A VINDICATION OF THE DISSERTATIONS CONCERNING EPISCOPACIE From the ANSVVERS or EXCEPTIONS offered against them by the London Ministers in their Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici By H. HAMMOND D.D. LONDON Printed by J. G. for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane 1654. TO THE READER IN Erasmus's distribution of his owne writings into Tomes the 8th we finde thus inscribed by him Octavum occupent Apologiae Me miserum Et hae justum volumen efficient It was his great infelicity that the Apologies and Answers to exceptions and calumnies which he was constreined to write made up an intire large Volume in folio Now though I have that pleasure in the temper of that person which gives me security by the Romanists Proverbe never to be deemed one of their good Catholicks and so may probably partake of some part of his fate yet 't were great insolence in me who have not troubled the World with a tenth proportion to that were with he hath favoured it to expect the Tithe of that consideration which is required to make one capable of that degree of infelicity which lay a full load on him Neverthelesse these few last moneths have given me a tast and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what I am to expect For besides the reproaches of one learned Gentleman to which being barely such I have no one word to retribute but that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Christ directs me to I have farther met with some variety Many exceptions though litle of contumely from these Assemblies More and in a very distant Character from a large Preface of Animadversions on the Dâ—ssertations sent me lately from Oxford others also there are which I have not yet had leasure to weigh but soon purpose and hope to do it and if either I discerne my selfe or finde it the opinion of others that what is already said in the Tracts which they oppose be not sufficient to prevent or remove the scruples proposed by them I shall willingly dedicate some time of vacancy to that imployment At the present the Exceptions of the London Ministers have challenged the precedence and here are offered to consideration And because the Praeface from Oxford falls on the same sort of matter Episcopacy and Ignatius's Epistles as they are defended in the Dissertations I purpose God-willing that an Answer to that shall now follow assoone as the Printer can dispatch it And that is all that I had to say to the Reader by way of Praeface THE TABLE CHAP. I. COncerning the Angels of the Churches of Asia Page 9. Section 1. The grounds of affirming them to be Bishops Ibid. Sect. 2. Of Timothy of Onesimus of Policarpe p. 15. Sect. 3. Of the negative argument from S. John's not using the word Bishop Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Revelation p. 19 Sect. 4. Of S. Johns writings Againe of Diotrephes p. 25 Sect. 5. Of S. John's being Bishop of Asia Of the Apostles being Bishops p. 29 Sect. 6. Of the word Angel and Star pretended to be common to all Ministers Of Messenger and Embassadour The singularity of the word Angel p. 35 Sect. 7. Of their exception to our arguing from Symbols Of Bishop and Elder being the same p. 38 Sect. 8. Of the singularity of each Angel The objections from the use of the plurall number p. 41 Sect. 9. Of the Elders at Ephesus Act. 20. p. 45 Sect. 10. Of expressing a number by singulars A Church by a Candlestick Of the seven Angels Rev. 8. p. 47 Sect. 11. Of the Epistles being sent to the whole Church not to the Bishop only Of Timothy Onesimus and Polycarp being Bishops of some of the Asian Churches without any charge of Apostacy falling on them by this meanes p. 50 Sect. 12. Of Timothies being an Evangelist that it hinders not his being a Bishop p. 55 Sect. 13. Of the Bishops at Ephesus Of the plural number in the Epistle to the Angel of Smyrna p. 56 Sect. 14. Of Beza's interpretation of the Praesident p. 57. Sect. 15. Of Dr. Reynolds interpretation of the Bishop in Cyprian Of Ordination by Bishops not without Presbyters from the Testimones of Cyprian and Fermilian p. 51 Sect. 16. Of the Churches of Asia being Metropoliticall Of the paucity of believers p. 54 Sect. 16. Of modelling Churches according to the Government of the Roman state Of exemplars of Metropolitans among the Jewes Testimonies of the Apostles instituting Metropolitans p. 67 Sect. 17. Of the objection against Metropoles from the seven Starres in seven Churches p. 71 Sect. 18. Of the use of the word Bishop for Archbishop in Tertullian Of Angel in Christs Epistle p. 64 Sect. 19. Of division into Parishes and Vnion into Diocesses Of Diocesan Bishops in the Apostles dayes Elders in every Church Act. 14. Elders of the Church Act. 20. That place vindicated from exception p. 75 CHAP. II. OF the equivalence of the words Bishop and Elder in the New Testament p. 92 Sect. 1. Foure sorts of equivalence of these words proposed Ibid. Sect. 2 Of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 95 Sect. 3. Of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elder p. 100 Sect. 4. Of reverence to Antiquity and the interpretations of the Antients Of Praelatists disagreement among themselves 102. Sect. 5. Inconveniencies objected and answer'd Of more Bishops in one City No Presbyters in the Apostles dayes The no Divine right of the order of Presbyters p. 105 Sect 6. A first confession objected and vindicated Of the Ephesine Presbyters being all the Praelates of Asia Elders Aldermanni p. 108 Sect. 7. A second confession of the Bishops Phil. 1. 1. being Bishops of that whole Province Philippi a Metropolis and a Colony p. 110 Sect. 8. A third confession of Timothies being an Archbishop Of the qualifications 1 Tim. 3. 2 belonging to Bishops Of the Bishops being worthy of double-honour though he never preach Of the word and Doctrine Of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4 Of Rebuking and receiving accusation against an Elder p. 112 Sect. 9. A fourth confession of Titus being Archbishop of Creet p. 116 Sect. 10. A fift charge of contrariety to Scripture answered Of visitation of the sick belonging to Elders James 5. p. 118 Sect. 11. A last objection from Act. 21. 18. and. 14. 3. and 11. 30. answered Elders for Rulers or Bishops p. 122 CHAP. III. COncerning the Opinion of Antiquity in this Question Page 129. Sect. 1. The Testimonies of Clemens Romanus Bishops and Deacons the onely offices at the first Corinth Metropolis of Achaia What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies The Apostles care to prevent contentions about Episcopacy Hegesippus's testimony of the contentions at Corinth Clement a Bishop p. 129. Sect. 2. The Testimony of Policarpe That he was himselfe a Bishop His mention of Ignatius's Epistles fit to give authority to them being so confirmed as it is by a series of the Antients p. 139 Sect. 3. A vindication of Ignatius's Epistles Vossius's edition of them and the Archbishops of
be communicated to the Colossians and the Epistle of the Church of Jerusalem to the Church of Antioch did belong and was communicated to all the Churches of Syria and Cilicia Act. 16. 4. And then all that the immediate subjoyning of the Deacons in that place will conclude is onely this which is farre from yeilding the Presbyterians any profit that as Epiphanius saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Churches being but newly planted there were not Presbyters as yet constituted among them onely a Bishop with one Deacon or more in each City in like manner as it was at Jerusalem Act. 6. where after James's assumption to the Bishoprick which the Ecclesiasticall writers tell us of the seven Deacons are soone instituted no Presbyters being created in the middle betwixt the Bishop and them that either Scripture or antient Record informe us of And Clemens St. Pauls fellow Labourer mentions it as the generall practice that the Apostles preaching through Regions and Cities constituted their first fruits into Bishops and Deacons of those which should come in to the faith Thus farre is this from being a forced interpretation being perfectly regular and conformable to what we read of those times out of the best and antientest Records of them And if in any circumstance we should be lyable to mistake yet for the maine the Reader will hardly thinke it possible when he remembers this very Church of the Philippians to be one of those expressely named by Tertullian among whom in his time Apostolorum Cathedrae suis adhuc locis praesidebantur The Chaires of the Apostles were yet extant praesiding in their due places which concludes some Bishop or singular praefect to have succeeded the Apostles in this Church as in those other Thessalonica c. and by Theodoret whose authority is most used against us in this matter to prove that the Bishops were Presbyters here Epaphroditus is expresly affirmed to be that Bishop The next place is that of 1 Tim. 3. 1 2. If any man desire the Office of a Bishop he coveteth a good worke A Bishop therefore must be blamelesse where there is no reason of doubting but the Bishop is the singular praefect or Governour of the Church For the onely appearance of the contrary being againe as in that to the Philippians the immediate subjoyning of Deacons and their qualifications v. 8. that presently vanisheth if againe we remember the observation of Epiphanius which he had out of the most antient Records and was found exactly conformable to the expresse words of Clemens Romanus the contemporary of the Apostles that at the beginning of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the government was compleate in all the Offices the Apostles and Apostolicall persons placed in the Church by them such as Timothy to whom here he gives the directions created no more but a Bishop and Deacon one or more in each Church the present state of things neither requiring nor being well capable of any more in respect of the paucity of the Christians to be governed or instructed and of those which were fit to be made Presbyters And although Theodoret againe with some few others interpret the place of Presbyters yet 't is as evident he doth it not to the disadvantage of Bishops adding in the same place that the Bishops especially should observe these Lawes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as those which had atteined to a greater honour Meanewhile S. Chrysostome interprets it distinctly of Bishops as I have done and in that notion of Bishops which severs them from Presbyters such as governe in each City and addeth the qualifications to be such as being spoken of Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe agree to Presbyters also And accordingly Theophylact interprets it of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the President and Ruler without any mention of Presbyters There remaines but one place and that of the very same nature with this last and must certainly be regulated by it Tit. 1. 7. For a Bishop must be blamelesse as the steward of God answerable to that notion of the word Bishop in the Old Testament for the Ruler set over the House of the Lord 2 Kin. 11. 18. i. e. the Steward to whom the Keyes of the House were committed Isa 22. 22. That this is the singular Bishop in every City signified before v. 5. by the Elders which Titus was left in Crete to constitute is the joynt affirmation of St. Chrysostome Theophylact and Oecumenius on those words of v. 5. Elders in every City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. By Elders he there meanes Bishops as in the Epistle to Timothy appointing them to be constituted in every â—ity for he would not have the whole Island administred by one but that every â—ity should have it's proper Pastor or Bishop that so the labour might be the lighter and the care more exact In Crete there were certainly many Cities Eusebius mentions an hundred of all which saith he Titus was made Bishop by St. Paul that under him saith Theodoret he might ordeine Bishops to which Chrysostome and Theophylact adde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might have power to judge or censure those Bishops as a Metropolitan and Primaâ—e over them There is now no other place wherein the word Bishop is used and by this briefe view of these I hope the first proposition is competently rescued from meriting the censure of Paradox whether that signifie novell or strange this being so conformable both to the nature and use of the word to the tradition of the antient Church and the importance of each Scripture where it is used that Bishop should signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the singular Pastor or Governour in each City or Church Section III. Of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elder NOw to the second proposition which pretended not to so much positivenesse but is set down in a greater latitude of defining that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either constantly signifies a Bishop also or else commonly a Bishop though sometimes but most rarely a Presbyter Of this I shall now need to praemise but these few things First that the nature of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elder in the Old Testament doth denote most properly and signifie most constantly as in all Languages the word is found vulgarly to doe a Ruler or Governour This is so largely deduced and demonstrated in the Annotation on Act. 11. 30. that I shall not indeavour farther to manifest it Secondly that as in some places of the New Testament the word is necessarily to be understood of Bishops so in every other place it is very fitly capable of that interpretation This is againe so particularly evidenced to the Latine Reader Diss 4. c. 19 20 21 22. and to the English Reader Annot. on Act. 11. b. and 14. a. that I cannot deeme it reasonable to tire my selfe farther with
to the Apostles not as to a Common councell of sociall Rulers but as so many severall planters and Governours of the Church each having all power committed to him and depending on no conjunction of any one or more Apostles for the exercise of it And this is largely and clearly deduced Dissert 3. c. 1. 2. 3. 4. And this power being by them derived to Bishops in each City in the same manner as they used it themselves which is also farther evidenced and vindicated c. 5. c. this was deemed a first competent proofe of this matter and as a confirmation of it it was observable that the first Bishops made by them were in the very Scripture called Apostles James the Bishop of Jerusalem c. Diss 4. c. 3. 8. A second principall proofe of Scripture is taken from the severall mentions of the so many Churches of Asia and the so many Angels assigned to them one to each as a singular Governour or Bishop in the Revelation And in discourse of these wee have found great evidence of the fact to authorize us to improve the conclusion a little higher than was necessary to the defence of the maine cause viz. to affirme of these Angels that each of them was an Archbishop or Metropolitan and having done so to discerne upon undeniable grounds that there were many other such mentioned in the Scripture though not under that title as James the brother of the Lord Metropolitan of all Judea Titus of all Crete with an hundred Cities in it c. 9. And the wayes of according all other Scriptures with these have been briefly these 1. By observing this difference betwixt Cities and Metropoles as the true cause and occasion of the mentions of many Bishops in not of one City meaning thereby the Bishops of all the Cities under that Metropolis as Phil. 1. 1. Act. 20. 17. Secondly by examining the Nature of all the words which I conceived to be used in Scripture for Bishops as beside Apostle and Angel forementioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 President 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elder and in the Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chiefe Priest and Sacerdos Priestâ— each denoting Dignity and Authority and all cleared to be in their own nature applicable and by the circumstances of the Context to be actually applied to the singular Governours in each City most of them constantly so and that one of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if not constantly so yet very rarely otherwise And this is done Dissert 4. c. 7. and so to the end of that Diss Thirdly by observing the paucity of believers in many Cities in the first Plantations which made it unnecessary that there should by the Apostles be ordeined any more than a Bishop and Deacon one or more in each City and that this was accordingly done by them at the first is approved by the most undeniable antient Records Such as those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the profoundest Histories out of which Epiphanius makes this Observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where there wanted Bishops and there were found persons worthy of the Office Bishops were constituted but where there was no multitude there none were found among them to be constituted Presbyters and they satisfied themselves with a Bishop alone in a place Onely the Bishop could not possibly be without a Deacon and accordingly the Apostle tooke care that the Bishop should have his Deacons to minister to him That which is thus cited by Epiphanius out of those Antient Records is found clearly affirmed by Clemens Romanus an Apostolicall person and witnesse of the Apostles practice that they being sent out by Christ as hee by his Father went out Preaching the Gospell and proclaiming it through Regions and Cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they constituted their first fruits into Bishops and Deacons of those which should afterward believe To both which wee shall againe adde what Ephiphanius prefaceth in that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that when the preaching was new the Apostle St. Paul wrote agreeably to the present state of affaires We have here so cleare an account of the reason of the Apostles immediate subjoyning of Deacons to Bishops Phil. 1. 1. and 1 Tim. 3. viz. because those were the onely two Orders then constituted in every Church that these two places which are made use of by the adversaries against us are most punctuall evidences of the Truth of ours and of the unseasonablenesse of their pretentions 10. As for the Testimonies out of the first Antiquity The ground-worke I have chosen to lay in Ignatius his Epistles because the Testimonies thence are so many and so evident and the Writer so neere the Apostles time that holy men being Martyr'd in the 10. of Trajan to whose Reigne S. John lived and most of his Epistles written to the very Churches of Asia planted by St. John and the Bishops of many of them named by him and of one Bishop the Presbyters under him that if that one Authors Testimonies be attended to there is an absolute decision of the whole matter on the Prelatists side To which purpose I have also vindicated these Epistles from all that hath been objected to them in these late yeares and asserted their Authority by as antient and authentick evidences as can be vouched for any antient piece next the Holy Scriptures themselves and contented my selfe with the most pure and uncorrupted Copies and Editions of it 11. In accord with these Testimonies I have also produced many others out of Clemens Romanus Hegesippus Polycarpe Papias Polycrates Iustin Jrenaeus Clemens Alexandrinus Tâ—rtullian and as many of the first times as have said any thing to this matter and found a full consent in all and in most irrefragable suffrages which conclude this whole controversie on the Prelatists side To which I have also added some few observations of unquestionable truth as 1. That of the continuance of the use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elder to signifie Bishop in our Modern sense among some of these most antient Church writers whereas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is never used by any but for a singular Governour Secondly that of the distinct Congregations of Iewish and Gentile Christians in the same City the grounds of which are evident in Scripture and consequently of the severall Governours or Bishops over them which was usefull for the removing some seeming difficulties in the Catalogues of the first Bishops of Rome Antiâ—ch c. and some other the like not for the serving the Necessities of our Cause but as supernumerary and ex abundanti And upon these and such like heads of probation we have built our plea descending also to a particular survey of Saint Hierom's testimonies which are by the adversaries principally made use of against us And if what is thus copiously deduced in the Dissertations together
is onely to state the Question betwixt us which is all the while no more but this whether Tertullian and Irenaeus that call Polycarpe and Onesymus Bishop of Smyrna and Ephesus meane Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a peculiar sense or in a generall phrase as all Presbyters are called Bishops And this I acknowledge to be the onely question between us and if Bishops doe signifie Bishops I cannot doubt but the cause is by them adjudged on our side And why it should not they have to conclude onely this offer of argument that Bishops and Presbyters had all one name in the Apostles dayes and long after in Irenaeus's time 55. I am truly weary of the length of this Chapter and cannot but by consent have some compassion on the Reader and therefore I shall bring the matter to this short issue This reason of theirs is no reason unlesse the word Bishop both in the Apostles dayes and long after Irenaeus's time signified a Presbyter in our moderne notion For if both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop and Elder signified Bishop in our notion this againe gives the cause to us from them And upon these termes I am content to leave it if ever they finde in Irenaeus that Episcopus signifies a Presbyter in our moderne notion I will confesse them Conquerours but this they have not offered here to doe and I have some moderate assurance they never will And so much for that Chapter CHAP. II. Of the equivalence of the words Bishop and Elder in the New Testament Section I. Foure sorts of equivalence of these words proposed THe next place where I find my selfe call'd forth is about the midst of their seventh Chapter toward the bottom of pag. 92. Onely for the conclusion of this Discourse c. For although in the former part of that Chapter they undertake to vindicate their chiefe proofes of Scripture Act. 20. 17 28. Phil. 1. 1. 1 Tim. 3. 1 Pet. 5. and to make replies to the Answers given to them and although it is most certaine that in the Dissertations every of those places are answered and shew'd to be fully reconcileable with our praetensions for Praelacy yet they have not pleased to take any notice of what is there said which if they had done I might without insolence undertake to shew that it had prevented all appearance of force in any of their Replies And therefore being by this meanes perfectly freed from all obligation to view any Paragraph of that former part of the Chapter and having already said somewhat to the chiefe of their places Act. 20. and fore-seeing a fit opportunity for the rest I shall for mine own and the Readers ease punctually expect and obey the summons appeare when I am call'd before them but no sooner avert their charge and not multiply debates above what is necessary Thus then they begin that there is a Doctor a high Praelatist c. That in a late Booke of his hath undertaken to make out these two great Paradoxes 1. That wheresoever the word Bishop is used in the New Testament it is to be taken in a praelaticall sense 2. That wheresoever the word Presbyter is used in the New Testament it is to be understood not of a mere Presbyter but of a Bishop properly so called And whereas we say that the Scripture-Bishop is nothing else but a Presbyter and that there was no Bishops distinct from Presbyters in the Apostles dayes this Author on the contrary saith that the Scripture-Presbyter is a true Bishop and that there were no single and meere Presbyters in the Apostles dayes For our parts we do not thinke it necessary to take a particular survey of all that is said in justification of these Paradoxes onely we desire it may be considered There is so much of the sense of some passages in the Dissertations set downe in these words that I am forced to believe that I am the Author here charged for these two Paradoxes That they are so styled by those who are contrary minded and who have assumed a power which if either of these propositions be true they must be obliged to part with I cannot thinke strange And if I should style their assertions as perfectly Paradox i.e. as contrary to all the antients sense or Doctrine in this matter when they say that the Scripture-Bishop is nothing else but a Presbyter c. this were certainly an introduction fit to be confronted to theirs as being equally argumentative But because this verball eloquence hath little of efficacy in it and will never be a meanes of evincing the truth of our pretensions by affirming the contrary to be errours or Paradoxes and because what is affixt to me is not intirely my sense though it recite it in some part and approach neere to it I shall here begin with a briefe relation of what is affirmed by the Dissertations in this matter and then inquire what is here produced to invalidate it Dissert 4. c. 6. the method leading to the consideration of the word Bishop and Elder in the Scripture the first thing taken notice of was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or equivalence of these words in the opinion of many To which purpose Theodoret Chrysostome Oecumenius and St Hierome are cited as favourers of this opinion but this with some difference of the one from the other And for the distinct stating of the Question foure senses were set downe wherein it was possible that this equivalence of the words might be understood 1. That both Bishop and Elder should signifie one and the same viz. a Bishop in our moderne notion 2. That both should signifie the same thing viz. a Presbyter 3. That both of them should signifie promiscuously sometimes a Bishop sometimes a Presbyter i. e. that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should sometime signifie a Bishop sometime a Presbyter and in like manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie sometime a Bishop sometime a Presbyter 4. That the word Bishop should alwayes signifie a singular Bishop and the word Elder sometimes a Bishop and sometimes a Presbyter Of these foure senses of the equivalence of these words it was sure no error to conclude that they were not all of them true each being exclusive of the other three and although some of the antients might be brought in favour to one more than to the other yet this was eminently observable that those that favoured that species which is most for the Presbyterians interest to be accepted doe yet assert the cause of the Prelatists as confidently as any So Theodoret who seemes most to assert the second species doth yet propugne the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the superiour dignity of Bishops above Presbyters and affirmes Those who were in his time called Bishops the Singular praefects of Cities to have been styled Apostles in the Scripture-times and that Epaphroditus was called so by St. Paul as being Bishop of the Philippians and so saith he
last charge is more severe than any of the former that these paradoxes as they stile them are contrary to the very letter of the Scripture as we have made it evident in our arguments against the Jus Divinum of Episcopacy and would farther manifest it if we thought it necessary This I confesse of contrariety to the very letter of the Scripture rightly understood I lookt upon as so high a charge that I verily expected somewhat extraordinary to binde it on me and I suddenly resolved as I read the first words of that Section to examine those Scriptures that should now be produced ponderingly and exactly and either confesse my owne conviction or give competent reasons why I was not convinced by them But I soon found my expectations frustrated for as here is no one such Scripture mentioned so for their arguments against the Jus Divinum of Episcopacy I know not where to seek them and never heard and verily believe there is no such thing that they had formerly written any such Book against Bishops wherein the Dissertations or any assertions of mine therein were so much as arraign'd by them much lesse evidenced to be contrary to the very letter of Scripture If I had I assure them I should then have been as ready to have made my reply as now I have been to attend them thus farre And for their evidencing this in any tract publisht by them before the Dissertations were written by which notwithstanding the Dissertations were to be concluded I have no reason to thinke that to be their meaning because these assertions of mine are by them affirmed to be Paradoxes contrary to all that have ever written in defence of Episcopacy and therefore could not unlesse it were by divination be taken notice of and prevented by them After they had exprest their opinion that it was not necessary for them farther to manifest the contrariety of my Paradoxes to the very letter of the Scripture they yet farther proceed in these words For when the Apostle saith James 5. 14. Is any man sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church who is there that can be perswaded to believe that all these Elders were Bâ—shops in the sense that Bishops are taken in in our dayes Is this the pâ—oper Worke of Bishops to visit the sick And besides if the Apostle by Elders had meant Bishops in that sense he would have said let him call for the Elders of the Churches not of the Church unlesse our brethren will say that there were divers Bishops in every Church in the Apostles dayes in which there were many sick persons What the For in the front here signifies I shall not goe about to conjecture The antecedents would incline me to believe that it pretends to introduce a reason which might make it evident that my assertions are contrary to the very letter of Scripture But that sure it doth not any way attempt or appeare to doe unlesse the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders of the Church be supposed here to signifie Presbyters in our moderne notion of the word But then that is so farre from being granted that it is knowne to be the onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the matter of question betwixt us all this while and so was to be proved not supposed or presumed in this matter But bating them this begging of the Question I shall proceed to satisfie their wonderment that I should goe about to perswade any that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders in this place of Saint James were Bishops in that sense that we now understand and use the word And 1. I shall not doubt to avow that for all that space that in any Church there were no other officers ordained but onely the Bishop and Deacon it must of necessity be resolved the proper worke of Bishops to visit the sicke That there was at the first when the Faith was but thin planted such a time hath already been evidenced out of Clemens Romanus and the profoundest antequities that Epiphanius could meet with And that then this office must either be neglected or performed by either Bishop or Deacon will not need any farther proofe As for the the Deacons in their institution we finde not that to be any part of their office and indeed the suitablenesse of absolution to that state of dangerous sicknesse and the mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his having committed sins and the command of giving it in case he be qualified for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolvetur ei absolution shall be given him doth render the Deacon incompetent for that worke and so where there are no Presbyters must needs divolve it on the Bishop And this account hath more than probability no lesse than perfect evidence in it if we onely suppose what hath been so oft cleared from the Antients to be matter of fact that where the number of believers was small and none qualified for the office of Presbyters there the Apostles constituted no more but a Bishop and a Deacon in each City For whilst this was the state of that City I shall suppose a man sick and by the force of S. James's exhortation desirous of absolution c. Who is there supposeable in that City to give it him but the Bishop And whom else can he call to him for this purpose And then who can doubt but this is the worke in it selfe very agreeable and in this supposed case peculiar and proper to the Bishop so that unlesse this supposition be false nay impossible to be true I may safely say this was or might be the Bishops worke to visit the sick c. And indeed if it were not how could it be by the Bishop when other parts of his office became his fuller employment committed to the Presbyter For 1. he could not commit this to others if he first had it not in himselfe and Secondly this was the onely reason of ordaining inferiour officers in the Church that part of the Bishop's taske might be performed by them as when the whole burthen which was too heavy for Moses was distributed among other men which in this particular could not be if before this assignation of assistents it were not originally the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worke or proper taske of the Bishop To this may be farther added the reall dignity because necessary charity of this performance of visiting the sick c. and this arising both from the intimation of Gods owne finger pointing out this a most agreeable season for all spirituall admonition and comfort a molle tempus fandi wherein a word seasonably spoken may most probably find the due reception and wherein the prayers and blessing of the most Apostolical person or the most highly and justly dignified in the Church in the favour of God may come in most opportunely in this respect we see in that place that the prayers of the great Prophet Elias are made use of by S. James to exemplifie