the common Councell of Presbyters and that Bishops ought still so to govern And lastly that The occasion of this imparity was the division which through the Devils instinct fell among Christians You look now that I should tell you that the Book is of uncertain credit or that Ierome was a Presbyter and not without some touch of envie to that higher dignity he missed or that wiser men then your selves have censured him in this point for Aerianisme I plead none of these but whiles you expect that I should answer to Ierome I shall set Ierome to answer for himselfe For the first I cannot but put you in mind that the same Father citing the words of the Bishop of Jerusalem That there is no difference betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter passeth a Satis imperitè upon it but let it be so At first he sayes Bishops and Presbyters had but one title So say we too But when began the distinction Ye need not learne it of Saravia he himselfe tels you When divisions began And when that When they began to say I am Pauls I am Apollo's I am Cephas which was I think well and high in the Apostles time But this you would cleanly put of as spoken by Ierome in the Apostles phrase not of the time of the Apostle This is but a generall intimation of contentions arisen though later in the Church Excuse me Brethren this shift will not serve your turne Then belike there should have been no distinct Bishops till after-ages upon this ground that till then there were no divisions Or if so why should the remedie be so late after the disease Or how comes he elsewhere to name Bishops made by the Apostles and to confesse that before his time there had been many successions Besides he instanceth in the peculiar mis-challenging of Baptisme which only S. Paul specifieth in his owne time And Clemens seconds him in his Epistle to the Corinthians in taxing the continuance of those distractions so as by Ieroms own confession Episcopacy was ordained early within the Apostles times But then say you It was not of Apostolicall intention but of Diabolicall occasion Weakly and absurdly As if the occasion might not be devilish and the institution divine As if the best Lawes did not rise from the worst manners Were not the quarrels betwixt the Grecians and Hebrews for the maintenance of their widows an evill occurrence yet from the occasion thereof was raised the Ordination of Deacons in the Church Yea but Ierome saith This was rather by the custome of the Church then by the truth of the Lords disposition True it was by the Custome of the Church but that Church was Apostolicall not by the Lords disposition immediately for Christ gave no expresse rule for it but mediately it was from Christ as from his inspired Apostles Let Ierome himselfe interpret himselfe who tels us expresly in his Epistle to Euagrius this superiority of Bishops above Presbyters is by Apostolicall tradition which is as much as we affirme And whiles he saith toto orbe decretum est that in the time of those first divisions it was decreed all the world over that Bishops should be set up I would faine know by what power besides Apostolicall such a Decree could be so soon and so universally enacted But Ierome saith The Presbyters governed the Church by their common Counsell So they did doubtlesse altogether till Episcopacy was setled who dares deny it Yea but he saith They ought to doe still So say we also and so in some cases we do Church-government is Aristocraticall Neither is any Bishop so absolute as not to be subject to the judgement of a Synode Yea in many matters it is determined by our Laws that hee must take the advise and assistance of his Ecclesiasticall Presbytery So then S. Ierome is in his judgement no back friend of ours but in his History he is our Patron With what forehead can they perswade their Reader the Originall of Episcopacie was not in Ieroms opinion so early when they cannot but confesse that the same Father hath in flat termes told us that Iames was Bishop of Jerusalem Timothy of Ephesus Titus of Crete that ever since the time of Mark the Euangelist who died five or sixe yeares before Peter and Paul and almost forty years before S. Iohn at Alexandria till the dayes of Heraclas and Dionysius the Presbyters have alwayes chosen one to be their Bishop As for those poore negative arguments which follow palpably begging the question they are scarce worthie of a passe were it not that by them they goe about to confute their own Author affirming That upon occasion of divisions Episcopacie was constituted but he stands so close to his owne grounds as that contrary to their mis-allegation of D r Whitakers he plainly tels them Episcopacie is so proper a remedy for this evill that unlesse the Bishop have a peerlesse power there will be as many Schismes as Priests the wofull experience whereof we finde in the miserable varieties of Separatisme at this day Goe on Brethren since you are so resolved to strike that friend whom you bring in to speak for you teach your advocate S. Ierome how unlikely it is that the Apostles should give way as he professes they did to such a remedie as might prove both ineffectuall and dangerous and that their holinesse should make a stirrup for Antichrist We lookt for Ambrose to come in next and behold you bring in a foisted Commenter a man by the convictions of Whitakers Spalatensis Cocus Rivetus Bellarmine Possevine Maldonate as hath beene elsewhere shewed of not a suspected onely but a crackt credit If it mattered much what he said I could out of his testimonie picke more advantage then you prejudice to my cause But if you will heare the true Ambrose speake he tells you There is one thing which God requireth of a Bishop another of a Presbyter another of a Deacon As for the persons who brought in this imparitie you tell us out of the same Authors The Presbyters themselves brought it in Witnesse Ierome ad Euagrium The Presbyters of Alexandria did call him their Bishop whom they had chosen from among themselves and placed in an higher degree But brethren what meanes this faithlesse and halved citation Had you said all the place would have answered for it selfe the words are Nam Alexandriae à Marco Evangelista c. For at Alexandria ever since Mark the Evangelist untill the times of Heraclas and Dionysius Bishops the Presbyters have alwayes called one chosen out of themselves and placed in an higher degree Bishop as if an army should chuse their Generall Why did you avoid the name of Mark the Evangelist but that your hearts told you that he dying many yeares within the time of the Apostles this election and appellation and distinction of degrees of Bishops and Presbyters must needs have been in the life time of the Apostles and not without their
Bishops and ours are two We do again professe that if our Bishops challenge any other power then was delegated to and required of Timothy and Titus wee shall yeeld them usurpers you kindely tell us so we deserve to be if we doe but challenge the same power and why so I beseech you brethren because Timothy and Titus yee say were Evangelists and so moved in an higher sphere Liberally and boldly spoken but where is your proofe For Timothy ye say the Text is cleare but what Text what the least intimation have you for Titus surely not so much as the least ground of a conjecture yet how confidently you avow for both and even for Timothy your glosse is clear not your text St. Paul bids him do the worke of an Euangelist what then that rather intimates that he was none for he doth not say do thine own worke but the worke of an Evangelist when I tell my friend that I must desire him to do the office of a Soliciter or a Secretary for me I do herein intimate that he is neither but so for the time employed why is it not so here And what I beseech you is the worke of an Evangelist but to preach the Evangell or good tydings of peace So as St. Paul herein gives no other charge to his Timothy then in 2. Tim. 4.2 Preach the Word be instant in season and out of season And this you say and urge to be the worke of a Bishop too well therefore may Timothy notwithstanding this charge be no other then a Bishop what need these words to be contradistinguished St. Paul sayes of himselfe Whereto I am appoynted a Preacher and an Apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles what shall we say St. Paul was an Apostle he was not a Preacher or not a Doctor but an Apostle You distinguish of Evangelists the word is taken either for the writers of the Gospell or for the teachers of it and why then was not St. Paul an Evangelist who professed to be a teacher of the Gospell unto the Gentiles These teaching Evangelists you dreame to be of two sorts the one those that had ordinary places and gifts the other extraordinary but tell me sirs for my learning where do you finde those ordinary-placed and ordinary-gifted Evangelists unlesse you mean to comprse all Preachers under this name and then a Bishop may be an Evangelist also so as the difference of a Bishop and an Evangelist vanisheth The truth is these ordinary Evangelists are a new fiction their true imployment was to be sent by the Apostles from place to place for the preaching of the Gospell without a setled residence upon any one charge upon this advantage you raise a slight argument that St. Paul besought Timothy to abide at Ephesus 1. Tim. 1.3 which had been a needlesse importunity if he had the Episcopall charge of Ephesus for then he must have necessarily resided there whereas you recite severall proofes and occasions of his absence which will appear to be of little force if a man doe duly consider the state of those times the necessity wherof in that first plantation of the Gospell made even the most sixed Sars planetary calling them frequently from the places of their abode to those services which were of most use for the successe of that great worke yet so as that either after their errands fully-done or upon all opportune intermissions they returned to their own Chaire The story therefore of those journal computations might well have been spared Your argument from Pauls calling the Elders of Ephesus to Miletus how ever you lean upon it it will prove but a Reed Your selves confesse I know not upon what certaine ground that Timothy was at the meeting Acts 20. with St. Paul Had he been Bishop there the Apostle you say in stead of giving the Elders a charge to feede the flocke of Christ would have given that charge to Timothy and not to them Besides the Apostle would not have so forgotten himselfe as to call the Elders Bishops before the Bishops face and would have given them some directions how to carry themselves to their Bishops In all which brethren you goe upon wrong ground wil ye grant that these assembled persons were Presbyters and not Bishops under some Bishop though not under Timothy otherwise why doe you argue from the want of directions to them as inferiours but if they were indeed Bishops and not mere Presbyters as the word it selfe imports your argument is lost For then the charge is equally given to Timothy and all the rest and it was no forgetfulnesse to call them as they were you are straight ready to reply how unpossible it is according to us there should be many Bishops in one City and here were many Presbyters from Ephesus but let me mind you that though these Presbyters were sent for from Ephesus yet they were not said to be all of Ephesus Thither they were called to meet St. Paul in all likelihood from divers parts which he seemes to imply when he saith Ye all amongst whom I have gone preaching the Kingdome of God intimating the super-intendents of severall places so as notwithstanding these urged probabilities Timothy might have beene both before this time and at that present Bishop of Ephesus after which if Paul tooke him along with him to Hierusalem this is no derogation to his Episcopacy And if Timothy were yet after this prisoner with St. Paul at Rome as you argue from Hebr. 13.23 this is no derogation from his Episcopacy at Ephesus but to cut the sinewes of all this strong proofe of your computation it is more than probable that whereas the whole history of the Acts ends with Pauls first beeing at Rome that Apostle survived divers years and passed many travells and did many great matters for the plantation and setling of churches whereof we can looke for no account from Scripture save by some glances in his following Epistles into which time these occurrents concerning Timothy and Titus his ordination did fall as may be justly proved out of the Chronologicall table of the experienced Jacob Cappellus compared with Baronius Now then the Reader may take his choyse whether he will believe all antiquity that have medled with this subject affirming Timothy to have been bishop of Ephesus or whether he wil believe a new hatched contradiction of yesterday raised out of imaginary probabilities Shortly it is far enough from appearing that Timothy was no Bishop but a Minister an Evangelist a fellow-labourer of the Apostles an Apostle a Messenger of the Church it rather appeares that he was al these in divers sences and upon severall occasions The like yea say of Titus whom you are pleased to create an Evangelist not being able to shew that ever God made him so save in that generall sence that might well stand with Episcopacy you tel us a story of his perigrination in the attendance of Paul wherein you shall not expect any contradiction
desires to goe a Mid-way in this difference holding it too low to derive Episcopacy from a merely humane and Ecclesiasticall Ordinance holding it too high to deduce it from an immediate command from God and therefore pitching upon an Apostolicall institution rests there but because those Apostles were divinely inspired had the directiōs of Gods spirit for those things which they did for the common administration of the Church therefore and in that onely name is Episcopacie said to lay claime to a Divine right howsoever also it cannot be gainsaid that the grounds were formerly laid by our Saviour in a knowne imparity of his first agents Now surely this truth hath so little reason to distaste them that even learned Chamier himselfe can say Res ipsa coepit tempore Apostolorum vel potius ab ipsis profecta est And why should that seeme harsh in us which soundeth well in the mouthes of lesse-interessed Divines but because the very title of that book hath raised more dust then the treatise it selfe Bee pleased Readers to see that this very question is in the very same termes determined by that eminent light of the Palatinate Dr. Abrah Scultetus whose tract to this purpose I have thought fit to annex Peruse it and judge whether of those two writers have gone further in this determination And if you shall not meet with convincing reasons to bring you home to this opinion yet at least-wise find cause enough to retaine a charitable and favourable conceit of those who are as they think upon good grounds otherwise minded and whilest it is on all parts agreed by wise and unprejudiced Christians that the calling is thus ancient and sacred let it not violate the peace of the Church to scan the originall whether Ecclesiasticall Apostolicall or divine Shortly let all good men humbly submit to the Ordinance and heartily wish the Reformation of any abuses And so many as are of this mind Peace be upon them and the whole Israell of GOD. AMEN THE DETERMINATION of the question Concerning the Divine Right of EPISCOPACY By the famous and learn'd Divine Dr. Abrahamus Scultetus late Professour of divinity in the Vniversity of HEIDELBERG Faithfully translated out of his Observations upon the Epistles to Timothy and Titus LONDON Printed for NATHANIELL BVTTER 1641 The Question Whether Episcopacie be of Divine right That is whether the Apostles ordained this Government of the Church that not onely one should be placed over the people but over Presbyters and Deacons who should have the power of Imposition of Hands or Ordination and the direction of Ecclesiasticall Counsels THis was anciently denyed by Aerius as is related by Epiphanius in his 75 Heresie and by Iohn of Hierusalem as appears by Hierome in his Epistle to Pammachius And there are not wanting in these dayes many learned and pious men who although they acknowledge Aerius to have erred in that he should disallow of that manner of Ecclesiasticall government which had beene received by the whol World yet in this they agree with him that Episcopall government is not of Divine Right From whose opinion why I should sever my judgement I am moved by these strong reasons famous examples and evident authorities My judgement is this First in the Apostles Epistles the name of Bishop did never signifie any thing different from the office of a Presbyter For a Bishop Presbyter and an Apostle were common names as you may see Act. 20. Phil. 1. v. 1. Tit. 1. 1. Pet. v. 12. Act. 1.20 Next In the chiefe Apostolicall Church the Church was governed by the common advice of Presbyters and that for some yeers in the time of the preaching of the Apostles For first of all companies must bee gathered together before we can define any thing concerning their perpetuall government Then the Apostles as long as they were present or neere their Churches did not place any Bishop over them properly so called but only Presbyters reserving Episcopall authority to themselves alone Lastly after the Gospell was farre and neere propagated and that out of equality of Presbyters by the instinct of the Devill Schismes were made in Religion then the Apostles especially in the more remote places placed some over the Pastors or Presbyters which shortly after by the Disciples of the Apostles Ignatius and others were onely called bishops by this appellation they were distinguished from Presbyters Deacons Reasons moving me to this opinion First Hierome upon the 1. Chapter of the Epistle to Titus writeth that a Presbyter is the same with a Bishop and before that by the instinct of the Devill factions were made in Religion and it was said among the people I am of Paul I of Apollo but I of Cephas the Churches were governed by the common counsell of Presbyters afterwards it was decreed in the whol world that one chosen out of the Presbyters should be placed over the rest From whence I thus argue When it began to be said among the people I am of Paul I of Apollo but I of Cephas then one chosen out of the Presbyters was placed over the rest But whiles the Apostles lived it was so said among the people As the first Epistle to the Corinthians besides other of St. Pauls Epistles puts it out of doubt Therefore while the Apostles lived one chosen out of the Presbyters was placed over the rest Againe There can be no other terme assigned in which Bishops were first made then the time of the Apostles for all the prime successors of the Apostles were Bishops witnesse the successions of Bishops in the most famous Churches of Hierusalem Alexandria Antioch and Rome as it is in Eusebius therefore either the next successors of the Apostles changed the force of Ecclesiasticall government received from the Apostles according to their owne pleasure which is very unlikely or the Episcopall government came from the Apostles themselves Besides even then in the time of the Apostles there were many Presbyters but one Bishop even then in the time of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee that was placed over the rest which afterwards was called Bishop did impose hands or ordaine Ministers of the Word which Presbyters alone did not presume to doe Even then therefore the calling of Bishops was distinct from the Office of Presbyters If any desire the examples of Apostolicall Bishops the books of the antient are full of the Episcopal authority of Timothy and Titus either of which howsoever first performed the office of an Evangelist yet notwithstanding ceased to be an Evangelist after that Timothy was placed over the Church of Ephesus and Titus over the Church of Crete For Evangelists did only lay the foundations of faith in forraign places then did commend the rest of the care to certaine Pastors but they themselves went to other Countries and Nations as Eusebius writes in his third Booke of Ecclesiasticall History and 34. Chap. But Paul taught sometimes in Ephesus and Crete and laid the foundations of
warned from hence that they throughly weigh with themselves the nature of Apostolicall Episcopacie of which they glory that they are the successors That Episcopacie had two things peculiar to it the privilege of succeeding the prerogative of ordaining all other things were common to them with the Presbyters Therefore both Bishops and Presbyters should so exercise themselves in godlinesse should so free themselves from contempt by their conversation and so make themselves examples to their flock not neglecting especially the gift of prophecying received from above but being wholly intent to reading consolation and teaching to meditate on these things to be wholly conversant in them and so perpetually imployed in this holy function and divine affairs with this promise that if they shall doe these things they shall both save themselves and their Auditors but if after the custome of some great ones they follow the pride and luxury of this World they shall both destroy themselves and them that heare them * FINIS THE JUDGMENT OF The learned Divine Doctor Abrahamus Scultetus prime professor of Divinity at HEIDELBERGE Concerning Lay-Elders OBSERVATIONS Vpon 1 Timothy by Abraham Scultetus Cap. 27. Concerning 1. Tim. 5.17 THere are some that thinke this place of Scripture is of force enough to make good a Lay-Presbytery for their eyes and judgements are dazled w th that distinction of Elders which they suppose to be cleerly intimated here by S. Paul But if they shall have diligently scanned the place compared it with other Texts of Scripture they shall soone finde that the defence of Lay Elders out of this place is both contrary to the signification of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. those that rule and contrary to the signification of the Word Presbyter and that it is quite against St. Pauls perpetuall Doctrine and it is against the judgement of all the Fathers that have expounded this speech of Saint Paul It is contrary to the signification of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ecclesiasticall rule or government is an honour wherewith onely Ministers of Gods word are invested in the new Testament and not any Lay Persons We beseech you brethren saith the Apostle 1 Thes v. 12. That you know those that labour amongst you and are over you in the Lord and that admonish you and to esteeme them very highly in love for their workes sake upon which words saith Calvin it is worthy to bee observed what titles he gives to Pastors First he saith that they labor and then he sets them forth by the name of rule or governance And Beza upon the place it appeares from hence that the Church was governed by Pastors in common and that the degree of a Bishop was not thought of and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rule is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to leade because the shepheards are wont to goe before their flock But the Apostle Heb. 13.7 and 17. calls the Ministers of the Word Leaders Therefore according to Beza we must acknowledge those that are over the people are the Ministers of the word neither doth Iustin Martyr in his Apology to Antonius call the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any other then the pastor and teacher of the Congregation Moreover the defence of Lay-Elders out of this present text of St. Paul is contrary to the signification of the word Presbyter which when it is used concerning the polity of the new Testament doth always signifie the Ministers of the word Acts 11.30 They sent their collection to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul that is to the Ministers of whom it is said Acts 14.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They ordained them Elders in every Church And Acts 15.2 A main question of faith is propounded to the Apostles and Elders of Hierusalem but what to be decided by Lay-Men for the Elders met with the Apostles to consider of this matter Acts 15.6 And the Presbyters are joyned together with the Apostles Verse 22. and are distinguished from the whole Church as also v. 23. and chap. 16.4 Again in the 20. of the Acts the Elders of Ephesus verse 17. are said to be made Bishops to feede the flocke of Christ ver 18. and in Acts 21.18 and the verses following the Presbyters or Elders of Jerusalem instruct the Apostle Paul what he is to doe and therefore were no Lay-men In this very Chapter when Timothy is commanded to receive no accusation against an Elder the Elder there is a teacher as shall be shewed in the next chapter Titus 1.5 that thou maist ordain Elders in every City what kind of Elders surely teachers for hee adds if any be blamelesse c. for a Bishop must be unreproveable c. And James 5.14 The sick are bidden to send for the Elders of the Church that they may pray over and anoint the sick with oyle in the name of the Lord which is no Lay-mans duty 1 Peter 5.1 The Elders I exhort who am also a fellow-Elder feede the flock How is hee a fellow-Elder but because he is a teacher as they And they are charged to feed the flook therefore Pastors 2 Ioh· 1. 3 Ioh. 1. Iohn the Apostle without all question is called an Elder Ignatius makes often mention of Elders or Presbyters in his Epistles but never of Lay-Elders And in his Epistle to those of Tarsus describing the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy of his time he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Presbyters bee subject to the Bishops and the Deacons to the Presbyters and the Lay-men to both Deacons and Presbyters and to the Magnesians As the Lord saith hee doth nothing without the Father so neither do you without your Bishop neither Presbyter nor deacon nor Laick Where observe that the very Deacons did not sit in the Presbytery Apostolique much lesse Lay-men Thirdly the defence of Lay-Elders out of the 17. verse of Chap. 5. of the 1. Tim. is against the Perpetuall doctrine of St. Paul for to give honour to the Presbyters or Elders is to honour them with maintenance out of the publique stock of the Church for so the Apostle before commands these that are indeed Widowes to be honoured that is to be designed to publique attendances and allowances And the reason which the Apostle gives confirmes this explication of the honour required When he saith thou shalt not muzzle the Oxe that treadeth out the corne And in Matthew the honor of Parents is chiefely to be taken of meat and maintenance which signification is very familiar and proper to the word Kabud used in the fifth commandement and so the word is expounded by Marke 7.12 But maintenance out of the stock of the Church the Apostle would not have to be given even to such poore widdows as could be otherwise provided for as before verse 16. And he himselfe laboured with his owne hands that he might not bee burdensome to others much lesse would he have the chiefe of
authoritie and yet authoritie experience reason are worthy to sway with us in all matters of question and withall Hee that said I am the way said that the old way was the good way and if Custome without Truth as that Father said well be nothing but a gray-hair'd Error or as Sir Francis Bacon wittily Antiquitie without Truth is a Cipher without a Figure yet where Custom Antiquitie are backed with Truth there they are Figures multiplied with many Ciphers As for the time wherein their learned Ancients affirme The Church not to have beene governed by Bishops but by Presbyters and for the difference pretended to be betwixt the Primitive Bishops and ours wee shall meet with it in such due time and place as shall be justly occasioned What needs this frivolous waste of unseasonable words wherewith unlesse these men desired to swell up this their windy bulke why doe they tell us yet againe of that already answered and groundlesse exception against both their owne eyes and conscience where I say that this government hath continued in this Iland ever since the plantation of the Gospel without contradiction when as they cannot name any man in this Nation that ever contradicted Episcopacie till this present age or that ever contradicted this truth that Episcopacy hath so long continued in this Iland which is the only drift of my words For alas could I be so simple as not to know that this age hath bred opposition enough to the present government could I doubt whether these very men oppose it Yet let the boldest forehead of them all denie that it hath continued thus long in this our Iland or say that any till this age contradicted it so as that my assertion is just their exception false and vain As for that supplie of accessory strength which I did not beg but raise evince from the light of nature and rules of just policie for the continuance of those things which long use and many laws have firmly established as necessary and beneficiall it will stand long enough against the battery of their Paper-pellets If some statute Laws which seemed once necessary and beneficiall proving afterwards in processe of time noxious and burthensome have been justly and wisely repealed Let them tell mee whether the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome upon any mans abuse may be subject to alteration or whether rather their Wisdomes would not think fit to determine that the Laws must stand and the abuses be removed such is the cause we have now in hand and if we shall goe lesse I speak not against an impossibility but an easinesse of change the question being so stated which their guiltinesse would willingly over-look that things indifferent or good having been by continuance and generall approbation well rooted in Church and State may not upon light grounds be pulled up SECT V. I Justly fetch the pedegree of our holy calling from no lesse then Apostolicall and in that right Divine institution and prove it from the clear practise of their immediate successors and justly triumph in that confidence They tell me of one scruple yet remaining It is well if there be no more And what may that be That in Originall authority of Scripture Bishops and Presbyters went originally for the same Alas brethren what needed this to be a scruple in your thoughts or your words when it is in expresse termes granted by us That there was at first a plain Identity in their denomination here is one page and that not without some labour of proofs idly lost It is true that the Remonstrant undertakes to shew a cleare and received distinction of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons out of the undeniable writings of those holy men which lived in the times of the Apostles and after them with an evident specification of their severall duties And what say my Answerers to this Yet say they Let us tell him that we never finde in Scripture these three Orders Bishops Presbyters Deacons Brethren ye might have spared to tell me that which I had told you before I speak of the monuments of immediate succession to the Apostolique times Ye of the writings of the Apostles themselves How then doe you either answer or oppose my assertion Although I must also tell you that though in the Apostolique Epistles there be no nominall distinction of the titles yet there is a reall distinction and specification of the duties as we shall see in due place That ye may seem not to say nothing and may make your Readers beleeve you are not quite forsaken of Antiquity ye call Hierome Chrysostome Theophylact Irenaeus and Cyprian to the Book And what evidence will they give for you That the names of Bishops and Presbyters were not at first distinguished but used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a promiscuous sense and that some succeeding Bishops of Rome were styled Presbyters This is all but that your trifling may appeare to all the World Name but any one of our Writers who have hitherto stood up in the cause of Episcopacie that hath not granted and proclaimed this which you contend for Although withall let me tel you that you could not have brought a stronger argument against your selves for hence the world shall see how little force can be drawne from the name to the thing since the mentioned Anicetus Pius Hyginus Telesphorus Bishops of Rome are so famously known to have been in an height of elevation above Presbyters And since Cyprian who is styled by his Presbyters Frater is never found to style his Presbyters Bishops And being an holy Bishop himselfe in many Epistles stifly maintaines the eminence of his superiority And is some-whiles honored with the title of Beatissimus Papa Cyprianus which I suppose was never given to a meere Presbyter But what do I here follow them who confesse themselves out of the way At last acknowledging that their adversaries confesse that which they would needs spend time to prove let the names passe All the question is of the distinction of their offices which they wil follow as tediously as loosly And first they would faine know what we make the distinct office of a Bishop wherein they fall somewhat unhappily upon the very words of that branded Aerius Is it say they to edifie the Church by Word Sacraments Is it to ordaine others to that worked Is it to rule to governe by admonition and by other censures any or all of these belong unto the Presbytery Compare now the words of Aerius as they are related by Epiphanius whom that Father brings in speaking thus concerning Episcopacy and Presbytery There is one order of both one honor one dignity the Bishop imposeth hands so doth the Presbyter the Bishop doth administer Gods worship or service so doth the Presbyter the Bishop sitteth on the throne so doth also the Presbyter See reader and acknowledge the very phrases of that man whom holy antiquity censured even in this point both for a frantick man and an
Were it so pleasing to his Majesty and the State to decree it we should be well content to submit to this ancient forme of Election the forbearance whereof is neither our fault nor our prejudice so as you might well have bestowed this breath to a better purpose and rather conclude that notwithstanding this forme of different choice our Bishops and those of former times are not two SECT VIII WEE follow you into the execution of our Episcopall Office wherein you will show ours and the Apostles to be two so clearely that he who will not wilfully shut his eyes may see a latitude of differences and that in three points The first in sole jurisdiction which you say was a stranger yea a monster to former times and will make it good by the power of that which in all wise writers was wont to be contra-distinguished Ordination For this maine point let my Answerers know that the Ordination is the Bishops but the sole in their sense is their own neither did our Bishops ever challenge it as theirs alone without the Presbyters but as principally theirs with them so as if the power be in the Bishop the assistance is from them the practise in both so is it in the Bishops that ordinarily and regularly it may not be done without them and yet ordinately it may not be done without them by the Bishop which hath bin so constantly and carefully ever observed that I challenge them to shew any one instance in the Church of England to the contrary Say Brethren I beseech you after all this noyse what Bishop ever took upon him to ordain a Presbyter alone or without the concurrent imposition of many hands They no lesse then Cyprian can say Ego collegae Although I must tell you this was in the case of Aurelius made a Lector And in that other testimony which you cite out of his Epistle 58. he speaks onely of the fraternities consent and approbation not of their concurrence in their act this is small game with you Neither is it lesse the order of the Church of England then of the Councell of Carthage Cum ordinatur Presbyter c. When a Presbyter is ordained the Bishop blessing him and holding his hand upon his head all the Presbyters that are present shall likewise lay their hands upon his head with the hands of the Bishop With what conscience can ye alledge this as to choak us in our contrary practise when you know this is perpetually and unfailably done by us But now that the Readers may see how you shuffle shew us but one instance of a Presbyters regular and practised ordaining without a Bishop and carry the cause else you do but abuse the Reader with an ostentation of proving what was never denied But here by the way brethren you must give me leave to pull you by the sleeve and to tell you of two or three foul scapes which will trie whether you can blush First that you abuse Firmilianus in casting upon him an opinion of Presbyters ordaining which he never held He in his Epistle to Stephen Bishop of Rome speaking of the true Church in opposition to heresies describes it thus Vbi praesident majores natu qui baptizandi manum imponendi et ordinandi possident potestatem under this name expressing those Bishops who presiding in the Church possesse the power of Baptizing Confirming Ordaining you injuriously Wire-draw him to Presbyters and foist in Seniores et Praepositos which are farre from the clause and matter Be convinced with the more cleare words of the same Epistle Apostolis et Episcopis qui illis vicariâ Ordinatione successerunt Secondly that you bewray grosse ignorance in translating Ambroses Presbyteri consignant by Presbyters ordaining Who that ever knew what belonged to antiquity would have beene guilty of such a solecisme when every novice knowes that consigning signifies confirmation and not ordaining Thirdly you discover not too much skill in not distinguishing of the Chorepiscopi some whereof had both the nature and power of Episcopacy to all purposes and therefore might well by the Bishops licence in his owne charge impose hands others not And lesse fidelity in citing the Councell of Antioch can 10. and the 13. of the Councell of Ancyra if it were not out of our way to fetch them into tryall Lastly I cannot but tell you that you have meerly cast away all this labour and fought with your owne shadow for how ever it were not hard to prove that in the first times of the Church it was appropriated to the Bishop to Ordaine which you cannot but cōfesse out of Ierome and Chrysostom yet since we speaking of our owne time and Church doe both professe and practise an association of Presbyters with us in the act of Ordination whom have you all this while opposed It is enough that you have seemed to say somthing and have showne some little reading to no purpose SECT IX YEt still you will needs beat the ayre very furiously and fight pitifully with your selves Alas brethren why will ye take so much paines to goe wilfully out of your way and to mis-lead the reader with you Who ever challenged in that sense which you faine to your selves a sole Jurisdiction Why will you with some show of learning confute that which you yeeld us to confesse we confesse this sole cryed downe by store of Antiquity we doe willingly grant that Presbyters have and ought to have and exercise a jurisdiction within their owne charge in foro conscientiae we grant that in all the great affayres of the Church the Presbyters whether in Synodes or otherwise ought to be consulted with we grant that the Bishops had of old their Ecclesiasticall Councell of Presbyters with whose advise they were wont to manage the greatest matters and we still have so for to that purpose serve the Deanes and Chapters and the Lawes of our Church frequently make that use of them we grant that Presbyters have their votes in provinciall Synods But we justly say that the superiority of jurisdiction is so in the Bishop as that Presbyters neither did nor may exercise it without him and that the exercise of externall jurisdiction is derived from by under him to those which execute it within his Dioces Thus it is to Timothy that S. Paul gives the charge concerning the rebuke of an Elder or not receiving an accusation against him It is to Titus that S. Paul leaves the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 correction of his Cretians Thus the Canons of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thus the blessed Martyr Ignatius in his undoubted Epistle to those of Smyrna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Let no man doe any thing in matters belonging to the Church without the Bishop Thus the Councell of Antioch orders that whatsoever belongs to the Church is to be governed managed and disposed by the judgement and authority of the Bishop who hath 〈◊〉
In the meane time God blesse all good men from such charity and our sacred Monarchy from such friends The forme of the Episcopall Government of the Church hath contrarily been ever one and the same without any considerable variation and if it have anywhere invaded the Civil administration and yoked Monarchy it is the insolence of the persons not the fault of the Calling And if William Rufus a Prince noted for grosly irreligious oppressed by tyrannicall Popish Prelates did let fall this cholerick word that he would have the Jews confute them and that rather then faile England should turne Jewish on this condition Is this an argument for any Christian to use for the confuting of godly and loyall Protestant Bishops which are ready to be censured rather for too great observance of Soveraignty Let any but a Jew judge whether this be a fit instance for a Christian Any thing serves against Episcopacie The testimony of a Pope whom these men honour highly Pius 4. is also brought in as irrefragable against the Divine right of Bishops And what sayes Antichrist He tels the Spanish Ambassador that his Master suing for the Councels declaration of this truth knew not what he demanded for Bishops so declared would be exempted frō his Regall power and as independent as the Pope himselfe Tell me brethren Do ye like or beleeve this assertion because a Pope said it Or can ye blame him who would have all Episcopall Jurisdiction derived meerly from himselfe to be unwilling that their right should be yeelded to have the same grounds which he pretends for his owne And if there might be this danger in those Kingdomes where the Clergy challengeth an exemption from the power of all Secularity why is this enviously upbraided to those of ours who doe gladly professe notwithstanding the Apostolicall that is Divine right of their calling to hold their places and exercise of their Jurisdiction wholly from His Majesty Not lesse spitefull nor more true is your observation of the comparison made betweene the indeavours of alteration in our neighbour Church by our Episcopall faction and that which is now justly desired by the humble Petitioners to the honourable House It is a foule sclander to charge the name of Episcopacy with a faction for the fact imputed to some few Fie brethren are ye Presbyters of the Church of England and dare challenge Episcopacie of faction Had you spoken but such a word in the time of holy Cyprian whom you frequently cite as a patterne of good discipline what had become of you Neither is the wrong lesse to make application of that which was most justly charged upon the practises and combinations of libelling Separatists to humble and peaceable Petitioners the one railing down-right upon an established and holy Government whom I deservedly censured the other modestly suing for a reformation of the abuses of Government Surely whiles the worst are thus patronized by our indulgent answerers it is an hard question Whether the Libellers themselves or these their mis-zealous Advocates are more justly to be branded for Incendiaries SECT II. AFter this overflowing of your gall you descend to the two maine subjects of this quarrell Liturgy and Episcopacy I had truly said that our Liturgy hath been hither to esteemed sacred reverently used by holy Martyrs frequented by devout Protestants as that which hath been confirmed by Edicts of religious Princes and our owne Parliamentary Acts. And hath it so say you Whence then proceed so many Additions and Alterations that have changed the face and fabrick thereof Additions and Alterations What in the present Liturgie where or what tell me I beseech you brethren are they visible or are they not If not how come ye to see them if so why cannot we perhaps somewhere in stead of Priest there is Minister perhaps Absolution is interpreted by a Remission perhaps in private baptisme there is mention of a lawfull Minister perhaps in stead of Purification of women there is Thanksgiving And can ye know the Book when ye see it again after these Alterations these Additions Is it not now with this mis-altered Liturgie as with the disguised Dames mentioned of old by D. Hall whom you name I dare say for honors sake so mis-shapen by their monstrous fashions that their redivived Grandsires could not now know them Can ye but blush at this envious and groundlesse suggestion And why should not I speake of Martyrs as the Authors and users of this holy Liturgie why should not we glory in their name and Authority sleight you them as you please we blesse God for such Patrons of our good cause What a poore returne is this Whiles I tell you what our holy Martyrs did You tell me what one of our Bishops said As if we were bound to make good every word that falls from the mouth of every Bishop Even of the best man we may say as the Psalmist doth of Moses effutiit labiis he spake unadvisedly with his lips As for the words themselves If a Bishop have said that our Liturgy hath been so wisely and charitably framed as that the Devotion of it yeeldeth no cause of offence to a very Popes eare as onely aiming at an uncontroversory Piety I see not what hainous fault can herein be imputed to the speech or the Author Would you think it requisite that we should chide and quarrell when we speak to the God of Peace It is no little advantage therefore both to our cause and Piety that our Liturgie is taught to speak severall Languages both for use and example and thereby our Church hath gained much justification and honour As for that sharp censure of learned M r Calvins Tolerabiles ineptiae how ever it might well have been forborne by him In alienâ republicâ and by you to presse it upon our owne we honor the name of that noble instrument of Gods glory in his Church yet withall we fear not to say without any disparagement to his worth That our Liturgie both in the frame and survay of it passed the judgement of no lesse reverend heads then his owne Neither would you think it could become any of our greatest Divines to meddle with the wafers or Lords-day markets of his charge let every Church take care of their own affaires As for that unparalleld discourse of mine concerning the Antiquity of Liturgies Vnparalleld you say because no man that you have seene ever drew the line of Liturgie so high as I have done I must tell you that perhaps there may bee some things in the world that may have escaped your not-omniscient eies and perhaps this may bee one I cannot help your wonder but I shall justifie my own Assertion In the meane while ye doe almost yeeld the question ere you argue it If by Liturgie you say this Remonstrant understand an Order observed in Church assemblies of praying reading and expounding the Scriptures administration of Sacraments c. Such a Liturgie wee know and acknowledge both Iews
dint of their censures The like answer serves for their objected Homilies Surely were they enjoyned to all by lawfull authority and made so familiar to the eares of every congregation as the Liturgie is some few could not forbeare them without offence whiles withall they should be allowed the helps of preaching As in this case it is done the use of the set Liturgie being seconded by prayers conceived But the project is singular That if any Ministers should prove insufficient to discharge the duty of Prayer in a conceived way it may be imposed upon him as a punishment to use set formes and no other Never Confessor injoyned such a penance Never Law-maker imposed such a mulct Certainly it were a more just and needfull motion that many who take upon them to preach with so small abuse of Gods sacred Word might as in way of correction be injoyned onely to reade Homilies But who sees not in this overture an utter cassation of that Liturgie which is pretended to be left free For if the freedome of a sole conceived prayer shall depend upon the supposed sufficiency of the Minister shew me the man amongst five hundred of the forward Artizans that Will confesse or think himselfe insufficient for the act or unfurnished with the gifts of Prayer Away then with the Book whiles it may be supplied with a more profitable non-sense Surely where God hath bestowed gifts it is fit they should be imployed and improved to the best advantage of his people But where there is nothing but an empty over-weening and proud ignorance there is great reason for a just restraint SECT III. THus their cavils concerning the Liturgie are vanished we descend to the longer quarrell of Episcopacie Where it is their ill hap to stumble again at the entring into these Lists beginning their answer pardon good Reader with a manifest leasing whiles they dare say that whatsoever hath been either spoken or written by any either learned Divines or well reformed Churches is taxed by me as no other then the unjust clamours of weak or factious persons Certainly had I done so I had been no lesse worthy to be spit upon for my saucy uncharitablenesse then they are now for their uncharitable falshood After my complaints of the many railing invectives and scandalous Libels published of late I came now to bemoane my self to that high Court of Justice in these words As for that forme of Episcopall government which hath hitherto obtained in the Church of God I confesse I am confounded in my selfe to heare with what unjust clamours it is cried down abroad by either weak or factious persons Abroad I say in relation to both Houses lest any malicious person should have traduced my words as reflecting upon any free speech made in either of them against some of that calling alluding to that impious licentiousnesse of our frequent Libellers both in the City and Countrey which shamefully revile Episcopacy as wicked and Antichristian Now come these brotherly slanderers sure the termes can be no better and would needs Wier-draw my words as farre as France Germany or Geneva it self and cry out of my Arrogancy as condemning all Divines all Churches which the God of heaven knowes never came within the verge of my thoughts Yea if I could have been so abominably presumptuous as to inlarge my abroad to other Nations yet I beseech you readers see how well this follows Episcopall Government is with unjust clamours cryed down abroad by either weake or factious persons therefore whosoever speaks or writes against Episcopacy is either weake or factious Brethren if you have any remainders of modesty or truth left in you cry God mercy for this egregious and palpable calumnie Of the same straine is their witty descant upon my confoundednesse I made use of the phrase as that which is taken up by the most elegant Greek and Latine Authors to expresse extreame sorrow these deep Philologers as not seeming to know other sense take it of a confoundednesse through distraction sure the man is not in his rightwits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And how so trow we Heare how he raves He talks of all peaceable and right affected sons of the Church and craves an admittance in all their names whereas all could not take notice of his book doubtlesse a deep phrensie Brethren I am still and shall ever be thus selfe-confounded as confidently to say that he is no peaceable and right affected Son of the Church of England that doth not both hate Libels and wish well to Liturgy and Episcopacy both which summe up my humble Remonstrance But this flip they confesse is small that other is worthy of a large Dos of Ellebore that I say Episcopall govermnent that is government by Diocesan Bishops derives it selfe from the Apostles times this they say they cannot but rank amongst my notorious speake out Masters I would not have that word stick in your teeth or in your throat And why is this truth so notorious Because there were no Diocesans of above an hundred yeares after Christ Now Readers I beseech you cast back your eies upon those Lines of mine and see whether I make any mention at all of Diocesans but onely of the sacred government by Episcopacy Wanton wits must have leave to play with their owne stern Brethren what needs this importunity Even selfe-confounded men doe not alwaies speake false What the joynt-confession of all reformed Divines is concerning the derivation of Episcopacy from the Apostolique times I have elsewhere shewed from some in the name of all and shall doe again in the due place to what purpose were this unseasonable anticipation Indeed no true Divine did ever hold otherwise The question never was Whether Bishops were derived from the Apostles But what kinde of Bishops they were For us if we not deduce ours from them in respect of all the essentialls of our calling let the shame be ours Whereas I say the government hath continued without any interruption they aske jeeringly What at Rome and tell me of some places of the world as Scotland for example wherein this government was never known for many years together Brethren what means this whether simplicity or scorne Could yee imagine me to meane that every place through the whole world hath had a continued Line of Bishops ever since the Apostles sure you cannot so wrong your own judgements Alas we could tell you of China Iapan Peru Brasil New-England Virginia and a thousand others that never had any Bishops to this day Yet it is never the lesse safe to say that the form of Government by Bishops in the Christian world derives it selfe without interruption from the Apostles times for as much as there hath been no time or age since them wherein there hath not been this forme of Episcopall Government continued You tell me that In ancient times the Scots were instructed by Priests and Monks and were without Bishops two hundred and ninety years I acknowledge the words
knowledge and approbation The Presbyters then chose their Bishops who doubts it But upon whose order and Institution save that which S. Paul to the Superintendents met at Miletus Acts 20. Spiritus sanctus vos constituit Episcopos I marvell Brethren with what face you can make Ierome say that the Presbyters themselves were the Authors of this imparity when as himself hath plainly ascribed this to Gods own work when reading that Esay 60.17 I will make thy Officers peace according to the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I will give thy Princes in peace and thy Bishops in righteousnesse he applies this to the Governours of the Evangelicall Church and the blessed Martyr and Bishop S. Cyprian to the same purpose The Deacons saith he must remember that the Lord himselfe chose Apostles that is Bishops but Deacons were chosen by the Apostles themselves And when ye cannot but know that the Apostles themselves were the immediate actors in this businesse if at least ye will beleeve the Histories and Fathers of the Church Irenaeus tels you plainly that the Apostles Peter and Paul delivered the Episcopacy of that Church to Linus and that Polycarpus was by the Apostles made Bishop in Asia of the Church of Smyrna and Tertullian particularly that Polycarpus was there placed by S. Iohn And S. Chrysostome clearly sayes that Ignatius was not onely trained up with the Apostles but that he received his Bishoprick from them and emphatically that the hands of the blessed Apostles touched his holy head And lastly the true Ambrose to the shameing of that Counterfeit whom you bring forth under that name tels you that Paul saw Iames at Ierusalem because he was made Bishop of that place by the Apostles your slip may talk of a Councell wherein this was done but this is as false as himselfe It is well known there never was any such Councell in the Christian world since the first generall Synod was the Nicene And Ieroms toto orbe Decretum as we have shewed could import no other then an Apostolicall act As for S. Augustine Is it not a just wonder Reader that these men dare cite him for their opinion upon occasion of a modest word concerning the honourable title of Episcopacy when as they cannot but know and grant that he hath blazoned Aerius for an heretick meerly for holding the same Tenet which they defend Lastly if Gregory Nazianzen in a pathetick manner have wished the abolition of Episcopacie as he never did what more dislike had he shown to it then he did to Synods when he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that he never knew good come of them But reader it will be worth the while to inquire into the fidelity of these mens allegations Doe but consult the place of Nazianzen thou shalt â—â—nd that he speaks not particularly of Episcopacie but of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or precedencie and of all quarrelsome challenges of place all tyrannicall carriage of one man towards another wishing that there were no standing upon points of precedency but every man might be respected according to his vertue and adding at last Nunc autem dextrum hoc et sinistrum et medium latus c. But now saith he the right hand and the left and the middle place and the higher and lower degree and going before and going cheeke by jole what a world of troubles have they brought upon us Thus he See then Reader what a testimony here is for the utter abolition of Episcopacy from a man who was so interessed in the calling that he was wont to be styled by his adversaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bishop of three Sees By this judge reader of the rest So then after all the clamours and colourable pretences of these men this imparity and jurisdiction was conveyed from the Apostles hands and deduced in an uninterrupted Line through all following ages to this present day How can this be say they unlesse our Bishops will draw the Line of their pedegree through the lines of Antichrist and joyne issue and mingle blood with Rome For shame Brethren eate this word What are there no Bishops but at Rome Is the whole Church all the world over Antichristian even those which are no lesse angry at Rome then your selves Hath not Episcopall imparitie continued in them all this while Is there no distinction to be had betwixt the calling and the abuse If the Antichristian Church have had Bishops so it hath had Churches Scriptures Baptisme Learning Creeds Because we have all these with them will ye say we deduce them from the loines of Antichrist Away with this impotent spight and uncharitablenesse and learne to be more modest true in your assertions and lesse confident in your appeals SECT VII LEt me balk your idle words the question is of the difference betwixt our present Bishops and the ancient this you will spread forth in three particulars The first is the manner of Election to these places of eminence which was of old ordered by the privity consent and approbation of the people which you eagerly seeke to prove out of Cyprian neither can it be denied that he is full and punctuall in this point Holy Athanasius seconds it And the old rule was Electio clericorum consensus Principis petitio plebis that a Bishop came in by the suite of the people the Election of the Clergy the consent of the Prince Ye might well have in this case spared the fetching in of the good Emperour Constantine doubtlesse this was the manner of old what variations followed afterward in these proceedings our learned Dr. Field hath well showed but sure this interest of the people continued so long even in the Roman Church that Platina can tell us Gregory the seventh was elected by Cardinalls Clerks Acoluthites Subdeacons Priests Abbots Bishops Clergie and Laitie The inconveniences that were found in those tumultuarie elections and the seditious issue of them which Nazianzen and Eusebius have laid before us in some particulars were I suppose the cause why they were in a sort laid downe But an imitation of this practise we have still continuing in our Church wherein upon the vacancy of every See there is a Conge-d'eslire that is a leave to elect sent down from the King to the Presbyters viz. the Deane and Chapter of that Church for an ensuing election of their Bishop and if this were yet more free we should not like it the lesse But in the meane time Brethren how are you quite beside the Cushion Where the objection was That the Apostles Bishops and ours were two in respect of managing their function And my defence is that our Bishops challenge not any other Spirituall power then the Apostles delegated to Timothy and Titus you now tell us of the different manner of our Elections What is this ad Rhombum we speake of their actions and exercise of power you talke of others actions to them
Truly no who ever said that one Angel was over all the seven Churches but that each of these famous Churches were under their own Star or Angel but those churches you say were not Diocesan How doth that appeare Because first Tindall and the old translation calls them seven congregations for answer who knows not that Tindall and the old Translation are still wont to translate the word church wheresoever they finde it by Congregation which some Papists have laid in our dish Learned Doctor Fulk hath well cleared our intentions herein from their censure Tindall himselfe professes to doe it out of this reason because the Popish Clergy had appropriated to themselves the name of the Church but however they rather made use of the Word yet not so as that hereby they intend onely to signifie Parishionall meetings So Ephesians 3. To the intent that now to the Rulers and Powers in heavenly places might bee knowne by the Congregation the manifold Wisedome of GOD Doe wee thinke this blessed Revelation confined to a Parish or common to the whole Church of God So 1. Corinthians 15. they turne I am not worthy to bee called an Apostle because I persecuted the Congregation of GOD Doe we thinke his cruelty was confined to a Parish So Matthew 6.16 Vpon this Rocke will I build my Congregation was this a Parish onely So Acts 11. Herod the King stretched out his hands to vexe certaine of the Congregation Was his malice onely Parochiall but secondly ye tell us that in Ephesus which was one of those Candlesticks there was but one flock Acts 20.28 Yea but can you tell us what kind of Flock it was whether Nationall or Provinciall or Diocesan Parochiall I am sure it could not be you have heard before that those Elders or Bishops were sent for from Ephesus But that they were all of Ephesus it cannot be proved when all of them then are bidden to take heede to the Flocke of Christ whereof they are made over-seers each is herein charged to look to his owne and all are in the next words required to feed the Church of GOD which he hath purchased with his owne blood So as your second argument is fully answered in the solution of the first and in the former passages of this Section The advantage that you take from Epiphanius affirming that divers Cities of that time might have two Bishops whereas Alexandria held close to one can availe you little when it shall bee well weighed first that your Tenet supposeth and requireth that every Presbyter should bee a Bishop and therefore if your cause speed there should be no fewer Bishops than parishes Secondly that the practise of the whole Church both before and after Epiphanius is by such cleare testimonies convinced to be contrary famous and irrefragable is that Canon of Nicen Councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that in one City there might not bee two Bishops so before this Cornelius writing to the Bishop of Antioch objects it scornfully to Novatian that hee did not know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that in a Catholike Church there ought to be but one Bishop And it is a knowne word of the Confessors of old in Cyprians time one GOD one Lord one Bishop Make much if you please of this conceit of yours that Epiphanius his Neighbour-hood might acquaint him well with the Condition of the Asian Churches But let mee adde that you shall approve your selves meere strangers to all the rules and practises of antiquity if you shall stand upon the generall plurality of Bishops in the same City or Dioces And last of all remember that Epiphanius reckons up Aerius as an Hereticke for holding Presbyters equall with Bishops Your third argument that there is nothing said in these seven Epistles that implyes a superiority is answered by the very Superscription of each Letter which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the Angel and much more by the matter of the severall Epistles For what reason were it for an ordinary Presbyter to bee taxed for that which hee hath no power to redresse That the Angel of Pergamus should bee blamed for the having of those which hold the Doctrine of Balaam or the Nicolaitans when hee had no power to proceed against them or the Angel of the Church of Thyatira for suffering the Woman Jezabel if it must bee so read to teach and seduce when hee had no power of publick censure to restraine her But what need wee stand upon conjecturall answers to convince you in this plea as likewise in the supposed Decision of the kinde of superiority which you urge in the next paragraph when wee are able to shew both who the parties were to whom some of these Epistles were directed and to evince the high degree of their superiority Ignatius the Martyr besides Tertullian is witnesse for both who tells us that Onesimus was now the Angel or Bishop of Ephesus Polycarpus of Smyrna and as commenting upon this very subject oft ingeminates the duty of subjection owing to the Bishop and the divers degrees of those 3 several stations in the Church as we already instanced away then with those your unproving illustrations and unregardable testimonies which you as destitute of all Antiquity shut up the Scene withall And let the wise Reader judge whether the Remonstrant hath not from the evidence of Timothy and Titus and the Angels of the Asian Churches made good that just claime of this sacred Hierarchy against all your weak and frivolous pretentions From the Remonstrant least your discourse should not be tedious enough you fly upon some other Defenders of the Hierarchy and fall upon the two post-scripts of Saint Pauls Epistles to Timothy and Titus wherein Timothy Titus are stiled the first bishops of Ephesus and creet which I am no way engaged to defend You say they are not of canonical authority so say I too but I say they are of great antiquity so you must confesse also Faine would I see but any pretence of so much age against the matter of those Subscriptions the averred Episcopacy of Timothy and Titus cited by these confident antiquaries surely he were senceles that would imagine the Post-scripts as old as the Text or as authenticke but we may boldly say they are older then any Records of the gain-sayers Where these Subscriptions are not seconded by authority of the ancient Church there I leave them but where they are so wel backed there is no reason to forsake them The Exception therefore which you take at the Post-script of the Epistle to Titus is not more stale than unjust You say peremptorily it was not written from Nicopolis neither was Paul then there how appeares it Because hee sayes in the body of the Epistle come to mee to Nicopolis for I am determined there to winter Hee saith not Heere to Winter but there as speaking of a third place but how slight this ground is will bee easily apparent to any man that
could not but bleed to see but withall desired to have had them lesse publique your charity accuseth mee of excusing them and blaming my humble motion of Constantines example professe to desire the blazoning of them to the World Whether of us shall give a better account of our charity to the God of peace I appeale to that great Tribunall In your next Section like ill-bred sonns you spit in the face of your mother A Mother too good for such sonnes The Church of England and tell us of Papists that dazle the eyes of poore people with the glorious name of the holy Mother the Church If they bee too fond of their Mother I am sure your Mother hath little cause to be fond of you Who can and dare compare her to those Aethiopian strumpets which were common to all commers For your whole undutifull carriage towards her take heed of the Ravens of the valley As if wee were no lesse strangers then you enemies to the Church of England you tell the World that wee know not who she is and that we wonder when wee are askt the question and run descant upon the two Archbishops Bishops Convocation Even what your luxuriant wit shall please and at last you make up your mouth with a merry jest telling your Reader that the Remonstrant out of his simplicity never heard nor thought of any more Churches of England then one Ridiculum caput Sit you merry Brethren but truly after all your sport still my simplicity tells mee there is but one Church of England There are many Churches in England but many Churches of England were never till now heard of You had need fetch it as farre as the Heptarchie And to shew how far you are from the objected simplicity yee tell us in the shutting up that England Scotland and Ireland are all one Church Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae But now take heed of Obelisks You professe you for your parts do acknowledge no Antiprelaticall Church I am glad to heare it nor I neither but I beseech you if you make and condemne a Prelaticall Church of England what shall bee the other part of the Contradistinction The Remonstrant tels you of further divisions and subdivisions which upon this ground you must necessarily make of the Church your deepe wisdomes take this as of his upbrading of the divisions in the Church in meer matter of Opinion and fly out into the censures of the Prelaticall party as the cause thereof and would have them say Mitte nos in Mare non erit tempestas The truth is the severalties of Sects and their separate Congregations about this Citie are many and lamentable I doe not upbraid but bewaile them The God of Heaven be Iudge where the fault rests and if it bee his holy will finde some speedy redresse but in the mean time one casts it upon faction another upon ungrounded rigour wheresoever it bee Woe bee to those by whom the offence commeth Lay you your hands on your hearts onwards and consider well Whether your fomenting of so unjust and deep dislikes of lawfull government have not been too much guilty of these wofull breaches As one that love that peace of the Church which you are willing to trouble I perswading an unity ask what bounders you set what distinction of Professors you make what grounds of Faith what new Creed what different Scriptures Baptisme means of salvation are held by that part which you mis-call the Prelaticall Church You answer according to your wonted Charity and Truth What bounds Those you say of the sixth Canon from the high and lofty Promontory of Archbishops to the Terra incognita of an c. Witty again Alas brethren if this bee all the Lists are too narrow Here are but four ranks of Dignities and few in each put if that inclusive c. reach far yet what will you make of all this Doe you exclude Bishops Deans Archdeacons c. from being members of the Church of England sure you dare not bee so shamefully unjust If therefore that they have an interest in the Prelacy cannot exclude them for their interest in the Church What becomes of your bounders This is fit work for your Obelisk What distinction you say worshiping to the East bowing to the Altar prostituting perhaps you meane prostrating themselvs in their approches into Churches and are these fit distinctions brethren whereupon to ground different churches if they difference men doe they difference Christians What new Creed you say Episcopacie by divine right is the first article of their Creed For shame brethren did ever man make this an article of faith who will thinke you worthy to have any faith given you in the rest of your assertions you adde absolute and blind obedience to all the commandements of Bishops Blush yet again Bretheren blush to affirme this when you well know that the words of the oath of Canonicall obedience run only In omnibus licitis honestis mandatis in all lawfull and honest commands You adde Election upon faith foreseene What nothing but grosse untruths Is this the doctrine of the Bishops of England have they not strongly confuted it in Papists in Arminians have they not cry'd it downe to the pit of Hell What means this wickedly false suggestion judge Reader if here bee not work for Obelisks What Scripture you say Apocrypha and Traditions unwritten Mark I beseech you unwritten Traditions are Scriptures first then Apocrypha and why I pray you is it more our Apocrypha then yours Are all our Bibles Prelaticall too Shortly all those Churches and houses and persons that have the Apocrypha in their Bibles belong to the Church Prelaticall what have wee lost by the match What Baptisme What Eucharist You tell us of the absolute necessity which some Popish fooles have ascribed to the one and of an Altar and table set Altarwise in the other What are these to the Church of England doth the errour of every addle head or the sight or posture of a Boord make a different Church What Christ You answere near to a blasphemy A Christ who hath given the same power of absolution to a Priest that himselfe hath This can be nothing but a slanderous fiction No Christian Divine ever held that a Priests power of absolution was any other then ministeriall Christs Soveraign and absolute If you know the man bring him forth that he may be stoned What Heaven you say such as is receptive of Drunkards Swearers Adulterers Brethren take heed of an Hel whiles you fain such an Heaven and feare lest your uncharitableness will no lesse bar you out of the true Heaven above then you bar Prelaticall sinners from their accesse thereinto but if you had rather goe on still in your owne way separate your selves from us that professe wee are one with you Charge upon us those doctrines and opinions which wee hate no whit lesse then your selves fasten upon the Church of England those
the Laity who abound with wealth to bee maintained of the common store and that more liberally then others For if by those that rule well you shall understand both Lay-Elders and sacred also you must needs conclude that they are all worthy of double honour both those which rule and those which labour in Doctrine which conclusion the Apostle is against elsewhere whilest hee saith those which serve at the Altar must partake of the Altar And the Lord himselfe who hath appointed that those which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell 1. Corinthians 9.13.14 Wherupon Hierome in the same place hee would saith hee have them to yeeld carnall things to those of whom they receive spiritual things because they being taken up in teaching cannot provide necessary things for themselves Yea I say yet more if St. Paul had by those that rule understood Lay-elders certainly hee would some-where have put them in minde of their duty or at least have made mention of them 1 Tim. 3. where he doth not omit to give charge even of Deacons and Deaconesses But he doth neither of the two but presently after the mention of Bishops or Presbyters that were Pastors he falls into the speech concerning Deacons and their wives so as it is a plaine proofe that Lay-Elders were utterly unknown to him Fourthly the defence of Lay-Elders out of this place is utterly against the judgment of the fathers so many as ever have expounded this text of the Apostle Neither indeed is there any necessity at all that because the Apostle saith those especially that labour in Word and Doctrine therefore we should devise new Elders to bee taken out of the common people For it was well knowne that those of the Clergie which are over the Lords flock have their distinct Offices and employments There are of them which administer Sacraments make publike prayers privately admonish faithfull people and with-hold them from sinning there are others which being indued with excellent guifts of speaking imploy themselves in being teachers guids to mens soules in the way to heaven and the labors of these men which are taken by them in word and Doctrine are justly preferred before the service of them which administer the sacraments and make prayers for the Church even by the testimony of the Apostle himselfe who saith Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospell 1. Cor. 1.17 He was sent for both purposes but the chief end of his mission was the preaching of the Gospell Whosoever therefore thus rule the people whether they doe administer the Sacrament or onely preach the word or whether they doe both are worthy of double Honour where a certain number is put for an uncertain double honour that is greater and more then others although some are of opinion that here by Apostolique authority there is a greater portion assigned to the Governors then to others that appertain to the Church others interpret it of that double Honour which is fit for governours to have one of an awfull reverence and command the other of more largenesse of maintenarce that they be both observed and respected above others and that they have a more liberall provision of necessaries for their livelyhood but the first of them is the more simple exposition of the words He therefore holds those that are set over the people worthy of double honour And why double A little before he had given them order about the honoring that is maintaining of their Widowes at the charge of the Church from the Widows hee passeth to the Elders or Presbyters whom if they rule well hee would have honoured with a double alowance that is greater then that of the Widowes both by reason of their office and by reason of their family and amongst those that rule yet againe hee would have those most regarded who are imployed not so much in administring the Sacraments as in preaching the Word I doubt not but this is the most true Explication of this place FINIS Psal 27.3 Acts 17 22. Areopagus Mars-hill or The Câ—urt of Areopagites Branded and mislik't c. Pag. 4. * If we may not rather take it to allude to the manner of the Heathens who because their gods were multinomines according to their severall powers and vertues had certain monitors to put the suppliants in mind of the appellations of their Deities as Desiderius Heraldus thinks and to this purpose brings that of S. Augustine cited out of Seneca as he reads it Alius numina Dei subjicit or as Lipsius nomina however it cannot give the least colour to the sense intended by the Answerers Aug. Ep. 121 Aug. de bon persever c. 22. Vtinam tardi corde sic audirent disputationes nostras ut magis intuerentur orationes nostras quas semper habuit habebit Ecclesia ab exordiis suis usque dum finiatur seculum Just Mart. Apol. 2. The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is with all intention and implied in that of the same Justin Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Laod. c. 19. First the prayers of the Catechumeni preceded then those of the Penitents followed then those of the Faithfull concluded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Con. Laod. c. 8 Concil Milev 2. cont Celest Pelag. Poste à mortuus est Adrianus Cujus Deus non misereatur obiitque cum luctu magno c. * viz. the high Priest then living Buxtorfius tells us that the Creed of R. Ben Maimon was taken out of the Jews Liturgy In his speech at Norwich Assizes published M. Fisher I beseech you tell me brethren how you construe those words of Calvin which he wrote to the Protector of England Anno 1548. Oct. 22. Quod ad formulam precum rituuÌ„ Ecclesiasticorum valde probâ— ut certa illa extet à qua pastoribus discedere non liceat infunctione sua tam ut consulatur quorundam simplicitati imperitiae quam ut certius ita constet omnium inter se ecclesiarum consensus postremo etiam c. That is As for a forme of prayers and of rites Ecclesiasticall I do greatly approve that there be a certain one extant from which it should not be lawfull for the Ministers in their function to depart both that by this meanes provision may bee made for the simplicity and unskilfulnesse of some and the consent of all Churches amongst theÌ„selves may more certainly appeare Lastly that thus there may be a remedy for the desultory levity of some men that affect still certain innovations as I have shewed that the Catechisme it selfe serves for this purpose So therefore there ought to be a set forme of Catechisme a set form of administration of Sacraments and of publique Prayers Quanquam descessu veteris confusus amici Juvenal You might as well have told us out of the same Author of the strange conditions that are in use amongst them which they impose upon their King if ever he come into their coast of his riding with one leg bare and their mocking of him with their Maravedis Yet the words of the Remonstrance are not nothing can be a more certain truth but nothing can be more plain then this truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph. Amb. de dignitâ— Sacerd. c. 3. Nam Alexandriae à Marco Evangelistausque ad Heraclam Dionysium Episcopos Prâ—sbyteri semper unum ex se electuÌ„ in excel siori gradu collocatum Episcopum nominabant quomodo si exercitus Imperatorem faciat c. The holy Ghost made you Bishops or Over-seers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Tom. 5. Edition Savil. p. 499. Aug. F p. 19. Greg. Naz. Orat. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Platina in vita Greg. 7. Cypr. Ep. 33. Fiâ—mil Cypâ—ian Epist 75. To this purpose is that which you cite out of Clemens Alex Strom. l. 5. Alluded to in that usuall allegation of Ambrose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Antioch c. 24 25. B. Down def l. 3. ch 5. Howsoever it is now in some Reformed Churches laid down Socrat. l. 7. c. 37. 2 King 5.7 Calvin Epist f 421. Aquin. Pro dormitâ—one victioris non fiat blatio a uto depre catio aliquanomine ejus in Ecclesia frequentetur Cypr. Rogatiano fratri l. 3. Ep. 9. Aug. Ep. 110. 2· Tim 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 2.24 Cypr. l. 4. ad Antonianum Epist Revel 1.20 Conc. Nic. can 8 Ignat. ad Ephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. So Cyprian Epicopis loquens c. Qui Apostolis vicaria ordinatione succedunt Ep. 69. Vnitas per Apostolos novis successoribus tradita Ep. 41 Meminisse debent Diaconi quoniam Apostolos i. e. Episcopos prapaesitos Dominus clegit Ep. 65. B. Montague Orig. contra Celsum c. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Justellum in notis ad Canon African 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. Afr. 91 Aug. contra Crescon l. 3. Omnes vos Episcopi Presbyteri Diaconi Seniores scitis c. where against your own knowledge you translate Presbyteri Elders to bleare the Readers eys with a shew of a double sort of Elders whereas Presbyteri are there manifestly distinguished from Seniores P. Moulin Epist 3. ad Episcop Winton c.