Pattern of order and unity will be the most confused body in the World every body will become his own Lord and Master and will live and do as he lift but how opposite is this to that command of our Saviour If he refuse to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican and to that of the Apostle obey them that have the Rule over you when at this rate no Man has any other Ruler but his own peevish will Our Saviour therefore to prevent this confusion as he had Authority immediatly from God so he gave his Apostles full Commission to send others with the like power of appointing new Bishops to the end of the World as fast as any should dye or the places become void And to this purpose he says as my Father sent me Joh. 20. that is with power of sending you so send I you with power of sending others And lo I am with you alwaies unto the end of the World accordingly we find Paul and Barnabas ordained by the appointment of the Holy Ghost Act. 13.2 3. and they again when they had received this power goe about ordaining Bishops in every Church where they were wanting Acts 14.23 and then Acts 20. the Apostle exhorts the Bishops to feed the Flock of Christ over whom the Holy Ghost had made them Bishops Thus Timothy was ordained by St Paul and he had power to ordain others but he is charged to lay hands suddenly on no Man 1 Tim. 5.22 Titas also was left in Crete to ordain Elders and set in order the things that were wanting So that Christ he first sent forth his Apostles the Apostles they ordained and sent forth Bishops they were to judge of their abilities and so to give them charge of Souls and the People were to hearken to them and obey them as appointed by the Holy Ghost Act. 20. and so other Priests and Officers that follow their orders and directions 2 Cor. 7.15 What method was observed in appointing Bishops and Governours of the Church after the Apostles dayes 'T IS not to be expected that the Names of all the Persons that were called to be Governours in the Church and the places and bounds within which every Man was to exercise his Authority should be set down in Scripture no more then the Names and Places of Kings and Printes and Civil Governours are The common rules of prudence and order are enough to direct in this as well as the other matters so that all things be done decently and in order and to the edification of the Church Now the Rules of decency and order do require that Persons should be appointed peaceably and therefore no Man must thrust himself into any Government till he be duely called and set apart for that Office neither must any one usurp anothers place and disturb him in the quiet discharge of his duty And then that all may be done to edification t is fit the Persons should be able and well qualified to do their Office so there must be Persons who have power to appoint and judgement to examine and discern the fitness of the Men who are to be called to so high a dignity as to be Teachers and Governours of the Church how they are for life and conversation that Magistrates and People can bear witness to and are allowed to except against ill Men. But whether they are sound in Faith and indued with knowledge and understanding rightly to divide the word of God and discharge their duty that was ever the Office of the Bishops to enquire as also to ordain and appoint them for they must lay hands suddenly on no Man 1 Tim. 5.22 but are to commit this Authority to faithfull Men who are able to teach others also 2 Tim. 2.2 again how shall they Preach except they be sent Rom. 10.15 no Man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 Now that was after a solemn and orderly manner by Gods appointment he was legally consecrated and set apart for that Office Exod. 28. so were the Apostles so were those sent abroad by the Apostles and so Persons were appointed in all ages of the Church being first examined and tryed and then Ordained and sent forth by the Bishops according to certain Canons and the same order is observed at this day in all Churches that stand established in any setled Government And thô there be a dispute in some places whether Bishops and Priests be of the same order and upon that supposition that every Priest is a Bishop and has Originally in him fullness of all Authority and Power some do take it upon them to ordain thô meer Presbyters yet it is upon that principle and supposition that a Presbyter is equal to a Bishop and has Authority from Christ to ordain others by virtue of his Office and so still they maintain that Men must be examined and appointed by Bishops in a Regular manner before they ought to be allowed to take upon them any Office of Preaching and Governing in the Church And suppose a Bishop and Presbyter were one Order and a Presbyter had equal Authority originally to Ordain as well as Bishops which in the judgment of most Churches they have not yet what an unreasonable thing is it to make use of a power of Ordination which was never owned and allowed for 1500 years in the Church and which does create many doubts and disputes and great confusion in the Church when they may have Ordination from the Bishops which all confess is sound and valid and thereby Men may avoid giving scandal to many Churches and raising Scruples in the minds of People at home which all charity does require good Christians to prevent Now this Succession of Bishops down from the Apostles time to our dayes Luther T. 4. p. 6 7 8. Twenty years after his first appearing against the errors of the Church of Rome The Apostles were called by Christ himself the Apostles afterward called their Disciples as Paul called Timothy and Titus Who afterward called the Bishops the Bishops called their Successors and that Call continued to our times and shall continue to the end of the World and 't is a mediate call because it is by Men yet it is Divine and this is the generall call all over the World after the Apostles neither is it to be changed but highly esteemed by reason of some fanaticall Men which despise it and boast of another better call whereby they say they are moved by the Spirit to teach But such impostors lye they are moved by a Spirit indeed but not by a good but a wicked Spirit Wherefore we must not run into another Man's charge as the Devil does stir up his Ministers to run where they are not called has run as clearly and as evidently as the Succession of our Kings in England since William the Conquerour still one succeeding another as any died or
satisfied and you feel a great deal of comfort in the way you take to worship God and have the testimony of your Conscience that you do act sincerely and as you think for the glory or God But how easily may Men flatter and deceive themselves with such pretences Do not Jews and Mahometans all Hereticks and Schismaticks pretend the same And are not many of them fully as Zealous and consident in their way and do they not as much condemn you in their thoughts as you can them Nay those that killed the Apostles thought they did God service So that to rely upon an inward satisfaction Joh. 16.2 the pretence of Conscience without solid reason and foundation in Gods word is the common mistake that deludes the greatest part of Mankind If ever then you hope to appear with comfort before God you must lay aside fancy and perswasion and examine both your Faith and your Lives according to the holy Scriptures If we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel in part or in whole or neglect any part of This let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 When our Saviour began to preach this was the Summ of his Doctrine Repent and relieve the Gospel Mar. 1.15 When he sent his Apostles into the world it was with this large Commission Preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.15 16. St Paul afterwards speaking of the Day of Judgment Says God shall Judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2.16 Again Christ Jesus shall he revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his power The Gospel does not only contain promises but precepts duties as well as rewards And therefore our Saviour when he is asked what a man should do to be saved gives this answer If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments Again if ye love me keep my Commandments St James says whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 This contains all articles of our Creed and all other Christian duties we must not think then our Zeal for one duty will excuse our neglect of another we must not so much regard what we have done but supply that we have not done If through errour or mistake any have lived in Schism Heresie Disobedience or breach of any other command he must repent and amend for no confidence and self conceit can justifie us before God while we live in neglect of our Duty Obedience to Governours and love and unity with our fellow Christians necessary Duties of the Gospel AS our Saviour came into the World to reform the errours and vices of corrupt Nature and teach Men the principles of Peace and Vertue so in his Gospel he has given most severe commands of mutual love and obedience to his Bishops and Governours because without it there would be nothing but ignorance and errour quarrels and confusion and as it was in the Jewish Nation when there was no King in Israel every one did what was right in his own eyes so it will be in the Church where there are no Governours or none that are hearkened to or regarded every man will follow the devices of his own heart Therefore when he founded his Church the first thing he does is to appoint Governours with power not only to shut out of his Church but out of Heaven all those that contemn their authority and will not be governed by them Matt. 16.18 19. Vpon this rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdome of Heaven whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shalt be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven And though in this place it be promised to St Peter to shew that each single Bishop had that power in his respective charge whilst he lives in communion with and conformity to the Church yet Matt. 18. it is said whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and when our Saviour actually bestows this power John 20.23 he gives it equally to all the Apostles whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Again he says he that receiveth you receiveth me he that rejecteth you rejecteth me and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me And when he was going into Heaven that he might fully provide for the order and government of his Church he gives his Apostles authority over the whole World to rule and to punish them as well as to teach and comfort them and this power is to last to the end of the World All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth go ye therefore into all the World make Disciples all Nations and lo I am with you alwayes unto the end of the World Matt. 28. The Apostle Hebr. 13. bids Christians remember them that have the Rule over you who have spoken to you the word of God whose faith follow v. 7. again Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls v. 17. And 't is our Saviours express command if he refuse to hear the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen and a Publican and then he adds to shew whom he means by the Church that 't is the Bishops and Governours of his Church whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Matt. 18.17 18. So that it is beyond all possible doubt that there are Bishops and Governours sent by Christ to continue to the end of the World and there is a Church that must be hearkened unto under peril of being shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven There must be a method and order observed in appointing the Bishops and Governours of the Church that Men may know whom they ought to obey and whose punishments they ought to avoid ALL Men confess in general that Christ has left Bishops and Governours in his Church but they are not all agreed who are those who have this Authority committed to them Now there must be some orderly method for our direction in this as well as other matters or else the Authority will signifie nothing and not attain that end for which it was appointed For if every body be left to follow whom he please then all censures and excommunications will come to nothing assoon as Men are shut out from one Pastor they will run to another if one will not comply with their humour they will go to another that will and so the Christian society which ought to be the
she is a very corrupt part of it and those of that Communion that amongst us set up separate Assemblies do oppose the constant tradition of the Catholick Church the Canons of the generall Councils and follow a private Spirit and are as proper Schismaticks as any of our Fanaticks and Dissenters Obj. But those of the Church of Rome do not only charge us with Disobedience to the Pope but with Heresie and false Doctrine in rejecting many Articles of Faith and other Ancient practices of the Church Answ But if you will consult your Bishops and Ministers they will make it appear that the Points we reject are so far from being Articles of Faith and ancient practices that they are Moddern errours and corruptions not known to or else condemned by the Primitive Church and this we may see evidently made out by severall late Writings and Disputes Obj. I am glad to hear you say the Catholick Church does plainly condemn the Usurpations and Errours of the Church of Rome as well as the Scriptures which seem plainly against them and we think against many Orders of the Church of England also that are meer Humane inventions if not old Popish Superstitions which we cannot Lawfully joyn withall and therefore are forced to serve God in such a Manner as we can and which we think is better pleasing to Him thô in separate Congregations Answ Humane Inventions and Popish Superstitions are frightfull words indeed but so you must remember are Slanderers Schismaticks Hereticks and disobedient to Parents c. as all those are that accuse the Church and cannot prove what they say Obj. But our Preachers have told us that these Orders of the Church are Popish Anti-christian c. and therefore our Consciences would condemn us if we should comply with them Answ But will you run into so great Sins against the plain Word of God because your Preachers tell you so I thought the Word of God had been your Rule but now I perceive you follow your Preachers against the Word of God and will not obey your Governours according to it Obj. We think our Preachers are Good and Holy Men and Teach us the Truth Answ Why should you not have as good an opinion of your Bishops and Ministers But when the Preachers take upon them thus to draw you into Schism Disobedience and teach you to have uncharitable thoughts of your Governours and to condemn the Church and fellow Christians you ought to suspect if not their honesty yet their Judgment and Discretion for they are Men and may be transported by Passion and Interest or else through errour and mistake and lead you into heinous Sins For why should you think them wiser and better then all other Divines Obj. But I hope still they teach us right Answ But it is not enough to say you hope you must be sure the Governours of the Church are in the wrong or else you are in a most miserable condition to run your selves into so many Sins and dangers by separating from them Obj. But my Conscience tells me I am in the right Answ But 't is not your Conscience will excuse you unless you have some Command of God to build upon Now turn your Bible over and over you will not find any thing in the Scripture against any duty required by the Church Obj. But pray where have you any Command of God for your Common-Prayer and Ceremonies Answ We are commanded in Scripture to make Prayers and Supplications for all Men 1 Tim. 2.1 and to see that all things be done Decently and in Order and since the Words and Ceremonies are not determined in Scripture 't is better the Governours should consider and make Rules and Orders then to leave it to every bodies Fancy so that we have command in Scripture for what we do But pray where have you any command of God for your irreverent Prayers and disorder in Gods service Obj. Why do you call our Prayers and Service irreverent and disorderly Answ Because they are so and cannot be generally otherwise for when every Preacher is to follow his own heated and Rambling fancy and every Hearer is lest to Sit or Kneel or Stand or Lye along to put on his Hat or put it off what can commonly be expected but irreverence and disorder Obj. As for these Modes Gestures and Postures which you call Irreverent we matter not them Answ But thô you matter them not yet the Scripture does require all things should be done Decently and in Order 1 Cor. 14.40 and we find that our Saviour and his Apostles did kneel down and shew all outward Reverence and therefore we think the Church of England has good reason to require People to imitate their examples in behaving themselves Reverently and Orderly when they are in the House of God and not let their Service be more rude there then when they are at their houses at home so that nothing is commanded in this kind but what civility and good breeding would teach Men to observe and for which we have the command of God and the example of Christ and his Apostles and other Holy Men. Obj. Perhaps it would be better if People were more Reverent at their Meetings Answ But how can that be expected when all your Prayers and the whole Performance is left to the Arbitrary pleasure and discretion of every Preacher amongst you who are Men and those none of the ablest neither and may err and be ignorant Obj. But we think they Pray by the Spirit Answ What do you mean by Praying by the Spirit do you mean that the Holy Ghost does put all those words immediately into their Mouths and so they use no other Prayers but what are dictated by the Holy Ghost Obj. We do think so and our Preachers keep us up in that belief Answ But how do they prove this For if that be true all their Prayers are as Divine and Infallible as the Word of God it self For the Holy Ghost is as Infallible now as when he did guide the Apostles to write the Holy Scriptures But it is evident to all the World that these Prayers are often so far from being Divine that they sometimes are such as scarce become a sober Man Therefore you may see what Men your Preachers are that abuse you in this manner and cheat you with false stories if your Preachers are dictated by any Spirit 't is generally by the Spirit of delusion for it is not to be thought that the Holy Ghost will work a Miracle at every Conventicle to inspire every dissenting Preacher when ordinary gifts are sufficient not only for such but much more excellent Prayers And any One that will but attend those Meetings and weigh their Prayers with Judgment will find more of the errour and weakness of the Man then of the least evidence of the Holy Spirit Obj. But we have heard other Men Pray and Preach but could never find so much satisfaction and comfort as