the Preaching the Word for all are Pastors and Teachers or in thâ— administration of the Sacraments Matth. 28.19 1. Cor. 11.23 or in the exercise of Disciplin 1. Cor. 5.4 c. 2 Cor. 2.7 Or in the Governing the Church Act. 20.17 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Heb. 13.17 Obey those that are set over you He adds quare Apostoli in Epistolarum suarum inscriptionibus seribunt Sanctis item Ministris Nunquam soli alicui Episcopo Regulas Prescribunt 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.5.7 1 Pet. 5.2 Omnibus Pastoribus communes nullas singulares Episcoporum That upon this Ground the Apostles in the Inscriptions of their Epistles do write unto the Saints and also to Ministers but never to any one Bishop 1 Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.6 1 Pet. 5.2 Do prescrbe such Rules as are common to all Pastors but none that are peculiar to Bishops Here is a bold new Novelist with a whole Congeries of New Notions upon Texts pleaded by the Scots Presbyterians suting no doubt the Consideration of our Profound Antiquary I am verily of Opinion that this grave Inquirer into the new dangerous Notions of the Scots Presbyterians should either have perused the premised grounds of their New Opinion or Written to his Friend at Edinburgh to make inquiry in his behalf for some more of these dangerous Books that they might be sent up to him in order to his Doctorships perusal and confutation For it seems he has never seen them I need not mention Chamier and other conceited Novelists who has fallen into the same dottage De aecumenico Pont. lib. 10. Cap. 3. Arnoldus in his Lux in tenebris on Act. 20.17 he called the Elders presents the Orthodox opinion thus That Bishops and Presbyters are not Names of diverse Gifts in the Church but of one and the same Office because those who are called Presbyters v. 17. are called Bishops v. 28. This Man it seems had got the new Notion in his Head too He adds The Papists Object had he enjoyed the time and opportunity of seeing our Antique Drs Enquiry into the New dangerous Notions of Scots Presbyterians he had not been so ill manner'd as to term the Reasons of our Venerable Dr. an Objection of Papists Well what do they Object ' That in these times the Names were Common but yet the Offices of Bishops and Presbyters diverse Now let us hear Arnoldus answers to our profound Enquirers great argument wherewith he has filled up so great a part of his Pamphlet 1. This is saith he to affirm not to prove 2. When Offices are distinct there also the Names are diverse 3. There was one Office both of Bishops and Presbyters viz. the Office of Teaching 4. Saith he upon the Papists supposition beware of the Venerable Dr. again what could this Blind Novelist see none who maintained this Ancient Doctrin but Papists there can and ought to be only one Bishop in one City but so it is that there were here many Therefore Bishops signify Presbyters After the premised account of these doting Presbyterians who notwithstanding are judged by many to be men of very Venerable Name may I presume to trouble our profound enquiring Dr in giving him a view of some bigot Confessions of the Reformed Protestant Churches who its like have asserted this New Notion and Opinion of Scots Presbyterians The Confession of the French Church upon this head runs thus credimus veram Ecclesiam c. We believe that the true Church ought to be Governed by that Policy which Christ hath ordained Mr. Dr. will no doubt acknowledge this is sound Well what next They add That there be Pastors Presbyters or Elders and Deacons This is fair But is there no distinction of Bishops and Pastors in their Sense The enquiring Dr. will tell them that the two Classes of Elders and Deacons admits of a subdivision But the unmannerly froward Confession is bold to contradict his Reverence proceeding thus And again we believe that all true Pastors wherever they be are indued with equal and the same Power under one Head and Bishop Christ Jesus Here is the Scots Presbyterians New Notion in grain Shall we try the Dr's Patience with another such Instance The Belgick Confession is no better natur'd to our Dr. but are as bold to contradict him in this point and it seems do hold the same New Scots Notion For thus they assert Art 30. All Christs Ministers of the Word of God have the same and equal Power and Authority as being all Ministers of that only Universal Head and Bishop Christ. In the Point of Ordination which the Dr. appropriats to the Bishop the latter Confession of Helvetia Harm Confes. Chap. 11. P. 232. do assert ' That the Holy Function of the Ministry is given by the laying on of the hands of Presbyters No word of Prelats Hands So Chap 18. P. 236. they are to be Ordained by publick Prayer and laying on of Hands Which Power they say is the same and alike in all Citing that Passage Luke 22. He that will be great among you let him be your Servant Thus crossing the Dr's Sense of this and other paralel Passages They also Cite Act. 15. And Ierom on Tit. 1. Concluding thus Therefore let no Man forbid that we return to the old Appointment of God so they call the Presbyterian way of Ordination and rather receive it than the custom devised by Men so they call the Episcopal Method Thus the Confession of Boheme Cha. 9. Harm Confes. Sect. 11. P. 246.247 after setting down the qualifications of Ministers as to Ordination they say that after Prayer and Fasting they are to be Confirmed and approved of the Elders by the laying one of their Hands So The Confession of Saxony Chap. 12. Harm Confes. Part. 2. affirms That it belongs to the Ministers of the Word to Ordain Ministers Lawfully Elected and Called Where we have asserted at once both the Presbyters Power in Ordination and the Peoples Interest in the Call of Pastors in opposition to Prelacy But as to this Point of the Equality of Pastors and their joint Interest in Ordination it is long since Dr. Reynolds hath told the Dr. and his Fellows that this is the Common Judgment of the Reformed Churches Viz. Helvetia Savoy France Scotland Germany Hungary Polland the Low Countries Citing the Harmony of Confessions Well Whoever own these Opinions of the Parity of Pastors and their joynt Interest in Government The Dr. tells his Friend he Charges them with Error and Novelty tho a Current Opinion among his Country-Men whom the enquiring Dr. Labours to undeceive and he assures his Friend a sure Demonstration no doubt if it admit no other Measures but his Assertion That they are altogether New and were never propagat in any part of the Christian Church till these last days of Separation and Singularity I could wish he had Condescended upon the measures of these last days wherein this Separation Reigns as also of these New Opinions We know the Scripture calls
imports the Church of God Those whom Luke calls the Elders of the Church of Ephesus those Paul calls the Bishops for this end constitut by the Holy Ghost to Feed the Church of God whence it evidently appears that Bishops Presbyters and Pastors are the same He adds de inde in una eadem ecclesiae simul conjunctim plures fuisse episcopos c. That it appears the Spirit of GOD placed at once and joyntly a Plurality of Bishops in one and the same Church Quem admodum ex eo quoque videri est quod Phil 1.1 Legimus Paulus ac Timotheus servi Iesu Christi omnibus sanctis qui sunt Philippi una cum Episcopis Diaconis Ecce Philippis plures simul erant Episcopi erant autem illi Seniores Ecclesiae That in the Church of Philippi a Plurality of Bishops are saluted by the Apostle who are supposed to be the same with Pastors He thus proceeds Et ubi in Epistola ad Titum Cap. 1. Legimus Hujus rei gratia reliqui te in Creta ut quae desunt pergas corrigere constituas oppidatim Presbyteros sicut ego tibi ordinaram si quis est incupatus c. Opportet enim episcopum inculpatum esse c. An non hic quoque videmus eosdem esse Presbyterum Episcopum Et 1 Pet 5. Loco supra citato tres hae voces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad eosdem ab Apostolis Scriptae leguntur unde videas Apostolorum tempore in ecclesia Christi eosdem fuisse Presbyteros Pastores Episcopos That the Apostle in the Epistle to Titus Chap. 1. shewing that he left him to place Elders in Crete who must be Blameless c. Because a Bishop must be such doth shew That the Bishop and the Presbyter are one and the same And 1 Pet. 5. the three Original Words which signifie Presbyters Feeding and Overseeing or Acting the Bishops are by the Apostle Written and Ascribed to the same Persons Whence it is evident that in the Times of the Apostles Elders Pastors and Bishops were one and the same in Gods Church He adds Est itaque prorsus indubitatum Alas this Poor Man wanted the Venerable Dr's Instructions to have Corrected this Bigotrie in prima Apostolica Ecclesia sic fuisse ab Apostolis Dispositum ut Seniores Ecclesiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Gregis Dominicae Curam gerentes Communi Opera Ministeria Docendi ac Râ—gendi obirent essentque ut ita dicam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Nulli Capiti ac Praesidi subjecti quales hâ—die quoque in nonnullis Ecclesiis Verbi Ministri reperiuntur inter quos nemo caeteris est superior Officio Potestate c. That it is beyond all Debate that the First and Apostolick Church was by the Apostles so Constitute that the Elders of the Church did Exercise a Common Episcopal Care over the Lords Flock and the same Function of Teaching and Governing the same and were therein subject to no Head or President Like unto whom are found several Ministers now in some Churches who owne no Superior in either Office or Authority c. Afterwards speaking of the Exalting of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the peculiar Name of Bishop and of Ieroms Account of this Practice viz. for Eviting of Schism which he calls Emphatically Tentatio illa that Tentation He adds Profuerit ne Consilium hoc Ecclesiae Christi melius est posterioribus saeculis declaratum quam cum baec Consuetudo primum introduceretur cui debemus omnem illam Principalium Equestrium Episcoporum Insolentiam Opulentiam Tyrannidem imo omnium Ecclesiarum Christi Corruptionem quam si Hieronimus cerneret dubio procul Consilium agnosceret non Spiritus Sancti ad tollenda Schismata sicut praetexebatur sed ipsius Satanae ad Vastanda ac Perdenda prisca Pascendi Dominici Gregis Ministeria quo fieret ut haberet Ecclesia non veros Pastores Doctores Presbyteros Episcopos sed sub Nominum istorum Larvis Otiosos Ventres ac Magnificos Princepes qui non modo non pascant ipsi Populum Domini Doctrina Sana Apostolica sed Improbissima Violentia vetant ne id per quenquam alium fiat Hoc sciz Consilio Satanae factum est ut habeant Ecclesiae pro Episcopis Potentes Dominos ac Princepes magna ex parte ex Ordine Nobilium ac Satrapum Saeculi Delectos c. Whether this Counsel or Method of Eviting Schism was profitable for the Church of Christ was more apparent to the After-Ages than when this Custom was first introduced For thereunto is owing all that Grandure Insolency and Tyrranny of those Knight-like and Princely Bishops yea the Corruption of all the Churches of Christ which if Ierom had discerned he would no doubt have acknowledged that this was not the Counsel of the Holy Ghost for the Removal of Schisms as was pretended but the very Project of the Devil to Wast and Destroy the Primitive Ministry appointed for Feeding the Lords Flock that thus the Church of God might not have true Pastors Doctors Presbyters and Bishops but under the Disguise of such Names Idle Bellies and Magnificent Princes who not only Feed not the People of God themselves with the Sound and Apostolical Doctrine but by most Wicked Violence hinders the same to be performed by any other And that by this Engyne of Satan it s come to pass that the Churches instead of true Bishops have Powerful Lords and Princes chosen for the most part out of the Order of the Nobility and Grandees of this World Thereafter he Inveighs against their Gorgeous Stoles Girdles c. which he says is to them instead of the Spiritual Armour enjoyned Eph. 6. calling them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Counterfeit Bishops and the Pastors the true ones Thus he P. 362. I must here again present to our Dr some further Account of the Sentiments of the Learned Iunius upon this Point in his Animadversions on Bellarmin ad Controver 4. de Concil in Cap. 15. Par. 9. Art 7. Non sunt Pastores Laici nec Ecclesiastici quicunque sed soli Episcopi That the Bishops only are the Pastors and no Inferior Officers He thus Animadverts and Answers Distinguenda Assumptio haec nam si anguste Episcopos ex Pontificiorum usu intelligas falsa est sin autem latius Communiterque Presbyteros Operam dantes Administratione Verbi ex Dono Vocatione Dei vera est Assumptio Recte enim Magister Sententiarum Lib. 4. Disput. 24. Excellenter inquit Canones duos tanquam Sacros Ordines appellari censent Diaconatus sciz Et Presbyteratus quia hos solos Primitiva Ecclesia legitur habuisse de his solis Preceptum Apostoli habemus enim vero si soli Episcopi Pastores essent profecto neque Episcopi faciunt officium qui non pascunt gregem c. That the premised Assertion that the Bishops
only are Pastors is rightly understood if applyed to Presbyters who Labours in the Administration of the Word who are thereunto Called of God and have Correspondent Gifts That the Master of Sentences does rightly assert that the Canons do only owne Two Orders as Sacred Viz. The Diaconate and Presbyterate Because we read that the Primitive Church had these only and of these alone we have the Command of the Apostle Moreover if Bishops only be Pastors these Bishops do not their Duty who Feed not the Flock He adds after nam illa Episcoporum distinctio a Pastoribus Presbyterorum ordine juris Divini non est sed humani instituti Nos de Iure solum communi Divinoque agimus Presbyteris ergo qui dabant operam administrationi verbi jus commune fuit ut Conciliis interessent c. That the distinction of Bishops from Pastors has no Divine Warand but is of Human Institution only That Presbyters who Labour in Dispensing the Word had an Interest to Sit in Councils Where its evident that he calls the Dr's Notion of the Bishop as its distinct from the Pastor and Superior to him Popish and an Human Invention and Asserts the Identity of Pastor anâ— Bishop by Divine Right they being Members of Councils And that this was the Sentence of the prime Schoolmen as Lombard c. 10. ibid. Spiritus Sanctus posuit Episcopos regere Ecclesiam Dei That the Holy Ghost set up Bishops to Rule the Church of God Thus Iunius animadverts aequivoce nam Episcopos dicit Apostolus communi significato i. e. inspectores Curatores Ecclesiae esse Presbyteros illius Agit autem cum Presbyteris unius Ecclesiae puta Ephesinae quos accersi ad se curaverat quod si unus tantum esse debet ut volunt Pontificii in una Ecclesia Episcopus ejus est solius pascere cur Paulus per omnia plurali numero usus est in hoc suo protreptico ad Presbyteros Ephesi Adding falsa ex aequivocatione sententia that the premised Assertion anent the Establishing Bishops in the Church by the Holy Ghost when applyed to the Prelat Bishop is not found since the Apostle according to the common use of the Word calls the Pastors or Presbyters of the Church her Inspectors or Bishops Because in that place viz. Act. 20. the Apostles Speech is directed to that one Church of Ephesus for whose Pastors he had sent but if as the Papists would have it there ought to be but one Bishop in one Church and it is proper to him alone to Feed how comes it that Paul all along makes use of the Plural Number in this his Exhortatory Speech or Sermon to the Presbyters of Ephesus After in Art 9. Passim asserunt Concilia Episcoporum esse That Councils were made up of Bishops Thus Iunius animadverts in his Third Answer quod Episcopi plurimum adessent non ideo factum est quod Episcopi essent sed quod eruditione Doctrina praestarent plerumque aliis de Presbyterio qui propterea suffragiis Presbyterii praefecti essent toto Presbyterorum collegio in Ecclesia singuli Nam qui erant ejusmodi eos ad Consilia generalia communibus Ecclesiae suffragiis mitti erat aequius quam rudiores c. That the Bishops were for most part present at Councils this was not upon the account of their being Bishops or as in that Character but because they for most part were beyond others of the Presbytrie in Gifts and Learning and that for this Reason every such Bishop was by the suffrages of the Presbytrie made President of their Collegiat Meeting for such as were in this capacity it was more equitable they should be sent to General Councils by the Churches common suffrages than those that were less learned c. He adds tanquam perpetui juris statuae Episcoporum pontificiorum sibi Assumpserunt sicut omnem autoritatem Ecclesiae Presbyterii That the Popish Bishops as if founded upon a standing Right and Tittle have Usurpt and assum'd to themselves the whole Authority of the Church and the Presbytrie In Art 10. he Corrects Bellarmin's absurd Gloss as if Theodosius and Valentinianus had intended only the Bishops to be Received in the Council And 15. ibid. he shews that the Chorepiscopi Presbyteri Subscribed and Voted in the Council of Nice And in Art 11. inveniâ—ntur soli Episcopi Subscripsisse That Bishops only did Subscribe He Answers that this is false De Niceno modo Diximus Not. 15. Constantinopolitano pâ—â—no Subscripserunt aliquot Presbyteri Alpius Presb. pro Philomuso Alexandrino Cappadociae Paulus Presb. Promontano Claudiopolitano Isauriae c. That in the First Council of Constantinople Presbyters Subscribed Thereafter he shews why the Bishops were Chosen to General Councils in singulis Presbyteriis cujuscunque Provinciae Communibus suffragiis Episcopi eligerentur ii qui Pietate Doctrina Iudicio praestare viderentur Adfuerunt autem Presbyteri juarum Ecclesiarum singuli Communi Synodorum particularium calculo ad actionem illam deputati tum Ecclesiae suae tum Provinciae totius nomine That in every Presbytrie of the respective Provinces these Bishops were Chosen by common suffrage who were judged more Eminent in Piety and Learning but Presbyters were also present being deputed to that Work both by the Vote of their own Churches and the common suffrage of Particular Synods and thus in the Name both of their own Church and of the whole Province He had said before that of the whole Province few were laid aside from Councils Upon 19. ibid. Where it is alledged that the Interest of any other than Bishops in Councils is contra morem omnis Antiquitatis Against the Custom of all Antiquity In Opposition to this Iunius produces the Pattern of that Council Act. 15. where it is said Paul and those with him were received by the Apostles and Elders that the Apostles and Elders met in Council Citing v. 22. It seemed good to the Apostles and Elders to send Chosen Men and v. 23. where the Apostles and Elders wrote to the Churches Adding atque â—ita diu in Ecclesia fuisse observatum demonstrat Exemplum Romanae Synodi quae contra Novatum fuit habita a 60 Episcopis Presbyterisque Diaconis pluribus qui Sententiam definiverunt contra Novatum Apostolici illius Concilii Exemplo ut refert Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 6. Cap. 43. Et Ruffin Cap. 33. Item Alexandrinae Synodi contra Arrium apud Gelasium Cyzicenum That it was thus of a long time observed in the Church is demonstrat by the example of the Roman Synod which was held against Novatus by 60 Bishops and many Presbyters and Deacons who gave Sentence against Novatus after the Example of that Apostolical Synod by the Testimony of Eusebius and Ruffinus in their Histories As also by the Example of the Synod of Alexandria against Arius according to Gelasius c. By this time its evident what the Judgment of
his Super-eminency above them is insinuat yea Asserted The Dr. is bold to assert that when Authority and Jurisdiction is Named the Bishop with regard to his Dignity is alwise reckoned above a Presbyter Of this alwise we demand one instance the Dr's extensive Phraseologie boasts of a Plenty of Instances but in not offering so much as one he shews great penury especially when as the affirmer he stands so clearly obliged thereto But here as often elsewhere he plys us with generals alien from the purpose He tells us P. 26. Tho neither Aaron nor Eleazar in the beginning of the Jewish Oeconomy were called High Priests it had been Madness from this Confusion of Names to have inferred an Equality since their Offices were distinguished by their special Ministries and Iurisdiction Here again a Poor Repeated General Alien from the Point If this Dr. had intended to Dispute not to Rove with Unprofitable Talk he should instead of Begging Poorly the Question in Supposing it have made that good in the Case of the Bishop and Presbyter in the New Testament Church Government which he here asserts of the Priests in the Iewish Oeconomy viz. That as the special Ministries and Jurisdiction of High Priests and other Priests were distinguished and what was appropriat to the one denyed to the other under that Dispensation so there is exhibit in the New Testament the same Discriminating Distinction betwixt the Bishop and Pastor or Presbyter in point of Ministry and Jurisdiction It is pity to see a Man Represented in the Frontispiece of his Book in the Character of a D. D. proceeding with such Big Words in a Dispute and supposed Confutation of the Presbyterians yet as an Officiperda so far mistaking his Mark and Measures that he never comes near the Point which they deny and he undertakes or stands obliged to prove He adds ibid. Bishops were called Presbyters who had Presbyters under them in the Days of the Apostles If he mean this of ordinary Officers distinguished as Bishops from Presbyters I deny it and that there were any such ordinary Officers with such Authority over Pastors under the Denomination of either Bishop or Presbyter He tells us that the Presbyters signifie the Priests who assist the Bishop in his Ecclesiastick Administrations A New Begging of the Question I deny either that Priests is the New Testament Designation of Ministers and do consequently hold that this his Designation is Popish and Anti-Scriptural or that the Term Presbyter or Pastor doth ever signifie in the Scripture such an Officer as has a Relation to a Bishop of his Mould The Dr. is bold to tell us That tho all Bishops are Presbyters yet not all Presbyters Bishops and therefore to infer an Equality from the Promiscuous Use of Names is neither good Logick nor Good History But since the Dr. exhibits no Scripture Warrand nor History for this his Forged Distinction betwixt the Bishop and Pastor wherein I dare appeal to all who ponders these his Answers he shews himself no good Historian in Obtruding such Doctrine And since instead of proving he still beggs the Question and that doubly First In supposing that we ground our Assertion of the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter upon the mere promiscuous Use of the Names without respect to the Official Identity exhibit in the places which we plead Next In supposing the Scriptural Official Distinction of Bishop and Presbyter and grounding all his Answers thereupon without the least Offer of a Proof it is evident that his Logick is as bad as his History and Divinity He runs on in the same Carreer of a Petitio Principii P. 27. He will not be thought to conclude the Bishops Superiority to Presbyters from the High Priest among the Iews But since this is all the Scripture Proof he has yet offered what then would he prove Tho we meet with the same Dichotomies in the New Testament we ought not to conclude an Equality among them of the higher Order I have often told him that we conclude the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter not from his Fancied Dichâ—tomies but from the Scriptures full and constant Assertion of the Equality and Identity of the Official Power And where there is such a Dichotomie as he alledges as Philip. 1.1 our Argument proceeds not merely upon this but also upon this Ground and Topick that the Office and Officer do there stand so described in the Context as necessarly infers this our Conclusion The Dr. tells us next That the Jewish OEconomy was never abrogated in the New Testament and that their Taxis was Divided into Supreme and Subordinat Priests Thus we have a clear Vidimus what he would prove from this at least what the Series of his Reasoning concludes even a standing Primat over the Catholick Church And therefore needs Stumble no Protestants nor Amuse them tho he set the Cross upon the Frontispiece of his next Pamphlet or upon his Breast as a Devout Catholick Dr. of his Holy Mother Church He adds That still the Jews subdivided the Priests into highest and Subordinat as is clear from Philo the Jew He told us the Scripture distinguishes them pray good Mr. Dr. what need is there of Proofs or Instances from Philo since the Presbyterians are satisfied in the first and think themselves not concerned in the Proof it self But to proceed P. 28. He is still upon this Idle Repeated Begging the Question telling us of the Apostles speaking in the Jewish Phrase Classing the Clergy into a Bipartit or Tripartit Division as reckoned either among themselves or with relation to the People as the Priests were by a Tripartit while reckoned by their Distinctions That Community of Names was as observable when the Offices were as truly distinguished as could be But still we are Wearyed Calling upon our Triffling Dr to come Home from his Prodigal Wanderings to the Point which is to shew us in the Scriptures of the New Testament such a true Distinction of the Bishop and Presbyters Office as is exhibit in the Offices of the Iewish OEconomy in the Old The Dr. affirms That the Proestos in the Apostolick Age was as much above the Subordinat Presbyters as the High Priest among the Jews above other Priests who yet was Ranked among them without a Nominal Distinction But as in the rest so here the Dr. presents us his Magisterial Dictats for Proof and Argument He should have given us a Scripture Instance of such a Prâ—estos or first Presbyter Vested with a Prostasie of this Nature in the Apostolick Age and then drawn his Inference from the Nominal Identity 2. What if we should grant the Matter of Fact or such a Proestos in that Age Will that merely prove the Ius If the Dr. say so and he does say it in his Way of Arguing then he Claps the Lawful Mitre or a Divine Warrand at least upon the Head of a Diotrephes and Stamps this Ius Divinum upon the begun Mystery of Iniquity and other Tares which the
any Hint or Note of Distinction 2. It seems that either Ambrose or some of his late Episcopal Pleaders are pityfully bemisted who do cite Ambrose as holding that the Bishops saluted by Paul were not Bishops of that Church but extraneous Bishops accidentally present Thus the Author of the three Dialogues P. 9. But Theodoret saith the Dr. did judge that when in the Apostolick Age Bishops were named as contradistinct from Priests they were called Apostles Behold our critical Dr. censuring again the Apostle Paul in his Salutation It seems also there were none of the Apostles of the Dr's Mould when this Apostle gave his last Farewel to the Elders of Ephesus nor in the Church which Peter wrote to For Ministers there are called to act the Bishops and nothing is heard of an Apostle-bishop And really I think this inadvertant Man Paul is further to be blamed in that describing of set purpose 1 Tim. and in the Epistle to Titus which are in the Dr's Judgement the great Charter of the Episcopal Authority the Qualifications and Duties of Church Officers he was so leavened with his Notion of Dichotomies that he passes quite over in silence the High Priest Apostle-Bishops whose Office was chiefly under this Name and Character to have been discribed that the Churches then and in after ages together with all inferior Priests might understand their Duty towards them But since in all their Descriptions Recitals and Accounts of Church Officers he and other Apostles were so foregetful as to pass over in silence the absolute High-priest of the Christian Church the Pope's Holiness notwithstanding that the Iewish OEconomy of Church Government was never repealed but still standing as a Patern to the New Testament Church it is no wonder that they fell into this Mistake also P. 37. He tells us That he only mentions this transiently not insisting upon it What this extends to is somewhat dubious many it is like will be of Opinion of whom I am one that what ever he has offered hitherto is a Digression and but obiter to the point But his business he tells us at present is to prove that community of Names will not prove community of Offices Truely if this be all his business he is a mere Officiperda and has foregot his Episcopal Errand in this eloborat Pamphlet For no Presbyterian ever concluded this from the mere community of Names simplely and abstracted from other Grounds drawen from the Scope and Circumstances of such places as we do plead from Scripture upon this Point and from many other clear Scripture Arguments long since exhibite to him in the Books which he mentions and there needs no more than the reading to convince any person that he is acting the Thraso in this his pretended Confutation of the same which doth rather confirm than weaken the perswasion of any Man of Sense who have perused these Authors The Dr. tells us ibid. That Peter calls himself a Presbyter Well if this Apostle writing to Presbyters and dehorting them from acting the Bishops and Lording over the Flock put himself as to an ordinary Office and Ministry Pastoral among the number making this one of his Arguments It is evident that he thus asserts their proper Succession to him tho not to his Apostolat yet to his Pastoral Office of feeding by the Word and Discipline For his Command imports both But why did he not address the Chief Bishop or High-priest under the Apostolick Designation after this manner The Apostle and inferior Presbyters among you I exhort who am also an Apostle or thus The Super-eminent Bishop and Presbyters I exhort who also am a Bishop But the Dr's correcting information is come far too late to him I might further tell him that when he shall exhibite as clear a distinction betwixt the Bishop and Presbyter as there is betwixt the Office of Apostles and Presbyter then and not till then his paralel Argument will appear of some force which he draws from Peter and Iohns designing themselves Elders and shall be acknowledged conclusive to his Scope The Dr. will next preoccuppy our Argument from 1 Tim. 4.14 And tells us That the Presbytrie mentioned in that place was a Senat composed of Apostles and other Priests but whether of the first or second Rank he is not certain And really the Dr in my poor Judgment might have added whether there were any other Apostles in that Senat than the Apostle Paul is equally uncertain And let me humbly intreat his Reverence by his next to give us an Account of the Scripture Grounds of his Certainty of the one rather than of the other That the Apostle Paul was present and concurred in this Presbytrie I know is pleaded by his Episcopal Brethren tho Collating the two places 1 Tim. 4.14 and 2 Tim. 1.6 the different Phraâ—eology in both being pondered they will find the Work pretty hard to make it good against a Critical Disputant and the admitting of this rather Confirms than Weakens our Pleadings from that place as Presbyterian Writers have made appear Some have alledged that by the Presbytrie we are to understand the Office Which Pleaders have been long since told that the Office has no Hands to lay on But that other Apostles were there than Paul is a Notion I am sure much if not only beholden to the Dr's Fertile that I say not Fond Invention It were needless and but to burden Paper unnecessarly to recite Interpreters in Opposition to this his Gloss This is known to all that are acquaint with them But let us hear the Dr's Argument upon these Passages He tells us It is evident from 2 Tim. 1.6 that Paul was of the Number and that in the other place 1 Tim. 4.14 he is exhâ—rted not to neglect the Gift given him with the Laying on of the Hands of the Presbytrie In the last he is put in mind to stir up the Gift which he received by the Laying on of St. Pauls Hands There is none doubts that these Passages thus stands in the New Testament but had he instead of this Dark Insinuating Hint drawn out a Formal Argument lying level to his Scope and Conclusion it would have deserved our Consideration However to prevent his Mistake Presbyterians have long since told him 1. That the different Phrase in both places viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the second makes Paul's presence at least Debateable but clearly proves that the Laying on of the Presbytries Hands is evidently Diversified in a distinct Comma as a distinct Priviledge in its self considered from the Gifts given by Prophesie and ascribed to the Laying on of Pauls Hands And 2. That tho Paul's presence in this Action were admitted it clearly proves that even an Apostles Laying on of Hands upon an Evangelist did not exclude the Presbytries Authoritative Imposition And that therefore by a clear Consequence from the Greater to the Less that Priviledge much more belongs to them now
Ordination of any higher Officer than a mere Pastor or Prerbyter I shall only add 3 ly That it is evident in the Apostles Doctrin and Practice that they own the Ministers of the Word as to the perpetual Pastoral Charge and in the ordinary Power of Government their equals as their practice in Ordination and Jurisdiction among Churches Constitut which is above discribed doth make evident And it were strange that Evangelists should beâ—instructed with Episcopal Preheminence in such Churches who were inferior to Apostles That Timothy who was ordained by a Presbytrie concurring Authoritatively tho Paul was present should usurp Preheminence over a Presbytrie tho inferior to an Apostle and that whereas Presbyters did concurr pari passu with a whole Presbytrie of Apostles in every piece of a Judicial Act and Decree wherein was put forth both the Diatactick Critick and Dogmatick Power and Authority in Church Government yet an Evangelist inferior to any of the Apostles should take Episcopal Preheminence over a Presbytrie in this Matter For the Drs. proofs from Antiquity upon this Head that we may understand how well he has laid his Measures for reaching his Scope and End let it be remembered what it is he undertaks to prove viz. The Churches universal Reception of the Office of Apostolat in its entire Nature as a standing necessary Function in the Church to be transmitted to after Ages with the same Authority and Commission as delivered at first to the Twelve For this is that which the Dr. directly and designedly pleads for from that passage of Scripture where Our Lord said to his Apostles As my Father hath sent Me so send I you And according to this Rule let us examin his Instances His first proof P. 406 is from St. Clement who mentions in his Epistle to the Corinthians three Orders of Ecclesiastical Officers whom he calls the High Priest the Priests and the Levits which Words saith the Dr. can be no otherwise understood than of the Bishop Presbyter and Deacons A strange proof and an odd Explication indeed How doth the Doctor prove that Clement did any otherewise express himself than with this Allusion to the Old Testament Church Officers signifying that there are diverse Officers in the New Testament Ministry as in the Old Again How comes the Dr. to explain him of Bishop Presbyter in the Singular and Deacons in the Plural And how does this correspond to Clements expresion of High Priest in the singular and Priests in the plural Will the Dr. owne the Primacy of an High Priest over the Christian Catholick Church as of the Church of the Iewes Or be bold to Averr that Clement Asserted this Moreover the Drs. Explication of Clement viz. That he means by the High Priest the Bishop by the Priests the Presbyter c. Baffles his Design and cuts the Throat of his Cause and pleading For if Clement lookt upon the Presbyters or Pastors as holding an Office and Authority corresponding to that of the Priests under the Old Testament then certainly he did hold them to have a necessary Essential Interest in Government such as the Priests had For the Dr. will not be bold to say that the Sanehedrin made up of Priests had not a governing Power or that it was Monopolized in the person of the High Priest as he affirms it is in the person of the Bishop secluding the Presbyters And further to discover how the Dr. has abused his Reader and forefeited his Credit in this Citation let us take Notice that Clement to remove the Sedition raised by the Corinthians against their Presbyters p. 57.58 tells them how God hath alwise appointed several Orders in his Church which must not be confounded In the Iewish Church he appointed an High Priest Priests and Levits and then tells them that for the times of the Gospel Jesus Christ sent his Apostles through Countreys and Cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which he Preacht and constitut the first Fruits approving them by the Spirit for Bishops and Deacons to those who should afterward believe From which Words the learned Authors of the Append. Minist Evang. Have long since concluded against the Dr. and his Fellows 1. That in the first and purest times the custom was to chuse Bishops in Villages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And how small little Apostles these were I need not tell the Dr. and such for Authority and extent of Power as are many Pastors now in Scotland 2. That Bishops and Deacons are the only Orders of Ministry owned by Clement as planted by the Apostles the first Primitive Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which shews the Drs. palpable Forgery in making Clement to assert three Orders of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons Clement adds p. 57. That the Apostles by Jesus Christ knowing that contentions would arise about the Name of Bishop and being endu'd with perfect knowledg they appointed the foresaid Orders Viz Bishops and Deaeons Upon which the Learned Authors of the Apendix do further note 1. That by Name we are not to understand the bare Name but the Honour and Dignity as the word is taken Philip. 2.9 Eph. 1.21 The Controversie among the Corinthians being about the Dignity of Episcopacy and the Deposition of their Godly Presbyters p. 57.58 2. That the only remedy appinted by the Apostles for the Cure of all Contentions arising about Episcopacy is by Committing the Care of the Church to Bishops and Deacons in Clements Judgement What ever Remedy of Schism the Church afterward applyed in setting up one Bishop over another Clement tells us that the Apostles endued with perfect knowledg of things Ordained only Bishops and Deacons Whosoever shall Peruse him p. 57.62.69.72 will find he clearly asserts the first and purest Primitive Church to be Governed by Presbyters without Bishops Besides that he uses the Names of Bishop and Presbyter promiscuously and supposes them to be one and the same throughout the whole Epistle The Dr. brings next Ignatius upon the Field Whose Six Epistles written on the way to his Martyrdom he tells us are express for the derivation of this Superior Order from the Apostles So that we have no other evasion but to alledg they are Counterfeit from which imputation they have been Triumphantly vindicat so he expresses it by a Learned Pen And that therefore no Man of Learning without exposing his Reputation can call them in Question Who this learned Pen is who thus vindicats them the Dr. hath not thought fit to let us know and if he mean Dr. Pearson as probably he doth he should know that his pretended Vindication was confuted by a learned French Divine Dally and his Proofs convicted of Forgery So that the Dr. exposes his Understanding and Modesty in this Assertion That the Vindication is Triumphant And as for the Drs. Re-vindication this Author should know the learned L'Rooque a Famous Pastor of the French Church replyed to Dr. Pearson and Dr. Beveredge in defence of Dally upon the Point of Ignatius's
parts of him are now Extent As for the Catalogues of Succession which the Dr. mentions we have heard how shattered they are and inconsistent with themselves and Censured consequently by the Learned as deserving no Credit Next as we have heard out of Iunius the Ground of this fancied Succession Viz That the most Eminent Ministers for Moral Respects found in Church Records were insert to fill up these spurious Catalogues and termed Bishops in conformity to the times wherein this distinguishing Name and Office obtained tho they were mere Presbyters and for most part contemporary one with another So we have from the same Iunius made appear what the design was of these Catalogue-drawers Viz. To prove against Hereticks that the Christian Church had retained the Seed of the true Doctrin and the traduces Apostolici Seminis as it was called but not to point out or assert a Succession of our Dr's supposed Hierarchical Prelats And therefore in the Third place the Dr. says nothing to the purpose unless he can prove that by Bishops they meant the Prelats of his cut and Mould with such an absolute Apostolick Authority as he suggests which untill he make good he does but â—eaâ— the Air and â—egg the Question For since the Fathers are found to use the Names of Bishop and Presbyter indifferently as the Prelatisâ—â— themselves acknowledg it is palpably absurd and Sophistical Reasoning to conclud from the bare Name and Title of Bishop which the Fathers make use of their assertion of the Prelatical Office which the Dr. pretends The Folly of his reasoning then appears by this irrefragable Reason that we find the Fathers calling such persons Presbyters whom he imagins Bishops in his Sense Irenaeus in his Epistle to Victor Cited by Euseb. lib. 5. Cap. 23. calls Anicetus Pius Higinus Telesphorus Xistus Presbyters of the Church of Rome Presbyteri illi qui te praecesserunt the Presbyters that went before thee Thus also he expresses himself Nec Polycarpus Aniceto suasit ut servaret qui sibi Presbyterorum quibus successerat consuetudinem servandum esse dicebat Tertullian also Apol. Cap. 39. calls the Presidents of the Churches Seniores or Presbyters when he saith Praesident probati quique Seniores For what the Dr. adds of Irenaeus his seeing Polycarp and hearing him discourse of Iohn the Apostle who affirms he could reckon up the Bishops Ordained by the Apostles to his own times reckoning Eleven from Linus to whom he says Peter â—and Paul delivered the Episcopal Power of Governing the Church It is Answered That this is abundantly obviat by what is now said of the promiscuous use of the Names of Bishop and Presbyter and the intendment of the Fathers in such recitations Yea and from Irenaeus himself convict of Folly in that he ascribes the same Authority to Presbyters lib 4 Cap. 4.3 qua propter iis qui in Ecclesia sunt Presbyteris obedire opportet his qui successionem habent ab Apostolis sicut ostendimus qui cum Episcopatus successione charisma veritatis certum secundum placitum patris acceperunt Reliquos vero qui absistunt a principali successione quocunque loco colliguntur suspectos habere vel quasi haereticos malae sententiae vel quasi scindentes elatos sibi placentes c. Thus also lib. 4. Cap 44. he expresseth himself ab omnibus talibus absistere opportet adhaerere vero his qui Apostolorum sicut diximus Doctrinam custodiunt eum Presbyterii ordine sermonem sanum conversationem sine offensa praestant ad Informationem correctionem aliorum From which Passages of Irenaeus the Authors of the Appendix before mentioned do infer 1. That Presbyters were called and owned by him as Successors of the Apostles And I may add that if called so by the Fathers the terming of Prelats Successors of the Apostles is of no weight to prove the Dr's design 2 dly That they are also called Bishops 3 dly That the Apostolick Doctrin is Derived from the Apostles by their Succession 4 ly That there is nothing said of Bishops in the former place of Irenaeus which is not said of Presbyters and therefore such places cannot prove that the Apostles Constitut in the Churches Bishops distinct from Presbyters The Dr's two Countreymen Dr. Reynolds against Hart Chap. 2. and Dr. Whittaker de Pontificatu quaest 2. Cap. 15. have long since informed him of the Fathers improper use of the word Bishop when applyed to Apostles and the unsuitable absurd appropriating such an Office unto them In a word in the forementioned Appendix the pretended Succession of Bishops from the Apostles is fully baffled from several Grounds 1. The Homonymie of the Word Bishop these of the first and later times being of a different Mould as to their Office and Power the later being Diocesian the first not so since the Church was first governed by the common Council of Presbyters and the Succession being drawn from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the First Ordained Minister as among the Athenians there were nine Archontes or Chief Rulers equal in Power and Authority yet the Succession of Governours there was derived from one who was the Chief 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to diminish the Authority of the rest sed ut minus impedita esset temporum enumeratio as Iunius expresses it and for the same end was the Succession in these Catalogues drawn from the first Ordained Minister or the present Moderator and President 2 ly That the Catalogues the nearer they come to the Apostles times runs in the greater confusion and uncertainty and contradicts one another some calling Clement the first Bishop after Peter some the third and the intricacies about the Order of Succession in Linus Anacletus Clemens and another called Cletus are inextricable Some as we have above made appear calling Titus Bishop some Archbishop of Crete some Bishop of Dalmatia Timothy and the Apostle Iohn are by some said to be Bishops of Ephesus at the same time Thus also Polycarp is said by some to be the First Bishop of Smyrna by others to Succeed one Bucolus and another affirms that Aristo was Prior to both Some say that Alexandria had but one Bishop and other Cities Two others that there was but one Bishop of one City at the same time What uncertainty and contradiction is here Iunius resolves the doubt Controv. lib. 2 Cap. 5 Not. 15. viz. That these or some of these were Presbyters Ruling the Church in common but the following Ages fancying to themselves such Bishops as had then obtained in the Church fell into the Snares of Tradition supposing according to the custome of their own times that there could be but one Bishop in one Church at once which saith he is quite cross to the Apostolical times 3 ly Upon the former grounds and in correspondence to this account of Iunius they do inferr That these Authors make the Catalogues speak according to the language of
thus called he was called in a special manner to the Apostleship of the Gentiles I have appeared unto thee saith our Lord to make thee a Minister and a Witness delivering thee from the People and from the Gentiles unto whom I send thee to open their Eyes c. Upon which the Apostle immediatly set upon this Work of Preaching to them Act. 26.17 18 19. The Apostle also tells us Gal. 1.15 16 17. that when it pleased God who separated me from my Mothers Womb and called me by his grace to reveal his Son in me that I might preach among the Heathen or Gentiles immediatly I conferred not with Flesh and Blood Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were Apostles before me Compare this with Ephes. 3.8 Hence its odd to suppose that either he or Barnabas were at this time ordained Apostles For Barnabas that he was an Apostle looking strictly to the Description of Apostles some may doubt but supposing him such he being joyned with Paul under that Character Act. 14.14 we read of his Officiating and for what can be understood from Scripture in the same manner and by virtue of the same Office as the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles before this time For Act. 11.22 he is sent to Antioch by the Church at Ierusalem for Confirming and Watering the Church gathered there And v. 25 26. he goes to Tarsus to seek Paul and brings him to Antioch and Taught there a year with Paul where the Christian Name first took place Next the Dr. finding himself puzzled with his Notion of a supposed Ordination of Paul and Barnabas to their Apostolick Office by mere Prophets and Teachers has no Shift but to alledge they were by the Apostles ordained Bishops of the Churches of Syria since they could not else have derived the Office of Apostolat A pretty Evasion indeed from a Phantastick Objection First these Prophets and Teachers are taken to be such Ministers and Teachers who had also the Gift of Prophecy Vigent at that time So Pool 2 Vol. Annot. Diodat upon the place says they were such as had the Gift of Expounding publickly the Resolutions of the Christian Faith by infallible Conduct and Inspiration of the Holy Ghost paralelling them with the Prophets spoken of 1 Cor. 14.29 32. who the Dr. will not doubt are enjoyned Subjection to the Prophets there established And with these spoken of 1 Cor. 12.28 Ephes. 4.11 He adds that it was an extraordinary Degree of Ecclesiastick Office and singular for these times yet inferior to that of Apostles and in many accompanied with Divine Predictions The Belgick Divines upon the place do shew That some take the two Words Prophets and Teachers for one and the same thing Others distinguish them thus that Prophets were those who by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost had extraordinary Gifts to foretell things to come and to expound the Holy Scriptures But Teachers were such who had an ordinary Calling and Gifts to Instruct and Govern the Church in the Worship of God And this place also they paralell with 1 Cor. 14. and Eph. 4. And the Command of the Holy Ghost mentioned Act. 13.2 viz. Separat me Barnabas and Saul they Paraphrase thus That they were separat from the Service of this Church where there were other Teachers enough to send them to the Gentiles whereunto the Holy Ghost ordained them from the beginning citing Act. 26.16 And v. 3. which mentions the Laying of the Prophets Hands upon them they Paraphrase thus Not thereby to chuse them to be Apostles whereunto they were before chosen v. 1. and Act. 9.15 but to strengthen them in this sending to the Gentiles by Prayer and Imposition of Hands Grotius takes them to be such Prophets as Agabus So Cornel. a Lapide to be such as had the Gift of Prophecy paralelling this place with 1 Cor. 14. They were such as by the Influence of the Spirit foretold things to come So Menochius That they were Expounders of the Scripture by the Spirits Revelation So Lorinus A Lapide Piscator The last of whom takes them to be the same with Teachers All which how Cross they are to the Dr's Character of these Imposers and the Persons upon whom Hands were Imposed together with the end of this Action is obvious to the meanest Reflection In Correspondence to the foresaid Account of Diodat and the Belgick Divines we may further notice this particular Account of Pool Annot. That Paul and Barnabas being called to be Apostles already the Laying on of Hands did signify 1. Their being set apart to this particular Imploymentt hey were now sent about 2 ly The Approbation of the Church to their Heavenly Call they had 3 ly Their Praying for Gods Blessing upon them and Success upon the Work they went for But these Prophets ordaining them to be Apostles and that as in the Capacity of Bishops of the Churches of Syria is a Dream much if not only beholden to the Dr. himself Again the Dr. doth no way eschew his supposed Inconvenience by this Answer For if these his supposed Bishops of Syria were only of the ordinary Succedaneous lesser Size how could they derive an Apostolat of the Primary and first Order as he calls it unless the Dr. make them intirely one which he sometimes tho in this inconsistent with himself disownes as we heard above when he ascribes to the Apostles a Power to make general Canons to the whole Church to the Bishops only to their particular Diocesses But the Dr. finds another Objection viz. That those Officers who Imposed Hands on Paul and Barnabas are called Prophets not Apostles or Bishops He Answers That so was Iudas and Silas Act. 15.32 and yet v. 22. they are said to be Rulers among the Brethren as he Translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. saith the Dr. Bishops of Iudea I commend the Dr's Invention and Sagacious Scent Wherever a Word savouring of Rule is found appropriat to any Church Officer straight he claps an Episcopal Mitre upon his Head But this Term being appropriat to such Persons and in such Circumstances as will not admit this Office and Character but are supposed mere Pastors or Presbyters the Dr's Consecrating Skill fails him His Friends the Episcopal Translators of our English Bible smell'd out no Prelacy nor Ruling in this Term but Translat the Word Chief Men Primarios Praecipuos Estimatos Honoratos thus Erasmus Vatablus Beza Piscator Camerarius Drusius Or Ecclesiastico munere fungentes so Beza Chief Men then may be understood thus that they were persons as in Ecclesiastick Offices so of Moral Eminency for Parts and Piety which the Dr. will not deny to be applicable to Men of the same Office and that such discriminating terms of one from another will infer no distinction therein Besides some might alledg that if he will allow Members of the Church visible the Scripture epithet of Brethren and of the Brotherhood which Denomination we find applyed unto them 1 Pet.
ad huc Carthagini prerogativam illam Presbyterorum Diaconorum primitivae Ecclesiae qua communi totius Presbyterii i. e. Presbyterorum Diaconorum collegii consilio administrabantur omnia ab Episcopis Citing thereafter Ignatius's Epistle to the Trallians wherein he enjoins Subjection to the Pastors or Presbyters as to the Apostle of Christ. And least the Dr. alledge this imports no more than a Consultive Power Cyprian Ep. 18. having mentioned what was written by Lucian in name of the Confessors which they desired to be communicat to the Presbyters and as he expresses it per me collegis omnibus innotescere to be by him made known to his Collegue-Presbyters he adds quae res cum omnium nostrum concilium Sententiam spectat praejudicare ego soli mihi rem communem vindicare non audeo Thereafter he shews that having sent Letters of Copies to many Collegues he had an acquiescing Answer in this his purpose To which we may add what is above touched of Cyprians Judgment in receiving the Lapsed Ep. 12. and several other places that the Pastors or Presbyters had a necessary interest therein doth by necessary consequence inferr that they had the same interest in the Sentence as in the Absolution As for the 38 Epistle which the Dr. Cites I find nothing in it that will conclud what he asserts having perused that Epistle That which he seems to take hold of is that expression of Cyprian accipiat sententiam quam prior dixit ut abstentum se a nobis sciat upon which Passage the Annotator upon Cyprian doubts whether he means Excommunication properly and strictly so called or not or rather that which we term the Lesser of a Suspension from Ordinances for some little time quo elapso saith he Presbyterium de Contumacia vel Paenitentia eorundum judicabat c. Moreover speaking of Felicissimus he says to the Presbyters cum post haec omnia nec vestra autoritate presentia fractus c. clearly pointing at the Authoritative Interposing of the Pastors in this Matter And that he does not mean the stricter Excommunication seems by this probable that speaking of several Delations of his Crimes which the Delators had offered to prove he adds quae omnia tunc cognoscemus quando in unâ—m cum Collegis pluribus permittente Deo convenerimus which speaks his reserving a further Censure to a more full Enquiry into the Cause yea and this Enquiry he will not undertake but with the Authoritative Concurrence of Presbyters called by him his Collegues And in the Matter of Augendus his Corresponding Guilt with this Felicissimus he says sciat se in Ecclesia nobiscum non esse Communicaturum and Sententiam ferat si ultra cum co perseveraverit i. e. upon Supposition of his continued Contumacy Wherein it is evident that no Sentence is passed upon this Person as the Dr. alledges and that in the Censuring of both Cyprian supposes a necessary Interest of the Pastors or Presbyters And the ensuing Epistle pointing out the actual Censuring of these two with several others not mentioned in the preceeding Epistle confirms what we have said The Dr. will needs have the fifth Canon of the first Council of Nice to suppose a Power of Excommunication to be solely in the Person of the Bishop But besides that the Words he cites are remote from proving it the Presence of Presbyters being therein presupposed it is evident by several Testimonies of Ancient Fathers as well as by that Act of the fourth Council of Carthage mentioned that Presbyters did Authoritatively concur in Ordination and Censures for which see Smectym Sect. 8. and Ruffin Hist. Lib. 10. See Council Antioch Canon 10. Council Ancyr Canon 13. And determined against this sole Usurped Authority of the Bishop either in Censuring Presbyters or in Judging the Conversation and Crimes of Church Members or in Excommunication or Receiving Penitents We have also heard that the fourth Council of Carthage Canon 23. condemns the Bishops Decision unless fortified by the Sentence of the Clergy This is so evident that the Dr. is forc'd to clap his Wings closer and Correct himself adding That afterward to prevent Abuses in the fourth Council of Carthage it was Decreed that the Bishop should hear no Mans Cause but in Presence of the Clergy and that his Sentence should be void unless Confirmed by their Presence Well then to Correct Abuses issuing from his supposed Canon of Nice here is by his own Confession a Counter-canon Decreeing the contrary And where is now his bold Assertion of the Universal Practice of the Church founded upon a Divine Institution which Patronizes this supposed Power of the Hierarchical Bishop And if we may ply the Dr with his own Weapon and Argument and present to him a Dish of his own Preparing how doth he here make a Divine Institution Comprobat by the Churches Universal Practice a Seminary of such Abuses as this Council found necessary to remove Likewise how doth this Council by its Censure Lash the supposed Practice of Cyprian and puts among the fore-mentioned Abuses to be necessarly removed Ay but says the Dr The Sentence in this Case was the Bishops not the Clergies I Answer if they were sine quibus non in the Sentence by what Shadow of Ground can he assert that it was solely the Bishops And we heard above Cyprian in Express Contradiction to the Dr Assert that not the Concurrence only but the Sentence is properly the Clergies as well as his Moreover if a Paralel Argument in Point of Ordination which the Dr. also doth appropriat to the Bishop may be Judged valid in this Case as no doubt it is we have made appear from Canon 2. of the Fourth Council of Carthage that they Decree in this Case that omnes Presbyteri presentes manus suas Iuxta manus Episcopi super caput teneant cum Presbyter ordinatur And the Dr. cannot deny that ex natura rei and in the Scripture Sense Imposition of Hands in this Action of Ordination is Authoritative not Consentient only and supposes the Actors to have this Badge of the Ordaining Power I mean it in a Ministerial Sense as it is competent to all Church Officers We have also told him that Dr. Forbes as Learned an Episcopalian as our Dr. in his Iraen lib. 2. Cap. 11. holds that Non tantum duntaxat ut consentientes ad consensum enim sufficiunt suffragia plebs etiam consentit nec tamen est ejus manum imponere sed tanquam ordinantes seu ordinem conferentes ex potestate ordinandi divinitus accepta gratiam ordinato hoc adhibito ritu apprecantes That not only as Consenting which is proper to the Vulgar who cannot Impose Hands but as Ordaining or Conferring Orders and by a Divine Authority they do in this Action or Rite pray for Grace to the Ordained Which contrary Testimony of our Scottish Episcopalian not only in Point of Fact contradicts the Dr but from
the Church Thus P. 363. Cyprian Epist ad Iubajanum asserts the Custom of offering such as were Baptized to such as he terms Praepositi in order to their Prayers and laying on of Hands with Prayer That by Praepositi he means in general the Ministers of the Church and not the Bishop is clear by many Passages of Cyprian particularly Epist. 3. Par. 1. and Epist. 69. Par. 4. where he calls the Successors of the Seventy Disciples Praepositos as well as these of the Apostles So likewise Epist. 62. Par. 1. and Epist. 65. Par. 4. Thus also Epist. 21. Par. 3. The Confirmation he speaks of in the First Passage Cited is that used in the Apostolick Church for the giving of the Holy Ghost for which he Cites Act. 8.14 This is further noticeable of Dr. Lightfoot viz. That he shews that Imposition of Hands was not given but only to such as were ad Ministerium Ordinandi and was not given ad Sanctificationem sed ad Dona extraordinaria See Answer to the Principles of the Cyprianick Age P. 53. who also Cites Piscator Beza Grotius as thus Expounding the Passage Controverted Festus Hommius Disput. Theolog. 46. Thes. 1. Having shown that the Apostles used this Ceremony of Imposing Hands for Confirming their Doctrin by visible and Miraculous Gifts of the Spirit adds Haec Dona quia ad tempus tantum in Ecclesia viguerunt bodieque ut Ecclesiae non amplius hoc modo necessaria cessarunt etiam ritus ille eum in Finem neâ—â—debet servari nec potest adhiberi And Thes. 2. speaking of the Commendable custom of the Primitive Church that the Catechumeni when become Youths and ineunte adolescentia were presented to be Confirmed it was by Exhortation and Prayer and for this end they were presented says he Ecclesiae Pastoribus and dismissed with a Blessing The Dr. holds this Ministry of Confirmation P. 446. to be performed by Prayer and laying on of Hands The Party Confirmed receiving the Gifts of the Holy Ghost And what Gifts I pray were they which the Dr. Asserts were alwise conferred by this Ceremony and as he expresses it received thereby Sure not the ordinary Gifts For he will acknowledge these received in the Sacrament of Baptism The Extraordinary he Acknowledges are ceased And if neither Ordinary nor extraordinary Gifts are thereby conferred I know not what the Dr. can make of it unless he make it a sort of adjutory further Confirming Symbolical ritual Accessory to the Sacrament of Baptism and a renewed Representation and Seal of the same priviledges as are Sealed thereby And then it should seem it is brought within the stroak and reach of Cartwrights Arguments and Reasons against the Rhemists above rehearsed and that it falls within the compass of such a vain and ludicrous sign of Episeopal vanity as is above expressed Ierom in the forementioned Epistle adversus Luciferianus thus lashes this supposed prerogative of the Prelat That if not by a necessity of Law but for the Honour of the Episcopal Office the Spirit is given their Case is to be Lamented who in little Villages or remote places from the Diocess have been Baptized by Presbyters and prevented by Death before the Bishops visit Beda expresly upon Psal. 86. ascribs this to vanity And Calvin Instit. Lib. 4. Cap. 19. thus lashes the Papists that so many of their Flocks being deprived of this supposed necessary Confirmation patiuntur in suo grege Semi-Christianos quorum imperfectionem mederi facile erat they admit many of their people to be but half Christians whose imperfection they may easily remedy And how far this is applicable to the Dr's Case I need not stand to subsum It s true the Dr. doth not in express terms call it a Sacrament yet seeing P. 447. he holds it is by Divine warrand placed in the same Class with Baptism and made one of the Principles of the Doctrin of Christ and in his sense appointed still to continue as a standing Ministry for Communication of the necessary influences of the Spirit It s left to the judicious to consider whether it fall not clearly within the compass of Cartwrights Reasons and of others above rehearsed as inferring its unlawfulness and in special an appeal is made to the Judicious to ponder how the appropriating of this Ceremony to a Bishop for the great ends mentioned can come within the compass of these Fundamental Principles of the Doctrin of Christ without the Knowledge and Belief whereof there can be no Salvation The Dr. I must needs say advances not only Prelacy it self but this supposed priviledge of Prelats to an high pitch in this Reasoning For what he adds of the Character and Quality of Philip and of Cyprians Opinion of his being one of the Seventy two Disciples Whether he he was Deacon or Evangelist it is all one in this Case since the Action here performed by the Apostles was proper to them upon the Grounds already Assigned and the account of their approach to Samaria after this begun Ministry of Philip is so represented by Protestant Divines as wholly overthrows his pleading and Razes it to the Foundation For What the Dr. alledges anent the constant Exercise of this supposed priviledge of Bishops in the Primitive Church As he has produced no Testimony of either Councils or Fathers in proof of this but only wraps up the Matter in a Confident general So he is forc't immediatly in the next words to make a sort of Retraction telling us That in later Ages there are Instances produced of Presbyters that Confirmed But least he should seem to fall foul upon his large Assertion immediatly premised he must needs lenify this and mix Water with his Wine adding That they Confirmed only in the Bishops absence and by his delegation and that it was in the later Ages We see these Charitable Lords became at last Liberal in parting with some Prerogatives admitting such as could only perform the mean Service of Baptizing to the High Episcopal Dignity of Confirming But the Account we have given of this Matter sufficiently discovers his unsoundness and prevarication in this Point and that as the Practice he pleads for had never any warrand from Scripture or prime Antiquity so what Imposition of Hands might have been practised in a supposed conformity to the Apostles Pattern was performed by the Elders or Ministers of the Church And therefore in opposition to the Dr's fair Conclusion as he calls it P. 448. that this Confirmation or Imposition of Hands was Peculiar to the Apostles in the Original and their Successors the Bishops in the continuation of it We may in the Confidence of Truth oppose this Antithesis or Counter-Conclusion That the Apostolick Confirmation which he instances was so peculiar to the Apostolick Office and so appropriat to extraordinary expired effects as therein the Apostles could have no Successors And that their Successors in all the necessary duties and Offices of a Gospel Ministry are the Faithful
Pastors labouring in the Word and Doctrin to whom as the Apostles committed what was in their Office ordinary and necessary to be continued in the Church So upon such Principles and grounds in such a manner and for such an end in their Doctrin delivered to the Churches as does quite overthrow the Hierarchical Prelat he Pleads for as no Plant of the Lords Plantation FINIS A Full REVIEW and EXAMINATION OF DOCTOR MONRO's Scripture-Pleadings Upon the Point of EPISCOPACY In his late Book intituled An Inquiry into the New Opinions chiefly propogated by the Presbyterians of Scotland CHAP. I. The Dr's Vnsound and Impertinent Reflections upon our first Reformers as to their Iudgment in point of Church-Government Exposed Together with his Vnsound and Popish Method in his Answer to the Argument against Episcopacy taken from Mat. 20.25 And with the paralell Texts TO Examin in the better Method what this Dr. produceth against us it is fit that we First view what he represents as our Assertion and which he boldly Charges with Error and Novelty and as one of those Opinions never heard of for 1400 Years after our Saviours Incarnation It is thus That we affirm our Saviour hath appointed his Church under the New Testament whether Provincial National or Oecumenick to be Governed by the several Classes of Presbyters acting in a perfect Parity and owning no Subordination to any higher Officer in the Ecâ—lesiastick Senate above a Presbyter in the modern and current Notion of the Word That which I mainly desiderat here is 1. The term of several Classes appears obscure not pointing at the Beautyful Order and Subordination of Judicatories which we maintain according to the Nature of all Government consequently of Church Government The Classes and excerpted Classes is an invidious independent term We own the Congregational Church represented by the Pastors one or more with the Congregational Eldership The Presbytrie a Judicatory Superior to this made up the Pastors of the Congregations together with Ruling Elders The Provincial Synod superior thereunto consisting of the Ministers of the Several Presbytries with Ruling Elders in the Precincts of the Province to which the proportioned number of Presbytries are subordinat and wherein they are represented The National Church made up of a convenient number of Ministers and Elders from every Presbytrie therein to which the Provincial Synods are subordinat Which Model of Government has been so fully Cleared from Scripture by many Learned Pens that he cannot stand before the evidence of Divine Authority and Reason offered for the same And which any who have Read may see the vanity of his empty Pamphlet 2 When he tells us of Presbyters Acting in a perfect parity he insinuats as if We held no other Presbyter than the Pastor and that all who come under this general Name or Character have by our Principles the same interest in Church Government which if he mean of Government in its whole Extent viz that Power which is called the Diatactick Critick and Dogmatick it s a gross Falsehood For we distinguish an interest in the last which is proper to Pastors from that interest in the first two which we allow to Ruling Elders 3. When he tells us We own no higher Officer in the Ecclesiastick Senate above a Presbyter in the modern Current Notion of the Word he speaks in the Clouds and confusedly not specifying what is that Notion of the Word which he calls Modern and current and which we own as of the Divine Appointment and Signature We hold that the Pastor labouring in the Word and Doctrin and to whom is Committed the Doctrinal and Jurisdictional Key is termed also in Scripture the Elder or Presbyter and that he is the highest ordinary Church Officer of Divine Appointment and this with the Body of Protestant Churches and Divines We also hold that the Scripture points out an Elder or Presbyter that Rules only and is inferior to the Labourer in the Word and Doctrin as having no interest therein and this Notion of the Word we hold and can make good to be the Scripture as well as Modern Notion If this Dr. in calling it the Current Notion of the Word intend that which is the general Sense of Divines he seems here to Charge them all with Novelty and Singularity since all who hold this Notion of the Word and understand the Presbyter in the Sense above exprest must needs own him to have such interest in Government and the same Authority which we Assert And therefore Cross to the Dr's Notion which he is not pleased directly to specifie The Dr. without distinction or setting up his discriminating March-stones as to the extension of time calls the days wherein this Notion of the Presbyter is become current dayes of Separation and Singularity differing in this from the Uniform Testimony of Antiquity And the Critick has here much to say in proof of his Charging with Singularity and Separation and a dangerous Separation from the Uniform Testimony of Antiquity the whole Body of Reformed Churches and Divines since in their Confessions and the Current usage of their Writers they thus understand and make use of the term Presbyter As also that upon other grounds he Charges them with Singularity and Separation since he calls these dayes such absolutely abstracting from this particular Cause And what dangerous Consequence this Doctrin is of and how highly reflecting upon the Churches will sute his serious second and more sedat Thoughts when in a better frame and humour The Dr. adds That in this we differ from the first Presbyterians among our selves who Declare in their Confession of Faith that all Church Policy is Variable so far were they from Asserting an Indispensible and Unalterable Right of Parity But in this he has Abused his Reader and any that but reads that Confession may easily discover his Impudent Forgery and Imposings For First In the ninteenth Article of that Confession Assigning the Notes of the True Church they present these three 1. The true Preaching of the Word of God as he has revealed himself in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles 2. The right Administration of the Sacraments annexed to the Word and Promise to confirm it to our Hearts 3. Ecclesiastical Discipline uprightly Ministred as Gods Word prescribes whereby Vice is repressed and Vertue nourished And giving Instance of this in particular Gospel Churches they add Such were in Corinthus Galatia Ephesus and other places wherein the Ministry was planted by Paul and were of himself named the Churches of God citing on the Margine 1 Cor. 1.2 2 Cor. 1.1 Gal. 1.2 Ephes. 1.1 where Paul ownes them and names them as Churches and to prove they had a Ministry and Ecclesiastick Discipline planted therein they further cite Act. 16.9 10. and 20.17 c. pointing us to Pauls last and farewel Charge to the Elders or Pastors of Ephesus wherein he entrusted the Government thereof to them as the only Bishops thereof set up and Authorized by the
be evident to any who will compare their Writings with his Reasoning in this Pamphlet To give a Summary and Brief Account of our Arguments from these Scriptures cited by him and consequently of this Dr's Phantastick Vanity and Trifflings in this Matter From Act. 20. We thus Argue First That the Apostles solemnly declares to the Elders or Pastors of that Church of Ephesus that the Holy Ghost had constituted them Bishops over the Flock Whence we collect 1. That the Pastor is the true Scripture Bishop 2. That by his Office he Feeds and Rules the Flock and hath the Doctrinal and Jurisdictional Key committed to him by the Holy Ghost Next it hence follows that whatever Authority Power and Jurisdiction is imported in the Name Bishop falls within the Compass of this Solemn Command given to these Elders or Pastors who are enjoyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that this being essentially and intirely included in the Pastoral Office the Diocesan Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pretended Paramount Inspection over them evanisheth as a mere Chimaera especially since it excludes and inhaunces this Authority of Pastors 3. It is evident that this Charge was given to the Elders before Timothy now present with Paul and was posterior to the first Epistle directed to him for at Writing thereof the Apostle was at Macedonia And the Sacred History informs us that he came thereafter to Miletum with Timothy and gave the Elders this Charge In a Word this Charge and Command was Paul's last Solemn Charge for after this they were to see his Face no more So that these being the Apostles last Thoughts to speak so and Testamentary Instructions in Point of Church Government we have here the the Samplare and Pattern shewed by this great Apostle upon the Mount of this Divinely Inspired Model and Instructions And since the Episcopalians will not call the Gospel-Church a Speckled Bird and her Government of diverse Cuts they must acknowledge that the rest of the Apostles gave the same Directions As 1 Pet. 5. with 2 Pet. 1.14 doth furher clear From hence we further Argue First These Bishops who Feed and Rule the Flock immediatly are the Apostolick Bishops and these only Ergo the Hierarchical Prelat is no Apostolick Bishop 1. Because his pretended Episcopacy is over the Pastors he is Pastor Pastorum 2. He hath a Relation to no Flock as such We Argue Secondly from the Text thus These Apostolick Bishops have both the immediat and intire Episcopal Inspection and Power over Christs Flocks committed to them by God both the Doctrinal and Jurisdictional Key And therefore the Hierarchical Prelat stands Condemned upon a double Ground 1. As Snatching away the last from Pastors and Arrogating it solely to himself 2. In Tearing and Breaking asunder the Bond. wherewith Christ hath Tyed these Keyes And this in a double Respect 1. In the Case of the Pastor to whom he leaveth only the Doctrinal Key 2. With Respect to himself who is obliged ex Natura Ratione Officii or from the Nature of his Office to Preach the Gospel to no Flock but to Govern only Thirdly All this Scriptural Episcopal Jurisdiction is by the Apostle ascribed to these Pastors or Bishops of the Holy Ghost in Presence of Timothy while there is Altum Silentium of any Interest he had over them in this Matter Whence it may be inferred 1. They are declared and supposed the Highest Ordinary Officers of that Church having a Collegiat joynt Authority therein And 2. By clear Consequence it follows that nothing here enjoyned them inferrs or doth include a Precarious Dependence upon him in these Duties or his Supereminent Inspection over them 3. By further necessary Consequence this Authority being thus declared by the Apostle and recognosced after all the Precepts delivered to Timothy in the first Epistle written to him it cannot be supposed to contain any Super-eminent Episcopal Charge over these Pastors but a Transient Evangelistick Inspection only to pass off with that Exigent It being infallibly clear that there can be no Inconsistency or Contradiction betwixt this last Farewel Charge to the Pastors of that Church and his Directions to Timothy while residing therein Finally It is hence infallibly concluded 1. That the Apostles themselves Exercised no such Jurisdiction over Churches constitute in their Organick Beeing as is properly and formally Episcopal or of the Hierarchical Mould This Episcopal Authority being committed to the Colledge of Elders as their Essential Right and Priviledge 2. That the Apostles did not Substitute the Hierarchical Prelats or Diocesan Bishops as their Succedaneous Substitutes upon their withdrawing unless we will make the Apostle Paul to Model this Church in a Mould Hetrogeneous to other Churches And in a Word it hence follows that whatever may be pleaded as to Matter of Fact neither this nor any Church else could ever after Iure divest themselves of this Authority I mean the Church Representatives or Officers thereof in setting up such a Proestos or Prelat whose Power did encroach upon this their Authority allowed them by God From Tit. 1.5 7. The Presbyterians Argue not merely from the Promiscuous Use or Identity of the Name Bishop and Presbyter but from the Nature and Mould of the Apostles Reasoning and the Connecting Particle and Illative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which points at the very Topick and Ground upon which the Apostle concludeth that which is his Scope which necessarly inferrs an Official Identity of Bishop and Presbyter not a Nominal only For thus his Argument lyes The Presbyter or Elder must be so and so Qualified for such must the Bishop be So that the Stating of an Official Distinction betwixt the two as different Orders of Ministers breaks the Force of the Apostles Argument there being no Soundness in such Reasoning as this Inferior Officers must have such Qualifications because such are proper to the Superior Office No doubt the Holy Ghost who thus Reasons ascribes to them not only the same Name and he knew best how to express the Nature of the Things by fit Words but likewise the same Qualifications Work and Office Episcopalians will not disowne it that the Bishop hath distinct Qualifications and Work from that of the Presbyter or Pastor So that they must either acquiesce in this our Sense of his Words while purposely describing the Presbyter and Bishops Qualifications Office and Duties or Blasphemously impute unto him Incongruity of Speech and Unsoundness in Reasoning And therefore the Office of the one and the other is clearly supposed one and the same From Philip. 1.1 Where the Apostle salutes a Plurality of Bishops of that Church We inferr 1. Their proper Episcopal Relation thereunto 2. That they could not be Diocesans 1. Because the Deacons the lowest Officers are immediatly subjoyned to them And Prelatists will not say that there were no Pastors in that Church but only Diocesans 2. It is impossible there could be a Plurality of Hierarchical
Bishops therein and by clear Consequence the Pastors and Presbyters are supposed the Highest Ordinary Officers of that Church Exercising a joynt Collegiat Power in the Government thereof If I should adduce the Judgment and Testimonies of Protestant Divines upon these Passages correspondent to our Sense and Pleading it were a large Work The Belgick Divines upon Act. 20.28 from that Clause the Holy Ghost has made you Overseers do plead as above For having told us that in the Greek it is Bishops and that from this the Word Bishop is derived they add That these are v. 17. called Elders of the Church from whence it appears that in the Holy Scriptures there is no Difference made betwixt Elders and Bishops pointing to Philip. 1.1 upon which Passage they shew that this Term is common to all Governours and Overseers in the Church referring again to Act. 20.17 28. together with 1 Tim. 1.3 Where they shew That Timothy was appointed to continue at Ephesus not as Bishop but as Evangelist for a time to Confirm the Church Upon Chap. 3. v. 1. they shew That the Word Bishop is to be understood of all Overseers and Teachers of the Church without Difference as appears in the following Description compared with other places citing Act. 20.17 28. Philip. 1.1 Tit. 1.5 7. Diodat on Act. 20.17 shews That by the Elders we are to understand the Pastors and Conductors in v. 28. Upon which Verse he shews That the Word signifies Overseer Guardian c. And represents the Duty of a true Pastor of the Church without any absolute Dominion only for the Profit and Good of the Flock Philip. 1.1 he paralells with Act. 20 17 28. 1 Tim. 5.17 Understanding therein the Ministers of the Sacred Governing Senat 1 Tim. 3.1 he understands of the Bishop or Pastor who has the Charge of Teaching and Governing the Church On Tit. 1.5 the Elders who are immediatly after called Bishops he understands of such Pastors and Conductors as were to be placed in Churches where was a Competent Number of Believers Pools Annot. Vol. 2. understands Act. 20.17 as speaking of such Elders as are Governours and Pastors of the Church And shews that the Term and Title respects not their Age but their place And upon v. 28. they shew That the Overseers there mentioned are the same who are called Elders v. 17. and were certainly such as had the Government and care of the Church committed to them Upon Philip. 1.1 By Bishops they understand Pastors and Teachers asserting that the Name and Office of Bishops and Pastors was all one in the Apostles days and do Cite for Confirmation of this Act. 20.17.28 1 Cor. 4.1.2 1 Thes. 5.12.13 1. Tim. 3.1 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Tit. 1.5 Heb. 13.17 Iam. 5.14 3 Ioh. 9. The very Passages we make use of shewing that this is the Sense both of Ancient and modern Interpreters Thereafter they confute at large Hammonds Notion of Presbyters who takes them for Diocesan Bishops Upon 1 Tim. 3.1 They shew That the Term Bishop is the proper Title of Gospel Ministers pointing at their Honourable Work and Imployment and Paralels this with the Title of Angel mentioned Rev. 2.1 Upon the last Clause of v. 2. where the Bishop is injoyned to be apt to Teach they shew That he must be neither an Ignorant nor lazie Person Eng. Annot. upon Act. 20. understand the Elders v. 17. of the Governors and Pastors paralelling it with these Elders of Ierusalem mentioned Chap. 11 30. Upon v. 28. they shew That the term Episcopus or Bishop is here to be understood of the Pastor of the Church and Minister of the Word as elsewhere Also upon Philip. 1.1 on that Clause the Bishops and Deacons they shew That the Synod of Nice did forbid Two or more Bishops to have their Seats in one City And before that Cornelius Bishop of Rome upbraids Novatus with Ignorance as Euseb. lib. 6. Writes that he knew not there ought to be but one Bishop in that Church in which he could no be Ignorant there were Forty Six Presbyters And Oecumenius and Chrysostom affirm this of Philippi In one City it cannot be supposed say they there were more Bishops in that restrained Sense as the word was afterward taken Here therefore by Episcopi and Diaconi we are to understand the whole Ministry at Philippi consisting of Presbyters to whom the Government of the Church was Committed And Deacons who not only had the Care of the Poor but also Assisted Ministers in their Ecclesiastical Function Upon 1 Tim. 3.1 they shew That the Term Bishop doth properly relate to the Flock referring to Philip. 1.1 And having shewed that Antiquity did appropriat this Term to Diocesan Prelats and consequently as it relates to Pastors But that they Disowne this as not being the Scripture Acceptation is evident not only from that Reference to Philip. 1.1 but also from this that the Clause of Desiring a good Work they paralell with 1 Thes. 5.13 where after the Apostle has v. 12. enjoyned a due Deference and Subjection to such as Laboured among them viz. In the Word and Doctrine he enjoyns to Esteem them Highly in Love for their Works sake asserting thus the Bishops good Work to be one and the same with that of the Pastor and consequently the Office By the Elders mentioned Tit. 1.5 to be Ordained in every Church they understand the Pastors to be Ordained where there was a convenient Number of the Faithful And the Apostles Reason v. 7. For a Bishop must be Blameless c. they paralell with Philip. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.1 2. Thus clearly Corresponding our Sense and Pleading for the Identity of the Bishops and Pastors Office from these places The Professors of Leyden Disput. 42. at large Correspond with our Sense and Pleading from these Passages They assert the Extraordinary Expired Call and Office of Prophets Apostles and Evangelists and that the Pastors Dâ—ctors Elders and Deacons are the only standing ordinary Church Officers Thus Thes. 17.18 19 20. c. Ascribing to Pastors the Authority of Government as the Highest Ordinary Officers of the New Testament Thes. 25.26 Thes. 29. From Act. 20.28 they shew that the Apostle calls the Pastors of the Church of Ephesus Bishops set up by the Holy Ghost paralelling this with 1 Tim. 3.2 where they tell us the Bishop is described from such Qualities and Effects as the Apostle Peter enjoyns and ascribes to his Fellow Presbyters 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Adding that in the Epistle to the Philippians Chap. 1. v. 1. under the Name of Bishops for whom the Apostle prays for Grace he understands such qui Philippi Verbo Gubernationi praeerant who had Inspection of the Doctrine and Government distinguishing them from the Deacons who were set over the Churches Treasure Adding that Tit. 1.5 such whom the Apostle Named Presbyters v. 7. he calls Bishops non correlate ad Presbyteros tanquam ad Secundarios sibique Subordinatos Praesules sed ad Ecclesiam Vigilanti ipsorum Curae
this Great Divine was as to the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter both the Name and Office and their Interest and Authority in Church Government yea and in Councils both de Facto and de Iure Franc. Gomarus Explic. Epist. ad Gal. Cap. 2. P. mihi 487. having asserted the extraordinary Ecclesiastick Function of Timothie and Titus and upon the common Ground of their various Travels with the Apostle Paul proved their Evangelistick Office to be inconsistent with the Function of a Bishop who is tyed to a certain Post He adds deinde illa Episcopi significatio quae post Apostolorum tempora introducta in Sacris literis omnino insolens est in quibus idem quod Presbyterum notat ut Paulus Tit. 1.6 ostendit quos enim v. 5. Presbyteros Ecclesiae eosdem v. 7. Episcopos vocat c. That the signification or designation of Bishop introduced after the Apostles times is unknown to the Scriptures wherein it signifies the same thing with the Presbyter and Pastor as the Apostle Tit. 1.6 shews for whom in the 5 v. he Calls the Presbyters of the Church the same he calls the Bishops in the 7. v. as also the Presbyters of the Church of Ephesus so termed by Luke Act. 20.17 Paul calls the Bishops v. 28. and Philip. 1.1 he writes to the Saints with the Bishops and Deacons Where by Bishops he understands the Presbyters not the Prelats set over Presbyters otherwise which were absurd in one and the same Church of Ephesus and Philippi there had been a plurality of such ordinary Bishops of which every one had been set over many Pastors Finally where Paul recites the several kinds of the Gospel Ministers he acknowledges no such Bishops distinct from Presbyters and superior unto them as Eph. 4.11 To which purpose Ierom's Judgment is memorable which is extant Comment in Ep. to Tit. 1.1 where comparing the 5. and 7. v. he infers that the Bishop and Presbyter is one and the same which Point he doth likewise in the same manner as we have done demonstrat from Philip 1.1 and Act. 20.28.29 and other Passages adjoined thereunto concluding all with this weighty assertion that with the Ancients the Bishops and Presbyters were one and the same untill by Degrees the care and inspection was put upon one and that the Bishops were set over Presbyters rather by Custom than by Truth of Divine appointment which Custom saith the Author did at last bring upon the Church the mischievous dominion of Bishops contrary to the Apostles Command 1 Pet. 5. Thereafter he reasons the Ruling Elders Office from these Scriptures 1 Cor. 12.28 1 Tim. 5.17 Rom. 12.8 1 Thes. 5.12 P. 526. explic Epist. ad Philip. Cap. 1. Consect 1. Cum Paulus hic alibi ut Act. 20. Uni Ecclesiae plures Episcopos tribuat nec ullum inter Episeopos ordinarios Pastores statuat discrimen sequitur adversus pontificios Episcopum non significare Pastorem praefectum Pastorum sed Ecclesiae Pastorem ut docet Hieron in Ep. ad Evag. Comment ad Titum probat v. 1. Since Paul both here and elsewhere as Act. 20. ascribes unto one Church a Plurality of Bishops neither places any difference betwixt the ordinary Bishops and the Pastors it follows against the Papists and thus against this Dr. in Gomarus Sense that the Word Bishop doth not signifie both the Pastor and Prelatical Inspector over Pastors or a Pastor of Pastors but a Pastor of the Church as Ierom learnedly proves in Epist ad Evag. P. 704. Explicat in 1 Pet. 5. Consect 8. Quandoquidem Presbyterorum officium hic statuitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quemadmodum Paulus Presbyteros Ephesinos dictos Act. 20.17 vocat deinde Episcopos v. 28. Philip. 1.1 Ecclesiae unius Urbis Philippensis tribuit Paulus Episcopos Diaconos Neque ullibi in Sacris Literis Episcopus Presbyteris praefertur Inde sequitur non ex Divina Institutione sed Humana Traditione cui deinde accessit superbia Episcopos a Presbyteris fuisse distinctos iisque Potestate Authoritate praelatis That is since the Office of Presbyters is here held out to be an Episcopal Inspection as Paul doth accordingly call the Pastors and Presbyters of Ephesus Bishops Act. 20.28 who are likewise termed Presbyters v. 17. and Philip. 1.1 mentions the Bishops and Deacons of that one City Philippi neither is there a Bishop found set over Presbyters in any place of Holy Writ It hence follows that the distinguishing of Bishops from Presbyters and setting them over Presbyters in a Potestative and Authoritative Prelacy had its Rise from no Divine Institution but from Humane Tradition which was the Foundation of Pride Well shall I weary our Profound Dr with another of the same Stamp with the Scots Presbyterians Antonius Sadael Operum Theol. Tom. 1. De Legitima Vocatione Pastorem Ecclesiae In the beginning of that Dispute he professes to deal with such as profest to owne the Reformed Doctrine but studied to evert the chief part of Discipline rejectis iis quibus ex officio incumbit ipsius Disciplinae Administratio rejecting such who by their Office have the Administration of Government committed to them P. mihi 65 66 67. He thus proceeds having Answered an Argument of one of the Sorbon Doctors he proposes his Second which is this objicit primos nostros Doctores fuisse quidem Presbyteros sed non Episcopos itaque non potuisse alios Ecclesiae Doctores constituere cum soli Episcopi Ius Ordinandi habeant That our first Doctors were Presbyters and not Bishops and thus could not Ordain other Ministers of the Church since only Bishops have a Right to Ordain Quae Sententia saith Sadael quam falsa sit jam videndum est The Falshood of which Opinion he undertakes to discover And thus he confutes it Patet ex Verbo Dei Episcopum Presbyterum qui quidem Ecclesiam docent reipsa atque munere eundem esse Atque ita variis nominibus rem eandem fuisse significatam sic enim Paulus ad Titum Cap. 1.5 hujus rei causa inquit reliqui te in Creta ut constituas oppidatim Presbyteros sicut tibi mandavi si quis est inculpatus opportet enim Episcopum inculpatum esse It is evident from the Word of God that the Bishop and Presbyter such as Teach the Church of God are upon the Matter and in Office one and the same and that by these Names one and the same thing is signified For thus the Apostle to Titus Cap. 1. v. 5. For this cause left I thee in Crete That thou shouldest Ordain Elders in every City If any be blameless For a Bishop must be blameless c. He adds idem Apostolus ad Presbyteros Ephesinos Act. 20. attendite vos ipsos totum gregem in quo Spiritus Sanctus constituit Episcopos ad pascendam Ecclesiam Dei. Et in Epist. ad Philip. Cap. 1 v. 1. Salutat Sanctos qui erant Philippis una cum
evil one was then Sowing among the Wheat 3. That such a Proestos was as much above the Presbyters as the High Priest above other Priests is as Ignorant an Assertion and Arrant Untruth as the Dr. could readily have let fall Whereof I will 1. Convince him out of his own Mouth unless in the Point of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he still begg the Question 2. From the Scripture Accounts of the High Priests Office First He does acknowledge that the High Priest was thus Termed upon the Ground of Special Ministries which were Essential and Peculiar to him Now I pray what were the Special Ministries of this Proestos and even in the Point of Order in the Apostles Days above his Fellows Next the High Priest entred every Year into the Holy of Holies with Blood and Incense and had this Prerogative above other Priests the Priesthood was Hereditary to his First Born Tyed to his Family c. And would not the Dr. Blush to Assert such like Prerogatives as Applicable to the Proestos or Supposed Fixed President in the Apostles Days But he adds Salmasius grants That when the pretended Equality prevailed a Preces had the Loce Primarius in Consessu during Life And that there are such palpable Evidences of the peculiar Honour and Iurisdiction of one of the Ecclesiastick Senat in the Apostolick Age that the Learnedst Sticklers for Parity cannot deny it But if Salmasius assert that while this pretended Proestos had the Chair an Official Equality of Pastors was existent and prevailed it is undenyable that he denyes to this President or Chair-man such an Episcopal Preheminence and Dominion as the Dr. pleads for and allows him only the Chair of Presidency not Principality A Moderator's Chair and no more Again I Challenge our Dr. to prove this Consequence Salmasius asserts that even an Official Equality prevailed among Pastors when there was a Proestos set up during Life Ergo he asserts that this Proestos was ab initio in the Apostolick Age or approved by the Apostles For what he adds P. 29. That the Learnedst Pleaders for Parity do acknowledge a peculiar Iurisdiction appropriat to one of the Ecclesiastick Senat in the Apostolick Age He should have Named them and where they assert this For as for what he adduces of Salmasius I have shown how far it is from reaching his Conclusion And Beza I am sure whom no doubt the Dr. will owne as an Eminent Pleader for Parity condemns this Humane Prostasie as the Episcopus Humanus distinct from the Divine much more a Peculiarity of Jurisdiction in one Pastor over another For the Dr's Inviduous Character of Sticklers for Parity which he bestows upon Presbyterian Writers the premised Account of them discovers what a Black Theta he marks himself with who dare thus asperse the Body of Reformed Churches and Divines No doubt if they were such Sticklers for Parity of Pastors or Preaching Presbyters for this is the Parity which he thus ignorantly represents in such a Confused General as he is for Imparity and the Prelatical Hierarchy their Stickling were not to be Valued But what are these palpable Evidences which convinces our greatest Sticklers Something saith the Dr that makes it evident beyond all Contradiction Some mighty Evidences then we must expect The first which he adduces is That of the Apocalyptick Angels among whom he tells us we justly reckon St. Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna But 1. How has he proved that these Angels were single Presidents and that the Term is not taken Collectively 2. How does he prove that such as acknowledge them single Persons do hold them to be any more than Presidents pro tempore Beza I am sure acknowledges them only such Whom the Dr or any other do reckon for the Angel of Smyrna when Iohn wrote the Epistle to that Church is not the Question but whom he can prove from Scripture to have been such and what the Bishops Character is in Scripture The Dr's next supposed evidence is drawn from the Epistles to Timothy and Titus and the Catalogues of Bishops succeeding to the Apostles in their several Sees To which I Answer in short First That the Dr. can neither prove 1. That the Apostles or Timothy and Titus the Evangelists exercised an ordinary Episcopal Authority to be continued in the Church Nor 2. Can he prove or conclude from these Catalogues such an Authority Since 1 They are found to consist of Officers of diverse Cutts and unequal Authority 2 Inconsistent and contradictory to one another 3 They are found resolving in Apostles or Evangelists whose Office admitted of no Succession and upon this very account can found no shadow of an Argument for what he intends far less make the thing evident beyond contradiction What the Dr. adds further in this Page Of our concluding the Equality of Presbyters of the New Testament from the Dichotomies used in Christian VVriters and of the Ancients dividing sometimes the Clergie into two Orders c. And that nothing of moment was Canonically Determined in Ecclesiastick Meetings without their Bishops That Cyprian compares the Evangelical Priesthood and Ministrations with the Aaronical Is the same nauseating repeated begging of the Question with the former wherewith instead of solid Scripture Proof of the Official imparity of Bishop and Presbyter he fills up idle Pages How often shall we tell him that the point in question is not what Dichotomies were used in Christian Writings or who determined Canonically in Ecclesiastick Meetings after the Apostolick Age What Comparisons Cyprian Clemens or Origen used in setting out the New Testament Ministry But what Answers the Dr. has to offer to the premised Scripture Arguments of Presbyterians for the Paritie of Bishop and Presbyter Iure Divino And what proof from Scripture from the Apostles Doctrine and Practice he can produce for such a Jurisdictional Power and Authority of a Bishop under this Character above the Pastor or preaching Presbyter as he is bold to assert We often tell him that we plead other Grounds than his fancied Dichotomies And tho that were made one Ground and say further he had disproved it in these his pityful Tautologies and Repetitions what says this to the many other Nervous Pleadings above rehearsed But proceed we P. 29.30 He presses thus his often Repeated Notion anent Dichotomies Especially says he since the Ancients sometimes divide the Clergy into two Orders yet upon other occasions subdivide the highest Order and distinguish the Bishop from subordinat Presbyters Ans. He should have Exhibit these Ancients and their words thus distinguishing the Bishop under that Character from all subordinate Presbyters 2. The Dr. is obliged this being the substratum and supposition of all his Answers and insinuat Argument to exhibit the Scriptures subdivision of the Pastoral Office into higher and inferior Orders and the Scripture distinction of such an ordinary Officer as comes under the Character of Bishop from Subordinat Preaching Presbyters or Pastors As for determination in Councils
granting that some of these extraordinary Priviledges or Gifts might have been in some Sense communicated to other Officers The Dr. is never a white nearer his Conclusion since the Apostles proper Work and Function consisted in this to lay the Foundation of the Gospel Church to plant and water it and as being infallibly inspired to order the Ordinances and Officers thereof as being Immediat and Catholick Officers of the same Herein we have often told him lay their Office as to its main Essentials and unto this their other Prerogatives were Subservient Now in all his Instances he has exhibite none who ever did or could share with them in this Priviledge 2. He alledges P. 96. That we include among the Essentials of their Office their unconfined Commission to propagat the Gospel among all Nations which necessarly includes an Immediat Relation in actu secundo to the whole Church and inferrs their Duty to be of the Nature and Extent as above exprest Yet he neither can nor offers to give the least shadow of any such Officer that did or could share with the Apostles or come up to them in this Prerogative The Dr. Concludes That the Nature and Essence of the Apostolick Office is perpetual His Conclusion is like some Mushroms that Naturalists speaks of as a Miracle of Nature because they grow without a Root His Reason that our Saviour promised to be with them to the end is as far remote from the Conclusion as East is from West taking the essence of the Office in a proper formal Sense as Apostolick For himself will not say that this promise will includ the continuance of all the Apostolick Priviledges or Gifts several of which he holds to be expired And therefore it must still come under trial wherein their Office was succeeded even when this is admitted How he has proven this to be the Nature and Essence of their Office we have seen above Paraeus with the current of Protestant Divines takes the place he cites to import a general promise to the whole Church in specal the Faithful Ministers the Apostles true Succcessors thus he Paraphrases it Nec paucis tantum diebus sed omnibus vobiscum ero nec vobiscum tantum sed vobis mortuis cum vestris successoribus Fidelibus Evangelii Doctoribus Ecclesiarum Pastoribus usque ad consummationem saeculi That the Lord promised to be with his Apostles and when they were gone with all their true Successors the faithful Pastors and Doctors of the Church till the end of the World This derived Power saith the Dr. P. 100 is strictly Jure Divino No doubt that Power which the Apostles derived is such He adds that nothing can more formally distinguish an Apostle from all other Ministers of the Gospel Oeconomy than a supreme Spiritual Power to Govern Ecclesiastick affairs by their Authority of which they are to give account to our Saviour But we have often told him that this Supreme Power most formally includes an immediat Relation unto and Universal inspection over the whole Church and the nature of the Work and consequently the Office as is above exprest And the Dr. when put to let us see the persons who are the Subjects of this conveyed Power what ordinary Church Officers are the proper Recipients thereof must go to Utopia to seek them and in his arguing traverses in an inextricable Labyrinth which besides what is said hâ—s in this late Passage a new proof For he says that the Apostles were to give an account to our Saviour of this Power described by him He will not say they were to give this account merely as all Ministers are in a mediat Sense For thus he would contradict his Scope of delineating their Supreme Power so that his meaning must be that they were to give an account only to our Saviour and were accountable or Subject to no Church Judicatory upon Earth for their Administration Now Mr. Dr. except the Pope of Rome your dear Patron I know no Church Officer whose head this infallible Mitre will sute unless these Supreme Infallibles be multiplied according to the Number of Bishops or arch-Arch-Bishops it must necessarly resolve thus in the Supreme incontrolable Patriarch And what absurdity there is either in the one or the other I need not shew We are told next that the Name with the Office was derived to others besides the Twelve and Epaphroditus must needs be the Philippians Apostle and Bishop because called their Apostle Philip. 2.25 How impertinent this inference is we have heard above The Dr. alledges the word signifies always a Messenger from God to Men. But Mr. Dr. your always is here notably baffled since he is expresly called their Mâ—ssenger sent to Paul to Minister to his wants This looks like a Messenger from Men to Men unless the Dr. will deifie the Philippians and deny them to be Men. P. 101. Our English Translators miss their Mark not only here but in 2 Cor. 8.23 in Translating it thus the Messengers of the Churches and the Glory of Christ. What Glory of Christ was it saith he that these Apostles were imployed from one Church to another but their Authoritative Delegation was his Glory Therefore the Dr. will have them understood to be their Apostles or Bishops I Answer the Translators could not but know that the Sense and context necessarly led them to this Interpretation the Apostle being to commend unto this Church while in treating of this Point of the Colâ—ection the integrity of Titus and the other Brethren who upon his exhortation were come unto them for this end it follows necessarly that their Mission and Message here intimated by this epithet must be the same with that of Titus So that both appear to be sent in the same manner and to the same scope As for the Dr's Reason it s palpably naught the Apostles scope is to stir up this Church to their Duty of Charity by these high Elogies put upon the Messenger sent to them beginning with Titus whom he calls his Partner and Fellow-Labourer and the Argument is strong and lyes Level to the Apostles Scope and Conclusion v. 24. therefore shew ye to them and before the Churches the proof your Love why to them The Reason is I have imployed in this Message to you such eminent and Faithful Ministers who are as in that capacity the Glory of Christ. I must tell him further that as CHRIST Gloried to do the meanest Service to his Saints and Humbled himself to Death for them so such Ministers are likest their Master who esteem the meanest Service to his Elect their Glory and above all worldly Dignity Angels are Ministring Spirits to Gods Elect David esteemed it more Honourable to be a Door-keeper in his House than all worldly Glory His sense of Rom 16.7 Will not help him against the current of the Context and Interpreters The Belgick Divines Translate it Renouned among Apostles i. e. say they them that Preach the Gospel here and there
Flock ascribed unto them and that of such a Nature as imports a compleat Official Equality and Excludes Lordship over GODS Heritage Which doth clearly Justle out his Hierarchical Prelat as having no Interest in Church Government The Surveyer further tells us There is no ground to assert that the Presbyters Act. 20.17.28 were such only in the Modern Notion and none of them Bishops in the Modern Notion And to obviat an Objection from their Relation to Ephesus he adds That they were not only Elders of that Church but of the Churches of Asia about so far as in a transient Visit they might get Intelligence This often baffled Subterfuge Episcopalians have been told is contrary to the Sense of Ancient Fathers Ierom Theodoret Chrysostom contrary to several Councils contrary to the Syriack Translation which reads the Text thus be sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Dr. Lightfoot holds they were the Twelve upon whom the Apostle Paul imposed Hands and gave them the Spirit Act. 19.6 and such others if any such were whom Timothy had ordained See Lightfoot Harm Chron. N. Test. The Text says He sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church Sure of that Church to which he sent and there is no shadow of a hint of any other Elders there present Again he sent for the Elders of the Church in the Singular Number viz. that particular Church But the Surveyers Gloss will read the Elders of the Churches in the Plural viz. of Asia then mett at Ephesus The Scripture expresses Provincial Churches in the plural as the Churches of Asia Rev. 1.11 Churches of Iudea but otherwise of the Church of Ierusalem Corinth in the singular which were in Cities Neither will the old rotten Evasion help the Surveyer viz. that v. 18. it s said he Preached throughout all Asia and v. 25. speaking to these that were conveened he saith you all among whom I have gone Preaching the Kingdom of God from which he pleads there were others present as well as the Elders of Ephesus who might be proper Bishops in their places Since it is evident that the Term All ye doth properly relate to the Elders of Ephesus then present and was immediatly spoken to them Such Universal Terms used in such a Sense and to such a Scope are very ordinary and caseable as if one should say to a certain Number of an Assembly ye are all now dissolved it would not imply the presence of all the Members Again the Apostle might speak many things which did import the Concern and Duty of all though the Speech were directed immediatly and personally to those only that were present When he said You all among whom I have gone Preaching the Kingdom of God the Surveyer will not be bold to say this will infer that these all were present or that the Speech did import so much As for the Passages Cited viz. v. 18 25. It is Answered that the Apostle spent most of these Years in Ephesus only viz. two Years and three Months and the Superplus in the places adjacent So that these Elders could not be ignorant how the whole was spent Some have observed further that there is nothing of a peculiar Address here to a supposed Bishop of Ephesus and that all these Elders are Charged with the Oversight of that Flock But the Surveyer will not have the Presbyters here to be meaned in the restrained Signification or that this Term should restrain the Term of Bishop But we restrain none of them from their due and Native Signification as importing the Preaching Presbyter or Pastor As for his enlarged Signification stretching to an Hierarchical Prelat it is the Chimera of his own Fancy whereof he hath offered no Shadow of a Proof To that Text of Tit. 1.5 wherein the Bishop and Elder are found clearly Identified and a Plurality of them fixed in that one Church The Surveyer P. 211. repones again his Old Recocted Crambe of the Majores Minores Presbyteri as comprehended in these Terms and tells us of an Analogical Reasoning which the Apostle uses from the Qualifications and Duties of the Bishop properly so called to shew the necessity of the like in all Presbyters who are comprehended under their Order Ans. As his Supposition of the properly and improperly called Bishops is still begged by him without any ground as easily denyed by us as affirmed by him So his Gloss and Reason adduced is clearly cross to the Text Since the Apostle shewing Titus how the Elders to be ordained in every City were to be qualified adds this Reason of Advice for a Bishop must be blameless this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or for is causal shewing the Identity of the Office as well as the Name else the Reasoning were false Should a Chancellor in one of the Universities saith Smectymnus who useth this illustrating Similitude give Order to his Vice-Chancellor to admit none to the Degree of Batchelour of Arts but such as were able to Preach or keep a Divinity Act for Batchelours of Divinity must be so What Reason or Equity were in this And we may enquire here what Reason is this The improperly called Bishop must be so and so qualified because the Bishop of the higher Order and distinct Function must be so qualified Gerard. 〈◊〉 Minist Eccles. useth the same Reason to shew the Absurdity of such a Gloss. The Apostle in the Series of his Reasoning Identifies both the Work and Office of Bishop and Presbyter But this Surveyer will needs correct him and cast in his Limiting Cautions and instead of that identity that the Apostle asserts of the Offices make them only in some Sense the same not intirely He tells us That in Sacerdotal Acts they are the same But he cannot say that the Apostles Identity here asserted reaches and includes only the Acts of Order and is not to be extended to the Exercise of Jurisdiction As for the Acts of Order the Hierarchical Bishop is in their Principles the proper Primary Subject of the Sacerdotal Acts and Authority in the whole Diocess whereas that of the Pastor is Precarious and Subaltern to his and fixed to one Flock He calls P. 200. the Acts of Jurisdiction a Personal Application only of the Word or of the Power of Order yet he doth here Diversifie them so that though he assert the Pastor is the very same with the Prelat in the Sacerdotal Acts he is not so in those of Jurisdiction But we cannot stand to Trace all the Inconsistencies of the Surveyers Notions This distinction of Presbyters of the First and Second Order in a New Petitio principii serves his turn as an Answer to our Argument from 1 Pet. 5. And here we are again told That the Presbyterians allow two Ranks and Orders of Presbyters Where it would seem he Screws up his Hierarchical Prelat in this and the preceeding Answers to a Divine Right and thus quites and Justles with what he often pretends anent a
is in this convincingly apparent in that they put the Names of Bishops and Arch-bishops or Metropolitans upon Timothy and Titus We need not here again remind what is above made good touching Ambrose Assertion upon Eph. 4. Non per omnia conveniunt c. That the Practice of the Church then he is speaking in point of Church Government did not sute in every thing the Writings of the Apostles And that of Chrysostom on 1 Tim. 3. Hom. 11. That betwixt the Office of Bishop and Presbyter there is almost no difference As for his Charge of our wresting the Scriptures to patronize Human Devices We let it pass among the rest of this Mans lying Imputations it being evident to the candid Searchers of the Word and into this Controversy whether this person and his Associats in their Pleadings or the Presbyterians be the Perverters and Wresters of the Scriptures The Surveyer P. 219. further adds That if the Ordination of Timothy to be an Evangelist be spoken of here under the Name of Presbytrie may well be comprehended a Meeâ—ing of Apostles or Evangelists or Apostolical Men seeing the conjugated word Presbytrie may be of as great a Latitude and Signification as to a Meeting as Presbyter is to a Person Ans. Here is a new flight of our Surveyers fancy Timothy now stepping up to be an Evangelist and the Ordainers Apostles or Evangelists or Apostolical-Men But sure if they be either of the first two as he supposeth Paul is put out of his Office of a Sole Ordainer here Yea and in his Sense if any of the three be admitted the Scripture Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he pleaded as importing Pauls single Authority in this Action is expunged that room may be made for other Apostles and Evangelists This Surveyer would be hard put to it to prove that the Ordination of an Evangelist necessarly required such a compacted Meeting But as in the rest of his Comments and Replyes so in this we must take his word for proof as if his new Prelatical Office if such it was indeed as some have supposed had derived an Infallibility into his Magisterial Dictats As for his Latitudinarian Extensions of the word Presbytrie besides that he hath exhibit no Scripture Instance to prove such an Extension or evince that the word is ever taken in such a Sense he still beggs the Question in its Application to this Passage Next We are still in the dark what he means by Apostolick Men If he intend his Hierarchical Prelat here is a new begging of the Question and though the word Presbytrie might reach the comprehending of the higher Officers to the Presbyter who have the Scripture Stamp and Signature it is a stretching of the Term upon Tenter Pins till it crack to make it reach to an Officer of a Human Invention or a half Human Mould as he makes the Bishops It would have also puzzled this Surveyer or these of his mind upon the supposition that Timothy was here ordained an Evangelist to reconcile this with what he and they do plead from Pauls Directions in the first Epistle to him for his Instalment in his Episcopal Function over the Church of Ephesus wherein he is commanded to do the Work of an Evangelist For they must either here degrade him from this Function upon their Supposition of his Episcopal Instalment or if they make his Instalment here Evangelistick they make him to have been twice instaled in that Function CHAP. IV. Wherein is considered the Surveyers Answer to the Presbyterian Charge against the Diocesan Prelat as a new Officer different from those instituted by our Lord and standing in opposition to the Scripture Accounts of the New Testament Church-Government And this upon the Ground of the Perfection of the Scripture Records hereanent and our Lords Faithfulness in the full Institution of the Officers and Government of his Church THE Surveyer now P. 219. tells his Reader He hath presented the Summ of the Presbyterian Strength in these Passages and given fair and just Interpretations of these Scriptures which they plead Whereas he hath presented rather a Farrago of his own fantastick Quiblings and contradictory Notions and Conceits instead of true Interpretations of these places And it is apparent that after all this Mans faint Essays the Presbyterian Bow abids in its Strength Yet after all is done the Surveyer will needs attempt the removal of some more Impediments in his way The one is That the Presbyterians disown Episcopacy as a Human invention as a new Office never appointed by Christ and consequently to be expelled his House In Answer to this the Surveyer having acknowledged that there are Human inventions which proceed from Mens pleasures as Matth. 15.9 adds that there are results of sanctified Reason subservient to the orderly performance of the Worship of God and to the Ruling of his House with respect to the general Rules of the Word Wherein as before he still beggs the Question in supposing Prelacy to be one of these variable Circumstances determinable by Human Prudence and subservient to the Churches good according to the General Rules of the Word which is proved to be Diametrally opposit to Christs Institutions in point of Government and stands in opposition to the great ends of the Churches Edificâ—tion and the true Government thereof Thereafter he runs out into an impertinent discourse anent Ministers use of invention in Preaching the singing of Psalms with Poetical invention of the Composer in Metre who had no infallible inspiration And asks if we account the Confession of Faith Catechism and the Holy Covenant Human Inventions as to their outward frame And enquires further what we will answer to one that should plead thus was not Christ and his Apostles wise enough and could have set down such forms if they had juâ—ged them necessary c. and not left them to Mans inventions Ans. The impertinency of all this evidently appears when we consider that our Question with them is anent an Office and Officer not appointed by the Lord and cross to his Institutions in Point of Government whether Men may set him up in the House of God yea or not His Instances speak only of the Lawfulness of our Reason and Christian Prudence in a clear subserviency to the obedience of Commanded Ordinances for such is Preaching and Ministerial instruction Catechising and Singing of Psalms So that these being Commanded Ordinances and Institutions the proper subservient means thereof do in a Remote Sense fall within the compass of the Divine Commands enjoining the same such are these he mentions viz. a methodical form of Sound words digested into Catechisms for the Peoples instruction and growth of Knowledge the framing of Psalms commended for the use of Singing a Commanded Duty into such a Metrical Composure as is suitable hereunto I mean keeping still close to the Sacred Text and not varying from the true and genuine Sense of the words the Minister making use of Sanctified
be of the highest Office in the Church telling us That the Prelat is but a different Degree in the same Office And he gives this Reason of his Judgment That since the Sacramental Actions are the highest of Sacred Performances he cannot but acknowledg that such as are impowered for them must be of the highest Office in the Church And thus expresly disowns the Drs. Distinction betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter as a meer groundless Notion and by consequence the whole Foundation of his Pleading Secondly Our Scots Episcopalians and many of the English plead for such an Episcopal Power as is managed in conjunction with Presbyters and profess to own only such a fixed Presidency of the Bishops over the Pastors in Government as allows them a Share and Interest therein and do consequently disown what the Dr. asserts That the Bishop is the Sole Subject of Government Let any peruse Bp. Honyman part 2. Survey of Naph Bp. Burnet ubi supra Bp. Lightons Two Letters in reference to the Case of Accommodation yea Bp. Hall himself in the Defence of his Remonstrance presented to the Parliament of England against Smectymnuus printed An. 1641. And this will be convincingly evident the Bishop in that Defence is so angry at the Word Sole in the Debate about the Bishops Power and Authority in Government that he desires his Presbyterian Antagonists to keep their Sole for the use of their Shoes It is then clear that in the State of the Question or Ground of this Debate the Dr. is not one with his Fellows which will be further discovered by Examining the Grounds he walks upon The Divine Right of Episcopacy he endeavours First to prove by the Institution of our Saviour And his great Argument is That Christ in His Lifetime institut two Orders of Ministers viz. That of the Apostles and the Seventy Disciples whose Office he proves to be subordinat to that of the Apostles from this Ground That they are mentioned a part as Distinct and the Apostles placed first in the Catologue Eph 4.11 1 Cor. 12.28 That the Scripture mentions the Twelve and the other Disciples distinctly and the Twelve as Chosen out from among the Disciples and by this Call and Ordination of Christ separate to distinct Offices from the Disciples that the Apostles immediate Successors were chosen out from the seventy Disciples for most part Thus sayes he Simeon the Son of Cleophas succeeded Iames at Ierusalem Philip Paul at Caesarea Clement Peter at Rome by the Testimony of Dorotheus Eusebius And that by the same Testimony of Eusebius together with Epiphanius and Ierem Matthias was one of the Seventy that was Chosen and Ordained by the Apostles to succeed Iudas in the Apostalate Acts 1.16 And a Succession saith be in Office supposes the superior Power in the Person in whose place another succeeds and that the person succeeding had not that Power and Office before his Succession That these Disciples were instructed with Ministerial Authority he proves from Luk 10.16 compared with v. 1. where not only we find that our Lord sent them before His Face but shews that such as heard them did hear him c. As also from this That Ananias one of them Baptized Paul Acts 9.18 Philip another of them the Eunuch Acts 8. and also preached the Gospel Answer This Discours and Argument with reference to the Drs. Scope with a very ordinary Attention will appear to be but a beating of the Air and to consist of Magisterial Dictates instead of proof For First it is evident That the generality of all Protestant Divines and Churches yea many Episcopalians themselves do hold that the Office of Apostles and Evangelists is expired and died with their Persons so that neither the one nor the other admitted of a Succession And indeed the thing it self is evident and by our Divines proved from the Apostles immediat Mission unconfined Inspection extraordinary Gifts c. And that the Evangelists Office did suppose the existant Office of the Apostolate and did consist in a planetary Motion to Water where they Planted and bring Reports of the State of the Churches to the Apostles and Commissions from the Apostles to the Churches as they make evident in the many Journies up and down of Timothy and Titus in order to this end So that upon this Supposition tho a Subordination were granted yet if both Offices are expired it can found no Argument for a Subordination among ordinary Officers or essentially distinct Orders in the Pastoral Office which is the Point he has to prove This will be convincingly clear upon Two Grounds 1. That the body of all Protestant Divines do hold That neither Apostle nor Evangelist had any fixed Posts or Charges and so consequently the one could not Succeed the other therein nor could any ordinary Officer Succeed either of them in this their Function And 2. That the Office as well of the one as the other was suted to that Infant State and Exigence of the Church the Apostles Work being to found Churches through the World to plant the Gospel Government and Officers therein and the Evangelists Work to Water their Plantations as is above exprest And therefore that State and Exigence of the Church being gone off so are these Offices suted thereunto And among many other Proofs I would fain know what he or any of his Perswasion will look upon as the Scope and Intendment of their Gifts recorded in Scripture viz. Their Gifts of Tongues Gifts of Healing raising the Dead striking with Death and extraordinary Judgments the Obstinat as Peter Ananias and Saphira Paul Elimâ—s the Sorcerer c. if not thus to Discriminat their Office If sutabâ—e Gifts be the Badg of an Office as to be apt to Teach is of the Pastoral Office it being certain that the Gifts and the Work bears a proportion one to another and the Office has a relation to both then certainly Extraordinary Gifts Works must be the Badg of that Office which is Extraordinary So that the Drs. Proof of fixed standing distinct Orders and Degrees among Ordinary Church Officers from this Instance is quite overturned if the Office either of the Apostles or of the Seventy be found Extraordinary Next the weakness of the Drs. Proof further appears in that instead of Proving he takes for Granted without Proof First That the Apostles had a Superior distinct Mission from that of the Seventy for nothing of his pretended Proofs give the least shadow of this The Dr. acknowledges they were sent to Preach as the Apostles themselves were and for what appears from Scripture with the same Authoritative Mission since the Seventy were sent out after the Twelve and superadded to them Luk. 9.1 2. c. and 10.1 2 3. c. And for the Point of Succession of which afterwards the Dr. affords no shadow of Proof of either of these Two 1. That there were Successors to the Apostles in their formal Office of Apostolate 2. That these his
Gifts their immediat Mission their extensive Authority in the Planting and Watering of Churches as some Episcopalians who speak more cautiously than the Dr. do express and limit this Succession then it is easy to make good that the Dr. in this Branch of the Answer is as much in a Premunire and that his Answer may be easily broken with a Wedg of his own setting and that his Adversary may easily pull his Spear out of his Hand and Kill him with it For 1. His Answer to those who alledg the Apostolick Office and Power to be Temporary as suted to the Necessity and Exigence of that Time and Case of the Church without intention of deriving it into a Succession is First That this is said without so much as a plausible colour of Reason And if there be no plausible colour of Reason in denying a Succession to the Apostolick Office the Dr. in embracing this Answer is without all colour of Reason 2. He tells us That we acknowledg our Saviour institut the Apostolick Office and that in His Institution He gave no Intimation that it was but for a Season and that thus in calling the Apostolick Office such we presum to make Christs Institutions Temporary without producing the Intimations of His Will and that upon this Ground we may repeal all Institutions of Christianity c. But I pray whether doth not the Dr. in this Answer make our Lords Institution of the Apostolick Office Temporary as in its Nature suited to that Exigence of the Time and Infant State of the Church And whether he is not upon his own Ground obliged to produce the Intimation of our Lords Will hereanent And if he cannot produce it or rather doth hold it clearly intimat in the Nature of the Office it self then the Dr. must either confess our Exception and Answer to his premised Argument about a Succession to the Apostles to be valid and sound or this his Answer and Evasion to be nought and that he is therein contradictory to himself and liable to that Absurdity wherewith he charges us viz. Of making temporary and cassing all our Lords Institutions and over-ruling the Will of God by arrogant Presumption Which is the high-flown Imputation the Dr. puts upon our Answer But to bring this Matter to a short Issue and to strick out the Bottom of his great Notion and Topick The Power of the Keys or the Power of Order and Jurisdiction lying in authoritative Dispensing of Gospel Ordinances viz. The Preaching of the Word and Administration of the Sacraments together with the appendent Power of Disciplin and Government which was the substantial main Piece of the Apostolick Authority and Office and to be derived in a Succession as necessary for the Churches Preservation in all times we hold to be seated properly in the Pastoral Office which succeeds to that of the Apostles in the respect and for the end mentioned and in point of this Authority and Power we hold that any Pastor is equal to an Apostle which beside many other Reasons that might be adduced appears demonstratively by this Scripture Ground viz. That it is evident in Scripture that the Apostles in the first Constitution of Churches planted Presbyters or Pastors therein as the highest Ordinary Officers to feed with the Word and Government Acts 14.23 Tit. 1.5 with Act. 20.17 1 Cor. 5.4 12. v. compared with 2 Cor. 2.6 c. And not only so but left these Presbyters or Pastors as their immediat Successors committing the whole Government to them in their last Farewels to the Churches without the least hint of a Super-institution of any Officers of an higher Order Act. 20.17.18.28 1 Pet. 5.2 3 4. compared with 1 Thess. 5.12 13. c. Hence it may be thus Argued These whom the Apostles placed as Chief in the first Constitution of the Churches and left as their immediat Successors in their last Farewels which they gave to the Churches these have no ordinary Officers superior to them in the Church by Divine or Apostolick Warrant But the Apostles placed first Presbyters or Pastors feeding immediatly with the Word Doctrin and Government as their proper immediat Successors and to these they committed the Churches in their last Farewels Therefore the Pastor hath no ordinary superior Officer to him in Church Government by Divine or Apostolick Warrant Thus we see the utter Insufficiency of the Drs. Proof from this Argument anent the Seventy Disciples which may save us the labour of pursuing such Advantages as the Exact and Critical Disputant might have against him in his way of handling this Argument It is not clear from his Discourse whether he place these Seventy Disciples in the Office of Evangelists or of ordinary Ministers If he suppose and assert the First the Strength of his Argument is sufficiently Refuted by what is said above it being palpably absurd to infer different Degrees of the Pastoral Office from the Superiority of Apostles to Evangelists If the Second the Consequence is as absurd the many Prerogatives of Apostles above ordinary Pastors making such an Inference palpably ridiculous His Proof of the Succession of these Seventy to Apostles in their Office upon which he founds his Assertion of the Subordination of the one to the other is drawn from the Succession of Simeon to Iames at Ierusalem Philip to Paul at Cesarea Clemens to Peter at Rome In which he palpably falls short as to two essential Points thereof 1. He offers no Divine but an Human Testimony as to this Matter of Fact viz. of Dorotheus Eusebius 2. He offers no Proof from Scripture that the Persons instanced were of those Seventy mentioned Luk. 10. whom our Lord sent forth after the Twelve Apostles That the Apostles were chosen from among the Disciples or that they are first named in the Catalogue of Church Officers Ephes. 4. is a pitiful hungry Proof For the Dr. will not say that the Seventy were not also taken from among the number of Disciples or that all coming under this general Denomination were Church Officers And as to the other point of the Nomination of the Apostles first in the Catalogue of Church Officers even supposing it will import some special Prerogatives of these Twelve it is utterly remote from proving either First that these Seventy might not have been in the character of Evangelists and consequently had a correspondent Authority eo nomine Or Secondly That supposing them by their Mission to have had the same extensive Authority with the Twelve Apostles that the foresaid Prerogatives of Apostles did enervat this their Authority and Commission which was immediatly from our Lord as well as that of the Apostles and in its Nature and Extent never retracted or limited for any thing can be seen in Scripture For what the Dr. objects anent the Superiority of the Apostles over the Seventy as being in Office not in Power and Jurisdiction To which he answers That the Office including the Power must import a Superiority
Theodtret holding that he was Constitut their Bishop I answer 1. Tho his Episcopal Authority over this Church of Philippi were granted to the Dr. it will never come up to prove his Point and Assertion of devolving the Apostolick Office upon him but rather proves the contrary it being evident both from the Nature of the Thing it self and in the Judgment of Judicious Divines that these Two Offices are incompatible and inconsistent and it is a greater degrading of the Office of Apostolat as it stands delineat in Scripture to restrict it to any Particular Church than to make the Primat of England Curat of any Parish 2. The Dr. doth grosly mistake this Denomination of Epaphroditus while making it Import his being their Bishop as is obvious to any that Reads the Text and will view Commentators upon the place as might be easily and at large made appear if our intended brevity did permit The Belgick Divines upon the Passage tells us That the Word Apostle signifies one who was Called and sent forth by Christ himself to Preach the Gospel through the whole World meaning in its Strict and Proper acceptation for clearing which they Cite Gal. 1.1 Eph. 4.11 And here the Dr. may observe how they take the Nature and Extent of the Apostolick Office Then they add But here it is taken more largely in General for one who is sent forth by any one to act any Thing in his Name or for him He was by the Philippians sent unto Rome to Paul to carry him that which they had Contribut for his Maintinance Citing Chap. 4.18 Where the Apostle shews that he had Received what was sent by Epaphroditus Which discovers the Folly of the Drs. gloss They add That if it be rendered their Teacher the Word is sometimes taken so in a General Sense for any kind of Teacher Rom. 16.7 Where the Phrase of Note among the Apostles doth import among them who Preached the Gospel here and there paralelling this with that of 2 Cor. 8.23 Where the Phrase of Messengers or Apostles in the Churches is ascribed to other Brethren together with Titus and imports only Messengers and Teachers So That altho the Phrase of your Messenger or Apostle were in this place admitted to import a Pastoral Relation to Philippi it is as far from coming up to a Proof of the Drs. Gloss as East from West Grotius upon the place shews that Graece loquentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocabant qui sacras pecunias colligebant atque portabant at Diximus ad Math. 10.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dixit Ignatius That the Word Apostle is here taken late or largly and for Honours cause put upon this Person as a Minister only is Asserted by Erasm. Simplicius Vorstius That he is thus called quia missus fuit cum Eleemosyna and that this is Confirmed by the ensuing Clause of Ministring to the Apostles wants has a large Harmony of great Judgments Thus Zanch. Simp. Estius Beza Collating this with 2 Cor. 8.23 For what the Dr. adds ubi supra of Ierem and Theodoret It is easily answered that the Word Apostle ot Bishop is by them used in a General Acceptation as might be cleared from many Passages of the Fathers especially Ierom holding that through the Apostolick times communi Concilio Presbyterorum Ecclesiae gubernabantur Thus in his Comment upon Titus where he proves this from Phil. 1. Act. 20. Heb. 13.17 1 Pet. 5. And if the Word Apostle in Scripture have this General Acceptation as we have heard why not also in the Writings of the Fathers The Drs Third Instance P. 398 is of Titus and some others whom the Apostle 2 Cor. 8.23 Calls Messengers or in the Greek Apostles of the Churches which the Dr. takes to hold out their Apostolick Authority over the same and will not have the Phrase to Import their Relation to these Churches whose liberality they carried Thereafter he Insists upon the Instance of Titus whose Episcopal Authority over Crete he endeavours to prove from the Epistle written to him To the Instance First in the General I Answer that the Drs. Sense of the Passage Cited is but his own Imagination without the least Shaddow of Ground in the Words or Context especially taking it to Import an Apostolick Authority in his Sense as might be cleared by multiplyed instances if needful We heard that the Pâ—lgick Divines take the Phrase to Import Teachers in a General Sense The Authors of part 2. Pool Annot. Thus Sense the Passage Viz That the Apostle calls Titus his Fellow-helper in the Business of the Gospel for the others he tells them they were such as the Churches thought fit to make their Messengers and had the Credit of the Churches whose Messengers they were since the Churches would not have Instructed them if they had not Judged them Faithful Both which Senses stands clearly cross to that which the Dr. Grounds upon And to discover further the weakness of his Reasoning even granting that this Text would Import a Fixed Episcopacy of Titus and these other Messengers over some Churches how doth it prove the Apostles devolving upon them the entire Apostolick Office in the same Nature and Extent as it was committed to the Twelve by our Saviour The Dr. will never be able to knit this Antecedent and Consequent by Scripture or Divine Reason And this being the Point he is all along undertaking to prove any may see how palpably he mistakes and misses his Mark in these Instances But now to examin the Drs. proof of Titus's Episcopacy these Things I do in general premise which do cut the Sinews of his or any others Arguings for the pretended Episcopacy of Timothy or Titus over these Churches 1. In Churches already constitut this Authority was not solely seated in them they were only to go before the Churches in wholesome Counsels in relation to the planting of Ministers not to do as they pleased excluding others as judicious Calvin expresses it Instit. lib. 4. cap. 3. since Paul himself neither imposed Hands nor Excommunicat alone in Churches constitut And a whole Colledge of Apostles had the ordinary Elders going along with them in a Synodal Procedure Act. 15. far less could Timothy or Titus assum this Episcopal Preheminence who were inferior to Apostles 2. After the Church of Ephesus was Exedified and Compleated in its Organick Beeing and after Timothy had gotten his Charge as to Ordination and Jurisdiction in Ephesus in the first Epistle directed to him wherein the Dr. and his Fellows hold him to be instructed with Episcopal Authority Paul committed the whole Episcopal Power and Charge to the Elders before Timothy's Face in his last Farewel to that Church calling these Elders the Bishops and enjoyning them the Exercise of their Authority as appointed by the Holy Ghost and this without the least Hint of any Inspection or Authority that Timothy had over them hereanent or of any relation they had to him in this Matter thus Act. 20. And
any Officer of an higher order Moreover will the Dr. be bold to affirmâ— that what was prescribed to Timothy in Point of Order and Jurisdiction was confined within the Church of Ephesus and not rather to be exercised through all other Churches as the Apostle enjoined him And if this last must needs be asserted upon the Ground of his Evangelistick transient imployment through the Churches as is above from Scrpture evinced and delineat it follows by inevitable consequence that the Addressing of these Prescriptions to him while at Ephesus can infer no peculiar Relation he had to that Church but respected the Exercise of his Evangelistick Office in other Churches as well as there especially since the Apostle here enjoins him to do the Work of an Evangelist i. e. of such an unfixed transient Minister as is above described not the work of a Prelat over this Church If the Dr. deny this he will advance him to a Metrapolitan over several other Churches or else must quite his plea. But finally to Raze the Foundation of the Drs. Notion and Argument which he draws from Paul's Constituting a Presbytrie at Ephesus and reducing it to a greater perfection than in other Churches before Timothy had these Prescriptions in point of Government Adddressed unto him therein From whence the Dr. concludes that the Apostle established the Government to continue by a single person presiding over Clergy and Laity Besides the exceptions above touched to which this is lvable I would First know of him whether this Pâ—esbytrie or Presbytries so perfectly Constitut in his Judgment had not an essential and inherent interest and Authority in such Actings of the Power of Order as himself acknowledges competent to them such as Teaching and the like And if so as himself doth hold and suppose notwithstanding of the Addressing of Precepts to Timothy hereanent why were such Precepts addressed to Timothy Why was not this left to the perfectly Constitut Presbytrie and Precepts only in Point of Government addressed to him Especially since it s known the Bishops do not much concern themselves in Teaching and these other Ministerial Duties exprest in the Precepts abovementioned And if the Prior Authority of a Constitut Presbytrie hereanent was no Just Ground to stop the Apostles Precepts to Timothy in the Power of Order and such Ministerial Duties as are contained in the forementioned Precepts nor can infer Timothy's sole Interest therein why I pray shall this Reason be valid in point of Jurisdiction What will the Dr. Answer if one should improve his own Argument thus Notwithstanding of Pauls great pains in Preaching and Constituting a perfect Presbytrie to use his own term and that there were many Pastors gifted to Preach and admonish yet the Apostle afterward in his Epistle to Timothy gave this Commandment to him not to them Therefore this is proper and peculiar to the Bishop only And sure I am whatever Answer he can give to this which has any Sense or Consonancy to Scripture will loose and Answer his own Argument against us In a word its easie to retort this Argument from a Priority of time and shew that when pertinently improven it stands upon our side against the Dr. and his Fellows Which retortion I thus offer After Timothy had received these Instructions in the Church of Ephesus with reference to the Clergy and Laity as he speaks the Apostle Committed the whole Episcopal Charge to the Elders or Ministers of Ephesus as to both Order and Jurisdiction without the least hint of any Interest that Timothy had in or over them herein or of any precarious dependence of these Elders and Ministers upon him in the exercise of this their Power notwithstanding that Timothy was present with them when the Apostle gave this Charge and that it was his last farewell-Charge when never to see their Faces more Now if the Apostle had given Timothy a standing Episcopal Authority before and Constitut him their Bishop what a pityful inconsistency retraction and contradiction was it to his former Doctrin and practice in the Instalment of Timothy to devolve his whole Authority upon these Elders Commanding them as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Feed and Rule Surely if the Argument from Priority of time be valid it must be signally so in this Case wherein it is strengthened by so many Corroborating Circumstances of the Sacred Text and to use the Drs. expression and Address him in his own words ibid. this Constitution was to be a Pattern to all Churches and to be sure the Government now at last Established at Ephesus was such as the Apostle intended should continue The Dr. will needs have this Practice of the Apostle Paul to proceed upon the express Institution of our Saviour consequently to found a Divine Right of a Subordination of Ecclesiastick Officers since the Apostles ordained other Apostles and Bishops to presid over the Churches But sure looking to his Scope and Pleading nothing could be said in a more inconsistent Mould For he cannot but acknowledg That the Institution of our Saviour did relate to the Apostolick Office in its whole Nature and Extent as above delineat viz. To found and plant Churches through the World to establish the Gospel Government and Ordinances in them and this with extraordinary Gifts and infallible directive Authority as Christs immediatly sent and first Ambassadors Yet the Apostles supposed prosecution of this Institution he maks to consist only in setting some certain Bishops over particular Churches with an ordinary and limited Power for I hope he will not make them all universal Patriarchs Now how exactly these Bishops are shapen to the Pattern of Christs institut Apostles any may judg yet he will have them not only Bishops but Apostles properly so called such as were the first Apostles and as succeeding them in their formal Office Besides in speaking of this Divine Right he tells us His Arguments pleads for a Superiority and Subordination of Ecclesiastick Officers Which is a General easily accorded by us as is said and no way will come home to prove his supposed distinct Offices in the Pastoral Charge The Dr. tells us ibid That if the ordaining of Presbyters be an Argument of the perpetuity of the Office as we hold why not the Apostles ordaining Bishops as good an Argument for the perpetuity of that Office I answer when the Dr. shall make it good that the Apostles ordained Bishops of his Mould 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church by Church as we can prove and it is evident they did ordain Ministers or Elders or make it appear that the Apostle gave to Timothy or Titus any Rules for the Ordination of his supposed Bishop or for his Qualifications as in that Capacity as it is evident he prescribs Rules anent the Ordination and Qualification of the Pastor in both these Epistles then and not till then the Drs. paralel Argument shall be admitted But till then we must
all the Power of Government in the person of the Bishop excluding wholly all Presbyters from any Interest therein So that the Dr. in this unwary Citation contradicts Ignatius and himself and makes Ignatius inconsistent with himself In his next Citation of his Epistle to the Ephesians wherein Reverence is enjoined to the Bishop as the Person appointed by the Lord and Master of the Family to be his Steward He hath again Wounded himself For to be a Steward having a subaltern Service and Ministry under the Authority of the Master and tyed up to his Orders is point blanck contrare unto and toto coelo different from that Principality of the highest Degree before ascribed to the Bishop and owned by the Dr. as his and Ignatius's Sense of the Episcopal Office Sure to be a Prince and a Steward in Government are distinct things and entirely and wholly opposit if we will take the Apostle Pauls word for it who disowns a Dominion and in stead thereof and in opposition thereunto owns a Stewardship in God's Family and humble Sevice or Ministry 1 Cor. 4.1 2 Cor. 1. Ult. But now the Dr. plyes us with Inferences from these Citations Whereof the first is That these Epistles were Written not above Eight or Nine years after the Decease of St. Iohn and yet Bishops are supposed to be in all Churches appointed by Christ and his Apostles and they were lookt upon as no Members of the Church who were not Subject to them That they were necessary in the very Constitution of Churches so that they were not within the Altar but without it who were not subject to them And therefore it may be concluded there were no Churches without them I Answer that Ignatius wrot his Epistles early no body will doubt but that such trashie stuff and anti-scriptural Fooleries as are above rehearsed was written by Ignatius and was his Sense of Church Government no Man of Sense or who hath any Respect to the Memory of that Martyr will believe And we find the contrair is asserted and made good by several of the Godly Learned Not to stand upon a more critical Answer and to challenge the Dr. to prove the Universal Sense and Practice of the Primitive Church at that time from the Sense and Sentiments of this Author tho admitted unless he could prove by some Authentick Acts the Judgment of the whole Church to be correspondent thereunto and that none who either wrot not or whose Writings may be lost were of contrary Judgment which he neither attempts to prove nor will ever be able The Drs. next Inference is That since there were Bishops so early in this Age presiding over the Churches they behoved to receive several of them at least their Episcopal Orders from the Apostles since Ignatius at the writing of these Epistles had been Forty Years Bishop of Antioch an eminent Church planted immediatly by St. Peter It being the constant practice of the Apostles to ordain Elders in all the Churches they planted c. Ans. The Dr. hath not made good from these Testimonies that there were de facto and de jure such Prelats as he pleads for Nor can he from this Ground perswad any rational Man of this unless he could evince two Things which he will do ad Calendas Graecas 1. Not only that what is asserted in the Passages above rehearsed was the genuine Sense and writing of Ignatius but likewise the Sense and Judgment as well as the practice of the whole Church at that time 2. That this supposed Judgment and Practice anent such an Officer as the Bishop is correspondent to the Scripture Account and Sense of the Church Officers mentioned in the New Testament and the Apostles Doctrin and Practice in point of Church Government and the Institution of the Officers thereof which he will also find another insuperable Difficulty Again his Reason here is very odd whereby he fortifies this Inference viz. That the Apostles ordained Elders in all the Churches they planted For if the Dr. hold these Elders to be Bishops as he needs must if he speak consequentially I would fain know First What shadow of Proof he can give for this and how he can suppose that all the Scripture Elders were such For if this be asserted then it follows that Bishops were set up when there were no Elders to presid over contrary to the Sense and Pleading of his Fellows except Dr. Hammond And next I would know how the Dr. upon this Supposition will keep off the Rock of a Contradiction and that both to himself and Ignatius Since he makes Ignatius to distinguish the Bishops and the Elders and himself holds that the Elders with St. Iames at Ierusalem when the Apostle Paul went in to them were mere Presbyters or Pastors Again if the Dr. argue from their ordaining Elders to their ordaining Ignatius a Bishop as he thus disowns Dr. Hammonds Arguments and Notion who takes still the Elders for Prelats so he is obliged to prove the super-institution of Bishops over these Elders in every Church not to suppose it only else in his principles these Churches where mere Elders were placed were manck and wanted the power of Jurisdiction And since he has produced nothing from Scripture that proves such an institution of Bishops or such ordinary Officers fixed to certain Diocesses his Dream of Ignatius is as easily rejected by us as affirmed by him We read of a Church of Antioch planted by Paul and of an Eldership and Company of Teaching Prophets there who imposed Hands upon Paul and Barnabas when sent out among the Gentiles and are consequently supposed to be the subject of a Jurisdictional Power and Government But of the Apostle Peter his planting an Hierarchical Prelat of the Drs. Mould in either of the Antiochs the Scripture is utterly silent And a Supposition necessarly ensuing hereupon viz. That the Apostles planted Churches with different Moulds of Government sufficiently discovers the Absurdity of such an Opinion As for Chrysostom Tom. 5. edit Savil. p. 99. his admiring of Ignatius Dignity obtained by the Hands of Apostles laid upon him It is a very blunt and headless Proof of that Episcopal Dignity which the Dr. alledges For doth not the Dr. think that the Office of the Scripture Bishop is a great Dignity And he should prove not suppose only that Ignatius was by the Apostles installed a Bishop of his Mould or that Chrysostom understood this Dignity in his Sense which as he offers not to do so if attempting it he could not chuse but set Chrysostom by the Ears with himself who as is above cleared asserts the Identity of the Office of Bishop and Presbyter The same I repone to what the Dr. alledgeth P. 410 of Polycarp his supposed Episcopacy in Smyrna as also what is made good by many Protestant Divines viz. That the Fathers and Ancients used the Name of Bishops in a general Sense that the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or
and monopolized in him And if we will admit of after suposed Decrees and Fables of this Nature opposit to Scripture we may make them as some Papists blaspheme them a Nose of Wax Again If the Dr. adhere to this phantastick Apocryphal History he crosses his own Pleading from Scripture and wounds his Cause to Death with his own hands For we have heard the great strength of his Scripture Argument as touching the Apostles setting up succeedanous Apostles and Bishops in correspondence to Christs Institution lyes in the supposed instalment of Timothy Bishop of Ephesus and Titus Bishop of Crete and that the instructions addrest to them in Point of Government in these Epistles are a clear indication yea and Demonstration in the Drs Sense and Pleading of this supposed instalment of the one and the other by the Apostles in these their pretended Diocesses of Ephesus and Crete and we know how much the Dr. labours to prove the consentient Judgment of the Fathers hereanent Now if the Dr. will hold with Bishop Taylor that the Apostles with their own hands installed not Timothy but Onesimus Bishop of Ephesus and Titus not Bishop of Crete but of Corinth what is become of all his pleadings from Scripture for their installment elsewhere The Dr. says The supposed Instalment of Titus and Onesinus at Ephesus and Corinth and that by the Apostles own Hands is most certain if we believe Ecclesiastical History And if most certain upon this Ground then most certain it is 1. That the Drs. Pleadings for Timothy's and Titus's Instalment at Ephesus and Crete is most false and all his pretended Scripture Proofs by his own Confession mere wind and lies And 2 ly That all the Dr's Testimonies of Fathers and pretended Historical accounts hereanent are Fabulous Dreams I know no imaginable evasion the Dr. hath but to alledge their after-instalment in these places by the Apostles But the Dr. must give a Scripture-account as well as Historical of this matter ere a door can be opened to him for this Refuge But to proceed The Dr's Third Inference is that the Bishops of this Age were lookt on as a Superior Order to Presbyters Ignatius commanding Presbyters to obey them according to Christs Institution Ans. we have heard what Judgment we are to make of these Epistles and consequently what a sandy Foundation the Dr. builds this inference upon Again if the Dr. will make Ignatius consistent with himself he must needs disown this Inference and Opinion of him For in his Epistle to the Trallians he enjoyns them to be Subject to the Presbytrie as the Apostles of Christ and calls the Presbytrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Court and Conjunction of Apostles of Christ And in the same Epistle he call the Colledge of Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making the Bishop thus their Fellows in the Government and nothing else And how far this is from the Dr's supposition of Ignatius Judgment about the Hierarchy and the Practice of the Church in this Point let any Judg. The Dr. proceeds to his Proofs from the next Age further as he tells us from the Scripture Antiquity And no doubt the more Dark in this Point He tells us of Iustin Martyr in his Apology to the Emperour Antonius who speaks of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or President in the Church who Consecrat the Bread and Wine gave to the Deacons to distribut to the present and to be carryed to the absent And that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was Bishop he tells us appears by Dionysius Bishop of Corinth his Contemporary who used the Names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Bishop promiscuously A sorry Proof no doubt The Churches had a President or these called by Iustin so Therefore Bishops with sole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction and holding the entire Apostolick Office Again these Presidents are called sometimes Bishops and gets that general Name Therefore they were such Bishops and of such a Mould as the Dr. pleads for What Arguing can be more insipid and Vain But if the Dr. put a due Value upon the Argument drawn from Epithets as Pointing at the Office and Authority of the Persons thereby designed what thinks he of the Spirit of GOD in Scripture his Denominating Pasters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as we have above cleared One would think this as strong a Proof of their Episcopal Authority as this of the supposed Bishops drawn from this Epithet of Iustin and Dionisius I might further Argue and press the Dr. thus If these Scripture Denominations do prove and argue an Essential Interest and Authority in Church Government competent to Pastors they do by necessary consequence overturn the Peculiarity of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Presidency ascribed to the Bishop as set over Pastors and enhancing all this Authority and do by further consequence inferr either that Fathers contradicted the Scripture if attributing this Prostacie to the Bishops in the Dr's Sense or that if they speak according to the Scripture Sense and acceptation of the Word they must needs mean the Pastor only and not his imaginary Prelat And so whatever Sense the Dr. imbraces of Iustin and Dionisius his Cause and Pleading here is lost and falls to the Ground Moreover if the Dr. stand to this supposed account of the Bishops Office offered by Iustin he will make the Administration of the Lords Supper peculiar to him against the Dr's own Sense and Pleading who acknowledges that Preaching of the Word and Administration of the Sacraments are the proper Duties of the Pastoral Function whereas here it is made peculiar to the Bishop to Consecrat the Bread and Wine Besides that the Dr. here apparently approves the carrying of the Sacrament to the absent a seed of gross Popish Superstitions But I am weary of this pityful trash As for the Dr's Citation of Euseb. lib. 4. Cap. 23. And the Five Books of Hegesippus the Fragments whereof he says are in Eusebius's History anent the Succession of Bishops of Rome Anicetus Soter Eleutherius succeeding Sucessively and of Iames Bishop of Ierusalem succeeded by Simon Cleophae Euseb. lib. 4. Cap. 22. And thereafter that Dionisius Bishop of Corinth in his Epistles mentions Publius and Quadratus Successive Bishops of Athens and several other Bishops in their Respective Sees It is Answered this is abundantly obviat and removed by what is premised First Anent the suspected Credit and Faith of his vouchers whom as we have heard the learned does Censure and disown which has no small confirmation from this that Eusebius himself in the Proaem of his History Professes that he is entred into a dark Desert having no footsteps of Historians going before him but only some petty Narrations which certain persons in certain times and places have left And for Hegesippus whose Fragments the Dr. Confesses is all Eusebius's Foundation in this Point he is by most Famous Protestant Writers acknowledged fabulous and unworthy of Credit besides that no
therefore in Ierom's Sense Pastors are such Sons and Successors of Apostles and have both Name and thing of the Scripture Bishop As for his Epistle ad Nepot asserting that what Aaron and his Sons were that are the Bishops and Presbters Ierom in this allusion in point of Government asserts only that God has under the New Testament as under the Old fixed a Church Government and Church Officers And giving the Dr. the advantage of this Sense that Ierom including the degenerat Custom of his time insinuats the premised difference betwixt the then Bishops and Presbyters I pray what says this to the Dr's scope viz To prove from Ierom's allusive Phrase and expressing himself thus The many Essential differences which he places betwixt Bishop and Presbyter No man of Sense can draw such an inference For 1. Ierom's Judgment founded upon so many clear Scripture Grounds as to the identity of Bishop and Presbyter when asserting and Disputing this Point ex professo ought in all Reason to preponderat any such General allusive Expressions and as a Comment Expound the same in a Sense most consentient to his Judgment if we will but allow him the Common priviledg of all Men to be the best Interpreter of his own Sense 2 ly The Dr. himself must acknowledg this else he will make Ierom plead for a Gospel Aaron or Universal Patriarch if the Words were taken in a strict Literal Sense as tending every way to equiparat the Government of the Church under the Old and New Testament The Dr. inferrs from this Passage Therefore as Aaron by Divine Right was Superior to his Sons so is the Bishop in Ierom's Sense to his Presbyters But he might as well infer Therefore as there was one Aaron set over his Sons and all the Priests and Levits of the Church of Israel so ought there to be in Ierom's Sense one Supreme President over al the Christian Church Besides 2 ly The Dr. dare not say that Aaron's Sons and the Priests had no Essential interest in Government and that it was inhanced and Monopolized in the person of Aaron as he holds and insinuats that Ierom also holds that it is thus Monopolized in the Person of the Bishop Ierom asserts that Presbyters and Bishops are all one Iure Divino consequently that they have the same Essential interest in Government So that whatever President he may suppose set over them by their Choice yet it neither doth nor can enhance nor seclude this their Power Thus we see that the Dr's alledged Contradiction in these Passages to his premised Testimony anent the identity of Bishop and Presbyter is but his own imagnation Besides that one of his Degree should know that no simile is to be strained beyond the Scope of the Author making use of it else it were not a simile The Dr. asks whether Ierom is more to be Credited when speaking without a Byass or when speaking partially and in his own Cause I Answer by a Counter-query whether Ierom's full and larg account of his Judgment when Disputing a Point ex professo and from Scripture is more to be believed and laid hold upon as expressing his Sense than a general dark allusive expression when under no such Circumstances and prosecuting no such scope and design and which of the two ought to preponderat And so I dismiss the Dr's Third Answer His Fourth exception to the premised Testimonie is That the translation of the Government from the common Counsel of Presbyters to one Bishop must be in Jerom's Sense Apostolick since it was made when it was said I am of Paul and I of Apollo's And therefore this Decree must needs have been made in Pauls time Ans. The Dr. might have seen this Phantastick exception long since removed First By Junius in the passage forecited scil de Cler. Cap. 15. Not. 16. where he at large expones this Testimony and removes this gloss tria distinguit tempora Hieronymus saith he c. Ierom distinguisheth Three Periods of time one wherein the Church was Governed by common Counsel of Presbyters The second wherein there were divisions in Religion and it was said among the People not at Corinth only I am of Paul c. For when these things were said at Corinth the Church was Governed by the common Counsel of Presbyters as appears 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 1. The Third and last wherein one chosen out from among the Presbyters was set over the rest And every one of these times saith he that I may speak with the Vulgar had their own latitude Iunius here informs the Dr. that this was not said at Corinth only but among the People malum non Corinthi solum It was saith he a publick evil He adds that Paul himself prescribed no such remedy to the Corinthians And and afterward Not. 17. he tells us that Ierom saith That after it was said among the People this Change was made but not that this human Prostasie began at that time viz of the Schism but after that time To this Judicious account of the learned Iunius I shall add another of the famous Whittaker De Eccl. quest 1. Cap. 3. Sect. 29. where he thus obviats and removes the Drs. Quible upon Ierom's forementioned Testimony he saith not it was Decreed by the Apostles that one Presbyter should be set over the rest This he says was by the Churches custom not the Apostles Decree Then Jerom adds let the Bishops know that it is rather by custom than Divine appointment that they are set over Presbyters Had the Apostles saith Whittaker changed the First Order and set Bishops over Presbyters and forbidden the Churches to be Governed by their common Counsel truely this had been the â—ords appointment because proceeding from the Apostles of Christ unless we will ascribe to Custom not to Divine appointment what they decreed But the Apostles being alive there was nothing changed in that Order For the Epistle was written when Paul was in Macedonia c. The Dr. may in these accounts see his Error Jerom in the forementioned Testimonies proving a Scripture parity of Bishop and Presbyter through all the Apostles times and writings and even to John's time the surviver of them all could not be so bruitishly inconsequent as to make the Schism at Corinth the occasion of the Change of Government so long before his Testimony from John yea before Paul's farewel Sermon to the Elders of Ephesus from which he draws another of his Proofs but he speaks of an human Custom coming in Paulatim postea piece and piece and by degrees long after these times and but alluds unto that division 1 Cor. 1 where again the Dr. may see the Error of taking strictly his alluding Phrases expressing it in the Apostles words not of their times For as we heard Whittaker observe the Apostles never appointed such accressent Power of Prelats over Presbyters as a Remedy of Schism among all their Prescriptions of the Remedies of this evil Rom. 16. 1
Cor. 3. Whittaker also will tell the Dr. that this was a Remedy worse than the disease The Dr. adds to confirm his Sense of Jerom's Words that Jerom in his Book De Eccles. Script shews that after the Lord's Ascension James was Ordained by the Apostles Bishop of Jerusalem Timothy by Paul Bishop of Ephesus Titus of Crete Polycarp of Smyrna So that he must either mean an Apostolick Decree or else he must contradict himself Ans. Not to detain the Dr. to prove this Book to be Jerom's which some hold to be spurious this is easily removed by what we have above offered and even from Whittaker of the Fathers general improper ambiguous Speech of Bishops and their various use of this epithet terming such Persons who did for some time Officiat in a place whether extraordinary Officers or ordinary the Bishops thereof after the Denomination and custom which had then obtained whereof instances have been above exhibited Jerom speaking of the Alexandrian Succession says the Presbyters chused out one to preside a Marco Evangelista and terming Mark thus not meerly upon the account of his being a Writer of the Gospel which is the strictest acceptation but in the Judgment of those best acquaint with his Writings an Evangelist as a transient unfixed Preacher of the Gospel he must needs account Timothy and Titus of the same Office And therefore not Bishops in a formal Sense nor set up in such a manner and for such an end which were Cross to their Office as I have above made good Besides that it seems odd and inconsistent with common Sense that immediatly after the Lords Ascension such Persons were set up in the Office and Character specified and cross to this whole Testimony of Jerom For thus there could be no time for Presbyters governing by common counsel nor the Schism to grow up thereupon both which Jerom's Testimonies does suppose in distinct Periods of time as we heard Iunius observe So that the Dr. speaks very bluntly and inconsideratly when he tells us That either Ierom must mean a Decree Apostolick immediatly after our Lord's Ascension or else expresly contradict himself This Alternative of the Dr's I say is pityful inadvertency For should Ierom speak of such an Apostolick Decree as he imputes to him he must needs directly contradict himself in Asserting the Churches Government to have been for a time communi consilio Presbyterorum And a Schism growing thereupon For in the Dr's Sense there was never such a Government or an occasion of Schism existent Besides That this Gloss of the Dr's makes Ierom say that the Apostles changed the Divine appointment to make way for an human form For Jerom holds the Government by common Council of Presbyters to be founded upon Divine Institution and that which Succeeded upon human Custom only The Dr. therefore and all else who would accord Jerom's Testimony with what he here Cites must understand his words in the sense I have offered which as is said is the Sense and Judgment of famous Protestant Divines The Dr's Fifth exception is That had this change of the Government from Presbyterian to Episcopal been in very deed it must either have been made by the Apostles or thereafter If we say by the Apostles its strange there is no mention of it in Scripture But to this the Answer is easie and ready that we own no such Sense of Jerom's words nor can they admit the same as I have already made good Well but the Dr. pushes us with the other horn of his Dilemma viz. That if we say it was made after the Apostles or about the year 140 how comes it that such a Decree relative to an Universal Change of the Government from one kind to another is not mentioned in Ecclesiastick Antiquity There being no such Decree heard of and Clemens Ignatius Hegesippus Irenaeus Dionysius of Corinth who lived in that Period are so far from taking notice of this that they maintain the uninterrupted Succession of Bishops from the Apostles I answer this other push and Horn of the Dr's Dilemma is as far from harming us as the other For it is grounded upon the Dr's own groundless fancie and distorted Sense of Jerom's words as if by toto orbe decretum he had meant a formal general Decree of a Council Which phantastick conceit several Learned Divines have refuted from the Tenor and Scope of Jerom's words Jerom says prospiciente Concilio toto orbe decretum not in any formed Council either in the Apostles time or afterward but he means when through the World it was said among the People I am of Paul c. postquam alii Corinthiorum more Dementati in partes discerptae sunt as Blondel expresses and expounds it it was Decreed among the People or in and among particular Churches through the whole World Decreed through the whole World is all one with by the whole World which is distributively to be taken Jerom's words evince this For the Council's Decree representing the whole World would have been all at once but Jerom says this change came not in simul semel but paulatim by degrees and that the after Prostasie came in Consuetudine or by custom which points at a gradual comming in Thus we have seen the Dr's fancied absurdity evanish I might add that the Churches speedy defection from the Apostolick Purity and Institutions in point of Government will not appear strange to any who considers Scripture Instances of as great and more speedy Defections Witness that of Israel's worshiping the Golden Calf so shortly after the Promulgation of the Law And the early workings of the Mysterie of iniquity in the New Testament Church and affectation of Episcopal Primacy in the Apostle John's time c. Of which already For what he adds of the Testimonies of Authors as to the Succession of Bishops from Apostles at Rome Jerusalem c. we have already discovered fully what a mean and chattered proof this is and that the pretended Succession is lyable to unanswerable exceptions and terminating in Apostles or Evangelists whose Office is extraordinary and expired the fabulous vanity thereof is in this convincingly apparent The Dr. tells us That Irenaeus while at Rome might as well know Peters Successors there as we may know who succeeded Bishop Whitgift in the Chair of Canterbury he being no further distant from the one than we from the other But truly were there no greater Certainty of the one than of the other I should confidently Challenge that Matter of Fact as Fabulous And had that Chair had no other Successors of Whitgift than the first Pastors or Bishops of Rome it had been an empty Chair And were there as great Uncertainty of an Arch-Bishop Whitgift at Canterbury and as many famous Contradictors of this Matter of Fact and of his Successors as in this case of Rome the Succession would merit no Mans Belief For the Dr's Assertion of the Clearness of Ierusalem and Romes Successions
some of you into Prison that ye may be tryed In a word what ever Characteristick of this Angel the Dr. shall produce we can make it appear to be applicable to Presbyters or Pastors First Is it a Commission to Preach and Baptize This he will grant belongs to all Pastors Is it the Power of Ordination The Scripture shews us that this is Seated in a Presbytrie 1 Tim. 4.14 Matth. 18.17 Is it the Ruling Governing Power All Ministers are such Angels All that Watch for Souls do Rule over them and all Labourers in the Word and Doctrin have an equal joynt Interest in Feeding Censuring and Ruling in the Churches over which they are set Heb. 13.17 1 Thess. 5.12 And People are accordingly to submit themselves to them Therefore this Prostasie and Ruling Power is no sole Prerogative of a single Angel or supposed Bishop Thus it was with the Church of Ephesus Act. 20. And it is much more suteable to understand the Angel of Ephesus of a Plurality of Ministers to whom in a plain Scripture the whole Government is found intrusted rather than to Explain that plain Text by a Metaphor and contrary thereunto to set up one Angel or Diâ—cesan Bishop over that Church with sole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction The Dr. will find this our Sense of the Angel to be no new Opinion when he considers that Augustin Homil. 21. upon this Book thus takes it Expounding the Angel of Thyatira the Praepositi Ecclesiarum or Governours of the Churches So Aretas Lib. 1. Cap. 1.2.9.10 Primas in Apoc. Cap. 2. Ambros. Ambert Anselm Pererius Victorin Tirin Haym Bed Perkins Fox in his Meditations on the Revelation pag. 7 8. Pilkintoun Bishop of Durham in his Exposition of Hag. Ch. 1. v. 13. The second thing I premise is that the Dr. hath no advantage tho it be yielded that the Angel is a single Person For 1. He may be the Angelus Praeses or the Moderator Angel not the Angelus Princeps or the Lord Angel yea and the Praeses or Moderator for the time as a Speaker in Parliament Ephesus had many Angels Act. 20.28 1 Tim. 5.17 of equal Authority who were made Bishops by the Holy Ghost and set over that Church accordingly and they are spoken to in the Plural though the Angel is named in the Singular Number 2. This Angel is said to have no Jurisdiction or Superiority over the rest of the Ministers nor can the Dr. shew where this Angel is spoken to with reference to Ministers as subject to him which notwithstanding is his begged Supposition and Petitio Principii all along in this Argument 3. The Parochial and Diocesan Division of the Churches were long after this and not until the 260 year after Christ in the Judgment of best Antiquaries 4. Nothing is required of this Angel but that which is the common Duty of all Pastors Finally suppose it were granted to him that a Superiority were imported in Naming this Angel it may be a Superiority of Order Dignity or Gifts and in such Moral Respects not of Power and Jurisdiction The Dr in Order to this his Scope proposes generally the Method of his Proof shewing That he will prove that they were single Persons 2 ly That they were Persons of great Authority in these Churches 3 ly That they were the Bishops or Presidents of these Churches Before I examin his Proofs it is pleasant to consider how well this Undertaking of the Dr. answers his Scope which all along in this Dispute is to prove a Succession of ordinary Officers in the Office of Apostolat as he calls it and in their whole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction excluding Pastors from the least Interest therein By his Principles these supposed Succeeding Prelats are the sole Governours of Churches have the sole Legislative Power wherein he says the Essence of Government consists the Power of Consecration and Ordination to Ecclesiastick Offices and that of the same Nature and Extent as he supposes the Apostles had it by vertue of their Apostolical Mission The Bishops also have by his Principles the sole Executive Spiritual Jurisdiction Monopolized in them as their peculiar Prerogative viz. as the Dr. explains it to Cite Examin Admonish Offenders Exclud from or Admit to Church Communion Censure or Absolve Bind or Loose The twelve Thrones to Judg Israels Tribes promised to Apostles he understands of the Authority of Judging and of all Spiritual Jurisdiction in the Church Visible committed to them and by them to the Bishops as their only Successors in this Authority To which we may add the Confirming of the Baptized by Imposition of Hands which he also ascribes to them as their sole Prerogative This the Dr. at large insists upon from P. 433. to P. 438. Now to prove all these Prerogatives of the Bishops and this Extensive Power so paramount to all Authority or Interest of Pastors in Government as it renders them mere Cyphers without a Figure from the seven Asian Angels Because they were single Persons or of great Authority in the Churches or President-Bishops in these Churches is such a Proof as the Simplest may Laugh at For 1. Will any Man think that their being Saluted as single Persons will prove this Extensive Authority Why may not a Senate be Saluted in the Consuls a Parliament Addressed in the Chancellor or the House of Commons in an Epistle to the Speaker 2 ly Say that they were Presidents and admit that they had Deference and Authority as such as the Consul in the Senate will this suppose or by any Shadow of Consequence or Connection inferr that they had such a Power as is here described and such as swallows up wholly and absolutly all Authority of the Members of Church Judicatories Nay the Dr. will as soon joyn the Poles together as unite this Antecedent and Consequent Besides in calling them Presidents he discovers this and confutes himself since the Terme both Name and Thing in all Languages and in the Sense of all Men is appropriat to such as are set over Juridical Courts Civil or Ecclesiastick the Members whereof are still supposed to have a Decisive Suffrage and Interest in the Government Again 3 ly The Dr. says he will prove that they were Persons of great Authority in these Churches But if he speak to the Point and prosecut his Scope he must call it Absolute and Sole Authority intirely exclusive of all Interest which Pastors or any other Church Officers may claim therein Come we to the Dr's Grand Proofs First That they were single Persons he proves from this That they are mentioned as such the Angel of Ephesus the Angel of Smyrna And thus all along Addrest in the Singular Number I know thy Works I have a few things against thee Ans. This Argument is abundantly removed by what is premised anent the Collective Sense of the Word Angel which our Lords Addressing the the Epistle to one Angel doth no whit Impugn in the sense of sound Protestant
Conference and as no members I would fain know if the Dr. will say that these Elders meeting with the Apostles Act. 15. which he will no doubt acknowledg was one of the best Moulded Councils yea and a Standart for after-Councils were no Members but called and meeting for conference only since in the Scripture account and three fold Partition of those that mett Viz Apostles Elders Brethren there is an intire joint concurrence with the whole procedure viz both in the Disquisition the Sentence the decretal Epistle and Appointment in reference to the Churches obedience It does also sute the Dr's consideration to shew how it can consist with reason and the Nature of a Church Judicatory that such persons as are no Members nor fit to be Members are in tuto to prepare Matter for Laws and take share in debates But the Dr's Forgery here is evident For 1. If Presbyters concurrence in Ordination was Authoritative not by consent only and they imposed hands as proper Ordainers even when Bishops had obtained Power in Judicatories by confession of Episcopalians themselves see Dr. Forbes Iraen lib. 2. Cap. 11. I would fain know why such Ecclesiasticks or Church Officers as had Authority to Ordain which is one of the greatest Acts of Ministerial Authority had no Authority in enacting Laws in Councils but sat as Cyphers 2 ly The Dr. will find Antiquity against this deputed kind of conferring or consulting Power which he allows to Presbyters in Councils without Authority in enacting Laws Chrysostom hom 17. on Matth. calls Presbyters expresly Christi vicarios Christs Vicars or Deputes And its strange that such to whom Christ entrusted this Vicarious Power had no interest and Authority in enacting Laws in his Church and in the Government thereof Cyprian lib. 4. Ep. 8. shews that Dominus Sacerdotes in Ecclesia c the Lord condescended to elect to himself Priests or Ministers in the Church the Dr. will not say that he put this designation only upon Prelats And did he elect and constitute them for no interest in the Government thereof Nay on the contrary the Judgment of the Ancients is clear in this that the Power of external Jurisdiction and consequently the Authority of enacting Laws or Canons was common to Bishops and Presbyters Ignatius in his Epistle to the Trallians called the Presbytrie Senatum Dei Gods Court or Senat non consiliarios solum as our Dr. makes them sed assessores Episcopi not his Advisers only but his Authoritative fellow-Counsellors And I hope such he will grant as are in this Character have interest not only in preparing matter for Laws but an essential Official Right in the Authoritative enacting of them Irenaeus lib. 4. Cap. 44. calls them Principes Princes or Chief And if such in his Judgment the forementioned Authority is clearly by him attributed to them Augustin Serm. 6. calls the Brethren in Eremo Patronos Rectores Terrae And what pitiful Patrons or Rectors are they who have no Authority in enacting Laws Chrysostom asserts expresly on 1 Tim. 1. hom 11 That they presided over the Churches as Bishops and received together with them the Office of Teaching and Governing the Church And if this with the preceeding Testimonies give not the Lie to the Dr's forementioned distinction anent Presbyters sole consulting interest in Councils and upon the Bishops Call allennarly without any Authority in enacting Laws let any Judg. Chrysostom moreover in the beginning of that Homily stating the Question wherefore the Apostle after he had spoken to the Office and Duty of Bishops passes over to Deacons omitting the order of Presbyters returns this Answer and Reason Because betwixt the Bishop and Presbyter there is almost no difference and because that unto Presbyters also the care of the Church is committed And what he said concerning Bishops the same things also do agree to Presbyters And if with the Dr's good leave I might draw an inference from Chrysostom's assertion I would thus subsume But so it is that the Authority of Government and the enacting of Laws in Church Judicatories is by the Apostle ascribed to the Scripture Bishop whom he mentions Ergo the same Authority and Power is by the Apostle ascibed to Presbyters in Chrysostom's Sense Gratian in Decret Caus. 16. Quest. 1. Cap. shews that Ecclesia habet senatum Presbyterorum A Senat of Presbyters without whose Counsel the Bishop can do nothing They were not then called at the Bishops pleasure for debate only and preparing matters as the Dr. pretends but were the sine quibus non in the enacting of the Laws themselves The Dr. makes Prelats to enhance all decisive suffrage in Judicatories yet Cyprian Ep. 6. and 28. professes He neither could nor would do any thing without the Clergy And the Fourth Council of Carthage condemns the Bishop's Decision unless Fortified by their Sentence So far was it that the Bishop's sole Suffrage gave the Strength and Formality to Laws that they were null without Presbyters Authoritative Concurrence This is clear by so full a consent of Antiquity that we will find That neither in Censuring of Presbyters Nor 2 ly In Judging the conversation or Crimes of Church Members Nor 3 ly In Excommunicating or Receiving of Penitents Bishops could do any thing without Presbyters Tertulian Apolog. Advers Gentes shews vs That the Churches Exhortations Castigations and Divine Censures were put forth by the Probati quique Seniores who did preside the accused Person being brought into the Congregation And this Authoritative Sentence of Presbyters was more approved than when passed by one Man As when Syagrius and Ambrose passed Sentence in the same Case The Church was unsatisfied with the Sentence of Syagrius because he passed it sine alicujus Fratris Consilio without the consent of any of his Brethren But were pacified with the Sentence of Ambrose because saith he hoc judicium nostrum cum Fratribus consacerdotibus participatum processerat This his Sentence proceeded jointly from him and his Fellow Presbyters or Ministers Yea the very Admonition of Offenders were not given by the Bishops alone but by the Elders August De verb. Apost Serm. 19. Thus also Origen contra Celsum lib. 3. Excommunication it self Tertullian tells us was vibrated by those that laboured in the Word and Doctrin and the Presbytrie that delivered unto Satan as Jerom shews Epist. ad Heliod So Epist ad Demet. they also Received and Absolved the Penitents Cyprian Epist. 12 shews that this was the custom nec ad communicationem venire quis possit nisi prius ab Episcopo clero manus illi fuerit imposita such as were Excommunicat returned not to Church Fellowship before hands were laid upon him by the Bishop and Clergy And writing to his Charge anent lapsed Christians he tells them exomologesi facta manu iis a vobis in poenitentiam imposita After Confession and laying on of the Presbyters hands they might be commended to God And such as returned from
Heresie and were to be Received in the Church at Rome in the time of Cornelius Cyprian tells us Epist. 6. compared with 46. they came before the Presbytrie and Confessing their Sins were Received Now if Presbyters had such Authority and the Episcopal Power was of this Nature and thus Limited let any Judg how the Dr's Assertion can subsist viz That in Judicatories Pastors had no decisive suffrage For the Dr's after-discourse P. 436. anent the Civil Soveraigns Decrees in case of a supposed interfeiring with the Churches Legislative Power as he calls it I shall not it being some what out of our way much digress in examining the same tho I judg it very lax and liable to considerable exceptions yea and hardly reconcilable with it self or sound sense and Divinity The Dr. holds That the Churches Legislative Power cannot reach to controll the Civil Decrees And yet holds That these Decrees cannot countermand Gods Laws Now the Dr. will not say that the Churches Legislative Power is not founded upon and Authorised by Gods Laws nay he positively asserts that it is He adds That next to the Laws of God the Soveraigns Laws are to be obeyed And thus makes the Law of God the overruling Law the Regula Regulans and paramount to those of the Soveraign And therefore by good consequence from this Assertion the Churches Legislative Power in exhibiting and declaring Gods Laws must likewise be thus Paramount thereunto and first obeyed Especially if he stand to that instance of his Act. 15. as exhibiting the Plat-form and Standart of Church Laws wherein the enacted Canon and Decree is said to be the mind of the Holy Ghost and thus a Divine Law the Authority of God being thereto interponed Yet in the very next Words he lays down this Assertion That next to the Laws of the Soveraign the Laws of the Church are to be obeyed And so here these Civil Laws are set in an higher Sphere and made Paramount to all Church Laws and this without any exception or Limitation whether they be consonant to the Divine Law or not or any Limitation of Consonancy to the Divine Law in the Laws of the Church The person who will reconcile and soudder these must in my apprehension be better skill'd than all Vulcan's Gimmerers and no doubt better seen in logical Rules and subtilties than I. So much for the Dr's First Prerogative of a Bishop as distinct from a Presbyter in the Power Legislative and of making Canons The Second Peculiar Ministry and Prerogative of the Bishop above Presbyters the Dr. tells us is To Consecrat and Ordain to Ecclesiastick Offices Thereafter the Dr. spends much discourse upon Christs Mission of the Twelve Apostles as the Father sent him including a Power of Ordination of others which he Confirms by Luk. 24.33.36 Mark 16.14 Matth. 28.16 Which Commission he tells us was transferred Originally upon the Apostolick Order So that Ecclesiastick Commissions were either given by the hands of these First Apostles or by such Secondary Apostles as were by them admitted into Apostolick Orders and these Secondary Apostles were the same with Bishops Ans. We need not spend time in resuming what is said already in Answer to this There 's no doubt but our Lord gave a Power of Mission and of Ordaining Ministers to His Twelve Apostles A Power to Plant Churches through the World and a Gospel Ministry and Ordinances in them But that by vertue of this their Mission they were to transferr their Apostolick Office and Authority to ordinary Succeeding Officers is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Quaesitum or Question which the Dr. still beggs and supposes but will never be able to prove from either the Nature and intendment of their Mission or the Power and Authority of Succeeding Officers whom they Ordained as we have above evinced The Dr's Proofs are pitifully claudicant he tells us That tho the whole Disciples were present the Apostles only Imposed hands upon the Seven Deacons Act. 6. And why not The Authoritative Imposition of Hands in Ordination is no doubt proper to Ecclesiastick Officers not to the People but where were the Succedaneous Bishops here who had solely this Power tho Ministers were present The Dr. has let us see no shaddow of this from the Text. He next tells us of Paul and Barnabas Ordaining Elders in Antioch Iconium and Lystra A mighty proof The Apostles in planting Churches ordained Ministers in them Ergo Suceedaneous Bishops have an Apostolick Authority of Ordaining derived to them solely as their peculiar Prerogative above Pastors This Consequence is denyed If the Dr. own these Elders for Pastors it should seem they had an Ordaining Power else the Apostles settled these Churches in a very mank frame and lame posture and wanting the Essentials of an Organick Church If the Dr. allow them an Ordaining Power he crosses the Scope of a proof of Succeedaneous Bishops with Power of Ordination set up by the Apostles since thus he ascribes it unto Pastors And if he deny it he is liable also to the same absurdity and that mentioned above and will cross his Notion of the Bishops Office ascribed to the Elders of Ierusalem who mett with the Apostles in that Council Act. 15. Besides if the Dr. put an Episcopal Mitre upon these Pastors or Elders and make them Bishops in his Sense it is very odd that among these little new gathered Churches such highly Authorized Diocesan Prelats were set up before any Pastors for Feeding with the Word and Doctrin For discovering the folly of which Gloss and Assertion I dare appeal to the Current of Interpreters Or if the Dr. imagin the strength of his Proof to ly in this that these Officers were Ordained by Apostles solely he should know that as we all allow an extraordinary Power in Apostles in Churches not yet Constitut not competent to Ordinary Officers so his Assertion is anent an ordinary Power of Succeedaneous or Secondary Apostles as he calls them as sole and singular in Ordination But the Dr. finds a Difficulty in his Way viz. That Paul and Barnabas were ordained Apostles of the Gentiles by certain Prophets and Teachers in Antioch Act. 13.1 2. To which he makes this Return That these Prophets and Teachers had no doubt received the Apostolick Character being ordained by the Apostles Bishops of Syria For otherwise saith he how could they have derived it And this Notion the Dr. reposes such Confidence in that he tells us There is no doubt but they had this Character But truly whether the Insipid Folly of the Objection or of the Return here made unto it be greater is a Question to me First That Paul and Barnabas were at this time and in this Action ordained Apostles of the Gentiles I believe few if ever any except the Dr did imagin I had always thought that it is evident to any who reads the Account and Story of Pauls Conversion and Call to the Apostleship by the Lord from Heaven that when
Scandals as also the proper Subject of the Keyes and Iurisdictional Power and of that Power in special which is called Critick The Dr. holds That Christ here established a Iurisdiction in the Church he also acknowledges That the Church here meant hath Power of Authoritative Admonition and the Binding and Loosing Power since he holds it to be the same with that Binding and Loosing Authority which our Lord promises to Ratifie in Heaven Iohn 20.23 Matth. 16.19 He understands by this Jurisdiction this Authority and Exercise of the Keyes pointed at in these Paralells Nay he acknowledges P. 443. That in the Forecited Passage Matth. 18. our Lord institut the Power of Censuring And I need not tell him that Words of Institution of any Ordinance are the proper Standart and Measure thereof and the Pattern shewed upon the Mount Now what is meant by the Church the proper Subject of the Keyes in the Dr's Sense and Pleading is the Question The Dr. will not say it is the Political Magistrat as some have alledged for he holds That our Lord spoke this to his Church as a distinct Society and having distinct Officers from the Kingdoms of the World And whereas some have alledged that we are to understand this Church of a Iewish Sanehedrin the Dr in the whole Strain and Scope of his Discourse disownes this for he asserts That in this Text our Lord is speaking to the Christian Church and establishing a Spiritual Jurisdiction therein Neither can he understand by the Church the whole Collective Body according to the general Notion of the Word for the Dr in the Strain of his Discourse makes this Power and Authority peculiar and proper to Church Officers as is evident in his Paralells above-rehearsed and the Church Representative to be the proper Subject of that Jurisdictional Power here enjoyned Now all this being evident in his own Pleading since the proper Subject of this Power is by our Lord exprest who knew best how to express it by the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church I would fain know by what Warrand the Dr. can can make this Term peculiar to one single Person viz. a Bishop so as it must be holden to express his sole Prerogative Or where will he shew or make it appear that in any Greek Author Sacred or Prophane the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes one single Person If he say that by the Church the Community of Church Rulers or Bishops is to be understood viz. that all Bishops in common and every Bishop apart hath this Power and Authority I Answer this understood of Scripture Bishops or Church Officers in general and of such Church Officers of particular Collegiat Churches is easily accorded But if he mean of his Hierarchical Bishops in Bulk and of every one of such a part he both Beggs the Question and Crosses the Scope of the Place For 1. Howsoever we take the Term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church whether for the Church Universal to whom Officers and a Government is given immediatly or for particular Churches to whom in a mediat Sense the same Government and Charge is given we must of necessity understand it to be given to such parts of this whole as do come under the Denomination and partake of the Nature of a Church and according to the Dr's Sense above-evinced an Imbodied Society or Juridical Court must in that Statute be understood which can never be applicable to a single Person And besides this would invert our Lords Method of Procedure and the Gradation here held out and enjoyned which is as the Dr. himself acknowledges from one to two or more and the last Result and ultimat Appeal is to the Church or the Imbodied Court of Officers with whom the Jurisdictional and Critical Power is lodged 2 ly Granting that this Jurisdictional Power in Order to the first Planting of Churches was for this end at first lodged with the Apostles yet the fore-mentioned great Rule and Fundamental Law as above Sensed and in a great Measure by the Dr. himself will still evince that the Apostles were not to Exercise it to the prejudice of the Authority given thereby to the standing Officers and ordinary Authorized Courts of the Christian Church unless they can be supposed to have had a Power Paramount thereunto For wherever a Christian Organick Chuch was gathered by vertue of this Precept tell the Church the Scandals were to be delated to the Officers thereof who consequently according to the Nature and Tenor of the foresaid Law are supposed to have the Binding and Loosing Power whatever Apostolical Authority might reach in Churches not Constitut or in way of Apostolical Direction to Churches Constitut as in the Case of the Incestuous Corinthian yet this was not Privative of but Cumulative to the ordinary Power of Collegiat Organick Churches as is often told him I might further urge the Dr. with this that that Passage Iohn 20.23 cannot but be extended to a Doctrinal as well as Iurisdictional Remitting or Retaining Binding or Loosing the Doctrinal Key as well as Jurisdictional being Primarly given to Apostles to be by them derived to Successors Our Lord in his Gift to Apostles divided them not And therefore neither were the Apostles to divide them in Devolving this Power upon and Committing this Authority to Successors And since the Dr. acknowledges that the Apostles by virtue of our Lords Commission Devolved upon Pastors the Doctrinal Authority and Committed to them that Key thus P. 427 428. why not I pray the Jurisdictional also both being inseparably tyed together Nay the Dr. himself upon the Matter yields this for he tells us ubi supra That the Command Go Teach all Nations Math. 28.19 did reach Pastors as the Apostles Successors in this Ministerial Duty and that Preaching was one of the principal Imployments belonging to the Apostolical Office And if the Apostles were to commit to Pastors one principal part of their Office why not also the less principal Besides that the Command Go Teach or Disciple all Nations will clearly includ the Jurisdictional as well as Doctrinal Key The Dr. adds ibid. That yet this Command of Preaching was not restrained to their Office since inferior Officers Preacht as the seventy Yet he adds That none Preacht but either by immediat Commission from Christ or Apostolical Ordination But I pray were any in his Sense otherwise allowed to exercise Disciplin but in this method Why will not the Dr. allow the exercise of Disciplin to the Seventy and such a Mission of Rulers consequently For Timothy whom together with the Seventy he probably Judges to have held an Evangelistick Office he pleads had Authority both to Teach and Rule And the Teachers Act. 13. he holds to be Bishops So that in his Sense Government being annexed in these instances thereunto the Lord did extraordinarly call in these times of the Church some persons who were not Apostles Therefore his Reason is insufficient to prove that the
Power of Government and Preaching being Eminenter contained in the Apostolick Office they did not commit the Ruling Authority to such to whom the Preaching work was intrusted Once more to reflect upon the Passage tell the Church we will find our Sense and Pleading correspondent to judicious Interpreters Dic Ecclesiae is coram multis inquit liber Musar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustinus And that the person may have a punishment inflicted of many 2 Cor. 2.6 and the rebuke may be before all 1 Tim. 5.20 And that the person Offending may be moved by the consent and multiplicity of those rebuking him So Grotius who shews us that it was the practice among the Jews after the more privat admonition to bring the Matter to the Multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Court of Judges who have the Power of binding and loosing as distinct from the multitude Thus Camero Simmachus Beza To the Presbytrie representing the Church whereof mention is made 1 Tim. 4. 14 Piscator Beza Camero And these whom Paul cal's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.6 But to proceed with the Dr he tells us next That none but such as are of the Aopostolick Order can pretend to the Jurisdictional Power since it was First lodged in the Apostles and by them immediatly exercised or by the Bishops of the several Churches to whom they communicat their Authority and Order But one should think that such to whom they committed the Chief and principal part of their Office as they did to Pastors by the Dr's Confession to such they did commit their Order in so far as unto ordinary succeeding Officers and that together with this the other subservient part of Ruling was also committed both Keyes being in their Nature as above hinted so inseparably connected And he cannot give one instance of the Apostles giving the First to Successors without the Second Nay the instances are clear of their committing both to Pastors The Elders or Ministers of Ephesus are entrusted by the Apostle Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both to Feed and Rule as Bishops Authorized by the Holy Ghost over that Church which command is by the Apostle laid upon them when taking his last farewell of the same and not a word is dropt by the Apostle of either the one or the other to Timothy their alledged Bishop The Apostle Peter enjoins the Elders as their Fellow-Elder to Feed and Rule and exercise Episcopal Authority over the Flocks A clear Demonstration compared with the preceeding Instances that these Elders and Ministers were the Apostles proper and immediat Successors in both Offices of Teaching and Ruling So that the Dr. may here see in this Scripture-Glass the Portraiture the clear Image of the Scripture Bishop and the Authentick and Original Character of the Office of these Pastors and Bishops of the Churches to whom the Apostles committed the Preaching and Ruling Work viz. the Preaching Pastors or Presbyters Shall I add a Caution and acknowledg to the Dr they were not the Bishops of his supposed Order since the Apostle discharged them to be Lords because in these simple times of Christianity the Apostles themselves were rude and not yet acquaint with the Grandure of Spiritual Lords and Lordships in the House of God But least the Dr do think this odd that I do hold the Work of Preaching and Administration of the Sacraments an higher Point of Episcopal Authority than Ruling at least if I may add only Ruling which he knows the Bishops arrogat to themselves solely not medling much with the first and that I hold the Governing Power to be appendant upon and consequent unto the Power of Order in Preaching and Administrating the Seals of the Covenant I must tell him that if this be an Errour A great one has led me into it and one of the Dr's most eminent Primary Bishops who I am sure had a Divine Authority for his Office and an Infallibility in Teaching besides It is even the great Apostle of the Gentiles who gives to Timothy this Precept The Elders that Rule well count them worthy of double Honour especially they that Labour in the Word and Doctrin wherein it is evident the Apostle allows the Labouring in the Word and Doctrin the higher Honour above Ruling yea and Ruling well But to prove that the Apostles committed this Iurisdictional Power only to the Bishops of their Order the Dr. brings the Instance of Pauls pronuncing the Sentence of Excommunication against the Incestuous Person 1 Cor. 5. shewing that he as present in Spirit had Judged i. e. saith the Dr pronunced Sentence concerning him who had done that Deed And v. 4 5. he orders them to declare and and execute his Sentence But that the Current of the Context runs Cross to the Dr's Pleading is several ways evident For 1. The Apostle blames this Church that this Sentence was not passed before and that they saved him not the Labour of this Prescription or Appointment in performing their Duty Antecedaneously thereunto It is evident he checks them that this Person was not by an Ecclesiastick Censure of such a Nature as is here intimat put away and taken from among them v. 2. 2 ly He writes to them to do it and this as an Act of their ordinary Authority proper to them as Church Officers viz. Authoritatively to deliver to Satan and that when by the Authority of our Lord they were mett together the Body of Professoâ—s being also concerned in a Consent to this Ejection And therefore they were not to meet merely to Declare or Witness what the Apostle had done before 3 ly He thus expostulats v. 12. Do not ye Iudg them that are within A convincing Proof that they had Power to Censure all that were within that Church by an Intrinsick Authority proper to them as Officers thereof 4 ly He calls this Act or Sentence 2 Cor. 2.6 A Censure or Punishment inflicted of many viz. the Church Officers not a Declaration of his previously passed Sentence I hope the Dr. will not fall into such a blunt Conceit as to make one and the same the Declaration of a Sentence passed by another and the formal Passing of a Sentence or Inflicting of a Censure or Punishment which if done warrantably as is here supposed doth necessarly import Authority in the Persons Acting Inflicted of many says the Apostle i. e. Not by all the Multitude as Independents Judge nor by one Person or Bishop as the Dr. Dreams As for his Expounding Pauls Judging this Person Censureable to be his Pronuncing Sentence it is a very gross Distortion For Paul as an Apostle infallibly Inspired by virtue of his Apostolical Directive Authority and in special as having the Care of the Gentile Churches upon him 2 Cor. 11.28 had Power to Direct and Prescribe Duty to either Members or Officers of any Churches And therefore if the Dr. will draw this Act to Exemplifie Episcopal Authority he draws upon
the Dr's Strained Exposition of such a Ceremony or Ordinance peculiar to a Bishop in the Sense he has offered is evident beyond all contradiction For taking it to import the Spirits Work in a Figurative Allusion to this Imposition or for Ministerial Imposition I mean in the Ordination of Pastors In both Senses it quite rejects the Dr's Gloss And even taking it in the most favourable Sense to his Scope viz. To import an Imposing Hands upon and Praying for the Baptized either at Baptism it self generally or upon the Adult who were Baptized it is beyond all contradiction that in this case it was joyned with that Sacrament and consequently performed by the Admistrator of that Ordinance Or admit that it was an Imposing of Hands upon Baptized Children sometime after their Baptism when grown up to give an Account of their Faith before their Admission to the Lords Supper the very Nature of the Action it self doth evince that in its purer and Primitive Practice and before Clogged with Additional Corruptions the thing was performed by the Elders and Ministers of the Church And the Dr. cannot shew either from Scripture or pure Antiquity that this was peculiar to a Bishop of his Cut and Mould Again it is a strange and most unaccountable Notion to assert that such as have Authority to Preach the Word and Administrat the Sacraments and Seals of the Covenant and in special Baptism whereby Persons are to be Discipled and brought to Christ which was the great Commission of the Apostles themselves should notwithstanding have no Authority to Administrat such an Appendix of Baptism and Confirming Rite as this is supposed to be That such as have Authority to lay the Foundation can put no Hand to such a supposed Superstructure Nay that such as have Authority to dispense the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that great Sealing Faith-Confirming Ordinance have no Interest in the Administration of such a Confirming Ritual as this is Besides in the 3 d. place it is easie to destroy the Dr's Argument with his own Notion and Pleading He pleads That tho the extraordinary effects of Gospel Administrations be ceased yet such Functions and administrations continue as are means of the Spirits ordinary influences Gifts and Graces since our Saviour has promised to the Church a continual Communication of his Spirit Now dare the Dr. deny a continual Communication of the Spirit in and by the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments If these be to continue and for the great ends of Conversion Confirmation and grouth in Grace and in the Hands of Pastors as the proper Authorized Dispensers of these Ordinances which are the Ministration of the Spirit by what Shadow of Ground can the Dr. seclud them from any interest in this his Ministration of the Spirit He tells us that Christ now Communicats ordinary Operations in the same way that he did the extraordinary And he will not deny that he did Communicat the Extraordinary by the Word and Sacraments concredited to all Ministers I mean in the external Administration and why not also the ordinary by the same Persons and Dispensers Again 4 ly The Dr. adds this his supposed strong proof and corroborating Argument especially saith he considering that this laying on of Hands is placed by the Apostle in the same Class with Baptism Hence I subsume if in the same Class it must be so as a Principle of the Doctrin of Christ as Baptism is so he calls it and as having the same Authority with Baptism as an Ordinance of Christ and a mean of dispensing the same influence of the Spirit And if so how will the Dr. Assign a Shadow of Distinction as to the Administrators and make it appear that two Ordinances of so near a Cognation and both Acts of the Power of Order of such an Affinity in their nature and scope should so vastly differ in the Instruments of Administration that the one is peculiar to the Office of Apostolat and a Succeedaneous Prelat Forsooth the other not but may be Administat by a Pastor He tells us The Apostle put both Ordinances in one Class but the Dr. in this crosses the Apostle and sets up in this respect Confirmation in the higher Class Here I would offer to the Dr. or those of his Perswasion Amesius's Answer to Bellarmin's Argument for this Right of Bishops One of his Arguments for the Divine Right of Episcopacy and of Bishops above Presbyters is Soli Episcopi ut Ordinarii Ministri c. Bishops only as Ordinary Ministers can Confirm the Baptized as also Consecrat Temples and Altars Citing Act. 8. Amesius returns him thus the Protestant Answer De Consecratione Templorum non laboramus c We value not the Consecration of Temples and Altars whited Walls may be the sole Consecraters of Walls and stones but for Confirmation of the Baptized in so far as it seems to have any thing of Divine Right in it and is thus lookt upon it doth equally agree to Presbyters and Bishops This saith he may be sufficiently proved from the Canon Law it self Dist. 95. and is evinced by this Reason of Ierom what is greater than Christ or what may be preferred to his Body and Blood He adds in Answer to that of Act. 8. that â—he Apostles were no Bishops nor sent unto an Ordinary Confirmation Bellarmin enerv Tom. 2. P. mihi 110 I need not inlarge upon any deductions from this Passage nor insist in shewing the Dr. the Correspondence of this Answer with what is above offered We may adduce another Venerable Countryman of his Cartwright Answering the Rhemists Pleading for this Sacrament of Confirmation from this Text tells the Iesuitâ— That the Apostle means no Sacrament much less Confirmation after Baptism but by a Trope or borrowed Speech a Metonymia adjunctis as he calls it the Ministry of the Church upon which Hands were laid which appears saith he in that whosoever believes not that there ought to be a Ministry by Order to Teach and Govern the Church overthrows Christianity whereas if Confirmation of Children were a Sacrament as it is not yet a Man holding the rest and denying the use of it might notwithstanding be saved Upon this Testimony of Cartwright we may very probably Conceive that the Sense he gives of that Passage is the General Sentiment and Judgment of Protestant Divines in his Day And to this Scope we find many of the later Protestant Divines expound it as might be easily made appear I need not add how obvious it is that the Drs. Opinion and Gloss hath no small influence upon the hardning the Papists who make Confirmation a Sacrament See for Cartwrights Sense of this place Gomarus Simplicius Pareus Mr. Dickson c. Among whom Gomarus shews that the Imposing Hands upon the Baptized is a Practice later than the Apostles But to proceed The Dr. in Confirmation of this his Gloss and Conceit adduces the Instances of the Holy Ghost comming upon these of Ephesus Act.
Holy Ghost And such a Church they profess the Protestant Church in this Realm to be From this Account of the Confession it is evident 1. That in the Sense of our first Reformers Church Government and Disciplin rightly Administred is an Essential Mark of the Church 2. That it must not be according to Mens Invention or Rules of Worldly Policy but according to the Prescription of the Word of God Thus clearly asserting that the Word of God prescribes the Rules and Measures of it and consequently determines what Government and Disciplin it is else there could be no Appeal to that Rule And look as they make the Word of God the Standart and Rule of the true Doctrine in the first Note so of Discipline and Government in this third Hence as none can without extremest Impudence assert that the Word leaves us to Waver and at an Uncertainty as to the true or false Doctrine or that it is not perfectly contained in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles Appealed to in that first Note so without the same Impudence neither can this be alledged of the Discipline or Government anent the Rectitude whereof and its Divine Measures the same Appeal is made 3. When exhibiting Scripture Instances they mention a Ministry established by Paul in the Churches and in special such a Ministry or Eldership as had the Government established and lodged with them in a Parity of Pastors as the Church of Ephesus when Paul gave them his last Charge to Feed and Govern joyntly as the Bishops set up by the Holy Ghost they clearly assert the Divine Warrands of Presbyterian Parity Next for that Passage which the Dr. takes hold of in Art 21. which he durst not point his Reader to as knowing that the very Reading would discover his Forgery that which they affirm is thus expressed Not that we think any policy or Order in Ceremonies can be appointed for all Ages times and places c. It s evident that it utterly rejects his absurd gloss and impertinent groundless inference For 1. They are not speaking of the Species and form of Government but of these things which Councils has a Power to determin in yea peremptorly affirm that they have no Power or Authority to make that to be Gods Word or the true interpretation thereof which was not so before by his Holy Will and by clear Consequence that no Councils can alter or change that Ministry and Government which in Art 19. They affirm the Apostles established 2. Having mentioned the Confutation of Heresies and giving a publick Confession of Faith according to the Word as one great design of General Councils they assign the Second which is to Constitut good Order and Policy to be observed in the Kirk that all things be done decently and in Order citing 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order Wherein Paul prescribs this general Rule to be applyed to the particular circumstances of that Church Then they add Not that we think any Policy and order in Ceremonies can be appointed for all Ages Times and places Adding That when Ceremonies foster Superstition they ought to be removed Wherein it is evident as the Meridian Light that that Policy which they hold alterable is not the Government of the Church appointed by the Apostles in the Word or that Ecclesiastick Disciplin therein prescribed For this they make a Note of the true Church and to call this alterable according to the difference of Times and Places were so gross a contradiction as no Men of Sense could fall into much less the Godly and Learned Compilers of that Confession But by this alterable Policy they mean such as Relâ—tes to the variable Circumstances of particular Churches and such appointments thereanent as God has left to the Regulation of the Christian Prudence of Church Governours according to the general Rules of the Word of which Rules that instance they exhibit 1 Cor. 14.40 hath the prime place So that the Dr's Inference that therefore the Authors of the Confession held not an indispensible Divine Right of Parity of Pastors or Presbyters has no dependence upon that Passage which he Cites nor has any Subsistence but in his own imagination The Dr. adds P. 13 That the First Presbyterians pleaded only that their New Form was not repugnant to the Oeconomy of the New Testament Church and Primitive Institution that it came nearer to the Original Model of Churches But never affirmed that the Christian Church by the Original Authority of our Saviour and his Apostles ought to be Governed by a Parity of Presbyters and that no Officer in the Church higher than a Presbyter could pretend to any share in Ecclesiastick Government I Answer the Dr. hath not exhibit to us these Presbyterians whom he calls First and who thus pleaded We heard that our very First Reformers Pleads for that Government they were settling as a Divine Ministry and Government according to the Word and deriving its Original Pattern from the Apostles Plantation of Churches such as Ephesus had when Paul gave his last directions to that Church To which Original Pattern they hold that all Churches ought to be squared and Subordinat And if we advance a step further to our Books of Disciplin we will find the Divine Right of our Government Asserted in most Material Points thereof The Peoples interest in the Election of Pastors in their Call and in their Admission is Asserted in the First Book of Disciplin Head 1. with the Explication In the 7 Head of Ecclesiastick Disciplin the highest Censure of Excommunication is attributed to the Ministry as their Duty and Priviledge not to the Prelat and all Preachers without exception are declared Subject to Disciplin and the Subjection of all Preachers to the Prophets in their Doctrin is Asserted in the 9. Head of Church Policy upon that special Point of Propesying and interpreting the Scriptures All which cutts the Sinnews of the Prelats Exercising Power over Pastors Establishing their Essential Divine Right of Government In 2 Book of Discipl Chap. 1. The Divine Right of Church Government and Policy is Asserted and its distinction from the Civil The unlawfulness of Ministers assuming Name or Thing of Lordship Again The extraordinary expired Function of Apostles Prophets and Evangelists is Asserted The identity of the Pastor and Bishops Office as the highest ordinary Function together with the Relation thereof to a particular Flock is Asserted Chap. 2. Moreover Ch. 7. initio the Ruling Elders Office and Congregational Eldership are Asserted Ibid. Our Church Judicatories Congregational Provincial and National are Asserted Chap. 11. The Unwarrantableness of the Office of Bishops Assuming Authority over Pastors and a Lordship over them and over Christs Inheritance is Asserted And such Bishops as refuse Subjection to the Established Disciplin and Government of Pastors are appointed to be deposed from all Function in this Kirk Likewise Patronages as crossing the Peoples Right in Election of Pastors are condemned
he adds in the other Branch in expressing what is enjoyned being examples to the Flock enjoining thus to Feed by Example and an Humble Ministry And this is opposit to all Dominion whatsoever and doth not discriminat one Dominion from another as is also evident in the positive part of the Paralel Precepts abovementioned We have also told him that the instance and Illustration drawn from such Princes of the Gentiles as were accounted Gracious Lords and the simple word of Rule used by Luke in the paralel confutes this Gloss and doth demonstrat that it is not proud insolent Dominion or a Dominion secundum quid and thus qualified which is only here forbidden but Lordship and Dominion simpliciter the desire whereof did notwithstanding proceed in the Apostles from some remainders of Pride and in their Case could not be exercised or assumed without a fastuous insolency it being Diametrically opposit to the Nature of their Holy Office and Function So then I argue against the Dr. from his own Principle and Gloss If Peter thus understood our Lords Precept Matth. 20. and Luk. 22. in this Sense that Pride was the Principle of their desire and of that greatness they sought and that the exercise of this greatness was prohibit as the very emanation of insolent Pride and if with all he coppied out this his Precept to Ministers from that great Command of his Lord and took his Measures therefrom he could not but look upon Pastors Lording over the Flâ—cks as proceeding from Pride and the very practice and exercise of a Domineering Tyranny yea he could not but put under this Character whatever exercise of pretended Ministerial Authority goes beyond the Limits of that humble exemplary Ministry that Ministerial diligence and service of the Lords Flocks which is enjoyned in the positive part of his Masters Command exactly coppied out in this his Apostolick Precept I further remark that the Dr. holding out the Sense of the Apostle as terminating only in this General discharging Pride and Insolency in Government without condescending upon the extent of the Negative and positive explication of the Precept and the Nature of that Power here specified and Discharged as Flowing from this Pride and Insolent Disposition and but only shewing that it is a Pride unsutable to all Power and Authority in the Church leaves room for even a Monarchy and Patriarchat and the setting up of such a Dominion in the Church as may be supposed in an abstracted Sense and in its general Nature Lawful and thus still saves the Popes Mitre from the Touch of this prohibition The Dr. holds That our exposition of those Texts was never heard of till these latter days Thus with him the Papists only have hit upon the true Ancient Exposition and Protestants have missed it Amongst many other confuting Instances he might have minded the abovementioned Passages of Bernard to Eugenius lib. 2. Apostolis interdicitur Dominatus Ergo tu tibi usurpare aude ut Dominans Apostolatum aut Apostolicus Dominatum CHAP. II. A Confutation of what the Dr. offers in Answer to the Presbyterians Argument for Parity of Pastors taken from the Official Identity of Bishop and Presbyter in the Scripture Account of the Pastoral Office THe Dr. by this time has finisht his first easie Task of Discussing our Argument from Christs Institution He will next fall upon our Argument from Scripture Consequences And that his Work here may be as easie as the first and least he should break his Word to his Friend in giving him a large History of our Arguments on this Head Of them all he is pleased to Single out one taken from the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter which he says fills all our Books Citing Smectym Ius Divin Minist Ang. Unbishopping Tim. and Tit. Altare Damasc. Durh. Dissert But surely any who have Seriously and Impartially perused these Authors and compares what they have written with that which this Man pretends to Answer may Laugh at his Prodigious Folly in Boasting of an Answer to Books which he appears never to have read or understood It were good for him that the Authors he paints his Margine with were out of the World that the Ignorant or such as never saw them might believe that this Personat Champion had made a mighty Baffling Assault upon them But all such as are acquaint with their Writings will easily discover that he is here Acting a Pedantick Nomenclator of these Authors and no more The Argument from the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter I mean an Official Identity I acknowledge is improven by these Authors and other Presbyterian Writers and am content to try Issue with him upon this Head but the Dr I find is so Loose and Perverse a Disputer that he doth not so much as offer to propose one of their Mediums and Arguments to the Scope He alledges We Argue from the Homonomy of Names of Bishop and Presbyter in the New Testament to prove the Sameness of the Office and that the Clergy of the New Testament are Dichotomised into Bishops and Deacons only in some Texts And thus in some Ancient Writers That we thus exclude the Authority of a Bishop above a Presbyter tho the Offices themselves be as much distinguished in several Texts of the New Testament as is possible He holds P. 22 23. That we found the Solidity of our Demonstration of the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter merely upon the Confusio Nominum which he represents in a distinct Character as our only Topick To which purpose he tells us we cite Act. 20.17 28. Philip. 1.1 Tit. 1.6 7. and several other places There needs no more than the Reciting of this to discover this Mans Precarious Vanity and Ignorance of this Controversie since all that are acquaint with it do know that it is not the Sameness ef Names simplely and in its self considered which the Presbyterians ground upon tho this have its own Secondary Weight but the Sameness and Identity of the Qualifications Ordination Work Duties and every other Essential of the Office Which is an Argument with more Demonstrative Nerves than that of the Sameness of Names Presbyters being in Scripture called and owned as Rulers Governors Overseers Bishops And both Ordination and Iurisdiction appropriat to them without the least Hint of Imparity among them in the Exercise thereof Tit. 1.5 Act. 20.17 28. 1 Pet. 5.2.2 1 Thess. 5.12 14. Heb. 13.7 17. 1 Cor. 5.12 1 Tim. 4.14 Now if it be thus sure the Conclusion of the Identity of the Office clearly follows And had this Man perused these Authors he might have discovered that their Arguments run to this Issue and are not merely Bottomed upon so slight a Ground as he would make such believe whose Knowledge is of a like Size and Measure with his own Yet so weak is his Cause that his Answer cannot stand before this very Argument as he propounds it at least with a due Respect to the Scope of the Places Cited which will
ut istic constitueret Presbyteros 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 docet quales essent illi Presbyteri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the same is apparent from Tit. 1.5 7. where after the Apostle had said that he had left Titus in Crete to place Presbyters in every City he shews how these Elders must be Qualified A Bishop must be blameless Asserting Thes. 17. that this may be demonstrated from the Monuments of the Ancient Church They cite the Commentary under Ambrose Name on Ephes. Cap. 4. and that passage Non per omnia conveniunt Apostoli Scripta Ordinationi quae nunc est in Ecclesia That the Apostles Writings did not every way agree with the Order then in the Church Here is Novel Doctrine of Presbyterians so Close and Throng as will probably put our Antique Dr. to the outmost Limits of his Patience Presbyterian Scriptures Presbyterian Sense Presbyterian Arguments Canted over by Dull Novelists one after another and which is yet more by Novelist Universities of the Scots Presbyterian Perswasion But this that follows will possibly please worse Maccovius Redivivus in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pontificorum Socin c. Cap. 6. De Cler. thus represents the Pontificii or the Popish Cause and Doctrin which I fear will Embrace in its Bosom the Dr's Reverence It is even thus Episcopi jure Divino superiores sunt verbi Ministris tum ordinis potestate tum jurisdictione That the Bishop by Divine Right is Superior to the Ministers of the Word both in the Power of Order and Jurisdiction Maccovius not having the Honour to know our Dr. presents for his voucher Bellarmin lib. 1. De Cler. Cap. 14. The â— â— he thus represents consuetudo Romanorum quae Distinguit inter versantem verbum Dei Episcopum The Romish Custom which distinguishes betwixt the Preacher of the Word and the Bishop As our Romish Dr. doth This is Rude but how is this Refelled by Maccovius Why It s even thus Refellitur primo Philip. 1.1 Ubi idem Presbyteri predicantes Episcopi dicuntur Secundo Tit. 1.5 1 Tim. 3.1.2 Uâ—i idem docentur esse Presbyteri Praedicantes Episcopi His two Proofs are that in these premised Scriptures the Preaching Presbyter or Pastor and the Bishop are held out as one and the same Another Novelist asserting this New Coyned Doctrin and falling into the same error with the Scots Presbyterians is Antonius Walleus de funct Eccâ—es P. mihi 470. having stated the Question Viz. utrum talis sit eminenâ—â—â— inter Pastores ut unus gradu altero sit superior jure Divino adeo ut uni Potestas in alterum concedatur potestas scilicet mittendi aut deponendi ministros potestas excommunicandi aut admittendi leges praescribendi regendi c. qualem sibi bodierni Episcopi ascribunt whether there be such an Eminency among Pastors so as one is in Degree Superior to another by Divine Right and has Authority over another the Authority of the Mission or deposition of Ministers the Authority and Power of Excommunication or relaxation of prescribing Laws and of Governing c. such as the present Bishops arrogat and appropriat to themselves Then he shews that he speaks of Spiritual Authority And thus Answers hoc est quod nostri negant adversus episcopales This is that we deny against the Episcopalians Here is a bold Novelist He after shews that the Divines of that Church were of his mind and thus exhibits a Muster Roll of New Coyned Novelists But he presents his praecipua Argumenta Chief Arguments What are these 1 in tota scriptura ejusmodi eminentiae potestatis nulla fit mentio That in all the Scripture there is no mention of such Eminency and Power of a Bishop above Pastors 2 quia in illis Locis ubi ex professo de ministrorum novi Testamenti gradibus fit mentio unius generis Pastorum Scriptura tantum meminit ut 1 Cor. 12.28 constituit in Ecclesia primum Apostolos secundo Prophetas Tertio Doctores Et Eph. 4.11 ipse dedit alios quidem Apostolos alios vero Pastores Doctores c. sic Rom. 12.6 Act. 20.17.28 1 Pet. 5.1 2. That in those places where there is express mention of purpose made of the Degrees of Ministers of the New Testament the Scripture owns only one kind of Pastors as 1 Cor. 12.28 He set in the Church first Apostles secondarly Prophets Thirdly Doctors or Teachers and Eph. 4.11 He gave some Apostles some Pastors and Teachers c. Thus Rom. 12.6 Acts 2â— 17.28 1 Pet. 5.1.2 The 3 d Reason or Argument is thus quia Sacra Scriptura docet expresse Episcopos Presbyteros fuisse plane eosdâ—m ita Act. 20.17 convocavit Presbyteros v. 28. Dicit Spiritum Sanctum eos constituisse Episcopos Ita Phil. 1.1 Paulus Timotheus servi Iesu Christi omnibus Sanctis qui sunt Phillippicum Episcopis Diaconis Et ad Titum 1.5 ideo reliqui te in Creta ut oppidatim constituas Presbyteros Et v. 7. opportet enim E-Eiscopum unius esse uxoris virum c. That the sacred Scriptures shews the Bishop and Presbyter to have been one and the same Thus Act. 20.7 the Apostle called together the Elders and v. 28. he saith that the Spirit of God had made them Bishops Also Philip. 1.1 Paul and Timotheus Servants of Iesus Christ to all the Saints which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons and Tit. 1.5 For this Cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldst Ordain Elders in every City and v. 6. For a Bishop must be the Husband of one Wife c. He adds that Ierom Comment in Tit. Eph. ad Evag. doth from these places collect as an old doting Novelist too that the Bishop and Presbyter is all one the one Name signifying the Age the other the Office he Cites also Ambrose in Eph. 4. as holding the same He adds sic Augustinus plurimi alii in hanc sententiam that Augustin and many others were of this Judgment to whom he also adds Bucer de gub P. 258. C. deinceps Thus Walleus holds that this forementioned Scots Presbyterian Sense of the Scriptures premised has for a considerable time been a working Notion for want no doubt of our Dr's clearer Instructions But this bigot Novelist goes on to add Denique ex nullo Scripturae loco prohibetur uni Presbytero aut Pastori ordinario ullam dari potestatem sive in verbi predicatione omnes enim sunt Doctores Pastores sive in Sacramentorum Administratione ut Mat. 28.19 1 Cor. 11.23 sive in exercitio Disciplinae 1 Cor. 5.4 c. 2 Cor. 2.7 sive in Ecclesiae rectione Act. 20.17 1 Pet. 5.1.2 Heb. 13.17 obedite praepositis vestris qui non datur alteri That from no place of Scripture it can be made good that there is any Power given to an ordinary Pastor or singular Prerogative above another either in
the whole Gospel times last times and latter dayes And some will alledge there has been Separation and Singularity Old enough in years But if we may draw Conjectures from the Drs. Principles anent an Oecumenick New Testament High Priest and Patriarch and the standing of the Old Testament Oeconomy as Exemplary to the New and who has for several Ages pretended to follow this Copie and who he is who has been for some Ages separat from tho once Universally wondered after and followed viz. The Good Old Gentleman with the Triple Crown I think Protestant Schismaticks as well as these their forementioned Opinions may be supposed to have been in this Assertion much in the Dr's View But that I be not tedious and may hasten to consider the Dr's grave Enquiry and Answer to the premised Scriptures and the New Protestant Glosses upon them which moves his Spleen to such declamatory anger against his Poor pur-blind Countreymen one thing I would suggest to him if I may do it without putting him into a Chaff which is this 'T is known that there is a certain English Dr. of as great Figure and Reputation almost in England as he is in Scotland and of a great Name to this day who having got this New Scots Notion of the Parity of Bishops and Presbyters into his unwarry head was bold to exhibit a great many Testimonies of Greek and Latine Fathers for this New Opinion his Name is Doctor Reynolds in his Epistle to Sir Francis Knolls the Dr. would do well to enlarge his Enquiring Charity and undeceive his Countriemen and others in the Point of this dangerous Error in examining his Citations It s long since the Epistle was Exhibit to publick view and is in many hands and upon a little enquiry the Dr. may easily have a view of this dangerous Piece For if these Citations hold the Opinion is not so New and Singular as the Dr. Suggests but it seems is an Old notion revived again As the Dr. knows the Waldenses revived Old Points before them and from them the Protestant Schismaticks have taken up the same and in special so Learned an Antiquary as the Dr. cannot be ignorant that this very Scots Dangerous New Notion against which his Pamphlet is levelled was condemned by the Roman Church in Wickliff and the Waldenses as testifies Michael Medina lib. 1. De sacrorum hominum origine eminentia Cap 5. But now that my hand is in before I come to examin the Dr's Answers to the premised Scriptures I must be bold to Exhibit to him some more of the Heretical assertors of Presbyters Power and interest in Government in correspondence to the New Scots Notion Festus Hommius Disput. Theol. Adversus Pontificios Disput. 25. De Minist Eccles Ordin Thes. 1. He calls the Office of Apostles and Evangelists Extraordinary and holds it to be expired Thes. 2. primus itaque ordo Ministrorum Ecclesiae Novi Testamenti ordinariorum est ordo Pastorum qui etiam Episcopi Presbyteri praesides laborantes Ministri Praedicantes servi dispensatcres praesides duces in Sacra Scriptura appellantur That the First order of the Ordinary Ministers of the New Testament is that of Pastors who in Scripture are called Bishops Presbyters Labouring Presidents Dispensing Servants Leaders Rulers c. Thes. 3. inter Episcopum Pastorem seuâ— Presbyterum in verbo laborantem Respectu Muneris seu ministerii nullum in sacra Scriptura verum essentiale discrimen reperitur haec enim vocibus hisce Promiscue utitur cum unum eundemque Ministrorum Novi Testamenti ordinem designat Quia in una Ecclesia Civitate plures tempore Apostolorum Episcopus fuisse diserte Scriptura Sacra Testatur That betwixt the Bisâ—op and Pastor or Presbyter labouring in the Word and Doctrin there is no essential or Official difference found in Scripture which uses these words promiscuously pointing out thereby the same Order of the New Testament Ministers Since it doth clearly Testify that in the times of the Apostles there were many Bishops in one City From whence he draws this Conclusion quare Epsicopi jure Divino Pastoribus neque gradu neque dignitate neque ordinis potestate neque Iurisdictione majores sunt That therefore Bishops by Divine Right are neither in Degree Dignity Power of Order nor Jurisdiction greater than Pastors Here is extensive Scots Bigotry I cannot but also observe how Crabbed and unlucky expressions he has Thes. 2. As to the Drs. Denomination of the Gospel Ministry by the term of Priesthood because Christs Priesthood is Eternal and admits of no Successors he doth upon this ground Reason thus quare Ministri Novi Testamenti nusquam in sacra Scriptura Sacerdotes proprie dicti appellantur That the Ministers of the New Testament are no where in Scripture called Priests Adding proinde pontificii Pastores cum nomen munus sacerdotis sibi arrogant non tantum palam judaizant sed etiam blaspheme sacrilege in Sanctissimum munus Domini in vâ—lant That therefore the Popish Ministers in arrogating to themselves the Name and Office of Priests do not only palpably Judaize but also make a Blasphemous and sacralegious Invasion upon the most Holy Office of Christ. Musculus loc Commun de Offic. Minist is Scots Presbyterian in grain in this Point P. mihi 360 361 362. after he has asserted from Scripture Grounds the extraordinary Nature of the Apostolick and Evangelistick Office and the identity of the Pastoral and Doctoral office with Ierom Because the Apostle Eph. 4. says not that our Lord gave some Pastors and some Doctors but Conjunctly Pastors and Doctors he adds eosdem esse Presbyteros Pastores ex eo patet quod 1 Pet. 5. Legimus Seniores ab Apostolis admoneri ut gregem Dei pascant That Elders and Ministers are by the Apostles admonished to feed the Lords Flock 3 tio saith he eosdem esse Presbyteros quoque Episcopas Pastores ex eo patet quod Act. 20. Legimus adhunc modum A Mileto autem missus Ephesum nuntius accersivit Presbyteros Ecclesiae qui cum venissent dixit iis vos scitis a primo die c. Et aliquanto post Attendite igitur vobis toto gregi in quo vos Spiritus Sanctus posuit Episcopos ad pascendum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesiam Dei Quos Lucas vocat Presbyteros Ecclesiae Ephesinae hos Paulus vocat Episcopos dixit eos ad hoc esse a Spiritu Sancto positos ut pascant Ecclesiam Dei sic palam videmus eosdem esse Presbyteros Episcopos Pastores He adds for his Third Reason that it appears from Act. 20. that Presbyters Bishops and Pastors are the same because Paul sent from Miletum to Ephesus for the Elders of the Church who being come to him he enjoins them to take heed to themselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them Bishops to Feed i. e. to Rule and Govern as the Original Word
Cap. olim Dist. 95. He adds that these who have Laboured in Reforming the Church these Five Hundred Years have Taught that all Pastors be they Entitled Bishops or Priests have equal Authority and Power by Gods Word Citing first the Waldenses in Aeneas Silvius Hist. of Bohem. Cap. 35. Next Marsilius Patavinus Defens Pacis Part. 2. Cap. 15. Wickliff c. If the Testimony of Bishops will please the Dr we will find Bishop Iewel fully Combats him in this Point Defens Apol. cont Hard. Edit An. 1570. P. 243. What meaneth Mr. Harding saith he to make it an Heresie to say that by the Scriptures of God a Bishop and Priest are all one Knows he how far and to whom he reaches the Name of an Heretick Then he Cites Chrystos on 1 Tim. Hom. 11. shewing that inter Episcopum Presbyterum interest ferme nihil Betwixt a Bishop and Presbyter there is almost no Difference Ierom ad Evagrium asserting that Apostolus perspiâ—ue docet eosdem esse Presbyteros quos Episcopos The Apostle clearly Teaches the Bishop and Presbyter to be one and the same calling the contrary Opinion a Vecordia or Folly Also August Quest. Vet. N. Test. Quest. 101. Quid est Episcopus nisi primus Presbyter That the Bishop is only the first Presbyter Amb. de Dignit Sacerd. Episcopi Presbyteri una est Ordinatio Asserting that the Ordination and consequently the Function of the Bishop and Presbyter is one and the same All these and many more Holy Fathers saith Bishop Iewel together with St. Paul the Apostle for thus saying by Mr. Hardings Advice must be holden for Hereticks I will add and all these and many more together with the Apostle Paul by this Dr's Advice must be holden for Novelists and Scots Schismaticks But there are other Bishops will yet enter the Lists with our Dr Bishop Pilkinton on Revelation and in the Treatise of Burning of Pauls Church Bishop Bilson Perpet Gover. Cap. 2. Yea more of the Famous English Drs. Fulk against the Rhemists on Tit. 1.5 Dr. Humphray in Campian Duraeum Iesuitas Part. 2. Ration 3. Whittaker above Cited So also ad Rationes Campiani Ration 6. Confutat Duraei Lib. 6. Chemnitius Gentiletus the great Examinators of the Council of Trent the one a Divine the other a Lawyer doth both Condemn as a Trent Error our Dr's Assertion anent the Distinction of Bishop and Presbyter the one by Scriptures and Fathers the other by the Canon Law We have heard that Dr. Reynolds for this Parity of Bishop and Presbyter tells us It s needless to speak of the particular Persons since it s the common Judgment of the Churches of Helvetia Savoy France Scotland Germany Hungary Poland the Low Countreys and our own Witness the Harmony of Confessions Sect. 11. Now from all that is said whether the Body of Protestant Divines and Churches be not for the Official as well as Nominal Identity of Bishop and Presbyter Whether this be not likewise the Judgment of the most Ancient and Purer Church Whether our Argument be only a Confusione Nominum and Sophistical and Childish Is left to the Judgment of Judicious and Impartial Readers who shall Weigh what is said in the Ballances of Scripture and Sound Reason Before I proceed I cannot but take notice of this Dr's petulant impertinency in proposing our Argument He says this is our great Argument That there is no distinction betwixt a Bishop and Presbyter in Scripture And therefore we conclude that our Argument a Confusione nominum is demonstrative and solid As if when we maintain that in Scripture there is no distinction betwixt these Offices we meant a Nominal only and not a real diversity Had he ever perused the Authors he Cites or conferred with any Presbyterian who understands the Controversy he would have found that from the Scriptures Cited and many Paralels it s an Official oneness not a Nominal only we plead for and that our Arguments therefrom has such Nerves as he durst not medle with The Dr. tells us P. 23. That whether the Bishop be of an Higher Order than the Priest falls not under his enquiry nor is it very Material considered with Respect to the common Priesthood and Subordinat Officers they might be of the same Order tho at other times when Authority and Iurisdiction is Named the Bishop with regard to his Dignity and Power is alwise reckoned above a Presbyter Here I must say is a strange Confusion and that not Nominum but Rerum 1. The Dr. is so much for the Official Scriptural Superiority of the Bishop to the Presbyter that he affirms the Contrar Assertion to be a New opinion got into the Heads of his Countrymen and some others but never heard of this 1400 years For curing of which he has sent down this Learned Pamphlet yet he will not enquire whether a Bishop be of a higher Order or not to a Presbyter i. e. He will not enquire whether his Country-men or he have the Right in this Debate If the Bishop be not of an Higher Order his Countrey Presbyterians are Right their Arguments which ly level to this scope are good and Conclusive and do batter his Principle of a Superior Order of Ministers above the Pastor and in especial under this Designation and Character of Bishop The Antithesis whereof viz. that there is an Officer called a Bishop of a Superior Order eo no nine the Dr. Contends for tanquam pro aris focis yet he says the enquiry into this Point which to all men of Sense is the Cardo Questionis is not in it self Material Let any ponder whether this stout pretended Signifer doth not here let fall his Standart and even flees at the First alarm 2. He tells us when Authority and Iurisdiction is named the Bishop with regard to his Dignity is alwise reckoned above a Presbyter Now I do appeal to all Men of Common sense whether the Dr dos not here Assert 1. A Divine Authority and Jurisdiction of a Bishop above a Presbyter 2 By clear Consequence that he is of an higher Order than the Presbyter or else how can he be in Jurisdiction and Authority above him 3. That the Bishop under that Character and eo nomine is thus Represented in the Scripture Accounts of him Now all this being his Assertion in opposition to his Country-mens supposed Errors how can he decline the enquiry whether the Bishop be of an higher Order Let any Judge if he says not this upon the Matter the thing is Clear in it self in the Scripture Accounts and this I maintain in opposition to the Scots Presbyterians whom I do hereby Charge with a new Opinion on this Ground but am not Concerned to Examin their Arguments or make good my own 3. He tells us they are sometime considered as of the same order with respect to the common Priesthood I Answer we have proved that Presbyters or Pastors have both name and thing of all ordinary Ministerial
Authority appropriat to them and that with Relation thereto the Bishop and the Presbyter are in Scripture made one and the same 2. When he says they are made of the same Order with respect to the Priesthood common to either He speaks Confusedly and Ignorantly For will he say that the attributing to Two Church Officers who are different the same Geneal or to speak to the Dr's Scope the same Generical Priesthood or Ministry will inferr that they are of the same order therein or specifical Office If so then Apostles who are called Presbyters or Elders he must say are of the same Order with them yea with Deacons also since sometimes their Office and Ministry is represented by such a term as Represents a Deaconate or common service Further I must here warn the Doctor to take up his Shield and beware of the Rebound of his own Blow Was our Lord of the same Order with the Prophets or Servants of God because in the capacity of Mediator and with Respect to a general Ministry or Service of the Father he gets the Designation name and thing of Prophet Messenger and Servant of God Will the Dr. thus Blasphemously degrade him into the same Order with mere Creatures who are Prophets and Servants In a word let us hold the Dr to his affirmative and challenge his proof of this Point viz. That in Scripture there is an ordinary standing Church Officer exhibit under the Character and designation of a Bishop who is alwise Reckoned above a Presbyter or Pastor when Authority and Iurisdiction is Named And according to the scope measures and extent of this Assertion let his ensuing Discourse Answers and proofs be examined wherein I am sure he has fair dealing according to all acknowledged Laws of Disputation Well proceed we then to his Proofs of this Assertion and the ground of his ensuing Answer to this Argument taken from the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter He tells us that the inspired Writers as the Iews Dichotomotized or made a bipartit Division Reader be not so ignorant as to start at this term as a Goblin the Dr. as an English Orator may cast his Greek into an English Mould And you must know he is against new stanâ—â—t Opinions not Phrases Well what did they Dichotomtoize The Clergy saith the Dr. into Two Orders here he has soundly exponed his term like that of Priests and Levits tho as among the Jews So among Christians this admitted of a Sub-division and subordination of Church Officers among themselves as were the Priests of the Old Testament This he says was suitable to the Language of the Helenistical or Graecian Tribes high Oratory of the Apostolick Age the Name of Priest and High-Priest being Confounded Levit. 1.7 The Sons of Aaron the Priest shall put Fire c. v. 8. the Priests Aarons Sons shall lay the parts c. Now saith the Dr. if Priests and High-Priests got the same Name without any distinction of Order notwithstanding the High-Priests extraordinary priviledges the Name of High-Priest likewise being never affixt to Aaron or Eleazar and the term but Twice or Thrice mentioned in the Books of Moses while yet the Homonymie of Names pleaded not against the Subordination of Priests Could it be thought strange that Apostles or Apostolical Men in mentioning Presbyters of the New Testament might not make use of the current Phraseology of their Countreymen in speaking of Priests and Levites Dividing them into two Orders as if there were no more Tho the meanest Jew knew the high Priest was very Honourable and by all marks of eminency and Authority Disstinguished from ordinary Priests Thus he Pag. 23.24.25 I Answer Quod haec ad rhombum What says this to the Point Or how lyes this Discourse level to his scope either to prove the Bishops Jurisdictional Authority above a Presbyter or Pastor as Bishop in the Scripture Sense or to prove that we Argue sophistically when alledging that the Scripture makes the Bishop and Presbyter one in Name and thing and that therefore the discriminating of both by Episcopalians is antiscriptural How I say this lyes level to the Dr's Conclusion or can in solid Reason reach the same I must Confess passes my Comprehension For 1. Tho all the Dr. says be granted it is palpably evident that this pleading if it prove any thing levels merely against such as would draw the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter only from this that there is an homonymie of these two Names whereas it is the Identity of the Qualifications Gifts Duties and every essential of the Office which is the Topick and Principle Presbyterians plead from not merely the confusion of Names 2. The Dr. himsef acknowledges that notwithstanding of this supposed confusion of Names oâ— Dichotomotizing the Old Testament Church Officers yet the High-Priest was distinguished from the other Priests by marks of Eminency and Authority for instance that he is called High-Priest And therefore before his Discourse can have any shadow of Answer he is bound to Exhibit in a just Paralel the same Scripture marks of Eminency and Authority of the Diocesan Bishop above the Pastor or Presbyter-Bishop as the Scripture Exhibits in reference to the High-Priests above the ordinary Priests or the Priests in reference to the Levites else this Answer by his own Confession and in the Sense of all men of Sense is but a pitiful Begging of the Question For upon this Ground he might alledge a Distinction betwixt the Pastor and Preaching Presbyter He alledges P. 25. That in the Hagiographical and Prophetical Writings the High-Priest is frequently distinguished by his proper and special Character Well then he is obliged to let us see in Scripture such a frequent distinction of the Prelatical or Diocesan Bishop from the Pastor or Presbyter by such a Character as the Dr. makes special and Peculiar to him and exhibit his special Official difference therein and super eminent Authority over Pastors else he never touches the Point We hold that the Bishop and Presbyter are in Scripture alwise one Name and thing The Dr. grants that the High Priest and other Priests are not so but distinguished and therefore he brings an impertinent Paralel and exception anent the sometimes Community of Names of Priests and High-Priests unless he can otherwise than thus disprove and answer our Assertion Besides the Critical Disputant will here put him to prove that the inspired Writers of the New Testament followed the Phraseologie of the Iews in speaking of the New Testament-Church Officers especially since we find frequent recitations of them in a far other strain and Phrase and that in their several Classes and Degrees both ordinary and extraordinary as 1 Cor. 12.28 Rom. 12.6 7 8. Eph. 4.11 Moreover when in that place Levit 1. Aaron is called not merely the Priest but emphatice Aaron the Priest whose eminent immediat Call to the Priesthood is so clear and distinguished from his Sons the Priests mentioned in the plural in that very Passage
few Instances their Sense of the Apostolick and Pastoral Office And of a vast Number shall instance but a few First The Professors of Leyden Synops. Pur. Theol. Disput. 42. Thes. 17. They reckon among extraordinary Officers that of the Apostolat adding Prophets and Evangelists quorum vocatio say they fuit temporaria sub novo faedere ad Ecclesiae Dilatandae propagationem ordinata whose Vocation was temporary or transient as being ordained and appointed for the Propagation of the Church of the New Testament Thes. 18. They shew the ordinary Vocation to be that whereby Officers with ordinary Gifts performs the ordinary and Common Service of the Church such as that of Pastors and Doctors who promot the Edification of the Church through all Nations according to Christs Promise a temporibus Apostolorum per totum terrarum orbem dispersi edificationem quibus libet in locis promovendam usque ad finem mundi locum habebit juxta Christi promissionem Matth. 28.20 Ite Docete c. As being sent from the times of the Apostles for the Edification of the Church in every place to the end of the World according to Christs Promise Go teach all Nations Where it 's evident that the Apostolick Office as such in universum is by them held to be Extraordinary and that the Pastors and Doctors are their Successors as ordinary Ministers appointed for propagating the Church and promotting its Edification to the end of the World and that upon the Ground of and according to that same very Promise which this Pamphleter pleads to prove the standing Office of Apostolat to the End Thereafter having noticed Thes. 19. That the Apostle having Eph. 4.11 12. placed the three Extraordinary Officers in the first Rank they add Thes. 20. hos duos tantum extraordinariorum ac perpetuorum verbi Divini administratorum ordines ibidem conjunctim subjicit cum addit eundem Christum alios praeterea dedisse Pastores Doctores That the Apostle doth thereafter subjoyn in a Conjunction the Pastors and Doctors as the only perpetual Ministers given for the Edification of the Church Thes. 21. They thus describ the Apostolick Office Apostoli erant praecones Evangelii universales ad Ecclesiae Catholicae fundamentum quod est Christus ubique terrarum ponendum ab ipso Christâ— immediate atque extra ordinem missii dono absque errore alios docendi Doctrineque suae veritatem miraculis confirmandi a Deo instructi Citing Matth. 28.20 1 Cor. 3.10.11 Matth. 10.1 Ioh. 16.13 Act. 2.2 c. That the Apostles were universal Preachers of the Gospel sâ—nt by Christ for laying every where the Foundation of the Gospel Church instructed and furnished with the Gift of Teaching infallibly and confirming their Doctrine by Miracles having also an immediat and extraordinary Mission from him Which Sense is confirmed by the Passages above cited And here I appeal to all Men whether the learned Professors offer not the same Description and Characteristicks of the Apostolick Office which this Man makes the Opinion of the Scots Presbyterians and Socinians Further after the Description of the Extraordinary Office of Evangelists Thes. 23. The ordinary Pastoral Office is thus described Thes. 25. Pastores erant verbi divini dispensatores certis Ecclesiis docendis ac regendis ab Apostolis Evangelistis praefecti That the Pastors were Dispensers of the Word appointed for Governing and Teaching particular Churches by the Apostles and Evangelists Adding that their Office is described Act. 20. Viz to feed and Rule as Bishops set up by the Holy Ghost as also 1 Tim. 3. and Tit. 1. where their Office is clearly Identified with that of the Bishop Likewise 1 Pet. 5. where the same is evident The parts of the Pastoral Office common with the extraordinary Officers they hold to be 1. Populum Dei ex verbo Dei docere To Teach Gods People from his Word 2. eidem juxta Christi institutionem Sacramenta administrare To Administer Sacraments to them according to Christs Institution 3. pro eodem preces ad Deum fundere To Pour out Prayers for the People 4. â—um fraeno disciplinae Ecclesiasticae intra limites obedientiae Deo secundum verbum ipsius debitae contineri To keep them within the limits of Gospel obedience by the restraints of Ecclesiastick Discipline Citing Matth. 28. anent the grand Commission of Teaching and making Disciples c. and Mat. 18.17 where our Lord enjoins the ultimat appeal to be to the Collegiat Body of Church Officers So Act. 20.28 anent the Teaching and Governing Power entrusted to Pastors and Elders of Ephesus c. Now whether our Sense of the Apostolick Office of its extraordinary Nature and proper marks and essentials As also our Sense of the Pastoral Office be not the same with that of the Leyden Professors let any Judge And whether these Professors or we do in this strike hands with the Blasphemous Socinians as this Man has the Fore-head to affirm the Appeal is also made to all Men to judge Nay if he has not in this point blotted himself with the Stain of an infamous Calumniator especially it being evident that the Socinians in the place Cited by him do absolutly deny a Ministerial Mission and Authority whom the Learned Professors in that same Passage Cite for this together with some other places of Socinus and refute the same Thes. 6.7 8 9 10 c. Let us hear next the Professors of Saumâ—r whom we will find Fully to accord with us in this Point in contradiction to our Calumnious Dr. de divers Minist grad Thes. 7. extraordinariorum Ministrorum tres fuerunt gradus seu ordines Apostoli Prophetae Evangelistae De Apostolis planum eos supremum inter Evangelii Ministros constituere gradum quorum hae supra reliquos preregativae c. That the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists were the three degrees of extraordinary Ministers of whom the Apostles had the first place Having these Prerogatives beyond others which they thus recite 1. Quod a Domino nostro Iesu Christo immediate vocati c. That they were called immediatly by Jesus Christ to the Office of Preaching the Gospel to all Nations citing Matth. 28.18.19 2. Quod ita a Spiritu sancto instructi c. That they were so furnished by the Spirit of GOD and lead into all Truth that they were infallible in Teaching since otherwayes their Function and Mission had been in vain had it been Lawful to disbelieve them in their Teaching 3. Quod nulli loco vel Ecclesiae singulari addicti That they were fixt to no place or particular Church but were to preach the Gospel and govern the Churches through all places of the World according to the Spirits Conduct 4. Quod pluribus majoribus c. That they were beyond all other Ministers endued with more excellent and various Gifts of the Spirit according to 1 Cor. 14.18 where Paul magnifies his gift of Tongues above all others And mentioning the conferring the miraculous
shape Prelat's Diocesses by this Standart he will extend his Measures far beyond Ephesus What more is contained in those addressed Injunctions His relation to that Church saith the Dr. and the perpetuity of his Power But we have above made appear that these Injunctions can no more evince a peculiar Relation to that Church than to others where he exercised his Evangelistick Office as well as in that of Ephesus And for the perpetuity of the Power we have told him that the intimation of Timothie's transient Employment in that Church presented in the beginning of the Epistle the express Command of doing the work of an Evangelist therein an Office acknowledged by Protestant Divines to be expired the Apostles express recalling him from this transient Employment to the further prosecuting of his Office else where as likewise his ascribing the whole Episcopal Power after this to the Pastors of this Church of Ephesus in Timothie's presence without the least hint of his Interest therein convinceth this assertion of Falsehood But to prove that his Power was not transient but successive and perpetual the Dr. presents unto us the Apostolical Command put upon him to commit his Power to faithful Men who shall be able to teach others This proves indeed a Succession of a teaching Ministry and of the Scripture Bishops and Pastors who must be apt to teach and hold fast the faithful Word But that it imports a committing his Evangelistick Authority to Successors is the Dr's Anti-scriptural Dream Wherein he runs cross 1. To the Judgement of sound Interpreters as all know since they understand by that which was to be intrusted to these Faithful Men the Doctrine of the Gospel not the Authority of Timothy 2. He doth herein cross the Scope Context And that in three Points 1. In that there is here a Plurality of Successors supposed to whom this was to be committed And if Timothie's Authority was to be devolved upon a Plurality Dr. farewel the Derivation of an Episcopal Power to a single Successor 2. The great Characteristick of these Faithful Men is as is said that they be apt to teach which is the very Character of the Pastor Chap. 3.2 3. The thing which is to be committed is That which Timothy had heard of Paul Sciz The true Doctrine of the Gospel and the Pastoral Charge thereanent which is likewise intrusted to all Ministers of the Word Act. 20. Tit. 1.9 But the Dr. will needs have that which is enjoyned in this Precept which is Faithfulness and Ability to teach others to be by Timothy committed to a single Successor as it was in solidum his sole Prerogative Really Dr. this is at least slender Dealing of Charity What! All Faithful Teaching monopolized in the person of the Bishop committed to him in solidum excluding Pastors Many will suppose that if this Work be enhanced in the Bishop the Diocess will be meanly fed especially since besides his personal incapacity to feed the whole Diocess his Sermons drops very rarely and many poor Sheep may starve in the interval But to proceed the Dr. ibid. will have his Adversaries to grant That Timothy 's power exercised over Ephesus was the very same which he pleads for as due to Bishops in their particular Sees That he had an Evangelistick Power we grant and that Bishops take or usurp an Authority and Inspection which with some Presbyterians is said to have an apparent Resemblance of that of Timothy is true But that the Function exercised by Prelats is one and the same with that of Timothy is denyed For 1. We have proved that neither Apostles nor Evangelists had a fixed or ordinary Authority over particular Churches or any such special Relation thereunto as Prelats do pretend 2. We made appear that the Authority which they exercised was not exclusive of or paramount unto the ordinary Authority and Decisive Power of Pastors in Government that in Churches constitute they had neither a sole Power nor sole Exercise of Ordination and Jurisdiction such as Prelats assume who according to the Nature of that Government are the proper sole Pastors of the Diocess and the whole power of Order and Jurisdiction is properly and originally seated in them no Pastor having any thing of this or the Exercise thereof but according as it is lett out or derived to them at the Bishops pleasure For they deny universally that the Pastoral Office hath in its Nature included any Interest in Government Now this Dominion over Church Judicatories thus exclusive of all Authority of Pastors in Government no Evangelist nay nor Apostle ever exercised it being such a Dominion in the House of GOD as is disowned and discharged by them 2 Cor. 1. ult 1 Pet. 5.2 3. Besides the Dr. knows that he pleads for a power in Civils and a Civil Peerage as due to Prelats which he dare not say that Apostles or Evangelists ever exercised nor can he or any of his Party make it appear that the Apostles gave the least shadow of a Warrand for it in their Doctrine But to proceed the Dr. adds ibid. That we pretend that Timothy exercised his power in the Church of Ephesus under the Notion of an Evangelist not as proper Bishop of Ephesus That he was enjoyned and accordingly exercised this Office and had a Command put upon him to perform the Work of an Evangelist there is that which under this prodigiously profound Dâ—'s Correction a Man tinctured with the New Scots Opinion viz The â—postle Paul pretends And this Office we hold to be distinct toto coelo â—â—om that of the Bishop The Dr. saith he will examine this afterward wherein I shall afterwards trace and search him But at present the Dr. will have some things to be granted which cannot be denyed If such indeed its pitty the Dr. were denyed so just a Demand What are these First That the power which Timothy exercised was Lawful in it self GOD forbid we should assert that Paul enjoyned or authorized an unlawful power But Lawful and Law being Correlats the good Dr. will allow us to Distinguish Lawful into that which is so upon ground of a Standing Law or Ordinance And that which is so upon a temporal and transitory Precept and authorized by an Extraordinary Authority for the time Which might be exemplified in a multiplicity of clear Scripture Instances if we were not discoursing with a venerable Dr. who can distinguish General and Special Ordinary and Extraordinary Precepts c. Lawful in their own time and Circumstances We know the Apostolick Universal Authority was Lawful writing authentick binding Epistles in the Execution of this Authority constituting Officers Church by Church modelling them in their Organick Being delivering to them the Ordinances their Disciplining all Nations laying on Hands in order to the Spirits Miraculous Gifts anoynting the Sick with Oyl in order to the healing of them c. What next The Doctor in the Second Place will have us grant That this power was practised by Timothy
Pools Annot. with several others take to be only the Signification of his Judgement upon the Question in Correspondence to what Peter had before spoken As for Simeons Succession to Iames in Ierusalem and Hegesippus Account of the Succession of Bishops there It is spoken to above and what Credit is to be given to the supposed Catalogue of Bishops in Ierusalem and other pretended Diocesses For what he adds of Calvin's Judgement upon Gal. 2.9 As favouring his Opinion I Answer Calvin takes him indeed to be among Eminent Apostles viz. In Moral Respects prudentia aliis dotibus as he expones the word Pillar and attributs the same Eminency to Peter and Iohn And speaking of his presiding in the Council he doth not positively assert the Ground which the Dr. alledges but problematically with a fortassis id factum c. And even granting his Admission of a Presidency the Consequence of an Official Presidency and as importing a Majority of Power far less eo nomine as formally Bishop there is so very gross and obviously impertinent as any with half an Eye may discover it The Dr. tells us That his Scripture Instances do plainly demonstrat that the Apostolical or Episcopal Authority was conveyed to single persons in the first Plantations of Christianity What Demonstrations these are I refer to the Reader to Judge from what is above replyed such sure as are not adapted to any Rules that hitherto hath been heard of whereof this is a very clear Demonstration that the Dr. in this Peroration and refined Summ and Conclusion of his supposed mighty preceeding Demonstrations hath pronounced as great None-sense as ever was spoken or written Which I demonstrat thus from the Series of his Reasoning In his Sense the Apostolick and Episcopal Office is one and equal and Apostles as such were Superior to all Church Officers except Bishops their proper Successors in Official Authority Now here is a Successor Bishop preferred to all Apostles eo nomine as Successor-Bishop yet deriving in his Sense also an Apostolat only And which is yet odder succeeding to an Apostolick Office who was an Apostle before and by his Confession thus related unto and having an Official Authority respecting the Church Universal Yet when his Charge is Restricted to Jerusalem as his proper Post and Diocess he doth upon this Ground Transcend all the Apostles in Official Authority If any will sodder these Assertions together and reconcile them to sound Sense and Divinity he must be better skilled than all Vulcan's Gimmerers The Dr. will not insist upon the Presbyterians imaginary and superficial Exceptions which they have invented They must be such because he saith it and save him from a Concern in Scanning them No doubt if as Superficial and Imaginary as his Demonstrations their Inventions were very shallow The Dr. brings next P. 114. the Trite Argument taken from the seven Asiatick Angels And first tells us of Salmasius taking the Angels as denoting the Churches the Denomination being taken from the purer Part of these Cities to which Christ wrote To which he replyes from the distinction of the Churches from the Angels Rev. 1.20 And that the Sense would thus be to the Church of the Churches Not to detain him much here we only tell him that whatever Salmasius Sense or Escape might be in this he cannot deny that in the Sense and Judgement of the Body of all Presbyterians the Angels are distinguished from the Churches as the Church Representative is from the Church Collective Besides himself acknowledges P. 115. That the Heavenly Admonitions are first addressed to the Angels and by them were Communicated to the Churches As at the close of every Epistle all are called to hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches And he will not doubt that Salmasius distinguisheth Ministers from Church Members in this Point and the Church Members concern in all that is written he can less doubt Besides that Salmasius words will hardly bear his critical and saucy Construction who calls them a silly subterfuge since he may be supposed to compare only the Populi purior pars as he Terms it with the rest of the Inhabitants of these Towns so that the Address distininguisheth them from others And the Angel of the Church in his Sense will import only the Church in such a City not the Church of such a Church But the Dr. will not have the Angel a Multitude but one single Angel presiding over Presbyters and People We have already made appear that the Collective Sense of the Term Angel is most suâ—eable to Scripture and the Scope of this Book But the Dr. will needs loose the Objection taken from the Plural Address of the Angel which he thus propones That some Instructions there are in these Epistles in which others beside the Angels are particularly admonished This is a piece of our Dr's petty Sophistry He must make the knot easie that he may know how to loose it The very proposing of this Objection is a yeelding of the Cause For if in this Plural Address these others addressed be not the Angel then there is no Plural Address of the Angel himself or Representation of the Term Angel in a Plural Mould But had the Dr. intended to Dispute not to triffle in proposing a simple Foppery in stead of a Presbyterian Objection he should have told his Reader that we hold and do exhibit Instances of it that the Angel himself is addressed Plurally and bespoken so in these Epistles as a plurality of Officers appear evidently to be pointed at by thâ— Term Angel As particularly when it is said To you and the rest in Thyatira Rev. 2.24 Thus likewise v. 10. Fear none of these things which thou shall suffer Behold the Devil shalt cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation c. Be thou faithful unto death Well what saith he to this Objection Why The Epistle is no less addressed to the single Angel than that of the Philippians is to the whole Church at Philippi though Paul useth particular Compellations Chap. 4.2.3 I entreat thee also true Yoke-fellow help those Women c. But good Dr. here is both a particular special distinct Precept and under such a Compellation as is in tâ—rminis separat and distinguished from the Body of the Church and those general Precepts addressed thereunto So that there is no shadow of a Paralel when the Angel is plurally Addressed for the Precept and Injunction is the very same Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer There 's a relative pointing at the single Term Angel Then the Devil shall cast you that ye may be tryed Be thou faithful c. There the same persons are addressed and spoken to both singlely as one Angel and plurally as many that in reference to the same very individual Purpose and Duty the Speech running on both to the same Persons and the same Scope So that to use the Dr's
Phrase in reference to Salmasius his Answer to this Objection appears to be a silly subterfuge fit for nothing but to move their Laughter who are seen in this Debat and unworthy to have been uttered much less printed by a Man who sets a D. D. to his Name The Dr. cannot but know that the pinch of this Debate and state of the Question betwixt him and us is Whether all that 's spoken of this Angel can be competent to one individual the contrary whereof Presbyterians have made good and not anent the Concerns of particular Persons in some special Precepts of a general Epistle which is in terminis addressed to the whole Church The Dr. adds as another mighty Answer That the second Epistle to Timothy is addressed to him alone tho the Conclusion be to all the Faithful at Ephesus Ans That the second Epistle to Timothy is addressed to him immediatly no Body doubts As for that Conclusion The Lord Iesus be with thy Spirit Grace be with you there can nothing thence be inferred but that the Apostle in the Precepts addressed to Timothy designed the Good of the whole Church And altho what is contained in the Epistle have this general Scope yet it is to be applyed pro unius cujusque modulo and Peoples Duties and that of Ministers are to be distinguished But in the plural Adress of the Angel the same Duties are as is said enjoyned to the same Persons and to the same Scope And the Mystical Term Angel is represented in a plain plural Mould as pointing at a Plurality of Church Officers Besides that in this Conclusion the People are distinguished from the person of Timothy So that the Conclusion doth not solely and immediatly reach them But this holds not paralel with the Direction of an Epistle to a Plurality thus Mystically represented by one single Angel The Dr. adds further That the Bishops of the Asiatick Churches are said to be Angels in Imitation of the Jews among whom the High Priest was dignified with that Name as Mal. 2.7 Where the Word Messenger may be translated Angel I like not the Doctor 's Iewish Imitations If the Pattern was drawn from Mal. 2.7 Even granting this to the Dr that the Term Angel is with Allusion to that Term of Messenger the Term and Designation is Scriptural And had his Eyes been single he might in looking upon that Text have found that the Term of Messenger and Priest hath a plural Signification And consequently our Exposition of the single Term Angel in a Collective Sense in these Epistles and Application of the Plural Address to the single Angel to be Exemplified in that Scripture But the Dr. will needs suppose gratis and Magisterially Dictat unto us his Petitio Principii That the High Priest only was Dignified with that Name But he and his Fore-leader Dr. Hammond hath piâ—ifully mist the Mark in this Notion it being palpable that the Scope is to direct the Lords Priests and Ministers in their common Duties to which they were called and to say that the High Priest alone was here designed and intended will infer that the first Verse of that Chapter O ye Priests this Commandment is for you is to be understood only of the High Priest that he alone was concerned to give Glory to the Lords Name as is enjoyned in the 2. Verse and he alone threatned in the same Verse with a Curse to be inflicted upon his Blessings that he alone was to have the Law of Truth in his Mouth and to keep knowledge as Verses 6 7. and that at his Mouth only the Law was to be sought Whereas all the Priests were Teachers and Solemnly Addressed the People in Teaching together with Moses himself Deut. 27.9 10. and were sent to Teach the People 2 Chron. 17.8 Besides that had the Dr. been through in Searching this Controversie he might have found that as the Term Levi represents in this Chapter the Multitude of Levites so Presâ—â—terians do plead that the Term Angel whereby the Officers of every Church of Asia is represented hath nothing peculiar in it beside what is applicable to every Minister of the Gospel whose Angelick Frame as well as Office and Authority is hereby pointed out And therefore cannot in this place Indigitat an Officer Superior to Pastors or Ministers The Dr. asserts That the Angels Authority was extended to Laity and Clergy But he must be admonished that his new Term of Clergy and Laity were not then begot and he must prove not assert without Proof this his alledged Extension of the single Angel or Prelat his Power and Authority The Dr. pleads that the Faults of the Churches are imputed to the Angels because of their Spiritual Power to Reform and Chastise these Abuses Ans. No doubt Ministers have great influence upon the good or ill Frame of Churches and this will say as much yea much more for us than for the Dr for upon our Supposition of a Plurality of Pastors Addressed in the Angel it s much more suteable to suppose a Peoples good or ill Frame and Spiritual Condition to be influenced by the good or bad Carriage of their Pastors who have an immediat Inspection over them than to suppose it flows merely from the good or bad Carriage of one Prelat set over their Clergy and themselves this Inspection being the more remote And the Dr. knows we may call in an old gray Hair'd Witness Experience to testifie that there hath sometimes been some diligent Pastors and a thriving People in a Diocess where the Bishop hath been naught And besides that the Dr. here pitifully beggs the Question he should have seen how to evite the Inconvenience of Timothy so eminently commended for his Faithfulness Stedfastness and Piety his falling as Bishop of Ephesus from his first Love and by his bad Carriage influencing this bad Frame in that Church and leading them wrong As likewise he should have seen how to make it appear that the Important Duties of Faithfulness holding fast what is attained not to Fear Sufferings Warnings of a Prison Tryal c. are applicable to one Person solely As likewise how several of these evils charged upon the Churches could be the Objects of the Bishops supposed Spiritual Chastising Power such as their Dead Frame Falling from their first Love c. The Dr. ibid. will in the next place loose the Objection taken from Rev. 2.24 But unto you I say and to the rest in Thyatira Whence he tells us we plead that the Epistles were directed to a Community because the Compellation is in the Plural To this he Answers That the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is left out in the most Ancient Manuscripts particularly the Alexandrian preserved in the Royal Library 'T is pity the Dr or a Man of his Sense was not called in to Instruct or Inform our last Translators whâ— were no doubt as favourable to the Episcopal Cause as he though I will not say they would have allowed all
his Methods in Pleading and he will not doubt of their diligent Searching the Original Text and that they knew of these Manuscripts as well as Dr. Hammond and he yet do render the Text with the Conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Current of all the Greek Copies It s strange that the Dr. hath the Confidence upon the Supposition of one Copy or of two at most reading the Text without the Conjunction to assert that the most Ancient Manuscripts do thus read it as if these two deserved that Character and might stand good against the whole Body of all the Greek Copies wherein this Particle is found yea the whole Body of all Translators as hath been Instanced unto him by Presbyterian Writers We have above made appear that the Text cannot be consonantly read Read to the scope or contexture without the Conjunction since after that our Lord in vers 23. gives this general warning I will give unto every one of you according to yâ—ur Works c. He adds but unto you and unto the rest in Thyatira viz you Ministers and the People in that Church contradistinct from others c. The Dr will needs have the words we insist on applicable to those mentioned in the latter end of the 23 verse and not properly to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira And this is his Answer even upon the supposition of our Reading with the conjunction which he is forced to acknowledge is the common Reading and thus discovers his folly in opposing two suppâ—sed Copies to it His Reason is that they are the other Churches of Asia which because mentioned in the Speech directed to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira the immediat transition from him to them is natural and easie and all the Churches shall know viz the Churches of Asia shall know that I am He which searcheth the Reins and hearts v. 24. But unto you i. e. saith the Dr. the Churches of Asia c. Thus he scor's out and expungeth the adversative particle But in 24 verse clearly limiting the you here and distinguishing it from the more extensive you in verse 23. I hope the Dr saw no Copies reading the Text without the adversative particle But The Dr. says because the Particle they in v. 23 is understood of all the Churches of Asia in the Speech directed to Thyatira the Transition from him to them is easie and natural all the Churches of Asia shall know c. But unto you i. e. the Churches of Asia c. If this be not an offering violence to the Text nothing ever was For after that our Lord hath added a general appendant motive v. 23. that by this stroak on Iezebel all the Churches shall know viz the Asian Churches that he is a searcher of the Reins and Hearts c. He returns to an express Application and Address of the Speech to Thyatira 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First in general by the discriminating But or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly in an express mention of Thyatira And that we may not mistake it for a general partition of the Churches of Asia unto those of Thyatira and others as the Dr. dreams he expresly in terminis thus restricts the phrase and address to that particular Church to you and the rest in Thyatira not to you in all Asia The Dr will not deny that in this clause the you and the rest are distinguished and within distinct Limits and Marches but so cannot those of Thyatira be distinguished from the Churches of Asia whereof they are a part For what he adds of Beza's Acknowledgment of the Angel to be a Praeses we have already made appear how insignificant this is to bear the weight of his conclusion of a Prelatical Presidency here supposed since he owns him only as a Moderator or Praeses of the Meeting by the Dr's acknowledgement But the Dr. tells us he makes him in a ridiculous manner a Weekly or Monthly Modâ—rator This Charge of the Dr's is ridiculous Beza only pleading against the fixed Moderator which with him is the Episcopus humanus without mentioning any such Limits of time as the Dr. Imputes unto him The Dr. will needs remove the Objection taken from the Angels not being called Bishops to which he returns That neither Baptism nor the Sacrament of the Lords Supper are called Sacraments though we express the Scripture Sense of these Institutions when so terming them But by his favour this Objection is not so inconsiderable as he imagins nor his Answer so considerable for if the Apostles Scope was to point out the Nature and Office of the Diocesan Bishop whom the Dr. distinguishes from inferior Officers and owns him as distinguished by this term Bishop which he knows to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in terminis a Scripture term and epithet such as is not the word Sacrament it should seem this discriminating term should here have been made use of rather than a more general Term aplicable to all Pastors And in a word when he shall make the Divine institution of the Diocesan Bishop appear in Scripture then his Paralel answer with reference to Terms of Trinity and Sacraments expressing what is revealed in Scripture though not in Scripture Terms shall be admitted as valid But till then must make up the Number of the rest of the Dr's gratis supposita and beggings of the Question The Dr. will needs have the whole Question to be determined by the Ancients affirmation of a Prelatical Succession to Apostles And next by their insisting on this Succession in their Disputes with Hereticks And in the Third place by the resolution of this doubt whether we may safely Lean on their Authority and Tradition in an affair of this Consequence What Credit is to be given to the Ancients in this Poinâ— and what strength is in the Argument drawn from their supposed Testimony in reference to our perswasion of the Divine Right of Prelacy is above fully cleared And our scope being to trace only the Dr. in his pretended Scripiure-proofs we leave him sufficiently exposed in this Point of Antiquity by those who have fully examined him and traced his human Proofs on these heads Wishing him a Sounder heart and more sincere diligence in this Controversy FINIS A REVIEW and EXAMINATION OF THE Scripture-Grounds UPON WHICH The AUTHOR of the Survey of Naphtali Supposed to be Mr. Andrew Honyman Bishop of Orkney Pleads for the LAWFULNESS of the Episcopal Office Where the Arguments of the IV. Chap. of his II. PART are Discussed CHAP I A Consideration of the Scripture Grounds upon which the Surveyer pleads for the Lawfulness of the Episcopal Office TO Examin with as Succinct Perspicuity as we can the Surveyers Scripture Pleadings for Episcopacy in this 4 th Chap. It is in the first place to be noticed how that he was afraid to set his Foot upon such Slippery Ground as to plead directly for the Necessity of Prelacy upon a Divine or
Christian Church as there was a Supreme High Priest set over the Iewish so-that this Argument proving too much and beyond his Assertion proves nothing 3. It is enough to found the allusion that there be some likeness of the things compared and thus in this Case there being in the Jewish Church Courts a sutable Subordination of the Lesser to the greater and a Correspondent Official Power seated therein the allusion stands good intire and evident upon this ground that Christian Church Courts are of such a Nature The Surveyer P. 207.208 makes his next Assault upon our Argument for the Official identity of Bishop and Presbyter drawn from Act. 20.17 28. where the Elders of the Church sent for by Puul to Miletus are called Bishops And from Tit. 1.5 7. where he that 's called an Elder is called also a Bishop and the Names are used as Synonimâ—us so 1 Pet. 5.1.2 the Elders are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as have oversight over the Flock The Argument with the Surveyer runs thus If there were no Bishops in the Apostles days differing from Presbyters in Office there ought to be none now But there were none such in the Apostles days Ergo We do for Brevity rest upon this hint of Argument having spoken to it above as deducible from these Texts His fiâ—st Answer is That the first proposition is not so indubitable as it seems And his proof is that Beza though holding the Scripture Bishop and Presbyter to be â—ne and the same yet acknowledges the Lawfulness of that Episcopacy which he calls human And therefore though no such Bishops had been in the Apostles time the Churches appointment of such a Constitution guided by the Spirit might be a fit means for Conservation of Peace Ans. First The Surveyers founding the unsoundness of the proposition upon the supposed sentiments of Beza as it appears palpably unsound unless Beza were supposed infallible so it is evident and if we could here stay upon it might be made good at large from many Passages of Beza which we have elsewhere produced that he disowns the human Prostasie as a recess from the Divine appointment and the fiâ—st step of the Churches defection in point of Government On Philip. 1.1 he tells us of the community of the Name of Bishop and Presbyter which Continued till he who was in the Assembly set over the rest began to be peculiarly called the Bishop from hence saith he the Devil began to lay the first Foundation of Tyrannie in the Church of GOD. And discoursing further of the Ascension that was made from Bishops to the higher Officers of the Hierarchy till it came to Patriarchs c. He hath this remarkable Passage at the close of his Discourse Behold of how great moment and consequence it is to decline even in a hair-breadth from the Word of GOD. Now this Surveyer might have pondered what Sense or Divinity it could be in him or Beza to assert that the Church is guided by the Spirit in her declinings from the word of GOD. To this Scope we might Cite many Passages of Beza See for brevity Beza ad Cap. 9. apud Sarav num 20. Beza Resp. C. 11. N. 3. Likewise in Quest. 2. Referent Sarav P. 92. In which Passages and many such like we find him clearly condemning this Human Prostasie in so far as transcending the Limits of a Moderators Office The Surveyer next coming to the Second proposition of the Argument tells us That its sooner affirmed than proven that there were no Bishops in the Apostles days differing from Presbyters in the modern notion And he compares the Presbyterians to the Melancholick Man in Athens who concerned himself in every Ship arriving in the Harbour as his own property A Charge easily retorted since in such like Hypochondriack distempers the Surveyer as his Fellows would needs have the Hierarchical Bishop of their New Notion to be lodged under the Denomination of the Scripture Bishop Yea and in a Distemper beyond that of the Man at Athens will often lap him under the Denomination of a Presbyter where there is not so much as an appearance of this auspicious arriving Vessel The Surveyer tells us That the Name of Presbyter is not in Holy Scripture a distinguishing Name of one sort of Officers from all others although sometimes the Scripture requires that it must be looked on as Distinguishing those that are under that Name from other Officers Ans. The proposition he impugns is That in the Apostles days there were no Bishops Superior to Presbyters no Ordinary Officers of the Hierarchical Mould or Bishops of his Modern Notion That from these places Cited it is aparent that the Ordinary Church Officers Instituted by Apostles were Bishops and Presbyters of the same Official Mould and Authority to whom the Feeding and Governing of the Church is enjoyned promiscuously And all his Answer to the Proposition amounts to this that the Name of Presbyter is sometimes a more general Name than to point at an ordinary Officer An Answer utterly remote from the Point as is obvious to any that considers That it touches not 1. The Official Identity of the Bishop and Presbyter in the Passages Cited and their equal Official Authority as ordinary Church Officers given to Feed and Rule the Church jointly which is a necessary Consequence of the former 2. The unwarrantableness of such an Officer as the Hierarchical Prelat whose Office encroaches upon and robs them of that Power allowed them of GOD which is another Necessary Consequence drawn from this Ground This Charge is the more evident in that he hath acknowledged that sometimes these Names of Bishop and Presbyter distinguishes those that are under the same from other Officers And in the Passages Cited he cannot but acknowledge them thus distinguished Sure they are so at least for any thing he hath said He tells us he will in this and other Considerations remove our Mistake But sure he hath here presented his own He adds P. 209. That in the Rehearsal of Church Officers 1 Cor. 12.28 with Eph. 4.11 Presbyters are not in the Number though Bishops and they are comprehend under the Name of Pastors and Teachers which shews that the Name is not appointed to design any certain Order of Ministers Ans. The Surveyer could not but grant that the Hierarchical Bishop according to his modern Notion as distinguished by this Name from the Pastor or Presbyter is in none of these Rolls and therefore upon his own Principle this Name is not appointed to design any certain Order of Ministers And where is then his warrand for the Hierarchical Bishop as thus distinguished Likewise the Surveyer very unhappily made the Name of Teacher the Characteristick of his Hierarchical Bishop who looks upon Teaching as none of his work nor is Chargeable qua Prelat with any deficiency in his Office though his Sermons drop but once or twice pro forma and on Solemnities from one years and to another In a word as the
Right he calls partly Ecclesiastick Again the Text ascribs an Episcopal Authority and oversight to these Elders and Bishops which as is said in former Cases and Instances overthrows the Hierarchical Prelats sole arrogated Power in Ordination and Jurisdiction It hath further this unlucky aspect upon my Lord Bishop that the Bishops or Elders here are enjoined an immediat Ministerial Inspection over the Flocks and diligently to Feed the same by sound Doctrin are forbidden to be Lords over GODs Heretage much more to be Peers in Parliament which pitifully plucks the Plums of their Lordships Grandure and marrs their Figure in Herauldry They are bidden beware of the Filthy Lucre which will much straiten their Revenues which doth so far overstretch the allowed Maintainance of a Laborious Pastor But of this enough CHAP. III. Some more Exceptions and Answers of the Surveyer examined Viz To that Passage 1 Cor. 5 To that of Eph. 4 11. To which the Paralels 1 Cor 12.28 Rom 12 6 7 8 are to be joyned To that Passage Philip 1 1. And to 1 Tim 4 14 His unsoundness and inconsistency therein further made appear PRoceed we to that considerable Text 1 Cor. 5. the energy and force whereof in order to the evincing a Presbyterial Authoririty of Pastors in that Church is above spoken to He tells us It is alledged that the Church of Corinth not having a Bishop â—is acknowledged by the Apostle to have the Power of Ecclesiastiâ—k censures even of Excommunication and is reproved for not executing these Censures and exhorted speedily to execute the same that hence it is concluded seeing this Apostolick Church was so Constitut with such a Power of Excommunication by its own Officers and Presbyters without a Bishop that therefore all other Churches should have the same Power according to the Word of GOD. In Answer to this the Surveyer not unlike a Fugitive Criminal who will flee to a place of the greatest hazard otherways so he may escape the Pursuer Fleeth to the exploded Notion of the Independents a Party standing in most opposit Terms to the Episcopalians telling us that this Power of Iurisdiction and Censure is not found here in the Eldership or in them alone since the whole Church is spoken to in this Matter There is Fornication among you ye are puffed up c. and all the Saints Are concerned of whom he saith they Judge them that are within That it were strange that Elders who are not named should be concerned and not the People who are expresly named that there is no more mention of the Governing Presbytrie there than of the Governing Bishop Ans. The Surveyer here is so unhappy as to Raze the Foundation of all his pleading which if it have any foundation at all must needs be grounded upon and suppose a Distinction of the Church Representative and Collective Church Officers and Church Members Nay he Cuts the Throat of his Assertion P. 203. That there is an Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction and Censure and Disciplin Established in the Church for keeping Gods Ordinances in Purity which no person of common Sense or Reason can but ascribe to a distinct Select Society from the whole Community For if all were Correctors and Rulers there is no Correlate of this Relative Power or persons to be Ruled If he understand the Passage Do not ye Iudge them that are within of a Jurisdictional Power and Authority it must needs have some Object and consequently must have for its Subject some Select Order of Men distinct from the Collective Body Next who knows not that the Directions Generally addressed in the Epistles to the whole Incorporation or Body of the Church are to be understood and applyed pro unius cujusque Modulo according to Persons several places and capacities though the General Address supposes still the General Concern of all When the Apostle thus enjoins Warn them that are unruly and again if any obey not our Word in this Epistle mark that Man which all do understand of a Censuring mark as the word imports who will alledge that these Authoritative Acts were competent to every individual The Surveyer foreseeing this tells us P. 212. That though this in some things will hold yet in the usual Stile of the Apostolick Epistles there are distinctive Notes and Periods that each person may know the Precepts wherein they are concerned and Apostrophees made to several Ranks as Ministers Masters Servants to evite a dangerous Confusion And upon the same ground an acknowledged Iurisdiction in any of the Presbyters would have here procured a distinguishing of them from the People Ans. The Surveyers Concession That sometimes Precepts are not to be applyed and appropriat to all distributively but respectively according as several persons or sorts of Persons are concerned in these Commands contained in Epistles directed to the collective Body hath razed the Foundation of this Answer which from the Non-nomination of Elders concludes the collective Body of the People to be addressed only and stiffled it in the Birth Since he must acknowledge that sometimes peculiar Duties and such wherein some persons only have a special Interest are thus promiscuously and generally propounded and even in this same Epistle And then it would have suted his Thoughts to ponder how in this Case he could evite his own Consequence and Charge of a dangerous Confusion following thereupon unless he quite the Topick of this his Argument and Reason It would have likewayes suted his thoughts to assign his distinctive Notes and Apostrophees in the Passages cited and the Apostles Precepts touching the Lords Supper in the 11. Chap. As likewayes to assign such in the Passages which do intrust a Jurisdictional Power to Elders I mean such distinctive Notes and Apostrophees as would have distinguished the Bishop properly so called from his Minor and improperly so called Bishops in order to the eviting the Confusion of their Offices and to cut off the dangerous Presbyterian Consequence and Error of understanding the Bishop and Presbyter to be Indentified in Name and Thing He acknowledged that in some things this our Answer will hold And sure if in any Case it must in this where Rulers are supposed Existent and a competent knowledge of their Official Authority both in themselves and the People The Surveyer adds That there is a deep silence concerning Presbyters Iurisdiction or a fixed Presbytrie at Corinth at this time though there were Teachers and Eminent Teachers Extraordinary Prophets 1 Cor. 14. Ans. The Surveyer will not disowne that in that 1 Cor. 14. There is a Tryal and an Examination of the Doctrine ascribed to these Teachers therefore he cannot deny them the Authority of Iudging those that are within mentioned 12. v. of 5. Ch. But for the Surveyers deep silence which he alledges of a Presbyterial Jurisdiction here he might have found it removed by a full Scripture Sound had he pondered First in General the Jurisdictional Power ascribed to Pastors and Teachers such as is imported in these
impeach the intrinsick ordinary Authority of the Church Officers in the inflicting of that Censure though this Miraculous Effect attending the same were ascribeable to Apostolick Authority Again the Surveyer in the Series of his Reasoning shutting up both the Sentence in its self and this Miraculous Appendant which two he must needs distinguish unless he totally deny the Right of Excommunication in the Churches within the Sphere of an Apostolick Prerogative renders useless and casts a blot upon several Clauses of the Sacred Text such as their Solemn Meeting together here enjoyned and that expresly in order to the delivering of the Man to Satan which doth include the intire Sentence and Punishment and that this Punishment is expresly said to be inflicted by many viz. the Church Officers as distinct from the Church Members for thus they are called in Opposition to the Collective Body Besides that the Apostle in this Passage joyning first in their gathering together and then mentioning his Spiritual Confirming Presence holds out that the first was an Authoritative gathering together the other a Confirming Approbation for their Encouragement in this Exercise of their intrinsick Power and Authority as all Sound Interpreters take it Again the Separating here enjoyned must be an Active Iudicial Separating this Person from them as the Leper and Unclean Person under the Law was thus separat from the Congregation which doth import an Authoritative Interest of Church Rulers in putting forth this Censuring Act whereas the Surveyer makes it a consequential withdrawing only from a Person already Censured The Surveyer in his third Answer tells us That though a Censuring Power were in these Church Officers it can make nothing for us unless we could prove they were single Presbyters in the Modern Notion There were Prophets here above ordinary Officers who might have this Power and it is uncertain whether ordinary Presbyters were here settled Ans. The Surveyer hath forgot that he hath acknowledged upon that Passage 1 Cor. 12. That there were here such Pastors and Teachers as will include the Bishops and likewise Presbyters Besides that the Apostle diversifies the Ordinary and Extraordinary Gifts v. 8.9.10 Likewise he knew there were in Corinth many Instructers and such as were settled in every Church Act 13.1 2 3. Compared with Ch. 14.23 Viz. Preaching Elders and Presbyters so that he could not with any Shadow of Reason suppose they were all extraordinary Officers And in a word if he asserted there were here mixed Officers he not only made the Power and Authority of the extraordinary Officers to swallow up that of the Pastors but likewise he crossed his monopolizing this extraordinary Power in the Apostle Again since he could not say the Apostle in these Injunctions doth by distinctive notes or Apostrophees diversify the Ordinary from the Extraordinary Officers in the point of this high Jurisdictional Act he baffled and excluded his First Answer And in a word giving by this Answer a Jurisdictional Power and Authority in this Act to a Collegiat Meeting of Church Officers and asserting that it was joyntly thus put forth by them he did thus bid farewell to my Lord Bishops singular prerogative in this Matter and generally in Point of Government His last Answer is That if this Power were supposed in the ordinary Church Officers of Corinth they might have had this by delegation and Commission of the Apostle But where did the Surveyer read this Commission What account can he give of such a delegated Power beyond the Essential Authority of Pastors to deliver to Satan purge out the old Leaven to meet together for this great Jurisdictional Act And why was the Apostle Paul so fatally Cross to the Diocesan Prelat as not to deliver this Commission to him But we must know this Chimerical fancy stands upon the strong Pillar of this infallible Surveyers may be or might be and this is all the proof we must expect But what is the last shift and dead lift We are told next That this Instance of the Church of Corinth is but one which cannot make a Rule without the sure knowledge of the Divine Direction which the Apostâ—les had to keep an uniform course in such extâ—rnal Mattâ—rs Ans. As none will say that the Apostles did constitute the Christian Church as a speckled Bird with a Hetrogenous or various Mixtures of forms of Government so in this Pâ—int they had their Masters great Rules and Measures prescribed to them and such Rules as overthrows the Hierarchical Bishop First We may remind the great Rule in Mat. 18. recommending a subordination of lesser to greater Judicatories pointing likewise at the Collegiat Meeting of Church Officers as the proper subject of the Jurisdictional Power in opposition to what he pleads for viz the concentring this in one Prelat Next what surer direction can we have in this Point than that the Apostles are found Establishing wherever a Church was gathered such Officers as have Names and Titles of Intrinsick Official Power and Authority ingraven upon them and are found exercising an equal Official Power in Government Thus in the Passage now debated and 1 Cor. 12.28 Comp. with Eph. 4.11 and with Act. 14.23 Tit 1.5 7. Heb. 13.7 17 1 Thes. 5.12 Presbyterian Writers do exhibit a large account and induction of these Names and Titles importing Authority Such as that of Presbyter or Elder Act. 15.2 4 with 20 17 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Pet. 5.1 A Title of Political Rulers Iudg. 8.14 Thus expressed by the LXXII Interpreters The Title of Bishop importing a Power and Charge over the Flock Act. 20.28 Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.5.7 A word made use of also by these Interpreters to point at the Civil Magistrats Power Num. 31.14 The Title and Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Conductor Captain Governour Leader A word setting forth the Power of Civil Rulers Deut. 1.13 2 Chron. 5.1 And thus they are distinguished from the Church and Saints Heb. 13.7 17 24. The Title of Stewards over the Lords House and Family Of Pastors and Shepherds who are to feed Pedo and Pabulo a Title likewise attributed to the Civil Magistrat Isa. 24.28 comp 1 Cor. 4. 1. Luk. 12.42 Gal. 4.2 Rom. 13.2.3 Now our Lord Commanding his Apostles to Disciple all Nations or form them into Churches and the Apostles pursuant to this Commission being found to have placed such Officers in the Churches and these being found exercising a joint Official Authority in greater and lesser Judicatories either the Apostles Divine Direction herein must be acknowledged and their walking up to it in this Point of an uniform Mould of Government or their Faithfulness in the execution of their great Trust is impeached and called in Question Thu we have seen that after this pregnant Text hath tossed this Pitiful Sursveyer from one extream to another in seeking some shift of Answer and driven him upon the Pinacles and Precipies of contradictory Answers all his fantastick quiblings issueth in this miserable shift of
why then did he in Contradiction to himself call for another Rule But the Surveyer P. 216.217 presents yet another evasion That this Church might have had a Bishop Eminenter so called though not present at Philippi That we cannot otherwise account of Epaphroditus who is called their Apostle Philip. 2.25 or Messenger as the Angels Rev. 2. and 3. are called the Angels of the Churches and not for any Temporal Imployment of being sent with their Alms it being too high a Stile to give Men upon so low an Account Thus 2 Cor. 8.23 We read of the Messengers of the Churches and the Glory of Christ. Ans. We have above removed the Foundation of this exception both in Reference to Epaphroditus and the Asian Angels That Epaphroditus gets the Name of their Apostle and Messenger Catachrestice and improperly and consequently that he was no such Bishop as the Surveyer pretends is most evident in the Sacred Text since he is thus termed with respect to that special Employment of carrying the Churches Benevolence to Paul For the Apostle after he hath called him their Messenger doth expresly adjoyn this ground of the Epithet and Denomination viz. He that Ministred to my Wants which doth clearly restrict and explain the Term Messenger in this Context Besides that v. 30. he is said to come to supply their Lack of Service towards the Apostle and the Apostle mentioning him again Ch. 4.18 tells this Church That he received from Epaphroditus the things that were sent by them As for the Surveyers Exception That this was too high a Stile to be given upon so low an Account comparing this with 2 Cor. 8.23 I have above told such Pleaders that the Service of the Churches and the Interest of Christ in them is such a Honourable Employment as the most eminent need not be ashamed of since he who is Lord of all came not to be Ministred unto but to Minister and the Holy Angels literally so called think it no Disparagement to their High Estate and Dignity to be sent forth as Messengers to Minister and do Service to the meanest who are Heirs of Salvation For that Passage 2 Cor. 8. we have made appear that it rather Confirms than Impugns our Answer and Exposition of this Scripture anent Epaphroditus The Apostles Scope in that place being evidently to stir up the Church to a large Expression of their Charity and Bounty upon the Account of the Fidelity and Worth of the Messengers sent to them for that end Next I might tell this Surveyer that Epaphroditus and these other Messengers being restrictedly called Messengers of the Churches and with a special respect to the Employment specified in the Text are thus distinguished from the Apostles who properly are Christs Messengers to the Churches And therefore Persons under this Character of Messengers from Churches to Churches have not that special proper Signature which the Surveyer pleads for upon the account of the general Name Messenger applyed to them In a word in this Conjecture as the Surveyer presents but a new Petitio Principii and groundless Fancy without the least shadow of Proof so it s baffled by his own Principle who thinks it below his supposed great Men to be sent upon a Temporary Employment Now it is certain that Epaphroditus was sent with this Churches Benevolence to Paul and it would have puzzled this Surveyer to Ansâ—er the Querie Why none else but the sole and eminent Bishop was sent with this Benevolence As likeways to Answer further these Queries First Why the Apostle Paul put the proper Name and Characteristick of this sole and eminent Bishop upon all the Pastors of the Church of Philippi Which upon his Principles did draw with it great Inconveniences as tending 1. To cast a Cloud of Ignorance upon these Pastors in reference to a Person to whom they did owe important Duties 2. This might tend to involve them in the Temptation of a Sinful Emulous Disposition and Breach among themselves And no body will judge that the Apostle was not careful to prevent this Besides this could not consist with that high Esteem of Epaphroditus which the Apostle here expresses thus to deal with him and in special to make him the Messenger of such Derogatory Expressions in this Epistle wherein he is so much commended Thus we have seen that the Evidence of this Scripture as likewise of the preceeding doth quite dispel the Mist of the Surveyers fond Exceptions The Surveyer tells us He finds one Scripture more wherein because Presbytrie is Named we account we have great Advantage for our Way The Passage is 1 Tim. 4.14 Whereas he may more justly triumph in the word Bishop so often mentioned in Scripture He professeth his Resolution pressely to consider this place And his Replyes shall be pressely considered His first Reply is That we cannot prove that by Presbytrie here is meant a Colledge of single Presbyters in the Modern Notion and not rather the Dignity and Office of a Presbyter as Calvin Institut Lib. 4. Cap. 3. Jerom and others also do judge Ans. 1. Not to stand upon the Surveyers cutting off by this Gloss Presbyters from so much as a consent to Timothies Ordination which in contradiction to himself here he doth in his other Replyes to this Text allow them It is in this place very considerable that this Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Presbytrie being used only thrice in the New Testament viz. Luk. 22.66 and Act. 22.5 and in this Passage under Debate Since in the two first places it must necessarly be taken for a Concessus Presbyter orum a Colledge of Elders or Presbyters this Surveyer could offer no shadow of Reason or Evidence for the altering the Signification in this Passage Since 1. The Scope and Circumstances do clearly lead to this its ordinary Acceptation And 2. There can no such Exposition be offered here without a very gross Imputation upon the Language and Sense of the Holy Ghost It differing little from Non-sense if at all reconcilable to Sense thus to read the Text Neglect not the Gift given thee c. by the laying on of the Hands of the Office For what Hands hath an Office to lay on Not only Reason but the very Ear disrelishes such a Sense Especally if the Matter of Fact be admitted in opposition to which the Surveyer could give no Evidence that as there was Ruling Officers or Presbyters then existent so they did de facto lay Hands upon Timothy For Calvins Judgement we find that in his Commentary upon the place he asserts that such as understand the Word Presbytrie here in a collective Sense and to import the Colledge and Meeting of Presbyters do in his Iudgement put a right Sense upon the Words So that he cannot be reckoned as holding the Surveyers Gloss And however we do not judge that most worthy Person as neither Ierom in this point Inferior to Greek Fathers infallible or our selves obliged jurare in ejus verba As for the
Authors after cited as understanding the Term in his Sense It is one thing to say that the Term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have been indifferently used by Greek Authors for the Office and Order of a Presbyter it is a far other thing to say that the Scripture Term in these three Passages is so to be understood Since here the signification of the Word is to be drawn from the Scope and Contexture of the place of Scripture where it is which must needs Over-rule and Determin the Signification in this Passage though it were granted that sometimes Greek Authors did use it in another Signification The Language of the Holy Ghost in these three Passages as it doth certainly Over-rule all other Greek Authors so the Term in the three Passages exhibited doth palpably appear to be of one and the same Signification viz. pointing at a Colledge of Presbyters or Elders Besides that there want not Ecclesiastick and Greek Authors thus understanding it Such as Chrysostom Theodoret Theophylact. For what the Surveyer adds out of Bilson P. 77. That ordinarly in Ancient Greek Councils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have been used indifferently for the Office and Order of a Presbyter Citing Council of Nice Can. 2. Antioch Can. 18. Afric Can. 136. Euseb. Lib. 6. Cap. 8. It is Answered First It is acknowledged by Bilson that the Councils mentioned use the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is distinct from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Next as Camero is clear and positive for our Sense of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on Matth. 18.5 And asserts that the contrary Acceptation for the Office and Dignity of Presbyter contradicts both the Signification of the Word and the Apostles Scope So he shews further that rarely doth the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 import the Office but where the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be understood Hen. Stephanus takes the Word here to import Caetum omnium illorum qui in verbo laborabant the Colledge of such as labour in the Word and Doctrine And the other Paralels Luk. 22.66 and Act. 22.5 he expones of the Meeting of Elders Scapula expones the Word in this Passage Caetus Presbyterorum Presbyterium a Presbytrie or Colledge and Meeting of Presbyters The Passage of Euseb. Lib. 6. C. 8. may be taken without any Violence offered to the Words to import the Colledge of Presbyters and in Camero's Judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In a word it is enough to baffle this Exception that as this Term in Greek and Ecclesiastick Authors is ordinarly thus taken for which frequent Instances might be given so it is certain and enough for us that it 's alwayes taken in a Collegiat Sense in the Scriptures of the New Testament And in the Paralels mentioned it were gross Non-sense to take the Word in the Surveyers Sense and to say that the Office of Elders did meet together and the Office of Elders did bear Witness to Paul so it carrieth the same Incongruity and absurd Sense with it to assert that the Office laid Hands upon Timothy The Surveyer next excepts against our Argument drawn from the Paralels That therein the word imports not a Meeting of Christian Presbyters but only of Jewish Elders persecuting Christ and His Apostles That though the Term were taken in this Sense only in this place there wants not Paralel Instances of such an acceptation of words As the word Church is taken but once Matth. 18.17 for a Representative Church so the 1 Cor. 11.10 the word Power in that place of Scripture only signifies the Covering and Vail upon the Womans head as a token of Subjection to her Husband And that it is enough in such Cases that the Strain of the Context requires a Varrying from the Acceptation of the word in other places Ans. The Strength of our Argument is drawn both from the ordinary Acceptation of the Word which hath its own secondary weight and likewise and mainly from this that the Scope and Contexture of this Passage do clearly plead for the Acceptation of the Word in the ordinary Sense and not to varry from it And therefore his Assertion That the Strain of the Context requires a varrying from this ordinary acceptation in this place is but his bold begging of the Question For of this he neither offers nor can offer any solid proof Nay the contrary is the consentient Judgement of Interpreters The Imposition of Hands here signifies Consent and Election whereof it was a Sign saith Vatabulus The whole is signified by a part viz. of the Ordination saith Estius To wit of the whole Ceremony of the Presbytries Ordination Prayer was added with Imposition of Hands saith Grotius I hope he will not say the Office prayed Camero censures the contrary Exposition upon several Grounds 1. Because the Imposing of the hands of the Office is a harsh saying and sounds improperly 2. Because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never signifies the Office wherever it occurs in the new Testament citing the Paralels Luke 22.66 Act. 22 5. As likewise because the Office is signified by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but here the word signifies a Colledge or embodied Court. 3. Because Timothy's Authority was greater than that it could be called a Presbyterate Bullinger upon the place tells us that this is one motive whereby the Apostle stirrs up Timothy to diligence in his Office that besides the Prophesies that went before of him and his inward impulse accedit praeterea manuum Seniorum impositio quae ista comprobavit publico muneri publice praefeeit That he had the Imposition of the Hands of the Elders or Presbyters sealing and confirming his inward impulse in the Prophesies that went before and which did install him in this publick Office Paraeus upon the place shews that Timothy was thus taken into the Order and Society of Pastors And upon Ch. 1. v. 6. of 2 d Epistle collating together the imposing of Pauls Hands and the Hands of the Presbytrie he shews the Reason thus quia Paulus unus fuit ex Presbyterio vel Presbyterii nomine imposuit Because Paul was one of that Presbytrie or imposed hands in their Name Where it is evident he understands the Prebytrie in a collegiat sense for a Meeting of Pastors Piscator upon the place shews That Timothy is stirred up to diligence first upon the account of his singular vocation to this Function by the Revelation of the Holy Ghost And next by the vocation of the Church obeying this Command of the Holy Ghost in imposing the Hands of the Presbytrie upon him because the Presbyters or Pastors by this Rite ordained the Ministers of the Church Diodat upon the place tels us that by the Presbytrie we are to understand the laying on of the Hands of the Elders shewing that thus the Italian reads the Text and these Elders he
expones to be the Pastors and other Guides of the Church paralelling this Sense of the Elders with that of Act. 11.30 where we read of the Churches benevolence sent to the Elders and Church Rulers for the Relief of the Poor Saints in Iudea The Belgick Divines upon the place Translate this Clause of the Eldership That is say they of the Assembly of the Elders or Overseers of the Church c. The Eng. Annot. upon the place having added to the word Presbytrie the Phrase of Eldership thus proceed Some by Presbytrie understand the Office of a Presbyter which Timothy received by imposition of Hands but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is never taken in Scripture for the Office of a Presbyter but for the Company of Elders who here laid hands upon Timothy when he was Ordained And they add the agreeableness hereunto of the Canon of the 4 th Council of Carthage and the Practice of the Reformed Churches to this day Pool 2 d Part Paraphraseth this Passage thus That Timothy's Office was given by the Revelation of the Divine Will by the extraordinary Influence of the Spirit of GOD and the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytrie was a declaration of it The last clause of 6. v. 1 Ch. of 2 d Epistle they thus Paraphrase That he is called to the improvement of those Spiritual abilities given him upon the Prayers of Paul the Presbytrie when he was by them set a part to the work of an Evangelist for the end for which GOD had given them to him To these Expositors many others might be added exponing this word and term of a Collegiat Meeting such as Mâ—nochius Tirinus Zegerius Sligelius Beza Simplicius Vorstius c. But now to proceed after this little digression with Interpreters to our Surveyers Instances and Exceptions taken from the Terms in Matth. 18. 1 Cor. 11. We Answer that the exception is palpably absurd For he could not deny that these terms Church and Power are Ordinarly taken in Scripture in another Sense than in these Passages though the circumstances of these Scriptures plead for varrying from that Acceptation But he neither did nor could make it appear that this Term Presbytrie under debate is ever in Scripture taken in this Acceptation nor could he deny that it is taken in our Sense elsewhere So that his Exception touches not the Point And as much ridiculous if not more is that other Exception which he offers to the paralel Passages viz. That Rulers therein signifies Civil Rulers and Rulers who were Enemies to Christ For whatever were the Moral Qualities of the Rulers if the Word signifies a Collegiat Meeting of Rulers it is enough to our purpose and evinceth our Argument from the paralels to be good and valid unless he could evince a contrary Acceptation which he doth not so much as essay He could not deny that the Legal Constitution of one Assembly or Parliament is a far and distinct thing from the Qualities of the Members who consequently come truely under these Denominations upon the ground of a Legal Constitution And supposing our Sense of the Word Presbytrie and the Matter of Fact to be such as we assert he could not without making himself most ridiculous infer from these Paralels that the Members Constituent of this Presbytrie were either Civil Rulers or bad The Surveyer P. 217 218. is bold to call this our Exception against his Sense viz. That the Office hath no Hands to impose a ridiculous Objection flowing from a Mistake of the Meaning of the Text which attributes not the imposed Hands to the Presbytrie as to an Agent or Efficient but only limits and determines that Imposition of Hands which Timothy had from the Apostle or other high Officers of the Church to the particular use and end for which Hands were imposed on him viz. the giving him a Power of a Presbyter or Elder Ans. Here is a strange Exposition obscuring rather than clearing the Text. Had the Apostle no other way of expressing the end of the Ordination and its Nature than by telling him of Hands of the Office laid upon him which in all common Sense doth relate to an Agent or Instrument and not to the Limitation and Use of his Office A Man may thus fasten the most Fantastick Senses upon Scripture Besides he holds that there were eminent high Officers with Paul and concurring with this Imposition of Hands upon Timothy Why then will he strike off their Hands from being here meaned when Imposition of Hands is so expresly mentioned The Surveyer thus further Senseth the Words Neglect not the Gift given thee by the Laying on of Hands not Confirmatory not Reconciliatory but Imposition of Hands Ordinatory whereby thou was ordained or made a Presbyter Ans. Besides that this Division of Imposition of Hands is as odd as his Sense of the Text it is strange that he admits of Imposition of Hands upon Timothy in order to this end of making him a Minister and yet denyeth the Presbytrie here to import a Collegiat Meeting thus imposing He holds that the Sense is Neglect not the Gift given by the Laying on of the Hands whereby thou was ordained Now pray what hinders these Hands to be the Hands of the Collegiat Meeting imposing the same Whereby the Sense is ours or otherwise in Contradiction to himself he makes the Office the Ordaining Agent If he acknowledge this place paralel with 2 Tim. 1.6 he cannot but see a like Construction in both of the Term of Hands with the Genitive Nor can he deny that the Imposition of Hands is ever constructed with the Office in other Paralels Act. 6.6 and 13.3 He calls our Reason against his Gloss ridiculous but whether his Return be not more ridiculous is left to the Reader to judge We are told for his next Answer That were a Presbytrie here admitted there is nothing in the Context to evince that it was a Classical Presbytrie to which only we ascribe Ordination and not a Congregational or Paroch Presbytrie Ans. Here again the Surveyer is driven to seek shelter among the Independents but is ruined in this Shift For upon his Supposition that a Congregation or one Pastor with Unpreaching Elders is the Subject of an Ordaining Power the Prelatical as well as the Presbyterian Ordination is overthrown The places above referred to and hinted at do abundantly clear and evince the Divine Institution of Classical Presbytries and Collegiat Meetings of Pastors of several Congregations in order to a Ministerial Rule and Jurisdictional Authority over the same and consequently that they are the proper Subject of the Ordaining Power The Treatise above mentioned Ch. 10. besides several others have abundantly evinced this Point that the Fraternity or Community of the Faithful and consequently of the particular single Congregation cannot be the proper Subject of the Jurisdictional Power nor the Power of Order and â—oth are cleared by a large Account of the one and the other See P. 95 96 97
Reason in a suitable Methodical invention to digest the Matter he delivereth in the best Mould for the Case and Edification of the People to whom he is the Mouth of God and must divide the Word of Truth aright unto them applying it for Doctrin Reproof Exhortation c. according to their various Conditions For the Covenant which the Surveyer in derision calls Holy it falls under the same Consideration with the preceeding Instances besides the clear Scripture Precedents recommending and warranding the Practice These I say are so far from reaching any Patrociny to the setting up of a Prelat whose Office encroaches upon the Due Rights of a true Gospel Ministry and consequently stands in opposition both to Divine Institutions and ends of Government that this defence appears no defence at all For what he adds of the â—reed and Doxologie it is removed by what is said and we need only to add that the end of such Observances is better reached in the present Practice of our Church in point of Worship than with such Observances But the Surveyer appears very angry at the calling the Diocesan Bishop a New Officer not Instituted by GOD in his House and speâ—ds to this Scope many words P. 222.223 which is this in Summ. First That the Prelatical Function is only a new Dignity and Authority granted for Peace sake to one Minister above others within the bounds of the same Order Ans. First the Surveyer should have considered that his Spliting of a supposed Divinely Instituted Office and dividing the Work and Duties thereof unto different Subjects and Recipients is upon the Matter a devising of New Orders and all one therewith Do not Papists tell us that the Priest is the Highest Order of Ministry and comprises with the Diaconate their whole Hierarchy which is nothing else but an extension of these Suppose the Pastoral Power of Order were thus Split that one Rank or degree of Men were allowed only to Baptize not to Preach others to Preach not at all to Baptize who will disown it that these were Antiscriptural Human Inventions dividing what GOD hath conjoined And once admitting this what limits can be set to Mens inventions in this Point Or how can the Multiplyed Orders in Popery be condemned and all the Swarm of their new invented Officers Sure the solid ground of Condemning them is that they are a Spurious Brood inverting and destroying the End Union and Order of the Divinely appointed Officers of the House of GOD. The Spliting of the Actings of the Power of Order is surely condemned upon this Ground of the Oneness and Identity of this Office of the Pastor And if the Case stands thus with Reference to the Power and Exercise of Order why is not the case the same in the Point of Jurisdiction which is for the same end as the other Moreover if upon pretence of Order and Unity this extension of the exercise were admitted in the Method he pleads this Jurisdictional Power may be extended to the highest degree even of a Patriarchat or Popedome for the Pope doth pretend he is but of the order of Priestood and the lowest Rank of that Hierarchy have by this Principle a fundamental aptitude for the highest Office and extent of their Order The Surveyer will have a Power left to the Church to Rank Ministers with a Respect to Union and here is an Union of the Universal Church resolving in such an Officer and clearly going upon his Principle of the way of uniting particular Churches And who will doubt that the Union of the Church Universal hath the same Ground with that of Particular Churches In a word the Folly of this Discourse appears in this that Ministers who have an unquestionable interest in Ordination and Jurisdiction are charged by the Great Master duely to exercise both as they shall Answer to him and therefore must not but upon their perril denude themselves of any piece of that Work and Authority committed to them this being the Talent whereof they are to give an account to him who hath given to every one of his Servants their Work The distinction of the Diocesan Hierarchical Prelat from the Presbyter as a New Officer is evident whether we consider his New Name of Bishop or Archbishop his New work of Governing the Diocess besides his Trust in the Civil Government his New Ordination or Consecration to his New work his distinct Qualifications in consequence of the whole from the Pastor or Minister So that he appears in all these Respects a Compacted New Officer and supposing the Pastors Divine Authority a New Usurper The Surveyer tells us He is no New Officer since the inferior Officer doing thâ— same Acts it is not a nullity But as this Reason would tend to the former Antiscriptural spliting of Offices so that the Episcopalians will not allow this Concession is by this time evident We all know who have in a late practice condemned the Presbyterial Ordination of the Protestant Church of France For what he adds of the Power of the Commission of Assemblies to Fortifie his Notion the Disparity is palpable and apparent whether we consider the Powers Deputing and giving Commission viz The King in the Case of the Prelats the Churches Representative or Assembly in the Case of the Commission The Prelat receiving a New Ordination The Commissioners not The Commissioners being limited as to their work and continuance by the Assembly and as being Answerable unto them not the Prelats c. But of this above As for his discourse of Superintendents P. 223. The Author of the Vindiciae Epistolae Philadelphi against Spotswoods Calumnies hath at large made good the vast and essential difference betwixt the transient Office of the Superintendents and that of Prelats P. 31.32 in no less than Twelve Instances to which for brevitie we refer the Reader The Surveyer P. 223.224 attempts in the next place to answer the Objection against the Hierarchical Prelat taken from Christs Faithfulness and the Scriptures perfection From the Comparison institut in Scripture betwixt Christ and Moses in point of Faithfulness in the Ordering and Institution of the Government and Ordinances of the House of God The Argument is no doubt very considerable upon both grounds if we shall but suppose the Absolute Perfection of all our Mâ—diators Offices and the Correspondent Exercises thereof for the Edification and Salvation of his Church and especially under the Gospel Dispensation As a Prophet he hath fully revealed the Counsel and Mind of GOD so as nothing is to be added to his Divine Revelations thereof no new Rules Truths or Duties to be superadded beyond the limits he hath revealed As a Priest his Satisfaction his Intercession is so full that no pretended subservient Intercessors or Saviours are to be devised by Men Thus ful and perfect is the Exercise of his Kingly Office in appointing the Officers Censures Laws and Government of his House The Argument appears further invincibly strong when we Ponder
Divines For further clearing this let us hear the Belgick Divines upon the Text To the Angel i. e. to the Overseer Inspector or Pastor of the Church This is set down here in the Singular Number either in regard of their whole Colledg as Mal. 2.7 Under the Name of Angel in the Singular the whole Colledg of Priests was to be understood or because that some one had the Presidency among them in Order by whom it was to be communicat to the rest as appears by Act. 20.17 28. That there were more Elders or Overseers in this Church of Ephesus whom Paul charges in his last Farewel to take heed to themselves and to the whole Flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Overseers for to Feed the Flock So that it is groundless from hence to inferr an Episcopal Authority of one person above the rest For the verry matter it self written here to the Angel of the Church is Written for a warning to the whole Church as appears by v. 7. here and above Chap. 1.11 The English Divines the Authors of Part Second Annot. going under the Name of Pool thus sense that Passage Rev. 2.1 To the Angel it appears from Act. 20.17 That there were more Ministers there than one but they were all Angels and from the oneness of their business they are called one Angel And upon Chap. 1.20 they tell us That certain it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies no more than is commmon to all Ministers viz. to be Gods Messengers and move upon his errands That we are to understand here the Doctors Pastors and Ministers of the Church is the sense and Judgment of Cluverus Dr. Lightfoot Cluverus takes notice that the Change of the Number v. 10.19 Argues that the Epistle is not directed to one Person And Dr. Lightfoot shews that this Tittle is with allusion to that of the Minister of the Synagogue whose Office was publickly to read and expound the Prophets unto the People as these Ministers were to Read these Epistles in the publick Congregation Thus also Piscator understands the whole Pastors of the Church From whence and from many others which might be added it is evident 1. That the collective Sense of the word Angel is Judged by them consonant to Scripture and to the Scope of the Epistles 2 ly That even supposing some speciality in the Address to one person this doth import a simple Presidency only especially in the sense of the Belgick Divines and that they do intirely join with us in the Grounds we have offered against the Dr's supposition of an Hierarchical Bishop and particularly from this that the Angel is sometimes addressed in the Plural That Ground which the Belgick Divines and others insist upon taken from the Matter of the Epistles is important and that our Lord addresses to all the Angels of the Church as concerning them Rev. 1.11 Write saith he to the Churches of Ephesus Smyrna c. And at the close of every Epistle Hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches And therefore when it is said I know thy Works c. this thou hast c. We must understand the whole Company of Ministers and the whole Church because the punishment or reward is proposed to the whole And the Dr. will not say that for the sin of one Bishop the Gospel is to be removed when other Ministers and the Church it self is free from his evils The Dr. alledges That the Angel is alwise addrest in the singular number And to that which is adduced to prove his being addrest in the Plural he Answers That in these Passages he writes not only to the Bishops personally but to the People under their Government and inspection so he understands that of Chap. 2.10 The Devil shall cast some of you into Prison paralelling it with v. 13. Antipas slain among you and v. 23. And all the Churches shall know c. But first not to stand upon the Drs. begging the Question in a supposition cross to his scope the paralells are not every way alike When the Lord says all the Churches and slain among you c. the Scope and Mould of these expressions makes it evident that both Ministers and People are spoken of But when immediatly after addressing the Angel in the Singular he adds the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison changing the Singular Angel into a Plural it appears that the Ministers are more directly included as the adduced paralel 1 Tim. 2.15 Discovers But not to insist upon this In the next place the folly and inconsistency of his gloss and discourse in this Answer is several ways apparent For First He will have these Passages I know thy works I have some what against thee c. addrest Singlely to the Angel From the singularity of which Adress he collects the Bishop's single and absolute Authority over these Churches But I pray what Sense will the Dr. make of this Will he say our Lord knew the Works only of one single Bishop of no Ministers else That one Bishop Laboured at Ephesus none else That one Bishop at Ephesus fell from his first Love no Church Officers else A pityful imputation the Dr. puts thus upon Timothy the supposed Bishop of Ephesus in staging him as the only Apostat of the Church The same may be applyed to his other Instances I have a few things against thee Viz one Bishop no Ministers else Remember whence thou art fallen viz. The Bishop fallen only none else Repent and do thy First Works this only addrest to the Bishop none else concerned in this Duty but his Lordship If he say that these things are spoken to the Bishop as chiefly concerned and interested Then besides his begging the Question he losses his Plea and quite ruins all his Pleading from a supposed singularity of the Address to conclud the singularity of the person Addressed And thus including Ministers as concerned and interested in the prescriptions in point of Government he cuts the Wind-Pipe of his grand Topick and notion here But Secondly we see when he is forc't to acknowledg from the Plural Mould of the Address that more than the Bishop are spoken to he gives us a fair acknowledgment in these terms That the Bishops are not only written to Personally but also the People under their Government and inspection But I pray why not also Ministers and Pastors also bespoken as well as the People The Dr. asserting That both Clergy and Laity are under the Bishop's inspection Aâ—d it being supposible that in these Churches especially at Ephesus there was at this time a Colledge of Pastors How come the Dr. when he supposes the Address to overstretch the person of the Bishop and to includ more to assert That it reaches the People only and not to the Pastors also This I must confess is odd Sense in Divinity in these great Evangelistick Precepts and Reprensions the Lord Addresses not solely the Bishop
but the People under him yet not one word to Pastors I had thought that the Clergy and Laity being distinguished by the Dr. P. 421. and both the one and the other in his Sense under the Bishops Government and inspection when he makes the Plural Address to go beyond the Bishop he would have cast an Eye upon the under-Clergy or Ministry before the People as concerned before them in these important duties or supposed Transgressions But we may easily discover the knack of the Dr's policy in this For Pleading in his Second Argument That an Authority in reference to Church Government is clearly imported in several of these directions or reprehensions particularly those addressed to the Angel of Pergamus and Thyatira in reference to Juridical Tryal conviction and Censures He was afraid least by this means he should have opened a door for Ministers claim to the Bishop's incommunicable prerogatives had he extended the plural Address to them as well as to the People Thirdly The Dr. having told us That in such plural Addresses the people under the Bishop's Government are included gives for instance that Passage Rev. 2.10 The Devil shall cast some of you into prison I should verrily think he was here concerned to specifie the Clergy and Laity and include both For it seems in his Sense all the Pastors were safe from the Thunder-clap of this warning I know not by what shield except that of the Drs. fancy and there were no prisons there for Pastors this being only spoke to the People This charge of gross folly upon his Mould of Reasoning and it is gross enough at all will is the more evident in that Answer to the Objection taken from that phrase Chap. 2.25 unto you and unto the rest in Thyatira from which passage we plead for a plural diversifying Ministers and people under distinct Comma's The Dr. will admit it by no means to to be meant of any but the People making the term you and the rest in Thyatria one and the same as distinguishing only the sound from the unsound part in that Church So that it is evident the D appropriats the Plural Phrases to the People only and consequently is exposed to the forementioned absurdities in his way and method of pleading That that Passage Chap. 2.10 doth reach the Pastors is upon several important grounds made good by Mr. Durham upon the place as 1. from the remarkable change of the singular number to the Plural 2 ly That his was a searching tryal to the Church whereof it was her concern to be warned 3 ly That the preservation of Some was as signal a consolation in such a Tryal as Isai. 30.20.21 See others cited by Pool Critic upon the place The Dr. enquires If Angels had not been single Persons why are they not mentioned Plurally as well as the People This Querie confirms what is now imputed to him That they are mentioned Plurally we have already made good in the premised Instances Yea the Dr. himself answers himself acknowledging that there is a Plurality bespoken in the Person of the Angels so that he is not only Personally Addressed But the Dr's strange Fetch is that he will allow a Plurality of the People to be Addrest and spoken to in one singular Bishop or Angel but none of the Pastors at all For which Notion I had almost said Non-sense no imaginable ground can be given but the Dr's good Will to his Hierarchical Bishop whom he would fain shape out of this Scripture which we see so rejects and baffles his Endeavours that instead of any evident ground of Answer from the Text he must needs embrace an Airy Notion of his own Brain Thus to that pregnant Passage Chap. 2.24 which we adduce to prove the Angel to be Addrest Plurally viz. To you I say and unto the rest in Thyatira Where there is a clear Distinction made betwixt the Plural you viz. the Pastors and the rest in Thyatira viz. the People The Dr. has no other Shift but that pitiful one viz. That the Ancient Greek Manuscripts leave out the Conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Read it To you the rest in Thyatira distinguishing the Seduced from the not Seduced And therefore cannot be meant of the Angel who is always Addrest in the Singular Number But 1. This Shift baffles most of all the old Greek Copies the Reading he embraces being supposed Mantytecla's Manuscript baffles all the Episcopal English Clergy concerned in our last Translation who notwithstanding all their Zeal for Episcopacy as appears in their various and unsound Translation of the Term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet durst not make this Adventure with the Dr but with the Current of Ancient Copies Read the Text with the Conjunction Notwithstanding that in their Preface to the Reader they assert their Diligence in Searching the Original Text. I need not stand here to recount the large Testimony and Cloud of Witnesses the Body of Protestant Divines Translators and Interpreters all concurring in this our Sense and Reading in Contradiction to the Dr's Conceit and Exception See Paraeus Arethas Ribera Dr. More who expresly taketh the you to import the Pastors Beza c. But 2 ly This Conjecture and Answer is clearly Cross to the Text For 1. The Adversative but in the beginning of v. 24. clearly limits the you here and distinguishes it from the you meant of the People in the close of v. 23. 2. The Conclusion of this verse clears this to Conviction I will put upon you none other burden hold fast Pray by what Logick will the Dr. exclud Ministers and includ the People only in this Plural Phrase Were no Ministers kept unpolluted Or were there some other burdens to be put upon them than what they had already And are they excluded from holding fast ' till Christ come what is received from him and only the People concerned herein as contradistinct from the Bishop Sure I am such absurd Consequeuces might cover with Blushes the Asserters of this Opinion I might add that even granting the Dr the Advantage of this Gloss and leaving out the Conjunction and admitting with Grotius that thus the Sound are distinguished from the Unsound in this Church the Dr. would be pitifully puzzl'd to prove that none of the Clergy as he calls them is in both these Classes and consequently that the Plural Phrase doth not stand for us even in this Discriminating Sense But this we insist not upon To proceed to the Dr's second Proof p. 423. of our Lords Allowance and Approbation of Episcopal Government in these Epistles viz. That they were Persons of great Authority This he proves from the Title of Angel shewing them to be Persons of Office and Eminency Christ also Directing to them the Epistles to be communicat to their Churches To which he adds another Proof taken from the Authority which is supposed to be exercised by some of these Angels and competent to others He gives Instance of
Surveyer in this Reason quite ruined his Cause and assertion so it is evident that in the Scripture Accounts of the institution and work of Presbyters the work and Office is found the same with that of these ordinary Officers Cited 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. since both Teaching and Government are evidently committed unto them Act. 20.28 with Tit. 1.5 7. 1 Tim. 5.17 But for the Divine Institution of his Hierarchical Prelat or any proper designation for his Office in that Capacity our Surveyer after all the Travels of his Surveying Notions brings us home nothing but a non inventus est He adds as a proof of his former Assertion That he knows no place of Scripture where the word Elder must needs point out an Officer fixed to a particular Charge in Teaching and Ruling having no other above him in Power or having Power over any other Officers But he should have pointed us to the place where the Diocesan Bishop of his new Mould is represented in Scripture under the Name of either Bishop or Presbyter And if he give over this discovery and the Answer of our demand hereanent he must take home and Lodge this Argument with himself and when he falls upon a good answer bestow it for us upon himself But for such Presbyters or Elders as he doth desiderat he might have found them in the same Text of Act. 20.17 28. impowered with the ordinary Office and Authority of Teaching and Ruling the Church as succeeding the Apostles in this ordinary Office yea and fixed as the ordinary Officers of this Church of Ephesus for this end as likewise Elders thus set up with an Episcopal Power and fixed to their Charges Tit. 1.5 with 1 Pet. 5. Likewise 1 Tim. 5.17 We have Elders or Presbyters supposed to have a fixed Relation to that Church having also a Teaching and Governing Power Yea Act. 14.23 We find such Pastors or Presbyters ordained Church by Church or in every Church But the Surveyer adds That Presbyterians hold Elders to be of two Ranks and therefore if the Ruling Elders are not to be here supposed they make the first Constitution of Churches manck and defective without Ruling Elders or Deacons Or if they include both under the Name of Elders he can with beteâ—â— Ground include the Majores Presbyteri or Bishops distinct from the Minores or Pastors Ans. Whether we assert there are Ruling Elders here or not his Hierarchical Bishop is not in the least helped or his Pleading for him strengthened For if we shall say that in this first plantation of the Churches there were only Teaching Elders or Pastors appointed who were in tuto to appoint and ordain Ruling Elders and Deacons his absurdity is easily evaded if we shall but suppose that which is easily supposable that in the first Constitution of Churches there was a gradual procedure and the chief Officers the Pastors first ordained and impowered as above said If we embrace the other Answer and affirm that Elders of both sorts were here ordained his Inference hath no shadow of a Connection hereupon since we do make good from Scripture the Distinction of the Teaching and Ruling Elder who both come under this general Designation But for his Hierarchical Bishop his Institution Name or Office the Surveyer can give us no shadow of a Pâ—â—of and but beggs the Question in supposing such an Officers Existence Besides though it were granted that such a Distinction could be admitted where finds this Surveyer the Deacons in these Catalogues And how will he thus evite the Rebound of his own Blow and his own absurdity of a manck Constitution of the Primitive Churches For what he adds That Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons is called a Presbyter of his Church of Lyons It is certain Bishops were sometimes so called and therefore they were the more guilty who did appropriat the Name Bishop to a pretended Office Superior to a Presbyter especially since this Retention of the Name Presbyter was from some Impression of the New Testament Times and Writings wherein the two Names are promisâ—uously used to point at one and the same Officer And it would seem this Name which with Beda signifieth Sapientiae Maturitatem should have been rather assumed by these pretended Fathers than that of Bishop which with him imports industriam curae pastoralis the Industry of the Pastoral Care a Work that Prelats are found little to concern themselves about There is another Passage wherein he might have seen such Presbyters as he desiderats viz. Act. 15.22 23. where mention is made of Apostles and Elders meeting in that Council at Ierusalem who must needs be understood of fixed Pastors of that Chuch The Surveyer P. 210. offers to our thoughts Whether James the LORDS Brother called by the Ancients Bishop of Jerusalem and is a Distinct person from the two of that Name comes under any of these Denominations We have above made appear in collating this Passage with Gal. 2.1.9 Gal. 1.19 That this Iames who is called the Lords Brother is called an Apostle and such an Apostle as Peter and others v. 17.18 Which is also clear from this that we read of a Iames the less Mark 15.14 Which as Ierom contra Helvidium reasons had been no fit Distinction had there been three Iames's The Harmony of Interpreters taking Iames to be an Apostle in Gal. 1.19 is above made appear such as Estius Paraeus Gomarus Menochius Piscator Tirinus Simplicius c. The Surveyer was not to be troubled in a Counter-enquiry To what purpose he proposed the Question Or next under which of these Names he comprehended the Deacons But for us a rational Account may be given If it be said they are comprehended under none of these Names there being in this Meeting put forth a Diatactick Critick and Dogmatick Power and Authority in none of which Deacons as such have an Interest their Work and Interest being to serve Tables To that Passage 1 Pet. 5. where the fixed Elders or Presbyters of the Churches have ascribed unto them an Authority in Feeding and Ruling the same The Surveyer Answers That the Name of Presbyter is common to all Church Officers Higher and Lower even to Apostles as Beza acknowledges Ans. He hath already acknowledged That it must sometimes in Scripture be looked on as distinguishing those pointed out thereby from other Officers So that it may here denote a Preaching Pastor in special notwithstanding that in a general Sense Superior Officers had that Name such as Apostles He could not deny the peculiar Office of a Deacon though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes appropriat to Superior Officers And besides that the proper Name and Designation of the Superior Officer he cannot shew to be given to the Inferior though the Superior in a General Sense have sometimes the Name of the Inferior attributted to them He might have here seen that these Officers or Presbyters have an Episcopal Inspection and Oversight over the