the Church was governed Communi Presbyterorum Consilio by the Counsell of the presbyters in common and that even after this imparity it ought to be so governed Sciant Episcopi se Ecclesiam debere in communi regere Fifthly that the occasion of this Imparity and Superiority of Bishops above Elders was the divisions which through the Devils instinct fell among the Churches Post quam verò Diaboli instinctu Saravia would take advantage of this place to deduce this Imparity as high as from the Apostles times because even then they began to say I am of Paul and I of Apollos but sure S. Ierome was not so weake as this man would make him to speake Inconsistencies and when he propounds it to himselfe to prove that Bishops and Presbyters are in Scripture the same to let fall words that should confute his own proposition whereas therefore S. Ierome saith that after men began to say I am of Paul and I of Apollos c. it was decreed that one of the Presbyters should be set over the rest c. This is spoken indeed in the Apostles phrase but not of the Apostles times else to what purpose is that coacervation of texts that followes But suppose it should be granted to be of Apostolicall antiquity which yet we grant not having proved the contrary yet it appeares it was not of Apostolicall intention but of Diabolicall occasion And though the Divell by kindling Divisions in the Church did minister Occasion to the invention of the primacy or prelacy or one for the suppressing of Schisme yet there is just cause to thinke that the Spirit of God in his Apostles was never the author of this Invention First because we reade in the Apostles dayes there were Divisions Rom 16.7 and Schismes 1 Cor. 3.3 11.18 yet the Apostle was not directed by the holy Ghost to ordâ—ine Bishops for the taking away of those Divisions Neither in the rules hee prescribes for the healing of those breaches doth hee mention Bishops for that end Nor in the Directions given to Timothy and Titus for the Ordination of Bishops or Elders doth he mention this as one end of their Ordination or one peculiar duty of their office And though the Apostle saith O portet haereses inter vos esse ut qui probati sunt manifesti fiant inter vos yet the apostle no where saith Oportet Episcopos esse ut tollantur haereses quae mainifestae fiunt Secondly because as Doctor Whitaker saith the remedy devised hath proved worse then the disease which doth never happen to that remedy whereof the holy Ghost is the author Thirdly because the holy Ghost who could foresee what would ensue thereupon would never ordaine that for a remedy which would not onely be ineffectuall to the cutting off of evill but become a stirrup for Antichrist to get into his â—addle For if there be a necessity of setting up one Bishop over many presbyters for preventing schismes there is as great a necessity of setting up one Archbishop over many Bishops and one patriarch over many Archbishops and one pope over all unlesse men will imagine that there is a danger of schisme only among presbyters and not among Bishops and Archbishops which is contrary to reason truth History and our own Experience And lest our adversaries should appeale from Hierome as an incompetent Judge in this case because a Presbyter and so a party we wil therefore subjoyne the judgements of other ancient Fathers who were themselves bishops The Commentaries that goe under the name of Saint Ambrose upon Ephes. 4. mention another occasion of this Discrimination or priority and that was the increase and dilatation of the Church upon occasion whereof they did ordaine rectors or Governours and other officers in the Church yet this he grants that this did differ from the former orders of the Church and from apostolicall Writ And this Rectorship or Priority was devolved at first from one Elder to another by Succession when hee who was in the place was removed the next in order among the Elders Succeeded But this was afterwards changed and that unworthy men might not bee preferred it was made a matter of election and not a matter of Succession Thus much we finde concerning the occasion of this imparity enough to shew it is not of Divine Authority For the second thing the persons who brought in this Imparity the same Authours tells us the Presbyters themselves brought it in witnesse Hierome ad Evag. Alexandriae Presbyteri unum ex se electum in Excelsiori gradu collocatum Episcopum nominabant quomodo si exercitus Imperatorem faceret aut Diaconi de se Archidiaconum The Presbyters of Alexandria did call him their Bishop whom they had chosen from among themselves and placed in a higher degree as if an army should make an Emperour or the Deacons an Archdeacon Ambrose upon the fourth of the Ephesians tells us it was done by a Councell and although he neither name the Time nor place of the Councell yet ascribing it to a Councell hee grants it not to be Apostolicall this gave occasion to others to fixe it upon Custome as Hieronym in Tit. and August Epist. 19. secundùm honorum vocabula quae Ecclesiae usus obtinuit Episcopatus Presbyterio major est And had that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Prelacie had the Seale and confirmation of Divine or Apostolicall Authority Gregory Nazianzene would never in such a Patheticke manner have wished the Abolition of it as hee doth in his 28. Oration And now where is that acknowledgement and conveyance of Imparitie and Iurisdiction which saith this Remonstrant was derived from the Apostles hands and deduced in an uninterrupted line unto this day where is it we find no such Imparity delivered from Apostolicall hands nor acknowledged in Apostolicall writings yet had there beene such an acknowledgement and conveyance of imparity how this should have beene deduced to us in an uninterrupted Line wee know not unlesse our Bishops will draw the Line of their Pedigree through the loynes of Antichrist and joyne issue and mingle blood with Rome which it seemes they will rather doe then lose this plea for their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their tyrannicall prerogative as Nazianzen calls it Suffer us therefore humbly to appeale to your Honours whether this Remonstrant hath not given sentence against himselfe who is so confident of the Evidence of his cause that he doth not feare to say if there can be better Evidence under Heaven for any matter of fact then there is for his Episcopacy Let EPISCOPACY BEFOR EVER ABANDONED OVT OF THE CHVRCH OF GOD. SECT VII YEt it seemes himselfe in the height of his confidence was not without Jelousies of some thing might be spoken against his Cause therefore he seemes to heare what is spoken against it That the Apostles Bishops and ours are two there was no other then a Parochiall Pastor a Preaching Presbyter without
the rest the residue of the people The people governned and the governours in the plurall number What can be more evident to prove that by Angell is meant not one singular person but the whole company of Presbyters that were in Thyatira This also further appeares because it is usuall with the holy Ghost not only in other books of the Scripture but also in this very booke of the Revelation to expresse a company under one singular person Thus the Civill state of Rome as opposite to Christ is called A beast with ten hornes and the Ecclesiasticall state Antichristian is called the whore of Babylon and the false Prophet and the devill and all his family is called An old red Dragon Thus also the seven Angels that blew the seven trumpets Revel 8.2 And the seven Angels that poured out the seven Vialls are not literally to be taken but Synecdoâ—hically as all know And why not then the seven Angels in those Epistles Master Meedâ— in his Commentaries upon the Revelation pag. 265 hath these words Denique ut jam semel iterumque monuimus quoniam Deus adhibet angelos providentiae sitae in reruÌ„ humanarum motibus conversionibus ciendis gubernandisque administros idcirco quae multorum manibus peraguntur Angelo tamen tanquam rei gerendae praesidi Duci pro communi loquendi modo tribuuntur Adde thirdly that the very name Angell is sufficient to prove that it is not meant of one person alone because the word Angell doth not import any peculiar jurisdiction or preheminence but is a common name to all Ministers and is so used in Scripture For all Ministers are Gods Messengers and Embassadours sent for the good of the Elect. And therefore the name being common to all Ministers why should wee thinke that there should bee any thing spoken to one Minister that doth not belong to all The like argument wee draw from the word Starres used Revel 1.20 The seven Starres are the Angels of the seven Churches Now it is evident that all faithfull Ministers are called Starres in Scripture whose duty is to shine as lights unto the Churches in all purity of doctrine and holinesse of conversation And in this sence the word is used when it is said that the third part of the starres were darkened Revel 8.12 and that the Dragons taile drew the third part of the starres of Heaven cast them to the Earth Revel 12.4 Which is meant not onely of Bishops but of other Ministers unlesse the Bishops will appropriate all corruption and Apostacy unto themselves Adde fourthly out of the Text it selfe It is very observable that our Saviour in opening the mystery of the Vision Revel 1.20 saith The seven Candlestickes which thou sawest are the seven Churches but hee doth not say The seven starres are the seven Angels of the same Churches But the Angels of the seven Churches wherein not without some mystery the number of the Angels in omitted least we should understand by Angell one Minister alone and not a company And yet the septenary number of Churches is twice set down Lastly though but one Angell bee mentioned in the forefront yet it is evident that the Epistles themselves are dedicated to all the Angels and Ministers in every Church and to the Churches themselves And if to the whole Church much more to the Presbyters of that Church This is proved Revel 1.11 What thou seest write in a Book and send it to the seven Churches which are in Asia And also by the Epiphonema of every Epistle He that hath an eare to heare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches Upon which words Ambrosius Ausbertus in his second booke upon the Revelation saith thus Vnâ eadâ—mque locutione Angelos Ecclesias â—num esse designat Nam cum in principio locutionuÌ„ quae ad sepâ—em fiunt Angelos dicat Angelo illius Ecclesiae scribe in â—ine tamen carundem non dicit qui habet aurem audiat quod spiritus dicat Angelo sed quid Ecclesiae dicat By one and the same phrase of speech hee sheweth the Angels and the Churches to bee one and the same For whereas in the beginning of his speech which he makes to the seven Churches he saith And write to the Angell of the Churches yet in the close of the same he doth not say Hee that hath an Eare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Angel but what he saith to the Church And this is further proved by the whole argument of those Epistles wherein the admonitionâ— threatnings commendations and reproofes are directed to all the Ministers of all the Churches Revel 2.10 The devill shall cast some of you into prison c. Rev. 2.16 I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth Rev. 2.24 I will put upon you no other burden c. I say unto you and the rest of Thyatira as many as have not this doctrine and which have not known the depths of Satan c. And when it is said in the singular Number as it is often I know thy works and thy labour c. vers 2. vers 4. Repent and doe thy first works and verse 13. Thou hast not denied my Faith c. and cap. 3.26 Because thou art neither hot nor cold c. All these and the like places are not to bee understood as meant of one individuall person but of the whole company of Ministers and also of the whole Church because that the punishment threatned is to the whole Church Revel 2.5 Repent and doe thy first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of his place Rev. 2.16 Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth Revel 2.24 I will not put upon you any other burden Now wee have no warrant in the Word to thinke that Christ would remove his Gospell from a Church for the sinne of one Bishop when all the other Ministers and the Churches themselves are free from those sinnes And if God should take this course in what wofull and miserable condition should the Church of England be which groaneth under so many corrupt Prelates By all this it appeares that the word angell is not to be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not properly but figuratively And this is the judgement of Master Perkins upon the second Chapter of the Revelation and of Master Brightman and of Doctor Fulke who in answer to the Rhemists in Apoc. 1.20 hath these words S. Iohn by the angels of the Churches meaneth not all that should weare on their heads myters and hold crosier staves in their hands like dead Idolls but them that are the faithfull messengers of Gods Word and utter and declare the same Againe they are called the angels of the Churches because they be Gods messengers Master Fox likewise in his Meditation upon the Revelation pag. 7 9.17â— is of this
opinion and hath gathered to our hands the opinions of all Interpreters hee could meete and saith that they all consent in this that under the person of an Angell the Pastors and Ministers of the Churches were understood Saint Austin in his 132. Epistle saith thus Sic enim in Apocalypsi legitur Angelus c. Quod si de angelo superioruÌ„ coelorum non de Praepositis ecclesiarum vellet intelligi non consequenter diceret habeo adversum te c. And so in his second Homily upon the Revelation if that booke be his Quod autem dicit angelo Thyatirae â— habeo adversum te pauca dicit Praepositis Ecclesiarum c. This also Gregory the Great lib. 34. Moralâ— in Iob cap. 4. Saepè sacrum scripturam prâ—dicatores Ecclesiae pro eo quod patris gloriam annunciant angelorum nomine solere de signare hinc esse quod Iohannes in Apocalypsi septem Ecclesiis scribens angelis Ecclesiaâ—um loquitur id â—st Praedicatoribus populorum Master Fox citeth Primasius Haymo Beda Richard Thomas and others to whom we referre you If it be here demanded as it is much by the Hierarchicall side that if by angell bee meant the whole company oâ— Presbyters why Christ did not say to the angels in the plurall number but to the angell in the singular Wee answer that though this question may savour of a little too much curiosity yet wee will make bold to subjoyn three conjecturall reasoÌ„s of this phrase of speech First It is so used in this place because it is the common language of other Scriptures in types and visions to set down a certaine number for an uncertaine and the singular number for the purall Thus the Ramme Dan. 8.3 is interpreted vers 20. to be the Kings of Media and Persia And the enemies of Gods Church are set out by foure hoâ—nes And the deliverers by foure Carpenters Zach. 1.18 20. And the wise and foolish Virgins are said to be five wise and five foolish And many such like And therefore as we answer the Papists when they demand why Christ if he meant figuratively when he saith this is my body did not speake in plaine language this is the signe of my body We say that this phrase of speech is proper to all Sacraments So we also answer here this phrase of speech Angell for Angels is common to all types and visions Secondly angell is put though more be meant that so it may hold proportion with the Vision which Iohn sawâ— Chap 1.12.20 He saw seven golden Candlestickes and seven Starres And therefore to hold proportion the Epistles are directed to seven angels and to seven Churches And this is called a mystery Revel 1.20 The mystery of the seven Starres c. Now a mystery is a secret which comprehends more then is expressed and therefore though but one angell be expressed yet the mystery implyes all the angels of that Church Thirdly to signifie their unity in the Ministeriall function and joynt commission to attend upon the feeding and governing of one Church with one common care as it were with one hand and heart And this is more fitly declared by the name of one angell then of many Wee often finde the name of one Prophet or Priest to be put for the generall body of the Ministery or whole multitude of Prophets or Priests in the Church of Israel or Iudah when the Spirit of God intendeth to reprove threaten or admonish them Thus it is Iere. 6.13.18.18 Isa. 3.2 Hos. 9.8 Ezek. 7.26 Hos. 4.6 Mal. 2.7 Neither should it seeme strange that a multitude or company of Ministers should bee understood under the name of one angell seeing a multitude of Heavenly angels implyed in one service for the good of Gods Saints is sometimes in the Scripture shut up under one angell in the singular number as may be gathered from Gen. â—4 7 2 Kings 19.35 Psal. 34.7 compared with Psalme 91.11 Gen. 32.1.2 Kings 6.16 17. And also a multitude of devils or evill angels joyntly labouring in any one worke is set forth under the name of one evill or uncleane spirit 1 Kings 22.21 22. Mark 1 23 24. Markâ— 5.2.9 Luke 4.33 34. Luk. 8.27.30 1 Pet. 5.8 Heb. 2.14 Ephes. 6.11.12 But now let us suppose which yet notwithstanding we will not grant that the word Angell is taken individually for one particular person as Doctor Reynolds seemes to interpret it together with Master Beza yet neverthelesse there will nothing follow out of this acception that will any wayes make for the upholding of a Diocesan Bishop with sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction as a distinct superior to Presbyters And this appeares First because it never was yet proved nor ever will as we conceive that these angels were Diocesan Bishops considering that Parishes were not divided into Diocesses in S. Iohns dayes And the seven starres are said to bee fixed in their seven Candlestickes or Churches not one starre over divers Candlestickes Neither can those Churches be thought to be Diocesan when not only Tindall and the old translation calls them seven Congregations but we reade also Acts 20. that at Ephesus which was one of those Candlesticks there was but one flock And secondly we further finde that in Ephesus one of those seven Churches there were many Presbyters which are all called Bishops Acts 20.28 and we finde no colour of any superintendency or superiority of one Bishop over another To them in generall the Church is committed to be fed by them without any respect had to Timothy who stood at his elbow and had beene with him in Macedonia and was now waiting upon him to Ierusalem This is also confirmed by Epiphanius who writing of the Heresies of the Meletians saith that in ancient times this was peculiar to Alexandria that it had but one bishop whereas other Cities had two And hee being bishop of Cypres might well be acquainted with the condition of the Churches of Asia which were so nigh unto him Thirdly there is nothing said in the seven Epistles that implyeth any superiority or majority of rule or power that these angels had over the other angels that were joyned with them in their Churches It is written indeed in commendation of the angell of the Church of Ephesus that he could not beare them that were evill and that he had tryed them which say they were Apostles and are not had found them lyars And it is spoken in dispraise of the angell of Pergamus that he suffred them which held the doctrine of Balaam c. But these things are common duties requirable at the hands of all Ministers who have the Charge of Soules But suppose that there were some superiority and preheminency insinuated by this individuall angell yet who knoweth not that there are divers kinds of superiority to wit of Order of dignity of gifts and parts or in degree of Ministery or in charge of power and jurisdiction And how will it be proved that
againe we reade of Elder and Elders Presbyter and Seniors in one Church Both those passages are upon record in the publike acts which are more fully set downe by Baronius ao. 303. Num. 15.16 17. As also by Albaspineus in his Edition of Optatus in which Acts the Seniors are often mentioned In that famous relation of the purging of Cecilianus and Felix there is a copie of a Letter Fratribus filiis Clero Senioribus Fortis in Domino aeternam salutem Another Letter is mentioned a little before Clericis Senioribus Cirthensium in Domino aeternum Salutem These Seniors were interessed in affaires concerning the Church as being the men by whose advise they were managed The Letter of Purpurius to Silvanus saith adhibete conclâ—ricos seniores plebis Ecclesiasticos Viros inquirant quae sunt ista Dissensiones ut ea quae sunt secundum fidei Praecepta fiant Where wee see the joynt power of these Seniors with the Clergie in ordering Ecclesiasticall affaires that by their wisedome and care peace might be setled in the Church for which cause these Seniors are called Ecclesiasticall men and yet they are distinguished from Clergie men They are mentioned againe afterwards by Maximus saying Loquor Nomine SENIORVM Populi Christiani Greg. Mag. distinguisheth them also from the Clergie Tabellarium cum consensu SENIORVM Cleri memineris Ordinandum These Seniors had power to reprove offenders otherwise why should Augustine say Cum ob errorem aliquem à Senioribus arguuntur imputatur alicui cur ebrius fuerit cur res alienas pervaserit c. when they were by the Elders reproved for their errors and drunkennes is laid to a mans charge c. So that it was proper to the Seniors to have the cognizance of delinquents and to reprove them The same Augustine in Psalme 36. Necesse nos fuerat Primianicausam quem c. SenioruÌ„ literis ejusdem Ecclesiae postulantibus audire Being requested by letters from the Seniors of that Church it was needfull for me to heare the the cause of Primian c. So againe Optatus who mentioning a persecution that did for a while scatter the Church saith Erant Ecclesiae ex auro argento quà m plurima Ornamenta quae nec defodere terrae nec secum portare poterat quare fidelibus senioribus commendavit Albaspinâ—us that learned Antiquarie on that place acknowledges that Besides the Clergie there were certaine of the Elders of the people men of approved life that did tend the affaires of the Church of whom this place is to be understood By all these testimonies it is apparent first that in the ancient Church there were some called Seniors Secondly that these Seniors were not Clergie men Thirdly that they had a stroke in governing the Church and managing the affaires thereof Fourthly that Seniors were distinguished from the rest of the people Neither wouâ—d we desire to chuse any other Iudges in this whole controversie then whom himselfe constituted Forraine Divines taking the generall Suffrage and practise of the Churches and not of particular men As for the learned Spanhemius whom hee produceth though wee give him the deserved honour of a worthy man yet wee think it too much to speake of him as if the judgement of the whole Church of Geneva were incorporated into him as this Remonstrant doth And for Spanhemius himselfe we may truly say in the place cited he delivered a complement rather then his judgment which in Dedicatorie Epistles is not unusuall Wee know that reverend Calvin and learned Beza have said as much upon occasion in their Epistles and yet the Christian world knowes their Judgement was to the contrary Little reason therefore hath this Remonstrant to declaime against all such as speake against this Governement as unlawfull with the termes of Ignorant and spitefull Sectaries because they call the Governement unlawfull had they proceeded further to call it Antichristian which he charges upon them they had said no more then what our eares have heard some of their principall Agents their Legati à Latere speake publikely in their visitations That how ever the Church of England be as sound and Orthodox in her Doctrine as any Church in the world yet in our Discipline and Governement wee are the same with the Church of Rome which amounts to asmuch as to say the Governement is Antichristiâ—n unlesse they will say the Governement of Rome is not so nor the Pope Antichrist SECT XVI NOw our Remonstrant begins to leave his dispute for the Office and flowes into the large praâ—ses of the Persons and what is wanting in his Arguments for the Place thinks to make up in his Encomiasticks of the Persons that have possest that place in the Church of God and tels us that the Religious Bishops of all times are and have been they that have strongly upheld the truth of God against Satan and his Antichrist It is well he sets this crown only upon the heads of Religious Bishops as knowing that there are and have been some Irreligious ones that have as strongly upheld Satan and his Antichrist against the truth of God But the Religious Bishops are they that have all times upheld the truth What they and only they did never any uphold the truth but a Religious Bishop did never any Religious Minister or Professor preach or write or die to uphold the truth but a Religious Bishop if so then there is some perswasive strength in that hee saith and a credulous man might bee induced â—o thinke If Bishops goe downe truth will goe downe too But if wee can produce for one Bishop many others that gave beene valiant for the truth this Rhethoricall insinuation will contribute no great help to their establishment Nor indeed any at all unles he were able to make this good of our times as well as of all others which he assaies for saith he even amongst our own how many of the reverend learned Fathers of the Church now living have spent their spirits worne out their lives in the powerfull opposition of that man of sinne how many I sir wee would faine know how many that there are some that have stood up to beare witnesse against that Man of sin we acknowledge with all due respect to the Learning and worth of their Persons But that their Episcopall dignity hath added either any flame to their zeal or any Nerves to their ability we cannot believe nor can we thinke they would have done lesse in that cause though they had beene no Bishops But what if this be true of some Bishops in the Kingdome Is it true of all are there not some that have spent their spirits in the opposition of Christ as others have in the opposition of Antichrist are there none but Zealous Religious Prelates in the Kingdom are there none upon whom the guilt of that may meritoriously bee charged which others have convincingly and