Impius the 4. in the Councell or rather Conventicle of Trent and I doubt not but by propounding this way of moderation I shall purchase many enemies and lose more friends However I shall comfort my selfe with that saying of the Apostle If I seeke to please men I am not the servant of Christ And I shall intreat all my fellow-labourers in Geds Vineyard the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments V. 3 4 5. to looke into the 13. Chapter of Ezekiel where a woe is pronounced against those Prophets who are like the Foxes in the Deserts i.e. hide their heads which go not up into the gaps neither make up the hedge of the house of Israel This Text set a spurre to my backward intentions it stirred me up to snatch a Candle out of another mans hand to give light to them that are in darknesse and are misled with corrupt and blinde Teachers whose aime is to pull others out of their seats that they may step into them themselves and when such giddy-braine Drivers shall get into the Chariot box when men led with Phansie and Ambition shall sit at the Helme of our Church then woe be to the State woe be to the Kingdome I feare they will encrease our misery and confusion To prevent all which and their inevitable ruine I desire all good men to joyne with me in their prayers to God for an happy and an honourable Union between the King and his Subjects that Mercy and Truth may meet together Righteousnesse and Peace kisse each other Amen T. N. Faults escaped correct thus Page 2. line 2. reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 6. l. 2. reade i.e. the Presbytery to see it ratified p. 8. l. 23. reade this inference PALAEMON OR THE GRAND RECONCILER I Remember a passage in the Preface of a judicious Work written by Mr. H. one of the Assembly against the Independents In that Preface he humbly beseeches the Honourable Houses of Parliament to settle a Government in the Church and that with all speed fearing lest that if it should continue long without a fence and without Dressers and Pruners to purge and weed it to defend and guard it Psal 80.13 this Vineyard would bee rooted up by the wilde Bores out of the wood Rome is a wood full of perplexities and errours The Jesuited Papists are wilde Bores full of cruelty and malice And besides these the little Foxes the Schismaticks which we are commanded to take and kill Cant. 2.15 these would devoure the grapes of the Vineyard and trample all good Orders under their feet by which meanes there would be laid open a wide gap for all damnable Heresies Schismes and Errours which in a short time would spring up and cover the face of the Church The truth of this we have now found by sad experience Two black Devils Heresie and Schisme attended with a train of horrid opinions raised from Hell that region of darknesse have marched in triumph with great boldnesse in all quarters of our Land and spawned the poyson of their contagious Tenets which have beene silenced for many ages and scarce heard of till this And thus whilest we are disputing what government is best our Ship is sinking and the Church may rightly say with some alteration what the Mariners once to certaine Philosophers sporting with their danger and prating De ente non ente in a storme whilst they were perishing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doe you sport with your pens and tongues whilst my enemies are diving into my bowels with their swords and raking in my wounds And well may the Church take up that sad lamentation of the Prophet Ieremy Lam. 4.1 How is the gold become dim and the most fine gold changed and the stones of the Sanctuary are scattered in every corner of the streets How is the beauty of our Hierusalem defaced How are the beautifull flowers of this our Garden wasted I could spend many sheets in such mournfull Quomodos But as it is the property of a good Physitian not to fill his Patients eares with 〈◊〉 but to apply a remedy or a fit cure and that with care and speed for his griefe or malady so it is as vaine to weep over a gasping and dying Church and not to propose a Medicine to prevent its ruine I dare not be so bold as to prescribe of my selfe what Cordiall is fittest for a bleeding State and to advise how the ruines of this our Vineyard may be repaired Onely this I dare in all humility assert that there are two Fences most expedient the one to keep Gods wrath out and that is our hearty sorrow for our sinnes the other good government to keep good order in and with it to maintaine quietnesse and peace within our walls which peace is Religions Nurse My earnest and hearty desire of which happy peace by a blessed re-union of the disjoynted members of this Kingdome to their King moved me to take courage notwithstanding the Tobiahs and Sanballats that oppose it to collect as was once desired out of the approved Worke of Mr. Thorndike The Booke is entituled The Primitive Government of Churches a modell of the best and most ancient Church government setled by the Apostles in the East and Westerne Churches for which we have a full and cleare authority out of the holy Scriptures and which I doubt not will satisfie all parties but the Independents who would turne Christian liberty into licentiousnesse not allowing any Government either in the State or Church The Government which that worthy man labours to commend to the judgment of our Nehemiahs our State-Governours is that which is most consistent with the Crowne and the Supremacie of the King which as his Majesty himselfe confesses in his Answer to the Nineteen Propositions is tempered and allayed with an Aristocracie i. e. the Authority of a Parliament His great Councell to advise Him in all affaires which concerne the wel-fare of the State In reference to which the Government of the Church founded by the Apostles and which is certainly the onely remedy to prevent disorders in Ecclesiastick and Lay persons is a mixt Government consisting of Bishops and Presbyters Which that it was established by the Apostles he evidences by many ensuing arguments laying down first these four undenyable Truths on which he builds the fabrick of his learned Discourse 1. That the Apostles during the time of their continuance upon earth took upon them the oversight of those Churches which they planted 2. That each Apostle fixed his abode in and placed his care upon some one particular Church though all the world were to them a Diocesle in that they undertook to preach the Gospel to all Nations 3. That the Apostles were Bishops of their severall Churches which they took into their care and charge 4. That the Bishops were successors to the Apostles Because they were trusted with the oversight of one Church which the Apostles for their owne time afforded to all within
their Quarters SECT I. TO illustrate the truth of these foure Positions and withall to prove that the Churches were at first governed by Bishops and Presbyters he begins with the first Church the Church of Jerusalem Mother of all Churches from whence the sound of the Gospel went out into all the world This Church was under the charge of Iames the sonne of Alpheus one of the Apostles and his Presbyters No doubt by the consent and appointment of the other Apostles providing for the Church there before their departure into other coaâ—â—s This is comirmed too by Ignatius Clem. Alexandrinus This appeares by many pregnant passages of the Scriptures as Galar 1.18 Gal. 2.9 Act. 15.1 13 19. Gal. 2.12 All these places prove that Saint Iames had the charge of that Church as being the chiefe of that first Councel held there of which we reade Acts 15. and * And when James Peter and John c. nominated by S. Paul in that fore-named Epistle to the Gal. 2.9 before the rest of the Apostles some of whose names wee finde there recorded To denote his preheminencie and precedencie in that place And that he had Presbyters for his Assistants appeares by the second verse of the fore-cited Chapter of the Acts. ch 21. v. 19. where we find that S. Paul at his last comming to Jerusalem Acts 15. went in to Iames where all the Elders were present to advise with him that had the care of that Church about the great businesse then in hand how to behave himselfe towards those of the Circumcision who beleeved Of the Colledge of Presbyters at Jerusalem and of their concurrence and assistance with S. Iames in the Government of that Church we have two unreprovable Arguments in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 11.30 Act. 15.4 6 22 23. SECT II. THis pattern thus setled in Jerusalem the Apostles followed in other Churches which they converted to the Faith by preaching to them the Word of Life These Churches were first founded in Cities as appears by * Tert. lib. de Praescrip c. 20. Ac proinde Ecclesias apud unainquamque civitatem condiderunt Tertullian which is most worthy our observation For because they could not bestow their paines equally in all places reason required they should labour most to plant the faith of Christ in the most populous From whence it was propagated through the Townes and Countryes which were adjacent to those Cities which therefore in time became and were called the Territories Parishes or Dioceses of such or such Churches Now the form of Government estated by S. Paul over these Churches is pointed out to us Act. 14.23 where we reade that Paul and Barnabas ordained them Presbyters in every * Viz. in Lystra and Derbe Cities of Lyconia and in Iconium Church i. e. Colledges Bodies or Companies of Presbyters to order with common advice and joynt consent the Churches planted by them in severall Cities This appeares too by the 20. of Act. 17. where we find that there was a Bench of Elders at Ephesus for which Paul sent to Miletus Philip 1. Thus in the Church of Philippi you shall find that the Apostle directed his Epistle to the Bishops and Deacons there which must be to the Colledge of Presbyters next above the Order of Deacons So when the Apostle writeth to the Thestalonians 1 Thes 12. And we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord The multitude whereof he speaketh is to be understood like wise of the body or company of the Presbyters And in all Church Writers you shall find continuall remembrance of these Presbyters whensoever there is speech of Mother Churches in Mother Cities Now the Presbyters being styled in the holy Scriptures by the name of Bishops Quest a Question will arise from hence Whether the Apostles from the beginning ordained Bishops over the Presbyters Wee must needs answer Negatively Resp And the truth of this will appeare out of Act. 20.17 where the Apostle using these words to the Presbyters of Ephesus Take heed to your selves and to the whole flocke over whom the holy Ghost hath made you EPISCOPOS Bishops or Overseers Where as he giveth the name of Bishops to the Bresbyters so he addresseth his instructions to none befides From whence we may probably infer That at that time there were no Bishops If there had been any S. Paul would have mentioned them with respect to the eminencie of their office So we finde none at Philippi Phil. 1.6 as is evident by the Epigraph or Inscription of that Epistle to the Philippians None in the Church of Corinth as is collected by S. Ambrose and others from the many and great disorders which the Apostle sharply taxeth 1 Cor. 11.21 All which happened Vide Tert. de Praeserip c 36. where he calls the fore-named Churches Apostoloram Cathedras By which it appears that the Apostles sate there as chiefe because there was no Bishop to compose the differences of that Church in the Apostles absence It seemes then that the Apostle himselfe had taken the chiefe charge and oversight of those Churches wherein he had planted bodies of Presbyters This appears by that place in the 2 Cor. 11.28 Besides those things which are without that which commeth upon me daily the care of all the Churches See Acts 15 36. 1 Cor. 5.4 where he proceedeth in the sentence of Excommunication against the incestuous person and requireth of the church i.e. the Presbyter to see it satisfied And the whole frame of his Epistles containes the Acts of his Spirituall Government which he reserved to himself in chiefe over the Churches which he himselfe had planted The like may be asserted of Saint Peter in respect of those Churches committed to his charge Vid. 1 Pet. 5.1 where he directeth his exhortation of feeding the flocke to none but Presbyters which St. Hierome long since has maintained out of the 13. to the Hebrewes 17. where the Apostle writeth in the plurall number Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves c. SECT III THings being thus setled when the Apostles by reason of that multitude of busines had not leisure to attend in person upon the Churches which they had planted they appointed certaine Heads or Superintendents over the company of Presbyters which Heads ever since have retained the name of Bishop Thus were Timothy and Titus made Bishops over the Churches of Crete and Asia Whose Mother Church was Ephesus when it was revealed to the Apostle S. Paul that from thenceforth he was to make the Westerne parts of the world his Diocesse vid. Act. 19.21 And it was at Ephesus where S. Paul thus bespake the Elders Act. 20.25 And now behold I know that all you among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdome of God shall see my face no more And knowing by revelation that hee was to serve God no more in those Easterne
is cleare as appeares by that place of Tertull. de Cor. Mil. c. 3. Eucharistiae Sacramentum nec de aliorum manu quam Praesidentium sumimus The like we finde in S. Cyprian Ep. 62. By all which it is manifest that both orders had common Names in regard of the community of their office and charge As for the forme it selfe of this Church-consistory the mixt Government of Bishops and Presbyters it relates to a patterne in the Synagogue of the Jewes for it resembles their publike Court of Justice which they called the Sanedrin a great part whereof were Priests and Levites and had the hearing of all sorts of causes We have S. Ierome for our Advocate to confirme this resemblance between the Bishops and Presbyters and that high Court of the Jewes He in his Comment upon Titus speaking of Bishops conjoyned with Presbyters sayes thus Imitantur Moysen qui cum haberet in potestate sua praeesse populo Israeletico septunginta elegit cum quibus populum judicavit Vid. R. Moses in Halacoth Sanedrin c. 1. But when Moses was dead a President was chosen over and above the seventy whom they called the Nasi who from age to age supplyed Moses place and such as the Nasi was over the Seventy is a Bishop over the Presbyters i. e. chiefe both in Dignity and Office of which there are two parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rule the Church i. e. to keep those that be under him in obedience to good Lawes and to performe divine service to Pray and Preach and to administer the Sacraments SECT VI. NOw because there be some who draw this comparison into consequence labouring to prove that the Presbyteries ought to consist part of Elders of the people and part of Church Ministers as the Sanedrin was made up of Priests Levites and Laikes They must know that the Sanedrin consisted of the chiefe of the People as well as Priests and Levites because the chiefe causes of the Commonwealth as well as of Religion passed through their hands and were referred to their judgements The Church in all temporall matters is subject to the Lawes and authority of the Commonwealth But in those things which concerne the Soule can we imagine that our Lord did leave her to the charge of any but to those who are trusted with the Keyes of his House who are spirituall men set apart and appointed for the cure of soules But to prove that the Presbyteries then in use consisted of none but Ministers of the Church it will not be amisse first to cleare that Text in Timothie 1 Tim. 5.17 which they urge who labour to maintaine that Lay persons were in the Apostles times admitted into Presbyteries Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially those that labour in the Word and Doctrine These words carry at the first sound an appearance of two sorts of Elders the one of which they would have Preachers the other onely Rulers 1 Pet. 5.2 But we must answer this Objection first by an undeniable assertion taken out of St. Peters exhortation to his Presbyters and out of St. Pauls charge to the Presbyters of Ephesus Act. 20. Act. 20.28 Both their exhortations imply thus much That the Presbyters duty did consist in this to feed the Flocke of Christ and to oversee it We assert therefore that their office was both to govern and to teach both which are plainly intimated in those qualities which the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.2 5. ascribes as proper to Bishops i. e. as Mr. Th. acknowledges to Presbyters Both too are contained in that very passage which is alledged to evince the necessity of Lay-Elders for those Elders that rule well are such as labour in the Word and Doctrine Secondly to the objection we answer thus That in that place the Apostle intended only to difference the Presbyters by the execution of their functions and not to make any difference in the functions themselves Reade Mr. Mede his exposition upon that Text of 1 Tim. 5.17 Vid. Medes Diatr For the function and office was one and the same belonging to one and the same Ecclesiastique person his office was to rule and teach this latter was rightly accounted the most eminent point of that Function he that took speciall paines in this which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implyes and withall did rule well was worthy of double honour in the judgement of St. Paul and this in the judgement of the most learned Interpreters is conceived to be the meaning of the Text. Againe what if we should not deny Eph. 4.4 c. Rom. 12.6 1 Cor. 12.28 but confesse what is evident and cleare by many Texts that the Holy Ghost distributed in that infancy of the Church many personall gifts and speciall endowments on severall persons to be employed in the edification of particular Assemblies amongst which gifts this of ruling might be one which the Holy Ghost might bestow on some to assist the Presbyters in their government Although this be granted to have been in the time of the Apostles yet if any man should now presume to draw their example into imitation I would ask him this question What commission he or any man has to turne temporary indowments into perpetuall places I am sure he has none What might be expedient in the Apostles dayes may not be thought convenient in ours And if we should endeavour to doe now what then was done I feare the world would be turned upside downe and all things brought to confusion But to conclude this grand Controversie betweene England and Geneva Mr. Th. who comes not short of any in the skill of Antiquity assures us that we shall never finde in any ancient Author the least mention of Lay-Elders in the government of the Church in that manner as is practised by the Genevists The contrary he proves out of Tertullian Pag. 106.108 and out of the Commentaries under St. Ambrose his name upon Titus by which it is manifest that the Elders then in use were Doctores such as were employed in the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments SECT VII THis great doubt being I suppose cleared and it being sufficiently proved that Lay-Elders have no right to the ordering of Church affaires or medling with spirituall things which concerne the good and welfare of mens soules Mr. Th. proceeds to discover out of the most ancient Authors what were the bounds of the office of Bishop and Presbyter and in what cases the Bishop had the preeminence He tells us that the office of Divine Service i. e. of Teaching or Preaching and administring the Sacraments were wont to be reserved to the Bishop in honour of his place and eminency of it i. e. when he came into any Church the Presbyter ever gave way to him to preach This is witnessed by Just Martyr who relates in plaine termes that the Sermon used to be made and the