one should command them a Thing very lawfull in it selfe as to weare a blacke cloath yet if Hee have not Commission to Command from Scripture they conceive He incurres a Premunire with God because he takes on him to do that as an Oâ—ficer for which he is not fore-armed with lawfull authority In this case they thinke they ought not to obey Him so commanding because though the Thing in it selfe be lawfull to be done yet they thinke him an unlawfull Commander and so dare not obey if for no other Reason yet for This that by obeying here they shall betray not onely their owne Priviledges which yet are very precious but also the Liberties and priviledge of all the Subjects of Christ even of the whole Church so that they become Traytors to their spirituall Common-wealth They give This Instance in Civill Things Suppose a Sheriffe that is a lawfull Officer come and command me to give him forty pound of his owne head without lawfull Authority to beck his command they