Apostles and vrge it even to bind vs no les then if it were a formall Precept And so we read that Christ himself his Apostles too reasoned sundry times from the bare Actes of the Prophetes and men of God in the old Law I know in divers Examples there are to be found Circumstances which fit not all times places nor persons What then Neither do Precepts commonly fit vs in so generall a maner By this shift then we may avoid expresse and direct Precepts also And thus scarce any thing in Gods word shall suffice to constrayne and binde vs. Wherefore alwayes we vrge no other ExaÌ„ples of the Apostles or not in any other points then such as do and may fit vs continually and every where even so well as they fitted those of old In which case it is a miserable denyall to say Examples are no precepts God graunt vs and all true Christians to inioy our Churches ordered after the Apostles examples and to have all other Customes of men when once we discerne them vtterly abandoned But to proceed a litle The Apostles again * Act. 6.3.5.6 charged the Church at Ierusalem to choose their Deacons therfore much more ought the Churches who are not ignorant beastes but men taught of God to choose their Pastors Lastly they “ Act. 14.23 ordeyned Elders to sundrie Churches which were actuallie present and consenting So much is most evident by the very text neither can any except against this which suffiseth our purpose So that it is vaine where * Perpet gov pag. 70. some contende that this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heere vsed will not necessarilie prove that the Churches did elect their Elders I answer this very woord yea thus as it is heere coÌ„strued is not so weak for our purpose as is pretended For we find the same word in good Authors having the very like GraÌ„maticall construction that is ioyned not with the people but with the Guides or principal in the assemblie And yet the very nature of this word signifying in the ordinarie vse thereof the custome which was then to give Voices by lifting vp of handes implyeth the Peoples concurrence and voyce-giving iointly with the Guides of the assemblie For asmuch as this gesture of lifting vp handes for voyce-giving in the the publicke meetinges did alwayes and most chieflie concerne the People In this very manner to this purpose we have this word in Demosthenes * Contâ— Timocr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which of the Lawes the Nomothetae which were the principall Authors shall ordayne or constitute by lifting vp of handes the same is ratified Where notwithstanding the Lifting vp of hands as is well knowen was not the Nomothetaes or chief Authors part only but the Peoples act is vnderstood also by implication Whose part was chiefly to Lift vp handes eyther before or after the Nomothetaes act Even so likewise this same worde vsed heere in the Actes in the very same maner shall import the Peoples part also viz. a present coÌ„sent in the appointing of their Elders though only their Guides the Apostles voyce-giving and ordayning of them be named But we will not presse this We may as I said cleane omit this coÌ„sideration and yet this text in the Actes doth fully serve our mayne purpose Namely it proveth fully that these Elders were ordayned by the Apostles in the presence and with the free liking of the severall Churches Another conceite there is that the sense of this word heere is the same which the Greeke Ecclesiastical Writers long after do vse it in viz. only to lay on hands in Ordination and no more It is an idle conceite All do know that the later Ecclesiasticall Greeke Writers have altered the originall and proper vse of this word as they yea and the Latines also have done in other as after we * In the 2. Assertion 9. Reason in the end thereof shal further see In the Apostles time they spake the ordinarie and knowen phrase taken from the former times But then no man vsed this word in such sense They which followed som hundred yeares can not prove that the Ancients spake like the after-commers Wherefore to our purpose againe By all these textes thus declared it remayneth evident that the Church which is to have a Minister ought to be present and to shew liking and coÌ„sent freely to their Ministers calling sith we have seene that it was so in the practise of the Apostles and by the ordinance of Christ Which also it seemeth our very Book of OrdinatioÌ„ which is by Law intendeth requireth where it saith Take thou authority c. in this Congregation The word this importeth that the very particular Congregation wherein he should haue authoritie should be present And why should they necessarily be present but freely to consent Also heere by it is evident that the Law would not that any Minister should be ordained but to a certain Congregation All which good necessary and Christian rules how they be now every where broken despised who seeth not Yea though the manifest intent of our Law doth require them A word more let vs add touching D. Bilsons approbatioÌ„ also of the Churches free consent in chosing their Pastors Whose testimony I do delight to apply to our purpose for divers good considerations “ D â—ils again the Seminar part 2. pag. 353.356 Saith he We haue the words and warrant of the H. Ghost for that which we say c. viz. that the People can and ought to discerne and try the doctrines and spirits of the Teachers and so to chose and refuse them as they by the word should see good * pag. 355. How can the People do either if they haue not skill and leave to discerne both “ Perpet gover pag. 360. The Apostles left elections indifferently to the People and Clergie at Ierusalem The People had as much right to chose their Pastors as the Clergie that had more skill to iudge * Pag. 339. Well may the Peoples interest stand vpoÌ„ the grounds of reason and nature and be derived from the rules of Christian equitie “ Pag. 359. The late Bishops of Rome have not ceased cursing fighting till excluding both Prince and People they reduced the election wholy to the Clergie But he telleth them by their leave it was not so from the beginning * Pag. â—30 I acknowledge each Church people stand free by Gods law to admit maintaine obey no man as their Pastor without their liking It is true he addeth this vnles by law custome or consent they restraine themselves But this he himselfe elswhere answereth roundly “ Pag. 22 â—â— What authoritie had others after the Apostles deathes to chaunge the Apostolike governement And such additions he calleth †Pag. 19. Corruptions of times inventions of men and a transgressing of the Commaundement of God for the traditions of men And againe he calleth this
yeares space after Christ vsing this word for a Visibâ—â— Church with order and governement do signifie by it a particular Congregation only And it no where signifieth in them a Diocesan Church c. Where note that the strength of this reason standeth wholy in the proper taking and vsing of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Church Note The Adversaries error hath advantage by the improper and ambiguous vse of it which is Sophisticall Yea if you will their sense is a “ By the Scriptures verdict false sense of it wherein yet it often vsed in Writers and in common speach for want of due regard By which meanes also sundry other errors have crept in heeretofore much prevayled even by mis-vnderstanding of certayne wordes As we may see in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin Meritum Equivocall wordes Poenitentia Crux Sacramentum c. Out of all those Testimonies before alleadged this generall reason may be concluded No Diocesan Church or Bishop was knowen or once heard of in the world till many distinct ordinary Congregations began to be appointed in one Citie But there was no Multiplication nor distinction of many ordinarie and constant Congregations in a Citie till about 200. yeares after Christ Som coÌ„iecture it was long after this No man sheweth that it was before this The truth in deed heereof that for this while generally in each Citie there was but one ordinary constant Congregation of Christians hath ben plentifully shewed in the Proofes of this 2. Assertion before going Therefore till about 200. yeares after Christ there was no manner of Diocesan Church or Bishop knowen nor once heard of in all the Christian world No not the Diocesan Titular Bishop much lesse any Diocesan ruling Bishop Where yet we deny not but that one particular Congregation or Church being populous might occasionally and vncertainly in the time of persecution for their safetie sake assemble in divers smaller Meetings As before we noted pag. 19.20 As also they did we doubt not many times within the space of these 200. yeares after Christ Howbeit yet these smaller Meetings were not so many Churches properly because they were not ordinary sett Companies nor constantly distinct Societies as Churches ought to be and as our Parishes now are Those divers Occasionall and vncertaine meetings made but one Church and ordinary Congregation Act. 6 1. yea though the whole nomber were too populous for one actual Assembly ordinarily It is true in such case they ought to distinguish and distribut themselves into divers competent set Congregations which should be so many proper and intire Churches But when they are as they were in those primitive times dayly in great perill of cruell persecution they may with reason remaine somwhile vndistinguished not so distribute themselves which in time of peace and safetie they always ought to do Wherin now som Reformed Churches beyond Seas do seeme to offend If any say the troublesomnes of those times or the yong age of the Churches who were not yet growen vp to perfection caused that there were no Diocesan Churches with governement nor Diocesan ruling Bishops then And we take advantage of the special state of those times vrging it to our purpose generally I answer we vrge from the state and order of the Apostolike primitive Churches nothing but what is generall in them and ought to be perpetuall with vs. So that neither the troublesomnes of those times nor the young age of the Churches then do give vs our advantage For notwithstanding these speciall Circumstances the Visible Churches vsing gouernement and the Bishops then might have ben very well Diocesan and Provinciall if Christ had so instituted and the Apostles had so framed and left them Nothing in the world hindereth but they might easily have ben such even in those times But the world knew none such then as I have said And it is impietie to say Christes Churches were vnperfect then as touching their Visible forme constitution their Ministery and the whole lawfull order of worshipping God in them Or that the times since have made them more perfect then they were as the Apostles left them Wherefore this advantage do we stand vpon and this do we vrge viz. the same patterne and forme of Visible Churches vsing governement that was then vniversally practised receaved immediatly from Christ and the Apostles which was Parishionall not Diocesan as hath ben declared The 3. Assertion The Scriptures of the New Testament do containe set forth vnto vs besides the governement by Extraordinarie Offices Apostles Prophets Evangelistes an ordinarie forme of Church-governement vsed then IF in the New Testament one kinde of a Visible Church vsing governement and no other is to be found 1. Reason also if speciall distinct ordinarie Offices for Church-governement and speciall Actions therevnto belonging be sett downe therein then the Scripture contayneth a speciall forme of Church-government which was ordinary then But in the New Testament a See before 1. Asseâ—tion 2. Reason One kinde of a Visible Church vsing governement namely a particular ordinarie Congregation and no other is found also speciall distinct ordinarie Offices for Church-governement are set downe therein as Parishionall b T it 1.5 7 1 Tim. 3.1 2. Ephe. 4.11 Phil. 1.1 Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 5.2 Act. 14.23 Bishops or Pastors and an other sort of not Lay but Ecclesiasticall c 1. Tim. 5.17 compared with Gal. 6.10 1 Tim. 4.10 Rom. 12. â— 1 Cor. 12.28 Iam. 5.14 Adde the ancient Writers Ignat. Epist ad Trall Tars Smyr Tertull. Apol. c. 39. d Baptisme Ambr. in 1. Tim. 5 in 1. Cor. 12.28 Ierom. in Isa 3. August Epist 137. Elders who by their Ordinary office were only to assist in governement Third the special Actions belonging to Church-government are also set downe in the Scripture as Election of Ministers Excommunication of spirituall offendors c. Therfore the Scripture of the New Testament coÌ„tayneth a speciall forme of Church-governement ordinary then Where it is to be noted that in those first times there were also those other Officers in the Churches Note Apostles Evangelistes and Prophetes But they had Calling and giftes immediatly from God the others Calling was alwayes by men They abode not in one Church as the other did Their government and vse was not perpetuall but temporary and extraordinarie They therefore hindered not the other neither can they now hinder The rather sith they do not now remaine but are ceased Also those Parishionall Bishops and those other Elders assisting in government Note did differ in their Ordinary office Yea though they both did somtimes Preach c yet thus they differed notwithstanding But a Parishionall Bishop or Pastor cannot differ in his ordinary office of Preaching c. from an Elder who is also by ordinary office a Preacher c. Therefore he is heere an other Church Elder viz. by ordinary office no
Preacher but only a helper in governement who in those forenoted places is spoken of and differeth in his ordinary office plainly from every Bishop or Pastor Yet som obiect vehemently that all Elders in the Primitive Churches who assisted the Bishop in government were very Pastors seeing they had power to preach the word c. And that those mentioned namely in Ignatius and Tertullian before alleaged were only such And therefore then there were none such only governing Elders at all as we conceave I answer That they differed even then in their ordinarie office from Pastors it is cleere and questionles not only in those fore-alleaged places of Scripture but also in the foresaid ancient writers Ignatius and Tertullian c. Yet for more evidence to this point which som labour mightily to obscure and darken I affirme that Preaching and Interpreting Gods word is of 3. sortes in the Scripture Preaching of 3. sortes and so it was vsed in the first Churches after 1 1. We read of Preaching which was by * Rom. 10.14 15. ordinary office This we say the Pastors Teachers only did perform 2 2. That which was for exercise and for trayning vp for the making of som apt and able for the Ministerie of the word yea and for a further increase of giftes even in the Ministerie themselves This was the exercise of Prophesie or Interpretatiō as the “ 1 Cor. 14 29. 1 Cor. 12.30 Scripture calleth it Wherein were receaved som * 1 Cor. 14 1.24 31. Lay men namely by the Churches order And then so likewise might the Deacons Elders also somtimes Preach though they were no Preachers by office Neverthelesse yet we acknowledge the Preachers were and ought to be the chiefe heerein But the 3 3. sort of Preaching is most of all heere to be marked Third vpon occasion in Churches without order and scattered and also vnto persons who were not yet gathered to any Church there was Preaching which was generall and common for * Acts 11.19 all true Christians lively Members of Christ indued with giftes of knowledge sound iudgement in Religion In which sense Ambrose is to be vnderstood Ambro. in Ephe. 4. where he saith that in the first times every Christian preached the worde Neither is it now a fault but a singular vertue for godly Householders to instruct in the word of God their owne children and servantes Howbeit in Churches orderly governed and setled no privat Christian may presume neither did any then presume publikely to preach or interpret the word except for som speciall reason he were specially appointed so to do by the lawful Governors of the Church And so did som preach publikely yea in the very Churches after the Apostles being even but Lay men as Ignatius and Tertullian do witnes in the foresaid places Where they shew that also the Deacons did and might preach after this maner And also that the Elders which were ordinarie Assistantes in governement did and might preach thus likewise I say still after this 3. manner that is like as the very Lay men did and as the Deacons did that is not by their ordinary office but by the Pastors and Bishops speciall appointment to them all Wherefore this proveth not the Elders there spoken of to be Preachers by Office nay it proveth plainly the contrarie that by their ordinary office they were not Preachers but only governing Elders And this is the purpose that we alleage them for Finally we may observe that som shadow of them seemeth still to remayne though greatly corrupted in the Church Wardens of our Parishes Yea som such depravatiō and degencration in them was begun we doubt not in Ambrose Ierome and Austines time although yet the ancient trueth appeareth well enough thereby notwithstanding The 4. Assertion The ordinary forme of Church governement set foorth vnto vs in the New Testament ought to be kept still by vs it is not changeable by men and therefore it only is lawfull IF the ordinary forme of Church-government appointed by God in his word 1. Reason was never since repealed by himselfe then * Mat. 28.20 2 Thes 2.15 1. Tim. 6.14 the same remayneth still appointed for vs it is still necessary and is not changeable by men But the ordinary forme of Church-governement appointed by God in his word and specified before in our 3. Assertiō was never since repealed nor chāged by himself Therefore the same remaineth still appointed by God for vs it is now stil necessarie is not chāgeable by any men If every lawfull Visible Church vsing governement also if every lawfull Church-Office and Action 2. Reason ought to be particularly allowed by God in his word then the ordinarie forme of Church-governement set forth vnto vs in the new Testament is necessary for vs now still it is vn changeable and only lawfull But every lawfull Visible Church vsing governement and also every lawfull Church Office and Action * 1. Assert◠1. Reason Heb. 5.4 Mat. 21.25 1 Cor. 12.5 28. Ephe. 4.11 12 13. 1 Tim. 2.5 Ioh. 10.1 ought to be particularly as touching the kinde thereof allowed in Gods worde Therefore the Ordinarie forme of Church-governement set downe vnto vs in the New Testament is necessarie for vs now still it is vnchangeable and only lawfull Heerevnto for a conclusion let vs adde certaine learned mens very cleere Testimonies which persons yet are no way partiall for vs. Doctor Bilson who is now Lord Bishop of Winchester saith thus “ D. Bilson perpet goy pag. 3. We must not frame what kinde of Regiment we list for the Ministers of Christes Church but rather observe and marke what maner of externall governement the Lord hath best liked and allowed in his Church even from the beginning And * Pag. 19. It is certaine we must not choose out the corruptions of time nor inventions of men but ascend to the originall ordinance of God and thence derive our platforme of Church-governement To do otherwise is To transgresse the commandement of God for the traditions of men * Pag. 49. The Apostles had their mouthes and pennes directed and guyded by the Holy Ghost into all trueth aswell of doctrine as Discipline The Apostles “ Pag. 43. set an order amongst Christians in all things needfull for the governement continuance peace and vnitie af the Church * Pag. 221. What authoritie had others after the Apostles deathes to change the Apostolike governement †Pag 111. They that have authority in the Church must looke not only what they challenge but also frō whom they derive it If from the Apostles then are they their Successors If from Christ as colleagues ioyned with the Apostles we must find that consociation in the Gospell before we cleere them from intrusion No man should take this honor vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as the Apostles were If they be called by Christ read